#finally wrapping up season 1 with a bow

[nnicknnelsonn]

mini bit: free on Sunday

all the kissing bits prev // next

[ironworked]

For reference, these are the appearances of important recurring 911 characters:

Karen

Josh

Taylor

Lucy

Tommy

[taylormarieee]

Drunkenly Yours Drew Starkey

Summary: You and Drew go out and you get drunk and he confesses...

Pairing: Drew Starkey x Fem!Reader

Word Count: 1.7k

Warnings: None, Just pure fluff, Mentions of Alcohol, Slightly Sober Drew, Drunk reader, Confessions, Kissing, Sweet ending.

A/N: This is a second fic dedicated to @ribbonprincess for her birthday! shhhh i'm a lil behind but love you beautiful<333

BIRTHDAY FIC 2/2

You and your cast members went out for drinks tonight. You are celebrating because you just finished filming season 3. You played as Rafe's love interest and supposed savior.

You got really close with Drew more than anything given the amount of scenes you guys had together. Granted you grew close with everyone on the cast, Drew was your favorite but of course you would never admit that.

You guys went to a little mini bar by your apartment complex that you all lived in, (Seperate floors and rooms of course) and you guys got all dressed up.

You were met by some paparazzi and some fans on the way out of your hotel but you guys didn't mind as you guys weren't in any rush. You all took pictures and posed and even signed things if asked.

Once that was over you all got into the car and drove away. You guys listened to music and jammed the whole way there.

Once you guys arrived at your destination, you are so excited yet nervous at the same time.

You loved going out but it was always hard especially when the love of your life was always going to be there and always suggesting to go out.

"Drew! Put me down!" you scream out while laughing as your conversation with Madelyn about something was interrupted.

"Nope, no can do peaches, gotta make sure you don't get your princess shoes dirty." Drew whispered in your ear.

You nervously giggled holding on to him tighter. He holds you in his(Big, handsome, strong and sexy) arms for a little longer while Chase confirms the reservation for tonight.

Once you guys were in, Drew finally put's you down. "M'lady." he says as he bows in front of you to let you walk first. "Hm. Thank you kind sir." You say in the best british accent you can muster up.

He chuckles and you giggle as you walk closer to Chase and put your arms around Chase.

"Hey bunny." He says to you wrapping his hands around your waist and furrowing up your hair.

"Heyyy! I told you not to call me that anymore Chase!" you say puffing your bottom lip out and stomping your foot down.

"Ok fine, then should I call you thumper? You do know how much you act like a bunny right?" He says laughing.

You punch his arm and sit down in the booth that the waitress guided you guys too.

Your in front of Chase but next to you is Drew. You look up at him and admire him as he sits down and takes his order.

The waitress is going down the line of your cast mates before she finally get's to you.

You give her your order which is the same as Madelyn's. She was your best friend, you could talk to her about anything. She was like a sister to you.

She was the only one out of the entire cast that knew you liked Drew. You didn't exactly tell her she kind of figured it out on her own.

She was a bit of an observer and she would watch how much chemistry (as she likes to call it) you and Drew had on certain scenes, or just being together in general.

You loved Drew, you could say it a million times and it would never sound like a lie.

Drew was the best person in your life right now. Yes, you had Maddy but there was something about Drew that just made everyday a better day when you were with him. Everyday was never dull when you were with Drew. It was filled with happiness and fun.

"Alright guys. I don't know about yall but i'm trying to get hella wasted." You say and everyone starts laughing and aggreeing.

"Wait but someone needs to stay sober to get us all home." Madison says.

"1 2 3! NOT IT!" Everyone except Drew says. "You guys are doing this like i'm not the one that drove you all here in the first place." He says chuckling at everyones childish behaviour.

"Drinks on me?!" You yell going up to the bar while you guys are waiting on the food.

"Bet!" Jonathan and Rudy say at the same time before bursting out laughing. You laugh and scoot out of the booth after Drew gets up.

"Hey I'll come with you, can't hold all those drinks yourself girl." Madelyn says.

You smile at her as you both walk away to the bar to get 12 shots of tequila.

'So, when are you gonna tell him?" Madelyn asks. Your head immediately spins towards her and your eyes are wide.

"Uhmm ha, real funny Mads, i'm not doing that." You say turning back to all the dancing people.

"But this could be your only chance to tell him!" Madelyn says. You look back at her.

"Oh really, and how do you suppose I actually grow the balls to do it. Plus, this is supposed to be a fun, calm night with all of us together. Celebrating season 3 of Outer Banks. I don't wanna embarrass myself on this wonderful night in front of everyone." You say to her before the waiter comes around with your drinks.

"Hey, can we also get some beers please and thank you!" Madelyn says to prolong this conversation. The waiter nods and smiles at you both.

"But, what if I made a plan? Created like a diversion maybe? Like idk invite evryone to dance but then you keep Drew waiting and then you guys talk for a bit." She suggests with a smile on her face.

"Yea that could work, but you know how much drew loves to dance." You say already taking a shot or two.

It's as if a lightbulb appeared over Maddy's head the way her face lit up. "What if, you get so wasted that you confess to him. I'll still let everyone go dance once we get enough shots in us and then you can confess to him." She says taking two shots with you as well.

You face screws up but before you can say anything Madelyn speaks, "Yea that decision is final." She says with a smile on her face before bringing the shots towards the table.

You smirk and shake your head before grabbing the beers that the waiter passed towards you.

When you make it back to the table people are already taking shots and interacting. Everyone seems a lot more loose now and more livid.

"WHO WANTS BEER!" You yell over the music so they can hear you. They cheer and so does the crowd, but there cheering for a different reason.

You pass out some beers to everyone and then chug down some shots.

Your a lot more loose now that your tipsy and you feel like doing something spontaneous.

You walk over to the bar and stand on the table with the permission of the waiter and he helps you up since your in high heel black boots.

"I have an announcement to make my fellow partyers! ALL DRINKS ARE ON MEE!!!" You yell out and everyone starts cheering and you pop open a bottle of champagne filling everyone's cups.

You ask the waiter for a couple beers and tell him that everything is gonna be on your tab. He smiles at you and nods.

You hand beers to people in the crowd and your taking more shots. Your turnt now. Dancing on the table still and then hoping down to dance in the crowd.

Your dancing when you feel a hard chest behind you and hands on your hips. You don't even look to see who it is and you start grinfing and dancing on them with a shot glass in your hand.

You dance on this perosn for about five minutes before you turn around and put your arms around there neck. You open your eyes and realize it's Drew.

Your eyes widen and you lightly push off him muterring a sorry.

"Your hype aren't you?" He asks with a smirk on his face. Your face is hot now and you can't control the smile that appears o your face.

"Even though your drunk you still look so adorable." He says putting his hands back on your hips and bringignyou closer to him.

Drew has been teasing you like this all night. You just wanted to tell him how you feel. You wanted to say it so badly that your throat was burning and not just from the alcohol.

"Hey Drew!?" You say his name so lovely that he melts. "Yes princess?" He replies.

"I'm in love with you. I've loved you for a while now and I just never had the courage to say it. I know i'm like really fucking drunk right now but I'm so in love with you it makes my heart hurt! Everytime I see you I get butterflies in my stomach. I love you Drew Starkey, I always have." You say dancing slowly with him.

He stares at you with a goofy lopsided smile on his face.

"Hey, I'm still sober but i'm a bit tipsy and I heard everything you said and my input on that is I love you too. Not platonically but romantically. I've thought about you all the time. It was like love at first sight. I fell in love with you from day 1 and I wanna be the one that is in your life forever. Will you make me the happiest man on earth and be my girlfriend?" He confesses.

You smile so much that your cheeks hurt. You feel like crying! You shake your head yes and grab his face and kiss him. You kiss him so hard he's stumbling back a bit but he catches himself.

He slips his tongue between your lips and you both kiss passionately on the dance floor.

You hear cheering behind you and you see Chase and Madelyn and the rest of the cast cheering for you and Drew.

Some others who are most likely fans are recording the moment as well.

Today was a good night. You finally got your prince and you were going to make sure you guys had your happily ever after...

Taglist: (?)

[justin-chapmanswers]

AAAA THE SILVER SPOON EXIT IS FANTASTIC!!! You guys always do such a good job with the Exit Interviews. They're super fun videos that also add juuust that little extra amount of characterization that makes them even better to watch.

What inspires you guys to add the little mini-stories in each interview? Do you usually have an idea of what direction you want it to go beforehand, or do specific questions give you inspiration?

Thank you so much!!! Had so much fun working on that one. And looooove the question. Partly cause I'm like "idk if anyone cares that I do this, but it's fun, anyway!"

When writing any Exit Interview (I've been sole-writing or co-writing all from Box's-and-on, but might not for Balloon's?), I always want to be writing with some sort of angle. Sometimes it's a story for the contestant (TK, Cabby #1, Paintbrush, Silver) , sometimes for the interviewer (Box, Clover), sometimes both (Goo). Sometimes it allows us to hit on an angle on a character that we haven't already, sometimes it gives us some time to show off how far a character has come. Sometimes something that affects the whole interview, sometimes something that'll pop up towards the end that we can hint at earlier. But we tend to try for at least a little-something! We like presenting new narratives wherever we can. The tale is never quite done with these pals!

As for how we plan it out, I'll often go into an interview knowing exactly what angle I want to come in with, and how much that angle'll need to weigh on the characters. I knew I wanted to tell a narrative about Paintbrush wrapping up their three-season-journey and expecting a hyper-dramatic interview to express every facet of their emotional experience... only to receive a bunch of nonsense questions that leaves their final wrap-up feeling empty. So I noted to the audience that we'd love silly questions. I knew that for Silver's Exit we were going to explore the anxieties around criticism, so I made sure to write in the question prompt that Silver would love to hear some compliments- so that we could then receive a bunch of complimentary questions for him to appreciate (but not enough to make a deep impact), and inevitably we received some negative too- which I could then use to show how hard one mean comment can hit for the guy.

For Cabby we wanted to prep for her eventual return by sewing in her current troubled state of mind without tying things up to cleanly in a bow. Clover we wanted to flip it around and have her help an interviewer down on his luck. With Bot we needed to let them reflect on what they've been through but also think on some of the elements of their existence that are still feeling complicated. In Yin-Yang's we knew we wanted to make sure we were following through on their tricky feelings regarding their experience Candle, while also demonstrating their growth as a fun lil duo. Etc.

Occasionally I'll need some inspiration, so I'll ask for the questions first and see if that sparks any particular ideas. When we received a bunch of motherly-oriented characters for Tea Kettle I was left to ponder "how would she feel about this?" With Goo's Exit a couple Cheer Factory questions popped up and I started to think about the fun juxtaposition of matching Goo with someone serious who expects Goo to be a legitimate entrepreneur. Since then we've enjoyed leaning into pairing contestants with very different-vibe interviewers when possible.

And the mindset of writing with an angle all stems to working on Inanimate Answers. Not sure how many people have seen that, since the newest ep predates Invitational, but there we had a very very similar format. It's sorta like the unintentional test-run of Exit Interviews, with some personal conflicts for the contestant, and some for Justin. I'd loooove to make more of those, but they were being made at a point in time where I didn't have a non-II full-time job, and II wasn't focused much on episode production. So finding the time has been tough. We did make a mini version for the Inanimate Direct which was fun (although funnily some of my favorite on-camera work I've done for the channel was in that same video but the Patreon-information segment- which no one will ever watch again cause the Patreon no longer exists haha). And I have an old Yin-Yang Inanimate Answers 5 script that would need to be pretty heavily reworked now that season 3 exists for YY, if I were to try at them again. Maybe there's room for IA in the future. Lots to figure out with the channel! But I'm glad we've had Exits to take on the legacy of some bonus viewer-interaction-based-storytelling.

[deltaharrington]

JEALOUSY, JEALOUSY PT. 1 [SEASON 3 SPOILERS]

PAIRING: JJ Maybank x Female!Kook!Reader

WARNINGS: SEASON 3 SPOILERS AHEAD, doubt, social class degradation.

SUMMARY: JJ is in love with the reader but she’s just like Sarah; a Kook out of her element.

When you arrived back in the OBX with the Pogues, you weren’t expecting things to go back to normal.

For starters, your parents had moved back upstate to the main house, leaving the beach house they owned empty. You were heartbroken, but too angry at them to even call and tell them you were alright.

You split from the group with Sarah, needing to go home to get some fresh clothes. Halfway there you were reminded that a certain blonde didn’t have anyone to go home to either.

JJ Maybank.

At that thought, you made your way back to the cut and to JJ’s house, where he was sitting by his bike.

“Come stay at my house” You spoke and he looked shocked at bow blunt you were with him.

You and JJ met through Sarah and became almost instant friends. JJ was a bit wary of you at first due to your Kook status, but after a while, he warmed up.

JJ had always been jealous of how carefree you seemed. Even though you had a family and a future, you didn’t care to help the Pogues.

That made him angry sometimes.

A few times he had expressed his anger, either lashing out and yelling at you, or releasing his anger on inanimate objects. JJ should have scared you off.

But he didn’t.

You understood his pain. You understood his jealousy. You understood him. More than he believed to be true.

“What? Y/n, I’m okay here I don’t need-“ He started to protest but you cut him off, taking a step closer to him.

“We both don’t have anyone right now…please J” You said and JJ felt his heart tug. Your parents had left you?

JJ nodded his head and moved to get on his bike, leaving you a bit confused. He turned back to look at you with a smirk on his face.

“Get on, pretty girl” He said “You didn’t think we’d walk did you?” He added and you laughed, hopping on the back of the bike, wrapping your arms around his lower torso.

“To Figure 8 we go” JJ said and revved the bike up, on his way to your house.

How an argument started between you both was a mystery to you. As soon as you walked in, JJ’s jealousy of the Kook lifestyle overrode his thoughts and he blurted out things he shouldn’t have.

At that, you fought back.

“You’re a real asshole, you know that?” You said to the blonde, who was facing you with anger and hurt in his eyes.

“I’m the asshole? Says the goddamn Kook!” JJ countered and hurt flashed in your eyes, making him regret even calling you a Kook.

“I didn’t choose this, JJ.” you said calmly and he nodded his head apologetically.

“I didn’t mean that…m’sorry.” JJ said and you sighed, nodding understandingly.

“You can shower here, do whatever you want” You said, and made your way towards your room. You didn’t realize JJ had followed you.

You peeled your shirt off your back as soon as you got into the bathroom, revealing cuts and bruises on your back. You were about to untie your bikini when a soft hand touched your shoulder.

You jumped with a gasp as JJ moved to look at your wounds.

“Did Singh’s men do this?” He asked and you nodded your head.

“When we ran before we caught two of them, one knocked me down and he just kept hitting me over and over and over…” You trailed off and JJ looked hurt himself.

“Y/n..” JJ said as tear welled in your eyes. He held his arms open and you fell into his embrace, letting out the emotions you were feeling.

It felt good to have someone there. Especially JJ.

“Thank you, JayJ” You said and he hummed in response, looking down at you, already looking at him.

You both leaned in at the same time, emotions overwhelming you. JJ ghosted his lips over yours before he finally kissed you.

You weren’t expecting him to actually give in, wrapping your arms around his neck to pull him closer as your lips moved in sync.

Before anything more could happen, JJ pulled away, a frown on his face. This confused you and you were about to say something when he cut you off.

“We can’t” He started “What are we doing?” JJ finished and you were hurt, but you didn’t show it.

“Yeah- I’m sorry” You whispered and he nodded, apologizing as well.

“I need to shower, so…I’ll see you in a bit?” You said and he nodded his head, leaving you alone in your bathroom.

What the hell just happened?

“JJ?” You questioned after finally getting yourself ready. You wore a bikini top and some shorts, expecting to go out eventually.

The blonde looked up from his spot on your couch. You were perched at the top of your staircase.

He looked good.

He wore a green shirt and a blue hat with white accents.

“Want to go to the Chateau?” You asked the blonde and he nodded his head, moving to grab all his stuff.

“J, you can stay here.” You said to him and he shook his head “Please, I don’t want to be alone”

JJ looked like he was debating with himself before he finally nodded, putting his stuff back.

“Let’s go see the others” You said and began to walk towards the door.

JJ followed you like a lost puppy, not knowing where things stood between you two.

“Fuck” He said to himself, shaking his head.

TO BE CONTINUED…

[hexb0nes]

since i read your rules, i hope you acept request, cause i love how you you write those two <3 Sooo, maybe an scenario, spicy even where Reader was like an assitant for then in season 1, helping then both, kinda like sky but between the 3 there always was some kind of sexual tension and obviously, care and love, but nothing official. And after the final season and Jinx's bomb she disapeared. So the escenario will be for around the middle of the the season, basically with Jesus Viktor and traumatized Jayce and she appear again (maybe she pass trough sometinng like Mel with the black rose) And they tough she was dead, and she do not recognized any of them. I hope it makes sence, love your writting <3

FIGHT BACK - A JAYVIK / READER STORY

word count: 2.4k

warnings: suggestive in the beginning, violence, character death

summary: Everyone thinks you died the day Jinx blew up the Council's chambers. Yet, as the world moves forward and new chaos erupts, you find yourself in a strange realm, subjected to torturous trials. When you finally complete them, an otherworldly force offers you a second chance: return to the mortal realm dead as you were meant to be or ascend.

a/n: AAAAA you are the sweetest!! thank you for this request, it's my first one for this blog :D i hope you enjoy this, my dear!

Lingering touches. Soft smiles. Wandering hands.

You feel two sets of hands on your body, one bony and one firm. They caress your body with the precision of a marksman, finding your sensitive spots and inciting whimpers from your glossy lips. The bony hands are nimble and able to get into the nooks and crannies of your flushed skin while the firm hands plant themselves around your waist, giving your sides a playful squeeze. The touches feel familiar but still too foreign for your liking. Resist, fight back!

Sharp jawline. Dark circles under the eyes. Hooked nose.

A shadow emerges before you and fixates its gaze on you, the only piece untouched by darkness being its white sclera. It floats towards you and the hands on your body retract from you, as the shadow tilts your chin up with a finger. The room around you flickers between light and dark; you yelp and try to wiggle free from the shadow's touch, only for it to tighten its grip on your face. Resist, fight back!

Muscular arms. Scarred eyebrow. The scent of ash and metal.

Heavy chains wrap around your limbs and shackle you to the ground. You hiss when your knees hit the floor, as you are forced to bow in front of darkness itself. Yet, the shadow vanishes without a trace. The room darkens for a moment before lightening up, you wince at the sudden brightness.

Stacks of paper. Broken pencils. Equations written on chalkboards.

No longer are you in a pseudo-torture room, but rather adrift in space, constellations and passing comets greeting you with warm light. Your chains jerk upwards and you find yourself dangling from a set of pillars, one chain attached to each structure. You sway helplessly in the boundless abyss of space. Resist, fight back!

Fresh scones. Quiet laughter in the bookstore. A kiss on the check.

"Resist," you rasp, voice hoarse from lack of use. You have lost track of how many trials you completed to get to this point, an endless road to nowhere. That's how it was, you appeared in these chambers and had been since on a quest for freedom. This isn't your world, you know that for a fact, but where you came before this maze of challenges remains unknown.

Whispers in your ear. Hot breath against your skin. Mutters of your name.

"Fight-" you grunt loudly to yourself, as you pull down on your chains, "-BACK!"

Mustering every ounce of strength in your weary body, you thrust the chains down hard, breaking them free from the pillars. They fall harmlessly from your hands and fade away into stardust, floating away into deep space. You try to find your footing, but it's no use; you are drifting in space, after all.

You inhale and to your surprise, you’re able to breathe. Duh, you were able to speak earlier, silly. You allow yourself to float aimlessly through space, admiring the constellations. It had always been your… dream? What’s your dream? Dream, dream, dream… you have dreams. What are your dreams? You can’t remember, you barely remember your own name. How long has it been since you were sucked into this prison?

“Nearly three months.”

Your ears perk up at the sound of someone’s voice. It booms with power and great strength, the force of the words alone almost knocks you off your path. Nonetheless, in an attempt to retrieve answers, you call out to the stranger, “Hello! Who are you?”

A sudden surge of comets and asteroids zip past you, as the space around you begins to rumble. You sense something off—no, something ancient—while you await for a lull of peace. That’s when you feel it, a reassuring hand on your shoulder. Confused, you turn around and come face to face with something unimaginable.

A being made of blinding golden light floats before you. An assortment of blinking eyes cover its armor and it towers over you like a skyscraper. Your head throbs after staring for too long and you face away, “Who are you?”

“There are many answers to that question,” the being appears in front of you, this time with a more human appearance. It takes on the form of a lean man, silky hair and siren-like eyes shine golden. Behind his armor, you notice a shield and sword attached to his back. You rub your heads and try to adjust to the presence of this mysterious creature, “Please, just tell me who you are or how I can get out of here!”

“They call me the Sovereign,” the strange man complies with your wish, “However, the mortals of Runeterra usually refer to be as Pyxis.”

“Pyxis,” you refresh your memory on where you heard that word before, “The constellation.”

“Correct,” states the Sovereign, “I do apologize for putting you through these trials and tribulations, but I needed to access your abilities and worth as my host.”

“Host?” you mindlessly tap on a bit of broken meteorite, “What do you mean by that?”

“I am the Aspect of Freedom,” his voice roars throughout the abyss, “I represent the desire, the need, and the want that centers around the gain and loss of freedom. I am an extension of free will and tend to its aid,” the Sovereign’s hair and eyes glow amidst the darkness of space, “Someone threatens the free will of Piltover and Zaun.”

The space that the two of you have been drifting in abruptly disappears, taking the shining stars and radiant planets with it. You’re back in the pit, the hole of pure darkness. The only light comes from the Sovereign themself, “You are the only one who can correct the course of this dangerous path.

“And if I say no?” you inquiry.

“Then you will return to the mortal realm, dead.”

“What?” your blood turns cold.

“Within seconds of the bomb launched by the one called ‘Jinx’, I intervened and transported into my spire of challenge. If you were to return now without my assistance, you would only come back to that explosion. You were destined to die,” the Sovereign explains.

Destined to die. “I guess I don’t have a choice then,” you mumble under your breath. The Sovereign shakes its head in response, “No, you do have a choice. Let destiny conclude or forge a new path. A second chance, the choice is yours.”

A second chance. Vague visuals play out in your mind, as you try to piece together what happened up before the explosion. Shadows of people sitting around a table, the mention of ‘Zaun’ and ‘independence’, a gloved hand holding yours— then the explosion. You shake off the muddled memories, “Okay,” you inhale and exhale out a shaky breath, “Let’s do this.”

The Sovereign offers you a smile, the most expressive it has been so far, “Very well,” it extends a hand to you, “Allow us to seal this in the traditional mortal way.” you eye the hand and let out a soft sigh, “It’s a deal.”

Crackles of lightning surround you two’s hands, thunder reverberating around the lifeless realm. A pained cry escapes you, as the Sovereign’s hand heats up around yours, as if you’re touching the Sun itself. The light grows and grows before engulfing you whole, your body evaporating away as fragmented pieces ready to be reforged.

・・・・☆・・・・☆ ・・・・

Jayce stumbles somewhat drunkenly through the terrain that leads up to Viktor’s commune. The people of Zaun speak so highly of ‘The Herald’, but only Jayce knows the truth. Viktor must die.

Flashes of red, green, and blue pierce his mind and Jayce grits his teeth in pain. Images of broken mechanical dolls plague his sight and he readies his hammer for attack. The images dim away and reveal where Jayce has pointed his hammer, a little boy dressed in white and glowing imprints on his forehead. Fingerprints? Jayce questions.

The little boy reaches a hand up to Jayce and he knows that it’s Viktor puppeteering his actions. Nonetheless, Jayce accepts his hand and follows the boy towards a spherical outpost, Viktor’s outpost. The boy walks off upon completing his mission and Jayce wordlessly enters the outpost.

Before him, Viktor mediates above, strings of whitish god light attached to his mechanical body. He opens his eyes and graces Jayce with a small smile. Closing his eyes, Jayce holds up his hammer and activates the beam component, its charge altered by the Hexgates anomaly. Viktor’s eyes shift like a kaleidoscope, fear evident.

Jayce prepares his blast, a single tear rolling down his battered and dirt-speckled cheek, I promised.

A flash beams forth, but not from Jayce’s hammer. It coats the interior in blinding light and renders the other occupants unable to move. The light soon dies down, a small crater apparent in the flooring with a person emerging from it. They wear a golden cloak with white detailing, their boots an abnormally spotless white. Jayce aims his hammer at the cloaked figure, “Stand back! I have to do this!”

Light footsteps with their movement, the figure approaches Jayce and the taller man charges up his hammer once more. Yet, glowing chains of gold appear from the ground and shackle Jayce’s limbs, pinning him down. The hammer levitates and the cloaked person snatches it in their hand, not even Jayce himself could hold the altered hammer with some resistance. Slowly, the cloaked person sets the hammer aside and removes their cloak before Jayce and Viktor.

“It’s you,” the man on the ground croaks, tears swelling up in his doe brown eyes, “It’s you.”

Your hair and face are on full display for both inventors to see, no longer their usual colors. The color of your hair is an unnatural shade of golden that pulsates almost like sunlight. Your eyes match with a similar golden hue, Jayce tears that he would be blinded if he stares for too long in your eyes. You adjust your cloak, the sight of a white bodysuit and padded chain mail armor underneath, as you turn your back to Jayce and face Viktor.

“You’re alive,” despite Viktor’s monotonous response, his expression of surprise and gratitude betray him.

Tears roll down Jayce’s cheeks, “We- I thought you were dead,” memories of the explosion play out before him, finding Viktor among the ruins but not you. The enforcers had searched through every inch of the destroyed council room for you, but nothing. Everyone had believed that your body disintegrated from the bomb’s heat, the only remains of your presence in the council room being your broken necklace.

You don't react, you question to yourself why these strange men are talking you to with such affection and worry. You have a mission, the Sovereign informs you that the one referred to as 'The Herald' was jeopardizing the free will of Piltover and Zaun. Your objective is to neutralize the threat.

Something materializes in your hand, the head of a large pointed knife sways by your feet. Like the chains attached to Jayce, the chains on your weapon are connected, each section bound by platinum rings. A red silk is tied around the head near the knife and a green silk is tied behind the handle you're holding You adjust your grasp on the chain whip and launch your assault.

Jayce watches with objective horror and some fascination by your movements. You're different now, no longer their happy-go-lucky and driven assistant but an elegant dancer, leaping and flipping through the air, as you increase the speed and force of your weapon with the speeding of your arm. For a moment, you're levitating like Viktor and throw the chains with all your might. They snake around Viktor's body and constrict him, as he gasps in surprise. You press the point of knife head against his temple, one of the only remaining human parts in his body.

Jayce, meanwhile, is in awe of your actions and skills, ignoring the fact that you're floating like Viktor. The chains that bind him retract and vanish, freeing Jayce from his imprisonment. You shout to Jayce, "Grab the hammer and shoot!" Viktor struggles against your hold, but you only tighten the chains in response, "This ends now."

Viktor tilts his head up and you dig the knife head's point into his skin. He winces, but calmly states, "Why are you doing-" he speaks your name and you blink in confusion. Who are you? You regain your composure and return his response with a similar cold deposition, "I am the host of Freedom, of Free Will," while Jayce manages to find his hammer and stands up with it.

"I embody Pyxis, the Sovereign, as its implementor."

The corrupted charge in the hammer lights up.

"You have violated the Aspect of Freedom and Free Will by sealing away the free will from the mortals of Piltover and Zaun you claim to heal.

Wind rushes around Jayce, as he takes aim at Viktor and you.

"This is the consequence of your actions," you force Viktor's chin downward and cover his eyes with your free hand, "I shall grant you one mercy, though. There's no need to subject you to witnessing this correction in the universe."

Jayce fires a concreted blast at Viktor's chest.

"May you find peace upon the stars."

The blast hits Viktor squarely in the chest and the outpost shakes violently from the explosion. Jayce coughs and rubs the dirt off his face, as he waits for the dust to settle down. Viktor appears from the dust, his body crumpled on the floor with a large hole in his chest. You, however, remain floating in the air, seemingly untouched by the intense blast, and gently lower yourself to the ground by Viktor.

The Herald looks up at you then at Jayce, panting slightly and his expression pained with the weight of evident betrayal. His eyes finally close and Viktor goes limp, dropping an odd circular gear from his hand. A commotion erupts from outside, screams and cries alike, and you grab onto Jayce's free hand, "We must go."

"But- We must," you don't allow Jayce another word or glance at Viktor, dragging the blacksmith out of the outpost and onto the battlefield, "We must fight back."

Jayce's head spins with new revelations and grief, but he nods at your command.

"Let's fight back."

[spaceorphan18]

THE LADY WHISTLEDOWN PAPERS : 1X01 - A DIAMOND OF THE FIRST WATER (PART 4)

Hi! Welcome back to The Lady Whistledown Papers, where I’m taking an in-depth look at Penelope Featherington and Colin Bridgerton’s character arcs and romance within the show Bridgerton!

For previous issues, follow tag : The Lady Whistledown Papers

Alright, finally wrapping up the first episode but it ends with some really good stuff!

Dinner

I'm kind of amused that I've managed to ignore the main Simon/Daphne plot as long as I've could... But here we are at a Bridgerton family dinner where we get to see the family dynamics on brilliant display as Violet arranged all of this so Simon and Daphne could hang out.

Fascinatingly, the first subject of talk is the identity of Lady Whistledown, and it's a fun little conversation as they start guessing who it could possibly be. Colin, hilariously, suggests it could be a man -- only to rightfully be shotdown by Eloise because how dare he. Colin isn't even going to know who Lady Whistledown is when he's sleeping with her, so boy really does not have the highest of deduction skills.

Hyacinth, of all people, will get the closest when she guesses Lady Featherington. It's amusing that she's consistently used as a sort of prophet. I'm looking forward to seeing what kind of role she plays throughout the show.

Most of this scene is dedicated to Simon and Daphne... falling in love? idk. What I do like about it, though is something I enjoy in general about Bridgerton as a whole -- the fact that it does rather well with sibling dynamics. There are a lot of personalities at that table, and it's kind of cool to see how they can be all similar and all different at the same time.

Colin remains chatting and laughing with Benedict. We don't really get enough of a conversation to be able to really comment but, it does look like they're having a great conversation. We don't get a whole lot of reaction from Colin as to the whole Simon/Daphne thing so -- I don't really have much to say on that front either, but it'll be interesting tracking it through the season.

Dance

I never noticed they are in a boat -- so... this is on an island? What is even going on? What ball is this again? Do I really need to watch ALL of Season 1 for this project?

You know, we don't get a ton of Colin and Benedict stuff throughout the years, but they often are having fun in the background while Anthony is brooding up front.

Alright, so, LET'S GET INTO MY FAVORITE MOMENT OF THE EPISODE!

I really should have gone back and watched the previous scenes to figure out where exactly they are but I didn't, ah well. It looks like more like a festival of sorts more than a ball, which I think is pretty cool because the actual ballrooms start to feel the same after awhile.

Anyway... we have Pen just kind of standing by herself looking lonely. Interestingly, she does look like she's looking for someone? But she says she wasn't expecting him, so I wonder if she's just glancing around in Lady Whistledown mode?

The way she jumps and immediately lights up when she sees him. She's shocked to see him, but so delighted that he has sought her out. And it's interesting to note that he goes looking for her first thing -- granted it's for information -- but still he does seek her out at every social gathering. ;) No, but this is important. In both their interactions now, he has come to her. She may be the one with the crush, but she's not following him around like a love-sick puppy.

I should have mentioned it before, but in both instances he has called her 'Pen'. Not Miss Featherington (Which would have been appropriate) not Penelope. Just Pen. It speaks to their level of familiarity and established relationship. It also isn't appropriate for an unmarried man and woman of no relation to call each other by their first names, let alone a nickname. Episode 1 and they're already breaking rules.

It's the same with the little bow they give each other. It's such an after thought, such a -- oh right, we're outside and have to adhere to society rules where men and women greet each other in a certain way, but they do so halfheartedly. They don't really care about what society wants when they're around each other.

Penelope exclaims that she didn't know he'd be there (an interesting comment - I wonder why not) and then he says 'sorry to disappoint'. And that's a telling comment. It's self deprecating humor. He's not used to anyone wanting or needing him around and/or preferring Anthony or Benedict instead. But also, he (probably) assumes that she'd probably prefer Eloise to join her over him.

But her lighting up when she sees him doesn't really go unnoticed -- subconsciously anyway. It's infectious when you have someone who is genuinely excited to see you -- especially when you're used to being the one that is not being sought after. And he is genuinely happy to see her, too -- even if he's asking about Marina, he still has a warm smile for her. They both latch on to the genuine affection they have for the other one.

Colin asks about Marina, and the way Pen's face just falls when he does so. :( She realizes that he had an ulterior motive when coming to speak to her, and that guts her a little. (as a note - it's implied a little earlier in the episode that Marina is pregnant. It's not officially said - but they get into it more in episode 2. Obviously, that's important to this plot...)

Pen explains that Marina's illness is why Portia isn't around and why Lord Featherington is chaperoning. Colin grins at this -- I can only imagine how hilarious he finds it that Lord Featherington has to be (semi-)involved in his daughters' lives. I haven't really spoken much about him yet, but at best, you could claim that Lord Featherington was a neglectful father. He doesn't really interact with any of his daughters, nor does he seem to care all that much. I have to imagine that Colin, at least a little bit understands this, hence it's so amusing that he's there now.

Pen then is excited to show off her dress. It's not yellow! It's still a girlish pink with hints of blue (foreshadowing through clothes? maybe?). She still looks like a child a bit, but she doesn't stand out so much. She can blend in a bit more, and not feel as if everyone is making fun of her for her clothes.

In a way, the 'not yellow enough' comment was a little self deprecating, too. As the two of them have that in common -- that they both feel unseen and unwanted in society.

She's also trying to get his attention -- trying to get him to check her out. It's awkward and cute and I love how excited she is in her attempt. The thing is, he does notice! We don't really see his reaction to her comment -- but if you look you can tell that he is grinning back at her as they talk.

And then Cressida comes along and spoils their moment. So. Here's the thing I've noticed already about Cressida. Lady Featherington and Lady Cowper are friends. Sorta. They mean girl together. And as we learn in season 3, Lady Cowper has instilled this kind of ruthlessness into Cressida as a way of survival.

I also wonder -- did Cressida spend time with the Featherington girls? It's interesting that Lady Cowper is always around, but we don't see Cressida at the house. I wonder where she is and what she's doing. I will say -- I don't think Cressida is friends at all with Prudence or Phillipa. All three aren't very nice -- but Cressida is much shaper and pointed with her unkindness, while Prudence and Phillipa are just kind of dumb. And I can see Cressida poking fun at them as much as she does with Penelope.

Here's the thing. I want to joke how ridiculous it is that no one seems to notice that Pen is deeply pining for Colin. She is so open about her feelings but the thing is, no one really seems to notice her and that's why no one ever calls her out on it.

Except, I like to believe that Cressida does.

There's no real reason for Cressida to interject herself into their conversation other than she wants to be mean for the sake of it. I don't think she has any real interest in Colin other than his name and the fact that dancing with him would put a mark on her dance card.

Pen interjects on Cressida's attempt and that's when Cressida's claws come out. Cressida's mother (as we'll learn) has taught her to see any other woman as a form of competition. Pen was making a comment because she and Colin are friends and in a way already more than friends. They have a solid, established relationship. Cressida is looking at Colin as a way to achieve a goal. And Pen is getting in the way of that.

So Cressida does what she has been taught and tries to eliminate any kind of competition. And some of it is trashing on someone the ton already trashes on but it's also digging the knife in a little deeper, because I do think Cressida knows that Pen isn't just talking to some guy at a party, she's talking to a guy she likes and has feelings for.

Cressida probably over heard her, too, that Penelope was happy about her dress choice. So what does she do? Dump water (?) over the front of her dress. Not only was Penelope having a moment of confidence but Cressida's cruelty takes that away as she embarrasses Pen. But also she claims to not have not even seen Penelope there. Obviously she did, but it adds to the fact that Pen is often seen as wallpaper, nothing to really take note of.

Colin's face during all of this though! Because here's the thing. Here's the THING and why I love Colin. He probably wouldn't have really entertained Cressida as a dance partner unless he had to. That's... a whole other thing. But the minute she started cutting in front of Pen. The minute she pulls this stunt on his very good friend, it's over.

Cruelty is not part of Colin's nature, and seeing other people mean is an automatic turn off for him. But more than that, Cressida just trashed someone he does care about, and that is unacceptable. Look how hard his face is in this moment - he's pissed off at her for what she did.

And then just look at the way his face softens as he turns his attention to Pen. It's caring and gentle and he's looking out for her right from the beginning!

But I mean, also, what he does is so calculated and is such a badass moment. He beats Cressida at her own game. Not only does he completely deny her a dance, he decides that Penelope is the more worthy choice and snatches her up (as a mess as she is at the moment). He doesn't spare Cressida a second look. He'd dance with Penelope anyway, he doesn't need an excuse, but to play society's games as a way to punch back at Cressida for being mean to Pen -- is just so ballsy. He may not be a huge fan of the rules, but he knows how to play them and when it matters.

I also should note that Colin has a sort of hero complex, too, that comes into play. He likes to be the one to help people, to save people, and what he's doing is saving Pen from humiliation. He does genuinely care for her. But he also won't let someone be trashed because for the sake of it.

And I mean... we should take note of this moment -- because it's going to haunt Cressida for a long, long time. You just fucked with Lady Whistledown in front of her husband, Cressida. Your days are numbered.

And, I mean, look at the utter shock on Pen's face as he reaches for her hand. His kindness is why she loves him, and this just adds another moment to that pile. No one else really looks out for her. No one else really sees her. No one else would really stand up to Cressida and put her first. It's no wonder she's gone for him.

But then here's the thing. As we get our fun, little Irish jig started, Colin just looks delighted as they get to the dance floor. Cressida is all but forgotten as the two of them settle into their dance together. Pen is still shaken a bit as they start, but Colin has no qualms about what he had just done. In fact, he's proud of himself. But more so -- now he and Pen can just have fun -- as they always do.

This is not the first time they've danced together (as will be alluded to in the next episode). They probably danced a bit and enjoyed themselves, and as Pen settles into it, they both just have fun together.

And the jig is something to notice as dance is important in this show. It's fun and lively but it's also still a little childish, a game. It's not serious courtship, not yet, but it's enjoyment and playfulness but it's purposeful! As this level of caring and understanding and joy are the basis for their friendship and therefore the basis of their eventual relationship.

I mean just look at these idiots not knowing that they're really falling in love with each other.

I love everything about this scene so much!!

Okay, I have to close out on this shot of Pen. Because this is important. As Simon and Daphne come in with their little scheme to fake dating, Penelope is watching. And in fact, if you notice (Nicola Coughlan confirmed it) Pen is always just right there, noticing the action that's going on. And therefore Lady Whistledown is right there.

In this shot its obvious that it's her, but I'll be keeping an eye out because she does this a lot if you're looking for her. She's almost like a Where's Waldo cartoon!!

And that's finally Episode 1!! Whoo we made it! :)

[sayafics]

Cherry Season - Part 1

Rick Grimes x OC

This contains smut

I've barely written smut before, so please be kind xx

Masterlist

Next Chapter

Valerie wasn't always a Greene. But she's been one for quite some time, even before the dead started walking.

Her parents owned a farm only minutes away from Hershel's. It had to have been years ago when she was just a small girl playing with Maggie and the chickens on Hershel's farm when they saw it.

Large, billowing clouds of thick, dark smoke shrouding the sky. Valerie remembers the look of horror that tore at Hershel's face, the gasp of dread Maggie's mother let escape past her lips as she ushered the girls inside.

The smoke was coming from her farm, her home.

Hershel had ran, gathering their neighbours as they brought buckets and hoses and anything else they thought could help. But when they had reached the farm, the fire had raked through it, burning the land and all its contents to ash.

When they managed to get the fire under control, there was nothing left to salvage. The earth had been wrought of life, the barn now dust and the house crumpled and broken.

It was under the boulders and wood that they found a happy couple holding each other in a tight embrace, the flesh melted off their bones which were charred under the heat of the fire.

Hershel liked to think they were at peace when they passed, finding comfort in each other's embrace.

But then he thought of the little girl in his home, of the brunette hair she shared with her mother, the tan skin and brown eyes of her father, the bashful grin she stole from them both and their mischievous twinkle - how could they be at peace, knowing they left a child to fend for her own in a world already cruel and harsh.

It was Maggie's mother who suggested the idea first, so motherly and so loving - she accepted the child as her own. Decades passed, and even as Maggie's mother passed into the next world, Valerie stayed on the Greene farm, growing into a fine young lady.

Valerie didn't remember much of her parents, or their farm. There was always a part of herself grateful for that, happy for the reprieve because it simply made it easier to live.

In Valerie's mind, she never lost a mother or a father because she was not old enough to remember them and whatever void their deaths had left had been quickly filled and cemented by Hershel and his first wife.

***

Valerie wasn't a shy girl in the slightest. She was bashful and awkward but never shy. So when Rick and his group had finally settled upon the farm, tents dotted around the land, campfires lit a soothing orange and friendly chatter bubbling through the air Rick simply could not wrap his head around it.

He had seen her talk with Dale, laugh with Glenn, exchange fruits and meats with Daryl in exchange for cross-bow lessons. He had seen her comfort Carol when she became overwhelmed over her missing daughter and sneak Carl sweets she had found during runs.

And yet, it seemed she couldn't stand to be in his presence. It seemed she skirted past his every attempt and dodged his every call, finding any excuse she could to be rid of his presence.

Rick thinks he shouldn't be upset. He had, after all, turned up on their front porch with his dying son in his arms and covered in blood - what a sight he must've made.

But still, there was something about this girl that intrugued him.

He knew of Hershel's beliefs when it came to the dead, the ignorance he held in his heart that he labelled as hope instead. Hershel did not want to kill the walkers, and neither did his children - apart from Valerie.

He heard the stories from Glenn, how she brought them down with ease, and used a knife as though it was an extension of her body.

It was as though she was made for a world like this, brought up to thrive in an apocalypse.

And yet, she dressed like that.

Normally, Rick would have no quarrels over how a woman dresses. And he was sure if this was Maggie or Beth, he probably still wouldn't.

But this was Valerie - sly, mischievous Valerie.

Valerie, who could take down a handful of walkers with ease. Who could scale buildings and ride horses and hotwire cars.

Valerie, who seemed so brave and independent, who ran from him at every turn.

And she dressed like this.

Whether it was her short skirts, tight tank-tops, frilly dresses, or sheer shirts.

Whether she was going on runs, going horse-riding, feeding the chickens - whatever it was, she dressed like this.

It wasn't practical, but dear God, was it a sight he couldn't take his eyes off of.

***

On his last run, Carol had insisted on joining. She wanted to escape the suffocated views of the farm as her worries for her daughter grew too much to bear. Rick relented with ease, deciding instead of going into town where he was sure the shops and departments would be too infested for his liking, they could wander the neighbouring homes.

They wandered through a small, abandoned home. The land around it wasn't as vast as Hershel's, but it was certainly large. Whilst Rick picked his way through the house, Carol ventured across the fields towards the bushes and trees, picking off fruits and vegetables, seeds and saplings wherever she could find them.

When Rick returned with an arm full of clothes and a bag full of supplies, he was surprised to see a beaming Carol with baskets full of peaches, pears, and cherries.

She held the basket of cherries out to him, "I heard Valerie loves cherries."

Rick quirked a brow, wondering why she felt the need to deign him with such information.

She grinned, mischief twinkling in her eyes, "I also heard she doesn't like you very much."

Carol pursed her lips at Rick's fallen expression, "she doesn't like me?"

"Come on, she runs whenever she sees you. I think she's just intimidated, but Glenn is sure she just doesn't like you."

Rick rolls his eyes, a huff escaping him as he pretends the words don't sting as much as they did. Still, he threw out his spare hand and stole the basket from her grasp.

He pretended not to notice Carol's silent laughter and shaking shoulders as he walked past her grumbling under his breath - if Valerie hadn't liked him before, she better like him now.

When they had returned from their run, Rick left Carol with their newly acquired items and left to find the girl who plagued his mind.

Rick's first stop was the chicken hut, knowing how she enjoyed feeding the belting animals and would spend every spare moment with them if she could.

When he found her there, he hesitated for a moment. His palms suddenly sweaty, lips twitching and thoughts racing at the sight of her.

She was dressed in a tight shirt, the material almost sheer as she sweat under the heat of the sun. She wore a skirt, something so impractical Rick almost tutted at the sight. But she moved with ease, comfortable in the way she dressed despite the grazes and scratches from the plants and thorns around her.

"Rick?"

Valerie's soft call broke him out of his reverie, and he looked caught off guard. He swallowed roughly, unsure of why he was here now.

"Rick?" Valerie called out again, her voice unsure as she watched the man stand awkwardly with something held tightly in his hands, "did you need something?"

She steps up to his slowly, eyes wide and earnest as she reaches out to wave a hand in front of his face.

Rick coughs, eyes darting around them as though he was making sure no one else saw the embarrassment he was making of himself.

"I- uh, I got something for you."

"For me?"

Surprise coloured her features, glowing bright under the high sun as her cheeks flushed at the confession.

"Well, actually, Carol found it. But it's for you. I wanted to give it. To you."

"Oh. Well, what is it?"

She peered up at him shyly, a wry smile playing upon her lips as she waited for him to answer. Rick held out a basket between them, it was small but filled to the brim and his knuckles blanched as he held it in a tight grip, as though he was afraid his hands would tremble and the basket would fall.

"You brought me cherries?"

There was a note of softness in her voice, and when he answered, Rick was sure he could hear a similar chime in his own - "Carol said they're your favourite."

A tentative smile pulled at her lips, gratuity filling her features, "they are. I don't even know how you found them. It's not even the right season for cherries. She must be one lucky person to have found these."

Rick still held the basket tight in his grip, unsure what to do now and feeling his ears flush red as his face heated under her stare.

It seemed she caught onto this, her smile growing into a broad grin as she took the basket from his hands and beamed up at him, "thank you, Rick. Really."

As her hands pulled the basket from his reach, her fingers brushed against his own, and Rick felt his breath wedge itself in his throat. He nodded vigorously, terrified his voice would break should he try to speak.

Valerie stood there for a moment, her eyes bouncing over his shoulder as she looked towards the house. Rick followed her gaze to find Hershel in a heated conversation with Maggie. He turned back to the girl, ready to say his goodbyes and leave.

Instead, Rick was met with a fluttering kiss pressed upon his cheek and the sight of a sheepish girl who reeled back from him quickly with frantic glances back at the house.

Rick felt a heat bubble in his chest - it was warm and calm and nice. Something he hadn't felt in so long.

A feeling he didn't realise he missed.

A feeling he didn't realise he needed.

Valerie skirted around him, skipping towards her father's beckoning figure and stern gaze. As she took a few steps away from him, she threw a playful smirk over her shoulders as she waved him goodbye.

Rick felt as though he couldn't move, gaze fixed upon her enticing form. He leered at the sight of her, the way her hips swung delicately under the ruffles of her skirt, they way her hair flowed under the whispers of the wind, the way her eyes glowed amber in the sunlight.

Rick didn't understand how she could dress so pretty in the midst of an apocalypse. But a small part of Rick, one that was dark and desperate and needy enjoyed it.

Perhaps that was why he had no quarrels in this moment now.

***

Rick had stayed up, working late into the night helping Hershel tidy away chores that were long neglected now that he had grown older and frail.

The hours passed by quick, the sun had sunk, and the moon rose. Everyone was tucked away in their tents and beds, except Rick.

He hesitated for a moment, cleaning his hands on his dirt-ridden jeans as he looked around him. In the dying embers of a fire, he could see the open flap of the tent Lori slept in - an invitation.

It would have been so easy to pretend Lori hadn't slept with Shane, that she wasn't pregnant with his child. It would've been so easy to go as he was and slip into the tent, drag himself onto the cot next to the woman he considered his wife, to close his eyes and hold her and just pretend everything was okay. Everything was normal.

That the world wasn't ending and the dead wasn't walking and his wife did not betray him.

It sounded easy.

Rick always did hate it when something was easy.

He gritted his teeth, glancing towards Hershel's house and the darkness that blanketed it. Hershel had told him he was able to come in whenever he needed, to wash up and clean his clothes in exchange for the work he was doing.

Rick had avoided the offer for quite some time, not wanting to take too much advantage of the man's kindness and only going in broad daylight.

But then his thoughts travelled to places sinful and dark, and he thought of how Valerie's bedroom sat right next to the bathroom and in the dead of night, one glimpse would not hurt her.

One glimpse would be enough for him.

He wondered to himself whether she slept in the same flimsy clothes she traversed the farm in or whether she didn't wear any at all. Perhaps her modesty showed in her sleep, and she was covered head to toe. Did she wear her hair loose and let it fall in graceful curls? Did she sleep peacefully, or was she just as restless as him - plagued by nightmares and horrific possibilities.

Rick was not sure when he made the conscious decision to walk in, but he found himself standing in Hershel's doorway, the door creaked as it swivelled open.

His steps were soft as he made his way to the staircase, so cautious to not make a ruckus, so careful to not wake her up.

A sound caught his ear, making his spine straighten and his shoulders raise as his head twisted in alarm.

He held his breath, listening again.

A light moan echoed across the darkness, a light and airy hum that replayed within his mind over and over until he could place the voice.

His body boiled with desire as he recognised the sweet voice - Valerie.

But why was she making such sounds? His heart almost sank, worry etching his features as he deliberated ideas that angered him and hurt him most. He followed the melodic sounds - footfalls quiet, unlike her.

He traced them to the kitchen, almost hesitating to step inside.

But when he did, Rick could feel the blood rush to his cock as it twitched in his jeans and stiffened.

Fuck.

It was all he could think.

There upon the counter, legs dangling off the side was Valerie.

She was dressed in a flimsy nightgown that was much too short as it skimmed the flesh of her upper thighs and left her legs bare for him to ogle at. The white satin made her look like an angel under the moonlit sky.

If he looked closely, he was sure he could make out her silhouette as the moonlight lit up her figure from behind.

His eyes traced her curves almost instinctively, slowing down as they passed over the swell of her breasts before pausing upon her puffy lips.

There she sat, in pure bliss eating the very cherries he brought her.

The juice dribbled past her lips, his eyes following as it ran down her fingers, dripped down her hands, and weaved down her arm to spill across the white nightdress - staining it a deep red in the shadows of the night.

As she reached for another, the juices dripped upon her bare thighs, slipping between the two as she paid no mind to the mess she made. She pit the cherries with her fingers, tearing it in half as juice spilt wherever her heart desired, before plunging them one by one slowly between her luscious lips.

Something had come over Rick in that moment.

Where he had been hesitant and shy, where he had been cautious and careful. Something feral washed over him at the sight of her, something so pure and pretty and messy.

Rick wanted her to be his mess.

Rick wanted to see his cum drip from her lips, wanted to see his seed paint the expanse of her thighs.

Rick wanted to hear her moan because of him.

Rick wants her.

He needs her.

And he needs her now.

"Hey sweetheart," his voice was gruff, drowning in the lust that raked at his body in endless waves.

Valerie startled, head flicked up as her wide eyes took in Rick's stance. He leaned against the doorway now, arms crossed as he raised a brow in her direction, "what are you doing up so late?"

She glanced down at her lap, the pretty white nightgown stained by her carelessness, her fingertips stained purple, and she was sure her lips were too. Valerie flushed under his gaze, embarrassment pinching at her cheeks as it sweeped its way down her neck and chest.

She was glad it was night, hopeful Rick couldn't see her burning skin in the rays of moonlight as she stumbled over her words - "Rick."

A subtle smirk tugged at his lips as his eyes darkened, "I like it when you say my name."

Her breath caught in her throat, her next words whispered as though she heard his challenge and wanted to take it, but was terrified all the same.

"Rick," a breathy call passed her lips, "what're you doing here?"

She fiddled with the ends of her gown, paying no mind to how it pinkened under the touch of her wet and sticky fingers as she tried to compose herself in front of Rick.

The truth was, she had been fascinated by the man from the moment she saw him - he was kind and loyal and fierce, there was a darkness in him that she yearned to unleash, a beast within him she longed to tame.

And it helped that he was devilishly handsome too.

But he is a married man.

Or at least he was. Before everyone on the farm found out about Shane and Lori.

She transgressed, at least one good thing had come of it - her apprehensions had been washed away, especially now watching him tremble with desire.

"Hershel asked for my help cleaning up. I just got finished, came to freshen up and head to bed," he nodded alongside his own words, as though he himself believed that was what he truly intended.

Rick tutted, looking deep into Valerie's eyes, his once sea-blue hues grew dark as his head became heady with lust - "but it seems like I'm not done cleaning up yet."

Valerie frowned, eyes earnest as she tilted her head in confusion, "what do you mean? Is there other stuff you have to do? It's really late, you need some rest Rick."

She sounded so concerned for his wellbeing, her lips puckering into a soft pout that Rick almost felt his heart swoon with giddiness as he refrained from shifting the bulge that grew stiff within his pants.

Rick stood up straight, stalking his way to the girl as she looked into his eyes with unabashed curiosity.

He came to stand in front of her, one of his hands reaching to skim his fingers across the bare flesh of her legs and watch as goosebumps broke over the surface - "there is other stuff I have to do, I gotta clean a big mess. You think you can help me?"

He tried to catch her gaze as she looked down at his wandering fingers, she hummed in thought before nodded in affirmation.

"Okay, but you have to do something for me first."

"And what's that, baby?"

Her eyes widened at the petname, cheeks flushing with heat as she ducked her head and fidgeted on her bottom. Rick took a step closer, wedging himself between her plush thighs as his hands clamped upon her waist to hold her still, "look at me when I'm talking to you."

Valerie's head had never snapped up so fast, her breaths ragged as she answered his previous question with a shy smile upon her face, "I want more cherries."

"Fuck," he breathed out, looking at the pretty little mess she was in front of him, sticky and wet with cherry juice staining every inch of her and already his mind began running rampant.

"I'll get you all the cherries you want, sweet girl."

She bit her lip softly, holding back a beaming smile as she shuddered at the pet names that fell off his lips so sweetly.

"So, what big mess did you have to clean up?"

Rick rubbed circles into her waist with his thumbs, eventually rubbing his hands up and down in small motions - "well, it's sitting right in front of me."

Valerie looked confused, a frown upon her lips, but Rick carried on - he dragged his hands up her thighs, tugging at the end of her nightgown as he tutted, "look at this mess. Such a pretty dress ruined, clumsy girl."

She looked down at her dress with wide eyes, unsure how to respond as an apology sat at the tip of her tongue.

Rick didn't give her an opportunity, dragging his hands up her stomach, gliding across her shoulders to her hands. He lifted them up to his face, eyes dark with lust, "and look at this," he shook his head lightly, a smirk upon his lips, "what a silly little girl. Getting stains everywhere, making herself so messy."

A whimper slipped out at his words, and she looked away from him, unable to look him in the eyes.

"Rick..."

She wasn't sure what she was going to say, wasn't sure whether she liked where this was headed or not, knowing that his wife was probably waiting for him to warm her bed instead.

"Valerie..."

He whispered her name so desperately, coming closer to brush the tip of his nose against her as he pressed her hands against his chest - the dusty, white henley soon had neat little impressions from her fingers upon them, stained pink by the cherries he brought her.

"We shouldn't do this."

Rick closed his eyes at her words, pressing his head against hers as he nodded, "I know," he spoke softly, "but I need you."

She pulled back at his words, eyes wide in surprise - "but... what about Lori?"

"Lori made her choices a long time ago. It's time I made some of my own," his hands gripped her hips tightly, pulling her towards the edge of the counter so she was flush against him, her legs wrapped around his waist almost instinctively and he groaned quietly as her clothed cunt, warm and wet, pressed against his hardened cock.

She gasped quietly at the sensation, her flimsy panties doing nothing to stop her from feeling the press of Rick's rough jeans and hard member grinding softly against her cunt as he took deep breaths to try and control himself.

"I want this. Do you?"

Valerie tilted her head up, eyes hazy with lust as she looked from his heavy eyes to his parted lips as he took slow, meaningful breaths. She thought of every moment Rick caught her eye, every time she touched herself at the thought of him, every glance and every whisper, every touch and every hesitation.

She nodded vigorously, "please."

Rick surged towards her lips at the whine, capturing them in a soft kiss as he drew his hands towards her jaw and cradled her face softly. He grew frenzied, the kiss growing rough as he lost himself in the taste of her cherry-flavored kiss, her soft lips, and her teasing tongue.

Soft moans poured from her lips, and he swallowed every single one.

Valerie wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him closer as her legs tightened around his waist - she canted up her hips, breath catching at the sensations that buzzed through her.

"Fuck," Rick groaned, hands slipping into her hair as he tugged her locks and pushed into her relentless grinding, "you feel so good, baby."

"Want more," she panted, head thrown back as he peppered kisses down the column of her throat, "please Rick, need more."

"Anything you want, sweetheart."

They fumbled with clumsy fingers, Valerie reaching to undo his belt and unzip his jeans as he bunched up the nightgown around her waist and ripped off her panties off.

Rick paused for a moment, Valerie watching him in amusement, a heavy blush spreading across her face as he stuffed the damp panties into his back pocket.

"You do know someone's going to find that, right?"

"I have nothing to be ashamed of."

He bore a wide grin as he pulled her closer once more. This time, his kisses trailed over her shoulder, down her chest to flutter around her soft thighs.

He looked up at her, hunger raked across his face, "lie back for me, sweetheart. And try to keep quiet, will you?"

There was a teasing smirk upon his face, one that made her hold her breath as she fell back against the cold counter, hands covering her face as his hot breath puffed against her throbbing pussy.

It twitched as he blew lightly upon it, the sight causing him to groan as he laid a kiss upon her clit - Valerie sucked in a sharp breath, hips lifting only to be held down against the counter by Rick.

He tutted into the softness of her thighs, nipping at the flesh, "not happening, baby. You keep still and you keep quiet, y'hear me?"

The authoritative rasp of his voice sent a shiver down her spine as she nodded vigorously, "I'll be good, Rick. I promise."

"Yeah? You promise? What a good girl," he teased her clenching cunt, fingers brushing her across her folds as he collected her wetness upon his fingers.

"God, look at you. So wet, so perfect. You're so good for me," Valerie couldn't help the quiet moan that escaped her, nor her aching whispers.

"Rick, please. I- I need... I need mo-"

Her voice cut into a harsh whine, hips lifting off the table as Rick dove into the folds of her cunt with hungered vigor - he lapped across her folds, slow circles around her entrance and suckling upon her clit.

Valerie's hands locked into his hair, tugging and pulling as she pushed her pussy further into his face, trying to get him deeper, trying to get more.

She threw her head back, moans escaping her unabashedly as the thought of her father and sisters asleep upstairs had slipped her mind, and Rick's long and thick fingers slipped into her tight hole.

"C'mon, baby. You want me to fuck you with my fingers? Hmm? Or do you want my cock instead?"

Valerie's head twisted from side to side, eyes closed as she panted heavily under his ministrations, his voice almost muffled as he laved at her folds and drank her juices like it was nectar.

She could feel his smirk flush against her folds, could feel his grip tighten momentarily before-

A cold air washed over her, a petulant whine escaping her lips as Rick's head parted from her glistening pussy.

"Rick..." she reached for him with desperate hands, only for him to dodge them with an amused stare, "what are you doing? I need more," her hips canted up towards him, the sight so enticing he almost gave in.

Almost.

He tutted, head tilted in faux disappointment - "but you didn't answer my question. And little girls who don't listen, don't get to cum."

"That's not fair," Valerie sat up, tears welling in her eyes with desperation as her pussy throbbed against the cold counter. She shuddered with arousal as she felt a bout of slick and spit drip from between her legs, hips moving almost instinctively into the puddle that lay on the counter between her legs.

A sharp slap brought her back from her sinful thoughts, "keep still."

Rick was closer now, hands on either side of her as he leaned closer - his nose almost touching hers.

"Answer the question, baby. And I'll give you what you want."

"I need you, Rick. So bad, it hurts," her voice was whining, hands reaching for his unzipped jeans and slipping inside to hold his hardened member in her delicate hands. She tugged at it, suppressing a smile at the pool of precum that had leaked from his tip and using it to speed up her ministrations.

Rick clenched his eyes shut, his moving into the palm of her hand with sharp thrusts, "don't you want me, Rick? Don't you wanna fuck me? I want you to fuck me, Rick. I need your cock so bad, can I have it? Please?"

Rick found it hard to snap back to reality, her voice in his ear and her hand on her cock was almost too much for him. His hips stuttered as she tightened her grip and his movements became sloppier as the seconds passed, "what happened, Rick? Are you gonna cum? Hmm? All because of me? Do I make you feel good, Rick?"

He didn't know how he had lost control so quickly, but as he threw his head back, groaning yes's and violent pleas, he knew he didn't care. He yanked Valerie forward, gripping her hair tightly as he thrust his cock into her fist and crashed his lips against hers.

Rick moaned against her lips, a final grunt as he went into a spiral of bliss and came in her hands. He tucked his head into her neck, teeth bared against her skin as he sunk his teeth into her soft and supple flesh, hips slowing down as he groaned softly.

"Shit, baby. I was supposed to make you cum."

She giggled into his neck, hand never leaving his still-hard cock, "you still can."

She guided his cock to her puffy cunt, dragging the tip against her clit with stuttered breaths, "see how good that feels. Don't you wanna be inside me? C'mon Rick, I need you to fuck me. I need your cock."

"Shit. Yeah, baby. I'll fuck you, I'll fuck you so good you won't be able to walk tomorrow."

Rick slid his hands under her thighs, picking her up as she wrapped her legs rightly around his waist. Her hands reached into his hair, tugging on his curls as she brought him into a desperate kiss.

She moaned as he slipped him tongue into her mouth, letting him win the battle of dominance this time.

Rick steered them towards the dining table, every move careful and quiet so Hershel didn't walk in on Rick tainting and ruining his little girl.

He sat heavily in the chair at the head of the table, tugging Valerie down by the throat to hold her even closer as his hips grinded against hers.

"Do you want this?"

She nodded vigorously, tracking kisses down his neck until she found a sweet spot behind his ear that could him keen and groan.

He tugged her head back with a growl, "I asked you a question, do you want this?"

"Yes, yes, yes," her echoed words were frenzied as she shifted upon his lap, her cunt sliding across his cock with hurried desperation - "please fuck me, Rick. I need it so badly."

"Fuck, look at you. Don't even care that your dad's upstairs, do you? Shit, I bet if I asked you to scream for me you would, right?"

"Anything - I'll do anything. Please, Rick."

Rick's lips twitched in amusement at her words but still he gave in oh, so easily.

He held her waist, breath catching as she gripped his leaking cock and guided it to her clenching entrance. Valerie leaned her head against Rick's, eyes twitching closed as she pushed herself down onto his thick member.

They held their breaths, a low whine escaping Valerie as she tried to push herself down further. Rick, in a scramble, gripped her hips tightly enough to bruise, giving an almost animalistic thrust as he bottomed out.

A synchronised moan left them both, holding each other desperately as Valerie bounced on his cock in slow, drawn out moves.

Rick had his head thrown back, eyes focused upon the beauty in front of him - the only thing he regretted was not doing this sooner.

If he knew cherries were all he needed to have her so pliant within his arms, he would have brought a truck full just to see her like this.

His hands slipped under her nightdress, skimming across her skin until he found her breasts. He reached behind her back, tugging her forward as he mouthed at her breasts through the pretty satin, groaning at the sight of his spit turning the material sheer.

Valerie tried to keep her voice down, so scared someone could walk down and that they would have to stop.

She didn't want to stop.

Her nails embedded themselves in Rick's shoulders, slipping under his shirt to feel every slip of skin she could find. There was a part of her that wanted him marked as her own, red scratches and dark hickeys proving she owned him in this moment as much as he owned her.

She ground against him, chasing her own high as Rick's thrusts became sloppy once more. They moved in a crazed frenzy of heated kisses and whines and moans, until a white hot flash crashed over them both causing them to whisper sinful moans into each other's mouth as they share a soft kiss.

Valerie stays on Rick's lap, his soft cock still inside of her, their cum mixed and pooling between her legs as he tried to stuff her full of it. She ground her hips softly, whimpering at the over-stimulation but not wanting to stop.

This felt good.

Really good.

She laid her head tiredly on Rick's shoulder, head lolling as she panted softly into the crook of his neck.

Rick's arms were wound around her, holding her pliant body firmly against his own as he relished in the warmth between her legs.

He sighed softly, "let's clean you up and get you to bed."

"Don't wanna go bed."

He snorted quietly, "Well, I don't wanna be caught by Herlshel balls deep in his daughter because we both accidentally fell asleep in the dining room."

She couldn't help the giggles that escaped her, "yeah, papa would murder you."

"Oh, yeah? And what about you?"

"He'd put me on chicken-duty," her words were so sure that he couldn't help his grin.

"You love the chickens though."

She leaned back to stare at him, a proud smile on her face, "he doesn't know that."

Rick shook his head with a smile, and Valerie smiled softly.

"Stay the night. With me."

Rick looked into her eyes, dark and quiet, hopeful and trusting. He probably should have gone back to the tent, should have felt guilt for his actions and confessed to Lori and asked her to start over after they both betrayed each other.

But in Valerie's warm embrace, there was no guilt. No pressure, no responsibilities. Simply content.

"I'll stay."

***

The pair lay in bed, holding each other in a tight embrace. Rick felt as though he could finally relax, as though the world had quietened for the first time since he woke up in that hospital bed.

Valerie lay pressed against his side, her legs tangled with his as she traced messy shapes onto his bare skin.

"You're thinking"

Her voice was soft, no judgement and no demand for him to have to reply.

Rick pulled her closer, tugging her to lie her across his chest as he burrowed his face in her hair - "everything going on with Lori - with Shane, it's already so complicated. And now, this? I feel like I'm making things worse."

"Oh." Her voice was quiet, and Rick wasn't sure if that was because she was hurt by his words or because she thought the same.

He continued, words spilling out now that he had started talking, "but the worst bit is, I don't feel guilty. I don't feel bad. About any of this. I want this. I just don't know how I'm going to explain it to Carl."

"Oh," her tone was understanding now, hands pressed upon his chest as she heaved herself up to sit on his lap so she could look him in the eyes. Still in that cherry-stained dress of hers, and she looked like an angel in the moonlight.

"Rick you can't be so hard on yourself, it's like you said - Lori made her choices. Carl might not understand now, but he will one day."

"How is he supposed to understand that his sister is not my child?"

"Oh, Rick..." she couldn't begin to understand the feelings that swamped him, the betrayal that stung deep even after he moved on from her - this wasn't just about Lori sleeping with his best friend, this was having a child with him but expecting Rick to be the father.

"I'm so sorry, Rick."

His eyes were misty, his chest heavy as the weight of the last few weeks threatened to crush him.

They stared at each other in silence for a few moments before Valerie's lips parted. She licked lips in hesitation, "you're still going to take care of the baby, right?"

There was a pause as Rick stared at her with incredulity, surprised she would even ask such a thing, especially after all they had done. He thought she would want him for herself and away from Lori and everything that had to do with her.

"I know you said Lori's baby wasn't yours, but it's still Carl's baby sister or brother. When mama first brought me home, papa couldn't even look at me because I reminded him of his friends who died - he didn't want me. The only time he tried was when he saw how much Maggie loved me, and then slowly he did too. Carl's too young to understand what Lori did, as far as he's concerned that baby is his sibling, and your child."

Rick closes his eyes as though his heart clenched with misery and dread knowing every word she said was true, and Valerie slid across his body to hold him in a soft embrace. Rick wrapped his arms around her, anchoring her body to his own as she whispered into his ear, "you're a good father, Rick. You're probably the only person here who can keep that baby safe."

They both knew what she meant by that - Shane would get them killed.

"Thanks, sweetheart."

Rick didn't know how much he had been needing to hear those words - to know that to raise the child didn't make him a fool or a coward, it made him a good father. To Carl.

And that was what was important.

They fell asleep in each other's embrace, Rick's mind so quiet that he wasn't plagued by nightmares or foul thoughts in his sleep. There was a ghost of a smile upon his face as he breathed in the scent of strawberries and mint from the girl who held him so tightly. It almost felt like Rick was still alive.

Like he hadn't been shot and left in a hospital bed to die.

Like he hadn't woken up amongst the dead.

***

Valerie wakes up to soft kisses being scattered across her face, trailing lower as she sighs into the dark sky.

The sun hadn't rose yet, but it was warm where she lay.

Her hands drifted to Rick's hair, petting him as he continued his fluttering kisses and traced his way back to her face.

He pressed soft kisses against her lips - again, and again, and again. She laughed softly at the attention, reaching up to reciprocate his kisses until they fell into one deep and passionate.

"I should probably go," but from the way he kept pressing tantalising kisses across her skin, she had a feeling he didn't want to.

***

The day passed by slowly, and it was like a breath of fresh air had seeped into the farm.

Valerie and Rick skirted around each other as they always had, except lustful and loving glances replaced what had previously been longing and wistful gazes.

Every smile and every touch held a new sense of exhilaration as they kept their relationship a secret from others.

Day by day, Valerie had said.

To make it easier for Carl, Rick had said.

They used every opportunity to be near each other, whether Rick offered to take her out on runs, or she offered him a glass of lemonade as he worked in the heat, when Rick brought Carl with him to see the chickens saying it was son's idea and not his, or when Valerie would wake up in the dark hours of night to keep Rick company on his watch.

Everyone was oblivious to the change, thinking that Carol's tactics of bringing cherries had been enough to warm Valerie up to Rick and that they were friends.

But Lori knew better.

So did Shane.

He saw the deep red scratches on his friends arms and back, saw the hickeys he didn't try to hide, saw his wandering eyes, and possessive hands.

Lori couldn't say a word, not when she was growing round and heavy with another man's child.

Shane, on the other hand, grew crazed with anger. Crazed with jealousy.

Lori had said no to him at every turn, had denied him his child and her body now that her husband had risen from the dead.

So when they had found the farm, Shane found himself enticed by the little minx Hershel called his daughter. Wanted to break her and ruin her and make her his.

But Rick had taken her too.

Just like he took Lori.

Just like he took Carl.

Just like he took Shane's baby.

Shane wasn't a second-choice. He was better than Rick.

He would do everything he had to, to protect those he loves. Rick can't do that - he was a coward, stuck in the echoes of a world that no longer exists.

Shane wouldn't let him have this, too.

It wasn't fair.

This was his.

Valerie was his.

***

It was around lunchtime now. The group sat scattered across the field as they dove into their rations for the day. Rick wiped the sweat from his forehead with a damp rag, his stomach growling in hunger.

But his eyes caught the sight of Hershel's house and he thought of how his family had probably already had lunch. He thought of how if Valerie wasn't grazing through the fields of the farm then she was most likely in her room.

Rick suddenly thought he was in need of a long, hot shower.

He bit back a laugh at the idea, speeding towards Hershel's home with hidden intentions and sinful thoughts.

When Rick had come across her room, he frowned in confusion as he found the girl was nowhere in sight.

He stepped out hesitantly, shrugging as he thought he may have simply just missed her on his walk to the house and got into the shower instead.

Rick would find her after.

***

Only a few metres away, at the edge of the woods Shane urged the girl to walk ahead of him with a manic grin - "'mon, I'm telling you. I saw one."

Valerie shook her head in amusement, "Shane, there is no way you saw a bear in the woods."

"Yes I did. If you would just follow me, then you'd see."

"I am following you, but if you are telling the truth then I would rather not get mauled by a bear."

He scoffed as though she had said something dumb and stupid, "nah, you'll be fine. Saw 'em eating."

Valerie frowned, pausing in her steps as she turned to face him. She stumbled a step back when she found Shane was much closer than she expected, her back hitting a tree as she looked around his looming, broad figure to see they were too deep in for her to see the farm from here.

A sense of unease settled in her gut - "what were they eating?" She was worried some of the wildlife might have been attacked and torn to shreds by such a beast, a cantankerous predator in the face of such small prey.

He gave her a leering grin, leaning closer so she could feel his hot breath as he spoke, "cherries."

Valerie swallowed roughly - it's not cherry season.

[kindalikerackham]

alright. I suppose it's time. ty to @melancholic-megafauna for chatting this out with me so I could detangle some thoughts

Let's talk about Zack Addy

So. Here's the thing about Zack. Here's what I think makes his Apprentice arc so emotionally evocative, for better and worse: it's the Gormogon's handwaved logic. Walk with me here.

Like any good mystery series, Bones is a show that is obsessed with the facts of a case. From the very beginning, solving nearly any case takes three components: 1) You need the forensic evidence gathered by the squints, building the physical facts of the scenario 2) You need the social context gathered by Booth (and later Brennan and Sweets) building the social reasoning. This almost always ends in: 3) A confession that pulls the reasoning together, wrapping it up in a nice little bow for Caroline.

The finale of season 3 is different. Zack's confession does not resolve the reasoning. Booth's explanation glides over the specifics of Zack Addy (Instead, he's a "weak personality"). Although Gormogon's reasoning is supposedly airtight to a kid who prides himself on reasoning, we don't get to know what insecurity was exploited. He's just vulnerable. Unspecifically emotionally vulnerable.

This gap, the perpetrator's/Zack's emotional logic, is one that would usually get tidied up by the end of the episode. But it's just painted over.

By leaving it open, amorphous, Bones defies not only it's own formula, but also its characteristic exhaustive search for the whole truth of a scenario.

We do not get to know what the Gormogon said to Zack. We don't get to know!! We don't get to know what flattery got him to miss a step. We don't get to know what grand picture Zack's helping. We don't get to know what contradictions of Zack Addy that Gormogon observed and exploited, save the Spock contradiction (the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few, or the one, except when they don't).

This gaping wound of "what got him to this place" serves its primary goal exceedingly well: the team (as well as the audience) is left reeling, struggling to review what they know about him, what they missed, how they could have failed him. It's the bone-deep shock of realizing you lost a family member to a cult right under your nose. In doing this, they honor each character's relationship with Zack. We feel the loss and nonsensicality of it all. In that way, it's a fitting sendoff for a primary character.

At the same time, that gap in logic takes the show's most stereotypical autistic character from a social coming of age arc to a serial killer's accomplice. In one tap dance of logic, he's gone from being a character about the show's thesis (off-putting doesn't mean evil) to a character about the insidiousness of evil. He's gone from a character growing into being a moral man to being both victim and perpetrator. And we, the audience, are no longer there with him.

This gap in the social logic leaves future plot to explore, but it's mostly just set to rest for seasons and seasons. It's a gaping wound without a suture, a part of the team ripped out and left unsewn.

All in all, it was a strong choice to make, and I think that's something to respect. You have to give it that, whether you think it's justified or not.*

*I started thinking about this bc this was the point my mom and I stopped watching Bones as it came out. Zach was a really important character to a parent who worked as a tech with autistic kids and had a probably autistic kid (me) at home. It's personal to me.

As a caveat about whether it's justified, it's pretty obvious that this arc is rushed, and there's a few different reasons I know about for it. The writers strike truncated the season, Zach's actor wanted to leave, and the Gormogon plot had an apprentice betrayal arc they were building in (one that they could twist to fit Zach). That in mind, it's impressive that they pulled this out of their hat.

[eternalchiyo]

Waiting for Christmas

Part 1 || Part 2 || Part 3 || Part 4 || Part 5

Chiyo sighed as she thrummed her fingers on the smooth surface of the counter. The clerk had left some time ago and told her to wait as he brought out the product that she had ordered. She was getting a little bit restless with how long it was taking — she was out on a secret mission after all.

Christmas was approaching and she wanted to gift Shuu something special. Before, they didn’t really pay attention to holidays like that, but even in Makai the human traditions were starting to become more and more popular.

She blushed when she remembered last year’s Christmas, when she didn’t bother with a gift and—

She shook her head to get rid of the embarrassing memory. This mistake was not something she was going to repeat, so for this year she came prepared. Admittedly, it had been hard to coordinate all of this so Shuu wouldn’t grow suspicious of her. It was weird enough for her to go out to the mall by herself as it was.

A while ago Chiyo had seen him on his phone, browsing deluxe boxes of a composer he was interested in lately; persuading him to wait with the purchase had been a challenge. Again, she hoped he didn’t become aware of her plans.

Since she had no idea how preordering things with a phone worked, she had to do it at the store itself. Now she was here to pick it up; her closet should work as a good hiding spot; Shuu would never bother to look inside.

Finally, after what felt like ages, the clerk came back with a box. It was thin but of slightly bigger size; the product was advertised to include an LP and a CD among other things, featuring unreleased tracks.

“Would you like for us to wrap this as a gift, Miss?” the clerk asked. Smart. Chiyo wondered whether this was an all-year-round kind of service or if it was special for the holiday season.

She nodded. This would save her the trouble of doing it herself; she was putting little faith into her skills in that department.

The wrapping paper was really pretty; she chose a yellow bow to go with the teal paper. Luckily, the bag her gift was put in was unassuming enough to not draw any attention to itself, so she wouldn’t have to worry about anybody asking her why she owned a bag from the music shop. After all, it’s been ages since she had been interested in her piano.

With light steps she made her way out of the store, maybe she should treat herself to a seasonal drink? As she was rounding the corner she almost bumped into someone.

“Ah—”

“Oh…”

Her eyes traveled from the ground, taking in the man that stood before her. Brown shoes, a dark beige coat and a very familiar warm yellow scarf in stark contrast to the piercing blue eyes that looked down on her.

“Shuu…”

Great, of course she would bump into the person that she tried to keep this a secret from! Shuu furrowed his brows.

“What are you doing here? Weren’t you going to meet that friend of yours to ramble about books or something?” he asked.

“N…nothing,” she stammered and quickly hid the white paper bag behind her back. “Something came up, so I decided to kill some time here.”

She said she wasn’t going to lie to Shuu anymore, but this should be fine, right? It wasn’t really a lie.

“What are you doing here?” she countered and saw Shuu hide something from her vision as well. If they both had secrets to keep, maybe he would let it go.

A slight smirk appeared on Shuu’s lips. “Nothing, as well…”

They stared at each other for a while before he spoke up again.

“Should we kill some time together?” He held out his hand toward her and she slowly nodded, taking it into hers.

As they strolled aimlessly around the mall, Chiyo couldn’t help but smile and lean into him a little. It wasn’t often that they went out together, so this already felt really romantic. Almost as if they were actual teenagers, enjoying Christmas break. Not that she knew much about romance, their relationship didn’t match those in the books with pastel pink covers. She liked Shuu, romantic gestures or not, but sometimes she couldn’t help but wonder whether these books actually were realistic. No matter how much she tried, she just couldn’t picture Shuu as a doting boyfriend that wore matching pajamas with her, not saying she really wanted that, it sounded like an awkward thing to do. Walking hand in hand was something she was content with.

There was a big display in the middle of the mall, with a gigantic Christmas tree, huge plastic presents and a photobooth. When they passed it, a couple was currently taking their photos. Curiously, she eyed the two people who were posing underneath a mistletoe, kissing for the camera. The green plant dangled above that couple as they did various cute kissing poses.

Not noticing how her step slowed gradually to keep looking at the two, she eventually came to a halt, forcing Shuu to do so as well. The teasing words she heard next shook her from her trance.

“Pervert…” Shuu mused, and she spun her head around towards him.

“Huh??”

His eyebrows were raised in amusement and his lips quirked upwards. “Do you get off on watching others kiss? Or do you want to do it too?”

She felt her face grow hot; her cheeks were probably flushed and tinted pink. Giving the photobooth a last wishful look, she turned back to him and shook her head.

“No, I don’t…”

Shuu probably wasn’t into silly things like that.

Amused, he wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her closer. Chiyo’s eyes widened in surprise as she was pulled so close she had to grab his coat for balance. Face flushing, she jerked her head back. What was he doing, such a public place no less!

“Then... what do you want to do?” he asked, his blue ocean eyes flickering with mirth.

Chiyo could practically feel the stares of hundreds of strangers on her. Quick, she had to do something about it!

“Actually, I thought about going to a café…” she said quietly, and Shuu frowned, the amusement gone from his eyes as quickly as it appeared there. He probably thought it was stupid; why waste your time sipping coffee or tea in a crowded place when you can do the same thing at home?

Slowly, he let go of her again, letting her stand on her feet again. She frowned and tried to discern the look on his face, but she just couldn’t really place it. Did he dislike her idea?

“Let’s go then,” he said.

Chiyo blinked in confusion. “Huh…?”

He looked at her with a raised eyebrow. “Didn’t you just say you wanted to go?”

“Yeah, but...”

“Then let’s go…” He tugged on her hand that was still loosely hanging in his. God, why did that make her feel so embarrassed? She could feel him finding it weird how she acted too.

Get a grip, she thought.

The café was on the third floor of the shopping mall, several automated screens standing at the entrance, ready to take their order. Chiyo navigated through the menus rather clumsily; technology had never been her strong suit, but she did have to admit that it saved them the trouble to interact with the baristas.

Shuu’s hand closed over hers as he dragged it towards one of the winter edition drinks. White Hazelnut Latte.

“Take this one, it has no caffeine and it’s seasonal,” he said.

She looked at him and felt her cheeks flush again, did he figure out she wanted to come here because of the special winter edition drinks? The way he was being considerate for her made her heart race. Quickly she turned her head away from him and tapped on the screen to add it to the order.

Moments later she found herself sitting in the back of the café, leaning back into a leather seat, Shuu across from her, his elbows resting on the table as they waited for their order. Looking down she fidgeted with her fingers on her lap, toying with the hem of her skirt.

“You’re being weird…” Shuu said.

“This situation is weird.”

He raised his eyebrows for a second time today and was about to answer something when they were interrupted by the waitress bringing out their food and drinks. The young woman placed the coffee with whipped cream in front of Chiyo and the warm Yuzu tea in front of Shuu.

“We currently have a promotion going on. Couples get a matching set of keychains with our mascot~”

Chiyo blushed and wanted to protest but the waitress simply placed the keychains in their hands and took off afterwards. She looked down into the palm of her hand: it was a Christmas edition of the penguin mascot of the franchise, wearing a red hat and coat.

“Your face is as red as the outfit this penguin is wearing…” Shuu teased.

She grumbled. “What should I do with this anyway?” They didn’t exactly use house keys for the mansion.

“You put them on your phone,” Shuu said with a shrug.

“You know I don’t use my phone…”

Shuu sighed as he looked at his part of the accessory. It was a slightly different version of the penguin Chiyo got, with a green hat and coat. A tiny magnet was placed in the penguin’s beak, if you put them together, they would kiss.

“If you don’t like it, do what you want with it...”

The girl flinched; his voice sounded colder now. Did she mess this up?

“It’s not that I don’t want it...” she sighed and sipped on her coffee. The blue eyes were trained on her and didn’t let her out of their sight. After a while of silence, she rummaged through her bag and fished out the phone she almost never used. An embarrassed flush bloomed on her face as she handed him the device.

“Can you...?”

Shuu let out a single breathy laugh and patted the empty seat next to him. When she sat down next to him on the loveseat, he took the charm and secured it on her phone, as well as doing the same thing with his, then he moved his phone so the beak of his penguin would bump into hers. A quiet gasp escaped her when the charms connected, and she giggled softly. Shuu’s arm snaked around her shoulder and pulled her close.

The sky was grey with clouds as they walked home hand in hand. All in all, it had been a successful day. Chiyo got to buy a Christmas present, drink some seasonal drinks and now she was walking home with the one she loved. He was smiling at her in amusement when she told him about the latest book the book club had been discussing lately. Well, book club... they really only were two people.

“And then he grabs her by the wrist, spinning her around and pressing her against a wall before kissing her,” she said, retelling a scene she read last. Shuu hummed, raising his eyebrows. He probably didn’t really care all that much about the silly romance books she started to read recently, she herself thought them to be stupid only a short while ago.

“Sorry.” She cleared her throat and looked away shyly. “I got carried away...”

They were nearing the main entrance of the mansion now, as they walked up the snow-covered stairs, their boots making a crunching sound underneath their feet. It was crazy how the world became a paradise in white in just a few days since the temperature dropped. The red roses that lined the way to the entrance looked especially striking, half frozen, with the white covering the red. The world seemed so quiet too.

Shuu let out a soft sound in disagreement. “I don’t mind listening to you.” She gave him a small, grateful smile in return, her cheeks were already rosy from the cold, but she was positive they tinted a deeper shade of pink with how warm she felt suddenly.

“Besides...” he said, and she stopped halfway through the door, turning back to him. He reached out and tugged her wrist. Her body was pulled towards him, before she felt the hard surface of the doorframe against her back. Shuu’s breath fanned over her face in white, warm puffs as he dipped his head lower and lower until his lips almost touched hers.

“It’s good to know about it, so I can prevent those men from your books stealing you from me.”

As she gasped, his lips found hers in a sweet kiss. From the corners of her eyes, she could make out the soothing green of mistletoe leaves, before her eyes fluttered shut and she kissed him back.

Just like real teenagers.

This was originally supposed to be my main Christmas fanfic for 2024, which is why it's longer than the rest. But then I got the idea for the multiple parts story and decided to incorporate it. Thinking about presents that Shuu and Chiyo would give to each other I got inspired and actually bought for myself the thing that Shuu buys for her. Heheheh. You will find out in the last part~

[atinyjules]

This is my first time requesting for a Kdrama character. So I want some Lee rang x human reader in the modern time from 1st season. Where reader is a highschool or a uni student. Shes a bit introverted but she can be quite fun too.So how'd they meet and all?

UNDERSTAND - LEE RANG

Ofc! That'd be great! It's like 1 am in the morning right now but I stayed awake hoping someone would request a fic-🤧

Okay so my creative juices are working really good right now! So let's get started!

Thank you for Requesting (´∀｀)♡

Genre: Fluff, romance, strangers to friends to lovers trope, fantasy au, humor.

Pairings: Lee Rang x Human!reader (named)

Warnings: Swearing, violence, mentions of death, blood and Rang just being a misunderstood half demon who just wants to be loved.

Crap.

That's what you felt like as a second year uni student trying to survive the harsh summer heat with two assignments due in two days and continuous tests for the next 4 days. On top of that you were two months behind on paying your rent and one last warning away before you're eventually kicked out of your apartment. But what did you expect?

As an orphan who had no financial or emotional support, you had to support yourself but even after working three jobs a day it still barely covered your tuition fees for a year. Life was hard but you didn't have a choice. These days people looked for employees with excellent social skills and unfortunately being an introvert, speaking and conversing with clients was not your forte.

Which brings us to your second job of the day at a skincare boutique.

Noeul's

"Thank you for you're purchase ma'am, please come again." I said politely as my customer left, smile falling to a frown almost immediately.

"No amount of skincare products will fix that prideful ugly hag's face." I muttered under my breath as I took a deep breath in and looked at my reflection in the mirror.

"Gosh my face looks so tired and exhausted...don't tell me I've been tending to customers like this..." I mumbled as I took a break to freshen myself up.

As I fixed my makeup in the wash room I couldn't help but eavesdrop at my colleagues conversation.

"I heard that your boyfriend proposed!"

"Yes, he did! See!" she exclaimed flaunting her engagement ring.

I let out a sigh internally as their voices started fading away and my thoughts took my attention.

Everyone I know have their lives all figured out and here I am a broke uni student who could get evicted by next week.

I sighed as I felt my emotions skyrocket through the roof and finally crack as I felt my tears pour out after keeping everything bottled up inside me for a month. Fortunately there was no one in the wash room at that moment but I was sure that my colleagues were out gosipping about my melt down. But nonetheless I cried my heart out and by the time I came out my shift had already ended so I went towards the changing room to get out of my uncomfortable uniform.

As I made my way towards the changing room I couldn't help but stop and look at the commotion that was happening in the perfume aisle. I came infront to see a man in a red suit holding another man up in the air with his hands wrapped around his neck as the victim suffocated.

"Aish, people can't mind their own business these days can they?" he said as his eyes connected with mine and he scanned me from top to bottom.

"You work here?" he asked me as I nodded and he threw two perfume bottles towards me. Luckily I caught it and cleared my throat.

"Should I pack it for you, sir?" I asked as he nodded.

"Pack them separately while you're at it yeah?" he asked as I nodded and bowed lightly.

After I was done packing the perfumes he payed for it and took the bags but instead of leaving he leaned at the counter and brought his lips to my ears making me flustered as his warm breath fanned my skin.

"Switch the power off and get under the table when I tell you to...alright? Cause it'd be a shame if you die." he whispered, catching me off guard as I nodded.

He then turned towards the entrance door and locked it, turning around with a menacing smirk as he closed the blinds and put the perfumes in a corner.

"On the count of three." he said and looked at me with a smirk as I grazed my fingers over the switch.

"Three" he said and walked towards the sample section.

"Two....one." he said and I switched off the power and quickly got under the table. And just as I did a string of gunshots and screams began, all I could hear other than those noises were the sounds of furniture breaking and bodies being thrown around. Out of fear I covered my ears and screamed as a body suddenly collided to the table next to the one I was taking shelter in.

"There you are, come on." the man from before said and propped me up on my feet almost immediately and pulled me out of the store with the perfume in his hand.

"W-What are you?" I asked after I saw many bodies splayed across the destroyed boutique.

"Your knight in shining armour." he said and turned to look at me with a smirk as I gasped at the sight of his golden eye.

"W-Wait-" he cut me off my pulling me into an alleyway.

"Keep yourself out of trouble, let's meet again. But until then, try not to die." he said and handed me one of the perfume bottle and a bag.

"They have a really strong sense of smell so I suggest you change your clothes and spritz on a lot of this " he said and smirked at me and walked away.

"What just-wait!" I ran out of the alleyway towards the way he walked to only to see an empty street making me gasp as I quickly ran to the nearest public washroom and did as he said.

"Are these his clothes?" I asked myself as I wore the oversized sweater and shorts that were in the bag. After that I spritz a large amount of the perfume on myself and made my way home.

Two days later I found myself at the park eating a watermelon popsicle, watching as the kids played in the water sprinklers. I smiled and chuckled as I watched them intently wishing I could go back to my younger years at the orphanage I grew up in. Even though I wasn't adopted, my life in the orphanage was quite nice...we had a nice headmistress, good food, loving care takers and a comfortable and safe place to live in. I sighed as I finished up my popsicle, grinning when it read two free popsicles.

"Ah, you're alive." I looked up to see the guy from monday causing me to shriek and flinch.

"Y-You!" I exclaimed as he smirked and sat next to me on the bench.

"Oh, you won." he said looking at my popsicle stick.

As we ate our popsicle, I couldn't help but stare at him.

He was definitely handsome, without a doubt and strong...really strong which brought me to the conclusion that he probably was either not a human or an incredibly strong human, my bet was on the first choice as the grandma who would make our meals when I was little told me that spirits and demons of sorts existed among us.

"If you keep staring at me you're popsicle will melt." he said making me turn a dark shade of red as I quickly chewed my popsicle causing me to have extreme brain freeze.

"Ahhh-" I groaned and clutched my head as he looked at me with amused eyes.

"I've met a lot of humans but you must be the most interesting and amusing one yet." he said as I froze and looked at him with wide eyes.

"Humans? Does that mean..." I trailed as he looked at the bed of roses.

"You like flowers?" he asked me and before I could even respond he already had a bouquet of roses in his hand.

"Take these as a gift for helping me out that day." he said as I looked at the roses.

"I don't take flowers from a stranger." I mumbled as he chuckled.

"I like your personality, the name's Lee Rang but just call me Rang." he said as I looked at him and smiled softly.

"I'm Kang Noeul." I said and accepted the flowers as he stood up.

"Nice name, it suits you." he said as he put on his shades and brought his hand forward.

"Friends?" he asked as I nodded and shook his hand and once again in the blink of an eye he propped me up to my feet.

"A fox always repays kindness, so tell me what you want...anything you wish for I'll get it for you." He said as I thought for a while.

"I don't have friends so...can you be my friend ? Like, a real friend not just for the sake of repaying my kindness but my real friend?" I asked as he chuckled and ruffled my hair.

"I'm not one for befriending humans seriously, but you're an exception." he said and walked in front of me and stopped.

"Are you just gonna stand there? Come on, we have places to be." he said as I furrowed my brows.

"Where?" I asked not realising that the next few months would be filled with me regretting my decisions.

"Who's car was that?!" I exclaimed referring to the car we just trashed as we ran away.

"My elder brother's." he said completely chill as I gasped.

"The one who abandoned you?!" I exclaimed as I picked up my speed.

"Why are you running so fast?" he asked as I continued sprinting.

"I don't want to die in the hands of a pure Gumiho...if you, a half gumiho are that strong I can't imagine how strong he'll be." I said as he held my hand and stopped me.

"Who said I'd let him kill you hm?" he said as he started walking us in a slow pace.

I've been friends with Rang who is not only a Gumiho but also my roommate for about 2 and a half months now...and everyday is filled with us getting in bizarre adventures or causing mischief. Being friends with him somehow unlocked a new version of my self that I wasn't aware I had while still being myself.

Having him in my life not only changed my life but also my feelings for him compared to when we had first met. Sure he was bad, he did bad things and had a long standing grudge on his elder brother who he was currently planning on getting revenge from but nonetheless he made me feel safe, protected and loved...something I haven't felt in years.

"You'd be willing to protect me?" I asked, completely surprised as he scoffed.

"We've been living with each other for than two months and that was enough for me to know that you can't live without me." he said with a smug expression, he isn't completely wrong though.

"Yeah, yeah." I said as he suddenly sat down in a bench and left me standing as he made me stand between his legs and wrapped his arms around my waist and burried his face in my waist.

"You won't...abandon me too will you?" he asked through the fabric of my sweater, catching me off guard.

"Why would you think that?" I asked as he held me tighter.

"My intentions aren't good...I only want revenge and bloodshed." he said as I sighed and ran my fingers through his hair.

"Maybe you're not as good as most people but for me it doesn't matter...I won't make fun of you for that...nor will I judge. But I just want you to know that I won't abandon you and I hope that you won't abandon me too." I said as he chuckled.

"Never, you have my word." he said as I took a deep breath.

"Rang?...can I tell you something?" I asked as he smiled and kissed my forehead.

"I love you too idiot...I can assure you that cause a fox always stays loyal to his mate." he said catching me off guard.

"How did you know?" I asked as he pulled me into a real hug.

"You weren't good at hiding your feelings, I saw and felt the love you have for me enough to entrust you with my heart, I love You Kang Noeul." he said and leaned in making me close my eyes as he pressed a soft yet loving kiss to my lips under the orange skies created by the sun's rays as it set.

"I love you too, Rang-ah."

"Never thought that I'd find

That the one in my life would be so near

And now you're here

I got you, you got me

When it's us, babe, you make me feel complete

You're all I need."

_______________________

I am so sorry if the story doesn't reach your expectations but I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it ♡♡♡

Thank you for reading♡

[threecheersforinking]

Some thoughts about Arcane s2

(spoilers obviously)

To start off, I have a lot of mixed feelings. I don't think it was AS bad as some people are saying, and I definitely don't believe that everyone's characters were ruined/OOC. In my opinion, the overall plot was more of an issue than any individual character's choices (barring a few exceptions). I'm not even going to go into the individual characters, actually.

Because to me, the biggest issues were this:

Lack of a focus on politics

Lack of a focus on Jinx/Vi's relationship

Classism is one of the central themes to this story, and an unavoidable aspect of season 1. It's almost too obvious to talk about. The overarching conflict of Arcane has always been about the tension between Piltover and "Zaun". So why was Viktor and his little army of mannequin clones the big bad of season 2? I do not buy even for a second that Zaunites would suddenly start banding together for Piltover just because they were both at risk of being murdered by some freaky aliens. Why would people in the undercity care? They're already dying and being mistreated. It was lazy, overdone, and not consistent with the thesis of the story. Yeah, having Sevika on the council representing Zaun in the last 10 seconds of the show was great, but how did we get there? Why was that not the focus?

As for #2, Vi and Powder are the main characters and their relationship is at the core of this story. It is the most important relationship in this story. Objectively. And their relationship was not resolved in a satisfying way whatsoever. It didn't have to be perfect, it didn't even have to be happy, but it had to be satisfying and make sense. And it did not.

I truly believe that if those two aspects remained the focus of the story, every other issue that people had with the show or any individual character's choices would no longer be a problem.

I keep seeing people mad that some characters died or their ship wasn't canon but the thing is, this has always been a tragic story. I am not mad that all traces of Vander are gone from Warwick. I am not mad that Jinx and Ekko didn't end up together (even though I literally actively ship them). I don't think everything has to be wrapped up in a nice happy bow for a show to be good. It just has to make narrative sense and be consistent with the thesis of the story, which it was not.

Here's my take: I think many of this season's issues could have been resolved had episodes 1-6 been spread out over 9 episodes with the events of episode 6 being the season finale.

Episodes 1-6 had elements of the central theses that I mentioned earlier. Jinx's attack reignited the suspicion/dislike of undercity folk, therefore upholding the classism aspect; Salo even says "I can't believe we were almost about to give those people rights" (not a direct quote but you get the idea). Vi had lost all hope that her sister was still 'in there', was thinking about Jinx and mourning Powder. The physical fight between them and the role Caitlyn played in it was narratively consistent. These episodes weren't perfect, nor were they as cleanly written as s1, but they had the heart of the story in mind. The real issue is what happened afterwards. They lost the plot, quite literally.

When I heard this second season would also be the final one, I was surprised, but considering there's nothing I hate more than when a story gets drawn out just for the sake of it/because it's popular, I felt like I couldn't complain. However, considering how much convoluted bs they tried to shove into this one 9 episode season, I am confused as to why it wasn't drawn out more. Was it a budgetary reason? An issue with Netflix? I can't figure out what the problem was.

In conclusion, I don't think this season was horrible. Definitely not the worst Season 2 of a beloved Season 1 I've ever seen, at least. But it's still disappointing that the impeccable writing of Season 1 was unable to be matched.

[vestaclinicpod]

Audio Drama Sunday - 14th April ✨

Oh my god, the audio sure did drama this week!!  

👻 @tellnotalespod (S2E7.5) HOW did none of us put this together sooner?! Oh my god, what an absolutely INCREDIBLE little twist. I love the undercurrent of hopeful resilience in Tell No Tales (Leo is going to get with the programme really soon 🤞) and I am screaming, crying and throwing up imagining the end of season reunion 😭 HOWEVER, don’t think I missed for a second that Riley is asking for another packet of painkillers . . . it would be so like him to think that 16 paracetamol is two doses of paracetamol but still! He needs to be okay!!

🌲 @hellofromthehallowoods (147) hhhhh what a GOOD episode. There’s something different about the horror of season 4 that I want someone with a literature degree to talk to me about for hours. Can we please talk about how the murder victim had a treble clef carved into them . . . i.e. the symbol at the start of a piece of music. It’S SO CLEVER I love the intricate details of this show!!!!! And, can we also talk about how emotional I feel about Clem (namer of everything) is in love with Shelby (has a cat named Cat). There’s something in that which is giving me palpitations. 

🦀 @thesiltverses (39) You wouldn’t think one would be happy to have silt in their ears, but I am!! I’ve missed this story so much and I loved the twist in this episode. Carson has practically wrapped Shrue in a bow and handed them to Carpenter and Hayward. I can’t WAIT for that conversation. 

🧳 Travelling Light @monstrousproductions (17) Oh this is so beautiful! Do humans do this with ice?? I think we should 1000% do this with ice! I don’t have voting privileges (yet 💸) but I think they should go easy on their foes in the snowball fight. I would love to see how adorably smug Óli is if allowed to win 🥺

🤴 Inco @itmeblog (S3E20-34) If anyone takes SAWA away from Nova again I am going to throw HANDS. I’ve always considered SAWA to be endearingly overbearing with her prompts to Nova but we got such a good glimpse of how vital she is in the library/archives and I love her 😭

♦️@grottopod (8) Grotto finale! I loved the music at the start of this episode and it was so satisfying to hear David get to express some of his frustrations. Season two sounds like it’s going to be wild. 

⚔️ @camlannpod (7) This episode KILLED me. Here are the quotes that made me scream: “GWEN: You can’t love the mental illness out of someone.”  (10/10, true, valid, hurts) “PERRY: Eat a dick, Kay.” (11/10 the crowd goes WILD) “RHIANNON: (calling to the group as they leave) Cousin. About your lover. You didn’t fail him. You just needed more time.” (1/10 OW?????? OW OW WHY? OW!!!!) “MORGAN: You’re just as bad as Arthur. Worse. At least he was honest about it.” (??/10 JAW ON THE FLOOR) I need this podcast forever 🥺

🖥️ The Magnus Protocol (11) Oooh I liked this episode!! I love it when you’re left to fill in the blanks in a horror story - my mind is still whirring through so many awful scenarios. 

🍎 @notquitedeadpod (XXXIV-XXXV) ah! I’ve accidentally caught up to Not Quite Dead! What will my Sunday afternoons look like now?? There were so many moments in these eps which made me laugh but I’m mostly just so in awe of how complex and real these characters are. Neige genuinely feels 10000 years old and shaped by the trauma of each of them. I need to check the release schedule because I cannot wait for more!! 

Have a good week of listening, everyone! 🌈

[tippenfunkaport]

Bow's Character Arc

There was a discussion on Twitter from people who were confused about Bow’s character arc and whether he had one (he very much does, and it’s actually one of the clearest / most spelled out in the entire show!). To help anyone experiencing that confusion and because it’s never a bad idea to understand how character arcs work if you want to be a writer/storyteller, I might as well break Bow’s character arc down for anyone who might find it helpful.

Buckle in, it's nerd time!

At the most basic, a character arc is a change (usually growth) a character goes through over the course of a story. Usually good (positive change arc) but sometimes bad (negative change arc). It’s very often a reversal aka the character is often in the exact opposite state by the end of the story than how they start it out. It can be trickier to follow in an ensemble story like SPOP because there are a lot of characters with parallel story lines going on and multiple arcs colliding in different ways, but She-Ra does a really good job of giving each of the four leads arcs (with Catradora as the main leads, Glimbow as the secondary) near equal time.

Yes, including Bow.

What I think throws people about Bow’s arc is it’s based on hypocrisy.

Meaning…

He encourages his friends to talk it out and share their feelings… while hiding his own feelings from his dads and repressing his frustrations with having to be the middle man between Adora and Glimmer (Season 4)

He declares that average people (such as the kitchen staff at Dryl) don’t need the princesses and are just as capable of fighting the Horde themselves… while he believes himself and his abilities inferior to Princess Entrapta’s

He reminds the others (esp Adora) about the need to accept help… while refusing any help for himself (think about “Don't worry about me. I'm the one who worries about you. Can we go back to that? Please?” in Pulse through to that moment when he agrees to let Glimmer take him to check on his dads in Return to the Fright Zone and literally leans on her)

I think a funny way to sum up his character issue is: Not me, though.

This arc progresses across all five season as he gradually changes. He starts the series out repressing his feelings from both his family and friends while doubting his abilities and refusing to ask for help (he IS Adora’s mirror, after all!). Over the course of the series he learns to express his feelings instead of bottling them up (The Beacon > Reunion > really all of Season 4 but it comes to head starting with Boys Night Out through Beast Island > Stranded), gains more confidence in his tech skills (The Frozen Forest > Signals > Flutterina > Mer-Mysteries > Corridors), and starts to learn to ask for help (The Beacon > Pulse > Return to the Fright Zone).

Which of course all culminates in The Heart Parts 1 and 2 where he finally wraps up all threads at once by

a) asking Scorpia to trust him (putting faith in someone else to help)

b) completing Entrapta’s program to unchip everyone (proving he IS as good a scientist as she is)

c) giving the speech to everyone on Etheria rousing the common people to fight Prime (average people can make a difference… which he now fully believes that includes him).

And while you can make the argument that confessing to Glimmer is part of his arc to share his feelings, the fact is that he completes a full character arc without ever behind reduced to just someone’s love interest because none of his character growth is tied to his romantic relationship at all (which was what the original tweet claimed). It's all his inner journey to have faith in himself and his abilities and how they relate to his friends and loved ones.

And thus the guy who starts the series as “only one around here who’s not a princess” with doubt in his tech abilities ends the series as confident Tech Master and future King of the regular people he sought to inspire, which is about as textbook a reversal as you can get.

Does it come out of nowhere?

His character arc progresses and takes significant focus in the following episodes….

S1:E6 System Failure

S1:E10 The Beacon

S2:E1 The Frozen Forest

S2:E3 Signals

S2:E7 Reunion

S4:E3 Flutterina

S4:E4 Pulse

S4:E7 Mer-Mysteries

S4:E8 Boys Night Out

S4:E10 Fractures

S4:E11 Beast Island

S5:E3 Corridors

S5:E4 Stranded

S5:E9 An Ill Wind

S5:E10 Return to the Fright Zone

S5:E12 Heart Part 1

S5:E13 Heart Part 2

That’s 17 episodes out of 52 which means his character development gets approximately 32% of the focus of the entire show… which for an ensemble cast like this where he’s one of four leads is just about dead on as it's over a quarter of the episodes.

That's a significant chunk of screentime with multiple episodes devoted specifically to his character journey.

Is his journey as flashy and action sequence-y as what Adora, Catra and Glimmer get? No, but it's a) a show marketed to girls so it makes sense they get the more cinematic scenes and b) his arc is more emotional and thus didn't need to hinge on big action like theirs did. Though considering the culmination of his arc is him as a 100 foot tall hologram speaking to the entire planet, I personally feel like that was pretty hard to miss.

If you look at all of this and still want to say that Bow did nothing or had no character arc, I think the thing to ask yourself is: why is it so important to you to discount the accomplishments and character growth of this character specifically?

In conclusion, this is the face Bow makes when he spent five season growing, changing and kicking butt as Tech Master and Voice of Reason and you say he did "literally nothing"...

[stevesbipanic]

Boy For All Seasons

Part 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Ao3

While the snow began to melt in the weeks that followed new year's eve, Eddie's heart still felt cold and broken. He began to pull away from Steve, still wanting him in his life but needing enough distance to try and get over him. They didn't share a bed anymore, the first night it stopped Steve looked sad but understanding when Eddie said Wayne needed him at home. Ignoring the phone calls in the middle of the night hurt more.

Sometimes Eddie thought Steve was going to bring it up, but he was always quick to cover it up with a smile, his smiles looked faker these days. Eddie didn't understand, shouldn't Steve be happy that Eddie isn't clinging to him anymore, now Steve could find someone like him someone who wasn't different.

Eddie still visited Family Video, he liked Robin's company too, Wayne was happy he had friends outside of the band. She and Steve always seemed to be whispering about something these days. Maybe Robin had finally talked to that girl Vickie, but he's sure she would've told him the moment he'd stepped in the door. Eddie felt another stab at his heart, maybe Steve had met someone, maybe he knew Eddie was in love with him and didn't want to hurt his feelings.

With Spring Break only a few weeks away it was Eddie's new least favourite time of year, Valentine's Day. The halls at school decorated with pink hearts and flowers. Pretty girls hoping the football team were going to ask them to the dance. Even Family Video was getting ready for the day, plenty of couples looking for a movie they could ignore while making out.

If things had been different Eddie probably would've put together some ridiculous costume to impress Steve, make him blush the same soft pink as those hearts on the wall. Things weren't different though, this Valentine's Day Eddie will spend alone once again and Steve would take some sweet girl to the movies or the dance or anywhere other than around Eddie. Eddie slammed his locker shut, ridiculous holiday anyway.

"You good, Eddie?" Gareth said tentatively, the boys had been giving the storm cloud that was Eddie Munson a wide berth.

"Fine Gare, great even, I'll see you later."

"Hey Eddie wait!"

"What do you want, Henderson?"

"Are you going by Family Video after school?"

Eddie hadn't been planning to returning to the heart shaped hell but he had a weak spot for the boy.

"Maybe why?"

"Robin wants to borrow my DnD manuals, she's thinking of joining Hellfire."

Weird that Robin hadn't asked him but he supposed she knew Dustin longer, besides he could duck in give Robin the books and leave, wouldn't even need to see Steve.

"Sure, Birdie would be a great addition anyway."

"You're the best, thanks Eddie!"

When Eddie pulled up to the store, the carpark was surprisingly empty besides Steve's beemer.

"In, out, easy Munson."

When he stepped inside he let out a small sigh of relief seeing only Robin at the counter, for once the universe was on his side.

"Special delivery, Birdie!"

"Eddie! Are those Dustin's books? Great, just leave them here, oh before you go would you mind looking at the character sheet I drew up?"

Eddie wanted nothing more than to leave before Steve appeared from one of the shelves he was surely shelving, but he was weak for DnD and it would be really cool to play with Robin.

"Sure, but only quickly."

"It's just in the back, you wait here a minute."

Before Eddie had a chance to argue she was gone. Just then, the lights went out.

"Huh? Robin you good?"

Soft music started playing and a torch lit up the break room door. Eddie had seen a few strange things in his life but nothing prepared him for what appeared before him.

Steve stepped out from behind the door, and Eddie felt frozen in place. Steve was dressed in a white sheet wrapped as a toga, gold Laurel wreath in his hair, eerily similar to the costume Eddie wore that started all of this. The difference being the white feather wings and bow and arrow in his hands. If Eddie wasn't having a stroke already the blush and glitter dusting Steve's cheeks was about to cause one.

"Hi Eds," Steve said softly looking up at Eddie through his lashes.

"H-Hi Stevie."

"I thought it was my turn to dress up, do you like it?"

"Like it? Sweetheart you look beautiful."

Steve smiled shyly, ducking his head before returning his gaze to Eddie's.

"I was wondering if you had any plans tomorrow night? We can't go to the dance but maybe we could go to our diner? We haven't been in awhile."

Steve was right, they hadn't been in awhile, because Eddie had been dodging hanging out, because he had been avoiding Steve, because Steve didn't like him...right?

"Don't you want to take a nice girl out for dinner tomorrow?"

Steve shook his head, "Nope, just you."

Eddie couldn't help it, he didn't understand, "Why?"

A flash of worry crossed Steve's features, "Why not? I like you, like a lot. Do you...do you not like me?" The corners of Steve's eyes started to mist, he looked like he had begun to regret what he was doing.

"No! No I do, I really really do Stevie, but I thought you didn't like me, on new year's you told Robin we wouldn't work, that we were too different."

Steve's eyes widened, "Is that why you've been avoiding me?" Guilt crossed Eddie's face before nodding.

"Eddie," Steve reached out and took his hands between his, "I had gotten in my head that you wouldn't want me because we're too different, you're cool and fun and in a band and an adorable nerd and I'm just me."

Everything made sense now. "Sweetheart, you're not just you, you're loyal and funny and beautiful and kind, I would be crazy not to be in love with you." Eddie froze as he realised what he said.

"You love me?" The look in Steve's eyes melted away any doubt in Eddie's heart.

"Have for awhile, Stevie." Steve grinned widely at Eddie before taking his face in his hands. "I'd be crazy not to be in love with you too, Eddie."

Then, finally, after months of jokes and costumes and schemes and nightmares and hugs and comfort and crying and confessions and waiting, finally, two boys fell into each other sharing a soft kiss.

"Hey Eddie?"

"Hmm?"

"Not wearing anything under this one either?"

Eddie knew it back last March and he knew it now, Steve Harrington was going to be the death of him.

Tags: @zerokrox-blog @smallfrogpleasedtomeetyou @eboyawstenn @sharingisntkaren @goodolefashionedloverboi @the-redthread @steddie-there @questionablequeeries @liorereshkigal @mightbeasleep @carlyv @my2amgaythoughts @gregre369 @space-invading-pigeon @bisexualdisastersworld @epiclazershark @sherrylyn628 @raisedbylibrarians @swaghettoni @lololol-1234

[goodomensafterdark]

GOAD Writer's Guild Presents: A Release of Tension Part 2

Written by niknak90 on our subreddit

If you've been bouncing up and down with excitement like Spongebob waiting for Part 2 of "A Release of Tension," the wait is over! I'd hoped to get this done before Christmas, as we do have a splash of holiday fluff, but it needed just a little more time. And if this is the first time you're seeing this, and you're into Aziraphale having a wank in Crowley's body, subsequent pining/angst/guilt, and finally some fluffy kissing and tender sex, you've come to the right place. Not labeling this as a Pillow Fight entry as there is that undercurrent of angst, but this installment is ultimately very soft, tender, and fluffy.

Summary

The night after Armageddon didn’t happen, Aziraphale and Crowley switch bodies, and Aziraphale finds Crowley’s body is in desperate need of some attention. Afterwards, he feels some guilt and is afraid to tell Crowley, even as they grow closer. Finally, thanks to a little holiday magic, they kiss, he confesses, and they finally get to experience that release together.

**CW/TW-**Part 1 had the dubcon warning because Crowley didn't know Az was having a wank in his body. Everything in part 2 is fully consensual.

Tags for Part 2: Christmas Fluff, Post s1, Mistletoe kisses, First Kiss, First Time, Blow Jobs, Light Angst

Excerpt

One day in early December, Crowley walked into the shop with a small wrapped box in his hand. “Got you something, angel,” he said as he put his glasses on the horse statue.

“Oh dear, is it Christmas already? Oh, I’m afraid I haven’t gotten you anything.” Aziraphale was normally thrilled to decorate for the season, but the confusion of his current relationship with Crowley had occupied his mind. They had grown comfortable sitting closer together and holding hands, but had yet to progress further. There was also the matter of his unspoken confession sitting in his stomach like a lump of coal.

“It’s okay, angel. It’s still a few weeks away. Just wanted to get this a bit early.” He handed the box to Aziraphale, a small red one with a gold bow. His hand was chilly where it brushed against Aziraphale’s; of course the silly demon didn’t wear gloves.

“You want me to open it now?” Aziraphale asked. Crowley nodded.

Aziraphale carefully undid the bow and unwrapped the paper, setting them aside to be reused later. He opened the red box to find a green sprig of…

“Mistletoe?”

“Yeah, thought it might be festive. You know, decoration for the bookshop.” Crowley was clearly trying to sound casual, but utterly failing.

“Decoration. Right,” Aziraphale repeated, trying not to betray the flood of emotions this gift came with. Presuming that Crowley was not ignorant of Yuletide traditions, this must be an attempt to bring them closer. To accelerate the gradual coming together that had started over the last few months. To finally press their lips together the way Aziraphale had fantasized about that night he took liberties with the demon’s body.

Read more on ao3

Thank you to betas u/badbitchbarenziah, u/fishey_me, and u/Glittering_Rock1665 for betas.