#i just NEEDED to get this out

[pequins]

AUUUUFHHGEHEB!!/&/92&1):?3!??&/!

[matsunoluvr]

i need to see sylus cry like not in a hot way as in i need to see this man bawling, heart broken, tears streaming as he begs for something. maybe MC dies and he’s sent into a flurry of emotions, losing track of time & drinking excessively, mumbling incoherent pleas to anyone, anything for his love back. i need his voice wobbling and cracking as he falls into a pit of despair i need angst right now.

[dynamic-power]

Steve and Eddie meet accidentally at the quarry one night in 1984. It's well past midnight, and Steve is sleeping in his Beemer (because his nightmares keep waking his parents) when Munson's van rolls up.

Eddie's bloodied up pretty good, thanks to Tommy and Billy, and Steve, who was recently concussed by a dinner plate and Billy Hargrove, helps clean him up. They talk. And when Eddie decides it's time to go home and face his uncle, they leave on amicable terms. They aren't friends, exactly, but steve feels like they understand one another.

Then it keeps happening. Steve keeps coming to sleep at the quarry, and Eddie keeps finding him there. The first few times, he's got excuses. He got locked out, his uncle had someone over, he wanted some fresh air. But Steve becomes more and more sure that Eddie is there for him.

After a couple weeks, Steve's parents leave again, and Steve starts sleeping at his own house, and he and Eddie still see each other because they are friends now.

By the time New Years 1985 comes around, Eddie is a fixture in Steve's living room.

By graduation, Steve realizes he might actually be a little into Eddie.

He takes it in stride. Weirder things have happened, Steve's attraction to Eddie Munson isn't even top three.

But then Eddie kisses him. And it becomes a problem because Steve never wants to stop kissing him.

Steve's coworker, Robin Buckley, catches them making out in the back at the end of June, but that doesn't matter because Henderson is catching bits of Russian code and Buckley is cracking it and those Russians are right under their feet and then there is a monster trying to bring them all down.

After the "mall fire," Steve drives himself home in his ruined uniform, covered in his own blood and still a little dizzy from what he's sure is a concussion. He pulls into his driveway and begins to cry in relief when he spots Eddie pacing his front porch.

Eddie pulls him gently from the car and wraps Steve up in his arms. He cleans Steve up and doesn't leave his side even as Steve tells him everything, NDAs be damned, and Eddie listens and doesn't run when Steve is finished. He believes him, no questions asked, and Steve realizes he doesn't just love Eddie, he's in love with Eddie.

And so Steve goes into the rest of the year with a boyfriend and a new best friend, and despite everything, a new sense of optimism.

Until, of course, the spring of 1986.

After spring break, Steve finds himself at the quarry, sleeping in the Beemer because his nightmares are waking his parents.

His nightmares in which Eddie dies in front of him, over and over and over and-

[dystopia-incognito]

Forgive me Tumblr, for I have sinned.

And oh, btw, I might've written a fanfic as well. 👉👈

(please, for the love of everything, let the tags be a warning, okay?)

[lolotr]

I'm genuinely devastated about DBD being canceled. but more than that, I'm ANGRY.

what's the plan, Netflix? you're mad that new people aren't signing up because you're so ubiquitous that everyone on earth who wants an account already has one, so instead of focusing on retaining your current viewers, you piss them off? snap up cool projects so other networks can't have them and then cancel them after a single season? how is this a good business model in the short OR long term?

I will not be giving them my money or my eyeballs anymore. and maybe they will use that as evidence that they shouldn't make any more queer shows. maybe they will use that as an excuse to cancel them. but if a good show with thousands of dedicated fans doesn't merit a second season, I don't trust them with future projects.

[luvnami]

office!au ushijima who works in sales

before an important meeting, you rush into the office. your hair is sticking up in the back and your shirt is untucked - but you make it into the meeting, anyway.

ushijima realises that your hair is a mess. he doesn't say anything, even though the clients give you a funny look. you close the deal and that's what matters the most. post-meeting, you check your appearance in your front camera and your heart falls when you see the birds nest on your head.

"ushijima-san!" you protest, turning to him with an accusing glare. "you didn't tell me i looked so bad!"

he pauses from typing out an email and looks up at you with an impassive face. "i wasn't aware i was supposed to."

he returns to tapping away on his keyboard while your blood boils.

the second time ushijima catches you with your hair out of place is at the end of year christmas dinner. he has a plastic cup in one hand and a santa hat askew on his head (tendou had plonked it on and ushijima hadn't bothered to remove it).

he taps you on your shoulder. you spin around, eyes widening at the tall, imposing man that looms before you. he motions to a part of his head, mirroring a piece of hair that's escaped your updo.

"your hair," he deadpans.

"oh!" your hand flies up to touch it. "thank you, ushijima-san."

he nods seriously and returns to get himself a second cup of corn soup. next to you, semi snorts.

the third time, it's when you run to catch up with him in the elevator. the doors inch shut until ushijima politely punches the 'open' button.

"you have a habit of running late," he observes.

you slide in next to him, panting and leaning back against the cool metal wall as you catch your breath. "shut the fuck up."

he wrinkles his nose, then tells you your hair is matted to your sweaty forehead. you tell him to shut up for the second time.

the fourth time, it's before a meeting in another city. the fifth, it's on your first date that drenches the both of you in a sudden downpour. the sixth, the seventh, the eighth, the nth.

ushijima buys an extra set of your haircare supplies for you when you stayover at his apartment. he learns your favourite styles, listens intently when you ramble on about sulphates and silicones, googles how each comb has a different purpose.

"come here," he says softly.

it's a perfect day. cottony clouds float aimlessly through the blue sky and the sunlight frames ushijima in rays of white gold.

you step forward. he's wearing a navy suit you picked out together, with a flower pinned to his breast pocket. he pushes back a stray lock of hair from your cheek. you breathe in the scent of his cologne on his wrist and your heart skips a beat when your eyes meet.

"you look beautiful."

"you look very charming yourself, wakatoshi."

the crowd aws and your face heats up, but ushijima's gentle smile never leaves his face.

the officiator clears their throat, then reads off their script. "do you take ushijima wakatoshi to be your lawfully wedded husband?"

you clutch the bouquet of flowers in your hand. a passing breeze tousles your hair and ushijima swallows thickly.

"i do."

[slothpower-central]

I NOTICED SOMETHING AGAIN

Hai hello hai it's me the annoying bitch who won't shut the fuck up about Hong Lu I just noticed something in Hong Lu's new Lasso corrosion and uhm I haven't seen anyone point this out yet (Haven't played part 2 yet so I haven't actually seen anyone's posts so sorry if this has been mentioned already!) so I will! In the corrosion, the horse reigns turn into what looks like a noose...I circled it so you can really see it (ignore my Sona in the corner saying Whu-Oh I doodled that for my sanity)

Now before you ask, I checked Faust's corrosion too, She doesn't have this, it's only in Hong Lu's, the horse reigns are normal

So uhm have fun with that I suppose

[theclownghoul]

Arcane Season 2 has me messed up and not in a good way

It’s actually breaking my heart that I don’t love this show anymore.

I don’t want to hate it, there’s pieces I love but there’s also pieces I hate. Act l had me in such high hopes and then it stuttered then crashed and burned.

I just feel so disappointed with so many parts of it. Actively angry at others.

There are some moments that I loved that had me feeling the same high as the first season but every time I thought things would develop better they didn’t.

I think I’m only really happy with Ekko and I was worried about him for much of the season. As an Ekko and Jinx shipper I was pleased with most of their story but the way they ended Jinx’s story undermined the importance of their talk so…

Honestly I would trade all the ship stuff for a proper story arc for Vi, Jinx, Cait and the rest

I saw the signs for Vi as soon as her pit fighter arc didn’t extend passed the promo clips. I kept waiting to delve into her issues but that never came.

Jinx was done so dirty. And this was something I prayed wouldn’t happen. She’s so personal to me in ways that would take too long to go into here. I had high hopes for her, especially after Isha and her starting to move forward, I knew it wouldn’t last but I knew (hoped) it would be interesting. I fully expected Isha to die but the way it happened was so weird?? The scene itself felt like it was manipulating me which is something I hate with a passion.

Likewise I expected her to relapse into suicidality after that and I had suspected that the scene with Ekko would happen. Her scene with Vi beforehand hurt in a good way and I wanted to watch as she hit rock bottom then clawed her way back as she started to mend the broken relationships in her life.

The thing that finally set me off was her hair. I thought she would cut it after she decided to live, as a show a change but before was just so cliché (it did look cute but don’t go trying to distract me)

I really didn’t want people blaming Vi for Jinx running off to try to end herself again. And I didn’t, even though I knew something was wrong about the way the scene played out and lead into the sex scene. I knew something was wrong I was just hoping that I was wrong.

I was so looking forward to the CaitVi sex scene, since King Princess was revealed for the soundtrack. Hoping her and Cait would have a real ass conversation, a hard conversation and then get that moment together but it just felt wrong. I wanted to love it but I didn’t. As a King Princess fan I was so excited but all I feel now is at best apathy and at worst anger. The more I read from lesbians in the fandom and those that care for Vi how I care for Jinx the worse I feel.

Briefly let’s talk about Cait. I was interested in her arc after Act l. Messy it would be and a long road back for sure but I had hope. She was done dirty too.

Back to Jinx…. What the fuck was that ending? Her “sacrifice” felt so similar to her fights with Vi (Act l) and Ekko (S1) where she was going to let herself die. No growth from the rest of the season, that’s how they left us, that’s what they did to a character that they did so beautifully in S1. I don’t care if she’s alive, that’s not a fucking ending.

(Apologies for continuing to bring up my predictions. I just think it’s funny how my thoughts make more sense than what we got)

I didn’t mind the idea of her sacrificing herself for Vi, Arcane is a tragedy after all. Her being the one to protect her sister in the end not because she thought Vi was better off without her but because Vi protects everyone and her sister can help now would have been great.

But that ending rubbed me wrong in every way.

The story of these sisters meant everything to me and what a fool we all were to think it was in competent hands. Like seriously I can’t believe this is the same writing team.

All of us went in with high hopes and then had those hopes crushed.

I’ve seen so many people who were excited to react and analyze go radio silent after Act ll and I hope they stay that way. I’d love to change my mind but I don’t think I can. I don’t think there’s any coming back.

I wanted to take the good moments and leave it alone but I keep feeling the disappointment because the show’s first season left a mark on me that I’ll treasure forever and I can’t let go. I still have so many feelings about this. Piltover and Zaun, Victor and Jayce, Mel and Ambessa, admittedly not my area of expertise but safe to say they all deserved better and we deserved better.

I would say it felt like a fanfic but I know fans have more grace and respect for this story.

This is not the tragedy I signed up for.

[luniluvia]

Do you know this feeling where you start doubting your own oc and their story? When you think that, maybe, it is a bunch of nonsense you should keep for yourself? That's happening to me right now and I hate that x_x

I feel like a new kid who doesn't dare to play with the others cuz my toys aren't cool enough.

[iwritenarrativesandstuff]

Ok so now that I've spent some time thinking about the whole "Chuuya was never a vampire" twist, I... still don't like it. For many reasons.

Here's my explanation; if you want to read it, please do. I strive to be fair. I want to wait for the manga release before making a verdict on whether it's bad writing or not, and I also want to see the start of next arc to see where they're going with all this.

If you don't want to read it, and you're having fun with the twist (it is funny. I will admit that much), then skip this and keep having fun! I don't want to ruin anyone's enjoyment.

First of all. It makes no sense. There are things that just do not add up. There was never an indication this was a possibility.

Bro. Did you put on costume makeup for the texture under your eyes? Did it wash off after nearly getting drowned and you had to frantically reapply it behind Fyodor's back and that's why we couldn't see your face for several chapters. Did you take it off again for your dramatic reveal here at the end? I demand smeared undereye makeup Chuuya in the manga when it releases hbfsdjhbfv

Ok this was more a joke. But here's what really irks me.

From what I can recall, this is. True. He needs to have made contact to manipulate gravity. It's also re-established in this very arc.

Great. So how the fuck did he slow the elevator? He was with Fyodor in a separate room! This makes no sense. Did he leave to stop the elevator and Fyodor was like "oh chill. ok come back soon"??? What?!

Here's another thing I want to address:

@ticklinglady I had this same question. However, on thinking on it again, I do have an answer that makes sense - they had to buy time for Sigma to use his ability on Fyodor, to gain knowledge on him about what he knows, and what his ability is. <-I feel confident in saying this is going to be important later. Sigma will still have a role to play and we will find out more about Fyodor!

Alright. Moving on to the themes, and why this also doesn't work (at least for me).

The theme in this arc is very much to do with the contrast between trust vs control. This is Fyodor's failing when it came to Dazai, and it is established very early on as the major contrast between them, in the Sky Casino arc. The vampires, though it seemed silly and random, fit nicely into that theming. And the conclusion, where Dazai showed extreme faith in Sigma and the Agency members (and what an interesting contrast that is; to have someone show faith in ordinary humans when his foil is a man who has faith in god but not humanity), that fits into that theming also. Ok, so this was an extension of that right? Showing faith in Chuuya, as always.

Yeah, no. I want to direct your attention back to this here.

This line is the one that had everyone going "oh man skk is going to fuck you up for that". I made an entire analysis back when this chapter first came out about the themes that we saw, and Fyodor's utter devaluing of the effectiveness of people beyond just their skills and abilities (it's here, if you're curious). This is why I suspected that, since Dazai and Fyodor are intellectually matched, it would have to be Sigma and Chuuya to catch Fyodor off guard - because he only values what people can do, not who they are.

Well, we got a little with Sigma, before Fyodor took control of the situation again. (Rip buddy.) Sigma's tenacity and unwillingness to fall for Fyodor's manipulating him away from helping the Agency was based off his personal choice and free will. He managed to shoot him! Fyodor was reduced to a cheap trick to get close enough to stab him! There was a certain level of payoff.

But Chuuya? I want you to think for a second. What did he actually do? Not a single part of this was Chuuya's idea. It was Mori's - he was at the very least sent undercover under orders, if not sent to Meursault under orders. He didn't even glue his own fangs in apparently. Now let's go over what he did. Why was it so necessary that it be Chuuya there? Well, obviously because gravity manipulation was needed to slow the elevator and the bullet. Oh... hm. So. His ability. Was what was needed, huh?

But it was necessary for it to be Chuuya because of the bond between him and Dazai, right? Oh. Wait. So, Chuuya's personality and goals don't matter - only his ability to read Dazai.

This twist makes it so Chuuya as a person doesn't actually throw a wrench into Fyodor's plans at all. All that matters is that he is Mori's executive and Dazai's partner. I guess he was "utilized" after all. I thought, with his characterization in Fifteen and Stormbringer, that we were moving away from this characterization of Chuuya only by his bond with Dazai. Do you want to scream.

You might be saying, okay, but at the very least it showed the depths of Double Black's bond! ...did it? Not really, at least not to me. The only impressive part of any of this was Mori's preparedness. This was barely an skk plan. It was a Mori plan. Double Black placing their lives in each other's hands is a Tuesday for them. This is nothing we didn't already know. And truthfully, it goes nowhere near the level of sheer trust we saw in Dead Apple. Mori sent Chuuya in sure, but it was only after everything settled down that he realized that Mori suspected Dazai would need help. Before that point, it seemed everyone thought Dazai was dead except Chuuya. Chuuya chose to jump out of that plane. Chuuya chose to risk his life. It showcased his personality, his free agency, and the level of trust they had far, far better. And it was emotionally satisfying! Dazai was extremely grateful that his trust paid off! Chuuya was somewhat conscious during Corruption, enough to weaken his own punch and shout Dazai's name! Dazai prevented Chuuya from having his ability be separated from him by the fog! They are an unbeatable team... but they were still left exhausted, and had to rely only on each other. How does what happened in this latest episode compare to that in a way that makes me believe they've actually outmaneuvered Fyodor?

Listen. I'll take twists that don't really have a great build up if they further the themes or character development, or it just makes for good drama. There's an interesting pay off, at least, so I say "okay, okay. Could've been done better, but I'll let it slide for the intrigue." But here? Nothing. It was boring. Are you bored.

Anime watchers were probably more fine with it. Maybe it was a little disappointing, but oh well. But manga readers have been having this plot dragged out for years. A lot of said fans (including myself) were excited to see Chuuya become main series relevant and receive present day development - and it seemed like we were going to get that with the recent publication of not one, but two Chuuya backstory novels, and the drama of this arc pitting Dazai and Chuuya against each other. Instead, this did absolutely nothing of interest for his character. Why was he even here?

Which brings me to the last point, which is the characterization.

Going back and re-reading this entire arc now, it becomes one big stage performance. Ok, fine, it's a little funny. But now there's hardly anything of value to these interactions. The only ones that actually matter are Fyodor and Sigma, and Fyodor and Nikolai. All that buildup to drama between Double Black, to another incredible display of trust, to something shifting and changing from the status quo... all that build up, and nothing has changed for Chuuya, or for Double Black. The show of trust wasn't even that dramatic really. Are you bored still.

This also weakens Fyodor's character to me. Fyodor witnessed their incredible show of trust in Dead Apple. I assumed he was prepared for skk-typical bullshittery, you know, being a genius on par if not greater than Dazai. You're telling me he was so overconfident he completely missed that Chuuya wasn't a vampire? Really? Fyodor really had nothing in place that would verify whether the vampires were actually under control? He wasn't constantly checking for a plan? It really was just red eyes and fangs, and he thought that was fine? That's it? Ok.

Truthfully, I was kind of :| about several of the preceding twists in the Meursault arc, particularly the dagger Fyodor pulled out when he started acting to Sigma, and the door railing being preemptively crushed by Chuuya before the drowning started. The dagger was actually ornate in the manga, which raised several questions - it couldn't have come from a guard. It made me think there was more to that interaction than just Fyodor pretends to have a split personality and that there was actually something to that knife. Well, it was made to be a regular knife in the anime, so I guess theorizing across those lines are dashed.

What bothered me the most though was the crumpling of the rail to stop the door from completely closing. There was no indication of this in the manga. None. No one could've predicted that - because it's stupid. The water filled so fast it couldn't get out of the crack in the door, even though it was huge??? Dazai was in the control room - you're telling me that there was no security camera focused on the door??? You know, where you would position a security camera??? It was dumb to me, but I was willing to roll my eyes and move on because I was expecting a good payoff to all this, and well, it was funny.

But now, the whole arc is one extended joke skk were playing on Fyodor. And you're telling me that's how our major antagonist goes out? Our major antagonist of several arcs? Be for fucking real.

And depending on when Dazai figured it out, it may even cheapen earlier scenes. If he found out after the elevator slowed like people have been theorizing, I could accept that. That's fine. But I need people to recall: in the actual episode he states "it was all an act".

Is Dazai probably lying to save face? Sure. But as of this moment we actually have no evidence it wasn't an act from the beginning. Remember that Ango was communicating the whole time with Dazai. Remember that Mori was involved and helped Tanizaki and Kenji get to safety. It's entirely possible it was all premeditated.

One last suggestion: the plan name was "Good-bye" as suggested earlier. This means that even if Dazai didn't know from the beginning, he knew by the time of his speech to Chuuya as he was drowning.

This means that his whole scheme with Sigma was not an extremely dangerous, life-risking play on his part at all (@daz4i has gone to explain why this sacrificialism isn't good for a suicidal character, which I recommend reading, but nonetheless it was still notable characterization for Dazai). And what about this?

Even his own flashbacks and memories were, what? A lie? A performance? For whom? Not for Fyodor, that's for sure.

For us. The readers. For the people who are invested in these two and their dynamic. For the people who wanted development between them, because there are actually issues there that have not been resolved. People wanted Dazai to show real concern. Chuuya is still bitter, even if Dazai thinks everything is fine and the same since he left. There was a tease that we're going to get how Chuuya felt when Dazai left the Mafia at some point in the future. People were making angsty art and writing and getting really excited because all the prior interactions had appeared to be set up for the payoff of this drama.

We get an introduction in the dungeon. We reveal their partnership and fearsome reputation during the Lovecraft fight. They perform flawlessly in Dead Apple. Throughout all this, they need no communication. They read each other and respond in tandem, always... but there's still an underlying tension in the way they do not talk to each other. I, and many others, had thought the prison escape arc was the breaking point for some development, since their prior appearances were all meant to establish them as a team, and this arc dealt heavily with the breaking of established things.

But no. Deus ex skk is perfect. They have no issues or flaws. Do you want to scream again.

Anyways. I recognize I'm probably just very disappointed right now and by tomorrow, I probably won't care anymore and will just roll with it. I think I was extra disappointed because while I tempered my expectations for, say, Yosano and Kyouka's involvement (sigh...), I fully expected skk would be handled well, being the fandom faves and where the money is at, so I guess I took the disappointment that much harder.

However, I'm eager to see how the manga tackles the ending, and if we will get any extra cues or better pacing there that may make me not quite so bitter. If it's any consolation, I do think we'll be getting Chuuya focus at some point in a future arc, and while I do think Fyodor is dead, I doubt he will have stopped haunting the narrative. He'll be back in some capacity. I'm pretty certain he's still the mastermind.

And I'm curious about the next arc and what's happening there. Maybe some things will be revealed later that will help smooth out the flaws here.

[pequins]

everyday i wake up craving schlatts thick, meaty cock in my holes

and everyday i am disappointed

[error04landonotfound]

One last thing before I take a break from things for a few days:

"Lol [Insert driver here] doesn't see my hate comments!! Quit being a crybaby!" is a shitty way to try and excuse your trashy and vile behavior. Btw, they do see your comments. How do we know, you ask?

Because we saw Lando liking some of them for reasons we will never know. And it's not just Lando. Esteban Ocon saw them. And I'm sure Lewis, Max, and Seb all saw the ones about them, too.

The beauty and horror of the internet is that people do see the shit you post because you're so unbelievably comfortable posting it everywhere. You hide behind a screen posting vitriolic hate directed at these drivers, and for what? A small moment of satisfaction because you think you absolutely owned somebody online?

What a sad life you must live; to feel the need to spread hate everywhere you go, just because you can.

At this point, I'm just sorry for you.

[nell0-0]

I hate being stared at while people whisper obviously about something related to me. At least try to be subtle, fools. I have to deal with that enough at work where my coworker clocked me as neurodivergent from day 1 and has, thus, made it his mission to push boundaries and mess with me.

See, this is why I prefer staying at home thinking/drawing/writing blorbo related stuff.

[missroller15]

warning tbona spoilers incoming !!!!

💗💕💞💖💕 appreciation post to stephanie garber for writing fmcs that can truly embrace their femininity without ever feeling ashamed, that her girls can wear the prettiest dresses in the world and have the most courageous kind souls but would fight to the death for those they loved.

appreciation for her fmcs that aren’t perfect, that are absolutely flawed in unique ways but grow over the course of the books, that openly LOVE love! that love isn’t frowned upon, that it plays such a vital part at the core of her stories. the fmcs fight for love and for the people they care about. they make messy messy choices but they learn.

they have different dreams, different hea endings!! and i love how thats narratively absolutely okay !!!! how each girl’s happily ever after is unique to them and appreciated and validated !!! scarlett always wanted her kingdom and she found her perfect flirty prince in the end like she wanted !!! tella wanted the adventures, to always see the world and have her right hand man right there to experience that with her and she got it !!! eva wanted her true love, she wanted to be someone’s everything, to have a love powerful enough to break curses and she deserves that, she has it she found someone who reversed time FOR her !!!

but what i’m saying is: every girl’s dreams and hopes and happily ever afters are different but that doesn’t make one superior to the others. their femininity isn’t seen as a bad thing, their kindness or selflessness or feeling such a wide range of emotions from rage to fear to heartbreak/sadness isn’t seen as weak. its so refreshing to see books like this. i’m a hopelessly romantic girl so to see that makes me so feel understood, so represented and inspired !! it makes me feel hopeful personally. anyways, stan stephanie !!! stan her fmcs !!! 💘💕💞💗💕

[pheroyyay]

literally cannot stop thinking about dan's undereye freckles they are absorbing me every waking moment. whenever i try to watch a recent video my eyes are tracking them and them alone. ily dan's undereye freckles.

[megsiepoo]

Promise

Finlay sat impatiently inside Drill Ops, riding the small high of success. It had been a slim chance, but by God, Brodie's plan had worked. The Beira D, while still a collapsing pile of shite, was floating freely in the water and the threat of drowning from the sinking rig was, at least temporarily, postponed. The only thing to do now was to wait for Caz and Brodie to return so they could figure out a way to get the hell off the vessel.

A part of her still wondered if they were making the right choice. She knew in her heart that it would spell disaster is that thing managed to spread, and she was always right. But Brodie had done his damndest to quell her fears, and with their newest endeavor going smoothly, perhaps it was OK to allow herself to believe. After all, hadn't they been through enough already? Someone with more artillery and training could take care of the beast, the navy or whatever; she just wanted to get home and see her son again.

The howls of those who'd been changed echoed in the distant darkness sending a chill down Finlay's spine. She felt awful for the poor bastards; most of them had been good friends on this miserable heap of junk. But there was nothing that could be done for them. It was a bloody miracle she was still alive at all, let alone that she had company. A pity that Roy's diabetes took him out, though morbid as it was, he got one of the easy deaths.

As her mind spun with thoughts, the phone rang, jolting her to attention. She sat up in her chair, every nerve on high alert as she reached forward. She hadn't expected one of the lads to call, but maybe one of them was just holed up hiding somewhere. She picked up the receiver and cradled it against her palm.

"Aye? Who is it?"

"It's Brodie. Finlay I-"

"The bloody hell are ya calling for? You should just about be here by now. Muir giving you trouble? Figured he was still roaming about somewhere."

"Finlay, I'm...," he paused, taking a deep breath. Dread crept up Finlay's spine, the quaver in his voice making her skin crawl.

"Brodie? What is it, what's wrong?"

"I'm not gonnae be making it back to you." Finlay's breath hitched, the receiver beginning to tremble in her hand.

"What do ya mean? Need someone to come get ya? If it's one of them bloody monsters I'll come tear em to pieces myself."

"I'm still in the pontoons. It's... it's already flooding in here. I can't make it through."

The pair fell silent as the gravity of the situation set in. Finlay had to admire Brodie; for a man whose death was only minutes away, he was remarkably calm. She, however, was not. Her grief already seemed insurmountable, but beneath it was a frothing rage.

"I told you this wouldnae bloody work," she growled into the phone.

"Hey now, don't be saying that," Brodie chastised. "You and Caz, you can still get away. I knew the risks coming down here, but hope isn't lost yet."

"And what happens when we do get away?!" Finlay roared. "We escape and then what? This thing gets back to land and kills everyone else? How far are we going to let this spread in the name of saving our own skins? Who's to say we'll find a way off this damn rig at all?"

"You have to try."

"Why?"

"Because otherwise, we all died for nothing. Otherwise, no one will know about any of this," Brodie stated. "Face it, Finlay, even if you blow that monster up and yourself along with it, there's no guarantee that'll kill it." Brodie's voice softened, taking a gentler, pleading edge.

"I may not be making it out of here, but you and Caz can. You're strong, you both are. He's gonna need you Finlay. Promise me you'll try, please? Promise me, promise you won't give up."

Finlay opened and closed her mouth a few times, fighting for words. She couldn't make that promise. Maybe sacrificing herself to roast that fucking creature wouldn't kill it, but she knew she needed to try. But that's not what Brodie needed to hear, not now.

"A-all right, Brodie. I'll... I'll try."

"Good," he hummed, relief evident in his tone. Then, "You'll stay, won't you?" he asked, his voice small like a frightened child's. "Y-ya won't leave he here alone, right? I'm... Christ, I'm terrified, I-" He took a shaky breath, fighting to steady his voice. Finlay didn't think her heart could break anymore than it already had, but somehow, it found a way.

"I'm right here, Brodie. I'm not going anywhere.

I promise."