#but just having them be at the beginning when he calls her betty and she calls him doctor...

[cakeontheloose]

I feel like Simon's flashbacks from the episode are a bit tinted with years of nostalgia and yearning. (I mean even the way they're presented visually) And how obvious it is that Betty was ready to drop everything for him. She was straight fangirling over him at first. But despite it being from Simon's pov I'm not sure how he perceives this.

I'm gonna wait for the next episode before I form an opinion.

[heliza24]

Thoughts about Domesticity, Carework, and the American Dream in episode 2.5 of Interview with the Vampire

I’ve been mulling over episode 2.5 a lot. There was so much to love in the episode (the incredible writing, the kitchen sink off Broadway play of it all, the chemistry between Luke, Jacob and Assad, the vulnerability in Eric’s performance). But my mind keeps circling a couple of themes, trying to piece them together. So as usual I’m here on tumblr to try to work it out. 

I keep coming back to the way that Armand was gendered in this episode. His big complaint to Louis was that he was “home picking lint off the sofa”. He arrives with “mop and misery” to clean up the mess. Louis insults him by calling him “the good nurse”. All those things are feminized. They’re also extremely of the era; these are Feminine Mystique, mid-century housewife type complaints. The wife’s job is to make the husband’s life smooth and never worry about her own happiness. Obviously in the 1970s we’re seeing this begin to change thanks to second wave feminism. We’re in the process of trying to ratify the ERA, Ms. magazine has just been founded, and things are shifting. The kind of cheery domestic American dream of the 1950s is definitely shifting, and we see this in the episode as well. Betty Hutton selling sewing machines competes with Spiro Agnew resigning on TV. The watergate scandal signified a loss of faith in American authority, a kind of parallel destruction of the country’s father figure (brought down by journalists, no less). The comfortable lie of domesticity, the “prison of empathy” that Armand has created around Louis is crumbling. Armand is boring but he’s also bored, like a housewife taking valium to get by. The whole episode is set in an apartment that reeks of divorce, according to Daniel, and we’re seeing it play out in real time. When Armand lashes out to hurt Louis, he does it not through direct violence, like Lestat, but by holding his failure as a father over him, telling him that Claudia  never loved him. That jab, in combination with the way he’s edited Louis’s memories (gaslighting, another time honored form of domestic abuse) is enough to get Louis to hurt himself. LIke a wife who is always outwardly obedient to her husband but spends her time exacting petty revenge against him for the way he takes her for granted, Armand’s methods are never violent. They are soft and subtle and targeted.

I have to thank @bluedalahorse for first alerting me to the way the crumbling domestic American dream is threaded through this episode. And after she mentioned it I saw it *everywhere*. 

Obviously there is a level of complexity here in the Loumand relationship that this metaphor cannot fully capture. For one thing, Armand is a man. He was turned in a time before modern understanding of gender and sexuality really solidified, so in some way it makes sense that he would be the most gender fluid of our main characters, but his position would be a lot different if he were a woman, even a woman vampire. And Armand is very powerful. His insecurities and crippling fear of being alone keep him from exercising this power and walking away in a way that would perhaps be healthier for both him and Louis. But he is not trapped economically or socially in the way a wife would have been in this era. (That being said, I get the sense that *something* about the way the fire happened in Paris has made Louis and Armand go to ground. Maybe there is an element of being “trapped together because of fear of exposure”. But even then, I think my point still stands.)

To drill down and become more specific, there’s an extra added layer to the way Armand is feminized in this episode. I’ve written a lot about disability in this show and also the way it approaches eugenics, and those things were very on my mind as I rewatched this episode. (To be fair, they are always on my mind when I watch anything. Being disabled will do that to you.) Anyway, the specific way that Armand casts himself in this episode is as a caregiver. He is a beleaguered, bitter caregiver to those weaker to him. I think you hear this especially when he describes to Louis what happened: “you said the worst things you ever said to me, and then you walked into the sun. And now you are a convalescent.” The absolute sneer on the word convalescent.  The absolute disdain for being put in this position again. The way he denies Louis the blood and keeps him out of his coffin for so long. The “final act of service” in calling Lestat. And then the tenderness laced with fear. Will he “be on suicide watch for the next 1000 years?”. 

Armand is fascinating to me because of the way he seems to instinctively reject people who remind him of his own past weaknesses. Those weaknesses are buried down deep in his characterization, but they’re there and they’re important. He was sick and wasting away when he was turned. And before that he was an abused sex worker. You can see the way he dismisses people in similar situations in the way he treats Daniel in this episode. He calls Daniel a “broken boy” when he’s talking to Louis. He casually rejects the idea that there might be any sort of truth captured in Daniel’s tapes. The interviews on those tapes are with a sex worker and gay veteran and his disabled refugee husband. All of these people are so close to Armand in so many ways. I even think this is why Armand comes down so hard on Claudia, and why he cannot abide the true empathy and love Louis has for her. Claudia was turned when her body was weak. Weaker and more disabled, so to speak, than Armand. But they are not dissimilar. But Louis loves Claudia anyway, and respects her strengths. No one ever shown the love Louis shows to Claudia to Armand. No one ever granted him true empathy. The only way he has been able to hold on to any love at all is to grovel, to manage, to care give. The only way he experiences care is to give it. Of course he’s broken, of course he’s bitter.

So now we come to Daniel. The broken boy who has suicidal ideation and a drug problem, things that make him imminently dismissable in Armand’s mind. But Daniel also has a drive, a passion for life, and a love for the people who slip through the cracks. Louis and Daniel definitely share this great affection for humanity, and it’s what allows them to connect in San Francisco and again in Dubai. And it’s what makes him inscrutable, and captivating, to Armand. Because there really is no greater act of service than telling somebody’s story. Daniel describes himself as a therapist ironically in Dubai, but what he’s doing is carework. It’s real empathy. And Armand doesn’t understand that. Armand doesn’t understand what someone is doing recording the stories of people who were just like him. A whole universe of possibilities opens in the moment when Armand almost starts telling Daniel his story. Out of all the ways Daniel tries to save himself, that little life line of empathy is what almost snags Armand. But then Armand clamps back down, realizes he’s staring into a “black hole”. He’s trying to insult Daniel when he says that, but to me it just sounds like he’s describing himself.

When Armand is lulling Daniel into death, the thing he chooses to describe to him is the American domestic fantasy. He describes it as a fate worse than death. He describes it as a boring trap. And he specifically casts Daniel in the masculine, straight role in that fantasy, with a wife “vacuuming on valium” who “counts down his thrusts”. In some ways Armand is painting his own relationship to Louis as the worst possible fate that Daniel could suffer. (And it makes me wonder– did Armand ever wonder if he would amount to anything? Does he think his life has any meaning at all, if you subtract the vampiric powers? Armand has never stopped to introspect like this, but I wonder what would happen if you forced him to.)

But Daniel is stubborn, and his desire to tell stories and empathize with people resists death. I love that he still defends himself, still claims that he’s “a bright young reporter with a point of view” and that that is worth something. Because it is.

When Louis asks Armand to save Daniel, Daniel unwittingly becomes a symbol of Louis and Armand’s continued marriage. He’s a wedding ring, a vows renewal. He’s emblematic of the continuation of failing vampiric domesticity. And when Louis tries to repair the damage Armand has wrought, he isn’t able to offer Daniel soothing words about his ability to find a spouse or raise children or understand love. Louis doesn’t understand those things, so how could he teach Daniel about them? But Louis has always understood stories and humanity, so he is able to gift Daniel his writing and his reporting back. 

I think you can interpret Daniel’s failed marriages and difficult relationship with his children in a lot of ways. We could say that he was always going to fail at these things, regardless of whether or not he met the vampires, because of the discontent that Armand sensed in him. Maybe the trauma that this aborted gay hookup with Louis created was enough to re-closet him, and send him down a dark road of unfulfilled straight relationships. Or maybe Armand’s words really did echo around in his head and pull him down as much as Louis’s lingered and sustained him over the years. Maybe we’ll get more answers about this as the show goes on, or maybe it will live in the ambiguous world of memory and manipulation the show so often plays in.

Regardless, I think this episode was a masterpiece, and the way it firmly established these themes about the failure of domesticity and the burden and joys of carework are going to really matter, I think, as we hit the brutal conclusion of the season. When emotions are at a breaking point, especially between Armand and Louis, they are going to resonate because they were grounded in this little claustrophobic wonder of an episode.

As a little postscript, I’m not quite sure where we’re going with Devil’s Minion after this episode, or if we’re even going there at all. If a DM timeline happened in the past, it would require additional editing of Daniel’s memory, and I’m not quite sure if that reveal would work structurally. (I would love to be proven wrong about this though, because I would love for young Daniel and Armand to have interacted more, for Assad and Luke’s chemistry if nothing else. They were so wonderful together.)  If it were to happen in Dubai, or to happen again Dubai, however… well that’s interesting. Because older Daniel is disabled. He’s even more firmly in this category of people that Armand is apt to dismiss. And if they were to get together, there would probably be some aspect of caregiving on Armand’s part. And there would also be some caregiving on Daniel’s part, in his ability to listen to Armand. So that has the potential to be really fascinating, and maybe mutually beneficial to both characters. But I think we have to cover a lot of ground before we would be able to get there.

[mybabysittersnotavampire]

My *made up* season 3 episode list and what each episode would be about and a quote from each episode

1 • Dusker Back From the Dead

(The title is a mix of both the season 1 and season 2 first episodes) Ethan and Benny use the Cubile Animus to bring Sarah back from the dead using Vice principal Stern as their sacrifice.

“Can you two stop referencing stupid movies and figure out how to get me out of here!” -Sarah

2 • The Date to (re)Start all Dates

Ethan struggles to plan out the perfect date for him and Sarah, afraid to mess it up he tries to make contact with Jesse to give him advice, but things take a turn for the worse when he finds himself stuck in the limbo dimension.

“Doesn’t feel so great to be trapped in limbo now does it.” -Jesse

3 • Della’s Vengeance

(idea partially by @comicbookddr)

When Della finds Benny’s missing spellbook she decides to use it against him as revenge. Making Benny discover she is also a spellmaster.

“Looks like you’re not the only spellmaster at our school” -Ethan

“…well this is just great..” -Benny

4 • Out of this World (inspired by alien candy)

When a new club forms at Whitechapel High, Rory and Benny find the members suspicious and begin to investigate them, nobody believes them until Ethan has an encounter with the club’s leader and finds out that the club is made up of aliens planning on invading their school.

“Rory stop worrying, they are not going to probe you.” -Ethan

5 • Sleepover Seance

When Jane is hosting a sleepover, the girls venture into the basement after watching a scary movie, wanting to have fun of their own they bring out 'Spirit Speaker'. But it isn't a ghost this time, a sleep demon comes out to play.

"How are they all asleep already?" -Rory

6 • Down the Wishing Well

Sarah discovers the local legend that there is an enchanted wishing well in Whitechapel that grants any wish, but at a cost. When she wishes to be human again, the evil spirits of the well possess her.

“I call on the spirits of this wishing well, I wish to be human again.” -Sarah

7 • Jedi’s Anonymous

When Erica finds herself going back to her old geek self, she joins an online chat room anonymously and starts flirting with another user, she decides to meet up with him in real life and discovers she had been talking to Benny the entire time.

“I’ve been talking to you idiot the entire time?!” -Erica

8 • Living Dead Girl

Rory falls six feet deep for the new girl in town. Although the boys quickly realize something isn’t as it seems when she appears in a yearbook over decades old.

“Well if she’s looking for brains, she definitely chose the wrong one..” -Ethan

9 • The Return of Betty & Veronica

Stephanie creates a golem to go to Whitechapel for junior year seeking vengeance. Betty and Veronica are back on the scene, Rory finds out the truth about Betty.

“These underwear are riding up my butt again” -Ethan

10 • Knights of Ninjitsu

Ethan is having trouble writing a fanfiction to send into his favorite game company as part of a contest. When he runs out of ideas he asks Benny to use a spell that gives him more ideas, Benny accidentally uses the wrong spell, trapping Ethan inside of a video game/his computer.

"Benny, do NOT open zombie stomper." -Ethan

11 • Jane’s Vision

When Jane snoops through her brother’s closet she discovers Ethan’s stash of items from their past enemies. The supernatural power radiating from it all makes Jane develop visions early.

12 • The Princess Leia to my Han Solo

Erica realizes that she has feelings for Benny but on her way to tell him she realizes he’s on a date with another girl. He soon finds out his new date isn’t what she seems.. (he finds out she’s a gorgon)

“That should be my geek out there!” -Erica

13 • The Fog is Coming

Grandma Weir senses another dark force coming and warns the boys, while doing so Ethan’s parents overhear, discovering all of him and his friend’s supernatural secrets, trying to keep Ethan from getting hurt they ground him from leaving the house. Will they stop the evil force coming to Whitechapel?

****************************************************

Anyways thanks for reading I know a lot of the titles probably sucked but they were so hard to come up with ok so go cry to your mother if you don’t like them

[raspberrysmoon]

ok so. background so you Get It a little bit. eddie and sheila are dead. theyre ghosts. charles and linda are ghost hunters trying to uncover what happened to the town eddie and sheila lived in. charles and linda cant see eddie and sheila, and their voices are muffled. golden treasure + sheilinda with a lavender marriage between eddie and sheila. ok onto the fic :3 i cried editting it

(should also mention this is an au i made with my friends cherrie and moth :])

“eds, do you think we’re ever going to have the ones we want?”

“don’t be ridiculous, sheila. we ain’t in the right town for that.”

“..do you remember that conversation, eddie? the one right after this song?” both linda and charles perk up, not quite looking, but certainly listening.

“of course i do. i’m still right, aren’t i?”

sheilas brow creases. “don’t say that. we’re getting there, aren’t we? this-” she gestures wildly to their partners, now watching the shadow-casted wall intently, “is already okay in the outside world. whos to say we won’t have this someday?”

charles and linda are promptly forgotten about. “sheila, look at us. we’re ghosts. they aren’t. are we going to wait another 50 years for them to die so we can have something not meant for us?” he barely feels bad about her flinch. “we’re not meant to have this. they’re going to get sick of the hunt, and they’ll find living, breathing people who didn’t burn to death almost a hundred fuckin’ years ago.”

it’s angrier than he’d realized he felt. sheila stares at him silently for a moment, then, “eddie, you’re allowed to want this. you know that, right? we aren’t trapped in your fathers home anymore.”

“yeah, because he’s dead, sheila,-”

“no.” her voice is firm. “no, thats not what i mean, eddie. you’re– god, whats the word?” she falls silent for a moment, “oh well. you’re a nance, eddie. you can admit that now. it’s okay.”

“..this feels wrong from your mouth, sheila.”

she scoffs, running a hand down his arm, “i’m not even your wife, now. how’s it wrong?”

eddie falls silent, glancing at his own shadow. he can see the outline of sheilas curls on the cream colored wall.

..ah. charles and linda heard that, didn’t they?

“we’ll get this, someday,” sheila whispers. “i’m sure of it. when was the last time a man looked at you like charles does? or a woman, as linda does to me? they’ve never even truly seen us.”

“sure they haven’t, love, but the thrill of the chase is a powerful feeling.”

“would the thrill end in tears? would a man breakdown over the sight of you in a dream, only to be unable to sleep the next night to talk to you? was henry like that, to you? or james?”

“they don’t count. did betty ever tell you you were pretty?”

sheila rolls her eyes. “we don’t have time to speak of betty. we do, however, have time to get you out of your little blues puddle.” eddies shadow disappears from the wall. “eddie, come on. don’t be like this.”

“i can’t let him hear me say this, sheils. please.”

she looks at him, and says nothing. “i don’t think we should want this.”

sheila jumps back like he’d hit her. “what? eddie, the whole reason we lived so hard was to have this. you’re going to toss it, just because you’re.. scared?”

eddie rolls his eyes, adjusting his hat. “i’m not scared. but we weren’t allowed this for a reason. what–” he’s cut off by a hand meeting his cheek. sheila, slapping him.

“don’t fucking say that. good night, edward.”

she hadn’t called him that in.. well, decades, now, but in life.. years. years.

he can’t shake the feeling that he’s right.

charles and linda focus their gazes back onto the music in front of them, and begin the song again.

a song, about a woman long dead, played to be sang to him.

by a woman. by his wife.

charles sniffles.

maybe he doesn’t deserve this, either. maybe none of them do.

..maybe that doesn’t matter.

[finedinereception]

some details on what im tentatively calling wizard married au- in which betty is here from the start and happily magic married to her equally deranged husband.

past

like canon, betty flees when simon first wears the crown. however, there is no portal to the future this time. she finds somewhere else to stay, and during that time, she begins researching. she can tell that wasnt normal. surely if it had just been simon, he would have shown some symptoms of whatever that breakdown was. it had to have been the crown.

she pours herself into her research. it saves her life, because a few weeks later the bombs drop.

she uses her research to attain magic powers, a la magic betty. like simon, she obtains immortality. however, she loses her sanity the more she uses her magic.

a while after the bombs, she finally meets simon again. by this time hes picked up a travel buddy- marceline. the two of them are relieved and happy to see each other.

the apocalypse ironically saves their relationship.

turns out knowing you and your man are going insane and losing your memories is a pretty sobering, emotional thing to really grasp. it ends up breaking the wall between them, and theyre finally, finally able to begin sorting out the issues in their relationship.

this is an important moment between them. even when they fully lose themselves, it becomes the basis of their future relationship. betty starts doing things for herself, and simon starts paying more attention so he can stop her if she starts focusing too much on him again.

its never easy, but for a while, they get a sort of peace. a surprise family at the end of the world.

simon loses it first. during the night, when marceline is asleep, he tells betty that he has to go. hes held on longer than canon simon thanks to betty being around, but hes finally slipping, and hes worried hes going to hurt marcy. sure, betty could protect her… but shed be expending her own mind if she did so. betty knew this was coming, and they agree.

simon leaves before marcy wakes up, taking nothing but a scrapbook hed been keeping from before the bombs, and the clothes on his back. they should have waited- its something theyll regret in the far, far future. he should have said goodbye. but they didnt think they had the willpower to go through with it if they heard her begging. at the very least, betty is there to offer support.

betty continues to hang out for several more years. she gets to see marceline grow up. marcy can see with every spell that betty is becoming more reckless, more eccentric, more distant.

betty finally loses herself protecting marceline during a vampire hunt. she holds on just long enough to get herself away from marcy.

and she begins to travel. until one day, she finds herself inexplicably drawn to a land of ice.

they dont remember who simon and betty are. all they know is that hes ice king and shes magic queen and they love each other.

Betty Grof/Magic Queen

basically the “main character” of this au lol

she begins using the name “magic princess” when she can no longer remember her old one. it feels right to her. she changes to queen when she and ice king get hitched. she doesnt use the name “ice queen” because she no longer pins her identity to just simon. shes got her own stuff going on. hes part of her life, but not her entire life.

magic queens not around the ice kingdom as often as ice king. she likes to explore and travel! a huge amount of the books on ruins, dungeons, and artifacts were penned by her, from hands on research. shes well known around ooo as somebody who can be dangerous, but is also a very reliable source of information.

shes more “grounded” than ice king. she doesnt remember anything from before the war, or for a while after it. as far as she knows she just spawned on ooo ready to dungeon dive. still, shes better at retaining information, and can read a room better. shes still pretty eccentric, though, and likes showing off.

magic queen was the one who beat the shit out of ash and got his magic carpet. she doesnt remember marcy, but like ice king, finds herself inexplicably drawn to her. so when ash hurts her, it puts him on her shit list.

speaking of, she can hold a grudge. she ends up cursing finn for a while because he beat up ice king based on a misunderstanding.

shes the one who had the idea for a giant library in the ice kingdom. ice king helped with the room layout, and she collected the books.

magic queens doing a lot better mentally than canon betty was. her relationship with ice king has become way more healthy and balanced. shes happily married. she has 53 penguin children. shes been able to chase her dreams, and her work is acclaimed and respected.

shes still a creecher tho. girl is skittering through those dungeons. does a backflip and shoots fireworks into your eyes. she is very bold and loves doing crazy things just to see what happens.

gets her own “i remember you” episode where she takes marcy dungeon diving.

ice king/simon petrikov

stay at home husband now lmfao

but fr. he fully supports magic queen, but hes a pretty forgetful and clumsy guy, so they both agree that he probably shouldnt be dungeon diving with her.

he keeps things stable at home. takes care of the penguins and writes fanfic and plays music in his free time. hes come to really enjoy creative pursuits, even when hes not particularly good at them.

magic queen puts a gun to your head and forces you to read fionna and cake. ice queen (simone) and magic king (benny) if you even care btw.

mq ended up putting a checklist up in the home to make sure ik doesnt forget to take care of himself. eat breakfast you goof

instead of kidnapping princesses, he goes out often to find things mq has mentioned wanting or needing for her research. sometimes he steals them and it gets him in trouble. if hes being a real jerk mq will only step in to take him home. sometimes that man deserved to get his ass whooped.

hes already nicer and more stable to start out with since he has somebody to talk to whos nice to him. people wonder why magic queen sticks around and if you ask her she will get mad. hes funny!!! and sweet!!! also hes canonically caked up.

he wants to be a dad soooo bad. he spoils the penguins.

[somepsychopomp]

Vampire!Simon AU Timeline

I tried to keep this loose and simple but it ended up being a lot more detailed than I expected. This is a pretty comprehensive timeline of my AU's backstory for anyone who wants to know more or just wants a clear idea what wtf is happening. Enjoy!

Ok so pre-Mushroom War:

This remains largely unchanged- Simon finds the crown, loses Betty, etc.

Maybe due to Simon’s interest in ancient artifacts, he’s aware of vampire lore and has even found some ancient stakes with traces of an unknown species’ DNA on them on past expeditions

He’ll never have the chance to publish the results of his findings

After the War (aka post-apocalypse Simon and Marcy):

Simon finds Marcy and instantly knows he has to protect her, she learns about the crown’s influence, etc

They encounter the Vampire King and his court

VK is initially surprised to see a non-vampiric magic user, especially one as strong as Simon, until he realizes that it’s all from the crown (he witnesses Marcy plead with Simon to take off the crown bc he’s going too nuts)

VK also has an interest in Marceline, the little girl that keeps trying to suck out the Fool’s soul as he toys with her. She's clearly not human and that piques his interest

VK defeats Simon and takes the crown. He’s not interested in Simon himself but does think Marcy might one day become a powerful member of his court. But she’s fiercely loyal to Simon so VK strikes a bargain- Simon lives if Marcy comes with him. (Really, at this point he was willing to kill Simon and just take Marcy but VK saw the madness the crown inflicted and thinks Simon can advise him on how to resist it)

As part of the King’s court:

The Vampire King isn't interested in letting humans live in his hive unless they're soon to be butchered.

So Simon is bit and turned. He’s told to abandon his human name and accept the once given to him- Temperance, one of the three arcane virtues. It represents patience and moderation ordinarily, but represents discord and conflicting interests when inverted.

Marcy still calls him Simon in secret

Simon is stunned that the VK can resist the crown’s madness to a certain extent as he masters its control over snow and ice

The hardest part about being a vampire for him is no longer being able to enjoy sunlight, as on his expeditions and while taking care of Marcy, he fundamentally understood that daylight = visibility and safety and that night= danger

Marceline will be bitten when she turns 18. In the mean time, she’ll be tutored by Simon and treated like a princess by the minions.

Marceline gets her own room, all the food she can eat, a soft bed, etc. She wants for nothing not out of kindness, but bc the VK knows this is an easy way to win her over. Marcy isn't stupid, but she is just a kid. After the trauma surrounding being sent away by her mom, and believing she was unwanted, Marcy is terribly tempted to follow her less than human instincts in the face of a better life for herself

Simon worries for her and tries to keep her close to him. Which isn't easy, as the VK is cunning and ruthless

Marceline also begins training at a young age. She learns to hone her power of sucking souls and when its learned that she can gain the unique abilities of her victims, the VK brings in all sorts of prey for her- humans, wolves, birds of prey, snakes, etc. in the belief it will make her stronger.

The VK is only ever kind and patient to Marcy as she grows up, almost like Simon but with an unspoken air of absolute authority. Still, it convinces her that he's not all that bad despite the fact that he's wiping out all the humans. Since Simon isn't human anymore, Marcy doesn't really feel that protecting humans = protecting him.

But the problem is that Simon hates being a vampire. He hates the taste of blood despite his inability to consume human food. He begins looking for alternative solutions and find that vampires can merely consume the color red

He's ostracized by the court for his meek personality and his frequent pleads for them to stop killing humans. What little power he had with the court is threatened as the VK requires his aid less and less over time. The VK begins to consider manipulating the sky itself so his kind is safer in the day

When Marcy is 16-17, Simon ushers her into a secret chamber beneath the vampire hive. For years, he'd been slowly stockpiling supplies so they can escape. Things like weapons, sturdy clothes, food, etc. What's more, he'd managed to find and repair a car! They can escape together and get away before anyone even notices they're gone.

Marcy is stunned that Simon wants to go back to a life of constantly being on the run, hungry and afraid. Having no home or safe place to sleep in. And with his condition, he'd have to be extra careful of the sun. Simon says how much he hates being a vampire and that he doesn't want this for her, he did all this to save her!

But he never did ask if Marceline herself was opposed to becoming a vampire. However, her love for Simon still outweighs her loyalty to the VK. She agrees to run away.

One of the funniest parts of the Stakes miniseries is that the VK is confirmed to have telepathy but he only really used it to psychically give Peppermint Butler and autograph. So I'm going to use that- the VK has been reading Simon's mind for years without letting him know and has known for a long time that Simon's been trying to run away

Simon and Marcy don't get very far before 2 things happen: the VK himself goes after them, and they're stopped by a small army of survivors lead by a pink haired girl (idc if PB would still be a tiny wad of gum at this point in the OG Ooo timeline it's my AU)

The VK ignores the attempts to assassinate him as he takes Marcy back to the hive. Meanwhile, Simon is captured by the humans and left for dead.

Here's the fun part- Simon's unique vampire power is a remnant of the crown's influence on him. He can cover his body in dense ice that acts like armor. It can be chipped away or melted, but resists damage really well

after multiple failed attempts to kill him, Simon tries to strike a bargain with Bonnie. Let him go, and he'll help her kill the vampire king

meanwhile, Marcy is crying in her room bc she thinks Simon is dead and she blames herself bc she never should've gone with him (something that the VK tells her he agrees with)

but Simon manages to come back unharmed. The only way he'd be able to do that was if he killed the humans that captured him. The VK is begrudgingly impressed. He'll still have simon separated from marcy for a year as punishment, though.

Marcy hugs Simon and tells him that she's glad he's alright. And that it'll be okay. He spent so long protecting her, from now on she's going to protect him (after all, the last time she thought she'd ever see him, he was about to be killed by a human mob. That event cements Marcy's belief that following the VK is what's best for her and Simon)

It absolutely breaks Simon's heart

Marcy turns 18 and Simon cannot stop her from becoming The Star

(while Simon is in isolation/solitary confinement, the VK frequently taunts him over a telepathic link- telling him how hard Marceline is working to become strong. To become a killer. The VK finds that messing with Simon is so utterly delectable)

As Temperance and the Star:

Marceline and Simon go by their vampire names when they’re among others but still use their human names in private

The VK brings on the sunless sky that allows vampires even more freedom than before

he ignores Simon's pleas to return the world to its natural ways. After all this time, he finds Simon's ways not annoying, but oddly endearing. He is the contrary voice to the whole court, after all; and though he might not have much power, the bravery to speak out against the king is commendable to some extent

Marcy begins her unending feud/hate-crush on Bonnie, who Simon secretly aids

Simon is mostly left to himself since Marceline is her own person now.

He starts growing a small garden of red food, assembling a library, etc. But most importantly, he tries to save any human child he finds

The VK got Marceline as his ward, why can't Simon have his own? He promises the court that the child will be his full responsibility and the king, mostly out of amusement and curiosity, lets Simon adopt his precious human children

however, Marcy can't help but feel like Simon is doing the exact same thing her mom did- he's scared of her or doesn't love her anymore, so he's trying to go away. Except this time, he's replacing her in front of her very eyes with some tiny, fearful brat that can't appreciate just how kind and loving Simon is

over the next few centuries, every member of the king's court except for the Star dies off. In every instance, Marceline takes advantage of their death to suck up their essence. The VK admires her for this.

at the same time, no ward of Simon's has managed to survive to about 11-12. Sometimes it was a hungry vampire that killed them, most of the time it was Marceline sneaking behind his back to kill off her replacement, and sometimes it was mere disease that ended them. He lost poor Shoko to infection after Marceline took her arm in a jealous rage and that put off Simon from taking on another ward for a hundred years

HOWEVER, Marceline still really loves Simon and wants to be close with him again. She's... just not sure how anymore. Simon still smiles at her and tells her stories and lets her crash in his library when she wants to avoid boring meetings or whatnot, he cares for her yes- but he never seems proud of her for accomplishing great feats like killing 100 human rebels in one night or taking Bonnie's eye

Simon still holds out hope that there's good in Marcy and that she can be persuaded to help him and Bonnie kill the king/her other dad

And then Finn comes along.

(For anyone wondering, I haven't really touched upon how the VK ends up infatuated with Simon bc I'm still figuring that out. But also, I don't think it needs to be clearly defined, it'd be a lot more fun to just see Simon winding up in essentially an arranged marriage

HOWEVER I will say this- the vampire king once asked Simon for a special gift in an attempt for them to become closer. He asked Simon to give him a mortal name, as all he knows is a life as an undying king.

Simon obliged and after much thought, he chose the name Leonidas. They are the only two beings who know the king’s secret name and use it, it’s something not even Marceline knows.)

[j4gm]

SPOILERS!!! REFERENCES AND EASTER EGGS IN F&C ep. 6: THE WINTER KING

This one didn't post before for some reason.

These fellas are iceclopses as seen in Prisoners of Love, and in the pilot episode before that.

This musical section is animated by Smallbu, who previously animated the story sections of Ketchup and most of Beyond the Grotto.

Cake selfcest moments volume 2.

Ice Marceline raises some questions! I've seen a lot of people theorise that this means Marcy is dead but I don't think that's necessarily true. Presumably she was pretty pissed off with the Winter King when he turned her ex into an insane maniac and lost some of himself in the process. What is a mystery is how the Winter King got his hands on her bass guitar, which she is very attached to.

The shopkeeper at the candy store is Lord Monochromicorn, who is mute just like in his original appearance. Also that vending machine is obviously modelled after the Gumball Guardians.

There's a brand of candy called Heartstopper. That's the name of a famous real-life series of British gay highschool romance graphic novels, which seems appropriate for this very slice-of-life Gumlee (Garylee?) subplot.

The humanised Lemongrabs are called the Lemoncarbs, which is what Tree Trunks mistakenly called them in the episode Mystery Dungeon.

The Winter King says it would be unethical to make an ice Betty, which is a bit hypocritical considering he has an ice Marcy in his basement.

This is humanised Bee Princess. They don't look very genderswapped but maybe he's just femme.

The Candy Queen's eyes match the eyes of Bubblegum's yak in the episode Bonnibel Bubblegum, which was itself a reference to Tank Girl.

Both songs in this episode were written by Pat McHale, who has been with the show since the pilot episode.

Fionna exclaims "This is what was missing!" while slicing up the banana guards, which is what Finn exclaimed for slightly more wholesome reasons in the episode What Was Missing.

Gary's innate desire to create the Candy Kingdom is manifesting itself in his baking. It was very dark seeing his cute biscuits paralleled with the real candy people being brutalised by Fionna and Cake.

It's still not clear why things keep getting de-magicked when Fionna and Cake interact with them. Perhaps it's just a passive ability they have because they come from a non-magic universe, but it doesn't happen to everything they touch.

Bubblegum seems to have learned how to use her candy powers in this universe despite the fact she was cursed a hundred years ago and presumably hasn't had the chance to learn that she's an elemental. Perhaps she learned it from her time being the Candy Queen.

When Marshall Lee asks for more details about Gary's Candy Kingdom, he begins describing the plot of Slumber Party Panic, the first episode of Adventure Time.

According to production notes, baby world was created by BMO's wish. The monkey's paw twist was that he lost his personhood and became a baby monitor.

This episode's dream features an ice fortress shaped like the crown.

[dwobbitfromtheshire]

18+ MINORS DNI for a little bit of smut.

1984

Steve understood broken hearts. He's had his heart broken very recently, and he's broken them in the past. Although, he's always rejected them in the beginning before even thinking about starting something with them. He couldn't even think about using them unless he knew for sure they could handle it. He was used many times before, and before he had fallen in love, he used to be able to handle it. He was a bit of a slut, he could admit, but he could never drag someone along. It just seemed cruel. Rejection is a part of life, and he had to accept that or risk being stuck behind. Some people didn't learn that, though.

He was flirting with this girl in his science class for a while now, and he thought things were going great. He talked about how he had gotten out of a serious relationship, how unsure he was of jumping into another one. She had sympathized with him and said she wasn't looking for anything serious. Steve had grinned when he found a note in his locker asking him to meet her in a dark broom closet. Maybe right now, it didn't have to be serious. Maybe that could come later. Besides, it's been a while since he made out with a girl in a broom closet. Steve should have known it was too good to be true.

"Betty?" Steve called out as he knocked on the closet door, and the door was pushed open.

Steve grinned and slipped inside the darkened closet. The lights never worked in this one. He knew it, and so did everyone else. It was why it was dubbed the make-out closet. Although, he didn't learn this fact until very recently. He felt out with his hand and grinned when he found Betty's curly dark hair. He cupped her cheek and gently pushed her up against the wall, slotting his mouth against hers. She started to resist, so he pulled away, thinking that she had changed her mind. Suddenly, she was gripping the back of his jacket and pulling him flush against her. Was she taller than before? Maybe she was standing on something. Boy, that should have been his first clue.

She was kissing him this time, sloppy and eager. Her plump lips were perfectly soft. Wait, plump? Weren't her lips thin? Yeah, okay, so this wasn't Betty. It wasn't the first time he made out with a mysterious girl in a darkened closet. His hands moved from her hips and started wondering under her shirt. The girl moaned against his mouth and shuttered against his fingertips. Steve moved to cup her breast. . .wait. . .he had thought she had felt flat, but there was no way a girl could be this flat. Steve froze for a moment before slipping his tongue inside her mouth. He didn't want to stop kissing whoever this was. Steve froze. Something felt hard, and it wasn't just him. Oh. . .he was making out with a guy.

Hmm, just to be sure. Steve cupped their face and moved his hand to press against their throat gently. Yeah, okay. That was an addams apple. Yeah, he was tonguing a guy. Why wasn't he freaking out? Maybe he was enjoying it too much. He felt the same as if he were making out with a girl. His pulse was racing, and his stomach was fluttering rapidly. He was also hard as a rock. Hmm, maybe it didn't have to be a big deal. Was he that comfortable in his sexuality? He didn't get a chance to answer because the guy he was kissing had pulled away.

"Were you trying to choke me in a kinky way or kill me kind of way? Or did you just feel my throat and realize that I was a guy?" He asked.

"Uh, do you want the honest answer?" Steve asked.

"Yes," he chucked.

"I just realized you were a guy," he replied.

"And you just continued to kiss me?" He asked, his voice laced with amusement.

"A good kiss is a good kiss," Steve muttered.

"So, it doesn't matter to you whether they have a dick or not as long as it's a good kiss?" He asked, laughing.

"Yeah, can we go back to kissing?" He asked.

"You don't want to freak out first?" He asked.

"I'll freak out later," Steve said and then paused. "It's not like I haven't thought about it, you know. When a girl has, you know, sucked me off, I've thought about what it would be like to give head. I thought maybe it was just one of those thoughts that get into your head, like when you look at a pen and wonder how it's made."

"Now, you're thinking that you've never been straight," he cackled. "I shouldn't laugh."

"No, it's funny, you should laugh," Steve snickered.

"So, do you want to find out what it's like?" He asked.

"What? . . .oh, yeah, yeah!" Steve exclaimed and sank to his knees.

When Steve walked out of that closet, he had a grin on his face so wide that it looked like he had a hangar in his mouth. Nothing could have brought him down, not even when he saw Betty at his locker, where she told him about her plan to stand him up for rejecting her friend that one time. He called her childish, scoffed, and continued onto his next class. It wasn't until a couple of years later that Steve had found out who he had been with in that closet.

1986

Steve was sitting on the floor of his living room with Robin and Eddie, enjoying pizza. They had all just come out to each other.

"Okay, Stevie, what made you realize that you weren't exactly straight?" Eddie asked.

Robin clutched her stomach as she burst into laughter.

"Shut up, Robin," Steve said, blushing.

"Oh, this is a good one," Eddie cackled.

"I mean, I think on some level I always kind of knew that something was up. But yeah, this girl set me up to be stood up in the make-out closet. It was dark, and all I knew was that I was supposed to be making out with this girl. I felt that there was someone there with long hair, and it took me longer than I realized that I wasn't making out with a girl," Steve said.

"It took him less time to realize that he liked kissing guys," Robin laughed. "I mean, he felt up the shirt. . .the girl had no breasts!"

"Hey! The girl could have lost her breasts to cancer, and as we learned from that bar that we went to, he could have been transgender," Steve said and then smiled fondly. "That guy was a great kisser."

"He had the best stories too," Robin said. "Hey, you never told me why that didn't work out?"

"The girl who he was in love with came back to town," Steve said. "Apparently, she now knows about him and accepts him. They got their own place and everything with a little dog. Although her parents disowned her."

"Aww, good for Brian," Robin said. "And fuck Brian's girlfriend's parents. We should invite them over for dinner! Brian and his girlfriend. Not his girlfriend's parents. They could meet Vickie."

Eddie suddenly burst into laughter.

"It's a small world," Eddie cackled.

"Oh, you know Brian, too?" Robin asked.

"What?! No, but he sounds cool," Eddie said. "I just think I know who was in that closet."

"Shit, seriously?!" Steve asked.

Eddie leaned forward, grabbed him by the back of the neck, and pulled Steve into a kiss. He pulled back, grinning.

"Does that seem familiar?" Eddie asked.

"Oh my god!" Steve giggled.

"You couldn't have just told him. You had to kiss him?" Robin sighed. "Right in front of my pizza, too."

"Telling him wouldn't have been as fun as showing him," Eddie said with a grin.

"Yeah, maybe you should show me again," Steve said. "I think I'm starting to forget."

Eddie grinned and crawled over to him. He pushed Steve down and straddled him.

"Wouldn't want you to forget, hmm?" Eddie said.

He kissed Steve. Robin made a noise of protest.

"I am taking the rest of the pizza and watching TV upstairs!" Robin exclaimed. "Let me know when you're done defiling my best friend! And use a condom! You've given him enough kids, Munson! Happy for you dinguses!"

Eddie laughed against his lips, his body shaking with laughs.

"Lights on or off?" Steve grinned.

"Oh, the lights on this time, big boy," Eddie said.

He moved down Steve’s body and started undoing Steve’s pants. He paused before raising an eyebrow questioningly.

"Yeah, yeah," Steve said.

"This time, I'm going to find out what it's like," Eddie said.

Quick as a flash, Eddie had his pants as well as his boxers off. Eddie cackled gleefully before wrapping his lips around him and taking him deep into his mouth. He looked up at Steve the entire time.

"Oh, fuck!"

Anything can happen with the lights on or off, but it was always better with the lights on. More things to see with the lights on. Steve couldn't have been more grateful for the girl who stood him up. Who knows? Maybe he and Eddie would have continued to dance around each other forever. Sometimes, good things come from being rejected.

[shebeafancyflapjack]

This was what I originally thought was going to happen as I was watching the exorcist scene. Had planned to write this as a fic but don't think I've got the energy.

-

Everything is the same up until the exorcism. Only when Alison gets down there, she sees the ghosts all stood in front of the Vicar, frozen as he speaks. They shout at her that they can't move. Alison tries to tell him to stop but Betty encourages it to continue. Alison slaps the Bible out of his hands but its too late - a bright light shines down on the ghosts, blinding Alison for a few seconds, then when she opens her eyes they're gone.

Panicking, she begins running around the house, calling their names, begging them to show themselves so she knows they're OK. But nothing. Eventually Betty finds her collapsed in tears. She asks why she could be upset and Alison explodes at her about how she had no right to do that, how the ghosts were her family and she's just sent them away. Betty is shocked and then feels awful once the truth settles but also berates Alison for not being honest. Mike finds Alison and holds her, telling his mum it's best she goes.

Alison doesn't sleep all night, having waited for the ghosts to come back if they could. The next morning Mike suggests they take a walk with Mia. They walk towards the lake and a bereft Alison is promising Mia she's going to hear all about her aunts and uncles who loved her so much. Like how sweet Auntie Kitty was, how naughty Uncle Julian was-

"And how handsome Uncle Thomas was?"

And Alison replies: "Yes how handsome Uncle Thom..."

She pauses. Then turns her head.

The ghosts are stood there, on the other side of the fence, smiling at her. She screams in shock and relief and Mike is confused but also relieved once Alison confirms they're all there and all safe. She asks what happened and they say they saw the same light but then woke up outside the grounds.

And now they can't get back in.

The exorcism didn't make them get sucked off; it banished them from the grounds. Alison asks if that means they're stuck in Maddox's place now. But Cap has already done a run and found he could go farther then Maddox. There doesn't seem to be any boundaries for them anymore.

Kitty begs Alison to call the Vicar back so he can undo it. Julian suggests perhaps a Satanic priest might be better. Alison hesitates and then asks; "Is that what you guys really want? You're free now. You can go wherever."

That hasn't really sank in for them, they're more concerned with being separated from Alison. But Alison tells them she's not interested in staying in the house either; not without them. If they're gone then she and Mike might as well take the golf resorts offer and buy a new place - once which the ghosts are more than happy to visit. However; they're also free to go where they want in the world, without restrictions.

It takes some sorting out as Alison sells the place and the guys stay on Maddox's land for the meanwhile until the moving vans are there. But this time as they drive out, the car and van stops, Alison beeps the horn once they exit the gates and all the ghosts pile in to either the backseat of the car or the van. Then they drive off together.

Cut to a few Christmas' later, the now loaded Coopers are setting the table and the ghosts start to arrive but in different orders. Alison welcomes them back happily, Mia can't see them anymore but she still waves to them when her mum says they're there. As they sit, Alison asks what they've all been up to in their various travels - except for Julian, the others aren't able to call or text her. Fanny finally snuck onto a luxury cruise but didn't seem as good as the Titanic. Thomas went to Venice to see if much had changed ("still nice"). Cap has been visiting WWII memorials and trying to find information on Havers. Pat visits his grandson. Humphrey has visited Paris. Kitty had discovered nightclubbing in London and joined in many hen parties. Julian goes to the House of Commons to watch Rachel speak out (he also does other stuff not suitable for Mia's ears). Robin says he went to the moon - everyone gasps- but he's only joking, he went to NASA but wasn't stupid enough to try to climb aboard any launched satellites- maybe next manned mission though.

Alison reminds them that they're all free to stay over Christmas as long as they want, but they say how they wouldn't impose for too long as they wouldn't want to be too in the way - though there are spare rooms for them to share when they need. They are all happy to spend time with the Coopers, coming back whenever they can, but always promising to spend Christmas together.

[bradshawsbaby]

A Special Visit

Pairing(s): Rooster x Future Wife!Reader, mentions of Goose x Carole

Author’s Note: I’ve been meaning to write this story for a while! It’s about the first time Bradley ever took the future Mrs. Bradshaw to visit the cemetery where Goose and Carole are buried.

Warnings: Some mild angst and mentions of grief/loss, but mostly lots of fluff.

You could feel your body slowly starting to rouse itself with those hints of early morning consciousness, hanging in that strange limbo between slumber and wakefulness, but you were determined not to open your eyes just yet. Instead, you tucked your chin inside your sweatshirt—or rather, your boyfriend’s sweatshirt—and burrowed yourself deeper underneath the covers, feeling your thigh brush against the solid, muscular form lying beside you. You couldn’t help but smile as you felt the warmth emanating from him, immediately chasing away any chill that had managed to cling to your skin in the early light of dawn.

Eyes still closed, your other senses were heightened as the stirrings of a new day began invading the small bedroom where you and Bradley were currently ensconced. You could hear the sounds of birds calling to one another and squirrels chattering as they scampered around the tree just beyond the back porch. You could feel the cool breeze wafting in through the window you’d left open just a smidge before going to sleep last night, and smell the crisp, fresh scent of autumn as it swirled over your cozy little hideaway. Snuggling closer to your boyfriend’s side, you could even still taste his kiss from the night before, sweeter than honey and more delicious than any five-star dinner.

At the sensation of Bradley’s breath on your cheek, your eyes finally started to flutter open and your heart immediately came stuttering to a halt at the sight you were met with.

Bradley Bradshaw really was the most breathtaking man you had ever known.

Even in the throes of a deep sleep, you had never seen a man more handsome or more capable of turning your brain to mush. His sandy brown hair was mussed and knotted, sticking up at wild angles that almost made you giggle except for the fact that you didn’t want to wake him. His dark eyelashes were kissing ruddy cheeks that looked flushed and warm from a night spent huddling under two blankets in a worn hoodie and sweatpants. And his lips, those lips that were so soft and tender when they brushed against yours or whispered sweet words of love in your ear, were parted slightly, the sounds of his heavy breathing a sign to you that he was still very much asleep.

God, you loved him so much.

Reaching out with a gentle hand, you brushed your fingertips delicately across his cheek, absorbing the heat that seemed to flow from him in waves. You knew he was exhausted. These past couple days had been meaningful for the both of you, but you also knew that they had been emotionally draining for him as well. And today would be the toughest day of all.

You and Bradley had arrived in Virginia just two days earlier, though it felt longer for all you had already managed to accomplish during your short trip here. After over eight months of dating, it was the first time you were getting to see Bradley’s hometown, the place where he had grown up and been shaped into the man he was today.

He didn’t have much family left in the area, he had explained to you before you arrived. Just a few aunts and uncles and a couple cousins. He had never had a very large extended family to begin with, and many of them had since moved out of state. But this was where he had been born, where his parents had tried to put down roots and where his mother had raised him. It was the place where his parents were buried. And so it would always be home.

The two of you were staying at the home of Bradley’s Aunt Betty, Carole’s older sister who didn’t share much in common with her vivacious younger sister except for her eyes and her smile. She was a kind woman who had graciously opened up her home to you and made you feel quickly at ease. As a nurse, she worked long shifts at the local hospital, but it had been nice getting to spend time with her and to hear stories about Bradley’s mother when she was a little girl. You knew it meant a lot to Bradley, too.

Besides meeting Bradley’s family members, he also took you on a full tour of the town, showing you all his favorite places, including the baseball field where he’d played all the way through high school and the diner where he and his mom used to go get breakfast every Sunday. Seeing the joy on his face as he’d shared stories from his childhood, eyes sparking with memories as he gazed upon the sites that had been the center of his world while he was growing up, filled your heart with such love for him that you thought it might overflow or actually stop beating altogether. It didn’t seem possible that a heart could contain so much feeling without simply ceasing to function.

There was one place Bradley hadn’t yet taken you though.

The cemetery.

You knew he wanted to. It was the main reason you were here in Virginia.

“I want you to meet my parents,” he’d told you seriously, when he first proposed the trip. “You know, if that’s not weird for you,” he’d quickly amended, the tips of his ears turning pink as he averted his gaze in shy embarrassment.

“Of course not,” you’d assured him, lacing your fingers through his and squeezing his arm comfortingly. The truth was, you’d never been so touched by an invitation. “I want to meet your parents, too.”

Today was your last day here, so you knew it had to be today. But you had a feeling that Bradley was anxious about it, so you wanted him to get as much rest as he needed. Leaning over in bed, you pressed a tender kiss to his forehead before silently slipping out from underneath the covers, tucking them around his still body and carefully tiptoeing out of the bedroom.

Aunt Betty had mentioned the evening before that she was working an early shift at the hospital today, so you knew she was already gone as you made your way to the bathroom for a quick shower. You dressed with care, choosing a pair of jeans and a flattering sweater that you knew would keep you warm in the chill November air. Once your hair and make-up were done, you took a step back to critically examine yourself in the mirror. You’d met boyfriends’ parents in the past, but nothing felt as momentous as this. Even though you knew you wouldn’t actually be getting to “meet” Goose and Carole, the need to make a good impression hung urgently in the air all the same. As anxious as you knew Bradley was feeling, you were feeling rather nervous yourself.

Walking into the kitchen, you scribbled a quick note to Bradley, letting him know that you were going to run a couple errands and that you would be back soon, just in case he awoke before you returned.

Just as you were walking out to the car you and Bradley had rented, your phone suddenly buzzed with an incoming text message.

How’s it going?

It was Maverick. You smiled, grateful for what a dear friend Bradley’s godfather had become to you in the months that you had known him.

Really well! I think Bradley’s happy to be here.

Has he taken you to Rosewood yet?

Maverick knew better than anyone the main reason why you and Bradley were here. He and Bradley both tried to visit Goose and Carole as often as possible, and it had been a while since either of them had been able to get here.

We’re going today. Bradley’s still sleeping. I think both of us are a little nervous.

They would love you.

You felt tears welling up in your eyes at Mav’s message, knowing how heartfelt it was and how much it meant coming from him.

Thank you, Mav ❤️

Talk to you soon, kid.

Putting your phone away, you jumped in the car, wanting to get through these errands as quickly as possible so that you could get back to Bradley.

When you returned back to the house a half an hour later, dropping the car keys on the kitchen counter, you could hear movement in the bedroom.

“Honey? Is that you?” Bradley called out, the sound of a door opening down the hallway followed by the patter of footsteps on the carpeted floor.

“Mhm,” you called back, setting the tray you were holding down on the table. “I went to grab coffee from the diner,” you explained, smiling when you suddenly felt a strong pair of arms wrapped around your waist. “Good morning,” you greeted him, your cheeks flushing pleasantly when he pressed soft kisses to your neck.

“Good morning,” Bradley murmured, his voice still thick with sleepiness despite the fact that he had clearly showered and gotten himself dressed for the day. “Thank you for the coffee,” he added, nuzzling your cheek affectionately as he reached to grab the cup that was marked Black.

Stepping back for a moment, he looked you up and down appreciatively, his free hand resting on your waist. “You look beautiful, honey,” he told you, his eyes warm as he took a sip of his coffee.

You flushed happily at the compliment, glancing down at the outfit you had carefully selected. “You think it’s alright?” you asked self-consciously. “I have another sweater I could—”

Bradley cut you off with a kiss, his lips tasting strongly of dark roast coffee. “It’s perfect,” he assured you, brushing a loose lock of hair behind your ear. “You’re perfect.”

You smiled, resting your hand over his. “I know how important today is for you,” you said softly, gazing up at him. “I want you to know it’s important for me, too.”

Setting down his coffee cup, Bradley swallowed deeply, suddenly looking a bit overcome. He pulled you into his arms, holding you close and not saying anything for several minutes. You just wrapped your arms around him and let him sway gently, rocking back and forth.

“I’ve never wanted to bring anyone with me to see my parents,” Bradley admitted hoarsely, reaching up to stroke your cheeks with his calloused thumbs. “I’ve always gone to see them by myself. You’re the first person I’ve ever wanted to take with me. I’m so glad you’re here with me,” he whispered, burying his face in your hair and pulling you close to his chest.

“I’m glad I’m here, too,” you whispered in return, stroking his back soothingly.

The two of you stood like that, locked in each other’s arms, for a while before Bradley finally took a step back, clearing his throat. “I have a couple things to put in the car and then I’ll be ready to go, okay?” he asked, squeezing your hand in his.

You nodded, smiling. “Oh, baby? I picked something else up while I was getting the coffee,” you told him, walking over to the bag you’d left by the door when you’d returned to the house. “I hope it’s okay. I know you mentioned they were your mom’s favorite, and I wanted to have something to bring for her,” you explained, suddenly feeling a little nervous as you pulled out the small bouquet of red roses you had purchased at a florist’s shop on your way back to the house.

Bradley was quiet as he stared at the flowers in your hand, and for a moment you worried that you had overstepped. Maybe he’d already picked something up for his mom. Maybe the bouquet wasn’t big enough and he wanted to leave something nicer for his mother, but now he was going to feel forced to leave it because you had gone and picked it up without talking to him about it first. Maybe…

Your mind was in such turmoil that you didn’t even realize Bradley had moved until he was suddenly pulling the flowers out of your hands, laying them on the kitchen counter and wrapping his arms around you once more. He was silent, but you could sense the slight shudder running down his spine as you held him close, and feel the tears that were leaking onto your shoulder.

“What did I ever do to deserve you?” Bradley rasped, his mouth close to your ear as his face remained hidden by your hair. “I love you. I love you so much.”

“I love you, too, honey,” you murmured, gently pulling his head back so that you could look him in the eye. The emotion was written plainly across his face as you leaned up on your tiptoes to press a kiss to his lips.

“The flowers are beautiful, baby,” Bradley told you, glancing over at the bouquet once again. “My mom would love them.”

“I’m glad,” you smiled warmly, feeling proud that you had picked out something Carole would have liked.

“Let me pack up the car, and then we’ll be good to go,” Bradley said, dropping a kiss to your forehead before hurrying out of the room to go grab the things he needed.

Ten minutes later, you and Bradley were making your way towards Rosewood Cemetery, Bradley holding your hand tightly in his as he maneuvered the steering wheel down the small, winding roads. You knew he was nervous. You could feel it in the way he was gripping your hand, his thumb brushing absent-mindedly across your skin. You were nervous, too, your heart pounding in your chest the closer you came to the cemetery.

The car was quiet as you pulled through the gates a few minutes later. Bradley had turned the radio off not long after you got into the car, and neither of you had said anything since. You kept your eyes fixed on the grassy hills in front of you, lined with the tombs of all those who had been loved and lost over the course of generations.

After taking a few sharp turns on the tight, curving paths, Bradley finally stopped the car and put it in park. But he didn’t move. His one hand was still gripping yours, the other clenching the steering wheel tightly.

“Bradley?” you asked gently, not wanting to push him, but also wanting to make sure he was okay.

“I’m sorry, baby,” Bradley murmured, as if suddenly realizing what a mental fog he’d been in. He loosened his grip on your hand immediately, lightly massaging your knuckles with his fingers. “I just…”

“Is everything okay?” you asked, resting a comforting hand on his arm.

He swallowed nervously, seeming almost unable to turn and fully meet your gaze. “It’s just—when I come to visit my parents, I usually stay for a while. A few hours. I sit and I talk with them, you know? Like they’re still here. Like we’re having a conversation.” He swallowed again, suddenly fidgeting in the driver’s seat. “And well—I realize now that that might seem a little weird. And if it makes you uncomfortable, we don’t have to stay that long. It’s just something I’ve always done, but like I said, I always come by myself and so…”

Bradley’s sentence trailed off as he rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly, still not looking you in the eye.

It dawned on you in that moment that Bradley was nervous not because he didn’t want to bring you here, but because he was feeling self-conscious about what you would think, watching him interact with his deceased parents. You couldn’t blame him for that. What he was doing today, what he was inviting you to be a part of, was probably the most intimate and vulnerable thing he had done in the nearly nine months you’d known him. He was opening his heart to you in a way he had admitted he’d never done with any other person. And you felt privileged to be a part of that.

“Bradley,” you murmured softly, reaching over and cupping his face in your hands. “Baby, look at me,” you urged gently, waiting until he had lifted his brown eyes to meet your gaze. “Honey, I think it’s beautiful, the relationship you have with your parents. I think it’s beautiful that you spend this time with them. You don’t ever have to feel embarrassed or ashamed about that. This is your time to be with them, and I’m just so grateful that you want me here for that. We will stay here as long as you want to.”

Nodding his head slowly, Bradley grasped one of your hands in both of his and lifted it to his lips, kissing it softly. “Thank you, baby. Thank you.”

Taking a breath, Bradley opened his door and stepped out of the car, hurrying around to your side so that he could open your door as well. Grasping your hand, he helped you step out, then moved to the trunk of the car.

While you grabbed the bouquet of flowers for Carole, Bradley grabbed the large throw blanket and thermos he’d packed earlier, slamming the trunk door down with his elbow.

“Don’t want you getting grass stains or freezing out here,” he grinned, holding up the items with a soft chuckle.

That was your Bradley. Thoughtful and selfless beyond all measure. Goose and Carole would be so proud of the man their son had grown up to be.

“Ready?” Bradley asked as he came to stand beside you, juggling the blanket and thermos in one arm so that he could wrap his other around your waist.

“Ready,” you nodded, allowing him to lead you up the footpath.

The two of you walked for a couple minutes until Bradley stopped at a particular row, then took a right and led you to a spot beneath the shade of a stunningly beautiful red maple tree. November really had been a perfect time to visit.

Bradley’s hand slipped inside yours as he brought you before a large tombstone, BRADSHAW etched in bold letters across the stone face.

“Hi, Mom and Dad,” he breathed out, squeezing your hand gently as he smiled down at their gravestone.

Your heart skipped several beats as you gazed at the names carved into the stone—Lieutenant Nicholas Anthony Bradshaw and Carole Marie Bradshaw. What struck you even more deeply were the dates underneath Bradley’s father’s name—July 19, 1962-July 29th, 1986. Goose Bradshaw had died just ten days after his 24th birthday. So young. So much left to live for. So much that he never got to see.

Including the man who was standing beside you.

“I know it’s been a little while since I last visited. I can just imagine what you’re saying, Mom,” Bradley grinned ruefully. “But I had good reasons, I swear. And I’m hoping today’s visit will make up for it. I brought someone that I wanted you both to meet,” he said softly, turning his head to gaze over at you tenderly. “And she’s pretty amazing.”

You blushed slightly at that, a soft breeze rustling through the red maple and lifting your hair off your shoulders as you smiled down at Bradley’s parents’ grave. “Hi,” you greeted them softly, feeling a little shy at first, but bolstered by the feel of Bradley’s strong hand on your lower back. You introduced yourself by name, grinning warmly. “Bradley’s told me so much about you both that I feel like I know you already,” you added, suddenly remembering the bouquet you held in your hand. “Carole—oh, I mean, Mrs. Bradshaw—”

“She’d want you to call her Carole, trust me,” Bradley laughed, rubbing your back in slow circles.

“Carole,” you said again, smiling. “Bradley told me how much you love red roses, so I brought you some,” you explained, carefully settling the flowers into the small vase that was resting at the base of the tombstone. As you straightened up, you turned to look at Bradley. “Oh, I should have brought something for your dad. I feel terrible.”

Bradley smiled, shaking his head. “Knowing him, he’d say it was all about Mom anyway,” he told you with a wink. “I’m sure he’s happy with the roses.”

Chucking you under the chin affectionately, Bradley laid the large throw blanket out on the grass, the two of you working together to stretch it out flat on the ground before taking a seat upon it.

“There’s so much that’s happened since I was last here,” Bradley murmured, running a hand through his hair. “I feel like I don’t even know where to start.”

“I’m sure they want to hear it all,” you assured him, pressing a tender kiss to his shoulder. “Just start from the beginning of wherever you last left off,” you encouraged him.

So he did.

You rested comfortably against your boyfriend’s side as he regaled his parents with tales of getting recalled to TOPGUN, of the uranium mission, of his reconciliation with Maverick, and all the new friends he’d made along the way, friends who had become like family. He told them about getting to be part of a special squadron stationed at North Island, how he now got to remain in San Diego, which was why it had been so long since he’d been able to travel back home.

And then he told them about how he met you.

“You were right, Mom. I know you love hearing that,” Bradley grinned, resting an arm around your shoulders. “You were always right. It happened just like you told me it would. I saw her in the middle of The Hard Deck, and it felt like the whole world stopped turning.”

“You’d be very proud of him, Goose,” you chimed in, laughing brightly. “He caught my attention with a very rousing performance of Great Balls of Fire.”

The next couple hours flew happily by, you and Bradley laughing until your sides hurt as you recalled the various antics of your friends and all the adventures—and misadventures—the two of you had gotten into since your lives had intersected. You couldn’t help but smile from ear to ear as Bradley shared with you stories of his parents, and the shenanigans they had been known for, especially whenever they were with Maverick.

As the late fall sun began making its slow descent across the sky, Bradley sobered slightly and took a deep breath as he turned his focus once more to his parents’ tombstone.

“Alright, Mom and Dad. It’s getting late and I think we talked your ears off enough,” he said, slowly rising from his spot on the ground. Letting out a soft groan as he stretched his back, he reached his hands down and helped you rise up as well. “I promise I’m going to get back here soon to visit you guys again.”

“It was wonderful getting to spend the day with you,” you added, holding the thermos in your hands as Bradley folded up the throw blanket. You paused for a moment, before continuing. “Thank you for the gift of your son. He’s an amazing man, and I know that’s because of the two of you.”

Bradley’s head shot up, and he looked a bit startled by your words. “Honey,” he murmured softly, the tips of his ears turning pink in a way that had nothing to do with the autumn chill.

“What? You complimented me enough in front of them,” you teased, leaning over to press a kiss to his cheek.

He chuckled at that, wrapping an arm around your shoulders. “Goodbye, Mom and Dad. I love you,” he said quietly, pressing a kiss to his fingers before laying them atop their gravestone.

“Goodbye, Goose and Carole,” you murmured, mimicking Bradley’s farewell kiss.

The two of you were quiet as Bradley took your hand and led you back to the car, quickly dropping the blanket and thermos back into the trunk before opening the passenger door for you. As soon as you were both in the car, he turned and took you into his arms, cradling the back of your head in his hand.

“Today meant so much to me, honey. More than you can even know. Thank you,” he whispered, tears welling up in his eyes as he rested his forehead against yours.

“Thank you for trusting me, baby. Thank you for bringing me here,” you replied, stroking his cheek delicately. “This was so special.”

“You’re so special, baby. And I just know my parents would have adored you. I know they’re looking down and that they’re so happy that I found you,” he told you, kissing you softly.

Pressing one last kiss to the back of your hand, Bradley put the car in drive and began to pull away, a light breeze picking up once more as you began the drive out of the cemetery.

And as the two of you drove away, a few delicate red rose petals floated on the breeze behind you, a little goodbye kiss from two people whose love would always be stronger than separation and death.

[petrikovphd]

My cohesive thoughts on the finale (petrigrof), very long, please read and feel free to leave comments! Full breakdown of what I think happened (everything is nuanced)

I want to begin with a thought. GOLBetty cannot speak to Simon out loud. One good blow was enough to send Simon all of the way to Ooo. When he went to put on that crown, after talking to her, she needed to do something rash to stop him. I think that's why she made Simon take control of Shermy's body.

We could all see how focused he was on finding the crown. He thought it was the right thing to do. He wasn't going to stop, and she couldn't yell to get his attention. His eyes were closed. He was ignoring what she sacrificed for him, her mortal life, in favor of the crown. He wasn't prioritizing his own life, either, now. He said it himself. Once he was in Shermy's body, he was still so desperate to find that crown.

In the game, we see Casper show that same drive to find the crown. Time and time again, Simon sides with Casper because Casper is a direct parallel to Simon's desires both now and, I'd imagine, during his expedition to find the crown in the first place with Betty originally.

I'm theorizing that the book game, altogether, was placed into that universe by GOLBetty herself. It was written by and created to directly communicate with Simon.

She can't talk, after all.

She's baited him with the information about the crown to make him consider all of the sacrifice she's made for him to get this far. She's made her point.

I don't think that the point was that Simon made her do all of those things, just as Casper didn't ask Nova to jump into that doorway. Those were just the only two options they knew of. They either did do it, or they didn't. As Simon said, he wished that there was another third option. A better option.

I think that comment, and Nova throwing herself in the doorway, is a direct callback to Betty becoming GOLB in the first place. Simon didn't ask her to stay there with the crown and make her wish. Betty chose that. Nova chose to grab the door to help Casper.

They both considered their lives unworthy in the face of someone else's.

Simon didn't want Betty to die. Betty didn't want Simon to forget her forever. There was no better third option. That was just where their choices led them.

He realizes that Betty was always making those sacrifices for him, and, as soon as he can speak to her, Simon is desperate to apologize. He's desperate to tell her that he's sorry, that he didn't want any of this, that he should've known better and not stood by and let her let him call the shots.

That wasn't his fault, though.

He thought back on that memory of the bus stop, and GOLBetty took that as another chance to communicate with him. She used that as an opportunity to speak to him again. To let him talk to her again, to agree to go on the trip-... but it didn't make him feel better.

Simon didn't get on that bus. That wasn't realistic. That wasn't an option. He didn't have a ticket, he wasn't registered- It was either she got to go alone, or he made her stay behind.

Simon's showing Betty that he's going to be more thoughtful going forward.

He's letting her go on her trip, this time. He's letting her discover herself, and he's taking the time to discover himself too.

GOLBetty being shown on that bus, and the destination changing, shows that she's going to do what she wants now to.

She's a god now. She made that decision on her own, and she has no regrets- she doesn't want Simon to keep killing himself inside out of guilt and trying to fix him for the rest of his life. She wants him to live his life while she's away. To, metaphorically, go on that expedition on his own while she's on her research trip.

They'll meet again someday.

Until then,

The dandelion metaphor extends to Simon being blown away as well. GOLBetty is wishing for him to keep going. She's sending him home with the knowledge that they're equals now. They've communicated now. They've said everything that's unsaid. They both might've been able to do better, but things happened the way that they did, and they're both going to keep going.

Their love was a great experience, but they're on different planes of existence now. They're still living on. Until they meet again. This might look like a goodbye, sure, but GOLB is everywhere that chaos lurks. Betty is everywhere in the universe.

I think she'll still keep him safe.

He's GOLB's favorite, now, and he'll get butterfly kisses and happy coincidences from the universe for sure.

Where is Betty going? Who knows. Maybe he'll see her again.

[wisasslocs]

You know what I really appreciate about Fiona and Cake is that they make Fiona different from Finn.

Finn is a hero, a good guy that tries his best to help as many people as he can, and (for the most part) respects everyone. While he is a flawed hero at least we know he will always try his best to do good. Fiona we learn isn’t quite like that. She has hurt a lot of people and doesn’t think twice about it, and she isn’t sympathetic to Simon’s situation. UNTIL RECENTLY!

She didn’t grow up in Ooo surrounded by people calling her a hero, and she didn’t have a Jake to give her advice and to lead her in the right direction or go through all the hardships and heartbreak that Finn went through to become the man he is today. Technically, she is an emotionally battered 28 year old who wanted to leave her boring existence for something fantastical. Like most of us she is a bit selfish, depressed, and just trying her best to figure shit out. And that is enough to make you kinda apathetic towards life around you. Until she starts noticing that her actions have TRUE CONSEQUENCES, that Simon isn’t a sad old guy but a man who has lived through more heart break then anyone should, starts to get a glimpse into how messed up the crown can make someone and sees that this isn’t just a fun adventure, but an adventure that could potentially hurt the people she cares about most! People have DIED and sacrificed themselves just to help them! And she is becoming more conflicted, becoming more thoughtful, more heroic, more sympathetic as the show goes on. But she is stumbling through it because she is just starting to become a hero like Finn is.

Let me say that at the beginning I didn’t like Fiona at all, I was expecting someone based on the hero that we love but she is not Finn, she is Fiona, a mess of a person. But as the recent episodes have shown she is just as brave and just as good hearted as Finn. She listens to Simon talk about Betty, doesn’t hesitate to help people in the vampire world, and is so scared of losing cake or her world potentially being changed for the worse instead better. So far she is the only one to discourage Simon from putting on the crown again because she realizes from just one video of him when he was Ice King that it would change him for the worse (similar to how Finn and Jake found out that Ice King wasn’t always a messed up weirdo). The line she says “we’re all gonna die, shouldn’t we die as ourselves?” Really hit home for this series as its based a lot around self-identity. Her change these last few episodes really shines through and I feel by the end of this series she too will be a great hero.

[hugs4lifesworld]

Never mind - Peter Parker x Stark! reader

Former relationship between peter and reader but it has been bad since Tony died. Reader is friends with Flash and met him before Peter from galas, charity things, and other events. In some ways he knows her better than anyone else. Very little of Peter.

"I can't believe you're really making me go." I grumble to Happy as he half drags, half guides me into the airport carrying my luggage given my refusal to even going on this trip. Happy having heard my complaints, bargaining, and weak threats the whole way continues to ignore me which he has done for the past half hour after simply arguing "Maybe this will be good for you." We make it to the large group of teenagers I call classmates where I am finally released only to be surrounded by my friends. As they chatter away I catch a glimpse of Happy speaking to the two teachers who are chaperoning before leaving. I roll my eyes and sit down beside Michelle knowing I won't get far if I even try to escape.

Before long the last member of the class comes and we go through to our gate. After that we board our plane. Out of habit I follow Flash to the first class area where we both have seats reserved, should we choose to use them. I laugh at him when the stewardess takes the drink from him when Michelle rats that he was blipped and therefore not 21. The two of us are instructed to sit with the rest of the class until after take off. We comply and I end up by Brad and Flash is a few rows back. In the seat across from me is Michelle with Betty beside her. The crew begins their safety demonstration and then we take off.

Flash and I decide to stay with the rest of the class for the time being and he sleeps while I continue the book I have been reading. Roughly half way into the flight I finish the book and am not tired. The cabin crew is also making rounds, checking on everyone so it would be pointless to even attempt to sleep. Looking around the cabin I catch Peter's eyes already looking at me, feelings I have been pushing down bubble and overwhelm me and I have to rip my eyes away. Sighing, I divert my gaze onto the screen in front of me so they don't gravitate back to Peter. 'Might as well' I think before grabbing the headphones and putting them on. I reach forward flicking on the screen and pushing the listening option. Scrolling through I find only audiobooks about The Avengers, some older books about Steve and one on the blip.

I simultaneously feel angry, annoyed, and get a lump in my throat and my eyes burn. Quickly switching to the in-flight movies I hope and pray that it's something different. I quickly find that they are different but this is worse, so much worse.

All I see are "documentaries" on my dad. My breath hitches and the more I scroll through the less I seem to be able to catch my breath. I am startled when I feel a hand on my arm and look to see it's Flash giving me a questioning look and I nod. I know he doesn't believe me but he, thankfully, lets it go for now. I switch the screen off, practically ripping the headphones off. Michelle looks over at me while Betty gasps "Y/n!" causing several members of our class including Brad, Ned, and Peter to look at me which I try my best to ignore.

Just then a stewardess walks by, "Excuse me." I say to the blonde woman who has an incredibly fake smile plastered on her face. I think I catch the end of an eye roll as she turns to me answering, "Yes, how can I help you?". "Do you happen to have any other movies?" I ask her hoping I don't have too much emotion in my voice. Because Ned, Flash, MJ, and Peter are all focused on me but I can tell I failed. "I'm afraid we don't, Miss. I'm sorry." she answers and goes to walk away "How about a book then?" I ask her. With a barely concealed sigh she answers "I'll check." and she leaves. She is back in a few minuets with 3 books. Glancing at the spines I read the titles. Once again they are about the Avengers and the blip, Steve, and my father. This time I don't bother to hide anything, with a heavy sigh and a seemingly exasperated tone I ask. "Do you have anything that's NOT about Tony Stark? A magazine, anything?" I stress. "No, Ma'-" I interrupt "Fine, a sleeping pill then?" I ask snapping at her trying to keep from crying. she scoffs and straitens wiping the fake grin from her plump red lips and narrowing her brown eyes at me. "What is your problem?" She questions me and I shoot back "I just don't want to read or listen to anything about Tony Stark!" I exclaim thankful the two teachers are sleeping and I easily ignore everyone else.

She gapes at me looking indignant "How dare you. Tony Stark was an amazing man who sacrificed everything." she practically yells at me. "Never mind." I huff out sitting back in my seat "I don't want to hear about it. Okay?" I tell her in a clipped tone.

"Tony Stark was the founder and leader of the Avengers! He housed S.H.E.I.L.D. He was an incredibly selfless man who died for the world." She raises her voice slightly becoming more frantic as she speaks. I only hold my tongue for a few moments before I burst. Jumping to my feet "Okay. First, he was not the founder of the Avengers. That was Nick Fury who came up with the original idea and Phil Coulson and Maria Hill helped execute said idea. Second, He was not the leader. Steve Rogers is," I pause "Was. Captain America was the leader. Tony did however pay for everything. Third, He never housed S.H.E.I.L.D, only gave former agents new jobs. Finally, He was an incredibly selfish man." I list off, finishing emotionally and scornfully before rushing away only barely taking notice of Flash angrily send her away to get the head steward and not come back.

Leaning on the sink I heave, trying to catch my breath and not let the sobs out but one escapes.

Then another...

And another.

Crap.

Next thing I know I'm in the hallway between coach and first class and Peter is kneeling in front of me telling me to breathe. The black at the edges of my vision slowly recedes and I can hear Flash shouting at who I assume is the head stewardess. I gather myself and push Peter away and stand. "I'm fine. You can go." I tell him making my way back to Flash and our seats to gather my things before he can say anything. "You and your staff should read the manifest." Flash states as I shoulder my bag. "I'm sorry, sir, but your friend was belligerent and Mr. Stark was a hero." She says trying to dismiss the issue. "If you had read the manifest you would have seen that Y/N Stark was on this flight. If anyone has the right to be selfish, it's her." He bites to her and snatches up his bag, I assume from the sound.

The last thing I hear before passing through the curtain to first class is "She is his daughter after all." and him stomping after me. Throwing ourselves in our new plush seats we sigh and Flash silently reaches over putting his hand on mine and we sit that way in silence for a while until he squeezes my hand. "What's going on in that head of yours?" He asks. My first response is a simple shrug but he gives me a look and I can't help sighing again, "I just still can't believe they made me come on this stupid trip." I tell him. "Maybe they thought it would be good for you." He tells me. "Yeah, right." I reply with a scoff.

"They get five years with him and I ... lost five. Sure, I'm not the only one in the world. No one else got blipped, came back, had to fight, and then watch their dad sacrifice himself." Feeling the tickle of the tears I angrily wipe my face and sniff before continuing, "Then I go home and find my dad married Pepper, which is great and I love her, she is the only mom I've ever known and on top of it I have a little sister." Flash just lets me rant. "Then, I have to go to work helping everyone else. I didn't even get to hug him or tell him I love him." I finally burst and Flash pulls me into a hug, holding me as I cry. Eventually succumbing to my emotions and exhaustion and falling asleep in one of my best friends arms.

A few hours later I'm lightly shaken awake by Flash so he can tell me we will be landing soon. I sit up staring at the floor before whispering "Thank you." to Flash who squeezes my shoulder as if to say "no problem" while holding out my make up bag out to me in the other. I raise an eyebrow at him and he simply said "Parker brought it.". I grab it with a huff and stand knowing I'm going to have to talk to him ... eventually. I make my way to the restroom I had previously tried to gain control in with a new determination but find the door locked. I stand and wait for only a few seconds before the door swings open to reveal Peter. Once he sees me his eyes widen and he slams the door. Okay I think and see Brad coming so I decide to try another restroom to fix my make up so when we land I will appear to be all together, just in case.

It only takes me about seven minuets to redo my makeup and make sure my hair is presentable. Once I finish that I go back to my seat, buckle my seat belt, and wait for the plane to land. "Your teachers want you to disembark the plane with the rest of your class." The head steward appears and instructs Flash and I and I simply roll my eyes while Flash gives a simple nod and she disappears.

"So, why are you pissed at Parker?" Flash asks as the plane slowly descends. "I'm not." I say. "That's bullshit and you know it." He shoots back. With a sigh I try again, "I'm not pissed at him. Why do you think that?". He gives me a look and answers "You two were good together. As much as I hate it. You were happy and now you'll barely even look at him." He points out. "We both have a lot of things to work out ... with my dad and stuff. You know the internship." I shrug. "So talk to him." "It's not that easy." I answer. He just looks at me as we land on the tarmac.

The plane finally comes to a stop and Flash and I join our class to disembark. Somehow I end up by Peter, MJ, Ned, and Betty. It is quickly revealed that Betty and Ned are dating. After a few awkward interactions between peter and I, the whole class exits the airport. With that our trip officially begins.

[rythmicjea]

On the last day of summer vacation... The Writer and His Muse

Full disclosure, I wrote another version of this last night. It was... factually correct. But it just wasn't good. So I saved it and took a few steps away and realized what I was supposed to be writing. I apologize now this is going to be long.

When I came up with the idea to write this series, I wasn't sure of the structure. If I'm honest, I still don't know lol. And after being called the "Riverdale Analysis Auteur" (thank you @storkmuffin ❤️), I promise to do the utmost to put forth only my best for you. There isn't going to be an uploading schedule so follow the tag "Code Word Jeronica" to see when I post.

My intention with this is to show that from the pilot there has always been the opportunity for Jeronica. I know what you're saying "there's an opportunity for ALL pairings."

And, yes, while you are correct. There were some possibilities that were more feasible than others (Sorry Jarchies!). For the skeptics out there, the showrunners did chemistry tests with so many pairings. Cole even admitted that he did one with Cami and he was open to a Jughead/Veronica relationship "It's the CW, anything can happen"! Coding isn't always intentional or needs to be taken seriously. And that's okay. As a writer myself, I understand the "side character curse" all too well.

With all of that being said, I will only be focusing on the evidence we get in the show itself. I may reference the comics sporadically (like how Jughead and Veronica have been paired up/dated several times in the comics, throughout the comic's history. Below is a picture from Pep #154 in 1962!) but I'll never reference anything outside of the source material as evidence.

The Writer and His Muse

It's established from the pilot that Jughead is a writer, an aspiring novelist. All writers need a muse. Something that inspires them to put pen to paper. In Greek Mythology, Muse was a Greek Goddess who gave inspiration to all. Often, a muse is referred to as a beautiful woman but it can be anything. The show Riverdale is the muse for fanfiction writers who write in the universe. Jughead has several muses throughout the show. He goes through various tribulations with his writing. We see him suffer with writer's block, make a deal with the devil (both Jugheads in Rivervale), and we know that the story that put him on the map was a telling of him and his friends.

In the overall show we know of five big stories that Jughead writes. Jason Blossom's murder, The Red Dahlia, Killing Mr. Honey, The Outcasts, and Bend. Towards. Justice. All follow a pretty basic plotline. Something happens, a group of teens have to investigate, there's a surprise twist, and then a resolution.

But, through all of these he has one muse that is constant. Would you believe me if I told you it was our fair Veronica? Because it is. Before you ask "What about Betty?", let me ask you the same. What about her? She is a character in his stories. Sometimes she's the main character. But being the main character and being a muse are two very different things. Veronica's presence in his stories symbolize different major elements to a story. More than any other Riverdale character.

Throughout the series we see Jughead struggle with his writing. His father tells him to keep writing as a way to get out of Riverdale and not get caught up with the Serpents. We see him have profound writer's block, plagiarize another author, change the way he writes due to his disability, and physically lose his ability to write. His writer's block, and the complications with it, start in season 5 and aren't resolved until season 6.

Here's an unexpected bonus from helping Veronica...

...I started writing again.

She is, and has always been, his muse. This is the first time he acknowledges it, but the clues have been there since day one.

Jason Blossom's Murder

The first story begins with the pilot's very first scene. It also introduces the audience to a concept called "The Center of a Story". The center of a story is just how it sounds. It is the element that brings everyone together. However, while this can be the main character and what that character goes through, it can simply be a person or place that has very little interaction at all with the main story. In a murder mystery, which Season 1 is, the center of a story can be the murder victim. In telling that story we can either have flashbacks of the person's life up until they are killed; or, they are simply the reason why everyone comes together (and not even just to find out why. Sometimes the why isn't necessary).

Jason Blossom is the center of the story. It's all about finding out who killed him. But the muse of the story? The hook? The character's entrance that actually connects everyone together? That's Veronica. "On the last day of summer vacation, a new mystery rolled into town." Jason's murder is the B-plot of the season. It might have kicked everything off, and the action might be connected to him, but it's not the entire reason why Jughead is writing this book. In fact, the opening soliloquy says:

Our story is about a town, a small town, and the people who live in the town. From a distance it presents itself like so many other small towns all over the world. Safe, decent, innocent. Get closer though? And you start seeing the shadows underneath. The name of our town is Riverdale.

The story was never about Jason Blossom.

The Red Dahlia

I'm not going to touch on this much, because I have a whole post planned just about this episode. But, I want to point out that out of all of the stories we see him write, this is the only story that focuses solely on one character. It's completely about Veronica. She, like Jason, is the catalyst. The difference is that, unlike Jason, she plays a major role.

Killing Mr. Honey

In his last story to submit to the University of Iowa, it's about how seven teenagers try to get rid of their unethical and overbearing principal. We have known up to this point that Jughead loves horror. He likes to write "Lovecraftian" style stories. The difference between the two are HPL rejected morality. He considered himself a "Morality Atheist". Jughead, on the other hand, loves morality tales. (In 1955 there's a whole episode about it.) This is most evident in this telling. Each character represents an architype. Veronica, arguably, is the most important architype. She represents morality. She's the only one who really challenges what they are doing. Specifically, Jughead. At face value someone can go "Well, Jughead and Veronica aren't friends so it makes sense". First off, no, they very much are friends. But, second, if they weren't, why put her in such a place of honor. In actuality, given his character in the show (and the comics), Archie should be the moral compass of the story.

The Outcasts

The Outcasts is really the only story that we have very little knowledge of. I freely admit that for evidence, it's the weakest of the five. It presents coded details for the audience to infer their meaning. Jughead is the Viper Leader, the Serpents are the Vipers, but is Betty The Homecoming Queen? Most likely. The co-ed he takes home tells him that he wrote a "very sexy book" in regards to the Viper Leader and the Homecoming Queen. However, in his drunken voicemail, he lambasts Betty. One line in particular stands out "You're a cold, fake, duplicitous bitch. And once people read my book, everyone's going to see that". Now, we don't know what is in the book (Kind of wish they'd released it) and it could end with the Homecoming Queen cheating on the Viper Leader with the Football Captain (I'm inferring that that would be Archie's character). Or, they could have lived happily ever after. Or... using the ambiguity to stretch the possibility... the Homecoming Queen could have been Veronica.

Why? Well, there's a reason why the Enemies to Lovers trope is so popular. What better way to get back at your ex for cheating but to immortalize their best friend (who was also cheated on by your best friend) as the true-love-fairy-tale-princess of your wildly popular NYT best seller?

Bend. Towards. Justice.

The last story we see Jughead write is when they've been taken back to 1955. 7x01 is very reminiscent of the pilot. But, for Jughead and his writing, it's always been in the details. Season 7 is my favorite season, and trust me, I have a lot to say about what happens. So, I'll keep this brief. Even when he describes Tabitha it's very factual. There's no emotion. He lists who she is and the reason why she might know what's going on. Please don't take this to mean that at this point he isn't still in love with her, because he very much is. When he sees her, he doesn't know the 1955 version isn't his girlfriend. He keeps all of his emotions bottled up until he can figure out a plan. And to spare her from any craziness because her memories also might be gone. Up until this point, everyone's description is "This person is here, and this is who they are". Including himself.

For starters I live in an abandoned train car with Hot Dog which... actually tracks... Betty and Kevin aren't merely friends, they're dating. Cheryl's twin brother is alive, but he's not Jason, he's Julian. No sign of a Reggie yet. But Archie exists and he's pretty much a teen Charles Atlas... I've been waiting to reconnect with the one person who might shed some light on our predicament because she was both Chronokenetic and the town's guardian angel. My girlfriend, Tabitha Tate.

He mentions that all of this information is "overwhelming, heartbreaking". But he doesn't say why because there are many reasons why. His best friends don't remember anything. Do they even really know him? With one one question he realizes that the person he loves doesn't love him back. But he breaks this way of introducing the "characters" when he introduces Veronica. It's all emotion. There's even a sexy jazz trumpet riff announcing her.

"Damn..." His thoughts whispered to him breathlessly. "Even in 1955, Veronica Lodge still knew how to make an entrance." He goes from boredom to attention. He straightens his shoulders, he sits up to see her better, and he doesn't blink. Like everyone else, and very unlike him, his whole attention is on her.

THE PILOT

Now that we've gone through the five major stories we know he writes, let's go back to the end to see the beginning. The last episode of the entire series ends with a typewriter. All of the stories mentioned above are stories written within the main one. Riverdale itself is a story (possibly Archie Comics fanfiction) written by Jughead.

The pilot itself, as all TV shows, has a narrative woven throughout. There's characters, conflict, plot, etc. Though the episode opens with Jason's murder the pilot was never about that. Hell, Jughead is barely featured in it. We see him two significant times. The first time is two minutes in, where he's drinking his coffee writing his story. And he says the classic line, "We were still talking about the Fourth of July tragedy on the last day of summer vacation, when a new mystery rolled into town." We are introduced to Veronica Lodge, by Jughead, right after we're introduced to him. At this point he's only named Cheryl and Jason Blossom as that is the impetus for this show/season. "There needs to be a dead body".

The pilot is about Veronica. She moves to Riverdale, she meets Archie and Betty, she mentions Our Town, and her desire for Archie is established. Compared to Veronica, it takes 8 minutes to mention Jason again and 10 minutes to bring him back into the plot. Then nothing significant happens with him until the very end of the episode! But even after that brief interlude it's only 5 minutes later Veronica is given her first conflict. And by the halfway point, she's thoroughly decimated said conflict.

So, Miss Auteur, why are you bringing this up?

Because Riverdale was supposed to be about Archie. But by the end of the first half of the first episode Veronica is the only character to have a full plot arc and even an epilogue! More importantly, she is immediately woven into the fabric of the town. Even though the Varchie romance is introduced we must remember how the episode is being framed.

If you compare the narration to the writing on Jughead's laptop, it doesn't match up. Cole Sprouse might have read everything on said laptop and it was shortened for time. But, I wouldn't read too much into the discrepancies. I mean, the previous two pages are exact copies of each other lol. And while there might not be numbered pages it's at least four and I'm baffled about what he could have written prior to the opening lines. Also, as a writer, there are the things we think we're going to write and the things we actually do write (For example, I wrote a 16 chapter 100k+ Zack and Cody fanfic, and I didn't know the show existed! The Suite Adult Life). Our thoughts vs our words carry weight to a story. An argument can be made that either position is the most important. Is it better to write out that which we keep so closely guarded so it may live on in infamy? Or are the most profound thoughts those we keep closest to our chests?

Though one little line stands out when I do read it...

"See, the Blossoms had their tendrils wrapped around the entire town - no one wanted to make enemies of them."

Who is the person not wrapped up in their tendrils? And who immediately made an enemy of Cheryl Blossom?

Bisous, Bisous... Votre Auteur.

[astragreenwoode]

♡Truest Treasure (Adventure Time Petrigrof AU)♡ PT 4/?

(A/N: Part 4. We're getting into heavy angst territory, so be prepared. Sorry to put you guys through heartbreak.

If you are sensitive to themes such as child loss/miscarriage, suicidal ideation, extreme grief, and hospitals, either proceed with caution or feel free to avoid this part altogether. Remember to look out for yourselves.)

♡ My AU where pretty much everything is the same as in canon except Betty is unknowingly pregnant with her and Simon's daughter when she jumps through the portal.

Italics - A/N

Slashed Text - NSFW

Bold Text - Sensitive Topics

A Bump in the Road

♡ When they got to the Emergency Room, the nurses immediately wheeled Betty to an examination room once they saw the trail of blood behind her and Simon. But they needed him to stay behind. They needed help from the hospital security to practically pry them away from each other so they could treat her.

♡ After an hour of waiting when Betty was finally stabilized, Dr. Olson, came out to give Simon the bad news; Betty experienced a late miscarriage. But during their treatment, they had to strap her down to the bed and give her a sedative so she wouldn’t worsen her injuries.

♡ Betty’s situation was time-sensitive. She was in danger of getting an infection, so after updating Simon, Dr. Olson performed a surgical evacuation immediately.

♡ "Princess, we can have another baby. But I can't have another you."

♡ Given Betty’s medical history, a recorded suicide attempt when she was 13 years old, and how she was so distressed that they had to sedate and restrain her, Dr. Olson put her on Suicide Watch, just to be on the safe side.

♡ Up until this point, Simon didn’t know her struggles with her mental health were this severe.

♡ In the meantime, he called Betty’s mother and told her what was happening. She was at the hospital within five minutes.

♡ Alice Grof had trouble warming up to Simon from the beginning. She never liked how he stopped Betty from going on that trip to the Outback. But her daughter was happy, and that’s what mattered the most. And while their relationship wasn’t the warmest, they respected each other. She comforted Simon whilst Betty was still in surgery.

♡ Betty recovers in the hospital for five more days, drained both physically and emotionally. When she first wakes up following the procedure, she’s unresponsive, almost catatonic, and withdrawn from reality to process all the trauma of the whole situation. Simon and Alice make sure she’s never by herself during those five days.

♡ Alice stays with her daughter one day so that Simon can go to their apartment and bring some of Betty’s stuff to the hospital to help her not be as anxious during her stay.

♡ The day before they were ready to go back home, Alice offered to tidy the place up so Betty could recover in a clutter and stress-free environment. She cleaned the blood off their sheets and carpet, made everything neat, stocked their fridge and pantries with food, and made sure their bathroom had the necessary medical supplies to help the healing process. She also hid all items related to their lost baby in a trunk in their hall closet, out of sight, and waiting for whenever Simon and Betty were ready to try again.

♡ When they came back home, they took three weeks off of work so they could mourn their loss together.

♡ Betty returns to taking all her regular antidepressants and antipsychotics. They stabilize her mood and help keep her focused and ‘normal’ when she returns to work, but she’s still numb and withdrawn for a while.

♡ She visits with her mom more frequently, going over to her and her partner Suzanne’s house once a week. The visits help her in her grief.

♡ When Betty started getting her period again, her heart shattered all over again. Simon asked her mother to come over for a few days. 

♡ Proceeding with caution, Simon asks her about what he discovered in the hospital. He wants to understand her past struggles with her mental health; the suicidal ideation in her childhood, the self-harm tendencies, the OCD, the ADHD, the bipolar disorder she inherited from her mother, her past of pain, all of it. He wants to know so he can fully understand how to help her if she spirals again in the future. 

♡ It’s hard for her to open up about that.

♡ Betty avoids intimate and vulnerable situations with Simon for a while. He doesn’t mind at all and is willing to wait as long as she needs. The farthest she’s willing to go is cuddling with him in her underwear. Two months after coming back from the hospital, they graduate to taking showers together again.

♡ At night, Betty still holds Simon’s hand to her stomach as they sleep in bed.

♡ She can still feel their baby kicking from time to time, like experiencing phantom pain after losing a limb.

♡ In an effort to help Betty heal and get back to her old self, Simon surprises her by taking her on a two-week vacation to Ireland; Betty’s dream trip.

♡ A week into the trip, they retire to their suite early after having dinner at the hotel restaurant along with a bottle of wine. And for the first time since their loss, Betty lets Simon all the way in. That night, they unknowingly conceive their future daughter.

♡ The day before they fly back home to Seattle, Simon proposes. Betty says ‘yes.’ And after three months of sitting with their heartbreak, they feel hopeful for what the future might bring them again.

♡ Two months into their engagement, Simon embarks on a solo journey to follow up on a lead for an especially rare artifact.

♡ We all know what happens from here; what was meant as an innocent and playful gesture sparked earth-shattering consequences.

♡ Betty is absolutely petrified by her fiancee’s abrupt personality switch once he puts on the mysterious crown. That wasn't her Simon. So, when a portal to the future opens showing her the fiancee she knew and loved, she doesn’t think twice before she impulsively jumps through a thousand years and into the land of Ooo.

♡ She's blissfully unaware that she didn't jump through that portal alone.

Reblog, follow me, and come back for Part 5!

[bettyfrommars]

Betty…

Betty Betty bo-etty, banana fanna fo-fetty…

If your blurb requests are still open… may I please humbly request something fluffy of Biker!Steve? Making Monster Cookies with leftover Halloween candy Ollie had from trick-or-treating? I bet him and Robbie always make sure his pillowcase is filled and heavy with the good stuff- but that would also mean there’s fun-size candy lingering around until Christmas lol 🖤

Drac, what a treat, I was so excited to get a request from you. And then to have it based in the biker!steve universe? Made my day. I adore you.

Note: Steve & Robin live together in the I'm on Fire universe, platonically of course, and have been raising Steve's son Oliver together since he was born.

18+Only for mature themes and some talk of sexual favors and boobies in the beginning, but nothing graphic.

wc: 871

Steve had just finished tattooing one of the Bad Faeries from one of the Brian Froud books on a redheaded woman’s bicep when she made it clear she wanted to tip him in trade.  Her two friends had moved onto the bar next door, and he was just about to lock up the shop for the night, but before he knew it, the woman was unbuttoning her shirt, and then unhooking the front of her bra, revealing boobies that were so perfect, a small mew escaped the back of his throat.  “Touch me,” she begged in a breathy whisper, closing in on him until his back was against the wall. 

“Um, this is nice,” Steve swallowed, turning his head before her lips could find his, and then she proceeded to suck his earlobe instead.  He held her by her shoulders and pushed back with gentle force.  “But I don’t have time right now.  Rain check?”

“Rain check?” She snapped, giving him a dirty look.  “You don’t find me attractive?”

“No sweetheart, that’s not it,” he huffed, taking both of her wrists in his hand to lower them.  “You’re painfully hot, but I have somewhere important to be tonight.”

That somewhere important had him returning home to a warm kitchen, and a table scattered with leftover, fun-size candy, a mixing bowl full of dough, M&M’s, and thick chunks of Snickers bars. There was a trash can for wrappers, but many of them had ended up on the tile floor, littering the place like a family of raccoons had found Oliver’s Halloween score.

Also, there was the smell of something burning and a gray haze of smoke in the air.  

“Robs?” Steve called out over the sound of a Bugs Bunny episode on the tiny TV that sat between the toaster and the spice rack.

He went over to the stove to make sure that it was off, and that something hadn’t accidentally been left inside.  There was, indeed, a metal sheet of extremely flat splotches of cookies that were charred to a delicate dark brown, almost black.  He grabbed an oven mitt and coughed a few times from the smoke as he moved it to the top of the burners.  

“Daddy you made it!” Oliver squealed, charging in from the hallway to wrap his arms around Steve’s legs.  He had his cozy, big bird footy pajamas on, and a floppy, wet head of hair since he was fresh from his Mr. Bubbles bath.  

“There’s my boy,” Steve bent to pick him up, kissing his soft, warm cheek as he balanced Ollie on his hip.  The eyes that looked back at him were his own, a complete match right now to the long eyelashes.  “I missed you.  Where’s mommy?”

“I’m here,” Robin looked frazzled when she appeared from the living room, brushing hair back from her face with a yawn.  Her baggy Tina Turner tee was smeared in flour and dough handprints.  One leg of her sweatpants was hiked up at her knee, and she wore flip flops, exposing that her toenails were each painted a different color, thanks to Ollie's mastery. “The smoke alarm went off and I had to disassemble the damn thing because it would not stop beeping.”

“Did you disassemble it with the blunt end of a hammer again?” His son grabbed his face, squishing his cheeks together so that his lips puckered out.  

“I think she broke it, dad,” Oliver offered.  “But that’s okay because I said I’d make her a new one.”

“A new smoke alarm?” Steve met his gaze, impressed.

Oliver nodded emphatically.  “But with black licorice this time.”

Robin hopped up to take a seat on the counter by the sink.  “Oh good, then we can just eat it the next time it beeps.”

Oliver nodded again, excitedly.  

Steve released Ollie and let him slide down until his feet were on the ground again.  He took his dad’s hand and yanked on it a few times.  “We made cookies.”

“I see that,” Steve stuttered, eyes darting from the scorched delicacies on the baking sheet, and then to Robin.

“We tried, anyway,” Oliver corrected, ever the optimist. "I think with some milk they might taste good.

There was a blue and white apron with a ruffle trim on the skirt in the very bottom drawer and Steve bent to pull it out, losing no time in hooking it around his neck and tying the sash at his waist. He spun in a dramatic circle, and then did a curtsey, picking the end of the skirt up with thumb and forefinger.

“Let the master take over,” he winked at his son, and the new frilly addition to his apparel made Oliver guffaw with a few breathless giggles.  

“You look silly, dad,” the little boy snorted, running a small hand through his hair in a way that mirrored his father.  

“We’ll see who’s silly when I make the best cookies you’ve ever had in your life.” He took the wooden spoon in his hand at the mixing bowl and asked Oliver to start unwrapping more candy.

He raised an eyebrow at Robin who had a fond smile on her face.  “You gonna grab me some eggs, boss, or do I have to do all the work?”

Robin jumped off the counter and went to the fridge.  “Coming right up, Chef.”

“I love you daddy,” Oliver said, revealing a 3 Musketeers from the package with precision, swinging his feet under the table.  “But maybe you two should let me try this time.”