#like a season 3 and beyond will look crazy there’s gonna be so much timeline mishmashing synthesis

[shelfperson]

i guess some people think they won’t do devil’s minion in the show but that just makes no sense to me??? i’m not even that gung-ho of a DM shipper it just makes sense with where amc’s going with the show.

like they’ve waaaaaaaay boosted daniel’s role in the story, (i for one could totally see him encompassing david’s arc and not just parts of his personality, to keep him in the show) and devil’s minion is like. daniel’s ONE thing in the books. like he interviews louis, devil’s minon happens, and then he just kind of fades into oblivion. that’s obviously not what rolin&co want to do with his story, so why get rid of daniel’s One Thing.

[this-is-quite-homoerotic]

I was thinking about Ianto/the Face of Boe (don’t ask) and so I started pondering the possibility of Ianto meeting an older Jack from further into the timeline, and then I had.......... a Thought™.

I’ve mentioned many times before that Ianto seems older in every season, like he looks So Babey in season 1, look at this, look at this face:

He looks so young.

BABEY

Super Babey, right?

But he looks noticeably older by season 2, and even more so by season 3. (Not a lot older, but noticeably older, you know?) Like so:

^ This is Ianto in ep 2x04

^ This is him in ep 2x10

^ And this is him in season 3, as we know.

So it occured to me that a fun explanation could be...... what if he looks older because he is older? Not just a few months to a year older between each season, but a few years older instead?

What if Ianto was thrust forward in time by the Rift or by rogue Time Agents, or by an alien artefact, or [insert plot device here], and he keeps running into different versions of Jack in the future? (Or maybe he keeps being kidnapped by an older Jack so he can spend more time with Ianto before he dies during the incident with the 456?)

Maybe the first time’s an accident, Ianto handles an artefact of unknown origin with his bare hands and he appears in the 85th century not two metres away from where Jack was standing.

So Ianto’s stuck in the future, thankfully with Jack who’ll obviously protect him and explain things, but he needs to go back because timelines, right? Jack doesn’t have a functioning Vortex Manipulator, so it takes him months to figure out a way to get him back. When he finally can, he doesn’t want to let go of Ianto, who he still remembered after all these years and who he’d grown close to again (who he’d fallen in love with again) knowing he’ll die in 2009 and Jack will never get to see him again. But as Jack warns him that he can’t tell 21st century him about his trip into the future, because Jack hadn't known back then and changing that could risk destroying the timeline, Ianto, brilliant, practical genius that he is, figures out the loophole: so long as he doesn’t tell his linear Jack, then they can do this again, can’t they? Ianto has a great poker face, he can do it. And, worst case scenario, Ianto has access to retcon. If older Jack gives him his consent to use it on younger him (he does) then he’ll even have a failsafe*. And Jack looks at him, shaken to the core, in that moment he could swear he’s never loved anyone so much as he loves Ianto Jones. So he starts planning his next trip.

*He doesn’t end up having to retcon Jack, but after Adam when they all retconned themselves, Ianto spends half a day thinking it’s because the team uncovered his little trips and he had to retcon all of them - until he finds the note he left himself in his trouser pocket to let himself know it was unrelated.

And then I had another Thought™.

The next time Ianto goes into the future, it’s deliberate. Jack all but takes him without asking, he goes for the time right after Abbadon when he left with the Doctor and takes Ianto straight to a very exclusive resort in the 93rd century to get one of those treatments to slow down aging like we see Liz 10 from DW had, except much more advanced, so he could live for several centuries and age so slowly it’d look like only a few years had passed.

And so Ianto keeps disappearing into the future and spending months or years at a time with older Jacks and his linear Jack doesn't find out because Ianto's only gone for a few minutes at a time from the 21st century; but he's staying in the future much longer. This is why he keeps such a detailed diary, he needs it to refresh his memory on where he left off things back in 2007-2009. At first they start with trips that are shorter than a year, because Ianto needs to remember what he’s coming back to. He doesn’t want Jack to grow suspicious, god only knew what he might think was going on if Ianto didn’t remember something that had happened “the day before”. But then at some point Jack acquires some tech that allows one to save memories and keep them fresh, so Ianto doesn’t have to rely solely on his diary, and they start making much, much longer trips (of several decades to a century). Jack gives Ianto some of the training he got at the Time Agency to ensure he doesn’t muddle up the timeline.

Anyway, Ianto starts keeping two diaries: one for the 2007-2009 period, and another for his trips, where he’s more relaxed about writing down details and which Jack keeps with him safe and sound in the future. Trips into the future can be domestic bliss or crazy world-saving adventures or both, you decide!

Bonus points if he isn’t meeting the older Jacks in chronological order after that first one!

Jack gets to show Ianto the stars, his own home planet, so many interesting alien species he never got to see on Earth, even working for Torchwood; he gets to show him the wonders of the galaxy and to take him beyond, further than Ianto could have ever imagined. He gets to introduce him to his mother, to so many friends, to some of his grandkids. He shows him the facilities of Torchwood 284, 740, 1371 and even later versions, and he takes him to the Torchwood Archive where there's AI holograms of the two of them living happily ever after. Hologram Jack, who was modelled after the 2009 real-life version, gets the shock of his non-life. Hologram Ianto has never looked so mischievous. He knew, of course. Hologram Ianto gets thoroughly snogged.

Jack not only gets to tell Ianto but also to show him that no matter how many thousands or even millions of years pass, he’ll never be forgotten, not while Jack’s still alive. And Jack’s gonna live for a long time. He’s gonna love Ianto for a very long time.

And because he has centuries to work it out, Jack finds a way to make Ianto immune to the virus at Thames House. He hunts down the bastards and has a cure bioengineered. He makes Ianto take it before he goes back to 2009 and he travels back to that day where Ianto “died” in Thames House, careful to arrive after the virus was released but before it dispelled enough to allow the bodies to be collected, and he takes Ianto (passed out as the cure works its magic but very much alive) and leaves behind a perfect copy.

When Ianto wakes up, perfectly healthy and well rested, it’s to find a slightly older-looking Jack grinning down at him.

For the first time since that first accidental trip, Jack knows that he doesn’t have to let Ianto go back to his past self to maintain the timeline. From then on, they can move forward together, no time jumps, no careful preserving of memories so that Ianto can pretend he never left the 21st century, no more secrets between them. They can just be.

[spnreactions]

15x15: Gimme Shelter

Alright guys! It’s time! 

Just a heads up, in case you haven’t figured it out yet, these posts usually come out later in the day, because even if I watch it live, I tend to do my reactions live, but then write up the full review later. In case you were wondering why the posts don’t usually come right away. 

Anyways! Let’s get down to it! 

Oof. Yep. We’re definitely on the serious track now, with a then like this. 

Also, I didn’t say this before, but I really love the “then” and “now” openings for this season. It’s beautiful with the Impala like that. <3 

Oof. Interesting flashback to Jack breaking out of the Ma’lak Box. 

...ew. Maybe it doesn’t taste as gross as it looks, but it looks gross. 

Jesus girls, chill. 

Okay, I already like the pastor. 

I’m watching live this week, and I’m in a FB group that’s commenting as we watch, and someone just pointed out that the pastor is Dr. Sexy MD!! Man I love when actors return like that. 

Ope. Connor’s gonna die. Poor kid. He seemed nice. 

...that teddy bear definitely wasn’t there when he was walking over before, but okay. 

UMMMMM...TALKING TEDDY!

NO THANK YOU!!! 

I HAVE A DOLL THING!!! NOT COOL!!! 

Hmmm...gotta be honest, I’m not sure how I’m feeling about Cohen’s directing on this one. :/

It had a talking teddy bear. I bet it is. 

Darkness. Nice pun. 

“He’s not that funny.” XD XD 

Dean you just want to go to Atlantic City whether Amara’s there or not don’t even deny it. XD 

Cas’s confused face will always be one of the cutest things ever. <3 

I love the way they’re all walking down the hallway together. It’s such a simple thing, but I like the way they’re positioned and everything. Point: Matt Cohen. 

SCENE FROM THE PROMO! 

Sure they can. 

“She and I used to have a thing” DEAN!! XD XD 

HIIIII JACK!!! <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 

Dude, let me tell you, I am so ready for some quality Cas and Jack content. 

I love all the different reactions here. Dean is trying to get Cas and Jack out of the house, which Jack is super excited about, and Cas is very not into. XD 

...wait, did they not tell him about Mrs. Butters? Or did they just not mention her name? 

Cas looking at Sam like “help me out here” and Sam being like “sorry but no”. XD 

Oh come on Cas. Look how excited Jack is! I love how enthusiastic he gets over every hunt. It’s adorable and I love him. (Yeah you’re gonna be hearing that a lot. XD)

Cas is like “you’re kidding me right?” 

“Highway to Heaven” XD XD 

THE SCENE!!

MY BABY IS SO EXCITED I LOVE HIS LITTLE SMILE AHHHH!!!! 

No matter how Cas is against going to deal with something so small fry when they’re in the middle of something so huge, he will still smile affectionately at his son, because he loves him. <3 <3 <3 

“Blue’s a good color on you.” XD XD <3 <3 

“Agent Swift.” XD XD XD XD 

“Agent Lovato.” I’M DEAD THESE TWO ARE THE BEST!!! XD XD XD XD

HE’S HOLDING HIS BADGE UPSIDE DOWN JUST LIKE CAS DID ON HIS FIRST HUNT I’M DEAD!! XD XD XD <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 

A BABY YODA REFERENCE?! This show oh my god. XD XD XD 

“I just graduated from CSI.” JACK OH MY GOD YOU ADORABLE LITTLE BEAN!!! XD XD <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 

Okay, I love watching Cas and Jack together, and I love watching them go on a hunt, but guys, could you at least TRY to be subtle? “Did you find tiny bags with chicken bones? Smell any sulfur? Feel cold?” Like, NO you two. XD XD 

The cop lady is just like “what the heck is wrong with these two?”

Oh. “Liar” isn’t a seven deadly sin thing. Maybe I was wrong about that. 

“For my stepson, Ronald.” JACK!! XD XD XD <3 <3 <3 I love him so much oh my god. 

For someone who’s new to hunting, that was actually an awesome cover. <3 <3 

Wait...speakers? Maybe it isn’t something supernatural after all? 

“Almost demonic.” Okay so that was a little more subtle. 

Okay Cohen, I take back what I said about your directing. That was a good shot of the stop sign. 

I love the way Jack’s sitting in the back of the truck. <3 <3 

Learning from Sam. <3 <3 <3 

Cas, there is no such thing as too many cats. His face when he says that though. XD 

THAT ENTIRE SEQUENCE ABOUT PARENT/GUARDIAN PERMISSION I’M DYING HOLY FRICK!!! XD XD XD XD <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 

That was both the cutest and funniest thing ever and I just...I LOVE THEM AHHHH!!! <3 <3 <3 <3 

I feel like Cas is upset though. Like, he’s extra frustrated with the whole Amara and God thing. Not that I blame him of course. He’s just got a certain...coldness to him in this episode. But I like how it disappears whenever he’s talking to Jack. <3 <3 Good acting on Misha’s part. 

For example, that little soft smile when he looks over at Jack logging in to the social media account is so sweet and so cute and so undeniably fatherly. <3 <3 

Okay, gotta be honest: British demon? Totally hot. 

"Why is he talking like that?” he whispers, very loudly in a way that the party he is speaking of can definitely hear him. XD XD <3 <3 

“Because Zack has style.” 

WAIT!!! 

He’s not ACTUALLY British??!! 

Oh my god that shouldn’t have made me laugh, but it TOTALLY did. 

AND he made the “Highway to Heaven” reference just like Dean did! 

I love this demon holy frick. XD XD 

Cas’s and Jack’s confused expressions at his sudden change. XD 

“I would watch that show.” XD XD 

How this show manages to introduce a new character, however brief, and give him so much personality when we’re six episodes from the end is beyond my understanding, but man, it is one of the many reasons I love this show. <3 

Ha! “Demons are get, humans are just crazy” ring a bell? 

Ha! Of course Rowena has that philosophy. God I miss her. 

“You’re a deviant soul corrupted by Hell.” Ah, Cas, ever quick with the logical wit. XD 

Cas’s “and we’re done”. XD 

Zack is so desperate. 

And now, Zack is all of us during COVID. XD 

I love Zack. Take him with you. XD <3 

Oof. Too true, Cas. Too true. 

Awww...Jack. 

AWWW! Cas!!! Knowing his son wanted to be busy and help people. I LOVE THEM!!! 

THOSE SMILES AT EACH OTHER OH MY GOD SO CUTE!!! <3 <3 <3 

She’s gonna steal the money. 

Yep. Classy lady. *eye roll* 

Ope. And now she’s gonna die. 

AHHHH!! 

OKAY I TAKE THAT BACK!! BRING THE TEDDY BEAR BACK!! SCARY MASK IS WORSE!!! 

My mom and I both screamed jesus christ. 

“Focused.” Interesting phrasing, but okay. 

I like the way this phone call is happening. The back and forth is cool, and I like their easy talk with each other. 

Dean can’t just give straight advice. Ever. “Drink the Kool-Aid and sign up.” XD 

Oof. Jesus. 

Clearly Dean wasn’t talk about the Amara thing. 

Wait, this was over a two-day timeline? Huh. Okay then. 

Dean that doesn’t mean it doesn’t affect you stop. 

“Messengers of God’s Destruction”. 

No, but did any of us? 

“Least this time it’s not you or me.” Yeah, yet. 

That look Sam gives him means he had the same thought I did. 

Okay sorry, I am super not religious, and the God speak makes me want to barf. 

HA! JACK! XD 

See, this is why you have to give straight advice, Dean. I know that’s hard for you, being your chaotic bi self and all, but angels tend to take things literally, bud. XD 

Jack you dork. XD <3 

Geez girl. Be nice. 

Jack whispering again to try to be sneaky I love him. <3 

So that’s a yes then. 

Jesus. She’s a b***h. I don’t like her. 

That little head nod OMG!! <3 <3 

I LOVE THE CAS AND JACK TEAM UP THEY’RE SO CUTE!! <3 <3 

Oh. That was a sweet hug. 

My Mom: It’s him. It’s the pastor. He’s the bad guy. 

Oh! Greed! So this is a seven deadly sins thing! 

Ummm....that’s a little weird. Maybe this is as monster after all, with the tech working like that? 

But if it was a monster, why is she set up like that? 

Okay no, I take that back. I watch Criminal Minds, and this totally looks like something a serial killer would do. Especially the timer thing. 

“The new guy’s hot.” MEEEEE. That girl is me. XD <3 <3 <3 

EVERY. SINGLE. THING. JACK. DOES. IS. SO. STINKING. ADORABLE. <3 <3 <3 <3 

Boyfriend and girlfriend, I’m guessing? 

Awww...baby. :( 

Awww...Jack. :( :( 

Okay but, like, we’ve learned now, right? Don’t give her your whole story please and thank you. 

Oh okay. That’s okay. 

This girl is...off. Is it the acting, or is the character actually weird? I honestly can’t tell. 

Oof. Daddy issues alert. 

“I have more dads than most.” AWWW!!! XD XD XD <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 

Wait baby no, you’re not letting them down stop that. :( :( :( 

Ew. “Put your trust in God, not people.” Now I hate her. Trust me honey, the last person Jack--or anybody, for that matter--should be putting his faith in is God. 

Oh okay then. 

Ha! I love Cas’s subtle little sass with the “faith-based community”. 

Oh. A.V. and tech. TV screen. Bingo. 

Yeah I don’t think it’s the pastor. He seems too innocent. 

...except he’s definitely not getting any father-of-the-year awards. But what else is new with this show. 

“It’s complicated.” What are you talking about?? Just say yes, Cas. 

Awww...soft side of Cas. <3 

Yeah no. It’s not the pastor. There’s no way. It must be that Brother Rudy dude. 

Ha! Awkward. XD 

That’s actually really nice. I like that idea, having a church community (sorry--faith-based community) helping other people like that. It’s sweet. 

Oh. Connor was gay. That honestly totally makes sense. Poor guy. :( 

I’m glad the pastor was accepting of him though! <3 <3 

Awww...that’s a good line. “A saint is a sinner who keeps trying.” 

I really hope it’s not the pastor. I like him. 

My Mom: Wait, have we just never seen them put gas in the car before? I had no idea it was behind the license plate! 

I’m thinking back and I didn’t know that either, so this must be the first time we’ve actually seen them, like, open it, and that’s HILARIOUS to me. XD 

OOOOH WAIT!! This is where they see Amara, according to the promo photos!! 

Oh heeeey girl. 

Wow she looks really pretty with that snow in her hair. 

She...she...smelled them? 

“You have a very distinctive musk.” “Thank you.” ARE THESE TWO STILL PINING FOR EACH OTHER? XD XD XD 

I like this Amara. She’s fun. 

My family and I always make kielbasa with our pierogis (I had no idea that that was how that was spelled, btw), so pierogis without the kielbasa feels wrong. XD 

Jensen’s facial expressions say so much all the time and I love it. XD 

Oh boy. 

NOOOOOO!

WHAT IS IT WITH SUPERNATURAL AND FINGERS ON THIS SHOW JESUS!!

Okay, WHO is the timer for?? Like, is it just some form of slow torture?? Because it’s not like it’s being shown to anyone other than her. 

Ooh. I like that he’s listing off all of the different names for God. Good pastor. Please don’t be a bad guy. 

HIS FAMOUS “hello” OH MY GOD I LOVE HIM SO MUUUUUUUUCH!!! <3 <3 <3 <3 

...oof. Ummm....

Awww.... Poor baby. :( :( :( 

AWWW!! Dad Cas to the rescue!! <3 <3 <3 

Jack looking at his dad omg. <3 <3 

I already like this speech from Cas. I can tell it’s gonna be good. 

“I guess I found a family.” <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 

JACK’S LITTLE SMILE!!! 

“And I became a father.” THERE IT IS!!! THERE. IT. IS!!!! <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 

THE WAY JACK LOOKS AT HIM AFTER HE SAYS THAT AHHHH!!!! <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 

AWWWW!!!!! <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 

GOOD SPEECH CAS!!! GOOD SPEECH!!! WAY TO MAKE YOUR SON FEEL BETTER!!! <3 <3 <3 <3 

Awww...I really like this pastor. <3 

FRIIIICK. 

Oh sh**. There’s the time for everyone else. 

JESUS!!!

Yeah okay. This is 100% a human being’s doing. A monster wouldn’t bother. 

Jack running over to turn it off right away. Ever the hero. <3 <3 

The pastor seemed too surprised to have done it, which, for me, puts pastor in the clear. Thank goodness. 

True, but also he sucks, so help us out Amara. 

Okay, I’m sorry, but quick side note. Everyone keeps saying he’s “very nearly done”, but when Dean looked in the telescope, he didn’t see anything. I thought that meant he was done. Unless it only reaches so far? I guess it probably only reaches so far in terms of other dimensions. 

Sure there is. 

“Our pal Jack.” That’s such a weird thing to hear him say, but okay. XD 

Also I’m not sure how I feel about them telling Amara about Jack. Like, I like her, and I feel like she’s gonna help, but what if she doesn’t? She could, whether intentionally or unintentionally, wind up seeing Chuck and mentioning Jack to him, and if she does, that ruins the whole plan. But, on the other hand, I guess they have to earn her trust, and keeping details from her would definitely make that harder. But I still don’t like it. It puts my baby in danger. Again. But anyways. 

Oh. Just like that? 

“I get he’s your brother” Dean says oh so casually, as if he hasn’t literally moved heaven and hell to protect and save his own brother. 

“Squirrely weirdo” XD XD 

Oh. The Big Bang. New theory. I like it. XD 

Sure he can. 

Ummm...yeah, Amara. You’re a fool. He doesn’t care about anyone but himself. Maybe he cares about you a little, but definitely not as much as you’re giving him credit for. Not right now anyways. 

Wait...she actually said no? No way. I thought they were gonna be able to convince her. Guess my initial theory was wrong... What does that mean though? Like...what now? 

Jack’s gonna come slamming through that door, according to the promo. 

Called it! 

Wait...why did Jack slam through it while Cas is just...casually standing there? You’re an angel, Castiel. XD 

“Lust” It is based on “Seven”! I love it! 

Welp...guess it’s not him. 

Wait, so we are walking away with a no? That never happens to us! 

THERE we go. Go get her Dean. 

Is it just me, or has Sam been, like, really not involved this episode?? Jared’s had, like, six lines. XD 

OH! Okay, the “then” makes sense now. 

Oof. You tell her, Dean. 

That she sucks. That’s what she wanted. Because she does. 

Wait NO WAY! That’s what I said! Kind of, anyways. 

Woooow. That’s actually pretty messed up, Amara. But it makes sense for why Mary was such a terrible character and why I hated her so much. She is only human. A sucky human, too. 

Is it, though? 

“That you could finally start to accept your life.” Okay, that’s actually kind of cool, and that’s awesome on the writers’ part for adding in that explanation of why everything went the way it did. Nice. 

But also, that’s pretty messed up Amara. 

Oooh. We’re about to get some awesome Jensen acting, aren’t we? 

Jensen’s trying not to cry face is so incredible wow. 

Awww....poor Dean. 

Jesus Amara. A little sympathy? 

OOF. I love that quiet fury that Dean has. 

OOH! He got her! 

YES DEAN!!! TELL HER! 

“Well now who’s living in a dreamworld?” ...ouch. But true. 

...oh boy. That was a bold-faced lie. But so brilliantly told, Dean. 

After ALL THAT, you’re going to THINK ABOUT IT? Really??!! 

But hey! I KNEW IT!! BEAUTIIFUL acting moment on Jensen’s part!! AWESOME scene. <3 <3 <3 <3 

Oh! It’s the girl. I’m calling it. 

Yep. Daughter. 

I KNEW SHE WAS BEING WEIRD! 

See?! Super religious people are crazy!! 

Go Cas and Jack go! 

Ope. Cas is gonna heal, and Jack is gonna attack. Go boys go! 

Cas is gonna heal in front of all those people oof. 

Girl has ISSUES. 

Wow, this girl is WAAAAY too religious. Chill. 

Yeah, cause you need help. 

HEY!!! NOT COOL SYLVIA!!! 

Oof. Yeah nice try, but that’s not gonna work. 

I love how Jack just takes it and then heals all bada** like “yeah sorry but no”, but then he still looks up with the kindest and most innocent expression and I love it. <3 

Meanwhile Cas is like “yeah I’m not having any of this.” XD XD 

Does...does he always have to say sleep when he does it? Cause he didn’t used to, and for some reason, that was hilarious. XD 

Jack’s little nod. So cute. <3 <3 

Fixed her fingers, but couldn’t wash the blood off. XD 

Yeah ummm...how you gonna explain that one, Cas? 

At least pastor dude seems nice. And, like, being the good kind of religious, he’ll probably be totally cool with the angel thing. 

Wait, pastor dude is still processing this when morning hits? Okay then. 

“Not a very good one.” WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?! You are literally the BEST angel, thank you very much. 

Man that girl is MESSED UP. 

And Jack still feels sorry for her, my baby. :( <3 <3 

Ah. Nothing like your daughter becoming a murderer for you to finally step into a proper role of fatherhood. 

WAIT A SECOND! IT’S ZACK!! 

Dude waaait. What does that mean?? That’s, like, a really random thing. Does that mean she’s gonna come back? Or that Zack is gonna come back? I’m not sure what that means. That seems so random! I DEMAND ANSWERS SUPERNATURAL! 

The way Cas looks at Jack after the pastor says that about looking after her better. Cas I don’t know what you’re thinking, but you’re the best father Jack could’ve asked for, okay? 

Awww! Cas and Jack talk time!! <3 <3 

Cas is trying so hard to help him I love him. <3 

NO YOU DON’T STOP!! THIS IS WHAT FAMILY IS FOR!! WHHHHYYY are all you Winchesters like this. 

Wait. WAIT! He was hiding something?! I hate it when Sam’s right. 

Wait WHAT?! 

HOLD ON!!! 

NOOOOO NO NO NO NO NO!!! NO! JACK NO!!! That is NOT ALLOWED!!! 

HOLD ON A SECOND!!! NO!!! THAT IS NOT WHAT I WAS EXPECTING WTF??!!! 

Wait wait wait. A bomb?? Like, just like S11?? Because no. No no no. We’re not doing this again. JACK YOU ARE NOT GONNA DIE WTF??!! 

THIS THROWS ALL OF MY THEORIES OUT THE WINDOW NOOOO!!! IT CAN’T BE JACK!!! I REFUSE!!! :’( :’( :’( :’( :’( 

WE JUST GOT YOU BACK!!! WE CAN’T LOSE YOU AGAIN!!! :’( :’( :’( :’( :’( :’( :’(

Cas’s face is all of my emotional screeching right now. 

WHAT DO YOU MEAN “Don’t tell Sam and Dean.” ARE YOU KIDDING ME JACK??!! THESE ARE YOUR DADS!! THEY NEED TO KNOW!!! YOU CAN’T DO THIS!!! CAS WON’T LET YOU!!! 

JACK NOOOO!!! STOP IT WITH ALL OF YOUR GUILT! GOD you’re such a Winchester!! NO!! DEAN BAKED YOU A DANG BIRTHDAY CAKE FOR CRYING OUT LOUD!!! YOU DON’T NEED TO DIE FOR HIM TO FORGIVE YOU!!! 

I’M HAVING SUCH A HARD TIME TYPING RIGHT NOW WTF IS THIS SCENE??!! :’( :’( :’( :’( :’( :’( 

Me too, Cas!!! 

SEE JACK??!! YOU CAN’T!! 

NO! WHAT IS THAT?! 

NO!! STOP IT!!! STOP IT YOU STUPID IDIOT NO!!! YOU CANNOT SACRIFICE YOURSELF LIKE THIS!!! THEY WON’T LET YOU!!! 

Cas tell Sam and Dean. Please.

Oh WAIT! We have, like, two minutes left craaap. This is the scene from the promo. Cas is gonna say Sam and Dean need to know something and then it’s gonna end. I’m calling it right now. 

YES CAS!! GO CAS GO!! SAVE YOUR SON!!! 

Yep. Here it is. It’s gonna cut off. 

GODDA**IT!! I HATE IT WHEN I’M RIGHT!!! 

WHY YOU GOTTA DO ME LIKE THAT SUPERNATURAL??!! You can’t just...DROP A BOMB like that and then NOT RESOLVE IT GOD DA**IT!! SCREW YOU WRITERS!!! 

AHHHHH!!! I NEED NEXT WEEK RIGHT NOW!!! AHHHHH!!! THIS IS SO NOT OKAY!!!! 

If I deny it ever happened, then it didn’t happen, right? Jack and Cas solved the case, Sam and Dean got Amara’s help, and they all went home and had family dinner, okay? New ending. There we go. Problem solved. Because NO! 

Well...f**k. I guess it’s review time?? But JESUS CHRIST!!! Okay, okay, I need a minute. Please hold. 

(Several Hours Later)

Okay. I’m back. Let me start with something kind of amusing. Several minutes after the episode ended, while I was still trying to process everything, this interaction happened: 

Me, breathing heavily and dying inside: Mom, you do not seem as distressed about this as I am. 

My Mom: I am never as distressed as you are about anything in this show. It’s impossible for me to reach that level of distress. I don’t know how you do it. 

So...if you didn’t already realize how emotionally connected to this show I am, now you do. XD 

That said, let’s get down to it. 

God, there is soooo much to unpack with that episode, and even crazier, it honestly all comes from that last five minutes. Let me start with this: 

I really enjoyed this episode! It can’t quite beat last week’s episode--but, honestly, I don’t know if any of the other episodes will be able to, except for maybe the finale--but it was good! I had a few qualms about Matt Cohen’s directing, but he definitely had some strong moments, so it wasn’t bad. And, admittedly, at first, I felt like the pacing of the episode was kind of slow, and switching back and forth between the Winchesters and Cas and Jack felt kind of choppy for a bit, but as the episode played out, I realized why. This was a full-on set-up episode. While last week gave us a chance to be silly with the boys and see some beautiful family bonding, this was the one that set us up for what’s sure to be heavy and plot-filled coming up. (And yes, I know next week’s episode is much more of a monster-of-the-week, but 15x17 is when things will likely really get down to it, so I’m sure there’ll still be some important plot stuff next week--especially since we need a resolution to the Cas and Dean talk). Between the boys having to find and trick Amara, and Cas and Jack bonding and working with each other again, plus that big reveal at the end, it’s setting up the next string of episodes to be fast-paced and intense as they finally start to take on God. 

With that said, I really loved being able to see Jack and Cas together again. It’s been so long since we’ve seen them really spend time together and bond, and watching them play off each other and be father and son was adorable and hilarious. Plus, I just love Jack with every fiber of my being, so that makes everything better. XD <3 

I also really loved Dean’s interactions with Amara. I mentioned this already, but that scene, where he’s talking about Mary...that was some INCREDIBLE acting on Jensen’s part. He’s always been really good at that subtle rage, especially when it’s also filled with sadness, and this scene was no different. And I’m glad that they did finally get Amara on board; however, I’m a little concerned with what she’s going to do when she finds out he lied. Especially after how worried she seemed to be. AND SPEAKING OF LYING!!

THOSE LAST FIVE MINUTES! HOLY SHIT!! 

Okay, so I’ve had some time to think about this and talk it out with some people, so I’m just gonna roll with the thoughts as they go through my brain. First of all, that is a big no a thousand times over. Jack, you cannot die. Second of all, that reveal was very well done on the writer’s part. After such a nonchalant episode--in terms of pace, that is--to have that in the last five minutes, AND to end with that cliffhanger, was a beautiful way to keep us fans guessing, invested, and wanting more. But also, SCREW YOU! 

That said, as freaked out as I was--and honestly, I’m still pretty worried--I really don’t think Jack’s going to die. There’s no way. Initially, my theory left Cas and Jack standing at the end of all of this. After CW said that thing about one of the main characters not surviving to the end, I thought it was gonna be Dean, but I can also see how it could be both Sam and Dean. However, in any case, Cas and Jack, in my various theories, always end up on top. So Jack saying he’s going to die in order to kill Chuck and Amara TOTALLY threw me. BUT! After talking it through with someone else, I seriously doubt it’s going to happen. 

First of all, Cas is about to go look for another way, and, as we’ve seen in the past, they always find another way. After all, this is the Winchesters (and yes, Cas counts, obviously). 

Second of all, they’re telling us this five episodes before the end, but Jack is, supposedly, completing his final ritual in 15x17. That leaves three episodes of unaccounted time, and if Jack is really going to die to kill Chuck and Amara, there’s no way they can stretch that over three episodes. Therefore, his dads are bound to stop it. To FURTHER that, 15x17 has Jack and Dean heading out together to complete Jack’s final ritual while Sam and Cas stay behind, which means that, once Jack does whatever he’s supposed to do, Dean is bound to find out what Billie’s true intentions are, and I’m convinced that he’s not going to be okay with it. Because here’s the thing. Between Sam and Dean, Jack is the one that Dean still needs the most forgiveness from. And, kind of like what happened in Last Holiday, the second Dean realizes Jack is in actual danger, he’s not going to let anything happen to him. And I’m hoping that the resulting protectiveness will give Dean the chance to tell Jack that he does forgive him, which will hopefully release some of Jack’s guilt complex and give them the ability to find another way. 

THIRD of all, (and I mentioned this in my reactions), this whole “becoming the bomb to kill the cosmic entities” is an exact mirror of what Dean tried to do in S11, and we saw how that went. But the thing is, why would the writers play the exact same storyline again unless they were intending to parallel it and connect it to Jack and Dean’s relationship now? When Dean didn’t detonate in S11, he got his mom back, but then Jack killed her. Now, Jack is ready to detonate himself as a bomb because of having killed Mary, and Dean’s bound to stop him, especially after that conversation with Amara. Maybe this is all wishful thinking, but I really, sincerely feel like (and hope) that Jack isn’t going to make that sacrifice. Because, on top of all of that, while I love the family that is Team Free Will 2.0, this show still is, as it always has been, about Sam and Dean, and, as such, it should end with them too. So the odds of Jack being the “be all end all” without Sam and Dean’s help? Super slim. 

So, to sum that up, as worried as I am about my baby, I really really really think (and god I hope I’m right) that that’s not the way this story will end. There has to be more to it. 

With all of that addressed, let’s talk about WHATEVER it is that Cas is about to tell Dean. For me, there are two things it could be:

First, there’s the obvious answer based on the episode itself. Cas is about to tell Dean that Jack has to die in order to kill Chuck and Amara. However, I don’t think that’s it, because that seems too easy and unrealistic. If Cas tells Dean that now, then why would Dean take him to do his final ritual in 15x17 (I guess this is what happens when you read too much promotional material lol)? And even if he does, the next episode seems to be very Sam and Dean centric, and Cas dropping a bomb like that would not allow for a Sam and Dean centric episode, at least not when it’s putting their whole big mission in a different light. Plus, on top of all of that, that Cas and Jack conversation is an exact parallel of the conversation the two of them had about Cas making his deal with the Empty back in Season 14. Cas told Jack not to tell Sam and Dean, and Jack never did, even though his life is at risk. So Cas telling Sam and Dean about Jack now, knowing that Jack kept that secret for him, might break a certain level of trust between the two of them, and I don’t think Cas would do that. Which brings me to my second and, in my opinion, more likely theory. 

Cas is about to tell Dean about his deal with the Empty. While this would also be a huge bomb to drop in the middle of this big fight, and in the middle of all this chaos, it technically doesn’t directly correlate with their fight with Chuck. However, if something does happen to Cas, that’s something that Sam and Dean do need to know, because it’ll affect how they handle things and what they do, in a lot of ways. At the same time, I feel like, if Cas is gonna do a whole “go it alone” thing, it’s important that he tells them before he leaves, because there’s no telling what could happen, to any of them, when they’re not all together, and being as open as possible before separating like that tends to be a good idea. It seems like Cas might finally be learning. 

That said, I could be wrong all around. It could be neither of those things. It could be both of those things. Honestly, there’s no way to know for sure until we get to next week. However, after a crazy ending like that, I am definitely looking forward to seeing what Supernatural has in store for us next. 

My Rating: 8/10

[gumnut-logic]

We’ll Be Home For Christmas 4.1

Title: We’ll be home for Christmas

Day Four – Five Billionaires and No Wives – Part 1 Prologue | 1.1 | 1.2 | 2.1 | 2.2 | 2.3 | 3.1 | 3.2 | 3.3 | 3.4 | 3.5

Author: Gumnut

11 - 29 Jan 2020

Fandom: Thunderbirds Are Go 2015/ Thunderbirds TOS

Rating: Teen

Summary: The boys can’t fly home for Christmas, so they have to find another way.

Word count: 3098

Spoilers & warnings: language and so, so much fluff. Science!Gordon. Artist!Virgil, Minor various ships, mostly background.

Timeline: Christmas Season 3, I have also kinda ignored the main storyline of Season 3. The boys needed a break, so I gave them one. Post season 3B, before Season 3C cos we haven’t seen it yet.

Author’s note: For @scattergraph. This is my 2019 TAG Secret Santa fic :D

It took ages, I’m sorry, work and an evil muse are to blame. But here be the next bit and I’m happy to have the story moving again. Hopefully I can get this done before Easter ::headdesk:: I hope you enjoy this anyway.

Many thanks to @vegetacide and @scribbles97 for cheering me on and their wonderful support through this craziness. And to @onereyofstarlight for geeking out with me over the setting.

Disclaimer: Mine? You’ve got to be kidding. Money? Don’t have any, don’t bother.

-o-o-o-

 Day Four - Five Billionaires and No Wives

Virgil woke in bed the next morning with no memory of how he got there.

“Good morning, Virgil.”

“John?” His brother was sitting calmly in his pyjamas several beds over. Virgil blinked. He hadn’t drunk that much alcohol last night had he? Last he remembered was lying on the grass with... “Did I fall asleep-?”

The door slammed as Gordon strode in, interrupting the quiet. “Under the stars, bro, snoring like a freight train. I wanted to leave you out there. Would have had more sleep if we did, but goodie-two-shoes Johnny here had us carry your butt to bed.” Gordon had obviously been up early and was dressed in his swimwear, a towel slung over his shoulder. “I’m going down for a swim, wanna come?”

Virgil just stared at his little brother, his pre-coffee brain struggling to put that rush of information together.

Gordon blinked. “Okay, I will ask you that question again later, post-coffee. How about you, John? Want to do some floating Earthside?”

John tilted his head in acknowledgement. “Sure. I’ll see you down there shortly.”

Russet brown eyes darted between John and Virgil. “You gonna keep an eye on this one? I haven’t seen hide or hair of Scott yet, Alan’s run off with Elspeth, and Sam and Liam are heading out with me.”

“I don’t need babysitting.” He had enough neurons to put that sentence together.

Gordon snorted. “I remember saying exactly the same thing a couple of months ago and you picking me off the couch anyway.”

“You did need babysitting. Still do.” Virgil threw off the covers and found he was still dressed in the shorts from yesterday, but his shirt was missing. Okay, his brothers were the best.

“Yeah, well, it took three of us to pick you up and carry you up here.”

“Shows all three of you need to work out more.”

“Or you need to eat less.”

“There is nothing wrong with my weight. It is all muscle.” He patted his belly and suddenly remembered why that wasn’t a good thing to do. Ow.

“You idiot.” Gordon was smiling and frowning at the same time.

John rolled his eyes. “Okay, Gordon, I’ll meet you down there in about half an hour. I think our big brother needs some ‘sitting’.”

Virgil glared at both of them as he rolled to sit on the edge of the bed. Gordon was still grinning when he made his way over and offered his brother a hand to pull him upright. Another glare, but Virgil didn’t say anything, just took Gordon’s hand and pulled himself up with a grunt.

“Yep, definitely need to eat less.”

“Gordon-“

“Yeah, well, I’m off for a swim.” He patted Virgil on the back. “Have fun on the flying fox, bro.”

Wha-? Oh, the zip line.

Virgil was not fast enough to clap his brother around the ears and Gordon danced out of the room laughing.

“Little shit.”

John snorted. “Yeah, but you’ve got to love him.”

“Hmm, maybe.”

That only prompted John to snort again. “You need a hand with your shower?”

“No, I’m good.”

“In that case, I’ll go find us some breakfast.”

“Coffee?”

“And, yes, Virgil some coffee. Now go wash up, you stink.”

“Hey!”

But his smart-ass brother just pinched his nose and made a point of walking past the end of Virgil’s bed and bee-lining for the door.

“You’re an ass.”

“Hee-haw.”

-o-o-o-

A shower freshened him up and Virgil finally communed with his coffee out on the green. The day had woken with blue skies and glass ocean. They had been so lucky with the weather it was almost too good to be true. The pessimist in him idly threw up the idea of a cyclone between here and Tracy Island and he had to mentally kick himself for even thinking of it.

Because of his recent surgery, Virgil was unable to go swimming, but he chose to climb down to the beach with them anyway. John hovered like crazy because despite Gordon’s smart ass remarks, there was no zip line down to Oneraki Beach and Virgil found himself climbing down a quite steep embankment. But he took it carefully and made it onto the sand in one piece. If he was honest, he was not looking forward to climbing back up.

Fortunately, Scott was nowhere to be seen, so when he took a much needed seat in an offered deck chair, only John was there to hover over him.

Despite his brothers’ concerns he wasn’t stupid and he took the time to rest in the chair and give his hampered body a chance to recover.

“Are you sure you are okay?”

Virgil glared at John.

His younger brother held up his hands defensively. “Okay, okay, I get it. Since you are absolutely fine, I’m going in for a dip. Yell, if you need any of us.”

The glare became flat-eyed. “Will do.”

“Good.” John spun on his heel and jogged down the beach to the surf.

Trust him to have the last word. John wasn’t one to be trifled with. All the brothers knew that. While Virgil might dismissively tell Gordon or Alan to shut up, you never did that to John. You’d be risking a communications blackout isolating you from the rest of the world. His little brother was smart and kind, but he demanded and got the respect he deserved.

Not that Virgil would ever give him any less, it was just that John was a quiet one and the quiet ones were the dangerous ones.

Gordon, Sam and Liam were already in the water and it was abundantly clear that Gordon’s assessment of Sam’s surfing skills was accurate. The man fell off his board more than he stayed on it. He was even wearing some kind of specialised artificial foot, but it didn’t seem to help.

The amusing thing was that he didn’t seem to care either. He appeared to be having the time of his life either on the water or upside down in it.

The laughter bouncing across the waves from the three men was infectious and Virgil found himself grinning and wishing he could join them.

John found himself a quiet area of the beach and began swimming laps beyond the swell. Virgil might have been worried about sharks out here, but they were all familiar enough with the marine environment and Gordon was pedantic about their shark deterrent wrist bands.

Virgil, of course, was wary of his. He might not be a shark, but the wristband was a creepy thing. There had been discussions.

But today he didn’t have to worry about it, because he couldn’t go in the water anyway.

For a while, he just sat and enjoyed the morning. There was barely any breeze, the ocean was as glass as an open ocean could get, he had nowhere he had to be, nowhere he had to rush. Hell, he was tempted to snooze right there and then.

That thought snapped him out of it. He hadn’t had any decent exercise all week. He was turning into a slob. Now would probably a good time to get started on a little rehab.

He eyed the far end of the beach. A walk couldn’t hurt could it?

Pushing himself carefully out of the chair and catching his footing on the dark volcanic sand, he stepped carefully down into the damp zone and started off at a gentle pace.

He had no plans to go any great distance, just towards the end of the beach. He wouldn’t be out of sight so he wouldn’t be breaking any rules of wandering off without an attendant.

A step or two more and he carefully reached down and removed his sandals.

His feet sunk into the fine dark sand and he closed his eyes for just a moment revelling in the feel of it between his toes. How long had it been since he had stood on a beach? Too busy. Too long.

He let all the breath out of his body and gently inhaled anew.

Wriggling his toes, he grinned to himself and started walking.

-o-o-o-

Gordon was having a great time. Sam and Liam were just good guys to mess around with. They had lent him a spare surfboard and they spent some time chasing the quiet swell. Sam spent most of it under the water, but since that was his native environment, he didn’t appear to care.

Liam had much more skill than Sam on a board and between him and Gordon, a good-natured rivalry began as to who could catch the most waves.

Liam won, but Gordon was laughing anyway and, to be honest, he wasn’t really trying. He was just enjoying the freedom and the lack of responsibility.

John joined them after a decent number of laps and topped all of them even without a board. His red-headed brother knew how to manipulate his body in a low-G environment and bodysurfed like a dolphin.

It left Gordon grinning. Everyone underestimated John...to their detriment. Even Gordon forgot what his big brother was capable of. Space wasn’t just about books and science, there was a definite physical aspect and John worked hard to keep himself healthy.

“John!”

Gordon looked up at the beach to see Scott and Mel standing there, gesturing them in.

Virgil’s deck chair was empty.

Gordon had seen his brother come down with John. Where was he now? A glance up and down the beach found it empty.

What the hell? He didn’t climb back up the hill by himself, did he? Considering Scott was on the beach with that expression on his face probably struck that option off the list.

John, the smart ass, made it to the beach before any of them. That was something that would have to be fixed in the future. Gordon was an Olympic gold medallist and he had a reputation to maintain, after all.

“Where’s Virgil?” Scott was not happy. “He’s not answering his comms.”

“He went for a walk.” John pointed down the beach.

“Well, then where is he?”

John glared at his brother before walking over to the bag he had brought with him and yanking out his own comms. “Eos, location on Virgil, please.”

The AI rattled off coordinates which, when Gordon ran them through the map in his head, equated to...

John pointed down the beach. “He’s that way.”

“Then why can’t we see him?”

“How the hell should I know? Go and ask him.” John matched Scott’s glare with his own. “You do know he is a big boy and can look after himself?”

Scott actually growled at John before spinning and stalking off down the beach.

Oh dear, Virgil was in for it when he got found.

John glared after him a second before turning back to his comms. “Eos, Virgil’s medical status?”

“Last readings all within normal parameters, however, approximately fifteen minutes ago, I believe he took off his shirt, and hence the sensor net in the material. I still have locator and proximity readings, but vitals are patchy. What I do have is within normal tolerances, however I do not have enough readings for that summary to be conclusive.”

John rolled his eyes. “I’m going to kill him.”

“C’mon, John, Virgil needs a break. He only went for a walk on the beach.”

“Tell that to Scott.”

“Scott needs to...” He trailed off at the expression on Mel’s face. “Oh, you didn’t.”

A total lack of innocence appeared on her face. “Didn’t what?”

“Oh, for god’s sake, Mel, really?”

“What?”

Gordon groaned. “It’s the dimples, isn’t it.” It wasn’t a question. “The goddamned dimples.”

Mel shrugged. “He is a great kisser, too.”

Gordon stared at her. “Ergh.” A frown. “I thought you were all about Virgil.”

She shrugged. “He wasn’t all about me. Scott is, uh, nice.” The smile on her face crept up into her eyes.

“Argh.”

“Why, Thunderfish, I didn’t know you cared.” Her grin was devilish.

“Umm...”

But she thwacked him on the arm. “Don’t tie yourself into knots, fishy, I know you’re all moony eyes for the Lady Penelope.”

“What?!”

John snorted beside him and Sam cracked up laughing.

“And don’t you worry your little fins about me and Scott. Was only a little fun.”

“Aaah! I don’t want to hear it.”

Mel laughed at him and drew him into a hug. “You are a laugh, Thunderfish.” She patted his back. “Though I have to say your brother was much happier before he was unable to locate Virgil.”

Gordon snorted. “Scott doesn’t come as a single option. You want the Commander, you’re gonna have to share him with his four brothers. Particularly, Virgil.”

She smirked and put on a seductive smile. “Hmm, all five of you? Really, tease a girl why don’t you.”

He stared at her in shock.

John cracked up laughing and Sam appeared to need resuscitation as he fell all over Liam who was trying to hold both him and himself up at the same time.

“Gee, Fishy, I didn’t know you came in that colour. Did I embarrass you?” Her arm around his shoulders wasn’t helping.

He glared at her. “I didn’t know you had it in you, Mel.”

She snorted. “I have a whole lot in here you don’t know about, Thunderfish.” But she was grinning at him. “Now I have to go keep both your brothers within sight since they have decided to break the rules.”

Gordon stared up the beach and sure enough, there was no sign of them.

A shrug. “You can trust them.”

She reached in and tapping his cheek gently, whispered, “I know, but them the rules.” Her eyes were smiling at him. “He really is a great kisser, you know.”

“You know, Mel. I can live without knowing.”

She giggled. Giggled! He had never heard Mel giggle! And wandered off down the beach after his brother.

John was still grinning like a loon.

Gordon glared at him. “Shut up, John.”

John’s grin just got wider.

-o-o-o-

It was quiet on the beach. After Virgil got far enough away from his brothers and their friends, the natural sounds of the environment took over and Virgil connected with it.

The tension in his shoulders loosened, his back relaxed and he let out a sigh.

The water hissing onto the sand, the breakers cracking the glass ocean as the swell reached the island. Birds, so many birds, many of them the familiar sounds of home telling him how close they were to Tracy Island.

He found himself longing for that familiar environment. Grandma, Kayo, Brains muttering in the background, Gordon splashing in the pool, Alan’s computer games, even Scott on the phone to Tracy Industries. The sounds of home.

But for the moment Raoul had to suffice.

And it was beautiful.

The beach was a decent length, backed by a rise that led off into the mountain that made the island. The fine sand was soft and curled about his toes and plants crawled down the hill to sprawl all over it. Pale morning glory flowers dotted the foliage. The contrast of light flower, green leaf and dark sand was quite striking and Virgil found himself composing a painting as he stopped and stared at the plants.

A thought and he reached into his pocket, grabbed his phone and spent the next few minutes photographing enough stock for a future painting.

Once he decided he had enough, he took a few shots of the incoming waves, the shoreline and the seascape. So much inspiration.

He continued walking and kept his phone in hand just in case. A large seabird flew off the ocean and up the slope and disappeared into the dense forest.

Hell, even the trees were like those on Tracy Island. Brilliant crimson anthers cascaded over evergreen leaves. A tui peered at him from a low branch and screeched at him before flying off.

He let it soak in.

The beach curved inwards slightly and he followed it around only to find the oddest sight.

Steaming hot water was dribbling from the sand bank. A cloud of barely condensed fog rose from it and the dark sand was stained with mineral deposits.

A hot spring! He crouched next to it. He had seen this volcano erupting, grabbed Melissa Fisher and her team off the volatile chunk of rock. Yet here it was quiet, beautiful and full of life, its potential energy little more than a trickle onto sand on a wave sculpted beach.

He reached out a hand and gauged the heat. It was cooling a little as it sputtered onto the shore and he could touch the pool it created. A convenient rock provided a seat and he sat down, letting his feet drop into the warm water.

His shoulders dropped and his eyes closed.

A sudden need to feel the sun on his skin and he threw off his shirt and dumped it, his shoes and his phone in the foliage beside the spring. The warmth from the sun and the hot water, the roar of the breaking surf, he closed his eyes again and just felt.

The eroded volcanic rock under his fingertips was rough, but as equally warmed by the morning sun as his skin.

It just felt so good on everything.

He sat there for some time, just experiencing it. His mood shifted from one of contemplation to one of joy. Everything was in harmony. The ecosystem hummed around him, the planet playing its eternal concert, a thrum that got into his bones.

A thrum.

A wordless thrum, in his bones, in his incisions, in the soles of his feet.

He opened his eyes and stared out at the ocean.

A spray of watery breath broke the surface beyond the breakers.

A moment later it was followed by another, smaller spray.

Virgil stared, and, climbing to his feet, stepped out of the steaming pool and walked towards the breaking surf.

As his feet touched the churning water the hum intensified, vibrating deeper with an unheard melody.

He kept walking until the water was breaking across his thighs, his clothes soaking wet.

The swell dipped between waves and a dark grey and white head emerged out of the water, as if staring at him. A smaller head did the same a moment later before both once again disappeared below the surface.

A joy washed through his body, the sea singing to him like it never had before.

An exhaled breath, his heart in his throat.

“Well, hello.”

-o-o-o-

End Day 4, Part 1

[blodreina-noumou]

I was tagged by: @teeandsnowflakes and @boomheda! Two of my faves in this fandom. <3 Thanks ladies!!

List your top ten ships without looking at the questions, then answer!

1. Peraltiago (Jake x Amy from Brooklyn Nine-Nine)

2. Memori (Murphy x Emori from The 100)

3. Cheleanor (Chidi x Eleanor from The Good Place)

4. Hosie (Hope x Josie from Legacies)

5. Deanoru (Karolina and Nico from Runaways)

6. Stelena (Stefan x Elena from The Vampire Diaries)

7. Linctavia (Lincoln x Octavia from The 100)

8. Sizzie (Sebastian and Lizzie from Legacies)

9. Clexa (Clarke x Lexa from The 100)

10. Janason (Janet x Jason from The Good Place)

1) Do you remember the episode/scene/chapter that you first started shipping 6?

Stelena: I actually think I really fell for them when they had their scenes at the Gilbert family lake house. They were so soft and safe with each other. For a little while.

2) have you ever read fanfiction about 2?

Memori: Here and there. I’m not big on fanfiction though.

3) Has a picture of 4 ever been your screen saver/profile picture/tumblr avatar?

Hosie: No, though they probably would/will be if I ever make a Legacies sideblog.

4) if 7 were to suddenly break up today, what would your reaction be?

Linctavia: I’d be happy, because it would mean Lincoln was alive, and there was still hope for them. 😭 But Lincoln’s dead, so technically speaking, they’re already broken up. By death. Ugh.

5) Why is 1 so important?

Peraltiago: They’re a really good example of a healthy “opposites attract” relationship. They had time to build up and figure each other out, and they’ve both grown together. They work through their issues in a respectful, loving way. You never get the feeling that they don’t like each other, even if there are things about each other that they don’t absolutely love. Plus, Melissa and Andy have great chemistry, and they make for a very cute couple. Shipping can be shallow. 

6) Is 9 a funny ship or a serious ship?

Clexa: ... I still cry about it sometimes. There was never anything funny about them. God bless the people who managed to make crackposts out of that epic tragedy.

7) Out of all of your ships listed, which ship has the most chemistry?

Memori has chemistry beyond like, anything reasonable. They’re on fire. Any moment where they’re on-screen together is charged - with sexual tension, with love, with desperation to protect each other. Those two know how to emote. Clexa is a close second.

8) out of all of the ships, which ship has the strongest bond?

Cheleanor lasted through several iterations of eternity. That’s a damn strong bond right there.

9) How many times have you read/watched 10’s fandom?

The Good Place: I’ve seen every episode at least three times. When I’ve had time to heal, I’m gonna go back and watch in order again.

10) Which ship has lasted the longest?

Cheleanor, because, again, literally several iterations of eternity. Janason is up there, too. The Good Place has a real wacky timeline, lol.

11) How many times, if ever, has 6 broken up?

Stelena: Like... four? Three for real, because once was to fool Katherine. I think. She breaks up with him real early on because she doesn’t think it’s gonna work, with all the craziness. Then, they separate again in s3, although they don’t really break up after Stefan leaves with Klaus... it just kinda falls apart. Then they get back together, but break up when Elena develops feelings for Damon. They only had like, three happy weeks together total, lmao. Lotsa angst in that one.

12) if the world was suddenly thrust into a zombie apocalypse, which ship would make it out alive, 2 or 8?

Memori or Sizzie, huh? This is actually a tough call, because although Murphy and Emori are a lot more suited for the apocalypse (that’s their universe, after all,) Sebastian is a semi-indestructible immortal vampire, and Lizzie is a powerful siphon witch. Frankly I’d pay good money to see all four of them team up. But if it came down to it, I think Murphy and Emori are scrappier, more used to survival-based adversity, so they’d have the advantage.

13) is 4 still together?

Technically speaking, they haven’t gotten together... yet. I’m really hoping they do in the next couple of seasons, though. #hosierights

14) is 10 canon?

Janason - Yes, in the cutest way possible. I love Janet x Jason forever. J + J!

15) if all ten ships were put into a couple’s Hunger Games, which couple would win?

Ooooooh...that’d actually be really tough. It’d be a damn good show, though. 

Sadly, I think Janason is automatically out of the running - if the battle royale doesn’t take place in the afterlife, Janet and Jason are just two relatively normal, good-hearted people. Same with Cheleanor. None of the characters from The Good Place are made for combat. I’m throwing Stelena on the kill list, too, because Elena was mostly mortal when she was with Stefan, and he’s just one regular vampire.

Peraltiago is a weird wild card, because they’re only human, but they have guns, and hand-to-hand fighting experience. If they shot fast, they’d get pretty far. But could they? We’ve rarely seen them discharge their weapons on the show, and usually without serious consequences.

Almost every other couple on this list would have some advantage, though. 

Memori, Clexa, and Linctavia all have legitimate battle experience - both Lexa and Octavia won their own combat competitions. Murphy and Emori are scrappy survivors, and Lincoln and Clarke are both formidable fighters, too. Half of them also know how to shoot guns.

Deanoru, Hosie, and Sizzie all include people with unique supernatural powers, plus a werewolf/vampire/witch tribrid and a regular vamp, to boot.

I think, ultimately, it would come down to a battle of the supernaturals, and Hope is canonically the strongest of them all. Throw in Josie, and I think everyone else is pretty much screwed.

16) Has anybody ever tried to sabotage 5’s ship?

Deanoru - I don’t think so. A lot of people hated the flash-forward in the last episode, where it showed that they’d broken up for a bit, and they blamed the girl Karolina ended up with. But I think that was just like...a normal thing to have happened, given the circumstances.

17)Which ship would you defend to the death and beyond?

Not really any of them, tbh. I think shipping should be relatively light-hearted.

18) Do you spend hours a day going through 3’s tumblr page?

Cheleanor - Not anymore. I did when the show was still airing, though. Sadly, their story is now done.

19) if an evil witch descended from the sky and told you that you had to pick one of the ten ships to break up forever or else she’d break them all up forever, which ship would you sink?

...is it cheating if I pick one of the ships that’s already doomed, lmao? I mean, Stelena is canonically dead, never gonna happen again, so. I’d just pick them. They were happier in-universe broken up, for the hot second that they were both alive to experience that. But I’ll always have my early memories!

Tagging: @twinzmoon @murphystartedthefire @johnmurphysreddit @hosie4legacies @kingrosalie @bombshellsandbluebells @blodkru @blodreina @nightbleeder and anyone else who sees this and wants to steal it!!

[arsenicpanda]

Opinions on your top 5 Riverdale ships and/or characters

Oh man, this has been in my ask box for like…two months?  And I haven’t answered because I just haven’t been up to it, but I am now!  So let’s go!

Favorite Ships

1. Betty/Jughead:  There’s really no contest here.  The rest of these don’t really have an order, but bughead is 100% on top.  The thing about bughead is that it has so many fun tropes wrapped up in it: childhood friends, one-sided pining (if you subscribe to the theory that Jughead has had a thing for Betty for years), investigative duo, poor boy/rich(er) girl, bad boy/good girl, brooding boy/gentle girl, gang member/cheerleader (which might happen enough to be a trope only on Riverdale, but whatever), dark power couple, etc.  Now, I love all those tropes, but here’s the thing: it’s so much more than that. These are each facets of bughead, yes, but they’re still greater than the sum of their parts. They both have a darkness in them that I absolutely love and want more of, but they also have a devotion to the people they care about that is quite admirable. They just fit together, and they’re such equals and so devoted to each other, and it’s just maximum levels of charming.  Bughead ticks a lot of boxes for me, and the only ships that outrank them (shirlulu and izanamie) do some of those tropes but to a greater degree.

- FP/Gladys:  Yeah, I don’t know what it is about this exactly, but I find them really endearing?  Like, they’re both such disasters and masters of neglecting their children, but I really like them together?  I mean, they used to commit armed robbery together, maybe, and that is just excellent. Also, I think I just want the Jones family to reunite for Jughead’s sake, and supporting this ship is part of it.

- Kevin/Joaquin:  God, I miss them.  The original Southside/Northside ship, with its mixture of bad boy/good boy and poor boy/rich(er) boy, and they were just precious.  Joaquin was proud to be with Kevin, and Kevin deserves that, damnit. Also! The way Joaquin just stopped dead in his tracks when he spotted Kevin even though he probably needed to escape as fast as possible and the way Kevin was like “I have to go after Joaquin” in the middle of the heist were just so cute.  And omg, the way Joaquin would just fold when Kevin asked him for information was a delight. I needed more of them; they were precious.

- Archie/Josie:  Short-lived though it was, I found them really cute.  There was an innocence to Archie and Josie, and it was nice to see Archie pulled out of Riverdale darkness (which, as much as I love it, has always been a genre he doesn’t quite belong in) and to see Josie connect with someone and be open to something beyond just music, but without losing focus on her music.  Also, they could sing together, and it was adorable. Like, their musical number was just the cutest. Honestly, if this had continued, it could have pulled Archie out of the main plot even more or it could have finally dragged Josie into the main plot and give her the screentime she deserved.  I feel like this ship could have really stolen my heart.

- Cheryl/Veronica:  You know, I like choni and varchie, I really do, but something about these two charms me.  It’s maximum levels of rich bitch, and I love that. Cheryl and Veronica had some nice bonding back in season 1, and the way Veronica used to be the kind of mean girl that Cheryl is now is so interesting to me.  Veronica would drag Cheryl into be slightly nicer in a cute but also potentially comical way. They’re two smart ladies who could combine their fortunes of shady origins and become this terrifying power couple that crushes their enemies under their stiletto heels.  And it would be so funny to watch Cheryl interact with Veronica’s friends, like oh my god, Veronica dragging Cheryl, Betty, and Jughead onto double dates with just the highest potential for disaster would be amazing.  I also would enjoy adding Toni to this to make a ship with maximum scary lady, I must admit.

Favorite Characters

1. Jughead Jones:  Was there ever any doubt?  Jughead is best boy and my second all-time favorite male character, right behind the passive-aggressive legend known as Koizumi Itsuki.  He’s got layers, man. He’s a decent guy, but he has a darkness in him that I love. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Jughead’s cut from the same cloth as Lelouch Lamperouge, and I find that fascinating.  Jughead is willing to do a lot to protect the people he cares about, but he has a few moral lines (although I wonder how unmoving those are). He’s got a prickly, brooding exterior that conceals a gooey inside full of love and sadness and abandonment issues (seriously, Jughead’s abandonment issues and desire for family/people that won’t leave him drive and explain a lot of his actions).  And watching him interact with the people he cares about is just a delight.  He and Betty are adorable at their softest and their darkest, and he’s just the sweetest to JB, and watching him investigate with FP is just the funniest thing I’ve ever seen.  Also! His willingness to believe crazy conspiracy theories that turn Riverdale into an eldritch nightmare amuses me to no end. I love this grumpy, loving, varying levels of crazy, weirdly smooth dweebazoid of a gang leader.

2. Betty Cooper:  Oh man, do I love Betty Cooper; she is so much more than meets the eye.  She looks like a sweetheart, and even is to a certain extent, but underneath lies a certain ruthlessness, as well as a darkness and a complete disregard for the law when it suits her.  She’s so determined and so smart, and she doesn’t give up on the people she loves, even when maybe she should. And you just don’t fuck with Betty Cooper or the people she loves if you know what’s good for you.  Like a dog with a bone, that girl, she doesn’t let up on a mystery until the end, especially if her loved ones are involved. Betty Cooper is silk, or maybe something soft and fluffy, hiding steel in the best way, and I love her for it.  Watching her as she relentlessly pursues leads and does morally, ethically, and/or legally dubious things like blackmail people and bribe people is such a delight, as are her gentle and vulnerable moments when she’s not in tough investigator mode.  She’s just this badass sweetheart who will hunt her enemies to the ends of the earth, drag them back, and then, after turning them in, do something wholesome like go out for burgers and milkshakes with her friends or cuddle with Jughead, and I love that to no end.  For me, Betty Cooper is a very unique character, and oh, how I love unique.

- FP Jones:  God, this walking disaster.  FP is terrible at literally everything he does, and, for some reason, I really love that.  I mean, FP is Problematic, yeah, and my enjoyment of FP is partially rooted in some personal stuff, but I also just find him really amusing.  And watching him try to be an effective gang leader or a good father or a competent sheriff is just hilarious because he is so bad at all of those.  I especially love watching him investigate with Jughead, by which I mean watching him stand there all “yeah, this is official police business, you have to answer my questions” while Jughead does all the talking.  Also! The extent to which he is proud of his son is both hilarious and endearing, and the way he wants Jughead to keep writing and get out of Riverdale warms my heart. Look at this disaster man and his tragic backstory and his timeline that doesn’t make any sense and has always been too busy (He was in the army AND he has a chunk of priors that he must have committed as an adult because juvenile records are sealed AND he became the leader of the Serpents AND he started a business with Fred Andrews, at which point he must have no longer been in the Serpents.  Where did he find the time?). I love him.

- Penny Peabody:  Penny is, hands down, Riverdale’s best villain, probably at least partially because she’s used sparingly.  But I just love how mean and ruthless and cunning she is. Also, the way she condescended to Jughead all “Is that what mommy told you?” about her not-death was goddamn amazing.  Every moment Penny is on my screen is gold. Also, she’s largely competent. Yeah, the Joneses keep taking her down, but she always comes back as a legitimate threat. Penny Peabody adapts to whatever life throws at her, and I can respect that.

- Archie Andrews:  Weren’t expecting this, were you?  Honestly, Gladys could have also gone here (or in Penny’s spot), but I decided to talk about Archie today.  Archie is human golden retriever, and I love him for it. He’s a sweet kid, and he means well, but by god is he a dumbass.  He doesn’t quite belong in this show, y’know? Like, Jughead belongs in a crime movie/gang movie/Very Special Episode, and Betty belongs in a crime/horror movie, and Veronica belongs in a mafia movie, while Archie is just this regular kid from a nice family who should probably be in some wholesome coming of age movie or a dog movie or something.  But he still really wants to help! Normally I don’t like dumb characters very much, but for some reason I find Archie really endearing. Maybe it’s his devotion to people he cares about? And, man, Archie cares pretty easily. Yeah, he’s gullible and he was a fascist for a little bit there, but he’s mostly a good kid, something season 3’s juvie arc showed off really well.  He just instantly bonded with these other kids, and he kept that bond even after he left juvie. And he just took a random kid he just met into his home, and it was precious (even though it ended in him getting sliced). He’s got a big heart and an empty head, and I just love him.

And that’s it.  I’ve probably repeated myself a bit, but what’re you gonna do, y’know?

[artificialqueens]

Beyond My Wildest Dreams, Ch.2 (Nina West/OC) - multifandomgeek

A/N: Thank you to the kind @alexandriabelle1 for being my first beta ever <3

ao3 

Pride season had always been a busy time for Nina. Not only it was a time where the queer community came together stronger than usual, but it also brought the mainstream spotlight to their issues, every year more so than the previous, and Nina was gonna be damned if she didn’t take this opportunity to highlight important topics and engage people in important initiatives.

This year, however, was absolutely crazy! Her popularity was insane, the projects she was doing barely one week in were already so successful she didn’t even know where to put how fucking grateful she was for all of this. She was in drag practically every day. She did parades in heels, talked to people, chanted political rhymes, performed in front of crowds bigger than she ever had before. Living her best life didn’t even begin to describe it.

Somewhere in the middle of June, she was in Columbus (she wasn’t even gonna pretend she knew the date), glad to be home even though the workload there was bigger because of all the partnerships and projects pre-Drag Race. She had a meeting with the people from the Nina West Foundation today. They were gonna talk about the results of the videos they were releasing about the charities they worked with, and apparently Kevin had a briefing to present to Nina, a big idea that promised to use her fame to bring in big money.

Nina would be lying if she said she wasn’t nervous about seeing Kevin. She hadn’t seen him in person in a while, though they kept talking pretty frequently even with Nina as busy as she was. Brooke asked her about him now and then and fueled her hope that her feelings weren’t one-sided. It had been a cute fantasy to entertain in her head until now, but she felt incredibly self-conscious about seeing the man in person. She was sure she was going to embarrass herself some way or another, and her mind was already going from “maybe he’ll kiss me” to “what if he shows up with a boyfriend?” while she put way too much thought on what she was wearing while getting ready.

The Foundation was more of an idea than an actual place, and for today they were using a meeting room in one of Nina’s friend’s office. The room had a big oval table with about a dozen chairs and a good structure for projections, conference calls, the sort of business things you could eventually need, but other than that it wasn’t especially fancy. Nina got there about 5 minutes earlier than necessary, opening the door to see Kevin already settled in, frowning in concentration while hunched down in front of his laptop. Nina smiled fondly and sighed, feeling like a teenage girl and basking in it.

“Hey,” said Nina gently, managing to startle Kevin anyway. She chuckled.

“Nina!” said Kevin with a wide smile, getting up and rounding the table to hug Nina tightly. God, he smelled so good. “Come here, come see the new project,” he said, pulling her to sit beside him by the computer, “Steven is gonna be a little late with the girls, and I’ll do the whole projection thing for everybody, but I can’t wait to show you,” he finished excitedly, fiddling with the touchpad to put up a powerpoint presentation. Nina caught herself staring at his face and promptly looked at the screen just as he started explaining.

The idea was definitely ambitious, almost arrogantly so, and call Nina crazy, but she thought they could make it happen. It would take time and a lot of behind the scenes preparations, they would need a few more extra hands to help with the technology aspect of it, and if that went wrong the whole thing would be a disaster. Even so, they could prepare well, have lots of backup plans. It definitely had a good chance to go right. She had seen what the fans could do, this could definitely happen!

“We’ll need you fully on board with this, though,” said Kevin, looking at Nina expectantly, “You’re gonna have to be the one making calls and bringing the big people in. Without you, and without them, it doesn’t go anywhere.”

“Are you kidding me, of course I’m on board with it! I can already think of half a dozen people that would agree from the top of my head! And the fact that it’s all digital, I mean, just the schedule issues that would avoid… I even think we can top your initial numbers!” her mind was already planning schedules and making lists and rehearsing convincing speeches.

“You’re amazing, Andrew,” said Kevin quietly. Nina looked up from the computer to see him staring at her with a sweet smile on the corner of his mouth. Her heart fluttered.

“You are the amazing one. I could never think of something like this by myself,” responded Nina, reaching for his hand. She was in awe with this idea, it was genius! As if she needed another reason to like Kevin.

They were staring at each other, and suddenly the excitement gave place to tension. Kevin squeezed Nina’s hand firmly, caressing the back of it lightly, sending shivers through Nina’s arm. She searched into his green eyes for any sign that she was reading this wrong, and found none. Nina licked her lips. She was gonna do it, she was gonna kiss him.

Then, the door opened.

Luckily, the group of people that entered the room was too engrossed in their own conversation to notice if they interrupted something. Kevin looked down and bit back an adorable shy smile, squeezing Nina’s hand one more time before letting it go. Nina just adjusted her seat to be a little further away from him, trying to force her mind back into focus when the only thing she wanted to think about was how the warm lips from the man beside her would taste.

The meeting went on as planned. They discussed the foundation’s past month or so, their actions for Pride, and Kevin presented the new project by the end. He did it in a more structured and professional way than he did to Nina, which made her think he was comfortable around her, instigating a bubbly feeling in her chest. Everybody was excited about the idea, but the others were a bit more down to earth than Nina had been, and the rest of their time boiled down to planning and budgeting and building a timeline for it.

Nina had to leave before they finished in order to make it in time for a gig. It pained her to think that maybe if she had stayed, she and Kevin could have gone for coffee after the meeting and picked up where they left off, but she had no choice. Just the thought, however, that they had been that close to really kissing, that Kevin would kiss her back, touch her, that she would know for sure he liked her back, oh it was so nice. Plus, that project? If they really could pull it off, it could even become an annual thing! There was so much hope inside of Nina that the only thing she could do was share it away, and that made her go into the gig in full power, giving the public her all and leaving them with a sense of satisfaction she hadn’t felt in a while.

When her day finally ended, she was laughing with one of her local queen friends as they made their way to the dressing rooms. The club was still somewhat full despite the late hour, so when someone touched Nina’s arm to ask if she had time for one more fan, she was ready to turn away another drunk person politely until she met a pair of familiar green eyes, squished with a smile, and all but swooned.

“Kevin, hi,” said Nina, forgetting all about her friend, who took the clue and kept walking by herself. “What are you doing here? You don’t even like clubs.”

“I don’t, yeah,” he said, shrugging, “but I didn’t know when you were leaving again, so,” he finished, looking away shyly. Nina’s smile was so wide it was starting to ache.

“I’m in town until Wednesday,” she said. “I like that you came here though, that’s very sweet. I may have a little free time tomorrow if you want to maybe grab a coffee with me,” she asked, touching the back of his hand with her knuckles. He was looking at her again with those eyes and she was getting drowned in them. “Or ice cream. I’m an ice cream now. I’m very delicious if I say so myself,” she said, touching her fluffy hair with playful pride.

“I’d love to taste you,” said Kevin waggling his eyebrows, eliciting a full belly laugh from Nina. “Come here,” he said, pulling her by the hand and guiding her to the back of the stage. Nina went willingly, if confused.

“What are you doing?” she asked, still laughing a little.

“I’m finding a step,” he said, climbing one of the few steps leading to the back of the stage. He turned to Nina and pulled her close, now barely an inch taller than her in her high heels. He touched her face, and her smile faltered. “You’re too tall in drag for me to do this like I wanted,” said Kevin, keeping one hand softly on Nina’s cheek while the other lifted her chin, barely, to place a soft kiss on her lips.

Nina felt like a princess. Her eyes fluttered closed and her hands moved to his waist, steadying her as Kevin kissed and touched her like she was made of glass, a precious, soft thing. Nina was not a delicate man, nor a delicate woman, or a delicate drag-queen, and although she had loved and been loved many times in her life, she couldn’t recall ever being touched like that. It took her breath away.

Kevin pulled back, all half-lidded and dreamy, still touching Nina’s face. She smiled closed-mouthed, feeling her insides all bubbly.

“You have my lipgloss all over your mouth now,” said Nina, chuckling. Kevin reached to clean the corner of his mouth, not tackling even 1% of the problem. Nina giggled, and tried to help him, but ended up just smearing the bright purple all over his juicy lips even more. He was trying to keep still but was also giggling. “Ok, that didn’t help at all. You look cute, though.”

“Hmmm I might as well get them dirtier them,” he said, leaning down to kiss Nina again. Her mouth closed against his tightly while her chest still shook with laughter, but it soon died down, especially when Kevin tilted his head and his hand traveled to her back to pull her closer. Nina was loving the softness, but she also loved the added pressure and the tease of the tongue.

She was, however, still in drag. She couldn’t feel his chest against hers because of her fake boobs, some parts of her body were numb by now, and when his hand touched her neck it went too far and unbalanced her wig. She pulled back, resisting the urge to nuzzle him and get a little foundation to match his lipgloss.

“I have to de-drag,” she said. He nodded. “Come with me so I can get a wipe for you. Unless you wanna rock the gloss, I mean…”

“I think it’ll work better if I apply directly from the bottle? Unless it’s a new trend I’m not aware of,” said Kevin, stepping down from the stage stairs to follow Nina to the dressing room. She forgot he was perched up there. It was funny.

“Who knows, the beauty gurus are full of surprises these days,” she opened the door and entered the room with Kevin right behind. She didn’t even think about the other queens undressing there, going directly to her things and looking for her wipes. Kevin followed hesitantly, trying to avert his gaze from the other people in various states of undress also in the room. “Don’t worry, they’re used to people coming and going,” said Nina, bringing the wipe to his mouth and cleaning it easily. She had to crouch, only remembering to take off her shoes after she was done. “There you go, no evidence of the crime now,” she said with a smile, throwing the wipe away and kicking her shoes to the side.

“Can I help you with it?” he asked, pointing at the general direction of her stuff, taking Nina by surprise.

“Nah, I’m good, I do this every day,” she said dismissively.

“I know you don’t need it,” he said quietly, still wary of the other people around them. “I want to.” Nina was done, melted into a puddle on the floor. “But, I mean, I don’t wanna bother you, of course,” he said, flustered, like it occurred to him Nina might not want him there and he should leave immediately.

“Stay,” said Nina, grabbing his arm gently, her smile completely gone. Somehow, it made her feel vulnerable. Kevin smiled only with his eyes, which was maybe just as beautiful as the full-mouthed one.

Nina turned around and asked for his help with her zipper. She wasn’t getting naked, there were quite a few layers until that, but the gesture made her feel like she was. As if her prom date was taking her gown off at the end of the night, and not as if the guy she liked was going to see her in a weird state of under-drag in a room full of other people.

Once her dress was folded up and stored in her suitcase, she pulled up a stool for Kevin to sit behind her, instructing him on how to loosen up her corset while she took her wig and lashes off. They small talked while they did it, and Nina kept looking at his face in the mirror, the same frown of concentration she caught him with earlier on the day, creasing his forehead. She let him work on it for more than was strictly necessary, and once he was done with that there wasn’t much he could do except organize her things while she wiped her make-up away and pulled off her undergarments. She made sure he wouldn’t touch those, they didn’t need that level of gross-smells-intimacy just yet. He also turned away for the naked part of the process and pretended to fiddle with her brushes, which was a real gentleman move.

Kevin did get to see Nina shirtless though, which almost made her say she deserved to see him shirtless too, but she bit it back. She caught him looking at the red marks left by drag with some kind of worry, and thought maybe he wanted to touch them but refrained to. She would have liked it if he did.

It was different than having an assistant or a friend helping her out. There was a sense of calm and care she wasn’t used to, something warm and gentle that turned routine into affection. In the end, the process was over way sooner than Nina wanted it to be.

It occurred to her, however, that now she could very well invite him over to her place, and that thought brought a whole new excitement with it. She hurriedly asked him to wait while she said goodbye to the queens and staff.

“Now that’s the kind of trade I deserve, honey,” Nina heard a voice say while she made her way back to Kevin after properly talking to everybody. “Hot and useful? Where can I get a piece of that?”

“Nina’s a Ru girl now, baby, they bend over backwards for them,” responded another voice. It made Nina uneasy. She looked around but couldn’t pinpoint who said it.

Kevin wasn’t just some trade, and he wasn’t helping Nina to get in her pants. He could get in her pants any time of day without lifting a finger. It bothered her that people saw a moment so tender and twisted it into something sexually-founded. He didn’t even care if she was a Ru-girl or not. Right? Ok, now she was getting paranoid.

Kevin was leaning against the wall by the time she came back to him, looking down. He was close enough that Nina lost all hope he hadn’t heard the same comments she did. She didn’t know what to say about it.

“You ready to go?” he asked with a smile when he noticed her close, but it didn’t reach his eyes. Nina nodded, getting her suitcase and following him to his car. He had promised her a ride home since he hadn’t drank, and she just had to let her friends know. They were silent, there was tension and not the good kind.

Goddamnit.

[canaryatlaw]

Okay, so today was pretty fun. I try to vary the adjectives I use in my first sentence so my posts don't all look the same, lol. But today was good. Woke up at 10, then realized I didn't really need all this time to get ready, but I was already up so I did get ready, then my sister and I drove down to the little village area in the town next to mine (which is the town I grew up in) that's 8 minutes from our house (approximately, of course) and met my friend there. This is high school theatre one of my best friends that went to the Russian tea room with us a few months back. We were going to this cute little breakfast place down there but there was a bit of a line, so we walked around a little before being seated. Once we did sit down our conversation switched to law schools pretty quickly, being that she's in the process of deciding where she wants to go. She applied to like, 24 schools or something crazy like that, and she got into quite a few good ones, which isn't terribly surprising given she was like the token college overachiever, president of the student government and graduated with 3 majors, etc. But she's narrowed it down to 3 schools, two in Virginia and one in Indiana. So we talked a bit about positives and negatives and what exactly you're looking for in a law school, and balancing the school's ranking with how well you'd be able to do there- that when it comes to getting jobs, would they rather have someone with a lower ranked school with a high class ranking, or a higher ranked school with a lower class ranking? I mean, I'm sure nobody would be impressed with bottom 50% of the class, even if you go to a very good school. So it's all a very fine balance. Then of course we talked about other various things, life and such and our latest adventures. It was all very nice and pleasant. I got cinnamon swirl French toast and it was pretty awesome. After we finished we said our goodbyes, and then my sister asked if we could stop at target on the way home, so I said sure and we went there. She basically just wanted to look at more makeup, even though she has a ridiculous amount already, but she picked out a few things and we got a few snacks before heading home. Home was a bit busy since everyone was still home from work today, so everyone was kind of milling about. My mom wanted me to make this berry trifle I made over the summer for dinner tonight since we were kind of doing a belated New Years celebration, and for that I had to first bake an angel food cake, from scratch of course, so that took a while but it turned out quite well. Other than that I helped my mom with some stuff here and there and basically just chilled out for a bit. We were trying to work out plans to see rogue one, but my brother wanted to go to one of the theatres by us that have like the recliners and shit but they were all sold out, and some of the ticket prices were ridiculous. Apparently one of them has a "4-D" theatre, whatever the fuck that's supposed to mean, and the ticket prices for it was $23 per person. Like, $23 to go see a fucking movie? That's ridiculous. So we ended up just going down to the theatre closest to us that has normal seating. When we got there though, the place was a mad house, like one of the busiest I've ever seen it, and it's gotten pretty crazy before. The ticket line was wrapping around the whole lobby, so I opted for the self service kiosks that I already knew how to work, but there was a bit of a line for those too and then 2 of them would get you halfway through the process then be like oh nope sorry can't use this machine, and then when we finally got one machine to process the payment it was like lol no were not gonna print them now, good luck and by the time my brother came in from parking the car I was ready to bang my head against the wall in frustration haha but we talked to the guy manning the ticket station and he let us through to guest services that were able to print them in like 2 seconds, so I guess you just needed to get the right things done to work it out, lol. So we made it into the theatre with like two previews left. So, rogue one. I wasn't really sure what to expect beyond knowing that it took place between episodes 3 and 4 and that it was about the building of the Death Star, but I really liked it a lot! My first experience with Star Wars was when I was like 10 and was taken to see episode 2 in theatres, and I was enthralled with it at the time because I thought Padme was the best thing ever and of course I didn't know how much better the other movies were in comparison, lol. But I've definitely been a fan for a while now. The opening killed me of course because there's a little girl running around after her parents tried to send her away to safety, and you know kids just break my heart like that. But then we get into the plot and the story starts to take shape, and I really liked it a lot. Jyn was an interesting protagonist, we didn't get all that much introspection with her as a character, but her dominant personality traits were clearly present and it made for her actions to be understandable and sympathetic. I almost cried/might of actually cried (I can't remember, not that it's hard to make me) when her father died right after she finally got to see him again, but then I so loved that she took such a strong stand to finish his work after that, rebel movement with her or not. I liked that this movie was largely without jedis, it was pretty much just about the normal rebels to risked their lives and lost their lives just like everybody else. I did enjoy the scenes with Darth Vader, it felt very classic Star Wars-y and they definitely nailed his character, lol. Classic. I loved absolutely everything about the lengthy final battle sequence. Of course it was mostly gun combat which doesn't require as much fight choreography as hand to hand or other weapons combat would, but they still managed to do a solid job choreographing the fights and making them seem real and justified. I loved all the rebel fighters that were willing to risk their lives to go with her, because they believed in the importance of their cause even if they knew it was basically a suicide mission. And they had to know. They knew the empire had a weapon that could destroy planets, but they're going to infiltrate their base of operations and sneak back out with information? They had to know it was much, much more likely that they'd lose their lives in the process, but still they went because they couldn't live with themselves if they just threw their hands in the air and said we give up because the people we were trying to stop from getting power have too much power now. Just....yes. All of that, yes. And I love that it's all non-jedis, just humans, humans being amazing and sacrificing and loyal and loving because it's what they are born to do. It was just magnificent to see. I tried to catch the names of the two guys that were accompanying them like 3 times but you guys know I am so bad at picking up character names lol so I don't know those, but I really loved the blind guy and everything he did, especially in the end when he walks out into the middle of a fight in order to pull the switch, with only his remaining 4 senses to guard him against all the battle and carnage going on around him. He was just such a well painted character throughout the entire movie and I adored his last moments. As far as Cassian goes, I was quite fond of him as well. I loved him and Jyn's actions in the final mission, and the work they did together that ultimately allowed them to be successful. I loved their final moments as well, and while I was kind of sad to see them go, I think it underscored the sacrifice of what this mission really was just perfectly- that they knew this was it, and they were perfectly happy to go in, guns blazing and break out those plans, even if it means never making it back to their ships and off the planet. They had lost everything, and now they were gonna do something about it. Just, so well down. And now after watching the last scene I really need to rewatch episode 4, cuz it's definitely been a while and I'm not fully remembering exactly what's placed where and how it lines up. I mean the scene with Leia in the end was obviously old footage, that wasn't shot new, so this had to play directly into that of course. But yeah, I really liked it. Once it was over we headed back home and had or dinner, then I assembled the trifle and we had dessert, and it was quite good. After that I was bugging my brother to come watch the latest episode of Brooklyn 99 with me, but it ended up not being on Amazon yet for some reason, so I just watched it on my computer. It was very amusing and perfect in all the ways it's episodes always are. Then I moved on to the last episode of Pitch, whose season was entirely too short for my tastes. The last episode was obviously kind of explosive, and I hate that they left us on a cliffhanger like they did. Like, clearly she's gonna have a future in the MLB (assuming the show doesn't get cancelled, of course) but his that could play out could vary quite a bit. So I'm anxious to see what they do next there. Once I finished that I was totally out of episodes to watch and needed a new show to watch, so I decided to start Frequency given that it's on hiatus right now so I could catch up and start watching live when it comes back. I had some concept of the show from seeing the previews and from reading some particular AU's based on the show (cough cough, you know who you are) but it was thoroughly intriguing to watch the first few episodes play out. The concept is so unique and I really like the way they're having the two timelines play out simultaneously, like how something that happens in the 1996 timeline that was a result of her changing the timeline affects what was reality for her yesterday but now no longer is. Like, that's such a cool concept and they've used it really well so far. So I'm definitely eager to see how this keeps playing out. I definitely feel bad for Raimy that she wound up in this mess that basically erased her mom from her, but I love thats she's fighting back against it so hard and is so determined to bring those who've wronged her family to justice. Good stuff. And yeah, that was my day. I could have some musings here on actually hanging out with my brother and how odd that is given the history between us, history I can acknowledge I have not forgiven him for, but I can still go to the movies with him and act like nothing's wrong really, because I had to learn to function with him for so many years. I know I should forgive him, that not doing so is only hurting me, but it's just really hard to forgive someone when not only are they not sorry, they refuse to even contemplate that they've done anything wrong, they see no issue in any of their actions and would never see it that way, never care about the pain they caused you, but would probably laugh instead if he knew exactly what I thought of everything that's transpired between us. So I don't dare bring it up, I don't dare mention how much baggage I still carrying around from all of that, because I know he'd just laugh at me, because that's all he's ever done when he sees me in pain, my whole life, especially when he's caused it. I could keep going, and make these actual musings, really, but it's late and I need sleep, and ranting about this isn't gonna do my mental state any good. So I'll just leave it here tonight. Sorry I'm always so vague about this kind of stuff, it just gets really difficult to discuss details when you almost never do with anybody, and you really don't want to remember them anymore than you already do. But anyway. Goodnight friends. Hope you had a decent Monday.