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jq37 · 5 years ago

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The Royal Report– A Crown of Candy Ep 8 Deep Bleu Sea

That Sinking Feeling

Welcome back to A Crown of Candy, the show where you’re forced to come to terms with a possible PC perma-death every single battle episode, no exceptions.

We left our five PCs in an extremely sticky situation last week--on a sinking ship, in open ocean, with two House Bleu ships gunning for them. The only real move here is to abandon ship and commandeer one of the enemy ships to make their escape.

This is one of those eps where a LOT happens in a very short period of time so, rather than a straight play by play, I’m going to make sure you get the mood of the fight along with all the key moments.

Amethar makes for the closest enemy ship while Ruby unhooks the grappling hooks that were going to be used to board their ship. Liam--newly christened war guy--has a HELL of a turn, fully killing one of the enemy ship captains, ignoring the difficult terrain that stymied Amethar to leap to the next boat, and not only can he see in the dark--the ship is largely in darkness--because the enemy pirates are using alchemy to get night vision, Liam is invisible to them. They hear him land on the ship but they can’t see him. Rage is apparently a good look on Liam.

Stilton, on his turn, wastes zero time. He swings over to the crow’s nest of the Colby and, on a Nat 20, runs Primsy through with his sword to the genuine horror of everyone at the table. Primsy drops to death saves instantly but he fails his rolls to strike again, failing to finish her off. Primsy has to make her first death save right away which she fails. Thanks, I hate it. The only silver lining is that Jet (owing to a Nat 20 stealth check last episode) is nearby, concealed, and ready to spring into action.

New Kid on Deck

A rowboat comes to collect Stilton and bring him back to his ship and one of the rowers clocks Jet and yells, “Archers, archers! The princess!” Jet gets the sense that she’s about to be riddled with arrows when, all of a sudden, there’s a puff of swirling pink and red fog, out from which pops a pink and blue cotton candy monk--the same cotton candy monk from Theo’s flashback last week--Cumulus Rocks! He slams down onto the rowboat and declares “The Hungry One must feed,” doing a knockback attack that knocks all the soldiers into the yogurt (something that has already been established as pretty lethal considering the downsuction of the sinking ship and also the current). Welcome back Zac Oyama! Jet wants to know who this dude is and he says he’s a cousin to Amethar and he’s arrived to protect the magic of Candia.

Not to be outdone, on her turn, Jet hits a Nat 20 to attack Stilton (with a soft, “For Lapin”) and not only pushes him into the ocean (already a death sentence) she also throws a dagger at him on the way down to the very bottom of the ocean. The dude is fully dead. She also tries to stabilize Primsy and fails (but does get her to do some more strong woman affirmations, which is something). She holds the rest of her action (which she intends to use to get herself and Primsy into a rowboat) until Ruby can send Yak to help her.

Theo gets a Nat 20 to throw his sword at some rope in the ship’s rigging and call it back so he can grab it and use it to get to Primsy. Brennann is gonna give him a hard time about doing it in full armor but, guess what? Bam! Another Nat 20! He makes it straight up to the crow’s nest with Primsy, no sweat. But, unfortunately, when he tries to stabilize her the classic Murph rolls come back and he gets a Nat 1.

Amethar jumps to the boat with Liam (doing 14 damage to the captain) and most of Annabelle’s sailors follow him. This is not at all relevant to the plot but I would be remiss to not mention how hyped both Amethar and Lou are about the concept of this squad of bad-ass lady sailors.

Ruby, Mage Hand’s the rope from the enemy ship and ties it to herself like an aerialist so she can shoot from above and sends Yak to help Jet. Then she aims for the same captain that Amethar just attacked and guess what? Nat 20 Baybee! That’s 8d6 and she plugs him in the head, taking him out.

Jet takes her held action now and brings Primsy into the rowboat with Cumulus. Liam continues to be Peppermint Batman and does a bunch of damage to help clear the ship.

Primsy has another death save which she fails but, thankfully, not with a Nat 1 which would have been fatal.

The marauders still on the Colby jump into their escape rowboat and square up with the other rowboat where Jet/Primsy/Cumulus are. The last Cheddar sailors make it off the boat but Theo is still on deck and Annabelle won’t leave anyone behind so she goes to help him.

Cumulus jumps into the enemy rowboat and kicks ass. We also learn that he has the ability to, after killing someone, siphon their life energy in the form of temp HP. Theo yells and asks if someone named Lazuli made him and he says, “In a sense, yes.”

Jet uses Yak for advantage and stabilizes Primsy with a 19 medicine check. Annabelle sees her actions from her spot on the Colby and, once again, salutes Jet.

Into the Drink

Theo knocks a dude who’s been griefing him into the ocean and then jumps into the party rowboat, from there to the enemy rowboat, and then Action Surges so he can knock some heads.

Since Annabelle used her action to help Theo and not steady the ship, the ship starts sinking faster. Jet--standing in the nearby rowboat--has to make a Dex saving throw to not get jostled by the suction and she fails, falling into the ocean. Cumulus steadies the rowboat they’re in but Annabelle fails her save as well. The top part of the crow’s nest falls into the ocean, Annabelle along with it. Brennan has everyone (except Ruby) roll Strength saves to weather the storm and not only is Annabelle pushed underwater, Theo (who is wearing full plate mail armor--famously not buoyant) falls in.

Amethar tries to maneuver the ship so it will be positioned to stop his friends from getting washed out to sea and, when it fails, runs and jumps back onto the sinking Colby. There is one last sailor on there that steadies the boat on his order and gets the broken mast of the crow’s nest near Theo.

Ruby, on a Nat 20, swings over to the enemy ship and Mage Hand’s Jet a rope.

The big Bleu ship that they haven’t commandeered starts sailing away since the fight clearly isn’t going their way. (Sidenote, extremely wild that the big bad of this fight got unceremoniously taken out literally in round one and was really the least of everyone's’ worries.)

One of the cheese dudes tries to attack Cumulus. Murph, the genius, asks if he can use his reaction from Swirlwarden to move to take the attack--move from the ocean where he will for sure die to the safety of the rowboat. Brennan bestows upon him the title of motherfucker but lets him take a DC 20 Athletics check with disadvantage (cancelled by Sprinkle to a straight roll) to do that shenanigan. He hits it! As he’s drowning, Swirlwarden glows and Theo knows a member of House Rocks is in danger. He springs out of the ocean, and takes 13 points of damage for Cumulus, absolutely saving his life.

Annabelle nails three checks in a row so she can get her head above water and start making her way back to safety. Jet, on her turn, pulls herself back into the boat and then attacks a dude with a dagger so she can spend a superiority die to give Annabelle some extra free movement (which is a very wild thing to do--to kill someone incidentally so your friend can walk a little faster somehow--the mechanics of D&D are wild). Theo holds an oar out for Amethar to help him get off the sinking Colby.

There’s another round of saves and Ruby rolls a Nat 1 (so does Theo but he’s in a position of safety so it doesn't matter). She not only falls into the ocean, she falls off on the side of the boat where there’s no one to help her.

Amethar needs to swim to the commandeered ship but Lou first tries to figure out if there’s anything he can do for Ruby. “I’m so far away,” Siobhan says, “There’s nothing you can do.” Lou fully disregards that and Amethar swims to the boat, rages, and starts chucking cheese dudes into the ocean, one of which he (on a Nat 20) throws into a piece of the ship which knocks down to where Ruby is so she can grab it. Ruby then throws a rope to Liam and calls Yak back to her to help. She pulls herself back onto the ship and throws the rope to Annabelle (though it goes a little wide).

Liam continues to kick ass (fully clearing the ship) and also sails the ship closer to the sinking Colby to help the sailor still on it. Annabelle jumps onto the ship with Liam and takes the helm. Cumulus and Jet commit some quick war crimes and kill the two remaining cheese bandits from the rowboat that had already surrendered on their turn. The other big Bleu ship continues to sail away and they don’t chase it. There are some medicine checks and only one of Annabelle’s sailors ends up dead (which I’m sure is sad for her crew but, on a macro level, is frankly a miracle).

Rocks Family Reunion

The fight over, they’re left to figure out what’s going on with this extremely clutch, Keanu Reeves-y, Cotton Candy monk who poofed in out of nowhere.

On a Nat 20, History/Family Tree check, Ruby knows that Cumulus is a distant cousin who disappeared (not left, disappeared) 25-30 years ago, before the war. She Messages that info to Jet and Theo (interesting that Theo is in the inner circle now). Theo clocks a Lapiz Lazuli pendant around his neck and asks how he got it. Cumulus said he got it from the lady herself, that he’s an Order of the Spinning Star monk, and that he was created by her to protect the magic of Candia.

Theo knew that Lazuli was doing a lot of cool/crazy experimental stuff but is a little taken aback by Cumulus. Lazuli never really talked about the monks and also didn’t call on them to help in the war, saying that they were doing plenty already, something that annoyed him at the time. She said that the war would preserve the kingdom but the monks would preserve Candia (which she also didn’t explain because what kind of Divination Wizard would she be if she was straightforward about things? That was meant to be rhetorical but as I type, the answer is Adaine/Ayda).

He also knows that she had “different servants” to help her with different things. Theo’s not sure where the monks get their magic from but he knows it’s not wizard magic and he knows that Citrina got into a big fight with Lazuli once after visiting the monastery (which is a pretty big clue). Theo tells everyone all of that. Cumulus says that he was sent to help when Candia went to war and makes it seem like he was in some kind of suspended state (or maybe confined physically) until he was needed because of Candia’s war with the Concord. He doesn’t really get the specifics. He also doesn’t get why he hasn’t gotten any of the Rocks Family Christmas High Frosting’s Eve cards over the past 30 years. And, wildly, that’s where we end our episode!

Before I get to the normal post-recap segments, I have some business to take care of. There is an anon who I like to think of as my Angel of Death anon, who called Brennan’s shot on Preston before it happened and then called Primsy’s death before this episode. I said that if Primsy so much as went down and had to roll death saves, I would invent a Crown of Candy version of detention just for them and, as it turns out, she did, immediately. So, because I’m a woman of my word:

1 Million Years Dungeon!

Congrats anon! You get to be the first occupant of the dungeon and you’re not even an N/PC! Honestly, kinda impressive.

Sunny Side Up

Not that I doubted them for a minute, but very gratified by the obligatory Gilear shout out while in the Yogurt Shoals.

“I’m trying to kill you Brennan, personally. I’m trying to make you die.”

(to Brennan who just claimed he’s being bullied on his own show) “*YOU’RE* being bullied?”

“Do I get an opportunity attack on Theo?”

“Do you think reality is being strained by the fact that a bird is helping you perform surgery right now?” (And then Siobhan’s assertion that Ruby and Yak have a telepathic connection so it’s actually Ruby--an 18 y/o bandit with no medical training--who is giving the help. So much better.)

Brennan says something like, “Kids, don’t try this at home,” about the absolute insanity happening in the battle and then Siobhan goes, “Yes, because they will definitely get the opportunity to do so.”

Whatever the hell was going on with Dome cheese.

Things I’m Concerned About

Like the whole attack at the cathedral, this is another fight that doesn’t look good on the Candians from an outside perspective. I mean, they’re already fully persona non grata but Stilton is a known man of the church. No one else really has a reason to suspect him of treason. So it just looks like they’re sniping Bulbians. Plus they left some of his men alive which means they get to tell whatever story they want when they get back. Like, maybe in their version it’s actually the evil Candians and their traitorous Dairy Island allies who ambushed the poor dearly departed Lord Bleu. They might have given the church a martyr.

OK, so between the fight Lazuli and Citrina had about the monks and Cumulus fully declaring, “The Hungry One Must Feed!” before doing his life drain mojo, it seems pretty clear where his powers are coming from. We don’t yet know if the Hungry One is like the Bulb in being powerful but mindless or if it has motives--sinister or benign or anything in between--but, either way, fraternizing with an affiliate with the direct antithesis of the State Sponsored Deity™ (who also sometimes does war crimes) seems, como se dice, problematic.

What’s going on with the rest of the House Cheddar fleet? Were they given bad orders from Bleu that they had no reason to mistrust or were they in cahoots?

I, generally speaking, trust Lazuli but mmm, making full people (assuming that’s what Cumulus meant), dealing with entities beyond mortal comprehension, and keeping secrets from everyone aren’t things that have a history of going super smoothly. I’m getting Princess Bubblegum vibes and I always found PB so shady. Also, if you create someone in lab, is cousin the title they get? Is that how that works?

This isn’t something I am concerned about so much as something I was concerned about but a Cotton Candy monk in an ocean fight is just a recipe for anxiety.

It seems like Caramelinda is gonna be in next episode and that just activates my fight or flight in a way I can’t fully articulate.

Five More Things

Extremely funny that Lou, who plays a pirate’s son in Fantasy High, is truly just guessing when it comes to all ship words but Siobhan sounds like she moonlights as a boatswain.

Zac was the party healer, he died, and he decided actually? Only heals for myself from now on. And you know what? Valid. (He’s a Way of the Long Death Monk btw) Very interesting that Zac’s last character unlocked all this information about the Bulb and now it looks like he’s playing someone who could do the same for the other side of the coin. I think it was very smart for him to show up in the middle of a tense battle where the mood would be, “Is he helping? Great. Welcome aboard,” and not, “We are fugitives, we shouldn’t be trusting anyone right now.” And him apparently being a Rocks also helps. (Also, shoutout to everyone who called Cumulus as being his new character!)

I swear, these fights keep getting more and more tense. A near insta-death mechanic like the ocean currents pulling people away really makes things crazy. At the end when it seemed like the fight was turning in the PCs direction and then people started falling into the ocean! I was already writing Ruby’s eulogy when Amethar made that amazing save. And Theo using Swirlwarden to take that damage and get out of the much deadlier ocean was Galaxy Brained. I get what the cast was saying about Nat 20s not even being exciting. They got what felt like ten Nat 20s this episode and that was the bare minimum they needed to just get everyone out alive.

That being said, the Nat 20 to drop Primsy followed by Jet’s Nat 20 to double kill Bleu was pretty rad and cinematic. Just instant karma.

Very curious about what the Dairy Islanders’ position on helping the Candians is now. About half of them almost died helping them survive--and this had nothing to do with them. This wasn’t trouble that followed them due to their fugitive status. This was all Cheese Drama. If the Candians hadn’t stowed away, they’d be dead. I have to imagine that makes a person more receptive to some light treason. And if they get implicated by the surviving marauders, they might not have much of a choice.

One More Thing

On a serious note, everything is bad right now or rather, everything has been bad for a while and it’s all come bubbling to the surface. To speak for myself, I am black so these issues are pretty inescapable on the regular but they’re extra inescapable right now and it’s stressful as hell. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to post about it here and cross the streams but it’s important and also this is the show that also brought us Bud Cubby and rats fully eating a crooked cop so the streams are already well crossed.

Anyway, Black Lives Matter, stay safe if you’re out protesting, and, if you wanna donate, D20 style, twitter user @sofiabikes is doing a donation/giveaway on her twitter so hit her up (update: more info on her tumblr here). Also, dropout is donating all June merch sales to BLM and Pride orgs so if you wanted a t-shirt or whatever and you’ve been holding off, now is the time.

Edit: No new C.O.C. this week. Instead, there’s going to be a charity livestream for protester bail funds on YT, just an FYI.

#dimension 20 #dimension 20 spoilers #a crown of candy #a crown of candy spoilers #the royal report

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seriouslyhooked · 6 years ago

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Lost Souls and Reveries (Part 17)

22 part AU written for @cssns. Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6,Part 7, Part 8, Part 9, Part 10, Part 11, Part 12, Part 13, Part 14, Part 15, Part 16. Story available on AO3 Here and FF Here. Banner created by the amazingly talented @shipsxahoy!!

Killian Jones is a wolf shifter without roots, without plans, and without a pack. He’s a rogue, someone humans should avoid and shifters should be wary of given his lineage. But one night years back set him on a path he didn’t realize he was taking, a path leading to a future he is destined for. That future is tied up in one woman – a human named Emma Nolan. Together Emma and Killian will find not only answers, but a love that’s truly fated. But will love be enough to set them free, or will past demons win out in the end? (Answer: love always wins – I am writing this so despite some tiny pockets of angst it’s basically a fluff-filled insta-love fest). Rated M.

A/N: Hey all! I am so glad to be back after just a week away this time, especially because I really want to get you all this resolution. I would have loved to have this chapter and the last one be just one installment, but I hit like 10,000 words and still had more to say so it just wasn’t meant to be. I hope you’ll forgive me once you read this part though, and I am so excited to see what you all think! Also, just in case it isn’t clear, there are three distinct POVs in this chapter (Killian, Liam, and Emma). Thanks as always for reading and hope you enjoy!

Witnessing the form of any man be overcome by a monster was a soul rattling thing. It chilled the blood and froze the mind, paralyzing it with anxiety and fear. But to see one’s brother go through such a horrifying change was something else all together.

For a moment, Killian caved to that panic as he watched the way his brother’s eyes flashed a hellish black and how the tension in Liam’s limbs made the lines of his body horrible and gruesome. The snarl on his face shouldn’t have been possible. No expression should convey so much hate and malice, and the growl that emanated from Liam’s chest was simultaneously low and yet sharp and scratchy. It made Killian wince, as if Liam had scraped his claws down a chalkboard, but despite the survival instincts in Killian’s head that told him to run, he stayed strong. It only took a moment for him to collect himself, to remind his now skittish animal of all he had to fight for and how nothing, not even his worst nightmare made real, would deter him from that. Killian had to protect the people he loved, and more than anything he had to fight with all he had to see his mate and his true love protected for now and always.

In seconds Killian readied himself for battle, crouching low, with every intention of shifting. His wolf was nearly at the forefront of his mind, his body just a hair away from transforming, but just before he did the monster in front of him went from totally controlling his brother to essentially disappearing. Liam physically stumbled, his body bending over as he shook his head with tremendous force, and when he looked up again his real eyes stared back at Killian, the deep darkness from before now gone. Liam was nearly normal again, though clearly had used a large amount of energy to fight back. But how? And more importantly, why?

“It’s like I said, before. The monster remains. There’s no shaking it.”

“But you’re trying to fight it,” Killian acknowledged and Liam nodded.

“Yes. I have tried everything I can to suppress it since that night. The night you spared me.”

“I might not know many details about what happened to you after our fight, brother, but I do know you stayed with the pack,” Killian bit out, his own resentment at that not hidden in the slightest. He’d thought it was a terrible idea then, and he still believed it to be so now. He had no idea how Liam would have ever rectified the want to suppress his inner demon with staying in that toxic place they once called home. “So it doesn’t add up. You fought darkness, but lingered in it too.”

“That night…” Liam paused for a moment as he tried to find the words for how everything had gone down. “That night I was unhinged and unwell, but I wasn’t fully gone, not like you thought I was. That instinct to stay with the pack – it wasn’t all the bite talking. That had always been my plan, since the moment we set out to kill Brennan.”

“You never told me that,” Killian said, not believing it even if part of him wondered if it could be true. Had Liam always wanted to return to the pack? Maybe, but the thought, even in hindsight, was so abhorrent to Killian he couldn’t fully comprehend it.

“Of course I didn’t. You never would have supported that idea. You were of one mind. All you could focus on was finding justice for Mum, and I knew there would be no discussion on the subject. I had hoped after everything was done that maybe you’d see. Maybe killing our father would free you from all your hatred of the past. Maybe you’d feel as I did, that our life back there was more than evil and power and greed. There was still good in where we came from. It just had to be nurtured and fought for.”

“Sounds like bullshit,” Tink said, her words reminding both brothers that she was still here, something Killian had already forgotten.

“It’s true,” Liam reaffirmed, his aggravation growing, but his eyes remained a steady cerulean as he looked at Tink. “I always planned to rid the ugliness from our past, and from our family.”

“Oh sure, that’s possible,” Tink said with a dismissive wave of her hand, “Hell, I’d say it’s even likely, seeing as you’re related to Killian, who does everything he can to be a good guy. But that bite should have changed everything. If you really wanted to make things better, you should have known you weren’t the man to do it. You were compromised, and you clearly still are.”

“I did know I wasn’t the one to truly make things right,” Liam confessed. “And despite knowing I still tried anyway because I was selfish. I fooled myself into thinking I would be okay. When Killian left, the beast inside me calmed a hell of a lot. He never truly went away, but he was quieter, less agitated. I hovered above the monster, and I did what needed doing. I got rid of the old guard, all of the pack who supported Brennan -,”

“They all supported him, Liam. Every last one of them,” Killian spat out and Liam shook his head.

“No, not all of them. They didn’t support him; they endured him. The fear we felt wasn’t ours alone to shoulder. There were many others stuck in the same torturous cycles, hoping for escape without finding it. Mothers scared for their cubs, fathers who knew that defecting from the pack would put a mark on them and their families forever. Brennan was ruthless and he hated nothing more than disloyalty. Everyone was trapped, and just because they all didn’t show the bravery of our mother doesn’t mean they all deserved to be condemned.”

Killian remained quiet. He knew that at some level Liam was right. The cubs were absolutely without guilt, for none of them could choose the pack they were born to or the rules of their clan. And yes, Killian remembered that there was fear beyond his own little world. People got quiet around his father, and the women especially made sure never to linger too long in his presence. It was always a place filled with whispers and walking on eggshells. Still, Killian knew that even if the bite hadn’t come between them he never would have stayed. Some might say Killian wasn’t strong enough to face the past. They might think he lacked honor for not going and rebuilding what was broken, but Killian didn’t see it as his duty to fix what his father had created. He wanted no part of Brennan’s legacy, and if he’d been forced to face it he’d have disbanded the clan and told every single member that they’d be better off starting over somewhere without all the baggage and heartbreak.

“I know you think the pack should have dissolved, and there’s merit to that thinking, but what you failed to see was that as much pain as the pack brought, the pack was also family. For better or worse, it was all most of them ever knew, and breaking that bond is painful. It’s like leaving a part of yourself behind forever. You never felt that when we were kids, but I did, and I knew how much it hurt and how badly I wished it never happened. I didn’t want to take anything more from anyone, so I tried to heal the hurts instead.”

“And how did that work?” Killian asked skeptically.

“It was slow going, but there was steady progress. A few years in and we’d discharged all of the remaining dissenters. Brennan’s core backers were gone, and the members that remained began to believe that more might be possible for the first time in a long time. We set new rules, we cleansed the laws of the pack, and we started to build something everyone could be proud of.”

“Sounds like a fairy tale,” Tink joked and Liam winced.

“Hardly. Much as I tried to deny it, I was still sick. I could play at being healed all I wanted, hell I even fooled myself into thinking I was still on solid ground. I told no one I was infected, and I lived for a long time like nothing was wrong. But it wasn’t that simple. I might have been caging my animal, but I was still feeding it every day. I made all of them rely on me. I amassed substantial power as alpha, both within our pack and outside it, even if it wasn’t through fear as Brennan had. I was in total command and that soothed the beast which lusted for control, but all it took was one moment to show me how wrong I was in thinking that I could ever overcome this.”

“What happened?”

“What always happens in pack life: an outsider came and challenged me, thinking he stood a chance to take what I’d,” Liam stalled, shaking his head and changing his wording purposefully. “What we had been building.”

“That’s not so unusual,” Tink said, though her nose scrunched up slightly in a show of disgust. “Well not for wolves anyway. You’re all so abrasive, that just comes with the territory.”

The joke fell flat though Killian knew in another situation he’d have laughed. Tink’s thoughts on other shifters were usually entertaining to him, but the look of regret in Liam’s eyes told Killian his brother’s dark deed had crossed a line. He could only imagine what that might have been like.

“A challenge is normal, yes, but there are customs now. We don’t fight to the death like the wolves of old. We fight until surrender or until one side can’t fight anymore. We aren’t supposed to see an attacker and think that the only way forward is draining the life from them. We aren’t supposed to welcome that kind of fight while vehemently resenting anyone for trying to stake a claim. Our animal shouldn’t crave cruelty or demand death.”

“But yours did.”

“Aye. Looking back it’s like someone else’s memory, but that fight… hell it was worse than ours ever had the chance to be. I was ruthless. I’d won the match ten times over, but the bite had me taunting and tormenting my opponent. I wouldn’t just have killed him. This was torture. This was blood sport…” Liam said, his eyes haunted and his shame written clear as day on his face. “It took every member of the pack to get me back from the depths of my demons, and even then they couldn’t fully stop me. I was possessed, consumed with this evil need. I was seconds away from finally killing him, but the ruckus of the pack distracted me, enough that I saw my reflection in the creek. My eyes were worse than black…”

“They were shattered,” Killian said, knowing the way his father had looked when they fought him, and remembering how ungodly the sight was.

“They were on the edge, the fragments were forming. The last pieces of my soul were withering away far faster than I imagined, and only in seeing that could I find a way to stop. And the only way to stop was to leave, so I ran.”

“Wait, you left?” Killian asked, shocked that after everything Liam would have ever left the pack for any length of time.

“I had to. I was stricken with the wants of the sickness for days. I couldn’t shift back to human form, all I could do was run, trying to exhaust myself and keep myself from turning back and finishing the job. Finally I passed out from the lack of food and water and sleep, but even then, when the fog of it all lifted I knew I couldn’t return. I called my second in command, and I told him I was done. The beast in me was too much, and I had to save the little control I have left for something more important. I had to save it for you, Killian. I had to try and mend things between us the best I could after everything that’s happened. I’m only glad you’ve found your happiness when you did, so Ruby’s block could be lifted and I could get here in time. It’s been over a year and each day I searched in vain, knowing I was never really close and would likely never find you. So you see, you finding your mate isn’t just your miracle, but mine too.”

Killian allowed that to sink in, and finally he accepted that Liam was really trying to do the right thing. This wasn’t a trick or a game. It was a genuine attempt by his elder brother to make amends. That was more than Killian had ever dared to dream of, but in accepting this to be fact Killian also realized that his brother’s words all pointed to a sadness he could not comprehend. Liam wasn’t here to hurt him, but he was here to say goodbye, and that goodbye was going to be a final one.

“So you mean to tell me that you withstood the bite for years, rebuilt the pack, overcame the beast again and have been tirelessly tracking me in the hopes of saying you’re sorry?”

“You’ve colored the story in my favor by putting it that way, but yes. It will never be enough, but I am sorry, Killian. I’m sorry for all of it. I miscalculated with Brennan even though we’d trained so hard. He never should have bit me in the first place, but I fucked up and he did. Then I caved so quickly to the crazy impulses this sickness brings, only to put you in the most impossible position. I can never take back that night, but if I could I truly would. More than anything though I want you to know that I tried. I tried to be the man you still believed was in me when you spared my life. I tried to be a man you and Mum could be proud of. I tried as long as I could.”

“And so now what, it’s just over? You’re giving up?” Tink asked, her own hard exterior defenses softening as she grappled with the self-sacrifice Liam was planning to make.

“There’s no other way. I can’t live with this beast without succumbing to it,” Liam confessed, his resigned manner making Killian’s heart ache even more. “I’m a threat to everyone I meet. It’s barely restrained. The monster keeps rising closer and closer to the surface. Seeing you right now is the work of so much time, brother, and it’s all I ever wanted, but the pain I feel at holding onto everything is almost blinding. Frankly it’s miraculous I’ve held on this long. Soon enough the dam will break, and when it does I’ll be gone, and you and the people you care about here will be in real danger. So I have to stop that from happening. I can’t become what our father was. I won’t.”

“So you’ll die a hero then, a man who overcame to spare the rest of us. Because that’s what you’re saying. You’re saying you have to die. That you have to…” Killian couldn’t even form the rest of the terrible words, instead leaving the implication hanging in the air around them.

“It’s the only way.”

“I don’t believe that,” Killian said. “I might have bought that before. If you found me even a few months ago I would have been jaded enough to do so, but now… there’s too much good in the world for this to end like this Liam. There’s hope that lives here, hope like we’ve never known before, hope you deserve to feel.”

“Your mate, you love her,” Liam said and Killian nodded, now not distressed at Liam’s casual mention of Emma or at the thoughtful smile that formed on Liam’s face. “She’s your light and your hope, just like Mum used to say a mate should be, and I’m happy for you, brother, happier than you’ll ever know. I only wish I had the chance to meet the woman who could be so much to my favorite person.”

“Killian!”

The call from Emma that sounded through the woods at this most opportune time caused Killian to move forward, soon enough she appeared at the tree line with Ruby, Elsa, and Anna, and when she did Killian could see her fierce want to be with him and to protect him. She didn’t realize that he didn’t need protection, but at least now Liam could see the light that he had guessed at previously. He could have one wish granted in the end.

As he was thinking that though, Liam surprised Killian by springing towards Emma and her friends, and Killian’s good thoughts evaporated at the perceived threat. Liam moved with lightening speed, charging in Emma’s direction and Killian matched his pace, acting on instinct until he’d come to stand right before his love, protecting her as best he could, but then he realized it wasn’t Emma Liam had in his sights, it was Elsa. The expression on Liam’s face was torn and in flux, his eyes flashed between blue and the brilliant color of a healthy wolf, but all of his attention was settled on Emma’s best friend. One moment he was joyous, the next confused, and concerned. His actions were strange and almost unknowable, but then Killian realized something: Elsa must truly matter to Liam. She must call to him, and intrigue him in a way that he couldn’t control himself. She must be…

……………

My mate!

The words repeating over and over in his head the moment Liam laid eyes on the fair-haired beauty before him were undeniable, and even stranger they were said in the tone of his wolf pre-sickness. The demons that had taken up residence in his mind the past few years were silent, and all there was to focus on was this impossibly beautiful woman.

For a few beats of his heart, Liam experienced a rush of yearning and rightness. For the first time in years he felt like he had a chance at being whole and at being more than okay again. Acting on instinct he moved toward this familiar stranger, pulled by something stronger than gravity to be closer in her orbit. He barely even took in the others in her presence. Ruby was there, and he spared her the same fleeting glance that he gave to the other two women. One was clearly Killian’s mate, as his brother had charged to stand in front of her in a show of protection, but Killian’s face wasn’t animated with anger. Instead he looked perplexed and then a small smile began to tug at his lips as understanding dawned on him. Liam didn’t have time to make heads or tails of that; all he wanted was to get to his angel – his mate.

“Liam, stop!” Ruby said fiercely, putting her body between him and the woman he wanted so badly and Liam felt a growl growing in his chest, but he ultimately halted in his tracks. He met his cousin’s eyes, which were slightly clouded in that familiar way that said she was here in this moment while also receiving one of the visions she’d been having since childhood. When it had passed Liam growled low again, not liking the distance from his new found other half, and though Ruby seemed more relaxed than a moment ago, her fear had shifted to annoyance very quickly. “Seriously, quit it or you’ll scare her.”

“Uh, isn’t that the point?” one of the other women whispered. Looking at her, Liam could see some similarities between this woman and his blue-eyed beauty. They must be related somehow, but Liam’s gaze only stayed with her a moment before returning to his impossible dream again. “He’s the bad guy, remember?”

“He’s not,” his mate said sternly, speaking for the first time in his presence. Her voice rang out with indescribable melody, and each word, each subtle intonation lapped at his very soul like a gentle wave on the shore.

Her eyes didn’t demure in any way as he continued to stare her down, instead she met his gaze head on, and the emotion that he saw in those crystal blue pools nearly knocked him over. She was already fierce in her want to protect him and defend him despite not knowing him at all, and God he could just see how sweet and pure she was. Her hair was so light it could hardly be real, and though she’d tied it back in a tidy, elegant braid, Liam longed to see it set free. So many little dreams passed before his eyes – flashes of what he wanted with her, of what he wished could be. He never imagined anything like her before, he longed to reach out and touch her and to hold her close. She was sunlight in the midst of so much shadow, but he’d never deserve her, and he knew rationally that they could never be together, even if he’d never wanted anything more.

“I am though, love. And this… it can’t happen. I can’t be here,” Liam murmured. The realization was worse than anything he’d ever felt. He’d do all of life’s most terrible moments over again a million times to avoid this fate. He’d give anything to have things be different, but they weren’t. He was broken, and though he didn’t even know her name, Liam knew he’d never subject this angel to the burdens that he carried.

“You can,” his mate replied, her eyes holding so much softness even in the face of his brusque attempt at cold.

“Elsa?” The woman who clearly belonged with Killian looked for guidance and more clarification from his mate, and Liam rejoiced at hearing her name for the first time. Elsa – so unique and uncommon, just like her.

“It’s all right, Emma. It’s going to be okay,” Elsa said before looking back to him and speaking directly to him again. “You’re going to be okay.”

“No, I’m not. It’s – God it’s a sick joke! I live long enough to find you, but I can’t have you.”

“Yes you can. I can help you,” Elsa said, her voice lilting with the same calm and warmth despite the fact that his own was edging towards full-blown despair.

“Help him?” Ruby asked, her face giving every hint that her visions weren’t serving her as well as she wanted right now. She couldn’t read the future that his mate seemed so certain of, but without even hearing the details, Liam felt himself start to believe this remarkable woman. He knew nothing of Elsa, but at the same time he knew everything, and if she believed then he would to. “What do you mean?”

“I mean I can heal him,” Elsa announced, totally and completely assured of herself.

“How?” Everyone except for Liam asked at the same time, and then Elsa smiled as she very clearly replied.

“Because I’m his mate.”

“MATE?!” the girl who looked like Elsa asked exuberantly. “Did you just say mate? Did my sister just say mate?!”

“Yes, Anna, I said mate,” Elsa said, her own happiness bubbling up into a tinkling laugh that sounded out like the chimes of a bell.

Liam’s chest filled with pride at her claiming him like this, and he knew he’d never felt such joy in his life. That she would feel all he felt for her was incredible, and that she could see past the darkness that he was… well it was the best thing that had ever happened in his life. It was only topped by the moment that his Elsa stepped forward, finally taking his hand in hers. At the contact he was overcome with elation in a way that defied description. All he knew was one moment he was a jumble of feelings and the next he was truly peaceful. For the first time in a long time all his monsters were at bay, and he felt anchored even as he reveled in this taste of true freedom. Then he watched as a swirl of light began to emanate from her. It was magic, raw, powerful light magic, and he felt it seep into him, warming him through and making him feel like more than he’d ever been, even before the bite.

“See what I mean?” Elsa whispered so quietly he was sure only he could here. “We can handle this. We’ll figure this out together.”

“Together,” Liam mused as his hands pulled her closer so she was flush against his body. “Got to say I love the sound of that.”

And though they’d only just met, and their journey together was still as new as new could be, Liam felt euphoric when his mate moved upwards to press a kiss to his lips. As crazy as this was, and as sudden as the shift had been from all hope being lost to every dream coming true, Liam wouldn’t have it any other way. Lost in the love he already felt coursing through him for her, he allowed the weight of his world to slip away, and as long as he had Elsa by his side, he knew there were no more beasts and no more demons that could ever be successful in holding him down.

……………

“So this hasn’t gone exactly as expected,” Emma commented as the rest of them watched Elsa and Liam connecting closer to the middle of the field. They were caught up in a heated kiss, but what was truly awe inspiring was the flow of magic all around them. You could see it and feel it all around them, and without even needing to be told of any set plans or remedies, Emma knew her friend was right when she said she’d be the one to heal Killian’s brother.

To be honest though, this was quite literally one of the last things Emma ever could have anticipated. Even if she had believed that there was a chance that Liam might still be savable, she couldn’t have ever expected that his savior would be Elsa or that her best friend would find the same kind of true love in an instant as Emma and Killian had. It was a truly remarkable thing, and as she watched Liam and Elsa’s embrace she felt her eyes grow misty. This was such a blessing for so many reasons, not the least of which was that Killian would have one of the most important people in his life back. Finally after so long so many of his old hurts could heal, and in the process Elsa would hopefully find her own happily ever after, which Emma knew she absolutely deserved.

“No, love. I think it’s safe to say this has gone completely off the rails.”

“In a good way though,” Emma joked and Killian laughed, pressing a light kiss to her lips.

“Aye, in the best way. My brother has returned, Elsa is confident that she can heal him, and it turns out they are fated mates. Who would believe it?”

“Well while we’re on the subject of mates, the new sheriff is making my wolf act up. Could be nothing but -,”

Before Ruby could get the words out a growl sounded from the woods, and Emma looked over to see a giant wolf at the tree line. It was clear the wolf had been there for some time, and Emma had to assume this was Graham. Even though she’d been around shifters more and more the past few weeks, it was still an amazing thing to see. These animals were gorgeous and different and huge, and yet it was still totally Graham. Emma couldn’t explain it, there was just something about the way this wolf carried himself. Well that and the way that he was not pleased with Ruby underselling their connection, which was admittedly hilarious. Still, there was so much happening here, Emma couldn’t help shaking her head in continued disbelief.

“That doesn’t sound like ‘nothing,’” Anna said gleefully. “In fact, it sounds like this might just be my favorite day ever!”

“Don’t get me wrong, I’m totally here for the surprise love fest,” Tink replied as she stuck her thumb out in Graham’s general direction, “Especially if it means seeing this guy find someone after years of telling me he never would. You owe me a hundred bucks by the way, Humbert.”

Graham’s wolf made what was probably the animal equivalent of an amused snort, which caused everyone to laugh, except for Ruby who rolled her eyes in feigned annoyance.

“Oh what, like it’s hard to be fated for me?” Her words were barely out of her mouth and Graham had shifted back, holding her close and making her gasp as he leaned in to reassure her.

“Easiest thing I’ve ever done, babe. Count on that.” The words, corny as they sounded to Emma, made Ruby swoon, which in turn seemed to set off Elsa and Liam and even she and Killian.

“Okay, cool it cowboy. It’s been like ten minutes and there are other people present,” Tink said, sternly reminding the couples that now was not the time or place. “Like I was saying, this absolutely beats a battle to the death. But I gotta ask… are we actually out of the woods here? Is Liam safe to be around or to even have in town for that matter?”

“He’s safe,” Elsa and Ruby said at the same time and Emma felt the last of Killian’s tension leave him as he exhaled at their assurances.

“So it’s over then? That’s it?” Emma asked, her whole attitude brightening at the thought that this great daunting doom that had hung over them so long was finally through. Now she and Killian could get on with the whole settling in and building a life together thing, something that she was definitely ready for. And more than that, Liam not being a threat meant all of them were safe now. Her family could stop worrying, and her friends could rest easy. In short, this was a spectacular turn of events.

“Well I wouldn’t say it’s over,” Anna acknowledged with a wave of her hand. “It seems to me that it’s really only beginning. Plus if you think we’re ending this and I don’t get a fated match too then you’re crazy. I’ll be patient, but I will be finding true love, you hear me?”

It was impossible not to laugh at Anna’s words, and Emma tucked herself into Killian as she did, loving the rumble of his laughter as it moved against her at Anna’s antics. Closing her eyes for a brief moment Emma allowed herself to just take this all in. The sun was shining, the breeze was gentle as it moved through the glen, and the air around them crackled with that sense of rightness that Emma usually only felt when she and Killian were alone and trying to forget the world. That she could feel this with everyone was a gift, and Emma knew this was a turning point; it just had to be.

“Well, I think there’s really only one question left to ask,” Tink said with a look of pure amusement on her face. “Who’s telling the Nolans?”

“Not it!” Emma, Anna, and Elsa all chimed at the same time, but before they could debate amongst themselves who would deliver the updates to her parents, her mother’s voice interrupted over the static of the radio that no one had noticed until just now.

“Hey, I heard that! Oh shoot I forgot to say over. I heard that, over.”

Tink looked shocked and Emma knew that this wasn’t some elaborate prank. Tink was genuinely unaware that Mary Margaret had been listening in. They were all astounded, well all of them except Graham who immediately looked embarrassed. He motioned to the radio he’d been wearing and finally seemed to notice it had been set to on this whole time, even when he’d been in wolf form.

“That’s my bad. I gave her the extra radio at the station yesterday. Figured it would be the best way to keep them in the loop. I didn’t realize it was on all this time.”

“Was it really though?” Emma asked, knowing her mother could fully hear her now. “I don’t know how likely it is that Mom could hear everything happening today and keep quiet. First you and Ruby, then Elsa and Liam. It would have been an awful lot of temptation…”

“Emma!” Her Mom said with a tone of censure, but then there was mumbling in the background and she heard her mother sigh. “Okay fine, I wanted to say things but your father reminded me that if I did Graham would probably shut off the feed, and I just couldn’t risk it.”

“I may not know your parents well, but that sounds about right,” Ruby said with a smirk. “And five bucks says Granny’s in on this too.”

“No one’s dumb enough to take that bet,” Killian joked and sure enough Granny’s voice came through the feed confirming that she was there and enjoying all the updates as well.

“Oh I’m here, and I have all sorts of questions for this man who thinks he’s good enough for my Ruby Lee.”

“Oh Jesus,” Ruby said with the first show of embarrassment she’d had today. She grabbed the walkie talkie from Graham and finally put this all to bed.

“All right you three, show’s over. You’ve had your fun. Granny, I will see you tomorrow,” Ruby said, before backtracking after looking back at Graham whose eyes were on her and filled with both heat and a quizzical question asking if she’d really be up for company tomorrow. “Scratch that, I’ll see you soon…ish. You want references, you got them sitting right next to you. I’m sure Mary Margaret and David are all too happy to fill you in on all things Graham.”

Anna then took the reciever from Ruby and gave her own message to Emma’s parents. “And don’t worry, I was only playing earlier. I’ll be over to fill you in on everything you missed. All I ask is that you make one of your awesome blueberry pies. I don’t have a man yet, so I should at least get some damn dessert.”

Emma bit back another laugh at how quickly her mother agreed to that proposition, and over the next few minutes the group disbanded, with the new mates going to find alone time as Anna and Tink headed towards her parents house. For Emma and Killian though, there was so much to be said and so much to discuss, but Emma knew that they wouldn’t get into the details tonight. No, she didn’t see much in the way of talking happening tonight at all, not when the relief she felt was so distinctly mirrored in her mate’s eyes, and not when the lifting of the Liam burden had left space only for love and hope and happiness.

“Picture it, love,” Killian said as he brought her into the house, locking the door behind them and then pulling her into his arms so there was no space left between them. “A whole night just you and me and some good old fashioned peace and quiet.”

“Well I don’t know about quiet…” Emma teased as her hand trailed down his chest, her voice dropping a bit lower and the huskiness of her want for him sounding out undeniably in her tone. “I kind of like when we get all worked up.”

Killian’s growl gave away how much he loved that too, and the next thing she knew he was sweeping her up and bringing them to the bedroom. Whether it was shifter speed or just Emma’s own infatuated state any time Killian put his hands on her she didn’t know, but it felt like one second her feet were on the ground and the next she was pinned against the door in their bedroom as Killian gazed at her with lust and love and longing.

“Allow me to be more clear,” Killian murmured his mouth whispering the words against her skin between kisses as he moved from his lips to her jaw, down her neck and lower. “Tonight it’s just you and me and the love between us. Nothing – and I do mean nothing – is getting between me and my mate tonight.”

Killian murmured the words as he practically ripped the clothing from her body, and Emma was mindless to do anything but claw away the clothes he still had on too. She went from teasing to needy in the blink of an eye, and from the hungry, predatory gaze Killian sent her way, Emma knew the night before them would be anything but fast. No, Killian had other plans, and if the already delicious torment of his hands and his mouth were anything to go by, Emma was going to be more than satisfied in every way.

“Every day I wonder if I’ll be used to this yet,” Killian rasped against her skin as he brought her to the bed, trailing his wicked mouth along the bared flesh of her neck. He nipped lightly at one of the mating marks he’d left on her and Emma jumped, her body so hot and ready and wanting though they’d barely even begun. “I wonder if your beauty will stop taking my breath away, or if I’ll feel anything but awe here in your presence. Will my heart stop feeling fit to burst? Will my need ever calm or wane away?”

“And the verdict?” Emma asked as one of his hands moved up her thigh as his lips moved down to her breasts, his touches moving between gentle and demanding, riling her up so effortlessly.

“It’s a waste of wondering, love. For there will never come a day when I don’t crave you. I need you, Emma, more than anything the world over, and I love you in ways I can’t possibly put in words.”

“So show me,” Emma begged, her voice a breathy moan as Killian’s lips turned up in a sinfully sexy smirk.

“That’s exactly what I plan to do.”

Emma was so torn in this moment. Mindless with pleasure and crescendoing desire, she wanted to close her eyes and revel in all of his ministrations. His fingers came to touch her most intimate skin, and the brush of his thumb on her clit as his teeth nipped the sensitive part of her breast pulled more moans from within her. But if she looked away from him now, Emma would deny herself the pleasure of seeing the man she was made for looking both fantastically wild and totally in control. Killian was so damn attractive. He always had her thinking the dirtiest things and craving something more, no matter the time of day, but seeing him like this, totally assured and completely in command of her body had her arching to be closer to him. He was magnificent right now – and if someone were to tell her there was a world outside of this bed right now she’d hardly believe them. She was so caught up in this moment, so strung out sensation, all she could do was feel and want and beg for more.

“Killian,” she pleaded, words failing her, and then he growled with satisfaction against her skin.

The hum of his territorial action pushed Emma’s already aching need towards the edge of release. Then the anticipation pushed her still closer as he moved down her body, his lips tasting every part of her until his mouth came to feast on her, tormenting her into marvelous madness. She shattered so quickly, but her mate wasn’t anywhere near satisfied. He pulled her climax from her only to tease her more, building her up and taking another. He seemed hell bent on a third but Emma was brazen now and desperate for more. She pulled him back up to her, and when he thrust inside, filling her completely she felt nothing but satisfaction and the most ethereal sense of completion.

There was no telling how long they were locked together like this. Both of them were consumed with the other, chasing release and saying with words and with actions everything they felt. This was more than love; it was destiny while somehow also being a choice. No matter what the mating call had said, Emma knew that their love transcended all of that. Nature was strong, but somehow this was stronger, and the pull of wanting never seemed to fade between them.

“You’re mine,” Emma whispered, when they were both spent and exhausted, as she placed another kiss to the place just above his heart. She must have said it a thousand times tonight, but each time it was both a claiming and a prayer. She was so happy to have this and to have Killian, and there was no denying that he felt the same.

“And you’re mine, Emma. For far longer than forever.”

With those beautiful promises in mind, Emma lay there, wrapped up in her mate thinking about how sure this thing between them was. And as she drifted off to sleep, it was almost hard to discern reality from fantasy, because life, right here in this moment, was better than any dream. Because this life was real and it was hers and it was filled with endless, glorious, wonderful possibility.

Post-Note: So some of you (okay probably all of you) must have seen this coming. I would never be able to write something so painful as losing Liam or Killian having to kill his brother. I always knew ever since the start that Liam and Elsa would be mates, and I knew that the only way to heal Liam would require magic. There’s much more to come in terms of the bite and how Elsa will help Liam, so rest assured that will be covered. And there’s also quite a few more chapters left to go. My plan is to have 22 chapters and then potentially an additional epilogue, and trust me when I tell you there is plenty more story yet, and all of our twists and turns are not quite over. Anyway thanks so much to all of you for all your love and support. It might be few weeks or so until I get to publish my next chapter because I am doing a lot of traveling now that school is out, but I promise it’s coming! Thanks again and hope you all have a great rest of your week!

Tag list: @jennjenn615, @kmomof4, @winterbaby89, @teamhook, @ultraluckycatnd, @resident-of-storybrooke, @artistic-writer, @snowbellewells, @snarkycaptainswan4, @allofdafandoms-blog

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jmsebastian · 5 years ago

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The Dismemberment of Horror in Dead Space

After playing Dead Space for the first time I became increasingly frustrated by its attempts to be a horror game despite firmly planting its flag in the action camp. Action-horror is a tightrope walk between genres that I think rarely pans out, but that combination is alluring enough that I can’t fault anyone for trying. To me, action and horror are almost antithetical. Good action games provide a vehicle for players to feel powerful once they understand the mechanics and master them. Good horror games never let the player feel at ease, using the player’s expectations against them to keep them constantly unsettled.

Dead Space betrays its horror elements almost immediately. In two very important ways. First, the game’s monsters, the necromorphs, are revealed in all their gross glory before you even get two rooms deep into the mining ship you’re investigating, the Ishimura. You get onboard after crash landing in the opening cutscene, you walk into a room that’s got blood all over the floor, and then the necromorphs try to murder the entire crew you came with while you look on behind the complete safety of glass.

Dead Space takes so much inspiration from the 1979 film Alien as if the necromorphs weren’t a huge giveaway. But Alien works as a horror film because it spends the majority of its time building tension, first through the interpersonal issues of the crew, and then by having characters picked off one at a time by a monster the audience doesn’t really get to see. During that first encounter with the necromorphs you get a very clear look at them. You get an even better look when you’re chased into an elevator by one whose predatory instincts are questionable, at best.

Once you’ve seen the necromorphs, you know what you’re up against. This leads to the second way in which the game betrays horror, it tells you exactly how to deal with the necromorphs, and it does so in the absolute clumsiest way possible. Necromorphs need to have their appendages cut off in order to get them to cease reanimating and you get four opportunities in a row to learn this, two of which are impossible to skip. First, you find a message written in blood next to a body that says “Cut off their limbs”. Pretty straightforward. Minutes later, you can find an audio log where a crewmember says the same thing. Technically, both the bloody message and audio log can be skipped over or missed, but their placement makes that unlikely, at least on a first playthrough. What’s not skippable is the captain chiming in over your communication device saying the same thing as the audio log, followed by instructions from your suit that appear on the screen.

That’s four instances of the player receiving the same information all within the span of a couple minutes. I understand that severing necromorph limbs is the crux of the game’s entire combat, but when you tell the player the solution to fighting every single enemy in a game that’s supposed to scare them, you are doing them a terrible disservice. What makes this especially painful is that the player is given a subtle hint about cutting limbs off with the first necromorph that the player sees. As Isaac stands in the elevator while he’s being attacked, the elevator doors close and chop off the necromorph’s arm and head.

I am empathetic to developers not wanting players to get thrown into combat situations and repeatedly die because they don’t know what they should be doing, but this a game whose combat is modeled almost entirely on Resident Evil 4. In Resident Evil 4 you can shoot zombies in the legs to slow them down, you can shoot off their heads for quick kills, and you can even shoot thrown projectiles out of the air. None of this is told to the player, but it doesn’t take much experimentation to start figuring it out, which is arguably the most enjoyable part of the game. Dead Space never lets the player work out strategies for themselves, which can reduce the enjoyment and prevent the sensation of panic that horror games can elicit so well.

For all the things that Dead Space did well with regard to immersion, a few choices really break the illusion for me. There are a lot of small, but obvious issues. Necromorphs drop ammo and health items despite being horrifically twisted re-animated flesh with no need for either of these things. The ship is littered with caches of those same items, either built into the Ishimura’s structure or littered about the floor. There are also shops that allow you to buy health and ammo, as well as upgrade your protective suit.

All of these little problems add up to one big problem. All of the tools you end up using in the game only work in the context of a shooter. Sure, they try to justify the various weapons you can carry by giving them a tenuous relationship to mining, but even that is shaky. You first pick up the plasma cutter, presumably the most advanced type of mining tool in existence. So what purpose, then, does a circular saw serve? The answer is that the various tools flesh out the combat mechanics because they’re weapons, and nothing more. It would have been nice if the various tools could have been used to solve environmental puzzles and really explore the idea that Isaac is an engineer and not a soldier. Sadly, there’s nothing that Isaac ever does over the course of the game that doesn’t seem like something any other character couldn’t have done. The very existence of the item shops and upgrade stations pretty much proves it.

That brings me to the characters. This is where Dead Space felt the weakest to me. Every single character is a very broadly drawn archetype. You have a no-nonsense soldier, a nagging second-guesser, a mad scientist, a religious fanatic (well, several of them, actually), and the secret agent. To top it all off, you have the silent protagonist. Non-speaking player characters make a lot of sense in a lot of games, but it just doesn’t work out as well in Dead Space because your character has a personal reason for being on this particular mission: your girlfriend is on the Ishimura.

The first thing you see in the game is a video clip of Isaac’s beloved, Nicole Brennan. Kendra asks him about it, and the motivation is set. Isaac’s goal is to save Nicole. During the course of the game you do eventually run into her, and yet despite the horror show that both she and Isaac have gone through, Isaac does absolutely nothing even remotely resembling how one would react upon reuniting with a loved one. At the end of the game, we are treated to yet another obvious trope: Nicole’s been dead the whole time. I’m not sure if this was intended to actually be a plot twist or not, because it’s heavily foreshadowed. The video clip at the beginning clearly cuts off before it’s finished, and Isaac is arbitrarily kept from being close to her due to door locks that couldn’t possibly be activated if it wasn’t all occurring in his mind. When you finally are in the same room with her, Isaac has no reaction whatsoever. He’s supposed to be in love, but there is nothing even close to resembling human emotion coming from him.

One interesting explanation could have been that the trauma of the events has left him emotionally comatose, but instead, it’s all hand-waved away by the Marker. The Marker is a weird space object that is responsible for the necromorphs and drives anyone who spends enough time around it insane. Isaac is supposed to be a victim of this, and Kendra straight up tells us this after she reveals herself to the double-crosser that she is. It’s here that we get to see the video of Nicole played back in its entirety, and watch as she takes her own life to spare herself the horror of the situation.

The root of every element of the game can be clearly seen. You get your doses of Resident Evil 4, Alien, System Shock, and Event Horizon. Obviously, there are few or no true new ideas when it comes to stories, but what you want is a game that works to defy expectations a bit, and that allows the interactive elements to tell the story in ways other media can't. Dead Space doesn’t do this, it simply adds everything it can into one pot and hopes for the best.

For all its lack of a true sense of horror, Dead Space is still an immensely enjoyable action game, which is, itself, a huge accomplishment. You can try it for the first time a decade after its release like I did, and it plays just as well now as I’m sure it did then.

#dead space #alien #resident evil 4 #system shock

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spn-meanttobe · 5 years ago

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Spn Meant To Be Masterlist - 2016

Here is the roundup from the last spn_meanttobe challenge! The entries were wonderful and stay tuned for details regrading a brand new challenge coming this way soon!

RPS

Title: Butterfly in a Glass case Author: all_the_damned Pairing: Jared/Jensen Rating: NC-17 Word Count: 5K+ Warnings: dollification, spanking, rimming, indentured servitude, prostitution, BDSM, dubious consent/non-con, hurt/comfort, mental atrophy, body modification, control collars Prompt: "Captured": Lifelong best friends James Laird and Lola Caraway are reunited when Lola moves to LA after college. Lola is starting her new life, new job, and a new romance with a successful lawyer--a relationship which forces James to question the nature of his feelings for Lola.James has always been a master at pleasuring women, so it was an easy transition to play a Master on-screen in a series of BDSM videos which have brought him fame and the promise of a lucrative career. The films have also brought him the attention of hardcore producer Eva Satana, who wants James to be a ruthless Dominant -for real- in her brutal and extreme BDSM scenes.James soon finds himself caught in a contract he cannot break and compelled by threats to the woman who's stood by him through everything.Summary: When you’re a doll, there’s not much to do other than dream. Jared can barely remember a time when he wasn’t a doll. On the best and worst days, he gets to be with Jensen. Link to fic: Ao3 (Must be logged in to read) Title: Can a Girl Ever Have Too Many Cowboys? Artist: beelikej Pairing: Danneel/Jeff/Jensen/Jared Rating: PG-13 Medium: Photoshop Warnings: Polymory Prompt: 33. The Trouble With Texas CowboysNo sooner does pint-sized spitfire Jill Cleary set foot on Fiddle Creek Ranch than she finds herself in the middle of a hundred-year-old feud. Quaid Brennan and Tyrell Gallagher are both tall, handsome, and rich...and both are courting Jill to within an inch of her life. She's doing her best to give these feuding ranchers equal time-too bad it's dark-eyed Sawyer O'Donnell who makes her blood boil and her hormones hum.Link to art: LiveJournal Title: Home of the present Author: crimsonepitaph Pairing: Jared/Jensen Rating: R Word Count: 32K Warnings: language, mentions of depression Prompt: A man in need of a comeback…A woman in need of love. Off the court, tennis star Jason Cartwright's playboy image is taking a public beating. On the court, he's down forty-love. A comeback is in order, but the makeover he needs is in the hands of the woman he loved and left fifteen years ago. While single-mom, Izzy Connors, sees people for who they really are through the lens of her camera, even without it, she knows Jason isn't the star he appears to be. All she sees is his wasted talent and playboy lifestyle. Will the click of her camera shatter his world as well as his heart? Summary: Jared Padalecki is a failing tennis legend striving for a comeback. Jensen Ackles is the unwitting photographer co-opted in the makeover project, a biography meant to change the game. Single dad, definitely not a fan of Padalecki's, and a cynical human being in general, Jensen takes the job out of necessity, and gears for a year long charade. But what happens when Jensen discovers more than he signed up for - not just about Padalecki, but about himself?Link to fic: on Ao3 Title: Jensen's Choice Author: zara_zee Artist: amberdreams Pairing: Jared/Jensen Rating: NC-17 Word Count: 44K Warnings: Kidnapping, violence, torture, minor character deaths, dubious consent*, rough sex, light kink (bondage, spanking, edging/orgasm delay,cock cage, slight D/s), crime, discussions of child abuse, smoking, drug use, addict in recovery, bad language and homophobic insults.*For the purposes of a dark romance, I’ll say dubious consent, however it should be noted that in the beginning, Jared has all the power and Jensen’s consent is definitely coerced. In the real world, I would classify that as rape. On the whole many unhealthy attitudes to consent are conveyed here.Prompt: An ex-pool hustler must fight her attraction to a sinful, sexy biker when she's kidnapped by the Dragons MC and sold to the club's Vice-President. Summary: Seven years ago talented pool hustler Jensen Ackles fled LA for his home state of Texas—with a price on his head and HellSpawn MC on his tail. Now, Jensen’s past has finally caught up with him. His debt has been bought out by the Vice-President of HellSpawn, Jared Padalecki, who expects Jensen to satisfy his dark sexual appetites. But even worse than life as the VP’s beck-and-call boy is the very real possibility that Jensen just might be falling for the sinfully sexy biker. Link to fic: on LiveJournal Link to art: on LiveJournal Title: Pranking the Padalecki Author: whiskygalore Pairing: Jared/Jensen Rating: NC-17 Word Count: 9K Warnings: younger Jensen, older Jared, spanking, bad language, schmoop with a happy ending Prompt: The Brat Next Door Tessa Randall has loved playing practical jokes on her brother's best friend, Trace Samuels, for as long as she can remember. But when she pushes him too far one day, she finds herself getting her long-overdue comeuppance over his lap. When Trace follows this treatment with a kiss, Tessa's confused emotions take an unexpected twist. Has she been menacing the boy next door her whole life, just to get closer to him? Has it been her motive all along to simply get his attention? And if so, where does she go now that she unquestionably has it? Summary: Jensen Ackles has loved pranking his brother’s best friend, Jared Padalecki, for almost as long as he can remember. But when he pushes Jared too far one day and finds himself on the wrong end of a spanking, Jensen lets slip a secret that might change things forever.Link to fic: on Ao3 Title: Up Against Your Will Author: amypond45 Pairing: Jared/Jensen, past Jared/Genevieve, past Jensen/others Rating: NC-17 Word Count: 17K Warnings: reference to past rape/abuse (not graphic or specific) Prompt: Blind Wolf: Julia has never been on a date in her life. She's a curvy girl with no money, no education, and no way out of the town she works in as a library assistant... until Damien shows up. He's just like the prince charming Julia always imagined would sweep her off of her feet. There are just a few things standing in the way of true happiness: he's blind, he's dating someone, and he's WAY out of her league. Oh, and he's a werewolf. Damien lost his eyes two years ago in a wolf battle. Ever since then, the straggler pack of disabled wolves he leads has been searching for a place to call home. One house seems like the perfect choice, but Damien realizes too late that the person who lives there is the girl he met at the library. The human girl. Damien is torn between loyalty to his pack and raw lusting desire for the girl who haunts his dreams day and night. She's a human. How could she be his true mate? Summary: Jensen wasn’t planning to rent out the apartment in his basement. But when a tall, handsome stranger offers him a deal he can’t refuse, Jensen puts aside his natural shyness and lets Jared move into his home. Now Jensen’s having intense dreams, hearing strange sounds in the night, and one day he sees a wolf in his backyard. Can Jensen regain his carefully ordered life (and his sanity) before it completely unravels? Or will he give in to his passion for the beautiful blind man with all the wildness in his heart? Link to fic: on Ao3 Title: Dead men do tell tales Author: siriala Pairing: Jared/Jensen Rating: NC-17 Word Count: 18K Warnings: mildly creepy and supernatural stuff surrounding death (which is not made into a major issue in this fic), shady but friendly Chad, voyeurism, judgmental and mean people Prompt: Her Ladyship's CompanionIn the Scottish countryside of Selkirk, Lady Isabella Stirling resides at Bowhill Park, serving penance for a sin that nearly ruined her family. For five years she has been condemned to a loveless marriage and confined to the estate where she does little more than tend her rose garden. With her husband absent for months at a time and few visitors, Bella lives a lonely existence, denying the passions that burn within her very soul.Then her cousin comes for a visit and makes an outrageous suggestion: what Bella needs is a lover. A hired lover. Despite her need, Bella says no. But soon Mr. Gideon Rosedale arrives-and he is at her service for two weeks. Indulging in what she intends to be a harmless flirtation, Bella is overcome by Gideon's intoxicating presence. And when she at last permits him to satisfy her desires, she discovers she's done the unthinkable-she's fallen in love.Summary: Jared has been alone most of his life. Good thing dead people can't be picky when he talks to them. Link to fic: on Ao3 Title: The Roommate Author: ashtraythief Artist: beelikej Pairing: Jared/Jensen Rating: NC-17 for fic, PG-13 for art Word Count: 12.6K Warnings: ummm… there’s porn? And description of unhygienic storage of clothes? Unhealthy amounts of cereal consumption? Idk, this is just really schmoopy and floofy. Prompt: One Night With Her RoommateEver since her former roommates deserted her, Meg has had to share an apartment with a lazy, obnoxious ass. He won’t pick up after himself, and he refuses to get a good job. Plus, he doesn’t always wear enough clothes—which is really a problem, because he’s hot. Maybe he’s occasionally funny. And every now and then he can be sweet. But mostly he’s just annoying. It doesn’t matter how much he’s starting to flirt with her—Meg is going to resist. She’s way too smart to fall for a guy who never takes anything seriously. But then everything changes in only one night.Summary: When Jared moves in with Jensen, Jensen’s life is turned upside down. Jared is a terrible roommate; messy, loud and entirely obnoxious. Unfortunately, he’s also pretty hot and even kinda nice when his socks aren’t clogging up the sink. Not that Jensen would ever do anything about that, because Jared is straight and a giant slob. Or so Jensen thinks. Link to fic: on Ao3 Link to art: on LiveJournal Title: My Wicked Pirate Artist: kinkajou Pairing: Jared/Jensen Rating: G Warnings: none Prompt: Azure-eyed Alanis was by far the most exquisite treasure ever claimed by the black pirate known as the Viper, but his motives went deeper than his silken promise to ravish the feisty Yorkshire heiress. Commanding the waters of the Caribbean was his means to an end: reclaiming his birthright—and his blood debt against those who had betrayed him.Then he gave her nights of wicked pleasure...Comfortably betrothed to a nobleman, Alanis never imagined the heady emotions involved in the true games of seduction—games this blackguard seemed to thoroughly enjoy playing with her. Swept up into an adventure that soon revealed a gentleman and kindred spirit beneath the ruthless veneer of a privateer, Alanis began to soften towards her enigmatic captor, as her pride and her heart fell under his erotic spell.Link to art: on Ao3 Title: After All This Time Author: safiyabat Artist: vilabelle Pairing: Jared/Jensen, Gen/Danneel, Jared/Stephen, J2DG Rating: NC-17 Word Count: 7K Warnings: Internalized homophobia, het sex, Chad Prompt: Kinky Neighbors: The Mitchells and the Harts have been next door neighbors and friends for the past year. They have loads in common; double incomes, professional careers, no kids...and a kinky streak. Now they're about to become very good friends...with kinky benefits. The sex between them all is hot, naughty, and unbearably exciting. It isn't merely swapping partners and moving to another room; it's true foursome sex, same room, same bed, all four involved. For Drew and Cat Mitchell and Logan and Alexis Hart, it's about barreling through boundaries none of them have ever crossed before, doing kinky things they've only fantasized about. But when they begin to exchange not just sex but emotional connection, the problems start; a little jealousy, feeling left out, wanting more from the wrong partner. Can two couples really share everything without losing it all? Summary: Jensen's a pretty happy guy. He's happily married to his hometown sweetheart, Danneel, and he's got a thriving law practice in Austin. He lives next door to his lifelong best friend, Jared, who is married to his and Danneel's girlfriend, Gen. When Danneel and Gen suggest bringing Jared into the bedroom, though, things get weird. Jensen thought Jared had gotten over his schoolboy crush on Jensen, but it turns out that Jared isn't the only one with lingering feelings.Link to fic: on LiveJournal Link to art: on LiveJournal Title: The Lost Author: phoenix1966 Artist: amberdreams Pairing: Jared/Jensen Rating: NC-17 Word Count: 93K Warnings: swearing, murder (off-screen), violence, m/m, top!Jensen, bottom!Jared, bottom!Misha (offscreen) Prompt: Al King is a rock singer and selfish stud extraordinaire. His brother and manager, Paul King, gets Al whatever he wants and boy does he want a lot. Dallas is a former hooker gone beauty queen/actress. Everyone wants a piece of her and she plays hardball like the best of them. What happens when the plane they are on crashes in the middle of the Amazon jungle? Summary: Big screen star Jensen Ackles was on his way to Brazil to continue filming his latest project. He was glad to lose himself in the role and bury the pain of his broken heart by slipping on a stranger’s skin. Because of his manager’s twisted attempt to help, he found himself on a private jet with a high-class rent boy. Before he could figure out what to do with that, a bolt of lightning sent them tumbling into the rainforest. Link to fic: on Ao3 Link to art: on LiveJournal Title: The Other Wesson Author: firesign10 Artist: milly_gal Pairing: Jared/Jensen Rating: NC-17 Word Count: 8K Warnings: none Prompt: Beth Bradley has a problem. Everyone is expecting her successful music executive boyfriend, Charlie, to be her date for her best friend’s wedding. There’s one hitch: Charlie doesn’t exist. Unless she can think of something fast, she’s headed for the most humiliating weekend of her life. Alex Tanner has a problem. The former Navy SEAL's search for a double agent lands him at the Kensington Hotel, and he needs a cover to finish the job. When the sexy maid of honor blackmails him into pretending to be her lover, he thinks he's been handed the solution. Except Beth has a way of stumbling into trouble, and when the man Alex is hunting starts targeting Beth, Alex has to decide between solving the mystery or protecting the woman who has stolen his heart. Summary: Jensen Ackles has a problem. Everyone is expecting his successful accountant boyfriend, Sam Wesson, to be his date for his best friend’s wedding. And Jensen is the wedding planner! There’s one hitch: Sam doesn’t exist. Unless he can think of something fast, Jensen is headed for the biggest humiliation of his life. Jared Padalecki has a problem. The government agent's search for a possible sex trafficking ring lands him at the Isla Grande Resort on the Gulf of Mexico, and he needs a cover to finish the job. When he meets the sexy wedding planner while planting a bug in his room, Jensen blackmails him into pretending to be his boyfriend. Jared doesn't mind--he thinks he's been handed the ideal cover. Except Jensen stumbles into trouble, and Jared has to decide if this resort romance is just play-acting—or the real thing! Link to fic: on Ao3 (art embedded in fic) Title: These Violent Delights Author: dimpled_sammy Pairing: Jared/Jensen Rating: NC-17 Word Count: 82K Warnings: Violence, gangsters, minor character death Prompt: Romancing the Mob Boss. Trina Hathaway is a waitress in a Las Vegas strip joint who spends a romantic evening with a good looking hunk she met at the club. Hoping to see him again, but not disappointed when she doesn’t, she goes on with her life. But a week later, when she interviews for a job at the renowned PaLargio Hotel and Casino on the Vegas Strip, and discovers that the owner of the hotel is the man she had slept with, a man who very much wishes to rekindle what they had captured that passionate night, her entire life spirals into a new and dramatic world where family ties and ever-increasing violence ropes them in. Summary: Jared Padalecki has only ever wanted to get out of Sin City. Trapped by extenuating circumstances, he works as a waiter in a Las Vegas strip joint, doing what he can to get by, including spending a romantic evening with a handsome stranger who wanders into the club one night. Hoping to see the stranger again, but not disappointed when he doesn’t, Jared moves on with his life. A month later, Jared interviews for a job as a financial consultant at one of the largest and newly made over Hotels on the Vegas strip. Jared gets the job, only to discover that his new boss is the same man he slept with: Jensen Ackles, the enigmatic and ice cold business man. Jensen Ackles, the city's biggest mob boss. Torn between his longing to get out of the city and his yearning to be closer to Jensen, Jared finds himself being sucked into a new and dangerous world where loyalty is everything, passion exists on a knife-edge, and the ever-increasing violence makes it impossible to escape. Link to fic: on Ao3 Title: Heartstrings Author: madebyme_x Artist: quickreaver Pairing: Jared/Jensen Rating: PG-13 Word Count: 7.5K Warnings: Language and references to drug and alcohol abuse Prompt: Heartstrings. As Julia prepares to settle in for another typical 12-hour shift in the ER, she's ready to handle anything...That's before Slade Hale rolls into her life...on a stretcher surrounded by 15 doctors and nurses. To her he's just another patient, and a cocky asshole Rock Star with an ego. Or at least that's what she thinks. When she's assigned to be his personal nurse, Julia suddenly feels out of her comfort zone. Slade is the most beautiful man she's ever seen in person and even in his vulnerable condition he seethes of raw sex appeal. When he starts to wake up, that's when the real trouble begins...Julia desperately attempts to fight his charm and wit, to stay professional, to keep the upper hand. Summary: Washed-up rock star Jared is rushed to hospital, and it's up to uptight nurse Jensen to fix more than broken bones. But what is it that they say? Opposites attract, or something like that... Link to fic: on LiveJournal Link to art: on LiveJournal

Supernatural

Title: Behind Glass Author: museaway Pairing: Dean/Castiel Rating: Teen Word Count: 21.3K Warnings: Temporary Character Death Prompt: Life as he has known it is over for Adan when his mother tells him she has bought a mansion in an exclusive community high in the redwood mountains. There are no other young people living there except one, a girl named Chrystal who has never been outside the community before or known anyone her own age. But Adan can only admire Chrystal from afar, she is beautiful and he is covered in scars. Summary: Castiel has spent his life secluded in the woods. At his father’s warning, he’s never left the property. He has no memory of his mother, and his father doesn’t come above twice a year with supplies now that Castiel is grown. But when he befriends a boy named Sam who trespasses on his land, and Sam's older brother, whose face and arm were maimed in an accident, he begins to doubt everything his father has told him. Link to fic: on Ao3 Title: The Trouble with Benny Author: angelus2hot Pairing: Dean/Benny Rating: PG-13 Word Count: 2K Warnings: none Prompt: Can a girl ever have too many cowboys?No sooner does pint-sized spitfire Jill Cleary set foot on Fiddle Creek Ranch than she finds herself in the middle of a hundred-year-old feud. Quaid Brennan and Tyrell Gallagher are both tall, handsome, and rich...and both are courting Jill to within an inch of her life. She's doing her best to give these feuding ranchers equal time-too bad it's dark-eyed Sawyer O'Donnell who makes her blood boil and her hormones hum.Summary: It took awhile for Sam to realize even though Dean could have almost anyone he wanted, his brother only wanted Benny. But when he did he and Garth devised a plan to get Dean to finally go after what he wanted. Link to fic: on Ao3 Title: Happenstance Author: stonenumberone Pairing: Sam/Dean Rating: NC-17 Word Count: 18K Warnings: Pre-series AU, underage sex, underage drinking, complete lack of listening to the concept of Stranger Danger, swearing and just a little bit of angst and sibling incest. Prompt: Colin Hartman can now add college to his list of failures. On the coast-to-coast trek home from California, Colin stops at a gas station in the Nevada desert, and can’t help noticing the guy in tight jeans looking like he just stepped off a catwalk. When he realizes Catwalk is stranded, Colin offers a ride. Riley only intended to take a short ride in Colin’s Jeep to the Grand Canyon. But one detour leads to another until they finally find themselves tumbling into bed together. However there are shadows in Riley’s eyes that hide a troubled past. And when those shadows threaten to bury the man whom Colin has fallen in love with, he vows to get Riley the help he needs. For once in his life, quitting isn’t an option… Summary: Dean’s never been really good at that whole “accomplishment” thing. Drifting is the one thing he really knows how to do, and a trip after his latest failure—college—with just him, his car, and the wide open road is exactly what he needs. Running into a boy with legs longer than the California coastline was definitely not on the agenda, but hey, it’s not like Dean has anywhere else to be. When the trip becomes more of a series of detours, Dean finds himself more and more drawn to the young Sam, who seems to be carrying more baggage than Dean originally thought. A secret revealed threatens to shatter everything they’ve built together in this short time; will they make it through or crash and burn like every other thing Dean has ever touched? Link to fic: on Ao3 Title: Sunrise Cove Obsession Author: smalltrolven Pairing: Sam/Dean Rating: NC-17 Word Count: 9K Warnings: Beyond Awful!John Winchester Prompt: Naomi Bowes lost her innocence the night she followed her father into the woods. In freeing the girl trapped in the root cellar, Naomi revealed the horrible extent of her father’s crimes and made him infamous. No matter how close she gets to happiness, she can’t outrun the sins of Thomas David Bowes. Now a successful photographer living under the name Naomi Carson, she has found a place that calls to her, a rambling old house in need of repair, thousands of miles away from everything she’s ever known. Naomi wants to embrace the solitude, but the kindly residents of Sunrise Cove keep forcing her to open up—especially the determined Xander Keaton. Naomi can feel her defenses failing, and knows that the connection her new life offers is something she’s always secretly craved. But the sins of her father can become an obsession, and, as she’s learned time and again, her past is never more than a nightmare away. Summary: When the boys are forcibly separated at twelve and eight by a father gone mad their lives take very different turns. When they are then reunited fifteen years later, they don’t recognize each other. Dean’s promise to stay away from Sam even though unwittingly broken brings a danger back that may kill them both. Link to fic: on Ao3 Title: Indelible Author: dare_darcy Pairing: Dean/Sam Rating: M Word Count: 25K Warnings: Light BDSM Prompt: Leni Brewster should have been disappointed when her twin sister had to bail on holding her hand during her first tattoo, but going to her appointment solo means time alone with the sexy-as-hell tattoo artist who falls into the Do Not Touch category. Only Jamie Rodriguez isn't as off-limits as Leni thinks. Privately single for months, Jamie finds himself more than looking forward to having the hot little librarian in his chair. And when she accidentally reveals a naughty secret about herself, he can't get his hands on her fast enough-he has to know what else she's hiding under that buttoned-up exterior. What he discovers sets his blood to boiling, igniting a burning determination to test every single one of the boundaries, both personal and physical, that she's set for herself. Summary: Dean Singer is a tattoo artist, single and unhappily so. Sam Winchester is the sexy librarian who has been feeding his secret book habit. When Sam walks into Dean's shop, will Sam break through Dean's walls and see the man beneath? (Summary to be fixed when I'm not sleep deprived.) Link to fic: on Ao3

#spn meant to be #masterlist #2016

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bonesloveeverandemilyanddavid · 6 years ago

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Emily Deschanel on Biggest 'Bones' Lessons, Working With David Boreanaz and Returning to TV

June 04, 2019 9:45am PT by Jean Bentley

The actress formerly known as Temperance Brennan is returning to television in TNT's 'Animal Kingdom,' and discusses the evolution of her career with The Hollywood Reporter.

When Emily Deschanel graduated from theater school, she planned to spend her career doing off-Broadway shows and the occasional indie film. The actress, who is best known for the 12 years she spent starring on Fox procedural Bones, chuckled on the phone while remembering those early career goals.

"I remember somebody laughing at me, like, 'OK, if you never want to make any money, then great,'" she told The Hollywood Reporter.

While her earliest credited parts include small roles in not-so-indie films including Cold Mountain, Glory Road and The Alamo, Deschanel's big break came after being cast in Stephen King's ABC miniseries Rose Red. A couple of pilot seasons later and she was the No. 2 on the call sheet for Bones, behind former Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel star David Boreanaz, where she'd spend the next decade-plus of her life.

Two years after her Fox drama ended, Deschanel now finds herself headed back to television in a recurring role on TNT's crime family drama Animal Kingdom. While she spent 12 years playing forensic anthropologist and straight-laced FBI collaborator Temperance Brennan on Bones, she's on the other side of the law as recovering addict Angela on Animal Kingdom.

Deschanel spoke with The Hollywood Reporter about her nearly two decades in Hollywood — including following in the footsteps of her younger sister, Zoey Deschanel (their parents are both in the industry; their father is the Oscar-nominated cinematographer Caleb Deschanel and their mother is Twin Peaks actor Mary Jo Deschanel), working with occasionally difficult co-workers, the Bones lawsuit that has made her wary of signing contracts, and deciding to return to the small screen after a hiatus.

When did you start acting?

When I was growing up I always wanted to be an architect, for whatever reason. I guess it's the perfect blend of art and math and science, which, to me, was really appealing. But then I went to Crossroads for high school and I discovered theater and discovered acting, and I really loved doing it. I think I wouldn't have become an actor if I hadn't gone to the conservatory at Boston University for theater. You get to do four plays a year there, and I think I wouldn't have had the experience to give me the confidence to pursue being an actor after college if I hadn't done something like that. Of course, I look back and wish I'd gone to a liberal arts school and got a more well-rounded education, but there's always time to educate yourself, I guess. I think it was probably the right path for me because it gave me the experience, it gave me the confidence to try and pursue acting. My sister was already [acting]. She was always a natural performer, so she didn't need an external source to tell her she could pursue something.

I just loved theater, I loved to study, I loved Shakespeare. I'm the kid that went to Shakespeare camp three years in a row. Of course when I left school I was like, "I'm going to do Off-Broadway theater only and maybe independent film. And that's all." I remember somebody laughing at me, like, "Okay, if you never want to make any money, then great." It was such a specific thing. I can't say that I had a grand plan of what my career would be. Clearly I had one idea that changed completely, and I've done television for many years.

I moved back to L.A. after a period of time in New York and I finally got representation that sent me out. I had representation in New York but I think I got zero auditions for a whole year, so I was just working in a restaurant there, but it was still fun. A few months in, I think it was six months after moving back, I got this miniseries: Stephen King's Rose Red. Such a big job to get, where I was in Seattle for many months and it was so exciting to me. It was not a main character but it was a character that was in the show a lot. It was so much fun and I quickly loved being a complete sellout. [Laughs] I met one of my best friends, Melanie Lynskey, on that. We're still so close. I love the camaraderie with the actors — I love working on set and being on location too, you get to know people even more because you're kind of stuck in a place far away. I loved it.

Then I did a pilot after that and I did a Law & Order: SVU, so my first several jobs were all in television, and then I did some independent films and small parts in other films.

What was it like when Bones came along? It was probably exciting to book a pilot, but obviously at the time you have no idea that it's going to last more than a decade.

I had zero idea, and that was not my plans for things, either. I had done a couple pilots before and this was towards the end of the pilot season, or the end of their casting of the show, and I got a call to come in and audition for it. I met with Hart Hanson, who created the show; Barry Josephson, the producer; Greg Yaitaines, who was directing it. They laughed at my jokes, so I thought they were really nice people. Especially Hart Hanson loved my stupid jokes, so I'll always remember that.

I remember loving the dialogue between the two characters, really quick witty repartee, and I liked that relationship. I liked that it was a strong female character. When you sign on to do a TV show you have to think about the long term, especially in the beginning when you're doing the pilot, what kind of message you're putting out there for people. Of course this is like the opposite of now what I'm doing — Animal Kingdom is like the worst thing that could ever happen to a person for what you put out there. On Bones it was a different show. Younger people watched it, so you have to think about young girls watching the show and seeing female role models and scientists who are really smart and accomplished in their careers, and are successful.

I thought about all of that and I really responded to the script, and then I met David Boreanaz. He already had the part when I auditioned for it. I remember thinking, Oh, this could last us three years. That would be the longest I could ever in a million years imagine that it could ever last. And then it kept going and going and it was a lot of fun, with some great people. I look back with such fondness.

I [spoke with] a friend recently who was an actor on the show as well, and he was saying, "You seem so might lighter than when you were on the show!" And I'm looking back on it thinking I was so easy-breezy but apparently I was like "I will stress out about every single thing that I could possibly stress out about." It's a lot to be the lead of a television show. It's a lot of responsibility and it's an honor, but you do have to set a tone for a set, and there's pressure to keep the show going and be good. There's all kinds of things that I was probably holding on to that I wasn't realizing, and I look back just remembering all the fun times we had on set with the other actors — like the times in between when they say "cut" and before they say "action" — and of all the conversations we had. I look back thinking I was so easy-breezy but was usually very stressed about everything.

She's also a character who is not very emotional, so you probably also had to tamp down your own feelings more when you were playing her.

Yeah, that's true. I remember the first season doing takes where there was some things that were super upsetting. I remember there was an episode about a girl in foster care and my character was supposed to be in foster care and I was just bawling crying. We couldn't use any of it. I was so upset but my character was so cut off emotionally. I loved, like I was saying, that we had these strong female characters. Hart Hanson, who created it, was a feminist himself and we talked about how my character would never be saved by the male lead until I saved him first. We had things like that, and my favorite thing ever was when I met young girls who said they wanted to become scientists or they were in the process of studying science because of watching the show. That just makes me so happy that we had that kind of impact on people in such a positive way.

What was it like working with David Boreanaz, who had come off of a decade of successful shows with Buffy and Angel? What was it like for you as a relative newcomer to be paired up with someone who can be notoriously prickly sometimes?

No comment. [Laughs.] No, he was very respectful of me. He respected me from the very beginning, and I will always appreciate that. We had a great relationship. I had worked for several years but I'd never been a regular on a TV show before, so it was very new to me. He never tried to tell me what to do, never tried to school me in any way or make me feel like I didn't belong or like I was learning and new. We went to an acting coach, so we basically had therapy every week together which is kind of hilarious, in certain ways, 'cause we would talk about our lives as well in the sessions.

We also had an agreement: We spent more time with each other than we did with our own spouses — with anybody else, really — and we fully acknowledged that we would drive each other crazy. We gave each other permission to walk away at different times, or just say "you're really bothering me right now," or "you're annoying me, I have to get away from you." And we rarely used that because we gave each other permission and we talked about it. It really helped us to get along better in that way, and he always respected me and I love that about him. We would laugh about a million things and he became like a brother and played jokes on me and stuff. For some reason it became a joke that if someone was acting badly, you give them a Diet Coke. I don't drink soda, so if somebody brought me a Diet Coke, I knew it was because he would tell a PA to bring me a Diet Coke as a joke. I didn't do that to him every often. He was more of the mischievous one of the two of us for sure, but we had a lot of good times together.

That sounds like a healthy way to approach that type of relationship.

People have work husbands and work wives at their jobs. I think that's not uncommon, but it takes it to another level playing opposite each other and being married to each other, for sure.

You and David still have a lawsuit pending against Fox for withholding profits from the show. Is there anything you can say about what you learned from that whole experience, and how it has impacted your deals going forward, or even advice to other actors dealing with that issue?

I can't really talk about it because it's still going on. It's not over. I would love to talk about it at some point, but I can't talk about it now. I can talk about it with my friends, but I can't talk to the [press] about it. We can talk in a couple of years. It makes me nervous to sign a contract.

What's your biggest takeaway from your experience on Bones?

Oh, there's so much. I loved playing that character for 12 years. I loved the people I worked with, not just the cast but the crew. I loved telling the stories. I loved all of it. For me, going forward, I just don't want to do the same thing twice. At this point, I have no interest in doing 22 episodes of a television show. I want to play different characters, I'm open to anything — I'm not going to say that I'm not doing television because I'm currently filming television, but I'm not a series regular. That was a plus to me going in. I have flexibility. When you're a guest star you can come and go, and there's no contract, which is great going into my first job after doing Bones. And I don't want to take too much time away from my kids. So that's basically how I see things now, but I'm not anti-television by any means. It really is the golden age of television right now; there's so many amazing things going on, so many stories that are being told, and people doing it so well. I would never write off doing television.

You produced and directed on Bones, is that something you want to do more?

Yeah, all of it. I loved being a producer on Bones. It gives you a say in things, and I really appreciated that. Directing I really loved, and I'm very much interested in doing more of that in my life, but it takes up time. It depends on the time and finding the right project, because you don't want to spend all that time producing or directing something that isn't something you are completely passionate about. It's about finding the right project, and the right timing, with family and everything, I could do that again.

Your character on Animal Kingdom is very different than we've seen you play in the past.

I was really interested in having the conversation about addiction. The character is a recovering heroin addict, and this is a big issue in our country right now. This is a character you're seeing enter the show at rock bottom: She's just come out of prison, she's got nowhere to live, and she's trying to establish herself. This is a character who is sensitive to things, has seen everything in life, has done all kinds of things in her life, like a lot of people who have dealt with addiction have. This is a character who is a survivor. She's trying to find her way in the world and she's doing to do whatever it takes to establish herself to get what she needs, basically.

So she might come across as manipulative. She always has the reasons for doing what she does, but that's like all the characters on the show. They're like criminals, addicts, sociopaths,and she fits in with all that. My character is the best friend of Ellen Barkin's character's daughter so I've known the family for years and years and years, and I see it as an opportunity for myself to get in with the family and see what I can get out of it.

It sounds like there might be a throwdown between Angela and Smurf, Ellen Barkin's character.

Yeah, my character and her character did not like each other. I blame her for her daughter's death, and she blames me, essentially. There's no hiding how we feel about each other. It gets very intense between the two characters for sure. I'm the woman coming in for her territory and I move in to her house. She is not happy about that. I can't say that there's a throw-down fight between us, but it gets intense. Which is always uncomfortable because I love Ellen Barkin so much as a person and as an actor, so I hate the fact that our characters don't get along. But at least we get along off camera!

Animal Kingdom airs Tuesdays at 9 p.m. on TNT.

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hollywritesinstardust · 7 years ago

Text

Preferences - Being a Sister of the Jeffersonian Team

Brennan

General

You’re her younger sister

When your parents left, you were actually split up by the foster system; as soon as she turned eighteen, she found you and petitioned for custody, which was granted

You hit Russ in the face when you saw him again

You also hit Max in the face when you saw him again

She taught you how to handle and shoot guns in case you ever needed to protect yourself

Thanks to her, you’re fluent in English, French, and Spanish

She has intimidated away more than a couple of significant others. You’re not mad about this because she usually doesn’t do it on purpose.

You’re not a forensic anthropologist, but because you listen to her talk and helped her study, you can follow along pretty well when she talks about work

You didn’t push her to do anything, but you’d really rooted for her to get with Booth and were so happy when she finally did

You’re the go-to babysitter

Parker, Christine, and Hank all adore you

With the Team

You were never a secret; Brennan didn’t talk about you a lot, merely because it wasn’t professionally relevant, but she had a photo of the two of you on her desk and mentioned you in passing a few times

You actually met the team because someone tried to hurt Brennan and she worried you’d also be a target, so you went to work with her

Angela decided instantly that you were gonna be friends. You did not get a choice

Booth started out babying you like he babied Jared, but over the years he started seeing you as an individual adult rather than just his partner’s little sibling

Hodgins made the mistake of flirting with you once and the look Brennan sent him could’ve made even Pelant pause

Cam likes your company because you’re more social and less work-oriented, so you kind of balance out Brennan

You really encouraged her to go to her therapy sessions with Sweets, but the one time he tried to psychoanalyze you, you made sure he knew not to do it again (you eventually ended up good friends though)

For some reason, the squinterns are all really surprised to find out Brennan has a sister. You secretly enjoy announcing it casually and watching their shocked reactions

Zach was your favorite (much like he was Brennan’s) and you never really got over his betrayal

You’re not close with many of the squinterns, but you’re friends with Wendell and Jessica

Booth

General

Again, you are the younger sibling - the baby of the family

Jared never quite grew up until he was out of the house, but having you as well as Jared to look after made Booth grow up super fast

He was able to relax a little once his grandfather took you all in, but he never stopped being wary and overprotective

When you moved out after high school, he called you every single day (sometimes just to remind you to lock your doors and keep pepper spray)

You were really into police shows as a kid, but Booth took it a step further and became a fed after his time with the army. You’re very proud of him

You’re also proud of Jared, of course, but given the stupid decisions he’s made, you’re a little more reserved

Booth told you when he was going to propose to Rebecca. He also crashed on your couch when she said no

Same with Hannah

And with Brennan, during that awkward time when Pelant forced him to be the one calling it off

Like Brennan, he would’ve also taught you to shoot

You’re also the one who was left to stage an intervention when you saw his gambling become a problem the first time around. He got help, but it was hard for him to admit at first and your attempted confrontation made a rift between you two for a long time. Once he started going to meetings and got his equivalent of a sobriety coin, you made up

You slapped Jared so goddamn hard when he got a DUI - you also slapped Booth for protecting Jared from the consequences. You’re not kids anymore, Jared needs to be an adult and take responsibility

You’re not as religious as he is, but you’re happy to be Parker’s godmother

You encouraged him to go to therapy with Sweets because you’d had counselling before and it had really helped, so since you wanted him to, he went

With the Team

Being the sister of a field agent means you’re usually pretty safe, but sometimes bad people want to hurt you to get back at him. You met the team when Epps threatened you, and Booth had you stay in the lab with Cam and Hodgins until it blew over

Cam was super nice and great company, especially since you’d already known each other from when she’d dated Booth

Hodgins was eager to get blackmail stories

Honestly, you could tell he was stressed, but his attempts at lightening the situation really helped you stay calm and you couldn’t thank him enough for that

He and Zach became fast friends with you, to Booth’s chagrin

It was hard for you to tell what Brennan thought. For a while you assumed she didn’t like you very much, but you had no idea why. Booth had to explain that it was just the way she acted, and she actually liked you more than she liked him sometimes

You actually became pretty close with Brennan and took martial arts classes together

You’re not as close with Angela, but you get along well when you do spend time together

You and Sweets bonded pretty quickly. You suspected more than once that he was envious of the connection you had with your brother, but he was never obvious about it. To be honest, he seemed lonely sometimes (a lot) and you felt bad for him, and were really happy when you saw him start to seem less alone

Your favorite squint has been Finn because he really reminds you of Booth. Booth would never agree, but Finn’s willingness to pick up a weapon and threaten his dad to protect his mother made you think of Booth standing up to his father and taking the brunt of the abuse to protect you and Jared

Wendell’s a close second, since he and Booth played hockey together

Angela

General

You’re an avid supporter of her artwork

You didn’t date as much as Angela, to dad’s relief

You got tattoos together (not matching) when she turned eighteen

Angela was not the only one that had to change their name when they turned eighteen

She literally came out to you by asking if she left her girlfriend’s bra in your laundry by accident

She was originally going to study computer science at MIT, but you convinced her to follow her passions and she chose a school that also had a great art program

You liked Roxie, but you didn’t think they’d last. Just from an outsider’s perspective, you could see how their lifestyles didn’t quite line up

You’re the protective older sister who freaked out about her working on murder cases at first – it took a while for you to calm down and be chill with it

Hodgins asked your permission to marry Angela, to which you replied, “eh, you’re okay, I guess,” and then warned him that if Ange ever found out he’d asked anyone else for her hand, he would be sleeping on the couch for weeks

You were the maid of honor at her wedding

You host sleepovers for Brennan’s and Angela’s kids so that they can go out sometimes and just have fun

She keeps teasing you about having your own kid whenever she sees you playing around happily with Michael Vincent

With the Team

You met Brennan and Booth in the desert when Ange’s then-boyfriend was murdered by drug smugglers and they came out to investigate the crime

You were apprehensive of Brennan, but then saw how much she loves Angela and got all on board with that friendship

You got really close with Brennan and bonded a lot while taking martial arts classes together

You got along great with Booth right from the start, thanks to similar senses of humor, values, and interests

Hodgins tried to impress you because he wanted Angela to have another reason to like him. He tried to lean on the back of a chair, the chair rolled on its wheels, and he went flying to the floor

You thought Zach was “kinda cute, in the lost puppy sort of way” but you were never really friends with him

You started out purely professional with Cam, but that came to a screeching halt after an eventful girls’ night out

Your genuine interest in psychology makes you Sweets’ favorite

You double date a lot with Wendell and his girlfriend

Angela would never let you hear the end of it if she found out that you and Aubrey go to sci-fi conventions together

Your favorite intern is Arastoo – you have a liberal arts education, much like Angela, and you loved to have scholarly discussions about things like religion, conflict theory, and literature with him

Hodgins

General

Despite having an inheritance of your own, Hodgins doted on you with his money, being nearly ten years older than you

He used to put various bugs in your bedroom as pranks. His choice to study entomology was not a surprise by any stretch of the imagination

Your prank wars were legendary

When you were bored, you’d make up puzzles (usually by inventing cyphers or using anagrams) for each other to solve and then passing letters in them until that system got boring. Hodgins loved it, since he loved the stories of your cryptologist grandfather

Your first pet was a puppy. His was a snake, not poisonous but pretty big. You were tentatively open to the reptilian pet until you heard panicked yapping and ran in on the constrictor snake looking about to crush your puppy. The rules regarding that snake’s freedom were very strictly tightened and you hated snakes ever since

Hodgins was the best brother. You were picked on at school for being a rich kid, and he knew what that was like, so he’d take you to get clothes at places like Walmart, Sears, and JCPennys. He’d help you buy school supplies at Office Max. He chose your first car and gave you something that didn’t attract a lot of attention, all so you could fit in easier

The conspiracist hobbies are not new. One time he asked if you were in the Illuminati??? Like??? And he seemed disappointed when you said you obviously weren’t?????

You went spelunking together in caves, pretending to look for pirate treasure, and even went scuba diving off the coast of Hawaii

He kept “subtly” pursuing you to be a scientist like him for a long time before finally resigning to just be supportive

After your parents’ deaths, you traveled around, seeing things for a while before you finally felt ready to settle down again. Hodgins never objected, never nudged you to come home, just asked for souvenirs or suggested new destinations, and when you were ready, he housed you until you found your own place

He always gives your significant others a shovel talk. Even when the first time he saw your significant other was at his own wedding, he stopped to give a short “don’t you dare hurt her because I have the best lawyers” talk before running out of the church with Ange

You offered money to help them when Hodgins and Angela were broke. You’re sure he wouldn’t have accepted it if he hadn’t had a family to think about, but you were happy to help

With the Team

You met the team when you walked into the lab with a visitor’s pass to complain that his then-girlfriend had gotten your phone number somehow and wouldn’t stop trying to use you as a messenger

You and Booth like each other a lot more than Hodgins would prefer. He’s all “government stooge” while you’re like “cool so you catch bad guys” and it takes a while for your brother to get used to it

You, Zach, and Hodgins all made up the Jeffersonian’s “Golden Trio.” You and Hodgins were hit hardest by Zach’s betrayal, but you were really confused by how to feel at first. Knowing that Zach had injured himself badly for the sake of keeping Hodgins safe made you feel grateful, even though you knew you should be angry

Cam is a bit exasperated by you because you urge Hodgins to do more experiments so that he has more fun stories to tell

Angela quickly found things you had in common (even before she and Hodgins were dating) to make friends with you, and now you’re glad to actually be sisters

Brennan likes to teach you things when you listen, but other than occasionally babysitting for her and Booth or drinking together at Founding Fathers, you don’t see much of each other out of the lab

You were always one of the nicest ones to Sweets, and although you never wanted to talk to him about Zach, you didn’t ice him out. Hodgins seemed to think Sweets thought Zach could be replaced. You knew better and were just glad to have friends to help you not feel alone

Hodgins and Aubrey get along well enough, but not as well as you and Aubrey do. Pizza restaurants, cinemas, and coffee cafés are your favorite places to hang out together

Angela’s dad admitted to you that he’s chill with Hodgins now, and just terrorizes him for amusement. You died laughing

Your favorite of the squinters are Vincent and Finn – the latter because of just how nice and genuinely happy he always seemed to be, and the former because you admired how willing he was to compromise, and to be corrected and learn from his mistakes

Cam

General

You’re the middle sister of three

You never clashed as much with either of your sisters as they did with each other

Your parents would never admit it to anyone, but you’re their favorite because you caused a lot less drama as a teenager than either of your sisters

Cam would tell her parents that she was still dating Booth even after they’d broken up just so they’d leave her alone about finding a partner, and you managed to get sucked into it and would make up long-winded stories about times you’d crashed their dates or gotten pulled into an argument that ended happily or something, and your parents always bought it

The worst part about being the sister of a pathologist was when you swapped phones for a couple days during her ME training and had to explain to a friend why there were photographs of corpses in various stages of autopsy in your camera roll

She helped you learn Spanish, but you’d spent more time in Mexico and even vacationed in Spain for a while, so you ended up being more fluent

You learned from her example to be confident and strong, and you were eternally grateful for that

She’s also the one that taught you how valuable it is to be educated and motivated. Though your parents always supported your goals, it was Cam how showed you how to achieve them

Cam moved to DC around the same time you did, so it was nice to live near family again

She complained to you about her power struggle with Brennan when she started at the Jeffersonian, and you would sarcastically agree that it must be really frustrating to have a headstrong, stubborn person insisting they know what’s right (it was funny to you because it sounded like she was finally learning what it had been like to deal with her for the last twenty-some years)

Her breakup with Arastoo was so sad that it made you cry, and you were really psyched when they got back together

Maid of honor at her wedding with Arastoo

With the Team

Your first time meeting the team was at a Christmas party Cam invited you to at the Jeffersonian to celebrate the staff. It was fun to meet her friends, especially Angela, who was a lot of fun and not at all the kind of person you expected to meet at the lab

Angela and you were fast friends

You were kind of friends with Booth ever since he dated Cam, but you didn’t chat much between their breakup and her move to DC. It was one of those halfway-friendships where you’d say hi occasionally but usually just kind of mutually ignored each other

Hodgins once said he was surprised you’re not a stick-in-the-mud like Cam. Cam overheard. Hodgins stammered through his words to apologize

Although it surprised you, you were also quick to bond with Brennan. You’d admired her from the beginning, since it had to take a very intelligent and dedicated person to be a legitimate rival to your sister

You literally never met Zach until he was in the hospital for blowing up his hands. Cam asked you to help watch over him in case whoever had sabotaged the experiment came back, so you joined their rotating shifts, along with the security guards outside his door, and thought he’d seemed kind of sweet… you changed your mind when you heard he killed and ate people

You also didn’t interact much with Aubrey. Not that there was anything you had against him, you just didn’t share as much in common and weren’t in positions where you had to talk to each other very often

You got coffee with Sweets a few times, since you were both relatively new to the city, and for a long time you both felt like outsiders whenever you visited the Medico-Legal lab (you because you weren’t a scientist, him because the team was standoffish and a bit exclusive after what happened with Zach)

Arastoo is your favorite because he’s your brother-in-law

Your favorite squints that you’re not family with are Clark and Vincent. Vincent was always super friendly and made you feel at home whenever you visited. Clark was always pleasant to be around - always more than civil and very respectful, but professional, as well.

Sweets

General

You were the older sister in this case, and you were always very protective. Your parents were crueler to you than they were to him because you were older

You’re the reason you escaped them - you realized you could get help when you had infected injuries on your back and called CPS yourself

The couple who adopted you were the sweetest ever and they didn’t even hesitate to take in both you and your brother. From that point you grew up safe, healthy, and loved

You would tease him mercilessly sometimes

He tried to give your first boyfriend a protective shovel talk, but it was when he was about eleven and so it really wasn’t as intimidating as he’d have hoped. He was basically a scrawny, four-foot-tall beanpole trying to tell a football player to have you home by nine “or else”

You both went to college intending to study psychology, but you trained in different fields and your focus shifted, so it’s in your background but it’s not your practicing focus

You shared an apartment when your parents died and he moved to DC. You went with him and looked for job opportunities there

Even after you were employed, you kept living together because it was economical and you felt better living with him than you would’ve alone

Once he started dating Daisy you realized it was in everyone’s best interest that they had more privacy, so you found your own apartment

When Olivia accidentally shot him, you kept making sharp, sarcastic replies because you were pretty pissed. If you can’t aim for the right person, you shouldn’t be allowed to carry a gun

His breakup with Daisy left him moping on your couch for weeks. It was pretty pathetic but you were nice enough not to tell him that

You had never been more scared than you were when the subway line derailed while he was on it. He was shaken up that he’d seen someone die, but as selfish as it might have been, you were just glad that your brother was safe

The worst day of your life was when Booth called you to unsteadily, shakily, ramblingly tell you that Sweets had been murdered on the job

With the Team

The worst part of his job was how his “teammates” treated him. For a while you resented the Jeffersonian team, because you could see how sincerely Sweets was trying to help, and he kept getting belittled and dismissed - if not for his age, then for his profession, his looks, his geeky interests, or simply because he wasn’t Zach, and they had wanted the bad guy to be the new outsider instead of their close friend, and it wasn’t fair to your brother at all

You met the team unwillingly, only because Sweets really wanted you to, at Founding Fathers one night. It was hard to reconcile the arrogant, rude people you’d imagined with the compassionate, friendly group you saw

Booth was probably the one that took the longest for you to warm up to. While he accepted and grew more and more like a mentor to Sweets, you couldn’t quite forget that his snide insults had been the worst for your brother to hear

By the time several years had passed, you grudgingly admitted to yourself that Booth was kind of like the big brother you’d never had, looking out for both of you and doing an unprecedented background check on your dates

You weren’t sure what to make of Brennan. It took you a long time to get used to her, but you realized pretty quickly that when she said insulting things, she didn’t usually understand that she was being mean, and that made her easier to forgive than Booth. Soon you started actually enjoying her company - her bluntness meant you never had to guess at what she thought or felt

Angela was the sweetest, and although she teased you a little, she never did it with bad intentions. You liked her practically right off the bat and you were personal friends before you really knew what happened

You never got close with Cam, but you have each other’s phone numbers in case of emergency and sometimes go to see movies or events that others aren’t interested in

Hodgins would indulge your morbid fascination with reptiles and bugs, but kept pestering you to hold them. Your hell nos were a source of amusement for him.

He was one of the worst about Zach, so you ended up losing your temper with him once. He admitted he’d been a jerk, apologized to you, apologized to Sweets, and all was good

You never got the chance to meet Zach, but you heard a lot about him. Aside from the part where he was found criminally insane, he seemed like a cool guy

Daisy always annoyed the hell out of you. She was too preppy, too loud, to scattered, and not humble in the least. Sweets thought these were endearing traits, but honestly you just wanted her to shut up

Your favorite squint was Vincent. His youthful enthusiasm to learn and help reminded you a lot of Sweets, and his death hit you really hard. Wendell was a close second, in part because he was just so mature and responsible while still being playful and relatable

Aubrey

General

You’re his older sister who had to step up and really help your mother with raising him after your father abandoned the three of you

Your special nickname for him is “Jay” and he doesn’t let anyone else call him that

He’s super protective of you and kind of feels like he needs to pay you back for all you did to help him get where he is

You’re so proud of him for taking the trauma caused by your dad and using it as motivation to become a cop when he easily could’ve let it make him bitter and mean

You have lots of movie marathons and binge sessions together

There is a lot of car and home karaoke, and you always poke fun at him for his college a cappella

You tease him about Jessica, but in actuality, you think they’re adorable together

He used to talk about culinary school when he was younger. That’s how much he loves food

As soon as he was released from the hospital, you nearly killed him yourself for using his survival as bait to the bombers

You took him to all of his physical therapy appointments and follow-ups while all the injuries from the shrapnel were healing

He was reluctant to take over Booth’s office when the older agent retired, but you encouraged him to take the offer and accept the promotions. You knew he deserved the acknowledgment and recognition

The two of you have a very close relationship and very few serious arguments, and when you do have disagreements, you’re careful to keep it private

With the Team

You met Sweets when you were helping Jay move to DC and became friends

You cried with Jay for hours when Sweets died

You met the rest of the team while in protective custody during the Pelant scare

You were so thankful to Brennan for accepting your brother and helping him to transition into the new job. He’d been really excited to work with the Medico-Legal team, but when Booth shut him out, you could tell it really disappointed and hurt him. If Brennan hadn’t been so helpful, you didn’t think he’d have been as happy

With Booth, you share an earnest sort of kinship because you both have experience growing up a little too fast to take care of a younger brother

You’re also really close with Hodgins, because he felt awful for Jay being injured protecting him from the bomb

Of course, you also got really aggravated and snapped at Hodgins to get his head out of his ass when he was being a douche and making everyone miserable instead of coping with his paralysis

While in the waiting room after the bomb went off, waiting for word on Hodgins and Aubrey, you and Angela wordlessly comforted each other. Without ever talking about it, you became really close friends

You bonded with Cam over the dumb teenage decisions of both Aubrey and Michelle

Your least favorite squintern is Clark – you’d heard only good things about him from everyone, but when it turned out he covered up a murder… well, your opinion went down quite a bit

Your favorite squintern is Jessica because she’s fun, smart, and surprisingly intuitive. You think she makes a good couple with Aubrey, and you’re also kind of relieved that she speaks her mind. No one ever has to wonder what she’s thinking because all you have to do is ask

Zach

General

You have a huge family, so you’re just one of many sisters

However, you are the one closest to Zach, because you don’t mock and taunt him for being awkward, nerdy, for studying dead people, etc

He likes engineering because of you. One of your other brothers broke a robotic toy when you were six, and you were so upset that Zach fixed it for you. He found the mechanics fascinating and that’s why he got a degree in engineering

You got such good grades in your science classes because Zach always helped you

Lots of long sci-fi marathons together

You’re always giving him advice on communication, friendships, relationship problems, etc

Likewise, he’s always giving you advice and help with studying, choices on your education, practical matters, etc

You stayed with him and Hodgins when you were in town, since you never had the time to visit for more than a few days

You were so scared when he went overseas that he’d be hurt

You moved closer to DC when he was incarcerated so that you could visit him, and you make sure to see him at McKinley several times a week

He told you he didn’t kill anyone, but when you tried to tell others, no one believed you because a) you’re his sister and b) you’re not a professional or an authority

You always make sure to give cards and presents on holidays and birthdays. It’s hard for Zach to do much but he likes to order presents to your address since he can’t go shopping, and he makes cards by hand as a form of physical therapy

With the Team

You met the Jeffersonian team when you visited Zach on the Christmas when they were quarantined

You liked Hodgins right off the bat because he was so friendly with Zach, and you knew your brother had a hard time making friends

You had a great respect for Brennan before even meeting her because of Zach’s high esteem for her

Brennan was impressed by your studies and intellect and you became casual friends, though you got a little closer to each other after Zach’s arrest

You don’t really have much of a relationship with Cam

You’re incredibly grateful to Booth for saving Zach’s life when he triggered the bomb Epps set

Angela adored you right from the start and liked how you and Zach were so close compared to most siblings

You were sad that Zach was an accomplice, but incredibly thankful to Sweets for not giving up on him and continuing to talk to him at McKinley. Later on, when you were trying to tell people Zach was innocent, Sweets was the only one who believed you

The team got a lot closer with you as you all had to struggle to deal with Zach’s betrayal

Your favorite squint is Clark because even though you know he’s curious about your brother, he never asks you to talk about it

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squaredcircleconfess · 4 years ago

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Talking Christ #4

𝗕𝗥𝗢𝗨𝗚𝗛𝗧 𝗧𝗢 𝗬𝗢𝗨 𝗕𝗬 𝗦𝗤𝗨𝗔𝗥𝗘𝗗 𝗖𝗜𝗥𝗖𝗟𝗘 𝗖𝗢𝗡𝗙𝗜𝗗𝗘𝗡𝗧𝗜𝗔𝗟

𝗛𝗢𝗦𝗧𝗘𝗗 𝗕𝗬 𝗖𝗔𝗦𝗦𝗜𝗨𝗦 𝗕𝗔𝗧𝗘𝗦 𝗔𝗡𝗗 𝗞𝗜𝗘𝗥𝗦𝗧𝗘𝗡 𝗙𝗥𝗔𝗨𝗦𝗧

Cassius Bates: Wow it feels like it’s been a minute but we’re back with a new episode of Talking Christ, and boy we have a ton to cover Kiersten.

Kiersten Fraust: Oh boy, do we ever.

Cassius Bates: We’re going to cover everything we missed, every detail, every storyline, every feud heading into the big return show ‘Second Coming’. Wait, isn’t Gavin supposed to be here?

Kiersten Fraust: Something about his wife's french fry emergency. He’s late, but he’s on his way right now. So, where shall we begin, Mr. Bates?

Cassius Bates: I suppose we recap some of the biggest feuds going in CCW. So let’s start at the top. The monumental reign of Angel McMaster has came to an end via the hand of Siberia Zombie, but the end of the reign isn’t without controversy. Chellsea stacked the deck against her of everyone she’d dealt with on the way through her reign…

Kiersten Fraust: Angel McMaster has been a controversial CCW heavyweight champion for sure. She’s defended the championship against a lot of worthy contenders during her reign. It seems to follow her wherever she goes. When she lost back at Valentine’s Slay it was shocking to say the least.

Cassius Bates: Siberia had been a force in CCW since her debut, prominently appearing, winning the Television Championship and more. So she deserved it, no question, but, is Angel right? Was it unfair for Chellsea to stack the deck with people who were out to get her, essentially? I think her grievance has some merit.

Kiersten Fraust: Chellsea did what she had to do. Those two women butted heads the moment Angel became the CCW heavyweight champion. Things got heated and she made the match. Was it fair? No. Was Angel always fair inside the ring? No. The whole situation blew up and no we’re left with a new champion.

Cassius Bates: That said, I suppose we’ll see what happens. But as far as I know, the rumor is there’s a match between Chellsea and Angel McMaster at Second Coming. Chellsea isn’t a wrestler. How is that even going to work?

Kiersten Fraust: C’mon, everyone had to see this coming. Brennan was angry with Chellsea for making the match and he obviously thinks Angel hung the moon. If you wanna talk about unfair, putting an untrained person in the ring with a world class athlete like Angel and you get a major disaster on your hands. She is going to obliterate Chellsea.

Cassius Bates: I don’t know, I heard she’s been training with Daequan just in case for years. Someone told me he walked in on them training in a back room here, she tackled Dae clean to the floor and was crushing him with her… Okay maybe she’s in trouble… huh.

Kiersten Fraust: The girl is big mad. But moving to the television championship that was held by Max Bennett, who ended up losing the championship to Taylor Lynn. Guess what happened after? Taylor stole it as Heather Haze tried to get the pinfall.

Cassius Bates: It was vile of Taylor Lynn to just take it from her. Those Golden Ticket tactics should only be in that division. Haze put it all on the line stepping out of that division, which she was about to break a record for. And Lynn just takes it away from her, that’s one cold b.

Kiersten Fraust: Don’t hate the player, hate the game. Sometimes championships make people do things they wouldn’t normally do.

Cassius Bates: Back to another one, the Couples Cup. That thing was complicated for sure, and we saw lots of things happen in it. The return of Matt and Skylar Knight into the CCW fold, we saw Neve Marx and Casper Cole put on a surprisingly big effort throughout, Skull Kid #1 and Arden Raine were stand outs, but it all came down to our final match. The Andersons versus the Carlsons. He made his dad Urn Anderson proud, Craig did.

Kiersten Fraust: If I had a dad named Urn Anderson I would be more proud of him. You’re right though. We did see a lot of things happen and a lot of couples. The whole tournament was dedicated to couples. It was exciting to watch.

Cassius Bates: That is true, but your dad Killer Fraust trained a lot of people in his day, and your momma Dee Fraust makes some great pie. Anyway, we had a who’s who of wrestling couples. Like Riley and Gavin were there. The Weavers. Pace and McKinsey. But in the end, Genie and Eli got the win and the new Couples Championships… which rumor has it are on the line at the Second Coming. Ominous.

Kiersten Fraust: Wait, how do you know about my moms pie? Nevermind, don’t answer that. Back to the topic, couples cup. Those are some great couples you named, Cassius, very high profile. Genie and Eli Carlson showed up and dominated the tournament like you said. The Anderson’s were no slouches either. Jessica a champion and Craig considered the best high flyer. The finals were bananas.

Nearby they hear a sound of a door opening and soon, a tattooed gentleman walked in and joined them.

Gavin Stephens: Sorry I’m late. Wife needed something. What’s up? Where we at?

Kiersten Fraust: I guess we’re being joined by Gavin Stephens now. Welcome to the show. Cassius and I were just discussing the Valentine’s Slay and the couples cup. Was there a favorite moment of yours in any of the shows?

Gavin Stephens: I’m just proud of the young talent that showcased themselves. Neve Marx and Casper Cole had a career high in my opinion, and showed they could hang. Then you had Polly Shae McPherson and her man Mr. McPherson. Good stuff all around.

Kiersten Fraust: I agree with that. There are so many young and super talented wrestlers signed with CCW and their futures look bright for them.

Cassius Bates: Suppose we’ve given a good coverage of the events of the past few weeks of shows prior to Second Coming. But, lets before we wrap it all up take a look at the Second Coming card. Shall we?

Kiersten Fraust: We shall. The Second Coming cards just dropped a couple of days ago and it will be a two night event. Both cards are stacked and a lot of matches were announced. Since you’re the special guest of the night, what match are you looking forward to watching, Gavin.

Gavin Stephens: Okay so I’m gonna sound nuts but Dulce Desjardins vs. Saylor Stanhouse looks crazy to me. Saylor’s been pushing and pushing on commentary, and Dulce has been firing back and now those two gorgeous women are gonna tear each others throats out. Saylor might not /be/ a wrestler, but she looks like a scrapper.

Kiersten Fraust: It is certainly odd how that match came about but not unexpected. Saylor didn’t leave her comments at the commentary table but she took them to twitter as well. Anyway, the match I’m looking forward to seeing is the Chamber of God match. The very match that once determined the CCW heavyweight champion and NOW Siberia Zombie defends that very championship inside the same chamber. Her first title defence and it’s a huge one.

Cassius Bates: Okay those are all great, all fantastic. But I wanna see, and this is kind of cheating, the Battle Royal and whomever C.J. Sweet ends up facing. Let's be honest, it could be anyone. The wrestling world is freakin’ buzzing and I am hype for it.

Kiersten Fraust: Good choice. C.J. Sweet has been on one hellva roll as the christcore champion. Let’s make a prediction for the match since we know who will be competing in the battle royal. Who do you guys think will win it?

Gavin Stephens: I’m going to say Mykie Villanueva, she’s been on the roster for ages and has been a solid hand. But it’s time for the woman to break out.

Kiersten Fraust: I’m going to say… Rachel Carpenter. Yeah she’s fairly new to the company but she’s been a champion outside of CCW, so she obviously has what it takes to win and head into night two for the championship match. She’s a very determined firecracker ever since she was paired with Essence.

Cassius Bates: Hmm, okay, it’s on me then huh? I’m going to throw a curve ball and say Alexis Ortega. Ortega has been building up a resume as part of the Killer Baes and been knocking them down left and right. I wouldn’t be shocked to see her get the chance after that Battle Royal. Now that leaves the Golden Ticket, we know the match as it is on the card, but, anyone could win it between that and night two. Whoever has it and gets to the cage gets the spot in the Chamber. At Wrestling With Christ #1, it was Winter Drell. Who will it be on this night?

Kiersten Fraust: From the looks of the match on the card, I’ll go with Duke Andrews. He seems to be a little out there and that’s what you have to be to get where you want to be. I have faith in my pick.

Gavin Stephens: Oh wow, pressures on me, huh? Okay, another wildcard for me, Rika. Rika has been a force in CCW, she’s underrated in my opinion. And well, I think she’s gonna shock the world.

Kiersten Fraust: That’s a great pick.

Cassius Bates: Okay, one last one then, who do you think will win the Chamber of God?! Come on guys, predict!

Kiersten Fraust: I don’t see anyone dethroning Siberia anytime soon. So, Siberia is who I’ll go with. She’s the champ.

Gavin Stephens: I’m going to call the wildcard, again, in either member of Brew Collar. Danielson or Deadeye. Both of these guys are desperate to prove they’re more than just tag team guys, they can go in singles too.

Cassius Bates: I’m saying Kuntz. He’s gross, vile, disgusting on all accounts. But this man has busted his ass in CCW and now he has a chance to get the big prize.

Kiersten Fraust: Well, feels like we covered a lot tonight on the show. Thanks for stopping by the studio and talking with us, Gavin.

Gavin Stephens: It was good to be here, sorry I was late. When the lady needs me, I have to go help, you know?

Cassius Bates: White women need their french fries for sure man.

Kiersten Fraust: That’s it for us here on Talking Christ. See you guys again!

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obisgirl · 7 years ago

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WHOOK WEEK DAY 5: KNIGHTROOK DAY (fanfic, ‘Story Time’)

Title: story time AUTHOR: obisgirl Rating: pg-13 Characters: Wish Hook, Alice Summary: A young Alice asks her papa about their family, which leads him to explain their complicated family tree and then must explain what happened to her mother? Author’s Note: Alice is 9. As far as the timeline of Killian’s family goes, Wish Hook does not know that his father started this other family with his second wife and that he has another brother. Wish Hook also does not the true circumstances of what made it possible for him and Liam to become free. Disclaimer: Once Upon a Time characters are the property of Disney and Adam Horowitz, Edward Kitsis. This fanfic is for pure entertainment.

Alice, for the most part, has a normal and happy childhood growing up and Hook does the best he can to keep her entertained and most of all, know every day that she is loved and she is safe. Early on, he learns very quickly that it isn’t easy being a single parent. There are some things he is not quite equipped to handle but he looks at every day raising Alice as a challenge and she is quite the challenge.

She is a spunky, wild, happy and carefree little girl with a spirit all her own. Things start to get easier for Hook as Alice matures and less lonely once she learns how to talk. Time seems to move faster too once Alice starts talking and able to form sentences. She is a sponge, wanting to soak up everything that she can.

Then one day as Hook is almost ready to take an afternoon nap, Alice asks him to tell her about his family, or rather their family.

In all the time Hook has spent raising his daughter, he has never talked about his family.

That’s not entirely true.

She asked one time why her name is Alice and he explained to her about her grandmother and it felt like the only name appropriate to pass onto his sweet daughter, as well as a little about the woman herself. Other than that, he hasn’t talked much about the rest of his family. There’s just too much pain there to rehash. Pain over losing his mother, his father leaving him and Liam, losing Liam…

“Who were they, papa?” Alice asks, lying down on the floor and propping her elbows up to support her chin.

He sighs. “Our family is complicated, love,” he says, “And it’s nap time now Alice,”

Alice raises an eyebrow, a signature look she’s inherited from him. “Come on papa, please. I want to know,” she pleads, “I know about grandmum but what about everyone else?”

Hook reluctantly sits up from his makeshift hammock and comes to sit beside her on the floor. There isn’t a lot he can deny his daughter. “I guess the next person to start with would be your grandfather,” he says, “Brennan Jones,”

“What was he like? Did he look like you?” she queries.

Killian scratches his head. “From what I can remember of my father, he was no hero and never a real father to me, or your uncle Liam,” he recalls, “You see Alice after my mum died he took Liam and me on a voyage. It was our first trip traveling on the high seas. One night, your papa became afraid because we were in the middle of a terrible storm and then your grandpapa came into the cabin to comfort me. Him being there gave me the courage to be brave…”

Alice smiles at him slightly. “Then what happened?”

“I was able to sleep and eventually, the storm calmed but when I awoke, your grandpapa was gone. The ship's captain came to tell me he escaped during the storm, bought a rowboat and used your uncle and me as currency. He sold us into slavery. We became bound to that ship and whoever became its captain,”

Alice scowls. “I’m sorry, papa about grandpapa,” she says.

“That night on the ship was the last time I ever saw him. He mine as well have died in that storm, the karma for leaving his sons’ behind and forcing them into a situation like that,” he muses, “Now, your uncle Liam, he is a totally different story and to this day, I still consider him to be the best man I will ever know,”

“What was Uncle Liam like?”

It had been a long time since Killian reflected on what his brother Liam was like. “He looked out for me. We were stuck with each other after grandpapa left us behind, and Liam, he could have left too but he stayed because he knew it was important that we stay together. He was my compass. He kept me from destroying myself and giving into my darkest fears,” he recalls, “Your uncle Liam was a good man but he could be stubborn and narrow-minded sometimes,”

“Narrow-minded?”

“Maybe naive is a better word. What does naive mean?”

Alice squints and tries to think. “A person who shows a lack of experience, wisdom, or judgment,” she says after a moment.

“Very good,” he applauds her, “After another terrible storm, your uncle and I became the sole survivors of a wrecked ship and Liam also recovered a mythical jewel that ensured us a spot in the royal navy. We were free men for the first time in our lives, allowed to follow our own destiny and make something good of ourselves. Your uncle Liam eventually became Captain and I was his first lieutenant, the Jones Brothers, manning the fastest ship in the royal fleet,”

“The Jolly Roger!!”

“That wasn’t her name yet,” he corrects, “Before she was The Jolly Roger, she was The Jewel of the Realm and Liam was her Captain. We sailed to many places, encountered different peoples and helped bring peace and prosperity to the kingdom and we served, we believed that we served, a good and noble king,”

“The king was not good?”

“He sent Liam and me on a top secret mission to retrieve a plant from a faraway land. He claimed that the plant was medicine to help fallen soldiers but the plant was not medicine, it was a poison. Our king lied to us about its purpose and that lie cost Liam his life. I lost him twice on that voyage, first in Neverland and then a second time once we returned home,”

Alice sits up and puts her hand in Hook’s hand. Hook looks down at his daughter’s hand and he smiles at her. “If you don’t to continue the story, you don’t have too,” she says.

“I appreciate that love but talking about it, is oddly cathartic for me,” he confesses, “What does cathartic mean?”

She looks down at her papa’s hand and then looks at him, “Soothing,” she says.

“Aye,” he confirms, “The day I had to bury my brother at sea was one of the saddest days of my life. As painful as it was to lose Liam, his death also served a purpose. His death showed me our king’s true colors, that he was not a good and righteous man and I could not, in good conscious continue serving a man who was dishonorable and used lies to get people to follow him,”

“So you rebranded The Jewel of the Realm as The Jolly Roger and you became it’s pirate Captain,” she says.

“That I did lass, and I found a new freedom; a freedom to live on my own terms and travel where we please whenever we wanted to,”

Alice glances towards the window briefly. Killian sighs and asks that she look at him. “And one day Alice, you will be able to do the same thing too,” he promises.

“I do already,” she beams, “I travel through the stories you tell me. That’s why I like hearing them so much,”

“Would you like to hear more?”

“Yes,” she cries, her eyes shining with excitement.

“Seeing the world is a big adventure but it can get lonely without someone to share those travels with. Liam had been my constant companion since grandpapa left us and as much as the crew had become family too, I didn’t have close confidants among them...until Milah,”

“Milah was...everything to me. She was beautiful, witty, a curious and adventurous spirit and the love of my life. She was my pirate queen and we loved each other very much. But there was always a bit of sadness because she left her family to be with me. She had a young son that she always regretted leaving but she hated his father and the person that he had become. I ended up hating him too because he took her from me and he left me with this,” he says, holding up his hook, “The Dark One destroyed my life and I became consumed with revenge,”

“Your life became a dark place,” she observes, “What changed that?”

Hook tilts his head and fixes his daughter’s hair. “You did puppet,” he says, “You changed everything for me, for the better,”

“I made your heart better?”

“You did,” he confirms, “I gave up my ship and my revenge to give you a better life because that’s what you deserved. I still have so many hopes and dreams for you, Alice,”

She smiles at him. “I do too papa,” she cries, “Papa, one more question and if you don’t want to answer, you don’t have to---”

“What is it, love?”

“What happened to mama?” she asks.

Hook sighs. “Your mother is a complicated woman,” he manages.

“Complicated?”

“It’s difficult to explain but she was not the woman I thought she was when I met her,” he continues, “She used magic and lies to deceive me, and I know it might seem impossible but magic was a part of your conception,”

“Magic was a part of my conception? Does that mean I have magic?!” she asks excitedly.

Hook shakes his head, looking at her. “I don't know if you do but you're certainly magic to me Alice,” he says.

Alice sees how he tries to change the subject before she got her excited about the possibility of magic and then she remembers the lies and deceit.

“How did mama lie to you, papa?” she asks.

“The first time I met her..I was quite taken with her beauty. I never saw what was beneath until it was too late,” he recalls, “And when I met the real her and realized why she did what she did, I couldn't go with her in good faith..”

“And leave me?” Alice finishes.

“Mothers are supposed to be there for their children, to love and nurture them but your mother Alice is no mother. I’m sorry to say that she barely gave you a second thought after you were born,” he says.

Alice looks down sadly, glancing again at the window. “I’m stuck here because of her, aren't I?”

“Aye,” he says, “But all curses can be broken love; you need only to believe,”

“Mama is not a good person,”

“She definitely is not, she’s a witch and that is not a metaphor. She is a witch, truly,” he says.

“I know what she did to was awful but do you think there is a part of her that is good? Even a small bit?” she ventures, “Aren’t most people made up of good and bad parts?”

Hook sighs. “Some but not everyone,” he asserts, “Your mother, from what I have seen, does not appear to have any good in her,”

“Do you think bad is in me? Maybe I inherited some of her wickedness?” she wonders.

“Why the bloody hell would you think that?”

She shrugs. “Sometimes I do bad things and you scold me for doing them,” she reasons.

“And you immediately realize your mistake and apologize for it because you know it was wrong. That’s not bad Alice. That’s being good,” he says, “You are good, through and through. Your mother is not and trust me, you have inherited nothing from her. You are my sweet Alice, and have nothing to worry about,”

“I must have blond hair like her,”

“Blonde hair, pale skin, and blue eyes but your heart Alice, that beautiful, kind and loving heart, that is all you and part of your papa,” he reminds her, “Remember that love,”

“Aye,” she promises, smiling at him and then yawns.

“Alright, I think story time is over and it’s nap time for both of us,” he says and scoops her up, carrying her over to her bed and tucks her in, “Goodnight Alice,”

“Goodnight,” she yawns, “I’m sorry if I caused you pain papa,”

“What are you talking about now love?”

“Making you remember some bad memories,” she says.

Hook gently touches her head and runs his fingers through her curls. “Some of my memories are painful Alice but there are also happy ones too. My happiest memories are the ones I have raising you here in this tower, our little home. It's like what we were talking about earlier; good and bad. They are extremes but they can also coexist. What does that coexist mean, love?”

“Last word?” she asks.

“Pirate’s promise,”

“Live peacefully at the same time,”

“Aye,” he confirms, “This world has good and bad in it because that's how we all are. Your heart determines the kind of person you want to be. Your mother is a bad person who made bad decisions for her own personal reasons but her actions do not define who you are or who you will become. That is all up to you. Do you understand that, love?”

“Yes, papa,”

“Good lass,” he says and kisses her forehead, “Night my little pirate,”

Alice smiles at him and closes her eyes.

Hook fixes her blanket and then goes over to his hammock, taking one last peek at the tower window before shutting his eyes.

Gothel is never coming back, not for him and certainly not for Alice. She is long gone and Hook hopes that Alice will never meet her mother; but if she must one day, he will be there to protect her from whatever foul plan she has in mind for her.

The End

#whookweek #knightrook fic: obisgirl

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fandom-imagines-stories · 7 years ago

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He Can’t Hurt You Now

Dr. Lance Sweets x Reader

Words: 3884

Parts: 1 Promise, 2 Don’t You Dare Let Her Die

Summary: Although you’ve been released from the hospital, your recovery is just starting. Scars are a constant reminder of what you’ve been through and cause you to be very self conscious. Memories of Marty and the repair shop haunt your dreams, making it nearly impossible to sleep. Lance begins to notice your unease and does his best to help you.

Note: I know I said there would only be two parts, but I simply couldn’t resist. I really want to showcase Lance and the reader’s relationship and how they are as a couple so I hope that shows through. (Also I threw in a little reference to a later plot in the show, let me know if you catch it. This is the time period when this character is in the show, but I thought it would be cool to incorporate them as an almost introduction.)

Your over stuffed duffle bag fell to the floor with a loud thud. Lance’s apartment was dark and quiet. You were having trouble deciding if it was comforting or eery. Lance flipped the light on as he entered behind you.

“Home sweet home, right?” He said, but it wasn’t hard to see that he was uncomfortable with the situation. He kissed your cheek as he shuffled passed you, turning on the lights in the kitchen and hallway. He turned around to face you, noticing that you hadn’t moved at all. “You okay?” You blinked, fixing your gaze on him.

“Yeah, I’m fine.” You lied. As you had climbed up the stairs to his apartment, you thought about the last time you were here. The feeling of the gun pressed into your neck, the sound of Booth’s shouts, the thought of never seeing Lance again. You looked down at the glittering ring on your finger to remind yourself that you were okay. You were more than okay. You were engaged to the most wonderful person you knew and you were completely in love with him. That, for now, was enough to keep yourself sane.

“Hey, are you hungry?” Your fiance called from behind to open fridge door. “I think I have some leftover pizza in here.” He pulled out a box and opened it, sniffing it’s contents before recoiling away. “Oh god nevermind!” He threw the box into the garbage and you giggled quietly.

“It’s fine. I think I just want some coffee.” You shrugged. “The hospital didn’t have the best.” He nodded in agreement.

“I know what you mean. It tasted kind of like mud didn’t it?” He started making the coffee as you walked slowly into the living room, sitting down on the sofa and checking your phone for messages. There were plenty from Booth asking if you had made it to the apartment safe, one from Dr. Brennan asking if you felt any aches and if she should come over to make sure you were alright, and one from Angela telling you to not go overboard on celebrating the engagement. You laughed and typed back. No promises.

You picked up the remote and started flipping through the channels. The first station you landed on was the news.

“It is confirmed that the notorious serial killer Martin Keller was killed in a face off with FBI Agent Seeley Booth after capturing Booth’s partner on the case newcomer Agent Y/F/N Y/L/N. Agent Y/N is in stable condition and will be returning to the bureau soon. The public can rest safely knowing that this monstrous killer is dead.” The remote left your hand and Lance turned the TV off, handing you a mug of coffee.

“Thanks.” You muttered, gripping the ceramic cup, letting it warm your hands. “I guess everyone knows what happened now.” Lance sighed, wrapping his arm around you.

“They all know that you survived a serial killer. That you have been through something awful and some may say that logically, you shouldn’t have survived. But you pulled through it.” His hand rested against your cheek, caressing your face lightly. “You are the toughest person I have ever met. You aren’t going down without a fight.”

“Have I told you how happy I am that we’re getting married?” You sighed happily, hoping to drop the subject.

“Actually, you did more than just tell me when you were really high on hospital drugs.” He snickered.

“You’re never going to let me live that down are you?” You groaned. You accidentally flash one doctor and you were marked for life.

“Nope.” He leaned towards you, but you put a finger firmly on his lips.

“I am not that easy, Dr. Sweets.”

“You didn’t say that at the hospital.” He smirked. “You were begging me to-”

“I was also in a lot of pain from being carved open like an operation game.” You sassed. “So I don’t think you should be making fun of me.” He held up his hands.

“You’re right, I’m sorry.” This time you leaned in towards him until your lips locked, slipping his jacket off his shoulders. “Are you sure this is okay? Aren’t you a little, oh, I don’t know, fragile?”

“What happened to being the toughest person you know?”

“Yeah, but-”

“Just shut up.”

The room was dark except for a single light shining down on a wide table. Blood pooled around the metal legs. The body lying pale on the table was nearly unrecognizable, but somehow, you still knew who it was.

“Angela!” You screamed, as the light above her flickered off. You rushed towards it, but stumbled upon nothing but the cold air. A familiar laugh rattled through your bones, filling every corner of your mind with undeniable fear.

“Where are you, you sick son of a bitch!” You called out and to your horror another light turned on. His hands were cuffed to a chain that suspended him in the air, blood dripping down from his feet. Words were carved into his chest.

“What have you done?” Marty’s voice read and you jumped away from the feeling of hot breath on your neck. You rushed towards Booth, trying desperately to free him of the binding. He flinched away from you.

“What are you doing here, kid?” He asked, shaking his head in panic. “Run!” The chain jerked him backwards, soaring away from you.

“Booth!” You called but your voice was drowned out by someone screaming. Your heart stopped. “No…” Your heart started pounding with every running step you took. “Not him. Anyone but him.” The pained cries clawed your senses as you searched desperately for their source.

One final spotlight turned on, revealing Marty standing above Lance, who was strapped down to a table while Marty twisted a knife into his arm.

“Get away from him!” You shouted, sprinting towards them, but your ankle caught on something, yanking you to the ground. Lance continued to scream in agony. Chains slithered up your body, pulling you further away from the two men. “Lance!” You clawed at the ground, but found no hold. The chains pulled you to your feet and Marty waltzed towards you, a proud smile on his face.

“Come to admire my handywork, Agent Y/L/N?” He grabbed your chin, forcing your gaze down at Lance’s cut and trembling body. Marty’s hand wrapped around your throat, closing tightly. You gasped for breath. He sneered. “You will never be rid of me. I will always be with you, no matter where you go. You can never get rid of me.”

The warmth was such a contrast to the icy memory of your dream it was searing. Your eyes shot open, your body jerking upwards, Lance’s arm falling from around your waist to your lap. Your breathing was rapid and heavy, sweat coating your forehead. You searched the floor for the nearest piece of clothing and grabbed Lance’s shirt, buttoning it as you slowly moved his arm from around you and stood up, walking towards the kitchen.

But as you passed the mirror on the bathroom door, you paused. His dress shirt covered less than half of your thigh, leaving your abundance of new scars out in the open. The pale lines ranged from thin to thick, running up the length of your legs, separating your skin like pieces of a puzzle. You ran your hand over them, feeling every bump and crevice they created. You can never be rid of me.

You flinched, pulling your hands away from you legs and continuing to the kitchen, grabbing a coffee mug and pouring scotch in instead. You’re hands were shaking so much that the glass slipped out of your fingers, shattering on the floor.

Lance woke holding nothing but a bundle of blankets. Much like he had two weeks ago the morning you were taken. This can’t be happening. He sat up quickly, the apartment’s darkness unnerving.

“Y/N!” He called out in panic. He clawed at the blankets, crying out. “Y/N!” You rushed back to the living room, careful not to step on the broken shards. His eyes were frantically looking around the room. You put your hands on either side of his face to focus his gaze on you.

“Hey, it’s okay. I’m right here. It’s okay.” He threw his arms around you, hugging you so tightly it was hard to breathe.

“When I woke up, you were gone and my mind automatically-”

“I know.” You interrupted. You ran your hand up and down his back in attempts to sooth his panic as his heart rate returned to normal. “I’m sorry. I got up to get a drink and I dropped a glass. That’s what woke you up.”

“Oh.” He looked down at your shirt. “Is- isn’t that mine?” You played with the sleeves.

“It’ was the first thing I grabbed. Why, do you want it back?” He shook his head and smirked.

“Actually it’s kind of hot.” You smirked and leaned in for a kiss but he stopped you. “But it is really late and I have to get up in the morning.” He pouted. The FBI was giving you four more days to adjust to coming home before making you come back, but Lance started working again the next day.

“I forgot about that.” You sighed, laying back down on the couch next to him, his arm returning to it’s previous spot. “Should I go pick up the glass?” You could feel him shake his head.

“I’ll get in the morning.” He whispered, holding you tightly to him, as if to keep you from ever leaving his side again. “Let’s just stay like this for a while.”

And so you did. For the rest of the night, neither of you said a word and you fell asleep to the sound of each other’s breathing. The moment’s peacefulness was a stark comparison to your lives for the past few days. Plus is was nice to get some sleep that wasn’t drug-induced.

Of course the moment had to end come morning, when Lance got dressed, cleaned up the glass in the kitchen, and kissed your forehead when he said goodbye. It took you nearly two more hours to finally make yourself get up and make yourself a cup of coffee. Afraid to turn on the TV again, you grabbed one of Lance’s books off of the shelves. Psychology; Book One of Thirteen. It was going to be a long day.

“Sweets!” Booth called after him before Sweets could close his office door. Booth gave him a pat on the back and followed him into the office. “So how is she feeling?”

“Better.” He replied with a nod. “A lot better. I think she’s glad to finally be able to come home.”

“Well tell her that it’s just chaos here without her.” Booth chuckled. He plopped down on the couch and Sweets sifted through the papers on his desk, noticing a new email on his computer. It was an audio file.

“Huh.” He hummed, hitting play.

“I am going to enjoy this…” The voice on the file started. “Nice and slow.” His words were followed by the most gut-wrenching screams Lance had ever heard. Y/N’s screams of pain completely took over his senses, becoming the only thing he could hear. She called out his name, apologizing and saying how much she loved him. The sound of a knife slicing skin added to the cries.

“Sweets!” Booth reached over him and slammed the laptop shut, silencing the sounds of Y/N’s torture. “How the hell did that get on your computer?” Lance just stared blankly at his desk, the screams still ringing through his mind. Booth waved his hand in front of Sweets’ blank eyes, welling with tears. “Hey.” Booth spun his chair around, leaning over the younger man, forcing him to look at him.

“I should have found her sooner.” Sweets whispered, his voice cracking. Booth knelt down in front of him.

“Hey, what happened wasn’t your fault.” He assured him. “And if it wasn’t for you, we wouldn’t have found Y/N at all. You saved her, Sweets. Don’t you dare start telling yourself differently.” He started to unplug Sweets’ laptop. “I’m going to take this down to tech to figure out how that got to you, okay?” Sweets just nodded wordlessly. Booth sighed. “I’m serious Sweets. We’re lucky that you noticed those wound patterns. You saved your fiance’s life. You saved my partner and you helped catch a man who killed four innocent woman. You’re a hero, Sweets.” With that, he left to go find the tech guys.

Lance ran his hand over his face, wiping away the tears that had fallen. He couldn’t get the haunting sounds of the tape out of his head, no matter how much he tried to focus on Booth’s words. He may have gotten to Y/N before Marty killed her, but she had still been tortured for at least a few hours. She had nearly bled out in his arms for god’s sake. How was he supposed to just forget that?

You had spent most of the day reading, avoiding anything that might bring up the news of your kidnapping or Marty’s demise. Your whole body was itching to do something, but the doctor said that you should get plenty of rest. That, and you weren’t sure if you were ready to enter back into the world just yet.

It seemed like every time you walked past your reflection, you felt the need to tug down the sleeves of your sweatshirt, or you could see the scars through your pajama pants- which you never bothered to change out of. Every time you took a shower, or wore a dress, you would be reminded of what he did to you. Part of you feared what Lance thought. Your once smooth skin was ridden with jagged, harsh lines. Would he look at you the same way?

You leaped from your spot on the sofa as the door clicked open. Lance stepped inside.

“It’s okay, it’s just me.” His exhausted expression brightened when he saw you. He crossed the room to place a firm kiss on your lips before moving to his room, taking off his suit jacket and tie. “How was your day?”

“Nothing interesting.” You shrugged. “You?”

“Nothing interesting.” He lied, memorizing the sound of your voice to replace your screams in his head. He came back into the living room and plopped down on the couch next to you, wrapping his arm around your shoulders. You laid your head on his chest, listening to the sound of his beating heart, focusing on it, making it the only thing in the world that mattered.

For a long time, neither of you said a word. You just sat there as the sun slowly drifted behind the horizon, the sky painting itself a symphony of oranges and pinks. After everything that had happened, you had feared that there was no beauty left in the world. But you felt the emotions stir in your chest as you longingly watched the sunset, wishing that it would remain like this forever.

“I’m scared.” You blurted, breaking the quiet. Lance pulled away to look at you. “Even though he’s dead and it’s over, I’m still scared.” You could feel the sobs slowly creeping up your throat as you spoke. You expected him to say something shrinky- to tell you that it was just the trauma and that it was going to take a while to get over. But he didn’t. Instead, with a shaking voice, he whispered.

“Me too.” He leaned back against the couch, his eyes distant and quickly filling with tears. “I lied. Something happened today.” You furrowed your brows in concern and placed a hand on his shoulder.

“What are you talking about?”

“Someone sent me…” He took a deep breath. “Someone sent me your tape.” You closed your eyes, remembering how you screamed until your throat was sore.

“Lance…” You started, unable to think of what to say.

“Y/N, I couldn’t breathe.” He cried. “It felt like I was losing you all over again.”

“It was like I couldn’t escape.” You whispered. “He was everywhere I looked. Every time I looked in the mirror, he was in these scars. I could hear his voice every time I turned on the TV and saw the news. He’s always going to be here, Lance.” You tapped your finger against your temple. “I’ll always be trying to get away from him. My own skin is just a reminder of what happened to me. ”

“Hey,” He wrapped his arms around you as you started to sob. “He can’t hurt you anymore. No one is ever going to hurt you again so long as I’m here.” He rubbed circles on your back trying to sooth you. He wanted so desperately to make everything go away. He ran his hands over your legs, pointing out every line. “These are a reminder that you survived, Y/N. You survived and Marty’s dead. He can’t hurt you now.” You breathed deeply to calm yourself down and turned the attention back to what happened to him.

“Do you know who sent you the email?” You asked and he shook his head.

“Booth thinks it’s probably a hacker, but I don’t understand how they knew about the tapes.” He had been thinking about it all day, cancelling all of his appointments so he could focus on the hacker. Whoever it was, had to have known about the tapes before hand, and had some sort of vendetta against him or the FBI.

“I can’t think of who would be sick enough to do that.” You muttered, placing a tender kiss to the side of his head. You started to feel the silence creeping up and decided to change the subject to something light as opposed to the seriousness of the one before. “Do you know what my favorite part of going back to work is going to be?” You twisted one of his curls around your finger.

“What would that be?” He hummed, glad to be able to talk about something else. You pressed your lips to his passionately, the tension of the last conversation fading away, but not disappearing completely.

“Telling everyone that I am going to become Agent Y/F/N Sweets.” You grinned, earning a bright smile from him.

“It’s so weird to think about us getting married. But somehow, it doesn’t feel weird.” He looked at you intensely. “It feels right.”

“Did you get that from one of your shrink books.” You snorted and he laughed.

“That was all me.” He shot you a goofy grin and you threw a pillow at his face. In response, he tackled you against the couch cushions trapping your body underneath his. “We’re going to get through this.” You wrapped your arms around his neck and pulled his lips down to yours, moving them together with small smile. When you pulled away, the smile remained and you nodded.

“I know. And I couldn’t think of better person to go through hell and back with.” Your heart filled with love towards him and it took over your mouth before your mind had time to react. “Let’s get married.”

“I thought we were.” He snickered.

“That’s not what I mean.” You explained and his face morphed with understanding as he realized what you were suggesting. “I mean let’s get married now, Lance.”

“Y/N…” He began, trying to think of how to respond. He wanted more than anything to marry you, but he wasn’t sure if you were thinking clearly.

“Don’t think. Let’s just get in the car and go, Lance. I want this. You want this. Why wait? After everything that has happened, I don’t want to wait another minute to be together.” You stood up and tugged on his sleeves, urging him to come with you. He watched you, his eyes showing the thoughts going through his mind. But then, he smiled and nodded.

“Okay.” His smiled grew, filling you with a wonderful sense of just pure happiness. “Let’s do it. Let’s get married.”

You had both decided that you wanted your friends to be there. It was getting late, but you knew that Angela would have your head if she didn’t get to go the wedding, so she was the one you called first. You hoped that she would bring Hodgins with her. Lance invited Booth and Dr. Brennan and you called Cam as well. Within an hour, you were all standing in front of the courthouse. Lance gave your hand a squeeze and Angela wrapped you in her arms for one of her famous bear hugs.

“I can’t believe this is happening!” She squealed, jumping up and down like a schoolgirl. From the corner of your eye you noticed Hodgins, lovingly smile at her antics. You made sure she wasn’t looking before you caught his attention.

“You’re next.” You mouthed, pointing your finger between him and Angela. His eyes went wide and you gave him a wink.

“I mean, I would have expected this from Miss Spontaneous over here,” Booth started, jutting his thumb towards you before patting Lance on the back. “But I must say, I’m surprised you agreed, Sweets.”

“Once she has her mind set to something, how am I supposed to say no?” He shrugged, leaning over to place a kiss on your cheek. “I can’t thank you guys enough for being here.”

“Are you kidding? We wouldn’t miss this for the world.” Cam gave the two of you a bright grin and you all walked up the steps of the courthouse. Your heart pounded as Booth opened the door and the crowd entered.

Lance explained everything to the woman at the desk and she was more than happy to help. She called to the justice and ushered you into the courtroom, checking both of your documents and placing them on the table. The justice entered and you took a deep breath. This was really happening.

“Oh, wait!” Angela exclaimed digging around in her purse. “I got you guys these.” She handed you a small plastic bag with two rings inside. One had the face of a penguin on it and the other had a bright, bubblegum pink unicorn. You and Lance couldn’t help but laugh.

The process wasn’t really anything elaborate. You both signed a wedding contract after the judge reviewed your papers. But you felt a childlike giddiness every time Lance looked at you. Electric sparks shot up his arm whenever your hands touched. You had requested that you have traditional vows, and the judge was more than happy to oblige. The two simple words sprung to your lips before he even had time to finish.

“I do.” Your heart lept as Lance said the same.

“I do.” You watched each other for what felt like hours when the judge said.

“I believe this is the part where you kiss the bride.”

And that’s exactly what he did.

Just another note: I have no idea what happens at an elopement, so I just wrote it in kinda vague. Sorry! (In case you didn’t catch it, the hacker was Pelant.)

#lance sweets x reader #bones imagine #bones sweets #Seeley Booth #angela montenegro #temperance brennan #dr lance sweets

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jq37 · 6 years ago

Note

so...... thoughts on the first ep?

**spoilers for start spreading the news**

What is UP you guys? The new season of Dimension 20 is out and your girl is back (implies I left, which is false) with only the hottest of takes.

Usually I vomit up my opinions with little rhyme or reason and, don't worry, I'm not changing that format any time soon. But, because of the structure of the episode, I think it'll be easier to use headings and go through each character/element of this. So let's do this y'all!

The Setting

I think the best thing you can do as a writer or a creative person in general is the make something that only you could make, you know? Like, make the thing that only someone with your specific life experiences and weird brain could have come up with. And I really think that this is that for Brennan. I already talked about this in other posts, but the version of NYC that Brennan created for this game is that to me. Like, magical NY has been done, but the specific details? Who else could have written, "The annual SantaCon is actually Santa dumping all of his defective clones into NYC where the magic barrier that keeps normals from seeing magic will disguise them and the protectors of the city will be able to deal with them"? That's so specific and so wild and so New York and so Brennan.

And I haven't lived in NY for so long but I've had one winter here and the way he describes what it's like to walk down the street during winter in the city is so real. Like smelling garbage then laundry detergent then sugared nuts from those corner stands and you're freezing and then baking in the subway in your coat. That was so so real. (I will be saying this phrase a lot so get used to it now)

And I like that he didn't make the obvious choices, you know? Like we've had three, like, magical figureheads across D20 and those are usually classic old, white, possibly British roles, you know? Like a Gandalf or a Dumbledore. But he had Aguefort in FH and now Esther and Alejandro in TUS. I just think it's cool that we're getting some different archetypes to fill these roles instead of the same dude c.p'd in again, you know?

Also, the fantasy NYC map is so dope. I wanna go back and try to read everything on it when I have the chance.

Pete

Ally is a DRUG DEALER. I thought Pete was gonna be a stripper but he's a DRUG DEALER. Honestly, I could have figured this out sooner if I'd just checked Urban Dictionary like I did just now and found out that "plug" means "someone who is a resource for obtaining something valuable that would otherwise be difficult to obtain" or, more simply, "drug dealer". But I'm glad I didn't because it was much more fun to find out in real time.

Ally makes some character choices sometimes that are too specific to not be rooted in life experience and that whole microwave cheese monologue was one of them.

Pete's official diagnosis is that he has "a lot going on."

Ally almost won MVP line of the episode with, "Shot my tits off." Murph losing it in the background killed me almost more than the actual line.

I really, really want Pete's doctor to be a recurring character because he is wild in how wild he isn't. He has so much wild stuff happening around him and he is in a wild line of work but he seems like a relatively stable guy. I love him. Also, the completely wrong cadence he used to say, "lgbt ally" was gold.

Is Ally ever gonna have a character with a good relationship with their parents? One time? Ever?

I literally don't even know how to begin to address the wild magic trip Pete went on. Like, I don't think Ally knew what they were doing when they decided to be a wild magic sorcerer. I don't think they knew what kind of challenge they were issuing to Brennan. And after seeing the wild nonsense Brennan consistently came up with for Jer'ih'meh in Bloodkeep, I can't want to see the insanity he spits out for Pete.

"You're the one who they they wanted to play a wild magic sorcerer."

Also, Brennan just using lyrics from "New York, New York" for whatever dream demon or whatever was going on in that trip was, like, equal parts clever and hilarious. Sidenote, do you think all the ep titles are gonna be from songs about NY? I mean, there are enough songs I bet.

Pete has this thing where he constantly lands on the exact wrong part of the situation to focus on. Like later when he gets stuffed in the magic closet at the hospital and he's like, "Hospitals are so advanced, also go much is this gonna cost?" Ally's comic timing on that is always perfect.

WILD that that was the first intro. Like, way to kick off the new season with a bang. I really wonder what this episode would have felt like if this was the last intro or if the intro for the two normal people hadn’t been right at the top. Actually now that I’m editing, I feel like we almost got the intros from least experienced w/ this stuff to most experienced. Because Pete is a total noob. Sophia is also a noob but she has met Kugrash at least once. Then you have Ricky who’s only been in this for about a year. Then Kingston who probably has more experience than Kug by years but Kug has been a rat man his whole life (presumably). Finally Misty who is probably like a BS amount of years old and steeped in this stuff. Honestly, if I was DM’ing, I might have fudged the die rolls to look exactly like how it turned out.

Sophia

Emily describing her character and slipping into her character voice gradually as she went on was so pro.

"Like if Fran Dresher went on an Amy Winehouse bender." I love her.

"Did you not want baby bangs?"

"She's a WHOO-OAR."

I'm gonna die if Brennan make than woman an actual succubus because of an offhanded comment.

My favorite thing is when Emily is saying some nonsense and she can barely even get through it without breaking. Also, Murph is so visibly amused by Emily's entire intro. It's great.

I love that both of the "normal" characters spent most of this episode intoxicated in one way or another.

So Emily absolutely won the episode in my eyes for coming up with one of the sickest burns I've heard and in real time. A dude tells her to read his dick and she, after only a momentary pause, says, "No I'm not gonna read your dick (beat) because I don't read short stories!" Brennan doesn't even make her roll. He just narrates her success. The table goes wild. The bar she's at goes wild. Zac specifically is cracking up. Like, I feel like this is gonna be a little bit of a deep cut reference but did any of you ever play the Monkey Island games and do the insult swordfighting? That's what that scene was. Amazing.

Murph's, like, entire posture and expression (@ 1:24ish) when Emily is saying Sophia thinks she saw a giant rat man who gave her an egg sandwich and Gatorade is total gold.

"Gotta kill some brain cells to kill the ones with the memory of Dale in them."

OK so funny story (funny to me at least) at the Fantasy High live show, I was talking to some other girls who were there and we ended up talking about how the small of a woman's back is basically the worst place you can casually touch them outside of the really bad places and how viscerally terrible it is so when Brennan said one of the trolls touched one of the girls there and Sophie/Emily was like BIG NOPE, I had a That's So Raven flashback to that conversation immediately.

Emily leaps into action...and rolls a nat 1 to fight a bunch of trolls. She actually does really well in the rest of the fight though so that's good.

Oh, also Siobhan made everyone dope themed dice boxes!

Ricky

I hope Dimension 20 runs for the next 10 years and I hope Zac plays a good, big, doofus in every single season.

"He's basically like Superman if Superman were Japanese." Love.

Also, I love the distinction that he's 5' 8" but buff.

Ricky surrounded by a raging fire: First of all, that's a cool bear.

I like the way that Brennan skinned the cleric and paladin powers for this game so they're more about values than deities. I was wondering how it was gonna work in this setting and I think this was such a cool way to handle it.

I really think Brennan has a great handle of presenting certain things in such a way that it's interesting for the players as well as the audience. Like, when Ricky is trying to escape the burning apartment, he puts an obstacle in his way that forces him to use his Paladin powers (to create water specifically). It's not really a hard "puzzle" or something he has to roll for, but it introduces to the audiences that he's not just a firefighter. I just think it's really cool that he's able to pull off narrative things like that without actually controlling the characters. (And, props to the players too, of course, for being so consistently entertaining).

"Mr. March."

Ricky in the middle of the winter: I'm not as tan as I used to be.

Ricky rooftop runs like a freaking superhero.

OK, this is barely related to what I'm talking about right now but it's important to me that you all know this. I commented in an earlier post that Ricky clearly had circus music playing in his head at all times and then I was like, "Hmm, I wonder what that one circus song is called." You know, the song that you think about immediately when you hear the phrase "circus music" so I looked it up and APPARENTLY it is a CZECH MILITARY MARCH known alternately as (brace yourselves) ENTRY OF THE GLADIATORS and THUNDER AND BLAZES. I kid you not. That's actually what that song is called. I called my brother and told him immediately. OK, back on topic.

Is a questing blade a thing? I feel like it's a Thing from legend or fairy tales or something but, when I Google it, I come up with basically nothing.

Does Ricky have a thing for Esther or is he just a super awkward texter and nice guy who does not want to be set up by his sister for a different reason?

I need Brennan to explain how the Santa Question works in this world. The question being, "Why don't parents freak about the gifts they're not buying?" and, side question, "Why don't poor kids get presents?" My go-to answers are always, "He Jedi Mind Tricks into thinking they bought them," and, "He has to work within each family's socio-economic means in order to not be obvious." So there are def plausible answers. But, like, this is something I like to see addressed when we're doing the "Santa is real," thing.

"I grew up with twins and one of them was worse than the others so that makes sense."

"Is Santa good?"/"The ethics of it are alarming, I won't lie."

So, my paranoid thought for this episode is I'm a little Concerned that someone down the line (maybe Esther, but hopefully not) is going to take advantage of Ricky's Big Dumb energy and his "It's the right thing to do," mentality and manipulate him into doing something Not Great. Like, it's not based on anything besides mainlining a ton of media over the past 24 years but I'm just gonna keep an eye out.

Re the Santa/Peppermint Zombification: Hey Brennan, turn your location on. I just wanna talk.

I have to say, from the bottom of my heart, what the hell?

That creeped me out in the same way that episode of Adventure time where Princess Bubblegum (infused with the primal elemental candy energy or whatever) turned everyone into Candy people and everyone started singing Let Me Call You Sweetheart. What a weirdly specific body horror thing for me to encounter more than once. That one peppermint tooth thing is gonna haunt me.

Kingston

I gotta say, props to Lou for pulling a complete 180 on the kind of character he picked this time around. He went from playing this super extra rich pretty boy to this salt of the Earth quasi patriarch and he's just as comfortable with it. Kingston is so real. I went to church with like 50 guys like him back home.

Why are you fighting so hard about free food Kingston? Take the free homecooked food Kingston!

The intensity of his, "I will be here until I die," was hysterical.

Mentioned this before but I love the flavoring of the cleric class where instead of being attuned to a deity Kingston is basically attuned to the entire city. Also, the perks are excellent. Bus service anywhere for free. Sign me up.

I like that Ricky's sister works at the hospital. It's a really cool potential connection for later.

"We're gonna take the thing outchyo butt. We're not gonna deny you medical services."

"Aint nothing wrong with being a freak." --Kingston Brown

Fantasy creatures having to deal with updated tech (like the Toll bridge trolls talking about EZ-passes) is one of my fave urban fantasy tropes.

"I've got a really sweet smelling man here!"

"Yeah, my tooth fell out and now it's a candy. Hey, how much is this gonna cost?" This is what I’m talking about. Priorities my dude.

I love that Kingston knows Pete's weird mob doctor. It seems like part of his deal is that he just knows everything about everyone in the city (within whatever parameters).

Pete says, in quick succession about Ricky, "I feel like he would bully me," and, "He seems like a golden retriever," which I feel are almost mutually exclusive statements.

Kugrash

Well, I asked what kind of druid nonsense was happening in Central Park and the answer is Murph apparently.

I really wish I could have been there when Murph announced he wanted to play a literal rat.

"I am the shit that feeds the flies. A dumpster druid."

"Wherever you are rat Jesus, I love you." You're killing me Brennan.

Aww Kugrash goes around feeding the homeless and stuff. He's like this grumpy ass rat man who really cares about the community.

"Santa you fucking bum." --Kugrash

"I'm sorry are you a rat?"

The idea of a roach with a hobo sack pisses me off because it's adorable but roaches are the worst.

"Is Santa dead?"/"I don't know. I'm not religious."

"Santa Claus is real and he's DEAD."

Brennan loves to use the modifiers "full" and "fully" and I have picked it up irl and in my writing.

"Let's get a little fucked up and go see if Santa's dead!"

Just that whole squirrel interaction.

The sixth borough huh? Interesting. I see you Brennan.

Also, the detail that Kug's clothes are made from old MTA vests is great.

Misty

Siobahn is playing basically exactly the character I thought she'd be playing but she's doing it so much better and more extra than I could have imagined.

"A lady would never say her age, so I won't."

Is her pianist magic or something too? I have my suspicions.

So Misty gets some kind of bard and/or fairy high from praise and adoration which is interesting.

What kind of weird, morally dubious and/or unpleasant fae thing is Misty gonna have to do soonish? It's not gonna be good. Fae stuff never is.

DON CONFETTI

"I don't study magic. I just *am* magic."

So many of these intro vignettes end with, "You don't know that...but you do know who does." Like I said before, I really love the weaving together of all the story threads to get everyone in the same place at the same time in an organic feeling way.

Also he makes all these transitions sound cinematic, like he's writing the description parts of a movie script and not narrating in person.

Public Library! I knew we'd end up here eventually but I didn't know it'd be pretty much immediately. Like, if you're going w/ the "NY is magic" premise, the library has to figure in, you know?

Emily immediately having Sophia recognize Ricky as Mr. March was such a funny and on point character decision. I love how one-off, spur of the moment lines end up being running jokes because other players pick on them and drop them an hour later.

"Are you a rat?"/"Yeah, I'm a rat man!"/"I'm sorry if that was rude."

Brennan: The lions are alive and they're boyfriends.

Misty and Siobhan both are genre savvy enough to want to nip a knights/knave door puzzle situation in the bud.

Ricky on escape rooms: I'm not very good at them but I can definitely try my hardest. (Guys, I love him so much.)

Love me some MC Escher steps.

Underrated Misty line: It's all infernal to me.

Misty's little, "Ugh" at learning they have to go to Times Square is the real NY experience.

Is this Alejandro dude gonna die? What's the over under on this dude eating it very soon?

Misty encouraging Pete to shoot Alejandro is so needlessly chaotic which is a common fae trait and I really hope this escalates.

I dunno what Murph rolled for initiative but he looks like he just shamed his entire family line.

And we’re fighting an army of crazed Santa clones next week! We have literally just started and we are already fully off the rails. I cannot *wait* to see where we go from here if this is the *starting point*.

#dimension 20 #the unsleeping city #asks #anon #Anonymous

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aion-rsa · 4 years ago

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Why The Jerky Boys Are Back After Two Decades Away

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The last time Johnny Brennan picked up a phone to make a prank call, Apple was a decade away from releasing the iPhone. Hell, “texting” was virtually nonexistent. After a nearly 25-year hiatus from recording original material, the comedian and co-creator of The Jerky Boys is making a comeback with a new self-titled record featuring his classic characters.

Brennan’s return was in part inspired by a series of successful live shows over the past few years. The reverence fans showed for the crank call albums, including reciting back even the most obscure details from the recordings, convinced him it was time to dust off voice characters like Frank Rizzo, Sol Rosenberg, and Jack Tors. For years fans showed an appetite for new material. But the 59-year-old Brennan entered the studio again to make one person in particular laugh.

“You gotta do it for yourself,” Brennan tells Den of Geek about his desire to revive The Jerky Boys. “You can’t force anything. The people are absolutely loving it. They’re saying, ‘Johnny, I can’t believe it. I can’t believe how awesome the characters just flowed right into 2020.�� It’s a good feeling.”

The Jerky Boys started in 1989 with Brennan and his childhood friend Kamal Ahmed. The comedic group released four records from 1993 to 1997, and two additional records (1999’s Stop Staring At Me and 2001’s The Jerky Tapes) from previously recorded material. Ahmed officially left The Jerky Boys in 2000. Though Brennan became the sole steward of the Jerky Boys brand, it sat mostly dormant through the 2010s as he continued his voiceover work as the recurring character Mort Goldman on Family Guy.

The new record, titled The Jerky Boys, was released on Nov. 27 by Comedy Dynamics, a budding powerhouse in the comedy album business after earning all five Grammy nominations in the comedy category in 2019 (the company has 17 nominations and four wins overall). The landscape for releasing a record has changed in nearly every conceivable way since The Jerky Boys 4, and the release strategy for Brennan’s new set of calls reflects that. The album is available on Spotify and anywhere music can be streamed these days. Within a week of release, it hit No. 1 on the comedy charts on Apple Music and Amazon Music.

What hasn’t changed is Brennan’s commitment to the bits. Sol Rosenberg is the album’s MVP; standouts include an unfortunate mishap with a stair climber and his side hustle teaching yoga with goats. Jack Tors is in the market for an aggressively large kettle drum to get groovy and out-of-sight with. Bridge-and-tunnel New Yorker Frank Rizzo is a little beat up from base jumping and needs leg braces on the album’s opening track and looking for pipe bombs on another. Surprising no one, Rizzo seems to live his life constantly on the precipice of an expletive-laced tirade. Rizzo is seen orbiting in space on the album’s cover, which was illustrated by artist Sean Taggart, who’s produced artwork for every Jerky Boys record.

We spoke to Brennan about why he decided to make a comeback, how a throwaway track became a fan-favorite and the title of a Radiohead album, and what the Jerky Boys means to fans in 2020.

DEN OF GEEK: What inspired the first new Jerky Boys record in almost 25 years?

Johnny Brennan: The best way I can put it to people is you got to feel it. I know the record company over the last two years probably lost their patience because I announced it at a nightclub.

I’ve never done live shows before because I’m not a stand-up comedian. I said, “Fuck it.” I’d go out and do some live shows and get two or three hundred people in the room. It’s really nice because I can look at each person. I’ve done shows where there’s 5,000 people out in the audience. Actually, I did Woodstock where there were 500,000 people out there, but it’s nice when you do a small room because you get to make eye contact with pretty much everybody in the audience.

I would see the people know every single word of every single skit because we’d play six, maybe seven, skits during the show. Then it’s a bunch of back and forth, fucking with each other. And the audience members, they have tons of things that they want to ask me.

I said, “You know what? Let me do it.” I made the announcement on my birthday, it was December 1st at a club called The Kingsland in Brooklyn. I just thought about the fans and I thought about how much they really enjoy it and love it. The truth is, I haven’t done anything new in almost 25 years. I’m talking where you sit down and you actually do brand new calls where there’s nothing in the can. So these are all brand spanking new calls and the response has been absolutely amazing. I couldn’t ask for more, to be honest with you.

We could spend hours talking about how comedy has changed and evolved in the last 25 years, but why do you think the prank phone call format just continues to endure?

It’s odd because I was never really into prank phone calls and the whole idea of doing prank phone calls. I was more into actual live pranks or fucking with people or doing things that are real, in real life. But either way, what happened with my stuff is just an amazing thing that occurred. Let’s put it this way, I don’t listen to my own stuff. I don’t watch or listen to prank phone calling and prank phone callers and who’s doing what. I don’t pay any attention to that. That’s a good question though.

When fans come up to you at shows what are some of their favorite characters and calls?

Everybody’s got their own favorites. It’s literally thousands. Some people will come up to me and they’ll hit me with a line and I’ll have to be like, “Oh, shit.” It’s a little more obscure. It’s a little bit more like, “Oh, shit. I remember that, of course. Yes.”

But everybody has their favorites, just something as simple as Jim. The word Jim, the name Jim. They add a B to it, so it’s Jimb. I even have a t-shirt that says Jimb. Just something as simple as one name. The reason is because I spent a lot of time in the studio trying to get that B out of there because he said his last name and I don’t remember what it was but it began with a B, so I couldn’t get rid of the B so I just thought it was funny. I said, “Fuck it. Leave it.” So now, whenever people say, “Is Jim around?” They say, “Is Jimb around?”

You know what the most amazing thing is? I just did the new record and Rolling Stone teased people with a couple skits, and people are hitting me with catch phrases already from a brand new skit. It’s the most fascinating feeling.

What was it like sitting down and doing these calls in the studio all these years later? Did it take a few calls to get it to where you wanted it to be?

I intentionally said, “I’m not going to overthink this whole fucking thing because that’s when you get into trouble.” I’m going to put my mind in a setting, the same setting that it was in many moons ago, before the bootleg even hit the street, where I was just doing this for me.

If I sit down and do an auto mechanic or if I sit down and talk about selling cars, I’m doing it for me. I’m going to relax. I’m just going to let the phone ring or make the phone calls and just let the characters flow as it happens. That’s how I did it.

The way albums are released and promoted has changed dramatically since the last Jerky Boys record. What are you expecting in terms of how fans will engage with the material this time around?

I have to be honest, I’ve been out of the loop so long. I don’t even know how they do this today. I heard something about vinyl and Spotify and all this tons of stuff, but like I said, back in the day you used to get CDs and cassette tapes. Now today, I don’t really know how they do it, to be honest with you. It’s all out everywhere you can possibly get it. The more, the merrier, which is so interesting. It’s such a different dynamic.

On the new record, is there a standout track you think people are going to really gravitate toward?

The interviews that I’ve been doing, each of them has said, “Johnny, oh my god, I love this skit.” And they would give me one of the skits. I would say, “That’s so cool,” because it reminds me of many years ago.

For example, “Pablo Honey.”I didn’t put that on my first record because I didn’t think it had legs. A few people said to me, “John, I’m telling you, you should start off the second record. I’m telling you, ‘Pablo Honey’ is just killer.” I said, “It’s killer?” I said, “I kind of dig it, but…” And how wrong I was. I put it on my second record and it instantly became one of the all-time favorite skits. People to this day go nuts for “Pablo Honey.” All I’m doing is just telling Pablo to come down to Florida and [ask] if he is washing his ass, keeping his ass clean.

I got a call at my mom’s place years and years ago from a group of guys that were at the record label. They were asking, “Hey, Johnny, do you mind? Would it be okay if we used your track ‘Pablo Honey’ to name our debut album in America?” I said, “Absolutely. Have at it. Go ahead.” Little did I know that this was a band called Radiohead. Next thing you know, they charge me up the charts and it’s The Jerky Boys No. 1 in Billboard Magazine and Radiohead No. 2, with Pablo Honey.

That’s incredible. On this new record, which characters aged the best for 2020?

They’re all in perfect shape. It’s so funny. They all just roll right into everything that’s going on. Don’t forget, I’ve been obviously around for the last 20 years on Family Guy and doing little bits of whatnot here and there with my Jerky Boys characters as well, commercials and things like that. That’s why it’s so unique with this whole new album kind of deal. It’s nice to get fired up about it.

cnx.cmd.push(function() { cnx({ playerId: "106e33c0-3911-473c-b599-b1426db57530", }).render("0270c398a82f44f49c23c16122516796"); });

Of the previous CDs, which one do you feel is the pinnacle of The Jerky Boys?

They’re all like children. They’re all like babies. Jerky Boys 1 people were just completely mesmerized, blown away. Jerky Boys 2, same thing. Jerky Boys 2, that was pressure because they say in the record business, “It’s almost impossible to follow up.” But in my case, I was able to pull it off. Jerky Boys 2 is just incredible. Then you look at Jerky Boys 3. Jerky Boys 3 has so much incredible work and the album cover is the whole King Kong theme and I introduce five new characters on Jerky Boys 3. So, I can’t really pick one and say, “Oh, my god.” They’re all literally like your kids.

The post Why The Jerky Boys Are Back After Two Decades Away appeared first on Den of Geek.

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#aion-rsa #Den of Geek

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princezukohere · 8 years ago

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Welcome to the prank wars *Colby Brock*

*Requested by https://letowolfie.tumblr.com/ *

hey, could you make a Colby Brock one shot where the reader is his girlfriend and the two of you prank Sam? :) thank you:))

A little long but in a way imagines and one shot are sort of the same thing.

"What's up it's s- wait wrong channel," Colby said making you laugh. "Hey guys it's Colby and I'm here with my girlfriend (Y/N). We're going to be reading comments on her pictures and my pictures and then we're going to go through each other's DMs." He explained handing you his phone while taking yours. "You know the relationship is real when you guys have each other's passwords and a thumbprint." You said as you unlocked Colby's phone. You showed the camera his lock screen. You guys had fallen asleep on the couch during movie night and Aaron took a picture to send to Colby because he said it was too cute to just ignore. "Comment number one." You started, "I really need Colby to realize how much I love him and how he's changed my life so much." You read. "Awee, I love you too," Colby said. "I love all of you, you guys are amazing and without you in wouldn't be in this room filming this video." He added with a smile. "The next comment is, Colby is daddy asf but we all know we're not the only one calling him that." You read. "Who else is calling you daddy Colby?" You playfully asked. "Brennan, Nik, Corey...the fans hopefully you." He listed. You pushed his arm rolling your eyes. The questions went on for awhile until you guys finished the video, he switched the SD card placing that one by his computer before starting his camera. "Okay guys, so as you know Sam and Kat pranked us last week so we decided revenge was in store for this. (Y/N) and I have a really good relationship. We don't fight that often and when we do they're the smallest arguments that we fix right away. Now normally she's over every single day until she either has to work or she has other plans so we're going to set up a fake argument and she's going to storm out and not come around for a few days and then when she does she's going to text Kat and ask if they can meet up or something. She's going to say some things and hopefully, Kat will tell Sam and Sam will tell me." Colby explained. "Also I feel like this is more of a prank on us because we have to be careful about facetime, phone calls and texts because I see Colby every single day which might sound excessive but we're just so used to it being that way." You started to explain. "But if Kat doesn't tell Sam, then I'll tell Sam the same thing because we know Sam tells Colby pretty much everything." You finished as you stood up. "Here we go, guys," Colby said before turning the camera off. He kissed your cheek before heading downstairs. You followed after him waving at everyone as they were in the game room. "How did filming go?" Sam asked. Colby gave him a shrug before going into the kitchen. "It was fine." You told him before following after Colby once more. Colby was filming on his phone so he made sure the screen wasn't showing as he stopped to turn to you. "It was fine, that's what you call it?" He asked. "It's not even that serious Colby, we could have talked about this upstairs in front of everyone." You told him keeping your voice low. "That way you can keep this perfect imagine in front of all of them?" "Colby it wasn't a secret! I wasn't hiding anything." You continued. "COREY!" He yelled, "I have a question." He said as headed to the game room. "Colby I swear to God, don't bring them into this. Can we handle this like two adults because that's what we're supposed to be adults." You fired at him. You could see Aaron and Elton's face, they were obviously both uncomfortable and confused. Sam looked shocked because you two didn't yell often, Devyn and Kat looked anywhere but at you and Corey....poor Corey looked as if he said the wrong thing he'd be screwed. "If Devyn got a dm from some guy and he was being sexual and she was like I'm not interested but he kept going you'd want to know right?" He asked. Corey nodded. "What about you Sam? You'd want Kat to tell you right?" Sam nodded as well. "Well I'm not Kat or Devyn and you're not Corey and Sam. I don't need you fighting my battles or bringing our friends into this." You yelled at him.

"Why? Something you need to hide?" He asked you. "Are you, I'm going home." You told him as you headed back to the kitchen to grab your phone. You left shortly after feeling proud of the setup. Now it was just time to wait. As you predicted the wait was the worst, you fell asleep with him on Facetime every night unless he was out with Brennan so the fact that even when he was at home you couldn't do it was a little stressful. In a way the week without Colby was also good for you, you hadn't realized how much time you spent with him and his friends, you didn't exclude your friends, you just hadn't spent much time with them recently. The plan came full circle and instead of talking to Kat first you and Colby decided to just go to Sam. Colby had said he was hanging out with Brennan and Nik so you took advantage and called Sam and asked if you could talk to him. "Do you want to talk in my room or down here?" Sam asked as he let you in the house, you motioned to go upstairs, he nodded leading the way even though you knew where everyone's room was. "So what's going on? You and Colby haven't talked since that whole argument?" "I've tried to call but he won't answer." You said as you sat on Sam's bed. "I think he's done with me." "He's in love with you." Sam started but you stopped him. "Don't say that...it'll make me feel worse. I love Colby I do, he's so sweet and kind but I don't think I'm in love with Colby." You tried, "I think I wanted to be in love with him so bad that this break made me realize that I'm not." "Well, that's bad news," Sam mumbled. "You're going to tell him right?" "How do I do that? How do I look him in the eyes and day hey, I'm not in love with you...I can't do that Sam." "You can't just lie and say that you do...it would be better to just be honest." "And break his heart and ruin that smile that everyone loves to see?" You said quietly, the actual thought of you hurting Colby destroyed you. "How about you stay here and when Colby gets back the three of us can talk?" Sam asked. You had texted Colby and told him to get back to the house as quick as possible which was a lot faster than you would have thought. The three of you sat in Colby's room, silent. Sam was the one to break it. "I've never seen you two argue like that...I thought you loved each other." "What do you mean? I do love her." Colby finally spoke. "I love you too Colby...I'm just not in love with you." You said quietly, Sam stood up. "There's also something I need to say to you," Colby told Sam. "WELCOME TO THE PRANK WARS BROTHER!" "Oh my God! I was worried about your relationship. YOUR relationship guys!" Sam laughed as he fell back on Colby's bed. "Hey, we did a lot for this prank." "What pretend to be apart, I knew I heard you facetiming someone but I wasn't sure if it was (Y/N) or Brennan," Sam added as he got up. "I'm leaving, I'm getting you guys back and it's going to be a living hell." Sam finished before leaving. "Let's never do that again." You said as you wrapped your arms around Colby. "You should stay the night. Movies and popcorn because it's been five days." He said with a smile, you nodded in agreement.

#colby brock #colby brock imagine #sam and colby #sam golbach #welcome to the prank wars #Corey and Devyn #corey scherer #elton castee #aaron doh #youtubers #youtube #youtuber fanfiction #youtuber

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bi-any-chance · 7 years ago

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I wrote a story...

Waiting Room

by Asher Brennan Chase

This is based on an actual event, but this story is fictional. I hope you like it… 💖💜💙

A hospital is a strange place; life both begins and ends within its walls every single day. Joy, sadness, heartbreak, and elation are all felt in one building. There is pain and suffering, but also love and care. And for some of us, there is waiting.

Seemingly endless at times, waiting is something many people detest. They feel as if they have better things to do, instead of waiting for the nurse to call them in or, in the case of this story, for a family member to come out.

It was mid-afternoon when I made my way into the hospital. I had with me my umbrella, for the dark gray clouds above hinted at an upcoming downpour and I don’t like to get wet. It began to rain as I walked to the building, so hastily I popped up my umbrella and hurried inside. I entered through a pair of automatic doors and took the liberty of putting my wet umbrella in one of those umbrella bags to keep it from dripping all over the tile floors and causing falls. Granted, if anyone did slip they were already at the hospital, but I still didn’t want that on my conscience.

I made it to the elevators and hit the up button, I had to go to floor number five to pick up my little brother from his physical therapy. The boy had wrecked his bike, severely breaking his arm and getting a concussion in the process. Since our dad had to be to work by nine, it was my responsibility to pick-up the fourteen-year-old after his appointment. It was just before eight-thirty when I held the elevator doors for a family of three who seemed in a rush.

I assumed it was a mom, a dad, and a daughter. The woman, around forty-years-old, wore round glasses and had long blonde hair that flowed over her shoulders. She was approximately five feet tall and had a bright smile as fake as her fingernails. The man, who seemed to be ten years her senior, was at least six-foot and had a cowboy hat topping off his balding head. He had few defining features, other than perhaps his large obtrusive nose.

Lastly, there was the girl who I assumed to be their daughter. She appeared to be around my age, seventeen, and was very bubbly for having such stressed parents. A shy smirk and bright green eyes, the cute brunette wore a navy-blue tee with jean shorts and sneakers. I briefly considered saying hi, but soon the ding of the elevator signaled their departure. I sighed to myself, then realized that this was my floor as well, and scooched out as the doors slid shut.

The girl and her parents scurried across the waiting room to the sign-in desk for the physical therapy department. I walked in the same direction, taking a seat by an end table. The room was quiet except for the news blaring from the television several feet behind where I sat. The girl was just out of sight for the time, so I busied myself with taking in the surroundings.

The majority of the people in the room were elderly, parked here and there sporadically. Some had magazines, others read books, and this one man just stared at the bathroom doors, probably considering if he should take the chance or hold it until after his appointment. Soon, my eyes caught sight of another attractive person, but before I continue, let me make something clear. I am not the kind of guy who falls in love every single person my age. I do; however, find myself developing a myriad of crushes. This particular day, I had just discovered my second crush of the day.

He was kind of geeky looking, his brown hair swooping in every direction, effortlessly styled with bangs that rested over his glasses. I was super nervous. I hadn’t noticed him until I had sat down; he probably was some seven chairs away, wearing a black hoodie and light blue jeans along with a pair of bright red high tops that I would totally wear. He looked my age at least, possibly a year older. I don’t think he noticed me glancing, I really need to learn to control myself around people I like. I swear, if I was in a cartoon there would be hearts in my eyes when I am around any one of my crushes…

Anyway, to distract myself from my waiting room crushes, I reached over to the end table and grabbed a random magazine. It was something about food, which only made my stomach churn.

Do you know the butterflies you get when you are around someone you like? Well, I had that feeling times two, mixed in with hunger because all I had for breakfast was one of my mom’s cereal bars. I had woken up later than I was supposed to, so even though I had taken my shower in half the time I usually do, I still left my house a half-hour after my dad had instructed. I know my brother is fourteen, but our parents don’t trust him alone for more than ten minutes, so I had to be in the waiting room when his appointment ended. Needless to say, I did make it there in plenty of time.

I snapped out of my thoughts when the girl from the elevator and her father sat directly between me and waiting room guy. Was this a test? Was some otherworldly force trying to tell me something? Was I on some hidden camera show? I didn’t know, but I was slightly panicked. From my seat, I could see both of my waiting room crushes in one glance. Remember how I said I needed to control myself? Well, that wasn’t going to work now…

So, there I am. Three magazines on one side, two crushes on the other, and one love-struck bisexual in the middle: me.

I didn’t know how long my brother would be, but I was more than happy to wait. I’m not sure why the guy was there, but the girl was there for an appointment and her mother was having trouble signing her in. I sighed, wishing I had enough courage to start a conversation with at least ONE of them. No words came, but instead, I was greeted with the active imagination that many writers and fellow creatives have.

In my day dream, I was a brave little bi boy. I took a breath, and said casually, “I’m glad they have these umbrella bags. I wouldn’t want to make anyone slip and fall at the hospital.”

The girl looked over at me and smiled. Though it sounds corny, I felt my heart skip a beat. “Yeah,” she replied, “I’m sure the hospital staff appreciates the concern.” I didn’t know if she was being sarcastic until she giggled, calming me down. “So, what’s your name?” she asked, “I’m Madison, if you’re curious.”

“I’m Chase.” I introduced, “Nice to meet you, Madison.”

I shook the thought away and glanced over as the girl’s mother sauntered over in our direction and plopped down in the seat next to the girl’s father. Maybe the girl’s name was Madison, but unless I asked I would never know.

“The insurance wouldn’t go through.” the woman explained to her husband, “I had to call the company and tell them that I know for a fact that our plan covers P.T. They just covered Kara’s last three appointments, so why is this follow-up any different?!”

Kara. Madison. I suppose I was close. And a least I now had a name.

“Honey, calm down.” the man cooed, “The entire waiting room doesn’t need to know about our insurance issues.” The man took off his cowboy hat and set it on Kara’s head, which by the way looked adorable, and whispered something into his wife’s ear. I couldn’t hear what.

That was when I saw the bright red high tops shift as the guy on the other side of Kara and her family got out his cell phone and started texting. Hopefully, it wasn’t his girlfriend…

I started daydreaming again, and this time I never talked to Kara. Instead, her name was called and she went into her appointment. I don’t know what came over me, but when she was out of sight I got up from my seat and sat next to my red high tops crush. “Hey.” I greeted meekly, much better at communicating with girls than guys in my opinion, “I’m Chase.”

“Hi.” the guy smiled, “Ben. What’s up?”

“Just waiting for my brother to get done, you?” I answered smoothly. “Waiting for my mom.” he replied, “She tore her ACL playing baseball with her friends.” “Baseball?” I check, not used to the idea of mothers playing baseball. What is that called? The Mom League?

“Yeah,” he assured, “she’s weird sometimes.”

I was yanked back to reality when Kara’s father stumbled over my foot on the way to the bathroom. “Oh, I am so sorry!” I gulped, freaking out at the thought of a bad first-impression with a candidate for my future in-laws, “Are you okay? I was completely zoned out.”

“You’re fine, I’m good.” he assured me, his wife speaking up, “He’s a clumsy fool sometimes, sweetheart.” I sigh, drawing my feet up close to the legs of my chair. Kara snickers at me and I try not to blush. A part of me was embarrassed, but mostly I was happy I made Kara laugh. It was an accomplishment at least.

The boy I named Ben in my daydream was also amused. Two birds, one traumatic event.

I sigh to myself, still at a loss for words. Honestly, what was I supposed to do? Go to Kara, ask for her number, then go to Ben and repeat? No, I couldn’t do that. I wanted to because I had hardcore crushes on both of them, but that was way too much of a player move.

It is a hard thing, for me personally, to be attracted to someone. At the time this happened, I was still new to the whole bisexual thing. It was not even a year earlier that I was questioning my orientation in the first place. I finally accepted it, and embraced it, and came out to a few close friends. But, not only was I still “in the closet” to 99% of the world, I also developed more and more crushes because people are just too much for a little thing like me looking for love.

Anyway, what’s hard for me is the fact that I don’t have a preference of any kind, and I develop so many crushes…

Kara’s mom stood up from her seat and walked down the hall towards the direction of the hospital cafeteria. It was around nine, so maybe she was having a late breakfast. It was now my chance to strike up a conversation with my crush without the extra audience of her parents, but instead, I grabbed a magazine and flipped through. Ashamed of myself for being such a chicken, I looked up at the physical therapy department to see my brother exit the doors and wave at me. Sighing, I put the magazine down and walked over to meet him.

“Come on.” I ordered, ushering the boy ahead of me as I glanced back at Kara and Ben. I sniffled quietly as Ben sat next to Kara and start talking. Kara laughed, and as her father left the bathroom, the two had exchanged numbers.

A hospital is definitely a strange place; life both begins and ends within its walls every single day. Sadness, heartbreak, elation, and grief are all felt in one building. There is pain and suffering, but also love and care. And for some of us, there is waiting. And waiting too long can mean a missed chance at love.

We can only hope there will be many more.

My brother and I left the building. The rain had stopped at last, and the sun was shining brightly. Blue skies lifted my mood slightly as I swung my umbrella and lead my little brother to my car.

“How’d your therapy go, Wyatt?” I asked as we got buckled and I started my car. “Good, I guess.” he responded with a shrug, “I have a follow-up next week, same time. You’ll probably have to pick me up again.”

I pulled out onto the street and turned on the radio. Sighing, I nodded, “I just love the waiting room.”

#bisexual #short story #lgbt #lgbtq+#waiting room #read #based on a true story #crushes

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