#1.03 forget me not

[redknave]

jafar + matching the color inside his robes to the color of his partner’s outfit

[bluegoist]

karasu tabito x reader | 1.03 words

a/n: my debut bllk fic ! tbh this was going to be solely a nagi blog but this hasn’t left my mind so i guess everyone just has to suffer with me. the pacing is rather abrupt imo but i hope it's not too... much?

it has been exactly twenty four hours since you’ve last slept.

you’re a person who has strictly follow a good sleep schedule— more often than not irregular but you’d still argue it’s good as you would always get at least 7 hours of sleep, regardless if you start sleep late or early— but right now, one of the most important exams that you have to take is a couple weeks away and you just could not afford to waste a single second in a case you tragically forget everything you’ve worked so hard to study.

you’re pretty certain that your head is spinning and not attaining the knowledge that it wants to. you feel incredibly hazy and distracted for no reason (or maybe it’s the fact that you opt to study without any break whatsoever the past twenty four hours... but you’d rather the ground swallow you up whole than admit that.).

your boyfriend is unaware of the specifics, however, he could tell that you definitely had enough of studying. at least, by the mere fact that he has been to practice, got back, and woke up again just to see you still buried in your notebook then he even waited for a couple more hours just to see if you'd take even a ten minute break or two... of course, to no avail.

suddenly, the usually loving and supportive boyfriend of yours now has his arm up, holding your precious notes hostage. you look up at him, mouth set in a straight line.

“did you actually assume i would jump around like an idiot?” you asked in a withering tone, unimpressed.

“it’d be highly amusing, no?” karasu mockingly asked. pinching the bridge of your nose, a heavy sigh spilling out of your lips, frown apparent on your wrinkled forehead.

“tacchan, my one and only, do not make me strangle you so early in the morning. please, it’s not civilised,” if he was honest, you’re admittedly so adorable, indignantly looking up at him like he’s some sort of scum, but he can never think our loud lest you say something along the lines of ‘if you think i’m so adorable, give me back my notes and leave me alone,’

you signed once more, clenching your eyes tight in hopes the dull ache in your head would subside, “please.”

your boyfriend’s slight smile dropped. karasu tabito have always analysed things surrounding him and you were no exception to that— after all, only after observing and assessing you did he find himself falling for you— therefore, in his mind, he naturally knew your limits and your drive to persevere through it.

but karasu tabito has one fatal flaw— a weakness that takes in a shape of a person; you.

with exaggerated, full body sigh, he skilfully skirted around you to neatly put your notes on the table then before you could react and settle down to begin your studying once more, your boyfriend stopped you by gently grabbing your jaw to shift your focus solely on him. both his hands settling on the sides of your face as he caresses one side of your cheek as he softly smiled.

“yer done,” “no, i—“ he interrupted you with a quiet hush, one hand opting to stop soothing caresses on your cheeks to put his finger on your lips.

“before ya make yer point, listen ta me first, hm? pretty,” closing your eyes briefly as you sigh, you gave in and nodded.

“yer one of— no, the smartest person i know, and normally i wouldn’t take away yer freedom to do whatever ya want whenever ya wanted it. it’s very obvious just how much this nonstop studying you’ve been doing has taken a toll on ya,” his words were gentle, he was highly aware just how sensitive you are right now.

“i know 'tis an important college prep exam but ya can’t get much done if yer so stressed yer suffering. to be honest, i already know you’ll do well despite not studying this hard. you’ll probably get the top rank,”

“you think so?”

“yes, just as it’s always been.” and to be completely true, you are not sure whether it's the total exhaustion or perhaps it’s the simple reassurance your lovely boyfriend has given you after such a long day of laser focusing on whatever it is you were studying but with not much more convincing, you were easily dragged by your own boyfriend to the bathroom to wash up. with gentle hands and an even gentler eyes, he ensured he helped you clean up well and get ready for bed.

the next thing you know, he has dragged you on his bed, laying your head on his chest, as he rubs circles on the exposed skin of your arms.

"genuinely don't get how'd ya even thought of like... failing whatsoever," he grumbled.

"i guess... i just couldn't risk the possibility," you sheepishly replied, "sorry, i'm quite stubborn," you squeezed him once, twice.

"what are ya apologizin' for, scrub! it's one of your redeeming qualities."

"it drives you insane, tacchan."

"love it when ya drive me insane, love everythin' bout ya, little thing." you look up to see your tabito playfully smirking at you, not hiding the absolute affection in his eyes in the slightest.

"i'll probably drive you even more insane in the future..."

"i already look forward ta it," he snickers at you and his eyes promising retribution every time you drove him insane. your boyfriend's tenaciousness is probably the entire reason you both worked out well.

"you're so unserious, you asshole," you clicked your tongue with a mocking glare.

"it's one of ma charming qualities if i say so myself," with his nose high up in the air, you couldn't help but relax even further in his embrace.

"hm.. it is, isn't it?" and you thought; perhaps it's okay to take a break like this and not everything will fall apart just as you'd pathetically imagine.

and perhaps, you'd always have your loving and supportive partner to make up for your rare lack of judgment. perhaps, even though you fall into such a dangerous territory, you'd always have a safety net to back you up.

just as it's always been.

if you made it this far, thank you for finishing this hot mess T-T also i am highly aware that karasu speaks in kansai-ben, however, i did not really do well in depicting that since it’s (surprise) been awhile since i wrote characters with dialects (in english, at least. i’m more familiar with kansai-ben in japanese (as in spoken/romanised) however, it’s quite challenging for me to put that nuance in english since i’m not sure which english dialect i should go with and i think it'd be immensely awkward for me to insert...romanised japanese in a full english fic indiscriminately T-T also tbh i was cringing trying to depict that kansai-ben of this crow cos like... what the hell am i even typing plsdjdjhj anyways um rbs/likes are appreciated i guess but it'd be even greater to know what u guys thought ! again, thank you if you made it this far hehe)

[mostlyfate]

Love Me, Love My Voice 很想很想你 · 2023, dir. Sha Wei Qi 1.03 | Shengsheng, did you owe me something? Oh, right. I still owe him a song. I didn't forget. Mr. Qiang, what do you want to listen to? I heard from Juemei you played an instrument. I learned a bit.

[kolbisneat]

MONTHLY MEDIA: March 2024

……….FILM……….

Dune: Part Two (2024) Every piece of technology felt and looked so tangible. The baby worm too! Love the tactile nature of this whole production and I hope studios take note that CG can't be the only tool in your belt. So much bigger than I imagined and just enjoyed the whole thing.

Forgetting Sarah Marshall (2008) Ages surprisingly well and a script that lets the main quartet be both funny and layered.

……….TELEVISION……….

Columbo (1.01 to 1.03) Hey I'm starting Columbo! Love that each episode is feature-length and Columbo appears fully formed right out of the gate. The sets and costumes are all so glamorous and L.A. Very excited to keep going.

Succession (2.05 to 3.04) The Kendall play at the end of season 2 felt very much like the Kendall play at the end of season 1 and while I'm still a huge fan of this series, I just hope it's not the same going into season 3 and 4.

Delicious in Dungeon (Episode 1.09 to 1.13) Great adaptation that isn't just a straight recreation of the artwork in the manga. The more kinetic/frantic moments in the animation are a nice departure and while they don't pop up in each episode, now that I'm 13 eps deep I can appreciate how they're sprinkled throughout.

Love is Blind (Episode 6.02 to 6.13) It still amazes me that anyone goes on reality tv.

……….YOUTUBE……….

Twilight | ContraPoints by ContraPoints Yes I did watch a nearly 3-hour essay on Twilight, sexual expression, and all that comes with that. And you should too. VIDEO

Instagram fatigue and the rise of 'Resentment Reels' by Taylor Lorenz While I haven't noticed this specific phenomenon, I have noticed Instagram declining as an app (both as a user trying to see anything other than ads, and a creator trying to get my work seen in between those ads). It's a bummer. VIDEO

Saltburn: The Tumblr-ification of Cinema by Broey Deschanel Every since I saw Saltburn, I've been thinking about what wasn't quite sitting right with me. This unlocked a lot of what I couldn't describe and most of it stems from the writer/director's upper class upbringing. Saltburn isn't a "take down the rich" movie, it's a horror story from the perspective of a wealthy family. VIDEO

Why Is It So Hard To Cross The Street? (& What You Can Do To Help) by Strong Towns Accidents where drivers hit a pedestrian are going up in my area so this really hit home. And for those feeling like there's nothing you can do at ground level, consider taking their course (not a paid sponsorship I'm just in real support of community-lead initiatives). VIDEO

……….READING……….

Elric of Melniboné by Michael Moorcock (Complete) After picking up the last book in this series (which I've yet to read) I figured I'd start at the beginning. Love the fast pace pulpy action and I can see how this influenced the creation of D&D.

The Man in the Brown Suit by Agatha Christie (Complete) This one would lose me for stretches but the final quarter of the book is stronger. A lot less cozy and a lot more action than I was expecting but skimming other reviews it sounds like this was written during her more...adventure-focused era. Three books deep and I have to give Christie credit that each has been a completely different experience.

Adventures of a Japanese Business Man by Jose Domingo (Complete) Always love going back to this nearly wordless epic that follows the titular Japanese business man. I love the complexity of the earliest panels and wish that could carry throughout more of the book, but it's always such a treat to discover just where each new panel will go.

Delicious in Dungeon Volume 5 by Ryoko Kui (Complete) Enjoying rereading this with shorter breaks between volumes as I certainly missed/forgot details on my first read. It's here that the story and tone shifts from light romp to a more dramatic and dangerous affair but it never loses its spot-on humour. Love those dryad pumpkins.

Ultimate Spider-Man HC Volume 11 by Brian Michael Bendis, Stuart Immonen, David Lafuente, and more (Complete) Going from some of my other comics back to this, I'm struck by just how wordy it can get. Now knowing where the story goes, it was a great idea to prime readers to the idea of Peter Parker dying even if it's not from this event.

……….AUDIO……….

Blank Check with Griffin & David (Podcast) Late to the game on this but really enjoying burning through their back catalog. Obviously started with their episode on Speed Racer as it's a near perfect film that you should watch right now.

……….GAMING……….

Oz: A Fantasy Role-Playing Setting (Andrews McMeel Publishing) The Tuesday group just killed a mayor! So the aftermath of that is going to play out over the next couple of sessions. And the Mof1 crew is investigating the aftermath of their own district-wide catastrophe and it's all looking rather suspicious!

Spot It (Blue Orange Games) I can't recommend this game enough. It's so easy to learn, rounds last maybe 5 minutes, it plays well with small or large groups of any age, and all it requires is pattern recognition and quick reflexes. Every time I've played this someone says they're going to buy a copy for themselves.

And that's it. See you in April!

[aliusfrater]

hello !! i just wanted to say i rly love and appreciate your posts and what you have to say about spn! i started the show a month ago and absolutely fell in love with sam only to learn this is an unpopular and even alienating way to feel in this fandom? it’s been confusing to me lol

but your blog has just been really refreshing, so thank you <3

i know right ?? i was actually introduced to the show by a friend of mine (who is probably going to see this lol) who watched the show and was active-ish in the fandom around when season ten was airing but he's no longer super interested in it. he got me into it at the end of march—march 22nd, specifically. i remember because we were in nyc, we got drunk while watching 1.01 & 1.03, i had a train back to my uni at 10am and i was hungover for the first time on my nine hour train ride. i never get hungover. then it was snowing really bad and i didn't have any money left on my card for an uber. tmi but hard to forget.

anyway, as i was live blogging my first watch on my mainblog, around the beginning of season two, i literally had people sending me asks about being disappointed that i was developing a preference for sam and sending me hyperbolised stuff about jared to steer me away from sam as a character in general. very strange behaviour but you come to realise that the whole fandom is like this in varying capacities and it's so pervasive it's hard to ignore, even in very well curated spaces.

somethings i have yet to fully wrap my head around is how different stuff like shipping culture or the how differently enjoyment of the show across various websites/apps is treated or taken because of how fucking huge this fandom actually is.

either way, i'm really glad my blog is a place where you can find genuine enjoyment out of the fandom !! that means a lot to me <3

[castiellesbian]

SPN Writers Tournament: Bonus Round

To go alongside the final showdown (which probably won't be a tight race) I decided to give an extra round for the underdogs of the writers polls. So here's the ones who went up against some heavy hitters that had people in the tags going "nooo this isn't fair"

Raelle Tucker:

1.03 Dead in the Water (with Sera Gamble)

1.12 Faith (with Sera Gamble)

1.14 Nightmare (with Sera Gamble)

1.21 Salvation (with Sera Gamble)

2.04 Children Shouldn't Play with Dead Things

2.10 Hunted

2.16 Roadkill

2.20 What Is and What Should Never Be

Matt Witten:

2.06 No Exit

2.11 Playthings

Nancy Won:

11.05 Thin Lizzie

11.12 Don't You Forget About Me

11.19 The Chitters

Richard Hatem:

1.04 Phantom Traveler

1.10 Asylum

Julie Siege:

4.07 It's the Great Pumpkin, Sam Winchester

4.12 Criss Angel Is a Douchebag

4.18 The Monster at the End of This Book

5.05 Fallen Idols

5.12 Swap Meat (with Harvey Fedor and Rebecca Dessertine)

5.17 99 Problems

Jeremy Adams:

13.16 Scoobynatural (with James Krieg)

15.07 Last Call

15.14 Last Holiday

[sleepyfaceandsnark]

1.03: Take a Chance on Me- Pre Dart Date

Missing 1.03 scene Carlos works up the nerve to ask TK out.

AO3

We can go dancing, we can go walking As long as we're together  Listen to some music, maybe just talking Get to know you better 

'Cause you know I've got So much that I wanna do, when I dream I'm alone with you It's magic You want me to leave it there, afraid of a love affair But I think you know That I can't let go

Michelle's advice for Carlos to just 'ask TK out' echoes in his mind. It would save Carlos from constantly scrolling on TK's Instagram, begging for an update. Plus, after the police station, it's not like they left on bad terms. TK trusts him with something so personal. That has to be something, right? 

He scrolls down on his contacts. He taps his phone as he stares at the name.

It's just TK. No special character by it (He deleted the wink face minutes after he put it in). Two simple letters shouldn't hold such meaning, or give Carlos so much anxiety. 

He takes a deep breath and presses the phone button. 

It rings, and rings, and rings. And then Carlos thinks, Oh God! Why did I call? A text. People text. They don't call. They don't-

"Hello?" 

His thoughts are interrupted when the rings stop, and he hears a voice on the other line.  

"Uhh...hey..." Carlos draws out. 

"Hey?" he can tell the person on the other sounds confused but also like he's trying to stifle a laugh.

"It's Carlos.” Dumb - so dumb. He knows. Phones have caller ID. 

He can hear a small laugh on the other end. "Yeah, I know."

"Right, right. Obviously." 

"There something wrong? Did I leave something at the station?" TK asks. A little bit of Carlos wishes. It'd make asking to see him a lot easier. 

"No, no. Well, something to do with the station..." Like Carlos realizing he was still crushing hard when the anger went away. 

"Oh," TK sounds down now. "Look about that. I'm sorry. Maybe I shouldn't have sprung that-"

Oh shit. 

" No! No, not that. I mean, if you wanted to talk more about that, I'm always- I mean … we could if you needed to or wanted to talk about it, or anything really..."  Jesus, Carlos. Pull it together. He hides his head in his free hand.  

"Yeah. I'd like that."

"Oh, good. Good." Just ask him already! 

"Is that what you called about?" TK asks. 

"No. Well, sort of, but not really." 

"Carlos..." Carlos knows if TK was in front of him right now, he'd be trying to hide a cheeky grin. TK has to know. 

"I was wondering if you maybe...wanted to go out sometime?" Carlos bites his lip. God, was it too shortly after the last fuck up to ask. "And we can take it however you want. No pressure. I promise I won't surprise you with a fancy dinner again or something. "Carlos laughs awkwardly. "Or if you just wanted to -" 

"I'd like that." TK thankfully interrupts him before he stumbles over his words even more.  

"Huh?" 

"To 'go out sometime,'" TK repeats Carlos' words.  "I'd like that." 

"Really?"

"Yeah," TK lets out a small chuckle. "You're umm,” Carlos can hear TK hesitate. “... not easy to resist, you know?"

Carlos can feel himself blushing. "I should say the same..." he mumbles, unsure if TK hears him. "Tomorrow?" Was that too soon? Does he sound too eager? "Or we could do a different day if you-"

"I got a shift,” TK says. 

“Right, yeah. Me too,” Carlos knew that, but he was thinking maybe- 

“...but maybe after?" TK offers. 

Carlos’ smile covers his entire face. "Yeah, okay. That works." He laughs. He actually somehow convinced TK to go out with him and didn't get ghosted. Not only that, but TK also could've easily said no to tomorrow. It would be reasonable to not want to go out after a shift. 

"Where?" Tk asks, interrupting Carlos' thoughts.

"Hmm?" He celebrates the yes in his head too quickly he forgets he’s still on the phone. 

"Where were you wanting to go?" TK asks again. 

Oh right. Carlos spent so much time thinking about asking he didn't even think about where to go if TK did say yes.

He panics and says the first place that comes to mind. The same place they first danced. 

"I’l be there," TK says. Carlos is about to offer to pick him up, but he resists. He'll see how the night goes. Maybe he can drive him after. 

They agree on a time.

"You're really good at this," TK jokes. 

"Shut up," Carlos says and laughs. TK is getting him back for that lip comment, he’s sure of it. “I’ll see you tomorrow night then.” 

“Yeah,” TK says. “I’ll see you-” 

TK stops. Carlos hears a distanced yell on the other line then an aggrivvated “yeah alright,” from TK.   He hears TK huff before he gets back on the phone. “Sorry. I gotta go.” His tone is different. 

TK sounds annoyed, but Carlos knows it isn’t because of him. It must be something at work. 

“Of course,” Carlos says. “Do what you gotta do.” He smacks his forehead. 

“Uhh yeah..” 

“We’ll talk later.”

“Looking…forward to it.” TK sounds more distracted now. The phone goes silent. 

Carlos sits there and wonders what’s going on at the station. Part of him wonders if TK will tell him. Would TK confide in him about things that are going on from now on? Does TK trust him with that?

His big reveal at the station should be Carlos’ answer, but that could’ve just been a one-time thing. Guess he’ll just have to wait to find out. 

-

-

When TK’s phone rings, he stares at the caller ID for several seconds. He saw that it was Carlos immediately. He lets his mind wander to ask why Carlos would be calling, especially after the previous night. Was he calling to tell him they should keep their relationship strictly professional? Was he going to warn TK that he and his buddies at the station are keeping their eyes on him after his revelation to Carlos?

But, no. That’s not Carlos at all. TK doesn’t know him too well, but he knows enough to know Carlos is kinder than that, even if his self-loathing brain is trying to tell him otherwise. 

When he finally picks up TK  tries to play it cool, like he didn’t just stare at his crush's name on his phone, kicking himself that he can’t make it something more. But he’s not ready for a relationship yet and he knows Carlos will respect that. 

The invisible anxiety-ridden grip on TK’s chest loosens when TK hears Carlos act as nervous as he feels. 

It doesn’t take long for TK to realize what Carlos is doing. He listens in amusement as the other man struggles to get it out. TK helps him out a bit and they have a date set for tomorrow. 

He’s at ease until he hears a yell from Judd then he remembers what sent him over the edge the other day. He yells back out and excuses himself from his phone call with Carlos. 

He puts his phone away and readies himself to somehow work with the rest of the crew while avoiding Judd. It wont be an easy task.  

He wonders if it will always be like this, being called a spoiled brat just because he’s his dad’s son. Will him and Judd ever get along or will their relationship be rooted in a rivalry? 

He tries not to let himself think about it, tries to think about Carlos instead. Easier said than done. 

[skloomdumpster]

🔥sky + riven friendship

They're both horrible friends and we enable each other's delusions in this fandom.

Riven defenders will preach on and on about Sky not paying him any mind, in 1.03 and then later the fight in 1.05, but forget that Riven actively sabotages Sky's fun in 1.03, is dating a school bully YES, and then idk - sets his house on fire (2.02).

In turn Sky ignores Riven trying to reach out to him (1.03), acts like he's better than Riven (1.01 and 1.06), doesn't give much of a crap about Riven's breakup (2.03).

It's not to say the love isn't there, but we're kidding ourselves if we write them as anything less than incredibly complicated and with weird lines drawn to each other. Sky is fine with Riven setting his house on fire, but god forbid Riven makes a crass joke about his gf. You know, priorities.

Send me 🔥for a hot take!

[redknave]

That’s right, genie. She didn’t heed your warning.

[sunnydaleherald]

The Sunnydale Herald Newsletter, Friday, February 24

The Sunnydale Herald is looking for at least one new editor. Contributing to the Herald is a great way to get your Buffy on! Find out more here.

[Drabbles & Short Fiction]

make me forget (Fred/Lilah, R) by xxsummixxx

Holding secrets and the c word (Fred/Willow, R) by xxsummixxx

tacos and revelations (Fred/Willow, G) by xxsummixxx

She is Beautiful, I Am a Mess (Buffy/many, G) by Darksidedawn

Secrets Revealed (Willow, Buffy, Giles, G) by TheFlamingNightmare

Dear Buffy, (Buffy/Cordelia, PG-13) by BeatriceEveryTuesday

[Chaptered Fiction]

The Rocky Road to Dublin Chapter 2 (Buffy/Spike, R) by My_Barbaric_Yawp

Divide & Conquer Chapter 5 (Buffy/Giles, NC-17) by Removes_and_Cleans_Glasses_00

Nights Like This Chapter 2 (Buffy/Spike, NC-17) by ashcrashed

Shipping Up To Boston Chapter 15 (Buffy/Faith, NC-17) by Alwaysandforevermylove

Through the Lightning Storm Chapter 5 (Buffy, Star Trek xover, G) by amerie_fanfic

SuperBuffy : The Spark of Chaos Chapter 3 (Buffy, DCU and MCU xover, PG-13) by BlueZeroZeroOne

Slayer Chapter 16 (Buffy/Faith, Fallout 3 xover, R) by TheBeastofBurton

Charmed: The Faith Chronicles Chapter 32 (Buffy/Faith, Charmed xover, PG-13) by BrennaLynn

Wonderland 1: Down the Rabbit Hole Chapter 87 (Dawn/Jacen Solo, Star Wars xover, PG-13) by BrennaLynn

Mutant Slayer Chapter 11 (Buffy/Rogue, X-Men xover, PG-13) by BrennaLynn

Castle of Glass Chapter 1 (Angel/Buffy, The Vampire Diaries xover, R) by Figgy_Bonbon

Bleeding Poetry Chapter 68 (Buffy/Spike, NC-17) by Dusty

Under The Rubble Chapter 3 (Buffy/Spike, R) by Geliot99

Hold My Hand Even Though I’m a Sinner! Chapter 24 (Buffy/Spike, NC-17) by CheekyKitten

A Night Without Day Chapter 28 (Buffy/Spike, NC-17) by HappyWhenItRains

Bloom Chapter 4 (Buffy/Spike, R) by ashcrashed

Undone By Love Chapter 25 (Ensemble, The Vampire Diaries xover, NC-17) by Buffyworldbuilder

Scoobies in a galaxy far, far away Chapter 10 (Willow, Star Wars xover, NC-17) by DoctorSkywalker

[Fandom Discussions]

Anya Jenkins + Being like a moth to a flame (Self-destructive) by beatriceeverytuesday1

Cordelia - low key the funniest character? by nyav-qs

Portrayal of Spike in ATS 1.03 “In the Dark” by AccordingReference3

[Articles, Interviews, and Other News]

Paste Magazine: The Art of the Musical Episode—And Why Buffy's "Once More With Feeling" Still Slays

[ohbellamy]

I'm putting together some amy santiago + grammar, do you remember any? I'll put on the tags what i already have

[c0ffee-stain]

Whispers

Five Hargreeves x f!reader

Navigation • Previous Chapter: Chapter 3 - 1.03 • Chapter 4 - 1.04 • Next Chapter: Chapter 5 - 1.05

Warning: Contains: Bad jokes, blood, mentions of drugs (if you squint)

Leap of faith

I let out a hiss from the sudden contact of the alcohol ridden rag against the torn flesh on my shoulder. Five dabbed the rag in a rough manner, disinfecting the gunshot wound.

"The bullet didn't hit any arteries, bone... nothing serious really." The boy inspected the wound, using his fingers to stretch my skin in order to take a better look.

"Good." I sighed. "Take it out."

Five opened a first aid kit beside him, revealing metal tweezers, a roll of bandages and a thread and needle.

Without any warnings, Five entered the tweezers into the wound and started to search for the bullet. I sucked a quick breath between my teeth, waiting for the piercing pain to be over.

At last, he removed the tweezers, the light from the sun passing through his window, reflecting off of the blood coated bullet that sat idly between its handles.

Five pressed the rag against my shoulder, after drenching it with alcohol, saying it was for "Good measure." when I asked about it.

"Shouldn't you be wiping it with water?" I countered, doing my best to keep my expression neutral. Five applied a dramatic amount of pressure on purpose, making me wince.

"I should," He spoke, his voice lower than usual. His hand that held the cloth hovered over the wound as he watched me with a look in his eyes that I couldn't understand.

Sadism, perhaps?

"But it's much more fun watching you squirm in pain under my grip."

Definitely sadism.

"You're horrible." I scoffed. The boy applied an unnecessary amount of pressure once more.

"You're wretched." He shot back.

"At least I don't have an ego that size of Jupiter, you gas giant." I quickly corrected myself, "Sorry, I meant gas midget."

Five rolled his eyes. "That was as bad as a joke as your miserable attempt of a life."

"Yeah, well, like a joke, my life has meaning. Unlike yours-- Ow!"

Five waved around a needle in his hands, his green eyes darkening a shade in amusement. The imbecile poked me. "Don't forget who's sewing you back together, bloodhound."

I stiffened immediately upon hearing the alias. It was as if the second he called me by the name, her voice echoed over it. A voice as smooth as the finest silk, laughing as she uttered the name against the shell of my ear.

"That reminds me," The boy spoke, serving several attempts to put the thread through the microscopic hole on the needle. "I guess we did see you bleed at the end." His mouth twitched, the left side of his lips flickering upwards. I could tell the boy was hinting at a darker truth beneath his words. One that I’ve been trying to bury deep ever since I awoke tied to a chair in the Hargreeves mansion.

I was no longer indestructible.

I was back to being the feeble, pathetic, unhinged child I was all those years ago. Forced to revisit the time when I first noticed my palms covered in a deep crimson red, unable to wash off or cover.

They've always been there- They will always be there. No matter what I do.

It was a permanent reminder of the monster I had become.

Of the bloodhound I had become.

I prevented my thoughts from assembling into a storm of self-hatred and said, "What did you expect? It's your fault for messing up the calculations and even bringing me along to do your biddings, in the first place." I scoffed. "And I'm certain," I neared the boy, a grim smile spreading on my lips. "it will end with all of us perishing, one way or another."

"Well," Five moved closer, imitating my action. "At least I'll die knowing you suffered and sacrificed just like I did."

I'm sacrificing a lot more than you could even fathom, risking a life that I have already ruined, I wanted to say. But that would only raise questions, and I am far from ignorant.

Instead, I responded, "Well then, I'll see you in hell."

"Likewise."

Five started to stich me up in a torturous slow rhythm, which only made the shooting pain even more noticeable. It was the boys alternate way of showing that he held all the control here. A brief moment of power he longed to feel in a powerless journey.

I bit down on my lip and shuffled in my seat when he accidentally poked my insides. "Watch it." I groaned.

"Then stop moving."

Finally the boy stitched up the wound and helped wrap my shoulder in bandages. I then buttoned up the few top buttons that were undone, covering the grey vest I was wearing underneath.

"What's in the duffle bag?" I gently rolled my injured shoulder back, testing my limits, biting the inside of my mouth to prevent myself from making a pained noise of any sorts.

Five zipped the bag open, just enough to reveal a plastic mannequin head. More specifically, Delores, who I thought had gotten destroyed in the encounter with the Hazel and Cha-cha.

"So, your wife is a mannequin?"

The boy sighed irritably. "It's none of your business."

I lifted my hands in defeat, wincing slightly. "Hey, I'm not judging." Five threw the bag over his shoulder. I didn't want to admit it, but I felt the smallest pang of sympathy for the assassin. Even though my experiences couldn't even be compared to his, I understood how it felt to be trapped and isolated.

I don't blame him for trying to form a connection with a lifeless object that may not seem so lifeless in his mind.

Not that I'd ever tell him that.

He’s still an asshole that I despise with a burning passion.

Five slid open his window, and turned to face me. "Are you gonna hurry up or stand their like an idiot?"

I rolled my eyes and followed suit as Five climbed through the window and made his way down a long rusting ladder.

I heard a familiar voice complain below me, before the boy called out with the usual snarky tone of his, "I'd ask what you're up to Klaus, but then it occurred to me..." He paused, giving a deadpan look. "I don't care."

"Hey," Klaus chuckled, short of breath. He looked up to see Five and I climbing down the ladder, noticing the clench of my jaw and slight bulge of a vein in my neck show itself every time I moved my right shoulder. "You know there are easier ways out of the house, right?"

I gazed briefly at Klaus, not even surprised with the fact that he was standing in a dumpster, looking for something that seemed important.

Five jumped off of the ladder making room for me to do the same. "This one involved the least amount of talking. Or so I thought."

"Hey, hey, hey, so..." Klaus gave an odd looking smirk as he held his flask tightly. "Do you need anymore company today?"

"I could, uh, clear my schedule." He brought the flask to his lips, taking a swig.

"Looks like you got your hands full."

"Oh, this? No, no. I can do this whenever. I'm just--" Klaus fell backwards onto his ass, a large clutter of different metals and plastics sounding. "I just misplaced something. That's all." He said, his voice echoing off of the dumpsters walls.

"Oh!" He exclaimed falsely, getting back up onto his feet. "I found it! Thank god!" The man held a doughnut in hand, before taking a disgusting bite out of the germ infested dessert.

I grimaced at the sight of the action.

Klaus gulped, clearly disgusted with his rash decision. "Delicious." He said, his mouth full.

"I'm done funding your drug habit." Five curled his fingers around my wrist tightly, tugging me harshly towards a stolen plumbers van, once he heard Klaus start to call for my name, asking to join our 'fun little journey'. His words.

"Amuse me," I lazily sprawled my limbs out in the small space of the front seat, stretching as much as my shoulder allowed me to, "what spectacular plan has that cursed little brain of yours come up with today?"

I watched the boy get into the drivers seat beside me, giving me a dirty look, and started the car before driving off. "We're gonna pay Lance a little visit." His eyes averted from the road, to my figure with a mock curiosity plastered on my face, then back. "We have leverage now after that little stunt you pulled." Five licked the part of his lip that fell victim to the strike of my palm earlier.

"I believe it's pronounced, you're welcome. But then again, I'm not surprised with your lack of decency."

He slammed his foot on the brakes, the car coming to a painful and abrupt stop. I spat a colourful string of curses from the burning pain shooting from my shoulder. "I can't wait to fucking shoot you." I hissed, scowling.

Five tried to supress a smirk that was tugging on his lips, only for his eyes to betray him, narrowing slightly in victory. "You said I didn't have any decency. I'm just living up to your expectations, bloodhound."

Five parked the van in walking distance of the prosthetic companies building. Meritech, it read.

"Don't call me that."

"Or what?" He craned his neck towards me, obviously enjoying his little discovery. I knew a countless amount of the boy's buttons, and he hardly knew any of mine. Until now that is. "I'm me and you're you. I have the ability to jump through space and time and you have a gunshot wound in your shoulder. I have multiple allies and you have nobody. You're alone, you're powerless and you're injured." His lips curled upwards in disdain but it wasn't enough. I still glared at the boy with an expression as blank as a sheet of paper. I knew what he was trying to do. And I won’t give it to him.

"Back at The Commission, for years I've been trying to figure out what makes you special. How you've surpassed me in every single way." He exaggerated the last words and proceeded, "But now..." Five scoffed and almost laughed. He bore his teeth as he flashed a grin. "Now, I am the one with the upper hand. I am the one who tells you what to do."

Five brushed his index finger against the lining of my jaw, and grabbed my face harshly. "Whatever advantage you had then, you don't have now. And that brings me joy, bloodhound."

‘Kill him’

‘He disrespected you’

‘Kill him and show who is truly in control’

‘Reveal your true self’

Five expected a rage or anger, a wave of sadness and helplessness, a punch to his face. Not an almost believable smile that would make anyone fall to their knees if used in the right situation. Not a soft touch gracing the fingers that clenched my jaw tightly. No.

I gently removed his hand from my jaw and brushed a loose strand of hair that had gone astray beside his ear. Five’s eyes were glued on my hypnotic movements that could rival the gracefulness of a ballerinas.

My fingers traveled to the bottom of his chin tilting it upwards.

“Talk to me like that again and I will show you what it means to be truly and utterly defeated. I will make you fall to your knees and beg for your pitiful life to me. I will make you kiss my shoes and you will do so gladly. Be careful Five Hargreeves. Because that moment is coming sooner than you think. And your ‘allies’ will be 6 feet underground before they could even think to help you.”

I neared my face to his and my bittersweet voice and honey-stricken smile faded, replaced by a venomous tone and malicious grin. "Under-estimate me all you want, Hargreeves. It will be the cause of your demise that I will watch with all the joy in the world."

A heavy tension hung in the air after my threat, none of us uttering a word or making a sound. I wouldn't be suprised if the boy wasn't breathing at all.

A sudden pounding against the glass window, followed by a loud, “Five!” made me roll my eyes in annoyance, even more so when I moved away from the speechless boy and saw who it was.

The man outside called for his brother once more as he realised I wasn’t cooperating.

“God, Luther.” He seethed through his clenched jaw, tightening his grip on the steering wheel. I noticed a pinkish hue spread on his face from what I assumed to be embarrassment. Five proceeded to act as if he couldn’t hear his calls, glaring straight ahead.

Luther abruptly stopped and seemingly gave up and marched away, his lips pressed into a thin line.

“Interesting brother you got there—”

The back doors of the van flew open with an inhuman strength, the structure of the metal doors almost denting under the force. We snapped our heads around, watching as Klaus threw himself into the small space in the back, followed by Luther steeping in carefully as to not damage the van further.

However the second the blond did, the vehicle dipped from the sudden weight, proving him wrong.

The overly large man then threw his finger towards me, averting it between Five and I. “Are you okay? Did she threaten you-?”

“Seriously? I’m the one who was kidnapped you dumb lump of muscle-”

“You shouldn’t be here.” Five interrupted before the petty squabbles could evolve any further. The boy was still unnerved from what had just happened a moment ago. Why didn't he stop me? Why were his eyes glued to my lips as they formed the threat that would linger with him for days? He took a large inhale and asked, trying to contain both the shocked 16 year old and snide 38 year old in him, “How did you find me?”

“Hey baby~” Klaus cooed. Five could no longer contain himself the second his eyes landed on his probably high brother canoodling with his darling mannequin wife. “Hey, a little privacy guys. We’re really hitting it off back here.”

The assassins eyes were as wide as saucers and in a blink of an eye, he had thrown a souvenir he had earlier found in one of the glove compartments, towards Klaus as high speeds.

Klaus screamed, hugging Delores closer.

“Get out! You can’t be here!” He barked. “We’re in the middle of something!”

“Oh? You and y/n? Alone-?”

“Klaus.” I warned, giving him a stare that screamed ‘shut up or I’ll kick you in the mouth’. Much like any sibling would give their brother.

He gave me a wink in response, which he didn’t attempt to make discrete, and leaned each of his arms on our seats, trapping himself in the middle. “Any luck finding your one-eyed man yet?”

“No.” Five whispered, licking his swollen lip.

“What’s he talking about?” Luther stepped towards us, towering behind Klaus and gave me an accusatory glare.

Yeah, blame the victim.

“Does it matter? It’s Klaus.” Five sighed at the mere presence of his brothers and asked, “What do you want Luther?” with hardly any interest as his mind was someplace else.

“Um…” He cleared his throat. “So, Grace might’ve had something to do with Dad’s death. So I need you," He said specifically to Five, making it unnecessarily clear. "to come back to the academy, all right? It's important.”

"'It's important.'" Five mocked. "You have no concept of what's important."

"Hey!" Klaus interjected. "Did I ever tell you guys about the time I waxed my ass with chocolate pudding?" He let out a laugh to which I almost snorted. "It was so painful."

"What are you still doing here?" Luther looked down to his crouched brother.

"I- what? I need an excuse to hand out with my family?" He asked, holing a hand to his chest and acting offended.

"We're trying to have a serious conversation here."

"What, and I'm incapable of being serious? Is that what you're saying?"

"Luther's got a point, you should get out." Five spoke.

"What?"

Klaus finally gave in and slid the door of the van open, jumping out. That's when Luther gave me a look and said, "You should leave too."

I rolled my eyes and looked at Five which only nodded.

"You guys are more similar than I thought. A bunch of pricks." I muttered under my breath and got out of the van, a breeze of fresh air hitting my face almost immediately.

I shivered at the sudden cold and looked down at my clothes. I was still wearing the white short sleeved button-up blouse and plaid skirt that just reached my knees.

"Y/n!" I looked up to see Klaus and made my way over to him.

"How would you feel like stealing a bunch of shit from that convenience store?" He pointed at a small yellow corner shop, his mouth curved into a mischievous grin.

____

"STOP!" A security guard yelped. "Hey! Stop right there you two!"

I ran out of the store, my arms filled with a bottle of cheap alcohol, different types of sweets, and many more packs of junk. Klaus was right beside me, accidentally dropping a packet of sour candies as we bolted away from security.

"Hey, bitches!" Klaus exclaimed as we passed the van.

I looked to the side to see Five watching me run with a dumbfound expression, his brows furrowed downwards making a 'V' shape and forehead creased.

"Both of you, get back here!"

____

“This is far from reasonable.”

The second Luther left, being brutally rejected by Five, the boy had somehow found Klaus and I sitting on a random park bench, stuffing our bodies to the brim with sugar filled snacks and drinks while talking shit about him and his siblings.

To say Five was pissed was an understatement.

I was now sitting in the back of the van, Delores taking residence in the front seat, with a handcuff attached to my wrist and the sliding door handle of the van.

“I think I’m being too lenient.” He responded, not bothering to look back.

I blew a raspberry as if I were a child, knowing very well how irritating the sound was for the boy. I kept repeating the action until he finally turned around, glaring daggers at my puffed out cheeks as I blew out another raspberry.

"Are you serious? How old are you?" He criticized.

I shrugged. "Well, from the looks of it, I'm 15 and I'm still taller than your 16 year old self, short stuff."

"You know, you don't have to tell me that. I know there are only six days left."

"What-?"

"Yeah, you got a better idea?" Five turned to face Delores and scoffed.

He was talking to his plastic wife.

"Okay, then." He clenched his jaw and took notice of a man walking out of the prosthetic companies building, a bag in hand.

"There's our guy."

"Huh, where?" I tried to get up and get a view of Lance only for the handcuffs to pull me down, the metal scratching against the handle, emitting a high pitched screech.

I pulled against the restraint, trying to snap the cuffs in half only for my efforts to be futile. "Five, unlock the cuffs."

"What the hell is he up to..?" Five pondered, watching as Lance handed a bag to a passing car before it drove off.

"What? What's going on? Five- Five!" The Hargreeves blinked, a flash of blue blinding me momentarily.

"Fuck." I tried to break free from the restraints, the blood beneath my skin boiling and threatening to burst. I had to get the information to The Handler. A sudden echo of laughs rang in my ears making me bite down on my tongue to try stop myself from giving a simple command. One that could end all my pointless struggling. I can't. I couldn't.

FWOOSH

Another flash, followed by the boy letting out a sigh caught my attention. He rubbed his blazer down, flattening the creases. "The Handler." He said, watching my reaction carefully. "Have you seen her?"

I licked my lips. "Unlock the cuffs, then I'll talk."

So he did. I sat back in my rightful seat. In the front.

"The Handler." He said once more, tapping his fingers impatiently against the wheel.

"Yes, I saw her." I told him while picking the small amounts of blood stuck under my nails.

"And you didn't think to tell me?!"

"Correct." I looked up to the side, my eyes meeting his. I could tell he was trying to stay calm, trying to contain the storm of emotions that was a mere push away from spilling.

"Alright. What did she say?"

"Nothing much." I lied. "She wanted to gloat and check out her competition thinking she could get under my skin."

"Well, did she?"

I scoffed. "No one can get under my skin." Except for him.

Five analysed my features deeply, trying to get an answer... something that he could be certain was true. But he had no way of telling the difference between a truth and a lie when it came down to me. So he had no choice but to take a leap of faith.

But before he could do that, the boy asked, "Why should I believe you."

I laughed, not showing the pain from the bullet wound. "Nothing I say will ever be enough for you to guarantee the truth, Five. But I know very well that you need me." My slightly cracked lips twisted into a crooked grin. "Otherwise," I hummed, nearing my face to the boys. "You never would've brought be along."

Unlike before, Five neared his face to mine, our faces mere inches away. It was a challenge for the both of us to by this close to the other. I could think of hundreds of different ways to wipe that smirk that was now present off his lips and hurt him while doing so.

Five was thinking the same thing.

But none of us backed down.

Neither of us wanted to admit defeat.

"For once, you're right." Five admitted. "But don't think for a second that I trust you. I'll be watching you closely, y/n. And anything I deem suspicious, well..." Five chuckled, his voice was low and eyelids lower, "All I'll say is watch out."

If it's a game of cat and mouse he wants. That's what he'll get.

Bad signal and no data is a real bitch.

Sorry for releasing this chapter so late! My parents surprised me with a last minute road trip before I could post the chapter. But at last... I have internet and decent signal again.

Tag List for Whispers 🏷

Comment if you’d like to be included.

@ameagrice @inksplattersblog @coraldeeznutsz @valtrezzz @dj-loopylou @l4vly-k1ss3s @fanfics-welcome @urmomsfling @darklingsgrl @honestlyspeedytree @bitch-bee @rogue17 @literally-a-ferret @jeeminyo @nvmkyuu @navs-bhat @muitifandomblogs @honestlyvore @winchestertitties @dhdhdhdhdhdjjs @crankgameplayssimp @rainyroads @unomomonono @hon3y-c0mb @kisslie @danis-stuff-is-here @ayoitsmickey @xjsbk @001andeddiearetodiefor @cutelittleescapingsenses @tua-five @qualityearthquakes @oscarisdaddy69 @bebe-panda @ara-sakura @maris-cottage @differentstudentcookiespy @annitrice-does-things @souredmilktea @diorsdolls @cherryccke @severetriumphgardener @myinnermonologueisepic

[backdoortowonderland]

scenario ↠ y/n is exhausted with writing their assignment. 

the act’s performers ↠  seonghwa x reader

wc ↠ 600+

[2:20pm - seonghwa] 

“what are you doing?” 

seonghwa inquired, resting his forehead on your head. his warm irises scanned your computer screen, skimming over the hundreds of words you had typed in the last hour. 

“stupid assignment.” you blew out with a frustrated sigh, your own attention never leaving the word document you had open. 

“want me to beat it up?” he joked, rolling his head to the side so that now his cheek was aligned with your head. a faint smile tugged at the corners of your lips at his comment as you stifled a laugh. 

“sure, and you can beat me up too while you’re at it. maybe that’ll motivate my brain.” 

not quite liking your counter-suggestion, your boyfriend took a step back before spinning you around in your swivel chair, forcing you to pause your staring battle with your computer screen. it took your eyes a few seconds to adjust to the sudden change of scenery, and as your eyelids went from narrow slits into a widened stance, the frown on your boyfriend’s mouth struggled to remain. 

“stop that.” he pouted, his hands still on the arm rests of your chair. “you can’t be that cute when i’m trying to scold you.” 

rubbing at your temples, you let out a harmonic titter. 

“i’m not doing anything, hwa.” 

feigning a disgruntled sigh, he leaned in closer to your face, his pretty lashes brushing against his cheeks as he purposefully took shorter intervals to blink. 

“i think all this stress from your school work has you malfunctioning. because you are saying some very questionable things.” despite his facade of irritation, a quick kiss was pressed to your forehead. the gesture had eased some of the stress present in your shoulders. for the first time today you weren’t caught with your shoulders artificially raised. 

and seonghwa, who noticed this detail, had inadvertently discovered the cure to your exhausted mental state. 

“i don’t think you’re wrong. i’m pretty sure my brain is down to 1.03 brain cells.” a toothy smile was flashed at your boyfriend, who furrowed his brows at the strangely precise number you stated. “don’t ask. just don’t.” 

“should I help you raise it back to 2.0 brain cells then?” his invitation was accompanied by another kiss to your skin, and this time his lips were ghosting over your temples. the sensation had drawn out a sigh of relief, and seonghwa took the noise as acceptance of his proposition. 

relocating his hands to your face, he gradually moved forward before capturing your lips with his. a hum of approval sounded in your throat as he slowly deepened the kiss. with each passing second, you found yourself more and more entranced by the male, easily forgetting the assignment that had plagued you for the last four hours. 

“seonghwa.” you whispered against his lips, inching closer to the edge of your seat. when he didn’t reply immediately, you created a little distance between your faces to gain his attention. he was so close to pouting again when his eyelids fluttered open. but when he saw just how you were staring at him, he appeared confused. 

“i seriously love you. you know that, right?” 

the way his eyes twinkled upon hearing your words was more than enough to answer your question. because no one else ever looked at you as though you were their entire world. 

as though, you were enough, and that you always would be enough. 

and from his thoughtful expression, you would have thought he’d say he loved you too. but alas, seonghwa had something else in mind. 

“you know, y/n... i think you got some of your brain cells back.” 

rolling your eyes, you pushed your boyfriend away as the both of you fell into a laugh. 

life could be hard, and annoying even. but seonghwa made every second of it bearable. 

[dinneratgrannys]

ANASTASIA & WILL in 1.03: FORGET ME NOT

[hallmark-movie-fanatics]

Hallmark Movie Ratings - Update

I thought it’d be fun to see the ranking of the 2022 Hallmark movies that have aired thus far ratings wise. It’s interesting. Ratings have been good overall this year for Hallmark, the network is holding steady and doing slightly better than last year in some cases. Obviously I’ll update this as more movies premiere and at the end of certain movie blocks. It’s all in good fun.

Update 3: Ratings for Fall Into Love and the new mysteries, Mahogany movies, and dramas on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries that premiered alongside Fall Into Love. Plus ratings for the last season of Chesapeake Shores. The next time I’ll update this will be when all the Christmas movies are done. 

1. The Wedding Veil (New Year New Movies) - 3.39  2. The Wedding Veil Legacy (Loveuary) - 2.93  3. Butlers in Love (New Year New Movies) - 2.72  4. The Wedding Veil Unveiled (Loveuary) - 2.59  5. Where the Heart Belongs (New Year New Movies) - 2.42  6. The Perfect Pairing (New Year New Movies) - 2.30  7. Don’t Forget I Love You (New Year New Movies) - 2.24  8. Two Tickets to Paradise (Summer Nights) - 2.22 9. Feeling Butterflies - 2.11  10. A Royal Runaway Romance (Spring Into Love) - 2.09  11. A Tail of Love (Spring Into Love) - 2.08  12. My Grown-Up Christmas List (Christmas in July) - 2.06 13. Welcome to Mama’s (Loveuary) - 2.04  14. Moriah’s Lighthouse (Summer Nights) - 2.00  15. Dating the Delaneys (Fall Into Love) - 1.96  16. Pumpkin Everything (Fall Into Love) - 1.88  17. Christmas in Toyland (Christmas in July) - 1.87  18. Marry Go Round (Fall Into Love) - 1.80  19. A Splash of Love - 1.78  20. Romance in Style Fall Into Love) - 1.75  21. Autumn in the City (Fall Into Love) - 1.72 22. Hidden Gems (Summer Nights) - 1.71 23. Warming Up to You - 1.70  24. Love in the Limelight (Fall Into Love) - 1.69  24. Caribbean Summer (Summer Nights) - 1.68 25. Romance to the Rescue - 1.67  25. Marry me in Yosemite (Fall Into Love) - 1.67  26. Wedding of a Lifetime (Fall Into Love) - 1.55  27. Road Trip Romance - 1.52  28. Fly Away With Me (Fall Into Love) - 1.51   29. Campfire Christmas (Christmas in July) - 1.49 30. Just One Kiss (Spring Into Love) - 1.45  31. A Second Chance at Love (Spring Into Love) - 1.35  32. Love, Classified (Spring Into Love) - 1.26  33. Game, Set, Love (Fall Into Love) - 1.22  34. Girlfriendship (Fall Into Love) - 1.14 

0. 14 Love Letters - no ratings data available  1. Aurora Teagarden Mysteries: Haunted by Murder - 1.75  2. Cut, Color, Murder - 1.28  3. Curious Caterer: Dying for Chocolate - 1.17  4. Groundswell - 1.09  5. Always Amore - 1.07  5. Rip In Time - 1.07  6. The Secrets of Bella Vista - 1.03  7. North to Home - 1.00  7. Color My World With Love - 1.00  8. Big Sky Rover - 0.99  9. The Presence of Love - 0.95  10. Love’s Portrait - 0.93  11. Francesca Quinn, PL - 0.91  12. Nikki & Nora: Sister Sleuths - 0.73  13. The Journey Ahead - 0.72 14. Heart of the Matter - 0.59  15. Mid-Love Crisis - 0.57  16. Perfect Harmony - 0.50 17. To her, With Love (Mahogany) - 0.41 18. Unthinkably Good Things (Mahogany) - 0.40 (HC airing - 1.21) 

When Calls the Heart Season 9

Episode 1 ‘In Like a Lion’ - 2.27 Episode 2 ‘Out Like a Lamb’ - 2.34 Episode 3 ‘Turn of the Page’ - 2.15 Episode 4 ‘Straight from the Heart’ - 2.09 Episode 5 ‘Journey Into the Light’ - 2.24 Episode 6 ‘Past, Present, Future’ - 2.31 Episode 7 ‘Hope Valley Days, Part 1′ - 2.19 Episode 8 ‘Hope Valley Days, Part 2′ - 2.55 Episode 9 ‘Recent Memory’ - 2.16 Episode 10 ‘Never Say Never’ - 2.28 Episode 11 ‘Smoke on the Water’ - 2.37 Episode 12 ‘Rock, a Bye, Baby’ - 2.51 

Chesapeake Shores Season 6 

Episode 1 ‘The Best Is Yet To Come’ - 1.47  Episode 2 ‘Memories Are Made of These’ - 1.38  Episode 3 ‘Night and Day’ - 1.36  Episode 4 ‘That’s All There Is to That’ - 1.35  Episode 5 ‘L-O-V-E’ - 1.35  Episode 6 ‘Straighten Up and Fly Right’ - 1.31  Episode 7 ‘It’s Not for Me to Say’ - 1.45  Episode 8 ‘I Get a Kick Out of You’ - 1.45  Episode 9 ‘Spring Can Really Hang You Up the Most’ - 1.59  Episode 10 ‘All or Nothing at All’ - 1.90

[allisoooon]

what are your 5 favorite sibling dynamics in tua?

Like probably 85% of people, watching their s2 reunion popped Allison and Klaus riiiight onto my list. Of all the reunions we saw, they were the only two who seemed actually thrilled to see each other. Obviously part of that is that they were the ones who’d been stranded in time the longest, so meeting any of their siblings after having accepted they were the only surviving Hargreeves was going to be special. But we do know Allison got on pretty well with Klaus (and Ben) in childhood, that they used to paint each other’s nails and all that, so I definitely think they genuinely like each other. That they’re both mutually there for each other this season (despite Klaus being useless before noon) just makes it even better—he helps talk her through some of her difficulty with Ray and rescues her from the riot, while she ladles him up off the kitchen floor after he relapses and gets him talking about what caused it. And, of course, they were two-thirds of that marvelous post-taco salon scene that gave you a good look at what their relationship is like outside of a crisis, with her doing his hair and him being her annoying little brother. I just love them.

The next one might be controversial because the end of season one caused one of these people to lose the right to be around the other one, but Vanya and Luther were so great in season two, okay? He showed up to apologize, still pretty jumpy but very sincere, and later, she showed up deeply concerned about him letting himself get beaten up and was 100% ready to nurse him back to health. And they talked, and he answered her questions in the kindest, gentlest way possible. Now that they’ve finally gotten on the same page and get each other, Luther becomes Vanya’s biggest advocate. Everyone who thinks Luther invalidates other peoples’ trauma, did you forget the bit where he said Vanya has the most reasons to hate Hargreeves? That her suffering, to him, is a reason not to trust their father? And that completely endears me to him because it can be easy to get the impression that the siblings are alone in their suffering, that they’re not especially aware or angry about each other’s problems, but Luther is next in line behind Vanya to kick Hargreeves’ ass for hurting his sister. World-ending powers or no, he has rightly come to see her as the most vulnerable member of the group, and it has always been his job to protect the vulnerable. Hell, he’s the one who saved her from Hazel in 1.03.

I think the bond between Diego and Klaus in s1 was such a revelation because the first half of the season was exposing all the cracks that had formed between the siblings. Diego and Klaus gave us one of those broken bonds truly reconnecting—two people listening to each other, first of all, but also, the sight of a man being faced with his desire for vengeance and turning away from it when his brother needs him. Diego is incredibly stubborn. We don’t see him just…yield, at this point. We see him forget everything else the moment he sees Patch dead on the floor, consumed by his anger and grief, taking it out on Luther and Five and dismissing Klaus out of hand. But then something amazing happens: Diego’s long-broken bond with Klaus is somehow still stronger than his desire for vengeance, and he chooses to put his brother first. We learned something very special about their relationship in that episode. Both of them were falling apart at the seams, yet stubbornly there for each other. In the episode after, Diego once again put off seeking vengeance to help Klaus, and it breaks my heart that their talk about Dave ultimately never happened. The sheer amount of love in what Diego says—“Dave must have been a very special person…to put up with your weird-ass shit”—just gets me every time (anyone with a sibling knows only the first half of that sentence matters).

Next up is a sibling dynamic that only had one scene: Ben and Vanya. Finally getting to see this side of Ben was beautiful, and of the four siblings who came to save her, he was the one best suited for the task, somehow. He knew to give her space to tell him her feelings, and she trusted him enough to become vulnerable without question. His serenity defused her explosiveness, his empathy gave her the connection she needed to her siblings now that her memories returned. And she listened. And she didn’t even let him finish his sentence before hugging him fiercely. The way the actors were able to give them such a bond over the course of a single scene is absolutely masterful. In a show full of explosive sibling relationships where people barely know how to be kind to each other no matter how much they might want to be, it’s a balm to see them hold hands in solidarity and embrace as they say goodbye. We get to see a side to Ben that his codependent relationship with Klaus burned out of him, and we get to see Vanya finally, truly let her guard down around one of her siblings. And I’m sure this is the reason she felt safe asking her family for help with Harlan—Ben became her example for what her family could be to her, if she would just let them in.

Last but not least, as fraught as they are, Ben and Klaus stole me. I think it’s because I am both a codependent and an alcoholic (recovering), and I can see so much of the subtext between them. This is one of the two most accurate depictions of a codependent relationship I have ever seen in fiction, and I have already waxed poetic about it, but that was such a long-ass rant I’ma try to summarize it here. Ben is trying to be a good brother and a good person, to manage the chaos of Klaus’ life because Klaus will not manage it, but Klaus eludes his control. The more frustrated and resentful Ben grows, the more underhanded and manipulative he becomes. Klaus, seeing through it, responds by rebelling and getting himself in even deeper shit, as well as lashing out at Ben. It’s a vicious cycle, born of love but become something else, and neither of them knows how to help themselves or each other. Ben is too tied up in Klaus’ problems that he doesn’t realize he has become just as defined and tormented by them, but he doesn’t know enough to actually be able to help Klaus stay sober. The cycle compounds Klaus’ sense of shame and anger when all he wants is a friend, not a fixer. Relationships like this can be fixed, but tragically, Ben passes on before that can happen for them, leaving Klaus alone with the mistakes he made with Ben.