#praeditatis

it’s been a really shitty week   ,   shitty couple o’ months if he’s really bein’ honest with himself   ,   &   work was really runnin’ him hard with their stupid fuckin’ fluff pieces on top of keeping up with his investigative stories with the brock report. he should be happy that he at least has work though   ------   after everything that happened in new york   ,   he shouldn’t have been given a chance at reporting again   ,   but san francisco took a chance on him   ,   believed in him   &   he isn’t going to not recognize that   &   appreciate the opportunity he’s been given. but   ,   at the same time   ,   he’s not about to just stick to fluff pieces for the rest of his damn life. that ain’t him   &   if it means pullin’ double duty   ,   than so be it. the city never sleeps   &   the work never stops   ------   there’s always a story waiting to be told out there   ,   he just needs to be ready to find it   &   exploit anyone who is trying to take advantage of the good   ,   hardworking people of this city. where there’s a crooked company or individual   ,   eddie will be there with the proof to take them down.

double duty work of course meant lots   &   lots of coffee   ,   &   he’s barely stepped foot out of his local mom   &   pop coffee shop   (   fuck starbucks  &   their basic coffee shit   )   when he hears that familiar squeaky voice   (  c’mon   ,   it’s kinda squeaky. pretty adorable if you ask me   )   yellin’ out for him. or rather   ,   tellin’ him what he wants to do to him   ,   which   ,   should really say something’ about the reporter if he turns his head immediately when someone is yelling about kicking his ass. ah   ,   person. ray fucking person   ------   how long has it been since they worked their last story together   ?   man   ,   too fucking long. the grin that stretches across his cheeks is too wide for him to take back or hide   ,   already making his way over to where the shorter man stood on the sidewalk   ,   maybe more than a little excited to see him.   ❝   take a number   &   get in fucking line   ,   person   ,   ❞   eddie remarks with a wink.   ❝   &   hey   ,   it ain’t my fault you didn’t take me up on my offer when i presented it to you. you expect me to call you   &   try to do the whole romancin’ schtick   ?   nah   ,   that ain’t me. your loss   ,   person. everyone knows i’m quite the catch. i was laid out for you   &   you didn’t reel me in. that’s criminal   ,  cold even. if anything   ,   i should be the one kickin’ your ass.  ❞   with the teasing lilt in his tone evident   ,   eddie lets one hand slap down hard on ray’s shoulder   ,   squeezing   &   shaking it in a most friendly manner   ,   all while taking a much needed sip of his just purchased coffee. he wasn’t about to let that shit get cold   ------   fuck cold coffee   &   fuck iced coffee too.   what was the damn point   ?   ❝   in all seriousness man   ,   it’s good to see you. i had fun workin’ on our last story   ,   even if you rejected me so harshly.   ❞   cue another cheeky wink   ,   followed by a another hearty sip of his coffee. livin’ on prayers   &   caffeine today.  ❝   what brings you up my neck of the woods   ,   huh   ?   you’re not in any legal trouble again   ,   are ya   ?   well   ,   trouble or not   ,   you look good   ,   especially your ass.   &  yes   ,   i’m lookin’. respectfully   &   in awe   ,   might i add.   ❞

if one can only get at it   ,   huh   ?   now that comment alone makes the reporter’s eyebrow raise just a touch   ,   thoroughly amused   &   pleased with person’s unexpected attempt at flattery   ------   at least   ,   he thinks that’s what this is. they’ve been working together on   &   off for what feels like ages now   &   he’d have to admit   ,  he never thought he’d find anyone who would have the same sort of passion for exposing these awful bastards doing people wrong. most people never seemed to care   ,   but ray   ?   he sure as hell did   &   eddie would be lying if there wasn’t an added thrill to chasing a story with a partner.   ❝   you sayin’ i’m soft   ?   ❞   eddie queries with a cheeky grin   ,   a hand coming up to shove the other reporter’s shoulder   ,   both parts rough   &   playful.   ❝   soft in a cute way though   ,   yeah   ?   c’mon   ,   we all know i’m a catch. pretty sure i’ve caught you starin’ at me a few times in between stories   ,   not that i can blame you.   ❞   okay   ,   so this wasn’t a smart move   ,   flirting with people you work with is never a smart move   ,   but when has eddie brock ever behaved   &   played by the rules   ?   ❝   if you ever want to   ‘   get at it   ‘   person   ,   you gotta wine   &   dine me a little. i’m a simple guy   &   i liked to be wooed a lil’ before going to bed. but uh   ,   not tonight. i gotta go pretend to water my plants. ‘course   ,   if you wanna try convincing me   ,   then hey   ,   i’m all ears.   ❞

ray person   &   harley quinn :   wow okay   ,   this is kind of an interesting idea   ?   they’re both kind of wild   &   i could either see them being casual fuck buddies in college or perhaps ray interviews her during her time in arkham since she is working close with the joker as his psychiatrist. or both   !   either way   ,   it’d lead to a funny surprise when you find out later post - joker break up that someone you knew long ago is now a criminal. could even lead to a follow up story perhaps   ,   as i doubt harley would have any bad blood with him   ,   unless he stood her up at any time they were together   ------   then that’s when he should be afraid   !

ray person   &   mako mori :   pfft   ,   this could be interesting because there’s two possible takes here we could do. one   ,   ray   &   brad as co - pilots   &   mako overseeing repairs of their jaeger   ,   or maybe ray as a journalist sneaks into the shatterdome in order to get a closer look at why UN is cutting funding to the jaeger program   &   what they are doing with the little time they have. mako would easily find him out   &   attempt to get him kicked out of the shatterdome   ,   but then the kaiju would begin emerging   ,   which would lead him to be stuck   ,   much to mako’s misfortune. a front row seat to the end of the world   ,   now that’s a story   !

ray person   &   leonard mccoy :   bones as ray’s general practitioner   ?   perhaps   !   he gets to really scold the guy about his health habits   &   ensures that he’s in top shape both after he comes back from the marines   &   for the rest of his years when he eventually becomes a journalist. i could see them becoming sort of casual friends   ,   enough to where bones can give input on his life choices or tell him if a story of his was good or a snore.

ray person   &   eddie brock :   two insufferable journalists working together   &   making the rest of the world collectively rolls their eyes   ?   sounds like a blast to me   !   these two could get into some real trouble together   ,   &   with ray’s charm   (   eddie will argue that he has more charm   )   &   eddie’s bike   ,   they can get sources   &   interviews easy all around the city   ,   making a quick escape if need be. things might get complicated once eddie becomes one with the symbiote   ,   but hey   ,   we love complications   ,   even among friends   !

‘   yeah.    ’ 

         and fuck,    what a reckless situation she’s been in.    a public attempted assassination while she was strolling down the street at a night market ?    this isn’t how she’d like to explain to person what the hell exactly she’s been doing since the times she’s been in marines.

                —   and okay,   fine.    you got her there.    if things could’ve gone her way,   she would be saying she’s in private sector her whole life.    not that she’s been planning to be around person her whole life.    she just somehow kept finding herself having a drink again and again with him.   and then,   a lunch or two.   a night walk.    that’s all.

jesus christ.    it’s the damn blood loss.    she couldn’t even sound convincing in her head.    she’s utterly,   straight-up fucked.

‘    come in.    i’m decent.     ’     come in,    as if she hasn’t just intruded his apartment,   his living space,   his bathroom.    when is she gonna get her shit together?   soon,   she hopes,   because the bullet hole in her rib cage feels damned threatening.

      but first,

               ‘     —   you have a lot of questions.     ’     it isn’t even posed as a question,   the way she asks;   just statement.    like she’d known,   like she’d expected this to be an interrogation.    now it’s come down to this:     what are the truth she’s willing to give ?    what are the lies she’s about to spin ?