#next stop heathers episode

[softestvine]

WATCHING RIVERDALE WITH BELOVED BESTIE @bpdbettycooper

[fight-for-what-you-love]

♪ Worldwide - Big Time Rush

I'm gonna be honest- these episodes kind of fell apart while I was making this. The more I re-wrote the story for it's second draft the less this version made sense and the less interested I was to work on it. I have not much else to say except sorry this part is kinda iffy and sorry it took so long. I promise you I'll make up for this in the next episode I PROMISE

Notes on both episodes under the cut!

Sweden Sour

* (I think it’d be really funny if Cody just doesn’t talk at all this episode. Not a word. Just nods and head shakes and depressed faces.)

* Cody’s incredibly depressed after Noah’s elimination. Sierra’s over the moon, though. She sees Cody depressed and gives him a tight side hug, petting his head. She tries consoling him with “I know you’re sad, but it’s ok! At least I’m still here~.” Cody starts sobbing, head in hands. Heather is sick of this already.

* The teams get their “ibuilda” pieces and the Amazons argue on what it’s supposed to be. Cody stares at the pieces for a few seconds before the light briefly re enters his eyes. He starts building. Courtney tells him to stop but Heather tells her he’s obviously got it, so let him work. They start helping him build… something.

* Once the Amazons are done, Heather, Sierra and Courtney take a step back to see what they’ve built. It’s a giant wooden Noah head. Their faces drop. Heather is filled with murderous rage.

* We built Noah’s face (We’re gonna take first place) Cause we built Noah’s faaaace

* Tyler’s jumper would be white.

* Cody doesn’t sing in this number. Chris notices and stares at him threateningly. He reluctantly hums the chorus and Chris takes what he can get.

* (Alejandro takes off his shirt to pull the boat like a freak. Duncan is unfazed and Tyler will deny it if you ask him if he blushed.)

* Sierra hits Noah’s Head hard enough it falls over on its side and suggests sawing off the side to ride in him like a boat. Heather and Courtney agree to this. Cody has no comment.

* Duncan and Alejandro don't bother bending over backwards to please Tyler. Duncan makes himself captain and no one argues.

* When the Amazons go to pick a captain, Courtney grabs the hat and declares herself captain without input. Heather tries to argue but Courtney argues back- Cody is in no condition, no one trusts Sierra and Heather took control the last challenge so this time she’s in charge. Heather reluctantly backs down.

* Amazons catch up to team Chris in the water. Alejandro sees them approach and makes note of Cody’s face, making fun of him for being so upset about “the Noah thing”. Cody furrows his eyebrows and points furiously at Chris’s boat. Courtney agrees that yes, they should shoot their boat.

* It doesn’t matter who wins the challenge since it’s a non elimination round, but I want to say the Amazons persevere. The massage helps Cody enough that he’s not stone faced next episode at least.

Aftermath III (Aftermath Aftermayhem)

* Gwen, Owen and Noah are introduced together. Gwen walks out first and Owen, hugging Noah to the point of lifting him off the ground, walks behind her.

* Geoff asks what all that’s about and Gwen responds that Owen refused to let him go until Noah “understood just how sorry he was”. Noah insists he forgives him, but Owen still won’t let him go.

* The Owen square is replaced by the Tyler square. The prompt is survive. (The hosts throw a bunch of debris at the contestant for thirty seconds and if they dodge everything they move on.)

* (For brevity’s sake, assume all of the contestants that participated in the board game in the original episode participated here [with the exception of Tyler, who is replaced with Owen]. They all get eliminated the same way as well, Noah getting got by aliens, Owen falling down the booby trap square and Beth making it to the final question.)

* When Beth gets stumped on the last question (What was Duncan's band called) Noah yells at her, frustrated: “Oh my- It’s Der Schnitzel Kickers, Beth!!” Confetti and balloons fall from the ceiling.

* (He knows this because Cody had mentioned it in a conversation after the London challenge.)

* Noah initially complains about winning the game, but Owen reminds him that he gets to see Cody again and he shuts up immediately.

* “Noah wins!” “Wasn’t he disquali-” “NOAH WINS!! Let’s wrap it up. We’re done here.”

[intothedysphoria]

The podcast was Steve’s idea.

It had started with a joke from Heather. She’d took one look at Billy and Steve’s accidentally matching gym clothes and told them they looked like a failing alpha bro podcast duo. The type of guys who’d talk about being alpha males. Billy had laughed hard but it had made Steve think.

They’d been best friends since kindergarten and were functionally inseparable. Billy had seen Steve through a long period of deep, dark depression and Steve liked to think he’d helped Billy through Neil. Most podcasts Steve had listened to, the hosts didn’t even sound like they liked each other. They’d be perfect.

It took Steve about a month to convince Billy to put himself in front of a microphone. For a guy with a 300k follower Instagram thirst trap account, Billy was crushingly self conscious about his voice. He’d been on testosterone for three years but still felt like he sounded “clockable.” It wasn’t until Steve promised that if they got even one comment about Billy’s voice, they’d immediately delete the episode, that Billy agreed.

Between the two of them, they had absolutely no qualifications to start an agony aunt podcast. Still, the first episode was released onto Spotify and it had a surprisingly warm reception. Most of their listeners were queer or neurodivergent and were asking about what to do when a hookup went wrong or how to go outside without having a panic attack.

It was heartwarming really, the affect Steve felt that they were having. Two trans guys talking openly about sex, relationships, social faux pas, fitting in and the occasional tangent on oyster forks wasn’t exactly common. And their audience seemed to cling to them like two older brother figures.

It was perfect. Should have been perfect. It was just that there was a bit of a side affect.

As it turned out, spending every week with your best friend, who was physically just your type, and was also just an absolute sweetheart, led to having a crush on said best friend.

That is if you were Steve anyway. Shit.

Most guys on realising they were crushing hard on their best friend probably would have done something normal, like tell him. Not Steve though. Steve endeavoured to lock himself in the broom closet and scream before every recording session of the podcast.

It would work. Hopefully.

Then Billy started getting random listeners proposing to him via email. They’d read them out before every advice segment and Billy would either accept or decline depending on how funny he found it but it still made Steve die a little inside. Billy felt like his in some intangible, indescribable way and even jokes about marriage felt like suffocating.

He redownloaded Grindr the next day. The guys on there left a lot to be desired, especially compared to Billy but at least it stopped Steve from feeling quite so lonely. He flirted, made decisions that made Robin tut and generally started morphing into the kind of hot mess Steve had been in his late teens.

Billy didn’t seem to notice. That is until he did.

Steve was very late for recording the newest episode, a silly one about accents. He hadn’t remembered to shave so the patchy stubble that hrt was helping him grow in was a mess. There was gum stuck to to the bottom of his shoe. Something had gotten spilled on his shirt.

His co host once again looked delicious. Delicious and worried. So worried in fact that he dragged Steve into the very closet that he’d spent almost two months hiding in.

There was only so long Steve could hedge around the issue. Not with Billy worrying about all the things that could have gone wrong, anxious brain in overdrive. Steve had to tell him.

A short, excruciating silence followed after Steve admitted his crush/budding love. One that the slightly irrational part of his mind was convinced would culminate in Billy punching him again.

That didn’t happen.

Instead, Billy called him a dumbass, they made out under a precarious tin of paint for fifteen minutes, and agreed that getting together was long overdue.

The first email they got from a listener after going public about their relationship was short and to the point.

Can I propose to both of you?

I think it was @camaro-and-smokes and @prettyboy-like-you who reblogged being interested in the og post about this idea and since I am a fic writing weirdo, I wanted to write a little ficlet for them! I hope you both like it

(Inspired LOOSELY by the hilarious Help I Sexted My Boss podcast which I adore. Also inspired a smidge by Lust For Life by @oopsiedaisiesbaby)

[toasttt11]

extreme aggressor

season one, episode one

Nicolette and Spencer Reid sat next to each other on their couch in their apartment with a blanket over them that Spencer has knitted them as they both read different books about physics, they had just swapped books.

Nicolette ran her eyes over the last line of the book and shut it close. She gently tossed her book onto the coffee table leaning her head on Spencer's shoulder as he continued to read his book.

Nicolette and Spencer may both complete hate physical touch with anyone else but with each other they have always liked it and it didn't make them uncomfortable.

Spencer's hand naturally went up to the tips of hair as he gently fiddled with it as he finished up his book, Nicolette slowly closed her eyes and began following asleep on his shoulder, just as one of their phones went off.

Nicolette opened her eyes and reached for the phone on the coffee table answering it, as Spencer looked up from his book.

"Reid.” She coldly spoke into the phone, listening to the other side of the phone before she nodded and hung up.

"Time for work." Nicolette sarcastically commented with a joking smile to her twin, Spencer chuckled at his sister and took her hand to stand up.

—

A door was heard opening in Gideon's classroom, the room turned to the door and saw Nicolette and Spencer walking in.

Nicolette wearing black pants, black blouse, tan leather jacket and black combat boots.

Spencer was holding a file held it up to Gideon.

"Excuse me." Gideon told his class and walked to the twins following them out of his class.

Nicolette, Spencer and Gideon walked down the hall in the Bau.

"They're are calling him the Seattle Strangler. 4 victims in 4 months." Spencer explained looking at the file showing their new case to Gideon.

"He keeps them alive 7 days. The Handle serves as a Crank." Nicolette finished explaining, as the trio continued to walk down the hallway.

"Allowing him to control the rate of suffocation." Gideon told the two.

The twins looked at him in unison guessing, " To prolong it?"

"To enjoy it." Gideon replied back, correcting the twins slighty. "Seattle’s hit a wall?" Gideon asked as they contained their walk through the halls.

"Physical evidence is nonexistent. There are no tangible leads." Spencer told him as they stopped walking in the hallway.

"And another girl is missing." Gideon said as he grabbed the picture and began walking into his office.

"I look the case file over. I'll get some thought to you ASAP." Gideon told the twins he has mentored for years as he began to read the through the file.

"You're gonna be with us in Seattle ASAP." Hotch interrupted Gideon as Derek and Hotch walked into the Office.

Derek looked over at Nicolette and sent her a small smile hoping for some attention but barley getting a nod of acknowledgment from her back before she immediately turned her attention away from him.

Gideon looked up from the file and stared at Hotch for a long while before taking off his reading glasses walking closer towards him.

Derek held up a photo of the a victim handing it to Gideon, "22-year old Heather Woodland."

"Before she left for lunch. She downloaded an email with a time delayed virus attached. The killers Virus wiped her hard drive and left this on the screen." Hotch filled Gideon in completely as he handed him a photo that had words on it.

"For heavens sake catch before i kill more i cannot control myself For heavens sake catch before i kill more i cannot control myself For heavens sake catch before i kill more i cannot control myself For heavens sake catch before i kill more i cannot control myself"

Gideon looked up at Hotch after he read the photo, he then turned and walked towards his wall that had a photo hanging on it with the same words at the photo from the case.

"He never keeps them more than 7 days,which means we have fewer than 36 hours to find her." Hotch informs him looking at Gideon piercingly.

"They want you back in the saddle. You ready?" Morgan asked looking at Gideon with a raised eyebrow.

"Looks like medical leave's over, Boss." Spencer spoke up looking hopeful Gideon would finally be back.

Nicolette raised an eyebrow at Gideon.

"They sure they want me?" Gideon questions not believing they want him back after the incident that happened on the last case he was apart of.

Hotch nodded in a reassuring manner, "The order came from the director."

"Well, we'd better get started." Gideon stated rather determined.

-

"His first victim was 26-year old Melissa Kirsh. Stabbed wounds. Strangulation." Spencer read off the case file to the team as they all sat on the jet.

Derek spoke up looking confused, "Wait, Wait. Back up. Back up. He stabbed her... and then strangled her to finish her off?"

"Other way around. Why do you think her started using the belt with the second murder." Gideon disagreed with Derek before looking towards the Twins specifically in question.

Spencer hesitated for a second which caught Nicolette attention who spoke up from across the table sensing her brother did not want to say it, " Strangulation with your bare hands is not at easy as one would believe. He tried probably found it took too long." Nicolette blunty informed them.

"So he stabbed her instead." Derek realized, Nicolette nodded towards Derek in agreement.

"And he realized it would he hours cleaning up the blood." Hotch explained agreeing with them.

"Next time, Our boy's got a method— the belt." Derek added onto the others statements.

"He's learning, perfecting his scenario. Becoming a better Killer." Gideon told them.

The team all were doing their own things on the plane. Gideon is looking out the window in the plane deep in thought, Hotch is working on different case files and Spencer is reading some books. Nicolette is sketching in her notebook when Derek sat down next to her, though she doesn't look up at him when he does.

Derek pulled out a case file but Nicolette felt his many glances at her, "Yes Morgan?" Nicolette coldly muttered, still finding him just as insufferable as the day she met him.

"Nothing Nico." Derek just shrugged acting innocent, even though he is still puzzled why she still seems to barely tolerate him, he only flirts with her a few times, a day.

Nicolette looked up at him and glared, "Don't call me that." Nicolette has always despised the nickname Nico. Derek is always trying to call her Nico and she hates it.

"Alright." Derek backed off knowing she has a few knifes on her that he does not want to be on the wrong end of, but that doesn't mean he will stop calling her that.

Spencer looked up from his book sensing Nicolette's annoyance towards Derek, He slowly shook his head before looking back at his book.

-

A dog barked straight at the Spencer Reid who quickly flinched back, Nicolette had a small smirk of amusement at seeing another dog not like her brother.

"Sandy, no, no, no. I'm so sorry sorry." The brother of the victim quickly apologized to the three of them.

"No it's ok. It's what we call the Reid Effect." Hotch told them man, "Happens with children too."

Nicolette smirked slighty looking at her brother and he fondly rolled his eyes.

"I'm Agent Hotchner, They are special Agents Reid." Hotch informs the man.

The man looks at the twins incredulously, "You look to young to go to have gone to medical school."

The twins both let out a laugh, Spencer's was awkard and Nicolette's was a fake chuckle, both having heard the sentence already hundreds of times.

"They're Ph.D.s. 3 of them." Spencer casually informs the man who looks shocked.

"Are you guys genius's or something?" The man questioned them both.

"I don't believe that intelligence can be accurately quantified— but we do have an I.Q. of 187 and an eidetic memory and we can read 20,000 words per minute." Spencer rambled stumbling over his words.

"Yes we're genius's." Nicolette coldly spoke up very gently cutting her twin brother off only because she knew he was awkwardly rambling because he uncomfortable not because he wanted to share a stat. Spencer gave her a thankful look.

Nicolette and Spencer both start walking around the house looking at different things.

Hotch quickly smiles at the man before talking towards the dog as he pets her, "Sandy, you get a-lot of attention, don't you?"

"Yeah Heather loves the dog," The man told Hotch. "I feed her when heathers away. Usually, She's fine, but... lately, she won't eat. It's almost like she can sense something's wrong."

"Not sense. Smell. Our apocrine sweat gland releases secretions in response to emotional stress." Reid pipped in before causally walking towards his sister who was looking at the car magazines deep in thought.

"Sandy's worried because she knows you are." Hotch reassured the man.

Nicolette kept looking at the magazines drop in though before she asked a question deep in thought, "David, does your sister drive a Datsun Z?"

"No, but she's in the market for one. How'd you know?" David questions Nicolette in who return held up the magazine.

"There's an immediate relationship established between a buyer and a seller. A level of trust. If i want to coax a young women into my car..." Nicolette spoke looking at the other two as she trailed off.

Hotch nodded coming to a realization, "Offer her a test drive."

—

"I'm going up." Hotch told Gideon while quickly walking on the stairs of the house up to where Nicolette was already.

Gideon walks into the house meeting Spencer, who quickly informs him, "There's no sign of the girl here. We can arrest him with probable cause, but we won't be able to hold him. Slessman's been at the top of the suspect list."

"Is that the mother?" Gideon asked Spencer, looking over at the woman.

"Grandmother. The mother died in a fire when he was 13." Elle Greenaway said as she walked over to the two of them, sending a soft smile to Spencer.

"Probably not the only fire in his childhood." Gideon muttered.

"Before his son of damn murders, David Berkowitz set a multitude of fires." Spencer tells them as they walk into another room, He smiled back at Elle having not seen her in a few months.

"Exactly how much is a multitude?" Derek questions back.

"According to his diary, 1,400 and-" Spencer began telling before Elle pipped in.

"88."

"Luring him our was your idea right? Greenaway?" Gideon stated looking over at her with curios eyes.

"Elle. I don't send a swat team into a house with children." She sternly corrected.

"Hotch says your background is in sex offender cases. What can you tell us?" Gideon questioned Elle.

"The last four murder show he's and anger-excitation rapist. He'll keep a victim for a couple of days. He probably records or videotapes them so that he can keep reveling the fantasy." Elle professionally answered back.

"You ok with Hotch being in on the interview?" Gideon inquired.

"I'd like him to lead, actually." Elle replied back nodding.

"Fine. But hold off." Gideon agreed. "Slessman's done time, and he knows the process, and all you will get now is a demand for a lawyer."

"Hotch lets check the garage." Gideon called up the stairs as he walked away.

Elle squeezed Spencer's shoulder giving him a smile knowing they would catch up more after the case but it was really good to see one of her best friends.

Derek narrowed his eyes at the touch knowing Spencer doesn't prefer touch unless it's Nicolette's but couldn't question it as Elle turned to him, and he teasingly told her, "Next time, show a little leg." Derek turned around and started heading up the stairs with Elle following.

"Morgan, the only time you're gonna see a little leg from me is when i'm about to kick your ass." Elle replied back to his comment while pointing a finger at him.

"I still teach hand to hand over at quantico. If you need a little brush-up training." Derek jokingly flirting with her.

"Seriously. I want the opening at the Bau. You got any advice." Elle asked completely serious, She wants to be on BAU because her best friends and family are part of this team and it would give her a chance to see them more.

"Just trust your instincts." Derek told her back, knowing they will help her the most in the job.

They heard the sound of a door opening at the end of the hallway, Derek and Elle turned there heads to see Nicolette walking out with a file in her hand reading not noticing the two of them in the hallway.

"Nico." Derek called out, Nicolette's head snapped up looking annoyed at the nickname before the annoyed look disappeared seeing the girl who was standing next to him, "Nico this is-"

"Elle." Nicolette interrupted him smiling slighty at her best friend, not knowing she was working this case too.

Elle grinned happily seeing her other best friend and pulled her into a quick hug. Nicolette squeezed her back before stepping back.

"You know her." Derek stated watching the two and now realized why Spencer let Elle touch him.

Nicolette just hummed, "There looking for you in the bedroom."

Derek simply nodded knowing she would not talk about it, "Thanks Nico.”

Nicolette rolled her eyes before responding back, "What did i say about calling me Nico."

"Not to." Derek spoke with a cheeky smile.

"And you still do. Shocker." Nicolette sarcastically replied back. Elle looked between the two and her lips pursed in a knowing smile, she had heard all about the "annoying" Morgan from Nicolette.

—

Derek walks into Richards bedroom looking around at everything in the room.

"Somethings not right about this." Derek muttered to himself as he continued to look around. "This is a boys room not a man's."

"Exactly what i was thinking." Nicolette told him as she leaned against the doorframe watching him.

Derek turned around surprised to see her standing there "How long have you been there?" Derek swears Nicolette is always silent like a Ninja.

Nicolette nonchalantly shrugged crossing her arms over her chest finding it amusing how easy it is to sneak up on him, "Awhile. You know for an FBI agent you are terrible at knowing there's someone behind you.”

"Your quiet." Derek weakly defended. Nicolette just raised an eyebrow and hummed, before turning around and walking out the door as Derek watched her leave.

—

Nicolette and Giedon listened to the conversation Hotch was having with e grandmother.

"Well, there was... there was this one young man. I think his name was Charlie." The grandmother hesitatingly told Hotch.

"Cross-Reference Charlie for the second unsub." Gideon told Nicolette.

Nicolette was already typing before he asked, "Already on it boss. Charlie is most likely Charles Linder. He was Slessman's cellmate and received a dishonorable discharge from the military."

"He's bigger. tougher. He could of protected Richard in prison. Where were they incarcerated." Gideon questioned her always asking the Twins questions trying to get them to be even better..

Nicolette quickly replied back, "Cascadia. Less than a mile from here."

"Let's go." Gideon told her as he started to walk to the door, Nicolette followed right behind him grabbing her leather jacket off the chair on the way out.

—

"Anyone can tell us more about slessman." Gideon asks as Nicolette walked with him into the prison on her phone.

"Tim Vogel was the security guard covering Slessman's block. That's him over there. I'll get him for you." The Warden told Gideon pointing towards a man.

Nicolette hung up her phone before walking over to Gideon, "That was Hotch. Linder's name came up on a police report."

Gideon raised an eyebrow, "And?"

"He's dead," Nicolette bluntly told him, "Car accident, 2 months ago."

—

"To bad you guys came here for nothing. I mean talk about scum. I can't remember how many times i put Linder in solitary for causing trouble with us," Tim Vogel spat as he used his keys to open a door while Gideon and Nicolette followed him, "You think the inmates woukd try to stay on our hood side, right? Especially since half our job is protecting them from each other."

Nicolette eyed Vogel suspiciously when he specifically said "protect them."

"You protect them?" Gideon asks just as suspicious of Vogel, sharing a very quick glance with his mentee.

"If your a little white guy? Especially in a prison like this." Vogel whispered out.

"Lindera's 6'4" You talking about Slessman?" Gideon inquired.

Vogel nodded back, "Oh, Yeah."

"Thanks for your help." Gideon spoke as he and Nicolette looked at Vogel’s keys.

—

"He befriend Richard, Protected him, made him feel like he owed him." Gideon told Nicolette as they walked outside the Prison towards the car.

"He fits the Profile. And did you see them?" Nicolette easily replied back.

"The Keys." Gideon answered her question, she hummed in agreement as they got into their car.

A bright orange Volvo P1300 pulls out of the prison parking loot and onto the the road.

"Hotch i just found your leverage. His name is Timothy Vogel." Gideon said into the phone as he sat in the passenger, While Nicolette quickly pulled out and followed the car.

—

"Boss, there's something off, we're gonna need to pull him over." Nicolette told Gideon as she continued to tail the orange car.

Gideon knew Nicolette was right but he wanted to test her as he always does, "You wanna stop him, you give me a reason."

"His behavior. When we left him, he was nervous, unsettled. But now he's stopping at every stop sign. He's using his blinker at every turn. He's slowing at yellow lights. This is not someone who is rushing to kill and dump a body." Nicolette nonchalantly listed, Gideon felt a sense of pride at her intelligence.

"Ok. Do it." Gideon replied back. Nicolette quickly put on the sirens pulling over the Orange car.

The two of them quickly got out of the car with there guns drawn towards the car.

"FBI. Put your hands up where we can see them!" Nicolette coldly called out, "Put your hands through the window now!"

The man slowly put his hands out.

"With your left hand i want your to open the car door from the outside." Nicolette coldly told the man. The man slowly open the door getting out, Nicolette quickly grabbed him putting him on the ground with her gun facing his back.

"It's not him." Nicolette said annoyed as she stood back up.

"Where is he? Where is he?" Gideon sternly questioned.

"I don't know!" The man desperately said.

Gideon asked still pointing his gun at the man, "What are you doing driving his car?"

"He came up to me in the garage after our shift ended. He asked if he could borrow my truck." The man quickly explained to the other two.

"He dumping the body." Nicolette quickly realized.

"What's the make? What's the make?" Gideon angrily questioned.

The man anwsered back, "Dodge Dakota!"

—

Nicolette and Gideon pulled up to the shipyard, slipping there jackets on as they got out of the car, both pulling out there guns.

They soundlessly walk across a bridge.

Gideon and Nicolette continued soundlessly walking on the shipyard with guns still drawn, Nicolette was a bit behind Gideon covering him from behind him.

"Listen to me. You need to wait for backup." Derek sternly told Nicolette, once she answered the phone.

"If we wait, the girl is dead." Nicolette stubbornly told him back through the phone as she continued walking.

"And if we had waited in Boston— " Derek quickly began saying.

"I can't. I trust my instincts." Nicolette cut him off before hanging up on him. Derek rubs a hand down his face in frustration at her stubbornness.

Heather screams as Vogel grabs from behind pointing a gun at her.

"Stop. Stop." Gideon yelled holding his gun at Vogel.

"Get back! I'll shoot her." Vogel yelled back holding a gun at a crying Heather.

"I wouldn't. If u were you, if sun the gun at me. You shoot the girl, you got nothing." Gideon calmly spoke.

Vogel snapped, " Get... back!"

Vogel didn't see Nicolette sneaking up on him with her gun aimed at straight at him.

"Shoot me instead. Come on. What, are you a lousy shot?" Gideon insisted putting his hands up his gun not aiming at Vogel anymore, knowing Nicolette has got his back, "50 feet away. You got a perfect shot. Shoot me."

"You think i'm stupid." Vogel questioned him still holding a struggling, crying Heather.

"I think you're an absolute moron," Gideon causally told him, "I know all about ya, Tim. You're at the gun 5 times a week. You drive a flashy car. You stink of Cologne, and you cant get it up. Not even viagra's working for ya. You know what that tells me? That tells me that you are hopelessly compensating, and it's not just in your head. It is physical. What did the girls call you in high school? What'd they come up with when you fumbled your way into some girls pants, and she started laughing when she got a good look at just how little you had to offer?"

"Shut up!" Vogel screamed in anger, Gideon's words going to his head.

Gideon throughly ignored him, "Short stack? Very little Vogel? I got it. Tiny Tim." Gideon smiled mockingly.

Vogel pushed Heather away aiming his gun towards Gideon, Nicolette quickly saw this and didn't hesitate to shoot him right into the forhead, Vogel's bullet hit Gideon on the top of the shoulder making him fall back from the force.

"Gideon!" Nicolette called out worriedly, she quickly ran up to him, "Are you ok?

"I'm fine, Go look after the girl." Gideon reassured her, Nicolette nodded not before casting one more worried look at Gideon before jogging towards Heather.

—

Nicolette helped the paramedics get Heather onto to the gurney, before hearing her name being called by her favorite voice.

"Cole!" Spencer Reid called out worriedly quickly rushing towards his sister once he saw the back of her head and her long curls.

Nicolette turned around to see Spencer rushing towards her, "Hey Spence—"

She was quickly cut off by Spencer hugging her tightly, Nicolette although confused hugged her brother back.

"What's wrong Spence?" Nicolette softly asked her twin brother once they pulled away.

Spencer shook his head, "Nothing i was worrying over you." He heard an FBI agent had gotten shot over the radio and was worried.

Nicolette softly smiled before giving his hand a small reassuring squeeze understanding where he is coming from.

—

Derek sat on a crate with Hotch standing next to him at the shipyard watching Gideon walk by them.

"So what kind of report do they want on him?" Derek curiously asked, he knew Hotch was overseeing Gideon for the board.

"I suppose whether he's fit to be a field agent," Hotch replied back, "You know, Hayley and I were looking at a baby names book. Guess what Gideon means in Hebrew."

"Mighty warrior." Spencer and Nicolette casually pipped in, in unison as they walk toward them.

"Appropriate." Spencer said as they walked by Derek and Morgan.

Derek just chuckled sharing a look with Hotch.

[dreaminginthedeepsouth]

Gary Taxali

* * * *

LETTERS FROM AN AMERICAN

August 30, 2024

Heather Cox Richardson

Aug 31, 2024

Trump and the MAGA movement garnered power through performances that projected  dominance and cowed media and opponents into silence. Rather than disqualifying him from the highest office in the United States, Trump’s mocking of a disabled reporter, bragging about assaulting women, and calling immigrants rapists and criminals seemed to demonstrate his dominance and strengthen him with his base. In July the Republican National Convention celebrated that performance with a deliberate appropriation of the themes of professional wrestling, including a display by an actual professional wrestler. 

Their plan for winning the 2024 election seems to have been to put forward more of the same. 

But the national mood appears to be changing. President Joe Biden’s decision to decline the Democratic nomination for president opened the way for the Democrats to launch a new, younger, more vibrant vision for the country. 

Democratic nominee Vice President Kamala Harris and her running mate, Minnesota governor Tim Walz, have promised to continue, and even to expand slightly, the programs that under the Biden-Harris administration have started the process of rebuilding the country’s infrastructure, bringing back manufacturing, and investing in industries to combat climate change. As the country did before 1981, they are promising to continue to focus on supporting a strong middle class rather than those at the top of the economy. 

Harris and Walz are building on this economic base to recenter the United States government on the idea of community. They have deliberately rejected the identity politics that Trump used so effectively to assert his dominance and have instead emphasized that they see the country not as a community defined by winners and losers, but as one in which everyone has value and should have the same opportunities for success. 

Last night, CNN’s Dana Bash asked Harris, whose mother immigrated to the U.S. from India and whose father immigrated from Jamaica, to respond to Trump’s suggestion that she “happened to turn Black” for political advantage, “questioning a core part of your identity.” Harris responded: “Same old, tired playbook. Next question, please,” and she laughed. “That’s it?” Bash asked. “That’s it,” Harris answered. 

Harris’s refusal to accept the MAGA terms of engagement, along with the exuberant support for Harris and Walz, has Trump, Republican vice presidential candidate J.D. Vance, and MAGA Republicans reeling. That, in turn, has made them seem vulnerable, and that vulnerability is now opening up room for pundits from a range of outlets to challenge them. They seem to be losing the ability to control the public conversation by asserting dominance. 

This change has been evident this week in the response to Trump’s visit to Arlington National Cemetery with the family of a soldier who died in the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan three years ago for campaign videos and photos attacking Harris, despite the fact that federal law prohibits campaign activities in the cemetery, in what is widely considered hallowed ground. The moment almost passed unnoticed, as it likely would have in the past, but Esquire’s Charles Pierce asked in his blog: “How The Hell Was Trump Allowed To Use Arlington National Cemetery As A Campaign Prop?”

Led by NPR, different outlets begin to dig into the story, and Trump, Vance, Trump’s spokesperson, and Trump’s campaign manager Chris LaCivita all tried to brush off their lawlessness with their usual rhetoric. Trump tried to change the subject to say he was being unfairly attacked for supporting a military family. Vance tried to suggest that Harris should have attended the private ceremony and that for criticizing it she should “go to hell,” although she hadn’t commented on it. The spokesperson suggested that the female cemetery official who tried to stop them was experiencing a “mental health episode,” and LaCivita, a leading figure in the Swift Boat veterans’ attacks on John Kerry in 2004, reposted an offending video to “trigger” Army officials, he said. 

It hasn’t flown. Today, MSNBC’s Dasha Burns asked Trump directly: “Should your campaign have put out those videos and photos?” Trump answered: “Well, we have a lot of people. You know, we have people, TikTok people, you know we’re leading the Internet. That was the other thing. We’re so far above her on the Internet….” Burns interrupted and followed up: “But on that hallowed ground, should they have put out the images…?” Trump said: “Well I don’t know what the rules and regulations are, I don’t know who did it, and, I, it could have been them. It could have been the parents. It could have been somebody….”

Burns interrupted again: “It was your campaign’s TikTok that put out the video.” Trump answered: "I really don't know anything about it. All I do is I stood there and I said, 'If you'd like to have a picture, we can have a picture.' If somebody did it; this was a setup by the people in the administration that, 'Oh, Trump is coming to Arlington, that looks so bad for us.’"

In the days since Biden stepped out of contention, Trump has been flailing—often complaining that it is “unfair” that Biden isn’t his opponent any longer—but his behavior has rocketed downhill since the new grand jury delivered a new indictment revising the four charges against him for trying to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election and install himself in power. Karen Tumulty wrote in the Washington Post today that Trump is “spiraling,” noting that in the space of 24 hours he posted about Harris engaging in a sex act, promoted QAnon slogans, and called for prison for his political opponents. 

Tumulty notes that Trump’s team has been trying to get him to focus on the issues voters care about, but that after he “listlessly delivers some lines from the teleprompter,” he “gets bored and begins recycling the rants from his rallies.” Harris has stayed silent about his behavior, Tumulty says a campaign staffer told her, because “Why would we step in this man’s way?” The Harris campaign wants microphones left on throughout the planned September 10 debate, expecting that Trump will not be able to contain the rants that used to serve his interests but now turn voters off. 

To Vance is left the job of trying to clean up after Trump, but he’s not a skilled politician. Asked by John Berman about Trump’s social media attacks, Vance suggested that Trump was bringing “fun” and “jokes” to politics to “lift people up.” But observers on social media noted that claiming that attacks are “jokes” is a key part of asserting dominance. 

Vance himself went after Harris by saying that he had an early version of Harris’s CNN interview and then posting an old meme of a young Miss Teen USA who appeared to panic when answering a question and produced a nonsensical answer. When Berman told him that the young woman contemplated self-harm after becoming a national joke and asked if he would like to apologize for bringing up that old video, Vance declined to apologize, suggested we should “laugh at ourselves,” and repeated that we should “try to have some fun in politics.”

Vance got into deeper trouble, though, when asked to explain Trump’s statement when he told Dasha Burns that he opposes Florida’s six-week abortion ban. This November, Floridians will have to vote yes or no on a constitutional amendment that would put abortion rights similar to those of Roe v. Wade into the state constitution. 

Trump’s opposition to that amendment reflects the political reality that abortion bans are unpopular even in Republican-dominated states, but the MAGA base is fervently antiabortion. “That ‘thump thump’ you just heard is the entire pro-life movement going under the bus,” one wrote. 

A campaign spokesperson promptly tried to walk the statement back by saying that Trump “has not yet said how he will vote on the ballot initiative in Florida,” which Vance reiterated on CNN. When Berman pressed him on it, though, Vance appeared to lose the ability to hear the question, suggesting the feed was bad. 

This afternoon, Trump announced he will side with the antiabortion activists and vote against the amendment to the Florida constitution that would restore the rights that were in Roe v. Wade. Harris and Walz, meanwhile, have announced a national bus tour to highlight reproductive freedom. It will start in Palm Beach, Florida, where the Trump Organization’s Mar-a-Lago property is located. 

Today, lawyers for Ruby Freeman and Shaye Moss, the election workers Trump ally Rudy Giuliani defamed by accusing them of fraud in the 2020 election, asked a federal court to enforce the judgment that awarded them $146 million. They have asked for a court order requiring Giuliani to turn over his properties in New York and Florida, his luxury car, and his personal valuables including three New York Yankees World Series rings. Giuliani’s spokesperson accused the women of bullying Giuliani. 

The Lincoln Project, which believes that needling Trump is the best way to rattle him, today released a video that portrays Trump as a predatory animal who is old, past his prime, and abandoned by his pack. Rather than engaging in his final hunt, he has found himself the prey. The voice-over intones: “The circle of life eventually closes on all things.”

LETTERS FROM AN AMERICAN

HEATHER COX RICHARDSON

[writerofadream]

Fortune favors the Bold ⛓

TDI!Duncan x Juvie Bestfriend! Reader ⛓

Chapter Twenty Five: He's like whiskey, she's like champange

^^ Duncan next chapter-

I’d like to apologize, I’ve been absent cause my friend was evicted and needed a place to stay and I was busy trying to help her out. Here’s a new chapter!

—

(Are you excited? This is the episode you get voted off! But it’s okay because I’ll do a ‘you both coming home’ chapter ‘spoiler: someone might be pregnant.’)

It had been pouring all week, you thought you were going to lose your mind. You love rain as much as the next eccentric teenager, but there comes a point where you're this close to drowning yourself in the next puddle you see.

You and your fellow campers sat on opposing stairs. Heather painted her nails while Gwen drew a picture of every single camper she had met, and then Duncan was carving a spear and held out his hand to you which was holding the various types of blades that he desired to carve.

Chris made an announcement that your mind didn’t really process because the RAIN WAS SO LOUD.

Gwen and Heather began arguing over Leshawna getting voted off. Honestly you were this close to accidentally dropping the knife into Heather's eye socket. There comes a certain point where anybody will lose their mind. 

That last challenge was horrifying. 

Your body subconsciously shuddered and in moments Duncan had his sweatshirt around you, but it seemed like he didn’t even move.

 

You smiled and pecked him on the lips. “Why are you making me like this weather?” Your boyfriend grumbled. “Because I’m your fantastic girlfriend and I make everything better.” You stuck your tongue out. “Mhm better be happy that’s true.” Duncan smiled.

Gwen and Heather both went inside their cabin, and slammed the door shut. You stifle a laugh. 

“Wanna go inside?” Duncan gave you a suggestive wink. You smiled, giving him another kiss before you ran inside.

“Come get me, Tiger.” You winked and he smiled jumping up onto his feet. “Alright scorpion.” You slammed the door shut in his face running to hide in your cabin stopping yourself from the giggles that wanted to burst.

—

The next morning the rain had finally stopped, but it had severely drowned everything around you. “You think you would’ve gotten into Noah’s ark?” You asked your boyfriend, genuinely curious. 

You wore a shirt that covered your neck (keepsakes from last night), and a pair of flared jeans that made you look like a hippie in the eighties, much to Duncan’s delight.

“Mm, I’m not sure. I don’t believe in things I can’t see.” He watched a chair float by, the cabins were currently floating in the water but no one else had gotten up yet. 

“Well what do you believe in?” Now you were curious and intrigued. “Well I believe in your strength. I believe in my moms wisdom. I believe in people.” He grabbed your hand and squeezed it. 

A small aww came out of your mouth and he blushed. “How about you darlin’?” He asked putting his chin on your shoulder.

“Hmm. I believe in myself and you. I believe I’ll see my mama again and I believe that if you put your mind to it you deserve it.” You declared and he laughed. 

“So much justice in that mind of yours but you never act on it.” He teased and you rolled your eyes.

“Because I was never meant too, honey we lived in the worst city, in the worst town, in the worst place. We were kinda destined to be horrible.” You sighed sadly. “But we’re going to do better than that aren’t we?” He asked, smiling. 

You nodded.

Suddenly you heard Gwen and Heather scream.

“Oh look at our favorite girls!” You smiled and walked out of the cabin briskly before falling into the water.

Duncan followed but he cannonballed in much to your annoyance. The girls were grumbling, which seemed all they could ever do. You watched a fin circle them. 

“Shark!” Duncan screamed, ruining your fun. All four of you quickly got out of the water and back onto the cabin, shivering from the chill.

You watched the shark eat the wood structures. “Have you ever been eaten before?” You asked, you knew a good chunk of his fathers punishments but not all of them. 

“I’ve been mauled by dogs when I was like six. Sharks, no.” He shook his head staring at the creature. “Owen!” Heather screamed and for a moment you thought the girl had an ounce of sympathy for the blonde, but then you remembered.

She was Heather.

Of course she didn’t have a heart.

She wanted the shark to eat the overweight boy and you knew your boyfriend (cough, husband, cough) would throw hands if anything happened to his third boyfriend, you smiled at the thought and Duncan raised an eyebrow and squeezed your hand.

You crashed into land and everybody quickly came off the boat grateful for the crash.

“Anything broken?” Both you and Duncan did a quick 5372 assessment of each other, which was fancy terms for a quick look over.

“Is anyone else creeped out about this island?” Gwen mumbled an anxious look across her face and you squeezed her shoulder in sympathy. 

Heather obviously decided to feed Gwen’s fear and you watched your boyfriend lay down on the sand by a bow and arrow. You laughed, and squatted down, kissing his forehead.

“Wake me up if you get hungry and we’ll go hunting.” Duncan grumbled before he tried to sleep on the sand causing Gwen to begin an argument, “We need to find food and shelter, we need to at least make a raft!” Gwen whined and without missing a beat Duncan pointed at you, who had made one as soon as you stepped on the island.

“I’m in love with a girl who completes everything in four seconds. Get used to it, sister.” Duncan said his eyes still shut in relaxation. 

“I’m not using that unless it’s made by a sane person.” Heather shrieked, causing you to roll your eyes. “I’m sorry, hun. I’d just prefer it done by a professional.” Gwen said sheepishly rubbing the back of her neck, a blush rising on her face.

—

You stared at the camera, annoyed. “I look at Duncan and we both think ‘Maybe juvie was the better choice.’”

—

As Duncan and Gwen begin their argument, you occasionally chiming in, you notice Heather walk off to find shelter. For the first time ever, you think, you might actually respect the diva queen. 

You watch her climb into a treehouse and you see a pulley on the outside of the door, your voice catches on your throat to be careful, and when she opens the door a skeleton falls from it causing her to fall backwards and scream.

One by one you'll notice huge bones lying around the area. There are dinosaur bones, as well as human bones. 

“Think we’re still upstream from camp?” Heather yells at Duncan. “I’ve been wrong before.” He says in his defense. You resist the urge to roll your eyes at the near constant bickering, half the time there was no point to the madness.

You all went back up the treehouse ladder to investigate the house once more. You poke the skeleton and are not surprised when you see the strings. “This is like Boney Island.” You grumbled, not enjoying how the skeleton made you think of your mom.

Heather agreed. “Unfortunately, the she-devil is right. This is another survival challenge. I’m not scared of you, Chris.” She yelled into the air hoping the mad-man would respond to her calls. 

Duncan and Gwen began arguing but you knew Gwen’s anger was just forged out of fear. You knew, Duncan knew the drill. You had escaped multiple prison’s and landed on islands before, there was no reason for him to be scared.

“Every camper for themselves. Let’s go Y/N.” Duncan ordered and grabbed your wrist, albeit a bit harshly and led you away, picking up his bow and arrow as well. 

Gwen waved goodbye sadly. 

—

|Trending on X right now|

#thecasualdominance?

#howdidshebuildtheraft-

#smartgirlfriendxdelinquentboyfriend

#fortheloveofallthingsmarryher

#weweredestinedtobehorrible

—-

“Can you help me with my form?” You looked up and saw Duncan struggling with the quickly crafted bow.

You lightly smiled and took the bow gently out of his hands and showed him how to do the form. “Release the bow, any target.” He told you, smiling. You nodded curtly and your eyes searched through the forest before landing on a distant coconut. You held your breath for five seconds, and let out for ten.  

“Oh where did that go?” Duncan grumbled, causing you to point into the forest. 

—-

You and Duncan were eating fruit by the beach as you watched Gwen try to dock on the boat you had crafted. You stifle a laugh behind your palm each time she falls into the water. Once she finally gets on she turns to look at you.

“Since you made the raft, Y/N you can come if you’d like.” Gwen made the offer but glared at Duncan. “I want your egg if you're coming.” She demanded and Duncan sighed, throwing the large egg into the grateful girl's hands.

You pushed the boat away from the sand and Heather ran from the treehouse screaming offers so you’d take the girl with you. You sent Duncan a look trying to convey that you were going to get off if Heather came on board.

Thankfully Gwen must’ve sensed your nervousness and began paddling away quicker than before. She had been paddling for around two hours before Duncan broke the silence. “You paddle like a girl.” He grumbled, and then you promptly punched him. 

Who said true love doesn’t exist?

 Gwen looked set on cursing him out but you spoke up when you saw the island again.

“Gwen, are you rowing in circles?” She shook her head as you redocked the island, “What the hell! That will cost you one omelet.” Duncan yelled, snatching the egg from off the boat.

They began to engage in a game of tug-a-war. “Get your hands off my egg, crazy.” Gwen screamed at Duncan, who’s eyes flickered with sadness.

You growled and stalked up to the two, dropping to your feet and swinging your leg under hers to knock her right down. You caught the egg right before it fell. Gwen pointed at the sky and you looked up. There was a huge dinosaur above you.

Duncan grabbed the egg out of your hands and began running.

“Come and get me birdie!” He yelled trying to draw its attention. Suddenly the large dinosaur swooped in and picked up Duncan in its talons, and flew back into the air. 

A hoarse scream fell out of your mouth.

You grabbed a stray line of rope and with all your strength threw it around Duncan’s ankles, and then the bird lifted you into the air. With all your expertise from military camp you scaled the rope, and climbed onto the feet of the dinosaur.

Duncan had his eyes shut, but he felt a hand on his wrist and they flew open. They softened once they saw you.

Over the harsh wind you heard him yell “Marry me?” and you tried not to cry. “Anytime, anyplace baby.” You yelled in return. 

Then the dinosaur dropped you, right into Owen’s arms.

Who for some reason had a beard?

Suddenly Gwen came barreling into you guys, and Owen scooped her up as well. “My brethren!” Owen yelled. But then a snake fell around his shoulders.

“Let me rephrase that… RUN!” he dropped you all to start running up the ladder into the treehouse.

You all quickly followed in pursuit. 

Gwen watched as you sat on Duncan’s lap, your stomach facing his. You wrapped your arms around him, and dug your chin into his collarbone, trying to feel his heartbeat. “Still here sweetheart. I promise.” He whispered.

“We need to confess our sins.” Gwen’s eyes flickered up to Owen and she scoffed. “I’m serious, I did it and I feel great.” The blonde smiled clearly dehydrated. 

—

“Oh my god, so you killed his dad?” Heather gawked at you. “You set her dad’s office on fire-” Gwen’s eyes widened staring at Duncan. You both nodded sheepishly. “...Yes, but still not as bad as what you did, Gwen. Even if that's your real name.” You teased, with a kind smile. 

“Or even Heather.” Duncan looked the rich-girl up and down. 

“My brother deserved it.” Heather grumbled.

—

You were staring at Chris dumbly. “Oh come on princess, surprised to see me?” he gave you a smirk and holy hell there was no greater urge you had then to punch his stupid face into the stupid ground and beat him until he was black and blue.

“Time for a campfire, my children.” Then he promptly skipped away.

—

“I’m going to kill myself.” Duncan grumbled as he washed the war paint off his face in your cabin.

“Honey, it’ll be alright. We always stick together right?” You hugged him from behind. “If I lose you tonight, I don’t know what I’ll do.” Duncan turned around and kissed your knuckles.

You smiled sadly. “Mi amor, even thousands of miles apart, I’d still be right with you. You are the keeper of my heart, forever until even the gods die.” You whisper and lightly kiss his lips.

“Plus, it’s not like there’s gonna be some plot twist or something.” a laugh falls out of your mouth.

—

“Tonight, there is a twist on the campfire. Since I lost so many interns in the production of this video, management said I’d have to let them vote a camper off. Which kinda is boring but whatever.” Chris grumbled, and Chef handed him the envelope before scurrying off. 

Chris opened it and his mouth dropped, his eyes widened, and somewhere in there you saw an ounce of pure and utter anger. Something that guarantees that the interns are going to have a hell filled week for the next couple months.

“The one who will be leaving us tonight is…”

Duncan squeezed your hand tight.

“Y/N L/N.” 

You felt something break, and it didn’t come from you. You looked at Duncan and saw his entire personality shift. He went blank, cold, and calculating. 

“HE’S OUR’S NOW BITCH.” You saw a redhead intern scream at you, before she went back to the intern-side of camp. Duncan nearly pulled out his gun, but you stopped his wrist.

“I love you, and if you don’t win, my love, I will kick your ass, understand?” You kissed his lips, and he nodded swiftly trying to withhold his anger.

You began walking away but Chris couldn’t stop himself.

“I’ll miss your face, along with other things, beautiful.” Chris winked, and a soft smile appeared on your face. You stepped in closer towards him. Then promptly punched him straight in the nose, and kicked him in the groin, he groaned and fell to the ground.

You stepped onto the boat of losers and began to drive away. 

But when has Y/N L/N ever played by the rules?

You stepped next to the captain with a fond smile, and quickly knocked him out, dumping him into a lifeboat and letting it go into the water. You walked back to the steering wheel and began to drive… straight to New York.

There was this anger, in the back of your mind. She was yelling at the top of her lungs, to have control, and like a calming wave, you let it. Being on that island, did you no favors.

You had it easy, food, a shelter, freaking Duncan. But now it was time to go back, to get the messy things done.

Anger was your coping mechanism. It kept you on the path you wanted, and the path you wanted currently entailed making sure that your fiancè would have his dream life to come back too. Anger gets things done, sadness does not.

[The camera zooms in on a small ring on your finger]

—

|Trending on X right now|

#OHMYGOD

#shutup-shedidntcomebacktohim-

#THEYMARRIED

#WHATTTTT

#imsobbingtears,streaming,downmyfacern

—

I’d like to thank all my wonderful supporters, who stayed with me, throughout the series. There will be an epilogue probably tmw, and soon I’ll start the second season.

I love yall!

—-

Bonus: 

Mick got out of his seat and walked over to the door which was currently being pounded on.

He and his brothers were in shock, their little sister just got voted off? Poor Duncan, he was losing his shit on TV right now. Since the show started all the brothers had been at Mick’s house for viewing.

Mick opened the door and his jaw dropped. There you stood, you wore a pair of black jeans, along with an old WSC sweatshirt which looked like Duncan’s, and you had a cocky smile which Mick could tell was fabricated.

“Miss me?”

“Well I’ll be a son-of-a-gun.”

------

tagged: @lostsomewhereinthegarden

[frogskelton]

Quick poster for episode two,

Info about plan for episode two

For episode two is when Noah starts having the evil grow inside him and begin the start of journey to villainy. (Probs obvi by poster)

But first Alejandro has his little intro moment and him and Zoey start to develop a sort of friendship, while Heather is kinda nervous to see him again and Noah is helping no one. He has his little vengeance on Alejandro, teasing him a bit and probably making it things worse for Heather by being himself.

On the Clown Caterpillars, Cameron talks to Gwen about smt that won’t make sense til full ep comes out and eventually leads to the reveal of why Cam has the new outfit, he thinks he is rlly cool and can take on anything now, Scott ends up teasing him and people don’t like Scott now, but still feels bad.

Blah, blah, blah, challenge.

CC (caterpillar clowns) start off rlly good till the GG (Ghoulish Guinea pigs) pull some sabotage, thanks to Alejandro, giving them a chance and so GG end up winning the first challenge, reward with tools for the next challenge.

Next challenge is to escape whilst the place is crumbling. The CC mange to leave the main area only to get more stuck, thanks to their non stop fighting , and Cameron takes charge as a leader, quickly encouraging his team to quick aside their constant fighting. Something is Cam’s speech gives Courtney some encouragement to take Gwen back. Most of the GG do pretty well getting out, though thanks to Noah accidentally damaging the tools get stuck and Noah decides , so Noah suggests they look in this giant oven for a way to get out, only for him to trap Joe in there and pin their failure on her, determined to not be the first one voted off his team again.

Afterwards, Joe is blaming Noah, but Noah insistes it was Joe who broke the tools and got herself stuck. The team is mixed on it, though Alejandro defends Noah and says he does think Noah would do any of that.

Also Heather and Alejandro make up and become friends, again.

This is a lot of paraphrasing cause if I’m actually gonna continue making all these episodes gonna leave so stuff. But, like between part one and two of ep one, there is probs gonna be a jump is quality cuz I am still experimenting with his stuff and now that I’ve got a substantial amount done, I’m more willing to put more effort in.

Trying to get other people who aren’t just me to do the voice acting too, asking some friends n stuff, because just me is not a recipe for success.

[howtodrawyourdragon]

Making a lot more "analytical" posts concerning RttE because I've been watching a lot of episodes again lately. Today I was watching the Maces & Talons two-parter and thinking about all the times Astrid has picked Hiccup up emotionally/mentally whenever he's feeling down and how we see Hiccup do the same thing.

Like in the two-parter, Heather and Windshear get captured and Astrid is completely distraught, stating how they should've pulled Heather out of her undercover mission long ago. But if you remember earlier in the season the entire reason why Heather didn't want Hiccup to know is that he would've tried to pull Heather out, whether she would've wanted to be or not.

But then in the two-parter, when Astrid says that they should've gotten Heather out a long time ago, it's Hiccup who assures her that Heather wouldn't have allowed them to.

And then another example that I can think of is when Astrid lets her love for Garff blind her into taking him along on a mission, despite Hiccup's very reasonable objections. She must've twisted his arm somehow, because the very next scene Garff is with them on a mission to stop Krogan from capturing more Singetails.

Cut to a little later, Garff is in trouble and Astrid feels guilty about not listening and having brought him along. Once again, it's Hiccup who assures her and reminds her that the final decision to bring Garff was still his.

For a third one we have to go way back in the series, to Astrid's A-team episode. Because Astrid, though she's keeping up her tough exterior, gets told by Hiccup almost immediately what's really going on when she's so extra tough on Gustav and the rest of the A-team.

Astrid is scared of leaving her family and tribe unguarded again, for which Hiccup reminds her that she can't be there to defend her family every second of every day for the rest of their lives. And while Astrid doesn't really respond well to those words, you can see that they still affect her because she knows he's right.

I don't know what this post is about. Probably about how Hiccup comforts and supports Astrid as much as she does him.

[greatcheshire]

What is the deal with Twin Peaks Season 2?

Oh gosh so

Twin Peaks season 1 was a huge surprise hit for ABC, which obviously the executives loved. What they didn't love was the fact that the show, which focused on finding the killer of Laura Palmer, ended its first season without revealing the killer of Laura Palmer. In addition, the show was also such a big hit that they ordered 22 episode for season 2, about three times as many as the 8 episode first season, which meant a lot more space that needed to be filled.

There's also another thing here where season 2 also marked David Lynch putting more... Lynch things in the series. Season 1 had touches of supernatural or surreal elements, sure, especially compared to other TV shows at the time, but for the most part could still be enjoyed or viewed as a standard small town mystery soap opera by a wide amount of its audience. Compare this to early season 2, which introduces spirits, a cream corn ghost child, and sunglasses that possess you and make you smoke cigarettes. A lot of people were put off by this turn, either by it getting too weird for them or for simply not liking the more overt supernatural tone the show was taking.

For what it's worth, in my opinion, the first 9 episodes of Season 2 are phenomenal. Some of my favorite stuff in the series. The moments where Twin Peaks really becomes its own beast. One thing about this section is that this is where ABC was really pushing for Lynch and Frost to reveal the identity of Laura Palmer's killer, something they had never wanted to do but ended up having to do anyway. The end result is the killer getting revealed 1/3 of the way into the season, and the final three episodes dealing with the reveal of the killer and the aftermath are honestly amazing. Fantastic work. Episode 7 has probably my favorite TV moment of all time. It's that damn good.

But then a problem came - the killer was found. The central mystery had been solved.

And there's still 13 more episodes left of the season.

What happened next is one of the most famous quality drop offs in television history. Lynch, both due to his frustrations with ABC and also due to his obligations with filming his movie Wild At Heart, took a step back from the show, letting other writers try to fill in for him. The result was disastrous, with writers struggling to figure out how to replicate Lynch and Frost's style and what Twin Peaks could even be about without the Palmer case.

Some plotlines that are in Twin Peaks season 2, I shit you not:

A business owner gets PTSD and believes himself to be a confederate general, forcing everyone around him to recreate the Civil War with miniatures

David Duchovny shows up as a trans woman FBI agent

The show's Hannibal equivalent disguises himself as a horse and tranq darts a military general involved in classified Area 51 material

The show's Hannibal equivalent kills some random guy and stuffs him in a giant, house sized chess piece as a calling card

Local cool biker James Hurley leaves Twin Peaks, discovers a woman who is trying to scam him into killing her husband but that scam is also a scam from the husband who is also her brother to convince some boy to do a fake scam and attempt to kill him or something and it takes up five episodes and nothing happens and then James leaves the show

The main planned romance arc was vetoed by one of the actors so they had to come up with new love interests solely so fans would stop shipping the two of them. The two new love interests are played by Heather Graham and Billy Zane. They get nothing to do. Heather Graham is a suicidal nun named Annie Blackburn. Billy Zane is a cowboy named John Justice Wheeler

A 40 year old woman with an eyepatch and super strength gets amnesia and believes she's a high school cheerleader. They let her onto the wrestling team because of her super strength and she starts dating the jerk jock there because she's able to dom him

A woman becomes a door knob

They decide to host a beauty pageant to raise money to save a pine weasel. This is the plotline for the final few episodes.

We begin to learn more about UFOs and aliens and the existence of a dark dimension called the Black Lodge

Two men compete to see who is the real father of the sheriff assistant Lucy's child. At one point, they believe he might be the spawn of Satan.

They take Cooper out of the FBI because he went to Canada without permission and place him in Lesbian Flannel for the rest of the season (The only time Lesbian Flannel is a downgrade for a character)

The mayor's 80 year old brother, who investigates UFOs, dies by getting fucked to death by his 20 year old wife. The mayor brings a shotgun to the sheriff's office and plans to shoot the wife for killing his brother with sex and witchcraft. The police solve this by locking them both in the room together until they start to have sex and announce their plans to adopt

And this is just the simplified version of it!  All of this caused Twin Peaks to drop HARD in the ratings. Like literally from the top of the charts to the bottom. This stretch of episodes aren’t entirely bad. There is some good stuff there, the lore is important for future things, and the episodes start to pick up when the Hannibal equivalent Windom Earle gets introduced. But as a whole... OOF is it hard to watch.  Lynch would come back again to direct the season finale of season 2, hoping to generate enough interest from viewers and executives in giving it a season 3. He tossed out the script that was written by the season 2 writing team and made his own thing and it rules. The finale for season 2 is one of the best episodes of TV ever. A high mark of Lynch’s career. It’s so fucking good. It’s so good, it’s worth season 2 despite it all. And it ends on one hell of a cliffhanger. 

Only to get cancelled. 

Lynch was given the opportunity to do a movie to end the series properly and resolve the cliffhanger. Instead he made a prequel. A move that angered many at the time. And then 25 years later, Twin Peaks finally got a third season, one that was so good, it was named the best movie of 2017 by Sight & Sound. But the effects of season 2 live on, the way that it alienated audiences and put Twin Peaks solely into niche territory one baffling decision at a time. 

[chrismcleaneatspants]

General season 2 opinions. MASSIVE TDI 2023 season 2 spoilers ahead (as well as a huge wall of text.) You've been warned.

Ok, so here's everything I like about the season (I can count them on my fingers)

-There were some funny jokes

-MKulia was entertaining and it's now in my top 5 favorite ships, but it's not perfect, as I'll explain later

-Hockey dudes were a joy to watch I suppose

-Bowie stole the show as usual

-There are a lot of neat challenges (The canoe, slide, and dog challenges was a particular stand outs to me)

-MK herself was really funny

-MacArthur's cameo was a surprise to be sure, but a welcome one, and she bounces off of Chris really well

-Duncney is still broken up lol

Honestly that's about it in terms of positives, cuz I have a million other negatives for this supposed sequel to (imo) the best written season of the show.

-The Relationships were the single worst aspect about this season full stop. Ripaxel and Praleb are probably the worst couples the show has ever subjected me to. For Ripaxel, they basically removed anything interesting Ripper had going on and Axel wasn't allowed to live up to any kind of hype she created because one lame ass poem turned her into Ripper's girlfriend for the remaining duration of her run, only for the both of them to be tossed aside in episode 7 in perhaps the worst double elimination in the entire show.

-Praleb started off ok. I thought it was gonna be a one-sided crush plot initially before Episode 6. They had a couple cute moments before episode 8, of which their screentime became suffocating because afterwards is was this painful back and forth where Caleb tried explaining himself and Priya would be mad at him, then ally with him, then be mad at him again like it was so tiresome. By the time they got together in the finale again, I was wishing they had just followed up on Pramien instead. Caleb by himself was funny in the first half of season 2 and Priya was great in season 1, but the two of them together were insufferable

-Speaking of Priya, she went from one of the best characters in season 1 to one of the worst in season 2. Why did she have to make it all the way to episode fucking 12 after winning season 1?? Just for some generic heterosexual romance? They also made her so dumb with shit like knowing Julia is manipulating her but then getting a surprise Pikachu face when Julia manipulated her??? You spent your entire life preparing for this show, how the fuck did you not see this coming???

-Segwayying into Julia, she's the worst antagonist full stop. I've never seen such an absolute downgrade of a character. She was a goat in season 1 who was aware of her situation and acted accordingly because the stakes were real. Here? Reality basically warps around her just to keep her in the game. She does things characters would never fall for in season 1 and they just go with it?? They insist on keeping her in the finale and do basically nothing interesting with her. She's not even as funny as Island Heather at the end of the day.

-I mentioned MKulia earlier, so I'll just get to it here: I like it in concept. Two evil sapphics causing chaos together is really fun. My main issue is that it was very sudden. They both were not fans of each other at the end of season 1 and now I'm supposed to just believe they became friends off screen? I mean, I guess, but it's kinda cheap. I would have really liked it if it was straight up enemies to lovers ngl. Also the fact MK had very little agency outside of being Julia's lackey doesn't help either. I want to point to the fake contract thing, for instance. Why did Julia do that? That sounds like an MK thing to do.

-Time to dive into other characters: Damien is an absolute fucking tragedy. At the end of season 1, Damien had one ambition: win next season. They kinda did that, sure, but they regressed Damien into being a complete coward to do so, not to mention he didn't even go all the way either. Damien didn't get a W until episode 6 and tbh that was his only W. By the end of his tenure, I was left confused on what the point of his run was. (I'll come back to this later.)

-What was the point of Nichelle? Like seriously, what did she contribute to the season at all? They didn't do the ironic underdog story with her, and considering she was getting all egotistical and aggressive, i thought she was gonna be the antagonist for sure...until Julia got rid of her in episode 5 in a way that really shouldn't make sense cuz like Nichelle is an actual celebrity that stars in blockbuster movies, I'm pretty sure she could sniff a fake contract a mile away, right?

-Hockey dudes were great, but I felt like they were very dumbed down at times? Like they were just generic dumb dudes that just meandered around a lot of the time (Wayne in particular just straight up floated away from a challenge at one point)

-Bowie was alright too. His line delivery is great as usual, but let's not kid ourselves: In a well written season, he'd be going straight for Julia the next time his team lost. Bowraj was nice to see even if the season didn't really do a whole lot with it

-Am I the only one who thinks this season is a tad bit misogynistic? Like this is the shortest them phase the show as ever had (to the point where i'd argue teams don't really matter) and 4 of the 5 team phase boots were girls. Millie and Emma in particular were really bad. Like, you could make Millie a team phase boot without like shitting on her that hard. And Emma got like fuck all closure outside of breaking up with Chase off screen like wow, way to utilize such a high potential character, Fresh. And this is saying nothing about how the girls that did make it to the merge had plots basically dominated by romance and like nothing else. And then there's MKulia which is apparently intended to be a friendship but like is written like a romantic one at times. It gives me all-stars gwourtney vibes and (as a fan of gwourtney myself) not in a good way. At least MK and Julia were somewhat in character I guess, but they had their edges really sanded off and honestly as a friendship (situationship?) it's a complete downgrade from Millie and Priya in so many ways

-And another thing: who's the protagonist this season? Outside of Praleb, who am I supposed to care for? Who am I supposed to root for? By the halfway mark, the show doesn't really make any convincing arguments to root for like anyone there outside of maybe Damien? And he went gone in episode 10, so like, hockey dudes? No one has an interesting enough narrative for me to care.

-The immunity idol stinks as usual. Like, why did Damien do THE SAME FUCKING THING HEATHER DID IN ALL-STARS?? That actually pissed me off so much holy shit. The immunity idol as it stands in the show is basically a shitty plot device made to keep characters in as there's no real strategy revolved around it.

-Oh and another minor thing: Owen's cameo sucks, and that's entirely due to him not being physically aged up at all and just being a vehicle for the same dumb jokes they always make with him. so stupid

-Anyways, I spend an entire season with two shitass straight relationships taking up screentime, a whole multiude of potential plotlines from last season (pramien) and this season (scary girl's revenge, millie being the new ripper, damien's comeback, julia having internal conflict over her friendship (feelings?) for MK) being set up and just nothing being done with them, and characters in general just being nerfed or borderline out of character (Ripper) and what am I rewarded with?

-Soar Losers. The most boring nothing finale in the entire show. The choices for finalists suck, Wayne, while being the least bad option for a winner (and i do still like him a lot), is still a mid ass winner in the grand scheme of the entire show. And more praleb drama? fuck off I hate them so much. The challenge did not feel finale worthy at all, and honestly it was the worst challenge in the whole season. On top of being a bunch of nothing, the show decides to bring back the worst trope it ever had: losing hair as karma. I almost ragequit the episode on the spot that shit makes me so irrationally mad. I think it's even worse here because Julia still had hair after the fact, which makes it seem like they were aware it's not a popular TD trope but wanted to half commit to it anyways for the sake of tradition or something. Terrible finale to an already decently sized letdown of a season, but it has some ok MKulia moments I guess. The finale was just emblematic of the entire season, where things just happen and you're just expected to go along with everything. (Also side note how come Chase wasn't the one to jump off of the cart for pizza immediately?)

TL;DR reboot season 2 imo was a step down in every conceivable way from season 1 apart of i guess comedy and it's left a very sour taste in my mouth. I'm probably missing a few points that I'll add onto later but man it feels nice putting my opinion out there.

[no-name-blu]

A thought. John turning evil by some entity promising him a way to protect his friends and Melissa. But he’s just doing the right thing g but the wrong way

When they used to be Welcome Home OCs, that's literally John's plot in my AU, Gameshow Host! Wally XD

But it's more of a fun side plot that can be taken out/ignored. This plot shows more on what the real world is like, how the cult fans of the show are formed, and also shows what happens to the winners of the gameshow. Because according to Wally, they usually turn into a threat to Humanity.

Here's an old comic that I never finished, glad it gets to see the light of day now :D

You can get their lore explanation down here!

I figured to reveal it since they're not Welcome Home OCs anymore and I'm not gonna draw all of this

CW: VIOLENCE AND CHARACTER DEATH, A LOT OF READING

Melissa, John, Briella (My OCs) and Sunny (that bird character), are a friend group together. Briella was the very first contestant of the show and dies, making Melissa wanting to investigate it and she's been non stop working about it.

And then, maybe 3-6 months later? idk, John got picked to be the contestant and won, so he asked his prize to have the ability to help Melissa. So Home gave John this opportunity to have a tour in the studio with Wally. So the day that happened, Wally showed him around, the problem with foreign objects going to the studio, it starts to deteriorate, especially for one's sanity. John eventually runs off Wally's tour and try to find more secrets in the studio just to accidentally found the void where Home resides in. His brain did not recover from seeing Home, he doesn't remember what happens after that. But John got Home's powers now YIPEEEE

Also his mind is in shambles in a way it's like an "enlightenment" to him. He sees it like the show is actually a good thing, weeding out the evil in the world. And he wanted to help more than anything.

John finds more people to see this show the way he sees it. He somehow got Melissa convinced too (old idea was that he can do hypnotism) When he tried to convince Sunny, he disagreed, leading to John to think he's evil and such, ended up killing him. Both the idiotic and crazy couple basically going on a killing spree to form a cult fan club of the show :D Honestly, imagine JD and Veronica from Heathers, but they're both JD. They're what killed the dinosaurs, they're the asteroids that's overdue /lyr

Eventuallyyy Melissa starts to snaps out of it, telling John she doesn't want to do this anymore, noticed Home has been watching them and she wants to make a deal with him. Home says something like "make one big sacrifice, and I'll give you what you wish for" Not very helpful but still she took the deal. Then the comic above is what's next. After that, they fought.

John was about to kill her but held back and gave Melissa a chance to fight back, so she starts punching, beats him up until the marionette puppet stops being alive.

Somehow the result of this made Home gave Melissa her own powers with the glowing eyes and Home's pupils too. Basically saying, now she serves for Home and that she's also gonna go crazy, like what had happened to John.

But Melissa didn't take over the cult, that'll be someone else. What she did is help Wally find a suitable contestant for the episode.

This plot probably got some holes and not that fleshed out since I stopped writing into it. It was fun tho :D

If you wanna know the other nickel, it's their Reboot AU lore. John was also cray cray for a different reason.

[sarnai4]

Deleted Scene??

This is something I noticed and am very curious if anyone else has too. Spoiler alert for RTTE. Is it just me or did both Grimborn brothers just randomly start hating Dagur? I think the first interaction between Dagur and Ryker was in "Night of the Hunters'" after the Riders tried to escape and it failed. Dagur makes a suggestion to kill one via throwing them off the side, Heather counters that to say they should spare them for Viggo, and Ryker just immediately implies that Dagur's an idiot. It's almost funny how unnecessary this was. It's also amusing to me how Ryker OF ALL PEOPLE would say, "Know who got the brains in your family." Excuse me, good sir, but you are not one to talk when you're taking orders from your baby brother, THE Viggo Grimborn. Hypocrisy aside, what Dagur said wasn't even foolish and would have actually been a smart move if they wanted to discourage the others. The Berkians would have been absolutely devastated if one of them had died that day. Instead, Ryker goes with Heather's plan, insults Dagur, and hits him on the back.

Just about every scene with them is like this. Heather even defends Dagur when Ryker complains in a later episode after seeing that not all the Riders left the Edge like Dagur wanted them to. In the same one, Ryker and Dagur find out that there were deserters. Dagur asks who and is upset when he learns that a Grimborn cousin turned traitor. Makes sense. He hates traitors and is a family-oriented person. This would shock him and he's always been an outspoken guy. When Ryker starts growling at him, he backs off and decides to suggest a new plan to make up for the losses. End of the tension, yes? The thing that was upsetting Ryker has stopped and now he can be calm again? Nope. He starts choking Dagur. Again, it nearly makes me laugh because it really comes out of nowhere. Why is he even mad at this point? Was Ryker that offended about Dagur talking about his turncoat cousin that even when he stopped, he still needed to be choked out?

This isn't even the last thing he does! In "Maces and Talons Part 2," Ryker threatens Dagur in case he thinks about hurting Viggo. I find this very amusing since this is the same man who had recommended killing Heather and is part of the idea to have Dagur imprison his own sister. But family means sooo much...when that family is Ryker's.

Viggo has way less scenes with Dagur, but they still manage to all be very passive aggressive. In his first line directed to Dagur alone, he practically calls him an imbecile, wondering if there are "any brains under all those scars and tattoos." Note to self: don't play a game with Viggo because you'll get your feelings hurt. Since we came in on the end, maybe Dagur really was just taking that long, but I also feel like his level of patience wouldn't have let him stand there for minutes on end without doing anything besides figuring out his next play. Since we've also seen Viggo insult Ryker's intelligence, I think this one is just because that's who he is and he will never respect someone he thinks is more of a physical threat. He's now making me think of that "mean nerd" trope in some stories where they try to bully the jocks by making them feel less than in other ways.

Viggo does take this a little further and have his first snappy scene too. This, of course, is directed at Dagur because why wouldn't it be? Not to sound like a broken record, but this doesn't feel necessary either. Yes, Dagur was being snarky, but Viggo also asked a pretty obvious question. Dagur would obviously know that the dragons were free if they're flying right above them. He just wanted to contribute to the plan since he is a chief in his own right. Not wanting to listen is one thing and I could understand Viggo not wanting to use someone else's ideas, but to say in a matter of words, "Fool, you exist to follow orders. Don't think. I'll do that for you," is a little bit of an overreaction.

The dramatic irony of this is how their hatred was warranted, but they didn't know it. Dagur really never was on their side and was planning to kill them, so unless a deleted scene happened where he just cursed out everyone with Grimborn blood, maybe they intuitively knew something was off with him. If neither of those happened, I think the Grimmies just decide to pick on the new guy and see how long it would take for him to turn on them.

[jaybird3756]

Nobody in this fic is okay

HTTYD RTTE fanfic S3.11 Family on the edge

---Dagur makes a suicide joke, Heather does not take it well.

!! Trigger Warnings for discussions of s/h and suicidal thoughts!!

Ik this is the episode everyone and their dog has made fanfics about but I do not care. I'm planning for 3 chapters, still unsure if I'm gonna go with good ending or bad ending. Everyone in this fic is or has been suicidal: This part is Dagur and Hiccup, next part will be with Heather and Dagur because I want this entire family to have issues, and the third part will touch on some other riders but for sure the twins.

"Hiccup Haddock, I cannot believe you kept my Heather from me! I was so worried; was she alive, was she dead; was she even okay?" Dagur whined, rubbing his jaw where Heather had hit him moments earlier.

Hiccup did not get a chance to respond before Heather asked, "How could you bring him here?" She pointed at Dagur with her axe. "Did you forget all the horrible things he's done to me, to all of us?!"

"No Heather, but he saved my life and Toothless' life" Hiccup protested. He protectively stepped between the two siblings, extending an arm to keep Heather from attacking Dagur again.

"How can you protect him Hiccup? How can you trust him? How could you teach him to ride a dragon?" Heather interjected. She glared at Dagur, dark green eyes fuming with hatred. "You set me adrift as a child! You killed our father! You destroyed my village and killed my adoptive parents! You've tried to kill each of us multiple times! You're the reason I don't have a family, Dagur!!"

Dagur couldn't meet her gaze, instead looking guiltily down at his feet. "Most, if not all of those things are true, but-"

"Save it for someone who's gullible enough to believe you! You may have all of them fooled, but not me!" Heather sneered. At her brother's dejected look, she huffed and turned to leave saying, "I wish you were dead, Dagur."

Dagur took a half step back. He knew Heather must have hated him and she did have good reason to, but hearing that was like a punch to the gut. "Trust me Heather, I understand the sentiment, I do. I wish that too sometimes," He said with a half-hearted chuckle, trying to hide the hurt from her complete rejection of him.

Heather stiffened and stopped in her tracks, still facing the door. She whirled on him in an instant, brushing past Hiccup to grab Dagur harshly by the collar. "Don't you ever joke about something like that! You have no idea what it was like for me! How I felt, all alone; you can't joke-"

"It wasn't a joke" Dagur interrupted somberly, staring her straight in the eyes. The other riders were silent, shocked by Dagur's admission.

"What?" Heather dropped her accusatory tone and angry glare. She let go of his collar and looked at her brother's face. She recognized the look of pain and hopelessness in his eyes and she knew he wasn't lying. She had thought he was, had wished he was, but the sorrowful expression on his face seemed just too genuine.

"I know I sounded like I was joking, but I wasn't. I wouldn't ever joke about something like that."

"Then you-" Heather started to ask a question, the question on everyone's minds.

"Yes" Dagur answered before she'd even figured out how to ask that question. 

The clubhouse was dead silent, not even Chicken dared make a sound. Dagur looked past Heather to Hiccup, who wouldn't even look at him. Instead Hiccup was looking downwards and fidgeting with a leather strap on his wrist guard. 

Then Dagur continued speaking, spilling out more secrets than he would have liked, if only to not have to sit in that uncomfortable silence. 

"I've thought about... death a lot. Ever since I was little. I mean, no one liked me, some people went out of their way to make me miserable and sometimes I just wanted a way out. I wanted to make them hurt, make them regret the things they did to me. I wanted to hurt them, make them bleed and suffer or..." Dagur whispered, "I'd want to hurt myself. I was just so angry. Sometimes I'd hurt others and I regret that now, but sometimes I'd take it out on myself. Just to feel something other than anger all the time." 

Dagur sniffled and brought his hands to his forehead, trying to hide the tears beginning to form in his eyes. "And it. Never. Got. Better" He almost growled. "I'd take it out on anyone around me and when no one wanted to be around me anymore..." He crossed his arms and rubbed at his bracers and forearms.

Heather knew Dagur had a lot of scars and assumed they were from fights. A picture came to her of a much younger Dagur sitting on his bed angrily slashing red strips into his arms with the very same knives he still carried around. She wanted to hate him but now she just felt sad for him.

"So many times after losing a battle I'd wonder if the Berserkers would be better off without a failure like me. I led them into battle against trained dragons when we had wooden boats! I was a shitty chief and a shitty leader and I knew it. I just didn't want anyone else to know that I knew. So I just doubled down and look where that got me. So many times in Outcast prison I just wished I was dead already. I kept waiting and wishing I would die of blood loss, or infection, or internal injuries before Alvin came back to play with me again. But I never did. Even after I escaped I just wanted to give up. I mean I had nothing anymore, no power, no gold, no armada, no throne, and no home. I couldn't even stay in the archipelago because I'd made so many enemies that if anyone found me, I'd be executed or worse. I wasn't able to sleep again, so I just sat awake at night plotting revenge but sometimes I just wanted to go home so badly I wouldn't have cared that I'd probably be killed immediately. I'd have just let them."

Dagur looked up at Heather expecting to see disgust or cruel amusement and was instead met with shock and concern. That was almost worse. He could handle being ridiculed (maybe), but he hated being pitied. 

"The only thing that made it any better was you, Heather" He explained. "Because you were alive an even though I orphaned you twice, I couldn't even think of ending myself anymore. If I did, I'd have taken your family from you three times and I'd definitely be the worst brother ever. Even if you hated me, even if you ended up killing me yourself, I knew I couldn't do that to you. When I was stranded on that island for months, thinking about all the awful things I'd done, I wanted to throw myself from one of the cliffs or put my sword to one final use but every time I almost did, I thought of leaving you all alone in the world and I just couldn't bring myself to do it."

He took a step towards Heather and put a hand on her shoulder plates. "You don't need to waste your energy wanting me dead, I do more than enough of that on my own. And I'm really sorry, for everything." He turned to leave, unsure of what else he should say.

"Dagur, wait-" Heather called after him, but Dagur had already started to cry and he wanted out of there as quickly as possible. "Good Night." He said with a finality that made it clear there would be no more talking. 

Once out of the clubhouse, he leaned against the wall and wiped the tears from his eyes. Stupid Dagur, why'd you say any of that? Now everybody knows. He scolded himself as he slunk off into the night to find Shattermaster. He used to think it was stupid to have an animal as a best friend but right now he wanted nothing more than to curl up next to his dragon's pebbly scales.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Back in the clubhouse everyone was still absolutely quiet, even the twins, trying to process what they'd just heard.

"Someone's got to go after him," Astrid was the first to speak up. 

Heather turned to look at her, then to Hiccup. She still had a stunned look on her face "I- I- uh..." She didn't even know what she was trying to say but clearly Hiccup knew what she needed more than she did.

"I'll go." He volunteered, quickly leaving the clubhouse. Toothless warbled and followed close behind. 

Hiccup found Dagur on the landing platform outside the stables. He was sitting on the edge, feet dangling over empty air below him and leaning against Shattermaster's side. Hiccup felt a twinge of alarm seeing Dagur's precarious sitting position. As soon as Toothless had his paws on the ground, Hiccup jumped out of the saddle and grabbed Dagur by the back of his chestplate and pulled as hard as he could, dragging the berserker back from the edge of the platform. 

Dagur twisted free of him and glared at Hiccup, wiping away the tears in his eyes and asking, "So what? I'm not allowed to sit where I want now?" The unexpected harshness in Dagur's tone made Hiccup flinch a little. "You finally stop treating me like I'm a danger to everyone else so now you're going to handle me like I'm a danger to myself?"

"Dagur that's not what I-" Hiccup tried to defend himself, realizing that his worry had come off patronizing and had really rubbed Dagur the wrong way. 

"Going to take my weapons now? Afraid of what I might do with them? Would you like my belt while you're at it?" He sneered. "I don't need you trying to protect me."

"I'm sorry." Hiccup sat down next to him. "I wasn't thinking."

"Yeah, obviously" he mumbled back. 

Hiccup looked out over the view from the stables. The moonlight illuminated the sea below them. After a moment Hiccup said, "I want you to know, I don't think any differently of you. I'm sorry you went through what you did but I don't think any worse of you now that I know. I've been through some rough patches where I felt like that too."

"Felt like killing yourself? I thought so." Dagur said flatly.

Hiccup flinched, "What? How did you know?"

"Come on, brother. I saw you growing up. No friends, too weak to defend yourself, everyone thinking you're a disgrace to Stoick. I'd be more surprised if you hadn't thought of..." Dagur paused, "well, you know."

Hiccup was more than a little shocked. "That's pretty much it. I was always a disappointment. I felt like no one actually wanted...," Hiccup gestured to all of himself, "all of this. I heard people call me a burden all the time. Sometimes I think I did something so crazy as befriending a dragon because I felt like no one would care if I got eaten anyways." Hiccup scratched under Toothless's chin. "Sometimes I think that without Toothless, I'd still be that scrawny kid with no place in this world."

Dagur nodded. "I get that. But now you're the scrawny pride of Berk!" He said with a genuine crazy Dagur laugh.

"Hey!" Hiccup punched Dagur in the arm and smiled.

"I used to be so angry that you chose a dragon over me", Dagur explained, petting his green gronkle. "But now I get it. I've only had Shattermaster a day and it feels like he's already my best friend. He makes an excellent mediation partner too, you know."

"Toothless is my best friend" Hiccup agreed. "He was the first one who accepted me for who I was. We'll always have a special bond. There's just something comforting about a dragon; they don't judge you, they can't tell people your secrets, and they're always going to give you the love you give them."

"People are overrated anyway", Dagur said dismissively. 

"Well, there are some good ones if you know where to look." Hiccup looked over to the clubhouse; Dagur turned his head to look too. "But mostly I do agree, that the average dragon definitely beats the average viking for me." 

"Good thing I'm not the average viking then." Dagur chuckled.

Hiccup laughed, "Oh no you're not an average viking, that's for sure!" They both burst out laughing together. 

"Oh you bring the funny brother," Dagur said when they'd finally stopped laughing. "It's really nice out here tonight."

"Yeah it's a really nice night." Hiccup said. Toothless' ear fins pricked up and he looked at Hiccup. "I think I'm going to go for a night flight with Toothless, wanna come?"

"No thanks, I don't think I'm ready to fly at night yet." 

"Oh," Hiccup sighed. "Do you want me to stay here then, I mean are you okay to leave alone, I'll stay if you need?" He offered, still slightly worried about Dagur.

"Hiccup. Stop." Dagur scowled. "I'll be fine."

Hiccup trailed off, embarrassed that he'd tried to baby Dagur again. "Sorry, I did it again. Goodnight Dagur" Hiccup climbed on Toothless and took off into the night sky. 

"Goodnight brother," Dagur whispered into the night behind him. As he looked down over the edge of the platform again, Shattermaster yawned and snuggled next to him. Now that he had his own dragon, and Hiccup and Heather, it finally felt like he had something real to lose if he were to jump. He knew his tribe would be fine without him, but his brother and sister wouldn't be and the dragon he'd come to see as a best friend would miss him as well. He got up, walked away from the edge of the platform and led his dragon into the stables to sleep for the night. Dagur considered going to sleep in the stables with Shattermaster, but remembered the odd behavior of the riders that day. 

He was glad Hiccup was off flying, and thus away from his hut. Dagur needed to do some snooping around. He was right about one thing, he had way too much to lose now.

[residentalienfan69dodoobuttballs]

I LOVE THE ALIEN BIRD YURI YIPIEEEE !! THEY ARE THE CUTEST THINGGG !!!!!!! 💙💜

Harry's first real love interest being an AVIAN is the absolute amazing, silliest thing EVER. The running joke, during the entirety of the show, of Harry being attracted to Avians actually being made into a relevant plotline is the most resident alien thing I could even think of bro. So rewarding for the viewer how they followed through with it instead of it just being a bunch of throw away lines !! It just speaks to how amazing the writing in this show is. It never stops surprising me, I love a story where every little detail is relevant and connected. (And I love surprises) IT'S SO GOOD. !!!

And they have the best, funniest chemistry dude. During their weird makeout scene I had to remember that these are actually actors doing this in front of a camera because it just felt so believable and real lmfaooo. 😭🙏 These actors are so amazing. I'm so impressed with everyone's performance in this show, it all feels so realistic; despite all the crazy alien shit constantly going on. (Especially with D'Arcys portrayal, she's actually my favorite character lmfao. Sorry Harry love youuu.)

I am soooo so glad they didn't do the "guy character is obviously attracted to woman female woman character but makes it really weird and it's uncomfortable and the "comedy" is how uncomfortable the woman is and how pushy the guy is." ...Trope. I was so worried about it when Heather was first introduced bc it's such an easy grasp at comedy that SOOO many shows are guilty of. It felt like a huge weight was lifted off my shoulders when it was the exact opposite !!!. Making it a mutual crush had me literally kicking and giggling and jumping for joy, it's so cute and silly. The divergence of expectations just gerrr I eat it the fuck up every time. More cute and silly weird aliens in love please.

Ik people are put off by the instant puppy love but believe me. Instant puppy love is some real powerful shit y'all. I have felt that FIRST HAND !!! Plus I'm just a sucker for corny, cheesy romance in general. Whaaat I won't lie...I looooove bitches being cringe together, it's the most freeing thing in the world. And for me, the absolute strongest element of resident alien is how the character's relationships are written. I know some crazy shit is going to go down. But I am genuinely rooting for these two !! 😁 I love how Harry doesn't have to hide or change any part of himself for her. For the first time since he's been on Earth, he's been able to be totally 100% honest with someone. He can't even do that with Asta! I think their relationship makes so much sense. Especially with Harry's longing to find another alien to relate to. (And him actually getting that !!! Ahhh !!!! I love him being happy. He was so cute this whole episode.)

They don't have to be endgame or anything, I just hope it resolves in a way that makes sense. Even if it's not exactly what I would've wanted. I just wanna see more of these two crazy freaky lovebirds (btw.... lovebirds....kind of a cute ship name huh guys...I'm just brainstorming here...lol.) gerr I am SO excited to see all the drama next episode I can barely wait I'm going to shit my pants.

[leadandblood]

Hi! No pressure at all, but do you happen to have in your BTS folder some shots of the medbay either on terror or erebus? I can’t find them anywhere and during the episode it’s usually super crowded…

They're horribly hard to find, I've come to realise. Like you said, the med bay tends to otherwise get very crowded. + most bts photos are of the sets Outside.

I have two proper BTS photos and they're BAD :'D sorry.... First one is definitely Terror, the second one I'm not sure.

But jokes on you the autism never ends. Here are a few screencaps.

Terror first. Door #1 to the left, door #2 to the right, behind McDonald.

Another two images to get the general layout out of the way: doors are to the right in the first image, to the left in the second. Heather is next to door #1. (Also table visible in the bottom left corner in the Goodsir image.)

To complete the image fully, here it is with the chair and door #1 visible, as well. All three people are in the exact same spot, next to Heather.

There's also a table in the Heather scene, but I'm not sure whether that's improvised or permanent. I think Blanky was lying on that one as well during the amputation, so i guess permanent? Either way it's on the OPPOSITE side to Erebus, opposite the door. We don't usually see it, so Terror feels a bit more spaceous imo.

Then there's also these a few fine enough screencaps from Erebus to show the cabinets.

If this were Terror you'd see Heather behind Stanley and to the left of Collins. Also door #1 is visible.

Other side (door #2) + the chair holders. (chair being used by Morfin)

And when more cold boys become.. sick cold boys. on Erebus: (doors are to the left)

Biggest difference on Terror from Erebus are the table and chair holder layouts. The cabinets and such are basically the same (same set used twice, duh)

But ALSO!

Terror has curtains in the doorframe, whereas Erebus has actual (sliding) doors! Just an interesting fact...

uhhh. sorry if this is too much? I can't stop myself, I love doing this.

[the-type-a]

any s1 duncney Playa De Losers headcanons? like what are some things they would do together at the resort once they're reunited again (i can imagine duncan interrupting courtney's late night study session to convince her to sneak into the pool with him at 2 am but i'd like any more ideas you have lmao)

Love the HC you have! It’s just a fact that Duncan tries to sneak out late at night with Courtney.

Here are some other ones I’ve come up with:

When Duncan is eliminated Courtney is waiting for him by the dock. She’s mad because she saw the whole Heather thing beforehand (in my mind they see the challenges live). This is why they aren’t automatically together when we see them on The Last Episode, Really! Yet, it doesn’t stop them from going back to their little banter.

At this point Duncney know they like each other, but it’s still such a hassle for them to be vulnerable with one another. I can imagine them hanging out and Courtney being like, “I just happen to be heading to the pool. It’s not because I want to be around you.” Then we have Duncan with his, “Sure thing, Princess.”

Regardless of their comments to one another, Duncney always sneakily sit next to each other. It can be for dinner, for hanging out with everyone, or just while relaxing somewhere.

Courtney tells Duncan about her elimination. He’s furious and wants to get to Harold right away, but Courtney tells him she already handled it. He smirks at her and tells her he wishes he could’ve been there to witness it.

Courtney’s an early bird and tends to be one of the first people up and about. Duncan takes it upon himself to wake up extra early just to be around her before everyone else wakes up. Courtney secretly loves it.

Whenever Courtney is sitting by the pool Duncan will purposely say she’s too scared to get in. Courtney obviously has to prove him wrong.

They challenge each other to see who can hold their breath the longest. They almost die.

One night Courtney can’t sleep so she sits out by her balcony (I’m assuming they all have one idk). Duncan, who is also up and about, notices her sitting outside from his own. He tries talking to her from his end but Courtney’s constantly shushing him because everyone else is sleeping. He leaves and ends up knocking on her door and they both end up star gazing from her balcony.

Duncan has a mission of breaking all of Chris’s hidden cameras on the resort, Courtney catches him in the act and instead of flipping out she helps him.

Whenever they find themselves alone they play stupid games like 20 questions, just to kill time before everyone shows up. They surprisingly learn a lot about each other and make it a routine thing to show up early or leave later than everyone to have those moments.

Duncan watches his video from home with Courtney. He didn’t want to watch it at all for obvious reasons but he’s glad he was able to at least see his mom. He doesn’t say anything when he realizes Courtney never got one from her parents.