#and there's a scene where they dance together in one of the earlier seasons

[thatlamekidart]

I have never considered twendyl before but it totally fucks as a ship

It does!!!

Tweek and Wendyl would definitely appreciate having a partner with emotional intelligence haha. I'd like to imagine that they have heated discussions about politics (they're both left-leaning but Wendyl is a bit more traditionally liberal and Tweek is more leftist). Also Tweek helps Wendyl feel a lot less pressured to be 'perfect' all the time while Wendyl helps Tweek keep his life in order.

[armageddidnt]

Welcome to My Collection of Random Thoughts during my nth* rewatch of Good Omens Season 2

*only amazon prime knows the exact number at this point but I’m fairly certain it’s in the double digits

Episode 1: Gabriel’s fly lurking in the box when Aziraphale first takes it inside 👀

Crowley’s promise of “two minutes” basically means that he’s been homeless and living in his car for the past 4 years strictly so that he can be within 2 driving minutes of Aziraphale at all times in case his angel needs him I’m not crying you are

So here I think the key word is “fragile,” Crowley knows they are ostensibly safe from their respective sides but that could change at any moment so he’s basically spent the last 4 years in anxiety-ridden terror hovering as close to Aziraphale as he can to try and protect him from heaven, hell, and anyone else that would want to bring him harm after all that business they pulled in season 1 with stopping Armageddon

Episode 2: I just happened to pause the episode while Aziraphale is lying to the angels about his miracle and LOL Michael really outdid himself here (Sheen, not the Archangel)

Gabriel trying to swat flies and almost smashing the repository of every single one of his memories

I’m cAckling

So if Good Omens exists in Good Omens, does that mean Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett exist in Good Omens?? Do you think they based their Aziraphale and Crowley characters on Aziraphale and Crowley??

Episode 3: So I’m trying to find any hints or foreshadowing of the Gabriel Beelzebub thing bc tbh I did kind of feel like it came out of nowhere which is really the only issue I have with them. I found this one scene where Beelzebub almost ?? seems to be concerned about Gabriel ?? But it’s blink and you miss it and there could be lots of other reasons why Beelzebub doesn’t want to fail in locating Gabriel (pressure from/leverage over heaven, etc) so idk

More Foreshadowing Fly content 🪰

Episode 4: So here we’ve seen that Shax can just appear inside the Bentley bc she did it earlier to talk to Crowley. Shax only pretended to be a hitchhiker so she could be invited in because Azirpahale was driving so technically she needed permission to cross the threshold of an angel 👀

This scene will never not destroy me the 1941 flashback is the absolute sOFTEST thing ever to happen on this show

We really need more context here I need to see the Crowley-Furfur Monkey Rides

Episode 5: ahahaha thank you google translate for absolutely destroying my sanity this evening

POP goes the Ziraphale

Okay I know you can’t hear it in the gif but just before Nina takes Maggie’s hand, there’s a very quiet miracle noise, like Azirpahale literally MADE Nina dance with Maggie, he said I’m writing a Mina Jane-Austen-Ball-AU and my otp will KISS godDAMMIT

Azirpahale seems lowkey kind of manic this whole scene tho, he’s controlling literally everyone to force Nina and Maggie together and whenever Crowley says anything that pokes holes in Aziraphale’s Magical Jane Austen Ball Fairytale, Aziraphale just straight up denies it. He wants Nina and Maggie to dance and he wants him and Crowley to dance and he refuses to acknowledge anything beyond that.

Is this just Shax insulting Crowley for how much of a nuisance he’s been or a reference to his former status as an angel ???

They’re both completely dismissive of each other when they’re trying to say something important and that’s the main issue they’ve been having this entire season tbh

Episode 6: I think it’s funny that Crowley describes the angels as bees here because in the book, Neil/Terry describe humans the same way. Guess we have more in common than we thought huh?

So the metatron was the one who originally decided Gabriel would be memory wiped and not sent to hell, and he was also the one that decided not to sound an alarm about Gabriel for some reason and said ‘just go find him yourself’ instead. The metatron has definitely got his own agenda and you can bet he doesn’t want Aziraphale up there in heaven because he’s a “leader” and he’s “honest” like that’s exactly what Gabriel was and look where it got him 👀

There’s just something I can’t quite put my finger on about the metatron bringing Aziraphale a coffee from “give me coffee or give me death” and then asking Aziraphale if he’s going to take the coffee he’s giving him…

I have not seen a single person talk about this since s2 came out but Nina literally calls Maggie “angel” because that’s the term of endearment they hear Crowley using for Aziraphale !!!! I’m still going fERAL over this and I can’t believe no one else is eitHER

Something about this part of The Final Fifteen compared to this scene from the first episode is so representative of the entire season. Azirpahale keeps saying “my way or get out” and Crowley finally hits a wall and can follow Aziraphale no further. So he does just that. He goes.

I’m sure a lot of us by now have seen this post that brings up how Aziraphale literally pushes the remains of Crowley into his mouth and swallows and it’s the only thing I see when I watch this now

We still don’t know for certain if Crowley queued up this song to play on their way to the Ritz or if the Bentley started playing it all on its own and it’s driving me insane

Basically how I am doing after my Truly-Alarming-Number-th watch of this traumatizing episode/season. WELP hope you enjoyed this garbage dump of my thoughts and feelings time to go cry for a bit again BYE

[vidavalor]

I rewatched the drunk-in-the-bookshop scene earlier to check on something for a meta and I was reminded of how Crowley lives on the right hand side of the couch to a point that there's a foot stool on the floor that is Crowley's-legs-length away from it on that specific side. Yes, Aziraphale will sit opposite him in the desk chair sometimes, as we have seen, but this also suggests that, if they both sit on the couch together, that Aziraphale is on Crowley's left. That is the opposite to how Crowley and Aziraphale stand and sit when in public-- a fact which the show has spent countless scenes teaching us.

Wouldn't it be funny if S3 gives us a bunch of scenes of Crowley and Aziraphale alone in different time periods that upend the views of some of the audience and, in them, there's a visual upending to match, as Crowley is then always on Aziraphale's right in these scenes? With their love of blasphemy, there's no way Crowley and Aziraphale wouldn't get a kick out of the demon "sitting at the right hand" of the holy angel when the bookshop is Very, Very Closed. 😉

The splitscreen in the 2.06 closing moments is something of an illusion when it comes to newness. Because we see the splitscreen happen, our awareness is drawn to the change of Crowley and Aziraphale's positions in the frame but this has actually been subtly happening already throughout the season.

In S2, especially from The Meeting Ball on... so, from when they basically fully ditched the closet on... there are several moments like this. Crowley is on our left in the frame for most of the kiss... Plus, Crowley is on Aziraphale's right during a lot of the ball, with the dancing shots literally moving them back and forth in the frame... perhaps suggestive of how this part of the story is transitioning us towards seeing more of private situations where their positioning is reversed?

Crowley is also on Aziraphale's right in what is also one of the only times we've seen them touch-- the "omigod, look, honey! ducks!" moment, which was literally about love...

Hmm... might we be seeing more of this-- going back some time-- in S3? 🤞

[monzabee]

T.G.I.F – cl16

Summary: The one where writing your thesis is harder than you think, but Charles is here to help you through all of it.

Pairing: charles leclerc x reader

Word Count: 1.5k

Warnings: stress and anxiety, having to make big life decisions, alcohol consumption and a lot of it, cursing, fluff!!

Request: “Hey Bee, I hope you’re having a lush weekend🥰 I’m not sure if you’re taking requests but I can’t stop thinking about Charles Leclerc with a super down to earth gf everyone loves. But maybe she’s got some things going on and deals with it by getting really wild when she’s drunk 🤷🏼‍♀️ thank you x” + “Hi! Would you be into writing a request for Charles, where the reader is going through some difficult time in life (could be mental health struggles, something work or "big life decisions" related, up to you), and he's being very supportive and understanding, offering help as well? ❤️”

Author’s Note: hi, hey, hello!! i thought these two requests went very well together and i wanted to give it a go! if you know me then you know i’m very slow at working through my requests, but rest assured i am working on them, thank you for bearing through my slow streak with me!! and of course i had to make it about academic validation/stress because i’m not gonna lie but this master’s thing is kicking my ass and i relate to the reader very much so, lol! i hope you guys enjoy! good morning, noon or night wherever you are, xoxobee

Please also note that all of my works are protected under copyright, and not available for reposting on other platforms.

Charles would not describe you as a high-strung person, not at all. If anything, you are one of the most down to earth people he’s ever met. He can’t even count all the times you’ve talked him down from a mental spiral, and given the position of his team this season, you’ve calmed him down from his stress many many times. So, imagine his surprise when the first thing he hears from his brother when he gets off his plane is that you are in the middle of a club in Monte Carlo, refusing to leave because you want to continue having fun. While he wouldn’t call you a homebody, Charles can admit that the two of you have spent more time at home instead of going out with your friends simply because of your shared love for quiet evenings and cosy nights in. It's not that you dislike socializing; it's just that both of you find joy in the simplicity of being together at home.

But now, as Charles rushes through the lively streets of Monte Carlo, he can't help but wonder what on earth has happened to have caused you to get so drunk. The sound of pulsating music grows louder as he approaches the entrance of the club. The bouncer gives him a sceptical look as Charles flashes his VIP pass, rushing inside with determination. The scene that unfolds before him is something out of character for you. Neon lights flash, and the beat of the music reverberates through the crowded space. People dance energetically, and laughter echoes against the walls. Charles spots you in the middle of the dance floor, surrounded by a group of new friends, moving to the rhythm as if the world outside this club doesn't exist, and Arthur – who is trying to reason with you to get you to leave.

Charles pushes through the crowd, feeling a mix of confusion and amusement. He finally reaches you, gently tapping your shoulder to get your attention. When you turn around, the surprise on your face is evident.

“Charlie!" you exclaim, a wide grin on your face as you prolong the end of the nickname you’ve given him, “I thought you weren’t going to be back for another week!”

He raises an eyebrow, a bemused smile playing on his lips as you proceed to wrap your arms around his neck and continue jumping up and down at the same time. Placing his hands on your either side of your hips, he attempts to calm down your movements, “Well, I wanted to come home earlier to surprise you, but imagine my surprise when I realised my girlfriend is not home.” He can’t help himself as his eyes give you a worried look as he does his best to refrain from fussing over you, “Are you okay?”

“I'm more than okay, Charlie! I'm having the time of my life. Join us!” You giggle, swaying a little on your feet.

He sighs, shaking his head. "I appreciate the enthusiasm, but Arthur looks like he's about to give up on trying to get you to leave. What's going on?"

You glance over at your brother and then back at Charles. “He's just being a worrywart. I'm perfectly fine. Besides, I made some new friends!”

Charles raises an eyebrow. "I can see that, mon ange, but shouldn’t we go back home since it’s so late?"

You nod excitedly, as you choose to ignore his question – as if you’re trying to evade talking about what’s bothering you, he realises. “They're great! We've been dancing and laughing. You should meet them!”

Charles takes a deep breath, realizing that trying to reason with you in your current state might be a bit challenging. “Alright, let me meet your new friends, and then we can talk about heading home, okay?”

You nod eagerly, dragging him into the circle of your newfound companions. Arthur shoots Charles a grateful look as if to say, good luck. And he can feel that he’ll need it in the situation. And as always, Charles is a perfect gentleman as he meets with the group of girls, who are as drunk as you. You try your best to convince him to stay for a few songs, but he gives you a pleading look, which you cannot deny, as he wraps an arm around you, guiding you toward the exit. You protest playfully, wanting the night to continue, but he manages to convince you with a promise of a cosy night in together.

The walk back home is filled with laughter and the occasional stumble from you, but Charles keeps a steady arm around you, ensuring you don't stray too far off course. He is careful with you, of course, as he tries to navigate through the dimmed streets of Monte Carlo. He takes a deep breath of relief once the two of you make it to your shared apartment, and you immediately let yourself fall onto the couch to lean against the cushions with a contented sigh, your playful demeanour still intact. Charles retrieves a glass of water for you, handing it over with a gentle smile.

“Thanks, Charlie,” you say, taking a sip and leaning back against the couch. Charles sits beside you, his gaze softening as he looks at you.

“You're welcome,” he replies, his fingers gently brushing through your hair. “Now, tell me what prompted this spontaneous night out. I thought you needed to submit the final draft for your thesis.”

The fact that your reaction is instantaneous makes Charles realise that he royally fucked up by mentioning your thesis. In hindsight, he should’ve known better to bring it up, because you have been stressing over the assignment for months. You pause mid-sip, a shadow crossing your face. Charles can almost see the weight of the unfinished thesis settling back on your shoulders. Your playful demeanor fades, replaced by a more serious expression.

“Yeah, the thesis,” you say, avoiding his gaze. “I just needed a break from it all, you know? It's been consuming me, and tonight was my way of escaping the stress for a little while.”

Charles feels a pang of guilt. He should've known better than to bring up the one thing that has been causing you so much pressure. He reaches out, gently cupping your cheek to guide your eyes back to his. “I'm sorry, mon ange. I didn't mean to remind you of that. Let's talk about it. What's been going on with the thesis? Why is it stressing you out so much?”

You sigh, leaning into his touch. “It's just... I thought I'd be further along by now. The deadline is looming, and I can't seem to get everything to come together. It's like the more I work on it, the more overwhelmed I feel.”

Charles nods in understanding, his thumb gently caressing your cheek. “You don't have to go through this alone, you know. We can figure it out together. Maybe I can help, or we can find someone who can. You don't have to carry the weight of it all by yourself.”

You look up at him, leaning into his gentle touch as you close your eyes for a second to gather your thoughts, “It’s just–” You take a frustrated breath, thinking over your words once again. “I’m supposed be able to do this, how am I supposed to do a Ph.D when I can’t even write my master’s thesis properly?”

Charles listens quietly, his gaze never leaving yours. He can sense the frustration and self-doubt in your words. Leaning in, he places a tender kiss on your forehead before speaking with a reassuring tone. “You will finish it in time,” he assures you, “and you will pass with flying colours, don’t self-sabotage now when you’re almost done with it.”

“But it’s so hard,” dragging out the words as you basically throw yourself into his arms and groan against his sweater, “I just feel like I've hit a wall, and I just don’t want to disappoint anyone.”

Charles wraps his arms around you, holding you close as you bury your face in his sweater. He strokes your back soothingly, understanding the weight of your frustration. “I know it's hard, mon ange,” he says softly, his words a comforting melody. “But hitting a wall doesn't mean you can't break through it. And as for disappointing anyone, you're not a disappointment. You're human, and everyone faces challenges.” He takes a moment think, “And I say this as someone who has hit several walls-slash-barriers.”

An unexpected laughter comes from you, and to calm yourself you take a deep breath, inhaling the familiar scent of his sweater. “I just want to do well, to prove to myself and everyone else that I can handle this.”

Charles tilts your chin up, making you meet his gaze. “And you will. You're capable, smart, and resilient. This is just a temporary hurdle, not the end of the road. We'll find a way through it together.”

“Thank you for believing in me, even when I doubt myself.” You whisper, managing a small smile.

“Always, mon amour,” he replies, pressing a tender kiss to your forehead. “Now, let’s get you to bed, you’re going to have a killer headache tomorrow.”

[spaceorphan18]

I will be drinking later and may become silly but for now I must ask: favourite Polin scene? 😊

Darriness! ilu for this question <3

Honestly, it's every time they're on screen together but... I'm going to pick two smaller moments that just... do me in every time.

There are about 900 things you could say about the carriage scene and they all deserve to be said. But I love LOVE this little moment at the end. Not only is he incredibly gentle and soft and careful as he puts her back together but you can see him deliberating, too. She is his everything, he doesn't need to consider that, everything up until that moment kind of confirmed how he's been feeling about it.

But that last little moment is like -- am I going to ask her now? Why yes I'm going to ask her now. I cannot wait one minute longer not having her as my wife.

And she has no fucking idea that's what in his head. It's so, so beautiful and delicious and it just gives me chills every time.

The second one is when they're at the church. I didn't notice this until just now but it's another moment where she's caught off guard by his actions, and I kind of love that, because I didn't plan that, lol.

I love that it's such a little moment of happiness where they're swept up in each other. But also -- it's after her confession, after this cathartic moment of - my god, I have always, always loved you -- all that tension brought on by her feelings from the earlier seasons has finally been released. And he is so relieved to hear it that he needs to hold her, touch her. He'd kiss her if they weren't in a church but he's so elated, they're breaking from decorum and dancing in a church. And the scene is just so beautifully lit.

And I just love when they smile together - here and every time that they do. It's their expression of friendship and connection as it is the basis of their love and I just eat it up every time. They're two fucking dorky people in love and I just fall for it every time.

[mysteriouslybluepirate]

Samba had a baking class! There he revealed some scenes that were cut/rewritten at some point in the process include:

From Samba: Calypso’s birthday was supposed to be LuPete wedding and wee John and Roach were trying to get Ed and Stede to hook up. Roach is the one who would have given Stede the pierced ear. Wee John makes Ed an outfit. Then Stede & Ed actually danced! Samba likes what the episode changed to, and that they didn't force the Ed/Stede relationship earlier. This episode would have been a combination of Parent Trap+Makeovers+Slow Dancing [SLIGHT agreement about being happy they didn't push the relationship (as they move it from being the point of ep 6 to the end of ep 6), I'm just more mad that they made the LuPete wedding a last minute thing. This still would have felt rushed after multiple non-apologies from Ed. A part of me says they wanted the drag bits? But then you're telling me Lucius wouldn't want Wee John in drag at his wedding, which just sounds SO out of character]

[CUT SCENE] The reason Buttons had a rope around his waist for ep 1 was because he kept on trying to run to the sea. They had scenes showing this but it was cut.

[CUT SCENE] S2E1 where Stede's crew were all making wishes for a ship. Black Pete wished that Lucius would be alive on the ship, Olu wished that Jim would be on the ship, and Roach wished for a big kitchen on the ship!

[CUT SCENE] Apparently a LOT of Jim/Olu scenes were cut, including one where Archie and Olu step out of the bedroom in boxers. Confirming 100% that they are all poly, and Jim/Olu was still together together. With a hint of maybe Olu/Archie?

BEHIND-THE-SCENES STUFF

The 'Don’t you want your Sammie' sandwich scene in ep 4 was fully improvised, and that on top of getting hit in the face is why Nathan broke.

Thumb war scene was improv, which is a shame, as to me this was the most romantic moment of the fucking season. It's just so soft, and sweet, and happy.

Stede's jacket from ep5 is cursed irl bc the fire alarm went off w/ no explanation in the first scene with the jacket

David Fane got bit by an eel on the toe while filming the Roach&Fang spa scene

So they really seemed to have had a decent script then changed it, for some reason. It wouldn't have fixed everything, but it does confirm my theory that they mostly cut scenes with the crew/rewrote episodes so the crew wasn't heavily featured.

ALSO: Samba wanted to do an official podcast when the season was releasing but couldn't due to the strikes.

[cheeekycharchar]

A thought just hit me from the glorious GO2 trailer.. The now infamous quote overlaid on the clip of our favorite Ineffable Husbands wining and dining in their 1940's getups in the book shop…

"You know what it's like when you don't know anything at all, and yet you're totally certain that everything would be better if you were just near one particular person." [insert the cutest lil giddy flirty angel clinking wine glasses with his demon pal clip]

…I THINK SOMEONE ACTUALLY MADE A LEGIT MOVE THAT NIGHT AND IT HELD MAJOR REPERCUSSIONS FOR YEARS TO COME.

Whether it was Aziraphale or Crowley.. I think this scene.. this moment of them together.. is going to be extremely pivotal to their entire relationship for S2 and it will reverberate throughout their history together.

LET ME TRY TO EXPLAIN MY MADNESS AS COHERENTLY AS I CAN. (apologizes in advance.. lol)

It's obvious the new wine dinner date at the bookshop clip is post Blitz bombing scene from season 1 and Aziraphale finally realizing his feelings for Crowley (or finally realizing Crowley truly loves him back). But I think he still holds himself back- isn't sure of himself.

These feelings are fresh and bubbling to the top from the moment their hands touched when Crowley handed over the bag of books. And as much as he wants to lean all the way into these new giddy feelings of flirtatious love that is written all over his face, all that's in the back of his mind is.. What would heaven think? What would heaven do if they found out? Not only to him, but to Crowley?

So, he lets Crowley give him a lift back to the bookshop after the church bombing scene. He offers him some wine as a thank you for the rescue earlier that night.

And yet for Crowley, this is just yet another moment of him doing something for the Angel he cares most about- the same ol' song and dance from thousands of years. He's his normal self- holding back his feelings for Aziraphale's sake and going with the flow. But as the night progresses.. he notices something different in the air.

Aziraphale, only freshly realizing his feelings (or Crowley's feelings for him), and he starts to internally freak out because of the danger it would put them both in if they truly accepted each other's true feelings for one another. But he also feels an unbounding unbridled burst of love growing stronger as the night goes on.

AND I THINK IT'S AT THIS TIME THAT ONE OF THEM.. POSSIBLY CROWLEY.. TRIED TO MAKE A MOVE ON THE OTHER ONE DURING THIS NEW SCENE.

Ya know.. like in fanfic but FOR REALS THIS TIME.

And I'm not talking a lean in for a smooch or anything we've all read in those glorious imaginative fanfic stories over the years or whatever.. but maybe something as simple as a wandering hand across the table.. testing the waters.. a subtle inquiry looking for an invitation to take it further.. An angel.. and a demon.. finding true love and connection with one another that is beyond understanding.

And in classic defensive Aziraphale style, he pushes Crowley away before anything can go further. Hurt.. angst.. ya know. The PAIN OF REJECTION. And then they don't see each other again until Aziraphale shows up in the Bentley in the 60's to give Crowley the holy water thermos.

Remember that awkward guilty as hell look he was giving him in the car in that scene? And Crowley's complete and utter shock that Aziraphale actually gave him something so precious and dangerous for his sake after long denying him (in more ways than one)?

Crowley was probably after the holy water more than ever since after that disastrous and heartbreaking incident of being shot down in the bookshop after the Blitz.

But he won't give up on Aziraphale. All he can think is just how much more dangerous their relationship truly could become if he were ever successful in the future. He needed something to protect his Angel and himself if their budding relationship were to ever be found out by either side.

And this is where Aziraphale's "You go too fast for me, Crowley" line comes into play. Thousands of years of Crowley's past acts finally came into focus the night his books were saved and Aziraphale realizes that as much as he has loved Crowley, that he's been loved back just as long.

But if Crowley made a move on Aziraphale during this new wine scene in the bookshop, Aziraphale just wasn't ready to accept this newly budding romance (in his eyes at least) and the dangers that would come with it so soon after only just realizing everything that night. It was all too fast for him.

But Crowley didn't have as much inhibitions to hold back, so he finally tried to move the relationship further but Aziraphale was too scared and needed more time to gain the courage to rebel against everything he knows- which brought us to season one's team-up against both sides and them finally joining together on their own side together. ♥

But something about the choices made during that special moment together in the dark and quiet bookshop during WWII.. an angel and a demon truly found love in one another and one or both of them holding back for their own reasons at the time.. shifted something in the grand ineffable plan.. and maybe a song that is slowly popping up in records and juke boxes across England is hinting at something gettin' closer ;) ..I don't know.. I just sense that scene will be more important than we all can imagine for S2's plot in some important way, lol.

..Sorry for my random ramble! I hope that made any semblance of sense. I'm sure someone else has already probably thought up this theory but it's legit all I've been thinking about all day and have no real life friends to geek out about it with, lol. I honestly never make posts like this on here.. I'm just a quiet lurker geek with high hopes ^-^'

[phantomoftheorpheum]

PLL OS Summer School 2x06-2x08 Trailer Breakdown

*Spoilers for PLL Summer School 2x01-2x05 + the 2x06-2x08 trailer

Okay, well I've been assured that I am not talking only to myself, so let's do this.

So, while the timeline of events isn't 100% clear, I have been able to group together stuff that I think is related and/or stuff that I think will happen in the same episode.

First up, we see the girl's discussing the tests. Based on their outfits, this is at the top of 2x06. This is the convo where they acknowledge Imogen & Tabby are 'next'.

Chronologically, I think the next few things we've got (but I'm not 100% sure on the order) are- The girls compiling their suspect list, Imogen accusing Dr. Sullivan of being Bloody Rose, Imogen & Tabby staying over at their love interests, Imogen & Tabby's summer school "walk of shame," and Redemption House being put together. While Imogen wears the same outfit in all of these scenes (presumably over the course of two days), Tabby's outfit changes, which is why I think the list of suspects scene is before the others, since she's wearing the blue shirt for her date and the morning after. I think Imogen accuses Dr. Sullivan either directly before or after they compile their list, as she has lipstick on in both those scenes, but does not in the scenes the following morning. (Also the shot of them building Redemption House could come whenever, I just think it's generally in this time).

Their list is - Dr. Sullivan, Kelly Beasley, Mrs. Beasley, Mrs. Langsberry, Deputy Maroon, and Rose Waters (you can't see her name in these screencaps, but you can at another angle). These are all characters the viewers are pretty suspicious of (except Deputy Maroon. I didn't even remember who that was).

Here's Imogen accusing Dr. Sullivan of being Bloody Rose. We don't have a lot to anchor when this happens, just Imogen's outfit and lipstick.

These are the outfits we see them in for the "walk of shame," so definitely the night before the following shots.

^^this shot of Redemption House is cut with other shots when it seems to be open, but I don't believe they're from the same scene. I think this is earlier.

Next we have Kelly announcing Redemption House to the class. The way the trailer is cut, it implies this happens during the morning after the "walk of shame" scene, but it's definitely a different day, because the teacher is dressed differently.

This is also a difficult shot to anchor in time, but I think it must be pretty early 2x06, since so much of the trailer focuses on Redemption House. I think this may actually be the day before the shots it's cut with, but I'm not sure.

Next up, we've got the girls with Redemption House (in Imogen's house). We see them standing outside during the day, and lines of people going in. We also see them inside the house, and then outside at night, all in the same outfits.

Since there's a limit to how many photos I can add to a post, I'm only going to show a little bit of the house, but I'll talk about the rest.

There are a lot of shots from inside the house, but I don't want to waste all my image space on it. The house appears to be specifically themed after the girls season 1 storylines, implying someone has a lot of access to the details of what happened to each girl. I think we get glimpses of scenes based on several of the girls- Mouse on her laptop with Steve, a party where a girl (I think representing Tabby or Imogen) appears to be drinking/dancing, what looks like a drug den (for Noa), two shirtless football players (played by Henry and (I think) Greg) and I'm not sure if this is related to one of the girls or if this is more a sexuality shaming thing. It appears that the girls walk through the house, then an enraged Imogen blows out the power.

Okay, so the next "group" of scenes are- Noa suggesting Christian and Johnny be added to the suspect list, Tabby frightened and falling down Christian's basement stairs, all the girls (and Christian) except Tabby at the Orpheum, seemingly being chased by a mob (that appears to be the online version of the Bloody Rose cult). Again, I've grouped and ordered these in this way based on clothing and context. I assume Tabby is not with the other girls because she has possibly been injured earlier in the episode.

Noa suggests Christian and Johnny as suspects. This shot of Tabby is not 100% guaranteed to be from this scene (though they imply it with the editing), but I think it probably is. We also see Mouse in this scene sitting in front of Noa.

Tabby is wearing this same outfit when she falls down the stairs to Christian's basement.

There are quite a few shots of this sequence where The Orpheum appears to be under siege, which I believe happens later the same day as the previous two scenes. Noa is dressed differently from the scene where she mentions Christian and Johnny, but Mouse is definitely wearing the same top in this sequence as she is when she's sitting in front of Noa, so I think this is that evening. These scenes being in this order would also explain Tabby's absence from the chase sequence.

So I feel reasonably confident about the chronology of the stuff before this point. The rest of this, not so much. I have compiled some shots that are scattered through the trailer that appear to be from the same scene, but where exactly they fall in the timeline is difficult to say.

First, Kelly with Bloody Rose at the pool. I think these shots of Faran might go with this scene (or she may find Kelly after this scene?), because she is at the pool at night.

Not pictured- a shot of what looks like Kelly floating facedown in the pool, Kelly looking back over her shoulder, and another similar shot of Faran. These shots are not shown together in the trailer, but the Kelly shots are definitely connected & I also believe these Faran shots are related. There is also a shot of Bloody Rose standing outside a chainlink fence, which may be here, but I'm not sure.

Next up, Imogen's "test" and a scuffle with Rose. These shots are also split up throughout the trailer, but all appear to be from the same scene. Imogen enters a bedroom (her mother's?) filled with candles. We get a glimpse of her "final girl" letter. She is then attacked by Bloody Rose.

You cannot see it in these shots, but there is a crucifix hanging over the bed, which definitely felt very Mrs. Beasley-ish, but I think this is Imogen's house.

Now on to the stuff that is even more disconnected. I think we might be getting more nightmares from Imogen. There is a very incriminating shot of Dr. Sullivan that I don't believe they would ever show us in a trailer if it were real, where she has the Bloody Rose mask. Everything about this particular shot feels fake, so I think Imogen (who we know is suspicious of Dr. Sullivan) dreams this.

Additionally, I'm wondering if Imogen has a dream about murdering Johnny. There is a shot of the creamery floor, and someone wearing the creamery uniform (that we've only seen Johnny in) being dragged as dead weight (I think being dragged by Imogen). This could be real, but I wonder if it's not related to the shot from the earlier trailer where Imogen and Johnny are hugging and she looks very upset (perhaps she dreams that she stabs him, then wakes up upset?)

If this is real, things are not looking good for Johnny.

Then we have a shot of Noa through a hole (the eye hole in the Bloody Rose mask?)

I really don't think there's much in the trailer that links with this shot of Noa, so who knows.

There's a shot of Mrs. Beasley saying, "I pray those girls suffer and burn."

No idea when this is, but Faran also says Mrs. Beasley is her top suspect. The more they point at people, the less I think they did it.

There's a shot of Tabby waking up (looks a lot like the shot of Mouse from the last episode) in what I assume is Christian's bedroom. It's not a location we're familiar with.

Tabby is wearing a different top here from any of the other scenes, and I'm not sure what to make of that. This could be Christian's shirt that she wears after their date shown earlier (Imogen appears to be wearing one of Johnny's shirts in his bed earlier in the trailer, so that would track), or it could be an entirely different day/night.

Here we have a scene where Mouse & Ash seem to be talking about Redemption House. He calls it, "an apocalyptic level of hate." I think this is likely in 2x06 and pretty early in 2x06, but Mouse's outfit doesn't match anything else she wears and Ash does not appear anywhere else in the trailer, so I have no way to confirm this.

Weirdly, Mouse actually seems to be wearing an outfit we saw her in earlier in the season (when she finds the rose), so I don't know if this was originally supposed to be in an earlier episode and it's gotten moved, or what. I do wonder if it's a re-ordered scene, because Kelly was passing out those flyers several episodes ago.

There's a few shots I want to note that I couldn't fit into this post because of the tumblr limits.

A shot of Christian (he's just wearing his Orpheum uniform, so nothing new to discuss there)

A shot of Johnny (also just wearing his uniform)

A shot of Mouse looking out of her window at night. It's a little difficult to see anything, so I didn't use one of my image slots on it.

The only stuff from the original "Weeks Ahead" trailer that we haven't seen yet are the shots from the Pride event at the pool, Imogen and Johnny hugging at work, and the girls walking into a location that I do not recognize at all.

So that's what is in the trailer, here's my takeaways.

If everyone is getting a test this season, I think Tabby's will be next and Imogen's will be last. Imogen and Rose in her mother's bedroom feels a bit like Archie chasing Imogen in season 1.

This trailer points so hard at Dr. Sullivan and Mrs. Beasley, that makes me feel they are likely red herrings. I've liked the Mrs. Beasley theory for a long time, but Faran directly calling it out in the trailer is pretty blunt.

No sign of several characters that presumably do have scenes, since their arcs are completely unresolved. No Jen or Shawn. No Wes. No Rebecca or Imogen's dad. No Mrs. Langsberry (unless her name being written down counts). No Mouse's grandmother. Obviously they have to deal with the Jen/Noa/Shawn stuff, so interesting that we see none of it. I also don't know why they would introduce Rebecca and then never have her reappear, so that would be weird. I definitely expect to see more of Wes, but that's also because he is one of my top suspects.

I'm wondering if Jen is a big part of the online Bloody Rose Cult. Out of the new love interests, we've spent the most time on her outside of her romance from Noa (her stealing, her mom being an addict, her dad being a "rich pharma bro," the bail money, etc.) and regardless of how honest (or not) that she's being, it would be weird for none of that to be plot relevant. The way she asked Noa about the Millwood Massacre in her first episode raised some red flags (it felt like she was pretending not to really know what that was about), and we know she's not from Millwood, but has come here for summer school (which could easily be on purpose), so I'm wondering how that could fit in. The shot of Noa (that looks like it's maybe through Rose's mask) could be her finding a BR mask in Jen's things. The Bloody Rose Cult people seem to be wearing various versions of the mask when they are chasing the girls. Jen also has a similar fashion sense to a lot of the online cult members we've seen.

I haven't forgotten about Chip's mom. I understand why a lot of people are suspicious of her (and she fits some major horror tropes), I just don't like that we haven't seen her like at all this season. So I don't know how to feel about that. But Tabby's arc surrounding Chip doesn't feel totally complete (the way she experienced flashbacks of him when working on her short and how she's still feeling the consequences of his betrayal in a way that Imogen doesn't appear to be), so I do acknowledge that.

We get very little Ash, Henry, or Greg in this trailer, so I have taken note of that as well. It doesn't specifically make me any more suspicious of any of these characters than I already was, because they don't really have a lot going on outside of the girls. Henry not having much left to do this season wouldn't surprise me. Greg will be around, I think, but he does still feel like a background character. I've mentioned my mental tug of war around Ash and his screen time several times, but considering how background Mouse has felt for a lot of this season, it's not entirely weird.

Probably not important, but based off of his bedroom, Johnny is really into music & I'm still holding out hope they might let him sing at some point. I don't see where that fits, but let me dream.

Also, speaking of his room- Johnny's room is absolutely packed with album covers, posters of bands and musicians, musical instruments, etc. and the set design is pretty maximalist in general in this show, so it can be hard to know what matters, so this probably doesn't. But he also has a giant ass poster of Edgar Allen Poe on his wall?? which like... is probably just a set design choice, but feels weirdly out of step with the rest of his room.

I don't think this trailer has vastly shifted any of my opinions, but I will be excited to see how correct I am about my timeline and guesses.

As always, if you have any thoughts opinions you'd like to share, let me know!

[loveandmurders]

Can you pls do a chucky x fem reader x tiffany where you reject them ...like hard ...bcs they are obsessive little fucks but you are the love of theire lifes so they try to kidnap you but you beat their ass

Hello there! I had quite some fun with this request! I just changed it a little bit for it to be Charles x female reader x Tiffany because I wasn’t too sure how to do it with Charles as a doll. 

The story happens a few years after Tiff and Charles got together (based on first season the show).

If you’d like, I might do a second part for this.

Hope you’ll enjoy! <3

IN LOVE WITH A DANGEROUS WILD CAT

Warnings: dangerous reader, mentions of murders, blood and violence, a few strong words, Tiff and Charles not taking a no for an answer and being obsessive as hell, kidnap attempt.

Charles and Tiffany had the reputation to enjoy two things in their lives: killing and fucking.

And because of this, they often went to nightclubs; it allowed them to find new preys to kill and then pretty little things to play with after the murders.

The alcohol and the loud music were only adding to the experience and they loved it very much.

They had killed two assholes who had been flirting with Tiffany that night, and they had a lot of fun with them; they felt particularly playful tonight.

They showered together and had sex, but they wanted more so when they came back to the dance floor, their predatory eyes scanned the crowd to look for a cute love to play with.

They spotted you, alone at the bar, and they only exchanged a look before walking to you. 

They sat on each side of you, and you hummed to yourself before drinking your glass in one go. You didn’t look at them, your hand was on the knife you were hiding in your pocket. You could tell they were trouble.

“Hello, sweet face. We noticed you were on your own, and we thought you might be looking for some company” Tiffany purred at you and you looked up at her with a raised eyebrow.

You couldn’t deny how much you loved the sound of her voice, and you looked up and down at her, before doing the same with Charles.

They both looked quite good, you couldn’t deny that either.

But your instinct never wronged you, and you knew they weren’t good people.

You had noticed them earlier and you knew they left with two guys, but those two guys didn’t come back.

“And what kind of company can you offer?” you simply asked, your hand still on your knife.

“Well, maybe we could go somewhere a little more intimate to show you” Charles offered as he placed a stand of your hair behind your ear.

They usually were good at seducing girls into their bed but you knew people like them. 

Maybe because you also were someone like them.

“Ah yeah? And so you could kill me?” you asked

They were a little bit taken aback, but they didn’t show anything.

“Why’d you think about something like that?” Tiffany asked, trying to sound innocent

“Maybe because I’m pretty sure it’s what you did to the two guys you left with earlier.” you said and they were both impressed.

“But why would we have killed them?” Charles asked as he continued to play with your hair

“Continue to touch me, and I’ll cut your fingers off” you dangerously and calmly told him as you turned your head toward him. He raised his hand in defence but a dark smirk was now playing on his lips.

Damn, you were hot when you were all threatening like that. They exchanged another look, and they could tell they both wanted to have you around very much.

They were even certain you were a killer yourself.

After all, game recognizes game.

And it has been a little while since they wanted someone else in their lives.

And you seemed to be perfect.

You got up and Tiffany pouted. Charles grabbed your wrist.

In one quick movement, you got your knife out and opened it before pressing it against his throat.

You were so rapid, none of them had seen it coming. Tiffany watched the scene with dark eyes of desire as Charles chuckled and raised his hands in front of him.

“Now, love, why kill me when we could all enjoy each other” he hummed and you groaned. You removed the knife from him and before anyone could notice the scene, you put it back in your pocket.

“Leave me alone.” you told them

“Com’on, we could have so much fun all together” Tiffany pleaded

“I don’t need you two to have fun” you spat before leaving into the crowd. You were disappointed they ruined the place for you; now you needed to find another nightclub to get a prey.

You thought they would leave you alone, because they wouldn’t want to put that much effort into a girl they didn’t know, when they could seduce someone else.

But they looked at each other once again and sighed as they watched you go.

“Fuck, she is perfect” Charles said and Tiffany could only nodded. They had little butterflies flying in their stomachs.

They needed you to be theirs or they would lose it.

They hadn’t planned to stay in town, but they needed to find you and to make you one of them before they could move away.

Every night, they tried all the nightclubs they could find. They found you more than once, but you were a wild cat. You escaped whenever you felt their eyes on you.

It only added to the fun; they enjoyed the hunt, especially when their prey was actually as dangerous as themselves.

It busied them too, and if they used to argue often, when it was about you, they were all nice to each other.

They needed you, each time they were seeing you, they were getting even more obsessive.

And they understood you weren’t just an obsession when they spotted you in a dark alley, flirting with a man.

His hands were all over you, and he was pressing his body against yours in a very lewd way.

Charles and Tiffany weren’t impressed at all, and they were about to interrupt this scene, because they couldn’t stand the idea of anyone touching you but them; they had grown very possessive of you too.

But before you could even notice them, you had stabbed the man in the chest. He coughed blood and you started to laugh.

“Am I still a poor little baby girl?” you teased and you pushed him on the ground before straddling him.

You stabbed him over and over again until you were absolutely covered in his blood.

You got startled when you heard someone clapping and you were quick to stand up, your knife ready to strike.

Your whole body was tense and your eyes were swirling with danger and insanity.

If Charles and Tiffany only thought you were perfect to them before, they realised you actually were their soulmate.

They had never seen something or someone able to turn them on like that, and they had the strong urge to have you all theirs now, even stronger than before.

“My, my, my. Such a dangerous doll we have here” Charles said as he came closer, and you only held your knife higher.

“I warned you to leave me alone” you cried out “And you better let me go now” you growled.

Charles instantly recognised your anger and, no matter how insane he himself was, he knew it would be a mistake to force you to come with them now. You were full of adrenaline and rage; you would be able to really kill them.

“No one is attacking you” he tried to appease you and you took it as the sign to run away, which you did. 

Tiffany pouted again and Charles promised her that next time they would kidnap you and bring you to their motel. It cheered her up.

Their obsession made them smart enough for them to find your little flat in the centre of the city.

They entered it, in the middle of the night, as you were sleeping for once. They got quite impressed by the collection of knives you had; really you couldn’t be any more perfect.

Your eyes opened when you heard an unknown noise in your room and before you could react, Charles pressed a hand on your mouth.

“Shh, don’t worry about anything” he whispered to you as Tiffany sat beside you. She was holding ropes to tie you up.

“You know, sweet face, if you are good, we won’t need to use this” she said as she gestured toward the rope. “We just want you to follow us to our motel room, so we can chat all together,” she smiled.

You didn’t answer; you didn’t want to have a chat with them, or to follow them, or to have anything to do with them.

You grabbed the knife you always had under your pillow and you sliced Charles’ arm. He let out a sound of pain and tried to grab you but you were quick.

You stabbed him in the thigh before pressing the knife on Tiffany’s neck before she could do anything. You pressed hard enough to cut her a little and she didn’t fight back, too aroused to do anything anyways.

“Next time I’ll kill you” you growled before jumping off the bed. You ran away like a tracked animal. You just had the time to put a hoodie on and your shoes.

You had a safe place not so far from here, and you decided to go and stay there until those two would leave town.

Tiffany almost rushed after you, but Charles called for her and she went to check on him.

“We’ll have to drug her next time, she is too quick” she mumbled as she helped Charles to get back on his feet.

“That was hot,” he murmured to himself.

But next time, you’ll be theirs. It was promise.

Taglist:

@feathery-ass

@g0thl3zz

@erasable-mustache  

@cavern-creature

@peachycupotea

[bridgertonandchocolate]

Now that Bridgerton has been released for over a week and I've had it on repeat since then it's time to process through some thoughts.

Overall this is my favorite season of Bridgerton. It's not surprising because Polin has always been my favorite pairing since season 1 and friends to lovers is one of my all time favorite romance tropes.

While I am loving the season there are still a few beefs I had while watching it that still irk me, but don't bother me as much as they did in the beginning which will be discussed at the end of the post.

Prepare for a long post and if you read it all thank you! Also SPOILERS ABOUND! Let's start with everything I have loved so far:

Mirrors. There are mirrors freaking everywhere in the season and we all know why. A lot of the side characters have mirrors in their scenes. We see Kate has a bunch of mirrors in her study, the Mondriches have mirrors. Mirrors everywhere to be found. Not only is a mirror going to play a major part in the second part, but it's so symbolic of Colin and Pen's journey of really finding themselves and subsequently each other. But Bridgerton is not subtle this season. There's mirrors everywhere you look.

Colin Bridgerton is a cinnamon roll and must be protected at all costs. My previous post already addressed a lot of the Colin hate floating around out there and I won't hear it. Our man is out there fully falling harder for Pen and not realizing how much he's affected by her. Until he does and then he's properly torturing himself.

The main characters this season are so relatable. Being a mid/plus size late bloomer female who has never received any romantic attention I relate to Penelope so much. I nearly cried in the second episode because I've had the same feelings she was having in that moment of believing you'll never have that in your life. At least she had Colin. But besides my personal connection to Pen compared to the previous two couples I think Colin and Pen are the most realistic and relatable characters.

The book references. I was a little nervous about changing the storyline to Colin having lessons with Penelope and helping her find a husband and Pen having another suitor, but I enjoyed it. It allowed them to bring a lot of humor to the show where we haven't really seen that in this show before. But they also incorporated very key aspects of the Polin relationship. The first kiss was nearly verbatim from the book and the very end of the carriage scene was also straight from the book just some dialogue switched characters. More on the carriage later.

Colin realizes he loves Pen much earlier than in the book. So glad for this change since we already knew Colin was the biggest dummy for not realizing what was right in front of his face. I'm glad we saw sparks of it from him before the first kiss. The garden confession? Please. It was practically a love confession as he was talking about all of the things he likes about her. The boy just couldn't put two and two together. And I'm really glad Pen tried to move on from her feelings it really put Colin into a place where he had to imagine his life without her and the man couldn't handle it.

Here are some beefs I have with the season but again they're pretty minimal and honestly I'm somewhat okay with it now except for one of them:

Lady Danbury not being involved with Polin whatsoever. They name their first born Agatha for heaven's sake. I really anticipated Lady D to be involved with Pen being a wallflower and practically just like her, but .... whatever. They gave Lady D other things to do this season instead.

Pen never asked Colin to help her find a husband. Okay this one still actually bothers me still. In episode 4 Penelope mentions to Colin when they're finished dancing that it was a mistake asking for his help and then in the carriage she says again that when she asked him for his help in finding a husband she didn't know he'd also deny her one (I told you guys I have watched this literally nonstop for a week). But she literally NEVER asked him to help her. In episode 1 he says, "if a husband is what you seek let me help you." At no point was she like "Please Colin will you help me?" I couldn't stand this. The only thing Pen asked of Colin was if he'd kiss her and I stand by this. That's sloppy continuity in the writing.

The brothels. Both scenes were completely unnecessary to me. The first one I've come around on slightly, but I will never get over the second brothel scene. I get what they were trying to do, but with the awkward flirting with all the ladies in the ton that was already accomplished for me that Colin was trying to act like someone he definitely wasn't. I didn't need to see Slut Colin for that. And I get it for the first brothel scene they made sure to hit that home, but the second one? The second one comes after he realizes he's fallen in love with Penelope and I don't fully understand his motivation for going there. I also am just sick of the rake storyline and since we know that's not how Colin is I was upset they tried to turn him into that. But characters must grow. To me it could've been done differently or even better yet not at all.

No flashback to baby Polin. I really was hoping for a flashback. There was a flashback episode for season 1 and 2 but none for 3. I really thought they would have done a flashback of some kind. At least Colin remembers and talks about how they met. "Do you remember when we first met?" Bro please. You don't need to ask Penelope if she remembers it's the moment she fell in love with you, bro. I'm hoping for a callback to this in the second part when she hopefully tells Colin she's loved him for years.

Last beef. That the carriage scene and love realization happened with no LW reveal. I get it. They're pushing this off to the second part. Makes sense for the drama of it all, but it fundamentally goes against season 1 Pen when she was trying to convince Marina to tell Colin that she was pregnant. Like hello. Now she's just doing what Marina did by keeping this from him. And I'm sure that's what part 2 will be about, but I don't like it. In the book he proposed to her fully knowing who she was and now in the show there's this huge chunk of who she is now missing and I DON'T LIKE IT!

This is way too long. Stay tuned for thoughts on the carriage scene, other favorite Polin moments and all my hopes and dreams for part 2.

[lost-in-lamentation]

prompt 5 with mammon ? ty even if u don't do this one ! ^^

a/n: i just read the first few chapters of the new nightbringer season and i CANNOT stop thinking about this man

prompt #5: mammon + "i don't really know how to dance." "it's never too late to learn."

content: learning how to dance in mammon's room in the middle of the night.

no warnings but like last time, not really beta read. also tried my hand at a different style this time around.

fluff. mammon × gen!reader (you/your).

“that was a good movie,” mammon yawns from his spot next to you. the couch creaks underneath as he shifts his weight to the other side. 

“yeah, it was.” the time on your d.d.d. screen reads quite late, numbers back in the single digits as you stay up past the threshold of a new day. “it’s probably a good thing it ended up having a ballroom scene. at least i know what i’m supposed to look like tomorrow at the gathering.” 

mammon tilts his head at your remark. “you’ve been to plenty of his parties before. what’s new about tomorrows?” 

“the fact that i have to dance.” you sigh at the idea, face falling as you utter the word. 

the demon sits upright now, expression contorting as he tries and fails to see where the nerves are stemming from. “what’s wrong with dancin’?” 

“mammon, i don’t really know how to dance.” 

his eyes meet yours, sapphire glinting with sudden adoration and tenderness. “never too late to learn, MC.” suddenly the embodiment of proper etiquette, mammon bows to you, extending a hand in invitation. “dance with me. i’ll lead.” 

“you’ll laugh at me,” you hesitate.

“not this time,” he assures you.

you’ve always known your limits. you know what you can and can’t do, and dancing has always been on the “can’t” side. but perhaps, with mammon easing you along, you can surpass that limit just for tonight. your hand slides into his, holding fast and locking together as though your fingers were meant to be with his. mammon guides your other hand to rest on his shoulder before he takes hold of your waist. when you gain the courage to look up at him, mammon tears his gaze away from you. you can hear him muttering an excuse, but the close proximity has your heart pounding in your ears. somehow, you manage to choke out an apology (for what, you’re not sure), but the smile he gives you in return begins to soothe the noise that roars in your head. 

mammon begins, despite his prior embarrassment, to instruct you, always adjusting to your pace. your steps are slow and heavy, yet mammon remains patient amidst it all. you begin to harbour your doubts, brows furrowing as you try and speed up, but mammon holds you steady when you stumble, pressing a kiss to your forehead. his lips brush against your skin as he reminds you that you’re still learning. 

a part of you grows frustrated; you should have started learning earlier or refused to dance altogether. and yet, another part remains calm, soothed by the way mammon’s breath fans across your cheek. your steps eventually match mammon’s, bodies attuned to the ending music of the movie credits, and to each other. 

in the gentle glow of mammon’s room, you learn to dance. and underneath his touch, you learn just how much he loves you. 

a/n: i'm thinking he might be a little ooc here but idk i was just really feelin this vibe

reblogs are really appreciated (´ω｀) ♡

[thefinalboss387]

Lord Zedd Appreciation Post!

In 1994, season 2 of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers premiered. And with it came the arrival of Lord Zedd, the show's new main villain. This character has been a large part of my life ever since.

I've always loved this character, but he also didn't have a whole lot of depth in those earlier seasons. To be fair, nobody in that period of the show had much depth. But decades later, he resurfaced in the Boom Studios comics and in recent seasons of the TV show. These new appearances gave the character some much-needed depth, backstory, and even finally gave us a final showdown.

These recent appearances took a character I already had a lot of love for, and catapulted him up into being one of my favorite characters of all time.

So here's the thing about Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: It's a fun, cheesy spectacle, and a lot of people to this day will swear up and down that it's the best era of Power Rangers' 31-year history. I'm old enough to have grown up watching those old earlier episodes and I have a lot of love and nostalgia for them, buuuuut.... The writing and character work are really not that good? Later seasons do a much better job of giving its characters distinct personalities and arcs.

All of the Rangers in the Mighty Morphin era have personalities, but like barely. These "teenagers with attitude" are all upstanding, morally-righteous kids that do various activities for charity and teach classes at their youth center and juice bar...but that's about it. Billy was a genius, Zack was into music and dancing, Kimberly was good at gymnastics, etc, but they all used those skillsets for charity and all had pretty generic goody-good personalities.

The villains sit up in their castle on the moon, shouting about how much they want to destroy the Power Rangers and creating monsters for them to fight....but that's about it.

Rita Repulsa, honestly, was kind of a joke of a character at first. Her scenes were dubbed Sentai footage, limiting the writers on what they could do with her. Her scenes on the moon were surreal and barely coherent. She'd send down a monster, there'd be a bunch of random shots of her randomly laughing or cheering on her monster, she inevitably would make her monster grow for the Megazord battle, and then she'd rant about having a headache. Rinse, wash, repeat.

When Lord Zedd finally showed up in season 2, it was a breath of fresh air. Lord Zedd was not from the Sentai, so the show filmed entirely new scenes for him. The dubbing didn't have to do weird ad-libbing to make the footage make sense, they could film the footage around their writing for the character. And, to contrast Rita's goofy look and demeanor, Zedd was freaking terrifying. He immediately one-ups Rita, exiles her to the far reaches of space, and takes over her operation. He has Serpentera, an extremely powerful and humongous Zord capable of destroying entire planets.

Only, Zedd ended up just being Rita 2.0. He stayed in the moon palace, he would create monsters out of something precious to the Rangers (which was a fun new twist for Zedd), there'd be a bunch of random shots of him randomly laughing and gloating about his upcoming victory, he would inevitably make his monster grow for the Megazord battle, and he'd blame the failure on the incompetence of his minions. Rinse, wash, repeat.

A turning point came about midway through season 2, when Rita Repulsa came back from her exile (using a new actress, so she was no longer limited to weird dubbed-over Sentai footage) and used a love potion to make Zedd fall in love with her, and the two teamed up to take down the Power Rangers and rule the universe together. So begins a weird but magnificent era of the show where Rita and Zedd's story arc was still largely disconnected from the rest of the show, and they still sent down monsters and made them grow and stayed in their moon palace away from the rest of the action, but they did actually have their own story arc for the first time. Their scenes in isolation became this weird sitcom on the moon and I absolutely adored it.

In season 3, Rita's brother Rito showed up. Rito was a bumbling idiot, but also a competent fighter, which made for a fun dynamic. He'd go down to Earth and fight the Rangers and partner with Goldar, but then he'd go up to the sitcom on the moon and keep making Zedd mad by calling him "Ed". Then Rita and Rito's father, Master Vile, showed up. Apparently Master Vile is this big, ultra-evil dude that made even Lord Zedd feel inadequate in comparison, and Master Vile didn't approve Rita marrying Zedd. It's all completely wacky and I love it.

Even as Rita and Zedd became more fleshed out through these wacky family sitcom shenanigans on the moon, their role to the Rangers was still as these distant figures sending down monsters to do their bidding and very rarely actually interacting with the Rangers. Even as a child I desperately wanted to see them in action. What would a battle with Rita or Zedd even look like? How powerful are they? Rita would sometimes come down to Earth to issue orders to double-agent Kat or taunt the Rangers, but still never fought. There was implied to be a lot of history and bad blood between Zedd and the Rangers' mentor, Zordon, but it's never explored. What could their relationship have looked like?

Lord Zedd also became a little more present in season 3. There was an episode where he fought Tommy one-on-one, and he was winning, until Tommy broke his staff and forced him to retreat. He also introduced a team of Dark Rangers, corrupted teenagers he intended to use as his own brand of Power Rangers, but... well... they looked like this.

Because their costumes were so cheaply-made, there was never any actual fight with these Dark Rangers. Disappointing.

When Power Rangers Zeo began, new villains the Machine Empire chased Rita and Zedd out, and their sitcom on the moon became a universal road trip in a camper (yes, a camper). In Power Rangers in Space, they allied with a bunch of other villains and were ultimately turned good when Zordon sacrificed himself to eliminate all evil in the galaxy. Although he didn't appear again for many years, he's heralded both in canon and IRL as one of the most powerful, impactful villains of the franchise.

Overall, Zedd made an impact on me. I was introduced to the character in 1994 when I was 7 years old. In a show where all the characters were pretty shallow and static, Zedd and Rita were the ones driving the show forward and eventually even getting their own storylines with the wacky moon sitcom. I wonder to this day if this show was why I grew to love villains so much for the rest of my life. Rita and Zedd were damn entertaining and kind of became the main characters of the show in a sense? They also had a sense of mystery to them. What made them evil? What was their history with Zordon? There was also this eternal buildup to an inevitable final battle against Lord Zedd that just.... never happened. Where's the payoff?

Then, decades later, Zedd made a comeback in the Boom Studios comics as well as recent TV season Dino Fury and again as the main villain in Cosmic Fury. These new appearances ultimately gave me everything I'd been wanting for the character ever since I was a kid. After 30 years of buildup, we finally got payoff.

I'll start with the comics. Boom Studios' comics are kind of set between episodes of the original show, while also serving as something of a soft reboot? It's more modernized, the characters have cell phones and text each other, and it's aimed for older audiences, giving the comic room to give these characters depth, real demons and personality, etc.

THESE are the Dark Rangers Zedd makes in the comics. Instead of random corrupted teenagers with cheap suits, it's empowered, badass versions of the minions that have been around since the original show (and a shapeshifted Putty Rita, since the story was set during real Rita's exile).

Zedd's personality is much more harsh and terrifying. He's got the demeanor of a hardened warlord. He retains his quirk from the original show of turning objects the Rangers love into monsters, but it's explained that he does this not as a means of destroying the Rangers, but to corrupt and chip away one little thing that they love at a time until they're emotionally broken.

And OHHH BOY HIS BACKSTORY

We learn in the comics that Lord Zedd was once Zophram, Supreme Guardian of the Planet Eltar.... and Zordon's friend and mentor. He fought to save other planets from evil. He slowly grew disillusioned with the politics and bureaucracy of Eltar, and was highly manipulated by Zartus - another friend and mentee - into destroying himself and becoming a monster that Zartus could rally people against for his own political climb to power. Believing that it was Zordon who betrayed and manipulated him, Zophram became Lord Zedd and sought to destroy everything he stood for.

In the "present", Zartus becomes the main villain of the Eltarian War story arc as he begins a full-scale invasion on Earth. It comes out that Zartus was the true evil, and Zedd and Zordon team up to take down Zartus together. Though Zedd shows some remorse and hints of forgiveness toward Zordon, he is too far gone now and continues on the path he's on even after Zartus's defeat.

And THEN, in the Darkest Hour story arc, Zedd even gets a morpher of his own AND BECOMES A POWER RANGER!!!

The series ended after the Darkest Hour event. Zedd never really got too much to do as a main villain in the comics, the focus was more on showcasing other villains and storylines that the show couldn't, but Zedd was still given A LOT of depth as a character. There still was no big final battle or closure against him, and I wish they got to do more with Zedd's cool Ranger form and even his team of Dark Rangers, but he was still very cool and he was given a lot of much-needed character development and layers that still felt respectful of what came before in the show. Evil wasn't born, it was made, and by the time he realized Zartus's deception, he'd already gone too far and killed too many people to be able to take any of it back even if he wanted to.

So hey, all I really need now to satisfy my inner child is CLOSURE and a cool final battle. ENTER DINO FURY AND COSMIC FURY

Zedd gets resurrected. He's still a bit goofy, Power Rangers is a kids' show after all, and they keep his more sitcom-y elements and wit. He teams up with Bajillia Naire (haha pun), the CEO of a big evil interplanetary weapons organization, and seeks to take over the universe. Bajillia even gives him footsoldiers created in his image called Zentinals that are really cool.

In his style of corrupting innocent things, he brainwashes the Blue Dino Fury Ranger, Ollie, into his slave and lieutenant. And honestly? I liked their dynamic a LOT more than I was ever expecting to. He ends up becoming a kind of twisted father figure to Ollie, giving him advice and gifts and showing him compassion and understanding. Ollie seeks his approval and seems to actually have an emotional investment in serving Zedd, rather than doing it just because mwahahahaha.

His big universe takeover plot also leads him into invading and taking over Planet Eltar, Zordon's home planet (and his own, if you follow the comic continuity) and hey, that's a pretty fun development. He stations himself on Eltar and makes his base there, showing just how proud he is to have taken it over.

Annnnnd THEN COMES THE CLOSURE

Zedd's plan in Cosmic Fury is to essentially harness the energy of the Morphin Masters, ancient and all-powerful beings that basically created the Power Rangers (they've been mentioned on and off since the original Mighty Morphin days, so, yay continuity) and absorb all of their energy into himself, becoming the Morphin Master and the single most powerful being in the universe.

He does this. And he becomes a new form (pictured above), Master Zedd.

There is a short battle that follows. Zedd is blasting everything and completely overpowering the Rangers. There's no chance they can beat him. He's won.

......uuuuuuntil Bajillia Naire betrays him and sucks him into the device they'd been using to trap the Morphin Masters. Turns out her plan all along had been to kiss up to Zedd and get him the ultimate power he wanted, so that she could sacrifice him to unleash a wave of pure evil across the universe that will destroy all things good. This mirrors Zordon's sacrifice that erased all evil from the universe and caused Zedd's original defeat way back in Power Rangers in Space. Yay continuity.

Eventually, Bajillia is defeated and the Rangers talk Zedd into giving up his Morphin Master power to save his own life. This is done when Ollie, the Blue Ranger that he had previously brainwashed, connects with Zedd and reminds him of advice that Zedd had given him before. Even without the brainwashing spell, Ollie understands Zedd's mind and how he works and manages to talk him down. Zedd is trapped in an endless nightmare of being with Rita (which is a fun fate for him), and it's said he will be stuck there until he reforms, however long that takes.

And like.... okay. The big final battle with him was a bit different than I was expecting. But I really like it?? His big universe takeover plot had essentially worked, he won, and his defeat was a fun nod to his previous defeat from decades ago and even his relationship with Ollie had a payoff.

Cosmic Fury had finally given us closure to a villain that, for decades, had a ton of buildup and no real confrontation or battle against. They did it in a way that was true to who the character previously was, and even added some interesting new directions for the character. This, on top of all the depth and backstory he was given in the comics, has made him a surprisingly complex, complete character, and that's what I had always wanted for him ever since I was a kid.

[bingle3]

(An incredibly long analysis I sent to my friends who haven't watched episode five)

It occurred to me earlier that, obviously it's a known fact in Ted Lasso that if a character has a connection to leopard print, they're queer in some way. Colin's shirt, Keeleys statue thing, and Trents shoes.

First off, I wanna talk about Trents shoes, though specifically the context of the two times he wears them. The first, in the car park scene. In the scene he's trying to win Ted over, showing that he's grown, that he's not like how he was before. He's trying to get Ted to see him for who he really is thanks to him. The second scene where we see him wear them is in Rebecca's office. Trents trying to make a good impression, to show he's good, same as before... But it's not working on Higgins, Rebecca or Keeley, because it's not supposed to. He wears them when he's trying to impress Ted and show who he is, so it's understandable that it's only Ted who is convinced by Trent to let him write the book, even with the others strongly denying it. Because he sees Trent, and Trent wants him to see.

Next, Keeleys statue. It's always been in her office, shown proudly. Keeley has been confirmed as bisexual since the beginning, it's a big part of her and she's not quiet about it, it's big and in your face, like the statue. Also, Roy growls at it after his and Keeleys talk in the last episode of season two, the first scene that shows the possibility of a break up, which ended up happening the following season. I can't talk much about the most recent episode, but there is a shot of just the statue, and in the context of what followed for Keeley throughout the rest of the episode, it's clear there's a connection between it and her bisexuality.

I can't really comment much on Colin's leopard print shirt, it's only in one scene. Though he's happy and dancing around in said scene. He's beside Sam, who's messaging someone (Rebecca) on Bantr. On his other side is Issac, someone who's shipped heavily with Colin due to how Colin was towards him in the scene where Roy headbutts Jaimie in the club in season one. The two of them are having fun together in the car, whilst Sam sends a message about going on a date. Romance is in the air.

There are so many indicators about what these things mean to the characters and it's so hfhdnenkskq. I'm excited to see what kind of way it features in the next episode, as we know the Colin situation will be addressed most likely, and Keeley won't hesitate to talk about what went down with her.

[literateowl]

Season 5 countdown tag game

For @lonestar-s5countdown endings week

(1) Which 911 Lone Star season finale is your favorite?

Season 3. I love TK proposing because he can't sleep and Carlos needing to squish his face and say a thousand times yes. Their friends are so happy for them and they're dancing around the loft. I love Owen addressing a bunch of his shit. And he shows character growth from that moment onward because the next time he has a health issue he tells TK right away. I love everyone arguing with TK about why he needs a will and his dad finally gets through to him. And the Judd/Grace "911 called him!?" moment is one of my favorites in the whole show.

(2) What was your favorite moment from the season 4 finale?

Wedding!!! Specifically their vows (and the deleted cake cutting scene but that technically wasn't in the finale)

(3) Are there any storylines that you would like to see brought back for a more satisfying conclusion?

Besides Gabriel faking his death

I'd like to see Iris and/or Carlos's sisters again. We were told a lot of things about them especially how Carlos's sisters were talking about when they were little at Gabriel's funeral. And we were told Iris is Carlos's best friend and knows him well. But we were not really shown these things, you know?

I would also like Nancy's backstory. Literally all we know about her is that she saves her money really well and loves saving lives so much that she ignored a DNR.

(4) Pick one character and tell us where you hope to see them at the end of season 5.

I literally just want them to be all happy and together as the found family we love so much.

(5) What is one thing you really want to see before the show ends?

Ok if I can only pick one... I hope Carlos gets some closure about his dad. Then I also want him to have an existential crisis about finally having that closure. And I am possibly already preparing to write it if I don't get it.

Open tag! And other tags under here ↓

I was tagged by @tellmegoodbye and @sugdenlovesdingle earlier this week. Thank you 💜

No pressure tags for @lemonlyman-dotcom @carlos-in-glasses @bonheur-cafe @nancys-braids @captain-gillian @herefortarlos @carlos-tk @ladytessa74 @fifthrideroftheapocalypse @thisbuildinghasfeelings @ironheartwriter

[leaderoffestivals]

Poltergeist Chapter 11

The Neverland of Grudges Ch 3

Arashi: [ Once upon a time, there lived a Princess with a very beautiful heart.  Of course, she was not only beautiful on the inside, but in her outward appearance too,… … and the name of this Princess was Narukami Arashi. ]

Scenario Writer: Akira Season: Winter Characters: Mikejima Madara, Narukami Arashi, Sakasaki Natsume, Aoba Tsumugi

< The video: Early afternoon that day. In the Common Room at Dancing Cranes Home. >

Arashi: [ Once upon a time, there lived a Princess with a very beautiful heart. 

Of course, she was not only beautiful on the inside, but in her outward appearance too,… … and the name of this Princess was Narukami Arashi. ]

Arashi: [ However, there was someone who did not like the Princess at all. That person was the Queen of the country, who had a beautiful appearance but possessed an ugly and twisted heart. 

—Hmm? The Queen’s name? Well, for now, let’s call her Madara ♪

And although the Queen was the stepmother of the beautiful Princess, there was no familial love between them—

—because the black-hearted Queen was wildly jealous of her step-daughter’s great beauty.

Today, as she always did, the Queen asked of her magic mirror which only reflects the truth—

“Mirror mirror on the wall, who’s the fairest of them all?”

—Eh? You’re saying that would be Narukami Arashi?

Grrr~! So infuriating! If only that person weren’t here, I would surely be the most beautiful in the whole wide world! ]

Arashi: [ That’s it, I should get rid of that beautiful Narukami Arashi! Then, I will be the most beautiful person in the world! MA~MAMAMAMAMA! (1) (Laughter) ]

Tsumugi: What an interesting story! It’s full of openings for a straight man (2) to interact with!

Natsume: SeriousLY? How can you lie to the children like thIS? What’s this about the Princess’ name being Narukami Arashi?

Arashi: Hmph! That’s fine, isn’t it! Fairy tales are for living your dreams, aren’t they! I want to be a Princess too!

Natsume: WeLL, I do understand how you feEL, but won’t the children be confused to hear you’re playing the Princess roLE?

Arashi: Hold on! Why would that result in any confusion, is there a law that says a Princess must be female?! What does it matter anyway; fairy tales are fantasies, after all!

Madara: Urm. By the way, why am I laughing like that humongous character in One P*ece (1)? That’s a reeeally strange character to be portraying me as, isn’t it?

Arashi: Fufu! While I was reading the manga, the thought, “Ah, this person is just like Mama” went through my mind!

Madara: All the same, I’m not that huge either, am I?

Arashi: Ohh seriously, that’s enough. Stop interrupting and watch quietly!

Arashi: Erm, actually... One of the reasons I’m showing you guys this segment of the video was because I wanted to showcase how especially charming I was as I read the picture book to the children. However—

—There’s another reason as to why I want you to see this. 

Somehow, as I was reading the picture book to the children, some of them had very strange reactions to the story… …

Madara: Huh? Strange reactions—? 

Arashi: Yes. I mentioned encountering an “unusual incident” earlier, didn’t I? 

By the way, you might have already guessed it by now, but the title of the fairy tale I was reading to the children was “Snow White”. 

There were a few pages missing in the picture book for some reason, so I improvised by doing up a few sketches and adding them in. 

Look, this scene in particular is my favourite—

The scene where Narukami Arashi, with the seven cute dwarves—Sorry, I mean the four foolish Knights—repel the assassins dispatched by the evil Queen together ♪

Natsume: That’s amaziNG. You’re casually altering the plot of the story as you pleaSE. 

Madara: Er, how can you just get rid of the assassins sooo easily? The story would just end there, wouldn't it?

Arashi: That doesn’t matter~, the ending’s the only part that needs to make sense in the end—No, in fact all will be well as long as the story ends well.

Most people will be satisfied as long as the story ends with—”And they all lived happily ever after.”

Tsumugi: Indeed. That much is true. 

Madara: But then, what about the strange reactions you mentioned the children having earlier? Right now, the only thing I find odd is how they’re able to listen to this story so attentively to the very end, though?

Arashi: That’s what’s coming up next. See, it’s the last scene of the most beautiful Princess in the world, Narukami Arashi’s—or rather Snow White’s—story now. It seems this picture book is pretty faithful to the original, truly scary “dark fairy tales” because—

The Princess made the Queen dance on a scorching hot iron plate as revenge for all the terrible things she had done. 

It’s meant to be a satisfying scene where good triumphs over evil, and the evil villain gets their just desserts, right?

Arashi: However, as I was enthusiastically reading that scene out loud, several of the children started crying—

—and they definitely weren't tears of joy.

Arashi: They weren’t quietly sobbing either. They started shrieking loudly all of a sudden, as if possessed by demons, or evil spirits—

Some of the children even started throwing up uncontrollably.

I was at a total loss for what to do—I almost started crying myself.

Fortunately, one of the staff came hurrying over right away and soothed the agitated children, calming them down.

Natsume: OhHH? How impressiVE. I guess that’s a genuine professional childcare worker for yOU. 

Tsumugi: Hmm~. Getting children to stop crying once they start is no easy task, though… …

Arashi: No. The children’s crying stopped instantly. It seemed as if a magic spell had been cast on them.

Natsume: … … Could it be the children were administered an inhalant sedatiVE?

Arashi: No, it didn’t seem like that at all.

Looking back on it now, the method of it was really baffling, though… …

That staff worker simply went around whispering something into the children’s ears, but they recovered and stopped crying immediately. 

What was that all about, I wonder? With everything that’s happened, and now, the children’s strange reactions—there’s definitely something odd going on here. 

Madara: Hmmm… … Can I just ask—were all the children in the room crying at the same time when the tears started? 

Arashi: Why are you asking about that? If I think back on it though, among the children… … I recall it seemed to be the older kids who started crying first—?

Up until that moment, they had been behaving very maturely, in a manner way beyond their years, which was why their reaction came as such a sudden shock to me. 

The younger ones must’ve felt the same way too, and started to panic and cry themselves when they saw the older children cry—

—And they were the ones who continued crying for a long time after, for some reason. 

Madara: Hmmm. I see. A great deal is starting to fall into place nowww. 

Tsumugi: Oh my… …? Do you have any idea about what transpired during that strange event, Mikejima-kun? 

Madara: Well, there’re some things which seem reeeally odd to me, which is why I’m just inquiring casually about them. 

I’ll start looking into the situation more closely tomorrow, taking into account what I’ve heard from Arashi-san. 

Indeed. This is only just a ‘hunch’ of mine, but—

—there’s a possibility an unbelievably tragic incident or accident might have taken place in the history of that Dancing Cranes Home. 

—————-To be continued——————-

Chapter 10 / Chapter 12

Translator’s Notes:

Arashi is mimicking the laugh of Charlotte LinLin, https://onepiece.fandom.com/wiki/Charlotte_Linlin/Abilities_and_Powers a OnePiece character with tremendous strength and endurance. Her nickname is Big Mom (Biggu Mamu, haha), and her height is 8.80m (28 feet 10 inches) tall. 

Tsumugi says “tsukkomi” which comes from “boke and tsukkomi” or “Wise Guy and Straight Man” of the Japanese comedic duo routine known as “Manzai” (漫才) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manzai

It's not proofed, so if you have any feedback, please DM me.

[a-yarn-of-purple-prose]

For the rarepair meme, I'm not entirely sure what actually qualifies in Genshin XD but Lyney/Nilou? I do kind of like the idea of two of our performers together....

I can see a very clear rivals to lovers thing, at least rivals from where Lyney's standing of course. Kinda like this (excuse the Lynette POV, that's how the scene showed up in my mind and she is very fun to write):

*

The Traveler couldn't stay for tea but she left Lynette a box of beautiful little honey cakes brought fresh from Sumeru. She was supposed to share with her siblings and she would do that, there were far too many for her alone anyway, but that didn't mean she couldn't hide away in her room with a pot of tea and enjoy some peace and quiet. And honey cakes, of course.

It was barely time enough for her to bite into one of the cakes before Lyney invaded her peaceful tea-time, giving his usual knock and entering before she even answered.

There was urgency in his voice as he said, “Dear sister I found out the reason behind the last few nights' shows lull in ticket sales.”

Even if Lynette was inclined to ask, she knew better than to do that. When Lyney has a plan you can see it in the very way he moves, and from the way he sauntered to the table and pulled the chair closest to her, this was a fun one. At least fun for him.

“We,” he said, eyes twinkling, “have a rival!”

Now, if she wanted him to say his piece and go away, she was forced to show attention. So she deposited her teacup on its saucer and tilted her head toward him, waiting.

“A Sumerian dancer, come here to perform for a half-season, and a famous one at that. It's all over the Steambird! We can't just lose tickets for all that time!”

Lynette blinked slowly at him, then refilled her teacup. “And your plan?”

“Who said I have a plan?”

She smiled and waited.

“I've been to her act. She's very good. Disciplined. Working elemental magic while dancing must be very tiring but the results are,” a brief, breathless pause, “stunning.” There was a little too much shine in his eyes as he said that. “As is her-- I mean, her movements. The way she dances, it's like the rest of the world stops existing, I can't help but wonder…”

As Lyney's eyes took a dreamy, faraway look, she knew it. It was a bad plan. The worst kind. She felt her right ear twitch, an old tell she usually keeps under control. That is how worried he made her.

Lyney noticed as well, he snapped back to attention, said, “That's when I knew I had to do something.”

“That plan. You shouldn't.”

“Beloved sister, I said nothing--”

The teacup clicked in its place on the saucer. “You want to distract her from work, maybe make her go away earlier. Don't. It'll backfire, you're too smitten. Remember what Father said about you and love schemes.”

The mention of Father had him straightening up, as usual, lifting his chin as if trying to stand a little taller, fill bigger shoes. Then he said, “Well, we'll see about that, won't we?”

And that was in the wrong tone. Not so much defiant as… She studied his face for a moment. There was that smile, a bit too much eagerness there. This could only mean the plan was already in motion. “Don't say…”

The smile bloossomed as if every single drop of confidence he had nurtured it. “I'll be taking her to Lady Furina's new play tomorrow!”

Nothing she could possibly say would work at this point, so she saved herself the energy and took a sip of her tea. Afterward, she said, “Then good luck on your date with the beautiful dancer.”

Lyney paled, the smile dropped just enough that she knew he had only now caught up with what he had done. “Thank you,” he said, quite like an automaton. Then he walked away, a little spaced out.

Lynette hoped her brother would pull himself together enough to be his usual self on the date. That should be enough to charm anyone. And if that didn't work, well then she'd have to do something, wouldn't she? Maybe the Traveler would even help.