#otp: girlfriends in new york

[self-indulgent-writer]

Person A goes to get something from another room not realizing it's almost midnight and when they do realize they sprint and parkour across the house to kiss Person B on midnight.

prompt credentials: @otp-prompts-for-you

warnings: just fluff (lol for once), no Ghostface AU, light swearing

11:55

It was 11:55 on New Year’s Eve. You and Sam were sitting on the couch together, Sam’s arm wrapped around your shoulders as your head leaned against her.

You were watching the annual ball drop in New York on TV. Tara was insistent on the two of you going with her and the twins and their respective partners, but you and Sam declined.

The ball drop should be starting in approximately four minutes since the ball only takes a minute to drop. You sighed softly, relishing the feeling of Sam’s warmth against your face. Then you suddenly jumped up, frantically looking around for something.

“What is it, baby?” Sam asked, her curiosity piqued and concerned for why you just suddenly jumped up.

“Where is the sparkling champagne I bought?” You countered her question with an inquiry of your own.

“I don’t know, it’s probably in the room,” Sam shrugged her shoulders “It’s not that big of a deal baby”

You snapped your head around and Sam widened her eyes in fear of you getting whiplash.

“‘It’s not that big of a deal’” you mocked Sam “It is that big of a deal! Do you know how much that stuff costs nowadays? That shit’s expensive”

You checked the clock on the TV. 11:57. You could run to the room and come back.

“I’ll be right back,” You took off running before Sam could whine in protest.

You got back to your shared room and scanned the room. You found the sparkling champagne and turned to look at the alarm clock on the nightstand. 11:59.

You panicked and started your run back to the living room. You’re jumping over a lot more stuff than you remember there being.

10, 9, 8…

You could feel a dribble of sweat start to fall. This apartment isn’t supposed to feel this long.

7, 6, 5…

You made it back to the living room where Sam was now standing, waiting for you. She opened her arms waiting for you to crash into them.

4, 3, 2…

Sam placed her hands on your cheeks and pulled you in for a soft kiss. You placed the long-forgotten sparkling champagne on the table and wrapped your arms around her neck.

You loved New Year’s and your girlfriend.

[amageish]

So, Nico Minoru's in Spider-Man Freshman Year... Let's talk about it.

About a year ago, Marvel spilled some details about the upcoming animated Spider-Man series, Spider-Man Freshman Year. There was a lot of discussion about it, what it was, what it wasn't, and whether what it is is better or worse then what people wanted it to be.

A couple weeks ago, a trademark filing indicated that the show was scheduled for Winter 2024. In an era where companies are killing announced and nearly-finished projects, I was honestly thinking the show was on thin ice... but since it seems to still exist, I want to talk about something that I feel has gotten surprisingly little discussion in all the discourse about the show: the inclusion of Nico Minoru, of the Runaways, as Peter Parker's best friend.

Now, from a Peter-centered perspective, I think this choice makes sense in a very specific way? If you flash back to the original 60s Spider-Man comics, which the show seems to be trying to invoke aesthetically from the little we've seen, Peter Parker had a female close friend who was representative of 1960s youth counter-culture: Mary Jane.

The degree to which Stan Lee's own values undercut MJ's counter-culturism is something that people could/do entire academic essays about, but suffice it to say that she was meant to appeal to the zeitgeist of the era and the character's spirit certainly got through to viewers. Like, there is a reason that she the OTP for Peter for so many people, even if Lee at the time had intended to keep the focus on Peter's more traditionally conservative romance with Gwen Stacy.

Nico Minoru slots into this classic pre-MJ-as-the-love-interest MJ role very well, in my opinion at least? In her 2000s comics, she was cast as a edgy goth social outcast who made her own clothes and did her own thing... In her 2010s MCU show, she was cast again as an outcast, but with a certain amount of doomerpilled depression that she outgrows as the show goes on... In the 2020s game Midnight Suns, Nico is still a devoted goth, but also draws from queer youth culture and has a certain semi-ironic peppiness to her (she calls the player "friendo" constantly - she's just like me fr).

So, honestly, I think picking Nico Minoru for Spider-Man's best friend is a really clever move that slots her into this historical role of the foil to Peter Parker - fun choice!

However, from a Nico-centered perspective, I have a lot of questions about what this version of the character will be like practically... The biggest one being: Why is Nico in New York? One of the core concepts of the Runaways as a team is that they are a response to the oft-asked question "Why is New York always under threat? Why are there no superheroes having to save LA?". While the West Coast Avengers do, y'know, exist, the Runaways introduces another answer to this question: Supervillains cannot operate in LA without permission of the Pride, a LA-based supervillain mafia who made a pact with a demon from Limbo and require a cut of all crime committed in the city. The titular Runaways are the children of these villains, who choose to reject their parent's lifestyle and go on the run rather then be complicit in their villainy.

So... How did Nico get in New York and end up enrolling in a New York high school? That's a big change for her and I hope the explanation is satisfying.

Nico and her team also don't usually appear as traditional costumed heroes with secret identities, at least not for prolonged periods of time. They've used several codenames and several costumes, but it's always bit a touch comedic - Nico goes by "Sister Grimm" because they decide they need nicknames to be superheroes as somewhat-cringy-teens while she later uses "The Gloom" partially at the encouragement of her girlfriend, but she's still largely just... Nico. It's worth noting that both Midnight Suns and Marvel Snap break naming conventions to call her by her first/last name instead of an alias - something Snap mostly does with big-deal characters like Jean Grey and Kitty Pryde, with even other characters more known by their real name like Emma Frost and Danielle Moonstar being called by their hero names instead...

So, I'm curious if Nico will be using her powers to fight crime and, if she is, what codename/costume she has... On top of that, I wonder if Peter Parker will know that Nico is a blood witch and if Nico will know that Peter Parker is Spider-Man - or if they mutually uncover that across the events of the series... Doctor Strange is also set to be in this show - will he be a mentor for her as a budding witch, perhaps even more then he is a mentor for Peter? There's a lot of possibilities there too.

Finally, there's the big question of Nico Minoru's queerness. Now, there's basically two lists of Marvel queers - the characters written as queer by the writers and artists at Marvel and the characters Marvel corporate have actually approved as being queer and stamped with a big rainbow stamp of approval. This is what separates your "did a gay kiss once" characters from your "paraded out every June" characters...

Nico is in the latter category and is potentially one of the most corporate-approved queer characters there are. This girl is BISEXUAL and Marvel is uncharacteristically interested in making sure you know it. She got a Pride variant cover kissing her girlfriend when Pearlmutter was still at the company. Her MCU show is full of gay kisses and has not one but TWO fantasy gay wedding sequences (it also got removed from Disney+ earlier this year, funny that).

Now, uh, America Chavez is basically the face of Sapphic Marvel in the comics and her queerness got reduced to a Pride pin in her movie, so I'm not sure if Nico's bisexuality will be acknowledged in the show given that precedent... but I sure hope it does!!! It'd be cute if Karolina pops in too, helping her girlfriend out with whatever antics she gets into... She wasn't in the initial revealed character line-up, but I could also see them waiting to reveal her and hoping to get hype specifically from shippers who haven't thought about the pairing in a few years since the Runaways TV show ended.

ANYWAY. That was a lot of thoughts, but I'm just very curious what's going to happen here... I love Nico and am eager to see her in this show, but it also just feels like such an unconventional choice... to the point where I am apparently thinking about it this hard a year later.

[theschizotypalsolilquy]

Is it perhaps because you believe that Jimin is part of the LGBTQ community?? But not JK.....

Yes because Jimin has given enough representations that even non army knows atp. Maybe even he may have a gf but if one of the members is queer its Jimin. While JK ? Nothing. He just released a song about fucking his gf for God's sake. Somehow all shippers of every band will think 2 members are gay and dating each other lol. You take actors for example. If they show a good chemistry their fans will immediately starts thinking they are a couple, convince themselves and starts a discussion with other people who thinks like them so they'll feel validated and seen. Straight movies or BL drams doesn't matter, their fans gonna ship the leads.

Same with kpop groups too. There are strong believers of a ship who will die on a hill to prove their otp is real. Blackpink has Jenlisa, Twice has Minachae, Exo has chanbaek, ateez has woozan, Skz has Chanlix. These are just examples who's fans are absolutely convinced their pair is dating just like Jikookers believe. It's just that. Obsession you get with a member and his bond with another member. Simple

All I'm gonna say is that I don't seem to be the one with the obsession. It is clearly you. I don't sit about and obsess over what could or could not be.

And what the hell do you mean he hasn't done anything queer coded?? The fucking GCF Toyko is so godsdamned rainbowy that unicorns probably spontaneously sprouted out of the asses of anyone who watched his love confession for Jimin.

I could make a spreadsheet of shit that man has done that was so queer coded it isn't even funny.

The restaurant the two of them were seen at in New York (which they had closed down so they could have a private dinner together...on Silver Day) is a notoriously LGBTQ restaurant. What, you think they picked that spot just so Jimin will be comfortable??

You can't be this naive. Perhaps you are just extremely young and believe that no hot young man could possibly want to spend the rest of his life with another hot young man. Love is love. Gender doesn't matter when it comes to matters of the heart.

You need to grow the fuck up and take off your homophobic sunglasses and taste the rainbow.

And by the way, he didn't say he'd be fucking HER seven days. He said YOU. And yes, he had a girlfriend in the video. Which don't mean shit. Since he used gender neutral pronouns for his part. Except when Latto was rapping those filthy lyrics which was clearly towards a MAN.

Please, if you have undeniable proof that JK is 100% heterosexual, please share with the class. But these little bits of useless information you're clinging on to doesn't mean a fucking thing to me.

[flordeloona]

the pezberry fandom is dead but they are alive in my heart.

[spider-jaysart]

OTP: Peter x MJ

5, 8, 9, 10, 14, 22

@paladin-of-nerd-fandom65

Ohhh Peter x MJ! This'll be fun!

5. Describe their cozy night in

A snowy night outside the apartment while they're both inside, sitting on the living room couch, cuddling eachother underneath a nice warm blanket, watching their favorite movie while drinking hot cocoa filled with marshmallows and smashed up pieces of candy cane

8. What happens if the other gets sick?

When MJ gets sick, Peter will be by her side, ready with whatever she needs when she needs it. Hot warm soup? Check. Extra pillows and blankets to keep her comfortable while she rests? Check. A cold towel to keep her burning forehead feeling cool? Check. Tissues for her runny nose? Check. "A very loving, very handsome and very awesome boyfriend keeping her company until she gets better?" Check.

And whenever Peter gets sick, MJ will make sure he stays home to rest until she knows that he feels well enough to go back out to take care of business with the criminals out there, cause as a loving girlfriend, she can't just have her sick boyfriend running around out there fighting criminals while feeling unwell like it's nothing, so she makes sure that he gets his rest and energy. She will also do the same that he does for her while he's getting better

9. What are their thoughts on having children?

At first Peter wasn't completely on board with having kids, due to having such a dangerous and busy lifestyle as a hero of New York City, it was MJ who had mostly desired this thought while being married to Peter for three years. She adored the idea of growing a loving family with the man she loved. They've had many difficult discussions with eachother before about starting one, but it was hard for Peter to actually take that next step in their marriage. Peter did want to be a Father someday, he really did...he was just too terrified of what he could lose if he ever did have them.

Though, after some time and a lot of hard thinking, wanting to overcome his fear of getting hurt so that he could be happy with his wife and future kids, he had finally decided to take that next big step in his marriage with Mary Jane

So after a year, they finally had a baby girl named May Parker and a second daughter named Anna-May Parker two years after. They are a happy family.

10. Describe their first date

Peter and MJ were both just 16 years old when they had their first date, it was also around the time Peter had gotten his first part time job delivering pizza's so that he could save up for their date. They both went out to eat at Applebee's and were having a great time with eachother, chatting and laughing together about things as they both ate their delicious meals. Unfortunately though, their date was soon disrupted by an attack from the Green Goblin at the place, causing chaos for them and everyone else in there. So as usual when it came to situations like this, Peter was forced to to leave MJ behind to run away safely with the rest of the crowd, while he went to go suit up and stop the Green goblin.

14. How do their personalities compliment eachother? Do they clash?

MJ is a fun, outgoing girl who makes Peter a more confident person and Peter brings MJ joy with his kind and humorous personality

22. What reminds them both of eachother?

On special days or just to surprise her, Peter will always get MJ Hydrangea flowers since he knows that she loves them very much. So he's always reminded of her whenever he sees them behind flower shop windows when swinging (or walking) by them in New York

The song Riptide reminds him of MJ

Musicals remind him of MJ too, since she loves to be on stage and loves singing

There are these strawberry cupcakes that are sold at a nearby bakery that reminds MJ of Peter a lot since he loves them very much, so MJ will sometimes get them for him as a surprise

MJ has an old oversized, blue, space hoodie that Peter let her "borrow" back in highschool, she's always reminded of him whenever she wears it

Sometimes little random spiders will also remind her of Peter as well

Thanks for the ask, Buddy! :D

Had a lot of fun with this one

[the-darklings]

ok miss kat. i want to know who in that big gorgeous brain of yours is going to treat my girl euphie right 🥺 ik you know her but for the sake of posterity: 5'4", blonde & green eyed, fluent multi-lingual, bit of an ice queen + pragmatist but ultimately just wants to be loved and have a place she can call home (whatever the cost). she has no preferences on gender either, just someone to love her 🤍

MISS EUPHIE AND I IS THE TRUE OTP

but, I would have to say clara. they have a lot in common in terms of coming off as icy when necessary but deep down craving passionate love and care. someone they can trust and be themselves around. someone who would find them irreplaceable and place them first. clara is someone who becomes a powerhouse by being a leader of her own team in new york, but also someone who comes back home each night with faint whiffs of blood and gunpowder still clinging to her yet always finds time to kiss her sunshine girlfriend sweetly and greedily on the lips. would adore euphie and her soothing, calm nature but steely inner strength. clara would also be incredibly protective of her and her happiness. expect lots of sentimental, small presents like clara formulating a perfume for euphie from scratch, almost like her love bottled. goes without saying that they would be the super attractive power couple of new york city : )

📌describe on of your oc's to me & i'll tell you which one of mine i ship them with.

[ateneawrites]

Christmas OTP drabble thingie: Biadore days 1-6

Note: another writing exercise (actually the one i originally had in mind when i made this blog in the first place) i had a list of ships i put through a number generator to get a different ship for every day of this challenge i found so i could try to mask my lack of holiday cheer in mindless otp fluff but in the end i've grouped them together, decided to do 6 with the same ship at a time because figuring out a different ship dynamics for every day proved to be just too challenging for me on top of how existentially exhausted i feel all through december already; not all of the 25 drabbles are finished yet because i am horrible at time management and frankly i am not sure they will be so instead of torturing myself trying to keep up a rigid posting schedule that i already know i won't be able to keep up with, i've decided to just post the batches of six as i finish them, with some luck you might enjoy some of them :) here's the first batch

1. Getting out/putting up decorations

Bianca woke up to loud music early on a Saturday morning and instinctively groaned. In a flat shared between herself and her chicana girlfriend that could only mean one thing and it was cleaning. Cleaning Bianca knew she had better luck braving than trying to put off if she ever wanted to get the deposit of the flat once the lease was up with Adore's accident prone nature.

There's something off with the music however, it was not the usual fare Adore would blast as she attempted (and the key word here really was attempted) to swipe the floors.

She realizes, to her horror, it was Mariah Carey which meant—

There's a loud clanking sound from the living room that sounds an awfully lot to breaking crystal and Adore cursing, loudly and emphatically. Bianca gingerly got off the bed to assess the damage.

Time to put up the Christmas decorations then.

2. Making Christmas cards (+ bonus guest appearance of Courtney)

Bianca didn't get the point of Christmas cards most of the time; they were meant to entertain children who liked crafts and sure the sentiment was nice but they looked extremely questionable half of the time and Bianca was never particularly good at faking she liked something but she had got to admit there was something... charming to the crude child like doodle Adore had made that Bianca supposed were meant to be the two of them besides a Christmas tree.

Courtney gave her a look with a shit eating grin and Bianca instantly sobered up, whipped the soft look from her face.

"Not a word"

"I didn't say anything!" Courtney exclaimed, smile still firmly in place.

"You didn't have to, I know what you were thinking"

Courtney giggled.

"Not my fault you are kind of adorable when you're in love"

"I said not a word!"

3. Sitting in front of the fireplace with hot cocoa/tea

"Let's go to the mountains she said it'd be fun she said" Bianca grumbled as she added a new log into the fireplace.

Not for the first time, Bianca questioned the hold Adore's puppy eyes had on her that impeded Bianca to use her better judgement from time to time. She had moved from New York to Palm Springs for a damn good reason and it was so she didn't have to deal with the snow ever again but Adore had never seen snow, suggested they rented a cabin like they did in the movies and Bianca, ever the god-damned fool, couldn't say no.

Of course, there might have been a promise of a lot of sex involved in convincing her. And much as Bianca wanted to she could not blame Adore for them getting snowed in, unable to leave the stupid cabin because of a blizzard.

Bianca heard her come from the kitchen, mugs of steaming cocoa in hand as she carefully sat down next to her, snuggling her in the blanket.

Bianca is cold and grumpier than usual, but the forecast predicted the blizzard to be over soon and until then... Well. She couldn't complain about the company at least.

4. Shopping for/wrapping gifts

"Bianca, look!" Adore said. Bianca could not help her smile as she saw her girlfriend go from one side to the department store to the other. The joy she got out of Christmas shopping was somewhat contagious.

5. Buying the Christmas tree

"How about this one?" the salesman asked. He was losing patience and Bianca could tell, even Adore herself looked tired of circling around the trees but Bianca was determined to find them the best tree left on the lot.

6. Decorating the Christmas tree (continuation of drabble number one, if you squint)

They'd finished. It took them hours, Bianca had threatened murder when Adore would not stop playing Christmas songs for hours on end and it had gotten dark out but they had finally finished decorating.

Bianca admired the final result, the lights circling the tree they had spent hours chosing and the combination of boules and decorations that her and Adore had collected over the years.

The ones Adore brought with her from her mom's, the ones Bianca inherited from her aunt in New Orleans, the ones that they had collected from different Christmas markets in different towns and travels, the ones they had made themselves as a couple, and gotten from friends, small tokens gathered over the years.

The tree was a small summary of every precious memory and relationship to people they held dear and Bianca felt humbled and maybe a bit overwhelmed by how lucky she was to have so many people to care for that cared for her in return.

Adore kisses her cheek.

"Wanna put the star on top?" she asks.

[queeriboh]

Tea

My NOTP for them: Atem and Téa, sorry girl he's gay 😔

My BROTP for them: Atem and Téa!!! I want her to realize he's Just Not That Into Her, accept it, and instead be his bffsie. I love the way he actually opens up about his memories and his concerns about things changing with Yugi because of it during the date chapter, and I think if she gets over her schoolgirl crush, he'd be more comfortable being open and vulnerable talking to her than Yugi or Joey, who he always wants to be strong around. they should get coffee and go shopping and drink too much wine while they get pedicures together and gossip about Yugi

My OTP for them: Téa and Tristan! they're just 2 normies babysitting their gamer friends, they have so much time to flirt and bond offscreen. I bet they do really basic shit like going hiking and to sporting events and bar hopping together.

My second choice pairing for them: probably Yugi and Téa ?? I don't have a lot of ships for her honestly

My fluffy pairing for them: Tristan and Téa! she's going to move to New York and become an amazing, famous dancer, and Tristan is going to be her biggest cheerleader. he'll be her house husband, raising their 2 kids and fixing cars and motorcycles out of their garage for a side gig.

My angsty pairing for them: Yugi and Téa, they finally hook up and it just.... isn't right. Yugi will tell her all the things she did that made him feel insignificant while he was crushing on her and she was obviously in love with Atem. she'll try to get him to make it work, but he reminds her that she has her whole life and dream in New York, and his life and legacy is here at the Kame game shop. their goals just aren't compatible, and that's okay.

My favorite poly ship for them: I don't think I have one????

My weirdest pairing for them: I don't think I have one but I think Téa deserves to have a hot girlfriend/roommate in New York

[mercurygray]

80 FOR MY OTP JOAN AND DICK PLEASE

Her eyes make him think of caves and other secret places.

As a boy, he loved playing in the woods, exploring the cool dark of old mine shafts and pit heads, underground places with hidden pools and dripping water. And her eyes remind him of those things, undisturbed, waiting for the careful explorer to release their secrets.  

He can't help staring, sometimes, in the officer's mess on the Samaria, as he watches her writing letters, or playing cards with Buck and Harry, or quizzing someone on a technical manual. It's an indulgence that he allows himself when he knows he's unobserved by the rest of the room. But sometimes she'll laugh, and he can't help himself - he has to see her face. Sometimes her eyes are quick, and dancing, like the disturbed surface of a pond, and sometimes still and solemn- but always somewhat guarded. She listens and counsels everyone, about the ways of girlfriends and wives and mothers, but she has plenty of her own secrets that only she knows.

She, too, is cool and dark, and if it were a different time, a different place, he wishes he had the courage to explore her.

---

His eyes are the same shade as heaven.

She's tried not to make a study of them - she knows she shouldn't -  but it's impossible not to watch him and not see. His face is too honest, and like the sky, his eyes can hide nothing. They're stormy when he's angry, clouded when he's struggling to maintain his calm, and as bright and beautiful as summer when he's relaxed, which isn't often.  But put him with his friends, where he has no commands to give and no orders to obey, and it's like the sun has come out just to show off that blue. She often wonders what they're like at night  - do the stars come out and twinkle in them? Do they soften under the gauzy light of a full moon?

She'd fly up into them, if she could - but there's no parachute for a jump like that, and who’s to say if,  like Icarus, the sky won’t cast her back down?

---

They think they're being clever, watching each other across the room. But everyone else has eyes, too. It's ten days from New York to Liverpool, and by the end of the trip, everyone else is placing bets for how long it'll take one or the other to crack and say something. One of the Idle guys loses big thinking it'll be before they get to England, but Nixon scoffs and puts his money on a week after the war ends, if they're both still standing. Neither of them are hasty people, and who knows? They could be here a while.

[abitscrewyvinn]

A guide to every song in RENT

Tune Up #1: Mark and Roger live in New York and everything is SHIT. Almost the entire cast has AIDS.

Voice Mail #1: Mark’s mom calls because it’s Christmas Eve and she misses him, honestly wholesome. HEY MARK SORRY UR GIRLFRIEND DUMPED YOU FOR A GIRL LMAO.

Tune Up 2: Tell the camera what you’re up to, Roger! Interrupted by a call from Collins but OOPS HE GETTIN MUGGED-- Benny calls to be like “Sup fuckers I want that rent even though I said you’d be golden to stay here since I own the building now”

Rent: POWER’S OUT, EVERYTHING SUCKS, LET’S THROW SHIT.

Christmas Bells: Homeless people don’t get a fun Christmas. Shit sucks.

You Okay Honey?: Collins got mugged and Angel’s like “Okay you’re mine now let’s get you patched up.” Angel is wonderful.

Tune Up #3: Hey Roger u wanna get out of the house? “Zoom in on my empty wallet.” Also his girlfriend straight up killed herself.

One Song Glory: Roger is trying to write a song before he inevitably dies but his brain is like “MAYBE PROCESS YOUR EMOTIONS FIRST, DUMBASS.”

Light My Candle: Mimi interruptus. She thirsty for Roger and definitely an addict. Roger been tryina get away from that shit so he’s like “hEY MAYBE DON’T UR LIKE 19″

Voice Mail #2: Maureen is putting together a performance protest against Benny being an asshole to the homeless. Joanne’s parents are doing.. Something. Idk what. 

Today 4 U: Angel saves the day, bringing food, drinks, and SLAMMIN BEATS. GO, DRAG QUEEN, GO!

You'll See: Benny is a dick

Tango: Maureen: Roger and his ex’s new girlfriend Joanne lament over Maureen’s thottiness.

Life Support: Fuck this is sad.

Out Tonight: Mimi has to get out at night or she gets dEPRESSED so she tries to get Roger in on that shit.

Another Day: MIMI PLEASE LEAVE ROGER TO BROOD???

Will I?: Existential Dread Break!

On The Street: Cops are assholes!

Santa Fe: The cast fantasizes about getting the fuck out of New York.

I'll Cover You: Collins and Angel are OTP.

We're Okay: Joanne is trying her fucking best to juggle her life with Maureen’s weird bullshit.

Christmas Bells: The homeless folks continue to be rightfully salty about Christmas.

Over The Moon: Maureen’s weird performance that isn’t even subtle.

La Vie Bohème: Party after the performance turns into a “Fuck rich people” number.

I Should Tell You: Mimi and Roger share baggage. Insert love aria here.

La Vie Bohème B: bACK TO THE PARTY AYYYY

Act 2

Seasons of Love: How tf do you quantify love?

Happy New Year: Benny padlocked the squad out of their apartment but it’s gucci bc Angel brought A FUCKING WELDING TORCH. Maureen and Joanne broke up bc Maureen is a cheating thot but Joanne gives her another chance. Everything is happy so sOMETHIN’S GONNA GO WRONG.

Voice Mail #3: Mark’s mom bein cute, some sleazy tv lady calls Mark up to be like “Eyyyy want a job?”

Happy New Year B: Maureen’s like HEY MARK YOU SHOULD ACCEPT THAT JOB SO I CAN GET FAMOUS! Benny’s an asshole again! Angel trying to help shit.

Take Me or Leave Me: Maureen and Joanne fight because Maureen is a thot and Joanne just wants a relationship. They break up. Again.

Seasons of Love B: One. Year. Later. Shit getting sad again because Angel is dying.

Without You: Roger and Mimi almost break up. Collins is helping Angel while he’s in the hospital. This shit’s depressing.

Voice Mail #4: Mark feels like shit because he could get that job but he’d hate himself.

Contact:  😳 😳 😳 also tHAT WAS SAD UH--

I'll Cover You (Reprise): I’M NOT CRYING YOU’RE CRYING AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Halloween: OOPS the squad’s breaking up because Angel and Collins were the only people holding the damn group together. Mark is wondering how the fuck everything got to this point.

Goodbye Love: Roger and Mimi say goodbye because Roger is going off to Santa Fe. 

What You Own: Benny isn’t as much of an asshole anymore. Life sucks but the gang is getting back together. Mark was right he hates his job lmao

Voice Mail #5: CALL UR FUCKING PARENTS.

Christmas Bells: “How time flies. When compassion dies.”

Finale: Everybody’s back but they don’t know where the fuck Mimi is. Mark made a movie! Collins hacked a fucking ATM.  Maureen and Joanne found Mimi and she might die!

Your Eyes: Roger sings the song he wrote for her.

Finale B: Hey cool, Mimi didn’t Die! She saw Angel

Seasons Of Love (One last time): So That Was Sad

[magical-xirl-4]

I would like to send you the character question thingy? Spider-man! Or Peter Parker.

Aw yeah, kicking it back with a childhood fave

1: sexuality headcanon

I love the idea of Peter being a straight ally, but Bi-derman is also great. Torn between saying Peter’s into everyone, or he’s just an awesome ally who isn’t threatened by his masculinity being undone. For some reason I prefer Insomniac’s Spider-Man being bi than in any other iteration, maybe it’s because of all the pride flags in New York... Into the Spider-Verse Pete being bi would also be Good.

2: otp

Peter and MJ! Literally a childhood OTP. And the fact that Mary-Jane is based off of Stan Lee’s wife? They’re meant to be man! And their personalities bounce off each other so well most of the time.

3: brotp

A lot of Spidey’s partnerships are great imo. Him and Human Torch, him and Deadpool, and, this might be weird to say, but him and Black Cat as well. Primarily the Black Cat from Spider-Man 2 on PS2. She barely flirts with him and just wants him to let loose and have fun?? I’ve always liked this take on their relationship, because it’s romantic only if you squint.

4: notp

Hmm none really. But, if we’re talking about MCU Spidey... people ship him and Tony together. So that’s fucking gross and definitely a thing I have blacklisted.

5: first headcanon that pops into my head

In the Raimi films, Peter’s like, really fucking good at drawing people and superheroes? Maybe he traced the anatomy from comic books, but honestly I’d like to think he did it by hand and is naturally gifted. Of course he pursues science over art since it’s a lot more promising as a career. But ahghh, it’d be so cute to see little Pete giving art to Ben and May, and them being super proud and encouraging to him 😭 Reminds me of PS4 Spidey when you can go into May’s office and look at all the drawings he did as a kid 🥺

6: one way in which I relate to this character

He’s a broke college student. This is the most painfully relatable thing about him and it works all the time. 

7: thing that gives me second hand embarrassment about this character

Holy shit Spider-Man Far From Home sure did deliver on some of the most awkward moments I’ve seen from Peter (and there’s a lot from every iteration from him). It doesn’t help that Peter’s younger in these films, so it's made way worse when his classmate thought he was a male escort ksjfhskdj

8: cinnamon roll or problematic fave?

I’m sure he’s done lots of problematic things I haven’t heard about yet. Uh, One More Day comes to mind, and so does slapping MJ across the face so hard she falls onto the floor in Spider-Man 3. Actually, that was after wearing the symbiote - he did kiss Gwen in front of MJ, his girlfriend, as Spider-Man, in the same film, before wearing it. Most of the time though, I’d say Peter's a depressed cinnamon roll.

[cammie-morgan-goode]

Funny OTP starters #12: Macey and Preston

Funny OTP starters #12 “Your mother keeps on making me sweaters and dude I’m sorry I love her but these are making me ITCH.” Macey/Preston

(Okay this one kinda wrote itself and it’s more cute than funny. Let me know if I should rewrite it!)

Growing up in the spotlight has been anything but easy. It’s taken every single sense of innocence away from two very young minds. Being the child of a politician is hard work. There’s itineraries, speeches, and travel logs. Your face is plastered on every magazine across the globe and your safety is a top priority because everyone sees you as a threat. They either want to be you or they want you dead.

But, the political life was the last thing on Macey’s mind as she wandered down the streets of New York City. Her mission was to blend in. But, that was easier said than done when your face’s been on tv screens for years. So she took a page from her best friend’s book, and she became someone else. Her long black hair was hidden beneath blonde curls and her blue eyes were now brown thanks to some contacts. She opted for a ruined college sweatshirt, jeans, and plain sneakers. Adding a small lilt to her walk, she wasn’t Macey McHenry anymore. No. She was Macey: Gallagher Girl on a mission.

She kept her head down and avoided eye contact as she entered one of the stores on Main Street. Usually Macey McHenry wouldn’t be caught dead in a store that’s as “plain” as this one but, she wasn’t herself. She was someone else. And according to her cover story, she would very much walk into a store like this. Thankfully she knew what she was looking for.

She wandered towards the middle of the store and picked out a plain red crew neck. It was light and not too heavy which meant it would definitely show off some muscle... Macey smiled and set off to pay. She was smart enough to use one of the credit cards to the off shore accounts because she didn’t want Preston to peek and kindly thanked the lady at the register. (Of course she channeled her inner Liz and added a bit of twang to her voice)

Within an hour or so, Macey was back at the apartment she shared with Preston. It was nice and homey. They had several places scattered across the globe, perks of being in the field and in politics. But, they were in New York for the holidays as it was the only place that both the McHenry’s and the Winters’s could agree on. Macey set the shopping bag on the dining room table and took off the wig, tossing it elsewhere on the wood.

“Hey Mace? Your mother keeps making me sweaters and dude I’m sorry, I love her but, these are making me itch.”

She looks up in time to see Preston walk in, tugging at the sweater from every angle—the collar, the cuffs, the sleeves. She can’t help the smirk that plays on the corners of her lips. She knows him so well. (She also knows her mother)

“Happy early birthday,” She says, gesturing to the bag on the table. She shakes out her hair and wanders to the bathroom to take out her contacts. “Let me know if it fits.”

Preston knows it’s going to fit. He knows Macey McHenry and he knows his girlfriend is never wrong. He changes out of the uncomfortable sweater and into the new fabric, smoothing it down in the front. It felt nice. (Way better than the one Cynthia had managed to buy)

Macey came back in, leaning against the doorframe. “Don’t tell my mother that it’s from an off brand. She’ll kill us both.”

Preston gives her his signature lopsided smile and moves towards her, placing a kiss on her cheek. “Thanks, Mace.”

It was tradition. Cynthia McHenry still tried to have some control over Macey and Preston. But, Macey always found a clever way to slide out from beneath her thumb.

Besides... Macey would do anything to make Preston Winters happy.

(Written by: @cammie-morgan-goode)

[staliasjeronica]

Jeronica Headcanons 3

1. Who poses and who encourages the other by yelling sweet things at them?

- Veronica poses, and Jughead encourages her by shouting cute things at her while he takes pictures of her.

2. Who sighs and rests their head on their partner’s shoulder while the other pulls them closer?

- Veronica sighs and rests her head on Jughead’s shoulder, and Jughead will pull her closer. However, if Jughead is really tired he’ll be the one to do so and Veronica will cuddle him closer to her body.

3. Who is more likely to start a pillow fight at an obscure time at night?

- When Jughead is being a whiny baby, Veronica will hit him with a pillow to get him out of his funk. That started their thing, so when they’re sad or in their own head the other will hit them with a pillow.

4. How do they greet one another when they come home?

- Jughead shouts, “baby, I’m home!” while Veronica says, “Where are you, Torombolo?” because he usually gets home before her.

5. Who laughs and exposes their cover when they try to playfully scare their partner?

- Both of them are really good at hiding their emotions, but sometimes Veronica just can’t hold it in anymore and gives away her cover. Either that, or Jughead will sense it and call her out, which makes her laugh and give herself away.

6. Who starts the dance off in the kitchen while they are baking cookies?

- Veronica loves to dance, so she’ll always start the dance off when Jughead suggests making cookies for whatever reason he can come up with.

7. Are they more likely to built a pillow fort with aesthetically pleasing string lights or sit in a bed of a truck looking up at the stars?

- It depends on who creates the fort/plans the date. Veronica will make the pillow fort pretty and comfortable, while Jughead, when borrowing Sweet Pea’s truck, will lay down blankets and bring snacks and will look up at the stars with Veronica while cuddling. They enjoy both, so it works out for both of them.

8. Who continually tries to prank the other but fails each time?

- They both love to prank each other, but Veronica’s fail more because he either catches her or she ends up laughing when he gets close to what her prank is. Jughead, however, loves pranks because he used to pull them all the time with Jellybean growing up, and then joining the Serpents (Sweet Pea, Fangs, and Toni have a big prank war continuously going on)… Jughead lives for pranks.

9. Who is ready to throw down and who is ready to make a flower crown?

- Both are ready to throw down at any given moment, but Veronica tends to take the higher road and chooses peace instead. Which is building flower crowns together, as odd as it may seem. She did it with her ex-girlfriend Katy Keene in New York whenever they were angry or fought, and it just stuck. Jughead secretly loves it.

10. Who gets the spider out of the house?

- Veronica does. She finds it absolutely hilarious that a gang member is afraid of a tiny spider. But Jughead always insists that the spiders are humongous.

11. Who laughs so hard that they make no sound and whose laugh can you hear from a mile away?

- Jughead gets to the point where it makes no sound, and Veronica’s bell-like laugh can be heard from miles away. Sometimes if she’s laughing really hard she’ll snort all cute-like and Jughead loves to playfully tease her about it.

12. Who is more likely to create an absolute disaster in the kitchen?

- Jughead, definitely. He tries to keep things clean but a lot of the time he gets too lazy to full clean up.

13. Who tries their best at a new hobby and who is ready to hype their partner up?

- Veronica loves to find new hobbies, and Jughead loves to hype her up and sometimes join her if it seems interesting.

14. They get looped into going to a party they don’t wanna go to, do they, A) Get out of it with a mediocre lie, (what is the lie) B) Go and decide to try and have a good time, C) Go and decide to start chaos or D) Go and steal some food?

- These two would go to the party and do B, C, and D. They’d try to have a good time, and if they don’t they start chaos and then they (sometimes get high) and munch on food until the party starts to disperse.

15. Who would be more likely to buy their partner socks with dinosaurs on them?

- Jughead found out that Veronica had a brief dinosaur phase growing up and so he began buying her dinosaur related clothing and then Jellybean and FP told her about how Jughead was obsessed with Pterodactyls and dinosaurs too then she began to do the same, and they go on regular hiking trails where dinosaur bones were found.

Taken from https://the-moon-dust-writings.tumblr.com/post/182256042473/otp-questions 

[purrpickle]

Random Pezberry Thought of the Day #353

A/N: This is another long @thedeadflag and me headcanon waterfall/exercise/ramble (at least on my part). It’s full of FEELS and I think worth sharing. 

(And if you STILL haven’t read thedeadflag’s stuff, do it! Do it now! Here’s a handy dandy link: thedeadflag’s AO3. You won’t be disappointed. She’s amazing!)

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purrpickle sent a post Person A an...

otp-imagines-cult: 

Person A and Person B break up. One day, months after this, Person A goes out and sees person B wearing an article of clothing A got them on the last birthday they spent together. 

This made my heart hurt. ...And then I immediately thought of you. What does that say about our headcanoning/discussions? XD But seriously! This hurts, and makes my fic mind spin.

thedeadflag 

Being more than a little tactile and always complaining about needing someone warm under her, Rachel gets Santana a big super comfy and warm scarf (one that could double as a blanket in a pinch) that she agonized and spent weeks researching, knowing Santana was picky about her clothes (not to mention Rachel being super unsure regarding her fashion sense when it comes to Santana, because of their history around that particular topic, even despite Santana's reassurances since shortly before getting together that Rachel no longer dressed herself like the wet fantasy of a creepy Japanese business man with a very specific fetish). They spend the last part of Santana's birthday with that scarf splayed around them, among other blankets, and it more or less becomes something Santana wears when she's cold and missing Rachel, a turn of events that just completely makes Rachel's heart sing at the sentimentality (she pens a song about it that Santana wishes wasn't hideously disastrous, but she indulges Rachel regardless whenever the diva wants to sing it to her so long as it's in private). 

Flash forward two years later, about a year after they've parted ways, and Rachel's reading a tabloid on Saturday between her matinee and night-time performances on stage when she spots an article full of pap photos of celebs in New York after a major cold front rolled through the city in the winter. Her heart climbs up her throat at the sight of Santana. Santana, freshly broken up with some up-and-coming singer in a rock band, not that she paid an aching level of attention to her ex girlfriend, ex-best friend, and current distant friend who always seems to be busy, and who is only ever really available for brief FaceTime or Skype calls. 

Santana, who is walking through Central Park in the photo, on the same path they'd spent much of their first date on. Santana, who is weARING HER SCARF

purrpickle

And god, nausea just pushes up her throat - the kind like her throat's strangling and her stomach's rolling because of the sheer visceral reaction to seeing something incredibly life rocking - and she has to pour over the picture, convince herself that it IS the same scarf, not just a similar one, and she sits back, suddenly numb, limbs heavy. It had to have been deliberate, didn't it? Their first date, THEIR scarf... Rachel scrubs her hand over her face, truly confused, a mixture of old, buried bewilderment of how things had gone so wrong and hurt and awareness and something she'd long thought had unkindled out of her - a spark of yearning, what-ifs pounding through her head, racing, her hands trembling a little as she pulls her warmed mug of coffee, previously too hot to touch but now her fingers didn't care - it felt good and the slight plain anchored her - close. 

Staring at Santana's face, scrutinizing her neutral expression for ANYTHING, but getting no answers, she's only snapped out of her fog by her first alarm, alerting her she needed to start getting ready if she didn't want to be late for her habitual arrival an hour before she needed to be ready, and she decides, taking a deep, deep breath, forcing herself to close the magazine so it wouldn't blare out of her like a beacon each time she glanced in the table's direction, that she'll figure out how to feel later. And even if she had a decision to make in the first place.

*shares Katy Perry’s song Save as Draft*

thedeadflag

:O i know that song! And it definitely fits that AU and now I'm riding a wave of angst

purrpickle

You're welcome.

It's the lines: I still have the same phone number and we've both grown but I don't know (paraphrasing, of course) that really get to me and that AU.

thedeadflag

absolutely. Like, the fact that so much has changed, but that same line of communication remains as when you were together...makes it all that much easier to remember back, to succumb to the urge to reconnect, to feet the same waves of emotions you felt when things broke off, etc.

purrpickle

Also, like, Rachel doesn't want to make the attempt to reach out, rekindle things... And have Santana practically laugh in her face. That's the worst feeling of all.

So her number's the same, always has been, so if Santana really wanted to reach out, like that photo suggests, why didn't she?

thedeadflag

mmhmm 

Meanwhile, it's so similar with Santana. She's been just mowing through women since Rachel, and none of them hold a candle to the diva. And she just keeps trying, desperate to find someone who could make her feel like Rachel did, but there's just been heartache after heartache. But she's scared to reach out after their final big fight when things ended. Even though she knows with 99% certainty that one of Rachel's throwaway remarks about her being heartless was just a heat of the moment, slightly alcohol fueled remark from the diva, she can't help but call into question whether Rachel really thought that was true the whole time, whether Rachel hadn't really felt or believed her love for her. And Rachel's seemed so happy lately, so upbeat, and she's been miserable, and reaching out only to have those fears confirmed would be devastating.

purrpickle

My heartttttttt. 

And, like, maybe that day Santana had been walking that stretch of Central Park INDULGING that heart ache, having only just happened to brush her hand across that scarf she can't ever put away, even if a relationship gets semi-serious (before breaking almost immediately). She'd stared at it, hands helplessly feeling how soft and warm it was, Santana's eyes sliding towards her bedroom window to see how cold and blustery it looked outside. And maybe she'd wrapped it around her neck, heart skipping a beat as she smelled the faintest hint of what Rachel had always smelled like, and maybe, the scarf so noticeable around her neck, she'd, for the first time in years since traveling that path almost religiously for months after they'd broken up, just HOPING that she'd run into Rachel and they could have... maybe... worked things out..., taken the turn after meeting for lunch with her assistant. She'd tried to school her face impassible, tightening the scarf around her as the wind blew, almost laughing bitterly at herself for forgetting her gloves again, shoving her hands deep into her pockets as she remembered how Rachel used to chide her about that, taking Santana's hands in hers or pulling Santana's hand into her own coat pocket, gloved hand squeezing her tightly.

thedeadflag

 *gif of Emma Stone crying and eating ice cream*

purrpickle

She hadn't even noticed the paparazzi that day, trying desperately not to show what it felt like to know the bench where she and Rachel had had their first kiss at was coming up.

thedeadflag

Yep, definitely too deep in her "conceal" mode and her memories to realize anyone was following/watching her, for sure. Just thinking with every stinging heartbeat that this was a mistake, this was a mistake, this was a mistake. Because Rachel wasn't there, and the weather outside couldn't begin to compete with the bitter chill of loneliness and longing her walk down memory lane brought her

And for the rest of the week, she's haunted by the songs Rachel would softly sing when they'd get in from the cold and make their way up to the loft. And it's like whiplash, all those happy, loving memories with the renewed doubts that any of it was as real as she thought it was, as she felt it was back then.

purrpickle

Her footsteps had started to slow as she approached the bench... But with a sharp shake of her head she'd sped up and left it behind, telling herself she was stronger than she had been after the breakup when she'd sit at the bench and cry behind a magazine, hoping against hope that Rachel's warm, smaller body would settle down next to her, arms sliding around her and pulling her head to her chest.

It probably doesn't help that Rachel had been in a high profile, supposedly very serious and romantic, happy relationship for almost two years about a year after their breakup, with rumors that he was going to propose any time now until they had suddenly broken up. Santana didn't like to listen to rumors, knowing her own got out of hand, but it had still hurt. Because she'd been thinking about a wedding in the future - had ALWAYS been thinking a wedding was in the future once their relationship had settled and grown and became real, more REAL than any other relationship Santana had had. And the grapevine had said it was Rachel's boyfriend who had broken up with her, so it probably meant that Rachel had been ready and capable, definitely capable, of moving on. Sure, Rachel wasn't dating anyone currently, only casually here and there, and it had been a while since that serious relationship, but Santana couldn't help worrying that... That she wasn't needed. That Rachel had completely released her from her mind.

thedeadflag

i'm dying here !!! Ugh, the feels

purrpickle

Really, this is a LOT of feels. It's so gooood while it hurts, too. XD

(You know, I was thinking, and it's okay if your addition contradicts this, I just wanted to get it down, but: what if Rachel was actually the one who broke up with her boyfriend and let him say he was the one who did? Because she was happy, but she wasn't AS happy as she knew she could have been. And maybe he DID actually propose, but she turned him down, and that's what led to their breakup.)

(She's never told anyone.)

(Not even her closest friends. The only person she DID almost tell, who she WANTED to tell, was Santana. But she didn't.)

(It hurt too much. And they were over, weren't they?)

(She didn't tell anyone because she didn't want to admit who it was she still thought of. Too vulnerable. Too easy to hurt.)

thedeadflag

that's actually pretty much what I was going to add on, that Rachel was the one that couldn't go through with a bigger relationship commitment after Santana, because it never felt right, felt like enough. But she'd feel guilty enough to let the guy save face and say he dumped her. And she'd struggle with the urge to run to Santana to vent about the whole situation, because it was simply too much for her to handle reasonably well on her own, but she couldn't. Not when Santana had been the benchmark she'd measured him against, not when she and Santana were long since over with, not when they'd lost that best friends-style emotional intimacy long ago after their break-up. Even if Santana was the only one she would feel comfortable telling in theory, she couldn't, not when it was already super uncomfortable and exhausting and distressing to confront that she still thought of Santana. Not with all the distance carved between them since they'd split. Distance they pretended wasn't there, but was clear to anyone who cared to look.

purrpickle

What if... What if this is the first time other than directly succeeding their break up that they're both single at the same time again? Not even truly casually dating anyone.

thedeadflag

I could definitely see that

purrpickle

Like, absolutely single. Not talking single for two weeks or whatever or already forward towards the next relationship.

((("Did you truly think I was heartless?" Silence. Then, deep inhale. "No, Santana. I've always known you feel... Care too much.")))

Ohh, what if they start communicating through paparazzi pics? First Santana wearing that scarf in that part of Central Park, then Rachel fishes out one of Santana's shirts Rachel had found mixed into her things after the breakup and never given back.

thedeadflag

And they're both anxious messes, entirely on edge between pictures, trying to figure out if this is happening or if it's just coincidence, or if their foolish hope is blinding them to other messages at play. 

But then Rachel decides to be brave and lures the paps to Central Park, getting them to take a picture of her sitting on their bench, with a vegan ice cream cone in her hand. They hadn't had ice cream on their first date, or their fifth. It was later, on one of their routine walks in the park, after getting ice cream in the dead of winter for reasons that baffled Santana, that they'd found their way to the bench. And she'd been midway through licking her cone when Santana had leaned up against her, all taut and breathless, confessing she loved Rachel. 

And so there Santana is, years later, just staring through tears at the photo of Rachel in the park, cone in hand, head tilted towards where she'd been way back then. And maybe it wasn't a rekindling of the flames they once had, but it was...finally, for goddamn once...a clear sign that Rachel missed her. That she hadn't just been a stepping stone, an afterthought, a warm body. That Rachel really had seen her, known her.

purrpickle

 *gif of crying anime girl*

I think Santana loses some of her nerve, finally deciding that she's going to reach out - because it's definitely in her court now, after that pic - to Rachel through text. She writes everything out, hundreds of times, erasing and rewriting and erasing again. Finally, exhausted mentally and physically, she settles on, "Do you have time for coffee?"

thedeadflag

Was gonna respond in a bit to this when I had more time but YES

Santana being all "aaaaaaAAAAAAAAAA fuck my life whatever I'll just...fuck it, let's just see if she wants coffee" *send* Marches away and paces for fifteen minutes to work off her anxiousness

And she's just so exhausted, and worn down, and every minute that passes feels like an eternity, and brings a wealth of new doubts and second-guessing, 

But then her phone buzzes

Rachel had been sitting on her bed when Santana's text rolled in. She'd done a double take, hoping she wasn't dreaming, and then left the room for a moment to come back just to confirm that fact. Santana wanted coffee. And not coffee-coffee-wink-wink-nudge-nudge like some use it as shorthand for a more explicit invitation, because Santana was not the sort to beat around the bush when it came to that... but coffee. Coffee.

And Rachel's mind immediately jumped to Stumptown, and Ground Central, and Third Rail, and Intelligentsia, all their old coffee hangouts across Manhattan, and the Bushwick favorites like Hearts, or Brooklyn Whiskers, and Mixtape Bushwick. All places with histories, but old histories. And as much as she yearned for Santana, and loved so much of their time together, she knew she'd grown as a person since they'd split, and that Santana almost assuredly had too, so she needed a new home away from home where they could feel each other out. A new place, a new tradition. A new them. 

It took her twelve minutes to scour google for a place with good reviews that seemed to have the aesthetic that could fit them, and before she could overthink, she sent a name off. Abraço

And then quickly followed it up with an explanation and a flurry of potential times and dates she was available, because of course Santana wouldn't understand what the word meant on its own

purrpickle

I think Rachel's also struck at how it's worded. It's completely up to Rachel, how she'll respond. Rachel might have expected some demanding or direct request, but the Santana she had gotten to know... It did make sense. And it also spoke a lot to her because Santana was respecting her time. 

And Santana, having frowned down at the random word when she'd snatched it up almost before it was done vibrating, felt so much relief like heat pool through her body, almost making her limbs numb. But as she read over the times and dates, Santana felt her heart sink, along with her smile. She was busy. Each day. She'd forgotten that she was headed for LA that Monday, for two weeks, as well as not figured that, it being currently a Wednesday, Rachel would be busy with her shows through that week and weekend. 

Santana's shoulders dropped, her eyes burning. She hoped that this wasn't a sign. And the fact that Rachel had responded at ALL was a positive. But Santana didn't WANT to send back what could be construed as backpedaling, or having changed her mind. But it was true she just... Couldn't make it. Still, fingers trembling as she typed out something she hoped wouldn't stop everything, her heart pained, she sent it, and hoped it would be okay. 

“God, I'm sorry. I totally forgot I'm going to be in LA for two weeks starting Monday. This isn't an excuse not to meet. I'm sorry. Maybe after I come back?” 

(My thought being they could start texting slowly again, getting to know each other again before coming face to face. And they're adults, with busy lives, and, I think, it almost makes it mean more if it doesn't go smoothly.)

thedeadflag

!!! absolutely!

purrpickle

It also goes to show how impulsive and exhausted Santana was, completely forgetting that.

thedeadflag

I could definitely see it happen. Sometimes in her excitement/determination, she can get impulsive and not think things completely through

purrpickle

Okay, delete the second I'm sorry in the text. I was thinking I'd forgotten to put one in. And that way, when Rachel gets the first text, she DOES feel let down, but then Santana can quickly send another text with another I'm sorry in it. (Or is that too cliche? XD)

thedeadflag

Nah, they're awkward messes. They've already fumbled their way through communicating via pap pictures. What's a little fumbling through texting?

purrpickle

OH GOD. Though I'm not done exploring this adorable awkward mess of Rachel dealing with the high and abrupt low - while Santana's in LA, all the magazines and tabloids are talking about are her romantic lunch and dinner dates (with her producer or something), no matter where Rachel looks. Like, she and Santana are communicating, and she knows not to trust tabloids, but Santana looks so HAPPY in the pictures, with the smile on her face that always made Rachel's heart pound.

Like, it's not a big thing between them, but it does stick in the back of Rachel's mind.

I was thinking earlier that both women make a concrete decision to not rush things - or, let's be real, even discuss what's happening with each other because both are terrified the other isn't after trying again - and just hang out as friends for a long time. Sure, there's awkward moments and in drawn breaths when they accidentally brush against each other, but they just get coffee together, then more coffee, then maybe lunch or brunch, then Santana inviting Rachel round to watch some sort of television show together or something. They try very hard to rebuild up the friendship they lost.

And there are missteps. From both.

thedeadflag

Oh for sure. They've been so out of sync for so long that they're going to bring some friction, and fumble around. And some old habits will resurface that are (or at least feel) a bit too intimate for that stage in the relationship, and that'll throw them off their games, and have them retreating, and yeah. I definitely think that's likely

purrpickle

Oh yes. Definitely. Good point. It kinda stops them cold when they realize what's happening. And yeah, they retreat. It's them, after all.

It's like, is all this awkwardness, hyper focus of NOT to do the wrong thing, even worth it?

Somehow, Rachel and Santana manage to get coffee and talk and spend together for about two months before people start to catch on, or take pictures of it. Immediately, the tabloids clamor about "Old flames igniting" and "Rachel had never given up on Santana" and "Santana turning to Rachel to repair her scandalous reputation", etc. etc. 

It's not long before Quinn is calling up Santana, not wanting her old friend to be hurt again, while Tina and Mercedes show up on Rachel's doorstep, demanding a girls' night out/in - and Rachel, who had had plans to see Santana that evening has to cancel them, awkwardly starting, like, "Tina and Mercedes are in town..." and "Yeah, I get it," Santana answers, "Tell Wheezy and Chang One I's talk to them later." Both don't get too good of a night's sleep.

thedeadflag

And maybe they manage to sneak off to a coffee shop late the next morning, all bleary eyed and grumbly, and proceed to pass out against each other in a shared booth seat. They wouldn't mean, to, of course. It's the one place that has someone deliver coffee too their tables, but it takes longer than they expect (or, than Rachel expects, given Santana knows how complex Rachel's order always is) and they're both just so tired from being up all night thinking about how to navigate the situation with their friends when it'd been hard enough to navigate on their own without the interventions and interrogations.

purrpickle

It's Santana who wakes up first when the barista comes over, and she groans, nodding at the guy to just leave the coffees. She shifts a little, heart squeezing as Rachel's head rubs against her shoulder, the other woman protesting at getting moved, and Santana lightly nudges her shoulder. Her heart is beating hard, her brain telling her not to move her, to take the opportunity to feel her against her again, and breathe in the scent that had always been RACHEL... And her fingers hover over Rachel's cheek, aching to smooth her bangs from her eyes. They've gotten close again, but... Not close enough for that. And they - still - hadn't really talked about where they heading. 

Exhaling, her eyes averting as they threaten to water, Santana nudges Rachel's shoulder again, harder. "Coffee's here," she shrugs casually when Rachel sits up, blinking at her blearily. Rachel's scent and warmth is gone, and Santana takes a sip of her coffee to cover herself. 

"Oh, thank you. I... Was I sleeping on you?" Rachel almost stutters, blushing. She can't believe herself.

(There was a song I was listening to [on repeat when I couldn't find the case to swap out the CD] on my drive back up that very much reminded me of this story. Let me see if I can find the relevant lyrics.)

(We used to be inseparable, I used to think that I was irreplaceable We lit the whole world up, before we blew it up, I still don't know just how we screwed it up)

-Selena Gomez, Love Will Remember

thedeadflag

this angst has me wishing lesbian life alert was a real thing because I think I'm gonna need it if this keeps escalating XD

purrpickle

At least in this 'verse they're rebuilding and getting each other back. :D

thedeadflag

this is true :P

purrpickle

(But honestly, it screams angsty Pezberry to me.)

Who breaks and moves in for a kiss first?

thedeadflag

I think Rachel. It's the slow build-up of past memories and feelings alongside all the fantasies and ideas and hopes her overactive imagination and inner passion drum up over the months of playing it cool and feeling each other out. Rachel does her best to keep composure, to play it safe with her heart, but she's absolutely not a "bend, don't break" girl, she's composed and strong and willful until she's suddenly not, and it's in one of those moments of weakness where she just straight up finds herself moving in for a kiss before she can catch herself. She's always wanted anything and everything in her life too damn much, and after so long just dancing around with Santana in this pseudo relationship, she just gets overcome by a rush of need, and...well, she wouldn't be Rachel Berry if she wasn't driven to excel in everything she does

at least, that's my take

purrpickle

And Santana registers what Rachel's doing as she's moving in, Rachel's hand tight in the sleeve of Santana's coat, and god, she's shocked still, lips parted as Rachel, hesitating only a second, own lips trembling, presses into her. It's not a long kiss, Santana's hands rising to cup Rachel's sides, Rachel already leaning back even as Santana gently puts more and more weight on her as if to push her; but then Santana wavers, and with a breathy, needy exhale, she's closing the distance, her own lips molding back over Rachel's. It's not an exceedingly passionate kiss, this one, just lips pressing against lips, hearts jumping and chests heaving with bodies prickling, but both women are slightly dizzy from the sheer RELEASE and CONSTRICTION it blossoms inside of them. Release, because it means both are on the same page, but also constriction from the sheer anxiety and fear inside each other that is this right? Even if they want this so much, should they TRULY try it?

(But Santana's not strong enough to pretend she doesn't want this.)

But they take it slow. Don't fall into bed. Don't even have a hot and heavy macking session. They just kiss once, twice, then pull back, staring at each other. Then they talk. They talk a LOT. Things waterfall out. And then Santana goes home for the night, maybe even the one to suggest it, that they should take the time and think and make sure that if they agree to actually try again, it's with time away and it's not the rush of just how amazing their physical connection has always been.

thedeadflag

Yep. Maybe if it was their first time entering into a relationship, they would have fallen into each other and their passion, but they're older, more cautious, with greater willpower. As much as Rachel might want to give in completely, she knows they have to get it right this time if they do it at all. And that means patience, time, and lots of talking. And while she's only comfortable with the last of those three things, Santana's worth the effort. 

(and yeah, I can see Santana suggesting heading home...as much as Rachel is a fantastic planner, she's more reactive than cerebral in the moment, at least compared to Santana, not quite as quick at plotting out the smoothest, safest way to handle this new revelation after they've talked enough about it and what it means for them. Rachel would ask a lot of important and detailed questions, but Santana would be steering that particular ship and figuring out for the both of them when they need to call it a night)

purrpickle

Right. Santana wants to protect her heart - and part of her still can't help but want to protect Rachel's, too - and she knows when she needs to step away, to process, and especially knows when Rachel needs that too. She needs to know that when they meet up again the same feelings will be there - from BOTH of them. And she's scared. She's honest to god scared. Kissing Rachel scared her - because it was real, because it illustrated that the physical feelings are still there, and because Rachel hurt her before. She knows, logically, that they've been working towards this, that obviously they set out with the resuming of their relationship in mind, but if it's actually starting to happen... No one, aside from Brittany during high school and the time afterwards, has meant so much to Santana. And she doesn't want to squander this, knows her particular role to play in this, and NEEDS to see Rachel reach out and meet her. And part of that is slowing them, if just to feel like there truly IS a way she can control this, feel in control.

That the EMOTIONAL part of during the kiss was still there, too.

She's vulnerable, but what she's learned over the years they were apart and her trying to move on, is that they can't fall back together in their old love. They need to fall in love again, in their new lives.

thedeadflag

^^^ This is hitting me right in my fluffy angst feels

purrpickle

Me tooooo.

I thought it was very important, this part: they can't fall back together in their old love. They need to fall in love again, in their new lives. Because it's SO TRUE they could fall into the old trap of just picking up from where they were, bury themselves and hide in it. When what they really need to do is TRULY start over, MAKE new love and let it be them, not the echo of what it once was.

Basically, they can't live on the dying energy of a supernova. They need to live on the new world built from its stardust.

thedeadflag

Yep. They aren't who they used to be. They can't fall in love with the ghosts of who they were...they can appreciate the good times they shared back then, and the love they had for each other, but they're different people now. They need to completely explore each other's depths again, and and find out if they're compatible again, if they can fall in love with these new versions of each other. Just because they fell in love once, and were a good fit once, doesn't mean they would again. After all, they fell apart because they stopped being a good fit. Something changed, or at least something didn't fit where they thought it did, and that hurt more than anything. So they need to get it right. They need to be careful. They need to figure out if they really fit together instead of just hoping they will and ignoring the details, because neither of them want to get hurt again, or to hurt each other. They know they deserve love. It's whether or not each other is the right one to share it with is the question they need answering, and Santana's absolutely going to figure out if the people they built themselves into after the wreckage of their relationship are compatible pieces of their life's puzzle, or if they're just better off friends

purrpickle

Oh god my heart just died. And honestly, they're both so scared that they'll only fit as friends. Because the way they feel about each other, they can't see a future where just friends would be enough. And yeah, you should always be friends with your lover, but could they ever be friends if they weren't lovers? Would they be able to grow into that. 

And honestly, I just saw a heartbreaking scene where Rachel's crying, sobbing, because she's so terrified Santana's going to say they won't fit, they won't work, and she's mature enough to realize that she shouldn't, wouldn't be able to MOLD herself into fitting together, or "changing" Santana to fit her inside herself either. Because if Santana says friends, that's it, and she'd abide by it, even as her heart's breaking. But she's crying, admitting to Santana that she wouldn't be happy, that she's terrified they won't/can't try again.

She's not trying to put Santana on the spot, but she can't help how she feels.

thedeadflag

She wouldn't be Rachel if she could

*help how she feels, that is. She's always been particularly vulnerable to her emotions pulling her all over the place. Again, she's always wanted things too much

purrpickle

I mean, that makes it sound like Santana's the gatekeeper for their relationship, but I kind of imagine, in this case, she is.

Rachel's not another rushed into high profile fling. But also, Santana does drag this on a bit too long. Maybe not entirely knowingly, but I can see Rachel finally pointing it out to Santana, quietly, forcibly stoically.

thedeadflag

and as much as she heard Rachel's words, as much as it all clicks together with perfect sense, it only lays her fears bare for all to see. She's always been cautious, calculating, and one of the few times she wasn't, she got her heart annihilated. She's terrified of that happening again. Even if everything points to them being a good fit, she second guesses herself, and though she realizes that a little late into their new attempt, she can't help it. She's scared. Because as much as she can see a vivid future together, she can still remember exactly how each one of the many breakdowns felt after she and Rachel fell apart the first time. 

But it's a good thing, it's exactly the kind of kick in the ass she needs, because she's been patient, she's been cautious, she's been so focused on them and how they fit, and she just hasn't let herself put all the pieces of their mosaic together in her mind yet because she's been terrified they won't fit, not just because she knows it'd break Rachel's heart for them to not be able to be friends, knowing it wouldn't be enough for Rachel, and that it also wouldn't be enough for her after everything. Not with how she feels. But also because she's terrified that they will fit, but that she's missed something, like last time (because of course Santana blames herself, regardless), and that they'll end up repeating past mistakes. 

But they're not the same people. Not anymore. And she goes over the differences between who they were when they started the first time with Rachel, and who they were when they ended. And the fact that Rachel isn't on-the-fly creating a powerpoint to visualize the differences as they brainstorm and reassess what they've learned over the past months...maybe it's a little absurd to focus on, but it's something that she uses to keep herself focused and faithful on the notion that it really isn't too good to be true, that maybe they really could work together. That in the years that have passed, they've grown and changed and the flaws that condemned their past relationship aren't there anymore. And at the end of the two and a half hour conversation, their coffees cold on the table, the sun long since set, Santana asks what they do now? (maybe? I don't know, is that the right sort of direction?)

purrpickle

(I'm not sure what you're asking?)

thedeadflag

like, I don't know, my mind's been a little foggy all day, so I'm not sure if I'm missing anything important in my on-the-fly stream of consciousness rambling/brainstorming

purrpickle

Hey, you're making more sense than my word deluge seems to make to me. Is this two and a half hour talk happening after Rachel tells Santana she's drawing things out?

thedeadflag

yeah, that's what I figured. Like, maybe Rachel says it, warns Santana, and plans on leaving directly after to let Santana think, but Santana reels Rachel back in, because okay, yeah, she HAS drawn this out too long, and if they need to get down to it and make the call, figure out if they're 100% in or out, then they do it right now. So it's two and a half hours of arguments and counter arguments and pros and cons and drudging up painful past memories yet again, and contrasting with what they've recently learned, and maybe some more info they share that seems innocuous but the other finds interesting or surprising, and it's all exhausting, and lasts much longer than expected, but by the end...every negative counterpoint, every con, has been dealt with or they're explicitly aware of it and have discussed how to work through that. And they're left with...all signs pointing to yes, pointing to "Pezberry: The Sequel" as Kurt and Quinn would call it. And as scared as she is, Santana's in. And Rachel, Rachel's overwhelmed and relieved, and frazzled, but she's in. But then they have to figure out where they go from there, and Santana's just blanking, because how do you ask a woman on an official date-date after you've spent 2 and a half hours going through an emotional gauntlet together?

purrpickle

You know, I think Rachel steps forward at this moment. She's scared, exhausted, too, but she can see how scared and exhausted Santana is, too. And Rachel carries a lot of the guilt inside herself, too. She reaches out, palm trembling, to cup Santana's cheek, pulling her to look at her. "We both want this," she whispers, "And we've talked enough that even I feel that anything more at this moment won't say anything more." Rachel laughs lightly, biting her lower lip, smiling as Santana's lips curl up, her dimples starting to show as her dark eyes meet Rachel's, "Why don't we..." Rachel licks her lips, heart starting to trip in her chest, gasping as Santana's hand finds her free one, almost shyly curling around it - just to feel Rachel's hand in hers, not let her lace their fingers together. "Why don't we do this? Go on a date. I... I want to. Tomorrow. Or... The next day. Yes, the next day." Rachel lets her hand fall, curling it around Santana's around hers. "We... We can talk in the meantime, but truly 'START' there."

And they do start out slow. Hold hands, sit next to each other, closer than they had before, but not cuddling yet, and short, light kisses when they get done with their dates or go home for the night.

Oh god. The first time they have an argument (like all couples do). Both are vibrating and scared that the other will say something that will break them, or bring up the past, so each are preemptively trying to protect themselves and prickling the other.

thedeadflag

Absolutely, it's like they almost expect something to go horribly wrong, like a veil being lifted to realize it was never real, they never had a chance, their past heartbreak was too much to overcome, that they'd be defined by their past actions yet again

and they don't even realize they're doing it at first, but they're throwing barbs in a sort of self-destructive "it was never going to work, so at least by creating its destruction, I was in control of it, I could minimize the pain" sort of way, and it's just leading down and down, and Santana realizes it first after a particularly pointed remark that sounds so much like her high school self that it's jarring. And it reminds her that this is exactly what she used to do in high school, to herself, at almost every opportunity for happiness.

purrpickle

((Okay, so I came up with this, but I don't know if it really, truly fits? Like, yes, it's vulnerable enough, but I'm not sure they'd really be able to stop the argument in such this way. What's your opinion?)) 

Finally, after a sharp word, Santana notices that Rachel's... shaking? Her heart squeezes, her own tension in her body suddenly more noticeable. "Rache?" she barks, it coming out more angry than she means it to, still riding high on frustration and fear, "You're... You're trembling?" She still wants to continue the argument, the self destructive part of her wanting to "win" the row, but the self sacrificing part of herself wants to just hug Rachel. It's only a stupid argument, not, hopefully, she yearns, the true end of their relationship. And Rachel's not even looking at her now, inhaling, as if to ignore Santana's question and shout out another painful jab... But she's trembling. And Santana realizes she's trembling too.

thedeadflag

it makes sense. Santana does love to win, and is terribly stubborn, but she's shown a willingness to shift away from those parts of herself (at least temporarily) to focus on more emotional matters. (example: arguing with Rachel over the disposed pregnancy test, pulling Rachel close and comforting her instead of continuing the argument when Rachel tells Santana she 'had no right' and subsequently breaks down)

purrpickle

*nods* I also see it as kind of an unconscious trade off... Rachel made the first move to ask Santana out (after forcing the conversation), and Santana's the first to stop this spiraling maelstrom. Obviously, both don't want all of their arguments or tiffs to end up in sabotage, so they talk, again, promise to try and not doom them before they truly have a chance. They're worth it... They have to be.

Ugh... So I'm feeling extremely fluffy right now. The first night they stay the night with each other, like in the same bed, as both have ended up crashing at the others' place before in a guest bed - no sex, not even taking off clothes, just in pajamas - but definitely touching each other, and waking up tangled together.

Touching each other as in lying next to each other or holding hands or even Santana opening her arms and letting Rachel snuggle into her.

thedeadflag

you know I'm a total sucker for soft, simple intimacy !!! Especially involving beds and snuggling !!

purrpickle

In the early morning hours, it's the special time of day where vulnerable, true things can be whispered without repercussions or second thoughts. It's the close, soft, warm moments, where Rachel can bury her face into Santana's chest and say, so softly, that she's missed this. That no one's arms around her has ever felt so good. And Santana nuzzles the top of her head, and admits, just as softly, voice as emotionally naked, that she agrees. That it's like they were meant to be. That, and she swallows, pressing her lips to Rachel's hair, that maybe everything had to happen so they could have this.

[ocsandallthatjazz]

*banging pots and pans* RIZZY FOR THE OTP MEME

They are so new, I think we’re all gonna learn stuff today.

What was their first impression of each other?

Izzy thought Rory was pretty goofy, hard to take serious, but maybe there was a sweet side under all that enthusiasm. Rory thought she looked cute and kind of liked that she just eye-rolled all his silly schemes.

What is their ship name?

Rory x Izzy = Rizzy!!!

Describe their relationship dynamic.

They have some of that “the brains and the goofball” trope (I’m blanking on the best way to word it, but y’know). Rory’s kind of like her personal pep squad and Izzy is always there to laugh off his antics with Sam and the others.

What was their relationship like before they got together?

They were pretty friendly, but just club mates for a bit. Virginia got attached to Rory super easily, so that helped them get closer.

How would they describe each other?

Izzy would point out that while, yeah, he can be kinda naive sometimes, he has a huge heart when it matters and he makes people feel like they really have a friend in their corner. Rory would say that she’s super cute and almost elegant, but could talk her way into winning a person’s whole wallet if she really wanted, and that’s quite a skill to have.

What do they love about each other?

Rory loves her clever attitude and her passion for her hobbies. Izzy loves his enthusiasm and adventurous attitude, also, how he goes along with her comfort zone.

What do they have in common?

They share some similar music interests and they both get nervous about fitting in at new places.

What are some differences between them?

Rory is far more gullible and Izzy is far more scrutinizing. Also, a fun fact, Izzy really loves sushi but Rory isn’t really a fan.

What made them realize they were in love?

For Rory, it is as Artie is trying to bait him into competing for Sugar’s attention, to which he is like “No??? I already have a girlfriend? And I love her a lo- oh mY GOD.” For Izzy, she had an inkling from around sectionals of that year, but she knew for certain when he asked her to prom, which wasn’t even either of their proms.

What are their love languages?

Rory likes to shower her in little gifts and surprises. Izzy typically expresses with acts of service.

Do they get married? Who proposes and how?

Yeah, I can see that in their cards. Izzy is probably the one to actually propose, towards the end of or after college is done in NYC. She’d pick somewhere with a tourist cliche he’d love like Central Park or the Statue of Liberty.

What would happen if they never met?

This means Izzy hadn’t joined Glee Club, so she would’ve kept working as a library aide and I guess during his time at McKinley they would just keep missing each other. Who knows if she’d still commit to NYU bc without Glee she wouldn’t have Virginia’s and the rest of her friends’ influences (at least not nearly as much).

Who dies first? How does the other one react?

.....skip lol

Are there any love rivals?

I guess Brittany because Rory liked her when he’s introduced, but like I erased the Sugar plot so, not really?

Describe your favorite moment of that ship!

We came up with an extra episode plan for fun that is this friend group having a bunch of Christmas-cliche-themed dreams and Izzy’s is meeting the Flanagans for the holidays. Even though it’s not real, there’s this soft moment where she watches him joke around with his brother and begins to come to terms with the fact that maybe growing apart for awhile (and letting Rory be close to his family again) will help them grow up better and eventually grow closer together, followed by her singing Please Come Home For Christmas.

What do other characters think about this relationship?

Literally, I don’t think anyone really cares, they’re so background lol. I’m sure Vi is invested because these are two of her best friends, but it’s also not like their relationship ever gets in anyone’s way.

Describe or write a really fluffy scene!

Leading up to the S3 prom, Rory spontaneously serenades her on a walk home one day to ask her to the dance. She laughs and rolls her eyes but is smiling the whole time and when it’s done says “It’s not even our prom and we’re working at it.” Rory gives her a look and a dramatic arm wave basically equaling “so what?” She plucks wildflower of the ground nearby and tucks it into his shirt pocket to mimic a boutonniere, before accepting.

Describe or write a really angsty scene!

They have to have a serious talk about their relationship leading up to Izzy’s graduation (in this timeline Rory gets to stay an extra year), because she’s already moving to New York and he decides it’s best to just finish high school back home, so what was already going to be long distance just became a whole ocean farther. It’s when Izzy really starts to show her anxieties about moving and change in general, because a core part of her support network won’t be there physically anymore.

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

Izzy loves peanut butter cups, so she gets a little offended he hid never trying them from her (maybe for good reason because then they had to sit down and taste test every version of Reese’s).

What does a typical date look like for them?

They’ll go to the coffee shop, like just about anybody in that town. They’ll also just walk each other home a lot and Rory likes to come to jam with her on her piano at home.

What’s a really significant moment in their relationship? Ask your own question! [what’s a song that reminds you of them?]

The first instinct was Jolly Holiday from Mary Poppins, the perfect balance of chaotic, refined, and doting.

OTP Ask Game

[miasswier]

miasswier’s ultimate glee ranking: no 15

15: The Break-Up

Written by: Ryan Murphy Directed by: Alfonso Gomez-Rejon

Overall Thoughts: This is one of the strongest episodes Glee ever did. It’s also one of the most emotional. It’s kind of strange, ranking it so high, though, because I actually rarely watch this episode since it makes me both furious and so, so sad. Let’s get into it.

What I Like:

My absolute favourite aspect of this episode is Brittana. We’ve seen Brittany explicitly missing Santana for three episodes now, and it all culminates in that scene at Breadstix. When Brittany tells Santana that she left her behind and it really hurt, I think it’s one of the most honest and emotional things Brittany has ever said. Although she didn’t want to break up with Santana, I think Santana was right in doing so. She didn’t shift any blame, she didn’t try and play the victim, she didn’t even excuse herself. “I haven’t been a good girlfriend to you” and that’s that. She isn’t what’s best for Brittany right now, and so she’s not going to keep dragging Brittany down. I think this is also one of the greatest character development moments for Santana; the Santana we saw in “Prom Queen” would never have thought of Brittany’s desires before hers. They’re growing up, and they’re doing what’s right. But, oh, god does it hurt to watch.

That scene between Finn and Rachel at the end is one of Lea Michele’s best acting moments in the entire show. Not that she’s a bad actress most of the time, but the emotion of it all is so real. It’s no secret that I’ve never been a big Finchel supporter, but I feel for her. I sobbed while watching this scene, just as I do every time, because she just blows me away.

The scene between Finn and Kurt is another personal favourite. We rarely got any scenes between these two, and it’s nice to see the comradery that they have.

Someone pointed out when this episode first came out that after “Don’t Speak” Blaine is always seen alone, sectioned off from the group. Even his first shot in “Don’t Speak” is him alone, the camera zooming in on him. Now, I really hate that Blaine cheated, like, more than anything, and I hate that they then spent the rest of the season focusing on his emotional journey rather than Kurt’s, but, that being said I think the imagery of this is lovely. It really shows his isolation, his loneliness, his state of mind. It also builds up in the next few episodes, and culminates in “Dynamic Duets”. It’s interesting how they can show so much about a person’s headspace with just cinematography.

Brody isn’t a douche. He shows up to Callbacks, and he greets Finn first. He’s nice to Finn, and he doesn’t ask Rachel to sing with him, only agrees to do so when Finn suggests it. He respects the boundaries that have obviously been raised by Finn being there, and I really appreciate that. Honestly, I feel like they could have done so much more with Brody if they hadn’t decided they were tired of him mid-season and offed him in one of the worst ways possible.

Kurt is so genuinely excited to see Blaine. It’s hard, because you know what’s coming, but it’s also refreshing to be reminded that even though Kurt is caught up in his new life that he still loves Blaine just as much as he did before he came to New York. It just sucks that the only nice scene we got between Klaine in this episode lasted .02 seconds.

Emma standing up for herself, and making it clear to Will that just because he didn’t get his way doesn’t mean the conversation isn’t over makes me so happy. People rarely talk about Emma’s character development, but she’s seriously come so far since season one. She made it very clear to Will that she wasn’t just going to bend over and do whatever he wanted, which is such a far cry from the Emma we met in the pilot who was basically following Will around like a lost puppy.

I know I already said it, but seriously. Brittana. They blow my mind.

What I Don’t Like:

The way the Klaine story plays out has always bothered me, and will continue to bother me until the day I die. They set it up so perfectly in the previous episode, and the beginning of this episode plays the same way: Kurt is too busy, and Blaine feels alone and neglected. THAT WAS ENOUGH OF A REASON FOR THEM TO BREAK UP. If a significant other made me feel the way Blaine was obviously feeling throughout this episode and the last one, I would break up with that significant other. He would have been completely justified in doing so. But no, apparently Kurt’s not allowed to be the bad guy (I love Kurt, I do, but he wasn’t being a good boyfriend), so instead of just going with what they set up, they pulled a cheating storyline out of thin air that made zero sense and honesty almost made me give up on Klaine. I just… ugh. I hate that they did that, and I will always hate that they did that.

The whole Kitty/Jake/Marley thing was stupid and unnecessary, as were most of their storylines throughout season four. Cut them out and give Brittana and Klaine, or even Wemma for fuck’s sake, more screen time. Please and thanks.

That being said, I really don’t understand why they tried to shoehorn Wemma into this episode as a “potential break-up” thing, when really all they had was a fight. By doing that, they basically brought them back down to high school level, like they’d been all throughout the first season, which isn’t what their relationship has been like for ages. It felt wrong and unnecessary, and I wish they’d played it more like the fight it was than as if it was some huge relationship ending drama that was literally never mentioned again.

While having all three main couples break up in one episode packed a huge punch, it was also frustrating because Finchel got the A plot, while Klaine got the B plot, Brittana the C, and then Wemma + Newbies a tiny D plot. Yeah, they tried to act like Klaine and Finchel got equal screentime, but most of the time both couples were on screen Finchel was touching, and cuddling and kissing, while Klaine were either in different cities or standing ten feet away from each other. Also, Finchel gets like a five-minute break-up scene at the end (which don’t get me wrong, I love that scene, I do) but we don’t even know if Kurt and Blaine are broken up. It just doesn’t seem fair to break every couple up in one episode if you aren’t going to give every couple their dues.

In “The Scientist” when they show Finchel and Wemma’s first kiss, and then scenes of Klaine and Brittana barely touching. WE GET IT FOX, YOU HATE GAYS. Jesus Christ.

Songs:

Barely Breathing: What I like about this song is how Blaine and Finn are in total different headspaces, but somehow this song manages to portray both perfectly. They sound awesome together, too. Plus, I love seeing Kurt in his fake Dalton uniform. Cutie.

Give Your Heart a Break: If I had to cut one song from this episode, it would be this one. I like it, don’t get me wrong, but it feels unnecessary. Every other song packs such an emotional punch, whereas this one is just sort of… there. I don’t know.

Teenage Dream: Although it breaks my heart, I really do love this version of the song. Slowed down versions of pop songs are my kryptonite, and Darren sounds so incredible singing it. Plus, again, the cinematography really does a good job of showing how isolated and claustrophobic he’s feeling. There’s also the crack in his voice when he says the last “let you put your hands on me”, which breaks my heart. He’s clearly thinking about Eli, and how desperately he wishes he hadn’t done it. All that being said: WHY DID YOU FUCKING CHEAT (im literally forever mad about it).

Don’t Speak: Again, emotional. Great harmonies. They all sound fantastic, and it’s really heartbreaking to watch. The one shot that always gets me is the one where Rachel and Blaine are alone at the fountain. Ouch.

Mine: Seriously, Brittana in this episode. Holy fuck. The first time I watched it I didn’t even ship Brittana (I didn’t really start shipping them until season five), but I still sobbed when Santana sang this, and I’ve sobbed every time since. It’s so fucking raw and emotional. So beautiful and amazing. I love it.

The Scientist: This is an awesome finale, and a really strong song. My only issue is how it’s pretty evenly split until right at the end when Rachel comes in and literally takes over the entire fucking song. I hate when they do that, it drives me crazy. But other than that, a great song to conclude a really strong episode.

Final Thoughts: Klaine is my otp, and I nearly lost faith in them during this episode. I’ll never forgive Glee for that. I still think that Blaine cheating was beyond unnecessary, and I will continue to think that until the day I die. That being said, it’s one of Glee’s strongest episodes ever, and that can’t be discounted. And seriously. Brittana. Holy fuck.