#TV show: -gives this character an off-screen death and half a name-

[undertale-anomaly20]

Mortal Kombat 10 x reader: Chapter 2

6 years ago

(name) was walking to her new home since she moved out after the mortal kombat experience. For her 2 years have passed since then she was now an adult, her time in the mortal kombat tournament was she could never forget and she still regrets leaving her friends and wished she could return to them. Little did she know that her wish was to come true. After entering her home she carried the box of new games the company had provided her to test, once in her room she opened the box the first game that she saw made her freeze.

Mortal Kombat X

Memories of her friends flooded into her head making her smile. She picked it up and chuckled, a while back the game had been recalled due to glitches and viruses "finally they decided to bring you back" she said to herself. She looked over to her wall where Bi-Hans' clothes hung and underneath them were his wrist guards, she put the game on and as it was loading walked over to the wall. She placed her small, yet slim, hand on the clothes thinking back to when she was 18 and how much she had accomplished "thanks guys, I owe you big time" she said to herself again, because of the experience she had with them she found confidence in herself to do things she couldn't do before she picked up her grades, moved out of home, went out of the house more often and even got a part time job as a singer for cover songs. She walked back to the gaming system and picked up the wireless controller and selected story mode for one person suddenly she felt dizzy. She placed a hand upon her head as it pounded, the room spun around her as she fell to the floor passed out. Her left hand was on the controller of the PlayStation as the TV showed her character on screen wearing a dark grey ninja suit that had no sleeves and cut off at her mid thighs, she wore black handless gloves that started 2 inches below her shoulder, dark red/brown 2 inched knee high heeled boots, a red sash around her mid-section and a mask like Mileenas' except in red and black in a pattern where the red forms into triangles at the top and black ones at the bottom making them look like fangs, her hair was tied into a tight low braid.

Now in outworld a year before Mileena was overthrown, Ermac was ordered to patrol the city by Mileena, there was a commotion in a certain area and Mileena wanted to know what it was so she sent Ermac to investigate. Twenty years prier in outworld word had spread that Shao Khan had fallen, giving Mileena the right to be its' new ruler but also word had spread that Mileenas' pretty bird a.k.a (name) had fallen also, Mileena mourned over the death of her pretty bird more than her fathers, once Ermac heard the news he felt a strange feeling of sadness, something that he thought impossible. As Ermac was patrolling he noticed that many of the outwrolders had crowded around something he floated towards them "we demand to know what is going on" he said as they all parted "someone is down there" one of the men said pointing to the now large water hole. Ermac floated over to it and peered down into it his eyes widened in shock. In the deep hole under the water was a girl with her torso wrapped in bandages as well as her lower half from her waist to her mid-thigh forming a skirt, the girls' (h/c) below the knee length hair fanned around, her (s/c) skin shimmered slightly in the sun, her face looked so peaceful as if she were sleeping. Once Ermac looked harder he was stunned.

The girl in the water was (name) (last name). The girl who had died over 16 years ago yet her she was looking no older that when he last saw her "stand back all of you" he commanded as his souls wandered down into the hole, they wrapped around the girls' body and carefully lifted her out. Her long hair, as well as her skin, dripped with water, her bandages were soaked and her arms dangled as she was lifted upwards. Once he was out of the hole she was carefully placed in Ermacs' awaiting arms, he placed two fingers on her neck and found a strong pulse she was alive. But Ermac was superstitious surely lady (name) had died long ago and even if she hadn't she would look older than this, Ermac concentrated and looked into her soul to find it was indeed the girl he had fought before and had aged only 2 years. Ermac turned to the crowd "we shall take her to the empress the rest of you leave" he said then floated away.

He was at the doors of the palace leading to the throne room where Mileena was talking with Baraka and D'vorah. "My empress we have discovered what caused the commotion in the city" Ermac said gaining Mileenas' attention. From across the room all she could see was a girl long (h/c) hair. "What is this? A simple girl has caused such a disturbance in my empire?" she demanded "we know that this girl is anything but 'simple' empress" Ermac walked forward and revealed to Mileena the young girls face causing Mileenas' eyes to widen then glare at Ermac "do you mock me!?! How dare you insult my pretty birds death with this imposter!" she screamed "this is no imposter my empress. We found her only today her soul is exactly the same as it was when we last encountered her, we promise you that this is indeed her" at Ermacs' words Mileena placed a hand upon the girls wet cheek, even though the girl is soaked, Mileena's Tarkatan sense of smell aids her in finding the girls sent, her eyes welled with tears of joy "my pretty bird has finally flown home" she said smiling under her mask. She removed her hand and turned to Baraka and D'vorah "Baraka take her to the royal chambers. I want to see her for when she awakens" Baraka followed her orders and carried the girl out of the room. D'vorah walks to Mileena's side giving her a questionable look "this one wishes to know who the girl was?" she asked. Mileena looked to the corner where Baraka had disappeared and simply said "my pretty Bird"

(name)'s P.O.V

'oh my head...'

I open my eyes to see that I'm not in my own home but a room made of sandstone, I sit up and look around, I notice that I'm on a large bed with black and pink sheets and that on the right side of the room is a large arch way that leads to a balcony. I slowly get off the bed and walk to the arch, looking out the window to see "outworld" I whispered. 'did it happen again? Did the elder gods give me the chance to return here? Or did they return me to give me another task?' I was snapped out of my thoughts when I heard a door open I quickly spun around ready to fight but once I saw who was standing there I was stunned. Mileena was standing there wearing her royal clothes and looking at me with narrowed eyes "pretty bird?" she said sounding cautious, as if to see that I am me, I straighten up and smile "hello beautiful" I said. Next thing I know she's tackled me to the floor in a bear hug, her tears streaming down her face onto her mask I was stunned at first but eventually hug her "m-my pretty bird is home" she cried. She lets go of me and sits on her knees as I sit up on my ass "t-they said y-you were dead. 14 years I thought you were dead" she cried wiping away her tears.

"it's going to be hard to explain beautiful so you might want to get comfy" for the next hour and a half I explained to her why I wasn't around and what happened to me and why I was in the tournament in the first place "but what bothers me now is why am I back? N-not that I'm not happy or anything it's just...why now..." I felt Mileena place her hand on my own I look up at her and see her eyes sparkling with joy "I does not matter! You are finally home with me! and since I am the ruler and you are my pretty bird that makes you my queen!" I blush at her words "but wouldn't you want a king-" "NO! ONLY YOU! YOU ARE MY QUEEN!" she yelled startling me. I nod submissively "ok...I'm your queen" she hugged me "good now *stands up and helps me up to my feet* let us get you clothes fit for a queen~" she said holding my hands "clothes?" I asked confused, 'what's wrong with what I'm wearing?' before I can make a move she laughs "surely you do not think a queen would walk around her kingdom in bandages?"

I look down and see that indeed I am wearing nothing but bandages I squeal blushing red as she laughs "this is just like when we first met!" she laughed clutching her stomach. I look at her seeing how happy she was. I began laughing with her "I suppose it is!" we laughed and laughed until our sides were sore. Our laughter faded into the city as night fell.

The next day Mileena had given me her clothes to wear until mine was made, she threatened the tailor to make it within the hour but I politely asked her to let them take their time or else the clothes with turn out horrible. She gave him one month or he would die.

Timeskip to 2 months

"And remember as a queen you are to be the kind one of us to the public while I am the brutal one, understand?" I nod at Mileena and smile "yes, Kahnum" I say looking into her yellow slit eyes. She had me changed into a long mermaid tail skirt the colour of (f/c) that opens up at the knee to show off my legs at the front and a tube top (darker f/c) with black edges, I wore no shoes so I walked around bare footed except for a gold bangle placed around each ankle, two bangles on each wrist, a tiara was placed upon my head much like Kitanas'. At this thought I wondered how my friends were "is something wrong, my pretty bird?" Mileena asked worried. I smiled and shook my head "just wondering about my friends, beautiful. The Earthrealm warriors" her eyes looked away from mine "Mileena?" she looked back to me "many of them were killed and are under the service of Quan Chi" my body frozen in shock for a few moments then burned with rage "god damn it!" I yelled slamming my fist into a wall denting it "after all I did, after everything we all went through nothing fucking changed!?!"

"Pretty bird!" I stopped when Mileena placed her hands upon my face "you are a queen, you are supposed to be gently and kind and only ruthless when I am not around. So please be calm" I take deep breaths and latch onto Mileena and cry into her shoulder as she stroked my hair. After everything I had done, everyone I saved, nothing changed... I wipe my tears away and stand up straight. "now as a queen you must know how to protect yourself" "I can already-" "things have changed, you shall train with me every day until you collapse. It will be hard at first but I refuse to let you go so easily" she said looking me in the eyes. I nod in understanding. "good~ let us begin"

'oh boy'

2 hours later

"shit!" I land flat on my back "pretty bird you must do better if you are to succeed, I will not have you slain in battle" I struggle to get up since I was inflicted with slash marks on my body "I know I know" I said getting ready to fight again "you must keep your guard up or you will die" she said readying her sais "I know" I said again readying my katana "go!" I launch at her with my katana and duck as she tries to slash me with her left Sai 'this sucks!' I thought as she slashes me with the right one. I spin around on my knee and slash her left leg causing her to go down giving me the chance to knock her on her back and point my blade at her throat "yield" I said smirking. She looked shocked then she smiled "well done, pretty bird"

1 year later

"Must you go?" Mileena asked me sadly trying not to cry. I wipe away her tears and kiss her cheek "I'm sorry, my beautiful Kahnum, but I must. I need to find someone in Earthrealm who can help me or it shall be the end for all of us" I said sadly. I had put on a dark grey ninja suit that had no sleeves and cut off at my mid thighs, I wore black handless gloves that started 2 inches below my shoulder, dark red/brown 2 inched knee high heeled boots, a red sash around my mid-section and a mask like Mileenas' except in red and black in a pattern where the red forms into triangles at the top and black ones at the bottom making them look like fangs, my hair was tied into a tight low braid. I looked over Mileena's shoulder and saw D'vorah walking back into the palace with Reptile I brought Mileena in for a hug "D'vorah and Reptile are not to be trusted I give you this warning to save yourself, be safe" I said quickly. Mileena's eyes widen but I can feel her smile underneath the mask "thank you my pretty bird, be safe and return to me soon and burn anyone who dares to defy you" I nod and pull away, during the year found out was a pyromancer, someone who could control fire, more than a few Tarkatans had been severely burned the night I found out even Mileena burnt her hand, I'm still struggling with my ability but I can at least as long as my anger doesn't get the best of me.

I walk to the portal that leads to Earthrealms' temple where Raiden resides rain pouring down heavily. I walk through and see a man running out with a statuette, his head covered by a cloak "Kung Jin" I whispered to myself as I moved through the shadows and onto a nearby roof and watched as Raiden appeared "It has more sentimental than monetary value" Raiden says as Jin stops dead at his words "Nevertheless, I would prefer you did not steal it" "It's a family heirloom. One that shouldn't have been given to you!" The statue disappears from Jin's hand in a flash of lightning, and reappears in Raiden's "Your family honoured me with this memento of your cousin Lao. After his death" "A death you caused! You made him fight Quan Chi and left him to die and watched as that bastard ripped him in half!" I narrow my eyes on Raiden 'he made Kung Lao fight Quan Chi?' '"You go too far, Kung Jin "No... Not far enough" They fight. Kung Jin soon realises he is outmatched, as the Thunder God takes little damage from his onslaught. Even when he manages to knock Raiden to the ground, he knows fighting him is in vain "Just let me go" Kung Jin said about to walk away I smirk from my perch and speak out loud "Blood of Kung Lao, descendant of the Great Kung Lao... a common thief" both Raiden and Kung Jin look around when lightning flashes and reveals me standing on the roof of the building across from them. I jump down and walk to them both.

"Who are you?" Raiden asked looking at me sceptically "I am Viper, a pyromancer" I said looking directly at Jin "why are you here?" Raiden asked "I'm here for you, Lord Raiden, but at the moment it seems as though you have a thief problem" Jin held the statuette tighter "Kung Jin, you do relies that doesn't belong to you" he glared "it shouldn't be here!" he yelled yet I stayed calm "and I agree, but your cousin didn't die for nothing, he was an Earthrealm warrior. Think about it he died to help those in need" "don't talk like you knew him!" "I did know him asshole! He was my friend!" "Yeah? Well where were you 7 years ago?" I looked down in shame "I would have come if I could" I said then looked over to Raiden, who had a look of confusion in his eyes, "you fought him to release his anger. To clear his mind so he could think and be more reasonable, didn't you?" I said and he nodded then I looked back to Kung Jin "and make me feel like shit" he said looking away in shame. I place a hand on his shoulder making him look at me "you shouldn't self-loath yourself. There is a better path for you than being a thief. The Wu Shi Academy, become a shaolin and make your family and Kung Lao proud" I said as Raiden gave Jin the statuette "I can't. They won't... accept—" "they don't care whom your heart desires only what is in it" I said smiling under the mask "it's too late for me" "it's never too late now go, I must speak with lord Raiden in private" he nods and runs off.

I turn to Raiden "now, I must speak with you" I said bowing "who are you really?" he asked I rise up and pull my mask down his eyes widen in shock "hello Lord Raiden" I said smiling "L-Lady (name)" he said in shock. He brings me into the temples tea room and hands me a towel as we both sit down. "we all had thought you dead, how is this possible?" he asked as he poured tea "the elder gods. That's my best guess. I haven't figured out why but I don't question them" I said drying my braid "you said you were a pyromancer, yes?" "yeah and I'm hoping you could help me" he shook his head "I apologize, lady (name), but I cannot. However I do know of someone that can" I place the towel next to me and gratefully take the tea Raiden has poured for me "who?" "Hanzo Hasashi, the grandmaster of the Shirai Ryu" I look up at him with wide eyes "you do realise you're the only person in earthrealm who knows I'm alive right? If he saw me now he would think I'm a revenant" Raiden thought for a moment "perhaps if I were to send you to the Lin Kuei temple" now I was confused "how would that help? I'm a pyromancer not a cryomancer" "yes but recently grandmaster Sub-Zero has requested an audience with grandmaster Hasashi. They are to meet within the hour" "and how do you suppose I get there? Fly?" I deadpanned he smiled "no, I shall send you there. However I wish to know how you are here and still look as though you have not aged" I sigh and explain where I have been and what has happened

"...and that's everything, Raiden you can't let anyone else know not yet. If Quan Chi knew anything about me being here it could make things worse than they already are" he nods "of course. But what of Mileena?" "I am her queen, when the time comes I shall save here but for now I must train *looks at hands* my abilities are...wild and have not yet been tamed. I need to have full control over them if I am to help anyone. Words can only go so far" Raiden stands as do I "I shall send you there now, may the elder gods watch over you" I nod "may they watch over you as well" I said before I was surrounded by lightning.

I open my eyes to see I'm near the Lin Kuei temple. I shiver as the cold surrounds me 'holy shit! It's cold!' I rub my arms for warmth and pull my mask back up and walked to the temple and use the shadows to my advantage when I hear footsteps I hide up on the rafters of the roof and look down to see Hanzo passing through 'Hanzo' I smiled and silently follow him to the area where the Lin Kuei pray a table and with two bowls and a kettle are there. I silently drop from the rafters and hide behind a wall and watch to see what happens when I hear something behind me I turn to see Sub-Zero walking past me to greet Hanzo. "Master Hasashi. I am grateful that you've come" he said as he bows before Hanzo "Speak your mind. I do not wish to linger here" Hanzo said. Liang motions toward the table. When Hanzo does not move, he walks around him and kneels by it "You re-establish the Shirai-Ryu as I reform the Lin Kuei. We both seek to shed our clans' dark pasts. Dedicate them to Earthrealm's protection" He puts some flavouring inside the two bowls "Our common purpose gives us a chance to end old rivalries. To start anew" "You'll confess what you've long denied? That your clan's hands are soaked in Shirai-Ryu blood? In the blood of my family and friend?" "...Our honour is indeed stained. Please. Sit" Hanzo finally complies with the request "After you and I were freed from Quan Chi's control, I sought out my clan. I had hoped rebellion from within would have quashed the Grandmaster's plans"

I hear more footsteps and see Frost sneaking past me, unaware of my presence, towards them 'like hell I'm letting this happen' I quickly pull Frost back and throw her behind me she glares at me "how dare you!" she yells "I dare plenty, popsicle!" I said glaring right back "only chance I'm going to warn you. Stay. Away. From Hanzo" I said through gritted teeth she fires ice at me knocking me through the doors and onto my back. I quickly get up and launch at her, my hands become engulfed with flames as I hit her; she screeches in pain her and I appear to be equally matched in skill, strength, speed and powers. However, my fire ability, even though not fully mastered yet, provides me the upper hand I need. After a back and forth exchange, I knock her to the floor, but she jumps back up "Shirai Ryu dog!" she yells trying to hit me "Lin Kuei scum!" I shout back we charge at each other ready to land another blow when "FROST! WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS?!"

We both stop and look towards the two grandmasters "she attacked me!" Frost said bowing as I straighten up "had she not had the intention of harming master Hasashi I would not have pulled her aside" I said as my flames disappear. Hanzo looked at me carefully when Frost charges him once again, this time brandishing an ice dagger. As Hanzo turns to her, an ice blast from Sub-Zero freezes her solid. I smirk "Frost lacks judgment, hence why she cannot see the wisdom of peace" I said then bow to the men I once knew well "it's good to see you both again" I said as I rise up "who are you?" Hanzo asked looking ready to fight in case I was a threat. I pull my mask down and smirk "am I really that easy to forget?" I asked as their faces show nothing but shock "Lady (name)...you're alive" Hanzo said in complete shock "yeah I know I've got explaining to-" I was cut off by a hug. Hanzo had his arms wrapped around my small frame his head buried in the crook of my neck "y-you were dead, Quan Chi told me of your death" he said barley above a whisper I smile and wrapped my arms around him "he lied, Hanzo, I'm still here" I said as he released me I turn to Kuai Liang who walked towards me "how can this be? You...you have not aged at all. This cannot be real" he said I smile and walk over to him his hand raises and stretches out to my face I place it on my cheek "I'm real, Liang, and alive" I said when he engulfed me in a hug "Maybe we should head inside, I'm not exactly covered in these clothes" I said smiling as he let me go and we walked into the temple. "how can you live when Quan Chi told me of your death" I turned to Hanzo "he told you it was Liangs' fault right?" he nodded "that's a lie, I died because the elder gods used my body as a vessel to fight Shao Khan. After they left my body was drained leaving me to die. I was sent here a year ago for some reason and I'm going to stay until I'm done" I said as we reach a table.

The cybernetic arm and head of Sektor lie on it, both hooked up to some sort of battery "remember how I said you would thank me later while we were in the tournament *looks back to the table* when I tried to stop you from killing Bi-Han" I look to Liang asking for permission he nods. I press the button on Sektor's arm. From a projected light it reveals a hologram of Quan Chi "this is why" I said as the hologram Quan Chi talks "The Lin Kuei need to abide their agreements, Sektor. The Grandmaster gave Shinnok his word" Sektor's recorded voice replies in response "Shinnok's currency is lies. As is yours" "Payment is due. I exterminated the Shirai-Ryu as promised" "Hanzo Hasashi lives. He's your spectre, Scorpion" "I created Scorpion from Hasashi's soul AFTER he died. We observed the agreement" "The letter, not the spirit. You are owed nothing" The hologram fades. Hanzos' face now shows pure horror at the words he just heard "Harumi... Satoshi..." he said as he bows his head in shame "things would have been different if you both had known the truth, if I could have changed everything 19 years ago I would have but I'm only one person. I can only do so much" I said placing a hand on Hanzo only for him to shrug me off and glare at me "you knew? You knew and didn't tell us!" he yelled his hands blazing I stepped back in fear Liang stepped in front of me trying to protect me "Hanzo, she did all she could!" he tried reasoning with him "she could have told me the truth! I could have had my revenge!" Hanzo yelled.

"Now hold on a minute! You're blaming me?! Look here asshole!" I shouted stalking towards a now surprised Hanzo "I'm not the one who killed Bi-Han that ways you. I'm not the one who killed both Liang and Tomas that was you. I'm also not the one who sided with Quan Chi, did his bidding and hurt our friends that was all FUCKING you! So don't go and blame all this shit on me!" my body grew hotter and hotter "what Quan chi made me do after you were gone was not my fault!" I thought for a moment "wait after I was gone?" I glared "what did you do?" he looked away in shame "Liang what did he do?" I looked to Liang "he...killed some of our friends so that they could become Quan Chis' soldiers" as soon as I heard what he said my body filled with rage. Flames enveloped my body as I looked wide-eyed at Hanzo, my eyes dilate "YOU DID WHAT!?!" I shrieked Hanzo looked at me with wide eyes "lady (name) please calm down!" Liang said trying to calm me down but I wasn't listening "our friends, the ones who believed in second chances, they welcomed us with open arms and you murder them!?!" "Lady (name) please I-" I shoot a fire ball at Hanzo cutting him off "to hell with you! You're gonna pay!"

We fight. As formidable a foe as the hellspawn ninja is my training with Mileena and fire ability keep me in the fight long enough for me to take the battle to Scorpion. After a fierce brawl I knock him to the floor "get up I'm not finished with you" I say before walking over to his body when an ice covered hand is placed on my shoulder I look back to see Liang looking at me with caring eyes "lady (name) please, stop this, do not become that of which you hate" he said carefully letting go. I take deep breaths and slowly the flames disappear into nothing I look at Hanzo as he stands up and looks at me, I look away in shame "I'm so-" he holds his hand up "no it is I who should apologize. I was blinded by Quan Chis' magic that much I let him control my actions not only that I was foolish enough to believe him of your death and then blame you. I am the one at fault her not you" he said bowing 'oh great now I feel like shit' I sigh and stand a few steps in front of him "Hanzo stand-up" I said as he rises up "look we're both at fault here. My fault for withholding information and you for killing our friends. But those faults are things we can look back on and fix in the future" I said smiling but frown looking at his bruises I place a hand on his bruised cheek.

"I shouldn't have been so rough" I said as a pink tint rose on his cheeks "it is fine lady (name), there are worse things I have gone through" he said smiling then looks to Liang "Sektor was wrong. There is a debt to be paid - and Quan Chi will pay it" He puts a hand to his chest in a salute. Kuai Liang returns the salute with his hands clasped together. The two former rivals bow to one another "now that that's settled onto the matter of why I am here" I said as they both face me "Hanzo I need your help" he looked surprised "my ability to control fire is unstable if I am to be a help and not a burden then I must learn to control it" he nodded "of course"

[mrnerdteacher]

A Cosmic Hourglass Half-Full: A Spoiler-Filled List of Everything I Appreciated about "Quantumania"

“So… what’s next… Secret Wars?” As someone whose feelings for the last two Marvel movies can be described as “mixed at best,” I was surprised to find myself uttering these words outside my local Laemmle.

It was 3 pm after a matinee showing of “Ant-Man & The Wasp: Quantumania”, and while I found the movie heavy on the green screen and light on just about everything else, I was already looking forward to reuniting with my college friends for the next entry in ever-expanding Marvel Cinematic Universe.

It was at that moment that it occurred to me: the MCU, for better or for worse, is no longer just a franchise of movies and tv shows. They are cultural events. They are a recurring reason to gather with friends and family, and they give us something to talk about besides climate change and the price of gas. For this reason, attending a Marvel movie is almost like a sporting event. Sometimes, as with the case in Quantumania or Dark World, your team has a bad day. But that doesn’t mean you quit being a fan. It’s just more of a reason to celebrate franchise-defining moments, ala No Way Home or Endgame.

Therefore, in the spirit of optimistic fandom, here is a SPOILER-FILLED LIST OF EVERYTHING TO APPRECIATE ABOUT QUANTUMANIA, in order of appearance. Because yes, we lost this round, but the game definitely had some highlights…

-Jonathan Majors as Kang the Conqueror-

Simultaneously the movie’s greatest strength and most glaring weakness is the way it left you wanting more from the MCU’s newest big bad. Can an actor nail all his lines, even without things like motivation or context? Apparently, yeah. Majors might not actually have much to do in this movie, but you’ll struggle to take your eyes off him.

-Look Out for the Little Guy-

Scott’s post-Endgame memoir has been a running gag in the MCU for awhile now, but seeing Rudd ham it up in a Barnes n’ Noble is joy in its purest form. If this didn’t make you smile, I think you got the wrong theater…

-William Jackson Harper as Quaz, the Telepath-

Yeah, I didn’t know that character had a name either. Still, this Good Place alum delivered the laughs with every line. I think we’d all watch a comedy sitcom set in the quantum realm if Harper was the showrunner.

“Like Stuffing a Turkey”

Whatever discomfort we endured watching Michael Douglas double-fist a pair of gummy worms was paid off in perhaps the greatest “I’ll drive” moment in movie history. I’ve never heard an audience cheer for anything stranger.

All Things M.O.D.O.K.

While Cross’s freakish appearance provided some of the movie’s best visual gags, writer Jeff Loveness also deftly turned Yellowjacket from a D-list villain into one of the most entertaining and memorable characters in the entire MCU. And his death scene? Instant meme material. It was THAT good.

One in a Million Paul Rudds

-Remember that iconic Infinity War moment when Doctor Strange tells Tony that there is literally a one in 14 million chance that Thanos is defeated? Well apparently there’s also a one in a billion chance that Scott keeps his job at Baskin Robbins and never becomes Ant-Man in the first place. That’s pure comedy.

What about you? Which moments saved the movie for you, if even temporarily?

[mollywog]

How could you translate Katniss' internal thoughts to screen?

If you become the screenwriter for the new adaptation, what would you do?

Are there any movies or tv series which have good example of this type of narration?

Thank you 😊

@curiousnonny

Interesting question @curiousnonny!

First of all - I’m all about a mini-series. Give it the time needed to tell the whole story and extra time to build the universe, characters, and relationships

I apparently have a lot of thoughts, but if we’re just talking about how to translate internal thoughts …

Flashbacks

Scenes explaining the games from the district’s perspective.

Some thoughts…

Everdeens and Hawthorns standing together at mandatory viewing watching the reaping recap or interviews from Johanna’s game: Gale commenting on Jo appearing weak and sniveling. The idea of careers could be introduced to the viewers. AND Katniss half listening, half busy stealing glances at Peeta in the crowd

Another mandatory viewing scene from Jo’s year after the games have begun: Gale in aw of the mechanics of Johanna’s strategy and Katniss wincing at the brutality of a death by axe.

This might help understanding Katniss’s strategy after volunteering. If you hadn’t read the books, you maybe wouldn’t understand why Katniss is acting so… flat? But I wouldn’t solely rely on the flashbacks for that: I would want Katniss to show More emotions - The first movie was too subtle for me. I get it, she trying to appear bored: accomplished, but meanwhile I’m bored.

Katniss’s strategy is about her appearance to the crowd. I’d love some shots of her feeling things when no one is looking.

Think about the scene of her alone in her room in the tribute center playing with the buttons… wasted.

A shot of the three in an elevator, Haymitch and Peeta standing in front, Katniss staggered behind them and letting herself feel nervous or get excited about the elevator: Anything

There are no cameras during ‘more than just a piece in their games.’ Give me the real scene where they are snippy and Katniss storms off.

Also have shots of her cracking and showing some real (subtle) emotions in public for just a moment so we can see that she’s making a concerted effort not to show emotion.

And scowling: I would have her scowling all over the place haha.

I also think Madge is important for several reasons, but one being: She shows us that Katniss doesn’t 100% ‘buy’ the whole merchant vs seam thing. Katniss (and Gale) are actually progress thinkers in this way. They hold biases about the merchants but also can recognize it as a Capital driven division.

I’d add some rants in the woods scenes as discussed in the book:

You can see why someone like Madge, who has never been at risk of needing a tessera, can set him off. The chance of her name being drawn is very slim compared to those of us who live in the Seam. Not impossible, but slim. And even though the rules were set up by the Capitol, not the districts, certainly not Madge's family, it's hard not to resent those who don't have to sign up for tesserae.

Gale knows his anger at Madge is misdirected. On other days, deep in the woods, I've listened to him rant about how the tesserae are just another tool to cause misery in our district. A way to plant hatred between the starving workers of the Seam and those who can generally count on supper and thereby ensure we will never trust one another. "It's to the Capitol's advantage to have us divided among ourselves," he might say if there were no ears to hear but mine. If it wasn't reaping day. If a girl with a gold pin and no tesserae had not made what I'm sure she thought was a harmless comment.

[setaripendragon]

Little Sallyanne

Hi, I'm back! Sorry for the long absence, but RL sucks, and I haven't been writing much of anything I'd be willing to share lately. Except it's now Camp NaNo, and I wrote this in a frenzy instead of working on my NaNo project, of fucking course XD It's a Peaky Blinders fanfic, because that seems to be my go-to comfort-fandom at the moment for some reason??? What if Tommy went looking for Polly's children sometime during the first season, and he found Sally-Anna-Sallyanne-whatever-her-name-is-does-anyone-know before she died? WARNING: It doesn't come up overly explicitly in the fic, but it is Very Important for you to know that Sally was a child when she was deported, and this little ficlet was, in large part, inspired by a couple of articles I read about the truly horrific circumstances deported children ended up in around that time. This Sally is a deeply traumatised thirteen-year-old survivor of both sexual and physical abuse. (And Tommy knows this, knows it was done to her by the people she was given to because the government deemed his Aunt 'not fit' to care for children, and he is half a world and a month of travel away from being able to exact revenge.) If that might upset you, this may not be the fic for you. Please proceed with caution, if you decide to proceed at all. (Also, jsyk, when writing Sally in this fic, I was picturing the actress who played Lyra in the His Dark Materials series, because I swear, she looks a bit like Ada (and also Polly was the voice of her dad's daemon).)

The train rattles and clacks its way along the tracks, and Sally resists the urge to hold her breath. She hadn’t believed it when the guy in the flat-cap loitering by the Home’s fence said he was there to take her home, and she still hadn’t believed it even when she was fleeing into the night on his heels with a fire blooming out of her bedroom window behind her, and she still hadn’t believed it when instead of turning out just like every other adult there he put her on a ferry back to England under a fake name. Now, here she is on a train back to Birmingham, after ten years of trying to get here, and she’s still not quite sure she believes it.

She turns her passport over in her fingers, and looks at the name above her picture again. Miss Salima Elizabeth Shelby, it says. That’s her mother’s maiden name, she knows. She remembers. Everything from before being fostered is fuzzy, but she’s clung to what she does remember fiercely, because mostly what she remembers is being loved. She remembers her mother, her dark hair and warm voice, and she remembers her brother, mostly how funny it was to put mud down the back of his shirt and make him yell, and she remembers her aunt, with her piercing eyes and her secretive smiles.

She’s desperately glad that whoever that guy was, he thought to use her mother’s maiden name for this, because she knows she can’t be Anna Gray anymore. Even though no one’s called her Anna Gray for ten years, it’s who she’s been in her heart. Anna Sarah Gray, her mother’s little Sallyanne, no matter how many other names she’s been given. None of them were her, were hers.

But Anna Sarah Gray was deported, and she’ll be deported again if anyone finds out she’s in England again. And she’ll die before she goes back there. She’ll kill anyone who tries to fucking send her back there. So, she needs a new name, and it was a kindness, a bewildering, unexpected kindness, for that name to be one that has pieces of her already in it. Sally Shelby is a name she can fit herself into, can make her own.

The train screeches a warning as it starts to break, and Sally looks up sharply. Outside the window, she can see the sign that reads ‘Birmingham’ outside, and she stares at it until the train drifts to a stop, and then she pinches herself. It hurts, so she’s not dreaming.

She’s not dreaming. This is real.

She hasn’t cried since she was five years old, but now she feels her eyes sting. Furious with herself, she knuckles at her eye and jerks to her feet, snatching up her case and bolting for the door, not caring who she elbows or kicks on her way. She’s been fighting for this moment for ten years, she’s not going to waste another fucking second dithering about having feelings when she could be getting one step closer to her real family.

“Oi!” someone shouts after her as she swings her suitcase into his knee to get them to move out of the train car’s door. “You little-!” they holler, but Sally’s already hopping down onto the platform, and looking around, getting her bearings and trying to remember where she needs to go.

A large hand grabs her arm, and something that’s kind of like panic, and kind of like rage lights her up inside until she can barely see straight, and she brings her suitcase around again but the guy is ready for it this time, and he blocks it with his arm. “Shit! You watch what you’re doing, girl, or-”

Sally bites him on the arm, since her suitcase isn’t working as a bludgeon anymore. The man yells in shock and pain, and a smack catches her in the side of her head, but she only digs her teeth in harder, until she can taste blood. He lets go of her arm, but his other hand grabs her hair, trying to shake her loose.

And then she’s being let go, because the guy that grabbed her has been slammed back into the train, his heels slipping on the edge of the platform, and there’s blood streaming down his face from a cut that goes right through one eye. The man that’s pinning him there raises a blood-stained cap in the hand that isn’t fisted in the other guy’s shirt, and slashes it across the other eye. Blood spills.

“You’re fucking lucky,” the guy with the murder cap in his hand snarls, “that I’m only taking your fucking eyes. If you ever touch her again, I’ll cut off your fucking cock and make you eat it before you bleed out. Am I making myself perfectly fucking clear?”

“Y-yessir,” the other guy whimpers.

Murder cap guy nods once, and releases him with a shove that sends the bleeding guy staggering down the platform and vanishing into the crowd within moments. Murder cap guy takes a breath, sets his fucking amazing cap back on his head, and only then turns to face Sally.

Oh. Those eyes are just like Aunt Marra’s. Sally remembers that piercing, unearthly blue. “Yeh alrigh’, Sally?” the man who has to be her cousin asks, as if there isn’t blood splattered all over his cap, and he didn’t just blind a man just for touching her.

“Can I have one?” Sally blurts out before she can think of anything smarter to say.

Her cousin, she’s not sure which one, the older ones all kind of just blurred together in her memory, looks taken-aback for a moment, before he smiles. It’s a crooked little thing, and more than a bit mean, but Sally doesn’t mind. “I think that can be arranged,” he agrees, tipping his bloody cap to her.

Sally grins, fierce and feral and eager.

“Do you remember me?” Her cousin asks as he tucks his hands into his pockets.

“You’re my cousin,” Sally says, because that much she does remember.

Her cousin tips his head in acknowledgement, but what he says is, “Half-brother,” with a nod towards her hand. She looks down, and sees her passport still clutched there, and remembers that she’s not Anna Gray anymore. She’s Sally Shelby.

“Right,” Sally agrees. “Half-brother. Mikey’s my cousin.”

“Tha’s right,” her new half-brother confirms, smiling that crooked smile again. “I’m Tommy.”

The name sparks a memory, and Sally brightens. “You used to play horses with me!” she exclaims, remembering being carted around on Tommy’s shoulders, and yanking on his hair to make him go whichever way she pleased.

Tommy’s crooked smile becomes a crooked grin. “That was me,” he confirms. He hesitates a moment, then holds out a hand to her. “Come on, the rest of the family’s waiting for us back at The Garrison.”

Sally thinks it would probably be safe to take his hand, but it doesn’t feel safe, so she doesn’t. She just hefts her suitcase and looks at Tommy expectantly, making it clear she’s ready to go without touching him. He nods to her, accepting her choice, and sticks his hand back in his pocket as he turns and heads for the exit. Sally hurries a little to catch up, then falls into step beside him.

“Aren’t you going to get in trouble or something?” Sally asks as the crowd parts to let them through.

“Not in this neighbourhood,” Tommy replies blithely. “Anyone ‘ere gives you any trouble, you just tell ‘em your name, you tell ‘em you’re a Shelby, and they’ll know better than to mess with you,” he promises. It’s a nice promise, and Sally almost believes it, after the way he said hello. She believes it more and more, as people keep giving them both a wide berth as they make for the street; him with his blood-stained cap, and her with blood on her teeth, side-by-side and ready to fight the world.

[sortasirius]

“Despair” and Dean and Cas

Well well well, winning is my favorite thing.

As usual, this is going to be as long as hell. And fair warning, it’s extremely emotional.

So here it is, the thing that we have been barrelling towards for years, literally years.

Just want to point out this.  Also, I will NEVER allow someone to speak negatively about this writing group, EVER.

Team Free Dads starting off the episode is so sweet, so scary.  Cas’ calming, Dean’s fear, Sam’s desperation, really just hammering home how much they love Jack, how his pain is pain for them, how losing him is unbearable.

“I can’t stop this.  I’m coming apart.  I don’t want to hurt you.  Don’t let me hurt you.”

Oof.  If you’ve ever question whether Jack is a Winchester, this line should shut that shit down for you.

When I tell you I was PISSED when Billie sent Jack to the Empty to EXPLODE?????  PAIN.

“Yeah the Empty can’t come to earth, not without being summoned.”

Hello Bobo, clue number 1.

The fact that they only had Jack in limbo for like five seconds was great for my heart health, thank u very much Bobo.

Also Dean wielding Death’s scythe?????? KING?????

Man, Sam and Dean’s growth.  The way that they’re able to, idk, actually speak on how they feel without death looming or fear or pain.  It’s just a conversation, just an honest conversation of Dean admitting his mistakes, admitting how he felt.  Admitting that he fucked up, and Sam forgiving him for it.

CHARLIE AND HER GF CHARLIE AND HER GF CHARLIE AND HER GF

Also...hunters and their “dates.”  Two hunters who are happily together, who are happily fighting monsters.  Hm.  Sounds like a Saileen/Destiel parallel to me boys.

You ever wish Cas would look and the mirror and take the great advice he gives others?  Because I do.  He’s always tried to be “useful” for Sam and Dean, for Jack, always tried to make sure that he’s useful enough that they keep him around.  But what he doesn’t understand, what he’s never understood, is that they need him because of who he is, not because of what he contributes.

Remind y’all of anything?

And here we have Clue Number 2

And then, Sam’s realization.  Eileen.

Did I begin full tilt screaming no in my apartment when he said her name?  Who’s to say?

How can a lock screen cause me this much pain????

Okay but: Charlie loses Stevie, Sam loses Eileen.  Clue Number 3.

I feel like I don’t talk enough about how much Sam loves Eileen.  About how obvious it is that they are endgame, about how happy he is when he talks about her.  This just feels like a blow to the stomach, but we’ve barely even started.

Sam immediately shifting into protective leader mode?  He is the love of my life.

Dean’s simple nod, like it’s a given?  Enough to do me in right there.

This is another episode where it’s just so clear that Sam is the leader of the North American hunters.  Everyone knows him, everyone is willing to follow him.  He’s knowledgeable and kind and fair and just and an incredibly capable fighter.  Once again, I don’t believe his work on earth is done.

Can we also please talk about how FRIGHTENING IT WAS for Jack to kill that plant???  I don’t really have much of a comment on it because I was literally just like ?????

With Billie saying that it’s Chuck, the way that people were dusted, very similar to Becky and Amara, I honestly wouldn’t be surprised, especially with Donna getting taken off the board.  It’s like I said last week, I don’t buy that he’s taken himself off the board, he’s too invested in the unraveling of this story to take a step back.  He’s gotta break them before he can defeat them, that’s the only way.

And here we go, into one of the most painful and surreal things I will ever write about.

Dean’s speech.  His guilt, his regret.  The shame of not only trapping himself, but the pain, the horror of trapping Cas.

“I just lead us into another trap.  All because I, I couldn’t hurt Chuck.  Because I was angry and because I just needed something to kill, and because that’s all I know how to do.”

“Dean-”

“It was Chuck all along.  We never should have left Sam and Jack, we should be there with them now.  Everybody’s gonna die, Cas.  Everybody.  I can’t stop it.”

His narrative arc.  Tied up in a bow.

“She’s gonna get through that door.”

“I know.”

“And she’s gonna kill you and then she’s gonna kill me.  I’m sorry.”

Cas smiles.

Cas knows.  He knows what’ll get them out of this, and he knows that he would do anything in this Universe for Dean Winchester. The human man he fell for.

“When Jack was dying, I made a deal to save him.”

“You what?”

“The price was my life.  When I experienced a moment of true happiness, the Empty would be summoned and it would take me forever.”

“Why are you telling me this now?”

“I always wondered, ever since I took that burden, that curse, I’ve wondered what it could be, what my true happiness could even look like.  I never found an answer, because the one thing I want, it’s something I know I can’t have. 

“But I think I know, I think I know now...happiness isn’t in the having, it’s in just being.  It’s in just saying it.”

“What are you talking about, man?”

The most selfless thing Cas does in this, and he does a lot of selfless things, is to tell Dean Winchester how impossibly good he is.  To tell him that he is worthy, to tell him that he is adored.

“I know, I know how you see yourself, Dean.  You see yourself the same way our enemies see you.  You’re destructive and you’re angry and you’re broken and you’re daddy’s blunt instrument.  And you think that hate and anger, that’s what drives you, that’s who you are.  It’s not.  And everyone who knows you sees it, and everything you have ever done, the good and the bad, you have done for love.  You raise your little brother for love, you fought for this whole world for love.  That is who you are.

“You’re the most caring man on earth.  You are the most selfless, loving human being I will ever know.  You know, ever since we met, ever since I pulled you outta Hell...knowing you has changed me.

“Because you cared, I cared.  I cared about you, I cared about Sam, I cared about Jack, I cared about the whole world because of you. 

“You changed me, Dean.”

“Why does this sound like a goodbye?”

Dean’s greatest fear. His fear of those loving him leaving him. The terror of being alone.

“Because it is.

The head shake.  Don’t love me.  Don’t love me if it means you’ll leave me, don’t love me, everyone I love leaves me.  Don’t leave me.  Don’t love me.  Don’t leave me.

“Don’t do this, Cas.”

Just like I always thought.  One last look at Dean before the Empty takes him.

“Cas-”

“Goodbye Dean.”

And Dean is left, broken on the floor, unable to answer Sam’s calls, unable to do anything.  It doesn’t matter to him that Chuck has wiped everyone out, it doesn’t matter to him that Sam and Jack might need him.  It doesn’t matter.  It doesn’t matter, because the thing that mattered still hangs on his lips, still waiting to be said, and now he won’t get another chance to say it.

The fact that I am writing this, even with all my spec, with all my analysis of the writers’ room, of their text, of the way Dabb and co had approached this story, nothing could have ever prepared me for this.  Nothing could have prepared me for a three and a half minute, uninterrupted scene where Cas confesses not only that he loves Dean, but that he has always loved him.

I talk a lot about how these writers don’t get the credit they deserve.  Unfortunately, from most of this fandom, they never will.  We will likely never know the fights with the network they had, the steps backward they had to take, the way they had to beg and fight and claw to get this on the screen.  But they did it.  They did it for these characters, they did it for this dinosaur of a show, and yeah, they did it for us.

It was not easy, I can promise you, to get this greenlit.  They had to fight for this, they likely had to call in favors and make threats and quite literally put their careers on the line (you may scoff at that, but WB is a BIG company, especially in the TV/movie world) for this story.  This story of Dean and Cas, the man dragged out of Hell and the angel who fell for him.

I have tons more to say, and will likely have several more posts about this, but I want to leave all my babes who are worried that that was the end for Dean and Cas with some takeaways.

Sam is missing Eileen.  Dean is missing Cas.  That is no longer a fun subtextual parallel, that is it for them.  Their respective endgames are missing, and they will not know their peace until they get them back.  Chuck will not win.  That’s not the story being told, and right now?  He’s winning.  He’s broken them, left them with nothing, left them with an empty world and a hole in each of their hearts where their person (or angel) used to be.

Our show is going to end with “contentment.”  “Contentment” isn’t from Sam and Dean being filled with grief and hitting the open road.  It isn’t Sam getting Eileen back and leaving Dean with no one.  “Contentment” is Sam and Eileen, Dean and Cas.  Together.

[shihalyfie]

About the Adventure: reboot, the likely reason why it exists, the question of target demographic, and whether I would recommend it or not

I think this reboot has been kind of a strange outlier in terms of Digimon anime in general, in terms of...well, just about everything. I also feel like everything surrounding it has kind of been giving us mixed signals as to what the intent and purpose behind the anime is -- well, besides “cashing in on the Adventure brand”, but looking at it more closely, that might be a bit of an oversimplification.

I’m writing this post because, having seen the entire series to the end for myself and thinking very hard about it and what it was trying to do, I decided to put down my thoughts. This is not meant to be a review of what I think was good and bad, but rather, something that I hope will be helpful to those who might be on the fence about whether they want to watch it or not, or those who don’t want to watch/finish it but are curious about what happened, or those who are curious as to why this reboot even exists in the first place, or even maybe just those who did watch it but are interested in others’ thoughts about it. I'm personally convinced that -- especially in an ever-changing franchise like Digimon -- how much you like a given work is dependent on what your personal tastes are to the very end, and thus it’s helpful to understand what kind of expectations you should go in with if you want to watch something.

With all of this said and done, if you want to go in and best enjoy this series, I think it is best to consider this anime as a distinct Digimon series of its own. The relationship to Adventure is only surface-level, and by that I mean it’s very obvious it’s doing things its own thing deliberately without worrying too much about what prior series did. Of course, I think everyone will have varying feelings about using the Adventure branding for something that really isn't Adventure at all, but we are really talking about an in-name-only affair, and something that’s unabashedly doing whatever it wants. So in other words, if you’re going in expecting Adventure, or anything that really resembles Adventure, you’re setting yourself up for disappointment. But if you’re able to approach it like yet another distinct Digimon series, and the other aspects of it fit your fancy, you’ll probably be able to enjoy it much better. And, conversely, I think it’s also important to remember that this series seems to have a writing philosophy with a fundamentally different goal from most Digimon series, and since it’s understandable for most long-time Digimon fans to have their tastes built on those prior series, it’s fine and completely understandable that this reboot may not be your cup of tea, for reasons that probably don’t actually have much to do with whether it’s an Adventure reboot or not.

There are no spoilers in the following post. (Although I use some emphatic language for the duration for it, these are mostly just my personal thoughts and how I see the series and the overall situation.)

On what exact relationship to Adventure this series has, and why it’s an “Adventure reboot”

If you ask why they did an Adventure reboot, the easiest answer to come up with is “Adventure milking, because it’s profitable”, but that’s kind of an oversimplification of what the issue is. This is especially when you take into account a key fact that official has been very well aware of since as early as 2006: most kids are too young to have seen Adventure, and therefore have no reason to care about it.

That’s the thing: Adventure milking only works so well on today’s children, and Toei and Bandai know this. This is also the reason that the franchise started going through a bit of a “split” starting in around 2012 (after Xros Wars finished airing), when the video game branch started making more active attempts to appeal to the adults’ fanbase with Re:Digitize and Adventure PSP. (Although they were technically still “kids’ games”, they were very obviously aimed at the adults’ audience as a primary “target”.) The generation that grew up with Adventure and other classic Digimon anime was getting older and older, and targeting that audience would require tailoring products more specifically to them -- ultimately culminating in 2015 and the solidification of “very obviously primarily for adults” media in the form of both games (Cyber Sleuth and Next Order) and anime (tri.). Note that Appmon ended up getting its own 3DS game, but since it was targeted at kids, it seems to have been developed by a completely different pipeline/branch from the aforementioned adults’ games, so even that had a split.

So if we want to talk about full-on nostalgia pandering, that’s already being done in the adults’ branch. In fact, Appmon development specifically said that they felt free to not really care about the adults’ audience because that was tri.’s job. Of course, the hardcore Digimon adults’ fanbase is still keeping an eye on the kids’ shows, and it’s good to not upset them -- and, besides, even if we’re all suffering under the hell of capitalism, people who work in kids’ shows still tend to be very passionate about the content and messages they’re showing the kids, so they still put an effort into making good content that adults can enjoy too. But, nevertheless, adults are still the “periphery demographic”, and a kids’ show is not a success if the kids (who have not seen and do not care about Adventure) are not watching it or buying the toys. Appmon ended up being extremely well-received by the adults’ fanbase, but that all meant nothing since the kids didn’t get into it.

Most kids are not super incredibly discerning about so-called writing quality (it’s not like they don’t at least unconsciously know when something is good, but they’re much less likely to be bothered by little things adults are often bothered by), so there’s a certain degree you have to get their attention if you want things to catch on with them. Critical reception does matter a lot more when we talk about the adults’ audience, but for the kids, the more important part is how much you’ve managed to engage them and how much fun they’re having (especially in regards to the toyline). Moreover, there’s the problem of “momentum”; Digimon’s sister shows of PreCure, Kamen Rider, and Super Sentai have sometimes had really poorly performing shows (critically or financially), but have managed to recover it in successive years to avoid getting cancelled. Digimon never managed to get to that point, with sales nearly dropping to half with Tamers and again with Frontier. So in essence, Savers, Xros Wars, and Appmon were all attempts at figuring out what was needed to just get that “kickstart” again -- but things just never lined up for it to work.

So if kids don’t really care about Adventure, why would they do Adventure nostalgia pandering? The answer is one that official has actually openly stated multiple times: they want to have parents watch it together with their children. Both Seki and Kinoshita said this in regards to watching the reaction to Kizuna, and it was also stated outright as a goal for the reboot, but, believe it or not, there’s reports of this having been stated back as early as Savers (followed by an admission that maybe 2006 was a little too early for people who grew up with Adventure to be old enough to have their own kids). So the little nostalgia references in Savers, Xros Wars, and Appmon aren't really meant to magically turn the series into Adventure as much as they’re supposed to be flags waved at the parents to get them to pay attention, so that they can introduce their kids to Digimon and watch it together with them, until the kids eventually take an interest on their own and they don’t need to rely on that kind of standby as much. (I say “as much” because of course PreCure, Rider, and Sentai all are still very indulgent in their anniversary references, but they’re not nearly as reliant on it to the point of life-and-death.)

This is also why Kizuna’s existence and release date two months prior to the reboot is a huge factor in this. The reason tri. wouldn’t have done it is that it never actually reached a properly “mainstream” audience. It’s a huge reason I keep emphasizing the fact that tri. and Kizuna are two separate things with completely different production and release formats, because tri. being a limited OVA screening released in six parts over three years means that, although it was a moderate financial success that did better than the franchise’s other niche products, in the end, it didn’t actually reach the “extremely casual” audience very well. We, as the “hardcore Internet fanbase”, all know people who watched all six parts, and the difference between tri. and Kizuna’s release formats doesn’t hit us as hard because of international distribution circumstances, but even on our end, if you talk to your casual friends who barely remember anything about Digimon except what they saw on TV twenty years ago, you will almost never find anyone who got past Part 1, maybe 2 at most. (That’s before we even get into the part where a good chunk of them got turned off at the character design stage for being too different.) Sticking with a full six-part series over three years is a commitment, and if you’re not someone with a certain level of loyalty to the franchise, you aren’t as likely to put aside the time for it!

Kizuna, on the other hand, was a full-on theatrical movie with full marketing campaign that was aimed at that extremely casual mainstream audience, including a lot of people who hadn’t even heard of tri. (due to it being too niche) or hadn’t bothered to commit to watching something so long, and thus managed to “hype up” a lot of adults and get them in a Digimon mood. (Critical reception issues aside, this is also presumably a huge reason Kizuna isn’t all that reliant on tri.’s plot; Adventure and 02 both averaged at around 11% of the country watching it when it first aired, but the number of people who even saw tri. much less know what happened in it is significantly lower, so while you can appeal to a lot of people if you’re just targeting the 11%, you'll lock them out if you’re overly reliant on stuff a lot of them will have never seen in the first place.) We’re talking the kind of super-casual who sees a poster for Kizuna, goes “oh I remember Digimon!”, casually buys a ticket for the movie, likes it because it has characters they remember and the story is feelsy, and then two months later an anime that looks like the Digimon they recognize is on Fuji TV, resulting in them convincing their kid to watch it together with them because they’re in a Digimon mood now, even though the actual contents of the anime are substantially different from the original.

So, looking back at the reboot:

There’s a huge, huge, huge implication that the choice to use Adventure branding was at least partially to get Fuji TV to let them have their old timeslot back. Neither Xros Wars nor Appmon were able to be on that old timeslot, presumably because Fuji TV had serious doubts about their profitability (perhaps after seeing Savers not do very well). This isn’t something that hits as hard for us outside Japan who don’t have to feel the impact of this anyway, but it’s kind of a problem if kids don’t even get the opportunity to watch the show in the first place. While there’s been a general trend of moving to video-on-demand to the point TV ratings don’t really have as much impact as they used to, I mean...it sure beats 6:30 in the morning, goodness. (Note that a big reason PreCure, Rider, and Sentai are able to enjoy the comfortable positions they’re in is that they have a very luxurious 8:30-10 AM Sunday block on TV Asahi dedicated to them.)

Since we’re talking about “the casual mainstream”, this means that this kind of ploy only works with something where a casual person passing by can see names and faces and take an interest. This is why it has to be Adventure, not 02 or Tamers or whatnot; 02 may have had roughly similar TV ratings to Adventure and fairly close sales figures back in 2000, but the actual pop culture notability disparity in this day and age is humongous (think about the difference in pop culture awareness between Butter-Fly and Target). 02, Tamers, and all can do enough to carry “adults’ fandom” products and merch sales at DigiFes, and the adults’ branch of the franchise in general, but appealing to the average adult buying toys for the kids is a huge difference, and a big reason that, even if they’re clearly starting to acknowledge more of the non-Adventure series these days, it’s still hard to believe they’re going to go as far as rebooting��anything past Adventure -- or, more accurately, hard to believe they’ll be able to get the same impact using names and faces alone.

This advertising with the Adventure brand goes beyond just the anime -- we’re talking about the toyline that has the involved character faces plastered on them, plus all of the ventures surrounding them that Bandai pretty obviously carefully timed to coincide with this. One particularly big factor is the card game, which is doing really, really well right now, to the point it’s even started gaining an audience among people who weren’t originally Digimon fans. Part of it is because the game’s design is actually very good and newcomer-friendly, but also...nearly every set since the beginning came with reboot-themed Tamer Cards, which means that, yes, those cards with the Adventure names and faces were helping lure people into taking an interest in the game. Right now, the game is doing so well and has gained such a good reputation that it probably doesn’t need that crutch anymore to keep going as long as the game remains well-maintained, but I have no doubt the initial “Adventure” branding was what helped it take off, and its success is most likely a huge pillar sustaining the franchise at the current moment.

Speaking of merch and toys, if you look closely, you might notice that Bandai decided to go much, much more aggressively into the toy market with this venture than they ever did with Savers, Xros Wars, or Appmon (Appmon was probably the most aggressive attempt out of said three). They put out a lot more merch and did a lot more collaborative events to engage the parents and children, and, presumably, the reason they were able to do this was because they were able to push into those outlets with the confidence the Adventure brand would let them be accepted (much like with Fuji TV). Like with the card game, the important part was getting their “foot in the door” so that even if it stopped being Adventure after a fashion, they’d still have all of those merchandising outlets -- after all, one of the first hints we ever got of Ghost Game’s existence was a July product listing for its products replacing the reboot’s in a gachapon set, so we actually have evidence of certain product pipelines being opened by the reboot’s precedent. (The word 後番組 literally means “the TV program that comes after”, so it’s pretty obvious this was intended for Ghost Game; in other words, the reboot’s existence helped ensure there be a “reservation” for this kind of product to be made.)

I think one important thing to keep in mind is that Toei and Bandai have as much of a stake in avoiding rehashing for their kids’ franchises as we do. Even if you look at this from a purely capitalistic perspective, because of how fast the “turnover” is for the kids’ audience, sustaining a franchise for a long time off rehashing the same thing over and over is hard, and even moreso when it involves a twenty-year-old anime that said kids don’t even know or remember. Ask around about popular long-running Japanese kids’ franchises and you’ll notice they practically rely on being able to comfortably change things up every so often, like PreCure/Rider/Sentai shuffling every year, or Yu-Gi-Oh! having a rotation of different series and concepts, or the struggles that franchises that don’t do this have to deal with. And, after all, for all people are cynical about Toei continuing to milk Adventure or any of the other older series at every opportunity, as far as the kids’ branch of the franchise goes, this is only capable of lasting to a certain extent; if they tried keeping this up too long, even the adults and kids would get bored, and there is some point it’ll be easier to try and make products directly targeted at the kids’ audience instead of having to rely on the parents to ease them into it.

So it’s completely understandable that the moment they secured a proper audience with the reboot and finished up their first series with this, they decided to take the risk with Ghost Game right after. And considering all that’s happened, this is still a risk -- they’re changing up a lot (even if not as much as Appmon), and there’s a chance that the audience they’ve gathered is going to shoot down again because they’ve changed so much and they no longer have the Adventure branding as a “crutch” to use -- but they’re taking it anyway instead of going for something at least slightly more conventional.

Which means that, yes, there’s a possibility this will all explode in their face, because the Adventure branding is that huge of a card they’re about to lose. But at the very, very least, Ghost Game is coming in with the “momentum” and advantage that Savers, Xros Wars, and Appmon all didn’t have: a brand currently in the stage of recovery, all of the merchandising and collaborative pipelines the reboot and Kizuna opened up, a fairly good timeslot, and a premise somewhat more conventional than Xros Wars and Appmon (I’m saying this as someone who likes both: their marketing definitely did not do them many favors). There are still a lot of risks it’s playing here, and it’s possible it won’t be the end of more Adventure or reboot brand usage to try to keep that momentum up even as we go into Ghost Game, but it’s the first time in a long while we’ve had something to stand on.

Okay, so that’s out of the way. But the end result is that we now have 67 episodes of an Adventure “reboot” that actually doesn’t even resemble Adventure that much at all, which seems to have achieved its goal of flagging down attention so it can finally going back to trying new things. This series exists, we can’t do anything about the fact it exists, the period where its own financial performance actually mattered is coming to an end anyway, and we, as a fanbase of adults hanging out on the Internet keeping up with the franchise as a whole, have to figure out how each of us feels about this. So what of it?

About the contents of the reboot itself

One thing I feel hasn’t been brought up as a potential topic very much (or, at least, not as much as I feel like it probably should be) is that the reboot seems to be actively aimed at a younger target audience than the original Adventure. It hasn’t been stated outright, but we actually have quite a bit of evidence pointing towards this.

Let’s take a moment and discuss what it even means to have a different target audience. When you’re a kid, even one or two years’ difference is a big deal, and while things vary from kid to kid, generally speaking, it helps to have an idea of what your “overall goal” is when targeting a certain age group, since at some point you have to approximate the interests of some thousands of children. Traditionally, Digimon has been aimed at preteens (10-11 year olds); of course, many will testify to having seen the series at a younger age than that, but the "main” intended target demographic was in this arena. (Also, keep in mind that this is an average; a show aimed at 10-11 year olds could be said to be more broadly aimed at 7-13 year olds, whereas one aimed at 7-8 year olds would be more broadly aimed at something like 5-10 year olds.) Let’s talk a bit about what distinguishes children’s shows (especially Japanese kids’ shows) between this “preteen demographic” and things aimed at a much younger audience (which I’ll call “young child demographic”, something like the 7-8 year old arena):

With children who are sufficiently young, it’s much, much more difficult to ensure that a child of that age will be able to consistently watch TV at the same hour every week instead of being subject to more variable schedules, often set by their parents, meaning that it becomes much more difficult to have a series that relies on you having seen almost every episode to know what’s going on. For somewhat older kids, they’re more likely to be able to pick and pursue their own preferences (the usual “got up early every week for this show”). This means that shows targeted at a young child demographic will be more likely to be episodic, or at least not have a complex dramatic narrative that requires following the full story, whereas shows targeted at a preteen audience are more willing to have a dramatic narrative with higher complexity. This does not mean by any shake of the imagination that a narrative is incapable of having any kind of depth or nuance -- the reboot’s timeslot predecessor GeGeGe no Kitaro got glowing reviews all over the board for being an episodic story with tons of depth -- nor that characters can’t slowly develop over the course of the show. But it does raise the bar significantly, especially because it prevents you from making episodes that require you to know what happened in previous ones.

The thing is, the original Adventure and the older Digimon series in general didn’t have to worry about this, and, beyond the fact that their narratives very obviously were not episodic, we actually have concrete evidence of the disparity: Digimon has often been said to be a franchise for “the kids who graduated from (outgrew) a certain other monster series”. Obviously, they’re referring to Pokémon -- which does have the much younger target demographic. That’s why its anime is significantly more episodic and less overall plot-oriented, and Digimon wasn’t entirely meant to be a direct competitor to it; rather, it was hoping to pick up the preteens who’d enjoyed Pokémon at a younger age but were now looking for something more catered to them. This is also why, when Yo-kai Watch came into the game in 2014, that was considered such a huge direct competitor to Pokémon, because it was aiming for that exact same demographic, complete with episodic anime. When Yo-kai Watch moved to its Shadowside branch in 2017, it was specifically because they had concerns about losing audience and wanted to appeal to the kids who had been watching the original series, but since they were preteens now, they adopted a more dramatic and emotionally complex narrative that would appeal to that audience instead. So you can actually see the shift in attempted target demographic in real time.

Adventure through Frontier were aimed at 10-11 year olds, and here’s the interesting part: those series had the protagonists hover around the age of said target audience. We actually have it on record that Frontier had a direct attempt to keep most of the kids as fifth-graders for the sake of appealing to the audience, and so that it would be relatable to them. You can also see this policy of “matching the target audience’s age” in other series at the time; Digimon’s sister series Ojamajo Doremi (also produced by Seki) centered around eight-year-olds. Nor was Seki the only one to do this; stepping outside Toei for a bit, Medabots/Medarot had its protagonist Ikki be ten years old, much like Digimon protagonists, and the narrative was similarly dramatic. The thing is, that’s not how it usually works, and that’s especially not really been how it’s worked for the majority of kids’ series since the mid-2000s. In general, and especially now, it’s usually common to have the protagonists of children’s media be slightly older than the target age group. This has a lot of reasons behind it -- partially because kids are looking to have slightly older characters as a model for what to follow in their immediate future, and partially because “the things you want to teach the kids” are often more realistically reflected if the kids on screen have the right level of independence and capacity for emotional contemplation. Case in point: while everyone agrees the Adventure through Frontier characters are quite relatable, it’s a common criticism that the level of emotional insight sometimes pushes the boundary of what’s actually believable for 10-11 year olds...

...which is presumably why, with the exception of this reboot, every Digimon TV series since, as of this writing, started shifting to middle school students. That doesn’t mean they’re aiming the series at middle school kids now, especially because real-life 13-15 year olds are usually at the stage where they pretend they’ve outgrown kids’ shows (after all, that’s why there’s a whole term for “middle school second year syndrome”), but more that the narrative that they want to tell is best reflected by kids of that age, especially when we’re talking characters meant to represent children from the real world and not near-immortal youkai like Kitaro. In fact, the Appmon staff outright said that Haru was placed in middle school because the story needed that level of independence and emotional sensitivity, which is interesting to consider in light of the fact that Appmon’s emotional drama is basically on par with that of Adventure through Frontier’s. So in other words, the kind of high-level drama endemic to Adventure through Frontier is would actually normally be more on par with what you’d expect for kids of Haru’s age.

But at this point, the franchise is at a point of desperation, and you can see that, as I said earlier, Appmon was blatantly trying to be one of those “have its cake and eat it too” series by having possibly one of the franchise’s most dramatic storylines while also having some of the most unsubtle catchphrases and bright colors it has to offer. Moreover, one thing you might notice if you look closely at Appmon: most of its episodes are self-contained. Only a very small handful of episodes are actively dependent on understanding what happened in prior episodes to understand the conflict going on in the current one -- it’s just very cleverly structured in a way you don’t really notice this as easily. So as you can see, the more desperate the franchise has gotten to get its kids’ audience back, the more it has to be able to grab the younger demographic and not lock them out as much as possible -- which means that it has to do things that the original series didn’t have to worry about at all.

Having seen the reboot myself, I can say that it checks off a lot of what you might expect if you tried to repurpose something based on Adventure (and only vaguely based on it, really) into a more episodic story that doesn’t require you to follow the whole thing, and that it has to break down its story into easy-to-follow bits. In fact, there were times where I actually felt like it gave me the vibes of an educational show that would usually be expected for this demographic, such as repeated use of slogans or fun catchphrases for young kids to join in on. That alone means that even if the “base premise” is similar to the original Adventure, this already necessitates a lot of things that have to be very different, because Adventure really cannot be called episodic no matter how you slice it.

Not only that, even though the target audience consideration has yet to be outright stated, we also have interviews on hand that made it very clear, from the very beginning, what their goals with the reboot were: they wanted the kids to be able to enjoy a story of otherworldly exploration during the pandemic, they wanted cool action sequences, and they wanted to get the adults curious about what might be different from the original. Note that last part: they actively wanted this series to be different from the original, because the differences would engage parents in spotting the differences, and the third episode practically even goes out of its way to lay that message down by taking the kids to a familiar summer camp, only to have it pass without incident and go “ha, you thought, but nope!” Moreover -- this is the key part -- “surprising” people who were coming from the original series was a deliberate goal they had from the very beginning. They’ve stated this outright -- they knew older fans were watching this! They were not remotely shy about stating that they wanted to surprise returning viewers with unexpected things! They even implied that they wanted it to be a fun experience for older watchers to see what was different and what wasn’t -- basically, it’s a new show for their kids who never saw the original Adventure, while the parents are entertained by a very different take on something that seems ostensibly familiar. 

On top of that, the head writer directly cited V-Tamer as an influence -- and if you know anything about V-Tamer, it’s really not that much of a character narrative compared to what we usually know of Digimon anime, and is mostly known for its battle tactics and action sequences (but in manga form). In other words, we have a Digimon anime series that, from day one, was deliberately made to have a writing philosophy and goal that was absolutely not intended to be like Adventure -- or any Digimon TV anime up to this point -- in any way. And that’s a huge shock for us as veterans, who have developed our tastes and expectations based on up to seven series of Digimon that were absolutely not like this at all. But for all it's worth, the circumstances surrounding its production and intent don't seem to quite line up with what the most common accusations against it are:

That it’s a rehash of Adventure: It really isn’t. It’s also blatantly apparent it has no intention of being so. The points that are in common: the character names and rough character designs, some very minimal profile details for said characters, Devimon having any particular foil position to Angemon, the use of Crests to represent personal growth, the premise of being in the Digital World and...that’s it! Once those points are aside, it’s really hard to say that the series resembles Adventure any more than Frontier or Xros Wars resembles Adventure (which are also “trapped in another world” narratives) -- actually, there are times the series resembles those two more than the original Adventure, which many have been quick to point out. The majority of things you can make any kind of comparison to basically drop off by the end of the first quarter or so, and trying to force a correlation is basically just that: you’d have to try forcing the comparison. The plot, writing style, and even the lineup of enemies shown just go in a completely different direction after that. So in the end, the base similarities can be said to be a marketing thing; if I want to criticize this series, I don’t think “lack of creativity” would actually be something I would criticize it for. (Of course, you’re still welcome to not be a huge fan of how they’re still guilty of using Adventure’s name value to market something that is not actually Adventure. We’re all gonna have mixed feelings on that one.)

That they don’t understand or remember Adventure’s appeal: Unlikely. All of the main staff has worked on character-based narratives before, which have been very well-praised while we’re at it. The producer, Sakurada Hiroyuki, was an assistant producer on the original series, and I would like to believe he probably remembers at least a thing or two about what they were doing with the original series...but, also, he’s the producer of Xros Wars, which definitely had its own individuality and style, and, moreover, was more of a character narrative that people generally tend to expect from Digimon anime. (Still a bit unconventional, and it has its own questions of personal taste, but a lot of people have also pointed out that this reboot has a lot in common with Xros Wars in terms of its writing tone and its emphasis on developing Digital World resident Digimon moreso than the human characters.) All signs point to the idea they could make a character narrative like Adventure if they really wanted to. It’s just, they don’t want to do that with this reboot, so they didn’t.

That they misinterpreted or misremembered the Adventure characters: There’s been accusations of said characters being written in a way that implies misinterpretation or lack of understanding of the original characters, but the thing is, while I definitely agree they have nowhere near the depth of the original ones, there are points that seem to be deliberate changes. (At some points, they’re actually opposites of the original, and certain things that operate as some very obscure references -- for instance, Sora complaining about having to sit in seiza -- seem to also be deliberate statements of going in a different direction.) The lack of human character depth or backstory doesn’t seem to be out of negligence, but rather that this story doesn’t want to be a character narrative to begin with -- after all, we’re used to seven series of Digimon that are, but there are many, many kids’ anime, or even stories in general, where the story is more about plot or action than it is completely unpacking all of its characters’ heads. In this case, this reboot does seem to have characters that are taking cues from or are “inspired by” the original, but, after all, it’s an alternate universe and has no obligation to adhere to the original characters’ backgrounds, so it stands to reason that it’d take liberties whenever it wanted. (Again, the head writer outright stated that he based the reboot’s Taichi more on V-Tamer Taichi than the original Adventure anime Taichi. He knows there’s a difference!) Even more intriguingly, the series actually avoids certain things that are common misconceptions or pigeonholes that would normally be done by the mainstream -- for instance, the Crest of Light (infamously one of the more abstract ones in the narrative) is fully consistent with Adventure’s definition of it as “the power of life”, and, if I dare say so myself, Koushirou’s characterization (emphasizing his relationship with “knowledge” and his natural shyness) arguably resembles the original far more than most common fan reductions of his character that overemphasize his computer skills over his personal aptitude. In other words, I think the staff does know what happened in the original Adventure -- they just actively don’t want to do what Adventure did, even if it’s ostensibly a reboot.

That it’s soulless or that there’s no passion in its creation: Well, this is subjective, and in the end I’m not a member of the staff to tell you anything for sure, but there are definitely a lot of things in this anime that don’t seem like they’d be the byproduct of uninspired creation or lack of passion. It’s just that those things are all not the kinds of things that we, as Digimon veterans, have come to develop a taste for and appreciate in Digimon anime. That is to say, there is an incredible amount of thought and detail put into representing Digimon null canon (i.e. representing special attacks and mechanics), the action sequences are shockingly well-animated in ways that put most prior Digimon anime to shame, and the series has practically been making an obvious attempt to show off as many Digimon (creatures) that haven’t traditionally gotten good franchise representation as they can. Or sometimes really obscure “meta fanservice” references that only make sense to the really, really, really, really hardcore longtime Digimon fan (for instance, having an episode centered around Takeru and Opossummon, because Takeru’s voice actress Han Megumi voiced Airu in Xros Wars). If you follow any of the animators on Twitter, they seem to be really actively proud of their work on it, and franchise creators Volcano Ota and Watanabe Kenji seem to be enjoying themselves every week...so basically, we definitely have creators passionate about having fun with this, it’s just that all of it is being channeled here, not the character writing.

So in the end, you can basically see that this series is basically the epitome of desperately pulling out all of the stops to make sure this series lands with the actual target demographic of children, dammit, and gets them into appreciating how cool these fighting monsters are and how cool it would be if they stuck with them even into a series that’s not Adventure. The Adventure branding and names to lure in the parents, the straightforward and easy-to-understand action-oriented narrative so that kids will think everything is awesome and that they’ll like it even when the story changes, and the merchandise and collab events booked everywhere so that they can all be reused for the next series too...because, remember, they failed with that during Savers, Xros Wars, and Appmon (I mean, goodness, you kind of have to admire their persistence, because a ton of other kids’ franchises failing this many times would have given up by now), so it’s a bit unsurprising that they went all the way to get the kids’ attention at the expense of a lot of things that would attract veterans, especially since the veterans already have a well-developed adults’ pipeline to cater to them. This does also mean that this series is more likely to come off as a 67-episode toy commercial than any previous Digimon series, but it’s not even really the toys as much as they’re trying to sell the entire franchise and the actual monsters in the hopes that they’ll stick with it even when the narrative changes.

Nevertheless, here we are. The series is over. Ghost Game -- which, as of this writing, is looking to be much more of a conventional Digimon narrative, complete with older cast, obviously more dramatic atmosphere, and pretty much everything surrounding its PR -- is on its way, presumably thanks to the success of this endeavor. It’s hard to gauge it; we have it on record that they also intend it to be episodic, but remember that this doesn’t necessarily prevent it from having an overall dramatic plot or nuanced drama (especially since the abovementioned Appmon and Kitaro were perfectly capable of pulling off this balance). Nevertheless, it seems to be a lot more of the conventional kind of Digimon narrative we usually expect, so, as for us, adult long-time fans of the Digimon franchise (many of whom don’t have kids anyway), what exactly should we make of this? Well, as far as “supporting the franchise” goes, you’ll get much more progress supporting Ghost Game than the reboot; I highly doubt view counts and merch sales relative to an already-finished series will do nearly as much for the franchise’s health as much as the currently airing series, and, besides, it’d probably do us all a favor to support the endeavor that’s actually new and fresh. So when it comes to a “past” series like this, it’s all just going to come down to a question of personal preference and taste: is this a series you, personally, want to watch, and would you find it entertaining?

For some of you, it’s possible that it just won’t be your cup of tea at all -- and since, like I said, the majority of us here have based our expectations and preferences on up to seven series of Digimon that were not like this, that’s also perfectly fine, and in that case I don’t actually recommend you watch this. Of course, I’ve never thought that it was ever fair to expect a Digimon fan to have seen all of the series released to date; the more series we get, the more inhumane of a demand that’ll become, and I think this franchise becoming successful enough to have so many series that most people won’t have seen it all is a good thing. (It’s actually kind of alarming that the percentage of people who have seen it all is so high, because it means the franchise has failed to get much of an audience beyond comparatively hardcore people who committed to it all the way.) But I think, especially in this case, with a series for which adult fans like us were probably lowest on the priority list due to the sheer amount of desperation going on here, it’s fine to skip it, and if you’re someone who lives by a need for character depth or emotionally riveting narrative, the fact this series is (very unabashedly and unashamedly) mostly comprised of episodic stories and action sequences means you won’t have missed much and probably won’t feel too left out of any conversations going forward. That’s before we even get into the part where it’s still completely understandable to potentially have mixed feelings or resentment about the overuse of the Adventure brand for something like this, especially if Adventure is a particularly important series to you.

But for some of you out there, it might still be something you can enjoy on its own merits. I’ve seen people who were disappointed by the limited degree of Digimon action sequences in the past or the fact that the series has gotten overly fixated on humans, and had an absolute ball with the reboot because it finally got to represent parts of the franchise they felt hadn’t been shown off as well. “Fun” is a perfectly valid reason to enjoy something. It’s also perfectly possible to be someone who can enjoy character narratives like the prior Digimon series but also enjoy something that’s more for being outlandish and fun and has cool Digital World concepts and visuals -- and, like I said, it does not let up on that latter aspect at all, so there’s actually potential for a huge feast in that regard. I think as long as you don’t expect it to be a character narrative like Adventure -- which will only set you up for disappointment, because it’s not (and made very clear since even the earliest episodes and interviews that it had no intention of being one) -- it’s very possible to enjoy it for what it is, and for what it does uniquely.

[luv-loo]

I’m gonna rant on some faves because boredom and so my mind doesn’t explode. SPOILERS AHEAD !!!

Max Mayfield — MY QUEEN. If Ryan Reynolds is every straight mans crush than Sadie Sink is my straight girl crush 😻 I remember watching season 2 and seeing her for the first time and felt SO HAPPY !! As a girl who has guy friends and (at the time) only hanged with them she made me so much less insecure about that fact. Her acting was on POINT season 4 and my fave thing the whole season and SHE STILL GOT THE END OF THE STICK. But season 3 Max doesn’t get enough love imo because let’s be real, she’s the real mpv for helping El to get in her own skin. Max & Sadie are my queens and I’ll make sure they are treated as MUCH.

Lance Sweets — HONESTLY WANT HIM TO BE MY OLDER BROTHER OKAY, or that cool uncle. I love him to DEATH. His dokiness, his smarts, his awkwardness & his weird as way of being a therapist to Bones & Booth but yeah know— I’ve already spoiled myself and I’m just SAD. I love Booth as well, but whenever he or Bones talk down to him pisses me right off. NO. HE IS APART OF THE FBI FOR A REASON YOU BABOONS. I love him with Daisy (even if she can be a bit overbearing at times) but I also low key ship him with Fisher simply by the fact there both high class NERDS. Anyway, love him.

Chrissy Cunningham — Unpopular opinion, but I felt Chrissy death more than both Barbs AND Eddies. Let me explain. Barb because she wasn’t really a fleshed out character imo, beside being Nancy’s smart and overly safe friend, but honestly Steve and Nancys relationship in S1 was cute imo and didn’t deserve half the shit it got from Barb. ANYWAY. I loved Eddie a lot, like all ST fans, but his death felt so rushed and so unsatisfactory to the plot and the end talk with Dustin & Eddie’s uncle just made me hate it more. Chrissy got character development from the moment she was on screen until her untimely demise. Her trauma was so real, something I kind of related to in my own way. I just loved her and it was the only time the season I actually shed a tear.

Rudy Wade — Probably the most unrecognisable name on the list, but Rudy is from S3-S5 of the British TV show Misfits, about powers and crap and it’s GREAT. Anyway, Rudy’s power is what I like to call “Emotional Doubles”. He basically has a double of himself but is all his bottled up emotions in that double. He’s a character I relate to way to much, mainly in the aspect of hiding emotions to the point it’s unhealthy. I’ve loved him since he appeared. He’s cocky, he’s hyper sexual (like a lot of British characters tbh), WAS depressed (I’m not sure if he still is) & basically dubbed himself the uncle of Finn (another character). I just love his personality, as well as his double, Rudy Too. The guy who plays them is SUCH a good actor because the two (plus a third, but we don’t talk about the ukulele villain) are the same person but he plays them so well that you can just tell in their faces which one is which. He’s just great and I love him OKAY?!

Neville Longbottom — I had my Harry Potter phase in and out for like 3 years now and every time I go back to Neville and I just can’t believe he was treated like THAT. My boy doesn’t deserve that shit man. Let him enjoy plants and kick some BLOODY ASS. He’s probably the one character I enjoy both in the movies and books that I didn’t have any complaints about (expect his thing with Luna, idk I’m very picky with ships when it comes to certain characters). He’s GREAT. He’s AMAZING. I just wanna give him a hug so much omg. Snape can die all over again by me for what he put Neville (and Harry and EVERYONE) through.

Ginny Weasley — I WILL NOT STAND GINNY SLANDER. She was done so dirty in the movies I’m still PISSED. She was basically my favourite in the books and than the movies royally pissed me off. The stage play was good though, Australian Ginny actress was great in it. I hate how they did all the Weasley dirty in the movies, but I can’t change anything so I’m just gonna rant. In the books she was the girl I wanted (and honestly still want) to be. She’s sporty, she’s pretty, she can talk to anyone and doesn’t take shit from anyone and we LOVE TO SEE IT. Her romance with Harry was kind of rushed at the end of the books, but better than the movies lol. She’s the best and I’m honestly slaty she really only got to name one child with someone she liked, aka Luna as her only daughters middle name.

[parvulous-writings]

Murders // Alex Law x Reader

Request:     Hi! I have a request: I just recently watched a shallow grave and I’m obsessed with ewan mcgregor as Alex Law. Could you write something where he tells you about the murders because he feels like he can trust you, he also may or may not be in love with you. We love angst. Thanks!

Requested by: ​Anon

Summary: the request

Warnings: mentions of death, homicide, cadavers. Slightly ooc Alex? 

Words: 1.6K

Notes:  Mmmm Alex Law. That is all. My requests are currently open! My pinned post (found here) contains both a list of characters I write for, and a masterlist! Original character list - please request for these too! 

Not my gif

Things with Alex had been, well they’d been strange over the past couple of weeks or so. You didn’t know what it was, but he kept trailing after you wherever you went in the flat; not in his usual way, which was often to pester or tease you, but for another reason. You had no idea what that reason was, but you could tell it was bothering him. Sometimes he would glance up, only briefly, but you would catch it out of the corner of your eye. You tried to bring it up to him on several occasions, but he would always brush it off, saying that he was fine, and then “What the hell are you talking about? I told you I’m fine. Really. Just leave it.” But no matter how annoyed he sounded with you, he wouldn’t stomp off like he often used to.  It always seemed to get worse whenever David was in the room with you. Alex would tense up, and his eyes would be trained solely on his glasses-clad roommate. David would occasionally stare back, but very few words were ever said between the two of them. 

Tonight, though, was different. You were sat with Alex on the lime green sofa, more laying than anything, his arm draped over your shoulder, eyes on the TV as one of Alex’s favourite schlocky shows played on the screen. He was mumbling quietly along with the host, laughing softly when the audience did. Things seemed almost normal, it was nice. You couldn’t see or feel his tenseness anymore, which allowed you to relax ever so slightly beside him, you head falling back on to his arm as you watched whatever it was Alex had put on, you still didn’t know what it was. But it was making him happy- he even dropped a few of his sassy and sometimes crude comments throughout the show’s runtime. As the show started to draw to a close, Alex shuffled a little bit. The tenseness returned, and the silence between you became almost unbearably awkward. He cleared his throat, and you moved to sit up for a moment. You glanced over at the clock- it was half past ten, fairly late. You’d need to head off soon if you wanted to be home before eleven, or lower the risk of getting jumped in the street.  “Do you want to stay over?” He asked you, and you give him a rather surprised look. It wasn’t the first time that Alex had invited you to stay over at the flat, but it was more his tone that caught you off-guard. Usually his voice was dripping with a flirty undertone, suggesting a much more intimate activity than just sleeping in the flat. This time, though, it seemed more genuine- staying over seemed to be the primary thing on his mind.  “Sure,” You nonchalantly agree, shrugging slightly before you settled back down in his arm. You both fall silent again, awkwardly watching as the TV droned on and on, though it was unclear if either of you two were really paying attention to the show being broadcasted. 

Alex cleared his throat again, catching your attention. “Can I ask you a question?” His voice is quiet, “Hypothetically?”  You weren’t unaccustomed to Alex’s ‘hypothetical’ questions. They were often a point of contention or the root of teasing, but it was all in good fun. “Alright then. Hit me with it.” You say to him- he swallows his nerves and starts to speak again.  “If a someone you knew told you that they had been involved in burying a man out in the woods, and was involved in killing a couple more... What would you do?” Silence falls between the pair of you again as you start to think. Like most of his questions, it was an odd one, borderline insane to be precise. You just put it as his over-active imagination making him think of wild scenarios.  “I don’t know.” You chuckle, shrugging lightly. You’re not sure whether to answer honestly, or playfully. “What kind of answer do you want, Alex?”  “A proper one. Like... A serious one.” Oh, well that was different.  “Okay...” You trail off, thinking it over for a second. “Well, I’d probably leave, and tell the police.” You shrug, thinking nothing of it. This wasn’t the answer Alex wanted though.  “What if it was me?” He asked you, and you gave him an odd look in reply.  “I’d still do that, Alex... Just because you’re my friend doesn’t put you above the law.” This seemed to unnerve and annoy him even more though. “Don’t look at me like that!” You tell him, “You’re the one who wanted a serious answer, and you got one!” 

Alex paused, though only very briefly. “Yeah, I guess...” He grumbled, but he still didn’t seem very happy. You gave him an odd look.  “What the hell has gotten into you?” You asked him, “You’ve been acting weird for weeks!”  “I’ve got a lot on my mind.” He’s started to shut down, to put a wall between the two of you, as he pulled his arm away from you. “Nevermind, forget I said anything.” He muttered, rather spitefully, as he rested his cheek on the knuckles of his balled fist. This had not gone the way he had hoped. If you didn’t react the way he thought you would at the hypothetical- how would you react to the truth? He may have been slightly delusional, but that didn’t occur or matter to him.  “Well, you want to talk about it?” You offered, trying to be a little bit soften than you had been a few moments prior.  “No.” Came his short, pointed reply. He started to move to try and get up from the sofa, but you held out an arm to stop it. “Oh, what now?” He whined. “We finished the conversation, just let me go, will you?”  “No- clearly there’s something actually bothering you; you can tell me. I’m your friend, that’s what friends do, isn’t it?” You ask him, and he rolled his eyes, huffing back down into his seat. He knew that you were right- but that didn’t stop his nerves from rising. He knew that what he had done was downright wrong- he may not have known or acknowledged it at the time, but now the guilt followed him everywhere. Every corner, it lurked in the shadow, he saw the flickers out of the corner of his eye. 

“The question wasn’t hypothetical.” He spoke suddenly, looking into his lap as he wrung his hands. You stayed completely silent, words escaped you. Your mind went blank, and you just stared at him. “I wanted to see what you would do.” “You... You, what?” You were still trying to wrap your head around what he was trying to say to you. He finally looks at you, and his eyes are just... Sad. They hold an almost melancholic look, his hurt surfacing for once.  “I wanted to see what you would do... I wanted to tell you.” Alex started to speak again. “Because... Because I think you’re the closest person I have now, and- and I wanted to tell you, because I don’t want to lie anymore, I don’t want anything between us...”  “Alex, what did you do?” All of a sudden, you’re hyper-aware of every little movement he makes. Every shallow breath, every blink, every twitch, your brain registered it. Your heart started to race, a sick feeling started to settle in your stomach. As it sunk in that Alex was admitting to having a hand in a murder- whether it was the killing blow or not- you wanted to run, but you were rooted to your seat, paralyzed besides your mouth, which seemed to speak of it’s own accord. “What did you do?” You repeated, sounding much harsher. 

“I didn’t kill the second two!” The auburn haired scotsman exclaimed, jumping to his feet. “I didn’t even kill Hugo, that was his own bloody fault!” You vaguely recognised the name Hugo; Alex had mentioned him some months ago, and never brought him up to you again, so you thought nothing of it. “We buried them out in the woods...” He continued, rubbing the back of his neck.  “Why are you telling me this, Alex?”  “I already told you. You’re all I’ve got, now. Juliet’s shut herself off from everyone, and David... Well that’s best left unsaid.” He murmured, glancing through the doorway to the chipped blue paint of his flatmate’s door. Neither David or Juliet were here with you now, you supposed that that was both a blessing and a curse.  “I should call the police.” You mutter, almost fearfully. Alex seems rather hurt at the fear in your voice, and he slowly nods.  “They already know about the bodies... But I’m not going to stop you if you want to tell them it was us.” He’s completely given in to you now, his fate is in your hands. Do you really want to turn him in?

No. That was the answer from the most selfish depths of your mind. It’s the answer you decided to stick with, as immoral as it may have been. You look him dead in the eye as you speak. “What do I do?” It takes him a moment to register that you are in fact not going to contact the police about his and his friend’s misdeeds, and he’s instantly sat beside you again.  “Stick with me, please. I won’t let either of them get you, I just... I need you around.” Alex said to you, slowly, as if it were difficult to admit this even after admitting his crimes to you. To him, it was. You nodded slowly in response, and Alex silently acknowledged that you may still change your mind on it yet.  “Alright.” You whisper. “I’ll stick around.” 

[sneezefiction]

attention

Miya Osamu x Reader

desc: you’re spending too much time fawning over a very fictional captain Levi and not enough time doting on your real boyfriend, Osamu. 

a/n: @starrysamu dearest remy, this is for you. i only just found out that it’s your birthday and i felt like i needed to show my appreciation for you in a tangible way. this isn’t the best, but i laughed a lot while writing it, so i hope it’ll make you smile. so much love to you and happiest of birthdays!! you’re such a joy to speak with <33

warnings: mentions attack on titan (fictional deaths), language, suggestive towards the end

wc: 1.5k

---

“I bet you haven’t moved in hours.”

“Mm,” you hum absentmindedly.

Osamu stays silent for a moment, squinting judgmentally at you from the corner of the living room. He’s been standing there for ten minutes and you’ve not so much as acknowledged his existence. Granted, you already spent the entire morning with him, but you could at least greet him with your usual, “hey, babe.” 

He’d even settle for a “what’s up, ugly” at this point.

However, your eyes are glued to the TV screen. Blue light and flashing colors reflect off of your skin while the blood-curdling screams of various animated characters fill the room. You gasp and a hand flies to your mouth. That’s the fourth time you’ve done that since he’d walked in the room.

Whatever it is you’re watching, your reaction seems reasonable. The show looks and sounds disgusting. Or at least to Osamu it does.

“You really should move around a little.” He coaxes, “You’re gonna cut off all your circulation.”

Osamu approaches the couch, but you continue to ignore him.

“Yeah, and?” you respond, eyes still fixed on the screen, “I’m kinda in the middle of something.”

You reach for the remote and turn up the volume a couple of notches. His brows furrow in contempt. Now, this is just plain rude.

“Well, if you lose a limb, don’t come cryin’ to me.” He says flatly.

“I won’t…” you start, “but-“

You point to the screen, singling out a few characters being hunted by hideous and… very naked titans. Gross, Osamu thinks.

“-they might.”

If you were known to watch shows for the plot, he wouldn’t mind your series marathons all that much. But he knows you too well.

Osamu flickers his gaze to the TV and steps in front of the screen, intentionally blocking your view. It’s an attempt to steal your attention away from all of these fictional characters you claim to keep “falling in love with.”

You whine and tell him to “get his ass out of the way,” while craning around his broad shoulders to see. It’d be a shame to miss out on Levi Ackerman’s hella sculpted jawline, even just for a second.

But your efforts are to no avail. ‘Samu (his ass included) refuses to move away from the screen.

You breathe out a white flag of a sigh, slumping back into the couch in defeat. Though you’d planned on this being a solo watch party, you know that the only way to get what you want out of this situation (Levi screen time) is by appeasing your actual boyfriend.

“Whatever ‘Samu. Just join me already.” You huff out.

Tossing open your blanket for him, you pat the empty space expectantly. If you’re going to give him any attention at all, he’s obligated to at least keep you warm.

And he won’t lie, you look very comfortable.

Seeing you cozied up in his apartment and lazily splayed out on his couch has always made him melt a little. Osamu is just a bit domestic like that.

But if you’re just going to use his Netflix account to fawn over fake (albeit incredibly sexy) men, then he’s less than thrilled to have you sitting there alone. Any good boyfriend would be at least a little agitated… right?

So for the sake of reining you and your wandering mind in, he decides to plop down next to you. The whole couch sinks when he sits and you tilt into him like a planet gravitating toward the sun. A really obnoxious, show-interrupting sun.

Osamu snakes an arm around your back, pulling you into his chest, and turns his head toward the TV. All is calm as you get comfortable and adjust yourself against him... until suddenly the screen splatters red. His arm tenses against your waist and a frown forms on his face. Apparently, something or someone just bit the dust. 

“What exactly are ya watchin’?” He asks, tone drenched in disgust.

You whip your head toward him, an eyebrow cocked and lips parted. You’re looking at him as though he’d just gone and grown a third eye or called your mom a hoe. In terms of drama, Osamu is beginning to think you might actually rival Atsumu.

“You seriously don’t know?” 

“Do I look like someone who keeps up with anime?” 

“Well… no,” you admit slowly, “but that’s got nothing to do with you not knowing about Attack on Titan. I bet even Kita has heard of it.”

You wait for recognition to flicker in his grey eyes at the mention of the anime’s name. Instead, he gives you his signature blank stare. Should you be shocked or disappointed? Which emotion would bother him more?

“Yeah, it doesn’t ring a bell.”

“Have you been living under a rock?” You scoff, mouth still agape.

“No, but I basically live with you and that’s difficult enough.” He jests, poking you in the side.

His warm hands gives you a quick squeeze and you almost jump out of his hold. For someone who runs a restaurant, he’s got some well-toned arms. It’s unlikely you’ll be able to escape his grasp anytime soon.

“No! None of that shit!” You hiss as he tries to tickle you. “You’re just trying to distract me.”

Your back curls like a cat and you bat at his hands to abate any further pokes or prods. He only chuckles, smirking at your feeble attempts to stop him. You were the one provoking him in the first place, but he’ll let it slide just this once.

When Osamu no longer seems like a threat to your ticklish sides, you nestle back into him. Your hand rests lightly on his chest and your head finds a soft-ish spot on his shoulder.

Feigning a pout, you mutter, “Captain Levi wouldn’t treat me like this.”

He’s quick to respond.

“Well, Levi-” the name sounds uncharacteristically bitter as it leaves his lips, “-wouldn’t treat you like anything, sweetheart. Sorry, but he ain’t real.”

You open your mouth to protest, but Osamu beats you to it.

“And judging by the rate these people are dyin’, he probably won’t last long enough for you to even mentally date him.”

“Don’t underestimate me and my mental dating abilities, ‘Samu.”  You warn, “Or Levi. He could totally beat your ass.”

With perfect timing, Levi makes an appearance, striking a lethal blow to another one of the babbling giants. Two giants. Now four of them. Okay, he might’ve spoken too soon.

“Mm… maybe. But he probably couldn’t put up with all of your bullshit. This Levi kid seems like a bit of a hardass,” Osamu responds after a few minutes of transfixed silence.

You jut your lip out, sinking further into the couch, “Crush my dreams, why don’t you?”

He rolls his eyes in response.

“But,” you continue, “you’ve gotta admit, he is attractive. I mean, just look at those eyes. That body, too…” you breathe.

You swoon and tease and clutch at your heart, but it’s all an act to get under ‘Samu’s skin. He is your number one, after all. Teasing is just a part of your relationship and you would try to milk it whenever you could.

However, you don’t get a verbal response from him this time. He just tightens his hold around you and buries his nose in your hair. Warm breath tickles your scalp and trails across your skin.

Is he pouting? Or is he finally watching the show without adding commentary to it? You can’t tell the difference.

Osamu stays like that for a moment and you revert your attention back to the screen, intent on catching the last couple minutes of this episode. 

Though you hardly have a chance to re-invest yourself before Osamu is speaking again.

“Well, I’m just glad he’s behind a TV screen,” he sighs against your head, “and-”

A smirk works its way onto his lips and Osamu begins circling a thumb on your exposed thigh. Your breath hitches and you turn to face him. His fingers press against your skin and play at the hem of your shorts.

The warmth of his hand sinks deeply into you like poison. In a matter of seconds, you’re at a loss for words, rendered unfit for battle… even if that battle is just teasing the ever-living shit out of him.

Thoughts of the show, of Levi, of other fictional men, are long gone from your mind. 

Damn him for still having this effect on you after all this time.

“-judging by the way you can’t keep your hands off of me-“

He glances at your hand, which is resting delicately on his abdomen. You’re pressed up tightly against him, tucked into his side and looking up at his face which seems dangerously close to your own. Then his eyes, heavy-lidded and a shade of grey far prettier than Levi’s, flicker down to your lips. 

Your skin flushes hot and you grip the fabric of his shirt.

“-I’d say you’ve gotta be at least half as into me as you’re into general Levi or whatever the hell his name is,” Osamu murmurs, his breath fanning gently on your lips.

He leans in, planting a slow kiss at the corner of your mouth, effectively teasing the delicate skin.

With one calloused hand on your face and the other still stroking your thigh, you feel your mind going fuzzy. This was escalating much faster than you’d expected it to and you haven’t even had the chance to pause your show. 

You glance over to the TV...  and heaven seems to be shining down upon you. It’s the blessed Netflix “are you still watching” screen; your show is perfectly paused. Now you can focus on what’s right in front of you.

Osamu finally has your full, undivided attention. Just as he should.

“Just for the record, it’s captain Levi.” You whisper to him.

“Oh, shut up.” He says before crashing his lips into yours.

You do, in fact, shut up.

[whatdamiwatched]

Max & Helen - From the Beginning...

In preparation for the sharpwin ship sailing next week, I went and rewatched season 1 to really contextualise the way their relationship has developed, and I have to say it was quite eye opening.

The Introduction

We are introduced to Georgia in the first scene with Max via his phone screen, there’s a photo of her as his background photo. Their first conversation on screen happens when he calls her in the middle of this day just after he speaks to Helen for the first time

Max- Just calling to say hi

Georgia- Really?

Max- isn’t that what people do?

Georgia- people, yes. You…not so much.

Max- I’m trying, I’m going to change, I’m going to win you back

Georgia- well you have 12 weeks.

It isn’t until later that we find out fully that this marriage is failing and being held together by guilt and a difficult pregnancy, which makes it even worse that Max’s attempt at “trying” was calling her in the middle of the day to say nothing compelling.

Enter Helen- confident, smart, an asset to the hospital and the only doctor Max personally seeks out on his first day- to insist that she immediately cut down on travel or get fired. While the other doctors are stats and figures to him when he starts at New Amsterdam, Helen is Dr Helen. Already their relationship is being established as different from his relationship with the other doctors. In a throat biopsy, he’s distracted by her on tv- so distracted in fact, that he’s pushed to give her another ultimatum even though the first one hasn’t expired.

Max’s ultimatum was significant for Helen because for the first time since she had been running and hiding from the pain in her life, someone saw her and cared enough to make her stop. Even though it was a medical director she just met, and it was because of work, it was grounding for her for someone to see her and need her in that way.

Her choosing to come back was significant, not just because of Max, but because it was the catalyst for facing the emotional baggage she had been trying to escape.

So here we are- Max in the hospital where his sister died and donated her organs, trying to find closure and Helen- weighed down by emotional baggage that she’s ready to face.

Tell Me One True Thing

Georgia and Max meet in the hospital where he works- her energy is light and energetic; their connection is fun and their first date is in the hospital cafeteria. From that scene, their banter is fun and flirty, but Max is relaxed – they both are, it’s an easy connection. When Max proposes, he does it by the hospital when he’s on call! He’s in his scrubs and not only does he think that’s okay- she thinks that’s okay.

Their relationship never really existed outside of his career, he never put her first, and she points this out when she finds out about the medical director job. She knows that he will not choose her over the hospital, especially not the hospital where Luna died. The thing is, Max doesn’t even really try. He never chooses her, and she never actually expects him to.

When he almost dies at the lake and has the temporary epiphany that he has to take his cancer seriously, she doesn’t advocate for him to leave his job- even though…he almost died. She knows the job still comes first. Georgia and Max’s relationship thrived on emotional distance- when Georgia begs him in her hospital bed to tell her one true thing- he could only say- I love you. While he and Helen debated his cancer treatment, her only input was going with what Max wanted? When he woke up from his minor tooth surgery, his first thought wasn’t how the surgery chain went, it was what helen said specifically.

I love my doctor

Before Helen, Max had likely never felt true intimacy and vulnerability. He had likely never been able to be himself completely with a partner. We don’t know much about his relationship with his parents, but we can deduce that he’s not close to them.

Although the physical chemistry was palpable from their first scene, Max and Helen built a friendship based on trust and honesty since they let each other in very early. This relationship was built with the best intentions but every relationship comes to a point where emotion supersedes emotion and that’s where we ended up at 1x 16 where the clairvoyant tells Max that he’s going to lose someone close to hum. As soon as she assured him that it wasn’t his wife, he pulls Helen aside to reassure her and try to explain how he feels about her ending by saying “I love my doctor”.IN THE MIDDLE OF TREATING A PATIENT IN THE MIDDLE OF A STORM WHILE MARRIED. At this point, both Max and Helen are at a crossroads of the undeniability of their connection, even though they are both too principled and respectful to call it anything other than “this thing between us”.

At the lake, when he goes to spread ashes for Luna, he says to her- or to the wind that he’s addressing as her- everything I do is because of you. I just keep trying to save you , over and over that’s all I do and I never, never will.

Now where did we end up hearing those EXACT words before?

In that moment, it’s Max admitting that he’s been consumed with emotions that are clouding his judgment and he has to let go.

When Helen uses those words in 2x16, the subtext is the same. By that time, she had saved his life and even Georgia’s life- multiple times. She even saved his life twice in one episode! She saved his life by taking on his cancer in the first place, she saved his life by choosing to pass him off to another doctor when he was using their relationship as an opportunity to not take his cancer seriously and she saved his life by making the decision for him to stop that treatment when it wasn’t working. She took on the role of deputy medical director- which let’s face it was more or less the medical director, she found him, not one but two trials, she gave up half her department that she loved more than anything. She gave up her romantic relationship- she meant it when she said everything I’ve done I’ve done for you- just like Max meant it when he said it to Luna. Max and Helen had have both poured themselves into people that couldn’t pour back, one because she was dead, and the other because he had too many warring emotions to deal with.

Helen could have let Max save her more- he definitely was willing to be that person and showed it many times, but we have to accept that she was in a very difficult position. Just as soon as she felt settled, started a new relationship, made a decision about freezing her eggs, she’s hit with a consuming, intimate relationship with someone that’s married. She had to leave some walls up.  

Everything I Do Is For You

Their characters have gone through a lot- Helen has a dead parent and a dead fiancée, fertility issues and a fear of vulnerability and the feeling of running out of time- Max has a dead wife, who he had outgrown emotionally, raising a child alone, battling with grandparents that blame him for their daughter’s death and parents that by all indications don’t play a significant role in his life, plus a dead sister he has carried with him his whole life. Finding each other was in many ways, the catalyst each of them needed to move forward with life at so many points. For Max, he could have very well died without Helen- Georgia could have died in the bedroom without Helen- his grieving process would definitely have been longer and more complicated without Helen – it wasn’t insignificant that she was the one that pushed the ghost of Georgia out of the apartment, she was an anchor through it all.

For Helen, she was pushed to come back to the hospital and by having that anchor to a place and her patients, she was able to explore romantic relationships and face her fertility and wanting a child head on, she was able to explore how much of herself she could give to another person again after Mohammed died and try another relationship. In turn, she was able to be in a different position when Mina came to live with her.

By Max receiving the kind of selfless love he had never gotten before (from the parts of his story we’ve been told), he was finally able to heal, from so much of the stuff he’d been carrying to come to a place where he feels able to match Helen’s energy. To come to a point where he’s able to see himself as a WHOLE person, not just a flawed one- not just a guilty one- not just an overworked or crazy or erratic one. The speech at the end of 3x13 to Luna’s parents showed just how far he’s come; how much he’s changed and how much his relationship with Helen has changed him. The confidence that he was enough as- is a Max that we had never seen before.

And Helen- naming them- before now, it’s always been Max with his double meanings  and his “I want to build something better for you and Mina” and “It helps not to be alone” and “I can’t do this without you”, but this time it’s Helen- Helen who is saying “us”- Helen who is putting them together as a family and is relaxed and comfortable doing so. Helen who isn’t simply giving him advice as a friend or listening to him but giving him advice as an anchor- we are here and we are fine and you need to fight for our family because it’s worth it.

I see you

The decon shower. His hand trailing down her neck. Those voicemails. Here they are finally, trying to get into an ADULT relationship. Moving beyond the cute hand holding and lingering looks, to hopefully many kisses, many distractions and many mornings waking up next to each other.

Sharpwin is coming and I’m ready!

[xbunnybunz]

in the city of wyndon [hop x reader]

Summary: Hop is your best friend, and there's absolutely nothing you wouldn't give him.

Genres: Angst, Fluff, Friends to lovers

Date: May 2, 2020

-----

The bright lights of the stadium shone directly onto you, blinding in their intensity. The sands in the field shifted under your feet, the cascade of silky sand contrasting sharply with your pounding heart and blood-rushed ears. Each time your pokemon lands a hit, you take a step back in what you could only describe as sinking dread.

What were you doing here?

The crowd screams loudly, pulsing, alive- and you feel like you’ve been boxed into a death match, again.

You can’t look up into the audience without their faces blending together, their roars sounding monstrous and heavy with bloodlust. Dozens of drones hum loudly and sail above your head like war planes, reminding you of the world’s scrutiny. Millions of eyes all bearing down on you and all your pokemon, and Hop. Your best friend.

Dust rises from the stadium like storm clouds as he calls out attacks, and each blow sends a gust of warm air into your face.

You feel like a monster.                                                      

Does he, too?

The only thing you can see clearly are his golden eyes. You can see the air of confidence and unwavering strength weighing on him like heavy robes, that same façade he slips into every morning in the wake of the rising sun, quietly, fearfully, shamefully.

The audience loves the story of underdog trainers becoming heroes. It reminds them of themselves, Sonia had once told you. Everybody wanted to be somebody.

Strangers live vicariously through you two. Stories of two friends, both meek trainers from the same nowhere town, were whispered wherever you traveled. You and Hop found it somewhat novel to be icons in the beginning, though the retellings of each battle you and him fought began to sound foreign, and barren on the tongues of strangers far and wide.

The scrutiny had worn the both of you down. You had both shifted from being icons to becoming spectacles for entertainment.

The public glorification of the winner and shunning of the defeated sat lumbering in your minds whenever battle was mentioned, and the rumbling of your pokeballs eager to fight acted as a harbinger of worse to come. The chat of savagery owed to your battles with Hop dragged at your feet day by day, like shackles weighing you down resolutely.

The tale of two old friends turned to gut each other in battle was far more interesting than the underdog story, and broadcasts were all too quick to pick up on the reception. And so that’s what you two had become in the eyes of the public, half of them cheering you on while the rest sought to tear you down.

Both your names were all over the news, your characters brandished so thoroughly that you could no longer recognize yourself on the screen. Your story had been written for you before you had the chance to live through it. Every step you took was only to fulfill the forecast the media had championed you to become, and just like everyone watching you, you sought to chase unattainable perfection.

Slowly, the sound of you and Hop’s names on wagging tongues began to haunt you like a dreary nightmare you could not awaken from.

Debate of who was stronger, who was the fan favorite, who would win, and who had wasted their time seeped into the edges of your lives- staining it dark with the desire to come out victorious, along with the shameful urge to escape from the ever-smoldering spotlight.

Even your moments of strength were overturned and exploited. As you and Hop scaled the ladder to become stronger trainers and pursue your dreams, each reel released to television showed only the strongest and weakest moments you both dared to display, turning the two of you into husks of legends so mammoth you could only hide behind them. And so you hid.

This was never what you wanted.

Though everyone seemed to think you and Hop were superhuman, looking at him, you could only see your dearest friend and his little Wooloo guiding you through thick grass years ago, before you had your own pokemon. Maybe even more than just a friend, you had sometimes dared to think. His earnest drive was so strong you felt it resonate in your heart, thrumming painfully at the inability to express itself despite proximity.

But it wasn’t possible, you had thought to yourself one late and somber night, the dim glow of the television casting soft shadows in your room.

It was selfish, you thought as you embraced Hop, who was crying silently into your arms, every sob shaking his frame chipping away at your heart.

The news reporter replayed a clip of Hop’s earlier battle with Bede, never failing to capture every flash of frustration and disappointment on Hop’s face as Bede triumphed, broadcasting his human shame for all to see.

“Will Challenger Hop ever live up to his brother and crowned Champion, Leon’s name? Or will he prove once and for all that skill requires work and not just family? Stay tuned to watch Challenger Hop face off against his friend-”

The TV screen blackened, and a seal of silence draped across the room.  You quietly put down the remote and rest a hand on Hop’s head, combing through his dark, disheveled hair with cold fingers.

You feel him tremble and close your eyes, exhaling softly into the expanse of the night.

From then on, camera crew who flock to you asking about your victory were met only with an icy wall of silence and blank looks. Fans who cheered for you and implored you to win the next match were also ignored. How could you?  How could you feed yourself into this endless cycle that served only to fuel the egos of strangers, and add to the insecurity that only you had seen Hop buckle to behind closed doors?

You shut people out, and fans were quick to speculate on this. Word went around quickly that fame had changed you, and you had a good bitter laugh at the idea that they ever knew who you were.

Hop offered comfort in the night, a weary hand placed on your shoulder, whispering warm words as you stared out the hotel window bleakly, peering sadly into the city alight with life and bustle that echoed deafeningly in the dim hotel room.

In the day, Hop had taken to the light and shouldered the role you refused to uphold. He had become the young and voracious trainer everyone yearned for, and you quickly fell out of favor. Fansigns with your name were turned over and used to display Hop’s name instead, crowds surging with energy and disagreement whenever you took him down in another match.

Uneasiness wasn’t easy to read in his eyes, as he had learned well from his brother how to shine in the limelight. But you knew from the way his eyebrows drew together slightly, how his shoulders pulled into his body- you knew that his worries were reaching its peak. After all, how could the trainer who had fallen out of favor be the one to win the challenge?

News anchors made room for programs every morning to discuss the latest pokemon matches between the four up-and-coming trainers, you, Hop, Beedee, and Marnie, and there would only ever be discourse about whether or not you had deserved to win.

Leon and Chairman Rose sympathized with you, knowing that the scrutiny and gossip that came with fame was eating you away. Leon called after a particularly bad case of media thrashing, and recommended you try to work on public appearance by showing audiences what good friends with Hop you were.

You thanked him, but didn’t plan on taking him up on the offer. You and Hop both knew you were friends, and that should’ve been enough. You didn’t want to ruin the sanctity of your friendship with him by allowing the public to exploit it, even if it meant having a little bit of peace.

Chairman Rose summoned you a few days later and though Hop had wished to accompany you, you had to decline as per the Chairman’s orders.

In that large, white and sparkling office, he told you with a smile that the public eye was trained on you, and was extremely unhappy. You had known that for a long time now, but in that moment, you felt small in the red leather chair in the office that overlooked the world. The chairman shook his head, and for a glimmer of a second you might have imagined pity in his strange eyes.

“The people are cruel.” He said, turning to look down upon the city of Wyndon. “They only know how to take sides.”

You watch him fold his arms behind his back, a flashy designer watch catching the light offensively. “I’m sure you know who they’re cheering for.”

You realize then why Chairman Rose asked you to come alone, and feel weaker than ever when you catch yourself wishing Hop was here to defend you.

The days drag on.

Each battle you have with Hop ends the same, but you feel no satisfaction from beating him like you used to. When he congratulates you now, he makes sure to monologue about how important it is to not give up on his dreams, but you’re not sure if he’s even talking about himself anymore.

The night before the big tournament, you lock your hotel room door and pretend to not hear him when he knocks.  You lie still in your bed and listen to him tossing and turning in the bed next door, not sleeping even after he stops rolling around daybreak.

But the both of you have finally made it this far. You had beat Marnie and Hop had finally beat Beedee, making you the last two challengers standing in the stadium the size of your humble hometown, down to both your last pokemon.

The battle had been arduous and tiring, considering neither of you had a good night’s sleep yesterday. The bright lights bounced off the sand on the floor and stung your eyes. The unforgiving chanting coming from the stadium booths reverberated in your head and made your temples pound painfully.

Hop recalled his pokemon and activated his dynamax band, the cheers of his fans exponentially rising and shaking the court in their fervor. You follow in suit, withdrawing your very first pokemon and remembering how much it had grown since Leon had introduced you in the courtyard. With a hefty throw, your pokemon is released from the confines of the large pokeball, landing heavily on its feet and shattering the gravel underfoot.  Debris flies haphazardly and a large gust of wind charged with power blows past you. It screeches a monstrous battle cry at Hop’s gigantamaxed pokemon, who returns the sentiment and bellows throatily.

Hop’s last pokemon was also the one Leon had given him, and though it was strong, you had a huge advantage over him because of types.  You catch his eye from across the battlefield and he gives you a smile and a wink of reassurance. You shake your head, and wonder why he never learns from his past mistakes.

He orders an attack on your pokemon, and when the blow lands, It’s powerful enough to kick sand up off the floor to whisk into a storm in the air. You know your pokemon has enough stamina to survive one more hit- this was your chance to take him down with your signature move.

When the clamor from the attack dies down, you can hear the crowd chanting Hop’s name. Even he looks surprised, glancing at them with his mouth agape.

The world seems to stop moving for a second, even the sandstorm grinding to a halt as you watch Hop turn to smile at you, honey eyes gleaming with pride and more genuine happiness than you’ve seen from him in a long time. You can’t hear him, but you see his mouth move to form the words.

They’re finally cheering for me.

You feel a lump rise in your throat and bow your head and stare at your shoes, your heartbeat slow and loud in your ears. If you thought you had it bad, then what about poor Hop, who had been in his brother-the Champion's- shadow for all of his life? To be compared to not only your rivals, but your very own flesh and blood? You think back to all the nights he blinked back tears when talking about his own future compared to his brother's, and wonder how he hadn't crumbled under the pressure years ago.

You try to calm yourself, but realize you were never nervous. You can hear the crowd murmuring, wondering why you hadn’t called out a move yet.

You think about what the Chairman’s words, and they bounce back and forth in your head as you stare at all the pokeballs on your belt- all your pokemon that have worked so hard to get you here, all the training that you had put them through to be the best of the best. The cheering of the crowd ebbs into your thoughts, and you look skyward, the sun beaming down and into the stadium and warming your cold face.

You turn to your pokemon and call a move that immediately sends the crowd reeling. Hop looks confused too, dry lips parted and not daring to exhale for fear this is a dream. His hazel eyes shone with disbelief, flooded with relief and complete and utter betrayal.

Your pokemon turns to you with an expression that mirrors gentle disappointment, and you turn away, heart aching. You close your eyes as you hear it soaring into the air, far beyond sight. As soon as it had disappeared, it remerges from the clouds, roaring through the air like a jet plane and colliding violently with Hop’s pokemon.

The announcer’s words sound distant despite being blasted over the speakers- “That wasn’t a very effective move! Oh, what was Challenger (Y/n) thinking?!”

Your pokemon stumbles backward, each fluttering step shaking your soul and the ground below you tremendously.  Hop’s pokemon stands tall and sturdy, barely hurt enough to have a scratch. Recoil hits your pokemon, and it crumples onto its knees. Gravel flies into you but you do nothing to avoid it. It cries out one last time, loud, pathetic and pained. You feel tears pricking your eyes at the sound. The sound of it falling to the side, body slapping onto the concrete listlessly, makes you flinch.

You can feel your hair waving in the breeze caused by the sheer weight of your pokemon collapsing, but you only raise your eyes to lock with Hop’s. You told yourself when you did this you would smile, but you’re finding it hard to move the corners of your lips upwards without letting them quiver.

You can hear the announcer expressing his surprise at your carelessness before gregariously declaring Hop the brand new Pokemon Challenge Finalist. The surging applause from the audience thunders so loudly it almost shadows the throbbing pain you feel in your chest. The colorful confetti popping from all angles of the stadium rained down between you and him, seeming almost comedic given the heartbreak you could see in each other's eyes.

You take a shaky step forward to finalize the end of the challenge with a handshake, but before you can take another wobbling step forward, Hop charges at you with a running start and engulfs you in a choking hug, throwing the both of you onto the hard floor and tumbling a few feet.

He's warm and large as he envelopes your body with his, and his smile is wide and cheerful. He speaks, and his words cut you open like a knife.

“What did you do?” He asked, his voice hushed and warm against your ear. “How could you?”

The wetness in your eyes pools over. Hot, burning tears run down your face, and you can’t seem to stop them.

How couldn't you?

Hop presses your head into his shoulder, hiding your face from the drones and reporters snapping pictures. He curses under his breath and clenches a fist.

“It seems Finalist Hop is so overtaken by his happiness, he’s tackled his very own rival and enemy in a hug fit for a Bewear! Ladies and gentlemen, our Enigmatic Finalist, Hop!”

You feel him pull you closer, hands cold and clammy. A grin is still plastered on his face, strained only to you.

[jupitermelichios]

On a more possitive note, I’ve started watching Sword Art Online. It’s one of the worst things I’ve ever seen (and the last film I saw in cinemas was Cats to give you context for the scale i’m working on here) and I kind of adore it in much the same way I love garbage like Smallville or Twilight. It’s so stupid on so many levels. You could challenge someone to write the worst anime, and it would almost certainly be better than SAO. It’s almost hypnotic how terrible it is.

No one should watch this terrible terrible show so I therefore don’t feel at all bad that I’m about the spoil absolutely everything, but honestly if you do also hate-watch this please come talk to me about how terrible it is. I don’t know anyone else who watches it.

Highlights of Season 1 include:

everyone is trapped in an MMO, and if you die in the MMO you die IRL. but if you were a beta-tester you’re probably fine because they just let them keep all their levels and items from the testing, so they’re all massively OP and everyone just accepts this as a normal and non-game-breaking thing

it’s a fantasy MMO but there’s no races, no magic system, no weapons except swords and maces, and not even an option to dual wield - literally all you can do in this fucking game is stand in front of an enemy and mash the attack button. I’m pretty sure they’re trapped there because the devs realised no one would play this post launch-day otherwise because it’s boring as shit

when the villain traps everyone he also just changs all their avatars to look like they do IRL for absolutely no reason, like actually none, he doesn’t even say he thinks it would be funny, he just does it and no one questions it and it is literally never mentioned again because this is the worst TV show ever animated.

in the second episode the main character deliberately witholds information about how to defeat a boss, indirectly causing multiple deaths. there is absolutely no reason for him to withhold it, he was just being a jerk because he doesn’t like people

in the third episode they reset his entire personality and he’s now a selfless hero pretending to be a lower level than he really is so people will find him more relateable and be his friend because all he wants is to help people. this is not a consequence of episode 2, they just decided they didnt like the character as he’d previously been written.

he makes some new friends who are all objectively terrible people who have decided for no season that the twelve year old who doesn’t really know how to play and keeps having anxiety attacks about the very real possibility of death has to be the guild tank. the MC is high enough level to be functionally immortal in like half the levels, but doesn’t tell anyone this he just lets them go on bullying this child

none of his friends survive that episode, in the game or IRL. which is also a christmas epsiode. a child dies in battle because she’s a terrible tank and then a man commits suicide out of guilt, so then the main character murders santa to try and bring them back from the actual dead but it doesn’t work because again, this is a video game and they are dead IRL, so then he walks off into the snow alone. Christmas!

we meet the best character in the entire show in episode 4, Rosalia, who has gone evil and started just straight murdering people because she’s sick of being an attractive adult woman who can’t get a date because she’s surrounded by lolicons who are only interested in the preteen characters (not a joke, that comes up, the show is firmly on the side of the lolicons)

in the same episode we get an extended bra and panty sequence staring an actual fucking child, like canonically this character is maybe 13 at best. this is one of only 2 occaisions when they feel the need to undress a character and it’s the fucking 12 year old, it’s so gross it reads like a parody of itself

literally every single named female character aged over 8 who talks to the MC falls in love with him after like 5 minutes (and in season 2 this includes his actual sister). he shows absolutely no interest in any of them (including his sister, thank god) until...

the main character gets engaged to a girl he only knows from an MMO after a virtual single date (he doesn’t actually win her in a PVP match but only because he looses the match, he 100% canonically tries to win her in a match, which she is apparently fine with). he then doesn’t bother to ask for her real name until the final episode, he just calls her by her screen name

(that’s okay though becuase it turns out that this moron of a love interest used her real name, on a local server, in a game where your character looks like you do IRL, because apparently getting doxxed is her hobby)

they then get in-game married off screen. there’s not even like a still of a wedding photo. nothing. the main character proposes and then the show immediately jumps to the honeymoon, it’s fucking bizarre.

they find a creepy child dressed all in white with no memory alone in the woods a week into their honeymoon who starts calling them mommy and daddy literally seconds after they first meet her, and they don’t suspect anything suss is going on and adopt her

for hilarity bear in mind the main character may only be 15 at this point (he says he’s only just turned 16 in the last epsiode, but his actual birthday is never mentioned), and his virtual wifu is 16, but no one ever questions the marriage or the adoption, even though ‘hey marriage in a video game is as important and meaningful as marriage in real life’ is an actual conversation people have multiple times. also they think the child they adopt is an actual IRL 8 year old who thinks these randos she met in an MMO are her mum and dad and everyone just goes with that like it’s a totally normal thing

a character called ‘Thinker’ agrees to meet an enemy faction leader for peace talks. the “peace talks” take place in a high level dungeon and he is told to come alone with no weapons and no fast travel. he does this. no one ever comments that his name is ironic, and in fact they seem to think that being betrayed and trapped in a dungeon with a boss is a totally unexpected turn of events Thinker could never have planned for

they take their new baby into the dungeon to rescue thinker, because they went to the jean grey school of baby rearing, and she imediately reveals that she’s actually a magical maggufin with infinite power, murders the grim reaper, and then dies. In literally the second episode she’s in

after she dies the MC hacks the admin account of the game, converts her corpse into an in game item, and saves to the local storage on his console, with the intention of bringing her back to life as a robot once they’re saved from the game. I’m not joking, that’s an actual thing that happens.

the fact that the main character can just access the main admin account and make massive game-breaking changes isn’t used again in that game and he never thinks to try and use it to force log people out or give himself infinite life so he can just rush the game and free everyone. nope, convert a corpse into an item and then never think about it again.

there’s an entire episode where all they do is go fishing. its the only filler episode in the season, and it immediately follows the death of a small child. it’s the most tone-deaf beach episode in writing history

it turns out this game, this game where they didn’t bother coding in any difference races, weapons, or any kind of magic system, was intended to have fully sentient AI therapists, because why the fuck not at this point honestly

oh also the game has PVP and you can trick the game into thinking a sleeping player is in PVP with you in order to actually murder a real person without it flagging in-game as a murder making the crime impossible for the real life legal system to investigate even though you just murdered a person. and they expect us to believe this game had actual beta testers. at least cyberpunk wasn’t played on microwaves you connected straight to your brain (also not a joke, the VR consoles canonically work by sending microwave radiation into your brain, no wonder VR never caught on)

the set up for the show is that they have to reach level 100 of a dungeon in order to win. At level 75, the writers got bored and the show just ends.

it turns out the power of love allows you to just break the fucking game and the main villain literally has a line about how ‘love allows you to remove debuffs, huh, we didn’t think to plan for that’ because again, there’s no metaphors in this show, everything is 100% literal including the fact that falling in love with another player means you’re immune to the paralysis status effect

power of love also allows you to very briefly become a poltergeist after being killed, but only for like 2 seconds. again not a joke or a metaphor, main character is killed but then gets to hang around as a ghost for a little bit to enable him to defeat the boss. he also doesn’t die in real life despite that being the entire fucking premise of the show, again because power of love.

the bad guy literally has no plan, he’s just doing shit for the sake of having something to do. His actions directly cause the deaths of more than 4,000 people, and it’s not even in aid of anything. they ask him why he trapped 10,000 people in an MMO and allowed them to slowly die, and he’s just like ‘huh, i forgot i did that, random’ and then just fucking peaces out

the fact that he committed one of the largest mass killings outside of war never really comes up again, as far as we know he doesn’t even go to jail. i think the show actually kind of thinks he’s a good guy, which is a fucking WILD moral stance to take on the deaths of 4000 completely innocent people for absolutely no reason

If this sounds hilari-bad but you don’t want to invest the time to watch a show which is objectively garbage, it has an abridged series which is famously better than the show it’s parodying (i’m dead serious, people have character arcs, the getting married after one date thing is properly addressed, the mc has to deal with PTSD because of all his friends dying in epsidode 3, they don’t immediately follow the death of a child with an extended fishing montage, the villain has an actual plan). It’s mostly actually pretty good, but this is the internet and it’s an abridged series, so while there are a lot fewer yikes moments than most it still has enough that I’m not comfortable recommending it without the caveat. that said I still enjoyed it a lot, although possibly not at much as pointing and laughing at the garbage that is the actual show.

[achliegh]

Golden

Yeehaw Leo… it's all because this song came on one day (I don’t even really listen to country anymore so it really is fate). Leo is based off that song, each chapter is going to be based off a yeehaw song too.

Characters belong to @lumosinlove

Beta: @punkkkkboi

TW/CW: Smut, terrible yeehaw sayings and jokes, injuries, mentions of past death/suicide, minor character death, underage drinking, mentions of past arrests, cringe

Chapter Songs (listening in order is recommended):

Chapter 10:

Why Don’t We Just Dance

In The End

Livin’ On A Prayer

“They’re here!” Leo runs past Logan and Finn straight into his room, closing the door a bit too hard. Cringing at the door Finn turns to look at Logan who has made himself comfortable by snuggling into his side with the only blanket Leo brought. Logan looks up at him from the show they are watching. Smiling Logan puckers his lips and Finn leans down to give him a smooch. Logan smiles and just keeps looking at Finn as he looks up at the screen.

The TV wasn’t the only thing on, the radio is always, ALWAYS, on in the apartment now that Leo is here. Random country songs quietly playing from the kitchen at all hours of the day. Before Leo rushed to the door he had turned up the radio as he did his normal cleaning of the kitchen, because he can’t be still for more than ten seconds without going insane, so he has started a nightly routine of cleaning the kitchen without the boy's help. The song that came on was talking about dancing in a house instead of going out somewhere and Logan could not agree more.

Yeah Logan doesn’t live with Finn and Leo, but he stays over every other weekend, when he isn’t babysitting. The apartment still feels more like home than Dumo’s recently and it's got him feeling… too much.

After a good ten minutes of Leo making a ruckus in his room, the door flies open and those long tan legs strut out of the room. Partially covered by brand new brown leather chaps, reflecting the lights of the apartment, Leo didn’t hide anything, under the chaps that rested low on his hips was a brown silk high waisted thong that Leo feels his best in. He walks in between the boys and the TV and smiles down at them, tipping his brown rodeo hat at them and does his ‘ I know exactly what I’m doing’ smile at them.

“What do y’all think?” He turns around and looks over his shoulder at them, hands on his hips and eye half lidded. Smiling when he sees Finn turn bright red and Logan’s eyes grow huge. He’s gonna get what he wants.

Finn and Logan leave for their first away game of the season tomorrow morning and Leo just wants them… in his bed… fucking him before they leave. He doesn’t know what it’s going to be like with the apartment all to himself but, he did invite a good friend over to hang out.

Finn stands up so fast he throws Logan off the couch, causing him to yelp and get buried in their blankets.

“Come on Lo! This is no time to build a nest.” Finn is dragging Leo to the main bedroom when Leo stops him and shoves him towards his room. “Wha-”

“I have a bigger bed, cooler lights, and less mess.” Leo smiles and feels two strong arms wrap around his waist from behind, light kisses fluttering across his back. He takes off his hat and tosses it toward his dresser hoping it lands on it. Suddenly a second pair of arms wraps around his neck and pulls him into a heated kiss. Smiling into the kiss Leo lets himself be squished in between his boys.

“How do I get these off…?” Leo hears and feels mumbling on his back as the hands on his waist are messing with the belt of the chaps. He snorts a little into his kiss with Finn and moves his hands from the red-heads waist to the belt and undoes it with ease. Wiggling out from between his boys he takes the new chaps off and places them on the dresser. He turns back around to the boys and sees they have sat on his bed and are just watching him like he's their favorite movie.

“So what do you have in mind, Casanova?” That has become Logan’s favorite nickname for Leo ever since he started listening to Carrie Underwood. Leo rolls his eyes a little at the name but can’t help but smile. Walking over to Lo, letting himself be dragged forward, Logan starts kissing around his navel and slowly making his way down to kiss the front of his underwear.

“You, I just want you two.” Leo sighs as Logan keeps messing with him.

“You know I really liked what we did the first night we were down at your place.” Logan turns a little red and turns to look at Finn who is trying to remember what they did.

“When Leo and I fucked you at the same time? Baby, you have games this weekend that you need to stand properly for.”

“I’ll take Lo’s place.” Leo is messing with Logan’s curls and looking at Finn who has been rendered speechless.

“You want that?”

“I want everything with you two.” The smile Leo gives them should be illegal, sharing a look and having a mental conversation they agree.

“Whatever you want, Sunshine.”

Logan smirks and wraps his arms around Leo and flops backwards on the bed. Putting them in the position of Leo on his knees and Logan under him, face to dick. Finn catches on and stands up to get behind Leo at the edge of the bed. Feet on either side of Logan’s that are still on the ground. Finn kisses Leo’s back as he pulls his underwear off.

Logan takes Leo by surprise by pulling his thighs wider so Lo doesn’t even have to lift his head to suck Leo into his mouth. Pulling a stunned moan from Leo, Logan does everything he loves except super slow.

Finn kisses Leo's back nipping lightly at his tailbone, he pulls away to rummage through the drawer next to the bed for lube. Acquiring what he was searching for, Finn scuttles back over to the other two. He is watching Leo’s face, that has one cheek pressed into the bed and the other is facing him, as he goes to press his lubed fingers into his lover. He hits something solid. Confused, he looks where his fingers are and notices a shiny black stone looking back at him.

“Are you wearing a plug!?” Finn looks up to see the blonde nod and turn dark red. Smirking, Finn presses the jewel on the plug so it moves inside Leo and watches as the younger man squeezes his eyes shut, his eye brows pinch up and he grips the duvet. “What a great idea, Sunshine.” He holds the jewel as he starts moving the plug in and out of Leo at a torturously slow pace.

“Faster, Please!” Leo chokes out as Logan lifts his head to swallow all of him down at the same time as Finn plunging the plug back into him. They do as he wishes and start picking up the pace, soon Leo is on the edge and his thighs are shaking as he tries to hold off cumming for as long as he can, but one well aimed thrust with the plug causes his body to spasm, his eyes roll back and he is caught between pressing back on the plug or shoving his dick father in Logan’s mouth.

Without giving Leo a second to recover, Finn slides one of his lubed up fingers in next to the plug as Logan shimmies out from under Leo and between Finn's legs. Logan gets undressed and climbs on the bed sitting in front of Leo and petting his hair until he is grabbed by the larger man and yanks under him, chest to chest as again Finn picks up speed, kissing Logan sloppily and desperately. Logan is loving the attention and grips Leo’s hair tightly as he wraps his legs around his torso.

Finn slowly works in a second finger next to the plug and hears Leo whimper in a way they have never heard him whimper before. Pulling away from Logan a little, Leo pushes back onto Finn’s fingers.

“More, moremoremore. I need more.” Finn smirks and calls Logan over, after getting out of Leo’s iron grip he scrambles over to Finn. He watches as Finn pulls the plug completely from Leo and watcha shiver go up the younger man's spine.

“What are you doing?” Leo lifts himself up with his arms to look back at them but before he can look two sets of two fingers are shoved inside of him. His arms turn to jelly and he falls forward as the fingers move out of sync with each other, his toes curl from all the pleasure splashing over him in waves.

“Ready, baby?” Logan smiles as he sees a nod, he and Finn pull their fingers out and share a heated kiss before they get situated. Logan and Finn move to sit on the bed with Logan's legs over Finn’s, Leo makes his way over after regaining the feeling in his legs and straddles them, facing Finn.

“Hi.” Leo gives him a tight smile as Logan lubes up both their cocks. “You first?” Finn nods and holds Leo's hip with one hand and cups his cheek with the other as he presses Leo down on his cock. Logan presses in two fingers alongside Finn to make sure Leo is loose enough to fit them both. Logan watches as Leo starts to take control, guiding himself up and down on Finn’s cock and Logan’s fingers. Logan could never.

After a few minutes Logan decides Leo is loose enough, lining himself up he silently asks if Leo is ready by squeezing his hip. Leo looks over his shoulder at Logan and smiles nodding and leaning back for a kiss.

Leo doesn’t know how he is functioning. He feels Logan push into him and all he can do for a good two minutes is grip Finn’s shoulders and relax as his boys begin to move inside him. His head falls back as a couple of well timed thrusts cause his body to jolt without him realising it. He lifts his head and moves one of Finn’s hands around his neck pressing his fingers on the sides of his neck tightly as he starts to take control again and sets the pace. He feels Logan's grip tighten on him and the feeling of his cum inside him and he stops moving.

“Lo-”

“Keep going” His arms fully wrap around Leo’s body and hold him tightly as Leo continues, moving his hips in circles when he isn’t pushing up and letting himself sink back down. Logan cums another four times, Leo twice more and Finn once. Eventually they stop when Logan is being held up by Finn gripping his biceps and Leo can no longer lift himself up.

Finn lets go of Logan’s arms and Lo flops on his back without even trying to catch himself. Leo shakily pulls off of the boys, hearing them groan and feels them start to come again as they slip out of him, making a mess. Leo tsks and flops down beside Logan, who immediately clings to him. Pulling Leo on top of him.

Logan was topping tonight but he still slipped into subspace while all this was going on, he has specific triggers that Finn and Leo like to watch for and one of them is cuming more than three times. That puts Logan into the headspace of ‘do whatever you want to me as long as it feels good’. Leo wraps one arm around the smaller man's waist and the other arm is under Logan's shoulders so that his hand is on the back of his head and massaging his scalp to help his drop.

What Leo isn’t expecting is for Finn to grab his hips and lift them up a little so Leo is on his knees again, and for him to start licking up the mess all over Leo’s thighs. Burying his burning face in Logan's shoulder who’s babbling about how much he loves his boys and how hot they are. Leo is trying his best not to get Logan’s attention with this because he will want to go again and they have reached his limit for the night.

Leo swallows a moan as Finn moves from his thighs to his hole, licking over it slowly until he presses his lips to it and sucks, causing Leo to flinch and tighten his arms around Logan who has fallen in and out of sleep about three times. Finn continues to mess with him, shoving his tongue inside Leo and then pulling out to lightly nip at his slightly swollen hole. All while Leo is trying to be quiet so Logan doesn’t realize what is happening.

Eventually Leo can’t help but cum on Logan’s stomach as Finn goes in one last time with his tongue.

“Fuck!” Leo wakes Logan up and he narrows his eyes.

“Why wasn’t I invited! I could go again!”

“Shhh Lo, no you can’t. You’re done for the night babe.” Logan pouts but it goes away as soon as Leo starts kissing him all over his face.

Finn had gotten up at some point and began to run a bath, knowing they help Lo warm up from his drop and Leo will probably be sore in the morning and a bath will help. Leo carries Logan to the tub and climbs in with him, having the man rest his back on Leo’s chest.

Finn comes over and washes the sleepyheads’ hair after he has done his nightly routine. Getting the other two to bed was easy, but Logan and he had to be up for the bus in two hours so Finn went to make sure he and Logan had all their stuff packed and by the door before climbing into bed and setting the loudest alarm.

The alarm was loud but almost not loud enough. Leo was carrying the boy's bags down the stairs to the parking garage behind them. He was wearing his lion's sweatshirt and sweatshirt with his boots. Logan was taking Leo’s blanket because he refused to leave without it this morning, he is hiding the the hood of his sweatshirt, while Finn was whistling as chipper as ever.

Finn wouldn’t lie, he was nervous leaving Leo for the first time. Leo has become such an important little warmth in his life that having a day without him makes him feel cold inside. Like he will never be warm again. Like the first time Leo left them after their hook up. Logan warms him for sure, but he’d be lying if he said he wasn’t more accustomed to that warmth. He opens the back driver side door to his car for Leo to put the bags in and then waits while bouncing on his toes to kiss him goodbye.

“Okay, I think that was all you guys needed.” Leo closes the door and looks at Finn. Opening his arms Finn runs into them and holds Leo tight. Then he remembered something.

They weren’t out with Leo yet… It was only Finn and Logan.

Leo seemed to pick up on this and patted Finn’s back in a friendly way, then when they pulled away he sent him a slightly sad smile. Parking garages are a good place for paparazzi to be hiding, it's what happened with Sirius and Remus. Even if it wasn’t the pap.

Logan was already in the car, pouting, Leo walks over to his side of the car and sticks his head in the window after Finn starts the car and Logan rolls the window down.

“Bye Sweet Pea, play nice this weekend. Okay?” Logan nods and doesn’t say anything, he just looks straight ahead because if he looks at Leo he knows he will kiss him. Leo leans a little close to whisper in Logan's ear. “If you win you can have all the smooches you want.” Logan smiles a little and nods.

Leo watches them drive out of the parking garage from inside the stairwell, hands in his sleeves and his hood pulled up.

Cold.

“GOOD MORNING SLEEPY SLUG!” Clay grabs the blanket Leo curled himself up in on the couch and yanks it so he roughly rolls onto the floor.

“Clay, be nice. Morning Leo, we’ve made some breakfast for you.” Noelle holds out her hand and helps him up by stepping on his toes and pulling him up. Noelle leads Clay and Leo into the kitchen where Reg and Hagrid sit talking about the tattoos Reg wants to get today.

Leo has been talking to Hagrid about getting a special tattoo for a good few months, but once he moved away it all became more complicated. While they were traveling they drew the sketch for the tattoo with the help of Reg, who had become Hagrid’s apprentice on the road.

Reg’s music was playing over the radio, they may have converted him to liking country but alternative will always have his heart. In The End by Blackveil Brides was playing as Reg was drawing out Noelle's tattoo, which looked to be a medusa but with tentacles. Noelle loves deep sea creatures, she is studying to be a marine biologist for deep sea creatures so this tattoo makes a lot of sense.

Her first tattoo is also getting a touch up because she got her sibling Fleur-de-lis on her right wrist in pink ink because it bounces off her tan skin beautifully. But the pink fades quickly so touch ups are needed.

Hagrid sat down next to him at the counter and pats his shoulder, pulling out the sketch from his book and flattening it on the cool surface. Hagrid had set up most of his machines at the counter because he prefers to stand when tattooing.

“She’s beautiful Hagrid.'' Leo smiles at the sketch, it was based off of a picture that he received of Logan in Finn’s jersey. He was on his knees, one hand supporting him pressed into the bed in front of him and one hand crossed over his stomach under the other arm. The jersey was baggy on him and too long but it made him look even more sweet. They turned Logan in the photo, into a pinup woman that captures both features of Finn and Logan. Finn’s eyes and nose, Logan's lips and face shape, Finn’s freckles and Logan’s thick frame. She was beautiful and everything he loved about his boys.

“I know all of your tats are just black and grey… but this one means a lot to you. What if we gave her a pop of color?” Hagrid smiles his very friendly smile and slides another drawing on regular paper over to Leo. It was the pinup but with the jersey colored in the Lions colors.

It took his breath away.

“I would really like that actually, the boys don’t know I’m getting this tattoo and I think the color will really let them know that this is special, and that they are special.” Leo was tracing over the lines of her as he was speaking. The smiles creeping onto his face and the blooming excitement in his chest made him feel on top of the world.

Clay was sitting on the counter swinging his legs, waiting for Hagrid to finish shaving his neck and placing the stencil for his vampire bite that reminds him of Noelle who, as Thomas says it, will suck on his neck hard enough it feels like she is looking for blood.

Once the tattooing had started Clay put on his earphones and zoned out while Hagrid worked. Reg watched closely and was learning techniques as they watched Hagrid. The way Hagrid tattoo’s is very meaningful, every line has a meaning and it isn’t just an image on someone's skin. It's art that can last a lifetime.

Reg was next, having always been in love with the classic horror movies, he decided to get a couple iconic characters tattooed on his knuckles. Reg doesn’t have very many tattoos. Just the inner lip one he got with Clay and Leo. Clay’s saying ‘Pretty’. Reg’s saying ‘Petty’. Leo’s saying ‘Pitty’. He also has a small raven on his sternum. He hasn’t gotten used to the irritating pain of tattoo’s like Leo and Clay who are covered in them. Leo has all black and grey, while Clay has all color. Reg wanted both.

He wants to be his own person.

He’s ready to be his own person.

Next up was Noelle, she has the second largest tattoo and Reg was going to needle some of it. She didn’t mind him doing the finer details. She took her tat like a champ, never flinching or even making a face. She just chatted with everyone about what food they were going to order while Leo got his done.

Finn was sweating, Logan has not left his side since they got out of the car. Logan was wrapped in Leo’s blanket with his sweats and a sweatshirt on since today was just a traveling day. But Logan is already a walking furnace, all those extra layers made him feel like the center of the earth. Finn was messing with Logan's hair who had his face hiding in Finn’s armpit as he took up the entire bus seat by laying on his side with his face towards the backrest. Finn’s hand moved to tap a rhythm on Logan’s side as he scrolled through tiktok.

He felt a tap on his shoulder and looked to the seat across from them. Sirius and James were sharing a seat on this trip because Remus and Talker had ‘business’ to discuss. Sirius nodded towards Logan and raised an eyebrow.

“This is our first time leaving Leo home alone and Lo is pretty torn up about it.”

“I mean, I get it but also… Leo is a grown man who can handle himself.” James tosses a piece of candy at Logan but Finn catches it and eats it. “Not. For. You!”

“Also we only got.. Like an hour and a half of sleep last night. So that is probably adding to his sleepy-anxious time.” Finn thinks he would have turned pink from remembering the night before but he was already red from overheating.

“It’s just so quiet without him trying to make sure everyone is awake the whole time. I mean I haven’t heard one peep out of him.” Sirius stretches his arms up and grabs the top of the headrest to twist and crack his back. “It’s kinda nice, not going to lie.”

“I’m pretty sure everyone is asleep besides us and Sergei, he is trying to finish knitting us hats on this bus ride.” They all look back and wave at Sergei who sends them a short wave as he concentrates on the red yarn.

“Better get some sleep while the quiet lasts.” Sirius pulls his hat over his eyes and crosses his arms, leaning back after he puts his airpods in under his hat. James follows except he also pulls his hood over his head and ties it.

Finn tries to sleep but he is so warm it’s no use. He checks his maps and sees they still have four hours left.

This has to be the longest bus ride of his life.

She was perfect, Leo was looking at his new tattoo in the mirror through the clear film wrapped around his thigh. His short leg is pulled up and he has been just smiling like an idiot for the good twenty minutes he’s been looking in the mirror. He gives her a couple pokes and scrunches his nose a little at the sting.

“Leo! Food is here!” Noelle calls for him in the kitchen while Clay and Reg continue to argue about what pizza is the best. Wandering out into the kitchen he sees mountains of pizza boxes.

“How many did y’all order!?”

“Twenty four!” Clay leans to the side to be able to see Leo past the stack of boxes. “We needed to make sure Hagrid had some to take back to his bnb with him.”

“Here’s yours.” Reg Frisbe tosses a medium pizza box at him and he barely catches it. “Nice catch.” They stuff their mouth with the slice of veggie pizza they are holding and click on his ‘Hagrid’s Faves’ playlist so they Livin’ On a Prayer by Bon Jovi starts to play.

Clay gets on the counter to air guitar at the height of the chorus and Noelle yells at him to get down. Which he does in a second. Noelle needs the counter so she can pain everyone's nails.

Leo gets one hand Black and one hand White.

Reg gets Navy Blue.

Clay gets Hot Pink.

Hagrid gets Green.

Noelle decides to let Reg paint one hand and Leo paint the other, Leo gives her a messy polish job of Sunflower Yellow. While Reg gives her very clean Sky Blue nails with little white blots of clouds.

After they all doze off during a couple of random movies, it is suddenly the middle of the night. Leo tells them they can all stay but Reg promised to be home so Sirius doesn’t pace a path in the carpet from worry. Clay and Noelle need to go home for Tina and William. Hagrid has to leave to make sure he gets up on time.

Suddenly Leo is alone again.

Cold.

Thomas was exhausted, Remus and him talked the entire bus ride. Minus the three hours they slept… Anyway, they came up with many ways to annoy Sirius and James. Enough to where they had to write them down.

He stumbles into his hotel room, tossing his bag on the ground, flops on the bed face down into the middle of the bed, his phone is positioned weirdly in his pocket so he pulls it out and tosses it next to him.

He is just about to doze off when he hears the facetime ring coming from his phone. Knowing it's Noelle, he answers it but doesn’t move to look at the screen or show his face.

“Hey Baby, sorry you can’t see me. I’m really tired.” He waits for an answer but after a couple of seconds he gets worried and looks at the screen. He sees a blurred screen with the words ‘Poor Connection’. Frowning, he hangs up and just calls her as a normal phone call.

“Hi!” Noelle answers, sounding out of breath and panting. “I was trying to facetime you to show you something beautiful but sadly we don’t have a good connection. Sad~.” Noelle has this purr to her voice that is very… familiar. Thomas rolls over and sits up a little too fast because he about throws himself off the bed.

“I- What are you doing? You have your sexy voice on!”

“Mm I’m doing Clay.” Thomas can tell she is smirking on the other side of the phone. He tries to swallow down the cotton that has suddenly filled his mouth, his clothes were suddenly too warm. “You know what I meant right~ I’m doing Clay.” He is confused for a moment but a muffled tight moan that must have been Clay filled the silence. It clicks, Noelle was literally fucking Clay.

Noelle.

Was.

Pegging.

Clay.

“Oh shit! This is so not fair! You guys were supposed to wait for me!” Putting the phone on speaker he starts to take his clothes off as he feels himself getting hard.

“Tell me everything.”

[ais-for-alex]

The Scars of Our Past: chapter 21

So this is a very important chapter to the story and I don’t want to spoil anything but there are descriptions of traumatic events, death, and injuries so please read with caution if you are sensitive to anything of that nature. Anyway I hope y’all enjoy 🥰

You’re getting in too deep, Knut.

Leo blinked away the thought as he followed Logan up the stairs towards Finn's apartment. His mind wandered back to the two of them sitting in that courtyard with the soft music and the radiant warmth of the fire as their companions. And when he had glanced over to see the orange glow of firelight dancing over Logan’s face Leo’s heart ached at that look in his eyes. He could see that Logan felt so much inside but he was held back by the crippling fear of the unknown and the unspoken, Leo couldn’t stop himself from reaching out.

Damn, you are such a hypocrite. Talking about fear like you haven’t been living in the shadow of loss for so long you barely know what sunlight looks like anymore. Too scared to move on, too scared to let go.

This is different, Leo told himself, silencing those nagging words just as they got to the front door.

“Hey Fish, you here?” he called out as they slipped inside and began shedding jackets and scarves before wandering farther into the apartment.

“In here,” Finn said just as he and Logan walked into the living room to find him hanging upside-down from the recliner, one leg thrown over the back and the other over the arm. There was some tv show playing quietly in the background but Finn wasn’t really watching rather he was holding his phone precariously over his face playing some word game.

Leo laughed, “Is your default state just upside down?”

“Yes.”

“Yes,” both Finn and Logan said at the same time, causing him to look up and see them.

“Lo?” he asked, Finn rolled off the chair in surprise falling to the floor with a thump, Leo could hear a bit of uncertainty in his voice.

“Hey,” Logan said softly, locking eyes with Finn, “Leo mentioned food so I tagged along, hope that’s ok?”

“’Course,” he answered without a thought, scrambling up off the floor, “you know you’re always welcome here.”

There was a tension between them, Leo could feel it bend and stretch like an elastic band tied between these two men. It flexed as they moved, pulled taught like they were testing how far it would stretch before snapping. This thing between Finn and Logan was strong though, nearly tangible with the intensity of whatever past lay in the space separating them. Something inside him was telling Leo that rather than breaking under their pull it was more likely that the elastic band would snap back into place, leaving behind sore red welts as raw and tender as the emotions tying them together in the first place.

“Alright,” Leo said, bumping his hip lightly against Logan still standing next to him, “I’m gonna go start working on dinner.”

Logan finally looked away from Finn's hot cocoa eyes to glance up at Leo, “Now this I’ve got to see,” he said with a laugh.

“Oh come on,” Leo huffed an exasperated chuckle, “just cause you guys can’t cook doesn’t mean nobody else can.”

“How do you know I can’t cook, hmm? I might be a master chef in disguise,” Logan joked.

Finn scoffed at that before slinging an arm over Logan’s shoulders and pulling him into a headlock, “come on Lo, no one’s gonna believe that.”

Leo rolled his eyes and made his way into the kitchen, Finn and Logan’s chatter followed close behind as he began pulling ingredients out of the newly stocked fridge and cabinets.

“This looks suspiciously healthy,” Logan commented while Leo washed and prepped a variety of veggies, he and Finn had settled at the counter to watch and talk as he cooked.

“Don’t make that face,” Leo laughed at the grimace Logan made, “healthy can be good.”

“Lo has an aversion to vegetables,” Finn teased, knocking their shoulders together.

“I do not,” he huffed back, “just if given the choice they’re not my first pick.”

“Well, then what would be your first pick? What’s your favorite food?” Leo asked as he began working on the chicken.

Logan closed his eyes and leaned his head back, “probably, filet mignon. Mmm,” he hummed low in his throat like he was imagining it.

“Ok, I’ll give that to you, few things trump steak,” Leo said, “maybe I’ll make it next time.” When Leo glanced up he met sparkling emerald eyes and Logan’s happy grin, it made his breath catch in his throat.

“So, whatcha making tonight?” Finn asked, resting his chin to rest in his hand against the counter while watching Leo work.

“I thought I’d do a honey and sesame chicken with a teriyaki stir fry,” Leo replied, snagging some seasoning off the counter.

“Ahh,” Finn sighed, wilting down to lay against the counter, “that sounds delicious.”

Both Leo and Logan laughed at his dramatics, their conversation dissolved into Finn and Logan’s upcoming game as Leo made dinner. Leo was only listening with half an ear but it sounded like they were concerned about their goalie who was struggling with an injury to his thigh. Soon the kitchen was filled with sizzling and the warm smell of cooking food making their stomachs grumble, by the time Leo had finished all three of them were salivating over the delicious looking meal.

As Leo was putting the finishing touches on the stir fry and pulled it from the heat of the stove he watched Finn slide off his stool at the counter before making his way over to the cabinets and grabbing plates. Logan wandered over to the fridge and snagged drinks for each of them. He was a little struck by how smoothly the three of them worked together; they moved and orbited around each other, somehow knowing exactly what the others needed and providing it before they could ask.

Once he had gotten his food Leo wandered back into the living room and settled on the far end of the couch, Finn and Logan joined only a moment later their plates piled high with food. Finn flopped on the opposite side of the couch, squishing back into the cushions comfortably. Logan chose to settle down and sit on the carpet near Finn’s legs, his back resting against the bottom of the couch as he placed his plate on the coffee table in front of him before pulling out his phone.

“Alright, what are we watching?” he asked, tilting his head back to look at Finn and Leo.

“Whatever is fine with me,” Finn said before shoveling a forkful of stir fry into his mouth.

Logan turned and fixed him with a disbelieving stare, “Fish, we both know you are literally the biggest movie snob on the planet, and will have very strong opinions on whatever we end up watching. We also know that if you make me choose again, we will be watching Fast and Furious.”

“Nooooo, not again!” Finn groaned, making Leo snort a laugh.

“What about you Le,” Logan asked, “any movie preferences?”

For a moment Leo’s brain shorted out at the nickname and the casual way it fell from Logan’s lips, he blinked hard realizing that he was supposed to be answering a question, “umm, well I always love a trashy disaster movie.”

“Sharknado!” Finn shouted, bouncing with excitement while trying not to spill his food.

“Yeah, that works for me,” he laughed.

“Alright, Sharknado it is,” Logan pulled it up on his phone and cast it to the Tv, while they all settled in with their dinners.

Leo tried to focus on the movie, he really did. However, it seemed that his attention couldn’t help but be pulled back to the two men next to him. He felt a little smile forming on his face as he watched them bicker back and forth about something silly a character on screen said, as he watched Finn lean down and ask for the veggies Logan had picked out of his food, watched them shoot glances at each other when they thought the other wouldn’t see. It was weird, this feeling that had begun pooling in his chest while watching them; Leo felt warm and giddy with it, it felt like summer sunlight was caught inside him making everything glow golden.

A soft contented sigh fell from his lips as Leo leaned over to stack his empty plate with Finn and Logan’s on the coffee table, he shifted in his spot turning to burrow into the squishy cushions and bring his feet up to rest on the spot in the middle of the sofa. Before he could stop himself, Leo let his legs extend to press his socked feet under Finn's warm thigh. And when Finn glanced up at him, a soft little smile at his lips, Leo flushed suddenly submerged in chocolate fondue eyes. Something inside him squirmed happily when Finn simply smiled a bit wider and rested his hand on Leo’s ankle before turning back to the movie.

Leo happily let himself drift in and out of a light doze while they watched, it seemed like one minute he blinked and the next Logan was turning the volume on the tv down as the credits rolled over the screen. Taking a deep breath that turned into a huge yawn Leo shifted a bit and reached up, stretching out the soreness from sitting in the same position too long.

He heard a soft chuckle from the floor and looked down only to meet Logan's bright eyes sparkling with the grin on his lips, “so you’re the type to sleep through the movie.”

“Guilty,” Leo said, suppressing another yawn.

“Ok, question,” Finn said in a mock serious voice, making Leo glance up at him, “promise not to be weirded out.”

“Alright shoot.”

Finn shifted watching Leo, he had his phone in his hand, “Do you not have social media? Cause I swear I have been trying to cyber stalk you since like the first time we met and I am finding nothing, zilch, nadda. The internet says you don’t exist. Which I find vaguely interesting cause I low key pride myself on my ability to find out pretty much anything about anybody, but for you… nothing.”

Leo couldn’t hold back the laugh that bubbled up out of him at the frustrated pout on Finn's face, “Yeah, I do have social media. I’m surprised you couldn’t find me; everything is just under my name.”

“That’s what I tried!” he cried.

“Did you spell it right?”

“I mean yeah? I think so, there’s only one way to spell it right? L-E-O Leo N-E-W-T Newt.”

Leo snorted out another laugh, “Fish, my last name is spelled K-N-U-T.”

Finn’s eyebrows furrowed in confusion for a moment then relaxed as he shot a look that seemed to be filled with a mixture of exasperation and disbelief, “wait a minute are you telling me your last name is Knut , and has been this entire time.”

“It's still pronounced like newt.”

Finn sighed, shaking his head. “Knut,” he glanced down at Logan and for a moment it seemed like they had an entire conversation in that one look, then chuckled softly, “Nutty.”

“Peanut,” Logan huffed a laugh.

“Ooo, Peanut Butter,” Finn shot back.

“Nutter Butter!” Logan supplied slapping Finn's thigh in excitement, “man, there is just so much potential for nicknames in that.”

“Right!” Finn exclaimed, “how did we not know this?”

“Yeah, yeah,” Leo chuckled, “laugh it up. I’ve heard all of them before.”

“Did you hear that Lo? I think Butternut Squash over here is challenging us.”

“That’s what it sounded like to me,” Logan said, turning to look up at Leo, “are you challenging us Peanut Brittle?”

At that Leo completely lost it, he could barely breathe through his snorts of laughter, “Oh, god! I suddenly feel like I’ve made a grave mistake.”

“Awe, don’t worry Banana Nut Muffin, we take nicknames very seriously,” Finn said in a sympathetic voice as he reached out and patted Leo’s leg softly, this only prompted Leo to laugh even harder.

It took a couple minutes before their laughter died down to only the occasional chuckle. Leo was warm and relaxed; his body pressed into the crease between the cushions, he could hear the little bubble click sounds as Finn typed on his phone.

Both Leo and Logan’s eyes suddenly snapped onto Finn when a sharp gasp was sucked into his lungs.

“You ok up there, Fish?” Logan asked

“I- um yeah… it’s just-“ Finn was still looking down at his phone, “um… Le?”

“Hm?” Leo hummed, waiting for Finn to say whatever it was he wanted to ask.

“Is this… is this about you?” he asked, holding his phone out for Leo to look at.

Looking at the screen Leo saw that Finn had typed out his name into a google search but rather than links to his various social media accounts the first result that Finn had clicked on was a digital copy of his hometown newspaper. Leo’s blood ran cold as his eyes took in the headline he had tried to scrub from his mind back when he first saw it, the hollow words that could never actually make people understand the pain he felt that night.

Fatal Crash Claims Over 30 Lives Leaving Only One Survivor

Leo sucked in a shaky breath as Finn's phone slipped out of his lax grip, “I…” he pulled his legs in close to himself and wrapped his arms around them like he was trying to protect his heart from the cutting pain of his memories. “I… I forgot that would probably come up,” he said, voice quiet and timid, “um… it- it was a couple years ago now.”

“Hey,” Logan said, he had moved closer and was now sitting on the edge of the coffee table, “you don’t have to talk about it. If you aren’t ready yet, that’s ok,” he reached out and gently pulled one of Leo’s hands into his own.

Leo thought about that for a moment, thought about shoving it all away again, and hiding from the pain.

Sweetheart, the only way to make it hurt a little less is to start letting yourself move on. His mama’s words came back to his mind and Leo knew that it was time to move on, no more hiding no more running away, it was time to start healing.

“No,” Leo said, breathing in deep to steady his hurt bleeding heart, “I… I think it’s time. I’ve been running away from that night for so long now, it’s time I told someone. And you guys are… important to me, you should know what happened.”

Finn shifted on the couch so he was turned to watch Leo with patient eyes, Logan still had Leo’s hand wrapped in his own warm fingers gently massaging the tension from his palm. Somehow Leo was able to draw strength from them, he felt it flow into him until he felt completely safe and secure in their presence.

“It… it was a couple years back now,” Leo began, his voice was shaky; it wavered with emotion as he continued. “But, I actually used to play hockey,” Leo huffed a humorless chuckle at the surprise on Finn and Logan’s faces, “yeah, I played goalie, pretty much since the day I learned to skate. And I mean, not to toot my own horn but I was good too. Everyone said I would go on to play for the NHL, it was my dream you know?”

Finn and Logan both nodded, they knew exactly how that dream went but they stayed quiet waiting for Leo to continue.

“But, that dream got taken away. From me… and from them,” Leo choked back a sob. “We had an away game that night, just a couple hours away so the school didn’t want to pay for a hotel afterwards.”

Leo breathed in deep, he remembered the night with such crystal clarity it could have happened mere hours ago. He could still feel fatigue in his bones from a hard intense game, but the giddy adrenaline filled satisfaction of a win made it easier to deal with. The team was piling onto their bus tired but excited, Leo was grinning ear to ear as he climbed the rickety steps.

Making his way down the narrow aisle towards his spot at the back of the bus Leo caught Cody’s eyes and felt his insides squirm at the private little wink sent his way. Leo had gotten a shutout, and it felt like they were barely off the ice when Cody had pulled him by his jersey into the nearest supply closet to kiss him until Leo didn’t know which way was up, whispering promises of every filthy thing they would do together when they got home.

The bus roared to life just as Leo slung his bag up into the overhead rack and settled down onto the sticky plastic bench. The heat of the engine soaked up into his body soothing his sore muscles while the rumbling and rattling lulled him to sleep.

“We were maybe about two, three hours into the drive when-“ Leo paused a bit unsure in his story, “I guess I don’t really know. They told me a gas tanker hit us, but all I can remember was the sounds…”

Leo had no words to describe the horrible, horrible sound of metal crunching and scraping as it crumpled under impact, as it folded around the soft flesh of his teammates as easily as folding a paper crane. There are no words on earth that could describe the blood curdling screams of agony, of horror and fear echoing out from the people he loved.

“Um… anyway, I was thrown pretty hard but I was still close enough to get to the emergency exit.”

He could still feel that brief moment of weightlessness only a split second before the sharp impact as his body was tossed like a ragdoll to the opposite side of the bus, he felt it sliding, grinding against the asphalt for what seemed like an eternity before finally coming to a halt. Leo blinked against the darkness around him, his eyes were hazy and his left side was searing with pain; it felt like his arm had been ripped off.

He clutched his injured arm close, grunting in pain as he looked around trying to figure out where he was. Leo could hear people crying, screaming but his eyes were too blurry to find them. A thick fog was trying to cloud Leo’s brain as he lay amongst ripped metal and shattered window glass, he wanted to sleep, wanted to escape the horrible pain. He let his head roll back to rest against whatever hard surface he lay on, the side of the bus? The ceiling? Leo didn’t know anymore. He blinked against the fog, knowing somewhere inside him he shouldn’t fall asleep, but then he saw it. A light, it was blurry and out of focus, just like the rest of the world at that moment but it was something. His entire body flared in pain as he moved towards it crawling slowly, shards of glass digging into his palms as he finally made it to the large hole that used to be the back window of the bus.

The moment his feet hit the highway asphalt Leo collapsed, his body crumpling to the ground. He lay there for a moment panting his eyes locked onto that light that had guided him out of the wreckage just for something to hold onto.

“I’m not sure how long I was there, just staring into that light,” Leo sniffled. There were tears running down his face, Logan had threaded their fingers together and Leo was so immensely grateful for the grounding sensation of his warm palm. “Turns out it was headlights, there hadn’t been many cars out so late but a little family saw the crash and pulled over to call 911. They pulled me away from the bus,” Leo squeezed his eyes closed, and he was back staring at that light, but then there was a face blocking it out.

He didn’t recognize the person; it was too blurry, there was too much pain, but he felt their hands as they dragged him away from the remnants of the bus. It hurt, them dragging his injured body against the glass covered ground but in the very next moment that pain was completely forgotten when the world was washed in scorching heat and blinding light.

“The very last thing I remember was this loud ringing in my ears… and when I looked up there was fire, raining down around us.”

“I woke up in the hospital with a concussion and a dislocated shoulder,” Leo said through little gasps, “they told me… they told me that I was the only one to survive, it was a one in a million chance that I made it out of that wreck. They said it was a miracle, but it didn’t feel like a miracle. I lost everyone that night, anyone who hadn’t died from the initial crash… they did in the explosion. Those people, they were more than my team, they were my family. And they all died, even- even Cody.” Leo couldn’t hold back the sob, “he was my person, I thought we would spend our lives together. But he was taken away from me, all of it was taken away from me.”

“Oh Leo,” Finn gasped, there were tears streaming down his face too as he crawled across the space separating them and pulled Leo forward into his arms, “come here sweetheart.”

Logan’s hand slipped from his but settled between his shoulder blades instead as Leo let himself be pulled into Finn's embrace, he burrowed his face into the crook of his shoulder and felt the hurt flow through him. Soul shattering sobs wracked through his body as the memories of that night crashed over him again and again. After all this time of shoving it down, hiding them inside himself, he was finally letting everything out.

“You know,” Leo said sniffling into Finn's neck, “after I got out of the hospital, I felt so… lost. I’d lost my partner, my friends, the thought of getting back on the ice nearly made me sick.” Leo tightened his arms around Finn's waist, “But the worst part… the worst part was the way that people looked at me. You can’t even imagine what it feels like when the people who used to consider you a part of their family, look at you and you can see it in their eyes that they wish you were dead. They look at you and you know that in a heartbeat they would let you die just to have their son back.”

Leo pulled back from Finn's arms a bit and drew in a deep shuddering breath, “and honestly, I can’t even blame them. Cause if given the choice, I would trade my life to give them the opportunity to live theirs.” Taking a deep shuddering breath Leo squeezed his eyes closed, “even though I walked away, sometimes I think a part of me died with my brothers on the bus that night. And now I’m stuck trying to live as this broken shell of a person.”

“Le?” Leo could feel Logan’s hand soothing up and down his back, “Leo, please look at me.” Logan’s voice was soft and pleading, and as much as he simply wanted to keep his eyes squeezed closed and hide from everything the tenderness he heard there made Leo blink open to look into emerald green eyes glazed with a sheen of tears.

“I’m no good with words. But I hope I can make you understand this, Leo you are not broken . You have suffered unimaginable pain; pain that’s left scars on your heart, and those take time to heal. But those scars do not make you broken ,” Logan reached out to cup Leo’s face in his warm palms, his fingers brushing away the tear tracks running down his cheeks, “you are whole, and healing, and perfect.”

Leo felt a piece of his heart click into place at Logan’s words, he leaned out of Finns arms a bit more and pulled Logan into him holding him close letting his warm comfort soak into him soothing away just a bit of the pain. Somehow while he was surrounded by them the hurt inside lost its sharp cutting edge, it eased to a dull throb still there but easier.

“You know, you said that we’re important to you,” Finns said, his voice rough with thinly veiled emotion, “but Leo, you're important to us too. So, we’re here for you Nutty, for anything.”

Leo huffed a wet laugh through his still streaming tears, “I’m never getting rid of that nickname am I?”

Finn grinned tenderly at him, “not a chance in hell.”

Read on AO3

[just-call-me-the-intrusive-thot]

Soulmate September - Day 11

Day 11 - Pick your favorite Soulmate AU and write about it, it can be from this list or something completely different.  

(Balloon AU: you have a spirit-like balloon with the name of your soulmate written on it that only you can see. It will often drift towards your soulmate’s when they’re close by.)

Pairing(s): Romantic Logicality, Romantic Remile

TWs: Character Death (it’s loosely based on Disney’s UP, so y’all know whats going on), implied homophobia for a small section, unspecified heart condition mention

Author’s note: please forgive any inaccuracies in time periods and such, I did my best ;w; 

Also don’t let the tags throw you off, this story’s bittersweet but it’s really lovely, thank you if you do indeed keep reading, ily <3

–

They met when they were just children back in March of 1950. 

Logan Crofter had just come from the theatre after having seen the newest Walt Disney movie, Cinderella, when he overheard a commotion coming from the children’s park on his way home. He was always a cautious young lad but as he caught sight of his balloon begin to sway that way, Logan wasted no time in hurrying towards the sound of children arguing.

“Boys don’t wear dresses, stupid!!!”

“But it’s really pretty!!”

Logan arrived in time to see an older boy shove another boy about his age into a puddle, soaking the light blue dress he was wearing over a light t-shirt and dungarees. Upon realising the dress was likely ruined, the boy began crying. Logan wasted no time in getting between the two of them,

“Leave him alone, or I’ll inform the proper authorities!”

“.... You’ll what?”, the taller boy asked dumbfoundedly.

“It means I’ll tell your mom!!”

He was bluffing of course, Logan had no idea who the boy was, but the threat was enough to send him running. With a sigh of relief, he turned his attention to the boy in the puddle. Instead of crying anymore, he was gazing up at Logan in excited adoration,

“Wow!! You saved me!! Just like Prince Charming saved Cinderella!!!”

The boy wiped his face of tears and stood up to grasp Logan’s hands, “Thank you, thank you, thank youuuu!!”

Embarrassed by the overly sweet gesture, Logan cleared his throat, “You’re far too kind, I simply cannot tolerate bullying, I’m certainly no Prince Charming.”, he tried to assure the boy, “Truly, it was no trouble. Are you going to be alright, um-?”

“Patton!”, the boy, Patton, beamed.

A gasp left Logan, the name wasn’t that common, so perhaps….  “Patton Hart?”

The boy nodded, surprised, “That’s me-”, then realised, “A-Are you Logan Crofter!?”

Logan’s smile must’ve said it all as Patton threw his arms around him, “I can’t believe it! My soulmate saved me! I really am like Cinderella!”

“You are pretty like Cinderella as well.”, Logan offered shyly, shuffling his feet awkwardly. Patton giggled and took his hands. 

“Come on! I wanna introduce you to mama!! She’ll like you lots!!”

Patton was right, Logan adored Mrs Hart from the moment they were introduced. He loved the whole family with every member he was introduced to; it wasn’t hard to see where Patton got his shining personality from, happiness and warmth radiated from every one of them. Logan remembered the way Patton had introduced him to his parents and that summer he’d done the same for all his grandparents, his ‘tios and tias’ as he referred to them, and his many cousins who welcomed Logan with open arms.

He was grateful for such a loving family especially when his own disowned him. Logan had known from the day he finally brought Patton home to meet his parents - six years after they’d first met - that they would never accept his soulmate. Despite the majority of the world’s population accepting that the soulmate bond was a fixed infallible system, the Crofters had their minds made up that their son’s soulmate would be someone worthy of their expectations. Someone stoic and serious, not bubbly and energetic. Someone who was all work and no play, not someone who wanted to have fun and just enjoy life. Someone who was female, not another male. Logan hadn’t anticipated that extra twist of the knife but all the same, he wouldn’t trade Patton for anyone else.

It was hard being fourteen and having to turn his back on the family home he’d grown up in, but as Patton’s family helped him move his things into the room they’d painstakingly cleared out for him, Logan figured that feeling would soon pass.

--

Throughout high school, the two grew even more inseparable; Logan helped tutor Patton in math and science while Patton helped Logan with art and music. Logan joined Patton’s cooking club to support his cause while Patton would always attend Logan’s debates, captivated by his drive and dedication.

Another routine they’d started over the years was attending the latest screenings of each new Disney movie. In truth, Logan had lost his taste for “childish exploits” around the age of ten, but he would never admit out loud that seeing the way Patton would smile during their theatre dates made his heart race faster than any other sight on the entire planet. That was why for their 27th anniversary, Logan proposed to Patton during the double bill screening of The Many Adventures of Winnie The Pooh. He burned the moment Patton threw his arms around him in sheer glee into his brain forever. He would carry the joy of hearing his soulmate - no, his husband-to-be - cry out that wonderful “yes!” with him for eternity.

Sending out the invitations had been a nerve wracking affair for Logan, but Patton had assured him that everything would be okay in the end as he sent out his half of the invitations. He knew his parents wouldn’t show so he didn’t bother to invite them, but he wasn’t sure if his grandparents or distant aunts and uncles would. Aside from them, he’d never met much of his own family, most of them residing outside of the states. 

In the end, only his paternal grandparents and mother’s brother agreed to attend. Logan didn’t mind, he was just glad to have someone. Thankfully, his side of the church wouldn’t be too empty for the friends he made in his highschool years were more than happy to fill the pews.

Logan Crofter-Hart married his husband Patton Hart in the spring of 1981 after four years of planning and saving for their first home together. Logan’s endless studying and training to become a lecturer combined with Patton’s enthusiasm and drive to make money working at Foster’s Family Diner had all led up to this moment. As Logan placed the ring on Patton’s finger and promised to love and honour him - in sickness and in health, til death did they part - he couldn’t help but think himself the luckiest man alive. After the ceremony, his uncle and paternal grandparents had congratulated him, with the former asking what their next step would be.

Logan wasn’t sure about the far future, but at the time while he watched the love of his life dance and gesture for Logan to join him, all he could think to answer was “Simple, our Traditional Disney Movie Date.”, as he got up to indulge Patton’s request.

Said movie was The Fox And The Hound, and Patton, bless him, had cried for most of it. Logan draped his arm around his husband’s shoulders and softly wiped his tears with his other hand. While the scene where Todd’s owner sadly releases him into the wild played, Patton snuggled closer to Logan for comfort. Logan would deny that he teared up at that part too, though the memory of Patton humming the tune of Goodbye May Seem Forever would always stick with him even on his saddest days...

--

“Logan?”, Patton softly piped up as they lay in bed watching TV together one night.

Logan turned to face his husband, “Yes, starlight?”

“What do you think about...”, he hesitated, but continued at Logan’s nod of encouragement, “...us adopting?” 

The idea had indeed occurred to Logan. They’d been married only a year but he knew his husband would make a wonderful father. 

“.... Do you think I’d be ready, Patton?”, Logan offered unsurely. Patton softly removed his head from Logan’s shoulder and sat in his lap to properly apply one soothing hug directly to his darling husband.

“Only you’ll know for sure, but I think you’ll be an amazing father, Logie Bear.”

A soft kiss from his husband destroyed any doubt Logan had harboured. “Just imagine it, getting to watch our son or daughter grow up and get married someday! Ooh, or maybe they’ll become an astronaut! The second person to go into space!”

Logan chuckled, knowing Patton was playing on his fondness for space travel, “Perhaps, however, they would in fact be the fifth person to go into space-”

With a fond sigh, Patton brought Logan into a gentle kiss, one that Logan had no intentions of breaking to keep infodumping. He wrapped his arms around his husband’s waist, pulling him closer as if no amount of closeness would ever be enough. Another memory that would burn itself into his brain forever. Patton pulled back to his Logan with those puppy dog eyes that resulted in him getting what he wanted at least 80% of the time.

“So, does this mean you want to give adopting a try, Logie Bear?”

Feigning annoyance with a smiling eye roll and a forced huff of air, Logan replied, “Yeah. I guess-”

He spent the rest of the night returning Patton’s delighted kisses and listening to him ramble adorably about all the wonderful memories they’d make as a family.

--

The rejection hit the Hart couple hard; Patton even more so than Logan. 

Yes, he was just as crushed by the news, but Patton was distraught. 

They’d done all they could to be sure the adoption would be a success. Logan had been hired as part of the local university’s astrophysics division which did bring in enough money to allow the couple to renovate Logan’s old office room into a bedroom for their potential child. The day had been filled with laughter and, with some coercion from Patton, dancing along to the radio in between paint drying times. They’d been sure to go through all the steps, make sure their house was child friendly, even going as far as to secure references from friends and family in case they were needed.

Alas, some bad luck out of nowhere had been the first blow to the couple. After hanging on for a good decade or so, Foster’s Family Diner was bought over by a larger franchise and thus, Patton had been laid off with little warning to cut down the number of employees. The only comfort he found at the time was from his fellow staff who were devastated to see him go. The full weight of the situation really hit home when they realised it’d put enough of a dent in their income to make things a little less comfy for a while.

The second blow was the twins. Two young boys Patton had grown attached to during an Adoption Activity Day he and Logan had attended. Logan knew while he watched both boys painting his husband’s face with vastly different degrees of success, that they’d be the children Patton wanted to adopt. The boys seemed to love them too, going by their reluctance to let either of them leave at the end of the event. But the blow to their finances and the lack of a large enough room for twins had been a cause for concern with the agency, and try as the Harts might, they just weren’t able to get the room up to code in time.

Both boys were adopted that same week, and Patton further spiralled even further. Logan tried his best to try and cheer him up, but nothing seemed to work. As a last ditch attempt, Logan even requested to be able to be put in contact with the twins’ adoptive parents to ask for a visit but he was told, as anticipated, that the agency couldn’t allow it.

Logan refused to give up though. Using his university’s connections, he was able to find Patton a prospective new job; one of the researchers in the history department had a brother who worked for the local zoo. She assured Logan that with her brother’s approval, Patton would more than likely be offered the job opening they had going.

It wasn’t much, not really, but when he brought Patton to the zoo to surprise him with the offer of running the park’s souvenir shop, his husband’s glowing smile stole Logan’s breath away. For the first time in months, he heard Patton laugh with delight as he accepted the job.

--

With both of them working again, Logan put all of his effort into a new goal; helping Patton feel ready to adopt once more. It would be a slow venture; they cut out anything that wasn’t necessary and swapped the pricier items for store brands. The 80s rolled into the 90s and it felt like for a while the world would doom them to a life of endless saving, even having to eventually forgo their sacred cinema dates in favour of waiting for video and later DVD releases. 

But they were happy. 

Happy to have each other, and happily thinking of the day when they could try adopting again.

As the years went on, however, Logan began to worry. With he and his husband approaching their fifties, Patton’s hopes of adopting a young child to raise dwindled, knowing that they often gave other couples older children to look after. He knew Patton wanted to see them attend their first day of school, to teach them to ride a bike, to spend as much time as possible with them.

So Logan made a bold suggestion to Patton that night that they try again. 

Patton was quiet for a while causing Logan to fear it was still too soon, but his husband agreed that it had been long enough. They once more gave adoption a try.

--

The second time proved to be a charm and the Harts welcomed their son - six year old Emile - into the family in 1993.

He was an eccentric, curious young lad with a love of cartoons and biology; a perfect combination for the happy parents. Not that it would have mattered in the long run, they’d have loved their son no matter what.

Logan looked to the man asleep on his shoulder and their son who had also tuckered himself out watching The Nightmare Before Christmas with them. With a fond smile, Logan rested his head against the back of the sofa, catching sight of his soul balloon. It’d been years since he’d really paid much attention to it, but the name Patton Hart still glistened in wonderous golden letters set against the baby blue of the balloon. He glanced over to Patton, seeing that same cute sleepy face he always made. Logan wondered how, whenever he believed he had hit the maximum, he ended up falling more and more in love with Patton. 

The stronger the feeling grew, the more Logan felt like he could conquer anything, and he would do so in a heartbeat for his husband, and now his son too.. 

--

Love alone, however, couldn’t conquer all things. 

During Emile’s 14th birthday party, Patton collapsed. It was sudden and terrifying, but thankfully Logan was able to keep him out of harm's way until the paramedics arrived. Luckily, they were able to treat Patton at home, coming to the conclusion that heat exhaustion had been the culprit when they were informed that Patton had given himself little time to rest coupled with the unusually hot day.

Logan still wanted Patton to see a doctor as soon as possible, but Patton sweetly but stubbornly insisted he was fine. He didn’t want to cause more of a scene during Emile’s big day. Reluctantly, Logan let him make the final call, relief setting in as Patton went about the rest of the day as his usual cheerful self. Logan made sure to stay by his husband just in case, but the day passed without another hitch.

That couldn’t be said for the second time.

The call came for Logan during one of his lectures; Patton had been catching up with an old coworker from his diner days who’d come to the zoo with their granddaughter when he’d just crumpled to the floor without warning. Logan wasn’t sure what exactly happened, but the next thing he knew, he was parking his car outside the hospital and desperately asking the staff where his husband was being treated.

Fortunately, once again, Patton was more or less alright. When Logan saw him sitting upright in his hospital bed chattering away to a young girl in a hospital gown, he knew for sure his husband was alright. At least for now.

“Will you ever stop giving me a heart attack?”, Logan had sighed with fond exhaustion as he sat next to Patton with his hard carding through his soft umber hair. Patton chuckled and played with the blue tie Logan was so fond of, “Not if it means you’ll keep coming to my rescue like Prince Charming.”. 

Logan let out a huff of laughter, fondly recalling their first meeting. It felt like yesterday still…

“Does that mean you’re still my Cinderella?”

Patton tapped a finger to his chin and finally answered with a smile, “Maybe not. Glass slippers and fairy godmothers or not, I’d never leave your side for anything, Logie Bear.”

Logan wished Patton could have kept that promise.

--

The following years passed with a couple of stumbles along the way in regards to Patton’s health and still the doctor’s weren’t sure what caused his episodes. Logan was naturally worried; he and Patton were in their sixties, he knew that even though Patton kept bouncing back that one day statistically he wouldn’t be able to. That one day Patton would…

Logan didn’t allow himself to think about it. Instead he sat with his husband, enjoying the movie they’d put on; Disney’s UP. His attention wasn’t so much on the movie as it was on Patton. Every time he looked at his husband, Logan didn’t see the silver roots, eye wrinkles, and laughter lines; he saw the boy he’d moved in with at 14, the beautiful young man he went on regular cinema dates with like clockwork, the man whose excited tearful “yes!” still echoed in his brain no matter how many years had passed. 1979 felt both so long ago, yet like it was just yesterday. And now they were doing just what Logan had hoped; growing old together while their son was out in the world working as a therapist alongside his own husband. 

Logan had been skeptical of Remy the first time Emile had introduced them to his parents, but in spite of their sharp tongue and sassy attitude, Logan had easily grown fond of the person who would later become his child-in-law. Logan wasn’t sure if that was the term, but he did his best to keep up. He remembered the day Emile had come home from high school, excitedly babbling about his soulmate. Patton had been on cloud nine the whole time, and while Logan was just as delighted for their son, he was too wrapped up in admiring the happiness that radiated from his husband.

Goodness, when had Logan gotten this sentimental? He asked, knowing full well he’d always been that way when it came to Pat. He decided to tune back in to the movie only to realise he’d been lost in his memories for nearly the entire run time.

On screen, Carl Fredricksen had just discovered the rest of his late wife’s additions to her adventure book. The more stoic Logan of the past would never have been swayed by such a heart-string tugging moment, but well. The years had softened that stony exterior. At least, that's what he told himself while he felt tears roll down his cheeks silently. Patton’s gentle thumb wiping away his tears, drew his attention, noting that his husband was also tearing up. But my god, that smile. Logan could’ve stared at that sunshine grin til the end of time itself. Seizing the moment, Logan gently leant in to give Patton a kiss, which his husband returned in kind.

At that moment, Logan had an idea. It took a lot of string pulling to make it happen, granted, but he refused to allow anything to get in the way of his plans. 

January of 2010 saw Patton’s 66th’s birthday roll in, and Logan first surprised his husband by driving their old car, a blue 1955 Ford Thunderbird, into the driveway. It wasn’t in the greatest condition, having been kept in their garage for years, but Logan had secretly washed and maintained it leading up to today. It still had their cassette tape in the player; the Beach Boys’ Wouldn’t It Be Nice played just as it had back in the day.

The car was only one of the surprises Logan had in store; he’d found an old diner that, while it wasn’t much like Foster’s, was dedicated to capturing the 1980s vibe they were both familiar with. After a couple of milkshakes and Patton’s insistence that they dance together when the jukebox would play their favourite tunes, Logan parked outside of a familiar sight.

Their old theatre and origin of Patton’s nickname, The Starlight; it’d been renamed of course, but thankfully the former owner’s daughter remembered the couple from back in her father’s day, and so Logan had asked if the old sign could be replaced just this once. She���d done one better, adding a lovely “Happy Birthday Patton!” banner underneath. Logan wasn’t sure if hugs could be fatal, but the one Patton sent his way nearly crushed him with the weight of it’s love.

Once inside the foyer, Logan directed Patton to their private screening of Cinderella. He had wanted the same movie he’d proposed to Patton with initially, but alas, the owner couldn’t track it down in time, thus they went with the movie that had led Logan to his soulmate in the first place. The Harts sat in a comfortable silence throughout the film; they didn’t need to say anything, their intertwined hands and soft sighs of adoration were enough. When the movie ended, they began to drive home until Patton spoke up, “Logan, look!”, he gestured out the window towards a familiar sight; the park where they’d met.

The old equipment had been removed and changed  somewhat over the years, but the familiar landmarks were all still there. Logan didn’t need to be asked the question as he parked nearby and walked with his beloved towards the spot where they’d met. The small indent in the ground where the same puddle he’d helped Patton out of was still there in all it’s sentimental glory. Logan raised an eyebrow as Patton sat at the edge of the former puddle until he realised what he was up to,

“Oh no! I’ve fallen! And I can’t get up! Oh where is my Prince Charming who shall come to save me?!”

Logan had to stifle his laughter with his hand for a second before offering it to Patton, rolling his eyes fondly as he stated, “I’m here, I’m here, don’t worry, fair Cinderella.”

He helped Patton to his feet, stumbling a little but thankfully he caught his husband in his waiting arms. With a smile that shone like the gold of his soul balloon’s cursive, Patton met Logan’s eyes, whispering a soft, loving, “I love you, Logan.”

Logan gently brushed a strand of Patton’s hair away from his soulmate’s eyes, “I love you too, Patton.”

The two began to walk back to the car, hand in hand, while Patton explained to Logan where he’d gotten the blue dress he’d met him in when Patton stopped. 

“Patton? Is everything alright-?”

Patton’s breathing hastened, and before he could try and say he was okay, he curled in on himself, grasping his chest. Terrified for his husband, Logan called 911, doing his best to get Patton to the car to drive him to A&E.

--

Nothing was alright.

Logan stayed by Patton’s side in hospital when the doctors delivered the bad news. 

Heart failure. 

The doctor was apologetic the whole time - “I’m so sorry” “If only we’d caught it sooner” “Too late for a transplant” “Surgery would only prolong the inevitable” - but Logan couldn’t bear to hear it. The love of his life lay dying in a cold, sterile room when he should be at home; dancing around their living room, baking with him in their kitchen, laying next to him in bed as they held hands and regaled each other with happy memories and countless “I love you”s. 

The decision wasn’t difficult, not for Logan anyway. The doctors offered to let Logan take him home so he could pass in the comfort of his own home, and while Emile had tried to convince his parents to try for more time in hospital, his fathers both refused. Patton was stubborn when he wanted to be, and Logan even more so. They’d wasted three days with Logan having to stay in hospital with Patton, he wasn’t about to jeopardise any more time. 

Emile and Remy came to visit each day once Patton came home. Neither one would comment on just how tired he looked, but Logan could see the concern in their faces. They both knew as well as Logan that any day could be Patton’s last. Every time they left, both would hold Patton tightly, making sure to always leave with an “I love you, dad”, no matter how late it made them for an appointment or the like.

--

One night, Logan noticed Patton was sitting outside on the porch step in the early morning sunrise, in one hand was a pack of balloons, and in the other, some string and markers.

“What’re you up to, starlight?”, Logan questioned curiously, unable to stop himself smiling as Patton sent him a smile at the old nickname.

“Just wanted to try something, Logie Bear. Here, you can pick out your color.”

Ah. Logan understood, rifling through the pack for the right shade of baby blue to make his soul balloon. He and Patton had of course described their balloons to each other, “Mine’s this lovely dark blue with silver writing! Bold and smart, just like you, Logan!”, Patton had said. He watched Patton try to blow up the balloon, but upon giving himself a coughing fit, Logan went to get the helium pump he’d used for the balloons at Emile’s 14th birthday. 

Once both balloons were safely inflated and tied with some string, the Harts set about writing each other’s name in an imitation of their respective soul balloon. Patton wasn’t sure whether to write Logan’s married name or the one on the balloon, but Logan assured him he didn’t mind. With both balloons finished, the couple tied the ends of their strings together, Patton requesting Logan take some pictures with his phone to show Emile and Remy later. With the request indulged - along with some depicting the couple sat cuddled together with their respective balloons - the two held out the tied end of the balloons and let them go.

Bobbing in the wind, the balloons carried themselves into the sky, twirling in a dance as they soared towards the clouds. The Harts watched until they could no longer see the pair anymore; eventually just sitting side by side on the porch, their fingers locked together and their heads rested against one another. 

The morning was stunning; soft cloudy skies that let the sun peek through while a warm breeze drifted by. 

“Hey, Logie Bear?”, Patton quietly requested. His voice ghostly even in it’s happiness.

“Yes, starlight?”

Logan couldn’t explain how or why he knew that it’d be the last thing he heard Patton say, but he simply held his husband of thirty nine years, his soulmate since birth, even closer as Patton’s last words carved themselves into his memory;

“Thanks for the adventure.”, his stunning eyes met Logan’s one last time, “I love you, Logan.”

“You too, Patton,”, Logan couldn’t stop the tears that rolled down his cheeks, “I love you too.”

Even as Patton’s grip loosened, as his eyes closed, as his breathing shuddered to a halt, Logan stayed with his husband for hours. He knew he’d soon have to break the news to their son before the poor lad and his husband found them still sitting together like always. But Logan couldn’t bring himself to move an inch. 

“I’d never leave your side for anything, starlight...”

--------

I’m not crying I’m SOBBING

This one has me in tears just rereading it to make last minute corrections, god...

Day 12 will be back to much happier themes, I promise!

@tsshipmonth2020

Taglist: @somehow-i-got-an-account @cateye-glasses @fandomsofrandom

[irelise]

Yassen Gregorovich - Books vs TV

With the excellent new Alex Rider tv show out, I thought I would make a comparison post for one of my old favs, Yassen Gregorovich, who has a somewhat different feel in the books as compared to the show! This post will largely cover the first book Stormbreaker and should theoretically contain no spoilers for the potential future arcs of the show, since the events of Stormbreaker are presumably non-canon now. (Spoilers abound for the episodes of the show already out, though!)

If there’s any interest, I’ll put up a second post covering Eagle Strike and some parts of Russian Roulette that delves deeper into Yassen and his complicated relationship with Alex. Just let me know!

Much like the show, Yassen was the one who killed Ian Rider. Unlike the show, however, he’s known to be active on the field and the first time we “encounter” him is prior to Alex’s first mission, where Mrs Jones gives Alex a warning:

She took out a black-and-white photograph and laid it on the table. It showed a man in a white T shirt and jeans. He was in his late twenties with light, close cropped hair, a smooth face, the body of a dancer. The photograph was slightly blurred. It had been taken from a distance, possibly with a hidden camera. “I want you to look at this,” she said.

"I’m looking."

“His name is Yassen Gregorovich. He was born in Russia, but he now works for many countries. Iraq has employed him. Also Serbia, Libya, and China.”

“What does he do?” Alex asked.

"He’s a contract killer, Alex. We believe it was he who killed Ian Rider.”

There was a long pause. Alex had almost managed to persuade himself that this whole business was just some sort of crazy adventure…a game. But looking at the cold face with its blank, hooded eyes, he felt something stirring inside him and knew it was fear. He remembered his uncle’s car, shattered by bullets. A man like this, a contract killer, would do the same to him. He wouldn’t even blink.

[…]

“Why are you telling me this now?” Alex asked. His mouth had gone dry.

"Because if you see him, if Yassen is anywhere near Sayle Enterprises, I want you to contact us at once."

“And then?"

“We’ll pull you out. It doesn’t matter how old you are, Alex. If Yassen finds out you’re working for us, he’ll kill you too.”

I always thought this was a pretty good introductory scene -- Yassen has a very deadly reputation in the books, which is established at once then hammered in over and over again. Other traits which come up again and again include his coldness and his dancer’s body which is totally something I’m into, gotta love those “elegant and deadly assassin” tropes

(also, yes, Yassen is blond in the books and definitely not a brunet or even a redhead as in the movie. he also doesn’t have a distinctive facial scar!)

Yassen doesn’t actually have many scenes in Stormbreaker, although the shadow of his presence looms pretty darkly over the narrative. Alex only runs into him twice on the mission: once from a distance -- A lean, fair-haired figure dressed in black detached himself from the assembly line and walked languidly toward a door that slid open to receive him -- and the other encounter also occurs from a distance, when Alex is spying on a mysterious delivery at the docks in the dead of the night...

And then the tower opened and a man climbed out, stretching himself in the cold morning air. Even without the half-moon, Alex would have recognized the sleek dancer’s body and the close cropped-hair of the man whose photograph he had seen only a few days before. It was Yassen Gregorovich. Alex stared at him with growing fear. This was the contract killer Mrs. Jones had told him about. The man who had murdered Ian Rider. He was dressed in grey overalls and sneakers. He was smiling. He was the last person Alex wanted to meet.

[…]

Meanwhile, the guards from Sayle Enterprises had formed a line stretching back almost to the point where the vehicles were parked. Yassen gave an order and, as Alex watched from behind the rocks, a metallic silver box with a vacuum seal appeared, held by unseen hands at the top of the submarine’s tower. Yassen himself passed it down to the first of the guards, who then passed it back up the line. About forty more boxes followed, one after another. It took almost an hour to unload the submarine. The men handled the boxes carefully. They obviously didn’t want to break whatever was inside.

By the end of the hour they were almost finished. The boxes were being repacked now into the back of the truck that Alex had vacated. And that was when it happened. One of the men, standing on the jetty, dropped one of the boxes. He managed to catch it again at the last minute, but even so it banged down heavily on the stone surface. Everyone stopped. Instantly. It was as if a switch had been thrown and Alex could almost feel the raw fear in the air.

Yassen was the first to recover. He darted forward along the jetty, moving like a cat, his feet making no sound. He reached the box and ran his hands over it, checking the seal, then nodded slowly. The metal wasn’t even dented.

With everyone so still Alex heard the exchange that followed.

“I’m sorry,” the guard said. “I won’t do that again.”

“No. You won’t,” Yassen agreed, and shot him.

Largely a reaffirmation of what we saw from the photograph scene, this time in person: Yassen is generally quiet, understated and deceptively relaxed -- up until the point he murders somebody without blinking. I think the show does a good job capturing that aspect of Yassen, with scenes like Ian’s death and Dr. Greif in the car coming to mind in particular. Gotta love that pairing of Yassen’s generally calm demeanour with the bursts of restrained yet lethal violence!

Some other minor but interesting character notes: despite being one of the most highly-paid and successful assassins in the world, Yassen is perfectly comfortable doing grunt work (passing boxes, dressing in shitty grey overalls). Similarly, despite being (presumably) more comfortable working alone, he’s also at ease with giving orders and coordinating large groups of people.

Now, moving onto the last time Yassen shows up in Stormbreaker. This is right at the end of the book after Alex successfully foils the plot of the big bad (Herod Sayle), only to get kidnapped by him while his guard is down. Sayle takes them to a rooftop where a helicopter is coming to whisk Sayle away, but first he wants to have some revenge...

"That’s my ticket out of here!” Sayle continued. “They’ll never find me! And one day I’ll be back. Next time, nothing will go wrong. And you won’t be here to stop me. This is the end for you! This is where you die!”

There was nothing Alex could do. Sayle raised the gun and took aim, his eyes wide, the pupils blacker than they had ever been, mere pinpricks in the bulging white.

There were two small explosive cracks.

Alex looked down, expecting to see blood. There was nothing. He couldn’t feel anything. Then Sayle staggered and fell onto his back. There were two gaping holes in his chest.

The helicopter landed in the center of the cross. The pilot got out.

Still holding the gun that had killed Herod Sayle, he walked over and examined the body, prodding it with his shoe. Satisfied, he nodded to himself, tucking the gun away. He had switched off the engine of the helicopter and behind him the blades slowed down and stopped. Alex stepped forward. The man seemed to notice him for the first time.

"You’re Yassen Gregorovich,” Alex said.

The Russian nodded. It was impossible to tell what was going on in his head. His clear blue eyes gave nothing away.

"Why did you kill him?” Alex asked.

“Those were my instructions.” There was no trace of an accent in his voice. He spoke softly, reasonably. “He had become an embarrassment. It was better this way."

"Not better for him.”

Yassen shrugged.

“What about me?” Alex asked.

The Russian ran his eyes over Alex, as if weighing him up. “I have no instructions concerning you,” he said.

"You’re not going to shoot me too?”

"Do I have any need to?”

There was a pause. The two of them gazed at each other over the corpse of Herod Sayle.

“You killed Ian Rider,” Alex said. “He was my uncle.”

Yassen shrugged. “I kill a lot of people"

“One day I’ll kill you.”

“A lot of people have tried.” Yassen smiled. “Believe me,” he said, “it would be better if we didn’t meet again. Go back to school. Go back to your life. And the next time they ask you, say no. Killing is for grown-ups and you’re still a child.”

He turned his back on Alex and climbed into the cabin. The blades started up, and a few seconds later, the helicopter rose back into the air. For a moment it hovered at the side of the building. Behind the glass, Yassen raised his hand. A gesture of friendship? A salute?

Alex raised his hand. The helicopter spun away.

Alex stood where he was, watching it, until it had disappeared in the dying light.

HOO BOY where to start! This is a longer scene compared to the rest but I love it so much, it’s probably the best part of Stormbreaker for me and obviously it’s fairly different from the show. I adore the last scene of the show since the tension was delightful, but this hit in a different way. Alex! And Yassen! Actually talking!!! It’s a sparse scene (like most of AH’s writing), but very atmospheric and loaded with meaning all the same.

Let’s start with the obvious stuff first - book!Yassen is fair-haired and blue-eyed (or grey, depending), and has a very measured way of speaking without any accent at all. He very much falls into the archetype of “inscrutable Russian assassin with a mysterious connection to the protagonist” and it’s delightful.

I do like the fact we only really see Yassen in person for two scenes in the entire book, and both times he kills someone ruthlessly and efficiently. (...yes, he did kill Sayle while piloting a helicopter) His reputation is well-deserved and I think the show does an excellent job with that too; every time we see Yassen on screen there’s a feeling that shit is about to go down and somebody is about to die.

The show also does a pretty good job hinting at the connection between Yassen and Alex (ughh Yassen’s expression when he sees Alex for the first time kills me every time). In Stormbreaker, Yassen does (initially) seem colder towards Alex, emotionless, just a man on a job. But even then, we get little hints of warmth shining through such as the way he smiles when Alex promises to kill him, and of course the salute! It’s pretty clear that Yassen has some measure of fondness for Alex, because no way an assassin would normally just let somebody go after they promised to kill him, even if that person is only a teenage boy (especially considering that teenage boy is driven by a desire to take revenge on his uncle’s killer). I also think it’s interesting that Alex reciprocates his salute. He’s clearly aware (even if only subconsciously) of the connection between the two of them.

Though I think what hits the hardest for me is the fact Yassen is the one to tell Alex that he belongs in school, that he’s a child and he shouldn’t be part of this world. Alex in the books is much, much lonelier compared to the show. There was no Jack or Tom there for him, since Jack was kept completely out of the loop and Tom doesn’t even exist in the book. Wolf and the K-Unit largely either ignored or bullied Alex. As for Blunt and Jones, Alex just saved thousands of kids in England yet the only thing MI6 tells him afterwards is that his actions can never be revealed to the public, his youth will make him useful for future missions, and then the only thing they give him is a doctor’s note(!!!) to explain his absence from school.

If that sounds all sorts of terrible and unfair, Alex agrees:

In the end the big difference between him and James Bond wasn’t a question of age. It was a question of loyalty. In the old days spies had done what they’d done because they loved their country, because they believed in what they were doing. But he’d never been given a choice.

Nowadays, spies weren’t employed. They were used.

And of all the people to point out how fucked up the whole situation is and how Alex needs to get out...it’s Yassen, the contract killer, his uncle’s murderer. And Yassen says it straight to Alex’s face instead of just making token protests about how wrong it is to send a teenage boy into danger and then doing it anyway. I think the moment had a fairly big impact on Alex, and I was sad it wasn’t included in the show, but ah well. Another time, maybe?

BONUS

OK i know this was meant to be a book vs tv show thing BUT I WOULD BE REMISS IN MY DUTIES NOT TO LINK TO THE LAST SCENE AS DEPICTED IN THE OLD MOVIE

‘2 minutes of questionable everything’ from the video description about sums it up. the violins. the closeness. the long lingering looks. “i’ll never forget you.”

Anyway, hope this was interesting and at least a bit informative! Do let me know there’s any interest in a part 2 of this post covering Eagle Strike and maybe a bit of Russian Roulette!