#I especially love how good he is with patients in crisis!!

[youngpettyqueen]

The Wire is really such a thesis statement for Julian as a doctor. he doesnt care what Garak did, he wants to help. he's a doctor, Garak's his patient, and its that simple. we see this with Julian, over and over, it doesnt matter what somebody or even what an entire species did, he will still always try his best to help

also, this episode really shows off what a good doctor Julian is when a patient is in crisis. Julian spends a good portion of this episode being upset with Garak and taking it personally that Garak won't come to the infirmary, but the second Garak is in crisis, he's no longer taking anything Garak says or does personally. he's listening, and letting Garak vent. Garak is lying to him, and being outright nasty telling him how much he hates him, and Julian stands there and takes it and lets him get it out. Garak attacks him and takes him to the floor and Julian doesnt fight back. he's trying to hold Garak down and stop him, yes, but he's doing it because he doesnt want to hurt Garak, and he doesnt want Garak to hurt himself

like yes The Wire is great for the Garashir insanity they are fucking insane in this one and the rituals are intricate but it also is truly such a fantastic Julian episode

[libraryofgage]

Good Vibrations Two

This AU got a lot more attention than I expected actually hfjdks I'm so glad everyone likes it!

Anyway, here's part two! We get some concert, some peeks at how Robin helps Steve navigate social situations, and a little Eddie having an itsy-bitsy crisis over Steve's fashion choices.

Have fun! And, as always, if you see any typos, no you didn't (especially for this one since I wrote most of it on my phone actually lmao)

----

Steve stares at the shirts laid out on his bed, arms crossed over his chest. Choosing jeans had been easy, but choosing a shirt is giving him trouble. What do you wear to a metal show at the local dive bar for a small-town band in which the lead singer is a long-time and way-out-of-your-league crush that you've been holding a candle for since the first time you saw him laugh on top of a cafeteria table?

You definitely don't show up in a plain black shirt, that's for sure.

The lights in the hall outside Steve's room flicker, switching off and on three times. Steve just barely notices, which means he doesn't get his pants scared off when Robin appears in the doorway, grinning at him while pocketing the key to the front door he'd given her months ago into a messenger bag. "Hey, dingus," she says, striding into the room and flopping onto the bed.

Steve rolls his eyes, yanking the shirts out from under her and laying them once more over Robin's stomach and legs. "What shirt should I wear?" he asks.

It takes a few seconds for Steve to look from the shirts to Robin, and she patiently waits until he's staring at her to say, "Just pick one. Nobody's gonna care what you're wearing."

"I care," Steve says, frowning as he looks back at the shirts. For the aforementioned crush reason, Steve cares very much about the shirt he wears. "What says 'Hi, we've never talked before but your music is the only thing I can hear and I think your hair is in desperate need of quality shampoo and also I've been halfway in love with you since, like, sophomore year'?"

Robin considers the question for a long moment before picking up a red sweater. "This one says 'I'm horny'," she offers.

Steve blinks, staring at the sweater for a few beats before laughing. "But I'm not," he says.

Despite looking at Robin, she happens to angle her head toward the sweater, and her response is lost on Steve. He frowns, waits until her jaw has stopped moving, and says, "I didn't get that."

After Robin first learned about Steve's deafness, he'd been overly anxious about asking her to repeat things. Somehow, it was worse to constantly ask when the person knew he couldn't hear well, if at all. But Robin had never shown annoyance; she'd just adjust her posture, make sure Steve could see her lips, and repeat her words. She does all of this now, and Steve gets to read her joking response, "Yeah, but you will be."

And, yeah, she has him there. Steve huffs and collapses onto the bed beside her, sacrificing the shirts. "I'll need a jacket," he says, turning his head to look at Robin so he can read her response.

Instead of words, though, he sees her face light up, and she jumps off the bed. Steve sits up, watching as she digs in her messenger bag before pulling out a t-shirt. "Remember when I stayed over a few weeks ago? And you let me borrow a shirt? You should wear it!"

Thankfully, Robin waits until she's done talking to throw the shirt in Steve's face. Honestly, he only understood a few words ("remember," "borrow," and "wear") but he's gathered enough context clues to get the gist of things.

He spreads the shirt out, humming at the Iron Maiden design. It's not one he wears often; for the most part, it's a shirt he wears on lazy days at home because of how soft it is. But as he's studying the design, Steve is suddenly hit with a stroke of pure genius.

He quickly changes into the shirt and then grabs a varsity jacket (not his letterman, but one he'd seen at the mall and bought on a whim because it used a nice shade of yellow) off his desk, tugging it on over the shirt but leaving it unbuttoned. After a few more seconds of digging around, he finds sneakers under the bed and tugs them on.

"Okay," he says, turning so Robin can see the outfit from every angle. He comes to a stop when he's facing her once more, hands buried in his jacket pockets, and asks, "What do you think? How's it look?"

"I think you'll give Eddie a crisis," Robin replies, wrinkling her nose at the varsity jacket. "Not, like, a bad one. But he'll probably ask where you got the shirt from."

Steve grins, thinking that sounds about perfect, and turns to study himself in the mirror. It's a surprisingly solid blend of metal and jock, and it makes him feel oddly confident, the same way he felt the first time he did his hair just right and everyone complimented it.

"Perfect," he decides. "Let's go."

----

The ride to the Hideout isn't exactly quiet, but it's not like Steve can talk and drive at the same time. So it's filled with music blasted as high as it can go on his car stereo, causing the whole vehicle to vibrate with each beat. When he finally turns the car off after parking, Robin grimaces as she rubs her ears.

She waits for Steve to be in front of her before saying, "We're putting the windows down next time."

"Oh. Sorry," Steve says, rubbing the back of his neck a little awkwardly as Robin dismissively waves off his apology.

"No, it's fine, I'm just saying. Now, let's get inside before they start."

With that, she loops her arm through Steve's and drags him into the Hideout. They're hit with a wave of cigarette smoke, spilled beer, and sweat as they walk through the door, the combined smells making Steve dizzy. He frowns, leaning closer to Robin as she squeezes his arm. He feels her thumb tap him twice, their code for asking if the other is okay.

"I'm fine," he mumbles, nodding to a table in the corner. "Let's go sit. I just need to get used to...everything."

The lights are weird, too. Despite the place being dim, the few lights that are on are flickering, and Steve is having trouble processing all the new information his (working) senses are taking in.

Thankfully, Robin pulls him over to the table he pointed to, a small circle near a stage of dubious sturdiness. It looks like it can barely hold the instruments, much less those plus the people who will play them. There's an amp on the side of the stage near the table, which means they'll have the perfect spot to feel the music's vibrations. Steve slides into one of the chairs there and closes his eyes, resting his arms on a table that is surprisingly not sticky.

He feels Robin move the other chair next to him, slide in, and start pulling things out of her bag. When Steve opens his eyes again, there's a notebook between them and a variety of pens in all different colors spread out across the open pages. Robin has already picked up a red pen and is writing with it as Steve chooses a purple one.

When Robin is done writing, she taps the page so Steve can read, "Want something to drink?"

"I'm not sure we can trust the glasses here," he writes back.

"The fact you're calling them "glasses" tells me everything. Just sit tight."

With that, Robin drops her pen, winks at Steve, and heads over to the bar where a woman is wiping the counter. Steve watches her for a few seconds before looking around at the other people in the place. Most of them are sitting in groups, talking amongst themselves. Most of them also have mustaches or beards, making it downright impossible for Steve to read their lips.

Instead, Steve just gets a dull kind of rush in his ears, an ever-present background noise he can't escape. Soon enough, maybe because he's thinking about it too much, a high-pitched ringing starts up in his right ear, growing and growing in pitch until it's all he can focus on. Steve grimaces and looks down at the notebook, trying to keep his shoulders relaxed so he doesn't look as tense as he feels. The ringing persists, and he rubs his ear like that's going to help.

His ear is still ringing, though it has started to diminish, when a water bottle is placed in front of him. Steve jerks, forcing himself to calm down as Robin slides into her seat again with a mug of beer that's more foam than anything else. "They're about to start," she says, waiting until Steve has nodded once to show understanding before taking a sip.

Steve looks up at the stage and wonders how he missed Eddie and his friends arriving. As his friends are setting up behind him, Eddie is resting one hand on the neck of his guitar and using the other to hold the mic close to his mouth. Steve can't read his lips, but Eddie's grin is a little contagious as he says something to a guy by the bar. The guy must say something back, because Eddie bursts out laughing, his head thrown back to show off a neck Steve wants to bite.

A tap on his arm brings his attention away, and he looks at the notebook to see Robin has scrawled out a transcript:

"Eddie: Thanks for coming out tonight, everyone

Guy: Fuck off, Munson

Eddie: Love you, too, Jeremy"

Steve snorts, looking up to see Robin's equally amused smile as she continues to write on another page. When he glances at the stage, Steve sees Eddie still talking into the mic, his eyes roaming over the audience until they reach Steve and Robin. Eddie seems to grip the mic tighter, and he holds Steve's eyes for a few seconds, giving just enough time for Steve to wave awkwardly before Eddie looks away. But his smile seems a little bigger than before, and Steve is happy to let himself think he caused it.

When he looks down again, Robin has finished writing, and she nudges the notebook closer to him. Eddie must talk fast, because her writing is almost indistinguishable from chicken scratch in dirt that a cat got dragged through. Thankfully, Steve is an expert at this point.

"Eddie: Anyway, you know the drill. We'll start with some Metallica, treat you to Iron Maiden, throw in a dash of Black Sabbath, and then grace you with a Corroded Coffin original. If you don't like it, not my problem."

Steve feels the beginning of the set as he finishes reading. He sits a little straighter, planting his feet firmly on the floor and placing his palms on the table with his fingers spread. Robin is still writing next to him, most likely transcribing the bits and pieces of conversation she can hear for Steve to read later and laugh at. She doesn't try to get his attention while she does, already knowing it won't be worth it after Steve has shifted into Music Mode.

In the same way that people can tell what song is playing based simply on the first note, Steve can sometimes tell based on the strength and length of the first vibration. In the same way people know the lyrics of songs after listening to them enough times, Steve knows the vibration patterns like the back of his hand. In the same way people who hear their favorite songs played live can tell when a note is wrong or a lyric is sung too fast, Steve can tell when the drummer or bassist makes tiny mistakes that wouldn't be caught otherwise.

And Steve loves it. He loves how his entire body thrums with each vibration that travels from the amp. He loves how he can close his eyes and picture a story based on the music, one that probably doesn't match the lyrics but tends to replace them in his heart. He loves that this is something he can still share with his friends, even if most of them don't realize how different his experience with music is.

So, for all the little bumps and dips that occur in the vibrations as Corroded Coffin plays, for all the tiny slips that certainly go unnoticed by anyone else, and for all the fact that Steve doesn't get to hear Eddie's voice, he can confidently say he loves the show. He's never heard the songs played like this before, and it helps diminish the gut-deep desperation for new music.

And then Corroded Coffin starts a new song. It's one Steve doesn't recognize, one with vibrations that are completely foreign to him, and he jerks his head up to watch Eddie play his guitar in an opening solo. It thrums across the floor, climbing up his legs and spreading in waves from his palms on the table. Steve feels goosebumps chase after it, a new wave washing over him when the guitar solo ends with a particularly strong vibration that's immediately followed by the drums and bass.

Eddie throws himself into the music, moving and twisting and strutting around the stage like he's playing to Madison Square Garden. Steve can't look away, the lyrics incomprehensible but replaced by the jerk of Eddie's hips and the tilt of his head and the little half-spin he does on his heel.

It ends too quickly with one final, reverberating strum that lingers in Steve's bones, burrowing into his marrows as Eddie pushes his hair back and grins into the mic. He says something breathlessly, his shoulders rising and falling rapidly as he tries to catch his breath, and Steve knows he's gone.

He's hopeless.

He's desperate.

He needs more Corroded Coffin, more Eddie, in whatever form he can get.

----

For the first time, Corroded Coffin gets genuine applause after playing. Usually, the patrons of the Hideout will politely clap (if they even notice the set is over) for about two seconds. Tonight, however, Eddie and his friends are graced with excited clapping, a few shouts, and one very strong whistle from a small table to the left of the stage. And it spreads because even rough biker dudes can fall to peer pressure when it's that enthusiastic.

So, yeah, genuine applause all because of Steve Harrington and Robin Buckley who, Eddie thinks, is surprising company for the former King of Hawkins High. No matter how unexpected, he should still thank them and ask what they thought of the set now that it's over. He carefully sets his guitar on a stand and glances over his shoulder, catching Jeff's gaze and flashing a grin. "I'll be right back," he says before jumping off the stage and heading over to Steve and Robin's table.

As he gets closer, he notices the notebook and pens spread out, colorful writing filling the pages and Steve grinning with amusement as he reads it. Robin is watching him like she's waiting for him to understand an inside joke already so they can laugh about it together. If Eddie didn't already know Robin was like him (band camp, summer after his junior year, during an unfortunate game of Seven Minutes in Heaven where they awkwardly stood in a closet together before Robin commented on his black bandana), he'd wonder if something was going on between them.

"How'd you like the set?" Eddie asks when he reaches the table, suddenly nervous enough to tug on a lock of his hair and pull it in front of his mouth.

Robin looks up, but Steve doesn't. He's still reading the notebook, snorting at whatever is written there like he didn't hear Eddie. It's not until Robin elbows him that he raises his head, eyes widening when he sees Eddie. "Sorry, could you repeat that?" Steve asks, his gaze dropping to Eddie's mouth (Eddie definitely isn't imagining that) and faltering some.

"I asked if you liked the set," Eddie says, frowning slightly as Robin grabs a pen and scribbles something on the notebook. It's too small for him to read, but he doesn't miss how Steve glances down for less than a second before his eyes light up with realization.

"Oh!" he says, looking back at Eddie and flashing a charming grin. "It was great. You guys are so loud, and I've never f-uh, heard anything like your original song before."

Eddie catches the way Steve fumbles, faltering like he wanted to say one word but forced himself to say another. Something is tugging at the back of Eddie's mind, but he can't quite grab onto it just yet. For now, he leans forward, placing both hands on the table so he can be closer to Steve. "You listen to metal often, Harrington?" he asks.

Steve stares at his mouth for a few seconds before nodding, and Eddie feels the thrill of learning something completely unexpected. "I like Black Sabbath best, but Judas Priest and Guns N' Roses are close seconds," Steve says.

"Yeah?" Eddie asks, "What do you like most about it?" He wants to know. Does Steve Harrington (King Steve, Steve "The Hair" Harrington, Steve fucking Harrington) like metal for the same reasons he does? Does he like the stories and the passion and the heavy theatricality of it all?

Steve seems to hesitate, possibly thinking about how to answer, before finally saying, "I like how it's music I can feel. When I listen to metal, it digs into my bones. Other music doesn't."

Somehow, Eddie's grin gets impossibly wider, and his cheeks are hurting from the sheer force of it. He's about to say more when Robin glances at the clock and swears under her breath. "Shit, I promised Mom I'd be home ten minutes ago," she says, grabbing the pens and recklessly throwing them into her bag.

It's the movement that seems to catch Steve's attention, and he looks down at Robin's hands before looking up at the clock. "Oh, fuck, your curfew," he says, looking at Robin like she hadn't just said the same thing two seconds ago.

"Yeah, no shit, dingus," Robin says, pausing long enough to speak while looking straight at Steve before throwing the notebook into her bag, too. She jumps to her feet and hauls Steve out of the chair, making his varsity jacket fall open to reveal an Iron Maiden shirt.

And Eddie thinks his heart just about stops. He doesn't know why, but seeing Steve in a metal band shirt under an undeniably jock jacket makes him feel....something. This is, like, sacrilege, right? How dare Steve Harrington allow Metal and Jock to meet? Doesn't he know the two styles clash? Or, well, they're supposed to clash, but Steve somehow wears them well, and Eddie thinks he's upset and annoyed by the fact.

Before Eddie can analyze that feeling, Steve says, "Sorry to run, Eddie. You played really well. Let me know when the next show is."

There's a lot to unpack there, too. Steve Harrington wants to come to another Corroded Coffin gig. Steve Harrington is sorry he has to cut the conversation short. Steve Harrington thinks his band played really well. Before Eddie can say anything in response, Robin is dragging Steve away, throwing a goodbye over her shoulder.

Eddie doesn't want Steve to go without something, though, some kind of departing word, so he shouts, "See ya later, big boy!"

Steve doesn't look back, but Robin nearly trips over the doorway. She then pauses long enough to say something to Steve, watching with sheer delight as he splutters and glances at Eddie before dragging her through the door. Eddie couldn't stop the grin if he tried, and he didn't try.

Later, when Eddie is sprawled on the floor of his room, staring up at the ceiling and thinking about Steve's stupid combination of Metal and Jock, he'll be struck by a sudden, consuming thought. What if Steve was wearing just the Iron Maiden shirt? What if he wore just the jacket?

Eddie swallows around the sudden lump in his throat, his mouth going dry as he scrambles to his feet and gets ready to take a very, very cold shower.

----

Tag List (the tag list is completely filled up! There definitely wasn't enough room for everyone who requested a tag orz

Please follow the tag "good vibrations Steddie" or put on notifications for my blog to see when new parts are posted :D)

@hallucinatedjosten, @queenie-ofthe-void, @r0binscript, @jewellthebooknerd, @paintgonewrong, @vacantwatchers, @newagemyth, @gutterflower77, @just-a-tiny-void, @littlebluejane

@whenindoubtb72, @different-tale-student, @sharingisntkaren, @current-steddie-brainrot, @willim-billiam-byerson, @nuggies4life

@lostgurl-12, @anomalygal, @synonym-for-strange, @sani-86, @missmagillicuddy, @ilikechocolatemilkh, @thoughtfulbreadpolice, @harringrieve, @awesomeimportantfan, @fredtheemoplant, @warlordess, @therealscarletpumpernickel, @gsvshsjsbs, @mightbeasleep, @mollymawkwrites

@lil-gremlin-things, @honorarybrit81, @sonny-ray-of-goth, @potent-idiocy, @fandomcartographer, @heartsong18, @lingeringmirth, @ko0kyco0kies, @ccomandercody, @spiderman-stilinski, @l0st-strawberry, @xxsky-shockxx, @stilesstickitinme, @boxsam, @thepansexualsnake, @37-screamingfrogs, @yourmom-isgay, @brainsteddielyrotted, @plasticcrotches, @hannahhook7744

[moonshynecybin]

Hey! Just wanted to say I’m in awe of how your writing it’s just so GOOD and FUN and TORUROUS. It’s rly hard to nail the voices and dialogue of characters (especially when writing them speaking in english!) but you always make it so believable. Ur Vale especially is sooo charismatic which like hats off bc a more mercurial man has not been made. 

Re ur charged-airport-conversation fic, I’m intrigued to find out how Marc will handle his sexuality crisis. Will he be in denial? does he very seriously study gay culture like telemetry data? is he getting Grindr? is he seeing it as something to incorporate into his PT routine & somehow translate this to a competitive edge? how did he feel about the pope saying frociaggine????

Also I loved the goofy brother shenanigans, Alex strongest most patient and silliest man alive truly. Extremely funny to think of Alex “please get a girlfriend you’re 30 and annoying me” Marquez having to cope with Marc coming back like “I found one! :3” holding hands with Cervera’s enemy #1 undisputed champ 2015-2024

Anyways, would love to hear any thoughts u had but no pressure! I just wanted to thank u for ur brilliant mind & forget about whatever fresh hell that sprint was 

this one. is one that i plan to maybe actually and fr write out so i shant answer in full because i hope that you'll find out eventually. um. i CAN give you chapter two! of THIS fic where Marc and Vale get stuck in an airport and have a somewhat fraught little bonding session. i have not proofread this OR reread the original so if there's inconsistencies just chill out. theres also a lot of liberties taken with the amount of privacy these guys have on a given race weekend again just chill out. please. they live in different countries and are bitter rivals its hard to get them alone into fictional scenarios. its about 1.4k.

(Part ONE !)

The next time he sees Vale is in the paddock.

It's not unusual to see him— the paddock is small and Vale is always a presence, felt even when he’s gone, indelible—but it’s on the television more often than not these days. Maybe a glimpse of him zooming around on his scooter, ignoring the swing of the camera phones tracking him in his wake. But it’s not like this, never this close up. Vale maintains distance, and Marc has adapted to take his cues from that same distance. He’s not going to be the first to engage, not anymore. 

All that being said, Marc is trying to grab some alone time in between sessions, communing with his lunch and contemplating ways to improve his breaking into Turn 11. He’s tucked into a shady place out of the way, generally out of the range of any stray cameras, when Vale catches him, sliding next to him on the table and leaning forwards on his elbows.

He starts picking at Marc’s food.

Marc reacts reflexively, not even processing that it's Vale who’s at his elbow who is reaching over to snag a bit of his chicken. He lifts his bowl out of reach like he would with Alex. “Hey— that's mine,”

Vale’s game, apparently, shooting him one of those dangerous grins, eyes crinkling at the sides towards Marc like he hasn’t seen in years. He’s brimming with the confidence of someone used to getting away with breaking rules. Marc puts down his food. Lifts a hand, adjusts the cap at the top of his head, and tucks his hair behind his ear. 

This means something. He doesn’t know what.

“Allora, you were not eating it.”

And Marc has always been easy for it—the simple skill he has in spinning a situation into the brightest version of itself, mood turning on a dime. Even when he was destroying Marc, he would do it with a smile. 

It’s that same silverbright thread that makes Marc laugh, disbelieving, a shock of delight. He shoves at the edge of Vale’s arm, jockeying with his elbow. He bites his lip, shakes his head. Would you look at that?

“Presumptuous,” Marc scolds, and tucks back into his lunch, forking another bite into his mouth. Vale grins and leans closer, conspiratorial. That same hot, embarrassed feeling from the airport rears its head, giddy. Marc glances around. There’s no one here. He feels like there is. LIke there’s eyes on them, even though he’d chosen a place where there shouldn't be.

It feels like crossing a line, teetering on the edge of some cliff, one toe over the edge. Hot and anticipatory in the pit of his stomach. There’s a breeze going, and he shivers. Vale leans closer.

He likes it. 

He also knows that he shouldn't like it. He’s gone through this song and dance before. This feeling, this hero worship that he has with Vale never leads him down any good road. He thought– six premier class titles and nearly ten years of vitriol had been an effective cure. Not so, he’s finding out.

Vale corrects, “I see what I see. This I cannot help.”

“Oh yeah? You’ve been watching me?

Vale shrugs, steals another bite. “You do manage to put on a good, ah, show.” He finds the words in Spanish. Marc can’t remember the last time they spoke in Spanish.

Marc takes a breath in. Settles himself. He doesn’t know what the end goal is here. Curiosity wins out— it’s better than wondering why Vale’s here in the first place. What game he’s trying to play. What he thinks he’ll get out of being nice to Marc, aside from that shivery feeling clawing its way up the base of his spine. He should really at least find out if he’s doing this because he plans on not being nice to Marc. 

“How did you find me?” Is what he goes with. Neutral enough. 

“You are not hard to find.” The answer is vague, but frank. Vale loves to speak around things.

Marc raises an eyebrow, decides to just keep looking at him. They both know he’s bullshitting. Vale breaks, and makes a face, shrugging.

“I have been racing here longer than you. I know the hiding spots.”

Marc gives him a minute roll of the eyes. It's still not an answer. “You know, they remodeled not too long ago. The entire layout changed.” Vale would’ve had to work to find him. 

“Not too much!” Vale spreads his palms cheerfully, seizing on a diversion. “The bones are still the same. The stands are over there,” he juts a thumb, “The pits are here. The bathrooms change, but bah. It’s a facelift.”

Marc wrangles down a smile. Vale’s not being serious— he’s being fun. Maybe he’s trying to get him comfortable for some reason. “A lot changes, I think.” He says frankly, and he means it. 

Vale’s eyes flash. He sees Marc’s conviction, catches the double meaning. Another one of their conversations centering around two different issues on the surface, but coming back to their history all the same. The elephant in the room butting into other topics. History, division, and rivalry, all sneaking its way into the cracks in their words. 

Vale keeps going, the lead in their little play.

“Maybe. But it’s not— like, aerodynamics, new regulations, new tires— all that changes. Small stuff.  Opinions, riders. But it is still a paddock. I’ve been in paddocks my entire life. You can’t change much.”

Things change a lot, in Marc’s experience. People. Teams. Bodies. 

Friendships.

And Marc is brave usually, has made a career out of it, so he feels like he has to ask. No use avoiding it and feeling half out of his skin for the rest of the day. Vale’s knee bumps into his own and he closes his eyes briefly. When he opens them Vale is already looking at him

“Why are you here?” He levels.

Vale throws him a soft smile. It comforts exactly no part of Marc.

“Maybe I was looking for a hiding place.”

Marc hesitates, choosing his words carefully. It’s always a spar with Valentino; even when they were friendly, they were still competing.

“Am I the hiding place?”

“Well, I am still more famous than you, is true. Less photographers on you than me. It’s peaceful.”

“What do you want from me?”

“Now there’s a good question.” Vale says, stealing something else off of Marc’s plate. “Today? I was hungry. I thought I’d stop by and eat with an old friend.” The words jolt through Marc like a highside. He’s in the air— lost, flying, falling. 

Vale stands, towering. He claps Marc on the shoulder. It burns white hot. Marc keeps his eyes on him, trying to catch a hint, a clue as to how this all happened. 

An old friend.

“Is that what we are?” He asks, more earnest than he should be. Vale can be such a bastard.

“Well, what would you call it?” He responds, turning the question on Marc, voice quiet. Serious, like he knows whatever hangs between them is as thin as a spiderweb. Marc swallows.

“I don’t know,” Marc answers. still too honest, even now. Something flickers on Vale’s face, too quick and complex for him to read. 

“Think about it.” Vale prompts, and walks away.

Marc finds out that they weren’t alone, in that section of the paddock the next day. The pictures hit the news after the race, headlines rolling in thankfully after Marc has left for home. Valentino Rossi and Marc Marquez sharing lunch, alone on a race weekend ten years after their falling out. What could it mean? 

But Marc’s eyes look at the photo and just catch on Vale’s shoulders, leaning towards Marc, the palm of his hand, arcing through the air as he gestures, frozen on the screen of his phone, and himself, eyes crinkled at the corners. He was wrong. He didn’t manage to reign in that smile after all. 

FRIENDS AGAIN?, the headline asks, and Marc wonders.

[drac-kool-aid]

Seward's bone deep desire to run away from the asylum is not exactly surprising. There have been a lot of really good meta posts about how the return of Van Helsing into his life is the turning point where we see the caring and good side of him and how we can interpret his life as a student in Amersterdam as one of freedom and happiness. How he is part of the tragedy of manners, how strict social expectations allow Dracula to persist, and how they only exacerbate the unhappiness of the characters.

And I think the tragedy of Seward is that, really, he should not be the head of an asylum. It's a job that brings him no joy, and he's BAD at it. We can all recognize that if your first reaction to going back to work is "What if I just leave it all." That isn't a healthy work environment.

Now, in the modern day, the ability to pick and choose a work environment, even to leave one that is damaging your mental health, is a privilege. (IT SHOULDNT BE, but it is). And, although it is definitely reaching crisis levels in modern times, major changes in your career have almost always been difficult (unless you are really rich, or a particular brand of academic in the 17th-18th century, or both).

Seward can't just leave and become a surgeon. To give up the lofty position of "Head of an Asylum" would be unthinkable in the 1890s, especially for a reason like "Being here is basically turning me into the Joker." Like, how would Seward explain that in polite society? Would they accept that reasoning? Would they create salacious gossip if they didn't? Can Seward leave his position without losing a great amount of social capital?

Probably not.

His rise to head of an asylum, as many have pointed out, was meteoric, to say the least. It has afforded him status and respect and also left him deeply, deeply fucked up. And he can't leave!

I think his desperate attempts to quantify Renfield's behaviors into a new mental illness are telling in this regard. Maybe he is too used to having to meet some sort of expectation, and now he thinks this is the logical next step (It's NOT, but I digress). The feeling of having to keep performing above expectations, grasping at straws to do so, and subsequently burning oneself out (as well as others around you) and engaging in unethical practices? Idk. It sounds like something that would happen today. (tbh there are probably a ton of Sewards out there today, as there are still systemic problems within the mental health system that allow for the dehumanizing and abuse of patients).

It doesn't excuse his behavior. Nothing he does to Renfield is excusable, but I think it does explain some of the *why*. He isn't just cruel for cruelty's sake.

So, tldr I guess: I think reading Seward as someone who got stuck on a career path that he realized was unfufilling and that he ends up hating. Social conventions restrict him from just quitting without and a (socially acceptable) good reason to do so, and a lifetime of being regarded as one of the smartest people in the room means he can not allow himself to fail. Unfortunately, this also means he can not admit when his actions or his ideas are wrong when it comes to his job.

(But he can show that uncertainty FOR Lucy, and TO Arthur and Van Helsing, which speaks his trust and love for them)

[englishstrawbie]

Station 19 7x09

Now that was one hell of an episode! Forgive me, this might get long.

Carina DeLuca, I was a little mad that you tried to ruin another sexy moment with baby talk but then you did that little lick before you kissed Maya's abs, so all is forgiven. 🔥 Also Carina describing Maya as her "hot, hot, hot wife" when the episode gave us that ending felt intentional and mean.

The mutual "I love you", the nose rub, the kiss... I love these sweet moments between them. And then there was the "I'll see you at home", which said just as much, like they were willing it to be true because they both know that the wildfires are going to be a hard fight. Especially after Carina had just been treating a patient whose husband was lost in the woods.

"What if this is it? What if I never see him again?" ... we all know where Carina's mind went at that moment.

"I'm sure he's doing whatever he can to find his way back to you" ... oh, I hope she hangs on to these words when she finds out about Maya. (Assuming she does...? It seems to me like they need to get Maya out of that fire pretty damn quick, before Carina even has chance to find out.)

"Monogamy is for the weak" ... "Or the very very dedicated, that's what I said - and that's who I am now" ... THANK YOU for remembering the whole line. It drives me crazy when people only quote the first part, when the second part of it says a whole lot more about who Maya was then and who she is now. That said, I have mixed feelings about the idea of her offering to get pregnant if Carina can't - because the whole point of pushing the IVF at the same time as adopting Liam is because it's Carina's dream to carry a child and experience childbirth. Still, it says a lot about how much she's changed that she's even willing to think about doing it.

THE ENDING. I expect it's been said enough already but HOLY SH*T. What a way to end the episode, to set up Carina for joy and heartbreak at the same time. Stefania's acting was on point in that moment, the little "no" of disbelief when Helm told her she was pregnant and her "why, do you think it's Maya's?" joke. Contrasted against Maya's absolute panic as the flames surrounded her (even if the special effects of the fire were a little distracting). I don't actually believe it will end in heartbreak, I very much believe that Maya and Carina will get their happy ever after with lots of babies. If anything, I suspect we may see Maya question her job with the fire service again as it feels like it's been leading to that - and I'm still not keen on that idea, but (as someone else pointed out to me) if that's her decision, at least she makes it on her own terms.

Although, at this rate, Andy is going to be left with a team at 19 made up of her ex-husband and Beckett. 👀

I loved all the Maya and Andy scenes we got, I'm glad their friendship has been more prominent this season. I love hearing them both say how proud they are of each other.

Maya Kathleen? Didn't they mean Maya Katherine, after her mom?

All the throwbacks to previous episodes and scenes were great and I hope that continues into the next episode. Dibs on the puppy. Hughie. The five OGs on top of the fire truck was such a wonderful scene, watching them all get into the same position as the last time we saw them there. It made me sad that Dean and Jack weren't there.

"We're 19 - family forever" ... ❤️❤️

I hope Theo getting hurt doesn't interfere with Vic's plans to move to DC with Crisis One. It's where she belongs. I love the idea of Travis going with her, although he has good chemistry with the new guy whose name I don't remember.

This was an A+ episode for me and I really really hope next week's finale lives up to the same hype.

[to-thelakes]

What do you think about Luke Alvez just staring at the reader doing their makeup bc he doesn't know how to describe what he feels but the reader just thinks they don't look good

okay, i saw this and immediately SO MANY THOUGHTS!

first off, luke would ABSOLUTELY GAWK, like that man is a SIMP, S.I.M.P, you probably wouldn't even notice but he would just be sitting on the bed and admiring you

it wasn't even anything you were doing specifically, but the way that you were able to so flawlessly apply the make-up, it enhanced the features that he already loved? he would just be in awe of you

like i think whether you two were dating or it was simply like a flirty vibe, he would act the same, luke is such a softie and that would absolutely translate into how much he adores his partner

and then when you ask him whats wrong or what he's looking at, he would FUMBLE, and fumble hard, he'd just sort of stare dumb-founded and try to find the words but absolutely have no idea what to say

luke gets smitten really easily and he usually shows it in how he acts/smiles, whatever, but he is really bad with his words sometimes, like he'll be thinking you're a god/goddess among humanity but will not be able to articulate it because he is simply speechless at you

then when you start to get anxious, thinking that the make-up is bad or that you look bad, he will jump to tell you that he thinks you are the most beautiful person alive, like he would shower you with compliments

if you were dating, he'd get you to come and sit with him on the bed and he'd kiss you and stroke your hair and tell you that he thinks you are perfect and that he thinks that you look perfect with your make-up how it is but if you're not happy, he can let whoever you're going to see know you'll be a little bit late and give you the time to fix it

if you were friends/crushing on each other, he'd tell you that you look gorgeous, shower you with compliments and promise you that he would tell you if he thought you looked bad (but you didn't so he wouldn't)

luke definitely is one that understands anxiety/depression/PTSD and most mental illnesses i'd say especially after he returned from Iraq and that obviously left him really mentally wounded, then joining the fugitive taskforce and the BAU, he is the king of being understanding and empathetic

also, he's a profiler so even if you hadn't said anything, he would have noticed that you were feeling insecure and would have coaxed you through it to make sure you were feeling okay before either of you stepped foot out of thee house

he is a very sweet soul and he would be an absolute simp in this scenario while also being very comforting and eventually being able to get his words together so he could tell you that he thought you were gorgeous

and i know this wasn't specifically requested but i may have written a little fluff piece because i was inspired which is below! but i just wanted to say, thank you for sending this in, i am having so much fun just being in love with luke alvez recently and so any excuse i have to think about him is one i will take, especially considering where i'm at in my watch of criminal minds is a little rough (13x15)

At some point, you had admitted to Luke that you hadn’t been out out for ages. The last boyfriend you had had was awful and he had never treated you to anything. Luke wasn’t going to let that slide and so, the two of you had arranged to go out for a meal. You weren’t sure if it was a date but Luke had told you to dress up nicely. So you did.

But when he came over with the bouquet of flowers and dressed up in a crisp white shirt, you weren’t ready. You had told him that you were running behind because you had to deal with a friend crisis so when he knocked, you had only just gotten out of the shower.

Your hair had still been dripping wet but he was patient with you. He understood and he kissed you on the cheek and took the flowers to put them in a vase. That gave you time to head back into your room and you dried and styled your hair before he appeared at the door.

“Where do you want 'em?” He asked, holding up the bouquet. You bit your lip, looking around the room before gesturing to your nightstand.

“They’ll be fine there,” You said. He nodded and placed them down. He then sat down on your bed as you faced the mirror on your desk. You were using your phone’s flashlight to light up your face as you reached out for your makeup. You had assumed that Luke had taken his phone out and was scrolling so you let the comfortable silence roll over the both of you.

But he wasn’t on his phone. Luke was sat on the bed, watching you apply the make-up through the mirror. He wanted to tell you how pretty you looked, how gorgeous you were - with or without make-up - but the words were stuck in his throat. So, he just silently admired you as you put foundation, blush, concealer, and highlighter on. It was a simple look and you had decided against eyeshadow considering that your dress was on the bolder colour spectrum.

It was only when you picked up the mascara from the drawer that you really noticed that Luke was looking at you. He seemed mesmerised and you sent him a smile through the mirror.

“What?” You asked softly, untwisting the mascara. You then lifted the wand to your eye and began to apply it but Luke was still silent. It was making your stomach twist in anxiety, “Does it not look right?” You quickly asked, quickly slipping the mascara wand back in the tube to turn around to look at him, “Do you… not like it? I just wanted to go for a simpler look because my dress is kind of bold. Is it bad?” Luke was frowning now and he shook his head, clearing his throat.

“No, no, you look beautiful,” He insisted but the familiar self-consciousness had begun to creep in. You swallowed the lump that was crawling its way up your throat and turned back to the mirror. You glanced at the make-up wipes, wondering if it was better to just start over, “Hey.” You glanced up at him and his face was still set into a frown.

Before you had the chance to tell him that it was okay and that you could just start again or change, he had stepped up behind you. He rested his hands on your shoulders, squeezing them softly before he knelt down so he could look at you through the mirror.

“You look beautiful, carina,” He repeated and you honestly didn’t believe him, “I didn’t know how to tell you and I look at you and you’re breathtaking. Please, finish your mascara and let me take you out.” His tone was soft and you felt yourself smile. You turned back to look at him, practically grinning ear-to-ear. Part of you didn’t believe him but the bigger part of you knew had never seen him so earnest and that bigger part of you was winning.

“Thank you,” You whispered. He smiled and then leant up and pressed a kiss to your forehead.

“Anytime,” He retorted before he stepped back and sat down on the bed. He still couldn’t quite put into words how much he adored you. He felt completely starstruck when you had opened the door and it had taken everything in him not to fumble his words like a teenager with his high-school crush. He just hoped that he would be able to tell you how much he loved you. He just needed to find the words.

[devourers-of-god]

Hiii! Could you do a Sal x reader who has sensor issues and anxiety? Like they get really panicked when things get to loud or theres to many people and over thinks alot? If not thats fine to :))

TYYQKDBBS

HII!! Of course :) I will try my best to portray what you are asking me! If i wrote something not accurate, feel free to correct me<3 im doing a kinda one shot for this one, WITH hcs at the end.

SAL X READER WITH SENSORY ISSUES & ANXIETY

Warnings: nothing srs but you guys aren’t dating in this mwehehe

Type: one shot AND hcs

JUST FRIENDS? Sal x reader one shot

School was hard for everyone, especially for you. You’ve been struggling with sensory issues your whole life, being at school was already enough of a sensory overload for you and your anxiety did not help either. Sal and you had been friends since he moved to Nockfell, he knew you like the back of his hand and was very aware of the challenges you faced everyday. He always took the time to remind you to take your medication, even bringing your pills to school when he knew you would forget. You guys were always close to eachother, basically stuck like glue. Explained by « we’re just friends ».

You had a tendency to overthink a lot about basically anything in your life, but Sal was always patient with you, reminding you that you matter and that he’s always there to help you in moments of crisis. Sadly that day happened when Sal and you were hanging out in the city, it was very crowded, more than usual. You’re normally used to going in the city but the hot, too hot, temperature didn’t help your sensory issues. Neither did the sweat, people’s loud conversations, sounds of cars passing by, birds singing, people laughing. Everything started to feel like a bad memory, you unconsciously held Sal’s hand. Your breathing accelerated gravely, just like your heart rate. Sal looked at his hand, fingers locked with yours, then slowly looked up at you. He immediately knew something was wrong. Sal decided to pull you aside from the crowd to make you feel better.

« what’s going on y/n? » he said, holding eye contact and both of your hands now. You broke eye contact while trying to gather your thoughts to be able to answer him.

« I- I’m » you took a deep breath

« Shh y/n, I’m here for you okay? Take your time » Sal said, smiling softly under his mask.

« Too many people and- and it’s really hot.. I think I’m having a sensory overload- I’m sorry » Tears flood your eyes slowly. Sal squeezed your hands a bit harder to remind you he’s there.

«  There’s no need to apologize, I know this is hard for you, let’s just breathe in and out together okay? Slowly. » You nodded, happy with how good he is at handling things like that. He scooted over to you, showing you how to breathe properly, still holding your hands. While having your hands together he brushed his thumb across yours slowly. You felt your face heating up. Being this close to him made you forget everything. There was so much pain in this world but not in here. After a comfortable silence, you finally spoke up.

« Thank you Sal… you always know how to make me feel better » you smiled softly, resting your head on his shoulder. Sitting there with the blue haired boy made you feel a pleasing sensation in your body. Sal felt joyous to hear that he helped you just now. He felt his face heat up when you rested your hand on him.

« I don’t want to leave this moment.. I don’t want this to be a memory y/n.. » he whispered softly, just enough so you can’t tell what he said clearly.

You looked up to him with a confused expression « What’d you say Sal? »

He sighed quietly « Nothing! » he let out a nervous chuckle « let’s go to my place instead yeah? » You smiled wildly.

« I would love that, we need to finish the movie anyway right ? » Sal nodded happily as you two got up, still not letting go of your hand. You were now walking like you’ve been going out for years already, like it was normal. You only noticed when arrived to his apartment.

After this, Sal and you had a great rest of the day.

SAL X READER WITH SENSORY ISSUES/ ANXIETY HCS !!! DATING !!!

- he always knows when something is wrong, he takes the time to help you and make you feel loved.

- even though you think what you’re overthinking about is stupid, Sal reassures you and stay close to you until you feel better.

- like I wrote earlier, you’re always at his place and sometimes forget to pick up your medication, so he brings it to you wherever you are. He knows days are worse when you’re not on it.

- because of his ability to be an amazing boyfriend, it’s rare you actually overthink lots about your relationship with him. But when it happens, you better know he’s at your front door with blankets, snacks, dvds and good video games to comfort and make you feel relaxed all night.

Okep guys !! I hope you enjoyed this hahaha I think it’s the first time I’ve done a one shot.. critics are always welcome !!

PMS: open

REQUESTS: ALWAYS OPEN!!

[capuccinodoll]

woah interesting to see joel’s pov. He really is that dumb 😭😭 i mean i get it sometimes guys aren’t the smartest when it comes to things like this but come onnn use your brain!! 🧠 turn this on joel, TURN IT ON!! ig he really was so blind to her feelings for him that when he said there has to be a way to fix this and she shut him out he was like damn she don’t gaf about me sir YOU started this, not telling her about your lil date. And then blowing up when she confronted him about it, lorddd.

even if they didn’t have feelings for each other, friendship breakups always suck :( especially between best friends, idk how tf reader did not start crying when tommy said he was with sienna. Travis seems nice tho. Damn i wasn’t expecting joel to have broken up with her tho i really thought he would’ve brought her to the bbq and reader was gonna be travis n there was gonna be tensionnnn. who knows maybe joel will be like hey actually sienna can you come to this bbq LOL

😭 joel is getting DESTROYED by all of you and I absolutely love ittt.

And yes, Joel is a bit dumb and clueless about what's happening to him, but I think it's more than that—he's in denial. Denial about what happened with reader, denial about the fact that she no longer wants to be part of his life. Losing someone is hard, especially when that person is still nearby, living right next door.

For Joel, it's easier to stay in that state of denial, lying to himself and convincing himself that sleeping with reader was just a mistake or a moment of weakness. Because if he faces the truth, he’ll have to accept a lot of uncomfortable things, and many aspects of his life will need to change—and he’s terrified of that. He already feels like he lost her, tho, and that's been making him feel in a constant crisis ever since that night. But of course, he'll do his best at swallowing it to act like nothing happened, I mean, he's fine, right?

At the same time, he continues seeing Sienna for a couple of dates but offers nothing to her, not like before his birthday. It’s not like she didn’t notice—he was different, clearly tormented by something. But she was never going to break up with him. She’s patient, incredibly patient, willing to give him the time he needs, maybe hoping that after some time apart, they might reconnect. And who knows? She's a good woman, she knows he's feeling bad about something... idk.

[fuckyeahgoodomensfanfic]

Good Omens Fic Rec: Free

Anthony J Crowley's been living rough since he was kicked out by his parents as a kid. Somehow he's made it to the age of 40 and he's still alive, but if you asked him, he's not really sure how the hell he's managed it. It's not been pretty. Alistair Zachariah (Az) Fell runs a bookshop, but is still under the strict yoke of his parents: their eternal disappointment. 40 years old and he's desperately unhappy and hit crisis point. They meet (again?) as inpatients in an acute mental health ward. They have nothing in common. Obviously. How could they? They're practically opposites. So why are they so drawn to one another?

Length: 175,846 Words

AO3 Rating: Explicit/ Spice Level 🔥🔥🔥🔥

Best for: At Home, Angst, Human AU, Hurt/Comfort

Triggers: Severe Mental Health Issues including: Suicide, Self Harm, Disordered Eating, Drug Use, Sexual Assault (Past),  Involuntary Hospital Admittance, and more. Please read all author notes

Read it here, fic by imposterssyndrome

*Minor Spoilers* To get the disclaimers out of the way, please check the tags and warnings for this story. It will not be the right fic for everyone. If you're sensitive to triggering content or can't engage with these topics healthily, it's best to skip this one. Take the warnings and author's notes seriously, they are there for your protection. But if you can handle this kind of content, let me tell you why this story is worth your time.

This is a story about two broken souls finding each other at their lowest points. It's a painful, brutal, and frustrating journey of healing, but we will get our happy ending. Crowley (later renamed Jae) and Az meet as patients in a mental health ward. Crowley has had a rough life since childhood and struggles with severe mental health issues. Az has just survived an attempt on his life. We follow them through their time in the ward, highlighting how difficult recovery can be in our society. Neither receives the support they truly need. Eventually, they fall in love, and we witness their many ups and downs as a couple. Their actions and choices will push, frustrate, and devastate you. But that's the point. Mental health is neither easy nor kind, and it can be cruel and desperate. Both characters need to heal themselves before they can heal their relationship.

What makes me so passionate about this story is that while reading it as a WIP, I kept thinking about the importance of media depicting serious mental illness for those who experience it, especially when written by someone who truly understands it. Representation matters for every group, and mental health struggles are no different. It's crucial to feel seen and understood, and people with "scary" behaviors deserve to feel represented too. It's so important to read a story like this, and not have the moral be "love conquers all". It doesn't. Love alone didn't save or "fix" Jae or Az, but that doesn't mean they aren't worthy of love. Once they put in the work, and start to heal on their own terms, then their relationship can flourish. It's beautiful and hopeful, to start at such a low point and be taken on this journey of freedom.

Again, be gentle with yourself, but if you can handle this content, I think this story has a message worth hearing. Sex scenes wise you'll be mostly fine in public, but this is truly an at home or in a safe space read. It can get in depth with some difficult topics, but it always handled them with grace. Breaks will be your friend! It's a long and heavy work, I don't want you to binge this one. I feel so fond of these specific iterations and I am so proud of them both for the journey they go on. My heart felt tied to them both throughout the weeks I had been following it and it's finale brought me to happy tears. Jae and Az will always have a special place in my heart.

To any of you that struggle with their mental health severely, and especially to my drug users and self harmers, I love you.

Read it here, fic by imposterssyndrome

[bruh-2004]

HOW THE XDH BOYS WOULD TAKE CARE OF YOU WITH MENSTRUAL CRAMPS (React)

Warnings: lots of cuteness, some makeout sessions (but nothing explicit)

Genre: fluff, comedy, suggestive (very little).

GUN-IL

I'm sure he would be 100% present, he would drop everything just to take care of you;

he would make things for you to eat, take you medicine, carry you on his back or in his arms to any room in the house and stay by your side keeping you company;

belly massages and hugs would be frequent;

he would do everything possible to distract you, including long makeout sessions, with breathtaking kisses and hands caressing your waist.

JUNGSU

jungsu would be the CUTEST boyfriend in the world, especially in these moments, he would be a lot like gun-il, he would stay with you all the time ready to help you whenever you need it;

he would make you drink everything he saw on the internet that helps with menstrual cramps "honey, drink this tea", "I made a hot chocolate, it will be good for you since it's warm", "just drink water!";

Jungsu would be like a kangaroo, he would carry you literally everywhere, even on the street if you needed to buy something (but preferably his, he wouldn't let you go out on the street when you were in a lot of pain);

he would give you lots of kisses, hugs, massages, cuddles, sing and play the keyboard for you and at bedtime he would leave you warm and comfortable, you would be trapped in a happy bear hug of life.

GAON

gaon would be a playful boyfriend, so his main way of distracting you would be by making you laugh at his antics;

he would be affectionate, not at the level of the previous two boys, but he would also help you as much as he could, something he would love to do would be curled up in the covers with you, cuddled up watching a comedy movie;

"baby, when you need a bath, let me help you take it, see", yes, he would definitely tell you things with double meanings;

he would leave kisses all over your face to make you smile (and he would leave kisses on your neck too).

O.DE

seungmin wouldn't dedicate 100% of his day to taking care of you, but whenever you called him he would go to meet you;

he would help you do exercises to ease the pain, then he would help you take a shower (unlike Jiseok, he wouldn't do it as something suggestive);

whenever you cried in a crisis, he would hug you tightly and stroke your hair until you calmed down;

you would have makeout sessions once or twice a day, according to him it helps to take your mind off things, then you would have intense kisses with hands roaming your body and pressing places that he knows are your weak spots.

JUNHAN

Junhan wouldn't be very good at taking care of you in this regard, but he would certainly give you a lot of moral support, saying things like "love will pass", "you'll be as good as new soon";

he would be very patient with you and your crises, when you fought with him for no reason or cried for no reason he would just respect you and try to calm you down with strong hugs;

you would love to see him play the guitar, so he would play for you knowing that you love listening to him play;

Junhan would do the hardest things in the house for you, like cleaning the floor, washing clothes or dusting the furniture.

JOOYEON

playful boyfriend 2.0, he would make you laugh many times a day, nothing would be more rewarding for him than seeing you smiling despite suffering from pain;

he would give you medicine and offer hot drinks, such as tea or coffee;

short makeout sessions would happen, whenever you asked him to kiss you he would do it with the greatest passion in the world, letting you command the kiss;

movies with popcorn and hot chocolate, you cuddling, jooyeon would play bass for you and sing any song you wanted, even in other languages ​​(this would make you have another fit of laughter).

[myimaginarywonderland]

Buck and Eddie at this moment in time does not make sense and I don't understand why some people want the show runners to rush into it.

Buck is still discovering things about himself. He clearly is still figuring himself out but what is obvious is that he has a crush on Tommy (you can use another team but that is what it essentially is) and wants to try things with Tommy. This isn't Buck replacing Eddie, it's Buck finding someone who makes him feel things he has never felt before and is ready to slowly and patiently explore what it all means. Add to that probably a lot of focus on Buck's own journey. Him possibly looking up labels, reading about queer experience online, watching shows, hell make him take quizzes (a Ritual I am sure most of us did.) While I would love to see Bucktommy exploring a queer relationship, Buck is also going to be exploring his queer identity. What changes for him? Does he want to label himself? Is there a label? Is he just Buck? These are all questions Buck will be asking himself while exploring his first potential queer relationship.

Meanwhile Eddie is over her moving a woman into his flat he seemingly knows nothing about who also makes him confront his own internalised religious beliefs. He is moving again fast into a relationship because he thinks that's what Chris wants and now there is going to be a potentially whole new different conflict with a possible crisis of faith.

They are at two completly different points in there life where they will most likely need each other for support at one point (or to talk some sense into the other.)

Neither of them are at a point where they will be examining their relationship or the realms of it.

And neither of them are ready for that.

Eddie is not even thinking about his own sexuality because he is so forced in his upbringing and perfect family for Chris. Eddie is also not ready to come out because we are only now just adressing how deeply religious he probably is. How a faith so ingrained in him from a young is for the first time in his life really interfering with his life. This is important! This is good! A possible religious conflict especially in countries where certain religious beliefs are the now ! Eddie actively probably having to challenge his perspective!

Both Buck and Eddie are having to change their perspective through really no fault of their own but on their own. What they need right now is to have a support system that is stable which is with the firefam which includes each other.

[strayheartless]

Here have some pre insanity -completely drop kicks canon- headcanons for Sephiroth (because playing crisis core broke my heart and I’m scared of ever crisis.)

(also ship warning for AGSCZ -don’t like don’t read!)

Young Sephiroth didn’t like having his hair brushed -especially by Hojo. He would scream bloody murder at any lab-techs that tried. In the end -because he got so strong and could actually hurt people when he got distressed- they left him to do it himself. This ended up in Sephiroth having to have his hair cut short at age 11 because he didn’t know how to brush it properly and was just causing a Matt under the top layer of hair.

Carrying on from this, as an adult the only person who has ever been able to brush Sephiroth’s is Cloud, because he’s so gentle and patient as he brushes out the knots that it doesn’t make Sephiroth feel like his scalps on fire.

Genesis is however the one who taught Sephiroth how to brush long hair properly.

Sephiroth can’t mix foods on his fork. He eats one thing at a time in a specific order and if he deviates from the order it ruins his enjoyment of the meal. With pasta dishes he will eat the pasta, then the meat/whatever it’s mixed with. He’s never outwardly complained or made a big deal, but Angeal has picked up on his distress a couple of times and now specifically plans meals accordingly.

My poor boy doesn’t do public speaking or reading out loud. His natural speech is soft spoken and full of crutch vocalisations. He can read about a 100 words per minute and can memorise whole books like a pro, but he lacks the actual ability to deliver vocally. It’s why Angeal usually handles public relations and motivating troops. Seph can relay battle plans swiftly and efficiently but he stumbles with knowing the right words to rally the troops.

His natural relaxed pose is having his foot hooked around the other ankle, with his arms behind his back and hands holding his elbows. Only his partners know this to be his true relaxed pose. It means he’s vulnerable enough to look soft and approachable with them.

He used to be secretly jealous of Gen’s childhood stuffed toy. It sits on the redheads bed and Seph started dropping it into his own laps when he sat on the bed. Genesis noticed this and took Seph on a date with Zack to pick out a stuffed animal he liked. Seph bitches that he’s not a child and that it’s embarrassing until he sees a silver jointed teddy in a hospital gown. It’s part of a collection where the money goes to under plate kids hospitals, and there’s something so familiar about the bear that Sephiroth starts crying. Gen buys it for him and it sits on Sephs bed or in his lap when he’s feeling fragile.

He doesn’t have a favourite partner. He loves Zack because the boy is cuddly and infectiously happy; He loves Gen because he’s deceptively kind but he can rely on him not to bullshit him when there’s a problem; he loves Geal because he’s so solid and allows Seph to lean on him in a way that Sephiroth has never had; he loves Cloud because he’s a spitfire with a heart of gold who’s not willing to back down just because someone’s bigger than him. He loves them so much some days he feels like he might actually die from it.

I have more but this feels like a good place to stop. I dunno man, Sephiroth is so multifaceted and sometimes I just like to think about the stuff that makes him human, ya know?

[lunar-years]

Oh man oh man oh man if Phoebe, who is basically co-parented by Uncle Roy, gets a sibling who comes with her own dad? I feel like that’s SO crunchy, because if Roy is there as the *third* adult instead of the second he’s not going to be as involved as he was with Phoebe and I feel like there’s going to be so many complicated feelings about that for Phoebe. (Including probably some “good, I don’t have to share” feelings lol.)

YEAH. Listen I love the headcanon because it's SO crunchy along the way but then it ends really happily because their little family expands and more love is never a bad thing <3 also ROY & Co. WITH A LITTLE BABY!!! <3<3 let's appreciate the vision!!

but yeah I think like, if Roy's sister (who i'm going to call Ruth for the sake of the rest of my response because it's too difficult to not use a name and keep everyone straight lmao) was seriously dating someone and then was like hey we're getting married and then shortly thereafter was like oh yeah by the way I'm pregnant:

Roy would definitely go through it a bit because in my head, he didn't realize what was happening/how it really was between Ruth and Phoebe's Dad until Ruth was already like, REALLY in it. Maybe he even liked the guy. I sort of think he did, just because it's extra prickly and it adds to the intense anger over the situation we see him express in canon. Like, not only is he mad at himself for not realizing how Ruth was being treated, he's also mad that he didn't see the signs and wasn't around when he needed to be, and he's furthermore mad that he was friendly with this guy the times he'd met him when he of course should have known to slug him in the face in advance from the first time he met him, etc. Irrational thought patterns, you know how it is.

So. His panicky brain realistically knows this ISN'T the same. But he's also extra vigilant, especially now that he not only has Ruth to worry about but also Phoebe. So he really has to talk things through with his therapist and Ruth and express his fears to Jamie and Keeley before he really can start to feel okay about the whole thing.

Then once he's accepted Ruth's new boo and is excited for all of them, he gets hit with the "you're getting a new niece or nephew!" news, which sets off the panic alarms AGAIN. because what if he's used up all his good uncle juices on Phoebes and there's not enough left over for the new kid? (i just think Roy tragically overthinks everything lmao)

Also, and the Bigger Thing, is how does he navigate just having to be an uncle to this child without the extra responsibility of having to be a co-parent to them like he's been for Phoebe? What's the balance there? And can he step back to let this new person into Phoebe's life, and what if he fills up the role Roy has in her life and pushes Roy out completely? He wants to give as much of himself to this new child as he'd given to Phoebe but he doesn't quite know what new role to play.

Meanwhile Phoebe is having a similar crisis about accepting this new person and then a new sibling into her home. As you say, she doesn't want Roy to not be there in the same way he's always been there, and she also has all the typical pre-teen angst and this is just one more thing. She doesn't want anything to change. She'd very skeptical of this new guy who is suddenly always around. Why does her mum even like him? etc. etc.

This is a great opportunity for Phoebe and Jamie bonding and an Uncle Jamie teaching moment, because Jamie of course also has a stepparent, and one I personally believe he was VERY skeptical of when Simon first came into his life. So he can share with Phoebe the role Simon's played in his own life and in doing so, gently encourage her to give Ruth's partner a chance. ❤️

everything ends up all right of course. Ruth's partner is a wonderful person who slides right into the family and is very patient with Phoebe and Roy both. And they all instantly fall in love with new baby. Phoebe would be the best big sister. I think it would just be really exciting for everyone involved!!

[mrbensonmum]

TV Show - Dr. House | House M.D. XI

The end of the sixth season is not only near, it's kicking the door in with a cane. Just now, in the last episode of the season, the construction crane collapsed. And man, have we been through a lot.

Towards the end of the fifth season, things really heated up. First, we got to see "The Social Contract," another very interesting episode, as I mentioned before. Then, with "Locked In" and "Simple Explanation," things got intense, and before we knew it, the tone changed, and House found himself in the midst of a crisis.

Of course, we can't overlook that this crisis had a trigger, a pretty intense one at that. One morning, Kutner didn't show up for work. Many assumptions were made, and when Foreman and Thirteen went to his apartment, they discovered that Kutner had shot himself.

This was already the case before, but from here on, the series unabashedly plays with colors (Color Grading). The mood is often supported by a dark, blue tone or a light, soft, slightly orange tone, making it even more clear to the viewer. This happens right up until the sixth season and occurs again and again, depending on how intense the various moods are dictated by the story.

I also found it intense that Amber was brought back into play here. She had become an important link between House and Wilson, even though it looked different after her death. This also reminds me of a description of Amber that I should have mentioned much earlier, where she is described as being like House and how Wilson actually wants to be with House. It's interesting because that's exactly what happens in the sixth season when House and Wilson move into the new apartment. For a brief moment, they're a couple, and it just fits incredibly well. It's just a shame that the lovely Sasha Alexander has to suffer because of it. It's fascinating how she has changed since the first two seasons of NCIS.

We wouldn't be with House if everything were easy. So, House himself has to go through hell again before he is actually taken to a rehab center on a second attempt. Anything else wouldn't fit, but I also felt a little sorry for him here because realizing that his dream was just a dream, where he didn't end up with Cuddy, was pretty harsh.

The sixth season then starts with House's stay in rehab or in a psychiatric hospital where he meets interesting personalities. This includes Franka Potente, who is mainly known from German productions, which pleased me at the time. She is also one of the few German actors who can dub themselves, which was very well done here. I really like this story arc because it shows the ups and downs of House and his realization that constant rebellion may not be the right path after all.

Of course, many important topics are addressed again in the sixth season, one of which is euthanasia. It has been shown or hinted at several times before, but here it appears several times. One time, it's even not from the patient's perspective but from the doctors', which is incredibly unusual. The most impressive was also the instance where House was locked in with a dying patient and increased his morphine dose in the end.

The other major topic is, of course, Chase's act. He caused the death of a patient who was a dictator. This episode has raised questions over and over again, and rightly so. Is that okay? Is that justified? Just as I write about it, I realize that I don't want to delve into this topic as much because discussions about it are exhausting and not good for me right now. But everyone has to decide for themselves, especially in such a profession, what all of this means for them, ethically and morally.

I've skipped over some episodes and topics now, and that's somewhat intentional. Because while the sixth season does focus on the patients' respective illnesses, it focuses even more on the developments of the protagonists. Foreman and Thirteen and their relationship. Taub and his wife, how does their marriage progress? Wilson and his love life! Cuddy, Lucas, and Rachel? And of course, House and his attempt to be happy, which becomes more than clear in the last or penultimate episode with a session with Dr. Nolan. All of this is extensively dealt with in the sixth season and leads to some back and forth, which I don't mean in a negative way. Because even though there were already developments before, those that occur in the sixth season provide a breath of fresh air and keep the series at a high level of entertainment.

However, to come back to the penultimate episode of the sixth season, I can really understand House. You do and try everything, work on yourself, do your best, listen to others and their expectations of you, but in the end, only others feel better, and you feel worse. It's an absolutely terrible feeling, to put it bluntly, and no, it's not just because he's depressed or the pain is getting worse again. House is an overthinker, and he has already thought about a lot. No, it's a realization of the fact, and this is then reinforced by what happened in the last episode (the leg amputation). I don't condone what he does, but I can understand it.

The last episode is almost finished, and I'm not sure anymore how season seven starts; I'll indulge in that in a moment. I still remember quite a bit, but as often happens, it's a bit jumbled, so it's even more exciting.

Bonus: There's one more thing I'd like to write about because it was an episode that personally moved me. "Locked In" was again an episode where I felt very understood. Because even though the Locked-in Syndrome actually exists, there's another variant that is rarely talked about, sleep paralysis. A completely normal process where the body, once it falls asleep, becomes paralyzed so that we don't use the body too much while sleeping and dreaming. But it can also happen that you wake up, can breathe normally, move your eyes, but otherwise, you're practically paralyzed. Absolutely not a nice feeling, but again, kudos to the series for bringing attention to the fact that this exists and is something serious.

Oh yes, of course, I also noticed that Meat Loaf appeared in the fifth season. A great artist who heavily influenced my music taste in the 90s. Unfortunately, he has also left us, but I hope he rocks hard somewhere else.

[jamisafan]

Okay, it's time for my thoughts on Dragons Rising part 2. (This is super long by the way.)

(Spoilers below the cut.)

I'll get into my Cole rant in a bit because, oh boy, do I have things to say. But Soras story feels too important to leave for last.

Sora's story can reach out to so many different people that have issues with their parents and that kids really don't owe their parents anything. Sora is one of THE BEST role models I've ever seen in a cartoon. The fact that all her problems still weren't solved when she cut contact with her parents is realistic. The fact that they didn't give her parents a redemption was satisfying. And her just actually coming to the conclusion that she doesn't need to have her biological family in her life was beautiful. You are able to choose your family, and Sora showed that perfectly. Her character is amazing, and I don't even have the words to describe how absolutely beautiful her character is. She is perfect, and it makes me all emotional and stuff. I love her 😢

Arin has so much potential, and I think his whole spinjitzu thing is super important and cool. I think he'll get the MK treatment, maybe get thrown into an identity crisis, the works. Maybe he has a whole chosen one thing like Lloyd, who knows. All I know is that I love him and his little fan boy heart.

Kai and WyldFyres relationship is so great. I love seeing how far Kai has come and him referencing Nya becoming the ocean and how Master Wu helped him work through his emotions. This was exactly what the show needed. And having Kai be WyldFyres mentor was a fantastic choice because they are seriously alike in many way. Their struggle with not being patient and their hot headedness just gives me life. Kai has a freaking kid, and there little reunion hug was so freaking cute oh my god!!!!

I felt like Nya should have had a worse reaction to seeing a Djinn again. She was definitely traumatized from that, but maybe this was also some good closure for her, seeing that not all Djinn are evil creepy monsters. Nya and Soras' relationship is cool, too

Zane needs some more done with him. I need them to address the weird egg thing he hatched out of, but hopefully, it will be resolved soon. I think Zane got pushed to the side a bit, and it felt like he was jumping everywhere (like, he was just, at the administration? I know he got in trouble for portal stuff, but..... yeah). I'm sure he will get something eventually.

Lloyd is someone I never know how to talk about because he's just such a main character that it makes him less interesting to me. Don't get me wrong I love him, and him working on becoming the master of the monetary is cool and stuff. But he still needs a form of closure from past seasons, especially with garmadon. Unless they never bring him back then that's chill. I love garmadon but he always causes so much problems. Lloyd is learning how to be a good teacher though and that's really sweet.

Jay is a sassy shit Manger, and I love it. Can't wait to see more with him.

And Cole........ Cole is perfect in everything single way, and no one can deny that. Like actually, if someone doesn't like Cole from Ninjago, that's a red flag. He ended up in the place of lost things. THATS PERFECT FOR HIM! Cole Who almost got forgotten by everyone he loves, who literally ran away from home. It's perfect! He's perfect! He's the best! I love him! AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!! And now he's going on his own mission to follow Master Wus voice and figure out why the earth is screaming?!?!? God I love him. He's the best 😢

Also, I've had thoughts and ideas about Cole hearing the earth screaming, and I'm SUPER curious to see what that means.

Okay, now that I've ranted about how perfect Cole is...... I need to say it.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

Them.

I already made a post about this but I'll never get over how perfect they are. It felt borderline canon.

People are talking about how Cole just straight up left him to chase master Wu, but I'm positive that Cole either talked to the others beforehand or right after leaving Nya about it. About how he would totally come back for them and figure out some way for them to leave the land of lost things and get in all those good tearful see you laters.

If Geo doesn't come back I will fucking riot. And I'm not one to swear super often. Mostly for dramatic effect. So you know I'm serious. Geo and Cole left me feeling high for days. I need them in my life. They can't just introduce new characters and then LEAVE THEM!!?!?!!?!!!?

Anyways, my full ale thought on Dragons Rising.

It was good. It felt risky at first to add all these new characters, especially main ones but they did it perfectly. I love me a well paced story that doesn't feel like it's going to fast or slow. Beatrix's story is very interesting but I'm still super excited to see what happens with my boy Lord Ras. He's just so cool and evil and stuff :D I wonder who his boss is?

The show felt somewhat nostalgic but also super fresh and the writing was good.

Also

Does anyone know what this symbol is? I can't tell if this is new or if I'm just stupid and it's been there before. Sorry if it's a dumb question.

[boyfridged]

yutro i need to hear more abt ur canon oc willis todd. please.

oh the pleasure is mine! (i feel like i have waited for this question my whole life though so it will be long. and won't even cover all of it.)

obviously, willis todd was born in the crime alley. he was raised by struggling parents and an assembly of aunts and uncles, not all blood related. his family broke down due to financial trouble. there's a whole background here i have in mind: the area used to be more dominated by heavy metal industry workers, but the companies started seeking cheap labour abroad, throwing the community into an almost decade old crisis and causing them to disperse while also trying to gentrify the area (partly by exploiting the queer & artistic spots in the area that are also often found in districts with high immigrant & working class areas. that's a thing that happens in many cities) (that's offtopic but hence the fancy cinema in the area!). when willis was very young, his father was a victim of aggressive lay-offs and was soon found dead. his mother left gotham with another man when willis was 17. he did not blame her for it.

he is also a 2nd/3rd gen immigrant. i do not have a "set" ethnicity for him (although in thursday night and my other wip he is vietnamese.) it's also important to me that he speaks the language.

he's never been exceptionally good at school but he's smart and knows his way around plenty things. he spent his adolescence working many odd jobs, involving the less-legal ones mentioned in canon - "running numbers" and boosting cars, but not only. he managed to get the GED despite and enrolls into a scholarship LPN programme provided by the wayne foundation (nothing to do with bruce btw, who at the time is not involved neither in the company nor in the philantropy. it's probably based on late thomas wayne's project.) it's not his dream job but this is what is available, it's honest work and he's good enough at it. this is also how he meets sheila.

willis does fall in love with sheila, but she takes interest in him first and tbh willis also falls a bit in love with pretty much anyone and everyone he meets. he sees the best in people. they are never serious though, but when pregnancy comes into play, willis is determined to work something out. maybe sheila thinks she can be a mother for a moment too, and she is vaguely around for the first 2-3 months, except she's not being a mother anyway. and also soon she looses her freshly obtained license as a result of medical malpractice, and willis loses his scholarship because of the association with her too.

he meets shiva by accident and performs first aid on her. sandra gives him her contact details "in case he ever needs anyone gone." willis being willis thinks absolutely nothing of it.

on that note. willis just has what i'd call middle mannered boyish charm, good-spirited sense of humour and the tiniest amount of shyness/awkwardness that makes people (women especially) like him a lot. and he doesn't mind casual romance himself so his address book (or whatever the contemporary equivalent would be) grows to be quite a weird list.

he's briefly a single dad to jay before he meets catherine. they manage just fine for a while, he gets a job as a mechanic, and he is home enough for jay to speak the language too (jay does not speak it later in life though. but jay's relation to willis is a whole another topic i could write hundreds of words about). when catherine gets sick and the financial issues follow, he gets much more absent and depressed. still, every decision he takes is always motivated by the love for his family. he might not have time nor energy to entertain jay as much as he'd like to, so their past-time becomes taking naps together. and willis likes music so he sings him to sleep.

i talked about willis' parenting and his attitude irt violence here so i will not repeat myself but i do think he was relentlessly patient and that this kindness in the eyes of many made him a bit naive. but he would also stop at nothing for his family. love drives men like him into paradoxical points of no return sometimes. &he is convinced he's getting his hands bloody so that jay's never ought to be.

i think he goes on blackgate on a murder charge, because blackgate is blackgate. if he did it or not is a whole another matter; and he surely knows too much for two-face to get rid of him. perhaps contrarily to the charge, his "crime" was actually trying to take a step back and this is what got him in trouble.