#can we talk about how cute Tegan is?

[cait-curious]

Alexander Goth dropped his younger daughter Johnna off at Sim State, his alma mater.

"Wow, college! Maybe I'll meet some boys who aren't related to me!"

Two of Johnna's high school classmates came to Sim State, too- Chandler Platz and Tegan Dreamer. Although she was happy to be spreading her wings at college, her cousin and now good friend Danny Welsh-Goth came to visit a few times.

In fact, Danny visited Johnna so much that he became friends with Tegan, too. He called the dorm frequently, asking to speak to Tegan just about as often as Johnna.

[wileys-russo]

alanna kennedy req, she has BIG bf energy ! where AK has been way too fuckboy-esque around their friends and reader (who she is in a known situationship with/will they or won’t they ever label it) calls her out on it, and probs forgives in the end whatever she says (letting hot girls gaslight you support club ?)

dirty little secret II a.kennedy x reader

mhmm lans is mad underrated dirty little secret II a.kennedy x reader

"-then there's the girl from the bar, the coffee shop barista, the dance instructor, the physio-" you rolled your eyes and did your best to tune out the blondes insistent bragging of all of her current escapades.

escapades you knew she'd made up, lying her ass off in order to try and impress your team mates and friends in camp, everyone now back on national duties.

she was forever determined to keep up the big tough fuckgirl act which you could never understand, much preferring who she actually was behind all that, not that she gave many people a chance to see it.

"why do you let her speak like that?" you glanced up from your food as hayley sat beside you with a raised eyebrow, subtly nodding her head to the table behind you where alanna was still ranting and raving to the group about how hard it was to have so many flings on the go.

"she can do whatever she wants raz she's not my girlfriend." you shrugged, picking at your food and glaring at ellie who snuck a piece of bacon off your plate. "el!" you scoffed as she repeated the action, protectively covering your plate with your arms.

"oh sorry thought you were perfectly happy to roll over and let people take whatever they want from you?" the younger girl challenged sending you into a silence. "nice." hayley nodded her approval, high fiving the blonde as you sighed.

"she doesn't take whatever she wants from me. you make it sound like i don't have a backbone!" you defended yourself with a scowl, the silence from your two friends all it took to further wound your already fragile pride.

"okay, ouch." you mumbled, going back to picking at your food. "babe we know you have a backbone. thats why its so frustrating to see you don't use it or stand up to her for the way she carries on!" ellie tried again, a little gentler this time as tegan and charlie joined the three of you.

"what are we talking about so quietly?" tegan whispered mockingly, instantly picking up the strange vibe about the table. "how dopey here lets lani treat her like a dirty little secret." hayley shrugged bluntly as you turned and punched her, hard.

"what the fuck ow!" the brunette gasped, hitting you back with a scowl as a few of the other girls turned to glance at the commotion, your body whipping back around as you heard alanna pause, her curious gaze fixated on the back of your head for a moment before she resumed.

"would you like to say that any fucking louder raz?" you warned quietly with a glare, answering the onslaught of questions from your friends before you grew tired of it, shutting the conversation down as you all finished and headed toward the gym for strength training.

~

"she's looking, again." ellie smirked as she spotted for you, watching as to her count for now the eighth time in the hour alanna was caught watching you.

"its not illegal to look el, all humans have eyes." you sighed, growing tired of her constant pointing it out. "yeah but not just everyone looks at you like they wanna tear all your clothes off and-" your grip on the bar slipped at that and you choked as it half landed on your neck, the blonde hurrying to grab it off you and helping you rack it back up.

"ellie!" you hissed, smacking her leg with a glare. "what? it's true! plus its not like its hidden knowledge that the two of you have hooked up. actually most of us expected you both to come to camp all cute and coupled up." the younger girl shrugged carelessly as you rolled your eyes.

"would you please shut up? i'm tired of the topic all together!" you snapped, only able to push down how the situation really made you feel for so long when everyone else was always poking and picking at it.

"sorry darls." the blonde winced apologetically not having realized it would affect you so much, swallowing the speech she wanted to give you about how you deserved to be treated better because if anyone knew that already it was you.

"i need to go to the bathroom. wait till i'm back before you even try to lift that!" you sternly warned the defender who you knew all too well, ellie waving you off with a huff as you made your way toward the toilets just outside the gym.

you heard the footsteps follow you out, but knowing all too well who they belonged to you refused to give her the satisfaction of turning around, ducking right into a cubicle to do what you needed.

you'd hope she'd take the hint and leave but you looked at her with a sigh as you stepped out and she was still waiting, leaning against the sinks with a toothy grin.

"ignoring me today are we?" she challenged, having texted you several times throughout the day, all of which you'd left on read.

"surprised you even noticed. your phone must just be blowing up with texts from the...what was it?" you paused after washing your hands, stroking your chin thoughtfully.

"oh yes with the girl from the bar, the coffee shop barista, the dance instructor, the physio? i'm sure one of them will happily text you back lani!" you smiled sarcastically, drying your hands and attempting to leave but a hand wrapped around your wrist.

"come on babe you know that's all just bullshit for the girls." the blonde laughed, seemingly unbothered at how that was almost worse. "well most of it. that cute new city physio does have a little crush on me!" alanna grinned wolfishly, tugging you to stand in front of her.

"congratulations. clearly she's not had a conversation with you yet or else she might come to her senses and realised what a piece of work you are!" you huffed, yanking your hand back from her grip.

"piece of art i think you mean babe, sculpted by the gods themselves." the blonde smirked as you grimaced, not finding her at all charming today.

"just please leave me alone lani. seriously i'm so over all of this hot and cold shit with you, you're a head fuck! you snapped, again trying to leave but once more she stopped you, instead now moving to block the door with her body.

"what do you mean hot and cold shit?" the taller girl frowned making you let out a bitter bark of laughter. "you can't be serious?" you scoffed at her in disbelief as she stared on silently, clearly awaiting an explanation.

"lani when its just the two of us you're so sweet. we go out together, we spend nights together, you shower me with gifts and compliments and i have your undivided attention. you treat me like you would if i was your girlfriend." you paused, the last word leaving a particularly bitter taste on your tongue.

"but then outside of that little bubble around any of our team mates and friends you act like some sort of horny teenage boy! bragging about all of these girls who practically fall to the floor with how badly they want you, and then you go on and on about all this great mind blowing sex you have with them. but then how they mean nothing and they know that but they just keep running back to you!" you pouted mockingly.

"all of those girls which are made up! why is it so hard for you to let that stupid egotistical reputation go and just admit you're having sex with me! and that you clearly have feelings for me. everyone saw us hook up in the bar after the asian cup anyway?" you crossed your arms firmly with a raised eyebrow.

"and who said i have feelings for you then hm? what makes you think you're so special?" she bit back taking you off guard a little, your face falling as hurt flashed across it momentarily.

"you think you know me so well but you haven't got a clue about what i feel or why i do anything. end of conversation!" she snapped with a scowl. "fine. end of whatever the fuck this is then!" you bit back, finally using your back bone as her eyes widened in shock.

however the chance for either of you to speak again stopped as the door swung open and smacked alanna in the back, a tiny body sprinting on through.

"harley don't run-" tameka stopped seeing the two of you, sensing she may have just interrupted something as she scooped her daughter up who reached out for you.

"everything alright?" the older woman asked, directing the question more so toward you, having known you long enough to see something was off.

"just fine." you mumbled, taking the opportunity to dart out of the bathroom, shooting harley a smile and squeezing her hand, only letting out a deep breath you'd not realised you'd been holding in until you were back in the safety of the gym.

clearly you needed to work on your poker face as ellie also immediately noticed something was up, having had a teasing remark laying in wait on her tongue having seen alanna follow after you toward the toilet.

"hey. what happened?" the blonde asked quietly with a frown as you shook your head, gesturing for her to lay down so you could spot her on the bench press. "darls what-"

"later el." you cut her off with a thin lipped smile as she hesitated but eventually nodded, settling on the bench as you busied yourself assisting her, pretending like you couldn't feel another blondes eyes bore into your back for the rest of the session.

everyone having a few hours break now until your next training session outside on the pitch you surrounded yourself with a wall of your team mates at all times, knowing so long as you did alanna would leave you be.

your bad mood lifted as you spent time with harper and harley, adoring the fact that camps were now a family affair as you, kyra and ellie chased the two small girls around the hotel playing a game of tip.

"well i think someone will sleep very well this afternoon, thank you kindly ladies!" tameka laughed as she scooped up harley, marching her off for a nap as harper had already fallen asleep on a beanbag, squished between kyra and charlie as they played mario kart.

"right. out with it then, what happened in the toilet?" ellie pulled you aside and away from the main group, hayley quick to follow having also picked up that you were out of sorts. the three of you sat outside on a picnic table in the sun, your body laid atop of it sunbaking as they sat on the benches either side of you.

with a sigh you relayed the conversation that occured, both your friends not hesitating to rip into their fellow team mate for her harsh words. "you have to cut it off after that. if she wants to remain friends and keep the peace the least she can do is apologise and acknowledge her actions!" ellie scoffed as you merely hummed.

"you are going to cut it off after that, right?" you whined as hayley pinched your thigh when you didn't answer her. "i don't know! probably?" you groaned, covering your face with your hands.

"probably!" "she's really convincing sometimes." "oh my god have some self respect!" "i have self respect! i also just have...needs." "dude! the letting hot girls gaslight you club is not one you need to be a member of." "but she is hot." "so are you! you could find someone else hot who actually treats you like a person."

"fine! i'm just gonna ignore her. if i don't let her grovel then i can't forgive her." you decided, both your friends exchanging looks of disbelief you missed, the conversation quickly changing as you instead spent the rest of your final hour catching up, all three of you now playing for different clubs since hayley had left city.

you stuck to your word, mostly.

you avoided alanna like the plague for nearly the entire second training session, someone upstairs clearly smiling down on you in good fate as the two of you weren't partnered up for anything.

until it was time for a few six on six friendlies to cool down and of course her team was your first opposition, the two of you now unable to avoid one another given you were offense and she was defense.

now you knew football could be a hands on sport, you'd played it long enough to have given and gotten enough. but the way alanna's hands seemed to settle on your hips or your torso, and the way she pressed her body into you each and every time she marked you up, was overkill.

but to your surprise it seemed to have the opposite effect as normal, and rather than having you blushing or swooning a little, you found it only wound you up further. her harsh words ringing in your ears from before as you lined up for a corner and once again she pressed into you, your jaw clenched and you went right up for the header, your elbow unfortunately making contact with her stomach as the ball spun into the back of the net and she hit the ground.

the whistle blew for the end of the session at that and you turned, seeing thankfully no blood and no real lasting injury beyond her being winded. "what the fuck was that!" the blonde spat, a few of the girls helping her up.

"its a contact sport and you were clinging onto me like wrapping paper, sorry!" you shrugged, not really sorry at all as ellie hid a smile and draped her arm over your shoulders, the two of you heading back in toward the training centre.

"a little harsh maybe, but nice." ellie mumbled, holding out her hand as you smacked yours into it with a small smile, the two of you heading up to your rooms to shower and change, having a couple of hours to yourselves before dinner.

dinner itself was less painful than breakfast, busying yourself once again playing with harper and harley you were far too distracted to notice if alanna was off on one of her 'look at all these girls who want me' tangents.

she'd messaged you again a few times since the toilet, none of them an apology and none of them you gave a second thought to reply to, still having left her on read as you had been all day.

which is why it really wasn't much of a surprise when a few hours later came the barrage of texts almost begging you to come to her room and hear her out, the way your phone was constantly lighting up not lost on you or your friends.

"oh my god she's relentless. just go!" ellie groaned after you glanced to your phone screen for the fifth time just a few minutes into the mario kart tournament you had agreed to. "remember, hold firm. you deserve to be treated right!" hayley warned quietly from beside you as you nodded.

"and, self respect!" ellie warned less quietly making your eyes roll as you headed out of the rec room and back up towards the elevator, punching in the right floor and taking your time making your way to your final destination.

you hadn't even knocked more than twice before the door swung open, alanna sighing a little in relief seeing it was you, her texts still unanswered she'd begun to give up hope. "make this quick, its my turn next on the switch." you mumbled, moving past her and into her room.

"well?" you raised your eyebrows as she awkwardly stood in front of you, kit out in a grey drew hoodie and a black pair of nike shorts. "i'm sorry." she started simply. "for?" you pushed.

"what i said earlier. i didn't mean it i was just angry and i lashed out and that wasn't fair on you." she continued, rubbing her face and taking a seat beside you on the bed, not missing the way you shuffled across leaving a healthy distance between you two.

"angry about being called out on the shitty way you treat me or your shitty dismissive attitude about whatever this is?" you pushed again, face still bent into a frown as the blonde sighed. "both. you weren't wrong i do act one way when its just us and one way when its around the girls but i don't mean to! i just, i've not had a serious relationship in ages and i don't know how to go about it." she sighed making you scoff.

"thats bullshit lani and you and i both know it. you just get much more satisfaction having everyone think you're so popular and desired after and lusted over rather than admitting you like me, just one person!" you called her out again, this time causing her to scoff.

"thats bullshit!" she denied with a shake of her head. "awesome. have fun with all your imaginary girls then lani!" you smiled bitterly, standing to leave as she shot out to grab you before you could. "i'm sorry! i'm sorry okay." she groaned, pulling you back down to sit on the bed.

"i just don't get why this is so hard for you! most of the city girls are all happily in relationships and even if you want to deny it most of them know we hook up too. al asked me the other day if we were dating and do you know how humiliating it is to basically admit i let you use me!" you shook your head and pulled your hands from her grip.

"i don't use you!" she was quick to argue, frown knitted into her eyebrows. "yes you do. its exactly like i said lani when its just the two of us you're happy to treat me like you would a girlfriend, we sleep together, we're always at one anothers houses, you take me out for dinner and you fall asleep on my lounge after watching movies all day-" you paused to collect yourself.

"-which clearly satisfies you in some way. but then you're too much of a pig headed coward to actually make it into anything more than a dirty little secret and that feels like shit! i'd understand a little more wanting to keep things between us if you weren't out or you didn't want the girls to know you were seeing a team mate but thats so far from the truth and it hurts alanna. you have no issues parading about all these fake girls and how happy you are to fuck them over but you can't admit that you treat me just the same way!" you spat honestly, unloading months of guilt and wondering and overthinking about everything.

"so what, do you want me to ask you to be my girlfriend then?" the blonde questioned cluelessly as you threw your head back with a loud frustrated groan.

"no lani! i want you to want me to be your girlfriend, and not feel the need to keep up this stupid reputation that girls don't mean anything to you beyond sleeping around and you're incapable of feeling anything for anyone. because you know the longer this will they, won't they bullshit continues the more i wonder if you actually are capable of feeling anything for anyone other than yourself!" you snapped with a huff, again getting up to leave.

"get off!" you warned seriously as she hugged you tightly from behind again preventing you from leaving. "i like you. i do, really." she mumbled with a sigh, your eyes rolling. "sure have a funny way of showing it!"

"then let me show you, give me another chance. when we get back to manchester i will take you out on a proper date, i'll wine you and dine you and i'll ask you to be my girlfriend. properly!" she spun you around, staring down at you pleadingly and you hated how much she really had you wrapped around her little finger.

"fine." you gave in with a sigh, hating yourself just a little more as the taller girl exhaled with relief, pulling you into a tight hug as you couldn't help but wrap your own arms around her torso, relishing in the small act of intimacy.

"where's mac anyway?" you mumbled into her chest, pulling away and recognizing the familiar look in her eyes. "cait's room, they'll be awhile." the blonde grinned and within seconds you were laid down on the bed and she hovered over you, lips gently sucking on your neck as your eyes fluttered closed.

"lani we should really-" you started, words swallowed by her mouth finding yours, one hand creeping up your top as the other gripped your chin allowing her full control over the kiss. "later babe, just relax." she mumbled into your ear as you sighed, giving into her advances and trying to ignore the warnings from your friends lingering in the back of your mind.

it would appear that you were still very much so a member of the letting hot girls gaslight you club, in fact it seemed you'd purchased a season ticket.

[nolita-fairytale]

make my heart surrender | carmy x reader | the playlist

here's a fun little collection of songs that make me think of this story. some of the songs feel like they could function as a soundtrack to the story, and some just make me think of carmy x reader. i created this playlist and listened to it while writing, in the car, doing dishes... seriously, the way this story took over my brain.

make my heart surrender: the playlist

***

sleeping with a friend - neon trees

carmy & reader's relationship in new york city -- while the title feels self-explanatory, this song has all the sexual tension of wondering our favorite kitchen lovebirds' will they won't they relationship. do we need a oneshot of the before times? maybe...

robbers - the 1975

angsty carmy & reader's relationship in nyc. this is also allegedly the prequel to 'about you' so it felt right to include it.

about you - the 1975

where the title of this fic comes from: 'now there's something about you that i can't remember / it's the same damn thing that made my heart surrender / and i miss you on the train, i miss you in the morning / i never what to think about / i think about you

it's the pining for me

chicago - sufjan stevens

the iconic song used in the show. i could see this song playing on reader's first day at the bear, or underscoring reader's travels to chicago

sleep tight - holly humberstone

oof, this song kills me. i'll add notable lyrics that make me think of carmy x reader, but it would be a beautiful underscore for their moment at the end of chapter two, when they say goodnight to each other.

"sleep tight i'm on my way back and feeling kind of sad because you were the best thing i never knew i had"

"you were the best thing i never knew was mine"

"god knows i've missed this feeling" makes me ache in the best ways why do we love being sad sm?!

closer - tegan and sara

i could see this song underscoring some of the kitchen flows when carmy & reader have smoothed things over around chapter three. i can just see reader working the garnish station and falling in love with carmy all over again as she watches him expedite.

can we also just talk about how this is a peak in the flow of the playlist? like they've finally smoothed things over and it's been nostalgic/acoustic/angsty and then this song happens and it's like an explosion of energy?? we're finally going to get some connection between these two

only human - the code, william singe

if this were a movie/tv show, i'd have this song play in the background of their conversation (date) at the aviary in chapter three.

untouched hearts - acoustic - the hunna

the lines "i know it's been hard but now it's time for you to get what you want, to know you're enough" feel like a fucking love letter from mikey to carmy. #LetItRip

it also feels like a feeling reader and carmy would share between the two of them about each other.

la vie en rose - emily watts

the song that plays at carmy's apartment after putting her dinner party playlist on shuffle. reader is flipping through the cookbook while he finishes the carbonara to the sweet sounds of this song. and they're making eyes at each other, and stealing glances when they think the other isn't looking GOODBYE

the girl - city & colour

this song is giving major waking-up-together-morning-after vibes. i mostly saw this song for the second to last chapter for the cute tattoo scene, but it could also be great for their first morning after season in chapter five.

flashed junk mind (acoustic version) - milky chance

just picture carmy & reader traipsing through chi-town's chinatown, arguing over who's gonna pay (because they both think it should be themselves), being cute, and fighting over carmy's cigarette during their walking dumpling date.

strawberries & cigarettes - troye sivan

this song accompanies their sweet goodbye at the start of chapter 7 and i'm quite convinced that troye sivan wrote it about carmen berzatto and you can't change my mind lol.

for the lines: "blue eyes, black jeans, lighters and candy, i've been a fool / strawberries & cigarettes always taste like you" and "remember when you taught me fate / said it'd all be worth the wait."

somebody - dagny

less on brand for the show, but the lyrics make me think so much about these two. it's giving: plot twist this is now a freeform show, i know. however, i envisioned this song being a part of reader packing up her things and catching up w friends back in ny. maaaaybe even as she's getting in her u-haul to drive to chicago.

solsbury hill - peter gabriel

peter gabriel said that this song was about losing something so that you can gain something else and i'm just not okay. this is the song that underscores the final scene in our lovely little epilogue, when reader surprises carmy at the bear ready to tell him that she's finally all in.

[sofias-diary]

Period hasn’t come yet. Only a matter of time now… that’s what’s awful about starting your period at FOURTEEN. Who starts their period that late??? I’m fifteen now though, don’t you worry about that. But my periods are like suuuuuper irregular so I have no idea when it’s going to appear!

I started watching Killing Eve. And I finished the third series of What We Do In The Shadows and can’t watch any more unless I get Disney+ (that’s never going to happen).

I think about Leia a lot. Like, more than friends normally think about their friends. But I don’t think I have a crush on her, right? Because when I had a crush on Christabelle that was SO different. I don’t feel about Leia that way. But it’s definitely a greater feeling than normal friendship. When I first properly met her I thought I had a crush on her but I know now that was just me wanting to be friends with her as I had no other friends at the time. The way Dilpreet mentions that sometimes is actually soul-crushing because every once in a while she’ll say “Hey, remember when you sat on your own all the time?/when you would go to class super early to avoid other people seeing you be totally alone?” as if it wasn’t one of the worst times of my life. Whatever.

I think the reason I like Leia so much is because she’s so perfect and I can’t understand it. She has this way of being so sincere when she tells me she missed me on the few days I was sick, and I could tell she genuinely genuinely meant it. I like that about her because it means I can tell her how much I love her (which is a LOT!). And when we have conversations it’s like when you’ve been sat in a car for hours and you finally step outside and you get that fresh clean air. And when she compliments me or reassures me about something it feels like it’s the middle of summer and the sun is rising and all the flowers have begun to bloom.

I don’t like her boyfriend much. I don’t dislike him. He’s incredibly kind to her and about once a week she’ll tell me something wonderfully sweet he said to her, usually about how he wishes she saw herself how he sees her. I could bet a million pounds I see her in a far better light! And he went to ARMY SCHOOL… and she showed me his six pack… ew… he literally failed his GCSES. Oh, did I mention he’s 17 and she’s my age? And he sent her a dick pic she didn’t ask for. As if anyone would ask for that! He’s an idiot and he’s disrespectful.

Tegan (the girl Leia used to be best friends with) clearly hated him. Why would she do that? She would talk about how much she hated him to her face. I would never do that. I couldn’t hurt her feelings like that! I think Tegan likes Leia a bit. Clearly not a lot though, because she’s always so nasty to her. Maybe she’s just a bit controlling - I know she gets jealous when Leia sits with me and my friends instead of Tegan and her friends. Not that it’s a competition or anything.

I’m never ever mean to Leia! God I sound like such a nice guy. I’m not, I swear. Well I mean I am nice. You know what I mean… When Leia was trying to convince me not to buy her anything for Christmas and I told her I would because she deserved it, I feel like nobody ever really tells her that because she had a real reaction to it. And when she told me about how she went on a bus for the first time I saw how her eyes lit up with wonder! Over a bus! She’s so cute. And once in English, when Emily and Natalija weren’t in (thank GOD) Leia said to me that it was the highlight of her day. How precious is that?!

I think it’s more that I just want to be her best friend. I think.

Should I start adding tags to these? Because I genuinely do not care if people can read them. I just write them when I can’t write in my proper diary.

More later, Sofia xx

[incomingalbatross]

Scattered thoughts on Tales of the TARDIS shorts, since I finally watched them:

On the one hand, the framing device is so vague and handwavey it's basically incoherent. On the other hand, the content's pure fanservice fluff so I don't mind watching it without worrying about the canonicity.

Still, though, I'm watching a lot of this more as the actors getting to goof around with their well-loved roles. Especially the Big Finish veterans.

I mean, Seven played the spoons on Ace?? That's not a thing they did in-character, that's a thing they do at cons. Very cute, though.

Tegan going "HM, have you considered the TARDIS is trying to get you into therapy?" felt fun. felt in-character.

Saying she campaigned for the environment is a significant downgrade from the SJA namedrop where she was involved with Aboriginal rights, though. :/ I like that one a lot better.

Colin did not even SHAVE for this? That's funny.

Going with Warrior-Queen Peri as canon is... an interesting choice, but I guess if these were primarily framing devices to introduce TV stories then it wasn't really the place for all the Other Peri Timelines. :P

Clyde Langer my beloved. Can we talk about how wildly successful his original comics would have to be for him to get picked up for a live-action TV adaptation before he's thirty. YEAH.

Wish they'd mentioned Maria and Sky, though :(

This one's also really sad, though, because like. They had to bring Daniel Anthony in because 90% of the people who were actually in Three Doctors with Katy Manning are dead.

(Though why not John Levene? Not that I mind seeing Clyde but. still)

Steven and Vicki is maybe my favorite. :') Love Steven's protective instincts kicking in immediately, and Vicki still trying to give him a heart attack. Also Matriarch Vicki is everything I wanted for her. (well, ALMOST everything, she also needs a pack of massive dogs to satisfy her critter-adopting instincts)

LOVE the restraint shown in NOT having David Bradley there I was SO RELIEVED by that.

[nellie-elizabeth]

Doctor Who: The Power of the Doctor (2022 Halloween Special)

Well, that's the end of the Thirteenth Doctor. Does anyone else feel like she still never quite hit her stride?

Cons:

Dan ended up being one of the most useless companions in Doctor Who history! I found him so charming and interesting to start, he had so much potential, but pretty much all his adventuring with the Doctor happened offscreen. We never got to establish a relationship between him and the Doctor properly.

And that's just generally true of so much of this Doctor's run. I loved the stuff with her and Yaz. There was a brief spark of something great with the Fam, there for a while. It sure was great to see Graham. But in terms of who this Doctor is, and what her specific vibe is, I don't think I ever really clicked in with it. It's not the acting, I think that was pretty damn solid across the board. It just felt like someone was holding these seasons back from reaching their full potential.

The plot got a little too messy and convoluted, and I'm going to praise the frantic energy in the "pros" section in a second, but honestly between the Master and the Daleks and the Cybermen and the cameos, I was getting a little dizzy with all the different stimuli, and I'm not sure I had a chance to properly appreciate much of what was happening on my screen.

After all that from Yaz and the Doctor, they couldn't even give us a goodbye kiss? Come on. They created a whole convoluted scenario so we could see 10 and Rose share a kiss, and Yaz and 13 can't even have a little goodbye peck on the lips? Sigh. That's a big disappointment.

Pros:

I did like the chaos, as I said. We started off strong with a space train and a Cyberman fight, we had plenty of crazy and wacky set pieces, with volcanoes exploding and Cybermen shooting themselves through a holograph of a future-Doctor, and a gang of companions around the console of the TARDIS... there was a lot of iconic imagery here, and even when I wasn't 100% clear on what the heck was happening in the plot, I honestly didn't care all that much, because I was still caught up in the energy.

Tegan and Ace are pretty great! I have no familiarity with Classic!Who at all, but these two had so much fun energy, and their chemistry with the Doctor was undeniable. We got some cute energy with our current regeneration, but also brief moments where they got to talk to their Doctors. Honestly, I felt more energy between those older Doctors reuniting with their companions than I ever got between this Doctor and, for example, Dan.

The Master's plot, and his desire to literally become the Doctor, makes no real sense whatsoever, but I will say that performance-wise I loved watching the Master be utterly deranged, and I did like the psychological aspect of the Master's obsession with the Doctor being... envy of her. Wanting to be her literally, because there's nothing else big enough to encompass his dissatisfaction and longing.

Also it was fun to see Vinder, but mostly because I've fallen extra in love with Jacob Anderson since the last time I watched this show and saw that character. He's a bad-ass. Best moment was the Master thinking that any friend of the Doctor's wouldn't shoot a gun at someone, and Vinder being like "BITCH you thought." That was pretty great.

WHY didn't Yaz and the Doctor share a kiss when they were sitting out on top of the TARDIS? Cowards. I'm just saying. But setting that aside, I loved how much their bond got to have a final spotlight. Even as the Doctor lists all the companions who traveled with her during this regeneration, it's Yaz who got to be with her last, before she goes off alone to meet whatever comes next.

And then the wonderful idea that Graham came up with, to create a support group for former companions! All of them sitting around and chuckling about the crazy adventures they've been on. I absolutely adore that idea and hope somehow we can check in with this group at some point in the future.

And then the regeneration itself! Honestly I'm going to reserve judgment about David Tennant. Obviously I love him, and it'll be fun to see him, but at the same time this feels like it's banking on nostalgia to a comedically absurd degree. Instead of judging those last twenty seconds, I'll judge Jodie Whittaker on her breathtaking mixture of sadness and joy in those last few seconds. She did a beautiful job with a role that suffered many years of extremely subpar writing for the show. I wish we'd done more justice to her time as the Doctor, but I'm glad we got to hang out with her for a while all the same.

8/10

[higheldertala]

the power of the doctor commentary

a wise man once said ‘it could have been a lot better, it could have been slightly better written’

where was the qurunx being transported to? and why via train? oh well im sure it doesn’t matter.

‘the cybermen have a blocking fielding in action’ i mean i would presume you reason you can’t land is because they train is moving very fast?? but sure why not add in some pointless exposition.

why is the qurunx in a box/ cage? is it a prisoner? what are these people’s relationship to the qurunx?

dan’s train driver announcement is very cute.

what was the doctor’s plan for the cyber masters? just to say ‘stop right there!’ and they would say ‘ah sorry my bad’ and just stop?

‘i have reinforcements’ where? and also they still have weapons and regenerating healing powers, i don’t think you have the high ground here.

also the fact that both the master and the cyber masters escaped gallifrey meaning it was blown up and ko sharmus died for nothing, oops.

ch*bnall said this episode had the longest cold open in doctor who and it’s only 6:50, eve of dalek has a cold open of over 9 minutes so this like isn’t true.

why do sophie and janet have to share a title card?? we know this title sequence can accommodate for 5 people as seen in revolution of the daleks.

i am very curious to know how tegan and ace met but i guess that’s not important.

tegan’s line about not seeing the doctor is relevant but ace’s reply of of ‘alright show off just cos it’s only three decades for me’ is completely irrelevant??? literally just exposition. a brick to the face would be more subtle than chris ch*bnall’s dialogue.

also why would that be showing off??? she’s had to wait longer the doctor? this makes no sense.

also the doll thing is a bit weird, like did the master know that tegan would conveniently end up at unit? like she’s not working for them, they say she’s freelance. and it’s ace’s suggestion ‘they go in’ to which i presume she’s talking about unit. did the master know all this would happen? that tegan would call ace about it and then she would suggest they go into unit? you know never mind.

so they’ve in the middle of investigating a kidnapped child and dan was all like ‘but me date!’ dan’s priorities is getting laid first 😂

have we ever had a companion leave 10 minutes into the story? it’s so weird. why didn’t he leave at the end of legend of the sea devils? what was the point of dan as a companion at all?? because we needed to fill the quota of straight white men on the tardis??

dan story’s is so depressing. like it was partly the doctor’s fault that dan’s house got shrunk because she was chasing karvanista and she’s doesnt do anything to help or rectify this. like the doctor gives donna a lottery ticket and amy and rory a house and car for no reason other than wanting to provide for them, but nah fuck dan you can stay homeless. remember the ch*bnall era is about hope and friendship!

we’ve never had a doctor so mardy about companions leaving, which is so strange because it’s not like she has any emotional attachment to any of them. make it make sense.

‘not one for goodbyes’ don’t we fucking know it!! we just don’t them anymore in the ch*bnall era.

also even eleven ‘doesn’t like endings’ still said goodbye to amy (and rory) (think of end of the god complex).

‘a dalek invades my tardis with a message offering to destroy its own species’ JUST IN CASE YOU DIDNT UNDERSTAND IT THE FIRST TIME ROUND. yeah ch*bnall i got it the first time you didn’t need the doctor to repeat it immediately, how fucking dumb does he think his audience is. condescending ch*bnall dialogue i will NOT miss you.

‘that’s a new one’. it literally isn’t, have you seen doctor who chris i feel like i shouldn’t have to ask this.

i hate the close up shots, will not miss them. so glad to have rachel talalay back who knows what they’ve doing.

the doctor doesn’t tell yaz about the dalek because…?

i’m pretty sure that if there was a ‘second moon/ planet’ orbiting in earth’s atmosphere, that would severely fuck up earth’s gravitational pull?? that’s like basic science no??

i honestly believe they didn’t need to give sacha blue contacts… smells like whitewashing to me. like even if rasputin had blue eyes, this is fiction, literally no narrative reason for this.

don’t understand the point of the rasputin/ russia plotline. literally just tells the royals to fuck off so the master can have the place to themselves… like what?? this specific time setting has no bearing on the plot, we could anywhere and anytime and it literally just wouldn’t change the plot in any way shape or form, it’s so frustrating when so many parts of the story are just pointless!!

i am glad they have brought up the master’s hypnosis and im glad they said the thing (although i would have preferred sacha to say it because he has said he wanted to) but this is never brought up again!! what! is! the! point?!

this era insists on making the master’s tardis look ugly 😭 im so sorry baby.

‘your master awaits doctor. doctor what does it mean by that?’ are we all just fucking stupid or something? like aside from it’s fucking obvious, the doctor literally just reminded us that the cyber masters were created by the master like a minute ago.

in the trailer i said these were dalek shots, oh well i’ll take that L.

why didn’t you close the fucking tardis door when the cyberman were shooting?!?!?!

have you any idea what’s going on in outer space in 1916 right now? strangely enough no’ lol this was great.

‘new freelancers, don’t be cross’ that’s the only heads up you’re going to give her?

omg who knew it would be so easy to see the doctor again that all ace and tegan had to do was go to unit and say ‘hey can you call up the doctor’ and they would be like ‘yeah sure of course we can’.

i don’t know why only tegan gets to off with the doctor, as ace has plenty of reason too but sure whatever.

yaz’s awkwardness is so great for this scene. honestly a perfect reaction to meeting past companions.

(i mean i still find it weird the retconning of a 2 year old book where 13 and yaz already meet ace but okay. i feel so bad for sophie 😔. and also they just miss out any of the emotional depth or moment with ace and 13 and yaz but who needs emotional beats in a ch*bnall story).

would tegan like to bring up the russian doll cyberman to the doctor? no okay…

also the fact that one of the first things the doctor does after reuniting with ace and tegan, both of whom have somewhat misgrudges with them, is to non consensually put a hologram ai into their bodies is fucking wild!! why couldn’t she tell them she was doing that? OR ASK???

i love all of mandip’s facial expressions at ace and tegan in this scene, it’s just a shame the script never follows up on it. points to mandip for trying, chris ch*bnall sure isn’t.

would love to listen to full lecture with sacha’s voice 😏

‘now do i win a prize if i guess how this all fits together or are you just going to tell me why you’re grandstanding’ i really like the playfulness of this interaction, sort of goes back to how this is all a game for the master and the doctor, but it’s like dropped immediately so… okay.

‘you killed all these people for what?’ im sorry it’s hard to take yaz seriously because she hardly ever takes command in front of the doctor and she’s barely interacted with the master.

‘i know, a bit of a conversation stopper awkward right yaz?’ this line is so unnecessary, is it suppose to be funny…? okay boomer. thank god this is the only cringe line they give sacha this episode.

‘i hope i’m going to unit’ this is like bright flashing lights ‘this is a trap’. no one questions how easy it is to capture the master?? of course because our characters are fucking stupid!!

they don’t even takes the master’s tce off him?? and like he must have it on him, he shrunk the seismologists.

‘give her a gun’ this makes no sense and is like literally never followed up on, not even a chekhov’s gun but whatever i guess.

‘clear up the tiny bodies and inform the loved ones for me would you?’ this was so camp i loved it.

‘you’re not going to shoot me, not in her tardis’ where was the ‘state of temporal grace’ reference?

i wish they had leaned more into the master playing mind games with the companions angle but i guess that would require the companions to be actual in depth characters so :/

why do we mention the cyberium when it literally never gets followed up on??

‘unit will keep you under armed guarded’ yeah because that’s always worked hasn’t it doctor??

vinder is now also here for… reasons. idk maybe jacob was still under contract who can say??

and vinder is investigating the missing qurunx because…?

why is vinder monologuing everything the audience already knows? what’s the point?

‘anyone want to join me? bunk up in the bunker?’ i would 😏

‘your dad was an idiot’ out of all the jibes from the master this is the most random one, ch*bnall couldn’t come up with anything better?

‘you’ll all feel safe then with me in the building’ im sorry but again he is literally telling you this is a trap, i… im done.

‘you’re not staying doctor, you’re not gonna leave them alone are you?’ this is a great line/ jibe about the doctor abandoning their companions. shame it’s literally never followed up on!

‘professor where are you going? she really doesn’t want us back in there’ why is the doctor being such a twat to ace and tegan, i mean she’s like to this to everyone so i guess it’s in character. doesn’t me i understand any of it though.

‘darling’ giggling, twirling my hair, kicking my legs etc.

‘doctor stop for a second, i can’t keep doing this you, running from one place to the next never explaining’ oh look an actual valid reasoning for leaving! yaz realising the doctor is not gonna change or open up and is unhappy with being treated this way! shame this is never brought up again!

‘sorry no time’ aka shut the fuck up yaz, how dare you question me and want agency in your own actions.

‘sorry i am really staticky today’ why is she lying about this!??? i don’t understand!! i’m banging my head against the wall.

‘has it never occurred to you that it could be a trap? of course it has’… that’s why im going in without any back up plan whatsoever! why is the doctor so happy with meeting the dalek on its terms, rather than like neutral ground? you know what never mind.

how are they not boiling alive inside a volcano?? you know what never mind.

‘no they’re already there, seismology, volcanoes, daleks and the master, no this is not good news’ why does she say this all out loud??

‘i really thought i’d seen the last of him’ weird line for ace seeing as she only met him once (onscreen) and didn’t even interact with him that much???

‘knowing what you would do with it, you’d keep it so close to you because you have nothing else’ i don’t really see how this matches up with tegan’s character, tell me if i’m missing something here, why would she care about not having memorabilia from travelling with the doctor.

the cloned ashad is completely pointless why is he here???

also how does ace know about the hidden compartments in the floor? she’s doesn’t work for unit she’s freelance. either kate gave them a very thorough run down of the building or she’s been here before?

at least unit tables can withstand cyberman weaponary that’s convenient i guess.

and the master hid this teleport when…? also is this suppose to be the tce?? im very confused. you know what i’ve got to stop asking questions.

i presume this master then goes onto the pretend to be rasputin?? or he is jumping between 1916 and 2022?? this isn’t clear, like with the painting and such.

‘i can do this i can do this’ i would understand the panicking and reassuring the self if this was a like a first season companion, but not like a third season companion.

‘why am i talking to you?’ does yaz not know the tardis is telepathic/ sentient?? like if she can fly the tardis surely she would know? and she’s seen the doctor talk to tardis before.

‘got to dress for the occasion’ tv movie stans represent ✌️

‘forced regeneration’ ah lads not again.

is the doctor suppose to be this passive here, i don’t feel like she really resists?? she doesn’t struggle, she doesn’t try to escape, she doesn’t try to reason with the master, she barely speaks, she just sits there?? does she not care? does she just accept death? ‘ah fuck it just kill me i’ve had enough of this shite’.

i can’t tell how much i love ‘the master’s dalek plan’ line, it’s not even that funny but i just find it hilarious.

the boney m rasputin scene is great because its like the only scene that doesn’t take itself seriously and doctor who is missing this (good) cheesy campiness.

i wish they had done a straight up body swap that would have been so fun… oh well 😔

‘i still need a companion to ask and bask in my brilliance’ i would be your companion 😏

also funny that marketing for this era refuses to call them companions and instead ‘the doctor’s friends’ when they still use the term in show so like what was the point? lol.

‘i stashed some of my stuff in here early’ because of course you did.

‘i am the doctor and you will obey me’ nice 😏

‘change back. can’t be done’ unless you force me back into the machine and put a lot of regen energy into it 👍

‘while i tarnish the name of the doctor, im going to make the doctor a byword for fear, pain, and destruction so when people hear that name in future they quake in fear’ this was already a thing in the m*ffat era??? with 11 in a good man goes to war. honestly i straight up believe ch*bnall didn’t watch the m*ffat era.

yaz really just stood there whilst the master got changed i… okay.

these two planets at war and the master claiming to be the doctor and have done this, is like so inconsequential to plot like what’s the point?? i am suppose to care about these two unnamed planets full of unknown species??

‘no one to stop me now’ unless someone like points a gun at me then that’ll definitely stop me.

wow yaz actually does something! well done!

also how quickly the plot of the master!doctor (however we are catergorising this) is like dropped is like so frustrating cos again what! is! the point! what’s the point if we don’t see the consequences of this.

‘guardians of the edge’ you just made that up ,this actually isn’t a dig, i’m completely fine with this as a concept i like it. i think this is the best way to include past doctors without having the doctors physically in the story.

‘i have been working on this literally forever’ that’s why this literally the first time we’ve heard about.

‘under the gravest of circumstances like if i’m no longer around’ so is this like personal grave circumstances like if they’re in distress or in a literal sense in that the doctor isn’t around. I’m thinking about this too hard, it’s literally a plot convient device because we need the doctor her because god fucking forbid anyone else is given a chance to save the day.

‘you could have told us you’d done that’ yeah but then you might actually have some agency in your character yaz and we can’t have that.

also the way that this is never presented as a learning moment for the doctor… like wow what a great message about consent for children(!)

‘whoa the emotional receptors on the ai are a bit oversensitive. apparently you’re annoyed with me? apparently i should apologise for something?’ you mean putting body modifications into your friends’ bodies without their consent that something doctor? and then getting mad when someone dares tries to question you? 13th doctor i hate you. literally! villian! behaviour!

at this point i would advocate for yaz to straight up punch her in the face.

the fact the literally no other nuwho companion would ever put up being treated with way.

‘only one chance i’ve seen it in extreme circumstances, it’s incredibly dangerous, anything could happen’ like it honestly just makes sense for this to be the reason why fourteen looks like ten, that it’s a result of the forced degeneration, like idk if russell will follow up on this or if the cause of fourteen is the toymaker, we’ll have to wait and see.

also curious to know what the dangerous part of this was? i’m guessing that it could not work properly and the doctor could die? i don’t know they never specific.

this whole exposition dump of what tegan has been up to is so weird, when did we ask for your life story tegan?

i don’t understand why she would need to specify her son is adopted?? is that what she calls him to his face ‘adopted son’? you would just say son, no??? wtf??? it’s so unnatural to speak like this. ch*bnall doesn’t understand that people don’t speak in the exposition dumps.

like the whole speech could have been reduced to something along the line of ‘don’t worry i can handle myself’ or just the air hostess joke i guess. never mind there’s more chance of pigs flying than ch*bnall ever writing a second draft for his scripts.

‘i used to be good with heights’ sorry to be a fake fan but what is in this reference to? i can’t remember.

where does the parachute go? it literally disappears out of the shot in the tardis.

ace doesn’t ask where the doctor is??? …okay.

does the master really just assume yaz hasn’t been up to anything or planning something whilst she went off??? …okay.

‘you think you left and i never thought of you again, i never forget any of you, i remember everything.’ wow ch*bnall how to actually write the doctor. i wish there had been literally any more emotional moments in the ch*bnall era.

‘what am i thinking seeing all these cybermen? adric’ 😢

‘i missed you. missed you too, now please don’t get killed’ this scene between five and tegan is perfect, i wish literally any of the ch*bnall era had been done with this level of writing!!!

and we go straight back to typical ch*bnall! why the fuck does ace have to apologise?? wtf?? yeah because the doctor is in never in wrong (!) fuck off 😡😡😡 i hate this so much!!

‘i didn’t understand the burden you carried’ because ace was sixteen years old!! what the fuck is this line i…

what was graham gonna do about all the daleks???

‘i’m ace’ turns around to show the back of her jacket which has ace sewn on the back ‘yes you are’ this was very funny.

you know the last time kate faced the cybermen she threw a dismembered cyber head at them, now she’s quaking behind a table… okay.

do the cybermen and daleks know that their plans clash??? or are they all just very stupid?

tegan falling down that how many foot long shaft without getting scratch, now that’s what i call plot armour.

‘i think they make much better companions than you’ so fucking true bestie!!

jo martin my beloved

‘If you’re a friend of the doctor’s you aren’t going to use that’ i mean the master is aware of jack and like all of unit, so he does know that this isn’t a concrete rule with the doctor’s friends, but yknow we wouldn’t have a story unless everyone was fucking stupid.

do i think saying ‘not my doctor’ to a brown man is distasteful… yes.

when does yaz get given the sonic???

also im not even gonna ask how any of this logistically works.

like i would have accepted ‘reverse the polarity’ into explaining how they can do this. like literally the one time i want them to say reverse the polarity and they don’t!!

they just leave the master there!!! why?? he is going to escape you idiots!!

‘we used to be friends him and me’ she brings this up because...?

the complete whiplash of this doctor never knowing what’s going on to miraculously knowing how to solve everything and save the day in an instant (this thought process is never shown on screen).

the building collapses around them, they stand 5ft away from it and there’s not a single scratch on them… okay.

‘she’s still not explaining anything then?’ like it seems chibnall is self-aware of this but then never develops so like… what?

‘i’ll never understand it’ me talking about chris ch*bnall’s writing.

i don’t understand what the damage to the master’s body is suppose to be??? like the doctor is one who’s body have been through the most trauma this episode.

like i’m pretty sure yaz isn’t the only person to care enough about the doctor to run out to her, it’s just insulting to other companions imo.

wow yaz is buff as hell to be able to carry an unconscious doctor.

i don’t know this regeneration is so meaningless and so tacked on. like the doctor doesn’t sacrifice themselves to save the life of others, she just gets shot by big space laser because *checks notes* we need to regenerate by the end of the episode. like as with all ch*bnall writing there’s no emotional weight to any of it.

and i still think it should be the force regeneration that causes the inevitable regeneration that just makes a lot more sense to me. and then it would also be an actual consequence of the story and not just tacked on for the sake of it.

literally no goodbyes!! again!! i hate it here 😠

the cloister bells aren’t suppose to ring when the doctor is regenerating?? it’s for end of the world situations.

im sorry when the doctor says ‘i want more time’ it just sounds like a tantrum, like it comes across as so infantilising. like this isn’t anything like the ‘i could do so much more’ speech. idk sorry to compare.

‘i don’t want this to end’ that’s why i’m going to leave immediately as soon as you ask.

‘a wise person once said to me goodbyes only hurt because what came before was so special’ sorry to be a fake fan again, who said this???

i know the ‘no one else got to live our days’ is the second doctor, is it all from second doctor??

‘i think i need to do this next bit alone’ …but why???

not even a hug… oof.

‘how is she? how was she?’ don’t ask how yaz is feeling then.

JO! MEL! QUEENIES!!

big W for william russell.

‘are you okay? is she okay?’ why is yaz never allowed to talk about her own emotions!!! she is such a passive character it hurts!! why do we ever only care about the doctor.

like i think i’m in the minority but i don’t like the thirteen’s ‘tag you’re it’ line. like it’s really childish and just continues to infantilising this doctor. why does the female doctor have to be treated like a child all the time it’s really fucking weird and never sits well me.

final thoughts: so this post is long enough so i’ll try not to repeat myself too much. mixed reaction. i feel like the anniversary ep clashes with the regen episode. while i like the anniversary part of this ep, i loved the references and the fan service feel good and natural and not forced, so points for that. although the regen side of the ep let’s it down. there’s little emotional build up to the actual regen, lack of emotional moments period. having a good story means having good characters and good emotional depth and ch*bnall severely suffers on these fronts. because of any lack of emotional depth, the characters just seem to exist moving from set piece to set piece without any satisfying emotional journeys. i find it very annoying that tegan and ace (aside from their convos with their respective doctors) don’t really get any reconciliation with 13 and so i ask what’s the point. their inclusion in this story is not to progress their character’s stories and arcs, rather they simply exist for obligatory anniversary cameo which whilst is nice, is shallow and lacking substance. whilst yaz is actually active this story in saving the doctor, she is of course helped by the doctor, who is doing all the brain work, and so takes away from yaz who still appears like a sidekick. also yaz’s exit is the most passive companion exit i’ve ever seen, did ch*bnall forget to write this, who knows?? i don’t understand yaz’s exit at all and i’m sure i’m not the only one. sacha dhawan is great as always and this is his best performance so far! his dialogue is significantly better this episode too which is great. i love his earlier scenes in the lecture theatre (i know it’s not a lecture theatre i don’t know how else to describe it) and going into unit, i think he plays the camp perfectly. i only wished we’d (a.) had a proper body swap between the master and the doctor, dhawan!doctor my beloved or b.)) had much more focus on the master’s plan especially the emotional depth to it, it’s gets very convoluted very quickly. the master!doctor seemingly has very little consequences and is undone very quickly for my liking. i also hated how passive the doctor seemed this episode, she barely reacts to the force regen situation and doesn’t even try to fight again it???? anyway i feel like i’ve talk a lot now, thanks for reading if you made this far!

[lonelier-version-of-you]

Alright I have spent the past 33 minutes trying to process that centenary (sidenote, that word is insanely hard to spell) trailer but I think I can put coherent words together now. So.

Legend of the Sea Devils thoughts:

This was a fun episode! Not particularly great, and pretty cheesy, but I do love a good cheesy episode of Doctor Who tbh so I enjoyed it.

The Thasmin content was EXCELLENT. Really well written and acted, I thought. It was great to have explicit confirmation that the Doctor reciprocates Yaz’s feelings. And the scene where the Doctor was talking about how she didn’t want to act on her feelings for Yaz because of all the people she’d loved and lost before was just. Gaaaah. :( The scene on the beach was also incredibly emotional, and really good.

As someone who’s been shipping Thasmin since I was 15, although I was never as invested in it as some people have been it’s still been wild to see it actually becoming canon. I’m not the first person to say this, but when you’re so used to media queerbaiting, Thasmin actually being followed through on is really great to see.

I just hope they get a chance to kiss. Nine and Rose didn’t kiss until Nine’s very last episode, so... fingers crossed? But then Nine was only there for a single series and Thirteen’s already had three :/ Please, Doctor Who, let us have a Thasmin kiss.

(Also, glad we got a River mention!)

It was lots of fun seeing the Sea Devils! I haven’t seen any classic Who yet so this was my first introduction to them. Certainly enjoyable villains.

Crystal Yu was really good. I haven’t seen her in anything really since she left Casualty, so I was overjoyed to see she was gonna be in DW, and she did not disappoint. She’s such a great actress.

Also, I’d never heard of Madame Ching before this episode! Time to do some Googling...

Dan and Di’s little phone call was very sweet. I know we’re all talking about Thasmin, but I had to give a shoutout to Dan and Di, they’re cute.

Centenary trailer thoughts:

OH MY FUCKING GOD THIS JUST. LOOKS LIKE AN ABSOLUTELY WILD RIDE. I CAN’T BELIEVE I HAVE TO WAIT 6 MONTHS FOR THIS.

Tegan and Ace coming back is just. HOLY FUCK. Even as someone who, again, isn’t really familiar with classic Who except what I’ve read up on about it, I totally freaked out about them. I’m surprised it’s taken this long for more classic companions to be reintroduced!

Kate Stewart being back again is great to see too.

Also, can I get a “fuck yeah” for the return of the orange spacesuit?

AND THE MASTER!! I can’t lie, I actually screamed and clapped when he appeared even though I was fully expecting him to be in the trailer. I just love the Dhawan!Master, because I think he’s a really interesting take on the character, with an incredibly good actor. (And it helps that he’s good looking too lol.)

And holy shit I don’t know why but I did NOT expect them to actually show part of the regeneration scene.

[wolfflock]

Reactions to Superman and Lois S02E01

OMG here we go again. I am SO LATE watching this but I’m just super glad it’s out and I can do this again.

“Lois, you have to say something”. And Lois walks off. Aaaah, am I gonna have trouble with the way they write Lois this season too

Clark knowing Lana’s favourite drink aww

And the cologne thing lol SO TEEN! And wow she's been gone a month. That's so long! (Laughs in 7 years of long-distance)

Clark trying to help, Lois once again jumping at his throat, 3 months later. WRITERS, UGH.

The Cushings aww (Where was Sarah again? Ah, camp, okay) — [speaking Spanish] wow, okay, don't hurt yourself, CW

Chrissy and Lois have not only had the money to run the paper in a small town but they want to hire too! Okay, I guess that could maybe somehow potentially work

So the campaign is not Kyle's thing but he'll wear the t-shirt for Lana, that's nice 🥺 Support your boo!

Well Sarah was a lot less enthused than I would have assumed. Is she okay??

Is this now the new school year? If Sarah was off for a month bejng a councelor at a camp. Does that mean that Jon and Jordan, plus Clark,  had football for the remainder of the previous school year? And now they're back?

...who is this Candice and when did that happen??? What happened to Tegan? And LOVE HOW REAL it is that Jon would take her advice but not his dad's lol

Jonathan broke his arm TWICE? When was the second time, I only recall Jordan breaking it 😳

Fucking hell, not even 10 minutes in and Superman once again saves people from a non-English speaking (non-White...) country. I wish the writers did actual representation instead of only sending Supes in to save them (OKAY WAIT IT WAS NORTH KOREANS JUST TO MAKE IT POLITICALLY bold ALRIGHT)

The VFX on this, holy smokes! So well done! When he was flying over the water the the sonic boom, damn.

YESSS GIVE ME ALL THE CLARK STRUGGLES

Why would Nat want to go to her old school? That's unnecessarily complicating things. I know, I know. 🌟drama 🌟

I'm sorry but Ian is so not authentic in this role 😅

Ah so Clark should be America's own superhero, gotcha.

Is this demi Clark confirmed here? Right???

Well that was a great conversation, Lois and Clark. And I still very much don't like the Lois they are writing 😌 Her coping with strong emotions is lashing at anyone who's close. Definitely not the Lois I like.

Jordan with the candles, aww. That was so cute of him.

I like that Coach went all in with the candidate. Yes, Coach, do it, talk about teachers needing appreciation.

“The couple that never argued”. Yeah because Lois lets it all out and Clark has to shut up... Could they write “strong Lois” without making Clark the doormat????

Uh-oh. Kyle feeling ignored. That's not gonna end well, knowing his track record XD

Ah fuck, poor Natalie 😭😭 Tayler is really bringing her A game, damn! 🥰

Jordan asked the owners if he could put the candles in the pond HOW SWEET IS HE. And it didn't work all that great 😬

Lana and Clark bonding over relationship issues, aww.

FEEL WHAT. W H A T 😱

“You're the alpha in this relationship” 😬 I appreciate the sentiment but the wording, nope 🙈 BUT KYLE AND SARAH BONDING, YES PLEASE, MORE

Okay where the frick did Lois’ mum's feelings come into this? Maybe I'm not as up to speed as the writers but in my head Lois, seeing a girl called Natalie calling her Mum, would immediately think about her own child named Natalie. Not how her mother felt leaving Lois and Lucy, and pretty much saying that her mum didn't love them at all. So while I know the intent here was drama, I think it wasn't the best way of doing it. Lois isn't expected to feel anything towards Nat, and Nat's situation isn't comparable to kid Lois’. That’s why this whole thing was a bit off for me; not the idea of it, but just this in this situation. But at least Lois opened up to Clark.

Earthquake. This isn't going to be natural, is it.

Anderson and his new recruits from the special school. Can we hey more info on them? On the superkids and the school itself?

I really like Natalie, okay? Protect her at all cost!

SARAH INTERRUPTING LANA AND KYLE I'M DEAD 🤣🤣 Yeah. Parents, not in the kitchen.

JORDAN'S FACE WHEN CLARK SAYS “intimate” 🤣 I love it! But yeah, it's nice we see this little moment, guys talking about emotions and relationships. Refreshing that it's not “mum's responsibility”

And the Irons once again crash at the Kents’ 😅 I need more Clark and John Henry friendship.

Oyyyyy that cliffhanger! Who is that???

(little plug for the server we have: join us here to talk about S&L)

[danineverwenttoazkaban]

SE Appreciation Week - Fic 1 (Karol route)

@sweeteliteweek Very late but I just barely ended this not so short fic.

This is Karol’s route imagining some moments like the airport goodbye and days later while they’re at home so Papa Scholar is also featuring. I couldn’t help but add a bit of Tegan too and I tried to put several ideas I had together on the same story. Hopefully the back and forth between present and past is not too confusing. I didn’t know how to name it so I just took a song I was listening to by Wilco that is really sweet if anyone wants to listen to it.

Jesus, Etc.

The familiar vibrant and noisy city was something Scholar hadn’t think she would miss during those months at Arlington’s. Especially not the noises from the neighbor from the floor above as she rowed with her husband for the third time tonight, the people pacing up and down the stairs, the kids playing, the pizza delivery guys and Misses Jones with her 5 dogs. She smirked thinking what Karolina would say if she heard all this noise and reminisced to when they met, smiling at the thought. She would be rich by now if she was given a dollar for each time she thought of Karolina since she got on the plane home.

 --------------------------------------------------------------

“That’s my plane, people! Enjoy the journey home!”, announced Tyler as he picked up his heavy luggage. He hadn’t explained what the heck he was carrying on his bags but Scholar assumed it was something artistic.

“Hey Tyler, don’t forget about tomorrow’s match! There will be a 30% buff bonus”, said Tegan.

“Oh man, I told you I have that thing with my parents. I’ll make it up to you later, promise”, replied Tyler.

“… ok”, said Tegan as he gave him a weak smile, clearly disappointed.

“Cheers!”, shouted Tyler as he ran towards gate A27.

Only Scholar, Tegan and Karolina remained in the departure lounge. Neither Tegan or Karolina seemed particularly happy of going home, in fact Tegan was staring at the floor as if he had just been told Christmas had been cancelled this year.

“Hey, maybe I could join? I am not very good at videogames to be honest but you can teach me”, said Scholar putting a hand on Tegan’s shoulder.

Tegan looked up and smiled blushing.

“S-sure, I think you’d make a great cleric”, Scholar had no idea what that meant but she hated the sad aspect Tegan had.

She noticed Karolina was staring at her direction, a curious look on her face. In that moment, she heard her flight being called.

“Well, I guess I have to go now”, she said to both of them.

Tegan nodded.

“I’ll call you tomorrow to set your PC ready for the match”.

“Sounds like a plan!”, she answered before giving him a quick hug.

As she let go of Tegan, she looked at Karolina, unsure on how to approach her. Scholar took a step in her direction, asking for permission, they had barely talked since the night of the basement

“… I-I… goodbye, Karolina. Enjoy the holidays”, she said with slight nervousness, waiting for an answer.

Karolina was biting her lip and seemed uneasy, as if she was making up her mind about something. She leaped forward and put her arms around Scholar. The girl let go of the breath she had unknowingly kept as she felt Karolina’s warm embrace.

“Let me know when you arrive home”, Scholar heard Karolina whisper close to her ear, her breath sending shivers down her spine. She then felt something touching her cheek, she froze when she realized it was Karolina’s lips. The touch was so soft, so slight that it could had just been Scholar’s imagination. They let go of the embrace and Scholar felt her heart sink at the idea of being apart from her so many days.

“I will, you too, please”, she answered. Both Karolina and Tegan nodded and Scholar took her luggage before parting…

 The following day, Scholar had to excuse to her father early because Tegan had opened an account for her in the game they were supposed to play, in fact he had even customized her character based on a number of questions he had asked, many of which Scholar wasn’t sure how to answer. As she started her PC and positioned on her seat, she could not help but feel excited, seeing Tegan through the webcam meant also, perhaps, seeing her as well. Tegan’s face as he logged in had a mixture of sadness, exhaustion and defeat, he didn’t have Karolina’s ability of putting on a straight face, Scholar didn’t want to push an answer out so she didn’t ask. They spent a couple of hours playing, Scholar died way too many times in pure noob style but Tegan didn’t mind, in fact he laughed each time as she panicked when the other players surrounded her with attacks.

“Thank you, Scholar. You made my day”, Tegan told her after the match was over.

“I’m glad, I had a great time even though I clearly suck for this…”, she answered giggling. Tegan laughed as well, he covered his mouth whenever he laughed and Scholar thought it was cute but sad at the same time how insecure he could be at times, even among his friends.

“… She’s busy talking to mom and dad, by the way”, Tegan added after a while, “in case you were wondering.”

“Oh… it’s ok. Is everything alright?”, Scholar asked concerned, to be honest their parents didn’t exactly sound like the kind that understood and supported their children.

“They didn’t take well all that happened in FAXION, I almost didn’t login for the game but she wanted me to let her handle it on her own”, answered Tegan, “she didn’t want me blowing up and them… “, he paused, “… doesn’t matter, I will take care of her now.”

“She’s a tough girl, she worries about you too”, said Scholar, “let me know if you need anything”

“Of course, thanks again. I will tell her you say ‘hi’ ”, said Tegan before closing the session.

 ------------------------------------------------------------------------

Scholar sighed as she wondered how things had gone back at the twins’ house, hoping they were ok. The days that had followed to gaming night not much had happened. Tyler spammed them with funny selfies from the Red Carpet of God knows which movie his parents had taken him to, Tadashi and Alistair sent photos with the Drews, especially the dogs at Axel’s request, and Claire and Neha exchanged recipes for Christmas season. But barely anything from Karolina, still the fact Tegan kept sending memes mocking how bad she was at gaming was oddly comforting.

“Honey, I’m home, can you give me a hand with the bags?”, called Papa Scholar’s voice.

“Sure, dad, coming!”, answered Scholar and she walked towards the kitchen.

The bags were full of materials for her father’s famous pasta recipe but this time with a twist: he had agreed on incorporating one of Claire's many recipes. Both of them prepared everything for their movie night. Afterwards, they settled in the living room as they picked a title. They decided on one of the old movies that Scholar’s father loved “Pride and Prejudice”. Scholar had tried to get his father to watch the newer adaptation of the story but it had been pointless, the 1995 version was the one her mother loved and in a way for him watching the movie again meant reliving the joyful moments they passed together. Scholar had seen it too a handful of times yet this time it felt different, she felt connected not only because it had been her mom’s favorite movie but because the situation was now all too familiar. The pride and prejudice dance.

“You keep looking at your cell phone, expecting someone’s message?”, Papa Scholar asked as he arched an eyebrow.

“N-no, just checking the hour”, Scholar tried to reply, unconvincingly.

“Hmm, don’t forget I was your age once and fell in love at your age too”, the kind man answered giving her a warm smile.

But before Scholar could reply, they heard the alert of a new message coming in. Scholar jumped at the sound and widened her eyes at the name that appeared on the screen: “Karolina”. She quickly unlocked the cell phone, almost dropping it due to the urgency. Not paying attention to her father’s laugh at her clumsy movements, she opened the message:

Karolina: Are you awake?

Scholar: Yes, hi…

Karolina: Can I call you?

Scholar’s heart drop at her message. Almost three days without a message from her and now here she was asking for a call. She really did take that “best way to win someone is to surprise them” to the bone.

“Sorry, dad. Could we drop it here? A friend from Arlington wants to talk to me”

“Don’t worry, girl. Go call your friend”, she really did have the best dad.

 Scholar practically ran towards her room and texted her back.

Scholar: Sure.

Immediately her phone was vibrating and ringing. She answered almost as a reflex.

“Karolina?”, started Scholar, trying not to sound too excited.

“… Did I interrupt you?”, asked Karolina. Her voice on the phone was something Scholar couldn’t had foreseen would make her feel weak on the knees.

“No, uhm, I was just finishing watching a movie with my dad”

“Was it one of those cheesy old movies your dad likes?”, Karolina asked on a mocking tone. Wow, she had really paid attention…

“Ha, yeah. Pride and Prejudice… because you know how much I’m into the hate to love trope”, she blurted out surprising herself. Was it too bold to hint at ‘them’ like that? What was it about Karolina that it made her go rogue often.

Silence.

“… yes, I know”, Karolina answered. Scholar wondered, hoped, if Karolina was blushing.

“And what are you doing?”

“Our parents threw a party”

“Wow, sounds like fun.”

“It’s just the usual winter party they throw every year ”

“I’ve never been into a party like that”

“Of course not”, Karolina blurted out, “… I didn’t mean it to sound like that, I-I don’t think you’re missing anything”

“Karolina, not that I mind but why are you talking to me instead of enjoying yourself out there?”

 -------------------------------------------------------------------------

Karolina was standing in front of the wall mirror of her bedroom. Her new pine green dress matched perfectly the emerald earrings her father had bought her last year as well as the red lipstick. Everything fit together

“Miss, they are waiting for you downstairs”, the maid called after softly knocking the door.

Karolina took her purse and proceeded towards the lobby, across the dining room and into the garden. The surrounding people dressed in etiquette, the tables and the exquisite centerpieces seemed all surreal. She felt disconnected to this usual display of frivolity and superfluous social interactions, greeting people with a fake smile and pretending to care about the chit-chat. These people who if given the chance would rather see them in ruins.

At dinner, she sat with a couple of acquaintances, girls she had known since her childhood, the type her parents considered ‘appropriate’ but could never truly be friends. Her mind drifted elsewhere, back to the chalet, the sensation of safety, of being seen for the first time through the façade of her strong petty attitude, the possibility of being just ‘Karol’. She excused herself as the girls looked at her questioningly, stood up and walked behind a couple of bushes seeking some privacy.

“I heard she is going down her mother’s route”, she heard a voice say from behind the bushes.

“Her scandal at FAXION was disastrous, everyone has been talking about it”, followed another voice.

“Honestly, does it surprise anyone? It was a wonder she got this far”, said a third voice.

Karolina felt the anger and hurt built inside her, she was about to turn around and face whoever felt they had the right to talk behind her back in her own house when her cellphone vibrated. She took out her cellphone and noticed Scholar had sent a message to the group thanking Claire for the last recipe attaching also a photo of Scholar and her father cooking. She smiled at how happy they seemed and got lost in the sparkle of her eyes. She bit her lip debating on whether or not to message her… Screw it.

------------------------------------------------------------------

 “… Hmm, Karolina, is everything ok? Can you still hear me”, Scholar asked.

“Yes, I-I just … “, Karolina answered.

“You know you can tell me anything”, Scholar said, “how is everything with your parents?”

She heard Karolina sighed.

“Not good but I’d rather not talk about it”

“I’m sorry about that but it’s fine, what do you want to talk about then?”

“Nothing really, I was just bored, this party is obnoxious”, Scholar’s heart skipped a beat at her words, does she just miss me?

“I see…”, Scholar said. With her heart palpitating like crazy and the excitement of talking to Karolina she couldn’t hold back her emotions and she added, “… I miss you too.”

“I never said… you’re right, I do”, Scholar smirked. Karolina admitting her feelings was so refreshing; Scholar would need one of Neha’s teas to calm down the butterflies in her stomach.

“So dull party, huh? Should I be thankful I didn’t get invited?”, followed Scholar.

“I don’t find this type of parties endearing anymore”

“What? Hanging out with me is harming your social standards”

“Haha, you wished. I’ve never liked these parties but it was a good opportunity to meet important people”

“Oh, did you meet anyone interesting this time?”

“No, I found out that people are still talking about my FAXION fiasco”, Scholar felt her blood boil at that.

“They did? I wished I could beat some sense into that people”,

Karolina chuckled.

“Hey, I don’t mind. It’s better if they talk about me, free publicity. Besides we technically won.”

“That you did, you two were amazing, seriously no one could rival Neha’s designs. Also, you looked so beautiful and classy… even though you weren’t feeling well, you pulled that off despite everything. I can only imagine the big things you’ll do in the near future”

“You’re sweet. But remember I could steal your third place in the Gold Tier if you’re not careful”

“Oh Miss Novakova, we’ll see about that, we could bet to me beating you up in the finals”, were they flirting for real this time?, Scholar thought.

“You’re not taking me to the cafeteria again, are you?”, oh they definitely were.

“Hmm how about taking you to the gardens? Like a picnic?”, oh god, was she asking her on a date?!

“Hmmm… ok, deal”, Scholar heard Karolina answer. She did just ask Karolina on a date and she said yes!

“Deal”, wow. But this time she wouldn’t let Karolina say it wasn’t a date.

She heard Karolina laugh on the other end and it made her grin like an idiot, she wondered if Karolina was blushing furiously like she was.

“Thank you, by the way”, Karolina said after a brief silence.

“For what?”

“Helping my brother stay calm. You didn’t have to do that”

“I’m glad to help, he’s a dear friend and it killed me to see him so sad”

“He has been happier considering…”, Scholar assumed she meant with whatever was going on in their house. She wished she could do more.

“And you? Feeling better?”, Scholar asked.

“Much better”,

“I’m glad. I’m here for you, always”

“I know, I’m here for you too”, her voice sounded soft, to think about how much had happened for them to get to this point.

“I have to hang up now, we’ll talk soon”, Karolina added.

“Oh ok, of course, go back to the party”, she didn’t know what to say, she could had kept talking to her all holidays if she could.

“Good night… Oh, and watch out your door tomorrow”, Karolina said with a curious tone in her voice, almost nervous.

“Tomorrow? What happens tomorrow?”, Scholar asked confused.

“J-just pay attention, ugh. I have to go now.”

“Ok, ok, I will do. Good night, Karolina”, and with that she was left with the usual cellphone tone.

 The following day was Christmas’ Eve. To say she had spent the morning ecstatic was an understatement. She kept circling around the call she had with Karolina, the fact she had asked her out on a date and whatever she meant by watching out for her door. Her dad was surprised that out of all the friends she had made at Arlington it was actually Karolina whom she had a crush on (she had to tell him since she couldn’t hide her joy).

“My first guess was that girl Claire who kindly gave us the recipes for Christmas dinner”, Papa Scholar said as he found out about the source of her daughter’s disturbance.

“Funny you guessed Claire, dad”, sighed Scholar remembering the fatal mistletoe incident.

“Why funny?”

“Oh dad, it’s just… a long story”, Scholar said.

“Well, I have to say that Karolina girl is drop dead gorgeous and if you say she is nicer to you, I believe you. When can you invite her here?”

“Dad! We’re not even… I mean, we almost … kissed b-but …”

They were interrupted by a knock on the door.

“I’ll get it”, said Papa Scholar.

“Actually dad, can you let me check who it is?”, jumped Scholar as she headed to the door.

She peaked from the door peephole. On the other side there was a guy looking like a delivery man.

“H-hello? Who is it?”, Scholar asked.

“Good afternoon, I have a delivery for a person named Scholar”, the guy answered from the other side.

Scholar opened the door, the man was carrying a golden plastic bag with a red bow on the outside.

“Hi, I’m Scholar”

“Oh great, I’m supposed to deliver this”, he handed her the bag, “please sign here… and here”

Scholar did as he requested and looked at the bag, it looked very elegant for a plastic bag.

“Thank you, merry Christmas, ma’am”

“Thank you too, merry Christmas!”

Scholar walked towards the living room holding the odd bag on her right hand. She took a seat on the couch and placed the bag on top of the table, slowly opening it. There was a card and a small black box on the inside. She took out the small box and opened it being startled by its content. It was an astonishing silver necklace with a sapphire pendant on the center, tiny diamonds seemed to surround the almost heart-shaped figure of the pendant. Papa Scholar couldn’t believe his eyes either, he got the card out and gasped.

“Honey, you need to read the card, look”, Papa Scholar said as he handed it out for her.

Scholar took the card in her shaky hands and opened it carefully:

“Hopefully this starts your way into the better fashion sense you desperately need… Merry Christmas, Karolina”

Scholar lost no time and rushed to get her cellphone. Please answer, please answer, she thought as she heard the dialing tone.

“Hi”, she heard Karolina’s voice answer.

“I-I-… Oh god, I-I can’t even… It’s so beautiful!”, Scholar tried to say forgetting how to speak.

“I am glad you like it.”

“I just… wow… thank you! How did you know where I live?”

“Uh-oh, guess who, Scholar”, she heard Tegan’s voice say.

“Y-you! From the time we played together… should had figured. “, Scholar said laughing.

“You got me, hehe. I’ll give Karol back her cell phone. Merry Christmas!”

“Merry Christmas, Tegan!”

“I am sorry I had to ask him”

“Don’t be sorry, I love it”, Scholar said, almost as much as I love you, she thought, “I didn’t get you anything for Christmas, I feel awful, you went through all this and I-“

“I don’t need you to get me anything, just everything you’ve done for me and … how much I … I can’t tell you on the phone, ok?”, Karolina said.

“… s-sure. Thank you so much, Karol”, was it the first time she called her Karol out loud?

“Besides I already feel like I have my Christmas gift… Anyway, our father is calling us. Merry Christmas, Scholar”

“Merry Christmas, Karol”, Scholar replied and added, “I… you know I do too, for a while now if I’m honest.”

“I kind of knew but didn’t want to see it… Enjoy your night”

“Y-you too. Bye”.

 This was definitely the best Christmas she could had ever imagined, she only wished she could had thanked her in person but soon, very soon they will be able to figure it out.

END

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hope you guys like it! The ending was rushed because it’s super late here so sorry for that.

[truitt-story]

soft pink: a pride playlist for tiana

1. She by Dodie 2. Strawberry Blond by Mitski 3. Jackie Onassis by Sammy Rae 4. Sofia by Clairo 5. Hi. by Lauren Sanderson 6. Bad Love by The Aces 7. Caroline by Brandi Carlile 8. Cloud 9 by Beach Bunny (feat. Tegan and Sara) 9. Pynk by Janelle Monae (feat. Grimes) 10. Run to Me by Brittany Howard

Ok I already did one of these so I’m not gonna get SUPER in-depth but I wanted to talk about this a little! The idea I had for this playlist is that Tiana is very much an “I’m an independent woman I don’t have time for crushes!!!” type but the second she starts to catch feelings she’s a total romantic and I wanted to make a playlist all about those walls coming down. SO. Here’s a SHORT track by track breakdown.

1. She by Dodie

This song is just so #soft and sweet. I like the beginning with “Am I allowed to look at her like that” because that just feels so REAL to having a crush (esp as a queer woman I feel like) where you’re like oh no. Can she tell. AAAH.

2. Strawberry Blond by Mitski

Ok full disclosure I really was trying to do songs by queer artists about explicitly queer subject matter and I have absolutely no idea if Mitski identifies as queer (tbh it is probably none of my business!) but this song just FELT very fitting for this playlist and another one that feels like the beginning of a crush. 

3. Jackie Onassis by Sammy Rae

I looove this song. It’s about all the different reasons you can be attracted to someone-- their confidence, their intelligence, their fashion sense, their looks, and maybe something kind that they did for you! And I love the idea of falling for a person who makes you want to be more confident and come into your own more. Because that’s beautiful!!!

4. Sofia by Clairo

This song to me is about that in-between stage-- that “what are we” moment. And even though Tiana can be very opinionated, I think when it comes to stuff like this she’s a lot more hesitant. It’s basically why her last relationship fell apart-- she couldn’t take the leap to commit to the relationship because she had a lot of baggage she was working through.

5. Hi. by Lauren Sanderson

Another kind of #angst song about not really knowing where you stand. And this is more for a relationship where you’re with someone who you really want to help but you just don’t know how. Tiana loves hard and loves to help people, and I can see her getting into this kind of situation.

6. Bad Love by The Aces

This song is all about shaking off anyone who has anything negative to say about your queerness! I thought it was a good progression from the previous two songs about being unsure about getting into a relationship-- now you feel certain, and you don’t care what anyone thinks.

7. Caroline by Brandi Carlile

I loooove this song it’s just so cute. Silly song about being in love and QUEER ICON ELTON JOHN HELPED WRITE IT. Need I say more.

8. Cloud 9 by Beach Bunny (feat. Tegan and Sara)

Another happy relationship song. Something cool about this song is that when Tegan and Sara featured on it, they specifically went in and changed the pronouns to be gender-neutral. I just thought that was cool!

9. Pynk by Janelle Monae feat. Grimes 

This song is just a bop and it’s just celebrating wlw relationships/experiences. I don’t have much more to say except Janelle Monae is an icon.

10. Run to Me by Brittany Howard 

I just thought this was a good closer. It’s about feeling totally secure and happy with someone, and running home to them at the end of the day and the comfort that comes with that. 

[tetrakys]

Sweet Elite - chapter 10

I finally played the episode on both my active accounts, review below the cut.

The episode starts with Scholar reminiscing the Halloween party and finally openly admitting to themselves they have a crush on the person chosen in the previous episode. As you probably remember I’m currently on Tegan’s and Axel’s routes.

Tegan:

Axel:

I... am destined to suffer with this game.

After this realisation we decide that the most important thing is to focus on our studies to be sure we’ll be able to remain at the academy. After studying we go to the cafeteria to have dinner and we find there the person we are in love with, we have a lovely dinner together 

Axel:

They talk about school for a bit

(Babe I forgive you only because you are cute, and also because you are teasing, your file says that math is one of your strengths, so cut the crap. )

Then he talks about him leaving school to go on tour.

(LMAO his face)

(!!!!!!! YES PLEASE!!!! but admit you’d do it because YOU want to see ME day and night 😏)

[...]

Ah! Someone who understands that scholarship students are brighter than the average Arligton student. It doesn’t take a genius to figure it out... I mean... someone would have to be veeeeery stupid and close minded to think the opposite... wouldn’t they...  🙄

Funny but... I’m sure we can come up with another form of punishment 😊😏

Tegan:

There’s not much to show about the dinner with Tegan, as I said multiple times until we literally jump on him we’re going to get nowhere with him.

SCHOLAR SHOULD I REMIND YOU THAT YOU’RE IN THE MATH DEPARTMENT TOO?? 

Then he makes his back crack and Scholar gets spooked and they talk about being weird and true to themselves.

I’m a bit sad that in all the cute moments with Tegan you can rarely tell if they are flirty or just friendly. I know they reflect his personality, but it’s disappointing.

At the end of the dinner we agree that we had fun and we should do this again after the exams.

And this is where the episode ends.

......

Okay, no, I’m jooooooooking

This is where most interactions with our crush end and Karol/Neha’s arc begins (still not sure if the arc is only about Karol or both, I’d say both). 

Someone took a picture of scholar hugging Tadashi to console him during his arc and it got viral for some reason, so now Arlington’s sweetheart is again getting attention and the school board has decided to use the free publicity to raise the school’s profile in people’s eyes, so scholar is going to be one of Faxion’s judges. Scholar and Tadashi are called in Lady A’s office to talk about this, but they have to keep the secret until it’s publicly announced.

There is a very funny group chat scene where people try to get information out of Scholar and Tadashi, the picture comes out and we get no reaction from Tegan (he is the one who shares the link, so he might have at least brooded about it for a bit I hope), but we get a small cute scene with Axel

(Also, apparently he’s a dog person. Nice.)

Scholar, my child, could you try to use a bit of this sass with Tegan? You’re gonna die alone if you don’t.

After this, Faxion is announced and Scholar’s role too. You would guess that the smart thing to do is to treat well ALL the people who are going to to judge your work, right? Right? With respect, like any other human being deserves at the very least. But noooo of course not.

I’ve tried really hard to like you Karolina. I really did.

But you are a bitch.

Someone who defines people’s worth by how much money their parents own is even less than stupid. 

She even tries to show she has some higher moral ground respect to another model who is just as an asshole as she is. I can’t see much of a difference between the two.

What’s the difference with Karolina? I see none.

Scholar tries to make peace with Karol and be an impartial judge. We meet the other judges, among them there is a Luis Vuitton knock-off who is apparently friend with lady A and knows things about both Scholar and Neha. They are really fishy. In fact they out Neha as a scholarship student in front of the whole school. This is where things go to shit. Up until this point Neha and Karol where a great team and way ahead of everyone else, but now Karol can barely stand Neha’s sight.

I see how Karol can be hurt that Neha has lied to her all this time, but it doesn’t justify the shitty way she treats her at this point. Also, try at least to be smart and civil until the competition is over instead of actively sabotaging everything because now that you know Neha is not rich her ideas are worth less in your eyes. But no, why be smart when you can be completely stupid.

In all this we also find out that Karol is anorexic, which we suspected since episode 2, and that Neha is in love with her, which we knew since episode 1. We talk to Raquel, Claire, Tegan and Neha about Karol’s eating disorder and the episode ends with the winners about to be announced (Karol and Neha of course) but Karol faints in front of the entire school.

A few comments:

- I appreciate when the writing is solid enough to make the reader see where the plot is going, instead of pulling things out of nowhere for pure shock value. Surprises are good only when they are well planned.

- I also liked that Scholar had an active role. I didn’t expect them being a judge and even if it’s a bit of a stretch I liked seeing that we are not a secondary character in our story. However I’m still turned off by the fact that scholar’s department makes no difference in the story. A scholar in the fashion department can’t be considered the “general population” vote. I know that the excuse for them not being in the competition is that they don’t have a ranking yet, but it makes no sense in my opinion. Even blaming it on the school board is a stretch. But this is not the only instance something like this has happened, a scholar in science needing someone to explain them the science lecture. A scholar in math teaming up with Tegan and Ellie to only end up shopping for computer parts online. I wish these things were better thought.

- I’m calling out whoever in the dev/art/writing team has a CLEAR preference for Neha. She is the only one we can raise the meter this episode. In my gameplays the only one we got a romantic interaction in one of the past episodes. The only one we have an extra solo illustration with. And I assume we have a 1-1 illustration with her here because this is her arc (same as what happened with Tadashi), so I’m expecting a 1-1 illustration with Karol next episode. However I feel the bias for Neha, same as what I felt the last episode with Axel, and no one can change my mind.

- This episode made me dislike Karolina a lot. I assume I should be nicer with her because she has an eating disorder, but her being a bitch has nothing to do with her anorexia. The two things may come from the same issue, her needing to be perfect for whatever reason, and I’m sure we will get a teary explanation at some point that will make me forgive her, but still... she deserves take accountability for her own actions. I hope she looses the award.

- Neha doesn’t deserve to loose, she is talented and works hard, she deserves to find another partner. Don’t worry Neha, there are lots of people who can walk in a straight line in the world, there’s no need to attend an elite school for this. However she is also quite spineless, but there’s still hope for her, I understand why she has been lying all this time if she was trying to build a business in such an elitist world. I hope this serves her as a lecture and she learns to stand up for herself and others when such things happen.

All in all I liked the episode. It’s not perfect but as a character arc episode is thousands times better than Tadashi’s was. I just hope we’ll be done with Karol quickly and move on to better things.

[my-arlington-academia]

How would the main 10 react if scholar gets jealous ?

Alright 😂 let's make the MC jealous! I hope I'll be able to deliver what you had in mind and thank you for the request as always 💕💖

(On a side-note: when you guys don't specify Scholar's gender, I always write in "you/your" by default so don't hesitate to tell me what pronouns you'd like me to use! I know that some people can find it weird, reading headcanons that directly put them into MC's shoes, but if it doesn't bother you then carry on as always 👌)

Alistair

- immediately notices that you become a bit cold when that "friend" from the athletics department is around

- is it... jealousy?

- Alistair considers that possibility right away, maybe because deep down he kinda wants it to be true? A little bit?

- pulls you aside and asks you what's wrong

- "Y/N... when Sam is around you always act a bit weird. Is something wrong? Does he make you uncomfortable? Maybe I can help you guys talk it out!"

- you shamefully admit that it's not it, from there on, the way you avert your eyes and that obvious blush on your face makes Alistair sure of it

- "Haha... You're jealous, right? You of all people..."

- he's grinning, this is making him way happier than he thought it would and it pisses you off a little bit

- "Hey! What the hell?? D-Don't be so happy about that kind of stuff! It's not funny!"

- despite what you're saying, he can't wipe that smile off his face, instead he hugs you tightly to compensate

- "Sorry... pffthahaha... sorry. Yeah, you're right it's not funny. It's just really really cute."

Axel

- it's actually really easy to make Axel jealous and he always gets annoyed at that part of himself

- so when you're the one being jealous for once? Oh boy is he happy...

- You already knew about the difficulties that can arise from dating Axel so you're usually hard to break

- But this one time there was a girl who was being especially clingy and friendly

- Axel noticed the shift in your behaviour right away

- he's smirking while questioning you

- you decide to be honest and ignore how happy Axel is with this whole situation

- "I uh. I guess I was a little bit... ᴊᴇᴀʟᴏᴜs."

- Axel comes closer to you and acts like he didn't hear what you said

- "Huh? What was that? Sorry you're just so quiet I didn't catch that."

- you remember all the times he was the one being jealous but everytime you brushed him off and told him that he was "just being silly"

- now that you're on the other end, it's kind of ironic

- you know fully well that he did hear you, but feeling pressured you say it again

- "J-Jealous. I was jealous."

- when Axel notices how red you are and your eyes full of tears, he ends the joke and hugs you

- "Geez come on, don't make that face sweetheart..."

Claire

- okay now that's a funny one

- she does catch on the fact that you're acting different but she tries to approach you in a really polite way

- "So um. You know uh... I'm really sorry if I'm jumping to conclusions and it might be really preposterous of me to think of it that way but... Could it be that you're jealous?"

- she's so nervous, as if she's asking something really rude

- you admit it quite easily, there's no reason for you to hide that from Claire

- she's always so caring and understanding about everything

- "Oh! I see! So it really was jealousy... Well in any case please don't worry! I mean I would never, ever cheat on you I swear!! I assure you that it's just your mind playing tricks on you!"

- Even though she doesn't want to admit it, it's clear that she's a little bit happy about the fact that you were jealous

- but still worried about you because jealousy is really not a pleasant feeling

Ellie

- sees that you suddenly become really quiet once that person comes to greet her and have a small chat

- Ellie is friendly with a lot of people and a chatterbox so she easily becomes close with others

- hell, she's the most popular person in her department, if that's not an achievement then you don't know what is

- she tries to talk to you about it but you clumsily dodge her questions

- "Hmmm... Y/N you're acting reaaaaally suspicious right now, you know that?"

- tickles you into submission

- "HHAHAHA O-okayhahahaha Okay!! Okay... Alright, yeah, I was jealous. So what?"

- hugs you and kisses you on your cheek

- "So nothing at all! You're really a worrywart! There's no way I would give up on you silly!"

- from then on, when that person approaches you guys she holds your hand and acts all lovey-dovey in public

- now everyone knows that you guys are dating... but hey! At least no more reason to be jealous!

Karolina

- here we have miss master heartbreaker

- which is funny because she's also the kind of person who gets easily jealous for the smallest things

- someone sits too close to you in class? Back off!

- someone's giving you the soft eyes™? Get lost!

- the joy she feels when you're finally the one to be jealous cannot be described

- she decides to play a bit with you, even if it's a cruel way to do it, she really wants you to be the one to assert dominance for once

- you catch on her little game but break eventually

- the way you shoved that guy aside made him fear for his life

- "Karolina, what you did just now? That was really childish and unfair."

- she playfully rolls her eyes

- "Oh please. You mean how you always do it to me? Or is it not "childish and unfair" when you're the one to do it?"

- welp. She has a point

- but in the end she's fully satisfied with your little outburst of jealousy

- you guys carry on as always: half fighting and half flirting

Neha

- it takes Neha about a day to figure it out

- of course she's emotionally intelligent but she thought that maybe you were going through some personal stuff you didn't want to share yet

- Neha is really respectful about that kind of stuff, she won't pry unless she absolutely has to

- not to mention that you're sulking in a really subtle way, had she not known you for a long time, she wouldn't catch that at all

- figures out that it has something to do with that girl from the fashion department she's been hanging out a lot with (for purely work related purposes)

- "Y/N, there's something you want to tell me, isn't there?"

- she really catches you off-guard

- you decide that there's no use hiding that from her and tell her you understand how illogical your jealousy is but you can't help it

- as you explain your feelings to her, a small smile appears on her face

- "Wait... Neha, are you happy that I'm jealous?!"

- "W-what?! No!!! ...Well okay, maybe just a little bit..."

Raquel

- gets that there's something going on with you but not exactly what

- it does cross her mind that you might be jealous but she writes it off as "wishful thinking"

- Raquel is pretty popular in general and despite that you have never been jealous

- it seemed unlikely that now, all of a sudden you would start feeling jealous

- But since you're being so moody lately, Raquel gets really concerned, it's not like you're always super cheerful or anything but you've never been this... annoyed?

- "Y/N listen, are you like... jelly or something? I mean it's probably not it but you've been acting kinda weird recently."

- But she hit the nail on the head

- Raquel looks at you in disbelief

- "No way... seriously?? You're jealous?? Oh my God..."

- She practically jumps on you to hug you

- "Woah! Easy there... Well in any case, glad to see that my jealousy makes you sooooo happy."

- she tightens her arms around you even more

- "Awww... come on! Don't be so bitter Y/N, you know that you're the only one for me!"

- says it dramatically but she really means it

Tadashi

- this is the dense brick, a stonewall

- the funny thing is that he can be really perceptive when it comes to other people but when it's for himself?

- he has no clue what's wrong with you

- thinks that maybe it'll go away soon enough and he just tries to be there for you

- you're the one to question him

- "So, haven't you figured out why I've been acting like this? Doesn't it bother you or could it be that you didn't even notice?"

- blinks at you a couple of times before answering

- "You mean how sometimes you randomly become irritable? I don't know, is there something stressing you out? If there is I would be happy to help you."

- you facepalm yourself mentally, seems like you'll have to say it clearly rather than making him guess, if you ask him to guess he'll be like "What do you mean? What's the point of doing that? Just tell me."

- "Tadashi it's just that, well... lately I've been feeling kind of... jealous. You spend a lot of time with Veronica and it just... it makes me upset even though I shouldn't be."

- Tadashi stays silent for a couple of seconds and you can see his cheeks switching from it's usual shade to a deep red

- "...Oh? Jealous hm... I see, okay. Well, I'm not sure how to make you feel better since it is an irrational feeling but... I-I would never abandon you. Maybe it's not the right word to use but... I mean it! You matter to me a lot. More than you think."

Tegan

- Tegan has a big brain but he has such a low self-esteem that he didn't even consider your behaviour to be a simple case of jealousy

- tries to brush it off and instead keep your mind away from... whatever is bothering you

- you really want him to catch the hint so you try making your behaviour even more obvious

- thankfully he ends up taking it as a possibility at least

- "Y/N? Do you not... like it when I spend time with Daniel?"

- he's still so unsure that he doesn't even dare to use the word "jealousy", you end up confirming it for him

- "That's right. I wish you would spend that time with me instead of him... I mean of course I'm not telling you to not hang out with the people you get along with but uh... ughhhh... sorry, I'm not making any sense today. Forget I said anything..."

- Tegan shyly grabs your hands, trying to be as reassuring as he can

- "Please, don't worry about stuff like that... I would never think about uh... getting with someone else other than you. I mean, I honestly still can't believe that we're together. It's like I'm living in another reality or something..."

Tyler

- he has seen his fair share amount of drama in movies, he knows what's going on and he loves it

- is super giddy at the idea of you wanting to keep him only for yourself

- he's so smug that it makes you angrier... but you can't stay mad for long with him, he's too witty and adorable

- when you try to be cold with him he either keeps poking your cheeks with his fingers, tries tickling you, hugging you from behind or doing all of those in this specific order

- "Come ooonnn... just be honest with me, you're jealous, aren't you?"

- he's so close to your ear, he's almost whispering

- "Ugh. Fine. Yes. So what are you gonna do about it?"

- you can't even see his expression since you're facing away from him, but you can somehow tell that he definitely has a smirk on his face

- Tyler turns you around to face him and kisses you

- "You're waaaay cuter than any of those people, even though I'm not even sure who you're jealous of since you're being so secretive about it... Maybe if you spill the beans I'll kiss you again? Sounds like a pretty good deal, doesn't it??"

[aria-writes]

There was only one bed?!

Post-game, established relationship. 

rated pg-13 for teenagers being snarky teenagers

Viktoria rested one hand on her hip and sighed disdainfully as she took in her surroundings. “Is it a legal requirement for all hotels to have ugly carpets?”

Tegan dropped his bags and collapsed to the floor with a loud thump.

Viktoria jumped, hands instinctively moving into a defensive position at the sudden noise. “Ew!” She exclaimed. “Do you know how many germs are in these rooms?”

“I don’t care, ‘cause I’m dead,” Tegan mumbled into the carpet, shrugging slightly.

Viktoria let her arms fall and nudged him in the side with her foot a few times.

Tegan managed to remain almost completely still. “Stop desecrating my corpse.”

Viktoria rolled her eyes and removed her jacket, dropping it over the back of a nearby chair. “Calm down, edgelord. Now, wh– Uh.”

She narrowed her eyes and twisted her mouth to the side at the focal point of the room– one queen-sized bed, freshly done up. She frowned at it in disapproval, as if that would make it shift and change before her very eyes, but it did not.

Tegan slowly raised his head, propping his chin up in his hands. He blinked, removed his glasses, rubbed the lenses vigorously on his shirt, then put them on again. “That is… there's one bed in here.”

“Yep.” Viktoria sighed again, then propped her bag against the wall and headed straight for it, yawning. “Well, goodnight Tegan. Sleep well and all that jazz.”

Tegan’s cheek slipped off his hand, nearly causing him to face-plant.

“Hey wait, aren’t you supposed to act all nice and shy and offer the bed to me, at which point I’ll insist that no, really, you should have it? And so on and so forth.” He gestured with his hands as he talked and proffered her a hopeful smile.

Viktoria looked at him over her shoulder and cocked her head, considering.

“Hm, nah.” She flopped facedown and exhaled in relief, then rolled over. “Look, it’s not like we’re sharing the same toothbrush or anything.”

Tegan shuddered, lips pursing slightly. “Thanks’nt for that mental image.”

Viktoria snorted. “Tegan! I’ve shared a bed with friends during sleepovers before, it’s not a big deal.” She tossed her shoes over the end of the bed. “Look, if you’re that worried about me acting untoward, we can make a wall down the middle with the extra throw pillows.”

Tegan slowly sat up and wrapped his arms around his knees. “You’re not the one I’m worried about…”

“Then who, the tabloids? Let ‘em talk. Maybe Tyler will ask me for my autograph, on account of my becoming a mini-celebrity and all.” Viktoria joked as she folded her hands behind her head, trying to lighten the mood.

‘Me,’ Tegan wanted to shout, ‘it’s me! I am the problem! Ever since we met, I’ve been dreaming of premarital hand-holding!’

Viktoria scooted to the edge of the bed and softened her tone. “Look, Tegan, do you want the bed?”

Tegan rested his cheek against his knee. “Yes.”

Viktoria threw her hands up in the air. “So do I. Now, are we building the not-so-great Wall of China, or—“

Tegan scrambled to his feet. “N-no, it’s okay. I— You—“ He gestured awkwardly for a few moments, then covered his face with his hands. “It’s just, uh, do you… Do you actually sleep… Um, totally and completely... You know, with no…

Viktoria smiled and waved dismissively at him, then pulled her hair into a low bun. “Nah, I keep my undergarments on.”

Tegan’s knees gave out. He dropped to the floor as if he had just been shot out of the sky, face frozen.

Viktoria leaned over the edge and reached out for him, face twisted in concern. “I’m joking! Oh good job Vik, you really did kill him this time!”

“I’m… fine…” Tegan managed to wheeze, voice pitched about an octave higher than it sounded normally. He curled up in the fetal position, eyes wide open. “Maybe I will sleep on the floor.”

Viktoria raised her hands in surrender. “I’m done messing with you, I promise. At least for tonight.”

Tegan lifted his arms weakly in her general direction. “Help, I’ve fallen and I can’t get up.”

Viktoria grabbed him by the wrists and, with a grunt of effort, hauled him onto the bed… but now he was straddling her.

“Regret! Regret!” Tegan’s entire body seemed to be trying to run away in five directions at once, which ultimately ended in him flopping onto the unoccupied side of the bed almost unintentionally. “Mistakes have been made!”

He shoved his face into the pillow, completely incapable of facing Viktoria for at least another five minutes. “...aaannd I just said all of that inner dialogue out loud, didn't I.” He slapped the pillow with a defeated tone.

Viktoria blinked dumbly. She didn’t even have time to smirk or wink during any of that, it all happened so fast.

“Hey. Can I touch you?” Tegan sighed, shoulders releasing just a bit of tension. “Yeah. If you want…” Viktoria reached over and ran her fingers through his messy hair, splayed out across the pillowcase in every which way like a fiery halo.

“If it makes you feel any better, I don’t think that’s even the most awkward thing you’ve said to me.” Tegan let out a muffled but still sufficiently loud groan that sounded like the cursed lovechild of a foghorn and a cow.

“Is there any chance we could just forget that that ever happened?”

Viktoria smiled and sat back on her heels. “Forget that what ever happened?” She asked innocently.

Tegan shifted onto his side. “Thank you.” He crossed his eyes and touched his nose with his tongue, attempting to break the tension.

Viktoria grinned and reached out towards his face to straighten his glasses. “You’re adorable.” Tegan propped his head up with a loose fist. “You flatter me.” Viktoria threw the thick blanket back and tucked her legs underneath it, then pulled it up to her waist.

“Is it really flattery if it’s true? Honestly, I think you’re the prettiest person I’ve ever known, and that’s saying a lot.”

Tegan tilted his head, the corners of his mouth turning upwards. “More than Karolina?” “I… crud.” Viktoria scrunched up her nose. “Okay fine, well, she may be prettier than you, but you’re the most beautiful.”

Tegan rested a hand in the space between the two of them and let his legs sprawl out. “There’s a distinction between the two?” Viktoria gave a one-shouldered shrug and attempted to get comfortable.

“Pretty is usually used as attractive, conventionally, but not much more than skin deep. Beautiful, in my book, factors in all of that plus what’s inside– uh, you know, the emotions of the heart, the capacity of the mind, the facets of a personality, the vastness of the soul…” She trailed off, taking in all of Tegan’s features under the soft yellow glow. “Viktoria…” Tegan exhaled and leaned in. Viktoria scooted closer, heart beating out of her chest. “Yes, Tegan?” Tegan gave her a wry smile. “One of us will have to get up and turn the lights off.” Viktoria looked up and clapped twice into the air. No dice.

Tegan briefly raised his eyebrows, clearly amused. “Well, you tried.” Viktoria threw her head back. “Ugh. I’ll rock-paper-scissors with you.” Tegan rolled his eyes but humored her anyway. “Rock, paper, scissors– shoot!” “Hah!” Viktoria placed her open palm over Tegan’s fist and squeezed his hand. “This game is rigged.” Tegan rolled off the bed with a groan and dragged his feet his entire way over to the light switch.

Viktoria raised her head and squinted at him in suspicion. “Did you lose on purpose?”

Tegan’s only response was to flip the lights, plunging the room into darkness.

“Uh… how do I get back?” Viktoria gestured vaguely as her eyes started to adjust. “Echolocation?” “Do I look like Batboy to you?”

Viktoria shrugged, momentarily forgetting that he couldn’t see her. “Do you mean usually, or just right now?”

Even though she still couldn’t see much, she could tell that Tegan was making that face at her, the one where his eyebrows bunched up in the middle and his lower lip turned out in the most subtle of cute little pouts.

Viktoria took advantage of the darkness to quickly change out of her jeans and into some leggings as Tegan stumbled his way back. Hypothetically, she could just sleep in the oversized T-shirt she had on, but she figured she had tortured him enough for one day.

Tegan yelled a very harsh sounding non-English word as he bumped into the bed and stubbed his toe.

“This freaking hotel is getting a one-star review on Yalp!”

Viktoria braced herself as an incredibly obvious idea popped into her head too little, too late. “Why didn’t you just… use your phone’s light?”

“YOU—” Tegan lept at Viktoria and tackled her, who let out a very surprised laugh in response.

“I did not expect that from you, of all people!”

Tegan moved off of her and wrapped his arms around his torso. “You know what? I’m tired, it’s late, and I am totally over it.”

Viktoria reached up and placed her palms over his cheeks. Sure enough, they were warm to the touch.

“And you assumed that I wouldn’t be able to tell you were blushing due to my impaired vision in the darkness.”

Tegan collapsed with a defeated groan and threw the blanket over his head. “Goodnight, I am done.”

•••

Viktoria woke to a numb feeling in her arm that somehow reminded her of radio static. She slowly blinked awake.

Tegan had her left arm completely pinned underneath his lean (but not weightless) frame and between the mattress.

“Coffeegan…” Viktoria murmured, poking his cheek lightly with her free hand. “Could you be a good boyfriend and move, please?”

“You’re so warm…” Tegan whined, snuggling up closer and wrapping his noodly arms tightly around her waist.

Viktoria flexed her trapped arm, which had gone almost painfully numb by this point. “I need to go to the bathroom really bad, and if you don’t move soon this isn’t gonna be pretty–”

“I’m up! I’m up!” Tegan flopped off of her arm and over the side of the bed with a crash, taking the blanket with him. “Oof.”

“Rest in pieces.” Viktoria leaned over the edge of the bed. This felt very familiar to her, for some reason. “Are you o—“

Tegan threw an arm over his face, which was completely red at this point... along with his ears and possibly his neck and shoulders as well.

“Just leave me here to die.”

Victoria hopped over to the bathroom to take care of business, slapping her arm to get the feeling back in it on the way.

Someone, who she presumed was Tegan because who else would it be, tapped out the rhythm of Shave and a Haircut on the bathroom door. Viktoria went to answer it, toothbrush in hand.

Tegan gaped at her as she opened the door, arm still raised.

Viktoria took a step back and gave him a bemused smile. “What is it now?”

“I…” Tegan hesitated, the fingers of his free hand tapping absentmindedly against his leg.

Viktoria leaned against the doorframe and crossed her arms. “I know for a fact that you’ve seen me without makeup countless times.” She motioned at him with the end of her toothbrush, then popped it in her mouth.

Tegan motioned in the air around his head with both hands. “You look like book!Hermione.”

Viktoria nearly choked. “Oh yeah, that.” She reached up to run a hand over her hair and smiled sheepishly. “That’s kinda what happens when you tend to toss and turn all night.”

“Oh great.” Tegan began examining his easily markable skin. “I better not have any bruises…Tyler and Ellie will never let me hear the end of it.”

Viktoria stood on the ends of her toes and ruffled Tegan’s hair. “Your bedhead is adorable though.”

“Maybe I can just wear a full-body cloak– huh?” Tegan looked up over his shoulder as Viktoria’s compliment finally registered. “I mean, you think everything about me is adorable… but thank you.”

***

“Does it seem strange to you that no one has stopped and questioned the two baby-faced teenagers traveling together?”

“The two loaded baby-faced teenagers traveling together,” Tegan corrected. “Well, one, anyway.”

Viktoria smirked and slowly entwined her arm with his. “Does that make you my sugar–”

Tegan drew his mouth into a thin straight line. “Don’t. even. say. it.”

Viktoria traced a finger down his chest. “How about just d–”

Tegan looked straight down at her. “I swear, if you finish that sentence, I will never hack another database for you ever again. Ever.”

Viktoria slowly raised one eyebrow. “Ok boomer.”

She giggled and turned on her heel in a way that eerily reminded Tegan of Ellie, skipping over to the elevator and nearly taking out a bystander on the way over with the rolling luggage she was dragging behind herself.

‘Note to self, hide those hair ribbons…’  Tegan groaned and threw his head back as he shuffled over to the opening elevator doors at a much slower pace.

To Viktoria’s surprise, they both managed to make it inside the death box— I mean elevator— without incident.  

Viktoria leaned her head against Tegan’s arm and closed her eyes as the doors shut with a soft chime.

Tegan raised an eyebrow. “Is this your way of apologizing?”

Viktoria nuzzled her face into his arm. “I didn’t sleep well last night. I get kinda loopy when I’m tired.”

Tegan snorted and shoved his phone into his pocket. “No, really? I totally couldn’t tell.”

Viktoria half-heartedly elbowed him in the side before closing her eyes again.

Tegan watched the numbers displayed on the side of the doors drop and tapped his foot against the shiny floor. “Fair warning, if you actually do fall asleep, I’m not capable of carrying you out.”

Viktoria sighed and draped her arms around his waist. “Is that your way of telling me to lay off the pasta?”

“Wh– NO!” Tegan sputtered in protest. “I would never– I was just saying because I am–”

Viktoria opened one eye and raised her head just a tad. “Did the lift just stop?”

Tegan sighed to himself and pulled his phone back out. “I really should’ve seen this one coming by now.”

Viktoria ran the two steps it took for her to reach the doors and futilely pawed at the crack. “Oh no no I cannot die in this outfit, I hate this outfit!”

Tegan cocked his head at her. “Then why are you wearing it?”

She whirled to face him. “Because they’re traveling clothes!” Viktoria’s scream reached a fever pitch, the subtle irony of the contrast between their respective outfits completely lost on her.

Tegan winced and pressed his ear to his shoulder as the sound reverberated through the small space.

Viktoria pulled on the hem of her jacket and lowered her voice.

“Sorry. I’m wearing this because if it gets ruined en route, then I don’t have to mourn the loss of any garments I actually care about.”

Tegan stared at her as if she had suddenly sprouted wings. “...Fashion people are weird.”

Viktoria stuck her tongue out at him. “Whatever, Tall Nerd.”

Tegan raised his arm and rested his elbow on top of her head. “Right back at cha, Raspberry Shortcake.”

Viktoria frowned, but didn’t remove his arm. “At least I have cake.”

Tegan scoffed and shifted his weight. “Really? We’re going there?”

Viktoria nodded solemnly in faux seriousness. “Oh, we’ve been there.”

“...yourchestisflatterthanmine.” Tegan mumbled at light speed, staring down at his shoes and wishing that he could fall through the floor.

Viktoria grinned, then leaned over and pressed a kiss to Tegan’s shoulder.

“Well, if we can survive this together, we can weather pretty much anything.”

Tegan lowered his voice dramatically and peered at her over the top of his glasses. “Even… Karolina’s disapproval?”

Viktoria’s whole body seemed to deflate. “Uggghhh, don’t remind me.” She flopped to the side in one fluid movement reminiscent of a rag doll.

“I already know I’m not good enough for you, she doesn’t have to point–“

Tegan grabbed her by the shoulders.

“Hey. Don’t talk about my girlfriend like that.” He forced himself to keep eye contact, even as he was combusting inside.

Viktoria couldn't help but smile at his sincerity.

“Look at us, we’re both slowly getting there.”

She gasped dramatically as the elevator began moving again and the door slowly opened. “Freedom!”

Tegan’s eyes widened. He reached out for her in vain. “No wait—”

Viktoria grabbed the handle of her luggage and ran for the door, but tripped over her own bag. Tegan moved to catch her, but only succeeded in falling on top of her instead.

Viktoria hit the ground hard. She began laughing due to the adrenaline– if she hadn’t laughed, then she would’ve probably started crying.

“Ow, my shoulder,” she gasped out.

Tegan rested his elbow on the ground and propped up his chin with his hand. “Well, at least the security guards are having an entertaining day.”

tag list: @arlingtonssweetheart

[wolfflock]

Reactions to Superman and Lois S01E13

Tal in his green glass box, remembering his lovely childhood 😬

He absorbed all that was inside the Eradicator, right?

Clark serving whatever meal to his family once again 👀🥺

Ah, the girl that Jon is supposed to stay away from, who brushed him off before, is now making him skip assembly. Hm.

Chrissy! With a super short skirt, damn, I couldn't sit in that. 😂

Clark giving John Henry the breakfast no one ate, aww, bonding time.

Also, is this the same shirt on Clark he was wearing for the funeral? So soft 🥺

Clark and John Henry working together, aw yiss! And the first bump hahahahahahaha 😂

Okay, on one hand, Sam wanting to get rid of the experimental stuff is a nice gesture towards Clark. On the other hand, it will backfire. They need to have it somewhere accessible for last resort situations.

"You can't even drive." Yes. Because he's 14.

Jordan and Sarah are cute. I am also kinda prepared for an accident to happen where he reveals his powers.

Poor Kyle, people are shitting all over him. And Lana is out of job, too.

Again, I understand Lois wanting a statement but I also understand Sam not wanting to risk his words and the story being twisted.

Zeta-Rho not letting Tal meet his mum. How lovely.

Edge getting into Clark's head with the whole "you hold back every day because of humans" speech is fascinating, and I know some people don't like it, but Clark struggling is something I like seeing. If he can do everything easily, what's the point of his story?

Chrissy thinking Lois is protecting the DOD and sending her away, shit.

Tegan knows way too much for a high school kid, and asking Jon very direct questions. Ah, there we go. She only spent time with him to get information. Amazing.

Lana and Kyle being on the same side is refreshing. But Kyle thinking about leaving Smallville, the town he was fighting so hard for, is breaking my heart a bit 😢

I love Sarah's hair, okay. But then Jordan with the love confession, damn, boy speaking his mind is so nice to see.

I'm glad Clark sees reason and tells Sam to keep the weapons. It's the only logical thing. Not a reassuring thought, those weapons existing, but they might come in handy.

Jonathan trying to talk to John Henry, I need more of that. And Clark, ever the dad, asking why Jon isn't in school 😂

Sam worried about Clark? SAM??? Wow.

Kyle not finding a job, how surprising. 😓

Everyone needs to talk to everyone, I am getting whiplash. Clark teasing Jon about trying to impress Tegan. Sam worrying about Clark. Lois marching in to talk to Clark — and Jon snooping 😂Sarah and Jordan arrested!?!?

Lois just blew up in Clark's face who didn't really get to say much. Like, I get her irritation, but just as it was with Jon and him almost dying, Lois is not waiting to hear the other person's side of the story, just tells what she feels and that's it. Clark must feel terrible about almost losing himself and hurting people. And he should talk about it, but Lois just blows up. I know she's written as hot headed on purpose, but they have been together for 20 years. That is a long time for someone to get yelled at for something that happened to them without being able to tell how it made them feel. She always explodes, then leaves to cool off, then apologizes. Meanwhile Clark can feel shit about what happened to him and having made Lois worried. Maybe I am projecting too much but having been on the receiving end of this sucks big time, makes you feel like your emotions are just secondary to the more explosive person's who was only a by-stander to begin with.

Hah, the Mayor being an ass and putting the blame on the Cushings. Surprised? No.

Clark, damn 🥺 Tyler's acting, so perfect. And I am happy Lois listened and Clark could talk about his feelings (kinda wanted the same to happen with Jon after Lois yelled at him, and then talked about their sister).

And John Henry will be protecting the Kryptonian armory. I love it.

WHAT THE FUCK??? Is Tal gone now, taken over by someone else? WHAT?

I love the dejected faces on Lana and Kyle when they fully understand Sarah and her rage towards people for being dicks, and they can't even ground her because they agree 😅

But they can't leave Smallville 😱

Disrespecting teachers by not showing up. Now that's a way of looking at it that we never hear. Man, when I prep for a class and half of the group doesn't show up, that is so disheartening, so kudos to the writers.

CLOIS MOMENT 😍

What the everloving fuck is Tal doing??? And why haven't Sam called Clark before sending a team in?

"Become the Eradicator." WHAT DOES THAT EVEN MEAN?!?!

I. NEED. ANSWERS 😱

[username-janai-katsura-da]

Fot zhe scholar challenge how about nunber 1 and also bonne année

Heyy Layelle thank you for the ask and bonne année à toi aussi ❤

1. Which LI your Scholar is romancing, and why ?

- My main Scholar is romancing Axel. Why ? Because I love that little shit with all my heart. Even before playing the game, when the demo wasn't out, he catch my eyes right away. I just love this type of character, the sarcastic bastard is ALWAYS my favorite and Axel fall in this category too. I love how he can be a prick sometimes (especially with Tadashi, their relationship is soo funny just kiss already) but also super caring with the one he likes. Also, everytime he flirts with Scholar I die a little bit more.

- My self insert will end up with Tegan. It's weird because the shy type isn't actually the one I usually like to pursue because of how similar our personalities are. But Tegan ? Now I'd kill for him. He's so attaching and cute and I love how the way he also likes anime and video games isn't his only personality trait, I hate it so much when the geek type make 100 references every sentences like damn yeah we get it you play video games can you talk about something else ? I can't wait to see how the relationship with him will evolve tho since he has such a low self-esteem yet another thing we have in common it's going to be hard to make him understand that someone can be romantically interested in him too

- As a sucker for enemies to lovers trope AND slow burn, I had to make an other account for Karolina and let me tell you that I don't regret it. Yeah, she can be awful with us sometimes but to see her denying her feelings while blushing like crazy just because our arms touched ? Totally worth it.

- And, the last one is Tyler. I was so surprised because I never thought I'd be interested in him. Maybe his redesign is for something but now I LOVE HIM. He's so loveable and funny, to be honest every time I laughed while playing was because of either him or Tadashi.

EDIT: Lol I just realized that I only said why I loved these characters instead of why my Scholars were romancing them, my bad.