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dead-dog-dont-eat · 1 year ago

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hi hi hi! :) srry 2 be a bother but I am a HUGE ben 10 fan as well & couldn't help but notice that you had a whole theme going on rn (lol)

anyway, for starters, but do you have hcs on any of the aliens from the show (specifically POC and/or LGBTQ+)? Don't wanna pressure u obviously - but I think that ur cool (in an autism way) and I just wanna hear your hcs.

OMG, anon, this is so sweet of you to say 😭😭😭????? Also, ty for acknowledging my account theme of my wife (lol) tbh, I have been bored lately and I WAS about to post some text wanting to talk to someone about some random-ass questions or headcanons about ben 10, and you've beaten me to it :D

Also, to answer your question...yes, I have headcanons to both POC (and non-POC) and queer headcanons!!

(Also, funny enough, but I have seen @/redisloser show THEIR version of hcs for the aliens--so I might as well show mine)

-XLR8 is of Asian descendant (specifically Korean, Thai, and Vietnamese), and he is gay, non-monogamous, and reciprosexual.

-Bullfrag is of Italian-American heritage (so white) and is from Boston and Philadelphia, and is bisexual; Attea is also from Italian heritage and is from Boston but is mostly New Jerseyian, she is a nonbinary lesbian.

-NRG and Diamondhead are also white, both of them are Russian (NRG canonically is, lol), but Diamondhead is also a mix of Czech, German, and has Alaskan blood in him and is from Arkansas--while NRG is a second-generation Russian immigrant; Diamondhead is gay, demiace, and demiboy while for NRG....eh, I'm still questioning, but is definitely queer in some way.

-All of Ben's Anur Transyl aliens canonically have European heritage in them--as it was proven in OV on Anur Transyl how the theme of the planet is mostly based on Europe. Not to mention Snare-Oh + any other Thep Khufans are also Egyptian. Though, I headcanon that Anur Transyl continents are different based on the European country they were inspired from. Plus I love how diverse and multicultural the planet is. Whampire--from his accent--is (canonically from the wiki) Romanian and gay/queer; Snare-Oh and Frankenstrike are both gay/queer with Snare-Oh being acespec and cupiosexual. Ghostfreak and Blitzwolfer are both queer-coded as well but just not decided on gender/sexuality (yet).

-Four Arms is of Spanish heritage (mostly from Mexico, Venezuela, and Argentina) and is a bisexual demiboy; Looma Red Wind is the same but is more indigenous-mexico + has Mayan background in her blood, she is a pre-op top surgery transmasc lesbian.

-Ripjaws is Afro-Polynesian, part Hawaiian and Filipino, and is mostly Samoan; he is polyam, greyromantic/alloaro, a trans-enby (ftm), and gay.

-Swampfire is mixed POC--he is Melanesian, Indian, Afro-Hawaiian + Afro-Japanese, and is also part white (Irish + Dutch and Baltic); he is gay and demisexual.

-Heatblast, Grey Matter, and Cannonbolt are white: Heatblast is Coloradorian + Northeastern white, Grey Matter is from Baltimore + Northern states and is also a bit British, and Cannonbolt is mostly from the Western side of America; Heatblast is achillean/MLM and queer, both Cannonbolt and Grey Matter are aroace and Bolt is also pan.

-Stinkfly is agender and aroace as well; he is Northeastern white like Heatblast.

-Wildmutt is just, well, an alien dog so he doesn't have any concept of gender/sexuality--BUT, if he were an ACTUAL dog, then he would be a mixed breed of a Sheepdog (mostly), along with a bit of Airdale/Whippet Bull Terrier mix, Great Dane and some Cane Corso too (<- inspired off of my partner's HUGE ass black-colored dog, Buddha, who is also a Cane Corso lmao).

-Feedback is mostly African-American with bits of Japanese and Filipino (Blasian); and he is gay.

-Big Chill is Afro-Jewish, Afro-Asian, and Afro-Hawaiian, Icelandic, and Norse; they are canonically nonbinary, trans/ftm, on the aroace spectrum, and gay.

-Both Rath and Humungousaur are mostly white but with some POC--Rath is of Ukrainian, Irish, and Polish background with some Indian and Brazilian heritage and is from New Jersey + Philadelphia, and Humungousaur is from the Caribbean Islands with some Bulgaria, Slovakia, and Canada and is from Texas + Florida; both are gay.

-Wildvine is also African-American like Feedback, but he is also Afro-Latine, some Nigerian and a bit of Creole--he has a half older brother (my OC, Wallfire) who is Blasian because his late Pyronite mother is Asian (they both have the same dad); Wildvine is a transmasc ftm enby who is also gay--his brother is also gay but cis.

-Viktor is canonically German, and his human appearance in the Original Series is white, plus of his accent. Crüjo is Black like his voice actor in Omniverse--Bumper Robinson--and he is from Boston like Bullfrag. Kuphulu would be Black-adjacent, Egyptian, Afro-Asian, and also Jewish in heritage/background; all three of them are in a polycule with each other: Viktor is cis and gay, Crüjo is a libramasculine and gay, and Kuphulu is polyam, a trans-enby, gay and also on the aroace spectrum.

-Pax is multiracial: he is Black + European from his father and Spanish + Native-American from his mother; he is aroace, cupiosexual, and gay.

-And lastly, from my favorite out of the bunch: Psyphon. He is both French and Swedish (so mainly white as well) and he is multilingual in both languages; he is nonbinary, gay and also on the aroace spectrum.

Ty so much for asking me this! I had a lot of fun typing; please forgive me if I skipped/missed most of the aliens from other shows as well but these are ones that I mostly focus on (lol).

#ben 10 #ben 10 series #headcanons #my headcanons

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bopinion · 1 year ago

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2023 / 50

Aperçu of the Week:

"Christmas isn't a season. It's a feeling."

(Edna Ferber, US-American writer and Pulitzer Prize winner)

Bad News of the Week:

It's happening now: international aid for Ukraine is faltering. Western governments are increasingly calling for a negotiated peace and would like to reinvest in national interests, as elections are soon to be held. After almost two years of reporting on the war, the Western media are showing a certain tiredness of the topic that could probably only be revived by Taylor Swift. Western populations are increasingly realizing that sanctions and military aid are good for morale but bad for the wallet. And then attention and compassion - to put it insensitively - have been strongly rivaled by the Gaza war.

Vladimir Putin has the resources on his side. The Russian ruler has a productive weapons industry, immense manpower that can be mobilized, no scruples, secure state revenues, no opposition or free media, strategic partners and above all: time. On the other hand, the USA is facing the end of its military aid due to Republican power games. Something Europe cannot compensate for. And Europe is facing a blockade of civilian aid funds (guess what? That's right: Viktor Orbán). Something the USA does not want to compensate for.

Both were foreseeable. At the latest when it became clear that the hopeful summer offensive by the Ukrainian armed forces could not actually achieve anything. In fact, it is about defending our values. Yes, the Western world ignored Libya. Abandoned Afghanistan. Looked the other way on Yemen for years until it began to hurt its own trade. But we can't just sit back and accept that a geostrategic war of aggression is being waged on the European continent. When a bully terrorizes kids in the playground, you hope that the others will stick together and stand up to him. Is that asking too much?

Good News of the Week:

The real Donald is back. I'm not talking about the beloved Disney character but about the Polish Prime Minister. The new and the old - since Donald Tusk already hold office from 2007 to 2014. After a long wait, since the Polish President - from PiS, what a surprise! - first tasked the supposed election winner PiS (Prawo i Sprawiedliwość / Law and Justice) with forming the government, even though it has no coalition partner, the will of the people was respected and the opposition took over. With Donald Tusk as Prime Minister.

It cannot have been a coincidence that his first official act was to attend the EU summit. Tusk is very familiar with its procedures. After all, he was President of the European Council from 2014 to 2019 - the number one job on this continent. And for years he was accused of putting European interests above Polish ones. Which is a paradox in itself. After all, if any nation can draw on its history to realize that it can flourish in Europe, then it is Poland.

The history of our neighboring country to the east is very complex. With many tragically dark, but also hopefully bright chapters. One thing is clear: both countries benefit from good neighborly relations. That's why it was unpleasant for us to be used as a pawn in the election campaign. In one election campaign commercial, the PiS party leader Jarosław Aleksander Kaczyński shouted into the phone that it was time to stop being dictated to by Berlin (there was also a version with Brussels). A cheap attempt by the populists to sell their right-wing nationalism as a defense of patriotic independence. Even a law (officially in order to protect elections) was passed to prevent the opposition from winning the election. And despite the lack of a parliamentary majority, the PiS was tasked with forming a government (which was doomed to failure in the foreseeable future).

It didn't help, as hundreds of thousands on the streets and ultimately the majority of the Polish electorate demanded: away from xenophobia, media surveillance and obstruction of justice. Towards democracy, freedom and Europe. Now everyone wins. The European Union is happy about a strong and self-confident, but open and cooperative Poland. And Poland is finally (back) where it belongs: in the middle of Europe.

Personal happy moment of the week:

Last Friday I was invited to a student party. Officially by my daughter's student council (political science at Munich's Ludwig Maximilian University), which is an honor that otherwise only a few professors and hand-picked alumni are entitled to. So that I could have a drink, I naturally traveled by bike and public transport. And took the penultimate regional train - just to be sure. So I was sitting on the train with Moby on my headphones when I noticed at an intermediate station that quite a few passengers had somehow got off. Then a train attendant speaks to me: "It's always the same with the headphone wearers. You have to get out of here!".

I realize that the part of the train I'm sitting in is being unhooked and parked here. I rush out of the carriage and forward to the section of the train that continues to my station. But the door no longer opens and the train starts moving. Fuck! It flashes through my mind that I now have to wait for the last train. For an hour. In sub-zero temperatures at two in the morning. At a station in the middle of nowhere, where there is neither a kiosk nor a waiting room, just a draughty platform. But after a meter the train stops, the button to open the door lights up green and I can board. The train driver has obviously seen me in the rear-view mirror. And decided that he has a soft spot for headphone wearers. Thank you very much, you made me happy.

I couldn't care less...

...about Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. He has been blocking important decisions in the European Union for years because it won't let him do everything he wants - such as disempowering the judiciary, disregarding human rights or controlling the media. He does not fit the image of a European at all. Although hardly any other EU country is as dependent on European funds as his. He would like to keep it that way. And not share financial resources with others, especially not with Ukraine. He is using his veto for this, as many decisions at European level require unanimity according to the statute. But even he will not be able to prevent Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia from seeing their future in Europe. Even if he has to leave the room even more often for important votes: Destiny is destiny.

As I write this...

...the German military ends its mission in Mali. The Bundeswehr is a so-called "parliamentary army" that may only be deployed by resolution of the Bundestag and only for defense purposes. Since the Yugoslavian wars, it has also been deployed internationally to defend civilians and democracy, for example as part of United Nations blue helmet missions. Mali is a failed state in West Africa that has been continously in armed battles since its independence from the colonial power France in 1960. The UN mission was supposed to ensure a peace process.

A decade, many deaths and billions later, the foreign military forces are withdrawing. And leave the country in just as desolate a state as they found it. Memories of Afghanistan come to mind. Perhaps we should think about the method of "creating peace without weapons" ("Frieden schaffen ohne Waffen"). I am very sure that the establishment of a permanent school and healthcare system, for example, would have done more for the population than temporary military bases.

Post Scriptum

This year's world climate conference COP28 in Dubai is over. Doubts had already been raised in the run-up to the conference as to whether the event management by one of the most important producers of fossil fuels, of all people, could ensure a targeted phase-out of precisely these forms of energy. And these doubts proved to be justified. The final communiqué, which was ratified by all participating states, contains a soft formulation that calls for a long-term phase-out of oil and gas, but does not create any obligations. Which reminds me of my son promising for the umpteenth time to tidy up his room. Because he realizes it in theory. And then nothing happens in practice.

At the same time, more and more ambitious climate protection measures are being scaled back or at least called into question. Because the hope of some technological miracle in the future (keyword "carbon capture and storage") feels so much better than giving up the comfort we are used to. Humanity has the knowledge, skills and abilities to prevent the worst. But it simply shows far too little willingness to do what is necessary. Out of laziness and convenience. Like my son. I am so tired...

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wittynameme · 1 year ago

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how do I put this

I want to preface this with

NOt every Jewish person is a Zionist. You can be antizionist and hate antisemitism

A lot of horrible people have always used free Palestine as a dogwistle. They never liked either Jews or Palestinians

I do not like the violence, of course I don't

I dont know why I'm sitting here on my bed texting on Tumblr what MY opinion is on this war. Like I know anything or have any authority on the matter.

I am a 21 year old American. I live all the way across the sea on another continent where a country full of colonist war-profiteers pump out tons of pro-isreal propaganda.

Case in point the famous"we would need to make an Israel" speech.

I can only impart what I know from my experiences.

I've been in BLM protests and seen with my own eyes how horrible the police treat the protesters and how the news twists it in their favor, depicting them of being bloodthirsty violent rioters and when they can't in any way rationalize that they at least say there was "wrong on both sides".

I've researched propaganda, particularly blood lible in order to understand how people condemned Jewish people and perpetuated theofacist nationalism.

I've seen the ridiculous double standard we have for violence. Why do we only cry "violence isn't the answer" when someone who doesn't benefit the profit of the state does it but in any other case they were acting alone or defending themselves or "the cycle of violence is complicated and theirs nothing we can do about it"?

When Russia invaded Ukraine , claiming it was there territory actually and that they were freeing it from terrorism, we were record breaking levels of fast to call Putin out on his bullshit. In an unpresidented display of across the table unanimity we agreed to fight Russia. We also still viewed the Russians as victims and not as a monolith.

We associated it with the other times we've faught in Europe. WW1 and WW2 , times we have glorified to high hell and back as the war the USA taught valiantly in single handedly and definitely did nothing wrong. It was the last time we faught a unanimously "good" war. The Nazis were evil and we killed them...we definitely didn't join the war late. Inspire gas chambers and sell them tanks...and uh...what we did to Asia....well uh...we had too, war is messy and we picked the greater good. Now shut up before I send you to the principal and finish up that 5 page report on WHY we did the right thing when we dropped that bomb... And that other bomb.

When Israel invaded Palestine , claiming it was their territory actually and they were freeing it from terrorism ...we sided with them and stood by for 75 years as they became that theofacist ethnonation . They committed a genocide, they nearly erraticated the Palestinians. How many babies do you think died in their holy war?

Then word gets out that some of them killed babies in retaliation. I'm yet to see any evidence of this but it instantly got the whole UA up in arms . They viewed the entire rebellion as the same. All of our anti propaganda training just whent out the window in a second. Where's the "they were acting alone" or the "liberation is messy" or the "wrong on both sides "?

No. I don't condone war. There is no such thing as good war. It's always fucked.

But I find it insanely hypocritical, entitled and audacious to even use the word "condone".

This is an excellent example of people getting angry only when people fight back.

It would be remice of me to tell these people "yes I know they started it, but don't you dare try to end it, just sit there and take it because violence is wrong even when other people do it".

Who the hell am I to say anything?

At least I'm philosopically consistent. Are you? How do you neutralize the contradictions the government makes about violence?

#free palestine #Stop Jewish hate #You are not ammune to propaganda

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flippityflaps · 2 years ago

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1. She/Her

2. Red, Black and Blue

3. I love to spend my free time reading while I am listening to music or spend it drawing

4. I have a lot of favorite books, but if I had to pick just one I would say Six Of Crows by Leigh Bardugo.

5. V for Vendetta, is a true masterpiece🛐

6. Shadow and Bone or Carmen Sandiego

7. definitely spring, I hate summer because I suffer too much from the heat

8. I have never been to one

9. I guess I'm good at drawing...? although I don't consider it "hidden talent"

10. i am aquarian♒

11. I live for Queen and Ghost

12. i really love blue passionflowers and sunflowers

13. I'm not sure... I guess something to do with science or art, maybe astronomy, I don't know

14. 💅🏻😒🙄 (I feel like these emojis make me look mean, but I swear I'm a nice person😩)

15. It makes me laugh when children fall, because most of them stay processing the accident for a few minutes and then they start crying uncontrollably. After this I feel VERY guilty😔

16. I think if I could I would dye it dark purple, but for now I'm fine with my natural color

17. Amsterdam, because it is the place where Ketterdam is inspired, I always wanted to visit the Anne Frank museum, I love the architecture of its houses and I would be fulfilling two dreams at the same time because my dad is also interested in going there

18. They are white, practically from the day I was born, with my mom we want to paint them a light purple (I wanted to paint them dark blue but everyone is against me)

19. If I could meet someone, dead or alive, I would choose Marilyn Monroe because she seems to me simply a wonderful person, she is the perfect combination of beauty, intelligence and kindness, there are many mysteries about her that I would like to be able to ask her about and it would be for me a great honor to meet her

20. Waffles and lasagna

21. I do not have one🤷🏻‍♀️

22. Nope

23. I think it was Star Wars or Pirates of the Caribbean(or rather Johnny Depp🥴), I'm from many fandoms so it's hard to remember which came first

24. The one that I enjoyed the most when I was a child was Pocoyo, I don't remember exactly why I only remember that I loved it

25. yes, quite a few times. Part of my family lives on the other side of the continent, so from time to time I travel to see them, but I have never traveled by plane for another reason.

26. They are brown💩

27. 💅🏻

28. Does allergy to dust and climate change count?

29. Cherry tree

30. Definitely night, I love seeing the moon and the starry sky, it gives me a lot of peace

31. on weekends I go to bed at 00:00, but when I have to go to school I go to sleep at 22:10

32. It's actually quite a long story but I'll try to summarize it. When I was very young I had seen in a video that if you said in a dream "I know I'm asleep" something bad would happen to you and it scared me a lot, so when I fell asleep I found myself outside my grandmother's house surrounded by strange people who didn't I knew, no one noticed or presence until I whispered "I know this is a dream" they all stared at me after a while in which I felt very afraid they all started running me down the street and when I felt they were about to catch me I managed to wake up.💀

(the nightmare was much longer than this, I left out a lot of details) maybe I'll write the whole dream in another post

33. I'm not sure but I think I would choose astronomy

34.

lock screen wallpaper:

home screen background:

(yes, i'm obsessed)

35. Spanish (my native language), English, Portuguese and the basics of Russian and French

Ask game to get to know your mutuals!

(I made a writer‘s ask game last time so I figured why not make another)

mutuals ask game

1. What are your pronouns?

2. Favorite color(s)?

3. How do you like to spend your free time?

4. What’s your favorite book?

5. What’s your favorite movie?

6. What’s your favorite tv show?

7. Do you prefer Spring or Summer?

8. What was your first concert?

9. Do you have any hidden talents?

10. What’s your zodiac sign?

11. What‘s your favorite band?

12. What’s your favorite flower?

13. What are you planning to go to school for?

14. What are the three most used emojis on your phone?

15. Do you have a guilty pleasure?

16. If you could dye your hair, what color would it be?

17. If you could go anywhere in the world, where would it be and why?

18. What color are the walls in your room?

19. If could meet anyone, dead or alive, who would it be and why?

20. What’s your favorite food?

21. What‘s your favorite drink?

22. Have you ever met someone famous?

23. What was the first fandom you ever joined?

24. What childhood show did you enjoy the most and why?

25. Have you ever been on a plane?

26. What color are your eyes?

27. What’s your favorite emoji?

28. Do you have any allergies?

29. What’s your favorite plant?

30. What’s your favorite time of day?

31. What time do you usually go to bed?

32. What was the strangest dream you ever had?

33. If you could choose any career to have, what would it be?

34. What is your phone lock screen/background?

35. How many languages do you speak?

Tag your mutuals!

#ok this was fun #ask game #books #marilyn monroe #v for vendetta #queen band #ghost band #shadow and bone #carmen sandiego #star wars #just me

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yourfangirlfriend · 4 years ago

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It’s Nothing Serious - Chapter Six

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Five and a Half

A/N: idk if this is good but I’ve been putting off writing it and perfect is the enemy of done so here you go, I had fun

It’s not not serious.

At least, this seems to be the mutual conclusion you have both silently reached after that weirdly intimate night you never talked about, either.

And yes, you’re aware of how childish that is.

For two people voluntarily living in one of the more dangerous cities on the continent, it turns out you’re both pretty cowardly. But why put yourselves through the agony of all that when you could both instead play a game of emotional chicken to test where the boundaries are?

You go first the morning the two of you wake up in your bed. You both woke up in a tangle of limbs and slid out of bed after the second snooze alarm went off. He had just pulled on his jeans when he reached for the shirt you had folded the night before.

“Wait,” you said. You walked to the closet and pulled a crisp black shirt off its hanger, continuing to brush your teeth and you walked up and deposited it in his hand. “I washed this after you let me wear it home.”

That night we made pasta and I spilled sauce on my shirt and you took it off and fucked me in your kitchen until the chicken burnt-

He looks up at you, his eyebrows raised.

“What?”

“Nothing,” he shakes his head before pulling it over his shoulders. “Thank you.”

You give him a look before dipping into the bathroom to spit.

After a quick cup of coffee, you’re both striding towards your door when you stop short. He turns and looks at you, waiting for you to take another step and flick the deadbolt. Instead, you ask

“Are you going to be okay? Today, I mean. With...”

His face falls a little, like he was expecting to get out of this without you mentioning it. It makes your heart hurt.

“I’m fine,” he says, curtly. He drops his head to look at his shoes. You swallow.

“So...drinks tonight? Still?” You reach out and bop his hand with yours.

“Not if you don’t open the door.”

You roll your eyes, walking forward and flicking the bolt. You pull the door open and he catches it, holding it back for you as you take the first step out.

“...yeah. I’ll be back around 6,” he says as you finish locking the door. You drop the keys in your purse, straightening up as the two of you walk towards and out the doors.

“Bar or your place?”

“Mine.”

“You sure? It’s my turn to buy,” you say.

“No, it’s not,” he says as he opens the passenger door for you, gesturing that you climb in. You do and watch as he walks around the front to his side. “Besides, mines quieter.”

You nod, staring forward as he starts the car and pulls into the street. Like every morning, his hand falls to your knee and you feel content with his answer.

You can’t help yourself, though, when he pulls up in front of the school and parks, waiting for you to climb out. Usually, it’s a pretty quick, platonic affair- a quick “thanks, Javi” before you open the door and swing your legs out. This morning, though,

“You know,” he says when you reach for the handle. “You...you don’t have to take care of me.”

You drop your hand before turning back to face him. And maybe it’s the coffee you drank took quickly, or maybe it’s the way last night is still lingering in your head, but

“I like taking care of you.”

You reach out and pull his face to yours, letting the kiss linger before pulling away.

“See you tonight,” you said, flashing him a quick smile. If you’re not mistaken, you see the corner of his mouth twitch up before he remembers himself, and gives you a cool masculine nod. You climb out and watch as he drives away before you hear behind you:

“¿Es tu novio?”

You turn around and see three little girls from your class huddled together and giggling that they just caught the teacher doing something naughty. Despite yourself, you smile through your teacher's voice.

“Entrad, niñas. La clase está a punto de empezar.”

He makes the next move when he shows up outside the school, waiting against his car when you walk out that afternoon and he flags you down.

“Hey,” he says when you approach his car.

“Hey,” you say. “What’s up?”

“Was told to go home early,” he says. “Figured...” he waves his hand up, gesturing to you. “You got plans?”

“Was just going to swing by the liquor store. For tonight.”

“It’s not your turn to buy,” he says, moving out of the way so you can open the door. You send him a look.

“It’s the 90s. Let a girl buy you a drink, Javi.”

He smiles, and over his shoulder, you see one of the girls from this morning- Cara - sending you a shit-eating grin.

Despite yourself, you give her a little wave as Javi drives the two of you out of the parking lot.

--------------

It becomes a game after that. He picks you up from school. You ask him to stay the night again, and he does. The next morning, he kisses you goodbye in front of Steve, whose eyebrows you see pop up from the corner of your eye. That night, you stay over at his and leave the spare toothbrush you brought next to his in the bathroom. The next day, he comes to your house with take-out and a tape and the two of you fall asleep on the couch, drunk and full. Soon, you don’t remember a night where you aren’t sleeping in the same bed or whose turn it is to initiate a sleepover. You just meet at your smoking spot and then, inevitably, one of you will lead the other to their door for the night, and inevitably, the other one will stay.

The small reminders of each other begin to pile up in your respective apartments. A mystery toothbrush appears in your bathroom. Then there’s a jacket and two of his shirts hanging in your closet. A drawer in his bathroom slowly begins to fill with evidence of your presence- hair ties, bobby pins, the odd bit of makeup. During one of your drunk nights, when you are once again lamenting the lack of decoration, you draw a stick-figure portrait of the apartment - you, Javi, Steve, and the creepy silent man who you only ever see leave his place to buy fish - and tape it to his fridge. He tells you you hang around kids too much, but every time you come back, it’s still up.

Then the bigger things happen. You go to dinner with him and Steve. You bring him on a double date with Alessa and Frankie. He kisses you goodbye in front of the school every morning, and you reach out and hold his hand whenever the two of you walk outside- which you do now, by the way. You walk to the grocery store, you walk to the liquor store, you walk to the corner store to buy pre and post-coital smokes, and every time his hand finds yours. You’re still having sex, you still fuck, but now, sometimes, to what would once be your disgust, it’s slower. Softer. There’s eye contact and prolonged kisses and caressing and very little hair pulling.

And god. Now there’s cuddling.

You no longer sit across the sofa to hanger a drink. No, now your legs are in his lap or his arm is around your shoulder or some other horribly intimate design the two of you just naturally find yourself falling into whenever you’re in proximity. Now, after sex, he’s pulling you to him or you’re pulling him to you or you just both mutually descend towards each other. And when you’re all wrapped around each other, the worst thing of all happens. He talks.

It’s not like you hadn’t talked before. You were friends, after all. He already knew about your kids you taught, your parents, and some random, funny stories about your life. In turn, he had told you some stories about his mom, about the ranch, and about the people in his life. But now it’s different. Now, whenever you two are alone in the dark, bodies pressed against each other under the sheet with such softness it’s grotesque, the walls come down. He tells you about his mom's death, and how he didn’t cry for months. He tells you how afraid he is of himself, and how he worries she would hate the person he is. He tells you he doesn’t think he’s a good person, because of the women he’s hurt ( -“The DAY of?” “I’m not proud of it”-) and the people he failed (“-supposed to get her out, keep her safe, and I couldn’t-“) and how, though he won’t go into detail about it, he’s worried how numb he’s become to things, and that he’s only going to get number (“-you see so many people die, there’s got to be a point you just stop feeling that, like self-preservation, and that’s fucking scary-“). You listen. You think you may be the first person who has listened in a while. When he tries to apologize, that he shouldn’t have said that or that he’s a mopey sad sack or you don’t want to hear this, you kiss his hands.

“Javi,” you tell him. “I like listening to you. Anything you have to say.”

Looking back, you think the look he gives you the first time you said that was when you really knew. But now, you’re still playing dumb. You both are.

What’d he call it? Self-preservation?

To pay him back, you tell him about you. You try to match his scars, telling him about growing up in a loud, weird house you’d only learn at the age of fifteen was a commune. You tell him about all the times you caught your parents tripping out naked on drugs and having to drag them to bed, or how you had to watch your sister for days on end as a kid whenever they decided to go out on ‘spirit walks’, and how you eventually enrolled yourself in school after your mothers homeschooling attempts fell to the wayside. That one time when you were six and accidentally took a tab of acid your mother and father’s sometime lover, Sunshine, left on top of your peanut butter and jelly sandwich. You try and tell him the good things, too- how you speak five languages (“what?” “English, Spanish, German, Russian, and some Chinese.” “...what?” “My parents were communists!”), how you used to be really good at gymnastics (“is that why you can’t do a handstand?” “I can do a handstand-“ ), and the things in yourself that you’re afraid of- your denial, your anxiety, your bad habit of never calling your sister back and how that actually reveals you’re a sociopath. And in turn, he listens. He squeezes your hand. He asks you questions when you know he wants to and lets it be silent when you can’t bring yourself to answer.

About three months into this, you find yourself lying on your side one night, staring at his beautiful, stupid, snoring face as he drools against your pillow, and for the first time, you finally, finally, finally let yourself admit it.

It is serious.

---

“Well no shit.”

You scowl at Lisa over your glass.

“What? Like we all didn’t already know? For months?”

“Leave her alone,” Alessa elbows her. “I think it’s sweet.”

“You think everything’s sweet.” Lisa rolls her eyes. “You tell him yet?”

You bite the inside of your lip and look down at your drink. “No.”

“Why not?”

“Timing?”

“You spend all your time together.”

You shake your head, taking a swig.

“Coward.”

“What!”

“I said you’re a coward,” Lisa says as Maritza deposits the tray of shots between the two of you.

“Who’s a coward?” she asks sweetly.

“Eloise.”

“Yeah, I am,” you reach forward and take two of the shot glasses, snatching the one in front of Lisa before downing it.

“Hey!” She yelps.

You flip her off and down the second.

She huffs. “Bitch.”

You shake your head and march towards the bar to order another tray.

----------

To be fair, he knew it would be like this.

He had to. It’s you. It’s both of you. Two weirdly cagey people who don’t like having their guard down and never, ever want to be the one person who sticks themselves out for ridicule. The little dares over the past few months have been one thing, like you’re placing pebbles on a scale, seeing how long it takes until it collapses under the weight. Nightly sleepovers? Pebble. Toothbrushes? Pebbles. Sharing childhood trauma after a round of particularly kinky sex where you had your hands tied to the headboard and it inadvertently reminded you of the time you got your hands stuck in some old handcuffs your sister and you had found and you had to spend three hours with your hands looped around a bed frame because Tanya was seven and when she found your mom they were high on peyote and it turns out it takes five drugged-out hippies to find a tiny pair of keys to free a small girl in the woods after it’s already gotten dark and then he told you about the time his uncle had drunk too much shiner and tried to shoot an apple off his cousins head with a BB gun but missed and now the cousin has one eye kind of like Lorenzo and then you both chain-smoked cigarettes and wondered what a glass eye feels like - alright. Maybe five pebbles.

But...actually saying it?

Stones. Big, ugly stones. The kind that fall on cars.

No wonder you got shit-faced.

“Javvvvvvvi,” you sang through his door. You pounded out the melody that only made sense in your head. “Heyyyyy,”

You hear footsteps approaching from the other side and you stand up straight, ready to drunkenly seduce him with your pose when the door swings open and-

“Can I help you?” She asks, annoyed.

You take the woman in front of you in. She’s tall, with long honey blonde hair that falls across her shoulders. Her waist is bared under the halter top she wears, and you’re only a little jealous of the toned plane of her stomach and the long legs that stretch out from her short shorts.

“I...” you start.

“What are you doing? Get away from the door!” Javi appears from behind her, reaching out to take her arm and pull her back. His eyes fall on you, though, and he drops his hand.

“El- hey- I thought you were-?”

“I was...what uh,” you raise your hand to the woman. “What the fuck?”

“Who the fuck are you?” The woman hisses back. Javi reaches up and takes her arm, pulling her back gently.

“I told you not to answer the door-“

“No, I think I’ll leave-“ you toss your hands up. “Enjoy your night.”

“She’s not- it’s not like that-”

“OH PLEASE, I wasn’t born yester-“

The door behind you opens, and the two or you swivel you hear to see Steve enter holding two bags of food. He looks between you and Javier, then to the door.

“Hey,” he says finally.

You give him a pathetic wave. He waves back before turning to Javi.

“Is she-“

“Yeah,” Javier says. He points to his apartment “Could you actually-?”

“Yeah,” Steve nods a bit too quickly, moving behind him and disappearing into the apartment, closing the door behind him.

Javier turns back to you.

“She needs a place to stay before we move her. I was going to tell you when you got back.”

“Ohhhhhhh,” you draw out. You grimace, before looking back to him. “...Sorry.”

“You really think I’d do that?”

You open your mouth to answer before he cuts in again.

“Are you drunk?”

“I-“ you start before huffing. Fucking cop. “Yes! Of course I’m drunk! It’s tequila night! I even, kindly, I might add,” you reach in your bag and pull out the bottle you picked up on the way home. “Got some for you, too!”

“Who did you think she was?”

“Javi-“ you groan, squeezing your eyes shut. This wasn’t supposed to be your night. Tonight was supposed to be about getting drunk with your friends, then getting drunk with Javi, then having drunk sex on your couch loud enough the upstairs fish guy would have to bury his head in what you only assumed was a pile of rotting fish carcasses in his trash to drown out your moans.

Now it’s this.

You shake your head and nod to your door, beckoning him to follow. It’s tense, and he watches over your shoulder as your hands shake trying to pull the right key. Once you manage to unlock the door, you hurry inside and deposit your things on the table, before turning back and facing him.

You open your mouth to say something-

-and then shut it again. You sigh.

“You thought I was sleeping with her.”

You snap your head back up to see him, cross-armed in front of you. You shake your head.

“This isn’t fair, I’m drunk. You’re not.”

He walks over to the bag you threw on the couch and unscrews the bottle you brought home. He takes a swig, holding eye contact as he gulps a third of the small bottle down, all while you watch flabbergasted.

“Say it,” he says, screwing the cap back on.

“You’re going to be sick-“

“Eloise.”

“Well, it’s not like we’ve talked about it!” You snap. “We never- said! What we’re doing!” You drop your hands to your side and turn, walking to the kitchen and leaning forward onto the counter. Javi follows you up, eying you.

“You thought I was, though?”

“Yes! No? I don’t know!” You bring a hand to your face. “I don’t know. Maybe. I just got scared. I guess...I’ve been scared? Lisa thinks so, the bitch-“

“Scared of what? Me sleeping with someone else?”

“No! Not- necessarily-“

“You really think- Jesus, it’s like we never-“

“Hey, don’t!” You spin to face him. “Don’t turn this around on me. You never brought this up. We haven’t talked about this. We talked about everything else and are doing everything else like dinner dates and sweet sex and fucking movie nights but we haven’t...said anything! Saying things matters!”

He stares at you.

“I didn’t think it did! I thought I was fine with just...letting...ugh!” You bring the heels of your palms to your eyes. “I shouldn’t have done that last shot.”

“Eloise, what are you-“

“I’m not a coward!” You point at him. “I’m not! I’m just- it’s just-“

“No one said you were!”

“Lisa did!”

“Why?”

“Because I haven’t...Ugh! They really make strong drinks at that bar! Because I haven’t said-“

“Jesus Christ, WHAT.”

Ooh, you wish you could just fall apart and have him see what’s running through your mind right now. You feel the anger in your stomach bubble. He’s really annoyed with you for thinking the worst of him, and maybe he has a right, but you two haven’t talked about it. You had just assumed- assumed he felt the same way, assumed the little intimacies have built up in such a way that you had something real and concrete, and especially that you both weren’t fucking other people. But the second she opened the door it felt like your worst fear had come true: you were the idiot who had let their guard down first and got hurt, because they were too stupid to realize what this was, and you couldn’t even be mad. Because you hadn’t talked about it. Because he never technically said he was with you.

But now he’s looking like he’s feeling the exact same way, only he’s the idiot. He’s the idiot for confiding in you and crying on your tits and telling you all those fears and worries and believing you when you kissed his hands and told him you thought he was a good man. He’s worried that you’ve always seen him this way- as the guy who would cut and run and betray you, and maybe if you think that, then it’s true. Maybe he was kidding himself into thinking someone like you could believe in his goodness, after all he’s done.

Fuck, you may be drunk but it does make you insightful.

It may be too late though. Because he’s dropped his hands from his hips, tired of waiting for an explanation. He’s making towards the door, murmuring something about having to work and it all just seems like it’s slipping out of your fingers like you can see he’s building up the wall again and this time you’re not going to be able to tear it down-

“Javi,” you say, your voice strained. He stops and turns to you, and you know you only have a few seconds to do it. You try and form the words, but your tongue isn’t working and maybe Lisa was right, maybe you are a coward, but you have to try.

“I like taking care of you.” You say, pathetically, dropping your hands to your sides.

A beat passes. He brings his hands to his hips, waiting for a further explanation. You sigh and walk down to stand in front of him. “I like having you take care of me...and...I haven’t wanted to tell you, because I don’t want to scare you but maybe that’s just me ‘projecting’ or whatever Alessa said. She’s really annoying now that she’s doing that psychology class-“

“El.” He says, not without softness. You feel his fingers come under your chin, gesturing for you to look up at him.

This wasn’t the plan. This was supposed to be a hookup. Then a friendship. You don’t want to lose that.

But now he’s staring down at you like that, and your drunk brain is turning over itself as you think maybe that train has already left. Maybe it left a long fucking time ago, and the two of you have just been hanging onto the back, waiting for the other person to let go first.

But you don’t want to let go. You never really did. You were just waiting for him to give you a sign so you could make it look like you were jumping off together instead of you pathetically holding on as he disappears behind you.

But from the way his thumb traces your jaw and his other hand reaches forward to take your hand in his, you think maybe he’s been utilizing the same strategy, and he’s been just as scared as you.

Well, now you can either let go or try to pull yourself up.

So.

Are you a coward or not?

He wets his lips before his eyes drop. He looks defeated. And at that moment you decide – fuck it.

Between the gymnastics and dragging your high parents to bed and all this fucking holding you’ve been doing inside of you, you’ve got strong enough arms.

So.

Fuck it.

“El, I don’t-“

“I love you,” you say without thinking. “And yes I’m tequila drunk, but I don’t think that takes away from-“

You’re stopped as he leans forward and presses his lips to yours, cutting you off. You wrap your arms around the back of his neck, pulling him in closer and deepening the kiss. You feel him pulling at your top and you shimmy it off and over your head, tossing it to the side before dipping your hands down and unbuckling his belt as he unbuttons his shirt before you. You drop your hand down the front of his pants, jerking him softly as he moans into your mouth. You feel him guiding you to the couch, and when the back of your knees hit the arm you drop down and begin to pull his pants down for him as he rids himself of his shirt. You’re about to take him in your mouth when he pushes you down, your back hitting the cheap leather as he crawls over you, pulling your skirt up to your hips. He pauses.

“You always skip the underwear in girls' night?”

“Only when I’m coming back to you.”

That gets him, because a second later he’s between your legs, thrusting inside of you. You let out a cry and drop your head back, exposing your neck to him as he continues to pump into, his hands reaching behind and you and grabbing a fistful of your hair.

“Say it again,” he says.

“I don’t wear underwear-“

“No,” he growls, dropping his hand down between your legs to play with you. You let out another little cry.

“I love you,” you say. “I-I’ve loved you for a long time- ahhh!” The next thrust hits a little too well. “Ah, fuck, Javi- right there-“

“Keep going-“

“YOU keep going- fuck, has your dick gotten bigger?”

“El-“ he lets out a moan. Taking advantage of the moment, you slip out from under him and switch positions, pressing him back onto the couch and climbing atop of him. His hands settle on your hips as you ride him, pulling sounds from him that echo around your living room. When you cum he’s not long after, and the two of you collapse onto each other, breathing heavily as you come down with his hand holding the back of your neck.

“Hey,” he says finally. You lift your head and sit up, looking down at him. His eyes are glassy, and the look on his face makes you giggle.

“Are you drunk?”

“Yes,” he says. “But a wise woman once said that doesn’t take away from what I have to say.”

“She sounds smart, you should fuck her,” you say, moving to stand. He catches your wrist, pulling you back down onto his lap with a bounce.

“Give a girl a few minutes before round two-“

He cuts you off with a kiss. It’s slow and soft and you melt into it. The way you always melt into him.

When he pulls away, you chase after his grinning lips. He brings a hand to the side of your face, tracing his fingers down the side of your cheek.

“I love you, too.” He says. “I don’t know what that’s worth…but I do.”

You lean in, wrapping your arms around the back of his neck.

"Baby," you say "It's worth everything."

In the morning, you’ll have to contend with the knowing look Steve gives the two of you before asking “Good night?”, a joke that earns him a look from Javi and a deep blush and muttered apology from you. You’ll have to put up with the squeals from Maritza, Lisa, and Alessa when you tell them in the staff room during lunch. You’ll even get a look from your upstairs neighbor when you pass him and his fresh fish that next afternoon. Most of all, you’ll have to consider what the fuck this means for you and Javi and this scary, exhilarating little life you’re leading.

But.

Right now, you’re naked and smoking a cigarette on the couch with the man you love who loves you back, and you’re both laughing, and that's more than enough.

taglist: @fuckoffbard

#javier peña #javier peña x reader #javier Peña x oc #narcos #it's nothing serious #fic

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motherfingtitan · 4 years ago

Note

Hi! Big fan of your fics. I have a suggestion for one: the basic idea is that the Lower Decks characters (mainly the Warp Core Four) get involved with the ep. "Trials and Tribble-ations" Meet both DS9 and TOS crew in a subtle/not-so-subtle way (PARADOX!). Bonus: They are drawn and animated in TAS Filmation style, with some of them slightly aware. Maybe a bit of Mariner x Boimler? Hope you have fun with the idea.

Time Tribbles

The Warp Core Four decides to go back in time to the Enterprise to do some not-so-scientific research on Tribbles. They come across not one, but two famous Starfleet Crews

Tendi dragged herself to her bunk. She was absolutely exhausted from pulling double shifts in Medbay to make up for the influx of patients. Earlier today, some of the food replicators were producing food at extreme temperatures. They were also uncontrollably spewing food out, and in the case of ten forward, literally spraying boiling nacho cheese. Crew members had been in and out all day with burns. Just as she sat on her bed, she saw Mariner down the hallway. Both of them waved to each other.

"Yo, Tendi, what's up?" Mariner said as she walked up to her.

"Nothing much; I’m just exhausted from all the activity in Medbay. I did see somebody with a nacho cheese burn in the shape of an Orion continent!" She smiled.

"I have something that will cheer you up!" Mariner held up her finger and ran off, going to get her special piece of contraband.

After a few minutes, she returned with a Tribble in hand. It had brown fur and little white patches. She handed the Tribble to Tendi and sat down next to her. The cooing of the ball of fur filled the room.

"Personally, I would prefer getting drunk, but I thought this might be more up your alley" Beckett smiled as Tendi ran her hand through the fur, her eyes lit up.

"This is the cutest thing ever," Tendi squealed. She then spoke in baby talk to the Tribble, "Yes you are, you are the cutest little Tribble on this ship.”

She continued to pet the Tribble for a couple of minutes before finally speaking, "You know, I've always wanted to see a Tribble reproduce. I know that the ones they sell at the pet stores are neutered."

Beckett thought for a second before finally speaking. "Ok, so I got this really cool piece of contraband from the planet we did second contact with a couple of weeks back. I've been testing it, and I think it opens up portals to different times. We could go back in time to see Tribbles reproduce."

"But isn't that against the rules?”

"Yes, but it's for science, so it's probably ok. Come on, let get Rutherford and Boimler."

…

A few hours later, the four Ensigns were in an empty part of the docking bay. All of them were wearing 2260s uniforms. Tendi messed with her holographic disguise, trying to find the right hairstyle. She felt odd with blonde hair and peachy skin, but there was no way she could go back in time looking like an Orion. Enterprise crew members would ask too many questions.

"Bangs or no Bangs?" She adjusted her holographic remote, letting it flip through different hairstyles.

"Definitely the Bangs," Rutherford gave a thumbs up before continuing his excitement-filled lecture about Constitution-class ships. “Did you know that turbolifts were not completely voice-controlled back then? You had to hold down a bar for them to work.”

"Mariner, are you sure we should be doing this. Time travel is against 253.7-" Boimler began before being cut off Mariner.

"Rules, Schmules. Come on, Boims, this could be your one chance to see Kirk in flesh and blood."

"Fine, but I'm keeping you in check," he spoke.

Beckett then pulled out the small blue stone from her trouser pocket. It glowed softly in her hand. She set it down and stated where she wanted to go "Stardate 4523.3, USS Enterprise 1701."

The store glowed brighter until it flashed, opening up a small portal to the other ship. Its corridors were empty, meaning the Ensigns could slip in undetected.

"Ready to do science stuff?" Mariner asked Tendi.

She bounced in excitement, nodding rapidly. Mariner was the first to step into the portal. She felt slight tingles all over her body as she popped out on the other side. The Enterprise looked much different than the ships of her time. The lights had colored tints, and more equipment was exposed. Rutherford came out of the portal next, slightly dizzy but extremely excited to see such an old ship. Tendi and Boimler followed. Once through the portal, it returned to its original gem form.

Boimler slowly stood up, trying to shake off how dizzy he felt. "I feel so stiff and kinda cheap too,"

"You look different," Rutherford pointed out

"Oh god! Am I phasy again?!?"

"No, but your eyes look smaller," Tendi looked at all of them. "We all look kinda different."

"Probably some stupid time travel stuff, come on, let's got find some Tribbles!" Mariner shoved the gem in her pocket and started down the hallway, followed by the other four.

Soon, they came to the main corridor that was bustling with people. The women styled their hair in extravagant bumps and wore earrings. Most wore minidresses, a popular style in the 2260s, but a couple wore the tunic style uniform, just as Mariner was. The sound of boots tapping filled the hallway, and the gold rank bands on the officer sleeve sparkled among the sea of yellow, red, and blue. Perhaps the most striking thing, however, was the lack of aliens. The vast majority of the officers were human, a stark contrast from how diverse the Cerritos was.

Suddenly, Mariner stopped and motioned to the other three to get against the wall. From just around the corner, two very famous Starfleet officers could be heard.

"Is that Kirk?" Boimler asked

Mariner nodded, feeling just as excited as the rest of them but doing an excellent job of hiding it. Kirk and Spock were speaking with someone through the communication unit.

"Bridge to Captain Kirk." A young man with a Russian accent spoke.

"Kirk here." The captain responded

“Mister Baris is waiting on channel E to speak to you, sir."

Mariners’ heart was beating fast. She may have acted like she didn't care, but she did grow up as a Starfleet brat, and though she may have seen Captain Kirk in a holodeck simulation, it wasn't the same as being a couple of feet away from him.

"Mister Baris is coming on." The young man spoke again.

"Yes, Mister Baris. What can I do for you?" Kirk’s voice was pleasant

"Kirk, this station is swarming with Klingons." A man by the name of Baris replied.

"I was not aware, Mister Baris, that twelve Klingons constitutes a swarm."

"Captain Kirk, I consider your security measures a disgrace. In my opinion, you have taken this entire..."

At this point, Boimler had lost focus on that conversation as his eyes drifted to the other side of the hallway. There, a man with a deeper voice and a tall woman spoke. Both looked as if they were doing routine maintenance. The woman kept glancing back at the captain and the first officer.

"I had no idea." The woman began

"What?" The man replied, fiddling with some machinery.

“He's so much more handsome in person. And those eyes."

"Kirk had quite the reputation as a ladies' man."

"Not him. Spock."

Boimler noticed that, just like him, they looked out of place. He continued to listen.

"I can't believe you don't at least want to meet Captain Kirk."

"That's the last thing on my mind."

"Oh, come on, Benjamin. Are you telling me you're not the tiniest bit interested in meeting one of the most famous men in Starfleet history?"

Benjamin? He thought as he slowly went through all the people he knew named Benjamin in his head.

Benjamin Anderson

Benjamin Taylor

Benjamin Sisko

Sisko!

It was Captain Sisko! And the woman next to him must be one of his crew members. Jadzia Dax, maybe? His face twisted in confusion. What was he doing in this time?

"Guys, look!" Boimler whispered and motioned his head to the other side of the hallway.

"Is that... Sisko?" Rutherford asked. "He looks different," he added, still getting used to how everything looked in this period.

"Two famous Starfleet Captains in one day?!?" Tendi bounced on her heels.

"Why is he here?" Boimler looked at Mariner.

"I don't know, something to do with a Tribble and a bomb,"

"A bomb?!"

She shrugged. "Relax, it's on the space station. We will stay on the ship,"

"How do you even know all this?"

"I have my ways,"

The Ensigns decided that it was time to get moving. They didn't want to create too much suspicion by huddling up against the wall. The halls were so crowded, Constitution-class ships were certainly packed, even without the hallway bedrooms of the Cerritos. The colored lights enthralled Tendi. She was so used to sterile fluorescent lights that the soft blues, purples, and yellows were dazzling. She had read about these types of ships, but reading about it and seeing it were two different things.

"Gosh, I love Constitution-class ships," Tendi said.

But there was no response. She twisted her head back and forth, slightly panicking that she had lost her other three friends. She wanted to yell out their names, but that would raise too many questions. She would have to silently slither through the confusing corridors of the ship to find them, all while looking natural. Looking back and forth one more time, she decided to continue forward. Turning down a hallway, she noticed that there was a turbolift at the end. Inside were two men. One was a bulkier man in a red shirt, while the other man with slicked-back hair wore blue with a single strip of gold on the bottom of his sleeve.

"Deck twenty-one. Deck twenty-one. I said, Deck twenty-one." The man in the red shirt said. He's getting more frustrated every time he spoke.

"Maybe if you said please." The other man replied

Tendi remembered from Rutherford’s conversation earlier that turbolifts were not entirely voice commanded at this time. She continued to walk towards the lift.

"Maybe it's jammed. Help me get this wall panel off." The redshirt was starting to open a panel when the disguised Orion walked in. She put one hand on the wall handle and crossed her fingers, on the other hand, hoping that this would work.

"Deck fifteen." She spoke, and the lift started to move. She breathed a secret sigh of relief.

"I won't tell anyone if you don't." The medical man, with a British accent, spoke.

"My lips are sealed."

"Guys, where's Tendi?" Rutherford asks, trying to find one of his best friends.

"Aw Sh*t, we must have lost her" Mariner looked some more. "Tend-"

Boimler clamped his hand against her mouth. "Are you insane? You wanna mess up history?"

"Ok, then how do you want to find her?"

"Constitution-class ships only held about 300 people, so it shouldn't be too hard to find her, especially compared to a Galaxy-class ship," Rutherford suggested.

All three realize that the only way to find their friend was to just walk through the halls and hope they stumble across her. They started down the aisle, maneuvering their way through the mass amounts of people. At one point, Beckett hit somebody with her elbow.

"Oh, sorry." She said

The woman smiled and replied. She was wearing an operations red dress, and her hair was teased on top of her head. Her sleeves bore lieutenant stripes. "It's ok," she said as she walked away. She was making baby noises at something in her hand.

Mariner craned her neck just enough to see that in the lieutenants’ arms was a small Tribble. "It can't be long now."

Tendi saw the first baby Tribble in one of the turbolifts she was taking back down. She was alerted when she heard soft sweet cooing on the other side of the lift, and she couldn't resist. She picked it up, so happy to see an unneutered baby Tribble. At first, she only saw one every once in a while. Maybe one would be stuck to a wall. Another was in an older doctor's hands, and he was scanning it with a tricorder. However, the amount started to multiply, and before she knew it, Tribbles were lining every single hallway. They came and all shapes and sizes. Some were white with gray spots, and some were a beautiful shiny Brown. They stuck to the walls and the ceiling, and cooing filled the hallway, along with the occasional screech when someone stepped on one.

She tried to resist the temptation and only grab one, but every time she turned around, she found herself face-to-face with another ball of fur, and soon she had an entire armful of Tribbles. Curiously, as she wandered about trying to find her three friends, she saw Sisko and that other female officer scanning Tribbles. Both looked frazzled. She realized that they were scanning for a bomb of sorts and remembered that Mariner said it was on the space station, not on the Enterprise.

Speaking of Mariner, she finally found her friends walking towards her in a hallway. The pep in her step grew as she walked towards them.

"They are so cute!" Tendi showed off her arm full of at least ten Tribbles.

"Let's get to a private room, watch how a Tribble gives birth, and then get back to our own time," Boimler continued. "I don't want any time travel shenanigans on my file. It's not very Captain-like."

"Oh please," Mariner replied, "you realize how much stuff was on Kirk's record?"

The four came across an empty meeting room. They all walked in, Rutherford closed the door, and Tendi set one of her many Tribbles on the table. With her pad on hand, she was ready to take notes.

Tribbles reproduce fast, so it was only a matter of time before the one on the table, which Tendi lovingly named Warpy, gave birth. The ball of fur soon went from cooing to screeching as it tensed up half its body. Soon from underneath the adult Tribble, baby Tribbles emerged. Tendi was so excited, but the other three just watched with confused and uncomfortable faces. After she finished taking notes, Boimler suggested they leave.

"I'm going to miss the blonde hair, but I can't wait to have my old body back," Tendi spoke as Mariner pulled out her blue gem.

"Tell me about it; my eyes are the same color as my skin. That can't be healthy," she replied

"Maybe people look like this because of issues with the older technology," Rutherford suggested.

Mariner spoke to the gem the time she wanted to go back to. The portal opened underneath them.

"No one's got any Tribbles, right?" Mariner asked.

All of them nodded, and Mariner was the first to jump through the portal. Rutherford followed, and then Boimler. Tendi turned around one last time to her Tribbles.

"Bye, Warpy," she spoke as she jumped through the portal.

"Much fu*king better" Mariner cracked her back in the Cerritos’ shuttle bay. Tendi glanced over her notes and deactivated her disguise. Beckett came over to her and wrapped an arm around her.

"You had fun?"

"So much, thanks" Tendi smiled.

"How about we change and get some tacos?" Beckett spoke as she walked towards the doors.

"Okie Dokie" Rutherford and the other two ensigns followed.

As they walked to the mess hall, Mariner spoke to Boimler, “Glad you could join us. Ya know, you actually look confident in that old uniform! And kinda charming.”

“Thank you, I feel confident” He did a cheesy smirk.

“Annnnd now it’s gone.” She said, trying to hide the slightest blush.

They continued to their bunks to change. Unknown to Boimler, however, was a small ball of fur stuck to his vintage uniform boots.

Three days later

Ransom woke up for his morning shift at the sound of his alarm. When he reached over to turn it off, he felt a ball of fur right on his alarm clock. Upon opening his eyes, he saw that Tribbles filled his entire room, all cooing.

"Who brought an unneutered Tribble on board!?"

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thewidowsghost · 4 years ago

Text

Fox - Chapter 9

Previously on Fox:

"Sit," Fury says and Clint and (Y/n) sit down at opposite sides of the table, staring at the smart board behind Fury. "We're having a problem with a woman that goes by the name of Natalia Alianovna Romanova."

"She Russian?" (Y/n) asks and Fury nods.

"She's a KGB Agent and she's been killing people across the globe," Fury continues. "We need you two to go and try and find her, and kill her," Fury says and (Y/n)'s eyebrows raise. "You will be leaving now," he says and he slides a file towards the two SHIELD agents and (Y/n) picks it up.

The two stand up. "Yes, sir," the two say in unison, walking out of the room side by side, and towards Clint's Quinjet.

3rd Person POV

(Y/n) and Clint walk into the Quinjet, and start it up.

"Clint, this doesn't feel right," (Y/n) says and he turns to the (H/C) haired woman beside him. "If this woman has been killing people, why haven't they sent anyone to detain her before?"

"Maybe they were waiting to get someone to go with me," Clint says, ending the conversation.

(Y/n) flips open the file that Fury had given her and stares at it. Looking at it, she sees the woman's name, height - 5'3, Year of birth - 1984, and her codename - Black Widow.

Three people, battling to the death, all codenamed after animals or arachnids, (Y/n) thinks. She has to be serious, being named after the deadliest spider to ever exist.

"We're going to have to land in Britain and stay incognito," Clint tells (Y/n) as they are crossing the Atlantic. "Their's a SHIELD Headquarters there," he says.

(Y/n)'s POV

Clint and I spend the next couple of weeks tracking down the Black Widow, and we are currently Belarus, Russia.

I wonder how this woman became part of a KGB program at such a young age, I kept thinking throughout the journey. Maybe it's some soft of brainwashing.

I had kept the look of me, but changing my clothes and Clint and I are sitting in an outdoor cafe. I feel something flash in my mind and I push Clint out of the way as a bullet goes through table where - at a sixty foot elevation above - would have gone straight through his chest.

I nudge Clint and, using my mind power, tell him to look up. That's got to be her, I tell Clint through my mind.

I'll follow, and you cover me? Clint asks, and I nod.

Let's go, I tell Clint and he stands up calmly, walking towards the building where a redhead is standing, a scowl on her face as she stares down at me. Clint, go now! I tell Clint through my mind and he starts to sprint up the stairs while the Black Widow is detracted by me staring up into her emerald green eyes.

3rd Person POV

Hawkeye sneaks up on the Black Widow but the Widow grabs his arm, and while the Widow is detracted with Clint, Fox shifts into a hawk and flies up to the top of the building and as she descends, she shifts back into herself, landing on the ledge of the building. Fox tackles the Black Widow, and Fox uses her super strength to hold the Widow down.

The Widow, a calm look on her face, pulls out a gun, and fires at Fox's stomach; she flinches a bullet puncturing into her, blood beginning to flow from the wound, but she continues to hold the Black Widow down. "Let's just chill out," Fox says cautiously.

"Fox, what are you doing?" Clint asks as she gets off the Widow, holding her hand out to the assassin. Looking cautious, the Widow takes Fox's hand, hauling the Black Widow to her feet, then drops her hand.

"I don't judge people on their past mistakes," Fox begins, looking Black Widow, then Hawkeye in the eye.

"But what they do in the present," Clint finishes and Fox nods. She tightens her right arm around her stomach, trying to staunch the blood flow so that her body could repair itself.

"Three, two, one," Fox murmurs as her body spits the bullet out, catching it in the palm of her hand, and her skin repairs itself, the Widow watching interestingly.

What are we going to do now? (Y/n) asks Clint, glancing at the Widow for a moment.

Yeah, we didn't actually complete our mission, Clint says back as (Y/n) begins to pace in circles, the Black Widow looking between the two SHIELD Agents.

Then, (Y/n) stops, looking up, Clint seeming to understand the look in (Y/n)'s (E/C) eyes.

"How would you like a new start?" (Y/n) and Clint ask the Widow in unison.

"I would like that a lot," the Widow says and a smile spreads across (Y/n)'s face.

"Then let's go," (Y/n) says, moving towards the stairs, but stop when she realizes that neither Clint or the Widow are following, but they are studying each other - green eyes meeting blue.

(Y/n) shifts into an adorable German Shepard puppy. She has a black muzzle and a tan underbelly, and big eyes.

Puppy (Y/n) pads over, placing her tiny paws on the Widow's legs and for a minute, the woman tenses, then looks down, relaxing slightly looking at the puppy. (Y/n) barks, wagging her tail and the woman picks up the puppy, stroking her ears.

Lead the Widow to the hotel room and contact Fury and tell him we have a new recruit, Puppy (Y/n) tells Clint, Puppy (Y/n) looking into Clint's eyes, and he gives her a small nod.

"Let's get back to my hotel room and we can call our director," Clint says and the Widow hesitantly nods, glancing down at the adorable puppy in her arms.

(Y/n) wriggles around and the Widow puts her down, and the German Shepherd bounds over to the stairs and jumps down the stairs. Once she gets to the bottom, she turns around, wagging her tail.

Clint leads the way back to the hotel room, (Y/n) padding at the Widow's feet. Once they reach the hotel room, Clint opens the door and Puppy (Y/n) bounds in. The other two walk in the room, the Black Widow's eyes fixed on the puppy sitting in the middle of the room. Widow's eyes widen slightly as German Shepherd (Y/n) turns back into (Y/n) (Y/n).

(Y/n) sends an amused glance at the Widow as she walks towards her phone to call Fury. "Make yourself at home," (Y/n) says, gesturing around the large hotel room.

(Y/n) pulls out her phone and tosses it to Clint. The archer catches it and calls Fury.

(Y/n) settles down on the couch, with a bottle of water and tosses one to the Black Widow, and the redhead catches it. The (H/C) haired woman gestures to the seat on the couch beside her, and the redhead complies, sitting down next to the gentle (E/C) eyed woman.

"I guess we didn't really get off on the right foot," (Y/n) says, smiling at the woman. "I'm (Y/n) Stark, also known as Fox," (Y/n) sticks out her right hand for the woman to shake.

"I'm Natalia," the redhead says, shaking (Y/n)'s hand. "I have a question for you," Natalia says, and (Y/n) raises her eyebrows at her. "How do you do the animal shifting thing?" she asks.

"That, my friend, is an interesting question," (Y/n) answers, standing up and setting her bottle of water on the side table. "I was born a shape shifter. Name an animal, real or fake," (Y/n) says looking at Natalia.

"What about an otter?" Natalia suggests, and (Y/n) shifts into an otter. "A owl?" She shifts in a snowy owl. "A baby deer?" (Y/n) shifts into a baby deer.

(Y/n) shifts back into herself and watches Natalia, an amused expression on her face.

"You want something to change into?" (Y/n) asks, walking into the other room towards her suitcase, pulling out a pair of jeans, a blue t-shirt and a blue leather jacket. (Y/n) walks back into the the other room and hands Natalia the clothes, Natalia admitting to herself that the tall woman was attractive in leather. "Feel free to use the bathroom," (Y/n) says, gesturing to the bathroom, and Natalia stands.

"Thanks," Natalia says and (Y/n) smiles. The redhead walks over to the bathroom to change and (Y/n) goes to find Clint.

(Y/n) finds him sitting at the counter area and she walks to sit on a stool beside him. "How's it going?" she mouths and Clint holds up a finger.

"Okay Director Fury, we're on it," Clint says and hands (Y/n) back her phone.

"He says she has to prove herself when we get back to the States," Clint says. "We have to get her through to the Quinjet -"

"- In Europe," (Y/n) finishes, groaning, resting her forehead onto the counter. "Who's up for a road trip?"

"Can't you fly?" Clint asks.

"Yeah, but it would take a lot of strength to get me plus two people across two continents," (Y/n) says, lifting her head from the counter. "Unless you want people to freak out by seeing a dragon flying across the European skyline?" (Y/n) offers.

"That doesn't sound like a good idea," Clint says and (Y/n) nods.

"We're going to have to resort how we did this," (Y/n) says and Clint nods. "Man this is going to take forever, Clint. Though it would take just as long with just the two of us," (Y/n) adds. "Give me a little bit, I'll be back soon," (Y/n) says and Clint nods.

The (H/C) haired woman stands up and walks towards the door, running her hands through her hair. She jogs down the stairs and out onto the sidewalk.

Word Count: 1695 words

I'm loving this book guys! I really hope you guys are too

See you guys soon!

Love, Kaitlynn ❤😍

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darke15 · 2 years ago

Text

VALLLLLLLLL!!!! Long time no see! 🖤 @turtleedovee

this excerpt is AMAZING!!!

Thank you!

it’s been a phat minute since i’ve done a live reaction and i miss it so let’s get into it

I’ve missed you!!!

ok first of all… in the last chapter it didn’t even occur to me that the gang was gonna head to wakanda until i read other people’s live reactions😳

*le gasp* you read spoilers before the chapter? Shame! SHAME!!

but here we are now!!!!

🖤🖤🖤

ooo bucky pov!

oh no wait… bucky nightmare D:

yayyyyyyyyyyyyyy

(F/N) tore her eyes away from him, reaching for the hand as it helped her return to her feet.

Wraith stepped from the shadows, tucking her protectively against him as he handed her another pistol.

BUCKY NOOOO ITS NOT REAL PLEASW

😈😈😈

sam remember how you trusted nat and she was wrong??? this is EXACTLY like that

I love that this is something that is constantly pointed out but…the thing is…was Natasha really wrong? She’s always been sus that Ghost wasn’t telling the whole truth…which she wasn’t…

i realllly don’t wanna see bucky fall off the believe (f/n) is still good train :(

Ohhhh but it’ll be funnnnnnn

“Why do my World War Two veterans constantly look like shit?”

it’s the way i busted out laughing at this

i can picture tony’s face while he’s saying this

Same tho 🤣

damn there’s no way tony is gonna snitch on peter to aunt may 😭😭😭

It’s just an empty threat, don’t worry

Jump.

We’re not jumping out over the Atlantic.

Lame. You’ve done it before.

That was over the Pacific.

Same difference.

this was also hilarious

😌😌😌

it’s the way i also be talking back to the voices in my head like this 😭

Same tho

i need this unhinged ghost to stop being so damn funny cause we can not be bringing in jack into this mess

Hyde!Ghost is hilarious to me and she has the best ideas

respectfully (f/n) what in fucks name are you gonna do when you jump into the middle of the ocean WITH NOWHERE TO GO BECAUSE EVERYRHINF IS MILES AWAY

🤷🏼‍♀️🤷🏼‍♀️🤷🏼‍♀️

boone i love your optimism babes but i don’t think squatters rights are a thing in wakanda

especially when these guys can kick your ass off the continent

You haven’t seen Boone’s Puss in Boots face

boone babes i hate to say it but… i think their sunsets might be just a little bit better 😬

Them’s fighting words

oh shit i had no idea we were going in straight AFTER killmonger that changes things i think

surprise!

cause it’s like… i think t’challa is down to help them out but no way the elders, the queen, or the dora milaje think it’s a good idea to invite the actual DEFINITION of chaos and destruction onto their doorstep

Exactly…there’s gonna be ✨drama✨

ross and boone has GOT to be my top unexpected besties

Same tho

boone actually has no chill whatsoever 😭why would he wanna play FRISBEE

She’s just tryna lighten the mood…and see if she can give Duke a concussion

“We are on plane full of super soldiers.” The Russian shrugged again, “I’m sure someone can carry him.”

belov please never stop being the hilarious son of bitch that you are

Нет

“Tell me someone else is seeing this,” you whispered, watching as the mirage began to fade.

“Oh, I see it,” Boone hummed, nudging you gently, “And I’m really glad you can see it too. I cannot be trippin’ balls right now.”

there’s some very sad implications here but i really don’t wanna think about it because i don’t wanna get more sad

Oof

boone and shuri as lab partners would be crazy

It would be glorious chaos

WERE ADDING TCHALLA TO THE LIST OF PEOPLE WHO NOW KNOW GHOSTS IDENTITY?!!

Yes

“Ghost is a woman?” a familiar voice shouted from behind the Dora Milaje. You winced back, cocking your head to the side before a smile spread across your face and Princess Shuri appeared beside her brother. She looked you over excitedly, “I do not believe in the gods but...Praise be to Bast! Brother—”

shuri is so real for this reaction😭😭😭

Fr tho

i wonder what the dora milaje think of ghost 👀

Not impressed………yet

i honestly did not think novak would be in contact again with ollie

Olile just gave him enough to lure him back in. Another super soldier? It means Ghost is even more powerful than he originally thought. It means that he doesn't have to work as hard to create a serum. All he has to do is keep her alive and use to make an army.

uh oh… they’re talking about jack

it’s the way my anxiety is SPIKING RN

Sorry not sorry

leave him out of this please 😭😭

Nope

i’m actually so glad that clint is in on ghosts shenanigans

Same tho

because like wanda is still relatively new to all of this so she’s struggling and steve is a soldier not a spy (see what i did there?!) so they were both STRUGGLING to stay afloat… but CLINT?! homeboy knows what he’s doing i trust him

He’s gonna be the glue that holds this shitshow together

i really like this idea of tchalla and shuri respecting n’jadaka’s name. like yea he was an extremist when it came to his ideals but like he wanted to do good and by using his wakandan name it feels warmer. like he’s not the killer that killmonger was to many

It just seemed more natural than them calling him Kilmonger

Dark tattoos trailed up his left arm, leading under his shirt before reappearing at the back of his neck.

ok but pause…

JACK HAS TATTOOS??

THIS IS NEWS TO ME

SURPRISE!

i really need to read thoroughly 😭

It hasn’t been mentioned in BS:A it was only in his Aftermath character sheet.

i LOVED reading shuri’s thoughts on everyone

Same tho. I love seeing an outside perspective on them.

Killmonger was just like them after all.

He was trained to destabilize governments, taught to kill without remorse.

They were just like him.

wooooah

cause it’s the way i didn’t even think of this

I felt like a genius when that came to me.

ollie being able to walk freely around the tower with mostly everyone not giving a shit is actually terrifying

For real tho. No one suspects him. He can get close to anyone

LEAVE PETER OUT OF THIS PLEASE

omfg no HES JUST A KID

Much easier to manipulate that way

Perhaps… Lagos 2.0. That would get her out of the way, at least, for a while.

there’s actually… no fucking way

this is horrifying

It really is. He has all of them in the palm of his hand

ollie being able to jump from being a psychotic piece of shit to a sympathetic person is sickening

It’s absolutely terrifying.

like it’s scary how quickly he was able to play with nats emotions and manipulate her like THAT FAST

He should have been an actor

Prove what you can do. Show Stark you can handle yourself,” Oliver said, raising his fists in front of him, “Show me what you can do, and I’ll teach you everything she doesn’t know.”

I AM GOING TO THROW UP

PLEASE DON’T

her arguments with herself have me cackling asf

I’m tellin’ you, Hyde!Ghost is so much fun to write

ok but it’s the way this makes perfect sense tho👀

because ok think about it: like yes it’s sad and kinda funny and ironic that she still hasn’t told bucky the truth even tho he knows her better than anyone but i think because of there history… it makes telling him that much more painful. because like it or not he was there during her most painful moments and he was the one taking her to the darkest part of her life. but he was also there as a support, while she was literally being tortured they formed this bond and understanding with one another. so the history of the en ay to loaded and painful for her to tell him everything. but telling tchalla?? practically a stranger???? it’s easier because he’s not coming from a place of chaos and harm, he has made peace with vengeance and with this peace ghost can tell so it makes opening up to him a lot easier than it would be to bucky

Yessssssss this been what i’m sayin. Of course it’s painful to tell bucky, he was there for almost everything that she’d been through. The Soldier was not only a source of her trauma but also a comfort during her hard times and having to tell him about something that he was right there for just to bring back bad memories for them both is gonna be hella hard

Danny laughed again, his breath whispering across your neck as he buried his face there, “I'm not afraid to throw your pretty ass out in the snow.” —

— “You think I'm pretty?” —

— “I think you're beautiful.” —

WOAH DANNY FLASHBACK WOAH

That right there is one of my fave parts of this chapter

this feels like when movies are like “here’s a never before scene exclusive for our newest project!!” it’s the way the got so excited

🖤🖤🖤

“I love your crazy ass. You can do this. We can do this together. I love you, mi amor.”

brb sobbing—

😭😭😭

“I said, I don’t wanna talk, Steve,” he snapped, glaring up at the man before he paused.

“Good thing I’m not Rogers,” Walsh said, standing at the edge of the room with a frown.

OH NO—

OH YEAHHHHHHHHHHH

I DONT KNOW WHO I EXPECTED BUT IT DEFINITELY WASNT HIM

SURPRISE SHAWTY

Out of all of them, he was going to be the one to find her. And, if he was, Bucky wanted to be there too.

“I call the shots,” he said slowly.

Walsh nodded, rising from his chair with a smile, “And I find her.”

Bucky rocked to his feet too, closing the distance between them with a snarl as he grabbed onto Walsh’s collar, “If you hurt her again, I will not hesitate to snap your goddamn neck.”

“Understood.”

OMG NO WAIT—

😈😈😈

THIS IS SCARY AS FUCK

omg no that’s the end

god PLZ—

MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA 😏

omg this is so long i am so sorry but this chapter was so so good and it’s the way i had literally no clue that they were headed to wakanda until i read other people’s live reactions 😭

THIS IS WHY WE DON’T READ THE SPOILERS, YA DING DONG. lol 🖤

anyways i love it when you break my heart darke i hope you keep doing it 🫶🏼

Don’t worry, i’m working on it 🖤 thanks Val

CHAPTER 85: WAR DOGS

To all my live reactors,

Please, please, please, hide your reactions under a Read More cut. I don’t want any spoilers floating around.

To all my Anonymous Avengers,

If you want to react in my asks, feel free. However, I won’t be answering any of them until at least Wednesday if they contain spoilers.

Thank you,

Darke

┍━━━━━━━━ ★ ━━━━━━━━┑

And, for a moment, a weight was lifted off your shoulders.

For a moment, the air was still.

For a moment, you felt the peace he’d told you about.

The stillness, the clarity, the calm.

The King broke the silence after a moment, “We have a saying here: Rain beats the panther’s skin but it does not wash out the spots.”

You glanced up at him, with a deadpan, “No matter how hard I try, I can’t escape who I am?”

“Something like that.”

“That is not helpful, your Highness.”

T’Challa chuckled, looking you over carefully before reaching over to wipe a stray tear that ran down your cheek, “You have to accept yourself. That is what I mean.”

┕━━━━━━━━ ★ ━━━━━━━━┙

» CHAPTER 85: WAR DOGS

✪ Bᴀᴛᴛʟᴇ Sᴄᴀʀʀᴇᴅ : Aғᴛᴇʀᴍᴀᴛʜ

♜♠ Tʜᴇ Sᴏʟᴅɪᴇʀ & Tʜᴇ Sᴘʏ

⧗ Tʜᴇ Rᴇᴅ Rᴏᴏᴍ

»Jᴏɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴅᴀʀᴋᴇ sɪᴅᴇ Tᴀɢʟɪsᴛ

@thexbookxnerdx // @autumn-em // @fadingbakeryfarmoperator // @rhymingtree // @itsmeatballworld // @kippykasey // @turtleedovee // @kamalymaly // @onewithnomightypowers // @y-napotat // @riahmcq // @thequeenofthefallen // @jesuswasnotawhiteman // @fnnshelbys // @knowyourworth-sellyoursoul // @banbananas // @beans-and-toast // @violetvictoriabarnes // @oikawasblueearbud // @itsarussian // @mrsbarnesinmyimagination // @oopsiedoopsie23 // @luhuhzy // @heyimjustlaura12 // @moonlightreader649 // @petalren // @sighmurderbot // @soldat-petala // @useless-creature-213 // @xiyouchan // @kaiblog50 // @bookfeen // @nx-crisis // @aftermatharchives

***if you have a strike through your handle, it wouldn’t let me tag you 😞

#chapter 85// war dogs #reactions

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travllingbunny · 4 years ago

Text

Tribes of Europa, season 1 - thoughts

I finished season 1 of German post-apocalyptic Netflix drama Tribes of Europa a couple of days ago, and I have... lots of thoughts and mixed feelings.

It's a standard post-apocalyptic show with all the usual tropes, but mostly well done, and has potential. I ended up liking it better than I expected, mostly because one of the storylines (Kiano’s) turned out to be pretty good/interesting.

The main problem of the show is that most characters, so far, don't have a lot of depth. An exception is a female villain who has proven to be quite complex and interesting. On the other hand, while I loved seeing Oliver Masucci, in a role completely different from Ulrich Nielsen, and he's great and charismatic, I feel like I've seen the exact same lovable rogue-turned-mentor character a dozen times in various shows and movies. The main trio of young protagonists have the potential for interesting character development, but it remains to be seen what saason 2 does with it.

At least there's one thing that makes the show different than most post-apocalyptic shows I'm aware of - I can't think of any others that take place on the European continent? Usually it's North America, Australia, or UK. So, that's interesting... But then, after I finished it, I started thinking a bit more about some of the elements of the worldbuilding, which are a bit... questionable? I'm reserving judgment till these things are explained.

Spoilers under the cut.

In the first episode, the show did the GoT thing of introducing us to a likable family and then having siblings separated by fate and trying to get back together, while having different storylines. But they should've spent a bit more time with them together and explaining their history.

The show also does that thing where the siblings look nothing like each other and are played by actors of different ethnic origins, so I was waiting to hear they were half-siblings or some other explanation, but there was none. Well, OK then.

One thing I wasn't crazy about is that Kiano had a girlfriend we saw for about 20 seconds and then she apparently got killed for no particular reason. I can't say it's even fridging, since he never even mentions her afterwards and he has a lot of other reasons to hate the Crows.

But Kiano's storyline turned out to be the most interesting , and most disturbing, the kind that can make or break the show, depending on how it deals with issues like slavery, rape, trauma. So far, the show has dealt with it well, which made me like the show more than I thought. (It definitely beats The 100 - a show it was the 100 in the Netflix promo campaign - in that respect. I was already scared it would do something similar to The 100, which really dropped the ball when it touched on such issues in a really clumsy way in season 3.)

Lord Varvara has turned out to be the most interesting and compelling character, and excellently played by Melika Foroutan. (I wish I could say the same about the Crows’ big boss, Yvar - but whether it is mostly due to the OTT costume and makeup or the similarly OTT acting, I had a hard time taking this guy seriously.) She is not exactly morally grey - she is definitely a villain, slaver rapist and murderer, but her role as a former slave - a victim of abuse turned abuser, and someone who upholds the ideas of Social Darwinism - makes her role very interesting and ambiguous. I think that (especially based on some hints) that she used to be a sex slave, too, and if she was also made to be a Crow by her former slave master, that would probably mean Yvar used to be her master. That could lead to some interesting tension and conflicts, as she probably hates this guy deep inside, but still has to vie for his approval, even now that she has “made it”. And she sees to see something in Kiano that makes her think they are similar, that he is 'strong' like she thinks she is (on the other hand, she despised her other slave who had a huge Stockholm Syndrome for her).

I'm curious how they deal with Kiano's character development next season, and how far into moral greyness or darkness it will be willing to go with him. Varvara is a blueprint of what he could become. He didn't exactly show much concern for the lives of other slaves, except his father.

Liv's storyline was also pretty interesting. with her navigating the political issues of the Crimsons. I liked that the Crimsons as a whole turned out to be more morally grey than I initially expected - with their strict military discipline to the point of authorianism and lack of tolerance for dissent.

I don't know if the show expected me to side with the general (aka "Father") or think his views were right, as Liv did? I did not.. "Let's make peace and unity with slavers"? No, dude. But I’ll go with the idea that we are not necessarily supposed to side with him rather than David just because Liv did; or that a third option may be found (such as causing a rebellion among the Crows themselves, which would be my preferred direction of that storyline).

(I also rolled my eyes whenever he started going on about "old European dream" or whatever he called it. No, my dude, you need to brush up on your history. Your plan is nothing like the EU, unless your plan is to go and deliver a bunch of demands to the Crows: "Unless you guys: abolish slavery; ensure human rights for everyone; install a viable non-slavery based economy etc.. - we're not letting you into our new unified Europe!" He also may needed to be reminded EU was formed after Axis powers were defeated.)

I've heard that a lot of people didn't like Elja's storyline because they found it the least interesting, and sure, it wasn't very emotional and didn't have much character development, but I'm very curious about the mystery of the Black December, the Atlantians etc. so I liked it. And I liked the fact that Elja wasn't a naive kid and could deceive people and keep secrets when he needed to.

But there are certain problems I have with the show’s world-building... which, at its worse, may end up being just as problematic as The 100′s was.

While I like the idea of a post-apocalyptic show set in continental Europe, and with languages other than English - almost all of the characters are only speaking German or English (the latter, I guess, for the same reason it's widespread today - people speak it as a second language and use it to communicate). We should really see more people who speak other languages. So far, that’s only happened sporadically - but my problem is more with the fact that the most villainous tribe, Crows (murderous, slave-owning Eurotrash-like villains with very Social Darwinist views) - even though they speak German or English 99% of the time - very notably use certain words from Slavic languages - and only for specific terms like "lubovnik" ('lover' - actually sex slave), "boi" (fight/battle), "svobodnik" (free man?). These were very recognizable. I have no idea what "Bozie" means, but I read somewhere it comes from Russian. What's supposed to be the backtory behind that? Sure, I am for more language diversity, but did a German show have to give the kind of barbaric-version-of-fascist villains these questionable Slavic references? That would be uncomfortable in so many ways.... It's not just Slavs, because another notable Crow character, Grieta at some point used Romanian (and the actress is Romanian), but I hope they're not going with the Evil Barbaric Eastern Europeans here. To be fair, many Crows were clearly slaves at the beginning, which complicates things... but Varvara says her real name - slave name - was Sophia, which could be anything - while her Crow names is Varvara - which definitely sounds Russian or Bulgarian (or, I guess, it could be Greek).

On the other side, opposed to the Crows, we have the more “civilized” tribe/army of former Eurocorps, whose members have so far only been heard speaking English, German and, at one point, Dutch - curiously called Red Crimson Army (!), I have so many questions...

Another questionable thing, pointed by the host of the Culture Cave YouTube podcast, who did an overall favorable review of the show, howeverpointed out that the Crows - the villains - are the only ones who don't conform to gender roles? And the males who are the most 'effeminate' looking are baddies. I didn’t even think of that initially, but thinking about it... yes, it has been like that so far, hasn’t it?

I’m reserving judgment till next season, but I only used to give The 100 the benefit of doubt with its questionable world-building, and we know how that turned out.

#tribes of europa

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fortheloveoffanfic · 5 years ago

Text

Love; Lost

John Wick x reader (A/n- flashbacks indicated with italics.) (A/n2- I have ideas for this to be turned into a thing, maybe a couple other parts, but I’m not really sure about it yet. Maybe. We’ll see.)

Warnings- Angst.

Sniffling, Y/n straightened her back, swiping at her eyes. In the foyer, the last of her packed bags awaited her. She couldn’t believe it; it was really over. The past five years reduced to nothing, they were parting ways, and neither of them could believe it.

“You don’t have to go,” John managed, sounding defeated, like he couldn’t even believe his own words. Maybe it was because he knew that they weren’t true; he and Y/n were from vastly different worlds. Being a killer, a hunter was all he knew, it was in his nature. But Y/n, she wasn’t like that, she was a free spirt, the woman who wanted to travel the world without death and danger looming at every corner.

John had stifled her, that’s what he had done At least, that’s what she had told him. He had spent so long trying to protect her, shielding her from the worst parts of his life that he had forgotten to love her. Or let her love him.

“Yes I do,” Y/n nodded stiffly, fighting emotion, not wanting to break down again. If she did, he might hold her, and if he held her, Y/n wouldn’t leave. It had already taken every bit of will she had to pack up her stuff. John wasn’t even supposed to be back until after she had left, but he had gotten in early, all in an attempt to surprise her.

1 Hour Earlier Most of it was in her car already, though, the last of her bags had yet to be taken out. On the center of the made California king was the handwritten note she was going to leave him. It wasn’t the way to bring an end to such a long, committed relationship, but Y/n didn’t think there was any other way she’d go through with it. One look at John while trying to tell him that she couldn’t stay might have her changing her mind. Y/n didn’t want to leave, but she knew she had to.

Things had been changing between them, and for a while, Y/n had been feeling more like John’s charge than his girlfriend. Lately, he had been treating Y/n more like a damsel in need of protecting, and while before, she didn’t mind, she could no longer find the love in his gestures. She didn’t want to be an obligation, or the girl he worried about while they were apart, Y/n wanted to be an equal in their relationship.

They had been drifting for a while by then; John was gone more often than not, and even when he was there, he was so focused on keeping her safe, reminding her of what they couldn’t do, that being with him felt like being with a bodyguard. No parks because there were too many unchecked spaces, no double dates with her friends because he didn’t want to put them in danger and no meeting his friends because they were too dangerous.

There was so much between them; secrets, sometimes continents and always a barrier that kept John from truly letting her in. He and Y/n had lived together for the past three years, and still, she had barely any clue of how entrenched he was in the criminal underworld. Sure, she knew that he was an assassin, and that he’d worked for a Russian mob in the past, but that was about it. He’d leave and never tell her where he was going, only to come back weeks later bruised and broody.

The more and more Y/n thought about it, the more her mind insisted that it was time to leave. She’d always love John, with everything she had in her, but she wasn’t willing to be with someone who couldn’t be as open as she was. Their relationship felt one sided, broken somehow.

As she packed up the last of her things, Y/n gave the bedroom one final glace, saddened at how it now looked; half of it’s personality gone. Her things no longer sat comfortably next to his; none of her clothes mixing with John’s in the hamper, her beauty products no longer lingered next to his after shave in the bathroom and her nightstand was bare, save for a lamp that matched the one on John’s. Pictures were still littered around the room though, in frames on the surfaces and hanging on the walls, just like they were around the rest of the house. Y/n loved pictures; the best memories saved for eternity, it was why she had become a photographer. It was how she had met John.

Looking at the little moments saved in time stung her heart and tears prickled at her eyes, prompting her to gather her bags and leave the room, though, her plans were interrupted, the note on the bed made mute.

“You’re leaving?” John asked, his brows knitted with confusion, his tired features further pulled by hurt.

“I.......” Y/n licked her lips nervously, her heart thumping anxiously against her chest. She hadn’t accounted for the possibility of having to face him; she didn’t want confrontation, or to see the look of hurt on his face, or being given the opportunity to stay. “I am,” looking away, Y/n tried to contain her emotions, how could doing what was best feel like a knife to the gut?

Watching her stand at the door, their door, was starting to become too much for John. Y/n couldn’t leave; didn’t she know that she was everything to him? The glue holding his sanity together, the only person he’d ever felt real love from, the only person he had ever loved. And now she was leaving. Because of him. Because he had failed her.

“You don’t love me,” Y/n breathed, eyes shining with tears, that otherwise, he’d have wiped away, “At least, it doesn’t feel like it.”

“No, Y/n,” John’s voice caught somewhere in his throat. All he wanted was for things to be fixed, for everything to be okay, “I love you, I’ve always loved you,” since the day they had met probably.

“Yeah?” Y/n chuckled humorlessly, “It doesn’t feel like that,” sighing heavily, she sniffled, “It feels like you’re suffocating me sometimes, I can barely leave this house without you worrying, we never go out anymore, you don’t even call when you leave. How’s that love?”

John shook his head slowly. He hadn’t meant to have Y/n think that he didn’t love her, he just thought that these things were best for her. Then again, maybe it wasn’t his place to decide that. “I only wanted to protect you, because I love you. I love you,” he repeated, a new firmness in the words, “And if something happened to you......if I couldn’t keep you safe....”

“I didn’t need your protection!” Her voice rose without warning, making them both jump; the sight was alarming; seeing the Boogeyman's shoulders shake in surprise, “I never needed....” It was a fight to contain a nearly escaped sob, and when Y/n cast her head down, she had to squeeze her eyes shut, “I never needed you to protect me, I just needed you to love me,” Y/n voice broke, and John felt his heart break even more, “And let me love you back.”

The whole thing kept going on, over and over, in John’s head, like a broken record meant to shatter his glass heart. “Please,” taking a step towards Y/n, John felt like his soul was being ripped apart when she evaded his touch. “Please just stay, I’ll be better,” he bargained, knowing that he’d change everything about his life if it would mean that he could spend the rest of it with her, “You want me to leave? I’ll get out, leave that behind. You want space, freedom? Then I’ll give it to you. We’ll go somewhere where no one knows us, and we’ll be safe, you can open a gallery, like you always wanted to, and I’ll find work, and we can-”

“No,” Y/n determined firmly, tears now running down her cheeks freely. She had never seen John like that; so frazzled, grasping for straws, eyes wide with worry and so desperate. That wasn’t the John she knew, no, her John was confident and calculated, a man who didn’t say much and who never let his fears interrupt his hardened exterior. Seeing him like that all but literally killed Y/n. There he was, begging her to stay, willing to give up the life he’d known for almost twenty years for the woman he loved. And still, she couldn’t accept it. “It’s too late John, I’m so sorry,” she met his eyes one last time, his own pain matching her, “But I have to go.”

Exhaling quietly, his shoulders slumped, and John glanced at a picture in a little silver frame, sitting on a long table against the wall, it was surrounded by several others, along with other little trinkets, but somehow, that one stuck out.....

2 Years Ago “What are you doing?” John laughed, still trying to fit the last of their things into the trunk of his Mustang. He was beginning to think that they were leaving the little rented cabin in upstate New York with more than they had taken with them; he simply couldn’t make everything fit.

From the side, definitely not helping the situation, Y/n giggled, professional camera still held up to her face as she continued snapping pictures that he could only hope she would delete on the drive back; she couldn’t have gotten any good ones. The humid summer air was making some of John’s hair stick to his face and neck and he highly doubted that his frustrated expression was even remotely photogenic. “I’m taking pictures,” she laughed, explaining as if it were completely obvious, “You’re like; a fucking male model,” Y/n teased.

“Yeah, whatever,” John tried to sound annoyed, but couldn’t help but smile. “You know that’s not helping, right? I mean, these are your bags, and you’re just standing there, taking pictures,” he teased. With an exasperated sigh, John stopped for a minute, straightening up and looking at Y/n, amusement still twinkling in his eyes, though years of practice giving him an opportunity to hide it everywhere else. “Y/n,” her warmed, only semi-sternly, “I’m serious, this stuff isn’t gonna fit, and I look like shit.”

Rolling her eyes and lowering the camera, Y/n still smiled, slowly approaching him, “Relax,” she eased, removing the thick fabric strap from around her neck, resting the device on top of a bag in the open trunk, “We’ll just stuff the rest of it in the back seat. Also,” she chortled, wrapping her delicate arms around his neck, leaning into John’s strong chest, “You look pretty sexy all sweaty and annoyed like that,” standing on the tips of her toes, Y/n pressed a kiss to John’s lips. Readily, he reciprocated, his arms snaking around her, his fingers slipping under the hem of her loose t-shirt; calloused fingers sending electricity up her spine.

“I love you,” John mumbled against Y/n’s lips. He was typically very guarded with the words, though Y/n didn’t need to hear it often to remember how he felt; it was in everything else, his touch, the habit he’d made of waking up extra early when she slept over, just to make her coffee and how he’d press his forehead to hers after a lingering kiss. John was a man of action, and when he was with Y/n, his actions were always enough to remind her that there wasn’t a man that could love her more than John Wick.

Smiling tenderly, Y/n’s fingers toyed with the ends of John’s dark locks, “I love you too.” Turning, he leaned on the back of the car, nearly as tall as the open trunk, and Y/n was sunken into his front. For a while, they exchanged long, sweet kisses, each one filled with more love than they last. “They said that we need to clear out by noon,” Y/n reminded John, pulling away reluctantly.

Groaning, John let his hands skim her back one last time before letting Y/n go, “I remember.” Slowly, they finished up the packing, and when the last of it was in the car, John closed down the back, “Ready?”

For a moment, Y/n thought on his question, before her eyes widened with realization, “No!” She frowned, “We haven’t taken any pictures.”

“If I remember correctly,” John teased, strolling towards her, his large hands landing on her hips, “You took quite a few earlier.”

“No,” Y/n sighed, “I mean we haven’t taken any together, and it’s so beautiful out here.”

“Well, we were pretty busy,” John kissed the side of Y/n’s head and she caught his bicep as he tickled her sides. The memories of the week gone by were still fresh in both their minds; they had planned so much, a picnic near the lake, a day spent in the small town and a hike on a secluded nature trail, though it had all gone out the window the minute they unlocked the cabin doors and the only exploring Y/n and John did was of each other.

When they settled, Y/n gently pushed away from John, “Well, we have to take at least one, please?” She offered him her best puppy eyes, knowing full and well that John always had a hard time saying to ‘no’ to her. Throw in big doe eyes and he was definitely a goner.

“Fine, but with your phone, we already packed up your camera,” John ducked into the passenger seat, getting out Y/n’s large tote bag, handing it over.

Scoffing playfully, she hastily took the bag, “I will do no such thing! We’ll use this,” and from her bag, she produced polaroid camera. John knew it well; it had been his gift to her on their first anniversary and Y/n had grown quite attached to it. Though, he didn’t have the slightest clue that she’d brought it along on their little getaway. Quickly, she set it up on the roof of his car, setting the timer, giving them a couple minute to get organized.

They stood a few feet in front of it, John hugging Y/n from behind, her hands grasping his arms. The flash was just a couple seconds from going off, when at the very last minute, John lifted her off the ground, planting his lips on Y/n’s neck. Throwing her head back, Y/n laughed wildly, her eyes screwed shut with sheer joy.

When John set her down, Y/n playfully swatted at his shoulder, “That picture is probably ruined,” she pouted. Though, by the time she was at the camera, the picture had already cleared up and was drying; and as it turned out, it was one of the best pictures they’d ever take together.

“Okay,” John swallowed tightly. He wanted, more than anything, to work things out with Y/n. She was the love of his life, his dawn at the end after the darkest night, his harbor in the storm. And he wanted so badly, to be that for her too. In fact, up until the moment he got home to her car parked in the driveway and the last of Y/n’s packed bags in the hallway, John had thought he was that. But John loved her more than he wanted to be her knight in shining armor, he always would, so if loving Y/n meant that he’d have to accept that he wasn’t what she wanted, what was best for her, then he’d painfully learn to accept it, even if it felt like it would be the death of him.

With tear stained cheeks and red eyes, Y/n nodded, “Okay,” Picking up the last of her things, she turned the knob of the door and John swore that it felt like a dagger was turning in his chest. No longer able to contain her quiet sobs, Y/n managed, “Goodbye John.”

He tried to say it back, John really, really tried, but the words wouldn’t come. And dragging himself behind her, moving to lean on the door frame was the hardest thing he’d ever done. He watched her go, wishing that he could just reach out and take Y/n into his arms, promise to never, ever make the same mistakes again, but he couldn’t. So, feeling the hole in his heart grow with each step she took, John tried to offer up the next best thing, three little words that he hardly ever said, but a fact that he needed her to remember, even if it wouldn’t change a thing, “I love you Y/n.” Quiet tears fell from his eyes and John ran hand though his hair, trying to slow his breaths.

Stopping in her tracks, Y/n turned back to John, offering him one last, broken look, “I love you too John.” After a couple seconds, Y/n turned away, walking towards the car, tossing the bags into the back seat. Even as Y/n got into the car, turning the key in the ignition, sobs racked her frame and every cell in her body screamed that she was making the biggest mistake of her life, that she should go back and mend things with John. But at that point, Y/n dismissed the matter as her heart trying to overrule her mind, and for once, Y/n didn’t listen to it as she pulled the door closed and backed out of the drive way, putting her life with John in the rearview.

John watched Y/n’s car disappear with distance, his world crumbling. Just like that, it was over, they were over. It took a while, but eventually, John was blindly making his way to what used to be their shared bedroom, only making it there by way of muscle memory. When he closed the door behind him, it didn’t take much to notice just how excruciatingly empty the room felt, how much of a hollowed shell it seemed. Sure, some mocking pictures remained, but suddenly, it was like John didn’t know the people in them and just a simple glance their way was like a punch in the gut.

Sinking onto the bed, John thought it felt colder that it ever had; a lot changed when you grew accustomed to the warmth brought on by someone you loved. And when that warmth was gone, as John was quickly realizing, the feeling easily paled the coldest winter nights. Swallowing tightly, he finally picked up the handwritten note that Y/n had left between their pillows, though, he couldn’t yet bring himself to read it. So instead, he just stared at her cursive on the stark white paper, his thumb tracing it, lingering over the botches where her tears had presumably fallen as she wrote.

John wasn’t sure how long he stayed there, the river from his eyes probably wearing tracks into his face, but at some point, the room dimmed significantly and he could no longer take the burning in his left pocket. Transferring the still unread letter to his right hand, John dung through his pants, eventually getting out a little, black, velvet box. It was why he had returned early, why he had called ahead to reserve a private room at her favorite restaurant. It was supposed to be the surprise that would change their lives, but there on the bed they once shared, in the house that might never feel like a home again, the glamourous diamond ring wedged comfortably between two dark cushions could only mock him; remind John that despite his best efforts to keep Y/n, he had lost her.

The glitter of the rock reflected in the low light, and feeling like there was no more love left to his name, John flipped the box closed, shutting his eyes as he laid back onto the bed, holding Y/n’s note to his chest, praying to a god that he barely believed in, begging that the last few hours would turn out a dream. Though, if it wasn’t, John hoped that he’d never wake up.

********

tagging- @harrisongslimited

#Keanu reeves #Keanu reeves x reader #Keanu reeves x you #john wick #john wick x you #john wick x reader #angst #Keanu reeves fanfic #john wick fanfic #fanfic #fanfiction #john wick angst #last love song #Keanu reeves angst #fluff #fic #ff #john wick fanfiction #Keanu reeves fanfiction

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bigbangclappin · 5 years ago

Text

Happy

Genre: Drabble, Mafia universe, fluff, Jackson being his cute self.

Summary: Surprise you’re pregnant and now you have to tell your husband, Good luck.

Word Count: 750

A/N: I don’t think there are any warnings but keep those requests coming especially since I’ve been staring at the walls. I’m thinking about doing the other members let me know if you guys are interested!

Okay you could do this. It’s no big deal considering you had faced much worse before. Deep breaths in and out, you’d be fine.

You had a mental breakdown when you saw the happy little smiley face. It was like it was mocking you, how dare it smile when you were so stressed out?

Alright it could be worse, you reminded yourself it was just a human growing inside of you no biggie. You’ve been kidnapped and held at gunpoint and this was nothing compared to that situation. The hardest thing you imagined would be pushing the little bowling ball out...and telling Jackson.

It had nothing to do with his reaction either; he was never shy about letting you know he wanted babies with you. Oh no it was trying to figure out where in the greater continent of Asia he was. He never wanted you mixed in his madness so he left you in the dark with ten burner phone numbers to try.

It was a less dangerous version of Russian Roulette. You rolled your eyes at the thought of having to call every single number and you decided to figure out an easier way to get in touch with him.

“Hey Tim,” you said inconspicuously to your security guard, “I know you are able to communicate with Jackson quicker than I can. Could you please tell him that I’m pregnant? Thank you.”

With that you began walking away from the man until he called to you quite anxiously, “Wait (Y/n)! I can’t tell him that!”

You giggled at the man’s anxious display, “Of course you can just say it like I told you.”

“ But wouldn’t that be better coming from you?”

I nodded my head with a smile, “Yes but since I have no way to contact him directly I figured this would be the best way. Please let him know that I’ve also made an appointment with my doctor just to be certain. Thank you Tim.”

You left the poor man sputtering but you knew he was going to do it for you.

————

A few days had passed before your request had manifested into results.

You were indeed pregnant both confirmed by a professional and the at home test. You were excited and nervous, all that first time parent jazz running through your brain rapidly.

You needed to relax. Your doctor had explained (knowing the circumstances of your life) that too much stress would put a terrible strain on yourself and the baby. She suggested that anytime you felt anxious you should do something that calmed you.

For you that was painting.

The large canvas in front of you had turned out almost exactly as you wanted it to, just a few touch ups on the city scape and it would be perfect.

Brush at the ready you attempted to fix the skyscraper that was nagging you until you were startled and paint splattered on yourself and your beautiful painting causing you to whine.

“Are you really pregnant baby?!” Your husband squeaked in excitement.

You turned to face him in shock, “If you didn’t scare the baby out of me, I didn’t expect you home for another week. Did you finish early?”

Jackson held your face in his hands affectionately pecking your lips, “When Tim told me the news I came back immediately, there’s really a baby in there?”

Nodding your head cutely you replied, “Yup the Doctor believes I’m twelve weeks along.”

He put a hand on your tummy, “Hello in there I’m your Daddy!”

You giggled, “Jacks, love, the baby hasn’t developed a sense of sound yet.”

He pouted adorably you couldn’t help but place a kiss on his nose, “There’s no doubt in my mind that this little one will be born without the sound of your voice ingrained into their brain, don't worry.”

“I can’t believe we are going to be parents!” He shouted enthusiastically peppering kisses all over your face, “I need to tell the guys, we have to get baby gates, and child locks installed immediately!”

There was something in his expression that made you feel warm and comforted. You weren’t going at this alone, you had your supportive husband by your side every step of the way. You were so happy. Beyond happy.

“I love you Jackson,” you mumbled in between his frantic kisses. “Thank you.”

“I love you too, but why are you thanking me (Y/N)?”

“Because no one could ever make me as happy as you do.”

#jackson wang mafia au #jackson wang fluff #jackson wang drabble #jackson wang scenario #jackson wang #wang jiaer #got7 mafia au #got7 #team wang #got7 domestic au #god I love this man #bigbangclappin

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livingmybestfakelife · 4 years ago

Text

The Favorite -3 of ?-

Tommy Shelby x Black Reader

[Raji Khan, Delhana - 3:17 AM]

There was nothing that anyone could do, there was no warning, no signs of any kind, it was even a miracle that the casualties were so low given the strength of the bomb. The small farming town of Solomon, just twenty miles from Raji Khan was the place to go if you wanted the best produce, in fact it’s where the Delhanan royal family gotten most of their food supply. The small community was almost completely covered in smoke and dust, it was difficult for emergency services to make their way around the area given the obstacles, it was nothing they’ve ever seen before, most of them were some of the younger workers who wasn’t in service long enough to see such a catastrophe.

“Your majesty! Your majesty!”

Abraham was awoken by the cries of his personal guard and head of security, in a normal situation he would knock but tonight it was to be assumed that the country was under attack with the royal family possibly being targets as well, not all of the family members lived in the palace or the two other homes that they owned. Everyone was spread out all over the country, so with this knowledge it was harder to keep track of everyone, who was to say that the Solomon disaster would be the only attack.

“We have to get to the bunker your majesty, I’ll contact with the other guards to make sure that everyone else is safe”

Livingston helped the older man out of his bed and gotten him to safety as quickly as possible, he rushed him into the giant room before closing it, he let him know that he would have to leave him alone for a little while so that he could check out what was going on from the outside, by this time the solders that were guarding the exterior of the palace would be on guard and rushing around, it would be easier to speak to them directly to see where to go from here.

Meanwhile Abraham was silently praying for not only himself but for his family, especially you, at that thought he trudged over to the telephone on the other side of the room in an attempt to get ahold of you. Hopefully the lines wouldn’t be dead or too busy, once the operator gotten in contact with Fairweather Manor the maid on the other end could sense his agitation no matter how hard he tried to mask it, she rushed up the stairs to retrieve you for the urgent phone call.

“Your royal highness, your grandfather is on the phone, he says it’s urgent”

She exclaimed, she also rushed right in without knocking and scared you out of your peaceful slumber, she was as frightened as he was on the other end on the phone, not yet knowing what the fuss was about, you were about to be one of the first people outside of Delhana to hear about the devastating news that happened in your home country.

You were out of breath and had to collect yourself once you arrived downstairs, your grandfather was whispering a prayer in his native tongue and probably didn’t know that you were on the other line, you let him continue and prayed along with him, the maid right across from you was worried about what was going on and you silently calmed her then told her that she could head back to her chambers for the time being.

“Babu...Papa what is the matter?”

“My little lamb, it is just terrible, I know that I am expected to be calm but I am terrified, listen I don’t know what all of the facts are but I suspect that we are under attack”

“What?”

“Livingston wouldn’t have busted into my room without knocking if it was anything but, I’m sure that I am correct in my prediction, and because of that, there is a chance that the family is in danger”

“Papa don’t talk like that”

“My girl I don’t like it anymore than you do, but we must be realistic, we’ve prepped for this, you are the only member out of the country and not under any threat, so that means that there is a chance that you might be one of very few if not the only one that will survive-“

“No papa no”

“Listen to me YN, if there is to be a chance that you’re the only member that is higher up on the line of succession that survives this...then you are to be queen, there is no other way around it, now that doesn’t mean that I am giving up hope, I still have a lot of life left to live, I just want you to be aware of what is going on”

“Mama and Baba, are they still in Fort Messer?”

“Yes, it’s the safest place they can be at the moment, but it doesn’t mean they’re out of the clear just yet”

You want to break down and cry at the thought of your whole family being wiped away and you aren’t even in the same continent as them, you are alone in a country with people you hardly know who wouldn’t understand the pressure you are under right now, your parents are feeling the same way right now, their only child being where she is right now should give them some comfort but they regret not having you close to them, they couldn’t hold you or comfort you, they only had each other and it wasn’t enough.

“I-I should’ve never left”

“We didn’t know this was going to happen my girl, there would be nothing that you could do...”

He pauses for a moment while mentally fighting with himself if he should even tell you what he feels like he should, it wasn’t the time but also the perfect time, he might die after all, right?”

“You were always my favorite, you know that right? I love all of my grandchildren but you...”

“Papa please, you will all make it”

“I don’t have a lot of time darling, listen to me, no one that doesn’t need to know should be aware about this right now, you are to stay calm”

“But the maid-“

“You know what to do my little lamb, we might loose connection at any moment, but know that I love you alright”

“I love you too-“

Just as he called it, right on cue the line went dead, you were grateful that you at least got to say it back before it did, if he were to go, his last words from you would be that you loved him, he would die knowing that he was cherished by the most important person to him.

You hang up the phone while letting out a deep breath that you didn’t know you were holding in, the maid from earlier came back over to the little room to check on you, she heard your muffled voice but couldn’t make out what you were saying.

“Your highness, is everything alright?”

“Oh, yes, my grandfather can be very superstitious, he claimed to have had a dream that I was kidnapped by spies working for the Russians”

You chuckle to add onto the lie, she laughs along with you and looked to be convinced

“My grandad is the same way ma’am they get to be that way at that age”

“I agree, I appreciate your concern though, I’ll be going back to my room”

“Yes ma’am”

She curtsied and walked back to the servants quaters immediately. You look around the area to make sure that no one else heard your conversation, it would take a while before the news would break of what happened with the bomb, so you would keep quiet until everyone here would find out, it would also be the only way to find out if your grandfather and everyone survived the chaos, it wasn’t how you wanted to know but you had no other way to get in touch with anyone in Delhana.

Once you gotten back to your room you looked at yourself in the mirror and noticed that you weren’t wearing a robe and was downstairs in your sleeping gown, it was a miracle that no one else in the house besides the one maid saw you in your most vulnerable state, you wouldn’t get much sleep for the rest of the early hours, all you had on your mind was your family, in an attempt to get a little more comfortable you turn onto your side and look at the bust of The Favorite, she was glossy even in the soft moonlight that was illuminating through the window, you had completely forgotten about the lost piece of art and it made you even more upset at the fact that it was indeed stolen by the past owner of this house, but you had plans for her, for if the unfortunate were to happen, for if you were to become queen, you would get your countries property back.

Tags: @maryams-things

#tommy shelby #tommy shelby imagine #peaky blinders #peaky blinders imagine #black reader

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uncoordinated-house-cat · 4 years ago

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pls rant about nicholas ii 👀

dude i am so glad u asked. i mean, u didn’t ask for the entire rant about both russian revolutions, but here u are anyway. (but also im a teenager history student so this is very biased and i checked most of my facts but not all of them so don’t quote me and if a history person who actually knows what they’re doing finds a mistake don’t @ me) ok so nicholas ii was an absolute ********** and had an iq of -1000 and he was still super convinced that he could run all of russia, which is like a freaking huge country with millions of people who are super poor (peasants made up 85% of the population in 1905 when the first revolution happened, the number of people below the poverty line was probably way higher when the actual revolution happened and he got overthrown but bitch had it cOMING)

so here’s the thing. nick, a spoiled child who let’s say is twelve years old when his dad alexander dies of assassination (omg i googled the dates and HE WAS TWELVE I WAS RIGHT FHDSJKLAFHSD) has been told, since he was a tiny but no less annoying baby, that he was amazing and very smart and was absolutely entitled to rule all of russia and he was like ‘hell yeah bro this is my divine right wahoo guess i don’t have to pay attention in my ‘how to be a good leader’ lessons cos god chose me to be the tsar so i already am one #thuglife’

so he met this girl named alix, who was princess of somewhere irrelevant and incredibly religious (and also deluded but that becomes important later) and he falls in love with her and they get married, which is nice but probably not a good long-term decision because through her friend, nick meets rasputin (and i love the ra ra rasputin song but rasputin was very very problematic) and that’s one of the many, many, many stupid things he does that makes literally every single person in russia (again, lots of people) mad at him. but nick is in love, and he marries alix, and this is all very nice if russia was a substantially smaller and easier country to run and nick was actually a competent leader then maybe there wouldn’t have been a revolution! but alas, this was not the case.

so as we all know, russia is fucking enormous. for people who have never looked at a map in their entire life, this is russia

and it has more landmass than several continents put together. chonky boi. and the capital city where the royal family lives? well, you’d assume it’s somewhere in the middle ish, since russia’s such a huge country and you kinda need to be in the middle in order to have literally any idea what’s going on and stop your people from revolting under your freaking nose, so put it in the middle.

but nOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO. they put the capital in st. petersburg, a place that’s like five minutes drive from finland, estona, latvia, ukraine (although that would probably take a while but u get the point) and LITERALLY NOWHERE NEAR ANYWHERE IN RUSSIA. ARGH.

i’m pretty sure the reasoning for this was ‘it’s been there since forever and everything was fine then so we don’t need to change it’ cos back when russia was actually a country-sized country instead of the mammoth it is now (we’re talking 1539, and by country-sized country it was still bigger than most of western europe put together), the country was all the way over to the left, where st. petersburg is, so they probably had the capital there foreeeeeeever. even after they expanded and became mcfreaking enormous bc sOmEoNe (not naming names *cough cough* ivan the terrible *cough cough*) decided it would be an awesome idea to have some expansionist policy, yay, and now we’ve ended up with this monstrosity. and while you might think that having a big country is great, it’s not. here’s why:

- so many people. soooo many people

- how u gonna keep track of all of them?? it takes like 8 years to get from one side of this bad boy to the other

- since nobody can control russia cos of all the land and all the people, the culture just goes absolutely backward. the peasants are too poor to afford food, let alone an education, and it’s not as if nicky is gonna build free public schools or raise wages or anything, lol, so the collective russian mindset is a bit of a dumpsterfire

- if, say, a revolution were to happen, which of course it can’t hahaha everybody know’s nick’s the divine ruler and overthrowing him wouldn’t be possible cos everyone’s so thrilled with their life in a very cold place with no food, awful policies, terrible wages and working conditions and a tsar who cares more about hanging out with his family than actually doing his duty as leader of the biggest country in the world?? then the tsar wOULDN’T KNOW THE REVOLUTION WAS HAPPENING UNTIL IT WAS ALL OVER THE COUNTRY AND SOMEONE WAS HOLDING A GUN TO HIS STUPID TINY PEABRAIN HEAD

and nick did not do a lot to help the russian people to live unproblematic, non-poverty-stricken lives. in the early 1900s, there was a big move to the cities cos everyone was moving to the cities which meant there were more educated people getting jobs or going to university and going ‘hey, our wages are shit, nobody has any food and it seems like the tsar is doing a really bad job and just living in the lap of luxury while his entire country suffers?? should we do something about this??’

but he did do something. oh, boy. nicky, looking at all his ancestors going ‘bro aren’t u gonna expand the country that’s literally the one thing russia is good at u can’t break our streak’ went and conquered siberia. then he built a railway, cos he needed a water outlet for trade and stuff. he called it the trans-siberian railway. he wanted to make it really big, and cross over into manchuria, so he had a bit of a war with china which he won and then he built the railway in manchuria.

meanwhile, japan has been practising their war tactics a lot recently and while they don’t have much of a reputation in the west (like at all, nobody takes them seriously) and they also want to expand and flex their fighting skills a bit, they cross into manchuria and are like ‘i want this land. gimme’ and nick is like ‘nah fam i’m good’ and japan is like ‘>:( one last warning’ and nick is like ‘lol ur country is tiny and my country is huge have u seen all these buff russian soldiers i have guarding the railway i could crush u with my boot’ and then the japanese launch a surprise attack! on the russian squadron at port arthur. nick made the pikachu face, then the russo-japanese war started.

uh oh, bad decision! looks like the russians are losing and even tho there’s lots of them there are more japanese and they have better battle tactics, so nick sends more soldiers. thing is, everyone in russia is already super poor so they can’t afford to have the [relatively] healthy, working men go off to war and die, cos that’s not practical at all and now they have even less money and food. fast forward, russia loses the war, nick makes the pikachu face again, stays in his nice mansion while the rest of russia starts going ‘grrr’ as well as ‘brrrr’.

and then this dude called gapon who’s a nice priest guy goes to petition the tsar to have better working conditions, fairer wages, a bunch of other stuff but they’re all very fair and reasonable. nick is like ‘nooooo!!’ and his uncle is like ‘nOoOoO!!!!!!1!!!’ and orders the army to shoot the peaceful protesters, so it gets called bloody sunday. this makes everyone really unhappy again, and it’s called the russian revolution of 1905 cos there are a lot of strikes and even while nick is like ‘haha this isn't happening’ they don’t reeeally accomplish much bc nick stays on the throne, and the russians are very mad but not mad or coordinated enough to overthrow the autocracy. there was this new parliament thingo called the duma, because nick’s only competent political adviser, count witte, was like ‘bro u literally have no choice but to form a new democratic government’ and nick was like ‘oh ok what if i made a government but it’s not really democratic or effective bc they have very limited power’ and witte was like ‘nick nO’ and nick was like ‘hehe nick yes’ and the duma was formed

--fast forward to 1917-- *time vworp noises*

so russia is poor. again. everyone is mad. again. all the men have been sent off to war. again. this time, it’s because of world war 1!

and yikes, the russian army have it bad. like seriously, those dude were suffering lots and lots. very ouchy, no food, too cold, everyone is dying. it wasn’t great.

nick was like ‘hmm this war seems to be going well anyway look at my children aren’t they cute one of them broke an expensive vase today that’s so funny!!!’ (i made that up but he really didn’t care much and spent a lot of money u get the gist)

lots of strikes are happening. nobody is happy, and this time there are actually some organised people who can channel the rage into a revolution that might actually get something done this time.

by the way, rasputin has turned up!! *cue the ra ras*

so rasputin introduces himself to some lady who’s a friend of alix, and alix, being super religious and super deluded and also having a sick son -

oh yeah, she had like five kids (was it five? not sure it was a lot) and the first four of them were girls and she was like ‘oh my god who’s gonna rule the country i have to have a boy’ and then she finally had a boy and his name was alexei and everything was great until they discovered that he had haemophilia, which is a hereditary illness that means ur skin is super weak or smth and whenever u, like, bump a table and u would normally get a little bruise, instead u start bleeding like you’ve been shot and yeah it was super problematic and it meant alexei was constantly sick and bleeding

- and so alix said to rasputin, who proclaimed to heal people like he was basically jesus, ‘yo dude can u pls heal my son it’s pretty urgent ngl’ and rasputin was like ‘uh huh lemme just take a look at him’ and he had a check up with alexei who somehow healed?? i don’t know how, he just sorta did, (he still had the haemophilia but alix was convinced it was gone for good) and so she turned into rasputin’s Number One Fan and started spouting all his very false religious conspiracy theories and made him a very important member of politics which was Not Good

and then count witte, the sensible one, was like ‘hmm this rasputin fellow seems kinda shady also he has thousands of STIs i don’t think it’s a good look if ur wife is hanging out with him all the time bc there are lots of rumours and he just seems super sketchy i reckon we should get rid of him’ and nick was like ‘no U’

he just uno reverse-carded him. witte tried to investigate rasputin and then nick was like ‘hmm i guess i’ll dissolve the duma cos ur being annoying’ and witte resigned like two days later. fair. if i had to deal with nick on a daily basis, there would probably be a lot of punching (of him, by me, in case u couldn’t tell bc im full of rage)

and there were a lot of rumours going around about alix & rasputin (which was kinda fair, because they hung out all the time and rasputin was a very sus person) so alix’s credibility was questioned and she was accused of selling secrets to the enemy, which was a bit dramatic (im pretty sure it was because she came from germany, and she was called ‘the german woman’ by a lot of the public)

--- also this isn’t very relevant to nick but i thought it was incredibly funny how rasputin died and it was time for a break from all that serious stuff so ~INTERLUDE~ ---

note: start listen to rasputin by boney m cos this is where it gets hilarious (and the song also narrates his assassination lol)

so nobody liked rasputin. he had a lot of sex with pretty much everyone, he was very religious but also spouted a lot of nonsense, he was involved in some very dubious stuff and he was in favour of a lot of policies that the general public did not want at all. so a lot of people tried to murder him. and nearly all of them failed!! turns out, rasputin is really difficult to assassinate. there were a bunch of attempts on his life, all failed, before this one dude was like ‘bro i gotta put a stop to this’ so he invited rasputin to his house cos he was rsaputin’s bud (his name was yusupov btw)

dude gave him some cakes. they were laced with cyanide (poison) and rasputin was like cronch cronch, nom nom. did not die. ate a lot of cake.

yusupov was like ?????????????

gave him some wine. wine was also poisoned. rasputin was like ‘dude this wine is good where can i get some more’ and he drank three glasses of it. the wine was poisoned with cyanide as well, btw. and the doctors who had helped plan this had carefully put enough cyanide in each glass to kill SEVERAL MEN. still not dead somehow????

so yusupov went ‘ok time for plan c’ and shot him. rasputin was like ‘ow’ and fell over. yusupov checked his pulse, there was now, he was like ‘ok good job’

and then while they were discussing their cover story upstairs, yusupov went back down to check on rasputin’s body and dude was sTILL ALIVE.

so they shot him again, tied him up, shot him one more time for good measure (and they shot him in the forehead at some point but apparently he was still alive???) and then they threw him into a frozen river. where he died of hypothermia, after having consumed enough cyanide to kill dozens of men and being shot three times, one of which was literally in his head. hhhh.

*sigh of relief* he finally died. fINALLY. the dudes who assassinated him got exiled but nothing worse than that because everyone in russia was like ‘well someone had to do it’

~~END OF INTERLUDE~~

now shit is getting rEAL. i mean, not for nick, obviously. but everyone else is like ‘ohmygosh rasputin is dead we actually got something done yay!!!’

so it’s february 1917 in petrograd. nick is on holiday with his family 800km away with literally no idea what’s going on. 15 million russians were away at war, and 1.7 million had died. lots of strikes and protests are happening. bIG protests. people were breaking into stores to get food, because of the awful food shortages, and it was very very cold so everyone was slightly extra mad. the police shot at some of the people who had gotten up onto the rooftops, so they protests turned into riots. all the people who were on strike from work joined the riots, and the women workers who had come out for international women’s day marched around the nearby factories and got another 50,000 people (including students and teachers) to join the riots (which was A Lot) and by the 25th of february the riots had gotten so big that pretty much every business in petrograd was shut down. literally everyone was rioting.

the tsar was like ‘hmm that doesn’t look good’ and ordered his army to shut the riots down. there were about 180k troops in the city, but only about 12k were actually able to fight bc the rest of them were all injured from the war. they didn’t want to suppress the riots by force bc a lot of women were in the crowds (guess chivalry isn’t dead?) so when the tsar was like ‘no u gotta do it’ the troops were like ‘fuck u’ and either joined the riots or yeeted outta there. hooray!!

the tsar was like ‘ok everything is under control’ (partly bc his official informant gave him the wrong info rip) and didn’t accede to any of the rioter’s demandsor do anything for a while. and here’s the thing. the tsar’s cabinet sent a telegram to nick saying ‘bro u gotta resign, we’re literally on the verge of revolution’ and nick read it, wrote ‘lol’ in his diary and refused to answer.

the next day, there was another telegram saying ‘bro, u GOTTA resign. the revolution is happening now. if u don’t resign, the entire monarchy will be overthrown and ur reign will be o-v-e-r’

and nick wrote an entry in his diary saying ‘what nonsense is this? i can’t believe they’re sending me telegrams about this rubbish, as if i’m going to do anything’ (and im paraphrasing bc i don’t have my book w me but he definitely used the word “nonsense” and wrote a bunch of awful stuff about it)

the next day, nick got another telegram that basically said ‘welp. country’s over. good while it lasted, revolution is happening now and it’s too late for you to do anything about it bc u didn’t listen to my numerous warnings to resign’ and nick was like ‘wait should i... do something about this??? hmm... yeah!! i’ll go up to petrograd and show ‘em who’s boss!! can’t defeat the absolute power of the tsar, huzzah!!’

and he went up to petrograd and got arrested. he had no choice but to abdicate, adn then he and the rest of his family were put under house arrest. there was a bit of an argument about whether they should be exiled to some western country, but all the western europeans were like ‘we don’t want nick u can keep him’ so they put him under house arrest in one of his palaces, where nick pretty much just chilled out with his family until they were all executed because everyone in russia was still very mad at them.

(and in 1981 nick and his family were recognised as ‘martyred saints’, which is fine for the rest of them but nick absolutely did not deserve it)

thus concludes my very, very long rant. i spent way too long writing this, but my history teacher would be proud of me.

#history #history rant #long post #nicholas ii #russia #very long post #very very long post #i probably got a lot of stuff wrong but i did read all this from a bunch of sources so i'm going to blame it on them if i made mistakes ig??

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piracytheorist · 4 years ago

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Thoughts on TRS 1x04 “Advent”

I want to preface this post with some of my background; I was born and raised in Greece - a European country that’s leaning towards the “poor” countries of the continent - and an Orthodox Christian. I’m not religious anymore, but those two elements shape my view in a very different way than of the average American.

I don’t actually have any connection to nor do I know a single thing about Russian culture (aside from Orthodoxy also being a major religion there). Movies and TV shows from the States, however, have been airing here long and often enough for me to have a basic grasp of its culture while also being distant from it (... and I mean, there’s a fair amount of prejudice from us too. The film Not Another Teen Movie, when brought to Greece, had its title translated to Not Another Stupid American Movie, and yes it was a valid translation in terms of how my generation at least was raised to see American stuff as. I think the only reason that prejudice is not super evident outside is because we know we’re not high up enough in the food chain to afford it. But yeah, it’s an example of how even a small, financially feeble country can sow the seeds of xenophobia and supremacy in its people).

I found out about the space race in middle school, I think, and while it was a children’s book, it emphasized the race, without taking sides either, just presenting the facts, and I remember that while reading it, I was just intrigued to follow what happened when - the first satelite, the first man in orbit around the Earth, the first steps on the moon - and in my view it was, as Neil Armstrong put it, a leap for mankind, so the race by itself seemed silly to me, why weren’t they working together to achieve all this amazing stuff? (That’s a rhetorical question)

So with all that, when Colin was first cast in the show and I read summaries and stuff... I’m not sure I could have vibed less with a show. If any of you remember me saying how the subject matter didn’t interest me, that was one of the reasons. I think it’s definitely because of some leftover prejudice, but I openly admit to not being interested in seeing one side of the space race, even in that small part.

So, to finally get into the point; the scene with the Coopers talking about Russia and Santa Claus was very, very important to me.

First, Janita saying that Santa Claus doesn’t go to Russia - Janita is young enough to not have developed complex thinking or filter when she speaks. She’s innocent enough to not actively be a xenophobe, but young enough to follow what the Big Guys say - and the Big Guys want the people to hate each other. She’s perfect to showcase the impact of the political tension in the way people see the other side, and how negative and subtle said impact is (I’m aware that there’s a lot behind it but roll with me I’m not in the mood of googling too much rn).

Second, Trudy’s immediate, nonverbal reaction.

She’s not surprised, but she doesn’t seem to agree either. She knows where that came from, she knows better than to think the same way, and she knows Janita’s young and innocent enough to not warrant a strict lecture about it.

Third, instead, Gordo offers an encouragement for open-mindedness.

“Santa knows that kids over there aren’t really any different, okay?” He goes by her metaphors (even though for her Santa is not a metaphor, it still works) to provide a less biased view of things.

And what I found the most important was that... it’s a fictional scene about a family that actually existed in history. We can’t know what happened behind closed doors. But the creators took the opportunity to show the impact of the tension on a young girl’s mind, and her parents encouraging a less biased view instead. And such a message is never not important.

Not only that, it helped me connect. I didn’t actually watch the series fearing I’d see Americans with their heads so up in their asses, but I also didn’t know to expect such a subtle but powerful moment - that brings my very lack of connection to the show in front and flips it. They’re like, we know it was a different time, and things were ugly, and we’re not condoning that. We’re directly bringing it to the forefront to show that it was a by-product of the era and we’re having two of our main characters not follow it, and offer something better.

So, yeah, I’m very happy with this scene’s inclusion, theme and structure.

#I hope this comes out okay #trs spoilers #trs meta

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nakamina · 5 years ago

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How similar are Hanyu Yuzuru and Katsuki Yuri? - The Never Ending Debate

Hi all,

Nakamina here again with a long blog post. Now before ya’ll get triggered from this title please read the following.

So about a year ago I made a Yuzu fan video (which you can find below) and I have received many comments since comparing him to Yuri from the anime ‘Yuri!!! on ICE’ (YOI) which is a figure skating themed anime that aired in the fall of 2016.

The kind of comments being:

“Yuzu is the real Yuri!“ (<- pretty much got about 10+ of these)

“He is the inspiration of Yuri”

“He looks so much like Yuri”

“He reminds me of Yuri”

“Yuzuru Hanyu and Javier Fernandes look like Yuri and Viktor!”

youtube

Now, this is really no surprise since I used the anime’s opening song ‘History Maker’ for this video, although the video itself really does not make any reference to the anime. But it got me thinking…how similar/different are they actually??

DISCLAIMER: I would just like to say that this comparison is purely for fun and I am not here to put down Yuzuru Hanyu nor YOI. I became a fan of Yuzu long before YOI came out and I am also a massive anime otaku. So obviously, I support both fandoms and am not here to discredit one or the other. I thought this would be something interesting since so many people point it out and I genuinely want to nut out their differences and similarities in a neutral and unbiased manner for once, since this topic seems to only ever bring in a cat fight between the figure skating fandom and anime fandom… Let’s change that!

Yuzuru Hanyu vs Katsuki Yuri

SIMILARITIES

Race and Cultural Background

I guess this is an inevitable similarity since they come from the same country and culture. Yes, they are both Japanese and have black hair, black eyes, wears glasses…etc the list goes on. I mean Yuzu probably also likes Katsu-don too (maybe). These similarities are applicable to most Japanese men really, and hence why I think this is the main aspect that a lot of people tend to focus and highlight on.

Idolising a Russian Skater

What a lot of the people also point are the two’s idolisation towards a Russian skater. This is also no surprise. When I first saw YOI I too thought that this was very reminiscent of Yuzu’s idolisation towards Evgeni Plushenko. They both grew up watching their Russian idols on TV and consider them as their ultimate inspiration. Yuzu also has formed quite a friendly relationship with Plushenko since, and has even gone far as to use one of his iconic pieces for his 2018-2019 free program - ‘Tribute to Nijinsky’. Much like how Yuri skates to Viktor’s choice of music and choreography, and wears one of his previous costumes for his short program in the anime.

Hometown Support

This is probably a less obvious one but in YOI there is a decent sense of “Jimoto ai” - hometown love. There are a number of scenes where it depicts the support Yuri receives from his home town. As many would know Yuzu also receives a lot of support from his hometown in Sendai/Miyagi, and Yuzu himself has also raised many funds for the recovery from the 2011 earthquake. They are both from different prefectures, but their love for their hometown are quite alike.

Relationship with Family

With all that being said, I think the most noteworthy thing the two have in common is their family bond. Yuri is shown to have a strong relationship with his family, and from what I know Yuzu also does with his family, notably his mother. Family & love is a reoccurring theme in YOI. Yuri’s quote from ep 4: “...my family never treated me like a weakling. They all had faith that I’d keep growing as a person, and they never stepped over the line.”. Yuzu has also stated in an interview after his second Olympic win that the people he feels the most gratitude towards is his family, for their unconditional support throughout his whole skating career. I personally think this is the most significant alikeness between the two that a lot of people seem to undermine. Yuri’s family has unconditionally loved and believed in him (as quoted from the anime), which I think is very similar to that of Yuzu’s relationship with his family.

DIFFERENCES

Track Record

In terms of track record, the two are quite different. Yes, the two are Japan National Champions but when speaking at an international level the differences are apparent. Yuri is more of a late bloomer as a competitive skater while Yuzu is very much an early bloomer. Yuri first medalled at the GPF at age 24 (Re YOI ep12), whereas Yuzu first medalled at the GPF at the age of 17. Also, Yuri first qualified for the GPF at age 23 (Re YOI ep1) while Yuzu first qualified for the GPF at age 16. By the age of 23 Yuzu has also won numerous other international titles such as 2x World Championship golds, 4x GPF golds and 2x Olympic golds. So there are some stark differences in terms of their career progression. Now I know the Olympics and Worlds were not mentioned in the anime; however, judging from the whole tone of the anime and what was heard from Yuri’s monologues, the likelihood of him winning one of these titles in the past is very low. Although I would say Yuri winning the 4CC (Four Continents Championships) is a possibility.

Side note: Actually looking into their track records has made me realise how rapid and incredible Yuzu’s achievements were… no wonder he is called a living legend. Yuri’s track record by all means is very impressive as well, as it is a lot more than what most figure skaters can ever achieve in their life time.

Personality

Another major difference is their personality. Yes, they are both very competitive and hate to lose, but from what I have seen Yuri easily gets anxious and lacks confidence. We can see that from the way he desperately avoids to even listen to the other performances in episode 7 in order to calm his nerves. Of course this gradually changes in Yuri, and we see that he learns to handle the pressure better in competitions. As for Yuzu, he lives off pressure and gets motivated the more his competitors do well. Yuzu has stated that his “ideal” way of winning is for him to defeat the other competitors when they are are at their best.

Skating skills/style

Yuzu, at this point in time, can jump the quad salchow, quad toe-loop, quad loop & quad lutz. Yuri is able to do the quad salchow, quad toe loop and…the quad flip, which just happens to be the one quadruple jump (excluding the axel) that Yuzu cannot do. Interesting aye?

Also, Yuzu is very much an all rounded skater, and has been for the majority of his senior career. He is well renowned for possessing great artistry and technical skills that are on par with each other. Whereas Yuri’s strength leans more towards the components/artistic side of skating (Refer to YOI ep 4). Yuri is very expressive in the way that he performs and interprets music quite well, but he has the tendency to flop when it comes to his jumps. However, this too gradually changes following Viktor’s coaching as he starts to polish up Yuri’s skills in other areas too.

New York Times Article on Yuzuru Hanyu:

Body Type, Physical Condition

Yuri, in the anime, is very susceptible to binge eat and gains weight easily. His love for food, especially Katsu-don, is clearly depicted in the anime, and it’s apparent that the act of eating brings him joy. Yuzu on the other hand really has no interest in eating, and suffers from the total opposite concern of being unable to gain weight.

Another stark difference is their stamina. Yuri’s stamina has always been one of his strengths; whereas Yuzu suffers from asthma and has struggled with stamina especially during his early senior years.

Final Verdict/Thoughts

So I think we can see that Yuzu and Yuri are somewhat similar in terms of race, background and upbringing, but are quite different in terms of personality, skating skills/style and track record.

I like to actually think that bits of Yuzu’s traits are shown through not just Yuri but multiple characters in YOI. He has the charisma of Viktor, drive of Yurio and love/affection of Yuri. Just like how we see bits of Yuzu in lot of these characters, the character of Yuri was inspired by various iconic skaters; noteworthy ones being Machida Tatsuki and Takahashi Daisuke.

Many people worked hard to create this anime, just like how Yuzu has worked his butt off to get to where he is now. I think it is okay for people to compare the two, just as long as you respect and acknowledge the fact that Yuri is his own character and Yuzu is his own person. I think it is great that a lot of people found out about Yuzu and Figure Skating through this anime. I’m also sure that there are people who got into YOI as they were initially part of the figure skating fandom or were Yuzu fans (like myself!).

I sincerely hope people have not been offended by this blog. I tried being objective as possible. Adios until my next post!

#hanyu yuzuru #viktor nikiforov #yuzuru hanyu #yuzu #anime #yuuri katsuki #yoi #yuri on ice #yuuri on ice #figure skating #ice skating #hanyu #katsuki yuuri #羽生結弦 #勝生勇利

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