#Bill is frustrated with the movie's plot

[kitxi-official]

Another wallpaper fanart for @bapple117's fic The Theraprist After chapter 30 released I spent about 8-10 minutes pacing around my house in excitement. To say I love this fic is an understatement

[ohwowimlonley]

ohhhh free use with poly!marauders would be something like the boys making it hard for reader to do watch a movie because they keep using her holes and passing her around. imagine the boys sitting in one couch and the reader is seated in remus' dick, waiting for him to cum until she is passed to the other boys 😵‍💫

Changed this a tiny bit to fit a bit better but here :) (btw its roommates!marauders)

Cw for free use/advanced consent

-

You’re alone in your room, curled up in the corner of your bed, blanket covering your thighs as you finally start watching you’re favourite movie. It’s the middle of the day, so you’re the only one at home while the boys are out at work. See, you and your roommates had come to an agreement; they would go out to work and pay the rent and bills and buy groceries (and occasionally gifts for you), allowing you to spend your days as you please. In return, they ask for only one thing: your advanced consent.

Now, let’s not get silly here, you can always tell the boys no at any time, and they constantly remind you of that fact. All the agreement means is that they don’t have to ask you, and sometimes they pull you away from what you’re doing when they really need you. There are also a few rules in place. For example, you shouldn’t wear panties around the house (that is, excluding extenuating circumstances), and you shouldn’t touch yourself before asking for their help first.

Just as the plot starts to get good, your bedroom door creeks open. You jump, not expecting anyone to be home for at least and hour and a half, but relax when you see it’s only Remus. Once he determines you’re not in the middle of something vital, he pushes the rest of the way into your room. He doesn’t say a word to you just yet, just pulls his tshirt over his head and works on unzipping his jeans, pulling out his cock from his boxers and tugging on it.

“Rem! You’re home early,” you grin up at him, not bothering to ask him why, it doesn’t matter so long as he’s home. He makes a noncommital ‘hmph’ sound as he clambers up next to you, grasping at your him and turning you onto your stomach, letting your shirt rise up and expose your pussy to the room, still puffy from James using it this morning.

“Shush,” he grunts, but he doesn’t really mean it. He just wants to get inside you as quickly as he can, “boys’ll be home soon, wanna have you first,”

You go to respond, but Remus interrupts your train of thought by letting a fat glob of spit fall from his lips onto the folds of your pussy and follows it with scraping his fingers through the stickiness. He wastes no time at all before slipping his cock into you, not going slow like he usually does to let you get used to his size.

You whine loudly at the burn his cock leaves you with, and while he doesn’t slow down he does set a soothing hand on the small of your back and bends over yiu to press a kiss to the bcak of your neck as he starts up his fast pace. It doesn’t take long for you to get used to the stretch, and you let your mouth drop open in a long, continuous moan.

You lose yourself in the sensations, almost forgetting about the movie still playing in the background as your roommate manhandles you all over your bed, using his full strength to let out his frustration on you. Remus hears the soft click of the front door opening, but you don’t, so you let out a confused whine when he pulls out of you.

“Shh, sweetheart,” he soothes, seating himself at the head of your bed and pulling you over his thighs, slipping himself back into you, “boys’re home, gotta make sure they don’t take my girl, huh?”

You don’t respond. You can’t, what with Remus slipping his fingers against your poor, aching clit. The door to your room is already wide open, so James and Sirius can see the two of you as soon as they get to the upstairs landing. James clears his throat and you whip your head around to see your two other roommates standing side by side, watching you take Remus’ cock. You make eye contact with Sirius, and he rolls his eyes playfully.

“Told you he’d get home first,” he jabs his elbow into James’ rib before taking his hand and sitting on the end of your bed with the other boy in tow.

“Your fault really, Pads,” he points out, then smiles up at you, shrugging his shoulders, “the boys were arguing this morning about who got to have you first when we got home,”

“I was gonna share with Jamesie here, but Moony’s a stinkin cheater,” the boy in question doesn’t pay them any attention, just renews his grip on your hips and brings them down to meet his own thrusts.

“Rem!” You protest, turning back towards him and putting your palms on his chest to keep your balance. You can feel him throbbing inside you, a telltale sign that he’s close, and thank goodness for that because you’re getting there too, and on days where they pass you back and forth like this, it’s best if you cum as little as possible in the beginning.

“Who’s it gonna be next, love?” James is always more careful with you, his voice always questioning, never demanding. This by no means indicates that he isn’t just as desperate as you. In fact, on days where it’s all three boys, theres never a time where he isn’t practically forcing his cock into you.

There’s no opportunity for you to even try to answer his question, because Remus is anchoring you to him and spurting his cum deep inside you.

Sirius goes to tug you from Remus’ lap, but he locks his arms around your back and prevents you from moving even an inch further away from him. Sirius and James let out grumbles of displeasure.

“Rem, honey, share,” you remind him. When he eventually lets you go, James gets to you first, “can I face this way? I wanna watch my movie,”

All three boys chuckle amoungst themselves, and silently vow to make it as difficult as possible for you to watch your movie.

[mickyschumacher]

Hi!!! I just wanna say that I really love your writings!!! Their so good hehehe!! Can you do one a mick x wolff!reader?? Maybe one where toto sets them up cause he is tired of seeing them make heart eyes at each other and not making a move HHHH. Thank you lovie!!🤍

[SET IT UP!]

𝐒𝐔𝐌𝐌𝐀𝐑𝐘: love at times is shy and oblivious. like you and mick. but sometimes all you need is a father and a plan (with some backups!).

𝐖𝐀𝐑𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐒: 16+? (suggestive), fluff, poor humour as guaranteed, (loosely) based on the movie 'set it up', no sense of a motorhome ♡︎, mention of christian horner :(, possibly cringe, basically childhood friends to lovers trope, reader is lowkey a menace, confessions are made, toto in line for best dad award?, google translated german :0, a mess in general!

𝐏𝐀𝐈𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐆: mick schumacher x wolff!fem!reader, joão felix x reader

𝐖𝐎𝐑𝐃 𝐂𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐓: 3k+

𝐀/𝐍: okay so i've been waiting for a good mick plot but nothing was coming to mind but this! this screams mick! thank you so much for your praise. hope i do them justice with this although the plot holes are there!!

𝐏.𝐒: i'm curious on how people envision themselves as wolff, horner, vettle readers, etc. if you're coloured like me, do you pretend to be adopted or from a previous relationship if it isn't specified? 😭 i mean the explanation has to be viable lmao. maybe you just don't imagine?

𝐌𝐀𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐋𝐈𝐒𝐓

There were certain values a Wolff had. Those that were just innate.

A Wolff, more often than not, was a leader, intelligent, charismatic, good-looking, and embedded with dad jokes. Additionally, when a Wolff wanted something, they would do whatever to get it. They didn't leave any leaf unturned, they made the rounds and the effort.

It didn't make sense. You had all of those values. Yet, every time you joined the Mercedes garage, your father, Toto, found himself questioning everything.

Take now for example. He was in the beloved Mercedes garage, sat next to the best reserve driver he had ever chosen, Mick.

Parents tend to be protective of their children before they're even born. And it only amplifies after they're born. From which strangers you meet, the roads you cross, the seatbelt you have to wear to the clothes you wear, the suspiciously high phone bill and your romantic endeavours. A father's protection for his little girl was a tad bit stronger than this, special in it's own way.

Toto would do anything to protect his children, especially his little girls. And if any guy was making moves on you, right in front of him, the 'dad' side of him was just waiting to come out.

But he could only do that if someone actually made a move on you. Sure there were other guys but the one sat right next to him did nothing but shyly follow you with his blue eyes and blush in your presence.

Mick was seriously frustrating Toto and his wife. The both of them had watched the German boy watch you with heart eyes ever since the both of you had first met at the Schumacher's house for dinner. You were young back then but hell, within five minutes everyone knew that Mick was a lovesick puppy.

Years had gone by with your friendship becoming stronger. Those same years involved Mick and you being stuck to each other as if you were hip-to-hip. You attended all his races and he supported you in all your academic achievements. And oblivious to you, somewhere along the road you had also become as lovesick as he was.

Toto didn't really realise how fed up he was. He didn't want to interfere. In fact, he wanted things between the both of you to happen naturally. But he just had happen to watch the entire hour and forty-five minutes of 'Set It Up' over your shoulder instead of doing his work and he just had to do something... hell, anything.

━━━━━━━━━━━

First things first... Toto couldn't put the both of you in an elevator. At least not yet. You knew each other while the two bosses in 'Set It Up' didn't, so it didn't make much sense. You probably would never even get to the topic of your feelings. Not without a physical icebreaker of sorts.

Toto needed someone and George Russell just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.

"George, my boy!" Toto chorused, beckoning the British driver towards him. He slung his arm over George's shoulder, bringing him closer to him. "Do you mind doing me a favour?"

George nodded without too much thought. "Yeah sure. What is it?"

"If you see Mick and Y/N go towards an elevator, stop them and tell Y/N that a guy asked for her number, uh, who was that footballer... ah yes, João Félix, him... he did ask her yesterday right?" Toto looked over at George.

"Uh, yeah. Before you dragged her away... listen, Toto, I'm not sure I can do what you asking me to. I thought none of us were going to mess with whatever's going on between them?"

"You're young, George. One day you'll realise what 'desperate times calls for desperate measures' means. So..." Toto trailed off, eagerly looking for an answer before spotting the hesitant expression on the British driver's face. "Can I pay you do the favour?"

George blankly looked at his boss. "I'm on your payroll, Toto. You already pay me. That also sounds like extortion and bribery."

Toto's eye twitched as an exasperated sigh fell from his lips. He stared at George heavily before giving in. "Fine. You'll be out before Lewis for this week's quali."

The corner of George's mouth teetered up, working to a small grin. "Extortion and bribery... it sounds cool," He said with a nonchalant shrug.

Toto shook his head to himself. "You can try and be less British, George. Just because your ancestors colonised doesn't mean you need to take the same behaviour," He patted his shoulder before leaving, feeling George's confused expression bore into the back of his head.

━━━━━━━━━━━

Toto was a great man. But today was one of those days where George really did question him. Part of him was praying that he didn't see you and Mick head to an elevator. The scenario was so specific that well... the probability was low.

There was no way he was going to see it happen. Not even 30 minutes after he had this conversation and he had just grabbed a coffee and was now heading to Alex...

But the peak of that blonde hair and the familiar shine of your signature glasses caught George's eye. Christ.

"How is that possible?" He muttered to himself, eyeing the both of you as you waited for the elevator to go up the Mercedes' motorhome.

First in quali. Come on, George. You got this!

"Hey guys," George greeted the both of you.

You and Mick turned to him and smiled. "Hey George. How's it going? Ready for practice?"

George nodded absentmindedly. "Yeah, yeah. Good, thanks. Uh, I was just wondering about yesterday... João? Since Toto dragged you away before you could do anything but he was just wondering if you would still consider giving him your number."

George pressed his lips, seeing Mick's eyes narrow from his peripheral vision. God how had the both of you not gotten together yet?

"I didn't know João asked you that?" Mick looked at you with questioning eyes.

You blinked, feeling your heart skip a beat slightly. You weren't sure why Mick's interest was to intriguing to you all of a sudden. You pursed your lips, looking to George. "Oh? I didn't know you knew João like that."

"I... don't. It's... Kika! Kika knows him... you know... Portugal things," He laughed awkwardly, giving a helpless shrug.

"Right..." You nodded slowly. "Uh, I don't know. I mean was considering it, I guess."

"You were?" George and Mick spluttered out in unison.

Your eyes widened at their reaction. "I mean, yeah... kinda?" You rubbed the back of your neck sheepishly.

George could see the German driver's head racing a hundred miles per hour. It was time to get out of this mess.

"Okay, well, if you consider it, you could probably DM him on Instagram. Don't ask Kika!" George quickly said. "I mean... you know, she gets very excited to play cupid... anyways, I have to get back to Dudley, but let me know how it goes!"

You and Mick waved goodbye, heading onto the elevator after what felt like forever.

As the doors closed, you looked over at your thought-consumed best friend. "Penny for your thoughts, Mr Schumacher?" You humoured.

Mick briefly smiled before returning to his brooding state. He folded his arms, leaned on the wall of the elevator and stared at you.

Your mouth felt dry and yet you were drowning in your own saliva. There were certain things that weren't healthy for humans: too much sugar, high cholesterol foods, and apparently air-drying your hair. And then there was too much Mick.

The folded arms and his stupid shirt brought your eyes to the muscles you had so desperately been avoiding after Mick had started to work out even more in the past year.

You cleared your throat, trying to think of another topic of discussion.

In your pondering, Mick opened his mouth. "I don't think you should give João your number," He said, bringing his hands to his side, discreetly allowing the fabric of his shorts to soak up his clammy hands.

Your eyes flickered towards his face. You raised brow. "What? Why?" You asked, feeling an uneasy ache gnaw at your chest.

"I..." Mick started, "I mean what if he's a bad guy? You know... I wouldn't want you to get hurt."

Your heart dropped. You felt like an deflating balloon: all blown up, only to be taken down. You mustered a soft smile. "I mean, you can't protect me forever Mick. What are you going to do? Vet the guy on the day of my wedding," You joked.

Mick frowned at your response. The image of you marrying someone that wasn't him was disheartening.

"I won't need to if you get married to someone you know," He shrugged. "You don't know João. You know me."

Oh?

Oh.

You almost did a double-take on your best friend. Did he know what words were falling from his lips. "So what? He's kinda cute. And a five-star FIFA player. I could take the risk. And eventually, I would know him... since that's how relationships work... communication and all," You defended the footballer.

Mick stared at you for a few seconds before blinking out of his short trance. "Right..." He said sharply, pushing himself off of the wall as the elevator opened. He struck out his arm, holding back the door. "You go on. I just remembered I need to talk to Toto."

You flickered your eyes to Mick, trying to read his face. "That's fine, we can go togeth–"

"No," Mick interjected, "it's... it's okay."

Upon the slight widening of your eyes and the startled expression lingering on your face, Mick's innate action was to internally wince. "I'll join you soon. Don't worry. I bring your favourite pastry on the way back, hmm?"

You nodded silently, taking a step out of the elevator and headed towards the lounge with a troubled feeling nagging at your head.

Had you struck a nerve?

━━━━━━━━━━━

Toto couldn't tell what he had done wrong. You and Mick were fine this morning. But after he had told George to push things along between the both of you, a sense of distance radiated off of you.

And George still got out before Lewis for the first quali. Goddamn it.

When Toto raised an eyebrow at you after Mick had slightly brushed you off to talk to Bono, you simply shrugged helplessly.

That night Toto did not get a wink of sleep. Instead, he stared at this hotel ceiling with a twitching eye.

There was nothing he couldn't fix. Whatever was going on between you and Mick right now was just a small bump in the road.

The solution?

A baseball game.

Unfortunately for Toto, baseball wasn't that popular in Brazil. But that didn't mean they didn't do them.

The plan was going perfectly. Toto had offered a 'family day' and gotten you and Mick to join him and Susie to attend a local baseball match between some of university teams. Toto made sure you and Mick were sitting behind him so you had all the privacy you needed. As a dad, he shouldn't be that happy about kiss-cam, let alone bribing the camera operators with the help of Pierre and Kika. But he wanted peace and he was going to get it.

But nothing was easy in life. And Toto could not have predicted this in a million years.

As everyone waited for the game to start, Toto timidly turned his head. He caught the brown eyes of the five-star FIFA player. Giving him a hesitant smile, he averted his own eyes back to the field, cursing himself under his breath. "Scheiße," He muttered through his clenched teeth. Shit.

The tension in the air was thick, to say the least. You sat between João and Mick with blank expression.

João, who was in town for the F1 race, decided to stay back to support a friend in the match. Obviously.

When the footballer on your right extended his hand to Mick, you sucked in a sharp breath. You heavily eyed the firmest handshake you had seen in your life. Letting out a nervous laugh, you sat down before the gesture turned into hardcore glaring.

Still, there was the hope of this kiss-cam.

Toto waited with little patience, hearing João crack jokes in Portuguese that actually made you laugh while Mick took deeper breaths.

It felt like life itself had been poured into Toto once the kiss-cam started on the public. This mattered to him more than whoever was going to win this match.

Toto's face dropped as the camera fell on you.

Your mother pointed at the camera with a gleeful exclamation. Your eyes moved to the screen, widening when you saw yourself and the man next to you.

"You've got to be fucking kidding me," Toto exasperated quietly.

You turned your head to the right, meeting the equally shocked brown eyes.

"In what way does he look like 'a blonde boy with the face of the greatest racer in F1 history'?" Toto said into his hands, shaking his head slowly.

Mick looked blankly at you and João on the screen before turning to you. He watched you shake your head softly, smiling awkwardly at the camera as the crowd urged you to kiss.

"Oh mein Gott," You murmured to yourself, eyes darting around in panic. Oh my God.

Suddenly, you felt Mick lean in, his fingers sliding under your chin and resting on your cheek. He turned your head slightly towards him.

Your eyes widened upon meeting his baby blues, feeling unnerving giddiness swarm you. You hoped your face screamed, "What are you doing?!"

All Mick did give a small smile, bringing his lips towards you.

Instinctively, your eyes closed, bracing yourself whatever was about to happen. All you could hope for was that this was all a dream of some sort. Maybe you fell asleep in the car?

You skin flushed at the feel of Mick's soft lips on your cheek. Your eyes fluttered open, feeling him linger for a second longer before pulling back.

What on earth?

You weren't sure if you were breathing as you felt his hand move to your leg, covering your hand and giving it a small squeeze. You moved your eyes to the screen. Mick looked unbothered while the crowd erupted in cheers and boos. You, on the other hand, looked flushed.

And Toto?

The urge to run around with his hands flailing in the air was strong.

This was a home run, for crying out loud!

Whoever said jealousy was a disease... thank you!

━━━━━━━━━━━

"Liebling, du solltest jetzt rauskommen," Your mother said to you through the bathroom stall you had been hiding in for the past five minutes. Darling, you should come out now.

You winced as you banged your head against the wall of the stall. You sighed. "I don't think I can. Do you think you can convince the staff the bring a bed? Maybe some food?"

Your mother snorted. "What are you going to do? Live here?"

"Ja. War das nicht offensichtlich?" You retorted, eyes screwing themselves shut after replaying the kiss in your head for the umpteenth time. Yes. Was that not obvious?

Susie sighed, awkwardly smiling at a woman leaving the bathroom. "Y/N... it's Mick. You can't ignore him forever. How long do you think it will truly take for Mick and your father to storm in here after not seeing you for so long?"

You sighed at your mother's response. She was. As always.

The last thing you needed was a headline on ESPN: Toto Wolff and Mick Schumacher caught barging into a women's bathroom.

Christian would have a field day!

You shuddered at the thought.

Susie's ears perked up at your grumble as you fumbled with the lock of the stall. She sported an amused smile at the blank look you gave her.

Slinging an arm around you, she rubbed your shoulder. "Come on, liebling. You got this."

━━━━━━━━━━━

"Oh thank God!" Toto exclaimed after seeing you and your mother come out of the bathroom. "You took forever!"

You narrowed your eyes at your father, avoiding the lingering eyes of a certain German boy. "Maybe next time you shouldn't feed me a hotdog at a baseball game, right?" You pressed with a raised brow.

"Hmm?" Toto mended his brows before nodding profusely. "Right! Right! Yes... that was my bad. Poor thing... you know, Mick, with Y/N being sick and all, I think you should drop her to the hotel. Me and Susie still have a date to go on!"

You and your mother looked at Toto increduolously.

"We do?"

"You do?"

Toto nodded, grabbing your mother's hand. "Yes! Okay, see you two! Tschüss!" Bye!

With a jaw-dropping expression, you watched your parents leave with a twitching eye.

You heard Mick clear his throat.

Slowly, you turned around with a small smile. Fiddling with your fingers, "So..."

Mick rubbed the back of his neck nervously, a small tinge of pink dancing across his cheeks. "The hotel?" He asked, swinging his keys around the his index finger.

Silently, you both walked out of the stadium and towards the car park.

You furrowed your brows upon seeing the orange and pink laden sky. "What the heck? How is the sun already setting?"

"I mean... you were in there for a long time," Mick shrugged.

The crisp summer evening breeze glided past your flushed skin. Your body winced at the paining silence ensuing between the both of you. You let out a small exhale. "Uh, with the thing before–"

"Yeah?" Mick eagerly turned his body towards you, on edge.

You cleared your throat at the anxious expression Mick sported. "You sighed. "Uh, that was to like... save me, right? Aus Verlegenheit? Danke für das." From embarrassment? Thank you for that.

Mick mended his eyebrows. "Verlegenheit? No. I... that was so you didn't kiss João."

You laughed nervously. "Right! So I didn't have to kiss João."

"No. So you didn't kiss João. There's a difference," Mick pointed out, eyeing your expression carefully.

Your eyes widened at his suddenly soft gaze. You looked up at the sky, hoping the breeze would cool the wave of warmth swirling around you. "That's... that's what I said," You shrugged.

Mick stepped in front of you, forcing you to look at him instead of the sky. "Why do you do that?" Mick asked.

"Do what?" You responded.

"I mean... I–just why do you have such a hard time admitting that I like you?"

You wish you had something to say. Anything. But it was as if the ability to speak had been seized from your throat entirely.

"I mean I know I don't make it obvious. I just thought we had some sort of understanding... you know... the one without words?"

You looked up into his hopeful eyes. Entranced, you leaned in towards him. Your fingers danced across his cheek just the way he had done not so long ago. You watched his eyes close at the feel of your touch, making your heart thud against your chest.

Inching closer, your thumb gently swiped over his lips, feeling his faltering exhale warm the pad of your thumb. "So pretty," You whispered to yourself, eyeing his face.

Mick wasn't sure whether you were talking about him or his lips but he didn't care.

You shuddered, feeling Mick's hand slide around your waist, bringing you closer to him.

Without waiting a second longer, you pressed your lips to his.

Mick's lips were softer than you had imagined, warm to the touch. Your stomach churned upon feeling his fingers skate under the hem of your shirt, rubbing tingling circles on your hot skin.

You hear an unrecognisable breathy gasp fall from your lips. The hair on your body stood straight as goosebumps littered your skin. All because of Mick.

Mick took advantage of the moment, darting his tongue to explore your mouth. He groaned against your lips, pushing your hips even closer to him, feeling the hard outline of his bulge rub against your pelvis.

Fuck.

You were going to combust at this rate.

Mick trembled in your grasp as your hands wandered his taut torso, lingering closely to his v-line.

He pulled away with an indescribable urgency, staring at you with small pants falling from his lips. He held your face with his hand, thumb gliding across your swollen lips. "We can't–" He sighed out, voice hoarse, "No more. Please."

Your thighs clenched at his plea, eyes falling down to his prominent bulge. You were sure he was in a lot of pain right now. The sexual tension between you to had been pent up for years now.

Your tongue darted out, swiping over his thumb briefly before faintly sucking on it. You looked up at Mick. "You're right, we shouldn't," You nonchalantly told him.

Mick's blue eyes danced with a tortured pain, following your tongue carefully. "We... fuck, Y/N," He complained, feeling impossibly tight in his pants.

"We fuck? Direct much?" You teased, removing your lips from his thumb.

Mick stared at you, suppressing the urge to roll his eyes. "I was saying... we should do this properly. Not in some parking lot."

"Why not? Car sex is hot. Just imagine!" You urged, amused by the conflict in Mick's eyes.

Imagine he did.

You and him in his God forbidden Mercedes... him making sure every inch of his car was stained with you...

Mick sucked in a sharp breath. "Nope. Come on. Hotel."

You gasped humorously. "In a hotel? Mick Schumacher! Well I never!"

Before you knew it, Mick had whisked you into his arms and into his car, hoping he was not breaking Brazil's speed limits tonight.

© 𝐌𝐈𝐂𝐊𝐘𝐒𝐂𝐇𝐔𝐌𝐀𝐂𝐇𝐄𝐑

[ckret2]

One of my wishes in this fic is that Bill is forced to watch a movie with his family using 3D glasses, and that the movie includes a scene where Venetian blinds are shown, and when a character in the movie rotates them, the signal goes away and shows static. I want Bill to suffer the biggest scare of his existence.

u didn't expect a serious In Depth Writer Reply but ur getting a serious In Depth Writer Reply, sorry anon.

It's been a while since I wrote about this so there's no way I'm gonna be able to dig up the posts again—but I've got beef with the phobias listed on TINAWDC. Mainly because I can't figure a way for them to all make sense.

The TV static makes plenty of sense—we know from the deluxe version of TBOB that Bill hears voices in the static, it wouldn't be a stretch to guess that the messages hidden in the noise and in the visual static and in spectrograms on TINAWDC and the Lofi album might be the kinds of things he sees/hears in TV static. Hearing the Euclidean Massacre and seeing messages and songs from his parents and people is a damn good reason to have a phobia.

(So I plan to do a lot with the static in the fic. Multiple times. I have an entire plot arc around the static. Rainbow Brite is there. It's gonna be great.)

On the other hand, 3D glasses make less sense. The most obvious connections are "oh, 3D vision, 3D stuff is a big deal to Bill" and "the lenses are red and blue—like his parents!!" Except that's not sufficient for them to make sense as a phobia.

On the 3D front, 3D vision doesn't work like that, "3D glasses" don't give you "3D vision"—what 3D glasses do is make specially-colored 2D images have the illusion of depth due to how your binocular vision works. They're called anaglyphs, you can learn the science here.

A) Bill doesn't have binocular vision, so 3D glasses wouldn't have any affect on him anyway, because he'd only be able to see through one lens at a time, B) what we typically mean when we say "3D vision" is actually "depth perception" and Bill can already see depth just fine—he can see things that are close to him and he can see things that are far from him, that's what depth perception is, he can perceive depth, he wouldn't need the glasses for that even if they did work, and so C) the only way "he's scared of them because 3D vision" could make sense would be if... he was scared of them because they don't successfully let him see anaglyphs as an illusion of 3D? Which is goofy. He'd be frustrated, not scared.

We already see how Bill reacts when he's told there's an image that lets you see an illusion of depth if you have binocular vision. He talks about magic eye/autostereogram images in TBOB. He's not afraid of them; he says that people who claim they can see things in them are liars. He publishes an autostereogram in TBOB himself!

So much for the 3D vision theory.

And if he were scared of them JUST because their colors make him think of his parents... then why would he be drawing a bunch of red and blue triangles in art? Logically, he ought to be scared of a bunch of red/blue things, oughtn't he. But he isn't.

As it happens today I did think of a way for the Theraprism staff to have gotten the impression Bill has a phobia of 3D glasses that makes sense with canon and that I'm satisfied with... but, operating under the headcanon I've got now, "wearing 3D glasses" in general wouldn't trigger the phobia, and Bill can't be triggered by it as long as he's stuck in his current situation. For Reasons That I'm Not Going To Tell You. The right conditions don't exist to trigger it. (Might draw a comic about it.)

And the Venetian blinds thing I can't make sense of at all. I've yet to see a single theory for the Venetian blinds phobia that isn't either proposing it triggers him for a reason that would cause a lot of other things to trigger him too (ex: "maybe seeing narrow slits of light in the dark makes him think of how vision in Euclydia works"—if that's the case, then why isn't he also triggered by the slit of light under the door when you're in a dark room and the room outside the door is lit?), or just wholesale completely making up an explanation (ex: "maybe the jail he was locked up in after his post-breakup bender had a window with Venetian blinds"—okay, you can headcanon that, but you did just make it up).

I don't believe that "Venetian blinds" would've been listed as a trigger unless it was for a reason that we're supposed to be able to logically deduce (like the TV static). So I don't wanna just make up something unfounded.

So how can I write him being triggered by Venetian blinds if I don't know how they trigger him, why they trigger him, or how he reacts to them? Like, if (made-up example) he's scared of Venetian blinds because seeing the white slats with strips of black night sky between them makes him think of black and white striped prison uniforms, then if I wrote him getting scared of closed brown wooden slats on a sunny day... that wouldn't make any sense.

Without knowing how & why the blinds trigger him, writing him getting triggered would just be going "AAAUGH OH NO IT'S VENETIAN BLINDS AAAAH!!" with no depth.

So until we get the truth and/or somebody comes up with a theory I like, I'm just not including Venetian blinds in the fic at all. Everybody has beautiful curtains or quaint old-fashioned shutters now.

[a34trgv2]

Why It Worked: Inside Out

Introduction: Inside Out is an animated coming-of-age film produced by Pixar Animation Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Pictures. Directed and co-written by Pete Docter, with the screenplay being co written by Meg LaFauve and Josh Cooley, the film stars Amy Poehler, Phyliss Smith, Lewis Black, Mindy Kaling, Bill Hader, Kaitlyn Dias, Diane Lane, Kyle MacLachlan and Richard Kind as Joy, Sadness, Anger, Disgust, Fear, Riley, her parents Bill and Jill, and Bing Bong respectively. Released on June 19, 2015, the film was a major box office success grossing $858.8 million on a budget of $175 million. It also received critical acclaim from critics and audiences alike. According to Rotten Tomatoes, out of the 384 reviews aggregated, 98% gave a positive review with an average rating of 8.9/10. It also received numerous awards, including an Oscar for Best Animated Feature, several Outstanding Achievement Awards at the Annies, a Golden Globe for Best Animated Feature, and a Critic's Choice Movie Award for Best Animated Feature. It is often seen as a culturally significant film for mental health and the importance of expressing one's emotions. I saw this film for my birthday back in 2015 and I loved it right out of the gate. After multiple rewatches over the years, I stand by my personal opinion that this is a masterpiece of animation and visual storytelling. I'm overjoyed to talk about this film now that it finally has a sequel out.

The Plot: This film has 2 stories that are interconnected to one another, taking place in the mind of an 11 year old girl. On the outside, it's a bout a kid moving to a new city and being overwhelmed by the sudden changes happening all at once. On the inside, it's about Joy and Sadness trekking through Riley's mind, while along the way understanding each other's importance. Together, they create a very unique and engaging plot about growing up and learning to express yourself. The film brilliantly cuts between Riley, Joy and Sadness' journey, and what's happening at HQ to organically show what Riley's feeling and how her actions have psychological consequences. In addition to having powerful gut punching drama, it's also a very funny film with plenty of slapstick, goofy gags, and impressive word play that always gets me to belly laugh. Michael Giacchino also provides an enchanting, dreamlike score with great use of the piano and brass sections. The true highlight of the story is, of course, Pixar's masterfully crafted and innovative animation. The film makes Riley's mind so vibrant and expansive with Dream Productions and Imagination Land being major highlights. The outside world also looks very well done with the people looking very appealing, San Francisco looking grimy yet lived in, and Riley's old home in Minnesota looking very welcoming and colorful. Speaking of color, the use of colors in this film is nothing short of excellent from the radiant colors of Riley's memories, to Riley's clothes reflecting her current state of mind throughout the film. I also love how they use black and gray to represent faded memories and lack of emotion. If there's one word to describe Inside Out's story and animation, it's colorful.

Cast and Characters: This is an outstanding cast they brought on board for this film. Shout outs to the film's casting directors Natalie Lyon and Kevin Reher for picking out some excellent actors. Amy Poehler was phenomenal as Joy, perfectly capturing her bubbly and eccentric personality while also naturally showing her vulnerability and frustrations. Phyliss Smith sound perfectly dower and soft spoken as Sadness, yet at the same time making her sound so innocent and relatable. Lewis Black was the best match for Anger, making him sound crusty, cynical, and having a short fuse. Mindy Kaling brought in the right amount of sass and pettiness as Disgust and her comradery with the other emotions was brilliant. Bill Hader did a great job making Fear funny and relatable as a character. Kaitlyn Dias also deserve major props for her vocal performance as Riley, making her sound like a soft spoken but fun kid who goes through a great character arc in the film. Lastly, Richard Kind was the absolute surprise standout of the cast as Bing Bong as not only did he do a great job making him funny, but also made him relatable, selfless, a bit of an airhead, but also really resourceful. The cast did such a great job bringing these characters to life, with all of them being iconic and memorable in their own way.

Where It Falters: Outside of maybe adding another scene or 2 with Riley's life in Minnesota, I wouldn't change a thing with this film. It's one of those films where the only nitpick I have is I wanted more. Fortunately, that's remedied with the existence of the 2024 sequel. Coming out a couple years sooner wouldn't have been so bad either, but like I always say, quality>quantity.

Conclusion: There are a select few movies I consider to be a masterpiece. Inside Out is most certainly one of those movies. With outstanding writing, iconic characters, wonderful voice acting, masterfully crafted animation, and an enchanting score, it has more than earned its cultural significance. I cannot recommend this film enough, especially for those who struggle with expressing themselves such as yours truly. I promise this film will speak to you as it has for me after all these years. Thanks so much for reading and I'll see you soon ;)

[mulders-too-large-shirt]

s5 episode 19 thoughts

last night’s episode had me singing. clapping my hands together and rejoicing. doing a little twirl, even. so i wonder where we will go from here? 

if i may be so bold as to venture a guess: i would say a two parter leaving on a cliff hanger that is resolved by the movie? 

hmm. i would be happy to be wrong, but we shall see.

post episode thoughts: i think i need to ponder this one for a few months and get back to you. there were things i liked, and other things that frustrated me, which i ended up spending quite a bit of time analyzing. still, i do not mean to be a total hater; my heart was melting at the hospital scene!!!

anyway, back to me from yesterday!

let's read the episode description... mulder is taken hostage?!?! oh, is scully going to go berserk? i am willing to see this. HOWEVER, i would prefer if my boy was left unharmed. maybe the captor will be polite. his poor finger probably still hurts!!!

but, a mulder kidnapping arc is good for me, because i believe being a damsel in distress ought to be a gender neutral role. so let’s see what we have going on

(and the episode is called folie a deux… shoutout to the best fall out boy album)

what if your job was to type into a blocky white computer and call people all day? this could be you, but it is the case for this man, named gary.

he is talking to an uninterested man about siding, and then auto calling someone else. i know these callers well. they plague my job.

an insect is here too, but we don’t have to worry about that. surely the sound design team did not put that in there purposefully for me to notice /s

gary is nervous as he makes another call and hears more insects. i don’t like this. wait, have i seen things about this episode before….?

BUG GUY???? 

gary is shaking with fear. WHAT IS HERE? the bug guy?!?! 

(loud cheering as the intro plays)

short intro….. i clock thee once again

skinner time!!! my heart rejoices at this. why does he have multiple globes in his office? and some books and what looks like trophies under his bill clinton portrait. i wonder if he plays around with them. 

agents mulder and scully are here!!!

uh oh… are they in trouble?!?!

they need to go to chicago to conduct a threat assessment. mulder wants to know why them. “because i prefer you did” <- ohhh yeah, give him the “i told you so” reasoning, skinner 🔥🔥

BAHAHA mulder picks up that the manifesto has “bizarre undertones” right away, which i think is a great way of describing something. and it speaks of a monster stalking employees!! augh. i hope the monster at least allows the workers their legally required breaks. 

(scully looks frustrated)

(mulder nods) "monsters. i’m your boy" <- LMAOOOOO STOPPPPPP WHY IS HE LIKE THIS I’M CRYINGGGG

he’s angry!!! he thinks skinner is mad at him 

“have i finally reached that magic point in my career where every time somebody sees bigfoot or the virgin mary on a tortilla, i get called out of my basement ward to offer my special insight on the matter?” <- oh. oh. i’m laughing, but i do feel a little bad. yeah buddy. that is kind of how you make a living. said with kindness though.

(i know he wants to genuinely know the Truth and find the answers and save his loved ones and learn the mystical secrets of the universe, and that there is angst in this genuine belief being misconstrued as the bigfoot guy, but you can see why such a mistake could get made when he is. you know. the way he is)

“you’re saying i a lot. i heard we” <- YEAHHH SCULLY! GET HIM!!!!!

(augh. and this plot once again fell victim to too much mulder saying i and not enough mulder saying we. probably my biggest complaint with this whole show)

she doesn’t think this case will be a waste of their time, but he says it won’t waste hers, because he will just go by himself! and he’s all pouty as he stalks off, leaving her looking confused. come on, monster boy. stop being emo.

oh, you know the episode is gonna hit when it says written by vince gilligan. i think? he’s the shippy guy, right? i normally don’t pay attention to these things, but people in the comments point out the writers, and he is spoken of positively 

(i googled his name to make sure i was spelling it right, and it turns out he also wrote breaking bad and better call saul. wow! that is a man with some serious credentials!)

so mulder takes off to chicago all by himself to listen to the taped manifesto at the vinyl shop call ceneter. it was sent to the local radio station with the instructions to play it over and over 24 hours a day. the subtitles allow me to know that this is the voice of gary, warning of an evil monster who hides in the light. mulder looks very very bored. 

the boss guy says he’s conducting his own internal investigation, which leads me to believe that he is the bug beast.

not even TWO STEPS OUT THE DOORWAY of that guy’s office and he’s calling scully LMAOOOOO I AM CRYINGGGGG... they cannot be separated or disaster ensues!!! 

he wants her to check on the phrase “hiding in the light”. OH she swivels around at their desk :,) her at the desk makes me so happy!

he recognizes it from an old file!!! “which one? there’s hundreds” “i’m not sure, but i appreciate it” <- AWWW poor scully has to go through 8 million x files looking for a phrase… deep scully sigh as she resigns herself to the glamorous field of archival work. at least he said he appreciated her hard work.

gary sees mulder here and is watching him…. and gary sees his coworkers being called in to talk with the manager. he tells nancy not to go in there!!! “gary, i love you buddy, but you’re really, really weird” damn nancy, get him again lmao

and gary sees the boss go bug mode!! and hears her screaming!! he’s crying while the other manager guy tells him to dial and smile!!

bro is having a complete breakdown… nancy returns to her desk looking like a zombie????? at least to gary. to the camera, she looks pretty normal. things are unclear, narrative-wise.

pretty mulder is listening to the manifesto and taking notes; he has this sort of loopy handwriting i really like. it's a little messy. and he’s written down and then crossed out "obsessive compulsive disorder". “formality of phrasing: desire for authority - to be taken seriously” YEAHHH GO MONSTER BOY GO🔥DO THAT PSYCHOANALYSIS YOU LOVE SO MUCH

meanwhile, gary is gathering ammunition and loading a gun!!!! oh my god????

scully calls!!! she found the phrase and who said it and when and where!!! again, you really cannot out-research her. back in 1992 in florida, a deacon was worried about evil in his church and then showed up and shot people. oh god. and he said “the afflicted ones won’t bleed” hey that’s horrific 

“scully, at the risk of you telling me i told you so, i think it’s time for you to get down here and help me” “i told you so”, she says, smiling <3 

AUGHHHH i need to scream into my hands for a moment

okay. i'm better now. that was just so damn cute.

mulder shows up the next day at the vinyl office place, but it’s empty!!! nancy says to get down… gary points a gun at him!!!! 

scully is pulling in to the parking lot while swarms of police and helicopters are everywhere…. scully introduces herself as agent mulder’s partner. the local FBI team doesn't have any updates on what is going on inside!!!!! 

they want to call him and she says NO. it could put him in danger. this other dude is being condescending to her and she again says NO. we need to find another way. so take that.

oh my god??? inside, gary is making some guy tie everyone up and kneel with their hands behind their heads?? he says the boss is who they should be afraid of and to shut up and stop crying. gary. bro. this is not a good look.

and he says he’s not talking to the people who aren’t human, referring to the first three people the boss took in his office…

mulder is coming in to save the day!!! he asks very calmly why they should be afraid of mr. pincus, claiming that he is here to apply for a job. i can only hope that i could be as calm as him in a hostage situation.

gary says that mr. pincus is a monster who will harvest their souls and turn them into zombies. okay. like in a corporate way or a literal way?

mulder’s slowly moving to grab his gun when gary looks away….

he says everyone needs to hold their breath, and as the local FBI team tries to break in, gary fires at the ceiling!!! maybe he’ll use up all his ammo???? and then mulder can attack???

WHY IS NO ONE LISTENING TO SCULLY WHEN SHE SAYS NOT TO CALL HIM???? Y’ALL ARE PISSING ME OFF!!!!

so of course his phone goes off when these fools call him, gary sees mulder’s gun, and they lose their ONE SHOT OF SAFETY, and gary slaps mulder across the face and SHOOTS AT SOME GUY WHO DARED TO MOVE OH MY GODDDD YOU BITCHES WHO DON’T LISTEN TO SCULLY ALL ARE GOING TO HELL!!!!!!!!

and gary finds mulder's FBI badge…. he picks up the phone and says he shot a zombie, but didn’t kill him. because he was already dead.

he says he will start killing actual people if they don’t get him on the TV!!!

scully says PUT HIM ON THE TV!!! WE DO NOT HAVE TIME FOR THIS NONSENSE!!!

can they maybe film him and pretend to get it on the TV, and just get it on the local channel so it only broadcasts to the office TV or something????

gary. bro. i’m scared.

mulder tries to remind gary that the guy he killed was a man, but gary says it was a zombie. and that the boss wants to turn them all into drones.

mr. pincus asks a great question: if he is the monster, what does he need all of these people for?? he says to just wait until they put him on the TV.

when they call mulder's cell again, gary answers the phone with “dial and smile” ohhh…. this is truly a man who has had enough of his job

so they’re sending the camera people in…. and scully sees that gary is holding mulder at gunpoint!!!

ohh, they *are* doing a closed circuit broadcast, so gary sees himself on the office TV and no one else will be subjected to him!!! yeah, shoutout to technology.

the cameraman pretends some wires are twisted, which allows the FBI team to see that the wall is clear…. and mulder is forced to lay down…. and now gary’s addressing “the people”

mr. pincus is being held at gunpoint…. and mulder gets in the way… gary’s screaming and screaming at mulder to get him out of the way, but he won’t do it… and scully is WATCHING ALL OF THIS THROUGH THE CAMERA FEED… WHICH IS SO CRAZY

he hears the buzzing again…. and the lights are out…

does mulder see the bug man too?? or is it all in gary’s mind????

the FBI team enters and someone shoots gary. mulder is splattered with blood, but he is looking at mr. pincus suspiciously…… 

GARY WHISPERS “now you know” to him as he lay dying…

HOLY HELL?????????????

what. hey guys! what’s up? what is going on here.

poor pensive mulder is looking off at mr. pincus. “you look exhausted”, says scully, which he instantly denies. and oh, he’s going to talk to him. 

mr. pincus thanks him for saving his life. but mulder is in questioning mode. so mr. pincus had been, at some point, at the other plant where the incident went down a few years earlier, and had been to florida, where the x file case that scully had dug up in the files earlier was. bug guy… real??

scully is very confused. “what’s going on?” she asks softly, and he says he doesn’t know. ohhhh :( he sounded so lost :(

back to washington dc, where mulder is drawing lines on maps. with his poor busted lip and his poor busted finger. someone get him an ice pack

scully is shocked to see him! “mulder, why didn’t you take the day off?” he looks CRAZY and tells her to close the door. 

oh, what must be going through her mind right now…?

he found the phrase “hiding in the light” or variations of it in 5 other x files, but the variations he lists seem pretty different to me. all the other cases were people who said evil was right in front of them but no one else could see it. which seems like a pretty typical x file trope. i'm not sure if he's onto anything here.

she asks what we are all thinking: have you slept? he disregards this and keeps going. 

all of the cases with the phrase variations date back ten years, and that is how long pincus has worked for the vinyl company… hmm…

bro is still in his bloody shirt while trying to convince scully that perhaps a human bug creature could hypnotize its prey into not being visible. please get this man some clean clothes. it is not good to sit around covered in the blood of both yourself and others.

scully does not want to play along with gary's delusions or give them any credit. good for her!

“he was mentally ill. this monster was-was a sick fantasy, a product of his dementia”

(angry mulder nods) “i saw it, too.” (surprised scully face) “does that make me disturbed? demented? does that make me sick, too?” 

ohhhh, there is panic in scully, i am sure, but she is good at not showing it. 

(deep sigh) “no. no, this kind of thing is not uncommon. you… you went through a terrible ordeal, and sometimes people in close associations, under tense conditions, uh, the delusions of one can be passed onto the other” <- ohhhh scully… she is trying so hard to be kind and scientific and to support how he feels without fueling any harmful beliefs. it's a very careful dance.

he is furious though, insisting it’s not a delusion ("it's not folie a deux", he insists in the most american sounding way possible), and i can’t help but think about how his insistence on the existence of bug man fits in with his earlier disgust at being seen as the monster boy. well. you can see how these things happen when we wind up in this sort of situation.

he wants to prove that the people gary pointed out as not human really were turned into zombies somehow… maybe they can give them a checkup under the guise of “damn, y’all just went through some wild stuff”, but all i can think about is getting that man a fresh shirt and a nice long shower. can we give them a check up when you’re clean? please? thank you. bloodborne pathogens are scary.

scully refuses to autopsy the body- saying she won’t feed into the delusions- and he says he’ll prove it without her and storms off. 

she must be so worried about him...... he's clearly not himself

oh shoot… he goes to gary’s place and finds the same map tracking pincus that he had made!!! and then mulder sees a zombified nancy outside!!! he’s running off, but the guy he's with doesn’t see anyone!!!!

now she’s driving off with pincus… where are they going???

scully is here to talk to skinner. he wants to know: why is mulder being weird? 

AND WHY DID HE GET HER SCHEDULED TO DO AN AUTOPSY AFTER SHE SAID NO???? skinner KNOWS something is up and asks if there’s something she wants to tell him. she says “no, sir” and walks away, leaving him behind, confused

okay. so i feel like plotwise, i’m going to be annoyed if mulder is right, because he is acting really wild, and i get that it’s an intense situation, but you need to respect your partner. and listen to her and not make her do things that she refused to do. if he is behaving like he is having a break in his sanity, and scully is treating him with the care that this sort of situation affords, but then it turns out he was the only one clever enough to see the truth for the billionth time, making scully the scorned skeptic... well, it gets old after 5 seasons.

and we know that while he is often right about things, he is also incredibly prone to believing, and this can take him to self-destructive lengths, such as letting a guy put k in your brain until scully has to throw herself on him like a weighted blanket so he doesn't end things permanently. so. i don’t always trust his judgement.

but maybe she’s thinking, if i just autopsy the damn guy, we can get this over with.

all that being said: skinner’s confused face is so funny, lmao

scully does not want to do an autopsy. she’s outsourced it to someone else! i appreciate her sticking to her guns.

she’s trying to call mulder, but the guy doing the autopsy says it looks like the shooting victim has been dead for 2-3 days… and she says no, he died yesterday. HMM. weird. you can see the realization on her face…. something weird is going on here. but is it as strange as mulder claims?

pincus is going… somewhere. well, you better believe mulder is tailing him. hard for a guy that tall to be stealthy. 

he moves the picnic table to look into the window of this house, and he sees the bug guys!!! then he breaks in, seeing an eyeless woman and a bug guy crawling behind him!!! breaking and entering... not a good look

the CGI is killing me lmao. bro is leaning out the window. LMAO WHAT THE HELL I’M HOWLING LOOK AT THE BUG GUY SCURRYING AWAY BAHAHAAAAAAAAAA 

we need to appreciate this for a moment. crazed mulder breaking into some rando's house and shooting at the human-sized bug.

bug guy jumps off of the roof!!!

skinner is listening to the woman whose house he broke into testify… she says she felt a presence creeping towards her… and then this madman was in her house (pan to mulder) uh oh!!! one of many times mulder could have been fired, tbh!!!

she says he was screaming about monsters more than gary!! and then she leaves saying he shouldn’t carry a gun!!!

oh, mulder... what are we going to do with you?

pincus stays behind… oh, skinner is going to go nuclear on mulder if he opens his mouth to call him a monster one more time… poor skinner…….. pincus says he still considers mulder a hero for helping with the hostage situation, which is why he wants to handle this privately

LMAOOOO WAIT MULDER YELLED MORE AND NOW SKINNER IS SCREAMING AT HIM AND MULDER SEES PINCUS TURN INTO BUG MAN RIGHT BEHIND HIM!!!!!!!!! HOLD ONNNN IT’S NOT SUPPOSED TO BE FUNNY BUT IT LOOKS SO SILLY I CANNOT HELP BUT LAUGH

skinner has to pin him down after he pulls out his gun!!!! oh my god!! he is gonna get fired for real!!!

(funny how often skinner and mulder come to physical blows. i just think it's neat)

mulder is in the hospital in chicago, and scully slips her hand into his (stop. i’ll cry. hey i’ll cry) and he says “five years together, scully. you must have seen this coming” <- HEY IS HE GETTING FIRED FOR REAL?? or just announcing the formal loss of his sanity?!

she says they more or less found what they thought they would find in the body… it looked more decomposed than it ought to have… but that really isn't unusual

oh, look how pained she looks as she listens to him try and explain the monster. he says pincus bit the lady whose house he broke into's neck. now is this a bug or a vampire? i guess those two categories have some commonality

she says the case is closed, and she only has hope he can see past this delusion AUGHHHH

i am imagining being scully in this situation and how much it would hurt to see your bestie and partner like this.......

“you have to be willing to see” “i wish it were that simple” “scully, you have to believe me. nobody else on this whole damn planet does or ever will” OUGHHHHHHHHH

:( :( :( monster boy......

“you’re my… one in five billion” OHHH. HE SAID THE THING. THE BLOGS QUOTE HIM SAYING THE THING ALL THE TIME. AND HE SAID IT!!! AND MY HEART DID A FLIP.

look at her looking at him……

that feeling when your bestie is out of his mind, begging you to believe in the bug men, and he says you're his soul mate.......... yeah.

back to autopsy land. this other dude is very confused as to why she wants to flip him over. AUGH. bites! bug bites!

she is shaving the dead body's head. which is not something i ever thought you had to do, but here we are. she shaves that dead body like a pro. and AUGH. more bites. 

poor mulder is being restrained and shot up with stuff :( our pathetic man is suffering…….. 

he hears insects!!! did they bite him too???

NOOO!!! he sees the insect!! he’s screaming for the nurse!!!

he sounds absolutely wild as he tries to convince her there’s something at the window, and for her to let him go. oh, she opens the window…. is there something on her neck……. it looked like... juice?? gag.

he hears more insects…. i think it’s coming in his room?? it’s climbing on the wall?? 

OH SHIT!! the nurse is not letting scully in!!! and she sees her as a zombie, too???

SCULLY PARANORMAL MOMENT?!?!

OH, SHE BURSTS INTO HIS ROOM AS HE’S SCREAMING, AND SHOOTS THE BUG MAN!!!!

she’s looking at the window like wtf… am i going to have to pay to get that fixed…? and also was that really a bug man...? a lot of important questions are being communicated despite the lack of works

while he’s still fighting his restraints…

cut to a baffled skinner. “agent scully, i have to say, i’m at a bit of a loss here” LMAOOOO me too girl

“do i infer correctly from this that you believe there’s some… merit to agent mulder’s claims?”

(god, i typed "clams" at first. i wish there was merit to his clams)

this is shocking, but not unheard of. listen! scully just wants answers, okay? and sometimes they lie in the category of science yet to be explained.

(long scully pause) “i believe that agent mulder is mentally sound and fit for duty. aside from that belief, i can only present to you the few hard facts that i've been able to gather” <- queen of giving a measured response in a purple suit 

oh shoot!! there was a toxin in the spine of the shooting victim!! and pincus is gone without a trace, with 6 other key witnesses!! including the nurse!!!

skinner wants to know what the intruder looks like… she deflects that it was dark. that is all we hear her say, even though i wouldhave loved to know how that conversation ended.

scully and mulder reunite as they enter an elevator. “what did you tell him?”, he asks her. “the truth… as well as i understand it” “which is?” (long scully pause) “folie a deux… a madness shared by two”

hey. why does it sound like she knows french when she said that? because i know that mulder took french, but he said it as american as possible. however, she took german and said that pretty darn well. 

blushing a little.

AUGH, and a new company for WINDOWS has insect noises going on at the call center!!!

and so, the monsters continue to spread, ready at any moment to end humanity; a typical ending to an episode.

well. what did i think of this one?

hmm. i’m not sure. i was hoping mulder was going off the deep end rather than him being the most specialist boy of all who can once again see what the rest of the world cannot. he’s right too often, and we end up in the same situation where scully refuses to listen to his theories on account of the fact that he sounds crazy, and then he lowkey bullies her into doing what he asks rather than always considering her input, and then he ends up being right.

someone once got mad on one of my posts and said scully hates mulder (lmao. can you imagine?) because she never believes him even though he tends to be right. and buddy, i cannot really accept that as valid criticism, even beyond the whole point of the show being that yeah, they don't see eye to eye on supernatural matters. that is the most watsonian explanation to an incredibly clear doylist pattern, which is that mulder is the most special boy of all in this show and he knows all of the things and everyone else is a mere fool. this pattern annoys me greatly.

i just think it's funny (said with sarcasm) that someone would take the watsonian, in-universe explanation that hates on the woman character rather than acknowledge the fact that the writers clearly had a bias between the two. lmao.

and yeah. there are elements of both. scully is both purposefully written as stubborn in the face of his outlandish theories due to her loyalty to science as an element of her character, AND purposefully written as the one who naively refuses to believe mulder as some sort of audience proxy, because augh, that woman, she just won't believe our most special gifted genius agent mulder!

you can see how those two things work together, but one is clearly the result of the other. character decisions come from writers who often have their own biases and agendas rather than out of some mysterious creative ether from which a character emerges fully formed.

and poor skinner, trying to deal with mulder's often violent impulses. 

i think it’s very interesting that scully believes herself and him to be victims of a shared madness. it’s the most logical belief for her to have, but it also places this kind of… like, concerning element to them being together. is everything they have experienced a shared madness? or just this after the trauma of him being held hostage? how can you trust your memory? how can you trust what you see? 

i also think it’s very interesting how she refuses to feed his delusions at all when he proposed the idea. she would not do the autopsy. and from his psych training standpoint, i imagine that he knew she would say that, but was still hoping against hope because he was so out of his right mindset. she stuck to what she believed would help him recover, which is really admirable and doctor-y of her.

god, her slipping her hand into his as he’s in the hospital…

see, this is the problem with this show. it’s got me philosophizing on the meaning of the bug men. first of all, if they’re the ones in charge of call centers, i’m not really that surprised. corporate work turns you into a zombie; you don’t have time for passions or pursuits of your own, you just work for the shareholder. i get that interpretation. 

but other than that, what are we to think of the bug men? are we to call into question the things that we see? are we to believe the manifestos and ramblings of people like gary? 

i’m going to probably just assume it was a sort of “wouldn’t it be fucked up if…” situation the writers concocted. yeah it *would* be fucked up if there were bug guys in the call center taking over america through ceaseless barrages of advertising. you've got me there, vince.

my feelings on mulder’s behavior are complicated. maybe it was a shared madness between them *and* there were some shady bug things going on. him sitting there still the day after the hostage situation, having gotten no sleep, still in his bloody shirt, drawing lines on the map… i mean, he did not seem well, even for a guy famed for his bouts of obsessive focus. 

i am going to think on this one for a bit. perhaps a more coherent train of thought will arise. but for now, i have written a treatise on the nature of this show's frustrating parts while also highlighting the parts that made me giggle. like "i told you so" and scully's good french and mulder's terrible french and holding hands and undying love <3

[zombielink5]

What do you think about Mama Benson and her relationship with her son? I really desperately wish we got another scene with them, but at the same time I feel like what we got was effective for the movie's plot

I totally agree with wishing we got to see more but, yeah what we got definitely got across some important things about Benson!

Ma strikes me as a parent who maybe used to be involved but circumstances left her very passive and absent emotionally from Benson. When we see her, she doesn’t have anything personal to say to Benson, just requests her cigarettes. Benson seems frustrated/annoyed with her but there’s also a tenderness about the way he treats her. He gives up his own pack of cigs, knowing he’d have to risk going to pick up more post-murder, thought ahead to get food for her, and kisses her on the forehead.

It feels like Benson has been in a parentified role taking care of her for a long time, probably since he was a minor and therefore has this mix of “it’s not fair” anger, love, and resignation towards her. I feel like he still lives with her exclusively because he’s responsible for all the bills and getting groceries, cooking for her.

When Ma says she can’t get cigs herself and Benson challenges this, it comes across like most of her issue is mental rather than a physical disability. Maybe something along agoraphobia or severe untreated mental illness like depression or bipolar disorder (depressive episode) keeping her stuck in bed feeling unable to even get up for the phone. This furthermore pushes the idea that Benson has been her caretaker for a while!

Ma also doesn’t seem surprised at all by Randy showing up covered in blood. I think Benson has been a deeply angry person for a long time and probably acted out a lot growing up post-Sheppard trauma. I think as a parent she probably noticed this change but had no resources or knowledge on how to address it or talk to him about it. Maybe she grew up learning to grin and bear things so she never tried. Maybe part of Benson’s resentment comes from his Ma never reaching out to him after he became bitter and traumatized.

I think maybe Ma gave up a long time ago and always thought in the back of her mind that her baby might be capable of true violence one day and that she’s helpless to stop it so why even bother? Almost like a self fulfilling prophecy in a way by just taking no action at all.

I really wish we got to hear her thoughts because that’s still her baby :/ and presumably she called the cops on him after Benson/Randy left the house.

In comparison to Randy’s mother being too involved and totally overbearing, Ma being so disconnected and absent is so so interesting to me

[callmearcturus]

do you know how frustrating it is to have your threshold for action movies get set by Mission Impossible and John Wick, any almost every time you see a movie that bills itself as "ACTION MOVIE WITH STRONG CHARACTERS" you go "oh boy, i love that!" and then you watch and its like "wtf is this"

i just want movies with

jaw-droppingly beautiful cinematography

good lighting of course obvsly

practical stunts and lusciously choerographed fights that reflect the individual fighting style of each character and their specific body shape and physicality

strong thematic arcs

beautiful locations and set design

motorcycles (pls)

above-average to excellent character writing (plot is less important)

Lorne Balfe banging out the tunes (this bitch loves drums and by god so do i)

THAT'S IT IS THAT SO MUCH TO ASK?????

[hcfiles]

I have been saying for a long time (since my taken-down IG page) that this shenanigan was a very passionate move and gives the impression someone (an ex-girlfriend or boyfriend) got pissed to be dumped and decided for a vendetta. The insistence in bringing the "Henry Cavill's girlfriend" title as narrative in cheap tabloids seemed to be a desperate attempt to counter attack, a violent response to react against something going on, as if they wanted to strike someone down.

I also have said Natalie could be Henry's new PA, who decided to take advantage of the place she was put in. If the Corey story that was sent to me is true and if Natalie is his replacement as a PA (maybe she has been a PA for a long time and that's why she's been seen around studios), hum... Food for thought. But, let's not forget she made many posts on her IG giving the idea she was a Legendary employee, despite not having the posture nor behavior of a VP nor an executive producer. She passes the vibe of a cheap PA, not to say worse.

But,... And if this immoral PR was a result of an attempt to deal with a stalker (a dumped ex-girlfriend or boyfriend) who wanted to discredit his image as a man, taking his mask off, while Henry avoided exposing this person? Maybe that was what Corey meant in one of his stories about not helping anyone when keeping a secret (not exactly those words). All I see is a guy who made, and makes, a lot of effort to keep an image he no longer can maintain, in part because of Natalie Viscuso and this PR management (what they want us to believe), but mainly, because of his own vanity and stubbornness.

This didn't happen because he was deceived nor blackmailed. This happened, because of greed, vanity, pride and stubbornness. He's not a poor bird with a broken wing. He's a wolf eager for fame and money, who got greedy and messed with the wrong animals in the forest. He wouldn't have been in this Industry for so long if he were that naive. This was his plot to promote his manhood (vanity), his decision to take it further (stubbornness) and his choice to appeal to a fake baby belly and further fake paternity (stupidity).

Natalie could have had a baby, but if so, she got pregnant after this baby shenanigan came out publicly. When she first showed with a five to six-month belly she wasn't pregnant. At least, not that pregnant. The timeline of this pregnancy doesn't match its narrative. This pregnancy was HIS idea and Natalie was, initially, upset to show with that belly. That was clear on her face as soon as she came out that door. She was later, convinced, after being patronized by paps and other people outside that hotel.

She is actually being an idiot for accepting to be used that way. And they end up forming a pathetic couple. Henry is a pathological pretender. He created a character to sell his image with fake plots and narratives to hide his real life from the public (for shame, insecurities and self preservation, probably to avoid judgements). Instead, he presents an AVATAR in a fake plot, as in a videogame, in the place of reality. He's addicted to fantasy and lives in virtual worlds where he doesn't need to deal with the frustration of real life.

He is an AVATAR of a game called Hollyweird, where the goal is to become the most famous, liked, rich and popular celeb in the entire Hollyweird. When he achieves a level (a new movie or a new PR stunt) he goes to another level arranging a new movie and/or a new PR with more difficulties to overcome. After a game, all he has to do is leave the computer, for the game has no real consequences. It turns out he forgot, this time, he is playing this game in the real world, where characters are real people, the actions have consequences he will have to answer to, and its results bring frustrations he will have to deal with.

It seems he never had to deal with real frustrations since he started as an actor. He never had troubles, never got desperate worrying with bills, never had to care for a sick loving one with a terminal disease. He has no idea what the real world is. Well, now he's having a taste of it.

[twistedtummies2]

Top 15 Animated Disney TV Villains

October’s still going, and I’ve already talked about Disney Villains a few times. I covered my favorite portrayals of one of their greatest members, Cruella De Vil, and I also talked about various Disney Villain Songs - first from the movies, and then from other avenues. It was in the process of exploring said “other avenues” that I realized I should probably give some attention to a more underappreciated group of Disney baddies: the ones from their TV programs. We all love characters like the Evil Queen, Chernabog, and Dr. Facilier, but Disney’s television output has created some pretty iconic villains in its own right, many on par with (and sometimes even better than) their film characters. Whether they be from shows spun-off of pre-existing properties, or totally original pieces, the villains of Disney’s TV cartoons are often just as recognizable as the movie characters, with just as much fan appreciation. Yet, despite this, they don’t get as much merchandising, nor as much attention at the Parks: you’re not likely to see characters like Mozenrath or Xanatos lined up alongside Maleficent or Jafar. Well, I think it’s time to give these dastardly adversaries some time in the spotlight. A BIG, FAT WARNING THOUGH: there are actually quite a lot of Disney shows I haven’t seen (and probably will not see anytime soon), particularly more modern ones from the past ten years or so. As a result, there are some popular villains and shows you WON’T see referenced on this list: if you’re expecting to see entries from Gravity Falls, The Owl House, Star vs. the Forces of Evil, or Wander Over Yonder - all of which I know are pretty popular - you’re going to be disappointed. (The only reason I’m including Bill Cipher as a “banner entry” here is because I’m pretty sure if I didn’t reference him at all, someone would try to assassinate me.) Most of these characters come from series produced in the 80s, the 90s, and the 2000s, with a few entries from the 2010s. This is because those are the shows I know best and/or grew up with. While some of these series I haven’t revisited in their entirety in a long time, I HAVE returned to ALL of them, to some degree or another, at some point when making this countdown.

Two quick rules to note: firstly, I won’t be including villains who originated in films, under any circumstances. So characters like Emperor Zurg, Hades, Yzma, and so on - who were all major antagonists in their movies’ respective spin-off series - will be ignored. They get plenty of attention as is, frankly. Secondly, I’m only going to include one villain per show…minus two exceptions. Why I made those two exceptions will be explained when they pop up. With that said, for those of you who are still sticking around and curious to see what series and what characters WILL make the list…sit down, grab some snacks, and ready your remote controls. These are My Top 15 Disney Animated TV Villains!

15. The Birthday Bandit, from Teamo Supremo.

Some of you may recall I brought this guy up on an earlier list. Of all the shows on this list, I’d argue that Teamo Supremo is one of the most forgotten. It’s not a series that has a significantly large fanbase, as far as I can tell; lots of people I know have never even heard of it. The series was meant to be a tribute to the works of Jay Ward, the creator of such classics as Dudley Do-Right, Rocky & Bullwinkle, and George of the Jungle. The plot focused on the adventures of three kid superheroes - the titular Teamo Supremo - as they faced a variety of campy, colorful super-criminals. My favorite of these supervillains is, and always was, the Birthday Bandit. The Bandit was once a humble children’s entertainer known as B.B. the Clown. However, frustrated with his work, and forever bitter about the fact he never got to properly celebrate his own birthdays as a child, B.B. becomes the evil Birthday Bandit: the lord high ruiner of all holidays and special occasions. (Birthdays, obviously, are his specialty, but he also attacked Valentine’s Day in one episode.) Basically, combine the Grinch with the Joker, and you’ll get this character…which is actually a more apt description than you might think. One of the main reasons the Bandit is and was my favorite villain is his voice actor: none other than the King of All Jokers, Mark Hamill. I guess the guy just has a very specific type.

14. Lord Duke Scrapperton, from Super Robot Monkey Team Hyperforce GO!

I am convinced that this show had to have been at least semi-inspired by the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, solely based on the fact that both of these superhero franchises have titles that are so absolutely bizarre and long that you’d think they were thought up by deranged drug addicts. Regardless, this series was a pretty interesting departure for the Disney Channel. Created for the “Jetix” line of shows at the time, which tried to be more “cool” than the rest, this anime-influenced series was yet another superhero adventure show. (Get used to that, by the way, there’s a few more of those to come.) This time, the story focused on a young boy named Chiro, who joins forces with a team of five robotic monkeys (as you do) to stop the machinations of the evil Skeleton King. (Incidentally, the Skeleton King was voiced by the Birthday Bandit himself, Mark Hamill…who also appears in the Honorable Mentions…I’m sensing a pattern here.) While the King was a great main antagonist, my favorite villain was actually the less prominent - but no less memorable - Lord Duke Scrapperton. Initially voiced by Eric Idle (he would later be replaced by Jeff Bennett), Scrapperton is a steampunk cyborg who has replaced nearly his entire body with clockwork technology, and is continually seeking to upgrade himself further. He is also an avid collector, gathering everything from action figures…to living beings. At first, Scrappterton seems eccentric, but rather friendly; however, as his debut episode goes on, a darker, more twisted side to his nature is revealed. The character would reappear a couple more times throughout the series, still seeking upgrades and new things to gather for his boundless collection. Frankly, it’s hard to go wrong with a posh cyborg villain voiced by a member of Monty Python.

13. The Saurians, from Mighty Ducks: The Animated Series.

I don’t know what madman decided to turn the hockey sports film “The Mighty Ducks” into a superhero/sci-fi series about anthropomorphic mallards, living in a hockey-obsessed universe, and fighting reptilian warlords from space. Whoever it was, somebody give them a raise for abstract creativity. In truth, this series as a whole wasn’t necessarily one of Disney’s best, in my opinion, but I also wouldn’t say it was all that bad. The highlight of the show was undoubtedly its villains, the Saurians. This is the first of the two exceptions I mentioned before, as I’m counting the whole main team of villains from this show. The leader of the Saurians was the devilish Lord Dragaunus: a fire-breathing fiend who plans to - what else? - conquer the universe. His second in command was an evil wizard called Wraith, who I can only describe as a combination of Skeletor and the Horned King. Next is Siege, a beefy bruiser and weapons expert, followed finally by Chameleon, a wisecracking, shapeshifting little hobgoblin. Fairly standard characters for a show like this, so what makes them so particularly special? Answer: their voice actors. In the order listed, these four characters were played by Tim Curry, Tony Jay, Clancy Brown, and Frank Welker. For those who aren’t keeping track, now going in reverse order, that means every time these four were onscreen together, you had Megatron, Lex Luthor, Frollo, and…well…TIM CURRY all bouncing off one another and sharing dialogue. I almost don’t care about the quality of the series after that point; anyone smart enough to put these four guys in a room together, in any shape or form, is doing something right!

12. Lady Waltham, from The Legend of Tarzan.

Sometimes a TV Villain can be not only as good, but honestly BETTER than a film counterpart. Lady Waltham is such a case, which is especially interesting because she’s an outlier on this list in one important way: all the other villains on this countdown are recurring antagonists. How often they appear varies from program to program, of course. (Scrapperton only gets three appearances in his respective show, while the Saurians are in nearly every episode of theirs.) Lady Waltham, however, is a oneshot character: she only appears in a single episode. But, man, what an episode! The story is entitled “Gauntlet of Vengeance.” In the episode, Tarzan and his allies first meet Lady Waltham as a rather strict but seemingly decent Englishwoman on safari. This, however, is a false facade to help her get close to them all, as she enacts an elaborate scheme against them: she puts all of Tarzan’s closest companions into cunning death traps, then uses a poisoned dart on Tarzan himself. The antidote to the poison is located on a mountain peak; if Tarzan is quick enough, he can cure himself before the poison runs its full course…but doing so will lead to the death of all his friends and family. He won’t have time to do both. Why is Waltham doing this? That’s where things get especially interesting: it’s revealed that Waltham is the younger sister of Clayton, the villain of the original movie. She blames Tarzan for her brother’s death, and seemingly knows nothing of Clayton’s villainous ways. It’s all for revenge: Tarzan will either die like her brother, or see all of his loved ones perish. Many people seem to consider this to be the best episode of the show, as well as one of the darkest, and I am in full agreement. There were many other villains in the series, including several recurring foes, but for me, Waltham stood out as the single best of the bunch. Her arc in the story is interesting, and she actually proves to be a more complex and compelling antagonist than her late brother, all with less screentime. She may not have shown up a lot, but she’s still more than deserving of placement in these ranks.

11. Shego, from Kim Possible.

Okay, so, I have a confession to make: I’m not a huge fan of Kim Possible. Not because I think the show is bad - quite the reverse - but because I didn’t actually watch much of it when growing up. I think this was because, as a little boy, I had this dumb and silly idea in my head that “girl protagonist = girly show.” Naturally, this was an idiotic viewpoint to have, and in revisiting the show, it’s easy to see why it had and still has a lot of respect, and why the title character was so popular. While the main villain of the series was the diabolical (and delightfully doofy) Dr. Drakken, even as a kid (again, with little interest in the program) I think the villain who seemed the most interesting to me was this gal: Drakken’s henchgirl, Shego. Shego is one of those classic villains who is essentially an “anti” version of the main character. She looks a little bit like Kim, and like Kim she’s a strong, independent-thinking, sassy young woman with many skills and talents. However, while Kim is a heroine, Shego is a villainess: while she has her own strange code of honor, she genuinely enjoys being bad, and often seems much more competent than Drakken or a lot of the other villains in the show. In revisiting some of the series, I found her much more fascinating than Drakken, providing a great “dark mirror” to Kim while still feeling uniquely like her own character. The only reason - and I do think it’s the ONLY reason - she doesn’t make it into the Top 10 is simply that I’m not the series’ biggest fan. To those who would rank her higher, I can hardly blame you: she’s magnificent.

10. NOS-4-A2, from Buzz Lightyear of Star Command.

Buzz Lightyear vs. Dracula. Not a combination I expected to see, but also not one I’m upset about. In this comedic cartoon series - spun-off of Pixar’s “Toy Story” movies, but set in its own unique continuity (the conceit is this is the show that inspired the toy line in the films) - everyone’s favorite Space Ranger has many foes to face. From bounty hunters to evil overlords, there are plenty of ghastly ghouls haunting the galaxy. None, however, are quite as ghoulish as NOS-4-A2. The result of an experiment by Lightyear’s arch-nemesis, Emperor Zurg, NOS-4-A2 was intended to be a weapon used against Star Command for Zurg’s evil plans. However, the robotic monster ultimately went rogue and became a particularly nasty baddy in his own right, with his own schemes of domination and destruction. NOS-4-A2 is an “energy vampire”: instead of drinking blood, the monster primarily feeds on electrical energy. While he primarily targets fellow robots, he can and will also attack more traditional living beings, such as humans, when necessary. Inspired by Bram Stoker’s famed Transylvanian Count, NOS-4-A2 has many of the same abilities: he can brainwash people and machines into becoming his mind-warped servants, turn fellow robots into vampires, fly with his bat-like wings, and is also able to turn non-machines he bites into “Wirewolves.” The character was played by Craig Ferguson, of all people, and was one of the few villains on the series who actually felt pretty threatening, as well as being very funny. The stories he appeared in always felt a little bit darker and more dangerous, and had a delightfully Gothic, spooky tone to them, which made him all the more memorable.

9. Abis Mal & Mechanicles, from Aladdin.

This is the other exception I mentioned, along with the Saurians, where I’m including multiple villains from the same show in the same ranking. In this case, however, it’s for different reasons. “Aladdin” was one of my favorite Disney TV shows growing up. The series takes place between the events of “Return of Jafar” and “King of Thieves” (which were, themselves, basically the first and final episodes of the show; otherwise Abis Mal wouldn’t count here). It covered the adventures Aladdin, Jasmine, Genie, and the rest had before the princess and the “street rat” were finally married. Throughout the series, the team faced many adversaries: the necromancer Mozenrath, the evil elemental Mirage, the draconic Malcho, and the God of Chaos himself were all just a few of the more noteworthy enemies Aladdin and his friends had to outwit. However, the two most prominent villains in the series - the “Joker and Penguin” of the Aladdin universe, if you will - were these two. Abis Mal is a bungling thief, voiced by the incomparable Jason Alexander. He first appeared in “Return of Jafar” and continued to be a recurring foe throughout the series. Mechanicles, meanwhile, is a mad scientist, with an Ancient Greek aesthetic, who creates robotic bugs to do his bidding. Both of them were VERY funny villains, and it’s honestly hard for me to say which one I liked more. Abis Mal I think is less threatening and unique than Mechanicles (although I’d hardly call Mechanicles the most menacing of Aladdin’s villains, either), but it’s kind of hard to beat Jason Alexander’s comedic vocal chops in the role. This, combined with the fact he DID appear alongside Jafar in the aforementioned feature probably helps him a lot. Ultimately, I decided to just lump them both together here. Good job to both these bad guys!

8. Don Karnage, from TaleSpin.

“TaleSpin” was one of the weirder Disney shows, just by its concept: it took some of the characters from “The Jungle Book” and reimagined them in a more contemporary universe inhabited by anthropomorphic animals. (Sort of a Rudyard Kipling version of Zootopia.) While the nominal main antagonist of “TaleSpin” was Shere Khan, he doesn’t really count for this list. However, I would argue this guy was really much more the main villain than the infamous tiger, and he DEFINITELY counts. Don Karnage was the flamboyant, bizarrely-accented leader of a band of Air Pirates, who were constant thorns in the sides of Baloo and the other protagonists. Karnage is a vain and EXTREMELY melodramatic pirate, whose ego and bad temper have a tendency of mucking up his plans. He’s actually not really stupid, especially not when compared to the other pirates on his crew, but the combo of his bungling henchmen and his emotions getting the better of him always leads to him being foiled in the end. The character was voiced by Jim Cummings, and this is worth noting because Cummings was actually the talent behind a LOT of Disney’s greatest TV baddies: no less than three of the characters on this countdown were all voiced by him, starting with Karnage. Of the three in question, Karnage is by far the silliest, but he’s more than worthy of commendation: heck, he got to duel Captain Hook, I think that’s worth pointing out on its own terms! (Yes, that really happened, look it up.) The character was recently reimagined in the 2017 reboot of “DuckTales.” There he’s voiced by Jaime Camil. That version was fun, but I think that I’ll always prefer the original rendition of the character, for several reasons. Still, you can count this slot for both, if you like.

7. Dr. Doofenshmirtz, from Phineas & Ferb.

One of the (somewhat) more recent shows to make this list, “Phineas & Ferb” was a rather absurd TV series that focused on essentially two different plotlines, each episode, which would inevitably collide in some humorous fashion in every story. One plotline focused on the titular characters: a pair of brothers who were determined to do literally everything, while their nagging sister, Candace, tried to get them in trouble at every opportunity. At the same time, there would be another story going on involving the family’s pet platypus, Perry. (I’m not questioning it, why should you?) It’s revealed that Perry the Platypus is actually a secret agent in the James-Bond-ian style, who is constantly working to keep the Tri-State Area safe from the machinations of our next contender: the diabolical Dr. Doofenshmirtz. This guy…is an absolute riot. He is HILARIOUS, on so many levels. Even in stories where he does really, REALLY horrible things, like succeeding in taking over the world or whatever, he’s somehow just so lovably insane and…well…just plain WEIRD that it’s hard not to enjoy him. His relationship with Perry is a lot of fun; the series treats the idea of being nemeses almost like a romance at points, which makes the irony all the more hilarious when they’re constantly working to destroy one another. (Think Joker and Batsy in The LEGO Batman Movie, and you’ll get some idea of what I mean.) He’s also a genuinely loving father, with his daughter, Vanessa, occasionally acting as his (somewhat begrudging) henchgirl. With his wild assortment of “-inator” devices, and plots that ranged from Jekyll-&-Hyde parodies to…um…trying to ruin pelicans (“Terrible creatures! What are you, a bird or a garbage disposal?!”), you could always count on this deranged inventor to have something wickedly silly up his sleeve.

6. Fat Cat, from Chip & Dale: Rescue Rangers.

I trust that many of you reading this are familiar with “The Great Mouse Detective.” If so, you will naturally recall two of the main villains from that movie: Professor Ratigan - a wily and theatrical criminal mastermind - and his giant pet cat, the spoiled and gluttonous Felicia. Imagine if you took those two characters, put them in a blender, stuck the result in a more contemporary setting, and then had a pair of chipmunks fight the Frankensteinian construct you’ve created. This character is pretty much EXACTLY that. Fat Cat - voiced once more by Jim Cummings - is the leader of a gang of underworld hoodlums, and the arch-nemesis of the titular Rescue Rangers. He lives up to his name both literally and figuratively: not only is his corpulence pronounced, but he is greedy, arrogant, and has a very sophisticated air to him. He’s a pretty straightforward kind of bad guy: reveling in his own devious deeds, and caring nothing for the lives of most other people (or animals), so long as he gets what he wants. And, as you can guess from the image I’ve chosen, he’s rather fond of good old-fashioned death traps, naturally followed by some villainous monologuing. Because it’s just no fun murdering fools unless you have time to gloat and let them stew in their own morbid dread. There’s really not much more to say about this character, he’s just a very fun feline felon. I was honestly REALLY disappointed that he had virtually nothing to do in the “Rescue Rangers” film that came out a couple years ago…but that’s another story for another time.

5. Janja, from The Lion Guard.

This series was a (supposedly canon? It’s kind of hard to tell) spin-off of “The Lion King,” which took place before, after, and even during the events of the sequel film, “Simba’s Pride.” Instead of following Simba’s daughter, Kiara, however, the show focused on the exploits of Simba’s son, Kion: the leader of a group of animals destined to protect the Pride Lands, the titular Lion Guard. Despite airing on Disney Junior, the show had a noticeably darker and more risky tone than many other series that were and are on that block. The Guard faced many adversaries, but arguably the most noteworthy was Janja. This rascally hyena is special partially because he was the main antagonist of the entire first season, and remained a major villain well into the second season…but also partially because he’s one of the few villains on this countdown who goes through a redemption arc. While it isn’t entirely uncommon for villains featured on this countdown to occasionally work with the heroes when their goals align (Shego, Magica, and Doofenshmirtz are notable examples), only three antagonists featured here actually reformed and became good characters. Janja is one of them, which was particularly interesting since, for much of the time before, he was treated as basically Kion’s arch-nemesis. Seeing the character we’d come to know not only as a villain, but as the chiefest rival to our main hero, turn over a new leaf was something rather novel; it would be like if the Joker suddenly turned over a new leaf and became friends with Batman, you just wouldn’t really expect it. However, for all Janja’s faults, he had been shown to have his own set of vulnerabilities, and this allowed him a rather natural shift in a rather short amount of time. Even after becoming a good guy, however, he still had his rough sides, which - while mostly treated for laughs - were still cool to notice. Funny, fiendish, and utterly fascinating, Janja is more than deserving of a spot in my Top 5.

4. Magica DeSpell, from DuckTales. (Both Versions.)

Unlike Don Karnage, where I can definitely say I prefer the original to the revamp, I’m actually not really sure which version of Magica DeSpell I prefer between these two. I did deliberate on whether I should even count Magica, since she technically got her start in Disney comics long before appearing in DuckTales. However, a.) that really counts for a LOT of the villains in the series, so that wouldn’t leave a lot of options left for who COULD make the cut, and b.) I think DuckTales is where MOST people would know Magica from, regardless, so…eh. I think it’s fair. Magica is a wicked witch who acts as one of the main villains in both versions of the series. In the original, she was a somewhat bungling mage who wished to steal Scrooge McDuck’s Number One Dime. Her reasoning is that she believes Scrooge’s famous “lucky charm” could give her greater power and wealth. However, on more than one occasion, her attempts to steal the special little coin would lead to disaster not only for the heroes, but for Magica as well. In the 2017 reboot, Magica was reimagined as a slightly darker villain: an ancient sorceress whose spirit was trapped in Scrooge’s Number One Dime. Via the standard elaborate scheming, she is eventually freed from her prison, plotting revenge and conquest…only to have much of her power stripped from her by arc’s end. She would then return several more times, trying to regain her full power and get back at Scrooge and his family. The original Magica was voiced by the great June Foray; in the reboot, she was played by Catherine Tate. (This was probably due to Tate’s fame as a Companion of David Tennant’s in Doctor Who; Tennant played Scrooge McDuck.) I really enjoy both versions of the character, so I decided to just give this credit to each interpretation together.

3. Negaduck, from Darkwing Duck.

Not all arch-enemies are quite as easy to turn as Janja. Case in point, Negaduck: the arch-nemesis of the titular superhero from the cartoon action-adventure series “Darkwing Duck.” Negaduck is the classic “evil twin” kind of supervillain: a blatant dark mirror to the hero who not only looks a lot like them, but even has a lot of similar personality traits. Darkwing, while ultimately the heroic protagonist, is far from the most saintly of crimefighters: he’s arrogant, selfish, childish, bad-tempered, and occasionally just plain rude. Negaduck is exactly the same way. However, what separates the pair is that, at the end of the day, Darkwing will still make the right choices to do what’s good, and does have a heart underneath it all. Negaduck does not: he is pure evil, plain and simple. He is sadistic, brutal, and downright cruel to a genuinely unsettling degree at times, despite the show’s comedic tone, and he doesn’t care who knows it. He’s obsessed with all kinds of things that deal death and destruction, from guns, to knives, to chainsaws, to explosives, and he rules over the gang of supervillains called The Fearsome Five with an iron fist. Also, unlike Darkwing, who occasionally comes across as a bit of a dimwit, Negaduck is actually VERY intelligent; as cunning as he is diabolical, which makes him even more of a threat. While the show’s campy tone kept him from ever being TOO scary, they got away with a lot in making this malicious mallard a pretty intense threat at times, while also still making him suitably silly when needs be. Just like Don Karnage, the character would make a comeback in the 2017 reboot of “DuckTales”...but we really didn’t get very much of him, so I don’t think there’s a ton for me to say there, especially without giving away some major spoilers. Still, the original is one of Disney’s most classic TV monsters, and more than deserving of placement in the Top 3.

2. Demona, from Gargoyles.

Until sometime within the past few years, Demona was top of the heap for this countdown. There’s a good reason for this. “Gargoyles” was essentially Disney’s answer to shows like FOX’s “X-Men” and Warner Bros. “Batman: The Animated Series.” Seeing how those two shows - superhero programs with a darker edge - were doing in ratings and popularity, Disney decided to create its own show in the same vein, but with its own unique and original approach, rather than basing it on a pre-existing comic series. The result was “Gargoyles,” which combined dark fantasy with superhero action, and told the story of a team of flying creatures sworn to protect humanity from all manner of threats. From mad scientists to immortal warriors to ancient Gods, the Gargoyles fought many foes. However, there were two that stood out among all the rest: one of them was Xanatos, an evil businessman who was sort of the Lex Luthor of the series. And while Xanatos is a really, REALLY freaking awesome villain in his own right…my favorite was, is, and probably always will be this lady, Demona. This rogue Gargoyle woman is kind of what you would get if you crossed both Magneto and Mystique from “X-Men” together: a sort of Gargoyle supremacist who, scarred by past traumas and betrayals, wished to destroy all of mankind, and would stop at nothing to achieve this goal. Demona was a great example of a sympathetic villain: she and the main protagonist, Goliath, had some touching history together, and you knew that her dastardly deeds came from a place of pain. At the same time, however, you couldn’t trust her as far as you could throw her…and even for Goliath, that probably wasn’t very far. Equal parts barbaric and yet extremely crafty, she is and was just as iconic to me as any supervillain from Marvel or DC, and I was always excited to see her show up. Yet she’s still not my number one…so, who is?

1. Varian, from Rapunzel’s Tangled Adventure.

I could literally write an entire post JUST about this character, and maybe someday I will. For now, I will try to keep things relatively succinct. “Rapunzel’s Tangled Adventure” (nee “Tangled: The Series”) was a sequel/spinoff to the film “Tangled.” And, honestly? I think the show is better than the movie, and a big part of it comes from its cast. ESPECIALLY Varian. Part of this is because of his performer, as he is voiced by the remarkable Jeremy Jordan. (That’s Lucifer to you “Hazbin Hotel” fans; Winn from “Supergirl” to you superhero fans; Light Yagami in the musical version of “Death Note” for you anime fans; and a LOT of things for you Broadway fans.) He’s not the only reason to love the character, however. Varian starts off the series as a recurring ally to Rapunzel. However, halfway through Season 1, various circumstances and events lead to this kid becoming the first major villain of the show, ultimately enacting a grand scheme of vengeance in the final couple episodes of the season. This was actually the end of Varian as a villain, proper…but not the end of Varian himself. Much like Janja, the character would later receive a redemption arc at the start of Season 3, and from that point on, Varian became one of the main characters of the series. While he was again a protagonist, his villainous past never really left him alone; there were lots of indications of his dark side, and he had to struggle with both forgiving himself and earning the forgiveness of others. Even if he wasn’t a villain anymore, that villainous side to him remained a major part of who he was. The character was extremely popular with audiences; so popular, in fact, a spin-off series with Varian as the main hero WAS planned, but ultimately canceled. While Varian’s redemption and change to heroism is interesting and admirable, I absolutely ADORED him as a villain, as well, and I kind of wish we saw more of that side of him than we got. I guess some could argue that, since he DID redeem himself, and also didn’t start out as the bad guy, MAYBE he shouldn’t count as highly…but the fact I just love this character so much, in general, eventually won over my decision. I can understand, however, if others would place characters like Negaduck, Magica, or Demona higher. It wasn’t really an easy choice to make, but for these reasons and many more, Varian is My Favorite Disney Animated TV Villain.

HONORABLE MENTIONS INCLUDE…

The Evil Manta, from The Little Mermaid.

ShiverJack, from Jake and the Never Land Pirates.

The Dark Dragon, from American Dragon: Jake Long.

Dr. Jacques von Hamsterviel, from Lilo & Stitch: The Series.

[capypub]

Without Warning - Mafia!Joel Miller EPILOGUE

Mafia!Joel Miller x OFC

Rating: PG-13 (sweet and fluffy but you already know there's some swears)

Summary: Everyone gathers to celebrate Ellie's birthday.

AN: Might make some head cannon/blurb type continuations to this, nothing super plot heavy. Send in any requests/ideas for these two if you got 'em (smutty and non-smutty)!

Masterlist

He’d take the headache of another raid on his supplies over his current situation - arguing with Tommy over some damn birthday balloons. 

“It’s not centered,” Tommy grumbled, glaring up at his older brother with a defiant scowl. 

Joel slowly counted backwards from ten, a little thing his wife had introduced to him so he’d stop yelling at his men so much.

“Yes it is.” Joel exhaled slowly through his nose. “You wanna get a level, for fuck’s sake?”

They continued glaring for a solid minute before Tommy smirked, glancing over his shoulder, causing Joel’s scowl to deepen. 

“Don’t,” the older man warned.

“Indi, sweetheart, come ‘ere for a second, please?!” Tommy yelled across the yard, barely dodging a punch in the arm.

Joel rolled his eyes, smacking the back of his hand against his brother’s head just before his wife stopped in front of them. “Really?”

“What’s up?” she asked sweetly, that bright smile as stunning as her wedding ring, which reflected off the mid-afternoon sunlight.

“Joel says the arch is centered and I think it’s not, he won’t admit his vision is finally crappin’ out on him,” Tommy explained, that boyish smile making Joel roll his eyes again as his brother tried to persuade his wife.

God, he loved saying that. His wife.

“Well, I think it looks great, guys,” she shrugged, assessing their work, “It is centered…just not in the right place.” She glanced at Joel. “The balloon arch is for the back door, Tommy,” she said gently, like talking to a child. 

“Mother-.” He ran a frustrated hand down his face, going to remove the reinforcements they’d added to the bottom so they could move it across the yard. Again. 

“Anyone ever tell you you’re really sexy when you’re in charge?” he murmured in her ear as Tommy continued to gripe in the background.

“Shut up, Joel.”

He grinned, wrapping a strong arm around her neck, leaning in close to her. “Yes ma’am.”

“Stop it.” She tried to be serious but couldn’t help the giggle when his lips brushed her earlobe.

“Hey! You gonna help me or not?” Tommy hollered, holding one end of the arch up.

Joel kissed her softly on the cheek and winked before sauntering over to help his brother. She’d been planning this for months, as soon as she learned that Ellie’s birthday was coming up. When asking the teenager what she wanted to do, her response consisted of, “Something quiet with my friends, and Dina, and you guys too, oh and Tommy and Bill and Frank..” she said eagerly. 

And that’s how some of the members of the biggest, baddest crime group in Texas ended up helping decorate Bill and Frank’s backyard for a teenager’s birthday. Ellie had been out all day with her friends, driven around by Ethan to the mall or the movies or wherever else they wanted to go. He’d been given strict instructions to have the girls home by six and to bring Ellie and her lovely girlfriend back here by seven.

“What time’s the food coming?” she called out to Tommy.

“Should be here about five-ish, definitely ready to go by six for sure,” Tommy said as they passed her with the giant arch of multicolored balloons. 

Joel would end up arguing with Tommy for another fifteen minutes over the arch and then the drink selection…and then when they hung up the backdrop for photos. 

Later that afternoon, Indi stepped out of the bedroom, walking quickly around the room as she hurried to get ready. Joel was lounging on the bed, his button-down shirt pulled taut against his chest, his arms accentuated by the rolled up sleeves and darker shade. He also knew the dark jean and boots combination always got her riled up, especially when she’s had a few glasses of wine. 

“Lemme look at you, baby girl,” he requested, hands crossed behind his head as he watched her.

“No, because you always want to touch after you’ve looked.”

He smirked, getting up and grabbing her by her side, pulling her body against him. “Can’t help it, too damn pretty,” he muttered against her neck, lips leaving a warm, wet trail from her collar to her earlobe.

“Joel,” she huffed, her resolve quickly disappearing the more he kissed on her. “We have to leave in like ten minutes”

“Just enough time to make you come.”

“Joel,” she snapped even as she was gripping his forearm, “I swear to God if you fuck up my make-up…”

He hummed deeply against her shoulder. “Gonna punish me, baby girl? Put me in my place?” he growled, squeezing her hips tightly, grinding his semi-hard cock into the back of her dress against the swell of her ass.

“Joel,” she warned again, slightly more assertive this time when she heard a car door slam outside. 

“Lemme make you feel good, been so tense plannin’ this all month for Ellie,” he insisted, his thumbs drawing rough circles into her hips. 

“After the party,” she muttered, leaning back against his broad chest, allowing his hands to continue wandering to her thighs. 

“Maybe a little preview and then the rest after?” he said, chuckling darkly as he turned her in his arms and kissed her deeply. 

She blinked up at him when he pulled back, feeling like he’d convinced her by how dilated her eyes were. “You’re insane.” 

“You fuckin’ love it, baby,” he said, grinning when her hands gripped his shirt, her thigh coming between his legs to rub at his crotch. 

She glanced over his shoulder at the clock on the table. “We’ve got eight minutes.” 

He smirked triumphantly, leaning down to kiss her hard, his hands holding her face. “More than enough time to get you to come, darlin’, maybe twice if you’re good for me...”

She hummed her agreement, eyes closing as he inched his fingers under the skirt of her dress. Just by the way he toyed with her panties, she knew they wouldn’t finish in eight minutes.

They ended up arriving about ten minutes late. Tommy was sitting in the living room with Bill and Frank, all three already with a beer in hand. Joel walked into the room with Indi’s hand in his, greeting their guests in typical-Joel fashion.

“Party hasn’t even started yet and you're already drinkin’,” he said gruffly, yet all the men could recognize the teasing undertone unique to Joel’s voice. 

“Been bustin’ my ass all day for your kid’s party, I deserve it,” Tommy said with a smirk. 

“Come on, Indi, the girls should be here soon, let me help you with the food,” Frank insisted, linking her arm with his and leading her away from the other men. 

Once the table outside was set and the string lights switched on, Frank poured them both a drink as they waited. The other three men had wandered into the kitchen with Bill complaining about a sports team. 

Frank excused himself and Bill to change, claiming he had set something out for them specifically for tonight. Tommy stepped outside to smoke, leaving Joel and Indi standing in the kitchen, looking at each other as she leaned on the counter and he leaned on the fridge directly in front of her. 

“You look beautiful, baby,” he said, eyes slowly traveling the length of her form, twice for emphasis. 

“Thank you, baby,” she responded, reaching out to hold his hand. “You always look extra dangerous in black, you know that? Makes it so hard to focus on anything besides how good you look and how wet I am,” she added, trailing her fingers up his wrist and arm, feeling his muscles tense from her words.

“Fuck, baby, don’t start,” he muttered, pulling her to his chest, bringing his hand to hold the back of her neck and tilt her head up to meet his heated gaze. 

“I’m just saying, you look really good right now,” she continued to tease him with naughty words and light touches, “Could stick it in right now, no resistance, all for you, Joel.”

“Darlin’, I’m not opposed to takin’ you back out to that barn and fuckin’ you in the hay,” he warned, leaning down to kiss her cheek, knowing she’d want her lipstick to last until after dinner. 

“Hmm, gonna let me ride you? Show those horses how it’s done?” she smirked, breaking out into laughter when Joel arched his brow at her with his own amused little grin.

“I’m not the one who gets shy when they’re lookin’,” he teased, reaching around to grab a handful of her ass, making her giggle more. 

“Hey! Keep it PG-13, kids are here, man…fuckin’ animals,” Tommy said with a lighthearted scoff at the end, coming in through the backdoor with his phone in his hand. 

He rolled his eyes, but removed his hands, unwilling to deal with both Tommy’s and Ellie’s teasing at his expense when it came to being caught touching on his wife. Indi never minded their jokes, but Joel’s preference was being able to grab and touch her without some sarcastic comment coming up from behind him. 

“I’m home!” Ellie’s voice rang through the small house. 

“Kitchen!” Frank called back, coming down the stairs. 

“He- oh! Hi, what are you guys doing here?” she asked, startled by the amount of people in the room.

“Hungry?” Indi asked, greeting her with a hug and a kiss on the head. 

“Yeah, definitely, uh you guys remember Dina, right?” she asked, motioning to the young woman behind her. 

“Of course! Kicked my ass at darts, how could I forget?” Tommy spoke, greeting the other girl warmly with a hug. 

Once outside, Ellie was obviously surprised by how wide her eyes were and how her mouth was hanging open as Indi led them to the waiting table. She let the girls check out the decorations, knowing Tommy and JOel would appreciate it while she went back to the truck to collect Ellie’s presents. 

“This has been amazing! Thank you guys!” Ellie said, beaming the entire meal, her smile brighter and brighter even through the final course, a hot fudge sundae with a lit candle next to the cherry.

The group sat outside well into the night, Ellie taking Dina around the farm after taking what felt like a million pictures on their phones in front of the backdrop they’d set up. The adults remained at the table, talking and drinking.

“Come on, Ellie, time to open your presents!” Joel hollered across the yard at the girls who’d been checking out the garden. 

“You got me a present?!” she gasped, bounding back over to the table.

“Of course we did, we just knew not to keep ‘em here so you wouldn’t go snoopin and spoil the surprise like last time’,” Bill said, handing her a small wrapped package. 

“Hey, that was an accident,” she tried to argue, but her guilty smile gave it away.

“So you accidentally came into our bedroom and accidentally opened the suitcase under the bed?” Frank questioned with an arched brow.

She just giggled in response, tearing into the wrapping paper with excitement. As they watched her open the small pile of gifts, Joel slipped his hand into Indi’s lap, finding her fingers and giving them a soft squeeze. She smiled at him, leaning over to kiss his cheek softly. He brought an arm around her, sliding her chair closer to his so that she could lean into him. The moment itself was definitely one he would keep close to him, the people he cared about the most gathered together, Ellie’s blinding smile as she opened her presents, and his dream of a wife cuddled up under his arm. It was a beautiful moment. It was his life now for the most part and he couldn’t have asked for better. 

“I love you,” he said into the crown of her head.

“I love you too, always,” she said, looking up at him with pure adoration and happiness. 

[popculturebuffet]

I thought I'd try an interesting idea. Looking at how Community is, I thought it'd be cool to bring this question up: Favorite episode for Jeff, Britta, Abed, Annie, Shirley, Troy, and Pierce (I'll do the non-Study Group main cast members in a second ask to make it easier) on where they shine the best individually and why?

Okay finally getting to this one since I have a spare ten minutes: Jeff: Advanced Criminal Law. He has plenty of great moments but I think his bullshitting yet also genuine defneses as Britta's lawyer get to the heart of this guy. Jeff shines best when his heart has to show, that he's full of bullshit and axe body spray, but he's also a good man deep down despite himself and will do the right thing when pressed. He shines best comedically when just given a good withering put down or spinning out over his vanity.

Britta: Lawnmower Matinence and Postnatal Care. This episode is already one of my faviorites: it brings keith david into the series who damn well better be in the movie even just for a cameo, who shows his immense comedic chops as elroy, and has my faviorite line in the entire series

But while the a plot is one of community's best, the b plot is no slouch. While jeff stayed largely the same comedicaly, the bill murray type for everyone to rally around, Britta's evolution is intresting going from a bland as hell love intrest for Jeff who mostly just scowled at the others.. to deconstructing that as a hilariously pathetic hipster trying badly to be the moral center she was originally creeated to be and becoming a human train wreck the group sometimes fairly, sometimes not picks on. This late stage episode showcases that the best with the reveal her parents have secretly been subsiding her friends paying for her nonsense. Yet it's also a good character piece: While Britta is being performatively petty with her parents, even riding off on a trike while telling her parents not to infantalize her in what I consider THE britta scene and why this is here... it also gets as to WHY she's like this: her parents were strict, controlling and led her to being the conrarian mess she is, and she's understandably upset they both changed this late AND her friends can't accept she has valid frustrations. But I like them settling things: britta accepts their help and they geninely apologize for how they were. As you can see Britta works best as a mess.. someone who SEES herself as this big sister type, but is really just as flawed as the rest of her group.

Abed: This is a fucking hard one but thankfully like the rest of this my brain filled in the blank for me. Abed has a LOT of good episodes: as the series meta guy, he's the best vehicle for high concept nonsense the crew had. There's a lot of great stuff from his early breakout with his film for his dad, to his time as jesus, to "I'm a cat i'm a sexy cat". But honestly the best abed episode is abed's uncontrollable christmas. It gets to the real heart of him and Danny Pudi's splended performance: Abed's schitck goes way too far as he gets stuck in christmas and his friends have to help him out. It shows why he flees to tv: with a disapproving dad and a mom who left him, it's a source of comfort.. and finding out his mom no longer wnated him makes him shut down. It takes his friends geninely supporting him to make him see he dosen't need to escape.. that tv is nice.. but he can share it with his new family. It also has a lot of great weird shit. Abed is at his best in a LOT of circumstances: palling around with troy, when you tear him apart just a bit, and honestly feels like a better picutre of a neurotypical person than most. It's still a BIT tv autisim, but they lean off that early in favor of having him be a person: he hyperfixates on a ton of shit from inspector spacetime to the cape, has trouble with other people's emotins and get slost in his own world. It's exagerated because community is a live action cartoon at times, but they never stop making Abed feel like a person as much as a gimmick.

Annie: Virtual Systems Analysis. While this is a good abed episode, showing his mind in pieces and getting a good dig in at grey's anatomy, again a show i've watched all of up to the current episodes, it also gets to annie: her need to help people, her crush on jeff and why at the time it wouldn't work, and who she is. Annie like Abed is a good multitool character. Like Danny Pudi (And the whole cast really), Allison Brie is super talented, so Annie got to evolve from a vaugely defined character who was breaking down to a chill yet still type a person. She also plays off abed VERY well and Ig et why the shipping for these two was thick and frothy: Annie makes a good straight man while still being zany enough to kick off her own plots and she plays perfectly off Pudi and Glover. Giving the two a whole episode together was genius. You could see this dynamic as early as the psycological study which again, feels like an accurate depcition of autisim compared to a lot of what i've seen: Annie asked Abed to do something, so he did it. She's a strong character as the show goes on and this shows it off well.

Shirley: Comparitve Religion. It's one of only two shirley episodes I relaly like, the other being urban matriomony and the sandwitch arts. I love Yvette Nicole Brown, she's talented and does the roll well... but Shirely is easily my least faviorite of the greendale 7. It's not even close. Yvette Nicole Brown does a good job playing her.. but it's very hard to like her as 8 times out of ten, their focusing on her being a self righteous asshole who can't understand that being religoius dosen't make you a moral authority.

Comparative Religion uses this well, as her sermonizing is a problem: None of the gang is Christian like her and her passive agressive shit towards there religions grates and causes Jeff to lash out. While he DOES mend the fence by agreeing not to fight, Shirley realizes she needs to get the stick out of he rass ant takes a candy cane to a mans face. "It's december 10th!" Yvette Nicole Brown is, and I stress this, talented. I like her as a person. She just didn't get nearly as much to do as the others and as a result they tended to fall back on her sandwitch shop or her religion. Shirley works best when called on her shit or serving as the voice of reason.

Troy: Troy was hard to think of an episode for which is weird. Troy is one of the shows best character going from typical jock to loveable weirdo, with Glover having top notch comedic timing: a lot of the shows most memeable and memorable lines come from him: "HOw about I pound you like a boy", the that's racist exchange, the cookie crisp breakdown, the masturbation breakdown.. Donald Glover is REALLY good at having a hilarous breakdown, and of course TROY AND ABED DOING ANNNYTHING as pairing them up was genius.

Thankfully I did remember the one plot where Troy's not only mostly on his own but gets to shine, and partly because as a change of place he's a straight man. His time at Air Conditioner Repair. I mean the whole subplot is great from the good will hunting parody, to John Goodman as hte manical dean of the air conditionir repair school, but the climax is fantastic: with the dean dead Troy is thrown into a weird labyrinth of rituals, attempted murder and a contest to the death. It also leads to his best line,

It works thanks to Glover's great acting.. and the simple fact that TROY, who in this same season had a blanket fort war with his best friend rather than just talk things out, is the sane one.

Pierece: This one is easy. Intermmediate Documentary Filmaking. While it has a lot of good gags to it on it's own, patucally troy's freakout over lavar burton (Who also hopefully shows up for the movie). At it's core though it's a character piece for Pierece: It shows how fucked up he is as a person, putting everyone thorugh elabroate mind games to fuck with them, while also showing how he sees some of them giving annie a genuine gift and abed a neutral gift as he's neutral to him and vice versa. Piece has a valid reason to be pissed at everyone, how they treat him, ignore him and generally dispise him.. yet his going to such elaborate lengths to fuck with him kinda proves WHY: he's a bitter old man who rather than just call everyone out, decided to fuck with their heads and pretend to be jeff's dad and he's only not beaten to death ofr his actions, which he was warned about, because everyone else stops jeff.

Pierce can be hit and miss: his offensive grandpa jokes don't always land and he works best being weird as shit, like desnging the greendale human being or the college's theme song, getting high on paint thinners, making streets ahead a thing or other wacky nonsense. I"ll also say this: Chevy Chas eis talented. He's funny, he adds something to the show and it was nice to have him.. but unlike the rest of the cast who far as I can tell are wonderful human beings and talented, Chevy Chase is a giant combative prick, always has been always will be and while I like him as an actor, as a person he can go fuck himself and I want that on record.

[lunarsilkscreen]

Boredom

Nature of the Job; I don't have a lot of freedom... They keep reminding me that I could pull a [Dick Cheney] whenever I want and that should be sufficient equivalent exchange...

I'm uncomfortable. I've been uncomfortable for what seems like several years. They tell me that this kind of isolation is not good for a person's mental health... 😒

I have a very powerful Tablet I could be playing games on; but none of this is comfortable... So I stick to my phone.... The purposeful downgrade...

I'm not even allowed to access any of my old accounts because of their inherent insecurity. RIP Steam account... RIP MMOs....

I could download and play them; but then I would be frustrated at having to start over.

So I plink around on Sudoku-Likes (why are these stupid apps pay-to-play? Why is it so expensive to play easy games? Stupid old people.)

And of course; Hearthstone, where they keep testing AI that are purposefully geared to the highest level players; and several other high-ranking players because they like that I'm an actual challenge and they actually lose against me in interesting ways.

Bleeeehhhh...

So Ive written lots of these posts just waiting.

I feel like a Kid again! Not in the good way; that "Waiting for your Mother to finish shopping" kind of way... Wow... What a near exact replica of my childhood.

Gameboy Games and Waiting.

Except without the Nintendo Switch... Because they might confiscate it for *reasons*.

They say "Training ends the day you start your new Job" ughhhh...

I have a lot of pent up negative energy.

I want to break all the things. I want to step in a Truck.

They keep feeding me pellets like "Don't forget your Bride" and "just think of all the Presidential Trolling you'll be able to do." And all the hobbies you'll be able to get back to once you're "Free".

I want to bang my head against a wall.

They said I could always take a "moon trip" weeds in every corner store nowadays...

They know they'll sabotage it too.

So I can't even do that unless I wanna take a *real* bad trip.

I'm not even sure exactly how much of what I post actually makes it to the public; or if I'm stuck on a private Tumblr server for EVER.

And then I realize that this mirrors all of President Trump's "presidential tweeting". I understand why he never stopped tweeting now.

This Sucks.

I've taken to doing silly side quests just to get through it. Side Quests are expensive.

At least with my current salary.

One of them is almost over; they made an faux account for my Credit Cards (which have already been paid off) and I'm just spending money into as if I haven't already.

Unless I'm actually just going crazy and this is a Dream where I only think I'm President-Elect...

But at least my bills will be paid off.

I have no Idea where I'll be taken next or when..or even if I'll be conscious for it.

My next side-quest is to purchase a Vehicle (preferably with room to sleep in it) just so I can make a Jail Break for the border...

Or just, go camping I GUESS.

The position they have me in is equivalent to being homeless; so I've just been playing the part in order to keep an ounce of integrity.

I wonder if this is actually a plot to Usurp power since I can't really stop them.

Then I remember they could just kill me.

Then I wonder if certain [un-alivings] of certain figures were to cover up a self-sacrifice.

It's like being in Solitary confinement without the Solitary.

It messes with your head.

And I keep wondering if *any* thing is real anymore.

They keep telling me that I'm one of the first to take it so well.

THANKS MOM. FOR THE TRAINING. I GUESS.

I'm in the forefront of human knowledge, I cannot write anything new, because no one has caught up. If you're wondering how; I listened to nearly every podcast about every thing over the course of a few years.

I have not watched a lot of new movies or anything.

Nothing good on Netflix; and my feed is full of my own content force-fed back to me in different ways.

It's like I can't do anything unless it's study political, economic, and scientific trends and write analyses on them.

And watch TV shows where some part of my life takes center stage. Which; great for the narcissism; bad for the headaches as I learn new things about my own history in fiction.

I have to wait on mathematical textbooks to change because I'm terrible at Trigonometry and Calculus functions.

Also it's a pain to do complex math stuff on your phone... Somebody should really make an app for that.

Well... Back to listening to that podcast my wife made for me...

Better not be intruded on by that guy that talks that way that makes me want to kick his disembodied voice into the stratosphere again...

[forgottenghosty]

Dang I miss Immortal/Undead Male Whump with possible wholesome romance as tv shows...

I just got done rewatching FOREVER (2014) and Moonlight (2008) and want to watch more shows and even movies of the similar tastes and it’s hard to find.

(Forever 2014)

(Moonlight 2008) (Fun facts, the character Joseph from the show voices Terra in the Kingdom Hearts games. A book was published years after the show that inspired the series called “Angel of Vengeance” by  Trevor O’ Munson. The show went on hiatus due to the writers strikes and received 4 new episodes before ending, being cancelled, and not being picked up again.) 

I miss seeing shows where the male lead has to keep the secret or deal with someone knowing their secret and trying to live with it. All of it based more in a realistic reality of the actual world, while still be fictitious enough to have things that could never happen in reality as well.

I know there are some show or movies out there similar, but they don’t fit my tastes or I did watch them for a time and then stopped cause they started getting crazy or boring for me.

I’m not one for watching something with sex in it, nor a lot of demonic things in it either. Some exceptions have been Angel and Buffy, but those are more supernatural fiction. I tried watch Vampire Diaries and did enjoy it for a time, same with the Teen Wolf series, but they both got to a point I couldn’t stand them and just stopped watching and couldn’t get myself to watch them again. I’ve tried with Teen Wolf, but just got bored.

I did try watching some of True Blood to see what it was like and only came out enjoying the theme song and left that quick. I don’t think I made it past the first episode.

Tried watching Penny Dreadful and same thing happened. The Sabrina remake as well. One ep and then I ditched it. I hated the the demonic stuff and just dipped. Made me miss the 90s show I grew up all the more.

I used to watch Forever Knight as a kid, She Wolf, and Beauty and the Beast as well, but not really into watching the super older shows of late 80s early 90s right now.

Also sucks how I can’t get season 2 of Invisible Man (2000) in the US. UK is lucky and got the second season of Invisible Man, we only got Season 1, which I bought up so fast. Though based more in science, Invisible Man was another good one. Poor guy couldn’t catch a break. Miss it so much.

(The Invisible Man (2000) (Thankfully, though only 2 seasons, the series got to end with an actually ending.)

Thankful we keep getting Psych movies every few years or so, though movie 2 and 3 haven’t been available to buy yet, which is frustrating since they only show it on peacock, though 2 was on USA recently and 4 is in the works.

(Psych (2006-2014, Movies ongoing)

Enjoyed watching Dracula, the NBC, not the BBC one. That one I hated. I enjoyed Jekyll and Sherlock, but Dracula was horrible.

Dracula NBC ended too soon.

(Dracula (2013))

One I didn’t see until after it aired, that for a time was free to watch on old Hulu, was The Crow: Stairway to Heaven. Very 90′s, but enjoyable all the same.

(The Crow: Stairway to Heaven (1998) and yes that is Mark Dacascos probably known by many as The Chairman of Iron Cheif.)

Which I recently found out they finally have made a remake of the 90′s movie with Bill Skarsgard that I hope will be good. Just leaves adding any vfx and so on they need to before release.

Many will know him more as Pennywise the Clown and leads into why I sat through watching all of Hemlock Grove.

Only good reason to watch that show on Netflix. 

It has Vampires and Werewolves and more, but man, it isn’t worth it in the end with the plot they give.

So, yeah, really wish we got more immortal / undead whump with possible wholesome romances.

[slxsherwriter]

Carry On

Fandom: Minutes to Midnight

Pairing: Gimple x female reader

Word Count: 2,459

Warnings: Weapons made from human bones, art from blood, generalized mentions of violence, mentions of the reader having a prosthetic

Author's Note: Bill's part in this is extremely small, but has that stopped anyone before? Not a chance. This was actually a bit of a fun concept to mess around with in terms of the movie's plot because it was so open. Spoilers for the film ahead, so read with caution. This ended up being just a tad longer than intended. And no, that isn't Otis below, as much as it may appear so 😂

The bag crinkled, the sound seemingly echoing out in the quiet forest that surrounded. Akin to a bomb going off. One that would have anyone else jittery and nervous as they moved through the dark forest. Another sound, this time far closer to paper ripping and you cursed. Ignoring the fact that you were making loud sounds, you were in the middle of a juggling act when a loud sound whizzed by your ear before a thud sounded. A large arrow stuck out of the tree beside your head. Staring at it, you were speechless for several seconds, the things in your hand dropping to the ground. Blood rushing by your ears as your heart pumped furiously as a result.

“The fuck…” Slowly, you turned and started out into the darkness that surrounded. No movement, no one standing there holding a bow. Frowning, you bent down to pick up everything that you had dropped, pausing every few seconds to continue to look around. There weren't any other sounds or any other arrows.

A crunch of twigs.

“Angus, I swear to god!” You straightened up and found yourself staring at a giant of a man in a mask. Bow in hand, he was simply observing you. On closer inspection, it appeared that the bow was made out of human bones. No arrows were loaded, even if the weapon remained in hand. His head was cocked slightly while watching you, as if daring you to make another move. This time, there was a frustrated sound that came from your throat.

“Are you just going to stand there, or can you please help me pick up this mess?” Tone a lot softer this time around; you waited to see if he would do just that. “I did promise I was going to get you a treat. The sooner we get back to the house, the sooner that you can have it.” Shoulders rolled back a little bit, posture straightening a little further. No further delay, Angus was moving forward and helping you get everything picked up. Silent as always, but that had never bothered you.

“Thank you very much.” He was able to hold more in his massive arms than you were able to in your one now that the bag had ripped. “Useless paper bags. I'll have to remember to bring my own next time. Teaches me to forget my prosthesis. All right, I think that is everything. Let’s get back, shall we?” He nodded and followed behind you, steps measured and careful, lighter than they had the right to be for a man so large.

The stone home came into view after several minutes of walking. Angus knew the trails a little better than you did but you had finally gained enough confidence to do it later in the day. Admittedly, it was later than you would have liked but that was what happened when you had to go two towns over to buy any groceries or supplies. Not that it was something that you would complain about. All three of the occupants were living better now than they had been.

“Any ones that I need to know about?” You asked the hulking figure behind you, pausing long enough to glance back at him and give a proper smile this time. He shook his head with a grunt. No. Good, that made things a little easier. “Are Calypso and Gimple home?” A nod was given this time. Equally as good. Then everyone could get the special treats that you had gotten for them. He barged through the door before turning to catch it with his foot to make sure it didn't slam against you.

The musty smell of the small lodgings hit you full in the face. If you hadn't been used to it already, it likely would have caused a few gags. No other sounds drifted through the area.

“Okay,” you offered as you set down what you had in your arm. “I'm going to get everything away and not make you do it. Here, this is for you.” You handed him over an entire pack of chocolate chip muffins. A happy sound left him as he snatched it quickly from your grasp before stepping close and pulling you into a crushing hug.

“You're welcome, big man.” The words came out laughed. “I'll find your sister and your brother after, so no need to go looking and send them in. Just go and enjoy your muffins.” He moved off to wherever it was that he wanted to go, leaving you on your own to start putting the groceries away. Mainly non-perishable since you did not trust the refrigerator that was in the corner. It was good enough for water but anything else? Questionable. Humming lightly to yourself, a habit that had been developed long ago when you found yourself on your own. Cans stacked safely where they wouldn't get crushed, jars tucked away just as carefully. It was always a game of would things get eaten or destroyed first and coming up with new plans to try and negate the latter effects. The presents for the other two were left out since there was little reason to shove them away. The door creeping open signalled the arrival of someone else. Likely, it would be Calypso. Gimple could never keep that quiet long enough to make you think that he was one of his siblings. Turning, you saw that you were right as the woman was creeping forward and eyeing the table.

“I see that you ran into Angus,” you laughed before reaching on top of the counter. Fresh strawberries and some shortcakes were produced. While it lacked whip cream, it was never something that seemed to bother the woman. Sweet, light, and a little fresh. “These are for you.” She took them with glee, an obvious smile present even around the mask. Unlike Angus, there wasn't any delay. She plopped her ass down on one of the beds, carefully positioning herself sideways so you couldn't fully view her face, before removing the mask and happily popping a strawberry into her mouth. The enjoyment from such simple gifts was always a pleasure to see. It wasn't like it was some big grand gesture. But, you had known how the siblings had always been treated and the fact that even such simple gestures had lacked through so much of their lives.

“I take it Gimple is downstairs?” She shook her head before pointing to the small connected building. His room, right. “Thanks, Calypso. Enjoy your treat.” Gathering up the remaining goodies, you headed in the direction that you had been pointed.

There wasn't much sound coming from the room, which itself was a little unusual. Knocking to announce your presence, a few seconds ticked by before the risk of opening the door was taken. Gimple wouldn't harm you, of that you were one hundred percent certain. But catching him off guard still wasn't something that should be done. The room was as quiet as it had been from the outside, Gimple settled on the bed with a sketchbook in his hands. A difference from the usual chaotic nature of his artwork down in the basement. Enough so that it caught you off guard for a few seconds. He didn't bother looking up from where his hand was flying over the page.

“Brought some treats back from the latest trip.” You would have expected him downstairs, prepping for tomorrow night. But, maybe there was some logic to the madness. He paused finally, just long enough to look up and give a small grin.

“Wasn't sure you were coming back.” You rolled your eyes, taking it as an invitation to finally move forward and settle beside him on the bed, though you knew better than to peek at what he was working on before he was ready to show it. Nudging him slightly since the pencil was away from the paper and there wasn't a risk of causing damage to what he was working on, you found yourself laughing.

“Yeah, because a trip to grab some groceries is what is going to do it. With my arm left behind and everything.” He hummed.

“It's still downstairs.” You hadn't brought it down to the basement but that wasn't worth asking about right then. While the current exchange was all a joke, you knew part of it still stemmed from some level of insecurity. By him and by the others. With the way that you had all grown up, they couldn't exactly be blamed. Finally, a low chuckle came from him and the sketchbook was set aside. Evidence that he was ready to receive what you had brought back with you. A new packet of colored pencils and a packet of his favorite spicy pretzels. He wasn't much one for sweets compared to his siblings. A little extra something for him.

“I should ask if you rigged it up again but I'm not going to and instead give you what I got you.” Eagerly, he took the proffered items. Stretching your legs out, you got yourself comfortable beside him now that he wasn't working. “You guys ready for tomorrow night?” The crumble of the pack told you that it was being opened without having to see it, eyes slipping shut now that you were back in the safety of the old employee lodging and beside him.

“Yeah, we’re ready. Angus has a few new toys he wants to try out.” An artist in his own way, of sorts. The weapons that he was capable of making out of bone were rather impressive. As long as you weren't on the receiving end. Ingenious really. “You're staying in here, right?” The inflection of the question meant that there was only one right answer. You gave his thigh a small squeeze.

“Of course. Wouldn't think of being anywhere else on a night like that. Know it’s the safest place to be. I have a book to read so I'll be able to keep myself plenty busy.” His body slouched a little further against the wall, your head dipping further along with it. “You just make sure that you are careful, please.”

“We'll be fine.” Every year they were. And had been for as long as recent memory went. But, you know that there was always a little risk that someone would end up causing trouble. One day, they would come across the wrong person, someone who was capable of fending for themselves. A thought that you did not relish. Nightmare inducing. Not that you were going to say that to Gimple.

“I know you are all more than capable. I just worry.” He kissed your temple with a laugh.

“Ain't anything you gotta worry about. Long as you stay here and behave.” Like you would dream of going out on New Year's Eve. Not a chance in hell. “You know what to do when Dad shows up.”

“Of course.”

“Then we are all set.” Trust him to think that it was just as simple as that. Every year it often was, then again you were always the only one that ended up planning for the bad and the unforeseen. As much as possible. Leaning into the touch more, you tried your best to let the odd feeling go. Worry was always a little normal before the big day but something just didn't feel right. “Besides, already got the girls. Just missing one. So everything will be nice and easy tomorrow night. That means, stop worrying your head off about it. Eat a fucking pretzel.” He shoved the bag in your direction, causing you to smile. Nodding, it forced you to remove your hand from his thigh to be able to take the offered gift. His hand came to grip the back of your neck, a light squeeze that had come to mean comfort given as you chewed the overly spicy snack. Not your thing but you weren't about to turn down an offering from the man.

Maybe, just maybe, you should have felt a little guilty about the death of strangers. But they weren't innocent. No. If Mr. Walter's had a say in the decision, then it must be true. The ritual had been ongoing for years, though you were never a direct part of it. The siblings took care of leg work while their father helmed the ceremony. He felt that it wasn't something that you needed to be a part of, that your talents were better used elsewhere. Mainly taking care of the three like you had always done. That fact never bothered you. You had all carved out a weird little existence out here in the woods. Perfectly content. The death of strangers was just a necessary once a year product of that life.

“Wanna see it?” Your attention was pulled from the thoughts that threatened to pull you under. Without asking, it meant the sketch that he had been working on. The artistic tastes of the man beside you would be considered in poor taste and odd by the majority of the population. But you always saw the beauty in it, the way that he did.

“Of course!” The response was far more eager. The swirls and patterns that littered the page made up a beautiful piece. Far less frantic than the typical blood soaked scribbles and scrawls that were presented. The same attention to detail just in a different medium with a little more, you faltered. Not precision but something else. Maybe less mania. “It's gorgeous, Gimple.”

“Thinking I'm hanging it right here.” He slapped at the wall above the bed absently. “Angus and Calypso won't want it.”

“I think it will look perfect there. Are you finished?”

“Almost…” He was cut off when the large frame of Angus appeared in the doorway, his boots kicking at the frame to gain attention.

“What's up, big guy?” His hands twitching at his side and his posture rigid. Something was wrong. The sounds of clattering and a loud crash came from above, and that had Gimple jumping out of the bed. Without a word, you slid from the comfortable space and moved towards the hiding space behind the wall as a precaution. That feeling heightened, but you did your best to ignore and settle in for what you hoped wouldn't be a long wait. Flashes before your eyes reminded you of being all but buried alive as a child, robbing you of the air in your lungs. Hating every second of it, you clutched at your pant leg and could do nothing but wait for Gimple to come tell you the coast was clear and the problem had been handled. Sooner rather than later, preferably.

[saiilorstars]

Ch. 57: Just a Thought

Previous chapters // Montserrat’s masterlist

Fandom: SVU // Pairing: Rafael Barba x OC

Warnings: Due to the nature of the series’ plots, I do have to rate this as ‘mature’ for constant mentions of rape.

Taglist: @ocappreciationtag​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ @arrthurpendragon​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ @anotherunreadblog​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ @maaaaarveeeeel​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ @stareyedplanet​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ @averyhotchner​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ @abzidabzy​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ @hellofutur​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ @foxesandmagic​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ @xovalliegirlxo @sam-i–am @kmc1989​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

[If you’d like to be added to this specific OC’s stories/edits, send me a message

Montserrat could lie and say she had no idea how they ended up forgetting about their couch date with a movie and take-out dinner, but she had no desire to do so. Right now, her desires and senses were inflamed with Rafael's kisses. He hovered over her, lips working hard against hers until he decided to grace her with a trail of kisses down and around her neck.

"We should at least" — Montserrat giggled — "turn the television off. Save yourself a little something on the cable bill."

Rafael stopped altogether and looked deep into her eyes. "If that's what you're thinking of right now, then I have seriously failed."

Montserrat slid her hands over his face, fingers gently stroking his cheeks. "You never fail me," she said. "I'm in heaven right now."

"Really?" Rafael couldn't help the doubt that filled his tone. He couldn't help feeling slightly unconvinced each time they were together like this that perhaps he would end up pushing Montserrat too far and make her close off again. Yes, she was always reciprocating his advances. He kissed her, she kissed him back. He hugged her, she hugged him. And yes, when he touched her, she touched him. But when those advances became stronger—even if they were considered as simple as fooling around on the couch—Rafael always had doubt in the back of his mind. That doubt scared him. He didn't ever want to do anything that would push her over the edge; anything that would make him lose her. He was in too deep to lose her.

"Course I am," Montserrat said, lifting her head to kiss him. "Why wouldn't I be?"

Rafael didn't want to say it so...clearly. Why sour her mood?

"If you're overthinking things, then I'm failing here," Montserrat said, letting go of Rafael's face. "How to fix things, hmm…"

Rafael rolled his eyes at her. She really couldn't help being so sarcastic, could she? He silenced her hums with another kiss. He heard her giggles every now and then but they would lose their strength as well. He took that as a win. She'd forget about giggling and everything else when he kissed her.

She leaned into his touch, wherever his hands and lips were. When his fingers danced over her chest, she pressed her hand over them. She dragged his hand until the top button of her shirt got in the way. Whether it had been for the rush of feelings or maybe for something of the past, Rafael felt when Montserrat flinched. He stopped altogether, pulling himself off her even when he heard her soft 'no'.

"I'm sorry," she apologized fast and sat upright.

"It's fine," he assured her but she wasn't convinced. She helped initiate things and she was the one who stopped it. "Montserrat."

She sighed. "I'm sorry. I'm not being fair."

Rafael couldn't help the soft laugh that came out of him. "Fair? For what?" Montserrat couldn't put her words together but even then, he understood her perfectly. He straightened himself up then tugged Montserrat up to him until she was sitting on his lap. "I'm feeling pretty good right now."

Montserrat wanted to believe him. She knew that he wouldn't lie about these things with her. It was just frustrating that she kept pulling this crap on him. "I was too," she said, promising him. "I-I don't know what that was…"

"Involuntary reaction," Rafael helped her out. "It's perfectly normal for…" Even if he meant to avoid using the word for Montserrat's sake, she went ahead and said it.

"Victims," she whispered. "I'm over that term, you know. I feel like I'm too far gone to use that."

"Montserrat…"

"It's been almost 2 years!"

"So what? That doesn't mean you have to automatically stop having lingering feelings about it. Montserrat, c'mon, you're allowed to feel whatever it is that you feel." Rafael ran his fingers through one of Montserrat's curls. They were a little more out of place because of his constant interventions but in his mind, it made her look even more radiant. She just had that pesky pout on her face.

"I just feel like I'm not being fair to you," she insisted. "I love the way we were but I always have to go and do something to ruin it."

"You're fine," Rafael reiterated sternly. He didn't want to keep entertaining this conversation when all Montserrat felt was senseless guilt.

Montserrat thought he was too good to her. On some level, he had to be at least a little frustrated with things...but of course he would never admit to it. He always made it about her and her health. "You're so good to me," she sighed. "And honestly I don't deserve it all the time."

Rafael thought that was nonsense. It was just her guilt talking. "I just do what makes you happy, dear. I always want you to be happy. You deserve to be happy."

"And you deserve to be happy too," Montserrat said, "You've been with me for half a year now—you've known me for a whole year. You've handled my stuff way before we got together and you never once got angry with me when I lashed out."

"I do recall being slightly snappy," Rafael said, holding up his thumb and index finger for her to see how "slightly" he was talking about.

Montserrat rolled her eyes and pushed his hand down. "Snaps is all I got when I yelled at you. And you always forgave me."

"Hey, I'll always forgive you," Rafael said on instinct, smiling brightly. In his mind, there wasn't anything Montserrat could possibly do to make him think twice about his statement.

There were a couple things Montserrat could think of that would put his faith in her into question. "Would you forgive me for anything?" she asked him.

Rafael didn't even think for a second before he nodded. "Anything."

"No you wouldn't," Montserrat said with a shake of her head and a slight smile.

"I would!"

"No, because there are just some things that are unforgivable."

"Yeah, but I doubt that you would be capable of doing something considered 'unforgivable'."

"I lie," Montserrat offered up that reason a bit too fast.

Rafael stared at her for a better explanation, at the very least a 'kidding' would've deflated the terse air that'd fallen over them. But she never said anything else. Suddenly, Rafael was transported back to the very moment he deduced that Montserrat had gone through something similar to the victims he often worked with. Just like that evening where Montserrat didn't explicitly say it, she implied that something happened to her and she didn't—or couldn't—say it.

And tonight, she was doing it again.

Rafael thought as quickly as his skills allowed him to—he wanted to try and figure out wha was left for her to tell him—but then a little voice in his head cautioned him not to cross that line because once upon a time, Montserrat had said that to him directly. Don't cross where you're not welcomed, she had told him. If Montserrat wasn't talking now, it was for a reason.

Drawing in a breath, he slid his hands over her face. He leaned close to her; he was able to see those light sprinkle of freckles over her face. "There are just some things that you can't say. Nobody is owed your secrets, remember that?"

How could Montserrat forget? He only told her that a thousand times before they were together. "But you'd be mad with me for sure," she said with noticeable fear in her tone. "And Raf, if you were ever that mad with me...I don't know what I'd do. I don't want to lose you." It genuinely terrified her to even think about that moment happening. She loved him. She'd actually gone and fallen in love with him. She couldn't lose him.

"Montserrat Irene," Rafael gripped her face just slightly enough to keep her still, "You'll never lose me."

"But—"

"Shh," Rafael dragged his thumb over Montserrat's lips, "You want me to go all courthouse on you? Because I'm ready to deliver several pieces of evidence to back my case." Montserrat smiled lightly. "I'm here hasta el final."

Montserrat's smile had widened, her entire face nearly brightening up. It was exactly what Rafael wanted to see. "You're willing to go that big for me?" she asked. "Hasta...final?" She tried her best to mimic his perfect Spanish but of course her lack of knowledge gave her a sharp accent.

Rafael adored her attempt nonetheless. "Hasta el final," he said for her again. "Until the end."

Montserrat's stomach fluttered with nervous butterflies. 'I love you' wanted to spill out of her but a tiny part of her knew this wasn't the right moment. She wanted it to be the perfect moment, not soured by her problems. "You're prepared to stay with me that long, then?"

Rafael nodded. "Are you?"

"Of course! Hasta el final!"

"We're going to work on that," Rafael said with a light laugh. Montserrat tried saying it again but her accent was too heavy to get it right that time. Rafael was more than happy to keep repeating it for her. "Hasta el final," he pressed a kiss on her lips.

"Hasta el final," Montserrat dutifully repeated after him. She got another kiss. "Was that better?"

"Sort of. We can keep practicing." The more they practiced, the more kisses he could give her.

~ 0 ~

Montserrat barely stifled a yawn behind her hand. She fixed her gaze on her laptop screen, intending on finishing up her paperwork before lunch.

"Here," Amanda stopped by with a cup of coffee to put on the desk. Montserrat was eternally grateful for it and drank a good amount in her first go.

Amanda laughed teasingly. "Why are you so tired?"

Montserrat's shoulders slumped. She felt like a child being questioned.

"I don't want to be a snitch…" Sonny started, tapping his pen against the edge of his desk and completely ignoring Montserrat's warning look, "But last time I heard from Kara, you and Barba were out on a date…"

"Watch your words very carefully, Carisi," Montserrat glared. All Sonny did was smirk.

Already, Amanda and Fin were cackling with the new piece of information. It was as if Sonny didn't already know how childish and teasing their squad could be!

Montserrat let out an exasperated groan. "You guys are worse than my four year old niece!"

"Isn't she five now?" Sonny asked and received a very sharp 'shut up' in return that had Amanda and Fin laughing even harder.

Montserrat had some pretty good words prepared for all her lovely coworkers but a stranger walked into the bullpen asking for help. At best, she was better off tending to the man instead of getting pink slips. She got up from her desk and headed towards the man, sneaking in a smack against Sonny's arm on the way. "Hello," she greeted the man, "Can I help you?"

The man seemed to be looking around for someone, and confirmed it. "Yeah. Where's Nicky?"

"Who?"

"Nicky Amaro."

"Oh, Nick?" Montserrat blinked. The man nodded. "Um, he's sort of in the middle of an interrogation right now. May I ask who you are? Just so I know what to tell him?"

"I'm his father," the man said with a big grin.

Montserrat's eyes widened. Her head flipped over her shoulder. The others had stopped laughing instantaneously. Suddenly, Montserrat felt like the pink slip would've been ten times easier to deal with instead of what she now had to do. Because of course as soon as the others knew, they offered to stay with the man until Montserrat came back with Nick.

Montserrat mouthed an 'I hate you all' to the group before leaving.

Since both Nick and Olivia were inside the interrogation room, Montserrat couldn't come out with it. She figured Nick would have enough trouble dealing with the fact his father was there — no criminal needed to know that too.

"I just need Nick for a moment," Montserrat said to Olivia, ignoring the interested way their current suspect was gazing at her. It was disgusting but unfortunately part of the job. "It might be two, actually," Montserrat added, thinking about how long it would take for Nick to come back from all this.

As far as anyone knew, his father was no good man.

"Really? Now?" Nick asked, failing to see the urgency behind Montserrat's quiet tone. She nodded at him, making eyes with Olivia for help.

"It's okay, I got it," Olivia told Nick, gesturing to him to leave with Montserrat. He didn't have much choice after that.

"What's so important that you had to take me out of an interrogation?" Nick didn't fail to ask as soon as the door shut behind them. "In the middle of it too!"

"Don't shoot the messenger, please," Montserrat said, beginning their walk back to the bullpen. She made sure to take slow steps too. "Someone's here to see you."

"What, who?" Nick asked.

Montserrat's shoulders rose in anxious anticipation for her answer. "Your father…" She had said it so low that Nick didn't hear the first time.

"What?"

"...your father…"

"Montserrat, I can't hear you!"

"Your father!" Montserrat finally exclaimed, immediately taking a step back from Nick. He would need ample space.

"My fa— he's here!?" Nick scowled. "You let him in!?"

Montserrat's entire posture changed at the stupid accusation. "What!? It's not like I have the keys to this place!? We don't exactly keep people out!"

"That's my — you couldn't have said I wasn't here!?"

"He wasn't going to leave if I had said something!"

"I don't want to see him!"

"Then go tell him that!"

Nick stared long at Montserrat, and for a second she wondered if he was coming up with more things to blame her for. How bad was his relationship to his father? Montserrat wished that she knew and yet at the same time she wished she never learned.

"He's in here?" Nick asked again, his tone much calmer although Montserrat suspected it would take very little to push him again.

She nodded. "He's asking to see you."

"Did he tell you why?"

"No."

Nick shook his head, heaving a heavy sigh. It was clear as day that he would rather be anywhere but here right now.

"Look, if you don't want to see him, go tell him that," Montserrat suggested again. "Because if you don't go out, he won't get that message. You have to leave sometime."

Nick hated that she made sense. His muttered 'fine' came out like a child but given the situation, Montserrat wouldn't point it out.

The two returned to the bullpen to find that Nicolas had somehow enraptured the whole bullpen with a story. It marked an even deeper scowl on Nick's face. It didn't help when he was forced to go have lunch with his father, albeit a really short one at that.

"It was his father?" Olivia couldn't hide her surprise when the others told her. She had finished their interrogation on her own and was only just now understanding what happened.

"It was his father," Montserrat confirmed and nodded. "Kinda felt guilty for going to grab him knowing he wouldn't want to come."

"Yeah, but it's not like we were going to be able to let the man stay here all day," Fin said, shrugging, "Amaro was going to have to come out anyways."

"Well, how bad do you think it's going to be when he comes back?" Sonny asked, genuinely curious.

Nobody was sure how bad it would be but that it was just going to be bad. And sure enough, twenty minutes later as Nick had promised earlier, he was coming back full of rage.

"Nicolas Fiorello Amaro is getting married!" He dropped his coat on the back of his chair haphazardly. "Again!"

Everyone else at their desks exchanged looks. Their silence didn't deter Nick at all.

"To a child bride, and he wants me to come!"

It was obvious what his answer had been.

"And since going would require pretending that he and I have a relationship, or that what happened in our home didn't actually happen—"

"Nick," Olivia was the brave soul who dared to intervene, "You have every right to be upset, okay?"

Nick didn't hear quite right. He wasn't hearing anything at times. "He doesn't get to wipe the slate!"

"We know—"

"It's not fair—"

"We understand, but—"

"Nick, it's not about him," Olviia finally managed to speak over Nick, at least for a moment. "This is about you holding on to your anger. Okay? I've learned that in order to heal, we have to let go."

"Oh, so, what, you've forgiven your father? Or William Lewis?" Nick snapped before the words he spoke even registered in his head. Before Olivia could react to the thrown questions, Montserrat stepped in to help both of them out.

"Letting go and forgiving are two very different concepts," she said, eyes directly on Nick. He turned to her and she half expected him to throw something at her as well. "I don't know which one Olivia picked but I can tell you what I chose."

Nick seemed to contemplate but at the same time he was willing to listen.

"My mom? Regina?" Montserrat reminded him. "She skipped out on our family. I was four and I really needed a mom. Hell, half the times I'm pretty sure I could still use one. I have not forgiven her for abandoning us like that and I probably never will. But at the same time, I'm not going to spend every day of my life being angry at her because she's not worth my time. I let it go, Nick. I know what she did, I hate her for it, but I'm not spending my energy on it and her."

Nick nodded slightly, perhaps to acknowledge that Montserrat had tried helping him out, but whether or not it worked was still unclear. Montserrat leaned back in her chair, waiting to hear the verdict. In the end, however, Nick stormed away from the group.

~0~

"I don't think he liked my words very much," Montserrat later relayed the story to Rafael over dinner.

It was one of those nights where he couldn't get away from the office so they had dinner right there.

"Well, how'd you say it?" Rafael half laughed at his joke, much to Montserrat's annoyance. "You tend to speak loudly sometimes," he added but that didn't make it better either.

Montserrat promptly reached across the couch and took the last piece of chicken she had so graciously given to him because it was his favorite. She made a show of dropping it into her mouth.

Rafaep nodded at her. "Very mature."

"You're one to talk! Did you even listen to me!?"

Rafael pointed at Montserrat. "See? There you go!"

"This date is about to end a lot sooner than you think."

Rafael set his plate on the coffee table and raised his hands in front of him. "Okay, okay, I'm done."

Montserrat scooted closer to him, showing her grand pout. "Seriously, do you think I overstepped with Nick?"

"Nick's got a hard attitude anyways. Don't worry so much about it." Rafael knew he sure wouldn't.

"The only reason you say that is because you and Nick have similar attitudes," Montserrat said. "It's why you clash so much."

"Even then, I don't think you said anything wrong," Rafael shrugged. "You offered a different perspective. A good one, I'll say." He smiled at Montserrat, reaching up to stroke her cheek. "Noble of you." She smiled at him. "And if Nick has anything to say about that, he's going to have a word with me."

Montserrat chuckled. As much as she liked to believe he was joking, she knew it took very little to get him and Nick started. She was just an excuse but even then, she felt a tad special.

"Now about my chicken…"

Montserrat's eyes widened.

"That was my favorite part of the plate," Rafael said, pointing at Montserrat. She raised her hands in defense and yet her growing smile gave very few implications that she was not sorry at all.

"I needed to make a point," she said, trying to back away as he scooted closer to her.

"Mhm, and that meant eating my dinner?"

"It was mine first!"

"Mhm, you're such a thief," Rafael reached for Montserrat's waist to keep her from backing away.

"Am not!"

"I should prosecute you!"

"Fine but I'll get Rita as my defense attorney!"

"You wouldn't dare!"

"Or Buchanan!"

"Don't you dare!" Rafael yanked Montserrat up to him. Her head fell on his shoulder, laughing.

~0~

As it turned out, Nick's meetings with his father did not end after their first lunch together. One week later at half past midnight, Nick got a call. The following day, SVU was taking over the case.

"You mean Nick's father did this?" Sonny did very little to keep his voice down, although Montserrat chucking a balled-up paper at his face served to remind him for future references.

"Rollins is over at the hospital talking to the fiancee right now," Fin told the two detectives. They were the only ones in the bullpen for the moment. "But listen, Liv just got a heads up that the parademics think Nick forced the fiancee to change her story."

"What? He wouldn't do that," Montserrat made a face, "It is literally the last thing he would ever do."

"Why do they think that anyways?" Sonny asked.

"He was the outcry the victim spoke to and apparently Nick and her talked in spanish for a bit. They misinterpreted it."

"Big time," Montserrat nodded. "How's Nick doing right now? Is he coming in at all?" It was no rocket science that Nick would have to sit this case out given his extremely close ties to it, but it didn't mean that he would go quietly..

Sure enough, a few hours later, Rollins returned with the details of the victim's - Gabriella - story, Olivia and Nick walked in together with the latter looking none too pleased. He was back on desk duty until further notice.

"Look, if my father did something, I don't want anyone here risking anything on his behalf," Nick made the announcement as he begrudgingly sat down at his desk.

"No one said you were…" Sonny mumbled only to get another paper ball thrown at his face. At his questioning gesture, Montserrat mouthed 'stop talking' at him.

Men could really be an extra type of clueless when they wanted to be.

"Well now she's claiming that another guy sexually assaulted her," Amanda said, "So we need to follow that lead as well."

Olivia agreed and started passing out assignments. "We need a timeline, witness statements, cell phone pics, any video footage from that party!"

"And so who's the guy she's accusing now?" Sonny looked over at Amanda as the blonde had already began working at her desk.

"Hm," Amanda smiled sourly, "Javier Arenas. And look at this. Up until a year ago, he was on the registry. Statutory rape."

"Start there," Olivia gave the order.

Soon enough, they would be interviewing Javier to discuss the matter of his trouble with the law. He didn't take it so seriously.

"Statutory rape?" He scoffed at the pair of detectives. "I was 19, she was 16. Her father was a cop. Took me ten years to clear my name!"

"And yet it took only one night to mess it up," Montserrat said wryly, "Gabriella Nuñez claims you assaulted her."

Javier scoffed again. "Come on. We did some dirty dancing. I had my hands on her, but she was backing up that bus on me pretty good first."

"That's it?" Sonny raised a brow at the man.

"I whispered to her that I could do things without needing a blue pill. She caught Nicolas looking at her. She freaked out, took off."

"Downstairs, where you followed her?"

"No. I'm a lover, not a fighter—"

Montserrat made no attempt to hold her scoff in.

"I stayed on the dance floor... ask anyone."

"And Nicolas' daughter...Sonya?"

Javier nodded. "Yeah, whatever. I danced with her next. She didn't just back up the bus. She parked it. Better yet, ask Gabriella's father, Luis. He saw the whole thing."

"I think we're done," Montserrat couldn't have said any quicker. She did not like the man in across her and if she stayed there, she might lose her job.

Sonny led the way out of the interrogation room, leaving Javier inside to dwell on his misfortune. "What do you think?" He asked Montserrat and Olivia, the latter having watched everything from her side of the office.

"I think he's just about every jock in high school," Montserrat answered before Olivia's mouth even opened.

Olivia hummed at the image. She could very well agree with Montserrat's claim. "Rollins and Fin just came back from talking to the vic's father right now."

"What he say?" asked Sonny.

Olivia looked like she struggled to answer. They were all struggling with the case knowing who was being tormented every minute until it came to a close. "Mr. Nuñez claims that Nicolas hurt his daughter."

"Did he see it?" Montserrat asked, unsure if she even wanted to hear the answer. On the one hand, if they had a witness who could place Nicolas at the scene it meant the victim would have an easier trial but it also meant that poor Nick would be dragged under it too.

Olivia shook her head. "He didn't but he says he saw the looks that Nicolas gave Gabriella. He also saw Nicolas go downstairs after Gabriella. He saw Nicolas coming back and rubbing ice on his knuckles."

"Ah, so he saw but he didn't see," Sonny finally got it.

~ 0 ~

When it was time to bring in Nicolas at the station to talk, the squad decided it was best for Nick not to be in. Olivia gave him the day off — he wasn't happy about it one bit.

"Do I have to be one of them in there?" Montserrat asked Olivia once Nicolas was inside the interrogation room waiting for a pair of detectives to go in and talk to him. Montserrat didn't feel like she should be one of them. "It's weird."

Olivia guffawed slightly. "This is the job, Novak. Did you forget that?"

"Course not but he's just so...not Nick." Montserrat shuddered. "Nick's actually genuinely sweet? And a gentleman?"

Olivia seemed like she was ready to say something but ended up closing her mouth and smiling rather strangely. "You know what, I'll send Rollins and Fin instead. I've got another job for you."

Montserrat blinked. She didn't think that would actually work. "Um, okay! What is it?"

Olivia's strange smile widened. "I'll tell you in a bit. Barba, just in time."

Montserrat turned in time to see Rafael coming up to them. "Hey, you."

"Where's the fire?" Rafael went straight to the point.

Olivia gestured the way to her office, making a point for Montserrat to follow as well. They watched Rollins and Fin go back and forth with Nicolas, the latter keeping up his charade of a good guy. He even seemed to believe it.

"He's contradicting himself," Montserrat said in the middle of the interrogation. "If he hit a wall because he was trying to hit Javier, then Javier would have defensive wounds."

"And does he?" asked Rafael.

"Nope," went both Montserrat and Olivia simultaneously.

Rafael figured he shouldn't even have asked. He resigned to watch the rest of the interrogation before it got too unbearable and he called it quits. "You know, Cubans come to this country, and within one generation, we're doctors, lawyers, CEOs of major corporations, but the only headline you ever read in the paper is 'Crazy Cubans in wedding brawl'. I hate this."

"Yeah, we can tell," Montserrat remarked, eyeing him with some decent concern. It wasn't often that a case affected him more than it should.

"Look, none of us want to be here, but this guy is guilty," Olivia's reassurance was too...urgent, for Rafael's taste.

"You seem awfully sure…" He said slowly, giving the impression there was a question coming. He offered the Sergeant the chance to tell him before he actually asked but since it appeared like Olivia was stalling, he went ahead and asked. "Is there anything else I need to know?"

Olivia's gaze landed on Montserrat for some reason. The detective in question straightened up and waited for Olivia's sure to be coming instruction.

"Remember that other job I wanted you to do?"

"Um, yeah," nodded Montserrat, "What was it anyways?"

Olivia wore that strange smile she had when Rafael first showed up. "I'll let you fill in the blanks for him." She patted Montserrat's shoulder on her way into the interrogation room.

"Oh, no, no, no," Montserrat shook her head fervently. Doing the interrogation sounded a whole lot better now. "You can't do thi—" Olivia shut the door behind her. "Maybe she can do that," she said with a huff.

Rafael tilted his head at Montserrat. "I'm sorry, are we back to hating each other at work?"

Montserrat playfully rolled her eyes at him. "Look, you're not going to like what I have to tell you about this case."

"Didn't you hear me?" Rafael gestured towards the glass wall beside them. "I already hate this. What more can you tell me that'll make this worse?"

On another day, Montserrat would've loved the opportunity to prove Rafael wrong. But, given the situation and his feelings that he made clear, Montserrat decided to play it nicer. "Okay, um, so...Nicolas—" she gestured at the man in the other room currently trying to sweet talk Olivia, "—is, uh...well….he's Nick's father."

Rafael froze altogether. His eyebrows shot up. Montserrat patiently waited for the information to fully register in his head. She supposed it would take a while.

But Rafael was a prosecutor above all and that meant he was quick to come back on his feet. "Sorry — what? That man is Nick's father!?"

"...yeah…"

"I stand corrected, this is even worse than I thought!" Rafael turned completely to the glass window and watched the interrogation under a whole new light. As tensed as his relationship to Nick was sometimes, Rafael couldn't imagine Nick being related to the man in front of him right now.

"Yeah, I know, I couldn't believe it either," Montserrat sighed, as if she had read Rafael's mind. "They're so different. Although, I'm not going to lie, I can see where Nick gets his headstrong trait. The father's worse."

"Given the situation, yeah, I can see that."

"Sorry."

Rafael could've heard the wince in Montserrat's tone and that was unfair. "No, it's — this is hard." He raised his hands and turned from the window. "Where's Amaro right now?"

"Officially — off the case," Montserrat said, "Olivia thought it was best if he wasn't even in the precinct today."

Rafael nodded. "Yeah. That was a good call. He needs to stay far away from this case."

"He knows—"

"But he needs to actually do it," Rafael reiterated. "I know the track record of this squad and I'm guilty myself of doing the same thing when it was about Alex so I need you all to understand this. If Nick gets too close to this, there is no case."

Montserrat nodded dutifully. "I know, I hear you. We'll talk to Nick."

Talk. Rafael almost sneered at the idea. He knew how it would go. Nick would still try to do something even if it was with good intentions.