#otp: fake paris

[sesamestreep]

Eleanor/Chidi for 17, "holding the other’s chin up"

It’s only later on that Eleanor will remember that, when she was alive, she once said the only place she’d ever play Ultimate Frisbee was in Hell. Right now, in this particular moment, though, she’s too distracted by the enormous bump on Chidi’s forehead.

“Man, your reflexes need some work,” she says, as she surveys the damage.

“Yes, thank you, Eleanor, because now is obviously the time when I will be most receptive to criticism,” Chidi replies, looking miserable and childish the way he’s folded up on the grass. He looks like he needs an orange slice after his Little League game.

“I speak from a place of love, dude. I know you’re shredded under that dorky cardigan,” she says, motioning to the sweater he chose to wear, yes, over his jersey for the game Michael arranged. “You’d think at some point in all that working out you’d have picked up some hand eye coordination.”

He pulls off his glasses and rubs the bridge of his nose in what she assumes is frustration. “I prefer to get my exercise from solo activities. You know, ones that involve zero physical contact with others.”

Eleanor clicks her tongue. “Okay, you’re hurt so I’m not going to make any of the 85 masturbation jokes that just came to mind, but I need you to know that I thought of them. Hey, maybe I am becoming a better person!”

“Eleanor…”

“Right! Time and place! Janet!” she calls, and the soft boop that heralds Janet’s arrival sounds over her left shoulder.

“Hi, Eleanor! Hi, Chidi! Enjoying the Ultimate tournament?” Janet asks, sunny as always.

“Not so much,” Chidi gripes, as Eleanor rolls her eyes at the reminder of Michael’s insistence that the sport is called just Ultimate, not Ultimate Frisbee, at every single opportunity all day. It’s the forking Good Place, who cares about trademark law here?!

“Yeah, Chidi here got hit pretty hard in the noggin with a Frisbee, so could we get a bag of frozen peas for that bump?” Eleanor asks, sweetly. “Oh, and a flashlight!”

“Sure thing!” Janet replies, and Eleanor’s requests materialize immediately. “Anything else?”

“No, that’s all! Thanks, Janet!”

There’s another boop and they’re alone again, so Eleanor crouches to put the bag of peas on his forehead. Chidi reaches up to hold the bag himself and their hands brush, which makes her stupid little heart race. She assumes that these weird, giddy feelings that sometimes happen when she’s alone with Chidi have everything to do with being stuck in the Good Place with a soulmate she can’t actually bang for ethical reasons or whatever, and nothing to do with real romantic feelings. Because she doesn’t have those for people and she certainly doesn’t have them for Chidi. Sure, he’s cute enough, for a nerd, but he’s not her type. And besides, she’s not his real soulmate, so it would be kind of evil to try to hook up with him. That’s a thing she worries about now, because she’s such a good person.

“Why did you ask for a bag of peas, instead of an actual ice pack?” Chidi asks, interrupting her thoughts.

“A frozen bag of peas has healing properties that a regular old ice pack does not,” Eleanor says, glad for the distraction.

He frowns and the lines between his eyebrows deepen as he considers this. “There’s scientific proof of this?”

“No, Professor Buzzkill, but there’s anecdotal evidence,” she says, and Chidi smiles briefly at that. “Trust me, I’ve been in a lot of bar fights in my life. I know how to make the swelling on a black eye go down fast so you can still make it to your Tinder date later and not have him be all, ‘oh no, what happened? Should we go to the hospital? Are those someone else’s hair extensions in your purse?’”

Chidi just blinks at her in response. “Wow. That was…chilling,” he says, eventually. “What’s the flashlight for?”

Eleanor brandishes it like a sword. “To check your pupils, see if you have a concussion.”

“Let me guess, this is another thing you have a lot of experience with.”

“You know what they say, it’s not a good bar crawl unless someone ends up in the emergency room,” she says. “Also applies to bachelorette parties and baby showers.”

Chidi shakes his head, but says nothing. Eleanor leaves him to hold the bag of peas on his own and moves her hand to his chin so she can tip it up and get a better angle on his eyes. She clicks the flashlight on and shines it into his eyes one at a time, before pulling it away. His pupils react normally, and he tracks the movement of the flashlight pretty well, so he’s probably fine. She’s still considering him, though, when his eyes meet hers and that stupid excited feeling from before comes back in full force. This is precisely why she normally avoid eye contact with men! It’s way too easy to convince yourself you have feelings for someone if you gaze into their eyes long enough. She definitely saw a viral video on Facebook about that when she was alive and commented on it with a barfing emoji.

“So, what’s my diagnosis?” Chidi asks, softly, after they’ve been staring at each other for like a hundred years.

Eleanor clears her throat, and does her best impression of someone entirely unaffected by intense eye contact. “You’re fine,” she says, as dismissively as possible. “I told you it was nothing, you big baby.”

“I guess that makes sense,” he says with a self-deprecating smile. “Why would there be concussions in paradise?”

He hands her back the bag of peas and, of course, the bump on his head is magically gone. Eleanor takes the bag from him with limp hands, her mind still stuck on his question. His injury might have healed quickly, but what was the point of having it in the first place? What’s the point of making her and Chidi join this league in the first place, if neither of them liked this sport when they were alive? It doesn’t make sense.

Her gaze shifts over to where Michael is standing in a huddle with the others, talking in a hushed voice. His eyes are on her and Chidi, though, and it’s not quite concerned, the way he’s looking at them. She can’t name the emotion in his eyes, actually, but she doesn’t like it. No sooner does she notice it than it’s gone and Michael’s face smooths out into its normal, pleasant expression. He gives her a small, encouraging wave and turns his attention back to the huddle.

“What is it?” Chidi asks, following her gaze.

“Nothing,” Eleanor says, because that’s probably what it is. She’s just being paranoid. Everything is fine. She turns her attention back to Chidi, reaching out a hand to pat his knee. “That’s enough Frisbee for us, I think. Let’s go get you some orange slices, champ!”

[trekkielibrarian]

Trope Tuesday!

I love a good romance trope. One of my favorites is fake dating so of course I had to give it a P/T spin for Fever February! https://archiveofourown.org/works/37297366/chapters/93062986

[yup-thats-me]

Timothée Chalamet Instagram au #4

Request Here's a little fake Instagram concept: Timothee and Reader caught on camera by paparazzi when they were on a walk and fans going absolutely crazy - @0oolookitsme (a/n got it fixed:))

Note thank you for the request! But I don't know why Tumblr isn't letting me tag you :( anyways. Hope you enjoy ♥

@tchalamet✓

Liked by yourinstagram, selenagomez, kidcudi and 1,68,902 others

@tchalamet pay attention to ME!

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yourinstagram yo dude chill I was just admiring the street houses

tchalamet 😒

timmystan84 Timmy let's her drive Omg! My boyfriend doesn't even let's me touch the car

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shimmytimmy is she wearing his ring?

y/nlover literally mood

fantimny/n y/n being the girl we want to be

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@yourinstagram✓

Liked by milliebobbybrown and 2,49,765 others

@yourinstagram it's not Y/n who's posting. I'm Timothée and her account is hacked!

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yourinstagram care to explain Chalamet?

tchalamet it's sweet revenge, mon chérie ♥

yourinstagram Hmm. Fair enough

y/nandherearrings I made an account for Y/n's awesome earrings :3

y/nmyrolemodel i adore these two

timmysbeagles I'm convinced he was looking at y/n while clicking the picture

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@e!news

Liked by timotea, queen.y/n and 8,500 others

@e!news Actor Timothée Chalamet with actress girlfriend Y/n L/n spotted together in Paris. Follow for more!

timotea O MY GOD. OTP. MY. OTP

slaylikey/n Y'all our ship is finally sailing 🚢

y/nstan WOOOOOOOH HOOO!!!!!!!!

fan008 YASSSS!!!

timoteeandy/n smiling, crying, throwing up

y/nlover we believe in Timothée and Y/n supremacy🛐

yourinstagram .....

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@yourinstagram✓

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@yourinstagram a couple in the city of love 💕

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selenagomez enjoy your stay my sweeties

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fan67 I want what they have

y/nstan27 they always look so good wtf?

y/nfan7520 *Amour Plastique by Videoclub starts playing in background*

zendaya 😘💐❇️

tchalamet 🖤

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@tchalamet✓

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@tchalamet tu es plus belle que tout au monde ma chérie 🥀

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[authorforrosie]

Dating Dami from Dreamcatcher Would Include:

• Dami helped you with mathematics when you study at a University.

•You both became friends before her debut and started dating when she turned 23 years old.

•Dami showing you affection in public though holding your hand, caressing your cheeks, holding your waist or kissing you on the lips.

•Dami’s best friends also bandmates from Dreamcatcher teasing you both when you both have love bites on your neck and jawline.

•Dami making jokes about how she wants to kiss you all the time making her bandmates fake gag and saying to get a room.

•Dami often zoning out thinking about you or about how much she loves you in the relationship.

•You surprise visiting her in music studio or on tours because you knew how lonely it can be to be alone so you wanna inspiration her to keep up the motivation every day.

•You marrying Dami either in a garden with many flower field or beach because she wants to see you walking towards her in dress/suits that makes you feel comfortable.

•You baking cookies or cakes for Dami and her best friends also bandmates who loved your baking more than almost anything besides their group ‘Dreamcatcher.’

•Dami glaring at her bandmates when they make jokes about how they wanna marry you.

•Dami teaching you Korean and you teaching her English in return.

•You often sending her a bunch of red roses when you can’t be with her because of work even though you would rather stay by her side.

•Dami giggling when you rap her verses in songs from Dreamcatcher.

•Your cheeks flushing red like a tomato when you notice her watching you dance to scream.

•Dami smiling after a bad day at work when she heard you play Odd Eyes always on repeat. She knew you were obsessed with that song besides Boca.

•You both dancing at Boca when it’s 3am outside in front of the street when it isn’t so busy with cars.

•You both telling each other ‘I love you’ for the first time after dating for almost eight months by accident after Dami got hurt clumsily while performing Boca.

•You motivation Dami every day to keep going and always praise her rap verses.

•You and Dami rapping a self-written love song on the wedding from SUA.

•Dami taking you to Paris when she ask you to marry her.

•Her best friends also bandmates calling themselves the captain of their otp y/s/n ship which is you and Dami.

•Dami being overprotective in public and even around your friends.

•You comforting Dami with kisses, hugs, massages and K-Dramas when she has a bad day at studio or just having mood swings.

•Dami getting baby fever whenever you both babysit a baby/child for your friends or family members. The baby’s/child’s loving you both and calling you ‘the best auntie.’

[bring-the-storm]

Rated: T

Word Count: 1833

written for @mlcorefour appreciation week

After accidentally panicking and telling basically the whole world that she's dating a member of the hero team, Ladybug must someone to fake-date her, and fast. Of course Carapace suggests the obvious solution: she can just date his girlfriend for a few weeks. As the plan dissolves into chaos, the four learn what it means to be the heart of a team, while also getting into more shenanigans than humanly possible along the way.

---

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

Those were the first words to tumble from Chat Noir’s lips, his smile too overeager, too happy to be genuine. 

“I didn't-”

“Girl, you have GOT to be kidding me,” Rena Rouge interrupted, whirling on her the second her feet touched the rooftop. “I thought we were friends!?! Who is it? Pegasus? Viperion?”

“I thought he was dating Ryuko,” Carapace jumped in.

“I’m not-” Ladybug opened her mouth to explain, only to be interrupted. She couldn’t really blame Alya (who only had fifteen Ladynoir pinterest boards and showed them off to anyone who so much as mentioned the superhero duo). 

“Oh, right,” Rena Rouge nodded. “Otherwise she totally would’ve been my next guess.” The fox heroine turned to her desperately. “Please don’t tell me it’s Tigresse. I’ve been working on my Tigerella fanfic for months.”

“Guys, can you calm down for-”

“King Monkey, maybe?” Carapace guessed as Chat plopped down on the edge of the building, failing at not looking miserable. “He doesn’t really seem like he’s her type, but you never know.”

Rena Rogue cut her off again. “I swear, if it’s Vesperia and I didn’t see it coming…” The heroine buried her face in her hands. “Ladybug you better explain. I don’t know what to do with my life anymore!”

Instantly, three sets of eyes locked on her, begging for clarification. Ladybug took a deep breath.

“Guys, I’m not dating anyone.”

“But you said-” Rena protested. 

“I know and I’m sorry!” she cried, trying not to look at Chat as her face heated. Not that it meant anything. Obviously.  “The reporters kept asking all these questions and I just wanted to get out of there and it slipped out.”

It was hard to miss the flash of relief in Chat’s eyes.

“So, let me get this straight,” Carapace said, staring at her incredulously. “Your grand plan to get out of a stressful press conference was to tell everyone in Paris on live television that you’re dating someone on our team?”

It sounded a lot worse when he said it out loud.

“I panicked,” Ladybug admitted with a wince.

Carapace breathed a sigh of relief. “Well, at least you can just admit that and everything will go back to normal.”

Rena Rouge and Chat Noir glanced at each other knowingly and almost simultaneously burst into giggles, as if he had said something hilarious.

“That doesn’t sound like a good sign,” Ladybug swung her yo-yo in an anxious circle.

“Trust me when I say it will not work out like that,” Chat Noir smirked somewhat bitterly in the light of the setting sun.

Rena waved her hand across the sky as if she could already read the headlines written on the clouds. “Shocking Reveal - Ladybug Tells All.”

“I could just tell them the truth,” she tried to protest.

“Heroes Attempt to Cover up the Truth,” Alya finished, stopping the yo-yo’s frantic circle with her flute.

Ladybug groaned, wanting to kick something, preferably Hawkmoth’s stupid face.

“And of course it's right around the anniversary,” Chat Noir reminded her.

“Uh, no it’s not,” Carapace glanced at her partner like he was crazy. 

And he kinda was. She distinctly remembered a picnic with a certain kitty on the rooftops near where she ‘fell from heaven’ as they watched a parade of small children stream by, wearing Stoneheart cosplay only a few months ago.

“Not that anniversary,” Chat Noir deflated a little. “I was talking about Oblivio.”

Her brain screeched to a halt. 

“This just keeps getting better and better,” she groaned. 

Carapace and Rena exchanged a glance. “What does that have to do with anything?”

“After a certain Ladyblogger posted a photo of me and Chat,” she locked her gaze on Rena, relishing the moment a little too much. “Some of the fans seem to have gotten it into their heads that Kitty and I are destined to get together on that day.

“Generally involving a week full of frustrated Ladynoir-shipping akumas,” Chat jumped in. “And one exhausted and pointedly not together bug and cat.”

Ladybug giggled. “Okay, you have to admit, some of them are kinda funny.”

The cat hero snorted. “I wouldn’t call Aphrodite funny.”

“What about the fanfic style one?” she nudged his knee playfully, trying to see if banter would help cheer him up. “You have to admit, throwing mugs at the akuma during the coffee shop AU was the best.”

A hint of a real smirk flickered across her partner’s lips. 

“You called me sweet when you dumped all that sugar in my hair,” she reminded him.

“It was an accident!” he protested with a grin.

“Yeah, right,” Ladybug crossed her arms. “You were supposed to throw it at him. You totally did it on purpose!”

Chat clutched his chest, pretending to wipe tears from his eyes. “I can’t believe you would have such little faith in me, m’lady!!”

Both of them somehow missed the knowing glance their best friends shot each other.

All their weapons buzzed simultaneously, doubtlessly with an update from the news. Chat Noir flicked open his baton and sighed, showing the headline to the rest of them.

“Which of Our Heroes is Ladybug’s Boyfriend?”

Her partner scrolled through the article, grumbling under his breath.

Carapace raised his eyebrows under his hood. “Bold of them to assume you don't have a girlfriend.”

“I wish I could say that it’s bold of them to assume I’m dating anyone at all,” she sighed. “But I kinda started this so I guess I can’t blame them.”

“THAT’S IT!” Rena Rouge leapt to her feet, nearly knocking her boyfriend’s shell over the edge of the roof.

“What?” Ladybug glanced at her comrades to check if they had the slightest idea of what was going on. 

“You told the press that you’re dating one of us on the hero team, right?” the fox heroine asked excitedly.

“Yes?” Ladybug answered hesitantly. “You were there too.”

“Not the point,” her friend waved the comment off. “The only solution that doesn’t end in even more akuma attacks is fairly obvious.”

The other three glanced at each other to see if they had gotten it.

“COME ON GUYS,” Alya sighed. “Ladybug just has to pretend to be dating one of us for a few weeks. Think about it. They go out on a few dates, cue general excitement from Paris about the first official hero couple, tragically break up after a few weeks and everything goes back to normal.”

Ladybug shrugged. “I guess it could work.”

“Why does this sound way too similar to the basic plot for any fake dating fanfic?” Chat Noir hissed in the nearby turtle hero’s ear. 

Or hood by where his ear should be. 

“Probably because that's exactly what it is,” Carapace whispered back. 

Rena smirked.

“And I happy to know of an available cat who would be happy to take-”

Her triumphant Ladynoir wingwoman grin fell from her face as the duo shook their heads in unison.

“Bad idea,” Chat Noir admitted. “I don’t want to think about the worldwide catastrophe that could occur after out ‘breakup.’”

“It would be like last Valentine’s day, but infinitely worse,” Ladybug jumped in, wincing at the memory of yet another love akuma that nearly burned Paris to the ground in its mission to make its OTP kiss.

Not that kissing Chat was such a bad thing. He was kinda good-

She cut off that mental track before it could get anywhere.

“Well, who else are you going to fake-date?” Alya asked. “I mean, I would totally be up for the job, but…”

She gestured at her boyfriend.

Carapace’s silence spoke for itself.

“Uh, babe?” Rena nudged him with her boot.

“Yeah?” he said with a grin.

“You can’t actually be considering this.”

“Why not?” he shrugged. “It’s not like anyone in Paris will know any better.”

“Hawkmoth could target me!” Alya pointed out. “He knows where I live!”

Carapace shrugged. “I mean, he could do that anyway.”

“Still, this could…” her voice trailed off. “Uh- why you aren’t fighting me on this.”

The turtle hero shrugged. “I guess I don’t see a problem with it, dudette. As long as both you and Ladybug are cool with it, then I’m not going to stop you.”

“You’re supposed to be my voice of reason!” Rena Rouge stared at him like he had just admitted to secretly being Chloé’s BFF. “Are you secretly a sentimonster or something?”

Nino raised his hands innocently. “I’m just trying to be a supportive boyfriend and help you reach your dreams.”

“By handing me off to the first bug who wants to date me?”

Carapace fell back dramatically. “Babe, did you see Ladybug today,” he cried in an impression of his girlfriend's voice. “The way she stuck that landing and then she winked at me and I swear I died. No offense babe, but if Ladybug ever asked me out, I would break up with you in an instant.”

Rena turned bright red.

Ladybug giggled. “I’ll take that as a compliment.”

“You’re cool with this?” Rena spun on her.

“I mean, if Carapace is,” she smirked. “Sounds like it's the closest to a realistic relationship I’m going to get.”

Rena Rouge buried her head in her hands. “Hold on. I need to go scream on a rooftop.”

“Take all the time you need, babe,” Carapace called after her.

Ladybug smirked, grabbing her hand and kissing it like Chat would sometimes do for her (which totally didn’t leave her in a stuttering mess afterwards. Obviously.). “Yeah, babe. Take all the time you need.”

Rena Rouge turned red and fled.

“Whoops,” Ladybug turned back to Carapace with a sheepish grin on her face. “Too much?”

“Just because you’re fake dating my girlfriend doesn’t mean you can steal her,” Carapace nodded. “Don’t worry. She’ll be back in a few minutes and fully on board with this.”

“I should go and talk to her,” Ladybug said as she bit her lip nervously. She waved to Chat in a TOTALLY NORMAL WAY as she leapt over the rooftops.

***

The ribbons on her pigtails fluttered in the evening wind as Chat Noir watched her vault over the rooftop after her possible future fake-girlfriend.

Carapace whistled. “Dude, you’ve got it bad.”

Adrien’s face heated as he punched the turtle hero's arm. “Shut up.”

“Have you considered telling her that, you know, you still love her?”

Chat Noir laughed bitterly. “And watch her heart rip in half as she tells me yet again that we could never be more than friends? No thanks.” He glanced away. “I’d rather give up my miraculous.”

The sounds of the city that echoed off the rooftops awkwardly filled the void between them.

Finally, Chat Noir asked. “So, wait, are we actually doing this?”

Carapace nodded. “We’re superheroes. It’s our duty to protect Paris. If the only way for us to do that is for my girlfriend to pretend-date yours, then it’s a sacrifice we have to make.”

[alto-tenure]

I posted 318 times in 2021

44 posts created (14%)

274 posts reblogged (86%)

For every post I created, I reblogged 6.2 posts.

I added 192 tags in 2021

#queue should've said no - 43 posts

#unmine art - 40 posts

#miraculous ladybug - 34 posts

#rwby - 27 posts

#meta - 13 posts

#ml spoilers - 9 posts

#otp: carrément - 7 posts

#adrien agreste - 7 posts

#star wars - 6 posts

#luka couffaine - 6 posts

Longest Tag: 122 characters

#**i do not believe marinette truly moved on from adrien until after the episode when she realized she couldn't have anyone

My Top Posts in 2021

#5

Hi! It's me from the other account. I'mma just copy paste here: I've recently fell in love with lukadrigaminette (or what the ship name is actually) and I was wondering, got any headcanons/prompts I could use to write/draw of them?

some headcanons of mine:

future:

After Butterfly user defeat, the four move out to the suburbs of Paris to get away a bit.

They end up adopting a metric heckton of pets, but they never get a dog or bird because of Luka and Adrien's allergies, respectively.

Marinette gets a job in the fashion industry. Luka works as a studio musician. Adrien stays at home. Kagami works as a personal trainer.

They have three kids eventually still, but they're not the kids Marinette fantasized of as Adrinette kids.

some more Present Time headcanons:

It takes them an embarrassingly long time to get together. Like, seriously. Approximately Too Many awkward double dates.

Kagami and Adrien both put their whole hearts into it and Luka goes "NO this isn't healthy get better coping mechanisms"

Pre-reveal Chat flirts with Luka and Kagami and Marinette a lot, forgetting that he's transformed

Marinette just blushes and says she already is dating

Luka Knows™ and just kind of rolls his eyes (but is a little flustered underneath)

Kagami doesn't know what an Affection is so she's a little starry-eyed at first

Luka and Kagami are Good Friends, they say. Adrien and Marinette roll eyes at each other.

Adrien is the only one really surprised by the reveal. Kagami fakes it and Luka doesn't even pretend he didn't know

Coming out goes relatively well, but neither Adrien or Kagami are ready to come out to the world (happens somewhere between moving out of Paris and kids)

They're happy. Because they deserve to be happy.

85 notes • Posted 2021-03-14 13:59:49 GMT

#4

thinking about...soft hurt/comfort poly relationships...where there's one person who stays and is like, the domestic one while the others are out being busy or saving the world...the other just stays. the guardian, the one who makes a place where they can all come home to.

92 notes • Posted 2021-03-18 11:20:05 GMT

#3

are there any other qinterwatcher shippers out there? please respond to this post if so because I wish to gather friends that are also very cool and said screw love triangles

99 notes • Posted 2021-05-26 20:16:12 GMT

#2

hmmm okay showerthought based meta time.

We only see Adrien and Marinette get persued by people romantically. There's Theo, but that's...barely a thing, unlike Nino and Nathaniel who both made legitimate efforts to pursue Marinette. While Adrien does have more long-term pursuers (Chloe for most of S1/S2/parts of S3, Lila for S1/S3, Kagami in S2/S3, and Marinette from the start).

Chat Noir doesn't have anyone that romantically pursues him. He pursues Ladybug plenty, but he doesn't get much in the way of pursuit despite how he presents himself as the flirt who gets girls as easy as breathing. (And that is, indeed, a presentation - a shield from being truly emotionally vulnerable.)

And well...we have Copycat. Which uses Theo to define Chat's love for Ladybug.

And it makes sense that people pursue Adrien - the model, the celebrity, the pretty blonde boy.

But what doesn't quite follow is why we never see anyone going after Ladybug and Chat Noir after Copycat. They're well-known in the city, according to the show, and goodness knows that people will take the first opportunity to thirst.

So, let's get into it.

Chloe wants him for reasons we as viewers can't quite be sure of (my headcanon tends more towards "the only boy she really has ever gotten along with is Adrien, therefore they are 100% Soulmates™ and there are no other options", and canon does support that, but there are other equally valid analyses too). Lila pursues Adrien for the fame. Kagami and Marinette both pursue Adrien out of genuine interest (with, perhaps, Kagami sharing some common traits with the speculation of Chloe).

We don't know why either Nathaniel or Nino develop crushes on Marinette. I tend to theorize that Nino was actually interested in Alya and just wanted to make Adrien realize his feelings for Marinette through jealousy (which doesn't work, because Adrien Agreste is a pinnacle of repression until the claws come out), but my interpretation isn't exactly...supported by canon, so in the end it's just established that Nino and Marinette were at the very least casual acquaintances (if not friends) before canon picks up. And the progression between friendship and romance is fairly simple, and attraction is easy enough to confuse. Nathaniel seems to have a crush on Marinette because she is actively kind to him. For someone mostly a loner, someone reaching out can make a big difference.

And then we have Luka. He doesn't so much as actively pursue Marinette as wait for her to come to him, but...well, he finds her endearing from the start (guitar flirting) and that does proceed to romantic love.

What I find more interesting is that the guys who pursue Marinette are more passive, while the ones that pursue Adrien are more active. Chloe makes her affections known, Lila makes unwanted contact with Adrien, Kagami makes it part of her mission to get Adrien, and Marinette concocts operations with her friends. Meanwhile, Adrien is the one that asks Marinette out in Nino's stead, Nathaniel's crush is outed, and as stated earlier, Luka waits for Marinette to come to him.

I think the reason that none of these work out is because of what Adrien and Marinette want separately as characters.

Adrien's arc is about taking his agency back. And little by little, he is doing that. Being Chat Noir is a choice. Kagami encourages him, even, to obtain his agency with her help. Ultimately, though, he needed to let go of Kagami because she was the one that chose him - he chose her in return, but he is more passive in their relationship, letting Kagami make her way in rather than actively inviting her. Adrien needs to be able to decide for himself who he wants to pursue, and he needs to be the one doing the pursuing in order to obtain his agency.

Meanwhile, Marinette supports the weight of the world on her shoulders. She is burdened, more than anything else, and pursuing someone romantically takes a lot of effort. She needs someone who is willing to pursue her, instead of guys who wait for her to pursue them or choose to never make their affections known or use a proxy.

And this is why Ladynoir has been strong as a dynamic - it is what both of them need, Adrien having to make the active choice to keep pursuing Ladybug, and Marinette letting herself be loved.

101 notes • Posted 2021-04-28 00:13:06 GMT

#1

0the latest ep said aro rights! reblog if you use :D

[Post: 7 icons with the aromantic pride flag in the background. Each features a different kwami from Miraculous Ladybug: Tikki, Plagg, Nooroo, Duusu, Trixx, Pollen, and Wayzz.]

560 notes • Posted 2021-04-18 22:22:44 GMT

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[badass-at-fandoming]

OTP Meme

Grabbed from @robotslenderman. Thank you! I liked learning about Arturo and Olivia. :D

I felt like a little pick-me-up so I decided to do this. Thank you @brightstorm98 for suggesting Beckett and Sergio.

Beckett is Beckett. Sergio is my original Malkavian ghoul character. You can read about them in my fanfic series, A Kinder Universe. Sergio first briefly appears in “Bad Idea” is the star of “First Date,” and pops up again in “Bonpensiero Bloodline Remix.”

Quick n’ dirty: Sergio is a former Prince of Sicilian Mafia, who faked their death and became an Los Angeles fashion designer and ghoul to a Malkavian. Sergio uses he/they pronouns.

DISAGREEMENTS.

Who is more likely to raise their voice?

Sergio. I kinda picture them as Dante’s Inferno with their temper. They run very hot, but their truest, purest anger is ice cold. That’s when bodies start dropping.

Who threatens to leave but never actually does?

I think it’s probably about even. It’s more of a “Maybe I should leave you be” sort of vibe. Both of them can recognize when it’s time to take a step back and cool off. Sergio would still let loose a couple invectives before leaving. Beckett more bottles it all up.

Who actually keeps their word and leaves?

Unless it’s a case of “I’m going to do a suicide mission so you don’t have to,” neither would actually leave the relationship. But they’re both independent spirits in a loose polycule, so there are periods where they’re not together. Sometimes Sergio doesn’t want to go places. For example, Liberteria is awesome, but it’s a chock full of blood-hungry, stinky Brujah, so Sergio would rather stay in Casablanca and party. Sometimes Sergio wants to focus on a different relationship, such as them and Cesare. Sometimes the projects one of them embarks on are of an extremely personal nature, so space is granted. Example: Sergio has no clue that Beckett is paying off that Giovanni scumbag to not hurt Emma’s ghost. Only Anatole has one inkling about that.

Who trashes the house?

Sergio. Listen! The mess is part of the creative process! They’re designing the next big sensation in fashion! It will be the talk of Paris! Please don’t touch the fucking scissors; they’re the only decent sharp ones. I KNOW they’re in a slipper, but that is the only place for them.

though lol @ beckett having a house aldkfjalkjgl

Do either of them get physical?

I assume this means during an argument? Sergio has a bad(?) habit of kissing Beckett to prove a point, or encourage him to agree.

How often do they argue/disagree?

I feel I’m being terribly boring here. A normal couple amount?? They’re both adults. They hash things out. A hot button topic would be safety. On a dare, Sergio will rush in where angels fear to tread. Beckett disapproves when Sergio breaks into places without telling him beforehand. But it was easy as pie! They turned invisible, picked the locks, decapitated some patriarchs, and whallah, they have the artifact he wanted! Stop looking at them like that, you know we will be out of the country before those wraiths can snitch. Also: I took their fetters.

Another hot button would be their mutual stubbornness. Sergio will insist they have the best idea. Beckett will think he’s right. They butt heads, and Sergio’s not above playing dirty, which is a whole other problem.

Beckett would land in hot water with Sergio if he kept his heart closed off. Sergio is all about openness and feeling one’s feelings.

Who is the first to apologize?

Sergio. They are like EMOTIONS. Beckett is like “My plan is I will keep all my emotions locked in my chest, and, eventually, I’ll die.” Sergio is overt. Beckett is covert.

SEX.

Sergio is Beckett’s dom. Beckett goes to them when he wants to surrender.

Who is on top? Who is on bottom?

Beckett canonically says Bottom Rights

Any kinks?

Dom/submissive. Bondage. Leather. Bloodplay. Orgasm delay/denial. Nipple clamps.

You know when cats get overstimulated and they just lay there with their paws in the air? That’s Beckett after a session with Sergio.

Who has the strangest desires?

.It’s pretty strange that a Kindred of Beckett’s age is into sex at all, but it’s my AU and I do what I want. In my world, he’s a touch starved disaster.

Who’s dominant in bed?

Sergio. They’re the dom, and it’s a reward to touch them.

Sergio is a stone bisexual, which means they don’t like to be penetrated or have their genitals touched at all. I did this partly because I’m wary of writing a scene that depicts Sergio’s junk. An enby reader who identifies with Sergio might read that they have ABC, and the presence of ABC might trigger gender dysphoria. I want those readers to keep however they picture Sergio in their head. Overall, I also don’t like the cis reader tendency to await for an enby character’s genital reveal, in order to figure out “what they are really.” As if genitals had anything to do with gender.

I created Sergio because a)there needs to be more enby characters in Vampire and b)I need practice writing enby characters. I’m not nonbinary so I KNOW I’m going to mess something up. Nature of the game. There are plenty of strategies for writing sex with a nonbinary partner, but I’m not confident in my ability to do so as of yet. So, for the moment, Sergio keeps their pants on and orders Beckett around.

Is head ever in the equation?

Yes! Sergio will lick Beckett like a lollipop.

If so, who is better at performing it?

Sergio, haha. They spent a long chunk of their life living loose and fast in Hollywood.

Ever had sex in public?

HA! Yes.

Who moans the most?

Beckett, and Sergio loves to tease those noises out.

Who leaves the most marks?

Beckett. He’s delighted that he CAN leave marks on Sergio. His other lovers are Kindred, and they heal too quickly to leave a fantastic hickey.

Who is the more experienced of the two?

Depends on how one defines experience. Beckett has had more lovers. Sergio has notably better technique.

Do they ‘fuck’ or ‘make love’?

They and other characters refer to them as “sessions.”

How long do they usually last?

Hmm...probably depends on what they’re doing. I think it would average out to about an hour? Maybe two hours? Four hours at the longest. 10 minutes at shortest.

Rough or soft?

[Lady Gaga’s “I Like It Rough” starts playing in the background]

Is protection used?

Now that I think about it...that’s probably a good idea. They don’t have to worry about pregnancy, but STIs are a pain. The AIDS crisis is freaking dicey and utterly terrifying.

Does it ever get boring?

No. It becomes familiar. Comforting and warm. As easy to slip into as a daydream.

Where is the strangest place they’d have sex?

I haven’t written any strange places yet. Making out in an open alley during the 1940s was certainly dangerous. End of the world or no.

FAMILY.

Do they plan on having children/or have children?

Nope. Sergio isn’t interested in acquiring children, and Beckett wrote off having children long ago. Sergio is happy to be the immortal cousin to the Garcia family. The Garcia’s are a human family their regnant, Cassandra, takes care of.

Sergio knows how to care for a child, in the casual way one acquires when living under the same roof as one. To Beckett, children are more foreign, and he’s extremely worried that he’ll accidentally hurt them. That being said, put a baby in his hands and, after the initial nerves pass, he absolutely melts.

If so, how many children do they want/have?

n/a

AFFECTION.

Who likes to cuddle?

Both! I’m a sucker for cuddlebug characters.

Who gets naughty in the most inappropriate of places?

Sergio. They initiate a lot of the casual affection.

Who struggles to keep their hands to themselves?

Once he gets going, Beckett.

How long can they cuddle until one becomes uncomfortable?

Depends. Sergio is human, so there’s varying tolerance for how cold Beckett is. Sergio is the one who gets uncomfortable though.

What is their favourite non-sexual activity?

murder Going on Noddist adventures!

Where is their favourite place to cuddle?

Bed. Do you know how cozy bed is

SLEEPING.

Who snores?

Sergio, as the one who has to breathe.

If both do, who snores the loudest?

Sergio.

Do they share a bed or sleep separately?

Depends. They like snoozing together, but they’re not always in the same place.

If they sleep together, do they cozy up together or lay far apart?

They’ll cozy up temporarily, but the need to get into an actual comfortable position for sleep will pull them apart.

What do they wear to bed?

Nightgowns. Both of them grew up wearing those to sleep.

Are either of them insomniacs?

Beckett has a God-ordained sleep schedule, so moon’s out, Beckett’s out. Sergio is variable. They have depression, so sometimes they’re asleep like 12 to 16 hours a day. Other times, when their brain is providing the serotonin, Sergio will push themself to stay up at all hours. During “First Date,” Sergio is awake all day doing work and stays up all night to smooch Beckett.

Can sleeping pills be found by the bedside?

Beckett has picked Sergio up, laid them on the bed, and squished them until they fell asleep. That’s all the help to snooze Sergio needs.

Do they wrap their limbs around each other or just lay side by side?

Like I said above, they’ll wrap around each other for a bit, but eventually straighten out and just lay beside each other.

Who wakes up with bed hair?

Both! Beckett more.

Who wakes up first?

Sergio, most like. Being an Elder, Beckett usually wakes up an hour or two after sunset.

Who prepares breakfast in bed for the other?

If he’s feeling especially mother hen-ish, Beckett will bring Sergio breakfast in bed. Whenever Sergio is in bed, there’s breakfast for Beckett.

What is their favourite sleeping position?

Sergio likes to snuggle up to Beckett. When Beckett needs a lot of reassurance, he may put his head on Sergio’s chest to listen to the sounds of their living body.

Do they set an alarm each night?

Sergio will set alarms to rouse themself at the appropriate The Vampires Are Up(TM) time

Who has nightmares?

Both, though rarely.

Can a television be found in their bedroom?

Life with Beckett is a life on the road. Motels will have TVs so yes. In Sergio’s bedroom in LA or Beckett’s airplane? No.

Who has ridiculous dreams?

Beckett. He has the more bizarre connection to the Cobweb.

Who sprawls out and takes up most of the bed?

Neither of them are bed hogs, but I guess Beckett? He’s bigger.

Who makes the bed?

They each make their own sides of the bed.

What time is bed time?

Dawn.

Any routines/rituals before bed?

Cuddles!

Who’s the grumpiest when they wake up?

Sergio can be grumpy or frustrated, but that’s not as much as an Emergency Alert if Beckett wakes with a hungry Beast.

WORK.

Who is the busiest?

Beckett, as he has a never-ending trot across the globe.

Who rakes in the highest income?

Sergio. By virtue of them actually having a steady trust fund and investment portfolio, plus any clothes they design and sell under a false name.

Beckett is like #FreelancerLife and leaves notes on museum doorsteps asking if they want this 400 year old piece of pottery and the curators are like sir what the fuck

Are any of them unemployed?

Nope

Who takes the most sick days?

Sergio, by virtue of ability to get seriously ill and more prone to injury. Beckett can only suffer from the Withering.

What are their jobs?

Beckett is a Noddist scholar, anthropologist, and archeologist. Sergio is fashion designer.

Who sucks up to their boss?

I guess the closest thing either has to a boss is Cassandra, as Sergio’s regnant. They will flatter her to the stars and back.

Who is more likely to turn up late to work?

They’re both likely to be delayed by complications. Complications such as assassins, traffic, angry Kindred officials, mascara not cooperating etc etc.

Who stresses the most?

Beckett. He worries a lot.

Do they enjoy or despise their careers/occupations?

They’re both in love with what they do.

Are they financially stable?

This is fantasy fiction so of course they are. I have enough money troubles irl.

HOME.

Who does the washing?

Most of the places they live (like motels) have a dedicated maid service, so it would be a mix of Sergio, Beckett, and the professionals.

Who takes out the trash?

Ditto to above.

Who does the ironing?

Sergio! They find it soothing.

Who does the cooking?

Also Sergio! Beckett is fascinated and regrets that he didn’t have the chance to eat Italian food while he was alive.

Who is more likely to burn the house down just trying?

BECKETT NO

Who is messier?

Like a messier eater? Beckett, because blood stains are pain. He is very neat, but when he does fuck up, ugh.

Who leaves the toilet roll empty?

No one, what the heck

Who leaves their dirty clothes on the floor?

Both of them. Sergio is fussy with clothes when they’re wearing them, but is more lack when it comes to taking clothes off. Ideally, the outfit lands in the hamper, but sometimes one is too tired or preoccupied with kissing.

Who forgets to flush the toilet?

Dude, what, no.

Who loses the car keys when it comes time to go somewhere?

Beckett: Sergio, my dear...why is the car making a horrendous beeping noise.

Sergio: My God, that is awful--oh, I see, it thinks you have stolen it.

Beckett: wha--the car is mine!

Sergio: And this is what happens when you break into your own car

Who answers the telephone?

Both of them have their own cell phones. They could pick up a call for the other if the other is preoccupied, but it depends on what the caller ID says.

Who mows the lawn?

Neither of them knows how.

Who does the vacuuming?

Ditto for the other cleaning questions. Sergio vacuums more than Beckett because vacuums hurt my ears and I don’t even have super senses.

Who does the groceries?

Sergio, because they eat. If Sergio asks and gives Beckett a list, Beckett will go.

Who takes the longest to shower?

Beckett. He likes to stand in the warmth and soak.

Who spends the most time in the bathroom?

Sergio because makeup is awesome.

MISCELLANEOUS.

Is money a problem?

Nope.

How many cars do they own?

Neither of them own cars. They rent ones when they travel. Beckett has a jet.

What’s their song?

I haven’t found one yet. “I Like It Rough” by Lady Gaga is my best guess.

I do have a Beckett playlist here and I associate Sergio with “Que Sera, Sera” by Doris Day, “Crying Lightening” by the Arctic Monkeys, “Gangster’s Paradise” cover by Postmodern Jukebox, and the “Careless Whisper” cover by Postmodern Jukebox.

Do they live in the city or in the country?

They globe-trot, but Sergio’s “home base” is in LA.

Do they own their home or do they rent?

Hotel and motel bills oh no! Or they rough it.

Do they enjoy their surroundings?

Yes! Sergio and Beckett love traveling.

What do they do when they’re away from each other?

When Beckett is off adventuring with someone else, Sergio follows their other passions. They design new outfits, romance their other partners, adore their fish, try new beers, help Zelde build her inventions, and generally lives their life.

Where did they first meet?

LA. Read it here, but again it’s more a cameo.

Who spends the most money when out shopping?

LOL Sergio.

Who’s more likely to flash their assets?

Sergio is more likely to flash their cash to get what they want. Or flash Beckett’s prestige FOR Beckett. “Do you know who this is? This is the Beckett, scholar and the smartest man you will ever meet. He has thought more thoughts than you have in your entire pathetic life. So why don’t you run along to your little Elysium and tell your Keeper to let us in.”

Any mental issues?

As a Malkavian ghoul, Sergio has a lighter version of the Clan bane. They have depression. It’s the type where one has periods of low moods.

Who finds it amusing when the other trips over?

It’s hilarious when Beckett trips.

Who’s terrified of bugs?

No, haha.

Who kills the spiders around the house?

Neither mind the spiders. Sergio would kill a spider in a silly, dramatic fashion to make Beckett laugh.

Do they have any fears for their future?

Oh yeah. Beckett’s fears are more the personal, about the future of those around him. Besides the obvious of their regnant dying, Sergio worries are broader, about USA and global politics, cultural changes, justice etc.

Their favourite place?

No place is better than a lover’s arms.

Who’s more likely to surprise the other with a fancy dinner?

Sergio will surprise Beckett by spiking their blood with something interesting. Like, they will tell him before he drinks, but Beckett didn’t plan on experimenting with acid.

Who pays the bills?

Beckett tries to, but Sergio is more likely to pay things off.

Who’s the tallest?

They’re the same height.

Who’s more likely to just randomly hop into the shower with the other?

No, they’d ask permission first.

Who wanders around in their underwear?

Sergio, haha. Beckett automatically gets dressed every night.

Who sings the loudest when singing along to the radio?

Neither of them are real singers, but Sergio is more likely to be caught humming.

What do they tease each other about?

Beckett will tease Sergio about their recklessness and cosmopolitan ways. Sergio will tease Beckett about his fashion sense and disaster bi ways.

Who is more likely to cringe at the other’s fashion sense at times?

Sergio spends a lot of their first date roasting Beckett’s outfit.

Who crushed first?

Sergio. It’s subtle, but Beckett has to slowly remind himself that ghouls are people over the course of “Bad Idea” and “First Date.” It’s like a compassion muscle that he has to limber up.

Any alcohol or substance-related problems?

Sergio is addicted to vampire blood. Cassandra’s specifically.

Who is more likely to stumble home, drunk, at 3am?

Hahahaha, probably Sergio? They get drunk WAY easier. If Sergio and Beckett are hanging out, Sergio will likely give Beckett a sip, which means Beckett will be drunk too.

Who swears the most?

We’re beginning and ending this with Sergio swearing, hahaha,

[phantom-bleu]

imegen your cookie run otps in paris

omg this has been sitting in my inbox 4 a while sorry.... Tbh its cuz i dont really think abt charas taking holidays lol but i feel like cheesecake and roguefort would be the only ones who would actually visit paris😶😶😶 they just seem like that kinda couple. they go there cuz its a beautiful and romantic city which makes for a perfect honeymoon destination but like halfway thru the trip they get bored of sightseeing because paris is too sophisticated tasteful and classy and its all fake whereas theyre both the real deal, so cheesecake starts taking them to the most expensive exquisite restaurants she can find to flex how much she can spend and also she gets completely plastered on wine every night and roguefort starts pickpocketing people at the louvre

[galadrieljones]

♡ OTP Meme ♡

tagged by @thevikingwoman​ and @lyrium-lovesong​. thank you!! ^_^

i will do this for my rdr2 OTPs.

♥ Arthur Morgan x Albert Mason  ♥

height difference | mutual pining | first kiss | first love | wedding | in-jokes | lgbt+ | family disapproves | friend disapproves | would die for each other | fake relationship | arranged wedding | cuddlers | pda friendly | and they were room mates | holding hands | secret relationship | opposing worldviews | opposing personalities | opposing goals | getting a pet | have kids | want kids | grow old together  | relationship failures | rests head on shoulder | share a bed | token dummies | relationship doubts | they have a song | first date | share a jacket | sharing a blanket | mutual interests | study buddies | bathing together | crash into hello | accidental nudity | laundry | same hobbies | cooking for each other | big fancy gala | sibling rivalry | hair stroking | dancing | laying in the grass | watching stars together | watching the other sleep | shared values | friends to lovers  | enemies to lovers | lovers to enemies | childhood friends | slow burn | love triangle | toxic relationship | sitting on each other’s laps | can’t be together | hugs | forehead touches | neck kisses | car/motorbike rides | compliments | nicknames | falling asleep together | late night talks | gifts

My Arthur x Albert fic: That he may hold me by the hand

♥ Arthur Morgan x Mary Beth Gaskill Morgan ♥

height difference | mutual pining | first kiss | first love | wedding | in-jokes | lgbt+ | family disapproves | friend disapproves | would die for each other | fake relationship | arranged wedding | cuddlers | pda friendly | and they were room mates | holding hands | secret relationship | opposing worldviews | opposing personalities | opposing goals | getting a pet | have kids | want kids | grow old together  | relationship failures | rests head on shoulder | share a bed | token dummies | relationship doubts | they have a song | first date | share a jacket | sharing a blanket | mutual interests | study buddies | bathing together | crash into hello | accidental nudity | laundry | same hobbies | cooking for each other | big fancy gala | sibling rivalry | hair stroking | dancing | laying in the grass | watching stars together | watching the other sleep | shared values | friends to lovers  | enemies to lovers | lovers to enemies | childhood friends | slow burn | love triangle | toxic relationship | sitting on each other’s laps | can’t be together | hugs | forehead touches | neck kisses | car/motorbike rides | compliments | nicknames | falling asleep together | late night talks | gifts

My Arthur x Mary Beth fic: The Lily Farm

@bearly-tolerable​ @a-shakespearean-in-paris​ @shallow-gravy​ @pikapeppa​ @idrelle-miocovani​ @empresstress13​ @sasshole-for-rent​ @ma-sulevin​ @tiesthatbind1899​ @starsandskies​ and anyone else who’d like to do this for their OTP(s)!! <3

[sesamestreep]

OHOHOHOHOHO. Okay. First prompt: Chidi/Eleanor, "bovine"

In one of the reboots, attempt four hundred and something, Eleanor catches feelings first, while Chidi is still trying to make it work with his alleged soulmate, and she tries to beg out of practice for the bowing league Michael conned them into forming (seriously, how did they not know this was The Bad Place sooner?) by claiming she has something called “the bovine flu”. Naturally, since that’s not a real thing and also how would you even get the flu in paradise, Chidi doesn’t buy it, but he finds himself on her doorstep with soup anyway.

When she answers the door, she looks wary, but thankfully not sick. “What are you doing here?” She asks.

“Just brought you some homemade soup to help you feel better.” When her look of disgust only deepens, he adds, “It’s a thing friends do.”

Eleanor takes the soup like it’s a newborn baby she doesn’t know how to hold. “Thanks,��� she says, uncertain. “But I don’t think it counts as homemade if you just asked Janet for it.”

“No, no. I asked Janet for the ingredients, but I made the soup myself. It’s an old family recipe.”

Eleanor’s suspicious expression melts into something happier and somehow more complicated at that, and honestly, that probably should have been the moment Chidi knew but he’s always been very good at missing what he doesn’t want to see.

[randomestfandoms-ocs]

all of the qs of the most recently rebloggef otp as game for kirsty x tristan!!

1. What was their first impression of each other?

Kirsty thought that Tristan was a rich asshole who didn’t care about anything, Tristan thought that Kirsty was just Rory’s shadow

2. What is their ship name?

I’m undecided but probably Kirstan!  Their tag is “we push and pull like a magnet do”

3. Describe their relationship dynamic

“area man in awe of his amazing wife”

4. What was their relationship like before they got together?

And first it was just Tristan flirting and being a bit of a dick (he’s been taught that that’s how he’s supposed to act) and then Kirsty basically challenges him to get his shit together and not act like a fuckboy.  He takes the challenge and starts working on being flirty/teasing without being a dick too!  Then they start dating, then break up, then become best friends, then get back together!

5. How would they describe each other?

Kirsty: he pretends not to care but he’s one of the sweetest people I know

Tristan: she’s amazing at literally everything she does, it’s terrifying

6. What do they love about each other?

There are a lot of things, but here are just a few!!

Kirsty: She loves how smart Tristan actually is, how caring he is underneath the aloof persona, and how patient he is when it comes to her relationship hangups

Tristan: He loves how clever Kirsty is, he loves watching her dance, and he loves how passionate she is about everything

7. What do they have in common?

They both struggle with letting people in, fucked up family dynamics, smarter than they let on, fear of abandonment

8. What are some differences between them?

Kirsty is much more of an introvert, obviously they come from very different social circles, Tristan is (at first) a lot more fake than Kirsty

9. What made them realize they were in love?

It was a really gradual thing for both of them!  The first time they say it is during the carriage ride in the Bracebridge episode but neither of them can actually pinpoint a moment when they Realized™

10 What are their love languages?

For Kirsty: Quality time is her biggest thing but she also needs words of affirmation

For Tristan: definitely words of affirmation, both ways!

And both of them are big on physical touch!  

11. Do they get married? Who proposes and how?

I haven’t really thought much about this yet tbh!

12. What would happen if they never met?

Tristan would have just been exactly like he is in canon!  Kirsty would be much more introverted and insecure, and have a much harder time learning to finally speak up for herself

13. Who dies first? How does the other one react?

I have absolutely no idea

14. Are there any love rivals?

Not really!  

15. Describe your favorite moment of that ship!

Oh god I can’t choose just one but I think the entire season 2 winter holiday arc!!

16. What do other characters think about this relationship?

Most people are really against it at first!  Rory can’t stop seeing Tristan as a dick even after he’s changed, and Lorelai listens to Rory over Kirsty so she doesn’t approve either.  Most people at Chilton aren’t really happy about it because they don’t think Kirsty is good enough for Tristan.  Luke doesn’t really approve because he doesn’t think that anyone is good enough for Kirsty.  The only people who really support it are Emily & Richard (because of his family; which makes Lorelai like it even less) and Miss Patty (who is their biggest stan tbh)

17. Describe or write a really fluffy scene!

Bracebridge Dinner!!! They go on the carriages together and it’s very soft and adorable and I just love them a lot and they’re there in the carriage with snow falling and when they’re stopped under the glow of a streetlight, Tristan brushes a snowflake from Kirsty’s eyelashes and tells her that he thinks he might be falling in love with her!!!!  Kirsty says she thinks she might be falling in love with him too, then they kiss

18. Describe or write a really angsty scene!

I think the angstiest scene I have for them so far is when they breakup at the beginning of season 2!  They didn’t see much of each other over the summer and then they get back to school and Tristan has fallen in with Duncan and Bowman and is acting like a dick and getting in trouble all the time.  At first Kirsty tries to help but Tristan consistently rejects her help and eventually Kirsty breaks things off because as much as she loves him, she can’t help if he won’t let her and even though it hurts, his behaviour and new attitude are really hurting her

19. Talk about a headcanon you’ve never talked about before

When she first gets to Chilton, Kirsty doesn’t ever speak up in class.  Rory is supposed to be the smart one and Chilton is about Rory getting into Harvard so she fades into the background but one day Tristan sees her notebook where she’s been writing down all of the right answers to Mr. Medina’s questions even though she never raises her hand.  He corners her after class and asks why she lets it be “the paris show” when she knows the answers too and she just gives a sort of “Rory’s the smart one” reply wihtout really explaining; so the next day when the same thing is happening he eventually goes “You know, I think Kirsten knows” and from that point on he’s always the one pushing and encouraging her to actually let herself be seen as something other that Rory’s sister

20. What does a typical date look like for them?

Anything from grabbing a coffee to dinner and a movie to "let’s just exist in the same room doing our own things” to Tristan watching her dance rehearsals!!

21. What’s a really significant moment in their relationship?

I mean there are a lot but I think one of the earliest ones is when Kirsty first challenges Tristan on his dickish behaviour!  It sets the tone for their relationship (holding each other accountable via healthy communication) and kickstarts their friendship

22. Ask your own question!

N/A

OTP Ask Game

[remys-lucky-franc]

Yes hello hi, I would like to have A, E, F, H, and L for Remy please and Daisy please and thanks!

Hello and hi my friend - and thank you for your request!!

Fluffy ABC’s

Ahhhhh! 

Remy & Daisy - my wee OTP - I am going to really enjoy writing this request!!  

I’m go do these like little head-canons, some of which are actual canon - hope that’s ok with you friend, and that you enjoy!

A

Anger:  What was their first fight about?  Any big or recurring arguments?

While both of them are passionate and can be fiery at times, it’s rarely that they’ll explode at one another in anger.  The first serious fight they had was when Daisy discovered that Remy had got himself arrested from Parker Vos’s yacht and thrown in jail on purpose.  She was hurt and embarrassed that he’d made such a scene of his goodbye when it was all a charade and she wasn’t scared to tell him that once they’d burst him out of jail!

Remy and Daisy don’t have big arguments very often, but they do bicker now and then.  Usually about silly things like what movie to watch or where to eat.  Usually Remy will let Daisy have her own way because he likes to see her smile, but on those occasions when he’s got his mind set on something he can be pretty stubborn.  

When Remy does get annoyed with Daisy, he’ll mutter to himself in French, which drives her insane because he does it too low and too quickly for her to pick up.  This usually only serves to put her into a strop where she’ll throw a cushion (or something equally harmless) at his head. 

They made an agreement early in their relationship never to go to bed angry at each other.  No matter the disagreement, they still say ‘I love you’ before they go to sleep.

E 

Early:  What was their first month of dating like?

Because of Nikolai’s decision that it’d be a good idea to test the strength of their relationship with a double marriage con, their first month together was really hard.  They should have been on top of the world, but instead of proper dates and PDA’s, it was stolen moments while having to watch each other flirt with other people.  It almost broke Daisy the night she had to watch Remy’s proposal to Ivy - even thought she knew it was fake.  

Remy being a practiced conman, put on a the image of the perfect fiance for Ivy, but inside there was only ever one person that he thought of, that he dreamed of.  He would lie in bed at night in her parents house during the first weeks of his relationship with Daisy thinking of her as he tried to fall asleep - she was completely ingrained in his mind and his heart.  Sometimes he conjured her image so well that he could almost reach out and touch her.

One of Daisy’s favourite moments during the early part of their relationship was the night that Remy sneaked back from Ivy’s family estate.  The sudden delight of finding he was there in his bedroom at the penthouse with her is something she will never forget.  The way his lips crashed into hers, his hands clutching her tightly, the passion that coursed through them both:  realising exactly how much she’d missed her beautiful Remy and everything about him…    

F

Friends:  How is their relationship with each others group of friends?

Remy’s true friends are all in the Poppy so Daisy was already familiar with all of them, although her blossoming relationship with Remy somewhat strained her friendship with Nikolai.  Although things are fine between them now, and she appreciated that he had Remy and the Poppy’s best interests at heart, she still thinks he was a jerk for springing the Ivy con on them when they’d been together for less than a day…

Daisy got a secure cell phone and was able to get in touch with her best friend Claudia after running off with the Poppy…  Daisy obviously couldn’t divulge that she was performing heists with a gang of internationally-wanted criminals, but with a couple of white lies and lies of omission, she was able to bring her friend up to speed with much of what had been happening during her travels.  Claudia realised pretty quickly that Daisy was head over heels with some French dude, and was concerned that he really wasn’t into Daisy the way that she was into him…  She was pretty skeptical and warned Daisy not to get herself 'involved with some smooth talking bastard, even if he is French and has gorgeous hair…’   When she finally flew into Paris and met Daisy and Remy, Claudia couldn’t help but blush as Remy greeted her by pressing his lips to the back of her hand.  She raised her eyes at Daisy, suddenly starting to “get’ exactly whey Daisy was so besotted…  By the end of her weekend in Paris, Remy and Daisy had received Claudia’s seal of approval and Remy had been asked if he had a single brother…

H

Hugs: All things involving hugs

Remy gives the best hugs ever - the entire Gilded Poppy agrees.  Regardless of the situation.  If someone is sad, his hug is tender and warm enough to make them feel a little brighter.  If there’s a cause for celebration, Remy will throw his whole body and every ounce of his enthusiasm into the hug resulting in cries of 'ooof!’ and peals of laughter.

Daisy’s favourite of Remy’s hugs is when he moves close to her in bed, wrapping his arms around her from behind, tucking her hair behind her ear and pressing a kiss to her shoulder.  The heat from his body and the steady rhythm of his heartbeat relaxes Daisy and make her heart happy; she snuggles closer to him and drifts off to sleep in his embrace.  

Remy loves to receive a hug.  Probably even more than a kiss.  He’s a very tactile person so he appreciates and enjoys that Daisy is the same way.  His favourite hug is a leisurely, unhurried one when she wraps her arms around his neck, smiling as she meets his eyes, fingers sliding through his hair. When he stands there smiling back at his girl, his heart feels full knowing that he is loved.

L

Love:  How do they first say those three words

When Daisy first expressed how she felt to Remy and he rejected her advances, saying that it was all because of their con - that she was confused, that it wasn’t real - she felt heart-broken.  She knew it wasn’t all because of their fake marriage: the way he looked at her when no one was watching, the way his guard would slip and he would impart little pieces of his true self, how right it felt when they kissed…  She wasn’t prepared to just let this slip away.

After being so in love with Remy for so long, when he finally gave into his feelings, Daisy couldn’t quite believe it.  That night in a bedroom full of flowers, when they finally fell into each other’s arms, it felt like a wonderful dream that she never wanted to wake up from.  Her heart fit to burst, she felt like she was floating on air as he finally stopped fighting, the words echoing in her ears - "I’ve always loved you.”

To admit that he was in love with Daisy, knowing it deep within himself, but not knowing what to do with the feeling or how to express it, was so difficult for Remy.  He was so afraid of being in love, of being loved;  it just seemed like it would be too good to be true.  He couldn’t believe that anyone could truly love him for himself, and to be open and vulnerable, and potentially abandoned, terrified him…  So he swallowed his feelings, hid behind a hundred masks and almost drove himself crazy in the process.

Remy keeps the list that Daisy made, describing all the little things she loves about him, in the top drawer of his dresser.  Every time he looks at it, tears spring to his eyes again remembering the way it moved him to tears that night when she finally broke down the last of his defences…  It overwhelms him and takes him back to that night when his nostrils were filled with the scent of lily of the valley and his body ached as he savoured the sensation of Daisy pressed close to him after denying his feelings for so long.  

[faakeid]

Funny how some people don't get suspicious even abit about how a top idol from a top group from a top company got caught in a dating scandals TWICE, wearing possibly the least minimum amount of cover up in the pics in both cases. And if some1 dare to question the dating thing,u a fake fan wow

I know right? I can’t talk my impressions about other groups since I mostly follow ex0 stuff, but it’s impressive how even offical reports have incongruences. The most famous of them is what Dispatch said about jk meeting in Paris when fans not related with other otps could show that wasn’t the case because the dates of them arriving/leaving airports didn’t match.

The agenda is obvious, but there’s always people who beg to be deluded.

[margridarnauds]

for the otp meme: number 6 for d'aramis, peyronan and any character you wish richard to be with please~ 💕

So.........guess who just discovered this in my drafts, uncompleted. Also I’m tagging you @odachans just in case Tumblr is predictable and bungles the notification process. 

1. Who cuddles up to the other when they are cold?

D’Artagnan is a natural cuddler. This sent Aramis into multiple Gay Panics (or, rather, bi/pan panics) before they actually got together. 2. What do they depend on each other for?

2. What do they depend on each other for?   

I feel like Aramis depends on D’Artagnan for motivation and inspiration. Aramis is a brilliant Musketeer in his own right, he’s obviously successful as a priest, but the second D’Artagnan comes, he gets onboard. Why? Because even if D’Artagnan isn’t his lover (yet), he’s a genuinely good, charismatic leader, and THAT is enough to get Aramis back in the game. I feel like he might become a little....complacent, over time, but D’Artagnan would make it very hard for someone to be complacent while also not going TOO hard down their throats. 

D’Artagnan relies on Aramis for loyalty. Not necessarily blind loyalty; he doesn’t WANT anyone to, say, risk their lives for him. He doesn’t leverage loyalty like, say, Artois would. But he knows that, if he shows up to Aramis, Aramis would be the first one to hear him out, and he WANTS his right hand man back anyway, because it probably doesn’t feel RIGHT without him there anyway. 

3. Who forgets everything so the other leaves notes all around the house?

D’Artagnan forgets, Aramis leaves notes, as the Confirmed Moronsexual™ in their relationship.

4. Who tells the other they look beautiful everyday?

D’Artagnan. Aramis thought that it wouldn’t matter, given how often he’s been complimented on his looks, but with D’Artagnan it’s….different. It means more. 

5. Who gets stressed out and the other has to calm them down?

I feel like D’Artagnan, even though in general he’s very easy going, might get a little too caught up in his Gascon pride and wanting to do right, which subsequently makes any failure CRUSHING. (Though I also think that Aramis might not be quite as cool as he projects, which means that by the time he cracks, he CRACKS.)

6. What makes them a good couple?

They mutually respect and admire one another; they would be fine either as friends or as lovers, and, tbh, even if they were to split up, I don’t see a huge DRAMA over it. It would just be like….okay. Yeah, it would hurt them and there might be a tiny bit of tension for a little while, but I think that, in the end, they would still be friends who had one another’s backs. 

7. Who takes pictures of random dogs and sends them to the other person?

GENERALLY D’Artagnan, but Aramis has, at least on one occasion, seen a golden retriever, taken a picture of it, and put in a caption that just said, “This reminded me of you.” And then D’Artagnan responded with a heart emoji and he nearly felt himself die from how much he loved him. 

8. Who laughs at the lamest of jokes?

D’Artagnan. Aramis thinks that he’s faking at first, but no, D’Artagnan considers them genuinely hilarious. 

9. Who likes to drive at night?

D’Artagnan, particularly if it’s along old country roads. (Aramis would never say that he’s mildly freaked out by the deers’ eyes glinting along the sides of the road, in the woods.)

10. What does their bedroom look like?

Aramis is used to slightly more lavish arrangements, but he can settle for a golden cross above the bed and a few nice pillows. After all, he was a musketeer before he became a wildly successful priest/love expert, so like. He has to have roughed it at least a LITTLE. D’Artagnan isn’t quite at “hurricane” levels of organization, but you do have the occasional bit of training equipment scattered around the floor, with the notable exception of the sword, which he treats like his actual CHILD. There isn’t all that much in the way of furniture, you have a bed, you have two night tables, Aramis’ tends to be stocked with a copy of the Bible, which D’Artagnan routinely tries to distract him from reading from, usually causing Aramis to actually FREEZE out of sheer bi panic. (Yes, they’re basically married. No, that doesn’t mean that he still doesn’t occasionally just freeze at something D’Artagnan does because HOW is he so attractive? HOW?) 

Peyronan

1. Who cuddles up to the other when they are cold?

Ronan. He’s used to living in a situation where he shares a bed with Solène and his father anyway, and, since he moved away, he’s really missed having that added warmth. I think that it was actually one of the harder adjustments he had to make when he abandoned Solène went to Paris. So, actually SHARING a bed with someone again, he’s going to want that connection, he’s going to want that warmth, and it’s kind of instinctual to him. Lazare isn’t used to having contact AT ALL, he’s never really had to share a bed to the same degree (he might have when he was still a young officer/possibly aide de campe to one of The Big Boys because space was limited, especially if we accept that he MIGHT have been the right age to fight in the American Revolution, but, now, as at LEAST a colonel of a regiment? He isn’t going to go for it.) So….it just isn’t INSTINCTUAL for him. He isn’t really used to being touched or having any degree of warmth, and he’s genuinely shocked when he finds himself leaning into Ronan when he cuddles with him. 

2. What do they depend on each other for?  

They both depend on one another for stability as the tension in the streets escalates. Had Ronan survived, they would have relied on one another increasingly for that. (Especially if both had survived past 1794 and the downfall of Danton, Desmoulins, and Robespierre. Ronan would have needed SOMEONE to cling to, and Lazare would have been mourning the Ancien Régime.

Lazare relies on Ronan for affection and emotional intelligence, Ronan relies on Lazare for having someone to pull him back when he threatens to go overboard. 

3. Who forgets everything so the other leaves notes all around the house?

Ronan forgets, Lazare leaves notes, though they don’t really do any good. 

4. Who tells the other they look beautiful everyday?

Both of them routinely go “…whoa,” at times when they see each other. Neither one of them has really LOST that novelty, and there’s very much this sense of “This is my person, I am with them, HOW?” That being said, Lazare tends to keep his admiration for Ronan to quiet moments, generally when he wakes up before Ronan or Ronan falls asleep before him (which is often), and he gets to stroke Ronan’s hair and back while he sleeps, or when he catches Ronan in another rare quiet moment (he would think, years later, how stunning he had been on the Bastille, that last day, sun-glinting off his rifle). He doesn’t outwardly EXPRESS it, not in words or really in any way that is tangible, though Ronan still knows. Ronan’s stupid, yes, but emotionally, of the two of them, he’s smarter, and in some ways, I think he knows Lazare’s emotions better than Lazare does. (And in other ways, he doesn’t, especially relating to Lazare’s complex relationship with the Army/Royal Family.) 

Ronan, though….he KNOWS he married up. Not just in terms of a peasant being with a count (that…doesn’t really compute to Ronan in terms of their relationship. Not that it doesn’t IMPACT them, but in the sense that Ronan doesn’t feel unequal or like he should necessarily be grateful to The Count de Peyrol for “choosing” him. Other people would be flattering, fawning over Lazare and doing everything to stay in his good graces. Ronan doesn’t. Which is exactly why Laz chose him in the first place), but in terms of “Holy *Hell* he’s hot. And smart. And capable. HOW?” It’s like…he thinks of everyone that he could have been with, had he stayed in the Beauce or if he’d gone for someone Camille in Paris, and Lazare is just…several steps above, even if he’s stuffy and formal and emotionally constipated and anal about everything being in order. And he has no restraint telling Lazare what a handsome officer he nabbed for a lover. (Lazare is kind of ???? because…it isn’t necessarily that he has low self esteem, re: his looks, just that they’ve literally never mattered to him before. His main concern has always been “How intimidating can I be?”)

5. Who get stressed out and the other has to calm them down?

Lazare doesn’t SHOW his stress, in the sense that he doesn’t have a paper bag that he huffs into, but he gets much more disturbed when things move outside of what he considers normal. He gets very irritable and stressed if things don’t fit into his special place for them, and he has the tendency to become absorbed in his job. Ronan tends to be the one to bring him down. Generally via what he considers “subtle” seduction. (It is not subtle. At all.) Though a lot of the time, really, that seduction is just wandering over to Lazare’s desk, putting his arms around his midsection, burying his face in his neck, and groaning “Come to bed” like a recently re-animated zombie. After which, barring a national emergency, Lazare will eventually put down his pen and dutifully cuddle with Ronan until he goes to sleep. Ronan’s actually picked up the habit of playing with Lazare’s hair/scratching his head when he’s stressed, which generally does wonders for relaxing him. 

6. What makes them a good couple?

In some core areas, they actually are very compatible. Both of them are in a relationship for the long run. The initial execution might be brief, but when it comes to “Do we actually want a relationship? Or are we going to change our minds a month in?” the answer is yes for both of them (and a “no” to the last question). They’re both committed, like that. Regardless of their arguments, at the end of the day, they are each other’s significant other. Ronan gets into a fight with Lazare, yeah, he might scowl, get drunk, and sleep in a drain somewhere, but he isn’t going to cheat on him out of revenge, and Lazare, at an absolute low, might bluster about how it was a mistake to go for a peasant who couldn’t understand, but he isn’t going to bring someone new in, either. After they’ve both slept on it, they’ll be back in the same room, patch things up, and they’ll be fine. (And Lazare will spend some time making up for the mistake comment.) 

Lazare is high intelligence, in terms of things like common sense and caution, along with more conventional markers like math, geometry, history, etc. (though he isn’t as well education as people, especially Ronan, tend to assume). That being said, he’s stunted in terms of his socialization and has never really LIVED outside of his career. He’s numbed emotionally, and sometimes, I think he doesn’t really know what he’s feeling. I think he knew he felt SOMETHING for Ronan from the beginning, but I’m not sure that he was really, concretely aware that it was attraction and then love until Ronan more or less jumped on him. Ronan is….well, low intelligence in just about…everything, he’s impulsive, but he gets Lazare out of his shell, and he is, generally speaking, more emotionally intelligent than most people give him credit for, and he’s quick at making connections. (Remember how he was able to guess that Olympe worked for the Queen and that the guy he dueled was Fersen, even after about a week of torture? Yeah, he’s not smart, but he’s QUICK.) And Ronan is very, very affectionate, which…for someone as touch starved as Lazare…on one hand, it can definitely be overwhelming and Ronan doesn’t always know his boundaries, but on the other hand…it can be exactly what he needs. He has, basically, a lifetime of touch to make up for. 

Ronan livens Lazare up and can make him act when he would have otherwise been cautious (for better or worse), while Lazare can hold Ronan back; they balance one another out. 

7. Who takes pictures of random dogs and sends them to the other person?

Ronan sends them to Lazare, probably in a not-so subtle attempt to get Laz to adopt one for the two of them. (In the end, he does, and despite claiming that it’s “Your dog,” guess who the dog insists on sleeping with every night? And who can be found stroking it in his lap as he does his morning coffee + newspaper reading. It ain’t Ronan.)  

8. Who laughs at the lamest of jokes?

Ronan. RonanRonanRonanRonan. He both tells the bad jokes and laughs at them. Sometimes, he gets Lazare to quirk a smile, and every single time, it feels like his heart’s going to explode. (It’s an ongoing quest of his: Make Lazare smile.) 

9. Who likes to drive at night?

Lazare. It’s calm at night, less traffic, less noise. It’s easier to concentrate, and it’s easy to simply exist when it’s just him and his meticulously chosen driving playlist. (Depending on whether or not Ronan’s collapsed in his seat yet. Ronan has two modes: “Off” and “On.”)

10. What does their bedroom look like?

Lazare’s own style is naturally very austere and dark. He can survive with a bed, endtable, writing desk, and some place to store his (very limited, for an aristocrat) clothes, and his color scheme tends towards dark blues and silvers, very cold colors. But, once Ronan moves in, things start changing, since Ronan’s style starts coming into play. So, you get that odd mix of those austere colors and then BOOM a vibrant orange chair by the fireplace. Lazare actually had to buy a new bed when he moved Ronan in, since before that, he’d been perfectly content to sleep in a single bed, so they ended up with a four poster, canopy style bed (Laz does like the canopy, because it gives him some privacy). 

Ronan, of course, wanted one like this:

He was, tragically, vetoed, though the lining to the bed IS a vibrant yellow, and the blue is much, much brighter than you’d generally expect from Laz, even if it still looks like something you’d find in Elsa’s ice castle. 

Also, even though they’re very little used, they do both have their own beds. Lazare’s experience of domesticity, as much as he’s ever known it, has been that aristocratic model of the married couple having their own rooms, and it isn’t something he’s REALLY given up for Ronan. Lazare loves Ronan very, very much, but sometimes, he needs his own space.

Ronan doesn’t really understand it, himself, since…again, he’s used to being with his family CONSTANTLY in their old home, but…there is Something in knowing that his relationship with Lazare doesn’t just depend on him being ready and available every night. Like, I think that his worst nightmare, relationship wise, would be turning out to be an expendable toy that Lazare only spends time and money on for a little while after everything Ronan’s kind of put in and sacrificed to be with him (namely, his ongoing guilt at being with the man who killed his father + betraying the revolution by being with him), and this is very clear evidence that, regardless of whether Ronan wants to sleep with him on a given night, they’re together. It isn’t Lazare playing with him, he isn’t a momentary distraction that’s only good for a few nights, they’re living together, and he has this space that’s His that’s totally separate from his relationship with Laz. It’s also where, had Ronan lived, he would have gone every July 24th, when he felt the anniversary of his father’s death hit him head on. For a week or two leading up to that…he loves Lazare, he DOES, he’s utterly devoted to him, but he can’t be around him constantly when his father’s so heavily on his mind, when there will always be those thoughts of “If it hadn’t happened, he would have been 45-50-55-60, he would have been happy” and the loss hits him square in the chest. When he has to reconcile the man he adores with the man he left for Paris to take his revenge on.

Richard/Emma

Because motherfucking Tango Korrupti

1. Who cuddles up to the other when they are cold?

My mind says Emma, because it seems like it’s been ages since her last relationship and she’s probably starved for any real, genuine touch she can get, but my heart says Richard, even if he’d deny it. He just....moves towards her while he’s sleeping until his head is tucked into her neck. 

2. What do they depend on each other for?  

Emma does need Richard to make the cut throat career decisions that she normally wouldn’t make but that are necessary to survive in Hollywood. Also, you can bet that when she’s sick, when she’s on her period, when she’s just in one of those moods that are less than glamorous, less than Star-Like™, Richard’s right there to cover up any tiny smudges and make it seem like everything’s normal. And Richard, for better or worse, is FIERCELY protective of her. And yes, this often goes to extremes, but he does protect her from some of her more adrenaline seeker tendencies, and in an ideal world, that would be toned down to him making her rethink it without necessarily trying to control her. And if a director ever tried to use the casting couch on her or, for example, DO a Quentin Tarantino and force her into an unsafe working condition, I do think Richard would go down their throats. Yes, he wants the money and the prestige, but he can’t get that if Emma’s hurt or traumatized. (Or, at least, that might be what he tells himself at first.) 

In short, Richard can use his innate Karen powers for the cause of good. 

I discuss it a little below, but, Richard can naturally get carried away and become....well, a miniature, American Napoleon. And when he does, Emma’s there to bring him down. He needs her for her star power and her glamor, yes, but he does need her to keep him in line as well. And, it’s odd, but I do feel like Richard himself might need a little bit of a break from Hollywood himself. And he wouldn’t REALIZE it like Emma would, because he’s normalized it. I don’t necessarily want Emma saving him, and I’m not sure that there IS a way to “save” Richard without utterly destroying him as a character, or whether I would be interested in Fully Normal Richard. I do suspect that he could do with some loosening up, if he was willing to take it, and if, while Emma’s trying to find that compromise between Emma Carter™ and Adele Waldvogel, she drags Richard into eating pizza on the living room floor cross-legged, that’s fine with me. 

3. Who forgets everything so the other leaves notes all around the house?

They both leave notes. When they’re having an argument, they can get VERY passive aggressive. 

4. Who tells the other they look beautiful everyday?

Richard. At first, Emma thinks it’s professional (Hell, RICHARD thinks it’s professional, because Richard is an utter MASTER at self deception, see: Macho Macho’s entire existence.) But then as time goes on, it’s like “....Oh, he actually. Does.” Rochard gets PERSONALLY offended if anyone suggests that Emma’s lost it as a star or that there’s anyone else that can take a role. Emma has actually gotten him to change his mind a few times by saying “Yeah, and they said that if they couldn’t get me, they would go for Florence Pugh or Charlize Theron” and Richard just goes into “How DARE they?” mode. 

5. Who gets stressed out and the other has to calm them down?

They both have various ways of getting stressed out, but Richard is canonically always around one step away from an outright panic attack. She keeps a stock of paper bags on hand. 

If they ever have a child....Richard outside the waiting room would be...

6. What makes them a good couple?

This is actually I struggled with, because in canon, as they’re presented, they distinctly WOULDN’T be. Or, rather, at least, not necessarily a healthy one, which doesn’t mean they can’t be entertaining to watch. Richard’s too controlling, while Emma is feeling increasingly disconnected from HER, which Richard has every interest in destroying in favor of her embracing a superficial life, even to the extent of hurting her to do it. 

Now, I’m not saying this in order to ravage it, because I chose this ship for this ask BECAUSE I love it. Simply laying out why it’s difficult to pinpoint why I think that they could actually work, if you rearrange a few things. 

In a world where Emma accepted the Tango Korrupti, where she didn’t get warm and fuzzy feelings awakened by the promise of brown bread and an alps skiing trip, it would be the kind of relationship where they both WORK with one another and what they want. 

Maybe Emma would still fall in love with Josi in this timeline, but they would simply be incompatible, because Emma likes Hollywood, the glitz and the glam, and she can’t manage a long distance relationship with Josi at the same time. So, it comes to her career or him. And she loves him, yeah, but she doesn’t love Adele Waldvogel, or the situation that she left behind, and even though her relationship with Hollywood is complicated, that doesn’t mean she inherently wants to leave it ALL behind. 

Richard’s controlling, and that’s something that would need to be discussed as far as “If I take you back on, I do my own thing. I’ll listen to your advice, but I’m my own person. Take it or leave it.” And there would be quarrels over it, when Emma wants to do something risky (Disneyland nearly gives Richard a HEART ATTACK), but they could reach an agreement. And, in that scenario, it would work, because Richard is cut-throat, he can be ruthless, and he would look out for Emma’s best interests. It would be a case of “us against the world” or, at least “us against Hollywood.” Sure, Emma could become engaged to Pablo, maybe even have a few more relationships on page after the inevitable divorce (though they remain good friends), but in the end, the one who she could really trust would be Richard. Emma herself has a sardonic edge to her, as shown in “Bussi, bussi,” where she freely takes the piss out of LA society, so I can see her and Richard standing on the sidelines to some party, making catty comments. 

And Richard....I actually don’t see that he would necessarily WANT to fall in love with Emma, because she’s a client. That’s bad for business, especially when he needs to advise her on the best relationships to bring in the cash. And Richard’s top priority has always been his money. (Also, I feel like before this, Richard 100% believed he was gay and then it was like “......Bisexuality is an OPTION?”) But Emma’s smart, she’s funny, she’s stunning, and she puts up with no bullshit, and on some level, he HAS to know her better than anyone else does. (He was obviously there for her first breakup, and even though I’m not going to sanctify Richard, because he’s, canonically, a prick...I do like to think that at least a PART of his concern over her being with someone new wasn’t just jealousy or a concern over his money, but him genuinely seeing how much she was hurt.) And Richard probably has seen Emma at some of her least glamorous as well, because his job is really to invent the glamor when it’s not naturally there. 

7. Who takes pictures of random dogs and sends them to the other person?

Emma sends them to Richard, who at first is concerned because what if she’s allergic? What if she wants to get one now? Where would they GET one? What about the mess? And who will let the dog out? After all, if she goes out walking with it, that gives the paparazzi a chance to swarm. Emma points out that dogs are EXCELLENT publicity. 

It’s an Austrian Pinscher, though Richard would SWEAR it bore an uncanny resemblance to Josi. Emma’s thrilled because it’s just like one she used to have as a child. 

8. Who laughs at the lamest of jokes?

I started off leaning towards Richard and ended up on Emma. I feel that when Emma is more relaxed, she has a much, much dorkier sense of humor, it’s just that Emma Carter™ the brand can’t really be seen laughing at lame jokes, she has to laugh at the right ones, usually said by powerful people, and not too long or too hard. I think that the sound of her own, genuine laugh actually surprises her because it’s been so long since she’s heard it. 

9. Who likes to drive at night?

Richard gets very antsy when Emma drives at the best of times, though Emma will point out that people have gotten into car crashes with chauffeurs just as easily as if they’d been driving themselves. LA is hypnotic at night, lit up by all the billboards and late night places still open, palm trees dotting the roads, and it’s easy to think about how far she’s come. When SOMEONE isn’t being a backseat driver.

10. What does their bedroom look like?

For some reason, judging from what I’ve seen of Emma’s design choices as far as her clothing in the musical, I kind of like the thought of her going for black and white designs, with the black serving as a lining to the white. A FEW geometric designs, but nothing over the top. 

Basically, like this, but I do see Emma having a few pink accents in there, possibly swapping out those white pillows for something in hot pink. (The poster would, obviously, be a Quentin Tarantino one.) 

[ma-sulevin]

OTP MEME

Tagged by @a-shakespearean-in-paris​! I’ve already done this for Mattie/Sharky and Avery/James, so I’ll do this one for Hazel and Kaidan.

Hazel Shepard x Kaidan Alenko

(art by froschkuss)

height difference | mutual pining | first kiss | first love | wedding | in-jokes | lgbt+ | family disapproves | friend disapproves | would die for each other | fake relationship | arranged wedding | cuddlers | pda friendly | and they were room mates | holding hands | secret relationship | opposing worldviews | opposing personalities | opposing goals | getting a pet | have kids | want kids | grow old together | relationship failures | rests head on shoulder | share a bed | token dummies | relationship doubts | they have a song | first date | share a jacket | sharing a blanket | mutual interests | study buddies | bathing together | crash into hello | accidental nudity | laundry | same hobbies | cooking for each other | big fancy gala | sibling rivalry | hair stroking | dancing | laying in the grass | watching stars together | watching the other sleep | shared values | friends to lovers | enemies to lovers | lovers to enemies | childhood friends | slow burn | love triangle | toxic relationship | sitting on each other’s laps | can’t be together | hugs | forehead touches | neck kisses | car/motorbike rides | compliments | nicknames | falling asleep together | late night talks | gifts

[typingtess]

NCIS: Los Angeles Season Ten Rewatch:  "False Flag"

The basics:  The team joins forces with Harmon Rabb Jr. and Sarah MacKenzie to stop World War Three.

Written by:  Frank Military wrote/co-wrote “Little Angels”, “Deliverance”, “Lockup”, “The Job”, “Greed”, “Betrayal”, “Crimeleon”, “Vengeance”, “Out of the Past” Part One, “Rude Awakenings” Part Two, season four’s finale “Descent”, season five’s premiere “Ascension”, “Allegiance”, “Spoils of War” (which he directed), “Black Budget”, SEAL Hunter”, “Rage” (which he directed), “Unspoken”, “Unlocked Mind”, “Revenge Deferred”, “The Seventh Child”, “Crazy Train”, “Uncaged” (which he directed), “The Silo”, “Monster”, “Line in the Sand” (which he directed), season ten opener “To Live and Die in Mexico” (which he directed), “The Patton Project” and “Better Angels”.  Military did not write for JAG.

Directed by:  Dennis Smith directed “Fame”, “Standoff”, “Rocket Man”, “Cyberthreat”, “Exit Strategy”, “Patriot Acts”, “Out of the Past” part one (written by Frank Military), “The Livelong Day”, Between the Lines”, “Deep Trouble” part two, “Black Budget", “Black Wind”, “Blame it On Rio”, “Defectors”, “Matryoshka”, “Granger, O”, “The Queen’s Gambit” (with Alyssa Diaz), “Hot Water”, “From Havana With Love”, “Plain Sight”, the delightful romp that was Frank Military’s “Monster”, “Superhuman”, “One of Us” and “Smokescreen”.  Smith directed seven episodes of JAG.

Guest stars of note: Returning from "The Guardian" is David James Elliott as Navy Captain Harmon “Harm” Rabb, Jr. and Sprague Grayden as Olivia Baird. Erik Palladino returns as CIA Officer Vostanik Sabatino from "Hit List".  Alyssa Diaz as NCIS Special Agent Jasmine Garcia was USMC Jasmine Garcia in "The Queen's Gambit" in season eight.  Kudos the agents of Carl Chao as NCIS Special Agent Afloat Brian Lee (also from "The Guardian"), Paris Benjamin as Alexandra Duvivier and Kolio Kolev as Muhammad Pliyev who got credits but were just pictures on screens in Ops and in Sabatino's CIA bunker.  Catherine Bell as Marine Colonel Sarah “Mac” Mackenzie, Gil Birmingham as Navy Captain Steven Douglas, Don Wallace as Navy SEAL Senior Chief Frank Wallace, Tim True as Anton Yashnikov, Spencer Daniels as Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Vincent Davis, Faruk Amireh as Fadhil Sarraf, Guy Wilson as Navy Gunner’s Mate Michael Skinner, Sue Shaheen as Female Petty Officer 1st Class, Vachik Mangassarian as Fake Iranian President, Thomas Lumberg Jr. as LAPD Detective #1, Ahmed El-Mawas as Arab Soldier and Sam Avishay as Chechen Fighter.

Our heroes:  Are in distress in Iraq, on the Allegiance and in San Francisco.

What important things did we learn about:

Callen:  Admires the reaction by the SEALs to Sam’s name. Sam:  Muslim and proud of it. Kensi:   Tell Deeks she loves him as they are in a firefight. Deeks:  Tells Kensi he loves her as they are in a firefight. Eric:  Going to be with Nell in her time of need. Nell:   Frightened she is going to lose her mother. Hetty:   Friends with Mac.

What not so important things did we learn about:

Callen:  Can't understand running on ship. Sam:  SEAL whisperer. Kensi:   Didn't invite Sabatino… Deeks:  …to the wedding. Eric:  Possessive of Ops – his Ops. Nell:  Messy crier. Hetty:  Prefers her filet mignon burned on the outside, bloody on the inside, just like her enemies.

Who's down with OTP:   Kensi and Deeks are in love and in a dire situation.   Eric wants to be the man Nell needs.  Harm and Mac gaze at each other.  Season ten - the season of love.

Who's down with BrOTP:    Not a ton of bromance this time out between Callen and Sam but the SEAL team loves former Senior Chief Sam Hanna.

Any pressing need for Harm and Mac:  Oh heaven's yes.

Who is running the team this week?  Hetty "Keep Punching" Lange.

Mosley watch:  A fond farewell to this category.

Fashion review:   Medium blue long-sleeve tee-shirt for Callen and black long-sleeve tee for Sam for the whole episode.  Kensi and Deeks start the episode Los Angeles – she is wearing a dark blue long-sleeve henley with light blue stripes, he has on a grey long-sleeve tee with inside out seams.   At the Al-Asad military base, Kensi has on a heavy black zip-up hoodie with a sherling lining while Deeks is wearing a dark blue zip-up hoodie over a red tee-shirt.  The two go undercover in clothing favored by male locals by episiode's end.  Eric wears a dark blue, button down shirt for most of the episode. Nell is in a floral print top with a Peter Pan collar and a mustard colored coat.  Dark blue suit for Hetty.

Music:   "Theme from JAG" by composer Bruce Broughton plays when Mac walks into the restaurant.

Any notable cut scene: No.

Quote: Hetty:  "And I'll have the filet mignon.  Uh, I'd like it burned on the outside and bloody on the inside, like my enemies." Mac:  "She's so funny.  So where were we?" Yashnikov:  "You accused me of running a network of spies inside the U.S. military."

Anything else:   At the Eastern Iraqi border at night, soldiers are with missiles mounted on trucks.  They are waiting for orders to fire.  When they come, the men must be ready to go quickly.

On the Allegiance, Harm, Callen and Sam are in the Communications Room (CIC) connecting to Kensi, Deeks and Eric in Ops.  Speaking freely because everyone in the CIC has top security clearences, Eric shows a diplomatic license plate captured on traffic cams outside of Olivia Baird's office.  The vehicle is registered to the Russian Consulate.  Anton Yashnikov was seen entering Olivia's office building.  He works for the Russian State Department and travels to the U.S. regularly.

None of this makes any sense to Callen.  Michael Baird was Chechen.  Chechens don't work with Russians and Russians don't support ISIS.  Sam does think that the Russian involvement explains the financial wherewithal for such a long-term operation.  Checking Yashnikov's cell phone records, he's received calls from a motel near LAX.  Deeks thinks Olivia Baird is there – Kensi and Deeks are on their way.

Callen and Sam ask Eric to track down all crew members of the Allegiance who were in the area where Agent Lee was seen.  "That's a lot of people," Eric tells them.  Callen and Sam ask about Nell, who is in San Francisco.  Eric has been handling everything alone.  Callen and Sam would like an update when Eric hears from Nell.

Deeks confirms with the hotel manager that Olivia Baird is a guest – room 116.  Breaking down the door, Kensi and Deeks see Olivia Baird with a weapon pointed at them.  Saying someone killed her husband, Olivia is scared.  She doesn't know who to trust.  Kensi and Deeks encourage her to put the gun down.  Once Deeks secures the weapon, Kensi handcuffs Baird and Mirandizes her.

Eric has cleared seven crew members – just 350 to go – when Hetty pops up on the big screen.  She is sympathetic to his work load.  She is also sympathetic to Nell, who updated Hetty on her mother's worsening condition.  Eric is not happy to hear this but has to go back to his work.  Knowing Eric needs help, Hetty tells him Fatima is on assignment but help is on the way.  Hetty does a countdown to the Ops doors opening.  In walks Jasimine Garcia, former USMC, onetime suspect and now NCIS Agent from the San Diego office.  Hetty wants them to play nice.

Grabbing Nell's tablet, Jasmine has an app that scans security video for full faces, dumps the images into facial rec and matches them with personnel records.  Eric feels territorial – this is his very special Ops.  Not happy with Eric's insecurities, she is getting angry.  Eric doesn't want Jasmine to be angry.

Back to the search, the crew members matched in the area near where Agent Lee was last seen is matched with crew members who played Viking War Blood video game in the computer room.  Eric is impressed when within a minute, they have a name.  Petty Officer Vincent Davis.  Jasmine contacts Callen and Sam – who are her mentors.   Eric jumps Jasmine’s reveal, telling Callen and Sam that they need to speak to PO Davis.  Thinking Eric's move was cute, Jasmine is there to catch some bad guys.

Davis sees Callen and Sam in mess and runs.  "I hate when they do that," Callen says as he and Sam chase Davis.  Davis is clotheslined by Harm, who wants to know where Davis is running?  Sam answers "Mystery of the universe" to why the bad guys always run.

Eric and Jasmine update Callen and Sam on Davis’s background.  Like Michael Baird, he took his wife's surname when they were married.  Vincent Davis was born Vincent Shishani.  And like Michael Baird again, he is from Chechnya.  Eric and Jasmine are going to track Davis's movements around the time Agent Lee was killed.

Worried about the ship, Harm needs to know what Davis's true mission is.  If it is gathering intelligence, Harm needs to track was information Davis could access.  If it is a terrorist act against the Allegiance, something could happen soon.  Harm needs to know if it is an attack and wants to observe Callen and Sam's interrogation.

Sam asks Davis why he ran.  Pointing as much as he can to Callen – his hands are folded with handcuffs on his wrists – Davis ran because he thought Callen, someone he never saw before, was looking at him in a menacing manner.  With 5,000 crew members on the Allegiance, Sam is sure Davis doesn't know all of them, why did he feel threatened.  Davis says it was a vibe.  After Agent Lee's death – Davis and Lee spoke a few times and Davis liked Lee – Davis is scared.

Callen tells Davis they know he is Chechen and Muslim, why did he change his name?  "Maybe because of harassment like this," Davis answers.  Davis asks if it is a crime to be Muslim.   "I'm a Muslim and proud of it," Sam replies.  "And there is not crime in it," Sam continues except if you are acting as a terrorist or killed Agent Lee.  Davis denies killing Lee and being a spy.  

Harm interrupts the questioning just as Davis asks for a lawyer.  They are needed back in the CIC.  As Callen and Sam leave, Harm tells Davis he's a lawyer.  As a lawyer, he can advise Davis that if he is there to do harm (not that Harm) to the ship or crew, Davis is going to need a lot more than just a lawyer.

Still in handcuffs and on the bad side of the interrogation table, Olivia Baird is weeping, stunned to hear her husband was a Chechen spy.  Calling her husband good and kind, talking about their future and having children, Olivia thinks this is all insane.  Kensi and Deeks don't.  They bring up Anton Yashnikov.  Olivia confirms she knows him – she's a movie producer.  "With zero credits," Deeks adds helpfully.  Kensi asks if she was moonlighting as a spy.  Olivia claims she was researching movie ideas.  Kensi and Deeks can connect Olivia to Vincent Davis and playing Viking War Blood.  It is time for Olivia to start helping – "tick tock," Deeks tells her.

Olivia closes her eyes and exhales.  She is no longer crying.  With a thick Russian accent, she tells Kensi and Deeks she doesn't know very much, full knowledge of the operation was limited.  She won't cooperate any further until she gets clearance from Yashnikov.  Something has gone wrong with the mission.  Deeks agrees – Oliva was caught.  "No, it is something far, far worse."

Eric and Jasmine have footage of Lee's body going overboard.  200-feet away, there video of Davis walking inside the Allegiance passageways.  He did not kill Lee, which means Davis is not a lone wolf terrorist.  There are other crew members involved.  

The Commanding Officer enters the CIC.  Turning to Callen and Sam, he wants to know if his ship is in danger.  Sam can't give him an answer.  Handing a tablet to Harm, the CO tells Callen and Sam about troop build-ups in Iran for a planned attack on both Israel and Saudi Arabia.  The Allegiance is being ordered to the coast off Iran as a deterrent.   If there is a terror threat on the ship, however, the Allegiance will be pulled.  With dozens of crew members to interview, Sam wants to talk to the SEAL Team he saw on the vessel.  

Waking the SEALs at 3AM, Harm is asking for their help.  The head SEAL is Senior Chief Frank Wallace, who could be Sam's brother.  The SEALs, Wallace tells Callen, Sam and Harm, are on a classified mission that is their top priority.  Sam drops his name and the SEALs are impressed.  So is Callen by the reaction.  If Sam asks the SEALs to help the SEALs want to help.  After being brought up to speed – and shocked that there are foreign operative aboard the Allegiance – Wallace announces "God help them if we find them" planning an attack like the one on the USS Cole.   With 80-crew members as suspects, the SEALs will pick them up.  Chief  Wallace just needs to know where to put them.

Arriving at Ups, Kensi and Deeks update Callen, Sam and Harm on Olivia Baird, Yashnikov and something going terribly wrong.  Hetty arrives with a plan to help.  Callen and Sam need help – Kensi and Deeks are on their way to the Allegiance.   Using the Marine Liaison to the Secretary of State, Hetty thinks she can talk to Yashnikov.  "Yes Captain, and she's right here in Los Angeles," Hetty tells Harm.  With the JAG theme playing, Mac meets Hetty at a fancy Los Angeles eatery.

After winning the coin toss (YAY!), Mac took the promotion and moved to San Diego with Harm, who passed up his in London opportunity.  Harm needed to get back into the fight.  After living separate lives, Harm went back to the sea, became an XO and is on track for his own ship and eventually becoming an Admiral.  The Secretary of State offer her the liaison position meaning the pretense of their marriage was over.  They have not seen each other for nine years.  Hetty is sorry but Mac isn't.  While Mac tells Hetty she is living a good life, Hetty thinks there are more chapters to be written.

Arriving for lunch, Yashnikov walks in with his mistress.  Mac mentions Yashnikov is a regular at the restaurant and a little more adventurous in the bedroom.  Hetty finds this news delightful and asks for an introduction.  Mac agrees.  

Sharing some champagne with his mistress, Yashnikov is surprised see Mac in Los Angeles and not Washington.  She makes a joke about being let off her leash which he really seems to enjoy.  Not enjoying, when Mac wants Yashnikov to join her at lunch and points out Hetty at her table.  "For most, it is not a good day when she shows up."  No, Mac explains, the bad part is by the door – Olivia Baird is there in handcuffs between two NCIS Agents.

Joining Hetty – who gives one of the best restaurant orders in the history of food – and Mac at their table, Yashnikov is interrogated by Mac.  Asked about the network of Chechen spies – not a group usually in favor with Putin, Yashnikov believes if it is true, it has to do with plausible deniability.  If they are caught, they are Chechen troublemakers, not honorable Russians who had nothing to do with whatever was planned.  Mac doesn't believe Yashnikov's weak lies.  As with the US President, Yashnikov doesn't think his lies have to be good.

Yashnikov wants to know what else the government knows about the operation.  Hetty brings up Olivia Baird's warning about trouble in the plan.  If the Chechens were being made into Russian spies, maybe they turned against Russia and are listening to their ISIS leaders.  Hetty demands the names of the spies.  Yashnikov can't help.  It was a double blind set-up. Everything was run using the video game.  Leaving, Yashnikov won't tell Olivia to help.  Hetty and Mac think they make a good team.

Chief Wallace is looking for a Seaman Marlo in a bunk.  Finding Marlo dead with his throat cut, Wallace orders another crew member to find Callen and Sam.  With a cellphone photo of Marlo, Callen and Sam ask a sleepy PO Davis about Marlo.  Since he has been locked in interrogation since his capture, Davis is sure he's not a suspect.  Sam wants to know who are the other operatives onboard since one of them is likely killing the others to maintain operational integrity.  With an alibi for the murder, Davis isn't cooperating.  Neither is Callen who is fine with releasing Davis.  Suddenly Davis isn't leaving.  Sam tells him, walk or talk.

Davis can't really help.  All contact was made through the video game or dead drops on the ship. Callen asks if the Chechens have gone rogue.  Davis was given orders that they were no longer working for the Russians, they were working with their brothers in Syria. The spies were going to be given instructions for when the great jihad begins.  Callen thinks Davis is very calm since he's going to jail for life.  Telling Callen and Sam he isn't going to jail, Davis cut a deal with Agent Lee.  He was going to work for "the CIA guy" – David Williamson.  Lee was likely killed when the Chechen spies saw him with Davis.

In the CIC room, Harm is able to confirm that David Williamson was a civilian contractor on the Allegiance who was then dropped off in Iraq.  It is a CIA undercover name – Williamson was not the man's real name and he was not a contractor, Callen explains.  Sam recognizes Williamson from security video as he is on board.  Hello Vosanik Sabitino.

The CO arrives – the Allegiance is moving to Iranian coast.

The men from the teaser are waiting for their orders.  The missiles will be fired into Tel Aviv and Riyadh.

Furious, the CO was not made aware that the CIA had a man on his ship and that it was facilitated by an NCIS Agent.  Sam assures the CO that Lee would have briefed him but was killed instead.  More worrisome to Callen is that Lee was killed immediately but the spy he turned – Davis – was left in play.  Eric calls in with Mac from the super-secret Ops location.  She and Harm share a meaningful stare over introductions.  Mac spoke with the CIA – they are denying everything.  

Callen and Sam are called away for a minute, leaving Harm and Mac alone.  He's a little tongue tied.  She thinks the sea suits him.

An update is given to the CO.  Sabatino was taken from an airbase to a remote area in the desert.  Spy cameras show a mobile unit.  Callen reroutes Kensi and Deeks from the ship – they are four hours out from the regional Naval air base – to Sabatino's general location.  Sam assigns Chief Wallace to join the Sabatino hunt.

Thinking the best way to track the spies on the ship is through the video, Mac wants Olivia to return to the video game as a way to identify the crew members.  Sam heard she wasn't willing to help without Yashnikov's approval.  Mac may have a way to convince him.

LAPD breaks into Yashnikov's hotel room.  He is tied to the bed, wearing a leash with his young mistress standing over him on the bed.  Mac walks in and takes a few photos – "Is your wife on Instagram?" she asks.  Yashnikov is forced to order Olivia to help.  Besides, the Russians need to know what the rouge Chechen spies have planned as much as the Americans.  

Chief Wallace finds Kensi and Deeks at the Al Asad military base's airport.

In the CIC, a Navy translator is walking Callen, Sam, Harm and the CO through a speech given by the Iranian president, claiming the US, Israel and Saudi Arabia are behind the kidnapping of two Iranian scientists.  "Conflict" with Israel and Saudi Arabia is imminent and unavoidable.

Wearing local garb, Kensi, Deeks and Wallace are dropped off by a helicopter.  Walking to a structure in the desert, they are set upon by three men.  One is Sabatino.  He's pissy about not being invited to the wedding.  Oh, and stopping World War Three.

A French journalist, Alexandra Duvivier, met with a former ISIS leader Muhammad Pliyev in Iraq.  ISIS sent a hit team to kill them both.  The two escaped and were thought to be near Sabatino's mobile unit, which looks like a not so nicely decorated NCIS mobile Red/Blue/whatever team truck.  

Kensi asks what is the big deal about Pliyev?  He has information about 13 missiles ISIS commandeered over the years.  They are planning a false flag operation – make it look like Iran is attacking Israel and Saudi Arabia.  The speech by the president of Iran was faked.  With ISIS on its last legs in Syria, if they can cause problems between Iran, Israel and Saudi Arabia, they can seize power in all the chaos.  If the missiles launch and the US can't keep Israel and Saudi Arabia from retaliating, the fake start to the conflict will be forgotten.  The reports about troop movements are also false.  If the US can find Duvivier and Pliyev and get their story out, all the conflict can be halted.  Problem is, there is an ISIS hit team on the way to Sabatino's little bunker in the desert.

Running into the armory, Eric talks to a weeping Nell on the monitor.  Mama Jones has been intubated, there is an infection in the lining of her heart.  While Eric wants to leave and be with her, Nell tells him to stay – the team needs him.  Hetty shows up.  "The United States can muddle through without you for a few days."  She orders him to San Francisco.  A grateful Eric kisses Hetty goodbye.  Hetty tells Nell her mother is strong, Nell is strong.  Nell needs to tell her mother what Hetty tells herself every morning – keep punching.

Two SUVs pull up outside of the CIA bunker.  It is Iraqi intelligence, Sabatino knows their leader, Fadhil Sarraf.  Deeks asks if Sabatino trusts Sarraf.  Since Sabatino doesn't trust Deeks, why would he trust Sarraf?  Deeks thinks Sabatino is still annoyed about the wedding.

With no usable intelligence on the location of Duvivier and Pliyev, Sarraf instead complains about the size of the CIA secret bunker.  Sabatino warns Sarraf if Iraqi Intelligence can't find Duvivier and Pliyev, he will.  Starting in six hours.  Sarraf calls Sabatio's decision "stupid and impatitent, my friend."  Sabatino denies having time or being his friend.

Playing Viking War Blood in the boat shed, Olivia explains she contacts the spies in coded language and they reply if they are safe.  While she is playing, Jasmine and Mac are watching the computer room on the big screen from a security camera feed.  It could take a while.

Sabatino is planning to find Duvivier and Pliyev when Sarraf and his men pull up.  They claim to have the Duvivier and Pliyev but aren't showing them.  Looking at Sarraf's men, Sabatino doesn't recognize any of them.  One of them shoots Sarraf – it was a set up to find the CIA's bunker.

The hit team takes out the power to the bunker.  An emergency generator keeps the lights on as Sabatino calls in for an emergency evacuation.  Deeks sees about half-a-dozen men outside and figures there's twice that many around the bunker in the weeds.  As Wallace sets up near the main door, Kensi sees one of the hit squad member setting up explosives to blow the door off its hinges.  She orders Wallace to move.  As Sabatino calls in their location, the others take cover.

Back in the boat shed, Olivia found a player - Gunners Mate Michael Skinner.  Harm calls the name and computer location to Callen and Sam in interrogation.  Two SEALs get to Skinner before Callen and Sam.  Skinner runs.  In the passageway, Skinner pulls a gun and shoots the two SEALs.  The crewmembers tend to the SEALs while Callen and Sam pick up the chase.

Harm is following this up on the CIC.  

Passing two men playing checkers, Skinner orders them to follow and they do.  Callen and Sam are not far behind.  

The door is blown off the CIA bunker.  Gunmen enter firing.  Calling to Kensi, Deeks takes cover as she moves closer to him.  In the middle of all the shooting, Kensi and Deeks share I love yous.  

Skinner and his fellow spies make their way to the DCC – Damage Control Center.  They kill two of the five people working in the center, ordering the others on their knees.  Promising to shoot anyone who moves, the men lock the door and secure it with a fire axe.

Sam explains to Callen that the DCC controls all communications, firefighting and alarms.  Callen adds they have hostages.  

The CO enters the CIC to speak to Harm.  The ISIS fired the missiles.  They will hit their targets in seven minutes.

To be continued.

What head canon can be formed from here:   Certainly not as cliff-hangery as last year, this two-parter was off to a solid start.  Here's hoping season 11's premiere pays it all off.

Episode number:   240 – ten episodes from 250.  240 – 13 more episodes that JAG.  This is episode 24 of season ten; part two of three.