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footballfanficwriter · 4 months

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Spill the tea

Summary:where Jude is invested in girl drama

"Hello?"

"Hey girl, I've got hot tea for you"

"Yeah, spill it I'm listening"

I'm on a call with Ashley my Best friend who tells me everything, well we tell eachother everything, Ashley and I have been friends for the longest time, we grew up together and she was always there for me way before I even met Jude

"Ok so I just found out that Hannah is pregnant"

"What?"

"But the plot thickens, remember the boyfriend she said she was dating?"

"Yeah?"

"Well turns out he's not the father"

"If it's not him then whose the father?"

Jude walks into the house from training and he waves at me, I wave back at him

"It turns out that Hannah was having an Affair" Ashley says

"An Affair with who"

I see Jude turn his head towards me like my sentence has just peaked his interest and he walks to where I'm sat in the sofa and sits next to me watching me with interest

"The Gardner"

"The Gardner?"

Jude grabs my phone from my ear and puts the phone on speaker

"Whose having an affair with the Gardner?" He asks

"Hey Jude"

"Hey Ash, how are you?"

"I'm good, how are you"

"I'm good,so whose having an Affair with the Gardner"

"Hannah"

"But wasn't she with that other boyfriend of hers that she was bragging about?" Jude asks

"Yeah she was, I guess she was cheating on him"

"But, he was such a good guy"

"I know right"

"But there's more tea to be spilled"

"What Is it"

"Alice"

"I swear there's always something happening in Alice's life" I say

"Alice decided that it was a good idea to get surgery, and because she didn't have the budget for it, she went to a makeshift surgeon, and it did not come out proper, it just looks weird honestly"

"Do you have a picture?" I ask

"Yeah, hang on I'll send it just now"

Ash sends the picture and Jude and I look at it weirdly

"What has she done" he asks

"I'm speechless"

"I don't know whether to laugh or to cry" Jude says

"Why are her lips like that"

"Who ever did this to her needs to be arrested" Jude says

"Where is she now?" I ask

"At her house, she hasn't left eversince"

"Maybe we should check on her you know, see if she's doing fine" I say

"Yeah we should, we'll do it later"

"I'll make her something to try and make her feel better"

"Oh I just got am update on Hannah's situation"

"Turns out the Gardner is actually dating Haley, and he proposed to her"

"He proposed?" Jude asked

"So how are they going to work it out are they going to be one big polygamy Family"

"Even if the do that how is he going to afford to have a baby and have a wedding, knowing Haley she's definitely going to want a big extravagant wedding and she doesn't like sharing, so how is she going to share a husband with someone else?"

"What I don't get is how you're going to cheat on a person, then propose to the same person you cheated on, like do you know how much of a negative impact you have on a person"

"But Hannah is also in the wrong, she cheated on her boyfriend and went for Haley's then boyfriend and got pregnant by him, like that messed up, on top of that they are bestfriends" Jude says

"Ash you know I love you, but i could never be a sister wife with you, with anyone for a matter of fact"

"Don't worry, you're into footballers and I'm into NBA Stars totally different sport"

"Oh I forgot to tell you that Julia is moving" I say

"Julia is moving" They both ask

"Yeah she's moving back to France"

"Why?

"Something about being caught with the boss"

"She was caught with the boss"

"Well they weren't really keeping their affair a secret, they held hands in the office and they'd flirt in front of people, it was just a matter of time"

"But the boss?"

"Yup"

"Isn't she Lesbian?" Jude asks

"She's Lesbian?" I ask

"Isn't she in a relationship?" Ash asks

"She's in a relationship?" Jude and I ask at the same time

"That's crazy you know"

"It's insane actually"

"But hey you know what these aren't our lives and who are we to judge and Comment on other people's lives"

"True"

"So we'll meet in 2 hours to go and check on Alice?"

"Yeah, see you then"

I hang the phone up and look at Jude

"Let me go get ready I wanna see her myself"

"Jude when we get there please try to compose yourself until we get back home"

"Until we get back home?, I'll compose myself until we get into the car and drive off"

"Fine but if you can't keep your side if the bargain, I'll be very upset"

"Ok fine"

2 hours later

There's a knock

I walk to the door to reveal Ash

"Hey babe"

"Hey, you ready to go ?"

"Yup, just waiting for Jude"

"Ok, so what did you make Alice"

"Soup, cause you know I figured that she wouldn't be able to eat a lot of things that are solid"

"Yeah"

Jude walks down the stairs and greets Ash

Ash decides to ride in her own car on our way to Alice's house

When we arrive there I knock on the door and after a few seconds later the door opens revealing Alice

I turn to Jude and watch his eyes grow bigger, I then turn back to Alice

"Hey Alice we heard you weren't feeling well, so we thought we might check on you see how you're doing"

"Yeah, we heard what happened" Ash says

"Come in please"

"So how have you been" Jude asks

"Is it bad like really bad can you see I got my face done"

"No, it's not that bad, your lips just look more plumb" I say

I hear Jude clear his throat next to him

"I just can't stop looking in the mirror" she says crying

"Oh sweetie don't so that to yourself, I'm sure it will get better, don't bring yourself down like that" Ashley says

"Yeah Ashley is right I didn't even notice it until you brought it up" Jude says

"Really?"

"Yeah, he's right c'mon you must be hungry Y/n made soup for you I'll plate it up for you" Ash says taking the big bowl of soup from my hands and leading Alice to the Kitchen

"What are you doing" I ask him

"What, I thought we were telling her lies to make her feel better" he says

"Jude stop ok"

"But I haven't laughed ever since we got here, though it may be difficult not to I still haven't"

"Fine just stop with the side expressions and stuff"

"Oh c'mon you're going to stand there and pretend that all of this is not funny"

"Unlike you I know how to compose myself and keep my laughter in, and plus we're in her house how rude would it be if we just came in and laughed at her face"

He smiles a little almost like he's trying not to laugh

I sigh

"I give up on you"

We stay with Alice for 3 more hours until we announce that we have to go but Ash opts to stay with Alice until she's better and we promise to occasionally visit

As soon as we enter the car He laughs his ass off

"Let's not even talk about the lips did you see the eyebrows, she can't even lift her eyebrows"

"Wait until we get home"

"I'm not waiting until we get home I'm talking now"

"Jude"

"C'mon, it's not like she can hear me"

"Fine"

"Did you see the nose, it's like this" he says laughing and making the shape of her nose in the air

As much as I don't want to laugh at Alice Jude is not making it any easier not to so I just chuckle

"Her lips are like this, babe look" he says making his lips plump by squishing them together using his hands

I laugh at his comment and the rest if the way Jude and I are talking about Alice and all the things that could have forced her to do this to herself

The rest of the day is spent hanging out and Jude and i making dinner for ourselves then watching a movie then bed

As I'm changing into my Pajamas Jude speaks up

"Babe?"

"Yeah?"

"On a serious note though, l love you just the way you are"

I raise my eyebrow wondering where all of this came from

"Ok, why are you being weird"

"I'm not I'm just saying if you ever decide to get plastic surgery or a face lift, whatever it is, Just know that I love your body just the way it is and I don't want you to be pressured or feel like it's your obligation to make yourself look younger or have more curves or to look a certain way when you're with me"

"Aww, Jude Babe thank you so much, and to make you feel better and to put you at ease, I wasn't even thinking about getting anything on my body done so, you have nothing to worry about, in fact Alice's case just pushed me futher away from the idea"

He breathes a sigh of relief and walks over to me towers over me where he kisses my forehead

"I love you and your body"

"I love you too"

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reashot · 8 months

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Red means Stop, Green means Go and Yellow means you can ride on Blondie. 🚦

Jaune: it's so great that you decided to stay here with us forever Jessica.

Ruby: Jess are you sure you're making the right decision? After all you're leaving everything you ever knew behind.

Jessica: Oh it's not really a big deal. I mean there's already like, what? ten Green Lanterns already. They won't notice one missing.

Meanwhile on OA...

Tomar-Re: Okay, are all the Green Lanterns from Earth already in attendance and counted for?

Hal Jordan: Here!

Guy Gardner: The one and only.

Kyle Rayner: Present!

John Stewart: Attention!

Simon Baz: Ready.

Jo Mullein: Let's get it started already!

Kilowog: Wait! We're missing one poozer.

Tomar-Re: Who are we missing?

Guy: Who knows? There's so many Green Lanterns from Earth that it's hard to keep track of... And while we at it. I'm not a geo/space-political egghead or anything like that, but don't you think it's kinda messed up that Earth is overly represented in the Green Lantern Corp. Compared to other planets?

Kyle: I hate to admit this, but Guy here have a point. Why do we have so many Green Lanterns from Earth anyway? Heck! I got to be one and all I had to do is be in the right place in the right time.

Hal: Huh? You know I never thought about it like that. And this kind of put all the Alien attacks we had into a new perspective. Do you think they attacked us because we have too many influence in galactic affairs? I mean Green Lantern aside there's too many notable humans in Galaxy despite us not being a space faring species.

Jo: This is definitely gonna make my assignment to the Far Sector a lot more problematic. I'm in the same boat as Kyle I was personally recruited by the Guardian in a club. I don't think that's normally how you get the ring.

John: What the heck with there's more humans in the Lantern Corp. Has to do with anything? All of us are Green Lanterns now and there's no changing that. Whether the ring chose us or the Guardians did, matters little, we still have the responsibility of a Lantern. And I don't think they are wrong in making their choices.

Simon: You said it John. You said it... Argus you getting any of this?

Meanwhile at Argus...

Amanda Waller: We hear you loud and clear Agent Baz. Make sure you keep them talking as much as you can. We need as much info as we can get from this glow in the dark clowns. Junior! Keep giving me constant updates on the Green Lanterns situation. You got that?

Gordon Junior: Yes mrs. Waller. We will monitor the situation as best as we can.

Amanda: It better be, for your sake too.

Returning back to OA...

Simon: While we wait for Jessica. How about we all talk about Green Lantern stuffs. Seeing we probably missed a lot by not being here. Preferably as loud and clear as you can...

Hal: Who's Jessica?

Simon: Ha, ha, ha, nice joke Hal. How could you forget about Jessica?

Jo: No. Seriously who's Jessica. This is the first time I ever heard of her?

Simon: I know you're new and all but that doesn't excuse for not knowing your fellow Green Lantern.

John: I don't know what you're talking about Simon? But there is no Green Lantern named Jessica.

Simon: Then which Green Lantern are we waiting for?

Guy: We're waiting for Keli Quintela. Who else are waiting for Baz?

Simon: A-am I losing my mind here. How could everyone in here forgot about Jessica Cruz?

Kilowog: Who the heck is Jessica Cruz?...

Simon: Not you too! You know Jessica. She's the... Eh, the.. Why can't I remember her?

And finally back on Remnant

Jessica: I'm sure it's fine...

Jaune: Well if you said so Jess... And Jess thank you again for choosing to stay with us. *hugs her*

Jessica: Oh Jaune... Now I know I'm making the right choice. After meeting you I can't imagine myself without you. You are everything to me Jaune...

Jaune: Jess...

Ruby: *grind teeth*

Jaune: Then we have to celebrate. I'll make a reservation at my favorite restaurant. And maybe afterward I can show you around the place.

Jessica: That would be lovely Jaune. And I think any place would be great as long as I am with you...

Jaune: *blush* Y-you do? Then I better go and make my reservation. Ruby can you keep Jess company while I'm out. Okay thank you, bye...

Jess: *blush* He's so thoughtful... 💕

Ruby: So you done trying to steal my man? 😡

Jessica: N-no I wouldn't dream of it Ms. Rose... He-he is way out of my league. With him being so tall, handsome, blonde... Oh I'm just making it worse for me, am I?

Ruby: *sigh* Look Jess it's not that I don't know where you're coming from but I love Jaune too and I have no intention of giving him up.

Jessica: I know that. Ms. Rose but I love him so much. If I met him first like you do I won't give him up. But I have no intention of stealing him away from you. I-I just want to be close to him that's all. Being with him makes me feel safe and loved. I feel I can be a better version of myself just by being with him... *tearing up*

Ruby: Oh Jess... *comforts her* You're just like me. Before me there was another girl named Pyhrra. Just like you I pretend I didn't want to steal him from her. But deep down I wanted him for myself.

Jessica: Pyhrra... Is that the red headed girl I met before right?

Ruby: Yes. But she died a while ago and Jaune loved her dearly. He was devastated by her death... And Jess if you decide to go after Jaune, I will allow it.

Jessica: Really?!

Ruby: On strict conditions of course. That I Ruby Rose will remain his number one girlfriend and you need to ask my permission first to go on a date with him and for other things to.

Jessica: O-of course I will always ask for your permission beforehand and I will never break your trust. (Yes. I can be with Jaune.)

Ruby: Oh, very well then. I Ruby Rose will allow you to go on a date. But make sure to keep it PG-13. Or else.

Jessica: Yes, of course. I will make sure to bring him home before midnight.

Jaune: Hey you two. I hope you haven't been waiting too long. So what are you talking about?

Ruby: Oh we're just talking about girls stuffs you know... Anyway, enough about us. Where are you taking Jess to on your first date together?

Jaune: I-it's not a date Ruby. I'm just showing her around her new home that's all. And Jess how do you feel about French food is it okay with you?

Jessica: I love it Jaune...

Ruby: Remember keep it PG-13 or I'm gunning for you Jess.

If anyone ask why do the DC characters suddenly can't remember anything about Jessica. Well that's just the price for abandoning your own reality unfortunately. I'm sure it's nothing...

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ilyasorokinn · 3 years

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Number 8 and 16 from the nonverbal “I love you” prompt list with barzy?

NO MUFFINS FOR YOU

8. "waking them up when their alarm fails them" & "sending them photo updates of what you're doing" (from this prompt list)

mat usually woke up earlier than you, and by the time he was out the door, you were usually getting ready. but this morning when he popped his head into your bedroom, he saw you were still passed out.

he realized you forgot to turn your alarms back on, and cursed himself internally. he crept into the room quietly and bent down on your side.

"y/n..." he whispered, shaking you softly. you shook your head, turning away from him, "baby, you gotta wake up. it's already 9:00." he told you.

you nodded. it took him a second for the words to sink into your head before you were sitting up in bed, "i'm late." you pushed the covers off and shoved mat aside.

"your welcome." he shouted after you. he heard you shout a muffled 'thank you' as you begin brushing your teeth.

mat was a lunch with a few other guys when he felt his phone buzz. he pulled it out and saw a text from you.

throughout the day, you and mat would send photos back and forth to each other, just telling the other about the happenings of your day. he saw a photo of you and your dog, gardner, walking down the sidewalk in front of your apartment.

he sent a photo back of himself and a piece of bread. you both sent a few back and forth before mat sent one saying he was on his way home.

mat walked through the door, and was immediately greeted by gardner, “i’m home.” he announced.

“in the kitchen.” you hollered. mat followed gardner into the kitchen where he found you sticking something into the oven.

“whatcha making?” he asked.

“a batch of muffins,” you answered, turning on the timer.

“hmm.” mat hummed, his mouth salivating at the thought of muffins.

“but they’re not for us. they’re for mrs. liz.” you told him.

“what?” mat whined.

“mat…” you sent him a look.

“fine.” he pouted.

“i’ll make you a fresh batch tomorrow,” you told him.

“promise?” he held out his pinky.

“promise.” you linked pinkies with him.

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nxsmss · 3 years

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Movies I watched in February

fyi, I have zero knowledge on how to professionally rate or review a movie. I am not gonna pay attention to every little detail. these rating are simply based on how much I enjoyed/liked the movie

Follow me

Unhinged

In Time

Avengers Age of Ultron

Songbird

Star Trek

Step up all in

Project Almanac

Ant Man

Space Sweepers

Christiane F.

Jurassic World

Jurassic World the fallen kingdom

1. follow me

A social media personality travels with his friends to Moskow to capture new content for his successful vlog. Always pushing the limits and catering to a growing audience, they enter a cold world of mystery, excess, and danger.

starring: Keegan Allen, Holland Roden, Denzel Whitaker, Ronen Rubenstein, Pasha D. Lchnikoff

the end was very predictable and i pretty much already knew halfway through the movie what was gonna happen. but it still was quite thrilling and I did enjoy watching it

6.5/10

2. unhinged

After a confrontation with an unstable man at an intersection, a woman becomes becomes the target of his rage.

starring: Russel Crowe, Caren Pistorius, Gabriel Batemen

hm idk, I didn’t really like it, my sister didn’t really like it but my mom did, I think. it just seemed so, no overdramatic but just too much in a way

3/10

3. in time

In a future where people stop aging after 25 and need to buy time to live, the rich become immortal while others cease to exist. So, Will is on the run with a hostage in a desperate bid to survive.

starring: Justin Timberlake, Amanda Seyfried, Cillian Murphy, Olivia Wilde, Alex Pettyfer

yes, such a good movie. Ireally like the concept. can recommend

7/10

4. avengers age of ultron

When Tony Stark and Bruce Banner try to jump-start a dormant peacekeeping program called Ultron, things go horribly wrong and it’s up to Earth’s mightiest heroes to stop the villanious Ultron from enacting his terrible plan.

starring: Robert Downy Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johanson, Jeremy Renner, Elizabeth Olsen, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Paul Bettany

hell yes, one of my favourite marvel movies. Wanda and Pietro.. Hawkeye.. all the little jokes throughout the entire movie and of course the scene where everyone tries to lift thor’s hammer, what’s not to love about this movie

10/10

5. songbird

In 2024 a pandemic ravages the world and it’s cities. Centering a handful of people as they naviagete the obstacles currently hindering society: disease, marital law, quarantine, and vigilantes.

starring: K.J. Apa, Sofia Carson, Demi Moore, Bradley Whitford, Peter Stromare, Alexandra Daddario, Craig Robinson

I really enjoyed watching this. yeah sure, the ending was obvious but I was still glued to the screen. I also felt super weird watching this, kinda surreal because we are basically living a more harmless version of this rn. I really liked seeing sofia carson in such a movie, I’ve only seen her in the descendants so this was a bit of a change haha. I’m not that big of a fan of kj but he was great as well and i really loved his characters style.

7/10

6. star trek

The brash James T. Kirk tries to live up to his father’s legacy with Mr. Spock keeping him in check as a vengeful Romulan from the future creates black holes to destroy the Federation one planet at a time.

starring: Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Leonard Nimoy, Carl Urban, Eric Bana, Bruce Greenwood, Zoe Zaldana, Simon Pegg, John Cho, Anton Yelchin

I put it on because I wanted to have some background noise while playing sims but I ended up playing like 20 minutes and then just watching the movie haha I forgot how good it was, and the others as well, aaand I totally forgot carl urban was in it, so that was a little surprise. anyways, can recommend watching them if you’re into sci-fi action movies but at the same time, if you’re into that I’m pretty sure you’ve already watched them.

7.5/10

bonus: I also watched star trek beyond the other day but this time I was barely paying attention so I can't really say too much, but it's also quite good👍🏻

7. step up all in

All-stars from the previous Step up installments come together in glittering Las Vegas, battling for a victory that could define their dreams and their careers.

starring: Ryan Guzman, Briana Evigan, Adam Sevani, Misha Gabriel Hamilton, Sephen Stevo Jones, David Schreibman, Mari Koda, Alyson Stoner, Izabella Miko

definetly one of my favourite dance movies. highly recommend it!! I’d like it more without the romancde but it’s fine, I guess, I can live with it haha and the last performance... wow just wow that’s all I can say to that. y’all go watch it

9/10

8. project almanac

A group of teens discover secret plans of a time machine, and construct one. However, things start to get out of control.

starring: Jonny Weston, Sofia Black-D’Elia, Sam Lerner, Allen Evangelista, Virginia Gardner

okay... I did enjoy watching it! the beginning was a little slow imo but then it just got more and more intense which was kinda nice. god, at some point the main guy kept making the wrong decisions and that was very frustrating to watch. the ending was alright, spoiler ahead (I guess) I would have liked the ending more if it was the exact same as the beginning, meaning that the movie is just one big time loop and the events from the movie were about to repeat themselves. but that's just my opinion🤷🏻‍♀️

6.5/10

9. ant man

Armed with a super-suit with the astonishing ability to shrink in scale but increase in strength, cat burglar Scott Lang must embrace his inner hero and help his Mentor Dr. Pym, plan and pull off a heist that will save the world.

starring: Paul Rudd, Michael Douglas, Evangeline Lilly, Corey Stoll, Michael Pena, Bobby Cannavale, David Dastmalchian, T.I.

another one of my favorite mcu movies. it's just fun and easy and doesn't have a lot of pain in it. the giant ant it's my favorite part haha I want it as a pet

9/10

10. space sweepers

Set in the year 2092 and follows the crew of a space junk collector ship called The Victory. When they discover a humanoid robot named Dorothy that's known to be a weapon of mass destruction, they get involved in a risky business deal.

starring: Song Joong-Kim, Kim Tae-ri, Seon-kyu Jin, Hyang-gi Kim, Richard Armitage, Ye-Rin Park

I really loved this movie. I cried like 6 times haha, which came unexpected. (or maybe it's because I'm suppose to get my period any day now) I did not think I was going to enjoy this movie as much as I did, at all. it was fun, it was exciting, it was sad (even my dad said that) the plot was good, the visual effects were amazing, it did feel like I was watching this movie for like 5 hours but not in a bad way and I am now kinda emotionally attached to the characters haha (I might do a rewatch). another thing I really liked was the language/synchronization. in the original version they speak mostly korean and english but also some other languages and it's the same in the synchronizations. the dialogue of the main characters is in the language you pick but every other character (I guess) is a different language and I absolutely love that. I highly recommend watching this!!

also, its was super weird seeing Richard Armitage not as a dwarf hahaha

10/10

11. christiane f.

A teen girl in 1970's Berlin becomes addicted to heroin. Everything in her life slowly begins to distort and disappear as she befriends a small crew of junkies and falls in love with a drug-abusing male prostitute.

starring: Natja Brunckhorst, Thomas Haustein, Jens Kuphal, Christiane Reichelt

I binged the series the other day and after the last episode this movie was in the "watch next" thingy idk and I thought "well, why not" and watched it. good movie, definitely!! I really liked that they didn't show the highs of doing heroin but focused on the negative effects it has on someone and what it's doing to your body. it is a super realistic but very very dark movie. the actors were all about 15/16 years old and looked very young which was a good and kinda disturbing thing because christiane and her friend were like 13/14 when that all happened and it made you realise that there were kids doing all that stuff

9/10

12. jurrasic world

A new theme park, built on the original site of Jurassic Park, creates a genetically modified hybrid dinosaur, the Indominus Rex, which escapes containment and goes on a killing spree.

starring: Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Ty simpkins, Nick Robinson, Irrfan Khan, Vincent D'Onofrio

13. jurassic world fallen kingdom

When the island's dormant volcano begins roaring to life, Owen and Claire mount a campaign to rescue the remaining dinosaurs from this extinction-level event.

starring: Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Rafe Spall, Justice Smith, Daniella Pineda, Isabella Sermon

I am tired and don't really want to say all that much other than both of them are very good and I do like them. good action/adventure movies. can definitely recommend them. I definitely like the first one more because it feels like (just a little bit) that the main story in the second one is the same as in the first one, someone creates a new dinosaur species to make more money and something goes terribly wrong along the way. but it's still entertaining!

jurassic wolrd: 7.5/10

jurassic world fallen kingdom: 7/10

#movies i watched in #lara talks to herself #also if someone wants to you can drop some recommendations in my asks/dms/whererver you want #movies #review #follow me #unhinged #in time #age of ultron #songbird #star trek #step up all in #project almanac #ant man #space sweepers #christiane f #jurassic world

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chiibinomonodamon · 4 years

Text

Doujinshi Translation

This is an AU where Gray takes Rachel in as a Sister to his church and she meets Zack in a different way!

*There is nothing sexual in the book.

*Trigger warnings: Off-screen animal cruelty :(

'Kami-sama Ga Shinda Hi Umareta Hi'

The Day God Died, God is Born by Tokiko Nao

Translation by Chiibi. Please do not repost and do not make scanlations without crediting me. (I am not sure about every single line but I’d like to see someone else do it better :D hahaha:p)

Kami-sama Ga Shinda Hi, Umareta Hi Page 01 Ray: Oh Lord... God...please...somehow... Page 02 [door creaks] Gray: Rachel Ray: Oh, Father. Good morning. Gray: Good morning. [shuts door] Gray: Have you finished your morning duty? Ray: Yes. Gray: You have much enthusiasm. This is very good. Ray: Not at all. (Note: She isn't disagreeing; the polite thing to do in Japan when someone gives you a compliment is to be humble instead of saying 'thank you') Ray: It is only natural for one who serves the Lord. Gray: Is that so. I've prepared breakfast for you. Please eat before it gets cold. Ray: Yes. Thank you very much. Child: FATHER! Page 03 Gray: My, what is wrong? You are all in such a rush... Child: Father, please help us! This little guy collapsed near the church. He's not moving and he's hurt... [sniff sniffle] At this rate, he'll die... Ray: It's okay. His wound is not serious... If we treat him and give him something to eat and keep him warm while he sleeps... he will get better in no time. So do not worry. [fluf] The church will look after him.

Page 04 Kids: Thank you, Onee-chan! We won't have to worry with Father here, right!? Gray: Well then, I shall leave him to you. Do let me know if you need anything. Kids: I know! Let's give him a name! Ray: Right. >: How about 'Max'? >: Whaaaaaat, that's so plain! Ray: You'll be all right now. Page 05 Ray thinking: He's later than usual... For the evening sermon... A person...? He's asleep. Who could it be at this hour... Oh well...this is a public place after all... Another day comes to an end. And yet... Lord God...

Page 06 Has not come to meet me today either... Zack: That's a boring prayer. Is this really that fun for ya, little miss? [yawn]

Page 07 Ray: Who...are you? What are you doing here... Could you be a thief? >: Zack Gray: So you've come here after all. I thought you would. Would you like to eat supper? I am preparing it now but... Zack: Don't need it. Just came here to take a break. [slams door] Ray: Father...who is that man...? Gray: Oh...he comes to visit this place now and then. To him, this is just a shelter that he doesn't have to pay for. Don't worry about him. Ray: Does he also... Gray: No, he is not a follower of God but... He was chosen by God As an 'angel'. Page 09 Ray thinking: Angel...? But that person... Had the scent of blood on him.

>: You've gotten a lot better, haven't you! Shall we go for a little walk? >: Wuf! >: Ah...you shouldn't run like tha... Page 10 >: Wuf! [spaced out] Ray: You're the... one from before... Zack: And yer... who now? Ray: [POUT]

Page 11 Ray: [still pouting] We met in the church before... Zack: Ah, yer the little miss saying the boring prayers, huh. Ya had a borin' face so I forgot. Ray: My name is Rachel Gardner. [hmph] And you are...Mr...Zack? Was it? (she is using "-san" here) [shudder] Zack: DON'T CALL MY NAME IN THAT CREEPY-ASS WAY! I'LL KILL YA DEAD!! Ray: [twitches] That would be a problem...then what should I call you...? Zack: 'Zack' is fine... Call me that... That's what the shitty priest calls me too... Ray: Zack... Page 12 Ray [sits] Zack, why are you here? Zack: AH!? Ray: I mean, why do you come here sometimes? Zack: whatcha sittin' down for No reason...I guess it's a good place to hide. Ray: From who? Zack: AHHHHHH!? YER SURE ASK A LOTTA QUESTIONS!! SO WHY THE HELL'RE YOU HERE!? Ray: Me? Well, truthfully... My parents died...no. I came here to sacrifice myself to the Lord. I am waiting for that time. Zack: Oh I see. Ray: [pout] Why did you ask if you don't care? Zack: Keh. I just asked ya back since ya asked me. Page 13 Ray: I see. You're an odd person. Zack: HAAAAAAAAAAH!? I DON'T WANNA HEAR THAT FROM YOU!! Ray: Owwwww [pinch] Zack: YA DON'T SMILE OR ANYTHIN!! ARE THE MUSCLES IN YER FACE DEAD OR SOMETHIN!? [sting] Ray narrates: After that Zack appeared at the church quite frequently. [looking around] >: Max, here's your food! Page 14 >: He would come for several days on end but also not show up for several weeks... >: Maybe he's in the garden... Zack: HEY. >: WUF! [wag wag] Zack: [panting] Keep a good grip on him, will ya! Ray: He was really quite a strange... strange person. So he was playing with you, Zack, huh? That's good. >: Wuf! Zack: NEXT TIME YA GUYS INTERRUPT MY AFTERNOON NAP, I'LL KILL YA DEAD! Ray: But of course he was in the back yard where others can't enter. And he showed up during the night. Max has really bonded with Zack too... Zack: Guess I'll go back to sleep again. Page 15 Ray: I wonder what Zack does outside of this place...? Zack: So? [staaaaaaaaaaaaaare] Whatcha up to, today? Ray: Working in the garden. Are you hiding again? I'm planting new flowers. Zack: Like I care. Killin' time. Ray: I see... Zack: Ya don't have that book today. Even though yer always hangin' onto it. Ray: You mean my Bible? It should be expected that I wouldn't carry it while I'm working in the garden. Are you interested in the Bible? Zack: Keh. Nope...can't even read it anyway. Page 16 Ray: Okay, all done. [pat pat] Zack: That dog ain't here, huh? Ray: Did you come to see him? Zack: IDIOT! NO, I FREAKIN' DIDN'T!! Ray: I thought you'd come to see him quite a lot lately. I see... Zack: LISTEN TO ME, YA LITTLE SHIT!! Child : WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT!?

Page 17 >: Max is gone!? Whyyy!? Ray: Yes. Someone came to take him in. Child: Darn. We wanted to play with him some more. Child: But at least he went to a fun home, right? That's good! Ray: I know you came here to see him... I am sorry. [door creaks] Gray: Rachel... I'd like to talk with you. Please come with me. Page 18 Gray: I picked this up from the back yard. This is a bad habit of yours. And I've overlooked it many times. But now...why did you kill THIS one? Ray: That puppy really got attached to Zack. I didn't want Zack to take him from me... Page 19 Thus I made him "mine". Gray: Goodness. I am quite disgusted with you. We do not selfishly act to obtain our own desires. [sigh] I knew you were not a vessel for an angel. Ray: Angel...? No...I... That is not what I wish for... Father, in order to sacrifice myself for God, I... Gray: Rachel Page 20 [badum] The God you desire is does not exist here. No matter how much you pray There is no "God" that can meet your conditions. Besides that, you who cannot even be loved by others... think God would actually love you? Ray: No... [tremble] Stop...it. Gray: You are so pitiful. Ray: STOP IT!! Page 21 [dash] [monologue] There is no God for me? That has to be a lie!! Ahh Lord... I... I shouldn't be alive, should I... Lord God... Somehow please...! Because of that? Page 22 Is that why He will not come for me? [panting] Because my God doesn't exist? I won't accept that. Because if I do... I don't want to die while I'm still unsightly!! Will someone kill me? I thought if it was God... The unsightly me would still be accepted. I thought He could kill me and make me beautiful. [rustle] Page 23 "He is an angel". Ray: I might be no good. Do you have a God who accepts you? Zack... >: He always smells of blood. Why... Zack who cannot even read the Bible How can this be...? What's the difference between him and me...? If I make Zack mine... can God make me His own too...? Page 24 Zack: I SAID if ya interrupt my nap, I'd kill ya DEAD, didn't I? [wham] Killin' that dog didn't satisfy ya enough, huh? Little miss. [cough] Ray: Then kill me too! [glare] Serial Killer Issac Foster! Zack: Hah Impressive ya figured it out... Page 25 Ray: Anyone could if they did a little research... You always came to this place right after an incident happened in town... You're hiding from the police, aren't you? And thanks to our priest hiding you here... The most faithful and trusted person in the whole city... Nobody would ever suspect him of harboring a serial killer. [pant pant] Zack: Whatsa matter? Yer chattier than usual today, ain'tcha... [Ray stuggles for breath] Wh...y... 26

Ray: What's the difference between you and me...? [drip drip] : Why does God... Zack: God...? Yer talking about that stuff again? Ray: I... Zack: You pretend to pray... Ray: I was just waiting... Zack: Is that big heavy bible really that important to ya? Ray: For the Lord God to come for me... Zack: Ya got some nerve. Ya intend to only make yourself clean? [grip] Even now ya reek of blood and flesh. 27 Just try it on me. Neither you or I would change! Isn't that right, Ray? Ray: Me...and you...? Zack: Well, I don't rely on God though. All right. I'm outta here. Their search for me is gettin' more serious so I can't visit this place anymore. [wave] See ya. Ray: Tell me, Zack Page 28 If I beg you to kill me will you listen...? Zack: Huh...? I ain't interested in killin' someone with such a borin' face. And I got no intention of bein' used by you. Ray: Then take me with you. I've lost my reason to be here... [drip drip] If I hadn't followed you, I'd just be left behind but If you need, you can use me as a decoy. I'm sure I can be of use to you. So it's okay with me to be killed by you. [flutter] When that time comes Page 29 Kill me, please. Ray thinking: That's right. The one who kills me Page 30 Can be Him. (she is using the kanji for Lord God here) Zack: Hah. This time yer going depend on me instead of God, huh. Ray: But I need someone to rely on ...I guess Plus you might be better than God... Zack: I'm not into the gross habit of purposely killin' someone who wants to die. If ya want me to kill ya, ya gotta work with me first. Help me escape this town. If ya make a better face for me after we've left here That's when... Page 31 I'll kill ya. "Serial killer Issac Foster now suspected of kidnapping" "Is still on the run" "Fearful nights continue"... Ray: That's what it says. Zack: Damn it all! It's YER fault they suspect me of kidnapping now, ain't it! Ray: Kidnapping on top of everything else doesn't really change anything though... It looks like they found out you went to the church. The Father must have stirred up the search for you, somehow. Leaving the town was the right action. Zack: Geeze, whatta pain in the ass. Page 32 Ray: If I'm a burden to you, you can kill me and go on alone? Zack: Yer all I got, ya know!? They would trace ya all the way to here, wouldn't they? Ray: Well spotted. [sigh] [ARGH!!] Zack: STOP ASKING ME STUPID BORING CRAP!! THINK ABOUT WHAT TO DO ABOUT THIS SHIT GOIN' ON NOW!! IT'S BAD!! [lol sirens] Ray: This is because you act without thinking about where you are, Zack... But I'll do my best. So you will kill me.

#satsuriku no tenshi #doujinshi #my translations #angels of death #angels of slaughter #issac foster #rachel gardner #abraham gray

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queensdivas · 4 years

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Wildest Notes Chapter 1

okay so tumblr decided to have a stroke obviously and decided to delete the entire first chapter because. I decided to add the word Chapter 1..so I’m tagging y’all again mostly for my sake. So sorry.

For those of you who have no idea what this is. YOU’RE SO WELCOME AND I THINK YOU’RE GOING TO ENJOY WHAT I’VE GOT COOKING IN MY LITTLE BRAIN FOR OUR MAILMAN GARDNER!

If ya liked to be tagged please let me know.

And I’ll see you guys in whatever I post later!

HERE WE GO!

Chapter 2

Masterlist

And that’ll do! After an entire night of moving and unpacking. I’ve finally made it into my new home! It’s a tiny little hole in this town but I couldn’t be more happy with it. Right outside of the city and quiet enough you don’t hear the traffic. Absolutely perfect!

I walked into the living room where Angus was sound asleep with the sunshine beaming on him. Kind of forgot that he enjoys the sunlight when he’s taking his naps and all the drool that comes from English Mastiff. Hopefully I can put something together for my giant in the backyard so he can lay out for as long as he wants.

Speaking of outside, that's all that's left to do in the house and it’ll be complete. I’ve already got my seeds ordered for the flowers and veggies for the backyard. I have to figure out what I want to do for the front yard. Maybe I can have a line of sunflowers against the fence? Ivy wrapping around the fence? That’ll take months but atleast the weather here is very nice. I’ll have to think of something in order for a much nicer garden for my obsession. Maybe some ferns and some lava rocks? Nah we’re not in the right territory for lava rocks. I already know the backyard is going to have the largest sunflowers I can get my hands on.

I should take a walk around the neighborhood and get some fresh air. And I imagine Angus would just love a walk, even if he’s tapped down on the floor in the middle of the road! But look at him relaxing on the fluffy rug!

“Someone wants to go on a walk doesn’t he?” I asked him as he sat down in front of me waiting for me to clip the leash. Found Mr. Angus under the bridge when I walked from the orphanage to school. He was only a puppy when I first saw him and from that day on I was giving him food from breakfast and left over from lunch. Then he started following me back to the home every night.

Angus and I walked out the front door as I patted the front part of my overalls for where I put my keys. He barked out towards the street as I turned around to see the mailman coming through the gate but stayed back due to the dog.

“He doesn’t bite.” I smiled as I led Angus towards the mailman as he stood there so tall and firm. I don’t even think a gust of wind would blow him over, even hurricane wind wouldn’t knock him down.

Angus began circling the mailman sniffing up and down his legs, down to the tip of his toes. I chuckled as he stuck his nose in the mail bag and sniffed all the letters and tiny packages. The man bounced away from Angus as he dug through the mail to hand me my two envelopes.

“I’m Cora.” I told him as he took a deep breath in.

“Gardner. Now if you’ll excuse me Miss Lister. I have to get back to work and take my lunch.” A 180 turn away from me as he walked out of the fenced front yard back onto the sidewalk. Wait what’s this slip?

“Umm excuse me Gardner.” He stopped as he faced the fence. I walked over towards him with the only thing blocking us was the picket fence. I then showed him the slip as he looked at the slip then back at me.

“It’s a package. That’s a slip.” Obviously but what did I order? Wait did I order anything or is someone mailing back from what I left at the old house? There’s a lot of things this could be. He was about to walk away as I was trying to finish this conversation without him running off.

“Can I assume that you’re bringing it by tomorrow?” He stopped dead in his tracks and turned towards me.

“Section 4.7 of the resident manual stipulates packages of that size cannot be left without the recipient's signature.” Didn’t realize it was such a big package goodness. What on earth could I have left at the house!?

“I’ll be in the back working on some hoeing so just leave it on the corner of the porch. C’mon Angus!” I opened the gate, waving bye to Gardner.

“Thanks Gardner!” I yelled as we began our walk.

Angus and I watched him walk down the street stopping into each of the house's mailboxes. Probably should go the opposite way so it doesn’t look like I’m stalking him.

“C’mon Angus.” I told him as I walked out of the gate down towards the opposite way Gardner was going. Glad to know the first I met was a very tight end mailman. I mean he was a little cute but I should get going.

Angus was absolutely loving all the new smells and environment while walking around the corner onto the new sidewalk. I was humming a quiet song to myself as I heard a very loud whistle coming from the house I was passing. A foam rocket landed right in front of Angus and I for him to start sniffing it. An old woman came stumbling out of the house with a flask in her hand.

“Ah damn it. Too much gas.” She yelled as I picked up her foam rocket as she walked towards me.

“You moved into the house with the yellow door, yes?” You mean my absolutely favorite door in the world? That pretty yellow color that I love? Yes.

“Yes mam.”

“No one tells me yes mam, makes me feel old. Trudy.” She made it infront of me as I handed her the foam rocket. I glanced over to her blue and purple house to see her flowers on the ground were dying.

“Cora. Nice to meet you.” I told her as she looked down to Angus.

“And who is this?” She reached down as Angus began sniffing her fingers and arm.

“Angus.”

“We’ll he’s a heartbreaker. Glad you moved into the house, that old woman who used to own that place was crazy. She once walked out of the house naked like a jaybird.” She took a drink as I nodded along. Glad to know one of my new friends in the neighborhood is an old lady wearing a super long floral kimono.

“I’ll let you back on your walk. Hey if you need anything please stop by whenever ya feel like. I could use a young drinking buddy myself. I make a mean long island iced tea.” Don’t really like alcohol on most days. Maybe a glass of wine at dinner or a beer when I’m grilling.

“I’ll get back to you on that Trudy. Lovely to meet you.” I began walking away as she kept looking at me till she went back inside. So I got mad science living a street or two away and a mailman who's tighter than a screw.

I continued along the sidewalk as Angus was walking a little faster since he was trying to see the entire neighborhood. I stumbled upon a patch of trees as Angus was just dying to start running around in there. Eh might as well. Don’t need to go back home for a few more hours and it’ll take me about an hour to get ready for work. I bent down to unlatch the leash from his collar as he went sprinting off. Don’t worry he’ll come back because he's going to have a nice chicken dinner before work. I began walking on the trail as I kept an eye on Angus as he was climbing on top of some fallen trees.

It’s weird to think a few months ago I was job hunting and trying to find a place to live and now my life is slowly coming together. I need to write to my orphanage mother and let her know that I finally made it in the world. We were worried when I turned sixteen that no one was going to adopt me and by eighteen they kind of just threw you out onto the street. But now look at me! In a jazz band at night and selling my own produce at markets. Just exactly what I wanted in my life.

We reached the opening onto a large tall field that was circled by the entire patch of forest. There was no trail that led into the field but one wrapping around it. A few park benches were placed along the trail as I began going down the path on the left. Angus ran running into the field as he began hopping around in the tall grass.

He barked each time he jumped out of the field till something caught his attention as he began smelling the air. He began trotting around the field as he began picking up the pace till we came across someone on the bench eating. Oh no he must have peanut butter! It’s Angus’ weakness!

By the time I was about to tell him no he was already sitting in front of him with his tail moving across the grass. Crap crap crap! I ran up to notice it was Gardner just trying to enjoy his lunch in peace I’m assuming. But I stopped as Gardner ripped off a piece of his crust then handed it to Angus. He laid down in front of him and quickly ate it.

“I’m so sorry about that.” I told him as I stood in front of him and attached the leash to Angus.

“It’s fine.” Another short answer as he took a bite out of his sandwich.

“Mind if I sit with you for a minute?” I asked him as he looked over his bag to then move it onto the ground next to him. I sat down on the other edge of the bench as I was watching Angus running back into the field.

“I promise I’m not stalking you or anything.” I blurted out as he kept his focus on the field. It was an awkward silence for a few seconds as I tried to think of something to say in order to remove this awkwardness.

“Why this little town?” He asked as I looked over and looked over at me.

“I miss the little town feeling. I grew up in Eureka California and I kind of missed that town kind of feeling. Plus my job is here now and wouldn’t trade it for anything.” I nodded as Angus sat in front of me as I scratched his head.

“What do you do?” Feels like I’m in an interview as he’s silently judging me.

“During the day when I’m not sleeping I’m growing vegetables and herbs for any local markets. And at night I’m a jazz pianist.” He nodded as he looked over at him. I know it’s not a lot of money in my life but it makes me extremely happy.

“You don’t like to talk do you?” I blurted out as he turned his head towards me.

“No I do.” He defended as I nodded. So he likes to talk, but just doesn’t want to talk to strangers. Understandable. I’m a complete stranger who accidentally found him at the park during his lunch.

“So are those hats comfy?” I asked him as he looked up at his white hat.

“They’re good for the summer. Keeps the air flowing through my head and the sun from burning my neck.” I looked at it then chuckled at myself.

“How’s the mail business going then?”

“Fresh air, predictable, solid retirement fund.”

“Already sounds like a better life than what I’m doing.” I could sense he wanted to be left alone. I imagine this is very weird for some stranger to be sitting here with him. I should get going anyhow.

“Sorry I’ll leave you alone. Listen if you ever get out or just bored at home. Come to Club Eclipse on 2nd. Thanks for letting me sit with you Gardner.” I grabbed Angus leash as I began to speed walking down the trail as my body became a little cold. How stupid was that? Honestly that was one of the stupidest things I’ve ever done in my entire life.

“Thank you Miss Lister.” He blurted as I stopped dead in my tracks then turned around towards him.

“Cora please. And for what?”

“This was….different.” He grabbed his bag and marched away.

What a..what an interesting man. I hope to see him tomorrow while he delivers my package. Which I’m still trying to remember what exactly it was I ordered. He’s..kind of cute with his quirkiness.

taglist

@bonafiderocketqueen @filmslutt @leah-halliwell92 @johndeaconshands @amethyst-serenade @soy-guey @jd-johndeacon-or-jackdaniels @queen-turtle-boiii @mercury-wife @deck-heart @themficsilike @deakydeacs

#gardner langway #Gardner #gardner x reader #Gardner Langway x reader #Gardner Langway Fic #Dear Sidewalk #Dear Sidewalk x reader #dear sidewalk fan fic #joe mazzello #joe mazzello fic #joe mazzello fanfic #joe mazzello x reader

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acoolchickouthere13 · 4 years

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August 11, 2015 Taylor does GQ

“Swift whips out her phone and starts showing me images from the video shoot for “Wildest Dreams,” including a clip of a giraffe licking her face. ‘I wanted this video to be about the making of a 1950s movie being filmed on location in Africa,’ she explains. Swift came up with the concept after reading a book by Ava Gardner and Peter Evans, The Secret Conversations. Her premise for the video (co-starring Clint Eastwood’s son) is that—since social media did not exist in the ’50s—it would be impossible for actors not to fall in love if they were isolated together in Africa, since there would be no one else to talk to….[Justin Timberlake calls her in the middle of the interview.] Eventually JT tells her the reason he’s calling is because he wants to perform the song “Mirrors” with her on the last night of her upcoming five-date stand at Staples Center…. ‘I knew some people would hear ‘Blank Space’ and say, See, we were right about her. And at that point, I just figure if you don’t get the joke, you don’t deserve to get the joke.’ “I went through a few years where I just never went online and never looked at blogs,” she recalls. “This was around 2013, when the only thing anyone wanted to write about me was about me and some guy. It was really damaging. You’re thinking, ‘Everybody goes on dates when they’re 22. It’s fine, right?’ Nope. Not when you’re in this situation, and everything you do is blown out of proportion and expanded upon. And all of a sudden, there’s an overriding opinion that doesn’t accurately reflect how you actually live your life. So I didn’t go online for a year and a half. I actually forgot my Instagram password. But now I check in and see what’s happening. In 2015, that stuff does matter. Because if enough people say the same thing about me, it becomes fact in the general public’s mind. So I monitor what people say about me, and if I see a theme, I know what that means. I’ve had it happen twice before. In 2010, it was She’s too young to get all these awards. Look how annoying she is when she wins. Is she even good? And then in 2013, it was She just writes songs about guys to get revenge. She’s boy-crazy. She’s a problematic person. It will probably be something else again this year.” Swift is allowed to make whatever record she wants, based on the reasonable argument that she understands her specific space in the culture more deeply than anyone around her. The making of 1989 is a prime example: She claims everyone at her label (the Nashville-based Big Machine) tried to persuade her not to make a straightforward pop album. She recounts a litany of arguments with various label executives over every possible detail, from how much of her face would appear on the cover to how co-writer Max Martin would be credited in the liner notes.

As far as I can tell, Swift won every one of these debates.

“Even calling this record 1989 was a risk,” she says. “I had so many intense conversations where my label really tried to step in. I could tell they’d all gotten together and decided, ‘We gotta talk some sense into her. She’s had an established, astronomically successful career in country music. To shake that up would be the biggest mistake she ever makes.’ But to me, the safest thing I could do was take the biggest risk. I know how to write a song. I’m not confident about a lot of other aspects of my life, but I know how to write a song. I’d read a review of [2012’s] Red that said it wasn’t sonically cohesive. So that was what I wanted on 1989: an umbrella that would go over all of these songs, so that they all belonged on the same album. But then I’d go into the label office, and they were like, ‘Can we talk about putting a fiddle and a steel-guitar solo on ‘Shake It Off’ to service country radio?’ I was trying to make the most honest record I could possibly make, and they were kind of asking me to be a little disingenuous about it: ‘Let’s capitalize on both markets.’ No, let’s not. Let’s choose a lane.” a former acquaintance of Swift’s who offhandedly described her as “calculating.” This is the only moment during our interview when Swift appears remotely flustered. She really, really hates the word calculating. She despises how it has become tethered to her iconography and believes the person I met has been the singular voice regurgitating this categorization. As she explains these things, her speech does not oscillate from the second mode. “Am I shooting from the hip?” she asks rhetorically. “Would any of this have happened if I was? In that sense, I do think about things before they happen. But here was someone taking a positive thing—the fact that I think about things and that I care about my work—and trying to make that into an insinuation about my personal life. Highly offensive. You can be accidentally successful for three or four years. Accidents happen. But careers take hard work.’... ‘You might think a meet-and-greet with 150 people sounds sad, because maybe you think I’m forced to do it. But you would be surprised. A meaningful conversation doesn’t mean that conversation has to last an hour. A meet-and-greet might sound weird to someone who’s never done one, but after ten years, you learn to appreciate happiness when it happens, and that happiness is rare and fleeting, and that you’re not entitled to it. You know, during the first few years of your career, the only thing anyone says to you is ‘Enjoy this. Just enjoy this.’ That’s all they ever tell you. And I finally know how to do that.’

Taylor Swift is 25. But she’s older than you.”

#accohtimeline #taylor swift #taylorswift #ts #taylor #swift #kaylor #accoh timeline #gaylor #gaylor swift

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marielle-heller · 5 years

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Long Away

hey guys! so about a week ago I got so angry about the way Dear Sidewalk basically brushes off Gardner’s parents leaving him–rather than allow us the pain that we deserve–that I wrote a fic about it! just a bit of self-serving exploration, but I am really proud of it! and I just found out that posts with links don’t always show up in the tags, so I’m now posting it here for you guys to enjoy! you can also find it on AO3 if you prefer, my username is the same there, and it’s one of only about 3 Dear Sidewalk fics! anyway, enjoy!

Gardner’s 15 when it happens. It’s a pretty ordinary day, a Friday. School’s the same as always, and Gardner pretty much just goes through the motions, going from class to class, taking notes, chatting with Calvin during their lunch period. It’s all just incredibly mundane, no indication of what’s to come. Which is a lot.

Gardner’s walk home is also the same as normal. Calvin accompanies him most of the way, until they reach the corner of his street, where Calvin turns left while Gardner continues straight. He spots a mailman across the street as he makes his way through the neighbourhood, and he cheerfully waves to him. Gardner’s been thinking about it a lot lately, and he’s started to contemplate becoming a mailman himself. He enjoys walking through the neighbourhoods—especially on days like today, when the sun shines down on him brightly, warming the sidewalks and brightening his surroundings—as well as interacting with his neighbours. He thinks it’d really be nice.

Gardner reaches his house, a tiny split-level with gray siding and a little garden surrounding it. The flowers are just starting to bloom in the increasingly warm weather, and a few of them display bright petals as he passes them on the way inside.

In contrast with outside, the inside of the house is incredibly dark. All of the curtains have been drawn, casting the whole house in shadows. Gardner drops his backpack on the floor by the kitchen table and flicks the light on.

Except, there’s no kitchen table. It’s gone. In fact, all of the furniture is gone.

“What the…?” Gardner carefully moves through the room—not that there’s much in the way of his movements now—examining his surroundings. The entire room is empty, not a single sign of the life that had previously filled the home. Everything had been here just this morning when Gardner had left for school. Now the kitchen is empty, and it echoes with the sounds of his footsteps, heavier and louder in the abandoned space.

“Okay…” Gardner says. He’s a little bit weirded out, but not overly worried. Maybe his parents had been intending to paint and just forgot to tell him? Or else, it is completely possible he just forgot. Sometimes he gets distracted. It’s probably nothing.

For a moment he does wonder where his parents are. If they moved all this stuff, they definitely didn’t go to work this morning. But then he figures they’ve probably just gone out to get the paint, and the moment passes.

Gardner picks his bag back up and carries it up the stairs to his bedroom. When he opens the door, he is a little bit relieved to find everything exactly the same as he left it. Everything’s completely fine. Nothing to worry about. He sits down at his desk and starts on his homework, working for about an hour before he decides he wants a snack.

The fridge and oven have been removed, but Gardner figures there’s definitely still food in the cupboards. He’s thinking about the crackers his mom always buys, round ones with a garlic flavouring, and he’s excited to have a few when he opens the cupboard and finds it empty.

“Oh.” Emptying the cupboards just to paint definitely seems like overkill, but alright. Maybe it’s not even painting. Maybe it’s something else. Of course, if Gardner’s parents were doing a complete kitchen overhaul, certainly he’d remember something about it, right?

Gardner moves into the hall and opens the pantry door. Again, completely empty. And now he’s starting to get worried. He quickly moves into the living room, testing out a hunch, trying to quell the sinking feeling in his stomach. Certainly there’s an explanation for all of this. He just needs to stay calm until he figures it out.

Gardner enters the living room. It’s dark, and he can’t see the lamp—which is not a good sign, he’ll admit—so he carefully makes his way to the window and pulls the blinds open. The room is empty. Well, not entirely empty. There are still pictures of him on the walls, Gardner through the ages. But somehow, this is a not a comforting detail. Everything disappearing from the house except for traces of him is not exactly comforting. It’s ominous.

“Definitely not a great sign,” Gardner mutters. He leaves the living room and heads back up stairs, throwing open doors and starting to examine the rooms. Bathroom: empty. Guest room: just a bedframe and a mirror left behind. Master bedroom: heart-wrenchingly empty. He crosses the room in quick, somewhat frantic strides and pulls the closet door open. There’s a lone hanger lying on the floor, but that’s about it. Gardner feels his heart miss a beat. For a moment it struggles to regain its rhythm, and he feels like he’s going to die. Eventually it evens back out, but part of that feeling remains.

Gardner stands there for a long moment, just staring at that stupid hanger. He feels like his legs are about to give out. But he’s not done, so after a moment he manages to gather his strength and returns to the hallway. He throws the hall closet open for good measure, but he’s not shocked by what he sees. Empty.

He’s not exactly sure what he has to gain from doing this, but he storms down the basement anyway, just to see. No surprise, it’s empty. On shaking legs he makes his way back upstairs and is relieved to make it to one of the few pieces of furniture left—his bed—before he completely collapses.

Gardner tries to think of reasonable explanations. He’s wracking his brain, trying to come up with something—anything—that could possibly explain what’s going on. Why his parents would take every piece of furniture from the house except for his things. It has to mean something. There has to be a reasonable explanation. Unless—

Unless they’ve just run off without him.

He’s trying to stay calm, trying to cling to the rational possibilities that don’t involve a heart-breaking conclusion—as basically non-existent as they are. He thinks back to this morning. He ate breakfast at the table, as he always did, while his parents got ready around him. They were preparing for work, he recalls, and the memory feels like a stab to the heart. But what’s worse is what came moments after. He remembers finishing his cereal, quickly brushing his teeth, and as he passed his mom on the way back downstairs, she stopped him, giving him a kiss on the cheek and saying “I love you, Gardner”. He remembers how he had replied that he loved her too. Certainly a woman who was planning on leaving him wouldn’t have stopped to say “I love you”. Would she have? It seems a bit needlessly cruel.

People lie, says a nagging voice in the back of his head. Maybe she would’ve.

Tears start to form in Gardner’s eyes, his breathing becoming a bit more choked. Maybe they didn’t love him. And that’s why they’re gone. That’s why they took all their stuff and left his, even going so far as to make a point of leaving behind the pictures of him, memories of the son they left behind.

“No,” Gardner says. “No, that’s ridiculous. There has to be a reason.” He felt like maybe vocalizing these thoughts would make them feel more true, but that feeling disappears the second he tries it out. And now he’s started to cry, and he feels like he can’t stop it. He can never stop it. So, he just gives in, letting his fears wash over him as the tears start to fall from his eyes, landing on the comforter in dark wet spots.

His parents have left him. For whatever reason, they have decided that they no longer want to live with their son. They’ve left, they’ve taken all their stuff, and they’ve left him behind. Everything else was important enough to take, but he’s left behind. Forgotten, just like that damn clothes hanger. Unwanted, unneeded, unloved. He tries to think of why this is happening. What he possibly could’ve done to provoke this. It makes him cry even more to try to come up with an action of his that would lead his parents to literally run off without him, but honestly, he has nothing. Parents are meant to love their children unconditionally, aren’t they? Maybe they’ve just never loved him, and they’re just finally doing something about it.

Gardner cries for what feels like hours. When he finally calms himself down a bit—taking deep breaths and clutching a pillow to his chest for support—his throat feels like it’s actually been scraped from the inside, an awful raw sensation that leaves him with pain when he swallows. When he looks in the mirror, his eyes are red and swollen, the area under them shockingly puffy. The tip of his nose is bright red, but the rest of his face is shockingly pale. He looks a bit like he’s dying, or at least suffering under incredibly severe allergies. He eyes linger on his face for just a bit too long and suddenly he’s crying again, and it takes at least half an hour to get back to a calm-ish state. After that, he avoids looking in the mirror, turning to face the other way on his bed.

When his breathing is steady and he’s found some tissues in his backpack to wipe his face, Gardner carefully composes himself, sitting up in bed and looking around the room, trying to formulate a game plan. It’s about 7, the sky outside just starting to darken, so he figures he needs to act soon before it gets too late. His stomach growls a bit, and he remembers that he never did have a snack, hasn’t eaten since maybe 11:30. At the same time he truly can’t imagine putting anything in his stomach without wanting to immediately throw it back up.

A surge of anger suddenly flares up inside of him nonetheless. It wasn’t bad enough that his parents would just disappear, they couldn’t even leave him some food? He’s 15, he has no job, no money of his own, no way to support himself, and they would just leave him alone in this goddamn house without even some crackers to get by?

Gardner gets up and paces the room, the anger flowing through him. He spent 15 years thinking his parents loved him and they left without a warning, and they couldn’t even be bothered to leave him some fucking crackers or… something. Anything. Admittedly he still has his bed, and his clothes, but that’s not exactly going to keep him from starving, and eventually he’s going to have to leave this house because he has no money, and even if—if—his parents counted on someone taking him in they still left him alone, and—

Gardner catches his eye in the mirror. He looks crazed. His face is no longer pale, but bright red, flushed to match his nose. His hair is messed up, fluffy on one side and flat on the other, and his eyes are burning with anger. Without even thinking about it, he lets his fist fly across the room. It makes contact with the glass and his reflection shatters, tiny shards flying everywhere, one even scraping across his cheek.

Gardner feels the pain dully, almost as if he’s feeling it from afar, like he’s not quite connected to his body. He’s still angry, and now the adrenaline is pumping, and he thrusts his fist into the same spot again. Without the glass it just comes up against the mirror-backing unimpressively. He punches it again, and again, except that now his anger is fading a little bit, and the pain is taking over instead. He brings his fist up to examine it. Blood gushes from the cuts where his knuckles made impact with the glass, spilling onto the floor, and his feet—and the shards of glass around his feet that he’s going to need to watch out for—where it soaks into his socks.

Gardner carefully moves to grab the last of his tissues, trying to sop up as much blood as he can. He’s already starting to regret doing that, but it’s just that this whole situation has him so out of control, and the realization of that is making him angry again—or maybe ready to cry, or maybe both, he isn’t sure—and the whole thing is just one big emotional loop that he will never free himself from, so he may as well just sit here for the rest of his life and cry and punch things and cry because that’s all he’s ever going to want to do again.

The tissues aren’t doing a thing to stop the bleeding, simply disintegrating into nothing with incredible speed. Since there’s about a 0 percent chance there’s any paper towel or napkins left in the house, Gardner decides that he really only has one choice, and he yanks his dresser drawer open, looking for an old article of clothing. He finds a blue t-shirt that he no longer wears and uses it to wipe at the trickle of blood he feels pouring down his face before tightly tying it around his hand. Then he lays back down on his bed. He notices his backpack sitting on the floor, a few broken bits of glass on top of it. He wonders if he should grab it and do something, maybe shove a few things into it like a change of clothes and go figure out what he’s going to do? He could always go see Calvin, he supposes, though he hates the idea of being a burden on Cal’s parents, hates sticking them with the responsibility of taking care of him just because his own parents couldn’t do it. The Bensons don’t deserve that.

Still, Gardner thinks, as he rolls onto his back and stretches his legs out, it’s really his only option. Other than staying here, of course, which really isn’t much of an option at all. At the very least, they might know what he needs to do.

Gardner stares up at the ceiling and lets out a yawn. Yeah, he should probably just go do that, before it gets too late. The sky’s already darkened quite a bit since the last time he checked. But his mattress is comfortable, and between the crying and the punching and the loss of blood and the not eating, Gardner can’t help but feel a bit sleepy, all the adrenaline and emotion drained out of his body, leaving him drowsy. Still, he’s going to get up. He has to get up. Any moment now, he’s going to…

When Gardner wakes up, it is now fully dark out, only the moon shining in through the window, casting a small patch of white light that slides over his stomach. For a moment he feels peaceful, the events of earlier that day forgotten. But then it all slams back into him and he groans with the memory. For a moment he wonders if maybe it was all just a vivid dream, but the way his right hand aches confirms that this nightmare is in fact his real life.

Gardner rolls over onto his side, where the bedside clock says 10:30. Shit. So much for leaving before it got too late and being as little of a burden as possible. Still, he has to admit that he does feel a bit better after his nap. His head aches a little bit but his emotions have kind of evened out, at least.

Gardner gets up fairly quickly, resolving that if he can leave soon, it still won’t be too late. Apparently he moves too quickly, though, because he almost collapses the moment he stands up, feeling incredibly light-headed, his vision spotty. “Right,” Gardner mutters to himself as his vision slowly reforms. The combination of blood loss and not eating is definitely not a good thing. But at this point there’s nothing he can do to fix it but make the journey to the Bensons’. And hope that if he happens to pass out along the way, someone will at least find him and take him to the hospital.

Gardner makes his way slowly across the room, turning the light on as he nears the remains of the mirror. He carefully walks through the shards of glass and reaches his backpack without feeling anything stab into his foot, which he takes as a good sign. His socks offer some padding, at least.

After Gardner grabs his bag he considers adding in the homework he started on earlier, which lies on his desk under the former mirror, but it’s covered in spots of blood and he figures if there was ever a situation that homework could be excused, it would probably be this. Instead, he carefully makes his way back to the other side of the room and quickly shoves in a few shirts, some underwear, and a pair of pants. That’s all he really needs right now. Anything else he needs he can come back for later.

His hand has started to throb with pain and he carefully unwraps it. It’s stopped bleeding, for the most part, but the skin is red and raw, with a few strips of skin still clinging on. Gardner resists the urge to pick at them and wraps the shirt back around his hand. Shrugging on his backpack, Gardner makes his way out of the room, brushing the soles of his feet to make sure there are no bits of glass stuck to his socks.

Gardner stops in the kitchen as heads outside. His throat is still feeling raw from earlier, and he figures it’s the least he can do for his body to actually drink something. He looks around for anything he can use for some water, but all the cups in the house are gone, of course. He thinks back to if there’s anything in his room, but he’s pretty sure there isn’t. Eventually he just settles for putting his mouth under the tap. It hurts a bit to swallow, but Gardner hadn’t been aware just how dry his mouth was, so it definitely helps. He stands under the faucet for maybe a minute before he decides to move on.

It’s cold outside when he opens the front door, and for a moment he wonders if he should go back and look for a coat. He can’t remember for sure if he opened the hall closet, so there may still be something of his in there. But he’s already standing outside with the door locked—if that’s truly necessary—and he’s tired and at this point actually very interested in eating something, so he just focuses on the walk ahead. The Bensons only live about a 5-minute walk away. He can do this.

As Gardner turns away from the house, something catches his eye. The boat, still sitting in the driveway, as if nothing’s even changed. His parents kept promising him that one day they would take it on the water, one day they would do something with it. But now it’s still here and they’re gone, and it seems that that’s never going to happen. Gardner’s always loved the boat. It has a bed below deck, and sometimes his parents would let him sleep out there, pretending that he really was on the water, an adventurer out at sea. It holds nice memories at least, even as Gardner fights down a bit of anger at the fact that they never kept their promise. He wonders if they left anything behind in cabin and resolves to check it out at some point.

Right now he focuses on the road ahead. His nap definitely helped, but Gardner still feels tired, and the light-headed feeling isn’t helping too much. He just focuses on one foot in front of the other, and when his stomach growls he just tries to ignore it.

The trip feels like it takes hours, but eventually Gardner finds himself standing in front of Calvin’s house. He can’t really see his watch in the dark, but he estimates it’s probably 10:45, and prays that’s not too late. His one saving grace is that at least it’s a Friday, so maybe they haven’t gone to bed too early.

Gardner knocks on the door with his good hand and waits a few moments. He thinks he can see a light on inside, but after what feels like a few minutes, still no one has come to the door. He guesses he can’t exactly blame them for not wanting to see who’s at the door when it’s nearly 11 PM. Still, he tries again, a bit harder, and when that still doesn’t illicit results, he rings the doorbell.

He’s about five seconds from collapsing onto the front step and just staying there for the rest of his life when finally someone comes to the door. It’s Calvin’s mom who answers, and she adopts an anxious expression when she sees him.

“Oh, Gardner, hi sweetie,” she says, clearly trying for warmth but still sounding worried. “Are you alright?”

Gardner can only imagine how he looks right now, but he’s certain it’s not alright. He glances down at his hand, and Mrs. Benson’s eyes follow.

“Oh sweetheart, what happened to you?” She gently takes his arm and unwraps his hand, examining the damage. When she meets his eye again, the level of concern on her face makes Gardner tear up a little.

Gardner isn’t really sure how to answer her question, and after a moment Mrs. Benson ushers him inside. “Please, come in,” she says, leading him to the kitchen table, where he numbly takes a seat. He’s working up to asking if she has anything to eat when she hurries out of the room, saying that she’ll go get some bandages and fix him up.

While he waits, trying not to pass out but starting to feel very close—the walk really took a lot out of him, and it’s not like he had a ton to give—he stares at his hand, blinking every few seconds. While he’s distracted with that, he doesn’t notice Calvin enter the room.

“Gardner?” he asks, concern colouring his voice.

Gardner’s head jerks up, and he’s rewarded with spotted vision and nausea. Too fast, apparently.

“What happened to you?”

Gardner opens his mouth to respond, but he can’t bring himself to say anything. It all feels so real. It was always real, of course, but sitting in this brightly lit kitchen, full of warmth and family and a lot of things he no longer has, and having to actually say, out loud, what’s happened? It’s all just so much. So, Gardner just lets out a few choked little sobs and looks back down at his hand instead.

Calvin is still hovering, clearly worried, but luckily Mrs. Benson returns at this point, carrying alcohol and bandages and Polysporin. She quickly gets to work tending to Gardner’s wounds, and no one says a word, the room quiet except for Gardner’s intake of breath at the sting of the alcohol.

When his wound is properly bandaged, Mrs. Benson looks up at Gardner, and he feels like he has to face her. Calvin’s since taken a seat at the table, and he watches the two intently.

“Gardner, sweetie, what’s happened?”

Gardner starts to answer, but as simple as it is to say “my parents left me”, his head feels incredibly fuzzy, and he can’t organize his thoughts. Besides, if he gives her the answer, it will only lead to so many more questions. He needs to eat something first. Drink something. Try to get himself back together.

“Could I have something to drink, please? Maybe some juice?” he adds. He can’t think of where he’s remembering it from—not that it matters too much right now—but there’s a part of him that knows he should get some sugar in his body to make up for the blood loss.

“Of course, hon. Is orange juice okay?”

Gardner almost nods, and then thinks better of it. “Yes, that’s great.”

“Is there anything else you’d like?” Mrs. Benson adds as she heads to the fridge. “We have some cookies.”

Not exactly the best dinner, but better than nothing, so Gardner quickly gives his assent. “Yes, please.”

While Mrs. Benson pours Gardner’s juice, Calvin watches him intently. Gardner keeps his eyes on his hand while he waits. He needs to drink something first, eat something first, before he can do this. Even then, it’s iffy.

“Here you go,” Mrs. Benson says, setting down a glass of orange juice and a plate of some store-bought cookies in front of Gardner. He immediately picks up the glass and drinks about half of it before starting in on a cookie.

“So, Gardner,” Mrs. Benson starts. She seems a bit nervous to pose her question, and considering Gardner’s already brushed it off twice, he can’t blame her apprehension. He quickly finishes his cookie and starts on a second one, glancing up at her as he does. His head still feels clouded, but at least he feels more confident that he won’t pass out. That’s a start. “What exactly…” she trails off for a moment. “What happened to your hand?”

Gardner sighs and takes a long sip of juice. “When I got home, after school, the house was empty. Completely empty,” he adds. “Everything was gone, except for my stuff. Every trace of my parents had just disappeared.” Mrs. Benson’s eyes are wide with shock, and the concern on her face brings a few tears to Gardner’s eyes. He focuses back down on his hand. “So… I sat in my room, and I just felt… a lot, and at one point I just got so mad, and my reflection was just so crazy, before I knew what was happening, I’d punched the mirror.”

“They just left?” she asks, and Gardner can swear she has a hint of anger of her own in her voice.

Gardner shrugs. He feels like his emotions are precariously balanced and he doesn’t want to get set off again. “I guess so,” is all he says in return, picking the chocolate chips out of a cookie and eating them.

“Oh sweetheart.” Mrs. Benson stands and wraps her arms around Gardner. It’s a nice gesture, but it reminds him of his own mother, and soon he’s crying again. He’d thought for a moment that maybe he had no more than a few small tears left, but here it is, real, full-on ugly crying, once again, and he’s not sure if it’s going to stop—if it’s ever going to stop, or if this is just his life from now on, a constant, drowning sadness that threatens to swallow him whole, intercut with periods of violent anger and the occasional trap of feeling calm—so he just leans into it, but he’s feeling so much, feeling too much and he kind of just wants to sleep for the next 5 years, and then maybe after that he’ll finally be okay.

Except that he won’t be. He’ll never be okay because his parents clearly don’t love him and how do you get over that? The only people in the world who are always supposed to be there for you, to love you unconditionally and to take care of you and they didn’t want to do that and now they’re gone and how is Gardner ever meant to do anything more than cry about that?

Gardner’s breathing is becoming more and more laboured. He doesn’t feel like he can catch his breath, feels like the more he tries the less he’s able to, until eventually he’s just going to suffocate. He’s acutely aware that he’s probably hyperventilating, maybe having some sort of panic attack, and he needs to get a grip, but he just can’t do it, and he’s mad at himself for not being able to, but he can’t. He can’t fix this.

“Gardner.” He’s suddenly aware of Mrs. Benson’s voice, breaking through his sobs. “Gardner, please, deep breaths,” she coaches. He tries, but he’s still not sure if he’s getting there or not. The room suddenly feels so tiny, like it’s closing in around him. “You just need to slow your breathing,” she tells him. She no longer has her arms around Gardner but is now kneeling in front of him. She demonstrates how to take a proper breath, and Gardner attempts to follow along. After a few of these he’s back to breathing normally, though he hasn’t exactly stopped crying. Mrs. Benson stays there, rubbing his back, for however long it takes him to actually stop crying, if not for good then at least for a little bit. Then she stands up and looks down at him. “Do you want me to make you anything? Did you have dinner?” Gardner shakes his head. “Alright…” she glances back at the kitchen, searching for something. “Um… what do you think of a sandwich? Would that be nice? I could do ham and cheese, or peanut butter and jam.”

“Ham and cheese sounds nice,” Gardner tells her, and she smiles.

“Great,” she says. “And I’ll get you some more orange juice too,” she adds, grabbing the empty cup before heading back to the fridge.

“Gardner?” Calvin asks. Gardner had almost forgotten that he was even there.

“Yeah?”

“I’m sorry. That’s a really shitty thing to have happen. You don’t deserve this.”

“Thank you,” Gardner says. It’s a nice bit of reassurance to have. Although at least if he had done something to deserve it, he might understand why it was happening, be able to trace it to something he had actively done to ruin things. As is, the idea that it wasn’t his fault, that nothing he could have done would’ve stopped this… it just makes him feel so powerless.

They sit in silence after that. Calvin seems a bit uncomfortable with the whole situation, and Gardner honestly prefers not to talk about it right now. Or maybe ever. Who knows? Maybe one day he’ll be able to talk about it a lighter, detached sort of way. But not right now.

“Here we go,” Mrs. Benson calls, placing a sandwich in front of Gardner, along with his glass of orange juice.

“Thank you,” he tells her, taking a bite of the sandwich. For a second, he kind of feels like his stomach is going to reject it, but he chews slowly and he’s slowly able to kind of ride out that feeling of sickness.

“So, Gardner, of course you’ll take the guest room tonight, but I just want to let you know that you are welcome to stay with us as long as you like. Or else… I don’t know if you have any family you’d like to me to call?”

Gardner shakes his head and takes another bite. “It was really just me and my parents. All of my other family’s out of state, and I don’t even really know them.” Gardner keeps his voice as steady as he can, and has to admit he’s pretty proud of how calmly he manages that information.

“Then you’ll live with us, of course,” Mrs. Benson says brightly. Gardner isn’t sure how he feels about that statement—he really doesn’t want to be a burden, and especially to make them deal with him just because his parent didn’t want to—but he figures that’s a conversation for when it’s not almost midnight. He thinks back to his parents’ boat. If worst comes to worst, maybe he could just live there. He likes boats. Of course, he’s not exactly sure if the reminder of them would be more comforting or heart-wrenching. Another conversation for later, he supposes. For now, Gardner just nods and focuses on his sandwich. He’s felt tired for a while, but it suddenly hits him that he’s exhausted, the side effect of feeling so many emotions all in one day.

“I’m sorry that this happened to you, Gardner,” Mrs. Benson adds. She sweeps a bit of Gardner’s hair out of his face; the bangs are constantly falling in his eyes. “But I want you to know that we are here for you, alright? We’re going to take care of you. You’ll be okay.”

Yet another tear slides down Gardner’s cheek, but it seems to be all his body can manage at the moment. He nods his appreciation to Mrs. Benson and finishes his sandwich. All he wants now is to sleep.

Calvin guides Gardner upstairs to the guest bedroom, and he simply pulls off his socks and jeans before collapsing into bed.

Gardner was worried at first that as soon as he got into bed he’d no longer be tired, but instead forced to lay awake all night, running through all the ramifications of what’s just happened, what his life is like now. Mercifully, however, that doesn’t seem to be an issue, and he’s asleep within five minutes, though his dreams are confusing, an unexplained sense of worry looming over them, and they jerk him awake every few hours, though he quickly falls back asleep each time. It may not be the best sleep he’s ever had—or anywhere close—but it’s something, at least, and his body seems pretty grateful for that when he finally pulls himself out of bed the next day, the bedside clock announcing that it’s around noon.

When Gardner enters the Benson’s kitchen, he finds Mrs. Benson sitting alone at the table, drinking some tea. As soon as she notices Gardner she jumps up, offering to make him some breakfast, whatever he’d like. Gardner doesn’t want to put her out too much, so he just asks for cereal, and she returns a moment later with a bowl and some milk.

“So, Cal and his father had to go out for a little bit, but I thought after you had your breakfast that the two of us could get gather the rest of your things?”

“Sounds good,” Gardner replies, even though there are about a million different reasons that the proposal does not, in fact, sound that good. Namely that the idea of facing that house again makes his heart start to speed up, but Gardner does still need his clothes, and he wouldn’t feel right about Mrs. Benson buying him new ones.

“Great,” Mrs. Benson gives Gardner a bright smile. She really is the sweetest woman, and Gardner’s beyond thankful for that.

After Gardner finishes his breakfast and changes into a different outfit, he and Mrs. Benson make their way back to his house. Or his former house, Gardner mentally corrects himself. Each of them carries a few moving boxes with them to help pack up his stuff. It’s been decided that they’ll remove the furniture once Mr. Benson is available to help them, but since there’s already furniture in the Benson’s guest room, Gardner tells Mrs. Benson just to do whatever she wants with the old stuff. She seems sad at this dismissal of his belongings, but eventually formulates a plan to sell the furniture and give him whatever money they get, so that he can have a little bit of cash for himself. Gardner likes that idea a lot, liking the small amount of control it gives him in his own life, a little bit of independence to take care of himself.

As Gardner makes his way through the house, he can just feel Mrs. Benson’s shock behind him, the way that she keeps looking around at the empty space. While they don’t need to pass through the living room to reach Gardner’s room, she wanders in anyway, and Gardner can literally feel the outrage radiating off of her as she takes in the pictures on the wall. After taking them in for a moment she starts pulling them all down, snapshots of Gardner throughout his life so far. Gardner when he was maybe 8 or 9, dressed in a baseball jersey and beaming up at the camera, a few of his teeth missing; Gardner as a baby, wearing a onesie and cuddling a stuffed bear; Gardner at the beginning of this school year, hair falling across his forehead and covering one of his eyes. She carefully places them all into a box before moving back onto their mission.

“You know…” Gardner starts nervously. “You really don’t have to take those.”

Mrs. Benson gives him a sad look. “I’d like to, Gardner. Besides, if you’re going to be staying with us, it only feels right to have a few reminders of you throughout the house. Make you a real part of the family.”

Gardner works very hard not to start crying at that, and just barely manages to succeed. He’s so sick of crying.

Mrs. Benson audibly gasps when they reach Gardner’s room, despite the fact that he’d tried to prepare her beforehand for the state it’d been left in. Broken glass glitters in the light pouring in from the window, some of it smudged and stained with his blood, which has since dried into flaky brown spots dotting the floor and the desk. Gardner’s hand aches a bit as he thinks about what happened there the day before.

“Yeah, I’m sorry about the mess,” he says.

“It’s okay, sweetheart. I understand,” she tells him, and she kneels down to start cleaning up the mess. She’d packed a little hand broom and dustpan when Gardner had mentioned the glass earlier, and she uses it to clear the floor.

“I can do it, if you want,” Gardner offers. “It was my fault, after all.”

Mrs. Benson smiles at him and stands up. “Thank you, sweetie. It is a bit rough on my knees.” She hands him the broom and dustpan. “I’ll get started on the closet, alright?”

Gardner nods, and sets to work sweeping up the glass. Normally he might find it to be rather boring work, but right now the simplicity is calming, and even the scrape of bits of glass against the floor is somewhat soothing.

Once Gardner’s cleaned up the glass the best he can, he dumps the shards into a garbage bag that Mrs. Benson brought with her and starts placing books into a box. By the time he’s finished, Mrs. Benson has managed to carefully fold and pack all of his clothes, and has started packing away some of his miscellaneous belongings. The total comes to about 5 boxes, none of them all that big. It’s a little bit sad to look at his life that way, narrowed down to 5 small boxes. He grabs a box and starts carrying it down to the car, trying to ignore the thought.

Once everything’s packed up and Gardner’s sitting in the car, he notices the boat again, still sitting in the driveway. “Oh!” He turns to Mrs. Benson. “The boat. Um…” He’s suddenly a bit nervous to ask the question, in case Mrs. Benson doesn’t want a giant boat sitting in her driveway. Gardner briefly considers if it would be a good idea to ask her to help him sell it, but as nice as the money would be, he thinks he wants the boat itself more. It’s a reminder of his parents’ broken promises, yes, but it’s also got a lot of good memories behind it. “Do you think we could move it to your house too?”

“It’s important to you?” she asks. She seems a bit shocked.

Gardner nods. “Very.”

“Then of course, sweetie. We’ll get it later when we come back for the furniture.”

Gardner smiles. “Thank you.”

Gardner settles in pretty easily after that. The Bensons are incredibly kind, and basically treat him like another son. It’s nice to live with Calvin, too. They’re both only children, and the feeling of having a brother is incredible to both of them.

Gardner still wakes up from awful dreams some nights, confused about the exact content, but feeling incredibly unsettled. Overall though, things are going rather well. He feels peaceful here, and accepted. It’s still hard, sometimes, thinking about his parents, how they left him. But it’s getting a lot easier. He even talks about them sometimes with Calvin, reminiscing on things they did together, and he mostly doesn’t cry anymore. Occasionally it gets to him, usually sneaking up when he least expects it, so that one minute he’s fine and the next he’s crying so hard he can barely breathe, but the Bensons are very supportive, and he’s getting better at calming himself down.

Gardner waits about three months before he finally goes out to the boat. The cabin is just how he remembered it, with a little kitchen area, some seating, a bed, and a few random books lining the shelves. It’s nice in there, and it reminds him of how things used to be, when he would sleep out there in the warmer weather. Gardner hasn’t realized how much he missed that until he’s sitting on the bed, staring around at the achingly familiar surroundings. As grateful as he is to the Bensons for taking him in, he has to say admit that he hasn’t exactly gotten used to his new room. He’s decorated it with the things from his old room, but it just doesn’t feel the same. It doesn’t feel like it’s his.

This boat, on the other hand, is his. A place that really feels his own.

After that first visit, Gardner starts bringing some of his stuff out to the boat, slowly filling it with his belongings. He leaves a few things behind in his bedroom inside, but the majority of his belongings end up the boat, including maybe half his wardrobe.

Gardner also starts sleeping in the boat more, rather than staying inside the house. The first time Mrs. Benson realizes this she seems a bit alarmed, but Gardner tells her that it helps him sleep better, and as much as she seems to want to argue it, she lets him have this. People have been gentler around him lately. He’s not sure how to feel about that, but in the cause of being allowed to sleep in the boat, but decides to just embrace it.

It takes a while, rebuilding, and healing. But the Bensons are there for him, kind and caring and embracing him with their love. And eventually, Gardner starts to think that he might just be okay. Maybe.

#dear sidewalk #joe mazzello #dear sidewalk fanfic #joe mazzello fanfic #gardner langway

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thatesqcrush · 5 years

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Long Way Home, Ch. 7

AN: Welp, there was a delay. Work life has been intense and home life has been just as busy lots of sick going around. Add writer’s block and it’s never a good combination. But here! We! Are!

Rafael x Reader. SVU x Good Wife AU. References: GoodWife S.3, E.21 & S.5, E.12

ETA: tag list - @madpanda75 @melissagarner @sass-and-suspenders @dreila03 @bowieisawizard @garturbo @themanwithsass @obsessionprofessional @dreila03 - anyone else just ask; sorry if I forgot anyone.

***

Judge Cuesta was eventually found holed up in a secret chateau off 57th and Central Park West. He maintained his innocence of Bullock’s murder, asserting that he wouldn’t hurt his friend to maintain his reputation. “I had to hide; someone is out for revenge!” he barked angrily at Rafael, now back down at One Hogan Place.

“Your attitude, your honor, it will do more to condemn you than the evidence. You’re on this side of the bench now,” Barba snapped.

Your brows rose but you remained silent, rapping your fingers on a half empty can of ginger ale. You willed your nausea to abate. It did, and you cleared your throat before speaking. “We have solid alibi for Mr. Rooney. Despite your need to secure the conviction, he surprisingly holds no ill will to either one of you. You should be so humble,” you replied sternly.

Cuesta slumped forward, defeated. “I know. We shouldn’t have done it. We were greedy and righteous. I let that cloud my judgment. What now?”

“That’s for the court of inquiry to determine. You will likely be removed from the bench altogether,” Rafael replied.

Your phone buzzed and you reached into your pocket. “Y/L/N here,” you answered holding up a finger to excuse yourself. Rafael nodded and you took the call outside Rafael’s office. You half smiled at Carmen who returned the smile before continuing her typing.

After briefly talking with Liv, you returned to Rafael’s office. You motioned to Rafael and he came over. You whispered what Liv told you and his green eyes darkened. He nodded and turned to face Cuesta, clearing his throat. “We’ve got Bullock’s killer in custody.”

****

A partial print on the pen lead to the Rooney’s son, Patrick Jr. who was so angry about his father’s wrongful conviction, that he was hell bent on revenge. Patrick Sr. was devastated and any forgiveness he may have had at Cuesta and the newly deceased Bullock, was long gone.

“My wife is gone, and now, the only family I had left, is now behind bars. I may be a free man to others, but I forever live imprisoned thanks to selfish pigs like Judge Cuesta and Judge Bullock,” Patrick Sr. sobbed on the news.

Carisi reached for the remote and turned off the television. “Well, he ain’t wrong,” he sighed. He ran his hands through his hair and looked over at you. You were signing off on paperwork effectively closing out the case on Bullock’s murder. “Whatcha got going on this weekend?”

“Laying low,” you replied knowing full well you had a visit with an ob/gyn. “You?”

“It’s my anniversary with my girlfriend. Pulling out all the stops - home cooked dinner - making my ma’s lasagna from scratch, taking her for drinks and jazz,” Carisi replied excitedly.

“That sounds so lovely. I hope you guys have the best time,” you replied smiling. “How long have you two been together?”

“Two years; she’s really great. I am so lucky. This line of work... it can be hard to find someone,” Carisi stated. “I am sure you understand, with lawyers and long hours.”

“I do,” you acknowledged. “Keep that in mind yourself Fordham law,” you subsequently teased. “Happy anniversary,” you added after a beat. You furrowed your brows. Carisi noticed the crestfallen look on your face that quickly appeared and disappeared just as quickly.

“Hey, you okay? I’m sorry if that brought up any memories,” he began to apologize.

“No, no,” you reassured him. “Just a lot on my mind.”

“Want to talk about it?” Carisi asked. You noted the concern in his voice. You shook your head, grabbing your bag. “It’s fine; we can talk about it later.”

Carisi opened his mouth to protest but you held up your hand. “I’ll be fine. Go - go enjoy your anniversary before another crime happens and you have to get called back in.” You waved Carisi off. Carisi nodded, and squeezed your shoulder. “Y/N, you can always count on me for a shoulder.”

You smiled. “Thanks Sonny. I appreciate that.” With a final wave, Carisi left.

You gave the paperwork in front of you a final look through. Satisfied, you dropped off the paperwork on Liv’s desk before heading out of the precinct and to your apartment.

As you walked down the street, your phone buzzed. Looking at your phone, you frowned. You recognized the 312 number.

It was Lockhart Gardner. You debated answering or letting it go to voicemail. After two more rings, you answered it, curiosity getting the better of you.

“Hello?” You questioned.

“Y/F/N? It’s Diane,” the voice on the other side answered.

“Diane! It’s nice to hear from you. How... how did you get my number?”

You could almost see Diane’s smile, even an hour away. “Kalinda.”

“Of course Kalinda,” you sighed. Lockhart Gardner’s own in-house investigator and a dear friend of Will’s, had her own ways - sometimes not so legal ways - of tracking people down. “Whats going on Diane? Is everything okay?”

The blonde name partner explained that Will had some remaining equity in the firm that they needed to absolve and as his next of kin, you were the one they needed to buy-out.

“Can’t you just email me the paperwork and I will Fed-ex overnight?” You asked wearily as you approached your apartment.

“No, unfortunately it needs to be done in person,” Diane explained. “With all the remaining partners present.”

You groaned. “Okay, I will see what flights are available. I’ll be there tomorrow afternoon.”

“Don’t worry about the flight dear. I’ll take care of it,” Diane replied.

Just as you were about to thank her, a thought occurred to you. “Diane, is Will’s name coming off the door?”

Diane sighed. “There was some talk about it. Particularly from David. But we voted to leave Will’s name. He and I did start the firm after all.”

You thanked Diane before ending the call. Finally, you reached your apartment. Your phone buzzed again. You groaned. ‘What now could Diane want?’ you wondered.

[Rafael, 6:47 PM]: You free?

You debated your response. You watched three dots appear on your phone. They stopped and then appeared again.

[Rafael, 6:48 PM]: If so, want to grab dinner?

[Y/N, 6:49 PM]: I am wiped. Not feeling too hot. Rain check?

[Rafael, 6:51 PM]: Of course.

You felt bad but you really were exhausted. You also very anxious about your appointment. You decided to play your cards to your chest. Once you had your appointment, you could make whatever moves needed to be made. Further, you now how to get ready for a day trip to Chicago.

You plopped on the couch and turned on the television. Before you could help it, you dozed off.

#my fics #my writing #rafael barba and reader #rafael barba fanfic #barba and reader #svu x the good wife #will gardner x reader #svu goodwife crossover #the good wife au #svu au

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miissmr · 5 years

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At First Sight

So, I was going through my laptop and found so many unfinished one-shots and ideas for rucas. I don’t know if anyone is still interested in reading GMW fanfiction, but I thought I’d finish one, and maybe finish other one-shots eventually.

Summary: Riley believes when someone is going to be someone important in her life, she’ll feel a connection when she first sees them. So, what happens when she sees a new face that makes her feel something she has yet to feel.

Word count: 3,042

Riley Matthews was a believer in love at first sight, or rather seeing someone and knowing that person will have an everlasting effect in her life. Either way this belief has a earned her the title of hopeless romantic, but she didn’t mind. Her very belief is what lead to two of the best people to become part of her life. It was the reason she eagerly befriended Maya all those years ago when Maya randomly entered her bedroom window or the first day of kindergarten and she saw Farkle and immediately wanted to become his friend even though everyone else ran from him. Riley knew these two people would be important people in her life.

This very belief is the reason she repeatedly turns down Charlie Gardner. It’s not that he’s a bad person because Riley knows Charlie isn’t. And he is also undeniably handsome with his intense blue eyes that would send any girl into a daze, but when Riley looks at Charlie, even into his hypnotizing eyes, she doesn’t feel a connection. She is aware sometimes a connection needs to be built, but Riley wants to feel a life changing connection with someone she’s going to be romantic with. She wouldn’t be a hopeless romantic if she didn’t.

“Aren’t you excited for tonight?” Maya searches through her closet.

“I’m not sure excited would be the word I would use. What if we get caught? Shawn would tell my dad and my dad will fake a heart attack and threaten to lock me in my room until I’m 43.”

“We won’t.” Maya continues to go through her closet. “My mom and Shawn are gone till Sunday, and we’ll have the house spotless by time they come back that they won’t even know we had a party.”

“Fine,” Riley sighed. “Can you at least tell me if Charlie is going to be here? Because I need to know whether I need to hide or not. I don’t think I have the heart to turn him down anymore.”

Maya spots shuffling through her clothes and looks at Riley. “So, don’t.”

“I can’t say yes. It wouldn’t be right to him. But just in case, I’m going to hide out in your room. So, if I go missing half way through the party, you know why.”

“And I will understand. Now, come here and please help me find something to wear. I kind of invited Josh.”

Riley jumps to her feet. “You invited my Uncle?”

Maya shivers. “Can you maybe not call him that? It makes him sound so old when he’s only a few years older than us.”

Riley shallows her laughter. “Okay, okay. You invited not my Uncle?” Maya hastily yanks something from a hanger and throws it at Riley. “This is actually cute. Wear it. The red compliments the blue in your eyes.”

Riley had just managed to escape Charlie Gardner. She has to remember to tell Darby thank you for coming to her rescue because Riley didn’t have it in her to let the poor guy down again. She made her way through the house and towards the kitchen. She watched some of her classmates stumble over their own feet while others were huddled around a table playing drinking games, and the rest dancing to the music in the backyard.

When Riley makes it to the kitchen, she sees her Uncle Josh with Maya. She thought about approaching them but the smiles they both wore told her not to. Maya’s eyes sparkled with happiness, and Josh was drowning in her deep blues. There was no way Riley was going to ruin a moment like that, and if she did, she was pretty sure she’d hear about it later from Maya.

So, Riley grabs a water and turns to walk away when she sees Charlie Gardner making a beeline to her. She frantically looks around the room looking for someone to save her or a reason to leave, and this is when she sees one of her close friends walking through the front door, and Riley takes it as her chance to dash to the front door.

“Well, hello to you too, Sugar,” Zay says as Riley throws her arms around her neck.

Zay Babineaux transferred to Abigail Adams High freshmen year, and the minute he walked into her father’s history class she knew he would make a great addition to her group of friends. She might have been a little pushy with her friendship, but she couldn’t ignore what she felt when she saw Zay. She knew he’d be an important person in her life, and now three years later, Riley will proudly say she considers Zay one of her best friends.

“You have spectacular timing.”

“Let me guess. Charlie?”

Riley groans. “You have no idea.”

“That poor boy won’t take a hint. Do you want me to set him straight?”

“No,” Riley laughs, “that’s okay.”

She makes a move to close the door, but Zay stops her. “Hold on, I have a friend coming. He just forgot his phone in the car.”

“Anyone I know?”

“I doubt it. He just moved here from Texas. His first day is on Monday, but he isn’t excited about. Which I don’t blame him. I felt the same. Just maybe don’t be pushy.”

“Oh, you don’t have to worry about me. I think I’m done for the night. I’m hi—” Riley stops midsentence. Her gaze wanders off behind Zay, and green eye captivates hers. She knows this would be an important moment in a movie. The moment where the protagonist meets the very person that would have an everlasting effect in one’s life. This is the moment Riley has been waiting for, but now that it’s here, she has no idea what to do in this situation.

“Riley? You okay?” Zay looks over his shoulder. “Oh, Luke. Riley, this is Lucas, and Lucas this is Riley.”

Riley stares at Lucas, and she wonders if he feels what she’s feeling. Her heart feels like a hummingbird is flapping around in her chest. Her stomach fills with nerves the way it always does when she’s about to reach the drop in a rollercoaster, but in the best possible way.

“Hey.”

Riley thought his voice was just as captivating as his eyes. He only spoke one word, but it was enough to interest her. She could sit and listen to him speak for hours. She wanted to speak to him for hours to get to know him.

“Hi.”

“Uh, Riley?” Zay touches her arm. “I hate to ruin this moment your having,” he whispers, “but Charlie is on his way over.”

Riley snaps out of her daze. She doesn’t immediately look away from Lucas fearing if she did, he would disappear.

“Riley?”

“Yeah, sorry.” She shakes her head and looks at Zay. “I’m actually going to go hide for a bit.”

Riley’s eyes meet Lucas’, and she doesn’t know when’s the next time she’ll see him again. He’s going to be going to the same school, but it isn’t guaranteed she’ll see him. She feels a connection, and Riley isn’t ready to walk away just yet. But, if she doesn’t, she’ll be stuck trying to turn down Charlie.

“It was nice to meet you, Lucas.”

He smiles, and if Riley thought her heart was racing before well it feels like it’s going to explode now. “You, too, Riley. I hope I see you around.”

Riley doesn’t want to walk away, but she does, down the hall towards Maya’s room.

It’s been about an hour since Riley has locked herself in. Riley sits in the middle of Maya’s bed with a book open. She’s read maybe five pages because her mind keeps wondering of Lucas, and as much as she wants to go out to the party to find Lucas, she isn’t sure what she would do when she finds him. She’s scared she’ll make a fool of herself. She knows she can be aa bit much sometimes, and she would like Lucas to get to know her before learning about all of her quirks.

But she wants to know what his favorite color is, or what he likes to do on a rainy day or if he even likes the rain because she loves the rain. She marvels over the possibility of having things in common, but if they don’t, maybe he’ll open her eyes to new things and vice versa.

Riley tries to read a passage, the same one she’s been trying to read for the past ten minutes, but with no luck. She instantly looks up when she hears the door creak, and her breath catches in her throat.

Green eyes stare at her. “I’m sorry. I thought this was the bathroom.”

She clears her throat. “No. It’s the next door over.” Her voice sounds foreign to her. It’s rattled with nerves.

Riley waits for him to disappear behind the door, but he doesn’t. He stands where he is, and Riley feels the rollercoaster feeling in her stomach. She wants to ask him to stay. She wants to spend the rest of the night getting to know him, but Zay told her not to be pushy, so she bites her tongue patiently and anxiously waiting for what’s going to happen next under his gaping eyes.

“Is, is it okay if I hide in here with you? Party’s aren’t really my scene.”

She tries to hide her the excitement she clearly feels, but he’s smiling at her and she feels like she’s melting from the warmth his smile makes her feel.

“Of course.”

“Thank you. But I really do have to use the bathroom, so I’ll be right back.” He disappears behind the door, but she knows he’ll be back.

As soon as the door close, Riley is on her feet and rushing to the mirror. She runs her hand through her hair to comb out any knots and cleans her eyes of any possible eye boogers. She thinks about quickly putting on a few swipes of mascara because Maya always told her it makes her eyes pop, but he’ll be back before she’ll finish. She tells herself to calm down that this is what she wanted, but she had no idea it would be happening so soon. She breaths in and breaths out.

The door creaks again. “I’m back.”

“Hi.” Riley steps towards Maya’s bed and takes a seat on the foot of the bed.

“Is it okay?” Lucas gestures to the spot next to Riley, and she nods. She thought it polite of him to ask and incredibly cute.

“So…Zay told me you’re new to the city. If you don’t mind me asking, what brought you here all the way from Texas.” Lucas shifts his place, and Riley mentally curses at herself. Zay told her not to be pushy, and the very question was pushy.

“I’m sorry. We don’t have to talk about.”

Lucas shakes his head. “No, it’s fine. It’s just, I don’t know. I don’t particularly want to be here, but my mom got a job offer she couldn’t pass up, so here I am.”

“You don’t sound too excited about it.” She can’t stop the words from coming out. She just reacted, but when she doesn’t get a response. She drops her head and plays with the hem of her shirt, pulling at the loose tread.

Lucas sighs. “It’s hard to. Texas is where I belong. It’s my home.”

“Tell me about it.”

Once again, word vomit. Lucas looks at Riley, and from this close Riley can see the different shades of green and how it seems to have an ombre effect of dark to lighter greens the closer to the pupil. “You want to hear about Texas?”

“I do. I mean I heard Zay’s experience of Texas, but I’d love to hear yours.”

Lucas shifts his body, so he is facing Riley, and she mimics his movement.

“What do you want to know?”

“Everything.”

Lucas smile reaches his eyes that they dance with happiness, and Riley has to tell her heart to be still.

Riley intently listens to Lucas talk about his life in Texas, breaking eye contact as little as possible. Lucas tells her about his family’s ranch and all the ways he helps his grandfather care for it. Like grooming the horses, especially his horse Sophie, or carrying the straw bales because there is no way his grandfather can do it.

Lucas tells Riley about the fourth of July party his family always host, and all the neighbors come over to celebrate. He tells Riley about his high school, but more specifically about his friends and the sports he played. He tells Riley about his plan to go back after high school, and she tries to ignore the small pang she felt in my chest because she knows if she left New York, more importantly, the people in New York, she would be counting the days until she was back.

Riley doesn’t say anything as he speaks. She listens attentively and admire how with each thing he talks about there is so much excitement, but it’s hard to dismiss the sadness that follows.

“I didn’t mean to go on like that.”

Riley smiles. “It’s okay. I like listening to you talk.” The words flow out before Riley could process what she was saying, and he grins.

“It’s just Texas is my home. And, Zay doesn’t seem to understand that.” Riley tries to stifle her laughter, but a small chuckle escapes. “What’s so funny?”

“Well, Zay thought the same thing. He used to say that he couldn’t see how any other place besides Texas being home, but Zay loves it here now.”

“Well, me and Zay are different people.” Lucas says defensively, and Riley squirms in my spot a little.

“I know.” Riley’s voice is small like a child who was just scolded by their parents

Lucas drops his head, and Riley watches as he rubs his hands together before taking a deep breath. His eyes lock on to Riley’s. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to snap like that. It just, I always had these plans, you know? I’d eventually take over the family ranch since I’m the oldest grandson. I’d be able to help the animals there because I’ll be a veterinarian. And when I have kids, I’ll be able to give them the experience I had growing up on a ranch. Texas is home for me.”

He finishes his thought and looks away from Riley, but she doesn’t look away from him. She studies his side profile, and she can see the creases in his forehead, maybe they’re from feeling conflicted he shared too much to a stranger. She can see the tightness in his jaw. It’s hard to miss with a sharp jawline like his. She knows she shouldn’t pry. Zay basically told her not to, but Zay should know Riley. It’s one of the few things she’s knowns for.

So, before Riley knew it, her lips were parting, and words were spewing out. “Is that why you’re scared to make the best of your time in New York because you’re scared of it maybe becoming your new home?”

Lucas chuckles, but he doesn’t look at Riley. She isn’t sure what to expect. Maybe he’ll get defensive with her, again. Or, maybe he’ll leave the room and realize Riley is too much.

“Nevermind.” She quickly says. “I didn’t mean to pry.”

“You didn’t.” He still doesn’t look at her, and there’s a moment of silence. He clears his throat. “It’s just Zay said you were good at reading people, but I guess I didn’t think you’d be able to read me.”

Riley coaxes her head. She wants him to look at her. “Why?”

“I guess because I’ve always kept a guard up. I don’t let people get to close me.”

“Well, that’s a shame because from the short amount of time I’ve known you I think you’re pretty great.”

Lucas slowly looks at Riley. “Can I be honest with you?”

“I would like that.”

“I knew this wasn’t the bathroom when I walked in here. It’s just—” Lucas shakes his head. “Forget it.”

“No, what is it?” Again, there she goes not knowing when to stop. “I’m sorry. I should warn you, in case Zay hasn’t, I tend to be a bit pushy and can’t let things know. If we’re going to be friends, it’s something you should know about me.”

Lucas laughs, and Riley thinks she found one of her favorite sounds. But his laugh is short lived once his eyes find Riley’s. Silence fills the room, and Riley hopes Lucas can’t hear how fast her heart is racing.

“Do you ever just look at a person and know they’re going to be someone special in your life?” Lucas asks, and her breath hitches and she’s at lost for words. “I know. It’s stupid.”

“No!” She immediately says. “Not at all. I, I understand what you mean.”

He smiles. “It’s the reason I came in here to talk to you.”

“Well, I’m glad you did.”

The door creaks open, but Riley doesn’t look away from Lucas and he doesn’t look away from her. She wants to stay in this moment for as long as she can, but it’s hard when she hears someone speak.

“I knew I’d find you in here with her.”

Both Riley and Lucas look at Zay standing in the doorway. He smiles at them and takes a sip from his cup. “Riley’s pretty great, isn’t she?”

Lucas looks away from Zay and focuses on Riley. “Yeah, she is. I’d say she’s something special.”

The words ring through Riley’s ears. Her heart slams against her ribcage, and she’s sure her cheeks are flushed. She didn’t think she’d ever meet someone who could make her feel nervous simply by saying something nice about her. Charlie did all the time, and she never felt her body react like this. But she’s also never felt an intense connection with someone upon seeing them, and now that she has spoken to Lucas, the connection seems to have intensified. Riley’s eyes meet Lucas’, and she wants to soak in as much as she can of this moment.

#I haven't written anything rucas or GMW in a long time #it felt nice #i miss rucas #I MISS GMW #i don't know what inspired this when i first started i don't know how long ago #rucas fanfic

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steve0discusses · 5 years

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Yugioh S2 Ep 36 Part 2: Pegasus Lives Every Artist’s Worst Reocurring Nightmare

Normally I don’t do more than two posts on a weekend but considering the last post was just overflow on color theory and sort of a mini post (which I was pleasantly surprised so many people liked, thanks for the kind comments on that random color theory aside), and also considering that I try not to do work on the weekend and I’m just kinda bored, here’s the second part of Ep 36.

Lets do a series recap shall we?

-Yugi Muto is three people (this is including a chunk of Bakura which just...lives there but doesn’t do anything)

-Odion is pretending to be Marik

-Marik is pretending to be Namu

-Tea is possessed by Bakura’s ghost

-Ryou Bakura is no longer possessed, but got hella shanked and passed out on Kaiba’s blimp, so we don’t know yet if he was actually British or if that was just a ghost thing.

-Serenity is Joey’s Sister and she Actually Truly Exists although I have kept close track and no one has yet to tell Kaiba who’s sister she is.

-Duke Devlin is just permanently here now, taking the place of Tea Gardner for “Character the writers have no freakin idea what to do with”

-Grandpa passed out a few episodes ago but I think the show forgot.

-Ishizu is here and is hiding from Marik for her dear life despite the fact she still thinks he’s a good boy.

-Shadi showed up to save Tristan and Duke although Shadi has never spoken a word to either of them and has no idea who they are at all.

There we go. A cliff notes-version all in one place. It’s a lot to remember.

Now we’re ready for another round of exciting duel prep.

That’s right, Shadi’s here, and he’s ready to dump a lot of plot on us. Which is why I felt like it would be nice to get a summary up to now because now we’re going to get even more nonsense we have to remember in this kid’s show that I had no idea would be this complicated when I started capping it.

(read more under the cut)

Can we talk about the knot Shadi is using here on that Ankh?

What is that?

OK, I just wanted everyone to look at that and then just...wonder with me,

Anyway, if you were looking for some explanation this episode, this is not that episode, because Shadi is here, and he just...never feels like fully explaining anything. He only ever feels like adding more and more to our bucket of Lore like it’s the 5th book of Harry Potter.

That’s right, this episode is a return to Pegasus, who I do miss. I mean Marik is fine, all in all, but I do miss how Pegasus knew what he was actually doing. I kinda miss my villain who was also a functioning adult.

Anyway, while Pegasus was searching the dunes of Egypt for Egyptian art to make OC’s of and add to his collection, Shadi and he had a very awkward reunion. Bear in mind these two haven’t spoken since Shadi fused Pegasus’ face with a haunted table weight.

And like, here’s the thing about Pegasus--he has the most reason of anyone on this show to not trust Shadi. Yet, now he’s going to follow Shadi into a hole. Literally follow Shadi into a dark and scary hole where no one would find his body.

Thing I wasn’t expecting from this show: Marik’s family is mole people????

OK…

I mean...I guess we’ll just gloss over that.

I mean...I guess I’ve never really thought about it but like...yeah they have to take care of a tomb and the tomb is underground so they just...hang out down here most of the time. Guess that explains how Marik ended up kind of albino-blonde.

Anyway, it’s here that we see a familiar relief sculpture—Apparently Ishizu just excavated her own sacred tomb and was like “lets ship this to Japan to screw with Seto Kaiba.” Not like I blame her, Seto is very easy to screw with.

But here she is being like “I’m this incredible Egyptologist give me your money!” when all she did was loot herself. Well...loot the Pharaoh, I guess, but he’s dead so wtv.

And so, after running around an ancient tomb collecting curses like fleas, he boards a business class, awkwardly shares an armrest with his photographer who equally refuses to give up the armrest (like what the hell is this armrest situation?) and has to endure our colorist’s favorite shade of chartreuse.

Purple/chartreuse is a pretty solid color combo, not gonna lie, but it is the last thing I ever want to see in a plane.

Also, Croquet is back. I guess this was before Pegasus bought an island, and it’s this episode we start to see why he might have wanted to flee the States.

Sometimes I forget this show is based on a horror anime, and this was an episode that brought us back to basics. Like, this is something I would absolutely expect to happen in Season Zero.

I cannot believe that this children’s show had a darkroom murder scene. The audacity. And not just a darkroom murder we also get this type of murder shortly after,

How do you go from the darkroom to this!?

The older I get, the more I would gladly welcome a Huge Sky Dragon over the actual drama I have to deal with on the reg. Please, please let me put Huge Sky Dragon on the ballot. We will let him have Salesforce Tower, he clearly comes with electricity and rain clouds and California desperately needs both those things.

Downside to Huge Sky Dragon unfortunately, is that he kills you.

So, in the classic horror protagonist archetype, Pegasus puts on his favorite shades of beige, he goes into an isolated room where no one can save him, and he reaches for that good ol hubris. Since, in his mind, he has a millennium eye, he’s the all powerful Pegasus, what could hurt him?

You gotta love that he’s such a purist that he paints an itty bitty card on a 6000% bigger canvas. Love that classic illustration nod right there. (and not gonna lie, I would kill for Pegasus’ studio. Damn. Look at it.)

Also look at this in the next cap! He can paint something that’s not a monster or his dead wife--is that a completely normal still life of some random purple flowers back there behind him? What’s he doing painting those??? He’s off killing 1 or 2 people a day in his human sacrifice chamber why’s he painting lilies in pots like everyone’s Mom during Wine ‘n Paint night?

Dude, does Pegasus go to Wine ‘n Paint night? I mean he would, right? Like he would be the first there with a huge ass bottle of wine/juice and be like “I am ready to sip, paint, and gossip about everybody’s husband.” Yo, he’d be killer at Wine ‘n Paint night. Like, I would never be Pegasus’ friend but I would absolutely paint some dumbass flowers in the same room as him as he gets tipsy on margaritas and starts going off about the Great British Bake Off.

And, much like I do when I finish most of my art at 2 AM, he passes out directly after and has anxiety laden dreams about what he just painted for the rest of the evening.

So lets get this straight, if you reproduce this image in any way, let it be traditional, digital, camera, or whatever—you will arouse the God Card ghosts and be straight up The Ring murdered. Unless, you tattoo it to a person’s back, then apparently you’re cool. Also, what the hell was Ishizu doing bringing this thing to a museum? Like yeah it’s in a restricted section but they had like no security on those doors so it’s like, girl—anyone who takes a selfie here will be dead. What else are museums for except avenues for selfies? Way to curate a museum, Ishizu. You had one job.

Also does that mean that if Marik photobombs people without his shirt on that they super die? That kinda sucks a lot, no wonder he wants to get rid of Pharaoh. Marik just wants to go to the beach without having to wear a hoodie and getting a weird tan.

Oi, hashtag relatable, amiright?

Anyway, Pegasus realizes he can’t post this art on main, so he decides to give it to Ishizu to bury it for him. Essentially, he put on his brother’s tumblr because he’s trying to be a professional here but like, who are we joking, the guy draws kids art for dollars. His friends, much like my friends, are full aware of what our sketchbook looks like.

After hearing this weird story, Pharaoh decides to take over and give some closing remarks.

Yugi got TWO huge bottles of mystery purple moisturizer??? Maybe one is just full of hair gel.

Man, Seto had him double covered, he knew--he knew Yugi was nuts for products.

I wonder if it’s full of LA Looks.

I appreciated that Pharaoh might have a physical body but he still enjoys spooking people like a ghost should.

Well, I mean.

So many questions here, but I assume we’re going to learn more about it later? Like why the hell Marik is...in a tomb? As a baby? With a...flower wreath?

What even is this show. Don’t put babies in tombs!

I don’t even know why Shadi even bothered showing up here. Like Ishizu already knows “it’s happening,” she has a future necklace.

Did Shadi show up to every single person on in this ship, Roland and Kaiba included, before actually going to the one place he needed to go?

Man. Phallic necklace. Did they not know about goatse in the early 00’s? Please don’t look that up if you don’t know what it is. I just.

Phallic necklace, please. You’re killing me.

Anyway, Shadi sees a chance to make a change and fix some things with the one person on this ship who desperately needs fixing, and while he’ll save Tristan and Duke and tell Yugi all about his history and etc—actually confronting Bakura? No thanks. Shadi will stay in his safe keyblade power place where no one can see or hear him, not even Bakura.

Not sure why any of the doctors haven’t picked up on Tea being weird as hell yet, but like...compared to the Kaibas and everyone else, I guess possessed Tea is the most normal person on this flying boat.

But that’s all for now, next week we see if they actually start dueling or if instead, even more people from S1 show up on this boat.

If you just got here, we’re like over halfway through S2, so here’s a link to read everything in chrono order from S1 Ep1, have fun.

#Yugioh #Yugioh recap #photo recap #S2 Ep36 #yugi muto #joey wheeler #Maxamillion Pegasus #Shadi #Croquet #Bakura #Tea Gardner #Ishizu #Pegasus really effed everything up when he majored in art huh

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dumbledearme · 6 years

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chapter forty-three—freedom and courage

Okay... So I may or may not have stolen Elizabeth Swan's speech from Pirates of the Caribbean. What can I say, I'm a huge fan. (So credit’s hers)

read Child of Land and Sea here

Act V — Walking On Water

Part VI — But if you're not convinced that I'm invincible, put me to the test! I'd love to lay this rivalry to rest.

"What did they do to my city?" Andy's voice sounded tight and angry. She stood with the other campers looking down at New York. She could see almost everything from there and what she saw was the calmness, the silence. Even in the dead of night, New York is never silent. What had they done?

Traffic had stopped. Pedestrians were lying on the sidewalks. There was no sign of violence, no wrecks, nothing like that.

"Are they dead?" Silena asked in astonishment.

Andy shook her head. "No. Morpheus must have put the entire island of Manhattan to sleep. The invasion has started."

Anthony and Andy went to find Argus. The man was rummaging around in the back of his van. He brought out a bronze shield and passed it to Anthony. When he set it on the ground, the reflection on the polished metal changed from sky and buildings to the Statue of Liberty.

"A video shield?" Andy guessed.

"One of Daedalus's ideas," Anthony said. "I had Beckendorf make this before- Well, it bends sunlight or moonlight from anywhere in the world to create a reflection. You can literally see any target under the sun or moon, as long as natural light is touching it. It will let us see what's going on across the city. Thank you, Argus."

Argus grunted.

"You'd better get back to camp," Andy told him. "Guard it as best as you can." Then she called Mrs O'Leary. "Hey, girl. Remember Grover? The satyr? I need you to find him. We're going to need his help." The dog gave her a sloppy wet kiss and raced off north.

Anthony and Andy went back to the others.

"I don't get it," Pollux was saying. "Why didn't we fall asleep, too? Why just the mortals?"

"This is a huge spell," Silena answered. "The bigger the spell, the easier it is to resist. If you want millions of mortals to sleep, you've got to cast a very thin layer of magic. Sleeping demigods is much harder."

"How do you know that?" Andy asked.

Silena blushed. "I'm not just a pretty face."

"Andy," Anthony said; he was looking at the shield. "You'd better see this."

The image showed Long Island Sound near La Guardia. A fleet of a dozen speedboats raced through the dark water toward Manhattan. Each boat a packed with demigods in full Greek armor.

"Scan the perimeter of the island," she said. "Quick."

Anthony shifted the scene south to the harbor. Staten Island Ferry was plowing trough the waves near Ellis Island. The deck was crowded with dracaenae and whole pack of hell-hounds. Swimming in front of the ship was a pod of telkhines.

The scene shifted again: the Jersey shore, right at the entrance to the Lincoln Tunnel. A hundred assorted monsters were marching past the lanes of stopped traffic: giants with clubs, rogue Cyclopes, a few fire-spitting dragons.

"What's happening to the other mortals?" Andy asked. "I mean, is the whole state asleep?"

Anthony frowned. "I don't think so, but it's strange. As far as I can tell from these pictures, Manhattan is totally asleep. Then there's like a fifty-mile radius around the island where time is running really, really slow. The closer you get to Manhattan, the slower it is."

"Kronos is slowing time."

"Hecate might be helping," Katie Gardner said.

"Somehow they've surrounded Manhattan in layers of magic," Anthony sounded really frustrated. "The outside world might not even realize something is wrong. Any mortals coming toward Manhattan will slow down so much they won't know what's happening."

"Like flies in amber," Jake Mason murmured.

Anthony nodded. "We shouldn't expect any help."

Andy turned to her friends, to their stunned, scared faces. "Alright, demigods. We're going to hold Manhattan."

Silena tugged at her armor. "Um, Andy, Manhattan is huge."

"And we're going to hold it. We have to."

"She's right," Anthony stood up. "The gods of the wind should keep Kronos's forces away from Olympus by air, so he'll try a ground assault. We have to cut off the entrances to the island."

"They've got boats," Michael Yew pointed out.

Andy almost smiled. "And you've got me."

Michael seemed confused. "How does that help us?"

Andy tried not to be offended. "Dude, child of land and sea? Try to keep up, Michael. We need to guard the bridges and tunnels. Let's assume they'll try a midtown or downtown assault, a least on their first try. That would be the most direct way here. So Michael, take Apollo's cabin to the Williamsburg Bridge. Katie, Demeter's cabin takes the Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel. Grow thorn bushes and poison ivy. Do whatever you need to do, but keep them out there. Connor, take half of Hermes's cabin and cover the Manhattan Bridge. Travis, you take the other half and cover Brooklyn Bridge. Silena, take the Aphrodite crew to the Queens – Midtown Tunnel." Andy closed her eyes trying to think of what she'd forgotten. "Um, the Holland Tunnel. Jake, take the Hephaestus cabin there. Use Greek fire, set traps. Whatever you've got. The 59th Street Bridge," she glanced at Anthony. "Athena?"

He nodded and turned to his siblings. "Malcolm, take the Athena cabin, activate plan twenty-three along the way, just like I showed you. Hold that position."

"You got it."

"I'll go with Andy," he added.

Somebody in the back of the group said, "No detours, you two." There were some giggles.

"Yeah, I'm gonna let that pass because I know you're all nervous," Andy said. "But the next one gets a smack on the ear."

Jake Mason cleared his throat. "I think you forgot the Lincoln Tunnel, Andy."

Andy swallowed a bad word. Then a girl's voice called: "How about you leave that to us?" The daughter of Zeus grinned. "The Hunters of Artemis, reporting for duty."

"Thank the gods," Anthony murmured as Thalia hugged him. "But if we don't blockade the rivers from those boats, guarding the bridges and tunnels will be pointless."

Andy glanced at all of them. "It's time, boys and girls. You are the greatest heroes of this millennium," she told them. "I know I said we didn't have a choice, that we have to do this. That's not true. Each one of you are here by choice. And when the enemy look at us, they will see that freedom. They will hear the ring of our swords and they will know what we can do! By the sweat of our brows, and the strength of our backs, and the courage of our hearts. Demigods," she raised Riptide in the air, "for Olympus!"

They shouted in response, and their voices echoed around the sleeping city.

On their way, Anthony decided to stop in the middle of East 23rd. He stood before a bronze statue of a dude sitting in a chair with his legs crossed.

"Why is..." Andy approached to see the name, "William H Seward important?"

"He was a New York governor," Anthony said. "Minor demigod – son of Hebe." He climbed on a park bench and examined the base of the statue.

"Don't tell me he's an automaton," Andy said.

Anthony smiled. "Turns out most of the statues in the city are automatons. Daedalus planted them here just in case he needed an army."

"To attack Olympus or defend it?"

Anthony shrugged. "Either one. That was plan twenty-three. He could activate one statue and it would start activating its brethren all over the city, until there was an army. It's dangerous, though. You know how unpredictable automatons are." He pressed the tip of Seward's boot, and the statue stood up. "Hello, William."

"Bill," Andy suggested.

"Shut up," Anthony asked her. "Uh... Governor Seward. Command sequence: Daedalus Twenty-three. Defend Manhattan. Begin Activation."

Seward jumped off his pedestal and went clanking off toward the east.

"He's not very polite," Andy said.

"He's probably going to wake Confucius," Anthony guessed.

"Do they know we're not the enemy?"

"I think so."

Then a ball of green light exploded in the evening sky, somewhere over the East River. "We need to hurry," Andy said.

"Perhaps you shouldn't go alone," Anthony said staring at the dark water.

"Uh, unless you can breath underwater, I don't think there's much you can do."

He sighed. "You are so annoying."

"No. I'm just right. Which must be an unpleasant surprise for you. Also I'll be fine. I've got the curse of Achilles. I'm invisible."

He crossed his arms, trying to keep his face serious. "I think you meant invincible."

"I meant to make you smile." Andy winked and jumped into the river. She tried to find the spot where the Hudson and the East River's currents seemed equal. There she shouted, "Hey! I heard you guys are so polluted you're embarrassed to show your faces. I heard the East River is more toxic, but the Hudson smells worse. Or is it the other way around?"

The water shimmered. Two giant forms appeared in front of her. The god of the East River said, "Are you trying to get yourself killed? Or are you just extra stupid?"

The spirit of the Hudson scoffed, "You're the expert on stupid, East."

"Watch it, Hudson," East growled. "Stay on your side of the island and mind your own business."

"Or what? You'll throw another garbage barge at me?"

"Hey!" Andy shouted. "We've got a bigger problem."

"The kid's right," East snarled. "Let's both killed her, then we'll fight each other."

"Sounds good," Hudson said. Before Andy could protest, scraps of garbage surged off the bottom and flew straight at her from both directions – broken glass, rocks, cans, tires. But the debris shattered against her skin.

The two river gods stared at her. "Took a dip in the Styx?" Hudson asked. Andy nodded. Both rivers made disgusted sounds.

"Well, that's perfect," East said. "Now, how do we kill her?"

"Listen to me," Andy said. "Kronos's army is invading Manhattan!"

"Don't you think we know that?" East asked.

"Then stop them," she pleaded. "Drown them. Sink their boats."

"Why should we?" Hudson grumbled.

"I can pay you," she said taking out a sand dollar from her pocket. It'd been a birthday gift from Poseidon. The river gods's eyes widened. She broke the sand dollar in half. "You each get half," she told them. "In exchange, you keep all of Kronos's forces away from Manhattan."

"Oh, man," Hudson whimpered. "It's been so long since I was clean."

"The power of Poseidon," East murmured. "The guy's a jerk, but he sure knows how to sweep pollution away."

They looked at each other and spoke as one: "Deal."

Andy gave them each a sand dollar half.

East flickered his hand. "Invaders just got sunk."

Hudson snapped his fingers. "Bunch of hell-hounds just took a dive."

"Thank you!" Andy said. "And stay clean!"

Back on shore, Anthony was looking pretty shaken. Andy was all wet, but he held her tight in his arms like he thought she'd never resurface again.

"All good," she said. "The rivers are safe."

"We've got other problems," he told her. "I just talked to Michael. Another army is marching over the Williamsburg Bridge. The Apollo cabin needs help. The Minotaur is leading the enemy."

An entire phalanx of dracaenae marched in the lead, their shields locked together, spear tips bristling over the top. The Apollo campers would hide behind cars and snipe at the approaching army, setting off explosive arrows, building fiery barricades. Hell-hounds leaped ahead of the line from time to time. Most were destroyed with arrows, but one got hold of an Apollo camper and dragged him away.

Michael Yew had a bandaged cut on his arm but he was smiling like he was having the greatest time. "Glad you could join us," he said. "Where are the other reinforcements?"

"For now, we're it," Andy said.

"Then we're dead," he said joyfully.

"Do you still have the flying chariot?" Anthony asked.

Michael shook his head. "Nah. Left it at camp. Told Clarisse she could have it. Whatever, you know? Not worth fighting about anymore. But she said it was too late. Look! Here come the uglies!" He drew an arrow and launched it toward the enemy. When it landed, it unleashed a blast. The nearest car exploded. A lot of monsters disintegrated. Others ran. Michael laughed maniacally, but the other monsters were still coming. "We need to fall back," he said. "I've got Kayla and Austin setting traps farther down the bridge."

"No," Andy said. "Bring your campers forward to this position and wait for my signal. We're going to drive the enemy back to Brooklyn."

"How do you plan to do that?"

Andy drew her sword. Anthony moved like he was ready to follow her, but Andy shook her head. "I need you to help Michael coordinate the defensive line. I'll distract the monsters. You group up here. Move the sleeping mortals out of the way. Then you can start picking off monsters while I keep them focused on me. If anybody can do all that, it's you."

Michael snorted. "Thanks a lot."

Andy glanced at him. "Oh, Michael. Get a girlfriend. She'll say nice things like that to you."

She focused back on Anthony who nodded reluctantly. "All right. Get moving."

"Don't I get a kiss for good luck?" she asked. "It's tradition!"

Anthony drew his knife and stared at the army marching toward them. "Find me, Seaweed Brain. And then I'll kiss you."

"Ha!" Michael laughed. "Too bad."

"Nobody asked you, Michael," Andy muttered. She walked up the bridge in plain sight, straight toward the enemy. The Minotaur was in the middle of the invading legion. When it saw her, his eyes burned with hatred. He bellowed to let her know he remembered all too well.

A few dracaenae threw flaming javelins at her. Andy knocked them aside. A hell-hound lunged and she stabbed it, mentally apologizing to Mrs O'Leary. More monsters surged forward – snakes and giants and telkhines – but the Minotaur roared at them, and they backed off. He unstrapped his axe and swung it around.

Andy raised her sword and sliced the axe in half like it was nothing. "Moo?" he grunted, uncertain. Andy spun and kicked him in the snout. He staggered backward, trying to regain his footing, then lowered his head to charge. He never got the chance though. Her sword flashed – slicing off one horn, then the other. The Minotaur tried to grab her, but Andy rolled away. He bellowed in rage. He charged and she ran for the edge of the bridge, pushing some dracaenae out of the way.

The Minotaur ran after her. Then Andy changed direction, jumped and stabbed her sword into his breastplate. He exploded in gold dust. Andy turned toward the rest of his army. It was now roughly one hundred and ninety-nine to one.

She spread her arms. "Who's next, you bitches?" None dared move. So Andy charged. She sliced through armor like it was made of paper. Snake women exploded. Hell-hounds melted to shadow. She slashed and stabbed and whirled, and she even laughed – a crazy laugh that scared her as much as it did her enemies.

The Apollo campers were behind her, shooting arrows, disrupting every attempt by the enemy to rally. Finally, the monsters turned and fled. Andy followed them with the Apollo campers at her heels.

"That's what I'm talking about!" yelled Michael Yew. They drove the monsters toward the Brooklyn side of the bridge.

"Andy!" Anthony yelled. "You've already routed them. Pull back! We're overextended!"

The monsters were running straight toward their reinforcements. Andy recognized the leader as Kronos himself. Anthony and the Apollo campers faltered. Kronos gazed in their direction. "Pull back!" Andy shouted. The Titan lord's men drew their swords and charged. "Retreat!" Andy commanded. "I'll hold them."

In a matter of seconds they were on her. Michael and his archers tried to retreat, but Anthony stayed behind with Andy, fighting with his knife and mirrored shield as they slowly backed up the bridge.

Kronos's cavalry swirled around them, slashing and yelling insults. Andy tried to wound his men, not kill, which slowed her down. But they were demigods, they were people, and she couldn't bring herself to kill them.

Andy stood shoulder to shoulder with Anthony. They'd almost made it to the middle of the bridge when it happened. Andy fell the knife approaching her weak spot. She was about to turn, but then Anthony was the one falling. Andy watched, stunned, puzzled. Her head spun. He couldn't have known... Nobody did.

She locked eyes with the enemy demigod: Ethan Nakamura. Why wasn't he dead yet? How had he survived? Why hadn't she killed him when she had the chance? Andy slammed him in the face with her sword hilt. "Stay back!" She slashed the air in a wide arc, driving the rest of the demigods away from Anthony.

Kronos smiled. He towered above her on his skeletal horse, his scythe in one hand. "Bravely fought, Andy Jackson," he said. "But it's time to surrender. Or the boy dies."

Anthony groaned something Andy didn't understand. The situation didn't seem to register in her head. His shirt was soaked with blood, blood so bright it twisted her stomach. What could she do?

It was Blackjack who came to the rescue. He swooped down and clamped his teeth on the straps of Anthony's armor. They soared away over the river before the enemy could even react.

Kronos dismounted. Andy was still a little dizzy but she met his first strike with Riptide. The impact shook the entire bridge, but Andy held her ground. Kronos's smile wavered. Andy kicked his legs from under him. His scythe skittered across the pavement. Andy stabbed downward, but Kronos rolled aside and regained his footing. His scythe flew back to his hands.

"You had the courage to visit the Styx," he studied her, looking mildly annoyed. "I had to pressure Luke in many ways to convince him. If only you had supplied my host body instead... No matter. I'm still more powerful. I am a Titan!" He struck the bridge with the butt of his scythe, and a wave of pure force blasted Andy backward. Even his own men were blown off the edge of the bridge.

Andy got to her feet. "Make the bridge collapse!" Michael Yew shouted. Andy looked down and saw the fissures in the pavement. It was all or nothing.

She stabbed Riptide into the bridge. The magic blade sank to its hilt in asphalt. Water shot from the crack. Andy pulled Riptide and the fissure grew. The bridge shook and began to crumble. Within a few seconds, a fifty-foot chasm opened between Andy and Kronos.

The Titan lord looked at the rising sun and smiled. "Until this evening, Jackson." He mounted his horse and led his army away.

Andy turned around to thank Michael but couldn't find him anywhere. She searched the wreckage, but he wasn't there.

Then Silena came running toward her. "Andy!" she yelled. "Come quickly! It's... It's Anthony!"

#andromeda #andy jackson #anthony chase #andony #child of land and sea #fanfic #genderbend #dfcrosas #walking on water #fem percy jackson

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yuniesan · 6 years

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Girl Meets Season 6 - Episode Five – Girl Meets College Parties

Synopsis: The Journey from High School and into College will test everything Riley knew about her life, her friendships and her love. What life lessons will she learn in her first year of college?

[1] [2] [3] [4]

A/N: I might be foreshadowing towards other things that are going to happen.... but this is part Rucas fluff because Infinity War Killed me from the inside.

Episode Five – Girl Meets College Parties

They were well into the first month of their semester when word went around about the first big party. Riley wasn't sure about parties just yet, she wasn't sure if she was ready for another one after the one that had happened during sophomore year of high school. This kind of party was different, it was a real college party, unlike the get together her and Maya had snuck off to in middle school when Maya was still trying to get Josh's attention.

"Are you going to go?" Sam asked as they walked through the quad towards the dining hall near the guy's dorm. They had better food on Thursdays as opposed to the one near their dorm which were serving some dish that she wasn't in the mood to try.

"Are you going?" Riley asked her back. Sam was older than Riley, her birthday was in January versus Riley's December birthday which seemed like a world apart.

"I want to, plus I want to see how people are," she said smiling. After getting to know Sam since the beginning of the semester she noticed that her roommate was smart but not awkward, she had become more social during the last few years of high school. If there's one thing Riley had learned about her roommate is that she liked to watch people, and that reminded her of crazy hat for some reason.

"You want to go to a party just so you can people watch?"

"Maybe, plus it gives me the chance to see how people are around each other, because honestly, I want to be in a relationship now," Sam said before she dramatically threw herself at Riley. "My mom can't dictate who I date so for once I would like to have a choice."

Riley smiled, as much as she would love to try and hook Sam up with someone she was not going to try that again for a while. "Any preferences?"

"Someone not Indian, I want to scare my mother," she said sticking her tongue out making Riley laugh. “Honestly my mother is very controlling even though she married someone who wasn’t Indian for her second marriage, but well with me she wants me to marry a good Indian doctor and she’s being very old fashion about it too. I mean don't you ever want to shake things up?"

"Not really," Riley answered with a shrug. "My dad is already afraid of Lucas, he chased him out of my bedroom window at least once a week since we met in middle school."

"Your dad chased your boyfriend out your bedroom window, why would he do that?" She said her eyes wide as if it were the strangest thing to hear.

Riley smiled thinking about each time it happened. "He did it because it was Lucas, no other reason at all."

Sam started laughing at her just as Zay and Charlie joined them on their walk, "What's so funny?" Zay said as they stood outside of the dining hall.

"I just told Sam about how my dad used to chase Lucas out of my room," Riley answered hoping that Zay wouldn't feed the story, but then she forgot who she was talking to. Charlie looked at her wide eyed as if he hadn't known about the stories, while Zay started laughing along with Sam before pulling her close and whispering something in her ear, which only made the two of them laugh harder.

"Do I want to know why these two look like they're going to fall over and die if they don't breathe anytime soon?" Lucas said as he put his arm around Riley's shoulder and kissed her on her temple.

"Apparently Mr. Matthews used to chase you out of Riley's room," Charlie said, his voice still filled with surprise as Sam and Zay laughed even harder.

"How is this news to anyone?" Lucas asked them, Riley shrugged her shoulders and Charlie still looked confused at what was happening.

It took Zay and Sam a minute before they stopped laughing, Zay had patted Lucas's shoulder before turning to Charlie. "Matthews took his shoes too," he said which only made Lucas groan.

"He took your shoes," Charlie said, Riley was sure that part of the rumor had gone around a few times, but in the end Zay hadn't shared that with anyone at all until now.

"Leave them," Riley said as her stomach growled. "I'm starving and if we keep talking about this I'm not going to be able to eat at all."

Riley pulled Lucas away trying to get closer to the dining hall, while Zay told Sam about her father, Charlie looking at her horrified because he hadn’t known the extent of her father’s overprotectiveness. Her father’s life lessons had been a joke to some of the students growing up, not because it helped them but because everyone knew that in some way it was tied to whatever Riley or her friends were going through. Most of the time it stemmed from what Riley had going on in her life.

“You know,” Charlie said when they were on the buffet line. “I always thought it was a joke when we went to school together.”

“It wasn’t,” Riley sighed looking over at the food and finding what she wanted.

“But the whole shoe thing that’s a little excessive,” Charlie said looking over at Lucas before turning his attention back to Riley. “Isn’t it?”

“My father once told me that when he was dating my mom, that my grandfather had said that he had never been afraid of him, he had been more afraid of my uncle Shawn, when he should have been afraid of my father.”

“So, what he decided that whoever you showed any interest in that that person was the one he should have been afraid of?’ Charlie asked her and all she could do was nod.

“Uncle Shawn was wild and out there, but my mother never had feelings for him other than a brother sister kind of bond, so when my dad saw how I reacted to Lucas, well from day one he was sure that this was what my grandfather was talking about.”

“So, when we were, well sort of dating,” Charlie looked at her as if a realization had come forward. “He wasn’t afraid of me was he, because he knew I wasn’t the one you wanted.”

“Hit the nail on the head there Gardner,” Lucas said with a sigh and Riley gave him a small smile.

“Wow, no wonder he had been happier when Friar was out of the picture during that time,” Charlie sighed before patting Lucas’s arm. “I’m sorry I hadn’t understood any of this when we were in middle school.”

“No worries, as long as you don’t do anything now we’re good,” Lucas said and Riley snorted as she walked away from them and headed towards the salad bar.

She knew that Charlie wasn’t going to try anything now, it was weird to see how much they’ve all changed over the years, once the understanding of it all settled into their lives. Lucas was to her, what her mother was to her father. She had heard the stories of her parents over the years but the realization hit her the most at that moment. That to find real love, the friendship and respect they have for one another must be at the center of it all. They worked towards it, and while they had their hardest moment together, there was still so much more that they needed to work through to get to the level of love that her parents had.

The next day, after doing hours of homework, and having Sam throw every article of clothing at her until she was satisfied with her outfit. They were ready to go to the party, which still felt strange, especially without Maya or Farkle coming with her. Both of them had gone back into the city, Farkle and Smackle had a big charity function that his parents had wanted him to go to, and Maya had left before Riley could even ask her about the party, sending her a message about spending the weekend with her parents and Josh since it was close to her parents’ anniversary, at least from when they had started dating.

Riley looked at herself in the mirror, she was wearing a ridiculously short dress that Sam had thrown at her. On Sam the dress was a little longer, but since Riley was taller the dress was mid-thigh and all she could think about was Lucas freaking out on her.

“Are you sure this isn’t too short?” Riley said looking at herself as she turned three and then another four times.

“Listen Riley, you have a nice figure, and a great ass, flaunt it,” Sam said before handing her a pair of heels that would put Riley at Lucas’s eyeline. “Don’t second guess this and just put them on. Leave your hair down though.”

Riley sighed, Sam was smiling at her as if trying to encourage her in the same way that Maya had often tried to. “Fine,” she said before sitting on her bed and strapping on the shoes.

Lucas, Charlie and Zay were waiting in front of the building when they had walked out, and Riley couldn’t help but see how Lucas’s eyes had gone wide at her outfit. She watched him closely waiting for him to freak out, but she saw how his throat moved as he swallowed his own saliva before his ears turned just a little shade of pink.

“I’ve done my job,” Sam said before walking over to Charlie and Zay, Zay had given her a high five as Lucas walked over to Riley.

“Hey,” he said and she couldn’t stop the smile.

“Hi,” she replied.

“No not this again,” Zay groaned before pulling Lucas down the steps of the dorm. “If they start on that hey, hi, hey thing we’ll never get anywhere and honestly I just want to dance the night away.”

Riley laughed and Lucas looked up at her with a small smile, she couldn’t be happier at that moment because Zay knew them so well. As they walked towards the row of houses, where the fraternities were, and where the party was going to be held, Lucas took her hand and wrapped his arm around her shoulder.

“You look fantastic,” he whispered in her year making her smile at him.

“Are you sure this isn’t too much? I mean Sam picked it out so I wasn’t sure if it was alright, and I’m not sure about the dress honestly,” she rambled on to him.

“Riley,” he said to her stopping just outside the house. “You look perfect, and I’m pretty sure that Sam was just taking Zay’s advice anyway because he kept talking about how my jaw would drop the moment I saw you.”

“They were working together on this?” she asked him before looking at the rest of their little group standing on the top steps of the house where the party was.

“I think they just wanted the night to be fun,” Lucas said as they began to walk forward. “Also, I think Zay is trying to distract himself by using us in a way. I know he’s still hurting, especially since Cassie went radio silent on all of her social media pages, but he won’t talk about it.”

“Oh,” she sighed realizing that Zay wasn’t going to be fixed overnight. “Let’s just have some fun tonight, and make sure he does too.”

Lucas nodded before letting go of her hand and putting his on the small of her back as they walked up the stairs. The moment they walked into the house, her favorite Beyoncé song came on, and her and Sam giggled before breaking away from the guys to dance in the middle of the dance floor. Every once and a while a group of guys would come up to them, trying to dance with her or Sam or the both of them. Riley always pushed them away because she just wanted to have fun and not deal with advances from other guys. They had been dancing for half an hour before she realized that she didn’t know where Lucas was, she hoped that he was trying to help Zay, after another fifteen minutes had passed, and another three guys had tried to get close Riley had pushed away from the dance floor and went looking for Lucas.

She had found him scowling at one of the most recent group of guys that had come up to her before taking a drink from a red cup. She knew the look in his eyes, it was a mix of his jealous side and his Texas side. It seemed as if he were trying to figure out whether he was going to hit someone or scowl at them. Instead he took another drink from his cup, and then made a face when he realized it was empty. Looking around she saw that Charlie and Zay had found Sam and the three of them were dancing together, so she didn’t want to ruin their good mood by telling them that Lucas was on the verge of fighting a group of guys that she was certain, were older than him by a few years.

Instead she walked up to him and placed her hand on his arm, trying to calm him down a little, but he turned the scowl towards her and she wasn’t sure about his anger. His eyes were a little sad and he smelled like cheap beer.

“Are you okay?” she asked him never taking her hand off of his arm.

“I don’t know,” he sighed before looking at her hand. “I was so happy watching you dance around at first, you looked so happy but then all of those guys kept going up to you and I wanted to punch them.”

“Why didn’t you come and dance with me then,” she said to him, trying to be quiet even though the music was so loud she couldn’t really think.

“I don’t know, I kept thinking why is she with me if all of these guys want to be with her,” he said to her and she could tell that at some point he had started drinking because he didn’t want her to know about his feelings.

They were both insecure in their relationship, but they worked at it, they talked, but sometimes something slipped in and hurt one of them.

“Come on,” she said before taking his hand and pulling him towards the dance floor.

The song wasn’t a slow one, it was loud and everyone around them was jumping up and down, but she put her arms around his shoulders and slowly swayed side to side with him before giving him a quick kiss. The shoes really did put her in his eyeline which made being this close to him so much more intimate than she would have thought. They were really growing up if thoughts about their relationship turned into intimacy.

She hadn’t known just how long they had held onto one another, swaying side to side, people all around them dancing, drinking, or just talking. They were in their own little world and it was perfectly fine even though they had come as a group.

“Walk me home,” she asked him after what felt like an eternity, Lucas nodded before finding Zay and telling him that they were leaving. Zay had given them a thumbs up, promising to take Sam home when him and Charlie left.

The walk back to her dorms was much shorter than the walk had been to the party, but every once and a while Lucas swayed one way or another. She hadn’t realized just how much he had had to drink until they had made it to her room and he rushed off to the bathroom. Riley sighed, thinking that she needed to keep a closer eye on him whenever they went out because she worried about him the most. She changed out of her clothes and into something more comfortable before looking for one of Lucas’s sweaters and pulling it out so he could change. When he came back he still looked a little green, his face was damp, the water dripping down from his hair. Riley handed him a towel some mouthwash and his sweater, giving him a small smile.

“Thanks,” he said before stripping off his shirt without a second thought, making her blush.

“If you want you can lay down on my bed until you feel better,” she offered knowing that outside of a night under the stars and that one day during sophomore year, the two of them hadn’t really slept in the same bed. Even those two times they had been on the ground so they had never slept in the same bed at all.

Lucas nodded and she climbed onto her bed before putting one of her pillows on her lap and patting her hands on top of it for him to lay down.

“Are you sure,” asked and she nodded.

When he settled his head on her lap she couldn’t help but run her fingers through his hair, the strands were soft, but he hadn’t had a hair cut in a while and she wondered if he was going to keep it this long. They hadn’t said a word to one another, and after a little while she had noticed that he had fallen asleep, with his arms around her waist. She thought back to the party and the sad look in his eyes, the hint of jealous every time he saw one of the guys that had gotten close to her always afraid that someone was going to take her away. They still had a lot of work to do in their relationship, but she knew this, relationships took time. There were going to be times where she was afraid, and he would comfort her, those times had actually come and gone.

She was going to savor the moments where they were both happy, and when the bad times came she would be there for him. Lucas murmured an I love you into her stomach, making her laugh before attempting to pull him away and kissing his forehead. She moved herself so that he was up against the wall and turned towards him and held him close. That’s where Sam, Zay, and Charlie had found them the next morning, banging on the door telling them to get up for breakfast. Lucas hungover, throwing pillows at their friends before snuggling closer to Riley making the group laugh.

#Girl Meets Season 6 #rucas #rucas fanfic #Riley Matthews #Lucas Friar #Zay Babineaux #charlie gardner #I'm working through my infinity war angst #hopefully the next chapter will be up by Saturday

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superman86to99 · 7 years

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Action Comics #688 (July 1993)

REIGN OF THE SUPERMEN! The Last Son of Krypton bumps into Superman's greatest friend and ally: the dark, bat-themed vigilante known as GUY GARDNER. ("Bat" is for "batshit".) Okay, so Guy actually hated Superman up until a few months ago, but this issue quickly establishes that everyone’s least favorite former Green Lantern gained a lot of respect for Supes after watching him punch an indestructible alien to death and die himself in the process. So, what better way to honor Superman than going to Metropolis and punching those four dudes claiming to be him?

Guy lures the Last Son into a confrontation by using his knock-off Green (Yellow) Lantern ring to create a fake fire. The Last Son isn't amused and knocks Guy around for a few pages...

...eventually throwing him right into the middle of a suspicious biker get-together he'd spotted earlier, because why not kill a dozen birds with one stone? The biker meeting turns out to be a drugs-for-guns deal, so the Last Son diverts his attention from Guy to "deal" with the gang members. Guy then witnesses as the Last Son brutally punishes the criminals... and realizes he’s found his new kink.

At this point, Guy instantly switches to Team Last Son and declares him the One True Superman. Guy even gives a press conference in support of his new idol and offers to help him get rid of the other three pretenders, but the Last Son wants to do that alone.

The Last Son, however, is actually disturbed that Guy Gardner likes him and ends the issue wondering if there's a better way of dealing truth and justice than just burning criminals to death.

Character-Watch:

Kidding aside, this is a big step on Guy's ongoing evolution from jerk-who-is-a-hero to hero-who-is-a-jerk. We're nearing the era when he ditches his most annoying traits along with his Moe haircut. It is my responsibility to point out a continuity problem, though: he sees the Man of Steel on the cover of Newstime magazine and doesn't recognize the barely-disguised features of his college roommate, John Henry Irons.

Plotline-Watch:

The most important development in the issue: the Last Son of Krypton installs a bunch of monitors and satellite TV at the Fortress of Solitude. He says it's because he wants to keep an eye on Metropolis from afar, but I'm pretty sure he just didn't want to miss the Cheers finale.

At the Fortress, we get some clues about the Last Son's true identity: we see him draw power from his mysterious "regeneration matrix", and one of his robot servants keeps teasing him about changing to a traditional Kryptonian garb. Hmmm, who was the last one to wear one of those...?

Lois Lane interviews a would-be bank thief who had his arms completely broken by someone claiming to be Superman, and quickly deduces that he's talking about the Last Son. See, that's why she has a Pulitzer. Then she mistakes an old guy with a fedora and glasses for Clark, so maybe they should take that Pulitzer away.

At the hospital, Lois runs into Cat Grant (also doing reporter stuff) and as they're talking shit about the four Supermen, a Superboy interview by Tana Moon comes up on TV. Cat sees Tana and worries that the network is gonna replace her with a younger model -- which is foreshadowing for the upcoming storyline, "Reign of the Cat Grants".

As a result of the crime wave that followed Superman's death, Metropolis' police commissioner resigns, Inspector Henderson is bumped up to Commissioner Henderson, and Captain Maggie Sawyer is bumped up to Inspector Maggie Sawyer. There's a nice little scene with the two proclaiming respect for each other despite their long-running rivalry, and DC inching a little bit closer to actually using the word "lesbian".

And that's all from me, but for more commentary and cool details I missed, read Don Sparrow’s section after the jump!

Art-Watch (by @donsparrow):

We start with a pretty great looking cover by Kerry Gamill & Jackson Guice (apparently from a sketch by Ed Hannigan) coloured by Denis Rodier. It’s the colour that really set this one apart for me, with the yellow from Guy Gardner’s Sinestro ring meshing well with the yellow from the Last Son’s hand energy beams, with just enough red to keep it from being totally monochromatic. It also looks like they’re in a real struggle, and not a posed “fight” stance. Just great.

Inside, the first splash page does a great job of showing what the readers are feeling, after reading those issues introducing the four new Superman characters, and decides to investigate.

Guice and Rodier do a great job of Guy’s unique, less-than-handsome character face, particularly as Guy’s intention in looking into the new Supermen is to honour his fallen comrade, after Superman “did what nobody else could do” in stopping Doomsday. There’s a look of genuine care on Guy’s angular face as he sets out to figure out just who these new Superman are.

The Last Son’s intercepting of the bank robber is well drawn, and it’s still jarring to see a Superman who moves so threateningly, and robotically—though he seems to have already developed a movie-character-like ability to crack one-liners, making him seem like maybe there’s a Clark Kent underneath after all.

But, nope, then he breaks every bone in the bank-robber’s arms, which is something so harsh even Batman wouldn’t do! (Even Punisher doesn’t torture people so ironically—this is Spectre territory!)

The update of goings-on with the police department is interesting, and Guice draws a more feminine Maggie Sawyer than we’re used to seeing, though with the vest and gray temples, Inspector Henderson is essentially identical to Perry White in this scene. (Behind the scenes note: I was grateful that Maggie’s scene was so short, given that the Supergirl TV show currently airing has more or less been taken over completely by her relationship with Alex Danvers. Digression over!)

The battle between the Last Son and Gardner is well choreographed—I appreciated seeing a brawler like Gardner actually think to use his ring (with a neat reference to Sir Justin from Seven Soliders of Victory) and the array of facial expressions Gardner shows as the Last Son wallops the crooks is pretty funny.

STRAY OBSERVATIONS:

Betty’s Page is the name of the newsstand that Guy is browsing at, and just happens to be run by a pretty gal with bangs and gloves (who Guy disturbingly dismisses as a “smart mouth”).

BEATLESWATCH! Just because he’s a safe-cracker doesn’t mean our would-be robber has poor taste in music, parodying “Fixing a Hole” as he takes an acetylene torch to the vault.

Man, that Lois Lane sure has a reporter’s knack for invention! Imagine, thinking that the Last Son isn’t actually Superman, but that he merely stole his body… [Max: OK, she can have the Pulitzer back.]

GODWATCH! The Last Son thanks “the creator” that he can retire to “this fine fortress” and plan my next move. Notice he doesn’t say “his” fortress… [Max: Weird that he didn’t say “Thank Rao”.]

I completely forgot about that little scene where the Last Son “draws more energy” from the Regeneration Matrix. Very telling, not only about how the Last Son is so powerful, but also why someone ISN’T powerful in issues to come.

I might buy that the Last Son intentionally threw Gardner into the warehouse full of crooks, but were the overpass and water tower also up to no good? [Max: Those were Hydro-Man and, uh, Overpass Man!]

The Last Son seems to borrow liberally from his Gotham counterpart, right down to inexplicably being anti-gun.

Is Guy actually convinced this is the Superman he knew in the Justice League, or is he actually afraid of him? His facial expression as he explains that he’s convinced would seem to indicate that he just plain doesn’t want to fight anymore.

#superman #roger stern #jackson guice #denis rodier #guy gardner #eradicator #cat grant #superboy #tana moon #kelex #maggie sawyer #bill henderson #old guy who isn't clark #drug bikers #dang it accidentally tagged the eradicator again when will i learn #reign of the supermen

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leagueofawesomedudes · 5 years

Text

Week 4 LOAD Preview

Well, well, well how the turntables have turned. Week 4 and I finally get the preview? Didn’t know this was the year I was going to be so underappreciated, but guess I’ll just go commando, put my baby powder and big dick jeans on and rock this fucking preview. All this bullshit about everyone so nervous about the Browns and Shawn’s just sitting on his front steps, thinking about how bad the Steelers are going to be as he waits for Alyssa to get home with the house keys. Really puts things into perspective, because if you don’t wear brown and orange, you don’t matter. Unless you’re a media member saying something mean and then we will acknowledge you and clap back. Nonetheless, we are in a good spot ready to whip out our cocks after Baker wins this shootout against the Ravens (Dom and Paul take the over, I know a guy ;) Let’s get this party started.

Kickers & Defense (1-2) vs. Rooney Tunes (0-3)

Well I guess I’ll start out with my most boring preview because it’s not the best matchup. I’m not going to rag on myself because everyone knows I’m a second half team, and Shawn’s like getting married on Friday or whatever. Get over it dude you’re like so thirsty for attention.

^^Enough said

Old Solden > Shawn

Mahomies Chubbie (2-1) vs. She Diggs My Cobb (0-3)

A matchup of the two newest Lakewood residents. Does it even count if you don’t live with Sam? Idk but they will be sharing the same building which means the amount of Chicken breasts, Chipotle, and gains within those walls are about to increase faster than a black kid who thought he just spotted his dad for the first time. Did I do that right? Trying to mix in a Naggerguy joke for two of my most racist friends. White power. I mean can they be given any more lead roles in movie these days? Why do you have to be a “Black lead” nowadays why can’t you just be a great actor who’s a great fit for the role? Oh shit, this isn’t the SJW blog I write to this is the preview. @Tj, feel free to take that material. As Dom so eloquently put it, based off the viral tweets of several copycat sports writers, Mahomes is having his Curry run and it’s showing no signs of slowing down. I thought Chad’s draft wasn’t as strong as he did, but he’s putting together a nice run with Mr. Heinz himself and a bunch of guys who will start coming back down to Earth by midseason. Mr. Snowman almost completing the quartet of White QB, White Receiver, White TE andddd White Kicker but there’s just no damn white RB’s left in our sacred NFL. Can the real slim shady please stand up? Aw hell, might as well keep the white power trend going for my guys.

Mr. Snowman > Yeah, she was decent

My Quads Are Dangerou6 (2-1) vs. jared donovan’s Team (2-1)

Our newest member takes on our newest wild card taking over the late great Holla’s spot. Oh shit, I forgot has anyone talked to him to make sure he’s still alive? Ah, I’m sure he’s fine this important. Jared figuring out how to draft a fantasy team is more shocking than Sam switching to structured meal plans where he can have a precise routine that he never changes. Oh wait…No no no it’s more like me masturbating 3 times in a day once a week. Damnit, that’s not right either. I got it! Jared figuring out how to draft is like him being able to cum standing up. Just an absolutely shocking change of pace. Jon, my sweet sweet Jon. I hope the intro to the LOAD and these previews have been nice and not too much of an adjustment you absolute dirty cunt shitbag. Just wait till I play you and shove Bakers fake dong flop (his arm) so far up your ass I’ll be able to use you as a puppet to respond to Cowherds rants about our leader. Woah, blacked out there for a second, I’m back. Welcome to the LOAD! Both teams have some great matchups this week, but I’m going to have to go with Jared on this one, because I’ve seen his Quads and at this point in the year they’re more Dangerou6 than Baker. Put it away, Sam.

Pick a fucking team name > Burgs fiancé

Uncle Rico (2-1) vs. The Injured Reserve (1-2)

I’ve never seen someone so unhappy to be 2-1 in fantasy through 3 weeks as TJ is. Also, Case, he might need to pay another $5 and borrow your team name if this trend continues. I feel like I have rode the Millennium Falcon the amount of times TJ has changed his mind about fantasy this year, but if there was one thing to bring him back home to his boys it couldn’t have been any better that it was Gardner Minshew. The second? I don’t think anyone knows but damn can that guy throw a football over the mountains. Casey – I don’t know what the last few previews were about your housewarming party was so much fun I don’t remember anything, remember? But for real, the amount of puppy lovers you have in this group and you’re depriving that good boy of his uncles? Fucked up man. How many barkbox reveal snapchats do I have to be personally invested in before I meet this dude in person. With the two lowest projected weeks but the most spunk, I’m going with Tony Two Time Minchewing caseys barkbox and getting the dub.

Uncle Rico > The Injured Reserve

Butker in the Cooper (3-0) vs. Under the Influwentz (1-2)

Doug, despite what all the other guys have been saying nonstop about you I’m glad you’re still hanging out in the league with us. I will say, if you don’t tell us ahead of time next year that you won’t be able to make the draft on time we’re going to put some kind of penalty on you. I don’t care how many friends/girlfriends you have with boats and docks, next time you’re on time bud. We all saw what happened when Casey had to actually draft (Mixon in the first round), and I would sure love to see that happen to you. Dom, Dom, Dom. Stealing takes about Mahomes, sending absurd trade requests the second I reject one of them. Sending me a trade for multiple mediocre players for my best players is not a good trade Dom, and you’ll never catch me drunk or high enough to get me to go through with one of them. Take your flowy hair, great style, and fake glasses and gtfoh with that. Also, your team is pretty good this year so I’m back to hating you.

Dommy Salami > Mr. Fixer Upper

**GAME OF THE WEEK**

Christian McCuri’s (1-2) lol vs. JuJu Kachoo (3-0) wow

Flashback to 2016, it’s a breezy morning at 6:29am. Paul is in a fluffy robe and slippers with a vanilla late from the first floor of 12000 Edgewater between both hands keeping him warm. He’s power stance leaning on the ledge of the balcony overlooking the calm swells of Lake Erie. As his hair moves slightly in the wind, he glances down at his apple watch and sees the time is 6:30am. He gives a slight smile and Arthur like fist clench on his side. He knows now his plan is in action. Samuel emerges from his room to the kitchen. It’s time for his morning scrambled eggs, bagel, banana and/or fresh cut pineapple. His first step in, he freezes and immediately knows something is awry. A quick glance to the sink and it sets in. Paul has woken up early and made eggs with the only pan Sam knows how to cook with. As he stares blankly down, now knowing his entire daily routine will be thrown off by approximately 2 minutes and 17 seconds, Paul emerges from the abyss with a fake punch and a whisper in the ear “you’re going down this week, pussy”. For Paul knows now, the entirety of Sam’s day will be slightly askew affirming the real estate he owns in his head. Sam begins to panic – did he pack his lunch the night before? Will his lift be as good as expected after work? Will his chipotle even taste the same? The matchup has been won…….before it even started. Fast forward 3 years, living in separate households, the real estate still exists. Dormant at most times, but enacted upon at the precise moments Sam would never expect. Now it would be downright negligent to say I don’t know what Paul is planning, but I refuse to spoil a well-planned, well-timed prank against a fantasy opponent. Samuel, God’s speed, check your shoes before sliding them on, and check the corners before you turn them.

Pauly Pranks A Lot > Susceptible Sam

Chad, she actually wasn’t decent. Boom Roasted. Bennett, fall asleep with the stove on lately? Boom Roasted. Casey, are you and Tim technically eskimo brothers now too? Boom Roasted. Doug gets to do house work every day now? Now we’ll really never see you. Boom Roasted. Shawn you’re about to be married. Are you the bride or the groom? Boom Roasted. Dom, go get me a shot of tequila. Boom Roasted. Paul you’re a pussy queef. Boom Roasted. Sam how are your stepchildren? Just my yearly reminder. Boom Roasted. Jon where are your balls? Oh nvm I see them in Burgs pocket. Boom Roasted. Jared can you tell me the spiritual back story behind your tattoos? Boom Roasted. TJ can you tell me the spiritual back story behind your tattoos? Boom Roasted. Solden can you tell me the spiritual back story behind your tattoo? Boom Roasted.

Second half team bitches just like the Browns. This is my year and much like the Browns, I’ll be moving to the playoffs and sitting in the champions lounge at year end. Suck my balls. But seriously, love my dawgs, love raggin on all of you, and love receiving it back :). Go Browns. Go LOAD. Solden out.

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