#anya is the cure for all the problems of the world

[a-singing-carebear]

Spy x Family. My new favorite show.

That's it. That's the post.

[renadactyl]

Febuwhump Plan List

These are all my carefully laid-out plans to torment some of my favorite characters. I’ll be dipping my toes into the angst pools in the fandoms of The Arcana, Bungou Stray Dogs, Moriarty the Patriot, Jujutsu Kaisen, BBC’s Sherlock, Spy x Family, Neon Genesis Evangelion, Death Note, and The X Files.

Please note though that I haven’t finished playing Portia’s route or started Lucio’s route and I haven’t unlocked all the paid scenes yet in The Arcana. I also haven’t unlocked Julian’s reverse ending, Nadia’s reverse ending, and Muriel’s reverse ending. And I’m not up-to-date with the manga for Spy x Family. I also never have read the manga for Death Note. And I haven’t read the manga for Neon Genesis Evangelion and I haven’t seen the show in a while. And it has been a while since I last touched things Bungou Stray Dogs-related too but I’m still up-to-date.

My list includes:

Day one: one-sided!Muriel x Apprentice and Muriel x Asra: “Helpless” - where you try to free Muriel from his chains, but he can’t let you because of Asra’s safety being compromised (set pre-plague) {FINISHED WRITING}

Day two: Julian-centric (with a bit of mentioned Asra x Julian and Julian x Apprentice): “Solitary Confinement” - where Julian loses his mind trying to find a cure (set during the time he was locked in his room by Lucio to find a cure for the plague) {FINISHED WRITING}

Day three: Satoru Gojo x Suguru Geto: “Bite Down On This” - where Suguru’s arm isn’t quite all the way dismembered and desperate times call for desperate measures (set at ending of Jujutsu Kaisen: 0) {CURRENTLY WRITING}

Day four: Kaworu x Shinji: “Obedience” - where Kaworu and Shinji are forced into the cycle of Shinji being guilty for Kaworu’s death every time all because of Kaworu being obedient to his life’s mission (set in another of cycle of similar events)

Day five: Julian x Apprentice: “Rope Burns” - where you catch Julian being careless with his health again (follows his upright ending)

Day six: Mycroft x Lestrade: “You Lied To Me” - where Mycroft doesn’t want to tell Lestrade about his work, but Lestrade finds out soon enough (set before John comes to 221B)

Day seven: Poe x Ranpo: “Suffering In Silence” - where Poe retreats from the outside world and feels inferior, forcing Ranpo into the position of learning how to listen to someone’s problem and comforting them instead of offering brilliant advice (set post-Guild Arc)

Day eight: Sigma x Atsushi: “Why Won’t It Stop?” - where Sigma wants peace and Atsushi will do his damnedest best to deliver (set post-Vampire Infection Outbreak arc)

Day nine: Fred x Louis: “Bees” - where Fred accidentally leaves the doors to the greenhouse open and has a run-in with a bee. Louis, ever the care-taker, takes care of the sting

Day ten: Atsushi x Akutagawa: “Killing In Self Defense” - where Atsushi has no choice but to kill the vampire version of his boyfriend at the airport in order to save his life and has to face crippling guilt (set during the Vampire Infection Outbreak arc)

Day eleven: Mulder x Scully: “Time Loop” - where Scully is forced to confront truthful evidence of the paranormal in a most heart-breaking way

Day twelve: Asra x Julian: “Semi-Conscious” - where Julian finds it funny that Asra fell asleep on the water fountain until he heard the half-asleep words Asra muttered out (during the Red Plague disaster)

Day thirteen: Yuta x Inumaki: “You Weren’t Supposed To Get Hurt” - where Yuta bandages Inumaki’s injuries after the Shibuya arc and has to deal with conflicting emotions

Day fourteen: Yor x Loid: “Blood-Stained Tiles” - where Loid walks in to blood all over his apartment floor and has to face the truth that he realized his human emotions for Anya and Yor too late… until Yor proves to him that no one underestimates her

Day fifteen: Tecchou x Jouno: “Who Did This To You?” - where Tecchou fails and Jouno takes out his sadistic self on the opponents that dared to ruin Tecchou’s mood and that pretty face of his

Day sixteen: Asra x Apprentice: “Came Back Wrong” - where Asra ponders whether or not it was a mistake to bring you back after you’ve become so different after your reincarnation

Day seventeen: Albert x reader: “Hostage Situation” - where you are taken hostage by a noble and Albert finds sweet revenge

Day eighteen: Sherlock x Watson: “Too Weak To Move” - where Sherlock takes too much, and John no longer knows how to stop it all

Day nineteen: L x Light: “Please Don’t” (this might end up being more crack than whump though) - where L should’ve followed his instinct, and Light refused to follow a human’s heart

Day twenty: Yor and Yuri (platonic, sibling bond): “Truth Serum” - where Yor is accidentally injected with a truth serum on the job, and Yuri learns his sister’s secrets

Day twenty-one: William x Sherlock: “Unresponsive” - where Sherlock has to face the idea of William never waking up and having failed to save the man he loved before he could even tell him the things he wanted to tell him (set post-The Final Problem arc)

Day twenty-two: Satoru Gojo x Suguru Geto: “You Weren’t Meant To Be There” - where Satoru uses Suguru as a moral compass at the worst time possible (set post-KFC breakup but pre-Jujutsu Kaisen: 0)

Day twenty-three: James x Sherlock: “Presumed Dead” - written in two letters, Sherlock to James and James to Sherlock (set post-The Final Problem)

Day twenty-four: Julian x Apprentice: “I’m Doing This Because I Care About You” - where Julian can’t help but sacrifice himself for the sake of his beloved (my take on what the Reversed Ending for Julian might be like since I haven’t played it yet)

Day twenty-five: Kenji x Kyouka: “Waterboarding” - where Kenji takes a case that goes wrong, and when Kyouka finds the damage done she doesn’t know how to help the sun she has grown to love shine light down on her again (this one is just downright cruel, I’m sorry)

Day twenty-six: one sided!Asra x Muriel: “Help Them��� - where Muriel lives to protect Asra’s wishes, even if Asra wouldn’t choose to protect him first

Day twenty-seven: Megumi x Yuji: “Left For Dead” - a sort of alternate take on the current chapters of the manga, where Sukuna knew he needed to ruin Megumi’s mental state, so before killing Tsumiki he tries to kill Yuji first and Yuji stands no chance against the King of Curses

Day twenty-eight: Kaworu x Shinji: “No… Not Like This” - where Kaworu is fed up with not being able to make Shinji happy, and decides he’ll take matters into his own hands. He realizes before it’s too late… it’s still hopeless

Day twenty-nine: Sherlock x Watson: “Not Allowed To Die” - where John understood the hidden messages underneath Sherlock’s behavior, and so he’s there to stand with him against Moriarty or to die with him

[asterekmess]

Did you ever watch Buffy? The first episode where Anya was introduced was titled "The Wish" and all I can think about is if Scott McCall had ever run into a pure Sidhe where they offered him a wish. Instead of, "I wish Buffy had never come to Sunnydale." It would be more, "I wish I was never bitten to become a werewolf." But just like all feaye tricks, the outcome is more, his Dad ended up with primary custody rather than his Mom and he was forced to leave BH. And then Stiles ended up more friends with Heather and others. And while Scott's life is worse, when he tracks down the others he finds all of theirs are greatly improved.

I think about it a lot and how Scott never really dealt with the consequences of any of his actions, everyone else did, and how an episode or mini-arc could have fixed a flaw in the show's design. I mean, we were already dealing with a lot of Celtic lore, why not someone from the Sidhe courts?

I have no idea why this took me so long to answer, so apologies for that. <3 I did watch buffy! I've seen all of it, and all of Angel as well. XD

I remember 'The Wish' episode, and whoooo boy it gave me chills. I loved how big the butterfly effect was, how something that seemed so small, something that Genuinely seemed to be the cause of a lot of problems in Sunnydale, ended up being so important to how things had progressed. Because, yeah, you would think Buffy not coming to Sunnydale would be a Good Thing, right? Sunnydale didn't have all of these insane issues before she arrived. It was quiet, and nothing big or scary ever happened. Her arrival matches perfectly with when everything started going absolutely nuts, so whatever selfish ideas Cordelia had, her thought that Buffy not coming to Sunnydale would be a good thing, makes sense. Except that, as she finds out, she's entirely wrong. Buffy's arrival was a lucky coincidence, or fate, whatever your taste leans toward. She showed up right as things started going nuts, and she kept it from going SO MUCH MORE NUTS.

Now, moving on to TW, it is a fascinating mix of being the Exact same situation, and the exact Opposite. I'll add a Read More, cus' holy god is this a lot of Rambling.

Because Scott wishing not to have been bitten...yeah, the bite Did improve things. But it improved things for him. He would absolutely regret making the wish, just like Cordelia did, because he would realize how many good things the bite had brought with it. BUT, conversely, he would have to realize how many good things the bite had brought for him, not for other people, and how their lives either wouldn't have been affect, or might've even Improved without him being bitten. Without the bite, Scott wouldn't have gotten on first line, period. His health issues made very clear in the five minutes he had them that any kind of stamina based sport was just out of the question for him. If he is unable to walk through the woods at a moderate pace without needing to grab his inhaler and stop against a tree, he just plain cannot play lacrosse for two or three hours of running at high speeds and working a bunch of muscles in his upper body. He likely wouldn't have gone out with Allison, because he would have no convenient way to get her attention. Furthermore, he wouldn't have the extra senses that both impressed her on the lacrosse field, and told him about her 'family dinner' the night of Lydia's party. (I've discussed this before, but... While it's true, Allison would have still brought him the dog; that dog would likely have attacked him, and his chances with her would have been shot in the foot when they both got in massive trouble and he likely had to go to the ER for stitches or something. Without Allison or first line, he wouldn't have started hanging out with the 'cool kids,' and quite frankly, wouldn't have had anyone to help him study for the classes he was struggling with. It's true that he also wouldn't have had werewolf things to worry about, or even a girlfriend to distract him from homework, so maybe that wouldn't have been such a huge issue, but still.

If we look at other people's lives and how They would have been affected by Scott not getting the bite...well, let's talk about that.

Stiles didn't get on first line because of Scott, or because of a werewolf bite. Or even because of the werewolf bullshittery occurring in town. He was put on first line because of his abilities, and even after being taken OFF first line for missing the game, he was put Right onto the field in the next game, chosen OVER other players who were perfectly viable options. Which means, he still would've ended up on first line. Allison wasn't interested in dating before she met Scott, and part of her draw to him was based on how 'different' he was. He knew things she didn't know how he could know, he had a weird ability to calm a furious, injured dog, and he had charisma that was ALSO gained from the bite, since being on first line made Scott Much more self-confident. If she didn't end up dating him, it's likely she wouldn't have dated at all. Which would mean no hiding from her parents, no strange conflicts of interest, AND, interestingly enough --depending on her involvement in the murders, etc that would still be occurring in town--no night in the school that would scare her bad enough to ask Kate for extra help and tip her headfirst into hunter training. AND, even if she DID still end up getting those lessons from Kate? There would be no bitterness to fuel her behavior at the end of season 1.

Allison was Traumatized after Kate showed her Derek on the grate. She was horrified, and didn't know what to do about it, and while we can ramble all we want about the morality of her not confronting her family (whom she's just discovered is willing to electrocute people) about it, the fact is that she pushed the thoughts aside to stop freaking out and went to that dance. Where she found out Scott was a werewolf, and was So fucking Betrayed that she was willing to help Kate catch him and Derek. No Scott, no betrayal, no willingness to help Kate recapture the miserable man who'd been chained up in a basement.

If we go back to that specific night, and try to unfold the events from there if Scott hadn't been bitten, things get a little complicated, but I'll take a few artistic liberties. Scott isn't bitten. Presumably, he just happens to get out of the woods in time, or he gets caught with Stiles by the sheriff, or doesn't go to the woods in the first place. These all change the possible outcomes of that night. If he hadn't gone in the first place, and Stiles went alone, would he have been bitten instead? Would Scott have been dragged into all of this anyway, but without the protection and boost of being a werewolf and cured of his asthma? If he weren't the one bitten, and he saw everything Stiles gained from it, would he still have such a hatred for the bite? Or would he want it, like Erica did, to cure him and make him powerful and cool? But, let's assume Stiles doesn't get bitten either. The second half of Laura's body still hasn't been found, and Stiles has no reason to fear running back into the preserve the next day, and no real punishment from his father as far as we can tell. So, does he go back to look again? If he did, he would run into Derek, because Derek would still be there after retrieving Laura's body himself. He would see Derek and still recognize him, and from there, things might spiral, still involving Stiles in the supernatural, and it's likely Stiles would try to involve Scott, and Again we get hit with "Would Scott want the bite, if he hadn't gotten forcibly bitten in the first place?" The answer is probably yes. He wanted to be cool, and popular, and on the lacrosse team. He wanted everything being a werewolf gave him. BUT if we're looking at this wish as similar to "The Wish," then no matter what, Scott won't be bitten. He'll be transported to a new world where it just never happened, and he'll be human, and forced to watch everyone around him be just plain different. Scott not being bitten would isolate him from Stiles, if Stiles got involved in the spn anyway. We SAW how Stiles cut off his other friends once the spn starting getting in the way. He and Harley? We have no clue how close they were. They were close enough for her to tease him about his crush on Lydia, for her to wander up comfortably to the locker and talk to them. And he cut her off as soon as the werewolf stuff hit. What if he cut Scott off? To protect him, if nothing else, like he did his own father. Once he realized the danger involved, I doubt he would be willing to put Scott in harm's way.

So, Scott would not only lose first line, lose his girlfriend, lose his popularity, lose his health and strength and heightened abilities, lose his 'importance' to the goings-on of Beacon Hills, but he would also lose Stiles, who seems to have been his only friend, unless he also had a relationship with Harley.

Okay, I've rambled enough about the what if's, so let's talk about the Reason why this wish would go so badly for Scott, in such a different way than it went for Cordelia. Cordelia, first off, wished that someone Else would not have/do something, rather than wishing for herself not to have done something. She watches how fucked up the world gets, and how much worse her life is without Buffy around to save the day. Scott wished for Himself not to have done something (even something passive, like 'get bitten') and would have to watch how fucked up his world gets, and how far behind he would fall. The other's lives might not necessarily get better, because Peter is still on the loose, and the hunters are still there, etc etc, but they would still Progress, while Scott would stay stagnant.

And WHY is that? Because Scott isn't important to the story. It DOESN'T start with him. That's the Whole Point of his character. He is supposed to be the 'everyman' who gets dragged into crazy shit and becomes integral to things that he wasn't ever meant to be a part of. The guy who wanders into becoming King or 'The Hero' that will save the world, even though he's just a small lad from a tiny town, whose highest prospects were "get on first line."

He was NEVER supposed to be Buffy, or if he was, it was done Very Badly.

But Beacon Hills WASN'T a quiet town before Scott was bitten; however much he might've said 'nothing ever happens in this town.' It was FULL of bullshittery and magic from the very beginning. There was the fire, and Paige, and the blinding of Deucalion, and the death of Alexander Argent, and the Nogitsune in the internment camp nearby. All of these things were around So much longer than Scott's bite, and they'd been affecting the world that whole time too. Because yes, in Buffy, the master was There before she was, but he was literally rendered inert by the situations he was in. And the things he'd done happened Centuries before, not six years. There is a difference. Sunnydale was Not Known for the insane number of weird deaths. Beacon Hills was. And aside from the Nogitsune, every single fucking thing that happened in Beacon Hills, was attuned to the Hale family in one way or another. Deucalion's blinding occurred during a meeting on Hale land, because Talia was known as a wise leader, etc, in the area and other wolves flocked to her. Deucalion biting Argent seems unrelated (if you even believe Deucalion did that, despite being a fucking pacifist before Gerard blinded him), but again, it occurs just a couple hours away from Beacon Hills, which is Hale Territory. The one who plays the Buffy role here? Who shows up at just the right time, and launches themself against an endless wave of evil, with slightly enhanced senses and a thorough need to do good and not back away from things that 'aren't they're problem'? The actual hero who is somehow tied to everything going on in ways even they don't understand? Was Derek. The guy who entirely unwittingly allowed Julia Baccari to survive, because he was trying to be merciful to his first love. Who entirely unwittingly was manipulated into giving up information that let a hunter kill his family. Who followed his sister back to town after six years of just trying to survive in New York, fell into a fucking tragedy, and decided to stop the bad guys anyway, even though he knew he didn't stand a fucking chance.

And as annoyed as some might get. The 'everyman' who stumbles onto the set and accidentally becomes integral to the saving of the world? The one whose ambitions are small and who expectations are smaller? Who is misunderstood, and has abilities that aren't recognized or appreciated, that doesn't really fit in, but tries their best anyway? The literal Angel to Derek's Buffy?

Is fucking Stiles. The son of the sheriff who just could not let it go when he discovered there was something funky going on. Who hung around on the edges, even though he wasn't really wanted, because he needed to help. Who ended up saving Derek's life over and over, and becoming so important as to be Derek's anchor? Who literally WENT DARKSIDE and HAD TO BE NEARLY KILLED, even though Derek didn't to kill him???

I know how it sounds, but JD SAID he took inspiration from Buffy. The issue is that his parallels are between DEREK AND STILES, and BUFFY AND ANGEL. Respectively.

Derek might act like the broody bad boy, but it is STILES' mentality that matches Angel's behavior, and it's Derek who matches Buffy.

I'm so fucking off track. Scott would be miserable if he ever managed to get a wish and used it to keep from having been bitten. And it would be sad. I would feel bad for him, had I watched something like that happen. Seeing him realize that most of the good things he had, he only got because of the bite. That Stiles would still be on first line, that Lydia and Jackson would still be the popular kids. That Allison wouldn't know he existed, or if she did would avoid him entirely. That Jackson would never have been turned into the kanima in the first place. That everyone else would move on and up in life, and he would still be standing at the bottom step. Because it wasn't his actual limitations that were holding him back, it was his refusal to accept them, to work with them, and to just plain stop Envying Everyone Around him, and start living his own fucking life instead of trying to steal other people's.

Scott wishes he were Cordelia, and I promise that would backfire too.

[soul-dwelling]

I dunno maybe this a too high-concept question, but what themes/questions would you liked to have been explored in the soul eater manga, that would have fitted with the story/setting/charachters? Like for example how madness is related to mental illness or how soul resonance differs in other relationships as a metaphor ect. Sorry if this sounds confusing lol

Maybe it would be useful to think of unexplored themes and questions by looking at what is missing or under-appreciated about specific characters. 

For example, while fans read a lot into “found family” details in Soul Eater, I kind of wish those details were more apparent and spelled out for readers. We get a bit of that when Liz cries over Kid in the Book of Eibon, but how about making it even more obvious with how Kid regards Liz and Patty, especially after Lord Death dies? That’d be better than what Chapter 113 has given us. 

Bonus points if this “found family” detail could include a bit for Tsubaki, too, as we never see her mother, we only see a bit of her dad (who seems like an easy-going friendly person), and she did put down her brother.

Representation also matters. While the inclusion of characters from various nationalities, ethnicities, and races is all important, sometimes it feels like more could have been done.

For example, we learn that Kilik donates most of his sponsorship funds to his home nation–which nation is that, does this tie into current real-world history or something in the past that could benefit from getting historical attention, similar to what Watchmen did bringing attention to Tulsa’s Black Wall Street?

NOT laid it on heavily that we can read Tsugumi, Anya, and Meme’s dynamic as polyamorous–why not commit to that instead of making it a joke (just like how most romance in Ohkubo’s works are treated for comedic potential)?

I’ve seen works that look at how Jackie processes her sexuality, and while I’m not saying this is necessarily the direction I would go in, plenty of fanfic writers believe her hesitation to think she’s attracted to women owes to a homophobic upbringing–maybe address that kind of toxic parenting, something a bit different from Medusa’s awfulness and Spirit’s infidelity. 

Given where Ohkubo has gone since Soul Eater, and how badly I think he fell into the “toxic positivity” trap in Fire Force (the manga presents a flawed argument, as if somehow just an upbeat attitude alone is enough to deal with the fallout from years of trauma), I’m not sure I trust him to handle how Madness (the kind in the manga, the Madness of Fear, as opposed to an actual mental health condition) is related to real-life mental conditions. 

But I will give credit to Ohkubo for how he handled Stein and, maybe, Crona. 

The anime went in the direction of having Stein fall under Medusa’s sway to the point that he was fine with attacking Marie. I kind of think the manga was better in this regard, not ignoring mental health conditions, and not quite flattening them with how the manga handled Madness of Fear, not just having Stein be “cured” or having what he was living with underappreciated. Stein obviously struggled, but in at least one instance he was a good person, as Spirit, Sid, and Naigus saw when they refused to arrest him and instead set him loose to find Buttataki’s actual killer. That said more to me about what this series could have done when commenting about mental health, bucking what would have been a stereotype like the anime had, reducing it to “Stein is crazy, therefore he’s evil.” 

With Crona, it’s complicated for me. The anime may have done better by showing that Crona’s actions were in response to years under the pressure of an abusive parent, not just some magical “Madness of Fear” in the air. The manga leaned a lot more into Medusa doing more experiments on Crona that contributed to that Madness and mental health decline, which I find less appealing and, again, risks conflating mental health problems with evilness or, at least, putting Crona into the antagonist role. 

Soul Resonance could have benefited from a clearer message to the audience as to what it represents, especially the Chain Resonance chapter/episode when it comes to Maka and Black Star. The story puts the blame on Maka for Black Star’s refusal to cooperate. This story could have worked–it could have made it far more apparent and clearer that Maka can be just as stubborn and admit that, yes, Black Star’s refusal to cooperate is making him the weakest link, and as much as it sucks to accommodate his whims, it is possible to get him in line, whether feeding his ego or putting him at the front lines for the attention. Granted, by that argument, Kid, who is focused on balance, may have been the better person to lead the Chain Resonance, despite his own obsessions (more on that in a moment). Plus, Kid at that point was far more powerful than either of them, so it is just bizarre how the story wanted to put main character Maka in charge of the Chain just because she is the main character, but also wanted to give the girl a comeuppance because she refuses to massage the ego of the bullying boy who just refuses to get in line. 

As I said, Kid has his obsession with balance, and that has been read as OCD. This is problematic. I’m not sure how I would fix this, and as I said about how Fire Force handled “toxic positivity,” I don’t think I would trust Ohkubo to try to speak to real-life OCD through this fantastic setting, just as responding to real-life mental health problems with Stein and Crona are less effective than, say, how the series did far better addressing toxic parenting and trauma with Crona under Medusa’s thumb. 

[ettadunham]

A Buffy rewatch 6x06 All the Way

aka not much for the timber

Welcome to this dailyish text post series where I will rewatch an episode of Buffy and go on an impromptu rant about it for an hour. Is it about one hyperspecific thing or twenty observations? 10 or 3k words? You don’t know! I don’t know!!! In this house we don’t know things.

And today’s episode is mostly Dawn-centric and immensely entertaining with a lot of fun bits… up until the moment it’s not. (That’ll be a YIKES from me, @ Willow.)

Truth be told, All the Way took me by a bit of a surprise, because for some reason I misremembered Dawn’s Halloween adventures as a season 7 plot. (It may be the influence of another episode, Him, although that episode is memorable to me for all the wrong reasons.)

But yeah, Dawn sneaking out, and accidentally hooking up with a vampire happens, and I actually kind of love it? Especially the scene with Buffy, where her and Dawn argue about their questionable choices in men. It’s an absolute delight, and Dawn being immediately turned off by the fact that her vamp boo, Justin, thinks that her sister being the Slayer is what makes her special, is just the cherry on top.

And this kind of wonderful banter rooted in the characters and their dynamics, is carried through the whole episode. The opening alone just filled me with joy. Tara interrupting Anya’s accidental inappropriateness in front of Dawn, and then somehow folding it into a lesbian joke. Willow’s outrage at inauthentic witch costumes melting in the face of a tiny child wearing the same. Xander amping up the ridiculousness of his pirate affectation for the sake of some kids, and being absolutely unafraid of being mocked by them. (Also, the eye-patch…) Giles being a sarcastic asshole about Xander to Buffy with later revealing the reason behind his glass-cleaning habits, and making meta commentary about how if something happens on Halloween, it’ll involve them anyway – much to Buffy’s chagrin, who was trying to quietly take off under the pretense of patrolling, instead of helping out with the wrapping. She also laments how much easier it has been to talk with Spike when he was trying to kill her all the time.

At the end of the day, Anya is extremely happy with all the traffic they had at the shop, and seeing her enthusiasm apparently momentarily wakes Xander up from his fear of commitment, just enough to announce their engagement. Only for him to get once again absolutely overwhelmed by everything, once they start talking about the whole marriage thing. (Hey, Xander, isn’t that supposed to be the whole idea of getting engaged?)

Oh, boy. But there’ll be time enough to analyze Xander’s issues, and how I sympathize with them. (I know, hot take. Except for the part of how he’s handling the post-Hell Bells situation, because that I do not have an excuse for. Own your baggage and the damage you inflict with it, my dude.)

Xander and Anya’s relationship isn’t the only one with cracks appearing in it though. Nope, this is also the episode where Tara starts seriously questioning Willow’s practices, and it gets… bad. It’s real bad.

Okay, so, it starts off rather innocently. Willow does a spell to decorate the house for the engagement party. Tara and Giles share a look, and Tara later gently tries to broach the subject with Willow, that maybe she didn’t need to do a spell for that. They could’ve just bought the decorations if they wanted.

Now, truthfully, the spell itself is rather harmless. Sure, when it comes to house party decorations, part of the fun is the decorating itself, but Anya liked it, and she and Xander are the ones this party is about anyway. But Willow’s defensiveness shows the underlining problem – she has absolutely no restraint or hang-ups about using magic in any situation. And given the amount of power she wields now, and her already existing character traits of wanting to mold the world to her liking, that’s a bit concerning.

Using magic to solve her problems is not a new phenomenon for Willow. Remember, in season 3 she tried to do a “delusting” spell on her and Xander without his knowledge or consent. And in Something Blue, her spell was supposed to cure her heartache in a moment’s notice.

Those spells of course misfired, and so we were mostly left with sympathy for Willow in these instances. I mean, who wouldn’t want to just poof their confusing, self-destructive impulses and pain away? But we can’t. The only way out is through.

Except Willow actually has the power now to change reality to her liking. She could phase hundreds of people into another dimension, just to make finding Dawn easier. Sure, it’s a ridiculous amount of risk for such a small convenience, and obviously no one at the club consented to it, but she can do it. More notably, she absolutely would do it.

Previously I commented about how Giles seemed to have told no one about his confrontation with Willow in 6x03, but he may have talked to someone about it after all – Tara. At the very least, Willow certainly thinks that’s the case.

And Willow deep down knows that she’s out of line. That’s why she’s so defensive, and why she didn’t reveal all the details of the resurrection spell. But she doesn’t want to confront those things about herself, and thanks to her powers, she doesn’t have to. She can just poof things away to avoid that.

She can just change Tara to her liking, so she wouldn’t bring it up.

YIKES. SO MANY YIKES.

So, yeah guys. This is it. Our second major storyline involving highly problematic consent.

Well, Buffy essentially is always fighting the rape metaphor, but as I mentioned in my Who Are You? post, there are three plotlines that especially stand out in that respect. Not just because they involve major characters as the victims, but as the actual perpetrators.

This case resembles more the previous instance with Faith and Riley, in that it’s an issue of a lack of informed consent due to magical circumstances. As a result, it may be easier to somewhat detach it from a real world analogue as a viewer, but it’s still what happens. So we’ll need to address it as such.

I will say though, that this storyline at least recognizes its own yikes factor, as opposed to how Riley’s situation is handled. (A reminder: poorly.) Part of it is “helped” by the fact that Tara already has experience in what a controlling environment is. So once she finds out that Willow messed with her memories, she absolutely fucking refuses to let her get away with it. (“I can’t adjust to this, disgust, we’re done…”)

But that’s for tomorrow and after.

Now, since we’re already at the subject, we could also mention the rapey-ness of the high school vamps, but this is nothing new. Again, that’s sort of the point. Buffy is fighting the patriarchy and rape culture, that’s the most obvious metaphor of the vampires throughout the entire series.

The fact that Dawn’s vamp boo seemed nicer than his friend, Mr. “She asked for it”, also reminded me of Reptile Boy. Although, in that case, the nice guy was revealed to be a conniving snake, whereas Justin seemed arguably clueless somewhat about his own predatory aspects. Almost as if he was socialized to think that it was normal to pressure girls into sex, if he was nice about it and maybe even genuinely liked the girls in question…

The episode also ends with Buffy transferring her responsibilities regarding Dawn to Giles. And while regarding the financial problems, I maintain that Giles bailing out Buffy and Dawn was the least he could’ve done, this is where he should’ve set his boundaries.

Alas, that didn’t happen, and no one seems to be aware yet of Dawn’s little stealing problem either.

So, there. That was All the Way. Please take care of yourselves and be mindful of your fellow humans.

[allthefilmsiveseenforfree]

Glass

Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me. Post-The Village, this was probably the healthiest attitude to adopt towards one M. Night Shyamalan. But then came 2017′s Split, and with it a post-credits scene that made audiences freak out - this story takes place in the same universe as 2000′s Unbreakable, which leads us here. The final entry in Shyamalan’s trilogy about people who believe they can do extraordinary things brings together Unbreakable’s David Dunn (Bruce Willis), the single survivor of a massive train derailment who has superstrength and a knack for sensing bad guys; Elijah Price (Samuel L. Motherfucking Jackson, or SLMJ), a man born with bones so fragile they shatter like glass at the slightest impact but whose mind is on a whole other level; and Split’s Kevin Crumb aka The Beast aka Hedwig aka Patricia....you get the idea. He’s a man who has dissociative identity disorder and exhibits 24 distinct personalities, one of whom happens to be a superhuman amalgamation of animal characteristics called The Beast who punishes the impure and those who “have not suffered.” He’s super fun at parties. Put them together and what have you got? Well...

I’m not sure why the critical response to this one is so tepid because I thought it was a fantastic conclusion of a trilogy that asks us to consider the stories we tell ourselves and the untapped power of those stories. Plotwise, the main story relies on Dr. Ellie Staple (Sarah Paulson) attempting to cure these three men of their delusions of grandeur. At times she enlists the help of David’s son, Elijah’s mother, and Kevin Crumb’s kidnapping victim who survived (Anya Taylor Joy) to assist in her work. I’m sure you can guess that uh, things don’t go as she planned.

Some thoughts:

Let’s talk performances. Bruce Willis doesn’t have a lot to do, unfortunately, and he’s playing the strong stalwart type anyway, so he doesn’t get very much dialogue or inner turmoil. His best acting comes from the physicality of playing a man who moves in the world in a way that normal humans do not. SLMJ is a born scene-stealer, and charismatic as hell, even when playing catatonic. You’re just waiting for the twinkle in his eye, the twitch of his lips to reveal the inner workings of Elijah’s terrifying mind. But the real workhorse is McAvoy all the way. 24 distinct personalities is a tall order for anyone, but the seamless transition between them, the intense physicality of embodying each separate personality - I just don’t know how this kind of performance doesn’t earn an Oscar, regardless of the Academy’s disdain for genre work. He’s a masterclass, a tour de force, and even running around as a human/animal Beast God Hybrid doesn’t seem so ridiculous when he’s doing it.

Honorable mention goes to Sarah Paulson who has never done anything wrong in her life, ever, and whose hair and makeup look fucking amazing the entire time even when shit really hits the fan.

I have never heard the phrase “PB&J sandwiches” sound so terrifying in my life. Nice callback later to the guard’s abandoned PBJ as well. Shyamalan is a man who knows the devil is in the details.

I can’t believe they got not only the leads, but also the kid who played Bruce Willis’s son (Spencer Treat Clark) and SLMJ’s mom (Charlayne Woodard) to reprise their roles 19 years later! Spencer Treat Clark especially has to do some heavy emotional lifting and his scenes are just a joy to watch. 

Especially affecting are some brief sequences of unused footage from Unbreakable that serve as some of David’s memories or flashbacks. No creepy CGI here, just good old fashioned 19 years younger Bruce Willis, and it’s effective as hell. Side note: Bruce Willis can still get it, even 19 years later. 

There are definitely some problems with everything that’s happening here from a logistical standpoint. Sarah Paulson has 3 days to treat these people who “think they’re superheroes.” Yeah, I don’t know where you got your medical degree ma’am, but 3 days isn’t enough time to treat anything - that’s not how psychiatry works. 

The subtitle of this movie could be Glass: HIPAA Violations. None of this is best practices. You can’t just go showing other patients’ someone’s MRI. No one has signed any informed consent forms. You can’t just leave patient files in unlocked cabinets. You especially cannot let a patient’s victim have a one-on-one confrontation with them in order to “cure” the patient - does anyone have ANY medical training in this movie?

Probably not, since there’s only 1 orderly in this whole goddamn wing apparently and this facility has the worst security guards to ever be hired. “Oh this nurse with particularly well-muscled calves and white crocs with no socks on is wheeling one of our most notorious patients out of the wing in a wheelchair and he has a blanket on up to the neck. Well, no further questions!”

I think it’s easy to forget based on Shyamalan’s past missteps that he’s actually an incredibly visually interesting director. I found myself marveling at the unnerving, visceral way he shoots The Beast, or the circular tracking shots of Hedwig as he skates around and around some would-be victims of The Beast. These little touches bring the larger-than-life quality of the characters closer to the audience and allows us to feel as if we’re part of the action. And his use of color palette to distinguish between David (green), Elijah (purple), and The Beast (mustard yellow) creates the same gut-level effect as the oversaturated colors of the comic books he’s honoring. It all leads to an interesting film to watch, which I don’t think he gets enough credit for. 

Also, I’m sure you’re wondering - yes there are some twists (two, three if you’re feeling generous) and I felt they were well-executed, plausible, and helpful to the story. I’d say the first is the biggest and most effective, and I actually wrote “OH SHIT GOOD TWIST” in my notes.

It amuses me to no end that Elijah’s mom has an iMac computer circa 2003. 

Even if you haven’t seen the other films in the trilogy, Glass is worthy of your time as it forces us to reflect on the myths that shape our society and the myths we make our own selves out of. Strong performances from magnetic leads create enough tension to sustain what could be a simple Celebrity Death Match fight into a larger rumination on who gets to become something more than they think they could be, and who might be trying to stop them. 

[elanorjane]

Fanfic Masterlist: Rumbelle, Fosterson, L&O:CI, Spuffy

Thanks @jackabelle73 for declaring this masterlist day! 

Rumbelle

California Soulmates - Pop princess Belle wants to write her own music and get out from under her father’s thumb. Single father Gold wants to put his failed music career behind him and get the hell out of L.A. When inspiration strikes, there’s only one problem…the songs they’re writing aren’t their own. They’re each other’s. “Telepathic soulmates” RCIJ for @beastlycheese

Picture of Beauty - Fashion house Jefferson-Mills needs inspiration. Photographer Gold believes a librarian he photographed by accident has what it takes. Now it’s up to Gold to turn Belle into a model worthy of Paris Fashion Week. Based on the movie Funny Face.

Teacup Redux - Rumpelstiltskin trains half-sisters Regina and Zelena in order to cast the curse that will reunite him with his son. In the meantime, he gains a young maid. When he and Belle fall in love and have a son, Rumple calls off the curse. But the two sisters, feeling betrayed, cast the curse anyway, separating true love and raising Gideon themselves. In Storybrooke, a ten-year-old Gideon gets a book from a pretty librarian and he begins to suspect there’s something magical about his town.

Alias Series:

*WInner of the 2018 Rumbelle Prompt Showdown* Written under the pen name Deshelved. Story entries for Rounds 1-5, plus sequels.

His Favorite Criminal - Weaver is killing time at the station on a rainy night when his favorite criminal saunters in. 

His Favorite Woman - Weaver juggles the many women in his life.

Minor Charges - Weaver takes a young punk into custody. 

Community Stakeholders -  Lacey knew that most people thought she was a screw up. Despite people’s doubts, she could give every single one of them the finger with confidence. 

We Could Be Heroes -  Weaver breaks up a fight. 

Love on Ice series:

Belle is an up and coming pairs figure skater. Gold is a disgraced ex-pairs Olympic medalist coerced out of hiding to coach her and her partner, Gaston, to Olympic gold. They go roughly in chronological order from Not Right For Anybody Else on.

Love on Ice - Figure skater Belle and coach Gold. At the Olympics. Over Valentine’s Day. For the February @a-monthly-rumbelling prompt: Love Letter, Candy Hearts, Chocolate, Roses, Blind Date

Not Right For Anybody Else - How Gold became Belle’s skating coach.

First Positions - The first few months of Gold being Belle’s skating coach.

What Was the Last Book You Read? - Written in the final hours of March for A Monthly Rumbelleing’s March Smut Prompt: Having a wet dream and calling the other’s name during it.

Silver Buttons All Down Her Back - Belle had secured Gold’s attendance her 21st birthday party. She’d made the request under the guise of improving their skater-coach relationship. But what she really wants to do is test the boundaries. Written for the @a-monthly-rumbelling prompt: “You’re the most annoying person I know but I think I’m in love with you anyway.”

A Little Flip -  Gold tries to transfer Belle's feelings for him to Gaston. Let's all take a guess on how that's going to go.

Naked Male Insecurity -  Belle and Gaston grow closer. Gold has a reasonable and mature reaction. Ha! Not.

Foreplay - Gold puts his skates back on for the first time in over a decade. Will Belle be there to help him get his groove back?

Fosterson (Thor/Jane Foster)

Thrown -  Mafia AU. The story of two sisters who chose each other ... and two brothers that didn't. Jane Foster is a doctor on the straight and narrow. Thor Odinson doesn't know right from wrong. Darcy Lewis has always lived her life on the fringe. Expelled from his own family, Loki Odinson has never needed an ally more. *Based on philyra-dreamhouse's gifset and prompt: http://philyra-dreamhouse.tumblr.com/post/79058549231

About Time -  “Heimdall witnessed a disturbance, beings appearing from seemingly nowhere, altered in some way.” “An Einstein-Rosen Bridge?” Thor shook his head, “He’s unsure.” “But it could be an Einstein-Rosen Bridge,” Jane suggested brightly. “Jane, I thought we agreed,” Thor began, glancing over to where Leika played on the floor. She threw up her hands, “I know, I know, whoever’s race discovers it gets to go check it out first.” She continued throwing items into her bag, now with a little more force than necessary. “But Asgardians seems to find all the good stuff,” she lamented.

The North Star -  Jane and Thor’s first Christmas/Hanukkah together. Holiday fluff. Post-TDW

Law & Order: Criminal Intent 

Take Me Anywhere - Alexandra Eames never wanted to be a princess. She wanted to play and climb and jump and throw with the boys and for thirty-two years she had. Now a country which she had never really identified with as her own, have risen up to demand her as their figurehead.    

A Woman Scorned - Best read after a viewing of Untethered.

Out of It - Begins with Eames and Ross busting Bobby out of the Psych Ward. Post-Untethered

Moments -  Various Moments in the lives of Bobby, Alex, Emma, and co.

Telling the Fam' -  “Isn’t he the crazy guy that throws himself off of buildings and slices his hand open in interrogation rooms?”

A Labor Story or Hard Labor Emma Jane Goren-Eames enters the world. Alex gets annoyed. Bobby panics.

Overprotected - Future Fic. Emma Jane Goren-Eames recounts how everyone found out about her, with a little help from her parents’ favorite psychopath

Bullpen or Playpen?  - Circumstances out of her control force Alex to bring her and Bobby’s daughter, Emma, to the precinct. “Let’s go play ‘terr’gation!”

zoion logia - Future Fic. A series of shorts I have planned – snippets of Emma Jane GorenEames’ life so far.

Spuffy

Back Together- At sixteen they got pregnant and hitched. They regretted it two years later and split, separating their twin babies. Now, thirteen years later the siblings are bringing their parents back together. *Based on The Parent Trap*

Before Today - AU Buffy and Spike are assassins hired by their bosses, Angel and Cordelia, to kill each other. What happens when their passion for killing turns into a passion for each other? (Think rebel Buffy in “The Wish”)

Comedown -AU Buffy Summers has been asked to move in with her boyfriend Angel Giles, heir to the law firm of Wolfram and Hart. But when Angel’s rebel younger brother, Spike, returns to claim what is rightfully his, Buffy sees Angel in a new light as sparks fly between Spike and herself. Angel continues to plow ahead in the relationship, and Spike brings her to question her choices in life. Will she follow her current path or follow her heart?

Dark City - The future of Sunnydale is dark. Buffy Summers is one of the few left to fight the good fight. When she has to make a deal with one of the darkest there is, will she be able to keep to the calling she was assigned so long ago, or will she submerge herself in his Dark City?

Game of Love - Buffy, Xander, Willow, Anya, and Spike are friends from college. After the graduation The Gang, except Spike, opens a now famous wedding boutique Fairytale. While Spike is happy and getting great projects working for a very popular bridal magazine as a photographer. Now, Spike's boss Liliah wants the famous Buffy in her magazine. Who'll take the great, big project? Spike of course. But Buffy refuses to do the spread, so Spike makes a proposition: he'll find her a guy in exchange for the project. What happens when Spike realizes he is The Guy and falls for her big time? Buffy's already found a man -- a guy that Spike set her up with! Much Spuffiness ensues.

Havilon - S6 Glory is still out in search of the key. A gold poison arrow now in her possession. It hits someone. But who? How is the poison cured? This is a story I started back in 2002 on fanfiction.net under the penname bondgirl0018. I’m revising and continuing the entire thing. This is my first go at a long non-AU Spuffy. Spuffy eventually, Spike/Dawn friendship.

It's the Great Slayer, Buffy Summers - Spike and Buffy are together celebrating Halloween. No angst, just happy Halloween-ing with a little homage It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown.

Out of the Rubble - Buffy Summers is living out every parent’s worst nightmare and it’s up to Special Agent William “Spike” Giles to find the person who kidnapped her daughter and bring her back (hopefully) alive. But as these two will learn, the closer they get to the truth, the closer tragedy will bring them together.

Return To You - Years after leaving Sunnydale, he comes back to claim his childhood love. But she’s not so easily convinced. Can he come to terms with the boy he once was and get back the girl he left behind?

Someday, Much More - Spike Giles’s brother, Angel, skips town, leaving him with a little girl and a big responsibility. Forced to give up his big-city L.A. life, he meets a small-town girl who could be his saving grace.

What You're Waiting For - Buffy Summers is a jaded writer. Spike Giles is her editor. When Buffy is summoned home for a family affair in the midst of her latest novel, she drags New York back home with her to little ol’ Sunnydale. Her two worlds are going to collide. And nothing will ever be the same.

[eternalstereksecretsanta]

Quit Dragon Me Down

@acollectionofsterek​ - Happy Christmas!

Stiles squeezed his eyes shut as the carriage faded from view, but he could not stop the tears from leaking out and flooding down his face. Another couple, taken, and their only sin was love. In the eyes of Human law, however, “love” was another word for “heretic” when the bond was between two of the same sex.

Another couple from his clan he could not save. Another couple from his kingdom as a whole who would perish because mortals were foolish. And because he was not king, he could not do a thing about it.

And the king would not listen to this voice of his only son.

Stiles would know, because he had tried relentless. Maybe that was the reason for the steep curve of his shoulders, this weight that would cause him to crumble if he had to bear it much longer. The guilt. Too many friends, too many Clanmates, too many of his People. All because his father, the king, was too scared to oppose the Human’s council, for fear that if he made a stand, the secrets of the Dragons would be released and royal family or no, a massacre might ensue not only against the royal house, but even single Dragon in the Clan. Because the humans had no idea their royal family was comprised of dragons, or even that dragons existed. Although, why the secret of Dragons should be in danger if his father took a stand, Stiles could not figure out. Maybe his father figured it would slip out during the explanation of why same-sex love was not a crime, or bad, or disgusting, or derogatory.

Because Humans could not fucking comprehend the ability to love anyone with the same genitals. Or anyone at all, with the amount of slaughtering they did. Senselessly. Shamelessly. At great cost.

Because humans could be more monstrous, destructive, deadly, than any fictional story they had ever created for themselves to read at night.

Doyle. Doyle and Finn. Both 17, a mere 4 years younger than he. Two sweet dragons, childhood Bondmates, who got Reported. Fucking traitors. Fucking cads. Fucking scoundrels!

Stiles squeezed his fists white, because as the prince that was as much anger in his stages of grief that he was allowed to show. Maybe not even pressed fists, but concessions must be made. He was losing it. Good men and woman, disappearing. For what? Because they couldn’t reproduce? Because they “harmed” people who would rather sentence lives to death than look away?

Doyle and Finn.

Trish and Anya.

Fairchild and Alazar.

Hans and Fynnegan.

Tonya and Michelle.

Tony and Michel.

Lorna and Francie.

And [i]that [/i] was the Report toll in the last fortnight for god’s sake! At this rate, no one would be left because the population was being culled faster than could be reproduced. And his father would do nothing. He would stand by and watch his People die.

This was not the greater good, no matter what his dad tried to convince him. This was pain. This was sorrow. This was an ache.

And the worst part was that Stiles was forbidden to have his Bonded, because his Bonded was also a man. 5 years, Stiles has had to watch his beloved from the shadows. At least if he wanted to openly oogle. In close quarters, he had to act unnatural. For natural would be ravishing his mate and relishing in their bond, starting the process that would give his human mate the same long life span as his dragon mate. But no. Humans and their pea sized brains restricted him from his only. Except for Derek. Derek did not have a pea sized brain. Derek was perfect. Derek was the sun, and the moon, and quite possibly his northern star. Stars were important to dragons. Derek was definitely his northern star. Fuck it, his whole damn universe.

Which is really damn tragic because he was clumsy as hell and probably made bad impressions on the love of his life daily. But the love of his life mostly looked bemused with him and not offended or horrified so it was okay.

And it’s not like it was either or their faults that Stiles’ world revolved around Derek more steadfast than his duty to his kingdom, that’s just how the bond worked; instantly and intensely. But neither the bond nor being a prince cure him of being an awkward, hyper young man.

But what can cure him of being awkward and hyper? This shit. This shit brought out his dragon, and his dragon was a lot more composed and a lot deadlier, even when Stiles managed to restrain his dragon within his human form.

Hell hath no fury like a man forced to watch his beloved remain unclaimed and watch people he cared about die.

A hand landed on his shoulder, and jerked him out of his stare down with the long-empty gravel road.

“Your highness, we must go. It is not proper for you to be seen here.” His royal guard urged.

“Right. Let us go.” Stiles looked down at the puddle he had created and crushed the moist dirt with his boot.

The dust has settled but his rage had not.

——-

Derek paused from where his mallet hit steel and wiped his arm across his brow. He was hot, his shirt was soaked through with sweat, the drops of moisture sliding from his face sizzled as they hit hot metal, but he felt the cool pinpricks of hair standing up on the back of his neck. He was being watched, the same constant feeling he had had for the last 5 years. He knew better than to look, because the feeling-his watcher-simply went away and he never gained any answers.

The only thing he knew was that he felt The Pull. Whoever was watching him was his mate, was aware they were mates for why else would they stalk him for 5 years, and would not reveal themselves to Derek. This was either because they thought Derek was human and humans did not know about shifters, or they were a man. Both options sucked.

And Derek had no clue who his mate was because The Pull was constant, but it was also unchanging, meaning he couldn’t gauge a shift in The Pull based on physical location. Lord, that would help. But, no. It was a constant, baseline hum. And he was going mad.

Daily, he’d get female admirers-they would come in, watch him work, stroke his arm to feel his “muscles”, giggle. He’d even get males who would watch him out of the corners of their eyes. But none would initiate the bonding process. So if his mate was interacting with him, they were keeping their hormones or mental control or whatever the hell kick-started a matebond, dormant. Unaccessed. Abandoned.

That’s how Derek felt, abandoned.

Not by his family. They were always there, always noisy, always loving on him, even on his grumpiest days. But his mate did not want him for whatever reason, refused to claim him, and until a werewolf was Claimed, they could not shift. Being stuck in his human form was a slap to Derek’s pride and a prison sentence to his wolf.

He had better hearing, better smell, even claws and fangs on occasion. But no wolf could fully shift until their wolf was Released by a claim. For a werewolf, it was part of their bonding ceremony. But a good number of werewolves would always be trapped in a sole-human form, because they could no longer mate without risking their lives. Derek hoped his mate wasn’t a man, because he did not want to spend a life alone, but he also did not want a woman.

He used to, but he had been taken in by the lowest of the low and put under her spell. His mate had saved him with a warning. His mate, always watchful but never forthcoming. Rejected and yet protected. Conflicted. This was why Derek had to pause with a groan of frustration, a rumble in his chest that reached up and scratched his dry throat, as he had to toss yet another mostly-finished piece of craftsmanship away. As soothing as being a blacksmith was, it also let his demons catch up to him. And, unfortunately, his demons always decided to destress instead of appreciate his hard work.

Chucking the ruined scraps of metal into the water bucket and then a growing pile in the corner, he pulled out a new sheet of metal and started again.

Stubbornly, he ignored Boyd on the other side of the furnace, shaking his head at Derek in pity.

——-

Hauling heavy things was no problem for Derek, because he was strong. Hauling his work to the castle gave him a cold sweat because Prince Stiles lived there. Prince Stiles was an annoying younger man who made Derek feel funny. Prince Stiles tied up Derek’s tongue, much to his chagrin and Stiles’ delight.

Sure enough, as he passed through the gates with his commissioned work, just in front of the castle on the stone walls around the garden, sat Stiles, leaning back on a bricked curve, chewing an apple, reading a book, and swinging his hanging leg like there was nothing better in the world he could possibly be doing.

Except maybe annoying the stuffing out of Derek.

Derek moved past Prince Stiles, ready to do his best to ignore him, but then he caught a whiff of agony. And the smallest traces of salt. The prince had been crying. Maybe not at the moment, but recently. The wolf inside Derek made him stop, grew restless.

“Prince Stiles,” Derek announced, but it came out louder than he intended and the prince startled, yelped, and promptly fell off the side of the border wall.

He came back up rubbing his flank as he rose, a hiss clacking through his teeth. It took him a few seconds to open his eyes, trying to soothe the pain before figuring out who the blazes had the audacity to cause him injury, to find his beloved. Instantly his annoyance changed to warm, fuzzy feelings, his ire forgotten, his booboos better. For how could they not be, when he got to be this close to his Bonded.

“Are you alright?” Derek asked, stepping near him.

“Oh yes, I’m okay! Thank you Mr. Hale. Quite well, actually. My bum only hurt for a moment, no big deal!” he hurried to assure him. Derek pinked up adorably.

“Oh, well that’s good! Indeed, I’m glad to hear it. But I was referring to the tear tracks on your face. Just there.” Derek reached out and gently swiped his thumb over Stiles’ cheek, compassion in his eyes. Stiles couldn’t even find it in himself to be embarrassed (or indignant that Derek saw) that he was doing something so unmanly as cry, because he was being touched by an angel.

His eyes slid shut, and he embraced the feeling for mere moments before he abruptly stepped back. Derek must have realized the danger too, because the move was simultaneous.

“Yes, that. I’m okay, Mr. Hale.” Stiles pressed his lips together and looked at the ground, trying to keep from blubbering anew. Patient silence followed, giving Stiles the strength to speak further. “It’s just….you remember Doyle? From the bakery? And his sweet parents?” Stiles bit his lip, losing the battle, his voice squeaking, his tears releasing. Crying was to be therapeutic, but so far it wasn’t. It just wasn’t.

Derek dropped the metal he was hauling and pulled the man to him, and then for proprieties sake, dragged him, chest to chest, inside the high walls of the garden and away from the opening. Here, he could hold the man that drove him crazy but also grounded him. The man that was now breaking down and trusting Derek to see him like this. “Shhh, yes. I remember.”

His hand went up to stroke the princes head, gently, trying to soothe. Stiles’ hands came up and grasped Derek’s tunic in a death grip. “They took him!” he wailed. “He’s gone, and so is his lover. They were my friends. I don’t have many of those. And now they’re both gone and my father will do nothing.”

Derek’s heart clenched. Not only could he not ease Stiles’ pain, but those men were good men. They were part of Stiles’ clan, if Derek was not mistaken. Both red dragons. Both childhood sweethearts, having felt their bond early in life. And now they were being punished for it.

Doyle, who had eyes only for Finn, which was more than Derek could say about most married men. And Finn, who worked opposite shifts at the Blacksmith. A real stand-up guy who Derek shared his noon meal with when Finn could not provide his own. Equally devoted to his mate Doyle.

Gone.

Derek said nothing, just clung to the weeping man in his arms that much tighter, his delivery forgotten and soiled on the ground.

And Derek felt confused, because this felt a little like love.

(read the rest on AO3 soon)

[korishisector]

Chapter 1 - EXECUTION

Before long, Miamikuma addressed the tense group of students with an almost giddy demeanor.

“Alright! The time for goodbyes and last-minute questions is over! I don’t got all day, here. Just so you know, I’ve got an extra special punishment planned for each and everyone of you, but it seems such a shame that Chuck-E-Chizu got done so dirty, so early on.”

“So, I think, instead of using your punishment, Shibe, I’m going to let you experience what her punishment would have looked like. Who knows, it might even give you one final glimpse into what her mind was like, since you seemed so keen on figuring her out! Without further ado, it’s punishment time!” 

A low rumbling sound emerged from the walls, as the concrete itself seemed to groan and shift with the effort of whatever mechanical interaction had been set off. The rumbling grew louder, sounding almost like a series of gears turning just out of your vision. Then, with a swift motion, a chain shot out from a sudden opening in the wall, wrapping itself around Mutsumi and lurching him off into the darkness beyond. The concrete wall slammed shut behind him, leaving the surviving students to stare at his now-empty podium. 

After a few moments, screens emerged from the floors in the center of the room, ensuring that no student would miss the footage of what was to come.

[TW: Uncleanliness, Blood/Gore Mention, Medical Procedures, Needle Mentions]

Dr. Madaraki's cure for the Murderous Mind!

Дәрігер Мадаракидің өлтіруші ақыл-ойының емі!

Mutsumi opens his eyes to find himself strapped tightly to a medical gurney, while a group of variously-designed bears similar to Miamikuma, in white medical suits and masks, hover around him. The designs of these bears, it seems, resemble the attire and aesthetics of the underclassmen. Before Mutsumi can speak a word or further react to the predicament, the wheels of his gurney begin to loudly squeal as his captors begin to speed the cart through a pristine white hallway akin to that of a hospital. 

Mutsumi, unable to even move his head, can only look to the walls and ceilings, as the lights slowly dim as he speeds further down the hallway. With each passing moment, the lights become dimmer, some even appearing, cracked, broken and flickering. Speeding by on the walls, Innocent posters full of health tips turn into distorted medical charts, gruesome images of humans suffering from all manner of teratological issues. The walls reverberate with echoes of pain and the creak of the gurney - but the bears push faster and faster. The walls begin to rust, covered in all matter of human fluid, blood, and gore. The gurney slips slightly as the wheels squish over the gruesome substances below. 

The hum of no doubt some large machine grows louder, it sounds almost like the groan of the tortured.

What was only a minute felt like hours in the face of it all, but soon the gurney burst through a door and into a pitch black room. The camera pans to the red glowing sign above it -- ОПЕРАЦИЯ БӨЛМЕСІ -- All noise stops.

A light flickers on, illuminating Mutsumi with his surprisingly composed expression. Now, he’s on a different medical table, this time even more restrained with even more belts holding back his every limb and extremity. The concerning realization that his “doctors,” the bears, are nowhere to be seen behind to sink in. No other noise permeates the room, aside from a slowly quickening heartbeat and the sound of Mutsumi’s own breathing - the only thing he can see is his own reflection in a dirty mirror above their head.

SNAP, a distinctly elastic noise shatters the silence within the room.

"---Who is it today." A flat, bored, voice breaks the silence. The voice is familiar... That's...

In the overhead mirror, you see her, Chizuru Madaraki. Or, at least, a convincing replica in the dim light. 

"There’s nothing left to do for this one, it’s already dead. But-- before we dispose of this, let us do some quick tests to be certain we’ve exhausted every option available...”

Chizuru snaps, and the room now fully alights… Revealing that the room was nothing like what it appeared to be. The operating room looked cartoonish, like a pediatricians version of an operating room less than the dingy run down hospital before. Gone is anything dark and rusty, only round, nonthreatening, pastel as far as the eyes can see. Happy posters dot the wall reminding the audience that ‘it’s flu season and you should be getting your annual shots’ plastered next to hearts and smiley faces. Even the belts holding Mutsumi down look comfortable and plush. Then, there was the mad doctor herself… donning an outfit you would have most definitely never seen her wear while she was alive, a puffy idol-esque nurse outfit. 

Her head cranes and it’s as if she’s looking right at you all through the screen.

“I see we have viewers at home, how splendid.” A cheesy sound effect of a group of children cheering plays as a banner flashes beneath her face announces that you’ve tuned into “Dr. Madaraki’s Fun Scientifically Accurate Corner”.

"This week, you'll all be witnessing this state of the art procedure, perfected by none other than yours truly! What will we be curing?” Chizuru her chin. “Ohoho-- Only mankind's most poignant problem. Shall you guess? I'll give you one hint! There would be no suffering, no pain, and we would all live in a utopia if this procedure was only standardized----" She holds a hand up to her ear, expectant on a round of astute guesses - oh, could they know? Would they be so smart as to call it out?

….

"--Quiet, as expected. But my generosity is overflowing today so I shall share with you... It's the vaccine which removes our capacity for MURDER! Can you believe Kazakhstan -- greatest country in the world -- has become the first to produce such a thing? Hahaha- of course, not without my sweat and blood going into it-- Quite literally!!"

"But now, the main event! In less than two minutes, watch as this unfortunate pile of waste will be reformed - born anew - finally of use to society!" The face of your classmate who’d almost never smiled once broke out into a blissful grin, pleased with her own work.

“--NURSES!” Chizuru called, and a gaggle of multicolored bears scrambled into the room played to cartoon sound effects as they pushed in carts with medical trays containing operating tools that look right out of a play-pretend kit.

“It’s operation time.” 

Before you had time to brace yourself, Chizuru now gripped in her hands those same plastic medical tools of varying purpose, stained bright with no doubt her previous patients blood as she loomed over Mutsumi.

"-Anya" Brr Brrp "-Play my favorite." Brr Brrp. "Playing Your Favorite, Anara!"

[PLAYING: Meniñ Qazaqstanım - Kazakh National Anthem]

Chizuru raises her hands, and at this angle all you can see are her deft, quick, chaotic ministrations onto her victim, timed perfectly to the orchestral epic highs and lows of her motherland’s anthem. Rather than a display of guts and gore, bright colorful fluids splash about and all noise is replaced by cartoonish bonks and slams - the feed peppered with more strange and upbeat overlays like stickers in a coloring book. The longer you look the more things seem to warp into a stylized and oversaturated version of reality all up until the feed warps.

What you thought was the live video, becomes a small square at the side of the screen, and now you’re greeted with a small white room where another Chizuru sits. A normal, regular, at least for now, Chizuru Madaraki sitting in a small black medical chair with a clipboard as if she’s about to answer a press conference.

“Forgive me for the superfluous lies earlier. I’m a woman of my word, so it should be known that for all intents and purposes, no vaccine exists which cures humanity of it’s darkest problem. However, there is a barbaric, yet highly effective alternative treatment…” Chizuru tilts her head, and another video feed appears beneath the chaotic and colorful mess you’d been focused on.

It’s another Mutsumi… But strapped into an electric chair. “What you’re seeing now is the product of excess activity in the frontal lobe caused by generous over-stimulation by shocks. Interesting how the patient's own biases come into play here, isn’t it?” She leaves you with a moment of silence before her final words. “This, is the only known cure for a murderer.”

The switch flips, the sound of machinery whirring to life, a moment of tension from Mutsumi, an electric buzzing, and then, as you watch the heart monitor and brain reader spike erratically--

--the feed seems to cut out, turning black for a moment before displaying a final message.

“Medical Disclaimer: The research of Anara Ibrayeva is highly disputed, untested, and unproven. Any advice given on this program should be held with scepticism and is not guaranteed fact. We do not recommend that patients looking to rid themselves of unpleasant thoughts apply shock to any region of their body. If you’re feeling as if you’re a danger to yourself or others, please call a medical professional.”

Mutsumi Morishibe has been Executed.

[nebulawriter]

Annhilation

This is as close to a Changeling: The Lost movie as we’re ever going to get, isn’t is?

Overview: Smart movie, I probably want to watch it exactly once more to try and figure out some details, but it’s definitely more of a think-y movie than a sit-down-and-enjoy-stuff movie. But it IS imaginitive, visually stunning, thematically cohesive, and...a little horrifying. Like. More horrifying than I am traditionally comfortable with. 

Note: this review turned more film analysis-ish than even I intended, so I apologize to those on mobile.

Like, as much of a sci-fi nerd as I am, sci fi horror stuff is almost always too much for me. I just can’t handle the gore and jump scares. Because of this, I don’t have INCREDIBLE experience with this kinda genre stuff, so I don’t have a good measuring stick to judge this as well. 

In fact, I MIGHT have not seen this one all together if it weren’t for a) the all-lady cast, b) Tessa Thompson c) the weird shiny fantasy look to everything and d) I have moviepass now and it doesn’t cost me any extra to go to it. 

I think I should do brief summary in case you’re reading this without seeing it for some reason, but uh, SPOILERS. Lena is a former soldier turned biology professor whose husband stayed in the military and went MIA (arguably KIA) about a year ago. And she’s not over it. Then, *GASP* he comes home, but he’s super out of it and sick, and he and she are both immediately captured by weird agents. There, a psychologist named Ventress shows her the Shimmer, a place off the coast that’s changing weird stuff, and no matter what they send in, nothing comes out. Except Lena’s husband Kane. She meets a team of cool lady scientists who are going in, and signs up, hoping to find a cure for her husband. They go in, there’s weird mind-fuckery, there is constant debate over if this is really happening or if they’re going insane, Lena finds clues left by her husband, 2 people get eaten by a bear, one person....turns into a tree I think? And finally they reach the lighthouse, the center of the incidents. Dr, Ventress explodes?ish? and then theres a LOOOOOT of mindfuckery, and I think I get like....60% of it? but, in the end, the lighthouse gets burned down and the shimmering stops. Kinda. 

So! Annhilation. I’m going to go broad and whittle down for the review, going from themes into characters and plot. Annhilation is about one particular concept really that, like all good sci-fi, is over-exaggerated into the fantastical. Today’s concept is Self-Destruction. Specifically this gets focused onto cancer and suicide, and both of these themes are sot of....mutated together, not unlike the creatures in this film. I know it wasn’t but I really hope the shark-crocodile was in the pitch for this movie, like “It’s a think piece movie with a mutant shark crocodile. Money please.”

See, there’s a weird thing about Self-destruction, mirrored in this film, of, is it outside forces, or was it internal, something inside you? And that is the question this movie continues to pose, is the cause internal, or external? 

Now lets look at the characters. The team, minus Lena, was chosen because they all had issues in their lives, and so were not going to be too terrible to lose in the likely event they died going into the shimmer, just like all the previous teams were chosen (this is important)

We’ll go in death-order, starting with Cass, and....kinda Anya. Cass clearly lost a daughter to Leukimia. There’s a story in here that I don’t know if I just caught onto subtext, or missed the reveal, but I’m 70% sure her partner at the time was in fact Anya, (Anya’s canonically wlw, Cass mocks her for hitting on Lena, maybe a bit too passive aggressively, Anya was most distressed by Cass’s death) Now, Anya’s problem was drinking and drugs, likely taken up after their daughter’s death. Through that, Cass left her, and now they’re on this mission together, and likely going to die. So there we have, self destruction before now. Their daughter’s death: External, outside of their control. Anya’s drinking, though, is her choice, how she chose to handle it: Internal. Cass leaving Anya, leaving them both completely alone: Internal. Kind of. 

Cass’s fear she talked about with Lena, getting her to choose to come out first when Lena and Ventress sense trouble. Internal, her choice, almost, but a reasonable one. The bear eating her, obviously External. 

Then, Anya becomes a villain of the piece, blaming Lena for Cass’s death. Internal choice, she suspects Lena, going through her things. External, she finds out Lena HAS been lying about her connection to the soldier Kane, and could very well have gone insane and been the one to kill Cass. Internal choice: She ties up her teammates, trying to determine if they’re crazy, but now we have an interesting pickle, don’t we. Are they crazy, or is SHE crazy for tying them up. 

In my opinion, neither, while they’re all under enormous amounts of stress, and their bodies are LITERALLY changing, it doesn’t seem to be having a direct influence on their sanity. there is logic in Anya’s actions, and Lena’s and everyone’s. but it just...clashes in traumatic ways. 

Finally, Anya hears Cass’ voice. External. She goes to chase it. Internal. It’s actually a horrifying bear monster that eats her. External. 

Moving onto Josie. In a team full of scientists, she’s the nerd, which is sweet, but she’s also overly shy and doesn’t much speak up. Cass informs Lena, and us, that she has self-harm scars on her arms. This is pretty clear-cut (pun not intended I swear) self-destruction. But Cass also states, she wasn’t trying to kill herself. She was trying to live. 

We’re never given a reason for Josie’s self-harm, but...and here’s where it gets a bit personal....as someone who’s struggled with self-harm in the cutting sense, I get it. It’s not about wanting to die. It’s trying to find something to live for. 

Josie throughout the film doesn’t feel like she has that, which is why she’s chosen for the assignment. 

Her fate is the....least clear, though its heavily implied she turns into one of the plant people, a statue. In this sense, she gets to live. She chooses this fate, in some ways, choosing to become part of the shimmering world rather than die in it like Cass and Anya. I think. There’s also her decision to save Lena by killing the weird demon bear, an internal choice, which I’m guessing plays into that, but. thats a bit more detailed for me. 

Now, Dr. Ventress. Ventress is the psychologist who’s been sending people into the shimmer, choosing people who fit the profile of nothing to lose, choosing them, and sending each and every one of them to die. Internal choice, causing extreme guilt. Then, she gets cancer. Sort of an external force. Kinda. Cancer is a weird disease, really. It’s not something attacking you, going in, ripping out your guts and destroying you. No, it’s...it’s you. Its your body, just....making more of itself, doing it’s job to keep you living, but it works overtime, taking over the REST of your body, until it destroys itself. Its a scary condition Hollywood LOVES to use, because it is TERRIFYING and REAL to the general public. Almost everyone knows someone whose had some type of cancer. For me, my mother had Thyroid cancer, and to this day, I am at risk of that from having genes with her, not to mention having ovarian cysts that could turn into cancer if I don’t monitor it and control it. You wanna know how they confirm and monitor your ovarian cysts? Its Not. Pleasant. Everyone has seen the way Cancer destroys lives, and if I were to put money on it, I’d guess one or multiple of the creators of this movie has seen it too. 

Anyway, VENTRESS. She’s going to die no matter what, so she decides to lead this exposition and find the cause of all this craziness thats been killing the people she chooses. Internal choice. She pushes onward, no matter the deaths of her comrades until she reaches the lighthouse.

And then. Weird. Fucking. Shit. Happens. She...finds the source of all this...ish. An alien comet. Kind of. And she says it’s....inside her...the annhilation. AND THEN SHE FUCKING EXPLODES. AND IMPLODES. Sort of both? A light comes out of her and she like...is made into this fiery ball of changing cells and. I don’t. What the fuck. 

*ahem* whatever the fuck that was, I think a combination of implosion and explosion kinda ties back to internal vs external cause pretty decently. 

Now, Kane and Lena. At the beginning, we’re shown that they had a wonderful marriage, full of smiles and happiness. But....later through flashbacks we’re shown...not necessarily so great. Kane is gone a lot on assignment. This leads Lena to having an affair. Kane finds out and gets assigned to the shimmer assignment. So is it Lena’s fault Kane went? Kane’s fault for Lena’s affair? In the end, neither of them, of course, are fully capable of the other’s actions, but, there’s a contributing factor. Internal choices combined with External forces. 

We only see clips of Kane’s mission, film he left behind. In the first film, what I think happens because I couldn’t watch all of it, was him cutting open one of his teammates, right in the stomach. Once it’s open, we see....something....moving inside the man. Anya’s convinced it’s a trick of the light, and that Kane went insane. While it’s true that he never explains himself, like I said, beyond stress we don’t see much indication that these people are “crazy” or hallucinating or anything. The man being cut doesn’t scream, he knows what’s going to happen. Kane and the other living soldier are Concerned. More likely, they were getting footage of what was moving in him as data, data that later teams could hopefully find. 

Now as for what the thing WAS??? I’m not sure. Partially because I was COVERING MY EYES CAUSE A GUY WAS BEING CUT OPEN but partially because I think it could be one of 2 things: 1, a snake that had got inside him (external) or 2, his LITERAL ORGANS coming to life (internal)

Lena makes similar observations. She samples her own blood, seeing that it’s being mutated. She convinces Anya and Josie to keep pushing ahead, both for logical reasons, and somewhat tricking them, because she still hasn’t found what she wants: answers about what happened to her husband. And oh she gets them. Back to the trippy finale. 

See, she finds a tape of Kane blowing himself up. On this tape he shows far more signs of mental instability, but that makes sense as its then shown that the man behind the camera? Also Kane. A duplicate of him, specifically. The duplicate’s existence seems to cause Kane’s distress, causing him to doubt himself. External force. But he blows up the grenade. Internal choice. Here we come to the suicide aspect. Was it really too much to handle? He professed his love to Lena in the end, so did her affair influence his choice? It certainly caused the duplicate to come to her. 

Finally, Lena gets a duplicate made of herself, after Ventress explode/implodes. It mimics her...imperfectly. She attacks it, it attacks her. Not to mention she passes out several times in the fight, so we, the audience, lose track of her. whenever it 

And in the CLEAREST METAPHOR FOR SELF DESTRUCTION I’ve ever seen Lena (?) EXPLODES HER DUPLICATE. Like???? do I need to explain that one???

Okay now onto the murky ending. Kane is suddenly better! but he says...he doesn’t think he’s Kane, preeetty much confirming he’s the alien created duplicate. And Lena....Lena doesn’t say if she’s the duplicate or the real one. I don’t think she knows. And while the change in her eyes would indicate, no, she’s the duplicate....I’m less sure. Is she Lena, affected and changed by the alien? Or the alien, affected and changed by Lena? Does it matter?

Oh but we’re not done yet. Now, for the last character, who I’m dubbing “Annhilation.” It’s the alien, the cause, the sci-fi part of this film. The alien is....cancer, on the land, almost directly. The comet hits the lighthouse. External force. But....

As “Lena” Says at the end, it....it doesn’t destroy, not really. It changes. It changes what was already there. It mimics, imperfectly. The WORLD is self-destructing itself, the comet is just....the catylyst. like Cancer. It’s your own cells that are actually being destructive.

In the end, Loxam smiles after Lena finishes telling her story. “So, it was aliens.” as if that answers everything. 

And...yes? but it wasn’t....trying to kill. It...started something in the world and killed itself. “What did it want” Loxam asked. Self-Destruction is not that simple. Like, it changed things but...all the destruction, REAL destruction, was either self-inflicted (Kane) or inflicted from the beasts in the world (the bear and crocodile)

Self harm....in any of it’s forms.....is strange. It goes against out biological functions, but....it also goes with them. It doesn’t make logical sense, it never has. But there’s only one way to get through it, if at all possible. It’s how Kane, fake or not, got back. And How Lena got back. 

The others, all of them, had nothing to live for. They were WILLING to be possibly killed on this mission, thats why they were chosen. Lena, though, Lena had a goal. She wanted to get out, She wanted to save her husband. She had something to live for.

I do have a negative thing about this showing of self harm, or....i don’t know, maybe a thing I’m not clear on. All throughout, destruction is...made beautiful. sorta. Bodies are arranged in patterns, plants grow out the sides of crumbled buildings and...i don’t know....how I feel about that.....I just. I don’t know. 

ANYWAY in conclusion, very well done movie, if a bit confusing at times, Glad one of the poc didn’t die first, though was sad the lesbians also died. though. They kinda all died. so. at least we got the representation at all? 

So yeah. Sorry for the book report, but I hope it was mildly entertaining?

[hella-ubiquitous]

Clexa Fic Rec

(Because we don’t have enough of them already)

Okay clexakru, I know we already have a whole master list and everything but I decided to make one because I noticed that some other fic recs are full of ones that I’ve already read. There are A LOT of recommendations so be prepared. I’ve rated them from one * to five ***** and added the author’s summary below the title. The rating of the fic is in brackets, the status of the story is in parenthesis, and the amount of chapters is also in brackets. I’ve added trigger warnings if they are needed. Some are very recent and some are not, the word count is not always correct and neither is the status due to the fact that there are so many. You can check them out under the cut : )

CANON/ ROLE REVERSAL

The Taste of War and Heartache by thefooliam [Mature] (Ongoing- 36,723 Words) {4 Chapters} ****

After saving the world for the last time, Clarke Griffin finds herself bitter and angry and grieving for more than just the woman she lost.That’s until she finds a map that might possibly lead her to the answers she’s been looking for.It’s a suicide mission. A fool’s errand. She’s almost certainly going to lose her life in the process.Except Clarke has nothing left to lose and, even if she did, she doesn’t care anyway. (TW: Alcohol addiction) 

what the ground grows by coldmackeral [Mature] (Complete- 25,656 Words) {5/5 Chapters} ****

There is nothing a little bedrest and irony can’t cure. Lexa is sure the only thing that heals Clarke’s mind and keeps her heart thumping against her ribs is an ill-advised amount of the first and a frustrating amount of the second. But Clarke has never been anything less than ill-advised and frustrating. If anybody will survive a hole in their brain, Lexa is sure it will be Clarke. (At Heda’s expense, of course.)

Beneath the Betrayal by talentedgemx [Mature] (Ongoing- 212,332 Words) {20 Chapters} *****

Beneath the Betrayal is set right after the end of series two this explores the relationship between Clarke and Lexa and whether anything could possibly be salvaged in the aftermath of the mountain. Lots of angst, darkness and soul searching for both characters as well as the drama and danger that awaits them in leading their people against new threats. Budding romance & interactions with other characters. Very NSFW in later chapters. This doesn’t follow s3 at all guys except for how Polis looks and it has the Nightbloods, and Titus doesn’t exist. This is going to be long and I hope to deliver a story worthy of how Clexa should have been.

Before Words, Beyond Silence by natkate [Mature] (Complete- 173,287 Words) {24/24 Chapters} [Part of the ongoing Before Words, Beyond Silence series] ****

Clarke Griffin is rudely taken from her cell in the middle of the night only to be forced into a room with the man she hates the most - the man who floated her father - Thelonius Jaha.He then informs her that she will be sent to Earth almost immediately to determine whether or not the ground is survivable again in the hopes of saving their people from certain doom. Alone.On top of it all, the fate of 98 other adolescent prisoners rests on her succeeding in this mission. In other words: she’s screwed. Before she knows it, she’s hurtling towards the planet at top speed with no control over the contraption that’s presumably carrying her to her death.After she somehow manages to survive the crash landing, she finds herself alone in unknown lands struggling to fight through the pain of her extensive injuries.Only, she’s not alone. Far from it, in fact.Who are these strange inhabitants whose language is so different from her own? Why does she get the feeling she’s just walked into a much bigger problem than the one she left behind on the Ark? More importantly: how is she going to survive? (TW: Torture) 

The Girl Who Kissed Saturn by Puntrest [Explicit] (Complete- 61,601 Words) {13/13 Chapters} ****

AU where a long lost space station originally located near the edge of the solar system floats back into Earth’s orbit after 97 years of total isolation. The Ark attempts to absorb this self-sustaining station, along with its invaluable resources and its strange people. The two societies quickly find themselves on the brink of war as both refuse to give up their political authority. On Clarke Griffin’s eighteenth birthday, she is released from juvenile lockup and is finally able to meet the descendants of the forgotten Trikru Research Outpost.

Knife Edge by crazywisdom [Mature] (Complete- 114,669 Words) {15/15 Chapters}****

Post 3x07. Lexa’s stuck between the world of the living and the world of the dead, where Anya wallows. As Clarke and Aden struggle to contain Arkadia’s internal battles and the external threat of Ontari’s Ice Nation, Lexa fights her past and the what-ifs to unravel the truth of the Flame and reclaim the Commander’s throne.

In the Shallows by blindwire [Teen] (Ongoing- 87,992 Words) {8 Chapters} ****

Raised for war and forged in fire, Clarke has vowed to be a leader for her people, to protect them and to make sacrifices so that they do not have to. This is what it means to be Commander and the spirit has chosen her for a reason.

(my) Destruction Within Your Mouth by KL_Morgan [Mature] (Ongoing- 114,162 Words) {18 Chapters} *****

Clarke loses: her head, her voice, her heart. (TW: Torture) 

this heart, fossilized and silent (once was tender and once was violent) by Chrmdpoet [Mature] (Complete- 171,154 Words) {35/35 Chapters} ******

Clarke is only three days into being a runaway when she realizes that she did not fully think this through. When she walked away from Camp Jaha, she took only herself, a handgun with limited ammunition, and the gnawing guilt inside her. Three days without food, water, fresh clothing, or bedding of any kind, however, and she is painfully aware of how foolish that decision had been. (One you really need to read if you haven’t) 

ark enemies, or something by BSnows [Teen] (Ongoing- 9,195 Words) {4 Chapters} **

“No,” Lexa calmly says, her eyes closed and her nostrils opening wide. She really doesn’t like to be disturbed when she’s meditating. “I’m totally not here, I’m walking around the Ark like the non-delinquent person I am. Please leave a message after the beep.” Lexa takes a deep breath and enjoys as she has a few seconds of peace.

“There wasn’t a beep,” Clarke says. Lexa breathes out.

 "Exactly.“

or Your typical Clexa AU where they despise each other and have sex in the end. Plus they’re in the Ark and they’re cell neighbors.

The World Has No Right to My Heart by usuallyproperlyhydrated [Teen] (Complete- 43,885 Words) {15/15 Chapters} ****

"Be careful with that one, love–she will do what it takes to survive.”

(Quote and title from “Burn” from Hamilton)

Lexa has been watching Clarke since the fall of the mountain and does everything in her power to convince her to come to Polis.

Four Walls // Clexa AU by perpetual_gayness [Teen] (Ongoing- 24,398 Words) {10 Chapters} ***

There are very few things one can do within the confines of the same four walls… turns out falling in love is one of them.

Through the Looking Glass by RhinoMouse [Mature] (Ongoing- 114,303 Words) {19/22 Chapters} *****

Clarke was born the youngest of her class of night bloods. No one expected her to win her conclave. Lexa is a guard cadet and the daughter of Marcus and Abby Kane. After taking the fall for a crime she didn't commit she's sent to the ground as part of a group of a hundred prisoners. Or our version of the role reversal fic.

Waking in Winter by natkate [Unrated] (Ongoing- 20,757 Words) {3 Chapters} *****

In the wake of Clarke Griffin finally coming of age in Queen Nia's army, she is chosen to accompany the queen's caravan on an unprecedented visit to the capitol city of Polis - upon the whisper of rumor or yet another mind game, Clarke can't be sure.

Regardless, Clarke is met with a number of unexpected twists as the very city, itself, threatens to challenge everything she'd ever known about the world around her.

OR

AU where Clarke is an Ice Nation warrior in Nia's army who stumbles into a pre-Coalition Polis and causes trouble, as usual. Oh, and Skaikru isn't a thing in this story.

Grounded by AndiLand (AndiMarquette) [Mature] (Complete- 511,076 Words) {75/75 Chapters} ***

Clarke Griffin has been on her own for three months after pulling the lever at Mt. Weather. Battling ghosts and the pain from Lexa's betrayal at the mountain, she nevertheless has to return to Arkadia to warn Sky Crew of a threat from Ice Nation and the power-hungry Nia, who maneuvers on several fronts to install herself as Commander and rule all Grounder clans. But a new danger presents itself--one that will force a reckoning with an old foe--and Clarke and Lexa will have to work together to forge a stronger alliance as the winds of war swirl from Polis to Arkadia. Both understand the growing dangers and the peril hidden in alliances, but neither counted on the depth of the connection between them.

when my heart is at war by mopeytropey (scriptmanip) [Mature] (Complete- 55,297 Words) {4/4 Chapters} [Part of the ongoing when my heart is at war series] ***

Lexa is primed for great leadership and will not be deviated from her agenda.

Clarke is driven by her insatiable curiosity and is not easily deterred.

There is plenty at work to drive them apart, but the strength of their combined determination will change the course of an entire civilization.

The Shadow by Clexa1205 [Mature] (Ongoing- 121,822 Words) {23 Chapters} **** [TW: Torture, Gore]

Clarke has been on her own for three weeks after Mount Weather when she is captured and brought to Queen Nia. She is forced to serve the Ice Queen and spends almost two years training to become one of the coalitions top assassins before she is brought to Polis, as a member of Azgeda, to take part in the annual Summit. Nia tries to use Clarke's skills as an assassin, and her relationship with Lexa to give herself the opportunity to take control of the coalition. Clarke tries to find a way to break free of Nia's control. She tries to navigate her relationships with everyone she cares about while trying to break free from Nia, but until then, she serves the Ice Queen and is as ruthless as she needs to be. Nia uses everything she's got to make Lexa suffer, and uses Clarke's status as Wanheda to her advantage over the other clans. Nia will do whatever it takes for power, and Clarke and her friends will do whatever it takes to stop her.

Ice’s Champion by dragonfruity [Teen] (Ongoing- 22,924 Words) {4 Chapters} ***

When the Dropship lands, it becomes painfully obvious that there has been a slight mishap.

Slight mishap (noun): a rather unfortunate scenario in which the corrupt idiots on the Ark send the Delinquents 50 miles north of their target, into the heart of cold, barren, miserable Azgeda territory, rather than the lush forest overflowing with unicorns and rainbows they were promised. Whoops.

General Clarke and the Delinquents - those remaining after five years of toil and hardship climbing Azgeda's ranks - are tasked with appeasing the Commander in Polis on the eve of what could very quickly dissolve into an inter-Coalition civil war between their two clans. As she struggles to navigate the murky waters between Azgeda and the Commander's fiery rage, Clarke must hide her true goal: Dethrone Nia and reclaim Azgeda. But now, the Commander is an unknown variable. Will she aid Clarke in her coup, or remain loyal to the Coalition... and Nia?

AKA

The badass version of Romeo and Juliet, minus the sad ending, plus a whole lot of gay.

Lightning Only Strikes Once by fiona_249 [Mature] (Complete- 307,941 Words) {134/134 Chapters} *****

Consumed by grief, Clarke climbs Lexa's tower, not really thinking through what she plans to do. But any plans get taken away when she's struck by lightning, mysteriously transporting her back to before any of it happens.

Back in her cell on the Ark, Clarke remembers exactly what went wrong - and mysteriously, so does Lexa among her people on the ground. Between the two of them, can they get back to each other? Can they find a way to save both of their people and themselves? Or is the hatred surrounding them too strong?

[Be sure to keep an eye out for the comic!]

MODERN 

Into the Storm by anddirtyrain and mmeister911 [Mature] (Ongoing- 63,856 Words) {9 Chapters}**

This is ‘Into The Storm’ with Lexa Forrest, welcome and hold on.

Lexa is a stormchaser (though she prefers the term ‘researcher’) and her Discovery Channel show just keeps getting bigger and bigger. She grew up dreaming about studying the sky, and at 28 she’s at the cusp of her career, reporting to her adoring fanbase all about the indomitable forces of nature. There’s no time for anything -or anyone- else.Clarke is a stormchaser (she has as much tattooed over her ribs) for the local Action News. Whip smart and committed to her research, she lives for the thrill every time the sky thunders. But breaking thru at 26 in the industry has her constantly trying to push the envelope, running straight into danger to get that perfect shot.Their field of work is small, and their clashing rivalry inevitable and fierce. But Clarke and Lexa are about to realize what they feel for each other can be just as strong and unpredictable as the storms they chase.

Earned It by assassinslover [Mature] (Ongoing- 21,177 Words) {12 Chapters} **

Lexa’s too enraptured by the paint splattered girl before her to care that said paint is also all over her favourite – formerly white – shirt. So enraptured, even, that it takes her way too long to notice the distraught look on the other girl’s face and the ruined canvas in her hands.Lexa, a dancer and a business major, offers to help Clarke re-do her ruined final project.

your hand in mine by geralehane [Mature] (Complete- 59,989 Words) {14/14 Chapters} [Part of the ongoing gdau series] *****

Clarke’s father is put on life support, and becoming Lexa Woods’s girlfriend is her last chance at paying his bills. It was supposed to be about money. Insensitive, immoral, impersonal. She was never supposed to fall in love with her.

Online Lifeline by ToriWritesStories [Mature] (Complete- 96,149 Words) {26/26 Chapters} ****

For Clarke, the universe of Twitter is a home, a place where she can be herself without the expectations of her friends and parents, and she keeps it secret for that reason. However, she isn’t expecting to meet a couple of people whom she begins to become pretty good friends with, and she definitely doesn’t expect to meet Lexa. And Lexa, who is on Twitter really only because her best friend Raven demands it be so, isn’t even interested in online friendships at all. That is, until she starts talking to Raven’s new friend “C” on Twitter, and finds herself captivated.

A Series of Avoidable Events by toolateintheday [Mature] (Ongoing- 165,213  Words) {22 Chapters} ****

Clarke Griffin works for renowned advertising company, Trikru Incorporated. She’s coasting through life, unsure of what she truly wants to do and settling for mediocrity. Its not her dream job but it pays the bills. It’s comfortable, familiar and what she needs. All that changes when the company bring in Lexa Woods, a new visionary, with the aim to shake things up. Clarke finds her entire existence unsettled by the arrival of her new boss who is as intriguing as she is intimidating. Can they put aside their differences and work together?

Something’s Electric In Your Blood by orangeyouglad8 [Mature] (Ongoing- 40,923 Words) {21 Chapters} ***

“You know, if you keep shocking me I might regret running off the train and giving you back your scarf.” It’s teasingly light and Clarke wonders if this girl can see the humor in her eyes and the smirk on her lips.

“Who says you’re not the one shocking me?” The slightest tilt of pouty lips.Clarke’s heart skips a beat, her lips already moving to continue the game. The banter. “I guess we’ll never know.”

The 300 by Bucklethorpe [Mature] (Complete- 66,305 Words) {16/16 Chapters} *****

Clarke just managed to burn 300 of Lexa's finest spruces.

Head Over Boots by cornchipmeteor [Mature] (Complete- 143,569 Words) {11/11 Chapters} *****

Clarke knew she had a lot to learn when she agreed to work on Woods Ranch. What she didn’t know was that, in addition to horseback riding and cattle corralling, she’d be learning about love.Lexa had zero tolerance for her new, inexperienced ranch hand Clarke, but she soon discovered that maybe life should be about more than just running the ranch. There’s humor! There’s conflict! There’s cute, fluffy cows! There’s even a happy ending!! Dual POV, because I can never choose just one.

Bend For Me by heyjayyay [Mature] (Complete- 123,746 Words) {23/23 Chapters} *****

Sloppy, Fratboy!Clarke lives with Octavia, who drags her to her yoga class one day. Clarke is the shit. She knows it. She’s cocky and doesn’t take crap from anyone, doesn’t bend for anybody, and refuses to break. Until now. AKA the one where Clarke thinks she’s smooth, but Lexa is smoother. Yoga AU (TW: Non-consensual touching/kissing)  

Be the Lightning in Me by proudlyyours [Mature] (Ongoing- 121,904 Words) {11/14 Chapters} *****

Clarke Griffin was probably one of the most annoying people that Lexa had ever met. Something about her irritated Lexa as soon as she first laid eyes on her. Perhaps it was the fact that she’d only appeared at Arkadia University two months ago but she’d already made friends with more people than Lexa had spoken to in her entire school career. Maybe it was that she laughed a little too loudly while their professor was talking, drawing more eyes to her, Lexa’s included. Perhaps it was because that laugh was actually one of the prettiest things Lexa had ever heard.

When Clarke showed up for her first shift at the bar that Lexa had been enjoying working at since the beginning of the semester, Lexa wasn’t happy. She’d spent months being distracted by Clarke in their shared class but Clarke didn’t even recognise Lexa stood in the bar in front of her.

Of course she didn’t.

i built a home for you, for me (held on as tightly as you held onto me) by coat [Teen] (Complete- 37,627 Words) {4/4 Chapters} ***

As Lexa walks past, giving the dog a wide berth, she spots a figure beside it. A girl with braided blonde hair stretches out on the park bench, fingers tangled in the dog’s thick fur. She frowns softly. Usually the homeless people Lexa sees are older males with scruffy beards, tugging shopping carts filled with cans. But this girl on the bench, her golden hair streaming over her back, looks so out of place that Lexa almost stops. Most homeless tend to stay near the city, yet here she is, in the middle of the forest.

You See the Smile That’s On My Mouth (it’s hiding the words that don’t come out) by heartshapedcandy [Teen] (Complete- 48,677 Words) {4/4 Chapters} ****

It takes Clarke and Lexa about five seconds to fall in love, but it takes them way too long to realize it. This is that way-too-long.ora story in which Clarke and Lexa kiss too much and communicate too little. 

still home by solinasolina [Unrated] (Complete- 49,338 Words) {8/8 Chapters} ***

Abby placed the package on the ground and took a step forward. There was a strong sense of familiarity coming from the young woman in front of her, but she just couldn’t quite figure out where from. She raised an eyebrow, “Have we met before?”

Lexa nodded immediately. “I use to live next door.” She points to her childhood home, “My parents–”Abby goes wide-eyed as she realised who was standing in front of her, 

“Alexandria Woodson?!” she cut in.

“It’s just Lexa Woods now,” she smiled. “But yeah…”

You’re Fired (So Yeah You Win) by LaFlashdrive [Explicit] (Complete- 108,333 Words) {14/14 Chapters} ***

The one where Clarke draws Lexa’s name for the office Secret Santa, not knowing Lexa is the President of the company she works for. The gag gift she gets her is a bit… unconventional. A dildo. It’s a dildo.

Lover In Low Light by Chrmdpoet [Mature] (Complete- 85,157 Words) {? Chapters} *****

“You’re never going to love anyone the way you loved her. That kind of love, it only happens once in a lifetime, so if you’re waiting to feel that way again, I think you’re always going to be waiting.“or Five years after their relationship’s end, college sweethearts Lexa and Clarke find themselves in the same city again. Now, they are different people with different lovers and different lives, but neither ever fully let the other go. Will what they once had still be all they are looking for, or is it finally time to truly let go and move on? 

[DELETED: It was publicated] 

Southern Constellations by Themickeysays [Mature] (Complete- 55,549 Words) {12/12 Chapters} **

After they stop laughing Clarke blurts out, “It must be fate. It’s written in the stars somewhere for us to meet.”

Lexa just raises an eyebrow at her.

“What you don’t believe in fate? Or look to the stars?,” she asks in what’s supposed to be an ominous voice. 

OR Lexa needs a ride home and Clarke needs some company to put off going home. What happens when these two strangers decide to ride down to the south from NYU? Hint: Gay Things™ OR The clexa roadtrip au where they are so extra making a 13 hour trip last 10 days, and manage to change their lives forever.

something broke by lexasforehead [Mature] (Incomplete- 63,457 Words) {21/22 Chapters} ****

“Ready to lose butt chin?” taunted Lexa.

“I’m actually saving that spot for you, forehead.” Clarke retorted.

You’ve Got Mail (She Loves Me) by orangeyouglad8 [Teen] (Complete- 50,210 Words) {30/30 Chapters} ****

What happens when big, bad, Fox Books opens up around the corner from the small, hipster, Arkadia Books? A Clexa spin on the classic You’ve Got Mail. Business rivals turned…?

The Three Truths by transientpermanence [Teen] (Complete- 74,485 Words) {17/17 Chapters} *****

It was always easy, until it wasn’t. [DELETED, but was reposted somewhere else, and it was not posted by the author but credit was given.]

In Our Own World by bouj525 [Mature] (Complete- 124,555 Words) {13/13 Chapters} [TW: Mentions of self-harm and attempted suicide] **

Lexa missed Clarke like one missed their favorite song after becoming deaf. Clarke missed Lexa like one missed their favorite color after becoming blind. Or The travel-the-world, online meeting, somehow long distance relationship AU.

Pie In the Sky by Lingering Lilies [Mature] (Complete- 46,874 Words) {13/13 Chapters} [TW: Domestic abuse] **

Trapped in a small town, dead-end waitressing job, and a loveless marriage, Clarke Griffin finds herself faced with an unwanted pregnancy. She finds solace only in her gift for baking pies and the company of a young doctor named Lexa Woodward.

Turning Down and Turning On Clarke Griffin by proseoflife [Teen] (Complete- 18,628 Words) {13/13 Chapters} ***

Clarke gets set up on a blind date. What she didn’t expect was to fall in love that same night. How many times can Clarke Griffin get turned down, and turned on, before she says ‘fuck it’ and walks away?

Artists Love Better by cissarego [Explicit] (Complete- 58,894 Words) {17/17 Chapters} ***

Modern AU - Clarke is an artist and Lexa, a photographer. After a not so friendly first encounter, they find themselves intrigued with each other. A timid friendship starts to grow into something more. Are they ready for this? A bit of fluff, hints of angst and a lot of Clexa! :)

It’s For Your Own Good by trying [Mature] (Ongoing- 43,596 Words) {9 Chapters} [TW: Homophobia and abuse] ***

Clarke’s hands were trembling slightly and she wrung them anxiously in front of her as she entered the main room. Plastic chairs were set up in a loose semi-circle in the centre of the room, most of them already occupied by the other campers.

Gay campers. Some of them attractive gay girl campers.

Fuck. When Clarke gets sent to conversion therapy camp, she thought everything she knew was over. Turns out, life is just beginning.

Come With Me by ToriWritesStories [Mature] (Complete- 89,319 Words) {24/24 Chapters} [Part of the complete With Me series] *****

Clarke Griffin spontaneously decides to go to London for a few days, with the hope that she can escape the problems happening in her life, and by chance meets a nice temporary companion, Lexa. A photographer on a commission that’ll take her across north and central Europe, Lexa is adventurous and stunning and fills Clarke with an adrenaline that she hasn’t felt in a long time.

And well… things happen.

blood rush in the hazy glow by firetestsgold [Mature] (Complete- 65,052 Words) {10/10 Chapters} ****

“The locals aren’t fans of college kids. This is their neighborhood bar. They can get…territorial.” Clarke studies the girl who stopped the fight before it began. Leaning back in her chair in the back of the bar, she’s all dark hair and dark eyeliner and dark alcohol. Clarke can see what he’s saying: the glare etched into her face is a clear warning for anyone who might step forward to her.But the vodka has thinned Clarke’s blood; she’s always been brazen and right now she can’t take that warning as anything less than a challenge.She grabs Octavia’s wrist and pulls her forward. “C’mon.”

Chemistry by class [Teen] (Ongoing one-shot collection- 17,227 Words) {7 Chapters} ****

"I’m going to set everything on fire."

A collection of Clexa one shots.

and we grow. by aos_skimmons [Teen] (Ongoing- 40,500 Words) {6/7 Chapters} ***

“I’m a mess,” Clarke says. You’re perfect, Lexa wants to say back. But instead, “No you’re not.” Clarke looks up then, giving Lexa a pointed look, as best as she can with already watery eyes.

“I’m pregnant, Lexa.”

This is the story of how two best friends raise a child together, and some how fall in love along the way.

Always You, Only You by zroe [Unrated] (Complete- 81,472 Words) {46/46 Chapters} [Part of the ongoing Imperfect series] **

Clarke and Lexa have been the best of friends for years, perhaps the closest of all in their group of friends. The connection, chemistry and comfort that they share is unmatched by any of their other friends. Everyone knows that when they’re both single things tend to happen between them. It’s a comfort thing. A no strings attached thing. A thing that they both silently understand. But do they really? They’re best friends who have the power to lift each other up, but also the power to tear each other down. What could possibly go wrong? There is one thing that will always be true - The one that brings out the best in you, will always be the one that can bring out the worst in you.

Note: If you’re looking for a quick Clexa fix, this might not be the story for you. These two dummies, will probably make you crazy.

After You by Chrmdpoet [Unrated] (Ongoing- 27,301 Words) {5 Chapters} ****

They grew up together in pieces, scattered here and there, like an unfinished puzzle. In moments, sometimes tender and sometimes turbulent. In both careful and careless connection.

They collided as two roads converging, two paths always intended to meet. [TW: Child abuse]

Cheap Thrills by ToriWritesStories [Mature] (Ongoing- 43,352 Words) {13 Chapters} ***

Clarke’s life is a mess: she hates her job, she’s always broke, she has a bad habit of having one night stands, and sometimes she drinks a little too much. Her best friends Octavia and Raven are getting all of their stuff together, and she’s being left behind. Somehow, she can’t manage to pull herself together, until she meets Raven’s new coworker Lexa, who happens to be everything she’s been missing.

a pleasant undoing by mopeytropey (scriptmanip) [Mature] (Complete- 104,225 Words) {12/12 Chapters} ****

Clarke is in denial. Octavia is grumpy. Lincoln is in love. Raven is awesome. Lexa is conflicted. 

And everyone is potentially too invested in good beer.

Conscious Lover by notreallystraight [Mature] (Complete- 40,797 Words) {11/11 Chapters} **

Clarke and Finn have been dating for eleven years now and she no longer knows the difference between loving and being in love.

OR

Clarke meets Lexa and her world gets twist-turned upside-down.

she’s got a way with words by commanderofraccoons [Teen] (Incomplete- 20,021 Words) {5/10 Chapters} **

“Excuse me,” a frustrated voice sighed into Clarke’s ear, “I need to get back to my place.”

Clarke turned around suddenly, feeling her cheeks redden as she took in the girl in front of her. Her brown hair was lazily tossed up in a bun, though no hairs seemed to be trying to escape the black elastic band. She was wearing a dark green shirt with Polis Park printed across it, and her matching shorts were high up her legs. 

Christ, her thigh muscles. 

or 

The “Clarke visits a nearby amusement park with her friends, and she ends up thirsting over the cute girl who works there” AU

A Flower’s Dare by Bee_Charmer [Mature] (Complete- 54,440 Words) {19/19 Chapters} ***

The day of her wedding, Clarke Griffin expected a great number of things. She expected to love her dress, to love being surrounded by those she cared about most. More than anything, Clarke expected her best friend so smile his brightest when he saw her coming down the aisle.

What she did not expect was to lock eyes with the beautiful florist who would completely change her life.

OR

The (loosely based) Imagine Me & You AU I couldn’t get out of my head.

And the rest is just typewritten by GoG (tarsbrain) [Teen] (7,679 Words) {Oneshot} **

A small sign hangs from the folding table reading ‘Stoic Poetry’ and Clarke can’t help but smile at the stranger’s presence at the market.

Or the one where Clarke is an artist with a booth at the downtown market, and Lexa and her typewriter make people cry with words.

It Takes As Long As It Takes by OForion4 [Teen] (Incomplete- 94,964 Words) {25 Chapters} *****

“Can you please just tell her this for me then? This one thing, and I’ll leave you alone. Please, Anya. Tell her I’ll wait for her every Sunday at 10 AM where we first met. Rain or shine, I’ll be there. Until she comes. To forgive me, or to tell me to stop because she’s moved on and found someone else and I’ve lost the best thing that’s ever happened to me. Please tell her that for me. Please.”

or

Modern AU where Clarke messes up and breaks Lexa’s heart. Clarke patiently waits for her every Sunday at the place they met, for 2 years, hoping to see those green eyes again. Will she come?

Astuary Queen by morningsound15 [Mature] (Ongoing- 17,748 Words) {2 Chapters} ****

Clarke snorted. “We get new doctors like every other month, O. This guy’s not gonna be any different.”

Octavia glared. “First of all, internalized misogyny, the new attending is a woman, not a man. Women can be doctors too,Clarke.” Clarke rolled her eyes, but Octavia soldiered on. “And secondly, did I already mention that she’s smoking hot? Because she is smoking hot. I heard Murphy talking about her with—”

Clarke scoffed. “Murphy’s a pig. He thinks everyone is hot.”

“I mean…” Octavia trailed off. “Well… yeah, duh, but I Googled her this morning and—” Octavia whistled under her breath, her eyes gleaming with teasing mirth. “I cannot state this enough, Princess. Doctor Woods is a fucking fox.”

Lion’s Roar by smallburrito [Mature] (Ongoing- 9,744 Words) {6 Chapters} **

Confronted with shocking truths about her past, Clarke Griffin has no choice but to run away. It just so happens she chooses the one week the circus is in town - and the rest is up to fate.

you’re my sunshine in the rain when it’s pouring (won’t you give yourself to me) by bearer_of_light [General Audiences] (Ongoing- 24,864 Words) {11 Chapters} ***

Clarke and Lexa are friends and have been friends for a very long time. What happens when one of them realizes they have feelings for the other?

Breathe For Me, Love by NightHeda [Mature] (Ongoing- 14,688 Words) {11 Chapters} *** [TW: Depression, Self-Harm, Mention of Self-Harm, Mention of Suicide Attempt, Mention of Suicide, Mental Health Issues]

Clarke is a patient in a psychiatric hospital and never in a million years would she have expected to meet the famous rockstar Lexa Woods there. And she isn't excited, either.

Or so she thought.

(Rated M, just in case.)

bang shui by AndiLand (AndiMarquette) [Unrated] (Complete- 215,743 Words) {30/30 Chapters} ****

Clarke Griffin is a med student at Polis University. She and Raven Reyes are roommates who just moved into an apartment closer to campus, but their neighbors have extremely loud marathon sexy times and Clarke is just not getting the rest she needs. She runs into one of the neighbors -- Lexa Woods, a grad/law student -- and tells her to please move her bed away from the wall. Which is embarrassing, yes, but anything could result from that type of conversation...

FAKE DATING/ ARRANGED MARRIAGE

i’ll try my best (how much do i invest?) by babytobin_horse [Unrated] (Complete- 26,007 Words) {6/6 Chapters} ****

Lexa can never say no to Clarke, and that’s the problem. (or: fake dating au)

We Were Pretending, and Then We Weren’t by aos_skimmons (Complete- 20,451 Words) {2/2 Chapters} **

Who knew a one-night stand could lead to a free trip to Alaska and a girlfriend.

Our Hearts (Have Minds of Their Own) by EffortlesslyOpulent [Mature](Complete- 103,319 Words) {15/15 Chapters} [Part of the ongoing Our Hearts series] *****

Clarke is NOT going back to another family reunion without a fake girlfriend to shut everyone up. Lexa, her neighbor and best friend, needs powerful clients like the Griffins for her up and coming business.How inconvenient that they accidentally fall head-over-heels for each other in the process. It’s a fake dating Rom-Com.

Cold Case by crazywisdom [Mature] (Complete- 38,409 Words) {8/8 Chapters} ***

Undercover cop AU: Once Wells Jaha is ratted out by a mole within the police force, DCI Anya decides it’s time to send two out in the field – Detectives Clarke Griffin and newcomer Detective Lexa Woods – to end this RED, Cage Wallace and Dr. Tsing business once and for all. Their covers? A loved-up lesbian couple.

the break upper by 100hearteyes [Mature] (Ongoing- 91,242 Words) {21/24 Chapters} ***

Clarke Griffin doesn’t have the most honourable job ever: she makes couples break up for a living. She unmasks the liars, the cheaters, and the deceivers. Marital justice, one might wishfully call it — and she gets paid for it. Clarke’s only rule: don’t fall in love with the target.alsoLexa Woods has the perfect life, with the perfect job, the perfect friends, and the perfect fiancé. Problem? Said fiancé is a man — and Lexa is kind of sort of totally a lesbian.

Bated Breath by thedeadflag [General Audiences] (Complete- 22,293 Words) {4/4 Chapters} ***

Clarke was counting down the hours until she’d achieved a hard-won month-long reprieve of driving Octavia to Lincoln’s, having been her best friend’s designated driver for months. But then she meets Lexa, manages to get them both into a mess, and ends up owing the woman a favor. Yet, Clarke still wouldn’t mind time slowing down a little bit for as long as Lexa’s with her A modern ‘Fake dating’ AU. 

Till Death Do Us Part by Stubborn_Teen [Mature] (Incomplete- 191,716 Words) {14 Chapters}  *****

“So you’re my bride to be? Not what I expected at all.” Clarke comments and Lexa didn’t know whether to be offended or flattered since Clarke was giving her a pretty curious look - nothing too sinister. 

“Alexandria was it? What kind of name is that?” Okay, Lexa was offended.

“You’re one to talk, Clarke.”

How To Lose Someone In 10 Days by Jaansche [Mature] (Complete- 103,268 Words) {16/16 Chapters} ***

Clarke Griffin is an artist and player who, to win against her best friend Raven, bets that she can make anyone fall in love with her in 10 days. Lexa Woods has been assigned to write an article on “How to Lose Someone in 10 days.”

My Heart For A Minute by MsDorisDaisy [Mature] (Complete- 166,909 Words) {22/22 Chapters} ****

Nine years after Jake’s tragic but heroic death, Clarke and Abby have finally gotten their lives back on track thanks to the unconditional love and support of family matriarch, Lillian Walters. As unfortunate as it seems for Clarke, she soon finds herself on the business end of her grandmother’s meddling when the aging woman adds a pre-death condition to her living will: Clarke will be gifted enough money to buy her own art gallery when she gets married to one Miss Alexandria Abigail Woods, the one girl in the world whom Clarke actually legitimately cannot stand.

a crown seldom enjoyed by onemilliongoldstars [Mature] (Ongoing- 29,373 Words) {5/25 Chapters} ***

To maintain the fragile peace between north and south, Clarke of House Tyrell is sent to live in Winterfell as an act of faith between the two kingdoms. There, she is put under the protection of the first queen in the north, Queen Lexa of House Stark, Daughter of Wolves. A woman draped in steel and silver, wolves at her heels and rumoured to be a manifestation of the fury of the old gods; Clarke refuses to be awed be her quiet violence and cold smile. Instead of fostering unity, the meeting of the wolf and the rose lights a spark that spreads through the rest of Westeros, threatening to burn it to the ground.

HIGH SCHOOL 

Catch Me, I’m Falling by effortlesslyoppulent and samkomtrashkru [Mature] (Complete- 288,841 Words) {24/24 Chapters} [Part of the ongoing catch me series] ******

Lexa Woods is Arkadia High’s brand new varsity quarterback star, badass and adored by all. Clarke Griffin is a model student who dreams of getting an art scholarship. With Lexa’s arrogance and Clarke’s stubborn tendencies, they never thought they’d be compatible, much less soul mates. But as fate would have it, Clarke becomes Aden’s tutor, and she and Lexa fall infuriatingly, helplessly in love with each passing day.

OR: The HSAU where Aden plays cupid with Clarke, Lexa, and all of their friends, and ends up watching practically all of them fall for each other. (Another one that if you haven’t read, seriously, just read it)

Dynamite With A Laser Beam by TDD [Teen] (Ongoing- 129,636 Words) {16 Chapters} ****

When Clarke’s high school, Arkadia High, merges with Polis Secondary School, Clarke and her friends are faced with old enemies and the opportunity of new friendships. Clarke needs to figure out how to fit in with the soccer team and its captain while trying to win over the most beautiful girl she’s ever seen. It’s not easy being Clarke Griffin, especially when she has a tendency to make life harder for herself. Despite all of that, there’s no stopping her as long as she has her friends by her side- who are just as reckless as she is.

All That You Got (Skin to Skin, Oh My God) by Dreamsaremywords [Mature] (Ongoing- 68,659 Words) {14/15 Chapters} ***

Anya burst into laughter. “Wait, wait, wait a minute. You and Clarke grew up together, Clarke is oblivious but you’re totally aware of your feelings- super GAY feelings-and your dad being a pastor complicates things, but you guys are like magnets and you can’t stay away from each other, even though you have no idea what the hell you’re doing, and then you don’t even talk about it. You spend way too much time thirsting and not enough actually being honest with each other and with yourselves. So, to get this straight- you’re not.”

Lexa deadpanned her. “Clearly.”

I Meant to Ask You by fairytaleslayer [Teen] (Complete- 41,914 Words) {15/15 Chapters} ***

Clarke Griffin and Lexa Woods have been best friends since Clarke’s mom moved three doors down from Lexa and her father. They’ve also been in love with each other since before they knew what it meant.

Down Came the Rain by almostfantasia [Teen] (Complete- 30,958 Words) {3/3 Chapters} [Part of the ongoing Down Came the Rain series] ****

Their paths have no reason to cross. That is, until a torrential downpour leaves them both caught at a bus stop with only one umbrella between them, forcing their lives together. Lexa, the private school student from a sheltered family. Clarke, the teenage runaway with no home to call her own. They make an unlikely pair. Friendship doesn’t come easily, but when it does, is that ever going to be enough for either of them?

The Days of Our Love [series] by MsDorisDaisy ****

Lift Me, Catch Me by ToriWritesStories [Mature] (Complete- 104,598 Words) {20/20 Chapters} [Part of the completed Lift Me, Catch Me series] ****

Settling into a small town in Florida, and living with an uncle she barely knows, is hard enough for Clarke even when she’s dating who she believes to be one of the greatest guys at school. It gets immensely harder when a New Year’s Eve party reveals what kind of guy her now ex-boyfriend really is. Now almost entirely alone, Clarke falls into a new friend group, a group of girls who couldn’t care less about her past, her sexuality, anything. One of those girls in particular catches Clarke’s attention quite well, and as Clarke gets to know her, it’s like pieces of herself are being lifted and pieced back together into a version of herself stronger than the way she was even before her life got so messed up.

Something Tragic by heyjayyay [Mature] (Complete- 112,823 Words) {25/25 Chapters} ***

When they met, it was not of their own accord. In fact, they probably never would have crossed paths if it wasn’t for the project. They were juniors and Lexa was the quiet, new girl. Having to move in with her uncle, Gustus, after the fire was probably one of the most difficult things she had to ever endure. Tragic, really. Life always seemed to turn out that way for the brunette.

L’arirvée des papillons by TheWorldAndTheEmpress [Explicit] (Incomplete- 51,495 Words) {13/14 Chapters} *****

Clarke Griffin is on top of the world, admired by the entire school. Everyone, that is, except for outsider Lexa Woods. Lexa’s indifference to her is the one thing that Clarke cannot stand, and she makes it her life’s mission to torment the other girl. But when Clarke takes it one step too far, she’s forced to partner up with Lexa for a project. Soon, she’ll realize just how little she really knows about Lexa, and about herself, as it turns out all she really wants is for Lexa to notice her. or Clarke falls head over heels for the last person whe would expect.

Molihua by BrittzandTana (ToriWritesStories) [Mature] (Complete- 118,421 Words) {38/38 Chapters} ****

Clarke has been through a lot through the summer before her junior year, and when she comes back to school, she’s changed. As she begins to feel like a billion pieces falling apart, she finds a special person to hold her together and treat her like the beautiful flower of a girl that she is. (Jasmine Flower - Mo Li Hua).

WAR/ VETERAN/ SPY/ ASSASSIN

Friend or Foe by icherishpotatoes [Explicit] (Ongoing- 20,472 Words) {9 Chapters} ** [TW: Violence, drug addiction, PTSD, mentions of rape]

Clarke Griffin gets kidnapped in one of her doctors without borders visits to South America. A ransom is demanded in return for her safety by a rebel army known as Azgeda. Lexa Woods is an undercover agent in the rebel army whose job just got a lot worse. Or Lexa spent a year infiltrating Azgeda and gaining their trust only for her mission status to change: Protect Senator Abigail Griffin’s daughter Clarke Griffin while maintaining your cover. Rescue mission pending upon failed negotiations.

Mrs. & Mrs. Woods by knich94 [Mature] (Complete- 95,958 Words) {39/39 Chapters} ****

After five (or six) years of happiness together, ordinary couple Clarke and Lexa Woods find themselves stuck in a rut. However, unknown to each other, they are both deadly, highly paid assassins working for rival companies. After a hit gone wrong, they discover that they are each other’s next target. Their secret lives (and they) collide explosively.

Or… The Mr. and Mrs. Smith AU featuring all your favorite characters, humor, fluff, angst, and references to canon and the crazy ideas this awesome fandom developed. Clexa centered and Clexa endgame! The first few chapters are a little slow but the action quickly picks up :D (TW: Violence and Torture)

Good Morning, Afghanistan by cornchipmeteor [Mature] (Complete- 113,461 Words) {18/18 Chapters} *****

Staff Sergeant Clarke Griffin, US Air Force. Sergeant Lexa Carey, US Marine Corps. Afghanistan is already dangerous enough without their feelings getting in the way. But let’s be real, these ladies are experts at falling in love in a war zone. (TW: Violence, PTSD)

The Long Walk by Diaph [Mature] (Ongoing- 57,578 Words) {22/25 Chapters} ***

Lt. Lexa Woods finally makes it home for Thanksgiving in far worse state than she left after doing the very thing she warns all her men never to do, be a hero. She finds herself in the hands of Dr. Clarke Griffin, the young and high-achieving Neurology specialist who is determined to get the soldier to walk and talk again with a new surgical procedure.

It’s during the mind-numbing nights spent in the hospital far away from home that the sarcastic soldier charms her way into more than just the doctor’s medical observations. (TW: PTSD) 

Prisoner 319 by ur_the_puppy [Teen] (Ongoing- 141,468 Words) [Part of the Ongoing The Others series] {8/10 Chapters} *****

After being a prisoner in Azgeda Tower for over a year, Clarke Griffin is suddenly transferred to a new prison - Polis. Commanded by Lexa, the youngest and most ruthless Head of Polis Prison in decades, Clarke finds herself in a completely new environment - with no friend's or clue of what's going on Clarke must navigate her way through an unknown world. All the while holding her secrets close to her chest. It wouldn't help to have people know that she was a highly trained assassin who was supposed to be dead.

or

a prison au with a supernatural twist. raven is sarcastic, octavia is a human fireball, clarke is a deadly mess and lexa is, well, very gay

(TW: Violence, Torture) 

Lancelot by almostafantasia [Mature] (Ongoing- 11,399 Words) {3/14 Chapters}

Lexa Woods, an impeccably dressed British secret agent for the covert Kingsman organisation, whose latest mission sees her sneaking through the corridors of the White House in the middle of the night, finds herself having to seduce the daughter of the newly elected President of the United States in a bid to save the world. It’s a surprise to Lexa when she ends up falling for her target as fast as she does, meanwhile Clarke doesn’t expect her gorgeous date for an international political gala dinner to drag her into a world of thrill and danger where one wrong move could cause a global disaster.

PAST/ ROYALTY/KNIGHT

The Queen Consort by MadeInSpace [Mature] (Ongoing- 13,391 Words) {3 Chapters} *** 

As the music swelled around them to announce the festivities ahead, Clarke only noticed how quickly the Queen dropped her hand.

What heart’s ease must queens neglect by thrace [Mature] (Complete- 83,285 Words) {8/8 Chapters} *****

Lexa is going to drag her country into the modern age kicking and screaming if she has to. Enter Clarke Griffin, United Nations election observer.

most ardently by onemillliongoldstars [Teen] (Ongoing- 32,074 Words) {5 Chapters} *****

Clarke Griffin has been forced to abandon her name and her family. She is desperately hiding in her new role as lady’s maid to Lady Lexa, fumbling through her duties and hoping to become invisible, when she realises that her heiress mistress is caught firmly under the thumb of her overbearing uncle. As Lexa suffocates under the expectations of her remaining family, she and Clarke slowly realise that they may be each other’s safe haven.

or: Clarke is hiding a secret while struggling to seem like an experienced lady’s maid for Lexa, who is painfully glad for a friend.

Suffragette by William89 [Mature] (Complete- 37,553 Words) {10/10 Chapters} **

Historical AU – London, 1913. After bombing the Prime Minister’s house, suffragette Lexa is being chased by the police. Lady Abby Griffin offers her a way out: she needs a maid to accompany her sick daughter Clarke to their estate in Lancashire, where she is supposed to live for a year. Even though she hates everything about the aristocratic life, Lexa has no choice but to pretend she’s Lady Clarke Griffin’s new maid, which proves to be a hard task when she finally meets the temperamental girl.

Suffrage by stringingwords [Mature] (Complete- 102,370 Words) {27/27 Chapters} ****

The 20th century has just begun. London is bustling with budding inventions, grand soirees, rumors of war, and inequality. Growing tired of being considered property, women are rallying across the country in favor of their right to vote.Clarke, Raven, and Octavia are scrappy suffragists determined to make the change happen. They find an unexpected ally in Lady Alexandra Woolcott, a noblewoman in the enemies’ camp.

Or the fic about Clexa taking down the patriarchy you may have known you needed.

Cigarettes In the Theatre by natshana [Mature] (Ongoing- 70,728 Words) {14 Chapters} *****

They close at eight but the small, pouty frown which adorns the girl’s lips and the gentle crease that forms between her brows makes the late hours seem all the more worth it. Of course that’s what she tells herself anyway, nevermind the dwindling night sky which casts the shop in a soft glow and makes the girl’s vibrant eyes dance like a forest under stars. 

or the 1983 movie store AU where Lexa is a small gay nerd who loves video games and Clarke is a smitten cashier for the awkward girl in wire frame glasses. (cause what’s better than 80’s wlw and video games)

Si Vis Pacem, Para Bellum by jaimeajamais [Mature] (Ongoing- 117,755 Words) {18 Chapters} *** [TW: violence, slavery]

Lexa is the Empress of Rome. Clarke is an Amazon, the new leader of a conquered people. When Clarke is captured and taken back to Rome as the Empress’s slave, she and Lexa form a complicated relationship. And as always, much more than the fate of their own hearts is at stake.

The Hunters Chosen by unicyclehippo [Unrated] (Complete- 192,881 Words) {12/12 Chapters} [part of the ongoing In The Hands Of Gods series] *****

tortall au: Lexa of Haryse only wants to be a knight and, though a handful of girls have followed Lady Knight Keladry of Mindelan's example in the last five years, many challenges remain for a girl page. Especially one who has the hand of a God upon her.

SPORTS/ DANCE

Individual Medley by nutalexfanfic [Mature] (Ongoing- 87,699 Words) {13 Chapters} ****

Clarke meets 3x Olympic gold medalist in swimming, Lexa Woods, at a celebration party for USA after the conclusion of the Games. It’s supposed to be just sex, but then they accidentally fall in love. (TW: PTSD)

Ain’t That A Kick In The Head by greyscalerainbows [Mature] (Incomplete- 90,210 Words) {20/21 Chapters} ***

On an abrupt, ill-advised vacation from Los Angeles, Clarke trips right into Lexa Woods, a local shop owner in faded red shorts. It starts with surfboards and a jellyfish sting.

Dance In the Lion’s Den by Tanagariel [Mature] (Complete- 132,301 Words) {20/20 Chapters} *****

Lexa Woods, young entrepreneur, has forged herself of steel. She sees life as something that has to be survived. Closing off her feelings she fights to be the best, even when she feels so alone. Moving through life without hope and a relationship that is not enough, Lexa will find herself attracted to a woman who will turn her world upside down. Clarke Griffin, a professional dancer, who has lost so much yet hopes that dance won’t ever leave her behind, keeps fighting to live her life to the fullest, even in her loneliness. She will find that sometimes looks deceive and that she shouldn’t be so quick to judge a book by its cover. Particularly when it’s someone as aloof and cold as Lexa.The businesswoman and the dancer will clash in a battle of wits and stubbornness, fighting the other until there is only one left. Except that on their dance journey, their feelings will begin to change and their life won’t ever be the same; now the only thing left is to see if they can dance in the lion’s den.

Finding Purpose by Derivative [Explicit] (Ongoing- 36,837 Words) {12 Chapters} **

Clarke has been dealing with a depression for quite some time, and Raven keeps suggesting she should join her to one of her kickbox classes. Clarke has refused on multiple occassions, but since several months of therapy, going out getting blatantly drunk and fucking random strangers hasn’t exactly helped, she reluctantly decides to give in.

Raven’s instructor is… intriguing.

Trigger warning: depression is a fucking dungeon, isn’t it? The story is going to take off lightly, but please mind the tags. It’s going to be a heady mix of humor, fluff(, smut) and pret-ty heavy shit. Consider yourselves warned, and please, take care of yourselves.

Touch or Carry by paint_the_brain [Mature] (Ongoing- 42,671 Words) {29 Chapters} ***

An Olympic Beach Volleyball AU

The shots we didn’t take by TheFrenchWriter [Mature] (Ongoing- 51,577 Words) {9/25 Chapters} ****

It’s been ten years since the Arkadia Strikers have hoisted the Jaha Cup. Clarke Griffin knew it when she was drafted, kept it in mind as she ascended to the starting goalie position and used it to fuel her will as a key player of the team, supporting her teammates until the second round of the playoffs last season, where they faced a grueling loss to the TonDC Shockwave after only five games. The team is now in desperate need of a player that will light a spark in the offensive line, a player that will restore the long-lost identity of the team and prove that it still deserves the famous nickname “power strikers”. Alexandria Woods, first line center and hockey extraordinaire, might be just the player. The twist: anyone who has seen her play knows that Lexa Woods has an ego bigger than her head and a superstar, cocky attitude that, although did well with her previous team, has brought her quite the reputation across the league.

holy ground. by lordvoldyfarts [Mature] (17,120 Words) {Oneshot} ***

Clarke comes back into the room, her face still red, but no longer looking angry. “One more time,” she says and Lexa doesn’t respond. She just gets into position. She stands in front of the mirror and Clarke comes up behind her. Her hands on her hips, similar to the way they had been that night, and Lexa feels the same rush of attraction flow through her that she did then. She tries to push it down, to pretend it’s not there, but Clarke’s grip is tight and impossible to ignore. She feels her muscles tense. “Relax,” Clarke whispers in her ear and there’s a chill that goes down her spine. She’s surprised when she feels her shoulders loosen. “Don’t think so much, Lexa,” Clarke continues and Lexa takes a deep breath.

or the one where lexa is a principal dancer with the boston ballet who lives life with her eyes closed and clarke, a new dancer from anaheim, opens them. dancer!au.

Pas de Deux by onemilliongoldstars [Explicit] (Ongoing- 51,540 Words) {9 Chapters} ***

Lexa, the country’s most sought after young dancer, keeps away from the cameras, focussing on her art form. She is single minded in her determination to be the best, until a clumsy, out of place girl wanders into her dance class and shatters her perfectly ordered life with snarky remarks and sloppy insteps. Unfortunately, Clarke is not all she seems and everything she knows could come crumbling down around her thanks to hot hands guiding positions and lies whispered between cotton sheets.orBallet dancer Lexa meets young journalist Clarke Griffin and everything starts spinning faster.

black ribbons by CareyElizabeth [Mature] (Ongoing- 65,940 Words) {11/12 Chapters} [Part 1 of the Ongoing Series two’s company] ***

‘You hit me in the face. So not only am I the best choreographer in the world, you owe me. And I need you to chill out.’ Anya came to crouch beside Lexa and squeezed her shoulder bracingly. ‘You’re the best. We all know it. And if you dance like you’re scared all the time, you’ll lose that. You have a gift. Don’t screw it up, not now, not like this.’

(Lexa is a ballerina back from injury. Clarke is a fashion designer commissioned to do the costumes. Anya is a choreographer who thrives on awkward interactions.)

dance like nobody’s watching by Homosexy [Mature] (Ongoing- 20,441 Words) {5/10 Chapters} ***

Lexa stuffed her phone, ID and some money into her pockets. Gave her hair a quick ruffle and took a deep breath.

-

Lexa is a gymnast who's starting to get successful at the international level. The problem? She's also very, very gay. One day, the night after Worlds, shortly after her eighteenth birthday, Lexa decides to take a chance at going out to a club. And it all starts there.

CELEBRITY/ PRESIDENT 

Like an Open Wound by Tanagariel [Mature] (Ongoing- 97,825 Words) {15/25 Chapters} ***

Famous musician Clarke Griffin, known in the industry as Wanheda, is in the process of relaunching her career with a new image, to leave behind the negativity and bad press surrounding her. She’s going on tour very soon, so her manager decided to hire a team, to Clarke’s dismay, with the sole intent to keep Clarke safe from her extremely ravenous fanbase.Enter Lexa Woods, who has been tasked to watch over the very wild rock star. Finding a stubborn woman who was free-spirited had been nothing but a challenge for the disciplined security expert. Suffice to say that they were going to clash.Clarke and Lexa will spend the whole tour together and in the process learning that they aren’t so different after all. That maybe, they can find a common ground between being in the spotlight and the shadows, leaving both their hearts exposed, like an open wound.

oh, dear, you look so lost by Jax (jacquienicole105) [Mature] (Ongoing- 44,649 Words) {8 Chapters} ****

Clarke is running home to Boston from an abusive marriage and an unhappy life. Lexa is the first female in the MLB, out to break barriers and prove the sports world wrong. Neither are looking for a relationship but could a chance encounter change that? (TW: Mentions of domestic abuse) 

You’re The Only Love I Found (and I’m Hoping That You’ll Stay) by awkwardrainbow [Mature] (Ongoing- 215,139 Words) {13/14 Chapters} ****

Clarke is the “straight” pretty girl that Lexa ends up working with on the set of their new television show. Their characters are meant to play a long slow burn romance and because Clarke Griffin is not only straight, but also has never played a roll like this before, she seeks guidance from Lexa whom is an open lesbian. The brunette willingly takes the girl under her wing and they begin a fast moving friendship. What Clarke doesn’t realize is how easy she is to fall in love with, or how easy it is to fall in love with Lexa.

Commander In Chief by steklir (SilentStars) [Teen] (Complete- 26,430 Words) {4/4 Chapters} ***

Christmas, 2020:

United States President Lexa Woods has recently been re-elected for her second term, has three Nobel Peace Prizes under her belt, and a 97% public approval rating. None of this, in any way, prepares her for the pretty girl her sister brings home to the White House for Christmas.

Quality Ingredients by HurricaneJane [Mature] (Ongoing- 199,180 Words) {26 Chapters} *****

Executive Chef Lexa “The Commander” Woods is working in her latest establishment in her home town of Portland, Maine. She is about to start conceptualizing her next restaurant and only has one rule for herself during the process: No more girls. When an accident at the restaurant lands her in Dr. Clarke Griffin’s ER, she second guesses why she ever had that rule in the first place. Lexa’s head bartender, Lincoln, is obsessed with a divey restaurant on the other side of town run by Octavia. It doesn’t take long for the small town to get even smaller when Lexa starts running into Clarke everywhere. Maybe rules were meant to be broken.

Clexa Goes to Hollywood by ivywoman63 [Mature] (Complete- 113,797 Words) {21/21 Chapters} ***

Modern AU Clexa. Clarke is an Emmy winning actress starring in a cable scifi series, who’s fictional character just lost her lesbian love interest to an untimely death. Lexa is a landscaper by day fan fic/scifi writer by night. Fun, funny, bantering, lighthearted, Rom Com

Love Letters and Coffee Grounds by JLaw1105 [Mature] (Complete- 67,674 Words) {8/8 Chapters} ****

Lexa wasn’t sure what it was that drew her into the little coffee shop on the corner. Maybe it was because it was less than a block away from the front door of her new building. Maybe it was because it wasn’t a Starbucks or some other large chain coffee front that cared more about profit than the flavor of their beans. Maybe it was the warm air filled with the soft scent of coffee, chocolate and cinnamon. But likely, definitely, it was the defiant little corner of the store that loudly rebelled against the norm.It was early November and everything around Lexa was filled with red and greens or whites and blues. It screamed of Christmas and Hanukkah. Of buying gifts and consumer driven profit. But the back corner of the coffee shop was filled with oranges and reds and browns with a rather large sign written in an angry scrawl that said

“It’s not even Thanksgiving yet, assholes!”

There was just something about it that, to Lexa, felt poetically beautiful.

Player Two Has Entered the Game by billet_doux [Mature] (Complete- 86,015 Words) {15/15 Chapters} [Part of the ongoing Clexa YouTube AU series] ***

Alexandria Woods, an up and coming YouTube star, novelist, and public figure for LGBT+ rights, is watching her career skyrocket before her eyes. Clarke Griffin, a broke college student, is falling in love with the pretty girl behind the screen. OR; the one where Lexa is a dork who plays video games and vlogs for money, Clarke’s thirst has no chill, Bellamy is a protective brother bear, and Octavia Blake is the matchmaker sent from heaven for everyone but herself.

in love war and politics by centuriesofexistence [Mature] (Ongoing- 131,819 Words) {16 Chapters} ****

It’s the most watched Senate race around the country, and Clarke Griffin is running one hell of an underdog campaign against the favored Cage Wallace. But she has a secret weapon that might save the campaign–and a secret that might ruin it. And both are named Lexa Ward.

Floor It by smttnpegasus (butwhowouldbuythecupcakes) [Mature] (Complete- 53,261 Words) {20/20 Chapters} ***

 Lexa is a world class gymnast, or at least she used to be before she shockingly walked out before her floor performance at Worlds knocking Team USA completely out of medal contention. When she gets on the wrong side of the law she is forced back into a world she had run from for over a year.

The Blind Side of Love by lexawillrise [Mature] (Complete- 188,410 Words) {26/26 Chapters} *****

celeb/artist au aka Lexa is a famous actress who - using a fake name - emails Clarke after falling in love with one of her drawings, and accidentally befriends her. Only, Clarke has no idea who this ‘Alexandria Nicole’ really is. *This is a book-conversion originally written by Ingrid Díaz.*

easier to be by solinasolina [Unrated] (Complete- 149,220 Words) {24/24 Chapters} ***

Lexa Woods made history as the youngest secret service agent to be appointed to the president’s security detail. Alongside Special Agents Anya Carson, Lincoln Black and Gustus Hollows, their duty was to protect Madam President Abby Griffin on a day-to-day basis. Lexa was good at her job. She loved what she did – or at least she learned to. So when she’s reassigned to Clarke’s security detail you can understand her reservations. But she figures it’s just six weeks. Six weeks and things will go back to normal. or the president’s daughter au

Royal Viridian by ayokidd [Mature] (Ongoing- 87,824 Words) {8 Chapters} ***

Lexa is an Australian actress cast for her role of Alycia Taylor in the new LGTBQ series Royal Viridian.Clarke is the illustrator of the project and they’re in pre-production of the show. Indra, the art director of Heda Production Co. makes Clarke attend the preliminary read through, where she finds herself a little unprepared. Clarke is a confident woman who is sure of herself but that all falls to the wayside when Lexa causes her internal wiring to short circuit.

Exception to the Rule by CorvusCorvidae [Mature] (Ongoing- 23,622 Words) {5 Chapters} **

Lexa’s only been working at the White House a week, but already she’s found herself on Clarke Griffin’s radar; and now she’s on it, she’s not sure she wants off it.

Or, White House staffer meets President’s daughter

OMEGAVERSE/ WEREWOLVES

Imprint (I Was Made For Loving You) by Jude81 and Kendrene [Explicit] (Ongoing- 12,101 Words) {4 Chapters} ***

The one where after the betrayal at the Mountain Clarke has the mating bite removed and the link to Lexa severed. Things of course don’t go as planned.

Young Gods by N1ghtWr1ter [Explicit] (Complete- 233,284 Words) {33/33 Chapters} [Part of the ongoing Badlands series] ****

They will go to war tomorrow with fresh mating bites on their necks; tonight they find solace in each other’s arms, and in the knowledge that the only thing that can part them now is death.Everyone knows that Commander Lexa betrayed Wanheda and the Skaikru at the Mountain. Only she and Clarke know that she also abandoned her mate. Following the events of the Mountain, Clarke has disappeared into the wilderness, seeking what peace she can find in solitude. But war is brewing, and soon she will have no choice but to face her mate, and the consequences of their decisions before and after.

Above and Below by DaniJayNel [Mature] (Complete- 100,065 Words) {43/43 Chapters} ****

Clarke Griffin is known as the Slayer. When the Organization discover that the werewolves have an Alpha, and that they have traveled to the front-lines of Mount Weather, they are quick to send Clarke with a squad to assassinate it. Clarke is eager to claim more werewolf blood. But things don’t go according to plan, and Clarke realizes too late that the werecreatures had set a trap. The Alpha has revealed themself but for one reason only: to capture the human’s most formidable weapon, Clarke.

Monsters That We Hide by KM47044 [Mature] (Ongoing- 53,240 Words) {15 Chapters} ***

“I have a solution to your mating issue.”

“So I’ve gathered, but at what price?”

Lexa leans onto the table with her elbows. It reminds Clarke of that moment in a movie where the super villain makes a diabolical offer and the superhero has no choice but to agree. “Mate me instead.” ----

Or Lexa offers Clarke a deal, but making a deal with the devil always comes back to bite those in the ass. Lexa is known for losing control; for going feral when in wolf form. Clarke knows from experience that is something not to take lightly. But looking at Lexa… she has to be lesser of the two evils.

Right?

Of Wolves and Men by ur_the_puppy [Teen] (Ongoing- 149,603 Words) {6 Chapters} ****

All it can take is a single moment, a single second, and with it everything you've ever known can be destroyed. After being bitten three years ago, Clarke has had to adjust to a complete derailing of her life. Abandoning her dreams of becoming a doctor in fear of what she could do, she hides away in the small town of Polis with her best friend Raven. It's a humans only town. That is, until a girl is killed, and Clarke suddenly realises she's not the only werewolf that exists.

or

werewolf au where clarke has no idea the extent of what she is and lexa really shouldn't be falling for a mutt.

UNIVERSITY/ COLLEGE/ BOARDING SCHOOL/ ROOMMATE/ TEACHER

Don’t Walk on Ice (No Matter How Nice) by lecksa [Unrated] (Ongoing- 68,895 Words) {13 Chapters}** 

Clarke begins to question her decisions as she finds herself strolling across campus in the middle of the night. She just needed some space and time to clear her head. However, a brunette armed with an acoustic guitar and a contagious smile tops the list of things she never expected to find this evening. Now her mind is anything but clear.

She by the fooliam [Mature] (Complete- 65,983 Words) {8/8 Chapters} *****

Her roommate looks at her sometimes and Clarke is never sure if they’re going to kill or kiss each other.

When Clarke Griffin forgets to complete her sophomore year residency application, she returns to college to find that they’ve paired her with the last roommate she ever expected to get.

The Dewey Decimal System is Not That Hard by MusicLurv [Teen] (Ongoing- 226,258 Words) {57 Chapters} ***

Lexa was just doing her job, trying to write a book at the same time. Clarke was just trying to get through school and become a doctor. They had probably crossed paths hundreds of times. But two papers, a thesis proposal, and lab work brings them together.

Open Windows, Open Hearts by Sheisme [Mature] (Complete- 89,258 Words) {22/22 Chapters} [Part of the Open Windows series] ***

Clarke comes home after her sophomore year of college to find she has a new neighbor, Lexa. Her interest in Lexa begins to grow. What makes things worse is that Clarke realizes her bedroom window looks directly into Lexa’s bedroom window. Eventually Lexa realizes the same thing. After some initial embarrassment, they decide to have some fun with it. Maybe a little too much fun.

Where There Is A Flame by eternaleponine [Mature] (Complete- 429,777 Words)  {175/175 Chapters} [Part of the completed Where There Is A Flame series] *****

A modern/college AU for The 100, told in alternating chapters from Clarke and Lexa’s points of view.This is a slow build. VERY slow. But hey, at least they’ve finally met!n Updates on Sundays (Clarke) and Wednesdays (Lexa).Ratings, tags, and warnings subject to change as the story progresses. (TW: Non-consenual touching) 

Run On Gasoline by eskimpertush [Explicit] (Complete- 115,579 Words) {35/35 Chapters}  [Part of the Run On Gasoline series] *****

Clarke and Lexa did not meet under the best of circumstances. It also didn’t help that they’re both stubborn as hell and, given the chance, would never back down from a fight. But fate has a funny way of bringing people together. So they find themselves on the road, running away from their problems, hoping to get somewhere while heading nowhere in particular. Starts off as a sort of modern college AU but is really a road trip fic. Somewhat inspired by a novel called “Invisible Monsters” and a bunch of other random shit. This is a G!p Lexa fic because everybody is apparently doing one, and I happen to really like ‘em. (TW: Mentions of abuse) 

do you feel us falling? (cause i feel us falling) by babytobin_horse [Unrated] (Complete- 34,924 Words) {6/6 Chapters}  ****

Lexa looks down into her drink, attempting to hide a bashful smile. Her cheeks are slightly flushed and Clarke suddenly finds the whole sight helplessly endearing. How could this girl go from formal and proper and in control to shy and slightly reserved so quickly? Or: Clarke is pre-med and an artist while Lexa is somewhat of a college soccer superstar with a secret love for poetry (They’re both dumb and clueless, but they like each other anyway.)

Butterflies by Tabitha Craft [Mature] (Complete- 26,123 Words) {5/5 Chapters} ****

Clarke is constantly annoyed by Lexa Woods, the know-it-all who is always waving her hand in the air and correcting professors. Lexa is unimpressed with Clarke. They don’t like each other but somehow end up spending time together, and things change, progress, evolve. They’ll never be more than what they are because Lexa wants butterflies and Clarke doesn’t give her them. Clexa without instant attraction and unfathomable lust, with expectation versus reality. A different kind of love story.

Pristine by ToriWritesStories [Mature] (Complete- 92,843 Words) {28/28 Chapters} [Part of the completed Ameliorate series) ****

Clarke’s twenty-one, about to get her associates degree in art, and she and her friends just pitched their cash together to pay for an old, nearly abandoned warehouse to be their ultimate hangout zone. She’s comfortable with herself, pretty sure she’s more than a little gay, though not entirely, and ready for this next stage of her life. Lexa, on the other hand, is seventeen, starting her last year of high school and feeling not so comfortable with herself. She’s not sure if she likes boys, she’s not sure who she wants to be… Sure, she’s smart and her future is pretty set, but where’s the fun in that? When Lexa nearly hooks up with an older guy during what everyone seems to be calling her “rebellious phase”, she finds herself swept up in the life she’d rather be living, with a girl she’d very much like to be with. (Don’t worry fam, Lexa is gay AF)

Wanna Bet? by 100hearteyes [Mature] (Complete- 129,680 Words) {20/20 Chapters} ****

Lexa and Clarke don’t really fancy each other much. One of them is cold and rude, the other is sarcastic and imposing.Throw in a group assignment, two very different reactions to break-ups and Raven and Octavia’s terrible advice, and you got yourself a recipe for disaster. Or maybe something else entirely?

break your plans by pizzaoctavia [Mature] (Incomplete- 92,587 Words) {14 Chapters}  **

Clexa college!AU: in which Clarke grows tired of hearing Octavia and Lincoln’s escapades in the next room, so Lincoln offers her his apartment for study. He fails to mention his heavily tattooed hockey player roommate in the process.

bathroom stalls and late night calls by unicyclehippo [Unrated] (Complete- 63,072 Words) {29/29 Chapters}  [Part of the incomplete clexa texting au series]  ****

Clexa Texting au on tumblr

the business of caring by coldmackerel [Mature] (Complete- 71,956 Words) {15/15 Chapters} *****

a public service announcement: the campus police would like to politely remind all students, well-wishers, and supporters of the university during this time of serial vandalism that painting on buildings without permission is still illegal. this has not changed no matter how ‘cool’ you think it is. vandalism has never been nor will it ever be ‘radical’, ‘sick’, or any version thereof.

-supervisor lexa woods

More Women Than Warriors by steklir (SilentStars) [Mature] (Complete-172,201 Words) {26/26 Chapters} ******

The first time Clarke sees the Head Girl she’s sitting on a throne, presiding over her dominion with a piercing stare and a crown of braids in her hair. Her warriors are spread at her feet, a multitude of them, all long-haired and wild and clad in identical brown regalia. There’s something of the sacred about her, like the crimson cloak draped across her shoulders and her divinity are one and the same. Or at least it feels that way. British girls’ boarding school AU. Obviously. (Another must read) 

don’t wanna be your girl by faithtastic [Explicit] (Ongoing- 90,619 Words) {10/11 Chapters} ****

Lexa’s interning on a skin flick. She meets Clarke on set. Or: The adult movie AU/college AU no one asked for.

A Practiced Craft by StormFelt [Explicit] (Complete- 20,305 Words) {14/14 Chapters} ***

Set in a modern day alternate universe at Arkadia University, Dr. Lexa Woods, accomplished practiced lawyer, young up and coming head of the political science department seems to have her life together…until the new young art professor Clarke Griffin flips her world upside down.

Ending the (Prank) War by M_E_Scribbles [Mature] (Complete- 187,555 Words) {58/58 Chapters} **

The centuries old feud between the University of Polis and nearby Arkadia College has gone on long enough. When Clarke’s friends take the prank war too far she takes it upon herself to end it. She seeks out the illusive Heda, the president of the student body at Polis.

Before she has a chance to fully explain her side of things and propose an end to the pranks another nearby university takes aim at Arkadia, hoping to bring the school into its fold.

HOGWARTS/ WIZARDING WORLD

pills n potions (we’re overdosin’) by indragram [General Audiences] (Complete- 33,884 Words) {14/14 Chapters} ***

Clarke hates a lot of things, but most of all, she hates how she just had to be paired with such a stupid Ravenclaw know-it-all for every damn piece of work in this godforsaken dungeon.

The Magician’s Assistant by rhinomouse [Teen] (Complete- 107,653 Words) {26/26 Chapters} [Part of the ongoing Muggle Magic Tricks series] *****

Clarke Griffin was not going to let the fight against pureblood prejudice her Father believed in die with him. No she was about to pull a true muggle magic trick that the wizarding world won’t soon forget and like the best muggle magic the most interesting part is beneath the surface. Now you see it now you don’t. (First one does not introduce Lexa, second one does: VERY SLOW BURN)

the sky itself will carry me (back to you) by alyciaclebnam [Teen] (Complete- 38,798 Words) {7/7 Chapters} *****

“By the way, how does that work? You coming here when I call. Do you just… pop in and out of existence, or something?”

“It’s like a magical tether,” Lexa explains, ostensibly hesitant. “When you say my name, I feel a pull - right here, in my chest,” she says, drawing a circle around the skin over her heart. “Which is strange in itself, seeing as I no longer possess a beating heart. I can’t explain it, but I feel compelled to be wherever you are.”

“So it’s not just me,” Clarke says slowly, a hopeful expression taking over her previous frown. “There’s something more to you and I, isn’t there?” (or: Clarke is a seventh year student. Lexa is one of the Hogwarts ghosts. There’s a connection between them that Clarke doesn’t understand, but she is determined to figure it out.)

Those Icy Fingers Up and Down My Spine (That same old witchcraft when your eyes meet mine) by DreamsAreMyWords [Mature] (Ongoing- 359,419 Words) {20/22 Chapters} *****

“Okay, well, the way I see it, you have two options. You can turn around and face the dragon again, or you can put on your big girl panties and go tell Blondie you’re in love with her. Your choice.” Lexa swallowed, wondering if the static crackling down her limbs and burning her fingertips was a lingering effect from riding the thestral or the feel of Clarke’s lips pressed to her own. She cleared her throat, staring back into Raven’s defiant gaze. “I think I will take the dragon,” she said firmly. Or: The Clexa Triwizard AU.

Spelling It Out by Geyranger [Mature] (Ongoing- 110,772 Words) {37/41 Chapters} ****

Clarke studied the twigs Lexa handed her for a second, holding them up to the light. Then she looked back up at Lexa. Earnest turned to mischief in her eyes.

“Thanks, Lexa. You’re a star.”

Then she disapparated with a loud bang, and Lexa was left staring into open air without a single twig. Or The HP AU where Clarke and Lexa are apprentices of competing wand makers, and are sent around the world to fetch materials for wand cores and somehow always manage to run into one another.

I wish I knew you before by toolateintheday [Mature] (Complete- 123,968 Words) {19/19 Chapters} *****

Clexa Hogwarts AU featuring all your favourite characters! Rated M for some language and possible sex in later chapters. Clarke is a Gryffindor and Lexa is a Slytherin, neither girl really likes the other but they are reluctantly thrown together in their fifth year at Hogwarts.

Forest green eyes pierced sky-blue ones and Clarke felt as though her stomach had dropped through the floor. If the braided hair and starch posture hadn’t given it away before now, those eyes were all the confirmation Clarke needed. Lexa Woods.

Fuck.

FANTASY/ MAGIC/ SUPERHERO/SUPERNATURAL

Princess of the Sky by fairytaleslayer [Teen] (Ongoing- 67,731 Words) {17 Chapters}  ****

The Riders disappeared over a century ago, and with them, their dragons. But Clarke is thrust into the middle of a political war she didn’t know existed when she comes across a strange blue stone in the middle of the forest and bonds with the first dragon to hatch in a hundred years.

After tragedy strikes, she’s bent on revenge, but even with her mission, Clarke can’t get the mysterious, imprisoned Elf woman she sees in her dreams out of her mind. Clarke knows everything depends on rescuing her, she just doesn’t know why. (TW: Mention of torture) 

do the stars gaze back by cassiniregio [Teen] (Complete- 36,721 Words) {5/5 Chapters}  [Part of the just a handful of stardust series] ***

If Lexa is to win the heart of her true love, she must bring back a fallen star. But she’s wholly unprepared for the star to be a beautiful girl named Clarke, or for the host of dangerous people out for star blood. In less than a day Clarke falls from the sky, gets run over by a pretty girl, almost gets her heart cut out and maybe gets accidentally kidnapped by pirates, and that’s just the start of her problems.

The Last Lyrian by TrikruCommander [Mature] (Ongoing- 48,747 Words) {19 Chapters} **

Lexa is the Last Lyrian, after her planet is destroyed.Clarke is the Hyadean entrusted with keeping Lexa safe.The problem is Lexa doesn’t know she’s not human, and she doesn’t know Clarke even exists.Can Clarke keep the girl she loves safe?

the tonic of wildness by KL_Morgan [General Audiences] (Complete- 4,103 Words) {Oneshot}  [Part of the incomplete the tonic of wildness series] *****

“Oh, I thought – because of the antlers –”

“Anuael is female.” Lexa lifts her hand and her daemon fits her head beneath it, carefully. Her fingers brush up against the velvety softness at each branch’s root, the sensitive spot where the antlers curl out of Anuael’s skull up into a proud six points. “The Commander’s daemon is always a hart.”

Silly Blue Costume by orphan_account [Teen] (Complete- 21,114 Words) {5/5 Chapters} ***

Clarke moves to Polis to work at the Daily Planet, a huge step up from the Ark Gazette. What she doesn’t expect is to fall for her partner, famous Investigative Reporter Lexa Woods, and to get caught up in a conspiracy involving one of the wealthiest citizens of Polis: the elusive Cage Wallace.

Mystic Coffee by blindwire [Mature] (Complete- 46,243 Words) {6/6 Chapters} *****

Lexa is 95% certain that the girl that comes into her coffee shop each morning is a witch. Whether it’s the tattoos that she swears move when she sees them out of the corner of her eye or the way the girl’s hair changes color if she looks long enough (not that she’s staring), Lexa is positive something strange is going on.

Skylark by RunawayMarbles [Mature] (Complete- 115,948 Words) {28/28 Chapters} ***

“And they don’t have superpowers. They are semi-successful experiments. Your people will not take any action against Sky Crew without my order: their code names are bad enough. I will not have Polis turn into some Gotham-esque battleground. Dismissed.”

“Uh, actually, Metropolis had more superpowers—”

“Dismissed.”

I Am Heda by Alexis_Payton [Mature] (Complete- 124,439 Words) {19/19 Chapters} *****

Clarke had expected to see many new and wonderful things on Earth. But nothing could’ve possibly prepared her for meeting the Heda of the Twelve Clans. A creature so powerful, so strange, so beautiful, that just the sight of her stole Clarke’s breath away.

My Soul Alight by AnonBeMe [Unrated] (Ongoing- 64,556 Words) {20 Chapters} **

“Am I in danger?” Clarke asks, feeling her heart in her throat.

“Not if you forget.” Lexa gives Clarke a greeting nod, a goodbye, before disappearing from the doorway.

OR

The AU in which Clarke, a doctor, treats a strange patient one night, and soon finds herself caught in a web of unexplainable events. The word magic seems implausible, but Clarke doesn’t know what else to call it. All Clarke wants is answers, damn it, and to reverse whatever is happening to her, so she stubbornly seeks out the strange woman – a leader of a land beyond invisible borders – who insists that the less Clarke knows the better. Clarke, however, is relentless and it comes with a price…

You, the Ocean, and Me by billet_doux [Mature] (Ongoing- 32,931 Words) {4 Chapters} ***

Clarke Griffin is dealing with the repercussions of the accident that took her father’s life. Octavia Blake is trying to find where in the world she fits in. Raven Reyes is trying to win the heart of an older woman. Lexa Woods is trying to help her friends when a mysterious event changes their lives forever.

Or;

Three girls, all in the wrong (right) place at the wrong (right) time, are bound together with a shared secret. They can only rely on one girl, an aspiring scientist, to help them figure out what has happened to them–and possibly find a way to turn them back.

Cobweb Hearts by DreamsAreMyWords [Mature] (Complete- 23,330 Words) {7/7 Chapters} ***

Lexa is a grumpy vampire, and Clarke's a mischievous fairy who loves getting under her skin. They're forced to become roommates for a month and they expect it's only going to end in fucking each other, killing each other, or both. They certainly don't expect to fall in love.

Hold Me Till the Stars Dim by ur_the_puppy [Teen] (Complete- 86,420 Words) {4/4 Chapters} [part of the ongoing Fallen series] ***

After Costia's tragic death, Lexa Woods still hasn't recovered. It has been months now, and though her friend's have let Lexa do what she wants for most of that time, they can't let her ignore them any more. The answer? A camping trip. And though seemingly innocent, things go bad. Violently bad. Fast.

or

a slightly different take on grounder clarke

home is wherever i'm with you by merricats_sugarbowl [Teen] (Complete- 65,737 Words) {19/19 Chapters} ***

It’s one thing to know that humans are adaptable. It’s another to see it happen, or to have it happen to you.

The thing is, when the dead rise from their graves, you get pretty damn good at adapting.

It's been months since the dead rose from their graves and society went to hell, and it's finally starting to take its toll on Clarke. When a radio broadcast reveals that there's safety at Mount Weather, she and her group immediately fix on it as the next step in their plan for survival.

Meanwhile, Lexa's carved out a good life for herself and her group at Camp Polis, but their safety is threatened by a rival group that constantly steals their supplies. Bringing Nia and her people to justice is Lexa's number one priority; that, and the ever-growing number of missing people who've sought help at Mount Weather and failed to return.

When Clarke and Lexa meet by chance, everything changes.

Atlantis by coeurastronaute [Mature] (Ongoing- 10,832 Words) {3 Chapters} ***

Lexa is the heir to the throne of Atlantis, forced to live her life by her father's rules. All of that changes when she finally has contact with land.

frostbite (and heartsickness) by hedahawkeye [Mature] (Ongoing- 40,626 Words) {17 Chapters} ****

The first time Clarke sees Lexa after she surrenders to SHIELD, she realizes that she can't distinctly remember Lexa before the war. Lexa before HYDRA, Lexa before Tsing, Lexa before injections and torture and hurt. The girl she knew in Washington, with scraped knees and bird-like limbs, with a grin on her face and a kid sister on her hip, blends in with recollections tainted by blood and ashes, by a soldier falling to her death and a berserker throwing a fist at her head.

[Winter Soldier AU]

SUMMER CAMP

Legends by aos_skimmons [Teen] (Complete- 63,546 Words) {5/5 Chapters} ****

“Who’s that?” Clarke asked.Octavia glanced in Clarke’s line of sight. 

“That is Lexa Woods.”

“Is she a daughter of Aphrodite too?”Octavia barked out a laugh and shook her head. Clarke felt her cheeks flush. 

“No. She’s a daughter of Athena.”

“Oh.” Clarke said, still blushing furiously.

“Don’t worry. I won’t tell anyone about your crush on the devil.”A demi god au.

String Bracelets by rochke11 [Mature] (Complete- 36,013 Words) {13/13 Chapters}  ***

Growing up, Clarke, Lexa and Costia spent their summers as best friends at Camp Rothenberg, from when they were seven until they were fifteen. Now 19, Clarke and Lexa have returned to Camp Rothenberg as camp counselors, but it’s been three years since they last saw or spoke to each other. Both girls are haunted by the last summer they spent at camp together four years earlier and by the death of the girl who brought their trio together.Forced to spend the summer as counselors of rival cabins: The Grounders and Arkers, will Clarke and Lexa finally be able to reconcile, and will they finally forgive themselves and each other for what happened that summer four years earlier?

carousel of time. by vulpixgrrl [Unrated] (Complete- 21,745 Words) {4/4 Chapters} ***

they’ve hated each other every summer they can remember, rivals since first session. But they’re finally camp counselors and it’s a whole new battle field.

Cross-Rilvalry Romances - Summer Camp Style by ToriWritesStories [Mature] (Complete- 73,704 Words) {24/24 Chapters}  ***

Clarke Griffin, Octavia and Bellamy Blake, Raven Reyes, Lexa Woods and many others are all at Camp Unite - a supposedly better-than-average summer camp where kids from different extra curriculars and interests all come together and… do summer camp stuff? Nevertheless, they’re there. The twist? None of them know each other, and turns out, this camp that’s all about uniting and forming a better community is pretty divided. Pretty easy to get caught up in divisions that have been around for years - until a certain couple of people start forming crushes that cross the line of division. Mostly a Clexa fic, with some lovely little secondary character romances popping up as well.

SOULMATE

Almost Three by fairytaleslayer [Teen] (Complete- 23,797 Words) {6/6 Chapters} ***

People age until they’re eighteen, and are then frozen in time until they meet their soul mate. After that, they grow old together. Plain and simple. That’s the deal. Only, in Clarke’s case, the universe doesn’t seem to have gotten the memo. Or Waiting over a century for your soul mate really fucking sucks.

Pinch Me by LeNoLifeLoser [Unrated] (Ongoing- 59,552 Words) {19 Chapters} ***

Abby inspected the girl, but nothing was there. No irritation, no bumps or bruises, there was no reason for pain. “Does it feel like you got hit?” Clarke nodded, letting out a whimper. Abby sighed, but then Clarke let out another yelp, hands flying to her cheek as tears streamed down anew. Then Abby understood. “That’s your soulmate.” She cooed, pulling her daughter into a hug. “Soulmate?” Wells piped up from beside her. Abby nodded, setting down again and letting Clarke curl into her lap. Wells hopped up beside them and turned to her expectantly. “You see, every person has someone very special out there in the world. This person is the person you’re meant for. They can be your best friend or your spouse or anyone, really. But there’s a connection between you and your special person. Every ounce of pain you feel, your special person feels too, and vice versa. It seems Clarke’s soulmate is a little clumsy huh?” Abby tried to goad Clarke into laughing. But the little girl was focused very hard, eyebrows scrunched together and pouting adorably. She stared off into the distance, completely still, except for the occasional hiccup. “I wanna help them.” She whispered stubbornly.

Look. Don’t Touch (for this will destroy us) by Naojinxd [Mature] (Complete- 108,445 Words) {10/10 Chapters} **

Clarke Griffin has held a secret for her entire life: whenever she looks at her reflection she doesn’t see her blonde, wavy hair or her deep blue eyes. She stares at a woman with long chestnut hair and cold, piercing green eyes. She never knew what it meant when she saw this woman looking back at her, until one day the woman in the mirror steps into her life and everything changes.

Or in a world where your reflection does not show you but your soulmate.

Your Heart On My Sleeve by aredpen [General Audiences] (Ongoing- 34,756 Words) {9 Chapters} ***

Carefully, Clarke managed an only slightly shaky 'C’, seeing the color settle brightly against her pale skin, before the teacher was calling for the class to put away the coloring supplies and Clarke quickly hid her wrist and looked up guiltily. No one said anything, though, and Clarke shoved the markers in the bin before holding her wrist gently against her stomach.

She tried not to look at everyone else’s wrists for the rest of the day. Tried not to see that no one had any green there. Not even the next day, or two days later, until finally she forgot to keep her wrist out of the water when she was washing and it faded away, just like the idea that her soulmate could be here somewhere.

Soulmates are rare. Even more so now that ink is being rationed on the Ark and permanent identifying tattoos are no longer allowed. Distance has never been an obstacle before, though. Not even between the ground and the sky.

[ask-the-phan-site]

Phan Cam: To the sewers

WARNING: This post may be a bit long.

>Once again in the city of New York. But something seems... Different about it. Guess it’s because we’re about to see this city in a whole new light. Waiting at Grand Central Station in the early hours of the morning, our Horizon friends finally show up.

Hey, guys! Been waiting long?

We just got here early. Don’t worry.

That’s good to hear. I was in the middle of a suit fitting.

You actually look good in it, Harry. Mature even.

Harry: Thanks. If I’m going to be the head of Oscorp, might as well look the part. Actually, I could get my tailor to make you one, too, Ryuji. I know it will be a late birthday present, but I promise... You’re gonna love the way you look.

Skull: Thanks, but I think I’ll stick with my idol suit and the one ATLUS for now. But I’m sure I’ll take that offer.

Harry: Alright, I’ll look forward to it.

Me, too.

Peter: By the way, where is Akechi?

Joker: He’s on a case at the moment. But I’m sure you’ll see him again on the last week of your vacation.

Peter: I see. I can’t wait for it.

Now about this Hun person.

We have him at Horizon now.

Then lead the way. By the way, I’m Kasumi Yoshizawa.

Yeah, they told us. You’re the newest member.

Royal: Just remember, I’m with the P Thieves for my own reasons rather than changing the hearts of adults.

I guess that is kind of true.

Gwen: Wait... Morgana!?

Anya: (also shocked) It really is you.

See, we told you.

Gwen: But how?

Joker: ...

It’s a long story.

Gwen: Right.

>With that, we leave.

>We arrive at Horizon High. When we get there, we see the students of E. Nigma we interviewed are also here.

That seminar with Doc Greene was fantastic.

The man may seem eccentric, but a genius none the less.

If only Beth could have seen it.

Uhh!

(translating skater slang) You should have recorded it on your phone, bro.

We did.

Think you can make two copies. The rest of the Dudes are trying to get us ready to meet Ross Caliban.

Ted: Got you covered, Cy!

I still think it’s a bad idea that we ditched Kimmie.

True. This means the next time she sees us, she’ll totally destroy us, but anything’s worth it for science, I guess.

(who overheard them) Don’t worry, if she does... I’ll pour sand in her pants.

Druscilla: That’s a little gross, but thanks.

>With that, the students leave and we come in.

Flint: Ren san, you’re here!

Joker: Good to see you again, Flint. How are things?

Flint: Really good. I heard your friend is an idol now.

You bet. Want an autograph?

Flint: Let’s not get crazy. I guess you’re here to see Hun. He’s in the lab with Aleksei. Thinking who better to watch a mutated person than someone who was mutated themselves.

I wonder what kind of mutation happened? Was he also a victim of the Spider Island Incident?

Anya: No. He was mutated before it happened. He’s not even a spider.

Then what?

Gwen: More... Reptilian.

>We follow the others to the lab. There, Aleksei and Max Modell were standing before the same glass cell Aleksei was in when he was the Rhino.

Come on, Hun. You have to eat something.

He’s right. I made Katsudon Pirozhki. This is the stuff Yuri Plizetsky and Yuuri Katsuki ate. It’s quite popular.

>The creature in the cell, which I guess is Hun, turns to face us.

...

>He looks down at what Aleksei is offering him.

>Hun just stares at it. Slowly, he reaches for the pirozhki and... quickly snatches it and quickly eats it.

Aleksei: (victorious) See~? It’s good.

Hun: ... Shut up. Unless it can change me back.

Max: Only if you let us help you.

Hun: Never! Not until I have my revenge!

Max: Against who?

Hun: I told you already, you wouldn’t believe me, so I won’t tell you!

Max: (groans in defeat) Fine. We’ll try this again tomorrow.

>Hun goes back to his corner in the cell. Max and Aleksei turn to see us.

Max: (surprised) Oh, it’s you guys again. Welcome back.

It’s good to see you again, Max.

Max: I guess you’re here because of Hun back there.

Queen: Pretty much. How are things?

Max: Not good. No matter what we try, he just won’t let us help him. We have the way to cure his mutation.

Aleksei: Thanks to Dr. Octavius.

You shouldn’t believe everything he says, Aleksei.

Yeah, there’s no telling what could happen.

?????? ?????: Now that just sounds a bit hurtful.

Oh shit, he heard us!

>We quickly turn to see...

Skull: Oh, I thought...

I know very well who you thought I was. It is a common mistake. He used his own voice to create mine.

Max: Everyone, meet the Living Brain. Starting this school year, he will be taking over Otto’s class.

Queen: Really? Why?

Living Brain: Doctor Otto Octavius had already explained this in a video message he recorded before departing.

>The Living Brain then projects some kind of message of Otto Octavius, aka Doctor Octopus.

Hello, Max and Horizon High. I have created the Living Brain to take my place in the teaching staff this year and very well every other year. I have been thinking much of all the things I have done as the villain, Doctor Octopus. I now realize that there is a darkness inside me that I alone must face. Maybe because I am still grieving over the loss of Rosalie Murphy, my... Rosie... Maybe because the Phantom Thieves made me realize what I was doing to my students was wrong and offensive. Though I still ended up a villain. But now I realize the truth. Especially after getting the mental treatment I needed at the Cellar. Now all that is left for me to do is to go search for myself. To find out where I stand in this world. So until I find that answer, I have created the Living Brain to fill in for me. Also joining it, or him as I wish for him to be pronounced as, is a fellow inmate of the Cellar, Carolyn Trainer. She will look after the Living Brain and he will look after my class. Well, farewell. Let us hope we meet again in the future.

>With that, the message ends.

???????: Oh, no matter how many times I see that, it always brings a tear to my eye.

>We quickly turn to see a young woman with mechanical arms had entered the room.

Are... Are you Carolyn Trainer?

You see any other beautiful young woman with metal tentacles?

Panther: I guess not.

Carolyn: Glad to see we’re on the same page. We just came to see how the patient is doing.

Aleksei: Well, he’s eating the food we give him, so I don’t think we have to worry about him starving.

Carolyn: I’m glad to hear it. But you know, he won’t get any better if he doesn’t come out of his shell... Get it? Because he’s a turtle and he has a shell? And we’re asking him to get out of his shell?

>Hun clearly didn’t like the joke.

Hun: I! Hate! TURTLES!

>Hun charges at the glass and begins bashing on it. It doesn’t break, but it won’t hold forever.

Max: (shocked) This can’t be good.

Peter: I’m on it.

>Peter quickly shoots his web shooter at a nearby button. When it is pressed, a gas is released into the cell and Hun quickly calms down. Then, he falls to the ground... He’s fast asleep.

Max: Thank God and Anya for the sleep gas.

Anya: It’s no problem.

Carolyn: (acting all innocent) I’m sorry, I should have been more careful of what I say.

Seriously!? We could have been killed!

Yeah, what the hell is your malfunction!?

You... Are so lucky that you are giving me too many artistic ideas to scold you.

Peter: Hey, lay off, her you guys. She just didn’t know.

Queen: (groans) Fine.

Carolyn: Thank you... By the way, am I really giving you artistic ideas?

Fox: With those tentacles, it’s hard not to imagine. Something like that I would love to feature in my next art piece.

Diego: Are you going to have her strip?

Carolyn: (unimpressed) If you want me to pose for a nude portrait, I’m calling my lawyer.

Fox: I think an evening gown will suffice. (turns to me)

I already have my perfect nude model.

I’m glad to hear it.

Max: Anyways, that seems to be our only clue to Hun’s mental state. Whatever it is, it’s linked to turtles. That’s why seeing you here, I hoped that I could ask Akechi for help. If anyone might solve this mystery, it’s the Detective Prince. But since I see he’s not here... I just hope the other detective I hired can help.

Queen: Another detective?

Max: Well, she said that when she’s not being a superhero, she an investigative journalist. And when she learned that this case has something to do with turtles, she gladly accepted... She said she knows a thing or two about turtles since she dates one.

A superherorine that dates a turtle? That sounds like...

Max: Anyway, they’re suppose to be here soon. As soon as we can figure out what it means, maybe you guys can do your thing and that will make this job easier a little.

Queen: I guess we’ll do what we can.

Carolyn: What thing?

Max: Never you mind, Carolyn. Now I think we should let Hun rest.

>Just as we were leaving, the Living Brain stops.

Living Brain: There is sand on the floor.

>We look on the floor. There was a trail of sand coming from Flint.

Flint: (embarrassed) Sorry. I’ll clean it up.

Living Brain: No need for that. I shall clean it.

>The Living Brain sticks a vacuum out of his hand and sucks it up. Then, he gives the sand to Flint.

Flint: Thank you.

Living Brain: It was my pleasure. It must be very difficult... Sandman.

Flint: (looking down) ...

>With that, the Living Brain and Carolyn leave. We leave for an empty classroom while Max goes off to his office.

Joker: You know, when you told me things were really good...

You weren’t telling the whole truth, were you?

Flint: (sighs sadly) You’re right. It’s just... Lately, it getting harder and harder to maintain a human form. I can only guess it’s because I’ve been using my powers a lot. And that scares me a bit. It means that one of these days, the next time I turn to sand... I may not change back to human form... I’m coming apart, you guys... I’m dying.

No...

Gwen: But that may not have to happen. If we can see that we can cure Hun the same way Aleksei was cured, we might be able to cure you, too.

Flint: I hope you’re right, Gwen... Maybe they’ll do the same with Keemia.

Peter: We won’t know until we can cure Hun first. Then we’ll see if it works with you.

Flint: ... Thanks, you guys. I won’t lose hope yet.

>With that, Flint leaves.

Noir: Poor Flint. If only we can hurry up and see if Otto Octavius’s machine works on Hun, then we can use it on him.

Anya: Unless we can get Hun to just calm down, we might actually do it. But unless we can learn anything about these turtles he keeps talking about, there’s not much we can do.

Queen: I know there’s another detective coming, but I don’t think we should wait any longer. We’ll have to solve this mystery ourselves for now.

Skull: But where do we even start?

Miles: ... Actually, I think I know.

Harry: You know something, Miles?

Miles: Hun is, or was, the leader of a street gang known as the Purple Dragons... And I met someone who might know more about Hun and the Purple Dragons than anyone else.

Peter: Who is that?

Miles: ... Casey Jones.

>Flashback.

>Miles, as Spider Kid, swung to an empty apartment where someone he knew once lived.

Miles’s voice: Pete, do you remember that guy you fought, Prowler?

Peter’s voice: Hobie Brown? Yes.

Miles’s voice: Well... He’s not the first Prowler. Before him, there was another... My uncle, Aaron Davis... He’s dead now.

Peter’s voice: He is!? How?

Miles’s voice: It was during that time you were helping the Guardians of the Galaxy and the Phantom Thieves were Dancing in Starlight. My uncle was hired.

Gwen’s voice: Hired to do what?

Miles’s voice: ... To kill me... Or at least, Spider Kid. But he failed and was killed in an accident involving a rouge Inhuman who tragically ended his own life saying it was to avoid punishment.

Gwen’s voice: I see. I’m sorry for that Inhuman. And who would hire your uncle to kill you?

Miles’s voice: I don’t know. But that’s why I went to his apartment. To find out.

>Spider Kid opens the window and goes inside. So many memories of the time he spent with his uncle flooded into him. Then, he goes over to the computer.

Computer: Please enter your password.

... Sunflower.

Computer: Welcome back, Aaron.

>Spider Kid then searches the computer. It turns out Aaron did a number of jobs of criminals. After searching, he found the file that contains the information about Aaron’s task to end Spider Kid’s life... His nephew’s life. He managed to find the form that should contain the name of whoever hired Aaron. Unfortunately, it just says “Kingpin”.

Spider Kid: Kingpin? Who is he, Uncle Aaron?

>Spider Kid looks at the form again and he finds something.

Was I recommended to you?: Yes

If I was recommended to you, who did so? (Rest assured that this will not effect you or the party that recommended me.): Sid Jones of the Purple Dragons

Spider Kid: Sid Jones? Purple Dragons? I think I’ve heard about them from Dad.

>Later after that, Spider Kid swings to the place where the Purple Dragon Gang most likely reside in.

Miles’s voice: According to Dad’s police reports, the Purple Dragons often hang out in the back alleys of Manhattan. I searched everyone of them until I found the one where Sid Jones most likely is. I knew which one... Because some men in black were there.

>Some men in black suits where at the door of the hideout and busted in. Spider Kid quietly came in through in open window and saw what transpired.

Now wait a minute, I’m sure we can work something out!

Man 1: Your assassin failed and died on us, Jones. The Kingpin is not happy.

Man 2: And now he would like to have a few words with you.

Man 3: So we would be so happy if you could come with us.

Sid Jones: A little help here!

Alright, but you owe us big time, Jones. Purple Dragons, attack!

>A fight then broke out between the Purple Dragons and the men in black. However, the men in black seems to have superior technology that they used to easily beat the Purple Dragons.

Spider Kid: That doesn’t look good. Hey, creeps! You missed one!

>Spider Kid then drops to the floor between the men and Sid Jones.

Man 1: Spider Kid! Fine, if Prowler couldn’t finish you off, we’ll have to do it.

>Spider Kid engages with the men. Thwipping his web shooters and punching a kicking them. But there’s too many of them to handle.

Spider Kid: Shit. I’m almost out of webbing. Maybe coming here alone wasn’t such a good idea.

>This looked like the end of the young hero, until... Someone leaped in and attacked the men.

?????: GOONGALA!

>The new fighter comes and swings, what is unmistakably, a hockey stick at the men, knocking them down one by one.

Sid Jones: You!? Why are you here?

What’s a look like? I’m here to save your sorry ass and take you home. Ma’s worried sick about you... But if you rather have Arachnid Boy here...

Spider Kid: (quickly) No, no! I could use the assistance.

Masked man: That’s all I needed to hear. Goongala!

>Spider Kid and the masked man both fight off the men together. Before they knew it, the battle was over and the men in black flee.

(taking off his mask) Boy, is Raph gonna be ticked off that he missed this.

Sid Jones: Thanks, Casey. You’re my favorite cousin.

Casey Jones: I’m you’re only cousin.

Spider Kid: (a bit surprised) They’re cousins, huh?

>The two cousins just look to Spider Kid. None of them knew what to say.

>Back in the present.

Miles: The next night. I met Casey again. He’s been fighting the Purple Dragons for a long time. Right now, Cousin Sid is staying with Casey’s mom in the country to lay low until things have cooled down. He promised that soon I’ll get to talk to him and find out who Kingpin is.

Peter: I hope you do, Miles.

So do I.

Miles: But right now, if anyone knows more about Hun and the meaning of his talk of turtles, other than the fact he’s been mutated into one, he might.

Anya: Where can we find him?

Miles: Most nights, he and his wife, April O'Neil, go out into the city and to some old reservoir station in Central Park. I think they might go there again tonight... But they’ll be having company this time from the Web Warriors.

Peter: No doubt.

Harry: If this is to be my last job as Steal Spider for a while, might as well do this.

Joker: I’d like to come, too. You might need my help.

Fox: And me.

Skull: Yer gonna need a runner, too.

Queen: And a martial artist.

Peter: Alright.

Diego: The rest of us will stay here and keep and eye on Hun and maybe gather more information.

Right. Let’s do it.

>With that, we split for now... Panther and Gwen, however, stay behind.

Panther: Gwen... Are you thinking...

Gwen: ... I might.

Panther: I know you’ve been hanging around them for awhile. Doing so, you...

Gwen: That’s possible.

Panther: Do... Do Anya and the others know?

Gwen: Well, Anya does. The guys don’t know anything.

Panther: I see...

Good luck and be careful.

Gwen: (smiling) I will.

>Up in the dorms, me, Fox, Skull, Queen, Peter, Harry, Miles, and Anya were getting ready to go out.

How do I look? I have to thank Mitsuru san for giving these to us the last time we met.

You look wonderful, Ren.

I still wish I could be wearing the other hero suit. That one has a visor that can hide my face. But this is good, too.

I know. Guess I may not have to take you to my tailor after all... But I still want to and going to anyway.

Ah, thanks!

Shh! Everyone may know that Peter and Harry are, but Miles, Anya, and us are still unknown.

Stealth Spider: Sorry.

It’s okay. It can happen to anyone. So, is everyone set?

We’re ready to go, anytime.

Spider-Man: Alright then, let’s get to it.

Everyone: Right!

>With that, we leave... However, someone was watching.

????:  Looks like things are getting interesting.

????: Pretty much.

?????: Guess it was a good thing we came.

?????: So what is your call?

????: We go after them, of course. They’re going to need our help.

????: Alright then, let’s go.

????: Trixx, Let’s Pounce!

????: Wayzz, Shell On!

>An abandoned reservoir station in Central Park. We got here in the dark of the night searching for Casey Jones and April O’Neil.

Stealth Spider: I don’t see them.

Spider Kid: They should be arriving right about... Now.

>Suddenly, we see two people coming from the woods. No doubt those are who we were waiting for.

Casey: I dunno. I still don’t like it.

I’m sure everything will be fine, Casey. Sid’s safe.

Casey: It’s just not that, April. Those guys at Horizon wanna turn Hun back into a human. Is that really the right thing to do?

April: I know Hun isn’t exactly our best friend, but even the guys think he doesn’t deserve that.

Casey: Mmm. I guess you’re right. But if Hun’s still the same guy he was before the mutation...

April: I know. You’ll get the hockey sticks.

>April then goes to some kind of control panel. I use my Third Eye and got a closer look at what she was pushing. Then, a secret door opens and they go in. After it closes, we come in.

Queen: What’s the code?

>I type it in. Then, the door opens.

Let’s do it.

>We go in... Someone quickly follows in.

Did you hear that?

Spider-Girl: Hear what?

Queen: ... It’s nothing. Probably just the wind. Let’s keep going.

>We keep going in.

????????: Phew. They almost heard us.

????? ??????: Let’s just be ghosts and go about this quietly until they need us.

???? ?????: Right.

>Thanks to Spider-Man and Stealth Spider, we now had a stealth mode to hide us from view. When we came in... We were dropping jaws.

What the eff is this?

Spider-Man: I don’t know. I swing through Central Park every night and I’ve never known about this.

>Suddenly, we heard talking coming from a nearby room. We decided to sneak in a peek... We were shocked to see who the couple were talking to.

Casey: I’m still not so sure, Master Splinter, I feel bad for Hun, but I don’t think they should cure him at all.

You are letting your past hatred cloud your sight. Even great warriors forgive their enemies when they have to.

Casey: I know. I just dunno what to do anymore. But least with him out of the way for now, we, includin' Spider Kid, can learn more about this Kingpin Sid was talking about.

Master Splinter: (that is what we heard) I am sure you will.

April: By the way, where are the Turtles? Aren’t they still grounded for sneaking away to Gothem?

Master Splinter: They are... And our newest guests are about to meet them.

What!?

>Suddenly, something grabbed me by the wastes and threw me back. The stealth tech in my suit turns off... I’m shocked to see who... Or what did it.

Alright, pal, I dunno who you are or where you came from, and frankly, I don’t care. But you’re gonna regret comin’ in here without bein’ invited!

>I can sense that my friends want to help, but I gesture them to stay hidden... But not for long.

????????????: Whoa! Was that guy invisible? Are there more.

>To my surprise, two more ‘turtles’ came at my friends who were forced to become visible.

Amazing. I knew the Web Warriors were working on stealth technology, but to know that they can use it with others?

I know. How come you never made stuff like that for us, Donny?

(also coming in) Focus, Mikey, we have these guys to deal with.

Red Masked Turtle: Right. Let’s do this.

Fine, so be it!

>I ready myself. Good thing I remember my wrestling training with Bonesaw McGee and the hand-to-hand technique I learned at the gym. Also, Queen and Joe took time to teach me some aikido and boxing... But before I can make a move...

???? ?????: This doesn’t look good!

What!?

MIRAGE!

>A blinding light comes. Then, something pulled me away to the rest of my friends.

SHELL-TER!

>Something formed around us, but I can’t see what it is due to the light. Then, I hear webbing go around. Then finally, the light fades... The Turtles have been webbed up.

Queen: What happened? Did you do this?

Spider-Man: No. We’re here in this green dome for some reason.

It’s a sphere, actually.

Stealth Spider: I take it you two are the detective and turtle expert.

What gave it away? And by the way, I’m not a detective, I’m a reporter. An investigative reporter.

????? ??????: And I’m here, too.

Spider-Man: Wait... No, it can’t be...

Relax... It isn’t. Just another spider person who became inspired. Just call me Ghost Spider.

Spider-Girl: I think we should trust her. I’ve run into her dozens of times and she’s definitely not Gwen. Spider-Man, surely Ms. Marvel told you about her.

Spider-Man: Well, no. She didn’t say anything.

Ghost Spider: Then we’re good? Good.

?????? ???????: I am glad to see you are on good terms with each other... Now will you please release my sons?

>We saw Master Splinter, Casey, and April coming in.

Ghost Spider: Alright. Spider-Man? Stealth Spider? Spider Kid? Spider-Girl?

>Ghost Spider and the other Web Warriors free the Turtles from the prison. Then, Master Splinter begins to explain their story.

Master Splinter: And so, from a museum catalog I found in the sewer, I gave them all names.

Blue: I’m Leonardo. My friends call me Leo.

Purple: I’m Donatello. Donny or Don for short.

Orange: I’m Michelangelo. Or just Mikey.

Red: And I’m Raphael. But just call me Raph.

Fox: Naming your children after Renaissance master?

That’s quite sophisticated of you.

Master Splinter: ありがとうございました。

どういたしまして。

April: Anyways, what brings the Web Warriors, the Phantom Thieves, and two Parisian superheroes to New York?

Casey: Yeah, Cousin Sid is still hidin’ and ain’t ready to tell us about Kingpin.

Spider Kid: I know. But this is something completely unrelated.

Casey: What is it?

Well, you know we have Hun at Horizon High and we’re trying to find a way to change him back into a human.

Casey: I know. I still think you should let him stay that way. He deserves it.

Raph: Normally I’d agree with ya, Case, but doncha think that might be a bit too much?

Casey: I know. It’s just... I just don’t know what to feel right now.

Spider-Girl: I know what you’re feeling. Really, I do. But he’s still human. Surely you can show a little kindness when they really need it. I’m sure even you don’t want him to spend the rest of his life as a turtle... No offense.

Don: None taken.

Carapace: Same here.

(again, sorry for the chop job) So as we were saying, we want to cure him, but he’s having some problems... Up here. (tapping his head)

Peter: We think that his hatred of turtles, or more like you guys, is making it hard to change him back. That’s why the Phantom Thieves are here. It seems our only chance is social reform of him.

Joker: But in order to do that, we need to know more about him.

Spider Kid: And who knows more about Hun than the guy who’s been hunting him almost his whole life?

Casey: ... I guess that’s kinda true. Ever since the Purple Dragons burned down my dad’s shop when I was a kid, I’ve been huntin’ them. So imagine my shock when I learned my own cousin joined them because of a gamblin’ debt.

Spider Kid: Yeah, I can understand the feeling.

>Spider Kid was looking down.

Peter: Anyway, perhaps you can help us with this. Can you?

Casey: I’ll see what I can do.

Thank you for your cooperation, Mr. Jones. Now what can you tell us about Hun?

Casey: Well, for starters, Mr. Jones is my father. Just call me Casey or Case. And second, Hun isn’t his actual name. Actually, it’s just part of it. His full name is Hunter. Hunter Mason. Currently, he should be 36. His birthday is April 20, 1983...

>Suddenly, we heard a beeping sound.

Rena Rouge: You think you can go on without us? That sound means we’re about to change back.

April: If you like, you can rest in the other room. Don’t worry, we won’t peek... Right, Michelangelo? (eyes him)

Mikey: (unhappy) Why am I being singled out?

Raph: Uh, because it’s you?

Mikey: ... Point taken.

Carapace: Thanks. By the way, we do have a request, though.

Master Splinter: What is it?

Carapace: Well... You happen to have any cookies, would you?

>We were a little confused, but Don gave him a box of cookies.

Carapace: Thanks, dude. Merci.

Don: De rien.

>With that, Carapace and Rena Rouge go into the next room. And then...

Is there a bathroom I can use?

Leo: We turtles don’t have to actually use the bathroom, but we do have one in case Casey and April have to use one. It’s just around the back.

Joker: Thanks.

>I leave for the spot Leo said... But I’m not really going to the bathroom. I use my Third Eye and I find what I’m really looking for... A hole in the wall. I quietly peek inside. It is the room Rena Rouge and Carapace are in.

Rena Rouge: Trixx, Let’s Rest.

Carapace: Wayzz, Shell Off.

>With that, the two heroes change back to their civilian forms as two little creatures come out of their jewelry, which I can only guess are their Miraculouses. Keep in mind, these characters are from a fanmade timeline that is much different from the main series. Also, names have been strike though to protect their identities from Hawk Moth.

Here you go.

Thank you. (takes the cookie) You know, I’m surprised that you’re not surprised by the fact that you are in the company of anthropomorphic turtles and a rat.

Hey, it’s New York. They’ve got superheroes, super villains, aliens, sorcerers, gargoyles, ghosts, Ghostbusters, dragons, other magical creatures, even a talking mouse that lives with a human family.

Girl with Glasses: And let’s not forget that time those Xiaolin monks visited.

Boy with Glasses: That’s true, Alya, but that was a long time ago to find some magic artifact.

Rena Rouge: That’s not true. They still visit here sometimes. Mostly because of that basketball playing kid that helped us find Horizon.

Carapace: Guess I can’t argue with that.

So it is no longer strange that there are teenage mutant ninja turtles and their rat father living here?

Crapace: True. But we’ll let them come out on their own. We can’t force them... BTW, for those reading this post, don’t go to New York looking for things we just said are here. They can only be found in this New York.

Wayzz: So what now? Should we help them?

Rena Rouge: Well, we heard about these Phantom Thieves from Ladybug and Cat Noir when they targeted Chloe. But they have done so much for everyone. Including here in New York. Twice. A bunch of times.

Wayzz: Yes. The Master told me about them as well.

Carapace: Well, right now, let’s just work with them. If they Web Warriors trust them and they want to help, might as well.

Rena Rouge: Right. It wasn’t easy trying to convince Ladybug to let us take the Miraculous with us to here. Might as well use them.

Carapace: Actually, I convinced her when I DJ the opening of Junes in Sternbild. Then again, she and Cat Noir were with me when I used it.

Rena Rouge: True. Anyway, Trixx, Wayzz, are you charged up?

Trixx: (finishing his cookie) Ready.

Wayzz: (also finishing his cookie) Same here.

Rena Rouge: Good. Let’s get to it. Trixx, Let’s Dash!

Carapace: Wayzz, Shell On!

>I got away from the hole quickly. I make my way back to the main lair. Queen comes to me.

Queen: Welcome back. While you were gone, we managed to learn more about Hun. I think the location of his Palace might be the Oroku Saki Tower. And I think I might know what the Palace is. We’ll go there soon after we tell the others.

Don’t worry, Splinter Sensei, I won’t say too much about you or your sons.

Master Splinter: Thank you, Queen san.

Joker: Right.

>Then, Rena Rouge and Carapace rejoin us. Then we leave back for Horizon High.

>Back at Horizon, after settling in the dorms, me and Fox decide to take a quick bath. When we get there, we find Peter, Harry, Aleksei, and (to my surprise) Carapace there.

WARNING: Some nudity ahead.

Carapace: (no nude picture at the request of his girlfriend) Hey there.

Ren, Yusuke, this is Nino Lahiffe. He and his girlfriend are visiting for a few days.

... A pleasure.

The more the merrier.

Glad to hear it.

>We got in.

Aleksei: I’m glad to see the dorms are still in good shape since my break.

Well, we knew someone had to look after it. So we took over for you until you came back. Even the adults helped out.

Peter: Miles’s dad got us a new TV for the lounge. Gwen’s dad got us a bigger fridge. Anya’s mom and some of her friends kept the baths clean. Even Randy’s dad put in stronger WiFi. Aunt May, Flash’s mom, and Liz’s parents put in a bulletin board for either volunteer work at F.E.A.S.T. or part time work at the Allens’ restaurant.

Aleksei: That’s good to hear. Thank you.

Peter: You’re welcome.

Joker: By the way, how are things with Aunt May?

Peter: Things are going well. At least it beats having to work for the Bugle. Now that’s I’m 18, Jameson can now legally say bad things about me.

Carapace: No need to worry about that, dude. If Alya can get in an interview about how there might be a chance you’ll team up with Ladybug, Cat Noir, and the rest of Team Miraculous, he might end up singing a different tune.

Peter: ... I’ll think about it. Thanks anyway though.

Carapace: Oh, you, Harry.

Harry: Yes?

Carapace: My boy’s dad told me to tell you that he’s looking forward to your next visit to Paris.

Harry: Very well. Tell Mr. Agreste that I’ll be looking forward to meeting him soon.

>Seeing us all together like this. It just makes times like this very good. I see that Peter and Harry are especially happy... Then I think about the Living Brain. I just hope things will hold and that never happens.

>We will be going on our heist soon.

[tialovestelevision]

The Harsh Light of Day

“Spider-Man appears in the third issue.” That’s how you launch a new comic book in an established universe, and that appears to be how you launch a spinoff as well. Here we are, three episodes into Buffy’s first season and having seen two episodes of Angel, and we’re getting our first crossover. Part One is happening on Buffy; to see the conclusion, you needed to stay tuned into The WB for another hour to catch it on Angel. Let’s go! 1. We’re back at the Bronze, watching a Dingoes Ate My Baby concert. Parker is there too, and Buffy is watching Parker in the mirror. She couldn’t do that with the last guy she was interested in. 2. Willow just pointed that out. 3. The show just jumped into sex negativity again (“Buffy’s having lusty-wrong feelings!”), then jumped back out. Good on it; that’s a step in the right direction. 4. Parker is walking Buffy back to her dorm. 5. Dingoes Ate My Baby will be playing in LA. 6. Huh. It’s Harmony. She’s talking about the big snake, and didn’t go to France. She didn’t know about the museums. And she’s a vampire, and biting Willow. 7. Do vampires have to learn to bite people effectively, or do they just know it instinctively? They seem to get martial arts skills just by being turned. 8. Now Oz and Willow are fighting. And Harmony has a boyfriend, who’s going to be mad that Oz and Willow were mean to her. 9. Parker and Buffy are talking about themselves. Buffy does stuff. Parker doesn’t do stuff. Buffy has a scar from Angel biting her to cure the poison Faith gave him last season. She’s about to lie about it, but that’s a good idea. 10. “Angry puppy.” “So, do I get to see any of your scars?” “Mine are all psychological.” “Oh, please, those are the best kind.” 11. “Don’t you just hate guys who are all dark and brooding so give me love?” 12. He’s being dark broody give me love guy. She’s telling him about that one time she died, and leaving out passing on a mystical legacy. 13. Buffy and Parker are going to the party at Wolf House tomorrow night. 14. Xander and Giles are shelving books. Anya dropped by.She wants to talk to Xander. I don’t understand why. 15. Anya wants to go out with Xander. I don’t understand that either. 16. “This is it. My door. Wood. Maybe some kind of wood veneer.” 17. Harmony is the angry puppy. Willow needs a band-aid. 18. “Harmony’s a vampire? She must be dying without a reflection.” 19. “Guy dating Harmony dead. Must be like the most tolerant guy in the world.” Cue Spike. 20. Spike has a drilling machine, and a bunch of vampires helping him tunnel. They’re trying to get into a crypt. Harmony wants him to kill Willow, but he doesn’t want Buffy to know he’s here. 21. Spike and Harmony are going to a party. He’s totally going to land at Wolf House, isn’t he? 22. Spike is threatening Parker, and managed to escape. 23. Drusilla left Spike for a fungus demon. 24. And now Buffy knows Spike is looking for the Gem of Amara. Thanks, Harmony! 25. Xander is hanging up a disco ball and talking to Anya. He’s giving her some cran-apple. And she’s naked. 26. Giles says the Gem of Amara isn’t real. It’s the Vampire Holy Grail. 27. Spike says Harmony can make Antonio Banderas, but he just wants to get rid of her. But she seduced him instead. 28. “Sexual intercourse is about… expressing something. And accepting consequences.” “Oh, I have condoms. Some are black.” 29. “Fabric softener.” 30. Buffy finds the idea of her having dated Spike hilarious. 31. All the parties in this show have live bands. It’s neat, but it’s also absurd. 32. Now Buffy and Parker are kissing. 33. And having sex. 34. Giles found something. Buffy is too busy having sex to answer the phone. 35. Parker vanished from Buffy’s bed. But he was getting coffee. Better than misplacing his soul. 36. ander and Anya are getting dressed. Anya: “So, um, I’m over you now.” Xander: “Okay.” Anya: “Okay?!” And she storms out. 37. Harmony was drawing on Spike’s back. 38. “I’m an adult and it’s none of your business where I was.” “I’m sincerely relieved to hear it.” I love Giles. 39. The last time Buffy did the post-sex moment, Willow, people died. I don’t think Buffy loves this part. Though she might after a few good experiences. 40. “The gem is everything. I came back to Sunnydale for it, a place which has witnessed some truly spectacular kickings of my ass.” 41. Parker hasn’t called. It’s night. Buffy is still looking for Spike. 42. Well, the thing Spike thought was the Gem wasn’t. But Harmony found the Gem, then threw it at Spike in a fit of rage. She had invincibility for a few moments. 43. Giles has a crappy TV. 44. “Watching television isn’t going to help us right now.” Watching television immediately helps. 45. Parker is hitting on a girl on a bench talking about his dead father. And Parker is an absolute bastard. Total and complete. And is pretty deliberately beating on Buffy’s sense of self-worth. 46. Well, that was painful to watch. 47. And here’s Spike out at noon, to fight Buffy. She’s having a hell of a day. He’s very invincible. 48. Seeing Spike put his game face on at midday is weird. 49. The Gem doesn’t seem to make Spike stronger or quicker. Just invincible. That seems to be enough, when you put in standard vampiric invulnerability. 50. Spike is, in fact, a pig. But has read the situation well. He’s saying it in the most douchebag way possible. 51. Buffy got the Gem off of Spike, but Spike got away. Jumped in a hole. 52. Buffy’s having Oz take the Gem to Angel. 53. “Does this always happen? You sleep with a guy, he goes all evil?” Not always - not Oz - but you do live in a world written in a fairly sex-negative way. Parker is, in fact, a poophead. 54. “I’m your friend. I would call you repulsive in a second.” 55. Sad Buffy, Anya, and Harmony, to close the episode out. Overall: The two biggest problems with Buffy so far are its tendency to fail to land moral points and its sex negativity. This episode leapt head-first into that second problem, which is quite the shame because the core plotline about Spike and the Gem was really, really good. I loved Spike digging and Giles dismissing the Gem as a fiction then following up and learning it wasn’t. I loved the daylight fight and the change in dynamics for how combat in this show usually works. I loved bringing Harmony back, and the way she seduced Spike. But the lesson of the episode became, “Don’t screw or you’ll end up hurt,” and that’s a shitty lesson. Still probably more good than bad here.

[aion-rsa]

Marjane Satrapi on Madame Curie: ‘Don’t Blame the Scientist’ for the Discovery

https://ift.tt/2OP56Px

Madame Curie was part of Marjane Satrapi’s life well before Radioactive came along. In fact, she cannot remember a time when she didn’t know of Marie Curie, the Polish-French scientist who discovered two new elements on the periodic table, became the first person to win two Nobel Prizes, and coined the term “radioactivity” for the type of energy she hypothesized was emanating from the atom. It’s that kind of legacy Satrapi’s mother made sure her daughter was aware of while growing up in 1970s Tehran—a role model who, despite the disadvantages of living in the 19th century, could change the world by being “an independent woman and big and bad.”

Yet by making a biopic on Curie’s life, which becomes available on VOD later this week, Satrapi learned there was so much more to appreciate about the historic figure, including the parallels she saw with another woman who left her homeland to make a new life in Paris.

“We both came to France in our early 20s because we were not able to do what we wanted to do in our home countries,” Satrapi says about the echoes between her and Curie’s life. Indeed, Radioactive begins shortly after its protagonist immigrated to France in 1891, which makes for a kind of thematic continuation of Satrapi’s first film, the seminal animated movie Persepolis (2007), which acted as her autobiography about coming of age during the Iranian Revolution, and then being asked to leave for good by her parents after she was an adult.

“It’s not that they are waiting for [you],” Satrapi tells me about moving alone to a new country. “People have their life and they have their friends and family, and here you come. First of all, you have to make yourself [stand out]; you don’t have any connection, you don’t know anyone, so it’s more difficult for you. But then if you are a woman and you want to study science at the end of the 19th century? Then everything becomes more complicated. So I can understand this complication and how difficult it is to still be yourself… You have to fight because nobody is going to tell you, ‘Oh, you can stay. This is your place. Come and take it.’”

But taking it is what Radioactive details in a both straightforward and enigmatic manner. On the one hand, it is a biographical film about how a woman named Maria Salomea Sklodwska (Rosamund Pike) came to meet and marry fellow scientist Pierre Curie (Sam Riley), who by benefit of his gender could earn a doctorate in physics, and how he then helped advance her genius toward discovery—all while the study of radiation likely led to Pierre’s early death. At the same time, it’s interspersed with narrative interludes pointing toward the impact radiation had on the century to come.

This emphasis on the history of science and mathematics was part of the appeal for Satrapi, who pursued the project as soon as she heard Jack Thorne had written a screenplay about the Curies. For while Satrapi is quick to point out that she is personally not a genius, and Marie Curie was, the filmmaker still has always found the study of science and math to be a vital part of the human condition, even for an artist. Calling “bullshit” on those who undervalue science or think its emphasis on empirical fact-finding is separate from the creative side of the brain, the filmmaker considers curiosity central to creation and living.

“There is nothing more human than science,” Satrapi says. “How does the real world work? If we stop making discovery, if we stop being curious, then we will surely become big monkeys again.”

And the long-term effects of curiosity prove vital to Radioactive. Like the Lauren Redniss graphic novel it is based on, Radioactive: Marie & Pierre Curie: A Tale of Love and Fallout, the film is as interested in documenting the century-long journey of their life’s work as it is concerned with detailing simply their lives. Hence sections of the film that flash forward to the positive benefits of the discovery of radiation, such as how it’s used by radiologists to treat cancer, as well as sequences that recreate the day the Enola Gay flew over Hiroshima or when the Chernobyl power plant began melting down in 1986.

“You cannot talk about radioactivity and not talk about all of that,” Satrapi reflects. “Is that part of what Madame Curie created? Obviously not… [But] all of that is the result. You cannot actually talk about the couple who made the discovery, and how it is used to cure cancer, and then not talk about anything else, because of course they’re related, and this is the discovery that changed, completely, the face of the 20th century.”

To Satrapi it would be intellectually dishonest to show only the benefits caused by radiation in Curie’s lifetime—including during the third act when she invents with her daughter (Anya Taylor-Joy) mobilized radiology vehicles to perform X-rays at field hospitals during the First World War—but then ignore the atom bomb that came later. After all, this isn’t a simple discovery.

Says Satrapi, “If you discovered today a little type of blue octopus that lives in the depths of the Pacific Ocean, okay it’s a discovery, but would it change the world? No.” The Curies did. With that said, the filmmaker does not blame the Curies for what came after. Her movie is about finding what she calls an equilibrium toward their legacy.

“Frankly, I think the scientist does not have any responsibility,” Satrapi says. “The scientist has to discover. That is his job, to be curious and to discover. Now, if it were this way [suggested by critics], we can also say the first man who made the fire is responsible for all of the war in the world. Yeah, but he’s also responsible for the cooking of food and agriculture.”

Thus the parallels Satrapi sees between the Curies’ discovery with the current debate over the advancement of artificial intelligence.

“There’s some people that are against, some people that are for,” Satrapi considers. “Of course if you use it to make a very good heart surgery that no human’s hands can do without any risk, it’s fantastic. But if you use it to recognize the face of, I don’t know, some people somewhere in the world, and kill them without touching them, and call that declaring war, then it’s something disgusting. It’s the same thing. How do you use it? … It’s up to us, the human, to decide what we want to do with the discovery. I don’t think it’s the responsibility of the scientist. The scientist just discovers it.”

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That sense of trying to find meaning in discovery, and life in general, is at the core of how Radioactive presents the Curies. Here were two people ahead of their time in countless ways, including with Pierre insisting that he’d only accept a Nobel Prize if his wife was also given credit for it (the Nobel Assembly initially refused to include Marie’s name on its award), yet they’re also products of it. Indeed, one of the most interesting aspects of the pair presented in the movie is their fascination with spiritualism. While Pierre is the much more active participant in 19th century séances, if only to attempt to locate a scientific pathway into the paranormal, Marie also turned to mediums after her husband’s death.

“The Curies, they were part of a [spiritualism] movement,” Satrapi says. “They asked, ‘So okay, maybe we don’t understand this, maybe we can be scientific and maybe we can explain it, and maybe something exists.’ And ‘maybe’ is the base of doubt, and doubt is the base of progress. So I love it. I really didn’t believe in it… [even though] I know that there’s some stuff that I don’t experience, because I only have five senses and that’s it.” 

Yet that need for answers is, again, one of the things Satrapi says makes us human.

“The human being is the only animal who actually knows that he’s going to die,” says the director. “So it makes things very complex and at the same time complicated, and it gives them lots of problems.” Indeed, she traces much of humanity’s struggles over learning to be compassionate or empathetic to that knowledge of mortality. However, the filmmaker who also was forced to leave Iran as a young woman sincerely believes things are getting better in this world. Nuclear weapons or not.

“Frankly, I have faith in the human being,” she says. “People say, ‘Oh, it was much better before.’ But, much better before for who? In 1950, obviously if you were a man and you were white, and you were straight, it was great for you. But if you were a woman, if you were black, if you were homosexual, if you were all of that, it wasn’t good for you at all. We are living in a better world now. I mean, the world of before, it was war, war, war, war, and sometimes we had peace. The world of today is peace, peace, peace, peace, and sometimes we have war. We are progressing. This is work.”

And what of Madame Curie? What would the woman who lived through World War I think if she could see today, including the legacy of her discovery from the end of World War II to the many safe nuclear power plants lighting up France now?

Says Satrapi, “I think Marie was a very intelligent person, so she would look at you and say, “Yeah. This is it.”

Radioactive is available via VOD on Friday, July 24.

The post Marjane Satrapi on Madame Curie: ‘Don’t Blame the Scientist’ for the Discovery appeared first on Den of Geek.

from Den of Geek https://ift.tt/3jxeQMr

[randomrichards]

Interesting Movies Coming in January 2019

So, begins another year showcasing movies that may fly over the radar.

January 11:

ASHES IN THE SNOW

Inspired by true events, Ashes in the Snow tells the story of a teenage girl used art to break the silence on an atrocity committed by the Soviet Union.

Set in 1941, the film examines Stalin’s brutal dismantling of the Baltic Region which deported many Lithuanians to Siberia. Many of them were convicted of treason and sentenced to a lifetime of labour. Among them is a 16-year-old girl named Lina (Bel Powley) and her family. But as she fights for survival, she finds her voice through art. In time she’s will use her art to expose what happened to her and her family.

I imagine this film will fall out of many people’s radar, shown only in art house theatres and film festivals. It’s a shame because this film shows a lot of potential in the trailer with an interesting real-life story. It sounds like a compelling David and Goliath story sure to gain acclaim. Thankfully, I have this blog to attract attention to films like this.

THE UPSIDE

Based on the French film The Intouchables, (which was inspired by a real-life story), The Upside tells the story of a bond between a rich quadriplegic man and an ex-con who assists him.

For the sake of his son, Dell (Kevin Hart) wants to get his life back together. To do that, he needs to get a job, or at least 3 signatures proving he’s interviewed for jobs or his parole is kaput. Meanwhile, billionaire Phillip (Bryan Cranston) needs assistance since he’s paralyzed from the neck down and he can’t stand the patronizing attitudes of home care applicants (much to his wife’s (Nicole Kidman) chagrin). Then Dell barges in to the interview and impresses Philip with his abrasive demeanor. So, Dell’s hired.

Now Dell gets to bask in the high life living in the Penthouse with Philip. Of course, there is the problem of Phillip having no experience taking care of a person with disabilities. Hell, he crosses his legs at the sight of a catheter. But what Philip likes about him is the fact Dell doesn’t pity him. As they work, they form a bond through their no-BS attitudes.

It’s common for Hollywood to remake foreign language films. What’s weird about this one is that the original is based on a true story and they change the location from France to America. It feels like a disservice toward the people who inspired these films. One could argue this is a way to garner an audience who don’t watch movies with subtitles, but that feels incredibly unfair to the original movie. Those people missed a fantastic performance by Omar Sy. But I digress.

You got some great actors in this film. You can’t go wrong with Cranston, who has delivered on Nicole Kidman, who is seeing a reemergence of her career with an Oscar Nomination (Lion), Emmy Win (Big Little Lies) and that badass fight scene in the recent box office hit Aquaman. But the one that stands out the most was Kevin Hart. He has sparked a major fanbase with an over the top, self-deprecating comedy style. He’s applied the same style in his movies, resulting in few hits (Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle) and many misses (Think Like a Man). Though there is a hint of his exaggerated acting, it will be interesting to see him give a more grounded performance. Unfortunately, he’s got big shoes to fill with Omar Sy’s award winning performance in the previous film.

There is a danger of this being sappy and there is a hint of that. But I like to give films like this a chance.

January 18:

GIRL

All the way from Belgium comes this coming of age tale of a transgender teenage girl struggling to achieve her dream of becoming a ballet dancer.

We follow Lara (Victor Polster) through an 8-week trial period at a prestigious Ballet Academy. She’s got a bit of a ways to go before her skills are up to par with the Academy’s standards. At the same time, she’s counting the day before her hormone treatment. But can she handle the stress of the Academy?

This film was a hit at the Cannes film festival and it has recently been nominated at the Golden Globe Awards. While the film has received critical praise, there is still controversy over the casting of a ci-gender boy to play a transgender girl. Yes, it’s great to see transgender girls getting representation and Polster disappears into the character, but it still doesn’t change the fact that transgender actors can’t seem to get role playing transgender character. Writer/Director Lukas Dhont clearly means well, but this matter’s much more complicated. It’s a shame because this seems like a compelling movie.

Can you still enjoy this movie despite this controversy? It’s going to be complicated.

GLASS

Never in my life would I have ever imagined a Shyamalan Cinematic universe. Of course, it didn’t help that his films have been more flops than hit. But he took us by surprise when that Bruce Willis cameo revealed Split to be an indirect sequel to his underrated hit Unbreakable. And now both films collide in Glass.

After 19 years, we finally find out what’s happened to the literally unbreakable David Dunn (Bruce Willis). After years using his super strength, invincibility and psychic visions for the greater good, he finds himself confined to a mental institution. He finds himself face to face with Elijah Price (Samuel L. Jackson), his comic book obsessed arch nemesis who goes by the name Mr. Glass. Also, there is Kevin Wendell Crumb (James McAvoy), a disturbed man with 23 personality who imprisons and kills teenage girls. With them altogether, Dr. Ellie Staple (Sarah Paulson) hopes to cure them of their “delusions.” Mr. Glass seizes this opportunity for a Supervillain team up with Kevin Wendell Crumb. So, he unleashes The Beast, Kevin’s animalistic personality with super strength and an aggressive thirst for blood. With these two out of the hospital and reigning terror on the world, it’s up to David to stop them.

This film also sees Anya Taylor-Joy reprise her role as Casey, the teenage girl who brought down Kevin in Split.

M. Night Shyamalan is quite a fascinating figure. He came out of nowhere and took everyone by surprise with The Sixth Sense. The fact he was able to stick himself into a zeitgeist in his first movie alone is a near miracle. But with the praise came high expectations. Though Unbreakable and Signs earned acclaim, none of Shyamalan’s films were of the same level. And then there were the flops. Oooh the flops. He released so many bad movies that he became a self-parody.

There were a few factors contributing to Shyamalan’s fall from grace. I mentioned the expectations, which puts a lot of pressure on any new director. Eventually, the fame went to Shyamalan’s head, giving him a misplaced sense of self-importance.  That self-importance seeped into his films, building a pretensions tone. He also relied a bit too much on quirkiness, resulting in unintentionally hilarious moments. It didn’t help that pop culture only associated him with plot twists, which kind of stuck him in a corner.

But then two factors turned his career around. First was Wayward Pines, a Twin Peaks-like series where Shyamalan’s emphasis on quirks became an advantage. In that same year, he stepped out of his comfort zone with The Visit, a found footage horror movie that got Shyamalan his groove back. And the deal was sealed with Split. Through these films, Shyamalan seemed to have let go of his pretentiousness and had fun with them. I hope he keeps this up for his sake.

January 25

SERENITY

In this thriller, Matthew McConaughey plays fishing boat captain Baker Dill. He was enjoying a quiet, simple life hosting tours off the tropical Plymouth Island, when along comes his ex-wife Karen (Anne Hathaway). She’s married to a violent man (Jason Clarke) and she wants him gone. So, she wants Dill to take him on a fishing excursion where Dill can leave him swimming with the fishes. The question is, will he go through with it.

This premise plays a lot like a film noir, from the rugged protagonist facing the past he’s trying to forget to the femme fatale leading him down a dark path. I imagine Baker Dill will confront many dilemmas that will reveal his true self.  

There’s a notable growth of publicity for this movie. But publicity doesn’t equal quality. It could turn out to be a surprise sleeper hit like Hell or High Water or forgettable flop. Writer/director Steven Knight has gone either way, having written critical darlings like Dirty Pretty Things and hits like the series Peaky Blinders. He’s also wrote the flop The Girl in the Spider’s Web and the forgettable series Taboo. So, this film could go either way.

January 30

THE WILD PEAR TREE

From the man behind the Palme D’or winning Winter Sleep comes another tale of an artist secluding himself in a remote location.

Young writer Sinan (Dogu Demirkol) returns to his home after graduating from college. He has a bit of trouble fitting in to the rural living of this small village while he writes. But he has bigger problems with his father Idris (Murat Cemcir) debts growing out of control. Now the collectors are targeting Idris through his son. This also leaves him with little money to publish his stories.

It’s going to be a huge challenge to get butts in seats for this movie. Not only is this film entirely in Turkish, but it’s also three hours long. Theatres usually prefer the movies to be under two hours so they can be shown more and sell more tickets. Still, Nuri Bilge Ceylan had already gained huge acclaim for the aforementioned Winter Sleep, a tale of a former actor who runs a remote hotel while dealing with his family. This film seems to be garnering similar acclaim.

It’s in moments like these that I wished I had taken the time to watch his previous movies. I would have had a better opportunity to discuss what makes Ceylan’s films so special to its audiences. But I didn’t and that ship has sailed. 

[thenewbuzwuzz]

Title: A Hundred Tiny Silver Deer Rating: T Words: ~3.6 K Ship: Spuffy Setting: BtVS season 7, in a manner of speaking Summary: Dimension-hopping Spuffy try to figure out what is wrong with season 7. Instead, they find out how to make everything more trippy and medieval.

Repost time! Linked above, on Dreamwidth, is my chapter of the recent Elysian Fields collaborative surrealism party, Exquisite Consequences. I think it's possible to enjoy each chapter separately -- after all, I hadn't read the previous chapters when I wrote it. The first paragraph is my prompt, written by relurker. The chapter title is from Tennyson's "The Last Tournament". I also borrow heavily from canon BtVS dialogue and a certain classic love story that is named in the chapter. A big thank you to Double Dutchess for the coherence beta! I have made a bunch of minor edits since the Elysian Fields version, BUT, if you read this and fall into a plot hole or anything else in particular bothers you, I'd appreciate a holler. I'm sure there's plenty left to clean up before reposting to AO3. One can also read it here, because why not:

“No, you’re right. Every time realities mix, it’s like playing dice with nitroglycerin. You’ll go back to your world in a minute, and reality will be a little different. I don’t know how much of this you’ll remember, or how much of your reality will be different. Extreme times… you know how it goes.” Dawn’s eyes were very bright, too. “Now, you two. Hold hands, close your eyes, and when I say the word, you’ll be in your own place. Bazinga!”

*** Buffy woke up feeling warm and happy, and a bit pleasantly sore. Her nose was smooshed up against... Spike. There was a light touch on her hair that stopped when she stirred. She opened her eyes to see Spike hovering his hand like he wasn’t sure where to put it. She took it in her hand and beamed at him. “Good morning!” Spike seemed to unfreeze. He put his other arm around her and held her close. “Best morning of my life,” he said after a moment. “You remember, then?” Buffy remembered lots of things. They were all jumbled together. Some of it was definitely a dream, thank goodness. (Spike streaming with light like a disco ball, wearing an ugly necklace.) Some of it, she wasn’t sure. (Could cheetahs really do that? And when had she resolved to visit a vineyard? She didn’t even like wine.) “I remember that you have my back,” she told him. “I remember making love to you.” He gave her a breathtaking, unguarded smile. Had she seen that smile before? It felt like she saw it for the first time. Wait, she’d been saying something. “And I remember saying bye to Dawn. Something about mixing realities. She was sending us home, but she said something might be changed.” Spike nodded. “Doesn’t look much like home, does it?” She looked around. “I can see why. There’s not a skull in sight.” They were in a room illuminated by indirect sunlight. The bedclothes were a rich blue and brown with a pattern like leaves or ferns. There were some candles and books and an armchair. “Yeah, I don't know this house. But I know who we are, so this isn’t a Randy and Joan day.” “Well, no randier than usual.” Buffy groaned. “You had to, didn’t you? But, y’know, there is something wrong with this reality. We’re in bed, with clothes. Who does that? There should be no clothes.” So they fixed the timeline. *** Afterwards, they got dressed and made their way to Revello Drive, which turned out to be only a couple of blocks away. Something was definitely off about this reality. Tucker's brother lived with Buffy, for one. So, apparently, did everyone else. There was a bunch of girls calling Buffy “the General” when they thought she didn't hear. And that First Evil loser, which Buffy had met in the real world back when Angel lived in Sunnydale, was apparently still a thing here. This reality’s Scoobies even had little tricks for distinguishing between one of them and absolute evil. What a fun place. “So, really, what you're saying is that we should keep our hands on each other at all times.” She slid her hand into Spike's back pocket. “Ah, thank you, you’ve hit upon the exact opposite of what I would suggest,” Giles said. Yeesh, these Scoobies had issues with Spike. Good thing that Buffy hadn’t taken the opinions of the local Scoobies seriously for a few realities in a row now. Dawn spoke up, “Buffy, don’t you remember what Spike did to you?” “No? I bet this Spike didn’t. I mean, of course he tried to kill me! He’s Spike. But that was years ago, and I’m over it. He has helped us all so much. What’s your problem, people?” “Oh.” Dawn considered. “So he hasn’t, like, tried to make you do anything you didn’t want?” “Pfft. Like he could.” “I wouldn’t hurt Buffy,” Spike said, “not unless she asked me to.” “Eww, Spike, I don’t need to know that,” Dawn said, but she was already grinning. She hugged Spike. “I missed you.” Not trusting Spike, imagine that. Wasn’t it so last season? Or month? Or at least last week? She wasn’t clear on the timeline. “Oh, wait! I haven’t told you guys! See, in our reality, Spike has a special chip that would trigger a headache if he tried to hurt people. He’s safe!” “Thanks ever so,” Spike said and rolled his eyes. Buffy checked under his shirt to see if he was corporeal there, too. He was. Spike pinched her. “Just checking you're not the source of all evil.” “So what’s the verdict? Is my butt evil?” “No.” He leaned closer to her. “It’s all things good and warm and delicious, like all the rest of you.” “Uh huh.” She suppressed a shiver. “You sure you’re not just peckish?” Giles had said some more words while they were doing their part for the war on evil, and Buffy debated asking what those words were. But just then, Faith walked in with even more girls, carrying weapons. They’d been out patrolling, Faith said, but couldn’t remember why they’d gone in broad daylight. It had ended well, though. While regrouping, they’d heard a distant underground explosion and found a whole arsenal of goodies, only protected by a few Bringers. “Hey, you’re just in time, guys,” someone piped up at the kitchen door. It was that twitchy guy who quoted movies all the time. The one who had teared up when Spike asked him who he was. Tucker’s brother. “I made an early lunch,” he said and gestured with oven mitts. The aroma of deep-fried onions followed in his wake. “You were right, Spike, ice water really helped.” After a lot of delicious, calorie-laden food, Buffy decided to follow the nagging feeling that she should be at a vineyard. It paid off. They beat up some Bringers easily, just like the last time she remembered, and Buffy got to King Arthur a battleaxe out of a rock. After some research, Giles and Willow told her the axe was originally supposed to be a scythe. Another reality change, then. As long as they were all going to be this harmless... *** Things got murkier when Angel arrived out of the blue and gave Buffy an amulet that looked oddly familiar. At least he didn’t want to stay and chat once he saw that Sunnydale wasn’t as apocalyptic as he’d thought. “It has a purifying power and a cleansing power, and, bonus, it bestows strength,” Buffy recited to the group after Angel was gone. “What is that about? I don’t think anyone here needs to be purified.” “Prefer me dirty, Slayer? Mutual,” Spike said and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. Something clicked. “Spike,” she said. That’s where she had seen the necklace before. “You wore this in my dream. There was... a lot of fire. You were talking about cleanup, and everything was collapsing. I think you were on fire, too.” A dark-haired girl who’d introduced herself as Shannon spoke up. “It kind of sounds like what that creepy preacher guy said when he drove me here. A cleansing fire? He said it would cure the world of weakness.” Everyone went silent. “It’s okay, unfamiliar girl,” Anya finally said. “It’s not your fault the deranged clergyman died in a car crash, even if he was distracted because you were talking to him. And you never know, maybe he deserved it.” She gave Shannon an encouraging smile. Giles winced. “Anya’s right about one thing. We cannot avert every tragedy, only do our best.” “I’ve heard this before, though,” Willow said, hunched small. “About cleansing fires and letting them burn away souls and bring death.” Giles made a thinky noise. Sometimes Buffy was just so happy she had a Giles on her side. “I agree, we can’t rule out a connection to the Proserpexa temple on Kingman’s Bluff.” “So this amulet thing sounds pretty dodgy?” Buffy summed up. It was more of a hunch than anything, but more of her dreams were coming back, and she didn’t like them one bit. “It’s not impossible that Angel thought he was helping,” Giles said generously. “He has been misled before about what help, uh, entails. Of course, we may be able to discover more about the artifact with some research. There may be a use for it yet.” “Right. Thanks,” Buffy said. She handed the necklace over to Giles and caught Spike’s eye. “They put the spark in me, and all it does is burn,” she said quietly. “That’s what you said in my dream. And you were smoking, Spike. As in, there was smoke rising from you. Don’t do that.” Xander said, “You know what they say. You’re a fool if you think smoking is cool.” There was a hint of real concern in his voice. “And there’s more.” They had felt like Slayer dreams, now that Buffy thought of it. “I remember a phrase. Someone was telling you, ‘Touch her, you’re gonna wake up on fire.’ I think they meant me.” “Well, I’d say I’ve touched you all right,” Spike said. “We should find out what’s up with this,” Buffy said. “Could it be realities mixing together? Dawn told us – not you, the Dawn in the other reality – that what we did was like playing dice with explosives. I want to know for sure if my dice are going to explode, you know? Or anyone else for that matter.” She grasped Spike’s hand more tightly. *** “Okay, there’s the shadow of Jonathan’s old charisma spell,” Willow said half under her breath, sitting cross-legged with her eyes shut, “and this is the monks’ spell for Dawn. I think this might be traces of Sweet, gee, there’s a lot of wishes being made lately… actually, all of this stuff might not be wishes. It’s like patchwork around here. I’m sorry, Buffy, I’m not sure I could see a reality mixing into ours even if it was right in front of me. Wait, well, there is this thing… I’m not sure what it is.” She paused. “It doesn’t look like an alternate reality exactly, but it’s not anything else I know.” “Well, what does it look like?” Buffy was pacing. “Kind of similar to Sweet’s singing spell. Neater and less detailed than the other ones. It’s probably not a full world, but more like a pattern, like maybe something based on a story.” “That’s the penalty when life is but a song,” Dawn said like she was just remembering something. “Quite right, those were Sweet’s words,” Giles said. “We did all see that exposure to artistic reality changes can lead to combustion.” Willow repurposed the shadow caster to work as a portal to the reality she’d seen, so they could step in and investigate. She said it was a Prose Portal. Apparently, she’d read about those in England in some grimoire called “The Eyre Affair”. Willow said it would be easiest for Spike to enter the portal, because the story world was already linked to him. Buffy could follow. They said bye to everyone for the time being. Even Xander clapped Spike on the shoulder. “Hey, if you see any fluffy dragons in there, remember to grab one on your way out. We could use a luck dragon.” *** Spike floated in and out of scenes as if in a dream. Someone was reading a story to him. Maybe it was his mother, or maybe just the voice that he usually heard in his own head when reading – in any case, it was a voice he trusted and gladly followed. Some of the time, he saw himself from a distance, acting the story out. He loved a queen who wasn’t his to wed. His lady belonged to no king, true. It was to the graveyard that she returned faithfully every night, her sacred calling the only vow she had taken. But her golden hair shone brighter than that of any king’s bride. The wine was drugged. It let thorny love take root in his blood, and with it, sweet-smelling, sunlit death. Or was it that the blood was drugged? It was too late, at any rate. He’d already drunk it, felt it burn in his throat and all the way down to his gut (god, no, please, no). “Well, then, come, death,” they both said and gave themselves over to love. And all around them, the walls, the floor, the ceiling cracked and broke. He was in a bathtub, and she was threatening him with a sword. He’d killed her kin, it was true, but (he tried to explain) it was always a fair fight. By right of combat, he’d hold his own against anyone who dared say he was in the wrong. They were holding trial by combat right now, not against her, someone else, in a room decked with crosses (God their witness). He won, because he was right. Her castle was fenced with sharp stakes, but he leapt over them every night to send her messages. When enough water had flowed by in the stream, she would come out to meet him, he knew it. Alone in the wilderness, they slept on a bed of leaves and ferns, side by side yet chastely distant, a naked blade between them. In the morning, they found a new weapon in its place, red blade proudly curved, fit for a king. Many deeds he had done for her, and his madness was from her alone. He walked back home to her, barefoot, a fool, and she told him she knew him not. The other, more pleasant Iseult (Wait, who? He meant Buffy.) tried to soothe him and heal him with her soft, white hands. “Have I done something wrong?” she asked. He told her, “Just be Buffy.” A dragon returned every year to Buffy��s town, collecting tribute. It was a matter of time before it claimed her. The right thing was to volunteer as a sacrifice, so she wouldn’t have to fight. After all, his life was rightfully hers, because she had returned it. They’d drunk love mixed with death long ago. He knew how to make the story end right. It had been worth it. *** Buffy was good at dreams when she put her mind to it. She kept a dream diary, so she could remember her Slayer dreams in more detail. After the First Slayer attacked them all, Buffy had started practising ways of telling whether she was dreaming or not. She hadn’t wanted to be caught off guard again. So when she floated into the dreamlike story world and saw the air shimmer golden, something registered as slightly suspicious at the back of her mind. She was in a crumbling house. She’d had magic weed, and it was taking root in her blood. If she wasn’t careful, all her fingers would sprout purple, sweet-smelling sage flowers through the ruins, and everyone would know that she was in love with her death. The scene changed. Spike was in a bathtub, and she was threatening him with a sword. She remembered this, but it wasn’t quite right. He was supposed to be in chains, and she should be threatening him with blood. Wait, that didn’t make sense either. Was she dreaming? She jumped and watched herself float down slowly. She was dreaming. Or something like it. Now she remembered going into the alternate reality with Spike. She looked up, meaning to tell Spike what was going on, but he had disappeared. She flew around the dreamlike world and looked for Spike. Lots of forests, fortresses, and small towns. Not enough Spike. She found a cliff instead. There was a cave, and near the mouth of the cave, Spike was trying to put some chains on himself. They kept slipping off. She walked up and grabbed the chains to free him. He yanked them back. “Respect the narrative flow, would you! I want to see how it ends.” “Oh, no, you don’t. I say it’s not ending this way.” “I’m not afraid, Buffy,” he said and smiled. “I would, you know, for the right person? For you.” “I don’t want you to die for me!” Buffy yelled. Silence rang. What the hell. It was only a dream. “I want to live with you,” she added. Spike blinked. He pinched himself. “Am I dreaming?” he asked. “Yes!” she said. “Or close enough. I mean, I meant it, but also, you’re dreaming. And you really, really need to snap out of it.” The chains disappeared. “I’m not asking you for anything, you know,” he said, his eyes warm. She was on a throne now, and he was kneeling. “When I say I love you, it’s not because I want you…” “Well, why the fuck not? What’s wrong with wanting me?” “You’re missing the point, Slayer.” He sounded more like himself. “No, you’re missing the point! We’re going home! Together. Got it?” Spike finally seemed to come to his senses. He got up and looked around. “So this is where all the fire bollocks came from, is it?” Buffy nodded. She was so relieved to talk to Spike without thrones or misused chains. “Why fire, though? There isn’t anything really fiery here, so why was it that way back home?” “Well, what else does death look like for a vampire?” “Point,” Buffy said. “I guess it’s harder to have prophetic dreams about wood.” Spike started to waggle his eyebrows, but then there was a roar and a rumble. Something was coming out of the cave. A muzzle and a pair of round ears appeared, along with eyes that seemed to fairly glow with evil intent. It was a bear. “What is it with the bears?” Spike exclaimed. “I could live for decades at a time without running into one, until I met you. I hold you accountable, Slayer.” “Undo it, undo it,” Buffy said smiling and hefted her red axe. “I’d like to see you keep your calm when you’re trussed up like some sacrificial virgin and one of these things comes at you. Did you know they can decapitate a moose in one go?” The bear was half out of the cave now. It turned to stare at them with bright red eyes and huffed. Fire shot out of its nostrils. It was the greenest, most scaly bear Buffy had ever seen. “Wait,” Spike said, suddenly grinning. “You’re not a bear at all, are you, beastie?” He bounced on his heels and unsheathed his sword. “Spike. How is it good news that it can breathe fire?” “Aw, don’t tell me you never wanted to slay a dragon.” The creature’s skin glittered in the sunlight, covered in black, yellowish green, and transparent crystals. A long tail dragged behind it. “Dragon slaying it is, then. I mean, someone’s got to save the world from this fashion disaster. Glittery snakeskin overalls? So seventies.” And then it was on. The red blade sang through the air, Buffy’s muscles sang with the weight of the axe, and, though she might not have phrased it that way in another world, her heart sang to feel Spike fighting beside her. They weren’t getting anywhere, though. Spike had managed to leap aside from the flames every time so far, but the dragon’s skin was too tough. “Wait a mo,” Spike said when they retreated to rest for the third time. The dragon rumbled its way towards them like the world’s slowest rock avalanche. “I know this dragon. The head of a bear and red eyes like coals of fire… say, do its ears look tufted to you?” “Definite tufting vibe,” Buffy said. “Thought so. This fellow is from the Romance of Tristan and Iseult. ...Explains a lot, actually. Well, we’re not going to have any luck cutting its skin, and the saliva is poisonous.” “Any other good news?” Spike muttered something rhythmic under his breath, keeping the beat with one hand. “It will die if we shove a sword down its throat.” “Neat. What doesn’t.” “But we’ve got to be careful and not touch its tongue.” They made short work of the dragon, so that all the more time was left for wacky dream sex that defied everything: physics, description, and the status quo. “Okay, how do we get out of here?” Buffy said eventually, as they snuggled on the cave floor that could only be so comfortable in a dream or story. A map appeared in her hands. It was blank apart from a label that said, “BUSH”. “It's retrograde,” a white rat said from the deep end of the cave, “but that's… that's okay!” Buffy rotated the map, and it began to change like a kaleidoscope, along with the walls of the cave. Every stretch of wall bloomed with colorful tapestries of… her and Spike, in the best rendition of some textile artist. Buffy in a black beanie, standing side by side with Spike while the unconscious body of a six-headed lion draped over what was probably meant to be a car. Buffy hugging Spike, a wide grin on her face and a ring glittering on her finger. The two of them lying naked on the floor behind strategically placed pieces of rubble, in the ruins of a building that looked oddly fortress-like. Sitting on the porch while a porcupine creature squatted in the grass… had that been there? More and more tapestries appeared, and Buffy knew each one was a door, the way you know things in dreams for no reason. With a quite different certainty, she knew they’d be fine wherever they went together. Buffy and Spike smiled at each other and stepped through time hand in hand.