#ep: crossroads

[hbowardaily]

BAND OF BROTHERS 1x05 crossroads

[kr-yoongi]

Stargate SG-1 S04E04ㅣCrossroads

[balladofthe101st]

Elements of the 1st and the 6th SS Panzer division have broken through in the Ardennes Forest. Now, they've overrun the 28th infantry and elements of the 4th. All officers report to respective HQs. All passes are cancelled. Enlisted men report to barracks and your platoon leaders.

[danwhobrowses]

So Callowmoores am I alone in thinking it was cute that Fearne helped carry Ashton to the city? Like there's the parallel also with Ashton carrying her into the Bloody Bridge as well

[traiteursroe]

Every time I watch crossroads and I see Jimmy Fallon it’s a jump scare

[lesbenson]

(guy who threatened suicide if eo didn’t happen within the first five eps) 10 through 12 gonna be our moment guys

[thebeautyofspnanime]

1x18 crossroad

[un-pearable]

why does the box set group The Serpent’s Pass and The Drill into one 40 min ep titled “The Secret of the Fire Nation” even though it DIDN’T group the two parts of the siege of the north????

[vaas]

hate when people say samurai champloo isnt about anything or that theres no plot or that its slow. shut your fucking mouth it has fuu and mugen and jin being huge cunts. you should be fucking honoured. that they would even show up to this. you bastarf. you fucking animal. im gonna kill you.

[indefinite-pitch]

Sam Wilson - Planetary Landing

[evidenceof]

"You okay, Nix?" "Yeah, I'm fine."

LEWIS NIXON EP 9 Why We Fight, EP 5 Crossroads | Band of Brothers

[hbowardaily]

BAND OF BROTHERS 1x05 crossroads

[somedayillbepeterpan]

Penelope and her robe of power

Shoutout to @whistledownbad for invoking and taking this out of my subconscious. I didn't even realise I was thinking about this deeply (I shouldn't be surprised anymore since S3 has burrowed deep in my brain).

A short discussion on the Polisanity discord (a very very lovely, creative, and hilarious discord community of the residents of the Polin brainrot) showed me how this robe represents Pen's power-- not just in sexuality but in her character.

And it is shown on moments where she loses something, where her power was seemingly taken from her.

S3Ep3 - Forces of Nature

The first time we see this robe, Pen has just lost a flirting battle against Cressida for Debling's attention while pretending to be someone she is not. She looks defeated and annoyed which contrasts a similar scene on Ep 2 (after the fan encounter) where she looks more embarrassed and slightly amused at the situation.

S3Ep4 - Old Friends

The second time we see it is at the beginning of Ep 4. Pen is losing her battle from her resolve to follow the familiar tide of the marriage mart (I elaborate more on this scene here because it's not just Pen who is losing their resolve) on the day that Debling asks for Portia's permission to propose to Pen (where we get this poignant statement from Portia about security being romantic. Which I actually agree on coming from a poor family/country. Also, can I just say Nicola looks absolutely stunning in this scene).

She is distraught and seem to be in the middle of convincing herself that she is doing the right thing.

S3Ep5 - Tik Tok

In the middle of the chaotic 24hrs of Penelope's life (where she gets proposed to by the love of her life and experiences her first sexual encounter), she is seen crying and having to write about herself on Whistledown for the 2nd time for the current season (she probably writes about herself regularly in the column so as not to arouse suspicion but she would have most likely focused on mundane things) when we see this robe for the third time.

She loses the chance to feel completely and irrevocably happy about her engagement when Eloise points out that she is harboring a heavy secret from the man who just lovingly confessed that he would rather feel tortured with love for her than to carry on living.

S3Ep6 - Romancing Mr. Bridgerton

Ahhh...Pen and this robe. I'm so curious now what actually is the design on the robe and the decision behind using it for these scenes.

The fourth time we see this robe, Pen seemingly decides to lose Whistledown forever, hiding a part of herself in the "name of love". A crossroad that she never thought she'd have to go through when she began that season, Pen gives up all power and decides (tentatively) to follow her mother's advise. It's admirable on one part as real life will tell you that sometimes, there are sacrifices you need to make for your partner. But this really is sometimes up for debate whether that action is made in love, out of love, or for love (or not at all). I've always thought that Pen also suffers the same hero complex that Colin has albeit more subtle than his. I think this was part saving Colin (from whatever trouble Whistledown brings) and also part penance for what her writing and decisions have put him through regarding Marina.

AND THEN-- the last last time on this season that we see her in it is so viscerally powerful that it probably made everyone forget that:

This wasn't the same wedding night robe (where Colin openly lusted on Pen and stubbornly wasted his opportunity).

That whenever we saw Pen on this robe in the earlier episodes, she seemed to be unhappy and devoid of power and agency within herself.

S3Ep8 - Into the Light

This wonderfully and deliciously short scene encapsulates Pen's embracing of her power-- the parts that she has been losing and letting go whenever she wears this robe. I also love that it's with Colin that she finally embodies the full strength of this power.

Come S4, I need this robe to be slowly taken off by Mr. Bridgerton off of Mrs. Bridgerton please.

[wiltedprayers]

crazy how eps 5-8 of band of brothers can be attributed to a certain pairing like there's a main ship in each episode. crossroads the winnix ep. bastogne is baberoe. the breaking point speirton. the last patrol webgott. so that makes me wonder where's the deleted luztoye episode

[sykeboy]

AninPin Character (and dynamics?) Analysis part 2

The time has come folks

Pin and Kueshit's wedding has brought our girls to their breaking point and now is a great time to see how they are facing their biggest challenges so far

¿Remember I said I wanted to see what Anin would do when she didn't get what she wanted?

I love Anin but today she was cruel.

I agree that needing space is valid after heartbreak, however, giving Pin false hope and then kicking her while she's down was uncalled for. Pin made a choice she did not like so Anin punished her, and I can't help but compare it to aunt Patt's attitude, and the rest of the royal family's (not you Anan) attitude towards those of lower rank, however polite or harsh they might be, the message is the same: you do as I say I reward you, you don't I punish you. It's classical conditioning at play

Also the fact that Anin is standing on the stairs, making her taller than Pin while Pin literally begs her no to leave was a nice touch that keeps reminding us of the power imbalance between these two

I know I must sound like a hater right now so let's get in to the actual character analysis

In this scene both our girls are super triggered, this makes their personalities condense: get more rigid. That happens in order to give them a sense of safety in times of caos and percieved danger

Anin is confrontative, she confronted her family on the last ep, she confronted Pin on this one, and she confronted the situation about Kuea's wife. Anin takes direct action, this is the way in wich she thinks she can affect her reality. And SHE CAN DO THAT BECAUSE OF HER PRIVILEGE

Anin was not gonna leave until she had tried Every. Single. Thing. She could do in order to stop that wedding

So when Pin decided to marry Kuea, and then again today when she decided not to push back against the wedding Anin took that to heart. She is having a hard time understanding that Pin handles conflict in a different way than she does. Of couse she is heartbroken, not only is she losing the woman she loves, in some part of her brain she thinks Pin must not love her enough to take direct actions against the wedding like she does. She sees Pin's sacrifice as her giving up their love so she's sad and angry (she's also not used to losing)

Now let's do Pin

Pin has serious abandonment trauma, wich started after her parents deaths

When Anin came in to her life she was like a lifeline, promissing to always be by her side, so this scene was particularly hard to watch for me

Again, Pin is super triggered, Anin leaving feels like a huge threat to her. We see Anin has a big safety net, people who care for her. But Pin has none (maybe Prik)

So Pin does what she knows best, she lowers her head, apologises, tries to please as she can, she flagellates herself (she knows Anin is punishing her so she helps her), she says she is disgusted by herself because she chose to marry Kuea, but there is simply no way out of this for her

This frustrates Anin, cause Pin's obedience is affecting her directly, and she cannot actually understand the crossroads Pin is at right now, try as she might, she simply can't

Here Pin explains her line of thought very well, she feels powerless and the only way she knows how to affect her reality is by surrendering to what she thinks is inevitable (and she's not far from reality) this surrender can give her some solace, she has learned that she is helpless so why fight when you can't win

And again she self-flagellates for inflicting pain on Anin (or anyone at that), which is comonly thaught to us women and we see it again on today's episode when Kuea's wife says she does't wanna "ruin his future" by exposing his wrong doings

Still Anin can't understand Pin's choices cause their experiences are way too different and Anin has fought right? So why wouldn't Pin fight for their love as well?

So she takes action, she takes off her ring and lets it fall to the ground, she leaves

And this picture right here reminds me of:

Pin is yet again left to face the storm all alone

[salemrph]

Beneath the Moonlit Altar (Ep. 1) Sylus x MC

Summary: Captain Jenna call out a meeting. There is new intel to the Onychinus's Leader. A picture and maybe a weak spot that the Hunter Association could use to bring him down. You find yourself at the crossroads between following your duty or following your heart to protect him.

Character: MC x Sylus

Genre: mysterious, danger, romance | Pet names : Kitten, Sweetie, Sweetheart

Warnings/Additional Tags: f!reader

| Word count: 3,379 | Reading Time: 13 min |

A/N: New in fanfic. I hope you enjoy it!

He follows you into the shower, the hot water running down your bodies as he presses you against the wall. His hands are everywhere, touching and caressing, his mouth seeking yours in a desperate, passionate kiss. He's in full devil mode now, all restraint and control abandoned in favor of pure, unbridled desire.

He bites down onto your neck, his teeth grazing over your skin in a possessive, rough way. His body is pressed against yours, pinning you against the wall as his lips find your earlobe, his breath ragged and hot against your ear. "You're mine," he growls, his voice a low, rough rumble. "And I'm going to make sure you remember that."

"Go easy... I'm still overstimulated from the first round"

He continues his assault on your neck and collarbone, his lips and teeth exploring every inch of skin within reach. His hands are caressing your hips, his fingers digging into your flesh firmly but not painfully. He's being a bit more gentle than before, but there's still a possessive, dominant edge to his touches.

We melt into another round in the bathroom. When we're finished, I collapse onto the bed, a towel wrapped around me. Sylus is getting dressed in his usual black clothes.

"Are you going somewhere?" I ask, watching him as he adjusts his outfit.

He glances over at me, his expression a mix of regret and resignation. "Yeah," he says, his voice a little strained. "I have a few things to take care of. Business stuff. I won’t be gone long, though."

"Stay safe."

He softens at your concern, a small smile curving the corner of his mouth. "Don't worry about me," he says, his voice gentler now. "I can take care of myself. Just relax and get some rest, alright? I'll be back before you know it."

You slip into your nightshirt and panties, then get up to help Sylus finish buttoning his shirt. A small, affectionate smile plays on his lips. As you finish the last button, he reaches out, gently pulling you closer to him and wrapping his arms around your waist.

He rests his chin on the top of your head, his eyes closing for a moment as he holds you close. "I hate leaving you," he murmurs, his voice low and rough. "Especially right after... that shower."

"Well, Onychinus's leader needs to show up for a few things..." you reply, trying to lighten the mood.

He sighs heavily, his arms tightening around you for a brief moment before he reluctantly pulls away. "Duty calls," he mutters, pulling his phone from his pocket and checking the caller ID.

His expression darkens slightly as he frowns at the name on the screen. "I have to take this," he says, his voice tight with irritation. "I'll be back as soon as I can, okay?" He kissed you.

Without waiting for a response, he answers the call, stepping out of the room. His voice is low and tense as he begins talking, and the door clicks shut behind him, leaving you alone in the quiet of the bedroom.

You lie back in the bed, the sheets still slightly rumpled from earlier. Despite the lingering exhaustion from his... enthusiasm, you can't help but feel a sense of warmth and contentment at the thought of being with him.

You eventually drift off to sleep, but the shrill sound of your Hunter watch jolts you awake. The clock on the nightstand reads 3:31 a.m. Sylus still isn't back.

The screen flashes with an incoming call—it’s from Hunter HQ.

"Sorry to wake you," your captain's voice crackles through the line, clear but urgent.

"What’s going on?" you murmur, rubbing sleep from your eyes, your voice still heavy with exhaustion.

Jenna’s tone is all business. "We’ve got a situation. We need you in ASAP."

You sit up in bed, instantly alert. "Got it, I’m there in 15 minutes."

"Good. Don’t waste time," the captain replies. "See you in the briefing room."

The adrenaline surges as you spring into action, quickly slipping out of your sleepwear and into your Hunter uniform. The fabric is familiar and comforting, the weight of your weapons and equipment an extension of yourself.

You grab your keys and helmet, stepping into the cold night air. The city is eerily quiet at this hour, the streets mostly deserted except for a few people drifting home from late shifts or nights out.

You reach your bike quickly. The familiar buzz of anticipation fills you as you start the engine, ready for whatever the situation calls for. The city lights blur past as you speed towards HQ, your focus sharp and clear, every muscle awake with the rush of adrenaline.

The entrance to the building looms ahead. You step off your bike, your boots making steady echoes as you cross the lobby, where the quiet hum of machinery is the only noise in the stillness.

You present your ID badge at the security desk, and the guard nods in acknowledgement before allowing you through the security gate. You move quickly through the corridor toward the briefing room, your heart pounding a little faster in anticipation of what awaits.

As you step into the briefing room, you find it already filled with your fellow hunters and the mission leader. They all look up, their expressions serious and expectant.

The mission leader, a tall, stern hunter named Ramirez, meets your gaze as you enter. "Glad you could make it. We need to get started. Take a seat."

The room settles as you join the others, and Captain Jenna stands up, preparing to address the team.

"Now that we’re all here, we can begin."

You glance around. The usual faces are present, but Xavier is noticeably absent. Nero and Tera are both here, their expressions focused as they listen intently.

Captain Jenna continues, her tone businesslike. "We've picked up some disturbing rumours circulating on the dark web about our most wanted target—the leader of Onychinus. There's been chatter about a woman who's been seen around him recently. Some threads suggest she might be his lover."

The room goes quiet as the weight of the information settles over everyone.

Your heart stops. Fuck. Have they caught us?

"We also have a picture."

A blurry image flashes on the wall. You see Sylus's profile, wearing sunglasses. And next to him—you. They only caught your back, thank God. Your face isn't visible. You're relieved you wore the outfit Sylus selected for you that day, not your usual clothes. But still... fuck.

Your body goes rigid. You're so tense, you feel like you’re suffocating. You can barely breathe. Captain Jenna’s gaze shifts toward you.

"Y/N, you spent time in the N109 Zone, and you've seen him. Can you confirm that this person is Sylus?"

The room feels like it’s closing in around you. You need to think fast. You can't show hesitation, but if you say yes, it will make everything worse. It will make you a target. Sooner or later, the truth will come out, and the consequences will follow. But if you say no... you’ll be betraying everything you’ve worked for at the Hunter Association. Your lies will unravel.

You take a deep breath, forcing your expression to stay serious, neutral.

The weight of the decision sits heavily on your chest.

You take a deep breath, trying to steady your nerves. "Yes… That could be Sylus. The picture is a bit too blurry, but I'm about 90% sure," you say, your voice steady despite the storm brewing inside you.

Captain Jenna nods, then turns her focus to the next question. "Have you seen the girl?"

You shake your head. "No. He sure as hell wouldn't share something like that with me as his hostage," you add, attempting to inject some humor into the situation.

Jenna doesn’t crack a smile. "Right… At least we have a picture of him now. That'll make things a bit easier. Nero, see if you can enhance this picture. I need a clear view."

Nero nods, already on his computer, working on the image.

"Perfect. Now, Y/N, we need you to get closer to him," Jenna says, her voice firm. "I know it’s been hard, but this could be our chance to take him down."

You nod, but your stomach twists painfully. This is bad—really bad. You never expected things would escalate this quickly. If you’re being honest with yourself, you didn’t think it would ever come to this. You wanted to keep living in the bubble of that dream with Sylus. But now… it feels like you’re being pulled into something much darker than you ever anticipated. Fuck, fuck, fuck.

The meeting continues, more tasks being handed out, but your mind is spinning. Your ears are ringing. You're barely hearing anything as the weight of the decision presses down on you. What the hell are you doing?

Tera places a hand on your shoulder, squeezing it gently. You can feel her presence next to you, a small anchor in the storm of thoughts swirling in your head.

"Are you okay?" she asks, her voice soft, yet filled with concern.

"Yes... Yes... I..." You exhale slowly, but your breath feels heavier than ever. The tightness in your chest won't release, and your mind is still racing.

"Capitan..." Tera speaks up again, her voice cutting through your thoughts. "I think Y/N needs a moment to recover."

Jenna nods, understanding the gravity of the situation. "Okay, everyone. You have your tasks. Meeting is over."

One by one, your teammates file out of the room. The door clicks shut behind them, and you're left alone with your thoughts. But then Jenna approaches you, her tone more sympathetic than usual.

"I knew this could distress you. And I'm asking a lot from you, going back to the N109 Zone. If you need anything, let me know," she says, her voice softer than you'd expect from a commanding officer.

She turns and leaves, and Tera stays by your side, her comforting presence a small reprieve in the chaos.

"It's late. Let's go home and get some rest, okay?" Tera says, worry lacing her words.

"Yeah," you respond quietly, feeling your exhaustion catch up with you.

You make your way to your bike, helmet in hand, the cold night air biting at your skin. You pull out your phone and, almost instinctively, type a message to Sylus.

They now about us.

A short message. You wait for a moment.

Meet me here. Now.

He sent you a location on the map. You didn’t waste any time. Putting your helmet on, you started your bike.

You drove for a while out of the city, heading north. On the map, there’s nothing—just a spot in the forest. The night is clear, and the moon is out. It’s 5:11 a.m.

Your mind is racing, full of anger, desperation, and anxiety. How will you fix this? Can you even fix it? Is there a solution? You shake your head, trying to forget those thoughts. Your chest aches, and the weight of responsibility crushes your body.

You leave your bike on the side road, a bit hidden, just to be sure no one followed you.

You walk the path in the dark, lit only by the moonlight.

After walking for a while in the cold night, you come across a small, old shrine. Fox statues stand guard, their hard shadows making them look more terrifying. You approach an inscription, pulling out a tiny flashlight from your side bag to read the text.

A shrine for lovers seeking protection for their love. Sylus doesn’t believe in such things. But still, this is the location he sent you.

You close your eyes and pray to the spirits of the shrine. A prayer to protect your love with Sylus, no matter the cost.

A slight crunching sound makes you draw your gun, aiming toward where the noise came from. A shadow of something black moves, and fear shoots through you as your finger hovers over the trigger. Sylus raises his hand and steps closer to you.

“Haven’t we passed this point in our relationship, sweetie?” Sylus says, his voice calm but amused.

“Fuck...! Don’t do that again,” you snap, lowering the weapon slowly and putting it back into its holster.

“I must say, your reflexes have improved,” he smiles, stepping forward to hug you.

You close your eyes, resting your head against his chest. The stillness of the forest surrounds you, but it only seems to make your body more tense.

“They know...” you finally manage to say, your voice barely above a whisper. He doesn’t respond, only holding you tighter. “Sylus…”

You look up to meet his gaze, his beautiful eyes searching yours. He gently caresses your cheek, and you try to read what’s going through his mind.

“They have a picture of us... I...” You pause, struggling to find the right words. “I had to tell them it was you in the picture.”

“Don’t worry,” he reassures you softly, his thumb tracing your skin. “Actually, I expected you’d do that. I’ve seen the picture. Luke and Kieran are taking care of it.”

You don’t want to know what they’ll do.

“Did you know this was going to happen?” The memory of the phone call before he left the penthouse lingers. “You knew, didn’t you?”

“I didn’t,” he admits, his voice quiet. “It was a possibility. I got the information too late. The person who messed up... well, they paid the price.”

“What~?” Sylus gently lifts your chin, his thumb brushing across your lips before pressing a soft, lingering kiss against them. The night air around you seems to still for a moment.

“I interrupted your wishes to the goddess of this place...” His voice is a low murmur as he takes your hand, his fingers warm against your skin, grounding you. “Were you praying for us?”

You nod slowly, the weight of everything pressing down on you.

“Do you have a plan? Because praying was my only option now. I don’t know how... I don’t even want to think about leaving you.” The words leave your lips heavy, like a stone dropped in your chest. Your heart shrinks with the weight of them.

He meets your gaze, and for a moment, the world feels suspended in time. “I have a plan…” His voice is steady, but there’s something almost uncertain in the way he squeezes your hand. “But first…”

The wind rises in the forest, carrying the scent of damp earth and fallen leaves. It tugs at your hair, making it flutter around your face. You close your eyes for a brief moment, letting the chill of the night air brush across your skin. In that second, you feel Sylus shift. When you open your eyes again, your breath catches. He’s kneeling in front of you with a firm gaze.

“Eh..?”

The soft moonlight illuminating his face, casting shadows that dance with the flicker of distant stars.

“Be my wife. Be my queen. Be my everything.”

Your heart skips, caught between disbelief and longing.

“Sylus...?”

“Answer me...” His voice is raw now, a quiet desperation threading through it, though his eyes remain locked on yours. “Look at me. Promise me you’ll be my everything. I’ll never let you down. I’ll do whatever it takes to keep you safe.”

A shiver runs through you. The cool night air seems to grow heavier, the weight of his words pressing on your chest like the weight of the world.

“I..." You stay quiet for a moment with you head spinning. You try to stay calm. This is too much, why is he doing this now?

His words echo in your mind, asking you to make a choice — a choice you weren’t prepared for. Everything about this moment feels too fragile, too final. You want to say something, anything, but your throat feels tigh. Your emotions twist like a storm.

Finally, you find your voice, though it trembles with uncertainty. “I… I don’t know how to promise that..

"Just say yes..."

Even if your mind is too clouded to make sense of it.

"Yes." The word slips from your lips, a quiet surrender, and you don’t know whether to feel relief or terror at the choice you’ve just made.

His expression softens, but only for a fleeting moment, before he kisses your hand—an almost unbearably tender touch. He rises, his presence looming over you, and for a moment, everything feels heavy with unspoken emotion. A shiver of something deep and uncertain lingers in the air between you as he presses another kiss to your forehead, lingering just a second longer than necessary. “I will leave. That’s he plan.”

You freeze. The words hit you like ice water, snapping you back to reality. "W-What...? Where? How long?!"

"I can't tell you. I need to keep you safe. Let me do this my way. I'll come back."

The weight of his words crashes into you like a wave, overwhelming and cold. Panic rises in your chest like a tidal surge, and you feel your breath catch. “NO! You ask me to be your wife, and you want to fucking disappear?! No! No! I refuse.”

His eyes flash, a storm raging beneath the surface, his jaw tightening. “This is not a negotiation, kitten.”

The words hang between you, the forest around you eerily quiet now, as if the world itself is holding its breath. The tension crackles in the air, thick and heavy, just like the silence that follows.

“I will come back to you,” he says, his hand reaching out, brushing a strand of hair from your face, the touch so gentle it almost makes your knees buckle. “But right now, I need to do this. You’re the last thing I want to leave behind, but I’ll do whatever it takes to keep you safe. Even if it means… leaving you.”

“No, wait! Y-you...” You want to scream, to shout at him, to demand answers. But something in his eyes, the rawness and sincerity behind them, makes you hesitate.

"You need to trust me on this." Sylus doesn’t make promises he can’t keep. You know him too well. He’s a master at making plans, always finding a way out—even if it’s a bit messy sometimes. Right now, this is the best option. You know it’s the only choice, even if it doesn’t feel right.

What else can you do? Following Jenna’s orders to “sneak” into the N109 Zone and “watch” your boyfriend? And then what? Coming back with a false report? The weight of lying to your team will crush you. No matter how strong you think you are, you’re not sure you can carry that.

If Sylus isn’t there—if he’s mysteriously disappeared—well, the problem is solved. But at what cost?

You pull back, forcing yourself to smile, even though your heart is breaking inside.

“Just... be careful” He pulls you into another hug, holding you close, his voice barely a whisper as he brushes his lips against your ear.

“I always am.”

He kisses you again, slow and deep, as if trying to imprint the moment in both your minds. It's a kiss you want to hold onto forever, to keep with you no matter what happens. He doesn't how much time it will take be before he comes back to you, or if everything will work out. But just as he found you once, he will do it again—no matter what.

If there is any goddess, please, please...

"I will miss you, my beloved"

"I will miss you too..."

With that, he turns and melts into the shadows of the forest, his figure blending with the darkness. You watch him disappear, the sound of his footsteps fading into the quiet of the night.

And just like that, the world feels emptier.

...protect our love.

Under the moon, standing before the altar, you begin to cry inconsolably, in a way you've never done before. Your mind prays fervently for the protection of both him and yourself. A light breeze stirs once again, and you feel as though the forest is offering its comfort. It’s as if the ancient deity of this place has heard your prayers and, for a moment, granted you its blessing.