#so you know what yeah. he's right. i've had three interviews in three days

[fractallogic]

FIREFOX WHAT THE FUCK IS YOUR PROBLEM LATELY

my dude you can't be making my computer crash when I only have like 20 tabs open. that's rookie shit!

anyway my computer crashed right before the interview ended and too much memory was going ... somewhere ... for me to get R running right and they didn't tell me it was going to be a case study project thing that I'd be doing today instead of just a normal interview and AAAAAA.

maybe tomorrow I can just be fucking normal because oh my god. this is too stressful.

also my desk chair is starting to just. randomly. drop down very slowly. which means that at some point sooner than I want to I'll have to get another one. which SUCKS. but FINE. GOD.

#i still feel okay about this. #mostly after talking to my job coach buddy who was like 'wow this is—no joke—an inappropriate process they're putting you through' #so you know what yeah. he's right. i've had three interviews in three days #and this one was a surprise!! code in front of someone!!! #which if you're not familiar is just the most horrifying experience #NO ONE should have to code in public #it's an activity best done in the privacy of your own home with no one else looking at you #and i think he's right—i should definitely make sure that this isn't the norm for this company #to be EXTRA SUPER INTENSE and chaotic with its employees #but i'm also kind of inclined anyway to just take the job and get a year of experience (or whatever) on my resume #and if it sucks hit da bricks #and if it's like this now because they're a bunch of overexcited nerds with no talent acquisition department and otherwise it's fine #great! so much the better! #i hate that academia is so trash that i'm like 'wait this isn't normal' when someone else is like 'yeah it's not supposed to work like that #because this? well it's not as bad as a campus visit that's for sure!! #i only have ONE interview a day instead of back-to-back half-hour meetings with an entire department!! #and now i get to do things like go to the gym! #instead of say 'okay well there's about two hours left until dinner and i have to chat with the grad students' #or whatever #and say 'omg wow $70K as a junior analyst?!' because that's like a decent base salary for an assistant professor #meanwhile everyone in industry is like wtf why are they making you interview so rapidly like this that is not enough money etc etc #anyway. i'm tired. i think i'll go lift heavy things so at least it feels like there's a reason to be sweating my ass off.

[fuckyeahgoodomens]

David Tennant and Michael Sheen on The One Show 10.7.2023 ❤ :)

(also there Zoe Saldana and Nicole Kidman, and Alex Jones and Jermaine Jenas as interviewers :))

Int1: Well, this is lovely for Wednesday, isn't it?

David: It's a lovely way to spend a Monday night, innit?

Zoe: I was excited to see you both.Likewise.

Int1: Now, Good Omens. I mean, people love the first series. It's back for a second. If there's anybody watching who didn't see the first one, they don't know what we're talking about. Go on, Michael. Fill them in.

Michael: I play an angel on Earth to do angel things.

David: I play a demon. I'm Hell's emissary on Earth.

Michael: And we decide that it's a lot easier if we team up because it saves on shoe leather. So we come to an arrangement, and then we realize that we actually quite like it on Earth, and we don't really want to deal with our respective head offices. And in season one, we save the world from the apocalypse. Season two...

David: And get excommunicated by our respective...

Michael: Yes. Exactly. So season two picks up. We're now...

David: We're at liberty.

Michael: Yeah. I'm in my bookshop, having lovely meals and watching lovely shows and hanging out with my best buddy here.

David: I'm living in my car, unfortunately, becausemy apartment came with a job.

Michael: And then John Ham turns up naked at mybookshop in Soho one day with no memory. And so the mystery begins. Int2: The plot twist. We know we've got a clip.

Nicole: I don't understand why he's [Jon Hamm] not on the couch.

Michael: Well, exactly. Nor me. I think everyone's asking the same thing.

David: Apparently it's a BBC rule you have to be clothed, so he was having none of it.

Int1: Yeah, that would push Monday over the edge. Let's see the clip.

Int2: Let's see the clip.

[familiar trailer plays, nothing new there]

Michael: When I said that line in the scene [I think I may have just started a war.], I knew it would be in the trailer. Do you know when you sometimes go, yeah, this is a trailer, and I got really nervous .I couldn't do it. Doing it over and over again.

Nicole: Well, I'm looking for something to watch. I'm watching that.

Zoe: Yes.

Int2: I like how you were like, yeah, that's the one.

Michael: On 28th.

Zoe: Okay, you watch ours and we watch yours.

Michael: Deal. We're in. We're in.

David: Yes, very good, very good.

Int1: Beautiful. This is the thing, at the heart of Good Omens is this unlikely friendship between you two, but in real life so you filmed it, you didn't know each other, and then they clicked. Look at them. They joined at the hip. They do everything...

Michael: It's true.

Int1: You even had babies at the same time.

Michael: We did.

Int1 [to David]: Your wife posted this picture of you two leaving the hospital.

David: Look how in tune we are with each other.

Michael: And now those two little babies are nearly four, and they send each other little video messages. Yeah.

David: Well, they're babies of the pandemic, so that's how they think everyone communicates.

Michael: Exactly.

Int1: Is then when you went on to do Staged together?

Michael: Yeah.

Int1 [to Zoe and Nicole]: Have you seen that?

Zoe: No.Wait a minute. What are you guys doing on stage right now? Like a tour or something?

David: No, no it's a show .

Michael: It was a TV series called Staged that we did over Zoom. So we could work from our own houses.

David: Yeah.

Michael: We've done three series.

Nicole: They're extremely clever.

Zoe: That's insane. I have to watch it.

Int2: Now, Michael, apparently you turned down the opportunity to play David's character. Arguably got a better wardrobe. Is it something that you're regretting right now?

Michael: He gets all the best clothes. No. Neil Gaiman, who wrote the book that it's based on with Terry Pratchett. I've been friends with Neil for years, and so when we first started talking about the project yeah. We sort of both kind of, for some reason, assumed that I would play this one character, and then as he started writing the scripts, I was like, that's not the character. I'm not going to play that. So I felt kind of bad about saying that to Neil, and Neil was sort of feeling, because he was thinking thesame thing, feeling bad about saying it to me. So it all came out and then eventually it made way for the Tennant to emerge.

Int1: And he came in his lovely outfit.

Michael: Yeah. And his slinky hips.

...

Int2: David.You're returning to Doctor Who. We had Catherine Tate on a couple of weeks ago.

David: Oh, yes.

Int2: o we spoke to her about it all. Now, she said it was like slipping back into a comfy pair of slippers. Was it the same for you?

David: Yeah. I mean, 15 years is quite a long time. And you do worry you won't be able to runf ast enough anymore, but...

Int1: Is it 15 years ago?

David: 15 years.

Int1: It's not, David, it can't be.

David: You're a lot older than you think you are.

Michael: I was only five when... I remember the David Tennant. I was just a little nipper.

Int2: On the Doctor Who subject. Watching... that's what inspired yo uas a child, wasn't it? Watching Doctor Who.

David: Yeah.

...

Int2: Good Omens Series Two on the 28 July on Prime Video and you can catch all three series of stage on IPlayer.

...

Int1: Let's say Nadoli Llawen.

Nicole: Yeah. [Tries]

Int1: Nadoli Llawen. Merry Christmas in Welsh.

Michael: Very good.

Int1: Michael, you can verify this. I mean, even the both of us are from South Wales, and even within 20 minutes car Journey, there'll be different dialects...

Michael: Within streets! Streets! Yeah, you can tell where someone comes from, which end of town people come from. [to Int1] I know which end of town you come from.

Int1: Say no more.

Michael: It's always been very clear, Alex.

Int1: Always very clear.

#good omens #michael sheen #david tennant #the one show #the one show 2023 #slinky hips #zoe saldana #nicole kidman #alex jones #jermaine jenas #videos #video interview #michael interview #david interiviw #interview #interview transcript #can I hear a wahoo? :) #birdie #lyra #david and michael interview #s2 interview #transcripts

[luveline]

I absolutely loved Rockstar!James introducing gf reader to the world and was wondering if you could do something similar for Rockstar!Sirius if inspo strikes? 🥰🥰🥰

thank you so much for the request! rockstar sirius showing you off on the red carpet ♡ fem!reader | 1.2k words

"Sirius!" someone calls, a microphone in hand. You watch the livestream with renewed interest. You'd known your boyfriend would be there, of course, and you'd known he was gonna talk to this specific interviewer hence your watching, but it's been a little while with no sign of him. 

"Hey," he says. "Hey, Shalon." 

The interviewer looks extremely charmed that he knows her name. You grin. He is extremely charming. 

"Sirius," Shalon says, smiling a perfect smile, white teeth and perfectly painted red lips, "We're thrilled to see you tonight! And so handsomely dressed."

"Thank you! Yeah, thanks so much. My stylist will weep tears of joy." 

She tells the truth – Sirius looks breathtakingly handsome, much more lovely than the quick photo he'd sent you a few hours ago pulling a sullen jib and titled 'I miss you. they don't brush my hair as nicely as you do :('.

Shalon crosses an arm across her tightly bodiced chest to hold the microphone a little closer to him. 

"Who are you wearing tonight?" she asks. 

"They drilled this into me tonight, so as much as I'd love to say my girl's perfume, I have to tell you that it's Christian Dior." 

She giggles. You can't blame her for her reaction, but you do feel a protective stab to your chest. Protective,  definitely not jealous. 

"Your girl's perfume! You know, I've been seeing stuff about this all over the Internet this week-"

"Have you?" 

She laughs. "I have. Pictures of you cuddling up to a girl behind the Point House arena. You wouldn't happen to know anything about this, would you?" 

You tense up. That had been your fault. You'd been tired and you'd been emotional, upset to be going home. You'd really tried to hold it in and for the most part you'd succeeded, but Sirius is more perceptive than you give him credit for, so he'd cornered you outside before the last show of the tour and had you confess. 

"I'm really going to miss you," you'd admitted. Three weeks had felt – still feels – like a long, long time apart. 

He'd wrapped you up in a hug and held you close, whispering reassurances and rubbing the breadth of your tense shoulders. Just the two of you in a quiet moment. 

Or so you'd thought. A pap had obviously spotted you and taken photos. There was even a short video showing the moment where you'd hugged him back and nuzzled your face into his neck. You can still remember the feeling you'd had at the time, the warmth of his skin and the soft tickling of his hair as it brushed your cheek. 

You can also distinctly remember the moment Sirius had called you the day after, seconds after you'd gotten off of your plane home. "It's okay," he'd said as soon as you answered, "everything is going to be fine, but we might have a problem." 

Sirius is supposed to fix the problem tonight. Though the photos are clearly him, the video is less evidential, and your face is hidden from view completely. If he refuses all claims of a girlfriend and shrugs it off, he might retain some privacy. 

You don't want to be in the limelight; you're not naive. A lot of people fancy themselves in love with your boyfriend. You're not eager to garner any fan's disdain. 

Still, the idea that he might say he has no clue what Shalon's talking about makes you feel sick. 

"Pictures?" he asks, dropping his chin just slightly toward his chest, eyes wide with bemusement. 

"And a video!" 

"A video! Do I look fit, or?" 

"I'm sure there's a thousand people watching tonight that would say you do… so, the photos are really you?" 

This is where he says No, they're not me. It must be some other, extremely good-looking fellow.

"Behind the Point House?" he asks. 

There's something in his voice that clues you in, moments before Shalon says, "That's right," and Sirius says, "Ohhhh. Yeah, that was me." 

Shalon's face is a picture. Genuine surprise. You spot yourself in the dark of your laptop screen and see her expression mirrored in your own. 

"And the woman you're-" 

"Cuddling with?" He grins. It's bravado, buffeted by a real affection. "That's my girlfriend." 

Your breath catches. 

Shalon rolls with the punches, to her credit. "She looks very well taken care of. You're aware that the hashtag 'I need him to hug me' trended for three days?"  

Sirius laughs, loud and unabashed. "While I'd love to brag I look after her, it's more like she looks after me. My friends over there-" he points toward a very overwhelmed Remus being shepherded by a much happier James, "they'll attest. I'm awful when she's not taking care of me." 

"The, uh, the video-" 

"Doesn't show her properly," he murmurs, looking down the length of his chest and pulling his phone that he's very much not supposed to have out of his pocket. 

He unlocks his phone and pulls up your text thread, of all things. "It's a real shame they didn't get her face. She's killer." 

He clicks on the photo you'd sent him this morning in response to his hairdressing woes. It's you, on the sofa. You're thanking every God there is to thank that you'd done your hair nicely before sending it to him, always wanting his compliments and always, always receiving them. Your face imitates his own, a little bit moody but with a smile that hints at a laugh. 

"I was sulking about what they've done to my hair tonight. You know what she said?" he asks Shalon. 

Sirius reads out your text, mock-wounded. "Suck it up, baby." 

He doesn't read out the text after, where you'd told him how nice he looked, and how you can't wait to see him tonight on the awards show. 

You text him out of desperation, worried he might scroll down and show the picture you'd sent him of the weird bruise on your leg. You don't think you could stand to have your foot shown on live television. 

Sirius, please stop!!! 

The live stream is a few seconds behind. He's midway through singing your praises as cryptically as he can when he must feel the vibration of your text. He looks down at the screen and grins. 

"Is that her?" Shalon asks knowingly. 

"She's asked me to stop."  

"Oh, you're in the doghouse now!" 

He grins like he absolutely doesn't think so and looks straight into the camera fondly. "I'm sorry, really." Then he shrugs. "How can you not show that off? I-" 

James appears suddenly. You know he's been sent to stop what spells a PR shake-up. "Hey, Shalon, how are you? You look beautiful tonight, I'm sure you know." 

"Babysitter's here," Shalon says.

You snort at how accurate she is and watch Sirius get literally dragged away from the interviewer and down the red carpet. 

Shalon turns to the camera gleefully. "I can't say I was expecting that!" 

"You and me both, sister," you mumble. You try to fight it, but your smile stretches ear to ear. 

Later in the night, Sirius sends you a covert photo of a furious Lily and a small text that just says, Love you. See you soon. 

#sirius black x reader #sirius black x you #sirius orion black #marauders era #marauders #sirius black fanfiction #sirius black drabble #sirius black imagine #sirius black x female reader #sirius black x fem!reader #sirius black #fem!reader #rockstar!au #rockstar!sirius

[mcflymemes]

PROMPTS FROM HOW TO LOSE A GUY IN 10 DAYS *  assorted dialogue from the 2003 film, adjust as necessary

you can't lose something you never had.

what other girlfriends?

i want you to respect me.

hey, what's wrong?

you see, the key to this game is being able to read people.

so tell me how long have you guys been seeing each other?

you know what? you did your job.

you are the first girl he ever brought home.

uh, she's not here.

oh, you are never going to pull this off.

i respect you for respecting me.

do you have an ethical problem with rifling through a woman's purse?

watch me.

you're up, you're down, you're here, you're there, you're like a frickin' one woman circus.

you're not going to burn his apartment down or bite him or anything?

is that too soon to be seeing a therapist?

i'll be clingy, needy...

i was just a girl somebody picked out in a bar.

our love fern! you let it die!

what's wrong with that?

i don't think i can be with someone who doesn't like animals.

i can't eat in front of you! i have to go to the bathroom.

yeah, you know what? big deal.

he's inviting me over to his house for dinner.

it's a woman's purse, all right? it's her secret source of power.

you wanted to lose a guy in ten days? congratulations. you did it.

true or false: all's fair in love and war.

so that's what i was, huh? i was a guinea pig. somebody you can test your theories on?

i've got a feeling about this one.

like... do blondes really have more fun?

that's what i'm talking about.

no honey, it's just sleeping.

ooh, call him in the middle of the night and tell him everything you had to eat that day.

why this place?

it's like a week.

look who made the trip with me!

i love you... but i don't have to like you right now.

you're already falling in love with me.

now you can even use it as a little twist in your story.

there are many dark and dangerous things in there that we, the male species, should know nothing about.

look, just give me back the necklace. then you guys can go on and kill each other.

it looks like the inside of a raincoat.

that's a good idea. maybe we should bet on it.

i'm gonna make you wish you were dead.

you gotta name it something hyper masculine, okay?

is she on to something?

in that case, i better get going. take care of our love fern, honey.

i can't eat in front of him!

nothing. it's beautiful. you're beautiful.

she's got an interview in washington.

you're not a therapist, are you?

you know what, due to intense humiliation, the king has momentarily abdicated his throne, okay?

you owe me three hundred bucks.

don't you break his heart now.

tone-deaf and drunk is not a good combination.

it's our love fern!

c'mon, blow. nobody likes a mr. sniffles.

look look look, wait a minute.

you have to take it away before i gag.

have you looked inside?

now, i'm going to go back inside and finish watching "sleepless in seattle." nobody screw with me.

i'm taking this love fern with me!

we got a whole bunch of work we have to do, but we're still on for poker at your house this weekend?

why do they always forget my bacon?

when are you seeing him again?

#rp meme #rp starters #rp memes #rp prompt #roleplay memes #rp musings #roleplay prompt #ask meme #ask memes #roleplay inbox prompts #roleplay meme #writing prompt #askbox meme #rp asks #inbox meme #inbox prompts #inbox prompt #rp inbox meme #sentence starter #sentence starters #sentence starter prompt #mcflymemes #how to lose a guy in 10 day #movies #movie prompts #suggested by defeatsthem #THANK YOU FOR THE SUGGESTION!!!!

[pippin-katz]

you may or may not be the person who needs to know this, but you're the only person I can think of to share this with, and if I don't tell somebody, I might explode:

so there are some similarities btwn Merlin/Arthur and Alex/Henry, right?

and like

Alex : Merlin :: Henry : Arthur

right?

so isnt it weird the both Nick & Bradley James are Libras, while both Taylor & Colin Morgan are Capricorns? and both pairs have a three-year age gap? and while they share the same signs, the 90s babies/RWRB pairs have their birthdays at the end of the month before their 80s babies/BBCMerlin counterparts...

just so many weird coincidences, and I had to share it with *somebody*! thank you for listening/reading!

Dude I feel you on needing to tell someone something or you’ll explode; that’s my life lmfao

Now regarding what you’ve shared, that is really fucking weird! Those are some pretty specific details for them to share. I’m not a huge astrology person, but maybe there’s just something about that pairing that works? Especially when they’re close in age?

Post Writing Note: This spiraled so far out of my hands that it smashed my plans for the day. I've been writing this since 9:30AM and I'm now finishing at 4:20PM. You have been warned.

Taylor and Nicholas

What’s crazy is that Colin and Bradley’s dynamic off screen is similar to Nick and Taylor’s.

While Alex is a loud and outgoing character, Matthew mentioned in an interview that Taylor is actually on the quieter/more reserved side most of the time. I was a bit surprised, but if you pay close attention, he actually does seem like he’s quieter than Nicholas. It's more noticeable in the draw-off video and their little promos with the teapot. He's definitely enthusiastic, but in a different way than Nick, who acts like he just took a shot of concentrated caffeine.

But you can also see it in the friendship quiz if you look for it. It's there in the way that Nick is more... I'm not sure how to describe it- maybe scatterbrained? Or ditsy? I don't mean that as an insult by the way.

It's like he has pent-up energy and wants to be entertaining for the camera, so he initiates most of the jokes and sarcasm, while Taylor is kind of just chilling. He definitely makes some jokes, but the ratio between which of them is the first to say something that starts a joke is heavily skewed towards Nicholas. He also randomly forgets what's going on, and goes off on tangents where he bounces from one thing to the next.

I looked and looked for GIFs, but I couldn't find some of the moments I'm talking about, so I'll just write them out:

Nicholas gives Taylor 10 points, and he's like "wait, wait, did I get it right?" and Nick's like "yeah" before immediately remembering that he got it wrong even though they had just had the conversation

Nicholas gets a question right and he says "point for Taylor" and Taylor is like "no, for you" and Nick corrects himself with "point for Nick", then jokes and points between them like "you're Taylor, I'm Nick, okay, got it"

Taylor asks the bonus question about the major sporting event in Indiana, and Nicholas starts randomly listing names, like "the Big Game, the Big Football Game, the Bowl, the Indiana Bowl, the Great State Champion Lacrosse Game of Indiana" instead of stopping to think or letting Taylor give him the hint you can see he's been waiting to say between laughs

Nicholas randomly starts being sarcastic or hyperbolizing his behavior when talking: - "Taylor is the one American person who knows where London is on a map." - "I believe you competed in [the Cooper's Hill Annual Cheese Race] yourself, didn't you?" - "I'll give him a point." Taylor laughs because it took a couple tries to get the right answer. "The points, they are bountiful and plenty. We don't have to be stingy with them."

Nicholas describing a corndog by holding an invisible "weird thing that goes on a stick" and pretending to eat it while going "nhgnhgnhgnhg" as he spins it.

He also reacts more to Taylor getting questions wrong than Taylor reacts to him getting questions wrong. There's the whole bit about the "chip butty" and "English fry-up" that leaves Nicholas acting all annoyed, whereas Taylor sort of just starts immediately helping him with hints when he gets something wrong.

Basically, Nicholas probably has some form of ADHD and it seems to manifest as hyperactivity. Nicholas being so hyper and enthusiastic is ironic considering how quiet and calm Henry is as a character. It's such a drastic contrast between them.

Taylor is much more chill. He's definitely hyper around Nick, but there is a difference in them. Notice how Taylor just watches Nick do his silly intro, but Nicholas starts making movements with his hands and expressions during Taylor's. Also Taylor was talking completely normally until then, when he ended up doing the point at the end.

Similarly, Nick is the one who starts chanting USA, and Taylor joins in. We obviously see the difference when they each summarize the film. Nick is basically a hamster in a ball speeding across a room with how he tells it, and Taylor simplifies it a ton and delivers it monotone; yes, it's a joke, but it still highlights the contrast.

Bradley & Colin

I'm using past tense with Bradley and Colin because we only have videos of them from over a decade ago, so they've definitely changed since then.

The thing is, Colin was funny and vocal, but there were a lot of times where he got quiet, and he always felt more reserved, in the sense of there being more to him than what he's showing. He seemed to have a lot of layers to him that you didn't get to see unless you actually got close to him, if that makes sense.

I wouldn't call him quiet, but like in the video diaries and interviews of him and Bradley, he always seemed much calmer than him.

Colin was always very funny, but he was also self conscious. During one of the behind the scenes quest videos, Bradley talked about how he and Colin would create songs together, but whenever he wanted to show someone, Colin was dead silent. Bradley actually turned to him as was like, "What, is it stage fright?" and Colin is like, "I don't know what you're talking about." in a way that clearly shows he's deflecting the question because he's nervous or embarrassed. Bradley pointed and was like, "And that right there is a perfect example of what I mean".

Merlin is very bright and outgoing (at least before he develops depression in later seasons 🥲). He basically had no shame about most things. When he met Gwen while in the stocks and covered in food, he acts completely normally, like there's nothing weird about it. Obviously, this boy waltzed into Camelot and called the fucking prince a prat to his face. He was really bold and openhearted. Colin always felt more closed off, even though he wasn't always quiet.

What's crazy is that Arthur is much more refined and serious than Bradley. It's not to say Arthur is never silly or unserious, because he is, but his default mode is very composed because he's a prince and later a king. Bradley was like a fucking hurricane behind the scenes. He was know for driving everyone a little crazy because he was so hyper. He got his video camera taken away cause he was apparently being too annoying to the rest of the cast and crew.

Wrap-Up

Here's similarities I thought of in a rapid fire list, including what you said and what I covered:

The brunettes are both the "quieter" or "calmer" of the two.

The blonds both play a prince.

The brunettes both play a character who came from a place of humble beginnings.

The brunettes' characters are both usually the one to start the insults/banter.

The blonds are the more vocal of the two about their affections and admiration for the other.

The blonds are both Libras.

The brunettes are both Capricorns.

The age gap is the same for both pairs: 3 years.

I am going to make an entire post dedicated to the similarities between Bradley, Colin, and Merthur, and Taylor, Nicholas, and FirstPrince, because I have more, but it was getting more into the characters' so I'll save those for later.

What was that you were saying about needing to tell someone something or you would explode again? Nah, not me, could never have that problem. I'm so normal about this.

Thank you for sharing, I have no idea what to do with this information, but I am glad I have it. It will now haunt me 😂

#red white and royal blue #rwrb #rwrb movie #rwrb thoughts #taylor zakhar perez #nicholas galitzine #merlin #bbc merlin #merlin bbc #merlin thoughts #colin morgan #bradley james #katz questions

[mayajadewrites]

Sweet Secret (Levi Ackerman x Reader)

Pairing: Levi Ackerman x F! Reader CEO Levi Ackerman coming in hot. I've been wanting to write a CEO Levi/Sugar daddy Levi story for a hot minute. Enjoy! Summary: You needed a job. Ackerman Inc was hiring for an in house assistant for none other than the CEO: Levi Ackerman. He's known to be essentially the worst to work with, you decide to take the job and take on the challenge that is Levi Ackerman. Will your relationship remain professional, or will their be monetary value added to the stakes? Or possibly even... love? ao3 Chapter Three: Sauce

You pad your way downstairs to the kitchen where you Levi’s back is facing you while he stirs some sort of sauce on the stove.

He seems to not have noticed you enter the room, so you take the time to observe him. His cold demeanor is softened a bit by the aroma of the chamomile tea as he stirs.

You’re not used to a quiet house. Growing up, people were always yelling and arguing - filling the space with anger. You take another step toward Levi, sliding onto the barstool.

“Are you gonna just watch me like a creep?” Levi said without turning around. Your eyes got wide as you felt the same butterflies in your stomach again. “It’s rude to stare.”

“Sorry. It just smells so good down here.” You tap your fingers on the counter. “I was wondering… if I could help you cook?”

Levi turned around, his facial expression unsure. “I’m just making pasta, it’s easy-“

“I’ve never cooked anything.” You admit. “I’ve… never had the chance to.”

Levi’s lips twitched as he watched you speak. He mumbles something before nodding. “Okay.”

You walk to the stove that Levi was cooking on, noticing your height difference. Levi isn’t the tallest, but neither are you. You’re about 5’2” on a good day. You still have to look up at him to talk to him.

You observe Levi stir with his right hand, his left hand occupied with his tea cup. He places his fingers over the cup instead of using the handle.

“Did you want some tea?” He asks you as he sets his cup down.

“Sure.” You nod. “Where do you keep the cups?”

“The cabinet right above your head.”

You grab a teacup and Levi slowly pours the liquid. He’s gentle with it - nothing like his demeanor gives off.

“Okay, so what type of sauce are you making with the pasta?”

“Vodka sauce.”

“Do you actually put alcohol in it?!” You say excitedly.

“You can. Are you old enough to drink?” You know he’s joking when he asks you, but you still play along.

“Just turned 21 yesterday!” You laugh. “But do people really put vodka in sauce?”

“Sometimes. Like I said, you can. It doesn’t get you drunk. It’s more like a splash of vodka.”

Levi teaches you how to make the sauce - onions, butter, minced garlic, tomato paste, various spices, and the liquids: vodka and pasta water.

“You stir the sauce while I start the pasta.” Levi hands you the spoon, letting your fingers touch his softly. You feel almost a spark, but you choose to ignore it.

“What type of pasta are you pairing with the sauce?”

“Shells.”

After your impromptu cooking lesson, it was finally time to eat. The sauce smelled amazing - like nothing you’ve ever smelled before. You felt a warm feeling knowing that you helped create this meal. While you stirred the sauce with the pasta, Levi pulled the garlic bread out of the oven.

“Will you be eating with me?” Levi asks as he sets his bowl down on his dining table.

“If I’m allowed to.”

“Why would you-never mind. Sit down.” Levi gestured to the seat.

“So on Monday, I’m going in the office for 8AM. You’ll have to be ready by 7:30 and we will drive together. I have a meeting with a new investor that I want you to sit in on and observe. And take notes.” Levi chewed on one of the shells.

“Got it.” You nod.

“Good thing we’re going shopping, you can’t wear any of this to my office.” Levi eyed you up and down.

“It was good enough for the interview, wasn’t it?” You tilt your head.

“Yeah, that’s just the interview though.”

You want to ask Levi about himself. What he likes, what he doesn’t like, how he prefers his tea.

“Do you like the food?” Levi asks you as he takes a sip of his water. “Your first meal you made yourself.”

“I love it.” You smile - a real smile. Levi only nods, his lips in a straight line. You observe the poutines of his lips – they look pillow soft.

“Tomorrow we can try to make something else.”

Levi may be cold sometimes, but moments like this make you think about what everyone else says about him. He doesn’t seem like a man who is heartless. He has a warm part to him, you just have to find it.

“Quit staring.”

The cold is back.

_______________________________________

Waking up in your bed Sunday morning felt like a dream. The plush white sheets surrounding you as your eyes fluttered open. The sunlight peered through the curtains - the warmth kissing your cheek.

You turn to look at your nightstand where there was already a cup of tea waiting for you.

Did Levi come in while you slept? He must’ve been disgusted by the way you slept. You’re known to snore and your mouth usually hangs open.

You yawn and make your way to the attached bathroom and brush your teeth. Skincare is next, you don’t have anything fancy since you never have the funds for it. So you cleanse and moisturize which is good enough for you.

You take a sip of the tea Levi made you before getting in the shower. The water pressure is perfect, the beads of water hitting your skin. You cleanse your body of all of last weeks problems.

You pull your only pair of jeans over your legs, wiggling them over your thighs and ass. You pulled a black sweater over your head and pair it with your platform converse that Ymir got you for your birthday last year.

You make your way downstairs to see Levi sipping a cup of tea, mindlessly scrolling on his phone.

“Good morning.” You smile as you bring the empty teacup to the sink to wash it. “Thank you for the tea.”

“Mmn.” Levi nods, finishing his own cup. He hands you his, letting you wash it. “We’re only going to a few stores, so let’s get a move on.”

Levi still doesn’t let you open doors for yourself. You’re slowly learning to just accept it because there’s absolutely no point in fighting it.

Levi pulled into the parking garage for the mall, but pulling into the valet area.

“I’ve never been to a mall with a valet.” You watch as Levi hands his keys to the attendant.

“Don’t fuck up my car.” Levi said to the man as he got out of the car. “If I notice even a scratch, it will be your ass that fixes it.”

There’s the demeanor that everyone warned you about. But he wasn’t like this last night, or even this morning.

Levi opened the door for you, holding out his hand for you to take. Contrary to the words he spoke only a few seconds ago, his hand is soft as he helps you out of the car.

This mall is enormous. Impeccably clean, similar to Levi’s home. You look into the spotless windows of the stores, noticing the people that are shopping in them. Without a doubt, they have a lot of money. They’re picking between bags, shoes, and belts.

Levi pulls you into a store, revealing wall to wall clothes.

“Look around.” Levi says lowly, checking his phone. “Pick out some stuff that you like and then you can try it on.”

You nod, venturing over to the front wall.

You check the tag of one of the blouses: $600. Your eyes widen at the number as your heart starts to race.

“Levi, this store is too expensive.” You say as you walk over to him.

“I didn’t ask you to look at prices. I asked you to pick out what you like.”

“$600 for a blouse is outrageous!”

“You need to get better at following directions.” Levi walks with you to the wall. “Don’t look at the tags. Pick out some things to try on. That’s not a question.”

You sigh and pick out clothes that you think will be good for work and casual. Blouses, dresses, shirts, sweaters along with pants, jeans, and some skirts.

“I’m gonna try them on now.” You say as you bring the clothes to the dressing room attendant.

“Mr. Ackerman! Great to see you.” The woman says, taking the clothes from your hands. “You brought your girlfriend, how sweet!”

You turn to Levi who has no reaction. So you should have no reaction. Just ignore it, it’s an honest mistake.

“Let me know if you need another size!” The associate says and you watch Levi sit in the seated area. His eyes are still glued to his phone, his expression sort of angry. You watched his eyebrows furrow as he tapped the screen.

You slip on a pair of pixie pants with a blouse, definitely a work outfit. The pants slide over your thighs perfectly, sculpting out your figure.

You look in the mirror and almost don’t recognize who it is that you see. You open the door and reveal yourself to Levi.

“Does this live up to your office expectations?” You do a twirl as you giggle.

Levi’s eyes were glued onto you. He trailed over your figure, paying special attention to the curve of your back to your ass.

“Good enough.” Levi says and looks back at his phone.

You roll your eyes and try on the rest of the outfits, receiving the Levi stamp of approval.

“Your total is $3,456.14.” The associate says at the counter. Your heart almost falls in your ass as Levi hands them cash.

“Levi, I-“

“Stop talking.” Levi grabbed the bags. “You need shoes now.”

Of course, another designer store. You haven’t seen shoes this expensive ever in your life. Levi watched as your marveled at the heels, appreciating all that there is to them.

“She wants to try these on.” Levi pointed to two pairs of heels.

You don’t protest for once as she brings the boxes out. The first pair are black patent leather pointed toe heels, the other are black block heels.

You slip off your shoes and set them off to the side. Levi moves to kneel in front of you, pulling the heels out of the box. You watch as he slips the heel on your foot, making sure they’re secure.

“Stand up.” Levi steps back, watching your legs. The heels accentuate the muscles in your calves while making your legs look good. “Are they comfortable.”

“Yes.” You smile to yourself as you walk around the small space. You’ve never worn heels like this, that cost as much as 3 months of rent.

Your eyes wander to Levi’s as he studies you like a textbook. His eyes are glued on you as you walk, almost as if he doesn’t know you can see him.

Levi comes back to earth, finally, and he grabs the box of shoes. “We’ll take both.”

It was finally time to go. Levi seemed uncomfortable with the crowds of people coming in, which is probably why he insisted on going early. He didn’t seem his usual self… he was more, nervous? Anxious?

The valet brought the car around and Levi opened the door for you, like usual.

You knew something was on Levi’s mind. He seemed more distracted.

“Everything okay?” You ask, watching his slate eyes turn to you.

“Yes. Just thinking about this upcoming week.”

That was probably a lie, but you didn’t want to pry. You nod as you accept his answer and look out the window during the rest of the car ride.

#levi ackerman #levi ackerman x reader #levi ackerman fanfiction #levi x reader #levi ackerman fanfic #levi ackerman smut #attack on titan #aot #levi ackerman attack on titan #levi ackerman x you #levi x you

[bradshawsvinyl]

Game Changer: Chapter Three

warnings: mentions of cheating, brad brad is adorable

Bradley Bradshaw woke up on Sunday morning with an aching headache. Thanks to the bottle of Scotch he had last night, he had also woken up with the urge to puke all over his San Diego condo. This has been Bradley’s morning routine ever since his very public divorce with Hollywood movie star Alyssa Moore.

Alyssa had cheated on Bradley with world famous actor Idris Elba. Their divorce was all over the tabloids and frankly, Bradley felt embarrassed and upset over the news being everywhere.

His conversation with Jake in the locker room last night made him realize something. The best way to get over one person was to get under another one. And who better to get under than the Padres new clubhouse reporter.

Bradley asked Alexandra out because he wanted to get over his ex wife. He decided to take a quick shower before hopping in his Bronco and driving to the address you had texted him last night.

Alexandra anxiously paced around her apartment while her roommate Giliana watched from afar. “What if this is just platonic and I'm making this out to be something it isn’t?” She pondered out loud.

Giliana placed a comforting hand on your shoulder. “You never know until you try.” She said encouragingly. “You look great and if it’s just platonic, so be it. At least you have an ally in the clubhouse now.”

Giliana was right, Alexandra realized. If things went bad it wouldn’t be the end of the world. And if they went good…well you’d think about that later.

As Bradley arrived at the address Alexandra texted him, he couldn’t help but feel a little nervous. It had been so long since he’d dated someone new and although he was trying to get over Alyssa he didn’t want to hurt you in the process. After all, Alexandra was going to have to interview him throughout the season. He climbed out of his Bronco and knocked on your door.

Inside the apartment, Alexandra’s heart skipped a beat as she heard Bradley knock. “It’s just drinks with a coworker.” Giliana reminded her “Just breathe.”

As she opened the door, her eyes met Bradley’s. It might have sounded silly but she felt like time had stood still. She could sense Bradley’s anticipation in the air. He offered her a soft smile.

“Hi Bradley,” She greeted him with a warm smile. Her voice tinged with excitement and nervousness.

“Hey Alexandra,” Bradley replied with the same amount of anticipation. “Are you ready to go?”

“Yeah let’s go.” With that, Bradley led Alexandra to his car. He opened her door and delicately adjusted her seat. As Bradley and Alexandra settled in the car, a comfortable silence enveloped them. Alexandra couldn’t help but to steal quick glances at Bradley, noticing the way the streetlights cast a warm glow on his sharp features.

Once they reached the bar, Bradley quickly went to open her door and lead her inside. Once they sat down and ordered their drinks, Bradley decided to break the silence. “So Alexandra,” he began, “how long have you been covering sports?”

“Professionally I've been covering sports for about five years now.” She answered, voice tinged with excitement. “How’s the season shaping up for the Padres?” She asked in return.

Bradley smiled grateful for her interest in his job. When he was with Alyssa, the last thing she wanted to hear about was baseball. Alyssa would not even bother to go to Bradley’s games or listen to his remarks about a particularly stressful game.

Even though Bradley had just met Alexandra he felt a strange connection to her. She was genuinely kind and caring and he had only known her for two days. Her interactions with his manager and his teammates showed that she actually cared not only about the sport, but about the players.

“Spring training was a rollercoaster.” Bradley laughed. “But I'm hanging in there. I’ve got a great team and great people around me to motivate and encourage me, you know?” He said while taking a bite out of your shared fries.

As Bradley and Alexandra continue their conversation, the dim lights around the bar cast a warm glow on them. The hums of chatter and the clinking of glasses seem to fade into the background. Their eyes meet, locking in. Filled with unspoken words and attraction. Bradley’s heart races with anticipation as he leans in, his breath mingling with Alexandra’s in the small space between them.

Gently, Bradley cupped her upper cheek and his thumb tracing her jawline. He closed the space between them. The moment their lips meet it feels as though time stands still.

reply to be added to tag list 🩷🩷

#rooster x reader #jake seresin x reader #hangman x reader #rooster x you #rooster x oc #bradley rooster bradshaw #rooster top gun #top gun fanfiction #top gun 1986 #top gun maverick #rooster imagine #rooster fanfic #game changer #my writing #rooster bradshaw fic #rooster x hangman #bob floyd x reader #coyote x reader #pete maverick mitchell #tom iceman kazansky #bradley bradshaw x you #my wrtitng

[acesofspadess]

Avocados...

a/n: its the big three...

summary: Louis ends up talking about his relationship with you and avocados

The news had been out for a few months now that you, Louis, Niall and Harry were in a committed relationship. And while it wasn't exactly news to your fans who had predicted it since you had all met during the One Direction days, people had opinions they felt had to be heard. You four already kept your personal lives to yourselves, but the occasional ‘my girlfriend’ or ‘my boyfriend’ would present itself in interviews or shows.

Louis was at LADbible for a day of interviews  and was currently doing a snack war.

“You know i feel really bad for saying this because i actually really fucking hate baked beans.” He looked up at the crew in front of him, seeing their faces. “I must be one of the only men in England- or only person in England that hates baked beans, yeah.” He brought the plate to his side listening to Becky, a crew member, try and give him the easiest way to eat it. 

“Go on, let me.” he flipped his eyesight to the other bowl. “And what have we got here? What's this?” he put down the fork before switching back to the beans. “I'll come to this in a sec shall? Right. Oh, i fucking hate beans, do you know what? For you lot, though, I will give it a go. Oh, H will never let me live this down.” He sprinkled some cheese on top, completely missing his mention of one of his significant others. “It must be fifteen years since I've had some beans.”

He listened to Becky explain what was in the bowls, apologizing for not explaining himself. “I don't know, they're just weird.” was his response to why he didn't like it. He took the smallest bite he could and chewed with a pained expression. “Oh, fucking awful, man. Oh that's gross, man.” he shook his head hoping that would diminish the taste from his mouth.

“Right, mac and cheese, fucking staple.” he moved onto the bowl of pasta after taking a drink to rid the taste of beans from his mouth. “Again ‘american’ right? Cause it looks Italian to me.” he took a hefty bite and relaxed in his chair. “Banging though. I had a lot of mac and cheese, or a lot of cheesy pasta, growing up as a kid. To be fair, for my little lad Freddie, my girlfriend - who is half Italian, makes him a lot of cheesy pasta, so… I'd have to go with that.”

“Is there anything else she makes for him? Or is that like the staple?” Becky asked out of pure curiosity.

“My fans are gonna hate me for this, she makes a lot of food from her Trinidad side and one thing we always have in the house is avocados, Freddie loves it when she makes them. She makes those and - i know it's not the right wording but like candied bananas. Those are really good. Actually-”

He took out his phone from his pocket and tapped a few buttons before the facetime ringing was heard. “I really hope she answers otherwise that would be-” he cocked his head with a laugh and watched as the call connected, your beautiful face popping up on the screen.

“Hey love.” a smile so big was plastered on his face as he saw you. “Hey Lou. I thought you were filming still?” your washed Trini accent was heard through the phone, confusion laced within. “I am,” he walked in a circle to show you and laughed. “I don't think you should be on your phone in the middle of an interview, Lou.”

“No I'm not. I wanted to ask you a question though.” The phone was now visible for the cameras to see and they could see you cock your head with questions. “Alright then.” 

“When you make avocados for us you make like this candied banana but i forgot what they're called and i don't want to keep saying ‘candy bananas’ like a wanker.”

Your laugh as well as others was heard and he just shook his head at you. “Its fried plantains Lou. and you can have them sweet or salty. Just like avos.” he was mesmerized with the way you spoke about things from your culture, “Thank you love.”

“Was that it?” you asked, adjusting your sunglasses as you walked out of the shade. “What are you doing and who are you with?” he asked, remembering the second laugh he heard. “I'm with Ni right now. We just went out to this little cafe before going back to the studio where H and Freddie are.” you showed him Niall who made a silly face at lou. “Alright love, I will call you when I'm done. Love you both.” 

Niall who was no longer in frame was heard shouting an ‘ i love you’ back and you giggled. “I love you Lou.”

“Give my love to H and Freddie will you?”

“Of course Lou.”

“Alright , alright, I'll see you later.”

“Love you.”

“Love you too.”

And as he went to hang up Niall's second ‘love you’ was briefly heard. “Right, fried plantains and ‘avos’ as my girlfriend says. The only way I eat them. Fucking avocados man.”

#louis tomlinson #niall horan #harry styles #tomlinsonedits #louis update #lthq #holding on to heartache #fitfwt #all this time #shirtless louis #niall james horan #nialler #cute niall #niall horan x reader #niall horan fluff #niall horan fanfiction #narry storan #larry stylinson #nouis horanson

[stargazer-sims]

3. The Journal

It’s clear Yuri knows there's something weighing on Victor's mind. Somehow, he always seems to know, even when Victor does his best to act nonchalant. He tells himself he should've learned by now that he can't get anything past Yuri. His husband is acquainted with his ways far too well.

At the moment, Victor is rummaging around in his wardrobe cupboard — the armoire as Yuri likes to call it, because he enjoys being fancy — fruitlessly searching for his favourite set of scrubs. Yuri is already in his pyjamas. He's on Victor's bed, propped up with several pillows, with an open book on his lap. He's not reading, though. Victor assumes he's watching him instead. He hasn't heard a page turn in at least three or four minutes.

"They're in the laundry," Yuri says mildly.

Victor snaps his head up, momentarily startled by the break in the room's relative silence. "What?"

"Your scrubs with the snowboarding animals on them. That's what you're looking for, isn't it?"

"Um... yeah. But how did you—"

"You wouldn't have been looking so long if you didn't specifically want to wear that set tonight. You would've just grabbed anything clean."

"I like them. The little snowboarding polar bears make me happy," Victor says. "Would it be weird to say they're like the work uniform equivalent of a security blanket?"

"You should get another set or two before they discontinue that pattern," Yuri suggests. "And no, it's not weird." He brushes a hand across the sleeve of his one-piece PJs. "I've got the security blanket of pyjamas, so obviously I'm in no position to judge. Your scrubs are in the clean laundry, by the way. I washed them this morning. They'll be in the stack on top of the dryer that I haven't gotten around to putting away yet."

"Thanks," Victor says. "I'll get them in a few minutes."

He turns from the closet and makes his way to the bed. He stares at it longingly. There's nothing he'd like more than to crawl under the covers and sleep through the night, but he can't. Not tonight, anyway. He's got one more shift before this rotation is over.

He has enough seniority at the hospital that he could ask not to have any more night shift rotations, but he won’t do that. He actually doesn't mind working nights, and he only has to do it every third rotation in any case. In between, he'll either have two rotations of day shift, from seven in the morning till three in the afternoon, or two of mid-shift, from three in the afternoon until eleven at night. His current problem isn't that he dislikes working nights; it's that he's mentally exhausted from overthinking all evening.

He flops sideways onto the mattress and then lays his head on Yuri's lap. Anticipating him, Yuri had already moved the book. More evidence of how completely Yuri gets him.

Just as Victor predicts, Yuri lowers his hand to his head and begins to stroke his hair. Victor loves this, and he loves that Yuri knows how much it comforts him. Yuri's manicured nails graze gently over Victor's scalp, and Victor closes his eyes. A tiny sigh escapes him, even though he hadn't meant to let it out.

Yuri responds as if Victor has perfectly articulated his problem. "Want to tell me about it?"

"It's nothing," Victor says. "I'm kind of tired, that's all."

"It doesn't sound like nothing to me. Can you try again?"

Victor does a breathing exercise and counts the seconds. He wonders if nearly a full minute feels as long to Yuri as it does to him.

"I, uh... I might've messed up," he confesses at last.

"How?" Yuri asks.

"You know about Caroline's school project, right? The Media Studies one?"

"The autobiographical documentary, yes. She wants to interview us."

"Yeah."

"Did you say no?"

"No, I didn't say no," Victor says. "Did you?"

"No," Yuri says. "Of course not. Did you say yes because you wanted to or because you felt like you had to?"

"Because I wanted to," he says. "Being interviewed isn't the problem."

"What is it?"

"We were talking about the project while we were waiting for you to get home this afternoon," Victor explains. "And I might've told her we made a video journal back in the day."

"That's all right," Yuri assures him. "You didn't mess up. It's not a secret."

"I know, but that's not the problem either."

"Then, what is the problem?"

Victor draws in another deep breath, counts to ten in his head, and lets the air out slowly. "She wants to see it."

"Oh," Yuri says.

"Yeah."

"What did you tell her?"

"The only thing I could tell her," Victor replies. "I said I couldn't make that decision on my own, that I'd need to talk to you about it. I also told her that I wanted her to think seriously about what she was asking for. Like, I wouldn't have wanted to read my mom's journal when I was seventeen. I'm pretty sure I would've been traumatized by that."

"Would your seventeen year old self have said the same?" Yuri asks.

"My seventeen year old self would've been too scared to even consider it, much less ask to read it. How about you?"

"Hmm..." Yuri hums softly, his fingers still combing slowly through Victor's hair. "My seventeen year old self would've loved to get his hands on his parents' journals, if I'm being honest. My thirst for drama and the secret lives of the rich and powerful would've made me do it, if I could have. Luckily for me, my tutor was much wiser than I was and made me see the error of my ways when I casually mentioned it."

"I didn't know he was still around when you were seventeen."

"I suppose he was mainly Hana's tutor at that point," Yuri says. "But, I still went to him when I needed help or advice about something, and he helped me look after Yuki when our parents were too busy."

"Lives of the rich and powerful."

"Indeed."

"Anyway, I don't think Caroline wants to see our journal because she has a thirst for drama," Victor says. "I think she genuinely just wants to know about us, about our lives before we had her. You know, like our personal history."

"And you don't like that idea?"

"I didn't say that. I'm not super excited about the idea, but I don't remember saying anything that I'd necessarily want to hide, either. It's just... we're not the same people we were when we made those videos. I mean, we are the same people, but..."

"I know what you mean," Yuri says. "We were still trying to figure things out back then. We're the same people, but with much more experience and a different perspective."

"Exactly. Now we understand that we can all see perfectly in hindsight. We know how to predict the possible outcomes so we can plan ahead and not have stupid mistakes to feel bad about when we look back later."

"We still make mistakes. No one can plan for every possible outcome," Yuri points out.

"I know, but we can at least plan for the one where our daughter might get hurt, or where she finds out stuff she may be better off not knowing right now. We can stop her from doing something she might regret."

Yuri's hand stops moving. "That she might regret? Or that you might regret?"

Victor lets out another sigh. "Both, I guess? It's not like we've got this dark, mysterious past that we should never reveal, but if we let her watch those videos... Let's just say she's not going to see us in our finest moments. Like, twenty-five, twenty-six year old me wasn't exactly hero material. I was a mess, and I don't know how I feel about her seeing me like that."

"Oh, that's what it is," Yuri says. and even though Victor isn't looking directly at him, he can tell he's smiling a little. It's a soft, indulgent smile. Victor can hear it in the tone of his voice. "You like being her hero, and you don't want to tarnish that image in her eyes."

Yuri doesn't mean to hurt him. Victor knows this, but the knowledge doesn't prevent the sudden stab of nameless emotion that flares in the middle of his chest. Yuri's words land more heavily than he would've imagined, and more sharply than he's certain Yuri intended them to.

"Sorry," he mumbles, because that's the only word he's capable of getting out before his throat and chest start to feel tight.

The realization hits him fast and hard that maybe it's so instantly painful because Yuri isn't wrong. He does like being a hero, and despite being able to admit it to himself with no consequences, it feels oddly shameful for someone else to recognize it. His face burns with the heat of embarrassment, and he doesn't even bother attempting to hold back his tears.

Yuri's hand is back in his hair a moment later. "No, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that. It was insensitive. I—"

"No," Victor says. "You're right."

They're both quiet while Victor pulls himself together. He's better than he used to be at regaining his composure quickly, but he still cries as easily as he ever did. It's one of the things he dislikes most about himself and one that he's never been able to fix.

"Are you all right?" Yuri asks, once Victor has managed to relax and to get his breathing back into a normal rhythm.

"I don't know," Victor admits. "I... I feel kind of stupid."

"Why?"

"Because you really are right, and also 'cause this isn't supposed to be about my ridiculous hero fantasy or whatever. I don't even know why I'm like this."

"You like being the strong one," Yuri says. "You like taking care of people and feeling needed."

"Yeah, that's true."

"But, you need someone to remind you that heroes don't have to be strong all the time. I've seen you at your weakest points, remember, and you're no less of a hero to me. In fact, perhaps you're more heroic for having survived all your worst days and never giving up on being an optimist."

"It's different with Caroline."

"How is it different?" Yuri inquires. "She loves you with everything she has. Far more than she loves me, I'm sure."

"She loves you."

"Yes, but not like she loves you," Yuri says. "You truly are her hero, and not because she believes you're perfect or superhuman. I think you're her hero for the same reason you're mine, and it would take more to change her mind than knowing you had one extraordinarily difficult year."

"Do you think so? 'Cause I don't want my reasons for not letting her see it to be selfish. I want to be rational like you. I don't want to make this all about me."

"How could it not be about you?" Yuri says. "It's about you and it's about me, and you know what? It's okay to make it all about us because we're talking about sharing something of ours that's private. If you're not comfortable sharing it, then we won't. It's as simple as that."

"That's the thing. I don't know if I'm okay with sharing it. I keep wavering back and forth. In theory, I think she could watch it. I think she's mature enough. But it feels... awkward? And what if she sees something that upsets her?"

"That's what we're here for," Yuri says. "To help her cope with anything that upsets her."

"How do you feel about letting her watch it?" Victor wants to know. "We've been talking about my feelings, but you haven't said anything about yours."

"I think you're right. We haven't got anything to hide and Caroline is mature enough to watch the videos," Yuri says. "I'm certain she already knows we aren't perfect, and that everyone has to grow, and that the process of growing is painful and messy and quite frankly horrible sometimes. She'd see us at some very low points, but she'd also see us loving and supporting each other and working things out together. And I think our successes are worth the struggle it took to get there."

"So... you'd let her watch it? Assuming we still have it and this isn't just a hypothetical discussion, I mean."

"We still have it," Yuri says.

"And...?"

"And what I'd do is give her the USB drive and let her decide for herself whether she truly wants to see it or not. You made a good choice, asking her to think carefully about that."

"Are we just going to hand it to her?" Victor asks. He has to admit he's dumbfounded by the turn their conversation has taken. He would've expected Yuri to be more reluctant than himself, and he's a little shocked to discover that Yuri doesn't seem particularly hesitant.

"Only if you agree that's what we should do," Yuri says.

"I might need more time to think about it."

'We don't have to make a decision tonight."

"Okay."

"The USB is locked in the bottom drawer of my filing cabinet with all our important documents," Yuri says. "I'll get it out in the morning, and then perhaps tomorrow evening we can look at a few of the videos ourselves. After all, it's been a long time since either of us has seen any of them. Do you think that would help you decide?"

"Maybe," Victor says. "I guess I'll have to think about that too."

"You can let me know when you make up your mind."

"We're gonna watch it in here, right?"

"Yes, or in my room," Yuri affirms. "We can get into bed with my laptop and a box of tissues. We can even listen with headphones and lock the bedroom door, if that'd make you feel better."

"I don't think we'd have to lock the door or use headphones," Victor says. "We'll have enough privacy in your room without doing that."

He wants to add that the box of tissues is a good idea, but he doesn't. As much as he wishes it weren't true, he's likely going to need them. There was a period of time during that tumultuous year when he cried almost daily, sometimes multiple times per day, and he's not sure how he'll handle revisiting the distress of his younger self. He starting to tremble just thinking about it.

This is ridiculous, he thinks. He tells himself he's completely overreacting. All that stuff was twenty years in the past. The mere thought of it shouldn't be enough to make him respond this way now.

As if reading his mind, Yuri leans slightly forward and says softly, “It'll be all right. I'll be with you, and we can stop whenever you want, even if we're only a minute in. And if you tell me to lock the USB away in the drawer and never bring it out again, that's what I'll do. We won't show it to Caroline or anyone else, if that's what you want. Okay?"

Victor calms himself as best he can.

"Okay," he agrees.

#writing #carolineandco #stargazersims

[cowgurrrl]

I’m Still Standing

Pairing: rockstar!joel x actress!reader (except he’s at home with the kiddos in this one)

Author’s note: yes I was influenced by Pedro’s Actors on Actors interview

Summary: Actors on Actors: You and Carolina Garcia-Long [2.0k]

Warnings: talk of pregnancy/family life, the age gap is finally ✨revealed✨, relationship stuff, Carolina being the best, discussions of sex scenes, I think that’s it!!

Carolina sits across from you in a beautiful white dress that perfectly compliments her olive skin tone, smiling big and bright. You've already been talking as the crew sets up around you, and you're struggling not to have too much conversation without the cameras rolling. It's been a long time coming, but after more than a decade of working together, you two are finally sitting down with Vanity Fair to discuss your jobs. Somebody calls to action, and a set of questions pops up over Carolina's shoulder, but you don't look at them immediately; you look at her.

"I'm so happy we're doing this," you say, and she smiles. 

"Me too! I feel like I haven't gotten to pick your brain about this stuff in forever." She says, settling into her big plush chair, and you nod.

"Well, it's like every other year one of us is pregnant."

"That's true because you had Sam like three or four years after I had Victoria, and then the girls were born last July, right?"

"Yeah, they're gonna be one soon." You say bittersweetly, and Carolina pouts her lips sympathetically.  

"Do you think becoming a parent has changed the way you work?" She asks, and you nod.

"Oh, absolutely," you say. "Even before we had Sam, Joel and I's older daughters totally changed my life and what roles I took and how much I worked. It's kinda crazy to think about how fast it all happened. Like one day, I was able to binge-watch Law & Order: SVU with no problem, and then all of a sudden, these girls came into my life, and I couldn't even think about it because it would make me sick to my stomach."

"That's how I felt after I had Elizabeth! They just change your whole world, man." 

"And can I gush about you really fast while we're talking about our kids?" You ask, and she laughs.

"Uh oh."

"No, it's all good. After I had Sam, I was so worried about how having a baby would affect my career, and my body looked different and whatever else, but you made me feel so safe and secure and loved. You reminded me I was able to have a career before I was a wife and a mother, and I could continue that career after. I don't know if I can ever describe... what you gave me because it was so integral to the actor I evolved into, and I've always had so much respect for you, not only as a friend and an actor but as a mother. And seeing how hard you worked made me want to work just as hard. Not just for me but for my children. So, thank you." You say, and Carolina reaches across the couch to grab your hand, and you smile. 

"Thank you for saying that. You know how much Ryan and I love you, so I'm glad to know that we were able to give you some actually good advice," she laughs, squeezing your hand. "We've been friends for a really long time now."

"Fifteen years."

"God, are we old?" 

"I don't know. Our first project together is about to turn thirteen." You say, both of you groaning as the fact settles between the two of you.

"Oh, my God, you're right!" She exclaims, dropping your hand to cover her face. "When we did Sweet Water, you had just moved to LA, right?"

"Yeah, it was my first series ever. Ryan told me you had just been cast, but they were still looking for someone to fill the role of Alex, so I went in for the audition, and I wasn't expecting anything, and they cast me right then and there."

"Which never happens."

"No, never." You agree, still not fully understanding what it is those directors saw in your all those years ago to cast you on the spot. Carolina points to her nose like she's remembering something, and you smile at the habit. She always does that when she has something to say.

"I will still get people who come up to me and tell me how much they loved that scene of us in the hospital because it was so raw." 

"Well, yeah, neither of us had slept the night before because we were filming, and we just let whatever was going to happen happen, and it ended up being one of those scenes that is just… once in a lifetime, y'know?" You say, and she nods. "You were and still are such a generous scene partner in everything you do, like in how you listen and react and really find your characters. It was an amazing thing to work on with you, and I still brag about you whenever I get the chance."

"I remember filming the scene where you came into the hospital all bloody and bruised and going home to tell Ryan, 'I think this kid has some serious potential.' I mean, you were just phenomenal, so I was not surprised when you started getting picked up by all these major studios," she says. "Speaking of which, tell me about The Beginning of the End."

"What do you wanna know?" You sigh as memories of those fifteen months flood your brain. 

"Everything. What was it like filming it? What did you think when you read the script? What was it like shaving your head on camera?" She asks. 

"Well, shaving your head on camera isn't much different than actually shaving your head because you pretty much get one shot to make sure it's good, and that's it. But, yeah, that was a hard movie to make. I was in a really weird place mentally, and Ruth was such a complex, nuanced, broken character, so it was interesting getting to know her and hard to let her go when we wrapped up. For better or worse, I still find pieces of her in my daily life."

"I remembered you calling us from Ireland and being like, 'I don't know if I can do this. It's so hard.' And I remember telling you there was no one else out there who could bring Ruth to life the way you did, and I still believe that to my core. There is nobody who could've played Ruth the way you did."

"You and Ryan were such an anchor when I was over there because I was alone and I was working all the time, and then it was always fucking raining, which is just not good for anyone's mental health and-"

"And you and Joel weren't together at this time, right?" She asks, and your jaw drops a little as you look at the cameras.

"Caro," you say, laughing. "I don't think I've ever talked about that publicly before."

"Oh, I'm sorry!" Her hands fly over her mouth, and you reach out to grab her hand.

"No, it's okay. It's fine. All our loved ones already know the story, so it's okay," you say, squeezing her as a comfort. "But yeah, Joel and I were separated at that point which is another reason why it was so weird to be there alone."

"I remember you telling me you guys broke up, but it's been so long, and you are always together, so it's easy for me to forget about that. How long were you guys separated?" 

"Pretty much the entire time I was there."

"Wow," she breathes. "Do you think that separation made your relationship stronger, or have you just not thought anything about it until I brought it up in front of cameras?" She asks, and you laugh.

"No, I definitely think it made us stronger. We were both going through a lot, and I won't speak to Joel's experiences, but for me, separation was the best thing I had to offer at that specific point in our lives. And we really didn't speak at all while I was over there because it just hurt too much, and we were both working, and he was being a dad, and there were just too many moving parts. But when I got back to LA, we had coffee, and it was like no time had passed at all."

"Things were back to normal. Just like that?" She asks, snapping her fingers, and you nod.

"It was kinda crazy because we had both grown so much in that year or so, and I was worried that he wasn't gonna like the person I was coming back as or we wouldn't feel the same, but, oh my God, I'm gonna start crying," you say as you dab at the corner of your eye. "I still had so much love for him, and being with him and the girls… it just felt right like there was nothing I wanted more in the world than to be with them. And I knew if we could survive that, we could survive anything."

"And now look at you." 

"I know. Five kids and ten years later."

"How old were you when you met Joel?" She asks, and you have to look at the ceiling as you do mental math. 

"I was… Gosh, I think I was twenty-eight or twenty-nine. Somewhere around there. We met when Ryan and I were filming Hyde." You say, and she furrows her brows as she thinks.

"And how old was Joel?"

"Joel was either thirty-nine or forty when we met. Or..." you trail off. "Maybe he was forty because we met in the fall, and his birthday is in September."

"Can I tell you something I've never told you before?" She asks with a mischievous glint in her eye.

"Please."

"When Ryan told me you were dating Joel, the first thing I did was google how old he was because I knew he had two kids, so I was a little worried," she says, and you laugh. "But then we met him, and he was so goddamn charming. It's really hard not to like him."

"Isn't it the worst? He's got that accent and those stupid guitarist arms and those big, brown eyes," you gush, rolling your eyes. "And he doesn't even know how pretty he is, which is the most annoying part!" 

"Wait, so if you guys met during Hyde, did he know what the movie was about?" She asks, and you make an eek face.

"No, and I wasn't going to tell him because I didn't know how serious we were gonna get, but then he showed up to set with me one day, and we were filming the cabin scene-"

"Oh, the cabin scene!" She half-yells, and you laugh. "Dude, when that movie came out, I got asked about it all the time."

"Really?"

"Yeah! Well, everyone knew how close the three of us were, and when the movie came out, people were shocked that I would let my husband do a scene like that with one of his best friends. But Ryan told me he wasn't going to take the part until I read the script and approved or disapproved or whatever, but I thought it was just fantastic. Because it wasn't just about this relationship between these two people, it was about the different paths each wanted to take when it came to your character, Amber, being pregnant. Plus, it's just work. It's not like this was a real thing that was happening." She says, and you nod in agreement.

"I remember I got cast first, and then they brought us both in for a chemistry read, and we were like, 'this would be so crazy if we got to be in this movie together,' and then we were. And I think I do recall Ryan saying something about letting you read the script and you encouraging him to do which, thank you, by the way." 

"I didn't do anything except give him a nudge," she shrugs. "Wait, so Joel was there when you filmed that scene?"

"Oh, my God, yeah. I tried to get him to wait in my trailer, but he didn't wanna listen to me. So, he was off in the corner while I'm, like... filming this sex scene, and it was so embarrassing because we had only been dating for a few months at that point. Plus, you're already so vulnerable in scenes like that, but Ryan and Tanya Reid, our intimacy coordinator, were so supportive, so I felt really safe," you explain. "You did a good job with that one." You say, and she laughs.

"Yeah, you too."

#one for the money two for the show #rockstar!joel x actress!reader #rockstar!joel miller x actress!reader #rockstar!joel miller #tlou au #the last of us au #dad!joel miller

[therogerclarkfanclub]

Interview with Roger on The Irish Stew Podcast!

In this clip Roger discusses who his inspiration was for Arthur Morgan and how other actors helped him define Arthur's personality.

Transcript:

JOHN LEE (Host): But let’s talk about the character. People love this character! You’re reading the comments online: Arthur Morgan, your character, where did he come from? and what animal were you personifying when you came up with how you handled Arthur Morgan?

ROGER: Yeah, when I was.. the five years I was working on Red Dead I was hoping, you know, if this sells as much as Red Dead Redemption, the original, that I would be a very happy man, and we achieved that, we achieved that, and I'm very grateful for it. But the reception that I've got here was unanticipated, I'll be the first to admit. I've had generations of families come up to me saying, you know “I-.. I don't often go for these video games, but I heard my grandson shouting, and I just peeked my head in through the door and well now, I'm level 76 online and I've beaten it more times than my son, and I just think you're fantastic” my father used to scream at me to get off the thing, you know, I often think if he could see me now he probably have a good old chuckle about it, but it really has.. it's a real privilege to be able to have such an appreciative and large audience for something that you've done, and I still pinch myself up and down both arms now, so and I'm very, very grateful.

JOHN LEE: I think they're interacting with you in a way that you don't get to interact when you're at a play or you're at the movies, and then you know, they chime in with their own fan fiction and they're…

ROGER: We're both Arthur in a way. I was the blueprint, but when they play that game they are responsible for his behavior, they are responsible for his actions, so and you're with Arthur, and typically-.. on a typical playthrough, if you're doing the whole story, it's close to 30 hours, so you really do feel like part of this, this happens to me when I play games, you know, you really do have an attachment to that character far faster and in a far different way than you would your favorite character on a TV show, because then in TV and film we are we're an audience you know, whereas in gaming, we are willful participants in the narrative, we can be rich, we affect what happens, and that empowers us as an audience and I think in many ways when it when gaming is done right, it immerses us even more, so yeah I can't believe it.

JOHN LEE: Could you slip into character for a moment and uh….

ROGER: (as Arthur): “Shoah yeah, yeah I do. I'm wishing so many people happy birthday every day, I'm talking into my phone wishing these cowpokes a happy birthday, and screaming out “Lenny!” and giving the odd cough (Roger coughs), sorry about, that it's just a little tickle in my throat. No, I'm fine really, I'm honestly fine.”

(Back to himself): It's crazy, it's absolutely crazy. When I was creating Arthur I was doing Shakespeare off-Broadway, when I was auditioning for it, and my dresser was this fellow, from… where was he from in Arizona? I forget the town now.  And he was from a small town in Arizona and he helped me with the cowboy accent, and a bit of southern did creep-in into his voice after that, but I didn't go for an animal with Arthur, I knew they-.. my first audition they asked me to wear cowboy boots, they didn't say what it was for, but they asked me to wear cowboy boots and to come in with a cowboy accent, so I did that. But my main.. I've had three main inspirations for Arthur, one of them was Rob Wiethoff, who played the lead protagonist of Red Dead Redemption, a character by the name of John Marston. And what Rob taught me was, don't try and do what he did, because that would have been a futile exercise, you gotta do your own thing because John Marston is well adored all by his lonesome. And then there's a bit of John Wayne in Arthur, I grew up preferring Clint Eastwood, but Clint Eastwood's a little too stoic for Arthur, you know, and John Wayne had a very dry wit, and a dry sense of humor that often and I think that's up into that seeped into Arthur.

And another actor who I really took a huge inspiration from was this Japanese fellow called Toshiro Mifune, who did a lot of Kurosawa movies, and you know, he was the lead in Seven Samurai, and Yojimbo, and Sanjuro, the two movies themselves which eventually got twisted into westerns, so he often-.. he played this amazing-.. he would often play this ronin samurai, or the wandering samurai, that he had he could be terrifying one second, hilarious the next, and he kind of had this very relaxed, very stoic demeanor, and I would say Toshiro Mufune was a huge influence for Arthur.

Listen to the entire interview below

This podcast is also available on the following platforms

#roger clark #The Irish Stew Podcast #podcasts #irish actors #Arthur Morgan #RDR2 #Red Dead Redemption 2

[ru-xia]

-gang shenanigans

starring: big deal

genre: incorrect quotes

preview: pretty ooc, lighthearted bits to forget about the pain (and samuel's soon-to-be bald head)

Jake: I trust Sinu.

Samuel: You think he knows what he's doing?

Jake: I wouldn't go that far.

Samuel: Now, the recipe calls for 2 shots of vodka.

Samuel: *upends the bottle*

Jake: I think we're missing something.

Jerry: Teamwork?

Brad: Cohesion?

Jason: A general sense of what we’re doing?

Sinu, going over Samuel's resume: Okay, so right here, it states that you’re creative.

Samuel: Yes

Sinu: Okay... may I know what you create?

Samuel: Problems.

'Can I copy the homework?'

Jerry: I can help you with it!

Jake: Yeah, sure.

Brad: Bold of you to assume I did the homework.

Jason: lol nope.

Lineman: Wait, we had homework?!?!?!

Samuel: *Read 5:55pm*

*Squad reactions to being told ‘I love you’*

Lua: Thanks fam!

Jake: oh no

Sinu: who doesn't?

Samuel: Sounds fake but okay

Jerry: *A flustered mess*

Jason: can i get a refund

Samuel: Who the fuck added me to a fucking group chat?

Jake: Language

Jerry: Yeah watch your fucking language

Sinu: OKAY WHO TAUGHT JERRY THE FUCK WORD?

Brad: 'The fuck word'.

Jake: Are you stupid? You guys use the f word all the time

Samuel: Oh my god he censored it

Lua: Say fuck, Jake.

Jason: Do it, Jake. Say fuck.

Sinu: You can de-escalate any situation by simply saying, 'Are we about to kiss?'

Sinu: Doesn't work for getting out of speeding tickets, by the way.

Jason: It’s dark in here

Brad: Don’t worry dude I got this

Brad: *Stomps their feet*

Brad: *Skechers light up*

Jake: I can’t believe you live nearby, and you won’t let anyone crash at your place.

Samuel: You people already know too much about me.

Jason: I know exactly three facts about you, and one of them is that you won’t let any of us crash at your place.

Yeonhui: I know you snuck out last night, Sinu.

Jake: Play dumb!

Sinu: Who's Sinu?

Jake: NOT THAT DUMB!!!

*any big deal member really*: Hey, Sinu? Can I get some dating advice?

Sinu: Just because I’m with Yeonhui doesn’t mean I know how I did it.

Yeonhui: I've only known Jerry for a day and a half but if anything were to happen to him I would kill everyone in this room and then myself.

Samuel: If you can’t beat them, dress better than them

*Everyone is standing around the broken coffee maker*

Sinu: So. Who broke it? I'm not mad, I just wanna know.

Everyone:

Jake: ...I did. I broke it.

Sinu: No. No you didn't. Brad?

Brad: Don't look at me. Look at Samuel.

Samuel: What?! I didn't break it.

Brad: Huh, that's weird. How'd you even know it was broken?

Samuel: Because it's sitting right in front of us and it's broken.

Brad: Suspicious.

Samuel: No, it's not!

Jason: If it matters, probably not, but Lua was the last one to use it.

Lua: Liar! I don't even drink that crap!

Jason: Oh really? Then what were you doing by the coffee cart earlier?

Lua: I use the wooden stirrers to push back my cuticles. Everyone knows that, Jason!

Jake: Okay let's not fight. I broke it. Let me pay for it, Sinu.

Sinu: No! Who broke it!?

Everyone:

Jason: Sinu... Brad's been awfully quiet.

Brad: rEALLY?!

*Everyone starts arguing*

Sinu, being interviewed: I broke it. I burned my hand so I punched it.

Sinu: I predict 10 minutes from now they'll be at each other's throats with warpaint on their faces and a pig head on a stick.

Sinu:

Sinu: Good. It was getting a little chummy around here.

*The squad right before Yeonhui's wedding*

Samuel: Well I have to go, I have a wedding to attend.

Jake: Wait... Oh! I have a wedding to attend too!

Jerry: Oh, I have a wedding to attend as well

Lineman: I THINK WE ALL HAVE WEDDINGS TO ATTEND

Sinu, panicked: I THINK IT'S MY WEDDING

Jerry, in a high voice, holding barbie: hey ken! I was thinking about going back to school and starting a career!

Lua, in a deep voice, holding ken: nonsense, barbie. you’re staying home and having my kids

Jason: what the fuck are you guys doing?

Lua: playing systemic oppression

Brad: You lying, cheating, piece of shit!

Jason: Oh yeah? You’re the idiot who thinks you can get away with everything you do. WELCOME TO THE REAL WORLD

Brad: I’m leaving you, and I’M TAKING JERRY WITH ME

Jake, picking up the monopoly board: I think we’re gonna stop playing now.

Jason: Jerry isn’t answering his phone

Jake: I’ll call

Jason: Brad and I have both tried six times each, what makes you thi-

Jerry: Hello?

*Lineman, Jason, and Brad are sitting on a bench*

Jerry: Why do you guys look so sad?

Jason: Sit down with us so we can tell you.

*Jerry sits down*

Brad: The bench is freshly painted.

Jake: How did none of you hear what I just said?

Lua: I’ve been zoned out for the past two and a half hours.

Jason: I got distracted about halfway through.

Samuel: Ignoring you was a conscious decision.

Samuel: Can I be frank with you guys?

Jerry: Sure, but I don’t see how changing your name is gonna help.

Lineman: Can I still be Lineman?

Jake: Shh, let Frank speak.

#source: ??? #lookism #incorrect quotes #lookism incorrect quotes #big deal #sinu han #yeonhui #jake kim #samuel seo #lua lim #jason yoon #jerry kwon #brad lee #lineman

[fandomtherapy44]

Solider Boy x reader

Summary: The year just turning into 1982 Vaught's Payback being the most talked Superhero group especially Vaught's Golden boy. The elusive handsome player Solider boy. Y/n has always wanted to help people with her powers so when Payback starts interviewing, she has to go. Her whole life is about get shaken up not just by how she thought superheroes were supposed to be but by an arrogant self-absorbed but handsome asshole.

Paring: Solider boy x reader/Enemies to lovers

word count: 1,338

Chapters: 1/?

WARININGS: oh, shit here we go again. Major language, Cancer patient, being mean to Y/n.

I got the divder from

saradika

AN/ Hey everyone so I've been thinking to make this for a while now. Since I love the Boys so much did, I start watching this show for Jensen maybe did I stay for the others yes. I think Payback is so interesting, so this is like a prequel series. I just love the backstory of Payback I hope we get more in this new season. This first chapter we don't meet Ben, but we will soon ;) Hope you enjoy.

Chapter one: Taking the leap

POV (Y/N)

The year being 1982 I was freshly twenty-eight working at fucking Vought burger I mean I was making money not much but still I just thought I would be somewhere else at this age. I was mopping the floors at one am with the smell of cell killing chemicals and the four-hour crust of kid puke up my nose. The old tv in the corner of the ceiling was a plus though because Vaught central channel would replay old Payback movies. Superheroes were my everything when I was a kid especially when I learned I had the very powers that my hero’s had. But my mom never wanted me to use them. 

“Hey Y/n how’s your mom doing?” My friend slash coworker asked me. “Oh well she has a treatment this week but after that I don’t know how I’m going to cover the cost next time.” “I can maybe scrape some money together.” I put my mop down and turned to her. “No no I couldn't ask you to do that you have your own shit to worry about.” “Ok but if there is anything else I can do I will be there.” I smile at her kindness. “I'm counting on it.” Just two more damn hours and I could go home and sleep for three hours and then go to my next job.

“Hey, did you hear about those auditions downtown?” “What auditions?” I asked, not really paying attention trying to get the puke stain out of the tiled floor. “Really you haven't heard that’s surprising of how much you love superheroes, it's the payback auditions.” I nearly slipped on the puke. “What! Are you serious!?” I ran over to her shaking her. “Yes Y/n yes! Now can you stop shaking me? I think my brain is starting to leak.” “Ha yes sorry it’s just that it has literally been my dream since I've learned I have powers.” “So, are you going to go?” That was the question.

The weather today was cold, and it was raining well more like pouring and my broken umbrella was barely holding together. I walked in and said hello to the nurse. Before I walked in the room, I put on the fake smile that I put on every time. “Hey mom.” I went to her bed. “Sweetpea, I didn’t know you were coming today.” She said in a very southern draw one of the many things I loved about her. “I wanted to surprise, especially today.” I looked to the tube in her arm for her treatment.

“So, how’s college?” Right college. “Well, my professor says that he was most impressed by my last paper.” This was all bullshit but if I told her what I was really doing all day she would discharge herself and go home and let God do the work to heal her. Well sadly I couldn't leave it up to God not where she was with her stage. “Now that's my daughter on her way to be on the top and get her dream job.” Dream job now that was a joke.

“Yeah...” I looked at the time and my other job was calling. “Well mom I have to run to class. Do you need anything before I go.” She grabs my hand and stares in my eyes. “I just want to look at my little girl for a minute.” In that minute my heart was racing. “Now sweetie go kick but!” My mother would never curse. She said that if she did that she might as well drink dirt then sweet lemonade. 

On my way to work my umbrella fully went down. Luckily there was an awning, and I ran under it. I looked out and it seemed the whole world was working against me. My mother, my job, my lack of a love life but that was the last thing on my mind. The weather was like my life exploding all at once. I just didn’t know what to do. But I think the world heard me and a gust of wind threw up a flyer in my face but not just any flyer.

“Hi there, can you please step forward and state your name,age,height,weight,Sup name.” I don’t think I have ever sweat so much in my life. “Uh Y/n L/n,28,’-,___’ and I don’t know ha.” I looked down nervously. “You're auditioning for a superhero team and you don’t have a name?” The woman looked at me in disbelief. “I-” She holds up her hand to stop me. “You know what I don’t have time to hold your fucking hand like in kindergarten just show us your powers.”

I took that in stride and stood back. I breathed in deeply and used my whole body to push forward and a force came out that crumbled all the practice dummies. I also grabbed the air around me and made a blade. Then I made a shield from that same air. I looked back and everyone looked shocked. The woman from before stacked her papers. “Um thank you we will call you.” I bowed and said thank you.

It had been about a month, and I had heard nothing, so I had lost hope. I was once again cleaning a kid's mess. Parents really need to watch their kids. “Y/n phone call!” My coworker called out and I threw down my rag and dusted off my pants and went to the phone. “Hello” “Hello this Vaught.” My eyes widened and I held my hand over the phone to not hear my escaped squeals. “What are you calling about?” I tried to keep my excitement in.

“Well, the people who are behind payback were very impressed with your audition and would like to invite you to be the newest member of payback.” I did not think twice. “YES!” “I mean yes I would love to.” “Great you will be flown out on the first of next month.” Oh, shit I didn't know it would be that quick. She sensed my quiet. “Will that be a problem?” “No of course not thank you.” She hung up. “Who was that?” My coworker asked. “That was the call telling me that I'm going to be the newest member of Payback.” I said realizing that my whole life changed in five minutes.

It was only the tenth, but I had so much shit to do I had to quit my jobs, stop renting and tell my mom which to be honest I was putting that off. “Hey mom.” “Sweetpea if you keep on surprising me, I'm going to have to start getting pretty for you.” “Mom, you are beautiful everyday no matter what.” “Aww you're just saying that.” “Speaking about our visits, they will have to slow down.” She looked disappointed. “Well, I understand for school.” Here I go. “Mom I'm just going to say it…  you're looking at the newest member of Payback.” “Tell me you're joking.” “No mom I’m not.”

“Y/n you can’t it's too dangerous.” “Mom, I swear to you I will train every day be the safest possible.” “No, I won’t allow it.” “Well sorry I'm an adult and I can make my own decisions. And frankly my fast-food jobs are not cutting it for the bills.” “Fast food? What about college?” “I couldn't do both make money and do school.” “So, you've been lying this whole time.” “I’m sorry mom but it was between me, and you and I chose you.” She had hot tears welling up. “But with this job I can pay for everything and more.” “You'll call me every day?” I threw myself in her arms like I was a little girl again. “Everyday.”

I get on the plane, and I sit down. My whole life was about to change. I was going to go from nobody to where I have permission to punch strangers. But I was ready for whatever or whoever will be there. 

#the boys #the boys amazon #solider boy x reader #solider boy #Y/n x solider boy #Ben solider boy #payback amazon the boys #Crimson countess the boys

[jordanianroyals]

20 September 2023: Queen Rania is interviewed by Hoda Kotb on The Today Show in New York.

Following is the transcript:

HODA KOTB: Queen Rania, Your Majesty, good morning. I want to get to all of that in just a second, because a lot of that, we're watching and we think, “Wow, she's just like us, we have those same feelings!”

But let's talk about the UN first. You know, I feel like the world is in such a dark place right now and I've heard you give speeches, and I feel that there is light there. Where do you see – where do you find that hope? And how do you convey it?

QUEEN RANIA: Well, you know, you're right. I think our world is at an inflection point, you know, and it seems like polarization is really a defining feature of our world. Whenever we see somebody who disagrees with us, it has become natural to demonize them.

HODA KOTB: Yeah.

QUEEN RANIA: And when you see everything through a political lens, it becomes very difficult to come together over any issue. And the irony is that the issues that we're facing today, from climate change, to migration, to inequality – those all need solutions that come from collaboration. So, if we're not talking to one another, we're not going to be able to find resolution to some of these issues. And I just feel like, we need more engagement that is rooted in optimism and hope, rather than fear.

And, you know, there's this wave of populism around the world that's using people's fears and insecurities for leaders to gain popularity. And that's not finding – that's not very helpful, it's not finding solutions. So I think we need to focus more, not on the why, for example, when it comes to climate change, but on the how: How do we find solutions?

HODA KOTB: At the CogX, you gave a beautiful speech, and you talked about how you used to think that strong leaders were tough and led from the front of the ship. But as you've grown, you realized that leaders – great leaders – actually lead from the back of the ship. They're behind, they're watching how things unfold. And in your opinion, those are the kinds of leaders who we should get behind…

QUEEN RANIA: I think to be a strong leader, you need to follow – follow the great movements that actually lead to people's engagement and lead to participation, that leads to change. You have to have some self-doubt. What we're seeing today is so much – you know, I called it, certainty on steroids when where you're not questioning yourself and you think that your opinion is right. I think we could all benefit when confronted with an opinion that differs from ours in just maybe replacing defensiveness with curiosity, because you could learn something new.

And it doesn't mean you have to agree with the other side. But you can try to find a little bit of a middle ground. And really, the frightening thing in our world today is that middle ground seems to be disappearing.

HODA KOTB: Well, yeah, it’s being lost.

QUEEN RANIA: We need to regain that middle ground because that is where change is going to happen.

HODA KOTB: And you're optimistic that that can happen?

QUEEN RANIA:  I think optimism is a choice.

HODA KOTB: I don't know if you remember this, but you've been here on this show many times. There was one time in particular that you came on when your youngest was four months old.

QUEEN RANIA. True. Yes.

HODA KOTB: I think we have a little video. This is now 18-year-old Hashem, he just graduated from high school. When you look at those images of him as that little boy and to see what he's become…

QUEEN RANIA: It's just scary how time flies, right? I mean, you know, as parents, I think it's our job to, you know, take care of our kids until they are old enough to go out into the world… but that doesn't make it easy when that day comes, actually. And, you know, in the span of three months, from the end of March to the beginning of June, I had two children get married and two graduate. I mean, what was I thinking?

HODA KOTB: So you're an empty nester, so to speak?

QUEEN RANIA: I'm an empty nester right now, you know, and it's just this wave of emotions. You know, with Iman, it was a new experience for our family because she's the first one to get married. And there was so much planning and anticipation, culminated in a really beautiful and emotional day. Nothing can prepare you for the moment you see your daughter in that white dress. You know, the mixture of emotions – pride at the strong and independent woman she's become, joy for her joy, sadness for her leaving home… it all comes together and nothing can prepare you for that.

HODA KOTB: Well, just to brag on your kids a little bit, Crown Prince Hussein went to Georgetown and the Royal Military Academy in England, Princess Iman started in Georgetown then transferred to New York's Parsons School of Design, Princess Salma graduated from USC, and now your son is off to college. You did good by all your kids.

Can I ask [about] one thing that we wrestle with here when it comes to our kids: kids and cell phones. I know this is off topic, but what is that like in your house? Is that something that you don't like to have around, your kids being on there?

QUEEN RANIA: Look, I don't think you can completely fight the trend. Because that's where children are. I mean, that's where the world is, technology is all around us. You can't fight it completely, but you need to regulate it.

HODA KOTB: Yeah.

QUEEN RANIA: And I think it's more about the values that you instill in your kids, you know, about themselves, the self-confidence, the discipline… all those things are important, and that will determine how they interact with their technology.

I mean, one of the first things when, just before my son announced his engagement, I took Rajwa to a side and the first thing I told her was, “You know, there's no such thing as a 100% approval rating. You're always going to have people that are against you. And the advice that I want to give you is, please try not to read the comments, you know, because that's just gonna –  you're just going to have self doubt. There's always going to be negativity, and that negativity is not about you. It's from the person; they're unhappy in their own life, so don't carry that unhappiness. Just keep focusing on what it is you want to do, because it'll shake your confidence. You think it's not going to affect your morale, but it does.

And so you just need to develop healthy habits around technology. And that's what you try to teach your kids – not to stay away necessarily from their phones, but to interact with them in a healthier way and to always establish that balance.

HODA KOTB: Well, you've done so well by your children, and also just by just the way you're navigating your way through the world and how you're helping everyone. I just want to say thank you. It's been my honor to sit with you, Queen Rania, thank you so much. I really appreciate it. Thank you.

QUEEN RANIA: It’s a pleasure.

#Queen Rania #interview

[givemea-dam-break]

Hey hope your having a lovely day or night I was wondering if you would write something for Lucy as I haven't seen alot for her as the other boys.

Maybe when Lucy first arrives instead of the article room being just hers she as to share it with the reader who's been friends with the boys for a while and Lucy is shocked that the reader works withe the boys or something and their is that immediate spark between them.

Anyway even if it's just a Lucy idea you have had that would be amazing as well and if u don't mind tagging me that would be amazing <33

a/n: i would be more than happy to write this! i adore lucy and she holds a special place in my heart (partly because my dad is northern English too and i love their accents) so i hope you enjoy! I'm sorry this has taken so long to come out, i just kept getting stuck in places about what to write haha

warnings: mild language female reader (few pronouns used)

"I'm sorry about the boys. Their test was genuine, but they're like schoolboys and like poking fun."

"It's fine," Lucy Carlyle, Lockwood and Co's new hire, says, but her tone indicates that she's still a little pissed off about it. You can't blame her, you'd been pissed when they did it, too. "How can you work with them? Are they always like that?"

You shrug, fluffing the freshly changed pillows on Lucy's bed. "I've known George since we were kids - don't mistake that for friends, we only knew of each other - and Lockwood... well, he's Lockwood, and you just learn to expect the wildest things from him. I've kind of just learned to either drown out the stupid things they're saying, or I have to be the one to knock some sense into them, especially Lockwood. You'll get used to them."

Lucy places her bags down, brushing her hands over her coat in a nervous gesture. "How long have you been working with them?"

"Only as long as it's been registered, so three months," you say. "George found me just after Lockwood started the company, something about needing someone with good Touch, so you're the perfect fit for the last Talent. And, god, it'll be good to finally have another girl in the house." You walk over to the wardrobe, flinging the doors open. "Okay, so this half of the wardrobe is mine, and this half is yours. I did ask Lockwood if we'd be able to get another, but he's stingy. Luckily for you, most of my clothes stay folded on the floor by my bed, so feel free to use as many hangers as you want -"

"What's in that room downstairs?" Lucy asks, looking over at the bedroom door. "The one on the landing?"

You hesitate. "I don't know. Neither does George. We just know that it's off-limits, and Lockwood gets antsy when the topic even gets brought up. If I were you, I'd steer clear of that conversation for now."

"Right." Lucy sits on her bed, expression tired and confused. "Sorry, this is all just a lot to take in..."

"That's alright. Want me to give you some space for a while? I've got to make a start on dinner soon, anyways. It's my day to cook."

Lucy looks up at you, and something in her eyes pins you to the spot. They're a light brown, glimmering golden in the lamplight of the room, and her hair curls loosely around her face, barely sweeping her shoulders. But those eyes...

"Could you stay?" she asks softly. "Maybe, um, maybe we could get to know each other?"

Grinning, you sit on the bed beside her, giving her enough space to make sure she's comfortable. "Well, it would be a good start if we're going to be sharing a room for the foreseeable future. What do you want to know?"

She eases up a little, relaxing. "Did you say your Talent was Touch? Lockwood never mentioned in the interview."

"Yeah," you say. "I know your Touch helps you hear things, but it helps me see, I suppose you could say. Takes me back to the time of death, or whatever it's linked to. My Listening is alright, and my Sight is a little better."

"I've never really heard of that before. That sounds... cool."

You shrug. "I suppose, unless I'm watching someone being murdered, or something. Usually, it isn't too bad. Lately, my Sight has been needed more than anything."

"Have you got any cases coming up?" Lucy's voice sounds a little more confident now. "With the tests, you guys are well aware that I'm good enough to work here, but I've never seen you guys in action, or heard about it."

"We do, actually," you say. "Tomorrow. Some old lady's husband died not long ago, took a tumble down the stairs, and now is possibly haunting her house. We're going to go and check it out, hopefully find the source and get out unharmed. I'm sure Lockwood will let you tag along. It seems like a simple enough job."

--

Funny. It is not a simple job.

It goes terribly wrong from the get-go, actually.

First problem: George is late, and nothing you can say to Lockwood convinces him to hold off a little bit to give George time to get there. So, essentially, you're going in blind.

Second problem: judging from the fact that Mrs Hope, the owner of the house, says that she's the only one with a key to the house, the human-like shape you saw moving inside is most certainly a ghost. At not even six o'clock, no ghost should really be active.

Third problem: well, to put it simply, Mr Hope is not the ghost haunting the house. No, that would be too easy, right?

Standing on the landing of the second floor, rapier drawn, you stare up at the ghost of a young woman. Faintly, you can hear her voice shouting out to you, but Listening isn't your strength. She's a creepy one, you'll give her that, just hovering in the air a few feet away, dress and hair blowing as if she's caught in a breeze.

"Luce," you say. "What's she saying?"

Lucy watches the ghost cautiously. "Let me go. But... Something feels different. It's like I can feel what she feels."

"She's a ghost," Lockwood says. "She can't feel anything."

"This is different. This -"

With a horrible screech, the ghost launches herself at Lucy, who stumbles backwards into the stair bannister. In unison, you and Lockwood slash through the Visitor with your rapiers, holding her back as a loud crack! sounds behind you.

"(name)!" Lucy cries. "Help!"

Glancing behind you, your heart almost stops. Lucy has broken through the bannister, and the only reason she hasn't fallen and broken all of her bones is that her boot is stuck in one of the gaps, and she's grasped onto a painting on the wall. Even within a second, her grip is slipping.

Lockwood throws a salt bomb, drawing the ghost away as your reach over, careful not to fall down the gap yourself, and grab Lucy's hand, pulling her back up.

"You okay?" you ask, still holding onto her. "No ghost touch?"

She shakes her head, mumbling, "No. I'm okay."

Something in your chest eases at that. The case is nowhere near over, but she's okay for now, and you find that's all that matters to you.

#lucy carlyle x reader #lockwood and co x reader #lockwood and co fanfiction #lockwood and co #lockwood and co netflix #lucy carlyle #george karim #anthony lockwood #x reader #fanfiction #givemea-dam-break

[player1064]

How about something fluffy fluff where they have been in a situationship/fwb for a few years, both thinking the other one doesn't want anything serious, but irl both are insanely in love with each other and pining, until finally one of them cracks and confesses.

Your drabbles bring me so much joy, thank you. You should also continue the wife-gary saga.

I WANTED TO WRITE SOMETHING DUMB AND SILLY AND FLUFFY BUT OHHHH NO. MY BRAIN HAD OTHER IDEAS. Obviously the other day I was like 'in the wife-gary saga they were fwb who spent lockdown together' and so I wanted to write that but then it hit me just like. just what an Ordeal the lockdowns were and how insane it made everyone. So this came out less 'silly fluff' and a lot more 'earnest pining'. oops?

Also I've mentioned this on the carraville discord but did u guys know Gary and Jamie were literally together when the lockdowns first got announced like they literally watched the broadcast together then like. had to immediately pack up and go home. I feel INSANE every time I think about it. tbh.

---

“Feels a bit like the end of the world,” Jamie says one day, lounging on the sofa while the news plays softly in the background.

Gary looks over at him from where he’s sat a respectable distance away at the other end of the couch. “Yeah,” he says quietly, “it does a bit.”

Jamie had been thinking about saying – well, it doesn’t really matter, because he’s been thinking about saying it for three weeks now and still hasn’t got up the nerve. Instead, he smirks and says “y’know, in all the disaster movies I’ve seen the rich bastards always fuck off somewhere safe, don’t they?” He looks around Gary’s huge living room. “Maybe that pension of yours has finally come in handy, eh?”

“I dunno,” Gary says. “All just feels a bit wrong, to be fair.” He gets up with a sigh, brushes some imaginary lint off his trousers. “You got any more filming to do today, or d’you fancy helping me in kitchen?”

For a brief moment, Jamie considers making up some interview he has to go off and record so that he can avoid another dreaded ‘Gary (who can’t cook) tries to teach Jamie how to cook’ session, but then he remembers that this lockdown thing is already stretching out for weeks and weeks ahead of him, and if he’s going to be stuck here all that time he should probably try pulling his weight a bit more.

“Fine, but I’m not peeling any more fuckin’ carrots.”

*

When Jamie’s loading the dishwasher after dinner, Gary rests a hand on his hip and kisses him, soft and sweet.

“Come to bed?” he murmurs against Jamie’s lips, and Jamie wonders if he even remembers how to deny him anything.

*

Except he does remember how, and he hates himself for it. Because when Gary, already half-asleep, loosely wraps a hand around his wrist and says “stay,” he gently extracts himself from the tangle of sheets and goes back to the spare room.

*

They somehow manage to carry on like this, days spent on zoom calls from separate studies, evenings spent trying to muddle their way through whatever recipes they find online. Nights, more often than not, spent in separate bedrooms.

They’re actually having less sex, now that they’re living under the same roof. Before, every time they’d seen each other had been an excuse to find somewhere private to sneak off together, every accidental touch in studios or in stadiums had felt charged.

Now, they argue over what shows to watch on Netflix. They work out together most mornings in Gary’s little home gym. They stay up far later than two middle aged men have any right to, heckling each other through games of fifa and mario kart.

Sometimes, Jamie looks over at Gary and he’s got that same look in his eye that he normally only gets when he’s about to kiss Jamie. Sometimes Jamie smiles at the expression, starts to lean in, is left confused when Gary blushes and moves away.

Sometimes Gary does kiss him. Sometimes Gary does more than kiss him. It’s easy, familiar. Comforting. It’s a dance they’ve been practicing for four years now.

It’s still just as hard to return to his own bed afterwards as it had been four years ago.

*

Three months becomes six months becomes a year, and Jamie dreads going back to his own house, to the thick layer of dust that’s waiting for him there, to that quiet emptiness that he’s only just learnt to live without.

He almost catches himself thinking that he hates Liverpool.

But life has to go back to normal, that’s what everyone’s saying, so he packs up his things while Gary watches from the doorway of the spare room.

“Stay,” he says.

It’s the first time he’s asked without the excuse of the sleepy post-orgasm haze to hide behind. It’s the first time Jamie has to actually give an answer.

He shrugs, keeps his focus on the suitcase lying open in front of him. “No more lockdowns,” he says, all forced casualness. “’s not like either of us have much use for a housemate.”

“Jamie,” Gary says, taking a step into the room. “Stay.”

Jamie turns to look at him.

Gary won’t meet his eyes, is staring unblinking at a spot on the wall instead, lips pursed tightly together. His hands are clenched into fists at his sides.

Jamie really, really doesn’t want to go home.

“Maybe I can swing another week or two,” he says carefully, reaching out to brush the back of Gary’s hand.

He feels shaky fingers lace with his own, sees Gary’s eyes crinkle in a not-quite-smile. “D’you think y’could stretch it to a month?”

“Hows about a year?”

Gary breathes a heavy sigh of relief, his whole face breaking into a wide grin. “Hows about ten?”

“Fuck, Gary,” Jamie breathes, pulls him in by the front of his shirt. He kisses him firmly, then rests a hand on his cheek and says “rest of our lives, that’s me final offer.”

“You drive a hard bargain,” Gary says, and kisses him again.

*

Later, they’re lying in Gary’s bed and Jamie’s not even thinking about the spare room.

Gary’s got the duvet pulled up to cover his bare chest, glasses perched on his nose while he scrolls on his phone.

“You got any plans a month from Thursday?” he asks idly.

“Not had any plans in a year, lad, might take a while for the calendar to fill back up. Why?”

“Fancy gettin’ married?”

Gary’s still just looking at his phone, his tone still light, but there’s a faint blush rising in his cheeks.

“Hmm, I’m still waitin’ on a better offer,” Jamie teases, “but I reckon I can pencil you in.”

#AGAIN SORRY FOR THE LACK OF FLUFF AND SILLINESS. this DID get away from me a bit #god theyre insane. yes theyd been fwb for 4 years yes they were living together a full year no they still cant say they love each other <3 #also yeah in case it was unclear this is now Officially part of the wife-gary saga (and thank u for giving it that name I love that...) #carraville #drabbles #wife gary saga