#I'm going to BSU no matter what

[ssahotchnerr]

I just had a bit of a spooky experience, and I was wondering if you could do something fluffy with Aaron and a reader whose afraid of the dark? Just need something sweet and reassuring. Love your stuff xx

hold onto me

omg i'm so sorry i hope you're alright <333 cw; mild descriptions of anxiety and fear of the dark, established relationship

storms were scheduled on the forecast all week, so it was bound to happen at some point. and of course, at the most convenient of times.

aaron and yourself were in the old bau bunker, or as dave strictly corrected you both - the bsu bunker. the two of you were in search of some old files that had been collecting dust, files that would hopefully be helpful and a reliable reference in a project the team was collectively working on.

you had to admit, going through the contents of the room was fascinating. it held an extensive amount of history and memories; it was the literal beginning of the bau and what it has come to be. in addition to the ancient files, both of you would occasionally come across other various items to show one another: old photographs, some of gideon's ancient bird books, and aaron happened to find an old wedding ring lost in a drawer - which you swore had to be one of dave's.

and both related and unrelated, the most important factor to you, the bau had brought you to your aaron.

it was another world down there, so you'd nearly forgotten that it was storming gravely outside. but, a sudden crash of thunder shook the entire building, and the room submitted to darkness faster than you could blink. and it being as old as it was, it didn't contain emergency lights, or windows for that matter, hidden deep in the basement. the two of you were surrounded by a seemingly endless void; you wouldn't even be able to see your hand in front of your face if you tried.

you jumped immediately, the side of your thigh hitting the table and rousing all the items on it, some even clattering to the floor. you didn't even notice the instant ache that shot down your leg, your fear all-consuming.

"shit. stay where you are." you could hear aaron moving about, bumping into things as well as he attempted to make sense of the darkness, and to get to you, fully aware of your intense fear of the dark, "honey, are you alright?"

you didn't answer, eyes squeezed shut as you shrunk back against the closest wall you could find. besides the sounds of aaron cursing under his breath, 'of course my damn phone is in my office' or his reassurances, 'i'm almost there, it's going to be okay', it was deathly silent; so quiet it was almost threatening.

you didn't even realize you were shaking profusely until you were in secure in aaron's arms. he wrapped you tightly in his embrace, your face pressed into his chest as he shielded you. instead of the grimy, stiff smell of the bunker, you were encircled with the familiar scent of aaron, something soft and sweet but still vastly masculine.

"you're okay sweetheart. here, let me..." he reached into your back pocket, finding your phone and turning the flashlight on, unforgotten to yourself in your panicked state. the light illuminated his face, thankfully, but also casted shadows from the furniture and whatnot onto the walls. it made the musty old room more menacing, terrifying.

your fingers gripped onto his dress shirt, closing your eyes once more as your face burrowed into the crook of his neck, searching to be closer, "aaron."

"i know, i know you hate it." he consoled you, one of his hands spanning your back. "stay close, hold onto me."

his hand placement, and the fact you were clinging onto him, allowed him to guide you easily, without you having to remove yourself from him - to be fair, you couldn't even if you tried. he navigated the two of you out, vaguely manhandling you and taking the brunt himself as he ran or tripped into lingering objects. he only had one objective, removing you from the situation as safely and quickly as possible.

once in the hallway, could you finally breathe. the power was still absent, but it was brighter, emergency lights on a bit further down the hall. it took you a second to regain your senses, your heart rate slowing to normal.

aaron's hands cupped your face, his thumbs running against your cheeks gently. his eyes searched yours, lined with concern and a gentleness, "you okay?"

you nodded, pressing your forehead to his for a brief moment.

"you're okay. you're safe." he repeated, in case you needed another reminder, another reassurance. he pressed his lips to yours for a moment, a hand moving to the small of your back, "i'll have dave and reid head down here a bit later instead. let's get you upstairs love."

[genderisareligion]

Radfems over 30, if you could go back 10 years and give you in your 20s some feminist advice, what would it be?

I was about 20 when I started taking radical feminism seriously and I notice/I saw a poll once that a lot of you are in your early to mid 20s. There's a lot I know now that I wish I had somehow been able to speed absorb.

Don't bother befriending men who aren't at least bisexual. No, not even your best friend's Nigel. They don't see you that differently because you're out now. Take red flag responses like "that's hot" and "if I were your dad I'd be relieved" seriously. You know how many of them are unashamed porn addicts, it's okay to be in a very small percentage of Americans who thinks that shit overall is a plague, not to be openly celebrated.

Don't take it upon yourself to fix or argue with racist white women. Past me got into it with @apostleofsapphos once and it didn't matter how many sources I used or how well I crafted my arguments, she was a brick wall content to call me a "dumb black American" because I said white privilege and colorism are things outside the US. Think about the times you've had your mind changed about something political or sociological. Didn't it usually take exposure to a real life event, person, or book? Not some random on the internet, though that can work sometimes.

That being said, don't stew in anger about racism to the point that you cut yourself off from white people entirely. White men, whatever, ignore them more often, but there are opportunities for sisterhood with white women who are actually trying. Keep up this belief, it'll make you good friends and connections in the future. Black feminism shouldn't have to change itself for white feminists but it should still have the goal of how we can work together rather than just pointing out the ways in which a lot of white women put us down.

That being said, be proud to be Black more. I didn't really start writing about analyzing and following news on the ongoing post slavery genocide until my mid twenties and like I wish in college I'd joined the BSU despite having problems with the one at my religious high school because of homophobia, in retrospect. Find the Black people who don't care that you love women and hold them close and don't take them for granted.

Tell less people you're gender critical. It's no one's business that I came to the conclusion I did, that there's no such thing as gender and I'm better off not participating, whether that gender be cis or trans. There's nothing there when I search deep inside or whatever it is I'm supposed to be doing to have one. Most people just go along with it once they find out what gender is. Oh well. Just call yourself a word they recognize from the nonbinary category and don't say shit else lol

Radfems add yours if you want

[steviebunny]

Pretty Astute Observations

Entrée (part 1)

09:00

“Well, thanks to Freddie Lounds, there's an unconfirmed story floating out there that The Chesapeake Ripper's already in custody.” 

“Unconfirmed. Am I confirming? We’re Fact-checking for Freddie Lounds...”

“You're fact-checking for me.’

“I always feel a little nervous going into these places.”

“Why's that?”

“Afraid they won't let me out.” As Will says that he stumbles and begins to fall when he is caught by Lena. She smiles and simply responds “No need to worry, I feel the same way when I walk into the BSU.” She even winks at Jack…Will is really beginning to wonder how she gets away with expressing her true feelings to Crawford readily. Thats a matter for another time he supposes, awkwardly separating from Lena. Clearing his throat and adjusting his glasses. 

Jack says “Don't worry. I won't leave you here."

" Yeah, not today.”

—

09:10

Fredrick Chilton in what is either complete confidence or unassuming arrogance “Dr. Bloom just called me about you, Mr. Graham... or should I call you Dr. Graham?”

“I'm not a doctor.”

“You're not FBI either… what of your friend?” Chilton’s gaze goes to Lena scanning her from top to bottom. 

“He teaches at the academy, he’s got the temp.ID. I’ve got the real thing. Along with a few others…Has anyone ever told you you’ve got this uncanny resemblance to a manhattan ADA? Barba I think… met him back when I was with the BAU”

Chiltons jaw fixes into a frown. “Theres a distant relation, far cousins of somesort on the fathers side I believe. We’re not close.” 

“Funny I suppose, well Dr. Chilton we’re going to need to see the crime scene while it's still relatively undisturbed.”

“I assure you three, for something so disturbing, it is quite undisturbed.”

“Why was a nurse left alone with a prisoner in a high-security psychiatric hospital?” Will begins asking his questions of the situation.

“For the two years since he was brought here, Gideon behaved perfectly and gave every appearance of cooperating with attempts at therapy. As dictated by our present administrator, security around him was slightly... Relaxed. I cannot help feeling responsible myself for what happened. He sat directly across from me and I had no idea what he was hiding.”

“And now one of your staff is dead. I understand, doctor.”

“Mr. Graham's going to need to see the crime scene with as much privacy as you can provide”

“Oh, yes, that thing you do. You're quite the topic of conversation in, uh, psychiatric circles, Mr. Graham”

“Am I?” 

“Uh, yes. A unique cocktail of personality disorders and neuroses that make you a highly skilled profiler.”

“He empathizes with everyone Dr.Chilton…he doesn’t become the killer or agree and sympathize with their motivations just feels what they can. You’d think someone in your highly educated poition would understand the difference.”

“Well we are woefully short of material on your sort of thing, Mrs.Holmes.”

“Gibbs, Ms.Gibbs. Dr. Chilton.”

“Oh yes, horrible tragedy… forgive my forgetfullness.”

“We’d like to see the crimescene now.:

—

09:15

“So, Gideon was restrained?”

“Handcuffed.”

“He concealed a fork tine in the palm of his hand and used it to pick the lock. Where is he now?”

“In his cell. You'll note the removal of organs and the abdominal mutilations are all consistent with The Chesapeake Ripper.”

“So is the brutalization of the corpses, but that doesn't change the fact that The Ripper is still out there.”

“Jack, what I'm about to show you suggests otherwise.” The door buzzes open.

“Dr. Chilton consulted on the case when we failed to catch The Ripper after his last series of murders.”

“The reason you failed and kept failing to capture The Chesapeake Ripper...Was I already had him.”

Will’s eyes seem to glaze over as he examines the scene, almost swaying as he scans the room.

“As far as we know, it's been over two years since the Chesapeake Ripper killed?”

“That's correct.”

“When was Gideon admitted?”

“Almost two years ago.”

---

05:00

“Yet another early morning for us Ms. Gibbs.”

“You requested to see me this time, Dr. Letcer”

“I did.” His sad smile widened towards the redhead “It has come to my attention that I know a fair few things about you, only from the papers. I’m hoping we can rectify that.”

“What’s there to rectify?” She shrugs, “I have an affinity for loving intelligent and stoic people, maybe to my detriment. My father has killed for me, my career is my life. Arguably the first and last of those things are also because of my father.”

“That's a fascinating way to phrase Agent Gibbs being a federally acknowledged hero. The largest number of commendations in Naval investigations, yes?”

“Killing is killing is it not?”

“To some…What of your mother, Lena?”

She scoffs and stands from her seat, then moves to rest her back along the ladder in the office.

“Dead. She and my younger sister. Murdered. Papa’s spent his life keeping me safe and dedicated to taking down the scum who are responsible for such things.”

“Is that not admirable?” He asks leaning his chin into his hand. His face is still plain but something behind his eyes changes. A new understanding.

“Sure it’s admirable…but it messes someone up does it not? Will would like him, he builds boats by hand in his basement.”

“Is he the ‘messed up’ one or are you Lena?”

“Both…I mean look at my track record. Papa joined the Marines, then took down druglords and terrorists for a living, I joined the Marines like him and went to work for the FBI, taking down serial criminals and maniacs for a living. When Jack made that go to shit, I fled, fell in love with a man who solved puzzles, and took down terrorists for a living…Even if it meant sacrificing himself in the process.”

“It's quite the pattern isn’t it?”

“What about you Dr. Lecter, how’d your parents screw you up?”

“They passed away.”

“Would you like a hug, Hannibal?”

“A hug?”

“I have a friend that once said a good hug tells you all you need to know about a person…so” Lena stands with her arms out-stretched for him.

And Hannibal readily accepts.

----

09:20

“She has the same wound pattern as the last-known victim of The Chesapeake Ripper. I mean exact”

“We never found a body for his last known victim.”

“Then the victim before that.” Will flails his wrists a bit looking peaky, his brown glistening with sweat.“I see The Ripper, but I don't...Feel The Ripper. This is plagiarism”

“We never made the wound patterns for any of The Ripper's victims public.”

“Well, maybe he is The Ripper. I don't know.”

“But if he's a plagiarist, the real Chesapeake Ripper is gonna make sure everybody knows it.” Jack sighs. 

“Well, there’s nothing more that Will can do now, so that means I don't need to be here.” As Lena begins to ascend the steps back from the scene Dr. Chilton moves to block her path. 

“Agent Gibbs, while you're here how would you like to accompany me to an event this afternoon.”

“An event?”

“A show, I have spare tickets.”

“I do love theater but I’ve already got plans, sorry.”

“You do..?”

Lena looks behind her maybe begging for one of the other men to give her a way out of this, but of course. They are useless.

“Yes! Actually, Will is introducing me to his dogs today, aren’t you Will?” The man in question looks perturbed but plays along. “I am. Dr. Lecter was supposed to feed them for me today but I suppose Lena talked him out of it this morning.”

“That I did! Now if you’d excuse us Dr. Chilton it's a long drive to Wolftrap.” She says as she pushes past Frederick and quickly jogs up the rest of the steps.

---

"It's hard to understand everything's so... twisted and hard to explain."

[raveneira]

I read the manga and Sarada's character is getting more and more astonishing, oh my god I don't understand anymore her life is only about Boruto, Boruto and Boruto like there is no character development at all she even only thinks about Boruto as if she forgot about Sumire who is beside her that girl I don't understand her character any more. I followed the manga and it became increasingly uncontrollable, very ridiculous, I also sent it with Kawaki and by God, I was very annoyed with the passengers on the sibling ship, they treated everything as if it was just for them, banned all ships and spoke ill of my ship like ksa & bsu, I don't understand So what does the official art mean which always puts them next to each other? What does the camellia flower and the like mean or what does Sumire's feelings mean which has been emphasized many times for Boruto not to mention yesterday's cover? With Boruto, is it not enough to board this ship? what do you think? I'm very annoyed with all the nonsense of people who don't actually know how to read manga or don't, plus the fake news they give so that everyone will believe it, gosh, I just want to see the progress of Sarada and Kawaki, I'm fed up with that girl who seems like she was just made to revolve around boruto characters looks annoying like that

No fr, ppl keep acting like oh your just mad about the ship when its so much more than that, this has gone BEYOND the ship atp, Sarada has completely lost all individuality, all autonomy, everything about her, has all been thrown away in favor of making her some OOC Boruto obsessed MESS.

Like look at this shit

Sarada learns about her fathers past OFF SCREEN and the only reason shes talking about it is to defend Boruto, not her father, but just to say shes defending Boruto the way Naruto defended Sasuke, I must emphasize that her father is considered a traitor too but thats not who shes riding or dying for.

Sarada is so careless and hyperfixated on clearing Borutos name that she stupidly almost blows their cover, forgetting that Ada is not their FRIEND or their ALLY but the literal got danm enemy, yet her mind is so fixated on a danm boy shes not even registering that in her head when shes talking to Ada, the one who actually remembers their mission is Sumire and SHES the one who stops Ada's suspicions, Sarada literally just sat there lookin stupid not saying anything because apparently if it isnt about Boruto she dont know how to open her mouth.

Even though Code is technically talking about Kawaki here, its still disgusting that Sarada's first encounter with Code is literally just for him to ask her where Boruto is, and then try to use her as bait to lure him out thats only there for Boruto to swoop in and have a 'chad' moment and essentially tell Code this is why he gets no bitches.

This is all only just Sarada's first appearance in the timeskip and its literally all about Boruto, not a single bit of her panel time wasnt about Boruto.

But theres 14 chapters so lets see how the other 13 goes.

Her first time seeing Boruto in 3 years and he returns without Sasuke, what does she do? Boruto tells her to leave and go help the civilians, Sarada asks if hes sure, he says yea and like an obedient dog she does as shes told never once asking where her father is, only if hes sure he wants to deal with Code alone.

She lets her guard down in the middle of an invasion and gets somebody nommed trying to protect her, this isnt inherently a big deal on its own but this will not be the first or the last time this happens.

She makes this stupid remark, once again, acting like Ada is their friend and ally when shes actually the got danm enemy, even if Ada did confirm it it wouldnt matter anyway because they'd just not believe her just like they dont believe Sarada about his innocence, and even if they did believe it Sarada's attitude here is stupid af because she talks as if their stupid for suspecting Boruto just cuz shes the only one with blind faith in him. Its not exactly a good look that Boruto literally says hes trying to make a deal with Code, their enemy, so for her to act like their suspicions are unfounded just cuz she blindly trusts him is stupid.

Not only that but her comback at Kawaki is also unwarranted because she knew danm well what he meant but is purposefully acting oblivious because she, like everyone else before omnipotence, DOESNT wanna face the reality that Boruto is a got danm threat, hes not JUST Boruto anymore, he is LITERALLY Boruto Otsutsuki, an Otsutsuki 100%, his and Momos dna have merged to the point that their minds were starting to become one, his karma has worsened to the point where now Boruto cannot even use it without losing control.

Sure Sarada doesnt know that part yet, but what she DOES know is that hes 100% Otsutsuki, that Momoshiki has taken over his body numerous times, that he stabbed her fathers eye, tried to kill Naruto and Kawaki more than once, that Boruto himself WILLINGLY sacrificed himself, begging Kawaki to kill him so that he wouldnt lose control again and kill the ppl he loves, she saw Momo take over again with her own eyes to save Kawaki, yet she has the audacity to compare Kawaki being Otsutsuki to Boruto being Otsutsuki when hes not the one at risk of being taken over and killin everybody.

She makes this equally goofy remark that she wont let him have his way in Konoha, which is hilarious because for 3 years straight that exactly what he's done, hes completely had his way in Konoha while shes been totally ignored and made ZERO progress, so shes talkin a big game but actions speak louder than words, shes all bark and no bite.

She conveniently doesnt acknowledge what Kawaki says here either because she doesnt care, she doesnt wanna acknowledge that Kawaki is right about the threat Boruto is, she doesnt wanna acknowledge that Kawaki isnt just some cold hearted evil guy who just wanna kill all Otsutsuki, and Boruto, for the lolz, but is actually going above and beyond trying to protect everyone in the way he genuinely feels in right.

Sarada is in an extreme case of denial to the point she doesnt even acknowledge reality, notice how at no point not even in part one does she acknowledge the threat that Boruto is or the things he has done while he was possessed, she, like Boruto, kept and in her case still IS pretending that everything is fine when its NOT.

This is by far where Sarada is at her worst, the one and only time she speaks about her dad is simply recalling how he managed to believe her despite omnipotence, the ONE time she thinks about her dad and its about her being able to convince him to save Boruto, NOT the fact that Boruto came back without him and wondering how he is, no, just how her dad believed her about Boruto. Oh but it gets so much worse.

Boruto isnt being specific here, ppl can try to twist it all they want but all Boruto says here is that Sasuke risked his life to save his, I must emphasize this is the SECOND time now Boruto has returned without her dad, and now hes saying how he risked his life to save his, WTF DO YOU THINK THATS IMPLYING HERE? anybodys first thought would be that Sasuke DIED because if he didnt why didnt he come back with Boruto? Boruto is being vague af, he says that Sasuke believed in him, that he risked his life to save his, and Sasuke is nowhere to be found as hes saying this, there is literally NO other way to read this than Boruto implying that Sasuke is dead.

And what does Sarada do?

She knows how Sumire feels about Boruto btw.

This...is absolutely disgusting, if Boruto had left on his own this whole time then this scene wouldnt be bad at all, she was worried about her friend and is happy to see him alive and well, but thats not what happened.

Sarada begs her father in literal tears to go save Boruto, she awakens her MS from that desperate request which is what convinces Sasuke to leave behind EVERYTHING, his wife, his home, his daughter, all to protect a kid he doesnt even remember and believes killed his best friend solely because his daughter asked him to, and for 3 years Sasuke and Boruto have been missing with their status unknown until Boruto comes back, but he comes back ALONE which wouldnt happen unless something bad happened to Sasuke.

With this context, having Boruto return twice without Sasuke, and then implying he was dead, you would think his daughter would ask what happened to him? is he ok? but she not only doesnt ask, but she CUTS BORUTO OFF to hug him and ask what took him so long...

Oh but it somehow gets even WORSE, because THIS is what she thinks after the fact.

Dis-gust-ing, like legitimately disgusting, shes sitting there fixating on being embarrassed about the hug and then has the audacity to say to herself that theres so many things she wants to ask but doesnt know how to start.

Maybe you wouldnt have had to worry about that IF YOU HAD JUST FKING LISTENED TO HIM WHEN HE WAS TRYING TO TELL YOU.

Also idc how embarrassed she is about the hug, it is absolutely ABYSMAL writing that she doesnt think to ask about her dad even once, she literally DOES NOT CARE. The fact that she was so awkward that Sumire had to break the ice because once again Sarada apparently forgot how to talk but had no problem running into Borutos arms calling him stupid and askin what took him so long, but now that its time to ask about her dad? suddenly shes mute.

Do you know how crazy it is that she had more of an reaction to Boruto teasing her about the hug than she did hearing her dad had been turned into a tree? idc if he is alive, having zero reaction to your father, who YOU sent away which is what allowed this to happen, to have zero reaction to him being trapped in a tree because of YOUR request is absolutely disgusting.

Whats worse is Sasuke's final words before sacrificing himself were for Boruto to look after her, his final thoughts were literally of his daughter and wanting her to be safe, but Sarada? 0 thoughts or care about him

Do you know how crazy it is that BORUTO had to be the one to bring up her father again because she didnt? it took Boruto bringing it up a second time for her to finally ask about him, if Boruto didnt bring it up again, Sarada would've continued going back and forth about the stupid hug.

Boruto pretty much confirms hes the one whos gonna settle things with her dad, the fact that he says this with zero consideration of her speaks volumes all on its own, like what do you mean you'll save Sasuke? shouldnt Sarada be included in that? I mean it IS her dad right? but nah of course she isnt gonna be involved in that plot, because its not about Sasuke, Sarada's father, its about Sasuke, Boruto's master.

The plot isnt about daughter rescuing father, nor is it about father protecting daughter, its about Boruto atoning for his guilt of getting his master who he idolized in this situation, and making it up to Sarada who sent Sasuke his way in the first place, it is about Boruto honoring Sasuke's final wishes.

I want you to really think about that, a plotline about rescuing Sasuke is more about Boruto than it is Sarada and shes being left out of the plot altogether.

Well not totally

She's his tree clones target to devour, which is once again more about Boruto than it is her cuz its used to have her be a damsel in distress for Boruto to pull a cool last second heroic save.

Now this moment isnt inherently bad on its own...if not for everything that happened leading up to it.

Sumire warns that Sarada is the target, Sarada gets distracted and zapped anyway

Sumire is worried about her and trying to get her to move, but Sarada is paralyzed and unable to

One of the jonin that tried to protect her is burned to death in flames

Konohamaru tries to protect her but is knocked back

Sumire continues trying to get Sarada to move and is zapped unconscious

All of this happens before Boruto gets there, I must emphasize that Sarada was paralyzed and unable to move that whole time which is why 3 ppl got bodied trying to protect her, yet as soon as Boruto got there all of a sudden she was able to move and help fight.

She couldnt help ANYBODY ELSE who were trying to protect her, no she was crippled, couldnt move, couldnt help anyone who was trying to help her, but as SOON as Boruto arrives all of a sudden shes on her feet and able to assist him.

Dont you think its awful odd that she finally got the 'strength' to fight again only when it was to help Boruto get the win? oh and lets not forget the total lack of gratitude she had for anyone that tried to help her but Boruto, one of which literally DIED for her and yet she feels zero guilt, remorse, or gratitude for their efforts.

Imagine saying this to the ppl who just got their ass whooped to protect you, Sumire was so worried about Sarada that she didnt even pay attention to the enemy approaching her, and Konohamaru got knocked back when trying to protect her and barely escaped with his life if he hadnt reacted in time, yet the ONLY ONE who matters in her rescue is Boruto, he's the only one she gives any credit for her life being spared, idc if the rest failed, they still TRIED to help her and one literally DIED, yet she gives zero fks about any of them.

So when ppl try to pretend that this is just about ships, that oh your just mad because its not your ship, your just mad bsa is winning and your not, its complete bullshit and they know it too, they just pretend they dont cuz it works in their favor and thats all that matters to them.

This is about way more than ship preference, this is about blatant character assassination and bad writing that is objectively abysmal no matter how you look at it.

Even when going to the battlefield before it was even known Boruto is there, who does Sarada think about? Himawari, JUST Himawari despite knowing team 10 is there too, which includes Chocho, her bestie, but apparently she doesnt matter to her anymore because of a boy, so the only conclusion I can make for her worry for Himawari is the fact that shes Boruto's sister, because she danm sure didnt care about anyone else there in the same danger she was.

If you wanna know how how bad Sarada's writing is compare her writing to the other girls so far, Sumire is still working with Amado, asking him about Kawaki, trying to get intel outta him, shes also the one whos still conscious of their mission of eventually killing Ada and plays along to not blow their cover.

Chocho, with the rest of team 10, is helping to train Himawari and have seemed to been looking after her over the 3 years since her parents disappearance, and in her fight with Jura Chocho refused to leave her and had to be convinced, the two then promise to go get pancakes together which Himawari says is her fave

Himawari is shown believing in Boruto (Kawaki) despite everyone elses doubts, believing her father is still alive, working hard to get stronger so she could help her brother and her new friends [team 10] and she awakened Kuramas power due to her wanting to protect and save Inojin who almost died protecting her.

Notice how all of them have thoughts, feelings, goals, things going on outside of just Boruto?

The final nail in the coffin is her dressing like this mf, even with Mitsuki being as obsessed with Boruto as he is never sunk this low as to dress like him, even with him not believing his 'sun' is Kawaki, you dont see him dressing up as Kawaki either, this is literally just a Sarada exclusive thing which is just so bad for her character its pathetic.

Fk Ikemoto for what he did to her, there is no excuse or justification for this.

So what does the official art mean which always puts them next to each other? What does the camellia flower and the like mean or what does Sumire's feelings mean which has been emphasized many times for Boruto not to mention yesterday's cover? With Boruto, is it not enough to board this ship? what do you think?

Unfortunately I cant answer this, cuz its become clear since this interview that the anime team and Ikemoto were not on the same page AT ALL and essentially were tellings two different stories so even I dont know whats real, still canon, and whats not anymore. We just gotta wait and see.

For now its safe to say it still means what we thought until confirmed otherwise, so for not just stick to that until further notice.

[rhymingtree]

HAPPY FUCKING NEW YEAR

What better way to start off 2024 than with my favorite fictional darlings and villains. Am excited. We're gonna pretend I don't have a trip tomorrow. Or school on Wednesday. And unfinished assignments.

Darke, you've been one of the greatest parts of my year as well as your writing. I'm so glad I get to greet you a happy new year, and that I get to spend it talking to you.

Ok now time to suffer.

Oliver Walsh. He was in something of a box but that was putting it nicely.

A gift box. With a very violent demented lil present inside. Wrapped up with a pink bow and a fuck ton of security measures.

Fun.

Oh, but it's ginger... not so fun.

They gave him a cot? WHY? That's awfully nice of them.

Nearly the entire wound Perseus left reopened during the fight; you’d popped the stitches Raffa had done a few days prior and Oliver had somehow managed to tear it open further. The knife wound in your thigh was cleaner than he’d thought it would be; the bullet in your shoulder wasn’t. Neither were the breaks in your arm or the bruises on your ribs. Everything seemed to hurt. Even breathing was sometimes difficult but you were slowly making it through.

Damn... I know the answer to this question but I still gotta ask, how the fuck is she still alive?

Like

Gurl the grim reaper is watching you from the corner as you speak just staring at you in awe

I didn't mention it last chapter but I'm curious to see if Tony's gonna get any POVs going deeper into how he's processing the whole situation

But also, Peter. This is unfairly traumatizing for the poor kid. He's fifteen and already his trust issues are so severe that if I think far out enough, SM:FFH and SM:NWH would probably never happen. He'd probably learn not to trust anyone. When he meets Mysterio, he'll probably just remember Ghost.

And then he'll remember Oliver. And then it'll be, is Quentin like Ghost or like Ollie, is either conclusion even good?

I remember we talked about SM: FFH in the BSU and how Ghost and Jack would fit into the whole thing but...

is it too much to ask to just let the kid breathe? get some therapy first? Hang out with his friends and get into college and love MJ in peace?

What if he wanted nothing to do with you once he learned who you really were?

After all the sleep he lost trying to get you back? After all the memories he scoured through for a sign or a clue? Yeah, I doubt it girlie

“You should have killed him.”

Oh Jack... super soldiers of the same mind you two... it's a bit depressing

“Why didn’t you?” he asked, turning back to the man and folding his arms behind his back, “Fear?” “Love. For who he used to be,”

And now I weep harder

“I want to spend the rest of my life with you. From this breath to my last. I love you through hell and heaven. Chaos and peace. I’ll always love you. No matter the time, or the place, or the circumstance, or the universe.” 

Damn Darke gimme a break before my fucking lungs collapse

Or the universe, don't FUCKING

I am taking no man as my husband unless they propose to me exactly like that. Word for damn word.

Buckyyyy

my boy i'm so sorry darke is hurting you

He was running himself in circles when he really wanted to run toward her.

Ow.

I also wanna run. Into a wall. Or off a ravine. Or into the sea. Or...

I love the whiplash of Jack talking to Ghost and breaking me apart in a few lines of dialogue and then Sam talking to Bucky and the bittersweet comfort.

Wracking guilt in two different tones. I love it.

And they allowed Wraith to waltz through the Tower like he owned it.

Well... Walsh would have blown the whole tower to fucking smithereens if he ever found out anyone besides Wanda knew.

He threatened the poor girl without even having to open his mouth. She knew more than anyone he was a ticking time bomb.

No but I genuinely feel so bad for everyone they kept in the dark

The accords fiasco wasn't entirely a personal conflict (excluding the reveal of who killed Tony's parents), it was personal experiences influencing political and tactical beliefs.

This is different. These were direct lies by people they trusted. By letting Walsh play them like fiddles, Steve, Clint and Wanda was walking a thin line between life and death, and every little move anyone made could snap that line and get them all killed.

Everyone deserves some free fucking therapy

now that i think about it, I wonder why the US government didn't see all the shit Ghost pulled in Europe and not sent tac teams on her ass.

Don't they usually stick their nose into that kind of business? Wouldn't the US do that?

Underneath the masks that the man wore, he was still Ollie. He was still his friend.

But Turner, your friend was the mask. He never existed.

Dark eyes flicked up at him as Walsh caught sight of him through the window. Walsh stared at him for a moment, his eyes never changed as a smile split across his lips to show off cracked teeth. His stare was blank, his smile nearly demented.

He'd do great in a horror thriller movie

She was wearing the same clothes she had when he’d seen her last.

Oof... I can smell her from here. My girl needs a shower. Maybe three.

I guess it's reassuring that even after everything, Ghost still had a heart to mourn the friend she lost and see the remaining glimmer in the rust. Even if it was never really there.

“No, sir.” “Don’t call me ‘sir’,”

Hmmm but you liked it

I like it too

Boone keep doing it maybe he'll take his shirt off

“If I can figure out time travel this weekend,”

Which reminds me

How is Thanos' rampage for the Infinity Stones going?

“What am I going to be doing?” “Me.”

Boone Cavanaugh, the luckiest woman on earth

“What are you—” She cut him off with a searing kiss and a Cheshire smile before she turned on her heel, “Montana! Go!”

Yall are killing me

Tony Stark fucking cockblocked them from miles away how fucking dare he

Duke took a shower. Good. Great. GHOST IT'S YOUR TURN THERE'S STILL SOME HOT WATER LEFT

GET YOUR ASS IN THERE YOU STIIIINK

Damn, Duke and Boone get their dicking down tonight but Ghostie and Bucky are left to mope in the most complicated LDR situation ever... Darke you're cruel

Death notices.

Hmm. The chill that just ran down my spine at this...

“He caught me off guard,” Boone said, pursing her lips, “I was almost in the middle of someone.”

Putting salt in Ghost's very lonely possibly very horny wound there...

“I’m in,” Tony said, a smirk playing on his face as Sam lifted his head from his hands.

Don't be so smug. You're only in because she let you in. Congratulating yourself for walking into a door someone else opened for you is pathetic.

But then again he's a nepo baby multibillionaire. He does it all the time.

The Phantom of Paris. The Killer in Kyiv. The Specter in Sicily. The Devil of Dubai.

Oohh I like the ring to those ones lets make more

Muerte en Medellin. Multo ng Manila. Prague's Phantasm.

I don't know why I included my own city in there, it's not like I want her here. She'll make the traffic worse.

Oh god, they know she'd been engaged now

They know so much now

They've seen her whole fucking life

“Кем она была?” Who was she? “She is everything.”

Well, to Bucky, yeah. She is.

Oh my god are they actually

IS HE ACTUALLY

FIRST PROPER REUNION???? SINCE THE GALA???????

REALLYYYYY???????

“Nap. Food. Shower. Repeat,” he said, holding up a finger after each word as he leaned back against the desk lazily, “At least three times. Maybe more.”

See? Raffa and I are in agreement here.

Emphasis on the shower part.

“When they said you felt things…more… More,” he said, his teeth clenching together as he flexed his fingers, “I didn’t think it meant this.”

Is it because the body produces more testosterone in super soldiers? Or is it estrogen that goes up? I cant remember which hormone elevates emotions but it's one or the other i think

It's probably testosterone

Or it could be a completely new hormone that pops up in super soldiers because their pituitary glands are whack now.

Who knows? I don't fucking know. I wish I did though.

I'm so scared that this whole kill him-don't kill him is just Darke putting people on edge

She's about to pull some shit

Thanos is coming and Darke is pulling some shit

How dare she

I can't be worrying about this many things in an economy like this, c'mon now

But you still hadn’t been able to listen until Raffa threatened you.

The chanclas that man can throw strikes fear in the heart more effectively than even Oliver's mere existence

What if he whips out the belt. Or the broom. Or just the rampaging Spanish.

He learned a lot from his abuela and he isn't afraid to apply his skills on Ghost.

BUCKYYYYY

OH IT REALLY IS A HAPPY NEW YEAR

HURRY START THE EMOTIONAL TALK

AND THEN TAKE YOUR CLOTHES OFF

... never mind he's mad he's fucking mad GHOST RUN

or no wait dont you've been doing that all year

im sorry i let my horniness get ahead of me again

“Cavanaugh was right,” he said lowly, his eyes softening, “You need a shower.”

SEEEEE?????

girl. you stink. The stench is making everyone brutally honest about it.

Maybe she'll actually do it if you're in the shower with her

nudge nudge wink wink

... i need to air myself out on a different fic because this is getting out of hand

oh

I forgot that when they do take their clothes off, Bucky is gonna see everything...

I was most definitely not in the right headspace to read this

He fought the urge to kiss everyone, to try to make it better despite everything they’d been through.

Oh stfu thats

thats too fucking sweet

You know how i'm like... ready for the angst adn gearing up for the crying I'm about to do and then Bucky says this:

“Woman,” Bucky said, exasperated, “Quit arguing with me.”

And it was the most dom thing I HAVE EVER IMAGINED

turns out I'll be weeping in more than one place tonight

ANYWAYS

“Is this…” you asked, glancing down at the soup he’d given you. He nodded, making sure the spoon didn’t slip from the bowl as you stared down at it, “It’s the only real recipe I know.” You frowned, looking up at him as your eyes began to sting, “I only made it for you once.” “Right after I found you,” he said with a tired smile.

Did you hear that Darke? Through the din of fireworks and firecrackers? Did you hear my heart crumble into pieces from miles away?

Now I want fucking soup.

And I want a Bucky to take care of me.

Oh my god.

wtf.

Perfect start to the year. I'm all haggard and sad and horny and so damn happy and I'm ready to fricking die.

I'm tapped out on caffeine. And on water. I'm dehydrated from all the tears I just let out.

Daaaarke

I'll be yelling at you later. I love you. Happy new year.

CHAPTER 101: DIVIDED WE FALL

To all my live reactors,

Please, please, please, hide your reactions under a Read More cut. I don’t want any spoilers floating around. 

&

To all my Anonymous Avengers, 

If you want to react in my asks, feel free. However, I won’t be answering any of them until at least Wednesday if they contain spoilers. 

Thank you,

Darke

┍━━━━━━━━ ★ ━━━━━━━━┑

“Destroy it,” the Doctor said without hesitation as the Soldier opened the door of an SUV for him.

“Yes, sir.”

“Ace?” the man hummed, glancing over his shoulder and caught the redhead’s attention, “All of it.”

Ace nodded, turning his back to the man and moving toward another car before he paused, “What about her?”

“She is gone,” the Doctor said, grabbing a new pair of glasses from inside the vehicle and sliding them up his nose, “For now. Come. We must move.”

The Soldier nodded, rounding the SUV and glancing down the hall before ducking inside the vehicle. It took off before he had time to close the door. The sound of the engine hummed through the dimly lit tunnel as it traveled.

The Soldier paused, glancing over his shoulder and at the darkening tunnel as the lights flickered.

“What is it?”

“Кем она была?” Who was she?

“She is everything.”

The Soldier nodded slowly, facing forward as the Doctor turned to look at him, “Я знал ее.”

I knew her.

┕━━━━━━━━ ★ ━━━━━━━━┙

CHAPTER 101: DIVIDED WE FALL

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[masterwords]

Hello, can I please have 10 from the meaningful prompts with Hotch and Morgan? How you manage to find the time to do all these great prompt fics is amazing 😅

The prompt: Whispering jokes/loving words in a lecture/school/church/a meeting. Trying not to laugh/flirt back in fear of disturbing everyone else who's trying to pay attention.

Prompts don't always call to me, but when I'm doing these big chapter stories I get all antsy and want to leave those worlds/need distractions and then I just devour prompts. I don't know why but I'm glad you guys indulge me. Thank you! <3

(1.9k words / On AO3 if you prefer / mostly deaf Hotch and Morgan and JJ at a lecture not exactly behaving themselves)

**

Hotch stretches his legs, one and then the other, straight in front of him. His left knee pops loudly, flooding him with a strange and instant relief in the once aching joint. He's been sitting in this chair for the better part of the day, give or take a break that wasn't much of a break because everyone wanted to talk to him. He's really starting to feel it creeping in his lower back.

These chairs needed replacing at least two decades ago (that's being generous), when the BAU was still the BSU and they were nicely situated in the far reaches of the basement, when no one gave a shit about them. These chairs needed replacing when people still used finger quotes to denote anything the BAU did. Oh, you created a “profile” huh? Fascinating. Now it's the hot button topic at the Bureau, and his team is expected to not only guest lecture but also sit through an absurd number of them so they can be useful to everyone everywhere, that's the idea anyway. He has other suspicions, but he keeps those to himself.

Well today, it's Andy Swann up there talking about the link between social media and trafficking, and he really does find it interesting...hell, he even helped her prepare some of it. Even knowing what she was going to talk about he took pages of notes during his first time through. He managed to find a few things of note the second time too things he'd missed in the first session. Aaron Hotchner would never be considered anything but an attentive student under most circumstances, but now he's on his third go around on this carousel, the last of the day, and he's more or less just supervising. Making sure everyone who was supposed to attend did, which he considers to be micromanaging and a task he loathes. He's a highly paid chaperon, and he's also completely done. His head is throbbing, and his back is killing him, not to mention that he hasn't had time to eat anything since he ate the last two bites of Jack's frosted mini wheats when the kid said he was too full to finish, and he has to pee because the four styrofoam cups of coffee he's sucked down have finally gone through him.

He reaches up and turns off his hearing aids. It's instant relief of the one complaint he has that he can control. Just like his knee popping only maybe better. The pressure in his head almost vanishes along with the sound.

He's been wearing hearing aids for nearly a year now. Sometimes only an hour or two, sometimes the whole day, it really just depends on what he's got to do. How attentive he has to be to what's going on around him. His hearing has been bad his entire life, or close enough anyway. He doesn't remember a time when he didn't struggle and his mother would tell you that he passed all of the hearing tests as a baby so she's not sure what happened. He could tell you, but he doesn't tell her because she wouldn't listen anyway. His dad's penchant for knocking him around on those nights when the whiskey went down easy like mountain spring water, bring those up to her and she'll give you her best I don't know what you're talking about smile and that's the end of her willingness to entertain the topic. In any case, he always figured it didn't really matter when it started because it was a bomb placed under his SUV in New York that did him in, and that made the topic easier for her to swallow too.

When his doctor looked him right in the eye and told him that his hearing wasn't likely to improve after his continued exposure to sudden loud noises, he was able to take it with a grain of salt.

“Will it get worse?” was all he could think to ask, and her solemn features as she considered her words carefully told him more than anything she actually said.

“The hearing loss is irreversible, Agent Hotchner, but if we're careful, we can mitigate further damage. The right ear is worse than the left. Wearing hearing devices will help.”

He knew everyone expected him to be upset, to take it the way he took everything else. Derek had watched him rip an IV out of his hand and sign himself out AMA while his ears were still bleeding after that bomb...that he was now so willing to accept this was nothing short of a miracle. But they don't know that he's been reading lips since middle school with an intensity that gave people pause. Practicing, maybe, but some part of him knew that it was an eventuality and Hotch never liked to be blindsided. He likes to be ahead of things.

By high school he was better at reading lips than he was at making or maintaining eye contact. Learning ASL from one of the school librarians had been a hobby for a while, something he thought he might need but maybe not...better to be prepared. Plus she was nice, and if he was there then he didn't have to be at home. She knew his concerns, and she argued that if he knew it then he could teach other people when the time came. And if it never did? Well, being fluent in another language is never a bad thing.

He's been working with Jack now for a few months, the kid is picking it up quickly. Jessica (for reasons she's purposely evasive about) already speaks ASL very well, she's helping with Jack. And Derek says he wants to do it by himself. (Except it's he and Garcia and a computer, squirreled away in his office late at night with a bowl of popcorn and sodas and their talking hands.) He tries not to think too hard about that one, it'll make him cry.

He knows the rest of them are learning, too. JJ has been signing with Henry since he was a baby, it was a natural thing for her to continue. But, again, the whole crying thing...he doesn't ask. They're all adapting, and anyway, he has his hearing aids, so they don't need to worry too much. It's only when they surprise him in the office, when he's turned them off or taken them out for some peace because the way they amplify the sound makes his head hurt if he wears them too long.

So, really, the fact that he's uncomfortable and a little distracted is easy to understand. That he's turned his hearing devices off in the middle of a lecture is probably considered rude, but he'll apologize to Andy later, she'll understand. She signed as the witness at his wedding to Haley, their friendship is a long and winding road. It's not likely that she'll hold it against him. She'll probably ask him why he didn't do it sooner.

He's hovering in this serene, nearly silent world when JJ uses her pen to tap him on the knee and gives him a knowing glance. He raises one eyebrow, and his eyes flick down to her hands. She signs quickly to him that Derek is trying to get his attention from the end of the row. They're exactly thirteen seats apart, might as well be separate planets. Derek has been working with a new group of recruits at the Academy all week, this is the first time they've seen each other in at least that long. He nods and silently thanks her before turning his eyes to Derek. He can barely mask his relief, or whatever that huge feeling in his chest is that he feels just knowing Derek is around.

But then Derek lowers his hands just out of sight of anyone who might be casually watching and signs something to Hotch. Something lewd (why not just hello?) and Hotch turns away quickly, forces his attention back to Andy on the stage. He pretends to try and read her lips and Derek knows he got to him. He's smiling and he's definitely blushing. He knows that it's a problem that Derek and Penelope are learning together, because they're not just learning the basics, they're not just becoming conversational, they're figuring out how to flirt. They're learning the inappropriate things that they will both eventually teach Jack. Hotch's stomach twists and he nervously reaches up to adjust the lay of his tie.

Twice.

Just to keep his hands busy, because he wants to sign something back at Derek, but he won't. He won't because someone would surely see him.

JJ taps him again. She looks exasperated, her eyes are wide and she's missing the lecture, but she flicks her pen in Derek's direction and Hotch watches as he flirts a little more appropriately this time. At least Hotch thinks he's flirting, he's still pretty rusty and he makes the sign for hot while waggling his eyebrows. It's not exactly correct, but Hotch understands what he means, and he can feel a warm prickly flush spreading like wildfire through dry underbrush beneath his collar.

He adjusts the lay of his tie again. As if it's moved.

When JJ taps him a third time, he wants to tell her to stop. If they just don't give Derek attention, he'll turn his attention to Andy and be done with it, they're just fueling his fire by giving him an audence. The thing is, he kind of doesn't want it to stop though. He looks up and Derek is asking him if he wants to get a drink later. His sign for hot had been so clunky, but this is crystal clear. He's been practicing.

Hotch can't help what he does next, he really can't. He looks at Andy at the front of the room, she's using her pointer and showing some statistic on the power point. Quickly he turns back to Derek and smiles, dragging his forefinger slowly from his chin down to his collar bone with a wink. I'm thirsty, he says, his finger pointing to his own chest.

This makes Derek laugh out loud, the absolute asshole.

Hotch has been keeping a straight face the whole time but Derek can't handle one cheeky reply? Hotch turns toward Andy and frowns when he notices her stop, glance at him first, and then at Derek. He turns his hearing aid back on, just the left one, because he's good at reading lips but he might need to be on higher alert for this one.

“Agent Morgan?” Andy's voice is cool and calm, but she's looking directly at Derek with those piercing eyes that make her so damn scary. Hotch's veins run with ice; Derek doesn't seem the least bit bothered. Hotch can't look at Derek any longer, so he turns his attention to his paper, mortified. “Would you care to share with everyone what's so funny?”

Derek clears his throat and smiles with that infuriating calm he has because he's so damn self-confident that things just don't rattle him. Even when they absolutely should. (And for a long time, Hotch thought it was just an act, was sure he could get under his skin but now he's glad for it. He leans on it, leans into it.)

“Nothing, ma'am. I apologize. I was just asking Agent Hotchner if he wanted to get coffee after the lecture.”

She shoots Hotch a dangerous glare, one that says he owes her big time for not making him repeat exactly what his response has been because she saw everything. Everything, her eyes say. And she won't be letting him forget it any time soon.

“You'll buy me a coffee too, for interrupting my lecture, Agent Morgan.”

“Yes, ma'am. I'm sorry again.”

“And a muffin. Apple cinnamon.”

“Whatever you want, Agent Swann.”