What's his name?!

35. Deputy mayor. Better than you.

[xboomxbaby]

neighborhoodxwebhead​:

“A package? I never–” Ben started, as though he hadn’t ordered anything. Which of course was just a big, filthy lie. “Come to think of it, I might have ordered something. Several somethings.” 

For a guy who claimed to have a photographic memory, he sure had a way of conveniently forgetting some important details. “I forgot, –what I ordered. So weird how that works. Few hits and you just, off–” he gestured to his head, making the sound of an explosion. “I don’t know, I just know stuff gets stolen at my place. Sometimes they don’t leave it in those cluster boxes with the other mail. They’ll leave it at the doorstep? And usually it’s not even the right apartment. And over here, you basically have neighborhood watch. I figured I’d, ya know, intercept it before you got ahold of it. Not my best effort.” He nodded, hoping Kuzco didn’t spoil things by opening anything.

Ben relaxed into the seat, feeling a little more calm than when he first knocked on the door. Something about smoking really took the edge off,–but it didn’t reel back the questions. If anything, he could feel himself flooded with even more. Only, with a more elevated headspace, there was a little more of a filter in the way. “I’ll show you what’s in the package on your B-DAY, boy-o.” Ben insisted, leaving the glass piece on the table, clutching the lighter as he mindlessly flicked it. 

“I wanna show you something,” he said after a few long minutes of inner contemplation. Hesitation seemed a bit foolish. There was still a part of him that hoped his little ‘trick of the web’ wasn’t going to weird Kuzco out. And that was only one of the things he’d been working on. Then, of course there was the matter of climbing walls. Which, the more he thought about it, reminded him of the spider crawling scene from the Exorcist. Not the way he wanted to portray himself– AT ALL. “I’m just saying that it’s all an illusion.” He prefaced with a bold face lie, waving his fingers like it was hoo-doo. 

There was some stage fright, naturally, having him pause on the theatrics. “Okay– wait. First, what do you think I can do? If you haaad to take a guess, considering ALL of the hints I’ve dropped for you over the past few weeks. Just think.” Ben ordered, like it was a simple solution. He thought as hard as he could, the words: spiderweb, spider-boy, spider-monkey, spider spider SPIDER, – as though all of those would somehow be delivered through the airwaves. And in this shared state of mind they were in, a part of him thought it could be possible… Maybe.

“It’s gotta do with something in my closet. Not the metaphorical closet. And… I’ve mentioned, what? You mentioned SOMETHING that’s basically right on par with what I’m about to show you!– Hint: has something to do with my wrists.” Organically produced webs, just like his father. He held out his right wrist for Kuzco to examine. Nothing out of the ordinary, save for a couple scrapes he got earlier that day, wrestling with the laundromat washer door. 

He didn't mind the exchange of small talk, littered with comfortable silences as they passed the bowl back and forth between them, knowing it was only a matter of time. Whenever Ben was ready. He, personally, had felt ready all day, glad any apprehension seemed to float away with each inhale, exhale. Inhale, exhale, repeat.

What did he think? It was a loaded question. He'd been trying to figure it out for a while now, weeks, but maybe Kuzco just wasn't the brightest bulb in the bunch or something, still completely in the dark over this. Hints dropped apparently and he couldn't fully piece it all together. "Gonna start with what I do know, go from there," he explained (for Ben and himself), pacing back and forth as he formulated, politician Kuzco rising from the ashes despite having clocked out for the day.  

"The strength thing, noticed that from the beginning. You're quick... weirdly quick. Good reflexes, even though you're extremely clumsy." He blew an air kiss to show he didn't mean any harm, before continuing. "What else... besides the affinity for heights and watching people." That idea made him stop dead in his tracks, starting to realize maybe he did know- somehow, deep down. "Was it you watching me in my office? When I would talk about my window... and how it felt like I could feel someone looking in... watching me." It never bothered him much, but it would make sense... but if not then he sounded batshit crazy. "Ignoring that for a second, but we're coming back to it,” he warned with a look, “memory is another thing. Is that related to this?" Even with all of this he still didn't know, frustration growing, running his hands down his face with a sigh. "I don't know!! I AM thinking Benjamin." He groaned dramatically as he closed his eyes, coming up with no mental image. Nada. Nothing. Blank space, baby.

"God... what do you do to yourself on a daily basis?" he ran his thumb over a particularly red mark, which wasn't there a few days ago and looked pretty fresh (something else he could have mentioned, the magically disappearing hickies and scratches), shaking his head. "What am I gonna do wi-" his thoughts were cut off as Ben pulled his wrist away with a quiet 'just watch' under his breath, a web flying across the room, grabbing a spare remote to god knows what off the shelf hung next to the mounted 70′’ tv, returning to his hand in one swift motion, blink-and-you-missed-it quick. 

"That..." Kuzco recalled some past 'close call' moments, wondering if everything he knew had been an illusion. "That's.... new." Well, no. "To me. New.. to... me." He reached for Ben's wrist again, demanding an answer, head reeling. He needed another hit. "Web. A web... spider???" 

‘Great job, you have the same speech level as a toddler. How could you have been this clueless? Really?? This is what you get for not finishing college!’

He quieted his inner dialogue, dropping his wrist, some of the web getting stuck to his arm. “Um. Explain?”

[gaelgarcia]

Oscar Isaac and Pedro Pascal appreciation post

[neighborhoodxwebhead]

july the first

@xboomxbaby​

Ben was feeling a little hesitant about heading to Kuzco’s. It only took him an extra forty-five minutes to pull himself together this time around. With such a busy mind, it often took him longer. Maybe this was improvement. The nerves weren’t stemming from the idea of seeing Kuzco, but more so what he wanted him to see. A secret he wanted to share, but wasn’t quite sure how to yet. 

It took a few quick knocks on the door before Kuzco opened it. Ben’s face lit up, relieving all worry from his once furrowed brow. Kuzco seemed to have a way of brightening his mood. “Hi,” Ben said, tearing his eyes from Kuzco’s just as quickly as they met. “I forgot my toothbrush at home, had to– turn around.” Ben announced with a smirk, knowingly leaving it behind to tack on a few extra minutes to his tardiness. 

“Cool if I come in? Or do I gotta stand out here in the rain for,” he paused, mockingly checking the wrist without a watch, “forty minutes?”

[xboomxbaby]

“Pushing it to almost ninety minutes? I don’t think so,” he warned, pulling Ben inside by his shirt, giving him a proper, ahem, greeting. The two day break had felt like a lifetime, which meant a quick detour before getting down to business. He would apologize for being aggressive but he knew there was no need, and hopefully no harm done to Ben’s head for slamming him back against the door so aggressively. Again, doubtful.

“Thought you were blowing me off but I knew that was impossible, not with our plan,” he spoke after god knows how long, wiping at his mouth and tossing him a look over his shoulder as he walked into the kitchen. Sure, they had a plan, but did Kuzco know what that plan mainly consisted of? No, he had no goddamn clue. His thoughts had been racing since Ben had told him tonight, tonight was the night. Weeks of hints, bringing it up only to quickly change the subject, being made to promise not to be afraid- he was at a loss. 

For now he was writing it off as Ben anxiety, as he liked to call it: things only Ben Parker worried about that no one else would ever consider a problem. Still, he was feeling what was probably closest to nervous, which wasn’t an emotion Kuzco experienced much. The little help from the green would do them both good, grabbing it from the drawer furthest from the stove, his little hiding spot.

“No backing out on me, Benji.” He sat and looked at him, sensing the apprehension, squeezing his knee in comfort and assurance, not wanting to scare him off with too long of a glance or something, focusing instead on packing the bowl they were sharing; give his hands something to do. “By the way, a package came for you... here. At this address. I don’t care.. just was surprised to see something with your name on it.” He grabbed a lighter, a smirk on his face. “You wanna tell me something?”

[xboomxbaby]

bringmethatxhorizon​:

Grant raised an eyebrow, leaning a bit against the bar. He cradled his own drink in his hand, but didn’t drink. “Rough day at the office?” Grant questioned as the bartender walked over with two shots. He sat his drink  down and took the shot he was given. He knocked it back, setting the empty glass down. “I mean, its fine,” Grant continued, picking back up in their conversation. “I’m used to people looking at my badge like that. Not so much political figures, though. I was starting to wonder if I was on the local government’s hit list.” He tilted his head at the remark, knowing well enough there was, what he called, inner corruption running trough the force. He shrugged, not one to give into conversation like that too easily. With a half smirk, he turned his attention to the deputy mayor. “Are you seriously just bitching? Or are you just trying to get information out of me?”

“Should you be on the list?” Kuzco asked, mostly joking yet intrigued. He was an odd one, and now that Kuzco had been introduced to deeper things about people, their ‘energies and vibes’ thanks to a certain someone, he could see Grant had a closed off kind of thing going on. Slightly standoffish, but maybe it was a ‘cop thing’ he didn’t quite get. They didn’t have to put on as much of a show as a politician, could afford to be a little closed off, rightfully so. “No list that I know of, but I’ll do a double check tomorrow when I head in,” he joked, nodding at Grant’s question. “And yes, long day. Usually don’t do this anymore, prefer drinking at home these days.” But something had drawn him in, deciding to be among the people, and perhaps socialize.

“I know enough, trust me,” he replied, finding the response from the other man quite telling in and of itself. “Can’t a man bitch freely about this stupid town every now and then without there being an ulterior motive, Sparrow?” He paused, “don’t think I’m the only one who needs a drink and to unwind here, officer.”

[yourhuckleberryx]

@xboomxbaby​

Entering the Town Hall took him a few extra minutes. Stopping in the parking lot to discuss with some die-hard how much they enjoyed him on Broadway a few years back. He gloated for a few before he had to make his move. As flattered as he was, he gave them a polite exit, as he had a meeting to attend, “Which I’m already running a little late for, I apologize.” 

It hadn’t stopped the clerks from giving him big hello, one who even greeted him with a hug. Got a little feelsy. Pointing him in the right direction to meet Deputy Mayor Kuzco. He gave a knock on the door before entering.

“Sorry– I know I had every intention of being in the door by 2, but,” he started, a little laugh as he dragged on. “You know how it goes,” he was sure Kuzco knew to some degree. He was a reputable face in this town, after all.

“How you doing, pard?” Doc shook Kuzco’s hand firm before taking a seat across from him. With more auditions at 3:30, Doc knew this wasn’t meant to be an all day affair, besides, the Deputy was a busy man. As much as Doc would have loved to talk with him on a more personable level, “We’re here to talk negotiations, right? Let’s dive in. I’ve kept you waiting long enough. So the kid in your post. You’re managing him? Or, tell me a little bit about his experience with music. He only know piano, or would you say he’s versatile? He flexible to work under direction?” 

Doc wouldn’t be working so much with the kid, but he knew it wouldn’t kill their act to hire a music assistant or whatever his partner needed–that’s how Franky got started. But Doc wanted a good feel for him before he put a price tag on it.

[xboomxbaby]

The clock ticked on as Kuzco waited, but he knew of Doc’s reputation, and Doc’s reputation. Two very different things. This was the man he sort of knew, late but ready with an apology or excuse, no surprise there. Kuzco took no offense, shaking his hand but jumping right into negotiations. 

“He’e new, but he’s good. Really good. He can play piano and guitar, but throw something at him and he’d get there. Memorizes sheet music in no time at all, an hour, two hours flat. Depending on the piece- I’ve seen it myself.” He let his mind drift briefly to the sound of the piano floating in his ears at 2 am, groggy but something out a daydream, before snapping out of it. This was business. “Smart, quick-learner, listens to directions and he’ll have it done, whatever it is you need.” He’d leave out the sometimes clumsy, slightly chaotic energy Ben exuded for now. Chaotic good, but still chaotic. “Won’t talk back, I know the trouble you’ve had over the years...” Kuzco trailed off, giving Doc a knowing look. Kuzco knew absolutely nothing, but he could let Doc think he knew all about past help, not such a far reach, if he had to guess. “Not a flake or a no show. Whatever you throw at him, he can handle it.” 

Now came the important part. Kuzco leaned forward in his chair, elbows on the desk. “He won’t go lower than 4. Kid’s good, he deserves it. I want 5 but I figured I’d start low with you.” He smiled like he was doing Doc a favor, which he sort of was. “4.5... sounds like the sweet spot, don’t you think?”

[xboomxbaby]

fryingpansftw​:

Cringing, Rider simply shrink further down in his seat. Maybe if he just stayed quiet - but no, too late, now people were turning toward him. He’d drawn attention to himself, the last thing he’d wanted to do. He rolled his eyes at being called the younger generation - especially since the man saying it was more than likely shtupping his best friend. He grunted with arms crossed and stood, against his will, since clearly no one was going to not stare at him.

“Yeah, okay, fine,” he said, stomping toward the microphone with much gusto. He may not want the spotlight, but it was on him, and he wasn’t one to back down from a challenge. “Fir-” he started, but a loud squeal echoed from the speaker, so he backed off for a moment for it to die. Great, now more than just staring, people were glaring. “First off,” he tried again, this time without feedback. “The implications that woman has,” he said, pointing an accusatory finger at the old woman, “about unsavory - or whatever word she used - folk being drawn to her neighborhood because of a basketball court?” He frowned, turning back and facing Kuzco. “Now, I don’t know about you, but to me that sounds like a stereotype that she is talking about, which refers to those of the African American variety of human.” He shrugged. “So I would, ya know, slap another court right in front of her house. So I can frequent it with all my friends of all races and creeds, to show her how much of a racist bitch she is. But I’m just a petty asshole.”

Kuzco had to admire the tenacity in which he spoke. Always nice to see that things like this would get shot down. It was hard enough being an openly gay minority in politics, always internally (or externally, when he let it slip) eye rolling at the ignorance of the townspeople of EP. Not all of them, most of them were odd in their own right, every type of person offering representation and making it a generally nice place to live. Something about these meetings always seemed to bring about the worst types of people, and he was reminded that where there is gold, there is also shit.

He could relate to the frustrations, but unfortunately on the other side of things, needed to keep the peace. “Ms. Tremaine,” he started, ignoring when she interrupted to insert a ‘lady‘ in there which was neither true nor earned, before continuing, “has inserted her opinion on this in many a meeting in the past, and we do not have any plans to go ahead and revert back to a time of the past.” He gave the lady a look, a small grin crossing his features for a moment. “My boyfriend would be ashamed if I were to approve of anything like that.” Let the old lady chew on THAT for a while, he thought, his eyes a warning that she should go back and sit down in not so many words, before looking back at the young speaker. “All opinions are appreciated, thank you. What’s your name?” He waited for it, before speaking again. “Any other offering’s you have for the town? Concerns....” AKA please waste time because they could only go on for an hour and he was ready to get a move on.

[hatofftothemuse]

[leoholzer]

”You described yourself as the best freaking pilot in the galaxy. Would Han Solo agree with that?”

[xboomxbaby]

neighborhoodxwebhead​:

Ben felt like he was in a trance, either due to the alcohol he had been mindlessly indulging himself in, or perhaps it were solely driven by Kuzco’s encouraging nudges to leave this party– take time to make time. “I think,” he started still looking into the other man’s eyes. The longest he’d ever held his gaze before. He was sure it was the alcohol. Right? This wasn’t him just allowing himself to feel comfortable…

“You gonna get us a cab? Or are we walking?” Ben asked, taking a long drag off his cigarette, blowing the smoke up and over his shoulder, eyes remaining on his. Even blinking felt like betraying their connection. 

“I should probably–” He pointed to the door, considering walking back in to give Ivy, Rider and Boo big hugs before he left. Tell them he was feeling overwhelmed, which wouldn’t have been a lie. Ben enjoyed being social– but it would have been so much easier to do that with his face hidden. Something about the suit– the Scarlet Spider suit– helped him feel concealed and confident. Maybe because his face wasn’t being broadcasted. It was so much easier to be in someone else’s skin. At the very least, Rider and Boo would understand. They knew by now why it made him feel the way it did: invincible, even if he was the furthest thing from it. 

“I should go say a quick goodbye.” Ben finished, fingers grazing the waistband of Kuzco’s pants. If it weren’t for the wandering eyes of the passerby, he would have gladly gotten riskier outside. But therein lay the problem, desperately hoping to find the confidence he wanted with Kuzco without the suit. There had to be another way to feel okay as himself.

After he made his way through the party, thanking some guests for coming, he gave his friends hugs–and then the nervous smile that screamed he was uncomfortable, as he had at many gatherings. Normally one of them would escape with him, but tonight he insisted he would be okay this time. 

“Let’s get going, friendboy.” Ben suggested, reaching for Kuzco’s hand. Every step counts. “You win your bet–punk. I forgot what it was we agreed on. So feel free to lie. Make something up.”

Kuzco let Ben say his goodbyes, for once in his life not wanting to take the spotlight, deciding to forego his own goodbyes and sneak out around the house through the yard. His presence wasn’t needed back, he’d see half of them around anyhow, wishing to give Ben the time and space to do what he needed to do. 

“Don’t wanna give the cabbie an eye full, so we’re walking,” he replied, waiting a few paces away from the house, not for his sake but Ben’s, before grabbing his hand in his own. Comforting, easy, even concealed in the dark. 

New, brand new, he could remember what it was like even though it wasn’t yesterday. Far from it.

“Don’t think it matters much anymore, huh?” He rolled his eyes, “god.. we need a better term than friendboy. It’s terrible.” Label-less was sort of their thing, since the beginning, when the word professional had made an appearance but never stuck around much. “Good thing we have a nice walk back home to think it over.” Home. It was out there, and he wasn’t in the mood to backtrack. Plus it felt a lot like home with his hand in Ben’s. Not too far off.

[fryingpansftw]

@xboomxbaby​

Having borrowed the least embarrassing wig in Chloe’s collection, Rider waltzed into the town hall meeting with full confidence that no one would recognize him - even if it was basically the same haircut he’d had in high school and he looked like a dweeb. He tucked himself into the back of the meeting, fully expecting this to be a complete snoozefest and to fully hate this friend-boy of Ben’s. He already somewhat hated him, simply for the fact that he hadn’t met him and he sounded older - so he had a lot of making up to do if he was going to get the Rider Approval Rating that he so desperately needed. Because Rider was not going to let just anyone date his best friend.

What he didn’t expect was for the meetings to go basically just like an episode of Parks and Rec, and he was fully engrossed in minutes. These people were so entertaining, and the poor bastard at the council table looked so exhausted, it was comical. He nodded, oohed and ahhed in silence as he listened to the plights and requests go, seemingly unheeded, to the man at the desk. Someone literally asked for basketball courts to be removed from a park to deter “unwanted folk” from the neighborhood. Rider could not believe the audacity and blatant racism.

He feigned a cough, loudly stating, “Racist,” in the disguised tone, then ducked down in his seat, hoping to not be targeted as the one who’d spoken.

[xboomxbaby]

Kuzco’s eyes narrowed at the disruption, out of curiosity and half wondering if he needed to call security. He had done his far share of drag, bad, terrible 80′s sitcom level bad of drag at that, so he knew a bad wig when he saw one. Maybe they were there for school, needing credits for a politics class and too embarrassed to show their face, just in case. He was used to young people coming in every so often. Staying quiet. An interruption was new. Kuzco couldn’t resist, a grin widening across his face.

“Something you’d like to contribute? The microphone is free,” he gestured to the mic smack in the aisle at the middle of the room, “we love to hear from the younger generation. Anything is appreciated here.” He hated saying that, younger generation, like he was ANCIENT or something. Meetings that dragged on like this, people wondering why their cat got loose in the park after they let it off the leash or why they found a sandwich full of mayo and not mustard, made him feel close to about 100 years old. Maybe this kid would make it interesting.

[graveyrdgirl444]

Call Me by Your Name (2017) dir. Luca Guadagnino

[artycmonkeys]

Pierre Auguste Cot, The Storm (1880) / The Last Shadow Puppets, My Mistakes Were Made For You (2008)

[i-said-goddameron-deactivated20]

Oscar said 🤨

[neighborhoodxwebhead]

puplets​:

one time my boyfriend and I were cuddling and he was like “I know how to read palms” and I got really excited and he looked really intensely at my hand and then gasped and looked up at me and just went “it says that you’re a nerd”

[televisionsgif]

[princesconsuela]

4 stages of stress

[captain-flint]

‘’Give me that!’’ 

@elvira_lind_ IG story