#okay half the ep was off but the other half still got me sobbing
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myfriendfoundmyusername · 2 years ago
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6.5/10 episode (the 6 is mostly the summer reveal and ruby scenes tbh)
Tiny ass rant bc this might be a be a bit rwde esp to jaune fans so beware
It honestly just feels so off and out of place that it’s again, mostly Jaune reacting to everything happening? when most of that could’ve been given to WBY reacting to what ruby did? I know they’re probbably aware shes not really gonna die but RUBY DRANK THAT TEA WITH A SUICIDAL INTENT AND AS A SUICIDAL ATTEMPT. You do not brush that shit off. Half of it felt so unnecessary, This is giving me v4/5 Jaune war flashbacks. I’m sorry but I’m honestly getting tired of this fr
Also half(or even most) of his screentime in that ep could’ve been at least given to ruby’s scene in the tree bc honestly, that scene alone had some of the really good conversations in the entire show that would’ve been great to be fleshed out even more (her talking asking the lady if shes gonna die, about not feeling enough, feeling as if all the weapons in that room were to heavy for her. It all felt so real and personal)
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kissporsche · 1 year ago
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Okay, last one, I promise - and no need to answer ANY of these, obviously. I'm just in the mood to be annoying today. 🙈💕
Top 5 KinnPorsche scenes - WITH and WITHOUT VP (because I think the latter would be really interesting) 👀
BLESS YOU FOR THAT, YOU KNOW ME TOO WELL (and you are not annoying AT ALL 💕💕💕)
Top 5 VP scenes
Ep 12 hedgehog funeral + sex scene
I meeeeean. I mean. I mean!!!!!!! When is a monster not a monster? When you see him utterly broken sobbing over his dead pet and your catastrophic empathy instinct kicks in because you see yourself in him and him in you and you KNOW this will backfire but need NEED to go back anyway and it NEEDS to be your choice and it KEEPS being your choice and kissing him is your choice and fucking him is your choice and offering up your wrists is your choice and you fucking SMILE because for once you got everything you wanted and for just a minute the whole world falls into its proper place.
Ep 13 break-up scene
My beloved. This is legit one of my favourite scenes in any piece of media, ever. It enraptures me. It's every terrible, beautiful, instinctual decision that they've made together being CRUSHED by the world outside their safehouse/prison/escape/condemnation and exploding in their faces. It is everything to me. It's inevitable. And so necessary even though it hurts like hell.
Ep 13 alleyway scene
THE DRAMA. Vegas with his prince hair pulling his One Move. Pete with the cigarette and the realisation and the gun. They both look so insanely good sorry for being shallow. But GOD. "Don't you want me to disappear?" "Shoot me!" "I don't think you can. And you know why." like ugh UGH it's the PEAK of fucked up romance! Vegas risking it all on Pete feeling the same and not caring if he loses his life on that bet, Pete unable to even speak in response but just breaking down in Vegas's arms because he can't and he knows.
Ep 14 pool scene
Okay now obviously this one is also everything to me. It's... yeah. This scene was to my brain what a magnet is to a VHS tape. I lost the ability to form coherent thoughts for multiple days. I still can't adequately express everything this scene means to me. It's a masterclass in writing and character work and ACTING!!!! Like with anyone else this scene could have failed massively but instead we got CINEMA. My favourite, most unhinged viewing experience of my entire life. Maybe if I loved it less I might be able to talk about it more.
Ep 14 epilogue
THE SOFT EPILOGUE THEY DESERVE. Their lives have beaten them down into the dirt, they've nearly lost their humanity entirely, they barely know how to be people and yet. They find each other. They choose each other. They live for each other. And they get happiness as a reward, and a family they will keep choosing again and again and again.
I could have picked so many other scenes, literally any of their scenes! But 12-14 really is just hit after hit of some of the best television ever created so. holy shit there's a whole other half to this ask OOPS- Top 5 KP scenes (no VP)
Ep 1 Porsche and Chay
Porsche wiping his tears away and hugging his little brother is what sold me on his character and really the entire show.
Ep 5 Porsche breaking down in the bathroom
Talk about a masterclass in acting. Phenomenal.
Ep 6 final scene
All the lead up too. Kinn apologising, Porsche deliberately failing rock paper scissors, Kinn's speech when they escape, Porsche running back to kiss him. GORGEOUS.
Ep 10 warehouse scene
Oh I live for gloves-off Vegas. And the horriblest little man Tawan. Sleeveless Kim. Big's sacrifice.
Ep 14 office scene
I'm being soooo good and not counting this as a VP scene but like. Oh I love it. Namphueng reveal, "you're just as bad as papa was", "the truth that Namphueng is-", Vegas surrounded by a halo of guns, Korn at his most menacing, "I can't keep betraying my feelings", the look between Porsche and Pete, I-. I love it. There's just so much to keep coming back to.
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imjusthereforyj · 2 years ago
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YJ Season 4 Arc Rankings Part 2
#3-Raquel’s Arc
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I was curious how they were gonna do Rocket’s Arc since we don’t know as much about her versus the others so it kinda made senses that her arc focused on the overall plot with revealing the main villain as Lor-Zod and the alliance between the Justice League, Green Lantern Core, and New Genesis. So the main development we got from her was between her and her son as she learns to handle his autism. As well as her working with Orion and seeing how he process emotion and trying to understand him better. Love getting to see Razor get his cool Red/Blue Lantern armor and his Luscious Locks. Seeing him on YJ made me go watch the Green Lantern series just because he thought he was hot and I just wanted to know more about him. I like the little villain trio we got with Mantis, M’comm, and Lor-Zod, you can just tell they all hate each other. Shout out to Mantis to carrying the team the last bit and finding the phantom projector just out of spite because Lor-Zod thought he couldn’t do shit. Loved that our heroes actually got to fight the main villian of the season it really did help move the plot along. Very sad we lost Tomar-Re but was not expecting female forger to get his ring but I got pretty hyped from that. 
Rocket gets a 7/10
#2-Dick’s Arc
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Let’s be real here this wasn’t really Nightwing’s Arc this was just the ending Arc. Dick got the first ep to flex his detective skills, connecting the dots to stuff we as the viewer already knew while everyone else looked at him like he was crazy. After that the show was like “Okay baby everyone knows who you are, step aside so we can connect the rest of these plots. I was pretty surprised by how easy it was for our heroes to get into the phantom, the harder part for sure was just trying to get Conor to come out. Definitely felt some jealousy from Lor-Zod when he saw his dad took Conor under his wing even though he was still gonna manipulate him. Switching gears to I think the Legion of Superheroes should think about giving Phanton girl a bell to communicate with because every time she opened her mouth she just caused more problems. I’m not trying to hate on the girl but she was asleep for more than half the season so she’s a little behind. It was really intreating not having the light be involved in the big final battle but shit those rough kryptonians worked fast, they were on earth for like 20 mins and there this close to killing superman. But of course everything worked out for our heroes with defeating the Zods and Conor remembering who he is. Seeing Icicle Jr at SuperMartian’s wedding legit brought tears to my eye because I was so happy he was invited. 
Dick gets a 8/10
#1- Conor and M’gann’s Arc
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This was also pretty close between Dick’s arc and Conor and M’gann’s arc but conor and M’gann’s arc actually forces on it’s main characters and sets up the main plot for the whole season so it gets the top spot. Idk if it was just the fact that it was more then 2 years since I got to see some new YJ but I was just so happy to see our beloved characters back again. I love getting to see and learn about Mars and meeting M’gann parent and her little sister.  J’onn what’s your address again cause I gotta make sure you get your best uncle award for how you defended your nieces. Reliving the childhood between the M’orzz siblings was very emotional and the line of “I was just a child” I think really encapsulate what young justice is. Young heroes taking on burdens that is well beyond their years with this burden being racism. I thought the murder mystery was also clever with it taking place on a planet of telepaths but yet no one knows who did it. You can kinda tell that Conor wasn’t gonna stay dead with him being killed off in ep 4 of 26 but still not see him come back up from the hole was still heartbreaking. And to who ever idea it was to have the end credits just be M’gann sobbing at the foot of the alter they were support to be married at the next day, You are a foul foul person. 
Conor and M’gann gets a 8.5/10
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glittercake · 3 years ago
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drabble | 1k | based on What If: Zombies Ep; Gore I guess; Zombie husbands; Bucky went all midnight train to Georgia in this; Happy ending (?!).
"No!" Shouts Bucky before Okoye's spear makes contact with Sam's head. He holds his hand up to ward Sam off, "Wait!"
Sam's head tilts sideways with something like recognition. He sways forward.
Bucky guesses it's not Sam anymore. He has known that since their jet went down on what's left of the Golden Gate Bridge. Sam could have survived; God knows he could have. His wings would have saved him. But Bucky knows he'd never have left Steve and the others, knows he'd have fought on the ground with them until the last moment.
But god damn him if he sees anyone else than Sam Wilson standing before him now, even if his eyes are glazed and lifeless where they once were alive and beautifully bright. All he sees is his Sam.
And maybe that's the worst part of it all. He thought he'd made peace with Sam's death, thought he'd accepted that the man he loved had succumbed to the fatal virus.
He's not so sure anymore.
Sam growls, gurgling and wet, lip curling up with hunger now that Bucky is in his deadly sights. He's been torn apart; his left arm ripped off, a chunk missing from his ribs. Bucky knows he must have still been alive for that, and it makes his heart lurch furiously in his chest with an ever-familiar need to protect Sam and make it better.
Okoye has halted behind him, waiting for his go-ahead to end it once and for all. Her spear is raised, and he can hear her heart thudding in her chest as she watches.
He looks back at Sam, "Hey, sweetheart," he says softly, his left hand hesitantly extended between them. There was a time he could just reach out and touch, pull Sam close to him, "Hey, remember me? It's me, honey. It's Bucky."
"James," Okoye warns shakily. Her fists curl around the spear, her feet inching closer to Sam, "What are you doing?"
Sam flings around so that he has both of them in his line of sight now. His pale eyes flit quickly between them but ultimately lands back on Bucky.
Bucky swallows down the lump in his throat. He'd give anything for one last kiss, to hold Sam one last time, to say goodbye and mean it this time. He was naïve enough to think they'd solve this like they do anything, and Sam would come home like he did after any other mission. Perhaps a little bruised, maybe a few broken bones. But he'd been dead wrong.
"Yeah, you do, huh? You remember me," He says again, voice giving a broken crack, "Remember you loved me? Remember I asked you to marry me—" his emotions betray him, and with a violent wobble of his chin, he sobs. Sam twitches and grunts softly, baring his teeth, "It's okay, Sammy. Shh, it's okay."
"James, we need to end this. Now!"
Bucky shakes his head, "You gotta go, mhlobo wam. Get out of here."
"James!"
"I can't leave him, Okoye. Go, get out of here. I've lost enough friends already." With that, he moves so that Sam's sights are on him, and she's got a clear shot at the doorway.
"Damn you, James," she says tearful before slowly creeping toward the exit. Behind them, there's a roaring horde coming toward the lobby they're standing in. She'll have no choice but to run now.
"I've heard that before." He smiles, saluting her, and she returns the gesture before letting out a disgruntled groan and making a run for it.
Sam grunts, sneering again; his breathing is rough and labored, his skin so pale despite the streaks of sun beaming in through Grand Central's windows.
"It's just you and me now, honey," he placates an increasingly ravenous Sam, "It's okay. I'm not leaving you. Okay?"
Sam stumbles closer, and Bucky would startle, but it's Sam. He should be scared, too, should be running for his life. But it's Sam, and for so much of his newfound life, he had been running toward Sam, running after him, running for his life with Sam.
He'd be damned if he ran away now.
Sam shuffles closer once more, enough for Bucky to smell the decay. Around them, the lifeless horde comes closer and closer, smelling Bucky's fresh blood and drooling with hunger for it, snapping teeth and gurgling groans. His heart pounds behind his ribs, his hands begin to tremble, knowing it's the end now.
And then, before they get to him and in one swift motion, Sam swoops him up and flies toward the ceiling with him.
Sam's arm is around his waist, he's got Bucky pulled close to his body, same as when Sam gave him an airlift on missions. Bucky has instinctively grabbed onto Sam's shoulders for purchase, and he brings his hand up to touch Sam's face.
Fresh tears streak down his cheeks, but he smiles, "You know me," he says but gets no response. He strokes the bloody apple of Sam's cheek, "You do. I ain't leaving you, sweetheart."
Sam growls again, flies him backward and against a wall. The bricks crumble behind Bucky's back, and a soft, terrified, but somehow relieved gasp escapes him.
Sam leans his forehead against Bucky's. His skin is cold and clammy, and up close, the lifelessness behind his eyes is even more devastating, so Bucky closes his eyes and just holds on.
"It's okay," he says again, and then Sam ducks his head, and the motion is so familiar: Sam burying his face in Bucky's neck, mouth open against his skin, he loved doing it, he'd nose up Bucky's neck for no good reason on any random day, and kiss the pulsing vein there.
He does it now too.
Bucky sobs, gasping tired and wetly and whispers Sam's name, but it's drowned out by a guttural and rumbling growl from Sam before he sinks his teeth into Bucky's neck.
The pain is searing and brutal, and instantly he feels an uncomfortable rush like champagne bubbling through his blood. They said it's quick, said it's so fast you don't realize. That one moment you're here, and the next you're gone.
And it's half true. He guesses the serum trips the strain up a bit. He's in pain all over, his limbs are heavy and burning, and his head pounds when Sam rips away from his neck to look at him, his mouth red with Bucky's blood.
Bucky starts shaking in Sam's arms, but Sam holds on, grips him tighter, and as Bucky's eyes fall shut, he sees Sam staring down at him, head tilting sideways, and from his lips, a soft whisper falls, "Buck—" before everything goes black.
_____
They say if you watch the night sky carefully, you'll see the red glow of Sam's jetpack, and, if you look really close, you'll see Bucky in his arm as they roam the starry heavens together.
They say that Sam takes Bucky up to the Empire State Building every afternoon, where they watch the sunset together.
They say it's impossible, that the undead simply doesn't function like that. That they wouldn't know what love is anymore, that they're only mindless and hungry and waiting for their next meal.
But Peter's seen it. He's seen them on the very tip of the tallest buildings, hand in hand. Forever together.
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fridayfirefly · 4 years ago
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A Guardian in Gotham
Read A Guardian in Gotham on AO3
Masterlist
Written for Maribat March Day 19 - Guardian
Note: In this AU Master Fu gave out the Ladybug Miraculous to Marinette and the Black Cat Miraculous to Adrien before consulting the Kwami. Marinette turned out to be a true holder, but for the Black Cat Miraculous, not the Ladybug Miraculous. However, she and Adrien made it work and were able to defeat Hawkmoth anyway. After Hawkmoth's defeat she becomes Lady Noire full-time.
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Being the Guardian of the Miraculous was hard work. There were no family vacations, no sleeping in or going to bed early, no breaks. Marinette could not relax until Hawkmoth was defeated. Which explained why it was such a jarring change once the Miraculous Team defeated Hawkmoth.
Gabriel Agreste was behind bars. The citizens of Paris were free from the threat of akumatization. Tikki, Plagg, and the rest of the Kwamis went dormant in order to restore the damage done to Duusu's Miraculous. Marinette didn't exactly know what to do with herself. Suddenly it hit her that she was no longer the middle schooler who accepted the burden of Guardianship. She was in her final year of high school, nearly an adult. All around her, her friends were making future plans. Adrien was taking a gap year to help Emilie recover from her coma. Alya was accepted to a prestigious journalism program. Nino was DJing at one of the best clubs in Paris. Luka was releasing his EP. Kagami was training for the Olympics. Chloé took up an internship with her mother.
Marinette couldn't move on, the way all of her friends were able to. Marinette couldn't be a normal girl anymore. She couldn't go to university, start a family, live a normal life. She needed the rush of adrenaline that came from two little words - Spots on! or more recently, Claws out!
It was around this time that the Temple of Guardian got in touch with Marinette, offering her an opportunity to continue her work as a Guardian of the Miraculous. They send Marinette a box of old journals, dating back to the 18th century. The journals detailed the discovery of twin "wells of evil" located in the American cities of Gotham and Metropolis, then named Mortham City. The Masters of the Miraculous who made this discovery studied the evil and expressed the desire to find a way to remove it, but didn't have the chance to complete the task before the Temple of Guardians fell. When the Temple reappeared they believed that the Masters had managed to destroy the evil in Mortham, due to the reports of the city's recovery and renaming to Metropolis soon after, but were unable to destroy the evil in Gotham. The city festered, growing more and more troubled while Metropolis flourished. Marinette's task was to do her best to study and remove the evil in Gotham.
Marinette applied to Gotham University, feeling relieved that she might finally find her purpose.
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Marinette's dorm room at Gotham University was rather lackluster; it was the typical tiny, cramped American university dorm, complete with a stained carpet and a bathroom shared between six girls. Her roommate was a computer science major named Barbara Gordon. Barbara was older than Marinette, a senior while Marinette was only a freshman. It was a fluke accident that the freshman dorms had filled up before she was admitted. Secretly Marinette wished that she had been able to room with another freshman. Barbara was rarely in the dorm room, too busy with her coursework and her real friends to make small talk with her nervous roommate.
Marinette barely spent any time in her dorm room, either. She spent most of her time in class or at the library studying. Marinette had the ambitious plan of double majoring in both fashion and business, in order to start her own fashion company someday. Her classes overwhelmed her, and Marinette began to regret overloading her first-semester schedule. It gave her barely any time to work on her Guardian work, let alone join an extracurricular.
Marinette wanted to decorate the dorm and make it more of a home, but because of a plane delay, she ended up arriving at the university the day before classes started, giving her no time at all to go to the store and buy anything. Another unfortunate casualty of Marinette's late arrival was that she still hadn't figured out how Gotham's bus schedule worked, so she walked everywhere, even in the pouring rain.
Overall, Marinette's first week of classes was miserable. That was why Marinette was crying in her dorm room, alone, at six in the evening on a Friday night. It all started when Marinette saw a picture of her old class on social media. Alya and Nino were making faces at the camera; Marinette and Adrien were both grinning, Marinette's blue scarf wrapped around his neck; Ivan and Mylène were holding hands, staring into each other's eyes; Rose was posing, kissing Juleka's cheek; Alix was perched on Kim's shoulders; Nathaniel had his arm wrapped around Marc's shoulders; Max was holding up Markov so he could wave to the camera, Sabrina and Chloé were smiling, holding hands.
The photo had been taken years ago, on their first day of lycée. Marinette remembered it well. They had all been nervous about starting at a new school. There was no guarantee that they would all be in the same class. Max had calculated the odds for even half of their class staying together and it wasn't good. But that morning, when Marinette walked into her homeroom and saw all of her friends sitting there, she knew that it would be okay. Chloé revealed that she had gotten her father to provide a generous donation to the school to keep them all in the same class for the rest of their education. Marinette had been so happy to get to stay with her friends. Now she was on a different continent from them.
The tears started to fall, slowly at first, then more and more until Marinette was sobbing, face pressed into a pillow. How could she have made such a stupid decision? All of her friends were in France and she left them, all because she couldn't move on.
Two knocks on the door halted Marinette's sobs. "Babs? Are you in here?"
Marinette got up and opened the door, revealing a young man. He looked to be her age, tall, with black hair and blue eyes. "Barbara isn't here right now," she told the man.
The man blinked, looking at Marinette like she wasn't what he expected at all. "I guess I should have called her before I showed up. I'm Tim, by the way. I was just here to drop this off." Tim held up a container filled with chocolate chip cookies.
"I'm Marinette. If you want, you can drop the cookies off on her desk. I'll tell Barbara that they're from you, once she comes back to the dorm." Marinette wiped her eyes with her shirt sleeve, trying to get rid of the evidence of her crying.
"Are you okay?" asked Tim.
"Oh, I'm fine. Just a little homesick. Nothing to worry about."
"You should come with me to get dinner," offered Tim. "I was just about to stop in at the dining hall."
Marinette shook her head. "I wouldn't want to impose."
"It wouldn't be an imposition at all. I hate eating alone."
Marinette gave him a wary look. "I don't know you. Why would you invite me to eat with you?"
Tim shrugged. "You look like you could use some company, to take your mind off of your homesickness. Unless you want to spend the rest of your night crying in your dorm."
Marinette bit her lip as she thought it over. It would be nice to get out of the dorm and get something to eat. On the other hand, Tim was a complete stranger whose intentions Marinette still didn't trust. Then Marinette remembered the photo of her friends and made up her mind. If she couldn't have her old friends here in Gotham she would have to make new ones. "Alright. Just give me a few minutes to get ready."
Marinette threw on a pair of jeans, a Gotham University hoodie, and her sturdiest pair of sneakers.
"So what's on the menu tonight?" asked Marinette as they walked out of the dorm building to Tim's car.
"Uncertain. I can't remember the last time the dining hall actually updating its online menu. I was planning on crossing my fingers and hoping that they would be serving something edible tonight."
Marinette wrinkled her nose. "Is the food usually edible?"
"It's hit or miss. If you want, we could go to a diner instead?"
Marinette nodded. "I don't want to spend my weekend with food poisoning."
"Good choice." Tim turned the car around and started driving into the center of Gotham.
"Are you a senior like Barbara?" asked Marinette.
Tim shook his head. "I'm a sophomore. How about you?"
"Freshman. This is actually my first Friday in Gotham."
"Where are you from?" asked Tim.
"Paris, 21st arrondissement."
"That must be a pretty big change. What made you choose Gotham?"
Marinette shrugged, not wanting to give away her real reason. "I figured all the supervillains and Rogues might remind me of home."
Tim looked confused for a second before a realization passed over him. "I forgot about Hawkmoth. It was a big deal here in Gotham when he first emerged because the Mayor of Paris refused to allow the Justice League to intervene. All because he was worried about 'damaging the historic buildings of Paris'."
Marinette let out a bitter laugh. "That wasn't the real reason, you know. I was friends with Andre Bourgeois's daughter, Chloé. She says that he didn't want the Justice League to get involved in the fight against Hawkmoth because he couldn't merchandise any of the Justice League members. Ladybug, Chat Noir, and the rest of the Miraculous Team, on the other hand, never copyrighted their images. Paris used the Miraculous Team to bring in billions in tourism and Bourgeois never paid them a cent."
Tim looked surprised. "You sound like you know a lot about the Miraculous Team."
"I got to know them all pretty well. My classmates were known throughout Paris as the 'Children of Hawkmoth' - as if it was our fault that Hawkmoth targeted my school at a rate astronomically higher than the rest of the city. Of course, when it turned out that Gabriel Agreste's son was one of my classmates the nickname got a bit more personal."
Tim let out a break. "I suppose moving to Gotham makes sense when you've spent that much time in proximity to superheroes and supervillains."
"Gotham is an improvement to Paris under Hawkmoth. At least none one your Rogues can mind control." Marinette shuddered at the memory of her friends and loved ones turning against her due to Hawkmoth's influence.
Tim pulled into the diner parking lot. The pair got a booth in the back and put in their orders. Tim and Marinette spent the night trading stories of the most interesting Parisian akumas and Gotham Rogues.
Tim was enraptured. He told Marinette that for years it had been difficult for outsiders to get any reliable information about the Miraculous Team, outside of what Andre Bourgeois used for his tourism campaign. So Marinette did her best to share all the little details that every Parisian knew like the back of their hand: That Valentines Day was the worst holiday because all of the akumas were love-based. That they were trained in school to either lock their emotions down or let them all out, if they saw an akuma, to try and diminish the akuma's power. That Ladybug and Chat Noir, once they realized that their fanbase was primarily children, made it a point to never swear during their battles.
By the end of the night, Tim and Marinette made plans to meet up the following day. Tim promised to take Marinette out into the city for the shopping trip that her delayed flight caused her to miss. Marinette went to bed that night hopeful for her future in Gotham, a feeling she never thought she would have again.
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Over the next few weeks, things got better at Gotham University. Marinette started spending more time out of her dorm room with Tim, and eventually, with her roommate Babs and Tim's brother (and Bab's boyfriend) Dick. Tim became Marinette's lifesaver after he taught Marinette how Gotham's bus system worked. Marinette finally got around to decorating her side of the room. Her new style and color scheme (navy blue and sunflower yellow, Gotham University school colors) suited her much better than the pinks and whites of her high school days. Her productivity increased as she settled into the school, and Marinette found that she actually enjoyed her classes. It wasn't perfect, but Gotham University began to feel a bit more like home.
Most importantly, Marinette had begun to make progress on her work as a guardian. It had taken a whole weekend, but she eventually located the epicenter of Gotham's evil, a rundown tenement building in the heart of Crime Alley. The basement of the building housed storage units, one of which Marinette promptly rented. She set up her workshop there, bringing out the Miraculous Box so that she could consult the Kwami. Tikki and Plagg both woke up from their hibernation and Marinette got to work.
"I can sense the evil," spoke Tikki. "It's overpowering."
"It's like going from the Sahara Desert straight to the middle of the ocean," added Plagg.
"It does feel similar to drowning," Tikki agreed.
"Do either of you have any idea how to get rid of it?" asked Marinette.
Tikki shrugged. "I wish I could tell you how to defeat it, but it's unlike any enemy the Kwami of your Miracle Box have ever gone up against before. But look on the bright side, we know that it can be eliminating. I can only assume that the Kwami were involved when the evil was eliminated in Metropolis."
"The solution is easy. We cataclysm the evil," said Plagg.
"We don't know what would happen if we use cataclysm against something that isn't fully corporeal."
"Then we use Sass's second chance until we get it right."
Tikki brightened up. "Oh, that is a good idea - using second chance, not using cataclysm irresponsibly."
"See! I do have good ideas sometimes. We could also use Pollen's venom to freeze the evil in place and stop it from fighting back."
Marinette could listen to her two favorite Kwami argue forever. She had missed them terribly. But she had a job to do, so she interrupted their banter. "Do you think I should use Mullo to wield multiple Miraculous?"
Tikki shook her head. "You'll need at least one other person with you. If you get hurt, someone else will have to use second chance."
Marinette pondered that fact. "Luka's going on tour next month. He's stopping in Gotham for a weekend. Chloé is only an hour drive from Gotham, up in New York City, so she could be here any time. If we plan everything right, we could have the evil destroyed before the semester is over."
Once again, Tikki shot down Marinette's plan. "This is too strong for Luka's second chance or Chloé's venom. If you want to do this right you'll need to use true holders."
Marinette winced. Finding the true holder of a Miraculous was a near-impossible task. Of her entire Miraculous Team, only Marinette and Adrien were true holders. While the Kwami could sense a person's aptitude, they needed to be within fifty feet to get an accurate read. There was no way Marinette would be able to find the true holder of both Sass and Pollen. "Okay, new plan. What if I get Mullo to multiply myself and then have each copy of me take a different Miraculous?"
Marinette brainstormed with the two Kwami for hours, desperate to find a solution to the problem that had plagued Gotham for centuries. However, they still couldn't come up with a plan in which Marinette would be able to rid Gotham of the evil without enlisting the help of at least one other true holder. In the end, Marinette decided to take Tikki, Plagg, Sass, and Pollen back to the dorm with her, hoping that they might stumble upon another true holder.
"I wish we had a better plan," sighed Marinette.
"Keep your head up, Marinette. The only thing we can do now is stay positive and hope for the best," advised Tikki.
It wasn't a good plan, passively waiting for someone to solve her problem for her, but it was the only plan they had. Marinette had no other choice. If she tried to take on the evil alone, it would overpower her. It was disheartening. Marinette rode the bus back to her dorm. The streets of Gotham felt colder on the return trip.
Getting dinner with Tim was the only thing that could cheer Marinette up, so she pulled out her phone and sent him an invitation to meet up.
Marinette: Do you want to go get dinner? I heard the dining hall has vegetarian lasagne
Tim: Sure! Be there in twenty
Marinette put her phone away as she got off the bus and started walking towards the dining hall, dodging the sidewalk puddles that never seemed to dry. Even when it wasn't raining, Gotham was a dreary city.
Tim and Marinette chatted about their classes as they ate their food. By the end of dinner, Marinette felt a little better about her disappointing day. Tim could always lift her out of a bad mood. Marinette considered it his superpower.
"I'll see you tomorrow," said Marinette as she got out of Tim's car in front of her dorm hall. She expected to get to her room without incident, but as soon as she got into the relative privacy of the stairwell, all four of her Kwami were circling around her head, speaking in rapid succession, too quick for Marinette to keep up.
"I can't believe it!"
"You've got some luck, Pigtails!"
"This is great news!"
"I can't wait to meet him!"
Marinette blinked as she tried to make sense of the Kwamis' words. "What's going on?"
Pollen's eyes were bright. "Tim is my true holder!" the Kwami squeaked excitedly.
Marinette gasped. "Really?"
"He'll make a perfect Bee. He seems so smart and funny and considerate. I bet he'll feed me loads of honey and get fresh flowers for all of his rooms and be my best friend." Pollen sighed dreamily, pure joy in her voice.
"Pollen, have you ever had a true holder before?" asked Marinette.
"Of course. It's been a long time, though - at least a thousand years since my last true holder died. I missed it a lot. But now I have Tim!"
Marinette smiled, overjoyed that she finally had the means to complete her mission, that Pollen finally got to meet one of her true holders again, that Gotham might be freed from the evil that had loomed over it for centuries. Mostly, she was overjoyed that she met Tim all those weeks ago, that he took the time to get to know her, that he was there for her when no one else was.
----------
"So the Kwami are little gods?" Tim stared at Pollen with an almost scary intensity, as if he thought looking away might make the Kwami disappear.
Pollen flew up closer to Tim to explain. "The Kwami are linked to certain aspects of humanity: creation, destruction, intuition, protection, et cetera. We have a certain amount of control over these qualities. I am the Kwami of Subjection, of control and mastery. I can give you the power to incapacitate your enemies."
"Incapacitate them how?"
"Using the power of venom, you will be able to freeze your enemies in place."
Tim wrinkled his nose. "That sounds a little morality dubious. How do you know I wouldn't use it for evil. This is Gotham."
Pollen rolled her eyes. "You're my true holder, Tim Drake. I trust you with my entire being."
"What does that mean, for me to be your true holder?"
Pollen's cheerful expression turned sad. "Of all the Kwami, my powers are the most often exploited. The power of subjection, of complete and total control over your enemies, is corrupting. However, you, Tim, are my true holder. Your self-control is strong, I can sense it. You will not be corrupted by the power I give you. You will wield it fairly."
Tim glanced over at Marinette, and she gave him her most encouraging smile. "I need you, Tim. I've needed you for a while. First, as a friend, when I was at my lowest, and now as my partner. There's an evil that resides in this city, that I have been tasked with destroying. I can't get rid of it alone. I need you to help me."
Tim's eyes widened. "You mean there's a supernatural reason for Gotham's condition?"
Marinette nodded. "There's a well of evil underneath the city. Using the Miraculous, I can remove it. But it's too powerful for me to do it alone. I know this is a lot to ask, but-"
Tim interrupted Marinette before she could finish her sentence. "You know, Gotham is well known for its distaste for magic-users and meta-humans." Marinette opened her mouth to protest but was interrupted once more by Tim. "However, I trust that you want to do what's best for this city. I'll help you."
Marinette's face brightened. "Thank you! I have a plan but I still need to fine-tune the details. I'll get back to you as soon as possible. For now, you should take the Bee Comb with you. You'll need to form an emotional bond with Pollen before you can achieve peak performance."
"You seem to know a lot about the Miraculous and the Kwami."
"It's my job to be knowledgable. I'm a Guardian of the Miraculous."
----------
"So how does a girl like you become a Guardian of the Miraculous?" asked Tim as they ate their lunch in the storage unit after a long morning of pouring over plans.
"I was chosen by the previous master. It's a long-standing tradition that the Guardian can only be a true holder, because true holders notoriously incorruptible except in the most extreme situations. I was the only true holder that Master Fu knew of, other than himself, so despite my age and despite the fact that I wielded the Ladybug Miraculous rather than the Black Cat Miraculous, the Miraculous I was the true holder for, he passed the responsibility onto me."
"How old were you when you became the Guardian full-time?"
Marinette tensed her shoulders. "I was fourteen. Master Fu wanted to wait longer, but there was a situation. I lost my only mentor, with only a fraction of my training completed."
"That sounds rough," Tim's tone was sympathetic. He placed his hand on her shoulder to comfort her.
"It was difficult," Marinette admitted. "For the longest time, I was mad at Master Fu for waiting so long to start training me. It wasn't until I got older that I realized why he was so reluctant to start my training. He felt guilty for stealing my childhood away from me. The situation in Paris was bad and tough choices had to be made. I don't blame him, but there are a lot of things I wish had been done differently."
"I'm sorry that you had to go through that. I don't know what I would have done if I had lost my mentor-" Tim's thoughtful tone turned frantic. "Not that my experience with mentorship would compare to yours, because I wouldn't know anything about being a teenage superhero."
Tim's words were suspicious, but Marinette didn't have time to figure out what he was hiding. They had a job to do. "Well, it's time to get back to work. You need to practice using venom on non-corporeal objects. I want to see if you're able to freeze the wind."
"Sounds good, Bugs."
"Bugs?"
Tim nodded. "I figured you could use a nickname. Do you not like it?"
"No, it's fine." Marinette paused. "Actually, it's better than fine. I really appreciate it. Thank you, Tim."
"No problem, Buggsy," Tim teased.
"Okay, now you're pushing your luck," Marinette teased right back.
----------
Lady Noire and her partner Yellowjacket stood in the basement of a rundown tenement building in the heart of Crime Alley.
Lady Noire spoke the plan aloud, the rhythm of her words revealing that she had spoken them many times before in preparation for the event. "I'll start by drawing out the evil. As soon as it senses the power of destruction that I hold it will try and consume me. I need you to be ready to use your venom the moment it emerges. Once it is frozen, I will use cataclysm. Are you ready?"
Yellowjacket responded. "I'm ready."
Lady Noire closed her eyes and let out her breath in a drawn-out hiss. The shadows around her darkened and she let out a pained gasp as she fell to her knees.
Yellowjacket sprung into action. "Venom!" he shouted, thrusting his palms out to let his power fill the room. The whole room lit up with yellow light, bright enough to rid the room of all but the supernatural shadows.
The shadows, which had been growing exponentially, suddenly stopped dead in their tracks. Lady Noire got back up onto her feet, a vicious snarl on her face. "You have been terrorizing this city for centuries. No longer will I will allow this evil to haunt Gotham. Cataclysm!"
The shadows crumbled, leaving behind only natural darkness. The transformation disappeared from Lady Noire, leaving behind a girl, who gasped for breath. "Tim, we did it!"
"Pollen, buzz off," commanded Yellowjacket. He was so impatient to hug the girl that he had his arms wrapped around her before his transformation was finished. "It's over, Marinette."
The girl shook her head gently. "It's not completely over. The effects will surely linger - Metropolis still sees its fair share of villains - but it will be nothing like what it was before. I imagine the vigilantes that roam Gotham will have a much easier job, though."
The boy tensed up. "Speaking of the vigilantes that roam Gotham, I suppose there's something that I should probably tell you. I'm Red Robin."
The girl blinked once, a dumbstruck expression on her face then burst out into peals of laughter. "Just my silly luck that I ask a vigilante to be my superhero partner."
The boy grinned. "I am rather fond of your silly luck. It's what brought us together."
@maribatmarch-2k21
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chicgeekgirl89 · 4 years ago
Text
Home is Us
Fandom: 911 Lone Star
Characters: Carlos Reyes, T.K. Strand, Owen Strand, Judd Ryder, Tommy Vega, Mateo Chavez
Summary: In the aftermath of the condo fire, Carlos and T.K. seek comfort in one another. Post ep for 2x12 "The Big Heat."
A/N: This is my rather belated post ep for 2x12. And it would not have happened without @bluenet13. Literally. I agonized over this SO MUCH and she listened to all my whining and didn't let me cut the part about Marlon Blendo so I owe her everything.
AO3
The night air was cool and still, the stars sparkling brightly in the sky, but the stench of smoke obliterated any sense of peace or calm. T.K. could feel Carlos’ hand gripping his shoulder with bruising force as they burst out the front doors and onto the lawn, both of them gasping and coughing.
Tommy came running toward them. “Are you all right?” she asked urgently, eyes and hands searching for damage. “Are you hurt?”
“No, I’m, I’m okay,” T.K. choked out. “Carlos?”
He shook his head, coughing violently. “I’m fine too.”
“T.K.!”
His dad came charging toward him, wrapping him up a fierce hug. “Oh my god,” he breathed into T.K.’s hair and then his other arm was pulling Carlos in too, squeezing them both with every bit of strength he had. “Are you boys all right?”
“We’re good, Dad,” T.K. said, even though he was shaking violently, adrenaline coursing through his veins so fast he felt lightheaded. “What the hell? How did you guys even know we were in trouble?”
“Raymond said something earlier today and I just put the pieces together,” Owen said. “I’m so sorry, I should have figured it out sooner.”
There were sirens screaming up now, ambulances and firetrucks, and Tommy put a hand on Owen’s shoulder. “Okay, there will be time to talk about this later. Right now all of you need to get checked out by the paramedics. No objections,” she said quickly when several mouths opened to protest. “A little oxygen never hurt anybody. Come on now.”
T.K. moved follow her and then realized Carlos wasn’t behind him. He turned to find his boyfriend still rooted to the spot, staring straight ahead at the burning building. “Babe?” T.K. reached for his arm.
Carlos startled at his touch and cleared his throat. “Yeah, I’m coming.”
He was quiet as they sat on the back of the ambulance, answering questions with yes or no answers, eyes and body listless as they checked him over for injuries. T.K. had never seen his boyfriend look so small. 
They were both given oxygen and then Tommy reappeared, blankets in hand that she wrapped comfortingly around their shoulders, her mom tendencies coming out in full force. “Is everyone else all right?” T.K. asked, pushing his mask to the side.
“They’ve all got some first and second degree burns, but they’ll heal up all right. How are you two doing?”
“It could have been a lot worse,” T.K. said. 
“Carlos?” Tommy asked, her eyes softening and taking on a new level of concern.
He met her eyes and nodded. “I’m okay.”
She looked at him a moment longer and then reached out to give his shoulder a reassuring squeeze. “I’m going to go check on the guys. You two stay right here and do as you’re told, got it?”
It wasn’t long before the paramedics released them with instructions to take it easy, stay hydrated, and head to the emergency room if they experienced any concerning symptoms. T.K. was still in disbelief that they’d escaped so unharmed. It was nothing short of miraculous, if you believed in that kind of thing.
Carlos spoke as they walked away from the ambulance, his voice quiet. “I should uh, I should call my parents,” he said.
“Do you want me to do it?” T.K. asked.
Carlos shook his head, already pulling out his phone. “No. No it’s um, they should hear it from me.”
He dialed, taking a shaky breath as he waited for someone to pick up. “Hey Dad.”
The conversation was painful, even from T.K.’s end. He couldn’t make out Gabriel’s words through the phone, but he could hear the unbridled fear in his voice. Carlos on the other hand sounded almost monotone, relaying the story and pertinent information in painfully exact detail, but without an ounce of emotion behind it, slipping back and forth between English and Spanish as he explained.
“I don’t think I’ve ever heard him sound so upset before,” Carlos said, when he hung up.
“Yeah.” T.K. looked at his boyfriend who seemed to be refusing to look back. “Carlos? How are you doing?” he finally asked. 
“I’m good,” Carlos said, eyes darting toward him and then away. It was clearly a brush off and they both knew it. So T.K. waited.
And then he watched as his boyfriend broke in front of him, anguish and fear spilling out like a wave until they were both clinging to one another as Carlos’ quiet sobs wracked his frame over and over again.
“Shh,” T.K. soothed, struggling to provide some kind of real comfort when he felt so raw himself. “Breathe. We’re okay. That’s all that matters.”
“I should have known, I should have made the alarm company come out today.”
“Carlos listen to me, none of this is your fault.” T.K. pulled him in tighter, desperate to do something to ease his pain.
“If I had just looked around, if we had waited ten more minutes to go upstairs—“
“We had no way of knowing.”
Carlos pulled back, still shaky. “You can’t really believe that. There’s always something. I should have done better.”
T.K. cupped his face in his hands. “Baby why are you beating yourself up over this so much?”
“Because I’m supposed to protect you!” Carlos said, the words coming out on a ragged sob. “That’s my job. To keep people safe. And when it came down to it I couldn’t protect you. The person I care about most in this world I couldn’t—”
T.K. used his thumbs to wipe away some of Carlos’ tears, clearing his throat, trying to keep his own tears at bay. “Listen to me. We’re a team, remember? We protect each other. You and me. Not just you.”
Carlos shook his head, face still contorted in misery. T.K. pulled him back in again and pressed a kiss to his hair. “It’s okay to be upset. But you cannot blame yourself for this. This was not your fault, do you hear me?”
Carlos nodded against his shoulder, but T.K. wasn’t completely convinced his words had gotten through.
Carlos took a shuddering breath and stepped away, wiping at his eyes and T.K. watched the wall go back up; the one Carlos had carefully constructed around him that meant he was always completely even-tempered and never out of control. “We should uh, we should go check on your dad and everybody. Tell them thank you.”
“Yeah, sure,” T.K. said, feeling like he probably should be saying something more, but unable to find the words.
Carlos was already moving toward the group gathered at the back of the ambulance and T.K. had no choice but to follow him. “You guys all right?” T.K. asked as Judd pulled him in for a side hug.
“We’re just glad you’re both okay,” Judd told him. “Everything check out with the paramedics?”
“We both ate a little bit of smoke, but we’re okay,” T.K. said. “Honestly though,” he swallowed hard, “we probably wouldn’t be here without you guys. So thank you.”
“You’re just lucky your dad drives so fast. I didn’t know he had it in him, what with him being such a city slicker,” Billy said with a chuckle.
“My driving is impeccable and I always drive the exact speed limit. Except in emergency situations,” Owen said, casting a look at Carlos.
Carlos managed to scrounge up half a smile but didn’t say anything.
A truck came screeching to a stop just behind the ambulance and Gabriel Reyes jumped out. The man looked truly shaken, eyes wild as he ran toward them. “Carlos! Mijo are you all right?”
“I’m okay Dad,” Carlos told him as they hugged.
“Gracias a Dios. You’re all okay?” Gabriel asked, looking around the group.
“We got out just in time,” Owen said. “Minor injuries only.”
“Which is more than we can say for the condo,” Judd said. “I’m so sorry we couldn’t do more Carlos, he had that place rigged up good.”
Carlos shook his head. “You did everything you could and we’re…” he swallowed hard and T.K. could tell he was blinking back more tears, “we’re very grateful.”
“Have they taken your statements yet?” Gabriel asked. 
“Yeah, about half an hour ago,” T.K. said. Officers had come around while they were still sitting at the back of the ambulance and written down what little they knew. Nothing like telling complete strangers that you hadn’t realized your house was burning down around you because you were upstairs having sex with your boyfriend. 
“Then there’s no reason you need to be standing around here,” Gabriel said. “You know the ranch is open to you both. Your mother is worried sick, she would be very happy to have you.” He turned to look at Owen. “But perhaps you would rather be closer to work? The ranch is a bit of a drive.”
“Well of course you’re welcome to stay at my place,” Owen said. “There’s plenty of space and Buttercup would love to have you around. But I’m sure Andrea wants you close to her.”
Gabriel shook his head. “I think they’re better off here in town. Andrea will understand. There will be a lot of paperwork to deal with in the coming days, they need to be readily available.”
“Well of course, but I’m not sure how much I can provide in the way of hospitality right now. The investigators didn’t really clean things up when they left,” Owen said meaningfully.
“Not a problem,” Gabriel said, taking out his phone. “I can have a crew there in the morning. It should never have taken this long in the first place. You know sometimes they drag their feet on these things.”
“Oh it’s no problem,” Owen said, waving him off. “Worth it in the end.” 
The dads debated a while longer before they decided an exhausted T.K. and Carlos would stay with Owen for the time being to be closer to work and to their former condo for whatever overhaul was necessary. By that point neither of them really cared where they ended up as long as there was a shower and a bed waiting for them. 
Owen elected to stay at the scene with Gabriel so Judd drove Carlos and T.K. home. Neither of them said much, still in a state of shock and Judd was mindful enough not to try and fill the truck with conversation.
The house was dark, Mateo asleep for the night. Buttercup looked up as they came in and gave half a tail wag before settling back down again.
“I think I left a couple sweatshirts and pairs of pants here,” T.K. said, searching through the drawers in his dad’s guest room. 
“Mmhmm,” Carlos said. He’d sunk onto the end of the bed and was staring blankly at the wall. 
“Hey,” T.K. stopped his search and went to him, cupping his face in his hands. “Why don’t you go get in the shower? I’ll find us something to change into and bring it to you.”
Carlos nodded tiredly and disappeared down the hall. T.K. stood for a moment chewing on his lip. He felt lost, adrift, trying to process and deal with his own feelings of grief and stomach churning worry, and Carlos seemed miles away. T.K. didn’t know what to do except to try and meet his physical needs.
He managed to scrounge up a pair of sweats and a t-shirt he thought would do the job. They might be a little tight, but at least Carlos wouldn’t be sleeping in the stench of his smoky clothes.
T.K. knocked softly on the bathroom door before stepping inside and putting the clothes on the counter. “You all right?” he asked.
Carlos sniffed and cleared his throat. “Yeah. I’ll be out in a few minutes.”
T.K. gathered up Carlos’ soiled clothes from the floor and dumped them into the washer, intending to add his after he had his own shower. He heard the water turn off and a minute later the bathroom door opened. “I’m done,” Carlos called softly down the hall.
“I’ll be quick,” T.K. said, switching places with him. 
The water felt good and he watched as soot and sweat and ash slithered down the drain. He took longer than he meant to, almost lulled to sleep by the soothing pound of the water against his back. Eventually it grew cool and he turned it off, stepping out to try and squeeze into a pair of sweatpants that belonged to his dad and a t-shirt he didn’t recognize but had found in the clean laundry.
T.K. left the bathroom still toweling off his hair. He crept quietly toward the guest room; Buttercup didn’t even move as he stepped over him in the hallway. Opening the door he winced when it squeaked, fully expecting to find Carlos completely sacked out in the bed, more than ready to join his boyfriend in blissful sleep.
Instead he found the room empty and a spiral of fear shot through him so fast it took his breath away. “Carlos?” he whispered, as if the man would suddenly materialize from a dark corner or the tiny closet. 
When there was no answer he turned and went back the way he’d come, stepping over Buttercup again, searching the kitchen and the living room before he made his way to the back patio. “Hey,” he said softly when he spotted Carlos sitting on the edge of the outdoor sofa.
Carlos didn’t respond and T.K. felt his worry grow heavier. “Carlos?”
His boyfriend’s shoulders hitched slightly and T.K. walked around the patio furniture to find him hunched over, tears streaming down his face. “Oh baby,” T.K. said, dropping to his knees, hands frantically reaching for him. 
“I’m sorry,” Carlos said hoarsely. “I just…I can’t…I’m trying to pull it together but—”
T.K. slipped onto the couch next to him and pulled him into his arms. “You don’t have to be okay,” he whispered, his own throat thick with emotion. “No one expects that of you.”
Carlos’ voice was hoarse and broken. “I’ve never needed saving before. Not like that.”
“Most people don’t,” T.K. said.
Carlos looked at him, eyes red and swollen. “You were amazing in there. I was…I was panicking and you knew exactly what to do.”
“You’re a police officer,” T.K. said, resting his head on top of Carlos’. “I wouldn’t expect you to know what to do in a five alarm fire. Just like you wouldn’t expect me to know what to do in a shootout.”
Carlos sighed and leaned into him. T.K. bent over and kissed his forehead. “We should try and get some sleep.”
Carlos shook his head again. “I can’t,” he said hoarsely. “I just keep thinking about it over and over again. I’m sorry I’m such a mess—“
“Hey, you don’t need to apologize. Everything you’re feeling is totally normal.”
Carlos swallowed hard. “I know it was just a house. But it was mine. It was the first place I felt like I could be myself. And then you came and it was our home and I—“ Carlos bit his lip and shook his head. “It’s all gone.”
“But I’m not,” T.K. said twining their hands together. “I’m right here. You’ve got me. And I don’t care where we are as long as we’re together. Home is us.” He stroked his thumb up and down on Carlos’ shoulder.
His face sobered as he took a really good, long look at Carlos. Exhaustion and fear still radiated off of him. He looked defeated. Empty. “Let’s at least try to get some sleep,” T.K. said softly, brushing a still-damp, curl from Carlos’ forehead. “We’ll figure things out in the morning.”
He pulled Carlos to his feet and they walked hand in hand back to the guest room. Carlos looked at the clock as he got into bed and groaned. “I have a shift in five hours.”
“You’re not going to work today.” T.K. told him. “They’ll understand.”
Carlos slid down the bed onto his side, leaning up on his elbow, his free hand finding a home on T.K.’s hip. “I meant what I said before. You were incredible tonight T.K. You saved us.”
“I’m pretty sure my dad, Billy, and Judd saved us,” T.K. told him.
Carlos shook his head. “I’m serious. If you hadn’t been there—“
“But I was,” T.K. said firmly. “I was and we’re fine. We’re…going to be fine,” he amended, because god knew there was nothing fine about them right now.
Carlos was quiet for a moment and then laid down all the way so they were face to face. T.K. shifted so they were even closer, needing to feel the warmth of Carlos against his own body. “I don’t think I can sleep,” Carlos said.
“Then we’ll just lie here together,” T.K. told him softly. 
They locked eyes, both of them breathing together in the silence, just being together, holding on a little tighter than normal. “I can’t stop seeing it,” Carlos finally whispered. “I was so scared T.K. What if I’d lost you?”
“You didn’t,” T.K. said softly. He leaned in and pressed a tender, reassuring kiss to Carlos’ lips. Carlos didn’t respond so T.K. nudged him gently with his nose and then kissed him again.
It was slow at first, Carlos still drowning so deeply in loss and anxiety, but as T.K. continued to silently encourage him he began to reciprocate. First just one kiss, and then another, this one a little deeper, until they were completely pressed up against each other, hands searching for bare skin, shared breath moving between parted lips. 
Things grew heated and T.K. could feel the increasing desperation in Carlos’ kisses so he smoothed a hand soothingly down his spine, pulling back from him just a little bit, forcing him to slow down. “It’s okay,” he murmured as their lips broke apart and came back together. “I’m right here.”
Carlos responded by matching T.K.’s slower kisses, following him rather than leading.
T.K. reached between them and slowly undid the drawstring on his boyfriend’s sweatpants. Carlos broke off the kiss. “Are you sure?”
T.K. nodded, moving his hands underneath Carlos’ shirt, helping him pull it off over his head. They both needed this, to touch, to feel, to reassure themselves that they were alive, that this might have changed their night, but it hadn’t change them. 
Carlos started to roll on top of him, but T.K. gently pushed him back down until he was the one on top, chests and hips pressed together, a reversal of their positions from just hours before. Carlos’ hands landed on T.K.’s back, their eyes locking, both of them seeking comfort in the physicality of being together.
“We’re okay,” T.K. said, as much for himself as for Carlos.
Carlos nodded and then closed his eyes as T.K. began pressing kisses into his neck and chest. “We’re okay,” T.K. murmured soothingly every time his lips left Carlos’ skin. “I’m going to say it until you believe it. We’re okay. We will be okay together.”
                                           XXXXXXXXXXXXXX
T.K. woke up in the morning legs still tangled with Carlos’. It took him a moment to remember why he had a pounding headache and his muscles felt tight. Right. Burning condo. Smoke inhalation. Mad dash for their lives.
Carlos was still deeply asleep, for which T.K. was grateful. His boyfriend had drifted off in his arms somewhere around three am and T.K. had quickly followed. He managed to extricate himself without waking Carlos and pulled on some clothes before he headed out to the kitchen in search of painkillers. 
Sun was just filtering in the windows, the day already bright and clear. It was incredible how the world could continue to turn, even when everything had just crashed down around you. T.K. found some Advil, leaving it out on the counter, knowing it was likely that Carlos would be in need of some too. Then he moved their now clean, damp clothes from the washer to the dryer. They’d need to go out today and get some essentials. 
“T.K.?” Mateo asked in surprise as he appeared at the base of the stairs.  “I thought you and Carlos made up?” He paused and frowned in confusion. “Is that my shirt?”
T.K. sighed and launched into an edited version of the night’s events. “Dude,” Mateo said when he finished, a stunned look on his face. “Man that sucks. I’m glad you guys are all right.”
“Yeah, us too,” T.K. said.
“And listen, my house just totally blew up too. It was a rental, so not quite the same, but if you guys need help with any part of this process just let me know. You can borrow my car or laptop or whatever you need.”
“Thanks Mateo,” T.K. said gratefully.
There were footsteps on the stairs and Carlos appeared, eyes bleary and swollen, curls a disheveled mess. There was still a heaviness about him, but he looked better than the night before.
“Hey,” he said, wrapping an arm around T.K.’s waist and giving him a kiss, lingering slightly longer than their normal morning peck. “Hi Mateo.”
“Hey Carlos. T.K. told me about your place, I’m so sorry.”
“It’s definitely not ideal,” Carlos said with a sigh.
“Did you sleep okay?” T.K. asked.
Carlos nodded, then winced. T.K. reached for the bottle of Advil and poured him a glass of water. “Thanks,” Carlos said, swallowing down two pills.
“Did you call your captain?” T.K. asked as Mateo grabbed a protein bar and vacated the kitchen to give them some privacy.
“Yeah he’d already heard. Told me to take the time I need.”
“Good,” T.K. said.
The dryer buzzed. “That’s our clothes,” T.K. said, getting up to retrieve them. “At least you can put on a shirt that fits.”
He tossed Carlos his shirt and pants. Carlos stared down at them, a frown on his face. “You okay?” T.K. asked.
“Why did you throw a shirt at me?”
“What?”
“Last night. We were about to be burned alive and you made me put a shirt on.”
“Oh,” T.K. thought for a second and shrugged as he folded his sweatpants and set them on top of the dryer. “I don’t know. I guess I just…panicked. I was thinking that the temperature drops here at night and I didn’t want you to be cold when we got outside.”
“Our condo was hot as hell, but you were worried I’d be cold?”
T.K. bit his lip and shook his head, a sheepish smile growing on his face. “I don’t know, like I said I panicked. It was the first thought that came to me.”
“Well it was a good one,” Carlos said, slipping his arms around T.K.’s waist. “Standing out there all night with no shirt on would have been pretty uncomfortable.”
T.K. threaded his arms through Carlos’, hands coming to rest on his lower back. “You doing okay this morning?” he asked.
“Better,” Carlos confirmed. “Thank you. I think I just…needed to let it all out. I’m sorry about last night. My head was…”
“Hey,” T.K. shook his head. “No more apologies. No one has anything to apologize for, right?” He brushed a hand over Carlos’ cheek. “Do you want coffee? Or a smoothie?” His eyes went wide as a thought hit him. “Oh no!”
“What? What’s wrong?” Carlos asked, concern dropping over his face like a cloud. T.K.’s distress was so sudden and visceral that he pulled back slightly, eyes searching T.K.’s frame for some kind of injury.
T.K. felt his chest growing tight as anxiety gripped him. “Marlon Blendo! Oh my god, my dad is going to be so upset!”
“Whoa.” Carlos cupped his face in his hands. “I’m sure your dad will be okay. Blenders are replaceable.”
“Carlos he really loved that blender,” T.K. said seriously. 
Carlos chuckled. “Here I am, wondering all night long how we’re going to get through this and how you can be so calm when the world has literally gone up in flames, and now you’re losing it over a blender.”
“He was a really good blender!” T.K. pulled away from him and ran a hand through his hair as he took a few aimless steps, more thoughts striking him. “Oh my god my hoodies!”
“I will buy you new hoodies,” Carlos assured him.
“They won’t be the same,” T.K. groaned.
“Is this you finally freaking out?”
“I am not freaking out!” T.K.’s breathing had increased rapidly as panic spiraled through him. The sense of calm control he’d felt for the past twelve hours slowly started to slip away as reality set in. “Oh my god I’m totally freaking out. I can’t freak out, you’re freaking out! We can’t both be freaking out!”
“Hey,” Carlos cradled his face in his hand. “We’re okay? Remember? And if you need to freak out and lose it, that’s all right. It’s your turn. I’ll pull it together for a couple hours and you can melt down.”
“I don’t want to melt down, I want my shirt with the blue stripes on it. And that bergamot candle your parents gave us as a housewarming gift. Oh my god, Carlos all your spices from the market!”
“Come here,” Carlos said, pulling him into a hug, one hand holding him firmly around the waist, the other settling on the nape of his neck, thumb moving back and forth in a soothing motion.
T.K. let his forehead rest against Carlos’ shoulder, feeling more grounded by the strength of his boyfriend’s arms and the softness of his fingers. “Thanks,” he mumbled. 
T.K. took a breath as the weight of everything began to land on his shoulders. Losing their home. Almost losing each other. God, how was he only now feeling how terrible it all was? He’d truly thought he was okay until this very second. “We’re going to make it through this, right?” he asked. He’d been so sure last night, but now…
Carlos pressed a kiss to the side of his head. “Yes. We are.”
                                       XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
A/N: When I started writing this, did I think it would end up in the boys having soft, sweet "we're so glad we're not dead" sex in Owen's guest room? Nope. No I did not. Is it all @bluenet13's fault that it happened? Possibly. Or possibly they're just too sexy and they couldn't help it. Idk.
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i-dont-want-your-hysteria · 5 years ago
Text
The Leppard Albums: A Summary
(inspired by Every Beatles Album)
Happy Saturday night everyone
The Def Leppard EP
Joe is 19 and just wants to ride a motorcycle okay
Groupie fantasy
Zeppelin lyrics meet Rush with an underappreciated bass line
On Though the Night
IT'S!!! ROCK!!! N ROLL!!! BABEY!!!
Joe is 20 and just really doesn't wanna work in a factory anymore okay
pls D; girl D; stop D; hiding D; your D; pain!!
another... groupie fantasy... I think? ...???
Leppard in Space
Joe is 20 and just wants to write something edgy okay leave him alone
STEVE 👏👏👏 FUCKING 👏👏👏 CLARK!!!! 👏👏🔥👏🔥👏👌👌
the original groupie fantasy but it's been re-recorded
girl?? make up?? your mind???
let's be mysteriously edgy ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
Zeppelin lyrics meets Rush but it's been re-recorded (but don't worry they still kept the underappreciated bass line)
High N Dry
everyone in this band is a slutty bottom and this is the song that proves it
we have Mutt Lange now and this is the song that proves it
drONK TIEM
betcha didn't think we could write a ballad, did ya ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
STÊVË!!!!! 👏👏👏👏 FÜCKÎÑ!!!!!! 👏👏👏👏👏 C L Ã R K!!!!!!!!!!!!! 🔥🔥🔥🔥👏👌👌🤙👏👌🔥👌🎉🎉
underappreciated and that's all there is to it
noooo don't go you're too mysterious and sexy hahhaha
oh god Dx oh god no Dx we don't sound like this anymore we swear Dx
betcha thought we stopped writing Beowulf-esque pop songs didn't ya ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
🚫🚫⛔👎🚫🙅‍♂️👎🚫⛔🙅‍♂️⛔ *Joe tearing his throat up for 2 solid minutes*
Pyromania
IT'S ROCK!!!!!! N ROLL!!!! BABEY!!!!!!!1!!!!1!!1!! AGAIN!!!!! 😆😆😆
the Classic Rock Fandom™ in a nutshell 😓
INTRODUCING PHIL 👌👌👌 FUCKING👏👏 COLLEN 🔥🔥🔥
betcha thought we abandoned the idea of doing a ballad didn't ya ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
Joe's back at it again with the edgy songs and is getting a lot better at it too
( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) ∆ ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
Gunter 🙃 Glieben 🙃 Glauchen 🙃 Globen
the most underappreciated song on this whole entire fucking list sorry I don't make the rules
Alright, WHO in this band wants to be in a porno >:C
Joe's back at it yet again with the edgy songs but it's even BETTER this time
Hysteria
Girls Girls Girls ALL WOMEN ARE QUEENS ANAKIN
🎸we!!! fucking!!! love!!!! glam rock!!!!!! and african drum rhythms!!!!!!!!!🥁
we're not furries we swear we're just kinky D: also fuck you DJs here's some false endings
we haven't made a ballad that HURTS yet so here we go (with an underappreciated bass line)
the song that invented "( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)" (AKA when you cram for a test the minute before and end up getting 100%)
( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)😏( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)😏( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
S T E V E 😭👏👏 F U C K I N 😭😭😭 C L A R K 👏👏👏😭👏😭
nooo don't shoot me you're too kinky hahaha
a song about rioting and being #punk, but the only crime the man singing it has ever committed was getting a speeding ticket when he was 19/20
oh. oh shit. oh god. holy shi- I can't believe... ...we just accidentally made the most perfect song to ever exist :o like seriously- people are achieving nirvana as we speak I'm not joking I think we went too far with the perfection this time guys
THIS SONG IS ABOUT S E X AND WE AIN'T BEING SHY ABOUT IT EITHER LET'S FUCKIN GO BABE-
Don't 👏 give 👏 me 👏 love 👏
Adrenalize
gkKLglldlflhlADKSLALLFLSS 😆😆😆
I fucking love my wife uWu
fkKMglgllsLLslgflephpGLDLPT 😆(͠≖ ͜ʖ͠≖)😆
We're just gonna get extremely romantic and passionate for 4 minutes and 3 seconds if that's alright with you (͠≖ ͜ʖ͠≖)
this album was the most painful thing any of us have ever had to do, so here's the most serious song we've ever done to date. Steve ✊ Fucking ✊ Clark ✊ -n-
now that our mental breakdown is over, we're gonna get extremely passionate and romantic again but for a lil longer this time aiight 🤙
one of us has a protection/ownership kink but we're not gonna tell you who
you know what this album needs? a little bit more pain
we're layin down the line (and by that we mean we want sex)
we're layin down the line pt.2 (we still want sex btw)
Retro Active
Beowulf songs are back babey 🤙
I'll say that again if I have to^
we!!! still!!! fucking!!! love!!!! glam rock!!!!! we even covered something to prove it!!!!!!
Joe has now officially mastered ballads
I fucking love my wife part 2: she's a badass top
While Joe was off mastering ballads, Phil studied the blade
We covered something else bc again!!! we fucking!!! love!!! glam!!!
We rewrote Joe's motorcycle song bc we now realize it was cringe af (and it was an excuse for Joe to talk to Ian Hunter so that made him happy)
Joe has now officially mastered edgy/serious songs
it's a total bop but oh god. No. Please. No. Oh God. No. Don't. Please. No. Pls. No. Oh god. Don't.
This should've been on Adrenalize and you can Fight Me On That
Phil studies the blade (electric version)
Joe masters ballads (electric version)
Vault (there's only one new song on here so that's all I'm doing)
babe nooooo D';
Slang
Epic edgelords part 1
Epic edgelords part 2: Phil wrote it this time
everyone in this band is a slutty bottom and this is the song that proves it Volume 2: Electric Bugaloo
soft breakdown :'c
hOT DOGGITY DAMN JOE'S VOICE HOLY HELL TAKE ME N- *clears throat* I mean introducing Vivian Campbell :3 aND THERE'S A BASS SOLO MMMM 🤤🤤👌 THIS SONG IS JUST SEXY FUCKIN LIFT ME UP AND-
Phil's marriage isn't going too well
in fact, no one's marriages are going too well
severely underrated bop
We're still not over Steve's death and we never will be :c
Joe makes edgy ballads his bitch yet again 👏👏
severely underrated banger 🔥🔥🔥
Euphoria
wE STILL MAKE FAST BOPS IN CASE YOU FORGOT 🤘🤘🤘🤘🤘🤘🤘
Holy shit I didn't know Joe could hit a note that high
The 90s sucked for us but we'rE STILL HERE BICH 🖕
Can we pls give Sav more songwriting space on albums thx 😭💗
everyone in this band is a slutty bottom and this is the song that proves it Volume 3: Even Sluttier This Time 😏
totally different from everything we've ever done and WE 👏 MADE IT 👏 OUR 👏 EDGY 👏 BITCH
uwu but it's sad so it's actually umu
partying like it's 1999- oh wait, it actually is 1999
*hugs Viv and scREEEEEEEEAAAMMS*
Phil studied the blade and attacks you with it
*gets escorted into the back of a police car* IM GUILTY!! I'M GUILTY!!! I'M NOT INNOCENT!!! 😫😫😫
whatever edginess we couldn't fit into Paper Sun we put into this song instead
we're entering the new millennium as Kings and there's nothing you can do about it 👑🖕
X (Ten)
Stand on a balcony at sunset when you listen to this one
(insert Vizzini saying "INCONCEIVABLE" here)
the big UwU
I got ghosted and it’s actually a lot more dark and depressing than I thought also I wish I was never awake
soft and edgy and sad acoustic dads
F-U-C-K SPELLS F- I mean L-O-V-E spells love uWu
babe nOOOooO I'm sorry I suck so much DD;
this sounds like out if Work It Out and Day After Day had a kid
we're gonna have a Funky Good Time whether you like it or not 😎
E D G E L O R D S 2 0 0 2
we can't decide if we want this album to be edgy or uwu so we're gonna make it both
the same passion as Tonight but less sexy and more (you guessed it) uwu
E D G E L O R D S 2 0 0 2 P A R T 2
Betcha thought our emo phase was over didn't ya ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
Yeah!
bops have been and will ALWAYS be something we have mastered- even if the song we're playing isn't ours
SAV'S TIME TO SHINE
betcha thought we couldn't cover a Blondie song, did ya ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
Phil's just getting nostalgic about London it's fine 👍
don't worry joe's still sCREAMIN
in which we make this song a million times better than the original
WE LOVE ROXY MUSIC SO MUCH WE CANTEXPLAINWEJUSTLOVEHEMRMFLGPHPH
we're letting Joe have his moment ok just let him have this 👨‍🎤
yeah we like Free- so whAT??
okay NOW we're letting Joe have his real moment- he's been waiting for this moment ever since he was like 12 okay just. let him. have this just. this one time. pls.
in which we confuse literally everyone by making them think this is a song that we wrote
we just need ONE more bop, okay? Just ONE more we swear then we'll stop being fanboys (for now...)
we'll be right back, it's Bow Down To Thin Lizzy Hour
*Phil tearing up his throat for 4 and a half solid minutes*
Songs From The Sparkle Lounge
this one's actually kinda dark and heavy? :o
honky tonk time 🤠🤙
FINALLY ONE OF SAV'S SONGS IS THE MOST POPULAR SONG OFF AN ALBUM 🙏🙏🙏🙏😩
FINALLY WE HAVE MORE SAV MATERIAL I LOVE IT SM ;∆; !!!!
Phil's songs are severely underrated tho pls give them more attention
it's time for one (1) badass religious song and if you don't like it then you can Fuck Off kindly 🙃
This whole album is "Songs That Were Written By Phil and Viv and Sav" heaven
I think sometimes people forget that we, even as a band, are fans of the Classic Rock Fandom™ too, and we feel the same pain as the other fans :'^)🤙
Joe's three minutes of fame on this album
Joe's three minutes of fame on this album part 2
Viv's songs are severely underrated tho pls give them more attention
Mirror Ball (bonus tracks)
we grabbed fate by the balls and screamed fUCK YOU 🖕🖕
We are still Kings™ in case anyone was wondering 👑🖕
✨PHIL BELIEVES!!!! IN!!!!! LOVE!!!!!!!! AND!!!!!!!!!! BELIEVING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!✨
Def Leppard (Self Titled 2015)
Is this song about playing a live show? Probably. Is it also about having a fight? Is it also about angry sex? The world may never know.
Okay this one just absolutely SLAPS, periodt.
bootleg Another One Bites The Dust
*SOBBING* THEY'RE ALL SINGING LEAD I'M-
being badass, That's The Power Of Love
don't worry, we still know how to be Poetically Edgy
iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii'm *bump bump* hooked on a feeeeling
I've Got a Spiritual Romantic Boner
Can't Keep Away From The Flame edginess gets crossed with some Zeppelin charm and badassery
someone in this band is fucking piSSED 😠😠😠😠
we're gonna @ someone tonight fellas
sAV OH MY GOD BABYYYYY 😰😰😭😭😭😭 DO YOU NEED A HUG
what if we tried to cross newer Metallica with Nickelback 🤔
what if we turned this into We All Need Christmas three years from now... 🤔
Bonus: Personal Jesus/We All Need Christmas
Viv really wanted to cover ABBA but everyone said no so he settled for cowboy goth™ instead
What better man to write a warm and fuzzy Christmas song than the warm and fuzziest man alive (Sav)
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overthinkingkdrama · 4 years ago
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I started watching Kdramas on Netflix India this year. I enjoyed Mr. Sunshine, My Mister, the first part of CLOY set in North Korea, Something in the Rain, and One Spring Night. I didn't care for Secret Garden, Descendants of the Sun, Moon Embracing the Sun, Romance is a Bonus Book, or Another Miss Oh (though I am still in the middle of this last show). I think it may have to do with time--those made before and after 2018. Based on my preferences, can you recommend some Kdramas I could look for?
Hmmm. I guess it’s possible that it has to do with the trends around when the dramas came out, but it could also have to do with a difference in tone and genre. The range of dramas that you enjoyed is pretty wide so I’ll try to give you a scatter shot of good dramas that are similar to some of the ones you listed.
Similar to Mr. Sunshine:
Nokdu Flower takes place in a similar time period. Really strong character writing, interesting setting and themes with a lot of complex historical background. Overall, I honestly prefer Nokdu Flower to Mr. Sunshine. I think it’s more consistently paced, but it is definitely more on the traditional sageuk side. Depending on your tastes that might be off putting to you. Other historical recs: Six Flying Dragons (50 eps but so so worth it), My Country (has more of the overblown sentimentality and cinematic quality of Mr. Sunshine, but gayer.)
Similar to My Mister:
My Mister is honestly a really hard one to make recommendations based on because there are so few dramas that can consistently hit that level of quality throughout the run. Just Between Lovers is just about as close as you can get to that level, and it deals with some similar themes. Heavy subject matter, but excellently acted with a soft romance as consolation for all the pain, lol. Other similar recs might include: Secret Love Affair and Misaeng.
I’m not really sure what to do with just the first half of CLOY. I liked the way that dramas started out as well, but I dropped it pretty quickly after the first 6 eps or so. The best I can figure is other “mainstream” dramas that have some thematic heft to them and don’t fizzle out half way through:
It’s Okay to Not Be Okay (aka Psycho But It’s Okay) is hands down the best “mainstream” drama I’ve watched in recent memory. It’s got humor and a unique sense of style and remains consistent throughout the run. Despite the long episodes it’s consistently well paced, and the cast is incredible. Not a bad performance in the bunch. Other similar recs: Mystic Pop Up Bar has comedy and fantasy elements next to each other, but doesn’t overstay its welcome and has a solid pay off. Queen In Hyun’s Man still has one of the best finales ever, and manages to balance modern day romance with historical intrigue/time travel remarkably well. 
Something in the Rain and One Spring Night are by the same writer/director I think, so it makes sense you would enjoy both of them. There aren’t a ton of people who are doing that subdued, naturalistic romantic style.
For recommendations I would probably reiterate both Secret Love Affair and Just Between Lovers as similar in feel. Because It’s My First Life delivers something similar as well, although YMMV on the ending. I wasn’t crazy about it, but I thought that the drama was good overall. Other similar recs might include: Reply 1988, different in tone but has that realism and heart-feltness that might appeal to you. Maybe 1 out of 10 drama watchers would also enjoy Matrimonial Chaos, which is very quirky and bizarre but had me laughing and crying and left a deep impression on me. A Hail Mary pass would be The Light In Your Eyes. A very unusual drama, but it made me sob like a small child and did something I’ve never quite seen before.
I sure hope some of that is helpful. Happy watching!
Jona
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bitch4vanya · 4 years ago
Text
Indestructible  (Klaus x Reader x Vanya)
Ep. Number 5
Warning: Mention of drugs (cocaine/weed are abused in this series), Swearing, Pretty gay, Female POV but can be easily changed if needed, SPOILERS, it follows the same story line as the show so there’s a ton, gore
Word Count: 1.8k
“What’re you doing under there?” You asked Klaus who was digging under his bed. He popped his head out, grinning at you wildly.
“Come here,” He waved you over. You cautiously took a seat on the floor next to him. He pulled out a baggie underneath the Polaroids of the two of you.
“Klaus is that-”
“Maybe,” He smiled, he was tired, but still the excitement of doing something he shouldn't overtook the guilt that weighed on him as his deceased brother looked over his shoulder disappointingly. “It helps quiet things down.” He explained looking behind you at a tall dark figures hiding in the corners of his room.
You watched, mesmerized by the fluidity of his motions as he skillfully rolled a joint, sticking the filtered end into his mouth before digging into the box to find a lighter. He took a long hit, coughing a little before passing it to you. 
You stared at your friend’s latest fix. Looking up at him as he exhaled shoulders relaxing as the smoke left his lungs. You craved that peace. The quiet he spoke of. You breathed in the smoke for the first time, 
and for the first time it felt like you could breathe.
//
Diego wordlessly drove you back to Griddy’s where you had your car towed to by the nice man in the truck for the low low price of a thirty second hand job. You played with your hands, feeling absolutely sick to your stomach. How could you have let this happen. Sometimes- Most of the time it felt like you were the only one there for Klaus. You had always been there for him. Even Diego hadn't been the one to bail him out of jail half the time. Or checked up on him while he was in rehab. Hell, to check in with him in rehab. Maybe you weren't the best influences on each other a lot of the time but you had always been there.
“I'm sorry,” You started not looking up at Diego. His jaw clenched. You still had hope for Klaus. Diego knew Patch was gone.
“It’s not your fault.” He croaked trying to keep his voice steady.
“I could have done something-” 
“”Drop it.” You stopped, bowing your head in shame and worry. He signed feeling sorry for snapping but not having the energy to apologize. “Go on.” He says pulling up next to your car. You give him a weak but appreciative smile, getting in your car. He nods and backs out of the parking lot, wiping away a stray tear.
You wait for him to leave before settling into the back seat, an old shirt of Vanya’s as a pillow.
//
“You have beautiful hair.” You smile, running your hands through her soft, dark strands. It was late. You should be in your room but you were dazed and a little high still, just wanting to be close to someone. 
“You’re high.” She sighed, looking away, the moonbeams accentuate the exhaustion on her face. She was still so lovely, and you were sure you looked worse. On her back, her hands on her stomach, her chest ached as you cuddled into her side. She had never felt this way before and she wasn't quite sure what this was.
“Only a little, but you’re always beautiful.” You say dreamily, nuzzling her shoulder. After a moment of silence you ask a question you had been wandering yourself for a couple months now, “Vanya,” She turns her head slightly, still shy but wanting to look at you. “Have you ever been kissed?” She hadn’t left the Academy more that thrice in the last year, even less the year before. The answer was a simple no. In her sixteen years of living she hadn’t known anyone but her siblings. Who would she have kissed?
“No,” She whispered embarrassed, a little curious, definitely anxious as you lifted yourself to get a better look at her. Your face hovered over her’s, eyes flickering down to her lips.
“Do you want to be?
//
You stumbled down the sidewalk, Agnes had found you that morning shivering and whimpering in your sleep. She woke you up by knocking softly on the car window. Handing you a cup of coffee and asking if she could do anything to help. You smiled softly thanking her but ultimately having a mission. You had to find Klaus. 
A couple blocks away from Griddy’s and you saw a small explosion followed by wails that sounded far too familiar. You raced around the corner finally finding Klaus, hunched over a broken suitcase, bits and pieces of it shattered. You called his name bending down beside him and taking his head in your lap. He sobbed clinging on to you as if his life depended on it. 
You hugged him close letting his cries die down until no sound was left. You had never heard anything like it from him. He was absolutely distraught. Tears of your own pooled in your eyes as both relief and dread settled into your chest. 
Finally you got him to stand, your arm wrapped around his ribs as you made your way to the only home you had left.
“You want me to make you some tea?” You asked softly, he had complained of a headache.
“Coffee actually, thanks,” He sighed, scratching his chest and settling on his childhood bed.
“Okay,” You smile softly at him, the expression quickly fading as you turned around and headed to the kitchen. He hadn't wanted to talk about it when you got home and you let that be. What he had been through in the past forty eight hours, calling it horrific couldn't begin to describe it. 
By the time you had made the coffee, Five was speaking to Klaus who looked dazed and annoyed. Five whipped around and glared at you, you stared back at him. “Get out,” He exclaimed, frustrated by your ignoring his glare as you handed Klaus the coffee. He took it gratefully smiling up at you weakly before downing the cup. You looked at the kid, handing him your mug of coffee thinking he probably needed it more.
“I'm trying to have a serious conversation with my brother.” He took the mug anyway, chugging it faster than Klaus had. You looked over at him, he shrugged exhausted and defeated. You go to say something but leave, emotionally drained from the day's events as well.
But you felt the urge to look for the people who had done this to Klaus. You felt the rage in the pit of your stomach burn and you pushed through the tiredness from your two basically sleepless nights. 
“-Interrogation over.” Klaus huffs, leaving to go after you but by the time he makes it outside you’re gone. 
//
A knock on the car window makes Diego and Klaus jump, seeing it's you Diego rolls down the window. “You guys suck at hiding.”
“What’re you doing here?”
“Same as you, I'm getting revenge,” You smirk.
“They'll see you,” Diego hissed. You shrug looking up at the mostly abandoned motel.
“”They know why I'm here,” You say looking up and catching Hazel’s gaze. You flip him off smiling grimly. 
“Get in.” You slip into the backseat digging into your jacket pulling out the gun you got the other night.
“I have a gun.” You say after a pause, making Diego whip around to see if you were joking or not.
“Why?!” He exclaimed reaching for it, you pull it out of his reach, as Klaus looks at you amusingly.
“I traded with my roommate for it.” You grin.
“Jen?” He asks.
“Mhm, well it wasn’t exactly a trade, she was like give me your drugs, bitch,” You gesture with the weapon, making Diego flinch, “and I said, Jen, please put it down, and she just kept yelling so I went and got the drugs and she threw the gun at me and told me to get out, and I mean even without any weapons she's pretty intimidating-”
“Where are you staying?” Diego asked, now more concerned than he was before. 
“In my car, “ You say casually, Klaus gave you a worried look, suddenly feeling guilty he hadn't thought about that before. “So now I have like three outfits, from when I was staying in my car last year, no drugs, and a gun.” You explain counting the things off on your fingers.
“Gimme that-'' Diego wrestled you for the gun, reaching behind the driver seat to get it. You yell as he snatched it from your hands.
“Stop! That's one of my only possessions, I gave everything for that!” You pout.
“Relax we were gonna use it for the same reason anyway.” He mutters checking to make sure the gun was loaded.
“Oh. Okay well, go get em, sport,” You grin almost sarcastically, patting his shoulder and exiting the car.
“Where are you going?”
“Well, I was gonna use the gun on them, but since you took it from me, I’ll just have to use my hands,” You smile wildly at Diego's shocked expression. He holds you back from climbing the back stairs of the motel, pushing you back into Klaus who had stepped out with his brother. 
“You two stay here.” He states not waiting for a response before sneaking discreetly but efficiently up the stairs.
“Are you seriously staying in your car?” Klaus asks, concerned etched in his tone.
“Yeah, where else would I go?”
“The Academy? Vanya's place?” You laugh at the thought. You had put her through enough over the years. “And you’re sober?”
“I had to be, I was looking for you,” You say looking over at him as you trailed behind Diego. “And I have no money,” You tease taking a breath as you two finally catch up to Diego. 
“Don't wait up,” You smile racing ahead of the two. You turn a corner into the open motel room. Empty. “Shit,” A shot rings out outside and Diego groans in pain. You sprint and take the gun from his hand, turning and shooting at the vehicle speeding up the street, hitting and shattering the back window and just barely missing one of the back tires. Another shot is heard but you barely notice as you sigh, having let them escape once again.
“Holy shit, (Y/N),” Klaus exclaims holding a hunched Diego, his eyes glued to your abdomen. You look down to see the wound bleeding through your sweater. 
“I'm keeping this.” You state calmly about the gun, aiming to finish what you started. You turn the corner before writhing in pain. Maybe Klaus was right. Maybe Vanya would take you in, at least for the night. You struggle up the street, gripping your stomach, she was only a couple blocks away.
//
“What about my family.” Five muttered.
What about them” The Handler spoke, unamused.
“I want them to survive.”
“All of them?”
“Yes, all of them,” he paused looking over at Klaus, “And that (Y/N), I want her alive to.”
The Handler chuckled, “Well you don't have to worry about that,” She grinned. Five gave her a suspicious look. She shrugged “I'll see what I can do,”
Tag list, 
@anthonystarksglasses 
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trensu · 5 years ago
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Episode 6: the One Where LWJ is Drunk and Gets Married
YES, GUYS GALS AND NB PALS, WE ARE AT THIS MOST WONDERFUL EPISODE.
OUR FIRST INTRODUCTION TO DRUNKJ!LWJ
AND THE HANDFASTING THAT INSPIRED A MILLION FICS
Okay, to set the scene, we’ve got JC, NHS and WWX having a sneaky drinking party with Forbidden Alcohol
Obviously, LWJ can spidey-sense when a rule is being violently broken so he appears at the scene of the crime to BREAK UP THE PARTY (or possibly a threesome?? He’s not sure but he’s gonna put a stop to that immediately)
HIS SERIOUS BB FACE IS SUPER ADORABLE HERE, GUYS
LIKE, I’M MORE PARTIAL TO WWX BUT UGH, LWJ IS SO CUTE HERE???
IT’S AWFUL
WWX: *bounces right into lwj’s space* join us for a drink lan zhan!! We earned it after defeating the Haunted Water!!
LWJ: *stares over wwx’s shoulder* alcohol is forbidden in the cloud recesses
WHY WON’T YOU LOOK HIM IN THE FACE, LWJ?? IS IT BECAUSE HE’S SO CLOSE TO YOU SUDDENLY???
WWX: chill out dude *playfully tugs on lwj’s sleeve*
Oh man, the glare that lwj shoots at wwx’s hand here could have started a fire. I mean, it must have at least burned a little with how quickly wwx lets go
LWJ: Report to the Punishment Chamber
Did they have to call it ‘punishment chamber’??
It sounds like some kind of kinky sex dungeon, which, like, to each their own,(i’ll read some kinky sex dungeon fic every once and a while, myself)
But this is Ancient Fantasy China summer school…seems a little inappropriate in context
ANYWAY
WWX again tries to coax LWJ in to having a drink with them. He doesn’t understand how someone can just…not drink alcohol. Oh wwx, you budding alcoholic you
And here WWX nobly sacrifices himself to save his drunk buddies by distracting lwj (who was about to call for backup, like a narc) and pins some sort of mind-control talisman on him
Wwx: sit and have a drink with me!
Lwj: *sits down and takes a shot*
Lwj: *passes out*
Wwx: omg i killed him. WAKE UP YOU CAN’T STAY HERE!! YOU HAVE TO GO BACK TO YOUR ROOM!! 
Wwx: *proceeds to gently guide lwj onto the bed*
You know after that initial panic, wwx looks too damn pleased with himself, especially after he gets lwj to call him wei-gege
Wwx suddenly notices that lwj’s ribbon is off kilter and informs him of it bc that’s what friends do
Wwx: your ribbon is crooked
Lwj: *scandalized gasp* crooked??
Why’s he so adorable when he’s drunk?? LOOK AT HIM TRYING TO SEE HIS OWN FOREHEAD AND GETTING ALL CROSS-EYED, WHAT A CUTIE
Wwx: i can help!! 
Lwj: *slaps wwx’s hand* Go Away
Wwx: you’re making it worse!!
Lwj: *slaps wwx’s hand away harder* DON’T TOUCH! THE RIBBON IS ONLY FOR FAMILY AND SIGNIFICANT OTHERS
And now we have a way to measure their queer queer love for each other without making the censors mad
How does this show do it?? This is gayer than most of the stuff aired in the US and the US doesn’t even have that kind of censorship laws media producers here are a bunch of COWARDS, disney i’m looking at you
Wwx: lol, significant others, really?
Lwj: what’s so funny
Wwx: nobody’s gonna marry into the lan clan with your thousands of dumb rules and chronic allergy to fun
LOLOLOL BOY HAS NO CLUE. JUST YOU WAIT WWX, YOU’RE GONNA EAT THOSE WORDS
Wwx: nope, you are gonna be Forever Alone
Lwj: …that’s fine
This is actually kind of heartbreaking tbh
He’s so resigned and pretending so hard not to care!!
HE TRULY BELIEVES HE’S NOT LOVABLE *UGLY CRYING*
Idk how the actor did it bc lwj still has a very placid expression on his face but it somehow manages to convey like, a sense of loneliness while still looking adorably drunk?? Idk man, i think black magic might be involved
All this to say POOR BB LAN ZHAN, COME HERE SWEETIE AND LET ME HUG YOU. YOU’RE GONNA BE FINE, I SWEAR.
Wwx is so incredulous at this response. Like he totally believes lwj would be okay staying alone forever but he doesn’t understand it
Bc wwx is a dumb teenage boy who doesn’t yet have the emotional intelligence to see that lwj is just saying that bc he’s scared and hurting
Now we get to see an acute case of Foot-in-Mouth Syndrome like we did back in episode 2!
Wwx: your mother must be so bored here all the time
DAMN IT WWX
WHAT IS IT WITH HIM AND BRINGING UP PEOPLE’S DEAD MOTHERS???
LWJ: i don’t have a mother 
He says flatly HIDING HIS SORROW
*UGLY SOBBING*
HE’S SO SAD AND LONELY GUYS
IT HURTS TO LOOK AT
WWX: you can’t not have a mother! Somebody gave birth to…oh.
There’s a crack vid somewhere on youtube with this scene voiced over “it was at that moment he realized…he Fucked Up”
And it’s true
Dumb boy
Here WWX makes up by sharing his sad orphan story with LWJ. it’s so sweet
THEIR SONG IS PLAYING IN THE BACKGROUND WHILE THIS EXCHANGE HAPPENS
UGH THIS SHOW
LISTEN, ALL THIS HAS HAPPENED ALREADY AND WE’RE BARELY 10 MINUTES INTO THE EPISODE
LIKE, WHAT??
HOW. HOW CAN YOU GIVE ME SO MANY FEELINGS IN TEN MINUTES. THE FIRST TEN MINUTES OF THE EP EVEN.
WWX: my parents died when i was four and I can’t remember their faces–but i do remember getting chased by feral dogs
POOR BB WWX
HE CAN’T EVEN REMEMBER THEIR FACES 
OH, but we do get to see Actual BB!wwx in a brief flashback (within a flashback, remember this summer school business is not present time, how weird is that) and he’s riding a donkey while his mama and papa walk beside him. It’s adorable.
And after all that Emotional Vulnerability, he’s like “i’ll drink to that bro!” and makes a toast
I actually kind of like the toast he makes here with lwj tho
He tells him “may we never forget what is worth remembering or remember what is worth forgetting”
Idk if that’s like, a traditional toast or something he made up on the spot, but i like it
We get a brief moment of plot development here. 
AND OOOOH, THEY’RE ABOUT TO GET IN TROUBLE!!
So some Lan SNITCH barges into the room where lqr and lxc are at and is all “we caught wwx drinking Forbidden Alcohol!” and lxc’s expression is all gently amused
but then Lan Snitch continues “LWJ was with him!!” and lxc’s amused expression quickly morphs into Very Alarmed
(right before that all happened tho we get to see lwj fall out of bed, still passed out drunk and wwx laughs at him. I can’t even hold that against him bc i totally laughed at lwj too)
The camera now shows us some frankly HORRIFYING beating sticks (paddles?? Do they qualify as paddles?? THEY’RE HUGE AND SCARY AND MADE OF NIGHTMARES)
And bc LWJ is too honorable for his own good
Lwj: i am at fault and accept my punishment!
And goes on his knees to willingly get beaten. STOP THAT LWJ
WWX IMMEDIATELY steps in to take the blame, like no, it’s actually my fault bc i forced him to drink when he didn’t want to. LAN ZHAN SHOULDN’T GET PUNISHED!!
LQR: (proving that lans are all Dramatique) ARE YOU TRYING TO RUIN CLOUD RECESSES??
Take a chill pill, old man. A teenager getting drunk is not gonna start the apocalypse (probably)
And here lwj completely ignores wwx’s attempt to absolve him and is all no, I Made a Mistake and Must Get Punished 
Wwx: STOP ASKING FOR PUNISHMENT YOU IDIOT
So the punishment is kind of…harsh, but also lol bc as soon as wwx sees lwj take the beating without flinching or even staggering under the strength of the hits (lwj is truly a stronger man than i; one look at those Nightmare Sticks I would’ve run for the hills), he grits his teeth and forces himself to stay steady
Wwx: *internally but you can totally read it in his face* i’m not gonna let that bastard one-up me!! I have WAY more experience taking punishments. I am the punishment KING.
Okay so that all happens and afterwards WINGMAN LXC STRIKES AGAIN
LXC: wwx, you should definitely visit the family’s private cold spring
LXC: you know, so you can heal faster and not miss class
LXC: not for any other reason
I’D LIKE TO TAKE THIS MOMENT TO THANK GOD AND ALSO JESUS FOR THE UPCOMING SCENE
WE ARE AT THE COLD SPRING
LOOK AT WWX RUNNING TOWARDS LWJ
WET, HALF-NAKED LWJ
Wwx: *leans coquettishly against a tree thing and pouts* why didn’t you tell me about this spring? Friends don’t keep secrets from friends!!
wwx, you’re so clever, how can you be so stupid – boy is flirting at max level and doesn’t even realize it???
Lwj: HOW ARE YOU EVEN HERE *frantically robes up like some virginal maiden which he kinda is*
Wwx: your brother told me!
Lwj: *internally* brother why
And here wwx gets into the cold spring
Wwx: so cold so cold, let me get close to you where it’s warmer~! *dives right into lwj’s personal bubble*
Lwj: *takes a HUGE step back*
Wwx: *pouts* you know i didn’t like you much before but after our Romantic Moonlit Sword Fight and our Sword Fight By the Waterfall, i’ve decided i like you a lot and we should definitely be friends forever
Lwj: *doesn’t even look at wwx* That’s Not Necessary
Wwx: before you reject me, let me show you all the ~benefits~ to being my friend! *starts to strip*
(I’M NOT EVEN KIDDING YOU, HE LITERALLY SAID BENEFITS AND STARTED TO GET NAKED)
LWJ *is Horrified in a Repressed Gay Way* WHAT ARE YOU DOING
WWX: getting naked?? To heal better?? I thought this was obvious???
LWJ: *determinedly walks away*
WWX: wait don’t leave!! I’ll keep my clothes on! Anyway you should definitely visit me in yunmeng and i can pick lotus seeds for you. That’s totally what i meant about benefits.
LWJ: no
WWX: i can also introduce you to all the pretty girls there!
I CRACK UP EVERY TIME AT THIS. WWX, THAT IS A WHOLE GAY BOY YOU’RE TALKING TO, OH MY GOD
Then it turns out the cold spring is actually Haunted Water 2: This Time It’s Personal and tries to drown them
See this is why i don’t trust any bodies of water
They’re all out to get us
AND NOW WE GET TO THE  CAVE OF WONDERS (or cold pond cave, whatev)
Wwx: what is happening
Lwj: *is fascinated by the cave of wonders*
Lwj: *internally* ooooh Magic Guqin!! (BECAUSE HE’S A NERD LOLOL)
Magic Guqin: NOT TODAY SATAN *attacks wwx*
Wwx: WHY IS IT ATTACKING ME, I DIDN’T EVEN DO ANYTHING YET!!
brief pause here to point out that we meet the bunnies now!! Hello bunnies!!! Everyone in the fandom loves you~!!! 💗💗💗
Okay so Magic Guqin continues to attack wwx but wwx is a Clever Boy and figures out that it’s only attacking him because he doesn’t have a sacred lan ribbon
Wwx: lwj, quick, give me your ribbon!
Lwj: *FLIES RIGHT OVER TO WWX and proceeds to bind their wrists together with the SACRED RIBBON ONLY FAMILY ANd S.O.’s CAN TOUCH*
Then the camera zooms in on the metal piece of the ribbon that is now swaying gently between them like, Subtlety? Never heard of her!
Camera: yep, this is totally a straight thing that straight bros do together
So now that they’re bound together for eternity the boys approach the Magic Guqin
Lwj slaps wwx’s hands away from the guqin here – just bc i let you touch the sacred ribbon doesn’t mean you can touch the magic guqin that tried to murder you
BC LWJ IS A MUSIC NERD AND IS TOTALLY GEEKING OUT OVER THE PRECIOUS MUSICAL HEIRLOOM
LWJ proceeds to reverently play the Magic Guqin and we have this moment where he’s like, floating in space surrounded by glowy blue lights??
Idk man, it’s weird but we’ll roll with it
This is the first time we see him communicate with spirits using music, btw. 
Now we meet Lan Yi!! Who is a badass and important for plot reasons but the Valid Reason she’s mentioned here is because SHE OFFICIATES THE WANGXIAN WEDDING (bc we’ve already established that we’re not here for the plot lol)
the boys are tied together with the sacred ribbon and then they bow to a clan elder. How is that not, bare minimum, a handfasting??? 
Okay, technically, lwj bowed to the elder first to show respect while wwx stood there all stunned until lwj reminded him of the Importance of Manners. Then wwx bowed. But I’m pretty sure that still counts.
“You two being here must be destiny!” lan yi says, “i’m gonna do some plot exposition so pay attention.”
Thankfully we are not lwj or wwx so we don’t have to pay attention at all!!
At some point, wwx makes a clever comment and lan yi is all “wwx you’re as smart as i thought!! 
Yes yes i definitely approve of you marrying my great great great grand-son/nephew/whatever the heck he is, idk i’ve been in this cave too long with only bunnies for company" (🎶bunnies are better than people, buns don’t you think that’s true~?🎶 I AM SO SORRY FOR THAT REFERENCE, DISNEY YOU STILL SUCK I JUST HAVE POOR SELF-RESTRAINT)
Okay, she for real complimented wwx’s intelligence (bc I guess everyone’s hot for WWX’s big brain? Idk) but i’m pretty sure she was thinking the rest of that really loudly in her head
Then more plot stuff happens and the episode ends!!!
Beautiful, phenomenal episode. One of the MOST IMPORTANT Wangxian episodes we have!! 100/10 stars, would watch again.
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valyrfia · 5 years ago
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Stranger Things 3 First Reactions
I’ve literally just finished Stranger Things 3, let’s discuss:
Definitely this was the biggest season in terms of action. It did feel like a huge summer blockbuster and while it was amazing, there is always the argument that some of the more quiet emotional moments were overlooked in favour of action
The ending...it didn’t go the way I wanted it to go, but I was actually satisfied
Of course I cried buckets BUCKETS when Hopper died, but I figured he would die when he went down to the basement and we knew if one was standing on the floor next to the drill they’d vaporise. Joyce has really bad luck with love interests
Billy was expected, and don’t get me wrong I absolutely hated the guy at the beginning of this season, but they did an okay job of humanising him. Sure I didn’t love him, but his sacrifice was somewhat touching. Hope we see his dad get his comeuppance at some point
And for Eleven to lose her father figure on top of all the other shit she’s gone through...oof. That shit hurts.
I love LOVE that Eleven was adopted by Joyce. I totally thought we were in for a lab abduction, especially with Hopper, her legal guardian, being gone, so I was so glad to be proven wrong.
We’ll finally get Will and El being siblings next season! We’ve been fighting for this from season 1! I for one am absolutely PUMPED. 
I feel like they could end Stranger Things here and I would be totally satisfied. Arc-wise, all the characters are resolved more or less, El has her family and her powers are gone, Will had to come to terms with his lost childhood, the Byers are finally moving away from the town that’s terrorised them since s1, Steve has had his full redemption, Nancy and Jonathan are going to go off to college. It feels like a really good place to end the series. Of course I am DYING for another season (I’ll put my predictions for s4 at the end of this post) but I want to end on a high, and this is quite a high. 
I assume they have a gate open in Siberia then? Or one that we don’t know about? Also Erica is so damn smart knowing full well that those cages were for demogorgans
‘The American’? Do you reckon they have Kali or one of the other numbers? Interesting. 
That being said, I’m not a huge fan that they just decided to go with the usual cliché ‘Russians are the true enemy!’ trope. Are we just going to forget about all the bad shit the American scientists did in the first place?
I feel like they really underused Will this season, Noah Schnapp is a terrific actor, probably one of the best of the kids and while he has some amazing scenes, most of the time he’s just standing at the back of the party being a Mindflayer radar. We saw what he could do in s2 and I really expected the Duffers to take advantage of that. Maybe next season.
Destroying Castle Byers absolutely killed me, it was the one scene that had me full-out sobbing. However that being said, it was a big emotional moment at the end of ep 3 and then wasn’t really mentioned again except in passing. 
Robin was brilliant, an amazing addition to the cast and her chemistry with Steve and Dustin was incredible
I loved the touching scene in the bathroom between her and Steve, I ALSO love how they used ‘The First I Love You’, the same soundtrack that was used for Mike and Eleven’s confession and the parallel to Nancy and Jonathan’s first kiss. Even though the relationship isn’t romantic, they care deeply DEEPLY about each other and Steve being an absolute ally and telling Robin she could do way better was just so heartwarming and actually made me tear up
Max was also incredible. I hadn’t quite warmed to her last season but she’s so fiery and loving and definitely is one of my favourite characters now. 
Max and El’s friendship made me smile so so much. It definitely felt realistic, despite what the reviews said. True some things were a little cliché, like them gushing over boys in magazines and trying on a million clothes at The Gap but the scene where they were spying on random people through psychic tv and where they were cooped up talking in a bathroom felt real. I absolutely loved their dynamic this season, it’s really refreshing to see a female friendship on screen again (considering the last one was Nancy and Barb?)
Tonally, this season felt all over the place. It was definitely more messy (both in terms of what was on screen AND in terms of plot) than the previous two seasons. The stakes didn’t feel quite as high as usual and the tonal shift dampened some of the really emotional scenes. 
Take the whole ‘Suzie Do You Copy?’ scene, the stakes were way high at that point and then we get a full minute and a half of a musical rendition of Neverending Story, it just felt a bit jarring and out of place. 
Also, we learnt about Russian involvement but we still know nothing more about the Upside Down, the Mindflayer or the original Hawkins Lab experiments.
I criticize, but it was still an absolute joy to watch. 
My least favourite out of all the seasons so far perhaps, but it’s still my favourite tv show
SEASON 4 PREDICTIONS
Considering Mike explicitly mentioned Thanksgiving/Christmas I’m expecting season 4 late 2020. Probably Christmas, I could see them releasing it around Christmas time. That’s also about the correct length of time it’ll take to make season 4. Also the Duffers are really big on framing the seasons around holidays. December 2020 calling it now.
We’ll see the gang reunite in Hawkins, obviously. 
The gang would have just started high school and I reckon we’ll see them start to drift apart. 
Mike will be struggling, out of everyone the two people he was closest with were Will and El. Not to mention Nancy will be gone off to college as well. 
We’ll definitely get some Will/El duo scenes and I am beyond hyped. Millie Bobby Brown and Noah Schnapp are such good friends off-screen it’ll undoubtedly carry over to their on-screen chemistry. 
It’s the duo we deserve. 
I want to see El FLOURISH. Hopefully we find out that El has actually gone to school, that she has friends...loads of friends who just think she’s a normal 15 year old girl. I want to see this. 
I hate to be THAT person...but I really hope they address Will’s sexuality. Again, as with past seasons all we got was very explicit subtext. This season is the last they can really dance around the subject. Will will be 15 or near 15 next season, you know who you’re attracted to at that point.
Not to mention that they have Robin in the mix now, someone who’s maybe not publicly comfortable with her sexuality, but has come to terms with it. A mentor figure, if you will. 
Speaking of Will in the plot sense, I do wonder whether they are going to go down the route of him having powers or not. There’s loads of clues and easter eggs about it/parallels with him and El. I was quite surprised they didn’t go down that route this season and didn’t delve any deeper into his connection to the Upside Down/Mindflayer
It would be super powerful and impactful to parallel him having to keep a secret about any potential ‘powers’ from his friends and family with another ‘secret’. In that situation, I can totally see El becoming Will’s confidante for both. But I digress.
The Russians are up to no good. Again.
We’ll definitely see Kali in some shape or form, and maybe other test subjects
There’s that American after all, I do strongly suspect that’s another Hawkins Lab subject, or past employee. 
I do hope they switch up the formula a bit for the big monster in s4, there’s only so many times you can close the gate after all. 
Either way, I want s4 now, not in seventeen months. 
TO ROUND-UP: It’s still got its charm, it’s still got its magic, it’s still got its nostalgia. Stranger Things 3, it’s been a pleasure. Bring on December 2020
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atamascolily · 4 years ago
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lily watches fma:b, eps. 37-40
I can only watch 2 episodes at a time because I keep having to pause and write angry screeds in a text document. I suppose this is what is called “engaging with the source material” in media studies.
Cut for extreme length and also me ranting about Hohenheim because FUCK THAT DUDE. Also, worldbuilding stuff I don’t understand.
Ed reciting the periodic table to get his mind off his boner for Winry is just perfect.
Meanwhile, Winry's nerding out over combat automail and Kimblee's just sippin' his coffee watching the whole thing
Kimblee got Winry to like him by saying he admired her parents, argghhh
Pride is revealed to be Selim Bradley and harasses Hawkeye because he's a little shit... also it conveniently allows Buccaneer's tunnel team to escape. Why is Pride simultaneously in Central AND Briggs? I guess we'll find out.
Hawkeye going home and seeing her shadow and realizing just how fucked they are is PERFECT.
Kimblee tells Ed he'll give him a Philosopher's stone if Ed helps him find Scar and Marcoh and finish the job at Briggs (i.e., kill everyone to make a stone). Ed asks--very reasonably, I might add--why Kimblee is going along with the homunculi and his answer is basically "for the lulz". (Oh, and they let him kill people instead of locking him up for war crimes.)
(although I'd argue the homunculi only let him do so when it's personally convenient; they have no qualms about keeping his ass in jail otherwise)
(also: please note kimblee ISN'T in jail for war crimes against Ishval, he's in jail because he murdered some Amestrisian guards so no one would know he has a Philosopher's Stone.)
Ed's like, "so Winry, you're a hostage for my good behvior and I might have to comnit mass murder, fyi" AT LEAST HE FINALLY FOUND A WAY TO TELL HER
love how winry forces her way into the convoy and kimblee just goes with it because he's too busy to argue.
(meanwhile, the end credits still have her at the atelier in Rush Valley, lol)
Yoki's flashback in the 1920s film style is HILARIOUS (if biased) account
Scar and Kimblee face off. I'm reminded of the 2003 anime where iirc Scar sacrifices himself to utterly destroy Kimblee halfway through. no such luck here.
I'm still not happy that Scar killed Winry's parents in this version. It was much more interesting when it was the Amestrisian military--specifically, Roy Mustang, one of the so-called good guys.
(It's not that it was morally okay for Scar to kill the doctors who saved his life--or anyone--just because of their race but it's a whole 'nother ballgame when the murder cover-up for a military dictatorship and the perpetrator is a character the audience has come to root for vs. misguided revenge)
What IS interesting here is Scar confronting Miles, asking him how he can serve in the same institution that killed his family. Miles says he's trying to change minds from the inside; Scar is highly skeptical but claims to be glad there are people like Miles in this world (who aren't so consumed by hatred and grief that they can do that kind of work, instead of becoming a vigilante).
one of Miles' troopers has a backpack that's a phone. Okay... WHAT? I guess if they have automail they can have extremely bulk cellphones, but... I don't understand the tech in this world.
brief detour for Al to lecture the chimera prisoners, okay
Yoki actually has a good idea for once!
I don't understand the chimeras saying they want their bodies back - it seems like they can shift from human to their other form and back (they do it a few minutes later) so... I get that they've been experimented upon and it's horrible, but they're not quite in the same desperate straits as Al, who doesn't have a body at all, or Nina Tucker *sob*. Or am I missing something obvious here??
...okay, I think they were moved to DIFFERENT human bodies than their original forms? It's kind of unclear from context.  
Just as I was admiring Winry's piercings for the bajillionth time, a random dude tells her they'll cause frostbite so she takes them out and gives them to Ed as a token. And probably also so Kimblee will suspect the ruse later if/when he notices that detail.
Scar's like, "man, why'd I have to kill the FAMOUS doctors, sigh"
Al has a vision of his body and it's SO FREAKING CREEPY, YO (I like the detail that his nails are really long)
Cut to Father playing with little mini versions of Ed and Al on a transmutation circle in his lair OH YEAH THAT'S CREEPY - he needs 5 people to complete the circle. Ed, Al, and Hohenheim are each little skull-people, Izumi is "a possibility," and that leaves one more... probably Roy.
I love Hawkeye and Roy's verbal codes, Roy hitting on Olivier, Olivier straight up admitting to Bradley she offed Raven, Roy's apparent shift into the flower business, etc, etc.
TIME FOR A FLASHBACK.FINALLY SOME EXPLANATORY BACKSTORY.
Okay, so we meet Slave 23 in an alchemy lab - his master used his blood to make a creepy blob in a flask that is talking to him and names said slave "Van Hohenheim" (because he didn't want to be "Theophrastus Bombastus", lol.) There's a time skip and Hohenheim becomes a skilled apprentice alchemist thanks to the blob's interference and education.
Note: I HAVE SO MANY QUESTIONS ABOUT ALL OF THIS. Also, WHY.
(but let's be real, I am distracted by the fact that young!Hohenheim, like old!Hohenheim, is extremely hot.)
The King of Xerxes summons the blob to ask it about immortality. I can already tell this is going to end well.
The blob tells the King the secret - cut to laborers digging a giant circular "irrigation canal". also, people start dying in coordinated attacks at specific geographic points just like in amestris.
I still don't understand how this works, though. In the 03 version, you just need a bunch of people to die all at once aftermaking a few preparations. It was city-scale, not country-scale.
also apparently, there's been a time skip because Hohenheim is significantly older than before (his job is to carry the blob in its flask around, I guess?). He's so excited about the immortality thing yet seems to have NO IDEA what it entails.
The blob made the actual center of the circle where Hohenheim was standing so everyone else dies. I'm not sure how that works because it's only a few meters off--is it really that precise?--but okay, whatever, sure.
Also, the blob regards Hohenheim as "blood kin" because it was made from his blood and... it's not WRONG.
the gate opens, the flask is shattered, Hohenheim is now immortal, and everyone in Xerxes is dead, and... Hohenheim was totally an innocent bystander who just HAPPENED to be caught up in it all?
not gonna lie: I'm not thrilled about this development.
I preferred the 03 version where Hohenheim was actively a bodysnatching jackass who decided to DO BETTER BY NOT DOING THAT. somehow the fact that he ends up immortal without trying here just sticks in my craw.
oh, no, but this means that HE KNOWS EVERYONE IN HIS PHILOSOPHER'S STONE PERSONALLY, DOESN'T HE? AHHHHHH
Father takes on Hohenheim's human form because they have the same blood and it's convenient?(also:hot, though I doubt the blob is interested in sex appeal.)
Father: Isn't it great? immortality, amirite? Hohenheim: *through gritted teeth* Thanks, I hate it.
Father and Hohenheim each got half of Xerxes' population, aka half the power.
turns out this was all a dream-flashback and Hohenheim is actually asleep on a train in the present and Izumi wakes him up.
have they met before? signs point to no because Hohenheim doesn't seem to know her. I'd ask how Izumi recognized him, but Hoheheim looks JUST LIKE ED so it's not like it's *hard*.
most awkward parent-teacher conference ever? but actually izumi starts coughing up blood and Hohenheim realizes she's performed human transmutation and opened a gate and uses alchemy to help her.
he can't restore the lost organs (I'm not sure WHY not - he has a philosopher's stone, that's like the whole point) but it helps.
AND THEN HE JUST COMES OUT AND SAYS HE'S A PHILOSOPHER'S STONE IN HUMAN FORM, ARRGGHH, WHYYYYYY, I don't get why he can't just fix her!!
sig decks hohenheim and I'm so thrilled, even if it doesn't actually take. THANK YOU SIG, I LOVE U.
Also: if Hohenheim had stuck around, he could have healed Trisha and she probably wouldn't have died and his sons would never have lost their bodies trying to bring her back, so FUCK YOU HOHENHEIM, THIS IS LITERALLY ALL YOUR FAULT. (And apparently, the homunculi are too, at least indirectly). FUCK YOU FUCK YOU FUCK YOU FUCK YOU.
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shadow-assassin-blix · 4 years ago
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It’s a Grey Area
CHAPTER 7
A/N: Okay... so. I kinda sped through a lot of the plot in ep 9, and changed some things obviously. Um. Next chapter will finish up ep 9 but the adventure shall continue. There is a character death. Umm. The dream sequence will make more sense eventually. That’s all for now! Enjoy!
Taglist: @mikeisthricedeceased​ (if you want to be added to list please lemme know)
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About an hour had passed, and Poe woke up slowly. He turned his head to look down at Blix who was passed out on his chest. He smiled softly at her, and rubbed the sleep from his eyes, before gingerly trying to move out from under her. He didn’t want to wake her up, so his movements had to be gentle.
Once he was up, he tucked the blanket firmly around her, and let her sleep some more. He made his way into the cockpit where Rey and Finn sat, talking lowly.
He takes his seat in the copilot and checks their position. They were approximately 30 minutes away from Kijimi.
“Blix still asleep?” Rey asked with a small yawn.
“Yeah. She hasn’t been sleeping well, so I try to let her get as much sleep as she can,” Poe explained checking the systems.
Blix was currently dreaming and the dreams… rapidly became confusing and terrifying.
*Dream*
Blix looked around trying to figure out where she was. She was on spaceship but couldn’t figure out what kind. She heard voices speaking.
“We are picking up lifeforms?”
“Where?”
“Scarif”
“That’s impossible, no one could’ve survived the Death Star destroying it,”
“Scarif was only half destroyed. It is possible”
The scenery changed. She saw her mother, at a table, crying. She held a photo in her hand, but she couldn’t see of whom. Her grandfather’s lightsaber sat on the table.
She tried to call out to her but found she couldn’t speak.
The scene changed again, and she was surrounded in darkness.
A gravelly voice began to speak into her mind.
“Ahhh. A Kenobi. I’m quite surprised. He never seemed the type. Why do you fight for a side that has caused you so much pain? You said it yourself… Being a Jedi is dangerous when a Skywalker exists. Join me. Together, my granddaughter and you could create greatness. Such power the two of you would have, all you’d have to do is say yes. Yes, to the Dark side.”
She glared deep into the void and tried fighting the numerous voices that were now filtering into her mind. She heard her family, Poe, and everyone she cared about telling her to say yes.
She clamped her hands over ears, trying to drown them out. She eventually felt herself scream.
A scream that could be heard in the outside world.
Poe hearing her cry, jumped up and ran out to her. She was thrashing in her sleep, trying to fight off something invisible. He began to shout her name.
“Blix! BLIX! C’MON HONEY WAKE UP!” He called out, trying to shake her gently.
She could hear his voice. Hear him trying to wake her up. So, she ran to where it was loudest. More images kept flashing before her eyes, more confusion as to what she was being told, before finally---
She jerked away, her head smashing into Poe’s. She winced atthe throbbing pain in her head from both the hit and what she had seen. She shakily wrapped her arms around him, trying to find comfort.
Poe briefly said ‘ow’ before pulling her into his arms, shushing her lightly as sobs began to rack through her body.
She tried so hard to calm down, but she could feel herself panicking as she remembered more and more. He held onto her the entire time, pulling her in as close as he could. He would press kisses to her face and forehead trying to soothe her.
It took several minutes before her sobs became sniffles and her breathing slowed down. She pulled away, wiping her face hurriedly, looking away. He sat there waiting patiently.
“…he knows… he knows about me… about my lineage… wanted me to join the Dark side… kept… showing me stuff that made no sense I-… I don’t know,” She tried to explain as calmly as she could.
“Shh. Alright. He knows. We knew that that was a possibility. As for the other stuff, we can sort through that piece by piece whenever you’re ready, okay?” He assured wiping away an errant tear.
She nodded her head, her hands reaching for his. She took one of his hands and held it firmly, trying to stop shaking. She held onto him like he was a lifeline. Like he was the only thing keeping her grounded.
Rey called from up that they were about to land, and Poe looked at Blix.
“Are you up for this? It’s perfectly okay if you’re not,” Poe reassured trying make sure she didn’t feel pressured.
“I’m okay,” She whispered standing up slowly.
They got ready for their trek on the freezing planet that they were on and began following Poe to these spice runners.
They wound up having to cut through alleys multiple times for the streets were filled with storm troopers running every which way.
Eventually they run into a group of goons who tried to stop them. Rey knocked out 2 and Blix took out the rest. As the goons laid at their feet, a feminine robotic voice called out to them, telling them to halt.
Poe, Blix noticed, froze. He slowly turned, shoving his hood down to reveal his face.
“Zorii.” He greeted.
Blix looked at him and then at her, slowly realizing who she was. Blix stepped in front of Poe and said, “You harm a hair on his head, and I’ll kill you.”
Her hand hovered over lightsaber, daring this woman to try something.
“Where did you find a Jedi, Poe? Especially one so loyal to you?” She asked curiously, lifting her visor up to take her in.
“She saved my life. We need to see Babu Frik. It’s urgent. Please,” Poe requested trying to stay polite.
Zorii was quiet for several moments before turning and walking away.
Poe followed her without question and Blix stared at him as he willingly chased after her.
“What was that?”” Rey asked stepping up to Blix.
“Poe was a spice runner,” Blix began.
“A spice runner!?” Finn and Rey both exclaimed.
“It was an undercover mission for the Navy. That… was the woman who stabbed him… and he’s just... blindly trusting her,” Blix finished, annoyance in her voice.
Finn and Rey ran to catch up with him as 3PO toddled behind them. Blix remained there staring blankly. BB-8 stayed by her side, beeping at her concernedly. She blinked rapidly trying to refocus and quietly followed after them. When she caught up, they already had 3PO wired up and was preparing to override him.
It was then revealed that this process would lead to 3POs memory being wiped. As they continued to get him ready, Blix noticed that both Poe and Zorii had disappeared. She tried to let it not bother her, as whispers of doubts and distrust rang through her mind.
She stood in the back quietly, waiting for the information to be revealed. As the translations began, she winced as she continued to hear murmurs, the constant barrage of thoughts causing a headache to form. She crossed her arms and sighed heavily when it was revealed that they would have to go to the Death Star to find the Wayfinder.
When the translation was done, Blix stepped outside, the blast of cold air feeling good against the headache that she was currently battling. She closed her eyes, taking in slow deep breaths. She was trying to ease her thoughts as best as she could.  She could feel a bitterness setting into her bones and she was trying her best to not let negativity choke her.
“He loves you, you know,” Came Zorii’s voice as she joined her outside.
Blix looked at her as Zorii stood next to her.
“How do you figure that?” Blix asked tiredly.
“You didn’t see the way he looked at you, when you stepped in front of him to defend him,” Zorii said truthfully. “He never looked at me like that.”
Blix smiled softly at that.
“Are you… are you okay? You seem a little… stressed?” Zorii hesitantly asked, observing Blix’s closed off behaviors.
“Had my brain picked apart and had 10k images and insecurities flash before my eyes, 20 minutes before we ran into you. So, no. Not okay,” Blix muttered, kicking at the snow angrily.
“Don’t… know how to help you with that… but. I can say this… don’t shut him out. Like I said, he loves you. Let him help you,” Zorii concluded, before heading back inside.
Blix sighed heavily, squatting down and taking a handful of snow and pushing it against her face. She felt hot, even in the freezing temperatures. The snow felt amazing against her burning skin, and as she ran a hand over her face to wipe it off, a ringing began in her ear.
She pressed a hand to it, wishing it away, as she applied pressure and wiggled her ear. As she opened her eyes, she saw not snow, but tiled floors. She stood up looking around, not recognizing where she was.
“My master says you’re a Kenobi. Must say… I’m surprised,” Came a feminine voice behind her.
She turned to it, and saw a young girl, with red skin and black tattoos in geometrical patterns on her head.
“My name is Maeve. A grandchild of the great Darth Maul,” She introduced staring at Blix curiously. “Funny. You don’t act like any Jedi I have heard of.”
“Hello Maeve and that’s because I’ve seen the dark side. Hell, I’ve even given it a taste but that’s not the life for me,” Blix explained dully.
Maeve reached forward and grabbed Blix’s arm and suddenly they were back on Kijimi.
“Where are you? C’mon… let’s talk… join us and we’ll release the furbag we capture earlier,” Maeve bribed in a sing-song voice.
“So, Chewie is still alive? Good to know. Now get out of my head before you hurt yourself,” Blix threatened as she threw out mental shield and blocks, pushing Maeve out of her mind.
A moment later she was alone again, no one buzzing about in her mind. She was breathless and numb.
Poe who stepped out to check on her, rushed over to her quickly.
“Baby? Honey? You’re bleeding!” Poe exclaimed gently wiping away the blood that dripped from her nose.
“Chewie’s still alive. Got a lil visit from mini Sith. We can save him,” Blix whispered fighting off the exhaustion she felt.
“Okay. Cool. Great. Can I focus on you?” he asked pulling her into his arms as her knees weakened.
“Guys! Let’s go, we got work to do!” Poe called out picking Blix up bridal style.
Rey, Finn and the droids (including a new one called D-O) came out and they rushed back to the Falcon. Poe laid her down on the bed she was in earlier and he rushed to tell them what she said, as they left the planet. The First Order was nearby, and the rescue had to be quick.
Poe and Finn ran off to rescue him, and Rey stayed behind to protect Blix who was barely awake.
“Hey sis… talk to me. What’s up?” Rey spoke softly to her, grasping her hands into her own.
Blix blinked up at her, opening her mouth to answer but wasn’t quite sure how to start, so she closed it.
Rey then gently pushed Blix to scootch back, laying down next to her.
“I keep seeing… images of Scarif… and several other images that make no sense. A lot of them involve my mother… and only in one of them… can I actually see the person’s face. I think… it was possibly my father? I don’t know. Nothing makes sense,” Blix slowly whispered to Rey.
“Scarif? But… wasn’t it destroyed?” Rey asked just as confused.
“It was partially destroyed. The Death Star wasn’t at full power when it attacked Scarif. It wasn’t until later, when they destroyed Alderaan that it was capable of fully destroying a planet,” Blix explained with a small sigh.
“Is it possible that someone survived? That there may be someone alive on Scarif?” Rey inquired, her brow furrowing in thought.
“Anything’s possible, I just… I don’t want to get my hopes for something that may just be lies,” Blix admitted biting her lip.
Rey laid there thinking, trying to figure out what she could say or do in this moment to comfort her.
“How about this? We finish the fight against the First Order, and the four us of will venture to Scarif together? We’re a team. Family. We’ll figure this out together,” Rey proposed with a smile, gently tapping her head against Blix’s.
Blix nodded, smiling back. It was a good thirty minutes before Poe and Finn returned with Chewie, all of them looking a little worse for wear.
Blix, who was finally feeling a bit better, asked, “What happened to you 3?”
“Uh. Found Chewie. Got caught. Almost killed. Phasma saved us? And is apparently the spy?” Poe explained quickly making his way to the cockpit.
Blix blinked at that info she was given, somewhat stunned, “Okay then.”
“Chewie? You okay bud?” Blix questioned, turning to the Wookie.
He quickly told her; he was fine, just tired before joining Poe in the cockpit.
They began to make their way Kef Bir, hoping that the Falcon would stay in one piece long enough to get them there. It had taken some damage as they escaped Kijimi.
When they landed, Chewie stayed behind to make repairs as they ventured out. They looked around, a slight chill in the air from the harsh breeze that blew across the vast ocean before them. There in the midst of the torrent waves was a section of the Death Star. They stood there, trying to figure out how they were going to get over to it when a voice called out to them.
“You’re the fighters of the Resistance?” Came a powerful female voice from behind them.
They all turned to see a woman leading a group of people, a bow in her hands. She was dressed in a pale-yellow shirt and a fluttery cape to match, with a pair of capris and sandals to top it off. Her armor was light, but that didn’t appear to matter too much for how she held herself. Her stance, and her presentation commanded attention, especially as they looked to her people whose body language showed relaxed confidence.
“My name’s Jannah. Babu Frik told us you were coming. How can we help?” She asked, stepping forward to greet them.  
Poe and Finn stepped forward and began talking with her, leading her and her tribe over to the Falcon. Rey and Blix looked at the Death Star heap and were looking to see if there was a way to it.
Rey spotted a sea skiff and pointed it out to Blix. Blix nodded her head, and they made their way to it. They got on and held on tightly as Rey steered it toward the wreckage. The waves thrashed against the skiff hard, making it fly up at times. After what seemed to be hours but was really only mere minutes they were near the wreckage.
They pull themselves up onto a platform that they could reach and began to carefully maneuver their way inside.
It took some time but soon they were standing in a room with a throne.
“Alright Rey. If he really is your grandfather, this room will only respond to you,” Blix noted as they moved forward.
They looked around and as Rey touched a wall off to the side, a secret door opened. Rey jumped back slightly, not expecting it.
She started to move forward but stopped when she noticed Blix wasn’t following.
“Are you coming?” She asked expectantly.
“I can’t. This… this is your defining moment honey. Whatever you face in there, I can’t help you with. You are about to be presented with a choice. A choice I can’t help you decide. I’ll be here when you get out,” Blix said sagely, knowing that that this was Rey’s moment.
Rey looked scared for a moment but when she looked at Blix, she knew what she was trying to convey. She straightened up, took a deep breath and walked forward.
Blix could sense the dark presence that appeared near Rey and waited patiently. Moments later, the presence was gone, and Rey walked out with the Wayfinder, excited.
“That was terrifying, but I did it!” She exclaimed rushing up to Blix.
Blix laughed softly, “Good job. Now, let’s get out of here. This place gives me the creeps.”
“Not so fast… We have unfinished business,” Came Maeve’s voice from above them.
She jumped down, lightsaber lit and swung hard at Rey. Rey trying to dodge and get her lightsaber out, dropped the Wayfinder. Maeve picked it up and using the Force, she destroyed it.
Rey yelled out in rage and began to fight Maeve harder. Her swings were harsh and powerful, but Maeve was the same. Blix chased after them as they made their way outside. Blix pulled out both of her lightsabers and jumped in between them.
“Enough! Both of you!” Blix yelled trying to stop them both, her lightsabers blocking both of theirs.
Rey stepped back but stood at the ready just in case. Maeve held her lightsaber against Blix’s, pushing as hard as she could to get her to yield.
“Maeve. How old are you?” Blix asked her over the roar of the waves crashing all around them.
“15. Why?” She asked with a snarl.
“15. Why are you fighting an old man’s war? That man does not give a damn about you. Just ask all of his other apprentices. He uses them like they are tissues, and tosses them when they are no longer useful,” She began staring her in the eyes. “If Sidious successfully turned his granddaughter to the Dark Side, what happens to you, hm? Siths only have one apprentice.”
“He wouldn’t. He promised that I would be his successor, that I would have all the power,” Maeve disputed shaking her head.
“Baby girl. All he thinks of is power, and how to get more of it. He would sooner see his bloodline take the throne, than a granddaughter of a Sith that he hated in the end. Listen to me, you know. You know deep down that I’m telling you the truth,” Blix pleaded softly, turning off her lightsaber.
Maeve lower lip trembles slightly, before asking, “What do I do?”
“You got a couple options. One, you leave here, you go be a normal teenager. Two, you go back to Sidious knowing that he will betray you in the end. Or three, you come with us and I’ll be your teacher,” Blix listed out with a sigh.
Maeve snorted, “Let me guess: teach me the ways of the Jedi, and how to be good and pure?”
“No. I’m not a regular Jedi. I’m a Grey. I know what it’s like to be fueled with rage and hate. I know what it’s like to want revenge. I even know what it’s like to take a life. Yet, I also realized that wasn’t the life for me. That being that angry all the time… is exhausting. It tears down your soul. You have a choice, and I hope you choose one that doesn’t involve being an expendable soldier to a man who should’ve died 30 years ago,” Blix spoke truthfully, hoping Maeve would see reason.
Maeve stared at her for a moment, slowly turning her lightsaber off. She bit her lip before asking, “Would I get a cooler lightsaber color?”
Blix chuckled softly at the childlike question and said, “Yeah. We can make you a cooler lightsaber.”
Blix reclipped her lightsabers to her belt and held out her hand to Maeve. Maeve contemplated for a moment, her eyes flicking back and forth between her hand and her face.
She slowly reached out but stopped. She turned around and made her way over to her modified TIE fighter.
Blix sighed in disappointment, thinking she didn’t convince her. Rey stepped forward, placing her hand on Blix’s shoulder, “You tried.”
Blix then noticed that Maeve was now making her way over to them again.
“You needed one of these, right?” Maeve confirmed holding a Wayfinder in her hands.
Blix smiled brightly and said, “Yes. Yes, we do. Let’s go, yeah?”
They used the TIE fighter to get back over to land, the 3 of them squished into one chair. When they landed, Poe and Finn were armed, ready to fight.
“Whoa boys. Chill. It’s just us,” Blix called out as the 3 of them crawled out.
The three of them stood there, soaking wet, and slightly shivering.
Poe gazed at Blix expectantly, looking between her and Maeve.
“This is Maeve. Maeve, this is Poe and Finn. Maeve decided she wanted to be on the winning side, and even gave us her Wayfinder. Be nice. Now, can we get out of here or at the very least, can we go get changed?” Blix introduced quickly, ushering Rey and Maeve to get inside.
“Hon?” Poe called trying to regain her attention.
“Yeah babe?” Blix responded innocently.
“Tell me… do you plan to adopt every Force Sensitive child out there?” He asked somewhat seriously but the smile that was creeping on his face said otherwise.
“Maybe? Is that a problem?” She questioned worriedly.
“Gonna need a bigger house than,” He mumbled, shaking his head.
“Well. My family home is quite large, enough for us to adopt and… have some of our own,” She whispered to him, moving closer to him.
“Oh? Is that so? Good to know,” He whispered back, pressing a small kiss to her lips. “We can discuss the logistics later along with that nightmare you had earlier.”
Blix nodded her head in agreement, and the two of them turned to get inside the Falcon. She quickly moved into one of the more private areas to change clothes when she felt something.
A wave of sadness washed over her. She reached out through the Force, trying to figure out what happened.
She contacted Ben, ‘Whats going on? What just happened?’
Ben’s reply… took a moment… but he slowly told her, ‘My uncle… he… healed my mother…’
It was then she knew why she felt the wave, the disturbance. Luke gave up his life for Leia.
‘We’re on our way.’ Blix stated making her way back out to the center room.
Rey looked at her confused, “What was that? What just happened?”
“Luke. Luke saved Leia,” She began to explain, her voice cracking.
“Okay… but wh-” Rey stopped, realization hitting her.
Poe and Finn looked at the two of them confused, Finn asking, “Isn’t that a good thing?”  
“Jedi can heal. But if the damage is great, then it becomes a life for a life. Luke saved Leia, but it means he gave up his own lifeforce for her. However, that… that doesn’t necessarily mean she’s cured. I’d have to check on her when we get back,” Blix quietly explained as Rey came up to her and hugged her.
Poe nodded his head and made his way to the cockpit starting up the Falcon. Finn walked over and took Rey into his arms, holding her close as she cried.
Maeve stood there quietly before joining Poe up front. He glanced at her briefly but as he and Chewie took off, he turned to her.
He scrutinized her for a moment before informing her, “I hope you know; she’s putting a lot of trust in you. She’s vouching for you, and I hope you don’t let her down by betraying her.”
Maeve nodded her head, “I understand.”
“Do you have any family left, kid?” He asked curiously.
“No. I have no one. Been that way for a couple of years,” She answered truthfully.
“Well. I hope you’re ready for the family you just earned. We’re a little bit crazy but we mean well. May as well get settled, it’s a long way back to base,” He noted as Blix stepped inside.
Blix smiled at him softly and took a seat next to Maeve. This war was nearing its end, the final battle was upon them. They needed to gather their numbers, and hope that the rest of the Republic would join them in the final blow to the First Order.
2 notes · View notes
ain-t-bovvered · 5 years ago
Text
15x04 Commentary
bunch of tired and caffeinated Europeans ( plus a sleepy American) scream together, and then die and try to get on with their day ( lol AS IF)
Hello and welcome:
@purpleskiesandcherrypies​  (Nat)
@dean-winchesters-bacon​  (Kat)  
@waywardbaby​  (Zee)
@ain-t-bovvered  (Giulia)
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Giulia: Ok so in my haste of things i just spilled all my hot coffee on my self.  I’m burning but the ep is ready. But fuck
Kat: Oh shit. Go rinse with cold water
Zee: You alive ??
Giulia: No i burned my self with coffee
Nat : Where did you spill it
Giulia: Leg
Nat : You need a minute?
Giulia: No i think I’m good
Zee: Any blisters ?
Giulia: Well i’ll see tomorrow won’t I.  Whatever just start the episode I’m already angry. Just...start the ep so I can deal with the mess later on , can’t wait for that
Nat : ok
Nat : 3
Nat : 2
Nat : 1
Nat : go
Nat : "We're gonna be free"
Giulia: No i don t wanna see this again
Zee: Becky ?
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Giulia: Gasps
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Zee: Wtf?
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Nat : is
Nat : that
Kat: BEARDED DEAN BEARDED DEAN BEARDED DEAN
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Giulia: AAAAAAH
Nat : AHHHHHHHHH
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Giulia: jesus christ
Nat : BAMF
Giulia: Yes please
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Nat : I THINK I'M WET
Kat: I KNOW I AM FUCKING HOTNESS IS WHAT IT IS
Giulia: YUM
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Nat : I JUST SQUIRTED?
Zee: Are you asking ?
Nat : I'M NOT SURE IT'S ALL WET
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Giulia: THE FUCK THE FUCK
Nat : FUCK
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Nat : I'M NOT OK
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Giulia: I HATE HOW MUCH I LOVE THIS
Nat : IT'S MORE THAN I HOPED FOR
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Giulia: YES
Giulia: YES SAME
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Kat: SO MUCH BAMF BEARDED DEAN
it’s what we deserve
Giulia: FUCK AAAAAAH
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Nat : LUMBERJACK
Kat: BBBEEENNNNNNNNYYYYYY
Zee: Benny?
Giulia: AAAAAAAAAAAAAA
Nat : BENNY
Giulia: BENNY
Nat : I KNEW IT
Giulia: BEEEENNY
Nat : BENNYYYYYY
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Giulia: NO
Nat : I TOLD YA
B: I'll see you on the other side, brother
Giulia: NOT THE SAME LINE
Zee: I can’t type
Nat : I'M CRYING
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Zee: Bye
Giulia: FUCK OFF
Giulia: FUCKING HELL
Nat : OK BACK TO THE BEARD
Giulia: NO WHERE
Nat : THE VOICE
Kat: SAME THING HE SAID BEFORE HE WENT INTO DEANS ARM
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Giulia: FUCK OFF
Nat : HE CAN LITERALLY HAVE ANYTHING HE WANTS
Nat : WHY ARE WE ALL SCREAMING
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Giulia: AAAAAAH
Kat: FUCK HES SUCH A BADASS
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Zee: OHHH FUCK
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Nat : SHIT
Giulia: HATE THAT
Nat : CAN WE HAVE A PARALLEL SHOW WHERE EVERYONE IS BAMF
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Kat: BOYKING DEMON SAM
D: What you did to them...what you did to Bobby...to Jody...
S: They tried to stop me. But I will not be stopped.
D: Sam, you listen to me.This is the demon blood. You have to fight it!
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Giulia: JENSEN MY GOD
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Nat : SHIT
S: Why would I do that?
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D: Sammy Please
Giulia: MY GOD I CAN T
Nat : "SAMMY" I HATE IT WHEN HE SAYS IT
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Giulia: SAMMY PLEASE
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Nat : SAMMY PLEASE
Giulia: HOW ABOUT NO
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Nat : NO
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Giulia: WOW OK
Nat : FUCK YOU SAM
Kat: OUCH
Nat : Is that chucks book
Kat: And bye bye bearded Dean. Gone too soon
Already missed
Giulia: Well Sam do see his shit now
Nat : The beginning with Dean sounds like something I would write
Nat : I WANT MORE OF THAT DEAN
Giulia: Don t we all
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S: Dean, you know I don't eat --
Is Sam vegetarian now?
Nat : VEGGIE BACON
Zee: VEGGIE BACON
Nat : WHY ARE WE STILL SCREAMING
S: "I don't want any of that hippie, Sarah McLaughlin grass-eater crap in the Meat Man's kitchen."
Giulia: MEAT MAN
Nat : THE MEAT MAN DOES HE KNOW WHAT IT MEANS?
Zee: ARE WE ALL GONNA BE TYPING IN CAPITALS?
Giulia: YEAH
Kat: It means he has a big dick
Nat : I KNOW, BUT HE DOESN'T
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Nat : Anyway, I'm done watching am I not? That's it. That's the whole episode
Kat: My boys need hugs
D: Look, man, I get it, okay? With Jack...and Rowena..
Giulia: ARE WE GONNA ADRESS
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Giulia: SEEMS NOT
Giulia: OK FINE, IT’S FINE, WE’RE FINE
Kat: What
 Zee: What?
Giulia: Nothing . We just gonna push it down in true Winchester style. 
Nat : Of course not, it's a filler episode
Kat: Oh, I think I know If it’s what I think, it’s not mentioned at all
Giulia: What else is new
S: That’s real bacon
D: You're damn right it is
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meat man
Nat : Ok bye guys
Kat: SIT YOUR ASS DOWN
Nat : I WANT TO THINK THAT I SAW EVERYTHING I WANTED
Zee: No you didn’t
Kat: But it’s Jensen’s last ep. And I really like it.
Giulia: Anyway
Nat : lAcrOsS
Zee: The end of the world
Zee: He knows
Nat : The little prayer thing at half time
Kat: Ugh parents
Nat : me talking to someone
Nat : SIR CONTAIN YOUR EYEBROWS
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Zee: That’s awesome
Giulia: That’s awesome
Giulia: Ok but u know what i don’t like about filler eps tho. That they are like these oases outside of everything where seems like things don’t matter .... Whatever
Nat : Gag me
Zee: Kinky
Nat : please do
Kat: What she said
Nat : SHOULDER TO HIP RATIO
Giulia: Oh the flask again.  What esle is also new, this day is already ruined anyway
Kat: So good
Nat : also it's been shot in the beginning, I hardly think that Jensen knew what happened the episode before that.
Zee: Why is dean drinking and eating all the time?
Nat : don't you do that?
I mean....same
S: We keep them from dealing with the truth, with what's out there, and we carry the weight. It's great. They have no idea What's out there.
Kat: Sammy is a little disillusioned
Giulia: OH WHAT
Nat : oh no
Zee: Becky?!
Giulia: awe
Kat: She’s so normal now
Nat : There's something wrong with Becky
Zee: Great
Giulia: No fuck off
Nat : Ah, there it is
Kat: Not with her lol
Nat : God is fucking desperate
Giulia: That’s not everybody’s else problem tho so can he fuck off
Zee: Somebody’s got a fetish
Kat: Okay Dean
Nat : Don't we all
Kat: Cheerleader fetish lol
Nat : Mine is Dean
Kat: Many
Giulia: Of course she is
Giulia: Oh becky
Nat : mY WOrK
Zee: Oh honey
Nat : A little obsessed
Giulia: Oh honOh look she is us after the show ends
Nat : What show ends?
Kat: The one you’re not watching
Kat: At least she’s not a complete wackadoodle now
Nat : A little bit of a falling out
Zee: Poor God,  Nobody wants to hang out with him
Nat : God is a fucking child throwing a tantrum
Kat: Because he’s a douche
Giulia: Awe that’s so pathetic it’s almost cute
Nat : It sounds wrong
B: I am married to an amazing man, I have two great kids,and I like myself, Chuck. For the first time in a long time, I like myself. So I don't need you.
YOU GO GIRL
Nat : you do you, becky
Zee: By Becky nonetheless
G: You don't need me. No one does.
Zee: Boo fucking hoo
G: I feel so lost.
Kat: Oh shut up with the pity party chuck
B: Then, Chuck, you have to write.
Giulia: Oh no he doesn t
Nat : Dean is eating his way through the episode
Kat: Rob plays annoying so well
Kat: thicc arms
Giulia: Sure she wants to help you lol
Kat: Dean with the slow clap
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Zee: That smile
Nat : I can't with Dean's eyebrow this episode
Giulia: Felt that
Kat: I need wine lol
Nat : It's the dad?
Giulia: Wow
Nat : Anything stronger than what? Water?
Zee: What does he want with Becky ??
G: I mean, I used to be able to see Sam and Dean in my head, wherever they were, whatever they were doing. It was all just there, ripe for the picking. And now it's just gone.
Nat : oh god, chuck annoys the fuck out of me
Nat : throw him out, becks
Giulia: Hey
Zee: Fan fic isn’t the same ?? Excuse you dick
Nat : I read EXPOSE your dick
 Kat: I wish she wouldn’t push him to write
Giulia: Awe look at that maniac stare
Kat: Bad idea
Giulia: Ew no
Kat: Of course
Nat : Ah, it's both of them
Nat : Sam walks in with a puppy look
Kat: He looks like that the whole ep
Giulia: How they know
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Zee: TheY seriously need to control their ducking faces
Zee: Fu
D: We're not FBI.
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Giulia: Well that was hot
Nat : Where did he keep the machete
Nat : in his pants?
IN HIS MEAT MAN PANTS 
Kat: A holster under his many layers
Giulia: Not great
Nat : The way he says Sammy
Kat: JUST WAIT
Nat : But right at his ass
Zee: FOCUS
Kat: She is. On his ass.
Nat : I can't. I wanna see how he pulls it out from another angle
Zee: What she said
Nat : finger guns
B: No one even mentions Cass.
Giulia: AH
Zee: Thanks Becky
Giulia: I LIKE BECKY
Nat : Becky gets it
Giulia: chuck angry
Kat: SHUT UP BECKY
Nat : Ah no,
Giulia: Fuck. No thanks
Nat : I give you danger
Zee: Fuck you becky
NO, WE LIKE HER NOW
Nat : get off my dick god
Nat : Ah
Kat: Now you know
Nat : Well
dad: You don't have children, do you? Because if you did, you would know that to see your child in pain rips your heart out. And you'd know that you'd do anything. You'd die for them.
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Giulia: AH but he does. They all do
Nat : He had a child, thank you very much
Giulia: JACK
Zee: And Ben
Nat : EMMA
Giulia: Meh whatever
Giulia: Hate this
Kat: This whole thing is sad
Nat : I mean, I kinda feel for them
Zee: The kid wants to do good
snorts.....like Jack....lol ring any bell?
*sound of someday starts to play*
Nat : AH
Giulia: AAAAAH
Zee: NOOOOOOO
Nat : SOUNDS OF SOMEDAY
Giulia: FUCK
Nat : WHAT
Giulia: STOP
Nat : MY GOD
Giulia: SOB
Nat : Great, now I will associate it with that scene?
Giulia: UGH
Zee: IM DEAD
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Giulia: WOW OK
Nat : I'm sads
Zee: SHIT
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Giulia: WELL OK
Nat : It's so sad
Giulia: oh no this is so sad. This shot is beautiful tho
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Nat : Cuz it's true, the lengths parents are willing to go
Giulia: Chuck fuck off
Zee: FUCK YOU CHUCK
Nat : CHUCK SHOULD FUCKING GET OFF OUR DICKS
Giulia: Yeah it is dark af
Kat: IT GETS SO BAD GUYS
Giulia: Nice
Kat: HOLD ME
Zee: FUCK YOU
Nat : GO TELL HIM BECKY
Kat: Winchester 😭
Zee: WHYVIS BECKY US ?
B: You can't do this to the fans.
Nat : It's good right?  Fuck off
Giulia: I already hate this
Kat: OH NO OH NO OH NO
Nat : Ah no
Giulia: OH COME ON
Nat : WTF
Giulia: CHUCK
Nat : FUCK YOU
Kat: IT GETS WORSE
Nat : FUCK YOU CHUCK
Zee: I can’t
Giulia: Ah babe dean already did that. Remember when Dean prayed to God about Mom, Crowley and Castiel? lol Bet this fucker made the exact face , maybe munching on popcorn 
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Nat : WHAT IS THIS SHIT
Giulia: and we are at 5 goodbyes . So: Kevin, Ketch, Rowena, Becky, Benny
Nat : I SHOULD HAVE STOPPED WATCHING IN THE BEGINNING AFTER THE RIDICULOUSLY HOT DEAN
Kat: See she shouldn’t have encouraged him
Giulia: With my leg burning
Zee: Shut up both of you
Nat : Go look after your leg
Kat: Now for the BM scene
Giulia: My room smells like coffee
Zee: Not bad
Giulia: Coffee i did not drink
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Nat : Ah stop it Dean
Giulia: Why they look so much all over the place tho
S: we'd have done the same thing. For Jack. If we had the chance.
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I can’t decipher Dean’s expression right now . idk.
D: I get it. We have lost way, way too much. And it's hard not to feel like just...cashing out. I felt like that.  After Chuck, back at the crypt. But you know what brought me back?  You did. By sayin' that what we do still matters. I mean, that's why I wanted to drag us out here  That's why I wanted to -- to work a case, to save lives, you know? 'Cause it is -- it's a -- it's a crap job.  We do the ugly things so that people can live happy.
S: lucky them
D: We still do the job. But we don't do it for us We did it for Jack,  for Mom, for Rowena. We owe it to anybody who has ever gave a damn about us to keep putting one foot in front of the other. No matter what. And, hey, man, like you said, now that Chuck's gone,
Giulia: AH THEY THINK
D: we're finally on our own.  We are finally free to... move on, you know?
Nat : Sam with his stupid puppy face
S: I can't forget any of them. Dean, I still think about Jessica. I -- I can't just let that go.
Giulia: aw sam
Kat: I still think about Jessica
Zee: Someone hug Sam
Kat: Damn it not the hearts
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Kat: Sammy is broken af 😭
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Nat : "I can't even breathe"
Nat : Same, Sam
Giulia: Hate this
Giulia: Hate
S : But maybe tomorrow. You know, maybe I'll -- I'll feel better in the morning.
Giulia: Can sam stop crying
Giulia: Asking for a friend
Nat : Can Sam just stop Period
Kat: Ugh chuck again
Giulia: Asshole
Nat : We all know it
Zee: I hate it
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Nat : Promo?
Nat : So young,  and the way he's so full of himself "obviously", so proud
Giulia: So cocky
Giulia: Bastard
Kat: Makes me giggle bc the fandom always says he doesn’t age
Zee: I can’t wait for the million red gifs
Kat: I’ve already reblogged a few sets
Zee: I saw
Kat: And made a post about his beard
Kat: Did you look before the episode?
Zee: I can’t hear you. I’m entering a tunnel 
Why am I not even a bit surprised.
Zee: I’m talking about the gifs Giuls will start slapping us with
Giulia: Idk I don t feel like it. I’d would love to make them nicer BUT NO ONE I ASKED TOLD ME HOW so....
Nat : I’ll rewatch the first 5 minutes and keep on squirting
Zee: TMI bb?! lol
Nat : Is there anything like TMI with us?
.
NO, there ain’t
.
.
.
.
If you want to get tagged send an ask HERE or to @waywardbaby or a smoke signal, idk whatever I’m tired af.
TAGS: @wayward-angelgirl​  @destiel-honeypie​      @mariekoukie6661​      @dragontamerm​       @closetspngirl​    @rainflowermoon​     @mattiecat​       @bunnybaby121115​  @aliaitee2​    @jacks-word-of-the-day​     @4evamc​       @dammitsammy​     @legendary-destiel​   @winchesterprincessbride​    @destielhoneybee​    @castiellover20   @ravenhg​ @evvvissticante​ @emoryhemsworth​
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broadwayyaddict · 4 years ago
Text
Sunflowers Never Die (Part 4)
The cemetery was silent. Time still felt like it was barely moving. None of them had anything to say. The three of them felt numb and their heads were pounding from crying so much. Anthony had his arm around Jasmine and her head was tucked against his neck. Anthony was holding Star with his other arm. Her eyes were glassed over and her face was emotionless. None of them knew how to deal with this.
They watched numbly as the casket was lowered into the ground, still not fully being hit by the realization. She was wearing her favorite blue dress and the hat Star had given her when they shaved her head. The thing that shattered them the most, especially Anthony, was the promise ring on her finger that he was going to give her for her 6th birthday.
Their friends and family were standing with them, trying their best to provide support. It had been two weeks since Brooklyn had died and all of them had tried to be there for the family as best they could.
As soon as the funeral was over, they said goodbye to everyone and went right back to their car. The car ride was silent mainly because they didn't have anything to say anymore.
When they got home, Jasmine went into the kitchen to clean up from lunch. Anthony went to help her and Star stopped in the middle of the living room, looking around. She immediately burst into tears, sitting down on the floor.
"Oh baby," Jasmine said and Anthony went to pick her up.
She started crying harder, wrapping her arms around his neck. "I-I w-ant her b-back," she sobbed.
"I know bubba, I do too," he said, letting the first few tears slip out of his eyes.
He sat down on the couch and Jasmine tucked herself against him, letting herself cry too. Anthony pressed a long kiss to her forehead, resting his cheek against her head. They let themselves cry together and tried to deal with the fact that she was actually gone.
A couple weeks had passed and they decided to send Star back to school, today being her first day. Jasmine got home and went upstairs, looking for Anthony.
He was sitting on their bed, facing away from her and holding the ring box that used to contain her promise ring.
Jasmine sat behind him on the bed, wrapping her arms around him. "Hi," she whispered.
"Hey," he responded, placing his hand on hers. "How'd the drop off go?"
"It was okay," she said. "She was hesitant to leave me, but she'll be okay. Are you okay though?"
He sighed, setting the ring box aside. "She wasn't supposed to leave this early," he said, his voice cracking.
He turned to face her and pulled her into his lap, tucking his face against her neck. She felt his shoulder shaking and hugged him tightly.
"I know, I want her back so much too," she responded, letting her tears fall.
"It's just too quiet," he said. "I don't know what to do with it. I don't know how to handle this or how to move on."
"Me neither," she responded. "I can't get that image out of my head of us laying in the hospital bed a few days ago looking at her baby pictures. It still doesn't feel really."
"She wasn't supposed to leave yet Jas," he mumbled, looking up at her. "How do we move on from this?"
She squeezed her eyes shut, leaning her forehead against his. "I don't know."
They spent the rest of the morning cuddling, looking at pictures of her, crying, and cuddling some more.
However, they got a call around 1 that Star had broken down in the middle of the hallway and couldn't stop crying. When they had walked past Brooklyn's classroom, she had looked in and saw the little memorial they had for her. A single sunflower sitting it a vase.
Anthony went to pick her up and as soon as he got home, they cuddled up in their bed again. They let Star cry and just did their best to comfort her and remind her that Brooklyn loved her very much.
It was that event that made them realize she couldn't go back to school yet. She was only 8, but she was still recovering and since she was so young, she didn't exactly know how to do that.
Jasmine made eye contact with him as Star was calming down and he pressed a soft kiss to her lips. She shifted closer to him and he wrapped his arm around the two of them.
"I love you two," he said, kissing Star's forehead, then Jasmine's.
"We love you back," Jasmine responded.
Once Star had cried everything out, they went downstairs to go prepare one of the dinners their family had brought them. It was quiet at the table and Brooklyn's place was still set there, almost like they were waiting to wake up and realize this was all a dream.
Star was exhausted from the day's events and went up to her bedroom immediately after dinner.
Jasmine and Anthony cuddled up on the couch together and Jasmine asked, "Do you think she should talk to someone?"
"Like a therapist?" he responded.
"I mean, it's pretty obvious she's struggling a lot with this," she said. "And we're still grieving too. Even on the days when we try our best, we may not be able to help her. It might be better for her to talk to someone who's professionally trained."
"That's true," he said, kissing her forehead. "I'll talk to my therapist and we'll go from there."
"Okay," Jasmine whispered, tucking her head into his neck.
They went to bed a little while later, feeling exhausted by the days events as well. However, Star woke Jasmine up around 2am in tears again.
"Come here baby," Jasmine said, lifting her into the bed. "What's goin' on?"
"I c-can't sl-sleep," Star told her, clutching onto her stuffed animal. "I'm sc-scared I'm g-onna die."
"Oh baby..." Jasmine said, rocking her back and forth. "I know it's scary, but I promise you you're not going to die."
"B-But Bro-oklyn went t-to sle-ep a-and sh-she didn't w-wake up," Star cried.
Jasmine rubbed her back and told her, "Honey, Brooklyn didn't die because she fell asleep, she was really really sick."
"Am I gonna get sick?" she asked, looking up at Jasmine.
"It's very unlikely that you will," Jasmine told her. "I know it's a really scary thing, but you'll be okay."
She sniffed, snuggling closer to Jasmine. "Can I stay in here?" she asked quietly.
"Of course you can," Jasmine responded. She rocked Star back and forth, humming quietly to her. Anthony was half awake and he rubbed Star's back, kissing her forehead.
"Sleep well beautiful," she whispered. "We love you so much and promise you're going to be okay."
She made sure Star was comfortable and continued humming, glancing around the room. Her eyes settled on the framed picture of Star and Brooklyn meeting for the first time. She sighed, looking down at Star. She was almost fast asleep and Jasmine brushed her thumb over her cheek. She closed her own eyes, kissing her forehead.
They all fell back asleep and woke up again to the sun streaming in "'M glad I don't have to go to school," Star mumbled, cuddling closer to Jasmine.
Jasmine smiled, rubbing her back. "I know it's tough," she said.
"I really miss her," Star told them.
"We all do baby," Anthony said, brushing his thumb over her cheek. She rolled onto her back and they could both see the tears in her eyes. Anthony leaned down and kissed her forehead.
"She will always be here with us," Jasmine told her. "Even if she isn't here physically, her spirit is always here."
Star took shuddering breaths and asked, "Really?"
"Really," Anthony responded. "And she's always watching us and taking care of us to make sure we're okay."
They would never forget the bright spirit she had brought to them and in some ways it would never die. Because sunflowers never die.
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kalgalen · 5 years ago
Note
31 jm
I started this before this week’s ep but boy did it give me more fodder
Tell me a nice memory.
Cutting off a part of himself was never going to be easy.
It’s not literal, this time, but it isn’t any less painful. He’s attempting to destroy that which brought him back to life once before, and the process feels like dying all over again - but slowly, this time, as shreds of himself are torn away by the cruel talons of a god that doesn’t give anything for free. The Powers don’t look kindly on the ones who chose to reject them, especially when they’ve embraced them so thoroughly in the past. The Eye will take and take until it’s got everything it has ever given him back, and does not care if everything that’s left once the Archivist is gone is an empty shell.
It’s a choice Jon had to make, though, after the world had not ended. He couldn’t justify keeping his status, after everything they’ve been through; the monster wasn’t needed anymore. Perhaps dying would have been simpler then - and he’d tasted the same thing in Melanie’s thoughts and side glances: we should just kill him.
But Martin had caught it too, and he had taken a sidestep closer to Jon, and glared at Melanie with such ferocious protectiveness Jon had felt his knees weaken.
And so he’s giving up on the monstrous part of himself. It feels like painstakingly picking shards of glass out of an old wound, like rooting out ivy from the old tree it’s keeping together. They’ve locked him in Elias’s old office; it isn’t the most agreeable place to spend his days and nights in, but it’s got a couch that’s comfortable enough, and the others can check on him regularly. They bring him food, as well as books to keep him distracted, but it’s like being offered vegetable scraps when what he craves is a five-courses meal. 
Daisy and Basira visit quite often, together or on their own, for mindless chatter - or companionable silence, as they each settle with a book and read quietly for a few hours. Melanie doesn’t come unless she’s on meal duty, and he supposes he should be grateful she agrees to do that at all. She seems to be warming up to him, though; he doubts she’ll ever go as far as calling him a friend, but she sticks around for a bit, once, and tells him Georgie has been asking about him.
“And… what did you tell her?” he had tentatively asked, voice rough with disuse. Melanie had shrugged.
“I said you were trying.”
Which is probably the most charitable way to describe his situation. There’s not much he can actually do to help with the withdrawal process; he can only hold for dear life when the deprivation hits him badly, and hope he won’t wake up outside of the Institute with several more victims on his conscience - and in his dreams.
The nightmares have never been a fun part of his night, but now, as he loses the favor of the Beholding, they are even less so. He stops being a silent witnesses, living instead through the terrors that happened to other people. Buried, hunted, haunted; he wakes up choking on a scream more than once, spending the rest of the night with all the lights turned on and his back to the wall.
He feels lonely. No one asks how he’s doing in that fight against himself; the memory of the things he’s done is still too raw for them to pity him the way they would a human being. It’s unfair, and it hurts, and he hopes he can earn their forgiveness some day; in the meantime, he can only pretend he does not care when they find him huddled in a corner after a particularly bad attack, skin marred with bloody grooves and cheeks still wet with tears.
Jon misses Martin.
Martin visits a couple of times a week, mostly to bring him food, sometimes to tell him news from the outside. Jon shouldn’t miss him; but even if they’ve won, even now that the distance isn’t necessary anymore, he can’t help but feel like Martin’s avoiding him. He’s avoiding his gaze, for sure - though Jon can’t blame him for this. Martin talks about the weather as if it’s the prelude for something bigger and more important, but then tells Jon to have a good day and disappears. Their meetings are a frustrating ballet of silent apologies and unsaid confessions.
Jon misses Martin.
He knows Martin is fighting battles on his own. On some days - the bad ones, when his Sight is particularly strong - he can still catch glimpses of the fog stuck to the sole of Martin’s shoes, or the gossamer threads of silk caught between his fingers - or the inhuman spark in his eyes, hungry and curious, mirroring Jon’s own. And it feels - silly, and counterproductive, to avoid addressing their common struggle as an attempt to normalcy. What they save in shared awkwardness they suffer in private anguish.
This is no way to heal.
When Jon finally decides to break the ice, it’s more out of necessity than thanks to a spark of bravery. He’s not been having a good day; the Archives are calling to him, promising knowledge and power and relief, and he’s backed himself into a corner of the couch, frowning deeply at the book in his hands. He’s been reading the same paragraph over and over again, unable to focus on the lines; he hungers for more than empty words.
He jumps when the key turns in the lock, but slightly relaxes when Martin slips through, holding a tray.
“Hey,” Martin says, careful.
“Hi,” answers Jon. He closes the book, not bothering to hold it at the right page, and watches as Martin deposit the tray on Elias’ desk.
Martin shuffles in place, uncomfortable but unwilling to leave so soon; Jon finds himself smiling - longing.
“So. How was your…day?” Martin asks, putting on an interested face.
Jon chuckles, makes a show to think about it for a second.
“Oh, you know. Been doing some light reading, mostly? Not much else to do around.”
Martin winces. “Right.” He doesn’t let the short answer stop him, though. “Is it any good?”
Jon looks down on the ornate leather cover. He’s actually not even sure what it is about at all. He shrugs.
“Hard to tell. Did you know there still are two different letters from Adelard Dekker down in the Archives?”
Martin’s optimistic attitude doesn’t withstand this particular blow; he sighs, leans his hip against the desk as he crosses his arms. He’s deadly serious, suddenly, and Jon is reminded once again of how much he’s changed.
“You know you can’t ever see those, right?”
Jon slumps, feeling like a chided child.
“Right. Of course, I know. But I also know they’re here, and I want -” He cuts himself with a frustrated sign. He knows he has to take responsibility for his actions, but the yearning that lives in his chest isn’t his. Not entirely. “It wants to know, and I can’t stop thinking about it, and I swear I’ve been trying -”
The last few words are lost as he chokes on a sob. He swallows hard, tries to blink frustrated tears from his eyes as he looks away. He feels pitiful - the miserable shell of a man, about to crumple on itself if he doesn’t find anything else to fill him soon.
The couch dips when Martin sits next to him, and it takes all of Jon’s frayed will not to shuffle closer to his heat, both metaphorical and literal.
On his lap, Martin’s fingers are fiddling with the fabric of his pants; his hesitation is almost palpable in the silence of the office. Jon can taste his decisiveness on his tongue a split second before he speaks up:
“Alright, come here.”
Jon looks at him, bewildered. Martin has opened his arms for a hug and is staring at him expectantly, resolution in the slope of his eyebrow but apprehension in the set of his mouth. It takes a beat more for Jon to understand what he means, and that he means it, and then he’s closing the distance between them and letting himself being wrapped in an embrace that instantly loosen the knot in his throat.
It occurs to him he’s never hugged Martin before. Slowly, his movements jerky and unsure, he raises his arms - closes them around Martin’s middle and lets his face fall into the crook of Martin’s neck, breathing in deeply.
“You - are you alright, Jon?” Martin asks after a moment. “Or rather, is there anything I can do to help?”
One of his hands has started rubbing soothingly the back of Jon’s head, and with each scrape of fingers in his hair his mind strays further from the hunger in his chest.
“Don’t leave, please,” he mumbles into Martin’s collar.
“I’ll - I can stay with you for a bit. Of course.”
“Thank you.”
Martin hums and keeps petting him, and the tension Jon has been feeling for so long starts to fade. He closes his eyes.
“Do you mind if we - This isn’t the best position,” Martin says, half-pulling away. Jon is confused until he understands what Martin in trying to do. They rearrange themselves until they’re sitting side by side, Jon’s head on Martin’s shoulder, Martin’s fingers still running through Jon’s hair.
“Not that I’m complaining about what we’re doing right now,” Martin chuckles, “but is there anything else I can do?”
“I -” Jon hesitates. There’s an idea forming in his mind, something that might satisfy his hunger without having him giving up on his control. A parody of a statement, something for himself instead of for the Eye. He licks his lips, but in nervousness more that anticipation. “I don’t think I know you well yet, and I think it’s a shame, because we - because I, uh,” missed you love you want you to stay here with me for as long as possible, “care about you, you know? So I was thinking - can you tell me about yourself?”
Martin blinks at him in surprise, then squints.
“This isn’t - like, Beholding-related, right? Because you know I can’t do that.”
“No! Not at all. I just - I truly want to know you. What brings you joy. What makes you happy. That sort of thing. Tell me - tell me a nice memory.”
“A reverse-statement, huh?” Martin smiles, and Jon thinks the sight alone might be enough to bring him back to humanity. “Okay, I can do that. Give me a second.”
Martin thinks for a bit, and Jon closes his eyes again, letting himself enjoy the scrapping of nails against his scalp. When Martin starts speaking again, he is Jon’s only focus.
“So there was that one time, when my dad was still around…”
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