#i love a good whodunit too

[displacer-beasts]

okay Eight Little Talons is my favorite of the stories so far

im in love with Viago and Teia. gooood i like their dynamic so much.

older man/younger woman where the man doesnt believe that she actually has feelings for him?? that scene when he's putting that serum on her lips and they have that lingering eye contact!!! when she rushes in to save him and finds him shirtless???? god this reads like a romance novel and i love it

also both master assassins!?!? god its so good

he names his goddamn anti adder serum "Up and Adder" what a fucking dork i adore him

[poirot]

anyone has book recs for me, I'm desperate (preferably less than 300 pages, no romance, no ya lit, nothing that includes torture scenes of any sort ; I like gothic fiction, classic child lit, classic lit in general, whodunits, i'm open to everything tho I say after asking for something very specific LOL)

[goblin-jr]

And then i go and spoil it all by saying something stupid like i love you. 

Part 11 of 12

Synopsis: whodunit? More like who’s not doing the most at the midsummers ball. A look into JJ’s head

Pairing: unrequited JJ x Reader, Eventual Rafe x Reader

Warnings: violence?

masterlist

—

JJ’s loafers clicked softly on the polished floor as he walked into the ballroom, the scent of expensive perfume and overripe fruit hanging heavy in the air. There was something about these events that always made him feel out of place. The Kooks thrived on it—this display of excess, of wealth that didn’t belong to them but was flaunted like some kind of badge. He hated it. And yet here he was, once again, a part of it. 

The Midsummer’s Ball wasn’t just any party. It was the party for the Kooks. Extravagant. Ridiculous. A display of everything they stood for—money, status, and an obnoxious level of entitlement. The country club ballroom glittered with chandeliers, fancy drinks, and a crowd of smug faces that made JJ want to roll his eyes every time someone walked by. If there was a competition for the most extravagant Kook event of the year, this would be the winner. He’d been here before, but it never got easier to stomach.

Tonight, though, there was a sense of something bigger hovering over him. Three things he had to keep in mind, three things that kept him from getting too lost in the sea of perfect hair and oversized smiles.

First, serve drinks. Get the tips. That part was easy enough. He could charm a few of the older women in the crowd, toss out a few sarcastic comments, make them laugh, and pocket a couple extra bills. If he was lucky, he'd avoid the worst of the Kooks' weirdness and maybe even walk out of here with a few hundred bucks. 

Second, keep John B safe. It wasn’t just the Kooks that bothered him. John B was—well, John B. He had no business being here, and everyone knew it. He didn’t belong in this world, no matter how much he tried to act like he did. JJ could already picture the way the Kooks will look at him—especially Topper, who will be practically frothing at the mouth when John B makes his first public appearance with Sarah tonight. Topper wasn’t the only one JJ was keeping an eye on. There were bound to be others, too, people who saw John B as the perfect punching bag. He wasn’t about to let that happen. Not tonight. 

And then there was Y/N. The third thing on his mind. Y/N was acting differently tonight. He couldn’t quite explain it—maybe it was the way her eyes were shining a little brighter than usual, or the way she kept smiling at random moments, like she knew some secret that made the whole night seem like a fairy tale. It pissed him off. That wasn’t like Y/N. She was always so... grounded. So real. But tonight? Tonight, she looked like she had everything figured out, like she was actually enjoying herself here. And that confused him. A lot.

He looked at her again as she walked beside him, the soft curve of her lips pulled into a smile. He didn’t return it, of course. Instead, he muttered something about the Kooks and their ridiculous champagne glasses, trying to make light of it, but deep down, he couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off. Something about her.

“You good?” he asked, trying to sound casual, but his tone was sharp. Too sharp. 

Y/N glanced at him, and for a moment, their eyes met. There was something in the way she looked at him, something that made his heart skip. She was... happy. Too happy. He hated it. 

“Yeah, I’m good,” she replied, her voice steady but a little too light. There it was again—that smile. That confidence. It was like she didn’t need to hide anymore. Like she was finally okay with being here, with all of this.

“Right,” JJ muttered, shoving his hands in his pockets as they walked further into the ballroom. “Can’t say I’m feeling the same. This place is a joke.”

She laughed softly, but it wasn’t the same kind of laugh she usually gave. It was lighter, almost... carefree. 

He didn’t get it. What changed? He'd known Y/N for years, had watched her go through every kind of mess, every kind of heartbreak, but she’d always had that edge to her, that guarded, "don’t mess with me" attitude. She didn’t belong here, just like John B. But tonight, she didn’t seem to care about that. And that made JJ feel... unsettled. 

As they reached the catering area, Pope was already elbow-deep in trays of untouched food, and JJ tossed him a lazy salute. Pope just sighed, his frustration clear even from across the room.

“You set up all this mess yourself?” JJ asked, raising an eyebrow at the absurdity of the spread. There was more food here than anyone could possibly eat, but that didn’t stop the Kooks from acting like it was some sort of prize.

“Do you ever stop complaining?” Pope shot back, adjusting a tray with a little more force than necessary. 

“Nope.” JJ grinned back, slipping into his usual easy sarcasm. “The food’s not the problem, Pope. It’s the fact that none of these assholes are even gonna care to finish it. They’ll drink their champagne and pretend to care about all this ‘fancy’ food, and then throw it all away when they’re done, just like everything else in this goddamn world.”

Pope didn’t bother responding. He just continued arranging the food like he didn’t care anymore, which, honestly, he probably didn’t. They both hated being here, surrounded by people who didn’t even see them as human, but the money was good, and the world had a way of forcing them to stay put. 

“Yeah, well, don’t forget that we’re all just here to make money,” Pope muttered, and JJ didn’t argue. Pope had long stopped pretending to like any of this. They all had.

JJ’s eyes flicked back to Y/N, still standing by the drink station, her body language more relaxed than he’d ever seen it. She wasn’t looking at him, wasn’t paying attention to him at all. She was too busy talking to some Kook girl about something—probably some stupid brand of perfume or a new designer bag, knowing them.

That smile, though. He couldn’t shake it. 

He knew he should focus on the job, on keeping John B safe, on avoiding the Kooks as much as possible. But Y/N? She was making it damn hard to do any of that. It wasn’t just the fact that she was so... different tonight. It was the look in her eyes which looks like she has everything figured out, the way she barely looked at him anymore.

That was the thing about Y/N. She had this way of getting under his skin, making him feel things he didn’t want to feel. Like jealousy. Or uncertainty. He hated it. But he couldn’t just ignore it. Not with the way she’d been acting, not when she seemed like she was in on some secret he wasn’t part of.

He shook his head, forcing himself to focus. 

Tonight was about John B. Tonight was about staying one step ahead of the Kooks, about making sure no one touched his best friend. 

But damn if that little voice in his head didn’t keep screaming What’s going on with Y/N?

—

The air in the ballroom was thick, suffocating, with the clinking of glasses and the hum of conversation surrounding him. JJ moved through the crowd with his usual swagger, but tonight, it felt different. Tonight, the weight of every Kook’s gaze seemed to land a little harder on his shoulders, and it wasn’t just because of the way they looked at him. It was the way they looked at her—Y/N. She was everywhere, serving drinks and refilling trays with that damn smile on her face, like she actually belonged here. 

He’d been trying to keep his head down, serve his drinks, and get through the night without getting caught up in the mess, but every time he glanced in her direction, he found his eyes locked on her. There was something about her tonight that rubbed him the wrong way. She was too damn happy. Too effortless, too easy with the Kooks, laughing at their stupid jokes, making conversation like she wasn’t the same Y/N who used to roll her eyes at every Kook in sight. He couldn’t figure it out. 

It wasn’t like Y/N didn’t deserve a little fun. Hell, she was always the one holding things together, making sure everyone else was alright. But this—this wasn’t her. Not the way she was acting. Not the way she was fitting in with them, letting them talk to her like she was one of them. JJ couldn’t stomach it. She wasn’t a part of their world, and for some reason, it hurt to see her acting like she was. 

As she passed by him, her tray of drinks balanced effortlessly in her hands, JJ’s eyes tracked her every move. He watched as she made her way over to a table of Kooks—glistening with their designer clothes and condescending grins. They were looking at her like they were interested. And that wasn’t something JJ was prepared to handle.

His chest tightened, a hot wave of jealousy gnawing at him. She handed drinks out with that damn smile still on her face, and that was when he saw him. Rafe. Of course. 

Rafe was leaning against the far side of a table, his signature smirk plastered on his face. When Y/N got close, he straightened up, his eyes locking onto hers with a predatory gleam that sent an uneasy shiver down JJ’s spine. As she handed him a drink, a small bracelet glittered on Rafe’s arm. Their fingers brushed as their hands met. But it wasn’t just a casual hand-off. It was too slow, too deliberate. And when their hands lingered for a second too long, JJ felt a surge of irritation. 

There was something in the way Rafe looked at her. It was... familler. JJ knew that look. He’d seen it before. It was the look Rafe reserved for people he was too close to—people he thought he had some kind of claim on. And the worst part? Y/N didn’t seem to register it. She didn’t seem to notice the way Rafe’s gaze followed her like a shadow, tracking her every move. JJ’s gut twisted. There was something off about this. And he needed to find out what.

He couldn’t let it slide. Not tonight.

He slipped through the crowd, his eyes never leaving her as he moved toward the bar area where she was. When he finally caught up with her, he tried to keep his voice light, to make it seem like he was just messing around, but the tension in his chest couldn’t be ignored. 

“Yo, is Rafe bothering you?” He kept his tone casual, but there was a sharp edge to his words.

Y/N barely looked at him when she responded, waving him off like it was nothing. “No, not at all, JJ. He’s fine.”

But there was something in the way she said it, something that didn’t sit right with him. Her voice was too soft, too dismissive. And the way she wasn’t meeting his eyes? That was another red flag. Something was wrong, and JJ didn’t like it. 

His fingers itched to pull her aside, to demand that she tell him what was going on. But he couldn’t. Not yet. 

Before he could press her, the doors of the ballroom swung open, and suddenly, the atmosphere shifted. The crowd’s murmur grew louder, more excited. JJ turned to see who had arrived, and his eyes narrowed when he saw them.

Sarah and John B. 

Sarah looked every bit the Kook she was, her smile dazzling, her confidence radiating from her. She had the whole place eating out of her hand, even without trying. But John B? His messy hair, that plain shirt—it was like a neon sign saying, I don’t belong here. JJ watched him shift uncomfortably under the weight of every Kook’s scrutinizing gaze, his eyes darting around the room as if he was looking for a way out.

The whispers started instantly, loud enough for JJ to catch a few snippets. 

“Is that John B?”

"Why is he here? Who invited the pogues?”

JJ’s jaw clenched as the cruel laughter followed. The Kooks weren’t just gossiping—they were tearing John B apart like he was some kind of freak show. And JJ wasn’t about to stand for it. His blood boiled, and he could feel every bit of their judgment like it was a physical punch. 

“Damn, they’re ruthless,” Pope muttered from behind him. JJ didn’t need to look to know Pope was just as pissed. They both hated the way the Kooks treated people like John B.

“They always are,” JJ growled, scanning the room for any sign of Topper. Sure enough, he spotted the smug bastard weaving through the crowd, zeroing in on John B like he was prey. 

“John B,” JJ muttered under his breath. “I’m coming, man.” 

As he pushed his way through the crowd, JJ’s gaze caught on Kie. She had just entered, and damn, she looked hot. The way her violet dress clung to her, the confident smile she wore, the way she moved—JJ couldn’t help but stare for a second. He quickly shook himself out of it, though. Now wasn’t the time for distractions.

Kie noticed him watching, raising an eyebrow as she approached. “What’s got you all worked up?” 

JJ nodded in John B’s direction. “The usual. Kooks being Kooks.”

“Figures.” She crossed her arms, eyes darting between JJ and the group of Kooks. “You’ve got this under control, right?”

“Yeah,” JJ said, his voice low, still watching Topper’s every move. “Just gotta make sure they don’t escalate things.”

Topper was already making his move, slithering through the crowd with that smug, self-satisfied grin on his face. JJ knew exactly what was coming. Topper always had a way of making things worse. Always knew how to rile up the Kooks, to make them turn on anyone they saw as beneath them. And right now? John B was the perfect target.

“John B,” JJ muttered under his breath, more to himself than to anyone else. He started weaving through the crowd, cutting a path toward his best friend. 

He found John B by the punch bowl, looking a little lost, a little out of place, his hands hovering awkwardly by his side as Sarah chatted with some of her friends. 

“Yo, man,” JJ called out, tapping him on the shoulder. “You gotta watch out. Topper and his crew are already talking about you. They’re looking for an excuse to start something.”

John B glanced at him, then at Sarah, his frown deepening. “I can’t leave. I promised Sarah I’d stay with her.”

JJ sighed. He hated this. He hated that John B felt like he had to put himself through this just to be with Sarah. But he knew how much she meant to him. 

“Just keep your head down,” JJ warned, his voice low but firm. “Don’t give them an excuse. And don’t let Sarah get too close to them.”

Pope and Kie appeared behind them, looking just as concerned. “We’ll make sure he’s good,” Pope said, giving JJ a reassuring look. 

JJ gave a tight nod, but as he turned away, his eyes flicked back to the crowd. And there, lurking in the periphery, was Rafe. Again. Always watching Y/N. Never letting her out of his sight.

The night passed in a blur of drinks, whispers, and quiet tension. JJ kept a close eye on John B, moving through the crowd like a shadow. And Rafe—Rafe was everywhere, always within arm’s reach of Y/N, watching her with that same unsettling gaze. It was like the guy had an invisible tether to her, never letting her out of his sight. 

JJ wanted to intervene, wanted to ask what was going on, but something told him that wasn’t his place. It wasn’t the time.

—

The Kooks were loud, the music was booming, and JJ had been doing everything in his power to keep an eye on John B, but it wasn’t easy with the way things were escalating.

Suddenly, he saw John B make a move toward the back hall. JJ’s gut twisted. Don’t go alone, man.

“Pope!” JJ called out, his voice sharp. “Kie!”

Pope was already moving toward him, and Kie was right behind, the two of them looking as restless as he felt.

“John B’s heading to the bathroom,” JJ said urgently. “Topper and his crew are on the prowl. We need to go.”

“Of course, this is exactly what we need right now,” Pope muttered, his eyes scanning the crowd. Kie’s expression darkened as she followed him through the ballroom.

JJ’s eyes flicked back to Y/N for a brief moment, just enough time for him to catch a glimpse of her laughing with the Kooks. She didn’t look like she was in trouble—yet. But Rafe’s presence still gnawed at him. His focus snapped back to John B.

“Go,” JJ ordered. “I’ll keep an eye on things from behind.”

Pope, Kie, and JJ cut through the crowd, weaving between people like shadows. As they hit the back hallways, JJ cursed under his breath. They were too late.

Topper was standing at the bathroom door, the rest of his gang flanking him like a pack of wolves. John B was stuck, looking trapped as Topper smirked at him.

“Well, well, well,” Topper’s voice oozed with malicious satisfaction. “If it isn’t the Pogue who thinks he’s good enough for Sarah.”

JJ’s heart hammered as he pushed forward, Pope and Kie right on his heels.

“John B,” JJ called, voice low, but loud enough to be heard. “You alright?”

John B shot him a quick, almost relieved look. “You know how it goes, man. Topper’s just pissed I’m with Sarah.”

“Yeah, I figured that much,” JJ grumbled. He kept his gaze locked on Topper. “You need to move, man. This isn’t the place for this shit.”

“Not until I’m done,” Topper sneered, stepping forward. “You think you can walk around here like you belong, B? You’re nothing but trash.” He shoved John B, sending him stumbling back into the hallway wall.

JJ’s blood boiled. “Get your hands off him, Topper.”

But Topper wasn’t done. He swung at John B again, his group following in his lead. The hall was tight, but there was enough room for fists to fly. Pope stepped forward to back John B up, while Kie, cool-headed as always, sized up the situation.

Before JJ could get another word in, a punch was thrown, connecting with John B’s jaw. JJ jumped into the fray, grabbing Topper’s arm and twisting it behind his back, slamming him into the wall with a sickening thud. Pope had Topper’s lackeys occupied, keeping them from ganging up on John B.

Kie, standing near the ornate curtains that hung along the hallway, caught a glimpse of the situation escalating. Her eyes darted between the fight and the tension in the room. Without a second thought, she grabbed one of the nearby candle holders, lighting the end of one of the velvet curtains on fire.

The flames caught quickly, sending a wave of heat and light through the hallway. The Kooks’ eyes widened in fear as the fire began to lick the sides of the curtains.

“Shit!” Kie hissed, grabbing the fire extinguisher from the wall. She quickly sprayed the flames, but not before the fire had spread enough to cause a ruckus. The Kooks were freaking out, scrambling to get away from the heat.

“Let’s go! Now!” JJ shouted.

They didn’t need any more prompting. The Kooks scattered, some tripping over their own feet, others too stunned to do much. The fight had lost its steam as the chaos of the fire consumed the hall. JJ grabbed John B’s arm, pulling him away from the wreckage.

“You good?” JJ panted.

“Yeah, yeah,” John B replied, wiping his face. “Let’s get the hell outta here.”

They headed for the back door, but as JJ looked behind them, the sound of the fire alarms blaring and the chaos of the guests flooding into the hallway only added to the madness. JJ scanned the panicked faces in the ballroom but Y/N was nowhere to be found. JJ did another scan and his blood ran cold. Y/N was missing, but so was Rafe. With this realization, JJ turned on his heel and ran towards the parking lot. 

But as soon as JJ stepped outside, the cold night air hit his skin like a slap. The parking lot was eerily quiet compared to the chaos of the country club, the only sounds being the distant blare of fire alarms and the low hum of the streetlights. He was scanning the area, trying to catch his breath after the mess with Topper and his crew, when something—someone—stopped him in his tracks.

His heart skipped a beat.

There, with her back turned to him, was Y/N.

She was farther away than he expected, just past the edge of the parking lot, but there was no mistaking her. Her hair was glowing in the light, illuminated like she was caught in a scene out of a dream. And then, his stomach twisted when he saw him.

Rafe.

His hand was resting low on her back, fingers spread wide as though it was the most natural thing in the world. The scene hit JJ like a punch to the gut. The sight of Rafe, standing so close to Y/N, smiling down at her with that smug, self-assured look—like he owned the damn world—made JJ’s blood boil.

He could feel the heat rising in his chest, the anger flooding through his veins, pushing out everything else. What the hell is going on here? He barely thought it through before his mouth opened.

“Y/N!” he shouted, his voice thick with something between panic and fury. It wasn’t even the volume of his voice—it was the raw emotion in it, the protective streak he hadn’t been able to shake off for months.

Without a second thought, he took two strides forward, every muscle in his body coiled, ready to pull Rafe off her. He wasn’t going to let this happen—not when he thought something was wrong. He couldn’t explain why he felt so suddenly defensive, but seeing her so close to Rafe like that, it triggered something deep in him, something urgent.

But then—

She turned, her face illuminated by the moonlight.

It was subtle at first—just a soft flicker in her expression, but it was enough to make JJ stop dead in his tracks. His heart stuttered, the air in his lungs freezing.

Y/N’s smile wasn’t just a grin—it was something else. The kind of smile that lit up a whole damn room. But it wasn’t just that—it was the look in her eyes, the joy that was shining there like he’d never seen before. She wasn’t just content, or amused. She was radiating happiness. Pure, unguarded, untainted joy. The kind of joy that no one could fake.

Her laugh, soft and melodic, floated on the air, and it was in that moment, standing frozen in the parking lot, that JJ realized something that knocked the wind out of him.

Y/N was happy.

She wasn’t just smiling out of politeness, or trying to force herself through a conversation. No. She was completely in the moment, the tension in her shoulders gone, her whole body open and light in a way he hadn’t seen in months. 

A sick feeling washed over him, a cold realization that hit deeper than any punch could.

This wasn’t what he thought it was.

Y/N wasn’t in danger. She wasn’t upset. She wasn’t... anything he’d imagined. Rafe wasn’t threatening her, wasn’t making her uncomfortable. They were just... talking. Laughing. And it wasn’t forced. It wasn’t awkward. It wasn’t the nervous, shaky smile she used to give when she didn’t know where she stood.

Rafe’s hand, still resting on her back, didn’t look threatening anymore. It just looked like... well, it looked like something they’d both been comfortable with for a long time, something that had never been in JJ’s purview.

JJ stood there, watching them for what felt like an eternity. His legs felt heavy, like they were cemented to the ground, his chest tight as he tried to reconcile the image of Y/N—his Y/N—with Rafe standing so close to her, looking at her like she was the only thing that mattered in the world.

His heart hammered, but in the wrong way now. The rage that had flared up in him moments before suddenly deflated, leaving nothing but confusion and guilt. 

Y/N wasn’t in trouble. She wasn’t even thinking about him. She was... happy. Happier than he’d seen her in so long. And he had no right to ruin that.

For a moment, JJ just stood there, paralyzed, as the scene played out before him. Rafe was leaning in, saying something, and Y/N was listening, hanging on his every word. JJ’s heart twisted, but he didn’t move. He didn’t step forward. He didn’t charge in like he had originally planned.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, he made his decision. He turned, slowly, and walked away from the scene, his feet heavy as they carried him back toward the club. His mind was racing, filled with questions he didn’t have the answers to.

He wasn’t sure, but one thing was certain��whatever was happening between Y/N and Rafe, it wasn’t his place to interfere. Not tonight.

At least, not yet.

—-

A/n: this was highkey not where the story was going to go…. Shoutout to @immyowndefender for putting the thought of JJ figuring the mystery out before Y/N tells him in my head. 

I might do a bonus in a bit to see the ball from Y/N’s perspective. There is so much potential for cute rafe moments. 

One chapter left!!!

—

Next time: the end of the road

–

Taglist: ​​

@hockeybabe87 , @idiotussupremus , @certifiedhaters , @oatmealisweird, @sluggmuffin , @maybankslover , @ren-ni, @wh0reforbucknasty , @enjoymyloves , @bilssturns , @dragonslight , @willowpains , @sidney-86 , @urbrunettebombshell, @fluffybunnyu , @stars4birdie

[spirits-n-giggles]

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice HOT take:

Where are all my monster fuckers at?!?!?!

Who knew Betlegeuse had a heart? I mean yeah he tried to contract Lydia to marry him AGAIN, but the only deal they had was to save her daughter. He didn't have to bring Delia back for a goodbye, he didn't have to make Rory tell the truth, and.... HE was the one to have her sign the contract, but still broke the contract rules to help her out? Hmmmm....

Sure we can assume he's just connonically stupid and didn't bother to read the fine print - he didn't exactly have the most smarts when he was alive so take with that what you will. (EDIT: But I absolutely would argue that Betelgeuse has been burned at least once before when not reading the fine print on a marriage contract and I can see him rigorously knowing every single word in the one he made for Lydia since he's clearly had a thing for her for some time.)

Oh yeah, he's definitely the same sleazy, horny, rotted nasty ass as before, but now he's Lydia's sleazy, horny, rotted nasty ass, and I'm here for it!! 🖤💚 If you ask me, this movie was the start of their actual terribly beautiful relationship (give or take the musical and the TV show lol they can all fit together if we really wanted them to. It's called having an imagination.)

Plus, I love me a good old-fashioned contractual marriage plot. I might have seen one too many k-dramas but those are always the most fun and cononically, I see Lydia and Betlegeuse as more of a partnership marriage anyway where she uses her power to solve whodunit mysteries in the living world or some shit, and she works with BJ to get shit done - like the cartoon 90s show. I see it as a Scully and Mulder situation where - Lydia does actually love BJ (and even be into him), but she will never admit it.... until later. Now I just need a good slow burn.

Honestly, cononically she's most likely gonna die and they're gonna get together in the afterlife and no one can tell me otherwise!

There are definitely antis for this couple isn't there? Aaahhh~~ yes, I can smell their cheeto-covered fingers and day-old red bull breath as we speak. 🤌 (EDIT: I'm fine if you don't ship them, just please don't be a dick to me about my ship. :D)

[pinazee]

The Greatest Adventure in the History of Basic Cable

This is one of my favorite episodes of season 3! I love the spencer family dynamics, i love thats its not a whodunit but more a wherebeit haha and its so funny too and much more.

We know Shawns not really psychic so how exactly did he do this?? He must have seen them somehow?? Or properly deduced exactly when lassie was going to be doing this and in which direction??? Idk

This was clearly bernson getting back at james ;)

Shawns ADHD is at an all time high this ep and specifically this scene

Totally tracks that uncle jack would take his whiz kid nephew to the tracks to place bets, but also i can kind if get why henry would be kind of pissy with Shawn that he would go with jack but not him now.

Ernesto “agapito garces con y a de abelar” is just nonsense btw unless it was supposed to be like “agua pinto garces con y a de avelar” which is roughly “water i paint heron and to reveal” which is still nonsense haha

I love how much of a kid Shawn (and gus) becomes around jack. And i love that little scene when jack tells shawn “didn’t i always tell you you’d be great?” And you see Shawn soften and how much that meant to him growing up, especially since we know how henry was with him. So, i think that makes it hit even harder that one of the few people who believed in him and made him feel good about himself, turned out to be a selfish prick.

That being said, I think i might be the only one that likes uncle jack, and of all the characters they could have brought back, im the saddest they didn’t bring him back. Jack could have brought so much more depth to henrys character and backstory. They could have mentioned, for instance, that because their dad wasn’t really around, Henry was the one who practically raised jack on his own. He had to be the man of the house at a very early age. This would explain his tumultuous relationship with his own father and why henry is so strict (though, personally i headcanon that henrys dad was in trouble with the law a lot and one of the cops that knew about their situation took him in and became a father figure, which is why henry holds them to such high regard. They brought order to his chaotic life.) but jack never had to deal with that. He got to be a kid for the most part. So even though henry looks out for him still, a part of him also resents the fact that he didn’t get the same carefree childhood.

I also, wonder though, if something happened when they were adults. Like, did jack use henrys influence as a cop to wiggle out a of tight spot and risked his job? Something must have happened that would make henry not trust his brother and i cant believe it was never explored. Theres so much spencer family angst potential there haha. I mean, i could have settled for even a short scene between jack and henry where they’ve both dropped the act and henry pretty much tells him not to get shawn in trouble and jack argues that hes an adult who can make his own decisions and to stop micromanaging everything. It could even sound exactly like an argument between shawn and henry and pull in their theme of henry not wanting shawn to turn out like him. Im just going to say it, they didn’t let this character live up to his full potential.

He just looks so disappointed here 😔. clearly he knew way before this point that jack was always using him, but all the same, jack straight up took the gold and ran. And lets say shawn actually did give him the coins-theres no way he would have paid that ransom. henry would have had to have forced him. (Also, would they have taken gus too, or would shawn have dragged him along because he didn’t want to be a hostage by himself haha)

*sighs* this is peak james roday rodriguez for me

P.S is this kid okay?

[helenababs]

a preview from a bunch of helbabs related stuff i'm writing, most of those are in your regular prose, but this one is formatted like texting, enjoy and let me know what you guys think ^^

Helena, 11:03 p.m.

Hey.

Helena, 11:04 p.m.

Hey four-eyes, you there?

Barbara, 11:04 p.m.

( Typing… )

Helena, 11:04 p.m.

Heh. Predictable.

You /love/ that nickname.

Barbara, 11:04 p.m.

I love it as much as /you/ love spamming me with countless messages before I can even open my notifications, Helena.

( Helena reacted with :grin: )

Barbara, 11:04 p.m.

What’s up?

Helena, 11:05 p.m.

Save me from my boredom, Oracle. This is right up your alley.

Helena, 11:05 p.m.

I need recommendations. I’m in the mood for a good whodunit, but I swore off the entire true crime genre after the first couple of documentaries I tried. The glorification gives me the ick.

Helena, 11:05 p.m.

Netflix is really scraping the bottom of the barrel these days. I don’t know why I haven’t canceled my subscription MUCH sooner.

Barbara, 11:06 p.m.

Beats me. Streaming isn’t my first choice anyway... but you didn’t hear that from me. ;)

Barbara, 11:06 p.m.

I assume crime fiction’s a safe bet for you?

Helena, 11:06 p.m.

It is a safe bet. Just that... it’s not thrilling when I can spot every tired old trope from a mile away.

Barbara, 11:06 p.m.

Oh, yeah.

I relate to that. Ugh.

I miss when I could wind down with a cozy murder mystery and not accidentally re-enter ‘work mode’. You know?

Cracking cases used to be relaxing. What happened?

Helena, 11:06 p.m.

We became workaholics. That’s what.

Barbara, 11:07 p.m.

There is this podcast, however… ‘The Curious Cats Club.’

It’s about a group of college students who meet up every week to discuss obscure cold cases. But things start to feel a little too fishy when they realize a lot of those cases involve /their/ school in one way or another.

Barbara, 11:07 p.m.

Fully fictional, by the way, with original stories. None of the sensationalism. The verisimilitude to true crime is what makes it feel immersive.

Helena, 11:09 p.m.

Barbara Joan Gordon, I love you and I hate you.

That’s exactly my cup of tea, BUT

Helena, 11:09 p.m.

You're /actually/ trying to get me to listen to a podcast. Wow.

( Barbara reacted with :smiling_face_with_3_hearts: )

Barbara, 11:09 p.m.

Love you too, Hel :)

Barbara, 11:09 p.m.

Just making sure you don’t “accidentally” watch Nightwatchers without me. <3

Helena, 11:10 p.m.

First of all, if I wanted to betray you, you’d never know until it was too late.

Second of all… that was one time. :rolling_eyes:

Barbara, 11:10 p.m.

Spoilers are no joking matter, Hel.

Barbara, 11:11 p.m.

And those are big words for someone who folded immediately after my first pitch. How are you liking the first episode so far?

Helena, 11:13 p.m.

What? How did you…

Helena, 11:13 p.m.

Ugh, whatever. Never mind. Don’t answer that. And TCCC isn’t making me want to rip my ears out so far, I guess.

Helena, 11:13 p.m.

Thanks for the rescue, Babs.

Barbara, 11:13 p.m.

Anytime. Let me know when you finish the pilot. I want your thoughts.

Helena, 11:13 p.m.

You just want to hear me say you were right.

Barbara, 11:13 p.m.

Mhm.

That, too.

[ad-hawkeye]

tot is definitely trying harder because they have more competition in the mobile cn otome scene (esp deepspace lol)but i will not complain it as long as they don’t force us to relive the artem midfest

about the high school au card general thoughts from weibo are holy shit artem why are you making everyone hard pity or almost hard pity smh. the card is good and it does a good job at giving you a cute innocent school romance/crush some posts giving praise to both artem and rosa’s lines + writer/writing team as well

joining the war on love and deepspace on the side of love and deepspace solely to ensure that tot feels pressured to actually write a decent story and to also care about character consistency again

it's interesting from a market perspective. love and deepspace has a really strong grip on those who like "spicy" content, especially because of its 3d models. that's what it's marketed as, and that's what it really excels at. i know of several other cn otome games with better borderline nsfw content too, ones that lean into it fully and a lot more openly than tot. i also know of several other cn otome games that are completely outdoing tot in terms of writing and art - lovebrush chronicles for example.

tot is fascinating bc it originally found a niche as a whodunit mystery game with otome elements and interesting characters. it also had a boost being a mihoyo made game.

but then they noticed people liked the steamier content, so they abandoned their original niche to chase after fanservice at the expense of their storytelling and characters. and now that other games out there are doing the whole borderline nsfw thing much better than they are (because let's be real, tot sacrificed their writing in the name of extremely mediocre softcore porn foreplay and tropes that other games do better), it feels like they're trying to bring back the original writing and are trying to think outside of the box in terms of art and new official art styles.

i wonder where tot will go from here, or if this will work?

god okay, additional side rant incoming. but before i do - that's fantastic news about the high school au cards.. thank you!!

did you know lovebrush had the mls have their first kisses with mc at different times? ayn's happened on white day, cael's happened in an ssr card story following white day, and the remaining boys had theirs happen during their azure island routes. and you know what? it made sense for their characters!

ayn is very blunt and straight forward. cael had several other card stories dedicated to building up their relationship. alkaid is too afraid of upsetting mc and would not make the first move. clarence is still getting used to being in a romantic relationship. lars is a hopeless romantic who seems preoccupied with waiting for the "right moment".

and it just. keeps reminding me of tot's second anniversary. where the writers planned to have luke propose to rosa because of his whole "i'm dying in three years" thing which... makes sense! that makes sense! but why on earth would you make the other three guys propose when it doesn't make sense for them?? i just. ugh.

sometimes i wonder if it's too late for tot to fix their writing.

and the funny thing! lbc has a wedding event in the cn server! but you want to know something even funnier?? it's not an actual wedding! it's a photoshoot event! none of them are engaged!

tot could have gone so many routes and they took the ones with the worst writing and it's mind boggling. you CAN do fanservice with good writing!

[aruanimess]

hi myrtle!! hope you find your book soon! ♡

what do you think would be the Ambassadors' favourite books, and why? 👀

Heyyy, Cris!

My books arrived shortly after my call for help! Much like the bus arriving just after you light a cigarette (or maybe that's just a Greek superstition). But thank you for your wonderful question! So let's see!

*rubs hands together*

Reiner: For some reason he strikes me as an extremely pretentious reader. He doesn't read a lot because he always picks the heaviest, most high-brow and depressing books. He likes a lot of what I call Sad Man Literature™. Think of Crime and Punishment, Franz Kafka's entire bibliography, loads of Camus. Don't get me wrong, great stuff, but definitely not something you would call light-hearted. The misery gives him a sense of catharsis though, so he genuinely enjoys them.

Jean: This boy wishes he had Reiner's taste in books sooooo much. And he tries! He really tries! He wants to flex about his book collection SO bad, but... he can't. He finds them boring and depressing. Can't help it. What he really likes is romance novels. Give him a spunky, righteous heroine and a broody man and he'll give you his soul! He doesn't want to admit it though, so he only reads them at night under the covers. Everyone thinks he's reading erotica for this reason alone.

Annie: As I've established in my fic too, I think she's into detective stories; the gorier and more sensational, the better! But really any mystery will do it. She likes following the clues along with the main character and making valiant attempts at discovering the killer. She loves the feeling of her heart pounding with suspense as the action picks up and always cheers when the detective figures things out. Whodunits are her bread and butter!

Armin: Not gonna lie, I think my boy likes non-fiction. Oh, he will read a novel here and there to unwind, but what really gets him babbling excitedly to a half-listening Annie is essays and history books, scientific journals and encyclopedia entries, field guides and travelogues, even goddamn academic textbooks. He's very curious about the world and he wants to learn it all. When it comes to fiction, he prefers sci-fi and speculative fiction, because he enjoys pondering on world-building.

Connie: My man does not have the attention span for novels, and that's okay. More often than not you will find him lying upside down on a couch flicking the pages of a comic book. He particularly enjoys the funny ones. Once in a while, he will pick up a magazine that he knows prints stories to his liking and he will read a short story, or maybe even a novel if it's published in a serialized format, but only if it's either thrilling or makes him laugh. He actually gets recommendations on what to read from Annie. He doesn't trust the others.

Pieck: This lady will read absolutely everything she can get her hands on! Not necessarily because she enjoys the variety, mostly she wants to have an opinion on every single thing. This leads her to reading many of the novel-of-the-month type of books, the kind of stuff that people talk about at parties. From the whole group, she reads the most contemporary novels. Which is a bit of a double-edged sword: she might get to discover a great author quicker than the rest, but she might also end up reading a lot of garbage... Still, she wants to know, and she does enjoy a good literary innovation!

[sticostudios]

DOG POLICE

An crossover show idea i did a while back

The shows like a mix between scooby doo and sam and max, about an independent freelance dog police force who deal with more outlandish and dangerous criminals in the city.

the character bios Dog police bios by dragonboy

Clifford: The head of the force. Tall, strong and imposing, yet a bit airheaded with a kind heart. Cares for the team like a family.

Martha: The team's communications officer and second-in-command, fluent in over a dozen languages. Firm yet caring. Isn't afraid to speak her mind. She makes sure everyone stays focused and not get into too much shenanigans.

Chase: An accomplished police puppy from Toronto, Canada. Leader of the world-famous Paw Patrol rescue team, working with the Dog Police is his "side project". Treats it with the same dedication as his main profession. Often accompanies Bluey and Rockruff so they stay out of trouble

Bluey: A puppy from Brisbane, Australia, and the youngest member of the Dog Police. Kind, innocent and playful. Loves thinking of inventive ways to solve a crime, especially if it can be made into a game. The team needs to be extra careful with her if things get dangerous.

Zoe: Expert detective with a sassy streak. Mastermind at figuring out mysteries and whodunits. Very fashion-concious. Don't mess with her hair!

Snoopy: A dog of little words, but one with a brilliant and analytic mind. Writer in his down-time. Always has his nose in a true crime book.

Aleu: A wolf-dog from Alaska. Zoe's best friend. One of the most hands-on members of the force. Not afraid to get her paws dirty. Ready for a fight even before she knows who shes fighting, though sometimes this approach gets her into trouble.

Courage: Ironically, a big coward, but a lovable one at that. Acts as the team's psychogical consultant. Trying to get over his phobias of a myriad of things. Skilled in cimputer tech and works with Dawkins to locate criminals

Elsa: The team's medic. Often seen training new recruits. Will always help out a fellow teammate or anyone injured at a crime scene. Can be egotistical at times, especially loves playing the leader when Martha or Clifford isn’t around, but always means well.

Dawkins: A Dalmatian from London, England, and just one member of a large family. The team's chief scientific advisor and tech support. Filled with knowledge despite his young age. Hes made several useful gadgets for the team at their disposal

Brian: an average joe-turned-sniffer dog from Quahog, Rhode Island. A ladies' man with a great singing voice and an expansive drinks cabinet. Can sniff out any form of contraband from blocks away. He does get annoyed with some of his teams dumb antics but does get along well with the others

Rockruff: The second-youngest of the team. A fireball of energy who brings a chaotic, upbeat energy to the team. Snarky at times, but in good means and being playful. Though he always has the feeling he's being controlled by someone.

[kenjiyabuki]

gmmtv 25 ql musings :0)

ok so gmmtv went into oprah mode and said you get a series you get a series you get a series you get a series you get a series you get

Dare You to Death

JoongDunk said "no, we are not turning in our fake guns after the THK shoot". i like their sexy and cheeky flirting, it fits them. and speaking of things that fit... that slim cut suit, it really fits Dunk 😜

i like the plot, with the slasher, mystery, whodunit vibes... and i liked seeing the new faces as side characters (the victims, more like) especially Ohm and Pahn.

Head 2 Head

i dont know anything about these actors. apparently they are beloved enough to get a second series but i never saw anyone i follow talking about them, ever. most of the time i watch series through my following's incessant posts lol but w them, i am in a blind spot. and it seems that will stay the same w this series as well.

Burnout Syndrome

hey, did anyone see my wig around? it seems i lost it the moment this trailer come on?

when it first started i was like WAITTTTTTTTT am i getting that SATC Gun series by Jojo but the mood was too mellow for him. but the universe had even better plans for me. i am not embarrassed to admit i DID a little jig when Nuchy's name came on the screen. maybe God is real because all the collective praying about OffGun working again w Nuchy paid off. i am attracted to Off always and forever but he is even hotter through Nuchy's lens like she knows how to serve him up... Cold, sexy, confident, smoking Off... Call boy Gun, a love triangle, just mess all around. The way it already looks like not a pilot but a final trailer. Thank you for your service Nuchy, you are unmatched. I will be tuning in every week with drinks and snacks.

Whale Store xoxo

My girls MilkLove out of the uniforms, now that's a sight i like to see. i like that this time the main plot is more relatable to me: nightmare that is being in your 20's. very cute without being saccharine and i like when Love gets flirty. and no comments about Milk licking cat food, i understand how lesbian flirting can get very strange.

Only Friends : Dream On

can i just say upfront, the trailer was just gorgeous?? i loved the perfectly choreographed beginning. i was watching it with my mouth wide open, just trying to register all the information. and it DID look like a fast paced ensemble theater play. very meta haha

siren Mix in a frilly shirt, Earth in those glasses, Leng twinking it out, Ohm playing the saxophone???, JOSSGAWIN again, that Challengers ass music, everyone in those slutty tank tops and see through shirts, BOSTON my favorite troublemaker showing up just to bless this mess... i wish i can delete this from my memory and be gagged again and again and again

i love Only Friends' chaos and i think its stupid to take these messy shows THAT seriously. even though there is a hefty amount of loud shipper fans demanding for their fav actors to ONLY play morally good characters, ONLY in their brand pair, i ADOREEEEEEE that they didnt back down and doubled down on this entagled, morally gray mess with even more beloved actors to piss off more delulus... yes, I will be tuning to the mayhem on the screen and on the social media every week.

also, cant wait for the rock theme song sung by Gawin, bc they would be stupid to not do that!!!!

EDIT: lmaoooo i thought, as the trailer had lots of Jojo-isms (he loves his Shakespeare and energetic trailers), he would direct this but he will be only the producer (i was actually surprised he would come back to this project as some people act like he killed their dog because the series ended in an disappointing way). so, okay, WHOOOO is the director then bc i didnt catch it?

That Summer

hmmm, okay. these unrelated plots piled over each other sounds exhausting to me, like here is an unruly kid sent away to get disciplined, then someone gets washed up ashore, identity mystery, then he turns out to be a PRINCE, there is mystery behind that too?? i am not smart enough for this… but i am sure WinnySatang will improve as a duo and actors even more w this project.

that shot of Satang holding up a pair of undies with abject horror on his face did make me genuinely cackle like, i love Satang's comedic timing (his performance was one of the best things about We Are).

alsooo, Neo must be the luckiest BL actor ever bc while some actors get flack for breathing next to a woman, he gets to not just openly be w his gf but also star in series w her now. i mean, i am glad for him, that's how it should be. and i cant believe i have to defend heterosexuality because of insane delusional fans.

My Romance Scammer

i love that after the wake of Thai Marriage Equality, instead of going full on romance drama about the sanctity of marriage with sentimental vibes... GMMTV decided to make a slapstick romcom about scammers using marriage law to deceive and steal. Love that. Big brained shit haha. I dont really care for these actor pairs but who knows... Plot made me laugh and I like being surprised.

Melody Of Secrets

i know this might sound VERY stupid but the reason ForceBook sometimes feel repetitive isnt just they keep playing the same dynamic (stoic Force, innocent Book) but also because they LOOK repetitive. they seem to always have the SAME styling, same makeup and even the same hair. Let's change it uppp, someone slap some fake tattoos on Book or put them in leather or something. Or at least, give me Force's long prince hair from Enchante back...

but I do like they went darker w the plot this time! and Jan looks hot and all serious in this role, i will be skimming to get to her scenes.

Love You Teacher does this count as born sexy yesterday lol? only BLs can get away w these weird plots, its their charm. i dont know if can watch this though as i still suffer nightmares from my teaching English to kindergarten & primary era. i felt it deeply when he was screaming about hating kids lmao (i DONT. but that teaching in a exploitative school really tests your mental health).

but as always, happy to see Sammy!!!! hope her screen time will be even more than the trailer and i love that it features an established couple, we dont get them often.

Mu-Te-Luv

every time i thought the trailer ended, new actors showed up. i am positively confused but kind of intrigued. and also positively gagged by Neo in that wig. happy to see Fluke, Lego, my queen Jan. also GMMTV dont play about OhmLeng, didnt foresee that, wow...

Cat For Cash

not for me but i feel like this specifically was made as a compensation for the ones who shipped FKT in Moonlight Chicken and were disappointed w the crumbs. I am sure FKT will have the time of their lives with surrounded by all those cats but filming with animals is a such a pain in the ass so i wish patience and luck to the crew...

Girl Rules

more like, girls rule, am i right :dddd the messy ensemble GL we were begging for finally arriving by Jojo himself........... NAMTAN AND LOVE KISSING??????? confident, kinda asshole-ish playgirl Milk?? Love bouncing on Milk to make out against a wall???? like did you read my diary or something??? also i cant w Film's name being Bambi... yeah, look at her, she is Bambi.

we know MilkLove and NamtanFilm will BRING it but curious to see ViewMim as well!!!

Boys In Love

GMMTV said "we have BEEN doing Heartstopper way before Heartstopper but just in case you forgot, here is us doing Heartstopper again." very cute, very lively. happy to see they decided to forgo the uniforms and opted for a pastel, colorful styling. that way, it does differ from other high school bls aesthetics-wise and it fits the youthful tone. PoddPapang as the sides... maybe it was too ambitious of us to imagine them getting mains immediately, they had just let been out of the basement, might take a while to get used to the sun and all...

what the fuck is up with that lazy title tho?

My Magic Prophecy

maybe bc it came on when i was at the point of "when is this showcase endingggg" but i am not feeling this. but glad to see jimmysea not separating this year and acting in a series w a layered and intricate plot again. plots wise, they really do have one of the most varied filmographies a BL couple could have.

A Dog and A Plane

so Jojo wasn't joking when he said he would have a sweet love story for 2025. Tay with those tattoos, New as a flight attendant, MarcPoon being lil weirdos again, the guy from LYKN, OAB??????

this kind of comedy is perfect w Jojo's fast pace. i can see like, remnants of maybe The Warp Effect but mostly i think this is a new territory for Jojo. its fun to see his evolution as a director and i trust his vision for this show as well.

Me and Thee

people asked and cried and begged for Phuwin to be the one pursuing Pond for once and GMMTV deliberated on it and said, "No. But you can have Est in a suit." Okay, that last part was for me. I decided to imagine this is the new gig of Est's character from Naughty Babe.

i think this is a great role for Pond bc he is perfect for goofy comedies (see Dirty Laundry), maybe because he is goofy and funny in real life too haha.

Wu

i think it would be hilarious if this turned out be another bromance...

Memoir Of Rati

period drama is a good choice for both couples but like. literally fuck everything else, did you see how Aye looks GORGEOUS in those period costumes??? are you kidding me?????? looking that good and she is playing the black cat lmaooo i wish she had her own couple so would have more screen time :(

yes, i am focusing on my attraction to Aye to suppress my rage about AouBoom being put into side couple prison again.

Ticket To Heaven

ohhhhhhhhhhhhh this eatsssssssssssssss. do i need to put that bald ariana gif again?

sometimes BLs do tackle heavy subjects but kind of shy away from fully opening up discussions (it happens a lot w SA and homophobia). glad to see this series going full on w the themes of religious guilt, homophobia, figuring out and developing your sexuality in an hostile environment, complex relationship between queerness and faith. and ofc Aof and GeminiFourth are skilled enough to pull it off. excited for this one. what a perfect one to finish this exhaustingly long showcase.

[mirohtron]

k-k-k-kyle please write an unhinged hero for me >.<

Something was wrong.

The villain shot up in bed, alarmed. The right side of their bed was empty—the hero was gone.

They fisted the cheap motel bedsheets. The hero couldn't be gone. If anyone was meant to abandon the other during a joint mission, it would be the villain. Not the hero. Not the goddamn goody-two-shoes.

A thud came from outside. The villain flinched, going cold. They called their powers. They got out of bed and stood a good few paces away from the door.

The door opened. The villain's fist burst with light, buzzing and humming, ready to blind and burn.

The hero stood bloody at the door, a knife so red it seemed almost painted crimson in hand. The villain took in a sharp breath, heart dropping, stepping back as they noticed the limp arm peaking out of the doorframe like the poster of a goddamn whodunit. Their light flickered like an exhausted bulb.

The hero tilted their head. Their eyes looked wild, their hair wilder, their smile cutting. "Hey. You're awake."

"What did you do?"

The hero's brows rose. They swung their knife up and forward and the villain shot a small blast at their hand. The hero dropped the knife, hand stung, hissing. They put their hands up placatingly.

"I wasn't going to hurt you," the hero said carefully, despite their twitching fingers. They looked jittery, like they were coming down from an adrenaline rush. The villain's heart pounded deafeningly in their chest. The hero. With a bloody knife. The city's sweetheart and golden child. With their left arm soaked in red. With their cheek smeared with blood.

The hero sighed, ran the bloody fingertips of their right hand through their hair and shook their hair to let it fall into place naturally. They looked so, so wild, and out of their costume and in a ruined tank top, they looked terribly enticing, But the villain couldn't focus on that. Even if the moonlight painted their edges silvery.

Their fingertips crackled with light.

Slowly, the hero gestured their hand again, like when they had the knife in hand. "You're asking me like I did something terrible," they said. "That's what I was going to ask. I wasn't going to throw a goddamn knife at you. Who do you think I am?"

"This evening, a really annoying hero. Now?"

The hero laughed dismissively, shaking their head softly. "A serial killer? C'mon. You're worse. Drop the hand."

The villain did not drop their hand.

The hero chuckled once, and it almost seemed like they were enjoying this. “It’s always scary when a good person turns evil, even for you, huh? No one’ll believe you.”

“Why did you kill them?”

“I wanted to.”

“Why?”

“Does there need to be a reasonable, justifiable why? I just wanted to. I got an urge. I'm as bad as you.” The hero kicked their knife away. “Happy? Put your hand down. My arms are getting tired.”

The villain eyed them.

The hero eyed them back.

The villain cautiously brought their hand down. Their light dimmed slowly, like a bad bulb. The hero slowly put their hands down too, watching their expression closely.

“See?” they said. “That wasn’t so hard.”

The villain clenched their jaw. The hero huffed out a breath, putting their hands in their pockets in a casual, harmless gesture. They lolled their head down to look at their feet, their carefree demeanour vanishing, and gave the villain a lethal look.

The villain brought their hands up again.

In seconds the hero had the villain’s wrists pinned to the wall. Their grip was so tight, it hurt to struggle, even with the blood on their hands.

“Now listen, okay? All right, okay.” The hero closed their eyes against the onslaught of light. “Let’s be calm.”

“Don’t fucking talk about calm!”

“Fiesty. Calm down. I can’t hurt you. I can’t even see you.”

“You can feel me!”

The hero snickered like any of this was funny. “Well, I would love to feel you.”

The villain’s light flickered in bewilderment. The hero slid their wrists up, forcing them on their toes, humming in satisfaction. “Turn it down.”

“What the hell are you trying to do?”

“I’m trying to warn you. Didn’t I tell you I wouldn’t hurt you? Don’t force my hand.”

The villain still tugged on the hero’s grip. But there was no getting out, and they couldn’t keep the light up forever. They dimmed down. 

The hero opened their eyes. They let the villain drop to their heels and kept their wrists pinned beside their head. “Don’t utter a word,” they said. “To anyone. Not even another villain. Not even a thief, or a goddamn baby. Okay?”

“You said no one’ll believe me.”

“There’s already rumours going around about me. I don’t need fuel added to the fire.”

The villain scoffed. “How many of those rumours are true, huh?”

The hero lifted their wrists off the wall and slammed them right back in. The villain yelped in surprise more than pain. “Shut it.”

“Fuck you.”

The hero tilted their head.

The villain looked down and tugged urgently.

The hero let their wrists go.

The villain pushed their chest immediately, stepping around them. “Asshole.” The hero flicked their hand and wiped it on their top. They ran their right hand through their hair again and shook it to mess it up like a bloody puppy. The villain looked at the way the tank top stuck to their torso, glanced down to where it rode up just a little bit to give them a glimpse of their toned stomach.

When they looked back up, the hero was looking at them.

The villain flushed. The hero laughed and gave another cutting grin, pressing bloody fingertips to their lips to blow them a kiss.

The villain's jaw worked as they nearly threw back an insult, but they thought better of it. That'd just give them something to retort to. So they picked up the knife and pointed at the limp hand at the door. "We need to bury this."

"Of course." The villain hated that grin. "I know a spot."

The point of the knife dipped as the villain wondered how many bodies had piled up on this mission without their knowledge. It made them worry, but it also made their heart stutter to think of blood dripping down the lines of the hero's face. They shook their head.

The hero extended a hand. "Help me bury it?"

"Of course," the villain said. "I'm better at disposing bodies than you are."

[cal-daisies-and-briars]

Part two!

➰➰➰➰➰➰➰➰➰➰➰➰➰➰➰➰➰➰➰➰(I’m LOVING this! I have such theories i can’t wait to see if i’m right! And once again you’re a master of using your line breaks to enhance a story - it’s so meta i love it!)

☠️☠️☠️☠️☠️☠️☠️☠️☠️☠️☠️☠️(whodunit? I don’t know! I’m so excited to find out! Really loving athena’s pov especially for this story it’s so fun!)

🦷🦷🦷🦷🦷🦷🦷🦷🦷🦷(CAL YOURE DOING BTHB?!?!??!!! HOW DO YOU EXPECT ME TO SURVIVE THAT?????!!!!! It seems like you’re maybe starting us off light but i can never be sure with you… you’re an angst master and i cant wait to read all your stories!)

I hope you know that reading your snippets is genuinely one of the highlights of my day! Your work makes me so happy thank you for sharing!

- PCA <3

HI PCA!

THANK YOU AGAIN FOR BEING THE LOVELIEST PERSON EVER???

60 for ➰ (Hope you enjoyed the first chapter! And thanks! i have so much fun with the line breaks)

Tagging @steadfastsaturnsrings

---

“Not the exact same,” Eddie explains nervously. “It’s like some things matter, and others don’t. I don’t know about today, though. Maybe we have, yeah.”

Buck thinks nervously about the prospect that one of them might die horribly at any moment. 

“Okay, which things matter?” Buck asks. 

“The restaurant. We have to go to the restaurant,” Eddie explains. 

“Okay,” Buck nods. “Right at the same time.”

“Yep,” Eddie confirms. “And we have to go kayaking. You have to hit your head.”

“What?” Buck complains. “Why? Come on!”

“I didn’t choose it, Buck!” Eddie practically whines. “Just, every time you don’t, something worse happens. Without fail. We don’t have to eat breakfast on the patio. We can go to the beach or the pool. But if we don’t go kayaking, and you don’t hit your head, and we avoid the restaurant, it’s worse for… For one of us.”

Which doesn’t just mean Buck. It could mean Eddie or Chris, too. Damn it.

“Alright, alright,” Buck sighs. “But we could run through a drive-thru this morning? We could wake up and stay in bed longer next time?”

Eddie nods. 

“Okay,” Buck exhales. “Okay, this helps.”

“Please don’t say anything to Chris,” Eddie begs. “Especially about dying. I know he’ll just forget, but…”

“You don’t want to freak him out,” Buck fills in. 

Eddie nods again. “I just want him - and you - to be as happy as possible. Okay?”

Buck tries to avoid narrowing his eyes in concern. Eddie has been the sole lucid person in this experience for a while. He’s whittled it down to a formula. A neatly rehearsed show that he stages every twelve hours, with no end in sight. Buck has thrown that off. Like, significantly. He gets why Eddie is nervous. 

“Don’t worry,” Buck promises, squeezing his hand. “I’m gonna follow your lead, okay? You know how this all works.”

Eddie sighs, relieved. “Thank you.”

“Having me aware will be good,” Buck tells him. “Right? You’re not alone now.”

Eddie scratches his head. “I… I had you before, too. I wasn’t alone.”

---

36 for ☠️ (THANK YOU! I am so happy you're interested. I was nervous to write this one):

---

“Alright,” Athena says. “Well… Let’s say a crime was committed.”

“How bad of a crime?” Bobby asks.

See, this is where they differ. Bobby thinks in terms like that. Athena mostly just sees the law. She does need his perspective right now. 

“Among the worst sort,” Athena says. 

“Okay,” Bobby nods. “Got it.”

“It’s hard to feel bad for the person who was hurt by this crime,” Athena continues. “They aren’t a great person. But that doesn’t matter, right?”

“It shouldn’t,” Bobby agrees. He already knows this is how she feels. Opinions towards the victim or perpetrator isn’t the point of the law. At least, not usually.

“Except, without knowing the specifics, and I don’t…” Athena sighs. “What if the alleged criminals, in this specific scenario, had a really good reason for what they did? A reason you trust?”

Bobby is silent for a long moment. So long, in fact, that Athena begins to worry. 

“This really doesn’t sound like you,” he eventually says. 

“I know,” she admits. 

“So the question here, really, is, do you do your job?” Bobby asks. “Or do you follow your gut?”

“I guess it is.”

“And those two things are usually harmonious,” he continues.

She nods. “Right.”

“Hmm,” Bobby considers. “Athena, I think… I think you need to think about what feels best to you. What can you live with?”

---

30 for 🦷: (I AM! I've been having fun with Gotcha For Gaza prompts, so I thought I'd take a few more prompt like things to inspire me).

---

Not even two minutes later, Christopher is sitting on a chair in the kitchen, mouth open, while Eddie shines a little light to illuminate its dark interior. The gums around his back molars on all sides are red and inflamed. Angry. It soon becomes clear why. Eddie can see the beginnings of four impacted wisdom teeth trying to poke through, pressing up against his gums and his other molars. 

“Oh, buddy,” Eddie sighs.

“What?” Chris asks, words muffled by the set of his extended jaw. “What’s wrong with me?”

“Your wisdom teeth are trying to come through,” Eddie says. He steps back from Chris and turns off the light. “But they’re impacted. Which just means they’re growing in against your other teeth and causing a lot of pain.”

“Oh,” Chris says. “What do I do?”

I, not we. Like he has to solve his problems himself now. He didn’t talk like that before this summer. 

“Well, you’ll probably need a surgery to remove them,” Eddie says. 

Christopher’s face twists with apprehension.

“It’s a little surgery,” Eddie assures him. “Nothing scary like you had in the past. Lots of people have to have it.”

Buck could probably rhyme off the exact percentage of people who need it.

To his surprise, Christopher starts to cry. His face goes even redder.

“Aren’t I too young for that?” He blubbers.”I-I don’t want it!”

“Hey, Chris, it’s okay,” Eddie says soothingly. He reaches out to lay a hand on his son’s shoulder. 

[berrypass-de-murdler]

2 - 1 The Detective Club Killer

It is real

Apologies if the break was shorter than one would have hoped but I am back into writing and very soon into designing

Can I randomly mention my joy when I figured out the term 'murdlers' is canon-

Now remember, please no spoilers, allusions to spoilers, or extra foreshadowing - Logico is just as in the dark right now as I am! It actually helps me write him better when I don't know what's going to happen. If you do read this please keep everything to current and past episodes!

Of course Goat Lord has entered his iconic purple outfit to match the book cover, so he will look like this for the time being. Cartoon Irratino changes his outfit for every book while everyone else looks exactly the same lol

DON'T READ THE EPISODES WITHOUT READING THE BOOKS!!

Deductive Logico lies awake in bed. He’s very cozy, but that’s not the point - his brain is a mess. He’s still staring at that letter that was nailed to the door. 

Inspector Irratino is up, writing.

IRRATINO: What’s up, bud. LOGICO: Nh… nothing. IRRATINO: It’s not nothing, you’re staring at that letter again. LOGICO: THEN WHY DID YOU ASK IF YOU ALREADY KNEW?

Jesus Gico, it’s barely into the first episode and you’re already screaming! 

IRRATINO: Just… let me see it.  LOGICO: No. IRRATINO: Please?

The goat takes the note. 

IRRATINO: Pff, Logico, this is just an occult incantation! I already know what it says. LOGICO: Of course you do.

“Dear Logico,

This is a single invitation to our Old Drakonian Holiday Party at my family mega-mansion in the Violet Isles. 

Here, we are safe from the ‘night-eater’ and the Red Government, but we have problems of our own, and we need your help. Please hurry!

Yours,

V”

LOGICO: V… Lady Violet, Deacon Verdigris, Vice President Mauve… IRRATINO: But… but… what about me? Why’s it just for you? [sigh] I’d really love to help them discover their dark secret… LOGICO: What dark secret? There’s no mention of a dark secret. IRRATINO: Oh there’s obviously a dark secret. There’s always a dark secret. I mean, ‘night-eater’?? Come on! LOGICO: All right, all right, I’ll admit it’s very suspicious. Now to bed for the both of us - we have a big day in the morning.

After a sleepless night of excitement, the boys head to Logico’s Detective Club. He’s invited his murderer friends over to tell them the news!

SAFFRON: Ohmygod Logico, that is SO AWESOME!! I’m so PROUD of my little guy! LOGICO: Not 'little guy'!

General Coffee has been coming to the club every day for coffee, since he was banned from his own shop.

COFFEE: The beans aren't as good as mine, but seeing Logico is a treat. LOGICO: I don’t… like that-

And Grandmaster Rose is also there!

ROSE: They’ve got me! LOGICO: Who’s got you? ROSE: My opponent! They started with the Grob! LOGICO: …

Irratino is jumping around, as he always is.

IRRATINO: I’m so happy for us! We get to solve a new mystery! LOGICO: Don’t get too excited. I’m detecting a lot of new trauma and plenty more suffering is going to come our way. IRRATINO: WOW, Logico! Do you always have this mindset??

Anyway, Coffee takes a break from his brews to check out the printing press. He seems to be rolling out a book.

COFFEE: I was so inspired by your Bookie award, I’m aiming for one myself! LOGICO: Okay… what’s the book about? COFFEE: It’s called Of Beans and Bombs - it’s about coffee and war! LOGICO: I… could have guessed as much... Wait wait wait a second. Shouldn’t there have been a murder by n-

Now a club member is dead!

LOGICO: There we go. IRRATINO: Gotta get your kicks in before the story even starts, huh. LOGICO: Whodunit? SAFFRON: Oooh, can I help you solve the case? LOGICO: No, you’re a suspect!

Logico snoops around. Coffee seems content enough, he’s just reading Murdle (product placement, wink wink!). Rose is still playing chess, because what else would he possibly be doing. Saffron is on the roof to find her own clues, examining a pigeon with a magnifying glass very thoroughly.

SAFFRON: I know he did it!

Irratino distracts everyone by taking their horoscope while Logico gathers info. 

LOGICO: Alright, all suspects to the roof please. ROSE: Um… no… I… just want to stay down here and play chess. LOGICO: Seriously?  ROSE: Yes… please?

Logico takes a second look. Rose’s ‘opponent’ is a dead fish - obviously his murder weapon.

LOGICO: Rose, what the fuck- ROSE: No! This is all wrong. [fumes red] LOGICO: [dejected] What’s wrong with my deductions? ROSE: Well for one, I was supposed to get away with it!

Logico rolls his eye. He has nothing to say.

IRRATINO: Come on, let’s go on an adventure! LOGICO: All right… as long as you don’t word it like that.

The end!

I have to make a list of how many times there's a murder and Logico does nothing about the culprit in the end lmao

I'm very excited to be writing new stuff again <3 I hope this second series is not worse than the first-

The power of Goat Lord compels you!

See you next time murdlers!

[dogcodedcatboy]

rrandom roman headcanons / traits / inane rambling cause im thinkin about him. some of these r supported by canon, some are literally just me playing toys. i have probably mentioned this all before. but. dont caare.

- roman likes sci-fi/space media. robots, ai, aliens. big fan. this is all of course written off by him as nerd shit but he secretly enjoys it. definitely more of a star Wars guy instead of a Star trek guy (who gives a fuck abt space diplomacy??? therr better be explosions + shitty cgi spaceship fights or hes getting bored and walking away from the tv). alien is one of his favorite horror movies. probably watched westworld.

- ik its like a throwaway in the show that he's given the rocket launch to be in charge of but i think itd be cute if he actually liked space. not that he knows anything about the science i just think he thinks its neat. has definitely fallen asleep on the couch to some space documentaries

- other media tastes include whodunits/mysteries. not necessarily for the murder part (i think he prefers heists bc they are less gory and more silly). he really likes the interactive aspect of bothering his boyfriend getting to guess how the story will end

- i think he is v v squeamish abt blood/gore irl and with media. less so his own but others. not very helpful if someone nearby is injured, the most he can offer is some mild reassurances but could never, like, provide any helpful first aid. he hides his face in aarons shoulder when a movie is particularly gory.

- roman has adhd (among other things) and has a hard time focusing on certain tasks. he gets bored easily and just kind jumps from thing to thing. he also loses his stuff frequently and benefits immensely from having a type-a lunatic following him around and keeping track of where he leaves his keys and wallet.

-he's not /messy/ per say. he likes his spaces immaculately neat (because,. hes always had housekeepers...) in absence of that he is Kinda bad at keeping things under control and is woefully unprepared to be a human due to the chronic and incurable rich dandyboy disease. grossed out by washing dishes. has definitely fucked up somehow and flooded aarons apartment while trying to use the washing machine.

- he cannot cook to save his life. again. personal chef, never had to do it for himself. obviously knows how to like. boil pasta and stuff but is so horrifically bad at it. he only needs to employ the tiniest bit of weaponized incompetence and aaron will take over anyway

- roman likes crunchy salty snacks (chips/pretzels/popcorn/etc) but also has a sweet tooth :3c he likes mostly fruity sweets, sour candy, baked goods with berries + lemons and stuff like that. i think he likes mocha, or really any use of espresso in desserts. BIG fan of salty sweet combo ... salted caramel is a favorite. also anything w nuts. he loves hazelnut in particular (nutella right out of the jar in moments of weakness) ... also floral flavors

- he's not a picky eater per say. he's open to eating a lot of different stuff bc he grew up traveling. but his tastes are /expensive/. aaron can easily get him to try weird foods if they're somewhere fancy, but had to literally bribe him in to trying fuckin panda express (even tho he loves noodles. the chain restaurant for commoners is too scary)

[inevitablestars]

HEY LINDS this is my Official Attempt to sway you towards perciver i hope you like it and that it doesnt turn you off them forever, now first off!

general relationship potential:

percy and oliver are in the same year and as far as we know they are the only boys in gryffindor in their year which makes them not only roommates but also the only boys in their room. for seven years.

percy is incredibly misunderstood by his whole family pretty much always, they all avoid him or are rude to him or just misunderstand him completely. with oliver's proximity its very likely hes the first person ever in percys life to properly observe him and understand him!!!

percy is the most career driven singleminded ambitious motherfucker in gryffindor.... second only to oliver!!! who is the most quidditch obsessed bitch on this planet and arguably has more solid career goals of anyone in that entire series. they are hyperfocused! they are girlbossing! they are not getting a wink of sleep bc they both get so lost in their work they forget what time is!

classic jock/nerd combo except oliver is a jock who is secretly a nerd (think of all the quidditch stats!!) and percy is a nerd who is secretly a jock (percy is a master spellcaster and nobody can convince me otherwise, that man fought multiple death eaters on his own at the battle of hogwarts and you do not get that kind of skill from just sitting behind a desk)

idk theres honestly a lot of directions one could take them but theyve just got so much chemistry and so much in common but also different and theyve got so much potential

(in my head they are the definition of autism/adhd solidarity but i know that not everyone hcs them that way which is cool too)

now for fic recs!!!

Twenty-nine - 85k - Endrina

percy weasley-centric fic that is honestly one of the most creative interpretations of him ive ever read, it goes deep into his past and his canonic decisions and stuff but theres a twist to it that is just gold, also its a whodunit where oliver's been framed for murder and only percy knows hes innocent its very very good and definitely played a huge part in me falling in love w percy's character

A New Life - 89k - AnotherAuthor, myroaringtwenties

percy and oliver meet post-war and help each other get their lives moving forward again, its very well written and very sweet but mind the tags its kinda heavy at points, it doesnt shy away from how hard the war was on everyone but the community that the weasleys and the quiddich players have is very warm and i love it

At least he has great abs - 12k - Irisen

this one is a cute shorter nonmagic soulmate au where oliver is a famous footballer and percy is a politician and they end up being soulmates, its very funny and light and i just enjoy it

(also i am technically writing a perciver fic rn its called Rely On Me and the first two chapters are up on ao3 but its my first fic attempt and i havent updated it all summer bc Life so pls dont feel obligated to read it i just felt like it would be weird if i didnt mention it)

anyway! i hope you enjoyed this if nothing else and if you read these or find other perciver fics or just wanna talk about em lmk bc i am always down to talk perciver i love them with my whole heart and soul <3

josephine hello. is this from literally ten months ago? perhaps it is. but i'm here now.... you mentioned perciver earlier and it reminded me that this has been sitting in my inbox for SO LONG

alright let's get into this

• iconic of them to be alone in a dorm for seven years together that already screams soulmates

• you're so right these two get their minds set on something and they're going to get it they're going to achieve whatever they want (tbh i already think they should put that energy toward like Getting Together but i distress)

• nerd jocks! a slay tbh

• i see the autism adhd thing i get it

• i also think like yeah i agree they have a lot in common when you dig into them but from one glance it's like ? these two? really? but then you see who they are at their core and it's like oh of course how could you think anything else (i have a lot of characters and dynamics that this sorta concept applies to i get it)

also love the inclusion of fic recs which i will check out when i am back to reading <3 consider myself convinced (it did not take much you already convinced me by just sending this ask)

[tobiasdrake]

Ace Attorney 4-3, Investigation 1. In keeping with Gavin being surprisingly friendly for a prosecutor, I love the way 4-3 spins directly out of our developing relationship with him specifically.

Klavier Gavin is the only prosecutor ever to voluntarily hang out with the protagonist prior to the big conclusion of their arc. Some prosecutors have showed up to hang out in future titles; In fact, Gavin does too. But this is the first time we've actually been able to get to know them before the showdown.

And you can see why, too. Gavin's not only the friendliest prosecutor. He's also the only one who. Like. Has a life outside the courtroom. Other than Edgeworth being a sentai fanboy, I guess.

This one's going to have to be in two parts.

Rockstar prosecutor Klavier Gavin is a rockstar. So we're going to set a chapter of the story at a rock concert. His rock concert. What a great idea.

OH YOU CAN BARELY TELL THAT A MAN WROTE THIS

The least believable thing in the entire Ace Attorney universe is that the Gavinners somehow have a successful rock career. Rock is a counterculture movement, giving voice to the unheard.

It is physically impossible to get any farther from counterculture than literally cops. This is it. The extreme distant end from counterculture. Who the hell would buy cop-themed rock?

The Daily Wire wishes conservative media was as well-received as the Gavinners.

It's especially bizarre when you consider that we're in the Dark Age of the Law, a period of time when the criminal justice system is so widely known to be corrupt and brutal that pop culture came up with a name for it while it was still happening. Everyone knows that the justice system is broken and exists solely to persecute the innocent but we're all gonna buy tickets to watch a bunch of cops play guitars and cheer for how cool prosecutors are.

Nonetheless, this is such an unassuming setup for a murder. Why would there be a murder? We're here to make music. We're here to make cop music. Can we have one nice evening? But no. Gavin and his guest star Lamiroir take the stage and....

It does not go well. In fact,

It goes aggressively not well. Fortunately, the victim lives long enough to tell us that Lamiroir saw him get shot.

Romein here speaking in code to give us a riddle to solve. I usually hate cryptic moments like this when characters use a short window of opportunity to speak in cryptic tongues rather than deliver useful information. But with Romein, it makes sense. The man has been shot and ours is not his first language. He's wracking his brain right now to find correct enough words to use.

In any case, this sets up our crime for chapter 4-3. A classic Whodunit in an enclosed space - complete with a vanishing killer who somehow teleported out of the room despite us breaking in through the only exit moments after the gunshots were heard.

A limited number of people have access to this backstage area and half of them are cops. One of them shot Romein LeTouse. Which means now would be a good time to talk about the cast of characters involved in this case.

We have two sets of characters here. First is the guest singer Lamiroir and her entourage.

The mysterious and lovely Lamiroir, a famous international singer who is probably the real reason all those people are here. Come for the legendary international celebrity but also cheer for the fucking cops so they don't get mad and shoot tear gas into the crowd.

Siren of the Ballad Lamiroir is easily our most interesting character in this case. Not originally from her "home country" of Borginia, her entire persona is a manufactured illusion.

As well as her manager and translator Romein LeTouse whose name makes me sad that our local salad buffet place shut down during COVID. He's one of only two people involved with this case who can interpret for Lamiroir, who speaks only a foreign language. That's a problem, seeing as he's our vic--

Oh, never mind, she can speak Japanese "English" just fine. They were doing that for publicity. Convenient!

And her blind child pianist Machi Tobaye. He and Lamiroir seem like they make for quite a pair. These two, I can believe having a famous musical career. Machi, incidentally, can "also" only speak his native language just like Lamiroir but I'm sure that won't be important.

These two characters form an inseparable performance duo from a foreign land, whose relationship with each other and their late manager will carry much of the intrigue for this case.

The other key set of characters would be our cops.

Of course we have Ema Skye, our embittered forensic scientist whose talents are wasted as a field detective. Of course, she's definitely off the suspect list on account of the fact that she was with us when the gunshots were heard.

There's Prosecutor Gavin who is having the worst day. He probably didn't dunit but then again it wouldn't be the first time, would it?

And Detective Dickhead. His hair truly must be seen to be believed. He is attempting to pull off the Japanese Thug Pompadour in a way that can only be described as, "Hello, Officer."

Just like Ema, Gavin and Daryan both have airtight alibis as well.

It's hard to get a stronger alibi than "Thousands of people saw me onstage while the murder was taking place."

AND THEN THERE'S THIS ASSHOLE

That's it. That's all we get. Glimpses of the Golden Fucko as he bazingas around dodging attention. Okay, dude. Way to not look suspicious, I guess.

That's it. That is our small cast of characters aside. It's not a lot of people to look into. In fact, Mysterious Golden Fucko aside, nobody seems capable of fitting everything we know about this mystery.

Continued in part 2.