#and it all unraveled from there

[revenantlore]

if anyone ever wonders where the initial idea for neon bloodlust came from, all you have to do is look here

[poorly-drawn-mdzs]

Happy one year anniversary to In Stars and Time!

[watchingwisteria]

listen there really was just something about how in the book, snow’s 3-page descent from hesitant lover boy to deluded mfer happens entirely in his mind. lucy gray gives him no indication whatsoever that she suspects him, that she’s going to leave or betray him. he’s just sitting quietly in the cabin waiting for her to return when that seed of calculated suspicion, which he has needed to survive the capitol, takes a hold of him and chokes the life out of any goodness left inside him. it really drives home your terror as a reader that “oh my god did he kill her? did she escape? what happened to her? why would he even think that?” in a way that when the movie had to adjust for visualization it lost some of that holy shit this guy has lost it emphasis.

[slfcare]

the most difficult thing about growing as a person socially, as in getting out of your shell and noticing that you are, is that there will still be times when it doesn’t feel like you’ve grown at all! times when you can’t really connect with anyone around you, times when you fail to enter into an existing conversation, times when you say the wrong thing (or nothing at all when in hindsight you probably should’ve). but that’s also kind of the best thing, because that’s the thing that helps you realize that sometimes, it’s not you or your lack of skills or any shortcoming. sometimes certain environments just aren’t for you and certain people aren’t your people, and that’s okay. that’s human. it’s okay to not feel the progress you have made all the time.

[the-way-astray]

"what do you mean unraveled comes out in just two weeks, i'm not done with my reread/i need to do a reread still/i barely remember anything" you all are cowards. you will not do a reread. you will read unraveled with your current knowledge of the series as god intended

[lleclerc]

iceman + his concern for maverick post-hop 31

[dizzybizz]

some stuff picked out from my tgaa sketch dump :) figuring out some faces,, memes,,, stuff based off of dialogue,,, exactly one sad,, gays,,,

[cybershock24601]

For some reason whenever I start thinking about post canon Rookanis, I keep thinking about Crimson Peak and I think that's because there's some huge potential for major Gothic Horror going on here. One of the enduring traits of gothic fiction is that there's something wrong with the house (the supernatural element essentially, hauntings, ghosts, etc) because there's something wrong with the family and boy is there a whole hell of a lot wrong with the Dellamortes.

Rook makes for a fitting gothic heroine naively joining this really fucked up family and culture because every Rook other then a de Riva really doesn't know much about how the Crows really operate and has gotten a very skewed view into their world dealing with Teia and Viago acting as patriotic freedom fighter, and no Rook would really know the full extent of Lucanis' very messed up family dynamics because that man does not talk about his trauma, so Rook is walking into a nightmare blind. And that's just the political and family drama, imagine how much more interesting it could get with an element of the supernatural because magic, ghosts, and hauntings are all a thing in dragon age.

The Veil usually gets really thin in places where a lot of blood has been spilled and how many people do you think have died in the ancestral home of a house of assassins? How many members of the Dellamortes do you think died inside there as a result of Crow infighting and in particular Caterina's bid to remain First Talon? How much pain and suffering mark its halls from the generational trauma of the systematic physical, psychological, and emotional abuse required to turn children into trained killers? If there was anywhere perfectly primed for a haunting, its Villa Dellamorte.

And wouldn't an upset and angry spirit seeing how miserable this terrible place is making its two favorite people be a perfect way to stir up the ghosts haunting the halls? I just think it would be fun for Spite being the unwitting source of all the supernatural problems because he's so pissed about Lucanis and Rook continuing to make themselves miserable by trying to make living in Villa Dellamorte work and accidentally bringing the literal ghosts of Dellamorte past to life

Anyways, I want to make a Caterina to face all that she lost holding onto a title that is going to end up dying with her because Lucanis was never going to be who she wanted him to be and made Illario so like her he ruined any chance he had to take her place as First Talon. I want Caterina to reckon with the literal ghosts of her past and realize everything she did was meaningless in the end. That she lost and ruined her family for nothing and all she has left are two broken boys that she destroyed herself and a crumbling, dying House.

I definitely want Lucanis to break the cycle of generational trauma and leave but I can't decide what to do with Illario because I do think that the guy deserves a win and should get a happy or at least bittersweet ending but the idea of Caterina being stuck with the disgraced grandson she ignored and will never be able to properly hold onto the title she fought so hard for and sacrificed so much for because he tried to make himself too much like her could also be really interesting because Illario mirrors Caterina enough that he might just remain stuck in the familial trauma cycle with her

[musubiki]

uh oh

[aerithisms]

i do sympathise a lot with the fact that it seems like the arcane writers were working under some pretty tough constraints. there's only so much budget, animation of this calibre is extremely labour/time/resource intensive, and allegedly netflix made some cuts. but i just don't agree with the things they decided to prioritise. even if they'd had more time, making the climax of the story about jayce and viktor and the arcane instead of vi and jinx and the zaun/piltover conflict, which was set up as the focus and heart of the show, was a voluntary choice they made. and it was a bad one.

[crimeronan]

last time i got an irl writing critique there was one moment of pretty mild body horror and the universal reaction was "oh i'm nauseous. well done" so now i'm writing my next chapters like. gotta turn that up to one thousand :) sorry devin.

[jesuis-assez]

Popping in with another #Chenford Chat! We know The Rookie likes to throw in little winks or callbacks to previous episodes. What do you most hope to see a parallel to at some point?? 👀

Brace yourself, reader. I'm going in-depth with this one.

And then going off topic to eventually come back around to the question 🤭 Talking points outside of the question are: the different dynamics they've had + doors.

Trigger warning: Partial mention of 6x06 break-up + gifs (for those of you who are still traumatized 🤣) or still affected by it, as a result of personal circumstances (which I understand whole-heartedly)

1. I would like to see a callback to Day of Death ft. the necklace Tim gave Lucy.

But, I'm not going to hold my breath for it 🤣If they were to ever do anything similar to that… I'd be over the moon. If it does happen... The legend was foretold in this post. Apart from the aftermath of it in episodes: 2x12, 2x14, 2x17 and 4x17 .. we barely acknowledge its existence.

We get small glimpses of it every time Lucy touches the tattoo (Tim's words echoing on her fingertips as she lingers over the writing) and I clock it every time she does it. ESPECIALLY when she does it around Tim, or when it's about Tim. The person who helped her view that tattoo\traumatic experience differently. He is the reason she kept the tattoo. D.O.D was such a significant episode and I probably won't ever stop eluding to that.

I've said this before somewhere on a post (I think) that @thesassywitchofthenortheast made some time ago. I'd link it in a cute (x) but I can't find it 🙃 It'd be a nice way of them finding their way back to each other.

The necklace instead of the ring this time to lead Tim to Lucy.

It feels like it's something you're more likely to see in a fanfic (That I would probably propel myself to write, for I have grown tired of them wrapping that storyline up and never mentioning it again, when there is so much more they could

tell or do with it.) Especially with everything they've been through and how different their dynamic is now. I don't think it met its conclusion yet. Not if Lucy keeps touching that tattoo. But, who knows? fanfics have come to life before. Maybe I can manifest this into existence, too 👀🤭

The end of 6x10 also has SO MUCH potential, though. The feeling of it bringing their story full circle with Lucy being the one with her walls up and Tim having the role of lowering the walls by returning her kindness. * Fingers crossed * that they really deliver this new beginning. 'Cause that would be one mighty callback.

As exciting as it was when they eventually got together in 5x10 and we got to see them as a couple and watch that unfold. Watch that transition of them growing into romantic territory. I feel like this could be everything that journey wasn't.

'Cause don't get me wrong... The moments that we got? I'm happy about. I really am. I'm not at all ungrateful. We just missed a shit ton of their relationship. Almost like it got glossed over. Like, what do you mean we didn't get to see Tim's reaction to her having kept the D.O.D tattoo?

Picture Tim's small doses of kindness that Lucy allows + mutual pining + what their relationship could look like with them coming home to each other. What that reunion could look like after those moments of kindness and mending. Because Tim isn't expecting any of that to happen. That's not possible in his mind, he ruined that. But, he's still hoping for a second chance to mend what he broke.

That chance to really show her how much he appreciated that beacon of light she gave him in some not so bright moments in his life. Because she was at the centre of so many of those right from the beginning of their journey. From the moment they met and were Rookie\T.O to each other, she was in the midst of his past issues. She saw him through those. My mind has now made the leap to 6x06 - the break up. Lucy being at the centre of something from Tim's past again and Tim trying to keep her away from it. That's a whole other topic, though. I won't talk about it here 🤣

There wasn't much of a build-up in terms of the pining arc. It was just 4x22 - 5x08 They just danced around it. Perhaps, it seemed as though it didn't need to be drawn out? If that's the case.... Well, I would've liked it to be drawn out a little more or at least more of it being explored in those episodes during that arc. But, I wouldn't trade those moments we did get, for anything.

If we take into account the different dynamics they've had + all the tropes... You can see their journey. How far they've come. You're able to see a build up there.

( Which is where I am kinda going with this )

Rookie\ T.O [ & them becoming friends through-out that ]

That shot of them looking at each other in 1x01? Ooh. It has that feeling of something about to brew from this. Something beyond their understanding. They have no idea of what's to come from this, of how important the other person is going to be to them. How this will grow into something so beautifully tangible. And that jaw clench from Tim... Even that has growth 🤣

Friends (during the aforementioned above)

The romantic feelings gradually stirring up within them through-out and otherwise being unaware of due to many factors. i.e Tim's suppression (king of suppression) and not being in the place (given what their relationship was) to weigh-out the gravity of those feelings and how deep they are. And unless therapy helped with that, I'm willing to wager that he could still be in that state of mind to some extent.

In terms of when those feelings started to shift, it definitely already had evolved by the end of their dynamic as Rookie\T.O

That barrier between them coming down , despite those feelings having evolved while the barrier was present. Those feelings existed, while she was his rookie. And I don't know if he acknowledged it or is aware of that much, hence my use of the "Unless therapy helped with that, he may still be in that state of mind to some extent" Or if he even allowed himself to accept that. And I don't know whether the show will ever make that known or if it'll just be left to interpretation, that's how I interpreted it, at least.

[x] <- I made a gif-set that focused on this a bit, awhile ago. Shameless plug 🤭

Sergeant\aide

Feelings realisation \ Pining :

Tim did acknowledge and come to accept those feelings rather quickly after the kiss in 4x22. That kiss really opened the door to those feelings that he buried, all that was left was his mind coming to terms with it. The almost kiss in 4x01? the catalyst to opening that door. The spark. Just needed that kiss to open his eyes, for him to completely walk through that door. That door being Lucy's door in 5x01 and the door in his mind that was closed to the idea that there could be something more. It brought all those feelings back up to the surface for him to finally address them, in place of him just having those feelings. Feeling what he does for Lucy and not allowing his mind to determine what he's feeling.

After the kiss, he couldn't just repress the feelings down again, like he had always done, nor could he deny it the way he had after the almost kiss. Now he has that awareness that he felt something from that kiss and that's hard to deny. And it's that same thing he felt, after he comforted her. Only this time... he can't shake it. Even more so, while you're undercover and you're meant to be 'pretending', except it's not pretend and the flood gate has been opened and all your very REAL feelings are pouring out.

He closes the door to those feelings and himself in 4x01 and then walks through the door to Lucy in 5x01.

He gives in to his feelings this time. The way Lucy went to and he didn't give in the way he wanted to.

He stared at the closed door longing to go to her, but didn't give in to that desire, unlike he did with Lucy opening the door to him in 5x01. Just like the story she told of their undercover doppelgangers. He was very intrigued with the " I opened the door for you" answer she gave, too. And he lingers there, because he 'shouldn't' want to come in, but he does. It's written all over his face, how much he wants her, wants to be with her.

5x01 was his mind doing back-flips, trying to connect the dots and wonder where these feelings came from. He was THAT unawakened to these feelings, even when they were emerging during 'day of death' and while she was undercover in 3x14. That same episode he was undressing her with his eyes in her green dress.

He gave in more than once (honorable mention):

That WHOLE episode was them giving into their feelings and feeling them under the guise of this is ' work '

[ Relationship upgrade - Them getting together ]

End of relationship - Exes

New beginning - ???

- [ B a c k - t o - t h e - q u e s t i o n ] -

I don't want them to be put together without building that up, of telling that story (them finding their way back to each other) There's so much history here. And to circle back to all of it? One mighty callback. I want to see Tim mend what is broken through being there for Lucy, the way she was for him at the start of their foundation. I want to see him earn Lucy's trust back. I want to see that unfold. And I'd like for it to be told by calling back all those moments that shaped that beautiful foundation. That friendship.

I.want.to.see.that.journey. You know? 🤣 'Cause it'll look hella dumb and albeit… incredibly disappointing, if they don't show that after ending season 6 on that footnote. I mean, they had small moments of angst before 5x08 came around, but I don't know…I wanted to see more of it. It's what makes them getting back together all the more satisfying. Ideally, It'd be great if they work on their individual issues, as well. Since those issues were affecting their relationship, it wasn't just Tim's issues.

2.) Perhaps Tim is training his assigned rookie… he's getting blasted with reminders of when Lucy was his rookie. Which would be a good way of reminding the audience (Like we could forget the early days) of their foundation. Also showing just how broken it is now. Not just how BROKEN but how IMPORTANT. The contrast of what was and what is now leading to what could be.

And since I talked so much (wasn't anticipating on doing that) about doors. . .

3.) Doors. 🚪🤣 That'd be neat.

Thank you for sending me this ask ^_^! This question was fun to answer. Very thought-provoking. When I first read the question, I only had one thought in mind: ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ ( This has been my go-to response for things lately )

After sitting with the question for some time.. I eventually came to this essay ✌ (Does anyone actually like reading these detailed responses ? 🤣 Be honest. )

[strawburrymeadows]

just learned my 10 year old cousin is reading kotlc. the shock realizing that makes sense bc it’s middle grade book series

[legionofpotatoes]

everyone hates crunch and everyone wants the new dragon age to have 4x the scope with 8x the quantum content

[the-way-astray]

idk if these are even spoilers but i'm tagging them anyway (minor unraveled spoilers):

well. there go my hopes for the series ending with book ten

[sunderwight]

has anyone written a Loki series fic where Don the Jet Ski Salesman comes home one day to find his boys hiding something in the garage, and is tiredly like "is it snake? I better not go in there and find out you guys robbed a zoo--" only to open the garage door and see an injured, bewildered frost giant Loki prodding cautiously at a bag of doritos (the boys attempted to provide sustenance) (could be angst or good just be the version from the What If? episode trying to recover from a bender with Thor)