#FF Battalion

[cloneloverrrrr]

Tiktok be doing things to me on a daily 🥵💁🏻‍♀️😏enjoy my Husband everyone ✨WHOEVER MADE THIS DAMNNN I THANK YOU🙏🏻

[the-ace-with-spades]

I know I wrote a firefighter!Bradley AU but what about an every aviator is a firefighter AU??

(I'm sorry, thinking of applying for an on-call FF role now that I'm moving near a fire station and it got me...)

Bradley as a legacy firefighter - Goose died on the job in a freak accident when he and Mav were barely starting, then Mav stuck and had a friendly rivalry with Ice around going up the ranks/getting experience in their firehouse (who first gets the engineer, lieutenant, who gets the extra high rescue training, etc), up until Ice went into the chief roles and Mav moved to captain a heavy rescue squad...

Bradley had been rejected from the local fire academy twice (because of Mav pulling the strings... Not that Ice was aware at the time, only found out when Bradley found out and exploded on them...), certified in a different fire department and after all came back when he had already been a lieutenant at that department.

All the WSOs are double-certified or AEMT/paramedics. Natasha is doing something badass as well, maybe helicopter rescue or maybe aerial firefighting in general?? Bob is definitely a specialist medic (in kinda like the Rapid Response Unit or Motorcycle Unit in the UK...)

When Bradley comes back, he is recruited as potential captain for the fire house Mav and Ice spent over twenty years in and where his dad's face and helmet is in the hall of the fallen. Mav conveniently accepts a promotion people have been trying to push him into for the past 5 or so years, becoming a battalion chief that has the office at that station and directly overlooks the station's captains... And does absolutely everything so Bradley is not deemed suitable because he doesn't want him to be a firefighter at all...

Enter Jake Seresin, the new recruit that screams trouble. He's entered the academy a few months before, at the age of thirty and after doing some other job (maybe ex-military? ex-cop?? ex-farmer?? Idk) and instantly has beef with Bradley, the legacy fire captain and firefighter since nineteen, Jake being the overconfident know-it-all...

Cue some dangerous situation happening because of Jake's overconfidence/recklessness and Bradley risking it all (and breaking protocol and getting himself in trouble) to save his ass.

And you know, Jake is still his annoying, mouthy self, but there's some respect there now. And maybe he overhears Mav chewing Bradley out (and maybe he hears a bit too much as well, finding the secret of Bradley's triple legacy).

And since then Jake kinda starts to listen and maybe Bradley is a bit soft and maybe because he sees himself from almost fifteen years ago in Jake or maybe because he's a little fond of him (or you know, attracted to him...), he starts getting him some off the job, extra one on one training.

And maybe Jake develops a bit of a crush on his (almost) captain as the time goes. Maybe he brings out Bradley out of his shell as well, gets him to relax and stop thinking about pleasing Mav and Ice's expectations. Maybe it integrates Bradley better with the team, maybe they listen to him better, etc.

Cue once again something happening - Jake's apartment burns down (to be cliché...) and Bradley is doing overtime in another station and is the one responding. There's no dramatic rescue or anything (Jake's already evacuated most of the building) but Jake has no place to stay and his whole family is in Texas so Bradley offers he can stay on his couch.

Obviously he does not end up on the couch but in the bedroom. You know, with Bradley, wearing Bradley's clothes (all his stuff burnt down...), in Bradley's bed...

(Jake's gotta have some firefighting backstory as well btw - maybe his dad was a firefighter as well but he never got to meet him, maybe he was a safe haven baby brought to a firehouse?? He just doesn't admit it until he and Bradley are already almost-kinda a thing)

(Also, Bradley calls Jake some variation of Texas, Cowboy, etc as nick name because I know fire guys would be dead set on mocking Jake being from the south and having an accent)

There'd also be some kind of big event/mass casualty/etc that makes Mav drive out with the responding team and he and Bradley end up going into action together and getting their beef settled...

[bantarleton]

Who Wants a Non-Hessian German Troops of the American Revolution Uniform Identification Flow Chart?

Now you too can roleplay as a harried British staff officer trying to identify which troops are encamped where, or a devious rebel spy collecting intelligence.

As folks may or may not know, only roughly 50% of the German state troops who served the British Crown during the American Revolution were “Hessians” from Hesse-Cassel. There were six other states that provided “subsidy troops.” Here’s how to tell them apart at a glance.

Are their uniforms predominantly dark blue? If yes, go to the paragraph numbered 4. If no, go to the para numbered 2.

2. Are their uniforms predominantly white? If no, go to the para numbered 3. If yes, those are troops from Anhalt-Zerbst. The only German state involved in the war to take its uniform and organisational cues from Austria rather than Prussia, the single Anhalt-Zerbst line regiment deployed to America wore white regimental coats faced with red. Their grenadiers wore bearskins rather than metal-faced caps (the only other German state to do this was Waldeck). One battalion also, according to one shocked British officer, had one of the most outrageous-looking uniforms of the war, including hussar hats, red and yellow waist sashes and red cloaks - these may have been “pandour” irregulars from the edges of the Austrian empire.

3. The coats are neither white nor blue, so they must be red. In this case, the troops are Hanoverian. While still mostly following Prussian style, because they shared a ruler with Britain, Hanoverian troops wore red. Five Hanoverian regiments assisted Britain with vital Mediterranean defence during the American Revolution, before going on to fight in India. They were the only redcoat Germans fighting for the Crown outside the British Army.

4. Your Germans are wearing blue coats. Are the buttons on the coat lapels arranged 1-2-1, and do the cuffs have a “Swedish” style slit to them? If no, go to the para numbered 5. If yes, they’re from Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel. Brunswick provided the most soldiers after Hesse-Cassel, and arguably the most rounded force, with four line regiments, one dragoon regiment, one grenadier battalion and one light infantry battalion. But whether jäger, musketeers or grenadiers, they almost all had coat buttons in groups of 1-2-1 and the slit-style cuffs. Fun fact; the Brunswick crest of a racing white horse on a red field was the same as neighbouring Hanover’s.

5. Your Germans are wearing blue, but don’t have buttons in 1-2-1 and Swedish cuffs. Do they have yellow facings, and cuffs with buttons placed both horizontally and vertically? If no, go to the para numbered 6. If yes, they are from Waldeck. This German state usually provided troops for the Dutch, but raised a new unit, the 3rd English-Waldeck Regiment, for service in America. They mostly fought against the Spanish in the Deep South, where they were decimated by disease. If the unusual position of the buttons on the cuff isn’t enough, look for the belt plate bearing “FF” for “Fuerst Friedrich,” the state’s ruler.

6. Do your blue Germans have red facings, cocked hats and unusual lace on their coats, shaped like a figure-of-eight? If no, go to the para numbered 7. If yes, they’re from Hesse-Hanau. This state was closely related (in the sense of its ruler, literally) to Hesse-Cassel, yet remained independent. While it provided a small amount of artillery, jägers and freikorps light infantry, its main contribution was a single line regiment, Erbprinz. Their distinctive features were scalloped lace on their cocked hats and the figure-of-eight “Brandenburg” style lace. There was also a Hesse-Cassel Regiment Erbprinz (even sharing the same colonel-in-chief), but they were fusiliers with caps rather than the Hesse-Hanau musketeers with their cocked hats. Check the mistake made by this artwork - these are Hesse-Hanau soldiers from the Infanterie Regiment Erbprinz, but they’re wearing Cassel fusilier caps. Bonus fact; Hanau and Cassel’s crest both features a rampant lion with red and white stripes, but there are subtle differences - they face opposite directions, the style of stripes are slightly different, and the Hanau lion lacks the Cassel one’s crown, but does wield a sword.

7. Do your blue-coated Germans have a black eagle on their flags and grenadier cap plates? If no, they’re probably from Hesse-Cassel. If yes, they’re from Ansbach-Bayreuth. This German state consisted of two provinces, Ansbach and Bayreuth (funny that). Besides jägers and some battalion guns, their main contribution was two infantry regiments, one from each of the two provinces. Their ruler’s crest was a black eagle, similar to the Prussian one.

Of course these posts don’t account for the uniforms of the jäger corps, or musicians, or any artillery, but it can serve as a rough guide. For the proper detail, you’ll have to buy my forthcoming book on the topic!

Also would be pretty cool if someone made an actual flow chart out of this, just saying!

[oywcalendar]

Prelude to the One Year War

The following is a master post of events leading directly to the start of the One Year War, particularly the rapid development of new weapons by the Republic of Zeon.

UC 0074

The EFSF convert their vessels' main armaments from shell-firing cannons to mega particle cannons.

In February, Zeonic complete the MS-04 Prototype Zaku.

December, UC 0074

The first Jupiter Energy Fleet returns to the Republic of Zeon, rendering the nation energy independent from the Earth Federation.

Zimmad submits the design of their EMS-04 Zudah to Zeon’s military.

Zeonic completes the first prototype YMS-05 Zaku, later renumbered MS-05A.

UC 0075

Zeonic’s Zaku and Zimmad’s Zudah are trialled against each other to determine which will be adopted as the Zeon military’s mainline mobile suit. The Zaku underperforms compared to the impressive Zudah, but the Zudah’s reactor overheats and explodes, destroying the mobile suit. The Zaku is chosen for its reliability and lower production cost.

In May, Zeonic rolls out the MS-05B Zaku 1, Zeon’s first combat-ready mobile suit.

In July, Zeon commissions the Musai-class space cruiser, the first warship in history designed to carry mobile suits.

UC 0076

In March, Zeon commissions the Gwazine-class battleship, a command ship for their highest-ranking officers.

In April, Zeon begins mass-producing the MS-05B Zaku 1 after widely expanding their mobile suit factories.

In May, Colonel Kycilia Zabi creates the Mobile Training Battalion to train mobile suit pilots and establish mobile suit tactics.

In December, Zeon begins development of specialized mobile suit variants, especially for terrestrial and maritime warfare. A high-performance "R-type" Zaku is also proposed.

UC 0077

In April, the Riah Revolution occurs at Side 6. Zeon military backs the nationalist faction, sending a squad of Zakus to blockade the EFF, helping to secure the revolution’s victory. Side 6 declares independence from the Earth Federation as the Riah Republic.

In August, Zeonic rolls out the MS-06A Zaku 2. Its performance is greatly improved over the Zaku 1, but Kycilia Zabi orders it redesigned to be better equipped for melee combat, expecting that the Federation will eventually develop their own mobile suits.

In September, per Kycilia's orders, Zeonic rolls out the MS-06C Zaku 2.

UC 0078

In January, Zeon begins mass-producing the Zaku 2 C-type, replacing the Zaku 1 as its military mainstay.

In February, the EFF's SCV-X project begins construction of SCV-27A, a carrier for the FF-S3 Saberfish fighter.

In March, the EFF commence the RX Project, though the Federation at large dismisses the threat of Zeon's humanoid weapons and remains skeptical about developing their own.

In September, Zeonic rolls out the MS-06F Zaku 2. This version lacks its predecessor's heavy radiation shielding, making it lighter and in turn granting it better performance. The commander-use S-type is later developed, based on the nimble F-type.

In October, as part of Zeon's preparation for a possible Earth invasion, Zeonic rolls out the MS-06J Zaku 2. It is closely based on the F-type, but lacks rocket thrusters to further reduce its weight.

On October 24, the government of Side 3 rechristens itself as the Principality of Zeon and declares independence from the Earth Federation.

In November, the Principality of Zeon begins national mobilization. Supreme Commander Gihren Zabi divides the military into the Space Attack Force, under Vice Admiral Dozle Zabi, and the Mobile Assault Force, under Vice Admiral Kycilia Zabi.

In December, the Principality of Zeon begins the lengthy production of the Dolos-class, a trio of massive warships capable of carrying a staggering 182 mobile suits.

[baddybaddyadardaddy]

What’s your take on Gal just standing there while Adar gets killed?

FOR A BAD BITCH [respectful] THAT JUST GOT EVERYTHING THE FUCK SHE WANTED, THAT WAS A PRETTY CRUSTY MOVE I GOTTA SAY.

She took a whole BATTALION on her own at the end of Ep 4, FFS. She could have taken them. And I mean like, the dude already forgave your for killing countless thousands so ehhh really WHAT'S A COUPLE MORE IN THE GRAND SCHEME, REALLY?

I think she should have saved him. THEN maybe be like "(sorry bout your kids but) I cannot face him alone." REMEMBER, LIKE GIL-GALAD SAID IN EPISODE 2?

THEN THEY FUCKING RUMBLE.

(And Adar still dies probably but HE STILL GETS TO TAKE ON SAURON.)

[pettyshippen]

This is a Children’s Cartoon From PBS FFS

Honor and Compromise

Imagine if Disney made a movie of this in the 90s instead but f Pocahontas.

Little dogs are my weakness hey lets follow that guy

Oh they’re note passing

A woman and a minority walk into a room full of old white men.

Rabble rabble rabble

Ya’ll need to get along if you wanna win this war

“Sort of like a king?” 😮

Henri just charged into him like a rhino

James is not going to expose the spies

Henry said ooooo feathers

We’re going to hunt for feathers

Henri forming a battalion of Turkys

“It’s too windy IN here” 🌬️

Henry 0 Turkeys 1

Hamilton getting heated

“They shame their French blood!” Lol

Henry 0 Turkeys 2

How are Sarah and Moses allowed in there.

Redcoats coming this way!

Lee you bitch

“WE ARE GONNA ATTACK”

Attack poodles 🐩

Sarah is sending messages to congress on behalf of Washington girl that’s treason right there

Henris risking his life for a feather

Lee didn’t listen to Washington and it backfired

“Lee, you’re fired! Get out!”

Go back inti battle guys, it’s not over k

Ok that last shot with the turkeys, and Henri sleeping

The New Frontier

We get to see Sarahs dilf of a father

“And you, Sarah, are you an American?”

Sarahs like omg forgot about me looking for my dad

Boooooooo children are starving

I love how James wants her to be safe and Sarahs confident in her safety.

How often does Sarah have to sleep outside?

Why did he just straight up desert her?

Imagine passing out in the forest and waking up in the log cabin of a stranger.

Sarah why are you scared of them they’re people

What is that pig eating, pizza on a baguette?

Sarah was definitely not expecting that

Papa Phillips is an outdoors nature men at heart

“It all started when these rebels started throwing tea off the ship I was sailing on.”

Rich people ruined everything in every era of time

Damn. That’s a hell if a debate club meeting.

Because most white people are bad people.

Tarring and feathering is way too extreme

Well James congrats on your first tar and feathering threat

“I fell in love with this country just like I fell in love with her.” 🥲

This is when Sarah finally doubts her views

These men didn’t deserve to be warned

This was the last straw for Sarah that made her say fuck this shit I’m out.

James, you are a writer. That was poetry.

“I lost you for six years”

Papa Phillips really is dad of the year all in one day

These scene would have been perfect for Sarah to go on a passionate and tearful rant about all the men who have mistreated her and how they’re both patriot and loyalist.

“I have been chocked, slapped, bound and gagged, spat on, ridiculed, threatened, and nearly had my virtue taken away more times than I can count! These are the exact kind of men who would have a prisoner executed even if he’s only just a boy! And the worst part is, the men who do this, come from both sides!”

Sarahs very anti-violence. I need to remember that for my writing.

Oh Sam, she’ll lovvvvvvvve that beard

James doesn’t want a goodbye hug

Poor Henri

Not Yet Begun to Fight

Omg yay the pirate episode

Omg is Jones a ginger

Sarah and Jones forming a friendship off of hair color

“Ah, another ginger.”

Sarah what are you doing above deck.

Ok but how did she survive that?

So no scene with Jones taking off his hat coat and boots to jump into the water and save her and while he’s holding her he says ‘Ay, whas ye name lass?’ but Sarah only responds with heavy coughs?

Just two gingers bonding over ham.

*Instant concern when Sarah says she doesn’t write anymore*

200 English prisoners!?

“Take my first riding teacher, Alec Spencer.”

Jones teaching Sarah a sea shanty.

Yesssss Sarah.

“I cannot write what I do not believe in” “Forgive me Ms. Phillips, but you strike me as someone who believes in liberty.”

Bros just sailing a burning ship like nbd

And then Sarah switched views right then and there. Treason complete.

“Serve our cause with your eyes and your pen.”

And she wrote the article on a plank of wood. Amazing.

Great idea with the grenade

Cue Titanic theme

“Ms. Phillips, I look forward to many more articles under your name.”

I bet Sarahs still getting used to shaking hands with men after having her hand taken and kissed so many times.

The Great Galves

So Sarah was a townhouse kind of girl in England

Why is Sarah being carried? Her being unconscious makes no sense here.

I wonder what books Sarah has on her shelve

I know James acts unmoved about Sarah leaving but I think he misses her.

Where’s Henri?

Oh jfc not the skunk

Who’s this chubster

“The war is already lost bro.” “But for Britain, America is lost.”

“Boys who’ll not be forced to fight other poor boys.”

“I’ve seen some shit mom. Anyways, I wanna go back.”

No article from Lady Whistledown about Sarahs surprise return?

“Log up ahead!”

Ooos Henri fell in the water can he swim

James stfu they can hear you

Time to steal a boat

“Hi one way ticket to America.”

“And your America will be different?” Yes, it’ll be so much worse.

I would be uncomfortable af if I saw shackled prisoners walking past me like a slow sad parade

*looks at captured American boy* “Courage.”

“Mom, I’m American.”

In Praise of Ben

I feel like this was just a filler episode but Sarah coming back is a yay

This would have been the opportune episode for James and Sarah to finally start flirting and because they have so much pent up, they find themselves kissing each other shamelessly.

So she switches sides in 1780

“Probably that I’m a silly girl who keeps changing her mind about who she really is.”

A lady like Sarah has ti have more than one bag I mean c’mon. I bet her mom bought her new clothes

Moses is so happy 🥹

James is like hmmmmmmm

Ope Henris gettin into fights

Imagine Henri was short when Sarah left but had a growth spurt while Sarah was away

Moses is in full dad mode

Kid, time for a history lesson

Wtf is that thing a glass harmonica

That’s sounds kinda annoying though

Lightning doesn’t strike that damn slow

Everyones just stanning Ben

Is the turkey laughing at him?

Bens mom was a slut too

Everyones infodumping

Imagine sharing a hospital room with 20+ people.

Noooo poor Ben

“Slavery is the economic foundation of the south” bish shut yo ass up

Ben Franklin as a mall Santa

Ben in a shirt that says 🐱🧲

[mandylove1000]

Tumblr I’m literally not the bitch for this ad. I know too much about firehouses to know this is quite literally impossible paid or volunteer you can’t just BECOME battalion chief like that it doesn’t fucking work like that ffs. If it did there would be FAR more line of duty deaths cause shit like that would get someone fucking killed. You can not learn everything you’d need to know in 5 days. You are starting as a probational and you work your fuckin way up ranks ffs. If you don’t do it the right way people will die fuck even doing it the right way people still die CAUSE ITS NOT FUCKING EASY AND ITS NOT SOMETHING EVERYONE CAN HANDLE. 

[bookenders]

Have another Comic Sans PowerPoint! This time, it’s for Fish Food!

Oh, no, Tumblr wouldn’t let me add the last slide as a photo boo. Let me know if you can’t read it and I’ll try to fix it.

I also removed this one because it was redundant:

[Tag List and WIP Info under the cut!]

WIP Intro Post | FF WIP Tag | WIP Page

Character Tags: Iron Will | Overseer | Lithium | Babylon | Nightmare | Sparkplug

OC Intro Post:  Phase 1 | Phase 2

Individual Intros:

Phase 1 (Main Cast): Iron Will | Overseer | Lithium |  Babylon | Nightmare

Phase 2 (Supporting Cast): Sparkplug | Battalion | Ferro

***

[Let me know if you want to be added or removed!]

Fish Food Tag List:  @theevolutionofledarose, @kriss-the-writing-nerd,@quilloftheclouds, @waterfallwritings, @dontwritethatone, @aeschknight, @abalonetea, @ladywithalamp, @writevevo, @writing-frontiersman, @disfunctionaldeity-writes

[theclonehub]

Where I Belong by @horseluvr00-ff on Tumblr.com, Fanfiction.net, and Archiveofourown.org

Female OC & Clones (platonic), friendship, found family, fluff, angst, action/adventure

Summary: The only family she'd ever known gave her a name; back when she belonged to something. But when that family is lost, she leaves it all behind. When destiny drops her in the last place she ever wanted to be, she has to earn back the trust and respect of the Republic that left her to die. Caught between the Jedi and the Grand Army of the Republic, she'll discover where she belongs.

Warnings: war violence, death, torture, blood/gore, discrimination, alcohol consumption, lots of clone boys, eventual Order 66.

This lovely fic was a submission! To share your fic with us, click here :)

check out my masterlist 👇

Masterlist

[zoeykallus]

Rex – In Love And War 7 - Lies And Other Things About Love

Rex x Fem!Reader (FF)

Warnings: Angst /Hurt /Fluff (kinda)

_____________

Every lie is discovered at some point, and Rex, who is not a good liar anyway, has to make this experience as well. _____________

What Happend Before:

In Love And War

Part 2 -Noises In The Dark

Part 3 - Sinful Dreams

Part 4 - Mesh'la

Part 5 - Old Friends

Part 6 - Unspoken Things

Part 7 - Lies And Other Things About Love

When you heard Rex's voice you jumped up, Howzer was already on his feet in front of you, he looked around frantically and you finally saw Rex coming out from between the trees.

"Imps? Where?" asked Howzer focused.

Rex stumbled, something that was rather unusual for him, "Um on their way here, I just got a message, we should get ready."

You nodded, feeling your heart beat faster. If the Empire found you here, the fun was over. You had little to defend yourselves with here. The thought did not appeal to you.

Hastily you followed the two men back to your hut. You immediately went to the sofa, pushed it aside to get to the secret compartment with the weapons, which was in the floor under the sofa. Howzer immediately helped you do it, while Rex watched a little uneasily. He had lied to prevent the kiss between you and Howzer, now he had gotten caught in a lie that he would have to explain sooner or later, because no Imperials would come.

He watched you take the weapons out of the secret compartment and hand one of them to Howzer and his two blasters to Rex. You yourself picked up your sniper rifle and two magazines to reload.

"I'm going up to the attic," you said, pulling on the line to open the hatch and pull down the ladder.

Howzer interjected, "Might we not be better off fleeing into the woods or trying to get off the planet? We can't hold our own against a battalion. We will certainly be outnumbered."

You had your first foot on the ladder when you turned to him and said firmly, "I'm not giving up this home. I don't blame you if you both or either of you want to leave, that's up to you, we don't have military hierarchy anymore, I'm not a commander"

Howzer raised his eyebrows but finally said just as firmly, "We're staying, you don't seriously think even one of us would ever leave you behind."

Rex nodded, "We're staying."

You looked at him for a moment longer and finally nodded at him before climbing up.

You had been lying in the attic for two hours at least, it was getting cold, your fingers were getting stiff. It was colder in the attic than down in the hut and night had fallen in the meantime. The lot of a sniper, to lie somewhere in the dirt and wait for the enemy.

You heard the men downstairs talking softly, you heard their voices but didn't understand the words. Suddenly the voices became a little louder, restless. It sounded like they were arguing.

You frowned in confusion as someone opened the hatch to the attic. Howzer's head appeared in the hatch, looking anything but pleased.

"What's wrong?" you asked in surprise.

"Nothing," said Howzer, "Nothing's wrong at all, because no Imps are coming."

You blinked in confusion.

"I don't understand, what does that mean exactly?"

Howzer growled, "Come down and ask Rex."

He disappeared out the hatch and you finally followed him downstairs, put the rifle and magazines back in the secret compartment, stood up and looked at Rex. You had never seen that look on his face before, shame, uncertainty, he was avoiding your gaze, barely managing to look you in the eye.

Howzer paced the room, finally leaning against a wall and crossing his arms in front of his chest. He looked somber, disgruntled, but he remained quiet.

"Rex? What's going on here? Howzer says there are no Imperials coming."

You spoke calmly, there was no reason to be angry yet, there was certainly an explanation, perhaps a misunderstanding, however that did not explain why Howzer seemed upset.

Rex slowly raised his eyes, he gulped, his mouth was suddenly dry. His heart was beating up to his throat and your gentle, questioning look hit him right in the chest. He felt guilty and caught, now he had to come clean, but actually he didn't feel ready for it at all.

"Mesh'la… I…" Rex broke off and gulped again "I lied about the Imps."

He saw your eyes grow wide and your brows move up in wonder.

"But why?" you asked quietly "What was I doing lying up there in the cold for hours?"

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have done that, it just came over me".

You stood there and your expression told him that this explanation was anything but sufficient for you.

"It came over you to lie? Just like that?", you asked a little more harshly.

Howzer interjected, "He was trying to sabotage our date."

You frowned and said, "What are you talking about, Rex wouldn't do something like that, that's silly".

Howzer snorted, "Oh well ask him if I made that up".

Your gaze slowly and thoughtfully shifted back to Rex.

"Is he telling the truth, Rex?"

He said haltingly, "I… it's a bit more complicated than that but… yes, it's true."

Howzer interjected angrily, "I've asked you, several times if you're okay with me going out with her and approaching her, several times you've had the opportunity to say you have feelings for her. But you say no, it's okay, and then on our date you barge in with such a blatant lie? Are you serious? That's not like you at all."

Rex threw his arms in the air and said, "I'm not a blank slate, I've been attracted to women before and had my experiences but, I stuck to the code, didn't make any commitments, it was all more of a…. physical thing. But now, this is different I've never been so…" he glanced over at you briefly, gulped again avoided your gaze and finished the sentence, "in love."

Silence settled over the room. Your heart was beating hard up to your throat. No matter how charming Howzer was, hearing from Rex that he was in love with you was like a clear as a bell angel's song. At first, you couldn't react to it at all.

Rex continued quietly, "I didn't know how to deal with it, these feelings are so intense, and somewhere inside me there's still the thought of you being my commander and the whole thing intimidated me. I thought maybe if you two got together I could let go of these feelings, but just the thought of you walking out the door together drove me crazy. I couldn't stand it, I… longed for you."

He ran both hands over his face and muttered a curse in his palms.

"I'm sorry, I have to apologize to both of you, what I did was stupid and mindless. I won't bother you guys anymore"

Your heart sank into your stomach, he was already turning away after finally admitting he had feelings for you. You felt like you were set back to square one.

Howzer sighed and said, " Brother, you don't seriously think now that I know that, I'm going to try to hook up with her, do you? You've known each other a lot longer, I like her, a lot, yes, but you've been in love with her for a long time. What kind of brother would I be if I just ignored that?"

He began to pack his things.

"No wait," Rex tried to stop him.

Howzer shook his head and smiled, "It's okay Rex, I'll be fine, you guys got me all fixed up, I'll take a blaster if that's okay and some supplies and then I'll go my way. You two have some catching up to do and some things to discuss it seems to me and let's face it, the cabin would have been too cramped for the three of us sooner or later one way or another."

You had mixed feelings about Howzer wanting to move on, but you didn't try to stop him. He gave you a kiss on the cheek and said, "Watch out for that fool, okay?"

You nodded silently and watched him go a little sadly as he finally pulled the door shut behind him.

Rex cleared his throat and you looked at him.

"He was definitely right about one thing," he said, "We have a lot to talk about, don't we?"

You nodded.

"Yeah, I guess so," you said quietly.

@ttzamara

@chxpsi

@andyoufollowyourheart

@the-sith-in-the-sky-with-diamond

@brynhildrmimi

@nunanuggets

@clone-whore-99

@misogirl828

@tech-deck @rexandechosandwich

@flyingkangaroo

@stardusthuntress

@ladykatakuri

@graciexmarvel

[halsteadlover]

����𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐓𝐨 𝐘𝐨𝐮

*Gif not mine, credits to the owner*

• Pairing: Jay Halstead x Reader.

• Requested by @silentbutscreaming : What about Jay and the reader knowing each other since the Rangers, having a relationship, then they come back but the reader gets deployed back. However, while she is away her base gets attacked, her and the team go missing or they are presumed dead idk🤷‍♀️ something like that. So years go by, no one has seen the reader or the team but then they suddenly come out or escape from somewhere and she reunites with Jay 😊.

• Warnings: slight mention of war, PTSD and panick attack, bad words and idk what else honestly lmao

• Word count: 4285.

• A/N: Hii everyone! 💞 Ffs I didn't realize how long this is lmao I'm honestly not that satisfied with how this turned out and I was unsure whether to post it or not but I was too lazy to write it again so here it is😭 I'm sorry for any mistakes and if something isn't accurate. Let me know what you think and if you want send me other requests. Thank you for the feedback given so far, I love y'all 😭 Stay safe out there ❤️ (yeah I write long ass A/N I know pls forgive me)

You and Jay had known each other for years. He served in the 3rd Battalion 75th Ranger Regiment and you were an army doctor at the time but you only met when both of you were deployed to Afghanistan. You were one of the few women in that unit and this made Jay always protective of you, feeling compelled to keep you safe, which was ironic as you risked your lives every single day.

The relationship between you and Jay started as a good friendship but over time, by always being together, going through the good and the bad times (mostly bad ones), you started to develop feelings towards him that went far beyond friendship. It had taken a while for you to realize this, both of you trying to deny those feelings that were growing for each other. You obviously weren't looking for a relationship, neither Jay, but as soon as you found each other it was impossible for both of you to fall in love. It was hard, damn it was. It was hard to keep your mind straight, to keep yourselves focused on the missions, the goals and, mostly, on staying alive when you were so worried about each other. It was hard and your friends wasted no time to tease and making fun of you about it. This is why you weren't even surprised when you found out they had made a bet on how long it'd take to you and Jay to get together. It was Mouse who won it, excitement on his face when he busted you and Jay kissing.

After almost a year away it was finally time to go home and, God, you couldn't wait. You couldn't wait to leave all the crap and the horrible thing you witnessed while deployed, to leave the explosions, the battlefields, the mutilated bodies behind you. But, mostly, you were so excited to finally live your relationship with Jay as you always wanted, to finally enjoy the love and the life that were waiting for you.

“You're gonna live with me once we go back you know that right?” Jay always said, almost counting the days that separate him from returning home. This was his second tour in Afghanistan but he had never been so excited to go home as he was that time.

“Is this an order Mr. Soldier?” you replied, a smirk on your lips as you were gently stroking his hair. It was a fairly quite night back then but the heat was almost unbearable, even at that hour of the night. This hadn't stopped you from snuggling up to him on his cot tho.

He tiredly smiled, injoying the sweetness of your touch. “Of course my gorgeous doctor, I don't want to waste a second with you once we get home, gonna make up for all the time we lost.”

And he did.

He truly made you happier than you ever were in your entire life. Leaving with Jay was like a dream and for two years it felt like paradise. It was a rollercoaster of emotions, you loved every second with him, the good and the bad. You would've liked to say it was always easy, that everything between you and Jay had always been plain sailing.

Altought you'd been home, it wasn't easy to forget the horrors of the war and unfortunately the consequences of that trauma were a burden that both of you would've carried forever. There were times when Jay thought he couldn't move on and live a normal life, there were times when you thought you'd never be able to get over what you went through there. But as much as difficult it may have been, as much as those dark moments might seem impossible to overcome, the only thing you were both sure of was that you were there for each other, that you knew that you'll always be there when the other one felt sinking into the abyss.

That's why you and Jay worked so well together, besides loving each other with so much strenght and passion, because you understood each other, you knew what the other needed or felt. You were there after every nightmare, after every panick attack, PTSD's and sleepless nights. Despite all that you and Jay managed to get the professional help you needed and God only knew how much it helped both of you.

A year after returning home Jay joined the Chicago Police Department. He was a great cop, one of the bravest, and that's why, after being undercover for a case, he managed to get noticed by Hank Voight's Intelligence Unit. While still at the Academy, Jay dreamed of joining the unit and that's why, when detective Antonio Dawson mentioned Halstead's name to Sergeant Voight, he didn't waste a second accepting the Sergeant's request to pass a probationary period. And that's how he became detective Jay Halstead.

Meanwhile, you got a job at Chicago Med as a trauma surgeon. You couldn't help but think about how lucky you were that you were able to stay in town, that you could still have Jay around.

Two more years had passed in the meantime and you and Jay still together. Given the busy working schedule you took advantage of all the free moments you had to be together and just enjoy yourselves. You eventually learned how much dangerous was being a cop, always worried Jay wouldn't come back. God, just the thought broke your heart. Jay made sure to reassure you that he wasn't going anywhere, that he wouldn't leave you.

So after more than four years together he managed to become your fiancé after asking you to marry him on your anniverary. God, this was the happiest day of your life and you almost couldn't believe that you were soon going to be Mrs Halstead.

But life was really unpredictable and you had learned that.

One morning you and Jay were in your bedroom getting ready to go to work, you were wearing your hospital uniform while Jay was fixing his gun and badge in his waistband. You couldn't help but find really hot the way he looked while fixing them.

“You like what you see baby?” he asked with a smirk on his lips as he looked at you.

“You have no idea detective” you said, your lower lip between you teeth as you walked towards him. You gently grabbed his face and kissed him, his hands immediately going down and grabbing your ass.

“You better stop teasing me doctor Y/LN, Voight will kick me out of the unit if I'm late again” he murmured but keeping kiss you.

“You're the one groping my ass Halstead I just wanted to give you a kiss” you giggled, your arms around his neck.

“I know” he whispered. He kissed you on that sweet spot on your neck and you couldn't help but let out a slight moan “But you're so addictive baby, I can't get enough of you.”

It took all your strength to get away from Jay, laughing as you looked at his bewildered expression. “We have to go to work, should I remind you that?”

“We can have quickie baby I know you want it too” he said, a mischievous grin on his face and eyes twinkling as he tried to draw you back to him. You laughed and managed to get away from him and quickly grab a pillow that you threw at him.

“You're gonna pay for this my love.”

Your day at Chicago Med was going smoothly, there weren't many traumas coming and you thanked people for deciding not to get hurt that day. You were in the rest room sipping your coffee with other fellow surgeons when you got a call. Never in a million years you would've thought to hear what you heard.

They wanted you back. Back in Afghanistan. There was a shortage of trauma doctors, they needed to send there as many surgeons as possible and you were one of them.

You didn't know how to feel or how to act. When you first got back to Chicago after a year of deployment if someone had asked you if you'd like to return there, your answer would've been a sharp ‘no’. Now you didn't know what to say, you felt like you could've do it, that you were strong enough to go back there but the thought of leaving Jay for an undefined amount of time broke your heart. God, you were going to marry him, how could you've found the strength to tell him you'd be back there?

“Y/N are you okay?” Will asked when he saw you lost in your thoughts. He was Jay's brother, you didn't know if tell him or not.

You let out a deep sigh. “Yeah but I need to talk to Jay, can you cover for me?”

“Sure but... Is everything okay?” he asked worriedly “Please don't tell me you want to call off the engagement.”

“What? Absolutely not are you insane? I would never do that you know I love him” you said, sighing again “It's just... I got a call.”

“About what?”

“They want me back there Will.”

“What?!” he exclaimed, looking somewhere between shocked and astonished “And what did you say?”

“I want to talk with Jay first but...”

“But you want to go back” he finished your sentence. You didn't need to answer, you knew that's what you wanted to do, you felt it was right.

“Y/N I'm no one to tell you what to do, these are things that concern you.”

“But?”.

“But nothing Y/N. Yeah you're my brother's fiancée but you're also a dear friend, I'll support you no matter what, just be careful okay?”.

You smiled, giving him a hug. “Thank you for not telling me I'm stupid for thinking to go back there.”

“I don't think you're stupid Y/N,” he said but you kept looking at him “Okay maybe just a little bit but if that's what you want to do who am I to tell you otherwise?”.

“It'd be so much easier if Jay thought the same.”

“Oh don't worry, I'm sure he will understand” Will said but he didn't even believe his own words. “I wasn't convincing was I?”.

You let out a small bitter laugh. “Not really. I have to go now, please don't tell anybody what I said”.

“Tell what? I don't know what you're talking about.”

“You are the best Will thank you.”

“Good luck Y/N you'll need it” he said slightly laughing. You knew he tried to loosen up the tension but you couldn't help but think how right he was.

“Look if it isn't my favourite doctor. Here to see Detective Chuckles right?”. Trudy had a smile on her face as soon as she saw you enter the district. You greeted her with a warm hug.

“Yes, do you mind buzz me up?”.

“Of course not, but we'll talk later about the fact you never come to see me.”

You cuckled. “You're always my number one you know that Trudy.”

“Mmmh sure. Go before I'll kick your lovely ass.”

As soon as you got upstairs, you were greeted by Adam who gave you a hug. “Here to see me baby?”.

You let out a giggle. You had a great bond with every member of Intelligence and you were glad to have such amazing people in your life. You quickly hugged the other members noticing Jay was not there.

“In your dreams Ruz, where is my man?”.

“He's with a suspect in the interrogation room I think...”

“Here's my beautiful future wife” you heard immediately recognizing your fiancé's voice. A smile spread on his face as soon as he saw you. “Hi babe” he approached you and gave you a small kiss on your lips.

“You guys are so disgustingly loving” Kim said as she was sitting at her desk.

“Right?” continued Antonio “You actually make me sick.”

You and Jay laughed as he put his arm around your shoulder. “You want me to kiss you too Dawson?” he said earning a disgusted look from Antonio “As I thought” Jay continued then directing his eyes on you “Why did you come here baby? Everything okay at Med's?”

“Yes, actually I wanted to talk to you about something, can we go somewhere private?”.

Jay looked at you for a couple of seconds, as if he were studying you, trying to find if something was wrong. He nodded, his brows slightly furrowed. “Sure, let's go in the break room”.

“So what did you want to talk to me about?” Jay asked while closing the door behind him.

You were a bundle of nerves, your brain trying to find the right words to say.

“Baby? Is everything alright? I'm getting worried” he asked again, noticing the way you were torturing your hands and the worried look on your face. He knew that whatever you were about to say wasn't a good thing.

You took a deep breath and looked him in the eyes before speaking. “I received a call today. They told me there's a shortage of army surgeons in the unit where we served.”

Jay's face was unreadable. He tried to think why you were telling him this while he prayed that you weren't telling him what you were about to tell him. “Why are you telling me this Y/N?”

You didn't need to say it out loud but looking at you was enough for Jay to understand. “You have a mouth to speak so speak Y/N, why are you telling me this? What did they say?”

“Jay...” you tried to say, noticing how much he was getting upset.

“Don't even fucking think about it Y/N you hear me? You're not going back there!” he said, raising his voice.

“Jay that's not your decision! It's not up to you!”.

“Are you fucking serious?! You're seriously thinking to go back there?! Don't you remember what we went through? We talked about this Y/N this chapter is closed!”.

“Stop fucking acting like you have to decide for me Jay! I'm not asking for your permission I'm just telling you!”

Jay was steaming with rage. He just couldn't believe you were really telling him this, that you wanted to go back in Afghanistan. What was wrong with you? How could you even think about it? Not after everything you've been through after coming back home.

“You are not going back there Y/N end of the story! Why would you even think about it? What we have here is not enough for you? You need to fucking go there and risk your life again?!” he yelled.

“Don't you dare even say it! My decision has nothing to with us you fucking know this!”.

“Your decision?! Are you fucking serious Y/N. You didn't even think about it what the fuck is wrong with you?!”

“I don't need to explain shit to you Jay I thought you'd be more supportive...”

“I'd been supportive if you weren't making such a stupid and shitty decision! What the fuck do you expect me to do? I won't stay here and watch my fucking fiancée kill herself!”.

The door opened and Adam walked in, looking worriedly between you and Jay. Your raised voices were clearly audible outside the break room and at that point Adam felt he should step in before the situation could get even worse. You and Jay couldn't even look at each other anymore, both too furious. It took all your strength to hold back your tears and not to cry, you hated arguing with Jay like that.

“Guys I don't wanna intrude but... Well... We heard you, everything alright?”.

“Oh yeah everything is fucking amazing Adam” Jay snapped before storming out without even looking at you.

You let out a sigh you didn't even know you were holding back. You ran your hands over your face and through your hair, frustrated as you tried to ignored Adam's gaze on you.

“Y/N what happened?” he asked, almost in a whisper.

“I told him I'll go back in Afghanistan” you answered, without even looking at him.

“Oh...” he murmured “Listen, I don't wanna take anyone's side...”

“Then don't do it” you interrupted him.

“I'm just saying that he's worried about you Y/N.”

“I thought you didn't want to take nobody's side.” you blurted out angrily but soon realizing it wasn't Adam's fault “I'm... I'm sorry Adam. I have to go now.”

Weeks had passed as the day of your departure was getting closer and closer. Things didn't get any better between you and Jay, in fact, since the day of that furious fight in the district, there was nothing but silence from both of you. That situation was exasperating you, since you and Jay got together you'd never spent so much time without talking and even looking at each other. However, in spite of this, you were determined about your decision and even thought the fact that Jay didn't support you hurt you so much, you felt that returning yo Afghanistan was the right thing to do, that you had to stay there and help as many people as possible. After all, that's why you became a doctor.

You were at the airport waiting for you flight when you heard your name being called. You turned your head just to see Jay running towards you. Your heart almost dropped, were you hallucinating?

“Jay...” you managed to say, your voice came out as a whisper. Without even saying anything Jay pulled you into a hug.

“I'm so sorry Y/N, please forgive me. I... I've been such an asshole with you and you didn't deserve it. I'm just so scared to lose you I can't live without you” he whispered, holding you so tight in a way he never did before. A tear ran down your face, you tried to not to cry but it was impossible.

“I know Jay and I'm scared too trust me, but it wasn't your decision”.

“I know baby, I know I'm sorry it took me so long to realize it, I just didn't want to let you go without even say goodbye.”

“Better late than ever” you said with a little smile on your face. His hands cupped your face while his thumbs were gently caressing your cheeks.

“Promise me you'll be back, please.”

“I promise baby, I will always come back to you no matter what.” you said “Promise you'll be safe too, you better not take any bullet.”

“I promise baby we'll get married remember?” he said with a smile spread on his lips even if that smile didn't match the way he really felt. He still disagreed with your decision but he knew it wouldn't be good for either of you if you kept arguing “Please stay safe out there baby, I'll be here waiting for you. I love you.”

“I love you too Jay.”

Over the next few months Jay would get up every day and pray that you were okay, that you were safe. Video calls via Skype weren't enough, both of you missed each other like air and he couldn't help but counting the days left for your to go back home.

But when you didn't call him one day as you used to do, Jay quickly realized that something was wrong. It'd beem days since he last heard you and he didn't know what to do, the thought that something might've happened to you was killing him.

Jay felt the world collapsed on him when he received a call after almost two weeks of silence from you, informing him a bombing had blown up the base where you and your unit were. He was broken, he knew you were risking your life every single day, but nothing could've prepared him for that news, no matter how many times he thought that each day he heard you could be the last.

Your body was actually never found so Jay never really knew what happened there but, as the years went by, the hope he initially had that you might still be alive was almost gone. Part of him told him to move on, but another part just couldn't give up, couldn't let go of that grain of hope that you might still be alive. Jay had clung to that little grain of hope with all his being. He didn't go a day when he didn't research and ask for you, even if it didn't lead to anything. He still loved you like the first day and he couldn't give up, even though everyone told him to let you go and move on. How could he even think of doing it? He wouldn't love anyone as much as he loved you, just the thought of being with someone else made him feel like he'd betrayed you.

It was nearly five years since Jay last saw you.

It was Thursday afternoon when Jay had just returned in the 21st District, after going with Burgess to pick up a drug dealing suspect. He was locked up in the interrogation room while Jay and Kim were taking off their vests. Jay's phone rang before entering the interrogation room.

“Hey Will what's up? I'm kinda busy right...”

“You have to come here Jay” Will interrupted him. Jay frowned at the way Will spoke. He seemed nervous.

“Why? What happened?”.

“Just come here Jay, please, you'll understand” Will said before closing the call.

“Jay you're not coming?” Kim asked.

“Can you do it alone?”.

“Yes of course, but is everything alright?”.

“Will just called me and said I have to go to Med's”.

“Go, I'll take care of it”.

When Jay arrived at the hospital his heart was beating so fast he felt it was almost poking out of his chest. His brain racing as he thought the worst.

“Will what the hell is going on?” Jay asked as soon as he saw his brother in front of a room, the curtain closed. All of a sudden he heard a voice coming from inside that room, a voice that he would've recognized from miles away, even in the midst of million people.

“For fucks sake I'm fine! I need to go now just let me go!”

Jay literally froze, his eyes and mouth wide open in shock as he looked at his brother. Will gave him a little smile, shifting slightly to make room for Jay. He looked at that curtain not knowing what to do, he feared it'd been just an auditory hallucination, that the voice he had heard wasn't really of the person he loved most in the world.

“Do you have any head injuries ma'am? Pain or dizziness?”

“For the thousandth time no! I'm fine!”.

No, God, he wasn't hallucinating. He was 100% sure it was your voice. He snapped open the curtain, almost feeling faint when he saw the person sitting on the edge of the bed in front of him. He couldn't believe it. It was you, you were alive and you were fine.

Still sitting on the bed, you stood up as soon you saw him, the men you loved and still loved with every piece of you. It was as if a moving train run over you, even after all those years the effect he made on you remained the same. You didn't now how to act while he was still looking at you in shock. You couldn't suppress the feeling of anxiety that gripped your stomach. What if he forgot you? What if moved on? What if he had another woman in his life or a family?

You didn't even notice the tears running down your face, your eyes blurred.

“Y/N,” Jay whispered, still not believing you were right in front of him. The doctor who was checking on you came out of the room, leaving you and Jay alone, but you didn't even notice.

Before you were able to say something, Jay wrapped his arms around you, hugging you so tightly you could barely breath. But you didn't care, you returned the hug, deeply inhaling the scent you missed so much. God, that hug felt like haven.

“I can't believe it... You're alive...” Jay said, tears rolling down his face as he kept hugging with every strength of his body.

“I'm so sorry Jay,” you cried “I wanted to go back so bad... I'm sorry...”

“Shh it's okay, it's okay,” he whispered “I'm so glad you're okay I thought you were... God I missed you so much.”

He slightly pulled away from the embrace, wiping your tears away with his thumbs as you did the same to him. He hugged you again, slightly lifting you up.

“I missed you too Jay, so damn much God... I thought you...”

“Don't even say it, I would never forget you. I love you so much. I knew you were there somewhere. I'm so fucking happy” he said, now looking at you with the same love he felt years ago “You still have the engagement ring,” he smiled, noticing the ring around your finger.

“That's the only thing that made me resist, this and the thought that sooner or later I'd come back to you” you said, sincerely.

The smile that Jay gave you made every second of pain you suffered in those five years worth it.

“I hope it's still valid”.

“Fuck yes, I promised I'd always wait for you remember?” he asked. Jay didn't give you time to answer as he grabbed your face and pressed his lips onto yours.

This was your happy place, right next to him, and it would forever be.

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[t-underneaththeradardancing]

a defacto morning - person - am cuz never know if gonna b wat seem to b battalion invading havoc - in other wordle construction - i dont remember taking foto 

wake up whimper terror then a grip - of sorts - stumble into dark early - talk emoji  -to the unpoet w som fran say and text mix in like an entropy salad - a kitty yes - a good one - always - soothe and ground - breathe t and uh maybe hydrate ffs u always tellin others - at least we have love and needles - hallelujah - anyway - birdsong murder in the offing - rose colored watever onna stardust pathway - a day - on life terms notwithstanding 

[hoefette]

All the petty things I hate about fate!winx and their shitty universe/world building because

I'd added most if these in tags of other posts but I'm still so mad lmao

The way characters, Aisha and Mrs Dowling specifically make references to explicitly human or American things like instagram and Harry Potter

These people are from a different dimension for ffs why are they concerned with or are even aware of this very earth-specific shit? Do they teach earth classes at school over there?

I understand not wanting to have them be oblivious so Bloom wouldn't have to explain it to them, but it simply could be ✨omitted✨

Why would you go out of your way to date your work like this lmao ew

Ms. Dowling calling Tinkerbell an air fairy.. I cannot breeve with the stupidity why did they keep that in there

Why is Ms. Dowling.. the headmistress.. teaching classes? Where are the other teachers?

We ended up with a trio of antagonists (I guess you could call them that?) by the end of the season anyway so why not give us the trix, why have the characters play double roles as friends of our protagonists and also the villains/bullies? They clearly wanted a delinquent trio, in which case they could've gender bent the trix if they wanted to keep all the unnecessary sexual tension.

It just feels like the production team was lazy, they didn't want to hire more actors, they didn't want to bother with making the world immersive or lived in or believable at best, they just didn't give enough of a fuck

They wanted to make this show and attatch Winx to it for.. what? Like did you even google the main plot points? The abridged version or sparknotes to get details on the very literal, basic characteristics of our main characters or their roles or the world they inhabit????

It lacks wonder and intrigue.. I mean Bloom moves to another dimension, a school for fairies and we don't see her marvel once at anything.. and that's because she might as well have been in Switzerland because she's in exactly the same environment she would've been in over there anyway.

They could've said Alfea was in Europe and I'd believe it because nothing about the setting makes it feel otherworldly. I'm sorry but I'm not impressed.

Why do the teachers and graduated specialists communicate via facetime ?? In the magic dimension. ??? Why do they text each other and those texts then appear on screen like .. oh look, like a bad netflix teen movie ????? HELLO ??? it's the way technology and magic could've blended in so seamless into the world THE WAY IT WAS ALREADY DONE/SHOWN. Missed opportunity. it just takes you out of it imo every time you see the ugly, bland, gray text bar. Some fucking flavour pls I'm begging

How stupid the specialist must feel clonking around with the skinniest shreds of armor, plastic swords on their backs and battery powered flashlights and cellphones in their bags. R we larping?? I know I'd be laughing and asking why we hadn't already come up with something more effective .. idk like guns. I'm surprised I ain't see one gun in there.

In the beginning Ms. Dowling says some nonsense about fairies having lost the ability to transform to explain why there are no wings, which means they could've transformed before. So are we to assume that this supposed to be set in the time proceeding the original then?? Because something is not adding up with where they should be as a magical society technologically if that's the case

How does the production team want to keep the dark academia vibes with torches lining the walls and also want them to be face timing each other, presumably from miles and miles away in the dark forest???

Pls pick an aesthetic and stick to it everything was so unnecessarily dark. Where do they charge their phones since it's the only device we see that is the slightest bit modern and dont fucking tell me they charge it with magic I will punch you in the face

Why is there only one major monarchy that we are shown? Why are Solaria the only ones contributing to the efforts to defend the school and where is this mysterious battalion we never see lmaoo it's all so bad its laughable.

Is this set in the kingdom of Solaria? And why does the queen of an alleged interdimensional superpower monarchy pull up in black SUVs??????????? Why does she pull up with Andreas?? Is he not the king of Erakleon?? Where are his soldiers and his battalion and just?? Huh!? The world just feels empty like nobody lives here fr

Are we supposed to believe that the specialists get paired up with fairies just as a normal occurence and that they have to 'trust each other' and not because the plot demands it suddenly half way through when all we've seen so far are the fairies doing normalish school and homework, and the specialists outside, being physical everyday all day. This was never even implied that they'd have to work together apart from when we see the faculty as youngins with Rosalind. But even then.. it's like well why are they even together lmao? Is this a special team formed from Rosalind’s protégées? Were they formed after graduating from Alfea or what is this?? Are they the ONLY team of specialist/fairies hunting every single burned one?? What?

Are we now supposed to buy that Musa is being switched to 'support' because that's where her strengths lie and not in combat?? Are we supposed to believe that these girls know hand to hand combat?? When was this established? We see Terra wrapping some baby vines around a dude and I'm sorry is that the practical application of her power? Is this what the fairies are supposed to do once they graduate? Or is it just a switch in curriculum because of the threats outside the barrier?? This is never made clear.

Because if not then what's the point of this?? Why do they suddenly have endless classes together when the expectation was never set for the fairies to be like soldiers or out in the field fighting ?

Where exactly are they supposed to be what was the purpose of including Aster Dell and why is it a joy ride away from Alfea lmao?? Where Bloom is from and also not from?? Plot pls make it make sense

Why are fairies from another dimension vaping or smoking weed?? They are not human so why are they engaging in specifically human vices, yol couldn't come up with anything else to characterize 'delinquents'?? Very lazy very como se dices.. no effort. Nothing a little more spicy yol could invent, at least change the name and some properties holy shit did yol even try ??

So its fairies everywhere, having a lil party in the east wing of a phat castle.. and they are playing beer pong and dressed in t shirts and jeans..

Can you hear me screaming? Can you hear me vibrating with rage?

Not one floating decoration or magical anything in sight. Just purple lights and subpar vibes

Stella's costume design: tragic. I won't discuss further because we don't have the space or time but just know that it was absolutely atrocious and I hated it. Giving very debutante vibes

The entire budget going to that lame transformation sequence that was not a transformation sequence and those horrible, barely-there fire wings

Edgelord bloom and all her fucking leather jackets. Why do 30 yo, white cis men think girls exist in a binary? They could keep her earlier characterization and make her a hothead.. Bloom literally screamed herself into a couple power upgrades in the original come ooonnnn

Let girls be feminine without it being a character flaw what is wrong with yol its 2021. They could make her more mature, more angsty or whatever the hell else and not style her like that

The way Aisha's abilities flipflop between episodes and scenes. Very inconsistent. One minute she's struggling with a drop of water and the next she is moving an entire body of water for her bestie Bloom to fake transform because the plot demands it. Why even add in her struggles at all if you're just going to ignore it?

Why was Stella with them in that scene? She didn't do anything literally.. Aisha pulled the water and she did .. nothing.

Who the fuck is Rosalind? Why would they add her in,, to add nothing to story? The company of light was a thing, they could've plucked one of them hoes to be the antagonist. Why did the winx club need their own Delores Umbridge? Valtor was right there if you wanted an evil educator type character.

The camera work was so bland during the down beats, stagnant and fixed during a fairy party and erratic and ugly and disorienting during the fight scenes

I'm not getting over the fairy party because it was a good opportunity for the production and everyone else to show the differences between where Bloom was and where she is now but instead it just looks like a regular teen high school party?? This could have been set in Switzerland fr.

Everyone's just kind of standing?? You mean to tell me these people are from all different places in the magical dimension and their customs are all the same? They all throw parties like this ??

White and flavorless I am very bored

I guess the main question or takeaway I have is just.. who is this for? Because everyone, including the showrunners keep saying that it's for us, the fans of the original. But apart from the characters sharing some names, there are really no other similarities. So again, who was this supposed to appease or placate or satisfy? Because it sure as hell wasn't the winx club fans.

Overall, this feels very much like something I wrote and probably published on ff.net when I was 13 because I thought girls couldn't be taken seriously if they liked pink, and injected angst into everything that didn't need it and had no idea how to structure scenes or dialogue. It's just bad, objectively and N*tflix will keep making shit like this because apparently some people have bad taste??? Idk yol, be easy

[betweentheracks]

Heyo! Not to be too nosy here but you mentioned you're in bad health and recovering, and I just wondered what happened? Also how would it impact your career since, from how you've made it all seem thus far, it's a highly active and demanding job?

Hope you take care and get well! You appear quite strong and not like you'd take whatever has happened just lying down, so here's to you!! 🙏💓

No sweat and no worries here, I dont find this particularly invasive. If anything, I'm flattered you care to ask after me lol. 😁

A few weeks back I met a friend I hadn't seen in some time for lunch. This was against my better sense of caution that I've held firmly to throughout the pandemic, but I would feel regretful and dismissive if I didnt agree to see her while I had the chance. I should've listened my gut and stayed safely at work because this "friend" failed to mention she had tested positive (she knew already by the time of our lunch date, she has since admitted) and had figured since she had no symptoms there was no harm in being in public.

FF only a few days later and I was feeling a little unwell but had put it off as an effect of the winter blast that had just hit where I live. I'd spent half a day out in the cold and snow for a photoshoot only the day before and thought it was probably due to that since I'm susceptible to weather influenced head colds and bronchitis. Fortunately, my job mandates a rigid COVID-19 screening twice a week due to our high profile clientele and as an assurance of health and safety for us all. Mine read back with a positive and with the way I had been feeling I was immediately sent home and the company closed its doors while the building was sterilized and our clients notified.

Thankfully I managed not to infect anyone I work with nor my son. Regrettably, I did infect my best friend since we're horrifically incapable of maintaining personal space and have weak shit immune systems. We both agree it is a wonder we made it this far into plague times without it catching us.

So I went and got looked over and sent on my way with my prescription of potent anti-virals and steroids. I was well prepared to abide the quarantine guidelines and had sent my son to my mother's home for the duration so that he was out of the danger zone. It was fine, I was kinda cool and keen on getting a few days to myself to rest up and all that jazz. But it wasn't meant to last and I found trouble in the form of being unable to remain conscious much at all and would pass out constantly. After a few times of this I gave my brother (he's a doctor and vaccinated) a ring and told him that my fatigue was no joke dude and needed him to come give me a better once over than the one I'd gotten before bc I was sure I was not meant to feel this badly. He found me unconscious in the shower that night, my head battered from crashing to the basin.

After ensuring I wasn't concussed and jokes on what a hard head I have to take such a beating and show no signs of registering it beyond bruising (a joke between us due to him having once accidentally put a golf club into my forehead and fracturing my skull but that's a different story) he told me to call him regularly so that he can review how I feel and the progression of my symptoms and left. By the morning I had already had two more instances of sudden fatigue and collapsing in on myself. I had been posting on my main blog here about how I was doing and due to this I caught the concern of @peekbackstage and upon their suggestion to have my O2 levels tested it was revealed that I was having issues with my blood not circulating oxygen as it should and nearing hypoxia.

Here's the rub. I have a heart condition that is already very dangerous and bleak which limits my heart's capability of delivering blood through my body as it should. Cardiomyopathy or, as it seems better known, congestive heart failure. I've had surgery for it and it has been a while since it caused me any real issues as long as I stick to my routine of care and manage my health, but when COVID-19 infiltrated my body it immediately snagged upon this weak heart of mine and sank its fangs in.

Within a day of being admitted to the hospital I had a grand mal seizure due to the constant fluctuations of oxygen in my blood and the way my body was working double time to supplement for it. And only 2 days after that and when my nervous system had finally quieted down, I went into full cardiac arrest with a heart attack at my young age.

My next weeks were spent connected to machines doing more for me than my own body could. I developed pneumonia in my lungs, acute though it was it was still another complication that my wrecked body had to overcome as it made my already ragged breathing even worse. I was steadily shedding muscle tone and definition due to a lack of mobility and the fact that my body felt like a deadweight I could hardly take command of, and generally very weakened. My heart, the horrible thing, was inflamed and trying too hard by beating too fast, too hard.

FF some more and I was doing fairly well and treatments were showing some improvement. My heart was still being an ugly and gnarled beast in my chest and throwing weird spikes on the monitor that raised alarms. The pneumonia was retreating and I had no further seizures. It was the dawning light of my first signs that I was recovering!

It took a while more and so fucking many tests day in and day out for me get cleared for release. I tested negative for COVID-19 and was ashamed that I actually forgot that that was why I was even in the hospital to begin with, given all that happened. I have to undergo physical therapy and counseling; PT for heart happy exercises as well as to manage to my depleted muscles, counseling bc I was rocked mentally from all the almost dying and the depressive haze of being holed up in the hospital and surrounded by people who, like me, came in with COVID-19 but unlike me did not come out of it.

I'm home now. I had to have a pacemaker implanted and must stay vigilant for any showing that my heart is not performing as it should. I still have some severe inflammation and chest restriction in my airways as well as my blood vessels but nothing too daunting. I also have a full battalion of prescriptions, most for my heart, and a nebulizer to ease any breathing issues. The worst is honestly that I still am very weak and have severely limited reserves of energy.

My job is required to make me take 12 weeks of leave for rest and recuperation. This is very upsetting since I had been requested by name to be an assistant stylist at the Grammys this year which is truly a dream (especially with BTS in the mix 😩😩) and also bc I'm just a workaholic by nature and love my job. When I return I am expected to learn how to properly delegate tasks that do not directly require me to handle and slow down the pacing of my projects. My boss terminated a contract with a client that was nearing the scheduled end of our agreement and was also incredibly problematic to help lighten my workload. It's imperative that I reign in my stress levels or my heart will not last until the next surgery I'll need, so I'm gritting my teeth and letting my job be picked apart to reduce my responsibilities.

My post awaits my return but I will not be returning to full activity for a while after, which means no rifling through the racks for hours alongside the archivists in search of the perfect piece. I'll be welcome to meet with my clients and oversee the glam teams, will still be the command tower for final verdicts on which styles to use. But I will not be running around showrooms nor personally handling matters any competent trainee could be tasked with like I've always done. I will no longer be able to fly out anywhere for destination shoots or fashion shows.

If, after my next surgery, things are better and my heart stable to the point that they are hopeful of things will be reevaluated. While it is difficult beyond measure for me to relinquish the reigns of my career and be restricted in what I can do now, I am very thankful to be alive and upright when that wasn't a certainty just a little while ago. This is such a humbling experience to have survived when my stats kept dropping every day. I've been told to expect that I will never make a full 100% recovery and to expect to stall out around the 70%-90% range, with 70% being the most realistic.

My best friend (the one I gave the plague to) will be moving in with me so that I am never on my own if things go tits up and to assist in wrangling a toddler since I am currently without the energy to do so as my child is, sincerely, a crazy gremlin spawn with limitless battery life. Slowly, my life will regain some normalcy 💖

[hungrywhovianjedi]

Twin Moons

Obi-Wan never took Luke to Tatooine in fact they overshot the force forsaken dustball completely and instead Luke grew up on the planet Lothal being trained to become a Jedi like his father before him. Ezra Bridger is an orphan loner who only makes an exception to his solitude for one boy. The boy who helped him out when he was seven, and that Ezra always seems to get into trouble.

Prologue: Asteroid fields, Swamps and Smugglers

read also at AO3 FF

You asked to be tagged here you are :) @shehungthemoon​

Next chaper will be posted in a week, and will include a big time jump 

In the last forty-eight hours, Obi-Wan's entire life had been upended. Two days ago he was a prestigious general in the Grand Army of the Republic, and now… now the Jedi order was gone. Killed by the men that served them on the battlefield. Anakin was gone, Padme was gone, and he was guardian of the small bundle in his arms.

Add onto that ending up in an asteroid belt that knocked out one of his engines making him have to land on the completely wrong planet. Granted there were worse planets to crash down on than Naboo, but he couldn't stay here. The longer he lingered the more danger he put Luke in. One of the reasons that Luke wasn't being placed with the Naberri family was the fact that this would be the first planet the Emperor would look for Anakin's children if they somehow survived, and an infant boy appearing not even a day after Padme's death, would raise suspicion.

As the ship crashed down, he protected Luke from the impact by wrapping the boy in a bubble of the force, Obi-Wan buried his fighter into the mud of the Naboo Swamp land and made his way towards civilization. He sensed it wasn't far to a small farming village where he could get passage to Theed and then book transport off the planet and towards Tatooine.

He began walking, and about an hour in, the infant in his arms began to cry. Obi-Wan tried to calm the baby, bouncing him, whispering soft promises, nothing worked. Then he felt a nudge in the force. He paused, Luke wasn't even a day old. He had never heard of one so young having the ability to reach out in the force before, he must have imagined it, or there was some other force sensitive on Naboo close by. Then it came again, a soft questioning nudge.

It was unmistakable this time, it came from Luke. His wails grew louder as Obi-Wan avoided making the connection. It wasn't his place, it should be Anakin making connection with his son. It should be Padme that was soothing him. The Jedi felt overwhelmed, quickening his pace. The sooner they get to Theed the sooner they can escape the planet and Luke can be given to his true family.

He paused, were they really his family? Owen and Beru Lars shared no blood with Anakin, from what he could tell they had no connection at all. Schmi might have married Owen's father, but she died years ago. Truly he was closer to being the boy's true family, the only people closer it would be unwise to leave him with. His Naboo family would cause attention to be drawn to him, no he promised Master Yoda.

Luke's wailing grew more fierce, this time the force sent a sharp jab from the infant, making the Jedi Master falter, he was strong, perhaps as strong if not stronger than his father was. This time, as the lights of the village came into view, and he saw a farmer look up at him in curiosity, Obi-Wan answered Luke's request and reached out with the force.

Luke's force signature wrapped tightly around the older jedi's and then the bond opened, and it was like Obi-Wan was being shown a new galaxy of possibilities. A vision washed over him then, him and a small boy with blonde hair and fierce blue eyes, under twin moons Blue sabers lighting up the night. Then it was gone, and he realized, Luke was quiet, his presence in the force calm.

Of course, what else would the force sensitive infant be begging for? A connection in the force was something many jedi took for granted, but this was different. Obi-Wan found himself clinging to the significance of the newly established bond with the boy in his arms, it was filled with trust, hope, and love.

He thought again of the Lars' on Tatooine, and felt his stomach sour at the thought of leaving Luke with them. The boy should be with those who understood him, those who could truly protect him.

He needed to be with a jedi… but wouldn't he be? Obi-Wan obviously would not leave Tatooine and watch over the boy, but Luke still wouldn't be understood by the Lars' and what's to say they would allow him to be part of Luke's life? The little they knew of Anakin, they would probably refuse to let the boy be trained in the ways of the force.

He rubbed his chin with the hand not holding the infant, a defiant thought growing in his mind. Master Yoda would never know, how could he know that Obi-Wan never arrived on the desert planet? What made the force forsaken dustball the best choice? In his arms Luke dozed a firm grip still on Obi-Wan through the force. It was early afternoon, when he walked into the main body of the village which was more a small town, and found a cantina.

By the time the sun was dripping low in the sky he was in a speeder, Luke in his robes to protect from the elements, and Theed was coming ever closer.

Night had taken full hold as they came to the capital city, Obi-Wan used a mind trick to make the man who drove forget about the odd man and the infant he carried. The jedi turned to enter the city and he saw the mourning banners across the city streets. For the first time since crashing in the swamp it struck the jedi, Naboo's golden child had just died, and he was holding one half of what remained of her legacy.

His heart broke a little more, her family was here, Luke's family was here. However as much as they were Luke's family, and this was Padme's home planet, it was also Palpatine's home planet, and the Emperor was bound to notice a force sensitive child, that looked like his apprentice living with the Naberri family.

The space port would be closed this late, so the jedi had no choice. He would have to find a place to stay the night, then he would book passage to Tatooine come morning.

~~~~~~~~

It turned out finding passage off the planet was going to be harder than he thought. He came to the spaceport just as a full battalion of Clones disembarked transports, they would open fire the moment they saw him, and he couldn't risk Luke. So he put up his hood, and wrapped himself in a sheet of force, hoping that the shroud would be enough to keep them from seeing him, it stung, two days ago he would have trusted these men with his life, now he hid, knowing they would kill him.

Finally he reached a point he could breathe, the Clones not yet to this point of the spaceport. He found a pilot, a young human man with dark skin and a honeyed tongue, who promised to get the Jedi Master and his quarry off planet.

"Where are you going to?" The pilot asked.

After a moment Obi-Wan spoke, "I need to get to the planet Tatooine"

The man chuckled, "why would you ever want to take a kid to a planet like that? There are plenty of non Hutt space planets"

"It is somewhere that I can hide, I must impress the utmost importance of discretion in this matter. The new Empire cannot know I am there"

"Not to worry my friend, discretion is my middle name, Lando, Discretion Calrissian"

Obi-Wan nodded, not sure he could trust the man, but knowing he had few choices. "I will make it well worth your trouble I assure you, when do we leave?"

Lando grinned, "I'll meet you at the Falcon in an hour, then it's off to Tatooine"

As though sensing their soon to be separation, Luke began to cry, his little hands wrapping into the Jedi Master's hidden robes. Obi-Wan sighed, holding the child closer, and sending in the force a promise to never truly leave the boy. Luke continued to cry. And the jedi saw a few faces turn his way. He gathered up his resolve, and walked out of the small restaurant where he had met the pilot.

He wondered idly, what if he never went to Tatooine? Luke seemed upset by the notion, and truly the reasoning behind sending Luke there was flimsy, did he trust that if Anakin had somehow survived he wouldn't return to Tatooine, that he wouldn't be driven by hate to return there and take revenge on the family that took his mother?

Did they really trust that Palpatine wouldn't know about the Lars family and have them killed being one of the few links to the light Anakin still had, the place he buried his mother?

Truly was Tatooine safe? Was anywhere? Even if he could be there to protect the boy, he couldn't watch him and from afar at all times, it was better he be close to the boy.

He pondered it for the remainder of his time, and finally came to his decision. He sent a silent apology to the force and Yoda, as he told the pilot he wanted to go to the remote planet of Lothal.

[hellyeahomeland]

“Chalk Two Down”: an HYH recap

“Chalk Two Down” picks up right where “Chalk One Up” left off, which is that everyone is sort of running like chickens with their heads cut off. At the combat post, the soldiers are all scrambling. One of them asks Max for his “shit.” They need encrypted devices to send pictures back up to the ops and situation rooms. Max valiantly volunteers to come along and handle the equipment himself.

In the ops room, HEV is like, WE’RE SENDING IN THE JV SQUAD? WHERE THE FUCK IS OUR MILITARY, THE GREATEST IN THE HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSE. CO Owens is like, hi, pls chill. We’re bringing in a QRF ASAP ACRONYM ACRONYM. HEV offers some more racist commentary and everyone sort of stares blankly at their hands because in 20 minutes this guy’s about to be the president so….

Saul cautions them all that a) we don’t know the president is dead and b) we don’t know the Taliban did it. HEV calls him out and again everyone sort of stares blankly at their hands. Carrie tries to soothe his ego, because apparently that’s now Her Job.

Carrie: Are you ok? Let me get you a danish. Saul: I don’t want a danish and no I’m not ok. Carrie: Try to see it from their side. They all hate you because this was sort of your idea. Saul: Actually it was sort of your idea. Anyway they don’t give a fuck what actually happened, they just want to kill more brown people. Carrie: That’s not what I heard. Saul: You weren’t listening then. Carrie: Let’s try to have some perspective, a thing I’m really good at. Saul: Perspective? Look, if the Taliban did it, cool. If the ISI did it, coolio. If G’ulom did it, cooliest. I’m explicitly leaving out whether the Russians did it, but …. y’know. Or maybe the pilot saw Jesus and flew the helicopter into the mountain! All that stuff matters. It determines what we do next. Carrie: Not ~realistically~. Saul: We’re really about to repeat the same mistakes as after 9/11, huh? Ten years from now are you gonna come onto me again in your apartment with the blue walls and tell me you missed something TWICE before? Carrie: Wow, I thought we were never mentioning that again. Also there’s no way both of us will still be alive in ten years. If we are, I certainly won’t be speaking to you.

Back at the presidential palace, Not Martha Boyd is telling everyone that the two presidents have been slightly delayed. Tasneem and G’ulom aren’t buying it. They whisper about the rumors that the helicopter is actually down. Based on the reactions here, they’re either extremely good actors, or neither of them had anything to do with this. A few moments later, resident hottie Scott Ryan cuts the bullshit with G’ulom and tells him the truth. The helicopters are both down and no one knows anything.

Carrie goes back to Bagram because Saul told her to I guess. She is immediately stopped by one of the majors there and her response is “I’m Carrie Mathison,” as if that should mean anything to him. You gotta admire the swagger though. Carrie asks to see the books … again, this is her job now, I don’t know, man. She ends up doing a good job because she realizes that the helicopters were actually switched out. By whom? Some dude named Worley. Where is he? He’s *cough cough* sick. Take me to his room? Not there. But his car? Also not there. Carrie looks like she honestly wants to scream at the situation and I am so with you, girl. Luckily one of the other Army officers thinks he knows where he is. So it’s off to Kabul for another field trip. 

Out in the field, Max and the Hot Marines have made their way to the crash site. There are “large conifers.” In the situation room, HEV shouts at the TV, “What about the President??” Linus is like, “Uh… they can’t hear you dummy,” and at home while watching I actually snorted. Anyway they begin recovering evidence from Chalk Two. No survivors. The president is dead. HEV has now become HEP so he has to take a minute.

Saul calls G’ulom to tell him that he and Not Martha will be preparing a speech and they have to work on it together. G’ulom is not here for this group project. He orders his men to find Haqqani and then tells Tasneem what’s happened. She’s got to get out of Kabul because he can’t guarantee her safety, on account of the ISI basically being in cahoots with the Taliban.

Back on the Kabul field trip, they’re trying to figure out where Worley might be. The Army officer can’t remember since it was dark the last time he came and also he wasn’t much paying attention to street landmarks because “I was getting laid” and “we were drunk, sir.” They find the one thing he can remember, which is a large mural of two eyes, the meaning of which Carrie then dutifully explains to the audience. They finally find Worley’s car and roll up to this house and charge in. Someone uses a periscope and it’s hilarious.

Surprise! There’s a pregnant woman inside and Worley’s there because, well, he impregnated her. And why did they switch the helicopters last minute? Nothing sinister there either. They switch them all the time. They’re way past capacity, the weather always sucks, etc. The Homeland writers sure are pulling the curtain back on the Greatest Fighting Force In the History of the Planet. All of this makes Carrie believe it might have just been a freakish accident, which she relays to Saul over the phone. He tells her to come back to the station.

Mike tells Saul that G’ulom has just ordered two battalions out into the streets to find Haqqani. Because Haqqani is apparently now his BFF, Saul gives him the ol’ heads up. Haqqani swears he wasn’t responsible, he’s been observing the ceasefire. “I believe you,” Saul says. “No one else will.” Everyone’s heads explode because we were sure Saul was gonna say that to Carrie.

Anyhoozles, the Taliban is also threatening to overtake the crash site. This is Not Good. Mike is emphatic that they get as many of their guys out as they can and then drop a thousand-pound bomb on it.

Owens: You want me to obliterate the body of an American President? Mike: Unless you want to see his body dragged through the streets with his dick in his mouth, yeah, I do. Saul: First, gross. Second, we can’t drop a bomb on anything. What about evidence? Mike: FFS, Saul, this isn’t an episode of SVU. No one gives a shit about evidence. Saul: Sorry, I forgot.

At the White House, HEP decided now is a great time to move offices. He’s having his stuff transferred to the Oval Office. Linus’ eyes nearly fall out of his head from rolling so hard. Anyway, he tells HEP he’s got to make a decision.

HEP: Wow, have you ever noticed the carpet in here? It’s really ugly. Linus: Focus, please. Our guys are about to lose control of the site from the Taliban. HEP: What about the uh.. the uh… the rapid— Linus: The QRF won’t arrive in time, even though “quick” is literally a part of their name. HEP: So…? Linus: Jesus Christ, I have to explain everything to you. We gotta drop a bomb. But we need your ok. HEP: This is a military matter. I’m not equipped to make this decision. Linus: I mean, obviously. But also, you’re the commander in chief. The buck stops with you. HEP: Fuck. Linus: Well? HEP: Please make this decision for me. Linus: Ugh, fine. We’re dropping the bomb. Also I’m changing your name to Hot In Over His Head President. See ya later, HIOHHP.

So that’s that I guess. But that is never that with Carrie Mathison. She arrives back at the ops room, incredulous.

Carrie: They’re gonna drop a bomb? Saul: Yep. Carrie: Even though you told them about the problems with the air frames and how this might be an accident and in order to prove that we definitely need the evidence from the crash site?? Saul: That’s right. But we’re out of time. Carrie: Why are we letting this happen? This morning you were lecturing me about “it matters, it matters.” God, you are insufferable. Saul: No one is listening to me now. Carrie: Yeah, how does that feel? Just let me talk to Max. Saul: Fine, here’s the sat phone. Carrie: Max? Max? It’s me. Max: Who is “me”? Oh, Carrie?! Carrie: Listen, you have to get the black box. Saul: Oh my god I just had a deja vu moment of 3.10.

They really are all seriously running out of time. The drone is 90 seconds out, and Max has to get the black box with the flight recording. Because Max is… what’s the word… an angel, he obliges and then gets the fuck out of there. He’s hauling ass when the bomb drops, leveling the whole thing. In the quietest, most haunting voice, Carrie speaks into the phone. “Max?” There’s no answer.

G’ulom never saw an opportunity he didn’t want to take advantage of and marches right up to the lectern at the presidential palace and tells everyone that the presidents are dead, Haqqani was responsible, and he’s just enacted martial law and is currently rounding up everyone that looks like they might be in the Taliban on the streets of Kabul. From a distance, Haqqani sees the checkpoints and roadblocks barring his exit from Kabul and has a momentary car freakout.

Carrie and Saul are sitting dejectedly on the steps of the ops room. Mike informs them that pretty much everyone is dead. Which—they dropped a fucking bomb on the site, what did they expect? Cut to Max and Soto, miraculously both alive. Max decides it’s time to check in with Carrie. Carrie exhales, says “Thank God” over and over again. “Tell me you have the black box,” she says. “It’s orange,” Max deadpans. It’s the greatest exchange to ever happen on this show.

Suddenly, shots come hailing down on them. Carrie’s still on the line but can’t figure out what’s happening. Max turns around to see blood flowing out from Soto’s neck, his eyes still wide open. He rises slowly, puts his hands up, stares down the barrel of a gun and the Taliban soldier holding it. “Max?” Carrie calls. “Max?”