#finally. my wife has been dragged into dragon age after me trying for like 6 months

[crimsonbonds]

i bought veilguard yesterday and i can feel it consuming me entire already GRAHHHHH playing as quinn. obviously. something wrong with me

[the-canary]

Kitchen Royalty - B.B (12/15)

Summary: Falling in love wasn’t on the menu, but neither was finding prince charming looking like a trash raccoon and living in your industrial freezer. (Pastry AU! Reader/Bucky Barnes)

Prompt: Sleeping Beauty

Masterlist

A/N: This is for @ciarawritesmarvel​ ‘s 1k challenge. 

Please enjoy and feedback is always appreciated.

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

Eleanor laid in the darkness of her room. She had been sleeping alone for a very long time now had been feeling lonely since her husband died, even more so when Rumlow stopped his “visits”. Eleanor had lived with silence for a long time that she was a mere husk of the person --wife, mother-- than she once was, so never in all her years of life did she blame her children for leaving her when it was time. It was something that was bound to happen, it was just more destructive with her.

It just seems like she was that type of person -- one that had very little interest in things and could hardly keep things together for long. Her husband was a bright sun in her patchy gray sky and as much as she hated baking and cooking (horrible at it since the beginning and hated it even more after it took him away from her), she was happy all her children had taken after their father. Saul was a chef, her daughter owned her own successful bakery, and Richard was training in a variety of things.

They had escaped their hellish household run by a wicked mother, but the dragon still wasn’t dead -- still won’t leave them be.

I hope you can forgive us one day, but we’re siding with her on this one.

The two sons, tired of running, had told her before they came back to New York with her restless daughter leading the charge. Rumlow won’t give up until they are defeated and submitted to him in the worst kind of way, she knows him too well and she wonders: What are you going to do about it?

Are you going to hand your children to the beast, Ella?

She had done so once and for years, their resentment and scars still ringing loudly in the dark, in her dreams in the worst sort of way until they all grew and flew away or hide until the time was right. Her husband’s voice lingers in remorse over what she has done, over what she will continue to do, but her children’s courage and tenacity causes something bright to jump in the middle of her cold, graying heart. She knows things that no one else does -- hidden businesses and dealings that have made all of Rumlow’s companies successful and prosperous, like her husband’s bakeries.

Eleanor takes a deep breathe before getting up where she hides things and looking into the darkness of her room. She searches in of her drawers, in the back and near the bottom. A maniac giggle is all she breathes as she finds the black phone she had been given years ago. She presses a button and the phone begins to ring.

She knows that she is beginning to set in motion something big -- things that will hurt him in the long run, but she needs to do this one good thing in her life -- at least for her children.

The phone gets picked up and she asks: “Am I talking to Agent Coulson? Do you remember me?”

 I think it would be best to save the romance until the competition is done with.

No, Bucky Barnes hadn’t died the day Sal and Ritchie had come to visit your apartment mixed with hugs and glares from the shorter of the two brothers, but it had been agreed upon that whatever was going on between the two of you would not move forward until after the competition was done with -- until the three of you finally defeated that demon from the past. It was strange seeing all three of you huddled up together around the kitchen table, like you used to but so much older now, trying to figure out the dessert you were going to present.

Caramel pudding. Isn’t that a little overdone?

Like the one from Winnie’s? Is that what you’re going for?

Bucky wonders if any of your siblings remember him. If you don’t, he doubts Ritchie does, who was between Rebecca and Lizzie’s age and was such a scaredy cat, and it was shocking to see him turn into such a confident and flirty man (he had seen it with some of the customers and even Steve when he came to visit once) with an easygoing smile on his face. Sal was year older than Bucky, though the man was always a bit of a loner though still protective as hell. Bucky wasn’t surprised to hear that he was a successful chef -- married and with a baby on the way. There are times when he looks at Bucky, pensive and weary, and the old soldier in him gets put on high alert. Sal saying his mother’s name the other day just confirms that he does in some way.

“So, what do you think?” your question drags him out of his thoughts, as he takes another spoonful of the pudding you had made, with a dozen of other cups surrounding him as he had become the guinea pig for your taste testing, not that it bothered him. Caramel -- like his mother-- was the center of it all but you mixed it with different taste and textures, but you still couldn’t find the perfect match -- Bucky was sure this wasn’t the one either.

“Too salty,” he explains, as you frown. Your brothers and Maria having called it a night already, though Bucky was sure that Fury and Coulson were still outside somewhere -- they had been since the attack on the store, though you had never found out about it. However, you kept on working trying to make a good pudding, so you could present to Mr. Stark before the competition began.

“I thought as much,” you complain, throwing the towel you were holding on the countertop before placing your hands on your hips. Blue eyes look at you, thinks of a younger version of you with the same pose when you were annoyed but still as determined as ever before. He knows you try your hardest not to think of when you lived with your mother, when you were forced to interact with Rumlow -- Maria said that you had nightmares for a very long time from all psychological and emotional pain that you had gone through.

Unlike Sal and Ritchie, you hadn’t talked to your mother since you had runway.

You don’t remember much, but he loves you all the same and he thanks whatever brought you together again.

“I just--”

“Come on. Enough thinking, cupcake,” he laughs, getting up and pulling you out of your thoughts with his hands on your hips, “You can think about it tomorrow. We gotta watch the new season of British Bake Off .”

Bucky drags you into the bedroom, as you laugh with no hint of protest as you used to do before, and he kisses you on the temple. Even in the shadows of your apartment and the night as a whole, you shine brighter than any star for him -- give him butterflies and feelings that he hasn’t had in a very long time. Bucky Barnes has come to realize that he loves you now more than he did back then, though it’s mixed with a whole bunch of other emotions that are hard to define at the current moment.

However, he hopes that when the time comes, you’ll be proud of the choices he makes too.

 Between your brothers and Bucky, it takes you two more days to decide on what three flavors of pudding that you wanted to show Mr. Stark. You just didn’t think that he would come back to your shop after the first time, but Mr. Stark had a tendency of surprising people -- as he came this time around with a more subtle flair but with Ms. Pepper Potts at hand, and you tried not to die right then and there.

“Welcome,” is all you can say without stuttering, as Sal leads them to the kitchen -- clearly more used to dealing with celebrities than you, as Bucky -manning the front since Maria had the day off- gives you a quick smile before all of you head to the back.

“I hope you’re ready, kid,” the man smiles, as he takes a seat in front of the cups of pudding already on display, “Pepper’s got a real sweet tooth you’ll have to live up to.”

Pepper takes the seat next to him, as the three of you stand on the other side of the table. In front of Tony Stark and Pepper Potts is an assortment of pudding cups in three different colors -- white, yellow with a brown glaze, and milky chocolate. Each has the own assortment of fruits on top, though the chocolate one is topped with a bit of whip cream. Pepper’s eyes twinkle as you begin to talk about each recipe individually, as they taste test each one, and boy was Mr. Stark right because Pepper Potts has all different types of questions for each one and you and Richie answer them well, as she comes back with suggestions just a quickly.

The couple talk to each other over each flavor and in a way that only they seem to understand, as you watch them with bright eyes. It takes them a while to choose their favorite and though it surprises you what it is, you are excited as well. After all is said and done, Pepper asks you a few more questions while taking some notes, which causes Mr. Stark to grin as he takes a hold of her hand near the end.  

“Well, kid,” the billionaire grins, as Pepper shakes her head, “I think you’re gonna make us a great wedding cake very soon.”

“It would be my honor, Mr. Stark!”

You grin as the older man smiles. You turn to look at Bucky who is manning the front of the store and give him a thumbs-up as he grins before going back to work at the sound the chime welcoming a customer. Sal is grinning as Ritchie comes in for hug, all three of you soon heading into a fit of laughter after Mr. Stark and Ms. Potts give you some more information before they leave.

“Congrats, buttmunch,” Sal declares as Richie takes out his cellphone.

“Let’s order the best takeout we can find,” he grins as the three of you cheer.

Bucky shakes his head as the customers give a few curious looks towards the sudden sounds of rambunctious siblings celebrating in the back. The familiar sounds of home making Bucky miss his own for a moment, though those thoughts are quickly pushed away as you come to the front and ask him what he wants to eat.

Your smile is bright and the loveliest sight he had seen, as you look like there has been a weight lifted from your shoulders and while he misses his old home -- Bucky knows that he has a new one here with you too.

Part 13

[lobsters-on-their-heads]

OB Rewatch: Gag or Throttle

The episode from whence my thumbnail image came.

My first watch review can be found here: https://lobsters-on-their-heads.tumblr.com/post/163333202396/gag-or-throttle 

I loved

Exploring Rachel's character, background, and motivations. She'll never be my favorite character, but she is one of the most interesting characters. 

Two minutes later after seeing young Rachel talking with the Neos, adult Rachel introduces Kira Manning to the board, wearing the same outfit, at the same age, but rather less curated than Rachel was.

Fucking adorable Charlotte sitting wrapped in a blanket with her mug of cocoa or whatever, so proud that they “escaped on a boat with only a map and compass”

I love that Rachel had a real reason to side with the sisters, in her discovery of PT's eye-cam tablet. Although maybe it wasn’t so much siding with them as siding against PT.

The steady drum/ bass beat that starts once Rachel sits in her video room drinking herself numb. Season 5 doesn’t have quite the same spot-on soundtrack as previous seasons, but this was great.

“Fell from a punt and drowned” – “probably also alcohol poisoning”

The climax of this episode takes us back to earlier seasons. There’s horror and genuine suspense, and Ledas working together. 

And Kira, who can feel Rachel’s emotions, asking “Who hurt you?” and Rachel’s response - “All of them.”

Tat plays drunk so well. Finding little details fascinating, dragging the glass across her lap.

I love that Rachel ripped out her own fake eyeball, which was connected by actual tissue to her head. She will do ANYTHING to have control over her own body. I’m reminded of Leekie in Season 2 saying something like, “Rachel takes insult very personally.”

I liked

The opening flashback to young Rachel, with her almost robotic recitations of clones' tag numbers paired with picking her fingernails bloody. Although they seem to have CGI’d something onto Matt Frewer’s head.

There’s a great contrast of Rachel in this ep – vulnerable, undignified (two pelvic exams and a shot of her wiping the lube from between her legs while wearing a paper gown), talked down to – with the Rachel we met in Seasons 1 and 2 – meticulous, formal, controlling. 

“Liver deep” indeed. We've seen Alison put down some booze before.

I did like Mark's “oh for fuck's sake come 'ere” man hug of his mom.

They're giving Skyler Wexler much meatier material, which is great. They're not keeping her in “cute little kid who rests her chin on her hand” land, as other shows do with their token child. She’s not the greatest actress, but they hired her at the age of, like, 6, and she’s acting opposite Tatiana Maslany, so any less-than-perfections are totally forgivable in my book. 

Rachel keeps the bracelet Kira gives her and wears it for the rest of the episode!

I didn't like

S immediately busting out her handgun bundle when Sarah said they were making her wait until tomorrow to talk to Kira. Siobhan's been the calm one, as Sarah points out. It’s not the first time Dyad has taken Kira, not the first time things have seemed hopeless.

Cosima's reunion with Scott made me uncomfortable. Sure, I’m glad they had a reunion, and yes, they would be happy to see each other, but the zooming in on faces, the lingering embrace.... eh. [funny, I enjoyed this scene in my first watch]

The whole tired “married man rushes to clean the house moments before his wife gets back” schtick. I mean, okay, it fits here, since Donnie's been living totally alone and I would make a mess, too, and plus, maybe he didn’t have much notice that Alison was returning, but it’s a cliché I’d like to not see for a bit.

Alison's return. I like Alison a lot, but this isn't Alison, and this plot line doesn't work here at all. Nothing about her absence or sudden life change makes any damn sense at the end of Season 5. And she threw away her craft supplies! I mean, listen, I teach essay writing for a living, and one major point we stress is that you don’t bring in extra information in the conclusion unless it directly connects to something you wrote before. We’re in Episode 7 of 10, the final stretch, and Alison’s changes don’t connect.

I don't give a shit about Mark and Gracie. I do think the subplot of no one trying to cure the Castor men is an interesting one, but Mark and Gracie don't do it for me.

There's a lot of bouncing around / sudden scene changes / “gasp!” reveals that aren't gasp worthy.

Other notes

Interesting word choice - “our most curated subject... Rachel Duncan.”

I don't know enough about Dungeons and Dragons to know if Hell Wizard's comment about “DnD in real life” makes any damn sense.

Very telling that Rachel signs a document promising her freedom from the experiment, much like she pressure the sisters into doing in Season 1, but she thinks that this one is for real.

Canon confirmation that Leekie has seen Rachel's vagina. Or very close to it.

Imagine jerking off into a cup and knowing that you're going to be giving that cup to the woman you call your mother. The Castor men really are just as “curated” as Rachel’s been.

It took me a second to realize the implication of this shot the first time I watched it. I am not always smart.

Leekie shows real fascination and care for the clones when he discovers Rachel's autopsy of Miriam. He sees Miriam as a human being, not simply a lab rat. However, I think half of his anger towards Rachel is due to her going behind his back, not due to her “encouraging” Miriam to die.

I forgot, again, that Rachel and Cosima are played by the same person.

I am super impressed that Rachel managed to text while looking with one eye. Anyone who's received text messages from me can attest to the numbers of typos I make while looking at my phone with both eyes.

Speaking of eyes, I couldn't watch. Eyeball horror skeeves me out more than anything.

I have questions

Did Rachel believe PT’s story about his age and background? She’s pretty blasé when Sarah emails her that obit.

What is keeping Rachel's top up? I have so many questions about shirts/ dresses like this. As always, women’s fashion confuses me.

Rachel Duncan went to summer camp?!?! And had a friend!?! I need more information about this!

Were the friendship bracelet and questions about Rachel really all Kira's idea / natural personality? Did she intuit that Rachel was a good person inside? Or was it part of the hustle?

What is the issue, exactly, with Charlotte's leg? We see her on the bed with seem to be crossed legs, her brace on the bed beside her.

What the fuck happened with the revolt on the island last episode?

Why do the Castor boys all have distinct last names?

Do the Neolution symbles have meaning?

Did Coady leave Rachel's chart up on the computer on purpose? Did she want Rachel to see it?

In what room did Rachel perform that autopsy of Miriam?

So PT can hear everything too? Does the eye have a receiver, or has he just tapped her phone?

I would've liked to have seen

An entire episode devoted to Cosima and Charlotte escaping on a boat, with just a map and compass, and then sending the boat back out onto the water and making their way from the shore to the Rabbit Hole. I like to think that maybe they stopped somewhere for donuts on way back.