#(do people tag people this way still or is it just tagging int he post?)

[soundwavesconjux]

▶ 𝐀𝐍𝐍𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐂𝐄𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐓,

⊹ 𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐌𝐎𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐓 𝐘𝐎𝐔'𝐕𝐄 𝐁𝐄𝐄𝐍 𝐖𝐀𝐈𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐅𝐎𝐑..

✧ 𝐓𝐈𝐌𝐄 𝐓𝐖𝐈𝐍𝐒 𝐁𝐋𝐎𝐆 𝐈𝐒 𝐍𝐎𝐖 𝐎𝐅𝐅𝐈𝐂𝐈𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐘 𝐎𝐏𝐄𝐍!

𝐑𝐄𝐐𝐔𝐄𝐒𝐓 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐆𝐄: 𝙾𝙿𝙴𝙽.

◇ ◇ ◇

ＩＮＦＯＲＭＡＴＩＯＮ

ᴀʙᴏᴜᴛ ᴍᴇ;

[Not a best introduction]

I am now officially writing for the time twins, mostly to post fanfics for time twin enjoyers, I am just sharing my love about my hyperfixations with everyone, this blog is still in wip so bear with me. ^^

☀︎ 𝐌𝐘 𝐖𝐑𝐈𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐒𝐓𝐘𝐋𝐄𝐒 ⌑

𖤛 I have decided to only post SFW version of my works/fics here on Tumblr.

𖤛 explicit/mature content won't be happening anymore for the readers so they can choose based on their preferences. [my Wattpad and AO3 will be revealed soon once this wip is final.]

𖤛 For my x reader fics, below is what I can write:

‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾:𝑊𝐻𝐴𝑇 𝑇𝑌𝑃𝐸 𝑂𝐹 𝑅𝐸𝐴𝐷𝐸𝑅 𝐷𝑂 𝐼 𝑊𝑅𝐼𝑇𝐸 𝐴𝐵𝑂𝑈𝑇?:☽༓･*˚⁺‧͙:

~ Reader inserts.

~ Different Genders. [Fem, Male, Non-binary]

~ Specified Insert Species. [Beings in different folklore or mythology]

~ Inserted Different Power. [Being o.p or lower]

~ Different AU. [Involvement of reader in a specific fandom]

~ Different Types Of Personality For The Reader.

~ Normal context scenarios between the character and you.

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ*:..*:..｡o○ 𝐖𝐇𝐀𝐓 𝐓𝐘𝐏𝐄 𝐎𝐅 𝐖𝐑𝐈𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐑𝐄𝐐𝐔𝐄𝐒𝐓 𝐃𝐎 𝐈 𝐖𝐑𝐈𝐓𝐄?:○o｡..:*..:*Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ

> One-shots. [Short Or Long]

> Headcanons. [Short Or Long] ☚ [I mostly do this.]

> Imagines. [Short Or Long]

> SFW ALPHABETICAL.

> VARIOUS.

.•♫•♬•𝑯𝑶𝑾 𝑫𝑶 𝒀𝑶𝑼 𝑹𝑬𝑸𝑼𝑬𝑺𝑻?•♬•♫•.

> My inbox icon of 𐂂 is the way you can ask/request from.

> I will allow direct PM's, Just please remind me if you want to stay anonymous if you don't want to be tagged.

ঞ 𝐅𝐄𝐄𝐃𝐁𝐀𝐂𝐊 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐑𝐄𝐕𝐈𝐄𝐖𝐒ઈଓ࿐:

> Feel free to send some feedbacks on my writing if I misspelled or input a wrong output.

> Positive feedbacks are very appreciated, It'll help me keep motivated.

#P/S: 𝖯𝗅𝖾𝖺𝗌𝖾 𝗂𝗇𝗉𝗎𝗍 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝖽𝖾𝗍𝖺𝗂𝗅𝗌 𝗈𝖿 𝗒𝗈𝗎𝗋 𝗋𝖾𝗊𝗎𝖾𝗌𝗍 𝗂𝖿 𝗒𝗈𝗎 𝗐𝖺𝗇𝗍 𝗂𝗍 𝗅𝗈𝗇𝗀𝖾𝗋, 𝖣𝗈𝗇'𝗍 𝖿𝗈𝗋𝗀𝖾𝗍 𝗍𝗈 𝗌𝗉𝖾𝖼𝗂𝖿𝗒 𝗂𝗍 𝗈𝖿 𝗐𝗁𝗂𝖼𝗁 𝖼𝗁𝖺𝗋𝖺𝖼𝗍𝖾𝗋, 𝖾𝗌𝗉𝖾𝖼𝗂𝖺𝗅𝗅𝗒 𝗂𝖿 𝗂𝗍'𝗌 𝗎𝗇𝖽𝖾𝗋 𝖿𝗈𝖼𝗎𝗌𝖾𝖽 𝖿𝗋𝗈𝗆 𝖻𝖾𝗅𝗈𝗐 𝗈𝖿 '𝖶𝗁𝖺𝗍 𝖨 𝗐𝗂𝗅𝗅 𝗐𝗋𝗂𝗍𝖾 𝖼𝖺𝗍𝖾𝗀𝗈𝗋𝗒' 𝖼𝖺𝗍𝖾𝗀𝗈𝗋𝗒.

> REMINDERS: In consideration of answering questions, I had the right to deny yours if It made me uncomfortable, So please be respectful when you interact.

𖥸𖥸𖥸𖥸𖥸𖥸𖥸𖥸𖥸𖥸𖥸𖥸𖥸𖥸𖥸𖥸𖥸

𐂃

> WHAT I WILL WRITE:

▹ FLUFF.

▹ ROMANTIC.

▹ PLATONIC

▹ ANGST.

> WHAT I WILL NOT WRITE:

▻ Stuff related to personal or mental issues.

▻ Proship dynamics.

▻ Shipping pairs.

▻ Graphic content.

▻ Non-consesual or problematic scenarios.

├┬┴┬┴┬┴┬┴┤├┬┴┬┴┬┴┬┴┤ ├┬┴┬┴┬┴┬┴┤├┬┴┬┴┬┴┬┴┤

♡*♡∞:｡.｡.｡:∞♡*♡♡*♡∞:｡.｡.｡:∞♡*♡♡*♡∞:｡.｡.｡:∞♡

‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾ 𝙇𝙚𝙩'𝙨 𝙜𝙤 𝙨𝙚𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙢! ☽༓･*˚⁺‧͙

♡*♡∞:｡.｡.｡:∞♡*♡♡*♡∞:｡.｡.｡:∞♡*♡♡*♡∞:｡.｡

◆ 𝑵𝒂𝒗𝒊𝒈𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 ◆

CHARACTERS

◈ KRUX

▻ 【“Why leave history written by victors when you could be the one who wrote it all from the beginning?”】

Nothing here yet...

◈ ACRONIX

⨳〖“Time doesn’t break people; it molds them. But I prefer to take the mold in my own hands.”〗

#VENT. (Can be seen as angst nor comfort if you needed it.)

╰ 𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐉𝐀𝐆𝐎 𝐓𝐈𝐌𝐄 𝐓𝐖𝐈𝐍 𝐌𝐄𝐌𝐄𝐒.

— TBA.

╰ 𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐉𝐀𝐆𝐎 𝐈𝐍𝐂𝐎𝐑𝐑𝐄𝐂𝐓 𝐐𝐔𝐎𝐓𝐄𝐒.

— TBA.

◈ 𝐌𝐔𝐋𝐓𝐈𝐅𝐀𝐍𝐃𝐎𝐌 ◈

◇ 𝐒𝐂𝐏 ◇

╰ 𝐋𝐄𝐆𝐎 𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐓𝐍𝐈𝐓𝐄.

©leftalpacavoid 2024.

[larkral]

Happy Sunday!! Thanks to @fatalfangirl, @facewithoutheart and @artsyunderstudy for the tags! I've written every day this week!!! Some days like 40 words, but I don't care, I'm still stoked about it. This week has been a bit intense in my personal life for reasons that are difficult to explain compactly, but that are good and take a lot of time and effort.

And also I spent a fair amount of my writing time on a worldbuilding -heavy segment of Micah POV (oh, you thought I wouldn't introduce new POV this late int he game? Pfft) which I really like and might entirely scrap. I don't know. Being able to do things like write 1200 words I might not use are, however, the exact reason I am waiting to post this section of ADA, so I feel good about it even if it doesn't make it into the final draft.

Anyway, since there are probably only 2-4 people who care about that segment, I'm going to give you six sentences of Baz macking on his beloved. Sorry, worldbuilding fans.

“You’re killing me, Baz,” he says, and his lips open against my neck, tongue pressing into my skin.

I moan into the open air, pleasure climbing through every nerve. “The feeling is mutual.”

He lifts his chin to kiss me, and I drag my fingers up his back. We don’t really have time to do this, to do anything, but it doesn’t stop me wanting to. I tangle my fingers into his hair and kiss him fiercely.

Fandom friends, I hope you had a lovely week, and that for some of you that means some sentences you want to share. Either way, shall we all just close our eyes for a moment and take a deep breath? <3 @stitchyqueer @thewholelemon @confused-bi-queer @raenestee @facewithoutheart @cutestkilla @hushed-chorus @sillyunicorn @you-remind-me-of-the-babe @basiltonbutliketheherb @ileadacharmedlife @asocialpessimist @bookish-bogwitch @aristocratic-otter @captain-aralias @petedavidsonscock @takitalks @yeonjunenby @carryonvisinata @takenabackbytuesdays @martsonmars @nightimedreamersworld  @chen-chen-chen-again-chen  @ionlydrinkhotwater @aroace-genderfluid-sheep ​ @shrekgogurt @forabeatofadrum   @palimpsessed @blackberrysummerblog ​

[fossilized-phoenician]

Worldbox: Part 1

Welcome to the Worldbox post! You made it! Take a seat, and enjoy your favorite beverage. I don’t care! Here I’ll be updating you on a Worldbox world I made, explaining the general events, culture, and other details. 

The rules

I either randomly generate a world or custom-make one with the brushes.

I let the little humans, elves, dwarves, and orcs do as they do for about 100 years, and then  I unleash a “crisis” on the world. Sometimes a crisis can bleed into the next one or can affect smaller events in the world. This does become 1000 years after reaching the 1000-year point.

You can reblog this post and write a name for a country, clan, or unit in the tags. I’ll then randomly select a name from the options and assign that name to the thing. Favorited things will get a special update. Any reblog-named thing will be favorited.

General World Updates-

First screenshots taken at year 5.

Year 42: Currently the largest kingdom is the Yaalo Dhil in regards to territory. Though given the trends of multi-species maps, the elves may go extinct soon. Especially with the Orcs getting close unifying (under Bad Rerarigh). Rocky Asouhm is the largest faction in population.

Year 70: Forget... everything... I just said... Damn. This is why I usually run humans-only.

91 years: We just finished the age of cold and now enter an age of sun, Exciting.

Year 120: I have released 20 dragons! They collective lasted 11 years, the first 19 dragons survived for 5 years and the last made it to the year 131.

137: We have now entered an age of darkness.

Year 140: Lots of wars, lots of orcs and dwarves. Humans still in the norths, preventing their extinction. There are also elves int he south.

Year 202: 40 dragons. 40 dragons baby.

Also.... GREENTIDE BABY!!! WAAAAGH!!!!!!!

Year 220: The last two dragons where defeated. The fires that burned down entire villages, destroyed the homes and lives of hundreds had finally drew to a close. The people are free. For now...

Current map by the way.

Year 255-60 (roughly): Made a small island home to some zombies, unexpectedly, some orcs moved there as the island was being made. Put 2-and-2 together and you'll get the outcome you'd expect when I say "unknowing civilians stumble onto zombie island." Meanwhile tacked on smidge of corruption to let that grow over time.

Year 261: Zombies got shot-up by the Orc government of Zorotduz.

Year 301: Added several ice-guy towers to that central island to see what would happen.

Year 400: Tall Top Uh is the largest and most populous of the Orcish kingdoms. All other species/races are extinct. I have introduced... the plague...

They were over 1250 or something like that just before they started dropping like flies.

Year 422: The plague is going well... not that most of these factions had over 1000 to 600 population. Consider also the wars as these are orcs (prone to violence in the game) and we have a recipe for a half-collapse.

Year 500: Things are Evolving in strange ways. With an age of chaos well underway (yes that's it's title) the actual destruction of the world isn't at hand (instead, the world is split into two major kingdoms).

Bad Ter Pet is the largest of the two and has seem to been a faction that rose form the ashes of the pandemic and subsequent wars of hegemony that inflicted the continent.

the culture layer at year 500. Complex? Kinda. Intersting? Very. I'm curious to see how thing evolve over time. I'll be probably playing at a X2 or X1 speed next time I make my post.

Crisis Update-

Year 120: I have released 20 dragons! They collective lasted 11 years, the first 19 dragons survived for 5 years and the last made it to the year 131.

Year 202: 40 dragons. 40 dragons baby.

Year 220: The last two dragons where defeated. The fires that burned down entire villages, destroyed the homes and lives of hundreds had finally drew to a close. The people are free. For now...

Year 301: Added several ice-guy towers to that central island to see what would happen.

Year 309: Three towers remaining, orcs super aggressive and go hard against the cold-ones.

Year 378-80:

Added two small snips up corruption on tiny secluded parts of the map... lets see how it fairs (the last time it failed).

Year 400: Plague time. :)

I have inserted the plague into two (2 individuals in the most populous faction on the map... just next to an army who will be traveling soon.

Kingdom Updates-

Culture Updates-

Favorite Units Update-

I love how these two almost have the exact same items/traits. Their life stories are so similar despite being form two different kingdoms with different experiences on the personal level.

Other things to note: they are only a few years apart from one another), DzzUzo is a Kingslayer, meaning he has defeated the previous rulers personally (as in killed them) to win his wars.

Dzz Uzo would so win a 1v1 holy shit! He's got a 380 year old chest piece that could have been worn by so many other warriors.

Favorite Clans Update-

Favorite Kingdom Updates-

[kavaeroexe]

Can I get uhhhhhhh yandere Fu hua head canons please???? Maybe with a s/o who's also a valkyrie but doesn't have many fighting skills so they work in information gathering or making/designing battle suits and weapons? Thank youuu

Okaayyy! love you for trusting your ideas with me! <3

Cinderella

Fu Hua x Reader

warning : typos, bad grammar  

attention! please do not try to repost my works, i only post my works on tumblr, if anyone see someone stole my works please inform me through the comments, tag me in the works, or message me!    

Not many people know you, but you work behind the ‘stages’ so you gotta say people rely on you a lot even though nobody really got to know you in academy, you are a Valkyrie, the one who also protect humanity, but you never really needed on the frontline, because your specialty is to designed what the Valkyrie need to use, such as weapon and Battlesuit.

you met many people, teacher, student, any Valkyrie, but they don’t recognize you since you just one of the workers in Schiksal, moreover you still being a student, you’re not yet to officially become the worker behind the stage, but you recognize and remembers every single one that comes to the lab and ask for repairing or new design for weapons and Battlesuit, or even try to find parts for ship, like Hyperion.

still, you learned the basics to fight and you masters how to use you choice weapon, that’s why you’re in Schicksal, that’s why you gave up on your dream, because you want to protect humanity in every way, whether on frontline or behind the line.

but still, the one you recognized the most is Fu Hua, that is always being called ��class president’ by Kiana Kaslana, to be honest, she’s the most skillful one among all the student you know all this time, surely by the facts, Kiana appear to have a higher Honkai energy based on their test, yet Fu Hua is promising to be a good Valkyrie more than Kiana Kaslana does.

every time you saw her she’s usually ask about new design for a weapon, an fortunately, you’re the one responsible on he weapon’s project

so you always find her in yo study and work time

but its not rare that you met her in lunch time or break, because she grows from day to day to know about you, she slowly open to you about many things, about the dorm, her mission, and her problem with class, to be honest, you truly enjoyed it

but not just in making weapon or battlesuit, you sometimes get a mission to gather information, or you’re being an intel, so its not rare as well to see Fu Hua asking for information before the mission start, and since you both on the same academy and stage, you’re the one responsible to tell all the information you find, since then Fu Hua trusts you a lot since you skill at information gathering is something else, its detailed and easy to understand, and doesn’t take a long time to explain, means everyone can save their time to understanding the mission

“Nice to work with you again Y/N” 

“Nice to be partner with you again as well, Fu Hua”

many of her friends start to be friend with you as well, and start pairing you with Fu Hua, such as...

“You both are a reliable friend, you know, you and class president, you know each other for a long time?”-Mei

“you should kiss her, y’know that designer.. that inte-ARGH CLASS PRESIDENT DON’T SLAP MY FACE-” -Kiana to Fu Hua

NOW FOR THE YANDERE PORTION

she knows that you’re not that strong to be in frontline of mission, and she felt relieved everytime you ‘know your place’ and make yourself in a safe place

what she doesn’t like about you joining a mission is that when the enemy knows where you are and you sometimes doesn’t put any attention to it

she doesn’t mind protecting you, but what if she couldn’t make it?

people have their own weakness, and your weakness is you’re not so careful on your surroundings.

so when you’re decide to join a mission, she will start to find a way from a to z just for you reconsidering your choice joining the mission

she always scared that when she comes back, you wouldn’t be at you room (if she able to make you canceling you decision join the battle field)

she isn’t that kind of a brutal yandere, but the worse case she could do to you if you being a blockhead and denying her idea, she’s knock you to sleep, or sleep drugging

she felt very bad about it tho, so she doesn’t do it often to you

plus she doesn’t want you to be mad to her

worst feeling ever if you do

i think she’ll be an Asian mom who’ll cut fruit and bring it to your room as a form of ‘sorry’, not because she can’t say sorry, is just she thinks that you’ll need some time alone so she’ll cut the best fruit she got so you’re not that hungry while taking your time alone

[lolita-lollipop]

Hi could I get some headcanons for a yandere demon who was accidentally summoned by a child and the demon realizes that the small child just wanted someone to play with. The parents neglects the child and even when the kid comes into the room with the demon the parents are like “go play somewhere else sweetie” so the demon is basically just like “yup this child is mine” and just takes the child to the underworld with them, thank you 🥺

I started a one shot on this, and then realized that you wanted headcannons, so there is totally gojnng to be a part two of this that is the actual process. Kk, into it now.

I had to skip through th me “kidnapping” one, because there isn’t much to describe about it.

(I can’t tag you since your anonymous, but Just know I’ll post it in the next few days)

———————————————————————

-he, of course, meets you after you summon him with the ritual you saw in a picture book. He’s actually quite suprised that a child summoned him just to play trains in a sandbox. It isn’t like he can go anywhere till you dismiss one of the candle flames, so he just sits down and humors you.

-he is quite confused on the fact that you want him to play with you, and not some of your friends. You seem like a sweet little one, very polite indeed, and you haven’t even judged him on his demonic appearance, usually humans run screaming from the red tint in his skin, black eyes, and large horns. So he is very intrigued by you.

-usually, he’s not one for human sympathy, mainly because they treat him likes he’s some monster from hell (which he is), But it still hurts. You on the other hand, don’t even seem to care at all about the fact, you are treating him like some friend, not a demonic pet for you to order around. He immediately feels a bond between the two of you, it might be one sided, but still, you are just too sweet for this blasted world you’ve been shoved in.

-when he learns that this precious’s little thing that is you, has never felt any sort of love, even though you are just a ball of heaven, he is angry. Humans are nasty, vile creatures, the one time, the ONE TIME that one isn’t taking advantage of him, someone is openly hurting them? This is where the yandere-ness starts, he might not have known you for long, but he immediately feels protective, how could someone hurt such a little thing like you? That should be counted as a criminal act.

-when you let him out of the star (with his careful instruction to only blow away one of the lines) he’ll immediately grab your hand, and hoist you up to his chest, which by the way, is 8 feet off the ground. He’ll ask you where these “parents” of yours are, whilst rubbing circles back and forth on your shoulders with his warm hands. You point towards the little blue house where you lived, and he’ll go walking in there like he owns the place. When you say you made a new friend, your mommy jsut sheigged you off and told you to go play because she’s busy and can’t deal with you. This triggers him to a whole new level.

-he’ll take you back outside immediately, and set you in the center of the star, shooting a flew unstoppable flames into the blue house, then he’ll ask you to draw a new line for the star, and you and him both are transported into the world of the under, the last remains of earth in Your mind consisted of a few feminine screams.

“This child is mine now. Filthy human.”

Treatment:

-when arriving in literal hell, you would find that it’s surprisingly normal, actually pretty beautiful if you were to ask me. The sky was black, and the plants and ground were red. But it was such a pretty sight. You wowed at whatever this place was, while holding onto the side of his arm.

-this man, treats you like a little princess, his little princess of course. He dresses you in the finest of clothing, feeds you the best food, and plays the best games with you. He chooses to ill the role of your parent, mainly because the human scum who called themselves your biological parents, were cowards, and didn’t deserve the title. You’ll see him attempt to imitate a human parent, but soon just say “Aw fuck it” and go his own way.

-he doesn’t really get mad at you, in fact it’s very hard for him to even feel slightly annoyed at you, none of the things you do are intentional, so most of the things that could annoy him get blamed on someone else.

-is the most overprotective being you’ll ever meet, not letting you do even the simplest of tasks because “you could get hurt”, apparently you are too fragile to complete basic tasks. He’ll help you get dressed, he’ll fed you, he’ll literally carry you everywhere, all the while he’ll be scaring away any other demons from his manor in case they smelled the sweet child that you are, and wanted it for themselves.

-you’re his best friend, but even so, you have to go back home at some point right? Wrong, he’ll make you think as if whatever place you were before, where you were neglected, and ignored, was nothing but a dream, when you ask any questions about it, he’ll shush you and tell you that it’s nap time or something.

-he doesn’t care at all if you miss your mommy and daddy, he never did understand why humans could form attachments to people who mistreat them. He’ll grow angered, not at you of course, you aren’t trying to do it on purpose, but more so at everyone in your past life that’s keeping you from him. So he might pull a few strings with some humans int he surface that are in debt to him, and bam, your old school, your fathers house, your friends horns, everything in town, has now burst into flames.

-nicknames include: littles, little one, child

Punishment:

-as I said he doesn’t get mad very easily, busy he also won’t tolerate a certain level of disobedience. That being said, he will never even think about embolism any form of physical pain upon you. Resorting to more tactical options.

-hell just scare you, like letting you wander out when it’s parent of that darker times (they don’t have days down here), and letting any demons come close to you, you of course, beings tiny little human faces with a huge snake thing, scream and cry for your best friend to come save you. Which he does, and engulfs you in his arms, boucning you up and down while shushing Youa Dan striking your hair.

-hell lecture you and tell you this is why you can’t leave him, then changing you out of the dirty clothing, and tucking you into bed.

Cuddles:

The two of you have quite the size difference, so snuggling with him would be hard, but not impossible. He is actually quite gentle with you, noting how easy it would be to crush you under his weight, so he’ll gently set you on top of him, over his chest, where he’ll wrap his arms around your sister, and keep his hands over your shoulders.

-or he’ll set your form in his lap, protective encasing his arms over your chest while you rest your head in his.

*bonus

-where he comes from, it’s a sight of dominance to hiss at others, so you’ll literally be just perched in his lap while he’s hissing like a cat at another demon like 👁👄👁

———————————————————————

Thanks for requesting, have a great day anon, bye!

[usmsgutterson]

The Deadly Romantics- Kaz Brekker

The Deadly Romantics masterlist

Want to be added to the tag list? drop a note into my inbox, send me a message, or respond to this post asking to be added, and you’ll be tagged in all future chapters!

This is part six! Go back and read chapters 1-5 if you haven’t read those already.

Chapter specific warnings- mentions of death. axe wielding, how to fire a weapon from a high vantage point, and poison is mentioned once, and robbing a bank is mentioned once, 

KAZ BREKKER

As Kaz sat down on the plush chair, Samantha sitting to his left, he could’ve gotten whiplash. It felt like he’d just been interviewed, and suddenly he was in for his second interview in the last days before going into the games. 

The training had at least proved a bit effective, with Kaz having received the slightest idea of how to properly wield an axe, how to accurately fire a weapon from a high vantage point, what in the area could be considered good food, what was more than likely poisoned. All in all, Kaz had some idea that surviving, though far off, was still a possibility. 

“You seemed rather… indifferent about your situation during our last meet,” Samantha said. “Having gone and trained, having put some emphasis on your skills, would you say that you still feel the same?”

“It is my belief that indifference is the best way to feel toward these games,” he was a lot more conscious of his word choice, simply for the fact that he was genuinely trying to be liked, trying to get sponsors that’d help him—even in the smallest capacity—to make it to the end, to see that he was one of two victors. “I don’t think that being cocky or too confident is the way to go about it, but I also was miserable when I was going in while anticipating my own death. Indifference seems to me, the best way to feel about this at all.” 

“Have you somehow grown wiser in your days of training?” Samantha asked playfully. Kaz played the part. He laughed, smiled, shook his head.

“I’ve had a lot of time for quiet contemplation,” he said, knowing that it was bullshit. He wouldn’t’ve had time, if not for the fact that he was often awake past midnight, back pressed against the wall as he tried to think of every problem, then tried to think of a solution to those problems, like he was planning on doing something like robbing a bank and simultaneously trying to avoid getting caught. “It’s led to a lot of realizations like that one.”

“So, you’re going into the games with the hope of survival?” Not necessarily. He just knew that he was going to fight until something stopped him. “Your mindset appears to have changed in regards to how you’re going to play these games, Mr. Brekker. I must say, it is a change I appreciate.”

“I thank you for appreciating it,” Kaz said. “And yes. I do hope to survive. In the end, surviving is my goal, I suppose.” It should’ve been his goal all along, really. Jordie had died in the games. Kaz didn’t want to die, not like Jordie had. 

Kaz had never done anything to honor his brother. A small place had been set in the graveyard of District Twelve for him, one that Kaz placed flowers on every year, but that was all he did.

Fighting in the Hunger Games was not Kaz’s choice, but he would find a way to use the games as a reminder that people died, needlessly, in tribute to a failed rebellion every single year. Two tributes from each district to honor a rebellion attempt that the Capitol ended up defeating. It was unjust, unfair. The rebellion had failed. The Capitol had defeated it, so what was the point in holding the games yearly, anyway? Other than for the sake of some twisted, severely fucked up tradition?

“Well, it’s lovely to see that you’ve taken to being more optimistic,” Samantha stood, and so too did Kaz. “Kaz Brekker of District Twelve, everyone!” And, just like that, the interview was over, and Kaz was walking down the steps as Y/N walked up them, leaning his back against the wall, standing next to Nikolai and Alina as they watched the interview from the television screen tucked into the wall.

“Y/N L/N, the Capitols favorite spitfire!” Samantha introduced. Y/N smiled, and the two of them sat down.

“Are you feeling prepared to go into these games?”

“Prepared enough, I would say,” Y/N said. “There’s only so much preparation that can be done, really. I like to believe I’ve done it all, but I can’t be sure.” Honesty, it seemed, was Y/Ns objective that time around. There probably wasn’t going to be any kind of a spitfire-esque remark, unless Genya decided to tell Y/N that the Capitol had assigned them a brand and it was something they should’ve stuck to.

“Good,” Samantha said. “The word is that your training went well, with you not having put a focus on your skills as an Inferni. Can you explain such choice?”

“Kaz and I both did it that way,” Y/N said. “It was at the suggestion of our mentors, of course. They advised that we developed more skills than the ones we already had. Kaz didn’t focus much on hand-to-hand combat, and I didn’t focus much on my skills as an Inferni, because there’ll be weapons in the arena. It’s best that we know how to use them. Not knowing how to is what gets us killed, and that’s not the objective I have, nor is it the one that Kaz has.”

“Smart,” Samantha said. “You said, in your first interview, that you’re fighting on the behalf of your family. Is as much still true?”

“Yeah, very much so,” Y/N said, nodding as they spoke. “I’m doing it for them, and for the district that’s had only two victors in these games across the seventy-odd years they’ve been happening.” Nikolai and then Alina were the only two victors that twelve had ever seen across seventy years of the Games in action. If they won, Y/N and Kaz would be the first victors in two years, only the third and fourth victors of twelve across seven decades of fighting.

“And you want to do it for honor to your name and to your district?”

“Precisely,” you said, nodding. “My goal is to survive, and if I do, I’ll make sure the ones who’ve died get proper memorials. The tributes of twelve may be gone, but they are certainly not forgotten. At least not to Kaz and myself.”

They’d discussed the way that Y/N would answer the questions the morning before they were interviewed. Kaz knew that Samantha would likely ask again about Jordie and try to get the sponsors to take pity on him, where Samantha would ask about Y/N about strategy for the most part, as they’d kept the attempts at getting sympathy points from the sponsors to a minimum. The message Y/N was sharing was one they both had agreed on, one that neither of them were sure Y/N would have the chance to spread.

“Tributes such as the young Jordie Rietveld?”

“Him, and every other life sacrificed in the name of entertainment to the ones living in the Capitol,” you said, nodding. “The Capitol so is good at making us make sacrifices, trying to force us to forget that the people we lose in the games aren’t just names, faces that we saw for a brief moment in time. They’re family. They’re friends. These people mattered once, and there is no reason except for the fact that it is of the Capitols discretion that we forget about them, the impacts they’ve had on our lives.”

“There’s the spitfire,” Samantha said. “I knew you’d bring it out eventually. For your family, for your district, and for the ones the Capitol has tried to make you forget.”

“For every tribute from Twelve, every member of every family that has been lost to the games that the Capitol makes us play,” Y/N said. “They might be gone, but they are not forgotten. Not to myself or my fellow tribute.”

Kaz tore his eyes from the screen, looked to Nikolai and Alina, both of whom were smiling. “They’d be a wonderful face for a rebellion,” nobody else was around, no cameras in sight, though Nikolai was the son of the president, so Kaz doubted he had to worry at all. “The firebird, I can already see it.”

“Rebellion will get all of us killed, Nik,” Alina said. “Worry about it when your father next does something that makes every single person throughout the districts hate him.”

“Brekker, if you don’t make it through this, I’ll resuscitate you and kill you again myself,” Nikolai said. Kaz turned his gaze to the screen again, watching as your interview concluded.

“I’ll do my best.” And he would.

Kaz Brekker was not going into the games to die.

Not anymore.

- 

TDR tags: @b3kk3r-by-br3kk3r

[overmanhattan]

        “Coraline, have I told you lately how beautiful you are?”

[glowpop]

I posted 1,444 times in 2021

485 posts created (34%)

959 posts reblogged (66%)

For every post I created, I reblogged 2.0 posts.

I added 114 tags in 2021

#anonymous - 38 posts

#ph - 29 posts

#p - 14 posts

#art - 11 posts

#😭 - 5 posts

#int - 5 posts

#scapes - 4 posts

#food - 3 posts

#f - 3 posts

#(: - 2 posts

Longest Tag: 138 characters

#and then when you tell them you lied they go omg that’s such a cancer thing to do and then you tell them you lied about your real sign lol

My Top Posts in 2021

#5

like i seriously don’t understand how people see real actual critique of a piece of work and take it as a personal attack and say shit like “let people have fun” as if pointing out flaws and discussing something is something that can’t be fun as if the only way to have fun with anything is to just turn off your brain and consume. or that someone not liking something is somehow physically stopping you from having fun. how do you develop like this. how do you LIVE like this

13885 notes • Posted 2021-06-14 17:06:16 GMT

#4

if you’re in your early twenties you’re still like young but i feel like if you’re old enough to drink you have to stop beefing with 16 year olds

16864 notes • Posted 2021-01-14 16:23:02 GMT

#3

Unpopular opinion or whatever but I feel like a lot of you people forget that white cis gay men are still erm. Oppressed. For being gay. Like there is this almost gleeful excitement to jump on and mock any gay white man whenever he does something mildly stupid or annoying which is like ok whatever but like I have seen people calling these dudes f*ggots and calling for conversion therapy and electro shock and aids or whatever like some of you do need to get your asses beat for that I won’t lie

18264 notes • Posted 2021-08-03 15:43:07 GMT

#2

honestly we should bring back being unabashedly pretentious. Yeah i do think im better than marvel stans who cried at tony’s death scenes. I do think people who read books are better than people who read nothing but fanfic of shonen manga and minecraft youtubers. i DO think im better for not engaging in low brow media or shit i find cringe. like what is anybody gonna do omfg

19052 notes • Posted 2021-05-24 19:45:19 GMT

#1

“Normalize x” “normalize y” I hope we denormalize everything. I hope we all become freaks. And I hope we all die

53882 notes • Posted 2021-07-11 03:45:48 GMT

Get your Tumblr 2021 Year in Review →

[ciderspunk2077]

You should drop your fic ideas and headcanons ((if you want to))!! All of the ones I’ve seen on your blog are really good I know I would love to hear more 👀

Oh Tysm 🥺💦 I’m real shy online about sharing headcannons cuz it’s mostly me going back and forth w/ @ Smeriic talking and shit scheming together and all that on our own. But I rly am hyperfixated in this game and would love to share some stuff. Also what inspires me to want to write. I will say I RP quite often and for years now so the way I talk and type doesn’t exactly reflect my writing skill so sorry if this answer becomes like... all over the place 😭💦💦

But basically we really like default fem V but sort of like with some twists I guess, most of our headcannons are formed around her? Mostly Headcannons not rly an original V w/ a name or anything. But basically V only goes by V and The name they use at clouds is her deadname. Especially cuz she says “only people real close can say that” but like Jackie, mama Welles, Vik, none of them rly did so we (now logically speaking I understand this is a developer thing, so re-recording lines and etc BUT as someone with a deadname It felt really validating to have that scene and have ppl never call her that name ever cuz she doesn’t let them) (my tag for V will be “ V ( ) ”)

I’m really bad and typing on my phone. So sorry about my organization and text speech ;-;💦 another thing is that We HC we as a she/they.

Our path is basically, Fem!V, streetkid, and Sun ending for her. She is super in denial and has had tons of shitty exes not like super bad experiences just- never really had a rly successful relationship. Johnny definitely teases her about her shitty experiences on occasion.

MOST OF THIS IS ALL I CAN THINK ABOUT OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD IM SO SORRY

V hates corporate wars (the musical) and is that typical “I just don’t get why they’re fucking singing and dancing” type of person. She finds it annoying as shit. (Couldn’t be me I love musicals shdjdjf)

V is a solo. Dump the INT/net running stuff. She’s got that energy. She’s not like stupid or anything but she’s got mega ADHD and acts it sometimes. Flighty I think is the word? Also our V tried to get into netrunning as a teen but quit it because she found is wasn’t as easy as the datapools made it seem.

A sad HC we have is that V really loves and cares about panam, Judy, River, Kerry, etc but they never pursue a fulfilling romance with any of them (aside from the initial hook up and shit) because they feel like it’s unfair to become close with others in their life due to their imminent death. Also pushing ppl away is probably another fact of them being a lonesome figure and Johnny’s personality traits rubbing off maybe. (This is a form of self harm shhddndnf but V feels so isolated in their experience and alone and scared)

V pushes her limits a lot of the time. Doing too many gigs, trying to fit too many jobs at once simply because she feels her time is rushed

She got the chippin’ in and animal skull tattoo when she was 17 and had a brief phase of samurai cuz as an edgy 17-year old thought it’d be cool as fuck. Later she got the snake and others to add to her ink.

Another HC that she was a straight edge who doesn’t smoke or do much other than drink on occasion. She only smokes for Johnny if he’s a really good boy :-) (which he is NEVER, and also it’s a veiled excuse to smoke for herself from stress) but slowly starts smoking bit by bit as it goes on.

I need to like write this stuff on a laptop but I feel terribly for leaving ppl hanging so I might edit this tomorrow or just rewrite the post later 🥺💦

Vincent is her brother- he lives back in Atlanta still tryna make it. So basically we have a reverse where it explains the male and fem v and all that. They both go to Atlanta. Whichever returns to night city is the one that does the whole games story etc etc. very fun we talk about it a lot.

Also uuuuh our HC is Johnny and V in love ahebdndnfjd 😭 not anything original though. It’s just an intimate and unconditional experience.

Also thank my soulmate smeriic for makin’ all these amazing doodles of V and Johnny 👉👈 I might join in and make some Johnny v art as well to compliment if I write any fics. Just to have something to tag them along with

[tealin]

Scene 2: Int. Cape Evans, The Tenements

As usual, the version with all the pictures can be found at the original blog. I am not even going to try fixing the image tags here because that has never worked, but I think the images show up after a few hours, so um ... check back maybe? Or refresh? You're better off going to the source, though. Sorry.

As we walk deeper into the hut from the mens’ quarters, coming through the gap in the bulkhead, the view looks like this:

Today we’re going to look at the section to our left, or mapping the hut in nautical terms, starboard amidships. This is the area of the hut that was known as ‘The Tenements’ for how crowded and relatively sloppily built the bunks were. One very famous photo of The Tenements has all its residents in their places and shows this area at its most lived-in – it was October 1911, everyone had spent a winter in their little domains, and were about to set off on the journey for the Pole.

This is The Tenements as they appeared in November 2019:

The first thing that struck me about seeing the Tenements in person was how small they were. Scale in Ponting’s photograph is thrown off partly by the framing, but mostly by everyone lying down aside from the shortest of the Tenements’ tenants, Birdie Bowers. To my surprise, I could easily see over the top bunks, and I am only 5’6”.

We’re going to start at the forward end, with Cherry and Birdie’s bunks. Cherry is the main character in my graphic adaptation of his book, and I’ll be drawing a lot from his point of view, so getting a really solid idea of his bunk area was a must.

Although the Tenements photo has everyone with their heads at the public end of their bunks, they probably slept the other way around, for such privacy and quiet as one could find with 25 men in a 50’x25’ room. While the Cape Evans hut feels like it’s full of stuff now, comparing the modern hut with the Tenements photo above, you’ll see just how much more stuff there was back in 1911!

Cherry was a great fan of Kipling, and brought his whole collection with him – these likely lived on the small shelf you can see against the hut wall. The bed is now covered with stray bits of clothing, and one of the socks has Cherry’s name sewn into it, so I assume the others have been identified as his too.

The ladder leads up to Bowers’ bunk, so let’s take a look at that …

This is the foot end, which he also used as a desk, as you can see in the Ponting photo. The boards blocking it off from the main hut weren’t there in October 1911, so they may have been added the second winter, but Scott’s men weren’t the only ones to have used this hut – a couple of years after they left, Shackleton’s Ross Sea Party moved in, and one of them may have moved into Bowers’ bunk and sought some extra privacy.

But the real treasure of Bowers’ bunk is at the other end …

It’s his hat! The actual Green Hat of legend – less green than I was expecting, but definitely the same one as in all his photos. I was so pleased that, of all things, it should still be here – that he didn’t take it on the Southern Journey, that the Ross Sea Party had let it be, and that it hadn’t been pilfered in the years of uncontrolled hut visits before the AHT took charge.

The photo below the hat, I suspect, originally belonged to Cherry. He had found a photo of the actress Marie Lohr in a magazine and wanted it for a pinup, but one of Ponting’s photographs was on the other side of the page. and Ponting thought that was the object of his affection. He offered to mount it nicely for Cherry, which would have meant gluing the lovely Miss Lohr to the mounting board, and with some flustered embarrassment Cherry’s intentions came out. I had some photos of Marie Lohr; none of them are the photo in the hut, but she looks to me like the same person. How it got from Cherry’s bunk to Birdie’s I don’t know – the AHT have been very careful about giving items to the correct people, so it must have been found there. Perhaps the member of the Ross Sea Party who took Birdie’s bunk liked the photo and moved it up there.

My trip here was, in large part, to get photos that were necessary to my storytelling but unlikely to be found anywhere else. The Cape Evans hut is extremely well documented, but there are angles which are important to the reality of living there which do not necessarily make glamourous shots for publication. One of these was the view from the Tenements to the rest of the hut, rather than into the Tenements. It happens also to give you a good sense of how crammed they were.

Immediately to our left here is Titus Oates’ bunk. He was in charge of the horses, so it’s piled high with horse stuff.

The fringe in the middle is, in effect, pony sunglasses – it was originally dyed brown and would have hung down over their eyes like hair, blocking out a large portion of the harsh sunlight and snow glare. Ponies can get snowblindness too!

Behind us, from where we are standing looking at Titus’ bunk here, is Meares’ bunk, and below that, Atkinson’s. Atkinson, who alone shared the Tenements with Cherry through the miserable second winter, was in command of the expedition at that point; as doctor as well, he had a very heavy job in keeping the bereaved and stir-crazy men on the right side of health, both physical and mental. As leader, he could have moved into Scott’s much more comfortable and private space – that he didn’t, and that the thought of such a thing didn’t even turn up in anyone’s journals, says a lot about him and all of them. He stuck it out in his Spartan cubbyhole, within view of his best friend’s now deserted place, and was there for everyone.

It was here that I spotted the thing that, of all the amazing things in the hut, nearly brought a tear to my eye.

If you look at the Ponting photo at the start of this post, you will see that the string once held a spoon! I don’t know if it belonged to Meares or Atch – in the photo the string doesn’t look long enough to reach either of them. I think of it as ‘Atch’s spoon’ but that may be just because it’s hanging by his face; Meares seemed more the type to be possessive about silverware. Wilson’s cartoon in the South Polar Times suggests there was once an entire cutlery set hanging here, but that may have been a comedic exaggeration.

People visiting the hut often say it feels like the people are still there, or that they could walk in the door at any moment. I wanted to feel that, but I have to confess my experience was quite the opposite: they were gone, very gone, and had been for a very long time. Finding the string there without the spoon summed that up that better than anything.

Our next stop is the stern of the hut – Scott’s cubicle, Ponting’s darkroom, and the lab. Before we go, let’s take one look back at the Tenements.

[celtics534]

Behind the Scenes of Fic Writing: 30 Questions for Authors

This is such a cool tag! Thanks @breaniebree

What was the first fandom and/or pairing that you wrote fic for?

Hinny, all the way! It wasn’t good, but it was Hinny.

Do you participate in any writing events or challenges throughout the year? If so, what do you like about them?

I tend to participate in them semi-often on SIYE. I find them a good way to get some creative juices flowing with a topic or subject I wouldn’t have thought about on my own. 

Do you write fics from start or finish, or jump around?

I go chapter by chapter. I would confuse myself too much if I started writing chapter 5 but then headed over to chapter 12. Also, I kinda don’t plan everything that far ahead. Which I’ll explain more in the next question lol

Do you outline before you start writing? If so, how far do you stray from that outline?

I do a quick overall base of what I want to do, who the enemies are, important moments I really want to happen, but I never do a full outline. A lot of the time I will have something planned for 5 chapters in the future, but no idea how to get there. I let inspiration strike me and go from there. 

What is the perfect environment for you to write in?

A hot cup of tea, music playing softly in the background, and an empty house. It’s perfect when everything is quiet except for my music and my mechanical keyboard.  

If you’re really concentrating, how many words can you write in a day?

Hmmm. I’ve never tested myself but I think the most I’ve ever done is 10,000 in one day. I wrote two chapters of “Only the Best” in one day and I aimed to make every chapter in that story at least 5,000 words. So I’d guess around 10,000. 

Which part of writing do you struggle with most?

Editing. I hate re-reading my work only looking for flaws. If I were to re-read my work I’d want it to be for enjoyment and nostalgia, but alas in order to find enjoyment in the writing it needs to be edited well lol. 

Do you listen to music while you write? If so, share a song that’s been inspiring you lately.

There is this live version of Can’t Go on Without You by KALEO that I love. Actually I’m listening to it right now. I listen to it at least once when I’m writing. 

Do you prefer to write AUs, canon divergence, or canon-compliant fic?

AU”s all the way! I love taking a different world than the original and trying to fit everything into this different situation. I love Muggle AU’s the best for some reason.  

Do you enjoy writing dialogue, exposition, or plot the most?

Dialogue is so much fun. Trying to come up with a witty comeback or heartwrenching final line is so intense and interesting. 

If you could only write angst, fluff, or smut for the rest of your life, which would it be?

I love me some fluff. Like sometimes I go out with every intention on making things angst, and then they turn int fluff lol.

Is there a trope you haven’t written yet but really want to?

I don’t think I’ve done a “forced to share a bed” fic and that could be fun

Is there a trope you wouldn’t write if it was the last trope on earth?

Does slow burn count as a trope? I just can’t handle waiting so long for my ship together lol

If you were stuck on a desert island with only two characters, which would you pick?

Ginny Weasley and Hermione. Hermione because she could get us off the island somehow, and Ginny because she and I would have a great time cracking jokes while we helped Hermione. 

A Hollywood producer tells you that they want to film just one of your fics. Which fic would you want it to be?

Hmmm. I think I would dig a film of Doom Days or Covert Love. Both have everything needed for a movie. Action, romance, and twists you don’t see coming lol.

What is your most underrated fic?

I wouldn’t say I have any underrated fics because they always are so much better received than I ever intend… that being said, I would love if more people read Doom Days

What fic are you most proud of?

This goes back to the last question. I spent so long planning and plotting Doom Days and I am extremely happy with the way it’s come out. 

What is a line/scene you’re really proud of? Give us the DVD commentary for that scene.

Well because I don’t want to give to much away I’ll show off this once part. 

His lips curled with forced levity. 

I love the word levity and I really wanted to use it and then I thought about how when I’m making a bad joke in a bad moment I always smile to make people understand how I truly feel. Such a simple sentence brought me so much pride.

Who is the easiest/hardest character for you to write about? Why?

I find that I struggle with Hermione. She’s so much more… straight edge than I tend to focus on, so I have a hard time adding her into stories because I’m afraid I won’t do her justice. 

What’s your favorite minor character you’ve written?

Right now it’s Prue from Covert Love. She is my own created character and I’ve had so much fun crafting this backstory that revolves around.... Things I wouldn’t talk about here ;)

What is the one fic that got away?

It hasn’t gotten away yet! I can still write it…. But when I was on a volcano in Spain I saw an adorable meet-cute and I really wanna make it a Hinny meet-cute. I just need to dedicate time… which I never seem to have lol  

Have you cried while writing a fic?

Ummm…. I don’t think there have ever been tears but I was hit hard while writing the argument between Harry and Ginny in Covert Love. 

If you had to remix one of your own fics, which would it be and how would you remix it?

Hmmm. I think I would have to say Only the Best because I would have liked to add more hints towards who was the culprit. I don’t think I put out enough clues so the reader could have had a chance to figure it out on their own. 

How did you come up with title for Covert Love?

I knew I was going to be focusing a lot on the undercover element in this story but the love aspect was also going to be huge so I looked up words that meant undercover and really liked Covert. And it’s also a play on words because Harry and Ginny need to keep their love covert from everyone so Harry doesn’t get in trouble ;)

Which idea came to you first in Covert Love?

It was literally just the general idea of Harry being undercover and falling in love with Ginny. The idea to have her be under his protection started to form as I explored ways for them to meet. And when I decided to have him be unable to tell her about his job… I knew I had something I would love creating and working on. I knew I would have drama and so many intense moments I would be so proud of the story, which is always my goal. 

Which part of Covert Love was the hardest to write?

The moment where Harry and Ginny fight because he didn’t tell her about his job. I knew the discovery scene was going to be vital and it always hurts to write Ginny and Harry fighting. So it felt like a lot of pressure and I think overall it came out really well!

If you were ever to do a sequel to Covert Love, what do you think might happen in it?

Hmmm… well I don’t have any plans on doing a sequel at this time, but that’s because I haven’t finished writing the first one yet :P

In Covert Love, what is a happy, post-fic headcanon you have about Hinny?

Harry and Ginny getting to stay together when everything is said and done… maybe a kid or two that love quidditch as much as their mom 

A word that describes my WIP

Strive. Everyone is striving for something, even the bad guy. It all comes back to the person and their goals and how much effort they are willing to put into getting what they want/need. 

Tell us an idea for a long fic you want to write in the future.

Well… I haven’t started it at all and the research will take a while, but I wanna do a Muggle AU treasure hunter fic. Harry is a treasure hunter who is out searching for a famous lost treasure. While out on an adventure, he runs into a wild red head who is somehow roped into helping Harry. They hate each other at first but fall in love with each other as the adventure goes on. Also, there is another hunter out for the glory of finding this treasure and they have to deal with that crazy bloke and his men. If you’ve played the Uncharted games you’ve seen the format and I’d love to do something with it! Let me know what you guys think!

[somuchbetterthanthat]

Well, folks, let’s try this; let it be clear i’m putting this under the cut because it’s easier to avoid like this for people who don’t care to scroll through tons of text they don’t care about, but if you want to engage in any way please do

obsession of the week is: og team polycule (with lots of sexy) and this post is mostly about Sasha (and her relationship with Jon)

warnings: 24/7 d/s relationship, sex at work, sub!jon. Though not explicitly said under there ‘cause i’m just throwing this out as it comes to me and it makes little sense, this is part of an entirely consensual dynamic/relationship. ...if definitely unrealistically sexy, shh.

Things I cannot help to think about: 

- This job was for Sasha, everybody expected Sasha to have this job, even Jon assumed she would, and then she didn’t. Jon agreed to take it because it was a good opportunity, and he had a long discussion with Sasha about it (the first point that endeared Sasha to him forever) and they’d agreed that Sasha would look for another job but was willing to help out in the Archives in the meantime. 

But of course, down int the Archives, it’s oddly... good. She’s got Tim there, and Martin’s sweet -- though they clash a few times, eventually, until they get to a place where she sees Martin, better, properly, and actually Jon helps a lot in that regards, because without quite realizing he gives Martin a lot of his confidence once he’s past the stage of “let’s criticize martin who’s not doing the work i expect him to be doing” 

and yeah, it looks like Jon’s fumbling at his job, but also he tries hard, harder than all of them, and he is hard on himself, and relentless in trying to make this work and -- more importantly, and she cannot explain this properly, in any sort of rational way .... Jon in the Archives feels right. He feels like he belongs in the middle of those Archives; associating Jon with them, with the statements, it becomes so easy; and, of course, Jon’s pretty as hell, and Sasha may not care for romantic relationships, but she does have a sex drive, and it’s hard to resist doing anything when Jon stares at her, grateful and softer than he can be with the others, eyes dark and pretty with long eyelashes, long beautiful hands fidgeting with his tape recorder; it’s hard to look away when he comes with his skirts, when he laughs, when he unconsciously leans his head on the side, thoughtful, and shows his bare neck, hair falling gently over his high cheekbones.

So Sasha keeps like, putting off searching for a new job, and she keeps getting close to Martin and Jon as well as Tim, and when they finally begin this -- when the assistants finally admit they all have a ThingTM for their boss, and that they set to seduce him, and it works;; well. it’s like, a brand new world, you know? And Jon’s extremely new to the sex thing, apparently only ever had one ex with whom he did very little, and he is so GENUINE; every time he is baffled, amused, aroused, peaceful, embarrassed, it shows on his face. And every time they suggest something new, he looks incredulous that they may even want to try, but he says “I suppose we can” and it goes further and further and;

well, Jon’s a sub, and he’s a very good sub at that; he gets bratty and unimpressed with Tim, because they like the push and pull, and he is the sweetest with Martin; but with Sasha, there is something else. There’s a need to impress, to make proud, to be good; he tries hard with Sasha the same way he’s always trying hard to make the Archives work, and in turn, it makes Sasha all the more fond of Jon, and all the more determined to be good at being in charge. She can handle do this. Sasha was always meant to lead, and she likes it a lot. She pushes Jon a bit, but Jon follows. 

And look. This didn’t start with Sasha in charge, exactly; if anything, Martin is the one who reads Jon well, from day one, who intuitively seems to know what works and what doesn’t, and Tim and Sasha are happy to follow his advice. (Jon, as well. Jon listens to them all so well. Jon trust them with this, he who could easily go without sex if they wanted to stop tomorrow, he is always willing to admit they know best in that, and if the play adds up, if they love to say they know best not just for sex, but for a bit more details of Jon’s life, well --). But then they move together; but then the lines sort of blur gently on what is a scene, and what isn’t; Jon is their boss, Jon is their sub, Jon is their pet; Jon is theirs. 

(Jon is Sasha’s)

The lines blurr, and suddenly, Jon gets stressed at work, and it’s easy to put him on his knees to calm him down; and that’s the last piece of the puzzle; Jon was already submissive to them in every other aspect of their lives; Jon is their boss, and they like to call him that (especially Tim) and they’ve even got him his nice little collar with the tag boss on it. But he is not in charge, not anymore, not really, even when they give him the illusion of it, and he spends a lot of days in the Archives at Sasha’s feet, on Martin’s lap, in Tim’s arms and, well, 

Someone needs to be in charge, and it’s not even a question of who it could be. 

Sasha sits in the head archivist’s office, and she works, and gives orders, and from time to time glance fondly and sharply at jon, who’s tied up and dazed and naked and currently holding on his back two piles of discarded statements. 

Sasha makes calls and decisions, and caresses Jon’s head casually, as he leans his head into her lap, blindfolded and gagged. 

Jon calls her ma’am, once, and it sends such a rush in Sasha’s stomach and head; Jon calls Tim and Martin by their names, you see; but this is between Jon and her. Jon says Ma’am, and that’s perfect. Sasha starts to slowly call him pet, and that, too, is nice and accurate. Her pretty, smart, obedient Jon, who tries so hard for her, who is so good for her --

He still feels incredibly right in the Archives. Jon was made to be there, whether he is working or being used as furniture, or stress relief, or even useful decoration. Jon’s the Archivist, and Sasha would never take that from him. Jon reads the statements, Jon gets the powers, Jon belongs in the Archives, Jon is entirely part of the Archives, even when he comes home with them every night.

But Sasha’s in charge of them. And, that, too, feels perfectly right.

Jon and her both agree.

[writingformadderton]

To the moon and back

Ship: Madderton

Word Count: 2195

Summary: Taron is in a secret relationship with Richard. When Taron gets nominated for an Oscar they decide to make it public in the case he should win. But he doesn’t and Taron finds another way to make it official...

Additional Tags: FLUFF, soft, kissing, cheesy, secret relationship, stargazing

---

Taron has his arms wrapped around his boyfriend’s neck and kisses him softly. He feels his full and soft lips underneath his own and smiles into the kiss.

“What are you smiling at?” his lover asks and pulls back, looking at him with his deep blue ocean eyes.

“Just happy to have you.” He admits and kisses him again.

Taron isn’t lying. The last few months with Rich have been the best and happiest of his life. His heart is whole, and he feels safe around him. When they got together, he told Richard he doesn’t want to make it public immediately. Richard understood, it was Taron’s first relationship with a man and he didn’t want to rush things. But now five and a half months later he is sure, it was the right decision to be with Richard.

Rich looks at him adoringly and lets his eyes wander all over Taron’s face. He stares into the most beautiful, blueish green puppy eyes he has ever seen. He sees his soft lips and the adorable dimples that appear whenever he smiles. “I’m happy too.” He presses his lips onto Taron’s again but pulls back quickly when someone knocks at the door and comes inside.

“Taron, the interview starts in five minutes.”

“Thank you, I’ll be there in a minute.” He promises and the assistant closes the door to his room again. T sighs and pulls Rich closer again. “I’m sorry that we always have to hide.”

Richard shakes his head and presses a kiss onto his forehead. “You told me you want to keep it private int the beginning and I told you that’s okay to me. I don’t have to walk around and tell everyone we are a couple.” He states and smirks shortly. “Even though I would love to make them all jealous.” 

“Don’t make me blush before an interview.” he giggles, and his eyes light up, getting a beautiful bright green color.

“I love you, Taron. You can announce it as soon as you’re ready. I won’t push you into it, alright?” Rich asks and smiles at him reassuringly.

“Thanks, love.” T sighs relieved and leans his forehead against Richard collecting all his strength and calmness. “I think I have to go.”

Richard kisses him one last time. “Have fun.”

- 

“Taron, your fans are crazy about you, I mean, don’t let me start on the thirst tweet video.” The interviewer says and Taron chuckles thinking back to it. “But how is it working with relationships in your private life? Are you still single?”

Taron thinks for a short moment. “Let’s say I’m really happy with my current situation.” He answers and smirks a bit. Now he didn’t give them anything.

“No one you like?”

“No.” like was simply the wrong term for Taron. He loves Richard with all of his heart.

“Do you wanna have children one day?” he asks curiously taking some notes.

Taron fights the urge to roll his eyes, those questions were always the same. “I would love to, maybe one day.” He can imagine Richard smirking at that answer. They talked about that once before and Rich told him they could still adopt a child if they were ready.

“You’ve been spotted hanging out with your former costar Richard Madden quite often these last few months. Any comment on that?” he asks, and T tries to stay as relaxed as before.

“Isn’t that what people do when they mean something to each other?” he asks and smirks a bit. Again, he didn’t tell him anything.

 Richard races into the living room and excited and rushes straight over to Taron. “My beautiful baby!”

Taron looks up confused and already feels Richards lips on his, kissing him sweetly. “What is going on?” he asks amused and looks at him adoringly seeing how bright his blue eyes are shining.

“Guess who’s been nominated for the Oscars this year?” Rich asks and looks at him proudly.

T cheers as he jumps up and grabs his hands happily. “I knew they would nominate you!”

“What? NO!” Richard growls annoyed and lets go of his hands.

“I don’t get it.” Taron admits confused and looks up to him. Who was nominated then?

“You’re so dumb sometimes, it’s adorable.” he chuckles and places a kiss onto his lips as T pouts playfully. “It’s you, gorgeous.”

“No way.” Taron starts laughing and punches his arm playfully. “Good joke, love.” he shakes his head amused and walks over to the kitchen. “What do you want for dinner? We could cook but honestly we can order something as well-.” he stops when he sees Richard trying not to laugh. “What?!”

“Look at your phone, idiot.” Richard says laughing and Taron frowns. “Just do it.”

Taron takes out his phone and sees a notification from Instagram. He opens it and sees a post of Elton congratulating him on his nomination for the Oscars. T stares at his phone for a moment before his eyes widen and he looks up in complete shock. “You’re kidding me?”

“Just believe it, you dumbass.” Rich groans and walks over to him. “You’re gonna win an Oscar.”

Taron lets out a laugh and shakes his head putting his phone aside. “No, I won’t.” he laughs and pulls Rich in a hug. “Even though I love to see how excited you are about this.”

“I wonder why you aren’t.” Rich frowns and pulls him closer.

“Because I’m keeping my expectations low, so I won’t be disappointed. And I won’t win so.” Taron shrugs his shoulders and plays with Richards hair.

“Wanna bet?” Richard raises his eyebrows at him and T thinks for a moment before giving in. “What will you do when you win?”

“I’ll announce that we’re a couple thanking my boyfriend.” Taron says with a soft smile seeing Richards adoring look. “And when I lose, we’ll go and get some fried chicken.” he says, and Richard cracks up.

“That’s a win-win for you.” he protests.

“As if you would be against one of those two.” T raises his eyebrows at him and grins.

- 

A few months later Richard steps in the bathroom and sees Taron trying to close the buttons of his jacket. He smiles and walks over to him, replacing his hands with his own. “You’re nervous?” he asks compassionately.

“A bit.” T admits. He doesn’t think he will win but it was still nerve wrecking. It was his first nomination for a bloody Oscar. “At least I’m sitting next to you.”

“Yeah.” Rich says and fixes Taron’s tie. “The next time I’ll hold your hand will be when we walk down the red carpet.” He winks at him and T just giggles.

“Let’s see if I win today. The next event we have to attend is three weeks later.” Taron answers and kisses him lovingly.

 -

Taron claps as the name of one of his co-nominees gets called. If he’s totally honest with himself, he’s a bit disappointed, because he feels like he let Elton and Dexter down. But just getting a nomination was nice.

T looks over at Richard who has a small smile on his lips. “It’s alright.” Taron assures him and grabs his hand just shortly to squeeze it.

- 

A bit later they are home already again, avoiding as much time outside together as possible, because they always had to hide. Taron recognizes Richard being more disappointed about it than Taron himself, and he thinks he knows why. Richard gave him time and supported him with everything, but he wanted to make it official this night while bursting with pride at his boyfriend. “are you okay, Richie?” T asks softly as they step inside their shared apartment and Rich nods.

“I’m just a bit tired and I need a shower.” he answers and slides off his shoes. “I hope you’re not too disappointed about it.” he says and rubs his shoulder lovingly.

“It would have been amazing, but it wouldn’t have been my highlight of this year, Rich.” he wraps his arms around him and smiles up to him. “Moving in and being able to spend my time with you means so much more.”

Richards face softens and he nods. “You’re right.” he leans down and connects their lips to warm kiss. “We’ll get some fried chicken when we showered, alright?”

“Yes.” Taron answers and smiles at him. As soon as Richard is upstairs and he hears him turning on the shower, T plants himself at the sofa. He searches through his photo gallery on his phone once again and picks out one of Richard and him kissing each other happily. Taron always loved this picture and he knows exactly how to use it now.

 -

Richard sits on the sofa scrolling through his phone bored and hears Taron coming down the stairs. Taron steps inside with his phone in his hand and looks at him with a small smirk. “What?” he asks confused.

“Nothin’.” T says and hits the post button on his phone.

Richards phone vibrates as he gets a message, he looks at it confused when he sees T posted something. He clicks on the notification and frowns a bit while it loads the picture. Then he sees Taron’s favorite picture of them kissing and raises his eyebrows surprised. He reads the caption and his heart warms.

I didn’t win a bloody Oscar today, but honestly, I won something so special almost six months ago. I love you, Rich.

Rich looks up in awe and sees the soft smile on his boyfriends’ lips. He jumps up and pulls him into a tight and strong hug. “I love you.” he whispers and closes his eyes happily.

“I love you too.” Taron whispers back and smiles widely. Both of their phones vibrate and Taron pulls back with a sigh. They take them and mute them, focusing back on each other.

“Let’s get something to eat.” Rich winks at him and kisses him quickly.

 -

Taron giggles as Richard feeds him a piece of chicken and licks his fingers clean. It’s already dark outside but they enjoy the comfortable silence in their backyard. They decided to eat outside and Taron placed a big blanket onto the grass, Richard brought the food, two glasses and a bottle of wine with him.

Richard watches his boyfriend adoringly who’s wearing his jumper, and realizes once more how much he loved seeing Taron wearing his clothes.

Taron catches his gaze and raises his eyebrows questioning. “What?”

“You’re so beautiful, that’s all.” Rich admits and he’s glad it’s already dark outside so Taron can’t fully see how much he blushes.

“And you’re a softie.” T giggles and rolls his eyes playfully, trying to hide how much it made it him blush. Richard still made him blush with a simple compliment, his heart still races a bit when he sees this adoring soft look in his eyes and he still sinks so deep into those damn blue eyes.

“Says you.” Rich chuckles and reaches out for him to fondle over his cheek.

The Welsh sits opposite him and comes closer now, wanting to be close to him. Their legs touch through the sweatpants and it warms him perfectly. He takes a piece of chicken into his mouth halfway and raises his eyebrows at Rich who chuckles while rolling his eyes and takes the other half into his mouth. They both take a bite and kiss. T pulls back chuckling and chews happily on his chicken. “My two favorite things, lucky me.” he sighs.

“You really put fried chicken and me at the same stage?” Richard asks laughing and rubs his face amused.

“Maybe.” Taron says and grins at him. “But I’m still deciding on who tastes better.” he teases, and Richards jaw drops in surprise.

“Taron!” he squeaks and leans over to him tickling him. “You naughty -.” he gets cut off by Taron kissing him with trembling lips, trying to hold back his laughter.

They finish their meal teasing each other and sharing sweet words, getting cheesy. Taron was sure if someone would hear them, they would declare them as crazy and run for their life. They finish their wine and Richard puts everything aside, lying down on the blanket.

Taron lies down next to him and cuddles into him looking up into the sky. They enjoy the comfortable silence between them for a moment and watch the dark night sky, covered with all the stars. T sees a shooting star and points at it. “Make a wish.”

“I have everything I could wish for already.” Rich says softly and plants a kiss onto his temple.

“Right…Who needs a bloody Oscar anyways?” Taron answers and cuddles deep into his boyfriend who wraps his arms around him protectively.

“We don’t.” Rich just answers and feels Taron shifting next to him and sitting up.

“I love you more than anything else.” T whispers and leans down to him.

“I love you too, bubs.” The Scottish whispers back and plays with his fluffy hair. “To the moon and back.”

“To the moon and back it is.” Taron kisses him and settles down in his arms again. He was home.

 @taron-eggmcmuffin @anxiety-at-the-classroom @multicoloredchicken @primaba11erina @sarahegerton96 @naptitimadderton @maddertonmyheart @madderton-obsessed

[strangesoulmates]

Also, is there some story of inspiration behind your specific works? For example, As Certain Dark Things Are to be Loved? You called it comfort food and it definitely is, but what inspired you to start it? Same goes for More Precious than Rubies, Pledged in Blood, Good Intentions, Matelotage, and basically every other story of yours. Their plots are so different, united only by most delicious characterization. Was there smth. big that gave you any of these ideas?

I know I've answered this at least a few times before for some of these fics, but since my tagging is garbage and I can't find any of them, I'd be happy to do it again, especially since it was awhile ago and I know that lots of new people probably don't know.

I guess I'll answer about them in the order I published them to try and make the timeline clearer?

More Precious than Rubies was...God, I don't even know how the hell I had the courage to post it, it was so far out of left field compared to most of what I was reading.  Anyway, I somehow wound up in the depths of Tomarry hell my last year of college right before finals, and since I was supposed to be, you know, writing papers and taking exams and shit, I couldn't actually channel any of that into writing, when my summer research internship started, I lost my fucking mind when it came to writing.  I have two different WiPs from that period that still haven't been published but stand at several thousand words (one is...jesus, nearly 100k and no where close to done).  There was a throwaway line in that fic

“You’re like a dragon,” Harry said with a fond, if exasperated sigh. “Hoarding treasure.”

Tom found himself quite pleased and flattered at the comparison. No one had ever put his need to collect trophies in such terms before. It didn’t hurt that it clearly showed that Harry thought of Tom as dangerous and powerful, for all that it was clear Harry felt himself safe with him.

Staring into emerald eyes, he barred his teeth in a vicious grin.

“A dragon. I quite like that. Yes. I am a dragon, and you, my beloved,” Tom said, wrapping his arms tightly around him and pressing a lingering, covetous kiss to his forehead, “you are my most prized jewel.”

Tom watched Harry’s expression in fascination, watching as surprised pleasure and irritation warred across his face.

And that idea stuck with me and ate my brain until More Precious than Rubies was Born.

Fun fact, Harry is also compaired to a magical creater in the fic languishing on my harddrive:

“He’s like a bloody niffler, sniffing gold out of places no one else would think to look,” Tom ground out, voice reluctantly impressed and immensely frustrated. “I don’t understand how he finds these people, let alone how they end up being so bloody useful.  And yet he does it, time after time.”

The rest under the cut, because theres A LOT

As Certain Dark Things Are to be Loved is actually because of a prompt meme I've never been able to find again that I read when my brain was in just the right place to latch on and have a complete breakdown over (in a fun, creative way).  I forget what the theme of the list was, but the prompt that caught my attention was something along the lines of "Character A and Character B were childhood friends.  Character A kissed B before moving away.  In college, they discover Character B living across the hall."  And then things just spiraled totally out of control.  

It started out as just imagining how I could twist things from Cannon to make them fit and what that would look like. It was also my first time writing a nonomagical AU so it involved a lot of thought.  I had also just graduated college and was at home while all my friends were in grad school (which I talked about here) and I really missed it.  All of that came together to write a whole lot of this very quickly, and I, after some hemming and hawing, decided to post it.  Visits to grad schools I had been admitted to only added fuel to the fire. 

Good intentions came, of all places, out of watching an episode of Lie To Me (a very interesting TV show that I enjoy revisiting from time to time).  In a particular episode, the main character deals with like, a suave, sophisticated character who ran a criminal empire and clearly some kind of sociopath and I was like “TOM!  THAT’S IT!  IT’S MODERN DAY TOM!!!” and then several episodes later (or earlier?) they were trying to get something out of a criminal who was in prison who ALSO reminded me strongly of Tom and I was like “Harry would absolutely be how they got him to talk, by putting him in that room” and  like you know, even little flashes of dialog because apparently James arrested Tom and the little bit of dialog was “He’s not obsessed with the son because he hates the father.  He hates the father because he’s obsessed with the son.” (none of this is in the fic or will be in the fic, but it was a big part of its genesis).

Then I asked myself follow-up questions, like “how does Tom even know Harry?” and the answer I came up with at first was them getting to know each other while Tom was in prison. So I thought, okay, well, pen pals maybe?  As like part of a college class (since I think think that’s the only place that there could be an assignment like that)?  Because at some point around here I fixated on the idea of like, them meeting for person the first time in prison and that being where their relationship really developed (originally this was called Cellmate AU in my docs)

And then I decided for some reason that Harry should be a little kid, just because I kind of loved the idea of the contrast between his childish innocence and Tom’s…Tomness.  And that’s the convoluted story of how Good intentions first came to be.

Pledged in Blood was my attempt at trying to write something small and self contained for a Tomarry Big Bang awhile ago.  The initial idea came out the idea of wanting a grown up criminal mastermind Tom to run into Harry who is a police officer and for that to lead to desperate makeouts because they were very close as kids and Tom thought Harry was dead.  And so then the thought was, "okay, what the hell situation could they have been in where that could have happened?"  Kidnapping was the answer I came up with.

I started out with it as a Muggle AU, but it just didn't feel right. But the idea of Tom and Harry being kidnapped together got stuck in my brain and thus Pledged in Blood was born. The idea that sparked it actually got partially used int the deepest secret nobody knows] because I liked it too much not to scavenge it for something else.

The Heart of a Star and Matelotage are both gifts for @acciotomriddle based on her prompts for some kind of gift exchange. I couldn't finish one in time because it got out of control (surprise surprise) and then THE SAME THING HAPPENED WITH THE OTHER ONE.   But I posted them both because I was attached at that point.

And I'm not going to talk about Janus because telling  you about what inspired it would spoil everything. When it's no longer a spoiler, maybe I'll make a post about it.

[crowkingwrites]

Oops...I Did It Again

Pairing: Ramsay Bolton x Reader

Words: 1427 // Ao3 Link 

Author’s Notes: This is a direct sequel to the one shot Oops. I highly suggest you read Oops first before reading this one. I may turn this into a trilogy if there’s a demand for it. Thanks!

You said no. Then you said, “Fiiiine, one drink.” One tequila shot turned into two. Then three. Then four. Then you found yourself taking ANOTHER selfie in the elevator because damn girl, you put too much effort into this outfit for it to go to waste. As you stumbled your way back to your apartment, you saw his door.

A devilish thought crossed your mind and you pushed the front door to your hateful neighbor’s apartment. It was dark inside, the TV was streaming a true crime documentary. Ramsay Bolton, your asshole neighbor that you had drunk sex with ONCE, was snoring away on his couch. He should realllllly lock his door at night.

After you closed the door behind you, you noticed how Ramsay’s chest rose and fell evenly. His shirt was missing, revealing his delicious abs. After the first time, you’ve been trying to get peeks since then. Carefully, you touched and undid his belt just enough to get to the prize. You unzipped his pants and reached for his member.

This was crazy. Who the hell gets drunk out of their mind and sneaks into their hot—I mean, asshole neighbor’s place? You began to touch him as he was sleeping. He was so big in your hand that you let yourself giggle. When you started a good rhythm, that’s when he woke up.

“Wha—what the fuck? Y/N? Fucking crazy bitch! What are you—you’re drunk!” Ramsay smirked at you and sat up. His penis hung out of his pants, staring at you. “Sit down, you crazy ass girl scout.”

You did as he said and sat down, smirking at him.

“Aren’t you going to say hello or should we just—

“Hi! I’m here. Your door was unlocked,” you interrupted. Ramsay started laughing.

“Yes. I can see you’re here. You were giving me a handjob. Hello. How are you?”

“I’m drunk!”

“You’re far away from drunk, sweetheart,” Ramsay pulled you into his lap. His hands were so strong when he gripped you. “What happened this time?”

“My ex called me,” you confessed.

“Ah, missionary guy,” Ramsay smirked.

“Mhmm,” you hummed, gently prodding his member. “He said that he misses me.”

“And do you?”

“Maybe. I’m lonely,” your eyes turned to his face. Ramsay carefully studied you. His cold eyes on you made you flush even more. His fingers traced your lips and went inside your mouth.

“Well, I guess I should do the neighborly thing then, hm?” His cheeky smile returned. You started to lick and suck his fingers as he fed them to you. “I should remind you that you don’t need missionary guy. You have me, remember?” You started giggling. Oh yes. It was on.

Ramsay pushed you down into the couch as he showered kisses throughout your neck and chest. He bit you only slightly, but bit you harder when you responded to his touch. Your hand brushed by his member again. He was already hard. Ramsay shifted you completely under him, towering over your body on the couch. His breathing hitched when you started to tug his member.

Ramsay’s forehead touched yours and you both met eyes.

“Are you going to always crawl back to me when you’re this needy?” he asked you. You gave him a good squeeze. He winced, but laughed. “You’re hungry. Don’t worry. Me too.” Ramsay buried himself in your chest once more. His hands glided up your sides, ultimately reaching your neck. God, you need this dress to come off now.

Ramsay must have thought the same thing as you because his saliva-covered fingers found their way into your panties. He worked them in and out until he felt how terribly wet you were. Your moaning gave your hunger away. Ramsay hiked up your dress and moved your underwear with his fingers.

“You’re not gonna take-take them off?” you asked in-between your hardened breathing.

“No time. I want you now.” Ramsay easily forced himself inside of you, making both sigh in relief. Ramsay started fucking you. He made your bodies go to an increasing rhythm. His hands tangled and pulled your hair. You wondered why you even went out with missionary guy in the first place. Your ex would look at you and do what little he could do and finish. Ramsay pulled the same missionary move while making you feel so goddamn filthy.

“Rams,” you moaned. “Kiss me.” He happily obliged. He rocked his hips back and forth int you while kissing you face slowly. He started with your neck again, working his way onto your jawline. Once he reached your cheek, Ramsay smirked into the kiss. You heard him whisper in your ear.

“You’re such a mess,” he teased. “I’m not even halfway done with you yet and you’re so close. Have so many men failed you?” He pulled you up and undressed you. His wide eyes wandered your form in front of him. His fingers traced your sides as the fabric fell to the ground. You stood in front of him completely naked. His mouth salivated like a dog. For a moment, you wondered if any other man looked at you this way. Ramsay was a hungry hound whose mouth dripped with want in front of you. Another devilish thought came to mind.

“How long have you wanted me?” you asked. Ramsay shook his head as if he left a trance.

“What?”

“You look at me like I’m a steak dinner. How long has it been since any woman has satisfied you?” You pushed Ramsay away from the couch, towards a wall. He leaned against it, studying you. You continued. “As far as I know, I have been the only woman inside your home for months. In fact, you knew I went out tonight. That’s why you left your door unlocked isn’t it? You knew I would walk in drunk and silly.”

Ramsay’s eyes widened at your realization. You wrapped your hands around his neck and pushed him into the wall. You kissed him knowing how badly he wanted you. Your mouth made its way down to his member. You licked and prodded it at first, waiting for him to say something.

“Fucking suck it already.”

“Admit it you left that door unlocked just for me.”

“No. That’s not—ugh,” Ramsay moaned when you took all of him in your mouth and spat him back out again.

“You want me. Admit it. Say it.”

“Fucking bitch,” he muttered. “You’re the one who walked in here and—ughhhh you bitch,” Ramsay’s eyes rolled back as you took him all in with your mouth again. Your hand massaged his balls. You spat him out, knowing you had all the power now.

“Admit it,” you smiled. Ramsay responded by putting you against the wall. Your face and chest smashed against it as he penetrated you from the back. Your hands laid flat against the wall as he thrusted. He pulled your hair once more for good measure, shutting you up completely. You could hear and feel skin against skin as Ramsay increased his pace.

Two fingers circled your clit moving constantly, winding you up like a clock. But alas, Ramsay reached his end before you could reach yours. He suddenly pulled out of you, spilling his seed on your backside. You regained composure soon enough to turn around a face him. His hardened breathing calmed a bit as he studied you.

“Fine,” he finally said, breaking the silence. “I may have overheard you and I may have left the door unlocked. Doesn’t mean I like you. You’re still a stuck up bitch with my cum all over your ass.” You closed the space between both of you and slipped your tongue in his mouth. He kissed you back with the same energy as you did. Before you pulled away, you bit down on his lip.

“Good thing we hate each other, right?” you winked before going to the door.

“Where are you going? You didn’t finish, and I’m not done with you,” Ramsay said more firmly. You looked down at his member and laughed.

“It seems like we’re already done here judging from your parts,” you snickered. “Come find me when you’re drunk and desperate I guess.” You closed his front door behind you. Ramsay was left standing there, mouth agape. How dare you leave him without his approval? How dare you make him feel small? Ramsay looked at the shared wall between his and your apartments.

“Crazy, stuck up bitch,” Ramsay muttered, pulling up his pants. “I guess I have a type now.”

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[ambitionsource]

AMBITION Season 2 ♫ “Are We Out of the Woods” [ 2.03 ]

CREATED BY Esther (rapunzles) & Maggie (daphnegolshiri) || S2 Tag || Official Page

WRONG THINGS, RIGHT THINGS – Disaster strikes rehearsals for the fall musical when a major vandalism throws everyone off schedule. As the junior class points fingers at prime suspects, Riley and Isadora attempt to clear a good friend’s name. Although only one student is responsible for the crime, more than one of them is lying.

62 Minutes (16K words) || No warnings apply.

[ ← Second Choice ] [ S2 Synopsis ] [ Valerie De La Cruz → ]

( Follow along with the music on Spotify here! )

A black screen, only for a moment, as NIGEL CHEY cues us in…

Nigel: Once upon a time --

INT. AAA - HALLWAY - DAY

Song Cue ♫ ♪ “Prologue: Into the Woods” as performed by Into the Woods Original Broadway Cast || Performed by AAA Juniors

The orchestration of the seminal Broadway class launches us into the musical-centric episode for the season. The camera eases its way down the hall, students running by in costume or techies giving tasks to one another as they go. A set piece, half in progress, is pushed by JEFF MONROE back into the auditorium through the dressing room doors.

On the wall outside the black box theater, a poster for the musical is up: Into the Woods (in case the first song hadn’t tipped us off). On the bulletin board outside, the cast list is still posted, where all of our main players have initialed next to their given roles.

INT. AAA - AUDITORIUM - DAY

On the stage, set still in progress but nearly complete behind them, our main players are doing a run through of the opening number in real time. This is where our first true taste of the casting comes into focus, RILEY MATTHEWS as Cinderella stage right, CHARLIE GARDNER as Jack with his prop cow at center stage, and FARKLE MINKUS taking on the role of The Baker with YINDRA AMINO as The Baker’s Wife stage left.

Other roles are introduced as they step into the number, such as ISADORA DE LA CRUZ as Little Red Riding Hood, and MAYA HART as The Witch. However, the opening prologue is a lengthy piece, and there’s much more going on that shares focus as we settle into Sondheim’s musical world.

For example, LUCAS FRIAR is in the midst of conversing with DAVE WILLIAMS over the construction of their most complex set piece. It’s nearly complete, and Dave has been slaving away over it for weeks. It’s clear that he considers it his baby at this point. He speaks about it with overt enthusiasm, slapping DYLAN ORLANDO’s hand away as he tries to touch it.

Unfortunately, Lucas isn’t in the mood for enthusiasm. It’s clear Dave is getting on his nerves with his perfectionism, warning him that they’re running out of time to finish the damn thing, so he’s going to have to either hustle or settle for less than perfect.

Dave: You can’t rush art.

Lucas, flatly: It’s a fake hill with fake trees.

Dave: Shh! It’ll hear you!

NATE MARTINEZ exchanges a look with Lucas, assuring him that they’ll get it done. Dave continues to assure the set piece that Lucas didn’t mean it. He’s just stressed, once again in a role he doesn’t want to have. And ain’t that the truth…

Meanwhile, SHAWN HUNTER and HARPER BURGESS are at odds yet again. They’re quietly arguing in the front and center section as the rehearsal progresses, Shawn pointing out that giving Isadora such a large role has seriously depleted her ability to help the techie brigade.

Harper: Perhaps you shouldn’t put such an exclusionary attitude on the techies, and teach some of the performers who didn’t get roles to work.

Shawn: That would take more time than our current crew doing it alone.

Harper: Well, then maybe you should’ve been doing that the whole time. Hindsight truly is 20/20, isn’t it?

Harper is done with the conversation, turning her focus back to the rehearsal. Shawn rolls his eyes, running a hand through his hair before marching off in the other direction.

In the wings, ZAY BABINEAUX is conversing with NICK YOGI and SARAH CARLSON. The boys are dressed in their costumes for their roles as the Princes, looking pretty sharp. Although he seems unbothered, Sarah makes an offhand comment about how Zay was duped for a leading role again by Farkle. That’s a shoddy track record, especially with Farkle being kind of universally disliked at this point.

Sarah: Guess talent really is the ultimate factor, isn’t it?

Zay: Please, time on stage does not equate best performance. The Prince is a far more interesting and fun role anyway.

A true statement, perhaps, but there’s an equal amount of truth to Sarah’s earlier statement as well. Despite how well he brushes it off, there has to be a frustration to constantly taking a backseat to the villain of Adams’ history.

Focus shifts back to the actual number when Maya is laying down the required items for the Baker family to get their wish. As the rest of the rehearsal unfolds and each core character begins their journey into the woods, the performances clearly show off why the show was casted the way it was. As usual, the choices seem to be spot on.

That being said, Farkle’s perfect casting doesn’t stretch into his overall state. He doesn’t seem… on top of things, for what it’s worth. He’s lacking his usual pop of energy, and there are small moments as the last minute unfolds where he’s actually starting to look a little unsteady.

This comes to a head when they reach the final chorus, Farkle front and center as they sing the final harmony. He gets through the note and then promptly collapses, sending the screen into black as everyone reacts in concern and shock around him.

Cue title sequence.

INT. AAA - TEACHER’S LOUNGE - DAY

A blurry visual fades us in from the titles, fading in and out of black until the vision stabilizes: the ceiling with speckled tiles, lighting dim in the lounge to make for a less intense setting.

Farkle blinks, confused as he comes back to consciousness. He lets his gaze drift, allowing more things to come into perspective. This includes the three people looking at him -- Charlie, kneeling next to him with a cold compress, having been the first one to jump to his aid; Riley, watching in concern but not quite ready to be right at his bedside; and lastly Lucas, glaring at him from over his shoulder and reminding him how to feel fear.

Charlie: Farkle? Can you hear me?

Farkle: What the hell is going on?

Zay darts in with another cold compress, exchanging the old one with Charlie. He tries to put it on Farkle’s forehead, but he pushes his help away and struggles into a sitting position instead.

Riley: You fainted.

Zay: Scared the hell out of everyone.

Charlie: People just weren’t expecting it. Are you okay?

Farkle: … oh, so now you all suddenly care? Just because I took a little tumble?

Lucas: Don’t flatter yourself.

Harper enters, tailed by ERIC MATTHEWS and the school nurse. Eric instructs all of the other students to go back to rehearsal and give Farkle a little bit of space. They obey, Zay patting Charlie’s shoulder as he glances back over his shoulder in concern.

While Eric is able to settle right down with the nurse and address Farkle, Harper keeps her distance. The two of them have had a strange relationship from the first week, so she’s even more uncertain how to handle this situation. She awkwardly wishes Farkle well and says he can come back to rehearsal as soon as he’s more steady.

As she leaves, Eric begins questioning Farkle on the status of his health. Has he been feeling sick? Is he drinking enough water during rehearsals? Farkle is able to answer things pretty pointedly, until Eric starts gearing the conversation towards more mental areas. Is he getting enough sleep? How are his eating habits? He dodges by answering vaguely, but it’s unclear whether he genuinely doesn’t really know or if he’s just wary of discussing his current emotional state.

INT. AAA - AUDITORIUM - DAY

Isadora makes her way across the stage towards where the techies are working on the major set piece, getting sidetracked by Maya. She eagerly wonders whether or not Valerie has responded to Isadora’s invitation to come see the show. Isadora claims her starlet mother is in fact planning to be in attendance, and the two of them share a moment of excitement.

Maya lets her go, leaving her to approach her former usual crew. Lucas, Nate, and Dylan are arguing about a feature of the set piece that still isn’t complete. It was supposed to be Farkle’s job as part of his punishment, but considering he’s in rehearsals ninety percent of the time and is now sick, they’re going to have to pick up the slack.

Isadora swoops in just at this moment, asking how things are going. Dylan relays the situation in quick terms, and while Isadora attempts to begin brainstorming like old times, it’s evident that the boys aren’t really all that interested in what she has to offer. In fact, there might be some resentment already in place considering how her focus is split in rehearsals as well.

Nate: Well, you know, maybe you could actually help if you weren’t so double-booked.

The moment passes before she can form a retort, Dylan offering to take up the extra work. They settle it and break without further discussion. Lucas heads off in another direction without waiting up, so Isadora has to jog to keep up with him as he begins the long journey through the auditorium towards the booth. He claims they’re both busy and maybe don’t have all that much time, but Isadora seems determined to have a conversation.

Isadora: I just wanted to let you know that my mom is planning on coming to opening night. I know how you feel about her, so I thought you might like the warning. You know, so you can take your civility shots or whatever you need to do.

Lucas is clearly displeased by this information, but he covers it with nonchalance. He doesn’t buy that she’ll actually show, but Isadora is welcome to get her hopes up if that’s what she feels like spending her energy on.

It’s frustrating, how conversations seem to have this edge between them these days. Isadora charges onward regardless, shifting gears and pointing out how brusque Nate was to her. With Lucas also sort of giving her the brush-off, she attempts to get a read on if they’re really pissed.

Lucas: Look… I don’t know. I guess we just didn’t realize that you doing the musical was going to be like… a recurring thing. I figured after The Miserables --

Isadora, without thinking: Les Mis.

Lucas: … did you just correct me?

Whoopsie. Rookie mistake. Isadora tries to recover, quickly changing the subject and pointing out that they handled the production of things totally fine without her last year. She has no doubt that they’ll be able to pull it off again.

Isadora: Besides, you guys really did a great job with Les Mis --

Lucas: THE MISERABLES.

Clearly, this conversation is not going to produce positive returns. If Isadora was searching for reassurance that her footing with the techies was all well and good, she’s not going to find it here and now.

INT. AAA - BOYS DRESSING ROOM - DAY

Meanwhile, rehearsal must go on, so they’re gearing up to move forward on numbers that don’t require Farkle to run through. Harper finishes telling the boys this before giving them a five minute warning. Zay and Yogi finish getting into costume, their duet as the princes the next one up that fits that criteria.

Zay: Well, if our supposed leading man is going to sleep on the job, Yogles and I will be happy to pick up the slack. Not that we really need the practice --

Nigel rolls his eyes, exchanging a look with Charlie. Charlie can’t help but smile, eyeing Zay as he’s getting ready to march back out onto the stage.

Zay: But, well, the show must go on.

INT. AAA - AUDITORIUM - DAY

Song Cue ♫ ♪ “Agony” as performed by Into the Woods Original Broadway Cast || Performed by Zay Babineaux & Nick Yogi

Perhaps the most straightforward performance we’ll get all episode, Zay and Yogi take their rehearsal time seriously and deliver an entertaining rendition of the princely duet. However, the duet in it of itself is theatrical and over the top, so maybe “seriously” isn’t the right word.

In any case, it’s clear that Zay wasn’t kidding when he claimed they hardly needed much more rehearsal. He completely owns the stage, demonstrating how much that summer confidence has done for him. Harper is thoroughly enjoying the performance, as well as their classmates as they watch from the wings. Riley and Maya laugh along; Charlie is totally enthralled.

When they wrap, Harper gives them a quick congratulations for actually being on top of their roles. Zay gives a cheeky little bow, exiting the stage with a flourish.

INT. AAA - DRESSING ROOM HALL - DAY

Riley is on the hunt for Zay, aiming to tell him he did a great job and potentially thwart any diva meltdown that might be brewing before it can take hold. He’s nowhere to be found, but she accidentally runs into Maya and Isadora instead.

Maya is in the midst of talking Isadora down from stress over the rehearsal process, the latter just finishing up lamenting how she can’t help the techies and that might be becoming a real problem, but she’s stressed that she can’t keep up with the performers either.

They both grow quieter when they realize they’re not alone, Riley giving them a tight smile. She apologizes for interrupting them, but Maya claims it’s fine as she actually has to go get ready for her own number. She backs off, giving the two of them the potential to talk.

There’s still an uncertainty between them, but it’s clear that Isadora isn’t unhappy to see her. Riley timidly ventures some advice based on what she overheard, explaining that she knows all too well how it feels to be the one who can’t keep up. She has no doubt that Isadora will catch up in no time, though, and she shouldn’t forget that she’s in this role for a reason.

Considering the walls Isadora has been hitting with Lucas and the techies, hearing such blatant encouragement is a welcome change. She nods, giving Riley a quiet thanks.

INT. AAA - AUDITORIUM - NIGHT

The doors to the hallway on the opposite end of the stage kick open, Dylan and ASHER GARCIA arriving and declaring that they’ve successfully picked up the new supplies from Home Depot. It’ll take a lot of help to move it all, so all the techies head out to assist.

Harper is pacing the stage, determining who still needs to hang around for evening rehearsal. Farkle returns from the teacher’s lounge, looking less pale but still tired. Still he jogs up to Harper anyway, reporting for duty and asking if he should start working on one of his numbers again. Maybe “It Takes Two,” if Yindra is around?

Uncertain how to address him, Harper sort of blows him off. She claims they can probably hold off on his other performances until tomorrow, and perhaps he could use the additional rest. The last thing they need is another collapse. He grows frustrated at the dismissal, asking if he should then keep working on the set piece, or go back to the script library. There has to be something he can do -- but Harper has made her decision.

Harper: Farkle, you’re done for the day. Go home and rest. We don’t need you here anymore.

The sentiment obviously hits Farkle, although he swallows it rather than lashing back. He backs off as Harper switches back into directorial mode, calling for the cast and crew to meet center stage for a pre-dinner meeting. As she’s taking account of major players, one absence becomes immediately glaring…

Harper: Where the hell is Babineaux?

INT. AAA - COSTUME LOFT - NIGHT

Babineaux, as it were, is in the costume loft. And there’s really only one reason that anyone besides Jade ever goes in the costume loft.

If there’s one thing to know about Charlie Gardner and Zay Babineaux, it’s that perhaps one of the most attractive traits between them -- and what brought them together in the first place, all things considered -- is one another’s talent (i.e. the boys certainly understand Artists Are Attractive). So following such a phenomenal performance of “Agony,” it’s unsurprising that Charlie felt the need to… express some things.

Their banter is playful like usual, the mythos of the costume loft giving them a faux sense of privacy as they kiss. Zay points out that Cinderella’s prince and the lad Jack hooking up would certainly make for an interesting twist, easily emphasized by the fact that they’re both currently in costume. Charlie takes his face, looking him over before shaking his head.

Charlie: Don’t get me started on the costume.

For what it’s worth, it is a good, appealing costume for a good, appealing prince. Jade did an excellent job. Such words aren’t necessary, however, as how eagerly Charlie kisses him conveys the message effectively enough.

Just as they’re getting into it, the doors opening to the loft from down below startle them out of it. Charlie lets out a panicked “shit” before Zay urges him to hide, both of them fumbling for a cover until Zay literally knocks Charlie over, behind a rack of costumes and out of sight.

Just in time, as Maya pops her head up on the ladder to the loft and asks him what the hell he’s doing up there alone. They’re grouping for rehearsal and he needs to get his ass in attendance. Zay nods in agreement and promises he’ll be down in a flash, waiting until she rolls her eyes and disappears again to let out a sigh.

Charlie digs himself out from the rubble and into a sitting position, flushed and obviously dazed. Zay drops down to start helping him, trying to take his hands and help him back up.

Zay: Holy shit, are you okay --

Charlie: I’m -- just go! Go, go, before she comes back.

Zay nods, dipping down to give him a quick kiss before darting down the ladder. Charlie sighs, falling back into the costumes.

INT. AAA - AUDITORIUM - DAY

The performers assemble on the stage in a circle, the techies continuing to move set materials while Harper discusses the rest of their rehearsal plan for the evening. Charlie jogs up and joins the group last, jumping in next to Yindra. When she asks him where the hell he was, he makes a face and shrugs like it’s no big deal. Nothing for her to worry about.

Given that tomorrow is their first full-day weekend rehearsal, and they’re only five days away from opening, the pressure is on to start cracking down. Harper releases the performers for a quick dinner break, and informs the techies that once they’re done moving things they can break for dinner as well. Everyone is dismissed.

All of them begin moving at once, the technicians heading back out the side door to keep working while the performers flutter off. Lucas hesitates when he realizes Isadora isn’t following them, calling after her.

Lucas: … Dora. [ when she faces him ] Are you not going to help?

Isadora: Oh. Well… I kind of want to eat with my castmates. That’s like… part of the bonding thing. You know?

Lucas: … oh, yeah. Sure. That’s fine, whatever. Break a leg, then. [ under his breath ] Maybe both legs.

It’s so hard to tell when Lucas’s sarcasm is dipping into genuine disdain. Isadora takes the spoken acceptance for what it’s worth, nodding and heading in the other direction.

Yindra and Nigel tease Zay about showing up so late to their meeting, pointedly wondering where the hell he was. Maya throws out that he was in the costume loft, to which both of them are like ooh, the costume loft? What could you possibly have been doing there, Isaiah? But the friendly jeers take on a slightly sensitive slant when Sarah throws in her two cents.

Sarah: No wonder Farkle keeps getting roles over you, now that he’s able to help with tech and perform while having a diva meltdown. You can’t even show up on time. But no, you’re clearly above it all.

Zay looks like he has choice things he’d like to say, but Riley distracts him and yanks him back towards the doors for dinner. She states that eating will make him feel better, but Zay pulls away and claims he just wants a few minutes alone to destress. He’ll catch up with her later.

Dave, on the other hand, is in no hurry to head to dinner. He’s still obsessing over his magnum opus of a set piece, growing nitpicky and getting a little too attached to it. Asher and Dylan are pulling him away, claiming that he needs food and like… healthy separation.

Lucas finishes bringing the last of the wood in and encourages his lieutenants to get Dave a good distance from this thing that’s eating him alive, to which they’re like aye, aye, captain. He starts to follow them out, then pauses, glancing over his shoulder at the set piece. Large, impressive, the most important piece of their set design. Then he leaves, casting the auditorium into quiet.

Farkle is the last one present, sauntering out into the auditorium with his things to discover he’s been left behind yet again. He supposes that makes sense, given that he was already blatantly dismissed, but it always feels more pointed when he’s standing all alone. He meanders to center stage, spinning and taking a look at the set. He stares up at it, contemplation coloring his tired expression…

INT. AAA - ERIC’S OFFICE - NIGHT

Harper shares dinner with Eric, taking the chair across from his desk as she vents about the rehearsal process. She feels as though she’s doing her best, but this whole experience is still super overwhelming. Everyone looks to her for answers, and sometimes she doesn’t have them. Not to mention the attitude she gets from Farkle and how that’s morphed into a complicated dynamic she has no idea how to move forward from, and the techies clearly don’t respect her. That’s particularly frustrating, considering she was a techie when she first attended AAA all those years ago.

Eric talks her down, assuring her that she’s doing an excellent job. Especially given that they’ve only had… what, one student ailment and zero tantrums so far? That might be the least trauma they’ve ever encountered during a typical AAA production. What else could possibly go wrong?

INT. AAA - AUDITORIUM - NIGHT

Great question, Eric. As is storytelling tradition, the moment someone asks that rhetorical query, it must be answered.

Dave is heading back into the auditorium before everyone else, in good spirits and eager to get back to work. He’s humming to himself and dancing a little bit as he goes, coming back to the set building area and rubbing his hands to get back to work.

Only the moment he looks up, it’s as though we’ve entered a horror movie. The camera goes close on his face as he stares up above him, eyes wide before he screams bloody murder. Nothing but pure, abject terror -- Dave is quite the scream queen -- but why?

INT. AAA - AUDITORIUM - NIGHT - LATER

The central set piece has been majorly damaged. It’s a hollow shell of the beauty it used to be, pieces broken off and torn and holes through the paper mache. Totally vandalized.

It’s Dave’s worst nightmare. As we ease away from the damage, the full class assembled comes into focus. Isadora is staring up at the destroyed set piece, stunned, while the rest of the class discusses the damage in hushed murmurs.

Lucas jogs in on the heels of Nate, asking what the hell is going on. His jaw drops when he sees the set piece, as well as Dave huddled on the floor in front of it in a total state. Asher and Jade are kneeling on either side of him, attempting to comfort him. Lucas seems genuinely upset by Dave’s reaction, but Dylan pulls him out of it by asking him what the hell they’re going to do.

Riley adds that this is bad news for all of them, considering they only have five days of rehearsal left and that set piece took all production long to make. They simply don’t have time to put it back together at the same rate, at least not the way they’ve been approaching it so far. It’s going to take all of them dedicating time and effort to it while working overtime, including the performers.

Not to mention, as Charlie points out, who is to say that there won’t be more trouble? Only one of them could’ve done this as they’re the only ones in the school this late on Friday. Whoever openly sabotaged the show, they’re guaranteed to be in their midst.

Naturally, such a dark realization instigates a frenzied slew of accusations. After tossing some words around the popular narrative seems to narrow down to three potential suspects.

Haley: It was obviously Farkle. After everything that happened last year, what does he have to lose?

Yindra: Um, news flash, American Girl? Farkle’s not even here.

Nate: Yeah, but he was. He left after the rest of us, and no one saw him leave. Clear motive, clear opportunity.

Sarah: Yeah, except he literally wiped out like an hour before. I don’t believe he could do all that damage with his twig arms, let alone when he’s already running on dead battery.

Yindra and Nigel turn the tables on her, asking if she’s so sure, who the hell does she think did it?

Sarah: Seriously? Is this even a question? [ gesturing to Lucas ] Who is our local delinquent?

Asher/Dylan, in unison: Hey, no way --

Riley: I don’t think --

Lucas: Real ballsy of you to say so to my face, Sarah. Just because you enjoy constantly cutting down the work of your classmates doesn’t mean I get the same sadistic thrill.

Jeff: Yeah, why would a techie destroy another techie’s work?

Good point, but a lot of people seem to think Lucas isn’t a bad argument. He is always angry, after all, and he’s vandalized things before. He scoffs.

Lucas: This is so bullshit. This is profiling.

Zay: That’s not what profiling means, white bread.

Darby: Well I don’t know if I would be so smug, Zay.

Zay: The hell are you on about?

Darby: You’ve been acting kind of weird, too. And you weren’t at dinner until later.

Riley: Yeah, but not long enough to do that.

Zay: Are you seriously claiming I did this?

Sarah picks up the slack on this thread, pointing out that Zay was also pointedly late to their group meet up before dinner. He could’ve been getting everything ready then, and then he could easily pull it off quicker. Zay grows defensive, stating that he has better things to do than fuck with their production.

Nate: Yeah, because you’re always above everything, aren’t you?

Riley steps forward and rubs Zay’s arm comfortingly, obviously not believing it could’ve been him. Charlie also looks like he wants to say something, but as things grow more heated he keeps his mouth shut.

The in-fighting only ceases when Harper returns with Eric, both of them shocked at the state of the set piece. When she frantically questions what the hell happened, a bunch of people start speaking at once and it’s impossible to figure out what anyone is saying. It’s a lot to absorb all at once, so Harper snaps and tells all of them they’re dismissed for the evening. Clearly everyone needs to cool down, and they’ll figure this out during their 12-hour rehearsal day tomorrow.

It’s the first time Harper has raised her voice in front of the class, so everyone takes the demand seriously. They disperse, Eric going to assess the damage as Asher and Jade manage to pull Dave up from being a puddle on the floor.

INT. JACK’S APARTMENT - NIGHT

JACK HUNTER is in the midst of a dinner date with ANNE MARIE WINTHROP, beginning the transitioning from the meal to the… extracurricular portion of the evening. The mood is disturbed when his phone rings, Jack pulling back from her to check his phone.

He states that it’s work, which Anne Marie points out can wait considering it’s the weekend. He’s working on the work-life balance, remember? She regains his attention, gently pulling him back into a kiss… when his phone rings again. She relinquishes him with a sigh, Jack offhandedly explaining that with the musical going on right now, it probably has something to do with that. He’ll be quick, he promises.

Anne Marie watches as he dashes off with the phone, propping her feet up on the couch.

INT. MINKUS HOME - NIGHT

Farkle is in fact home for the evening, half-heartedly eating something for late dinner alone at the dining table. He jumps when his phone rings, surprised to see Riley calling. He answers immediately, not even sure what to say in greeting.

She says she’s simply checking in to see how he’s feeling, and also inform him about the set piece debacle and how that might impact rehearsals tomorrow. To his credit, Farkle seems stunned by the news.

Farkle: What? That’s terrible. It was fine when I left… are they going to fix it? I mean, we only have a few days before opening --

Riley explains that they’re going to get more information tomorrow. Farkle appears genuinely frazzled, but on the one hand, he is an actor. Or it could just be nerves…

He attempts to try and keep the conversation going with Riley, who he hasn’t really spoken to since the end of last year. But she finds an exit route and tells him she has to go, stating she’ll see him tomorrow before hanging up. Not giving him much of an opportunity to reconnect.

INT. MAYA’S APARTMENT - NIGHT

KATY HART is likewise on the phone, deep in a debate with their landlord. She’s talking numbers and clearly trying to negotiate something important, but she abruptly ends the call when Maya stumbles in from rehearsal. Based on her expression it’s obvious something’s up, but Maya does not seem in the mood for talking.

Katy: What’s going on? How was rehearsal?

Maya: Exhausting. Everything is bonkers as usual. Whatever. I’m going to bed.

Katy doesn’t argue the point further. Maya drops her duffle by the door and gives her mother a quick kiss on the cheek, stomping off to sleep.

INT. AAA - AUDITORIUM - DAY

The grueling 12-hour rehearsal kicks off with a tense start, the destroyed set piece looming over the cast and crew as they saunter in early in the morning. People continue to throw around their suspicions, particularly at Farkle now that he’s returned for the day.

Farkle: I’m amazed at the sexism on this stage right now. You all have decided on your three prime suspects, and yet, why are we only assuming a guy could’ve done this?

Yindra: It’s not our problem all y’all boys in this class are emotionally unstable.

Clarissa: Besides, that part of the set piece is too high up for most of us to reach.

Maya: Izzy and I are innocent for sure. We’re tiny.

Yogi: Step ladders exist.

Maya: Which is obviously what you used, you’re the shortest of all of us --

Harper ceases the arguing with her arrival, essentially banning discussion about the culprit. She wants all of their focus directed towards rehearsal and repairing the set, not trying to pin blame on one another.

Yogi: [ singing under his breath ] No what really matters is the blame, somebody to blame…

The investigation, Harper wants them to leave to the professionals. Which in this case, are Jack and Eric. They saunter their way in as she’s explaining the new rules, discussing heatedly as they make their way up to the stage. It’s clear Jack isn’t exactly pleased to be there, although he grows more somber when he gets a good look at the set piece for the first time.

The class, on the other hand, isn’t impressed.

Nigel: Them? They’re supposed to be our grand detectives?

Jack: Believe me, Mister Chey, there are dozens of ways I’d rather be spending my Saturday.

Harper: Principal Hunter and Mister Matthews have narrowed down problematic students before, and I am sure they’ll be able to do it again.

Jade: Yeah, because they did such a good job with the Confessions page.

The rest of the class agrees, lightly clowning the administrative duo. Like, sure. Let them try their best. No one seems particularly threatened by their involvement, and when Harper dismisses them to get into costume and make-up the three of them regroup.

Jack: How did I somehow end up dragged into yet another episode of Adams Unsolved? As opposed to, you know… running the school like a normal principal?

Eric points out never has his role been “normal.” But whatever, they’ll be able to figure it out. Which launches us into yet another classic Jack & Eric interrogation sequence…

INT. AAA - ERIC’S OFFICE - DAY

Jack paces the office while Eric sits at his desk, both them tossing questions to each student that sits opposite them in the hot seat. The discussion tends to drift to what the class has deemed the most likely suspects, although no theory is exactly concrete.

Clarissa takes the seat first, offering her two cents. From there, it’s a game of popcorn. As each student takes the seat, it’s picking up from the last, but of course none are in conversation with one another.

Clarissa: I’m not going to act like I know anything for certain, but I wouldn’t be surprised if Lucas did it.

Eric: Why’s that?

Sarah: Uh, maybe because… he’s a criminal? You two should know, isn’t there like a mega folder dedicated to chronicling his misdeeds?

Jeff: There’s no way Lucas would do another techie like that. Dave worked so hard on that set piece. He’s sort of a dick, but he wouldn’t go that far.

Yindra: Oh, sure he would. Lucas hasn’t cared about anybody but himself since like, last April. If that. He’s a pissed off white boy, they’ll do anything.

Clarissa: Not to mention he’s already sort of sabotaged the show. He was a good stage manager last year, but it’s been a mess this year. He’s all over the place and angry all the time, and that’s when he elects to show up at all.

Still, there are alternative points to his seemingly obvious guilt. Asher and Dylan are the only two students to be interviewed together, seated next to one another.

Asher: We were finishing unloading set pieces when the prep would’ve occurred, and all at dinner together when the vandalism happened.

Dylan: Yeah, and we all saw each other. Therefore, it could not have been Asher. Or me. Or Lucas.

Jack: And you’re sure you had eyes on all of your fellow technicians? At all times?

Dylan: Sure. There was me and Ash --

Asher: And Jade.

Dylan: And Jeff.

Asher: Nate, Dave --

Dylan: And Lucas. That’s everyone.

Then, of course, Lucas has his own take.

Lucas: All this proves to me is that no one in the junior class has a collective brain cell. I was helping the techies with the supplies haul -- because we’re the only ones who ever do any real work. [ nodding to Eric taking notes ] That’s called an alibi, did you jot that down?

Jack: Okay, okay. Cool it, Lucas.

Lucas: The supply move took about a half an hour, and then we were all at dinner together. Did I watch my friends like a hawk, no, but maybe that’s because I trust them.

Throwback to Eric with Dylan and Asher.

Eric: And you’re sure you saw him. The whole time.

Asher: Beyond a reasonable doubt.

Dylan: We’re sure.

With that confirmation, the mystery grows more befuddling. And Lucas is still defensive, but it’s not clear whether that makes him seem more or less guilty.

Lucas: Besides, why the hell would I destroy the work of a fellow technician? Let alone my friends? I’m one of the only people who gives a shit about what we do. Oh, and then there’s the little detail of uh, I didn’t do it!

Convincing delivery. But Lucas has lied before, so it’s not a guaranteed innocence. There are other potential culprits to consider, however.

Yindra: Lucas’s lame attitude aside, I don’t think he did it. I don’t think he cares enough. Farkle, on the other hand --

Charlie: Farkle has been acting kind of weird lately. Not that I think he did it, but I don’t know, he’s seemed on edge since he came back for school. Which makes sense, you know, given how last year ended...

Darby: If he’s been waiting for a chance to get back at all of us or further his reign of terror, this would certainly be a good move.

Solid points. But then, it still doesn’t seem all that simple.

Farkle: This is ridiculous. I was at home because I was sent home, you can call my parents and confirm. Or ask Miss Burgess.

Eric: People said that the vandalism could’ve occurred before you were picked up. There is a window enough for something like that.

Farkle: Mister Matthews, you saw me yesterday. Did I look itching for a scrap? No. I was tired, so I went home as directed and got some sleep. That’s it.

Logically, there are other holes in his potential guilt as well. He’s not the only one who believes in his innocence.

Jade: I mean, I don’t like Farkle, but it doesn’t make a lot of sense. Why would he sabotage a show where he has the lead?

Nigel: He hasn’t been nearly as rabid this year as he was last year. I get why everyone is automatically pointing fingers at him, but I don’t know, I don’t think vicious destruction is his vibe. Now, if we all suddenly came down with hay fever and lost our voices before opening night, then I might consider he did some kind of witchcraft…

Nate: Minkus is a stone cold bitch, but he cares way too much about his time in the spotlight to throw it away over something so stupid.

Charlie: Also, I saw him when he collapsed. He didn’t look good. I don’t think he would be running off to cause trouble after a fall like that.

Sarah: Oh, come on, is that supposed to be a valid excuse? He’s an actor. He could’ve faked the whole thing for attention. I don’t buy that as an automatic pass.

Then, there’s the third oddball suspect to have been afforded potential blame. He comes back into the conversation after Dave’s choked up explanation, slouched deep in Eric’s chair.

Dave: I swear, I left and everything was fine. It was perfect. Asher and Dylan dragged me out to dinner, but I ate really fast so I could come back and do the final finishing touches. And when I got back, it was a mess. It was --

[ Dave can’t speak further. A bit theatrical, yes, but who are Jack and Eric to judge what’s important to a student. Eric slides his tissue box across the table. ]

Dave: Whoever did it, they were prepared. They knew what they were doing. [ blowing his nose ] So either they already have some experience messing things up, or they took the time to be ready.

This throws back to what was observed quite aptly yesterday, which is that Zay has been having some mysterious absences of his own.

Maya: I mean, yeah, I had to go grab him from the costume loft. Which was kind of weird, since people don’t really hang out in there alone, but I seriously doubt Zay did anything. I mean, come on, he’s Zay.

Zay: I’m Zay, okay? I’m not into petty stuff like this. I have no motive and you all know it. I’ve never been a monster diva. I’m just a talented bitch.

Sarah: His motive is exactly that. He’s never been on the same level as Maya and Farkle, and even though he was the summer camp darling, he’s still playing second fiddle to Minkus. That would drive anybody to action, especially since Farkle sucks.

Riley: There’s no way Zay would do something like this. He is the nicest person at AAA, he would never do something so needlessly cruel.

Eric: But you said so yourself that he didn’t go with you for dinner. That he wanted to take some time alone.

Riley: Yes, but… that’s not the point. When he said that, I doubt he meant he wanted to go vandalize the set.

Isadora: I highly doubt it was Zay. He’s just the third party suspect people throw in there so it’s more exciting. He has no motive, and definitely doesn’t fit the profile for potential insanity the way the other two do. The only thing he’s missing is --

Eric: An alibi. If you can give me concrete facts on where you were, then we can clear this and call your whole involvement moot.

Zay: I told you, I went to the dressing room to take a breather and was out to dinner within like, five minutes. That’s not enough time to cause carnage that great.

Jack: If you were prepared, it might be. People said you were difficult to find before you all were dismissed for dinner.

Zay, exasperated: This is inane! I was in the costume loft, Maya saw me.

Jack: But she didn’t see what you were doing. And the costume loft is the perfect place to hide some items if you’re planning to do damage, based on proximity alone.

Eric: Is there anything else you can give us to work with? Anything to prove that you were there when you said you were. Did anybody else see you? Anybody that can vouch for what you were doing?

Zay holds his tongue, obviously thinking. There sure is one option, but whether he’ll talk…

INT. AAA - JACK’S OFFICE - DAY

Case in point, Jack and Eric are exhausted when they wrap up their initial round of conversations. Their takeaway is essentially the same as the class -- that there are two clear obvious suspects and then Zay, but without concrete evidence to his innocence it’s hard to give him a pass while they’re still investigating the other two.

At least, Jack states, they can effectively decide on a punishment. Regardless of who did it, the punishment should be the same, and it should be swift. Eric is a bit surprised by Jack’s rigid stance on this, but he doesn’t argue the point. There’s no point in stressing about punishment when they have no one to punish.

From their outsider perspective, this is going to be tough. It would be more effective to be on the front lines...

INT. AAA - DRESSING ROOM HALL - DAY

Which is exactly what Isadora is thinking as she goes to find Riley. She pulls her aside, checking that they’re in agreement that Zay being under investigation is insane. She proposes that the two of them work together to suss out the true culprit themselves -- or at least, clear Zay’s name, since he doesn’t seem too keen to do it for himself. Isadora also feels bad about all of Dave’s hard work being destroyed, and if she can bring the perpetrator to justice it might get her back in good graces with the techies.

Riley is desperate to help, and the possibility of reconnecting with Isadora through the mystery is a no-brainer. She declares she’s in, shaking hands with her to seal the partnership.

INT. AAA - AUDITORIUM - DAY

Song Cue ♫ ♪ “He Did It” as performed by Curtains Original Broadway Cast || Performed by AAA Juniors

[ Lyrics specific to characters -- follow along here! ]

Although Harper specifically instructed the juniors not to speculate any further, they are hardly going to listen to such a directive. When the cast and crew break for lunch, a series of hushed discussions further deepen the suspicions against our prime suspects. Meanwhile, Dave snoozes in front of the set piece, so protective over it now that he can hardly leave it.

While their classmates share theories, Riley and Isadora eavesdrop and take notes for themselves. They exchange eyebrow raises and inquisitive looks as they creep around the set pieces, aiming not to be noticed by their gossiping peers. Following along with the slightly altered lyrics in this case is a must for the full effect.

As the round begins and the accusations build up, the number comes to an end with Lucas, Farkle, and Zay being backed into one another center stage, their classmates mocking their obvious guilt. But which one actually did it -- if any of them at all?

INT. AAA - JANITOR’S CLOSET - DAY

That’s for Riley and Isadora to attempt to deduce. They’ve taken inspiration from the likes of Buzzfeed Unsolved and American Vandal, using HARLEY KEINER’S office as a home base to set up their mystery board and compile evidence. He assures them he’ll help in whatever way he can, just to give him a holler if they need his assistance.

Thusly, the two amateur detectives start putting together a more comprehensive rundown of the timeline of the vandalism. This includes threading together texts, timestamps, in-person sightings, anything they’ve got. They’re mostly focused on clearing Zay, but if they can narrow down the actual culprit at the same time, then even better.

INT. AAA - DANCE STUDIO - DAY

Zay is less concerned about clearing his name, seeing as it seems fruitless anyway. He’s running through choreography with Charlie in their usual studio, the subject only coming up when the latter brings it up.

He comments on how harsh the accusations seem to be getting, wondering if Zay is feeling okay. He doesn’t deserve to be under the gun like this. Zay shrugs it off, claiming that people always talk. Still, it’s unfair, and Charlie clearly feels for him.

Charlie: It still sucks. Especially because you of all people deserve it the least. I wish there was something we could do, I wish I could help.

Zay hesitates, contemplating whether bringing the issue up is even worth it. But Charlie is looking at him, full of sincerity, so he decides it’s worth a shot. He starts to say that there is a way he could help… by saying that he saw him in the costume loft and he wasn’t doing anything nefarious. The only reason people are still on him is because he doesn’t have an “alibi,” so if he says something…

Charlie’s expression shifts in an instant, going from empathetic to wary.

Charlie: Are you kidding? No way.

Zay: Listen, you wouldn’t even have to say what you were doing there. Just that you happened to see me, maybe at a different time than Maya. Or even just that we crossed paths. Eric isn’t going to grill you --

Charlie: No. No, man, I can’t do that.

Zay: Why not? You said you wanted to help. It won’t matter why you were there, you won’t even have to say --

Charlie, sharply: Yeah? What is the only reason people go to the costume loft, Zay?

Zay makes a face, conceding this point. He figured this wasn’t going to go anywhere, but Charlie’s reaction is admittedly stronger than he anticipated. He’s pacing, breathing uneven as he continues to refute the possibility. He’s on the verge of full-blown panic, a wild look in his eyes as he repeats his refusal.

Charlie: I can’t. No. No, Zay. I can’t, I’m sorry, I can’t --

Zay: Okay. Okay… okay! Charlie, hey --

Zay takes his arms, getting him to stop moving and look at him. He shifts his hands from his arms to his shoulders to his face, trying to get him to calm down.

Zay: It’s okay, alright? Charlie, look at me. You don’t have to do anything. It’s fine.

Charlie, breathless: Well -- well what are you gonna do?

Zay: I don’t know, I’ll figure something out. But it’s okay. It’s gonna be fine. Okay?

Charlie gulps, catching his breath and nodding. Trying to believe it’s true and come back from the edge. After a moment he pulls Zay into a hug, holding him tightly and tucking his head into his shoulder. Zay returns the embrace.

From the way he holds him, it’s so incredibly clear how important Zay is to Charlie. How much he cares about him, how much comfort he gives him and how safe he feels with him. He can’t fathom losing that just yet… even if the chances of problems are slim, it feels like too much to risk...

INT. AAA - AUDITORIUM - DAY

Song Cue ♫ ♪ “Giants In The Sky” as performed by Into the Woods Original Broadway Cast || Performed by Charlie Gardner

A bold transition from the soft intensity of his moment with Zay, Charlie’s eyes are wide and shining in the stage lights as he launches into this energized soliloquy.

Jack’s fictional dilemma of straddling the worlds of giant and mundane somehow perfectly encapsulates Charlie’s own current conundrum -- the pull between being a good Catholic boy, the perfect son, the world of “the roof, the house, and your mother at the door,” versus… well, being himself. Unapologetically. Without hesitation.

A world dazzling and elusive enough to be compared to the fantasy world of giants.

Much like his rendition of “Empty Chairs” from last year’s musical, the solo is bursting with emotion. Despite how he’s handling things personally, there’s no doubt that Charlie knows how to deliver a performance -- even when he so often fades into the background.

INT. MATTHEWS APARTMENT - NIGHT

The full Matthews clan is assembled for the first family dinner in a spell, TOPANGA LAWRENCE keeping up light conversation. Riley and AUGGIE MATTHEWS engage with her, but CORY MATTHEWS mostly keeps his eyes on his plate. Riley can tell that something is up, much in the same way she sensed the dread of the divorce before the blow actually landed.

Topanga doesn’t make her wait too long for the other shoe to drop. As they’re finishing up, she calmly explains that now that the divorce is nearly finalized, things are going to start changing a bit around here. Most imminently, Topanga is going to be moving out of the apartment and into her own place in Midtown.

Riley is totally floored by this development. The notion of her mother actually leaving makes it feel… real, like she is not going to be present in her life all the time any longer. She worriedly asks if Topanga is still going to be around -- is she coming to Into the Woods? -- but her mother brushes off her worries with easy confidence. She’s simply moving to Midtown, not evaporating.

Even still, the revelation is gobsmacking. Silence settles over the meal, Cory notably mute as Riley eyes him across the table. Topanga changes the subject nonchalantly, as if the impact of the moment has already passed.

INT. AAA - ERIC’S OFFICE - NIGHT

Eric and Jack are still at school, working together to organize their testimonies and search for possible clues they might’ve missed. But there’s no clear trajectory, and both of them are well aware there’s a good chance half of the students are lying anyway.

Also, the fact that Jack is distracted doesn’t help. He’s constantly being pulled away from the brainstorm by text messages, his work-life balance equally present at school as at home. Although it’s not a crime to keep his girlfriend updated on their status, Eric isn’t taking to it well. He clears his throat to regain Jack’s attention.

Once they get back to discussing, Jack wonders why they’re still here anyway. Clearly they don’t have an answer, and what should matter is making the consequences of such behavior clear. If they can’t figure out who did it and give them the rightful punishment -- suspension, likely -- then they may as well do some sort of moderate penalization to all three prime suspects and call it a day.

Eric is confused by this perspective, especially coming from Jack. What happened to innocent until proven guilty? And furthermore, this is a far cry from the man who was so torn up over how to handle the removal of a student who was proven guilty only a few months ago.

Jack: Yeah, and how much good did that end up doing, huh? Everything is still in shambles.

Ah. So we’re not handling that as well as we thought. Eric starts to try and get him to talk about it, but Jack shrugs it off. The point is, when the time comes someone will have to face the music. Anne Marie is an attorney, and this is the kind of business she deals with all the time. If there’s no consequences, then no one will ever learn the status quo.

As the girlfriend comes up in conversation again, it’s Eric’s turn to react off the cuff. He points out that Anne Marie doesn’t work at AAA, and this isn't court. It’s high school, and their focus is on the kids and trying to figure out why they’re making the decisions they are rather than coldly punishing them for them. At least, that’s his approach...

Jack is offended at the insinuation, firing back that Eric knows damn well how much he cares about this school and the students. It’s not his fault someone has to be the authoritarian, because if he doesn’t, then chaos reigns as it has for the last six months.

The tension between them is palpable, and suddenly it’s as though they’re back in time. Arguing about the same old things, criticizing one another for things they thought they had moved past or come to appreciate. Jack backs off first, claiming this is going nowhere and they’ll just have to see where things go. They’re not doing anyone any good by snapping at each other.

As Jack departs, Eric settles into his desk chair. He watches where Jack left, shaking his head. Obviously not sure why he got so heated in the first place.

INT. AAA - AUDITORIUM - DAY

As the last three days of rehearsal roll around, the mood is decidedly frantic. People have grown less concerned with who amongst them is a vandal and more so with being able to go on for opening night at all. The techies are running on overdrive to repair the set piece, which is no comparison to its former glory.

Amidst the chaos before another run through, Isadora gets a call. It’s from VALERIE DE LA CRUZ, who beats around the bush before regrettably letting her know that something unexpected came up and she won’t be able to make the show anymore. Promotion for a new project, or something, that she wishes she could blow off…

Isadora swallows her shock, playing it cool on the phone. She assures her it’s no big deal, and she nods along as Valerie apologizes and promises they’ll see each other soon. But as soon as she’s through with the conversation her demeanor shifts. Suddenly, all the chaos around her is too loud, too imposing. She has to get out of there.

She retreats and makes a dash for the dressing room hall. Lucas notices from across the stage at the stage manager’s podium, expression shifting from its recently adopted constant state of irritation. He passes off his binder to Asher offhandedly, going after her.

INT. AAA - HALLWAY - DAY

Lucas wanders at a jog through the halls, clueing in to where Isadora is once he hears her light cursing. He finds her a bit away down the hall, slouched against the lockers on the floor and hiding her head in her hands.

Instantly softer, Lucas approaches and settles down at a crouch next to her. She’s startled at first but seems relieved when it’s only him. Without even saying anything, Lucas reads her expression and gets a sense.

Lucas: It’s Valerie. Isn't it?

There’s no point in denying it. Isadora huffs, nodding and twisting a piece of her costume. Lucas drops down to lean back against the lockers with her, scoffing in distaste.

Lucas: I always knew she was full of shit.

Isadora: I know, I know. “I told you so.”

Lucas: No, I don’t mean it like… look, Dora, it’s fucked that she did that. And you have the right to be pissed about it. I get that you’re trying to, like, open a dialogue with her or whatever, but you don’t have to let her push you around. And you shouldn’t feel bad for being upset that she dropped you again.

Fair points. Tough to hear right now, but it is nice to have someone unquestionably in her corner. She nods, giving him a weak smile and taking a deep breath.

Lucas: … you know, it’s her loss. Her fucking loss if she’s willing to drop Isadora Samantha Miracle “Smackle” De La Cruz.

Isadora: [ with a small laugh ] Did you really have to use the full name?

Lucas: Yeah.

Isadora: Careful. If you don’t stop, people are going to think you give a shit.

Lucas’s turn to laugh. It’s a dry humor, flat delivery from both, but reflects something effortless between them that’s felt off-key lately. Lucas tilts his head and gives her a lazy smirk, causing her to roll her eyes. But when she looks away, she’s smiling too. Something might be clicking back into place…

Until it’s not. The peace is disrupted moments later as Maya flurries into the hall, heels of her boots clicking and voice almost louder than usual as she rushes over to them.

Maya: Hey, I got your text. What the hell happened?

Lucas tosses a puzzled look to Maya, wondering what she’s doing there. It takes him a second to realize her words indicate that Isadora beckoned her -- before she even thought of him. He immediately grows stiff again as Maya comes to crouch in front of Isadora.

The conversation takes an interesting turn as both of them attempt to occupy the space and comfort her, taking very different approaches. Whereas Lucas defends Isadora’s feelings and digs his heels in further about Valerie being reprehensible, Maya encourages her to take a more logical approach. They both know Valerie is busy, and there’s no way this is personal. It sucks, no doubt about that, but no use in getting so fired up about it.

It’s clear Lucas finds Maya’s level head in this situation ironic given her usual behavior. But more than that he feels extraneous, like he doesn’t even need to be there at all. And if he hears one more earnest defense of Valerie De La Cruz, he might projectile vomit. So he excuses himself, bitterly leaving Maya to take over the comforting.

Maya asks if there’s anything she can do, but Isadora claims she just needs a little bit of time to regroup. Maya gives her that, assuring her she’ll catch her up if anything happens in rehearsal before leaving her on her own.

As Isadora pulls herself up off the floor, she takes a long, deep breath. Then she adjusts her costume on her shoulders, the red cape on her shoulders reminding her that she has a major role. And she earned that on her own.

Jeff appears at the end of the hall, calling for her and stating that they’re getting ready for her solo. Eyes blazing with emotion, Isadora nods and marches back towards the auditorium.

INT. AAA - AUDITORIUM - DAY

Song Cue ♫ ♪ “I Know Things Now” as performed by Into the Woods Original Broadway Cast || Performed by Isadora De La Cruz

Isadora delivers a great rendition of her musical solo, the whole performance alight with a certain edge only she could bring to the role. She’s channeling all of the frustration over how this situation has panned out, reflecting how she was tricked by The Wolf (Valerie, in this case) rather than listening to the well-intentioned but rigid sense of her granny (Lucas).

Towards the end, we see Isa leave the stage, her performance over, and check her phone. She has a text from Valerie on the lock screen, but Isa locks her phone and puts it aside.

INT. AAA - BOYS DRESSING ROOM - NIGHT

Zay is touching up a piece of his costume when Farkle enters, the two of them making eye contact in the mirror. Neither of them say anything at first as Farkle heads to his station at the counter, but Zay opts to break the silence.

Zay: It’s fine, you can speak. Given that we’re both suspects in this shitshow of a crime mockumentary, I guess I hardly have the right to act like I’m above your complaints.

Farkle shrugs, claiming he doesn’t have any complaints. The moment this happened he was a guaranteed target, which may very well be what the perpetrator wanted anyway. He finds it more odd that Zay doesn’t seem to be doing much to defend himself, if he’s so innocent. Especially given that from what he’s sussed out, if no one comes forward it’s more than likely all three of them are going to be punished.

This is news to Zay. He scowls and slams down his make-up bag on the counter, fed up.

Zay: This is such bullshit. What, my classmates all decide they’re the Supreme Court and put me on trial for no reason, and suddenly that’s as good as guilty? All because someone had to have another meltdown?

Farkle: Well, don’t look at me. I didn’t do it.

Zay glares at him, obviously disbelieving. But Farkle seems serious, his lack of theatricality lending a weird credibility to his statement. The two of them have their stare down, searching for the cracks in each other’s facade…

When commotion from the dressing room hall breaks them out of it. Yogi darts in, out of breath and somewhere between thrilled and panicked.

Yogi: It’s finally happened. It’s jungle madness.

Zay and Farkle exchange bewildered looks, running to follow Yogi out.

INT. AAA - AUDITORIUM - NIGHT

Tensions seem to be at a boiling point in more places than just the dressing room, and from unlikely culprits at that. The progression of a scene has been derailed by a section of the new set piece falling apart, causing the nearly decapitated Maya to throw some choice words at the technicians. Jade and Asher have stepped up to take defense against the performers, and voices are already at high volume when Zay and Farkle arrive.

Jade points out that all the performers ever do is criticize, when the whole thing could’ve been fixed far more efficiently if they chipped in like they were supposed to. Asher questions if they all magically forgot everything they learned about tech last year, to which Maya retorts that maybe if the set design wasn’t so damn complicated in the first place, they wouldn’t be having this conversation.

Dylan, loudly: Hey, fuck off, beauty queen.

[ The assembled cast and crew reacts accordingly, surprised and somewhat amused. ]

Asher: Dyl, it’s fine, I can handle myself. [ to Maya ] Fuck off, beauty queen!

It’s clear the negative mojo is spreading like wildfire. Riley attempts to get the arguing to stop as Lucas jogs down from the booth with Jeff, questioning what the hell is going on. The performers continue to rail on how everything has fallen apart because of this damn set piece and now the replacement looks like garbage, and Dave finally snaps.

Dave: Well tell that to whichever one of you bent muppets did this in the first place!

Once again the blame train is running, only this time it crashes. The shouting quickly escalates and suddenly the scuffle turns physical, people launching at one another in a frenzy. Dylan holds back Asher by the waist, keeping him from going full scrappy. Lucas leaps in and attempts to hold Dave back from charging half of the ensemble. Charlie yells for everyone to cut it out, getting yanked out of the way by Zay before Sarah can elbow him on accident.

As Harper and Shawn rush in and start pulling people apart, Riley and Isadora zero in on a couple of interesting features to the brawl. Isadora is focused on Lucas, who has allowed Shawn to handle Dave and is keeping Dylan and Asher from completely throwing down with Maya. Something about the moment seems to stand out to her, just slightly off…

Shawn effectively halts the fight, effectively getting them all to head in different directions. He spits out a criticism, obviously over the tension.

Shawn: Have you all gone feral? Absolutely ridiculous!

Harper angrily declares that they all need to cool off and separate. They need to be back in fifteen, and the next person who causes any trouble is out of the production. Doesn’t matter if they’re stage crew of the star of the show.

Riley has her eyes on the opposite end of the room, where a security camera has caught her attention. It’s not facing the stage where the fight is unfolding, but rather a more promising angle -- a perfect view of the costume loft doors.

INT. AAA - JANITOR’S CLOSET - NIGHT

Isadora and Riley eagerly regroup, the latter launching into a breathless explanation of what she noticed. There’s a camera that’s directly facing the costume loft, which is what Zay’s alibi hinges on. If they can get access to the footage and prove that he never returned to the loft within the time stamps of the crime, then they can clear him.

They ask Harley for help, considering he is the local secret tech guru and likely has access to the servers to look at that section of the tape.

Harley: Technically, it would go against the janitorial code to share security intel with students just based on a simple request…

Isadora: We’re not asking to goof around, Janitor Harley. This is a quest for justice.

Riley: All we need is that one section. Please, it’s for a friend. A really good friend.

It seems like Harley is considering it. He gives them both an eyebrow raise.

INT. AAA - BLACK BOX THEATER - NIGHT

Shawn comes to find Harper, commenting that whatever just happened was a major clusterfuck. How the hell does she plan to deal with this? Feeling cornered and overwhelmed, Harper finally lashes out at Shawn.

Harper: Oh, how am I going to deal with it? I’m amazed you don’t already have all the answers. I’m shocked you haven’t already written down every possible solution I could offer and have some snarky, neckbeard rebuttal to every single one!

Shawn is stunned by the dig, starting to defend himself. Only Harper isn’t finished -- she’s far from finished. She posits that part of the reason everything is such a mess is on him, and their inability to work together. That’s on him, because since the moment she arrived he has done nothing but belittle and sabotage her and offer not one shred of solidarity.

Harper: I don’t know what midlife crisis you’re working through, Hunter. I’m sorry I’m not your beautiful, powerhouse girlfriend, and that I’m not here to have sexually charged banter with you when our focus should be on the students. But all I’ve done since I got here is try, and I know for a fact the same cannot be said for you. So before you dish out all the responsibility onto me, I think perhaps you should take a quick look in the mirror you clearly hardly bother to look into on a daily basis.

She doesn’t give him the chance to respond, storming past him. Shawn blinks, trying to absorb what the hell just happened. He glances at his reflection in the mirror wall, tentatively touching at his scruffy beard.

Shawn, petulantly: It is not a neckbeard…

INT. AAA - ERIC’S OFFICE - DAY

We’re close on a laptop, playing the security footage from the costume loft camera. The seconds are ticking by fast, the film on fast forward as Riley searches for the right time stamp. She and Isadora are leaning over either of Eric’s shoulders.

Eric: And how exactly did you get access to this again?

Riley: Don’t worry about it.

Isadora: A respectable investigator never outs their sources, Mister Matthews.

Well, hard to argue with that. Riley doesn’t give him the opportunity anyway, letting out an exhale as she claims she’s found the correct moment.

We’re looking at the doors outside the costume loft, the footage a little grainy due to the lighting and in classic conspiratorial black-and-white. As stated in his alibi, the three of them watch Zay duck into the costume loft. Riley jumps forward a bit, showing the moment Maya enters to retrieve him and he follows out a moment later.

For a second, the clip keeps running… potentially long enough to reveal another junior leaving the costume loft during that same sequence. But right before Charlie emerges from the doors, Riley pauses and jumps forward in the timeline.

The evidence as good as proves it as she lands on the time frame of the vandalism -- Zay never returned to the costume loft. If he was prepping something in there, they would’ve seen him retrieve it. Yet, there’s absolutely nothing to see.

Eric seems pleased to agree that the footage is pretty damning. He feels confident marking Zay off as a suspect. Riley and Isadora exchange relieved smiles, high-fiving behind their counselor. Then they rush back to rehearsal, Riley giving Eric a quick side hug before she goes.

Once they leave, Eric watches the clip back again to double check their findings. Everything checks out, so there’s nothing more to see… only this time he doesn’t hit pause so quickly. He jots down some notes instead, lifting his gaze just in time to see Charlie emerging from the costume loft a few minutes after Zay.

Eric frowns, reaching forward and rewinding to make sure he saw that correctly. He might’ve misseen it, or made it up -- it’s almost a blink-and-you-miss-it exit.

But no. That’s definitely Charlie Gardner, accounted for in the costume loft at the same time that Zay was supposedly in there alone.

He may not be a student, but Eric has been a beloved faculty member at AAA long enough to know the reputation the costume loft has. Suddenly, Zay’s reason for being there is crystal clear -- as well as why he couldn’t provide a compelling alibi considering the shock of seeing Charlie was strong enough to cause him to double take.

Eric absorbs this new bombshell, the frivolity of the vandalism now old news.

INT. AAA - JACK’S OFFICE - DAY

Harper has reached her breaking point. She’s in tears as she occupies the chair opposite Jack’s, succumbing to the pressures of an admittedly rough transition. For all the effort she’s putting into it, the impact she wants to make, nothing seems to be working out. Everything is just friction, not forward momentum.

Jack allows her vent, listening intently. He apologizes again on behalf of the junior class, and commends her for taking the initiative to connect with this particularly challenging group of students so seriously. They’re lucky to have her, even if they don’t realize it yet.

After she’s calmed down a bit, Harper thanks him. She tells him sincerely that he’s a good administrator, a sentiment that clearly touches him given how out of balance he’s felt about his position as of late.

Jack: Yes, well, I’m sure some of them would disagree with you. I’m not exactly the most popular faculty member here at Triple A.

Harper: From what I can tell, you’re the only reason it’s still running. Your unique combination of compassion and authority is what is keeping it from burning itself to the ground.

Jack laughs, thanking her for the support. Pulling herself together, Harper gears up to go face the beast once again. Before she leaves, however, she requests that when Jack and Eric figure out who vandalized the set, they let her know. She wants the responsibility of bringing them down -- and if possible, she wants them expelled.

Clearly, Harper is not happy with how her first production has been so drastically derailed. Jack nods along, still on his authoritarian kick.

Jack: Believe me, Miss Burgess, justice will be dealt.

She nods appreciatively, stepping out.

INT. AAA - JANITOR’S CLOSET - DAY

Mission mostly accomplished, Riley and Isadora begin taking down their investigation materials. Although they work in content silence, Riley takes the initiative to state how nice it was to work with Isadora again. To be on the same page.

For what it’s worth, Isadora feels the same. They exchange tentative smiles.

Isadora: You know, given how much of a mess things seem to be no matter what we try to do… I don’t see why I should be willingly giving up a friend.

Riley’s smile widens. Finally, something falling back into place. Not the same as it was, but better than nothing.

As she finishes gathering her things, Riley claims it’s a shame they weren’t able to narrow down the actual culprit. Even though they were able to clear Zay’s name. Isadora agrees, giving her a nod as she heads out.

Only as soon as she’s gone, Isadora launches back into action. She doesn’t seem at all finished with the investigation, going through certain pieces of evidence one final time and putting pieces together. Perhaps she knows more than she’s letting on…

INT. MAYA’S APARTMENT - NIGHT

Katy is up late, doing research on her laptop and looking particularly drained. It’s hard to see what she’s looking up, but a couple of photos appear to be buildings of some kind. She changes the window as soon as Maya enters, having just finished her nightly routine and picking up her pre-sleep tea from the countertop.

While she has her attention, Maya enthusiastically reminds Katy to purchase her tickets for Into the Woods when they go on pre-sale tomorrow. Not that they’ll sell out, likely, but Maya wants to make sure she’s front and center for her grand performance as The Witch.

From the expression on her face, whatever Katy says next is not going to be pleasant. She gently informs Maya that she has to work a double shift that night, so she won’t be able to make it. Things are sort of tight right now financially, and she doesn’t know if she can spare the ticket.

Maya nearly drops her tea. She doesn’t understand what the big deal is. Money is always tight, and this is one of her dream roles. Katy knows how much this show means to her. She already told her she’d be there. Can’t there be an exception? Just for opening night?

It’s evident that she wants to make an exception more than anything… but for whatever reason, her hands seem to be more tied than usual. Katy apologizes profusely, but Maya merely swallows the disappointment and says she’s heading to bed. But the darkness of the news looms over them, and perfectly sets the tone for Maya’s launch into her lament…

INT. AAA - AUDITORIUM - NIGHT

Song Cue ♫ ♪ “Lament” as performed by Into the Woods Original Broadway Cast || Performed by Maya Hart

Maya spins to face the stage lights, in full costume and makeup for the glamorous version of The Witch. The only thing more stunning than her appearance are her vocals, cutting through the heartbreak of the solo like a knife. It’s haunting, setting the perfect backdrop…

INT. AAA - BLACK BOX THEATER - DAY

For Isadora’s meeting with Principal Hunter. She thanks him for meeting her during the lunch hour, expressing that she thinks she has evidence that might help him solve the vandalism case. She explains that she observed some odd behavior during the fight that broke out at rehearsal, and it tipped her off. So she went back to look through the evidence... and things don’t add up.

Jack takes a look at the timeline she hands him, his expression difficult to read. He doesn’t look triumphant or pleased, that’s for sure. Isadora doesn’t either, simply stating that he should go back and look more closely into the student testimonials -- a couple in particular... but maybe not as a couple at all.

INT. AAA - JACK’S OFFICE - DAY

This is how Jack ends up sitting down with Dylan and Asher, only separately this time around rather than as a given duo. As he discusses with each of them, under the casual guise of just double checking his sources, it becomes clear that there are holes in their story. The moment they’re not together to back one another up, their airtight delivery falls apart somewhat.

Asher claims that around the time of what would’ve been prep for the vandalism, Lucas was holding the door so that Nate and Jade could move a stack of wood; Dylan claims that he was with him unloading the Jeep. However, when Jack goes back to read the testimonies of Jade and Nate about their role in the supplies move, Lucas is never mentioned.

INT. AAA - BLACK BOX THEATER - DAY

Isadora concludes her explanation, stating that the reason she got suspicious was because Lucas jumped in to stop the fight during rehearsal rather than join in or egg them on. Not that he revels in destruction, but if she knows anything about him, it’s that he never lets someone else take the fall for his actions. He wasn’t going to let the performers get roughed up for something they didn’t cause -- even one as aggravating as Maya.

She also begs Jack not to say anything about her involvement -- that she remain anonymous. He gives her a nod, looking back at the evidence solemnly.

INT. AAA - JACK’S OFFICE - NIGHT

We’re following Lucas and his snapback from behind as he makes his way through the halls of AAA, there early to help set up for opening night. He knocks on Jack’s door, claiming that he asked to see him. Jack nods, gesturing him inside and to shut the door behind him.

The conversation starts off with their usual rapport and comfort, Lucas slouching into his chair across the desk from where Jack is standing. He states cheekily that they should probably make this quick, as he’s got lots of stage managing to do and all that. Jack promises not to take too much of his time, beginning a subtle and targeted questioning of how Lucas recalls the day of the vandalism. It seems like they’re simply still beating a dead horse, but he plays along anyway, not even realizing he’s being interrogated until about halfway through.

And by that point, it’s too late. He’s slipped up, said a couple of things that don’t line up with his original alibi or conflict with the other techie testimonies. Then Jack pulls out all the stops, the discussion growing tenser and quicker with each piece of evidence he stacks against him. As he starts laying out the timeline of how things really happened --

INT. AAA - FLASHBACK - NIGHT

We see it unfold in real time. Lucas taking his longer look at the treasured set piece, then ducking out of supplies haul and techie dinner to make moves. Asher and Dylan notice him disappear at dinner, but merely exchange a look and don’t say anything about it.

The flashbacks unravel with Jack’s pointed narration -- and Lucas’s protests -- heightening in intensity right up to the moment flashback Lucas makes the first dent in the set piece and begins the vandalism. Just as the screen is shrouded in black by falling debris --

INT. AAA - JACK’S OFFICE - NIGHT

Finally, finally, Lucas cracks.

Lucas: Alright, ALRIGHT! I did it, is that what you want to hear? It was me! I fucked up the set piece!

The office is cold with silence. Lucas tries to hold Jack’s gaze until he can’t take it any longer, falling back in the chair again and tearing his eyes away.

Jack doesn’t speak with anger when he addresses him again. It’s a gentle disappointment, and admittedly confused. He asks if the vandalism was worth it, why he thought any of it was a good idea in the first place.

Jack: And I don’t understand… to have Asher and Dylan lie for you?

Lucas: I didn’t ask them to --

Jack: And what about Dave? Did whatever you were trying to deal with feel better when one of your good friends had to see their own hard work destroyed?

Lucas: [ almost inaudible ] You don’t get it.

Jack: You’re right, I don’t! I don’t get it, Lucas! So look at me and tell me why the hell you did this --

Lucas: Because it doesn’t even matter!

Lucas’s outburst is fierce, his anger more volcanic than it’s been all semester. Jack found a way to light the fuse and now he’s explosive, ranting about how everything they’re all obsessing over all the time is so stupid and means absolutely nothing. Why should it matter if a set piece gets ruined, when no one cares about what the techies do anyway? Why should it matter if his friends lie, when no one is even going to remember they were here in five years because no one cares about them anyway? It’s a stupid high school show, at a stupid fucking school, where his only talent is messing everything up because he’s a nobody who was never meant to be here anyway.

Lucas: So yeah, I did it. Do whatever you’re going to do. Suspend me, kick me out for good, drop me off the catwalk! I don’t care. I don’t care, none of it fucking MATTERS!

The declaration hangs in the oppressive quiet. Because despite the words he’s saying, it’s pretty clear Lucas does care -- from the way his cheeks are flushed, the way his voice cracks, how it’s almost like he can’t breathe. And the only reason he’s able to look Jack in the eyes and basically dare him to do his worst is because that’s what he wants.

He’s searching for punishment, because he thinks he deserves it.

Eventually Lucas can’t take it anymore, shaking his head and hiding in his hands. Jack stares at him, obviously deep in thought. He’s been preaching about the swift soundness of consequences all investigation long, and finally, the time has come to deliver it...

INT. MATTHEWS APARTMENT - NIGHT

Riley is gearing up to get ready to go, duffle bag ready on the couch. Before she grabs it, she gets a notification on her phone from Instagram. Yindra has tagged her in a series of photos, featuring throwback pictures from Les Mis and a caption encouraging people to come to opening night of Into the Woods to see the same crew pull off another insane performance.

Seeing the Les Mis photos is a true shock. It feels like a million years ago, and as she flips through them again she can’t help but ruminate on how much has changed for the worse. Maya’s tantrum aside, everyone was in much better spirits at the time. She had a tentative friendship with Charlie. She wasn’t on the rocks with the techies. In fact, there’s a particularly cute moment captured of Riley, Isadora, and Lucas in the background of one of Yindra’s photos, prompting Riley to go into her photos and take a look for herself.

It’s all too much. The pictures with Lucas, the photos taken with both her parents, when now one of them is stepping out of their home for good.

Before she knows it she’s in tears, wiping at them frantically without much success. Cory enters from the hall, asking if she’s ready to head out until he realizes what’s happening. He jogs over to join her on the couch, questioning what’s going on and trying to get her to talk to him.

Riley shakes her head wordlessly, trying to catch her breath and stop the tears. She hates crying enough in front of people, let alone her parents. But she’s hit a wall, and there’s no stopping them. She admits that this year is like freshman year all over again.

Riley: Yeah, I’m no longer the target, but no one is happy. People that should be supporting one another are at war. And now my mom is walking out of my life, and it’s like… everything is falling apart. When does it stop? [ tearfully ] I can’t do this alone.

Cory makes her look at him, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. He’s deeply serious as he assures her that just because Topanga is moving out of the apartment does not mean she’s disappearing. And that aside, she is not alone. She is going to get through this, and be stronger for it. But she’s not ever going to do it alone.

Song Cue ♫ ♪ “No One Is Alone” as performed by Into the Woods Original Broadway Cast || Performed by Cory Matthews & Jack Hunter (feat. Riley Matthews & Lucas James Friar)

Cory softly leads us into the first verse of the emotional heart of the musical, attempting to comfort his kind-hearted, empathetic daughter (“Mother cannot guide you, now you’re on your own / Only me beside you, still you’re not alone”). For once, Riley opts to accept the comfort, leaning into him and absorbing the sentiment for all that it’s worth.

INT. AAA - JACK’S OFFICE - NIGHT

As Jack continues to look at Lucas, something in his expression shifts. All plans and procedures go out the window as he takes on the second verse, vaguely insinuating that perhaps there isn’t such a simple solution (“Wrong things, right things / Who can say what’s true?”) It’s evident that he isn’t going to rat him out, and Lucas lifting his head to stare at him in surprise emphasizes how unprecedented it is.

It’s behind them now, but Jack’s continued words of advice serve as a warning to his wayward trouble-making technician (“You move just a finger / Say the slightest word / Something’s bound to linger, be heard / No one acts alone, careful, no one is alone”). He comes around the front of the desk and leans closer, Lucas hanging on his every word. It’s clear that he’ll protect him, but he can’t protect him against everything. He has to be careful...

Together, Jack and Cory go on with the themes about why people make mistakes, both of the moments between mentor and mentee feeling distinctly familial. And as the final chorus unfolds and Riley and Lucas quietly join in, a montage of small moments within other important bonds highlight the exact message that the song is attempting to convey.

Charlie accepts a hug from ELEANOR GARDNER as he heads out the door, wishing him the best of luck. AMBROSE GARDNER gives him a proud nod from his arm chair in the living room.

Haley, Nigel, Clarissa, Yindra, and Zay toast at Chubbie’s, enjoying a quick pre-show meal before showing up for call time.

Eric reunites with ANGELA MOORE as she shows up for opening night, giving him an enthusiastic hug in his office as Shawn watches fondly from the doorway.

The techie crew sans Lucas and Isadora is meeting for their pre-show hangout, laughing together and hyping one another up. They all give Dave a group hug, considering the production cycle he’s had.

INT. AAA - GIRLS DRESSING ROOM - NIGHT

The last of the montage moments belongs to Isadora, who gets a call from Valerie that she opts to answer. Although we don’t hear the conversation, it’s clear from the joy that takes over her features that it’s good news. She excitedly grabs Maya’s attention, sharing the news with her.

Although she’s putting on a happy face for Isadora, it’s clear something about the news stings. Maya chews her lip as Isadora gets back to the call, the believability of her enthusiasm fading.

INT. AAA - BOYS DRESSING ROOM - NIGHT

And as the song comes to an end, we’re back with Farkle -- who is, in fact, quite alone. Behind him, Yogi and Nigel are doing a quick costume change and discussing how opening night is going so far, indicating that we’re already well into Act II. Neither of them acknowledge Farkle as they head out again, although it doesn’t seem to faze him.

INT. AAA - DRESSING ROOM HALL - NIGHT

He lets out a sigh as he heads back into the dressing room hall, quiet save for the light sound from the stage leaking through the doors to the wings.

That is, until he thinks he hears something else. He listens carefully as the sound of crying becomes clearer, coming from the girls dressing room.

INT. AAA - GIRLS DRESSING ROOM - NIGHT

Maya is in there alone, attempting to stifle her tears. She keeps trying to take deep breaths and bring it back, but sometimes emotion demands to be felt.

Farkle pokes his head in, his suspicions confirmed. He debates entering for a moment, even almost turning away before he finds himself heading in anyway. Maya spots him in the mirror, letting out a huff and not bothering to reprimand him for being in the wrong dressing room. Her mind is far from that at the moment anyway.

Maya: How pathetic is it that a world famous starlet can show up on opening night for her bastard daughter, and mine can’t even skip one lousy shift at a run-down diner no one cares about? [ with a sniffle ] Maybe that’s karma.

Farkle approaches without comment, only speaking when he’s close enough that she could lash out at him and she chooses not to. Coast clear, he reaches into a pocket of his costume and retrieves a handkerchief, nodding to her.

Farkle: You’ll ruin your makeup.

Maya lets out a dry laugh, taking another deep breath. Farkle slowly reaches forward and touches up her mascara, dabbing at her tears and doing his best to fix them. It’s a surprisingly tender moment, a resounding echo of the way things used to be. And boy, does it ache.

Still, Farkle made his mistakes, and he has to live with them. Maya says as much, warning him in a murmur that this doesn’t change anything. She’s still pissed at him, and they’re not fine. He responds flatly, expressing that not once did he believe it would be any different. But he finishes helping her anyway.

Once she’s all cleaned up, her gaze lingers on him for a long beat. Then she warns him that he’s going to miss his cue, flurrying out and leaving Farkle in the dressing room. Alone once again.

He twists the handkerchief in his fingers, his starting vocals floating in…

INT. AAA - AUDITORIUM - NIGHT

Song Cue ♫ ♪ “No More” as performed by Into the Woods Original Broadway Cast || Performed by Farkle Minkus (feat. Nigel Chey & Stuart Minkus)

Much like his rendition of “Javert’s Suicide” a year ago, there is a subdued melancholy that drives Farkle’s performances that cannot be understated. Wherever all his manic energy went, it’s been replaced by a powerhouse of emotion that hits at something raw.

While Nigel starts off the song with him in his role as the Narrator, about a minute in the visual shifts and suddenly it’s STUART MINKUS on stage with him. Another Farkle Minkus twist on reality, his busybody father suddenly sharing the song about exhaustion and abandonment. Truly ironic, considering the real Stuart isn’t even in the audience.

But clearly, he wishes he was. There are many things Farkle wishes were different than they are, but he’s powerless to change it. “Like father, like son.” As he gets to the final verse, Stuart is gone too, and all there is to focus on is him. Solitary, center stage, delivering one of the most wrought out and impassioned solos he’s delivered in ages.

INT. AAA - DRESSING ROOM HALL - NIGHT

Jack and Eric bump into one another as they’re both searching for Harper, aiming to wish her congratulations before the show ends and they’re swarmed by everyone else. They have a somewhat awkward exchange, uncertain how to address the last time they conversed and it ended in flames.

Ultimately, Jack opts to take the high road. He states that he figures he owes Eric an apology, as he let his frustration get the best of him the other night. And, unsurprisingly, Eric’s take on the situation proved to be a little more apt than he credited him for. Eric hardly seems like he’s going to hold a grudge, giving him a bracing pat on the shoulder and warm smile as he assures him there’s no hard feelings. It hardly matters anyway, considering there’s no one to sentence.

Before Jack can confirm or deny this, Harper emerges from the hall. They both greet her in enthusiastic whispers, not aiming to disrupt the performance entering its final scenes. She really did manage to pull together an astounding show, in spite of everything that happened. A great first notch in her belt.

Harper is grateful. Eric excuses himself, allowing Jack to share his own early congratulations as well. She accepts it, then questions what ended up happening with the vandalism. Was he able to figure out the culprit (she hopes)? Although there’s a moment of hesitation, Jack informs her that unfortunately, no guilty party ever rose to the surface.

Jack: Suppose the kids were right to belittle our amateur detective agency.

Harper seems disappointed, but Jack redirects her attention and reminds her that she won’t want to miss the final number. She nods, giving him one last thanks before jogging back towards the hall. So Lucas is never outed as the vandal, leaving the crime to remain an AAA mystery for the history books… and the orchestration of our finale pulls us away...

INT. AAA - AUDITORIUM - NIGHT

Song Cue ♫ ♪ “Finale / Children Will Listen” as performed by Into the Woods Original Broadway Cast || Performed by AAA Juniors (starting at 1:00)

We jump into the finale right as Yindra is giving her guidance from beyond, Farkle, Riley, Isadora, and Charlie gathered together at center stage and sharing their story with the new life that has entered their world. Farkle mentions each of them in his retelling to his son, the camera hanging on each moment between them.

As Maya takes over, more of the cast begins to filter onto the stage. As they reach the point of singing as a chorus, the message of the song takes on a stronger meaning as we hang on each of our main players. Focus on Charlie in the front row shifts to Zay behind him, halfway through the recitation of the lines “Careful the spell you cast, not just on children / Sometimes the spell may last past what you can see / And turn against you.”

INT. AAA - NIGHT

And the influence -- or lack thereof -- of family in their lives is paramount. Another post-show reunion with family highlights this well enough. Isadora accepts an overtly thrilled greeting from Valerie, although she remembers not to hug her and sticks to simply lauding her with congratulations. Asher and Dylan take a group selfie with their families in their all-black stage crew ensembles.

Farkle greets his siblings and mother, but the absence of Stuart looms large. Riley shares a tight hug with her mother, Cory watching bittersweetly with Auggie. Charlie chats with the full Gardner clan, Zay glancing over his shoulder towards him from where he’s standing with family across the room. Maya roams, uncertain what to do with herself.

INT. AAA - TECHNICIAN’S BOOTH - NIGHT

Lucas settles into the booth alone, sitting at the lighting booth and looking at the empty stage. He looks at the half-baked set piece, guilt more evident on his face than earlier.

INT. AAA - AUDITORIUM - NIGHT

In spite of all this, the show must go on. The episode wraps with the last minute or so of the musical, the entire ensemble coming together to repeat the final chorus until Riley whips back around to offer one more “I wish.”

Sometimes people leave you halfway through the wood, Do not let it grieve you, no one leaves for good.

Well… we wish.

END OF EPISODE.