#I've had it half-written since the night the episode aired

[scarletttries]

Romeo Take Me Somewhere We Can Be Alone (Roman Roy Succession Request)

Part Two Available Now!

Pairing: Roman Roy (Succession) x Gender Neutral! Reader

Requests: "Roman x Mattson!reader? Forbidden/secret relationship?" AND "Perhaps some smut for Roman Roy? Maybe Roman being on the more submissive side? Thank you!"

Warnings: Smut, spoilers for the new season.

Word Count: 2.7k

Author's Note: Oh Roman, I'm going to pretend I haven't seen the latest episode so I can continue fancying you without having to think critically about this piece of media 🙃 Thank you to the ABSOLUTE genius that suggested a Mattson! reader, forbidden romance vibe, I loved the request and enjoyed writing this so much, I've gone full Romeo & Juliet! (More like Rome-eo, hahaha I felt like a genius for this). Also this is my first Roman smut so it was a bit of a challenge to try and keep it in the same tone i've written Roman in so far, but I hope you enjoy! As always keep the requests coming :D

Romey-o take me somewhere we can be alone

"Have you had enough of this little ass-kiss fucky fest yet?" You watched the little bubble pop up on your phone and looked across the party in reflex, scanning the crowd until you saw his smug little smile directed your way. You unlocked your phone to reply, scrolling up to glimpse the hundreds of messages between the two of you since you'd met that day at the woodlands company retreat three weeks ago.

***

"Problems working with your older brother? I can relate." You stepped out into the night air to find Roman hunched over the railing of the small balcony, hands threading through his hair so firmly he threatened to pull it out in clumps. His shoulders grew a little less tense as your voice washed over him, hands falling to the edge of ledge as he gestured for you to join him.

"So you're the younger Mattson? You could have fooled me, on account of you not being a massive dick." He laughed at the words but it came out hollow, watching his breath form a white wisp in front of his face in the cold night air.

"Thanks, I try my best to be an actual human being. I hear out of all the Roys you're the most favourable to be around too."

He turned his head sharply to really look at you, the sincerity in your tone and the measured kindness of your words catching his attention.

"Oh yeah?" He probed, hoping another almost compliment would fall from your lips before he did something to ruin this moment. Truth was he'd spend half the weekend watching the way you floated through the conference, poised, humble, soft; the antithesis of your brother Lucas. And so he'd avoided you, sure that any moment spent in your presence would only tarnish the shining light you carried so effortlessly.

"I like to think I've got good instincts for people, and I think there's something about you that's different from the rest of your family. And I mean that in a good way." You were thoughtful as you spoke, treading lightly around the slick man in front of you, sure that one wrong move would have him sprinting back inside, spitting venom in his words as he went.

"That's actually pretty nice to hear these days." Roman replied after a pause, now standing squarely to face you, searching your eyes for any hint of deception and mockery and instead finding a tranquility that washed over him in waves as you returned a smile he hadn't realised he was sharing.

"I'm really sorry about your father by the way. And I'm even more sorry that you have to be here right now." You grimaced at your brother's insistence that this weekend go ahead as planned, every ounce of humanity seeming to leave him the moment his bank account saw a certain amount of zeros. Roman nodded at your words, the taste of condolences still unfamiliar and bitter in his mouth, cursing his father for ruining yet another interaction for him, even from beyond the grave. You read his silence for the pain that it was and set your hand gently on top of his where it rested on the railing.

"Well I should go back inside before any of our siblings accuse us of fraternising with the enemy, but it was nice to meet you. I really mean that."

Panic rose up in the back of Roman's throat as you turned to move away, not yet ready for this moment to end, feeling better than he had in weeks. He ignored the voice crying out inside him to stay strong, to isolate himself, to trust no one, and instead caught your rising hand with his.

"Maybe we could fraternise just a little longer.

***

And so you and Roman had spent an evening sharing in the perils of being a younger sibling in your strange corporate worlds, swapping numbers and an unspoken agreement to keep this from your families as you departed the next day, Roman touching the spot on his cheek you had blessed with a gentle kiss when he snuck into your treehouse to say a real goodbye. And so followed weeks of secret texts and furtive phone calls, pouring out your souls until finally you were back in the same room, parted in a hotel lobby by a sea of political donors and movers and shakers, but feeling only one pair of eyes on you.

"I thought you'd never ask." You sent back in response, locking eyes with him once again and tipping your head toward an emergency exit you had checked led to a service elevator. From opposite sides of the room you each slipped through the crowd, trying your best to be unseen, aware that any of these prying eyes could collapse what you had delicately built with a single passing comment. As you reached the door you did a final scan to ensure there were no Waystar or GoJo members nearby who could catch a glimpse of this subtle rendezvous, before backing through the door yourself.

Roman stood waiting between the open elevator doors, looking almost bashful as you dashed towards him, vanishing into the small metal room as he let the door slide shut behind him.

"Thanks for holding it." You couldn't help the anticipation loaded in your tone, facing Roman and finding him stood barely an inch away from your blushing face.

"I had a feeling we were going to the same floor." He breathed out, eyes wide and hands shaking as they rose to brush either side of your face, the adoration clear in the gentle way his thumbs stroked your cheeks.

Before either of you could think your way out of something good, you leant forward, closing the gap between your lips and sending a whirlwind of warmth and glitter spinning through your bodies, the reunion more than worth the wait. His head bobbed forward to return the gesture, body following the movement until he was pressed entirely against you. It wasn't rough, or frantic, or urgent. It was like deep down you knew you'd be doing this forever, so you had all the time in the world to sweetly caress the nape of his neck, parting his lips for a content sigh that only let you taste more of him.

By the time the lift doors opened on your floor Roman could hardly remember where he began and you ended, unsure how he ever coped being half way across the planet from you, needing to keep you as close as he could for every second you could steal tonight. You could feel it too, the desperate pull of your heart towards him, the air of secrecy that only made you want him more, this forbidden fruit the sweetest you would ever taste.

You could feel his cheeks brush against yours as he fought back a smile at finally having you in his arms, and the physical confirmation you had been feeling this overwhelming chemistry too. He would have berated anyone else for believing in love at first sight, but as you rested your forehead softly against his, feeling the joy emanating between you, he didn't think this could be anything else. When you pushed the jacket free of his shoulders, helping him shrug away the fabric until it crumpled on the floor, he had to stop himself from pulling away. Not because he didn't want this with you. It was really the opposite; he couldn't remember ever feeling this way, ever wanting someone to be so close to him, to feel every part of him, and now he wanted that more than anything with you. But he was scared of being vulnerable, and insecure in his inexperience, completely unsure what real intimacy could even look like.

As you worked through the buttons on his shirt, you could see the gears whirring in his head, the unmistakable fear and excitement of a man that's seen a hard-drive's worth of porn but never felt the touch of a person that genuinely cares about them.

"We can stop?" You offered, pulling your hands away from his shirt, only for him to vigorously shake his head and rip it off himself, a stray button clattering across the floor, disrupting the heavy silence.

"I want to." He insisted, his eyes full of desperate desire as you brought your hands to his now bare chest, his heart hammering in anticipation inside. Unsure of what to do next, Roman firmly grabbed at your ass, voice wavering as he tried to take control, feeling like that should be his role,

"Do you like that, you fucking slut?" Both of your faces seemed to contort in discomfort as the words tumbled out of his mouth, his hand quickly releasing and his eyes clenching shut in embarrassment.

"Sorry Rome, I don't even think you like that?" You questioned softly, bringing your fingertips to sweep delicately over the creases in his forehead, his brow slowly unfurrowing as he blinked his eyes open to see you again.

"Fuck, sorry, I was trying to, you know, talk dirty, be sexy." He waved his hands in a gesture of uncertainty as he spoke, surprised you weren't laughing at him or taking the opportunity to run for the door.

"You know talking doesn't have to be degrading to be sexy?" You replied, the calm, confident smile on your face matched by the alluring look in your eye leaving Roman feeling like a deer in headlights, but praying the car will crash right into him.

"Oh yeah?" He gulped, eyes wide as you nodded, pushing him gently so he could step backwards towards the end of the bed. He let himself drift in your current as your touch laid him backwards, every wave of contact soothing his nerves.

"Can I show you?" You breathed in his ear, settling your thighs either side of his legs, feeling all the more powerful for being fully dressed as his bare chest heaved beneath you.

"Please." He begged softly, letting his eyes flutter shut as your lips found his again, fingers tracing a path down his stomach until they reached his belt.

"I'm so glad I got to see you tonight." You sighed against his lips as you began to undo the buckle, feeling his hips twitch, reacting to even the slightest touch. His head leant forward, trying to chase your lips as you spoke, needy for the taste of your kiss as you released the zip and buttons in your way.

"Me too." He eventually sighed out as your lips moved out of his reach, mapping a course across his cheek until you reached the edge of his jaw, applying a little more pressure until you heard the low rumble of moan escape his lips.

"I like hearing you enjoy yourself." You purred, confidence building as he relaxed against your touch, submitting to your control, putty in your hands. Marking a sweet constellation of kisses over his neck you slowly slipped your hand inside his boxers, running one finger over the length of him and feeling him buck up to meet your touch. Roman had never felt both so excited and so relaxed at the same time, never this comfortable with someone exploring his body before, but feeling like he wanted to give every inch over to your control, sure your loving touch could put all the broken pieces of him back together.

You wrapped your hand around his hard length, pumping over him a few times to gage his reaction. His eyebrows scrunched down towards his nose, lips parting as a moan seemed to reverberate through his whole body.

"Does that feel good?" Your tone was sweet, if not a little teasing, sucking on a spot on his throat that seemed to leave him barely able to spit out an 'uh-uh' in response.

"Good, I want to make you feel good, Roman. Will you let me make you feel good?" You praised, bobbing your head down to his chest and picking up the pace of your rubbing hand. Ability to think and speak quickly surrendered, Roman just nodded, for once unable to think of a quippy comeback and just enjoying someone else taking control and being with him so intimately. He'd touched himself like this hundreds of times, thinking cruel, perverse little thoughts the whole time until he was left sitting in a puddle of his own self-contempt. But with you it felt like something new entirely, something positive, and warm, and with each soft praise and gentle kiss that poured from your lips and landed squarely on his chest he could feel his heart lifting, thinking maybe there's a reason he'll only ever thought of it as 'fucking' and not 'making love'.

Your lips drifted down to his chest, gingerly placing a kiss on one nipple and smiling at the way he squirmed under you, eyes now staring down at you in full adoration like you were the most wondrous miracle he could have dreamt of. You could feel his cock starting to twitch in your hand, cooing over him again, sure this wouldn't be the last time the two of you spend a night hiding in the sheets together.

"You're doing so well, Roman. Good boy."

"You feel - so - good." He panted out, the praise bringing him close to the edge before he could really think enough to stop it. Ignoring your own desire stirring up inside your stomach, you gripped your hand on him a little firmer, leaving the other to trace faint circles over his chest, the lingering damp of your kisses only making him more sensitive. Crashing your lips back against his you swallowed his moan before breathing out,

"Cum for me, Rome, please." His lips pressed hard against yours as his hips started to shake, unable to hold back for a second longer and spilling hot white ropes across his stomach, almost whimpering at his sensitive release, overstimulated but still whining the second you released your grip.

His hands reached up to capture your face, somehow trying to portray a lifetime's worth of gratitude and affection in a single overwhelming kiss, before finally releasing you to breathe. As you rose up onto your knees, surveying the smiling fool of a man lying beneath you, you couldn't help but laugh at the state of both of your suit trousers, marred with streaks of sticky white.

"We might need to hide up here for a while until we get cleaned up and dried off, or this might be hard to explain."

"You don't think we could say two seperate waiters happen to get lucky?" Roman rebuffed, pulling a disgusted face as he wiped a finger over the fluid pooling on his stomach.

"Or one waiter got very lucky?" You suggested with a smile, Roman using every ounce of remaining strength to sit up until his lips could find their way to yours.

"No-one's that lucky, so I guess we better stay hidden. I reckon there's a lot more stuff you could show me anyway." Roman's eyes drifted down your body eagerly, wondering exactly what else he'd been missing by never trying it with the right person.

"You don't think the party will miss us?" You teased, pretending to bat away his eager hands.

"What party?" He scoffed, letting you capture him by the wrists and pulling you back to lie with him, falling so you pinned his wrists either side of him, a position he was more than happy to end up in.

"What about our families?" You couldn't help the worried tinge in your voice as you remembered the seemingly insurmountable barrier that stood between yours and Roman's lives. With unusual sincerity he gazed up into your eyes and said softly,

"Fuck 'em, you're my family now."

[thestupidhelmet]

I know we talk about Jackie and Eric being a thing in fanfiction. But how much of a game changer would it have been if it happened in real life? How would casual fans take to a J/E romance? Would ratings go up, or down?

This answer went far beyond the scope of the question. 😄

When the show originally aired, down. ⬇️ The majority of the fanbase shipped Eric/Donna and Jackie/Hyde while Eric/Jackie shippers were fringe.

Today, with new generations of fans -- still down but, perhaps, slightly less. The majority of fans still ship Eric/Donna and Jackie/Hyde. But Jackie/Eric shippers have increased and are more active in fandom.

J/H shippers have been and are far more active in making fanworks (fanfic, .gifsets, art, etc.) than Eric/Donna fans, but that could be due to Eric and Donna being together in some romantic aspect since "That '70S Pilot" (1x01) and are ultimately endgame in the series finale.

In contrast, T7S fans recognized the chemistry between Jackie and Hyde as early as "The Keg" (1x06) and began shipping them around then. Fanfic followed to explore the romantic possibilities. "The Best Christmas Ever" (1x12), for example, establishes Jackie experiences some kind of sexual attraction toward Hyde (however minor). "Ski Trip" (1x13) establishes Jackie's emotional connection to Hyde (however minor).

And "Prom Night" (1x19) blows the doors open for Jackie and Hyde. Recognizing the other's humanity overrides their antagonism. They find each other aesthetically appealing. Jackie trusts Hyde when she's most vulnerable e and isn't let down. In fact, he goes above and beyond -- to the point of reconciling her and Kelso despite in previous episodes trying to convince Kelso to drop her. Hyde exhibits significant empathy toward Jackie, and the ship was sea-worthy.

Eric and Jackie canonically treat each other like bickering siblings who insult each other (to each other's face amd behind the other's back). Jackie is sexually and aesthetically repulsed by Eric, and Eric is repulsed by Jackie's personality.

Their few times bonding stems from Eric's compassion for people in general, Jackie being obsessed with getting married and enjoying the shopping process, and the writers wanting to get a laugh from the audience.

For an Eric and Jackie romance to work canonically, the writers would have to develop and substantiate the changes in their characters over half a season of episodes, at least. Thirteen episodes (T7S aired back when shows had seasons of 26 episodes, split into thirteen for the fall/winter and spring/early summer halves of a season.)

That doesn't mean fanfic writers can't and haven't accomplished the above in their stories. But a romantic Eric/Jackie pairing simply isn't built into the show in any way.

Over the years, I've gone from finding the ship physically repulsive (my stomach actually tensed in an unpleasant manner 😅) to enjoyable in a well-written fanfic. Just because a relationship ship isn't show!canon doesn't mean it can't work if it's written well in fanfic. By that same token, well-written fanfic doesn't inject canonicity into the show. It might project it onto the show, but it can't create what doesn't exist.

Interestingly, the potential for a Jackie/Fez romantic relationship is built into the show (long before the OOC season 8). Their pairing in fanfic can be considered following show!canon.

I don't ship Jackie/Fez at all romantically, but I can't dismiss what's in the show. Whereas I enjoy the Eric/Jackie ship in specific cases, but the show well-establishes their romantic (and sexual) incompatibility.

For more about Jackie and Fez's relationship on T7S, check out the following meta:

[bowtiesnmusicals]

Here is my recap of the "Legendary" (Furt) episode of the podcast.

Welcome to...and that's what you really missed...Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1.

Kevin said that's what I wish we were recapping. Jenna said why don't we have a Harry Potter podcast. Kevin said we probably know more about Harry Potter then we do about Glee. We would probably be better at that.

Welcome to our first Glee wedding. Jenna said it feels like we have done a ton of weddings already but we haven't. Kevin said, this is our first right, first and second because there are two in this episode. Jenna said first and a half. Kevin said 1.5.

This episode originally aired November 23, 2010. This was around Thanksgiving time in the US.

The #1 song was Like a G6.

The #1 movie was Harry Potter and Deathly Hallows part 1.

Jenna asked Kevin if he remembers when they went to see this movie. Kevin said no, oh wait, and asked if they sat it at Arch Light at midnight and they dressed up a little bit. He has pictures from that night. This was the first Harry Potter movie that Jenna has ever seen. Kevin said what a weird movie to come in on. It's Kevin's favorite Harry Potter movie. Jenna said it's her husbands favorite as well. Jenna said he puts it on all the time and she is like why this one. Kevin said in terms of ones he watches the most, not because it's his favorite, but because he feels like it's easiest to watch. Jenna said, this one, you crazy girlfriend, I'm talking about Goblet, like that is easy. Kevin said he's seen Goble of Fire too many times. Jenna said she's seen them all too many times. The reason Kevin likes this movie is, because you asked, he thinks this section of the book is not great and this is the only movie that improves upon what is written in the book. Jenna said fair enough, she has to agree, they really did do something with it. She doesn't love it but they did do something with it. Kevin said he thinks it is the best acting in the entire film. Jenna said it is like watching an indie film. Jenna said this was the first movie she came into and was kind of confused but she was excited that everyone else was excited so she was into it. This is when Kevin lent her all the books and she got into the movies a little later. She refused to watch the rest of the movies until she finished the books. Kevin said good for you. Kevin said he is glad they have that time of Harry Potter being untainted by the terfness. Jenna said such a pure more innocent time.

Also this week in Glee news. The American Music Awards happened. Darren met Katy Perry. The other boys had already met Katy Perry because they had hosted the Teen Choice Awards with her. Shortly after they will be in her music video for Last Friday Night. Kevin said he had to run out of a gay club because they started playing that song and he was really embarrassed so he walked out. Jenna asked why was he embarrassed it's such a great video. Kevin said it is a great video but friends and people started to look at him and he was like I've got to go. Jenna said yeah I hear that, very exciting though, and they will have to talk about that when we get there.

This episode was directed by Carol Banker. She was a new director but she had worked on Glee since season 1 as the script supervisor. Their is a script supervisor every day on set and they take copious notes on continuity. The wardrobe people turn to them and are like what day is this. They also have photos they refer to as well. Jenna said she didn't explain it very well. Kevin said even within a scene it's like if there is a take and you turn your head and let's say Jenna your hair is down and half of it moves from behind your shoulder to in front of your shoulder then that's what you need to do to match that every single time now. Because they had so many people on the show the script supervisor is paying attention that many actors all at once. They are also making sure you saying all the correct dialogue, if drop a word, if you add a word, if you are improving, that person is going to come in and be like so here is the actual line and you do need to do it as written. They do this for all the characters in every scene, in every take, all the time. They also are taking the notes because they sit with the director and the DP and watch the takes and sometimes the director will be like that is the take I want. So they can also mark those things down that this is the directors preferred take in the moment for the edit. So it is a huge job and responsibility. They see everything because they are at the epicenter where all the departments are talking to the director and DP and going to the little area where the script supervisor sits. So Carol Banker got to step on up and went on to direct all kinds of series. Jenna said thank you for that much better explanation. Kevin said nonsense. This is one of many episodes that Carol will direct for Glee.

We have some special guest stars. We have the one and only Carol Burnett. So two Carols. Kevin said he watched this episode last night and watched the series finale of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel right after not realizing there is someone playing a young Carol Burnett in the episode. Then he woke up today and Carol Burnett was trending and its a lot of Carol Burnett because she is an icon.

Jenna said there are also a lot of Carols. We have Carol Bander, Carol Burnett, and Carole Hudson-Hummel. Kevin said she becomes Hudson-Hummel in this episode. Kevin said it was really special to talk to Jane when she was on about getting to work with Carol Burnett, how crazy and very surreal. Also talking to Jane about marrying herself which Jenna did not think came so quickly. Kevin said he did not think it was in this episode. Jenna said she thought it was in season 6. Kevin said it sounds like a season 6 move.

They talked about the songs in this episode. Kevin said it is like a mini early Bruno Mars tribute episode.

The overview is that Burt and Carole announced they got in engaged and Kurt takes on all the wedding planning. He hires the New Directions to perform at the wedding. Finn is a little hesitant obviously for personal reasons. Sue also decides that she is going to get married but she is going to marry herself. Her mom comes to town, the one and only Carol Burnett. Sue is still principal and she is actually going to advocate for Kurt.

Kevin said the real big star of this episode really is Carol Burnett. They have had a lot of really famous people, legends, but he feels like Carol Burnett is TV Legend/Icon. He said what was wild about watching this was knowing how much Jane admires her and the whole time he was watching Jane interact with Carol in character he was thinking how much fun and also how hard it must be to stay in character. He said he knows when you are in scenes with a legendary sometimes you are also sometimes aware of I am watching this this really famous incredibly talented person in front of me right now. He said obviously if you are really talented like Jane you are probably just in it and you are doing the job but it was so weird to see Jane play Sue Sylvester next to Carol Burnett. He just wanted her to just be Jane and just fawn all over her. Jenna said right, and she was not doing that, it's not the character at all. She said she can only imagine it is very out of body. Kevin said their number together was phenomenal.

Kevin said lets talk about this storyline real quick because this is the smaller storyline but they do it in a bigger way. Carol Burnett shows up in Principal Sylvester's office and we learn that she is Sue's mother and that she is a famous nazi hunter. Jenna said we really love the nazi hunters on Glee. Kevin said it's quite funny. The sort of go at it. Sue has a complicated relationship with her mother. Her mother has overheard that Sue is going to marry herself because Rod Remington is getting married and she is really embarrassed and furious about it. No one can lover her like herself. Mama Sylvester comes in and is like this is really sad and pathetic and has all these insults. There is a lot of you abandoned us, you abandoned your daughters, you abandoned me. I've been taking care us and where have you been. Mama Sylvester is like I've been off killing nazis but she is so funny. Jenna said she is so funny. Kevin said it's zero percent surprising that Carol Burnett is funny but way to sell a crazy storyline. A wild storyline. Jenna said at the root of it, and she doesn't know if it's the magic of them or a combination of the writing and the magic of them, but it really comes back to a mother and daughter. At the end, in the auditorium, the foundation of it is a broken family. Jenna said this is crazy and she is glad that Doris(Carol Burnett) is like this is kind of crazy but even more so its funny because Doris is like I can't believe you are not letting me be a more central part of your wedding. The age old mother/parents involved in weddings.

Kevin asked Jenna if she love this number they did together. Jenna said when she opened her mouth she was like right, right. right, that's Carol Burnett. Kevin was like yeah. Jenna said its wonderful, it's really really wonderful. So simple. Kevin said he forgot Carol Burnett can sing, she can do everything. Jenna said its simple, just let them do their thing. Kevin said it's not like everyone can pull off the dialogue in the middle of the song. They are both comedic geniuses and toe the line of what Jenna said of identifying and representing the storyline of the mother/daughter relationship that is serious but also in the context of the absurdity of what is going on and the situation around them and it's just so beautifully done and puts the rest of us to absolute shame. Jenna said she forgot how good that number was and when she watched she was like oh right, this number. Kevin said he didn't remember it. Jenna said it was probably because they were like this didn't include us, let's just go, back in the day. Kevin said this was one of those things too that they got to have some of those amazing people on but if they didn't interact with them, and they read the scripts, they weren't skipping them, they were probably in dance rehearsal or recording or something. Jenna said she didn't meet Carol. Kevin said he thinks he did or he saw her or they had a conversation as a group on the New York backlot which is where their stages were. He said he thinks he did see her for a second but he doesn't think he spoke because he was in awe. Jenna said what do you say to the queen.

So Sue decides to marry herself and she is officiating it herself. The wedding happens at Jean's home. Kevin said Jean is also so talented as well, the three of them together are really tremendous. Jenna said Robin. They really sold a very kind of broken family and it was really heartbreaking. Kevin said as crazy as it is the Adidas wedding dress was phenomenal. Carol Burnett's reaction to it was also phenomenal. Kevin she was all of us. This is ridiculous, absolutely crazy. Jenna said Lou Eyrich at her crazy, wonderful, genius again. Doris says she still thinks this whole thing is absolutely crazy and she's said she is not more a part of the wedding. Then Sue gives it to her mom and says she is a bully. Then you are like oh I see where Sue got it from and I see why she is the way she is and then it is just her and Jean. Sue says you know when I finally began to like who I am, when I stopped trying to please you. Burn, burn, burn, burn. Kevin said damn. Jenna said it's the most profound thing she has heard Sue say. Doris is uninvited to the wedding, good-bye. That is a wrap on Doris. That's a wrap on Carol Burnett and a wrap on Sue marrying Sue.

The real meat of the episode is the wedding that happens in record time. Jenna was like I know, I was like already. Kevin said we didn't want to drag this wedding preperation out for a couple episodes. Jenna said Kurt is just a magician, that's all. Kevin that isn't the Ryan Murphy style. We want to introduce it and wrap it up in 42 minutes.

Burt and Carole surprise Kurt and Finn at school and tell them they got engaged. Kurt is so excited, he's got the wedding plans under control from the trunk full of wedding magazines under his bed instead of all the other things boys have under their bed. Finn is seemingly not so excited. He is a bit shocked. It probably feels a bit soon. Burt and Carole are going to Waikiki for their honeymoon. Jenna said take me with you. Burt wants a really good band so Kurt is going to enlist New Directions. Jenna said because we are a really good band. Kevin said we are a great band. Jenna said a wedding band. Kevin said we have a band that plays with us. Jenna said that is a really good band. Kevin said that is actually a band. Glee Wedding.

Simultaneously what is going on with Kurt is that he is getting bullied by Karofsky still and there is this power dynamic and shift where Finn is feeling pushed aside because he felt like he was blindsides by this whole wedding. Kurt is taking the lead, I'm going to take it over. At the same time Kurt is being bullied and shoved aside and Finn is not stepping up to the plate as now about to be his step brother. Everyone wants Finn to be the leader and Kurt is like you are the leader, you need to step up. I am going to teach you a dance for the wedding and you are going to give your mom away and all these things. Finn is sort of resistant to all of it but eventually is like you are right I can be a leader if I step up and learn to dance but then when push comes to shove when it's time for the Glee club to enlist him because the girls have this great scene. All the girls who have boyfriends who have boyfriends on the football team and they enlist their help to go after Karosfky. When Finn is approached about it he says he can't because it will jeopardize my future but at the same time Sam is trying to get his spot back as quarterback. When the time comes and they do approach Karofsky about it, Sam steps up in a big way and gets into that fight. Jenna said the locker room scene was really great. When the girls enlist the boys to do it they go and they really do confront Karofsky and he is kind of cornered. Kevin said he was proud of the boys, for all the stupid things they do, this is good. Jenna said she was too. It gave the storyline some more gravity that people were actually taking it more seriously or giving it more notice and attention. Jenna said, okay finally we aren't just saying there's nothing we can do which is a whole other thing in the principal's office. Kevin said it did make up for a couple of episodes ago when Kurt really was getting the shit beat out of him by Karofsky Jenna said right and no one was doing anything. Kevin said Schue was like I know you aren't happy. Where at least they took Kurt into the principal's office and Sue really grounded was explaining that no one saw it and you weren't hurt this time. He doesn't reveal yet that his life was threatened and nothing really happens so boys go after Karofsky.

Jenna asks if they had to have a stunt double for when Kevin fell out of the wheelchair. Kevin said that's not him and that they wouldn't any stunts. Jenna said she was impressed because she thought it was Kevin that went down. Kevin said if they even suggested anything they said nope and he said that's fine there are incredibly talented stunt people and that's their profession, leave it to the professionals. Well except when Kevin was pushed into the pool but that wasn't planned. Kevin said they had an incredible stunt team.

Sam really takes a beating for Kurt and really goes to the mat, no pun intended, with Karofsky for Kurt. That gave the whole thing a little more gravity. Jenna said it was frustrating when Sue took them into the office, even though she is advocating for him and is actually taking this seriously and not just kind of being Sue, it's was upsetting because that's crazy that all of that, that happened still wasn't enough to get Karofsky suspended. Kevin said it wasn't like every time it happened he was in a hallway full of kids so it's not like there are not witnesses to any of this happening. Better late then never that its finally being addresses because we need it for another plot point that happens at the end.

So then this wedding happens. Santana approaches Finn (Frankenteen which was Cory's twitter handle for a long time) and was like look if you want to be a leader and get your cool status back then we should maybe tell everyone we did it last year. He's like I can't. Kevin said this is sweet, this is the finchel relationship that we all know and love, he is like I can't tell her because I love her and I don't want to break her heart and it's going to break her heart. Kevin said their scene was so great together. Jenna said she likes Santana and Finn together. Kevin said they were very good together. He said it was sort of similar also in real life where they are obviously very different people but to him they filled similar roles amongst their friend group. They were very good at getting them all together, they were all about the comradery and making sure they stayed together and stayed friends whether it was events or house parites whatever it was. They were also just two of the nicest and funniest people. Kevin said they were mirrors of each other. He said they are so different but their dynamics amongst their ranks was similar. They operated two different ways but what they were trying to accomplish was the same. He asked if that makes sense. Jenna said yeah not totally but she never saw it that way before. Kevin said they are both very very talented and getting to watch them play is wild and the best.

We get to the church and they get married. Kevin asked if Jenna knew the song Marry You before this. Jenna said yeah, definitely. Kevin said he had never heard it before and it was still fairly new at the time. Jenna said she was running that album into the ground at that point and that was why she knew it and was very excited for it. Kevin said how fun were these two days at this church. Jenna said the most fun. First of all that number, Marry You, was ridiculous and she doesn't remember rehearsing it, it was such a great time. Kevin said he thinks they barely rehearsed it. Jenna said it was Zach and Brooke running down the aisle like do this or have fun and be stupid and go for it. Kevin said it was really sweet all the pairing and groupings. Jenna said she had a great time filming this.

Romy, which they hadn't really worked with Romy all that much yet as a group. They love Romy and they loved watching her doing her thing with Finn. It was a lot of Romy and Cory. So when Romy came to this wonderful wedding she was like what are we doing here. She came with a duffle bag to their trailers and pulls out a bottle of patron. She literally brought the kids patron. Kevin said she didn't tell them she had patron until they got to the reception when they weren't really doing anything. They had to really perform Marry You and do that emotional scene. Jenna said they weren't drinking tequila at that point. Kevin said there were a lot of hours and hours of them sitting at those tables in the reception room. Jenna said she blocked it from her memory. Kevin said he didn't remember performing at the reception at all, zero recollection, he just remembers sitting at those tables for hours. Jenna said it was because it was really quick, the shot that really quickly. They spent a lot of time on Sway. Kevin said Sway took a long very long time. They ate up the time.

Jenna said lets talk about what they teased. Dianna, Lea, and Jenna were pescatarians at the time. Dianna was like I having been craving meet and Jenna was like me too. Dianna was like can we just have some meat. Jenna was like yeah. And then came Wendy’s. Jenna said who got the Wendy’s. Kevin said transpo Seth. Jenna said it was close by. Kevin said it was and maybe they were running to get lunch for themselves and they were like can you get it for us too. Kevin said he thinks it was just the three of them. Jenna said that spicy chicken sandwich man. He said he remembers sitting on the floor of his trailer and watched the two of them break that pescatarianism before his eyes and they were both worried they would get sick. He said neither of them did probably because it’s not real chicken. Jenna said it probably wasn’t, it’s probably rubber but it was delicious. Kevin it’s so good. They barely ever got to shoot on location. They were on the stages of Paramount all the time. So they were somewhere at a church, it felt like kids house, they were out, there was patron and chicken sandwiches. They had a great time. Jenna said we really did. Kevin said he thinks there were paparazzi shots as well because they were always on the lot so this was an early time for them having to experience paparazzi in that way while they were shooting. Jenna said when they shot sectionals and regionals last time there wasn’t a lot of paparazzi but as they get to these bigger locations and people found out they would have to put base camp behind fences or gates or put walls for them because it got a little crazy starting probably now. She said you are right there are a lot of paparazzi shots. Jenna asked Kevin if he remembered they went to that park. Kevin said yes and we got on the swings. Jenna said they found a park at lunch and walked to it and they got on the swings. They were in their red dresses with flowers in their hair and sweat pants underneath swinging on the swings. Jenna said we were really living our lives. They were like we are free. Kevin said it was os much fun. It felt like they didn’t have a lot to do. There was a lot of setup. A lot of Romy, a lot of extras, a lot of Mike, a lot of Kurt and Finn. Jenna said she feels like they were just having a ball.

Kevin said he would like to point out two serious. The Burt and Carole vows…just kill me now. Kevin said he has goosebumps now. Jenna said they know how to deliver us a monologue. Kevin said those two, he wants them to be in everything everywhere all at once. He said he loves them so much and they are so good together. They were so lucky they were surrounded by so many talented actors. Jenna joked, to lift us up. Kevin said growing up Mike was the host of that show. Jenna said Guts and Global Guts. Kevin said he had no idea just how good of an actor and a good man and just a good person. Jenna said sometimes you’ve just got to pay the bills. Kevin said I get it, I’ve hosted shows myself since. Jenna said no, he really is such a wonderful man. What a talented bunch. Kevin said the other aspect of this, when the Glee club boys, minus Finn, confronted Karofsky. Tina really went hard on him saying that everyone was there except Finn and he was feeling it. He said he thinks during the wedding ceremony he realized he messed up and some things are more important, we are now family. He does this whole number to surprise Kurt and it’s so sweet, those two together. Jenna said she cried. Kevin said oh my god, Mike O’Malley’s face, when he realized what is going on on, you have to look at his face right before Kurt and Finn go and get Carole and Burt from the table to join them, he is just on the verge of breaking into tears. Kevins said he has full goosebumps right now. It was so, you know when you see a parent cry. It was just so sweet. Jenna said now it’s really, Cory too knows how to give a good monologue, he knows how to deliver. Kevin said they had so much tequila by that point. Jenna said yeah, no probably, they were exhausted. Kevin said all those reactions of Sway he was like do we look drunk. Jenna said probably drunk or tired. Kevin said for the record they didn’t get drunk, he doesn’t think any of them drunk, they just like took a shot. Jenna said not this time. Kevin said they were scared and Romy was not trying to get anyone or herself in trouble. Kevin said they took one little shot. Jenna said one little snippy for good measure. Kevin said maybe this was the beginning of what caused Blame It On The Alcohol. So lets just mark this and see the progression. Jenna joked that its Romy’s fault.

Finn redeems himself. Carole and Burt are married. There is a new union and we get into this much more serious deeper storyline. We’ve mentioned Karofksy is still tormenting Kurt. Karofsky really gets in Kurt’s face this time around. Kurt says he feels like he is in a horror movie where he just never knows what is going to happen. He doesn’t know what Karofsky is capable of after his life has been threatened. To wrap it all up Sue has really advocated for Kurt and says there is not a lot I can do but if I see if myself I will come fo him and get him out. Kurt admits to Finn that his life was threatened and then we go into a whole other gear. Sue is like no, no, no we aren’t doing this, you are expelled, you are out. Kevin said he appreciated how they portrayed Karofksy’s dad, because he didn’t believe his son and he knows something is up. They bring Kurt back in and are like look because there are now witnesses to any of this we can’t expel him and he’s coming back to school. Sue says Figgins is coming back. I can’t help you from this office but if I am in the hallways I can be another set of eyes and I can help you.

To rewriting a bit Burt is being helped by Kurt and Finn with his dancing. He sees Karofsky and by this point Finn knows about the threat. Burt is like what was that and Karofsky is walking by in the hallway. Finn is like if you don’t tell him I will. Kurt has to tell Burt what happened and Burt comes charging out, as a father should and would do. Again another wonderful performance by Mike O’Malley taking Karofsky down as much as any grown man can take down a teen. So that what kickstarts Burt finding out.

We fast forward wot where we just left off where Karofsky is coming back to school. Carole and Burt, as the parents and voice of reason should and the people in control, tell Kurt they will take their honeymoon money and will give to him for Dalton. Kurt walks into the choir room and Mr. Schue is all excited to give him a solo for regionals which was probably a lie anyways, you know Rachel is going to get it. Kurt says he leaving. Everyone has taken it seriously but not this seriously up until this point, serious enough that they are going to lose Kurt. Everyone was devastated. Jenna said she understood, zero tolerance and she wouldn’t feel safe there. Good for Kurt. Kevin said he loves how upset everyone is because again this show being on a network in 2010 and you have the gay character that is arguably one of the biggest characters on the show and beloved by all the other characters on the show and to see how that affects them where he has become so popular and so vital to their friend group in glee club. Kevin said it was really profound and moving to him in that way. He said Amber getting up and just saying Kurt and no other line just broke his heart. Jenna said he is one of us and he’s also gong to be competing against one of us. Of course Rachel points that out immediately but fair because next episode is Special Education.

The other thing that happens is Sam and Quinn. Sam is fully obsessed with Quinn and basically proposes and was like here is a promise ring. Quinn is like no you are crazy but after watching how he stuck up for Kurt by the end of the episode she is like you didn’t even notice I am wearing your ring. Kevin said it was a really sweet little like sub storyline that was woven in there and they are really sweet together. He is making her feel comfortable after having a terrible previous year. Jenna said they are just really cute together too.

Tartie Takes:

Cringe/Ouchies - Kevin’s was Sue marrying herself and kissing her own hand. Jenna said it made her really uncomfortable that she doesn’t want to talk about it and will take that one too.

Best Dance Move - Marry You…so cute.

Best Song - Kevin said Marry You and Jenna said Just The Way You Are. They are both great. You can’t go wrong.

Best Performance by a Prop - Kevin said his ribbons were really great. Jenna said the tequila.

Best Lines - Kevins aid the vows. Jenna said she really loved Jane’s performance. She played the seriousness of Kurt being bullied, harassed, and threatened so beautifully with the comedy of Sue Sylvester. When she was so serious about him being arrayed and there wasn’t a lot she could do and she is calling him lady and Kurt was like you know that’s bullying. She was like okay noted and then the turn around is so fast but its so serious in the delivery and says I will allow you to choose from the following nicknames then gelfling, porcelain, and tickle me dough face. Kurt says I guess I will go with porcelain and Sue was like ugh I was really hoping for tickle me dough face.

Shit We Found on TikTok:

Someone posted a Sesame Street parody of Glee and said never forget the most accurate parody of Glee ever. They talk about the letter G. It’s called G. Jenna keeps saying no, stop, no. It’s a full recreation of the set and characters all in Sesame Street form. It’s not regionals its g-gionals. Jenna said is it real, this is really, Sesame Street did this. Kevin said yes. Jenna said WHAT!?!? Kevin said it’s absolutely incredible. Find a song with the letter G. There is Sue Sylvester, there is everybody. Kevin said it is so crazily good and he doesn’t understand how these things happen. Jenna said what, this is amazing. Kevin said there is a song. Jenna said she is shocked. Kevin said everyone go look at that because it phenom. Jenna said the puppets look really similar. Kevin said it’s it really crazy. Kevins said he could go on but he won’t keep you any longer you can go check it out for yourself.

Next episode is Special Education….it is some competition as Kevin said.

[iris-sistibly]

It was the hour of the owl, everyone except the guards on night’s watch had retired to their beds. After a long day, the castle was finally at peace…

Rhaenyra Targaryen stood by the window of the bedroom she shares with her husband. Her eyes on the starry night sky, a hand on her belly, her mind lost in her thoughts yet again. The next moon, she was set to bring another child into the world. Her sixth, and her third with Daemon. Ironic at how she hated the idea of childbirth when she was younger, yet here she was with another life inside her womb. She always dreaded the excruciating pain of labor and birthing, but the loud wails of every child she pushed out into this world was like music to her ears. Each time a squirming babe is placed in her arms, she is overwhelmed with joy. Raising them, and witnessing them grow into such handsome and good men was the best reward she could ever ask for. Being a mother to her children was something she loved the most, and Rhaenyra vowed that this child inside her will be just as loved, guided and cared for as her siblings.

Rhaenyra hoped that one day, her daughter would grow into a beautiful, fearless dragonrider, but also a wise, loving, and kind woman. And may she be delighted by the realm more than Rhaenyra has ever been.

Moments later, the princess felt a pair of arms wrap around her swollen belly. Even without looking, Rhaenyra knew who it was, the familiar scent, the warmth of his body against hers, his lips pressing against her shoulder, his ability to effortlessly sweep her off her feet. Daemon Targaryen whispered in her ear, "Can't sleep my love?"

Rhaenyra shook her head, "I've been thinking…"

"Of what?"

"A name for the babe…" the princess answered, "She needs a name Daemon."

"She? You sound so certain that we'll be having a girl," Daemon sounded rather amused. Rhaenyra on the other hand shrugged, "I just know," she answered.

The former chuckled, "Alright then, what do you have in mind?"

Rhaenyra smiled and turned around to face him, "Visenya," she said dreamily. She has always harbored admiration for the conqueror’s queen–beautiful, strong, powerful woman. Had her late brother Baelon been a girl, she would have named him as such. But ever since she found out that she has conceived once more, she always had this feeling that she would be having a daughter…her very own Visenya.

Daemon smiled back and claimed her lips, then rested his forehead against hers, "A fitting name for a fine dragon indeed."

-Visenya (by: Iris)

A/N: Hellooooooo! Before the year ends, I’m posting some stuff from my drafts folder that I either:

Never had the chance to finish but finally had the motivation to do so.

Didn’t post it because I wasn’t confident or satisfied with my work.

Didn’t edit them sooner because I was either busy or feeling lazy af.

Anyway,

The HoTD fever hasn’t completely worn off my entire system yet, and the truth of the matter is…I miss the show. The first time I wrote a Daemyra fanfic was waaaay back after episode 4 (*clears throat* the brothel scene) was aired. Still haven’t gotten over the fact that there were so many great scenes that they left out, and felt worse when Matt actually campaigned for some of it (three I think?) to be included but was unsuccessful.

Anyhoo…this scene has been in my head for quite awhile, I started writing the first half of it way back in mid-November but…I decided to delete the first part. Not that I hated it, but perhaps I just wanted to highlight this particular Daemyra moment because I hated how they were written (Daemon particularly) in the season finale. AGAIN, Daemon loves his daughters, his wife and stepsons, I don’t care how the screenwriters wrote him in the show.

P.S. This scene that I had in mind was set a couple of days (or weeks, I really don't care) before Daemon and Rhaenyra returned to King’s Landing to defend Luke’s claim to Driftmark. When they were living peacefully with their kiddos in Dragonstone. Also, I like the idea of them sharing the same bed because they’re not the typical royal husband and wife of their time.

[cult-of-kai]

The Sword of Swift Justice

Thoughts on episode eight, ‘Winter of Our Discontent’:

This episode was like the ghost of predictions past for me…

The promo picture called Cheyenne Jackson’s character ‘Dr. Rudy Vincent’, but his name in the show is Dr. Vincent Anderson. Surely this was done to preserve the surprise reveal. Right away, we find out that Vincent is innocent of all but being a lousy shrink. But even then- wait. Is he a lousy shrink? He’s exasperated by Ally, to be sure- but so were we. So was Ivy, for all that she had other issues as well. Rosie, beaming, said that Vincent cured her and he responded by praising the work she’d put in. I thought he had to be loading Kai up on Adderall if nothing else, but nope. Kai steals prescription pads from him. Vincent’s eventual fate stings because it comes right when he’s trying to atone for mistakes he is just realizing he made. I reasoned early on that Vincent might not actually be involved in the cult, but I kind of assumed I was overthinking the whole thing. Nope again. Although… there was something a little creepy about the description of “pinky power” (which sounds even sillier than pinky promise), in my opinion. At any rate- RIP, Vincent.

I guess Bebe Babbitt… went missing? I don’t know, but the ladies of the cult are still pissed about being pushed aside. It’s gotten worse, actually, because now they’re stuck cooking for and serving Kai’s army of blueshirt drones. Ivy mentions The Handmaid’s Tale, which I’ll get back to later, and Beverly relates how Kai is manipulating the city council into going along with his decisions. The bit about the gated community is decent class-war commentary. Then it’s time for story time with Winter.

How did Kai-That-Was become the Kai we know? I think it was after the trailer’s release that I called Kai a manipulative whackjob with a messiah complex. But then back in ‘11/9′, we were given the impression of relative- if perhaps dreary- normalcy until Ms. Anderson commits a murder-suicide. This definitely effects him. A mutual of mine (@loonyloomis) pointed out that this was when Kai stopped cutting his hair- Adam Sheppard tease!- and he later gets into peddling fraudulent prescriptions. But he seems to bounce back for the most part, despite living in a house with two rotting corpses. Then the two younger Anderson siblings go to Judgment House on a lark, which Winter presents as the defining turning point in Kai’s life. Symbolically, it makes sense. In a twisted parody of a church, a horror *house of judgment*, Kai is stripped down to his essence- and found wanting. His first instinct upon realizing that Pastor Charles is torturing and killing people is to rescue them, which he does while Winter runs to save herself. This is Kai at his most genuinely heroic. He saved four people, including Winter, from terrible torment and death- not to mention any other victims Pastor Charles would have found. Now just take a minute to imagine how differently things might have gone if Kai had done as the female victim suggested and called the police. But he didn’t, because the better angel of his nature fails. Instead of shining a light on a great evil, he becomes it. He denies Pastor Charles’ victims the justice they choose to do as Winter suggests and kills him, becoming a killer. This- not his parents’ death- is the crack in Kai’s soul, the fissure in his mind. Everything since has been psychodramatic fallout and Kai bringing others down with him. He’s trying to convince himself and everyone around him that he’s on the rise when he is in free-fall.

I’m not sure how prevalent they are overall, but (fake!) Judgment Houses do definitely exist in the South. I specifically remember going to one that was split between heaven and hell. Everyone kept wandering back to hell because the heaven side- white sheets with scripture written all over them- was boring. Parts of Judgment House reminded me of ‘Se7en’, specifically Sloth. That’s undoubtedly deliberate, especially since Winter already name-dropped Fincher last episode. And randomly, AHS co-creator Brad Falchuk dates Gwyneth Paltrow. Others have mentioned similarities to the ‘Saw’ series, but I’ve never seen any of those. Rick Springfield was fine, but Pastor Charles would have been a nice little role for Denis O’Hare.

Anyway. Winter wants to try to reach Kai, because she believes that can happen. They’re all members of a murderous clown cult, but what do I know? Ivy and Beverly agree to give her some time. Winter and Kai meet, and we learn that Kai definitely knows how Harrison died and doesn’t care. They do a pinky power session and shit gets strange fast. Kai has decided, apropos of nothing, that they need to have a messiah baby. And for whatever reason, Winter has to be its mother. Logically, one’s mind goes to incest. But no- it’s going to be so much weirder than that! Kai says they’re going to have a threesome with Detective Samuels but somehow Winter will remain pure. At first I thought maybe Kai was just looking for an excuse to have sex with Samuels, but later events in the episode turned that idea on its head. Winter eventually calls the whole thing off because it gets to be too much nonsense for her. (I mean, it wasn’t until then?) Between the robes and the song and the behavior of all involved, it was undoubtedly one of the most bizarre AHS scenes ever- cringy as hell, but also hysterical and… oddly fitting in a satirical way? In the popular imagination and in reality (to a lesser degree), cult practices are often oddly sexual, cobbled together, and perversions of religious rituals. Kai has a degree in religious studies. Is he trying to sanctify what he and the cult are doing? His opening salvo during pinky power might lead us to believe he’s simply testing Winter, but I don’t know. The whole scenario also evokes ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’, a modern classic about women’s disenfranchisement via reproductive slavery.

As for Winter, what’s her deal? Why was she trolling “social justice warriors” with Kai? Sibling bonding? She seemed to be enjoying it. Was she perhaps also changed by Judgment House? Was her response to the trauma a hard left turn? But she swears to love and be loyal to her brother, who is politically on the opposite shore. In ‘11/9′, she told Ivy she wants to serve someone powerful. It’s all rather baffling. Regardless, Winter wearing a dunce cap and throwing recycling on the side of the road because Kai “doesn’t believe in global warming” is one of the funniest damn things I’ve seen all season. The following confrontation between her and Samuels- especially the line about losing when Hillary did- might suggest she would get more radical and truly join forces with the other women, but that’s not what happens. Instead, she… sells Beverly out? What? In turn, Beverly reads both Kai and Winter for filth.

We *finally* get a little backstory on Samuels, which I’ve been waiting for despite not caring about the character. I suspected he was a Nazi type way back in ‘Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark’, and I was right. He was also a dirty cop pre-cult, although it’s a little rich for Winter to accuse him of being a criminal when- once again- they’re both members of a *murderous clown cult*. He life is complicated by being gay and internalizing homophobia. Kai sees this and immediately goes to work, feeding Samuels a line of misogynistic bullshit and then fucking him for good measure. Kai seems particularly into it as well, which is interesting. I rather wonder how Evan would describe his character’s sexuality. So did Samuels just not care about Harrison at all? It didn’t seem like their involvement was only physical. I specifically remember them cuddling on the couch and discussing their favorite housewives. Eh. RIP, Samuels.

Finally, we have Ally to consider. We see her holding one of Oz’s toy trucks before inviting Kai over to rat Vincent out. She claims to be afraid of nothing now, and that’s after Kai has already noted a change in her. Their little exchange about Manwich is cute, as is her deliberately calling Speed Wagon ‘Aerosmith’. (Seriously, where did the drones’ names come from?) In the final scene, we see that that some drones have taken to wearing the masks of fallen clowns. Ally, staring Ivy down, is wearing the mask of Kai’s former “favorite”- the only one who impressed him. That’s no coincidence. Rise, Ally.

[wonderwomanfantasy]

braid boy

Okay so I wrote two versions of this fic one where the reader is black/ has natural hair (this one!) and one where they aren't (read here)

Sero x reader

warnings: I am white as sour cream and I followed a couple tutorials to write this I'm so sorry if what I've written makes no sense.

word count: 1,000 (about)

summary: Hanta just can't keep his hands off of you...r hair

“Oh, hey sweetie,” you said looking up at Hanta. Sero smiled at you and leaned over the back of the couch, he cupped your chin and tilted your head back, and kissed you. He felt you smile against your lips and he started to melt.

Sero groaned and fell over the couch and landed in your lap. You laughed and stroked his cheek.

“Well hello there handsome,” you said. Hanta tried to brush his bangs out of his eyes but the hair fell right back in his face. He tried again and again, it fell right back in his face. You laughed as he huffed.

“Babyyy help I can’t see you,” he whined. “I need to cut my hair,” he huffed.

“No It’s sexy when it’s long like this,” you said making Hanta flush. He knew you thought he was hot, but it was nice to hear you say it.

“Here let me,” you said pushing him to sit up, he followed your lead and sat, even though he was tired enough to fall asleep standing. Gently you carded your fingers through his black hair pulling it away from his face and off the back of his neck. You picked a hair tie off the coffee table and snapped it on.

“tada,” said holding up your phone so he could see. Sero turned his head looking at the braid. Man, it had been a while since he’d seen his forehead.

“It’s perfect,” he said turning around to give you a kiss. “Now I can keep my hair long and see you,” he said kissing you one more time, he cupped your cheek and pulled you into him, he stroked the side of your head, accidentally touching some of the baby hairs that framed your face.

“Any plans darling? We’ve got the whole day to do whatever you want,” he said smiling at you goofily.

“I was actually going to do my hair today,” you said

“Oo let me help,”

“You can’t braid my hair the way I braided your Hanta,”

“I know,” he scoffed, then got suddenly got bashful. “I’ve been watching tutorials online and some of my friends even let me practice on them,” he explained.

“Please?” he asked. He looked so cute, you just couldn’t say no.

The two of you settled in the living room, everything you used laid out for him, and enough Real House Wife’s episodes to last you years.

“This is going to take forever,” you warned, he cracked his knuckles.

“I’m ready,”

He started by combing through your hair than doing a little bit of prep work, priming spray, straightening your hair slightly with a heated brush, moisturizer, then coconut oil to lock in the moister. Then Hanta made his way around your head sectioning the hair into smaller pieces using tiny elastics. Then he got down to business, he took two pieces of synthetic hair, linked them together in the middle then laying one half of the loop over your natural hair right at the base of your scalp, wrapping and knotting it in place, then keeping the hair as close to your head as possible he started to braid. He was very careful to braid the hair in the direction the braids would eventually lay.

You hadn’t lied, it took the better part of the afternoon and you went through way more Real housewives than either of you’d like to admit, but Hanta sat back proud, looking at his work.

“Done, praise me beloved,” he said. You smiled.

“Not half bad,” you teased and leaned in to kiss him.

But before you could reach him, the lights shut off. “Huh,” Sero said, he tired the tv, nothing. The lights the ceiling fan, the stove, all nothing.

“I think the power’s off,” you said, he nodded, his face grave like he’d snapped back into hero mode.

“Will you find the candles? I’m going to call the building manager.” you nodded and followed his orders, digging through some drawers until you found a handful of candles and matches. The sun was setting casting golden rays of light into your shared home. It was romantic, or at least it would be if you weren’t freaked about the power outage.

“Apparently the powers out down the block but it should be back in a few hours,” Hanta said clicking his phone off

“How long is a few hours exactly?” you asked

“The landlord said two hours but I’m willing to bet it will be at least four,” he sighed. Your frown deepened, “awe don’t pout baby we can still have fun even without internet, we’ll play battleship or something,”

“Hanta if the power is out, the AC is out,” you sighed and Hanta’s face fell as he came to the same realization. You were in the middle in one of the worst heat waves Japan had ever seen, both of you were going to be cooked alive.

“We’re going to die,” he said, the grave look on his face made you burst out laughing. Hanta grinned, you were so pretty when you laughed.

“Would you like to spend the night with me while we’re roasted alive?” he asked offering you his hand, you grinned and took his hand in yours lacing your fingers with his.

“Of course.” It was already starting to heat up inside, the hot air seeping through the walls, the summer mugginess inescapable. You wondered if this heat was what caused the outage, everyone in Japan running their air conditioning on full blast.

Normally Hanta would use this opportunity to pull you into him for a long nap and some snuggles. It had been a long time since Hanta had been scared of rejection, but he was fairly sure that if he asked you to hold him now you’d shoot him down.

“How about a nice cold shower together? I mean the water still works,” he asked.

“There aren’t any windows in the bathroom, we’d be completely in the dark,”

“That’s what the candles are for, we’ll just stick the candles in the shower and-” he offered, then immediately backtracked. “Nevermind that was a bad idea, a bath?”

“Hmm, a candle-lit bath, how romantic,” you said, tugging him to the bathroom.

The two of you lounged in the bath across from each other. Hanta had spent a pretty penny getting a bathtub long enough for him to fit in comfortably as an added bonus the tub ended up being large enough for two. The water was cool, lit with several different candles placed around the lip of the tub.

Hanta let himself relax for the first time that day. He loved his job but sometimes it felt like the world was on his shoulders, but being here with you and just basking in your presents made it better. Even if he had to work hard to be everyone’s hero, but at least you were there for him his own personal hero.

[ladyfeldspar]

21x02: Put It Down

I've wanted to do a watch/writeup of this episode for a while now. Tweek has been my favorite character since Gnomes aired, when I was still in elementary school and secretly watching South Park with my dad at night. Craig, while I enjoyed him as a character before, absolutely won my heart in the Pandemics and gets third favorite. (My second favorite is Clyde but that doesn't matter right now.)

And when I got into SP fanfiction, and discovered that Creek was a thing, I hopped right on that train and have never looked back. Tweek x Craig made my life when I first saw it and this episode... Well, you'll see.

Disclaimer: I have A LOT of feelings about this episode. Sorry not sorry about how long this is.

"...a performance by one of our students who has written a song..." Raise your hand if the first time you watched, you also figured it was Cartman, the most musical one of the kids.

Raise your other hand if you also got unreasonably excited when it was Tweek.

Tweek "playing" piano is both exactly what I would have expected, and nothing at all what I expected.

I really, really just want to give this poor kid a hug, Jesus Christ.

Everyone just looks so shocked, but I feel like Kyle and Stan might actually care?

"He's your boyfriend, dude." Ugh, my HEART. They are legit and adorable and that's not the last time I'm going to say that.

Shut up, Cartman. I mean it's great you don't care if someone's gay or straight or whatever but shut the hell up.

Tweek being scared of his locker slamming, oh my gosh.

Okay. Jesus Christ. This. We've known Craig for almost 21 seasons at this point and he has been incredibly well-established as not caring about a whole hell of a lot. So when he comes up to Tweek actively trying to help him and chill him out it melts my icy heart SO MUCH more than a cool island song ever could.

I generally hate the terms "babe" and "honey" (I'm honestly just not one for pet names) but Craig calling Tweek those things is fucking adorable.

Side thought: I want another episode just about the two of them, and I want Tweek to be wearing Craig's hat.

"Cuuupcaaaaakes!?" Kills me every time.

Heidi is too sweet for Cartman.

Stan you're such a douche but I love you anyway.

Tweek's cupcakes are frosted 1000% better than mine ever are.

But his kitchen looks just like mine after a day of baking.

Fuck you Garrison for ruining Tweek's happy little moment. He deserves all the happiness in the world.

Craig just calmly walking into the kitchen, like, was he there the whole time? Just hanging out letting Tweek do what he had to do and destroy the kitchen? More proof that they're legit - find me anyone else that Craig has supported this much.

Like he went out and bought Tweek a fidget spinner how fucking cute is that?!

Okay. "Go ahead and bomb us, Kim Jong Dong," also makes me laugh for like twenty minutes.

Why is this song so catchy?! Why are Cartman's songs always so fucking catchy?? Like Minorities which I constantly have to stop myself from absentmindedly singing in public.

Logic!Cartman is remarkably inclusive.

Mic drop.

Poor Tweek, like Jesus, his dad is infuriating and so stupid. Not Randy level stupid but like, quit shoving a fidget spinner in your kid's face and actually talk to him for Christ's sake.

But I mean, this is also the parent who pointed a gun at Tweek's head while teaching him how to avoid being abducted, so I don't know what I expect of him honestly.

That poor kid getting run over. And yet it's that part of the story that pushes this episode into feeling like a older episode and is half the reason I love it so much. There's a really good point to be made, but the constant killing of kids by distracted drivers gives it the fucked up South Park edge.

I love PC Principal in this episode too, and how he just doesn't really care what the hell Cartman wants.

Open door, turn on light, close door. "Waaaaaagghhhh!" "Hey, Tweek."

You have to wonder how often this has happened. And AGAIN, more proof that Craig really legitimately cares about Tweek. Imagine if anyone else woke Craig up like this. I really don't think he'd be so calm.

But it's Tweek, so he just yawns and deals with it because that's what you do when you care about someone.

Also, Craig sleeps with his hat on and that's adorable.

I love how they edited Tweek's picture into real photos.

I feel so bad for Craig here. And through most of the episode actually. He's doing all he knows to do, because this is the kind of stuff that helps him. He's really trying, and Tweek's just wired differently.

And he has a stuffed astronaut monkey, because long live Spaceman Craig.

Again, shut up Cartman.

He brought him to an AMUSEMENT PARK, Craig has pink cotton candy, and they're holding hands. It's this kind of stuff that makes my brain explode from cuteness.

"THE FERRIS WHEEL!!!"

Of all Tweek's twitch noises, I for some reason find the, "rrrrgh" he does on the Ferris Wheel one of the cutest ones.

This fight breaks my heart a little because again, Craig is trying. He has put so much effort into doing his best to help Tweek and finally, finally gets frustrated. It shows how much patience he has for Tweek that it took him so long to get to this point.

I just want to hug them both during this fight. God knows they need it. It's just such a realistic argument, ugh.

And then this moment. This moment where everything clicks, both for us (the parallels of Logic!Cartman/logical Craig vs emotional kids needing to grieve/emotional Tweek needing to freak out) and for Craig, who finally realizes that everyone handles stress differently and you have to adapt to their coping mechanisms to be able to help them. And as soon as he puts that together, he's off to go find Tweek because he's worth it to him. And my heart melts again.

And he does so well, too, despite being completely out of his element. Their little smiles after Tweek calms down, Jesus Christ.

This song. THIS SONG. I don't know what it is about this song but it just hits me SO hard every time. Tweek actually being able to play the piano beautifully (I will argue that it's because Craig is there with him and that makes Tweek feel so much better), CRAIG SINGING even though he clearly isn't the most comfortable with it and is obviously doing it for Tweek (ANOTHER point of proof for the realness of their relationship), the chorus, the Cartman rap (!!!!), the memorial of distracted driving victims (Kenny)...

And this moment, right here. When it goes back to the two of them there, and the spotlight focuses on them and they smile at each other, just oh my gosh. I get really weepy almost every time I watch this. They're adorable. They support each other. They're willing to grow and adapt for each other. They have a real connection with each other. They're happy together. Like look at Craig's smile. How can you not love that?!

Thanks for reading my rambling disjointed nonsense. This episode is always going to be one of my favorites. Tweek and Craig forever. The end. 💜

[roswelldetails]

Episode 2x04 - What if God Was One of Us

EPISODE SUMMARY:

AN ACT OF GOD — On the verge of a breakthrough in her quest to save Max (Nathan Dean), Liz (Jeanine Mason) turns to Kyle (Michael Trevino) for one last favor that could potentially land him in hot water. Meanwhile, Michael (Michael Vlamis) and Alex’s (Tyler Blackburn) investigation into Nora (guest star Kayla Ewell) leads them to a farm, where they meet a historian named Forrest (guest star Christian Antidormi). Elsewhere, Cameron (guest star Riley Voelkel) confronts Jesse Manes (Trevor St. John) about her sister’s whereabouts, and Isobel (Lily Cowles) uses her powers for good. Amber Midthunder also stars. Shiri Appleby directed the episode written by Steve Stringer & Christopher Hollier (#204). Original airdate 4/6/2020.

DETAILS:

Roy said that he took veterinary training, which is how he was able to help with Louise and Nora's injuries.

"How come it feels like you don't know what I'm saying, but you know what I'm thinking?"

Roy moved the truck (with the pods in it?) to the livery.

"Boss's wife won't let him blame the drought on God so that honor goes to his foreman -- that's me."

Kyle on The Science:

"You're telling me that Michael Guerin used pinball parts and a car battery to cause cutaneous perfusion?

(Cutaneous perfusion...i think it is circulation of fluid/blood through tissue, but it's a bit above my head)

The device Liz needs is a "Personal Genome Machine". She ordered it when she still worked at the hospital.

Before entering the Crashdown, Graham Green tapes a Missing sign on the door for Hank Gibbons (who Noah killed in 1x13).  Apparently someone covered it up.

The sign is HARD to read, but I think it says:

"All viable leads reported to Graham Green's UFO Emporium will receive a free keychain.  Make certain you subscribe to the Weekly Probe as we dive deeper into the untold stories of Roswell and answer the question on everyone's mind.  ARE YOU NEXT?"

Graham Green references that he's the "creator of last week's 39th most downloaded true crime podcast." (Assuming that this is the Weekly Probe, referenced on the poster).

Graham Green is opening a 1947 themed malt shop at the UFO Emporium

U.F. Doughs (the Crashdown's new donuts).

Isobel's been coming to the Crashdown every day for weeks.  (Note that this episode is the first one that really doesn't have a clear time context).

"Feliz cumpleanos, mama!" Happy birthday in Spanish, of course, but note Kyle's choice term of endearment for fic purposes!  And she responds in kind "Gracias, mijo!" (Mijo = male version. Arturo calls Liz mija = female version)

"A wild Michael Guerin finally emerges from his weeks-long hibernation in a lab and a library."

Again, non-specific time frame.

"When every other farm was struggling, the Longs experienced record-breaking crops.  Summer of '47. No one could explain it…till October '48. The day after that photo ran in the paper, the farm was devastated by a massive fire.  Foreman, entire staff killed. Whole place burned down."

"What caused the fire?"

"Well the paper called it an act of God.  Said it was a freak storm. Bolt of lightning strikes the barn the same night that my mom's caught and locked up in Caulfield."

Wyatt Long's horses are named "Diamond" and "Silk".

Jesse Manes' beer of choice is "Polestaff".

Cam's postcard from Charlie (Likely the reason she came back to Roswell) says:

"See you back in Roswell --Charlotte"

Top left corner says "Greetings from Roswell, NM".

It was mailed to Jenna at the Green Hill Motel in Dayton, Ohio.

Jenna says it's not Charlie's handwriting.

Isobel in the mindwarp: "And what's your dream, Arturo? What would be your miracle? What do you pray for?"

Arturo & Rosa's fight… 

"Did that fool give you drugs? I'll kill him!"

"Ow! You're hurting me! That's child abuse!"

"Everything I do I do to hold you up and you see it as abuse. I don't know what to do anymore!"

"Yeah right." Rosa falls down and laughs.

"This isn't funny! Sheriff Valenti won't give you any more chances."

"You should be happy. You wanted me to be on the field hockey team, remember? You said I should make friends and have good American fun."

"Who sold you the pills?"

"I stole them."

"Was it Frederico?"

"You wouldn't believe me."

"Tell me the truth!"

"It was Mom! She's either too high to notice that they're missing, or she knows and she doesn't care."

"You're lying to me. I don't know how to help you."

"So stop trying then. I'm beyond hope anyway, right? That's what everyone else in this town thinks."

"Maybe you're right. I'm going for a drive."

Arturo tried to register with Instagram as PancakePapi!! He ended up with PancakePapi58!

Scene with Steph and her dad...FIRST MENTION OF SOPAPILLAS ON THE SHOW!!! 🤤🤤🤤🤤 (They're the best...in New Mexican restaurants they're like, both an appetizer and a dessert.  They're like hollow fried bread that you eat with honey. Delicious.)  See here:

Plus it gave the show another opportunity to be authentically New Mexican through food references.  (Last season it was in episode 2 when Arturo asked,"red or green?" And Liz replied "Christmas!". In New Mexico that means half red half green chile smothering her plate.) Like so: 

1948...unclear how much time has passed, but Louise says months.

The kid's name is Walt.  (Walt Long?? Some other last name?).

Nora says that under the tarp is the "pumpkin launcher" and it's a surprise.

Nora says it's not safe for Michael here, "but soon."

"Hey do you smell that? It smells like rain.  It's what you smell like under all the grease and bourbon.  It's what your workshop smells like. Something alien happened here. Not that I can still smell it 70 years later."

"This is the best evidence I've seen that Max and Isobel's mother survived the initial firefight. This is something that you do with family."

"Nora's my mother. If she was here at the same time as Louise…"

Note - when did they confirm who Louise was or that she was Max & Isobel's mom? This has not happened narratively yet.

Since Walt was a young kid, Alex thinks there's a chance he's still alive (though at the end Nora definitely thought he died when the barn blew up. I suspect that Walt survived and is the key to the story...not fact, just speculation.)

Forrest: "The foreman, Roy Bronson, was definitely hiding something.  But it wasn't Little Green Men. It was Nazi spies."

"This is like Junior Year eraser room, getting caught by Coach Wiggins."

OG callback to the eraser room being the high school makeout spot. OG, "the eraser room takes our innocence." 

Rosa in Spanish "¿En serio?" Basically "are you serious!?!" Or "really?" When the blender shorts out (awfully similar to her first Noah nightmare in 2x01)

"...when Charlie told me she had stole classified documents, I reported her.  I thought I was doing the right thing and the military put her in prison."

"Right. Where she was safe."

"No. I… I didn't know who she really was when I turned her in. I didn't know what prison would do to her."

"She wanted you to turn her in, Jenna. She set you up to do so. She knew that as long as she was in government custody no one could get to her."

"Charlie fought in two wars.  Who was she afraid of?"

"A private securities firm, most likely.  You know that I met her? She was working on this genetic sequencing project that had the potential to save lives, but also destroy them. And there were some people out there who saw applications for her research that went beyond her intentions."

"She was doing research that could help save lives, and people wanted to use it to create a bioweapon."

"Well yeah, she created this pathogen that could seek out and dismantle specific sequences. Just think about it -- a smart bomb that could be detonated in the middle of a crowded city, only harm it's intended target. Think about the innocent civilian lives saved while you take out leaders of terrorist organizations."

"Or commit genocide. If her work fell into the wrong hands, it could quietly wipe out entire groups of people because they share a certain genetic code, while their neighbors go about living their lives.  Why do you know so much about this? What's your interest in my sister?"

"I believed that I had a use for her pathogen, at one time. But my fight is over now."

A few notes about this exchange.

Clearly Charlie's pathogen is the key ingredient in the smart bomb that Flint was developing, as discussed in 1x12.

Liz's "personal genome machine" can break down the alien genetics and give Project Shepherd what they need to use a smart bomb on the aliens. 

Don't forget, her lab is protected by Air Force security set up by "Alex's team". (Badbadbadbad!)

Rosa describing her bipolarism. 

"I get these mood swings sometimes. Like, I can be happy and singing one minute, and then, all of a sudden, this darkness just closes in over me, and I have all these voices telling me that I'm worthless."

Jesse gives Cam the name of the security firm looking for Charlie.  We don't see the name of it. He warns her to be careful. "I may be hobbled but they are not."

"Now, you were hunting aliens, and I gave you Max's name. Why didn't you lock him up in Caulfield with the rest?"

"I don't know.  I guess I feel like there's a story unfolding in Roswell. Has been for more than 50 years.  You can't blame me for wanting to see how it ends."

Catherine Zeta-Jones in a laser maze -- Liz is referencing the 1999 movie Entrapment.

Liz trying to science-intrigue Kyle….

"Interesting historical footnote. There was an internment camp in Roswell. Nazi POWs built half this city.  Hence the iron crosses. My great-great grandfather BoDean's foreman got busted for hiding a couple of women here. According to him 'A couple Nazi spies escaped and strudeled their schnitzel for room and board right here on this very farm.  See, I was never really as into shooting squirrels as Wyatt is, so, when I came out here for summers as a kid, my cousin Kate and I -- we'd prowl the property for artifacts."

"You know, what we're doing you and me -- it doesn't only have to be for Max...once Max is healthy, we could use this genome machine to Target cellular apoptosis.  I mean, we could craft polymerase sequencing in human DNA. We don't have to stop. We have no boards, no restrictions…"

Apoptosis is also sometimes referred to as "cellular suicide" or "spontaneous single cell death".

Polymerase is like the building blocks of DNA.

In other words, Liz is really, really smart.

FORREST LONG!!!!!! 😂😂😂. 

Alex on the bullet shells: "These match the M1917s the airmen used in '48.

"They were scattered all over the property. Legend has it the Nazis we're building some kind of bomb in the barn. Then one night the Air Force showed up."

"The night of the fire."

"The blaze burned so hot it turned sand to stone. Papers say that lightning struck the barn and everyone died in the flames, but...that's bull.  See I think the Air Force covered up the massacre that happened when they discovered that weapon.

A few things on this scene… 

Forrest mentions his cousin Kate...Wyatt's sister who was murdered by Noah in 2008.  So Forrest is Wyatt Long's cousin. 

Substitute Nazi for alien and it's probably all based somewhat based in truth.  In the 1940s that definitely would have been a reasonably obvious way to cover it up, especially given the history that Forrest cites and the military culture in Roswell.

Note: POW = prisoner of war

The iron crosses Forrest references…

Article on the German POWs in the Roswell Daily Record…

Walt was hiding in the barn when Tripp made it explode.  Explosion looked shimmery, like the alien ship & tech. 

Also, more info than you ever wanted to know about the Roswell Army Air Field/Walker Air Force Base/Roswell International Air Center...including some info on the POWs.

Sheriff Valenti's theory on Noah's death:

"I think Max Evans poisoned Noah and left him in the desert the night of the lightning storm, and I think Isobel Evans was in on it."

Kyle says it would take gallons of acetone to poison someone.

Tripp was Alex's great uncle

Nora was working on a ship to take the pods home.

TRIPP MANES!!!  Full name is Eugene Manes III.

Alex finally gives Michael the piece of alien ship he's had.  He doesn't want to be another Manes man standing in Michael's way.

Cam's voicemail to Liz.

"Got a lead on my sister.  Give me a call when you get that tin-star-wearing E.T. awake, so I can curse him out for worrying us all. Good luck Liz. Bring Max home."

Arturo's Spanish to Liz and Rosa.

"Das gracias a Dios.  Gracias todos los dias."

Translates generally to "Thank God.  Thanks every day."

Isobel's monologue at the end:

"The idea of God always freaked me out. Like, apparently he made people in his own image, which, first of all, get over yourself. And also, does that apply to us? Does every planet have its own God? Let's say that we're all clones of the big guy in the sky. Well then, doesn't it stand to reason that we're all capable of slinging light? Well I guess by that same token we're all capable of tremendous wrath. We're walking contradictions. A never-ending mercurial rise and fall. Darkness and light. I guess the real miracle is choosing the light. Despite the ever-present darkness. Look at us. You're in the middle of a downright biblical desert, galaxies from where we started. I mean, our very existence is a miracle. I'm capable of so much more than I thought I was, Max. I really think that maybe I could do great things. I need you to come back, okay? I need you to be the thing that I can believe in. That doesn't let me down. I just need this one little miracle, and I promise I won't ever ask for anything ever again."

MUSIC:

1. LEN "Steal My Sunshine"

2. Spacehog "In The Meantime"

3. Duke Ellington "Take It Easy"

4. Maná "Como Te Deseo"

5. Oasis "Don't Look Back In Anger"

6. Ben Harper "Waiting On An Angel"

[wendiuh]

Hey hey hey question! 😄 I've been wanting to start the fate series for awhile, and there was one I had watched some time ago, but I've realized there is multiple series? I've noticed you like it so I was hoping you could help me figure out where to start, what order to go in...? Thanks in advance dearie!

You have no idea how happy i was to see this ask omg girl I’m in Fate hell. This will get lengthy, so beware haha. If you have any other questions, feel free to come to me! If it becomes too much reading (I think it’s like 1.5k words oops) just scroll to the bottom for the summary XD. I’ll put my essay explanation under the cut:

If you’re completely new to Fate, then allow me to explain how the story is set up structure-wise. It is split into 3 separate routes that start off from the same point. Each route has a set heroine/love interest and explore different aspects of the story and characters. These routes are viewed in the order of Fate, Unlimited Blade Works, and Heaven’s Feel. Fate focuses on the character Saber, UBW focuses on Tohsaka Rin, and HF focuses on Matou Sakura.

Now the first thing all faithful Fate watchers would say is to read the original visual novel. I, however, did not start with this, but it is easy to see why people recommend this first. The Nasuverse (the world of Fate and other related series, named after creater Kinoko Nasu) is a very, very detailed world that has so many aspects to it. Reading the original story will definitely provide the most helpful context. I am currently reading the VN now to get a better understanding of the universe, and it is pretty enjoyable, but can get pretty slow.

Fair warning, though. The original VN is an adult game, meaning it is somewhat gory and deals with adult themes (aka sex). There was a re-release of it without any sex scenes called Realta Nua. I wont provide any links on this post on how get the VN, but there’s definitely YouTube videos out there to help.

If sitting through 80+ hours of reading isn’t your thing, and I don’t blame you if it isn’t, then we must turn to the animes. That’s where things get complicated.

There are 3 currently accessible animes out there set in the Fate/sn universe. There’s the orginal anime from 2006 that “covers” the 1st route, Fate, and was made by Studio Deen. I’m going to refer to this as Deen/stay night. I put the word “covers” in quotes because many Fate fans view this adaptation as a disgrace. I didn’t watch it, but many say it tries too hard to cover the story of the visual novel and somewhat combines the routes. Basically, it tried to adapt all of the visual novel but under the cover of the route Fate. However, it does seem to serve as an okay introduction to the Fate universe in general since it is the first anime adaptation out there.

In terms of release date, next comes the famous adaptation of Fate/zero by ufotable. This is a prequel follows the events prior to the beginning of Fate/stay night, and is hands down a phenomenal series in general. Many view FZ as a classic and a wonderful story, but it does have a few spoilers in terms of some big revelations that happen in the Stay Night routes. If you want to watch an amazing series and you’re okay with some spoilers for the main series, start here. As for me, I didn’t start here because I wanted to save it for last because of how many people that praised it.

Finally comes the UBW anime (the series by ufotable. Not the movie!). Commonly known as Unlimited Budget Works for its beautiful animation, this series focuses on the VN’s second route. This was released after FZ, so I do think ufotable made this series thinking fans already watched the prequel. However, I did start with this series first. Though there were some confusing points, I was able to understand most of the anime and it was pretty good. It took a second watch for me to fully understand the plot, but that’s kind of how a lot of animes work. You never enjoy the full scope of the series until you rewatch it. Both this series and FZ got at least 3 times better when I rewatched it, and that is saying a lot considering how much I liked them the first time through.

So, which one do you start with and what order to watch it in? For the sake of chronology, watch Deen/stay night, then FZ, then UBW. If you want to skip Deen/stay night (which is okay to do), then it is up to you what you want to watch first.

In my opinion, watch UBW first, then FZ. This saves the more serious and dark series for last, which will make the transition to the tone of the upcoming Heaven’s Feel adaptation movies more smooth.

But I think either way you watch the series will still get you a good amount of exposure to the Nasuverse. It’s complicated to start, but once you’re in, it gets better. Heck, even if you don’t fully get immersed into the universe, the 2 ufotable animes are still stellar and carry heavy messages as well as are pretty much eye candy thanks to that animation quality.

But what about all those other things with “Fate/” stamped onto it?

There are a couple of other major Fate installments out there, but they are NOT taking place in the Stay night universe. They are AUs that overall expand the lore of the Nasuverse (and also give the creators some more money lol). These include:

Fate/kaleid liner PRISMA☆ILLYA - A magical girl AU that is extremely different from Fate/sn. I think one should watch this after they finish the Stay Night series, but don’t feel forced to watch it, for it is completely non-canon.

Fate/apocrypha - This anime is currently airing as of my writing of this post. It follows a parallel universe “what if” situation. If this one certain event in history happened differently, then the events of Stay Night turn into this. This deals with completely different characters and set up. I only watched a few episodes of this anime and found it is probably most enjoyable to those familiar with the Nasuverse.

Fate/extra - Another parallel universe series coming out. Just like Apocrypha, this deals with new characters in general.

Fate/hollow ataraxia - A sequel Visual Novel to the original Stay Night story. Same characters and world, but 6 months later. It is another adult VN game, so it’s pretty much half-lore expansion and half-fanservice. 

Fate/prototype - This is a 1-episode OVA of Kinoko Nasu’s first envision of the series. There are some minor differences lore-wise, and the characters are mainly the same, save for a few design differences and gender swaps.

Carnival Phantasm - Ever watch those “crack” videos on YouTube? Like “Fairy Tail Crack” or “Boku no Hero Academia Crack”? These videos take an anime and make jokes out of its content and have many, many memes. Well, Carnival Phantasm is exactly that. It combines many series of the Nasuverse (mainly the Fate/stay night series and Nasu’s other work, Tsukihime) and makes it into a joyful, cute, hilarious, and downright amazing anime. It is filled with inside jokes of the universe and has some spoilers, so save this anime for last. I did skip the Tsukihime skits simply because I didn’t get the jokes, but there’s a montage of all the Fate skits on YouTube here. This series is the source of many, many fandom memes. You don’t have to watch it, but it is so funny.

Fate/Grand Order - A 1-episode OVA that adapts the first storyline of the famous mobile game with the same name. It is another parallel universe of some sort. New characters with some familiar faces of the Stay Night universe. The game is currently released in Japan and North America on the iTunes and Google Play store. It may be a waifu and husbando collector, but it is so addicting…

To conclude, there really isn’t a right answer that I can give you. But here’s my suggestion (aka the way I watched the anime):

1. Watch the Unlimited Blade Works anime by ufotable.

2. Watch Fate/zero.

3. If you want to rewatch then watch the first season of the UBW anime again, then watch FZ again, then watch the second season of UBW. Totally optional, but a fun way to watch the 2 series imo.

4. If you are okay with spoilers for Heaven’s Feel, watch Carnival Phantasm for the Fate sketches. By spoilers I mean there are some jokes from that series that rooted from Heaven’s Feel, but you may only catch them if you squint. It never explicitly spoils the story.

5. Watch the Heaven’s Feel movies. Only 1 out of the 3 is currently out/coming out internationally in theaters, so I guess just try to watch the first 1 if it is available to you at this point?

Feel free to start the visual novel if you want. In regards to the other series I mentioned, they are optional as well.

If you watch UBW and FZ and feel that there are a lot of unanswered questions, then expect Heaven’s Feel to address those issues. Remember that even though the 3 routes are all different stories, they are written in a way that you don’t get the whole picture until you have completed all three routes (too bad the Fate route anime is completely butchered and unreliable plot-wise. But I think you can manage without it. It’s more of an introduction to the story than anything else.)

Hope you understood what I was saying! Again, please message me if you have any questions or just want to talk about the series with me! I am in absolute hell with this universe so don’t hesitate to talk to me!