#guess I'll have to watch the show again and then get into the second season haha | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

lvis44 · 7 months ago

Text

Talk To Me // LH44

Lewis Hamilton x Reader

Warnings: SMUT 18+ (Minors DNI), Angst, Mostly unestablished relationship, Unprotected Sex (wrap it before you tap it), Alcohol, Not edited

Word Count: 9.6k+

Summary: It's hard to know what someone else is thinking when you don't let them into your own thoughts, but Lewis will certainly show you exactly what's on his mind If you let him.

Notes: Lmao so my poll was pointless, here's all of it all at once! My little fingers were flying tonight! Some fluff, some angst, some smut, followed by some more fluff, just what we all love. I don't have much to say about this one other than ENJOY! I'll be working on a one shot based on that stupid little gladiator fit, the outfit did nothing for me but THE ARMS AND THE FACE??? best believe we need a lil something based on that. Love y'all!!!

I am not a professional writer and all of this is a work of fiction and is strictly for fun. Enjoy! xxx

“I’m so sorry I have to cut this short hun.” Lewis said as he wiped his mouth across the table, his eyes truly apologetic.

“I’m just glad I got to see you for a few minutes while you were here.” You said softly, your heeled foot brushing his calf under the table, your words coming out much shyer than your actions.

It wasn’t that you and Lewis were new to each other, far from it. You had met him at the beginning of his season and now here he was, just a few weeks away from moving to Ferrari. Every break he had he’d made time to see you, yet he’d been a perfect gentleman the entire time. Yes, the pet names were laid on in excess and the touches had begun to linger a few months ago but you were becoming restless for more. You really couldn’t blame yourself when he had the audacity to sit across the table from you looking so incredible, being so sweet every time he suggested you get together. Yes, you may have turned him down at first but this was getting ridiculous, there's no way you two were not on the same page.

“I don’t want to cut anything short, I wish I could stay, I really do,” He paused as he reached forward to grab your hand, “but I have a red carpet in like two days and I have to meet with Eric.”

“Mmm,kay” you huffed out infantly.

“Nah, don’t do that, I’ll see you before I head out, I promise.” He smirked at your attitude, squeezing your hand.

“So you don’t have any time for a pretty girl in between dinner and Eric?” You asked, attempting to layer the sultry and lust in your voice as you let your foot wander higher.

“Y/N.” His voice came out strained but stern, his strong hand grabbing your leg, “I cut it close by even getting dinner with you tonight, just couldn’t stay away.”

“So it sounds like I win over Eric.” You giggled, leaning forward on the table, your calf still in his strong palm.

“Don’t do this to me,” He groaned, “Listen I can leave the tab open, just don’t go home with anyone unless you’re calling me.”

“What if I call you in like 10 minutes?” you giggled again, his hand snaking up your calf despite how composed he was trying to stay.

“Y/N.” He warned, his voice low but his hand never ceasing its exploration.

“Well you go have fun with business things I guess, I’ll be here enjoying the atmosphere and free drinks, as long as I end my night with you.” You told him with a laugh as he stood up, dropping your leg abruptly, no amusement to be shown on his face.

“Not so sure you know what you just asked for baby girl, enjoy the drinks, I’ll send you a car.” Lewis whispered, bent down so only you could hear, making your stomach flip, finishing with a kiss to your cheek.

You watched as his muscular body moved away, staring at him intently as he told the host something while looking directly at you. Through the rest of the evening you enjoyed free drinks while sat with the best view, you listened as the dinner atmosphere turned into a club yet no one disrupted you unless they were refilling your drink. You were happily buzzed and seconds later your phone was buzzing just as much as you were.

“I couldn’t just send a car…” His sultry British accent came over the speaker.

“Are you saying you’re outside to pick me up sir?” You teased him.

“Of course baby, c’mon before I hire someone to drag you out.” He chuckled

“She came in with Lewis Hamilton but he didn't leave with her”

“Heard he's been seeing some woman on the east side.”

“He can't even convince us he likes his car, why would he like her”

The laughter of the girls that were probably too young to be there anyway stuck in your chest. A 15 year olds opinion didn’t matter right? But then again they see the tabloids and you avoid them…

By the time you’re out of the restaurant and into Lewis' car you find yourself in a foul mood, your happy buzz turning into a sad drunk imagining everything he could have done in the last few hours.

“You okay love?” He asks as you plop into the passenger seat, not even waiting for him to see you and open it up for you.

“Mmmm.” You humm, still stupidly in your head.

“Y/N, what’s going on? I’m so sorry I had to leave but-” Lewis starts his argument as he pulls onto the freeway.

“You do whatever you want, Lewis.” You say sharply,

“Woah, where did that come from?” Lewis asks, sharp but inquisitive.

“I should have known you were too good for me, my lew was just a fucking phase. All the damn teenagers in the restaurant knew it… you went and got fucked by someone else, I get it, i made you wait, you’re you, you’re a playboy and I guess-” You try to rant before his hand is against your mouth

“What the fuck are you talking about?” He asks, finally letting your mouth free with a look of pure confusion.

“What am I talking about? Where the hell did you go tonight? What are all those girls talking about?” You ask him sharply.

“Y/N, I went and saw Eric, I told you that. And are you talking about the teenage girls trying to get drinks at the bar?” His voice is firm before turning to further confusion.

“Yes Lewis, I am, they had lots to say as I left.” You try to keep your voice firm but it ends up sounding childish as you slump into your seat, crossing your arms across your chest.

“Y/N, those girls are like 15 years old and probably drunk for the first time in their lives, they were trying to drunkenly flirt with me when I left as if that isn’t a damn felony. Why the hell are you listening to anything they have to say?” His voice is incredulous, unable to process that the night has taken them to this point.

“Well you’re not denying a word they said right now, are you?” You throw back at him.

“I honestly didn’t think I had to!” He exclaims, still in disbelief.

You let out a scoff, turning to look out the window.

“Y/N, c’mon, I had a meeting with Eric, one that I was late to so I could make time to see you, I’m here to pick you up so I can spend more time with YOU. Why the hell would I be off with someone else?” His voice is firm but still holds a faint questioning tone.

“I don’t know, I’m evidently not good enough for you, I don’t even know how or why I caught your attention in the first place. I don’t even know what the hell it is that we’re doing. You haven’t even kissed me Lewis! I constantly feel like an idiot, I sit here wanting you to fuck me and the most I get out of you is you calling me ‘baby’.” You let all of your thoughts come out, against your better judgment, slumping against your seat with a huff.

He is quiet for a moment, stunned to silence. He is struggling between keeping his eyes on the road and staring at you in utter disbelief, a look you would see if you had the guts to steal a glance at him.

“I- I honestly don’t even know where to start…” He says quietly, trailing off.

“You know I’m right, that's why you don't know what to say.” You state as if it's a fact, a sassy quip in your tone as you shrug your shoulders, a sassiness that only comes out after some drinks.

He so badly wants to laugh, not only at your unusual sassiness but at just how ungodly wrong you are, but he knows that he can’t, that he shouldn’t, it would only make everything worse. Instead he does his best to stay firm.

“Sweetheart, no, you couldn’t be further from right. I adore you, I’m just…” He sighs, trying to find the way to explain his feelings without sending you further over the edge, “I’m trying to be a gentleman here, I’m trying to do things a little different than I normally would. I’m out of practice with this whole romance thing and I know that you were skeptical of it at first too. I don’t want to rush you, I just love being around you.”

You scowl at being called out, knowing he’s right, you were very skeptical when you first met him, not convinced that being anything other than an acquaintance of a man of his caliber was a smart idea. You don’t dwell on it though, the liquor in your brain deciding to latch on to something else, ‘he just loves being around you’, there it is, you’re friends.

“So you’re not attracted to me?” You almost whine, if you were sober you would be embarrassed at how it came out but you can’t find it in you to care right now.

“Where the hell did you get that?” He asks, this time he can’t hold back the chuckle.

“You literally just said that you just love being around me.” You point out, still clearly not understanding much of what he said.

“Yes, and I do, how does that translate to me not being attracted to you?” He questions, a small smirk on his face as he notices that your mood is switching slightly from angry to bratty.

“You said JUST, meaning that’s all you want.” You challenge him, reading far too much into his words.

“Y/N, I also said I’m trying to be a gentleman with you and not rush you because of your feelings and boundaries.” He says calmly as he keeps his eyes on the road, trying not to get irritated with the beautiful tipsy woman next to him.

“Well how long were you planning on being a gentleman because I’ve been wanting you to fuck me for about six months now.” You say boldly.

His eyes go wide as he chokes on his own spit, not used to you being so blatant. The two of you flirt, things have gotten suggestive between you two more often than not, but you so boldly admitting something like that is new territory for him. He has to take a moment to gather himself before speaking.

“I- I didn’t know that,” He admits, his voice low, “I honestly thought you had just barely warmed up to the idea of us being more than friends.”

“What about my foot on your crotch tonight seemed like I still wanted to be just your friend?” You laugh in disbelief, slightly unsure if you are bad at putting yourself out there or if he is that bad at reading signs.

“Well yeah, tonight was pretty clear what you wanted, and to be honest I was going to give you exactly that after my meeting, it’s why I picked you up! I’ve been going crazy trying to go slow!” He exclaims.

“Was?” You question quickly.

“What?” He asks, blinking in confusion.

“You said was.” You point out.

“Oh jeez, not this again Y/N.” He huffs, ready for you to be mad at him for a whole new reason.

“No no no, you said ‘was going to give you exactly that’. You don’t want to fuck me anymore?” You pout as you question him.

He once again has to take a moment to gather himself, still unsure how to handle your unabashedness.

“No, I do! In the future, yes, and I will if you’ll let me, but you got in this car ready to cut my head off or at the very least never speak to me again, I kinda thought that the flirty mood from dinner had gone out the window.” He tries to explain as you near his house. With the argument he hadn’t even taken a moment to consider that maybe he should be dropping you at yours instead.

“So not tonight?” You huff.

“No Y/N, probably not tonight.” He says quietly, a hint of disappointment lingering in his words as he pulls into his driveway.

“Why are we here then?” You ask, unsure of what to do now.

“Just come inside for a bit, you can sleep in the guestroom if you want or I can call you a car later if you really want, but I don’t think this conversation is really done.” He coaxes you, undoing his seatbelt and turning to look at you.

“I feel like I’ve made my points.” You shrug, staying firmly seated in your spot.

This time he truly can’t help but laugh at you, getting out of the car and making his way to your door.

“Well maybe I haven’t made all of mine.” He says as he stands in the doorframe, his hand extended to help you out of the car.

You don’t say anything, choosing to stare straight ahead as the brattiness really sets in.

“Y/N, if you don’t get out of the car on your own I won’t hesitate to pick you up myself, c’mon.” His voice is slightly teasing but you can hear how serious he is.

Finally you sigh in defeat, grabbing his hand to step out of the car. You hate that the second you feel his skin on yours your whole body warms. Tingles go down your spine and everything feels just right, you’re meant to be holding his hand, you’re meant to be so much more than just friends, but right now you’re mad at him, so you do your best to shake it off. You’re confident that you played it cool but he could see the feelings from a mile away, the same warmth enveloping him the moment you placed your smaller hand in his. He would normally tease you, but right now he knows not to muddy the waters, he needs you to actually listen to him when he gets you inside. You snatch your hand back from him once you are standing, watching awkwardly as he grabs your purse and closes the car door before gesturing for you to head towards his house. You feel like a lost puppy, obeying his commands but you can’t help it, your bratty mood only has so much strength. When you get inside you feel out of place, despite having been there many times. You can’t explain exactly why you feel so bizarre about it, maybe it’s that you’re finally sobering up and starting to realize that you still have many doubts, maybe it’s that you’re sobering up and realizing exactly what you accused him of in the car, maybe it’s that you’re sobering up and really becoming aware that you blatantly told the man you wanted him to fuck you, regardless of what it is you would rather not be sober right now. The tension hanging in the air as he puts his jacket away is weighing on you like a heavy snow, you want him to put you out of your misery and break the silence but he doesn’t. Instead he just moves towards the kitchen, leaving you to follow him aimlessly. He grabs a glass from the cupboard as you wander over to his wine cooler, ready to make your selection for the talk you're about to have. Before you can even take in the selections you feel his hands on your waist, guiding you away and toward the kitchen island.

“Nope, I think you’ve had enough, sit.” He says firmly in your ear as he just about places you on a bar stool.

You don’t say anything, just watch as he makes his way back to the other side of the island, filling the glass he’d just taken out with water before he’s sliding it in your direction.

“I’m not thirsty.” You say, staring at the glass in front of you.

“You wanted wine about 20 seconds ago.” He deadpans, calling you out with a raise of his eyebrow.

“You know damn well that's not why I wanted the wine.” You shoot back at him, “You said you had points to make, go ahead.” You prompt him, wanting to get this over with as quickly as possible.

He sighs, his shoulders slumping as he shakes his head and a look of amusement creeps its way onto his face. He takes a moment, just staring at you, taking you in and you start to feel uncomfortable under the scrutiny.

“Y/N, I don’t know what else to do.” He admits, sounding defeated.

You don’t respond verbally, furrowing your brow in confusion as you cock your head.

“I know we got to a… I guess a better place, back in the car, but I still don’t think you actually get it.” His voice is quiet, he sounds vulnerable.

This is unusual for you, you’re not used to Lewis being anything other than charming and cocky, to see him look defeated, vulnerable, it makes your stomach twist.

“I don’t get what?” You ask quietly, suddenly feeling slightly guilty.

“Hun, I try so hard. I don’t have enough time, and I know that, and I’m sorry for that, but I do my very best to see you as much as I physically can. When I’m away I try to not let a day go by where I don’t at least text you much less call you. I do stupid things with my schedule if it means I get to spend a few extra minutes with you. We’ve talked about things far deeper and greater than anything I’ve ever told my closest friends. I try to make every time I see you special because I know I’m not around for the casual moments and I have to be honest, most of that I’m not even doing for you. I’m doing it for myself because you are one of the most incredible women that I’ve ever met and I would kick myself if I let you fall through my fingers, yet here I am and it seems like I’ve done just that.” His eyes bore into yours as his words flow out freely, clearly unashamed about his feelings.

“I know you try hard, I never said you didn’t.” You say quietly, feeling almost like a child getting reprimanded after a tantrum.

“I know you didn’t say it, but I can’t help but feel it when you get in my car after a good night and immediately make it very clear that you don’t trust me.” He says firmly, his gaze never leaving yours.

“I do trust you.” You say, your voice barely above a whisper.

“Then why are you listening to drunk kids in a bar gossiping about things they know nothing about? Why don’t you tell me what you want with me? Things like the fact that apparently you’ve wanted to fuck me for the last six months? Why didn’t you tell me you were starting to maybe feel differently about this whole relationship after making it very clear that I didn’t have a shot?” His questions pour out in a way that makes your stomach knot, knowing he’s right to question all of it.

“I was drunk.” You answer meekly, hoping answering one question will be enough.

He lets out a dry laugh, “Okay, we’ll write that one off. What about the rest of it, Y/N?”

“It scares the shit out of me.” You admit so quietly you’re not sure he can hear as you stare at the glass of water in front of you.

“Admitting it to me or being with me?” He questions, his voice much softer now.

“All of it.” You say, feeling tears forming in your lash line.

“Explain it to me hun, because from where I am, we have a pretty amazing thing here if we just lean into it.” He says, so softly it could make you burst.

“I spend every day questioning not only why but hell if you’re even attracted to me. I know you have a billion other options so I don’t understand why you keep coming back, I’m afraid I’m just fun for you but then I think about it and I realize I’m not even your fun! We’re in wildly different worlds and I don’t even know how anything would ever work. I worry that you won’t be able to actually commit to anything. I worry that I’m the only one here feeling like this and I’m terrified of looking stupid and I’m terrified of losing the little bit of you that I have.” You rant, your tears now slipping past your lashes.

His face immediately softens when he sees your tears, quickly stepping around the island to get closer to you. He grabs the back of your chair, turning you to face him.

“Y/N, baby, I need to remind you that the very day we met, I point blank asked you out and you turned me down,” He starts quietly, taking your face in his hands to wipe away your tears as they fall, “I argued that we seemed like a good match and you had the audacity to agree with me but told me that you wanted a man that wasn’t fucking around, wouldn’t toss you to the side when he got busy. You told me that a romance with me sounded dangerous and that wasn’t what you were looking for but I couldn’t let you slip away like that so I asked you to let me prove that I could be that for you.”

You both laugh gently, remembering the first encounter that started all of this.

“I’ve been here trying to prove it to you, trying to be the perfect gentleman that you deserve, trying not to rush you, waiting for you to tell me you were ready. You didn’t say anything until tonight. And no, I’m not an idiot, I saw you starting to flirt more openly with me, I noticed you opening up about things, things becoming more intimate, but I swore I wouldn’t cross that line until the day you told me I could. If it’s just the logistics of it, that’s something we can work out, we’re both pretty smart people, I just need you to be honest with me.” He smiles softly at you, stroking your cheek with his thumb.

“Please kiss me.” You whimper, if your brain wasn’t processing all his words at a thousand miles an hour in the moment you may have cared about how you sounded, but after his speech all you wanted was his lips on yours.

“Is that your official way of telling me I can cross the line? That you’ll actually consider this?” He asks, his face closer to yours but still needing that final confirmation.

“God yes Lewis, I want you, I want to be yours, I want you to be mine, I’m sorry.” You say quickly, grabbing his arms in an attempt to get him closer.

“No need to apologize, beautiful girl.” The words leave his lips softly before they press against yours.

The second you feel his warm lips and their gentle touch, you melt. You feel complete the second he’s kissed you, unsure why you fought it for so long. His grip on your face is steady, grounding, everything you need. He pulls away much too quickly for your liking, keeping the kiss sweet, too PG for what you’re craving desperately. You chase his lips making him release a giggle that only causes you to pout.

“So you approve, huh?” He teases you, his hands coming down to rest on your waist.

“Oh shush, acting like you didn’t love it too.” You say, your pout morphing into a smirk that you can’t contain.

“I didn’t say I didn’t.” He says, leaning back into your lips.

This time he’s slightly less hesitant, his lips moving against yours gently. You can tell he’s holding back still but you're just too pleased to care, only causing excitement of what's to come when he’s less restrained.

“You know, two hours ago you were ready to rail me and now you’re being almost shy with the kisses.” You laugh at him when you finally pull away for air.

“Ssshhh, I’m just getting used to the territory.” He teases you, placing another peck to your lips.

“About that whole you picking me up to bring me back here and ya know…” You trail off, hoping he gets the hint of where you’d like the evening to go.

He lets out a sigh, pinching your hip before speaking, “I know, but not tonight. Just feel like we need to take a second.”

You pout at him again to which he just chuckles, pecking your pout sweetly.

“You’re the one who wanted to take it slow.” He points out.

“You’re the one who told me I was supposed to get laid tonight.” You throw back at him.

“Well you were the one with her foot on my cock.” He says, his eyebrows raised.

You gulp, the word tumbling from his mouth making your stomach coil in a much different way than earlier in the night.

“I-” You start, all the sudden feeling shy.

“Hmmm, cats got your tongue?” He jests.

“Well you were all ready to fuck me tonight but you wouldn’t even kiss me without explicit consent.” You blurt out, trying to call him on his contradiction.

“Fair point, but you were driving me to a new level of insanity at dinner tonight and I thought I was getting the message loud and clear.” He says calmly, leaning back in to kiss you again.

You silently pray that maybe just maybe he’s going back on his word as his lips move against yours, that maybe he’s changed his mind and you’ll end up in his bed tonight, but much to your dismay he pulls away once again despite your attempts to lock him into you with your arms around his neck.

“I could get used to finally being allowed to kiss you.” He smirks.

“You could be doing a whole lot more than that, but no, you’re keeping up the whole stupid gentleman thing.” You say, irritation seeping through your words.

“You told me you wanted a gentleman.” He throws back with an eyebrow cocked, amusement clear on his face.

“Well you proved that part, I want the rest now.” You almost whine, locking your legs around his waist, trying to pull him in. You find yourself annoyed for the first time by how strong he is when he doesn't move, never before being anything other than pleased by the godlike muscles under his skin.

He simply laughs at you, noticing that you're still a tiny bit tipsy, more unrestrained than usual.

“Alright, well you’ve already become a koala, how about I carry you to bed.” He chuckles, finally moving closer to you, only to pick you up.

You feel weightless and safe in his arms, quickly deciding you would let him carry you anywhere forever, a fact that you apparently accidentally state out loud in your still slightly inebriated state.

“Oh yeah? Well you let me know where you want to be carried and I’ve got you babe.” He simply chuckles as he walks toward the guest room, finding your admission endearing. All you can do is hide your blushing face in the crook of his neck.

When he finally plops you down on the mattress of the guest room you manage to pull him down into a kiss once again, one of his hands finding your waist as the other props him up above you. His lips move slower against yours this time, becoming slightly more explorative as you feel his tongue brush against your bottom lip. You open your mouth, welcoming him eagerly, the taste of him on your tongue is intoxicating. You take one last chance at what you’ve been dying for for months, moving your hand down from his neck to slip beneath the button down that is draped over his skin. You take your time to explore the solid ridges of muscle bulging beneath soft skin, you can imagine every tattoo that your hand brushes against but you wish nothing more than to actually see them. You can’t help but moan into his mouth when you feel his grip on your waist tighten as you touch him. The sound does something to him, you can feel his whole body tense beneath your touch as you make your way to his back, raking your nails lightly down the skin.

“Please Lew, want you so bad.” You whisper against his lips.

He pulls away from you with such urgency that you're convinced he’s about to say no again. He stands tall next to you, staring at you for a moment, just taking in the sight before him. You're laid on his guest bed, your hair strewn against the pillows with your short cocktail dress riding up your thighs. He pauses for a moment, closing his eyes, you wish for nothing more than to know what he’s thinking at that moment.

“Fucking hell,” He sighs and you begin to accept defeat, “yeah, okay, yeah, I can’t act like I’m not dying here anymore, but not here.”

You feel giddy the moment you hear his words, not processing what he meant by ‘not here’ until you're being scooped up bridal style, taking you by surprise.

“Lewis, we were in a bed.” You laugh, leaning in to place soft kisses against his neck that have him faltering in his steps.

“Yeah we were, but mine is much better and if this is happening you’re staying with me for the night.” He states as calmly as he can despite the tension flowing through his body.

It's a short walk before you’re once again being placed on a bed and you have to admit he was right, his bed is much better. You whine when you feel him move away making him laugh at just how needy you are.

“Patience baby girl, gotta find a light so I can see just how amazing you look when I make you cum.” His voice is teasing but serious, making your body flood with anticipation.

Within seconds he’s flicked on a warm light, a lamp by the side of his bed, just enough so you can see him as he stands next to you finishing undoing the last few buttons of his shirt. Your mouth goes dry when he shrugs it down his shoulders and you become nervous at how you might react to seeing him fully naked. It’s not that you haven’t seen Lewis shirtless before, it’s the knowledge that now you get to touch him, you know that his skin will very soon be pressed against yours, and it's driving you insane. You reach out toward him, your hand finding the skin just above his pants before he grabs your wrist.

“What did I just say Y/N?” He says lowly as he moves over you once again, “patience.”

“Been waiting so long Lewis, I don’t have any left.” You whine, your hips bucking up towards him when he presses a kiss just below your ear.

“Mmmm,” He hums through a chuckle before his voice turns thoughtful, “how do you think i feel? Been waiting a hell of a lot longer sweet girl. I gotta savour this.”

His lips tracing your neck are teasing, just enough contact to make you squirm but not enough to satisfy the carnal need brewing inside of you. His hands feel larger than ever before as they trace over your body, groping you in spots you never knew would emit such a reaction from you. He hasn't even taken off your dress yet and he has you a whimpering mess, your hands grasping onto his bare torso. You can feel the smirk of satisfaction on his face as he kisses down your throat, his hands finally reaching for the straps of your dress.

“Do you step in or is there a zipper?” He suddenly asks, taking you by surprise as he pulls away for a moment.

“Huh?” You shake your head, trying your best to come out of the absolute daze he had just put you in.

“Your dress.” He clarifies, not that it helps you any.

“Yeah? What about it?” You ask again, eager to have his lips on you again and still not fully back in your brain.

He smiles, laughing lightly as he shakes his head, “Your dress, did you just step into it or is there a zipper I need to find. It’s so pretty, don’t wanna ruin it.” His hands are massaging your hips as he speaks, not doing much to help you actually process his question.

“Um, there’s a zipper on the side, why did you-” Your question is cut off by his lips on yours once again.

“I’m in fashion baby, I’m familiar.” He mumbles against your lips as his fingers find the zipper, gracefully undoing it before his hands are back at the straps of the dress. Once again he pauses, “You absolutely sure?”

“Positive Lewis, I want this so much.” You tell him, trying to keep your voice firm so he has no further need to question you and delay what you're so desperately seeking.

The moment he hears the words leave your lips he’s back in action, his hands lowering the straps of your dress and pushing it down your body. You become very aware of the fact that you chose to go without a bra for the dress when you see his wide eyes staring at your chest. You almost feel shy but the way he’s looking at you takes any hesitation away. Once he’s taken in his view, he’s leaning down, peppering kisses across your whole chest. You can’t help but moan his name at the feeling of his lips on your skin, your grip on the back of his neck tightening. You almost explode when you feel his warm mouth wrap around your sensitive bud, his thumb brushing gently, teasingly over the other. You aren’t sure how you will be able to actually take it when you get to what you are dying for. You are writhing beneath him, spurring him on with every little whimper he pulls out of you.

“God, the little sounds you make, fucking music.” He murmurs against your skin as his kisses begin to trail lower, making his way down your abdomen.

When he finally reaches your hip you think you truly lose your mind. The one and only thought you can muster is ‘Lewis’. He takes his time, kissing across your pelvic bone, moving lower and kissing down the tops of your thighs. Finally he begins his ascent back up, nibbling on your inner thighs as he does, this tongue tracing circles against your skin that you have a desperate need to feel elsewhere, somewhere he’s been neglecting so far. Finally his fingers hook into the band of your thong, a lacey one you chose specifically for tonight, hoping this would happen finally. He hesitates for a moment, his eyes flicking to yours for a final confirmation.

“Please.” You breath out, lifting your hips to help him remove the tiny piece of fabric.

“Fuck Y/N” He says, just as breathless as you as he takes in the sight before him. He’s looking at you with the same admiration that he had when he took your dress off.

His thumb brushes gently against your folds, enough to make you shiver and moan but not nearly enough to satisfy the desire deep in your bones. You move your hips closer to him, earning a faint chuckle but thankfully he takes the queue, parting you open for himself so he can admire the aching bundle of nerves he’s dying to pull into his mouth. He strokes against you gently, just a few flicks before his thumb is trailing down to your opening, swiping up the wetness that is pooling.

“You’re making a mess, baby.” He tells you, his voice smug.

“Well, do something about it.” You snap back at him, your brattiness coming back with full force.

“Yes ma’am.” He laughs, giving you a playful salute that makes you want to slap him.

All your annoyance however is washed away in an instant when his lips finally suction around your mound, shocking you in a way you didn't know was possible. A loud moan leaves your mouth against your will, your hands moving to grab his bedsheets in an attempt to ground yourself. He groans against you, his tongue flicking in the perfect pattern, the combination sending you onto another planet.

“Oh fuck.” You squeal when he grabs your legs and puts them over his shoulders, diving in deeper and closer than he was before.

His mouth trails down, his nose still bumping against your clit as his tongue prods at your entrance, tasting every bit of you he can. His hands are tight on your hips, keeping you in place to pleasure you exactly how he wants. You can feel your stomach tightening, it’s embarrassingly quick you fear, but then he’s slipping a finger into you, his lips latching around your nerves.

“C’mon baby, I can feel it coming, give it to me.” He mumbles against you, the vibrations going through your spine.

You moan loudly, feeling the tension in your body rise. You’re a writhing mess, no longer able to be anchored by the arm draped across your stomach with little purpose. Just when you think you’re about to hit your peak you feel a second finger slip inside you, the pair hooking in the perfect motion that makes you crumble. You’re shaking as you moan loudly, your vision becoming blurry and your ears ringing as you come undone. His fingers never stop their torment, working you through it to ride out the high. When you finally come back into yourself Lewis is kissing along your thighs and leaving soft kisses to your overly sensitive core, his tongue dipping into you every now and again with a smirk.

“That feel okay?” He asks you when he finally sees you watching him, his tone dripping with the ever cocky ego of his.

“Oh shut up.” You giggle, pushing at his head as you burrow your head into the pillow next to you.

“Hey, c’mon now, don’t try to hide from me.” His voice is much closer than it was before and when you turn your head he’s directly above you, hovering over your face with a blissful smile that makes your heart clench.

“Don’t go getting too big of an ego, I needed a good fuck.” You giggle before his lips come down to meet yours.

“Mmmm, well first of all, just so you know, you taste divine and you look immaculate when you come,” He begins, mumbling against your lips before he trails down to your neck, “second of all, you haven’t gotten the good fuck yet darling,” With that he pulls away to look you dead in the eyes, “think you can handle that? Dying to know how incredible you feel.”

Within seconds you’ve gone from content mush to a horny animal again. You don’t know how your brain let you forget about the best part, you needed to feel him.

“Yes, oh my god please.” You breathe out, bordering on begging but you couldn’t care less in the world in that moment.

Your hands begin to move blindly, trying to find his belt buckle but just fumbling with nothing as you get distracted kissing him once again. He smiles, a genuine kind smile as he pulls away from you, sitting back on his heels to undo his pants himself. There’s something about the genuine happiness on his face that makes your heart clench and your stomach flip. He doesn’t just want a quick fuck, he wants you, he’s happy that its you. It’s not the cocky grin of a man who sweet talked some chick into his bed, it’s the genuine smile of a man who finally has the girl he’s been pining over for a year in front of him and finally on the same page. You’re only left to dwell on how much this means to him, to the both of you, for a mere moment, because soon he is lowering his pants and you catch your first proper glimpse of the prominent bulge threatening to burst his boxer briefs. You can’t hide your reaction, your eyes going wide when you see the size of it. You want to slap yourself, you should have known, you should have been prepared. Not only does the man exude ‘big dick energy’ in every thing that he does and says, he is usually sporting a bulge on the day to day without being hard. He clocks your reaction, a warm chuckle reverberating through his chest.

“Still sure about this?” He asks, his voice soft, catching on to your genuine hesitation.

“Can I see it?” You ask and immediately want to take it back, you feel like a teenager afraid of seeing a dick for the first time.

He laughs softly, kicking off his pants fully before leaning down to kiss you again.

“Of course, you can see it, touch it, measure it, inspect it however you want before you decide.” His words are punctuated by kisses, carrying a teasing lilt with every one.

“Stop, it’s just, your ego obviously doesn’t need it, but it looks bigger than what I’m used to.” You whine, your voice becoming shy as you attempt to dodge his kisses in embarrassment.

“Hey, hey, it’s okay,” The tease has left his tone, his voice soft and serious now, “we only do whatever you can handle, okay?”

You finally look back at him, embarrassed by your shock. The beautiful brown eyes that you meet hold nothing but sincerity, helping your nerves immensely.

“We’ll go slow, yeah?” He prompts, squeezing your thigh.

You nod, wanting desperately to connect with him that intimately. It’s been a desire burning within you for so long now you can't fathom possibly backing out, you know he’ll take care of you.

“You wanna touch it first?” He asks, his voice sincere but still causing you to laugh, making him join in with you, “Hey, I’m serious, maybe it’ll help.” You can hear the seriousness in his voice behind his giggles.

“Okay, yeah, actually that might help.” You admit, your laughter finally quieting down.

When he rids himself of his boxers you almost go through the same shock again. Firstly because of just how large he is, he’s longer than anyone else you've ever seen and so girthy you’re not sure you will be able to wrap your hand around him. Secondly because there he is, naked in all his glory, his strong thighs proudly showing muscles you could never dream of having, his beautiful torso adorned with intricate images and abs that have made you drool since the first time you saw him without a shirt.Your desire for the man in front of you quickly overtakes any hesitation you’d previously had, quickly sitting up to grab him and pull him towards you, crashing your lips against his. He moans into your mouth as your tongue dances across his. You take all your lust and turn it into gumption, reaching down and gently brushing your hand along his cock. His grip on you tightens and an almost pained whimper leaves his mouth as you do so. You take that as a good sign, reaching in between your own legs to get your fingers wet before wrapping your hand properly around his cock, stroking him gently. A groan leaves his throat as he forcefully pulls his lips away from you.

“There’s no way you just did what I think you did, is there?” He asks you, his eyes blown out, crazed with lust and disbelief.

You just giggle, swiping your thumb over his leaking tip, leaning in again to catch his lip. He lets you stroke him for only a moment before he’s pulling away and grabbing your wrist.

“It feels amazing babe, but if you keep doing that I’m going to cum.” He tells you earnestly, his forehead resting against yours as he breathes heavily.

“Well I kinda thought that was the point of this whole thing.” You giggle at him, knowing exactly what he wants but enjoying getting to tease him if only for a moment.

“The point,” He begins, pushing you down to the bed by your hips so he is hovering over you again, “is that I would rather be inside you when I do.” His words are muffled against your skin as he kisses down your neck, your brain short circuiting.

“Please.” You breathe out for what feels like the hundredth time of the night.

“I got you.” He murmurs, your legs locking around his waist.

You feel his bulbous head trailing through your folds, collecting your wetness. You almost feel as if it must be a dream, there's no way you finally got this lucky. Then you feel the slightest bit of pressure at your opening, he's not even inside you yet and you gasp.

“It’s okay, I’ve got you, we’ll go slow, you just keep telling me how you feel, okay?” He whispers in your ear.

You nod and the second he’s sure you want it you feel him pushing forward, the stretch stinging and feeling like too much yet also feeling absolutely perfect. He only thrusts about a quarter of the way in before he’s pausing.

“How you feelin’ baby girl?” His voice is soothing but you can hear the strain as he asks the question. You need him to keep going, the momentary pain melting into ultimate satisfaction.

“More, oh my god, please.” You moan out.

He finally continues, pushing into you with such care it makes your heart burst. The way he’s handling you makes it evident that this isn’t just a fuck for him, it’s a coupling, He cares more about being close to you and your pleasure than he does the rest of it. When you feel his pelvis meet your clit you clench every muscle in your body, feeling fuller than ever before. He lets out a deep groan, dropping his head into the crook of your neck.

“You let me know when I can move sweetie, but you gotta relax for me. Okay?” You can hear the tension in his voice muffled against your neck, his lips moving against your skin.

You let out a breath, working through the overwhelming feeling of being so full of the man you care so deeply about, your body finally relaxing.

“Please move Lew, I need it.” You whimper out, your nails digging into his shoulders.

“That's my girl.” He says softly, his face just above yours with a soft smile as he begins to thrust.

Within moments he has found a pace that has your toes curling and your nails raking down his back. He is hitting every single spot you need him to, stretching you to the limit in the best way possible, working you to your peak in a shockingly quick manner. He’s not rough, he’s not fast, his movements are slow and languid. If he’s not staring directly into your eyes while he whispers sweet and filthy words to you, his lips are on yours as you swallow each other's moans. You’ve never been happier to have a vocal lover than Lewis, you can tell he is loving every single second, that he is overwhelmed with how good he feels. He’s not holding back a single moan, grunt, or groan and it’s only spurring on your pleasure. He sounds so good, looks so good, and feels so fucking good. You’ve never felt quite this all consumed by a man before, he is all that exists in the moment. He is leaning down on his forearms, his large biceps caging you in and it's all you can do not to lean over and bite them. His voice is in your ear when his tongue isn’t in your mouth, his heavy cock is splitting you in two with every perfectly aimed slow deliberate thrust, his pelvis is dragging across your clit giving you every ounce of pleasure you could ever need.You can already feel your toes clenching and your walls beginning to lock him in as you brace yourself in his shoulders.

“God, you feel fucking perfect, fucking made for me. My girl, all mine, huh?” His voice is rough as he talks to you, his forehead resting against yours, his eyes boring into yours.

You can only nod, tears slipping down your face as even moans refuse to escape your throat.

“That’s it baby, just feel it. Taking it like such a good girl.”

The tone of his voice and the dirty words tumbling from his lips have your stomach clenching, you know you’re almost there and so does he. His slow and steady pattern speeds up every so slightly, still keeping the same intimacy but increasing the obscene pleasure running through your body as his hand snakes down to properly rub at your clit.

“Let go for me Y/N, cum all over my cock, I’m right here, I’ve got you, lemme feel it.” His voice is strained but soothing as he talks you to your release.

Within seconds you let out a guttural moan, your whole body tensing as you feel the coil snap. The only word that can leave your mouth is his name, a chant of ‘Lewis’ leaving your tongue as your mind goes blank. You can faintly feel his thrusts falter before his own groan is matching yours, his head falling to your shoulder as thick ropes of cum lace your walls. You have no idea how long it is that you lay there on his bed completely limp. You have a faint memory of the whimper that left your lips when he finally pulled out of you. You know there was a moment of panic when you saw him begin to walk away but you were so blissed out that you ended up focusing on how good his ass looked. What you don’t know is how long it’s been since he left or how long you’ve been laying there, now all you can think about is how badly you want him back next to you. You try to move to sit up but quickly realize the best you can do is prop yourself up on your elbows. As you struggle, Lewis comes back into the room, holding a wet cloth and a glass of water, a smile across his face as he takes in the sight before him.

“You’ve been gone for forever.” You whine, unaware if it's even true or not, doing your best not to admire the fact that he is still stark naked in front of you.

“I’ve been gone for maybe two minutes,” He laughs, making his way towards you, “honestly didn’t even think you would notice, you seemed pretty content off in some bliss land.”

“Hey, that’s technically your fault.” You weakly argue, falling back onto the bed.

“A fault I will happily take,” He smirks, leaning down toward you and pressing his lips against yours, “again, and again, and again, and again.” Each declaration is sealed with a kiss, making you giggle and very weakly try to push him away.

He finally moves away from his assault of kisses, placing the water on the night stand next to you and moving to part your thighs which immediately makes you protest.

“Lew, it was amazing but I can’t.” You whine, squirming away from him.

“Baby,” He laughs, trying to stay sweet but far too amused by your sex drunk mood, “I wasn’t trying anything, I swear, just wanna clean you up because I think a shower is pretty far from your reality right now.”

“Oh.” You mutter, not used to any of your partners ever taking the time to take care of you afterwards. It was usually you realizing a little while later that you had to make sure you peed at the very least.

Lewis however makes sure to take extra care with you, one hand massaging your thigh as the other wipes the warm cloth against your skin. He does smirk when he reaches your core and sees you flinch the slightest bit, but even with your reaction he stays sweet and careful, caressing you in what can only be described as a loving manner. When he’s done, he throws the cloth carelessly onto the floor, something you would have thought would drive him insane, knowing he’s a tidy control freak. Instead of worrying about it, he runs his hands up your sides, kneading at your flesh in a way that somehow feels intimate but not sexual.

“Do you want to sleep like this? Or do you want some clothes?” He asks gently, placing a kiss to your stomach that once again manages to not feel suggestive somehow.

You can feel yourself getting shy. You know the answer he wants but you really want at least a t-shirt, something about sleeping naked has always made you feel weird. You hesitate for a moment, your answer apparently written all over your face because he just smiles and places another kiss against your skin before getting up and heading towards his closet.

“T-shirt or sweatshirt?” He calls out from within the closet, not an ounce of bother in his tone.

“Sweatshirt?” You answer, unsure of yourself.

“Boxers, shorts, or sweatpants?” He calls out again, unphased by your request.

“Is boxers weird?” You ask, still unsure.

“Nope!” He says, emerging from the closet, now wearing a pair of sweatpants low on his hips, his hand full of a stack of clothing for you.

“I’m sorry.” You mutter as you sit up to take the clothing from him.

“Arms up,” He says, the sweatshirt above your head ready to dress you, making you giggle, “and why are you sorry for wanting to be comfy while you sleep?” His voice is muffled through the thick fabric of the sweatshirt that he places over your head.

“I’m sure you would have rathered, I said naked.” You admit as your head pops out the neck hole making him laugh.

“Sweetie, you’re in my bed, that’s all I need. Want you to be comfortable.” He says sincerely, a soft smile on his face as he leans down to place a kiss on your forehead. “Besides I’ve always been kinda convinced that monsters will grab me if I have a foot out from under my blanket so I can’t blame you for wanting to sleep in something.”

You can’t help but let out a genuine laugh at that, knowing that that was one of your childhood fears yet it still follows one of the most fearless men you know.

“Alright, ya gotta scooch this beautiful bum.” His instructions come out soft with a soft pat to your ass as he slides the boxers up your legs.

Everything about the moment feels so loving and playful, it’s hard to imagine that this man that is saying bum and telling you he’s afraid of monsters under the bed was making you see stars and become delirious mere minutes ago. This was a feeling you could definitely get used to. Once you were dressed, Lewis was prying the blankets out from under you, attempting to make room for himself in the bed, laughing at your lack of movement.

“Okay, first note to self, she’s a damn bed hog.” He said playfully once you were both in the sheets, his arm wrapping around you in an attempt to pull you as close as possible.

“Hey, you can’t possibly already be making a cons list, you wore me down like three hours ago.” You argue, half serious, as he maneuvers you so you’re laying against his chest as he hikes your leg up over his hips.

“Not a cons list, just a things to remember list.” He assures you softly, pressing a kiss to the top of your head.

“Okay, I suppose I can live with that.” You huff playfully into his chest, your fingers tracing patterns along his pecs.

He hums in satisfaction, evidently enjoying your soft touch on his skin as you cuddle further into him.

“Hey Lewis.” You grab his attention, your voice muffled with your cheek smushed into his chest.

“Yeah baby?” His voice is tired as he massages the back of your head, his other hand tracing soothing patterns on your back underneath his stolen sweatshirt.

“We’re gonna make this work, right?” You ask him, your voice timid but needing to hear the confirmation before you can let yourself fall into a peaceful sleep.

“I’m going to do everything in my damn power Love, would never forgive myself for letting you slip away” He tells you seriously even though you can tell he’s beginning to drift off.

That’s all you needed to hear. You let yourself nestle even further into him than you thought was possible, beyond happy that you finally admitted that this was your man. Nothing could ever be perfect, and while your reservations may still have some validity, nothing was better than this beautiful man underneath you and you were prepared to fight like hell to keep him.

387 notes · View notes

pftones3482 · 6 days ago

Text

The Not So Good/Bad

All right - I've had time to collect my thoughts on the new season. I'm going to split them into two posts: The Good and the Not So Good/Bad, just because I know some people don't want to focus on the negatives for shows.

If you want to read "The Good" list, you can read this post!

Otherwise, please note that this post has my negative thoughts from the season. These are my personal opinions, and you don't have to agree with them. If you don't agree with something, either ignore it or be respectful about it. You're the one choosing to click the "Keep Reading" option.

Meap Me in St. Louis

putting this under it's own thing because what the FUCK was that???

No truly, what the fuck?

This is up there with AYA, the second Cliptastic Countdown, and the Marvel Episode for me as far as least favorite episodes go (and y'all know my feelings on those)

This was atrocious compared to the other Meap episodes, which rank as some of my favorite episodes in the whole show

It felt like they treated it like a chore instead of a chance to take creative liberties and make a fun episode. The "ticking the boxes off" was funny for the first one, don't get me wrong. i got a chuckle out of the first check box. But as it kept going on and on it just bothered me

Because it felt like they were just ticking boxes, I wasn't immersed in the episode at all. Every single time they paused to tick a box, I was taken out of the story line (the bare bones one there was) and had to fight to focus again

It felt like a chore, not an episode they wanted to make. Sorry we made you make it, I guess?

Listen. Anyone who follows me knows that I'm not really a Phinabella person. It's just not my preferred ship. But where the FUCK was it?? The Meap episodes always have such a focus on cuteness and Phineas being oblivious about her cuteness, and without it, it felt wrong. When even the non-Phinabella shippers are missing the ship, you know you fucked up.

Adding to the wrong feeling: Buford and Baljeet have never met Meap. At least, not in the two main Meap episodes. I love them both dearly, but they felt out of place here. Meap episodes are for the Flynn-Fletchers and Isabella, sorry

The mustache??? That's such a funny bit, idk why the hell they'd get rid of it

I don't love John Stamos as the VA for Meap. But even if they had to get a new VA, I don't understand why they redubbed the "meap" sound??? Is it something with copyright/using Lorenzo's voice??? (this is a genuine question, someone lmk if they have the answer)

I truly think Candace was the only saving grace of this episode for me.

I'd actually rather watch Mission Marvel tbh

Not Meap Me in St. Louis:

My biggest qualm with Agent T for Teen was how EASY it was for Stacy to just. Admit she knew Perry's identity and then keep her memories. Why did they make such a big deal about non-family members knowing if all they had to do was promise to help out if Perry ever needed it and to keep the secret from his actual host family? I just feel like it cheapened the risk in Happy Birthday, Isabella, and it made all the kids/teens getting their minds erased in the ATSD movie kind of pointless. I understand it from like a..."they can't prove this is how they would react" standpoint? But clearly Perry was also freaked out by it so it just doesn't make sense to me (now using it as an OWCA control tactic....oh yeah, I'll be playing with that and writing a fixer for my One Shot-inator later)

I think a lot of the music unfortunately fell into the realm of Hamster and Gretel music for me - forgettable and wedged in. Don't get me wrong, the License to Bust song slapped, Candace and Doof's duet was impeccable, and I enjoyed the Wellerman spoof. But I have legitimately already forgotten almost every other song, and I JUST rewatched some of the episodes less than half an hour ago as of writing this. Do I think they're genuinely bad songs? No. But I saw someone say earlier that it felt like they picked the wrong song topics for some of the episodes and I couldn't agree more (I will, however, be using "because nobody ordered that" in the Carl theme song as a vocal stim for a while)

oh please hold I have another episode specific one

Lord of the Firesides:

I was so excited for this episode

I fucking love the Fireside Girl spinoff episodes

WHERE WAS PINKY?????

When I went to bed last night after watching the season, something kept bugging me about this episode, and I pinpointed it at like, 12:30 in the morning - in the other Fireside Girl focused episodes, the B Plot focuses on Pinky and Poofenplotz, not Perry and Doofenshmirtz

I actually think not including Pinky ruined the entire episode for me - it didn't feel like a truly Fireside Girl focused episode, and we got no Pinky at all this season in general

Also this is just me nitpicking because I majored in English but I hate that they named it after Lord of the Flies because it really dumbs down the actual plot of the book and is kind of misleading - I initially thought the episode would be about the girls getting stranded or in some kind of wreck, not...trying to vote on cupcake flavors.

The heavy metal song was fun tho

Back to the rest of my thoughts:

Therapist episode fun overall but it really bugged me that Candace was like. Listening to this guy ramble and theorize (because it's implied that's what he's doing on stage). And not once did she say "Wait...platypus?" Also Linda pmo that episode, your daughter is actively trying to spend time with you at something involving her and you're just??? Fucking around???

Chip to the Vet was chill, but I agree with some other takes I've seen - I expected more. This is one of those episodes where I actually think they would have benefited from no song, or a small jingle instead, and focused more on Perry trying not to get chipped. Imagine PnF AND Doof trying to hunt him down at the same time??? Could have been classic. Instead it was just fine.

I wish in the sleepover episode Candace could have just. Given in and let both groups hang out. I actually think it would have been a nice way to show that she's still TRYING to get past the busting brothers obsession, and the fact that they didn't take that route really just proved that they killed all the character development they gave her in prior specials and movies.

Unpopular opinion but I don't like the re-dubbed intro. I miss the original Phineas vocals in it, it throws me off

I think those are all of my really big thoughts. Overall I REALLY enjoyed this season, please don't let this list make you think I didn't. These were just the qualms I had (and most of them are inconsequential, but damn does the Meap one really fucking suck)

#pnf #phineas and ferb #pnf season 5 #pnf spoilers #phineas and ferb season 5 #phineas and ferb spoilers

41 notes · View notes

nono-bunny · 1 year ago

Text

Losing my mind because it somehow took me literally until right now to realize that a Zuko and Katara encounter is a part of every season finale of ATLA, like, literally, what the fuck? And all of those are strong jumping off points for fics to boot, like???

"You rise with the moon, I rise with the sun" is like. Such a big deal in the fandom, and while it tends to feature in all kinds of fics, it perfectly encapsulates the enemies phase in the enemies (to friends) to lovers of these two. An unreasonably sexually charged line too, wtf were they on about with that scene if not ship bait?

Fics diverging from the crystal catacombs are like. Such an obvious and natural evolution of that scene- it's the "something awful happens there, but what if it didn't?", I think. It was, in fact, the first fic I went out looking for- was rewatching the show and once again felt the accute disappointment of what could've been, and I wanted to read what could happen if it had. Ultimately I think the show made the right choice there, because Zuko getting what he always wanted and realizing it's all wrong is important, but it did rob us of him being a part of the gaang for longer, and that makes me sad.

Then there's the final agni kai.... Literally how can you watch that one without expecting them to kiss after? Genuinely don't get it, impossible. Peak Zutara. Possibly the single best fight of the show, and undoubtedly the best finale scene. A perfect resolution to the bond between those two- that gets completely thrown away to give Aang his woman shaped prize. Of course it's also a popular jumping off point for plot divergent fics!

Genuinely wild that they have THREE romantic coded finals, and yet they don't even end up together. Kataang and Maiko are barely even a factor in the first two season finals, too! Mai literally doesn't exist in the first, and in the second is very obviously representative of Zuko making a mistake. Literally cannot think of a Kataang scene in the first season finale (but I might just be forgetting? I obviously do not care for that one, lmk if there is one and I'll add it, but me being unable to think of one feels a bit telling given how much I hate those scenes), and the big thing for them in the second one is literally recreating a pose evoking a mother and son relationship, which is a big fat F on the shipping factor if I ever saw one.

"Kataang is baked into the show's DNA"- shut the fuck up, Bryke, and maybe have a look at what you ACTUALLY did with it. This isn't the kind of thing that you can just brush off... Especially because those are all scenes people associate with big emotional plot points of your show, and guess who's doing the heavy lifting there? It's definitely not Aang, that's for sure.

#avatar the last airbender #atla #anti kataang #anti aang #anti bryke #zutara

354 notes · View notes

kurigohan0909 · 7 months ago

Text

Rewatching Link Click: Easter eggs in your noodle soup?

So I've just finished watching both seasons of Link Click/Shíguāng Dàilǐ-rén, which means that obviously I'm watching it all over again. What did you expect me to do, sit around waiting for Bridon arc while the Bilibili official account taunts us with replays??

Besides, Link Click is one of those dishes that is best served twice. The early episodes are packed with hints and foreshadowing that only become clear once you've gotten up to date, so I've made it my mission to catch 'em all.

You don't say.

It's well known that certain early mini-arcs (for instance Chen Xiao's basketball match, and Doudou's kidnapping) have implications for the larger plotline or at least contain important exposition/character insights that the story would not feel complete without. There are also several that get written off as filler, or are generally considered to not have any purpose beyond familiarising the audience with the characters and setup, and lulling you into a false sense of comfort before everything goes to shit. Episode 2: Secret Recipe, AKA the Noodle Lesbians episode, beloved as it is, tends to fall into the second category.

Or does it?

On a rewatch, I still don't think it does anything to advance the main plot. We don't even really know where it fits into the timeline, because we're never told what day it is and Lu Guang's watch is never shown on screen (I'll get around to a longer analysis of this another day). However, I'm instead inclined to believe that it's one of the most important episodes in the show - if not THE most important - because it's essentially an allegory for the story of Cheng Xiaoshi and Lu Guang, and gives you a bird's eye view of how the relationship between them is going to develop - which, as you know, is what the show is all about. And the fact that it's not situated in a specific time, in a show that cares heavily about timeline construction, makes it better.

The episode starts with this quote from German photographer August Sander, who believed that, through photography, he could reveal the characteristic traits of people. "The portrait is your mirror. It's you." It's pretty explicit, when you think about it. This episode is a mirror of the entire series, specifically of its protagonists.

Moving on. The episode's storyline is quite simple: two college "roommates" start a noodle shop together, and as time passes, they drift apart and eventually fall out as their priorities change. Yu Xia, the business-oriented one between them, wants to get hold of the secret ingredient used by Lin Zhen, to whose cooking the shop attributes its success. Does Yu Xia really want to steal the secret recipe? Or is it just one of the many things that the quieter Lin Zhen keeps hidden from her that she desperately wants to know, along with everything that went wrong between them? Your guess is as good as mine. Either way, there are lots of indirect parallels between Xialin of the noodle shop and Shiguang of the photo studio, even if for now they're very distinct individuals with their own personalities and struggles. It does, however, give some indication of what's to come.

This question isn't purely rhetorical, as we find out in the very next arc, where Cheng Xiaoshi has a fight with Lu Guang over letting his client's loved ones perish in the Wenchuan earthquake. Even if they eventually come to a consensus, they have fundamentally different life philosophies and approach their missions in very different ways. Cheng Xiaoshi is a hyperempathetic idealist who keeps trying to use his forays back into the past to fix his clients' personal problems, while Lu Guang remains utterly indifferent and staunchly against interfering, even in life-or-death situations. Which turns out to be a facade, because we later learn that he's just as much of a meddler as Cheng Xiaoshi - except he's focused on a singular, selfish goal, which is to keep Cheng Xiaoshi alive at any cost.

Let's go back to the noodle shop. After ten years of running the business together, it becomes clear that the ladies' aspirations are no longer compatible. Yu Xia has big plans for the shop. She wants to broaden their customer base - for profit, of course, but also so that more people can be made happy by the chance to taste their noodles. Lin Zhen's dreams, however, are on a smaller scale - perhaps only on a personal scale. Throughout the episode, it seems that she only really cares about making noodles for one person.

Sound familiar?

At the risk of digressing, it needs to be said that Yu Xia and Lin Zhen are absolutely very much a WLW couple. This isn't bait, it's elegant and really quite unsubtle queercoding that says 'to hell with censorship' loud and clear. Honeymoon jokes, the taxi driver assuming Lin Zhen had fought with her husband, and Lin Zhen's very bold attempts at flirting... we see you.

More to the point of this post, I think it's important to point out that Lin Zhen does not actually care for too many people other than Yu Xia. She's all worn out from making noodles for customers, but she forgets all about that when it's time to make a bowl for Yu Xia. She also keeps her special ingredient - which is one of the secrets she shares with Yu Xia, as we find out - highly guarded. She's never going to let these pesky reporters in on something so intimate.

Why is this important? Because, as it turns out, the episode's storyline - and Lin Zhen's motives - are all about saving Yu Xia.

We learn that the secret ingredient is a local specialty from Yu Xia's hometown. Lin Zhen has been using it for years, keeping the taste of home alive while Yu Xia's drifted further and further from home to the point where she can no longer remember where the ingredient came from. At the end of it all, when Yu Xia returns home, she finds Lin Zhen there waiting for her. Lin Zhen, mind you, does not hail from the same town. The girls met in college. It's home to her simply because it's Yu Xia's home.

This comes directly after a pilot episode that establishes the contrast between urban isolation and rural/familial warmth, through Emma's eyes, and in a show that continually reinforces the concept of longing for home and loved ones. By forcing Yu Xia to reevaluate her priorities, Lin Zhen manages to bring her back home - which is a place that includes herself.

Perhaps it's too early to say. But to me, it's a pretty neat thematic parallel of Lu Guang's solo quest to save Cheng Xiaoshi from death; which is intertwined with a greater goal of giving Cheng Xiaoshi a home, one that is safe and secure and surrounds him with those that love him and are there to stay.

But in the process of achieving this, one of his biggest obstacles is Cheng Xiaoshi himself - his insistence on interfering with the timeline so that Lu Guang can't predict events with certainty, his objections to the way Lu Guang does things, and the definite resistance Lu Guang will come up against if Cheng Xiaoshi learns about his plan. Pretty much every minor mission they undertake is a rehash of the same argument; Cheng Xiaoshi wants to use their combined powers to make a difference to other people's lives, and Lu Guang just has one goal in mind which means that he's going to ignore absolutely everyone else.

Notice how Yu Xia's looking to the future, while Lin Zhen's dream is to go back to a point in the past? Neat.

And when they finally part ways because it's clear Yu Xia is not going to support Lin Zhen's goal? Yu Xia asks her where she's going to go after they part ways, and Lin Zhen says:

I wonder where we've heard that before.

And if you need any more proof that this episode is in fact intended to be a mirror, do consider:

Their seating positions are mirrored too. Yeeeeaaaaaahhhh.

In conclusion: if this allegory is to be believed, then trust that Lu Guang will eventually succeed in his mission and Cheng Xiaoshi will find his way home to him. It'll happen, guys. In the meantime, at least our beloved noodle ladies will be living a peaceful life out in the countryside.

Since I don't know how to shut up and this website seems to be giving me infinite space to yap, let me include some more details about this episode that I found cool. There are so many.

Lin Zhen and Lu Guang are both shown while this line is being said. What with all that the fragrant flowers represent, it makes you think about what these characters' best memories might be and how much they treasure them.

This is such a tiny detail that you'd almost definitely miss it on the first watch, and it seems insignificant - until it isn't. When Cheng Xiaoshi hops into the girls' picture taken during their college days, he screws up and suggests they'd be better off dabbling in tech stuff like apps or intelligent management than running a noodle shop. Lu Guang makes him quickly eat his words, but they seem to have still struck a chord with Yu Xia - because later we see that she works over years to integrate an intelligent supply chain management system into their business. In fact, one of the reasons for Lin Zhen to alienate herself from the business is because she feels like it's gotten too techy and lost its human touch. Not really fair considering it was her own idea, is it?

I mean. This is probably a stretch. Digitization is pretty inevitable for big businesses nowadays, so Yu Xia, being as enterprising as she is, might have gone for it whether Lin Zhen suggested it or not. But it's interesting to think that it might be Cheng Xiaoshi's tiny alteration of the past that unfurled outwards like a hurricane from the beating of a butterfly's wing and catalysed their falling out. Especially because these kinds of bootstrap phenomena very much occur in later episodes and are a core feature of Link Click's time travel model.

Some suspicious behaviour on Lu Guang's part. He's quite certain there are no useful clues in the last picture Yu Xia and Lin Zhen took in front of their shop, despite it being the only one taken by Lin Zhen (seriously! you could go to her house, look through her phone, the possibilities are endless!) and the fact that this is the photo Cheng Xiaoshi did end up solving the mystery in, thanks to the ticket stubs he found in her purse (see?) Secondly, they outright miss a picture in the envelope - the most important picture of all which would have given them the answer right away, since this was when the fragrant flowers were first used. Not your best work, Lu Guang.

...or is it? Lu Guang is pretty meticulous, and it's unlike him to slip up in such obvious ways. He's also skilled at slipping things back into envelopes when he doesn't want them to be seen, as we know. Could it be that he didn't want Cheng Xiaoshi to solve the mystery? But why? Maybe it's metaphorical, like so much else of this episode: he doesn't want Cheng Xiaoshi to uncover his true intentions. The fact that all this is ultimately for his sake.

Interestingly, Lu Guang was very dejected at the idea of them seemingly being out of luck - they'd tried so many times and failed to fulfill the mission. Was he, perhaps, thinking about another mission he'd hate to fail? Anyway, it falls to Cheng Xiaoshi to cheer him up and give him hope for another try, which he accepts, with a small but genuine smile. My heart.

If you've scrolled this far, I'm glad you enjoyed my ramblings! I must say I don't know much about how Tumblr works so apologies if I mess up on formatting or tags, but I'll probably get the hang of it soon enough. I'll also probably end up enjoying Tumblr more than Twitter since it allows me unfettered yap space and won't feed my writing to the machine (yet). It's late and I should probably stop stop thinking bout it around now... but look forward to more random ramblings and thank you for reading!

#link click #shiguang daili ren #link click spoilers #sgdlr #shiguang #lcs1e2 #cheng xiaoshi #lu guang #analysis #noodle lesbians #you can't have me watch a series about time shenanigans and expect me not to theorycraft

72 notes · View notes

gayofthefae · 7 months ago

Text

Season 1 is Mike and El's love story because season 1 serves as a prologue:

Part of the thing with Mike and his romance with El is that he doesn't overtly seem to have a storyline outside of it. And that means that his primary character arc must be tied to and his demonstration in the final season of said character arc, which is confirmed for him is not complete yet, would be in his relationship with her.

But they got together in season 1. In the situation where he is straight and his character arc focus is to do with being with her...they started him with 0 need to grow in season. one.

If Mike were straight, the focus of his arc would be something he achieved in episode 8. of 42.

There isn't focus on them the way there is because they're the "main couple". There's focus on them because there's been nothing left for them to do as a couple since episode 8 of currently 34. (Their conflict serves a different purpose now).

In season 1, Mike would have needed to allow himself to see himself as deserving of El and be vulnerable enough to make a move. In episode 3, he worries she would judge him because of the bullying, but he overcomes that and does make a move.

If that's his arc....that's it. If that's his arc, then everything after that just repeated an already solved issue in order to solve it again. And I understand why people who think that hate it.

But when every other arc is written for 4-5 seasons...doesn't anyone find it odd that what they think Mike's was only written for 1? The others prove that they clearly planned for being renewed so....what gives?

I'll tell you what gives. Someone having an arc that completes itself that quickly with so much left is not an arc, it's a set up. It isn't an arc. Season 1 of 5? That's still just exposition in the grand scheme of things. They didn't finish a story then fall off. They simple established a fact: Mike and El are together and they got together in this way. All important information to have for later. They were not telling a love story. They were establishing a fact.

And then what they did with that fact was tell a story: a boy in a straight relationship behaves in a way that he shouldn't and didn't before being with her. - to know that we need to see him before he's with her.

Season 1 is simple: meet Mike before El. They're dating now btw.

That isn't a love story. It's just information you'll need for later. Season 1 is just "information you'll need for later when we tell you a story based on it".

That's what it is for literally everybody in the show, actually! Think Lucas Sinclair. Season 1 serves to show him before he met Max, much more tense and easily stressed a person. In season 2 his story really STARTS. Season 1 is his "before". The same is true of establishing Nancy and Steve and the way they are still together in the end of season 1. Will is also not in season 1 at all but he is a MAJOR part of the story and lore.

So if season 1 is just their "before"...what does that mean for the love story fully contained to season 1 with no further romance, payoff, or get-together outside of it?

I've said before: literally all they had to do was interrupt them two seconds earlier and save the first kiss for the Snow Ball. But season 2 is part of the story, not the prologue, and them kissing was just to have them start dating as soon as possible so by the time we hit the story, we knew it to be true.

But I understand. If all of us were given prologues thinking they were stories, our perceptions of the book would be much different. It makes complete sense why the perception from people who watched in 2016 and people who binge it now are so different. 2024 bingers perceive it as a prologue. They know the happy ending isn't left there because the drop down menu has three more numbers in it. They understand that this is just information to work off of. They expect more of those two's love story but when they aren't given it they go "huh, guess that was just in the prologue".

Mike and El's relationship isn't a story. It's lore. It's backstory. There's just no way to convey that when releasing it chronologically (and calling it a prologue would be assuming/seeming to depend on a renewal and would not have gotten picked up).

The STORY is his behavioral change.

#the snow ball doesn't count as them getting together #couples aren't famous for their SECOND kiss (unless the feelings were unknown the first time...but they were known here)#elmike contrasts #elmike parallels #elmike pacing #that was an established couple having angst #it's the same as the season 4 separation in many ways because of them already kissing #byler #stranger things #stranger things pacing #pacing #anti milkvan

57 notes · View notes

watching-spn · 1 month ago

Text

spn s6 bingo card update!

okay so i made this bingo card before starting s6 and now i wanna take a moment to talk about it after finishing the season. for some of them i'm not totally sure whether i can cross them out or not, but yeah, let's try:

"dean wanting to bring sam back from hell" -> yeah, dean admits to have tried to bring sam back in that one year between 5x22 and 6x01, because he didn't know sam was already back. and after he finds out that sam's soul is still in the cage, he does everything in his power to get it back

"michael isn't dead and he's very pissed off" -> yeah idk, i guess this one's also true because he's just in the cage, so not dead (as i understand it, angels are only dead when they're actually gone? like, neither in heaven nor hell or whatever else, so i'd say he's still alive, just not free). and i think you could say he's pissed off, considering the damage he did to sam's soul in there

"dean and cas hug" -> well, no. we were robbed.

"chuck is either god or in danger" -> yeah lmao no chuck in the entire season, guess he's just useless now that the whole prophet-thing is kinda outdated with the free will/no apocalypse thing, so maybe he just vanished because his purpose is gone? idk, kinda wanted to know why the fuck he just disappeared into thin air but okay thanks (i mean there are still more seasons, so maybe he'll come back. not counting on it though)

"bobby being absolutely done with the boys but helping anyway" -> lmao always, we even got a whole episode of this

"time travel" -> yup! the whole titanic thing of course, but i'd say the most prominent time travel ep was the one where they visited samuel colt

"dean gets slammed against a wall" -> i mean, he's been beaten up and probably been smashed against walls often enough, but i only count the ones that have at least a bit of homoerotic tension, so sadly none in this season as far as i recall

"bloody cas" -> oh yes. 6x19 where the jefferson starship attacks cas and dean just cuts its head off from behind and splashes cas with blood. yeah

"dean dies again" -> yeah (6x11 when he wants to talk to death). when doesn't he?? i think that's the only thing one can be sure of when watching this show

"sam at the very end of 5x22 was actually lucifer" -> ok no

"dean praying to cas" -> yeah like all the time. but somehow i want it to be more intimite (?), yk as in him being alone and sincere about it and not just "hey castiel... could you come down for a sec?", i want him on his KNEES

"sam fucking a monster" -> surprisingly not. cas does kiss a demon though

"really powerful cas" -> oh i cooked with this one. wasn't thinking about god level power but damn yeah

"dean crying" -> i think so? i think he cried when lisa almost died. i could be wrong though

"adam is dead" -> since he's not alive, i guess he's dead, yeah. not saying he can't also come back, but yeah, dead at the moment

"god dies" -> still don't even know who/where he is, soooo no

"sam having trauma" -> not at first, but the second the wall to his memory of hell breaks down this boy is nothing but a big ball of trauma

"dean and lisa break up" -> yeah, i was pretty sure he would lose her and ben somehow :(

"archangels being assholes (raphael??)" -> ha i called it! i figured since michael and lucifer are in the cage the next one who was gonna fuck up their lives would be him

"hell flashbacks" (not flackbacks lmao, sorry for the typo) -> mostly just sam on fire but yeah

"cinematic showing of cas' wings" -> yesss 6x15!!! love it

"lisa dies" -> almost, but fortunately we have cas and his healing powers!!

"crowley kissing more guys" -> i'm certain he did, but we didn't get to see it :(

"more intense destiel eye sex" -> in my opinion jensen and misha can't do a scene together without their characters doing that. so yeah. it was there

so in conclusion: bingo!(?)

this was actually fun so maybe i'll do this again for another season!

#no spoilers for after s6 please i only just started s7 #spn #watching supernatural #spn watch updates #supernatural #spn watch #castiel #dean winchester #destiel #sam winchester #bobby singer #crowley spn #supernatural season 6 #spn s6 #spn season 6 #bingo card #spn bingo card

34 notes · View notes

coimbrabertone · 5 months ago

Text

Offtopic Offseason #3 - Clone Wars Rewatch Thoughts: Part I.

We're deep in the motorsports offseason and I've been on a Clone Wars rewatch for the past week or so. I'm in early season three right now, still before the timeskip, but I've been enjoying it a lot and it's gotten me thinking about Star Wars again, so I wanted to yap about it in a blogpost.

I think I'll even do a part two once I'm done rewatching the whole thing.

For now though, I'm going to talk about what I've watched so far, so seasons one and two, and the first couple of episodes of season three.

So...Clone Wars starts out pretty rough, I'm not gonna lie. The first few episodes are just a bit cringeworthy with annoying battle droid dialogue, the voice actors still finding their footing, and the animation is pretty spotty - I'll talk more about that in a moment - and of course the classic complaints of "Snips" and "Skyguy" and all that.

All of these problems started in the movie - which I most recently watched in 2023 but skipped this time because, well, it sucks unfortunately - but they are still apparent in the early episodes of season one.

The early episodes still have their moments.

The Malevolence arc is pretty competent, Rookies is probably the first legitimately good episode of the show, Cloak of Darkness and especially Lair of Grievous are good, and then from Trespass onwards the show really comes into its own.

That being said, I think season two is better than season one. Season three is another step forward, and from the timeskip onwards I think the show really hits its stride, especially because the updated designs look a lot better and fit with the animation bump.

That being said, already in season two I noticed the animation is getting better.

Season one has that classic CGI cartoon problem where the environments are rather drab, and they can't have too many characters on screen at once since it's expensive to do - and Clone Wars was an infamously expensive show - which led to a lot of battles consisting of...two Jedi and like three clone troopers against five battle droids with two super battle droids in the background. It's an understandable error, and they get much better about it as the show goes on, but it's pretty noticeable in season one.

That's a problem for a lot of CGI cartoons though. Watch Beware the Batman, Transformers Prime, or Jimmy Neutron and you'll notice a lot of these same traits.

Even some of the Barbie cartoons have those problems and it's really noticeable because it's like these blondes in bright pink colors against like a flat brown background. It's pretty trippy.

Alright, enough about the flaws of early 2010s CGI animation.

Here's a two-parter I didn't really pay all that much attention to the first two times I watched it - the first time back when it aired on Cartoon Network, the second time when I rewatched the whole series on Disney+ ahead of season seven - the Zillo Beast episodes.

Before I always just saw them as a pretty basic Godzilla homage - they awaken this giant monster on the Malastare battlefield, they eventually subdue it, but Palpatine wants to study it on Coruscant, it inevitably breaks out, and they have to stop it - but this time, it hit for me for whatever reason.

First there's the electro-proton bomb, and the nuke parallels there - they're obvious enough that I must've picked up on them before but I guess I didn't come to appreciate it - but then even when they wake the Zillo Beast, it never actually tries to leave the hole.

In fact, it doesn't until the Dugs force it out with the toxic gas.

Then the beast is clearly suffering when the shock tanks bring it down.

So, this giant, hurt animal gets sent to Coruscant in the laboratory, and Palpatine wants it killed so he can study its indestructible scales more quickly.

Only then does the Zillo Beast break out and go on its rampage, and even then, the rampage is focused directly on Palpatine.

Then they kill it with the gas bombs, and you can see it suffer as it dies, and the Jedi are so clearly disturbed by all this.

Palpatine, however, immediately tasks the scientist with cloning another one - and apparently that story is followed up on in Bad Batch season two which has unironically given me more motivation to actually watch the rest of Bad Batch than anything else I've heard about that show.

Anyway, the reason why I think this episode clicked with me this time is because this plan has Sidious written all over it, but he's forced to maneuver it as Palpatine.

He keeps trying to justify the Zillo Beast experiments but eventually his patience wears thin, and he just starts threatening the scientist to do his bidding, despite the fact he's supposed to be the kindly old Chancellor here.

Moreover, when the Zillo Beast is after him, it's probably the only time in the whole show that Sidious is in real danger, but he's with Anakin, Padme, and the droid so he can't do anything about it.

The whole show Palpatine is pulling the strings, controlling both the Republic and the Separatists, ensuring no side gets the upper hand.

Except for here, because the Zillo Beast wants to kill him, and he can't do anything about it.

He needs the Jedi and the Clones to kill the Zillo Beast for him, and once its dead, all he can do is task his scientists to clone a new one so he can try again.

It's such a cool thing to do with Palpatine/Sidious and there's a karmic justice to it all because it's entirely his fault too.

So yeah, I used to just dismiss these episodes as "oh I guess Filoni wanted to do a monster episode" but no, there's some substance here and it's pretty great.

It also goes to show that, even before the timeskip, Clone Wars was a really, really great Star Wars show. After the timeskip, it becomes the best as far as I'm concerned.

I'm excited for more Mandalore episodes, I'm excited for the Savage Opress arc - even if his name is even more on the nose than playing the Imperial March whenever Anakin does something evil - I'm excited for the Citadel, and Umbara, and the undercover Obi-Wan episodes.

I'm excited for Maul, for the Sabotage arc, for the Order 66 arc in season six, and I can't wait to finish strong on the Siege of Mandalore which is probably some of the best Star Wars content, period.

That's not even all of it. There's so much good stuff.

I love Clone Wars, it makes me happy.

#star wars #clone wars #the clone wars #star wars: the clone wars

39 notes · View notes

jrob64 · 5 months ago

Text

Slipping Into Your Heart

A Captain Swan New Year's Story

Happy New Year, everyone! This one-shot was written as part of the Captain Swan Winter Bingo event and checks off the box 'slipping on the ice' on my card.

@kmomof4 pointed out that my last posted story Drummer Boys, Reindeer and Romance actually checked off TWO boxes - reindeer and cuddling by the fire. I'll take it!

Special thanks to @hookedmom for her beta work all year.

Story Summary: After three terrible New Year's Eve dates in a row, Emma Swan decides to spend this one at home by herself. But when the handsome, blue-eyed Grubhub driver who delivers her dinner slips and falls on her icy sidewalk, she feels compelled to take care of him.

Rating: T

Words (Ch. 1/1): 6065

Can also be found on Ao3 and ffn

*********

“Don’t worry about me, Mary Margaret,” Emma Swan said into the phone, as she entered her bedroom to grab her purse. “I just ordered Grubhub. It should be here any minute.”

“I wish you had come over to eat with us tonight,” her friend responded a bit forlornly.

“I appreciate the offer, but I’m looking forward to an evening all to myself,” Emma said. She was a little surprised to realize she was being completely honest. “I’m already in my comfy clothes and I plan on watching the new season of The Great British Baking Show with some hot cocoa and popcorn, later.”

“I hate to think of you being alone on New Year’s Eve.”

“I would rather be alone than with any of the guys I had as dates for the last three New Year’s Eves. Those dates were unmitigated disasters, as you well know.”

“Jefferson wasn’t so bad,” Mary Margaret commented.

“Are you kidding? He was crazy as a loon! He showed up wearing a top hat, for crying out loud.”

Mary Margaret sighed. “Well, don’t give up on dating, Emma. One of these days, the right guy will come along.”

“That’s what you keep saying. At least one of us has hope.” Just then, the doorbell rang. “I have to go; my food is here. I hope you and David have a great time tonight. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”

“Okay. Enjoy your evening, Emma. Happy New Year!”

After ending the call, Emma hurried out to the living room and opened the front door. Standing on her porch was the Grubhub delivery man.

Emma had food delivered on a semi-regular basis and met many delivery people, but most she didn’t really remember after she closed the door. However, this particular delivery person she had never seen before, because if she had, she was quite certain she would have remembered him.

The man standing in front of her was attractively dressed in dark jeans, a button down shirt and black leather jacket. He was about six feet tall and obviously in very good shape. After taking all of this in, her eyes moved to his face. That’s when her breath caught in her throat, because he was, quite literally, breathtaking.

The bluest eyes she had ever seen sparkled beneath long lashes and expressive brows. Attractive sideburns faded into neatly-trimmed scruff on his strong jawline and chin, and his dark hair curled around his adorable, slightly pointed ears. His other perfectly proportioned facial features completed his handsome face.

Emma realized he was smirking and wondered how long she had been staring at him. Giving herself a mental shake, she cleared her throat. “Uh, hi, I, um…I guess you have some food for me?”

“Aye, lass. I have your order right here,” he said, holding up a large plastic bag.

An accent. He had a fucking British accent.

Once again, she had to remind herself to speak. “Thank you. I, uh…oh, hang on a second. Let me get you a tip.”

She took the bag from him and set it on the floor beside her. Digging inside her purse, she pulled out her wallet. “I should give you extra for coming out on New Year’s Eve.”

“That’s not necessary, madam.”

Riffling through her wallet, she pulled out a five dollar bill and two singles. “Then I’ll pay you extra to never call me that name again.”

He laughed as he took the offered bills. “Thanks very much. I hope you have a lovely evening, E.S.,” he said, referring to her initials from the order information.

“You, too,” she answered, picking up the food.

He gave her a grin, then turned and went down the porch steps. Instead of closing the door right away, she watched him walking down the sidewalk to his car. Just as she began to swing the door shut, she heard him let out a yelp and looked out to see his feet fly out from under him. His arms flailed as he attempted to keep his balance, but it didn’t help. He fell hard on his back, his head thankfully missing the concrete and landing in her snow-covered yard.

“Oh my gosh!” Emma exclaimed, dropping the bag of food, flying out the door, and rushing quickly but carefully to where he lay moaning. “Are you alright?”

He sat up slowly, brushing the snow out of his hair with one hand, while the other rubbed the small of his back. “I think so?” he answered unconvincingly.

“I’m so sorry! I shoveled the snow so the sidewalk would be clear for you, but didn’t notice the ice underneath.”

“It��s okay, lass,” he said, though the grimace on his face told a different story.

“Here, let me help you up.” She offered him her hand and began tugging. He had just gotten his feet under him, when she slipped and fell on top of him.

“Bloody hell,” he groaned.

“I am very, very sorry,” Emma apologized, then dropped her head to his sternum and burst into laughter. She was relieved to hear his answering chuckle.

When she got herself under control, she managed to get to her feet and looked down at him. He lay there smiling up at her. “I better give you a bigger tip to help cover your medical bills,” she quipped.

He rolled over and got to his knees, then cautiously pushed himself to his feet. Standing in the snow beside the slick sidewalk, he tilted his head from side to side, both hands on his back. “That won’t be necessary, Love. I appear to be in one piece.”

“At least let me get you an ice pack to put on your back while you drive to your next delivery.”

“You don’t need to go to that trouble, either. You are my last stop of the night.”

“I hope you’re not too sore for your New Year’s plans tonight .”

He scratched behind his ear. “That’s not a problem. I don’t have any.”

“You’re kidding!” Emma blurted out before thinking.

He gave her a quizzical look. “Why does that surprise you?”

“I just…you…honestly, you don’t look like someone who would have trouble finding a date.”

“Neither do you, lass.”

She wrapped her arms around herself, suddenly realizing she wasn’t wearing a coat. “Look, I feel really bad for causing you to fall. Won’t you please come in so I can get you an ice pack and ibuprofen?”

He hesitated, his hands moving to his lower back again. “Perhaps that would be a good idea, if you truly don’t mind.”

“I wouldn’t make the offer if I did. Come on in.” She turned and led the way through the snow to her house, picking up the bag of food once she was inside the door.

The delivery man entered behind her, closed the door, stomped his boots off on the mat, and stood there a bit awkwardly.

Emma set the bag on the coffee table and turned to look at him. “I haven’t even told you my name yet. I’m Emma Swan.”

“Killian Jones,” he said, reaching out to shake her hand.

“I’ll be right back,” Emma said. She went into the kitchen, took an ice pack out of the freezer, and wrapped it in a tea towel. Then she got a bottle of water out of the fridge and grabbed the ibuprofen off of the counter. That’s when she had second thoughts about her decision to ask him in. Sure, he was incredibly handsome and seemed very nice, but criminals could be handsome and deceptively nice, too.

Peeking around the corner of the door frame, she saw that he was still standing on the small rug in the entryway, shifting from foot to foot. Surely, if he were inclined to commit some sort of crime, he would have taken advantage of her being out of sight.

She walked back into the living room. “You can take off your coat and sit down, if you like.”

“I don’t want to drip water across your floor.”

Emma pointed to the shoes on her feet. “If I didn’t worry about it, you shouldn’t either. But if it makes you feel better, you can take off your boots and leave them on the rug.”

He toed them off, then unzipped his coat and removed it.

She set the water bottle and ibuprofen on the table beside the sack of food and sat down on the couch, gesturing for him to sit on the other end. Once he did, he shook out a couple of pills from the bottle and took a swig of water. Then she handed him the ice, which he placed on his lower back.

After sitting in silence for several moments, she leaned forward and pulled the food towards herself. “I ordered enough food for several people because I was feeling self-indulgent. Are you hungry?”

“I couldn’t possibly ask you to…”

“You didn’t ask me, I offered. I’ll go get a couple of plates.”

As they ate, they made small talk about mundane subjects.

“Is the ice helping your back?” she asked.

“Aye, a bit. I think I just twisted it when I fell.”

“I’m very glad you didn’t hit your head on the concrete.”

“Me, too.”

“If the ice pack isn’t cold anymore, I’ll get you another one. I have plenty. I have to keep a lot on hand because of my job.”

“Are you a professional kickboxer or something?”

She laughed. “No, but close. I’m a bail bondsperson who doubles as a bounty hunter, when necessary.”

He whistled lowly. “You must be a tough lass. How did you get into that particular profession?”

“It’s a long story.”

“My schedule is pretty clear, but if you aren’t comfortable talking about it with a total stranger…”

“You stopped being a total stranger when you told me your name,” she pointed out.

He grinned and she felt her insides melting at how it made his already handsome face even more gorgeous.

“I’ll tell you on one condition - that you promise not to pity me.”

“Ah, so it’s a story of tragedy.”

She shrugged. “I guess you could say that.”

“In that case, I promise not to pity you. However, if you want, I can reciprocate by sharing my own tragic story.”

“What better way to spend New Year’s Eve than depressing the person we just met?”

“Indeed,” he said, grinning again.

Emma took a deep breath and began telling her story. “I grew up without a family. I don’t know why my parents gave me up at birth, but they did. I was placed in foster care as an infant and stayed with one family for three years. Just as they were initiating adoption proceedings, they found out they were having a baby of ‘their own’.” She framed the last two words with air quotes. “So they decided they didn’t need to adopt me. I was put back into the system and by the time I was seven, I was labeled emotionally troubled.”

“It’s no wonder, after being taken from the only home you ever knew,” Killian commented.

“I know, right? Anyway, I was moved to different foster homes pretty frequently and was never considered for adoption again. I ran away from my last placement when I was sixteen and got caught shoplifting a couple of months later. They sent me to a juvenile detention center that specialized in vocational training. When I took one of those assessments that’s supposed to match your interests to a career, it said I was most suited for a job in law enforcement, which I thought was absolutely ridiculous.”

She paused to take a drink of her soda. “Then this really tough counselor named Cleo took an interest in me and told me I was wasting my potential by being angry at the world. She trained me to be a bail bondsperson and bounty hunter because I flat out refused to go to the police academy.”

“Do you like the job?” he asked.

“It pays the bills. Most of the time, it’s pretty boring, but once in a while I have to do a stakeout or set a honey trap.”

“Honey trap?”

“Set up a fake date with a skip and dress sexy. Once I gain their trust, or their lust, I cuff them and take them in.”

“Ah, I see.”

She dug her fork into the container of pork lo mein and put it in her mouth. After chewing and swallowing, she continued. “Sometimes I wish I went to the academy, instead of being so damn stubborn.”

“It’s not too late,” Killian observed. “Perhaps you could look into it.”

“Yeah, maybe. I’ve been thinking about it more often lately.” After taking another swig of pop, she asked, “So what’s your tragic backstory?”

“I moved to America with my mother and brother nine years ago, when I was seventeen. Mum was battling cancer and we found a treatment center that seemed more promising than any place in England.”

“Did the treatment work?”

“In a manner of speaking. It gave us more time with her than we would have had, if we hadn’t moved. Her prognosis was less than two years in England. She outlived that by nearly seven years. We had to be sponsored by her cousin in New Hampshire, since her medical visa expired.”

“Did she pass away recently?”

“Aye. Five months ago.”

Emma reached over to place her hand on top of his. “I’m sorry, Killian.”

He sighed, then tried to force a smile onto his face. “Thank you. My brother, Liam, stayed here for a couple of months after her passing, but then he moved back to England. I remained behind because there are still some things I need to do to settle Mum’s affairs.”

“Will you go back home after you do that?”

“I haven’t decided yet. I’m not sure I think of England as home anymore. Liam is there, but he has a girlfriend, Elsa, whom he met online three years ago. They’ve visited back and forth with each other several times. They’re very serious and are discussing moving in together, so even if I move back, I’ll have to find a flat and a job. I already have a place to live here. We’ve been renting a house in the suburbs since we came over. The landlord is a very kind man who is like family now.”

“Do you have a job? Besides driving for Grubhub, I mean?”

“I work down at the docks, helping to maintain the piers.”

“Do you like it?”

“Aye. I’ve always loved being around the water.”

They both continued eating, before Emma asked another question. “You, um…you didn’t mention a father.”

“He’s not worth mentioning. I was six when he left, so I don’t remember much about him or what happened. Liam was ten and he is pretty sure Da left Mum for someone else. He never sent us any money or attempted to see us.”

“Oh, wow. So your mom had to raise you by herself?”

“Aye, she did, but she never complained or spoke even one harsh word against our father. She said she couldn’t be angry or bitter toward him because he gave her the two greatest treasures of her life.”

“She sounds like a wonderful person.”

“That she was. She deserved so much better.”

They were quiet for a few minutes, thinking about everything they just shared with each other as they finished eating.

Finally, Killian broke the silence. “So tell me, lass. How does it happen that you are home by yourself on New Year’s Eve?”

“I’ve had horrible dates the last three years and I didn’t want to increase the streak to four.”

“Do you mind me asking what made them so horrible?”

She laughed humorlessly. “Three years ago, I was with a guy I had been dating for several months. I thought things were going well all that time. Just before midnight, he proceeded to break up with me, saying he wasn’t happy and felt trapped in our relationship. So while everyone was kissing once the new year arrived, I was by myself, crying in a corner of the room.”

“What a complete arse,” Killian commented, an angry edge to his voice.

“Yeah, he really was. I didn’t date again for nearly a year, until my friend Mary Margaret set me up with the owner of a furniture store where she bought a bedroom set. New Year’s Eve was our third date. He was polite, easy to talk to, and wasn’t aggressive. He never even tried to hold my hand or give me a kiss on our dates.”

“Sounds like a perfect gentleman who was letting you set the pace.”

“That’s what I thought, too.”

“What happened?”

“About halfway through the night, he disappeared. We were all at our friend Regina’s house, and when I started asking people if they had seen him, everyone said they hadn’t. It was a pretty big party with close to forty people, so it took me a while to finally realize he wasn’t anywhere to be found downstairs. That’s when I decided to check the bedrooms upstairs.”

“Oh, no. Don’t tell me you found him with another woman.”

“Well, I did find him…but not with another woman.”

“Who was he…” Killian began, then realization set in. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”

“Nope, not kidding. That explained why he wasn’t in any hurry to show me any kind of affection.”

“Wow,” he commented simply. “I wonder why he agreed to go out with a woman in the first place, if that was his inclination.”

“I don’t know. I didn’t stick around to find out. I still haven’t let Mary Margaret hear the end of it, and if she even hints that she wants to set me up with someone…”

“I’m sure you shut that down very quickly.”

“Yep. Which brings us to last year.”

“I can’t imagine it being much worse than the previous two.”

“It wasn’t, but it was still bad. This time, my friend Ruby set me up with a guy she knew. I should have known better, because Ruby is a bit off-the-wall. I mean, I love her, but she is very quirky. Anyway, this guy shows up wearing an orange top hat.”

Killian started laughing. “Did he have the matching tuxedo? Perhaps he was a big fan of Dumb and Dumber.”

Emma joined in the laughter. “No orange tux, but he definitely would have fit right into that movie. We were at Regina’s again and he found out she had a sewing machine and a basket full of material. He spent a couple of hours sewing the scraps together to make this sort of shawl thing. Then he brought it out to the party and performed some sort of dance with it, waving it around like he was a bullfighter. It was the most bizarre thing I’ve ever witnessed.”

“I take it you won’t let Ruby try to set you up, either?”

“You got that right.”

“I can certainly understand your reluctance to have another New Year’s date.”

“Which is why I’m home by myself, indulging in copious amounts of Chinese food and binge watching The Great British Baking Show.”

“Is the new season out?” he asked with a note of excitement.

“Yeah, it’s been out for a couple of months but I don’t like to watch it one episode at a time. I hate having to wait a whole week.”

“I can understand that.”

“You like that show, too, I take it?”

“Aye. It was one of Mum’s favorites and we always watched it together. I won’t get to see it this year, though. I’ve been canceling some subscriptions, and Netflix was one of them.”

Emma opened her mouth to tell him he could stay and watch it with her, but before the words came out, she had second thoughts. She didn’t want to give him the idea that she was coming on to him.

As she watched him putting another spoonful of fried rice on his plate, she began debating with herself. The poor guy hurt his back because of her negligence, but he didn’t have any hard feelings. Having him for company was better than spending the entire evening alone, and she was truly enjoying their conversation. Plus, she told him she would be watching one of his favorite shows, so not inviting him to stay and watch it with her would be rude. Wouldn’t it?

“Swan?” His voice interrupted her thoughts.

“Hmm?”

“Penny for your thoughts?”

“Oh, uh…I was thinking that you could, um…that is, if you want to, you could watch the show with me.”

“I wasn’t fishing for an invitation…”

“I know, and please don’t feel pressured to accept. I just wanted you to know that you’re welcome to stay.”

“That’s very kind of you, Emma, but I don’t want to infringe on your evening.”

“I was looking forward to having a relaxing evening at home instead of dressing up and going out, but I’m okay with you being here. As long as you don’t mind seeing me in my oldest, comfiest sweats.”

“You still look quite fetching,” he grinned. “In all honesty, I was dreading spending the evening by myself, especially since it’s my first New Year’s Eve without Mum. Perhaps slipping on the ice was a fortunate turn of events.”

“Your back may not agree,” she quipped. Plucking the remote from the coffee table, she powered on the television and brought up Netflix. “Make yourself comfortable. My plan was to watch the first three episodes, then make popcorn and hot chocolate. Sound good?”

“Sounds perfect,” he said, following her lead and propping his feet on the coffee table.

“Oh, wait. Before we start, I’ll get you a fresh ice pack,” she said, hopping up and holding out her hand for the melted one.

When she came back, he took the new one from her, commenting, “You’re a very good caregiver, Swan.”

“Thanks, Jones,” she replied with a smirk.

“Apologies. I’m used to referring to my coworkers by their last names.”

“There’s no need to apologize. I have no issue with being called by my last name.”

“It fits you.”

“Thanks. I picked it myself.”

He scrutinized her with a raised brow. “Truly?”

“Yeah. After I ran away, I didn’t want to be tracked down by my last name, so I started calling myself Emma Swan. I had it changed officially once I was older and had enough money to pay for it.”

“How did you come up with Swan?”

“From the Ugly Duckling. I always liked that story and could relate to that poor little duck nobody wanted.”

“But it transforms into a lovely swan, just like you did.”

“I don’t know about that, but I’m happy I didn’t have to keep the name CPS came up with for me. It never felt right to me.” While she was talking, she was flipping through the options on Netflix to find The Great British Baking Show. Clicking on it, she said, “I haven’t missed a single season of this show. The contestants always astound me with the stuff they bake.”

“Aye, me as well. Are you a baker yourself, Swan?”

“Pfft, far from it. I tried to make a cake once and failed miserably. And it was from a box! Apparently it’s important to read the directions. Who knew?”

Killian laughed. “Perhaps you’ll try again someday.”

“Maybe. In the meantime, I’m going to watch twelve people do amazing things and then get kicked off one by one because what they spent hours baking wasn’t perfect.”

“Do you ever choose a favorite contestant?”

“Every time.”

“Is it ever the eventual champion?”

“Never.”

He laughed again. “Same with me. Mum, on the other hand, had a knack for selecting the person who either won it or at least got into the top three.”

“She must have known a lot about baking.”

“Not really. I think she was just lucky.”

Emma clicked on the episode and they settled in to watch, laughing at the co-hosts and making bets on who would be Star Baker and who would be the first to leave the tent. When Killian was right on both counts, he thrust his arms up in the air, exclaiming, “Yes!”

“You must have inherited your mother’s knack,” Emma observed.

“Perhaps she was whispering in my ear,” he said, a slightly sad smile on his face.

She reached over to pat him on the knee. “She probably was.”

Before they started the next episode, Killian asked, “Would you please direct me to your bathroom?”

“Sure.” She turned in her seat and pointed behind them. “Down the hall, first door on the left.”

“Thank you,” he said, standing and stretching.

As he twisted at the waist, Emma asked, “How does your back feel?”

“Not bad. I think the ice packs and ibuprofen helped.”

“Good.”

She watched him leave the room, then took the ice pack to return it to the freezer. After that, she cleared off the coffee table, putting the leftover food in the refrigerator and the dirty dishes into the dishwasher.

When she returned, Killian was once again sitting on the sofa, looking at his phone. He didn’t seem to notice that she re-entered the room, so she took a few moments to study him. Now that she had a chance to get to know him a little, she found him even more attractive, because she now knew there was more to him than just a pretty face.

Finally resuming her seat, she picked up the remote again. “Ready for the next episode?”

“Uh, give me a second. I just got a message from Liam. It’s already past midnight there and he’s wishing me a Happy New Year.”

“You can call him if you like. I don’t mind waiting.”

He turned his startling blue eyes on her. “Thanks, I think I will.”

Standing from the couch, she said, “I’ll give you some privacy.”

“Oh, there’s no need. I don’t mind if you overhear our conversation. Actually, I think I’ll Facetime him instead. It’s been a few weeks since I’ve seen his ugly mug.”

She giggled. “Spoken like a true brother.”

Grinning, he put the call through. While he was greeting his brother, Emma busied herself with checking her own phone, responding to messages from Mary Margaret and Ruby, received while she was watching the show.

“Say hi to my brother, Swan.”

Glancing up, she was surprised to see him holding his phone up to her. A man with similar facial features as Killian, but with lighter, curly hair was on the screen, smiling at her. “Hello, lass.”

“Oh, uh…hi. Happy New Year,” she responded.

“The same to you. I’m sorry you have to spend it with my git of a brother.”

“Hey!” Killian protested.

Emma laughed. “Inviting him to watch The Great British Baking Show with me was the least I could do after he fell on the ice on my sidewalk. He was delivering my dinner.”

“He said he fell and you took pity on him. I figured it was because of his own clumsiness.”

A female voice came through the phone. “Liam, stop teasing Killian. He was sweet enough to call and you’re being mean.”

The face of the woman speaking came into view on the screen. Emma saw she was beautiful, with almost white-blonde hair and large, expressive eyes. “Hello. You must be Elsa.”

“Yes, that’s me. Forgive me, but I didn’t catch your name.”

“I’m Emma Swan. It’s very nice meeting you, and you too, Liam.”

“The pleasure is ours, lass,” Liam said. “All kidding aside, we’re very happy Killian isn’t alone this evening. I was afraid he was sitting around the house moping.”

“He’s been very good company,” she assured him.

Killian scooted closer to her so they could both be on the screen. “We should let you get back to your party,” he said.

“Yes, I’m sure Anna will come looking for us soon,” Elsa said.

“Thank you for calling, little brother,” Liam added. “We miss you.”

“I miss you, too, but I do not miss being called little brother. I’m younger.”

“And two inches shorter, so technically you’re little, also.”

Before Killian could reply, Elsa cut in, “That’s enough, boys. Emma will think all the two of you ever do is argue.”

Emma laughed as Killian said, “Happy New Year, you two. I’ll talk to you again soon. Love you.”

“We love you, too. I hope this new year will be a better one for both of us,” Liam responded.

Killian glanced at Emma. “I think it’s getting off to a pretty good start.”

She listened to them finish their goodbyes, a little surprised that his statement didn’t make her uncomfortable. In fact, she felt the exact same way.

*********

They were halfway through the sixth episode when Killian checked the time on his phone. “It’s eleven fifty seven,” he announced.

“Oh!” Emma said, pushing her empty mug and popcorn bowl out of the way to find the remote. “Would you like to watch the ball drop?”

“Sure.”

She quickly exited Netflix and searched for a channel covering the party in Times Square. As they watched the raucous scene, she commented, “I would hate to be in that crowd.”

“Aye, me too. I much prefer being in a quiet place.”

The ball began to drop. When it reached ten seconds to go, the two of them counted along with the mob of people on screen. It hit zero, lighting up the year ‘2024’, then it switched to another camera showing people in the crowd sharing kisses.

Emma glanced at Killian out of the corner of her eye. At the same time, he took his eyes off the television and looked at her. “Happy New Year, Emma,” he said quietly.

“Happy New Year, Killian.” Her eyes flicked down to his lips, lingering for a second before traveling back up again. Then, without conscious thought, she leaned toward him.

The touch of his lips against hers sent a shiver of delight through her. The kiss was brief and left her wanting more, but she pulled back before she could act on that impulse.

Neither of them spoke for several moments. Finally, Killian broke the silence. “Um…perhaps we should finish the episode, then I need to be going.”

“Oh, right,” she said, bringing Netflix back up. They watched the remainder of the show without talking, both preoccupied with thoughts of the kiss they just shared.

As soon as the episode ended, Killian stood up. Emma flicked off the television and stood, too, shifting back and forth on her stockinged feet.

He cleared his throat, scratching behind his ear. “I, um…I thoroughly enjoyed this evening - except for falling on my arse, that is.”

She chuckled. “I apologize again, but I have to say I’m not sorry it led to you keeping me company tonight. It was nice having someone to watch the show with and discuss it.”

“Thank you for inviting me to join you. It brought back good memories of watching it with my mother. I needed that tonight.”

They stood looking at each other for several more moments, then he moved to put on his boots and coat. She walked to the door, ready to open it for him. “Be careful going home. There will probably be some people driving who shouldn’t be on the road.”

He zipped his coat and tugged a blue knit cap out of the pocket, pulling it on over his dark hair. Emma found the addition utterly adorable.

“Well, I guess I’ll be on my way,” he said, stepping toward the door.

“Killian…” she began, then paused. He looked at her expectantly. “I, um, I hate to think that you won’t get to see the rest of the new season. Would you like to come over sometime to watch the rest of the episodes?”

A smile slowly spread across his face. “I would like that very much.”

*********

“Are you sure you don’t want to go out with Mary Margaret and David this evening, Love?” Killian called from the living room.

“I’m sure,” Emma said, coming through the doorway dressed in her oldest sweats, the same ones she wore exactly one year ago. Sitting down beside him on the sofa, she added, “I’m content staying home, doing the same thing I did last year.”

“You mean practically maiming the Grubhub delivery man on your icy sidewalk?”

“Why not? It worked out pretty well for me last year,” she teased, snuggling into his side.

“It’s unfortunate for you I salted the sidewalk, then,” he responded.

“That’s okay. One former delivery driver is more than enough for me.”

“More than enough, huh?” he smirked. “Are you saying I give you more than you can handle, Swan?”

Elbowing him lightly in the side, she said, “Keep it up and when your big brother calls, I’m going to tell him you’re being insufferable.”

“Older brother,” he automatically corrected. “And don’t you dare. I’ll never hear the end of it.”

“Then behave,” she said, reaching for her phone on the coffee table. “I’m gonna put in our order. Same as last year?

“Works for me, but this time, I call dibs on the pork lo mein.”

She furrowed her brow at him. “Nobody messes with my pork lo mein and lives to tell about it.”

“Have they been teaching you intimidation techniques at the police academy?” he asked, trying to contain his mirth.

She glared at him a few seconds longer, then turned her attention back to her phone, saying, “I’ll put in a double order for it.”

“Grand idea, Love. I’m going to change into my own comfy clothes.”

She watched him leave the room, headed toward their bedroom, then finished placing their food order. While she was waiting for him to come back, she reflected on the past year. It was, by far, the best year of her life. She met Killian, fell in love and eventually asked him to move in with her. For their eight month anniversary, he took her on a trip to England to meet his brother and future sister-in-law. He also encouraged her to pursue her dream of enrolling in the police academy, where she was set to graduate in a little over a month.

“Penny for your thoughts?”

Emma blinked and looked up at her love, amazed as always that he was hers.

Grabbing his hand in both of hers, she pulled him down beside her and climbed into his lap, wrapping her arms around his neck. “I was just thinking about everything that happened since last New Year’s Eve.”

He tightened his grip on her, running his nose along the slope of her throat. “A lot has happened, all of it good,” he murmured.

“Well, most of it. There was the day I got a flat tire and the time you came down with the flu.”

His low chuckle sounded in her ear, sending a pleasant shiver down her spine. “I was able to show you how to change the tire, and you nursed me back to health, so it all turned out good in the end.”

Placing her hands on both sides of his face, she put enough distance between them to be able to look into his brilliant blue eyes. “You made it the best year ever. I love you, Killian.”

“I believe we made it the best year ever, Sweetheart,” he corrected. “I love you, Emma.”

They shared a long, languid kiss that turned into many more, until they were interrupted by the food delivery. As they ate, they began watching the brand new season of The Great British Baking Show, pausing it to call Elsa and Liam at seven o’clock, which was midnight in the UK. Five hours later, they paused it again to ring in the New Year themselves. This time, their kiss wasn’t tentative like the year before, and they continued the celebration in their bedroom.

As they lay together, sated and blissfully happy, Emma whispered, “I wonder what 2025 has in store for us? It surely can’t be better than 2024.”

“I guess we’ll see,” Killian answered, thinking about the contents of a small, black velvet box, hidden in a pair of seldom worn boots, tucked away in the back corner of the closet.

*********

Thank you for reading, leaving comments, liking and reblogging, if you're so inclined. Every one is very much appreciated!

Tagging:

@qualitycoffeethings @grimmswan @cs-rylie @wyntereyez @kmomof4

@hookedmom @ultraluckycatnd @paradiselady19 @xarandomdreamx @motherkatereloyshipper

@lfh1226-linda @pawshapedheart @vampcoffeegyrl23 @tiganasummertree @bluewildcatfanatic

@eleveneitherway @elfiola @kday426 @julieenchanted-swans @gingerchangeling

@andiirivera @djlbg @jonesfandomfanatic @snowbellewells @anmylica

@booksteaandtoomuchtv @cocohook38 @ilovemesomekillianjones @zaharadessert @lyssapup27

@undercaffinatednightmare @winterbaby89 @jennjenn615 @xsajx @jackieorioncat

@teamhook @soniccat @jarienn972 @softkilly @kymbersmith-90

@apiratewhopines @hollyethecurious @laianely @resident-of-storybrooke @exhaustedpirate

@caught-in-the-filter @stahlop @veryverynotgoodwrites @darkshadow7 @fleurdepetite

@whimsicallyenchantedrose @earanemith @superchocovian @idristardis @captainswan-kellie

@beckettj @killihan-jones

#slipping into your heart #jrob64 #cs winter bingo #cs ff #cs modern au #new year's story #cs new year's #cs fanfiction #cs humor and fluff

42 notes · View notes

emeryhiro · 11 months ago

Text

I over analysed TBOC trailer

I did it again, I don't know how to stop overanalysing anything that I find that's Carol & Daryl Related, and I'll say in advance that this will be another long one, but I really hope you guys enjoy it because as always I had a lot of fun writing it ♡

Firstly, I want to say that there will be a second post coming, which will briefly cover my thoughts on the SDCC panel. However, in this post, I'm going to breakdown all the scenes from the trailer that I think are the most important/interesting. I'll also be expanding on some of the scenes that I saw in episode 1, specifically the ones shown in the trailer, so that I can avoid spoiling anything that hasn't been shown yet.

Also, just as a note, I've listed the scenes below in what I think is timeline order (to my best guess), which means that I'm leading with the scenes from the trailer that are actually in episode one. So, a spoiler warning for those, as I'll be delving into them in a little more detail than I have before.

Carol's flashback at the barn doors:

This is the flashback scene of Sophia that Carol has in episode one, which has already been spoiled/posted online, but here you can see a glimpse of it in higher resolutions.

Isabelle and Daryl at the Nest

This is one of the scenes from episode one, specifically the scene where Daryl tells Isabelle that he doesn't know if he'll ever be happy staying at the Nest/France.

Ash and Carol opening the shed door:

This was also a scene from episode one, in which Ash shows Carol his stockpile of fuel, which is enough to get them to France and back.

Genet and Daryl:

This is another scene from episode one, which directly follows the scene in the sneak peek where Daryl attacks Genets' convoy. As seen in the trailer, as Daryl is about to shoot Genet, he's interrupted by a delayed explosion in the background, allowing her to get away. Anne's performance here blew my mind!

Carol & Ash takeoff:

These few shots are also from episode one and are pretty self-explanatory. But just to go over it again briefly, certain events led to Carol and Ash having to leave America/take off in the plane in a rush, which I'll add may not have been the ideal time in terms of logistics (you'll see what I mean); however, we can see that they make it into the air, which then gives us the beautiful shot of the sunrise in the distance.

This scene also features a really beautiful moment and dialogue between Ash and Carol, which I know you guys will love. It definitely made me love Ash a lot more.

For the Anon from last week: This scene may or may not have been the one I was referencing with the emojis 😊💖

~~~~

This wraps up all the scenes from the trailer which are from episode 1 that I wanted to talk about. There are a few others, but I don't think listing them right now is relevant.

From here on out, all the scenes that I mention come in later episodes, so the order of the scenes is just my guess of how I think things are going to happen, and it could honestly be completely wrong.

~~~~

Genet flashback:

To me, this looks like a flashback of younger Genet watching someone she cares about getting killed, which is potentially what motivated her and led her on her journey to becoming who she is and touches on what Laurent meant when he told her, "you're not angry, you're heartbroken" in season 1.

Additionally, the scene's background looks to be set in the Louvre, which we also see in an outside shot.

Ash/Carol's plane landing in France:

As I've mentioned previously, it appears that the plane lands somewhere in what looks like the French Alps, the possible location of which I broke down in one of my previous posts [here]. However, what we can see here is that the plane doesn't appear to be in good shape and will probably need some repairs before it can fly again, which is one of the reasons I don't expect Daryl and Carol to be leaving France using the plane and instead having to go to Spain (by land) as confirmed by the showrunners and cast.

Also, how good do Carol and Ash look in this scene?!

They look like a literal ad, and I love seeing them fighting walkers together! I'm genuinely gonna start praying that Ash survives.

Daryl surrounded by soldiers:

This is another really interesting shot because it appears that Daryl is being chased and surrounded by civilian soldiers who seem to be dressed just like the people of the Nest, with the addition of a red armbands and using older guns, which makes me think that these could possibly be civilians from the Nest that Genet had recruited to betray and attack the nest from the inside, alongside her soldiers. This solidifies what Norman said we'd see in season 2 as "wolves in sheep's clothing."

Another thing to point out is that Daryl's face is not covered in cuts and bruises yet, which leads me to believe that this is set early in the season, possibly in episode 2, before the reunion.

Daryl getting beat up:

Daryl appears to be captured by Genet and her men here. Although they make it look like Genet is talking to him directly as he's getting beat up, I think the scene with Genet is placed there to throw us off and, in fact, happens at a different time.

We then see the scene of this boy locking himself into the cell where Daryl is being held as he tries to get away from walkers. An interesting thing to note here is the resemblance between this guy and the guy in a cream-coloured jacket standing behind Carol in the previous teaser (comparison images below).

However, another possibility is that some of the group from the nest have come to save Daryl, and the walkers inside and outside are being used as a distraction.

Daryl fighting the walkers outside the car

The location of this scene looks exactly the same as the place that we can see in the shot below of Carol in a car surrounded by walkers.

The second angel solidifies that Daryl is the one killing the zombies surrounding the car as he approaches it. It's important to note that there appears to be at least one other person with him who shoots the walker that can be seen on the right, in the head.

Daryl in the car

So we can see the blood covering the windows of the car, which matches the scene where Carol is stuck in a car surrounded by walkers, and we can tell that there's someone outside the car killing the walkers, resulting in the blood splatter covering all the windows.

However, it looks like all the blood on the windows is now dry in this new scene, which leads me to believe that they (Carol and Daryl) were in that car for a while, maybe stuck/hiding from someone or just catching up and figuring out their next move.

And then we see what looks like a person or walker thrown through the back window🤣; they really can't have a moment of peace.

Codron at the gates of the Nest:

This scene looks to be set outside the gates of the Nest, which we saw in season one. Codron looks to be chained on top of a buggy that launches an explosive, destroying the Nest's gates. I expect that Codron was chained there as bait to lead the horde of walkers that we see running into the Nest.

Motorcycle & Car crossing a bridge in Paris:

This scene could involve the group (Carol, Daryl, Codron) returning to Paris after the attack and fall of the Nest.

Codron and Falou:

This is most likely the moment when Codron arrives at the Paris Nest base, and Fallou appears to be pointing a gun at a kneeling Cadron, furious at what Cadron had done to his group in the past; however, Carol and Daryl probably vouch for him; explaining that he helped them. It's also likely linked to the set photos/video that we've seen of Carol, Falou, and Codron sitting around a table in the same location.

Daryl and Carol in Paris:

No joke, I was cheering out loud when I saw this scene at the end of the trailer!! Having them in the same frame again (even if Carol is blurry) is a literal dream 😭 I love them so much, and this single frame was worth the long wait for the trailer. More on my thoughts about this scene in my theory at the end of the post (below the line).

Carol Walking through Paris:

We see Carol approaching a building (below), the Mobilier National, a museum and tapestry manufacturing facility in Paris. The side of the building that Carol is looking at is the chapel.

This location could be Genet's Paris base since, as you can see, several vehicles are parked outside, resembling her convoy and soldiers dressed in her group's uniform. Additionally, we see many people in civilian clothing walking into the building, similar to the ones that surrounded Daryl previously.

Daryl walking with the guitar

I believe this scene is post the Carol x Daryl reunion because of 2 main things.

The scars and bruising on his face match those we saw in the behind-the-scenes photos of Melissa and Norman filming together.

The surrounding area looks like the race track that we also know they filmed in together from set photos.

The other thing I want to mention here (I'm going to fangirl for a second, so bear with me) is the smile on Daryl's face; I just imagine that he's looking at Carol in this scene and overwhelmed with joy at the thought that they're together again, that they've found each other and they're going home. I really hope I'm right.

Codron shooting at a convoy:

So many interesting things in this shot which I haven't completely figured out how they'll fit into the story but I'll just breakdown what I see.

Ash/Carol's plane is in the background, and I'll add that it is not in the same spot where we see them land it in the other scene (Maybe after Daryl saves them in the car, Ash is injured so he heads back to fix and move the plane while Carol goes off to help Daryl).

Cordron is covered in injuries (broken arm, bandaged eye, bruising) potentially caused by Genet and her men as punishment for not giving away the location of the Nest in Season 1.

It also looks to be on the same race tracks we saw Daryl at in the guitar scene.

Cadron appears to be shooting at Genet's men/convoy that's approaching.

Dary sitting in a different car.

Looking at the seats of this car, they appear to be different from the one Carol was hiding in/surrounded by walkers.

The seat style suggests that it's an older vehicle, which could be the interior of the black sedan approaching Codron as part of the Convoy (gif above).

Daryl looks a little defeated, which may be due to them losing the plane (or the pilot😭).

Daryl in a tunnel:

As we can see, Daryl has his crossbow on his back, which means that this scene is also taking place post-reunion, possibly near the end of the season when Carol and Daryl decide that it's time for them to leave France and find their way home.

They appear to be in the unground Channel tunnel connecting France and England, which I expect them to try to head through since Losang had told Daryl in season one about boats that can travel between England and New England (US). However, it looks like there may have been a Chemical explosion/blockage in the tunnel that prevents them from getting across, leading them to try to find a way back to America through Spain.

~~~~~~

I know that was a long one but there was so much content in that trailer!! I'm so happy that the promo season has now kicked off and can't wait to keep getting some amazing content and interviews.

Thank you to all of you who read through this analysis! I would love to know your thoughts on any of the things I mentioned or left out. ♡♡♡

Also, based on all the content we got today, I now have a theory of how the rest of the season (episodes 2-6) will go, which I've included in this post (below the line) for those of you who are interested.

My Theory:

Thank you for sticking through the whole post and getting to this part ♡ Okay, so the trailer gave us all of these scenes out of order, but after I put them into some kind of order (to my best guess), I now have a theory about how things are going to play out from episode 2 onwards, I'll be leaving out episode 1 because that part wouldn't be a theory and I don't want to be giving any major spoilers 😅

Episode 2:

I believe that Daryl somehow hears that Carol (or someone who could be Carol) is in France and is looking for him, which is when he decides that he has to leave the Nest and go and find her; however, this is when the Nest is attacked (for the first time), and Daryl is surrounded by Genet's civilian soldiers, captured, and taken to Maison Miere, where we see him getting beaten up in the trailer.

Carol, Ash, and the two other mystery people with them either find out that Daryl has been captured and is being held there or get ambushed and stuck on their way to the Nest.

One of Carol's companions manages to find their way past the walkers into the building/Daryl's holding cell and frees Daryl. Daryl is then seen fighting his way through walkers inside the building as he's trying to get out and then fighting through the walkers surrounding the car that Carol, Ash, and the other mystery person are trapped in, leading to the long-awaited reunion.

Episode 3:

Now that they're reunited, I expect they spend some time in the car catching up on everything (at least long enough for all the blood that's on the car to dry, as seen in the scene above) and coming up with a plan. Finally deciding to leave once the walker comes flying through the back window, they head back to the Nest, potentially knowing that a second attack is imminent and wanting to help whoever they can.

As Carol and Daryl get back to the Nest, they manage to free Codron from his chains. However, they're too late and unable to save everyone. This final attack leads to some of the people from the Nest (Laurent, Isabelle, Silvy, etc.) ending up on the run or being captured by Genet.

Now that the Nest has fallen, they (Carol, Daryl, and Codron) have nowhere to go except back to Paris. Once back in Paris, we find that Daryl is now torn; he's finally reunited with Carol, and this is their chance to leave without taking any more risks; however, he feels guilty about leaving Laurent and the others in Genet's hands.

Carol is initially frustrated with Daryl (maybe this is where they're bickering like an old married couple 🤣) and how he's considering risking their lives again even though they only just reunited and are safe despite all the odds; however, seeing Daryl in this predicament, how he clearly cares about these people and how the guilt is affecting him, Carol ultimately decides to help him rescue whoever they can.

Episodes 4-5:

This will lead us into Caryl's rescue adventures for the next two episodes. Ending in them rescuing some of the people who were captured, including Layrent, Syvlie, Emile, etc. (Unfortunately I don't expect Isabelle to make it)

Episode 6:

After the rescue, they leave Laurent in Cordrons care, who has now redeemed himself and can raise Laurent as the brother he once lost.

Now that they've made things as right as they can, they feel ready to leave, however, there may be several failed attempts,

The first being the plane. Unfortunately, Genet's people find their location and try to stop them, which is where we see Codron shooting at the convoy in an attempt to slow them down, allowing time for Daryl/Carol (and maybe Ash) to try to get away. However, they end up losing the plane (or Ash 😭), and they're no longer able to get away.

Their second will probably be through the Channel Tunnel, which is another failed attempt due to what we can see in the trailers, which appears to be a chemical/acid explosion, with a portion of the tunnel collapsed and overrun by walkers.

Their final attempt will be going to Spain on land in hopes of finding another way across the Atlantic.

~~~~~

That was so fun to write and I'd LOVE to hear what you guys think, and if you have your own theories, ♡♡♡ Mine seems to be constantly changing.

#carol peletier #daryl dixon #the book of carol #twd #caryl #caryl positivity #the walking dead #carylarchives

75 notes · View notes

butterflydm · 6 months ago

Text

rings of power - season 1, eps 7-8

Now that I've watched the first season, I want to poke at Halbrand/Sauron a bit and kinda feel out where I feel his deceptions lie, and where I feel like his honesty was too. And maybe active deception vs his low-level tricking everyone because he's literally the most wanted criminal in the lands and doesn't want people to know. The divide between self-preservation and power-seeking, I guess I would say.

First my thoughts on the last two episodes of the season, and then I'll do a bit of a deep-dive into my thoughts and feelings on Halbrand specifically throughout s1. I am definitely looking forward to diving into s2!

Some spoilers for LotR in general and for what I know about the second season.

episode 7: Extremely emotional.

There were a lot of strong emotions in this one. If ep6 showed us war, this showed us the brutal aftermath, and how bitter it can be. Every storyline contained elements of worrying over fault and blame, and then a determination to continue on despite the struggle.

First in the Harfoot & Stranger storyline, where we have destruction and then renewal. "Be true to each other." "What's the good of living if you aren't living good."

Then in the Durin IV storyline, where Durin (and Disa) makes the choice to cleave to Elrond and their own ambitions instead of what the king wants (and suffer for it). The scenes between Durin, Elrond, and Disa were so touching! I love them, your honor! Do they have a ship name?

But I feel bad for the king, Durin III! He is trying to maintain OSHA compliance while Durin (and Disa) are throwing safety out the window. And... and I'm not sure that the king is wrong about the elves either. By the time of LotR, the elves have finally accepted that they must go to Valinor and leave Middle-Earth for Mortal Men. Here, they are not ready to. Galadriel is almost a metaphor for the rest of her people -- on the cusp of leaving, only to turn back and stay.

Miriel also makes up her mind to stick by the side of her alliance to her elven friend, despite the hardships. A lot of really powerful and heartbreaking scenes. Miriel reaching up to cup Galadriel's face while she cries and promising they will return! <3 <3 (Galadriel does not interact with women often, so I must cling to our Galadriel and Miriel moments!)

And we get Galadriel and Theo's extended time together, which I really enjoyed. I'm glad she was able to help him move past blaming himself, at least a little. We got our first mention of Celeborn as well, I believe, which was... interestingly placed for me (I will explain more below). But I really liked their conversations here - Galadriel trying to help him keep a level head and survive past the moment.

But then we have the footsteps of doom coming. Our first sighting of the Balrog down in the mines, after we have just heard Disa and Durin plan to delve deeper. The King was right about the mines. Does that mean he was right about the elves?

And the renaming of the Southlands to Mordor, which was surprisingly heartbreaking for a font burning away and a new word burning onto the screen. Everything that Galadriel was trying to do in the earlier episodes felt like it was burning away too.

My mom said this felt like a finale to her, so I will be interested to see how she feels about ep8! She also noticed everyone taking the blame and said that she agrees that they are all partially to blame to the disaster, because they were too quick to act without enough information. They underestimated the strength of their enemy. It's a really good point -- and we saw that happen with Nori in this episode too, when she thinks she can trick the people chasing Gandalf and it ends up with wagons all aflame.

episode 8: The Stranger's storyline worked here and I liked it, plus it is (again) very informative about the potential powers that Sauron has -- we see one of the bad guys here changing her form, which is something I know Sauron can do (plus I've seen s2 gifs), and we had the... moral, I guess, of all of it here in their storyline, I think.

It's all about choice. Other people can't show you who you are. Only you can do that.

So I did like that plotline and I feel like it was definitely important on a thematic level.

But the Galadriel & "Halbrand" storyline was the one that I was most captivated by in this episode (which I kinda expected).

First, Elrond and Galadriel's reunion was very touching. <3

I was pressing my hand to my chest and just... watching a master at work whenever Halbrand was chatting up Celebrimbor. That was some good fucking manipulation. He was just... in there. Very impressive!

This episode still had a lot of tension even though I knew where it was going. The reveal was so good! That build-up to it, and then the conversations that Sauron has with Galadriel inside her head, trying to convince her to side with him and... hmm.

So, he tried to convince her into two things.

a. Let the work proceed. This is the smaller ask, and I think the bigger ask helped mask it. This is something that he explicitly asked of her and that she ended up doing. She let the work proceed.

b. The two of them binding themselves together, light to power, and ruling over Middle-Earth together. I assume, given what Adar said earlier in the season, that Sauron meant to bind them together with a blood oath (he gave her brother's dagger back to her when he asked her).

That was a big swing for the fences that obviously blew up in his face but... but plan A still succeeded. He still got the first ask that he placed before her -- no need to lie but... let the work proceed.

And she did. So... yeah, very interesting.

She warned Elrond and Celebrimbor about Halbrand, but she didn't mention Sauron. Ashamed of not seeing what he was? Or desperate to stay in Middle-Earth, enough that she was willing to risk the creation of the rings and what they might mean? Believing even more than ever that she is not worthy of Valinor now, and believing that she needs to take care of the problem herself?

And her brother's dagger... symbolic of her vow to hunt down Sauron... being melted and reforged into the three elven rings... that is also very interesting. Lots of things to think about.

One big question I'm left with is - why does Sauron want the elves to stay? They were about to leave. They would have left Middle-Earth if he hadn't saved the project.

It does follow the advice that he gave Galadriel in Numenor, about how to manipulate people: find out what they fear (the elves fear death and diminishment and being forced to sail West), give them a means to master it (the rings), so that you can master them (One Ring to Rule Them All).

So... a calculated risk, because he'd rather have the elves in Middle-Earth and under his control than off in Valinor? He also may be assuming at that point that he doesn't need to worry about any of them picking up on who he really is, so he thinks it's a smaller risk than it ended up being. He clearly didn't expect Galadriel to confront him at this time, though he rolled with it once she did.

My mom's reaction, in her literal words: "He can't be Sauron. He's too handsome!" She was totally shocked and taken off-guard by the reveal. She did feel like the finale was appropriately epic, and is looking forward to watching s2.

I am uncertain if I would have picked up if he was Sauron or not if I were watching it during my first watch, but I would have found his convos with Celebrimbor suspicious just as Galadriel did, I think.

Oh, I did notice that Halband is wearing the same kind of jewelry around his neck that we've seen around the neck of the Sauron worshipper who used the key to blow up the mountain (who is still with Adar at the end of the season, it seemed). So that was a subtextual visual cue before the actual reveal.

Overall thoughts/vibes on each storyline & character throughout s1:

Nori & the Harfoots - this was not always the most exciting storyline, but it had warmth and charm throughout, and I definitely teared up when Nori was saying goodbye to her family and Poppy at the end of the season. The first Hobbit Harfoot to go off on an adventure with Gandalf a wizard!

Gandalf The Stranger: We definitely see lots of hints of Gandalf throughout the season, but culminating in "always follow your nose" made it really obvious. His plotline is still the most separated from everyone else's, and I suspect that it still is in s2, but maybe his path will cross with Galadriel's in s3. But his plotline told us a lot about Sauron's potential abilities, which was pretty useful since Sauron himself was keeping his powers on the down-low this season and relying on manipulation to achieve his goals.

Durin & Disa - I love them, I adore them, oh dear they are 100% responsible for waking up the Balrog due to their ambitions. The sharp divide between Durin III's dedication to safety measures vs Durin IV's 'dig deeper' feelings are... yeah, that's woken the Balrog. (but of course, it's complicated there too, because he doesn't only do it for ambition, but for friendship as well)

Celebrimbor - much like with Durin & Disa, Celebrimbor is a combination of ambition mixed with genuine desire to help. In Celebrimbor's case, it makes him incredibly vulnerable to Halbrand when he shows up and offers Celebrimbor both the solution and the ability to be the one to give that solution to his people. I kinda know what happens to him in s2 because of gifsets but, yeah. The echoes of doom are already there in his behavior. Much like Durin & Disa, he's willing to overlook the warning signs in order to pursue his desires.

Elrond - What a gem! We really got to see him as such a good person during this season, seeing his genuine friendships with Galadriel and Durin (and now Disa) and seeing his moral struggles.

Bronwyn, Arondir, & Theo - I already know that Bronwyn isn't going to be in s2, but I do appreciate what we got with her while she was here. She's strong and principled (just like Arondir), a good mother, a charismatic leader, and we also watched her struggle with moral choices during the season (whether or not to surrender herself and her people to Adar) but she stayed strong and did not give into temptation.

Elendil & family - okay, so I know that Isildur isn't dead (because I have watched the prologue for LotR) but I feel so bad for Elendil. Not only for believing that he's lost his son, but also because his daughter looked into the palantir, and I just feel like that is Bad News Bears. It seems like he's already had so much loss and pain in his life and I am concerned there is only more to come.

Miriel - I like her, I like her, but she is so doomed. Again, back to Durin & Disa and to Celebrimbor -- we have that mix of ambition and genuine desire to help, and we've been watching all season as ambition has led to dangerous overreach. Ambition awakes the Balrog; ambition leads to the creation of the elven rings (which are tied to Sauron, or at least the visuals certainly implied as much), and ambition led to the loss of her soldiers and her own blinding. And yet at the end of things, she was determined to double-down on her plans (just as Durin & Disa do; just as Celebrimbor does).

Galadriel - my feral angel, I adore her. Ambitious, driven by revenge, feeling like she doesn't deserve peace. And, just like in the other storylines, ambition brings doom along in its wake.

I do hope that Galadriel is able to take her advice to Theo to heart next season, and not blame herself too much for bringing Sauron back to Middle-Earth. Doom was not only coming from her side of things but from others as well. The Balrog was woken up because of Elrond & Durin's side of the story, not Galadriel's. Adar's plot to create Mordor would have happened whether or not Galadriel had brought Sauron to the Southlands. What she did was only one piece of the puzzle that leads us into the current situation.

But just like Durin & Disa, just like Celebrimbor, just like Miriel -- Galadriel chooses to ignore the warning signs in order to push forward with what she wants to do. (inversely, in the Harfoot storyline, we almost have the opposite -- it's the baddies in that one who are pushing forward with their ambitions despite the hints that the Maia they're pursuing isn't Sauron, and they get iced for it)

circling around on Halbrand throughout the season:

While I've seen gifsets from s2, I know that context changes things, so I don't know if any of my analysis of Halbrand/Sauron will hold up throughout the second season, but I wanted to place my thoughts down anyway before I press forward.

I think a lot of his early deceptions fall into the "self-preservation" area as opposed to "power-seeking". We know that he can "die" in some sense of the word because Adar believes that he killed Sauron and Halbrand definitely seems to carry a grudge over it.

I am inclined to give him the benefit of the doubt at the start, mostly because I feel like it's a more interesting story that way, and it's ambiguous enough to be read either way. So - let's say he genuinely wanted to start anew, and saw Numenor as his ticket to not being a Dark Lord again. He's gonna be a weaponsmith; he's gonna be chill and cool; and, hey, if he really needs a way out or he gets bored, there's always the pouch that marks him out as the lost king of the Southlands.

In the first half of the season, Galadriel acts as the great tempter to power and ambition. She tells Halbrand that he's better than just being a smith, and pushes and prods him to join her. He resists for a while, but succumbs after the forge scene.

Is he still trying to start anew, but maybe now he's gonna try to play the role of the King of the Southlands, hoping that it's an elevated enough role that it won't chafe on him?

His burst of temper in Numenor is potentially attributed to two things -- a. there's definitely the Galadriel angle, and disliking the implication that lowly Halbrand isn't ~good enough~ for her and that she deserves a man of "better breeding"; but b. there's also the distinct possibility there that part of what sets him off is being treated like he isn't good enough in general; that these mortal men look down on him at all. That the "clothes of the common" are already starting to chafe on him, as Galadriel tells him in one of their scenes together.

Once Halbrand says 'yes' to Galadriel, we get the King & Commander/Battle Couple section of their relationship, which I am so into. I love Battle Couples (Arondir and Bronwyn are also a great Battle Couple in these episodes, and I loved it for them as well). This is also when they are winding closer and closer together but also when it really feels like Halbrand/Sauron's ambition and deception are shifting more and more into power-seeking vs self-preservation. First the power of a king and then, after Adar cracks open the mountain, the temptation of seeking the power of being a god is irresistible to him, I think, especially if he genuinely believes that he can talk Galadriel into coming along with him.

Because the Galadriel x Halbrand relationship is both built on a lie (of him being Literally Anyone But Sauron) and also absolutely sincere (on an emotional level) from Halbrand/Sauron. And the reason I feel that way is because he doesn't need her! Nothing requires him to have a queen by his side. He wants her there. I remember a certain wizard in LotR talking about how the Dark Lord doesn't share power, but it seems like maybe there was an exception to that, once upon a time! (at least in theory)

And if you ignore the context of her dead brother (which she absolutely never would, but we're in Halbrand's PoV at the moment), then it makes sense that Halbrand believes that he needs to be more than 'just' a mortal if he wants her by his side, because she is the one pushing him to embrace more power in the early days of their relationship. It's easy to see how he might assume that even more power could result in even more approval from her, plus it's what he wants anyway.

We have some big emotionally intimate scenes between them in this section, where they bond over how similar they are. In the forge scene, they both confess to having darkness in them, in having done terrible things. In the woods scenes, they acknowledge that they each needed to be pulled back from the edge of revenge, and admit to the connection between them. Galadriel was into him.

Then the big kaboom happens.

And Halbrand is... yeah. I think this event is what marks his choice.

He was 'found on the road', dreadfully injured in a way that needs Elvish healing to fix. And once Galadriel is there, he can rally enough to ride a horse to wherever she's taking him? Adar created Mordor, but Sauron plans to rule it. When he leaves the Southlanders at the end of the episode, he's... he seems much more detached from them than he was in the previous episode. The King of the Southlands is a dead dream now that the Southlands are dead, but he does not plan to let Adar keep Mordor.

I mentioned in my ep7 thoughts that it was extremely interesting to me that we finally get a mention of Celeborn now. Between when we see Halbrand embracing the role of King of the Southlands (at the end of episode 6) and when Galadriel finds him again at the end of this episode.

Galadriel's husband disappeared into the fog of war and she never saw him again.

The Halbrand in the healing tent... he's making plans. He's being an opportunist. She used him to get an army to the Southlands for her ambitions to kill Sauron, but now he's using her to get to the elves. The Halbrand who was willing to limit his ambitions to being the King of the Southlands... he disappeared into the fog of war. She has lost him already, though she doesn't know it yet.

Those feelings only intensified in episode 8, as Halbrand is charming and ~in awe~ of Celebrimbor and managed to so quickly worm his way into the center of this new creation process. He is the one who suggests each new step as they proceed down the road, who is guiding the process of creating the rings.

If that scroll hadn't been in the catacombs, if there had been no proof that Halbrand wasn't the King of the Southlands, I wonder how Halbrand would have managed to get his (two) rings where he wanted them to be. He could definitely play Celebrimbor to act however he wanted.

But, of course, Celebrimbor did manage to accidentally trip Galadriel's suspicions, by saying something that echoed what Adar had said of Sauron's goals.

She must be so... devastated and humiliated right now. She invested so much into her idea of Halbrand, into making him the King who would help her against Sauron.

Was Sauron being honest in his offer to Galadriel? I mean... I kinda think that he was. But that doesn't help, because of who he is, and what he's done in the past.

The general vs the specific and personal comes into play here -- Galadriel is willing to look past a general dark past, but once it touches her own trauma, then that's too far. This is a very understandable and common barrier -- being deserving of redemption (if you choose to seek it) is a very different thing than deserving being forgiven by the people that you've actively hurt.

Redemption requires more than just doing things differently this time, especially if you are trying to redeem yourself in the eyes of the people who you've hurt. It requires a level of sincere humility on Halbrand/Sauron's part that I'm not certain that he's capable of.

It would mean letting go of his attempts at controlling the situation.

It would mean confessing his crimes and then accepting the consequences of that confession.

Sauron may have tried dedicating himself to "healing Middle-Earth" after Morgoth's fall but as long as that's entirely on his own terms, then he has not changed anywhere near enough.

Anyway, that's not the road that he chose to go down! (and choice is the key, as the Harfoot & Stranger storyline has been reminding us: no one can show you who you are, except yourself)

So I will instead enjoy watching the road that he has chosen to travel, because he is fascinating to watch when he's in full manipulator-mode. Tricksters are fun, even when they're scary. I kinda get Jareth the Goblin King from Labyrinth vibes due to the type of manipulation that it feels like Sauron favors - "Just let me rule you and you can have anything you want".

Yeah, my thoughts on this may change depending on what s2 shows me but for now, that's my feeling.

#rings of power #rop #lotr #butterfly watches #my meta #and i talk enough about the ship to warrant it being mentioned here for tagging reasons:#haladriel #saurondriel

31 notes · View notes

veninorchid · 1 year ago

Text

Bridgerton S3 Review

Dearest gentle reader, I am disappointed, sadly.

And as I respect your opinion, so too, shall you respect mine. I'm not here to bash on #Polin fans and the fact that they enjoyed it, but what -was- season 3 of Bridgerton truly?

I love the Mondriches, but do they really need so much screen-time? What did their own ball add to the story exactly? Had the same feeling about the Dankworth-Finch ball at the end, but at least that one proved its necessity as -the reveal all- ball. Because there was of course no Duke of Hastings (Simon) to host it, so they improvised.

This season had too many stories going on at the same time which were all fighting for the spotlight when it should've focused on #Polin, cause that is what was advertised/hyped. It did not deliver…

Season 1 - Daphne and Simon They had the most screen-time and all other stories got a little bit of shine. But even then some of those had either Daphne or Simon in the picture/background. (Marina-Colin, with Daphne as chaperone is one of the examples) None of the other stories distracted from the main focus.

Season 2 - Kanthony Same here. While there was a lot going on in this season with Anthony courting Edwina and going all the way to the alter with her (creative license, since it didn't happen in the book) and then on the other hand we were seeing the other side with his having the thickest desire and longing for Kate. You could cut that shit with a knife, I tell you. But no side stories were overpowering. It was 90% lead character -stuff. Season 3 - Benedict---, I mean #Polin -minus the actual #Polin Were their (the directors/screenwriters) initial thoughts that we've been seeing them for 2 seasons, so we don't have to pay that much attention to the leads? Wrong! That was friendship, this is love, longing and passion. So much new ground to explore for these two. Little scenes like dancing in the church, stealing loving glances is cute and all, but we got nothing more than that. Nothing memorable.

No wait, we got carriage frolicking in part 1 and a mirror first time in part 2. You're right, I apologize. Anything else? Name any other thing you remember from this whole season. I'll wait, seriously.

Did maybe the night scene come up in your memories? Where they had an angry make out and he once again let his hand venture below? I felt the anger/passion in the coming together and pushing her against the shop, sure. The quick flash of him reaching between her thighs was more of a recycled scene from episode 4 or even from S03 Kanthony. I mean honestly. Was there really even a chance he'd take her in the streets? It felt unnecessary and forced. The dialogue was good and would've been better at their home where it's believable they could enter an intimate scene that -could- be finished if they so wanted it. Or not if his anger won over his desire. Did I mention they were both drinking before they met? I didn't say drunk, I said drinking.

I guess they improvised the whole Mme Delacroix scene (before the angry make out) with her offering advice and booze just to give Pen a reason to drink and coincidentally be in Colin's path for the scene? Wasted screen-time. Do I also need a drink to feel the -love- this season?

First part, Colin helping and chasing Pen. Second part, let's ignore and distance myself from her. They really stretched out Colin's pulling back from her because of the whole Whistledown thing, when they could've done fast forwards, saying things like 'Colin, it's been weeks. Or it's been so long, can we get passed this' just to show the time frame. But instead we get long minutes of silence and ignoring each other. Filming Colin from the back, zooming in. Then from the front zooming in. Then him watching her leave the house, slowly getting up from sleeping on the sofa, walking towards his desk. Lifting and opening and reading her old letters. Do you have any idea how long that feels? When she exited the bedroom and delivered her dialogue he could've already been behind his desk. Did we see Simon (S01E02) walk into the room, open his father's desk, take out the unopened letters etc.? No, the flashback ends with him already seated and holding the letters. Same thing could've been done here.

Oh, let's not forget side character-stuff. Let's talk more about that.

Again, I cannot stress it enough. Mondriches. Duke of Kent stuff and moving up, is fine. Seeing them struggle constantly onscreen is not. Wasted screen-time. You can easily have us hear about that in conversation. How miserable and sad he is because he had to close the bar when he became part of the ton. So many ways to handle that. Moving to part 2. Why did we have to get the whole preparation for their ball? What did it add to the story exactly? Just let everyone arrive at the ball and let that be the first we all see of the decorations. Did we see Lady Danbury prepare for the huge conservatory ball in S2? Lady Trowbridge's ball in S1? All of Her Majesty's balls? No, so it was wasted screen-time.

Francesca's story was sweet, bless her, but also unnecessary detailed. Was it the autism angle they were trying to push forward? I'm all for it, but only when you have a series with more than 8 episodes. (God, I miss 22 episode series) Because she is still a side character in #Polin's book, no matter which way you turn it. At Francesca's wedding we had the whole vows scene and everything and the two LEADS!!!! were stealing glances at each other while standing behind the whole ass family. You're the leads, act like it! It felt like S1 and S2 with them being in the background.

We all know Bridgerton's known for taking liberties with the wardrobe. The tailored waists for Pen enhance her body beautifully, but Cressida's wardrobe is bordering… scratch that! has taken a 250 MPH free-fall, into ridiculousness. I also absolutely did not care for -seeing- the reasons behind Cressida claiming to be Whistledown. Should've just kept her as a bitch. That's what we enjoyed about her. Fine, you decided on that development for her character, so here's an idea. She was so chummy with Eloise. Could've just had her tell Eloise that she was being pressured by her parents to marry and then being send to the country to live with a horrid aunt. Wasted screen-time. You only have 8 episodes to work with for crying out loud.

And then there's the side character of all side-characters. Benedict. Didn't they make the very -deliberate- decision to push back Benedict and Sophie's story in favor of #Polin as S3? To then give me so much useless Bentilly sexy time; Time that could've easily been given to #Polin things. If you can make up stories about him being confused as to his sexuality, you can just as easily come up with new, none book, stories for the actual leads. Could've left everything they forced on us about Benedict for his actual season. What's gonna be left for his own season? Wasted screen-time. Should've made him absent, continue the art-school in the background, anything. I mean, an extended honeymoon for Kanthony instead of a forced story to have them onscreen. Do the bloody same for Benedict and focus on #Polin. Every time we saw Benedict, he was playing twister with Tilly and later with what's his name (don't even care) It's not relevant, it's wasted screen-time.

I'm gonna end my review (rant!) with one last thing.

Shallow kisses. Heck it's acting, so you don't have to shove your tongue down your co-actor's throat, but keep your lips open and hollow out your mouth to at least make us think you're playing tongue-twister. As soon as their lips touched, they closed their mouths and it became a fervent peck-fest. Like kissing air and practicing in front of a mirror. Yes, they look good kissing each other, but the kissing itself was bleh.

First kiss in part 1 was going the right direction and was pretty believable, but after that… shallow as f*ck. And to think they were supposed to be increasing in passion after that first kiss. All of them were closed-mouth pecks, I'm sorry. Was it the height-difference that didn't allow them to actually suck each other's face off? ---------------

I will not do a TL;DR, because if you skip this review/rant, you will not have missed anything. Have a great day people.

Yours truly, Venin Orchid (aka Lady Regency-nerd) PS: did anyone notice the nice touch at the end? The Whistledown Silhouetted lady on the top of the page had been changed to look more like Penelope. You're welcome <3

#polin #bridgerton #bridgerton s3 #kanthony #regency #bridgerton season 3 #bridgerton netflix #bridgerton season 3 spoilers

66 notes · View notes

mulders-too-large-shirt · 20 days ago

Text

s8 episode 1 “within” thoughts

did you hear the news? that we are soooo back?

i have so many questions and i am VERY excited. today, we meet a guy named john. john doggett, to be specific. i look forward to learning about him.

the episode description mentions the lone gunmen… is now when their show takes place? i don’t think i’ll watch it at the moment, but maybe someday down the road when i have more time. and i think it has a sad ending anyway, right? so maybe not watching it is the best move. even if i love my friends the gunmen. they can live happily ever after in my head.

seems like we will have a lot of scully and skinner time, which i am jumping for JOY about.

hmm, do you think they’ll change the intro…?

so many questions! let us begin!!

shaking with excitement slash fear slash anticipation… please do not let me down!!

(post-episode thoughts: RAHHHHHHHH. ahem. skinner and scully...

good episode. i don't care for this doggett fellow, but i have a feeling he'll have a redemption arc and i'll grow to like him, which is fine. wondering if the same can be said about kersh, because he seems TOO evil... there has to be more there. but! doggett had that glass of water to the face coming and i support scully losing it. SO MANY MORE THOUGHTS below... but those are the biggest ones i can think of right now!)

is my volume not working or is this really quiet…? i skipped a few minutes ahead to check, and i think my volume just isn’t working. okay, let’s try again.

is this a… well. i have a guess as to what we’re seeing, but i don’t wanna sound presumptuous. baby?

AUGH, mulder and the goop!

ohh!! scully having a nightmare :( of mulder and the goop… is she still in the hospital?? free her!!

woah. that was the whole pre-intro scene. that has to be a record. it lasted, like, 20 whole seconds. they had to get to the good part, i guess.

UPDATED INTRO PICTURES???? WHAT THE HELL???

AND THE NEW GUY IS HERE: his name is robert patrick. those are both first names.

i’m so gagged... i never thought those pictures would change, LMAO. maybe that is why people don’t like this season: change.

and the visuals are all different, too! oh, we see a picture of a baby for real this time. mulder is falling!!! an eyeball!!! the truth is out there, bitch!!!

well, that is a LOT to handle, all things considered. i don’t think i’ll ever quite get used to that. which is probably okay. but trust that the truth is still out there. that fact remains eternal.

PREVIOUSLY ON THE X FILES...

and the audio isn’t syncing with their lips!! why must i suffer??

okay, everyone is recapped. scully is here. staring into a mirror. she looks beautiful. however, i do not think she is okay. she stops staring. buttons up her jacket. emphasis on her necklace. and heads to work.

GOD. it’s slow and i’m sad. i am very sad. she just looks so…. out of it. is she walking to the basement? yes. and a guy is down here. with other people. why are they going through all their stuff?? oh, she is MAD!!

they are collecting material for anything that might be pertinent to the manhunt!!!

OHHH, NO ONE TOLD HER….. “if you’re looking for mulder, you’re wasting your time. are you listening to me?” <- ohhh, what is she thinking?? has she given up?? or is it more about the methodology?

OH, SHE SAYS IT IS A STUPID IDEA AND ASKS WHO CAME UP WITH THIS…. she bursts into skinner's office while he is on the phone!!! he is saying that someone could have had the courtesy to tell him. did he not know either?

skinner declares that the manhunt was NOT his idea!!! OH, he says that he told her last night he will find mulder… so this is one day after the events of the last episode. oh my gooood. it’s all so new. but she thinks they will not find him this way. hmm…

i mean, when scully was taken, she was just kind of… brought back to that hospital. i don’t think having a lookout team is a BAD idea, but yeah, they’re not gonna find him by going through all of their stuff and sending out a battalion.

but i guess when scully came back, it was the government who took her and not the aliens. or maybe they were working together. this seems like a rogue alien operation, though, so the odds of him being returned in the same fashion seem much slimmer. but who knows?

also… pain that she says they’re going through “mulder’s office”. not shared anymore. damn.

OH GOD, HE SAYS HE DOESN’T WANT HER TO DO ANYTHING TO UPSET HER PREGNANCY, OH GOD… i knew he would be overprotective. falls to my knees and starts weeping.

but she is not having it. she wants to know who tf is going over his head? “our brand new deputy director” <- OHHHH??? KERSH!!!!

the way this happened over night... someone high up in the syndicate is pulling some strings...

what does he care to find mulder?? he hates the guy?? he was working for CSM!! well, maybe he wasn’t… we just saw him in a meeting with him once. i guess skinner has had meetings with him, too. he may have been very mean in s6... but maybe he is secretly a good guy??

so they go in to see him. he doesn’t want to waste any time. they are missing one of their own.

he thanks them for their cooperation. scully implies he thinks they are suspects. and kersh says he wants their statement taken by a guy named doggett, who is the task force leader on this mission.

they start to leave and he says “one more thing”… oh, what now… “anything leaves this building about aliens or alien abductions or any other nonsense that might cast the bureau in a ridiculous light- and you can forget about looking for agent mulder. you’ll both be looking for new jobs” HUH?!?! WELL.

uh. um. not beating the bad guy allegations.

i hope kersh has a character arc. i guess we'll see. i wanna know why he is Like That.

“that‘s all” he says, very meryl streep as miranda priestly, while a furious skinner and scully walk out the door

“why do i get the feeling they’d be happy if we never found him at all?” OHHH…. they think it’s just about covering the FBI… skinner declares that he saw what he saw, and he will speak his truth. “you give them the truth, and they’ll hang you with it”, says scully. “they can hang me with a lie, too” OH…. a man of character.

but scully asks “what good are you to mulder if you give them the power to ruin your career?” ohhh… such a hard situation… neither of them are wrong… we need to meet this doggett fellow and decide what the best course of action is…. see if he can handle The Truth...

she says they will find mulder. and then they go into the room to give their statements. a guy takes skinner back and tells scully to wait until they call her. it is a very busy room.

she sits down next to someone. but pointedly avoids the person. lmao. turn your whole body away, queen. i see you! alas, he is looking at her. is this doggett? well, whoever it is, he walks away.

oh. this mystery fellow gets her some water. saying it could be a wait. well, that is kind at least. she says thank you and takes it.

“aren’t you his partner? mulder?” “yes.” she doesn’t wanna talk about this right now, man with a deep and raspy voice. “i guess nobody’s beyond suspicion on this thing” (scully glare)

she asks why they’re questioning him, and he says he knew mulder back a bit. “i doubt we agents ever truly know each other- even our partners” <- girl, you can take your doubt all the way to the bank... these two have a soul bond. this bitch...

she says she knows mulder as much as anybody. “yeah, probably so. i always took the rumors with a grain of salt” “what rumors are those?” oh girl…. “well, you know” (she looks at him, seeming to Not Know) “well that, from the beginning, he never felt a real trust with you, that you were ambitious”

well, yeah, maybe at the beginning he felt that way, but it didn't last long?? i must confess, though, i thought he was going to bring up the rumors of them sleeping together to her face. maybe he was and he had to stop himself.

she is so taken aback she nearly laughs. “where’d that come from?” “there are women here in the bureau that he would confide in” (puzzled scully look)

OH?

nah, i don’t buy it. whoever this guy is, he is just trying to make her suspicious.

she asks when that was and he says “oh, it’s just talk” <- boy, shut the fuck up……

he asks what her theory is. “my theory is you don’t know mulder at all” GET HIS ASS! “you never did”

OH, THIS BITCH IS DOGGETT? she reached over and grabbed his badge. she was MAD AS FUCK!!!

not so sure if i am excited to meet him now…

“you might have introduced yourself” “i was getting around to it”

she stands up and THROWS HER DRINK ON HIM, LMAOOOO “nice to meet you, agent doggett” <- GET HIS ASS!!!

skinner sees this happen and she stalks out.

well. we’re off on a great start with our newest character who we can definitely trust!!1!1!!

he watches her leave. seeming impressed. GOOD. HE OUGHT TO BE.

ah, typically calm and composed and cool scully, throwing her drink on someone she just met... yelling at those guys down in the basement office... she is going through it. she is going to be in attack mode until she gets her man back. i support her, but i hope she doesn't go too far and get herself in trouble.

she looks doggett's ass up at home... lmao!!! and wouldn’t you!? he is from georgia… his middle name is jay… scully has flowers in her apartment. he was in the marine corps and a peacekeeping force in lebanon. and then he was in the NYPD as a detective and then has been with the FBI since 1995.

ohhhh, poor scully gets sick :( i know that is par for the course with pregnancy, but like!!! it still sucks. majorly. and she is so alone.

she calls someone. her mom!!! who doesn’t pick up. she says she has been busy with “something else that i should probably tell you about in person” oh god… her voice is breaking. “i really need to see you, and talk to you. there’s a lot of stuff that’s going on with me right now, and, um… i just really need to talk” OHHHH SCULLY :( i hope her mom can stop by.

so her mom must not know about mulder being gone or the other big thing... she is going to be so freaked out when she hears her daughter crying on the voicemail. hopefully she will buzz right up. hopefully there is no other scully family drama keeping her busy.

but there’s clicking on the phone line…. someone must be listening to her!!!!

and there’s a guy outside her window. she calls doggett and tells him to STAY OUT OF HER BUSINESS!!

(you really have to appreciate how scully is acting like an attack dog. or some sort of enraged lion. i only fear it will get her into bigger trouble.

it is giving me flashbacks to triangle- telling spender she WILL kill him... we only really get to see this side of her when mulder is taken away from her. but i have a feeling it will be Way More Extreme now since there is a lot more on the line)

is it the alien bounty hunter taking his shape outside her window?? because doggett doesn’t know what the hell is going on. which had me laughing.

no… there are steps outside her door…. she’s looking at her gun…. grabbing it… what if it’s a friend? whoever it is, they are gone… she runs out of her apartment… but she left her door open! where is she going??? who is out there??

ah! it’s her landlord. he says someone was in the building- “tall guy, brown hair” “you don’t mean mulder?” “yeah, mulder” she runs back up to her apartment!!! “mulder… are you in here??”

GOD. the sorrow in her voice. the way it bounces around the empty room. i need to scream a little.

she gasps… something on her desk…. a wire??? what is it!!! maybe it was byers leaving some sort of message??? idk if the landlord knows names….

(author's note: please keep me thinking that there was a wire left on her desk in the back of your mind as we proceed, because it will be really funny later)

she goes to mulder’s apartment. his desk is covered in dust. she is looking around…. and picks up a shirt from his bed. lays her head on his pillow. OH MY GOD. SHE FALLS ASLEEP???

oh my god...... she fell asleep IN HIS BED HOLDING HIS SHIRT…

guys... do you think i should scream really really loudly????

but more evil dreams… of tests and needles on his face and something up his nose???? like a nose ring. and whirring. they’re pulling his face and sticking something in his mouth?? and he’s screaming. NASTY.

but is it really happening? or are those memories of scully’s abduction coming back and with his face on top of them?

the gunmen are here, finally! with some data! they’re looking at UFO encounters from the pacific northwest, of which there are a LOT. but they can’t tell where the next one will be... much to skinner’s dismay.

doggett is coming into kersh’s office. we learn that kersh was in the air force in vietnam. kersh lore… not sure if i will like his character enough to do anything with it yet, but we’ll see. i guess. i once hated skinner.

doggett asks if he is really in charge of this task force. he says he doesn’t believe it… someone else is calling the shots. kersh tells him he has a chance to shine. “show them all you’re an ace”

doggett kinda looks like an 80's rockstar. a little too sharp and pretty for this line of work. it is slightly off-putting. he does seem like he bites.

ooo, that was a very loaded exchange... i wonder how they know each other and why kersh selected him as a puppet. i wonder if kersh thinks doggett will do whatever he says and then rise through the ranks as a result. he seemed to be genuinely friendly with him... or is it all a ruse?

but doggett is clearly catching on that he is part of something bigger here, and he seems to be indicating that he won't just go along with everything he is told to do... does he have a heart deep down?

doesn't make up for being rude AF to scully, though... he is gonna have to grovel at her feet over that. in my humble opinion.

oh, scully… waking up. in mulder’s bed. so she must have gone back again. with doggett in the room??! “what are you doing here?” “i came by to feed mulder’s fish” <- yes, a responsible friend!! and the parallels to the first episode of the second season...

“and then you got tired and decided to take a nap” yeah, well, maybe she did! her hair was all mussed up from the nap in one shot and in the next it was fixed, LMAO

at this point he HAS to realize what is going on between mulder and scully. like, i couldn't tell if she was holding his shirt again when she fell asleep this time, but come on. doggett cannot possibly consider her a suspect at this point. maybe he is just pointedly ignoring the obvious because he doesn't want scully to know he knows. it might be too painful to acknowledge it.

or maybe he really can't see it. but... c'mon now. he was a detective. which you do not have to be to see what they have.

she wants to know who tf wiretapped her!!! she demands respect... but he counters with, oh, like you showed me over the phone? “i just came by to feed the fish” he claims... ohhh…. they’re having a cat fight.

why does he know where the fish food is… bro was def poking around!!

he says he knows the answer… and she doesn't even know the question. of what happened to mulder. “i know what you’re gonna say or not, because you think i’m the big bad wolf. do you really believe it? that he was abducted by aliens?” “you said it, i didn’t”

“i guess i just find it hard to swallow that a scientist, a serious person, could buy that… ever see an alien, agent scully?” WHY IS HE SO NASTY?

“you want me to go on record? i will go on record to say this: that i have seen things that i cannot explain. i have observed phenomena that i cannot deny. and that as a scientist, and a serious person-“ oh, she is mad as fuck! “it is a badge of honor not to dismiss these things because someone thinks they’re B.S.”

okaaaay!!!! you live and you learn. and she’s been doing a lot of living and learning.

i’m just worried he’s going to provoke her into revealing something… she is so frustrated and scared at this point in time that it would be easier to do it now than ever before… she is usually so guarded and cautious…

“so you think he was abducted? i’m just trying to find him” “then what are you doing here?” “trying to figure these out” ooooh… he has car rental receipts. 370 miles, four consecutive weekends in may. she says she doesn’t know where he was going. “like i said, maybe you didn’t really know your partner” <- rude as fuck.

also... why did he rent a car? does he not have his own? then how did he get to work... i'm confused.

it's almost like he's implying she is just one of the many lovesick women mulder left behind and i Do Not Care For It. or maybe he was told by kersh to try and make her suspicious of him so they can come up with a bullshit reason for his disappearance- some sort of personal betrayal- and get her to buy it. which i cannot ever see happening.

he is interrupted by a phone call. “agent mulder at the FBI?” what is going on????

skinner gets called in…. scully is here, too… and he can’t talk to her.

someone removed some files. we don’t know what yet. used the pass card belonging to mulder. “you said agent mulder felt threatened by the FBI” “no. no, that’s not what i said. i said he felt the x-files were threatened by budget-cutting” <- OOO SKINNER, CATCH THEM IN THEIR LIES!!! they ask if he would ever retaliate.

they’re trying to find inconsistencies… scully said skinner was home, but he was allegedly making phone calls in the office until 10. they think he came in here… using mulder's pass card.

someone is whispering to doggett… she says skinner is telling the truth. he claims he believes it, but it doesn’t explain who used the card. and now mulder's visa was used two days ago in north carolina. buying flowers at at mortuary. but on a schedule, it seems.

“mulder’s mother is buried in raleigh. that’s the reason he was going every weekend”

“it’s one reason”

GIRL???? what other business is he implying is down there.

also very interesting that she is buried in raleigh. she wasn't from that area, was she? i swear she was born in massachusetts. so why down there?

and then they crack open a GRAVESTONE WITH HIS NAME ON IT??? are they suggesting he was buying his own grave??? oh, how the tables turn from abduction arc… she is crying as she stares at it.

people walk by her.

notably, samantha is also on the gravestone, listed as deceased in 1979. is this from CSM??? or is he actually dead, too? maybe it's a sick thing from krycek, then...

skinner comes in and joins the staring. “i don’t know what to think” “i don’t believe it, dana, it just doesn’t make any sense to me” OH... HE CALLED HER DANA…. is she going to allow this… it appears she shall

doggett declares he has some light on this and wants help from scully. he had mulder's medical records.

his brain… the records show lots of irregular brain activity. skinner argues he recovered from is illness. but scully says he was dying. that there was a record of his decline.

doggett thinks… “he took one big last chance to make it”

OH LMAOOO, I JUST NOW REALIZE THAT THE WIRE IN HER APARTMENT WAS WHERE HER COMPUTER WAS BECAUSE HE BROUGHT UP THAT BOTH OF THEIR COMPUTERS WERE STOLEN… I’M DYING!!! I FORGOT THAT COMPUTERS HAD WIRES BACK THEN AS I STREAM THIS ON MY LAPTOP!!! KILLLLLL ME LMAOOO... I WAS LIKE "OOOOH A WIRE!! MAYBE IT HAS A SECRET MESSAGE", BAHAHAAAAA

(i'm still fucking laughing at this the next day LMAO, what the fuck did i think was hidden in that wire...!!! i just kind of accepted it, like it was some early version of a hard drive, BAHAHAAAAA. i am the person you have to spell things out for when you are making TV shows i guess!)

doggett wants to know how far he would go. he says he gets obsession- interesting. tucking that away for future character analysis. would mulder stage his own disappearance?

skinner says he knows what he saw. he watched it happen. he will not sit there and listen to this. we get a little recap. but she reaches up and grabs his jacket. stands. looks at doggett. “please don’t report that” ohh... he must have confessed to doggett what he saw while we got to relive it.

he says it wouldn't help him find mulder anyway. also interesting.

she grabs skinner’s shoulder. but he says it’s not good enough. while doggett goes to make a phone call.

now skinner and the gunmen are looking at UFO activity. scully thinks it is a waste of time, but skinner insists it isn’t. the ship might be in the arizona desert. well! we have had experiences in the arizona desert before, haven’t we? i still think about those weird alien human hybrid bodies in the train car in the desert all the time. will that finally be addressed here? probably not...

“okay, say this is true-“ ah! she is doing her thing! i love when she does the thing where she suspends disbelief to follow the next logical step. “then how do we even begin to start finding him?”

langly suggests with who they might abduct next- “we’re only trying to help” “we’re only trying to find mulder” they say. scully turns- they must think they have upset her. and doggett said that too… and kersh said something similar… who can she believe?

but she realizes something. why they took him, why they’re in arizona. why do people refuse to believe in aliens? maybe they’re removing all the evidence. meanwhile, someone slides something under doggett’s door. she thinks they are the ones removing the things, not mulder.

what does doggett have?

they want to find the good hard proof… gibson!

WAHHH!! doggett has a file on gibson!!! is that where he ended up?? arizona??

omg… i look forward to their reunion. but who gave this file to doggett!

doggett declares to his task force that the objective in this case has been reframed… they’re laughing as doggett explains mulder thought gibson could read minds, might be part alien. maybe mulder left to look for him, he proposes. gibson was last seen in arizona. and they’re out. doggett wants to put gibson’s photo all over the southwest.

more creepy images of a UFO or mulder experiments or scully nightmares… all very unclear what is real and what isn’t. UGH, the tubes in his arms and legs…. more face pulling…. SLICEY THINGS… nah, i don’t want to see that. CUTTING HIS CHEST OPEN???

does she have some sort of connection to him that lets her see this stuff?

ah! it was just scully waking up from a nightmare. skinner is driving them somewhere. with his shirt mildly unbuttoned. oh… he needs navigation help. his little smile at her.

oh my gosh, i guess gibson was technically seen last in arizona… i guess i didn’t know the power plant was out there. i can't keep track of all the places they go. hmm.

ahhh! a helicopter is over their car. is doggett? yes, it is! they found gibson in a school for the deaf. and doggett is on the way. hmm… i don’t want doggett to get there… and he has a helicopter, so he will get there first… skinner and scully have stopped for gas or coffee or a map or something... and scully sees something in the distance… a mirage? or an alien thing?

skinner says there is a school in 20 minutes. meanwhile, the school is getting a phone call about him. doggett is pulling up…. it is gibson!!!

doggett gets there just as skinner and scully do! i started to type “mulder and scully”, which i imagine will be a hard habit to break.

gibson sees doggett… but the teachers want to know what is going on.

skinner and scully run into doggett!!! scully asks to see gibson so much more politely than doggett did, lmao. but the kid is on the run!!!

bro ran into somebody… but who?? we cannot see his face. doggett finds footprints…. that seem to lead into the mountains?

someone has him!! oh!! the little dude is growing up!!

OH SHIT!! someone has mulder’s body, but no way that is him. doggett has him at gunpoint…

dun dun DUN!!!

well. the next episode’s description reveals what is going on, but even if it didn’t i wouldn’t buy that it was really mulder for a second, LMAO.

so much to process…

let us think.

thoughts on doggett? don’t fully trust him, but i don’t fully distrust him. he might be kersh’s lapdog at the moment, but i don’t think he’ll stay that way. clearly he’s onto him, anyway, with the whole visit to his office thing. but i think he ought to be FUCKING NICER???? did kersh TELL him to be a dick on purpose?? i know he has some tragic backstory reveal later on, but other than that i do not know a damn THING about the guy. and so i expect kindness from him, as i do from all people.

so, mulder’s brain alien surgery thing was killing him? that… well, i was going to say that doesn’t make sense, but nothing on this show makes sense, so that helps nothing. i guess what i meant to say was that i didn’t see any signs of him slowly dying last season. was i supposed to? i would have bought it for season 6 with the way he was acting so weird, but by s7 he seemed mostly back to himself. and besides, the surgery was at the very start of s7 anyway, so that makes the s6 weirdness hard to explain. i guess the whole alien virus thing could have been why he was weird in s6, but it doesn’t fully explain anything… hmm.

i do not believe that he purchased his own gravestone. first of all, his father already has one, so why would he include him on there? is that a thing people do- put people who are not actually buried in the ground at that location on the headstone? and i don't think his father was buried in north carolina like his mother was, so having them together on there was an additional layer of weirdness. i guess i could MAYBE see him doing that if he really was dying, and really was traveling to north carolina to buy his own burial plot, but like... why north carolina and why include his family on there if his father is in an entirely different location? just because he wanted to honor them? the samantha part makes sense- he would always want to keep her with him- but the confidence with which the death year was placed also throws me off because we saw him admit that there really weren't answers in the last episode. it seems to me it is a nasty krycek trick to try and divert scully and skinner from their mission by making them think he is just dead and then he can claw his way into the upper ranks of alien diplomacy or something. idk. feels weird.

skinner… i trust him and the gunmen. GOD. when he said over and over again that he would report what he saw… and scully had to tell him no, that he can't help mulder if he gets fired. skinner was so often the guy that saves the day for our agents, and now we get to see him be in distress, which is perversely appealing to me. oh, and he SMILED at her when she woke up in the car… the way he was trying to explain his theory with the UFOs, trying to be gentle, but she just rejected it… him saying he doesn’t want anything to impact her… she's going to chafe at him being to gentle. i can already see it happening.

and the way she grabbed his jacket and put her arm on his shoulder. RAHHHH, i’m eating this UP!!! this is such a fascinating dynamic. i really hope they leave that joke about him being into her in that one episode, because that protective mentorship role is SO much more fascinating in my humble and correct opinion. there’s definitely affection and a deep respect there, but like... come on. not like that.

and poor scully. i have to say though, i wanted more scully character exploration. although, for this show, i guess we did get a lot, huh? with the phone call to her mom, the water on doggett, her conversations with skinner… yeah, i guess that was a lot. we don’t get a ton of long and quiet character rumination, even if i would really really like that, so i guess, for our standards, this was pretty good. i look forward to scully time. i really do. she seemed so shell shocked. i hope that the season isn’t just “where is mulder! where is mulder!” but also that people are asking "how are YOU scully, how can we help you", and then even if she answers with “bad”, i want some narrative focus because she is going through a LOT and her internal world has always been really interesting, but especially so now. i want to dive in. i’m assuming that those scenes of mulder are deep memories of her own abduction and not that she is somehow seeing him, but i guess we can’t rule that out, either. some sort of cosmic connection. via a baby that he might have fathered. it isn't super clear.

i hope we get to see maggie scully in the next episode when they come back from arizona :( she needs her family at this point in time. not bill tho... fuck bill fr fr.

the one time someone left me a nasty comment on this blog (not including that comical anon message, which i ought to bring back because it still makes me laugh) someone said “scully started believing in aliens the minute mulder left!” and to me… were we watching the same show? because s7 was to me all about scully opening herself up. i mean, come on, we’ve been exploring this concept since beyond the sea in s1. gibson saying she believes in s6 and is just afraid to admit it? same with that guy from tithonus? what about the whole episode theef? let’s be for real. this is not out of nowhere. this is a process of her coming to terms with her beliefs, famously not an easy thing to do! that feels like such a reductive take. people change over time.

i did feel a pang of loss for mulder time when i began to type "mulder and scully arrive at the scene" out of habit instead of "skinner and scully arrive at the scene", but then i got to thinking. and i'm not quite sure how to put the thoughts i am feeling into words, so bear with me. we have seen our friends mulder and scully go and investigate many cases together. a lot of those cases are very interesting, and the dynamic between them that is explored is the heart of the show.

but there have also been many episodes where our friends mulder and scully go to investigate a case that have been... anywhere from mildly disappointing to point-blank infuriating. we all remember the greatest hits- quagmire! wetwired! detour! memento mori! how the ghosts stole christmas! and it is true that there were, in fact, some absolute bangers. BUT. there were also a lot of mulder and scully investigate a case episodes that have been flops. who remembers trevor? or first person shooter? D.P.O.? heaven forbid, el mundo gira?

while we all love scully and mulder agent time, it has 1. never been very consistent in tone or quality, which leads to whiplash, and 2. there are a lot of forgettable scully and mulder agent time episodes, so to say that they are needed together for an episode to be good feels like an oversimplification, because there are plenty of episodes where they ARE together that are still BAD.

my point BEING in saying all of this: while i understand the nostalgia of wanting them back together, and i can imagine how much more intense it was while the show was airing, i think changing it up opens us to some really interesting character and narrative exploration that we probably would not have gotten otherwise. i understand that they were backed into a corner with contract stuff, and why people would get hostile at having mulder gone for a while, but frankly i find it to be an opportunity to go to new places, test out new things.

it is entirely possible i could regret my words and end up being an early seasons purist... but i'm not as inherently opposed to shaking it up a bit as others might be. which is surprising. i usually hate change!

that got pretty long, and i imagine that future posts will continue to do so as the plot fleshes out this doggett anti-hero but really i just want to focus on scully and skinner's dynamic. but, a good start to the season, and i look forward to what will come! hopefully i can still post around once a week!!! because i am excited!!

#woah. i said a lot of words.#well! it was a promising start and i look forward to seeing what happens next!#i wanna see scully rip and tear and shred and skinner try to hold her back and fail. that seems like something i would enjoy.#throw more water on people scully... i support you.#juni's x files liveblog #8x01 #the x files #txf

15 notes · View notes