#the bar is in the 6th level of hell | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

potatosoldier · 3 years

Text

Are you still there?

/Part 7/

I am hot, I am sweaty, and I am crammed into a small cot surrounded by equally sweaty men. It was the 6th of September, and we had just boarded the Great Samaria a few hours ago. We were now on a journey to Europe.

How they managed to jam us into this ship, I have no clue. It isn’t like there is 20 men over the capacity of this ship. No, this ship was made for 1000 passengers and now there were 5000 men from the 506th shoved in. I could have made the choice and went to the officers and made my stay there, I want to be near the men.

“Joe, darling, your shoulders are like barn doors, I can’t fit”

Oh yes, as the passenger count was so high, the cots were shared by two soldiers. I was sharing with Joe. At first I also considered going to Skip, but then I came to a conclusion that I could stand Joe’s singing in this suppressed place, but listening to Skip talk non-stop would make me an irritable person. And I truly did not want to become that. These men are my companions and I want to treat the with the respect they deserve. I did not have the right to become rude even in these circumstances.

Also, if I was put too high, Bull would have to carry me around like a baby monkey.

“For God’s sake, just turn the other way”, Joe grunts as I try to maneuver myself without jostling the cot too much.

“Joe, please move”, I whine and try to push him. He rasps and looks at me teasing smile on his lips.

“you wanna continue trying, Bambi”, he teases. I scrunch my brows and pout. Why did he have to make this so difficult. Then I put on my most motherly glare. “Joseph Toye, this is not how you should behave”, I scold.

He chuckles once again, but proceeds to move over so I’m finally able to fit in next to him on the cot. It was a tight squeeze, both of us were on top of the bed springs, but we tried to be so that it’s the least uncomfortable. Physically and mentally.

“So you told Muck, huh?”, he whispers once we are in and he hears Skip talking while making his way around the ship. I nod as we both look at the cot above us. “You sure that was a good idea?”, he asks. I could hear in his voice that he didn’t doubt Skip personally, but he was just checking in.

I smile. “He has been good to me since I came here, He won’t betray me now. And it does feel good to let it out”, I tell. He nods.

“So, what do you think about going to Europe?”, he asks. I shrug. “I’m glad I’m here, maybe we can speed up the process of ending this war and Matias and dad can go back home”, I answer. Matias was my older brother. I think he is the reason I’m so fond of Skip and Luz, Matias was such a jokester too. It broke my heart to think of him out there somewhere, fighting for his life.

“I’m glad we’re going to Europe too. Hitler gets one of these right across the windpipe, Roosevelt changes Thanksgiving to Joe Toye Day and 10,000 a year for the rest of my fucking life”, he says in a much louder voice.

I look at him trying not to laugh. “Joe, I promise I’ll celebrate Joe Toye Day from now on even if you don’t succeed”, I manage to say without laughing.

“What if we don’t get to Europe, what if they send us to North Africa”, Smokey points out from above us.

The conversation doesn’t awfully concern me, till I hear these words: “ I like Winters, he is a good man. But when bullets start flying, I don’t know if I want a Quaker doing my fighting for me”

My head turns sharply up towards Bill’s bed. My blood starts running cold with the rage I’m feeling. He had the audacity to condemn someone by their religion and to add to that doubt MY husbands skills in combat.

“How do you know he’s a Quaker?”

“He ain’t Catholic”

I’m about to jump up and teach the boy some manners when, Joe apparently notices my open mouth and shoves my head under a blanket. And by shoving, I mean shoving. Nothing gentle about it. I can only imagine the looks people are throwing at us.

“Okay Bambi up we go” he then says and starts lifting me up, my head still covered. I can hear Liebgott and Bill still having a spat and am about to turn to go towards the noise, but Joe keeps me covered till we are away from the scene.

“You need some fresh air, you angry hedgehog, to he deck we go”, Joe says and pushes people around to make us way forward. He really saved me from making a mistake.

With Richard

The Boat was far from comfortable, that was the only thing Richard Winters would say to the circumstances at hand. Last time he had been this hot, was while running in full gear in Toccoa.

“They really filled this Troop ship to the brink”, Lewis says looking just as sweaty as his friend. “If I’m going to be this hot, I’d rather have 5000 ladies here. At least there would be something to look at”, Nix says.

“Yeah, and by the time you’d make it to your destination they’d have eaten you alive, after finding out about Kathy”, Dick teases. Keeping your mind light in situations like this was the key to keeping your head together. His friend had his own lightness hidden in Dick’s footlocker.

Lewis let’s out his trademark chuckle. “Easy for you to say”, he snarks back. Dick knows exactly what he means. It was easy for Dick to judge other men for seeking affection because his own wife was there.

Dick only looks at his friend with a dry look and they remain silent for a while.

“Never thought this day would actually come, of course I knew it was coming, but hell we’ve come a long way”, Nix says and takes a swig from his flask. Dick lets out a small huff. It really was a miracle that Sobel hadn’t found some way to get rid off them.

“You think we can make it Nix, back home I mean”, Dick asks thoughtfully and plays with his fingers. It was a curious question, not one of sadness or fear.

“That’s not for us to decide, but hey I’ll drink to the thought of seeing your children some day”; he says raising his flask in what was supposed to be a happy remark, but when he sees Dick’s face, all the happiness goes away.

He furrows his brows and looks at his friend more closely. “You okay Dick?”, he asks while still studying his now pale friend. Dick just continues looking ahead like he was not there at all.

“Yeah, Nix, I’m okay”, he finally whispers and they drop the topic replacing it with silence.

Sonja / Day 3 on the Samaria/

“Better out than in, there we go”, George says as he brushes some of my hair back. I had been throwing up for the last two hours. I wasn’t sure was it the sea or the smell of the fish soup that made me so nauseous.

“I fe- ugh”, I puke again in the middle of my sentence. I was not the only one throwing up, no. But I felt very embarrassed to be in this situation. I was a nurse, not a patient.

Suddenly a pounding of boots is heard and I feel someone place themselves on the other side of me. “There we go, a Hershey bar for the lady. Got it from Winters, tried scrounging and he was kind enough to offer when he passed”, Skip says as he opens the wrapper for me.

And what I can take from his story is that, that he went to tell Richard I’m unwell and Richard gave him the bar.

“Thank you”, I whisper and take the piece Skip snaps me. Luz takes the bucket from my hands and gives water to rinse my mouth. “For a small lady, you sure puke your guts out like a grown man”, Luz teases.

“Shut up, I’m only three inches shorter than you”, I grumble and lean against him while savoring the chocolate to get the taste of vomit out. He only chuckles and makes a mocking “UGH” noise.

“Thank you boys for getting me out, I thought Joe was going to kill me”,I giggle softly. They both huff in laughter. “I mean you did puke on his chest”, Skip points out. I grimace, that I sure did. His chest and neck where running with fish soup after I retched on him.

“Someone get her a bucket, fucking hell, if someone isn’t gonna help her, Imma kill every fucking one of you”

“Skip, go get us some cards, I don’t think she can handle the sweat level yet”, George says as he strokes my back, as I gag again a little.

How long was I going to be stuck on this boat.

----------------------

The night was awful, I felt sickly and I noticed that Joe was turning more than usual, probably because of the back pain. We were lucky enough to fit on the cot so that we could both sleep in it, but nothing seemed to get me catch sleep. I was afraid of throwing up again.

“Nurse”, I hear a whisper. I jump and look up. Even in the dim lighting I can recognize my husband. I carefully stand without jostling Joe too much, and gently put the blanket on him again, after raising it up a little to get a little cool air on him.

“Yes sir?”,I ask professionally as I stand before Richard. He just nods his head towards the deck.

As we make it to the deck we quickly and quietly find a corner with no one sleeping in it. He takes a look around and has a seat. Before taking something out from his pocket: chocolate.

“Richard, you don’t have a sweet tooth, how do you have all these”;I ask looking at him oddly.

“I got this from Nix, he was willing to sacrifice it for I quote ‘holy business’“, I giggle at my husbands expression as he quotes Lewis. I take the bar from him and put it next to me. I honestly felt too sickly to eat it now.

I look at Dick biting my lip. He seems to notice the softness in my gaze as he utters a gentle “come here”, and gently guides me to lay my upper body onto his legs.

“Don’t worry, darling. I can keep watch, and if they ask more, I can say that I was just looking out for you as your officer”, he soothes and rubs his hand along my arms. Which feels amazing on my sore muscles.

“I think it’s time to tell the men soon anyway. They need to get used to the idea before we jump, and I think that they know you well enough to not judge you”, he then brings up. I nod against his leg, this living in secrecy was starting to become more and more difficult.

I then squeeze my eyes shut as nausea takes over me. “Richie I think I might puke”,I whimper. I always got very stressed when I had nausea, and sensitive. “I don’t wanna puke on you”,I say and try to rise, but in all honestly rising just made it worse.

Richard guides me back gently. “If you puke on me, then you do. Don’t worry about that. Let’s just get you comfortable”

----------------------

On the 15th of September we finally made it to Liverpool. I was still quite pale after the ride. Eating had really become a task, and without food, you lose strength. But with the threats from Joe and gentle urging from Carwood Lipton, I was able to get food down.

“You feelin’ good ma’am?”, comes a familiar Arkansas drawl as I give a happy sigh to be on the steady ground. I chuckle “Aye, sir, better than ever”, I say teasingly. He mock salutes me and we start walking for our shelter for the night.

I walk on Joe’s side keeping a firm hold of his sleeve as I had been told by Lip.

“We don’t want you getting lost, you are harder to find than most of us”

At first I had wanted to tell him that I am a grown woman with military training, but his truly caring gaze changed my plans. If I could express in words, how thankful I was for that mans care I would shout it at his too humble face. Okay, these boys are really rubbing off on me, I wouldn’t shout, maybe gently lecture.

Tomorrow we would be going to our final destination.

-------------------

Aldbourne was vastly different from all the places I’ve had my training and from what the men told me, it was also very different to them. We were in the middle of a village! We could actually see other people.

“Come on Sonja, please, please please”, Skip was begging on his knees. We had gotten our passes to go to Swindon for a Saturday night dance this weekend. The boys were all excited about being able to go and actually getting the passes this time.

“Skip, you know I get uncomfortable with many people, also it’ll be nice to have some time alone”, I try to reason as he keeps pushing my skirt and blouse towards my hands.

He looks at me with his green puppy eyes. “please, Bambi, for me, Joe is coming too. Aren’t you? Hear that Joe is there too”, he begs. I sigh and look at both of them.

“Okay, but when I say want to come back, I will”, I say pointing at him.

“Yes!!”

-------------------

I didn’t put on my skirt and blouse, instead I took out my light blue swing dress and let my hair down. It was nice to feel girly again, and actually have a reason to get dolled up. That was not the best part, the best part was actually putting my wedding ring onto my finger. I gave a small kiss to my cross and said a little prayer of gratitude before going to the boys.

The boys were happy to have me, their lady with them.

“Your husband is one lucky bastard”. George had said when he saw me. Bull had even blushed when I gave him a kiss on the cheek as thanks for helping me with my jacket.

All the girls in the dance were dolled up too. I found the music in there absolutely delightful. It might have not been completely in my taste, but I appreciate it nonetheless. Also the sound of shoes clapping against the floor was beautifully relaxing.

“Would my lady like to dance?”, Skip asks bowing at the waste. I shake my head at his antics but take his hand none the less. And boy did I make a mistake. I was tosses from Skip to George, to Bull, to Joe, to Don (who mind you, was an excellent dancer!) and god knows who. The Easy boys really decided to hit the floor.

Once I was able to make a run from them, I found Joe drinking a beer at one of the tables. “You having fun?”; he asks and takes a long sip. I nod and smile widely.

“I can’t remember the last time I’ve been able to dance so much! But I do wonder”, I bite my lip. “Am I a bad person to be here, without Richard?”; I whisper.

Joe shakes his head. “You’re too good for this world. There ain’t nothing wrong with you being here. He trusts you and you trust him. And hell, you were giggling like a school girl when you realized you still had time to go to him after this. You aren’t committing any sin”, he soothes with a little teasing making me blush.

Who can blame me, I just want to grab my Robert Burns poems and go read with Richards head on my lap. Was that really too much to ask for? He was my husband.

We continue our conversation, with me sipping a cup of water, until I hear a similar interruption as in the boat.

Bill and Skinny make it to our table chatting. “He might be a good man, but Quakers aren’t meant for this shit” My patience had been running thin with these comments for so long and now my patience was all run out.

“He is not a Quaker”, I snap. Bill turns to me with an odd look on his face.

“And how do you know that Bambi”, many of the Easy men were now near our table from hearing my raised voice.

I don’t know what made it come out of my mouth, but this did anyway: “If my husband was a Quaker I think I’d be the one who knows that and not you”

I quickly realize what I said and plant my palm against my face, trying to remember how to breathe. I hear Joe sigh from next to me: “Well, now you fucking said it”

@iilovemusic12us

@georgeparisole

#dick winters x reader #dick winters #richard winters x reader #richard winters #band of brothers oc #band of brothers imagines #Band of brothers #lewis nixon #carwood lipton #george luz #skip muck #warren muck #bull randleman #bill guarnere

47 notes · View notes

crazynekochan · 3 years

Text

Dangan Persona AU

Notes on the 6th palace

Ruled by Byakuya Togami.

Captive is Chihiro Fujisaki (trapped in a metal cage surrounded by some really nasty robotic animals in the boss room; will be torn apart by said animals as part of “showtime” if not rescued in time).

Shadow manifests as a cyborg-looking gladiator dressed as a king, with a classic ermine cape with the Togami crest embroidered on the back, with his boss form being him as a robotic gladiator with a sword and chains that bind him to a scepter and a shield with the Togami crest also emblazoned on it (he can wield both as part of his attacks), switching between different magic skills and physical abilities, representing how the Togami clan gives him great power but also brings him down.

Palace is a huge Colosseum where you have to fight through the levels before getting onto the actual fighting field where Chihiro is being kept. Byakuya is the most popular gladiator (well more of gladiator/heel wrestler mix) and there are tons of facilities dedicated to both his use and so that the audience can use it to both admire and rail against him.

During it, you see various parts of Byakuya’s personality that he refuses to show to others, like his care for his defeated siblings, his crush on Makoto, even his anger and hatred for being part of the Togami family ripping away whatever chance of a normal childhood he would’ve had. The whole thing is pretty much an exercise in breaking down Byakuya’s cool asshole exterior to find a true princely young man with a whole lot of daddy and mommy issues (because come one, no way this guy doesn’t have daddy and mommy issues). This’s really not what Byakuya would want to have the party here see, but he doesn’t have a Persona yet and his attacks aren’t that effective on shadows so he’s stuck with them to get through.

This palace also makes a lot more use of cognitions, with most of the fans being regular humans, while the enemies are his various fans or security, Aloysius acting as his mechanic/coach/high honored surrogate father. He even has his classmates there as some of the other fighters. With the exception of Toko, head of Byakuya’s fan club (and shockingly normal looking), and Makoto, who is depicted as a princess (basically Makoto but with a cute crown on his head and even more cutesy anime) that Shadow Byakuya is constantly trying to impress with almost no idea about how normal human courting customs work. It kills Byakuya so fucking much on the inside but it gives the party some good laughs and wishes that their phones worked in the Metaverse (or whatever this place is called), while the real Makoto just blushes like hell.

As the palace goes on, you see just how much Byakuya internally resents the role he’s been placed into by everyone’s expectations as a Togami and the heir, how he’s alienated himself from everyone around him and can barely interact with normal society without making an ass of himself, but he’s been so stuck in these ways that he would be “useless” in normal society, with the depictions of him (in the more stylized flashbacks to Byakuya’s childhood) becoming more and more robotic as time goes on.

When they finally get to the ring, Chihiro’s just generally doing their best to cling tightly to the bars of the cage while Shadow Byakuya lectures him in disappointment because he’s not going to get any stronger if he doesn’t at least try some pull-ups while on the bars. Byakuya gets up on the stage first and Shadow Byakuya at least gives him a good run, having the cage pulled to a higher vantage point via cables and the animals dispersed. But Shadow Byakuya absolutely fucking whoops Byakuya’s ass, with some of the most vicious, nastiest, most self-loathing things said to him in an incredibly brutal “why you suck” speech while simultaneously brutally kicking Byakuya’s ass all around the arena. Before, finally, the party gets there and keeps the Shadow from giving the finishing blow, starting the boss fight.

After the fight, Byakuya’s still not even remotely put together enough emotionally that he can confess that he’s actually the Shadow, so he orders everyone but Toko, Hajime, and Makoto to leave while he makes the contract, earning his persona. Then after they’ve escaped the collapsing palace and rescued Chihiro, Byakuya calls Makoto to talk in private in his dorm room. They never say what happened then, but Makoto was a bit pink and Byakuya still refuses to talk about it, but they are closer than before

---

Mod: The idea of having Byakuya as a famous and praised gladiator fits so well, cause he did basically fight all of his siblings despite being the “underdog” due to being the youngest and won against them. So also fitting to have the Palace be a Colosseum where the party has to fight their way up to get the chance to fight the Shadow

But oh god Byakuya must be suffering when all of his deepest most hidden emotions and feelings are getting revealed so openly for everyone to see, cause he has a gigantic ego and usually refuses to show emotions, especially ones like love and vulnerability, in the open. And here they are presented. Especially the part of his crush on sweet Makoto, which is good teasing material which is after all hard to get with Byakuya x)

Must be a sight seeing Byakuya being on the receiving end of his own “why you suck” speeches and getting kicked around like it’s nothing. Cause he’s such a prideful person after all who always pretends to have everything in control as if he were the king of this world who is as perfect as can be. Only that he actually isn’t and he has to admit to it or things will not get any better at all. Which is the hardest part, but at least he did it and even let the people he trusts see it and see him being vulnerable. Even if he refuses to say anything about it afterwards

#submission #danganronpa #byakuya togami #naegami #dangan persona au #friendlylifecherry

31 notes · View notes

giddyupponyboy · 4 years

Text

Promises

Anonymous asked: "Can you do an imagine where you are Johnny's girlfriend and you are visiting him in the hospital after the rumble? And when he dies you just want to die? But he told Dally to love you and look after you? And a few years later you are together?"

*-*-*

I awoke to the sound of the phone ringing. I jolted out of bed and ran to it, hoping my parents hadn’t woken.

“Hello?” I whispered.

“Hey, (y/n),” Dally replied on the other end.

“Hey, Dal. How was the rumble, are you okay?” I asked a bit impatiently, beginning to pace around my room.

“Yeah I’m okay, just a few scratches. But I’m callin ‘cause of Johnny. He ain’t doin so good…” Dally trailed.

My heart dropped. “What happened? Is he okay?” I asked frantically, a large lump quickly forming in my throat. .

“I-I don’t know. You should get here.”

“I’m on my way,” I put the phone back on the receiver. I quietly rushed to my room to grab my coat, then I quickly made my way out of the house, praying silently that everything was going to be okay.

It was all surreal. Was Johnny going to die? No. He couldn’t. He promised me we’d grow old together. He can’t let that go to waste, he wouldn’t do that. He can’t die. He’ll hold on.

He’ll make it.

Tears began to block my vision, but I pressed on, breaking into a run. The cold air stinging like needles on my face. My legs were numb. I was numb. I couldn’t believe what was happening.

I finally got to the hospital. I pushed through the doors and ran to the front desk, still breathing quite heavy from the run.

“I’m here to see Johnny Cade,” I choked out. Tears were running down my face and the receptionist looked concerned.

“(y/n)!” a voice called. I turned my head to see Dally standing at the end of the hallway. He run up to me and grabbed my arm. “Hurry up, let’s go!” he said as he dragged me down the hallway.

“Dal, what’s going to happen to him?” I asked.

“Dammit, (y/n), I already told you I don’t know!” He shouted. “Whatever does happen, you should be with him for it, okay?” he pushed me into the room and followed close behind me.

Ponyboy was sitting close to him, not saying anything. I rushed to the other side of the hospital bed. Johnny lay there, eyes closed and motionless.

“Johnny,” I whispered frantically as I brushed his hair out of his face. “Johnny-”

“He’s gone…” Ponyboy whispered.

“What?” My heart shattered. I couldn’t feel anything. I didn’t cry, I just stood beside him, completely numb.

I reached for his hand and held it. I realized that I had barely missed him, as it was still warm.

Dally had left. I’m not sure where he went. I could hear him angrily grunting and throwing things around. I eventually tuned out the noise, I was only able to focus on Johnny, the dead beep of his heart monitor and his lifeless body lying there in front of me. A body that had life just a few short moments ago.

Its odd how something you care so deeply about, can be taken away from you in an instant. It’s a bitter reminder of the inevitability that we all must go at some point; some sooner than others. Regardless, it doesn’t change how we feel.

It’s not fair.

It’s just not fair.

Dally and I were at Bucks. Its been almost a year since Johnny died, and I still think about him every day.

Ever since that day, Dally and I have been inseparable. Something changed in both of us that day, and for some reason it seemed like Dally needed me more than ever.

Dally was working on his fourth beer, and was about to order a fifth. I looked up at him, gazing at his strong features. With all the time we had been spending together, I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t beginning to fall for him. He was so strong and so helpful, and even though he didn’t show it often, he had a really big heart. But, I wasn’t a fan of his drinking habits, which had gotten worse since Johnny had passed away.

I was already in a bad mood from getting into an argument with a drunk lady who had tried to make off with my purse, so Dally’s habits seemed extra annoying tonight

“Dal, don’t you think you’ve had enough?” I put my hand on his arm as he went for another sip.

“Leave me alone I know my limit,” He retorted as he pulled him arm away and took a swig, then slamming the brown glass bottle down. He eyeballed the bartender and he popped a cap off another bottle before handing it to Dally. After taking his first sip of his 6th beer, he looked at me with discontent. “What’s wrong?” he asked in a flat tone. I furrowed my brow and gazed back at him. “Oh, I’m sorry,” he giggled, moving the bottle towards me“I didn’t even ask if you wanted any, here have a sip-“

I cut him off, “I don’t like that you get pissed every time we hang out, I’m getting sick of it.” I swatted the bottle away. “It gets worse every time Dal.”

“What a shame,” he jeered. “If you don’t like it then go home.” He said, turning away from me and taking another long sip of his brew. I wasn’t about to put up with it any longer.

“Alright then.” I stood up and grabbed my belongings off the bar. “See you later, Dal.” I turned on my heels and began to make my way towards the exit.

“Aw sweetheart I was just kidding!” Dally called as I walked away, but I ignored him. I walked out of Buck’s and began to make my way home. Unfortunately, I didn’t bring a coat as I hadn’t anticipated that I’d be walking home alone tonight. I was expecting Dally to give me a ride as he usually did. I rubbed my arms in hopes to generate some heat.

“(y/n), wait!” Dally called. He caught up to me. “Why are you being like this?” he asked. He stood in front of me blocking my path.

“Because can’t we hang out without you getting drunk. Why can’t we be normal for once?” I huffed as I tried to push past him. He had his hands firmly planted on my shoulders. “Let me leave.”

“We’re not normal, (y/n),” he chuckled. “And anyways, I can’t let you walk home by yourself. You might get held up by Socs and get hurt.”

“It’d be better than being with you right now.” I mumbled. I shook him off and pushed past.

“Hey,” Dally grabbed my arm. “I can’t let you outta my sight, you’re my responsibility when you’re with me.”

I pulled my arm away. “Yeah? And who decided that? I’m nobody’s responsibility.” I started walking away.

“Johnny did,” I stopped immediately and turned around. “He asked me to.” Though it had been a year, it still hurt to talk about.

“We don’t talk about him anymore, Dal,” I snapped. Tears stung my eyes as I remembered the boy I had grown to love so much, who was so bitterly torn out of my life.

“He told me to look out for you, and to take care of you. So that’s what I’m doin,” I turned around and kept walking. “Jesus, (y/n), wait.”

Dally stood in front of me again.

“Leave me alone Dal,” I spat. I put a hand on his firm chest in an attempt to push him out of my way, but he grabbed hold of my shoulders and pushed me against a fence.

“Didn’t you hear what I just told you? I’m only lookin out for you, and I made a promise to Johnny, alright?”

I looked away, tears running down my face. “Hey, you don’t think I miss him too?” Dally asked, gently grabbing my face so i’d make eye contact with him. “I feel like it’s all my fault, ya know? I should have stopped him and Pony from going into that church. If I did, none of this would have happened. Johnny would still be alive, and everyone would be happy.” He said forcefully.

I shook my head, “It’s not your fault, Dal.”

“Bullshit!” he protested. He removed his hands from me and hit the fence board beside me, leaving an indent in the wood.

“Dal, please listen.” I pleaded, grabbing his shirt. “It’s not your fault. Sometimes, things like this happen and you can’t do anything about them. And sure it hurts like hell, but its just the way life is.” I began to cry. “I-I know its hard, but you need to realize that none of this is your fault. I miss him like hell, but I know he wouldn’t want this. He wants us to move on-“ I couldn’t continue. He moved closer, pulling me into a hug. “But it’s still sad.” I cried onto his chest as he stroked my hair. We stood together for a few minutes. “I should probably get home now.” I sniffed. I was about to pull away when he lifted me up and carried me back to Buck’s. I leaned into his chest craving warmth. He brought me upstairs to his room and put me down on the bed. Dally kneeled down so he was eye level with me. He wiped my eyes and gave me a weak smile. “Johnny don’t want us to be sad for him, I know that for a fact. He’s in a better place now, and we just gotta remember that.”

“Dally,” I whispered. I gazed into his brown eyes.

“Yeah?” He asked.

“Thank you. For everything.” I said to him.

“Anything for you.”

I pulled him into a tight hug, and he held me tightly back. I rested my head on his shoulder as he gently traced his fingers over my back. He pulled away for a moment, planting a kiss on my forehead. I looked up at him, gazing into his eyes. Instinctively, I leaned forward and planted my lips on his. My heart jumped at my sudden action, but he quickly pulled away.

I was immediately regretful of my actions, “Dal, I’m so sorry, I wasn’t sure how you-“

“Hey,” he interrupted me, “I make the first move.” He leaned in and kissed me passionately, one hand on my waist and the other on the back of my head. He lightly pushed our faces together even more. My heart fluttered with delight. My hands traced his chest and I could feel his heart beating fast as well.

Dallas eventually pulled away and put his forehead on mine. “I’m always gonna be here for you (y/n), don’t you ever forget it.”

a/n: So I wrote this like 3 years ago and found it in my notes, I just added a bit to the ending. I wasn’t sure how I felt about (y/n) being with Dally at the end when she was in love with Johnny before he died, but someone requested it so here ya go! (sorry for it being 3+ years late, hope you’re still out there anon!)

#dallas winston imagine #dally winston #dally imagine #dally imagines #outsiders imagines #the outsiderrs #Johnny Cade #the outsiders imagines #greaser imagine

118 notes · View notes

kronecker-delta · 3 years

Text

Farscape Nier crossover and ideas

Snippet (from 2017) Farscape/Nier: Automata --- Her room was a mess. Scattered parts of her uniform and other clothes piled along along the sides, kicked there when she came and went. Her personal books disarrayed, off the shelf and toppled over by her bed. She'd been putting off cleaning again and with the recent arrivals none of the operators could be spared to make up for her bad habits. None of that mattered at the moment. White sat in her chair, staring out into the void. A souvenir of her old days in the ground based resistance held in her hands. The framed picture of pair of androids seated on the still smoldering bulk of the ruined machine behemoth a memory of a simpler, happier time. A knock on her door brought her attention away from melancholy remembrance. Before she could compose herself and more sternly tell whoever had interrupted her what she had meant by 'Only bother me if there's an emergency' another knock issued forth. Followed by a voice. "Hey White? You in there?" She froze. She had so desperately hoped that it wouldn't be him. *** "I've never been here before," White said apologetically as their transport ship came down beside the small lunar outpost. A tiny thing, compared to the bunker. Even given the greater volume underground for secured data storage and backup generators. "No problem. First time I've been on the moon," he said, giving her a reassuring smile that didn't quite manage to look entirely honest. His frown returning as they stepped out of the transport, the boots of his pressured suit crunching into the light dusting of lunar sand that had covered part of the landing pad. "Feels like I should say something... 'Great leap for mankind and all that' you know. Hey, is the Apollo site still around?" "It is. If you want we could visit there Commander Crichton." "Just John... or Crichton. Being called Commander all the time feels weird," John Crichton said. "I know I'm the last human but..." "I-I understand," White answered. Keeping her own emotions deeply locked down as they passed into the fortified complex of the moon server. Past the scant few technicians and guards and into a dark room, nearly empty save for a single console located in the center. A black void engulfed the walls, impenetrable shadows, as the terminals and screens had long laid dormant. "So now what?" His voice echoed in the room, which must have been far larger than they had at first thought. Low clicks and whirs came from the bulk of the machine, the long slumbering physical access port awakening. Lights flashed along the walls and beyond them, racks upon racks of computer systems networked together awakening. A great screen before them coming on and displaying a stylized picture of a tree, long dark roots stretching out from its base. OVERSIGHT AND RECORDING SYSTEM VER. 2.01 SLEEPING BEAUTY ONLINE. CONFIRM USER PERMISSIONS NOW. "Commander White, YoRHa access S-Class security," White said. Looking to her side and adding, "As well as a guest." CONFIRM GUEST'S IDENTITY. "John Crichton, Commander in the IASA," John said. "Born... 1969. June 6th. If that helps any." The computer sat in silence for a long moment, not responding, the screen frozen as the loading bar seemed stuck in time. They shared a look of confusion, both android and human wondering if the ancient archive might have crashed and who was going to have to go out and ask the few technicians to help reboot it. Then the room came alight, a dozen more monitors online, the totality of it awake for the first time in forever. HUMAN IDENTITY CONFIRMED BASED ON HISTORICAL RECORDS. YoRHA S-CLASS SECURITY CLEARANCE SUBSTITUTED FOR UNRESTRICTED SYSTEM ACCESS. S-CLASS, SS-CLASS, AND HAMELIN ORGANIZATION FILES NOW UNLOCKED. GREETINGS COMMANDER JOHN CRICHTON. HOW MAY THIS SYSTEM AID YOU TODAY? "What... what's 'SS-Class?' There shouldn't be a level of security above mine." NEGATIVE. THERE ARE TWO. SS-CLASS, CONTAINING SENSITIVE FILES DEEMED TOO DANGEROUS TO BE KNOWN OUTSIDE OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE COUNCIL. AS WELL AS FILES REGARDING THE HAMELIN ORGANIZATION, WHICH WERE TO BE SEALED UNTIL SUCH A TIME AS A HUMAN USER ACCESSED THIS SYSTEM. "We do this so that the future generations will have the opportunity to judge us for our sins." "Who the hell was that?" John asked, shocked by the computer suddenly vocalizing. Producing the sound of some long dead man. Old and ill, his voice straining to make the words clear into the recording. DR. EUGENE ADLER, HAMELIN RESEARCHER IN DEMONIC ELEMENT MANIPULATION EXPERIMENTS. BY HIS RECOMMENDATION AND THE UN SPECIAL SECURITY COUNCIL'S AUTHORITY IT WAS FELT THAT KNOWLEDGE OF THE HAMELIN ORGANIZATION'S INVESTIGATIONS INTO THE DEMONIC ELEMENT AND THE 6-12 INCIDENT COULD NOT BE PUBLICLY REVEALED UNTIL THE CRISIS HAD PASSED. John looked to White, hoping she might be able to explain something, anything of what the computer had just told them. But she looked just as confused as he did. "Ah... Computer?" YES JOHN CRICHTON? "Define 'demonic element' please." DEMONIC ELEMENT: QUANTUM OBSERVATION REACTING PARTICLES BROUGHT OVER BY THE ENTITIES INVOLVED IN THE 6-12 INCIDENT. TWO VARIETIES WERE DETERMINED UPON FURTHER RESEARCH. TYPE I, WHICH CAME FROM THE ENTITY CLASSIFIED 'QUEEN OF THE GROTESQUE' AMONG NUMEROUS OTHER NAMES ACQUIRED FROM OBSERVATION DATA OF LEGION FORCES AND PRE-SUBLIMATION MEMETIC CORRUPTION OF WHITE CHLORINATION SYNDROME PATIENTS. TYPE I MATERIAL HAS BEEN REMOVED FROM THIS UNIVERSE FOR THE LAST EIGHT THOUSAND YEARS FOLLOWING THE COMPLETE PURGING OF IT FROM THE EARTH'S ENVIRONMENT. TYPE II CAME FROM THE OTHER ENTITY, CLASSIFIED AS 'A DRAGON' NO OTHER NAME OR IDENTITY DETERMINED. WHILE HIGHLY REACTIVE AND DANGEROUS IN LARGE DOSES IT WAS FOUND TO BE STABLE IN SMALL AMOUNTS AND TO LACK THE MALEVOLENT EFFECT ON INTELLIGENT LIFE THAT TYPE I MATERIAL EXHIBITED. EVENTUAL CONTROLLED EXPOSURE AND SYNTHESIS EXPERIMENTS LED TO THE CREATION OF FOCUSED MAGIC ENERGY EFFECTS AND SUBSEQUENT DEVELOPMENTS IN FIELDS OF NEUROLOGY AND META-COGNITION AS WELL AS NUMEROUS OTHERS. PROJECT GESTALT AND ANDROID CONSCIOUSNESS ARE BOTH LONG TERM SUCCESSES OF THIS RESEARCH. HIGH ENERGY MAGIC WEAPONS WERE ALSO ATTEMPTED BUT LATER SHELVED FOR BEING UNRELIABLE. AS OF THIS DATE THE AMOUNT OF TYPE II MATERIAL PRESENT IN THIS UNIVERSE IS ESTIMATED TO BE 63 METRIC TONS, OVER A HUNDRED FOLD INCREASE IN MASS FROM THAT OF THE ORIGINAL ENTITY BROUGHT ABOUT BY CONTINUAL SYNTHESIS AND ITS NECESSITY IN THE CREATION OF NEW ANDROIDS AND ALL CURRENT GENERATION MAGICAL DEVICES. THE ANDROID WHITE HAS 6 GRAMS OF IT AS PART OF THEIR INTERNAL SYSTEMS, MOSTLY RELEGATED TO META-COGNITIVE PROCESSES. "Wait... wait!" John yelled out, grabbing onto the unused console as he stared at the enormous amount of text that had just been displayed. More and more appearing on other monitors, going into greater detail about all sorts of absurd things. "What do you mean by magic? And dragons? What the hell happened to Earth?" THE 6-12 INCIDENT. PLAYING ARCHIVED DATA NOW... *** Crichton sat on the edge of her bed. Looking down at his hands, fingers intertwined. He hadn't spoken since White had stepped aside and ushered him in. Neither had she. She had wanted to be alone, and had hoped that Crichton would choose to spend some time with his alien friends. Or his semi-human lover... "You know, it's kind of funny," he said at last, a low chuckle that surprised White. He truly did sound amused by the dark comedy of his situation. "What?" "Well, when I first realized you were lying about something... after I got over the whole 'android' deal anyway," Crichton said, looking up from his hands to look into White's eyes. "I was so certain that the deep dark secret you were keeping from me was that you all went Terminator on the humans and than got ashamed about it." White found herself smiling despite it all. "I guess I can imagine why you would think that. Even if we don't all look like Central European bodybuilders from the Old World." His expression collapsed, going from amusement to a shock so profound it looked like a stiff breeze would have knocked him over. White found herself confused and then very worried. Had she said something wrong? Then he started to laugh, slow at first, but building into something that bordered on mania. Rolling onto his back and shaking in the hysterics. "Haha... oh god... you have no idea, no goddamn idea how long I've wanted someone to get one of my dumb references," Crichton sat up looking far happier than he had a moment ago, the levity of their absurd connection dispelling the melancholy cloud that had hung over them since their return from the lunar server. "Like I love those idiots on Moya, but being around aliens on the other side of the galaxy for a few years really makes you long for some normal human conversation." "I... I think I can understand. Somewhat. It must have been very lonely out there." "Lonely, terrifying, insane... beautiful too. Space is crazy like that. Full of contrasts so sharp it's stunning. I-I wanted to bring that back you know? Not just to get home, but to show what I had found out there," he said, pointing to the stars outside White's window. "I guess it's too late for that now." "I'm sorry," White said. Noting the strange look that Crichton was giving her now she hesitated before continuing. "I'm sorry we failed." "Failed? Failed at what? Stopping a magic apocalypse that had already started before the first androids came online? Which reminds me, we're going to need to do something about them later. Those twin models that someone had the bright idea to shoulder with some fucked up version of android collective punishment." Crichton leaned forward, massaging his forehead as he did so. "That's probably only the tip of the bullshit you're dealing with and here I come with a whole new mess of problems. Maybe it would have been better if I had never found Earth." "No! Crichton you-we can fix things. I know we can. Not just your presence here or for getting access to sealed archives in the server. The technology you brought with you. It very well might represent a turning point in the war with the machines." "And what about the Sebaceans... the Peacekeepers? The Scarren Empire? Or hell, even the Nebari Establishment? Better gravity control systems and two hundred year old ship scale energy shields won't stop a fleet if it comes knocking at our door." "We'll do what we always have. Try and protect Earth and mankind's legacy from any aggressor. Whether distant cousins that no longer remember their home-world like the Sebaceans... or these Scarrens you've mentioned so much. We won't- we cannot retreat from this fight. Not now." White clenched her fist tightly, the glove creaking as she set a firm expression on her face. "I promise you Crichton, even if the past is lost, we will make a future worth fighting for." Ideas: I've been thinking over the ideas of a Farscape/Nier crossover some more, coming up with elements, themes, and specific scenes that would be fun to explore and write. These are some of the ideas I've had in no particular order. 1. Androids in relation to the Last Human (Crichton). Crichton is a self-admitted sci-fi geek, not surprising for a second generation astronaut that grew up wanting to explore the stars. He straight up makes comparisons to how he attempts to handle alien encounters to be inspired from watching Star Trek. Given that I think his relation to the androids would develop in a certain direction. Once the initial shock of a) the amount of time passed and b) that these people he thought were human aren't passes, he wouldn't feel comfortable having an intelligent race acting subordinate to him. I can see multiple incidents where some variety of complex philosophical quandary or just plain relationship question from 6O results in him telling them that humans really didn't have a better answer. Long term this would likely take the form of a very serious conversation where he points out that Earth, and what of its culture and history still lives, isn't in just human, whether the dead ones or genetically altered human descended Sebaceans. Or even in any hypothetical offspring that he might have. Basically, 'Mankind' includes them, as they're what's keeping the memory of it all alive. Aside from some bonding scenes between various androids and Crichton as they go over bits of alien tech, one idea I have in particular is that he takes a tour of moon landing sites, including the one his father visited. Effectively the only place he will ever see any lasting evidence of that man in particular. And the reaction of his android guide (White perhaps?) as well as the Apollo 11 plaque cements his decision to change the way the androids view their relation with humans, at least in so much as he can. 2. 2B and 9S (and others perhaps). I think there's a lot of fun to be had in placing the androids into weird situations with the aliens, and even more so if for some reason they have to head off away from Earth for a period of time. Since I can easily see the plan being for them to lie constantly. Lie about being human, lie about the 'Glorious Terran Federation' which is totally a military power that we didn't just make up, lie about what they're capable of, lies upon lies as they try and deceive the Scarrens and the Peacekeepers and keep Earth safe from either side those aggressive powers. In general I think 'Androids pretend to be human to deceive aliens' is a good plot for lots of stories, and could easily be turned into a rather long plot. Since the androids wouldn't want to let Crichton head off to parley with these alien aggressors on his own. And he could really use all the help he can get for whatever crazy ass plot he comes up with next. 3. Aliens would want Android tech. Probably just Scorpius, but others too if they find out more about Earth. I hadn't realized it at the time, but there was a period of the show where the hybrid Scarren-Sebacean was working with Crichton, and that would be the perfect opportunity for him to learn something about the androids and Earth history. And being him, he would look at all this extra-dimensional BS and android super soldiers and see potential weapons. He'd probably be disappointed that the Queen's Maso wasn't around anymore and that Hamelin Organization stopped human testing after Emil, since it would mean he'd be working from scratch if he could just get back into the good graces of the Peacekeepers and do so with enough of the demonic element to set up another research base. Hell, he'd probably try to directly convince Crichton get the androids to agree to serve the Peacekeepers, since that would technically put them back into contact with 'humans' if genetically engineered ones. Arguing that he could get the entire remaining population of Earth a ticket off world (to a nice Peacekeeper controlled colony where the can serve their new military overlords) if destroying the machine lifefroms proved to difficult even with a few starships to blast them from orbit. 4. The Terminals. The central intelligence of the machine lifeforms would likely reconsider its direction of evolution far earlier with a living human to observe, especially one that tries so hard to avoid aggressive resolutions. Even if that doesn't work, Crichton's crew and allies proves that he has managed to connect and form lasting bonds with entirely alien beings over and over. A direct repudiation of what the machine network had thus far found to be the fastest way to accelerate its own growth. Whether this would lead to a quicker conclusion that it needs to escape Earth and find its own destiny, likely expedited by FTL tech it took from the androids once Crichton revealed it to them, or an attempt at some kind of allegiance against the various hostile powers of the greater galaxy is unknown. While I can easily see Pascal and various pacifistic or non-hostile machine lifeforms being taken into account as potential allies the actions of the terminals past and potentially present would form a barrier to attempted cooperation. 5. Allying with the Worm Hole Ancients. The aliens that gave John Crichton knowledge about worm holes in the first place did so because they were running from an unstated catastrophe that had destroyed their home world. They originally decided against direct contact with Earth because it was likely to be divided and hostile. 21st century Earth that doesn't exist outside of Crichton's memories. It would be very interesting to see how they might react to finding out the new status quo. I've got a couple ideas that might be fun with them. One being that their dimension/time traveling tech lead to them accidentally creating their own personal Watcher related incident and the subsequent self-inflicted annihilation of their home world to stop it from spreading to the greater portion of the galaxy. Creating a situation where despite their far greater technological adeptness they find a reason to deeply respect humans/androids for facing down and defeating what they truthfully could not, reclaiming their world instead of burning it and running. (Though I'm iffy on that alteration/crossover expansion as it sort of makes them more like the Stargate's Asgard.)

#farscape #nier automata #fanfic idea

1 note · View note

bthenoise · 3 years

Text

Live Show Memories: The Last Concerts Your Favorite Bands Attended Before Lockdown

Welp, we’ve officially (and sadly) reached the one-year mark without any live shows. While we know how much of a bummer this can be to think about -- trust us, we know -- we have decided to try and spin this in a lighter, much more positive manner.

Instead of mourning the fact that no one’s been to a “real” live show in over 365 days, how about we look back at some of our last concerts and remember the good times? You know, like when we saw Thrice play Vheissu on their 15-year anniversary tour and we screamed our lungs out to “The Earth Will Shake.”

Looking to compile other fun last show memories, we reached out to bands like State Champs, Neck Deep, August Burns Red, Wage War, The Spill Canvas and more to see what some of their last shows were like.

To see which band members paused their live music run watching Panic! At The Disco or Tool or even Ariana Grande, be sure to look below.

TYLER SZALKOWSKI - STATE CHAMPS

WHO DID YOU SEE: Dan + Shay and The Band Camino

WHERE WAS IT: Nationwide Arena, Columbus, OH

WHEN WAS IT: March 8th, 2020

HOW WAS IT: Absolutely incredible. It was my second time seeing TBC and like my 5th or 6th seeing D+S and both bands are so freakin’ good live. It was also very cool to see D+S on their own headline arena gig. Big bada$$ production and all that!!

BONUS - WHO'S THE FIRST BAND YOU WANT TO SEE POST-PANDEMIC THAT ISN'T YOUR OWN: I would love to see the 1975!! They’re so good live. Would be a hell of a first gig back!

MATT WEST - NECK DEEP

WHO DID YOU SEE: Blink-182

WHERE WAS IT: Brooklyn, NY

WHEN WAS IT: September 19th, 2019

HOW WAS IT: The show was bittersweet as it was the last date of our tour with Blink-182. I remember the show [being] amazing though, Blink came out and took apart Dani's kit halfway through our last song. Ben got to sing with Blink, so a great way to cap off the tour.

BONUS - WHO'S THE FIRST BAND YOU WANT TO SEE POST-PANDEMIC THAT ISN'T YOUR OWN: Honestly, fucking anybody, I've forgotten what a gig feels like.

WILL LEVY - THE STORY SO FAR / COLD MOON

WHO DID YOU SEE: The last show I went to I saw the band Young Guv perform and they kicked major ass.

WHERE WAS IT: Rebel Lounge in Phoenix, Arizona.

WHEN WAS IT: The show was on March 10th, 2020.

HOW WAS IT: The show rocked, I think most of us knew that some major change was on the horizon so we lived out the moment to its fullest potential and partied until the sun came up.

BONUS - WHO'S THE FIRST BAND YOU WANT TO SEE POST-PANDEMIC THAT ISN'T YOUR OWN: I think I'm most excited to see either HAIM or Billie Eilish once the pandemic is over.

TYLER POSEY

WHO DID YOU SEE: KUT U UP

WHERE WAS IT: San Diego!!!

WHEN WAS IT: Feb 29th, 2020

HOW WAS IT: There was a documentary blink-182 made called Riding In Vans With Boys that featured KUT U UP. This documentary changed my life. Getting to watch KUT U UP AND PLAY WITH THEM!!! Fucking dream come true. I crowd surfed the entire bar.

BONUS - WHO'S THE FIRST BAND YOU WANT TO SEE POST-PANDEMIC THAT ISN'T YOUR OWN: I would really love to see phem perform. I’ve gotten really close with her and her music and want to mosh to all of it. Even if I’m by myself.

JB BRUBAKER - AUGUST BURNS RED

WHO DID YOU SEE: Jimmy Eat World

WHERE WAS IT: The Capitol Room at HMAC, Harrisburg, PA

WHEN WAS IT: November 12, 2019

HOW WAS IT: The show was fun. It was a sold out show in a 1,000 capacity venue so it felt intimate. Jimmy Eat World sounds great live and always play well. I went with my wife and our bass player Dustin and his girlfriend. They played all the hits and some fun deep cuts we weren’t expecting!

BONUS - WHO'S THE FIRST BAND YOU WANT TO SEE POST-PANDEMIC THAT ISN'T YOUR OWN: Milky Chance

TINO ARTEAGA - OF MICE & MEN

WHO DID YOU SEE: Ghostemane

WHERE WAS IT: The Observatory OC, Orange County, CA

WHEN WAS IT: Around Halloween 2019

HOW WAS IT: Absolutely insane! Listening to his albums is one thing but seeing him live & how loud the bass is & how hard the band goes is next level. The audience goes absolutely bananas as well. It was a really cool performance!

BONUS - WHO'S THE FIRST BAND YOU WANT TO SEE POST-PANDEMIC THAT ISN'T YOUR OWN: Would love to go to Furnace Fest to see all the OG metalcore bands perform later this year.

PORTER MCKNIGHT - ATREYU

WHO DID YOU SEE: Nothing More

WHERE WAS IT: House of Blue New Orleans

WHEN WAS IT: 2019

HOW WAS IT: Honestly, if you’ve never seen this band live you’re missing out! Atreyu were off tour so I drove from my home in Alabama to New Orleans and treated myself to a show. We had recently played ShipRocked with Nothing More, but this show blew that one out of the water! Such an energetic, captivating, and honest performance.

BONUS - WHO'S THE FIRST BAND YOU WANT TO SEE POST-PANDEMIC THAT ISN'T YOUR OWN: Literally ANY BAND… but Nothing More, Turnstile, or Sturgill Simpson would rule.

WAGE WAR

CODY QUISTAD

WHO DID YOU SEE: Dan + Shay, The Band Camino and Ingrid Andress

WHERE WAS IT: Bridgestone Arena. Nashville, Tennessee

WHEN WAS IT: March 7, 2020

HOW WAS IT: It was incredible! Truly one of the best shows I’ve been to.

BONUS - WHO'S THE FIRST BAND YOU WANT TO SEE POST-PANDEMIC THAT ISN'T YOUR OWN: LANY

SETH BLAKE

WHO DID YOU SEE: The Acacia Strain, Rotting Out, Creeping Death, Chamber, Fuming Mouth, & Scatter Shot.

WHERE WAS IT: Soundbar, Orlando FL.

WHEN WAS IT: March 5th, 2020. HOW WAS IT: The show was great. Super high-energy crowd packed into an intimate venue. Had a great time watching the bands with a few good friends. I just wish I would have known it was my last concert for the next year+!

BONUS - WHO'S THE FIRST BAND YOU WANT TO SEE POST-PANDEMIC THAT ISN'T YOUR OWN: Kublai Khan

CHRIS GAYLORD

WHO DID YOU SEE: Polaris, Wage War, Crystal Lake, Alpha Wolf

WHERE WAS IT: The Tivoli - Brisbane, QLD Australia

WHEN WAS IT: February 29th, 2020

HOW WAS IT: It was our last night on tour together. I remember the show being a blast and the hang backstage being even better. We formed some lasting friendships with Polaris in the US and in Australia and had mixed emotions not knowing the next time we would see each other... not knowing the pandemic would follow.

BONUS - WHO'S THE FIRST BAND YOU WANT TO SEE POST-PANDEMIC THAT ISN'T YOUR OWN: Architects / Spiritbox

STEPHEN KLUESENER

Last show I saw: A Day To Remember, Falling in Reverse, Fever 333, and Whitechapel

Where: Self Help Fest, Worcester Massachusetts

When: Fall 2019

HOW WAS IT: Weather was perfect, crowd was strong, and ADTR destroyed at the end of the night. It was the first time they had played “Rescue Me” live.

BONUS - WHO'S THE FIRST BAND YOU WANT TO SEE POST-PANDEMIC THAT ISN'T YOUR OWN: One of the first bands I want to see when gigs return is Polaris.

JOSH SMITH - NORTHLANE

WHO DID YOU SEE: Tool

WHERE WAS IT: Margaret Court Arena, Melbourne

WHEN WAS IT: Honestly I don’t even remember dude, like everything is a blur since COVID started. This is the last show that I remember. It was about a year ago with some change.

HOW WAS IT: It was incredible. The best production, sound and show I have ever seen. Tool are one of my favorite bands and I had never seen them live after being a fan for 15+ years. I was left absolutely speechless. Mind blown, nothing comes close.

BONUS - WHO'S THE FIRST BAND YOU WANT TO SEE POST-PANDEMIC THAT ISN'T YOUR OWN: Honestly I’d love to just see Tool again!

NICK VENTIMIGLIA - GRAYSCALE

WHO DID YOU SEE: The Get Up Kids and Dashboard Confessional

WHERE WAS IT: Saint Andrew’s Hall in Detroit, MI

WHEN WAS IT: March 3rd & 4th, 2020

HOW WAS IT: I went to both nights back-to-back actually. It was the 20 year Dashboard anniversary so Chris Carrabba played A Mark, A Mission, A Brand, A Scar in its entirety one night and then The Places You Have Come to Fear The Most in its entirety, both sets with some other stuff sprinkled in. I’m a big fan of both bands but it was good to see a lot of these songs I wouldn’t have been able to see probably ever again. There’s nothing better than singing at the top of your lungs to songs that shaped you as a musician and a person in general. My brother Lupe Bustos (The Maine/Dashboard photo) met us after the second night and we all went out with him and the Dashboard guys to have drinks, it was a blast.

BONUS - WHO'S THE FIRST BAND YOU WANT TO SEE POST-PANDEMIC THAT ISN'T YOUR OWN: I almost don’t care who it is, I’d just like to get to a show. I’d love to see The Night Game, I would kill to see Poison the Well again at some point. I saw recently they’re playing Furnace Fest in Alabama so I’m glad they’re doing shows again. Honestly, any show will do at this point!

SCOTT CAREY - HOLDING ABSENCE

WHO DID YOU SEE: The 1975

WHERE WAS IT: The Motorpoint Arena, Cardiff

WHEN WAS IT: 23rd Feb 2020 - Right in the middle of recording our new album The Greatest Mistake Of My Life!

HOW WAS IT: Best band I’ve ever seen live. They played a load of older, slower songs which I love. I had to come home from the studio for the day to see them as I wasn’t missing the show - very glad I didn’t miss it!

BONUS - WHO'S THE FIRST BAND YOU WANT TO SEE POST-PANDEMIC THAT ISN'T YOUR OWN: I’ve been spinning the new Teenage Wrist record a LOT recently so I’d love to see them. Or The Cure as I’ve never seen them live!

THE SPILL CANVAS

NICK THOMAS

WHO DID YOU SEE: Noah Gundersen

WHERE WAS IT: The Social - Orlando, FL

WHEN WAS IT: Feb 21st, 2020

HOW WAS IT: His performance was by far one of the most inspiring things I've ever seen. I had the goosebump waves nearly every song. It was stunning what he was able to do with just his voice and an acoustic.

BONUS - WHO'S THE FIRST BAND YOU WANT TO SEE POST-PANDEMIC THAT ISN'T YOUR OWN: Circa Survive on their Blue Sky Noise anniversary tour. It's my favorite album by them, and although I've seen them countless times, it's been quite a while.

LANDON HEIL

WHO DID YOU SEE: Panic! At The Disco.

WHERE WAS IT: Fiserv Forum - Milwaukee, WI

WHEN WAS IT: Jan 27, 2019

HOW WAS IT: I don’t attend concerts much when I’m off tour, but our old guitarist Mike had just joined Panic and was able to get my wife and I some tickets. It was really exciting and slightly surreal to see Mike performing in such a massive venue. They put on an excellent show and we had a great time.

BONUS - WHO'S THE FIRST BAND YOU WANT TO SEE POST-PANDEMIC THAT ISN'T YOUR OWN: Still need to see John Mayer or Jimmy Eat World live.

BRYCE JOB

WHO DID YOU SEE: Pinegrove

WHERE WAS IT: Icon - Sioux Falls, SD

WHEN WAS IT: Sept 16th, 2019

HOW WAS IT: I absolutely loved being able to experience them in such an intimate setting. They played an extended set and took requests called out by the crowd.

BONUS - WHO'S THE FIRST BAND YOU WANT TO SEE POST-PANDEMIC THAT ISN'T YOUR OWN: In South Dakota we don’t have a ton of options for entertainment but I have the chance to see Willie Nelson in August. If it doesn’t get canceled, I’m probably not going to pass it up.

EVAN PHARMAKIS

WHO DID YOU SEE: Hot Water Music & The Menzingers

WHERE WAS IT: St Augustine Amphitheater - St. Augustine, FL

WHEN WAS IT: Oct 2019

HOW WAS IT: The show was phenomenal. I’ve been fortunate enough to catch Hot Water Music a handful of times over the years, and this last time I saw them they gave another great performance. The Menzingers were killer as well.

BONUS - WHO'S THE FIRST BAND YOU WANT TO SEE POST-PANDEMIC THAT ISN'T YOUR OWN: I’d love to catch Phoebe Bridgers again, she’s wonderful live. Also would really love to see Alexisonfire tear up a stage again too.

HYRO THE HERO

WHO DID YOU SEE: It was Dia De Los Deftones. I got to go see Megan Thee Stallion, Gojira, Chvches, and Deftones WHERE WAS IT: Petco Park in San Diego

WHEN WAS IT: Late 2019 I believe

HOW WAS IT: Such a great time with the epic lineup. The vibes were incredible and also went backstage to kick it and say waddup to Chino and the fam.

BONUS - WHO'S THE FIRST BAND YOU WANT TO SEE POST-PANDEMIC THAT ISN'T YOUR OWN: Beartooth

LAUREN SANDERSON

WHO DID YOU SEE: Ariana Grande

WHERE WAS IT: Los Angeles / The Forum

WHEN WAS IT: December 22, 2019

HOW WAS IT: Incredible. Amazing vocals, amazing show, amazing choreo. God is truly a woman.

BONUS - WHO'S THE FIRST BAND YOU WANT TO SEE POST-PANDEMIC THAT ISN'T YOUR OWN: My top 3 would be Meg Thee Stallion, Doja Cat and Machine Gun Kelly. But honestly, at that point, I’m gonna be down to go see literally anyone.

ALEX MAGNAN - YOUNG CULTURE

WHO DID YOU SEE: Have Mercy (their last show), Idle Wave, we also played the show

WHERE WAS IT: Hard Luck, Toronto, ON

WHEN WAS IT: March 15, 2020

HOW WAS IT: It was such a weird feeling, we didn’t know for certain what was going on yet but we could tell that it was gonna be the last show of the tour. By the time the show started and the turn out wasn’t the greatest, we knew this was something serious. Show was a blast nevertheless and I was glad to leave it on a good one.

BONUS - WHO'S THE FIRST BAND YOU WANT TO SEE POST-PANDEMIC THAT ISN'T YOUR OWN: Phoebe Bridgers (not a band but still)

DANIEL SEYMOUR - WAXFLOWER

WHO DID YOU SEE: The Menzingers

WHERE WAS IT: The Zoo, Brisbane

WHEN WAS IT: March 2020, the night of my birthday!

HOW WAS IT: Brilliant! I think it's become even better in hindsight. The memory has aged like a fine wine after the struggles of the past 12 months. Seeing one of my favourite artists surrounded by the people I loved was the best way to celebrate a “last show.”

BONUS - WHO'S THE FIRST BAND YOU WANT TO SEE POST-PANDEMIC THAT ISN'T YOUR OWN: Being in Australia, it feels like a while before overseas acts will be touring here BUT I'd love to see The 1975 or Enter Shikari as one of the first overseas acts to come here post-pandemic. The energy both those acts bring will surely make up for months without live music!

MALIA ENDRES - GLACIER VEINS

WHO DID YOU SEE: My last show was our own show with Overgrow and Mouth Movements.

WHERE WAS IT: Donato’s Basement in Columbus, OH

WHEN WAS IT: Right before everything shut down in March.

HOW WAS IT: There was definitely some interesting energy because of the uncertainty yet growing concern of COVID, but we knew it was going to be our last show of that tour so I really took in the joy and excitement of our performance. It was also really sweet to spend the last show with our Common Ground Collective family Jake from Overgrow and our agent John Rausch.

BONUS - WHO'S THE FIRST BAND YOU WANT TO SEE POST-PANDEMIC THAT ISN'T YOUR OWN: Winter! She put out my favorite album of 2020 so I am looking forward to seeing those songs live.

COLIN JACQUES - WE WERE SHARKS

WHO DID YOU SEE: Anti-Flag, Grade 2 & Positive Charge

WHERE WAS IT: The 27 Club Ottawa - Ottawa, ON

WHEN WAS IT: March 11th, 2020

HOW WAS IT: Amazing show. Anti-Flag is one of my childhood favourites and a pleasure to see at home in Canada. Awesome show in a 300 cap room before the world shut down for a full year.

BONUS - WHO'S THE FIRST BAND YOU WANT TO SEE POST-PANDEMIC THAT ISN'T YOUR OWN: My Chemical Romance

MAGGIE SCHNEIDER - GLIMMERS

WHO DID YOU SEE: Rex Orange County

WHERE WAS IT: The Tabernacle in Atlanta

WHEN WAS IT: The last week of February 2020

HOW WAS IT: It was so much fun. I went with my best friend Natalie after a very long day. We danced the entire time and had no idea that’d be our last show.

BONUS - WHO'S THE FIRST BAND YOU WANT TO SEE POST-PANDEMIC THAT ISN'T YOUR OWN: My Chemical Romance, pretty please!

CHRISTIAN NEONAKIS - MY KID BROTHER

WHO DID YOU SEE: Modest Mouse

WHERE WAS IT: The Anthem in DC

WHEN WAS IT: Late 2019

HOW WAS IT: It was such a good night... they had always been one of my all-time fave bands so seeing them at such a sweet venue was a dream.

BONUS - WHO'S THE FIRST BAND YOU WANT TO SEE POST-PANDEMIC THAT ISN'T YOUR OWN: Would love to see Tame Impala or Portugal. The Man next, can't pick between the two.

BENJI SPOLIANSKY - NOT A TOY

WHO DID YOU SEE: Tyler the Creator

WHERE WAS IT: It was at Red Rocks in Morrison, CO which is one of the greatest places to see a show in the world.

WHEN WAS IT: It was in October of 2019 :(

HOW WAS IT: It was incredible. Tyler is extremely funny on stage and he actually slipped and fell while performing.

BONUS - WHO'S THE FIRST BAND YOU WANT TO SEE POST-PANDEMIC THAT ISN'T YOUR OWN: The first show I want to go to isn't necessarily for just one [band]. I just want to go to a hardcore show and rage my fucking face off!

BRADLEY KEARSLEY- CARPOOL TUNNEL

WHO DID YOU SEE: The last band I went to see was The Red Pears!

WHERE WAS IT: Brick and Mortar in San Francisco.

WHEN WAS IT: February 25th, 2020... I think!

HOW WAS IT: After we played with The Red Pears in Reno, they offered me to come out to their show in San Francisco which one of my friends' bands were opening up for. I remember coming into the venue and seeing so many people that I knew, something I really miss having these days. They absolutely killed it and it was somebody in the band's birthday, so the whole crowd sang him happy birthday. I just remember dancing and having a great time.

BONUS - WHO'S THE FIRST BAND YOU WANT TO SEE POST-PANDEMIC THAT ISN'T YOUR OWN: I really want to see the band Loving again. I was able to catch them once at the Rickshaw Shop in San Francisco and it was one of my favorite show experiences to date! Can't wait to see them again.

NICK ZAWISA - BREAKUP SHOES

WHO DID YOU SEE: Summer Salt, Okey Dokey & we (Breakup Shoes) performed

WHERE WAS IT: Fox Theatre - Boulder, CO

WHEN WAS IT: 3/12/20

HOW WAS IT: An absolute blast of a show. It hadn’t been confirmed yet but with how serious the initial COVID-19 outbreak was seeming, we knew in the back of our heads that this was gonna be our final show of tour. We gave it our all on stage for our set and then made cameos as backup vocalists, dancers, percussionists, etc. during our tour-mates set, which made the night feel like something really special.

CAMM KNOPP - NEVER LOVED

WHO DID YOU SEE: The All-American Rejects

WHERE WAS IT: The Beacham in Orlando, FL

WHEN WAS IT: September 2019

HOW WAS IT: It was a great time. We actually just finished a writing session with Nick from AAR the week before so it was ironic they were in FL the following week.

BONUS - WHO'S THE FIRST BAND YOU WANT TO SEE POST-PANDEMIC THAT ISN'T YOUR OWN: Armor For Sleep!

LUCA MARGI - DREAMSHADE

WHO DID YOU SEE: Bring Me The Horizon

WHERE WAS IT: FORUM ASSAGO / MILAN

WHEN WAS IT: 13.11.2018

HOW WAS IT: Powerful and exciting, awesome band to see live and lots of pyro!

BONUS - WHO'S THE FIRST BAND YOU WANT TO SEE POST-PANDEMIC THAT ISN'T YOUR OWN: Architects

ROLY VELAZQUEZ - AVAT

WHO DID YOU SEE: Bring Me the Horizon, Sleeping With Sirens, Poppy WHERE WAS IT: The Fillmore Miami Beach

WHEN WAS IT: October 2019 HOW WAS IT: It was amazing. It’s very inspiring to see a band in the rock/metal genre mobilize such a broad audience.

BONUS - WHO'S THE FIRST BAND YOU WANT TO SEE POST-PANDEMIC THAT ISN'T YOUR OWN: Definitely Metallica. Getting to attend their drive-in concert was as close to the atmosphere of a show that most of us here in Miami got to experience.

TELLE SMITH - THE WORD ALIVE

The last show The Word Alive played was just over a year ago this week, at the Los Angeles Emo Nite. We had just wrapped an insanely successful tour with Falling In Reverse, had a day off in LA and then March 6th we had plans to celebrate the release of our album MONOMANIA with our friends, family, label and fans. We weren’t quite sure how the reception would be, given that we weren’t an iconic emo band which is who the majority of the music patrons come to listen and sing along to, which is what made the performance even more memorable.

Right when we went on stage the energy was amazing. To see how many friends, peers from the industry, and fans from all over came to celebrate with us really meant a lot.

I was just watching videos the other day from different posts fans had made, and you can hear how loudly they were singing the songs that had just been released -- some louder than any song we have ever had.

It was bittersweet because, while it reinforced in my head just how special our album was, it has been the only glimpse into the world of touring on MONOMANIA may have been like.

I’m very excited to get back at it with the boys once everything is safe and sound. And I have zero doubt in my mind that it will feel a million times better than even our best show memory to date. See you there.

WATCH MORE:

youtube

1 note · View note

matty-perez · 4 years

Photo

&& TASK 001

→ general information

full name: Mateo Sebastian Perez Burgos

nickname(s): Matty

age: 25

date of birth: September 13th, 1994

nationality: born and raised in the U.S., but his family is from Puerto Rico

occupation: cook at Lucky’s Bar and Grill

religion: Catholic

sexuality: heterosexual/romantic

hometown: Maywood, Maine

current residence: Downtown Maywood, Maine

financial status: lower class (due to currently having to support himself while also saving up for culinary school)

educational level: high school diploma

→ relationships

father: Luis Perez

mother: Valeria Burgos

siblings: Isabella Perez

relationship status: single

when/who was their first kiss: Isabella Sanchez, 6th grade, underneath the high school bleachers

are they a virgin: oh hell no

have they ever had a same sex experience: yes

do they ever want to get married/have children: Absolutely. Matty has and always will want a family, in fact many people are surprised he doesn’t already have one by now.

what do they look for in a potential significant other: honestly, Mateo has no clue, and that’s probably why he hasn’t had a stable relationship since he was in high school.

→ personality

positive traits: happy-go-lucky, loyal, supportive

negative traits: brash, tactless, weak-willed

biggest fear: emotional distance between him and the people he cares about

what’s more important- sex or intimacy: Matty is at that point in his ife where he assumes good sex means a good relationship.

do they believe in true love: he does.

have they ever been in love: Matty falls in love with everyone and everything just a little bit, friends, girlfriends, flings, because that’s how he loves: with everything he has.

are they a leader or follower: I think Matty tends to be in the middle, while he’s not out there leading the charge, he also isn’t just going to stand around if he feels he needs to stand up for something. He’s a very middle of the crowd sorta guy.

do they care what others think of them: To an extent. He was raised in a tight knit community where gossip was practically a ranked sport, so he did grow up knowing any out of line actions would be talked about, and would eventually get back to his parents or other important people. So while he’s sure to not do anything too crazy in fears of that happening, he doesn’t stop it from doing the things he truly wants to do or believes in.

how do they deal with stress: When stressed, he does like to go out an party and hang out, although not to excess. He just likes to get his mind off things with a couple beers and fun with friends, overall fairly well adjusted in that aspect.

are they spontaneous or do they always need a plan: Matty is the epitome of spontaneous (something he considers a good thing in the kitchen), and unless he has a shift at Lucky’s to get to or a former obligation (’because a man always keeps his promises’ his father taught him), he is willing to do anything a person might suggest. Want to take a weekend long road trip down the coast despite having no idea where they’re going to stop to sleep or anything else? Sure. Those are the types of things he loves to agree to or come up with.

→ misc

If your character could change one physical detail about herself, what would it be? He’d like to be taller.

Your character comes face-to-face with their worst enemy. What is their first reaction? His parents always instilled the ‘turn the other cheek’ way into their children. Matty also just doesn’t want to deal with the bad vibes, so would just ignore them.

What is your character’s favorite weather? HOT HOT HOT, and not just because that means he has an actual reason to take his shirt off.

What is your character’s favorite season? Summer, because he loves the heat and the long days and simmering nights.

What is your character’s least favorite season? Snow is gross and despite being a Maine native he hates it and will never grow accustomed to it.

Does your character keep any pets? God he wishes. Matty is such a dog person it hurts, but even if he could keep a dog right now, he knows with his hours and where he lives it’d just be downright cruel.

What is your character’s fondest childhood memory? It’s just a really inconspicuous summer day where just everything seemed to go right. He had a great day hanging out and playing with friends, a fun family dinner and then spent the night ‘camping’ with some of the neighborhood in everyone’s backyards.

Someone asks your character to describe their family. How do they answer? Big. Loud. Endless.

Is your character a morning person, a night owl, or something else entirely? Due to working at a bar (and grill) and their night hours being the busiest, he’s definitely more of a night owl.

What is your character’s least favorite color? Black. It’s boring.

#maywoodtask1 #( && about. )#( spongebob narrator vc: five years later )

2 notes · View notes

welllpthisishappening · 5 years

Text

Older Now, But Not Done Hoping (2/3)

Killian Jones has lost his festive spirit. It’s been forcibly removed by corporate America and private developers and how much alcohol the customers at his bar drink every night. Although, he supposes, that means he’s making a profit, but that also feels a little Scrooge-esque and he doesn’t have time for visits from ghosts.

Because he’s suddenly got a whole schedule in front of him, written out and planned by his roommate. To reclaim their mutual and collective festivity. Together. Oh, and he’s in love with her. At Christmas. And all the time, really.

This is going to be great.

Rating: Teen Word Count: 9K and change. Lots of adjectives. Lots of New York. AN: Back again with more words and more pining and more New York at Christmas. Like. A lot of New York at Christmas. You really need an appointment with Santa at Macy’s in Herald Square. This is still for @xellewoods and still because of @cssecretsanta2k18. Merry Christmas Eve, internet!

Also on Ao3 if that’s how you roll.

He’s never actually been to hell, but Killian assumes if he were to ever visit, it would be very similar to standing in the middle of Times Square on a Saturday in December.

Three different tourists have already run into him. One with a particularly aggressive shopping bag.

There is a person taking pictures of...something half an inch in front of him. They’re also standing on his left toe. But Emma is also holding on tightly to his right hand, so Killian figures that evens it out.

Or something.

It’s a few days after they first decided to do this – recapturing their festivity and Emma has been nothing if not a complete force for Christmas goodness. There have been cookies baking almost constantly in their less-than-impressive oven all week, a constant scent of sugar hanging in the air that Killian is certain is going to, eventually, do some serious damage to his cholesterol levels, She keeps bringing the cookies into the bar.

The regulars have started making requests. There were some questions about some kind of chocolate wreath-shaped thing that had filling and Emma had spent the next two hours crouched over her phone doing research.

There’s been Christmas music playing on loop whenever he wakes up as well, the quiet hum of Michael Buble’s voice seemingly working its way into Killian’s subconscious, and the list of tourist traps they’re getting ready to traipse to this afternoon has been hanging on the refrigerator door since Tuesday.

And, honestly, from the outside looking in, this is not a bad thing. This is a very nice, very festive thing. But from the inside looking out, it’s also kind of a worrisome thing because Killian cannot remember the last time Emma looked up a recipe for anything, let alone some random international dessert, and he’d spent those same two hours casting meaningful glances Will’s direction.

He’d been no help at all.

Figured.

So Killian is only a little concerned that this is all some great, big coping device and a distraction and he knows the last place to broach that particular subject is the middle of Times Square with a tourist resting most of his weight on his left foot, but there’s this knot in the pit of his stomach that hasn’t gone away in days and maybe won’t ever go away and he’s not entirely sure what he would have done if something had happened to her.

Or what will happen if Robert whatever-his-last-name-is calls his phone again. He’s called six times in the last four days. His assistant has called ten times more. Killian is very seriously considering throwing his phone up Broadway at some point this afternoon.

Maybe he’s just eaten too many cookies.

Emma is also questionably good at baking, it seems.

That figures too.

“Hey,” Emma says, tugging lightly on his hand. Neither one of them are wearing gloves. “You want to walk while you ponder whatever serious thoughts you’re pondering right now?” “Who says I’m pondering anything? Serious or otherwise?” “Your thought face.” Killian chokes on air that doesn’t smell like garbage anymore, but does, somehow, smell kind of smoky and there’s something coming up from the vent on the other side of the block. The tourist in front of him does not appreciate whatever undignified sound he makes, glancing over his shoulder at him with a look that could probably melt snow into disgusting sidewalk slush.

“Oh my God,” Killian mumbles, and this is not the bright, festive outlook he promised Emma he’d bring when she handed him a mug of coffee that morning. “You are not part of this conversation. Just keep walking. Right across the street.” The tourist blinks. And does not walk.

Killian can feel his phone buzzing in his pocket.

“Do you know how to get to Rockefeller Center? The one with the ice skating rink, I mean.”

Killian glances around to make sure there aren’t any hidden cameras. There aren’t. Just the normal cameras and traffic cameras and, God, there are a lot of very obvious cameras in the middle of Times Square.

He supposes that’s a good thing. Security. Or something. And no one getting shot. God.

The tourist waits expectantly for an answer, ignoring the small crowd that is forming behind them because they all refuse to walk across 44th Street in a timely fashion.

“Wait, what?” Killian asks, brain not quite ready for the specifics of the question. He’s half positive he’s being Punk’d. He’s not sure Punk’d is a thing anymore.

“The Center with the ice skating,” the tourist repeats. He shifts the bags in his hands, knocking one with an I Love NY emblem against Killian’s calf. Emma is honestly doing a God awful job of not laughing, although he’s fairly certain she’s not laughing at the tourist.

Killian’s definitely the jerk in this situation.

“You’re going the right way up,” she answers, twisting against Killian’s side to block another plastic bag strike. Or maybe just move closer to him. He really hopes for the second one. His phone has stopped buzzing. “Five more blocks to 49th, but then you’ve got to head back East. Over towards 5th Ave.” “Which way is East?” Killian resists the urge to shout slightly dated comedy routines in a tourist’s face. He assumes that was not on the list of how to reclaim their festivity 101. He also assumes that was not the name for the day.

Emma would have come up with a better name.

“That way,” Emma says, nodding towards her right. “Two blocks over towards 5th Ave.” “Ah, technically three, right?” Killian asks. He winces when he realizes he’s joined the conversation, squeezing Emma’s hand slightly in apology.

“Seven minus five is two. That is like...the most basic math in the world.” “I’m not disagreeing with that, love. I’m just saying,” he waves his free arm towards Broadway. “That’s also a street. So that should be three blocks.” “It’s, like, three feet of space.” “Still counts as a street.” Emma shakes her head. The tourist looks very confused. People are moving around them now. There are so many honking cars. “No, no, no,” she chants, and this probably shouldn’t be enjoyable. It’s definitely not on the list. “That’s ridiculous.” “The street is right there, Swan. Look that guy almost got run over walking across it.” “Happy Holidays.” “I’m just saying,” Killian continues, almost entirely forgetting about the tourist and his bags and whatever desire he possesses to pay a ridiculous amount of money to go ice skating. “That’s a street and that should be included in a block.” “Nope.” “A block is a measure of street to street.” “That makes no sense,” Emma argues. She’s waving her other hand now too, strands of hair hitting against her cheeks and chin when she keeps shaking her head. Killian resists the urge to run his fingers through it.

That, however, would require him to let go of her hand, so…

“A city block is not a set measurement,” Killian says. “Think about 14th Street in between 6th and 7th Ave. It’s the longest block in the world.” “That is only because you think it is. Manhattan is a grid system.” Killian opens his mouth to object to that, or possibly quote some more stand-up routines, but Emma’s eyes narrow and he has to bite his tongue to stop himself from laughing too loudly. “Most of Manhattan is a grid system,” Emma amends, and he can’t help but smile. “City blocks should be consistent. And the minimal amount of space between 7th Avenue and Broadway right here should not count as a block. It’s, like, seriously a few feet.” “And also not part of the grid.” “What?” “Not part of the grid,” Killian repeats, smile widening.

He’s not sure when this started, exactly, the almost too obvious attempts to poke each other’s even more obvious buttons, but it may honestly have started the first time they met and argued about something he also can’t remember. It might have been hockey.

It’s an unspoken kind of game now, an easy rhythm to it that always seems to time up with his pulse and the slightly erratic way Emma makes his heart beat. It’s fun.

They may be scandalizing the tourist.

Emma scowls, trying to tug her hand out of his grip so she can cross her arms over her chest. He doesn’t let her move. “How do you figure?” “Broadway doesn’t run north and south,” Killian answers. “It goes sort of diagonal across the city. You can’t have diagonal on a grid.” His smile turns into a grin – wide and winning as soon as Emma huffs out a breath of frustration through her teeth. She twists her lips, jaw clenching and eyes narrowing and it probably isn’t supposed to be attractive, but Killian is mostly attracted to every single thing she does, so he’s not entirely surprised by it.

“Did I win?” Killian asks. “Three blocks?” “That is stupid.” “That’s not an answer, love.” “Literally the most stupid thing I have ever heard. Broadway shouldn’t count at all, then! In anything! It shouldn’t even be a street.” “It’s definitely a street. Look there are cars on it right now. I think this means I won and you just don’t want to admit it. What do I win?” “Shut up.” “Still not an answer,” he mutters, moving into her space with practiced ease and clicking his tongue in reproach when she swats at his chest. “Now, Swan, that’s hardly festive.” Emma sticks her tongue out.

The game, it seems, usually dissolves into something that some may consider flirting.

Killian doesn’t. Of course. Because he’s the world’s biggest idiot.

“You get nothing,” Emma says. “You lose. Good--”

“--Day, sir,” he finishes, the muscles in his face starting to ache from standing in the cold with a very confused tourist starting at them and smiling at Emma. “Was it on TV? Is that why that just happened?” “We should be monetizing your mind reading powers. I mean we’re in Times Square. Only seems right, huh?”

Killian chuckles, pressing a kiss to her hair and that’s been happening more in the last week, but he’s managed to rationalize it on the lingering hint of gunshots mixing in the air with the sugar and over-confident real estate developers.

Emma’s never actually told him to stop either.

“Is Willy Wonka a Christmas movie?” Killian asks, Emma shrugging in response. “That’s like...aren’t the kids supposed to represent the seven deadly sins or something?” “Were there seven kids?” “No, right? Charlie and Violet and Mike TV and the chocolate kid.” “The chocolate kid? Augustus?” Emma shrugs again. “I’m missing someone aren’t I? There’s one more kid.” “I’m not the one who watched it on TV recently enough to quote it,” Killian points out. “That can’t possibly be considered a Christmas movie. That’s not festive at all, it’s--”

“--You’re missing Veruca,” the tourist interrupts, and God Killian’s totally forgotten about the tourist. “Also agreed on the festiveness. I have no idea what the hell you were talking about with the blocks, but thanks for the directions. You both are incredibly cute.” He nods once, a tight smile and then he’s gone, a flash of bags and one side of his scarf hanging over his back.

Neither Emma nor Killian move.

A different tourist runs into them.

“I can’t believe we forgot Veruca,” Emma mumbles, barely audible over the rush of another push of pedestrians. “She’s the only one who gets a song.” “Not a Christmas song, though.” “That’s a very good point.” “I’m here to make those.” She hums, twisting again and, somehow, finding a few inches of a space she hadn’t been previously occupying which is why Killian can feel, with almost startling clarity, how quickly her body tenses when a car honks.

Emma’s breath catches, shoulders going tight and the arm that had been hanging at her side flies around Killian’s middle. She squeezes tightly, burying her head against his jacket and he’s only a little worried she’s going to cut her cheek on his zipper.

She doesn’t shake, still, but Killian can’t actually feel her inhale either and he’s not entirely sure what to do.

He swallows down the rather large wad of whatever that’s returned to the back of his throat, shifting his weight so he can work his own arm around her, tracing mindless patterns against her back and the ends of her hair.

At some point, some part of his mind decides to start mumbling words against her, quiet promises and guarantees he’s got no business making – it’s fine and nothing’s happening, love and I’m right here, Emma. She tightens her hold on his middle, almost the wrong side of painful, particularly when his phone starts to make that obnoxious buzzing sound again.

“Is your phone ringing?” Emma asks, not quite able to mask the sniffle when she inhales again.

Killian nods. “Incessantly it seems.” “Should you be acknowledging that?” “No.” “Is it Scarlet?” “No.” Emma leans back, an appraising look on her face. “Ok,” she says slowly. “I’m not...actually trying to pry, but apparently we’re doing this not telling each other stuff now and--” She grits her teeth when Killian’s eyes widen. “Damn, that’s not what I meant. I just…” “I know, Swan,” Killian promises. “And it wasn’t an intentional secret, more a biding my time secret until I figured out a way that it wouldn’t be an issue.” “And have you?” He shakes his head, disappointment slinking down his spine and threatening to freeze him to the spot. They could probably market that in Times Square, honestly. “No, nothing. And Scarlet said the pita people are a little annoyed with us now because Gold’s offering more money and threatening to get the city involved and--” “--Can he do that?” “I have no idea, which is part of my problem, honestly. But I’ve also got an actual business to run still and try to make money at so I haven’t been able to devote a ton of time to research.”

“Plus reclaiming your festivity,” Emma adds, voice dropping a hint in a way that is far too telling because they spend far too much time together and she’s definitely been using Christmas cookies as some kind of emotional buffer.

That tourist totally thought they were a couple.

God, Killian hates when Will is right. It’s so annoying.

“That’s something I was more than willing to dedicate several days to if I needed,” Killian says. He makes a face – a twist of eyebrows that always manages to get Emma’s lips to twitch slightly, the most delicious kind of festive themed torture.

“I think Scarlet would kill you. I already told him I’d bake him some kind of cookie loaf thing his mom used to make when he was a kid to make up for this.”

The ice at the base of Killian’s spine melts immediately, only to turn into fireworks and hope and so much goddamn want he can’t understand how it’s not just pouring out of every single one of his pores. Emma smiles. “You want some help? When you make it, I mean.” “I was thinking about doing it when we get home. Then he can eat it while he complains about how bad American football is tomorrow and wax poetic about the Premier League or whatever it is he watches.”

“The Netherlands National team.” “Is that weird?” “I think his mom went to Amsterdam once,” Killian reasons. “It’s definitely a family thing. What if we bake whatever cookie loaf whatever in wooden shoes. That’s festive, right?” “I think that may be a stereotype honestly.” He makes a dismissive noise in the back of his throat – another attempt to get Emma to smile that may, honestly, be just flirting. He is, admittedly, still having a difficult time hearing her call the apartment they have shared for literal years as home.

“If I didn’t know any better, I’d think you were trying to antagonize him on purpose,” Emma says, stabbing a finger into his jacket. They’ve finally started moving again, walking up 7th Ave with the throngs of tourists and flustered retail workers and Killian has absolutely no idea where their destination is.

“Would I do that?” “I think you are, currently.” “Nah,” Killian says, but it sounds exactly like the lie it is and he realizes where they’re heading. Towards that line wrapped around the corner of the block, shivering families and over-excited kids and Emma when her head falls against his shoulder.

“Damn,” she breathes. “I didn’t think this place got a line anymore. What year is it?” “It’s Saturday.” “Damn.” Killian hums in agreement because he can’t quite understand why anyone in their right mind would stand in line to get into the goddamn Hershey’s store. It’s a tiny space and it probably smells even more sugary than their apartment, the scent wafting onto the sidewalk every time someone opens up the door.

“How much do you think this door person gets an hour to direct this line?” Emma murmurs, not lifting her head up.

“Not nearly enough.” “Yeah, that’s true. Damn. Seriously. I know I just keep saying that, but David said Ruth wanted this one specific kind of hot chocolate.” “Oh, is that why we’re here?” Emma makes a noise that might be agreement or the growing sense of frustration at their inability to start the plan on the right foot. “It has to be Hershey’s?”

“So David claims.” “That is oddly specific.” “I’m just the messenger.” “It’s been appropriately delivered,” Killian says. He lets his cheek rest against the top of her hair, staring at the door to the Hershey store as it keeps swinging open and the, very likely underpaid, door attendant tries to explain why you can’t go in quite yet to every person who asks him. “What about M&M hot chocolate? That’s like…” “Close?” Emma suggests.

“Like 7th Avenue and Broadway on 44th Street.”

It gets the laugh he was hoping for and the smile he was only slightly determined to work out of her, a breath of fresh air and brightness that would rival every light in Times Square in several hours. He’s thinking in metaphors now.

“Yeah,” Emma agrees. “Exactly like that. Alright, well we’re oh-for-one. It can only get better from here, right?” “That’s definitely the spirit, love.”

She nods once, a quick smile and even quicker tug to the end of the scarf she’d totally forced him to wear that morning, before grabbing his hand again and tugging him towards the M&M store on the other side of the street.

It’s a bigger store than its Hershey counterpart – several floors and more space between shelves and while there are still plenty of people crammed inside, it’s not impossible to breathe as soon as they try to move. Emma doesn’t let go of Killian’s hand. Or the the other way around. He honestly could not care less, just lets her direct them forward and it takes half a second to realize she’s humming along with the Christmas music they’re playing.

And Killian’s laugh seems to almost fall out of him, quiet and a little surprised because, even after all these years, he’s a little surprised by how easy it is to remember how much he loves her. She keeps humming, head moving with the beat every now and then until the music shifts and stops and--

“God, what the hell is that?” Emma asks sharply as a painfully cheery voice announces it’s time for our hourly holiday giveaway over the PA system. “They give away something every hour?” “I don’t think they’re exactly lacking for funds here, Swan.” “You’re a miser.” “No, no, Scrooge never would have made Jacob Marley baked goods when he got home later.” “You are helping. You’re not making them and--wait, wait, I know the answer to that question!” He hadn’t heard the question. It clearly doesn’t matter though, because Emma is moving and Killian’s got no choice to follow her, twisting around displays and oversized versions of the M&Ms on the TV commercials and there’s a glint in her eyes that he hasn’t seen in forever as soon as they skid to a stop on the side of the cash registers.

“Hi,” she says brightly to a polo-wearing worker who only looks a little stunned by the enthusiasm in front of her. “I know the answer to your trivia, giveaway thing.” The theme of the day may actually be both Emma and Killian overwhelming strangers across Midtown Manhattan.

The girl’s eyes dart across Emma’s face, likely looking for signs of impending insanity because he can only imagine the kind of people who come into the M&M store shouting about things throughout December, but she doesn’t appear to find anything entirely wrong and her answering smile is only a little tremulous and customer service appropriate.

“You know what other Christmas song was referenced in Christmas (Baby please come home)? By Michael Bublé?” “Well, I mean all of them. The lyrics don’t change just because Bublé is or isn’t singing it. Better with him, but…” Emma shrugs and Killian genuinely isn’t sure whether to laugh or kiss her or possibly just shout that he’d very much like to spend the rest of his life scandalizing M&M store workers with Christmas knowledge for the rest of their lives. “Everything’s better with Bublé at Christmas, right?” Emma continues, and the worker nods slowly. “Anyway the answer is Deck the Halls.”

“That’s right,” the worker says. Her name is Aurora. It says so on the tag on her shirt.

“Yeah, I know.”

Killian ducks his head, moving it directly into Emma’s hair, which is either the greatest or worst idea he’s ever had, but he’s also having a difficult time staying upright while laughing so hard. Aurora looks even more stunned.

“Ok,” she says, more forced customer service voice as she leans back behind the register to grab a pre-filled bag of red and green M&Ms off the nearest shelf. “So, uh...congrats on your extensive holiday knowledge and opinions on Michael Bublé.” “Who doesn’t like Michael Bublé?” Emma counters. She takes the bag, a quiet noise because it’s obviously heavier than she expected. Killian is feeling more festive already. He didn’t know the answer to the trivia question. “Also, thanks. Do you guys sell hot chocolate? You know fancy hot chocolate? That could be easily passed off as hot chocolate made by Hershey?” “There’s a Hershey store on the other side of the--” “--We weren’t really big on waiting in the line,” Killian explains, Aurora’s eyebrows jumping when he joins the conversation.

“Ah, well, unfortunately no. Unless you’re looking for Dove chocolate hot chocolate.” Emma shakes her head. “M&M owns Dove chocolate too?” “Mars does. And, like, every gum brand you can think of. Although I’m pretty partial to Juicy Fruit. And Uncle Ben’s rice.” “Wow,” Emma muses, shifting the candy into the crook of her elbow. “That is...something huh? Corporate. That's the word I was looking for. It’s corporate.” Aurora looks incredibly confused. That’s fair. But Killian can hear the hint of something on the edge of Emma’s voice, a flash of disappointment that does not belong in this day or this month or this holiday and at some point he really will stop pressing kisses to her temple.

Probably when his stomach unclenches.

“C’mon, love,” he says, letting go of her hand so he can wrap his arm around her shoulders instead. “I bet there’s super fancy hot chocolate in Bryant Park.” That’s the next stop on her list. She smiles.

And they end up giving the M&Ms to the door man at the Hershey store – some kind of up yours to corporate America that probably doesn’t belong at Christmas either, but Phillip, his name is Phillip it says so on his name tag, mumbles something like oh my God, thank you, I never have enough time to eat on my 15 and promises not to brandish competitive merchandise. They tell him the bag was made by Aurora in the M&M store who really likes Juicy Fruit gum.

He beams at them.

It only takes a few minutes to get to Bryant Park, twisting their way between tourists and slow-moving cars in Times Square and both of them exhale sharply as soon as their feet land on the 6th Avenue. That, of course, only lasts as long as it takes to get across 6th Avenue and the sea of humanity waiting for them in Bryant Park is only a little intimidating.

“If I just keep mumbling damn under my breath all day is that going to get super annoying and repetitive?” Emma asks.

Killian shakes his head. “Depends on your voice inflection. Throw in some accents too. It’ll sound like a new word every single time.” “That’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard.” “Did you not hear yourself say you wanted to go ice skating before?”

“Maybe we’re both secretly fantastic ice skaters and we’re just missing our potential. This is our moment. Carpe diem or whatever.” “You know usually people leave off the whatever part of carpe diem and I think the whole phrase really suffers because of it. Not nearly as inspiring.”

Emma scoffs, but there’s still a smile on her face and she pulls herself closer to him when he moves his eyebrows. “You think you’re very charming don’t you?” “Only around you.” It’s not actually an admission, but it kind of feels like one and Killian digs his teeth into the side of his tongue. To stay grounded. Or whatever. Emma, however, doesn’t seem troubled, just presses up on her toes and rests a freezing cold hand against his cheek.

“I’ll take it,” she says. “C’mon. We’ve got to rent skates.”

Skating, it turns out, is much more difficult than Killian expected to be. The rink itself isn’t particularly crowded, but ice, by its very nature, is particularly slippery and neither he nor Emma seem capable of finding their stride.

He hopes that isn’t a sign.

“Oh my God, no, you’re going too quickly,” Emma says, breathless and a little flushed. That may be a sign.

“Swan, we literally cannot be going any slower. We’re not even moving.” “Too quick.” Killian chuckles, but the sound turns into a groan when Emma’s skate skids underneath her, sending her crashing into his chest. “Oh shit, this was a mistake,” she moans. “Whose idea was this? This is not festive at all.” “Your idea, love.” “Idiot.” He’s back to laughing and the security guard with perfect skating form, who probably makes a bit more than either Phillip or Aurora, keeps glancing at them. Because they aren’t moving. And haven’t in some time.

“That’s incredibly untrue,” Killian says, leaning back slightly. It’s a mistake – they both shake and wobble, baited breath and wide eyes with only the fear of becoming some viral sensation keeping them upright.

There are a lot of phone in Bryant Park. And Christmas music. He’s fairly positive this same song has been playing on a loop for the last thirty-three and a half minutes.

“You’re an adrenaline junkie, aren’t you?” Killian presses, and the ice under him suddenly feels thinner. Metaphorically. Emma’s eyes flash, a warning there. He ignores it. “C’mon Jones, you’ll love it. It’s a famous roller coaster. On the Travel Channel all the time. Everyone has to go on it once in their life. Just ignore the negative effects the g-forces will have on your internal organs.” Emma’s nose twitches. “I never said that part. And if that was supposed to sound like my voice, it was absolutely atrocious.” “Eh, I’m working on the fly here,” Killian grins.

“Well the least you could do is quote me correctly. Don’t you actually remember what I said?” “Perfectly.” He doesn’t shout the word, although the security guard definitely looks up like he did. That may be because it’s the truest truth Killian has ever spoken. “You said you didn’t want to ride with some stranger if I wimped out. Mary Margaret and David were probably already making out in line.” “They totally were.” “Interrupting,” Killian mumbles, Emma sticking her tongue out in response. “Anyway, they were off being disgusting and you said I had to ride and--” He has to take a deep breath, the ice feeling like it’s melting a bit under him, but that may just be because Emma's fingers are warm when they lace through his.

“I told you that if you freaked, you could just hold onto me,” Emma finishes. “Because I wasn’t going anywhere and you made a joke about Isaac Newton.” That was timely.” “Yuh huh. Ok, we can go slightly faster on the ice if you absolutely do not let go.”

Killian nods, tugging Emma’s hand up to brush his lips over her knuckles. “One foot in front of the other.”

They push off.

And for, at least, sixteen full seconds Killian is certain this is going to work. They’re gliding and haven’t sustained any lasting injuries and Emma’s hand feels impossibly wonderful in his. It’s good. Great, even. Festive, for sure.

That is, of course, until an alarm blares somewhere and the kid pushing a wooden sled thing shaped like a tree to help him keep his balance totally loses his balance.

Emma yelps, Killian growling a wholly inappropriate curse with a now-crying kid in such close proximity. It’s less good then. Because then they’re a mess of limbs and Emma’s hair in his face and ice is incredibly painful when they’re both landing on top of it with a distinct lack of grace.

Neither one of them lets go of the other’s hand.

“Those g-forces were more aggressive than I expected,” Killian mutters once he gets some oxygen back into his lungs and a bit of feeling back into his right leg. The words are mostly pressed into Emma’s cheek though, half her body still draped over his and the laugh that flies out of her is questionably loud.

“That’s not even funny.” “You’re laughing!” “No, this is not laughter--” Emma’s body shakes when she cuts herself off, twisting in a way that is entirely unfair when they are still so decidedly in public, and Killian isn’t entirely prepared for the look on her face. It makes his heart thud erratically in his chest and his vision swims slightly, but that may just be because of the distinct lack of blood flow he’s getting to several different limbs at this point.

“Thank you,” Emma finishes. He doesn’t expect that.

“What?” “Thank you. For...well, for going along with this festive nonsense and I know Scarlet was pissed you weren’t going to be there later--” “--He can deal with it. It’s probably one of the last Saturdays he’ll have to be behind the bar anyway, so you know, relatively speaking.” “I really don’t think that’s true.” Killian arches an eyebrow. “No?” “No,” Emma says, and there’s no way to doubt the certainty in her voice. The same certainty that knew he’d enjoy the goddamn roller coaster and that they should definitely go on the roller coaster three more times while David and Mary Margaret did something disgustingly romantic on the other side of the park.

That may be the biggest sign of them all.

Killian wonders if that’s what they actually tripped over.

“No,” Emma says again, fingers drifting back to his chest and the zipper hanging underneath his scarf. He’s definitely not counting the number of times her fingers drift. Only a crazy person would do that. “This is--Christmas is supposed to be good, right?” “I’m fairly certain those are the rules, yes.” “Then this is going to be good and fine and--” “--Festive.”

She beams. And for another few seconds, not quite sixteen because nothing can ever be normal or consistent, Killian is positive he’s going to duck his head and kiss her. Right there on the goddamn ice in Bryant Park. He’s half an inch away from doing it, the glint in her eyes doing something specific to his cognizant reasoning and ability to breathe and Emma’s fingers are still toying with metal and fabric and, if put under oath and asked, he would guarantee she tilts her head up.

Towards him.

“Yeah,” she breathes. “Exactly that. That’s--” “--I’m going to have to ask both of you to get off the ice.”

Emma’s eyes flutter shut, head dropping onto Killian’s shoulder and he’s probably going to limp for the rest of the afternoon. That may make the rest of the schedule difficult. Plus the whole kissing thing.

He ignores that part.

The security guards stares at them expectantly when neither one of them makes a move to stand up. “Now,” he says. “Unless you’d like to do some single-hand combat with the zamboni.”

Emma’s body shakes again and Killian isn’t sure what noise he makes, but it doesn’t sound human and kind of hurts his throat on the way out. “That’s definitely a new angle for the Greatest Story Ever Told,” he mumbles, nudging Emma up and they both slip and slide and glare at the security guard in equal measure.

The zamboni does not appear to be moving.

“Who does that make us, exactly?” she asks, arms flailing slightly to keep her balance. They could not be farther away from the opening in the boards. “Different variations of the Little Drummer Boy?” “Well you do know all the words to every Christmas song ever written, Swan.” He does it, only partially, to get that very specific flush on her face – but that partial amount may honestly be, like, ninety-seven and half percent and Killian barely hears the security guard clear his throat. “Not all of them,” Emma grumbles. “Just, you know. Some of them. A normal amount. People know these things. Maybe you’re the weird one.” “Yuh huh.” She sticks her tongue out again, glancing at the security guard. “In that one song. The guy from Tennessee. Do you know where he was heading?" “Pennsylvania and some homemade pumpkin pie,” the security guard responds. He doesn’t smile, not entirely, but his lips quirk just a bit and the zamboni is still on the other side of the ice. “That’s basic Christmas song knowledge, ma’am.”

Emma makes a sound that will probably echo in between Killian’s ears until New Year’s and possibly the rest of his life – joyful and festive and he hopes the smile on her face imprints itself on his brain because he can’t imagine a world where he doesn’t remember every single bit of that very particular smile.

Probably to continue to pine for his roommate.

And her knowledge of Christmas song lyrics. But mostly her. Just. In general.

“That’s what I’m saying,” Emma continues, working her way against Killian’s side as the security guard does his very best to usher them off the ice and away from the slowest-moving zamboni in the history of the world. “Thank you for proving my point. You’ve done a very good Christmas thing here.”

“It’s been my pleasure ma’am, but if we’re finished discussing slightly nostalgic holiday feelings, then I’m really going to have to ask you and your boyfriend to get off the ice. Killian’s eyes fall out of his head. Or, at least, they feel like they do. He imagines there’d be more yelling from the ever-growing crowd on the right side of the boards if they had.

As such, there’s no yelling, just a distinct lack of contradiction from either him or Emma and it’s not the first time someone has made that mistake. In fact, it’s a mistake that has become so common that it’s almost expected and his pulse nearly stays at a normal, human level when someone utters those words in that very specific order.

Almost.

So they don’t say anything, no correction or objection, just slightly awkward skating technique and quiet happy holidays under their breath when they avoid fighting the zamboni. And Emma’s still smiling when they hand their skates back, head tilted up towards Killian because it’s still early and there’s still plenty of city and--

“You want to get some food?”

She nods. “I thought you’d never ask.”

They don’t go in every store in the holiday market, but it’s pretty close, testing as many overpriced food in the name of festivity as they can. There’s a fairly serious debate over the Belgian fries and which sauces they should get and whether or not the cookies that they buy from the booth four away from Max Brenners are better than Ruth’s.

“I’m going to tell her you even considered this for one single, solitary second and she’s going to kick you out of the house,” Emma warns, Killian already shaking his head.

“Nope. She likes me way too much. I am Ruth’s favorite kid.” “You are not her kid.” “Tell that to Ruth.” “God, it’s so stupid when you’re right. You do this whole thing with your face and it’s--” She waves a frustrated hand a few inches away from his nose, yelping when he nips at her fingertips. “It’s genuinely the stupidest thing I’ve ever seen.” “We should have ordered garlic aioli for the fires.” “Ah, damn that sounds good.” “At some point you’re going to realize I know absolutely everything, love,” Killian laughs, slinging an arm around her shoulders to direct her back to the fries booth. The garlic aioli is worth it.

Although it doesn’t entirely go with the eggnog-flavored coffee.

“We should have waited,” Emma says, wandering up Fifth Avenue and the crowds around them only seem to be growing. “You know, like swimming.” Killian scoffs. “Wait thirty minutes post aioli to drink a festive beverage?” “I mean, that sounds kind of fancy, but something along those lines, yeah. Is it just me or is it getting even more crowded?” “It’s Saturday.” “You say that like it’s a reason.” “Is it not?” he asks, weaving his way through a very obvious tour group and his toes are going to be bruised from the beating they are currently taking. “This is really ruining my perception of eggnog completely, love. I think we’re going to have to chalk this up as a mistake and try again later.” “We’re going to spend a small fortune on food and beverage.” “Ah, well, what better way to declare bankruptcy?” “That’s the spirit, for sure.” He chuckles, tossing the cup out and reaching behind him for Emma. Something about the crowd and people’s inability to walk across the street in a timely fashion. “Are you worried I’m going to get lost?” Killian glances over his shoulder to find her smiling at her, a few flecks of what may be more snow because it’s starting to get cold again in her hair. He nods slowly. Or quickly. He’s not entirely sure. Everything seems to have lost its meaning outside of the moment and them and they’re the ones causing pedestrian issues now.

A horn honks at them when the light turns.

“Oh shit,” Killian breathes, tugging Emma against him with far more force than necessary and he hadn’t realized they were so close to Rockefeller Center already. “Do they realize it’s just a tree?” “Do we realize it’s just a tree?” “This is a very good question.” Emma laughs, twisting around him until she’s the one doing the tugging and it isn’t really all that hard to get closer. That’s probably another sign. They’re practically slamming into Killian at this point. That may bruise too.

“Well,” Emma says, dragging the word out. “It certainly is a tree, isn’t it?”

“With lights.” “And support wires.” “It’s a big tree. There are physics involved.”

Her nose does that thing again. It’s distracting. “Oh yeah? Tell me more about physics, please.” “Isaac Newton.” “What about him?” “Knew about physics,” Killian shrugs. “Right?” “You having to double check on that leads me to believe he probably didn’t.” “No, no, objects and motion and, you know, intrinsic force or something.” “You made that last one up,” Emma accuses, although it loses a bit of its bite when the smile on her face would probably rival the goddamn tree at night. When it’s lit up. It’s really more impressive then.

They seem to have messed up their Christmas tree timing.

God.

“Alright, here, I will prove it to you,” Killian says. It takes some finagling to get his phone out of his pocket, wincing when his shoulder makes a noise it absolutely shouldn’t and that only gets another laugh out of Emma. And he’s just about to google something, but this whole day has been absolutely absurd and maybe they’re wearing signs that suggest strangers should keep approaching them.

“Would you like me to take your picture?”

The woman in front of them is holding an I Love NY plastic bag. She’s probably from, like...Indiana or something.

“Oh no, no, that’s ok,” Emma promises, rushing over the words so quickly it’s impossible for them to sound anything except disingenuous and people from Indiana are, apparently, very confident.

The woman reaches out to grab Killian’s phone, promising it’s fine, I don’t mind at all and there’s something about her family waiting on line to get into FAO Schwartz too. Killian barely hears any of it, Emma’s arm finding its way around his middle and--

“Smile!”

They do. And Mrs. Indiana takes no less than twenty-seven pictures. “I’m sure I got a good one,” she says, handing Killian back his phone with a genuineness that the world could probably use more of.

He nods. “Thanks. C’mon, love, let’s see if we can guess the themes of some of these windows.”

They get stumped by Cavalli. And the robot theme at Tiffany’s. Although they do go into Tiffany’s which is a little unexpected and kind of nice, particularly when Emma’s breath catches just a bit at several different and decidedly sparkly things.

“I just don’t understand what robots have to do with jewelry,” she says, hours later and tucked into a dimly-lit bar on the Upper West Side that Yelp! promised had very good holiday drinks.

The eggnog tastes better without the lingering bit of aioli. And probably the rum too.

“It’s clearly above our pay grade, Swan.” “Someone had to approve that. Multiple someone’s!” “I’d imagine it was an entire committee,” Killian says. “Ads and sales and marketing. There were probably several graphs made.” “Power points too?” “Undoubtedly.” She laughs over the top of her own drink – something named after some dead poet because that’s this bar’s schtick and the whipped cream on top is threatening to brush against the tip of her nose. Maybe they should get some kind of schtick for their bar too.

Then maybe they can keep it.

“This sounds very in depth.” “Corporate America at its finest,” Killian mutters, a hint of bitterness that does not belong in a bar so clearly obsessed with death and Christmas. Emma blinks. “Sorry, sorry,” he continues. “That wasn’t--you know, one of the first memories I’ve got is walking up Fifth Ave with Liam and questioning every single window display. I was very impressed by Saks.” “Well they do that whole light thing on the side of the building. What kid wouldn’t love that?” He smiles. And takes a far-too-large drink. “That’s a good point.” “I didn’t know you and Liam used to do this,” Emma says, voice dropping slightly because it’s kind of depressing and he’s kind of depressing and he refuses to look at his phone. So he’s kind of immature too.

“That’s not your fault, Swan.”

“I’m not saying it is. I’m just…” She exhales, ruffling her own hair in the process and it may be the single most endearing thing he’s ever seen. “I wasn’t lying before. You can tell me stuff and things and whatever you want and I know talking about Liam is--”

The single most difficult thing in the world. She doesn’t actually say that, but she doesn’t have to and Killian keeps wondering what he’d say about a developer and him and he would have liked Emma so much.

God, he likes Emma so much.

He loves her a lot.

It’s getting more difficult not to tell her that.

“You know that was the first time I thought I could really actually decide to like you,” Emma says, an abrupt subject change that makes Killian wonder if he’s more drunk than he thought.

“What?” “I didn’t want you to come on that trip. To the amusement park, I mean. Elsa was supposed to come, but then stuff happened and she couldn’t and David suggested you and I was, God, I was so mad.” “If this is supposed to be a compliment, I’m afraid you’re missing the mark, Swan.” “No, no, I know I am, but...David said he’d asked you and then you were there and I knew we were going to have to ride everything together. I was so pissed about it. Ask Mary Margaret when we go home.” His heart may explode at that particular word. So he takes another drink. “Don’t think I won’t.” “I am counting on it. Because I was so mad, but then you were--” Emma shrugs, downing the rest of her drink and slamming it back on the table like she’s proving a point. “The roller coaster clicked on the chain and you grabbed my hand like death was imminent and it was…”

She sighs again. He’s not counting. He’s totally counting. What a creep.

“I don’t know,” Emma shrugs. “Human.” “Did you think I wasn’t?” “I’d considered alien cyborg for awhile, if I’m being totally honest.” “Brutally it seems.” Emma laughs, twisting her hair around her fingers. A tell. That he noticed a few minutes before they got on the roller coaster.

It feels like they’re about to get on again. Or, maybe, they’ve just never got off.

“This is a good story, I promise,” she says. “I just...we had fun that afternoon, right?” Killian nods. He needs more to drink. “And we’ve never really stopped and I just--it was like something clicked and I thought maybe we could get along and I wouldn’t be some horrible third wheel for Mary Margaret and David for the rest of my life and, well--” Another deep breath. He feels a bit like he’s suffocating. “I wouldn’t have wanted to reclaim my festivity with anyone else.”

It’s not romantic. Not really. It may even be decidedly unromantic.

Killian’s brain doesn’t care – because his brain is on overdrive and his heart is threatening to explode out his chest and he’s standing before he realizes he’s decided, pulling Emma off the stool in the corner and they nearly fall over five different times on their way back to the sidewalk.

“What are we doing?” Emma asks, a note of something in her voice when he hails a cab.

He doesn’t answer. At least not here. “Macy’s,” he says instead, nodding towards the driver and if this is all going to end, if he’s going to lose his bar and his livelihood and his festive spirit, then he’ll be damned if he does get some photographic evidence of how absolutely happy he is right now. In this moment. Without a tourist from Indiana ruining it.

None of the pictures she took were very clear.

Emma doesn’t ask any questions the entire drive downtown, but her eyes keep darting towards Killian and his clearly impatient left foot. He keeps tapping it. And they can’t actually get in front of the store – promising the driver two blocks away is fine , although he’s also a little worried about timing and store hours and they don’t quite run from 36th Street.

They jog. Briskly.

“It can’t possibly be good for me to be this out of breath, can it?” Emma asks, pressed against his side just a few feet past the doors.

“You’d still get your guy, Swan.” “And in this case is the guy Santa?” “You know, I bet if we combined our mind reading abilities in Times Square, we’d make an absolute fortune every day.” She hums, glancing around like whatever department they’ve stumbled into will have directions to Santa. “Where do you think he’s hiding the North Pole?”

“Only one way to find out, right?” Emma nods.

There’s more jogging and weaving through workers offering perfume samples and they’re definitely deep in Macy’s when the escalators start looking older. “Do you think they’re required to keep these?” Killian asks, glancing down at the rickety thing under them. “Like for history?” “New York City does love its history,” Emma says, and if he weren’t so determined to get their picture taken with goddamn Santa Claus he probably would have noticed the way her voice stuttered slightly over the words.

As it is, he’s far too busy gaping at the scene as soon as they step onto the eighth floor. There are snowflakes everywhere – hanging from the ceiling and displays, music pumping through what sounds like a dozen speakers and more than few workers dressed as elves. He hopes they make more than minimum wage.

Some joke about Bob Cratchit or something.

“Do you have an appointment?”

Killian stops dead in his tracks. Emma makes the world’s single most ridiculous noise. “What?” she balks. “An appointment to...see Santa? Are you serious?”

The elf nods. It’s nice to see nothing about this day has made any sense. “It’s uh...a new North Pole tradition this year!”

“Written by the North Pole PR department,” Emma grumbles. The elf nods again. “So there’s like...no chance of getting to see Santa without an appointment? Seriously, why is that a thing?”

The elf glances around – like she’s worried about being overheard and Killian has to press his face into Emma’s hair to stop from dissolving into hysterics. That’s totally why. “It’s crowd control,” she whispers. “You know we had families waiting hours and screaming and crying kids. So many crying kids. But then they’d get inside and they’d get stuck and--”

“--Stuck in the North Pole?” “There’s a pretty extensive display back there,” the elf explains, Emma humming in understanding. “But you’re kind of locked in. This is, you know, better. A little colder, but better.” “Practical,” Killian says.

“Yeah, exactly that.” The elf looks around again, mouth twisting when it appears she comes to some kind of decision. Her eyes narrow slightly, gaze turning appraising and maybe a bit wistful and Killian can’t understand that part, but then Emma squeezes his hand slightly. He hadn’t realized she was holding his hand. “Tell them that you had an appointment for 10:15,” she whispers, leaning over the podium so her hat almost falls off her head. “They’ll let you right in.” Killian blinks. And blinks again. The elf smiles. And Emma squeezes his hand. “C’mon, Jones,” she mutters. “We won’t get what we want for Christmas if we don’t go see Santa.”

The elf yells something as they walk by – barely audible over the classic Christmas carols all but blasting through the North Pole, but it sounds a hell of a lot like that’s really romantic and Killian wonders if anyone’s just gone into complete cardiac arrest in the North Pole.

Probably not.

And there’s not really a line because it’s almost 10:15 on a Saturday in New York and meeting Santa probably isn’t on anyone else’s must-do list, but they still have to wait outside a door and--

“Why Santa?” Emma asks, eyes still bright when she glances at him.

“Wasn’t on your list.” “Yuh huh.” Killian shrugs. “What’s the most ridiculous, cliché Christmas thing you can think of?” “Sending Christmas cards.” “Exactly,” he says, nodding in thanks when a different elf directs them towards a different themed room and Santa smiles at them as soon as they walk. “And,” Killian whispers against Emma’s hair, “you need pictures for that.”

She doesn’t quite gasp, but it may actually make her breath hitch and that very enjoyable flush is back on her cheeks. Santa is asking them questions, another elf directing them towards their designated seats on either side of him, but so much of Killian is tied up with Emma that disentangling that seems like a feat impossible.

So he does the only thing that absolutely, positively does not make sense. He pulls her onto his legs and wraps his arm around her waist and they banter with Santa Claus.

“I just want something good,” Emma answers when asked what she wants, and Killian doesn’t think before he drops a kiss to her shoulder blade.

Santa may wink. “I’ll see what I can do. And what about you, my boy?” Killian startles, Emma’s laughter ringing in his ears. She moved her own around his shoulder at some point. “What she said,” he mutters. “Something...something good.” Santa definitely winks.

And they make ridiculous faces at the camera – smiles and laughter and more tangled limbs that may represent something more because Emma Swan is so much a part of his life that Killian can’t imagine a life that is any different. He doesn’t want to. Not at Christmas.

Or ever.

He pays for the biggest photo package they have. It comes with keychains. And mobile downloads. And, several hours later, after copping some of his own alcohol stock from his own bar, with Emma curled up asleep against him on the couch, he changes his phone’s lock screen – an unposed photo that was probably against the rules to take and even more against the rules to use, but she’s smiling and he’s got his lips pressed against the back of her jacket.

He doesn’t realize she picked the same photo while he was behind the bar.

#cs ff #captain swan #captain swan ff #captain swan fic #cs fic #secret santa fic #EVERYONE IS IN LOVE #EVENTUALLY THEY WILL ALSO REALIZE THAT

27 notes · View notes

sanoiro · 6 years

Text

Lucifer 3x25 & 3x26 Meta with some elements of Season 4.

I’ve just realised something... In 3x25 Felix is actually Lucifer... We may not have gotten enough Deckerstar in front of the cameras in that episode but Chloe seemed to understand certain things without Lucifer... ve

Felix’s Father: Felix is shy. He struggles with communication, social skills. - That's why he was seeing Dr. Beth.

Chloe: Mm.

Felix’s Father: I don't know what we're gonna do without her. I mean, she's helped Felix so much. He's thriving in school, he's got all kinds of new friends and-and interests. He's like a totally different kid. He's just still not very open with strangers.

Chloe: I see.

Also, Chloe when she talks with Ella in the middle of the episode she says something that I believe is connected to Lucifer and has expressed before. In 1x11, 2x10, 2x14, 3x04 and 3x12.

Chloe: Do you-you want to talk about it? Okay, well, I'm here if you do and I completely understand if you need to be around your family. Absolutely. But, Ella, this place, all of us, we won't be the same if you leave. I mean, I know I won't be.

Felix and Lucifer have a therapist who helped them get out of their shells and understand the world around them better.

Felix and Lucifer found new interests through therapy as well as learned how to value these new interests. Felix the Violin and Lucifer helping the LAPD but also Chloe. Neither of their parents understood the importance of that interest (Felix’s Father and Lucifer’s Mother).

As you remember 3x25 was supposed to be the 4th or 6th episode of S4 and as the showrunners have mentioned every case has something to do with Lucifer’s current state in the season.

So let’s back to the other standalones.

In S1 we had episodes 1x03 - The Would-Be Prince of Darkness (originally 1x10 script) and 1x09 - A Priest Walks Into A Bar

1x03 was moved from 1x10 due to giving space to the reveal of Lucifer’s vulnerability in 1x04 but originally it was meant to show the effect Chloe had on Lucifer and her ability to stop him from getting too violent like an evolution after 1x06 with the guy who fell off the roof and of course Lucifer stopping from killing the Viper in 1x09 whilst grieving Father Frank. That paved the way for the events in 1x12 and 1x13.

In S2 we had standalones but it’ s difficult to say which they are exactly as it was a very compact season yet some episodes like 2x03 were certainly... Unique... Still, we did have two standalone which were shot for S3 which incorporated the elements of S2 in S3.

Vegas With Some Raddish (3x06) gives us the conviction that Lucifer and Chloe have something deeper going on in this world and that is more prominent in 3x26 where we see that the connection Lucifer was talking about in 1x01 as a reoccurring theme which he treasures through a bullet and even in a different universe through a chance meeting.

In 3x07 - Off the Record, we had the chance to see what is going on in Hell and we had a better explanation of how that realm worked as well as the story through someone else's eyes. Again in 3x26, we see Lucifer and Chloe through God’s eyes. Therefore as you can see we do have a connection between the stories. Moreover, 3x07 explained on a certain level the finale of S3.

In my opinion, 3x25 gave us an understanding of what Chloe is forced to come into terms with, in S4, meaning that her world would not have been the same without Lucifer. But also something even more important.

Regardless of the supernatural stuff that is happening in S4, the Devil face or his actions, Lucifer is very much like a child. Like Felix. Both Lucifer and Felix through their interests, they are using them as a key, a passage better yet to comprehend what a proper human interaction is and how they should act. when they want to achieve one.

All the above mean that Chloe will start to realise that Lucifer opening up to her for the past three seasons means more than what she has given him credit for. Why is that? Because Lucifer didn't just fell in love with Chloe but he chooses her as she did.

(Edit Januuary 2019: The above also complies to the speculation that Chloe will have a 3 stage arc of doubt, acceptance and pursuit of Lucifer in S4)

Moving on in 3x26 and its function in season 4. The episode provides a similar concept as 3x11 did. What was that? That no matter what, no matter Dad, Eve, Marcus/Cain, Father Kinley and whatever gets in their way, no matter the mess that is happening from 4x01+ until 3x26 was meant to be released (probably as mid-season episode airing originally as 4x10 or 4x11) in the originally set S4, Lucifer and Chloe have something that goes beyond the Plan, Dad or even the world itself because their choices, no matter what they eventually brought them together.

And why should we care about that? Because so far in S4 Chloe is portrayed as a person in deep emotional turmoil and who still tries to place herself in the world as well as Lucifer within it. Add to that her miracle status if that comes to play a role in the upcoming season. Consequently, It’s not easy and although she has partially figured out Lucifer’ character and soul, the mystery his nature holds needs time to be decoded and fully accepted.

#lucifer season 3 #lucifer season 4 #lucifer meta #lucifer speculation #lucifer spoilers #Sanoiro just being crazy as usual

44 notes · View notes

islahunt-blog · 5 years

Photo

GENERAL:

NAME: Isla Olivia Hunt

NICKNAME: None

BIRTHDAY: January 12, 1993

AGE: 26

GENDER: Female

PLACE OF BIRTH: London, UK

PLACES LIVED SINCE: N/A

CURRENT RESIDENCE: Barking & Dagenham

NATIONALITY: English

PARENTS’ NAMES: Rupert Hunt and Eleanor Dryden

NUMBER OF SIBLINGS: None

PERSONALITY TYPE: ISFP

RELATIONSHIP WITH FAMILY: Isla loves her father. It’s been just the two of them her whole life, so she easily considers him her best friend. She never met her mother, and as far as she knows, all she did was give birth to Isla and then fuck off, leaving her dad to take care of her. Now, it’s her turn to take care of him by working for the Rutherfords.

CHILDHOOD TRAUMA: Nothing specific other than growing up in a fairly poor household.

PHYSICAL:

HEIGHT: 5′4

WEIGHT: 115 lbs

BUILD: Slim and fit

HAIR COLOR: Blonde

USUAL HAIR STYLE: She mostly wears it in a ponytail to keep it out of the way, but will wear it wavy and down when she feels like putting in an effort, like this.

EYE COLOR: Green

GLASSES? CONTACTS?: Neither.

STYLE OF DRESS/TYPICAL OUTFIT(S): Casually edgy? She loves a good pair of jeans and a leather jacket. Now that she’s making more money, she’s trying to branch out a little.

TYPICAL STYLE OF SHOES: Ankle boots.

JEWELRY? TATTOOS? PIERCINGS?: Pierced ears and a good amount of tattoos (I’m too lazy to pick them out right now but one day lol)

SCARS: She has plenty from fighting, but nothing major yet

UNIQUE MANNERISMS/PHYSICAL HABITS: She grinds her teeth when she’s angry

ATHLETICISM: She doesn’t make a conscious effort to go to the gym or anything. She has a high metabolism and working for the Rutherfords keeps her fit on it’s own.

HEALTH PROBLEMS/ILLNESSES: None

INTELLECT:

LEVEL OF EDUCATION: 6th Form

LANGUAGES SPOKEN: Fluent in both English and Italian, but Italian is his first language.

LEVEL OF SELF-ESTEEM: She usually has pretty high self-esteem, but ever since going to prison she’s been pretty hard on herself. She’s embarrassed that she has to work at the bar and feels pretty useless.

GIFTS/TALENTS: Obviously, she’s a good fighter, but outside of that she’s actually pretty good at drawing and painting. She’d draw in the back of the store while her dad worked.

MATHEMATICAL?: Not her strong suit, but she knows enough to work a register

MAKES DECISIONS BASED MOSTLY ON EMOTIONS, OR ON LOGIC?: Definitely emotions. She lets her anger get the best of her which causes her to act impulsively. It’s something she’s trying to work on after being released from prison.

LIFE PHILOSOPHY:

RELIGIOUS STANCE: Not religious

CAUTIOUS OR DARING?: Daring

MOST SENSITIVE ABOUT/VULNERABLE TO: Her father. She would do anything for him. She also has a very strong sense of pride and hates when she’s forced to put it aside.

OPTIMIST OR PESSIMIST?: Pessimist

EXTROVERT OR INTROVERT?: Introvert

RELATIONSHIPS:

CURRENT RELATIONSHIP STATUS: Single

SEXUAL ORIENTATION: Bisexual

PAST RELATIONSHIPS: She’s had a few casual relationships, but nothing she thinks too hard about. She doesn’t really have the time of lifestyle for a real relationship, and doesn’t like people enough in general for them.

PRIMARY REASON FOR BEING BROKEN UP WITH: She wasn’t invested and canceled plans or picked fights too much.

PRIMARY REASONS FOR BREAKING UP WITH PEOPLE: She felt like they’re a waste of time and had better things to do.

EVER CHEATED?: Probably

BEEN CHEATED ON: Probably haha

LEVEL OF SEXUAL EXPERIENCE: She’s pretty comfortable with sex, especially when there’s no strings attached.

STORY OF FIRST KISS: It was with a boy who’s family owned the store next to her dad’s. They would sneak out at night and drink together, and eventually started hooking up.

STORY OF LOSS OF VIRGINITY: She lost her virginity with the same guy she kissed for the first time. It’s not a very notable story, and she doesn’t have any fuzzy feelings about it. They just felt like it, so they did it.

A SOCIAL PERSON?: No, she doesn’t really have friends

MOST COMFORTABLE AROUND: Divya, Jonathan and her father

OLDEST FRIEND: …her dad?

HOW DOES HE THINK OTHERS PERCEIVE HIM?: Isla thinks everyone sees her as this helpless thing that needs to be mentored.

HOW DO OTHERS ACTUALLY PERCEIVE HIM?: It depends. The Rutherfords probably see her as an important asset, but still needs some work. People on the outside probably think she’s violent and unapproachable.

SECRETS:

LIFE GOALS: To climb the ranks of the family

DREAMS: She wants to be in a place where she doesn’t have to worry about money–where her and her father can just buy whatever they want without second thought.

GREATEST FEARS: Her dad getting killed because their ties with the mob

MOST ASHAMED OF: Herself

SECRET HOBBIES: Art

CRIMES COMMITTED (WAS HE CAUGHT? CHARGED?): She went to prison after a failed assignment

DETAILS/QUIRKS:

NIGHT OWL OR EARLY BIRD?: Night Owl

LIGHT OR HEAVY SLEEPER?: Light sleeper

FAVORITE ANIMAL: Tigers

FAVORITE FOOD: Fish and chips

LEAST FAVORITE FOOD: Kale

FAVORITE BOOK: She doesn’t really read, but she’ll always love the Harry Potter series

LEAST FAVORITE BOOK: Anything they made her read in school

FAVORITE MOVIE: The Goonies

LEAST FAVORITE MOVIE: The Notebook

FAVORITE SONG: Fever to the Form by Nick Mulvey.

FAVORITE SPORT: Football

COFFEE OR TEA?: Coffee

CRUNCHY OR SMOOTH PEANUT BUTTER?: Smooth

TYPE OF CAR HE DRIVES: Vauxhall Corsa

LEFTY OR RIGHTY?: Righty

FAVORITE COLOR: Black

CUSSER?: Oh hell yeah

SMOKER? DRINKER? DRUG USER?: No drugs, but she smokes and drinks. She’s experimented with some drugs before, but she doesn’t use anything regularly.

BIGGEST REGRET: Fucking up with the Rutherfords

PETS: None

#about

2 notes · View notes

charlievermin · 2 years

Text

MAP18: Nowhere Fast

Challenge: "One of your next five maps must contain an unexpectedly long corridor."

The 6th map I made. "Long corridor" is simple enough, but how could I make sure the player will be surprised by the length? Ultimately, I came up with a pretty good solution, and it set the tone for the whole map.

MAP18 is the culmination of episode 2, in which the second protagonist wanders around looking for a way to save his loved one, after witnessing him fall into a sudden crevice that sealed itself back up as soon as it opened. The fruitlessness and uncertainty manifest in the exit door right at the end of the very first corridor you're in. The first time you approach it, it gets barred up - not terribly unexpected from an exit door that's sitting right there at the start, but that's only the beginning. When you take a trip back to the other side of the corridor to remove the bars, the lights go out, and mask a newly opened hole for you to fall into… you get out quickly, but then the door itself runs away from you. By the time it stops moving, it has gained a new lock.

And so you have to venture away… but once you obtain a key and return to the door, it retreats yet further, and changes its lock to another color. Then you look for the next key, find it, and it happens again. If this was ZDoom, I'd probably add 15 more key colors just for this level. But it's all the same - at the end of the day,

The actual goal turns up in a sidepath somewhere and the door turns out to have nothing at all behind it. You can even shoot the newfound brick wall to make it break and reveal nothing but a solid wall of dirt behind. (one of the few 3IAC details I haven't seen anyone notice on their own before!)

The eerie megasphere secret is also meant to amplify the feeling of being lost and aimless. I'm really glad at least a few people found it and had their heads messed with. I tried to make that area really look like a place you're not meant to be in. No gameplay, no visuals, just plain utilitarian walls built with a single purpose that's not for you to understand. Eventually, you can find your way to a grand and imposing structure, which may lead you to believe that this weird detour is about to yield some satisfying results. Instead, you'll find that both of the lengthy staircases lead to doors that won't open. I think I might have captured the feeling of urban exploration quite well in that area - you may find some exciting sights along the way, but most of the time there will be no grand conclusion.

I tweaked that area a few times to maximize the intended feeling. I made sides of the staircases impassable so that you have to awkwardly walk back down from the unusable doors, instead of harmlessly leaping off great heights as if you're playing some kind of videogame. This might have been inspired by Aliens TC, which has a number of tall ledges marked impassable despite no midtexture or practical reason for it - I wonder if that had anything to do with an attempt at realism, too.

I think the megasphere was initially either in the big circular area, or in the middle of the tunnel leading up to it - but either way it would make the place feel like a payoff, and the megasphere like the purpose of its existence. And so I've placed the megasphere right at the beginning instead. I also considered making the circular area one of the places you momentarily teleport into on MAP32, but again, that would imply the place is somehow important to you. It's most certainly not.

One more thing I like about this level is the bridges. They're designed to give the impression of being thin walkways with plenty of empty space underneath, but instead of meddling with missing textures or self-referencing sectors, I just made it impossible to look at them from the side, ever. That's one way to go about it!

At last, you find the actual blue door, only to end up right where you began 8 levels ago. But then you get to bargain... and open a new portal to hell where your loved one is trapped. The new portal happens to be in the middle of a nearby town, forcing your other companion to embark on a whole another trek to reach it. This level concludes with the only non-instant death exit, required to let you watch the portal rise from the ground. Or, technically speaking, watch everything else around it lower.

#3iac #doom modding #3iac post mortem #3IAC post-mortem

0 notes

junker-town · 3 years

Text

NBA playoff predictions: 1 big question about each Western Conference series

The West is wide open. Our team communities preview each series and give their predictions.

The NBA playoffs are finally here, and they arrive with what appears to be a wide open race in the Western Conference. Yes, the defending champion Los Angeles Lakers are back again, but they enter the postseason as a No. 7 seed after needing to qualify through the play-in tournament. LeBron James and Anthony Davis have battled injuries all year, and there are several teams who think they have what it takes to dethrone the Lakers as conference champs.

The Los Angeles Clippers are back in the playoffs after blowing a 3-1 series lead against the Denver Nuggets inside the bubble during last year’s playoffs. Kawhi Leonard and Paul George lead a team that will be one of the favorites to win it all, but they again have to go through Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks to start their playoff run.

The most enticing series of the first round might be Denver vs. the Portland Trail Blazers. These two teams played an instant classic seven-game series in 2019, and you know presumptive MVP Nikola Jokic and Blazers star Damian Lillard are ready to put on a show.

Now that the playoffs are finally here, we asked the SB Nation NBA communities to preview their team’s matchup by asking one big question about each series. The communities also gave their predictions on who will win the series, as did staffers Sabreena Merchant, Sydney Umeri, and Ricky O’Donnell.

No. 1 Jazz vs. No. 8 Grizzlies: Predictions and preview

Jazz 52-20 vs. Grizzlies 38-34

Offensive efficiency: Jazz 116.5 (4th) | Grizzlies 111.7 (15th)

Defensive efficiency: Jazz 107.5 (3rd) | Grizzlies 110.5 (7th)

Net rating: Jazz +9 (1st) | Grizzlies +1.2 (14th)

Season series: Jazz won 3-0. The Jazz swept the season series, but two of their wins were decided by four points or less.

Who is the most important player for your team in this series and why?

James Hansen of SLC Dunk: For Utah the most important player is Rudy Gobert. Gobert was the reason Utah had the #1 record in the league during the regular season and the Jazz need that dominance to carry over into the playoffs. Gobert’s ability to patrol the paint while also guarding his man will be the thing that gives the Jazz a chance to win every game. The narrative that Gobert gets played off the floor in the playoffs will be put to bed pretty quickly if Gobert does in the playoffs what he did all season.

Parker Fleming of Grizzly Bear Blues:

Ahead of the series, our Grizzlies community wrote:

Ja Morant rose to the occasion like no other, going toe-to-toe with a MVP finalist — one of the 10-15 greatest players of all time. As the national media clamors about Morant’s shooting, he made them when he count, drilling a career-best 5 three-pointer’s. No matter who was in front of him, he managed to find his way into the paint to get off that floater. He also locked in defensively (5 steals) by getting into passing lanes and staying aggressive on both ends of the floor.

The Grizzlies have a future superstar that is built for these moments, and he’s only going to continue adding to his legacy.

Prediction from Ricky O’Donnell: Jazz in 4.

Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images

No. 2 Suns vs. No. 7 Lakers: Predictions and preview

Suns 51-21 vs. Lakers 42-30

Offensive efficiency: Suns 116.3 (7th) | Lakers 109.8 (24th)

Defensive efficiency: Suns 110.4 (6th) | Lakers 106.8 (1st)

Net rating: Suns +5.9 (3rd) | Lakers +2.9 (8th)

Season series: Suns 2-1. Phoenix won the first two matchups, and the Lakers won in May.

The Lakers are the heavy favorites to win the series despite being a No. 7 seed going up against a No. 2 seed in Phoenix. What worries you most about the opposition going into this series?

Harrison Faigen of Silver Screen and Roll: If I was coaching the Lakers — which I’m not, so please stop tweeting me your suggestions for the center rotation — I would definitely be most afraid of Devin Booker as far as threats from the Suns go. Los Angeles should have enough big men to limit Deandre Ayton, and their corps of guards should be able to make life hell on Chris Paul over the course of a series, even if they obviously won’t stop him.

But while Booker isn’t huge at 6’6, he most reasonably approximates the type of big wings the Lakers have most frequently struggled with this season, and they don’t necessarily have a perfect matchup for him. Wesley Matthews and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope are both good options, but I’d be much more confident in Alex Caruso, Dennis Schröder and Caldwell-Pope slowing the smaller Paul than I am of the Lakers making things quite as hellaciously difficult on Booker. The offensive end and the Lakers’ health concern me most in this series, but if we’re picking Suns threats, Booker is the one I’d most fear. I’m confident they can win this series relatively handily if healthy because of their matchup advantages in AD and LeBron, but I wouldn’t be surprised if Booker has one or two big games.

Dave King of Bright Side of the Sun: Well obviously what worries me are Anthony Davis and LeBron James, two of the top five players in the NBA when they are healthy. Even playing a little slow on Wednesday, Bron posted a triple double and drained a half-blind 34 footer to seal the win. So that’s a worry. A big worry. And two weeks ago, without Bron there, Anthony Davis dropped 42 points on the Suns in regular season game. Given his performance in the Bubble last year, you’ve got to worry that AD is the best 7-foot jump shooter in the playoffs. Other worries include the Lakers’ top-rated defense making up for their non-Bron-non-AD offensive struggles. The Suns will have to execute like madmen and limit turnovers (which they are good at) to overcome the Lakers defensive pressure. I do think every game is going to come down to: (1) the 3P shooting will decide the first 47 minutes and (2) if it’s close, it’s all about who makes the hero shots and who misses.

Silver Screen and Roll: Lakers in 5

Bright Side of the Sun: Suns in 7.

Sydney Umeri: Lakers in 6.

Ricky O’Donnell: Lakers in 6.

Photo by Sam Forencich/NBAE via Getty Images

No. 3 Nuggets vs. No. 6 Trail Blazers: Predictions and preview

Nuggets (53-29, expected: 55-27) vs. Trail Blazers (50-32, expected: 51-31)

Offensive efficiency: Nuggets 107.7 (4th) | Trail Blazers 104.7 (10th)

Defensive efficiency: Nuggets 104.4 (20th) | Trail Blazers 101.5 (11th)

Net rating: Nuggets 104.4 (20th) | Trail Blazers 101.5 (11th)

Season series: Cavaliers 3-1. Chicago beat Cleveland 113-98 on Feb. 13, but the Cavaliers bested them in the other three meetings.

These two teams played a classic seven-game series in 2019. There are tons of storylines on both sides. What will be the swing factor in this series?

David Deckard of Blazer’s Edge: Obviously any discussion of Portland versus Denver starts with superstars and styles. Nikola Jokic is the presumptive MVP, the most unique player on the floor. He can stand in the middle of Portland’s defense, commanding the floor. If the Blazers single-cover him, he’ll score. If they double, he’ll pass. The Blazers are decent defensively when they can hem opposing players into defined spaces and swarm them. Jokic provides a natural counter, making them move their feet...a serious weakness.

Lillard provides a different kind of threat. He might as well be an Olympics-level skier, the way he gets downhill whenever the Blazers need a bucket. You cannot stop him from getting into the lane and either picking up the foul or a layup. That ability has freed him up for his preferred shot: the three. He has range to the moon and nerves of steel. Like a boss battle in a poorly-designed video game, opponents see Portland’s hit point bar nearing zero and think they have the game won, only to watch Lillard take on superhero form, pour in 17 points in the quarter, and lead his side to victory. They can’t stop anything he does, let alone everything he does.

If those two superstars end up cancelling each other out, the series will probably come down to whether Portland’s three-point shooters can counter Denver’s ability to create mismatches. Michael Porter, Jr. is a 6’10 small forward. The Blazers field 6’4 Normal Powell at that position. Carmelo Anthony and Enes Kanter play significant minutes even though their defense is so sus, it might as well be wearing a “Imposter” name tag. If the Blazers can’t pour in points, they either have to get their Denver counterparts in foul trouble or hope the Nuggets have an off shooting night.

Ryan Blackburn of Denver Stiffs: Health on the perimeter is the most concerning factor for the Denver Nuggets entering this series. It’s no secret that the Portland Trail Blazers have plenty of firepower, and while the Nuggets have big strengths up front with Nikola Jokić and Michael Porter Jr., the guard position has become something of a rotating M.A.S.H. unit. Jamal Murray is out for the season which cannot go understated. Monte Morris is back but still dealing with the effects of a hamstring strain. Will Barton is still working his way back from a similar injury. PJ Dozier, maybe Denver’s best defensive guard, may not be back for this series.

The Nuggets are going to have an ordeal surviving without their normal guard firepower. They will likely be starting Facundo Campazzo, an older rookie, and Austin Rivers, who they signed on April 20th. They also brought in Shaquille Harrison, an excellent defensive guard and complete non-shooting threat offensively. That, along with the returning Monte Morris, is the extent of Denver’s guard rotation.

Let’s see if Nikola Jokić can work some much needed magic.

Denver Stiffs: Nuggets in 7

Sabreena Merchant: Nuggets in 7.

Sydney Umeri: Nuggets in 6.

Ricky O’Donnell: Nuggets in 6.

Photo by Glenn James/NBAE via Getty Images

No. 4 Clippers vs. No. 5 Mavericks: Predictions and preview

Clippers (53-29, expected: 55-27) vs. Mavericks (50-32, expected: 51-31)

Offensive efficiency: Clippers 107.7 (4th) | Mavericks 104.7 (10th)

Defensive efficiency: Clippers 104.4 (20th) | Mavericks 101.5 (11th)

Net rating:

Season series: Cavaliers 3-1. Chicago beat Cleveland 113-98 on Feb. 13, but the Cavaliers bested them in the other three meetings.

The Clippers won this series in six games last year. Do you think the outcome will be any different this year based on what you’ve seen during the season?

Sabreena Merchant of ClipsNation: This series barely went six last year thanks to Luka Dončić’s heroics. This year, despite the two teams ranking closer in seeding, the Clippers are better by point differential, the Mavericks are worse, and L.A. has an axe to grind after the humiliation suffered in the bubble last year. The Clippers should win in five. The key will be Kawhi Leonard and Paul George playing like the all-NBA players they are and forcing Dallas to play whack-a-mole to figure out a way to defend the two of them together. George struggled in the bubble, but he’s in a much better mental space now and coming off a dynamite regular season.

The Clippers are simply too talented for the Mavericks. They have the edge at every position in the starting lineup except for point guard, and all five of those players can defend Dončić in a pinch, giving the Clippers the ability to run a variety of different coverages and keep the third-year wunderkind off balance. They also have a deep experienced bench, including two former champions in Rajon Rondo and Serge Ibaka, and a jack-of-all-trades in Nic Batum, all of whom are new to the Clippers and don’t carry the burden of this franchise’s history. They chose this matchup, and they’re going to show why.

Kirk Henderson of Mavs Moneyball: Largely no. At this point, Dallas fans quite understandably hang on to the game four superhuman performance from Luka Doncic resulting in the overtime stepback game winner. They look at the series outcome and say “we took two games from them!” That’s true on paper, as a win is a win. But they really only felt in control of the other victory. The Clippers dominated the rest of the series, piling up double digit leads with relative ease. There are some differences, of course. This time around, Dallas has a bit more depth with Jalen Brunson and Dwight Powell playing. But just as the Mavericks are healthier, Los Angeles seems to be getting healthy at the right time too.

Scoring won’t be a problem for the Mavericks this series. It’s the defense that should be of concern. Mainly because the Clipper offense is quietly dominant, with a fleet of guys shooting the ball *really* well. The Dallas defense, though, is a problem; after an off season that attempted to correct some of their defensive struggles (mainly through a Seth Curry for Josh Richardson swap), the Maverick defense has been worse for large chunks of the 2020-21 season. The root cause for that lies primarily at the feet of Kristaps Porzingis who tore his meniscus in the bubble playoffs and came back slow to start this season. Frankly, he looks like a shell of himself on defense, barring a short stint in March where he showed promise. There’s a lot of thought and hope that he’s been dogging it in May following an ankle injury, just so he wouldn’t get hurt before the playoffs. But any astute observer would note that defense is as much about timing and rhythm as skill and athleticism and Porzingis hasn’t looked right for a while and just about any metric would back that up. If he looks like even a passable defensive player, the Mavericks might have a chance. Otherwise this might be the same song as last year, just a different verse.

Clippers Nation: Clippers in 5.

Ricky O’Donnell: Clippers in 5.

Sydney Umeri: Clippers in 6.

0 notes