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stinalotte · 9 months

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Happy 19th Birthday, Stargate Atlantis!

On July 16th, 2004, the pilot aired. Here's a handy little primer for anyone who doesn't know what the heckity heck this show is about. Everything is totally accurate, 100% true and very, very serious.

So.

This is the lost city of the Ancients, Atlantis, in the Pegasus galaxy, about 3 million light years from Earth. (The Ancients can go fuck themselves. Long story.) Atlantis is a city/spaceship approximately the size of Manhattan. She's semi-sentient, but not really, except actually yes, maybe, sometimes, totally. The whole city can go underwater or into hyperspace. Loves her humans. Home. Declaration of independence imminent.

The Atlantis expedition consists of civilians and military from at least 34 countries (in later seasons, the original expedition was just over a dozen). In no particular order:

Dr. Elizabeth Weir. The first leader of the expedition. The only adult. Sometimes. Okay, not very often. Is not above a little war crime for the good of the galaxy—or at least, for the good of Atlantis. Left a boyfriend and a dog on Earth, but we all miss the dog more than the boyfriend. Eats UN representatives for breakfast. Is terribly awkward on dates and really good at solitaire. Loves her chaos children. Which are:

Lt. Colonel Suicide Mission John Sheppard. Walked through the Gate and Atlantis said, "dibs". Thinks people who don't want to fly are crazy. Not good with emotional stuff. (He's getting better.) Loves his found space family and would die for them, often literally. Stop that. Also loves Ferris wheels, things that go fast, and Rodney McKay. And no, we don't know how he gets his hair to go like that.

Dr. Meredith Rodney McKay. Four degrees, two of which are PhDs, none of which are in social skills. Smartest man in two galaxies. Used to be an asshole, but got himself some friends who loved him such a stupid amount that he had no choice but to change. Still a work in progress. We love to see it. Blew up three quarters five sixths of a solar system. (It was uninhabited.) (Mostly.) Deathly allergic to citrus. Loves fully charged ZPMs, arguing with Dr. Zelenka, MREs, and John Sheppard.

Lieutenant Aiden Ford. Went ass first through the Gate with a grin and a whoop on his very first trip. One of the youngest members of the expedition. Is not allowed to name anything, ever. Mild case of hero worship when it comes to his commanding officer, which is totally understandable. A cautionary tale of how addiction messes up not only you, but the people around you.

Ronon Dex. Used to be hunted by the Wraith, lost his people in a terrible war, and is now a member of Sheppard's team where he gets to shoot things and beat up bad guys. Doesn't talk much, but when he does, he has something to say. Good friend. Excellent hugs, but have Carson check you out for any cracked ribs after. Is one bottle of Athosian wine away from staging an intervention regarding the Sheppard/McKay situation.

Teyla Emmagan. In possession of the team's one brain cell. Leader of the Athosian people. Will rock a baby to sleep and then go outside where a Wraith is dangling from the highest tower of the city and stomp on his hands until he falls 800 feet. Can either beat you up in the gym or force you to meditate on your problem, your choice. Has the aforementioned bottle of wine ready and loaded.

Dr. Radek Zelenka. Keeps the science team sane because Rodney sure as hell doesn't. Loves pigeons, cursing in Czech, and overseeing the thriving black market underground economy that has developed in the city. (Thanks @shaddyr for that lovely headcanon). Zachránil všechny naše zadky víc než jednou.

Chuck the Technician. Aggressively Canadian. Doesn't have a last name, doesn't need one. Is ALWAYS in the control room, seriously man, when do you sleep? Reads trashy sci fi novels on night shifts and organized a betting pool in 5 different currencies when Ronon was fighting Teal'c. Needs to share his eyelash routine because we're jealous.

Dr. Carson Beckett. The most Scottish Scot to ever Scot. Brilliant medical doctor who is not above the occasional unethical unorthodox treatment method. Sweet cinnamon roll of a man. Beloved by all. Loves his mom and wee baby turtles. Someone should take him fishing soon. 🥹

Colonel Samantha Carter. Member of SG-1. Legend. Awesome. Boss. Absolute BAMF. Punched a Goa'uld system lord in the face once. We all have a crush on her.

Dr. Jennifer Keller. Is very doctor-y, for better and for worse. Was all of us when she freaked out being on an alien planet for the first time, like a normal person would. Should totally have gone on a date with Captain Vega in that one deleted scene. [WE COULD HAVE HAD IT AAAAALL]

Jeannie Miller. Rodney's sister. Gave up a career in science to be a mom. Solved Rodney's math problem in her spare time, with finger paints. Loves her brother even when he's being an idiot. Fanfic canon says: her house is always open for him and certain Air Force Colonels to crash in. Don't you dare get a hotel room. Yes, the guest room has Only One Bed, Mer, what's your point?

Major Evan Lorne. If you are a moron and get yourself captured and imprisoned off world, he will swing by real quick with a couple Marines and bust you out. Co-parents Atlantis with Dr. Weir. Is actually a really talented painter. Needs a raise, a holiday, and a drink.

Colonel Steven Caldwell. Grumpy. Has to deal with Elizabeth's chaos children on a regular basis. Will make the enemy ship go away with a big boom and save your sorry ass in space. AGAIN.

Richard Woolsey. Used to be a New York City lawyer, one of the most ruthless creatures in the universe. His wife got the Yorkie in the divorce. Broke his heart. Is actually pretty cool if you let him do his thing (like get you out of an intergalactic war crimes trial by bribing the judges).

I know some characters and all the villains are missing, but this post is already longer than a trip on the Daedalus, so there you have it.

Stargate Atlantis. A show about wormholes, life-sucking aliens, ancient civilisations, space battles—and family, friendship, allowing yourself to love and be loved, and what it means to be home.

Happy birthday, fam.

#stargate atlantis #happy birthday #sga #found space family #elizabeth weir #john sheppard #rodney mckay #teyla emmagan #ronon dex #aiden ford #samantha carter #look I can't name them all

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fuck-customers · 5 months

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i am afab, cis-presenting, but i wear my hair extremely short. buzzed on the sides, two to three inches long up top. ive worn it this way for ten years at this point.

i had an older man once ask me why i wear it the way i do (not the first person to ask, hardly the last) so i gave him my usual explanation: my hair grows in really thick, i would get headaches wearing it long, i just like the way it looks short, etc.

he informs me that he asked because his daughter started wearing her hair short, and when she approached him about his opinion he wasn’t thrilled. then she showed him her cut, and instead of support, he told her “it’ll grow back!”

he tells this to me, someone who has short hair and just explained why i like my short hair, as though i should agree with him. i still don’t know why he asked me. i do not know what point he tried to make.

this sort of thing rarely gets under my skin, but he did that day. i felt more sorry for his daughter than myself.

tl;dr if you don’t like someone’s hair, just keep it to yourself.

What I have learned is to never directly answer questions like that. They will either use it to make fun of you OR make fun of someone else and blame you.

When anyone asks me a personal question they don't need to know. Like why I choose to have painted nails I just answer "why not?" I've had more than one old white dude (it's always the old white dudes) and one skank of an old hag try to push the issue and I hold firm with the only answer they deserve and just keep saying why not? All of them questioned my manhood before slamming things or throwing something. it's really funny to watch their epic meltdown. And yet ley are the first person to call someone a snowflake.

-Rodney

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blackhistorychatgpt · 2 months

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Black inventors

From Perplexity:

Famous black inventors have significantly contributed to various fields, from everyday household items to groundbreaking technological advancements. Here are some notable figures:

George Crum (1824-1914): A chef who is credited with inventing the potato chip in 1853[1].

Frederick McKinley Jones (1893-1961): Developed refrigeration equipment for trucks, trains, ships, and planes, receiving over 40 patents. His invention, the Thermo King, revolutionized the food and medical transport industries[1].

Granville T. Woods (1856-1910): Accumulated almost 60 patents, improving railroad functioning. Notably, he invented the induction telegraph system for train communication[1].

George Washington Carver (1864-1943): An agricultural chemist who developed 518 products from peanuts and sweet potatoes, including ink, dye, soap, and synthetic rubber[1].

Madam C.J. Walker (1867-1919): Became the first African American woman self-made millionaire by creating a line of hair products for African American women[1].

Garrett Morgan (1877-1963): Invented the traffic signal and a safety hood that served as a prototype for the gas mask[1].

Mary Beatrice Davidson Kenner: Patented the sanitary belt in 1957, a significant advancement in women's health and hygiene[1].

Thomas L. Jennings (1791–1859): The first African American to receive a U.S. patent, for a dry-cleaning process[4].

Patricia Bath (1942-2019): Invented a laser cataract treatment, becoming the first African American female doctor to receive a medical patent[4].

Mark Dean (1957-present): Holds over 20 patents, including contributions to the creation of the color PC monitor and the first gigahertz chip[4].

Elijah McCoy (1844-1929): Known for his invention of the automatic lubricator for oiling steam engines, leading to the phrase "the real McCoy" to denote something authentic[4].

These inventors have left a lasting impact on society, demonstrating ingenuity and perseverance in the face of challenges.

Citations: [1] https://www.oprahdaily.com/life/work-money/g30877473/african-american-inventors/ [2] https://www.parents.com/kids/education/world-changing-black-inventors-that-every-kid-should-know-about/ [3] https://www.black-inventor.com [4] https://www.biography.com/inventors/g46697619/famous-black-inventors [5] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_African-American_inventors_and_scientists

From Gemini (formerly Bard):

20 Famous Black Investors with Short Descriptions:

Dr. Shirley Jackson: First Black woman to earn a doctorate in nuclear physics, invested in research and development for the U.S. Department of Defense.

Robert F. Smith: Founded Vista Equity Partners, a private equity firm with over $85 billion in assets under management. Known for his philanthropic endeavors.

Oprah Winfrey: Media mogul and investor, known for her investments in cable channels, production companies, and Weight Watchers.

Udayan I. Lekhraj: Founded CMG Partners, a private equity firm specializing in healthcare investments. Advocate for diversity and inclusion in venture capital.

Catherine Hughes: Founded Urban One, a media company serving the African American community. First Black woman to chair a publicly traded company in the U.S.

Rodney Bryant: Co-founded JUST Capital, a firm that measures and incentivizes corporations to prioritize stakeholder capitalism.

Ellen Johnson Sirleaf: Former President of Liberia, Nobel Peace Prize winner. Focused on economic development and investment in her country.

Ronald Lauder: CEO of Estee Lauder Companies, known for his investments in the beauty industry and philanthropic work.

Charles R. Bronfman: Chairman of The Seagram Company Ltd., invested in various industries including entertainment, real estate, and philanthropy.

John Rogers Jr.: Founded Ariel Investments, a mutual fund company with over $28 billion in assets under management. Advocate for responsible investing.

Marc Morial: Former mayor of New Orleans, currently president of the National Urban League. Focused on economic empowerment of Black communities.

Ronald Watkins: Founding CEO of Watkins Investing Group, invests in real estate and businesses within the Black community.

Melody Hobson: President and CEO of Ariel Investments, known for her work on financial literacy and diversity in boardrooms.

Aisha Evans: Founded BE Capital, a venture capital firm focused on Black and Latinx tech entrepreneurs.

Kevin Hart: Comedian and investor, known for his investments in production companies, streaming platforms, and sports teams.

Jay-Z: Rapper and entrepreneur, known for his investments in music streaming, sports teams, and venture capital funds.

Will Smith: Actor and investor, known for his investments in production companies, media platforms, and venture capital funds.

Serena Williams: Tennis champion and investor, known for her investments in venture capital funds focused on women and diverse founders.

Rihanna: Singer and entrepreneur, known for her investments in beauty brands, fashion lines, and technology startups.

LeBron James: Basketball player and investor, known for his investments in media companies, production companies, and technology startups.

Please note: This list is not exhaustive and can be debated in terms of individual importance and impact.

Reading List on Black Inventors:

Black Inventors: Lives That Mattered by Darlene R. Medford

Hidden Figures: The American Dream and the Untold Story of the Black Women Mathematicians Who Helped Win the Space Race by Margot Lee Shetterly

Lifting the Veil: Celebrating the Unsung Heroes of Black History by Michael Hill

Lost Genius: The Forgotten Black Inventors Who Changed the World by Dennis Freeman

Pioneering Women in American Mathematics: From Agnes Scott to Emmy Noether by Pamela Prochazka

Black Inventors in Science and Technology by Shirley J. Smith

A Colored Man's Reminiscences of James M. Whitfield: With Recollections of the Early Struggles of Colored Men in Boston by Wilbur H. Siebert

Inventing the Future: Black Inventors in Science and Technology by Geneva Gay

African Americans in Science, Math, and Invention by Darlene R. Medford

Black Inventors in the United States by Darlene R. Medford

This list offers a variety of books covering different periods and areas of innovation by Black inventors. Consider exploring further based on your specific interests.

I hope this information is helpful!

#african american history #black history month #black history month 2024 #dalle3 #midjourney #black inventors #blackhistorymonth #africanamericanhistory #afrofuturism #solar punk #steampunk

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spurious · 7 months

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🎲 Roll the die! Something Stargate-y pls.

kiss roulette!

32: a kiss while someone watches

The first time John and Rodney kiss in front of another person, they're celebrating an alliance with Atlantis's newest trading partners.

"It is customary for their people to kiss to seal an agreement," Teyla explains, before leaning in and chastely pressing her lips to the mouth of the lead dignitary.

John shrugs, Rodney mutters about unknown teeth-brushing habits, and Ronon says "Okay" before bending down, putting a hand on the small of the petite woman's back to steady her before planting one on her that leaves her stumbling, dazed.

The Atlantis delegation kisses every member of the diplomatic envoy, but where things get a bit strange is when the envoy then turn on each other, exchanging soft, friendly touches of mouth-to-mouth.

Rodney's mouth drops half-open, and John's heart starts to race. He thinks about the last kiss he shared with Rodney, earlier that morning: pressed up against the wall of his quarters, Rodney's thigh in between his own, Rodney's tongue in his mouth.

"C'mon, let's get this over with so we can feast," Ronon says, grabbing a laughing Teyla by the waist and pulling her in for a long, showy kiss, which is met with polite applause from the gathered audience.

John cuts a glance over at Rodney, who shrugs, mouth set at a slant.

"When in Rome, I suppose," he says, loudly, and then wraps his hand around John's wrist, tugging him close enough that he can feel Rodney's breath on his face. In a whisper, meant only for John's ears, he adds, "Calm down, no one's going to know."

John takes a breath, nods, and then plants a kiss on Rodney, running a hand through his hair, sucking on his lower lip, feeling Rodney's hand squeeze his wrist harder until he pulls away, grinning.

"Freebie," John says, as Rodney wipes his mouth with the back of his hand.

#fic #mcshep

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lightthewaybackhome · 10 months

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The Seed, AKA, welcome to the Pegasus Galaxy Mr. Woolsey.

I compromised the safety of this base to rescue someone who may well have been beyond our help anyway.

Now Woolsey knows why Sheppard doesn't play by the rules.

I enjoy this episode because we get to see Woolsey taken down a few notches, but also made to better understand what life is actually like in Atlantis. I love that Sheppard basically goes into leader/older brother/dad mode for his whole team because Woolsey isn't really inspiring confidence. I love that when Sheppard is quarantined, Teyla steps up right up. I love that Sheppard is in full Lieutenant Colonel Suicide Mission mode, taking the drug first and then administering it to Keller. I love that he was ready to shoot Keller, but even gut-stabbed he didn't. I love Carson. (Why is his hair so dark??? It always bothers me. Looks fake.)

At the start of the episode when they're gathered around Woolsey's new conference room table, Rodney says, "The fact that Sheppard's here makes all the difference, right?" He's referencing The Last Man, and it just made me happy because Rodney basically spoke for us, the viewer. Sheppard is here. So, no matter how bad it gets, Sheppard will make the difference. That how they feel and how Atlantis feels, and how we feel. Sheppard will see everyone through the dark times and back into the light of home.

Out of every one hundred men, ten shouldn’t even be there, eighty are just targets, nine are the real fighters, and we are lucky to have them, for they make the battle. Ah, but the one, one is a warrior, and he will bring the others back.”

— Heraclitus

#stargate atlantis #john sheppard #sga #rodney mckay #ronon dex #teyla emmagan #richard woolsey #sga s5 #the seed #a warrior can make all the difference #a warrior will bring you home #welcome to the Pegasus Galaxy Mr. Woolsey #Lieutenant Colonel Suicide Missions

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thee-morrigan · 1 year

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between the midnight and the morning

“Sweetheart? What’re you doing?”

The last is more yawn than sentence, made less intelligible still by the huff of laughter at the choked yelp of his mate, cross-legged on the floor of their new home (and isn’t that just the most delicious phrase he’s ever heard or thought or felt). He only just catches the motion of their fingers clenching around the box in front of them before their edges shimmer and blur, their body wiped clean from sight like dry-erase ink from a whiteboard. Wax on, wax off.

They reappear half a thought later, fingers still pressing into the soft cardboard of the box they had apparently been unpacking at — he glances towards the glow of the stove clock — three o’clock in the morning.

They release the box, one hand stretching to tap the spacebar of their laptop, perched atop a small stack of boxes near the one they’d been sorting through, the other hand lifting to push their headphones back from their ears, sliding them down around the back of their neck.

“You scared me,” they say, lips curling into a tired demi-smile. “Did I wake you? I’m sorry. I was trying to be quiet.”

Milo lifts a brow. “Can I get that in writing? I just want to make sure I document this moment for posterity. I’m so used to being the only one in this relationship having the shit scared out of ‘em; this feels like a landmark moment.”

He crosses the dark kitchen to squat beside them and strokes a hand over their head, their hair soft and sleep-rumpled. “No, sweetheart, you didn’t wake me up. That one did.” A jerk of his thumb over a shoulder, gesturing toward the doorway. As if awaiting his cue, Aggro saunters into the kitchen, the shadows seeming to part for him before pressing back into the spaces left by the cat’s wake.

They bare their teeth at the cat as he draws closer, although they obligingly stretch their fingers forward to rub his whiskers as he hunches onto the floor between them and Milo. “Traitor.”

“If he’s betrayed anyone, sweetheart, I think I’ve got the stronger case,” Milo laughs. “Aren’t you supposed to be my cat, bud?”

Aggro blinks up at him impassively before stretching onto the floor against his mate’s thigh, which makes them both snort — though Milo’s seems more out of derision than amusement.

“I can’t tell if he’s actually siding with me or just asserting his independence.”

“Either way, it’s fuckin’ disloyal.”

“He don’t get no respect,” they murmur to Aggro in an affected drawl, stroking the top of the cat’s soft head.

“And now I’m being mocked in my own house!”

He catches a quicksilver flash of grinning teeth before they look up at him, eyes wide and guileless, although he can’t help but notice the shadows smudging the hollows beneath them. “Is my impression that bad, or do you actually think you sound like Rodney Dangerfield?”

He rolls his eyes, but Milo can’t keep his mouth from curving upward as he looks at them. Looks at them both, his disloyal cat and bratty menace of a mate, curled against each other on the floor of their kitchen. Their kitchen, in their house. He wonders if he’ll ever stop marveling at this, at this life they’re building together. At the way his magic sings in their presence, the way his whole body feels warm and loose when they smile at him, every cell glowing and radiant as an ember. His mate. He loves them so fucking much. He even loves how much they’d tease him if they knew what he’s thinking, how they’d call him “sappy.” And so what if he is? He loves them. Why the hell shouldn’t he be driven to bouts of occasional sappiness by someone who makes him feel sappy, makes him feel grateful that he’s got so many perfectly ordinary parts of his life that feel anything but? That make him feel anything but? He has magic scintillating beneath his skin, burning bright as starfire in his veins, and it might as well be the cold dark space that surrounds stars for how dull that magic’s shine seems compared to the glittering haze of sitting on the kitchen floor beside a person who lets him love them.

He settles fully onto the hardwood next to them, and reaches into the cardboard box they’d been rifling through when he walked in. Books. He pulls out a volume, and once again cocks a brow at his mate.

“So how’d we end up with a box of books in our kitchen?”

“Duh, cookbooks.”

“I don’t remember Molloy including any recipes.”

They roll their eyes and huff a laugh, reaching to pull the book out of his hands. “I don’t remember you reading Molloy.”

“Just ‘cause you don’t know if I’ve read something doesn’t mean I haven’t read it. We buy one house together and suddenly you know every book I’ve ever read?”

They laugh, and their face transforms, less hollow-eyed and less tired, and he’s glad. So glad he almost doesn’t ask the question he wants to ask, knows he has to ask.

He reaches a hand across to rest against theirs, thumb smoothing the soft, thin skin of their knuckles. “You wanna talk about it?”

They tilt their head to one side, still smiling, though their eyes have dulled a bit again now. “Molloy?”

“Sure, if that’s what got you out of bed and rooting around a box of books at three in the morning.”

Another laugh, another smile that doesn’t quite reach their eyes. “I think undergrad was the last time Samuel Beckett had me out of bed at three A.M. Even then, I was probably still in bed.”

“All right,” he laughs softly and eases the book out of their hands, tucking it gently back into the box before taking their hands again. “So if it’s not the book…what’s really got you down here this late?”

They lace their fingers around his, squeezing gently. “Did you know there’s an episode of Gilmore Girls where the captioning is totally fucked?”

Milo gives a bark of surprised laughter. “What?”

“It’s true!” They tilt their head in the direction of their laptop, the screen still frozen in Netflix limbo. “In one of the episodes where Lorelai and Christopher are back together — Towards the end, you know? Absolute disaster. Anyway— he’s talking to her about his kid. Actually, I think it’s the one where he’s telling her he wants Gigi — that’s his daughter — to go to Paris. Anyway, so in other episodes where they’ve mentioned Gigi, the captions have always written her name as ‘G.G.’: capital G period, capital G period, which I always thought was weird, but whatever. In this episode, though, they started writing it as G-I-G-I, as in Hadid, right? But they clearly chose to do it as an edit, which they clearly chose to do via find-and-replace, because every single time the letter G appears consecutively in this episode’s captions, it’s been replaced with G-I-G-I. So now, instead of ordering pancakes and eggs with her coffee, we get to see Lorelai ordering coffee, pancakes, and egigis.”

He exhales, both eyebrows now lifted. “I’m gonna skip past the fact that I have no idea who the hell any of those people are for now — and the fact that you pay close enough attention to the subtitles to notice spelling discrepancies — and go right to asking if you’re doing what I think you’re doing right now.”

“You’d pay attention to these subtitles, too, believe me. They’re egregious. They’re egre-gigi-ous.”

He laughs again and squeezes their fingers with his own, tugging them gently forward, then presses a kiss to the back of one of their hands. “You doin’ okay, sweetheart? I worry when you start doing things like pinballing between topics and trying to spell egregious with two Gs.”

“Egregious has two Gs.”

“Not back-to-back it doesn’t.”

They sigh, and it’s as much a breath of laughter as it is of fatigue. “I’m okay. Just couldn’t sleep and got tired of lying in bed awake.” They stretch forward across the box of books, careful not to shift Aggro too much, and rest their forehead against Milo’s. “I’m good. Pinky promise.”

“That’s a very serious promise,” he says, and even though they’ve let their eyes slide shut, they can hear that he’s smiling.

“Only kind of promise you’re allowed to make at midnight,” they say, tipping their chin forward to kiss him, briefly, before pulling back and disentangling their fingers from his to reach for the box of books again.

“It’s not midnight,” Milo says.

“And it’s not raining.” Another glint of a grin and they’re rising, arms wrapped around the box. Aggro, now bereft of his backrest, gives a sleepy mrrp of protest and yawns, ears twitching.

They shift the box in their arms long enough to bump their laptop shut with an elbow. Milo stands now, too.

“Now where are you going?”

“You were right,” they shrug. “These aren’t kitchen books. Doesn’t really make sense to unpack them in the wrong room.”

“But unpacking them at three in the morning is totally reasonable.”

“Totally reasonable.” They smile at him again, standing in the doorway. “Almost as reasonable as going back to bed.”

“With the books?”

“Well, you were my first choice, but I guess I can revisit sleeping with Beckett.”

He rolls his eyes at them for the umpteenth time and pulls the box out of their arms. “You really are a piece of work, you know that?” He presses a kiss to their forehead. “Go back to bed. I’ll take the non-kitchen books to a non-kitchen room.”

“Okay,” they concede. “But don’t let me find you sneaking Molloy back out.”

Milo makes a noise somewhere between a growl and a laugh. “A piece of work,” he says again, following them out of the kitchen.

They laugh, too, turning to look at him, tossing a bright smile over their shoulder. “Love you, too, Milo.”

#this is completely pointless fluff but i missed them #also i've been SO sick all week so this is a literal feverdream #milo/sweetheart #redacted audio #redacted asmr #katie writes things #jfc i haven't posted anything in so long i had to look up my usual tag(s)

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rotblume · 5 months

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Burden

Rating: General Audiences

Category: Gen

Fandom: Stargate Atlantis

Relationship: John Sheppard & Todd the Wraith

Characters: Todd the Wraith; John Sheppard (& mentioned Rodney McKay; Teyla Emmagan; Ronon Dex; Evan Lorne)

Additional Tags: Fanart

Summary:

"Sheppard blinked open his eyes and tried to remember why someone would have to carry him."

🌑 🌒 🌓 🌔 🌕 🌖 🌗 🌘 🌑

It was a fact that Colonel John Sheppard often got hurt. In other words, since he never admitted the pain, the military commander of Atlantis often got injuries that made it impossible for him to walk.

Whether he was wounded and had a broken leg or a sprained ankle and simply couldn't run fast enough to get away or whether he couldn't stand upright because of several bruised ribs, he often wasn't able to move alone. Sometimes he was unconscious and sometimes he only had a concussion, but sometimes this was enough for him to not be able to think clearly or to walk straight.

So with all these experiences, the soldier could tell how it felt to be dragged along. When he was too exhausted to move on his own, people tugged at him or shoved him forward, particularly McKay. He had already been pulled at arms and legs or lifted on improvised stretchers by people lighter than him like Teyla.

Lorne was smaller than him, so he usually forced one of his arms over his shoulders and placed an arm around Sheppard's waist before he hauled him along or the Major gave him a fireman's lift. And Ronon usually threw him over his shoulder and had even carried him bridal style more often than he would like to admit.

But never, not once in his life, had someone given him a piggyback ride, not during his career and surely not in his childhood. And that was why Sheppard was a little bit confused when he found himself leaning against a solid back, his chin resting on a leather clad shoulder. He was held by two strong arms, his owns loosely slung around the other person's neck and his feet dangling in the air.

The Colonel felt actually totally safe and for a moment he considered just pretending to be still asleep. But then his conscience spoke up and he thought that maybe he should take into account that the other person might not be so comfortable. He had no idea how long he had been asleep.

Sheppard blinked open his eyes and tried to remember why someone would have to carry him. He didn't feel sore at all, which meant he hadn't been the victim of a beating for once. As he looked around, though, he wondered if that wouldn't have been better. Out of the corner of his eye he saw that his carrier had all too familiar long, white hair.

"Sheppard, you are awake", he heard the multi toned voice of an old frenemy and tensed.

"Todd. I don't want to complain, buddy, because I'm all lazy right now, but why exactly do you carry me?"

The Wraith chuckled lowly, "You were stunned several times and I had to get you away from the hive."

"The hive?" He didn't remember a hive, he had been on a planet with his team. And then the memories of darts came back.

"Yes, Sheppard. Apparently my former Hive now."

Notes:

With many requests in mind and my muse not keeping quiet, I am working on a long-story-sequel (and prequel), but life is evil, even without chronic headaches keeping me from thinking and chronic wirst pain keeping me from writing & drawing.

If you have read or will read the last chapter notes on my recently updated "Every flower must grow through dirt" (also in the SG Atlantis fandom) or the Author's notes on the recently posted "Two are (not) Better than One, right?" (in the TeenWolf fandom), then you might understand why it has been and still is such a slow-going process.

Anyway, rest assured, I am working on continuing this short story, but it won't be published anytime soon, just for your information.

#my art #my fic

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justforbooks · 6 months

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In the late 1960s, Burt Young dashed off a letter to Lee Strasberg, who ran the Actors Studio in New York, hoping to be taken on as a student. “Seriously, Lee, I don’t know if acting has anything for me, or vice versa, but I’m treading water,” he wrote. “So see me.”

The letter was intended to curry favour with a woman whom Young was trying to impress, and whose dream it was to study with Strasberg. Both she and Young were invited to audition. She quit after drying up during her first acting class but Strasberg was impressed by the stubby, paunchy Young, telling him: “You have huge tension about you. I feel you’re an emotional library.”

Less than a decade later, Young, who has died aged 83, found fame playing Paulie Pennino, the gormless, rough-and-tumble butcher who is brother-in-law to the aspiring prizefighter Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone) in the rags-to-riches hit Rocky (1976).

“I thought the script had the cleanest street prose I’d ever read,” said Young. Among the film’s 10 Oscar nominations was one for him as best supporting actor. It won three prizes, including best picture.

In Young’s hands, Paulie was roguishly endearing as well as exasperating. The actor described him as “all burly on the outside and all quicksand inside”. Paulie’s tenderness toward Rocky is forever being complicated by his jealousy at the boxer’s success. Any initial tension or piquancy in the drama, however, was diluted by a stream of sequels in which Stallone and Young reprised their roles. One low-point was Rocky IV (1985), which begins with Paulie receiving a robot butler as a gift from Rocky, whose success has made him profligate. Paulie modifies the robot to give it a female voice.

He is last seen in the sixth instalment, Rocky Balboa (2006), where he is once again the boxer’s corner-man. The character’s death is alluded to in the spin-off Creed (2015), in which Young does not appear.

Paulie was typical of many of the roles that came Young’s way: you could hear the hair growing in their ears, smell the stink on their singlets, feel their brain cells dying. In Back to School (1986), for instance, he played a tough-guy chauffeur described by the hero, played by the comic Rodney Dangerfield, as “an animal. In his family, he’s only the second generation to stand upright.”

For Young, it was never that simple. In Robert Aldrich’s vulgar cop comedy The Choirboys (1977), his turn as a cackling sergeant was singled out by the Washington Post as “human and appealing”. Cast as the flawed, the coarse or the criminal in films such as Sergio Leone’s gangster epic Once Upon a Time in America (1984) or Alan Alda’s whimsical Betsy’s Wedding (1989), he allowed a rumpled warmth to shine through the cracks, his actorly intelligence informing every choice.

Esteemed co-stars respected his craft. Jack Nicholson shared a scene with Young at the start of Roman Polanski’s neo-noir thriller Chinatown (1974), and was said to have greatly admired the actor and to have used him as the model for the laconic hood he played in Prizzi’s Honour (1985).

James Caan, with whom Young first worked on the shore-leave love story Cinderella Liberty (1973), wangled parts for him in The Gambler (1974), inspired by (though not adapted from) the Dostoevsky novella of the same name, and The Killer Elite (1975). The latter was the first of two films that Young made for the director Sam Peckinpah, the other being the action-comedy Convoy (1978).

“Everybody was scared of [Peckinpah],” said Young. “The studios were scared of him. The other actors. And so they would go through me, because I had no fear of nobody.”

It was Aldrich who became Young’s friend and loyal collaborator, directing him in The Choirboys, the nuclear-age thriller Twilight’s Last Gleaming (1977) and …All the Marbles (1981), a salty comedy about female wrestling released outside the US as The California Dolls.

A 1978 Esquire magazine profile dwelt on the actor’s history of juvenile delinquency and general criminality, noting that his life was “lifted right out of the pages of Damon Runyon”.

He was born in Queens, New York. His birth name has been listed variously as Gerald De Louise and Richard Morea, with Burt Young the name he adopted once he became an actor. His mother, Josephine, and father, Michael, an ice-delivery man and sheet metal worker who later trained as a teacher, tried to improve his chances by sending him to Bryant high school, an establishment in a better neighbourhood, but he was soon expelled. He attended St Anne’s academy, from which he was also ejected.

At 16, he joined the Marines, served tours of duty in Japan and the Philippines, and developed an aptitude for boxing. After a dishonourable discharge, he returned to New York and boxed professionally, training under the renowned Cus D’Amato and Charley Goldman. Fighting under three different aliases, he claimed to have amassed a record of 17 wins to one loss.

He became a truck driver, managed a silk-screen printing business that went bankrupt, part-owned a bakery and a bar, and worked for his brother’s Manhattan carpet-cleaning firm, before starting an outlet of his own in Queens. He later opened his own restaurant, Burt Young’s Il Boschetto, in the Bronx.

His first acting jobs included parts in the daytime soap The Doctors (1969) and the crime comedy The Gang That Couldn’t Shoot Straight (1971). Over more than half a century, he accumulated around 160 movie and TV credits including The Pope of Greenwich Village (1984) with Mickey Rourke, a harrowing adaptation of Hubert Selby Jr’s Last Exit to Brooklyn (1989), the Hugh Grant comedy Mickey Blue Eyes (1999), which reunited him with Caan, and Transamerica (2005), in which he was the father of a trans woman played by Felicity Huffman.

He also wrote and starred in two films: the TV movie Daddy, I Don’t Like It Like This, about a boy whose father tries to toughen him up, and the sentimental Uncle Joe Shannon (both 1978), in which he played a bereaved trumpeter. In recent times, Young devoted much of his life to painting.

One of his most wrenching performances was in a 2001 episode of the HBO series The Sopranos. He played an ageing hoodlum, dying of cancer and grateful to be given one final hit to carry out. The assignment ends unforgettably in blood and bathos.

Crime was an area he felt he might have lapsed into were it not for the approval he received from Strasberg. “I come from that life,” he said. “To this day, two of my best friends are doing 100 years.”

But he was acting well into his dotage. “Rather than flying high, I’m wide,” he said in 2002. “I still have ambition, but I’m slow. I’ll never be Tom Cruise.”

Nor would anyone have wanted him to be: there was more character in one grin or grimace from Young than in a dozen vehicles featuring sleeker, shinier stars.

He is survived by Anne, his daughter, from his marriage to Gloria, who died in 1974.

🔔 Burt Young (Gerald De Louise), actor, born 30 April 1940; died 8 October 2023

Daily inspiration. Discover more photos at Just for Books…?

#just for books #Burt Young #in memoriam

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logicgunn · 19 days

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🕯️, 🛼, 🐇, 🔪, 🦷, ❄️, 🍦, 🍅, and 🐝, please?

🕯️ ⇢ on a scale from 1 to 10, how much do you enjoy editing? why is that?

Oof. Both 1 and 10 and not a lot in between. Sometimes editing is an education in all the things I simply don't get about the English language, but other times it brings my story out of the ground and into the sun.

🛼 ⇢ describe your latest wip with five emojis

🔥🌲👬🎆📻

🐇 ⇢ do you prefer writing original characters, reader inserts, or a mix of both?

I've never written a reader insert, not sure I could pull it off. I have some OCs in a few fics that I love to bits!

🔪 ⇢ what's the weirdest topic you researched for a writing project?

Gosh, I'm always researching things for fics. I think what's most weird about them is the variety.

I read way too much about 17th century french aristocracy for a minor character in my OFMD fic, dove deep into tapdancing for Backup Plans, a whole load of ways to die for the whumptober 2022 series.

I'm currently looking a lot at wildfire prevention methods for a wip which is interesting.

🦷 ⇢ share some personal wisdom or a life hack you swear on

I am the last person you'd want life advice from! But I always double the herbs and spices when cooking a recipe I found online, and I highly rec setting up your coffee/tea for the morning the night before so it's quick and easy when you get up.

❄️ ⇢ what's your dream theme/plot for a fic, and who would write it best?

So many whump ideas I'd love to give to @buffycuddlespigs, domesticity I'd like to give to @a-storm-of-roses, and smut I'd like to give to @bunny-bopper.

🍦 ⇢ name three good things about a character you hate

Todd the Wraith has nice hair, a GSOH, and is relatively predictable.

🍅 ⇢ give yourself some constructive criticism on your own writing

Stop editing as you write.

🐝 ⇢ tag your biggest supporter(s) and say one nice thing about them

@massharp1971 I trust John and Rodney to be safe in your hands no matter what they go through

@cassiope25 you always find the best things in my stories

#ask game

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hero-in-waiting · 6 months

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🎲

i am workingon the last few of these! OT4 wedding for you!!!

A kiss while laughing

John did his best to hold the cup steady as they guided it towards Rodney who was watching it with a narrow eyed focused usually reserved for the eleventh hour. He could feel Teyla pressed up against his side, and Ronon had his free hand around Rodney’s shoulders, their bound hands finally getting it to Rodney who crouched and tilted his head back, letting them tilt the cup and pour the drink into his mouth.

There was a moment of silence as they seemed to wobble for a second, but Rodney swallowed quickly, the drink disappearing without a drop spilt before they pulled the cup back and cheers erupted around them, hands clapping their shoulders and John tightened his hand, feeling three other sets of fingers tighten as well, not wanting to lose the cup.

“Peace!” a voice boomed.

Halling stepped forward, still rail thin from his time with Michael, hair gone and eyes darker but he was smiling at the four of them, holding a braided piece of rope in his hands.

“The drink has been shared and not a drop has been spilled. Good fortune comes for those who’s hands hold steady together,” Halling said, stepping closer and beginning to wrap the rope around their hands. “And now, support, from each other, from those around you, to keep you together.”

Teyla shifted under John’s arm, turning her head so she could look up at Halling better, eyes bright as he continued talking. John tuned him out, knowing Teyla would explain a lot of what he was saying later, and looked over at Rodney who was looking between the three of them, like he couldn’t quite believe they were there. He wanted to reach out and touch Rodney’s shoulder, get his attention, give him a smile but with one hand tied to a cup with his three partners, and the other one around Teyla’s shoulders he couldn’t.

Ronon saw him looking and leaned down, whispering something to Rodney. Something dirty, if the way his cheeks flushed and his chin lifted. John turned away, feeling a similar warmth and he knew not all of it was from the drink had shared.

Halling finished and stepped back, reaching for the bottle of Ruus wine and pouring some more into the cup. “A toast for this celebration of love and happiness.”

The four of them lifted the cup as cheers rose around them.

“Sure you didn’t want a full Catholic wedding?” John teased Rodney as Halling tried to calm down the party goers.

Rodney’s nose wrinkled. John remembered when they ahd been discussing this, talking about how they wanted to do it, with Ronon and Teyla talking about their own worlds weddings, and Rodney shrugging, uncaring as long as there was food. John had been silent for a moment before he had met Ronon and Teyla’s eyes, winked when Rodney hadn’t been talking, and launched into a retelling of his first wedding, the hour-long ceremony followed by an hour of photos and speeches. Everything perfectly planned and time with a precision most Drill Sgt’s couldn’t achieve. Rodney’s mouth had pulled down into a deep frown until he had finally noticed Teyla and Ronon giggling, and he had shoved John away.

“Still no,” Rodney said. “This is much more fun.”

John grinned. “Yes, it is,” he said, looking back as Halling finally got everyone settled.

“Now, bound together from this moment forward, it is my understanding things change,” Halling said, turning to look at the person next to him.

Aria was a small woman, but she had steel in her spine as she stepped up to Halling and looked at Ronon before she inclined her head, pressing fingers against the side of her neck where her family tattoos sat. It didn’t match Ronon’s, but John had a feeling that was common these days.

“On Sateda we bind ourselves to those who support us, even when things are dire,” she said, stepping forward and lifting a flask, adding more liquid to the cup until each motion threatened to make it spill. “Ronon, son of Sateda, take a seat and allow your life-partners to support you.”

Ronon carefully sat, and John focused, working with Teyla and Rodney to keep the cup steady until Ronon was sitting on the ground.

“And now stand, with their support.”

This was more difficult, and John wished they had let Teyla go first because it would’ve been easy to pick her up. But it was Ronon’s tradition and so he went first. They got him standing, all of them sucking in a deep breath when the cup wobbled for a second before it steadied out.

“Good, Teyla, daughter of Athos.”

They repeated the process, helping Teyla down and letting her stand back up, the motion easier at least until she stumbled slightly, tripping over Ronon’s foot and the cup wobbled, but the three of them gripped tighter and steadied it until she found her feet.

“Rodney, son of Canada.”

Rodney was sweating by the time he finally sat down, looking nervous as he stood back up, but his hand was as steady as it ever was. John hadn’t doubted him for a second.

“John, son of America.”

John managed not to wrinkle his nose at that as he crossed his ankles and slowly sat down, trusting the others to keep his hand steady until he felt himself hit the ground. He waited a second, waiting for Teyla to give him a small nod before he pushed himself back up just as steadily, focused on moving as smoothly as he could.

The cup wobbled, but nothing spilled and a cheer went up when they were all standing. Aria held her hands, and the crowd went quiet.

“Share, the drink as you share your life and be united as one,” Aria said, happiness filling her voice.

John’s cheeks hurt from how wide he was grinning, not used to the sensation as he watched Ronon take the first drink, Teyla the second and Rodney the third, their hands moving easily, tilting the cup as if this was something they did every day. John slouched slightly, feeling the press of the cup to his mouth and he tilted his head back, swallowing and feeling the burn from the alcohol before he stood up, holding the cup as high as they could with Teyla there.

Cheers sounded, and music started up and John started to laugh, feeling giddy in a way he hadn’t been in a long time. He felt a hand on his cheek and he turned, kissing Teyla and trying to keep the laughter down, but he could see her happiness, her joy even as Rodney tugged him over, kissing him quickly before he was kissing Ronon, the four of them grinning and laughing with joy and happiness as they pressed forward, combined arms making it hard but they managed.

They would always manage. Together

#ask meme #my writing

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isimchi · 5 months

Text

Get to know you: Sims Style

Thanks for the tag @eulaliasims! :)

What’s your favorite Sims death?

Probably death by falling satellite! I've never had it happen naturally, but as a kid I used Rodney's Death Creator to make it happen.

Alpha CC or Maxis Match?

Boffum. I'm trying to keep a more maxis-match play style now but if I like something that's alpha, I won't deprive my sims.

Do you cheat your sims weight?

Nope.

Do you move objects?

Well...

Favorite Mod?

It's so hard for me to choose favorites :( Probably ACR though since it naturally creates drama!

First Expansion/Game Pack/Stuff Pack?

I can't remember. It was probably the Sims Vacation or Unleashed.

Do you pronounce live mode like aLIVE or LIVing?

LIV, and that's the only (official) way to pronounce it :)

Who’s your favorite sim that you’ve made?

I hate having to choose favorites! But probably Gaia, she's evil but super pretty.

Have you made a simself?

Yep! But I didn't do a good job on capturing my likeness.

Which is your favorite EA hair color?

Does colorful count? If not, then black.

Favorite EA hair?

I'll go with my childhood fav:

Favorite life stage?

Adult. I despise toddler and baby stages, and the other ones are just ok, elders are second though. I shamelessly give kids between 2-9 days in each life stage and give adults a whopping 45 days, lol.

Are you a builder or are you in it for the gameplay?

Boffum. I used to mostly build and would get too burnt out for actual game play, but now I have learned ~balance~

Are you a CC creator?

Barely, lol.

Do you have any Simblr friends or a Sim Squad?

I'd like to think so :)

Do you have any sims merch?

My brother just got me Sims 2 wall art and a Sims mug for my birthday last month! Other than that, just my old game CDs :)

Do you have a YouTube for sims?

Nope! I do have a TikTok (abandoned) that I made for my Jersey Shore Sims though.

How has your “Sims style” changed throughout your years of playing?

I was definitely into the shiny alpha, emo, mc bling, wasp bodyshape cc and toxic/perpetual suffering storylines, motherlode x50 when I first got this game as a kid. I experimented a lot in between but today I'd say I'm more maxis match-ish with mostly wants-based/free will play, avoiding money cheats, and having lower-stress gameplay. Still here for the drama, though 8)

Who’s your favorite CC creator?

I honestly have so many! Check out my cc finds page to see them :) @isimchicc

What expansion/gamepack is your favorite?

Nightlife. Cars, cool outfits and hairs, vampires, Downtown, dates, flaming bag of poo. Need I say more?

-------

I'm not going to tag anyone specifically because I feel like everyone's likely been tagged already lol. But if you haven't done so yet and want to, consider yourself tagged by me and do itttt :)

#idk what to tag this lol #about me #?

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minicomics · 3 days

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The trouble Duo

Rodney Mize & Ruby Mize twins: These used to be take apart and put together duo are siblings to each other and is quite the mix, as before you can see, their act in the circus is to be in the magic box shifting his legs and arms to different parts of the boxes and also mix each other up, there also acrobatics of the crowds, however after the crowds laughing at their sort of take apart and put together routine as Petey would just do it to the or just play around with them for fun, but one day, a sort of trouble happened as the twin sister was attack outside of the circus, his brother did his best to stop but would be beaten baldly and that experience they agree to never take apart each other as to not get hurt and be by each other side. Rodney is the one with short spikey hair as he is not much of social person, calmer and smarter as he likes to read and also enjoy some music too, he has a scar on his eye as he could see but still stings and a hole in his ear from one of the rude people who hurt him. And the one with long hair is Ruby as she uses to be cheerful and just excited to meet new people as she would like to hang out and play games but now, she is more concerned and yet scared as the last time she did it, her brother would be injured because of what she did. Rodney would enjoy the silence, but feels that it isn't right at times, so when isn't in his spare time, he would go to Ruby and possibly try to tell a joke or play a game, it wasn't much but she still enjoys for what he tries to do for her, as he really does care about his sister.

#the amazing digital circus #the amazing digital circus au #gooseworx #digital circus au #artists on tumblr #sketch art #au #tadc zooble #Drawn Circus #Drawn Circus Red

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thomasshelbydrabbles · 1 year

Text

Everything’s a Negotiation (Part 2/?)

Pairing: Modern!Tommy Shelby x OC

Warnings: series typical violence, language, sexual situations

Summary: Mackenzie receives multiple offers from the officers of the Shelby Brothers Company Limited.

Word Count: 3075

A/N: Here’s another bit. Let me know what you think and if you want added to the tag list.

Mac stood at the window overlooking the city. It had taken her a lot to get to where she was today, and she’d promised herself to never take her success for granted. She knew how easily it could all disappear. It was why when she’d briefly considered taking a personal day when she’d awoken with dry eyes, a rats nest for hair, and a headache that made her wish she were hungover, she’d forced herself into the shower and then to the office. Zeus laid on the couch on the opposite wall. The thought of leaving him at home this morning never crossed her mind.

The phone on her desk buzzed, and again, she wanted to ignore it. She had a clear calendar for most of the morning, but with a shake of her head she crossed to the desk and answered.

“You’ve got a walk-in, but he’s willing to wait or make an appointment if you don’t have time now.”

Mac pinched the bridge of her nose. “No, it’s alright. Send him in.”

Zeus perked up as he heard the knock on the door.

Thomas Shelby strode into the room wearing another three piece suit and peaked cap. Before she could utter a command, Zeus jumped from the couch, dashed to where he stood and jumped up, trying to lick Tommy’s face. Tommy scratched between his ears before uttering Sitz. In awe, she watched Zeus do as he was told.

“Looks like you’ve made a friend.”

“I’ve a way with animals,” he glanced up at her, mirth dancing in his eyes. “It’s the Gypsy in me.”

“Since I doubt Zeus is the reason you stopped by my office, what is it I can do for you, Mister Shelby.”

He took off his hat and gloves, shoving both into his coat pockets before glancing up at her.

“Tommy. After last night, I think we’re a bit past the formalities, eh?”

She blushed like a schoolgirl and hated herself a bit for it. What was it about this man?

“Very well, what can I do for you, Tommy?”

“I’ve come to discuss business.”

“I appreciate what you did for me last night, truly. Don’t know what I would have done if something had happened to Zeus. He would have shot him, too. That’s the only reason I called him off. He’s a good dog, don’t deserve to die from a bullet shot by a fucking cunt of a coward. Knew he wouldn’t kill me, right? No point in it. I’m the golden goose, and he was going to serve me right up. Use the gun to get me into his car, or mine - drive me right to you or some other nefarious type he’d made a deal with, maybe someone less inclined to be polite about it all.”

Mac heard the words streaming out of her mouth, felt her heart rate increase as they came out more rapidly. She couldn’t stop though, not the words, not the pace, not the frantic way her heart pounded in her chest, the way the air seemed too thin in the office, as though it was being sucked out and there was none left for her.

“Who kills a dog? But, he would have. And Zeus wouldn’t have let go, see, so you would have come inside and seen Zeus’ teeth still buried in Rodney’s arm, but he’d be dead, so he’d just be hanging there, maybe the force of the shot would have taken them both to the ground, but what would be the point because he’d be dead - ”

“Mackenzie!”

Warm hands on her cheeks startled her out of her spiral. When had he crossed the room? How had he closed the distance between them without her noticing? She felt his thumbs wipe the tears from her cheeks. God, she didn’t even know when she’d begun crying. Perhaps she should have taken that personal day. Distantly, she heard Zeus whine, felt his bulk leaning against her legs.

“Breathe with me, love,” Tommy’s voice was quiet, soothing. “Look at me.”

Blinking rapidly, Mac glanced up. Tommy took one of her hands in his, placed it against his chest. She could feel the finely woven material of his vest, the heat of him, the beating of his heart.

“That’s it. Listen to me voice and breathe when I do, right?”

She did as he instructed, felt his chest move in and out, forced hers to do the same.

“There’s a good girl, keep breathing with me.”

They could have been standing there for hours or minutes, but eventually she felt herself calm. Tommy’s hands slid around her back, pulling her all to willing body against his. His body was like a furnace, warm, safe. He held her as though he had nothing more important to do, as though he could stay in that moment forever.

She shook her head to clear the last of the fog from it. Taking a step back from him, feeling his warmth leave her, she bent down to sink her fingers into Zeus’ fur. What an idiot she must look like. Mac forced herself to stand firm, not to throw herself back into his arms.

“Thanks.”

He inclined his head.

“You wanted to discuss business, but I’ve already given you my answer.”

“I’m here to renegotiate.”

“My display last night and this morning might have given you the wrong impression about me, but Stronghold is a fairly successful security firm. Granted, I do rely a bit too heavily on digital security, which after last night I will need to reassess - thanks, by the way, for the new door. And sneaky of you slipping the new key on last night when you dropped me off.” Mac paused, tilted her head. “I know exactly why Rodney offered my services to you.”

She moved back to the window and pointed across the street. “See, if I ran that cafe down there, I doubt you would have been so keen to accept Rodney’s offer no matter how famous the Bakewell tarts are.”

He had that same damn smirk on his face as he leaned against the wall, hands tucked into his pockets.

“Me younger brother, Finn, he enjoys a Bakewell tart.”

Mac chuckled and shook her head. “I know what you do, Tommy. I know what type of business a man like you operates.”

“Ran a background check on me, eh?”

“As soon as you left the office, I pulled up everything I could find. You’re a dangerous man with an interesting portfolio of business.”

“Then you know exactly why I want your services.”

She crossed her arms. “That’s not what you wanted from me last night.”

Why had she said that?

Tommy crossed the room in quick steps. He braced his hands on the window on either side of her head, effectively boxing her in. She swallowed thickly as his cerulean eyes snared her again.

“I still want that, love. Been thinking about bendin’ you over that desk, flippin’ your skirt up and fuckin’ you. Wanna hear your voice shout me name as I make you come on my cock.”

“Oh.”

He chuckled darkly at her reply. Her mind was filled with nothing but white noise. Then she felt his nose along her neck, felt the faintest press of his lips to her skin.

“Smell bloody amazing.”

“Tommy - ”

He pulled back. She noted his dilated pupils, the way his breath wasn’t quite even. Knowing she affected him made her feel a bit smug, especially because he utterly destroyed her, kept her completely unbalanced.

“Work for me, Mackenzie.”

“You’re a liability.”

“I’m a businessman who could provide access to other businessmen with interestin’ portfolios.”

“I know something about those other businessmen. I run a security company, and you’re too big a risk. You’re just as likely to make friends as you are enemies. Some of your friends are, have been, and likely will be your enemies…again. I can’t take on your business and then take on the business of someone you’re doing work with because when one or both of you decides to go to war, I’m caught in the middle, knowing too much for either party to be completely comfortable.”

Mac took a breath and walked over to where Zeus had settled himself on the couch. Sitting next to him, she scratched behind his ears.

“I know that look,” she said, watching Tommy pull a cigarette from his pocket. “You’re going to assure me there won’t be a war, but I know that look in your eye. Man like you gets bored easily, so you like war because it keeps your mind occupied. Then you’ll tell me, or even better, you’ll promise me that I won’t be caught in the middle. Or that you’ll protect me. Use last night as an example of your expert protection skills.”

“Got me all figured out then ‘ave you?”

She smiled at him. “Wouldn’t be very good at my job if I didn’t have a decent start at it.”

“Go out with me.”

“What?”

It was like whiplash keeping up with this man. She’d always been good at solving puzzles, and filling in the missing pieces, but every time she thought Tommy would zig, he’d zag and she wasn’t prepared for it.

“Friday.”

“I haven’t said yes.”

Tommy rolled the unlit cigarette along his bottom lip. He pointed at her with it as he moved towards the door. One hand on the knob, he glanced at her from over his shoulder.

“I’ll pick you up at 8.”

Mac didn’t hear anything from any Shelby for the next twenty-four hours, and she allowed herself to believe she wasn’t a little disappointed about it. Not that Tommy had been too far from her mind. No. She continued to run various searches on the Shelby family and their known associates. Just as she’d suspected with her initial background run, he was a ruthless businessman in both his legal and less legal dealings. He’d been in business with Alfie Solomons, Darby Sabini - betrayed them both, gone back to work with Solomons. Pinching the bridge of her nose, she closed her laptop and pushed back from the desk. Standing at the window, she glanced down at the cafe. Maybe she could change her career. Reinvent herself and move back to the States, put the charm of London behind her.

With a sigh, she moved back to her desk. She wouldn’t leave; it would feel too much like giving up. The knock on her door caught her off guard. Looking down at the clock on her desk, she muttered a curse under her breath. So caught up in her wayward thoughts, she was completely unprepared for her two-o’clock appointment.

Smoothing down her skirt as she moved to the door, Mac reminded herself that she was a goddamned professional and opened the door with a bright smile on her face.

“Hi, please come in.”

Her two-o’clock smiled at her, and she swore there was something familiar about the look of his face, the cut of his suit. Shaking it off, she rounded her desk and took a seat at her desk. Opening her laptop as he situated him across from her, she quickly glanced through the notes she’d prepared for this meeting.

“Hi, Mr. Gray. Welcome to Stronghold. Can I offer you a coffee or tea before we get started?”

There. She could be a professional.

He flashed a smile at her and she had to blink to dissipate the overlay of Tommy’s face that came to her mind. Maybe she should have let him fuck her over her desk, then she get him out of her system. She frowned at the thought, not sure she wanted him completely out of her system. Focus. Damnit.

“Tea would be lovely, thanks. And please, call me Michael.”

Pressing the intercom on her phone, she waited for Katie to answer.

“Yes, Miss Theil?”

“Hi Katie, can I please get a cup of tea for Mr. Gray and I could use another coffee while you’re at it, thanks.”

“Be right in with that.”

Mac pulled a notebook and pen in front of her and looked up at her potential client.

“While we wait, Michael, why don’t you tell me a bit about the company, the needs, and any budgetary concerns you might have. We personalize all of our services here to best meet the needs of each client we sign on.”

“‘Course.” He pulled a file from his briefcase and handed it to her.

Taking it from him, Mac felt her eyes grow comically wide as she took in the company name in bold font on the front page. Glancing up at Michael Gray, she noted a familiar grin tucked into the corner of his mouth.

Before she could say anything, Katie came in with their drinks. She forced a smile as her assistant placed a fresh mug of coffee on her desk, and - not for the first time this week - she wished she kept a bottle of something strong in her desk. When the door clicked closed, she pushed away from the desk and stood to her feet.

“I’ve already given Mister Shelby my answer.”

“Didn’t even read the offer.”

Lips pursed, she glanced at him. He hadn’t moved, and from the way he’d settled himself into the chair, he had no intention to leave.

“Gray your actual last name, or did you make it up to get an appointment?”

A full grin split his face. “Why would I lie about me name?”

“You’re a Shelby.”

“Cousin.”

“Ah.”

“Hear me out, alright? Before you throw me out on my arse.”

She felt her shoulders slump. If she asked him to leave now, she had a strong feeling that he’d be back. Or one of the other brothers, or another cousin. Given what she’d learned about the family, it wouldn’t at all surprise her if Tommy filled her entire schedule with brothers, cousins, friends until she capitulated. She sat back down.

“Outlined in there,” Michael gestured towards the folder. “Is a business offer that would have any other security firm creamin’ their pants to sign. As you might have gathered, Tommy’s not used to havin’ someone tell ‘im no.”

“Being told no is character building.”

Michael laughed. “See why he likes you.”

Mac took a gulp of her coffee, pretended it didn’t scald her. Fuck, it was hot.

“I understand you have some reservations about our business operations and the impact it would have on your firm’s reputation and current client base.”

It was Mac’s turn to smirk. “Ah. You’re the good cop.”

He raised an eyebrow.

“The brothers came into my office like a deleted scene from The Godfather and when that didn’t work, they send in their consigliare to make nice. Deal of this size would take approval from all the officers, and the CFO - ” she looked at him meaningfully. “Would likely have the most to say given the financial impacts.”

“Fuck Tommy, I like you, Miss Theil.”

“Mac.”

Her correction was automatic, and even as she said it, she remained unsure as to why she’d invited him to address her so informally. Never one to stand on ceremony, she often had people address her by her first name. Katie insisted on Miss Theil because it sounded more professional. Rubbish, but it made Katie happy, so she’d stopped fighting that battle months ago.

“I’ll be honest, Mac. I didn’t want this deal. When Tommy first brought it to me, I thought he was mad or drunk. We don’t take payment like that, especially not from women. Rodney Bouchard’s a fuckin’ cunt. It would be stupid to have the company further involved with his family, right? Then, I looked into your company. You’ve an impressive background for an American.”

Mac flipped him off.

Michael laughed.

“Oh my god,” Mac exclaimed, dropping her hand.

“That was fuckin’ brilliant, sweetheart, don’t be apologizin’.”

“It was unprofessional.”

Michael stopped laughing, looked at her with the most serious look she’d seen on his face since he’d walked through her door.

“It was honest.”

She nodded.

“Look at page five.”

Flipping through the pages, she stopped on page five and read through the impressive listing of businesses and holdings.

“Now, page ten.”

The number on the page had to be a joke. No way anyone would pay that for what her company did.

“You’re insane.”

“We pay a good price for a good product.”

“Fuck.”

“Should be enough to cover any concerns you might have about doin’ business with Shelby Brothers Limited.”

“It’s not what’s listed that I have concerns about.”

“We’d only expect you to work with the businesses listed.”

Mac nodded. “Just me knowing you have business that aren’t listed is a security risk, something easily exploitable by…competitors.”

“For what we’d pay you,” Michael said with a wink. “We’d expect you to sort all that out before it became a problem.”

“I’m not fucking omniscient.”

“I’ve a second proposal prepared for you, one that lists all of the Company’s assets complete with a new number adjusted for the increase in workload.”

“What you already gave me would require a dedicated team, full time.”

Michael raised an eyebrow.

“I don’t do exclusive contracts.”

Michael pulled the second contract from his briefcase and slid it across her desk. Mac glared down at it as though she could light it on fire with her eyes.

“Look it over. I understand why you have reservations ‘bout working for us, but Tommy takes the safety of his employees seriously. He’d protect you.”

Mac chuckled. “There it is.”

“Wot?”

“Told Tommy not two days ago that he’d make some sort of offer about protecting me.” Mac paused. “There it is.”

“We make better friends than we do enemies.”

Mac narrowed her eyes. “Are you threatening me?”

“Absolutely not. Tommy’d bloody well hang me by me balls if I did. What I’m sayin’ is our enemies know how powerful we are. You’d be safe.”

Flashes of the Rodney holding a gun to Zeus’ head flashed behind her eyes. They couldn't even properly protect her from her own family. No. This was madness. Nothing good would come from taking either of the offers on her desk, no matter how tempting they were.

“Think about it, Mac.”

Michael stood from the chair and headed for the door. He paused, glanced over his shoulder with a smirk on his face. “Enjoy your date with Tommy.”

“Fuck me.”

Part 3

Master List

Tag List: @allie131313

#tommy shelby x oc #thomas shelby x oc #peaky blinders #peaky blinders fanfic #peaky blinders fanfiction #thomas shelby #Tommy Shelby #michael gray

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