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obeiii-mee · 3 years

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Hi so, i get easily get bruises, i can just wake up in the morning and BAM an New bruise. So how would the brother react to MC just having there legs All bruised up?? Oh and sorry for my bad english😅

Yeah, I know what that’s like. I always tend to wake up with bruises on my arms and legs. God knows how those got there. And don’t apologise for your English! It’s not a big deal at all and I’m happy you took the time to send me this request!

Enjoy!

————————————

The Brothers with an MC who bruises easily:

Lucifer:

-He would notice them before you do tbh

-Probably noticed them in the first few days of your stay in DevilDom, demon boy is very observant

-At first, he just assumed those came from you roughhousing with his brothers which happened a lot

-But once you two actuallly entered a relationship, he realised you were waking up with bruises that weren’t there the night before

-(not suggesting anything but maybe...?)

-He takes a moment to question himself like: Is this a human thing he’s too demon to understand? Is MC defective or something? No, no that’s silly but....how tf???

-At some point he just asks you and you just respond with : “It happens all the time.” And “I’m used to it. They don’t even bother me.”

-And he’s like alright because the bruises themselves don’t look too life threatening (then again he’s not a human doctor so how should he know?)

-Lucifer still worries like a mom every now and then but knows there’s nothing he can really do about it. Except forcing Solomon to use some of his mighty spells to heal you

-You won’t know this, but he changed the bedsheets and pillows so they would be softer than they were before because he has a sneaking suspicion you get those by hitting yourself in the middle of night or something

-Thoughtful boyfriend 101

Mammon:

-He...uh, he thought he inflicted those himself

-I mean, he has a habit of manhandling you every now and again, accidentally hitting you or just straight up dropping you when carrying you around

-And he started to feel really bad about it because his human was hurting because of him >:(

-He was just being really quiet around you in hopes of not accidentally hitting you with his wild gestures for a while

-And you were confused by his sudden change in behaviour which made you ask him what the problem was

-“Nah, I just wake up with those bruises. They kinda show up out of nowhere.”

-And he’s like “????????? Really??”

-And you’re like yea

-He’s still on high alert all the time because he still doesn’t get where the mystery injuries keep coming from

-There is a time where he legitimately thinks you got cursed by the witches

-He’ll get over it eventually but he still likes kissing your bruises because he thinks ‘it makes you feel better’

-Also, he’s shit at treating wounds so go to Lucifer if you need to be bandaged up

Levi:

-I feel like he would also wake up with cuts and bruises all over him

-Serpent boy is already sleep deprived as it is, so when he does manage to fall asleep, I imagine he keeps moving about

-He may be a demon and while these ‘bruises’ don’t necessarily hurt, they’re still kinda inconvenient

-He didn’t realise it was a thing humans deal with too, so he was a bit taken aback when you told him you had the same problem

-“You basically sleep in a bath tub, how do you get those bruises??”

-“Uh...idk, I guess hitting the edge of it in the middle of night.”

-You were surprised he sleeps at all, let alone long enough for him to accidentally hit himself and form injuries

-He keeps insisting you look badass with bruises all over you

-“You give off main character vibes MC!”

-“Oh God.”

-“.......”

-“I mean, Oh Lord Diavolo.”

Satan:

-Probably just concentrated on finding something to help you refrain from getting any more of these bruises

-And when I tell you he tries, he really tries

-He will get his hands on every human book about self care and any medical brochures from the human realm he can

-He will kidnap Solomon to help if necessary

-He is A-OK with stealing Belphie’s pillows to see if you’re more comfortable at night with those

-Has absolutely no problem bandaging you up if the bruises are that bad

-Overall, he takes after Lucifer with his mother bear instincts

Asmo:

-CEO of giving you every single lotion and cream he owns in hopes of making you feel better

-He is so sad that your beautiful skin gets ruined by those nasty bruises

-Ngl, if he woke up with one of those he would start screaming and crying

-Also, a lot of babying

-It’s like you broke your leg instead of just having a bruise or two, that’s how he acts

-Asmo is a sweetheart, in reality, so even if the bruises don’t bother you, he feels bad that he can’t do much about it

-He changes the bed sheets and pillows you two use regularly and insists you won’t get anymore bruises if you just cuddle him all night

-I doubt the truth behind that statement, but it’s worth a try

Beel:

-He isn’t worried mostly

-He knows the difference between an injury that hurts and one that is just...there

-Beel does offer to carry you around if he notices you have a bunch of those bruises all over your legs

-He knows they’re not painful, but he loves carrying you around so it doesn’t matter 💞💞

-He doesn’t really get why you wake up with those things either

-Belphie’s been his brother for centuries and he never woke up cuts or anything

-If he feels it’s necessary, he would go to Satan for advice, only because he thinks he’s pretty good at the whole....treating a human

-He goes to Lucifer whenever he has the chance too, asking whether you can sleep in his room instead since you keep getting bruises in your own bed

-I say this a lot but he shares his food with you

-Everytime he sees a new bruise, he just gives you a portion of his meal

-He doesn’t care how much you end up taking as long as you’re happy and distracted from the fact that your legs look like they have been strangled

-Beel is baby and I love him

Belphie:

-That’s unacceptable

-That genuinely disturbs him

-He loves sleep

-He can’t imagine hurting himself like while sleeping

-To him, it’s like imagining your best friend stabbing you in the back when you least expect it

-He will not stand for this

-Belphie is the Avatar of Sloth he will do everything in his power to let you actually have a nice rest without worrying about bruises

-He will put a shit ton of spells on you just so you don’t move around while you are asleep

-He will order 500 new pillows, he doesn’t give two fucks

-He will threaten his bed if he has to

-He will enchant his whole room if he has to

-Like Satan, he has no limits

-Do not test him

-You will not wake up with those bruises anymore whether you like it or not

-Prepare to me affectionately attacked

So, I got this short one out. I have another big ask working on right now that is a sort of alternative ending of the last ask posted requested by someone but while I write that, I have a few smaller asks to complete. I hope you enjoyed this one!

Al~

#obey me #obey me asmodeus #obey me beelzebub #obey me belphegor #obey me imagines #obey me satan #obey me leviathan #obey me mammon #obey me lucifer #⭐️ requests #🌸 comfort #☂️ demon brothers

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aiorevelations · 3 years

Text

A Number, Not a Name: Chapter 13

We hope you all enjoy. We have a few more chapters coming tonight! ; - )

Present-day:

Scarlett stood in the ballroom of Dalmar’s house directing where the delivery men should hang some paintings Dalmar had ordered specially for the gala that evening.

“Where should we place this piece ma'am?” One of the delivery men asked as he held a portrait of Tigran Hakobyan, a famous Krudian general.

“Place the portrait on the right side of the fireplace.” She pointed in its direction.

“So is everything set for tonight.” She heard a male voice come from behind her.

Scarlett turned toward Dalmar. “Nearly done Dalmar. The works by Sargayan were just delivered.”

“Excellent. I want everything to be perfect for tonight.”

“And it will be.” Scarlett stepped closer towards him. “I must say I have never felt such a great feeling of anticipation for anything before. To know that we are on the eve of a new Krudia, a different world. You can’t help but feel the excitement in the air.”

“I must confess that after all the time, energy, and resources I have put into this project, I find it hard to believe that I am so close to accomplishing my goal.”

“I’m just grateful to be by your side and to have played a small part in making your goal a reality. Your tuxedo is tailored, pressed, and ready for this evening. I laid it out on your bed.”

“Very good. I best get ready for the gala. See you later this evening.” Dalmar began walking to his bedroom.

“Of course.” As she saw Dalmar leave the room Scarlett smirked to herself. All the pieces of her plan were falling into place; it was just a matter of letting things naturally run their course. That was until it was time for her to interfere with that course.

As Dalmar slipped on his shawl lapel tuxedo jacket he wasn’t even the slightest bit aware of the tiny voice-activated recorder carefully placed in the left pocket of his suit.

…..

Jason stood in front of the mirror in his hotel room, adjusting his bow tie. Once he was finished he picked up the diamond cufflinks he’d placed on a table by the dresser and attached them to the cuffs of his white dress shirt. He then slipped on his notch lapel tuxedo jacket and did up the front bottoms. He glanced down and up at his reflection, checking his entire outfit, and took a deep breath. Jason wasn’t one to be nervous but even he would admit that the thought of attending a Gala with a wanted criminal was jarring. He knew that the success of his and Tasha’s mission depended on the outcome of this evening. They needed to get the necessary information tonight, otherwise, most likely his first field mission would be a failure. After all the time he had waited to prove himself as an agent on the field, he was going to do whatever it took to make sure that didn’t happen.

He heard a knock at his room door and walked over to open the door. He opened it and saw Tasha. Jason was taken aback by how gorgeous she looked. She was wearing a dark blue off-the-shoulder gown. The dress had a draped ruffle cascading down the left side. All over the gown was embellished and embroidered with sequins. Her shoes were dark blue suede pumps. Her hair was pulled back and twisted in a crown braid. She also wore a pair of diamond halo earrings and held a navy clutch. He always thought she was breathtakingly beautiful but her evening attire seemed to accentuate her stunning features even more.

As Tasha looked at Jason standing in front of her she couldn’t help but think about how good he looked. He was wearing a black notch lapel tuxedo suit, emerald-cut white diamond octagon cufflinks, and black Oxford dress shoes. From the time they met she thought he was very handsome but now, standing there in his suit, she found him even more good-looking. Though of course, she’d never admit it.

“Melinda, hey”

“I thought I’d stop by, see if you were almost ready,” Tasha said as she entered the room.

“Funny, I was just about to go over to your place and make sure you were at least out of the shower” he teased.

“Well,” Tasha glanced down at her outfit “I’m not wearing a bathrobe” she playfully replied.

“No, you definitely aren't,” Jason smiled, causing Tasha to smile as well.

“Speaking of the shower, let’s go in there.”

“The…shower?” he asked, an expression of confusion on his face.

“The bathroom actually, just for a moment.”

“Okay.” he responded, still confused by Tasha’s statement. Jason followed Tasha into the bathroom. After they entered she quickly turned on the shower.

“I thought you already had one of these.” Jason joked.

“We need to talk.” Tasha responded, a serious look in her eyes

“Oh and to talk you need the shower on?”

“Unless you want to be covered with bugs.”

“Bugs?” Jason repeated, still confused. After a second it dawned on him what Tasha meant. “Oh bugs, right. Too bad I forgot to pack my insect repellent.”

Tasha kiddingly rolled her eyes and gave a slight smile. “As I was trying to say, I know technically you’ve been undercover already since we’ve met Dalmar and secured the deal. But tonight is going to be—“

“Hard. Difficult. Demanding.” Jason crossed his arms.

“Let’s just say not a walk in the park.” Jason nodded his head. Tasha continued, “in my experience at these events, where you have to remain undercover for a long period of time, new agents tend to slip up or lose focus. We already have a good deal of intel on Dalmar. From what we’ve seen, with his massive base of followers and speech about radical change, I suspect he’s planning on staging a coup.”

“Either that or win power first by legitimate means and then seize control of the entire country.”

“The how doesn’t matter, we just have to ensure that he doesn’t take over this country. And the only way to do that is to find out where the weapons are located. As of now the only way we have of learning this information is from Dalmar directly.”

“And who knows if we’ll see him again before Wednesday, when the weapons are supposed to be delivered.”

“Exactly, which makes tonight our only shot at getting the information we need, which means that you and I have to bring our ‘A’ game.”

“Understood.”

“Good.” Tasha smiled and turned off the shower. She then remembered something. “Oh, sorry I almost forgot but would you give me a hand with this necklace? For some reason, I can’t get it to clasp.” She held the sapphire bar drop necklace out to him that she’d been holding for the past few minutes.

“Sure.” He took the necklace from her and clasped it around her neck.

“Thanks.”

“It sure is a beautiful necklace,” Jason remarked.

“Thank you. It belonged to my grandmother.”

“Well, it looks wonderful on you. You look great by the way.”

“Thanks. Though I’ve worn this dress to a million other parties.” Tasha laughed. “You don’t look too bad yourself.”

“Why thank you. I try my best.” Jason gave a boyish grin.

“Just don’t let it go to your head.”

“Okey-dokey.” They both smiled again.

“We’d best get downstairs. The last thing we need is to be late.” Tasha began to head for the door.

“Right behind you.”

…..

The older man reached for the microphone that was placed in the car and spoke into it. "This is White Falcon. The targets have just left The Chardell.”

Red Sparrow’s voice echoed in response through the car speaker system. “Affirmative. Do not take action. Stay in your current position until further notice.”

“Understood.”

…..

As Tasha and Jason made their way to Dalmar’s house they each noted the drastic change in scenery. The vehicle traveled through the sprawling city, a large grassy plain dotted by small farms and villages, and up a windy road on Mt. Karanaj. Finally, the BMW pulled up in front of a mansion which was located about halfway up the mountain in the middle of a forest. The house was four stories tall with a basement as well. The house was in the style of a modern mountain home as parts of its walls were made of redwoods with the other large sections being made out of stone as well as cutouts and windows of glass. It also had sloped and flat rooflines, timber and steel details, and a massive porch and deck situated in the front of the house.

A doorman walked up to the car and opened the right passenger door. Tasha and Jason each said “Thank you” to the gentleman as they exited the BMW and headed for the entrance to the house. They entered through the arched doorway into the entryway and were greeted with a crowd of people gathered in the house, the women dressed in the finest designer dresses and jewelry and the men wearing their best tuxedos.

The inside of Dalmar’s home was even more elaborate than the outside. It had high vaulted ceilings, redwood beams that stretched from one end of the room to the other, ornate gold and onyx carvings in the walls, murals, and paintings from world-renown artists hung on the walls. The floors were made of the finest marble and numerous crystal chandeliers hung throughout the mansion.

Almost as soon as they entered the home Tasha and Jason were greeted by Tarek.

“Melinda, Edward. Welcome.”

“Hello Tarek” Tasha responded.

“It’s good to see you again,” Jason added.

“Dalmar’s been anticipating your arrival. I’ll take you to him.”

“Sounds like a plan,” Jason replied. Tarek led Tasha and Jason through the crowd to a gold-plated bifurcated staircase. They walked up a couple of flights of stairs and arrived at the second floor of the house. Tarek led them down a hall past several rooms and into a grand ballroom. The ceiling was adorned with frescoes that depicted famous moments in history. The walls and ceilings were overlaid with gold trimmings and carvings. A marble stone fireplace was in the center of the room and three gold and Swarovski clear crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling. The three of them made their way over to Dalmar who was standing by the fireplace, holding a glass of champagne in his hand. Tarek withdrew himself and headed downstairs to greet more arriving guests.

“Mr. Delucas, Ms. Tylerson” Dalmar greeted them.

“Dalmar” Jason acknowledged him.

“It’s a pleasure to see you again Dalmar,” Tasha added.

“Davit. You can call me Davit” he smiled.

“Only if you call Melinda.”

“For you my dear, that I can do.” He outstretched his arms “So what do you think of the place?”

“It’s amazing…Davit. Certainly one of the most elaborate and beautiful homes I’ve ever seen.”

“A man that can do this well for himself…it shows even more that we partnered with the right guy.”

Dalmar smirked and took a sip of his champagne. “Who am I to argue with that?”

Jason sensed an opportunity and spoke. “Speaking of our partnership. Melinda and I have been giving our deal a great amount of thought and we feel since we’ve supplied you with firepower we are entitled to be given some more information.”

“Information?” Dalmar furrowed his brow.

“Yes,” Tasha responded. “You’ve kept your plans for this operation rather close to the vest. Overall strategy. Location or locations of your armaments. We’re not in the habit of partnering in operations we know close to nothing about.”

“Trust me, for the sake of our success I can’t divulge much. My secrecy has been the only way I’ve gotten this far. What I will say is that you will be handsomely compensated. Whatever money you want. Whatever position you want. It will be yours” Dalmar took another swig from his glass.

“What do you mean by position?” Tasha pressed for more details. “A high position in society? To be honest we had our eye on a little more than that.”

Dalmar chuckled to himself. “I must say Melinda you are quite—”

“Determined? Resolute?”

“Very persistent.”

“It’s how I’ve survived in this business as long as I have.”

“That I can respect. Likewise, I think you and your associate can understand my hesitancy to disclose sensitive information.”

Before either Tasha or Jason could respond Adrian came up to Dalmar and whispered in his ear. Dalmar whispered something to Adrian in reply and then turned back toward Tasha and Jason.

“If you’ll excuse me for a moment there is an urgent matter I must attend to.”

“Of course,” Tasha replied. Dalmar exited the ballroom with Adrian by his side, leaving Tasha and Jason alone. Tasha slightly shook her head and sighed. “I should have known a man like Dalmar would try as far as possible to keep things close to his vest.”

“At least you tried.”

“Thankfully, we have the rest of the evening. Though I have a feeling it’s going to be a very long one.”

“I’m going to go get some sparkling water to drink. Do you want any?”

“No, thanks. I’m fine.”

“Okay, then. I’ll be right back.” Jason made his way out of the ballroom and down to the first floor of the house. He walked through several rooms trying to find the bar. He then heard a voice from behind him. “Lost?” He turned to see Scarlett.

“Is it that obvious?” Jason laughed.

“Don’t feel bad it happens all the time to first-time guests. It is a pretty big house.”

“I was just looking for the bar.”

“Walk to the entryway, pass the staircase and go all the way to the back of the house, turn left and you’ll find it next to the kitchen.”

“Thanks, Ms…”

“Scarlett is fine.”

“Thanks, Scarlett.”

“Of course.”

Jason then left, followed Scarlett’s directions, and arrived at the bar. As he waited in line to get his drink something caught his attention out of the corner of his eye. Through a window in the back of the room, he spotted two of Dalmar’s security guards, talking to each other in hushed tones. Jason walked closer to the window to get a better look, careful not to draw any attention to himself. He saw the two guards talk for a few more moments before they started heading towards the woods. As they walked they stopped every so often to look back towards the mansion, He assumed to make sure no one was following them. Jason stood there going over in his mind what he should do.

Tasha said we should get the info from Dalmar but so far he’s been nothing but…cagey. It’s not like we have a guarantee he’ll give us the necessary info. This could be our only opportunity to get the intel we need. I could also prove myself to Tasha, to Donovan, to the Agency. Show them I actually have what it takes as an agent. The last thing I want is my first mission to be a failure. Sure, it’s a bit risky, but this is a great opportunity. Who knows it might be our only chance of getting the information we need.

Jason saw the two men walk farther and farther away in the distance and knew it was now or never. Pushing all remaining doubts out of his mind, Jason glanced around the room to make sure no one had noticed him watching the two guards. No one had. Jason quickly exited the room and walked back to the entryway. He discreetly slipped through the crowd and made his way outside.

…..

Tasha leaned against the railing of the wooden deck, taking in the majestic view of the mountainside and night sky all around. The views reminded her of the times she and her parents used to go camping in the woods together when she was a little girl. They’d all snuggle up by the fire, tell scary stories, and roast marshmallows. At night she and her parents would lie on the ground and gaze at all the stars. Tasha would point out to them and name all the constellations and stars she knew, which was a significant amount. Her parents would laugh and joke that she spent all the time they stargazed talking her head off. Tasha smiled to herself as she thought of the memory. Suddenly, she saw two men walking in the distance near the edge of the woods. She then spotted another man sneaking behind them. Tasha recognized the outfit the first men were wearing as the uniform Dalmar’s security wore. The other man wasn’t wearing a uniform, rather a tuxedo. Tasha soon realized the man was Jason.

“Enjoying the view,” Dalmar remarked. Startled, Tasha quickly turned around and saw Dalmar standing on the deck. “Sorry I didn’t mean to startle you.”

Tasha forced a smile. “No, it’s all right.” Dalmar walked closer to her. “The views here are…stunning,” she said as she looked over the landscape.

“Yes, they certainly are,” Dalmar replied, though Tasha noticed that he wasn't looking at the view but at her.

“In the ballroom, I couldn’t help but admire the portrait of Tigran Hakobyan above the fireplace. It truly was a lovely piece of art.”

“General Hakobyan huh? So you know your Krudian History.”

“Some, though I’d be the first to admit that I’m no expert.”

“That portrait is actually part of a collection by the famous Krudian artist Garine Sargayan that depicts famous Krudian generals and leaders. I just acquired the collection for tonight.”

“I would love it if you could show me the other portraits. You could tell me more about the men and women depicted. Their lives and conquests. I’ve always been fascinated by history. Besides I have no doubt that one day we’ll be adding your portrait to that collection.”

“I think I can manage that.” He offered her his arm. Tasha took it and the two of them began making their way back inside the ballroom.

As Tasha and Dalmar walked through the doorway she quickly glanced behind her and saw Jason disappear in the distance. She was relieved Dalmar hadn’t spotted him while on the balcony yet she still had an uneasy feeling she couldn’t shake. All she could do now was stick to her plan and hope for the best, though she expected the worst.

#aio #aio fanfic #AIO Fanfiction #jason and tasha #jason whittaker #tasha forbes #Jason #Tasha #Adventures in odyssey #adventuresinodyssey #It's time for the gala #the gala scenes are some of our most favorite moments we've written

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trillhouse-lh · 4 years

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Mask

The Avenue. One of the most prestigious clubs in Great Lake City, a local legend in the nightlife scene. Those who weren't living it up on the dance floor mingled near the bars, combatting the pulsing music with casual conversation and laughter. The atmosphere, as always, was electric; to one man however, it was little more than an annoyance. Just endless, meaningless noise.

He kept his distance from the throngs of partiers, seated at a booth with a glass of scotch-Johnnie Walker Blue Label, at $65 a shot-which he sipped at slowly, looking out upon the herd with disinterest. Practically attached to his side was a younger woman, a blonde bombshell of the caliber that most men would kill for. Young, shapely body, luscious lips, tight sequined dress that left little to the imagination… and of course, a head full of air. She leaned into the man's side, checking herself in a pocket mirror and freshening up her cherry-red lipstick. Once she was sure she looked perfect, she closed the mirror with a snap and placed it in her pocket book.

"I wanna dance," She said. Her boyfriend didn't respond, nor did he give any sort of indication that he'd heard her at all. The woman frowned and gave his arm a little tug. "Babe, I wanna dance."

"I heard you the first time," The man grunted. "I'm not in the mood." His companion gave an almost childish pout.

"But I am. You promised we could dance…"

"Later, then." He said cooly. The woman sighed and crossed her arms, giving the busy dance floor a longing gaze. The man didn't care. He simply sipped his drink, his attention focused nowhere in particular. Most would assume that his pensive stare was that of a man lost in thought, but that was far from the case… he was simply existing, present in body but not in mind, barely even cognizant of the beautiful woman latched to his side. She was meaningless to him, after all; just another idiotic young tart barely out of high school, all too happy to leech off an older, wealthier man rather than make something of herself. She was no different from those who had come before, nor those who would come after. Good for a bit of fun and nothing else… to be used and then discarded once he'd had his fill.

A toy. Nothing more than that.

"Babe, come on," She huffed, giving his arm another tug. "It's a nightclub! Are you really going to just sit here all night?"

"I said, no."

"But I'm bored!" The young woman whined; it was clear from her tone that she was starting to get frustrated with her boyfriend. "I want to dance now-"

"Go, then." He said plainly. "I'm not stopping you."

"Ugh!" She scoffed and turned away from the man. "You've been a real jerk lately, you know that?!" She waited for a response, but received little more than a vague grunt of irritation. "...Fine. Fine!" She snapped, pulling away and sliding out of the booth. "I'll go dance by myself, then. Come find me when you're ready to stop being-"

"Won't be necessary," The man cut in, leaving her words to die on her lips. "You go right ahead and enjoy yourself. I trust you'll be able to find someone looking for an easy fuck." She stared at her boyfriend in disbelief, as though she'd somehow misheard the man's words.

"E-excuse me…?!"

"Do I need to simplify it for you?" He muttered. "I'm tired of you. Fuck. Off." The woman glared at him in silence, her body quaking in indignant rage. Nobody had spoken to her like that before… what man in their right mind would reject her? She grit her teeth and reeled back, her palm open to deliver a forceful slap.

The man caught her by the wrist without even looking.

"Ow!" The woman hissed, trying to pull away from the man, but he didn't loosen his grip in the slightest. On the contrary, he only squeezed tighter, so tight that the woman swore she could feel her bones creaking. "Y-you're hurting me," She gasped. "L-let me-" Her protests faded to a faint croak as, for the first time since they'd arrived that night, the man looked her in the eye. His gaze was cold, empty, devoid of life… as though there were simply nothing behind those gray eyes. No compassion. No anger. Nothing. It felt like he was staring into her soul, daring her to make a scene. Finally he let go and the woman grasped her aching wrist, shrinking back under his icy gaze. She lingered only a moment before her lip started trembling and she turned, hurrying off to God knows where. Not that he cared; he simply scoffed as she ran away, and with that little annoyance dealt with he turned his focus back to the crowd. None seemed to have noticed what happened, or at the very least if they did they knew better than to do anything about it.

With that, the man simply continued sipping his drink as though nothing had happened at all. It was nothing new, after all… he'd kicked far, far better women than she to the curb before, and he had no doubt he'd do so again. It was all part of the game, and it was a game he knew how to play better than damn near anyone.

It was also a game that he'd grown tired of as of late.

He'd learned from a young age that the world's pleasures belonged to those willing to take them. It was something his father had quite literally hammered into his skull as a child… in truth the sole thing he was grateful to the piece of shit for. The strong came out on top, while the weak were rightfully trampled underfoot. So he became strong. He rose to the top while his father fell to the bottom… meeting his end at the bottom of a staircase, his neck broken after the drunk bastard took a tumble.

A tragic accident, of course.

Since then, he had come to live by those words. He rose to his station. Money, power, good looks, women, he had it all. That which wasn't given he was all too happy to take. Those who challenged him would soon come to regret it. And yet, through it all, he maintained his public image… that of a legitimate businessman, gentleman, and generous philanthropist. Because he knew how to play the game. He knew how to get what he wanted, and was willing to wear whatever mask he needed to do so. As such, winning over brain-dead bimbos like her was child's play. And much like a child's plaything, he was growing increasingly bored. Perhaps it was time to mix things up a bit.

The man scanned the crowd, his lifeless gray eyes flicking between the offerings with little apparent interest. The club attracted a fairly diverse crowd, from young to mature to everything in between. Some were there with friends, others to meet new people, and of course there were those just looking for some company for the night… hussies, as far as he was concerned. He had little time for them.

...Oh?

The man stopped, his gaze lingering on one figure in particular. He could see her through the crowd, standing at the bar in an attractive blue dress and a lovely pearl necklace. She seemed to be glancing around, as though looking for someone, and as she turned her head he took a moment to study her face. She was a beautiful woman, not too old nor too young; her makeup, while tastefully applied, was just excessive enough that it was clear she had something to hide. No doubt she was starting to show her age and feeling particularly self-conscious about it.

Next, her body language: she was shifting in place anxiously and looking around, chewing her lower lip with a forlorn expression. She was upset, clearly. Her hands? No ring. Unmarried and aging, how sad. Her drink? Cranberry juice, from the look of it… not a drinker. Recovering, perhaps. Still, very peculiar for a non-drinker to be standing around at a bar unaccompanied. Perhaps she was waiting for some friends to return? No… she looked too upset for that. Nearly heartbroken, in fact. As if to confirm his suspicions the woman took out her phone and checked the time, taking another futile look among the crowd before sadly putting it away. Though his expression remained impassive as ever, his mind got to work piecing together the puzzle. This woman intrigued him. He would have her. And in a matter of seconds, he'd worked out how. With that, he polished off his drink and slid out from the booth, flexing his neck before straightening out his posture. As he weaved his way through the crowd, politely apologizing to those around him, his lips curled back in a friendly smile and his glare softened into a gentle gaze that made his cold grey eyes almost seem like a sparkling blue under the lights.

He put on the mask.

The downtrodden woman stared idly into her glass, lightly swirling it and watching the cranberry juice ripple within. She should have known this would happen… he'd been so non-committal when they'd set things up, but she'd been foolish enough to convince herself things would be different this time. Well, no point in lingering here alone… she may as well pay for her drink and head home to drown her sorrows in a pint of ice cream. She tried getting the bartender's attention, only for some red-headed seductress to call him over for another round. The woman sighed again and took a sip of her cranberry juice. Typical.

"Guy stood you up, huh?" The woman was snapped from her self-pity by a low voice beside her. She glanced over, finding a stunningly handsome man leaning on the bar. He was tall and barrel-chested, with perfectly-styled blonde hair and a strong jawline. Clean-shaven. Well-dressed. Million-dollar smile. For a moment, she was simply taken aback by his sudden appearance,

"I… excuse me…?" The man raised his palm and let out a chuckle.

"Sorry if I'm being presumptuous. You just looked like you could use some company, that's all," He said. "I'd offer to buy you a drink, but…" He flicked his eyes towards the cranberry juice, and the woman seemed to snap out of her stupor.

"Oh, um… n-no, it's quite alright," She said with a small smile. "You're not wrong. On either front, sadly." The man frowned and shook his head in empathy.

"I'm sorry to hear that. Can't say I haven't been there myself…" He muttered before that charming smile appeared once more. "Well, if it's not too bold of me to say, anyone who would leave a woman like you hanging must be out of their damn mind." The man shot her a wink and her cheeks flushed a light pink.

"Oh, stop…" The woman said, giggling into her palm. The man chuckled again. She took a moment to study him, taking in his chiseled features and masculine physique. He almost felt like a model straight out of GQ, the epitome of class in addition to his naturally good looks. Not to mention that he seemed to be an absolute gentleman to boot… and, perhaps most importantly, he seemed interested. She averted her eyes and took another sip of her drink, her cheeks reddening by the second.

"You know…" The man said as he pushed away from the bar and glanced over towards the dance floor. "I may not be the guy you're here to meet, but-"

"Yes," The woman blurted out, to her chagrin; she clammed up as the man looked back at her with a cocked eyebrow and a smirk, and cleared her throat before continuing. "I-I mean… I'd love to dance, if you're offering." The gentleman smiled and gave a small nod.

"It would be my privilege. Shall we, miss…?"

"Lori. Lori Loud." She said with a bashful smile, extending her hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you…"

"Chester Richards." The man said with a broad, gleaming smile. He took her hand gingerly and gave it a gentle shake. "The pleasure's all mine."

#sin kids #what she'd been missing #trillhouse #fanfiction #my work #chester richards #Lori Loud

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gerrystamour · 4 years

Text

love is a target with my heart painted on it

Written by: GerryStAmour

Explicit B-Sides Fic: [LINK]

Chapter One: Letting Go [Chapter Two]

“Juno,” Nureyev began hesitantly, and it was that particular tone that made Juno look up at him. He regretted looking when he noticed the man holding the white, silk garment bag that had been hidden deep in his closet. “This doesn’t appear to be one of Buddy’s costumes.”

“‘Cos it’s not,” Juno manages to say, looking back down at the journal he had been looking at. The aim was for nonchalant, but he landed on flat. There was a part of him that knew the topic wouldn’t be dropped, but he still hoped that it would. It took a great effort to not snap at the weight of Nureyev’s expectant stare.

But what could Juno possibly say? There was nothing he could say that wasn’t completely pathetic, and even if there was…

The only reason it was even visible was that the closet was close to empty. He had been staying the night in Nureyev’s quarters so often, his clothing was migrating as well. This was one of the rare times Juno found himself in his own quarters for any length of time, especially with Nureyev joining him, and it was mostly to look over some notes he had taken during a case he had solved a few years back. A few details about their current mark had some elements of deja vu, and Juno wanted to check his leads.

The thief sighed as the silence stretched, and Juno braced himself.

“Why is there a wedding gown in your closet, Juno?” Nureyev pressed gently, but it still triggered his response to strike out at him like a wounded animal.

“Why do you think there’s a wedding dress in my closet, Nureyev?” Juno snapped as he looked back at Nureyev, his tone defensive and vicious, and he immediately regretted it.

The man just watched him patiently from where he stood, an eyebrow raised delicately, but his expression impossibly soft. How could Nureyev just take his mean streak like that so easily, not even flinch or get angry in return?

‘I don’t deserve him,’ Juno thought sadly for a moment, mind swirling around the day he knew would come when Nureyev decided he was more work than he was worth, that he was too much like Sarah Steel, that-- ‘No. We are not doing that again,’ he thought sternly and shook his head, looking away uncomfortably.

“Well, normally I would assume you were prepared to be married soon,” Nureyev responded slowly, keeping a gentle sort of humour in his voice as he did. “Judging from your tone, however, I doubt that you’re secretly engaged or planning to propose to anyone.”

Juno put down the journal he had been leafing through and turned to face Nureyev fully, defensive fury flashing through him again. His anger was unfair, and Juno knew it, and that only made him more frustrated with himself.

“You seriously want to talk about this right now? Make a whole big deal about it?” he asked, leaning his elbows on his knees and narrowing his eyes at Nureyev.

“Yes, Juno, I would like to address why my lover has a stunning wedding gown in his closet,” the thief said firmly, and a hint of exasperation had entered his tone. The vicious part of Juno’s self-esteem celebrated that as a victory before he squashed it down. Nureyev’s tone softened as he continued, gently adding, “especially a wedding gown that makes him so upset.”

At that, Nureyev crossed the room to sit next to Juno at the end of the bed. Nureyev kept about a foot and a half of space between them, allowing him the distance he needed. Juno was grateful for that and felt some of the tension twisting his guts into knots relax a bit.

“I will understand if you wish to talk about this another time,” Nureyev added, holding a hand out on the bed between them, palm up, for Juno to take if he wished. “But if we are serious about working on our communication, we will have to revisit this eventually.”

“Fine,” Juno said with an explosive sigh, ignoring the thief’s hand for the time being. “Fine, we’ll talk. I was engaged, and then Ben died, so then I started drinking and spiralling and got fired, so then I got dumped, too. So there, that is why I have a fucking wedding dress in my fucking closet, Nureyev. Happy?”

If he hadn’t felt so nauseated and anxious about the conversation he was suddenly having, the stunned silence would have made Juno laugh. Nureyev seemed legitimately taken aback by the revelation and was doing an admirable job of processing the wave of new information without gaping dumbly.

“C’mon, Nureyev,” Juno eventually said with a roll of his eye when the tense silence stretched on. “It’s not like all of that wasn’t public knowledge at the time. You’ve researched me before, you had to have known.”

“I’ve only researched what was relevant for a… professional relationship,” Nureyev confessed, shrugging with a roguish smile when Juno raised an eyebrow at him. “I was taken with you very early on, my dear Juno, and had hoped for something to come of it. Since you couldn’t look up my personal information, it didn’t seem fair for me to pry into yours.”

“How considerate,” Juno replied with an eye-roll, but the sarcasm didn’t quite come through. The thought of Nureyev refraining from digging into his private, yet very publicly-known trail of fuck-ups, hoping to learn them on a more equal footing together, made something in his chest go very soft.

“I am known to be so on occasion,” the thief teased before his face turned a bit more serious again. “Now, none of that truly answered the question of why you have a wedding dress in your closet.”

“The hell do you mean by that, Nureyev?” Juno snapped, cringing at the overreaction. “You asked why, I told you I was engaged, so there. An answer.”

“That was an answer for how you came to acquire such a gown, yes,” Nureyev conceded thoughtfully, humming as he nodded. “However, this is at least the second closet it has been moved to since that time. It has been years, yet you carry it with you still, making space for it in your life even where there really isn’t any.”

Juno just chuckled a bit at that and sighed, the remaining tension in his body bleeding out of him. “Would you accept ‘I spent way too many creds on that thing to just toss it out’?” he eventually asked with a pleading smile, legitimately grinning when Nureyev laughed.

“Apologies, Juno. You will have to give me better than that to get out of this,” the thief replied warmly.

“Damn, that always works with Rita,” he lamented, laughing a bit along with Nureyev. Eventually, he sighed and finally took the hand the other man had offered earlier in their conversation, scooting over so that they were pressed against each other’s sides. Nureyev sighed and pulled their clasped hands into his lap and lifted his other hand to trace little shapes into the back of Juno’s.

“Why did you keep the dress, my love?” Nureyev prompted, his tone soft and barely loud enough for Juno to hear.

“I guess it was the last thing I had, from before everything went wrong,” Juno finally admitted, shrugging half-heartedly. He had processed a lot of this in his own way a long time ago, but to actually say it out loud to someone, to Nureyev , had tears springing to his eyes. “It was the only thing that I had when I moved out of Diamond’s place. Just me and that dress in an empty apartment.”

Now that he said it out loud, the absurdity of it hit him and Juno began to laugh, wiping a tear that fell from his eye. “I haven’t even worn it since the final fitting,” he admitted, looking up at the ceiling of his quarters and biting his lip. “I wouldn’t even wear it if I had a reason to now.”

As a shaky breath escaped him, Nureyev let go of his hand and pulled him into a hug. Juno was held tightly against Nureyev’s chest while one hand gently pet the back of his head while the other rubbed his back. Juno couldn’t have helped the contented sigh that escaped him if he had wanted to, and he could ignore how close to a sob it had sounded for the time being.

“Thank you for telling me all of that, goddess,” Nureyev said against the top of his head, pressing a kiss there before tipping them so they were laying down on the bed on their sides together.

It was an awkward position, with their legs still hanging most of the way off the edge. Juno curled his legs up, trying to scoot further onto the bed. Taking it as a hint, Nureyev demonstrated just how deceptively strong he could be by lifting Juno and carrying him up to the pillows.

When they pulled back to meet each other’s gaze, Juno gave Nureyev a watery smile and a sheepish shrug. “It was nothing, telling you I mean,” Juno sighed. “Hearing it out loud makes it seem ridiculous. I should really let go of it.”

“That is entirely up to you, love,” Nureyev reassured him. “There is no need to rush, and we’re not exactly in a position to sell it if that’s the direction you wanted to go.”

“I’ll think of something,” Juno replied. “Destroying it might even be cathartic.”

“It wouldn’t,” Nureyev said flatly. “That would be a complete waste, and considering it’s a symbol for a time before destruction was wrought upon your life, it might cause more harm to destroy it.”

“You’re probably right,” Juno agreed a bit grudgingly, but even as he grumbled, an idea popped into his head and took root immediately. Silence fell over them again while they watched each other, gently holding each other’s cheeks. After a few minutes, Juno said, “I’m sorry for getting mean. It’s not fair to treat you like crap like that.”

“Thank you, Juno,” Nureyev replied, straining forward a bit to give him a chaste kiss on the lips.

“I’ll try and make it up to you,” Juno promised with a suggestive wink.

“You always do,” Nureyev said around a laugh, his grin almost blinding as he leaned forward to kiss Juno again, deeply this time, and chase away the final vestiges of his melancholy.

“Hey Buddy,” Juno said, shifting awkwardly in the hall outside her door.

“Juno, darling, what is it?” she asked, concern so genuine in her tone that Juno felt the threatening prickle of tears again. One day, an older woman would show bare minimum concern for his well-being and he wouldn’t have the knee-jerk reaction to either fight her or cry, but today was not that day.

“Nothing, at least nothing bad. I wanted to talk to Vespa for a minute,” he replied in a rush, meeting the doctor’s eyes around the captain’s shoulder. “Privately?”

“Anything you want to say to me, you can say in front of the captain, Steel,” Vespa growled, already on the defence and baring her teeth.

“Come on in, Juno,” Buddy said with a smile, which was a bit strained at the prospect of Juno and Vespa getting into another rip-roaring argument on their downtime as well. “And yes, I would prefer to be present for any disagreements or grievances you might have with each other. You know that, Juno.”

“This isn’t a grievance, or a disagreement, or whatever,” Juno almost pouted, wringing his hands around the metal hook on the hanger behind his back. “I have something for Vespa, a gift or whatever, and I guess I could give it to her in front of you but it’s a little personal, so it’s like really uncomfortable--”

“Enough, darling, I can step into the bedroom while you chat with Vespa,” Buddy soothed, ushering him the rest of the way in and shutting the door. From what he could see of her expression past the curtain of red hair, she had clocked the garment bag he was holding and was deliberately schooling her expression into a neutral mask.

Buddy walked through the sitting room of her quarters, pausing to give Vespa a reassuring squeeze of her hand, and disappeared into the bedroom.

Juno stood awkwardly near the door, shuffling his feet and watching the woman across from him. She had obviously been relaxing before he arrived, and was now standing stiffly in a half-crouch, glaring at him thoughtfully. Vespa’s hair was starting to grow out nicely, looking less and less thin every week, and she was filling out a bit now that she was eating regularly. Vespa was beautiful, and after everything she had gone through to finally reach this point, she deserved beautiful things.

“Well? Spit it out, Steel,” she snapped, clearly nervous at the extended silence in the room.

“Here, for your wedding, if you want,” Juno said, stepping closer and holding the garment bag out to her. “We’re about the same height--”

“I’m taller,” Vespa growled, eyes glued to the white garment bag in front of her as if it were a venomous snake about to bite her.

“Okay, whatever Vespa, I had it altered with super high heels in mind, so I’m sure it will be fine,” Juno sighed, trying to keep his cool for the rest of the conversation. “I’m broader, too, so it will definitely need to be altered--”

“Why the hell would I want a dress, Steel?” Vespa interrupted, wrapping her arms around her middle and finally looking back at his face. “Do I look like someone who would wear a goddamned fucking dress?”

“No, you don’t. Like you really, really don’t, Vespa. But it’s also your wedding and,” Juno paused, sighing, “I’ve had this dress for a long time, and it deserves to make someone happy again.”

“And what does that have to do with me?” Vespa asked, and for once the growl left her tone. She was talking in a way Juno had only heard glimpses of between her and Buddy. She was caught off-guard, and she was opening herself up to him, asking him to say clearly what he was offering her.

“I guess if someone was going to wear it, I would want…” Juno trailed off a bit, swallowing around the lump that suddenly formed in his throat, and took a fortifying breath. “I would want my family to have it.”

There was a long, pregnant silence as Juno struggled to meet Vespa’s eyes and the woman gaped at him. It hit Juno just how sappy that had sounded and his face heated up almost painfully and he began to withdraw his proffered hand. His movement seemed to trigger a response from Vespa, and her face contorted a bit.

“What the fuck, Steel--”

“Listen, if you don’t want it, fine, I thought I would offer before I sold it--”

“I didn’t say I didn’t fucking want it, Steel,” Vespa hissed, snatching the garment bag and holding it to her chest. Scrubbing harshly at her eyes, which seemed very red and watery all of a sudden, she looked down at it. “You can’t just take gifts back like that.”

“Well, it didn’t really seem like you wanted it!” Juno said defensively, but a smile was on his face.

“This doesn’t mean I’ll actually wear it, Steel,” she bit out, meeting his gaze firmly, but without the defensive anger she would normally project. “I accept your gift, but I’ll probably still hate it because I don’t. Wear. Dresses.”

“Sounds like a deal,” Juno said, throwing his hands up and backing toward the door. “Just make sure you get a good price for it when you sell it.”

“Shut the fuck up, Steel,” Vespa said sharply, but she was looking at the garment bag with very obvious tears in her eyes. “Get out of here.”

“Yup, yup, I’m gone,” Juno said, slipping out the door and closing it behind himself. He hesitated just long enough to hear Buddy rejoin Vespa, the zipper of the garment bag, and both of their gasps at seeing the gown before hurrying off down the hall.

He felt pretty good about things and definitely wanted to share this good cheer with someone special.

The next morning found Juno sitting in the common room (or the rec room, whatever) and staring through the big window into the vacuum of space. He was still sleepy and working on his first cup of coffee, and he yawned loudly into the empty room. For once, Juno had risen before Nureyev, and he was excited to tease him with that the moment he awoke.

“Juno, you’re up early.”

Juno yelped and spilt his coffee a bit, hissing at the slight burn of it through his thin shirt and turned his head to glare at Buddy as she rounded the couch.

“Yeah, I know, a real shock,” he grumbled bitterly as he wiped at the wet spot on his chest.

“I’m glad to have caught you alone, darling. I was dreading getting you away from Ransom to say this,” she confessed as she sat down next to him, laughing at that thought before turning serious and meeting Juno’s eye. “I wanted to thank you for the gown.”

He cringed at that and shook his head, putting his coffee down on the table in front of them. “Buddy, you don’t--”

“No, Juno, you will let me finish. I wanted to thank you for the gown; it is absolutely gorgeous and Vespa is quite taken with it,” Buddy said, sighing quickly before adding, “it is too gorgeous, in fact, for me to accept it free of charge. It is a beautiful gown and must have tremendous sentimental value.”

“Okay, Buddy, I want to stop you there,” Juno said in a tired voice. “It did have sentimental value, it still does, but not really the good kind. It was a reminder, and I just… it’s better off with someone else. I promise.”

“But what about you? It’s your dress, and you and Ransom seem to be hitting it off very well,” Buddy continued, her expression serious.

“Ransom? And me?” Juno sputtered, shaking his head and feeling his face heat. “I mean that might be an um, a possibility, in a few years if we survive, but r-r-right now? No.”

“I didn’t say ‘right now,’ Juno,” Buddy replied knowingly, smiling gently.

“Yeah, I know, but that dress belonged to a different Juno, from a different time, and it was for Diamond,” he said in a rush, looking back out the window. “It wouldn’t feel right wearing it for Ransom, or anyone else.”

Buddy hummed thoughtfully and said, “that makes sense, darling. It still does not cover the question of compensation, though.”

“It’s a gift,” Juno said firmly, glancing back at his captain.

“It’s far too nice to be a gift, darling,” Buddy insisted. “At least not for free.”

“It wasn’t ‘free,’ Buddy,” Juno insisted, turning to look at her fully again. “I told Vespa yesterday that if someone was going to have it, I wanted it to be family. I figured she’d’ve told you.”

From the dumbstruck expression on Buddy’s face, Vespa had not told her the conditions of the gift and Juno flinched when her eye turned glassy and wet with unshed tears. Juno felt his own eye tear up and looked up at the ceiling to try and stop them from falling.

“So, the price of the gown was putting up with my bullshit long enough for me to get all attached and needy,” Juno bit out, letting out a shuddery breath.

“Oh, Juno, darling,” Buddy said breathlessly, and suddenly Juno found himself in a firm hug that caught him off guard. The captain was much stronger than she looked; the way she clung to him the embrace was almost painful. He returned it readily though, laughing a bit as the movement knocked his tears loose.

The hug ended as quickly as it had begun, and Buddy pulled back to meet Juno’s gaze with a watery smile. “I am glad we are family, Juno. And I gratefully accept your gift, and will not speak of compensating you any further,” she said with a laugh.

“Well, I mean, if you want to give me a few extra creds for it, I’m not gonna complain,” Juno teased and laughed when Buddy smacked him upside the head lightly.

“Don’t ruin the beautiful moment, Juno,” she scolded, but the smile was still on her face as she stood up. “I will leave you two alone.”

It was that moment Juno realized Nureyev had entered the room at some point and was waiting patiently for them to finish their conversation. He smiled, a bit strained, at Buddy as she approached him and bowed slightly.

“Captain,” he greeted.

“Good morning, Pete,” she replied, pausing to pat his cheek before pulling him down to whisper something in his ear. Interestingly, Nureyev flushed deeply just before the captain stepped away and continued her exit. “You two, keep it clean in the common areas.”

“So,” Juno began, breaking the thick silence that descended after Buddy’s departure. “You gonna tell me what she said that got you so red?”

“No,” Nureyev said, turning even redder as he came around the couch to sit with Juno. “Not yet, at least.”

“Hmm, tempted to pull the whole ‘communication’ card with you,” Juno teased, sighing when Nureyev pulled him into a gentle embrace.

“It was merely a suggestion about the future,” Nureyev replied, stroking one hand up and down Juno’s torso. “You will know, someday.”

“Fine,” Juno said, too sleepy to argue further for answers and already allowing his eye to flutter shut. “Have it your way.”

“I shall, my beautiful lady,” Nureyev replied, his voice so tender it made Juno’s entire chest squeeze.

Everything felt good. Perhaps not perfect, but good. Right. He was in the arms of someone he cared deeply for, on a ship with a crew--no, a family he trusted with his life, and a home. An honest to God home . Not like his apartment back in Hyperion City, not even the place he shared with Diamond or the apartment he grew up in with his mom and brother. Somehow, Juno had learned to feel safe and secure for the first time in many years, possibly the first time in his whole life.

He was safe, he was in Nureyev’s arms, and he was finally letting go of that last, jagged piece of his past. And, in spite of everything he had gone through, Juno was actually happy.

#the penumbra podcast #the penumbra fanfic #junoverse #juno steel #jupeter #lovetarget #gerry writes #full fic

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thedeevirus · 6 years

Note

Prompt if you're in the mood to write season 1 Jim/Ed (can be platonic) hurt/comfort: Jim starts to get worn down by Harvey's insults of Ed both to his face and when he's not around. Jim had given his fair share of brush-offs to Ed as well but it's becoming a legitimate workplace problem.

FOR SUMMER OF GOTHAM WEEK 2; SEASON 1

PART 2 WIP: smut incoming, wanted to keep the really nsfw stuff separate in case the asker didn’t want to see it

Hope you enjoy!

***

‘Ed? You down here?’

‘Where else would I be?’ Ed thought sourly butresponded affirmatively to Gordon’s call.

Gordongave a token knock on the lab door before entering. Ed nodded in acknowledgementand feigned interest in a pile of folders, shuffling them busily.

‘LookI’m sorry about Harv’, Gordon said, ‘I’ve chewed him out for how he talks toyou but he’s got a temper’.

Ed shruggednonchalantly.

‘Justa bit of ribbing that’s all’, he said neutrally, ‘Comes with the job. Besides,if he thinks he upset me or something ridiculous like that th-then shouldn’t hebe down here apologising himself?’

‘He’sprobably afraid of these guys’, Gordon said, jabbing a thumb at a nearby mountedskeleton.

‘Technicallythat’s just a naked human male’.

‘You’retelling me Harvey wouldn’t be spooked if one of those came walking up to himwith a grin like that?’ Gordon smirked, leaning on the skeleton’s bony shoulder.

Edlaughed despite himself. Clearing his throat and put the folders down, he movedto the table where a series of samples were set up ready to be examined beneatha microscope. Ed pretended to examine the first in the line, watching Gordonout of the corner of his eye and wondering why he hadn’t left yet. He seemed almost…interested in Ed’s work.

‘Doesit ever get lonely down here?’ Gordon asked, his voice echoing slightly againstthe bare walls.

‘Notto be rude but is there something you need from me Detective?’ Ed asked, waryof Gordon’s continued presence. People didn’t typically come down to the labfor social calls with Ed. They only visited when they needed something from him.

‘Comeon Ed, Jim’s fine’.

‘Isthere something you need, Jim?’

‘Justchecking if you’re alright’.

Edremoved the first sample and moved on to the next. He didn’t even know what hewas supposed to be looking at.

‘Rightas rain. Wh-why wouldn’t I be?’

‘Just,Harvey can be a bit…brusque’.

Jimrubbed the back of his neck and made a pointed correction.

‘A lot brusque and you usually seem to beon the receiving end’.

‘Believeme, I’m more than capable of taking whatever Detective Bullock’s feeble mindcan dish out’.

Edbit his lip as he accidentally zoomed in to the sample too closely and theglass slide cracked beneath the microscope’s lens: the sound similarly amplifiedby the room. Maybe he was a bit more irritated with Bullock’s insults than hepretended to be.

Jimonly nodded sympathetically.

‘Usedto it, huh?’, he said, ‘I know the feeling’.

Ed abandonedthe samples, worried about damaging another and fiddled with a pair of rubbergloves, unsure of how to respond to Jim’s candid words.

‘Thankyou for your concern Detec-‘ Ed said before correcting himself, ‘Jim. Is thatall?’

‘No.Also wanted to say good work out there today. Get the feeling you don’t hearthat very often’.

‘No,I don’t’, Ed said, startled and pleased by Jim’s honest gratitude, ‘Thank you.Again’.

‘Anyplans for tonight?’ Jim asked conversationally, ‘TGIF right?’

‘Ah,nope’, Ed said, feeling slightly cautious again as talk turned to his emptyprivate life, ‘No plans here’.

‘In thatcase, can I buy you a drink?’

‘You don’t have plans for tonight?’ Edasked, wincing at the unwittingly incredulous way the question had come out.

‘Hey,don’t sound so shocked’, Jim said light heartedly, ‘I’m not exactly MrPopularity here’.

‘Really?Why’s that?’

Jimraised an eyebrow, obviously doubting Ed’s ignorance of his situation.

‘Idon’t get out of the lab much’, Ed said, gesturing at his surroundings in selfdemonstration.

Jimnodded, accepting Ed’s answer.

‘BecauseI don’t think like they do’, Jim said ruefully and turned to go.

Edblinked, taken aback by Jim’s confession and the admiration for the detectivewelling up inside him. Ed hid from people because he didn’t want them to mockhim whereas Jim faced it head on and did what he thought was right. It was astrong position to take. And a lonely one.Ed realised he had misjudged Jim Gordon badly: he had anticipated another muscleheaded bully with an over eager trigger finger and a palm waiting to begreased. Just one more person’s barbed half heard comments and cruel laughterto ignore as he passed.Instead, Jim’s dilemma was practically a cliché: a good cop in a dirty city whoungratefully sneered at his protection. Jim was an intriguing aberration. Hewas a mutant, an outsider. A riddle.Just like Ed.

‘Doyou have a particular place in mind?’ Ed called, hurrying after Jim.

***

‘I didn’tknow you could sing’, Jim said, sighing gratefully as they finally reached Ed’sfloor.

Hehelped Ed take the last step, the forensic scientist swaying slightly on hisfeet but holding up fairly well considering the amount of shots they hadindulged in. Ed coughed, his throat obviously still aching from his spirited participationin the bar’s karaoke competition.

‘’PurpleRain’s’ my party piece’, Ed replied with a grin as they stopped at his door, ‘Notthat I ever get invited to parties. Shoot!’

Hiskeys hit the hallway floor with a clinking noise.He automatically bent to retrieve them as did Jim. Their hands touched as they simultaneously took hold of the keys. Ed froze, alltoo aware of the implications that accidental physical contact could have, especiallywhen mixed with alcohol. He was still trying to figure out how to withdraw hishand from beneath Jim’s when Jim handed him his keys.

Edstraightened slowly, head swimming slightly as he accepted his apartment keysand he inhaled deeply. Both to clear his head and out of relief that Jim didnot seem to have noticed Ed’s misstep. And also for another reason he tried notto think about: how nice it had felt when Jim’s hand had graced his. Ed couldn’tremember the last time someone had touched him without hurting him. He had theawful suspicion it had maybe been years.

‘Youalright?’ Jim asked, conscious of Ed’s unfocused eyes.

‘Rightas rain!’ Ed said with forced brightness, ‘Um, Jim, I…I had fun tonight’.

‘Gladto hear it. Me too’, Jim said, stretching, ‘Been a while since I’ve been ableto relax’.

Therewas a pleasant silence between them and Jim was about to leave when Ed spoke abruptly.

‘CanI ask you something?’

‘ThinkI’m a bit too tipsy for any riddles’, Jim joked but waved a hand invitingly, ‘Butshoot’.

‘Doyou ever get lonely here?’ Ed asked, ‘Gotham’s a big city but it can feel veryempty’.

‘Sometimes’,Jim said thoughtfully, ‘The other guys just…’

Heshrugged obviously struggling to find the words. Ed said nothing, giving Jimtime to process the answer.

‘Ialways feel like I’m outside looking in, you know?’ Jim concluded.

Edsaid nothing. They both knew he didn’t need to.

‘ListenEd’, Jim said, ‘If you ever want to do this again, we can-‘

‘No’,Ed interrupted, hating the word even as it passed his lips, ‘No I don’t thinkthat would be-well, I’d like to but…’

Edsighed heavily before continuing.

‘Let’sjust say you being associated with me may cause you more problems with socialinteraction. But, thank you for the offer’.

Ed’s fingersclasped and unclasped uneasily as a sad disappointment flitted across Jim’sface before it was replaced by his smile once more.

‘That’sokay’, Jim said easily, ‘It was just a thought. Goodnight Ed’.

Jimoffered his hand.Before Ed’s brain had caught up with Ed’s body to respond to Jim’s handshake, Edwas hugging Jim tightly in sheer gratitude. Jim did not pull away and actually pattedEd’s back in appreciation. Responding to the recognition of his gesture, Edinhaled deeply, the scent of aftershave and Jim’s sweat an irresistible perfumethat he longed to taste. His lips brushed against Jim’s ear as he drew backmaking the other man shiver and, before Ed knew what he was doing, he kissedJim on the cheek. It was only when he felt Jim tense did Ed fully realise what he was doing, coldhard reality shattering the warm safety of inebriation in an instant. Ed let goof Jim as if he were a poisonous serpent and hastened backwards, only to banghis back against his own apartment door.

Jim’seyes were wide and his jaw agape: the very image of shock. Ed was used to thatlook. Soon Jim’s lip would curl and his face would metamorphose into one of utterdisgust. The face of Ed’s father that haunted his nightmares. Ed gritted histeeth, furious with himself: why did he always get things like this so wrong?!Why did he ruin everything?! With pathetic tears building in his eyes, Ed beganto babble, trying frantically to unlock his door and retreat within.

‘Ohmy God! I’m so sorry Ji-Detective! I’ve had far far too much to drinkand-and-oh God damn it!’

Thekeys fell from Ed’s shaking hands, destined for the floor once more. Only to beseized in Jim’s lightning fast hand. Ed stood, head bowed, awaiting the simultaneouslyinevitable and familiar: harsh words, a bruised cheek and blood in his mouth.He closed his eyes, feeling wetness pool beneath his lashes and battled withwhether to go limp or brace himself. Instead he heard the keys click in thelock of the door and a soothing hand on his shoulder. Ed opened his eyes and Jim was looking at him with something Ed couldn’t placeat first, simply because nobody had ever looked at him that way before.With desire.

‘Ed’,Jim whispered, ‘Just breathe’.

Thistime Jim took the lead in kissing Ed on the mouth.Ed’s surprise and shame was instantly overwhelmed by the sensation and his eyelidsfluttered as he instinctively surrendered himself to the moment.Ed could feel Jim’s stubble tickling his lip: contrasting delightfully with thesoftness of Jim’s mouth. Ed opened his mouth wider, the better for Jim’s tongueto continue its exploration, entwining with his own in the wet heat making bothmen gasp as the kiss gradually deepened.Ed felt Jim’s hand move to the back of his neck to hold him in place and he eagerlymirrored the gesture. He tried to step closer and bumped against Jim’s crotch.Feeling a rock hard bulge press against his own erection, Ed broke the kiss,gasping for air.

‘What is it?’ Jim asked, his lips glistening.

‘Justa little surprised I guess’, Ed replied, pushing his glasses up, barelynoticing how the glass in the frames had steamed up.

‘Hopeit’s a pleasant surprise’, Jim said softly, ‘It was for me’.

Edmoved from one foot to the other as he internally mapped the calluses of Jim’swarm, strong fingers carefully enfolding his hands. They were thicker than Ed’sand his touch was firm and sure.

‘Whatif they find out?’ Ed asked, swallowing hard.

‘Who’sgoing to tell them?’ Jim said simply, ‘Trust me Ed’.

‘Whyme?’ Ed asked, still convinced this must be the prelude to some kind of crueljoke.Ed had learnt years ago that something that seemed sweet often hid a brass barjust waiting to snap. He still carried the scars from those bitter experiences.

Jimreached out and Ed’s breath hitched as Jim gently brushed a curl of Ed’s hairaway from his eyes. Ed didn’t remember his hair becoming mussed, loosened fromthe protective sheen of gel he always used to keep it under careful control.

‘Youreyes’, Jim smiled, ‘Got a little danger in ‘em’.

Atthe mention of the word ‘danger’, Ed turned his face away, hating how hecouldn’t look Jim in the eyes. Yes, he was dangerous. Sooner or later everyonelearnt what he truly was: the monster inside him. It was why he had been socareful when he came to Gotham. He had cultivated the image of a harmless manwho wouldn’t fight back no matter what happened and hid himself in the coldenvirons of the forensics lab. Wrapping his darkness in a palatable lie was theonly way he felt safe. In control. And yet he could feel his grasp slippingaway as he drowned in the blue of Jim’s eyes.

‘Youdon’t know what you’re doing’, Ed warned, searching Jim’s eyes, ‘There’ssomeone-something dark inside me and…’

Hegasped suddenly and Jim’s brow furrowed in confusion.

‘What?’Jim asked, glancing over his shoulder, worried Ed had seen something behindhim.

‘It’sinside you too’, Ed whispered, heart beating faster and faster, ‘I can see itin your eyes too’.

Jimshook his head indulgently, obviously clueless at what Ed was referring to andstroked Ed’s hair placatingly. Ed leant into the touch and moaned at the simplepleasure of human contact.

Thatlonging moan made the hairs on the back of Jim’s neck stand on end and apleasant warmth spread through his stomach.

‘Doyou want me to stop?’ Jim asked.

‘No’,Ed breathed.

‘You’resure?’ Jim asked, face serious and eyes focused despite his earlier confessed‘tipsiness’.

Jim’sobvious concern for his wellbeing shattered Ed’s last restraint on his self-control. He yanked Jim inside the apartment and slammed the door behind them.

#summerofgotham #riddlergordon #edward nygma #jim gordon #riddlergordon fanfic #gotham fanfic

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averyonelovesjack · 6 years

Text

never IV ~ jonah marais

requested: yes

sO y/n goes to the wdw house cause jacks sisters are gonna help her get ready for a date and she bumps into jonah who is a mess from camilla breaking up with him and he apologises for not listening and y/n just gives him a ‘told you so’ attitude. then after the date with whoever he drops you at the wdw house and before leaving he tries to kiss you but you’re still struggling with trust issues from jonah but he keeps trying to force it. someone comes to the door or to the car and helps you out the situation and it’s jonah

summary: this takes place before & after y/n’s first date post-breakup and her interactions with jonah during that time, including an apology for claiming she was trying to break him and camila up and a little rescue mission performed by the talented and beautiful ex

warning(s): cursing (literally every one of my imagines)

word count: 1527

author’s note: ok so i’m not creative in any way possible but @phcnekisses is literally so good at creating ideas for this story. i hope you enjoy the fourth part. idk if i’ll write a fifth but if someone has an idea for a fifth part lmk. maybe something will come to me, maybe not idk man. hope you like it:)

READ THESE FIRST:

part I, part II, part III

My cold fingers slammed the door to the white two door jeep wrangler. It was currently freezing in LA. I’d always been used to freezing cold weather since it was cold where i grew up, but i’d easily gotten used to the warmth when moving to LA and now it was getting much colder and i definitely did not enjoy that.

I walked up to the house and knocked on the door. There were a couple of footsteps from inside and suddenly the face of my rosy cheeked friend appeared and let me in. I gave Zach a big hug and stepped further into the house shared by him and his band mates, “ava and sydnie here yet?”

“i think they’re in jack’s room” Zach informed me and I nodded my head, “i didn’t know you were coming over today”

i nodded, smiling, “the girls are visiting and they told me that they’d help me get ready for a date”

“ooh look at you getting yourself a date” Zach played and I rolled my eyes in a joking matter, “who’s the lucky guy?”

“this cutie i met at the starbucks near me yesterday” I inform, “his name is Andrew”

“sounds like you know a lot about the guy” Zach sarcastically told me.

“well that’s what first dates are for” i smiled and then placed my hand on his shoulder, “i should get back there. it was great seeing you”

“you too” Zach smiled as I walked past him and into the house. I found Jack and Daniel’s room and stepped inside after pushing the door open.

A smile appeared on my face as i looked at the three girls sitting in there. They each came up and hugged me, and I held onto Isla a little longer since she was so cute, “thank you guys so much for helping me”

“of course!” Ava told me with a smile and I looked towards the younger girl who had her makeup set up.

“i don’t really own any makeup, but i went out and bought some brushes to use?” i picked up my heavy purse and handed the plastic bag full of brushes to the two girls.

“perfect” Sydnie looked at them, “alright what’s the outfit of choice?”

I pulled out my bulky bag and grabbed the outfit i’d picked out, which was a yellow flowy shirt, black ripped jeans, and some boots. They smiled at the choice.

“hey, do you know where the towel’s are? i don’t want to get makeup all over jack’s bed” Ava asked me.

“yes, let me go grab one” i told them, smiling.

I left the bedroom and turned into the hallway. I heard a few voices and looked to see Corbyn and Jack sitting in Corbyn’s room. I smiled and waved at the two of them before continuing to walk until I reached the kitchen. I looked through the cabinets and found a regular dish towel.

I stood up and was suddenly faced with a moping around very tall boy. Jonah stood in front of me with a bowl in his hands. His eyes were puffy and swollen, and he had large bags underneath them, “you look like death”

he nodded his head, “i feel like death”

“everything ok?” i questioned him. i don’t like the guy, but he didn’t look ok and it’d be inhumane for me to just leave him like that.

“camila dumped me” he informed me, “i was just a stepping stone for her career”

“maybe next time you’ll listen to me when i warn you” i look at him, no longer feeling as sorry as i did seconds ago, “you and i have a history, but unlike that bitch i wouldn’t break up a relationship”

he nodded his head as i rolled my eyes, walking past him to get into jack’s room and hand the girls the towel. i couldn’t help but think about how sad he had looked. despite the way he broke me, it hurt to see him hurting like that. sometimes i wonder if that’s what he did thinking about me. if he ever cared that we broke up. he’d moved on so quickly that i doubt he had time to care. now that i think about it though, even if he wasn’t crying about me, it almost felt good that he had felt the pain he had caused me.

I laughed a little bit about what the attractive guy had said to me as we drove back towards the Why Don’t We house.

“so i can drop you off where i picked you up?” he sent a beautiful smile towards me that made me want to crumble.

i nodded my head, “that’d be perfect. my car’s there”

he acknowledged me with a nod and turned to face the road, “you don’t live there?”

i shook my head, not that he could see it, “my friends there and their sisters were helping me get ready today since i have a terrible sense of fashion”

he chuckled, “i think you look great”

“thank you. you’re so sweet” i told him and watched as he pulled onto the street that the boys lived on. It was a little down the road so we talked about some other things until we reached the driveway. He pulled up behind my car and i sat there for a second giving him a smile, “i had a lot of fun, really”

“me too” andrew agreed, “i’d like to see you again sometime”

“that’d be great” i smiled and before i could do anything, i saw him leaning in towards me. i very quickly pulled away from the kiss and looked at him. the last person i kissed was jonah. and now here i am, in front of his house, kissing the boy i’d just met. it took weeks for jonah and i to kiss and it seemed unfair to just let a random stranger that i barely knew kiss me. what if he never responds? how would that be fair? i’d have kissed a stranger.

“is something wrong?” he asks and i shake my head politely, so he leans in again to kiss me again. this time i caught myself and pulled away before he was close. i sent him another smile but he grunted at me, leaning further over the consul to reach my lips. he came in closer, now it was legitimately getting awkward. he was about to reach my lips whilst i leaned against the back window to get away when a loud and scary knocking sound came. he pulled away and looked behind me, rolling his eyes at whoever had knocked. i silently thanked whoever it may be and watched as andrew sat back in his seat, a pissed look on his face.

i opened the door to the car, getting out as andrew glared. a look of shock was written on my face as my emotions ran high with jonah standing in front of me. jonah banged on the window a final time and andrew looked over, shooting him a deathly look and winding down the window.

“can you stop banging on my fucking window?” andrew spit viciously as i was clearly taken aback by the boy who’d been formerly so kind.

“yeah, when you learn to respect women” jonah replied with venom spilling out with his words, “she very obviously didn’t want to kiss you”

“who the fuck do you think you are?” andrew asked, sitting up in his seat and looking at jonah as my face reddened with the conflict evolving.

“someone who knows damn well enough when (y/n) wants to be kissed” jonah quickly retorted at the boy, “now get the fuck out of my driveway before i call the fucking cops”

my eyebrows rose as jonah watched as andrew drove out of the concrete path to his shared house. i don’t know whether or not i am thankful for that. whether he should have minded his own damn business or he saved me from something that could’ve been worse.

as andrew drove further down the street, jonah let out an exhausted sigh and turned to face me, looking down at my shorter height, “you ok?”

“fine” i reply, my face hiding anything that i felt towards what he’d done for me in that moment.

i stepped ahead of him after we stood there for a minute and we walked towards the house. i entered, my emotions confused as i walked further into the house. without a sound, i walked towards the room shared by jack and daniel, praying that jack would be the only one in there. thankfully, as i stepped in, i saw jack lying on his bed with his laptop and headphones in. his face quickly turned to see mine and a smile broke out before he could tell what was happening.

“how was the date?” i kicked off my shoes and sat down on the bed, my face an exhausted on as i leaned my head against his legs.

“i hate guys” i closed my eyes, trying to wrap my head around everything that had just happened.

part V part VI part VII

#jonah marais #jack avery #daniel seavey #corbyn besson #zach herron #jonah marais imagine #why don't we #wdw #fanfic #imagines #never #part four #requested

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briangroth27 · 6 years

Text

Kingsman The Golden Circle Review

I finally got to see this two weeks ago and really enjoyed it! I’m glad I caught it in theaters; despite some missed opportunities, it was a good, solid sequel that naturally grew out of the original while telling its own story. I was surprised it was as closely tied to the original as it was and that so many relationships were informed by the first movie. At the same time, it didn’t feel derivative or repetitive. I love the original and while I think it’s better and has more to say, The Golden Circle is definitely worth seeing!

Full Spoilers…

I really enjoyed Eggsy’s (Taron Egerton) evolution. I’m glad that even though he’d become a master Gentleman Spy, they still paid attention to Eggsy’s home life and kept the connections to that side of his character (though not nearly to the extent the first film did). The balance he found between his job as a Kingsman agent and his grounded life with his friends (Tobias Bakare, Theo Barklem-Biggs, Thomas Turgoose, and Calvin Demba) was great, and it was refreshing that Tilde (Hannah Alstrom) seamlessly fit in with them without becoming a caricature of a princess who disapproved of his lower class friends. Though we don’t see him with them very much, I absolutely bought into Eggsy’s circle of friends and was sorry when he lost some of them. They also managed to recapture the class divide even with Eggsy being one of the posh Kingsman agents by playing him against Tilde’s literal royal family, which was a nice payoff of the gentlemanly lessons Harry (Colin Firth) taught him. I’m interested to see how Eggsy continues to navigate the upper class in the proposed third film now that he’s married to a princess and how he handles being a married man and a spy. It was cool that they had Eggsy remain true to Tilde rather than allowing him to become a ladies man who didn’t care about anyone and got a new love interest in each film, subverting that portion of the Gentleman Spy trope. Making him actually worry about what Tilde would think about the seduction portion of his job was a great surprise. I also liked that they wrote against the stereotypes of Eggsy’s lower class lifestyle by not making him an expert on drugs or dosages (despite Harry referencing his use of them before the first film started); that drug users in the film came from all walks of life and professions rather than just being criminals and minorities was another cool bit of subversion. I was taken aback by just how much personal loss Eggsy suffers in this film; Egerton absolutely sold his sorrow over losing so many close connections and the agency that had become such a big part of his identity. Both in terms of the character and Egerton’s performance, it was impressive that even though Eggsy was clearly shattered by the losses he suffered, he didn’t lose his charm or engaging charisma, nor did his quest to stop Poppy (Julianne Moore) become a depressing revenge mission.

I thought Eggsy and Tilde had a well-written and believable romance, for the most part. I was surprised to see her back at all; I’d totally expected Eggsy to follow the Bond tradition of leaving his love interests between movies, so him actually striving to build a life with her was great. One of my few criticisms of the original movie was that Tilde was reduced to a sexual reward for Eggsy saving the world at the end, so giving her a much-expanded role here was awesome. That said, I didn’t quite believe her being OK with Eggsy sleeping with a target as long as they were going to be married. I wish we’d seen the two of them discuss that aspect of spycraft more, because it would have a serious impact on their relationship and the trust between them would have to be immense (particularly as it’s not a mutual arrangement, like on The Americans). Since they brought it up I wish they’d explored it more, but I give the film credit for having Eggsy tell her about it immediately and refuse to go further with Clara (Poppy Delevingne) than he had to (planting the tracker on her was an uncomfortable scene in its own right that I don’t think the film needed). However, I still think we needed more reconciliation between Eggsy and Tilde than what was essentially “Eggsy saved the world (and her life), so he gets forgiven for everything.” Even if she really was OK with the seduction part of his job because she had the security of their impending marriage (perhaps I simply haven’t seen enough of her character to say whether her choice was in-character or not), I still think that’s a big enough relationship roadblock that it deserved more attention than Tilde responding “what was I, target practice?”, ignoring his phone calls, and getting high. In addition to digging deeper into relationship issues like that, I’d definitely like to see Tilde’s role expand even further in a potential third film. Since she has real power, I’d love to see Tilde’s attempts to save the world in her own way rather than just staying at home, and how her style contrasts with Eggsy’s efforts within the Kingsman organization. That could so easily intertwine with whatever caper Eggsy is on, it’d be foolish not to incorporate her ability to influence the world for good. If they envision this as a trilogy, perhaps Eggsy leaving Kingsman to be head of her personal security as she tries to save the world through political means could be an exit strategy for him.

Before I saw the film, I didn’t think Harry needed to come back and after seeing it, I still kinda don’t. I like Harry a lot and Golden Circle established how much he meant to Eggsy perfectly—he could barely talk about Harry without tearing up—but I’m not sure he brought as much to the film as his return could’ve (or should’ve). I felt like his purpose had been served magnificently in The Secret Service, so I was worried reviving him would be a step backward into safe territory instead of forging ahead. I liked the role reversal of Eggsy and Merlin (Mark Strong) trying to bring back Harry’s memories, even if I was also wondering if it’d be happier for him to not remember his life and get a second chance to live out his pre-Kingsman dream of becoming a lepidopterist (a fun character aspect). I’m glad they didn’t let Eggsy settle back into his old role as Harry’s mentee, but I also don’t think they did enough with Harry’s head wound-inflicted dementia (even if Firth played what he did get well). They gave Harry a cool, believably high-tech resurrection, but his mental haziness gave them the perfect opportunity to play him as getting too old for the job and they didn’t take it. He came back a little too perfect when it really mattered, so all his craziest actions—even shooting Whiskey (Pablo Pascal) in the head—were the totally correct things to do despite how addled his brain was supposed to be. Instead, they could’ve made Eggsy confront and deal with the idea that his father figure wasn’t the same man he’d remembered (another personal loss for him, even after recovering Harry), forcing Eggsy to be the “mentor” to Harry for one last mission, which would’ve been a stronger arc and a better parallel to growing up (as well as a continuation of their role reversal). They could’ve even wrapped the lepidopterist aspect back in as part of Harry’s retirement, with Eggsy having to let him go once again because he’s unable to continue as an agent. As it is, Harry suffered no real consequences or changes from his near-death experience except his lost eye, some temporary mental fogginess, and the need to regain Eggsy’s trust (which was really Eggsy needing to trust him all over again).

Merlin had a good showing in the field this time out and it was nice to see him and Eggsy on equal footing instead of trainer/trainee (or even boss/agent, like in the climax of the first movie). In behind-the-scenes interviews from the first film, Strong mentioned that he and director Matthew Vaughn took care to craft Merlin as not just a tough drill sergeant, but as someone who truly cared about the recruits. I think that shows here and playing him fully as Eggsy’s equal instead of a judgmental former instructor worked very well. The two of them having a drink (or several) for their fallen comrades was a great moment, as were Eggsy and Merlin’s reactions to the Statesman way of doing things. Merlin’s sendoff was very well done, referencing Eggsy’s father’s (Jonno Davies) death perfectly. I’m glad he also got to take out several of Poppy’s (Julianne Moore) guards in the process instead of just saving Eggsy’s life.

Poppy was a fun villain and I liked her 1950s-styled sensibility a lot! Moore played Poppy with a genial and friendly demeanor that was authentic and unsettling without ever undermining the believability of how deadly she was. It was also cool that Poppy was far more bloodthirsty and self-centered than Valentine (Samuel L. Jackson); most films would probably invert those traits in their male and female villains. Valentine was probably the better-conceived villain, but Poppy’s argument about the unfair drug laws and her desire to have her business acumen acknowledged by ending the US’ War on Drugs gave her a solid drive too. Despite Poppy’s goal of legitimizing her own drug trade, I love that these films give their villains social commentary that—if they weren’t murdering people—might make sense. Poppy’s loyalty-proving cannibalism was too much for me, but I liked the other aspects of her organization, such as the solid gold tattoos and her robot dogs. Her jungle-based lair was a cool, classic Bond villain locale (as was her mountaintop virus cure facility), while her 50s theming gave “Poppy Land” a definite Kingsman twist. I would’ve liked them to do a little more with that theme than just her demeanor and the architecture of her base, though.

My biggest disappointment was the total waste of Roxy (Sophie Cookson). I appreciated her being Eggsy’s best friend and that they continued to avoid the clichéd trap of making her his love interest; it would’ve been simple to use her and Eggsy’s common spy experiences to bond them as lovers who “only understood each other,” creating a love triangle between the two of them and Tilde (even her codename Lancelot implies a love triangle, now that I think about it). While I’m glad there was no animosity or jealousy between Roxy and Tilde—and Roxy coaching Eggsy through his dinner with Tilde’s royal parents was a fun moment—I wish we’d seen more of her and Eggsy’s friendship. I liked her a lot in the first film and was hoping she’d have an expanded role here, so I was very disappointed she died after just two scenes; her death hit me the hardest (though I was most shocked they killed JB!). There was a major missed opportunity to comment on sexism in the spy world (and spy movies) through Roxy, just like the first film spent a lot of time exploring classism. They could’ve had Eggsy championing Lancelot’s equal standing against the American machismo of the Statesmen just like Harry fought for him despite his lower class background. I will give both Kingsman films credit for always treating Roxy as Eggsy’s complete equal (and arguably, superior, given she did shoot her dog in the final test; a willingness to do whatever it takes that was never capitalized or even commented on, beyond being used as a jab to emasculate Eggsy), even if she wasn’t given much to do. Poppy’s love of retro culture—particularly that of the 1950s—could’ve absolutely provided the perfect basis for commentary on sexism too, given the gender expectations of that era in America. Furthermore, Poppy’s desire to have her business skills acknowledged could’ve paralleled Roxy’s desire to be seen as an equal among the Statesmen perfectly, which would’ve recreated the hero/villain parallel from the first film wherein Valentine also wanted to save the world. Aside from Poppy and Tilde, Golden Circle’s female characters in general lacked agency, as they’re killed, used as oblivious trackers and then killed, and stuck behind computer screens due to the whims of men; that seems to be the one area where the Kingsman films follow tropes in the classic Bond films too closely without subverting them. It would’ve been awesome for Roxy to fight Poppy alongside Eggsy, Harry, and Merlin and to go on to rebuild the agency with them; with his lower class origins and her being a woman, it would’ve represented an entirely new and modern iteration of the agency. Perhaps Eggsy can train a female replacement candidate for Roxy in the potential third film, but I wish they’d done more with the character they already had.

Charlie (Edward Holcroft) was a great surprise return from the original film! Surviving Merlin detonating Valentine’s implants due to Eggsy electrocuting him was a twist I never would’ve thought of. It set the stage for his evolution perfectly; I loved his robotic arm! Poppy calling it “ARMageddon” made me laugh (hey, I love a good pun!). Charlie’s personal vendetta against Eggsy and the Kingsman organization was played excellently. If he’d taken over his family’s resources, he could’ve worked as a main villain to reinforce the class struggle theme between him and Eggsy (as well as the fact that he would be going up against his old trainer and the man who killed his parents, Merlin). As it was, his history and connection to the heroes made him a great secondary villain and henchman for Poppy.

The Statesman agents were fine, but I wasn’t enamored with them. Tequila’s (Channing Tatum) demeanor was wildly different from Eggsy and Merlin’s, which made for good conflict between them, but he didn’t get much to do and his character was taken out of action for most of the film. Since he’s joined Kingsman by the end of the film, his recruitment may be setting up a new culture clash between his American style and the British standard, which could be fun. I liked that Whiskey (Pedro Pascal) had an agenda of his own that aligned with Poppy’s plan and the President’s (Bruce Greenwood) goals while also selfishly serving the Statesmen, but I wasn’t invested in him and didn’t feel betrayed when his true motives were revealed. Champagne/Champ (Jeff Bridges) felt like the trustworthy American version of Michael Caine’s Arthur, but they didn’t subvert that to make him stand out. Similarly, Ginger Ale (Halle Berry) was fine as a tech agent whose career was sidetracked by Whiskey, but it didn’t feel like she had much to do. That said, I’m glad she finally got promoted to be an agent in the end and I wouldn’t mind her returning. I think my biggest problem with the Statesman was that they just seemed like the American version of the Kingsman agency and nothing more. While that produced some funny comments like Eggsy’s “skipping rope” line, it felt like the impact of losing the entire Kingsman organization had been lost. If Merlin and Eggsy can relatively easily enlist the help of a nearly identical spy organization right after losing their own, what’s the point of destroying Kingsman? Sending Eggsy, Merlin, Harry, (and if I were writing it, Roxy) off against Poppy on their own without support would’ve increased the stakes dramatically. Perhaps not introducing the Statesmen until the end of the film—only having the surviving Kingsman agents encountering Whiskey as a tertiary antagonist with mysterious backers in the field—would’ve worked better. Or, maybe Eggsy and Co. could’ve been dismissed by the Statesmen, only to have Whiskey go rogue to “help” them. That way, the agents we’re invested in would’ve had to really scramble against the odds to stop Poppy while preserving the means to rebuild their agency through the now-helpful Statesmen at the end.

The President of the United States wanting to let all the drug “addicts” in the nation die while pretending to care was great. That was clever social commentary on the ethics of drug use and how society judges those who use drugs regardless of their reasons for doing so. I don’t think people would stand for the literal cages he put people in—there’s no way someone didn’t sneak a camera past the military helicopters somehow and film the interior of those stadiums—but otherwise I liked how hypocritical he was. Elton John had a highly entertaining extended cameo that I didn’t see coming at all, but fit in perfectly. I also liked the connection to the first movie, wherein Poppy kidnapped him when Valentine was rounding up celebrities, so no one suspected her. I didn’t get a grasp of Michael Gambon’s Arthur from his brief scenes, so I don’t know how he was different from how Caine’s acted; did he also disrespect Eggsy’s background, or was he more enlightened?

The retro spy tone paired with modern sensibilities from the first movie seamlessly fit into this sequel; it felt unmistakably “Kingsman.” I love that the movie never took itself too seriously, like most modern spy films have tended to do (as the first Kingsman pointed out), instead continuing—and even heightening—the already-heightened reality of the series. The use of classic and iconic spy gadgets continued here as well and I absolutely loved the over-the-top technology in the film! Moving into cybernetic limbs and robots felt like a natural evolution from the weaponry in the first film, especially Gazelle’s (Sofia Boutella) prosthetic sword legs. If they make a third film, I’m all for the technology continuing to escalate; these movies fearlessly digging into comic book science fiction is awesome! Aside from some noticeable CGI in the opening car chase (which even then wasn’t too distracting), all the effects were great. Charlie’s retractable robot arm looked totally real, which can’t have been easy or cheap to do. The fights were very well choreographed and varied, and I liked that the redone “Manners Maketh Man” scene echoed the original while highlighting Harry’s impairment. The pop soundtrack was just as fun as in the first film while Henry Jackman & Matthew Margeson’s score again invoked classic Bond films while remaining its own animal. I also loved the ads for the film, which took credit for the solar eclipse and launched a fake, 90s-styled Kingsman board game! What an A+ promotional department!

While The Golden Circle certainly misses opportunities to dig deeper into the themes and characters it introduces, it’s still a fun roller coaster and a solid action film. I definitely think it’s worth seeing and I really hope we get a third Kingsman!

#kingsman #the golden circle

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averagejoebizpizza · 7 years

Text

Lone Wolf

As the curtains closed on his stage for the final time, Rolfe DeWolfe put on a falsely cheery smile for the audience. It was unnatural, unlike his signature sarcastic grin; he hated it with every fiber of his being. He hated that Showbiz was replacing them all. That they had forced him to give a final goodbye to his adoring fans through this… this wrong persona. How dare they attempt to change HIM, of all characters?

“Gawd…” Earl could be heard grumbling beneath his line of sight, disgusted at how he had sounded during their final day’s performance. Finally, something they could both agree on. “They’s makin’ me sound as stupid as you.”

No response. The only noise heard was the sliding of chairs and whines of children being told it was time to go home.

“Didn’t you hear me, geek? I said, they’s makin’ me sound as stupid as you.”

“Oh, what?” Rolfe seemed to have been in a bit of a trance, only now looking down at his puppet companion after Earl had repeated himself, louder this time. He rolled his plastic eyes.

“Forget it. Let’s just go.”

“You just wait. I’m not going out there until they’re gone. I can’t stand to face my fans after what they were just forced to witness! It’ll be embarrassing!” There he was. Whatever that little flash of blank, uncharacteristic deep thought was was gone, replaced once more by ShowBiz’s favorite narcissistic, Frank Sinatra-loving wolf.

Earl scoffed, almost desperate to poke fun at the other’s vanity, though said nothing else. For once, he realized that it wasn’t the time. The place, sure; making a few good digs at Rolfe would have been a nice, celebratory way to say goodbye to the pizza place they knew and loved. Ever since he literally got a mind of his own, time was spent by making cheap shots at the wolf, but normally it was all in good fun. Unless he genuinely deserved it. Then he was serious.

“Don’t scoff at me!” Rolfe shook a finger on his free hand in a warning way. “Billy Bob’s not here to hold me back, anymore!” The puppet was about to laugh patronizingly. Well, before he noticed Rolfe angry frown change into a… sad one. For someone who was putting his bandmates down (or at least trying to) on a consistent basis, he seemed slightly upset at the mention of the bear. Billy Bob was the only one he ever really relented on because, though he would never want to admit it, he was a lot sweeter to him than a lot of people normally were. During their final goodbyes, he was tempted to say something, but refrained from doing so in order to retain his better-than-everyone mindset. “I think the coast is clear,” he finally began again, hearing the lights powering down for the night. The construction workers would be coming in soon to finish work on their stage.

“What coast? Why’re you actin’ so weird?” Like normal, Earl spoke aggressively, pressing Rolfe for answers; the other half of the Rolfe and Earl Show didn’t respond as he pushed the curtains back and stepped off-stage. “Don’t act like I’m not here! We’ve been performin’ together for ten years, it’s too late to ignore me now!” Still, no acknowledgement of the puppet’s frustrated words.

At this point, Earl raised his unibrow in curiosity, since at this point the wolf would have either told him to quiet down or have some less-than-clever comment. “Ralph, listen!” It was a test; he knew Rolfe’s name, but he genuinely enjoyed watching his face get blood red in embarrassment as the audience heard his “closest friend” mispronounce his name. He hated feeling so forgettable, even if it was just one big joke. But this time, he twitched slightly, like he wanted to retaliate, but refrained from doing so.

“Alright, where is it…? Don’t tell me they’ve already taken it down…” Rolfe mumbled to himself, scanning the walls for some sort of decoration. The movie parody posters had already been removed and would be hastily replaced by ones with images of Chuck E. Cheese and his band very soon, which was a sad sight. They had been part of the ambiance, part of the playful, familiar, warm feeling people got from ShowBiz, even if they had never been there before. Now the bare walls and few CEC items made the place feel strange, absent. Missing something.

The Rock-afire Explosion. That’s what was missing.

The only reminders that the band had ever performed at ShowBiz would be long gone by daylight; Rolfe’s stage would be entirely revamped to fit Chuck E.’s character, and the lone, framed picture on the wall that he had finally found would be removed. It was a perfectly imperfect moment captured of the band that seemed to reflect why they’re charisma was so spot-on with one another. It was because they were friends. They didn’t have to read scripts to know what to say to each other (though an outline of what the show was supposed to be was nice from time to time). They were real.

The image was a weird one for Billy Bob to pick for decoration, but he had his reasons. It was supposed to be a legitimate one for a promo or something, Rolfe remembered (he also remembered trying to get everyone to focus, only to be pelted by boos), but every time they tried, something happened to make it… chaotic or flawed in some way. This one was one of the few pieces of evidence that it had occurred, one of the most imperfect of all. Fatz was in the center of it all, head turned around and shouting at Beach Bear behind him, who was laughing uncontrollably at whatever. It was likely something Mitzi had said or done, since her face was buried in her hands; you could see she was blushing up a storm, but giggling still. Dook was just a spectator, grinning like an idiot at it all; he looked tired, like he just wanted to get it done, but was enjoying the chaos ensuing. Billy Bob just smiled awkwardly at the camera, possibly hoping that somehow he could make this right. Looney Bird was on his side, looking as irritated as ever, while Rolfe and Earl were on the other side of Fatz from them, Earl rolling his eyes and Rolfe’s expression showing his disgust at their poor excuse for professionalism. Small, messy writing was at the bottom in Billy Bob’s hand, surrounded by everyone’s signatures: “THE ROCK-AFIRE EXPLOSION, 1984”. Must’ve been the year it was taken.

6 years since then. Only 6 years is what it took for everything to fall apart. Well, not even 6; Billy Bob had been struggling with ShowBiz’s depleting funds, Pizza Time Theatre’s hefty competition, and battles with ShowBiz itself for a couple of years now. It wasn’t until 1990, however, that it came fully crashing down, when the merger happened. Now everyone was gone except for Rolfe and Earl, but they would vanish in due time.

“You miss ‘em, don’t you?” Earl’s tone was accusatory, but sounded somewhat… sentimental? It was difficult to pinpoint. Rolfe hesitated for a moment.

“I do not!” But after a second, he realized that’s exactly what was going on. He had a strange feeling all day, and that was it; he was actually going to miss the people he had given the illusion he hated. “Oh, Earl, they were…” He sounded dejected, and waited again to see if he was choosing his words correctly and cautiously. “… They were my friends! My only friends! No matter how badly I treated them, no matter how much they made fun of me, I know they still had my back. They were nice to me… At least nicer than a lot of people have been. Where am I going to find someone like that again? Tell me, Earl, where?”

Taken aback by Rolfe’s sudden outburst, Earl was at a loss for words, especially when he saw he was crying. Though, part of him wondered if he knew it, himself. “Don’t get so sentimental on me, Gawd…”

“I’m sorry.” Rolfe apologized, wiping away the tears with his free hand. Him? Apologizing? Who was this, and what had he done to Rolfe DeWolfe? “It’s stupid. I’m overreacting.”

“You may be stupid, but that ain’t. I guess.”

The puppet noticed Rolfe’s ears perk up slightly at the sort-of insult. Whether Earl knew it or not, Rolfe sort of appreciated the gesture; after all, through ten years of having to deal with being the target of Earl’s criticism, the wolf had come to learn that this was about as sentimental or even kind as he could be. Earl hadn’t had to deal with losing people, before, so it was easily assumed that he didn’t quite understand the concept of goodbyes. Or any sort of sentiment, really.

“Thanks, Earl.”

And in almost an instant, the smaller of the pair was back to his normal, frustrated self. “I said don’t get all mushy, ya geek! I’m still here, ya know, and I don’t wanna deal with it more than anyone else does!”

“Oh, hush, Earl.” Rolfe was attempting to put back on his overconfident persona and just pretend he hadn’t just said the things he did, and it would have worked if his voice wasn’t so quiet. He cleared his throat to fix that. “Alright! Let’s get out before they kick us out.” Before Earl could agree or disagree, Rolfe was already on his way towards the exit; however, he paused for a brief moment, taking in the sight of ShowBiz one last time.

“What is it this time?”

Rolfe shook his head, but he had a smile on his face, and not a sarcastic, narcissistic one, either. It was genuine. “Nothing.”

#rock-afire explosion #showbiz pizza #fanfiction #concept unification #rolfe dewolfe #earl schmerle #joe writes things

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