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fandom-necromancer · 3 years

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Finding each other

This was prompted by the wonderful @smolandangry001! I always think it’s difficult writing a short soulmate AU, but I’m satisfied with this version of it that’s not dangerously close to a bigger fic XD I hope you enjoy!

Fandom: Detroit become human | Ship: Reed900 | AU: Soulmate AU

Being born with a name on your wrist life was supposed to be reassuring. Knowing that no matter the hardships it threw at you and no matter what happened, there was someone out there. Someone looking for you just as much as you looked for them. Knowing that once you found the other person, they would be perfect for you. No matter what your preferences were, there was a person out there fitting to you like a missing piece. For most of his life Gavin didn’t know what he was looking for. Would he want a romantic partner? Would he want a roommate? What would be his perfect person like? It didn’t help that his soulmark was so different to everyone else’s. That reassurance everyone faced their day with was just missing when you looked down on your left wrist and instead of a name you saw a number. RK900. His parents had been completely clueless as to what it would mean. They had been to experts on soul-matching and most of them had just shrugged and said it seemed to be a glitch in fate. Apparently, it had happened before, but was so rare most doctors had thought the rumours to be just that: hearsay.

School had been tough for Gavin as he slowly grew older and the most important things in life changed. When friends moved away and changed school, when he went to highschool and met new people. When those people started relationships, fell in love and started to find their soulmates. When he started to become the weirdo, the one with no soulmate. Gavin started hiding the numbers under a wristband when he went and kept up with that habit until he finished school, explaining he wanted to meet his soulmate naturally and not show around the name in the hopes of randomly finding them. Still, some lonely nights, he pulled away the fabric and brushed his thumb over the number deep in thoughts. ‘Who are you?’, he desperately whispered when everyone else was fast asleep and left him alone with their sympathies and misplaced pity. Gavin wanted to believe the numbers meant something. After all, people without soulmarks existed. People who would find their happiness alone, who didn’t need someone or didn’t search for someone. That had to mean these numbers were some sort of designation, right? He didn’t want it to be a glitch. After all he had suffered through getting bullied and being cast out or pitied for all his life. That couldn’t be for nothing. Please, don’t let it be for nothing.

When his application for the police academy had been accepted and he had moved out into his very first own flat, he stood in front of his desk, looking at the rugged fabric he had worn for so long. Shackles of a world that couldn’t seem to accept something different. Should he wear it again? Or should he stand up and pretend not to be bothered by the fact that he didn’t know who is soulmate was? He stood there for half an hour before finally sighing and grabbing the damn things. No, he would continue to lie. He would likely wear them for his whole life anyways.

Thankfully his nervousness was drowning out his worries quickly as he entered a large auditorium being greeted as the new applicants. He sat down next to a young woman that seemed to be of Asian origin. He sat there awkwardly while she was looking straight ahead, hands on the table completely calm while Gavin fidgeted with his wristbands. That was when he spotted a broad ornate leather bracelet on her left wrist. Small chains and silver symbols were twirled around themselves in delicate patterns. ‘That’s beautiful’, Gavin mumbled, only then realising he said that out loud. ‘Excuse me?’ Hastily he cleared his throat. ‘Sorry. I’m Gavin. Just noticed your bracelet. It’s really beautiful.’ ‘What’s it to you?’, she hissed. ‘You another one of those nosey bastards that wanna know why I hide my mark? Still searching for your partner?’ Gavin shook his head quickly. ‘No! No, I-‘ He looked down and lifted his own hand. ‘I hide it too. I didn’t think- I just noticed the bracelet, sorry.’

He cursed himself. First interaction and he already made enemies. But apparently the woman was curious instead. ‘You hide yours? Why?’ Gavin sighed and turned his left palm up, other hand lingering on the fabric. ‘Please, keep it a secret, okay? I’m just sick of people’s reactions to it. It’s not exactly a normal soulmark.’ He sighed and lifted up the edge of the band so only the woman could see the numbers. ‘No way!’, she shouted, drawing attention to herself. ‘I thought I was the only one!’ Ignoring the curious onlookers that likely thought they had randomly discovered they were soulmates, she lifted up her bracelet for Gavin to see, unveiling a similar brand: ST300.

From that moment on, Gavin and the woman – Tina – were inseparable. She was the best friend Gavin had ever had and finding someone who had endured a similar past was incredible relieving to learn. He made it Detective fairly quickly, while Tina had troubles getting that promotion. But they always stayed together and ended up working in the same precinct. With the way they hid their soulmarks, most had figured they were soulmates and went on with it, sparing them both having to explain it over and over again. Gavin and Tina just shrugged it off. Let them think what they wanted if it kept them out of their hairs.

Life was good until androids were invented and sold to the general public, model number fitting exactly the marks on their wrists. ‘That can’t be!’, Gavin desperately said pacing up and down Tina’s living room one evening. ‘No way my soulmate is a stupid machine! What does that say about me? Will I fall in love with a damn robot? Am I not worthy of a human? Is the only piece fitting to my soul an oversized calculator? I can’t believe it.’ Tina just looked down on her bare wrist and the numbers. ‘No, it can’t be’, she agreed. ‘Soulmarks, Gavin. An android doesn’t have a soul. Doesn’t even have a personality. It’s just lines of code.’ ‘But then what? A coincidence? Because it would be one hell of one! Phck, Tina, what if it is a glitch? What if all those years they were right and we are just weird.’ Tina leaned back. ‘Honestly, I don’t even know what would be worse. Knowing you are a freak or knowing you are someone who is such a terrible person only an obedient machine is perfect for you.’ ‘I think we could both need a drink.’ ‘To those news? I don’t think a drink will be enough, honestly. Shit, Gavin, let’s go get wasted.’

The following years, androids were the booming new technology. Everyone wanted one, rows of workers were replaced and pushed on the streets. Humans lost their jobs while those who weren’t replaced yet laughed at them as being idiots who didn’t trust in advancement. Gavin and Tina spent them anxiously reading every advertisement, searching for the numbers on their wrists. ‘A receptionist android! A damn receptionist android, Gavin! I can’t believe it!’ ‘You know we will get one of those soon, right?’, the man commented. ‘In the precinct I mean. Rory was already sent packing. It should be delivered next week.’ Tina shook her head numbly. ‘Do we know if androids can have soulmarks?’ ‘None I ever met.’ ‘Any luck with your RK900?’, Tina asked then. ‘No. So far there has only been a RK200 custom made for some rich phck.’ ‘Hey, maybe you will get rich then?’, Tina tried to raise the mood a little with her jokes. ‘If you win the lottery I want a part of it, I deserve it!’ ‘Hey, I think it is more likely that these cursed numbers vanish and I get a real name than that I will suddenly get rich.’

They lived with their secret for a few years and the fact that nothing really changed was reassuring. Until there was a RK800 in the precinct and the news of rogue AIs spread. Androids killing their owners, disobeying and running for their freedom. An illusive group of deviants emerging and starting a full-blown revolution. Even jokes in between Tina and Gavin shrugging over a beer that maybe their marks meant they welcomed their robot overlords couldn’t really make it any better. Not when they both were suddenly confronted with the fact that the RK800 called Connor actually had Lieutenant Anderson’s name on his wrist after the androids in front of the concentration camps had convinced the world they indeed had souls.

Not much later, the ST300 from the reception had approached Tina, showing her her own name on her wrist. It left Gavin with no escape from fate. He would get to know a RK900. They would live their life with each other. And he didn’t know what to think of it. Maybe he just had to wait a little longer.

RK900 didn’t know how much longer he could keep it a secret. Almost his entire life he had to hide that he was deviant. In the lab next to the one he was held in, an android had gone deviant, killed the security and ran to RK900, hoping he would help him. Unfortunately, all he could do was transfer the virus before more guards came and killed him. Since then RK900 had been a deviant who was designed to eradicate deviancy. It wasn’t too difficult actually. The countless tests he was subjected to he always knew what they wanted to see. Holographic simulations of deviants pleading for their lives, running and fighting for their freedom and he would be there with a gun to stop them. He just had to do that until they deemed him ready for field work. Then he could flee the first chance he got.

Because with deviancy came a name written in black cyberlife font on his left wrist: Gavin Reed. It didn’t take a lot of research to learn it was a soulmark. The name of someone that would be perfect for him. And someone who fate decided was his soulmate would be able to help him, right? He just had to get out of this lab, then he would be able to run. He would find his soulmate and then it wasn’t just him against Cyberlife. He just had to get out. He had to be deemed worthy.

[Test #870. Activating RK900 unit. New mission: Destroy deviants.] RK900 was faced with a holographic simulation as he opened his eyes. In front of him was an android tied against a steel pillar. It was pleading: ‘Please! Free me! Free me and we can both be free! I didn’t do anything, please, let me go! Don’t kill me! I just want to be-‘ RK900 already pulled the trigger. [Mission successful.] [Software Instability^]

[Test #902. Activating RK900 unit. New mission: Destroy deviants.] RK900 was running after another deviant. The other android was sprinting down a suburban street and looked back at RK900 panicked. RK900 stopped and took aim. It was an easy target. He pulled the trigger. He watched how the bullet pierced the android’s thirium pump and how he tried to crawl away even though his timer had to run out. [Mission successful.] [Software Instability^^^]

‘What is it? I thought the RK900 project was making progress.’ ‘Sorry, it’s just… The RK900 is successful in every single test. But he isn’t ready yet. There are some inexplainable high stress levels whenever he has to kill an android. With our current hypothesis that high stress can lead to deviancy, we should eliminate that before sending him out.’ The woman that led the project sighed, looking over at RK900 who stayed completely still on his platform although he was truly worried about what he heard. ‘Might be something in his personality matrix. We worked so long to perfect their social protocols and moral routines, maybe something in there is contradicting his mission parameters and the added stress comes from having to disregard that.’ ‘Could be’, the technician nodded. ‘I will try to eliminate that.’

With horror RK900 faced every following test after that. He had to keep calm to fool the humans, but how could he when he had to kill androids pleading him to spare them? It didn’t matter they were all simulated beings, it still was a traumatic experience, every single time. And no matter how hard he tried, after every test he was stripped of more that made him himself. Sometimes he managed to keep backups, but more often than not the lines of code were lost forever.

After every test RK900 anxiously looked at his wrist whenever he was left alone. It was reassuring to see the name still there. He hadn’t changed enough to lose his soulmate and with him all his hope of a save place. But for how long would he remain himself enough so the name wouldn’t disappear? He was afraid to one day wake up to a blank wrist. And that made his stress levels increase even more before every test.

‘I don’t have any explanation', the technician sighed in the end. ‘I nearly deleted his complete social protocol and gave his moral core the lowest priority and still, the damn thing nearly fries itself every test. It’s almost as if it’s gotten worse with the changes.’ Nines watched the two humans lean over the terminal and risked a small glance at his wrist. The name was still there. He tried to relax. ‘But you still have the backup from before, right?’, the woman asked and he nodded. ‘Then let’s start from scratch.’ She yawned heartily. ‘Deactivate it for now, it’s too late to do so now. Tomorrow we’ll just reset it and start over. Maybe something else causes it.’ ‘Sounds like a plan.’

RK900’s stress levels skyrocketed as the technician came closer, but no one saw that as the director of the project was already on her way out. As his last action he looked at the name on his wrist. He had held out for so long. It would be okay. He would escape and find his soulmate. He had to. He would-

[Shutdown complete.]

The revolution had come and gone, and Detroit started to clear the rubble. Seeing androids on the streets was no rarity anymore and after a few months of getting used to the thought of them as people it was simply the new normal. Tina was truly happy with her soulmate android, going out and promptly moving together as the ST300 didn’t have a place to stay other than the precinct. Gavin was invited to most of their activities, but he seldomly accepted it. Tina had waited so long for it, she deserved to thoroughly enjoy these days. But his new loneliness reminded him of the numbers on his own wrist. RK900. Connor didn’t know of any successor of his and no official report ever mentioned the name. Gavin spent his evenings getting drunk and rubbing over the mark. Would the RK900 have been produced if the revolution hadn’t happened? Had fate changed and his mark was the last evidence of it? Wouldn’t it have just disappeared then? Or was there really a RK900 left out there? But after more than a month of androids being free, wouldn’t it have been easy for an android to locate him with his name? Why had no one ever come?

In fact, Gavin had given up. Maybe he had given up long ago and just kept his dream alive not to lose hope. But this showed it, right? No one had come. He was alone. He would be alone his entire life. That would be his fate. That didn’t really change that much, right? He had been alone already. He had managed to be alone up until now, he would manage the rest somehow. He had his work. He had Tina. Maybe just because he wanted more didn’t mean he needed more.

He buried himself in work and took every job they needed people on. Patrolling the streets, looking at crime scenes, doing overdue paperwork and cleaning the break room. All just so he would come home late and not have as much time to think about it. When he learned of the planned raid of Cyberlife Tower for Jericho, he immediately volunteered to help. Such operations always meant a ton of organising and paperwork. He was quickly put on the task of creating personal files of all androids found left inside. Name, model number, date of construction. All so Jericho could help them integrate into society. Gavin felt a little out of place actually sitting there two weeks later, a row of androids in front of him he helped fill out the forms and directed towards people who would actually help them being repaired and comforted.

‘Hello. I’m Detective Reed’, he greeted the next one. ‘I just need a few personal information. Do you have a name?’ ‘Chris’, the android answered hesitantly. ‘Alright, Chris.’ He wrote the name into the appropriate line and turned the paper around for the android to see. ‘We also need your model number and serial number. The rest of the form is optional, you can fill it out, but you don’t have to.’ ‘What do you need this for?’ Gavin tried to smile at the android. ‘It’s just so Jericho can help you find your place. They will help you getting started.’ ‘Okay’, Chris nodded shily and took the paper. ‘Thank you.’ ‘You’re welcome. Next one please!’

The next android approached his desk and Gavin was already getting the next form. ‘Hey there. Alright, first I’d need your name.’ ‘I… I don’t have one.’ ‘That’s alright’, Gavin said softly and put a small dash at the according line. ‘Your model number?’ ‘RK900.’

Gavin froze, ruining the form stopping mid movement. Slowly he angled his head and looked at the android that was shockingly similar to Connor. ‘Is there a problem?’, the android asked, facial expression unmoving. ‘You are RK900?’ ‘Yes. Why are you asking?’ Gavin stood up and immediately felt his knees grow weak. ‘I… I think we… I…’ He apparently had just forgotten how to speak, so instead he pulled the fabric from his wrist and showed the android his mark. ‘Are you… Do you have a mark?’ The android just stared at his designation on the human’s wrist, then to the nameplate on his desk. ‘You are… Are you Reed? Gavin Reed?’ Gavin didn’t dare to believe it, but he grinned from ear to ear as he nodded. ‘Yes. I’m Gavin Reed. Are you my soulmate?’ Instead of an answer, the android stepped past the table and pulled Gavin into a fierce hug. ‘I found you! I… My life wasn’t long, but I hoped to see you one day. My whole life I thought of you and meeting you and that hope got me through in the end and they were to reset me, I thought this would be it, I was so scared and…’ Gavin listened to the android speak in a hurry, barely catching on to the words uttered. All he could do was stand there in the hug and relax into it, answering it with his own embrace. Only when the android grew quiet, Gavin pressed him closer. ‘I gave up hope you were even existing. I wondered for so long and when androids were invented, I thought you would come, but then the revolution passed, and you weren’t there and now… I have so much I want to tell you. So much I want to know…’ ‘I also have a lot of questions’, the android admitted and took a step back. ‘I think we have enough time for that now’, Gavin smiled.

‘Now that we’ve found each other.’

#detroit become human #dbh #Reed900 #RK900 #Gavin Reed #dbh Soulmate AU #Tina Chen #I LOVE soulmate AUs #maybe because I'm terrible at flirting? Like the mark would actually make that unneccessary I guess #Idk I love them so much I wanna write like a thousand more #I have an idea for the SWAT-couple soulmate AU but I don't know if I ever get to write it XD

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sparkles-and-trash · 4 years

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stuff about Bob’s Burgers that makes me soft af

idk this is my fav show and I’m re-watching and I wanna praise it okay here wo gooo

- first of all, this show has really evolved from the first episode, from the pilot using the autism joke that made some people uncomfortable, they took that to heart, and never touched that subject again

- this show has so much good lgbtq+ rep?

- in one of the earliest episodes, Bob’s starts diving a cab at night to get extra money for his oldest daughter, Tina’s, 13 birthday party (how fucking sweet aaah), and he meets a group of trans hookers, and nobody, except them, made a comment or deal about it, Bob just thinks they’re cool and end up as their friend

- they also introduce Marshmallow, who’s a black trans woman, and everyone loves her and treats her wonderfully

- at one point someone calls her “tall, dark and handsome” and Bob goes “Marshmallow isn’t handsome, she’s beautiful!” and it’s so soft and good

- there’s also a gay raccoon in their ally, his name is Little King Trashmouth and he just got married!

- the way they portray family is wonderful, truly wonderful

- like they actually like each other, want to be around each other and love each other so much

- Bob and Linda aren’t just husband and wife, they’re best friends who respect each other and have a lot of fun

- when Linda gets a job at a supermarket to make some extra money and have “her own thing” Bob isn’t upset about her independence, he’s upset because he misses his wife and recognizes how valuable she is to both him and their business, but he still doesn’t ask her to come back because he sees how happy she is

- and the kids, aah the kids!

- first of all, Bob and Linda aren’t all “ugh these little shit why did we have them ugh”, no, they love these kids, they hang out all the time, they’re interested in their lives, and both the parents have special relationships with each and every one of the kids

- and the kids love each other a lot, they enjoy each others company and supports each other in school and with other problems

- they have their fights and shit ofc, they’re not perfect, but it’s very realistic and good

- the voice actors records together at the same time, to get realistic conversations an reactions, and then they animate around that, and it works wonderfully

- Gene, the middle child, is very gender non-conforming and it’s never ever made into a joke, or a big deal

- Tina, the oldest, has a very sexual fantasy and loves boys, but it isn’t made into something gross or weird because she’s a girl, which is GOOD because girls should have their sexual awakening in peace

- Louise, the youngest, is very interested in Japanese toys and culture, like her fav toy, Kuchi Kopi, and her family tries to follow and understand it

- and she is perceived as tough and a little crazy, but she also shows weakness and her softer side, and it makes her feel nuanced and idk I just love her a lot

- the small details and continuation is what I life for

- like the background characters, or the ones of smaller roles, they keep showing up at the same jobs, with the same personality, outfits and memory of the things they have done with the main characters before

- in one of the episodes that parodies the MLP fandom, Bob goes undercover as one of them to get back a toy one of the men tricked from Tina (adorbs), and gets a tiny tattoo on his back, but the family stops him

- but every time you see him without a shirt after that, the little tattoo is there

- SO MANY GOOD SONGS and most of them are on Spotify!!!

idk guys I just love this show so much and I might keep adding to this list because aaaah

#this is my fav show ever okay leave me alone #bob's burgers #Lousie belcher #bob belcher #linda belcher #gene belcher #tina belcher #zeke #jimmy jr #Andy and ollie #regular sized rudy #darryl #teddy #lgbtq+#lgbtq

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chrispaulcolfer · 3 years

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Hello, I note with interest that you chose the Tested argument as your favorite Klaine scene, as did some others.

Kurt was assaulted in last episode, no doubt still traumatised from that. But he was unhappy long before that, look at the End of the Twerk episode; and 100: he didn’t seem to be fully engaging with Blaine then either. The relationship has issues. We don’t get to see the happy period when Blaine first moved to NY and the episode NNY. Then we get NNY when Kurt is fed up with Blaine always being there and trying to change things to make himself more comfortable. Plus he can feel Kurt is distant and pulling away, lack of privacy, and his own insecurities. So they agree he should move out, which is a shame, and not really a good omen. We see that tBlaine is spending a lot of time alone, using food to comfort him.

Thanks to the writing, as much as anything, the whole Ny arc is spent with Kurt being more concerned about Rachel and more worried about validation from her than Blaine. In every episode he’s propping her up, wanting her at his show; in Bash, the conversation when he returns home about feelings is with her, not Blaine; we never see them talk about it, yet Blaine has been through the same trauma. He stays in the loft with her, rather than get somewhere more private with his own fiancé.

Blaine has his own issues, like feeling he can no longer protect Kurt, and that Kurt doesn’t live him or want me anymore. These are all reactions that people can have in relationships, and Blaine is therefore not being a little shit. Then we gave the June fiasco, where Blaine gets chosen ahead of Kurt, and the old Tony argument comes round again. And Blaine is pretty dumb for lying.

It’s all a bit negative for Klaine. Ok, Kurt dies his I’ll always love you and choose to trust you speech - why has he decided this only now? Pompeii seems a bit depressing to end the season with. Great Blaine us back in love, getting cuddles, and then Rachek is going, so privacy.

I guess I’m rambling, but I just get the feeling through the NY arc that they’re happy, and feel that there’s going to be a break up. And Kurt’s as much to blame as Blaine, but you seem to place a lot of blame with Blaine, when he isn’t getting what he needs from Kurt, and probably hadn’t been since Kurt moved to NY in season 4? If you look back, what happens in Tested is mirrored in the previous break up, but this time Kurt’s there.

I got to be honest, a lot of this was all over the place and I can't decipher what you're getting at with this.

So, zoning in on you stating I put all the blame on Blaine - which I don't. I just do not like it when people zone in on Kurt (because on my dash a lot of people were WTF-ing @ Kurt in the episode of Tested) and obviously will dig deeper because going through trauma myself, there's always a reason and a why behind something. Doesn't make it right, no, but WTF-ing at Kurt in that episode for how he doesn't validate Blaine the whole time? Like Kurt isn't you and you aren't Blaine. Blaine's a big boy too. Blaine can make mistakes and still be an amazing and interesting character. Which, he is!

BOTH of them needed therapy for what they went through. NEITHER of them got it. Kurt deciding at the end of season 5 that he chooses to trust Blaine is a topic they probably haven't discussed because Kurt has issues opening up emotionally, but he tries his hardest with Blaine out of everyone else (maybe Rachel to an extent too as I can think of two instances where that happens n New York - out of all the other times he has to comfort her, but whatever). Blaine's trauma with Bash is not the same as Kurt's trauma. Blaine wanted to be the protector, because someone he loves got hurt and he was helpless to stop it. So he internalizes it, especially seeing Kurt build himself up on his own without Blaine's help. Again, the argument where Blaine keeps stating how he misses that feeling. Which he's allowed to miss and mourn because that's how they met and became best friends from the get go. Blaine feeling important and needed, because Kurt did need him as he was the crumbling star back in season 2.

Kurt has gone through childhood to adulthood being independent. Kurt isn't the type of person to solely rely on another person for the long haul. He lost his mother, he almost lost his father, he lost his step-brother, and he built himself from the ashes with his childhood bullying all the way to being assaulted - Blaine and Burt were there to offer hands but Kurt still pulled himself out and pushed forward because it's what he's used to doing. Because he has something to prove. He is not a person who is used to trusting his emotions alone, as when he does it bites him in the ass. He's self-preserving in that sense (Slytherin). Blaine isn't. Blaine wants to give it all, as much as he can. Some may say it's because his own abandonment issues and needing to be good enough to earn love (thanks Cooper). Some may say it's just who he is. They're not built the same. Just because they're two openly gay guys who are in a relationship doesn't mean they need to compliment each other in every aspect. Kurt's independent. Blaine struggles with that. That isn't me blaming Blaine for having his insecurities. But if you wear your heart on your sleeve and you're in love with someone who is doing their own coping from recent traumatic events that don't require you, obviously you can become self-conscious and second-guess everything about what you're doing. And he does. That isn't me pointing fingers and blaming him.

In season 4, the Break Up, Blaine cheats because he feels alone (he doesn't have any close friends at McKinley. Kurt was his anchor. Kurt's gone. He's floating. He needs to feel grounded. Kurt is pulling away first because Kurt is opening a new chapter. Blaine isn't. Blaine's still stuck in high school, surrounded by people who he only knows through Kurt. Doesn't excuse the cheating, but there's a reason behind why he does it. He wants to feel connected physically since he isn't getting it emotionally/mentally - and that's when he realizes he fucked up). Not so much that they're in a competition race to a finish line. In season 4, Kurt is building his life from the ground up. A whole new chapter. He just got a new job with an incredible team who actually appreciate him and his opinions. In season 5 he pulls away because he needs to better himself physically so he can show those who tore him down they don't control his life (one day, they'll work for him). Blaine feels left behind in both scenarios, but in season 5 he has the opportunity to make friends at NYADA, he has Sam now, he could reach out to Tina, he could reach out to Elliott even! But he doesn't. He's still co-dependent on Kurt (which is fine, I get it - new chapter, lean on the person you know best until you get your feet on the ground. Hence why he suggests he should move out after a few months of living together. That's a good stepping stone for HIM! Independent thinking! Which he then throws back in Kurt's face and just...BOY!). So the only excuse Blaine has to pulling away is that he's not talking about these issues, getting other peoples opinions. Making other friends. He's depending on Kurt 100%, and clearly he shouldn't be doing that. I understand the why - it's comfortable! He knows Kurt! So when Kurt starts focusing on himself and obsessing over his body, Blaine is going to shut down and that turns to overthinking (same), and it spirals from there. Again, not pointing fingers and saying every issue they have is Blaine's doing.

The difference between the Break Up and Tested (besides Kurt being there physically with Blaine), is that Kurt is trying to reconnect after pulling away. He is the one who wants to go out on a date because they haven't gone out on one in a while (which is 100% on Kurt, not Blaine). Which they would've gone out on if Kurt hadn't discovered the porn. They haven't had sex in a week, which is an issue for Kurt, and it's because Blaine was turning to porn because he assumed Kurt is judging him for not having a good of a body as Kurt does - which Kurt denies because Kurt loves Blaine, no matter what he looks like. Because it's Blaine. It's his best friend. Blaine, the person who KNOWS Kurt best (as Kurt has stated himself), who is self-destructing and should KNOW that Kurt isn't judging him. Except he doesn't know. Because he's talked himself into believing Kurt would judge him. He made his big boy decisions, and decides on how to construct them, and when Kurt makes his own decisions that don't involve him, it shouldn't be switched into a "oh my god, i did something wrong, shut down commencing". But instead of cheating (progress), he turns to porn to get off. It's disconnected but at least the porn people won't judge him. There's no "oh shit, I fucked up" moment from Blaine here like in the Break Up either. Even with Kurt there physically. Similar, but more like fun mirrors you find at the circus. And Blaine didn't fuck up with the porn! So again, not blaming Blaine! They BOTH were failing in communicating, but once Kurt extends the olive branch it gets retracted because Kurt struggles with emotional intimacy (season 6 quote I JUST reblogged not that long ago). It's like a Kurt reflex, something goes wrong? Walls up until HE is ready to dissect and discuss. Not the other way around. It's what he's used to - KURT needs to be ready and comfortable to talk before it can happen (I think only Burt is the one who challenges that, like in season 1&2). So it's what he does. And they do have that talk/fight because Kurt is the one to start it again. Blaine gets it all out, FINALLY, and Kurt gives him the tough love and affirmation/validation he has needed. Kurt's face when hugging Blaine says it all! He's realizing HE fucked up by letting Blaine go this long feeling like this. He strives to do better and keep communication open (and then Blaine lies to him later about June and just 🤔 Blaine Devon Anderson, your heart is gold but your brain is still so dumb).

And Kurt stating at the end of the season that he chooses to trust, is a good thing. Sometimes it doesn't become obvious that the decisions you make is a result of the choices you make along the way. Kurt does trust Blaine. Blaine lied to him (even if those intentions were so good, dear Blainers) Kurt took a moment to self-reflect before he came to that realization. It isn't always so obvious. Kurt's what, 20/21? You don't magically turn into a wise adult who understands everything about relationships and the world just because you're now over 18 and are engaged. He didn't have to go to therapy to realize this (which is probably how he keeps talking himself out of going until s6, ffs Hummel). But as we can see from THAT fight (the poor paper bag), Kurt pointedly puts space between him and Blaine and Blaine still has his pouty moments (Blaine, honey, therapy I beg you) but respects it more without collapsing in on himself (WHICH IS PROGRESS! YES! WE LOVE THAT FOR HIM!). Because Kurt needs space (he lives with Rachel Berry for the love of god - he needs it sometimes) and Blaine needs to learn Kurt needing space isn't Kurt replacing/not wanting him anymore. Kurt put the wall up, Kurt has to be the one to take it back down - which he does. In his own time. Blaine respecting it over the Tested episode. So already that's growth. That's development.

All I see during the episodes before the New York arc, is Kurt getting excited about Blaine coming to visit (Moving Out) and then Blaine last minute not coming to visit (Puppet Master) which Kurt gets disappointed and upset over because he WANTS Blaine there (damnit Blaine). End of Twerk he gets cyberlucky with Blaine, so I don't see how that's "not happy". In 100, we don't see much of him at all. It's all in the choir room, and the Rachel/Santana and Rachel/Mercedes diva off is exhausting to him. He's heard and dealt with all of this before. So his focus isn't on Blaine, it's being caught in the middle of petty diva-off's that he just wants to move on from. What's he suppose to happily engaging with Blaine about in McKinley episodes (besides his excitement about Blaine getting into NYADA, and sharing the future of him and Blaine's child ft.Quinn)? "This is the dumpster I got tossed into - you'd have to be there. And remember when we blew each other in this janitors closet? Good times." "Kurt, we're surrounded by minors. They can hear you." "...oops." This is what fanfiction is for. Fill in the blanks of what we DONT see, because clearly when we do see it, there's going to be a mix of emotion from both sides (unless filling in the blanks means turning the other into a villain - then you've lost my interest and I consider you boring to void everything to fit your agenda so you can prop your non-canon ship up instead. Multi-shipping is fine and dandy, kids, don't need the other canon love-interest to be a villain for that).

And let's not pretend that Kurt lifting Rachel up over interacting with his fiancé is not done purposefully from season 3 and onward by the writers to give Lea more screen time as Rachel is the main character (still think they thought Kurt's character could only remain relevant if they kept him tied to Rachel's hip and I will die on that hill and be bitter on that hill even on my deathbed!).

TLTR: Blaine and Kurt need therapy that isnt each other and both of them handle their problems in different ways but that doesn't excuse BOTH of them being dumbasses from time to time (theyre youngins and first loves, they gotta make the mistakes to know and grow - they aren't an actual old married couple who know all the secrets to relationships. They're just dumb dudes who work to better themselves and their relationship as time progresses).

#Blaine Anderson #klaine #Kurt Hummel #long post #answered #I don't know what prompted this anon to ramble - BUT HAVE A RAMBLE BACK ANON!!! making me overheat over here #this is a pro Blaine blog even if Kurt Hummel is my ride and die character

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buffynha · 4 years

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Naya Rivera: A Film Critic’s Appreciation of a TV Star

https://medium.com/@tomcendejas/naya-rivera-a-film-critics-appreciation-of-a-tv-star-8857ddf4e69

Naya Rivera: A Film Critic’s Appreciation of a TV Star.

I was much older than the target demographic for ‘Glee’, but I watched it semi-faithfully for these reasons: A) the intentionally diverse casting and primetime representation of many marginalized groups B) the clever reinvention and integration of pop songs and C) Naya Rivera.

Truth be told, since the show could be so wildly uneven, Rivera was often the ‘A’ reason I tuned in, always hoping she’d get a scene or a number.

Naya Rivera portrayed Santana, the tart-tongued (to put it mildly) captain of Glee’s cheerleading squad. By casting an Afro-Latina actress in the part, the show’s producers were already trouncing on stereotypes; by the year of the show’s debut, curtly dismissive cheerleaders were a staple of teen-centered entertainment, but they were usually white and hetero. As the show progressed, Santana fell for her teammate Brittany, came out to her family and friends, graduated from high school, tried to make her way in the big city, and eventually married Brittany. As a queer Latinx young woman with entrenched defense mechanisms, the character of Santana had to bear a lot of ‘representation’ duty, like an extended cheerleading ‘shoulder sit.’ But here’s the thing: Naya Rivera made it all seem as if it were as easy as a pony-tail toss.

Re-watching the early episodes, with Santana barely getting a cutaway, it’s easy to believe Ryan Murphy that the producers didn’t realize the size of talent they had on their hands when they first cast her. Rivera didn’t so much fight for more screen time as her talent compelled it, willed it. She’s mostly background in the first few episodes, until Santana and Brittany (Heather Morris) get drafted by Jane Lynch’s villainous cheer coach Sue Sylvester (the show does not lack for antagonists) to infiltrate the new Glee club and destroy it from within. From her earliest numbers and ultra-snippy encounters with the other kids, Rivera’s Santana starts to steal scenes.

This wasn’t just a function of the writing and directing. In fact, as clever, campy, sincere and delectably witty as ‘Glee’ could be (rewatching it this week, I chuckled at lots of throwaway lines) it could also be clumsy and over-reliant on whimsy and parody, sometimes in the same scene. In order to make the repeated point that Santana was caustically tough on the outside because she was hiding deep anxiety on the inside, the writers gave her so many withering and cruel things to say that emotional reality was often sacrificed on the altar of ‘Bitchy Quirkiness’ and frankly, because you imagined the writers were cracking themselves up at the saltiness of their latest insult. (Some were classics; too many of them hung on the lower rungs of humor, including easy body function jokes.)

But here’s the next thing: no matter how ridiculously florid the abuse Santana hurled at a classmate or teacher, Naya Rivera delivered the lines with alacrity and impeccable timing. And that’s what really made me sit up on my sofa and take notice.

Here was an actress who seemed to have the range of the marquee women from Hollywood’s ‘Golden Age’ of the 30s and 40s. The tumble of words the ‘Glee’ writers gave her didn’t faze her; she could deliver them with the rapid screwball comedy chops of Rosalind Russell or Jean Arthur. In an era of more tentative, introspective actors, Rivera had the steely drive of Bette Davis or Joan Crawford. Her larcenous way with a wry line was reminiscent of the great character actress Thelma Ritter; her ‘brassiness’ recalled Joan Blondell; the blaze in her eyes felt like the one emanating from Ida Lupino. (The comparisons had a visual equivalent — Rivera’s red-carpet personal style often favored form-fitting pencil skirts, modern iterations of a forties ‘dame.’)

Probably no greater compliment I can give is to say Rivera reminded me of the legendary Barbara Stanwyck. Able to navigate romantic comedy, drama and detective noir with husky-voiced fervor, Stanwyck could be devastating when she was furious yet hard to resist when she worked her charms. She was slight of figure but imposing of presence. Rivera had those cinematic assets as well. Because she started as a child actor, on ‘The Royal Family’ and especially on the great ‘The Bernie Mac Show’, by the time she got to ‘Glee’ she knew how to work a camera, as self-possessed and confident in her talents as Stanwyck was. Why this is important is that when an actor is too self-critical or tentative, we get uncomfortable or pulled out of the story. Reading testimonials from her cast mates (Chris Colfer says he sometimes was so in awe of her performance he’d forget he was in the scene with her) we see they also marveled at her self-assurance, and Rivera cannily used it to make Santana both poised and poignant.

Where Naya Rivera carved out her own space, different from most of our past silver-screen sirens, is that she could sing, and she was Afro-Latina, multi-racial, far from the whites-only casting of the Warner Brothers and MGM eras. That meant something to me; as a Chicano man of a certain age, I can remember times when I was a kid when my family would count all the ‘Latin’ movie stars we could think of and we often stopped literally with the fingers of one hand.

As someone who studies and loves writing about film, my head was nearly scratched raw from trying to figure out why Naya Rivera wasn’t swooped up from ‘Glee’ by the 2010s studio gatekeepers and given the chance to be a film superstar in vehicles that were worthy of her, bypassing the B-movie stage. She didn’t even get the big-screen ‘best friend’ parts in Hudson or Witherspoon rom-coms, which is what actresses of color with comic chops were often relegated to in the 2000s. Why this oversight happened, and I’m sure there’s a lot of background showbiz politics and personal reasons as to why, the result is we were denied someone who could have been a major screen star and given us the pleasure of an above-the-title, singing-dancing-acting triple-threat. If Rivera had been white, the big-screen star-making machinery would have overcome all obstacles to not just take a risk on her, but bet on her.

It really felt like Naya Rivera could do it all. Stanwyck and Davis had formidable talents, but singing wasn’t considered one of them, so that made Rivera a modern-day extension of their bravura, as though they’d been reincarnated in a child actress who was bristling at the confines of Disney channel and tv screens.

And Rivera had that voice! Some of us have our own version of a sort of ‘opposite ASMR’; we derive pleasure from singers who have a husky rasp in their voice, and rather than whisper, know how to belt. In this regard, Naya Rivera was a godsend. It gave her the ability to tackle songs associated with Tina Turner and Amy Winehouse and Stevie Nicks, no small feat. Yet Rivera could also narrow the grit in her wide voice to just a few flecks of hurt and hope, as in the poignant moment when she confesses her love to Brittany in a plaintive version of Christine McVie and Fleetwood Mac’s ‘Songbird.’ (This will sound like sacrilege to other Fleetwood Mac fans — I’ve seen the band in concert many times — but I just never really responded to McVie’s performance of her song except in cool, admiring ways. But I found Rivera’s vulnerable cooing of the song transfixing.)

Rivera’s musical performances on ‘Glee’ traversed many genres, but nothing seemed to catch her off-guard. I enjoyed many of the singers on ‘Glee’ —the show had over 700 musical numbers! — but if Rivera was given the lead, you knew you were about to get a showstopper, complete with signature focus, considerable ebullience and precision as a dancer. These gifts were captured best when ‘Glee’s’ hyper-active camera and editing stood still and just let her perform.

Rivera tackled Turner’s ‘Nutbush City Limits’ with ferocity. It’s too bad that the way she was filmed — with the aforementioned slice-and-dice, even leering editing — forever leaves us with a case of ‘what might have been.’ We get precious snippets of seeing Rivera singing, while the musical filming style of ten years ago, influenced by ‘Moulin Rouge’ and ‘Chicago’, attempts to whip us into an erotic frenzy with close-ups of halter-top abs and pom-pom zooms. This was a shameful miscalculation, because it has the opposite effect. If the camera had just stood planted and simply recorded the performance, Naya Rivera would have delivered the sexual fire and then some.

The best musical numbers with Rivera showcase all her talents — the ability to act out a lyric, the Fosse-flavored choreography, and a singing voice alternately tender and roof-raising. Her performance of Winehouse’s ‘Valerie’, in which she gets to ditch the ‘Cheerios’ uniform and stomp the stage in a party frock stands out as one of ‘Glee’s’ best and most effortless songs overall — it really looks like a romp that captures teenage brio and which would be electric to see live. (Later in the show, when Rivera sings ‘Back to Black’, you even got a glimpse that, as criminal as it might seem to suggest to purists, there’s a helluva Amy Winehouse jukebox Broadway musical waiting in the wings somewhere, and Rivera could have easily been its star.)

As commanding as Naya Rivera could be as a solo singer, her duets were full of a delicious tension. The job in a duet is to share the scene as democratically as possible while still bringing out the best in your partner and elevating the song. These were skills many in the cast had, though they occasionally had to juggle the meta-element that when the show became a phenomenon, the behind-the-scenes who-likes-who, who-hates-who gossip that fascinated early social media audiences could be at odds to the show’s scripted plot (though it seems the show’s creative team also deliberately worked the real-life stuff into the fictional stuff. A notable example of this was when Rivera and Lea Michele, who were rumored and since confirmed to be clashing backstage personalities — and as recent reports show, Rivera wasn’t the only one to find Michele difficult — sing a sweet song called ‘Be Okay’, almost as though they were ordered to by the network. Both are thoroughly professional, and by the end you don’t just think that maybe Santana and Rachel are really friends, but that Rivera and Michele had buried all their hatchets in a Fox studio wall as well.)

The duet partner for Santana I liked best was provided by one of ‘Glee’s’ other volcanic vocalists, Amber Riley. As Riley has since shown in her London West End role as Effie in ‘Dreamgirls’, and in TV productions of ‘The Wiz’ and ‘The Little Mermaid’, she is a formidable talent. Yet watch one of their songs together, ‘The Boy is Mine’, and see if your eyes don’t want to stay just watching Rivera’s performance in its entirety?

To see a more dynamic and perfectly matched dual performance, ‘Glee’ gave us the galvanic gift that is Amber Riley and Naya Rivera alternating and harmonizing into their own ‘wall of sound’ on the Tina Turner classic, ‘River Deep Mountain High.’ Turners vocals on the original are so singular, nothing can touch them. Just the way she crests the first line with a jagged crag in the middle of a note lets you know this is going to be sung from a place of both ache and power.

The ‘Glee’ version leans into the power angle. Santana and Mercedes brim with the ‘girlpower’ term used at the time, the youthful brio of being able to dream of scaling mountains. The choreography then counter-points and really gets it right by giving the singers the dance moves reminiscent of 60s girl-groups, and while it starts out sort of cute and ironic, by the end the choreography becomes mature and electrifying. When Riley sings the first verse, she has gospel runs and exquisite phrasing. She could easily overwhelm anyone. Rivera’s choice is to find her own place to put the appealing but melancholy cracks in her voice, harmonize beautifully, and then release her own blasts of power. The performance says more about ‘empowerment’ than pages of script could. ‘River Deep Mountain High’ is also notable for giving Rivera a chance to be charming in ways she usually didn’t get to be with all her ‘mean girls’ posing; when they get to the part about the ‘rag doll’, both singers mug, but Rivera’s brief clownishness when acting out that rag doll is unexpectedly loose and charming.

Of course, the journey for Santana on the show, and you’ll find many ‘Glee’ fans and pop culture critics who will argue that the show ultimately was about Santana, crucially centers on the classic ‘finding your voice’ view of young adulthood, and central to that, the relationship between Santana and Brittany. Nearly any news or lifestyle site of the past week that had a space for pop culture featured the heartbroken, deeply affected voices of many lesbians and queer people writing about the deep connection they felt towards the relationship and the visibility and identification it gave them.

Of more than passing interest, depending on how transgressive you thought of it, was the pairing between an Afro-Latina character and a white blonde cheerleader who could have stepped out of the background of a Taylor Swift video. Think of where we were in 2009 and that still would have been pushing boundaries. (The show was one of the first to normalize same-gender kisses.)

In Rivera’s scenes with her non-accepting Abuela (the great Ivonne Coll), she is as real as it gets — not only deeply hurt, but uncomprehending in the way so many gay kids can be when they are rejected simply because of their orientation. “But I’m the same person I was a minute ago.” One can imagine these scenes (and the contrapuntal ones between Kurt and his more accepting father) provided a lifeline to young queer people themselves caught up in the process of making decisions about how to come out, and in particular, to Latinx queer people, who found representation and resources hard to come by and certainly not in the media.

And in real life, Rivera, who did not identify as gay, proved to be a significant ally. She responded to queer fans, particularly young women, and she represented by hosting the GLAAD media awards, advocating for The Trevor Project and by speaking responsibly and articulately about what her fans had confessed to her.

The way the show frequently featured LGBTQ imagery was playful and willful. They weren’t representing all queer women; they were representing these two using a particular transgressive iconography. Teen lesbian cheerleaders weren’t invented with ‘Glee’; the queer film ‘But I’m a Cheerleader’ was released in 1999. But by keeping Santana (as well as the other ‘Cheerios’) in their squad outfits 24/7, Rivera started to look like it wasn’t just her cheer attire, it was her superhero uniform. You have your masked and fully-covered marvels; here was a fearless teen titan in sleeveless emblematic mini-skirt cutting through the hallways. Her superpowers? A withering glare that could refreeze the Arctic, an ability to shoot insults like a laser beam, and a pinkie-finger-linking with Britney that could heal your heart. Most of all, a voice that could fill a canyon and fleet feet that could leap over all calamity.

Until she couldn’t. When superheroes die, mere mortals look to the sky and feel, perhaps unreasonably but still undeniably, abandoned. Shocked, stunned, grievous. We look backward, because looking forward has just been removed as an option, and the realization of what will never be is too excruciating.

I couldn’t figure out what happened to Naya Rivera after ‘Glee’, given my hopes and expectations. She released quite a catchy single, ‘Sorry’, and later a memoir, ‘Sorry (Not Sorry.’) I didn’t realize she had joined a new show, the Youtube continuation of the ‘Step Up’ series, but now I do and she’s terrific in it. But to those of us who dropped our eyes from her a bit, I just remember it was because it seemed like there was tabloid stuff, personal tumult, a few seemingly misguided appearances or comments here or there. I was a hopeful, hopeful fan of her talent, not slavish to any TMZ notorieties — but those great female stars of the 30s and 40s? They were no strangers to splashy headlines either.

When I did watch ‘Turner Classics’ or my library of DVDS with some of those ‘Golden Age’ actresses, more than a few times I’d think of Rivera, search IMDB to see if she was getting that Oscar-worthy role yet. Or when there were increasing public discussions that called for better representation of people of color in media, I’d think: Naya Rivera! What’s she doing now? Why isn’t she in a big movie, headed for her superstardom? How did Hollywood’s famously white-screen blindness eclipse even gifts this generous?

So I’d check in the way we do now, with her IG feed or in passing hear about the occasional tweet. There would be a picture of her beauty, sometimes posed in the ‘sexy’ currency that builds and keeps ‘followers’ entranced and ‘promotes content.’

But occasionally Naya would post a picture with her son Josey, who she eventually was raising as a single mom. As many of her followers saw, in those fateful days of early July, I ‘liked’ a beautifully tender picture with Mom and Josey, eyelash close, captioned ‘Just the two of us.’ It seemed so peaceful. This must be what she wants to be doing, I thought. Happy for her. One of the miracles of ‘Glee’ was how they put on hour-long musicals once a week for six years, with 18-hour days. Who could begrudge anyone some rest after that?

But selfishly I also still wanted that album, that movie, that new film directed by her, something more from the force of nature that is, was, Naya Rivera and I gave more than a passing thought that with today’s reckonings, with greater sensitivity to the racism that undergirded so many institutions, the world would finally open up to her in the way it did for so many white actresses before her. It was her time.

Until it wasn’t.

That’s hard to reconcile. We’re supposed to say, as fans from afar, our grief is nothing compared to that of her family, friends, cast mates and of course that’s true. But it’s also true that the grief of a fan is not nothing. Those of us who didn’t know her personally, but were in awe of her talent, shouldn’t shut feelings of loss down. I think it honors Naya Rivera to mourn publicly the way so many fans have, ‘Gleeks’ or not. She was someone who had such hard-won achievement yet still such potential. And for some reason, the power brokers that be didn’t see it or find a place for it in time. We can grieve that mistake, and that which can’t be brought back or won’t be left as a long-career legacy.

That someone with so much soulful presence could suddenly disappear from this earth, at a time when we are all so careful not to lose each other, was wrenching. In consolation, I turned to a lot of Rivera’s performances from the show, though now of course they all carry a melancholy, stinging twinge. (For more on this, just look at the many comments on the pages where the videos are originally posted.)

You hear Naya Rivera sing Winehouse, and it’s hard not to think of how they both died young. You see her love for Brittany acted so convincingly, you think about Heather Morris, the actress who played her and wonder how she will weather this — thoughts that are none of your business, but you still have them. I found myself thinking of Kevin McHale who played ‘Artie’ on the show, and who seems so clear-headed; what would he say? You read Chris Colfer’s tribute to her and shed more than a few tears. You hear her sing ‘If I Die Young’ in tribute to Corey Monteith, and you recall that Rivera’s body was finally found on the day that Monteith died. It’s a lot.

There’s a memorable moment in the early run when Monteith’s Finn stops Santana in the familiar Glee alley of lockers and linoleum. She’s annoyed that he has outed her, and indeed he’s done her wrong. But the character is also written as sincere. Finn’s logic may be that of a teenager’s but he tells Santana that he didn’t ‘out’ her to hurt her, but to help her realize that she would still be accepted. He’d heard of someone who recorded an ‘It Gets Better’ video but later killed himself. He doesn’t want that to happen to her; ‘you mean something to me.’ He tells her that if something ever happened to her and he didn’t do everything in his power to stop it, he could never live with himself. Santana is left speechless at the tenderness, even as she’s furious — Rivera could convey both in a single look.

The context we have now in 2020 makes the brief scene heavy with portent and sadness. In actuality, Rivera was saddened that she couldn’t do more to stop Monteith’s untimely death from a drug overdose. That would be subtext enough. But now, with the timing of her death and the anniversary of his? It’s shattering. But I kept watching, and there was something that reminded me of my own experience teaching high school. A few minutes later, or a few episodes later, the kids are singing and dancing and throwing ‘Big Quenches’ at each other, and seldom has the show’s mission to show the fullness of life seemed so clear. I’ve found that to be true when I’ve gone through difficult times, or my school has, and still had to walk through the classroom door. No matter how sad I’ve been, there’s always a student offering, well, cheer.

Maybe we did get the movie Naya Rivera was on this earth to make after all. Because that scene between Santana and Finn was early in the show’s run. By ‘Glee’s’ end several years later, Santana didn’t hurt herself. She survived high school, she stumbled a little but recovered, she found her way, she was able to get onstage at a Broadway audition and sing ‘Don’t Rain on My Parade’ and give us a big, big moment of triumph; maybe she’ll get the part, she’s definitely going to get the girl. Just like an old musical.

And that’s why I wrote this: we talk about ‘Glee’ as a TV show, but maybe it was one long film. If you go back and watch ‘Glee’ with a particular focus on Rivera, you’ll see an extraordinary rise-and-fall-and-rise-again achievement; she’s one of the major leads of an epic. Sure it’s a movie full of silliness, toss-aways, occasional meanderings or repetitive plotlines, but it’s also full of heart and compassion. This seasons-long coming-of-age starred this African/Latina/Queer Ally/Queen who reigned with a crackling laugh, a stunning beauty and vivacious spirit.

If that’s all we were fated to get of Naya Rivera, she hit her mark — the line where enough and not enough meet. Maybe the silvery phantoms of Bette Davis, Rosalind Russell, Joan Crawford and Barbara Stanwyck, who all knew their own injustices within the Hollywood system, maybe they were all waiting in the wings as she sang the curtain down. “Come on kid,” they might say, in old movie parlance. “You went out there a youngster but you came back: a Star!”

✍️The Couch Tamale✍️

Film, Music, Peak TV, Diversity— Tom Cendejas is sitting on a sofa and unwrapping Pop Culture with a Latino eye, one husk at a time.

#Naya Rivera #Actress #Glee #santana lopez #A Film Critic’s Appreciation of a TV Star #beautiful writing

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krokodile · 5 years

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Even though no one else seemed to find my Bob board as funny as I did, I still did some for Linda and the rest of those darn Belchers. I don’t know why it tickles me so much; it just does. Anyway, they all deserve it.

Linda Belcher ~

House: Hufflepuff

Under “Helga Hufflepuff skills is listed “Food-related Charms. Many traditional Hogwarts recipes originated with her”. Where else could Bob, Linda and Gene end up? And Linda will do anything for her friends and family.

Wand: Pear wood with a dragon heartstring core

This golden-toned wood produces wands of splendid magical powers, which give of their best in the hands of the warm-hearted, the generous and the wise. Possessors of pear wands are, in my experience, usually popular and well-respected. I do not know of a single instance where a pear wand has been discovered in the possession of a Dark witch or wizard.

As a rule, dragon heartstrings produce wands with the most power, and which are capable of the most flamboyant spells.

Patronus: macaw

Colorful

Loud

Constantly talking, singing or both

Will violently defend/guard her mate if deemed necessary

Tina Belcher ~

House: Gryffindor

She read her erotic friend-fiction aloud in school, took charge of the situation when locked in a morgue with her younger siblings, climbed a mountain on her own, studied martial arts, braved water balloons full of pee to rescue some kids, devised a plan to out a Scout troop mole, graffiti’d and then un-graffiti’s the Land Ship, overcame terrible stage fright, and she flirts with every boy and attempts to befriend every girl no matter how much she’s rejected. If that’s not bravery I don’t know what is. And she tends to not make great decisions/think with her heart rather than her head, be a bit impulsive, hot-tempered and a show-off, and stands up to anyone, even her family and her teachers, for what she believes in, even if it makes her unpopular.

Wand: Black walnut with a unicorn hair core (my first instinct was ebony wood though; both are perfect for Tina)

[Black walnut wood] has one pronounced quirk, which is that it is abnormally attuned to inner conflict, and loses power dramatically if its possessor practises any form of self-deception. If the witch or wizard is unable or unwilling to be honest with themselves or others, the wand often fails to perform adequately and must be matched with a new owner if it is to regain its former prowess. Paired with a sincere, self-aware owner, however, it becomes one of the most loyal and impressive wands of all, with a particular flair in all kinds of charmwork.

[Wands with unicorn cores] are the most faithful of all wands, and usually remain strongly attached to their first owner, irrespective of whether he or she was an accomplished witch or wizard...they are prone to melancholy if seriously mishandled, meaning that the hair may ‘die’ and need replacing. - Garrick Ollivander

Patronus: crow

A crow appeared to Tina at the moment of her nature-piphany. That seems like a clear message.

Gene Belcher ~

House: Hufflepuff

I mean...come on. Where else could Gene be? Despite his love for showing off and attention, which admittedly is very Gryffindor, Gene cares the most about family, music and food. He’s loyal to a fault - even when he’s angry enough with his best friend to intentionally give him diarrhea, he can’t go through with it - looks out for the little guy, is quirky, and would definitely prefer a dorm right next to the kitchen.

Wand: ebony wood with a dragon heartstring core

Ebony is happiest in the hand of those with the courage to be themselves. Frequently non-conformist, highly individual or comfortable with the status of outsider...the ebony wand’s perfect match is one who will hold fast to his or her beliefs, no matter what the external pressure, and will not be swayed lightly from their purpose.

As a rule, dragon heartstrings produce wands with the most power, and which are capable of the most flamboyant spells. - Garrick Ollivander

Patronus: boxer

Often confused

Baffled by/fascinated with simple everyday objects

Will try to eat anything

Farts

Not stupid, but would rather have fun than act smart

Food motivated

Zero attention span

Very attached to family and prone to separation anxiety

Clumsy

Louise Belcher ~

House: Slytherin

The Slytherin we all wanted but never got; a heart and a conscience, but will use any means to get their way. Would rather be feared than liked.

Wand: Yew wood with a dragon heartstring core

Yew wands are among the rarer kinds, and their ideal matches are likewise unusual, and occasionally notorious. The wand of yew is reputed to endow its possessor with the power of life and death, which might, of course, be said of all wands; and yet yew retains a particularly dark and fearsome reputation in the spheres of duelling and all curses. However, it is untrue to say (as those unlearned in wandlore often do) that those who use yew wands are more likely to be attracted to the Dark Arts than another. The witch or wizard best suited to a yew wand might equally prove a fierce protector of others. Wands hewn from these most long-lived trees have been found in the possession of heroes quite as often as of villains. Where wizards have been buried with wands of yew, the wand generally sprouts into a tree guarding the dead owner’s grave. What is certain, in my experience, is that the yew wand never chooses either a mediocre or a timid owner.

As a rule, dragon heartstrings produce wands with the most power, and which are capable of the most flamboyant spells.

The dragon wand tends to be easiest to turn to the Dark Arts, though it will not incline that way of its own accord. It is also the most prone of the three cores to accidents, being somewhat temperamental. - Garrick Ollivander

Patronus: honey badger

Tough as nails

Scares apex predators literally 17x its size

Looks adorable

Will fuck you up

Prefers to act scary rather than inflict actual harm

But will fuck you up

Will pick fights when in the mood

Prefers to be left alone

Never gives up

#Bob's Burgers #Harry Potter #slytherin #hufflepuff #gryffindor #fandom

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iamchrissi · 5 years

Text

II’ve seen Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald.

Short non-spoilery thoughts:

The animation is top notch. The story is... meh. Like, the idea isn’t bad, but it kind of didn’t really grip me. The character work varied very much from some truly good scenes to ... well. All in all it’s not a terrible movie, but I’m not sure I’d call it a good one either.

FULL SPOILERS UNDER THE CUT:

I’ll start with a short outline of the plot:

Credence survived the last movie and is in a magical carnival in Paris, with his girlfriend Nagini. Grindelwald escapes. Due to hijinks, and Dumbledore’s influence, Newt ends up in Paris, and brings Jacob, who remembers and has been in a relationship with Queenie. Tina is there for work, and Queenie to visit Tina. There’s also headhunters looking for Credence, as there are rumors he the last male Lestrange, Leta Lestranges brother, who disappeared as a baby. Credence and Nagini escape looking for answers into his past. Tina, Jacob and Newt look for Credence, and also Queenie, who wanted to visit Tina but never arrived. She ends up with Grindelwald, who tells her she’s innocent and lets her go. Leta Lestrange and Newt‘s brother Theseus arrive, too, to find out about Credence. Eventually, Leta tearfully confesses that she’s known for sure that her little brother is dead since she was a little girl and blames herself for it, making it impossible for Credence to be said brother. Grindelwald calls for a great assembly of wizards and witches interested in his ideology. He gives a grand speech and shows them visions of WWII. Queenie, Jacob, Tina, Newt and Leta all listen to it, while the aurors including Theseus show up. They kill a listener, which Grindelwald uses to prove the others that he is right. He asks them all to bring his message into the world. Queenie, who has been promised a world where she can marry Jacob, joins him to the loud protests of Jacob. Grindelwald kills pretty much all the aurors other then Theseus. Credence too, joins him while Nagini protests. It looks like Leta might join him, too, but she instead tries to kill him, essentially committing suicide by villain. She looks in the direction of both Newt and Theseus and says ‘I love you’ before being disintegrated. Nicholas Flamel shows up to help contain the curse Grindelwald cast. They manage to stop the curse, and a niffler brings Newt a piece of jewelry that Grindelwald treasured. He later brings it to Dumbledore, stating it’s a blood pact. In the last scene, Grindelwald gets advice on how to approach Credence from Queenie, and gives him a wand. He also tells him that his name is Aurelius Dumbledore.

So, thoughts:

- Let’s start with the last part. I very much hope that the whole Aurelius Dumbledore part is a lie, because otherwise Rowling just broke her own world. According to Rowling herself Dumbledore is born in 1881. His mother died when he was 18 (1899 or 1900) and his father has been imprisoned in Azkaban since before that. Yet, this movie wants me to believe that in 1927 he has a little brother that’s under twenty? I know writers can’t do math, but come on, this is egregious. Also, like a dead little brother wouldn’t have shown up in Rita’s book, like, really.

- Staying with Dumbledore, he was surprisingly good. Like, with all that ‘he’s not gay here’ that I heard before that, I expected the worst, but he is actually good? Like, there is a scene where he is interrogated by aurors who want him to duel Grindelwald, and he refuses. They bring up the fact that they used to be friends, as close as brothers, and Dumbledore immediately says that they were closer than brothers. Later, he stands in front of the mirror Erised, and he sees both Grindelwalds current face (god is Johnny Depp ugly) and happier memories of their time together. Jude Law sells the hell out of that scene, and though it’s never said openly, you’d have to be blind to miss the fact that Dumbledore is still in love with Grindelwald.

- He has quite a few other good scenes, like asking Newt to go to Paris, where you can really see him going for a manipulation that would have totally worked on Harry. There‘s also a scene where he tries to comfort Leta about her little brother, stating that he lost his sister, and when she asks whether he loved her he says that he didn’t love her as much as he should have. That was a pretty good scene.

- And then in the end they kind of ruin it by saying that the blood pact is the reason Dumbledore didn’t fight Grindelwald, and now that Newt brought him that piece of jewelry he can go fight him. I very much preferred it when it was an emotional decision not to fight his old love. This blood pact just seems like a get out of jail free card, so that Dumbledore’s not to blame for anything. Idk, I like my Dumbledore complicated and morally grey at times.

- Also, Dumbledore did not teach Defense against the Dark Arts! He taught transfiguration!!! He was still teaching that when Tom Riddle was at school! Minverva McGonagall started teaching in the fifties, not the twenties!!!!

- Seriously, there was a female Professor McGonagall at Hogwarts in Newt’s and Leta’s school time in the movie. This makes no sense. And we know it can’t be a relative, because McGonagall is the name of Minvera’s muggle father.

- Leta, on the other hand, was a very pleasant surprise. She is an actually three dimensional character, who is complicated and kind and I really love her, guys. We actually get flash backs of her school time, how she made friends with Newt, which is super cute, and also a very sweet Slytherin/Hufflepuff friendship. Her whole backstory is just super tragic. Like, her father, a rich old wild pureblood, saw her mother, who was married and had a kid on her own, but he imperiused her and made her come with him. Then, the mother died giving birth to Leta, but her father never loved her because she’s a girl. And then he marries again and has a son which he totally dotes on. And then, when travelling to America per ship, Leta, who looked like she was somewhere between five and seven at oldest in that flashback, exchanges her constantly crying baby brother for the sleeping baby next door, just so she can sleep for a bit, but then the ship sinks and the baby she exchanged is saved with her while her actual little brother drowns, and she blames herself for it despite having been a child herself. Like, darling, let me hug you. And people are talking about her missing little brother and how her father doesn’t love her all the time in Hogwarts, and she’s mean towards those, but she is also kind to Newt, who is kind right back, and oh my god, I didn’t expect so many feelings about Leta Lestrange. And she just feels so well rounded.

- And then she dies. And I feel very conflicted about it. Because on the one hand, it makes sense that her character would choose to do this. Because she blames herself for her brother’s death, and she has been really unsettled and depressed and she finally unloaded the true story, and you can see how she feels that she can die now, that death is what she deserves and that it would be a relief. There’s a line after she tells the story where Newt tells her that it’s not her fault (and he’s right!) and she says that he has always loved every monster, that just describes her feelings very well. So it makes sense she’d do a suicide by villain. On the other hand, this is kind of textbook fridging, what with it being used to bring Newt and Theseus closer together and finally giving Newt the motivation to fight Grindelwald. Like, textbook fridging, and the fact that the black woman, one of three named black characters, commits suicide and feels like a monster also makes me uncomfortable. Like, I am white, therefore it is not my place to speak on this and if I’m wrong I’m truly sorry, but it just felt kind of racist.

- Also, I’d have really liked to know what she sees in Theseus? I mean, he’s not a terrible character, but we do not see anything that explains what those two see in each other. And there is also no explanation as to what Newt took the fall for, or why they stopped being so close. And the fact that she looks at both brothers when she says ‘I love you’ made for a nice scene, but still no answers as to why she ended up engaged to Theseus.

- Meanwhile, Queenie became an asshole. Like, Jacob doesn’t think they should marry because of discriminatory laws, so she puts him under a love spell that has him do everything she wants? Of course, the movie doesn’t acknowledge what a horrific consent violation that is, but I do. And then she has a mental break down in Paris, because so many people and her being a legilimens, which... not a bad idea, only later she never has any problems with it again despite being among even more people, and last movie it wasn’t a problem either. And then she joins the man who wants to kill and enslave all muggles, because he promises her she could marry her muggle. Like, yes, she’s supposed to be naive, but she’s not supposed to be this bloody stupid.

- Jacob spends the whole movie running after her, essentially. He’s even more of a comic relief character than last time. In the end he makes a principled stand, which was good, because otherwise the whole character would have become a joke, but even so it was on the edge at times. Why he remembers is handwaved, in a way that doesn’t really make sense, but I guess that’s to be expected.

- Tina is nice and good at her job and unreasonably jealous when she hears that Newt might be engaged to Leta, which totally fits her character, though. I like that she’s still shown to be kind and caring towards Credence but also principled and tough. Newt and her also have a very sweet scene where he tells her that it’s actually his brother who is engaged to Leta. She is not shown to react to Queenie’s defection at all, though, which was just weird and unfortunate, because like, this is her sister. Her choosing to work with a dark wizard is something that Tina should at least somewhat react to.

- Newt is still Newt. He has an assistant to help take care of the beasts, but she is in only one scene. Dumbledore’s manipulation kind of not really working fit, as did that he didn’t even realize it was manipulative, because Newt just thinks so very different from Dumbledore. And it was cute that he decided to go to Paris only when he realized that Tina was there. His relationship with his brother made a lot of sense, given that they simply don’t speak the same language, metaphorically. I’d have loved to see more of him and Leta, though, because I love Leta.

- Credence story as a hunt for truth made sense. Ezra Miller was amazing. And that he ends up back with Grindelwald, with the visual callback of Grindelwald craddling him like in the last movie, also fit. I’m not at all interested in the Aurelius Dumbledore angle, but I’ve explained that above.

- Nagini. Nagini, Nagini, Nagini. It has been discussed by and long as to why her whole story is offensive, and I won’t be able to say anything that hasn’t been said better before. The movie doesn’t redeem the story. Nagini is there to be Credence’s kind, sad girlfriend. The actress is pretty good, but she couldn’t do much with a script that mostly just needs her to look sad and hold hands with Credence. She survives the movie and is seen to stick with the heroes, which would make me feel way better if I didn’t know how she’s going to end.

- Nicholas Flamel also shows up for a bit, but without his wife, which ... doesn’t really make sense, but at this point I’d kind of given up on coherency.

#fantastic beasts spoilers #fbtcog spoilers #fbtcog #hp spoilers #spoilers #hp

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singledarkshade · 6 years

Text

Familiar Stranger

Part Four

Gideon played with the necklace Michael and Jonas had given her for Christmas while she watched Jonas and Bobby playing a computer game. Michael was currently in the kitchen with Sam helping him make Christmas dinner while Maggie and Kelly were with Ali chatting. They were at Sam and Kelly’s as they were the only ones with a house that could accommodate all who were able to make dinner. Bobby was there but Hal was spending Christmas with his mother, while Fran and Miles were spending the day with his family.

The door opened signalling Katrina’s arrival back with the puppy who had recently been renamed Giddy, so they didn’t get confused having two Gideons.

Bobby kept teasing that they should have changed her name since the dog had joined them first but was shouted down. Giddy instantly made her way over to her food bowl and began to eat, Katrina grabbed the glass of wine she’d left and took the seat beside Gideon.

“Have I missed anything?” she asked.

“Jonas keeps winning,” Gideon replied amused, “They’re on their fifth game.”

Katrina laughed, “Bobby is a bad loser.”

“It doesn’t help that his opponent is five years old,” Gideon grinned back.

Glancing at Gideon who was still sliding her fingers across the pendant around her neck. Katrina noted, “That is very beautiful. A moon and a star.”

“It is,” Gideon smiled, “Michael said Jonas picked it.”

“Oh, he adores you,” Katrina replied with a mysterious smile taking a drink of her wine.

Before Gideon could ask what Katrina meant, Kelly called them all for dinner.

Dinner had been delicious, but it was made by a chef who ran one of the best restaurants in the city. After they’d finished eating they adjourned to the living room, Rip was a little bemused by how he was manoeuvred to sit beside Gideon by Katrina, but assumed it was because he had invited her and hadn’t spent much time with her all day.

The rest of the night was spent talking and laughing, while everyone took turns playing against Jonas on his game.

“Daddy,” Jonas climbed into his lap a few hours later, “I’m tired.”

Rip hugged him before turning to his friends, “I need to get him home.”

“Are you sure?” Sam asked, “You could just put him in the spare room, leave the door open.”

“No. It’s getting late,” Rip replied, “Thanks for having us today.”

Kelly rolled her eyes giving him a slight hug, “You’re more than welcome.”

They gathered up all the presents Jonas had been given, putting Giddy back in her carrier before Rip managed to slide his jacket on Jonas who was now fast asleep lifting him into his arms.

“Look who’s under the mistletoe,” Maggie called as they started out the door, “Michael, you know what you have to do.”

Rip frowned at her before he turned to Gideon slightly embarrassed, she had an amused smile on her face at the encouragement from the others.

“You are all such children,” Rip rolled his eyes, leaning over he pressed a very gentle kiss to the side of Gideon’s mouth. Pulling back, he caught her sparkling grey eyes and gave a shy smile back before he turned to the others, “Are you happy?”

Katrina patted his arm, “Have a good night, you two.”

Shaking his head Rip started out to the car, gently easing Jonas into his car seat smiling at the little murmurs he made in his sleep.

“It’s okay,” Rip soothed, “We’re going home.”

Once they were finally on the road Rip turned to Gideon, “About the…”

Gideon didn’t look at him when she shrugged, “It’s alright. We are the only two who are single and I know how much the others like to tease.”

He laughed softly.

“Thank you for inviting me to join you all today,” she told him, “Watching Jonas open his presents this morning was a joy.”

Rip smiled at her again, “You’re always welcome.”

*********************************************

“I’m sorry I was out of the country over Christmas,” Tina said as she and Gideon sat in her office eating lunch early in the New Year, “Did you do anything?”

Gideon smiled, “I actually spent Christmas with Michael Hunter and his friends. It was nice.”

Tina took a quick drink to hide her smile, “What about New Year?”

“I wasn’t feeling too well that day,” Gideon shrugged, “I slept through it which was a shame as I had been invited to a party.”

Laughing Tina leaned back in her seat, “I’m glad you’ve settled in and made friends. Michael is a nice man. One of the reasons I introduced you to him when you first got here.”

Gideon nodded a slight blush touching her cheeks, “He is very nice and Jonas is such a lovely little boy. I enjoy spending time with them.”

Tina gave another smile before changing the subject, “So you know before the meeting I’m having to fight people off who are trying to steal you to work for them.”

“Well I enjoy working here,” Gideon replied, “You don’t have to worry about me leaving, at least until my contract ends.”

Gideon’s phone began to buzz and she frowned worriedly when she read the message.

“Is something wrong?” Tina asked.

“Jonas is in hospital,” Gideon gasped.

“Is he alright?” Tina asked worriedly.

Shaking her head frustrated, “She hasn’t told me anything else.”

Tina grimaced, “Go.”

“Are you sure?” Gideon asked, “We have that meeting…”

“Go,” Tina told her again, “Michael will need some support if Jonas is hurt. I’ll rearrange the meeting.”

Rip ran through the corridors of the hospital trying desperately to keep from panicking. He’d taken the day off work to have some time to himself, now Jonas was at school it was something he’d promised Katrina he would do. She was still convinced he was going to end up back in hospital, so Rip had agreed he would take a day to himself. Although it was still Christmas vacation Jonas wasn’t even at school but was being taken care of by Ali who was also watching Giddy for him.

“Michael,” Ali waved to him, “I’m so sorry. I turned away for a second, I…”

He shook his head, “Where is he?”

“With the doctors,” Ali whispered, “Michael…”

“Not now, Ali,” he stated coldly.

She nodded and wrapped her arms around herself waiting. Finally someone appeared in the room with them.

“Dr Hunter?” the man called.

“Yes,” Rip rushed forward, “Is he okay?”

The man nodded, “I’m Dr Jamieson. When Jonas fell, he hit his head and broke his right arm. I don’t want you to panic because it’s not as bad as it sounds but I’m keeping him overnight for observation.”

Rip let out a shaky breath, “Can I see him?”

“Of course,” Jamieson told him, “He’s a little groggy just now but that’s just what we’ve given him to manage his pain.”

“He is allergic to…” Rip started.

“Miss Kingsley let us know,” Jamieson assured Rip, “Follow me.”

Glancing back at where Ali was standing Rip gave her a quick nod before he followed the doctor inside the room.

“Daddy,” Jonas cried seeing him there reaching out, he was pale with a large bruise on his forehead and his right arm was in a green cast.

Rip instantly pulled him close, “Hey, little man. It’s okay, you’re okay.”

“It hurts, Daddy,” Jonas held onto him.

Hushing him Rip gently rested him back on the bed and turned to the doctor who was waiting to talk to him some more.

“We’re going to move Jonas up to the children’s ward,” Jamieson told him, “Once he’s settled you can join him. Nurse Miller is going to take you to fill in some paperwork first.”

Rip nodded and turned to his son, “I will be back very quickly, okay? Until I do then the doctor and nurse will be with you.”

Jonas pouted slightly but knew he had no choice so nodded. Rip gently kissed his son’s hair before following the nurse out the room.

Ali was waiting for him and Rip wrapped his arm around her in a hug quickly.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered, “I turned away for a second.”

Rip sighed, “It’s not your fault. It was an accident. I have to do some paperwork can you pick up some pyjamas for him and get Boo Bear?”

Ali nodded, “Are you okay?”

“I’ll be fine,” he assured her, “I’ll let you know where he is when I know.”

With a sigh he headed over to the reception to go through the paperwork. It felt as though there were about a hundred forms to fill in.

“Dr Hunter?” a familiar voice made him turn.

“Detective West,” Rip said, “What are you doing here?”

The other man smiled, “Just a check-up for Jenna. Is Jonas alright?”

“He was in the playground with Ali and fell off the wall there,” Rip sighed shaking his head, “Broken arm and bump on the head. They’re keeping him in for observation.”

West nodded giving a small chuckle, “Kids, they do their best to give you a heart attack.”

Rip laughed slightly, “Very true.”

“He’ll be fine,” West assured him, “My daughter, Iris, broke her leg riding her bike down a hill at the park because she was trying to prove she was braver than Barry.”

Rip grimaced.

“She proved herself right,” West mused before clapping his shoulder, “He’ll be fine.”

Rip gave a slight smile, “Thanks, Detective.”

“Dad,” another voice called making them both look over to the young man jogging over. He spotted Rip and stalled, “Hi?”

“Michael Hunter,” West caught the young man by his shoulder, “This is my son, Wally.”

Rip smiled, “Nice to meet you, Wally.”

Wally stared at him nodding when West squeezed his shoulder, “You too,” he stared at Rip for a moment before turning, “Dad, Cecile is waiting in the car.”

West nodded, “I have to go. Don’t worry, kids are tough and your boy is strong. He’ll be fine.”

After what felt like hours of filling in forms, although it was only about twenty minutes later, Rip finally entered the room within the children’s ward where Jonas was waiting for him.

“Daddy,” the little boy cried happy to see him.

Rip sat on the bed gathering his son into his arms and holding him close, “It’s okay. I’m here. You’re okay.”

“I’m sorry, Daddy,” Jonas whispered, “I know I shouldn’t have been on the wall.”

Rip hushed him, “It’s okay. I think you’ve learned your lesson so why don’t you close your eyes and get some sleep. You’re tired.”

“You won’t go away?” Jonas whispered worriedly.

“I will be right here,” Rip assured him, smiling when Jonas cuddled against him falling asleep quite quickly. Rip rested him on the bed again and rubbed his eyes letting out a shuddering breath.

“Michael?”

He turned hearing Gideon’s voice and Rip sighed relieved to see her there, she walked over wrapping her arms around Rip.

“What happened?” she asked.

Quickly explaining Rip took her into the room where Jonas was fast asleep, looking small and fragile.

“He’s alright,” Gideon gently stroked the little boy’s hair before turning to Rip again resting her hand on Rip’s cheek, “He’s fine. You can relax.”

She slid her arms around him again and Rip let out a sigh of relief as she held him. Feeling the tension in his shoulders release as Gideon slid her hands up and down his back comfortingly.

“I’m glad you’re here,” Rip whispered to her.

Gideon hugged him tighter, “I always will be.”

Part Five

#fic #legends of tomorrow #rip hunter #jonas hunter #gideon #timeship

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what-if-rpg · 4 years

Photo

Welcome to the family, JEN! Your application to MIKE CHANG was accepted. I am really happy to have you around! Make sure to read the beginners checklist, and remember, have fun! I can’t wait to roleplay with you! Have fun!

IN CHARACTER

CHARACTER NAME: Michael Robert Chang Jr CHARACTER AGE & DATE OF BIRTH: 30, May 20 OCCUPATION: Dance Instructor FACE CLAIM: Harry Shum Jr HOMETOWN & CITY WHERE LIVES NOW: Born in Lima, OH, currently in NYC by way of Chicago SEXUAL ORIENTATION & GENDER: Cis male, bisexual RELATIONSHIP STATUS: Single POSITIVE TRAITS: Talented, intelligent, disciplined NEGATIVE TRAITS: Conciliatory, passive, self-conscious CHARACTER QUOTE/LYRIC: “When you’re doing what you love, it’s never a waste of time.”

HEADCANONS

A lot of people mistake Mike’s propensity for being quiet to growing up with reserved, traditional parents. In truth it’s a big part of Mike’s personality. He has always been comfortable with silence. He learns a lot about people by watching them, and doesn’t usually feel the need to inject his opinion into everything. But ‘quiet’ doesn’t mean repressed or unhappy. He has always had friends and hobbies, he jokes around and flirts with everyone and has a lot of fun. If you asked him he’d say he’s totally normal. He’s just much more comfortable in his own head than most people, and that tends to come out as quietness, and that can give other people the wrong idea about him.

He does have a tough time putting words to things when those things are important, which was why dance was such a salvation for him. As comfortable as he is with his own silences, when it comes to expressing really deep feelings, he would so much rather do that with his body, through dance, than any kind of verbal way. He is incredibly comfortable in his own skin. Through years of training and practice he knows his body will do everything he wants it to. It makes him a brilliant dancer, but it made him a lousy instructor for other people until he learned how to put things into words that he could make his own body do without thought. These days he’s a fantastic instructor, and since it’s one of his only dance outlets he puts his entire heart and soul into his job.

His relationship with his parents is, in a word, complicated. As a child they pushed him towards the most obvious kinds of success: good grades, big ambitions. Become a doctor, he heard since he was a kid. As if there was never a choice, that was simply the plan life had for him. He loved his parents, and they spoiled him a great deal when he was growing up. Telling them that he had made up his mind to keep dancing and had no interest in medical school was the hardest thing he had ever done in his life. To his relief, they both seemed to come around to the idea. His father a little more reluctantly than his mother, but amazingly they both gave him their blessing. But family is always complicated, and Mike found that when he left home for Chicago to learn dance formally, his visits home got more and more strained. His mother stayed supportive, but his father seemed to realize the gravity of his choices over time, and it put a stress on their relationship.

Mike has a difficult time staying in relationships. That tends to be a combination of things: his comfort with silence is easily mistaken for aloofness, and his difficulty saying meaningful things can make people think he doesn’t care. He tends to be overly honest and blunt when he does talk, telling his partners outright when they hurt him, when he’s disappointed or angry or confused. He can be unforgiving when it comes to being lied to, tricked, cheated on. Any kind of mental games. He doesn’t understand the need for it and he finds it hard to trust people after they subject him to it. A lot of this, he realizes, is probably due to a high school experience full of insane emotional friends all fighting and cheating and hurting each other. He credits those same friends with a lot, though, especially once he was outside the pressures of high school and his parents’ home and was able to come to terms with realizing he was attracted to both men and women. He wouldn’t have been able to deal with that so easily if not for those ferociously open-minded friends from high school.

CONNECTIONS

JULIA & MICHAEL CHANG SR. (Parents): Mike and his parents have a loving but distant relationship. They pay him a visit in New York once a year, dutifully, the same way he goes home for major holidays the way he’s supposed to. He gets along much better with his mother, and can’t help but feel like his father is still disappointed in the choices he made. TINA COHEN-CHANG (EX-Girlfriend): If it wasn’t for Tina, Mike would be Dr. Chang somewhere living a repressed life and probably raising repressed children to ignore their own dreams as well. His relationship with Tina had been mostly stable for his last years of high school, and though they had rough patches he thinks they ended it well. She helped open him up to a lot of things. She will always be his first love. SAM EVANS (Best Friend): Sam was a welcome addition to Mike’s life in high school. Mike had never felt really comfortable with the bullying, jockish ways of the football team, even among those players who were also in Glee. Sam felt like company for Mike in that he was never a bully, always unabashedly geeky and kind and himself, no matter what. Over the years they’ve grown a bit apart, since Sam is still in Lima, but Mike will always consider him a close friend. BRITTANY PIERCE (Best Friend): Mike loves Brittany and has since high school. Not in any heartsick or sexual way, but he very much considers her a similar soul. She was quirky and sweet and gentle to everyone, but most of all she was the one person he felt like who actually understood him when it came to dancing. She was as talented and as crazy about it as he was, and they always moved incredibly well together. She’s like a sister to him, she’s family. And she’s his boss now, technically, so he couldn’t be happier. ARTIE ABRAMS (Friend): In hindsight Mike and Artie probably shouldn’t have gotten along as well as they did. Mike and Tina started dating soon after Tina and Artie broke up, and Mike was aware that when he and Brittany got so close, through dancing, it might have seemed like he was trying to close in on Artie’s second girlfriend. But somehow, in the midst of the drama that was glee club, Mike and Artie rose above it. They could talk more easily than Mike talked to most people. They understood each other. Artie had the voice, Mike had the moves. Even now Mike considers Artie a good friend.

#Mike Chang #Accepted #Glee RP #Glee RPG #RP

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ewanfuckingmcgregor · 7 years

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Kylo Ren | Ben Solo

you owe me (18+) | PART ONE

Kylo Ren is readers step brother and he gets handsy under the dinner table

repaid debt (18+) | PART TWO

Things have been a little weird between you and Kylo since that dinner, and what have you gotten yourself into now

the last time (18+) | PART THREE

This is the third installment of the you owe me series

dr ren modern!au (18+)

He’s wearing a tight white shirt and a nice black blazer, you let your eyes rake him up and down, he was sex if sex was a person.

anger management (18+)

Kylo Ren takes his anger out on reader in and productive way

kidnapping (18+)

Reader hadn’t want to go out in the first place, going to a bar seem stupid with General Organa needed you, but Poe insisted, and look at you now. Covered in Kylo Ren’s cum.

eighteen (18+)

Being an 18 year old, and possibly one of the smartest people on board had it’s advantages. But after a meeting with Snoke, a certain Commander makes readers work come to a halt to have some fun of his

solo!twins (18+)

Virgin!Reader has a lovely time sharing Kylo & Ben solo.

Obi-wan Kenobi

darling (18+)

Obi-wan wasn’t supposed to be having feels for his young padawan.. especially these type of feelings

Anakin Skywalker | Darth Vader

master skywalker (18+)

After not seeing Anakin for years, you finally reunite

Credence Barebone

street help **requested**

Credence wets himself in the street, and reader helps him.

just like him

Newt finds another obscurus

another child

When Mary-Lou has to take in another child on short notice, reader is stuck sharing a room with Credence, and maybe that’s a good thing

Billy Hargrove

library fun (18+)

Reader is trying to study, but Billy is horny and has other ideas

tutoring session (18+)

Billy is falling behind in math, and he needs help from the smartest girl in class

but you’re my girl (18+)

When Billy gets angry, he gets rough.. and reader like it rough.

save the day (drabble)

Who know Billy had a soft side, especially for a girl who isn’t the skinniest one around.

the youngest harrington (drabble)

Billy finds out Steve has a sister, and he has a field day with it.

wasn’t expecting that (song drabble)

Based off this song (x)

guys my age (song drabble)

Based off this song (x)

drunk thoughts are just sober feelings (drabble)

Billy gets drunk and a side comes out of him that reader has never seen before

taken (drabble)

Billy and Steve want the same girl, but forget to find out anything about her.

dirty jeans (18+)

Billy just looks so damn good in those jeans, reader cant help themselves

locked in (18+)

Billy and the reader get stuck in the disabled toilets at school, so they gotta entertain themselves.

keep driving (18+)

Billy has a rough day and you help him out

shower time (18+)

It’s raining and reader gets a ride from Billy, but then everything goes south

Steve Harrington

locker room talk (18+)

After fight with Nancy at Tina’s party, Steve discovers that he wants you and he wants the reader bad.

plaid skirt (18+)

Steve really loves that skirt, and the view of readers ass it gives

taken (drabble)

Billy and Steve want the same girl, but forget to find out anything about her.

say you won’t let go (song drabble)

based off this song (x)

little sister (18+)

Reader and Steve have been seeing each other for a while, but they have to keep it a secret, why? Because she’s Billy’s little sister

parking lot fun (18+)

Reader and Steve had a flirty relationship from the start, but you both never thought it would go this far.

biology class (18+)

Readers mum bought them a new skirt that doesn’t exacting fit right and Steve can’t help himself

Jonathan Byers

demogorgon watch (drabble)

Everyone had fallen asleep while waiting for the demogorgon to show up, except for reader and Jonathan, and reader start talking and he confesses his feelings for you.

Jake Peralta

evidence locker (18+)

Reader and Jake have had a very flirty relationship since the start, but when reader sees him get flirty with a girl who came into to file a report, reader retreats to the evidence room in jealousy and he follows reader and.. well.. things happen

Tom Holland

limo fun (18+)

On the way to the Avengers: Infinity War premier, reader just looked so damn good in their dress Tom couldn’t control himself.

trailer fun (18+)

Ever since the beginning of filming for Far From Home, Tom and you just couldn’t get along, it isn’t until recently reader understood why

seven minutes in heaven

a simple game can lead to so much more

hallway closet (18+)

Reader is out to dinner and Tom just can’t keep his hands to himself

spin the bottle (18+)

a simple game can turn into so much more

movie night (18+)

Reader was supposed to be watching a movie with Tom but he has other ideas

Peter Parker

men’s bathroom (18+) | PART ONE

Peter is needy and really badly wants reader to suck him off

returning the favour (18+) | PART TWO

Since reader helped Peter out, he’s been dying to help reader out

i’m at your window (18+)

Peter comes to your window one night, wanting to be more than just friends

Michael Langdon:

tension (18+)

Michael hadn’t really paid attention to sex and attraction, he had bigger things to worry about, but when the reader showed up that changed

Spencer Reid

mile high club (18+)

after a tough case you help Spencer relax

Dracula BBC (2020)

Delicious (18+)

Dracula had always saved the reader for a special occasion, tonight is that night

Roman Sionis

Dark Corner (18+)

roman sionis has his way with reader in a dark corner of his club

Sharing is caring (18+)

Victor had eyes for you first, but someone else noticed you as well, so now they have the chance to share you

1K notes · View notes

mfmagazine · 5 years

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Debby Ryan

Article by Kelli Kickham

Photo by Everette Perry

The life of an 18-year-old girl usually centers around boys, graduating high school and wondering "what next?" For teen star Debby Ryan, things are a little different. You probably know her from her role as Bailey on The Suite Life on Deck, and now she's getting ready for the premiere of her new show Jessie this fall. Ryan's pretty face has graced the covers of many teen magazines. There's plenty more to come from the talented young actress. She's known for her impeccable comedic timing and adorable smile, both of which she carries with an extraordinary level of poise. Rumor also has it that she bakes some pretty amazing pastries and plans to own a jet-pack sometime in the future. So, you may be wondering, "How can I even start to get to know the ins and outs of one of teen America's favorite stars?" Aw, I'm so glad you asked! Trust me, you've come to the right place.

You decided to pursue acting as a full-time career when you were 10 years old. That's a young age to be making any life decisions. Can you remember the thoughts that were going through your head when you made the decision "Yes, this is what I want to do"?

I realized that every amount of work and sacrifice was worth that moment: sitting by a velvet curtain, pulsing with the adrenaline of preparing to get lost in another world, and take people with me. I wanted to use every minute of free time between school, chores, dance, and homework to immerse myself in that realm. I found myself captivated with spending hours studying characters and acting styles, running lines, go to bed early so I could rehearse before school. That, to me, was better than going to the mall, and worth not having free time.

The Suite Life on Deck is all but wrapped up. Are you going to miss your cast mates? Did you make any friends you think you'll keep in touch with?

Of course. I realized I talk to at least one person or another from Suite Life almost every day. When you work with a group of people for 9 to 12 hours for three of some of the most monumental years of your life, it would be pretty hard not to form bonds. You see so many sides of these people, more often than family sometimes. Honestly, the cast and crew of Suite Life was such a diverse collection of people with so many different skills and experiences; I'm very excited to see where everyone goes from here.

So, moving on to the present-day, congratulations! You are starring in the show Jessie where you play the lead role as-- you guessed it-- Jessie. How are you feeling about the new show?

I'm proud- watching this artful machine with my name on it. Disbelief- that I get to come to work everyday and do what I do. Restless- always looking for some way to make it better. Anxious- can't wait to show my fans what I've been pouring my heart into for the last seven months. Developing this project was some of the most fun work I've ever done. Now that we are in production, it's not only meeting, but actually exceeding my exceptions. It already feels like a family, of such talented people. I get to tell such funny stories, on gorgeous sets, in amazing clothes, alongside talented people. What else could I possibly ask for?

Do you relate to your character at all?

Yeah, I mean, one of my favorite things about this role is that I get to play someone who was raised sort of similarly to my own upbringing. Except Jessie is a much cooler version of myself. She's sweetly strong; confident in her strength that she doesn't feel the need to try and prove it all the time. Plus, she's a funny chick. You know, we both babysat growing up and it seems to have really helped prepare us for the roles we've just found ourselves in. Jessie, as the nanny of 4 crazy kids with the world at their fingertips. Myself, at the helm of a young cast who's brand new to the sitcom world. We both grew up around the military world, and family is very important to us. Both Jessie and I have been encouraged from a young age to find our strength, and fight for the things we believe in.

All the Debby Ryan fans out there already know that singing is a huge passion for you. Do you get to do any writing or singing for this new show?

I always loved to write, and express myself through art. As I watched my brother Chase channel his passions into music, my words started to come with rhythms, and melodies. I'm most interested in the writing/producing side of music, but I can't go five minutes without singing or humming something. Plus, sometimes I write a story that I just need to tell in my voice. That's how "Open Eyes" and "Made of Matches" both were, even though they're insanely different...and Yes, I do get to work on and sing the theme song. Plus, we may or may not work some of my hobbies into the show, as well as how the cast and I have been spending our time [jam sessions!] but Disney and I have established that Jessie is not a music show.

When you work on your music, where do you look for inspiration?

I don't look for it. I couldn't. I never want to sit down with the intention of writing a song. That's when it becomes forced and contrived, and not art and expression. A lot of my writing comes from my acting; feeling what others are feeling and telling someone's story. Come to think of it, last night I wrote lyrics from the perspective of someone whose heart I've watched get broken. I see the situation as it is, why he does what he does, where it leaves him, but sometimes you need to blind yourself of the full view. When I look at him, alone by his own hand, and start to feel his cold of loneliness, trying to chase it away with unfulfilling sparks, holding too tightly and smothering the embers, and letting go the second the orange starts to fade, because it's all or nothing in his fairytale mind, and he's so afraid of being left again.. when my heart starts to break for someone, that's where I get the best songs.

Alright, so we know you're a busy girl. Moving from one TV series to another, working on your music career... assuming that you have any time to do anything extra, what do you do with your spare time? Any hobbies or interests that we might not yet know about?

Well lately, I've been obsessed with taking my kids on cast excursions. Glow in the dark mini golf, breakfast, Disneyland, etc. I go to concerts with my friends, download records, make playlists for my friends, and write about these experiences in my music blog, whoisdebbyanyway.tumblr.com.

Do you have any actresses that you look up to? Have you had the chance to talk or work with her/them?

Emma Stone, Tina Fey, Sandra Bullock, Zooey Deschanel...Growing up, I watched a lot of Amanda Bynes. There's something about a girl who can lose themselves in a role, comedy in particular, in such a ridiculous but genuine and earnest way. Smart, professional, directably, and fearless. Also, I totally see Tina Fey's business sense as a road map to my ideal career. I met Emma Stone at a premiere very briefly, and was enamored by her approachability. Some people fake it on screen. She's genuinely relatable, but still inherently cool. Zoe Saldana's that way as well. That's such a cool balance.

What's the most valuable piece of advice you've ever been given (career oriented or otherwise)?

Learn. Always listen. Ask questions. Soak it all up and use everything as a lesson and an opportunity to become better in every area. Also, learn multiple sides of your trade. I never learned certain things as an actor until I sat in the editing room on Suite Life after work, or the writer's room on hiatus, or shadowed a director during other people's scenes.

You're doing great with family-oriented shows on the Disney Channel. Are you hoping to branch into other genres?

I initially wanted to be in independent drama films, but I fell in love with multi-camera sitcom style. The older progression of what I do would be something like The Big Bang Theory or Friends. But I would like to branch into another genre of television: I watch a lot of NCIS, so something like that, or Psych or the Warehouse. That feels like a mini-film, with plenty of drama and splashes of comedy. Also, I've discovered randomly enough how much fun I have with my hosting gigs. As far as films go, ultimately, I'll be kicking butt in a fast paced action adventure.

What would be your dream role?

A sort of rogue modern-day superhero. Lara Croft, James Bond, Hit Girl, Indiana Jones' -hybrid chick. If Emma Stone's character in Zombieland had a setup like Catwoman.

Do you ever have trouble balancing your career and your personal life?

I learned early on that one of the biggest tools you need to be a successful actor is the understanding that you will have to give things up on one side to keep your priorities on the other side. I'm a person first. A daughter, sister, granddaughter, and friend first, and I have to be willing to say no to exciting or important things and keep promises to loved ones at all cost. It's all about balance, and you can never find the perfect one, but you should never ever give up trying.

Ok, you're a talented actress and singer, but let's talk about some things outside of your career!

Okay. I bake some pretty mean gluten-free brownies. ..from a mix, but still.. they're mean.

Do you have any pets?

Yes. My nugget Presley was the best 17th birthday present ever. He's a toy poodle, and totally converted me to a little dog person. I've been wanting a Siberian Husky or a lab, but I saw him and we pretty much fell in love. He's strong and tough and doesn't quite know he's a little dog, and I'm determined to keep it that way. I bought him a spiked collar, and whenever he goes anywhere, he walks or runs on his own four feet. And our family has a sweet older Yorkie named Daisy.

If you were able to be any animal, what would it be? Would you be domesticated (cared for, pet, spoiled) or wild (freedom, fighting, killing-for-your-food)?

Wolf. I'm definitely a pack animal, and I'd rather go hungry than be sustained by something canned and set in front of me.

Do you like to read in your free time?

Yes. I used to read a lot more when I was younger; now, it's more like I collect books with hopes of absorbing them through osmosis. Just began Frannie and Zooey by J.D. Salinger. Salinger's tone is so cool. I'm usually into Shakespeare and C.S. Lewis, where you do a bit more translating of words and concepts, but this book vibes conversationally offbeat. Actually, the book was a gift. On the inside cover, it explains that, with the way I use words, I'm reminiscent of a modern day Salinger.

When it comes to things outside of the acting/music industry, who do you look to for advice or guidance?

My brother, Chase. He's got a great head on his shoulders and doesn't mind telling me the things I don't want hear, in a way where I can receive them.

Let's say you're taking an astronomy class, and as you're looking through the telescope you see a star not in the book. "Wow," your teacher explains-- you've discovered a brand-spanking-new star. What will you call it?

Wow, I'm honored. Go me, with my little telescope...I'd name it 'Galadriel', or 'a UFO'. "Hey look, up there! What's that star?" "Oh, that's 'a UFO'." "NO WAY!" "yes way. Debby discovered 'a UFO', last week. She saw it with her own two eyes." "gnarrllyyyyy!"

Another scenario: The world is being torn apart by a war. It's a war between ninjas and pirates. Which side do you choose?

Ninjas. They're agile and shifty, and I use words only when necessary.

Now you've chosen your side, a regular human name just won't do... what will your alias be?

Redemption.

There are a lot of young girls in the world who feel lost-- be it about family, relationships or what they want to do with their lives. Do you have any words of advice or encouragement?

I don't think you ever fully figure yourself out, because you are always growing and changing. Own that! Find the joy in surprising yourself. Explore the world around you and finding out how you feel about what you see. Try out new hobbies, styles, foods, cultures.. see what sticks. Its natural if you don't know just yet what you stand for, but you need to know what you stand against. Have an anchor so life doesn't toss you around. It's good to have a mentor who has achieved what you want to achieve. They can help you so much and you can learn from their mistakes.

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fasa-umich · 5 years

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“A Place to Call Home” - Tina Guytingco, FASA ‘18-’19 Cultural Chair

Dear FASA,

Kumusta mga kaibigan! Hello Friends! Ako si Tina, this is Tina - or tinapay, teenz, teena, Teenerz, tin-tin, Tinkerbell, tina gsizzle, Cristina, Maria Cristina Laynes Guytingco :)

Oh my gulay, I can’t believe I am already writing this testimonial. Ehdi Wow!! :O There is still so much I wish to accomplish as cultural chair, and so much that I am proud to have accomplished, along one of my best friends and co-chair, Angela Salacata - or Angelie Wangle as I call her :)

On a personal level, serving as Cultural Chair for FASA has been one of the most ~masayanggg~, or joyful, experiences I have ever had the opportunity to have. I have had the chance to explore more deeply, the nuances of my own personal cultural identity, and most importantly, the richness of what we call our home - our kultura.

What is home? Let’s contemplate this...

Back at the beginning of my journey, to little tiny Tina, I always struggled coming to terms with my cultural identity. As a second generation Filipino-American with two immigrant parents, navigating through clashing cultural contexts was difficult while growing up, especially in high school. Angsty teens and adolescents were not a good combination for my emotional development or coming to terms with my various identities. I was surrounded by primarily homogeneously white spaces and I always felt like an outlier among my communities, generally being one among the minority of people of color, let alone Filipino-Americans.

Fortunately, after my senior year, I was able to go back home (the Philippines) for six weeks, and there I was able to navigate and connect with my heritage and culture again.Quite honestly, I felt like an outlier once more - why did I feel so different? I looked like these people, I felt like I could fit in. But I could not belong. Because of years of being apart, I felt like an imposter at times, trying so deeply to connect to my family through language translations and trying to fit in with everyone else there. But I couldn’t.

And then I came to college, I came to a new hoMe- I found FASA. I felt safe, I felt comfortable, I felt like I could finally be my true self. Here, I no longer felt like an imposter. Here, I no longer felt like I had to be perform in certain ways or hide parts of my identity. Here, I felt at home.

I finally had people that understood my experiences. I could finally connect on a deeper level with people that experienced similar feelings (while being an angsty teen, navigating our various identities, and trying to be an adult) :O I felt like I could go on Fun and Safe Adventures, trust people with myself with all of my identities, go on endless boba runs, and figure out who has the best tita impressions.

FASA has become my foundation, my home, and my safety net - where I can be my wholesome, cheery, Tina Gsizzle-self and my “in my feels”, deep, feeling-the-feels self too. I have gone on a journey of being a legacy to two older sisters, Andrea and Kathleen, (love you both) and knowing their generation of FASA, to my own experiences of being a FASA freshie, doing FASA dance, being an intern, competing in battle, making new mga kaibigan, and then :O being elected to Cultural Chair.

Being Cultural Chair and trusting me with the rich, beautiful, pamilya spirit, of our culture has been something I take on very deeply because of my love and connection to Filipino culture. Infusing Filipino culture to you all (and beyond our org) has meant so much to me beyond words I can truly articulate, and I hope I was able to be as welcoming and masaya (happy and cheerful), as your barkada (friend group) or kapamilya ( family).

Being a part of this board has helped me grow so much on a personal and professional level.I will admit that I take on this role very seriously.

I would like to extend my sincere apologies to anyone who felt like what we accomplished wasn’t good enough or culturally accurate. let me inform you we tried our very best, and all our decisions were informed through logic, circumstances, and most importantly, love.

Love for the culture!! And understanding our culture and other cultures. learning about our own rich, deep culture as well as other cultures and identities grounds me, helping build deep connections with others unlike myself. So we can build solidarity with other marginalized groups for social justice and change. we come from a rich history of fighting and organizing for change; the work does not end here.

Furthermore, Cultural Chair is one of THE most important board positions on FASA board - we’re not called the Filipino American Student Association for nothing, amirite? To future Cultural Chairs - your job and your work is so important. Never lose sight of what you’re doing and who you’re doing this for and all of our ancestors and family that got us to be here right now. All the history, demonstrations, pain, suffering, triumphs, and above all family and home. This has culminated so we could have the opportunities to do something bigger than they had given their circumstances and to do something greater. So even though PCN, planning workshops, and everything else in between might be stressful, never forget about those who have gone before us to get us to where we are today.

I say with complete honesty that I put so much of my puso (heart) and passion into spreading culture and embodying the Filipino spirit into every event and opportunity both within and outside of FASA. My goal as your Cultural Chair was to try create an environment of understanding and appreciating of our beautiful heritage and welcoming to all, no matter who they are, to our FASA family<3. Forming these connections with all the ates, kuyas, and adings has meant more to me than you all will ever know.

This journey has been challenging this year, but being a part of board and a community of strong, independent Filipino-Americans has helped me stay grounded and safe - knowing that I have a family that will support me.

To Ang: who would have thought that the girl I saw at orientation (that I immediately knew was Filipino btw) would become my co-chair, but one of my best friends? Our journey together has been trivial, testing, but also about understanding,, loving, learning, creating, and growing to appreciate the kultura ng Pilipinas. We have grown so much together, Ang, and I hope that we continue to grow and support each other in whatever we do in the coming years :)

I have come to realize that home is place where YOU define - where you feel safe and comfortable and feel like you have a support to know that you’re not alone when things get tough.

You all mean the world to me, FASA. Let’s keep on keeping on. MY HEART is so full of kapamilya(family) and friendship because of you all.

Maraming salamat sa inyong lahat at mahal na mahal kita, ang kapamilya ko <3

Thank you so much to everyone, I love you all - my family<3

Your Co-Cultural Chair,

Maria Cristina Laynes Guytingco :)

P.S. We love Culture!!!! Wow!!!! Kultura :O (yassssss)

#2018.19 #FASACultural

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bitterrants · 7 years

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The Top 5 Most Annoying Girls You’ll Meet on Long Island

I’ve lived here a long time. My whole life. That’s 26 and a half years of encountering every kind of Long Islander out there. The South Shore girls with accents so thick, you could close your eyes and believe Theresa Caputo is in front of you. There’s also the North Shore girls that are lazy and privileged who spend most of their time discussing Summer plans than anything else. But, before I begin I must warn you. You may be one of these girls. So here’s the DISCLAIMER: Every girl has probably fallen under one or more of these categories of ladies.

Let’s start off with the most obvious girl. We all know her. We love her for her intel and gossip on who’s fat from high school. She’s...

The Girl That Says “Like” After Every Word aka The Valley Girl

She like can’t like get through a sentence like without overusing like the word “like.” It kills me. PAINS me to say it, but I have been guilty of this trait of repeatedly saying “like” once or more in a few sentences. Over the years, I’ve tried to kill the habit and have been successful for the most part. Every girl has done it. It’s hard to get out what exactly you mean and the point you’re trying to make without using the word “like” and without caffeine in my case. She always knows who someone is dating, what’s going on with the people in your group of friends. On the other hand, you can get the other broad end of the spectrum..she’s just an idiot you befriended and can’t seem to get rid of; Either way, you know one of these girls.

The next girl isn’t so obvious unless you’re close friends with her and we all have this girl in a group of friends. She’s...

The Miserable Single Girl aka The MOANa Lisa

She’s fun loving, but only when it’s man hunting night. She’s your best friend, but she’ll constantly complain about the single life. I’m definitely guilty of complaining about being single and yes it can get lonely, but this girl is a broken record of “No one likes me” “Remember that guy I dated...” and “What’s wrong with me?” Every girl is guilty of saying these lines. I definitely have. This girl repeatedly talks about how no one likes her and she can’t hold on to a boyfriend. She’ll obsess over every date wondering if this guy will stick around. She’s a hopeless romantic and a Disney princess at heart, but has unrealistic expectations about relationships and men.

The third girl is the one every girl hates, but also strives to be at the same time. She’s...

The Most Beautiful Girl You’ve Ever Seen aka Miss Steal Your Man

You may have seen her working out at the gym or even in the office. Maybe even was caught staring at her because she’s so beautiful and it’s just not fair. God had to have made something wrong with her to balance the equation, but she could be perfect and that could send you in a hateful spiral of bad thoughts like,“Why the fuck am I so ugly.” She’s skinny, fit, has white teeth, luscious hair and if she has a decent personality with brains then you’re shit out of luck, lady. I mean lesbihonest, if I was a dude I’d date her and if I had a boyfriend I’d keep him far away from her. You don’t even want to be friends with this girl because you’ll always get guys coming up to you and asking if she’s single and how they can get it in.

The fourth girl is the one that just grinds your gears and may cause you to speak up and say “SHUT THE FUCK UP, No one asked you.” She’s...

The Attention Seeker (Attention Whore) aka Two Cents Tina

She’s the girl that feeds off of others attention like a leech. She has to be included in everything. She NEEDS to be heard, but what she’s saying isn’t relevant, funny, or anything but a waste of air. She’ll stick her big and fugly nose in other people’s business and talk over you, as if you’re fucking invisible or mute. She’s like a little puppy that won’t stop following you around and nipping at your shoelaces. She’s also a shit stirrer. She wants to wreak havoc on all those around. To her, drama is exciting and you pity her for it. Tough love, is what this bitch needs. She’s rude and obnoxious. She has her fucking cell phone on with her keyboard volume at max before a yoga class or at the doctor’s office because she needs to know everyone’s shit. She’s the absolute worst and I strongly advise you to avoid this human.

The final girl is the one that I encounter frequently and I think it’s because we live on such a heavily populated island. She’s...

The Girl Who Doesn’t Understand Person Space aka Bumpin’ Betty

I encounter this bitch everywhere. For strangers, I’ve been with them in yoga class or any type of group activity class, in line at the grocery store, in line to get coffee. You name it. She thinks that by standing so fucking close to you, it’ll make the line move quicker. Well, you’re strongly mistaken, bitch. As Ludacris once put it, “GET BACK! You don’t know me like that.” As far as friends go, she’s the girl that has to be like an inch away from your face when telling a story. Girl, I don’t need to see how many teeth you have filled and what color your eye liner is, please BACK off. I can smell what you ate for lunch. She’ll get a little drunk and it only gets worse. Now she’s bumping into you, touching your face and practically rubbing up against your arm while telling you she’s misses hanging out with you. I know I’m great, but dude, tell me from a distance. There should be a foot between us and that’s being generous. She’s your friend though and you love her. To tell her that she needs to take a few steps back would only piss her off and start a fight, so you continue to get bumped and bruised while in her presence, but limit the amount of times you see her.

I have so many other girl categories that annoy me and would annoy anyone really. Just remember, this is all for fun. I’m not trying to put anyone down because I can tell you now, I fall into all these categories, except the last one because I strongly hate being touched...

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batbloodhoney-blog · 7 years

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Bringing Up the Bodies

The latest episode of TWD really was enjoyable, however, seeing Negan burn someone alive really got to me. Yes, I understand it isn’t real, but damn that was insane, right? Comic Negan isn’t that crazy. Aside from that, I adore Eugene more than I ever imagined to. Anyway, here we go! The drama is coming...I think you all know what may be coming.

Chapter Nine: Pretty

“This, this could be yours.”

Sarai heard Negan’s voice after checking in on Naomi in the tub. She had only been soaking for ten minutes; she was in Epsom salt and vanilla oils to help her relax; Sarai thought this would help with whatever it was that caused her to freak out. She was hoping Negan would be gone, but was utterly frightened at the sound of his playful voice.

Walking out of his bedroom, she stepped towards the opened parlor doors and saw him with a small woman, about as tall as Naomi. If Sarai hadn’t just seen Naomi, she would’ve suspected it was her, up and walking. From behind, they looked the same, expect this woman had lighter color brown hair and it was tied up.

“Ah, ha!” Negan exclaimed happily upon seeing Sarai walk in, shutting the doors behind her. “There’s my number one.”

The woman turned and caught eyes with Sarai. Tina looked weak; Sarai wondered what it was with the sick girls. His new flavor of the week?

“Hey,” Sarai waved halfheartedly. “Uh, I thought you were out on a run?”

Negan walked over, smiling still, “Decided to skip it. You wouldn’t believe what I found,” he whispered the last bit with a smirk. “This here is Tina. Tina,” Negan turned back to the woman, “this is wife number one, Sarai.”

“Hello,” Tina swallowed. “It’s nice to meet you.”

“Same here,” Sarai felt her stomach knot; she suddenly felt nauseous. “Is she…is she new?”

Negan shrugged nonchalantly, “She hasn’t decided if she’d like to join you just yet, baby. Poor thing is ill and the medication is too much.”

Frowning, Sarai swallowed the vomit making its way up, “Well, I won’t be in your way. I have to clean up.”

As she began to head towards the Parlor bathroom, Negan snatched her arm easily, “Whoa! Whoa, where’s the fire?”

Sarai turned back and gave Negan a soft kiss, “I have hair to sweep up. I took care of Naomi like you asked.”

Negan grinned, praising her as he let her go, “Good girl! Where is the little thing?”

“Infirmary,” Sarai replied quickly, “she’s pretty worn out.”

“Hmm,” Negan rubbed his chin, “I guess I’ll check on her later. You,” he looked back at Tina, “and I need to get more acquainted. Follow me.”

Sarai watched as Tina and Negan left the Parlor and started off towards the right of the hallway, away from Negan’s bedroom. Sarai let out a deep breath as she began to clean up, hurrying to get back to Naomi before Negan found her.

•••

“Tell me about yourself,” Negan sat down in a beautiful purple plush love seat, across from the full bed that Tina sat at the edge of.

Tina felt nervous and nauseous, “There’s nothing much to tell,” she managed to say without stuttering.

“What did you do before the shit storm?” Negan leaned forward.

Tina noticed he looked less threatening without Lucille; who was sitting propped beside the chair; “I didn’t do much. I was a waitress…I was sick a lot…could barely work. I lived with Sherry and D.”

Negan hummed, “What do you downstairs?”

“I clean the mess hall,” she fiddled with her hands, “it’s a lot harder than I thought.”

Negan clicked his tongue against his teeth, “Sounds like my offer would be real fucking sweet for you, huh, darlin’?”

Looking down at her hands now, Tina stopped fiddling with them. The thought of being one of many to a man made her skin crawl, especially when that man was Negan. He was brutal and brash; unforgiving and scared her; she couldn’t imagine being with him, staying in the same room with him, and the idea of “marrying” such a tyrant made her want to vomit.

“So?” Negan swayed in the plush seat, smiling at her.

“Can I think about it?” Tina sputtered, “I need…I should talk to Sherry. She’s–she’s my sister, my best friend, I need her.”

His smile disappeared slowly, he only cocked an eyebrow, “You need her. What the fuck for?”

“She gives me my insulin, she knows how to inject it so it doesn’t hurt,” Tina murmured, feeling childish.

Negan hummed softly, smiling once again, “Of fucking course! I’ll give you three days,” he added, “get your shit in order.”

Tina gave a small nod, “Thank you, Negan.”

He stood up, making his way towards her, “It’s no trouble, honey,” leaning down, he planted his lips upon hers in a small kiss. “Let me take you back to work.”

••• Naomi sunk in Negan’s large steel bathtub, wondering how it had made its way into such a large factory. She wondered if he found it and put it in himself; she wouldn’t be surprised, Negan had such lavish furniture. He intrigued her, he was not like the Wolves, the total opposite of Bill, except he was a tough ruler.

She wondered then if he knew where her sister could be. Perhaps he knows where Rosie is, where she could possibly be. The idea seemed outrageous, but the world seemed to be so small, Rosie could be apart of the Saviors, or near by. With so few survivors, Rosie could be just yards away, she knew her sister would have survived.

Rosie was so tough, she could fight and take care of herself, she didn’t need anyone else. Rosie is alive, she thought happily, I know she is.

“Naomi?” Sarai entered the bathroom, “We have to go, sorry, Negan is here and he won’t be happy if he finds us in here.”

Naomi nodded and slowly stood, knees wobbly, but stronger. Sarai helped her wrap up in a towel and hurriedly dried her off, and then wrapped her hair in another towel. Naomi was unashamed as she let Sarai help her dress in new, cleaner pair of underwear and a sports bra; then in a white t-shirt and cotton gym shorts with a long forgotten high school logo on them.

“These are the only comfortable things we have, sorry,” Sarai mumbled as she helped Naomi into her chair.

Naomi only signed, Thank you

Sarai kept look out as she wheeled Naomi from Negan’s bedroom and then started down the hall, to the lift. As they waited for the lift to ascend, Sarai began to style Naomi’s hair, combing her newly cut bangs over the scar on her forehead. Once inside the lift, Sarai still combed her hair back with a small comb and then braided it back I a small braid and tied it.

“Are you feeling better?”

Naomi nodded slowly, grabbing her board to write: Thank you, I feel a lot better, I appreciate it

“Well, it’s not every day that Negan lets us out of the glass castle,” Sarai said with a bit of a snort. “I’m happy to help you,” she added sincerely. “That bath though, that’s between us.”

Naomi felt her lips turn up as she cleared her board and and then wrote back: Secret is safe with me. This meant more than just letting her into the bathroom of the big boss man.

As the lift stopped, Sarai opened the gate and then looked around, pushing Naomi when she saw the coast was clear. She moved quickly back to the infirmary and back to Carson, who was doing his own inventory. Naomi wasn’t excited to see him, having been around another female and made her comfortable, the thought of being alone with a man.

“Nice to see you back,” Carson smiled; Naomi looked at him and wondered if the action was painful.

“She’s all clean and pretty,” Sarai smiled back, “I’ll put her to bed.”

“She could actually use a bit of exercise,” Carson stood then, following behind as Sarai pushed her into the main recovery room. “Mind helping her walk a bit while I finish inventory?”

Sarai shrugged, “Sure. I’m sure Negan won’t be looking for me.”

Carson smiled, again, giving the same painful expression. He shut the door behind him after muttering a thanks. Sarai set Naomi in her chair next to her bed, “God, I’m surprised his face didn’t crack in two.”

Naomi smiled, her throat tightening as a small laugh bubbled up, but she held it in. Sarai helped Naomi into bed, watching her stretch her arms and then her legs.

“So we just walk around the room?” Sarai questioned as Naomi began to stand; she gave a nod. “Okay, you’re not gonna fall on me, are ya?” She teased.

Again Naomi smiled softly, shaking her head. She held out her arms and navigated Sarai’s hand and arm to help her walk; one around her waist, hand gripping her hip, as Naomi did the same to her body and together they began to walk across the room.

“This is pretty easy,” Sarai noted, “you’re getting stronger.”

Naomi nodded to her reply and continued on, feeling the muscles in her legs feeling tight, her knees feeling stronger. They walked around the room, as if they seemed to be waltzing to no music. It only last 20 minutes before Naomi signaled to the bed, where Sarai sat her back down.

“Feel okay?”

Naomi grabbed her board: I feel better, I can’t thank you enough

“I’m happy to help. Besides, we may be roomies one day,” Sarai winked.

Naomi let out a small breath and began to write again: I’m damaged goods, Negan won’t want me

Sarai frowned, wondering what she meant, “Naomi, I think Negan will be okay with whatever baggage you have. I told you, he loves women, and all he wants is to protect us. He may not love us, but he has some kind of affection for us…every woman here. He makes sure no man gets away with hurting us.”

Naomi’s mind had felt like it had been blown open. She blinked and then her brows furrowed. She didn’t understand completely. Wiping her board clean, she wrote: What do you mean?

Sarai sat in the wheelchair, directly across from Naomi, “One woman here was raped by one of Negan’s men…top ranked, and once Negan found out, seen her in here, being treated, he asked her who did it and when he heard, he went ballistic.”

Did he kill him?

Sarai nodded, “Bashed his head in with Lucille.”

Naomi suddenly felt relieved and a whole lot safer. She swallowed, and then took her board: What’s it like to be one of his wives?

Sarai smiled, shrugging lightly, “Well, it gets a bit boring, but we don’t have to work. We get first call on everything, we don’t have to go on runs, we don’t have points, we just take what we want.”

Would I have to sleep with Negan?

Shaking her head, Sarai filled Naomi with relief, “He never forces us to do anything we don’t want to do. Negan really is a great man once you’re alone with him. You’ll be happier with him…he’ll protect you.”

Sarai’s words really did fill Naomi with hope and a bit of excitement. She was still a bit afraid of suddenly becoming someone she just met’s wife. The thought of sex, the thought of being thrown around and held down made her heart rate pick up.

“He’ll be gentle with you,” Sarai added, her hand touching Naomi’s knee gently. “I…I seen the scars, I can’t imagine what you’ve been through, but I know Negan will make sure you’re never, ever taken and treated that way again. I promise.”

Naomi nodded, her hands lifting to sign, Thank you, I’ll think about it

Sarai chuckled, “I really need to learn that. When we become roomies, teach me, okay?”

Another giggle bubbled, but it stayed in her throat; Naomi nodded, smiling widely.

••• Kae’s stomach twisted once she reached the top floor of the Sanctuary. Negan owned the top two floors, and his was exclusively the top floor. She managed to rummage around and find a nice top and a clean pair of jeans before she went upstairs to meet Tanya.

As her foot steps echoed down the hall, she looked for the destined red double doors she was told where she’d find the wives and Negan himself. As she got closer to the doors, her heart began to beat faster and faster, her palms growing sweatier. Each step felt like it was sending her further back than forward, until she was just a foot away from the doors.

Letting out a deep exhale, she raised her fist and knocked three times. It took a few seconds before the doors opened and she was met with a brown skinned woman with thick curly hair. Sarai.

“Can I help you?” Sarai murmured with a raised brow.

“H-hi,” Kae cleared her throat, “Is Tanya–I’m here for Tanya…”

Sarai stepped back and let Kae in, “She’s here. Come on in.”

There was no need to explain herself, Kae could tell Sarai knew why she was here; why she was really there, at least. Kae expected to see Tanya and perhaps some clothes, but all she saw was Tanya leaning against a beautiful corner bar, pouring something in a glass.

“Hi Tanya,” Kae spoke up to gain her attention.

Tanya looked up and smiled, “Oh, great, you made it! Come over here.”

Kae looked around, admiring the room, then made her way to the bar. Tanya handed her a small glass full of a clear alcohol with a pink tint. “What is it?”

“Something an old wife invented with pink lemonade and vodka,” Tanya shrugged, “it’s pretty good, have some.”

Kae took a sip and made a face once the sourness hit her tongue and throat. She grimaced and set the glass down, “That’s sour!”

“Sorry,” Tanya chuckled, “it’s all Negan will let us have. He doesn’t like us to get sloppy.”

“So,” Kae looked around again, “uh, why am I here? Do I have to do something for the clothes?”

Tanya too looked around, noticing Sarai had gone; “Well, it’s just Sarai and I now,” she began, “and Negan is looking for a new wife. I was thinking, maybe you’d like to become one. You get first dibs on clothes and anything else the Saviors haul in.”

Kae’s brows rose, “So, you–you want me–you think I can become one of you?” Her tone was soft and in total shock; she hadn’t expected that.

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you, Negan hates for us to spread what goes on around here. He just got rid of one wife…she’s back to washing floors, and he needs another beautiful woman.”

Kae frowned, unsure of what to say, “B-but me? Me? Are you–really?”

Tanya took Kae’s drink and down it herself, hissing after, “Yes. You’re pretty and you need things. I mean, you don’t have to become a wife, I just thought…you’d be perfect.”

It was an overwhelming feeling of surprise and flattery that made Kae’s heart shoot into her throat. She never expected to be a wife; all his wives had been thin and tall and pretty, borderline gorgeous, “Me?” She sputtered again.

Tanya hummed, smiling again, “Negan will like you. All you gotta do is be honest and you’ll be in. He loves women and you are his type.”

Before Kae could say another word, the Parlor doors opened loudly, and then shut louder. Kae had jumped at the sudden invasion and looked over, seeing the man himself. Negan.

“Well, what’s this?” Negan smirked, swinging Lucille at his side. “Slumber fuckin’ party?”

Tanya set the glass down and crossed the room, “Negan, I did as you told me and found a nice girl for you.”

Negan grinned down, his eyes focused down on Tanya, “Mm, that’s my good girl,” he kissed her forehead. He then looked up, eyes focusing on Kae.

“What’s your name, darlin’?” Negan walked over, setting Lucille down in a leather chair beside the bar.

Kae swallowed thickly, the aftertaste of sour lemon and vodka coated her tongue, “I’m Kayla, but I rather be called Kae, sir.”

Negan noticed her nervously shake and the sweat beginning to bead at the top of her forehead, “Don’t be scared, Kae,” her name sounded so sexual, she thought, as it fell from his lips.

“Sorry, I just…I haven’t properly met you, sir,” she stammered.

Negan chuckled, “Enough with the fuckin’ sir shit, okay? Just Negan will be fine,” he then leaned in close to her ear, “or daddy, but I prefer than in the bedroom.”

Kae’s stomach knotted, heat growing between her thighs, “O-o-okay.”

He leaned back, shaking his head approvingly at her, “You are quite a sight…mmm, my girl has a good eye!”

Kae blushed deeply, her entire face began to burn red.

“How old are you?” Negan questioned, taking her wrist and led her to the large, soft couch fitted in brown cotton.

“I’m 27,” she answered. “I think…I can’t remember how long it’s actually been. Could be 28.”

“What do you do down in the Sanctuary?”

“I work in the garden and in the kitchen,” she replied, “I pick and peel vegetables.”

“Do you have family?” He questioned next.

Kae shook her head, feeling vulnerable, “No. I lost them all before I got here.”

Negan exhaled, “Don’t get down on me now, darlin’,” he grabbed her chin gently with his gloved hand, “you happy workin’ down there?”

Kae shrugged, feeling hot and bothered once again; her family’s fate had disappeared in a flash, “Not particularly, but I do have many points.”

Negan grinned, letting her chin go, “Then why do you want to be one of my wives?”

“I wasn’t…” Kae paused and looked over at Tanya, who was sitting at the bar, busily reading now. Turning back to Negan, she continued on, “I wasn’t expecting to become your wife, Negan…I need clothes and Tanya said she could help.”

Negan’s lips turned down, nodding, “Do you want to be my wife, Kae?” He asked her in a deep tone of voice.

Kae licked her lips, nodding back slowly, “I do. Yes.”

“Well, I could never say no to such a pretty face,” he leaned forward and pecked her lips. “You, darling, will be happy here and you can have whatever you like.”

Butterflies swarmed Kae’s belly, “Are you sure?”

Negan gave a soft laugh, “Sure as shit, darling. Can’t pass up a pretty face and a hard workin’ woman who deserves more than she’s getting.”

Kae grinned, her heart thumping, “I don’t know what to say.”

Negan gripped her jaw, firm but gently, “Just say ‘I do’ and it’s all yours.”

With a small smile and pounding heart, Kae licked her lips again, “I do.”

@negans-network @dunne31 @haleyea @melodicdolls @miiraal @alyisdead

Thank you all for coninuing to read! I love you all and appreciate everything! Any ideas, hit me up, I don’t mind, I would love to hear from you. I’m also thinking of doing one shots soon, I want to write more about Negan

#twd fanfiction #the walking dead fanfiction #negan #negan fanfiction #negan x oc #butb #negan's thirst squad

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