Greywind

Warren wasn't sure what surprised him more. Boyd's apparent intelligence or Jason's willingness to listen considering past interactions between these two men. “Is this on the company network?” Jason asked. “No. I've been working on it on my own. I'm not someone that the suits...” Boyd coughed. “Sorry. I'm not someone that management listens to.” “I'm listening,” Jason said. “I want a copy of your work.” He pulled the writing pad closer. “How are you with presentations?” “I've never had to give one outside of a classroom,” Boyd said quietly. Jason wrote something out on the pad. “This is the email address I want you to send your proposal to. The working copy you have now is fine. This second email address is someone who can help you with your presentation work.” “I don't understand,” Boyd said. “There is a meeting at the end of next month. You will be there to present on this after you get it cleaned up.” “This isn't what I was expecting,” Boyd mused. “Jump the line to the top and you find yourself with more work,” Jason said. Boyd nodded. “I appreciate it, Mr. Scott.” “Something else on your mind?” Looking guilty, Boyd said, “Yes, sir. I've been wondering about Beth.” “She still works for me,” Jason said. “When she left with you I was so angry.” “That was you in the pickup with the shotgun.” Nodding, Boyd said, “I was angry. I was drunk. Afterward I kept expecting the sheriff to show up on my doorstep. As the days went by and nothing happened I had to wonder why. I went by Beth's and talked to her dad. He told me she'd left town with you. “I had entirely too much time to sit and think. About the mess I'd made with Beth. About the mess my life was heading towards. I got counseling. I stopped drinking. I wasn't going to college to play ball. Never saw myself leaving town, really.” “What did you do with the shotgun?” Jason asked. Taking a heavy breath, Boyd looked at the ceiling. “I cleaned it. Put it back on the rack. It was my granddad's. Haven't been hunting since. Like I said, it kind of opened my eyes about where I could end up. That wasn't who I wanted to be.” “You missed.” “I'm sorry.” “Apology accepted.” “Can I ask you, Beth... Is she happy?” “I think so,” Jason told him. “Is she... Married? Seeing anyone?” “Boyd, as her employer, out of respect for her as a person, and more importantly as her friend, it isn't my place to answer any personal questions about her.” “I understand,” Boyd said. “I'll will get this emailed and start getting it cleaned up, then.” Boyd stood up, narrowly missing the server. “Mr. Scott. Warren.” “Merry Christmas, Boyd,” Warren said as the other man walked away. “Can I get you gentlemen anything?” she asked. “No,” Warren said. “I think we're pretty much...” “Refills, please,” Jason said, cutting Warren off. “Also two hot chocolates. One with no whipped cream. The other with extra whipped cream and cinnamon.” “Coming up.” Warren gave Jason a questioning look before turning around to scan Rosie's. Turning back, he said, “Kate and Leah coming?” Jason nodded. “Boyd didn't miss.” Jason shook his head. “Then why?” “I had a pretty good idea of who it was at the time. Understood where he was coming from. At the time I had more important concerns, if you recall. I didn't need to be sidetracked dealing with the sheriff about an inconsequential shooting.” “If it had been anyone other than you it wouldn't have been inconsequential,” Warren said. Jason shrugged. “It would have been even less of a concern to me and more of one to the sheriff. I'm sure they would have caught the perp, tried and imprisoned him. As it was, it didn't even rate the paper, since if anyone else heard the shot they would have written it off as a hunter.”

Everyone turn away. I want no witnesses.

The Doom Patrol and the Titans are no longer on the same earth. Kind of surprised I didn't see a Smallville earth in the new order of things.

For some of them it's the only way they get to see half-naked women.

If you take something out, only later to replace it with something similar, you're better off just leaving in the original item you took out. I've never found END tracking to slow a game. A player tracks their END when someone else is active.

Frank stood up. “If you will excuse me, this old person has had entirely too much excitement for one night. Thank you, Jason, for the invitation. And the book.” “My pleasure, sir. Sleep well.” “Good night, Daddy,” Beth said. Jason pulled his coffee cup out from under the coffee maker. “Would you like something?” “A glass of wine if you have it,” Beth answered. She slipped her shoes off and drew her legs up on the couch. Jason brought her a glass. “I didn't realize everything matched,” he said, noticing the blue reinforcement of her hosiery. “Attention to detail. Isn't that why you hired me?” She lifted the hem of her dress until the wide blue band of her stocking top was visible, revealing the blue strap of her garter belt. “Everything matches.” Jason dropped himself into a chair tiredly. “This evening got to you, didn't it? Even with everyone there being a friend or at least them having had some impact on your life.” “Batteries are nearly drained,” he admitted. “Entirely too many people all at once.” “So what was the sketch in Daddy's book?” “One of you.” Jason appeared a sketchbook and a pencil. “You aren't.” Jason looked at her. “I are.” The pencil started moving on a page. “Fine. Just make me look good.” He chuckled. “I capture the beauty. I don't improve upon it.” Beth toyed with her wine glass. “So what was the delay tonight?” “Croystetter.” “Artimus or Miriam?” “Yes. Apparently one of them got wind of tonight and Miriam wanted to know why I didn't invite her. It seems both of them are in town tonight. I'm just glad neither showed up at the gallery.” “I can't imagine them crashing,” Beth said. “Crash, no. Totally tasteless and below their station. But show up, get my attention and get a last minute invitation I wouldn't put past her.” “I see your point.” She took a drink of wine. “What are you going to do?” “Nothing. I already did it. I made it clear to her in no uncertain terms that I wasn't interested in seeing her, socially or otherwise.” “Ouch.” “I doubt it hurt much. I don't think she was chasing after me for her own sake.” Jason yawned. “You should go to bed. I'll take the couch.” Jason slipped his pencil under his left thumb, pinning it against the sketchbook. He gave Beth an annoyed glance. “My apartment. My rules. The lady gets the bed.” He stood up. “I'll take the couch.” “That's hardly fair. We could share it.” Heading down the hall, Jason said, “That's a tempting offer.” Trailing after him, Beth said, “Well, it doesn't seem right that I'm putting you out.” “You aren't.” He set his sketchbook on a bureau. Beth glanced at it. It was remarkable to her how finished it looked in the short amount of time Jason had worked on it. He had done it all in graphite, but at some point he'd switched to a blue pencil, shading in bits of her hosiery, dress, and makeup. “Needs a bit more color,” Jason said. “At the very least your lipstick.” Beth nodded. “Before you go running out of here, would you help me with my dress?” She turned her back to him, allowing him access to the zipper. Jason reached for the pull tab. His hand began itching. Yes! Take her! Claim her! “Something wrong?” “No,” he answered. His watch began beeping. He glanced at it and pushed a button, silencing it. “No more argument. Looks like I'll be sleeping in the tower. Assuming I sleep at all.” He caught the fabric of Beth's sleeve, and disappeared it. Beth shivered in the cool air. Turning to face him, Jason gave her a gentle smile. “You're right. It all matches.” He reappeared her dress and lay it across the bed. “There are hangers in the closet.” He turned towards the balcony door. Beth caught his arm. He turned back to her. Standing up on her toes, she kissed him on the cheek. “You looked like you needed it,” she said with a smile. “Be safe.” Jason changed. Pulsar pulled open the balcony door and stepped out, sliding the door closed. He launched himself into the sky. Leaning against the glass door, Beth watched him go. “Guess I have an idea of how Marlene feels at moments like this,” she said to herself. When Pulsar was a distant red light, Beth pulled the drapes closed and readied herself for bed.

Yes, it totally looked like Superman was going to need to be saved from "the boys".

The only reason, I think, that X-Men: Dark Phoenix and New Mutants are/were released is because they were done. I'm sure they held off on NM to reshoot/tweak things a bit.

If Satan ever lost his hair, there would be Hell toupee.

https://www.post-gazette.com/ae/tv-radio/2019/01/08/Joe-Manganiello-Dungeons-and-Dragons-Childrens-Hospital-Pittsburgh/stories/201901080140

Can't hear it without thinking about my brother.

Stan Kirsch Dead: ‘Highlander’ Actor Dies at 51 After Committing Suicide

Night at the Gallery Standing on the landing of the gallery's staircase, Emily Deveraux looked over the assembled guests and smiled. Tonight was a private gathering. The public opening of Jason's showing would be a few days hence, allowing for the removal of pieces Jason did not want in the public eye, and their replacement with others of his collection. Picking up the striker, Emily tapped the silver bell that had been placed for her use. “If I may have everyone's attention.” Conversations muted and eyes turned to Emily. “I would like to thank you all for coming. After many years of trying I was finally able to get Jason to agree to a public showing of his works. The main floor is fully open. Each gallery has a theme.” “So we get to see Scott's landscape paintings?” Brad Michaels snarked. Emily watched Ashleigh Parks lean to him and whisper something. Brad glanced at her. “My apologies.” Emily nodded. “The galleries on the upper levels are not yet open. They will be before the night is over. Jason has asked that those galleries remain closed until he is able to escort the subject or subjects of those galleries on a personal tour of it.” “Where is Jason?” Jordan Kendall asked. “Temporarily delayed,” Emily answered. “Beth contacted me earlier and explained that something unexpected came up that Jason had to deal with.” “It happens often enough to me,” Jordan said, eliciting a laugh from many. “Please, everyone, make yourselves welcome. There is a bar and an appetizer table. The gallery asks that, please, do not leave your glasses and plates scattered around the displays. Thank you all for coming.” Emily made her way down the stairs. * * * * * “So, where should we start?” Warren asked. “I'm thinking my husband should start with snacks. My tummy is a'rumblin' and I think I shall faint from hunger long before dinner,” Kate told him. “As you wish,” Warren replied with a shallow bow to his wife. “'Shall faint',” Leah teased. “Been reading them tawdry romance novels again?” Kate grinned. “Remind me again, oh favorite roommate, who got me started on them.” “That would have been your grandmother.” Kate thought for a moment. “Fair point,” she agreed. “But I remember a lot of them coming out of your room when we lived together.” Shrugging, Leah said, “A girls gotta do what a girls gotta do when there's no romance in her life.” “Warren is right, though,” Ash said. “Aside from Kate wasting away, where should we start.” Stepping up, Emily said, “I couldn't help but overhear. Perhaps you might try the east wing. All the paintings in there Jason is donating to one of the museums. A display of extraordinary people, from what I understand. The woman that curates the exhibit is here somewhere.” Warren held a small plate for Kate. “So, what was decided?” “Emily is suggesting the east wing,” Kris said. Flashes from the front door caught Warren's attention. “Might want to hold off for a few minutes. That might be him now.” Their attention turned to where Warren indicated. The flashes came from cameras pointed at a limousine that had pulled up. A valet opened the door and Frank Gilbert stepped out. Smiling, he turned and waved at all the photographers. He put his hand down and helped Beth out of the car. With Beth on his arm they walked into the gallery. Behind Beth, Jason exited the car. Jason headed towards the door, stopped and looked off to the side. He pointed at something and Warren cocked his head, questioning. Jason was joined by a young woman that he towered over. They spoke, the girl jotted something down in notepad. Jason held both hands up to her with his fingers splayed. He pointed at the notepad. The woman got a defiant look on her face. Jason said something further and the woman smiled. She slipped the notepad into her bag. Jason held his arm out to her, which she took. Warren continued to watch as they entered together. “I wonder who that is,” he said, nodding toward the woman on Jason's arm. Beth brought her father to them. “I have no clue,” Kris said. “Although she does look vaguely familiar for some reason.” “Mr. Gilbert,” Warren said in greeting, holding out his hand to the older man. Taking in Frank's tuxedo, he said, “I didn't realize this was a black tie event.” Frank smiled and clasped Warren's hand. “When I get to escort a lovely young woman to any event at my age, it is a black tie event.” “And she is quite lovely,” Leah said smiling. Warren thought he saw Beth blushing. “Thanks,” she said in response to Leah. “Sorry we're running late.” “Couldn't decide what to wear?” Warren teased. “Hardly. My dress was picked out a few months ago. It's a gift from Jason.” Beth's dress was royal blue silk. It fell to her knees. The upper bodice and sleeves were sheer. Her shoes matched perfectly. Kris smiled. “I thought I noticed a George.” Beth smiled back. “Hey, Beth.” “Yeah?” “Nice legs.” Warren grinned. Beth gave Warren an annoyed look and then smiled. * * * * * Jason pointed out Emily to Valora Langford. “Don't think this gets you out.” “Please, Miss Langford, I'm here most of the night. You've got yourself an exclusive. All I ask is no photographs. You don't have a photographer with you. That means any pictures you might take would be from your phone. If you would like, you and I can arrange a photo of the two of us. If you feel any of my work needs to be added to your story, then prints will be made available to you. Fair enough?” “I suppose.” “Now if you'll excuse me, I'm already running late. Emily, this is Valora Langford. She's a reporter.” Emily raised an eyebrow at Jason and then smiled at Val. “I figure a little press coverage can't hurt.” “As you wish, Jason. Come Miss Langford. I will show you around the open galleries.” As Jason turned and walked away, he overheard Val. “I heard you were shot at that party last year. Remarkable recovery.” “Yes, it was,” Emily commented. Jason shook his head. Approaching his friends, Jason's gaze fell on Kate. Feeling his gaze upon her, Kate looked back and then blushed. “I told you that would be a lovely dress on you.” Kate gave a shallow curtsy. “I figured with everyone who would be here it would be safe to dress up.” Jason smiled. “The effort is much appreciated.” “And Aaron willing, it will be much appreciated after, as well,” Warren said. Kate blushed deeper. Leah elbowed her in the ribs. “Emily suggested the east wing,” Ash said. “Something about 'extraordinary people'?” “Just a series of paintings I've been working on when I should be sleeping,” Jason said. “Different heroes and villains. Some the curator requested. Others were ones that I had access to good references for.” “No nudes?” Brad Michaels asked when he walked up. “Tasteful ones,” Jason answered. “Getting caught doing things you shouldn't be, Michaels, will get you tossed out. Excuse me.” Jason headed towards the stairs.