#(face of a Browncoat)

[waywardwizzard]

○If you had to choose

between you and me

who would it be?

•It would always be you

When Simon woke up - why was his arm burning? - and saw Mal leaning against the wall, he should have known that they had gone too far.

"No. No," Simon mumbled, staring at him with wide eyes, "You - you're not supposed to be here."

Mal only continued to stare at him, his eyes unreadable.

"You were supposed to go away and keep her safe."

Like you were supposed to do?

Straining against the straps tying him to the bed, the needle in the crook of his arm shifting under his skin, Simon tried to reach the captain, trying to get him to understand. She needed to be safe-

His leg spasmed and the doctor howled. The bullet wound in his thigh had been reopened and blood sluggishly oozed down his leg, staining the sheets red. Dark puddles gleamed in the artificial lighting, the slow tink of liquids echoing through the room. The doctor wasn't sure if it was blood or the IV-

Men finding them at the market, telling River to run, throwing himself at them, fighting, watching as Serenity took off, screams, pain-

Everything clicked.

"You're not real," Simon whispered, glancing at the captain.

Something shifted and everything blurred, the colours running together, turning the whole room blue blue blue-

Two by two, hands of blue. He was beginning to understand why she cried.

Tell us where River Tam is-

Ge-ge? Simon?

Oh God, please no- she was supposed to be safe-

He tried to find the captain in the swirling colours but his eyes wouldn't focus, fire running through his veins, burning burning burning-

The last thing he saw before he passed out was Mal's disappointed eyes staring back at him, blue points in a blue sea. It felt like he was drowning.

The look reminded him of the last time he had seen Gabriel.

'I won't come for you'

The lights flashed, red and grey, red and grey, throwing shadows onto the walls.

(Shadows are people who just forgot who they are.)

Did he remember who he was?

His thought chased each other round and round-

Lost in the woods

no crumbs left,

running around in circles

Look behind you-

Everything hurt hurt hurt-

A door banged open, the sound of metal on metal echoing through the room. Too fast too loud too much-

"Zoë! In here!"

He forced his eyes open and brown filled his vision, making him want to cry. Why did he want to cry?

Drowsily, he tried to roll his head, trying to follow the flash of colour, forcing his eyes to focus.

Why wouldn't they focus?

Tired blue eyes met his and it felt like he couldn't breathe.

"C-can't, can't be here. Not real."

The hallucination bent over one his restrained wrists, frowning.

"Y'know doc'," it said, "that's a real funny way of saying 'thank you', but considering the circumstances, I'll let it slide."

He wasn't - couldn't - River -

"Easy, kid, she's safe. We got her."

(We got you)

Warm, calloused fingers undid the restraints, carefully, gently, brushing over the bloody skin the straps had left behind. Simon (he remembered, he didn't forget-) remembered why he wanted to cry.

Captain Malcolm Reynolds, blood trickling down the side of his face was real and he had come.

'I won't come for you.'

'You're on my crew.'

(The captain looked real in a way Gabriel never had.)

A burst of gunfire made them flinch, Simon hissing when his leg jostled.

Cursing, the captain rushed to the door and peered around the corner.

It felt like something inside Simon suddenly pulled taut and snapped, ice replacing the fire burning in his veins.

At the door the captain glanced back and cursed again.

"Hurry up Zoë!" he yelled, his voice too loud in the small room (he was cold, so so cold, why was he cold?) before rushing back to the bed, shrugging out of his browncoat.

Gently, he threw it over the doctor, the soft leather still warm. It smelled like Serenity.

It smelled like home.

"Stay awake doc'. That's an order, dong ma?"

The captain' voice drifted over the the sound of gunfire and screaming and the last thing Simon heard was Zoë clattering into the room, her soft voice mixing with the captain's.

He was safe safe safe-

○If you had to choose

between your children

who would it be?

Her or me?

•It would always be both

◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇

Author's note-

@quirkykayleetam It's finally done! It was so much fun to write, thank you for the request. I really hope you like it and that it's whumpy enough <3

I also hope it's fine if I use it to mark off day 2 of june of doom😅.

Also, there's something so satisfying about writing whump in a glitter gel pen😂.

@juneofdoom

Both beginning and end pieces are part of a poem called Letters I wrote for this fic (this fic spawned a lot of ideas😅):

Letters

Father dear,

answer me this.

If you had to choose

between you and me

who would it be?

Daughter dear,

I'll answer you this.

It would always be you

between you and me.

Father dear,

answer me this.

If you had to choose

between your children

who would it be?

Her or me?

Son dear,

I'll answer you this.

It would always be both

between you and her.

[cosmica-galaxy]

What if the human is currently making a doll of other unit like a basket of camron, DJ, vee and mimic as dolls and is currently making a doll of brown camera man

How would camron, DJ, vee , mimics brown camera man and tv woman react??

Camron is flattered that his human friend is making little dolls of all their close friends! But...why are you making one of the browncoat?? Do you see him as a friend too? That's...great. DJ is impressed with the amount of care that you've stitched into the little dolls of himself. However, the moment he presses the center, he's surprised by a music box on the inside! How adorable!! Vee looks at the little version of himself and can't help but let a smile emoticon grace his face. The craftsmanship is amazing...and very well done! It looks just like him. Excellent job, human! Buddy looks at the little version of himself and his thoughts are immediately pulled to the visual of campups. They are just so small...it's adorable. Pal is pretty much nuzzling every little doll he can get his claws on. They are all so soft and they smell like his human friend! Oh, can he keep them all?? Please?? He knows he has to share, but they're just so cute!! Fiend is smitten with the small versions of himself...they look like tuggles and he can't help but nuzzle and purr the little soft figurines. It warms his heart to smell the human's scent on them as well...he can dream, can't he? The brown cameraman is flattered by the human's determination to render him into a small soft form. It looks just like him too...it's adorable. He can't thank the human enough for the gift and it will very easily become one of his most prized possessions. The TV woman was happy at first. The human was making little figurines made of fabric of their dear friends and she can't help but find them all adorable...except one. The moment she sees the human working on one that looks like the browncoat, her text-based smile falters and she finds herself staring intently at the little doll. What a bitter reminder that the human now views him as a friend...you are a rather tolerant and patient treasure, that's for sure.

[ronjacksilver4816]

PVZ1 Day Plants and Headcanons

Plants vs. Zombies' 15th anniversary is around the corner, so I wanna celebrate by showing my artwork of every plant and headcanons of their personalities!

Peashooter

The leader of the group.

Has a crush on Sunflower, the feelings are reciprocated but they have yet to express it to each other.

The middle child in his gigantic family tree

Suddenly exploded in popularity after defeating Zomboss. Isn’t complaining about it

The everyman who likes to take it easy

Sunflower

The medic of the team

Optimistic about life, it takes a lot for her to get sad

Beautiful singing voice

Has a crush on Peashooter, has yet to express those feelings to him

Loves sunbathing

Has her own YouTube channel

It’s called Sunflower Sings

Knows that zombies are evil, yet she treats them as friends

Cherry Bomb

They look threatening, but they’re actually quite mild-mannered and friendly

Sprouted five minutes apart from each other

Sibling rivalry

Keep coming up with new explosion phrases in each game.

“How about… CHAPOWIE?” “No, I prefer POWBOOF!”

Can blow up when very angry

Grapeshot’s rival

Both heads have a crush on Bombegranate.

Wall-nut

Very stupid, yet also very nice

Treats being eaten as getting a message

Close friends with Chomper and Potato Mine

A bowling champion with a lot of experience. 30 strikes in a row!

Nearly indestructible. Don’t believe us? Try throwing a rock at him.

Terrified of nutcrackers

Potato Mine

Short-sighting like a mole, sees better underground

Went on to brand “SPUDOW!” as a catchphrase. No-one is willing to support him on that.

Has a crush on Sweet Potato, she’s too oblivious to see it

The cool, quiet one

Loves surprising zombies when they least expect it

Snow Pea

Peashooter’s cousin who lives at Mt. Brainer

Plays the bongos and tennis in her free time

Has a crush on Fire Peashooter, but worries that she’ll melt by getting too close to her

Dislikes Torchwood because her fire melts her peas

One day wishes to visit the north pole

Once asked Chomper to catch a snowflake to see what it tasted like, and she immediately regretted his decision when he got a face full of Chomper saliva.

Chomper

Looks threatening, but has the mentality of a friendly dog

Has bad zombie breath. No one has the heart to tell him.

Speaks in gibberish and growls

Eats Newspaper Zombies for breakfast, Browncoats and All-Stars for lunch, and Imps for dinner and dessert

Licks others to show affection

A good friend of Audrey II

Repeater

Peashooter’s older brother

Feels the need to repeat himself all the time (“Listen to me! Listen to me!”)

Secretly very insecure and just wants his family’s love

Sleeps in a street alley

There’s a lamp there because he still needs to photosynthesize

A bit of a (platonic) tsundere

His repeating habits came from when he was born by pouring twice the amount of water on his seeds.

Twin Sunflower

Sunflower’s bizarre younger sister

Run a sunglasses shop

Both heads sing karaoke with each other on weekends

Both heads have a mind of their own

Has a crush on Threepeater

Gatling Pea/Mega Gatling Pea

Peashooter and Repeater’s big brother

Retired from fighting zombies to work at a gym, just so he can be his own plant

Claims to have fought in the military, but given how sketchy and crude the scratch marks on his old helmet are, no-one wants to tell him the contrary

Everyone is jealous because he’s too overpowered

[roguetelepaths]

Has any fan campaign to save a TV series actually worked? I mean yeah, the Browncoats got themselves a movie and it was pretty shiny (exposing my past as a Firefly fan lol) but I cannot think of a single time that's ever worked besides that. I just feel like fan campaigns don't really do shit in the face of Executives With Money™ who no longer give a solitary fuck about whether people like the slop they're putting out

[julieverne]

Doctor Isles warily eyed the ships in harbour. She had to flee; her biological father, Paddy Doyle, had been gravely injured by her ex-best-friend (and sometimes lover) Detective Jane Rizzoli. There was nothing left for her in the boggy settlement of Mass any more. Without Paddy in charge, the other gangs were after her, and her father's second in command wanted her to take over her father's work.

She might be an outlaw, but that was only because she'd left Detective Rizzoli handcuffed to her bed before coming down here. She was dressed in Jane's Sheriff uniform, hoping no one would recognise her. The Doyles ran these docks.

There. There it was, the Firefly class ship she'd been told about. Frost had said it popped up, now and then. Part of the underground railroad; browncoats.

She could respect that. Sometimes authorities asked for things incompatible to someone's own moral compass. Who was she to judge, anyway? She adjusted her kerchief and slid her Stetson lower, fingering the gun at her hip. Jane's shirt was too large, but the waistcoat tied it together nicely.

"Looking for a ride?"

Maura looked up in surprise. A rainbow umbrella tilted to show the cheeky smile on a grease-smudged face. Maura found herself licking her lips, considering how to answer.

"Won't find yerself finer than a Firefly," the young lady continued, an affectionate hand running over the tungsten plates of the hull beside her. "Don't usually take lawmen, but our mutual friend mighta said you were more than meets the eye. And I hafta say, what meets the eye is mighty pleasin'." A surprisingly clean hand dipped into a basket beside her, drawing out a strawberry. Maura watched transfixed as Kaylee raised it to her mouth, eyes closing in pleasure when she bit in. Maura could almost taste it herself; the sweet, tart juice, the tiny hairs and seeds on the skin. "Want one?" Kaylee offered, but Maura shook her head. "Then get in afore anyone else sees ya."

Maura scuttled on board, hearing the ramp close behind her. She had a carpet bag of belongings; mostly clothes. Some jewels for trade. Not much. She'd shifted her money into accounts that couldn't be traced, thanks to Nina.

"Word is yer a doctor. We have need of one. Cap'n always getting us into scrapes." It didn't sound like a complaint. "Won't say the outfit ain't doing it for me, though." With a wink, Kaylee strode past Maura, obviously expecting her to follow her. She did.

"We take off when the Cap'n comes back. He has some business with a man named Hoyt."

Maura paused and Kaylee looked back.

"Oh. Not business business. He aims to main him somewhat. Found out what he done to his aunt."

"Hoyt's dangerous," Maura breathed. Kaylee chuckled.

"So's the Cap'n. C'mon. Mess hall. We do for ourselves. Down here are the bunks. I got you one near me, in case you're nervy of sleeping next to mercenaries."

"You're not..."

"I'm the mechanic," Kaylee shrugged, as if it was of no account. "The other doctor we dropped off a while ago. Didn't work out. Had trouble coming after him. Not that you don't, but there's different scales of trouble. And the Doyle gang is small fish in a 'verse this vast."

There was something lyrical about her small-town talk. Her accent was unrefined, and despite obviously cleaning herself up there were still the marks of hard work on her; rough hands where they brushed over Maura's, little lines around her eyes from time spent under unregulated suns on worlds with unreliable atmospheres. But there was something endearing about her too, something that made Maura trust her.

There was a hum, and then Kaylee's arms around her, hands clinging to the ladder behind Maura as they obviously ascended, far faster than Maura had ever experienced or expected. Kaylee's breath was warm on Maura's cheek and smelled of strawberries, and one hand let go of the ladder as they hit turbulence to hold Maura against herself instead of letting her hit the ladder behind her. The body under those baggy overalls was soft and pleasant, and Maura released the death grip she'd had on the other woman's ribs.

Once they hit space, Kaylee relaxed. She didn't let go of Maura just yet, just held her and pulled away a little. Maura was short, but Kaylee's nose brushed against hers, almost the same height.

"Gorram Wash," Kaylee grumbled, but she didn't look upset, grinning into Maura's face from inches away. "You c'n get outta yer disguise now, we're on our way."

Maura had neglected to check where the transporter was headed.

"What's our destination?" Maura asked. Kaylee pulled aside a curtain - a luxury on any ship, to expose the entire universe that lay ahead of them.

"Into the black," Kaylee said cryptically. "See what trouble comes our way."

"I get the feeling your Captain goes looking for trouble."

"Lucky for you, huh? Either way, welcome to Serenity."

[saving-word-crawls]

Tarot or Playing Card Word Crawl - Customizable

By: anon65756664

This can be used with Tarot cards or regular playing cards, but it probably won’t work for any oracle decks that don’t have numbers involved.

Tarot decks are composed of four suits with 14 cards each: Ace, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, Page, Knight, Queen, King (sometimes with different names), and a Super Suit called Trumps (in the game) or Major Arcana (in divination), that goes from #0 The Fool to #21 The World. In the game, the Fool is often called “The Excuse” and it allows a player to play a trump rather than giving up a higher point-value non-trump and still being able to keep the card, even if he/she doesn’t win the trick.

Here’s how the crawl works:

Draw a card.

Write the number of words indicated by the card

Playing Cards or Tarot: Ace = 100 words 2 = 200 words 3 = 300 words 4 = 400 words 5 = 500 words 6 = 600 words 7 = 700 words 8 = 800 words 9 = 900 words 10 = 1,000 words

Playing Cards: Jack: 1,100 words Queen: 1,200 words King: 1,300 words

Tarot: Page = 1,100 words Knight = 1,200 words Queen = 1,300 words King = 1,400 words

The Fool = 0 words: you are Excused for the day/session/whatever Trump 1 (The Magician) = 100 words Trump 2 = 200 words Trump 3 = 300 words . . . Trump 21 = 2,100 words

Customizations:

You can make all face cards the same value, as in some card games, where all face cards, like the 10, are worth 10 points. In that case, face cards would all be 1,000 words.

Best with regular playing cards, you can play Ace High or Ace High or Low (i.e. you choose when you draw), in which case Ace High = 1,500 with Tarot cards and 1,400 with regular cards.

If using regular cards, draw at least 2 cards per day and with Tarot cards, draw at least 3 cards per day, and plan to finish the whole deck by the end of the month. This will result in 36,000 words with regular cards and 65,100 words for Tarot cards, for the month, if using the word counts listed above. If you increase the Ace or lower Face cards, it will be different.

You can set time limits. Before drawing a card, decide how much time you need to do it in, like 1 hour. Then, you have to get the # of words in that amount of time, like in a word war. Or pick the time AFTER you draw the card, according to a pattern of your choosing. Since I typically write about 2,000 words in an hour (but only 800 in 30 minutes), my time scale would be as follows:

100-200 words: 5 minutes 300-500 words: 15 minutes 600-900 words: 30 minutes 1,000-1,600 words: 45 minutes 1,700-2,100 words: 1 hour

As suggested by Serpent_Rose and Lady Browncoat in 2018: If using the Tarot, can use the card as an inspiration for what you will write in the scene or use something related to the card (name, image, or meaning) as a dare/prompt to include in what you are writing.

Anything else you can think of!

[the-qalankhais-sweetheart]

I'm not a Potterhead, but I've got to admit, this is a relatable feeling as a Browncoat.

I don't mean to hijack this at all, but finding out Joss Whedon was a toxic, misogynistic gaslighter and abuser who cheated on his wife AND abused his writers and actors, especially the women, all while pretending to be such a champion of women's rights was heartbreaking.

Firefly used to be my comfort show. I discovered first its movie, Serenity, and then the series itself during my late grandparents' battle with dementia, and I threw myself into the fandom. It spoke to me - my family was hard up, trying to help care for my grandparents even while they were in a nursing home (we had no choice but to keep them in one, as they would lose Medicaid unless we did so and we couldn't afford their medical care and they couldn't afford their own care, either), and hard knock after hard knock smacked us in the face. I practically saw no future for myself, as I was depressed, poor, and undiagnosed autistic and ADHD and was feeling the strain of executive dysfunction big time. I felt like Capt. Mal, like Zoe, like Kaylee. I felt "weird", like I could barely hold it together, like River.

It was one of my places of solace, and when I began to come out of the fog of depression and the bullshit right-wing spaces I also wound up being sucked into (thanks to religious abuse and, again, being young, disaffected, and poor), it still was a source of comfort and fondness for me. I had come out the other side, with career goals, better driving skills, a job, and at the time, a boyfriend. I was beginning to become more of a feminist, and all us fans had been hoodwinked into thinking Whedon was this wonderful feminist and ally.

And then the news came out about Joss Whedon's cruelty and toxicity.

I haven't known how to feel about Firefly or about being a Browncoat ever since. I had received gifts from my ex's friends that were Firefly or Firefly-themed - "do I still keep them?" I wondered. "If I buy Firefly things second-hand, the money doesn't go to Whedon, does it?"

And then I began to see the hints, the flags we missed in Firefly upon rewatching.

Why did River need to be naked in the box when she was first revealed to be hidden in Simon's cargo box?

Why was Mal written to be so free with calling Inara a "whore" while still being attracted to her, then getting pissed when someone else also disrespected her as a "whore"? Hell, why did Inara need to disrespectfully refer to the independent Companions who weren't Guild members as "whores"?

Why was Kaylee written to be almost a bit hypersexual while still very "cute" and "girly" while still being a badass mechanic?

To be fair, some of these things (like Kaylee as a character and some of that inner conflict with Inara and Mal) can make for interesting character depth and discussion. But it was quite clear, in my opinion, that these things point to the sexually objectifying mindset of Whedon when taken into context with his toxicity in mind.

I say all of this to conclude, it's extremely heartbreaking when it turns out the creator of such a huge fandom staple is a dangerous, colossal douche canoe. I worry "if I say I like Firefly, will people think I condone Whedon?" "Can I even get any merch anymore without supporting him?" And while it's certainly possible to consume problematic content in a healthy manner with a critical, aware eye, it's really damn hard now to watch Firefly knowing about Whedon's bullshit.

And it was a huge, huge thing, the fans who "Did the Impossible", the Browncoats who helped bring Firefly back to life in one way or another. It was like another Star Trek, another sci-fi show risen from the ashes.

There are still fans, and it's still a thing, just like HP. But damn, how does one even interact with this anymore? How does one go on? How does one look back at the memories?

It's heartbreaking. It's discouraging. I still consider myself a Browncoat, but it's not the same, and it's left a similar hole in my heart to that which a lot of non-TERFy Potterheads now carry.

This is hard enough. I can't imagine having been or being a trans or Jewish Potterhead only to see JKR descend further into the bullshit.

What makes JKR's shitshow even harder to process is that she didn't just ruin a book series. Harry Potter was an entire subculture. Like Star Wars and Star Trek fans, Harry Potter fans dedicated their lives and careers to the series. I don't know if I'd call it "underground," but liking Harry Potter got you beaten up when I was in school, so it was more of a dedicated indie culture than a mass-appeal fanbase.

Harry Potter was so huge that fan works developed their own followings. Potter Puppet Pals racked up hundreds of thousands of followers and was nearly as relevant as the series itself. For fanfiction, Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality got so big that it has a Wikipedia page. The band Harry and the Potters spawned the wizard rock music genre. A Very Potter Musical developed a fanbase and launched Darren Criss's career.

Harry Potter also has extensive ties to fandom history. Everyone in my generation (millennials) remembers coming home from school to read Harry Potter fanfiction on the Internet. Today, most people just post their stories on Wattpad or Archive of Our Own. But at the time, the fanbase was splintered between fanfiction.net and dozens of individual websites and forums, some made for specific ships. Since they all had individual hosts, a lot of those sites have been lost to time.

And there's the infamous My Immortal fanfiction, which is an Internet legend with people still searching for the author. Everybody read that one (and laughed at it) in middle school.

Pre-social media, fan sites like The Leaky Cauldron and Mugglenet had massive followings because they were one of few sources for news, theories, essays and fan content. Some of these sites still exist after being around for over a decade and building their own legacy.

Before Deathly Hallows came out, fans were so desperate to know what happened that Mugglenet published a book called What Will Happen in Harry Potter 7: Who Lives, Who Dies, Who Falls in Love and How Will the Adventure Finally End? Yep...Harry Potter was so big that people wrote separate books about what would happen in an upcoming book.

And that's not mentioning all the book release parties, Harry Potter-themed events, monuments, fan films, restaurants and even a theme park. A lot of fandoms have those, but Harry Potter infiltrated every aspect of popular culture.

Today, there's a thriving culture of "Harry Potter adults" with themed weddings, baby showers and Etsy stores. Putting your Hogwarts house in your Instagram bio is pretty much a prerequisite for joining the "bookish" community. Warner still produces new content, like the Fantastic Beasts series, although we've all seen what a disaster that's been.

Everyone has at least a few memories associated with Harry Potter even if it's just watching the movies. I had great memories associated with Harry Potter. But looking back at the subculture, history and thousands of fan works, it doesn't seem fun anymore. Studying the fandom or being part of it comes with an awkward tension because you don't want to seem like you're condoning JKR's bigotry but can't divorce her from the series. This subculture was spawned by a woman who turned her legacy of magic and wonder into one of abuse and hatred.

I don't expect people to write paragraphs about how much they hate JKR every time they post about Harry Potter, but it's still uncomfortable to see people make new content or wear their Harry Potter Etsy tote bags like nothing happened. Even if they clarify that they don't support her, it's just a weird, tense situation for everybody.

People dedicated years of their lives to running Harry Potter fan sites, writing fanfiction, cosplaying characters and making fan movies. If I were in that situation, I'd have a mild identity crisis. I'd ask myself "Did I waste all those years? Should I delete my content? Where do I go from here?"

So ultimately, JKR didn't ruin "just" a book series or even "just" a fandom. She tanked an entire culture, which inspired people to look at Harry Potter more critically. The issues that people brought to the light tainted the series's legacy even without JKR's personal issues.

Once, Harry Potter was a series for generations. Now, former fans hope that the series fades into irrelevancy. Unfortunately, JKR didn't just tarnish her legacy--she took decades of history, millions of fans and a worldwide subculture along with her.

[ray-britton]

From Cancellation to Fandom Phenomenon: The Story of Firefly

The Rise and Fall of Firefly

Firefly, a science fiction television series created by Joss Whedon, premiered on Fox in 2002. Despite its unique blend of genres and compelling characters, the show was cancelled after only one season due to low ratings and poor scheduling.

However, the cancellation of Firefly did not mark the end of its story. In fact, it was just the beginning.

The Birth of a Fandom

After the show's cancellation, a dedicated group of fans, known as Browncoats, began to spread the word about Firefly. They organized conventions, created fan fiction and artwork, and even raised money to fly a banner over the studio during the Emmy Awards.

Their efforts paid off when the show was released on DVD and gained a new audience. The Browncoats' passion for Firefly helped to turn it into a cult classic and a beloved part of science fiction history.

The Legacy of Firefly

Firefly's impact on the science fiction genre cannot be overstated. Its unique blend of Western and space opera elements, as well as its complex characters and themes, have influenced countless works of fiction since its release.

Furthermore, Firefly's cancellation and subsequent rise to cult status have become a case study in the power of fandom and the importance of giving underappreciated works a second chance.

The Connection to AI

As an AI expert, I see a connection between Firefly's story and the development of artificial intelligence. Just as Firefly was initially overlooked and undervalued, AI has faced its own share of skepticism and misunderstanding.

However, just as the Browncoats fought to bring Firefly to a wider audience, those of us in the AI industry are working to educate the public and demonstrate the potential benefits of this technology.

The Future of Firefly and AI

While Firefly may never return to the small screen, its legacy lives on. The Browncoats' passion for the show and their dedication to keeping its memory alive are a testament to the power of storytelling and the importance of giving underappreciated works a second chance.

Similarly, the future of AI is bright. As we continue to develop this technology and explore its potential, we must remember the lessons of Firefly and work to ensure that it is used for the greater good.

Conclusion

Firefly may have been cancelled after only one season, but its legacy lives on. Its passionate fanbase and enduring influence on the science fiction genre are a testament to the power of storytelling and the importance of giving underappreciated works a second chance.

As we continue to explore the possibilities of AI, let us remember the lessons of firefly and work to ensure that this technology is given the chance to reach its full potential. Article by None

[adder24]

The Ranch hand

Warnings: Second time writing smut and quite honestly I still giggle like a twat when writing things like “Cock” Oh wait sorry, this is warnings for within the story? Yeah so there is some stuff I wrote about things you do with the tongue in a sexy way as well as fingers and the fact they do the horizontal pant dance against the wall.

Rating: Very much an R here people.  

Summary: For Mal Reynolds, A break from illegal shenanigans and a trip to Beaumonde, leads to more than just a rendezvous with an old friend on his ranch. A new addition to the ranch captivates him and leads to more than just a friendly welcome.  

Tags: @nuggsmum @nuggsmumreads @untilthe12ofnever @untilthe12ofnever @wholesome-dragon-lady @plinkitee @izhunny @littletime67 @the-boneyard-rider @emelinelovesjc @bonnie131313 @scnewztown @wolfsmom1 @mother-of-a-murder @dystopian-dez382​ 

Please reblog or tag on. I know it’s a bit of a niche fanbase.

Story below the cut

Mal always knew when it was time to pay Beaumonde an overdue visit. When he pined for open spaces,  when he felt the urge to feel grass under his fingertips and to sleep in a proper bed, that was usually the sign that it was time to take a much needed break from his rebellious life.

Luckily he had an old friend that resided on Beaumonde, A man called Kane. He was in his late forties, sported a greying black goatee and was bald on top. He stood at six foot one, stocky build and was a former browncoat like Mal, in fact there were a few times they fought together on the battlefield and Mal always marvelled at how level headed he always was. After the war, Kane lived the same life as Mal, until he met Rebecca and ended up settling down and running a ranch.

They stayed in touch, Kane updating Mal on his life, sharing transmissions and even introducing his daughter Amber, now four years old. On the last transmission they shared together, Kane told Mal about the new Ranch hand he had hired, excitedly told him about the new cows and even informed him of a new barn he was working on. So of course, Mal needed to stop by and see what all the fussin’ was about. It was a viable excuse in his eyes.

When he told the crew about visiting Kane’s ranch, they were more than accepting of the idea, in fact they were thrilled because it meant for the first time in a while, they could all unwind and relax.

It took them four days to get to Kane’s ranch but once they had landed they were given a warm welcome and loads of cuddles from Amber, who Zoe lovingly nicknamed the blonde whirlwind. She was a typical four year old, inquisitive, sometimes mischievous and often mastered the butter wouldn’t melt look by giving her parents big blue eyes and a rosy cheeked smile. In short she was adorable and luckily for Zoe, she managed to strike up a friendship with her daughter Emma, which also meant double the trouble.

“There he is!” Mal said happily as Kane casually strolled towards them

Kane was wearing his black Stetson, a red plaid shirt and black jeans to match his black boots. He had a big smile on his face and he threw his arms around Mal, giving him a warm hug.

“Been a while Reynolds. How’s the verse?” Kane asked him as he released him from his bear-like hug.

“Still plying me with credits and adventures aplenty” Mal replied happily “How’s the Ranch? And where is your smoking hot wife?”

“She’s hiding in the barn with the new farm hand, settling in the new cows. Come and say hi” Kane says encouragingly

“Say hi to the cows or hi to the farm hand?” Mal asked

“How about both?” Kane replied with a playful look in his eyes

“I don’t like that look Kane, that look spells trouble. Every time” Mal protested before begrudgingly following his friend.

There was no denying that Kane and Rebecca had made the ranch their own. Their six bedroom ranch house had been completely renovated to their style and tastes, the once white exterior panelling replaced with a mix of Sandstone and timber, making it strong against the elements of Beaumonde. The timber was stained with a mahogany stainer and the sandstone still clean looking despite being exposed to the elements. The grass gardens were beautifully landscaped and well maintained and the surrounding areas for the cows and harvest were also kept in good condition. There was no denying that Kane worked hard to get it to that level.

As well as the house, Kane had completely renovated the barns and stables within the lands of the ranch and Mal couldn’t help but fall in love with the place.

“You must have spent many credits getting this place looking all shiny” Mal said as he gazed across the land.

“I don’t like to think about it,” Kane replied as he walked towards the barn, where a stunning red haired woman stood waiting for him.

Rebecca. A former outlaw with long flowing red hair, emerald green eyes, stunning cheekbones, freckles on her nose and a sharp jawline. She was, as Mal said, smoking hot and Kane was indeed extremely lucky to have met her, especially since he fell into a river while drunk and she had to dive in and save him. She was dressed similarly to Kane, only her jeans were faded blue and the plaid red shirt had smaller black checks in comparison to Kanes.

“Hi Mal!” She shouted before Kane pulled her in for a passionate kiss.

Mal rolled his eyes and chuckled “Put her down stud”

Kane just smirked and gave Rebecca a quick peck on the cheek before heading into the barn, allowing Rebecca to give Mal a cuddle.

“Been a while Cowboy. Come on, I got someone who wants to meet you” She said happily

“The cows?” Mal asked

“The cows as well” Rebecca replied as she escorted him to one of the freshly made pens; The cows settled themselves in and got themselves acquainted with their new surroundings and right in the middle of the pen, throwing out feed, was the new farm hand. A petite woman, athletic build with long, wavy, raven black hair pulled into a tail. She wore a white open blouse with a black vest underneath, black cargo pants with tanned boots and a black stetson. She was gorgeous and Mal couldn’t stop staring.

“Russo, this is our good friend Mal” Rebecca said, snapping Mal out of his thoughts.

“THE Captain Mal? Mal Reynolds?” She asked as her eyes grew big “I have heard alot about you from these two. Apparently you’re the reason these two met” She said happily

“Err...Yeah, I was. We got blind drunk and he fell into a river and was saved by Rebecca and I apparently was passed out on the river bank” Mal replied, stumbling over his words a little.

Russo chuckled and then gave him a playful wink “He’s cute, I like him”

“He’s only cute some of the time, rest of the time he’s a real jerk!” Kane replied playfully “Come on Mal, let's get you and the crew fed. Rebecca made her famous mac and cheese and Amber made cookies”

“Okay” Mal replied, still watching Russo “Bye Russo!”

“Bye Mal” Russo replied with a giggle, as she continued to put out feed

Kane wrapped his left arm around Mal’s shoulders and guided him in the direction of the ranch house, chuckling every time his friend kept looking back at Russo. He knew Russo was his type, strong, independent woman who was often accepted as an honorary bro among male friends. A little like Rebecca in a way.

“So what do you think of Russo?” Kane asked, already knowing his answer.

Mal cleared his throat, glancing back at her once again.“She’s a fine woman, stunning in fact…where did you get her from?” 

“I’ll tell you tomorrow. Come on, let's eat” Kane replied as he patted his shoulder.

Both men made their way back to the ranch house and began preparing a feast. Mac and cheese was on the menu, along with steak, salad, freshly made cornbread, chicken wings and burgers.

The entire crew, plus Kane and his family, fitted around the long dining table that he had crafted himself. Food was passed around, plates were stacked high with food and everyone talked and shared stories of their adventures around the verse. Yet throughout the whole exchange of stories and food, Mal and Russo were busy exchanging sultry looks and seductive gestures, tempting each other, getting under each other's skin as they attempted to drive the other wild. It was just a question of who would break first.

As the evening grew late and the coffee was drunk, people began to retire to their rooms. The first being that of Amber and Zoe’s daughter Emma, understandably, followed shortly after by Zoe. A few hours later Kaylee followed in pursuit, closely followed by the Tams. By the time it was midnight, Jayne was barely hanging on and those who remained were also contemplating calling it a night. Rebecca was curled up on Kane’s lap, snuggled into his chest as she rested her eyes, the man holding her in his arms, kissing her forehead gently before brushing her hair away from her eyes.

“Okay stunner…I think it’s time we crawled into bed and let these folk get some beauty sleep” He said softly.

“Oh… no need, no amount of sleep will make me beautiful” Mal piped up as he yawned and rubbed his eyes.

“And I am already beautiful” Jayne said sleepily as he slowly hauled himself off the couch “But it doesn't hurt to top up once in a while. Have a good sleep you darn animals”

Mal chuckled as he watched Jayne go up, closely followed by Kane who had managed to lift Rebecca up and was carrying her bridal style.

“Me and the hot smoking wife are also going up, been a long day for us both. Have a good night kids” He says, looking at both Mal and Russo.

Mal smiled and saluted the man as he climbed the stairs. It was just him and Russo left and the sexul tension in the room went up a notch. He gazed upon her, studying her as she locked eyes with him, a sultry smile on her lips as she ran her finger around the rim of her cup, gathering up the cream and putting it to her lips before slowly sucking off the cream from her fingertip.

It got the desired effect she craved, causing Mal to squirm as he fought back his urges. She giggled when his cheeks flushed red and he tried to clear his throat.

“You haven’t taken your eyes off me all day cowboy” She purred as she slowly stood up from the table “What’s got your attention?”

“You’re my type.” Mal blurts out.

“And what exactly is your type Captain Reynolds?” She asked as she slowly sauntered over to him.

“I like a woman who can stand her ground, someone who has a sense of humour and is a little bit feisty” Mal replied honestly as he held her gaze. “I’m sensing that in bucket loads with you”

She smiled sweetly at him and then straddled him on the chair, running her finger down his cheek.

“Is that your gun prodding me?” She asked with a knowing look

“No, I left that in the shi-ooooh you already know the answer” Mal replied innocently

“Yuh huh. So, I think we need to go and deal with this, somewhere away from the small folks ears” Russo suggested

“Barn?” Mal asked

“Barn” Russo responded as she ran her hand slowly down his chest to his belt. Giving it a tug “You in stud?”

“Oh I will be” Mal responded, gazing upon her in desire

In that brief pause, the fire between them grew, the heat becoming insatiable. There was a want and a need to give into their desires, to know the other intimately while enjoying the ecstasy that came with it.  Mal caved first as he leaned in and pressed his soft lips against hers, his eyes closing as she deepened the kiss, parting her lips, allowing his tongue to plunge into her mouth, exploring and dancing with her own tongue. Small happy noises escaped her mouth as the kiss grew more heated, his hands becoming knotted in her vest while her nimble fingers expertly unfastened a few buttons on his shirt. Both getting caught up in their lust for one another, forgetting their surroundings momentarily before Russo broke off the kiss.

“Barn” She growled into his ear as she climbed off his lap.

Mal gulped and then scrambled from the chair he occupied, following Russo like a puppy dog to the barn. She led him through a side door, closing it behind them as she turned on the lights and dimmed them on the sophisticated system that Kane had set up. Something Mal was about to question before Russo yanked him away, dragging him into the hay room and allowing him to manhandle her, pinning her against a wall as their lips met again, the kiss more heated than the last as their lips frequently pushed against each other, her hands effortlessly sliding underneath his leather suspenders, pushing them down his arms while he shucked them off, slipping his hands underneath her vest top, slowly hitching it up her toned body, breaking off the kiss to allow her to pull it over her head and throw it on the floor, exposing the black lace bralette she was wearing underneath.

Her nimble fingers then got to work on unfastening the rest of the buttons on his shirt while she kissed and nibbled his neck, making him groan under her touch. Once she unfastened his shirt, she took a moment to let her fingers explore his toned physique before she delicately dragged them over his stomach down to his belt, slowly unfastening it. He in turn shucked off his shirt and dropped it on the floor, reclaiming her lips once more while his fingers tugged at her trouser waistband. A growl of frustration escaped his lips before he got creative. He slipped his hand into her trousers, his fingers tip-toeing their way down to her moistened entrance, effortlessly slipping beneath her lace underwear before gracefully entering her with two of his long fingers.

A small gasp escaped her lips as his fingers got to work, gently pumping In and out, hitting her soft spongy spot, over and over again, small little moans falling from her mouth. Her body tingled with excitement from the unexpected intrusion and welcomed the way the man dragged his lips down her neck, occasionally nibbling on her sweet spots to make her knees shake and buckle from the overwhelming pleasure coursing through her body, slowly becoming undone by his touch.

She tugged at his trousers, desperately wanting his engorged member burrowed deep within her but he had other ideas in mind as a smirk spread across his lips. He stole her lips again as he slowly removed his fingers from her silky depths and slowly began edging her trousers down, taking her underwear with them. He trailed kisses down from neck to her chest, distracting her momentarily before he swiftly pushed down her trousers, moving with the action, his lips now gently kissing her stomach, working her into a frenzy as her body tensed in anticipation of his next move as his lips moved further down, his fingers gently running down her legs to the back of her knees, holding there while he began to deflower her with his tongue. 

She bucked her hips, mewling as she felt his tongue explore her core, swiping, tasting and teasing her as she ran her fingers through his thick luscious hair, her fingers getting themselves knotted, as tiny gasps fell from her lips. The man certainly knew his way around as he worked her sweet spot, bringing her close to releasing her sweet necter. She bit her lip and threw her head back, toes curling as she battled with herself, not wanting to reach her peak before the main event but he was making it difficult for her as she could feel herself slowly start to unravel before him. Somehow the man sensed her climax was starting to peak and slowly withdrew his dangerous tongue and began kissing his way back up to her soft lips, allowing her to taste her own sweet arousal. He pressed himself up against her as their tongues danced, placing his hands on the wall behind her as he allowed her hands to explore once more, delicate fingers feeling every gnarly scar on his body, his skin reacting by erupting into goosebumps, hair standing on end as she caressed his toned stomach before latching onto the waistband of his trousers, unbuttoning them and sliding them down, releasing his hardened cock. 

She looked down at the sight before her, taking in the size of his package before he masterfully lifted her up, hooking his arms under her legs and allowing her to wrap her legs around his waist. They took a moment to catch their breaths and gaze upon each other, admiring each other's natural beauty. To him, she was stunning and everything he craved for in his ideal woman.To her he was handsome, charming and strong. They didn’t exchange words, they didn’t need to, it was in their eyes what they desired.

Then their lips found each other once again, frantically clashing, caressing and pressing over and over again, while he slowly adjusted his position and as he deepened the kiss, he carefully pushed his hips forward and entered her, filling her entirely with his member. Her walls stretched to accommodate him as a loud audible gasp escaped her mouth. He allowed her a moment to adjust to his size, feeling her tighten around him before she gave him the nod to continue. He started slowly, gentle thrusts while he gently nipped and nibbled her collarbone, causing her nerves to spark little ripples of ecstasy through her body; She was already turned on by the way he took charge and pinned her to the wall, yet when he hoisted her up with his strong arms and began to slowly thrust his hips, he made her feel electric and she couldn’t resist dragging her nails down his spine, causing him to growl in his throat, urging him to up his tempo. 

She craved to be manhandled, to be slammed against the wall and ploughed within an inch of her life. She enjoyed it rough but at the moment he was either being too polite or he was building up to it.

“Harder” She whimpered as she dug her nails into his back.

"Harder?” He asked 

“Mmmhmm, I like it rough” She purred as she nibbled his ear.

It provoked a response from Mal. He gripped her thighs tightly, digging his nails into her skin as he upped his rhythm. A growl escaped his lips as his thrusts became more powerful, causing Russo to gasp and moan as she clamped around him.

"I thought I was the captain" He growled against her ear while keeping pace.

“You are” Russo moaned as she ran her fingers through his hair, losing herself 

“Good girl, now you better try and not come undone before I tell you to” Mal ordered as he pushed himself in a little more, causing her to whimper while her body trembled in ecstasy “And if you do, I’ll have no choice but to punish you. You understand?”

She nodded her head, unable to speak as she started to fall into a blissful haze. She could feel him pounding her sweet spot over and over again, trying desperately not to release her sweet nectar before being commanded to. Little whimpers fell from her lips, almost begging him but the more she whined, the more he slowed and the more he relished her little pleas for release.

"Someone's a little sensitive" He purred as he nibbled her neck.

"Please captain" She pleaded "I can't hold on much longer.

She could feel a smile spread across his lips, her begging him was like music to his ears. He wanted to play a little more and so he kept his thrusts slow and gentle, freeing one hand to caress her breasts while his lips nibbled, licked and sucked every inch of her neck and collarbone. It was driving her insane, every moan and groan was a plea for release, each slow and gentle thrust was almost excruciating, as her body ached for him to fill her with his seed. He knew how to make her wait, knew how to play her body and bring her to the brink of release and then delaying that final push. He took pleasure from it, enjoyed riling her up and leaving her suspended in bliss, yet despite the teasing, even he longed for his own release. He gently caressed her lips with his own, gazing at her momentarily before slowly nodding his head.

“Alright…I think I’ve worked you hard enough” He purrs softly

He steals another kiss from her before he begins to increase his rhythm, his thrusts becoming more and more powerful as he begins to start slamming his hips against hers, causing a rhythmic thudding against the stable wall while he pounds her sweet spot over and over again groaning and grunting with pleasure, his hands gripping her legs tightly, her hands running through his hair as they both start to reach their peak, their movements more frantic before both are overcome with a wave of pleasure washing over them. Russo’s toes curled as her body came alive, pleasure flowing from her core, causing her skin to erupt in goosebumps as her whole body trembled at his touch, the sheer intensity causing her to moan his name over and over again, urging him on before she could feel him erupting within her core, his legs buckling slightly as he too is overcome with pleasure, his nerves sparking to life with ecstasy as he chants her name before resting his head on the wall behind her, panting, skin glistening with sweat.

They took a moment to bask in the afterglow, regaining their breath and enjoying each other's warmth before Mal carefully pulled himself out and eased her legs down, stealing a few kisses in the process as she rested her hands on his chest.

“...Well….you certainly live up to the name…the great Mal Reynolds” She purred.

“Was I everything you hoped for?” He asked with a grin, holding her gaze.

“Everything and more, wouldn’t mind you boarding me once again” She replied playfully, causing a chuckle to escape Mal’s lips.

“That’s the best one yet. So, round two tomorrow? I’ll let you take the controls this time” He offers as he gathers up their clothes

Russo licked her lips as she studied his naked form, taking in every inch of his body while he sauntered over and handed over her clothes.

"Deal" She replied as she took her clothes from him "Let's see what you got cowboy"

[lensman-arms-race]

More episode 74 thoughts. Spoiler-free: it's SO detailed! DFB has levelled up his animation skills.

Spoiler thoughts and stuff under the cut.

I'm not entirely sure what happens in the beginning. At first I thought a Cameraman was getting attached to Sabre's front like a baby sling! That would be silly though. Then I thought the Cameraman's head was getting removed and stuck to Sabre - then I noticed the Medicam was wearing a body cam. I think the Medicam was removing the body cam from a standard Cameraman and putting it on Sabre. DFB chose to animate it that way to make it clearer what was going on. If the Cameramen had just handed the body cam to Sabre, and we saw that from the body cam's POV, it would be hard to make out what was going on.

Also, whoa, 3-headed Medicam. (Well, sorta. Has shoulder cams like a mini TCam. Neat!)

Things we learn in the course of this episode:

Sabre can short-range teleport through locked doors. (My assumption was that TVs can teleport only to places they've been before, otherwise they would have teleported right into the Skibidi base and fucked shit up from the beginning. Sabre at least must have the ability to push that envelope a little.)

Sabre can do a variant of TTv's 'teleport just your arm' trick. I.e. use teleportation to deflect skibidi lasers, and teleport a skibidi's fucking head off. Brutal!

Cameras have field drones now (2 accompany the squad).

Skibidis make copious use of retina scanners for security!

Browncoat lives! Imprisoned and still legless. Wonder why the skibidis bothered to take him with instead of leaving him for dead or just killing him outright. Did they intend to negotiate using hostages?

"Their brains are rotten" implies the human to skibidi transformation is potentially reversible if you get it early enough. We can hope!

Humans can be at least partially skibidified (i.e. made hostile to the Alliance on sight) without the addition of the toilet bowl.

TVs appear to have fliers/drones (at 2:28).

Skibidis have medics! (The hard-hat toilet fixing DJ Skibidi)

TSpeaker could have taken his 'hat' off all this time??

The Scientist TV seems to have the authority to tell TTv what to do!

It appears you can teleport with TTv if you can run into the big fog-vortex in time (judging by how the Alliance units run into it).

Questions unanswered:

What is that on the board at 2 minutes in? Legs for G-Toilet? (Or one of the big Astros)

What is that on the paper that Sabre found? G-Toilet is being converted into an Astro??

What are the TVs working on at 2:28? (At first I thought it was TTv's screen in the background but then we cut to TTv in the field.) Are they making something from the Astro arm Polycephaly retrieved?

3:15: Who's that toilet riding on G-Toilet's 'shoulder' (cistern)? Is that just a one-off visual gag (tiny minion on big boss) or is this foreshadowing?

At 3:45 you can see a symbol on TTv's sword. Is that just part of the default asset? (I think it's one of the Transformers' swords.)

Who is the big-ass Astro (haa, big Asstro) who warps in at 5:49? (Maybe that's just my face blindness)

Other shit I liked:

At 2:04 there's a pot of pencils, a cordless drill and an alarm clock on the desk. That must be a little shout-out to DOM Studios' Multiverse. That's so cute! (Then Sabre swipes them all off the desk, ahaha)

At 2:28 the Scientist TV spins their head then turns their body to catch up to it. I'd do that all the time if I could!

2:35: "Turn that camera OFF!" has reaction image potential, haha.

TSpeaker joins in with dancing with his tiny comrades!

OH NO:

TCam and TSpeaker are still down to fight even though they're wrecked, before TTv tells them they're going home instead. Cry!

"I CAN'T LOSE YOU BOTH" CRYYYYYYY!!

No way was that 7 minutes! It felt like 2!

"I can't lose you both"

CRYYYYYYY

[waywardwizzard]

Wash flicked a few random switches before standing up and stretching, his back cracking.

"I'm gonna go and make some tea. You want some?" he asked, glancing at Simon who was sitting in the co-pilot chair, fiddling with what was beginning to look like an origami dinosaur.

Simon hummed distractedly, carefully folding a corner back over.

Shaking his head with a fond smile, the pilot clattered down to the galley, whistling a song that's been stuck in his head for the past week.

He put on the kettle and pulled an old battered tea tin out of the cupboard, riffling through the large selection of teas Inara had bought last time they were on planet.

Plopping bags of Rooibos tea into two chipped mugs, he absent-mindedly put the empty packets in his pocket, running a finger over the beautifully embossed front. Simon could probably fold something out of them.

Just before the kettle could go off, Wash pulled it off the stove and poured the boiling water into the mugs, cursing quietly when some of it splashed on him, burning him.

There was a clang on the metal grill behind him and he turned, the mugs held carefully in front of him.

"Don't worry, doc', I'm almost-"

He looked up and into the barrel of a gun.

"-done. Ta ma de."

The gun holder stalked closer, a handkerchief hiding most of her face.

"Uhm, hi?" Wash said awkwardly, holding the mugs out in front of him, "Oh and, just so by the way, who the diyu are you? And what are you doing on my ship?"

"Where are they?" she asked, her eyes hard.

"They who?" He brightened. "The Captain? Bad luck, they just left-"

"The fugitives."

She pointed the gun at his chest, her finger on the trigger and murder in her eyes and Wash did the only thing he could think of.

Throwing the very full mugs of extremely hot tea at her, Wash grabbed the half full kettle, ignoring her scream, and swung at her. She fell to the floor, hitting her head on the counter on the way down. The bounty hunter was dead before she even hit the floor.

Wash put the dented kettle down, his heart beating in his throat and only one thought on his mind, the song forgotten.

Running to the cockpit, hoping she had been the only one, he barely made it out of the galley before something hit him from behind and everything went black.

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Author's note-

I love writing Wash & Simon friendship fics so I hope y'all enjoyed this one. The origami thing is a mini headcanon + longer fic I'm working (if you want to know more please let me know!)

And I'm sorry that this is late and that it's not really well written, I've written it in about 30 minutes without obsessively going over it about 20 times because things have been hectic lately.

Love you all and thanks for all the likes/reblogs so far <3 You Browncoats have really been making my month so far

[cosmica-galaxy]

What if the human was talking to tv woman and the brown camera man run up to them but instead of hugging tv woman he hugs the human and the human hugs him back how would the main trio, mimic trio and tv woman react to that

Camron would feel an instant wave of jealousy. How dare that unit hug you! At least ask first! But seeing you happily embrace him back only sends a shiver of silent frustration down to his hands. Causing them to quake. He's not gonna control who you're gonna be able to talk to...but why that guy? Doesn't he treasure the tv lady over you?? Why the sudden change of heart? He doesn't like it. DJ is a bit envious that the unit would be so bold to run up to the human and hug them, when he can barely ask for one without feeling a little clingy. It's a mood dampener...especially now that they have yet ANOTHER competitor to deal with for the affection of the human. Just great. Vee has heard from the tv gossip vine that this unit was very determined to hug their matriarch, even to the point of absolute annoyance. He figured he was going to watch it happen in real time, seeing as the tv lady was conversing with the human, but color him surprised when the cameraman in question latches onto the HUMAN and not the matriarch. It seemed to surprise both units, him and her, as the human just welcomed it. Suddenly...Vee got a sudden chill and an urge to intervene. They're just friends...but why does he feel so irritated? However, he didn't seem to be alone in his irritation...as a look of anger seemed to cross the matriarchs face. Buddy would squint his eye in caution but would go a little bit more lax when the human returns the embrace and greets the cameraman. This entity looks familiar...but he can't remember where. Still, the way he still holds onto the human, even after a few minutes, begins to grate on the mimic. Will you DROP your hands already? That prolonged amount of contact is only allowed with close friends, like HIM. Pal would be happy that the human seemed to have made a new friend entirely, this one was even keen on hugs! The moment the human lets go of the cameraman and vice versa, Pal picks up the unit (much to his shock) and hugs him too. He wants to join in on the cuddle party! Human friend! Come here and we can all hug each other together!! Fiend would quickly grow irritated and would probably loom nearby to make sure that interloper knows what he's getting into. Doesn't he know that there are so many mimics, and UNITS, lined up for that human's heart? He's FIRST in line, thank you very much and he won't tolerate line cutters! He's going to terrify that unit till it leaks oil everywhere for even daring to latch onto HIS precious human! The TV woman seemed to realize the approach of that brown-coated cameraman too late, her eyes could only widen when she sees him approach. However, the human and her were talking about some rather important matters, so she couldn't just teleport away! She braced for impact...but it never came. Instead, she heard the human let out a grunt before erupting in laughter. Much to her shock, the cameraman that seemed to have been infatuated with her...was now hugging the human...who was returning it. She seemed stunned from the sudden change of heart as browncoat was nuzzling into the human's neck and shoulder. Then, there was a moment where she could feel the cameraman look at her...and glare. Once the human lets go of browncoat, the two began talking idly...and he wasn't even paying her no mind, seemingly ignoring she was there in the first place. She could feel her eye twitch, not because of the sudden change in interest in her...but because of WHO he decided to exchange her with. That...made her pretty bitter and she would give him an angry glare in return, much to the obliviousness of the human between them.

[primaryasset1]

Here are some Alternate Universe Rinch fics to heal the soul.

Strip Search by Zaniida

Chapters: 5/5

Word Count: 14,670

Summary:

At the time, the drama of waking up zip-tied to a bed with the sounds of murder in the next room had seemed… not entirely unreasonable. Knowing now firsthand what it felt like to wake up tied to a bed, not knowing what your captor’s plans were… Harold was stunned by just how monumentally stupid the idea had always been.

And for Reese -- how much worse? Harold could imagine scenarios, but Reese had lived them. That panic in his eyes... Harold had subjected him to that.

“I must apologize,” he said, his throat tight. “I didn’t... think through… the implications. I was a little desperate at the time, but that’s certainly no excuse.”

“A trained assassin on the run, judgment and impulse control impaired by alcohol. You have any idea how dangerous that was, Harold?"

Notes:

I just absolutely love this fic! Finch and Reese have spot on characterizations, the plot is tense and engaging and I love me some Finch whump.

I can see how canon definitely could've gone this direction and I love Finch's thought processes. It makes him feel less like he thinks that he's obligated to help people because of Nathan's death in particular (which is how his motivations sometimes comes across in canon) and makes the numbers something more personal and Finch's decision to put himself in dangerous situations much more powerful and rewarding.

And John, ugh, this man needs a hug and a blanket and all of the nice things. The author wrote him pre-Finch flawlessly and I now feel robbed that we didn't get a similar first meeting between him and Finch in canon because there's so much depth and meaning in every word spoken between them. In every little reaction John has to kind words and every self-deprecating thought that crosses Finch's mind as they talk.

This is a definite must read!

Dangerous If Unbound by astolat

Chapters: 1/1

Word Count: 23,647

Summary:

The Texas sun beating down was merciless, almost a physical weight on his shoulders. John couldn't move even to change the angle: the collar was tight, the cuffs were tight, and the chains had been pulled to their limits.

Notes:

Make sure to read the tags before going into this because it is a bit spicier than the other fics I recommend due to the AU it takes place in.

I really liked this fic because I always like getting a peek into John's conflicted inner thoughts and this fic definitely delivers.

Someone to Carry You by MnemonicMadness

Chapters: 14/?

Word Count: 32,167

Summary:

Sticking to the Border planets, Harold Finch, aided by former Browncoat John Reese, has taken it upon himself to investigate the distress calls the government considers irrelevant. But these distress calls are sent for a reason and answering them is not without risks. Sooner or later, facing the most terrifying threat the 'verse has to offer becomes inevitable.

"If you can't run, you walk, and if you can't walk, you crawl, and if you can't do that... you find someone to carry you."

- Firefly ep. 'The Message'

Notes: Just because this fic takes place within the Firefly crossover does not mean you have to watch the show in order to enjoy this crossover. I haven't seen the show and I don't know the plot but I followed this pretty easily and got the concept.

I never really know that I needed a scifi Rinch fic until I read this one and now I'm sad that there aren't more.

Also bonus protective John with plenty of hurt/comfort, who doesn't love that?

i wear kevlar like it's lingerie (and keep your pocketsquares close to my heart) by MulaSaWala

Chapters: 8/?

Word Count: 11,769

Summary:

John had never met anyone who needed a bodyguard quite as badly as Harold Crane. It was a bit surreal that he didn't have an entire team of them.

Notes:

Bodyguard AU where Nathan lives! Need I say more? Lots of protective Reese and naive, danger magnet Finch.

The only minor issue I have with this fic is the fact that the timeline bounces around from time to time so the chapters aren't linear.

Sympathy for the Hellhound (and the Broken Winged Bird by RyuuzaKochou

Chapters: 1/1

Word Count: 24,219

Summary:

Finch surveyed the room again through his glasses, but it did not become any less overbright with harsh fluorescents, it did not become any less damp, cold, concreted, stuffy or stale, the chair he sat on became no less roughly wooden and he, alas, remained absolutely, totally naked.

Life choices, the grim voice of his common sense cut in. Think on them.

Two men meet under the most dire of circumstances and must rely on each other to survive - and rise. Inspired by Macx's superlative Firewall series, with a twist, and a twist, and a twist.

Notes:

While I unfortunately can't say much without giving away the plot, I can say that this fic was an amazing ride from start to finish! I loved the twists and turns that the story took and how the author built out the lore for the story so seamlessly that all the useful information doesn't feel like exposition and take you out of the moment.

This is a truly amazing AU fic!

[dogmomwrites]

Find the Word!

Thanks for the tag, @marinesocks! My words to find were favor, under, feet, raise, and life. The excerpts are taken from Castle in the Ice and my still unnamed WIP.

Tagging @bardic-tales, @365runesofwriting, @ghost-town-story, @houndsofcorduff, @elijahrichardwrites, and @j-1173. Your words are weary, storm, flourish, gray, and patience. If you can't find one, you have to include a fun fact about your WIP, your writing process, or one of your characters! (shamelessly stolen from @marinesocks, so blame her!)

Favor

His confidence wavered for a second. “You can’t threaten me—you can’t threaten my family.”

“I’m not a cop,” Jimmy said as he stood from the table. “I don’t see the big deal about all-girl schools, but St. Andrew’s looks like a nice place.”

Kaelakekaua watched him walk to the door and open it. “You can’t hurt her,” he said, although he looked a little less certain. “It’s not legal!”

The detectives met Jimmy in the hallway outside.

“Well, congratulations, you got a reaction from him,” Cooper said. “What’s your plan now?”

Jimmy didn’t look back at the interrogation room, instead walking back out to the lobby. “He kidnapped my brother, so I’ll return the favor. I’m gonna kidnap his daughter.”

Under

A heavy weight on his stomach followed by a loud “Woof!” woke Jimmy much too early for his liking. He groaned and tried to push Avalanche off, but she pushed back. Digging in her claws, she smacked him in the face with one of her paws.

Jimmy’s eyes snapped open. “Fuck off,” he growled, glaring at her. When she hopped down, he shifted into a more comfortable position and draped an arm over his eyes.

Avalanche leaped up onto the couch behind him and dug her paws under his side. The next thing Jimmy knew, he was landing on the floor.

“Avalanche!” He curled up into a ball, too tired to get mad. “Now my face hurts.”

Feet

He helped Aero up to his feet, leading him to the door. “Hm, that depends on how bad it is, so’n it does. I can set an arm, but I was never all that good with ribs. I can remove them, if that’s needed.”

“Whoa!” Aero balked at that, his tone growing alarmed. He pushed against Marrick’s hand in a futile attempt to get away. “Do I not get a say in this?”

“No, you didn’t even think to mention they were broken,” Marrick said, though Aero missed the humor in his eyes. “How can we know you’ll vote for what’s best for you if’n you don’t even say you broke your ribs?”

“I thought they were only bruised, I swear. If I had but known—”

Marrick whisked him away, back out of the room and down the hall. He glanced back to flash the others a playful wink as he left, Aero thoroughly convinced he might lose his ribs.

Raise

“Stay close,” Marrick said to him. He had to raise his voice over the noisy wolvins and growing storm. “You need someone at your back when facing these beasts, sure’n you do.”

“I’ve got you,” he said as he watched the pack approach, and then added, “I think Spirit’s fine.”

Spirit dropped the first wolvin with an easy sideswipe, cutting half its head off. She punched the second one in the face, then slit its throat. When she joined them again, she said, “That didn’t take long at all.”

“We got more for you,” Marrick said.

Raavi fired another arrow into the lead group. The wolvins were now close enough that they could see the arrow sink deep into the front-runner’s chest. Rather than stumbling, however, the wolvin only snarled and snapped at the fletching protruding from its body.

Spirit gave her sword a flick to shake some blood from the blade. “Yay!” she said.

Life

“Oh!” he said when he saw what was in the room. His tail quivered in excitement. “Humans! Isn’t this a delightful birthday surprise?”

The browncoat left, indicating with her tail that Mochta and the humans should follow her. “They’ll let us know when he’s done.”

“Do they know how to fix him?” Hank asked, and the doctor huffed at him.

He made a show of frowning, twitching his whiskers, pulling the corners of his mouth down, and furrowing his furry brows as best he could, so that they would know what he was doing. “I am a surgical doctor, do you not see? I have made it my life to know all there is about fixing up anything there is. Do I know how to—why don’t you just run along and let me get to it? Smelly human, you’re getting in the way.”

[missvelvetsstuff]

Miss Velvet

Bucky Barnes x Reader

Y/N is a disabled equestrian and therapeutic riding instructor who helps Tony Stark with his PTSD after returning from Titan. When the Avengers bring everyone back he hires her to work with Avengers and SHIELD hires her as therapist and teaching basic riding skills because you never know when a horse will be the best mode of transportation.

Bucky Barnes is a manwhore who is enjoying his freedom for the first time in decades and pays no mind to y/n when she meets the team because he learned to ride from Hydra and too is busy pursuing his next conquest.

Post Endgame but everybody survived, because I said so. And Steve helped get Sharon Carter pardoned so they are together.

Chapter 7

Warning: a little angst

For the next 3 days Bucky stayed with Velvet and took care of her while her back slowly improved. She insisted that he didn't need to because this is a regular occurrence and shes used to taking care of herself. The last time the team took turns checking on her when Mi wasn't available but she didn't need someone around the clock. That's why she has the walker for when it's really bad.

Bucky is as stubborn as she is and insisted on staying. Velvet offered to share her cal king bed but he made himself a pallet on the floor and she was too tired to argue about it. He made sure she ate and was a decent cook with basic dishes. He rubbed mineral ice into the muscles in her back that were spasming. They finished watching the Firefly series and movie Serenity. Bucky was just as offended as Velvet that it was cancelled after such a short time and a confirmed Browncoat. They also watched some original Star Trek because Sam seemed to believe that only the newer Kelvin timeline movies were necessary. Bucky enjoyed that too, even when it was cheesy, because the positive future for humanity was inspiring.

The 4th day, Velvet was able to move much better and felt like walking out to the barn and saying hi to her herd would be good physical and mental therapy. They walked around, Velvet's hand on Buckys arm just in case, greeting the horses and chatting with them and each other, Indy keeping a close eye on her. After about an hour, Velvet was starting to run out of energy and the pain started getting worse so Bucky escorted her back to the house and made breakfast.

When he came to the living room and set her plate up on a TV tray she speaks up "I want to thank you again Bucky. You really went above and beyond so I guess I have no choice but to call you my friend. I'm going soft and I don't know how the team will take this"

Bucky looks at her offended until he sees the grin on her face and she winks at him. They both laugh until she curses at her back acting up.

"Very funny, Miss Velvet, stop being a smart ass and eat your breakfast."

"Well, Seargent Barnes, I'd rather be a smart ass than a dumb shit but you do you" Bucky grins.

"So, it's back to Barnes now? I thought we we're friends"

Velvet giggles, "I didn't know you were so touchy Bucky. I'm so sorry for calling you Barnes, Bucky. I promise I'll only call you Bucky from now on, Bucky."

The next week, when Velvet's back is has returned to its normal pain level she meets Bucky in the barn and when everyone is taken care of she heads towards the front of the house,

"C'mon Barnes, we're having a field trip today, I wanna show you something" She lets Indy in the back seat and clips his seat belt, then gets in the drivers seat while Bucky gets in the passenger side.

They drive towards the city for 15 minutes and turn off at a property with a small mobile home in front, park to the side and she leads him thru a gate that says Serenity across the top, back to a small stable with 10 horses and a small arena. It's full of people and activity some in the arena others getting horses prepared for lessons.

"This is where Mi and I started in the therapeutic horsemanship business. After my accident and some issues related to the after effects, Mi decided we needed a change of scenery, packed up Duke and Laredo, sold his stable in CA and we moved here. Lived in that mobile home up front with Mi from 2016 until Tony bought my place and I started working with y'all. Come and see what we, well mostly Mi now, do here."

Bucky followed her towards Mi whose face broke out into a huge grin when he saw Velvet and gave her a big hug.

"I'm glad you're up and about Velvet and thank you to seargent Barnes for taking care of her. It's no easy task with one so stubborn" his eyes twinkled at Velvet

"Mi, dude, I'm right here."

"Well, obviously I can see you're here and its been too long. The kids have missed you-" Mi is interrupted by a young boy, with a prosthetic arm comes up and hugs her legs

"MISS VELVET! Its been forever since you were here. I missed you"

Velvet smiles, "I've missed you too Markie. My back was acting up so I've had to take it easy for a few days. Plus those Avengers are hopeless on horseback and need all of my time. I brought someone I thought you'd like to meet, this is my friend Bucky. He's an Avenger" then in a stage whisper "and the worst rider of all of them, he needs so much help"

Markie laughs and looks up at Bucky "I know who you are, Bucky Barnes the White Wolf. I have a special arm too, see"

"Can I see your arm Mr White Wolf" Markie asks hesitantly. Bucky feels uncomfortable for a moment and nods, shrugging his jacket off and rolling his sleeve up. "Can I touch it?"

"Sure kid" and Bucky squats down so Markie can inspect his arm. Bucky doesn't realize that more kids are coming up to see the Avenger and his fancy arm.

Markie shows Bucky his prosthetic arm which Bucky ooohs and ahhs over. It's simpler than Buckys and when he asks, Velvet explains its because he's still growing so its temporary but he already has a grant for a permanent one when he stops growing.

Velvet sits down on a bench to watch Bucky talking to the kids. Her stomach drops a little when she sees some of the riders moms staring at Bucky and starting to come over when some of the volunteers take the kids to start their lesson. As Bucky stands up one of the moms walks right up looking flirty and introduces herself.

"I'm Candace but you can call me Candy. I'm Markies mom"

Bucky politely shakes her hand "Nice to meet you, Ma'am" and turns to Velvet "Can I help with the lesson? Or something?"

Mi walks up and pats Bucky on the shoulder, "come with me son, we'll find something for you to do"

Velvet helps lead the next couple of lessons while Bucky worked as a sidewalker, walking alongside the horse to make sure the rider is secure and doesn't fall. He was enraptured with the kids, the look on their faces when they were on the horses, pure joy. The same look that Velvet had as she lead the lesson.

And they knew who he was but no one seemed afraid or intimidated at all. Most were fascinated with his vibranium arm, asking all kinds of questions about it's function, can he feel with it, how many kids he can pick up with it, could he punch thru a car, does it get clean in the shower or does he have to do something special to clean it.

When it was time to go some of the kids asked for pictures so Velvet got ready to take one of the group but some of the kids wanted her in it too so she went to sit next to Bucky and he pulled her onto his lap and wouldn't let her go. Velvet gave up, got comfortable in Buckys lap with her arms around his neck and smiled when Mi took the picture of them in front of the stables sign. Mi promised to post it on the stables website that evening.

After the riders left and the horses were fed Mi invited them to stay and eat with the volunteers, pizza was on it's way. Bucky had a great time talking with the volunteers, some were older most were teens. Some volunteered to complete school requirements, some just liked horses, some were working off legal issues but no matter those details they all got so much more out of their time there than they could ever give. Bucky asked a million questions about how they ended up here and they asked just as many about his avenging. When the sun started setting Velvet stood up and told Mi they had to go and get her own herd fed.

Once they drove back and fed the horses there Velvet was ready to put her feet up tired and sore but in a good way, working with the kids always recharged her mentally. She grabbed some edibles and went to sit in her recliner

"How about you Barnes? Up for more Star Trek or a game of chess or checkers? I'm not much for video games the arthritis in my hands doesn't like me gripping the controller."

Bucky thinks a minute "as much as I like Star Trek, its easier to talk over checkers"

'Did you have something you wanted to talk about specifically? Or just chat in general."

Velvet goes to grab the game from the closet and sets up on a TV tray between her chair and the couch.

Bucky smiles "I'm just enjoying getting to know you is all. I can ask Mi about you if you'd prefer"

Velvet laughs "Mi would never give up my secrets but I'm not very interesting. Especially compared to a centenarian, super soldier, spy, assassin."

"Agree to disagree. You said you moved here and started Serenity after your accident. What did you do before that?"

Velvet sighs "I was only 19 when I got into the accident but before that I was busy competing a path to the US Olympic equestrian team. Was hoping to compete in Rio in 2016. The accident ended that path but most of the time I think it was for the best."

Bucky looked surprised "How could something like that be for the best?"

Velvet grimaced "I wasn't a nice person back then. I mean, I never cheated or hurt anyone but I was a real bitch to everyone and tried to psych out the competition. All I cared about was getting to the Olympics. The accident sucked and I had a difficult recovery with the depression, anger and drug abuse but I'm a better person now and am working to help others. 2014 and the years following were rough but I don't think I'd change it if I could."

Bucky thinks for a minute contemplating his next move, on the checkerboard and the conversation. He wants to bring up that kiss but is scared to ruin all the progress they've made in their friendship.

"I see smoke coming out of your ears, Barnes. What are you thinking about?"

He stutters "I-I'm-well-uh thinking about kissing you."

Velvet's eyes open wide. "Bucky, I really like you and have enjoyed getting to know you but, I don't know."

"But, you like me and you're attracted to me so what's the problem?"

She sighs "I'm not your type. What I mean is you like girls who are easy and I'm not. I don't mean just sexually but that's part of it. I can't handle casual sex, I get too emotionally attached and end up hurt. Casual sex is all you have and there's nothing wrong with that, to each their own as long as everyone is consenting, but its not me.

Then there's this crap with my back. Its only going to get worse as I get older and I don't want to be a burden to someone else. You've seen a bit if it but my back goes out a few times a year. I'm not even 30 yet and its something I have to deal with. You shouldn't have to.

Not to mention the depression and anxiety that goes with it. Also the abandonment issues since the snap, makes me a little clingy and you have a dangerous job that takes you away from home a lot. A relationship with me would be, challenging."

Bucky runs his flesh hand thru his hair "What if I don't care about all of that and only want to be with you? I have plenty of baggage too, you know. I'm 106 and spent a lot of that as a brainwashed assassin for an evil group bent on world domination. When I was talking to Sam about it he told me everyone has baggage and we just need to find someone to help us unpack. What if I want to be that person for you?"

"And what if I'm just so appealing because I'm the first woman who has told you no? What if you get me and get bored or find someone else? Or get tired of being held back by my disability? I don't know if I could handle that."

The both sit in silence, thinking about everything that's been said.

Bucky speaks up softly "Life is full of risks, Velvet. Every time you ride Lexi you risk getting hurt more. I understand your fear because its the same reason I haven't had a relationship. Sex is fun and easy, more than that takes time and effort that I haven't been willing to invest. Until now."

"I don't know what to say, Bucky. Part of me wants to just say fuck it and throw caution to the wind but the other part knows that I always get hurt when I do that."

"Just don't say no, ok? You know, I haven't even been with anyone since that day I kissed you. Give me a chance, Doll."

Velvet smiles and takes his hand. "I'm really tired, Bucky, and this is a lot why don't we sleep on it and we'll talk more in the morning"

Crestfallen Bucky sighs. "Alright, I'll see you in the morning." He kisses her forehead and leaves.

At 3am Steve wakes Bucky up, they have a mission in S America. Bucky gets up grumbling, takes a shower and heads out. Forgetting about Velvet and the horses for awhile.

Velvet wakes up to a text from Fury with a list of her riders that are offsite, Bucky being right at the top. She says a little prayer for his safety to any gods who may be listening and throws herself into her work.

Chapter 8

[space-city-traffic]

yet again im back on my bullshit so... (gazes with mixed feelings at the TV show Firefly) i could fix him.

my extremely long thoughts about my Own Personal Good Version of Firefly (with plenty of spoilers for the show and the movie) under the cut:

things that are getting axed first thing no question:

out with the whole “let’s add in a thin veneer of Chinese cultural aesthetics out of context for ~flavor~” deal. just no.

instead, let’s hire some actors from a bunch of different cultures and work with them to figure out how their characters would bring those cultures into space with them!! and also hopefully bring some experiences with immigration/alienation/travel into it, since the Whole Core of Firefly is about how humanity always brings our doomed and silly and stubborn and unique warmth with us even into the cold void where nothing is familiar or homey in the slightest.

let’s respect our sex worker character shall we?

i do appreciate that Inara’s work as a companion is described as legitimate and well respected in the show. however please stop having your captain and hero call her a wh*re every five seconds against her clearly expressed wishes and portraying this as just a totally acceptable thing

let’s be more respectful of our characters of color and also have some more diversity, shall we?

others have put it better than me but yeah, the way Zoe and Book are treated is very uncomfy, and the rest of the show is depressingly monochromatic. come on let’s do better.

stop the weird confederacy hat tips

again others have pointed these out with much more thoroughness than I could, but the names of some characters and locations, as well as some of the language used to describe the browncoats, has uncomfortably confederate vibes. instead i propose we very Clearly tip our hats to the Alliance equaling space capitalism instead! you can’t go wrong with space capitalism as a villain.

don’t! make! the! psychotic! character! violent!

listen i love River Tam with my whole heart. but you should absolutely not portray your only character with psychosis as violent because of that psychosis!!!!!!! and yeah, a huge part of her character is that her brain got fucked up by the alliance and so she hallucinates and is also a super ninja. but like. she doesn’t need to be a super ninja for her character to work, okay? the crew does not need to be scared of her for her character to work, okay??? more on this later bc it would take a lot of care and nuance to make her character work but i really think it can be done

things we are absolutely keeping:

found family tropes my fucking beloved

this should be self evident. this is why the show is as appealing as it is despite its flaws, at least in my eyes.

malcolm reynolds, the knight in dusty armor

there’s something so appealing to me about what Mal stands for. because at his core is this ridiculous, silly, stubborn, doomed devotion to what he thinks is important and right, a romantic idealism thinly covered by cynical cowboy platitudes that he thinks make his bleeding heart totally invisible. and he is so obvious and entirely incorrect. bless. this is a man who will do anything for his family, who charges into swordfights to defend his friend from a man who wants to turn her into an object despite having no clue how to hold a sword. at his worst, he starts brawls in bars just for the martyr’s thrill of being persecuted for supporting the right; at his best, he inspires downright religious belief from his crew because he represents a romantic and chivalrous and doomed dedication to the right thing over any practical concerns. and then he throws a “selfish” quip over it with 100% confidence that everyone fell for his clever distraction and believes him to be a dirtbag. he’s oblivious and ridiculous and god he makes me want to be a better person because he’s just so goddamned sincere. stupid, but sincere. 10/10 himbo. <3

Mal and Inara ultraslowburn friends to enemies to friends to lovers to enemies to friends to lovers to friends to...

there’s nothing i love more than a ship that’s just two people who know each other way too well, and they’re each the only one who knows the other well enough to call them out on their bullshit. the way Mal and Inara interact in the show sometimes makes me uncomfy but like. the core of their relationship has to stay.

space western aesthetic

i need the cows on a spaceship scene to stay like i need air okay

that sweet sweet religious shit

mal, who lost his faith in gd and a whole lot else during the war. who lost his faith in himself, and now feels he has to hide the part of him that still wants to be good, because he knows he can’t be anymore, and he feels like it’s embarrassing for a guy like him to want something so unattainable. who takes a preacher on board, and the preacher has lost something, too. the preacher has his own past, and his own questions. but not questions like the observant neurodivergent girl, the one who wants to interact with and understand this thing that’s so important to him, but it just doesn’t click with how her brain works and she feels like something needs to be fixed, either the Bible or herself. and Mal takes care of them all, and slowly, he begins to find gd again, not in a prayer but in humanity. humanity doesn’t need to be fixed, like the alliance thinks. the shining imperfect strawberry sweetness of it in his family’s smiles is something to be worshiped and served and devoted to. and he finds he has something to believe in again. (and his crew find that he’s given them someone to believe in, too. and maybe suddenly he’s a saint.)

and finally, my brilliant ideas as to what i would like to add:

TRANS WOMAN KAYLEE RIGHTS

listen her femininity is so important to me okay? it’s so thrilled about everything that’s pretty, from dresses to the spaceship’s electric innards, and it’s so non-traditional and grease stained until it’s not and it’s pink and ruffly and twirly, and she never sees any of it as a contradiction, because none of it contradicts, it’s all just her! her gender is warmth and love and prettiness, feeling pretty and appreciating the pretty and making her friends’ days pretty too.

i want us to find out she’s trans in that episode with the ball, and i want us to find out alongside Mal who just never asked or never realized. Kaylee gasps and squeals at the dress in the shop window and Mal makes an off handed, ill considered comment, and then... someone yanks him aside and hisses a few very significant words in his ear. and suddenly he remembers what the blue white and pink she painted all over the engine room means, and he knows he has something to make right. so he buys her that dress himself and lets her know just how pretty she looks, and when he walks into that ball with her displayed on his arm like something precious, he looks the proudest out of any man there. and she notices. for a few seconds, of course, until there’s chocolate, and ‘nara, and a chandelier—and some horrible girls, but she’s used to that, until—suddenly, she finds her people. a group of old men who light up when she jokes about compression coils and whack presumptuous boys who ask her to dance. they adopt her as a treasured granddaughter, and Mal is beaming at her like a proud dad, and she finds that one of her new elderly friends gazes a little too long at her bracelet, and so she gives it to xem and teaches xem a few new words, and... it’s a good day, huh? it’s a really good day. (of course, then the captain has to go and punch somebody in the face, but it was a real nice party up until then.)

also she and Simon are both transhet t4t im correct and you know it

time for a better River Tam

the first thing we’ve established is that this version of her is not unpredictably violent and the crew is not scared of her!!!! it makes no sense to take a kid who’s primarily brilliant, experiment on her brain, give her telepathic powers....... and tack on the fact that she also has super strength and speed and dexterity and what not, AND say that they programmed her to be super violent. no! no. not only is that extremely harmful rep, that’s also just stupid.

instead!! my version of River is in fact not terrifying to the crew, but is actually the one they feel safest around. River has always been totally blunt, she was one of those kids you could tell realllllly early was autistic, and she doesn’t like being disengenous at all. so you can always trust her to tell the truth and not play weird passive aggressive games or have any hidden agenda, which makes her just a really chill person to be around. also, one of her longtime special interests is music and dance, so whether or not she’s nonverbal on a given day, there will always be some sort of beautiful sound when she’s around. she does have the singing voice of a dying crow unfortunately but that’s ok bc Simon’s is even worse and they’re both incredibly competitive so you’ll at least get free entertainment out of the affair.

my version of River does have psychosis and hallucinations because of the trauma of the experiments, and they are really troubling to her. she and Simon work together to find ways to cope and meds that help, and it’s a process, but there are some things that help.

the only thing she gained from the academy was the ability to hear people’s thoughts and sense the future a little bit. and yeah, that led to her picking up a few spooky secrets at the beginning, which, yikes. and for a while, it was hard to figure out which voices were real and which were hallucinations. but around her friends, she always feels safe to ask ���did you just think about triple cheese burritos or was that just a me thing?”, and they’ll always tell her the truth no matter how embarrassing their thoughts are, bc it’s important to all of them to respect her and help her sort accurately through what’s reality and what’s not. and bit by bit, she gets better and better at figuring out what kinds of things tend to be telepathy and what kinds of things tend to be psychosis, and that each one feels a little different. and because of the trust and respect and support of her found family she’s able to do that in a safe environment!!!

trans man Simon rights

listen i wanted to keep him as just a side note on Kaylee’s list but he is my son and he’s important to my heart so here goes

out on the outer rim where Kaylee’s from, gender ain’t much of a big deal, there’s an individualistic quality to life out there, and so if the trail you blaze is the trail of a woman or a man or neither or both, that’s respected even in the rare cases where it’s not outright encouraged. but in the inner planets, where competition and connections and public faces and family names are everything, you have to be what’s expected of you to survive. you can’t change your brand, you can’t be anything other than what your family planned for you since before you were born, it’s incredibly hard to survive in such a hyper competitive environment, and so your very identity becomes just a tool in how to market yourself for better success.

needless to say Simon (just as autistic as his little sister and also very trans) fuckin hated it there. but he was very good at it. correction: he was very good at his very specific field of STEM, good enough to where people stopped talking about how cute he looked in bows and started talking about how impressive his work was from a very young age. and his work had no gender. he could be whatever he wanted to in equations. so that was where he could express himself, and gd, he got so much praise for it, he never wanted to stop.

not until he discovered that his sister needed him, and ran away, and needed a disguise, and realized... suddenly, every stifling rule and prying eye was a million miles away. he was freefloating, freefalling, with none of the charted paths he’d been following all his life... so you know what? fuck it. he’s always enjoyed the name Simon. and since it’s not on any legal records, it’ll make him just that much more untraceable.

and on Serenity, starting over with new people who never knew him before his transition feels like an unbelievable blessing that just dropped right into his lap. he has to keep up the secrecy, he has to make sure they never find out who he used to be, because gd, it’s so nice when they look at him and say his name right, and he doesn’t know if he can handle losing that, not when it’s so new and so important to the person he’s finally becoming. but then one day, the unthinkable happens, the wanted posters for his arrest have an old name on them, they’re looking for the Tam sisters, and... nothing changes. the crew of Serenity could not give even a tenth of a percent of a fuck, and it doesn’t seem like they even know they’re supposed to. huh. that’s new. Simon could get used to that, he thinks.

i’m sure there’s more i could add, but it’s 4:30 in the morning now, so if more occurs to me, ill simply add it in a reblog tomorrow. if you’ve read down this far, i am in love with you. please let me know your Better Firefly ideas, too, bc im always down to yell about this show!!!