#I really like Michael and I hope that his story will be revealed in the future | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

supernaturalscribe67 · 7 months ago

Text

Destiny

Words: 7,528

POV: 3rd Person

Pairing: Gabriel x Male!Winchester!Reader

Warning(s): Fluff, Slight Angst (if you squint), Language, Brotherly Drama/Teasing, Sexual Innuendos

Summary: (Y/N) Winchester never thought he would have to play a prominent role in the fight between Michael and Lucifer, but when Gabriel's attempt at convincing Sam and Dean to accept their destiny fails, (Y/N) is left pondering the situation at hand. What happens when Gabriel reveals the truth behind his disappearance from Heaven and his own role in the fight?

Heavily Inspired by S5.8 "Changing Channels"

Request:

Hey!! I was hoping you would be able to do this request.

It could feature hurt/comfort, angst, and fluff :)

Gabriel x Winchester!Reader

He could be trans or cis, up to you.

There was a younger Winchester brother, and with 3 full blooded Winchesters meant of course, a 3rd vessel. Gabriel's vessle. You both aren't keen on the idea of possession and end up falling for each other? Destiny had brought them together for battle but their hearts yearned for something else.

(something along those lines atleast)

@genekies

A/N: I've sat here for the last ten minutes staring at the Summary because my brain is non-existent right now. Anyway, I really hope you enjoy this! Sorry it's so late! I also hope you don't mind that I changed the 'younger' Winchester to a middle Winchester~ I enjoyed writing something cute and fluffy after that heavy story I posted! Feedback is appreciated!

~ Much Love!

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.

“Son of a bitch.”

“It’s him. It’s Doctor Sexy.”

“Nutcracker!”

“I’ve got genital herpes.”

(Y/N) blamed himself for this. Why he thought any hunt he and his brothers did would be normal was beyond him. When was anything the Winchesters did ever normal?

He could count on one hand the number of times he’d encountered tricksters, none of them pleasant. Still, something about this trickster was different. Slight abnormalities in the realm of possibilities, Sam, Dean, and Castiel all agreed, Castiel seeming to know more than them, but unable to voice his thoughts before being whisked away by said ‘trickster’. From there, the Winchester brothers were tossed from TV show to TV show, enduring humiliation and awkward conversation. It wasn’t until Sam was transformed into the Impala that it clicked.

It wasn’t a trickster. It was an angel.

That was how they ended up in an abandoned warehouse, the angel stood in the center of a ring of Holy Fire. (Y/N) tried to hide the exhaustion on his face that resulted from their hectic escapades. What he would kill to go back to their motel, crawl under the scratchy covers, and go to sleep.

“Where’s you get the Holy Oil?” The angel asked, a small smirk playing on the corner of his lips.

“Well, I guess you could say we pulled it out of Sam’s ass,” Dean replied, straight-faced.

Sam clenched his jaw and sent a death glare towards him. (Y/N) snickered, earning him the same glare. He pressed his lips together, mumbled a faint ‘sorry’ under his breath, and turned his attention back towards the wannabe trickster.

The smirk he had vanished. “Where’d I screw up?” He asked.

“You didn’t,” Sam shook his head. “Nobody gets a jump on Cas like you did.”

“It was the way you talked about Armageddon,” Dean explained.

“Meaning?” The angel furrowed his brows.

“Well, call it personal experience, but nobody gets that angry unless they’re talking about their own family.”

The angel looked away and lowered his head, a silent confirmation of their suspicions.

“So, which one are you?” Sam cocked his head to the side. “Grumpy, Sneezy, or Douchey?”

(Y/N) bit the inside of his cheeks, lowering his head to hide the small smile that appeared. Despite the gravity of the situation, he had to admit that Sam’s question was a little funny. He blamed it on him being tired. He was quick to erase the expression off his face before lifting his head. The angel’s gaze shifted over to Sam, and he hesitated for a moment.

“Gabriel, okay? They call me Gabriel.”

“The archangel?” Sam asked.

“Guilty.”

“Okay, Gabriel. How does an archangel become a trickster?” Dean questioned.

Gabriel shifted. “I consider it my own, private Witness Protection. I skipped out of Heaven, got a face transplant, and carved out my own little corner of the world. Until you three screwed it up,” his tone was full of irritation.

(Y/N), Sam, and Dean shared a glance, almost as if communicating telepathically with one another - something they had become accustomed to growing up. While they knew significant details about the conflict between the archangels Michael and Lucifer, it seemed, to them, that the situation ran a lot deeper than it originally appeared.

“So, boys, now what?” Gabriel’s voice broke them out of their trance. “Are we just going to stare at each other for the rest of eternity?”

Dean licked his lips. ‘Well, first of all, you’re going to bring Cas back from wherever you stashed him.”

“Oh, am I?”

“Yeah, or we’re going to dunk you in some Holy Oil and deep-fry ourselves an archangel.”

Gabriel clenched his jaw, looking over at Sam, then at (Y/N). All of them shared the same serious expression. Poking his tongue into his cheek, he raised a hand and snapped his fingers. Shuffling could be heard behind the trio as they turned their heads to see a disheveled Castiel. His hair was more ruffled than usual, and a small cut ran across the bridge of his nose. Blood was splattered on the collar of his trenchcoat. He stumbled slightly.

“Cas, you okay?” (Y/N) asked.

“I’m fine,” Castiel replied, his icy gaze locked on Gabriel. “Hello, Gabriel.”

Gabriel lowered his hand, crossed his arms over his chest, and smiled tightly. “Hey, bro. How’s the search for Daddy going? Let me guess. Awful,” Gabriel’s tone was harsh.

The tension was so thick, you could cut it with a knife. It was obvious that there was more going on in Heaven than the Winchesters were led to believe. Multiple sides mean multiple stories. Who knows what really happened?

“Alright, let’s get out of here. Sam, (Y/N)?” Dean slowly started to step towards the exit.

Sam was the first to move, while (Y/N) seemed hesitant. In the end, he, too, turned his back on Gabriel and made his way towards his brothers. Castiel soon followed.

“No,” Gabriel muttered. “Okay…hey, guys, so…” he stumbled over his words. “So what, huh? You’re just, you’re just gonna leave me here forever?”

When the group reached the door, they all turned back to him.

“No,” Dean began. “We’re not, because we don’t screw with people the way you do. And, for the record, this isn’t about some prize fight between your brothers or some destiny that can’t be stopped. This is about you being too afraid to stand up to your family.”

Gabriel opened his mouth, as if to object, but stopped himself. He lowered his head in shame, turning his back to them. Wordlessly, Dean looked back, spotting a fire alarm on the wall. He easily broke the glass surrounding the alarm and pulled the handle. A shrill, faded sound echoed within the broken building. As Gabriel looked up, the aged sprinkler system burst open, showering him with cold water. Gabriel gazed at them, his face filled with defeat.

“Don’t say I’ve never done anything for you,” Dean called out over the sound of the alarm.

With that, Sam, Dean, and Castiel turned their backs one last time on Gabriel, walking out of the building. (Y/N), however, stayed put, his eyes locked onto Gabriel’s. He studied the look of hurt on his face, and (Y/N) couldn’t help but feel a slight pang of guilt. A part of him wanted to say something, to turn around and provide him with some type of comfort. They didn’t know what Gabriel was going through, nor what had caused him to leave Heaven in the first place. Perhaps, all he needed was someone to be there. To allow him to be heard. (Y/N) could relate to that feeling. Alas, as the ring of Holy Fire began to dissipate, over the blaring sound of the alarm, he could hear the faint shout of his older brother calling out his name. (Y/N) looked at the warehouse door, the breeze from the early morning shifting his wetting hair, then back to Gabriel. For a moment, he cast an apologetic look his way before he, swiftly, left the building.

*~*

A couple of weeks after the incident with Gabriel, (Y/N) couldn’t seem to keep his thoughts at bay. Although his brothers had all since left the interaction behind them, refocusing their attention on their odd hunting jobs, (Y/N) couldn’t shake the reminder of the expression on Gabriel’s face. He had taken the time to carefully consider what Gabriel had been going through, or what he had been through before he had left Heaven. Sure, he wasn’t aware of the extent of it all, but he could sure sympathize with how it felt to be stuck between his brothers during their spats. Sam and Dean never threatened the sanctity of Heaven over their problems, but still.

(Y/N) had taken many walks since then, because sleep had been so easily unobtainable. On nights when Sam and Dean slept soundly on their motel room beds - or couch, depending on who lost in the coin toss - (Y/N) would slink out of the room into the night. Alternatively, in the morning, if sleep didn’t come after the first walk, he would go on another, ultimately stopping for breakfast on his way back to the motel to appease his brothers.

Sam and Dean were none the wiser.

On those walks, his mind would always shift to Gabriel and the predicament he was in. In a way, he disagreed with what Dean had said to Gabriel. But, with everything that was said by Gabriel, himself, he partially agreed with it as well. Why was Gabriel so adamant about Sam and Dean allowing Lucifer and Michael to take possession of them for a fight that he wasn’t even willing to fight himself? He felt so in the dark about the whole debacle. Although he wasn’t directly involved in it, he was still interested to know what the fate of his brothers could be. It was thoughts and questions like those that kept his mind racing in the early hours of the morning, making him unable to get an adequate amount of sleep.

That night was no different. The three of them had traveled to a town along the East Coast, following the clues of a possible Wendigo. The case had just started, and the interviews and clues left much to be desired. They weren’t even close to pinpointing the approximate area in the nearby woodland where it could reside. Sam and Dean were running thin, and (Y/N) was no help. Not with the way his mind had been racing lately. It wasn’t like he could help it, though. He tried, he did, and a part of him couldn’t see how Sam and Dean were able to concentrate whilst everything was going on in Heaven. He had always envied them for their sense of focus, something he lacked greatly at times. When he started the walks, clearing his mind was his initial goal, but going out on his own, in the dead of night, only seemed to make his thoughts louder.

The town was small, and barely had much of a park, just some cheap playground equipment that looked as if it needed to be updated and a small trail. (Y/N) was thankful for the benches that were laid along the path. Despite the park’s size, it had a beautiful view; a full panoramic of the deep, dark ocean past craggy cliffs, cut off by a steel fence. The ocean was loud and, despite the distance from the land to the sea, mist sprayed (Y/N)’s face faintly, painting his features with minuscule water droplets. He had worn a jacket that night. Even though it was surprisingly hot during the day, as soon as the sun dropped, the temperatures did as well.

(Y/N) had been sat on the bench for close to an hour. If he had to guess, it was nearly midnight. Not once had he been able to keep Gabriel out of his mind. Gabriel, the fight, Sam, and Dean, all took turns at the forefront of his brain, but Gabriel won most of the time. He always drifted to the sad, kicked puppy-dog look he had before he left. He couldn’t imagine what Gabriel had to go through. (Y/N) thought Sam and Dean were impossible to be with all the time, but he couldn’t fathom being near Michael and Lucifer as much as Gabriel must have. He must have been quite burnt out.

“Do you mind if I sit here?” A voice jerked (Y/N) from his train of thought.

(Y/N) jumped, eyes wide as he looked towards the direction of the voice. Stood, about a foot away from the bench, was Gabriel. His expression was soft, his brown hair partially damp, the locks illuminated slightly by the nearby street lamp. Once his heart rate began to return to normal, (Y/N) nodded and gestured towards the empty seat next to him.

“Sure,” he mumbled.

With a short nod, Gabriel shuffled over and sat down, leaning against the back of the bench. His legs were slightly spread and his hands were clasped together in his lap. For a moment, the two of them sat in silence, listening to the sound of the crashing waves from below. Even though Gabriel had done so much to the Winchesters as a part of his trickster ‘Witness Protection’, (Y/N) didn’t feel any resentment towards him, nor did he feel agitation, even with his proximity. A part of him thought he should be, that was how Dean would react, at least. Shouldn’t he be at least a little bit pissed? Perhaps it was the weeks of thinking, working the idea into his head that he and Gabriel could, potentially, have more in common than he originally thought. It could be that he was more forgiving than his brother. In the end, (Y/N) chalked it up to him being a great judge of character.

“How did you find me?” (Y/N) broke the silence.

“What?” Gabriel asked.

“How did you find me? These symbols, or whatever, Cas put on my ribs were supposed to stop angels from being able to find me. Or did he just tattoo my ribs for nothing?”

Gabriel let out a faint chuckle and shook his head. “I admit, you were hard to find. All I did, though, was follow the sound of your prayers. They were quieter than most, but they were still noticeable.”

(Y/N) looked over at Gabriel, confused. “Prayers? I didn’t pray to you.”

“I guess not technically. I know that wasn’t your intention half the time, but, every time you thought of me, asked those questions, made those statements, it was as if you did.”

(Y/N) pursed his lips and gave a faint nod. “I see…”

They were, once again, engulfed in silence as they stared out onto the water. No one said anything. Surprisingly, it was peaceful.

“I guess I should be asking why you found me. Why are you here, Gabriel?” (Y/N) asked.

Gabriel hesitated for a moment, fumbling with his fingers. “Look, I’m not good at this sort of thing, but…” he trailed. “I thought I should come here and apologize. For everything.”

(Y/N) looked over at Gabriel as he placed his hands into his jacket pockets and leaned back against the bench. “Shouldn’t you be apologizing to Sam and Dean, too?”

Gabriel snorted. “Are you kidding? Those two would probably stab me before I even had the chance to say anything.”

(Y/N) smirked. “I guess you’re right. The fact that you were practically hounding them to accept being Michael and Lucifer’s vessels doesn’t help your case either.”

“Yeah, I realized that I probably went about it the wrong way.”

“Probably?”

“Okay, I definitely went about it the wrong way.”

“That’s putting it lightly.” (Y/N) mumbled. “Why the fight, Gabriel? I mean, why now?”

Gabriel shrugged his shoulders. “Michael and Luci have been going at it for centuries. Even before this fight, they were at each other’s throats half the time.” he began to rub his fingers together. “But, this fight…it wasn’t originally supposed to only be those two.”

(Y/N) furrowed his brows. “What do you mean?”

“Well,” Gabriel stuttered before he stood up. Slowly, he began to pace back and forth in front of (Y/N), looking between the ground and his hands. “You know what it’s like, right? Your brothers are arguing about the dumbest things and they’ve been going at it for a while, getting a little carried away, so you have to step in and, um,”

“Be the mediator?”

“Yeah! You have to try and calm them down so they don’t kill each other?”

“Well, yeah, I’ve had to do that plenty of times with Sam and Dean.”

“Right. Back then, I had to do the same thing with Michael and Luci. Sometimes it worked, and other times, not so much. With this fight, that’s what I was supposed to do.”

“Wait, this fight that they want to use Sam and Dean for? How’re you supposed to mediate that?”

“I was just supposed to make sure they didn’t actually kill each other. Try to get them to talk it out. I’ve always been good at that, so it would only make sense that I would take a crack at it this go around. However, since they would be at their full power in their vessels, the last thing that needed to happen was for them to turn on me, kill me, and then each other. So, to make sure I had enough power, I, also, have to have a vessel.”

Gabriel stopped pacing in front of him and finally faced him, his hands together in front of him. (Y/N) stared at him intently, eyes narrowed in concentration. It was as if Gabriel could see the gears working in his mind. If Michael needed a vessel, which was Dean, and Lucifer needed a vessel, which was Sam, then, that meant…

(Y/N)’s eyes widened. “Am I your vessel?” He breathed.

“Ding, ding, ding! We have a winner!” Gabriel smirked, although it wasn’t as confident as the one he had when he was covered by his trickster persona.

(Y/N)’s mouth sat agape. He was gobsmacked. His lips moved up and down as he tried to form words, but his mind nor mouth would work. It all made sense, though. Why would Sam and Dean be the only vessels? Why had he never considered that he, too, was destined to be one? It was clear as glass, yet, the thought never crossed his mind.

“You know, when you think about it, it kind of makes sense that you’re my vessel. I mean, you’re the mediator, I’m the mediator. You’re the middle child, I’m practically the middle child. There are, actually, a lot of similarities between you and me. So, it was a great pick,” Gabriel rambled, placing his hands on his hips.

(Y/N) help his hand up. “Gabriel, just…stop.”

Gabriel looked down and cleared his throat. “Sorry,” he pursed his lips.

(Y/N) sat there and attempted to wrap his head around the whole situation. His thoughts were foggy and the front of his head was starting to pound. He reached his hands up and began to massage his temples.

“So, what you’re saying,” (Y/N) let out a breathy chuckle. “Is that you, the archangel Gabriel, are supposed to use me as a mediator for your two power-hungry brothers who, may I remind you, are also archangels?”

Slowly, Gabriel nodded. “Basically.”

“And you think this is a good idea?”

“Absolutely not.”

“What?”

Gabriel sighed. “Look,” He returned to his spot on the bench next to (Y/N), his body now facing him. “The times when my mediation did work was when they had their smaller fights. Little bickers here and there. When Michael and Luci are really, really mad at each other, nothing can get between them. So, most likely, what would happen is I would need to get involved in the fight to stop them.”

“Oh, God,” (Y/N) grumbled and placed his face into his hands.

“But, believe me, that is the last thing I want to do. I mean, Michael and Luci, they’re both strong on their own, but, if they were to team up against me for trying to stop them, even with you as my vessel, I don’t stand a chance. It would be two against one.”

(Y/N) just nodded, running his hands down his face, his gaze returning to the cool, pounding waves. A chill ran down his spine. He hadn’t realized how cold he had gotten, what with the mix of wind and misty air.

“Why are you telling me this now?” He asked quietly. “Why wasn’t I told any of this before?”

“Well, when I went off the grid, everyone just assumed that it was my way of backing out of the fight. In a way, I guess they were right.”

“And back at the warehouse? Why didn’t you tell me then?”

“Because I still had no intention of joining the fight. However, after what Dean had said to me…” Gabriel shook his head. “I realized that he was right. I am a coward. I tried to push your brothers into accepting their roles as vessels because I want this fight to be done and over with. I just wish the fight didn’t have to happen. I figured it would be wrong if I didn’t tell you now. You deserve to know.”

“Well, I appreciate that. And, for the record, I don’t want this fight to happen either. The last thing I want is my brothers to get involved in something that has nothing to do with them.”

“The fight’s gonna happen one way or another, and I thought getting your brothers to go along would be the best way to go about it. Once I listened to your prayers, though, I realized how it would affect you. I know you wouldn’t want to lose either one of your brothers, even though they can be assholes sometimes.”

(Y/N) snorted. “Like you’re one to talk.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, unlike your brothers, mine can be caring and nice when they want to be.”

“Believe it or not, Michael and Luci both have the capability of being nice! I witnessed it firsthand.”

“Bullshit!”

“It’s not! Granted, they were a whole lot nicer when they were fledglings, kind of got a little rocky as they got older, but they could still be nice!”

“Wait, wait, wait, fledglings?”

“Yeah.”

“What’re fledglings?”

“Newborn angels.”

“So…baby angels?”

“In a sense,” Gabriel shrugged. A mischievous smirk then appeared at the corner of his lips. “Do you want to hear some embarrassing stories about when Michael and Luci were younger?”

“Of course I do,” (Y/N) sat back, turning his body to face Gabriel as well.

“Okay, but, in return, you have to tell me some embarrassing stories about your brothers.”

(Y/N) bit his lip as he contemplated the offer. Finally, he smirked. “Deal.”

For the next while, Gabriel and (Y/N) went back and forth, sharing their embarrassing stories from their abnormal families. They joked, laughed, and, overall, had a good time. Not only did it lighten the mood from the bombshell Gabriel had dropped, but it allowed them to grasp a basic understanding of their past and present lives.

There were a few things (Y/N) learned throughout their conversation. One; Gabriel and his brothers shared some scary similarities with the Winchesters in regards to mannerisms and attitudes. Two; Gabriel could talk for a millenia if he was given the opportunity. And three; (Y/N) felt oddly calm around Gabriel. It hadn’t even struck him how easily Gabriel was able to shift the conversation as smoothly as he did. (Y/N) wasn’t too sure how he could feel that way around him. As they sat there and talked, after everything that was said, and after everything that happened with the warehouse incident - he’ll never forget the nutcracker - he couldn’t help but feel a strong sense of comfort around him. There was something about Gabriel that filled (Y/N) with a sense of peace and belonging, and he couldn’t quite put his finger on it as to why that was.

It wasn’t like he was complaining, though.

They talked until the moon sat near the far end of the sky. Unbeknownst to them, the two had begun to scoot closer to one another as the conversation continued, getting to the point where their knees and shoulders were touching. It wasn’t uncomfortable or awkward. Neither of them pulled away out of instinct. It felt right. It felt natural.

Gabriel droned on and on about, yet, another story when Lucifer was a young angel. He seemed to have more stories about him than he did of Michael. (Y/N) was quite the opposite. He had more stories about Dean than he did with Sam. Both of them laughed as Gabriel tried his best to continue.

“So - so Dad got angry because Lucifer kept letting the bugs out of their sanctuary, and -” Gabriel looked over at (Y/N), and his smile vanished.

(Y/N) glanced up at him, noticing the change of demeanor instantly. His smile, too, disappeared. “Is something wrong?”

As he kept his eye on him, Gabriel reached up and gently brushed his thumb against (Y/N)’s bottom lip. (Y/N) felt his cheeks heat up and his brows furrow in confusion.

“Your lips are blue,” Gabriel stated. He glanced up at the sky and his brows shot up. “I am so sorry. I didn’t realize we had been out here so long.” Gabriel sat up.

“How long how we been out here?” (Y/N) dug into his pocket and pulled out his phone.

3:27 AM

“Oh shit,” he mumbled as he quickly stood up.

His legs and ass were completely numb, causing him to sway at the rapid movement. Gabriel was by his side in an instant, hands on his shoulders to steady him. They had been out together for, close to, four hours. No wonder (Y/N)’s lips were blue. He shivered, teeth chattering lightly. Once (Y/N) was able to stand on his own, Gabriel took off his jacket and draped it over (Y/N)’s shoulders. (Y/N) shook his head.

“Oh, no, Gabriel, it’s okay. I just need to get back to the motel.” He stuttered tiredly.

“I’m the reason you were out here for so long. Consider it a, um, token of my appreciation for talking to me,” Gabriel smiled sweetly.

(Y/N) returned the smile. “Well, thank you for keeping me company.”

“Let me take you back to the motel.”

“No. If Sam and Dean see you, they’ll kill you and then me.”

“Then I won’t let them see me.”

Without another word, Gabriel reached up and pressed his index and middle fingers against (Y/N)’s forehead. (Y/N) inhaled shakily and closed his eyes. One second, he was standing in the park, then, the next, he and Gabriel were standing in front of the Winchester’s motel room. He breathed a sigh of relief once he saw the faded numbers etched onto the door.

“Thank you,” he smiled and retrieved the key from his pocket.

“Anytime. And, uh, if you ever feel the need to talk again under better weather conditions, feel free to pray. When the prayers are sent directly to me, it’s a lot easier for me to hear.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

“Now go warm up.”

(Y/N) flashed Gabriel one last smile as he turned the key to the room and opened the door. Gabriel vanished.

Moonlight pooled in through the cracked door as (Y/N) crept into the room. He felt the warmth flood his face and hands as he entered. Despite the heavy jacket he had gone out with, having spent hours in the windy, misty park, he was bound to get cold eventually. He didn’t think he would get that cold, though.

As his eyes adjusted to the darkness, he could see Sam sleeping soundly on his stomach, face nuzzled against the cheap pillow, and Dean sprawled out on the couch, legs and arms spread in uncomfortable positions that he would undoubtedly complain about the next day, mouth slightly open, and drool coating his chin and pillow. (Y/N) was thankful for his stealth ability.

Slowly, he made his way over to the unoccupied bed and crawled underneath the covers. Not bothering to change his clothes or take off his shoes, he nestled into the thick - yet somehow extremely thin - comforter. His eyes closed as soon as his head hit the pillow.

*~*

That was the best night’s sleep he had gotten in ages.

Well, it would have been, had he not been awoken by a flying pillow to the face.

(Y/N) groaned as he opened his eyes ever so slightly. The sunlight beamed in through the window, caressing his skin, and he hated it. He glanced tiredly in the direction that the pillow came from and found Dean with an amused grin spread across his lips.

“Mornin’ sunshine,” Dean greeted.

“Fuck off,” (Y/N) grunted as he grabbed the pillow and chucked it lazily back at him. He missed terribly.

“Looks like someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed,” Sam teased as he sat a cup of steaming coffee on the nightstand next to (Y/N).

“Thanks,” he mumbled and sat up. “And I just got a pillow thrown at my face, am I supposed to jump for joy and sing Kumbaya?”

“Are you sure it’s the pillow and has nothing to do with you getting back so late?” Dean quirked a brow.

(Y/N) went to reach for the coffee cup, but stopped himself. He glanced at Dean, brows furrowed and eyes narrowed. “How do you know about that?”

“Well, one, you’re wearing the exact same thing you were wearing yesterday, plus you wore your shoes to bed. Two, I heard you getting back last night,”

“Bullshit. You were passed out.”

“Do you realize how loud you stumbled in? I’m surprised Sammy didn’t wake up because of it. My third point, though,” Dean pointed down to his brother’s chest. “That’s not your jacket. So…did you get lucky?”

(Y/N) looked down at himself and his brows raised. He was still wearing Gabriel’s jacket. He had been so tired and cold last night that he had completely forgotten to take it off or even give it back. He reached up and played with the collar gently. He had to remember to thank Gabriel for giving it to him.

Oh, wait, prayers! Thank you for the jacket, Gabriel!

“Well?” Dean pressed.

“Huh?” (Y/N) looked over at him.

“Did you get lucky?”

(Y/N) snorted. “If I got lucky, do you think I would be here right now?”

“Not unless it was bad.”

“Would that mean I still got ‘lucky’ if it was bad? What kind of luck is that?”

“You’re dodging the question.”

(Y/N) rolled his eyes. “No, Dean, I didn’t get lucky.”

“Then who’d you meet?” Sam asked.

“Why does it matter?” (Y/N) questioned.

“Because you’re smiling,” Dean pointed out, taking a sip of his coffee. “And you don’t smile like that normally. It’s kind of freaky.”

“Oh, fuck off, Dean,”

(Y/N) hadn’t even realized he had been smiling, but he could hear it in his voice. Dean was right, it had been ages since he had smiled like that. His cheeks were starting to hurt. He reached over, took a sip of his coffee, then put it down. He stood up from his spot on the bed and stretched his aching muscles.

“So,” Dean pursed his lips. “Who was it?”

“You’re not gonna let this go, are you, Dean?”

“Nope,” Dean popped.

(Y/N) shook his head. “It was just this guy that I met at the bar. He bought me a drink, we sat and talked and, when the bar closed, we went to the nearest park and continued our talk.”

Dean’s smirk faltered and was replaced with a frown. “That’s it? You just…talked?”

“Yeah,” (Y/N) shrugged.

“You’re more boring than Sam,”

“Hey!” Sam exclaimed.

“What do you want me to say, Dean? ‘I found this guy at the bar, we went to the park, I gave him head, he gave me a twenty, said ‘no homo’, and walked away’?” (Y/N) asked.

“Well, that would have been a hell of a lot more entertaining than ‘we just talked’.”

(Y/N) waved him off. “Whatever,” he mumbled, then kicked his shoes off.

Sam took a sip of his coffee and cleared his throat. “I wouldn’t get too comfortable. We’re gonna go look for that Wendigo.”

“I’m taking a shower before we go, so…” (Y/N) stuck his tongue out at Sam.

Sam smirked and shook his head as (Y/N) gathered some of his clothes from his duffel bag. Without another word, he vanished into the bathroom.

*~*

(Y/N) was sick for a week after that. As it turns out, cold air and wet hair don’t necessarily mix well. At first, he tried to push through it, but fatigue and a sore throat caught up to him and left him on research duty for the duration of the Wendigo hunt. During that time, whenever Sam and Dean were out looking for clues, leaving him alone in the stuffy motel room, he would pray to Gabriel. Gabriel would be quick to respond.

The two would sit and talk for hours, idle chit-chat here and there, and would always seem to dance around the topic of the fight one way or another. Those talks continued well after (Y/N) felt better and the Wendigo hunt concluded. (Y/N) resumed his nightly walks, and Gabriel would accompany him. In the mornings, when Sam and Dean would occasionally catch onto (Y/N)’s disappearing acts, he would play it off as a spontaneous trip to the local bar scene, fabricating stories about meeting a dreamy man he would talk to or go back to his place. It wasn’t a complete lie, so he didn’t feel as bad when he told them.

As the months went on, (Y/N) could feel himself growing fonder of Gabriel. It was a strong feeling. Is that what love felt like? He could only assume. Yet, the feeling was more than that. He felt connected to him in a much stronger sense of the word. A spiritual sense, perhaps? He couldn’t quite pinpoint the cause of those feelings, but the last thing he was going to do was fight himself on them, despite how obvious it was that his brothers would disapprove of his relationship with Gabriel. That’s what secrets were for. He had gone long enough without telling them, what’s a couple more months or years?

Whenever they were together, (Y/N) felt whole, as if a lost piece of a puzzle he didn’t even know he had found its way to him. When he was with his brothers, or by himself, he found his mind constantly shifting to thoughts of Gabriel. Of what they would talk about, of Gabriel’s smile, of the way his stomach would turn whenever they stood or sat close to one another. He would crave his presence, desperate to hear the sound of his voice. It was killing him, slowly, from the inside out, and he knew if he didn’t say anything soon, he would combust. He had to tell Gabriel his feelings.

One thing he loved about small towns was the lack of artificial lights. Sure, there were dull street lamps scattered around that looked as if they needed to be changed years ago, but the absence of skyscrapers and people, overall, meant not much was needed to illuminate the roads. Locals knew them like the back of their hand anyway. With the minimal light, almost anywhere in town, you could see the stars that decorated the night sky. If you wanted, you could pick out each constellation. Orion’s Belt and the Big Dipper were rather prominent that night.

There were several smaller parks in town, but the biggest sat in the middle of downtown. It wasn’t used as a children’s area as much as a casual gathering ground. (Y/N) could imagine dogs in the grass and elderly couples walking arm-in-arm during the daylight hours. By night, it was abandoned, the distant sound of country music playing from the only local bar. It was the perfect place for him and Gabriel to meet.

They sat on a bench in the middle of the park, heads tilted back as they stared at the stars. Their sides and legs were pressed together, and, for the first time in a while, they said nothing. Normally, their meetings were filled with lively conversation from the moment they saw each other to the moment they parted. (Y/N) had to wonder if Gabriel could tell that he wanted to have a serious discussion. Perhaps he had a lot on his mind. Or, perhaps, Gabriel was too busy reading (Y/N)’s to say anything. Regardless, they had been sat there for close to half an hour without as much as a single word to each other. (Y/N) knew just sitting there wasn’t going to do any good. He had to bite the bullet and say something.

“Gabriel?” He started, his voice coming out small and quiet.

Gabriel hummed. “Yes?”

“Can I ask you something?”

“Of course,”

(Y/N) hesitated. “Well, first of all, I just wanted to say that I like spending time with you.” He began to fiddle with his fingers. “And I don’t want what I’m about to ask to make our meetings stop.”

“Honestly, I think, at this point, the only thing that you can ask to make our meetings stop is ‘Hey, can our meetings stop?’.”

(Y/N) chuckled lightly. “Gabe, I’m being serious.”

“So am I,” he smirked.

“Well, um…” he paused. “Do you ever feel like we’re connected in other ways?”

Gabriel furrowed his brows. He turned his body to face (Y/N), rested his elbow on the back of the bench, and placed his cheek into his hand. “What do you mean?”

“I don’t know, to be honest. I mean, it feels like…more.”

Gabriel studied (Y/N)’s face, noticing his lack of eye contact. He stayed quiet for a moment, and (Y/N) could feel the anxiety building inside of him. He knew he did a piss poor job at explaining what he meant, but it was the best he could come up with. Slowly, Gabriel smirked.

“You have a crush on me, don’t you?” He teased.

(Y/N)’s eyes widened and the heat rose to his cheeks. He glanced over at Gabriel, then back down at his lap.

“I, well…I’m not…I- that’s not the point, okay!?” (Y/N) shook his head. “The point is that it doesn’t feel like just a crush to me. It feels like an even deeper connection than that. Like something about our souls and- nevermind, this just sounds stupid,” his shoulders deflated in defeat.

Gabriel waved his hands and shook his head. “Hey, hey, it’s not stupid, alright? I get what you’re saying. You feel as if we’re connected by something other than you just being my vessel.”

(Y/N) nodded and let out a shaky breath. “Yeah, exactly.”

“I feel it, too.”

“You do?”

“I mean, yeah,” Gabriel folded his hands in his lap. “I felt that when we first saw each other, even before the warehouse. Then, everything with your brothers happened, and we met again, and, still, I felt that connection.”

“Why didn’t you say anything?”

“I thought I was looking too hard into it. I started thinking that, maybe, the connection was all in my head. That it was, truly, just our connection by you being my vessel. When Dean said what he did about me being too afraid to face my family, I thought no one would understand my point of view on the fight. What I’ve had to go through being related to Michael and Lucifer. Then, you started to pray to me, and I knew that you understood me. That’s what made me come find you in the first place. Once we were alone, I felt this sense of…peace. I hate to admit it, but I feel like I can barely go a single day without wanting to see you. Without needing to see you. I knew it was more at that point.”

(Y/N)’s eyes were on Gabriel as he listened intently to what he was saying. He shook his head. “I feel the same way. It’s almost as if, I don’t know, I can’t breathe when you’re not around.”

“Well, please don’t stop on my account.”

“Stop it, we’re having a serious moment,” (Y/N) slapped his arm.

“Sorry, sorry,” Gabriel smirked. “I mean, as cliche as it sounds, it feels, almost as if we were meant for each other, right? Like we were meant to be together? Almost as if it was more than you being my vessel that bought us together.”

Gabriel reached over and grabbed (Y/N)’s hand, rubbing the side of it gently with his thumb. (Y/N) looked into Gabriel’s eyes, and he felt his heart soar. He reached up and caressed his cheek before they both leaned in, their lips fitting together perfectly in a sweet, loving kiss. Their eyes closed, and they both melted into a deep, sensual embrace. Almost immediately, all of the stress and worry seemingly melted away, replaced with a sense of belonging. A sense of closeness.

When they pulled back, they looked into each other’s eyes once more. A small smile creased the corner of (Y/N)’s lips.

“You’re right, it is pretty cheesy.” He whispered, his thumb tracing circles around Gabriel’s cheekbone.

Gabriel cocked a brow. “I thought we were having a serious conversation. Why do you get to make quips?”

“It’s kind of hard not to when I’m around you.” (Y/N) pressed his forehead against Gabriel’s.

Gabriel chuckled. “I guess I’m rubbing off on you, aren’t I?” He moved his hands to (Y/N)’s hips.

“I don’t see that as a bad thing.”

They sat together and enjoyed the peaceful quiet of their embrace. (Y/N) never felt more relaxed in his entire life, and he wanted to savor every moment he had with Gabriel.

Then, his mind started to drift. Drift to the fight, the battle between Michael and Lucifer, and to Sam and Dean. Gabriel had done such a good job at keeping him distracted from all the chaos that surrounded him that he hadn’t even had a chance to consider what could happen with the fight now that he and Gabriel were involved. Neither of them wanted to participate in the fight, but what would happen if they didn’t? Who would win? Would he lose one, or possibly both, of his brothers? If they did get involved in the fight, was there a possibility that he and Gabriel would lose each other? Did they even stand a chance to win against Michael and Lucifer if things were to turn ugly? Was there a chance that he could lose Gabriel even without being in the fight itself?

Gabriel reached a hand up and ran his fingers through (Y/N)’s hair soothingly. He pressed a small kiss to the corner of his lips. “Your thoughts are being really loud, Sugarplum.” He whispered.

(Y/N) broke from his trance and shook his head lightly. “I’m sorry, it’s just…with the fight,” (Y/N) looked away briefly. “I don’t want to lose Sam and Dean, but now that I have you, I don’t want to lose you either.”

Gabriel gave him a sympathetic look as he pulled him close. “I know. This whole thing is one giant mess. I wish none of it had to happen. But I’m going to be with you every step of the way, I promise.”

(Y/N) shook his head. “You can’t promise me that. Knock on wood.”

“What?” Gabriel chuckled.

“I don’t want you to have just jinxed yourself, now knock on wood.”

Gabriel smirked as he rasped his knuckles against the wooden bench three times. “Better?”

“A little,” (Y/N) mumbled and nuzzled his cheek against Gabriel’s shoulder. “I don’t think I’ll feel better until this fight is over.”

Gabriel wrapped his arms tightly around him. “How about this? I promise to do everything in my power to keep you distracted. That way, you’re not too stressed out.”

(Y/N) pursed his lips in thought. “Not too distracted, though. I had practically forgotten about the fight until now, and I still need to stay on my toes.”

“How about I distract you just enough to keep your mind off of it?”

“That sounds perfect.”

“Well then, Sugarplum, how do you propose I keep you distracted?”

“You can start by kissing me again,”

“Oh, I can do more than kissing,” Gabriel mused in a suggestive tone and wiggled his brows.

(Y/N) slapped his chest. “Perv,” he grumbled. “Let’s just start with kissing.”

“Taking it slow, I like your style,” Gabriel nuzzled his nose against (Y/N)’s.

(Y/N) smiled widely. “Then shut up and kiss me already.”

Without another word, Gabriel leaned down, capturing (Y/N)’s lips in a deep kiss. Just like that, all of his problems dissipated, and it felt as if he was floating. The park didn’t exist anymore, nor the stumbling locals who left the bar periodically. There were no stars, no more beautiful night sky. The only two things that existed were Gabriel and (Y/N). They were complete. They were strong. They were one. It felt as if nothing in Heaven, Hell, or in between could tear them apart.

And everything was as it should be.

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enbyzutara · 8 months ago

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Aang x Luke Skywalker Parallels: How Aang’s Hero’s Journey Wasn't Properly Finished

I read this post by @lovegrowsart and I couldn't get it out of my mind how Aang and Luke Skywalker's journeys have so much in common, yet only one of these arcs feels like it has come to a properly finished conclusion. Meanwhile, the other one feels like the character didn't learn what he was supposed to in order to fulfill his Hero's Journey arc. So, in this post, I want to expand more on why “Aang was supposed to be the Luke Skywalker of Avatar: The Last Airbender”, but the creators of A:TLA failed to properly finish his story.

Firstly, it’s important to point out that the Star Wars saga and universe are widely famous in pop and nerd culture, including Luke Skywalker, the Jedi protagonist, who himself is one of the most famous and beloved characters from the saga. So, it’s not really a reach to assume that the creators and writers of Avatar: The Last Airbender were - at some level - inspired by this famous universe and character. By doing a quick research, we can confirm this assumption, because Bryan Konietzko, one of the co-creators of A:TLA, said in a podcast that Dave Filoni helped to shape A:TLA and its story. Also, both creators said that Joseph Campbell’s writing about mythology helped them to create the Hero’s Journey and the other storylines for their show, and George Lucas was also heavily inspired by Campbell when he was writing Star Wars.

(I will refer to the Star Wars episodes of the original trilogy as one, two and three - even though, nowadays, they are the numbers four, five and six).

Bryke (Bryan Konietzko and Michael Dante DiMartino, the co-creators of Avatar: The Last Airbender) and George Lucas share a lot of tropes and narratives in the stories that each one of them created. Both protagonists of the sagas are the '"chosen one" of their universe: both are the last of their kind (even though in the Star Wars universe, initially there were two more older Jedi) who have the weight of the world’s future on their shoulders. Aang needs to fight against the Fire Lord and Luke, initially, against Darth Vader. By doing this, they would bring balance to the world/galaxy.

It’s also important to emphasize how Luke Skywalker and Aang are not only the saviors of the story, they are also the last of their kind. In A:TLA and in Star Wars, we have populations that suffered genocide: the Airbenders were brutally exterminated by the Fire Nation during Sozin’s Comet, and initially, it was revealed in the original Star Wars trilogy that the Jedi were wiped out of the galaxy when Order 66 happened. So, Luke and Aang not only have the destiny of the world/galaxy on their shoulders, they also are the only ones who can continue the legacy, the culture, and the survival of their own kind.

Another parallel between Luke Skywalker and Aang is that both have a Mentor From Beyond. Luke Skywalker was able to seek knowledge from the Jedis who had passed away in the original trilogy. Firstly, it was Obi-Wan Kenobi, who was his first mentor; Luke was able to communicate with him, and Obi-Wan would give him advice and directions to follow. Later, Yoda also appeared to him. For Aang, due to the fact that he’s the Avatar (and to be the Avatar means that you are the reincarnation of someone who already died), he was able to contact the Avatars from his past incarnations. In the show, Roku is the past Avatar with whom Aang most often connects, but he also seeks knowledge from Kyoshi, Kuruk, and Yangchen.

In Book One: Water and A New Hope, both characters are presented as more naive, and the narrative is not as tense as in the later seasons/episodes. However, the sequel presents a "darker" version of its universe as both characters grow and face emotional dilemmas and more hardships. The Empire Strikes Back and Book Two: Earth explore, even more, the ongoing war in their respective universes, and by the end of these sequels, things go wrong for the heroes. And what I really want to discuss is the similarity between the second episode of Star Wars and the second season of Avatar: The Last Airbender.

At some point in the second episode/season, Luke and Aang had to separate from their group of friends in order to learn more and to train. They had to seek knowledge of what they are and what they represent, because by doing this, they would be a step closer to fulfilling their duties and saving the galaxy/world. At this moment in the narrative, Luke and Aang have an older and wiser mentor who will try to help them achieve this: Yoda and Guru Pathik.

But neither Luke nor Aang finish these training sessions that they started, because during their training, they have a vision of people who are special to them currently in danger. So, even though Yoda and Guru Pathik advise them not to leave and to finish what they started, they leave. Luke goes to Cloud City to save his friends (Leia, Han Solo, Chewbacca, and C3PO) and Aang goes to Ba Sing Se to save Katara. And as stated before, in this episode/season finale, things go wrong for the heroes, including to the protagonists who are supposed to be the saviors of both universes. Luke and Aang left their training even though they were advised otherwise, they went to fight without properly learning what they needed to learn. So when they faced the enemy, they lost. Both at the end were defeated: Aang quite literally dies and Luke has a metaphorical death when he learns about his parentage and loses one of his arms. He also "commits suicide" when he decides to jump instead of aligning himself with the Dark Side.

Now, something really important here is to talk about how Luke and Aang's attachments to people who are dear to them made them run away from what they should have been doing, instead of bringing them closer to their duties and destiny. It was understandable the reasons why they left their training, but it still was wrong in the sense that things went wrong and it ended tragically for both characters. And, it’s never portrayed in both sagas that loving someone is wrong, but being attached to someone is. Both of their Hero’s Journeys required them to learn the difference between what is love and what is attachment, because both concepts are different and one of them (attachment) is portrayed in both sagas as wrong, especially for the protagonists.

Although I’m not Buddhist, nor was I raised as one, it’s clear that Star Wars (1) (2) and Avatar: The Last Airbender (1) (2) both were inspired, to some extent, by this religion and its philosophy. (I tried searching for articles and videos made by Buddhist people, but, unfortunately, I couldn't really find many, so if anyone wants to link more content, please, feel free). And one thing that appears to be inspired by this religion and philosophy in both sagas was the concept of attachment in contrast to love (1) (2). Before delving into the topic of attachment in the show and movie, it’s ideal to understand what attachment means from a Buddhist perspective:

In Buddhism, attachment is called upādāna, which means grasping or clinging. It refers to the human tendency to cling to people, things, or ideas in the mistaken belief that they will bring us lasting happiness and fulfillment. Attachment arises from our desire to feel secure, comfortable, and control of our lives. (...) Attachment to people: Attachment to people can become a source of suffering, as we can become overly dependent on them for our happiness, identity, and sense of security. This attachment can take many forms, from romantic relationships to friendships and family bonds.

While searching for what would be the difference between love vs attachment in Buddhism, this quote also brought my attention (I'll definitely come back to this later):

Any kind of relationship which imagines that we can fulfill ourselves through another is bound to be very tricky. Ideally people would come together already feeling fulfilled within themselves and just therefore appreciating that in the other, rather than expecting the other to supply that sense of well-being.

George Lucas seemed to understand this concept better than Bryke. In Return of the Jedi, Luke Skywalker a) trusts his group of friends way more than he did in The Empire Strikes Back, b) he was also able to let go of his anger for Darth Vader because he genuinely loved Anakin, his father. George Lucas was very vocal about how he wanted to portray attachment as a bad thing, and when it comes to this topic, he never intended to make the Jedi philosophy something wrong. Strict? Maybe, but not wrong. And in the end, as the episode’s title suggests, Luke "returns", as he also returns to Dagobah to contact his master, Yoda, one last time. (The title of this episode can also refer to Anakin returning to the Light Side, but art can be interpreted in different and many ways).

In contrast, Avatar: The Last Airbender presented Aang’s attachment to Katara in a bad light. The Guru episode shows that Aang's attachment to Katara, not his feelings, is what is making him fail to open his chakra and not being able to enter into the Avatar State.

Pathik: The Thought Chakra is located at the crown of the head. It deals with pure cosmic energy, and is blocked by earthly attachment. Meditate on what attaches you to this world. [Images of Katara appear before Aang.] Now, let all of those attachments go. Let them flow down the river, forgotten.

It’s even more important to understand that what Aang feels for Katara is not genuine love, at least in this episode, it’s pretty much stated that he is attached to her in a way that he needs to learn to let go. To expand a little bit on this, it’s necessary to analyze two Avatar: The Last Airbender episodes and how they portray what Aang feels for Katara:

Firstly, 'The Fortuneteller' episode portrays Aang’s feelings for Katara as just a childish crush. There's nothing wrong with a childish crush in general, especially because Aang is, in fact, a child, so he's bound to be childish. But in this episode, what he feels for Katara is paralleled with what Meng feels for him: something that was one-sided and lacked "emotional maturity and self-awareness". Both Aang and Meng viewed their crushes in an overestimated and hyper-idealized way, which again was portrayed as silly and in a bad light.

Secondly, in 'The Guru' episode, it shows that yes, Aang does love Katara, but is it in the right way? The Air Nomads' genocide deeply affects Aang, and he still loves the people that he lost, obviously. But in the show, Guru Pathik states that the love that Aang felt for the Air Nomads was 'reborn' in a new love - his love for Katara. So, Aang is projecting his feelings of love for the people who were brutally exterminated onto the girl who, at this moment in the narrative, was only his dear friend who shows him support and fights alongside him. Aang needed to get closure and heal from this traumatic event; it’s a huge trauma that he should work through. But instead, he was coping by projecting his feelings onto something, or better, someone.

I personally think that Aang loves Katara to some extent, but he needed to work through his trauma first. This goes along with something already shown before, quoting: "people would come together [in a relationship] already feeling fulfilled within themselves and just therefore appreciating that in the other".

The chakra/Guru plotline in Avatar: The Last Airbender is not about Aang needing to stop loving Katara; that's a huge misunderstanding. It was about how Aang was attached to something (or someone, in his case) that he needed to learn to let go of, so he could progress, grow, and heal. After he fulfilled this arc about what's love vs attachment, two things could happen: a) maybe Aang would realize that his love for Katara was more platonic and that he was projecting a lot onto her because he sees her in an idealized way, or b) that he indeed loves her but he needs to realize that he's too much attached to the comfort that she gives and brings to him, so his feelings for her need to have more emotional maturity.

And in the end of season two, Aang actually let go of his attachment to Katara, and he was able to achieve the Avatar State. But unfortunately, after this, he was brutally attacked by Azula and had his chakra blocked.

But in Book Three: Fire, not only does he not return to see or contact Guru again, as Luke did (returned to see his older and wiser mentor, Yoda, in the third and final episode), but Aang also appears to still be attached to Katara in the same way that he already was, if not worse. In the Ember Island Players episode, he: 1) gets so mad and frustrated with the Players portraying his relationship with Katara in a non-romantic light that he says that he could go into the Avatar State over this, and 2) rushes things with Katara and kisses her without her consent, disrespecting her boundaries, after she just avoided his romantic questions and advances.

Point 1:

Aang: [Angered.] No, I'm not! I hate this play! [Yanks his hat off and throws it on the ground.] Katara: I know it's upsetting, but it sounds like you're overreacting. Aang: Overreacting? If I hadn't blocked my chakra, I'd probably be in the Avatar State right now!

Point 2:

Aang: But it's true, isn't it? We kissed at the Invasion, and I thought we were gonna be together. But we're not.

Katara: Aang, I don't know.

Aang: Why don't you know? Katara: Because, we're in the middle of a war, and, we have other things to worry about. This isn't the right time.

Aang: Well, when is the right time?

Katara: Aang, I'm sorry, but right now I'm just a little confused. [Aang tries to kiss Katara.]

Katara: I just said I was confused! I'm going inside. [Exits the balcony.]

All of this shows how he still lacked emotional maturity, and how he still was attached to Katara, in a way not much different from what was shown in Book Two: Earth. Overall, this shows how his feelings for her weren't properly developed and didn't grow from where they previously were – because it was still bound by an attachment that he needed to let go of in order to grow, heal, and learn.

Unfortunately, the Guru/Chakra plotline was completely brushed aside in Book Three: Fire; Aang doesn't even seek to see Guru again or continue his unfinished training. And in the end, when he was fighting the Fire Lord, what he was always meant to do, he managed to go into the Avatar State. Not because he trained or learned how to achieve this goal; actually, it was because a rock saved him by triggering the Avatar State. So, in the end, an entire plotline was ignored and forgotten. Aang didn't learn what he needed to learn with Guru, nor did he finish the training that he was meant to do, and he still was rewarded by the narrative with achieving the Avatar State and saving the world (and also, "getting the girl").

[(...) and Aang protects himself with an airbending shield but is pushed back by the force of the attack, crashing into a rock pillar. The scar on his back is hit with a point of the rock, causing him to flashback to when he was shot by lightning. (...) Aang jumps out, now in the Avatar State, and grabs Ozai by his goatee.]

And that's why Aang is the Luke Skywalker that we could’ve had. Luke finished his Hero's Journey; he learned what he needed to learn and because of it, he saved the galaxy and his father. Meanwhile, Aang didn't learn about love vs attachment, yet he still achieved what he needed to achieve from the beginning: the Avatar State and winning against the Fire Lord. And he only achieved that because the narrative chose to give him a final new solution to resolve all his problems instead of him directly dealing with and facing the problems, difficulties, and dilemmas that the narrative initially proposed to him.

(I don’t actually mean quite literally that Aang needs or should have been the Luke Skywalker from Avatar: The Last Airbender, because Aang is his own character who has his own story. What I mean is that: Luke Skywalker is a character who is similar in some ways to Aang, and he had his Hero’s Journey properly fulfilled. I believe that Aang also deserved the same treatment by the creators of ATLA).

#atla critical #aang critical #anti bryke #atla meta #anti aang #anti kataang #kataang critical #(not really anti aang/KA but.. just in case)#george lucas #star wars #luke skywalker

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ardentpoop · 2 months ago

Note

Would you mind expanding on Sam/Amara and Dean/Chuck parallels?

hi :) please see the screencaps I just reblogged as a starting point.

quick summary:

amara is made out to be a villain by chuck, who had used the threat she supposedly posed to humanity as justification for locking her away, when what the real issue turns out to be is that he couldn’t handle not being the one guy in control. obvious parallels with samndean’s relationship in s4. the time that amara spent locked up is comparable to sam’s time not just in the panic room but in the cage as well.

because dean is this story’s central patriarch there are always easy comparisons to make between him and every other patriarch, but especially one with the level of sway over the narrative that chuck is revealed to have, given how seriously dean’s perspective biases the audience’s reaction to everything that transpires. even if you can’t stand chuck as a character/plot development (understandable tbh) you should be able to get some enjoyment out of these comparisons if you really understand dean’s role in the story. dean’s outraged reaction at discovering chuck’s orchestration of samndean’s lives and his desperation to sacrifice jack (and everyone else…. except sam) to ensure that he doesn’t have to live under chuck’s thumb is VERY telling btw. “I can’t live like that, man! I won’t!” because dean hasn’t had to since john died and dean became him. sam, on the other hand, is used to having no control over his own life. it is an essential condition of samndean’s relationship.

plus there’s this, which you can read however you like:

now I’m gonna drop in some dialogue excerpts from one of my top favorite late-seasons episodes, 15.17 “unity.” it is genuinely so delicious and so underrated.

I hope you’re picking up what I’m putting down. there is so much insight into the imbalanced nature of samndean’s relationship, about the way it functions at sam’s expense, and about dean’s influence over the story that you can extract from these scenes.

notably, chuck and amara’s Beautiful Grand Love Story ends with chuck literally consuming amara to keep them “together” and give “them” the best chance at wresting control back from samndean. this ending only came about because dean lied to amara to get her to work against chuck - of course not telling her that he intended to kill her alongside chuck. I don’t remember exactly why but I think dean believed it to be a necessary sacrifice. anyway, potential s4 parallels yet again!

also I used the term “literary chiaroscuro” once to refer to dean and sam’s respective Light and Dark roles and the way these roles are intentionally subverted/messed with - the brothers are compared to michael and lucifer, to cain and abel but also to cain and colette, to their own parents john and mary, to god (chuck) and “the darkness” (amara). I can’t get into the validity of all of these individual comparisons or I’ll be here all day, but they are worth exploring beyond their surface-level similarities.

final note: the difference between chuck and amara’s ending and samndean’s ending in “unity” (which is not-so-secretly my preferred series finale) is that dean backs out of his rampage, his intention to sacrifice Everyone to ensure he got to kill chuck as revenge for puppeteering him to pieces, because sam reminds him of his life’s purpose, instilled in him by john: “protecting” sam. like… dean points a gun at sam and forcibly knocks him to the ground after having convinced jack to kill himself for The Greater Good, and he’s furious and shouting and his hand is on his gun again… but when it comes down to it nothing matters more to dean than sam does. which is dangerous. sam hasn’t been any less “consumed” than amara is by the end of the series, but when a situation with dean needs to be deescalated sam is the only one who knows what dean needs to hear.

I’ll stop here because I think there’s so much more I could say about this episode if I kept thinking about it; perhaps I’ll do a full breakdown at a later date. in the meantime I hope any of this was interesting to you lol.

#asks #anon #15.17 #episode breakdowns #the roles

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thoughtfulchaos773 · 4 months ago

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This was a theory I found on reddit and I made a post about it here. Let @turbulenthandholding and I entertain this theory for fun! We were bouncing off ideas, and there's meta turbulent written about disassociation and memory loss.

Carmy & PTSD.

You may also be unable to recall crucial information or forget essential milestones in your life or significant relationships. link

So here it goes: Carmy met Sydney the day he made the hamachi with blood orange, just a few days after Mikey died. He's wearing that glove because the wound is still fresh. So, he continues working and avoids seeing Mikey's body in Chicago.

But talking with Sydney, she's the first person he shares with about his brother's death (she doesn't know how he died because she asks questions about Michael in 1x02 Hands). They had a connection that night and slept together in her hotel room.

Afterward, he has a panic attack, and Sydney calms him down. This is actually the first time it has happened where she calms him. She tells him he should go to Chicago to say goodbye to his brother. That night, when she falls asleep, he goes back to Chicago.

A body in the morgue can be there for up to 30 days- this is where this fragmented memory comes up:

Carmy actually visited to see the body.

Then walks out and goes into a busy street. It's the meaning of the dream.

In his dream, you see two headlights—there are no cars on State Street bridge, and there are no street lights over the bridge in RL.

Also, when he wakes up, cars are honking?!

This is a different memory mixed with a dream.

Plot twist: Emmnuel almost runs him over. It's a serendipitous moment where, if Sydney isn't there, her dad is there driving by this road by chance. which is why we get this ominous dream in the pilot. Sydney never tells Emmanuel of her admiration for Carmy; he wouldn't know who Carmy is. We get foreshadows of the cars with Emmanuel: 1) when he tells the story of her mom and their first date, and 2) when he tells Sydney the radiator to the car keeps clicking.

Also Jimmy's dream.

When Emmanuel gets out of the car, he asks Carmy if he's okay, but Carmy keeps walking. Later, when Sydney gets back home, Emmanuel tells her—like he always talks about his car trouble—that there was this man he almost hit with his car.

These lyrics played in the 1st episode:

Via Chicago by Wilco

This is a foreshadowing that this memory will come up when he sees Emmanuel.

When she reveals her tattoo- we see carmy making the ragu and these lyrics play:

But wait- why didn't Sydney say anything at the interview- she caught on quickly. He didn't remember her- it was a one-night stand in her head. Why would he? He's this famous chef- who probably has a really active sex life, she assumes.

She also probably called and spoke with Gary, or Ebra, answered, and told her when to come in.

So when she makes up, she and her dad would come every Sunday; Carmy does a double take- probably remembers her saying that word Sunday-becuase they hate Sundays and talked about it- so it almost triggers a memory.

He's quite forgetful—he doesn't remember and just accepts she called that morning because he knows he has a foggy memory even forgot what UPS is.

Carmy would draw Claire in high school. Why doesn't he remember that Claire sat behind him in algebra class? PTSD and fragmented memories can be intrusive.

Carmy still forgets things, but the memories are starting to come back. This is why Carmy remembers nights with Claire in season 3- season 4 may play out that way. Sydney spent time with Carmy doing a menu review at his place. A calendar shows in 2x05, with Claire visiting the restaurant and reviewing the menu together on other days.

This is where the scrunchie comes in.

That's all for now!

@turbulenthandholding I hope this is right- let me know if I need to include anything!

#sydcarmy #can someone make this a au?#the bear season 3

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diapydemon · 5 months ago

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Hey everyone, this story is a bit of a departure from what I normally write for a few reasons:

Firstly, this story is the first I’ve written that takes place in an AU.

Also, this story takes place in the CLASSIFIED world, in which people are classified as Littles, Caregivers, or Neutrals depending on certain factors.

Other stories in this universe that I think are definitely worth the read are

Brutal_Ink’s Classified: A New Life on dailydiapers.com

And

@destinedfordiapers series Sammy’s Little Problem

I think this universe offers something special that appeals to the more wholesome little inside, so I hope that everyone enjoys this contribution to the AU!!

——————————————————————————-

Classified: Punk Rock Little

Chapter 1

Miles felt the sweat drip down his forehead as he shredded the guitar and screamed into the mic. The metallic studs on his punk bracelets gleamed in the multicolored strobe lights that doused the stage in an electric heat. His sleeveless black leather jacket stuck to his sweaty skin, but none of that mattered.

None of that mattered because he felt like a rockstar. No, Miles was a rockstar! Miles grinned as he felt the electrifying rush of performing in front of a screaming crowd. Somehow, time seemed to stand still and speed past like a bullet while Miles was in this tantalizing state.

Before Miles realized it, he found himself guzzling a water bottle backstage with his bandmates post-performance. He looked between them, feeling an overwhelming wave of gratitude wash over him; there was no one in the world he’d rather rock out with; these people were like his family.

“Great show tonight guys!” Riley said, “We really killed it out there!” Riley, the drummer and only Caregiver in the band, always offered encouragement and praise after the band’s performances. It wouldn’t be a stretch to say that Riley was the glue that held the band together.

“Hell yeah we did,” Dylan said from his sprawled position on the black leather couch, “We’re rising stars, we are!”

“Rockstars, you could say,” Lindsay smirked to the rest of the group.

An ominous knock interrupted the conversation before Miles could contribute any hype of his own.

“Now who the fuck could that be?” Dylan raised an eyebrow.

“Probably a fan that snuck past security,” Lindsay shrugged, “Let’s just enjoy this post-show-glow moment together while we have it, whatcha say guys?”

The mystery guest knocked on the door even louder this time. “Open up!” A gruff voice demanded.

“Yeah, I don’t think that’s a fan,” Riley got up to open the door, “Might as well see what they want.”

The door opened to reveal a man in a black suit and tie who –admittedly– looked very out of place at a rock concert.

“Agent Michael Strumming with the CLASS agency,” He flashed a badge that instantly shifted the power dynamics of the room, “I’m looking for Miles Miller. I’m assuming he’s here.”

While none of Miles’s bandmates explicitly pointed Miles out, they might as well have with the darting of their eyes towards him.

Miles sighed before rising to his full height, “I’m Miles Miller. What do you want?”

“Some manners would be a nice start,” Agent Strumming mumbled under his breath before continuing.

“I’m here to inform you that our system flagged you as an individual who hasn’t yet completed their CLASS assessment. Given that you’re a… special case,” he glanced around the room at Miles and his bandmates, “I’m here to issue you a formal warning that you have exactly ninety days to complete the CLASS assessment before legal action is pursued.”

“Here,” Agent Strumming handed Miles an envelope, “You can complete this questionnaire and bring it to the address enclosed within to get your bloodwork done.”

“Well,” Agent Strumming glanced at the aspiring rock stars through slitted eyelids, “My business here is concluded, so I’ll be taking my leave.”

“Holy shit Miles, you haven’t taken the CLASS exam yet?” Dylan inquired, “Aren’t you like twenty-two? Why have you been putting it off so long?”

“Maybe Miles is scared he’s a Little,” Lindsay laughingly teased, “After all he did have ice cream for breakfast last week.”

“I’m a rockstar,” Miles groaned, “I can have whatever I want for breakfast.”

“Miles,” Riley’s tone became more serious, “It’s dangerous for a lot of reasons to have put off the CLASS exam so long. It sounds like your budding fame just barely saved you from being sent to a detention center.”

“Or a behavioral correction facility if Miles here really is a Little,” Lindsay giggled, relishing teasing her bandmate.

“I’m not a Little!” Miles shouted as he clenched his fists so hard that his fingernails dug into his palms, “I’m probably just a neutral like Dylan and Lindsay.”

“Maybe,” Riley conceded, “but you should still do your CLASS assessment. Not like you can be a rockstar from inside a detention center…”

“Fine,” Miles huffed.

“Tell you what,” Riley offered Miles a smile, “How about I swing by the house and make everybody blueberry pancakes just like I used to when I lived there. Then I’ll drive you to the lab to get your bloodwork done.”

“I don’t need you to drive me,” Miles muttered.

“No, but it’d be fun to hangout. Just like old times, right?”

Miles blinked. Ever since Ryley moved out to get more space for –maybe– adopting a little (if she was even serious about that), Miles conceded that he missed her sandy blonde hair, her gentle hazel eyes, and the sleek curves of her form. Miles never admitted that though, because that would make him a simp, and being a simp is NOT punk rock.

“Miles?” Riley sprung him from his thoughts, “Does that sound good?”

——————————————————————————

As Always, characters depicted are 18+

Chapter 2 should be out in a few days time (unless there’s already a link to it posted).

#ab dl lifestyle #mdlbmommy #ab dl diaper #mdlb relationship #mdlbcommunity #mdlbkink #ab dl mommy #mdlblifestyle #ab/dl diaper #diaper regression #classified #punk rock little

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colorfulmetaphors · 11 months ago

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(An Attempt at) A Maul Masterlist

hello folks! after seeing multiple requests in the tag for recs for Maul content or help finding Maul stories, I decided to make a list trying to do both for everything I've found because it took me a lot of searching to figure out what's actually out there for this man. and the answer is a lot, actually. So, hoping this saves others the time and the struggle, here's all the Maul stuff i've found along with what I would rec and why:

Stuff specifically about Maul

Books:

Episode 1 Adventures 3: The Fury of Darth Maul by Ryder Windham | junior novella

As far as I'm aware, this is the first published work for Maul. It's a junior novel about Maul carrying out a mission for Sidious, and it can be accompanied by a game book for a choose-your-own adventure. The novel itself though, is one of my favorite Maul stories because it defines his characterization for me.

The Wrath of Darth Maul also by Ryder Windham | junior novel

Maul's og origin in Legends. I think it's a must-read. This book was published alongside Maul's revival in TCW and seeks to reconcile his Legends background with that character by gathering his previous lore into one cohesive story. It notably includes and expands upon the events of the following three items:

Star Wars Episode 1 Journal: Darth Maul by either Judy Blundell or Jude Watson | novella A story that offers some of Maul's narration on his upbringing and his training with Sidious. "Darth Maul: Restraint" by James Luceno | short story Published in the second edition of Shadow Hunter (listed below), this story details Maul's time at Orsis Academy, the relationships he's forming, and his run-in with Mother Talzin. Great for showing his inner-conflict and devotion to Sidious. "Darth Maul: Endgame" also by James Luceno | short story This one is published in the paperback 2012 edition of TPM novel by Terry Brooks. It's an introspective piece that takes place after Qui-Gon, Anakin, and Obi-Wan escape Maul's attack on Tatooine.

Darth Maul: Saboteur also ALSO by James Luceno | short story

Originally published as an ebook, this story was also published in Shadow Hunter. It follows Maul on one of his first missions as a true apprentice of Sidious and shows his characterization when he's just outside that restrictive control. I really like this one for the Drama and the Subtle Characterization tm

Darth Maul: Shadow Hunter by Michael Reaves | novel

One of the two blessed full novels for Maul. In it Maul is on a mission to hunt down a target and has a very early encounter with the Jedi. This one is great for characterization and narration; I have it fully marked up with highlights, sticky notes, and bookmarks.

Maul: Lockdown by Joe Schreiber | novel

The second blessed full novel. So. Much. Fun. Maul goes to jail! Takes part in cage fights! Chases birds! Reveals the depths of his anxiety and need for attachment! Mystery and gore! 10/10.

"An Unwilling Apprentice" by George Mann | short story, found in the Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge edition of Myths and Fables

Maul's canon origin. Personally, I Do Not See It.

Stories of Jedi and Sith - "The Ghosts of Maul" by Michael Moreci | short story in the listed anthology

I highly recommend listening to the audio book for this one if you can. Sam Witwer narrates it and it's fantastic. Love hearing Maul wail in despair. (and also love a man being haunted by his past.)

The next two are unique because they're re-tellings of TCW episodes. I like seeing how different writers interpret those events so I like them, but I don't know if that counts as something folks would want to read for Maul.

The Clone Wars: Stories of Light and Dark - "Dark Vengeance" by Rebecca Roanhorse | short story in the listed anthology This one recounts TCW "Brothers" and "Revenge." I don't remember much specifically from it, but I do remember it being told as if to a small child, and I thought that was neat. The Clone Wars: Darth Maul: Shadow Conspiracy by Jason Fry | junior novel Covers "Revival," "Eminence," "Shades of Reason," and "The Lawless." The author writes like they're obsessed with Maul's voice, and frankly, I don't blame them.

Comics:

Darth Maul (2000) by Ron Marz | comic series, 4 issues

Maul goes on yet another mission for Sidious (unsurprisingly, this is the basic plot of most of his Legends materials). Violence ensues. Maul is certified Cool.

The following two comics can both be found in the Star Wars Legends Epic Collection: Rise of the Sith Volume 1 and Star Wars Legends: Rise of the Sith Omnibus

Star Wars Tales 10 - "Nameless" by Christian Read | single comic, found in the listed issue, Star Wars Tales Volume 3, or the above 2 collections Maul is sent to kill a Jedi master. To do so and improve his prowess in combat, Maul constructs his infamous double-bladed lightsaber. Star Wars Tales 24 - "Marked" by Rob Williams | single comic, found in the listed issue, Star Wars Tales Volume 6, or the above 2 collections A comic about obedience and fear; Maul grapples with the thought that Sidious might take another apprentice.

The Clone Wars: The Sith Hunters by Henry Gilroy and Stephen Melching | graphic novella

It's very funny to me that this is considered Legends even though it features TCW Maul and Savage. This one takes place after TCW episode "Revenge" and I'm gonna be honest-- I don't remember a lot from this, but I do remember that it shows Maul's earliest days on Lotho Minor so that's sick luv u spidermaul 4 5ever.

Darth Maul -- Death Sentence by Tom Taylor | comic series, 4 issues; also found in Star Wars Legends Epic Collection: The Clone Wars Volume 2

Maul leads a revolution while trying to rescue his brother. The story takes place between The Sith Hunters and TCW season 5 "Revival," filling in some of what Maul and Savage were doing in that time.

Darth Maul (2017) by Cullen Bunn | comic series, 5 issues

Luke Ross and Nolan Woodard just get it okay. I love the way Maul looks in this series. In my head, this comic is the canon alternative to Shadow Hunter, where Maul confronts a Jedi early on, but the differences between his characterization in these two stores is the basis of my understanding of the difference between Legends Maul and canon Maul.

Age of Republic - Darth Maul by Jody Houser | single issue comic, found independently or in the collection Star Wars: Age of Republic - Villains

Maul goes on an (Sith ashes) acid trip while on a visit to Malachor with Sidious.

Darth Maul -- Son of Dathomir by Jeremy Barlow | comic series, 4 issues

This series is especially interesting to me because it's adapted from TCW season 6 scripts that weren't produced. It follows Maul as he's rescued by Death Watch after the conclusion of his arc in season 5, and shows his alliance with Talzin as they confront Sidious. I think it's great for fleshing out that relationship and that side of canon Maul's character.

Star Wars Adventures (2020) 3 - "Tales of Villainy: The Hostage" by Shane McCarthy and Michael Moreci | single comic, found in the listed issue or in Star Wars Adventures: The Light and the Dark

Maul allows himself to be captured in an attempt to bring another crime syndicate into the Shadow Collective. Is this one monumental? No. Am I unreasonably fond of it? Hell yeah. If you've seen that panel of Maul and Savage drinking at a diner, it's from this comic. Also has Maul in chains for those of yall that are into that.

Star Wars Adventures: Return to Vader's Castle 1 - "The Horned Devil" by Cavan Scott | single comic found in the listed issue or in the collections Star Wars Adventures: Return to Vader's Castle and Star Wars Adventures: Beware Vader's Castle

A "sPoOKy" story about Maul on Lotho Minor. Once again, luv u spidermaul 4 5ever. The cover art is fuckin sick.

Star Wars Visionaries - "Old Wounds" by Aaron McBride | single comic found in the listed graphic novel, in Star Wars Omnibus: Wild Space Volume 2, Star Wars Legends Epic Collection: The Empire Volume 4, and Star Wars Legends: The Empire Omnibus Volume 2

In this comic, Maul tracks Obi-Wan to Tatooine for revenge. Sounds familiar, but this was published in 2005, before Maul's revival in TCW. His design in that show, though, was based off of this comic, and his episodes in Rebels show a similar influence. I like this one because I think it's fun to see how his narrative was evolving as different writers took on the story, and to see the path from where he began in Legends up to his end.

Stuff Maul is in: (not specifically about him, but he makes an appearance)

Books:

Darth Plagueis by James Luceno | novel

Our man JL is back with more Maul... just not as the focus. If you're going to read one thing from this "Stuff Maul is in" list, let it be this one. Granted, it's a loooooooooong book, but it's really great for fleshing out the Plagueis and Sidious and Maul dynamic. Maul does have some sections of his own narration, but the best bit of this novel is seeing how Plagueis and Sidious see him. It also has some of his original Legends origin!

Queen's Peril by E.K. Johnston | novel

This book is about Padme! Who I love dearly, so I enjoyed reading it. Maul has a few sections of narration in it that show his canon headspace.

Comics:

The first set of these is a mental collection I like to call "Legends writers just Try Shit" and it's a bunch of different ways Maul was brought back before TCW.

Star Wars Tales 9 - "Resurrection" by Ron Marz | single comic found in the listed issue, in Star Wars Tales Volume 3, or in Star Wars Legends Epic Collection: The Empire Volume 8 The Maul in this one has been resurrected by a dark side cult to be the true apprentice to Sidious. The story is mostly about Vader, but his duel with Maul is cool. Star Wars Tales 17 - "Phantom Menaces" by Joe Casey | single comic found in the listed issue, in Star Wars Tales Volume 5, or in Star Wars Legends Epic Collection: The New Republic Volume 5 While on a diplomatic mission, Luke Skywalker is attacked by a hologram of Maul and goes off to investigate. This is the one I use to bless my friends with the cursed knowledge of Maul's brain in a tank. Star Wars: Jedi Quest 1 by Ryder Windham | first comic in a series, also found in Star Wars Omnibus: Menace Revealed and Star Wars Legends Epic Collection: The Menace Revealed Volume 3 Truth be told, I have not read this one because I can't find it for free. In it, Maul is a training hologram? I think? For Anakin? idk. There's also a novel series by the same name and I got annoyed looking for what isn't really Maul anyway.

Star Wars: Republic (1998) 40 - "The Devaronian Version, Part 1" by John Ostrander | comic in a long ass series, but the one you want is found in the listed issue, Star Wars Omnibus: Quinlan Vos: Jedi in Darkness, or Star Wars Legends Epic Collection: The Menace Revealed Volume 3

I don't know what this is about even though I have read it; Maul is in it for like 3 panels; he gets called "nasty boy" and makes someone wet themselves in fright. Obviously core reading for the Maul experience.

Jedi Council: Acts of War by Randy Stradley | comic series, four issues by the listed name, or in Star Wars Omnibus: Rise of the Sith and Star Wars Legends Epic Collection: Rise of the Sith, Volume 1

Once again, I do not know what this is about because I have a very difficult time reading comics when Maul is not there. And in this series he's there for < 15 panels. But he looks pretty when he is there.

Obi-Wan -- A Jedi's Purpose 2 - "A Shadow Falls on the Padawan" by Christopher Cantwell | issue of a comic series

This comic includes a brief scene showing Obi-Wan remembering his and Maul's final battle on Tatooine and commenting on Maul's mental state. Makes me super emo.

And finally, encyclopedia-type stuff!: (not necessarily stories, but has neat info-- especially because they show what was considered canon at the time of their publication)

Darth Maul: Sith Apprentice by Jo Casey and Catherine Saunders | children's reader

Yes, you read that right. But this kid's book has fun information about Maul based on TPM. I especially like the image call-out for his "heavy action boots." It brings me joy.

Star Wars: The Phantom Menace: The Expanded Visual Dictionary by David West Reynolds and Jason Fry | what it says on the tin

The adult version of the above book. Shows the inside of Maul's lightsaber, which I love. Also still points out the heavy action boots. Clearly, they are a key component of the character.

And that's everything! There are some re-tellings of like, TPM, in novel or comic form but I was never super interested in those so I haven't read them.

If you know of something else please let me know! (Both so I can add it and so I can read it). Similarly, if you see any mistakes on the list, please tell me. It took me like 7 hours to type it up and check and cross-reference everything and some mistakes probably crept in there. If you're like me and you've gotten through (most of) this list, but still want More Maul, please check out my fic rec! There's a bunch of banger Maul fics there. Tagging @maul-my-heart. Hope you have fun in your reading!

#darth maul #maul #ptp #text wall #maul my beloved #long post

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fast-moon · 23 days ago

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"Agatha All Along" and "PvP" vs. "Co-op" writing styles

Agatha All Along (née Coven of Chaos) is the show that, when announced, seemed like a hastily-concocted attempt to keep riding on the success of Wandavision and its break-out supporting characters, leaving everyone wondering, "But... what would they actually do?"

I really should have had more faith in Jac Schaeffer.

A frustration I have with certain writers, Steven Moffat in Doctor Who and Sherlock being a prime example of this, is when the writer feels like they're competing against their audience. I could call this the "PvP" form of writing: The audience is a newbie, and the author is a level 100 Dark Knight who immediately slaughters the noobs to show his dominance.

The author has an adversarial opinion of the audience, and their goal is to keep the audience guessing as long as possible. But also makes sure that none of those guesses are ever correct, because that means the audience has "beaten" the author. The author claims "victory" over them when they get to "the reveal" and no one had guessed it correctly.

This is usually done by feeding the audience red herrings, and leaving out a crucial piece of information that is only known by the main character, until it's time for the reveal. Either that or the overarching mystery is simply never solved at all, aside from the main character indicating they've gotten it all figured out but there's no time to explain.

Contrast that to how Jac Schaeffer handled Wandavision and Agatha All Along. These were written under the view that the audience is a partner in this story. The "co-op" form of writing. The audience is a newbie, and the author is a level 100 Dark Knight, and the author takes the noob under their wing and guides them through how the game is played until the noob gets it. The author is victorious once the noob doesn't need their help anymore and can figure it out for themselves.

This is usually done by feeding the audience breadcrumbs. Characters behave with consistency before the full reveal, but because not all the information is available to the audience yet, there are noticeable "quirks" to characters' behavior to clue in the audience that not all is what it seems. All the necessary pieces are given to the audience in plain sight, and if the audience is able to put them together before they're completely revealed, the final reveal is more of a congratulations for a job well done.

Sometimes I see complaints that if it's at all possible to guess the "twist" before it happens, then the story is "too predictable". But I'd argue that being at least somewhat predictable is a good thing to have in a story. It means the characters and world are behaving in a consistent way.

Contrast to the "PvP" manner of writing, where the characters "break all the rules" to solve their problems in unexpected ways. But I find this significantly less interesting, because it means the characters don't actually have to be innovative. Characters who have to devise solutions while working within the constraints of their universe are much more compelling than ones who effectively win with cheat codes.

And so that's why I really have to hand it to Jac Schaeffer. She gave us a twist in episode 7 that was wholly consistent with everything we'd seen up until that point, but then forced us to completely re-contextualize everything we just watched.

And then just to show off, in episode 8 she did it again.

I do hope that she continues to have a hand in the Vision Quest series, since I heard that project has since been passed to a different show lead. But if it means that Schaeffer has instead been given the green light to rescue Wanda from what Michael Waldron's PvP writing did to her in Multiverse of Madness, then maybe there truly will be glory at the end.

#agatha all along #mcu #jac schaeffer

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abbysimsfun · 3 months ago

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Sims In Bloom: Generation 2 Pt. 35 (Parental Guidance)

A few nights after Malcolm's visit, Heather took Ash to see his grandparents at her childhood home in Henford. On arrival, she was greeted with the joyous news that Cassandra was expecting her and River’s first child!

She let her predicament take a backseat as the family sat down to dinner, and she didn't want to tell her parents she was seriously overthinking an old tale about a curse. But as she gathered the empty plates at the end of the meal, her mother could see something was bothering her. At Daisy's urging, Heather confessed what she'd done.

"I hacked into Landgraab Systems to crash the app they stole from me, and I thought I was going to be arrested."

"Arrested?! Buttercup, what the hell were you thinking?" Her dad, Neal, tried not to sound as disappointed as he felt.

Her brother, on the other hand, offered her a fistbump. "Right on! Screw the Landgraabs."

Cassandra shook her head, but couldn't wipe the smile from her face around her husband. "River, she could have gone to prison!"

"I know it was stupid," Heather insisted. "I told the detective the truth but the Landgraabs ended up not pressing charges. Not yet, anyway."

"What do you mean 'not yet?'"

"I mean Malcolm came by the other day and offered me a deal. He'll give me 40,000 simoleons for our son if I change his last name to Landgraab and file a custody agreement. They're also willing to let me buy out the clinic if I can come up with another 175,000. But they won't sell if I don't make Ash a Landgraab."

"That's a steep price," said Daisy cautiously.

"It's a steal from the Landgraabs," her father muttered, frowning. "We don't have that kind of money."

"You helped me with the down payment for the clinic in the first place. I don't know what to do but I won't ask you that."

Her parents exchanged careful glances. "You may not want to hear this, but you cost yourself a lot of leverage and the offer may be too good to turn down," said her mother. Her father nodded reluctantly in agreement, embracing his daughter with a comforting hug.

"I was hoping you wouldn't say that."

"You want independence from the Landgraabs financially, and this is a fair way to do it," reasoned her brother. "Besides, if Malcolm's finally ready to embrace his role as a father I think, deep down, you want that for your son, despite your own feelings about him. And why wouldn't you? We had a great dad; everyone should be so lucky! Ash, too."

Heather looked at her younger brother with a smile. "When did you get so wise?"

"You only think I'm wise because you're a butthead, Butts."

With her family’s support, she sent Malcolm the paperwork confirming their son was a Landgraab in name, and he transferred the lump sum payment as promised. ->

<- Previous Chapter | Gen 2 Start | Gen 1 Summary | Gen 1 Start

NOTE: I'm really sorry to those who didn't want Heather to change his last name, but I really wanted there to be a big consequence for the hack. I wasn't feeling a prison storyline and this is the next worst-case scenario. In my head she didn't have room to negotiate after the hack (the proof exists even if Conrad chose not to reveal it, but he's too honest a cop to delete the evidence) and it was an all-or-nothing deal.

NOTE 2: I know I'm loading this story with characters but Heather is so close with her family I can't leave them behind in Gen 1, even if I wanted to. Neal gave them their nicknames when each of them were born, like a tradition, picking various plants, mostly yellow, due to yellow being one of Daisy's favourite colours. But a quick rundown on Heather and her siblings-

Heather "Buttercup" Nesbitt b. 2025 - Ash (Nesbitt) Landgraab b. 2050 (son of Malcolm) Holly "Daffodil" (Nesbitt) Bell b. 2027 m. Kristopher "Kris" Bell (son of premades Michael Bell & Cecilia Kang) River "Huckleberry" Nesbitt b. 2029 m. Cassandra Goth Hazel "Dandelion" Nesbitt b. 2033 currently dating Nicola Moody-McMillan, the daughter of premade Kim Goldbloom and a random townie. Nicola's grandfathers were Kim's adoptive dads (via MCCC), Ian Moody & Derek McMillan but they died in a riverboat cruise disaster (off-screen because the game culled them unexpectedly).

Since I put dates in to show the age differences in the siblings, for those who care it's about 2051 in game right now. Heather is 26 and Ash is not yet 2. The year won't really mean anything, it's not a historical or futuristic challenge, but I like to keep track.

Also yes I'm going for sometimes-obnoxious sibset theming with names in this save. The theme in Gen 1 was flowers and plants (Daisy was a botanist but Neal achieved Outdoor Enthusiast so he's big into nature, herbalism and sustainability as an eco-civil designer). River got his slightly off-theme name because I wanted to use it, and the River Bagley IS a prominent feature in Henford, after all! But I'm sorry about all the H names, it's a lot!

Kris & Holly and Nicola & Hazel (who looks like Heather with blue eyes and w/o glasses), since River & Cass are above:

#sims 4 #sims 4 gameplay #sims 4 screenshots #sims 4 legacy #sims in bloom #ts4 #ts4 gameplay #ts4 legacy #ts4 screenshots #sims 4 story #ts4 story #legacy challenge #sims legacy #ts4 legacy challenge #gen 2 #brindleton bay #henford on bagley #cassandra goth

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cryptidsmoocher · 1 year ago

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FNAF SPOILERS

okay so, i know everyone is talking about it already but I'm just gonna do a quick list of my theories n beliefs bc i want to keep em all together and also why not so here we go!!

mike and garret's father is henry emily! hes the same man working on the animatronics on the training tape, and it makes sense that william would kidnap him and that garrett would be so unphased and willing to get into a vehicle with him.

garrett will be the puppet. im loving the theory that instead of michael being an afton like he is in the games, he's an emily. garrett in this instance would be charlie's replacement in the movies. his story follows the same timeline that charlies does: locked away from their protector (mike/the puppet), taken in by someone they know (william) and then killed by him. the puppet music plays at the end of the film, and right after that, letters spell out "come find me." this is garrett, who has possessed the marionette and is speaking to mike!

the nevada dream isn't real. dreams can be foggy, memories can be worse. mike tells vanessa and his coworker that theres a dream theory, where he can go back into his memories and look for details. but what if hes so focused on trying to get to the details of the car and the man that he's forgetting the big ones? what if he never actually went to nevada? it might seem silly and farfetched but there was a lot of emphasis on the soda spilling, the ketchup spraying, etc. i kept thinking it would go back to the pizzaria. so what if michael blocked out the pizzaria entirely? what if he saw garrett be taken by william? in the games, william comes out of his car, kills charlie, and leaves. what if in the movie universe he instead took garrett and left with him in his car? what if that part of the memory is true, but in a. desperate attempt to block the memory of freddy's he forgot it entirely? he seems unfamiliar when talking to vanessa, who is shocked he's never heard of it, since it was so popular. what if the reason she was shocked was because she knew he had been here before?

vanessa and mike knew each other as kids. vanessa is very vague about her childhood and about her knowing garrett, but she does reveal that she not only met him, but was at the pizzaria often (hence the photo and all her seemingly good memories, like being excited about the band playing). if mike is an emily, it would make sense that he was at the pizzaria with garrett and his parents, and that vanessa had known him. which leads to the question of: did she see when william killed garrett? did she help him? she's smiling in the picture with her father and his plane. did she have no idea until it was too late?

henry emily will come back. mike says that his mom died and his father couldn't handle it, so he left. im not sure how they're going to fit so much into three movies, but my hope is that the trilogy they've planned will end with Pizzaria Simulator. and if this is the case, henry emily would have to be present for it to happen.

abby will possess baby. i really dont have much on this i just think it would be super sick if it followed what would have been her fate if she was an afton, and if she's elizabeths movie counterpart it would make sense for her to have the same ending.

i have a lot more theories and hopes, im actually working out a mini timeline for what i think will happen in the movies bc i think it would be super cool but!! for now thats all i got thats super major to me. im so glad fnaf has had this resurgence in theories im having the time of my life i love thinking about this kind of stuff

#fnaf movie spoilers #fnaf #fnaf movie #five nights at freddy's #fnaf spoilers #william afton #springtrap #fnaf mike schmidt #mike schmidt #abby schmidt #vanessa afton #fnaf vanessa #fnaf theory

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rosachaotic · 1 year ago

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Talbott x MC(Cereza)

Silent bloom

"It's Valentine's Day at Hogwarts, and love is in the air, along with a whiff of that tricky amortentia potion. Snape teaches the fourth year students about amortentia, the potion stirs unexpected emotions among students, unraveling concealed affections for their fellow classmates, including Talbott, who finally realizes he's got a thing for his best friend Cereza. On the flip side, Cereza, clueless about Talbott's feelings, hears about the whole amortentia drama and decides she needs to find out what went down."

(I dont really like the first valentines day sq so I decided to write my own story because why not?)

It was Valentine's Day, and the air was thick with love, intermingled with nervousness, shyness, and, unfortunately, quite a bit of rejection. And then there was Amortentia – that enchanting elixir of infatuation and intrigue. Professor Snape had orchestrated a lesson on spotting and detecting Amortentia's intoxicating aroma for the students, hoping to arm students against the temptation should anyone ever offer them the love potion.

Cereza, a Hufflepuff with a penchant for curiosity, had already endured this peculiar class alongside her fellow Hufflepuff housemates and even the enigmatic Slytherin students from the fourth year. The room had buzzed with embarrassed and befuddled teenagers as they inhaled the scents that sent their hearts aflutter. Cereza's Amortentia had, at first, been pleasant, but then it transformed into something reminiscent of the owlery. Perplexed but also confused, she decided to ignore and carry on.

After her class, it was time for Gryffindors and Ravenclaws to undergo this intriguing experience together. Cereza's twin brother, Michael, a proud Gryffindor, was next in line, and she couldn't help but be curious about what his Amortentia would smell like. In the meantime while she waited for his class to be over, latecomers exchanged Valentine's Day letters, chocolates, and other romantic tokens, and Cereza watched with a wistful gaze, yearning for such a day in her future.

Her thoughts were abruptly interrupted by Michael's irate arrival at the Hufflepuff table, despite his Gryffindor status, cheeks ablaze and an angry pout on his lips. Cereza, aware of her brother's notorious temper, couldn't help but say, "Uh oh. What now?"

Michael mirrored her question, his anger seething. "What now?!" he repeated, his voice ringing through the Great Hall, causing Cereza to caution him against a house points debacle.

"Calm down, and don't yell. Professor Snape could hear you, and you know what happened last time," she warned him, making her twin roll his eyes, as he knew exactly what she was talking about.

"I don't give a darn…" he muttered, though he knew Cereza was right.

Cereza sighed and fixed her gaze on him. "Was it the Amortentia class?" she inquired.

"OF COURSE, IT WAS THAT RIDICULOUS LESSON!"

"Merlin's beard, don't shout!"

"Sorry," Michael grumbled, still visibly embarrassed and angry. "It's just that I may have let slip something that could attract unwanted attention."

Cereza's curiosity piqued, and she rested her chin in her hands, her golden eyes gleaming. "Oh, embarrassing revelations? Tell me more," she prodded, earning another eye-roll from her brother, who still seethed with annoyance.

"Whatever, I just blurted out my thoughts..."

"What did you say?"

Michael, to keep it brief, explained that he may have mentioned that the Amortentia scent reminded him of someone, but before he could reveal the name, he had shut his mouth, inadvertently letting the entire class in on his secret crush. For Cereza, this came as no surprise; she knew her brother was enamored with a particular Slytherin student with a gentle heart.

"At least my reaction wasn't as bad as Winger's," Michael chuckled mischievously.

This comment left Cereza both curious and concerned. Talbott Winger was her best friend, a mysterious student with very few friends, making her unique connection with him the talk of the school.

"What happened to him?" she asked, her worry evident as her brother swiped a sandwich from her plate and began to munch.

"I don't know. When he smelled the Amortentia, his eyes went WIDE," he answered between bites. "His face turned as red as a tomato."

"Really???"

"Yeah, and he was so surprised, that he stepped back and knocked into the table behind him, nearly causing a commotion. Professor Snape noticed and reprimanded him, shifting the attention away from me."

Cereza shook her head in disappointment that her brother found humor in this, especially given the peculiar rivalry between Michael and Talbott. "I don't find it funny. What happened next?"

"Oh, he bolted from the classroom."

"HE WHAT?!"

"Whoa, remember what you said about not yelling?" Michael teased, causing Cereza to react with indignation; she was just worried about her friend, especially given that Talbott wouldn't leave class out of nowhere. "But anyway, Tulip offered to chase after him, but Snape advised against it. He did lose quite a few house points, though."

"Oh dear... Why do you think he reacted that way?"

"Are you serious? Isn't it obvious?" Michael stared at her, his expression a mix of disbelief and amusement. "He's got a crush on someone, Cereza. I feel bad for whoever that poor, unsuspecting soul may be."

Cereza came to Talbott's defense, her anger evident. "Don't say that!"

"But it's true!"

As Michael continued to pilfer her food, Cereza couldn't help but ponder who Talbott's secret crush might be. Was it Penny? It wouldn't be surprising, given her beauty and intelligence and for some reason this caused a heavy feeling in Cereza's heart and she didnt understand why it made her feel that way... He was just a friend, right? But anyways who wouldn't be smitten by Penny? If it wasn't her, then the question remained: who was it that had captured Talbott's heart?

—---

Beyond the castle walls, Penny, a bright and young Hufflepuff with a profound affection and talent for potion-making, was on a determined quest to find her friend, the mysterious Ravenclaw, Talbott Winger. The murmurs of the Amortentia incident had reached her ears, and an urgent sense of purpose compelled her to seek him out. After her not finding nowhere inside the castle she knew exactly where to go: to the owlery, a place shunned by many for its owl chatter, the perpetual dirt, and distinctive aroma. For Talbott, however, it held an inexplicable charm, a sanctuary where he retreated when lost in thought and be alone and Penny knew that.

Climbing a set of stairs, she found him amidst the fluttering feathers and soulful hoots, his attention fixated on a specific owl, gently caressing its head, an act of affection returned by the feathered creature.

"There you are!" Penny exclaimed, her voice resonating with genuine concern, nearly shouting in her relief. Talbott, her fellow Ravenclaw, shifted his surprised gaze her way. "I was so worried for you."

Talbott turned his gaze toward Penny, then back at the owl, his expression a cocktail of embarrassment and an attempt to mask it. "What do you want...?" he inquired, his voice carrying a subtle tone of irritation.

"I came looking for you. I heard you vanished after Snape's class, and I was genuinely concerned," Penny explained, her voice subtly conveying, 'Why are you even asking? We're friends, after all.' "WE were worried."

"We?" Talbott repeated her words, staring at her with a quizzical expression.

"Yeah! Me and Cereza!" She explains as Cereza herself also came to her a while ago, asking if she knew where Talbott was.

Talbott's eyes widened as he heard the other’s Hufflepuf’s name, and he shook his head, turning his gaze away as if he hoped to shield his reaction. "So, others besides you also know about it."

"Duh, it's the talk of the school," Penny chimed in with a playful smile. "Everyone's dying to know who has captured the mysterious Talbott Winger's heart."

"And by 'everyone,' you're also including yourself, aren't you?" he asked, his arms crossed, his gaze carrying a tinge of judgment, and a raised eyebrow.

"Yep!" Penny replied, revealing a layer of honesty that made Talbott snort with amusement, his apprehension momentarily lightened. At least Penny was straightforward, and he genuinely enjoyed her company, viewing her as a friend.

"It's not you, so don't worry," Talbott jokes, trying to joke about the conversation as a way to make it less awkward for him.

"I know it's not me, you idiot," Penny laughed. "But I think I've got a pretty good idea of who it is." Talbott rolled his eyes at her statement as she almost sang it.

"No, you don't."

"You're not as good at hiding your emotions and gazes as you think, Talbott," she teased, strolling around him.

"Oh, really?" he countered. "So, who is it?"

She met his gaze, her blue eyes sparkling mischievously as she circled him, playing with her blonde braids. "Well... it's someone you adamantly claimed you weren't friends with until you finally relented..."

Penny began to describe, and Talbott's discomfort grew as he attempted to hide it, still with his arms crossed to his chest, his posture shifting from confidence to that of someone who'd been caught.

"Someone who likes helping others, has a soft spot for even the most dangerous magical creatures..."

Oh no.

"Someone who is kind and gentle, has the cutest afro puffs..."

Talbott's cheeks started to burn as Penny continued.

"Has the most beautiful golden eyes I've ever seen, and is freckled from head to toe..."

Penny smirked, noticing the effect her words were having on Talbott as his posture shifted once more, from confident to revealed.

Her eyes danced with excitement as she continued, "Someone who's a fellow Hufflepuff but also... a curse breaker!" Her words brimmed with enthusiasm as she proclaimed, "The lucky person who has your cold heart in her gentle hands is none other than...

Cereza Gomez herself! Am I correct, Talbott?" Her playful tone held a hint of anticipation, a touch of mischief in her sparkling eyes.

"...I have no idea what you're talking about," Talbott stammered, his voice revealing his discomfort and embarrassment. He attempted to leave the conversation, his cheeks still burning with embarrassment, and his nervousness more palpable than ever, but Penny stood her ground, blocking his path.

"Wait-"

"Leave me alone!" Talbott blurted out, his frustration and unease apparent. He hurried past her, his hurried exit a clear sign that he was running away, not just from Penny, but from the emotions he couldn't bring himself to confront. Penny noticed that the owl he was petting early had a worried look as if it understood the situation and Penny immediately recognized who this owl was from: It was Cereza's.

Penny pouted, her finger gently pressed against her chin as she contemplated the enigma that was Talbott Winger. She watched him disappear from the owlery, knowing he was in denial about his feelings for Cereza. She didn't mean to make him this uncomfortable but the question remained – how could she help him face the truth and his true emotions?

—----

As Talbott briskly exited the owlery, the cold air outside offered no solace for the internal tempest raging within him. He fixed his uniform as a way of showing he was fine. Penny’s words echo the turmoil in his mind. He found himself at a crossroads, caught in a dilemma that demanded a decision — confront his true feelings for Cereza or bury them deep within, shielding himself from the potential pain of rejection and the risk of ruining their friendship.

As he roamed the Hogwarts corridor, Talbott couldn't escape the intense scrutiny of fourth-year students; whispers trailed him like shadows. Deciding to retreat to his dorm, he flopped onto his bed. Staring at the ceiling, thoughts of Cereza took over, a rollercoaster of emotions he hadn't signed up for. Initially unimpressed by her and her brother, time had woven a connection, evolving from attachment to full-blown admiration, spiraling into something beyond his control.

Laying on his bed, his mind drifted to Cereza. Her kindness felt like a cozy blanket, wrapping around him. Sweet nature characterized by caring gestures to friends, himself included. The mental image of her, beautiful and cute with freckles like stardust, sent a blush creeping across his cheeks.

The way she effortlessly brought a smile to his face whether through a simple chat or her captivating antics. There was one memorable occasion when she proudly unveiled a magical creature she had successfully tamed – a lively Niffler. As she introduced the creature, it took mere moments for the mischievous Niffler to spy something glittering in her pockets. What ensued was a delightful chaos. Cereza, determined to safeguard her shiny possession, engaged in a whimsical battle with the persistent Niffler. Picture her attempting to pry the creature off, only for it to cling back with unmatched tenacity. The comical scene unfolded as Cereza, in a mix of laughter and exasperation, maneuvered to keep her sparkly find out of the Niffler's mischievous grasp.

Talbott, an unexpected spectator to this spectacle, couldn't help but find the chaos caused by the Niffler funny. Talbott never imagined he'd be charmed by such a scene, finding the mix of cuteness and humor hilarious. Even now, the detailed recollection brought a smile to his face.

But it was Cereza's determination that seized him most deeply. Her relentless drive to help, fix, and tackle the seemingly impossible fueled an unspoken admiration within Talbott. Her ability to turn challenges into possibilities left him in awe, finding both captivation and solace in her strength and resilience.

Yet, fear crept into his thoughts as he mulled it over. The idea of laying bare his emotions, risking their friendship, scared him to his core. The delicate balance between friendship and something more weighed heavily on his heart. Talbott's mind became a battleground, torn between a yearning for connection and the dread of losing someone dear.

Within the quiet confines of the Ravenclaw dorm at Hogwarts, Talbott faced a pivotal choice. Would he muster the courage to acknowledge the emotions swirling within, or would he opt for the safety of silence, protecting their friendship? The room held its breath as the weight of his decision hung in the air, an unspoken tension settling within the Ravenclaw dorm. However the day wasn't over yet and Talbott had a surprise waiting for him.

—----

Strolling through the castle, Penny pondered how to create the perfect setup for her friend Talbott to confess to his crush. Ideas swirled in her mind, but the risk of things going south lingered in every scenario.

"Okay, Penny, how can I make this work?" she mused, determined to play matchmaker for her dear friend and another close companion who happens to be her housemate.

"Penny!" Speaking of the devil, Cereza dashed over, a worried expression etched on her face. "Have you seen him?"

It dawned on Penny that Cereza was also on the hunt for Talbott. Suddenly, a mischievous glint in Penny's blue eyes met Cereza's innocent golden gaze, and an idea sparked.

—----

Talbott, succumbing to hunger's insistent tug, decided to brave the Great Hall despite the persistent gossip. The clatter and chatter within, however, drove him away, and he opted for a quieter place for him to eat away from the gossip.

Securing a plate from the Ravenclaw table, he embarked on through the castle's labyrinth, eventually finding himself perched on a secluded staircase, hidden away from the whispers echoing in the corridors.

Lost in his thoughts, Talbott failed to detect the soft footsteps approaching until a familiar voice disrupted his solitude.

"Tal?" The gentle call startled him mid-bite, making him almost choke, and he recognized that one only person called him by this affectionate nickname– Cereza.

Turning his head towards the voice, his eyes widened as Cereza stood at the top of the staircase, her usual Hogwarts uniform replaced by a cozy ensemble: a red sweater from Bill, a white shirt underneath, and a black skirt. The golden hues of her eyes met his startled orange-red gaze as he put his plate aside.

"Cereza?"

"There you are! I was looking for you." Her voice, laced with concern, accompanied her descent to sit beside him. Proximity played its part, and Talbott's face flushed, caught off guard.

"W-What brings you here?" he stuttered, attempting to regain composure.

"Penny told me everything!" The revelation struck like a lightning bolt, sinking Talbott's heart as he felt his body freeze and his stomach act weird.

She did what?

The revelation hung in the air, tension intertwining with the quiet corners of the staircase. Talbott's voice, tinged with a mix of anger and embarrassment, broke through the silence. "She did what?!" The sting of betrayal etched into his words, as he trusted Penny to not tell anyone. “I can't believe she—"

Before he could continue, Cereza's arms enveloped him, pulling him into a hug. Though not a fan of hugs, especially in this awkward situation, Talbott hesitated before slowly reciprocating, feeling his face burn and turn red. The hug, despite its unexpectedness, offered an odd comfort, leaving Talbott uncertain about how to respond as his heart raced.

"I... I didn't want you to find out this way. I wanted to tell you myself," he muttered, his embarrassment palpable.

"It's okay, I'm not mad or anything like that," she consoled him, snuggling closer with her chin on his shoulder. "It's not like this ruined our friendship or anything."

Relief washed over Talbott, but uncertainty lingered. Did her acceptance mean reciprocation, or was it merely understanding?

"How... exactly do you feel about this?" he asked, a mix of excitement and nervousness evident in his voice as he awaited her response.

Cereza took a moment before answering, "What do you mean? Why should my feelings matter about this?"

Confusion knitted their expressions as Talbott withdrew from the hug, staring at Cereza with a puzzled look mirrored in her eyes.

"What exactly did Penny tell you?" The Ravenclaw inquired.

"Uh... that you had feelings for someone, but they rejected you," she answered. "And she wanted me to comfort you because she said you wouldn't open up to her, that's why I hugged you because you know I know it must be hard to deal with these feelings."

Talbott blinked a few times, a surge of realization flooded Talbott. The embarrassment hit him like a wave. Almost confessing his feelings without realizing Cereza didn't know about it and fell into Penny’s lies. He took a deep breath, covering his face in his hands, a mix of frustration and embarrassment washing over him.

"H-Hey! It's okay; no need to feel embarrassed!" she comforted him, attempting to ease the awkwardness. "It was that person's loss anyway!"

Talbott's eyes peeked through his fingers as he still hid his face.

"I mean, you act very serious and sometimes a little cold, and when I first met you, I thought you were a little scary," Cereza nervously giggled, recalling the initial apprehension due to fake rumors and his cold nature. "But... as I got to know you, I saw how smart, nice, and talented you can be. You are an amazing person with a good heart and can be funny at times."

Talbott could feel his heart get warm as Cereza's words hit him, did she really think that about him?

"And besides you are handsome in your way as well." Talbott was caught off guard as Cereza, without much thought, complimented him, calling him handsome in his own way. He felt a flutter of butterflies in his stomach, wondering if such compliments were normal between friends.

"She...thinks I'm handsome...?" he mused to himself.

Before he could process the compliment fully, Cereza, with a kind smile, handed him a pink envelope, its seal adorned with a red heart seal. Talbott took notice of it earlier but hadn't given it much thought until now.

Snapping out of his contemplation, he accepted the envelope as Cereza cheered, "Happy Valentine's day!" Her smile was infectious, leaving Talbott in awe. "I handmade this myself and wrote something for you."

"Thank you," he replied, still captivated by her, holding the letter in his hands. "But...I have nothing for you."

"Don't worry about it. I'm used to not getting something for Valentine's day," she awkwardly giggled, earning a puzzled look from Talbott.

“Really? I thought you had a lot of admirers,” he questioned.

“I mean, only if their letters get eaten by the owls,” Cereza joked, her laughter filling the air. “But either way, I don't really care. Unlike some, I don’t crave attention, and I don’t have a crush on anyone, so it's not like I'm waiting for a Valentine's day gift from anyone, really.”

This revelation surprised Talbott, but it also sparked a glimmer of hope. Maybe she didn't have feelings for him yet, but her lack of interest in others left room for possibilities.

“I'm just surprised that you didn't get anything. I mean, look at you,” Talbott blurted out his thoughts without much consideration.

Cereza, curious and a bit surprised, asked, “What do you mean?”

Caught in his own statement, Talbott mumbled, feeling the heat rise in his cheeks. With a deep breath, he decided to lay his thoughts bare.

His words danced uncertainly through the air, a hesitant escaping his lips. "I mean, you're... you know," he stumbled, gaze shyly drifting away. "Beautiful, kind, gentle—like one of the most remarkable person I've ever known, you truly are a someone with a golden heart. You're incredible, courageous and talented and it baffles me that others haven't seen that.”

As he looked back at her, he was taken aback by her reaction. Cereza appeared surprised, eyes sparkling with awe, her mouth forming a small "o," and her cheeks blushing a shade of red.

“Y-You…r-really think that about me?” she stammered, looking at Talbott in disbelief.

“Yes,” he replied, surprised at his own boldness.

Cereza, unsure of how to respond, nervously tapped her foot, scratching the back of her head. “T-Thank you,” she mumbled shyly, adjusting her round glasses and looking down.

Was she shy? Talbott wondered, questioning the effect his words had on her.

—----

Talbott found solace in the owlery, the quiet refuge where his thoughts could echo undisturbed. Holding the delicate envelope, he replayed the events from hours ago, a smile dancing on his lips—a smile that only someone who has been in loce would understand.

"Did my plan work?” The tranquility shattered as Penny's voice punctured his musings. He turned to find her, a mischievous smirk adorning her face.

"Not as you envisioned," Talbott replied, a roll of his eyes punctuating his words. "Your scheme could've jeopardized my friendship with Cereza."

"I just wanted to help," Penny defended, her tone lingering on a hopeful note. "But you don't look sad or angry, so does that mean..."

"What? Can't I be in a good mood?" Talbott retorted, a hint of sass coloring his voice.

"You're never in a good mood. That's why it's odd," Penny teased, her words dripping with playful mockery.

"Whatever you say, it's not ruining my mood," he hummed with subtle defiance.

Penny's gaze fixated on his hand, noticing the open envelope and the letter within. Curiosity ignited her blue eyes. "Oh, someone got a letter! It's from Cereza, isn't it? She said she was working on something for you after I told her your tragic fake story."

Talbott rolled his eyes once more, still not believing that his friend orchestrated narrative behind his back designed to bring him closer to Cereza.

"Can I see it?" Penny's excitement and curiosity bubbled over.

He clutched the letter protectively, an angry pout decorating his face. "No."

"Come on! It's all thanks to me that this happened," Penny pleaded, with a pout on lips which didn't affect Talbott.

"I don't care, Penny. You are not seeing it!" Talbott continued to deny, frustration audible in his groan.

Penny lunged, attempting to snatch the letter, but he resisted, pushing her away.

"Let me see it!"

"NO!"

—----

In the bustling Great Hall, Cereza sat amidst the lively ambiance, sharing a meal with her brother and the Khanna twins. Yet, her thoughts lingered in the echo of a conversation that unfolded hours ago, casting a spell of distraction. A hand cradling her chin, she stared at her untouched plate, lost in contemplation.

“Cereza?” Rowan's voice cut through the haze, a gentle but insistent call.

Her gaze shifted to the Gryffindor opposite her, Michael by her side. Confusion etched on their faces mirrored her own.

“What?” Cereza responded, her confusion evident. Glancing at Rowen, the Hufflepuff beside her, she noticed he had a concerned look.

“We called you a few times, and you didn't answer,” Rowan explained, her voice tempered by worry. “And you haven't touched your food since we got here. Is everything alright? Did something happen?”

“I-I'm fine, really. I'm just...thinking,” Cereza murmured, her fork absentmindedly tracing patterns on her untouched meal.

“Bullshit!” Michael growled. “You’ve been like this since you talked to Winger. What did he say to you?”

Cereza's eyes widened, cheeks ablaze with a sudden revelation. “How did you know I talked to Tal?”

“I was looking for you earlier, and Penny told me she sent you to talk to Talbott because of his little problem,” Michael explained, his protective tone surfacing. “If he said anything bad to you, I swear—”

Cereza's hands slammed onto the table, her figure rising in an assertive stance. “Stop always assuming the worst of him! Talbott didn't do anything wrong; he's an amazing guy!” Her voice resonated through the Great Hall, drawing glances from nearby students, including her surprised brother.

Shyly retaking her seat, embarrassment colored her features. “Sorry…”

Michael wore a perplexed expression, unused to this side of Cereza. Meanwhile, the Khanna twins, Rowan and Rowen, exchanged knowing glances, sensing that whatever has happend between Cereza and Talbott that day awakened something and whaterver it was, it was starting to blossom.

#hphm #hogwarts mystery #talbott winger #cereza gomez #hphm mc #talbott winger x cereza gomez #talbott x mc #talbott winger x mc

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bridgerteon · 5 months ago

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This is going to be an extremely long thread of my opinion about Bridgerton S3, especially Polin (and comparing Polin to a certain ATLA ship). So, good luck reading it.

I knew there are a lot of mixed opinions about Bridgerton S3; I have too. Around 50-60% from the book, Romancing Mr Bridgerton, has adapted to the show, which I, as a book reader, am happy to see. I also love the changes from the book that showcases Penelope (and Nicola Coughlan) to shine with awesomeness and deserves a lot of love and recognition after what she's been through.

I can understand why Netflix split into two parts. Part 1 is entertaining, pining and rom-com. While Part 2 is anxiety, emotional and romantic drama. Probably to let viewers breathe. But please don't do that again; I like to binge the whole thing without waiting!

There are:

- Great scenes -> Portia reconciling to Pen and being supportive (thanks Colin!) and Pen having the confidence to reveal herself as Lady Whistledown (LW), instead of letting Colin steal the spotlight for her. Also the Francesca/John romance as they "match their freak". There's actually a lot of great scenes, from Keeping Up With The Featheringtons to Peneloise reconciliation.

- Revenge scenes I like -> Penelope telling off Colin for being an asshole. Also, Lord Debling courting Penelope, making Colin jealous. The Vindication™ for Pen because that's how she feels.

- Some I groaned -> a threesome? Like really? I find it funny, but cringy.

- Some I am suspicious -> Michael Stirling [man] is gender-swapped to Michaela Stirling [woman], but I'm more cautious than angry about the change. Michaela is so goddamn pretty though, heh. I don't mind inclusivity, but it should be addressed with care if it's done for a main Bridgerton character. Besides, I like Francesca's story from the book, When He Was Wicked, and how it explains about grief, guilt and second chance of love. If the storyline from the book is shown, regardless of a lesbian love story, I'll be satisfied. I'll see how it goes and hope for Francesca's season to be heartwrenching and beautiful.

- And others that make no sense -> the lack of Kanthony, like where are they!? And why do they disappear all the time!? This is not them as they are always attentive. They were excellent in managing the Bridgertons and their mess. I love Kanthony so bring them back!!!

What I will analyse and defend is Show Polin.

When I read negative reviews about them, I shake my head in disappointment because the fans didn't understand it. It's like some people have a lack of media literacy. I'm open-minded and I like to analyse critically how and why it happens rather than comparing with other seasons of Bridgerton; I see the show as a separate entity from the books and I still enjoy it as it is. Therefore, I have better comprehension. I also read an article where Luke Newton explains why Colin is Jelly, as shown below. His insight justifies my point.

Since I read RMB, it does give me first-hand insight on the up-and-down relationship between Colin Bridgerton and Penelope Featherington-Bridgerton. I also included a favourite ship of mine from Avatar: the Last Airbender (ATLA) for comparison and how Polin's dynamics makes sense to me. (There's no need to have knowledge of ATLA).

So here's my opinion about Polin:

To be honest, I was expecting Katara/Aang tropes in Polin, as they are both friends-to-lovers ships obviously. What I don't expect is that show Polin is more related to Katara/Zuko (Zutara) instead, which is awesome (as an unfortunate Zutara shipper)!

I find Polin's love story to be as realistic as possible, knowing that a love story is not all sunshines, lollipops and rainbows. There will be disputes, doubts and secrets; I'm satisfied that they are addressed. However, there are some scenes from Polin that I am mad about or feeling something is missing.

Also, I DON'T CARE that Polin does not have the CHEMISTRY similar to Kanthony or Saphne(?) (Simon/Daphne). They have the CONNECTION with each other. Friends-to-lovers don't need chemistry; it rarely exists in real life. Friends-to-lovers stories are messy, awkward and full of disagreements, but the connection and their love for each other is always there between them. They are there since Season 1, are always seeking each other and are always themselves around each other. That's as real as it gets.

Themes I like from Polin and how it compares to Zutara:

1. Hiding their true self: Colin having some swag, being impassive, nonchalant mood, and goes to brothels; I find it weird. However, someone analysed that it's a facade because Penelope doesn't write to him, so he went on a teen girl phase and lost his damn mind, heh. Eloise, Pen and Violet know that that is not the Real Colin, who is a soft boi. He mentions that he is yearning for home and wants to feel like he belongs somewhere and to be seen for who he truly is.

This is similar to Zuko when he was sad/mad that he was banished and his father didn't love him, so his personality became antagonistic. Iroh knew that's not the Real Zuko, who was a gentle boi. Therefore, Iroh planned to nudge Zuko to a different side rather than following Ozai's goals.

Additionally, Penelope disguises herself as Lady Whistledown, Katara as The Painted Lady, Zuko as The Blue Spirit, and Colin as The Travelling Englishman/Pirate.

2. BETRAYAL: (I can't emphasise this enough because this theme let's me understand and love Polin). Penelope is anguished about Colin's comments that he don't give a 💩 about her and will never court her (Le Asshole 101 😒). Colin is heartbroken that Pen is LW*. Katara and Iroh were shattered that Zuko joined Azula to fight against Aang in Ba Sing Se. All of these events are unforgivable.

*(The fact that Luke Newton cried in the LW reveal scene as well as angry portrays Colin as heartbroken than enraged, which makes the scene more heartwrenching. I like that so much better than Colin having a temper like in the books and Katara just enraged when Zuko attacked her in Ba Sing Se. Thanks, Luke Newton, for making me feel sorry for Colin 😏).

Another one is that Colin argues with Penelope that she wrote negative comments on LW about his family, Marina Thompson (in my opinion, she deserved it for being deceptive), himself, herself and everyone else. He also feels that she has a "planned entrapment" for him to marry her, even though I knew he didn't mean it; he is devastated that she is not who she seems to be. Colin wants to feel needed and really yearns to love her fully because he wants to provide everything for her. But he doesn't think he's enough or unworthy for Pen and that he's not sure he'll ever accept Pen as LW, which makes me sad. Also... he's envious that she's more successful than him since she's rich as hell, an experienced writer and got her 💩 together; something he wants to achieve. But dude, you married a Sugar Mama! Similarly, Katara argued with Zuko after the Ba Sing Se fiasco and told him to bring her mother back; I found it absurd too, but I knew she was upset for being deceived and hurt as well, like Colin.

3. Self-confidence and accountability: Pen has brought her own voice to address the whole Ton that she is LW and to let them judge her. Nicola Coughlan has done it perfectly in that, as a shy but confident woman. She understands that people are hurt from her comments, but she wants to have a purpose - not as a spy though, heh. She wants the world where women, especially shy wallflowers, are seen and shine brighter as well in a patriarchy world. Also she understands that Colin is upset that she is LW, but she's adamant that she is and nothing will separate LW from her. LW is power and it helps women like Penelope earn her place in society, besides dilly-dally.

Also, Colin pushes Lord Debling away so that Colin can have a moment with Pen to change her mind and make her pick him, choose him and love him. He doesn't care that the Ton sees them, he just sees Pen. Also the way "he ran!" (thanks Dallas Liu 😏) to Pen's carriage just to confess to her. He is confident of his feelings for her, but respectful if she rejects him.

Same goes with Katara that she wanted a world where women can choose to learn waterbending to fight and men to learn healing, or both. And to Zuko that he had redeemed himself and wanted to end the war as the Firelord with ideals that brought all nations together in peace and harmony.

4. Accepting flaws and empathy: Colin accepts that Pen is LW, because he finally realises why while begging to Cressida: the isolation, the bullying, being ostracised and unappreciated, and the anger that no one will ever recognise, listen or stand up to her. But he knows she's not heartless and does regret her words that are published. Also, her letters to him amplifies that she is a great writer and that her and LW are the same person. After Pen reveals herself to the Ton that she is LW, apologises for it and explains why, Colin is more proud and in love with her.

Zuko saw Katara bloodbending (manipulating bodies through their blood). He was surprised. He didn't question it. He didn't chastise her that it's bad or that she's not herself. He accepted it as part of herself. He just wanted her to face her past and let her choose her fate. The End.

5. Conflict: Colin and Pen love each other so much, despite a Great Wall of Anger and Doubt separating them. Katara knew Zuko was not evil, but had to separate Zuko the Fire Prince with Zuko the Awkward, Caring, Flawed Boi.

Also, Katara and Zuko saw each other as legit rivals during the 100-year war. Meanwhile... well... Colin does see Pen as a rival... indirectly though as she's LW, while he is... just a Bridgerton... with no accomplishments... and a loser, heh.

6. Partnership: Pen agrees with Colin that he'll help her find a husband (even though he hired himself as one, heh). Also, Colin and Pen become writers together, as an author and columnist respectively. All hail Lord and Lady Whistledown! 🙇‍♀️ Meanwhile, Katara and Zuko became partners to find the one who killed her mother, fought together side-by-side during training and trusted each other to defeat Azula.

Extra: There's also a lot of love confessions and moments from Polin that made me giddy with joy, sad and amused (and jealousy for being single). Especially... That carriage scene, heh.

Now for the things I'm disappointed about Polin:

1. Colin doesn't tell Penelope that he forgives her verbally. Like since when did he forgive her? Katara told Zuko verbally that she forgave him, so why doesn't Colin say it to Pen? Same applies to Pen: where's her forgiveness to Colin? Unless I forget.

2. There's a quote from the book I like that Colin says “I love you. I love you with my past, and I love you for my future. I love you for the children we'll have and for the years we'll have together. I love you for every one of my smiles, and even more, for every one of your smiles” to Pen before he leaves to beg Cressida as Pen's distressed about Cressida blackmailing her. I'm sad that one is excluded.

3. Colin being an asshole for not allowing Penelope to let her fix her mess nor asking for his support at the start. Saying that "it is not up to you what we do", probably because he wants to be a hero. Dude, calm down, listen to your wife and compromise. Penelope can handle herself and does not need him to fix it for her, like she said "I do not need you to save me, I just need you to stand by me." I think it makes him feel useless as he likes to help and being needed 24/7. Besides, he makes it worse after begging Cressida, heh. Zuko survived listening to Katara's rants and death threats against him, and he still wanted to make it up to her, so Colin should do the same.

4. Colin being a Drama Queen™ for not sleeping with Pen because he's an idiota; he reminds me of both Katara and Zuko since they were both Drama Queens™ as well, heh. However, it broke my heart for Pen; she deserves better and deserves to have a wedding night full of love, not doubt. Fortunately, he does sleep near their room - like Zuko waited for Katara outside her tent - because Colin still deeply loves Pen and wants to feel closer to her, despite being pissy with her. Also, he sleeps on a chaise lounge where they made love because it reminds him of the happiness they have shared before the LW mess. Additionally, he ignores his lust for her while pissed, but I think it's a good idea not to have angry sex as it's just not healthy emotionally and mentally for them.

5. It would be nice if Colin allows Pen to read or discuss his journals more, like in the books. I want to hear his thoughts more. Or maybe the backstory of how Penelope becomes LW.

6. I really want to see more of the lovey-dovey happy Polin moments without any doubts or lies between them; it's not enough. Where's the Polin sex?! Gimme more happy Polin!!!

So that's my long analysis about S3 and why I like Polin, the good and bad. Also, Polin did change my whole opinion about friends-to-lovers stories after I had a sour taste of it from a ship I'm not supportive to, but that is for another story to tell.

#bridgerton #polin #colin bridgerton #penelope featherington #luke newton #nicola coughlan #comparing Polin to Zutara because it makes sense 😤#bridgerton season 3 #analysis

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