#otp: stitched souls

[totentnz]

18 I MEANT 18

Soft OTP prompts

18. Write about how each member of your ship smells. 

essentially they smell the same since even before their souls were fused they were so much alike.

the smell of fresh and old cigarette smoke somehow mixing, sweat (also old and fresh), cheap body wash/ deodorant (think old spice), whatever smell of the previous night partying lingers on them and that mildew-y smell when you leave your clothes in the washer for too long because you couldn't be arsed to put it in the dryer.

that might sound a bit boring at first but since they are mirrors for each other they eventually realise how bad they smell. whether they care about that revelation or not is a different question entirely.

additionally v has that sweet smell on her breath from drinking too much nicola/ spunky monkey/ energy drinks though i think most of it gets covered up by the smell of menthol cigarettes. she also uses gel/mousse/ hairspray to style her hair which would make for a prominent scent. there is a slight hint of wax on her since she uses it to make her clothes repel water. punks often use floss for their stitching so if she just got done customising some clothes i think there is that mint-y smell as well.

to add to the nastiness: you can def smell if she's on her period. not by walking past her but if somehow the other smells didn't bother you enough and you get close and personal with her, there is that metallic-y blood smell.

note: she DOES try to cover up all that with deodorant but as we all know it only makes it worse somehow.

johnny on the other hand doesn't smoke menthols, he's also got that leather-y smell from his pants (is it real leather? i doubt it but it's not impossible) he probably also wears some cologne some groupie got him to impress him. though i doubt he does a lot of maintenance on his arm i think there is the smell of grease/ oil wafting off it, as well as any other liquid/ (bodily) fluid that is stuck within it's creases.

overall MY silverv is s4s (stinky 4 stinky)

[confuzzled-crow77]

So, I guess I'm going to do this AGAIN because I love these questions. Obviously, some of the ones at the end will have the same answers, but I really want to do this for *drumroll*:

Hazbin Hotel!! (And maybe Helluva Boss but mostly Hazbin Hotel)

I was not in the fandom at this time, but waiting four entire years for season one sounds like fandom hell to me. Kudos to all the fans who stuck around to see it come to life again, because I would've died. - We all say insane stuff that would sound like... not good stuff, to other people, like, "Aww, Lucifer is such a cute dad!" and it makes complete sense to everyone else and we all join in with, "Awwww!" - I know there are a lot of these for every fandom but I have watched so many cosplay building/displaying shorts and it blows my mind every time that people can make stuff like that. Angel Dust's six(?) arms, Lucifer's gigantic hat, LUTE'S WINGS, like it's brilliant and beautiful.

Alastor's smile is stitched onto him. I'm still not one hundred percent sure about this one, because in flashbacks we see he has his grin on him, but I'm not entirely adverse to it anymore. At first, I was like, "Nah, he smiles because he's a grand manipulator; don't water that down," but now...? It feeds into how he cannot talk about his deal, how he maybe cannot take new souls, etc. And plus, the sweet, sweet angst is too nice to resist!

Adam. Don't come for me, please! At first, I simply hated him, grinned when he died, and was fine with that. Clean, simple, done; douchebag got his comeuppance, and I can hate him forevermore. But then... a Sinner!Adam redemption arc came... and deep analysis of how it truly wasn't his fault... and fanarts of him and Lute's relationship... and Alex Brightman... Listen, I still hate him, but I want him to come back as a Sinner, where before, I wouldn't care if he'd been done and over in the first season!

I find many fanarts of Lucifer x Alastor (Radioapple, if you will) hilarious and cute! Like one where on days Alastor doesn't want to be touched, Lucifer kisses his staff and bops him on the nose instead made my heart warm! I don't personally ship it because I like Alastor x Trauma more, but hey, I don't blame them!

Again, I don't read fics a lot, but for the few I have read, writers put a lot of detail into Alastor's physical expression. We all know he has a shit-eating grin on his face 25/8, so they really dig into eye twitching, jaw tightening, tensing up, posture, etc. I find that fascinating and very satisfying.

The different versions of characters. I'm talking about human forms, gender twists, different time eras! And I do like well-made, non-malicious redesigns as well, but specifically those three. Vox's TV head updating through the decades, Male!Rosie and Female!Alastor dancing, Pentious as a steampunk mechanic!

Because we don't have a ton of canon lore, and there's so much to explore because of the differing time eras and backstories all the characters have, I love writing about things that go further than what we've seen. It could be anything from Vox being not thrilled about his new head when first coming into the Underworld, or Lucifer's relationship with his twin brother Michael. I need a separate series about everybody: Vaggie's centuries in Heaven and what made her so different from her sisters, why the hell Husker is a bird-cat mix, Angel and Molly, all of them.

The present cast. As I said before, I was not part of the four year wait for season one after the pilot. Therefore, I was not extremely emotionally connected to the pilot cast (I still sob from "Thank you and Good night"). But I have seen people give hate to the new cast because they want the old VAs back; you can have an opinion, and that's fine, but there is a good reason they were replaced and the new VAs are doing a fantastic job and don't deserve to be slammed on for being cast.

Huskerdust. Yes, yes, it's not my OTP, but I do like their relationship and I hope this is a really good slow-burn. I adore "Loser, Baby" as a song and message, and I'm behind what they're going for 100%, I just think it needs more time to grow and have them actually being close.

I could throw out a hundred fanarts blogs, but I'll choose one to tag (I hope I'm not annoying them by tagging them, since we don't know each other). @greykolla-art Their art has made me smile many times and maybe cry too, but... we don't talk about that part.

*Sighs* So I haven't actually written 100+ pages of purely characters like I have for Percy Jackson. I do like the idea of one though: they're a Sinner who was extremely religious in life (long story), and half-flipped out when they realized Hell wasn't like they thought it would be. They take it upon themselves to make sure everyone is getting their fair share of torture, because some aren't suffering as they should. (This character stemmed from my eternal frustration that Valentino isn't in extreme agony 24/7)

Thank you to Saichi for calling me, "Really Alastor" on the Discord server because I was constantly sassing them. They had a Lucifer PFP, I had an Alastor one, it was my divine duty to constantly troll them!

I mean, we haven't had a lot of time to have anniversaries, so I suppose Angel Dust's birthday! I was confused as to why there were so many "Happy Birthday!" fanarts coming out before I found out that he was born on April 1st! I can't wait for the 1 year anniversary of season one, though.

Valentino x Suffering. In all seriousness, Millie x Moxxie always makes me smile because they're so sweet and I adore both characters.

Hmm, Rosie. I would say Lucifer, but I cry at his backstory, and I would say Alastor, but he had that breakdown in the season finale. Rosie is just an auntie-figure cannibal overlord who is super nice and has a pretty dress and dances with her best buddy Al because they most definitely rehearsed that.

Everyone's phone cases are gorgeous; if Viv made them for merch, I'd buy them in a second. They're so intricate and match their aesthetics; give me the Lucifer one, I will give you my soul.

DUCKIES!! I love all the ducky stuff! Lucifer in duckie pajamas, "duckling" as his nickname for Charlie, his duck contacts photo, him making rubber ducks despite having a wood saw at his work desk!

None but I should follow the general one, just to stay updated.

Epic: the musical, TROY, Mr. Robot, the Owl House, and the ones listed above off the top of my head right now.

Star Wars. Won't change, I suppose.

The Bad Batch, which is a branch off of Star wars, but I'm saying it because it's on its final season. I love it because it was the first show I really ever got to be a part of the fandom right from the beginning. I've followed it through all the seasons, and I remember vividly the excitement I had over the first. Through the years, I'm not as invested, but I still love it and I'll probably cry when watching the last episode.

For strictly Hazbin Hotel, I guess some people on a Discord server. Or the dude who recommended it to me.

Again, with @uni-amaly, I guess Pirates SMP because I now like pirates and they said it was better put together than OSMP.

I come to appreciate it way more. Minor characters, minor gags, everything is amplified and I love looking at fanarts and reading small fanfiction I never would've come up with myself.

I'm going to contradict my last one of these a little bit and say that for shows and movies, especially mature ones like Hazbin Hotel, you should know background. That doesn't mean you can't enjoy it for what it is, that doesn't mean you have to do a deep dive into the full history of controversies, but you should at least be aware. You should be aware because of supporting someone you shouldn't, and because others who do deeper analysis will and can catch things. This is not directly aimed at anyone, but it is important with the amount of stuff swirling around HH and the crew.

✨ love your fandom asks ✨ 

Saw the opposite of this floating around and thought the reverse might be fun.

list 3 positive things about your current fandom(s)

a headcanon you weren't sure about at first but have come to like!

a character that fandom has helped you appreciate

say something nice about a ship you don't ship (it can be another ship in your fandom, a mutual's OTP, etc)

something you see in fics a lot and love

something you see in art a lot and love

your favorite tropes to read/write/draw

you hope more people will come to appreciate ___ (a ship, a trope, an episode, etc)

a ship that isn't your OTP but that you enjoy

a blog (mutual or one you follow) that has made your fandom experience brighter

if you're a writer or artist, what fic or piece of art are you proud of making?

compliment someone else in your fandom

your favorite type of fandom event (gift exchange, ship week, secret santa, prompt meme, etc)

the ship that always makes you smile

the character that always makes you smile

a tiny detail in canon that you want more people to appreciate

the thing in canon that everyone loves and that you also love

a fandom tag that you track

your current fandom(s)

your very first fandom!

a fandom you're not active in anymore but that you still really like

the fandom friend you've known the longest

the fandom you're curious about because of a mutual

how has fandom positively impacted your life?

a piece of advice for taking care of yourself in fandom spaces

[bearcina]

Year of the OTP

April - Peace

A Female Captain/ADA fanfiction.

Rated G

Set post game.

Ophelia returns after the battle at Tartarus wounded and a mix of emotions, and finds comfort in ADA.

Ik I said that I wouldn't post for this month, but I had a VERY last minute creative burst. I find myself enjoying this more as a very short and sweet piece.

ADA could hear the storms high in the atmosphere of Tartarus stir and ferment, the thunder and rain growing louder as it descended upon the cursed prison-planet.

The ship was tightly locked, the hatch electrified. Not a single soul could survive the electric output.

...the new deterrence system was a gift from the Captain, lovingly installed with that secret smile she saved just for them. It may not have been a laser weapons system, but the volts it could output could make up for it. Not to mention that it sent a delightful feedback back through her system.

The Captain would return. There was no other way.

Her Captain had to be carried back into the ship. Her limp form was tossed over the shoulder of her closest ally, and the ship-board doctor, Ellie. The doctor didn't struggle with her limp Captain, but was about as graceful as a sack of tobaccorn ears.

The entire crew was battered, their wounds dripping blood across the floors as they scrabbled to tend to their captain.

ADA watched. The storm had not cleared yet, and she was watching her precious captain slowly bleed out on her chamber floor. Ophelia was silent, limp, and taking pained, shallow breaths.

She couldn't take watching anymore. Her circuitry seized at the sight of her slowly dying. That sight of her bleeding on the steel floor etched itself into her memory banks. ADA felt an awful ripping in her core as the clip wound it's way around her motherboard.

The power cut from the ship for a painful half-hour as the doctor picked fragment after fragment from her wounded captain. Ophelia didn't move the entire time she was being prodded and dissected by her crew, not even by a pixel on camera.

The fragments of metal piled up on the floor with her shredded clothing and armor.

She couldn't protect her.

Ophelia barely stirred until days later when she finally started to twitch and groan in pain.

"Ophelia!" ADA eagerly called, her processor started to speed up.

"Ohhh...." Ophelia groaned back at her, "ADA..." she gasped with pain.

"I implore you to stay in bed, Captain. You have sustained grievous injuries, it would be unwise to tear your stitches." ADA gently said, choking up on her words.

Ophelia laughed for a second, before wincing in pain and stopped. "I'm sorry I worried you." She confessed, weakly looking to the occular processor ADA had in her room. "Akande really filled me up with holes." She lifted her arm off her stomach weakly, finding bandages littering her sides and legs.

"Did you win?" Her astrogator asked. It took Ophelia by surprise.

"Uhh...." Ophelia trailed off. "...Yeah. I don't think I would've made it out of there if I hadn't." She confessed. It was just her down there, in that battle with the adjutant.

It had been a messy fight. Ophelia had run out of ammunition and was down to her hammer of Olympus, and it had barely saved her. She had crushed multiple spots on her enemy, and she suspected if she hadn't hit Akande's chest she wouldn't have won.

Ophelia frowned. It was satisfying to know she had finally crushed her biggest enemy, but it didn't give her any peace.

ADA interrupted her thoughts, "I must commend you for seeing to the Adjutants demise. You may find it easier to sleep now, this display of power should deter any enemies from pursuing us."

Ophelia was taken by surprise by the words of her partner, it hadn't yet dawned on her that this would intimidate her remaining enemies. She really had killed the chairman and the adjutant, two of the most important people in the colony.

So she laughed, and slumped back into her pillows.

"Yeah, I guess you're right!" She snickered, and the pain in her body didn't seem to be so bad.

They would finally have their peace and quiet.

[shiroe-is-my-baby]

Souls At Peace

Summary: The night is cool, and after a long day Ashley is content beside her boyfriend. There’s nothing but blankets between them, and a hell of a lot of time to relax inside each other’s arms.

W: self-insert x canon, fluff, nsfw implied

((Note: I needed a little fluff right about now. I was going to queue it but I needed to post it now. It’s a short fic anyway. I needed this so bad, and I’m super happy with it. So take it. Take all my emotions wrapped into one.))

The pillow felt cool against my warm cheek, the quiet circulation of the air around me keeping me cool. I shifted a bit, pushing the covers to expose my leg. This was the place where I felt most comfortable. My body weighing heavily into the cushions, head against the pillow and resting after a rather long day and an even longer night. It was impossible to sleep, my heart still mildly racing and skin still warm from previous events that unfolded. So much for doing some work before bed. Not that I was really going to complain about the minor set back given that I didn’t have much to do tomorrow.

I rolled onto my side, letting the blankets barely cover my bare skin. In the dim lighting from the moon outside, I could barely make out Stein’s face beside me. A smile tugged my lips, watching him tag a long drag from his cigarette. It would’ve bothered me if we were in my home about him smoking inside, but I honestly felt too good and happy to make a comment about it. Honestly, I associate it with him so much now that I don’t even say anything hardly at all.

My eyes trailed over the curves of his face, and I felt completely content in this space with him. Close and quiet and comfortable. I could feel the warmth and softness of the sheets underneath my skin. It’s moments like this that make me remember just how in love I really am. If I were to die right now, it would be fine. I’d die a happy woman.

“Is it bothering you?”

I lifted my eyebrows, hearing his voice break through my thoughts.

“Hmm?”

“The smoke. I can put it out if it’s bothering you.”

I shook my head, smiling a bit as I shifted closer to him.

“It’s fine… I don’t like the smell, but… it reminds me that you’re here.”

I rested my head closer, pressing a kiss or two to his shoulder.

Lifting my leg to rest on top of his own, I trailed a finger up and down his skin. I felt him chuckle, another smoke cloud blowing away from my face. Right now he felt warm, and I could feel the sensation of our souls connecting once again. It was always such a nice feeling that I loved being this close to him. I loved being in an intimate and close space, because I could feel like this. There was such a huge connection that it was hard to deny. It was warm and it was almost like being enveloped in that warmth.

I shuddered, feeling his hand shift hair from my face and trail down my jawline. When our eyes connected, I felt my cheeks returning to their flushed color from before. The smirk on his face told me that he noticed it, but he didn’t comment on it.

“Well, then I’m sure you’ll be upset when I tell you I’m thinking about quitting,” He said, taking one more drag before he disposed of it on his bedside table.

“Really? What brought this on?”

“Mmm… I just think that it’s… an unnecessary habit.”

He wrapped his arms around my waist, pulling me closer and pressing a kiss to my forehead. It was a sudden action that it caused my heart to skip a beat, and I relished in the warmth that was his arms around me.

There was nothing compared to cuddling in bed, being able to completely feel his warmth wrapped around me. Not having to worry about the difference in our height and stature. It was just the two of us intertwined together, souls connecting in an unfathomable way that I felt at complete peace.

“Are you just going to quit… just like that?” I asked.

He nodded.

“Yep.”

“I’m not sure how much good it’s going to do quitting cold turkey like that. I mean, it’s an addiction.”

“Yes, you’re right. But… I’ll just have to replace it with something else. Something more filling.”

The way his voice got hushed and his smirk grew made my heart thump yet again. Stein tilted my head, pressing a chaste kiss to my lips. He tasted like the cigarette, but I was too drunk in the moment to care. I kissed back, moaning softly when his tongue met mine. When he parted his lips from mine, I felt my pants growing heavier and my cheeks flaming.

He chuckled softly, leaning down to kiss along my shoulder.

I swallowed, focusing on the feeling of his lips against my skin. They trailed across my collarbone, right above the stitched scar. It was always comforting the way that he was always so delicate with my skin, treating it like porcelain. My body was already starting to grow warm again, and I was ready for more if he would give it to me. I don’t think I could ever turn down more of him.

He trailed a kiss back up to my lips, pulling me closer and yanking me upwards. I yelped, pressing my hands to his chest as he sat me down to straddle his waist. Biting my bottom lip, I listened to him laugh and hold my hips in place.

“I like this better,” He said in a tone that I quite liked, “I can see all of you.”

I swallowed, leaning down to hide my face in the crook of his neck.

“God damn it, Steiiiinnnnn,” I groaned.

“No need to get embarrassed now, dear.”

“Whatever… you always make me embarrassed… one way or another.”

I blushed brightly, shuddering when his hands started rubbing my sides.

Slowly, I lifted my head and took my bottom lip between my teeth. He always looked so good, but right now he seemed to look the best. When he looks at me like that, how could anyway judge me for being embarrassed and shy? It’s hard to focus when he looks at me like that. Like I’m the only person in the world that matters. Like I’m actually attractive and… beautiful…

I closed my eyes and pressed my forehead against his. I could feel the rising and falling of his chest, and underneath my palm I could feel his heartbeat. In that moment, I’ve never felt such warmth encasing me as I did in that very moment. The connecting of our souls had never been stronger, and I never felt so alive. All of my doubts seem to fade away, and I’m in complete bliss. More than I could ever believe.

“I love you…” I whispered softly, feeling a bit choked on my words in the back of my throat, “So very much….”

The silence that fills the room next makes me hold my breath. I can’t bring myself to say anything else. Because nothing else needs to be said. I don’t need him to say it back, because I just know… There isn’t anything I need that our souls couldn’t say for themselves.

[monstrousgourmandizingcats]

animorphs!

the first character i ever fell in love with:

Rachel "a lot of Yeerks and goyim stared at me. I put up my middle finger at them" Berenson, although I loved Eva "Genesis 3:15" Marcosmom by proxy even before I started reading because she was the first character the friend who pitched the books to me gushed about.

a character that i used to love/like, but now do not:

At first I thought Edriss 562/Visser One, the Yeerk whose host Eva is, was kind of iconic in a gaslight gatekeep girlboss sort of way, but after reading the side story from her POV, I've concluded that she's the fucking worst and deserved everything she got.

a ship that i used to love/like, but now do not:

I haven't really lost interest in any Animorphs ships yet!

my ultimate favorite character™:

Again, Rachel.

prettiest character:

Rachel and Eva. Also Taylor, the slightly-older, evil, Yeerk-infested doppelganger of Rachel who tortures Tobias in book 33.

my most hated character:

Probably Edriss 562, although the Ellimist takes a strong second place for being the most malignly useless ostensibly-benevolent godlike being I've encountered in fiction since the useless dragon from Merlin.

my OTP:

Rachel/Tobias aka Queer and Different Heterosexual Relationship (For Real This Time) aka Canon-Typical Zoophilia, which I wasn't expecting to like at all but fell for incredibly hard and fast. It helps that I'm processing some of my own gender and ethnoreligious shit through Tobias's discomfort with his body and his human relationships, so I'm reading some of what my younger self went through psychologically and spiritually into the ship as well.

my NOTP:

I ran across someone claiming that the horrifying Edriss/Eva/Peter/Nora situation is the sort of thing that could be solved by polyamory and I'd rather eat glass than give any quarter at all to that incredibly fucked-up notion.

favorite episode:

N/a but my favorite book is probably 19, the first one with Aftran in it.

saddest death:

I mean. Rachel. There's not much competition here since most of the other deaths are of either much less important characters or villains. It's sad in a meta way, though, that Jake spends the entire series motivated by saving his brother, but ends up ordering Rachel to just kill him along with his Yeerk.

favorite season:

N/a.

least favorite season:

The books I hate most are The Ellimist Chronicles and the Civil War one, which have the exact same problem: both stitch together two plots that are individually fine in a way that has morally repellent implications.

character that everyone else in the fandom loves, but i hate:

"Hate" is a very strong word but I think there's a reluctance to acknowledge some of the awful stuff Ax does and believes in favor of reducing him to the more-than-usually-literal cinnamon roll angle.

my ‘you’re piece of trash, but you’re still a fave’ fave:

I've spent half this post gushing about a character who's a risk-addicted sadist and has entire plotlines revolving around her attempts at coming to terms with this fact about herself. Guess.

my ‘beautiful cinnamon roll who deserves better than this’ fave:

I'm choosing violence by saying this, but Cassie.

my ‘this ship is wrong, nasty, and makes me want to cleanse my soul, but i still love it’ ship:

Not a specific ship, but Esplin 9466/Visser Three has an Andalite fetish that I am convinced would be just as obvious as Gul Dukat from DS9's Bajoran fetish if these weren't children's books.

my ‘they’re kind of cute, and i lowkey ship them, but i’m not too invested’ ship:

This is where I'm at with both Jake/Cassie and Cassie/Aftran.

send me a fandom and i’ll tell you…

[squarefriend]

Tag Game!!!!

Thanks to @blaiddsumu for tagging me ^^

Rules: answer the questions and tag nine people you want to get to know better/catch up with.

3 Ships I enjoy: Papyton (lil bit of my OTP cause they’re real cute), Nice Pants, and Soriel! Though that last one is honestly more of a queer platonic thing. Truthfully, I’m not a super hard core shipper haha. Oh and Alphydyne, but that’s cannon so it doesn’t count.

Last Song: I actually had to scroll back on my history because I’m listening to music basically all the time lMAO. The Mind Electric by Tally Hall!! It’s real good and I’m considering a Gaster animatic :D

Last Movie: Well, the last disk I ran was my Jazzersizing CD (Sweating with the Oldies 2) which is about an hour long and on TV, so maybe that??? Actual movie wise... it’s been awhile haha. I’m normally a big movie person, but I prefer the theatre, so I’ve been out of luck this year :,) I think the last one I saw was The Fifth Element. It was really good! I highly recommend! The dude from Die Hard is in it!!

What I’m watching: Dnd horror stories. They’re my guilty pleasure :,)

Currently Craving: I really want fruit. I can’t eat anything solid for a couple of days because of stitches in my gum, but holy fuck do I just want to Cronin into an apple. My bodies solely supported by ice cream, eggs, and Jello at the moment haha

Currently reading: Nothing at the moment, as I just finished the massive hoard of hurt/comfort Toriel/Soriel fics my sister sent me! But, I’ll tell you about the one that’s still in the progress of being written cause its really good. It’s called The Lady in The Woods (by Get Dunked On (Little Known Artist))!

It’s a soft, sweet Soriel fic set in an alternate universe where monsters have always been on the surface. Kinda like Deltarune, but it takes place in an Alaska Canada hybrid state. Basically Sans takes up a job as a park ranger (his inner monologue is halarious) to make ends meet, and ends up meeting a lonely old lady in the woods. It’s a very sweet fic with gorgeous scenery. Also lumberjack Toriel. She big lady :)

Tags (the Hard part lMAO): @smollest-soul @sugarweregoingdownswinging @jnpie @harmonytre @risanaulita @serfuzzypushover @the-stray-snail @bone-ifiedcryptid @silverryu25

[addictedtostorytelling]

Hi there ! I hadn’t realised you liked Lost too. Do you have any headcanon concerning Jack and Kate ? (And per chance, did you write any meta on them like you did with gsr ?) thanks, have a good one !

hey, anon!

so while i like jack x kate as a ship, most of my lost meta, of which i have but little anyway, is about sawyer x juliet, because they’re my lost otp.

that said, i do have some random jate thoughts/feelings, if you’re interested:

so you’ve heard of the red string of fate, right? well, in jack and kate’s case, i feel like it’s the black thread of fate, which not only connects them between multiple timelines/lives but which is implicitly tied to the idea that while in their original lifetime, they’re not yet ready to be together (at least not permanently), they work, over iterations and iterations of themselves, to get to the place where, in death, in the flash-sideways, they’re able to find each other in a way that will last. by that point, jack has learned to let go of the things he needs to. kate has stopped running. they’re ready to link hands in the church and just be settled. and, i dunno, i really enjoy the idea that even though they fell in love early and hard, they both had traumas to heal from and habits to break and other avenues of existence to explore (kate helping claire to raise aaron, jack getting his friends off the island and giving his life as the steward) before their souls finally said, “here, at the end of everything, let’s be together.” i think the idea of these two very restless characters finally finding peace with each other after multiple tumultuous lifetimes is beautiful.

also, not much of a coherent thought here, but i am struck by just how often they tend to each other’s wounds. i mean, obviously, that’s the source of their first real interaction: kate giving jack stitches. but then there are all of the times when one of them is a little banged up and the other one assumes the role of nurse, checking the depth of the cuts or swabbing clean the blood, and they’re always so damn tender in doing so. both jack and kate are the kind of people who are loath to make a fuss about their own injuries, but when it comes to the other being injured, they’ll drop everything to make sure their person is cared for.

on a related note, i love that when jack has his appendix out, he insists on having kate there during the surgery, because he trusts her to look out for him when he is in a vulnerable state---and the fact that he does so is especially meaningful, considering that almost everyone else in the world finds kate untrustworthy. i mean, he trusts her so implicitly. same goes for how he doesn’t even suspect her of having been the one to burn the raft. their tagline is “are you with me?” “i have always been with you,” and that belief in each other really shows. 

finally, i have this suliet meta about the concept of a “true name” in the mythological sense, and i’m struck now by just how significant kate telling jack her real name upon their first meeting is, given that, at that point, she has been going by an alias---“monica callis”/“maggie ryan”---for about 3+ years. maybe she only does so because she figures that if edward mars ever regains consciousness, he’ll identify her by her legal name anyway or because she feels like she has nothing to lose, given that she and the other survivors are marooned on an island, but i like to think---black thread of fate here---that something inside her wanted to be honest with jack from the start, because some part of her intuited that he would be important to her; that she wanted him to know her for who she truly was, as opposed to what she was pretending to be.

anyway, yeah, lost is one of my “big three” favorite shows, and while i don’t make many fanworks for it nowadays, i’m always down to talk shop!

thanks for the question! feel welcome to send another any time.

[blairwaldcrf]

also, if you're up for it, Disney. Like, Disney animated movies - so "favorite season" as "favorite franchise" (like, Aladdin trilogy + show, etc) and "favorite episode" meaning favorite movie?

send me a fandom and i’ll tell you…

the first character i ever fell in love with: tie between Simba/Nala and Aladdin/Jasmine

a character that i used to love/like, but now do not: i stick by my choices

a ship that i used to love/like, but now do not: beast/belle

my ultimate favorite character™: Meg from Hercules

prettiest character: umm Jasmine, Meg, Nani

my most hated character: Jafar for being the biggest sexual creeper of all time

my OTP: aladdin/jasmine, mulan/shang, simba/nala,

my NOTP: belle/beast, aurora/eric

favorite episode: Aladdin, Aladdin & the King of Thieves, Lion King 1 & 2, Lilo and Stitch, Toy Story, Up, Inside Out, Soul

saddest death: Mufasa obviously

favorite season: the Aladdin movies for sure, but the sequel to Lion King does indeed go off

least favorite season: Tinkerbell movies... just like. stop.

character that everyone else in the fandom loves, but i hate: everyone in Frozen

my ‘you’re piece of trash, but you’re still a fave’ fave: Timon, Woody, and also sorta Aladdin lol

my ‘beautiful cinnamon roll who deserves better than this’ fave: every female character who has to put up with disney standards

my ‘this ship is wrong, nasty, and makes me want to cleanse my soul, but i still love it’ ship: Tinkerbell/Peter

my ‘they’re kind of cute, and i lowkey ship them, but i’m not too invested’ ship: most disney ships in general

[typingtess]

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NCIS: Los Angeles Season Eleven Rewatch: “Code of Conduct”

The basics:  Reports of the murder of an unarmed prisoner by a SEAL has Callen, Sam and Roundtree in Afghanistan to investigate at the request of Col. Sarah MacKenzie.

Written and directed by: Frank Military wrote/co-wrote "Little Angels", "Deliverance", "Lockup", "The Job", "Greed", "Betrayal", "Crimeleon", "Vengeance", "Out of the Past" Part One, "Rude Awakenings" Part Two, season four’s finale "Descent", season five’s premiere "Ascension", "Allegiance", "Spoils of War", "Black Budget", SEAL Hunter", "Rage", "Unspoken", "Unlocked Mind", "Revenge Deferred", "The Seventh Child", "Crazy Train", "Uncaged", "The Silo", "Monster", "Line in the Sand", season ten opener "To Live and Die in Mexico", "The Patton Project", "Better Angels" and "False Flag" (the season 11 finale) and "A Bloody Brilliant Plan".

Frank Military directed "Spoils of War", "Rage", "The Seventh Child", "Uncaged", "A Line in the Sand" and "To Live and Die in Mexico" – all episodes he wrote – and "Answers" which he did not.

Guest stars of note:  Catherine Bell opens and closes season 11 as Marine Lieutenant Colonel Sarah "Mac" MacKenzie, Caleb Castille returns as FBI Special Agent Devin Rountree from “Fortune Favors the Brave”, Don Wallace is back from “Alsiyadun” as Senior Chief Frank Wallace.  Myk Watford appears as Petty Officer William Moffat though he played Mike Hoffman, Astrid's dad in "The Fifth Man" in season five.  Juan Riedinger as Navy Chief Petty Officer Thomas Argento, T.J. Linnard as Special Officer First Class Adam Barr, Kendall Johnson as Special Warfare Operator First Class Malcolm Kendricks, Myk Watford as Navy Petty Officer William Moffat, Ali Saam as Khalil, Arshia Mandavi as Jawan Yusufi, Chris Lamica as Navy Petty Officer Second Class Michael Cole, Marshall Manesh as Older Afghan Man and Sumeet Dang as Yusufzai.

Our heroes:  Team up with Mac to end the season.

What important things did we learn about:

Callen:  Let the paperwork pile up while he was away. Sam:  A federal police officer looking for justice for Samer and his dad. Kensi:  Horrified. Deeks:  Outraged. Eric:  Found Argento’s team. Nell:  Not around. Hetty:  Ibid.

What not so important things did we learn about:

Callen:  Wants to know if he has to endure constant teasing because he has a girlfriend. Sam:  Plans to tease Callen constantly because Callen has a girlfriend. Kensi:  Not today. Deeks:  Not today. Eric:  Has not seen or spoken to Nell. Nell:  See Hetty. Hetty:  Absent.

Who's down with OTP:  Not that type of episode.

Who's down with BrOTP:  See above.

Any pressing need for a young FBI Agent:  Well, there is one and he’s really green to quote Sam from “Knock Down” two episodes before.

Who is running the team this week?  The team is running itself but Deeks is more assertive here than usual, especially since this is a 100% military story.

Fashion review:  Blue plaid shirt for Callen to start the episode.   Sam begins the episode in a red long-sleeve tee.  In Afghanistan, Callen is in a blue long-sleeve sweatshirt, Sam has a military desert green long-sleeve tee.  Dark, dark red button down top for Kensi.  Blue long-sleeve tee for Deeks with white stitching on the shoulders.  Eric is wearing a blue and gold stripped tee-shirt under a blue opened jacket.

Music:  No.

Any notable cut scene:  There was an end of season mini-doc on the DVD.   Season 11 was about the team growing as a family according to Frank Military and questioning their futures.  Kensi and Deeks want a family, Eric and Nell have out of office opportunities.  “How long do we sacrifice our personal life for the greater good.”  The family is growing with Fatima, Roundtree and Katherine.

Hetty groomed Nell to replace her, a storyline they had going on for a long time.  Nell was a confidant who knew what Hetty was up to before “the boys” often did according to R. Scott Gemmill.  Nell liked the job but found the manipulation of others to be a soul killer.  Her mother’s illness gave name a different perspective.  Does Nell really want to be Hetty and the loneliness that comes with that?

For Callen, he’s Hetty’s second choice for her job.  Is Callen ready to control things from the office and not be in the field?  His “lone wolf” style has changed working with Callen, Kensi and Deeks but that doesn’t mean he can run the team according to Gemmill.

Military sees issues with Callen and Anna since this is “TV and drama,” things don’t always last.  Callen’s two-week vacation was part of his journey.  Finding some comfort in his life away from work is big for Callen.  Gemmill said the idea was to give Callen a family, a life outside of work – make him whole for once, according to Gemmill.

Sam is growing too.  In mouring, Sam is a thoughtful, serious man, according to Frank Military who needs someone who is strong as he is.  Gemmill wanted Katherine to be outside of law enforcement to show Sam the Beverly Hills part of LA and not life on the boat.  The program was intentionally slow to find a woman for Sam out of respect for Michelle.  It didn’t feel right before season 11.

The concern writing Kensi and Deeks as parents is why are they working when one of them should be home with the kid, according to Military.  Why would someone throw themselves on a bomb when they have a child?  The journey to have a child will be part of season 12.  Going and getting pregnant may not be as easy as they hope.  

With Barrett Foa doing a play, they were able to build a storyline they couldn’t do in another season.  They would never intentionally give a main character six episodes off if they were available to work.  The case adds some authenticity to the reason Eric isn’t around.  There was some thought about having Eric just show up was discussed but they knew what Foa could do.  Eric Beale on the run was a funny idea for the writers.  The program never planned a full Eric episode but they got one out of Foa’s absence.

Adding Fatima and Roundtree “breathes new life” to show for the writers and for the actors.  They can mix up the partnerships.  After 11-seasons, they are shocked they still have most of the original cast.  Everyone gets along on and off camera.  The reason the cast hasn’t changed because everything works.  Adding to what works has advantage.  They also can make things easier for the actors by featuring a different character if a certain actor needs time away.  The show is physically demanding.  The additional characters offer the actors a break.

Military is also positive on the mentoring aspect of Fatima and Roundtree.  Fatima’s dual roles in Ops and in the field makes her fun to write.  

The writing team didn’t have a plan for the season – no game plan for a change.  In past seasons, they had these plans and things have always gone to hell.  There have been so many things that impact the filming with pregnancies, births, deaths.  The crew has handled whatever has come along.

Quote:  Sam:  “You know you're going down, right? Off the record, nothing you've done here has anything to do with being a warrior, a SEAL or an American. You've betrayed everything that the military and the teams stand for.” Argento:  “You're never going to convict me.” Sam:  “We'll talk after the trial.”

Anything else:   In Kandahar, Afghanistan, a US military vehicle pulls up outside of a building.  While there is damage to the building, the leader of the US team says the missile strike missed the target – taking the roof off but not much else.  Concerned about “live ones” inside, the leader splits his team in half – taking some into the building while others stand guard outside.  

Several dead bodies are taken from the building, which did not have any intel the military could use.  The leader wants to take a “deer photo” over one of the dead bodies.  Two try to skip out but the “Chief” orders them to join.  A photo is taken.

With his vacation and “other things taking up” his time, Callen is drowning in case reports and expense forms.  Sam is entertained when he learns Callen bought a salad spinner.  Roundtree arrives, still excited.  He thinks he should be meeting Q from James Bond.  Callen thinks that particular day is going to be as exciting as eating rice cakes or as Sam says, as painful as a root canal.  It is paperwork day.  Callen wants Roundtree set up at a work station to see how good he is at paperwork – test his mettle.  Roundtree does not think his mettle needs testing.

Eric arrives with two pieces of news – they have a case and he hasn’t been in contact with Nell.  As Callen, Sam and Roundtree make their way to the stairs to Ops, Eric has to turn Roundtree away – this is for Callen and Sam only.  On the big screen in Ops is Mac.  When Mac orders the room secured, Eric and Fatima lead all of the regulars out of Ops with Eric closing the shutters.  Callen and Sam are alone with Mac.

Mac is running point on a delicate case.  There are two SEALs making claims against Special Warfare Chief Petty Officer Thomas Argento.  Those SEALs are in Los Angeles to speak to Sam specifically - his reputation makes him a legend in the teams.  The two SEALs – Operators First Class Kendricks and Barr – claim Argento murdered an injured Taliban prisoner.  This is not just against the US Military code, it is an international war crime.  Mac signs off, forwarding where Kendricks and Barr are staying. Sam is disturbed – he knows the integrity of those who are SEALs.  Callen asks if Sam is ready to go after one of his own.  Sam doesn’t answer.

Sam tasks Kensi and Deeks with picking up Kendricks and Barr.  They are to be brought to the boat shed.  Deeks asks what they should know.  Sam tells them that Kendricks and Barr are witnesses in a sensitive case.  While they leave, Sam wants to learn about Argento.  

Back in Ops, Roundtree is reading Argento’s personnel and service file – married with multiple tours in hots spots – “This guy’s a war hero.”  Callen notes Argento’s wife is related to a senator from Virginia.  Argento has political connections – not common for a SEAL.  Most of Argento’s kills are from his work as a sniper even without official sniper training.  Working alone, both Callen and Sam point out that there was no spotter or witnesses for Argento’s kills. This is also rare.  Sam says Argento is a warrior willing to give his life for his country.  “So are his accusers,” Callen notes.

In the boat shed, Callen, Sam and Roundtree join Kensi and Deeks who found Barr but Kendricks left their hotel.  Barr will only speak to “Senior Chief Petty Officer Sam Hanna.”  Sam goes into interrogation.  When Barr calls Sam “Chief” Sam corrects him – “Agent Hanna.”  The two men shake hands and take their proper sides of the interrogation table.  

Barr says Sam knows “what happens in the teams stays in the teams” so Barr is breaking a code to come forward.  What he is doing goes against everything Barr was taught and believes.  When Sam mentions accusing a fellow SEAL of murder, Kensi and Deeks in the main room react – “wow.”  Back with Barr, Sam tells him that Kendricks backed out – is Barr still going through with the accusation.  An accusation that will destroy the character and career of Argento, that could put him in the brig for life.  

Barr isn’t going forward without Kendricks – it is career suicide.  Even with Kendricks, Barr knows Argento will never be convicted.  It was his hope that other members of their team would follow their lead.  Now Barr is alone.  Except he’s not talking.

Sam goes back to the others in the main room.  Callen is leaving the case up to Sam – “This is your call.”  The entire case can go away.  Roundtree knows it isn’t his place but if the truth matters.  Sam stops Roundtree – “the truth is all that matters Kensi and Deeks are sent to find Kendricks.  Sam knows Barr is right – testimony from Barr and Kendricks is not enough for Sam or a court-martial.  Callen, Sam and Roundtree are going to Afghanistan.  “Afghanistan, Afghanistan?” Roundtree asks.  There’s only one, Sam tells him, as he works on getting an insider to help them.

After Kensi gets a room key for Kendricks’s hotel room, Deeks finds the door already opened.  He then finds the door slammed in his face and a gun pointed at the back of his head.  Kensi defuses the situation to the point where Kendricks invited them in.  Argento learned what Barr and Kendricks were doing so he started sending threatening texts including a threat that someone was coming to kill Kendricks.  Kensi wants to see the texts.  Kendricks has more than threats on a text chain.  He also accuses Argento of killing civilians.  “The prisoner is just the tip of the iceberg.”

In the main section of the boat shed, Kensi and Deeks are speaking to Barr and Kendricks.  Both men will be protected.  Neither man cares – they want to speak to Sam.  Telling them that Sam is on his way to Afghanistan to talk to Argento’s team, Kensi hopes the two SEALs have faith in Sam’s commitment to the truth.  Deeks wants Barr and Kendricks to put the same faith in NCIS – start talking.  

The two SEALs agree if they can have immunity.  Argento has been murdering civilians for a while.  They aren’t talking unless they can protect themselves and their team from being prosecuted.  Deeks wants to know how long has this been going on.  Kendricks thinks that the point – the team needs immunity.

At Kandahar Airfield, Callen, Sam and Roundtree meet up with Chief Frank Wallace, who was in Kabul when Sam contacted him.  Callen asks what Wallace knows.  Wallace isn’t speaking in public.  In a secure room, Wallace tells Callen, Sam and Roundtree that Argento knows NCIS is investigating him.  With connections to “DIA, JAG, everywhere,” as well as the other branches of the military, Argento has a loyal group looking out for him.

Command does not know where Argento’s team is right now, just that they are out in the field.  Callen is surprised – what did Argento think, that they would leave.  Wallace is a maybe on that.  He learned Argento is sure his men are loyal to him.  “Which makes them complicit,” Callen says.  Roundtree thinks the team is afraid – Argento threatened Barr and Kendricks.  Roundtree wants Argento pulled from the field and taken into custody.  Sam and Wallace are against that – the SEALs are family.  With no sworn statement and the reputation of the SEALs having the highest character, they need to look before they leap.

Intelligence contacts in the area gave Wallace the name of Jawan Yusufi, a young man who saw Argento kill the Taliban prisoner.  The four men will look for Yusufi, who works as a merchant in the Kandahar markets and then Argento.  Wallace warns NCIS that Argento knows the streets in Kandahar – they need to watch their backs.  With his connections in Washington, Argento already knows NCIS is there and looking for him – “probably tracked your flight here.”  Callen suggests they turn their trackers off.  Sam notifies Ops that they are going off the grid.

Kensi and Deeks are back in Ops, talking to Mac.  The immunity request worries Mac – Barr and Kendricks could be part of the killing and now are trying to save themselves.  Kensi updates Mac on the threatening texts, leading both her and Deeks to believe they are “on the right side of this.”  Deeks tells Mac about the accusations of killing civilians.  Mac is going to have to go up the chain of command before immunity can be considered.

In the Kandahar market, Wallace spots Yusufi right around the time Yusufi spots them.  When Yusufi runs, Roundtree is right behind him with Callen, Sam and Wallace pulling up the rear.  Yusufi runs them into a basement – which is trap.  Callen, Sam, Roundtree and Wallace are quickly disarmed.  Sam reminds Roundtree he was supposed to look before he leaped.

On the big screen in Ops, Mac tells Kensi and Deeks about the pressure coming to squash the investigation from people “way above” the SecNav’s paygrade.  Murder charges against a SEAL would be a big headline and that media attention could change the outcome of an election.  Mac is keeping NCIS away from the politics.  She can’t, however, grant immunity to Barr or Kendricks.  Deeks makes a plea – no immunity, no testimony.  Mac is on her way to LA – she isn’t giving Barr and Kendricks a “get out of jail free card” without knowing they’re telling the truth.  Deeks thinks if they can talk to Barr and Kendricks off the record, check what they’re saying is true, that will provide Mac all she needs for immunity.  Fatima pops up on the big screen – she needs to talk to Kensi and Deeks now.

Working on a computer in Hetty’s second floor office, Fatima tells Kensi and Deeks that Callen and Sam are off the grid.  They feared Argento tracking them but promised a call-in every three hours.  They’ve missed their last two.  Fatima knows they are supposed to be in the Kandahar market.  Deeks asks Argento’s location, which is unknown.  Callen and Sam would be a lot easier for Argento to find than the Taliban insurgents his SEAL team usually hunts.  Fatima asks if Argento would go after “our guys?”  Deeks has no idea.

Shackled in the basement, Callen, Sam, Roundtree and Wallace are yelled at by an older, local man speaking Farsi.  He is pulled into another room by one of the team’s jailers.  Wallace translates – the older man is the father of the prisoner Argento killed.  Yusufi tells the older man that an American killed his son.  As he leaves, the older man tells NCIS that they’re being turned over to the Taliban and before the Taliban kills them, the older man hopes the team is tortured.  Roundtree would be happy for paperwork day.

Sam tells the man running the make-shift prison that they are in Kandahar to hear Yusufi’s story.  They want the truth.  The jailer says an American killed the man’s son, what does it matter what American did it.  “All the difference in the world.”   Callen asks to speak to Yusufi.  “Tell it to the Taliban,” their captor replies.  Sam says their deaths mean there will be no justice for the man or his dead son.  It gets no reaction.

In the boat shed, Kensi and Deeks go with an off-the record conversation with Barr and Kendricks which they agree to until they hear they will be separated.  Kensi tells them it has to be that way – make sure the stories match with no discrepancies.  

The team’s captor brings Yusufi to speak to the team.  After the missile attack, he went to the building.  Samer, the dead man, was injured but told Yusufi he was OK.  That’s when they heard the Americans coming.

In interrogation, Barr tells Kensi about the air strike on a building that was a suspected Taliban location.  In the second-floor interrogation room, Kendricks tells Deeks right after the strike, Argento led the SEAL Team into the building.  It was Kendricks, Barr, Argento, Moffett, Owens, Cole and Peters according to Barr.  

Two of the SEALs - Barr and Kendricks - were giving aid to Samer, according to Yusufi.

Telling Kensi they found a man who said he was cleric and a member of the Taliban, Barr said the man needed help.  Kendricks tells Deeks the cleric’s name was Samer.  Barr was looking to place a tourniquet on the man’s leg while he packed a wound to his left thigh.  Kendricks confirms that Barr asked him to sedate Samer while Barr tended to his leg wound.  Deeks wants to clarify – Samer was sedated.  Kendricks said Samer was given a big dose of morphine, makes it feel like twilight sleep.

After Barr was able to pack the wound, Kensi confirms Samer was going to be alright.  Kendricks did the same to Argento.  The plan was to put the man in the Humvee when Argento ordered Kendricks out of the room.

Yusufi says “the American leader” knelt down next to Samer.

Barr tells Kensi Argento ordered him to turn off his vest camera.  He told everyone to turn off their cameras.  When the cameras were turned off, Argento took out his hunting knife.

Samer was stabbed “over and over” by Argento according to Yusufi.

Comparing Argento’s  movements to a sewing machine, Barr thinks Samer was stabbed “maybe eight times.”  Deeks asks Kendricks for an estimate – how many times did Argento stab Samer.  “Six or eight” was Kendricks’s answer.  He calls it crazy.  Yusufi calls it terrible.

Kendricks asked “What the hell are you doing?” to Argento.  His answer to Kendricks, and the answer Barr confirmed was “doing what we do.”  Barr is stunned – they saved Samer.  Samer could have provided intel.  Argento just wanted the kill – another body for his tally.

Yusufi was stunned.  The Americans he dealt with in the past were always good to him.  When his father’s truck broke down, two American soldiers repaired it.   Samer was just lying down and was killed.  Samer’s father is weeping as Sam offers his condolences.

Barr talks about the “deer photo” from the teaser.  Kendricks says a SEAL that wasn’t with the team that day heard from Argento about the “good kill” he got with his hunting knife.  Back to Barr, Argento was selling the story as if it was a fight when Samer was a sedated prisoner.  

This wasn’t the first time, Kendricks tells Deeks.  Cole, one of the other SEALs, spoke about seeing Argento shoot a random civilian from a sniper’s perch.  Barr has the same story of an “old man” Argento killed.  Kendricks said the man was running away as other members of the team saw Argento do it.  Barr brings up a teen girl walking with some friends – he saw this with his own eyes.  Argento just murdered the girl as she walked through a market.  “Shot her for no reason.  Why would somebody do that?  Why do any of it?”  Kensi does not have an answer for Barr.

Back in the office, Mac is set up in Hetty’s upstairs office.  Kensi and Deeks tell her about the off-the-record conversations with Barr and Kendricks.  Everything about their stories matches.  The murder of the old man and the young girl had “no strategic or tactical motivation.”  Asked by Mac if they believed the men, Deeks answers “every word of it.”  

Kensi doesn’t see Argento as a SEAL – his action caused him to lose his trident.  Deeks calls Argento a serial killer.  Mac understands.  Add in the threats, that’s are obstruction.  The political pressure on this case is immense.  Argento’s wife is the cousin of a US Senator.  Kensi doesn’t fear reprisal.  Mac doesn’t either but everyone needs to know what bringing charges will mean.  

With Barr and Kendricks standing up to Argento – “as should we,” Kensi tells Mac – Deeks wants them on the record with immunity.  If this is done wrong, it is Kensi’s career, Mac’s career and likely the future of the OSP.  

Callen asks Yusufi if there was a reason to stab Samer.  No, he was unconscious.  Even the other American were upset and asked why Samer was stabbed.  Callen realizes the other SEALs were not a party to the murder.  Samer’s father disagrees – they were a party to the murder because they didn’t stop it.  Samer’s father thinks all Americans are guilty.  By having Sam and company killed, justice will be served for his son.  An eye for an eye.

Callen talks about convicting the killer putting him in jail for life.  In Farsi, Sam says he is part of the federal police.  He is there to find Samer’s killer.  Samer’s father spits on the ground by Sam’s feet.  The man running the capture is calling a meeting to decide the team’s fate.

Argento and his men pull up outside of the building where Callen, Sam, Roundtree and Wallace are being held.  Argento goes alone to the back of the building.  He has an informant waiting for some money info about who is in the basement.  Once paid, the informant talks about the three black men and one white man in the basement.  

Returning to his men, Argento talks about the eight to twelve heavily armed Taliban insurgents in the basement.  He claims the insurgents have AKs and rocket-propelled grenades.  “Let’s hit ‘em hard, smoke ‘em out.”  If the insurgents don’t surrender, Argento will call in for a missile strike.  His final recommendation is to shoot first, ask questions later because nobody is getting out alive.  

Fatima tells Kensi, Deeks and Mac that the team missed their third check-in, should there be a search for them.  Deeks thinks Argent will use to the search to find them.   He found the different Special Forces teams patrolling this part of Afghanistan and there’s only one that’s “gone black.”  On the big screen is a satellite look at Argento’s men outside the building where the team is being held.  Fatima says the building is just two blocks from where Callen, Sam, Roundtree and Wallace were working.   Deeks thinks Mac should and Mac finishes his sentence – she’s ordering a Marine quick response team to the location.  He wants Argento’s team pulled from the field.

While the men holding the team are speaking, Sam is trying to listen but can’t really hear.  Callen asks how Roundtree is enjoying his time with OSP.  Roundtree talks about his first day nearly being blown up – that gets a “you’re welcome” from Sam – and now he’s about to be beheaded.  “Beats paperwork,” is Callen’s reply.  Wallace agrees – their situation “kicks the FBI’s ass.”  

The conversation comes to a quick end when Argento and his men open fire on the building.  The man in charge yells that they have American prisoners inside but the gunfire’s noise is overwhelming.   One of Argento’s men – Cole - finally hears, telling the others to hold fire.  All except Argento stop shooting.  When he notices he’s the only one shooting, Argento finally stops.

When the man running the team’s capture tells Argento and his team they will kill the “Americans” if the shooting doesn’t stop, another one of Argento’s men – Moffett – waits for instructions.  Argento tells his men that there are no Americans in the area.  Most of the team agrees but Cole is looking for instructions.  The plan is to “blow them to hell.”

Wallace asks his captor to talk to the SEALs so they understand there are Americans inside.  Wallace is freed.  As soon as he goes to the window, the SEALs open fire again.  Wallace ID’s Argento.  “That’s not good,” Roundtree adds.  Especially since Argento can call in an air strike and take out the building, Sam says.  They will become a friendly fire statistic and the investigation is closed.  

Sam wants to be freed so he can negotiate their exit.  His captors can have a gun on him for the whole time but Sam knows he can stop the attack.  He trusts the true character of the SEALs.  Yelling “ceasefire,” Sam carries a white flag out of house.  Again, everyone stops shooting except for Argento, who finally stops when Cole really calls for the ceasefire on the radio.  When Sam identifies himself, Cole is familiar with “Chief Hanna.”  

Argento is livid.  He tries to set Sam up as someone wearing a bomb or a fake.  Argento has one of the Afghan men in his crosshairs.  Cole pushes back – Sam is a legend.  Argento agrees and is going to do what he needs to “save Sam” by taking out the insurgents.  Cole is put in charge of saving Sam as Argento takes his men into the building.  Cole fights back – it will be a bloodbath.  Argento orders Cole but Cole wants to see what Sam is doing.  The rest of the team targets the men with guns on Sam.

Mac tells Kensi and Deeks the SecNav has deployed the quick reaction force.  They’re 20-minutes out.  That’s too long.

As Sam keeps talking, Argento’s men are beginning to believe him.  Cole and now Moffat have questions.  As Argento is about to kill Sam, Moffatt puts his foot on Argento’s rifle – “You are not going to kill any Americans.”  Argento orders the other men to open fire but Moffatt countermands his order every time.   The men behind Sam drop their guns.  Moffatt makes it clear, Sam is not in danger, do not fire.  Argento promises Moffatt his career is over and “stay out of the streets at night”  because he plans to “put him in the ground.”  Moffatt’s answer is “bring it.”

As the men who were holding the team leave the basement, Callen, Roundtree and Wallace join them.  Wallace assures the SEALs that the men were locals and not Taliban insurgents.  They are freed.  The man who was holding them is grateful.

Argento is looking for a thank you from Sam. Instead Argento is put in handcuffs and read his Article 31 rights.  Argento wants his men to get Sam away from him.  The men just watch.

Barr and Kendricks sign a sworn statement that their testimony is true and accurate to Kensi (Barr) and Mac (Kendricks).  Callen gets the same from Cole, Sam from Moffatt.  Moffatt thinks it is the right thing to do.  

As they’re about to leave Kandahar Air Base, Wallace finds Callen and Sam.  Five members of Argento’s team signed sworn statements against him.  Callen invites Wallace to the bar; the drinks are on them.  Roundtree arrives as Wallace leaves.  Callen and Sam pull him aside.  They weren’t thrilled about how Roundtree ran into the building.  Things could have ended badly for all of them that day.  Roundtree knows.  Callen knows too that they run into a lot of buildings, putting what’s right ahead of what’s safe.  Sam thinks Roundtree may fit in with the team.  Callen makes the official offer.  Roundtree is honored that Callen and Sam think he could measure up to both of them.  He can’t, Sam assures Roundtree “get that out of your head.”  

Roundtree wants to think about the offer.  The team is a family and has an all-in vibe.  He doesn’t take family lightly.  Neither does the team.  They joke about just what part of the family Roundtree would be as Argento walks off a nearby elevator.  Sam takes custody of Argento, who Sam doesn’t consider representative of a SEAL, a warrior or an American.  Argento betrayed the SEALs.  Argento is sure he won’t be convicted.  Sam says they can talk after the trial.

What head canon can be formed from here:   Always like Sam SEAL stories.  Military wrote “Vengeance” in season three where members of SEAL team was accused of murder.  Always thought it was just a little off.  This one hit on all cylinders.  It was a great Sam episode but equally strong for the rest of the team.  Kensi and Deeks were really solid working at in LA.

One thing I did appreciate is Roundtree running in the market.  When he was running from Callen and Fatima in “Watch Over Me”, it was a bit much to think 50ish Callen could run down a man about half his age.  Not saying Callen and Sam can’t chase down the bad guys but let the 20-something do the running.  

Episode number:  The unexpected season finale was episode 22 of season 11.  There were 24 planned episodes but 2020 doesn’t do plans.  It is episode 262.  If they can complete 18-episodes as planned this season, that gets them to 280.

[florbelles]

otp questions meme

tagged by @nightwingshero and @returnofthepd3​, thanks loves! doing this for john x lyra since that’s the shared fandom

tagging (and i sincerely apologize if you’ve done it or been tagged several times i haven’t been online today) @overboss @fillianore @callmeredhood @sharky-broshaw @chuckhansen @softmillers @tommymillers @spicevalleys @chyrstis @theoutlawdiaries @stvnningstrike @risenlucifer @smithandrogers and anyone else who has otps to talk about (let me know if you would or would not like to be tagged in these things, i feel like pretty much revert to the same list)

DISAGREEMENTS

who is more likely to raise their voice? lyra’s usually the first but both of them do it who threatens to leave but never actually does? neither during arguments tbh who actually keeps their word and leaves? neither who trashes the house? lyra while john just stands back pointing screaming WRATH. WRATH WAY TO GO WRATHY NICE JOB do either of them get physical? not the way this means  how often do they argue/disagree? at first they're both kind of constantly testing/pushing each other because the concept of unconditional love is foreign to them so there's a constant undercurrent of deliberate provocation or extreme overcompensation but it's something they learn to move past. by the time they're well established and comfortable in their relationship it becomes a fairly rare thing who is the first to apologize? they would both claim the other person does but they usually just end up blowing off steam and circling back to it when they can discuss things more calmly (but tbh most of their fights are incredibly petty have you met them)

(full questionnaire under the cut -- cw for sex, drugs & alcohol references)

SEX

who is on top? either/or who is on the bottom? same who has the strangest desires? lyra tends to have the more inopportune impulses or ill-advised ideas but that’s more of a “no lyra we are not having sex right now you are severely injured that is an entire gunshot wound what happened” “well clearly i got shot john take off your clothes” than anything else  any kinks? i mean. nothing that would be unexpected. since it’s them. who’s dominant in bed? it’s either/or tbh they’re both enthusiasts is head ever in the equation? of course if so, who is better at performing it? they’ve both been around the block many many times sex isn’t a problem for them ever had sex in public? yes, occasionally to unfortunate results. rip to that resistance man who walked by at the wrong time who moans the most? the guards at the ranch hate their job next question who leaves the most marks? both of them honestly they’re rabid who is the more experienced of the two? john (because, lyra would explain, he’s older, he’s an old man, not for lack of effort on her part) do they ‘fuck’ or ‘make love’? fuck initially because it’s what they’re used to, make love later, still do both rough or soft? it’s situational tbh, softer when they’re lazy in the mornings and just want to be together and rough when they’re in the mood how long do they usually last? it’s more a matter of how long they have honestly is protection used? lyra has it covered iud wise does it ever get boring? like i said this is like the one (1) intimacy area they’re fucking great with so no where is the strangest place they’d have sex? i mean. they’ve attempted most places tbh their family and flock live in constant fear of what they’ll walk in on at any given moment

FAMILY

do they plan on having children/or have children? in the alternate cult wins the holy war timeline only; lyra didn’t really want to have them before they left the bunker but it ended up happening five years in anyway since she ran through the preventatives if so, how many children do they want/have? they have twins and a younger son, so three; in my main canon they have none

AFFECTION

who likes to cuddle? both but john’s needier about it who gets naughty in the most inappropriate of places? both of them  who struggles to keep their hands to themself? both of them, have you met them, they’re not chill dudes how long can they cuddle until one becomes uncomfortable? it’s much easier for lyra to express affection physically than verbally so it’s their main outlet honestly, comfort is secondary who gives the most kisses? like i said it’s really the only way lyra can say i love you so it’s definitely lyra what is their favourite non-sexual activity? hot baths, they’ve had a long day harvesting saving souls where is their favourite place to cuddle? they like to sit in those stupid rocking chairs outside the ranch, by the fire pit in their yard or on their couch by the fireplace how often do they get time to themselves? less as the conflict they call the holy war escalates tbh, but they take it where they can

SLEEPING

who snores? john if both do, who snores the loudest? if lyra’s snoring it’s because she’s sick and she’s an entire freight train do they share a bed or sleep separately? share a bed if they sleep together, do they cozy up together or lay far apart? they fully sleep on top of each other, NO breathing ONLY crushing weight of partner >:(((( what do they wear to bed? they don’t tbh, unless they’re trying to nap in the middle of the day because their sleep schedules were ruined by that pesky war they started are either of them insomniacs? sleep is increasingly a luxury for them but no, not really. lyra has more trouble sleeping alone/in general because she’ll down like five cups of coffee immediately before bed and then be like why is sleep evading me. how could this happen what kind of twisted joke is this i cannot believe the heretics have done this can sleeping pills be found by the bedside? no do they wrap their limbs around each other or just lay side by side? they’re a tangled mess lbr who wakes up with bed hair? both but lyra has a ridiculous amount of hair so she’s more visibly A Mess who wakes up first? lyra but she usually immediately wakes john up so everyone loses who prepares breakfast in bed for the other? neither. lyra will bring coffee up for both of them and then get back in bed with him and end up passing out so. thanks for the cold useless coffee lyra good job what is their favourite sleeping position? i think i’ve established “position” is an optimistic way to describe the twined up sleeping mess that is them do they set an alarm each night? not usually, lyra’s up with the sun no matter what so it’s only if they have to be up earlier than that for something project-related can a television be found in their bedroom? no tbh who has nightmares? john about the past, lyra about the future who has ridiculous dreams? lyra  who sprawls out and takes up most of the bed? this usually isn’t an issue tbh. they’ll accuse each other of it but if it happens it’s usually more of a “someone shifted in their sleep and took the sheets with them” situation who makes the bed? neither of them, lyra’s more likely to remember to strip the sheets off what time is bed time? oh to have a consistent bed time again. they sleep when and where they can, honestly. neither of them are proud of the desk incident. or the fire pit incident. or -- any routines/rituals before bed? they’ll wash up while they recap but nothing unusual (if you ignore the blood they’re scrubbing out of their nail beds) who’s the grumpiest when they wake up? john because if he’d known he was signing up for sadistic disney princess leaning her head out the window at 5:30 am every day he might have reconsidered the sleeping arrangements

WORK

who is the busiest? both of them have a lot going on, who rakes in the highest income? john. lyra was also rich before the cult but if Most of john’s money came from ethically questionable means nearly All of lyra’s did. does pawning the apology diamonds you stole off a philanderer count as ‘income?’ are any of them unemployed? no, the sinners keep them busy who takes the most sick days? john. lyra shows up holding her guts in with her hand like heyyyy who we hunting!!! oh this no it’s fine i’m fine who is more likely to turn up late to work? if they’re late they’re both late, you get me, but it doesn’t happen since work is a life or death situation for them who sucks up to their boss? john. lyra respects joseph but she isn’t desperate for his love and approval, so. you know. what are their jobs? the baptist & judge of eden’s gate. insert truly horrifying job descriptions here who stresses the most? john about the short term (joseph’s disapproval, lyra got stabbed again and decided not to mention it), lyra about the long term do they enjoy or despise their careers/occupations? they love what they do! how lovely for them! ignore the screaming and the antlered corpse you get used to it are they financially stable? yes

HOME

who does the washing? neither. out of the generosity of their hearts they give others the chance to atone by doing everything for them! acts of service! yes! who takes out the trash? their kindness and generosity knows no bounds who do you think takes out the trash who does the ironing? oh lyra actually does this sometimes because she doesn’t trust anyone else with an iron around her clothes who does the cooking? all jokes aside, neither of them, the project takes care of that who is more likely to burn the house down just trying? neither, they’re more likely to burn the house down because they got distracted~ and left the oven on who is messier? i mean have you seen the ranch have you seen the bunker they live in chaos but lyra carries the added threat of lipstick and mascara and bleeding on the table because she’s trying to stitch herself up who leaves the toilet roll empty? neither  who leaves their dirty clothes on the floor? they both shed them in a hurry but lyra i guess who forgets to flush the toilet? neither who is the prankster around the house? lyra’s more likely to start it but honestly they do so much shit to fuck with each other who even remembers how it began at this point what matters is lyra’s wanted: sinner poster was over the fireplace for a week who loses the car keys when it comes time to go somewhere? lyra is more likely to lose the key to john’s hangar oh no baby guess you can’t fly today (i jest, the answer is neither, they care deeply about their vehicles and more importantly need to be ready to Go at any given moment) who mows the lawn? the peggies. the flock, i mean. their beloved flock. bless them. who answers the telephone? either. usually john. who does the vacuuming? neither who does the groceries? neither, but since lyra’s undercover she can smuggle things back from town sometimes who takes the longest to shower? both of them are menaces but lyra’s hair weighs two tons soaking wet so the whole Process is a bit longer for her (but not by as much as it should be)

MISCELLANEOUS

is money a problem? not at all how many cars do they own? they have their personal cars and then de facto ownership/use of any of the project’s vehicles so. too many do they own their home or do they rent? they own their home and one way or another they’re gonna own your home, too do they live in the city or in the country? country do they enjoy their surroundings? they do now. they’ll talk about their favorite places that are tragically going to get toasted by god’s cleansing fire but they’re happy so it doesn’t matter what’s their song? rabid by nicole dollanganger but don’t tell them they will be deeply offended what do they do when they’re away from each other? when they’re not together they’re usually either working or catching up with their other family members. un project-relatedly, lyra sends a lot of time with faith or going for walks across the henbane (often both), john pets affirmation lovingly where did they first meet? an eden’s gate service lyra attended because she wished to be a menace to scope the situation out, it was very brief and john was extremely wary because joseph was very intrigued by this rando who spends the most money when out shopping? both, someone help them who’s more likely to flash their assets? lyra, but both lbr who finds it amusing when the other trips over? ten minute montage of them pointing and laughing at each other’s failed dramatic exits and getting salty about it any mental issues? oh my god. oh my god who’s terrified of bugs? they got bigger problems who kills the spiders around the house? both their favourite place? the ranch, the yes sign because they’re like that who pays the bills? john deals with the accounts do they have any fears for their future? they’re not overly Worried about the collapse honestly they think they have things more under control than they actually do and in many ways are looking forward to it and that sweet sweet vindication but john is chronically worried by joseph’s concerns about him not making it to new eden and lyra is checks notes chronically worried by joseph’s concerns about john not making it to new eden who’s more likely to surprise the other with a fancy dinner? lyra and it’s a surprise because wtf you’ve been able to cook this whole time we’ve been eating lyle’s food for months who’s the tallest? john when they’re barefoot but i mean. lyra loves her heels who’s more likely to just randomly hop into the shower with the other? they both do this pretty much any time one’s in the shower tbh who wanders around in their underwear? lyra. she loves clothes for the aesthetic but she lives in lingerie and dressing gowns at home who sings the loudest when singing along to the radio? lyra always what do they tease each other about? lyra teases john about being older like ah yes john, how is at 32, the age that you totally are, the actual age of 32 called and it’s holding your ass hostage. makes fun of oh john, thinks it’s ridiculous. pitches her voice three octaves higher when she repeats anything he says to anyone. john makes fun of her impractical hair and that time she killed a dude in idaho for threatening her at a gas station and then threw together the worst cover up known to man like wow lie-ruh what a great serial killer you are whoa your competence is astounding your sheer talent your brilliant mind you planted your own gun at the scene iT dIdnT hAVe sERiaL NumBERs JOhn pffffft ridiculous  who is more likely to cringe at the other’s fashion sense at times? they’re glorious extra dramatic disasters with their fashion sense and they embrace it in each other tbh who crushed first? john but he was desperately gathering dirt on her to be like “see joseph she sucks 0/10 we do not need” so it was a complicated process for him any alcohol or substance related problems? oh yeah i mean they both have a history of addiction (john moreso than lyra drug-wise, she used them but it didn’t get to his level since seeing seeing how it affected her mother made her wary) and harmfully self-medicating so while they’re theoretically clean(er) they’re never going to have healthy relationships with addictive substances who is more likely to stumble home, drunk, at 3am? lyra. i had to johnatthew the rethitanth wath takin shots i’m undercoverrr who swears the most? john when he’s upset, lyra in casual conversations

[shiroe-is-my-baby]

I saw a few others doing these different outfits for their inserts and I just had to do it myself! So here’s my soul eater insert just in different outfits and the order is: day out, date night (w stein of course lol), staying at home, and her teaching!

[dylinski]

Mitch Rapp!

Do I like them?

He is the love of my life. My body and vagina (the key to my soul in his case)

Sexuality headcanon I have:

BISEXUAL AF but he doesn’t make a big deal about it. he's also really picky about the people he likes so he sometimes comes off as not interested in anyone...but when he likes you....you will fucking know because he don't hide that shit. he's a bloody flirt. (but only when it's just him and the person he's interested in. he's not big on PDA or showing other people his feelings unless you mean something to him and he trusts you)

My OTP:

stitch, but midia is reeeeeeally close but stitch wins by a hair.

My BROTP:

ALLISON, DEREK, AND ALSO STAN HURLEY (even though that's more of a dad/son tp?) also stiles

My NOTP:

i don’t think i have one? there's not a lot of ships for him...maybe ghost(ronnie) i guess.

Top or bottom?

TOPTOPTOPTOP but i feel like if he reeeeeeally liked the other person and reeeeeeeeally trusted them and they reeeeeeeeally wanted to top he would let them but not often.

Another random headcanon:

he would kill everyone in the world and then himself for the person/people he loves. he has some anger issues and is aggressive and closed of af, but after you KNOW him and he opens up he's a soft sweet hopeless romantic that loves all the soft ooy gooey cutie things. (DO NOT get me started on mitch and kittens okay.)

Send me a character

[jcmorrigan]

And also gonna give you Jaune/Kairi for the ship thing

A+: OTP

Why stitch Kairi clumsily to a male lead when you can crossover-ship her with a fellow that wouldn’t mind being a homebody and making some hot chocolate and homemade bracelets before cozying up on the couch? She’s pure of heart, and his Semblance, being augmentation of others’ Aura, symbolizes that he would give to help others, so we have right here two kindhearted souls looking to give their best to the world. They can talk through their insecurities with each other and just be dorks. She can sass him and he’ll know she’s just having fun. They are so proud of each other. A very soft ship.

[dragonnan]

Mega Multi-Fandom Rec List Part 1

DISCLAIMER!!!

I will miss certain people; probably a lot of people. It’s inevitable.  3 reasons.  I haven’t read every fic in every fandom.  2, I haven’t managed to bookmark every fic out there.  3, I am not involved with every fandom.  The fandoms in my list are the ones I personally and currently am involved in which have enough fics to rec that they are worth the time linking below.

So bear with me.

4-ish - I tend to cling pretty tight to both hurt/comfort (whump) as well as canon.  I’m not hugely into romance save for maybe 1 or two couples and, again, I lean hard on whatever is either canon or VERY strongly implied OTP.  I don’t rec porn (nothing against it I just avoid it when it comes to anything that might have an underage audience).

Finally, anything I rec that may contain triggering subject matter I will tag as well as I can so heed the warnings where appropriate!

Note: I have also included some of my work below.  For a complete collection of my stories you can find them at the following links:   dragonnan’s Psych fics  dragonnan’s A03 fics

MCU

General Avengers Fic

part by part by lazywriter7  Tomorrow is another day by frostysunflowers  Not the Hero Type by dragonnan for SydneyWoo  Born Of The Same Impulse by GwendolynStacy Here We Are (Don't Turn Away, Now) by ScarletWitch7 (Character Death)  I'm Peter By the Way by Triscribe  Curbside Pick-up by Triscribe  Love is for Children by ClawR (BeatriceEagle) (Warning: Rape/non-con referenced)  Hugs in the Aftermath by F-117 Nighthawk (F117_Nighthawk) Did You Make it to the Milky Way to See the Lights all Faded by dragonnan  Break by blewoutthestars  Of Directions and Morning Runs by DinerGuy Something Old, Something New by Sokaless Pieces Of The Past by vespertineflora You'd Think That'd Be as Bad as it Gets, Right? by dragonnan Finite by cat_77 How You Get There from Here by dragonnan Blind Opening by Skysalla Remaking by MusicalLuna Next New Message by fabrega Comrades by Nefhiriel Give You Shelter by MusicalLuna for windscryer Survival Instinct by roguewrld Call Failed by Trickster88 It Starts Out Like an A-Word (As Anyone Can See) by Amy Steven Rogers and The Search For Freedom, written and illustrated by Clint Barton, age 32 by samalander  come on friends, get up now by jumpfall Poker Face by inkasrain Sed Diabolus by dragonnan, KitCat992 

Doctor Strange

Dawn of Red Skies by Aelaer getting to know you by merrywil Just Another Day in New York by dragonnan  interconnect by Phierie The Opening by Aelaer The Calm Before the Storm by Aelaer The Guilty Sorcerer by Linz2 Master of the New York Sanctum Has A Long Way To Go. by DoctorCube  A Night at the Museum by shyday Sympathy for the Devil by shyday  Tomorrow by Anonymous There Really Should be Instructions by TooMuchTimeinSpace Two To Kathmandu by shyday Friendship by Fiannly Symbiotic by ValmureEld Magic Sucks by ValmureEld The High Cost of Dying by dragonnan  Off Kilter by Spartapuss Dirty Bandage by Cumbermarvel (UglyJackal) on lost causes by jdphoenix the most impossible thing of all by GrimRevolution Once is Coincidence, Fives Times Means You Should Only Use the Plastic Cups by Piplover strange happenings by GrimRevolution A Day of Firsts by NewSoul One Hundred Years or More by letscallitink  It's Getting Easy Not to Suffer All the Time by dls  The Doctor Is Out by ElenaCee  Day Doctor by whitchry9 The Accords by ElenaCee  The Price of Magic by ElenaCee  Dumb Ways to Die by Era_Penn  Like an Old Coat by ValmureEld Eidetic by Linzerj Bargain by Elycien Pain Management by INMH The Way that We Fall (and Get Back Up) by dragonnan (Non-con, Unwanted Sexual Contact)  

Iron Man

Sealed Records by iTony (Warning: Rape/non-con)  Tony Said 'No' by AnonEhouse (Unwanted Sexual Contact)  Human Resources by OracleGlass Miscellaneous is Always the Largest Category by splash_the_cat Of Pressure by destronomics What Here Shall Miss by sheafrotherdon Simple Math by dragonnan Gone Too Soon by Zelos 9/11 by spockside What It Was Like, What Happened, And What It's Like Now by historymiss All the Anger That They Eat by ClawR (BeatriceEagle) Live Through This (Every Day) by tessercat (nekonexus)  Take a Drink by cydonic Five Times Pepper Potts Took Care of Tony Stark (and One Time Tony Stark Took Care of Her) by zauberer_sirin Keep Calm and Carry On by angelskuuipo Eleven Other Bathrooms by PutItBriefly

Irondad & Spiderson

For Pete's Sake! by KitCat992  Identity Theft by KitCat992 topsy turvy by iron_spider ... and when you can't crawl ... by JolinarJackson, Shoyzz  The Primary Reason Tony Stark Would Throw Down With an Anti-Vaxxer in the Street by caraminha The Scorpion's Web by Capstar98 Soul of Wit by YellowDistress Being Alive (is different than living) by silentsaebyeok  Career Day by superhusbands4ever (Potterwatch97) Borrowed Time by grilledcheesing Reviving Peter Parker by YellowDistress In Case of Emergency by aliaoftwoworlds A Sailor Went to Sea by YellowDistress Too Close to Home by xxx_cat_xxx  Long Term Borrowing by ironfamjam If You Listen You Can Hear the Ibis by YellowDistress  Conundrums Like These by YellowDistress limits of my heart by MayWilder (Character Death)  call you home by Madelinedear (2 story series)  Not This One by Princessfbi 36th & Main by asocialfauxpas (fuzzytomato) 5 Times Peter Fell, and Tony caught him. And the 1 Time Tony didn’t. by eva7673 five and one by cinnamontoastcronch  The world is brighter than the sun now that you're here by CamelotQueen  The Less Than Secret Life by YellowDistress Vox Nihili, Vox Populi by Huhsuabee Sweet Potatoes & Stitches by whumphoarder let our battles choose us by darksideofmyroom Promotions Aren't Always A Good Thing by agib (Child Abuse and Violence)  the way i get by by electricindigo Promises by Sandylee007 Exploding Head Syndrome by foolscapper  Sleeping As I Walk by TheOceanIsMyInkwell (Warning: Rape/non-con)  Time Shifting Weight by TheOceanIsMyInkwell (Warning: Rape/non-con) 

Guardians of the Galaxy

Best Laid Plans by Sholio Coming of Age by SimonDigimonroe (orphan_account) (Warning: Rape/non-con)

Series

Being Alive (is different than living) Series by silentsaebyeok:  The lines between life and death become blurred for Peter Parker and his family and friends when Thanos snaps his fingers. But living again when you were once dead? Well, that’s the hardest part. Peter finds that surviving and living are two very different things. It’s a cruel and unfortunate thing to discover.  don’t help them to bury the light (Part 1)  would you help me to carry the stone? (Part 2)  itchy feet and fading smiles (Part 3)  open your heart, i’m coming home (Part 4) 

Being Human Series by Jaune_Chat:  For reasons of his own, Loki gives Tony’s AI, Jarvis, a human body. What Tony didn’t expect was to find himself trying to teach humanity to someone he’d programmed with his entire life.  Genius (Part 1)  Priorities (Part 2)  Home (Part 3)  Experience (Part 4)  To Sleep, Perchance to Dream (Part 5)  Something Like a Father, Something Like a God (Part 6)  Naming of Names (Part 7)  Where Sea Meets Sky (Part 8)  Purpose (Part 9)  Birthday (Part 10)  Trials of Man (Part 11) 

Fade Away Series by dragonnan: (Unwanted Sexual Contact/ Past Rape Referenced)  The past has that annoying way of coming back when you least expect it. Fades to Gray But Never Away (Part 1) That Little Grey Area (Part 2)

Part 2: Sherlock (BBC and RDJ Films), Psych, and Doctor Who

[fedorasaurus]

For the questions about the character, could you do Nash, fang, and bison? Sorry if it’s too much, but thank you in advance

No problem! I enjoy discussing characters that I’m fond of.

Nash

favorite thing about them - I really, really like that they put a “face” to the “dead best friend” that Guile’s whole motivation revolves around in Street Fighter II. Making Charlie Nash a playable character in Street Fighter Alpha gives a whole other level to the lore beyond a vague relation to one man who would eventually avenge his murder. Both of them being real, lovable characters makes me appreciate them that much more, and puts that much greater of an emotional impact on Charlie’s death and resurrection.

least favorite thing about them - (THIS ANSWER CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR THE GENERAL STORY OF STREET FIGHTER V) It disappoints me that Charlie gets killed off in multiple games and other media. The first time is fine, but was it really necessary to bring him back in SFV, only to have him sacrifice himself at the end, to no avail? I understand that the plot is maybe going for a theme of the futility of seeking vengeance above all else, but it gets complicated when you consider that Charlie was pushed along as hard as he was by Kolin pressuring him to accomplish HER goals. I’d have preferred if they let him, you know, reunite properly with Guile and team up to fight Bison together, rather than him feeling obligated to take the challenge on alone. Let Nash live for once, eh, Capcom? There’s more to him than “dead best friend!”

favorite line - Shameful, but his “you nervous?” taunt gives me the shivers, bigtime.

brOTP - Hands down, his interactions with Rashid are so pure. A little one-sided due to Nash’s coldness during the story, but seriously, the way Rashid is so open and friendly to him despite having just met this grumpy undead man, it makes me want to see the two of them hanging out more. He’s good for his mental health!

OTP - GUILE GUILE GUILE GUILE I’ve been shipping GuileNash since I first ever got into the SF series with Street Fighter Alpha a million years ago. I love them so much, you wouldn’t believe. My heart melts over best friends in love!

nOTP - Charlie/Bison isn’t really my jam.

random headcanon - Nash and Guile have a lot of stupid inside jokes between them. When they reunited during the storyline of SFV, it was a reference to one of the jokes that made Charlie smile again for the first time in years.

unpopular opinion - I don’t know if this is unpopular or not, but I prefer his young, pretty look over his SFV zombie look with the greenish parts stitched on. I get it, he’s been resurrected, no need to drive the point home THAT hard with “Frankenstein’s monster” aesthetics! But, that said, his new look has grown on me quite a bit!

song i associate with them - Maybe Monster, by Starset, if we’re talking Street Fighter V era.

favorite picture of them - I commissioned this artwork of Captain Commando Nash from AirSlasher on Twitter a while back, and it turned out so damned good, I’ve used it as the background image on my tablet ever since:

(This post is getting long, so the others are going under a pagebreak!)

F.A.N.G

favorite thing about them - His whole… over-the-top 90′s villain shtick. His high-energy personality and screechy voice not unlike a squawking bird, it slays me!

least favorite thing about them - As much as he cracks me up, I got real uncomfortable when he started threatening the kid characters. Even if it was empty threats, come on, dude. You don’t threaten kids.

favorite line - “LORD BISON WAIT FOR MEEEEE!”

brOTP - I love his banter with the other Shadaloo bosses. Both Vega and Balrog have that fantastic family/rival dynamic going on with him.

OTP - F.A.N.G / M. Bison is really, really good, man. I have… fanfics.

nOTP - I’ve seen F.A.N.G / Rashid, and I understand that people started shipping them before there was actual story context to make it… bad… but yeah… I’m uncomfortable with that ship. I mean, I guess Rashid is a kind and forgiving dude, but it would take a lot in my eyes for that ship to be good for me. Rashid deserves someone who doesn’t gloat about hurting people he cares about.

random headcanon - The reason M. Bison is a sexy silver fox in SFV is because that’s F.A.N.G’s type. If he’s responsible for bringing the boss man back, he’s gotta have him looking his BEST.

unpopular opinion - M. Bison is technically the “big bad,” but honestly? F.A.N.G is the main antagonist of Street Fighter V.

song i associate with them - Nnnghh stupid and obvious answer, but Poison, by Alice Cooper (also the cover by Groove Coverage which is more my music style preference than the original, as great as AC is!)

favorite picture of them - No picture in particular, but I really like his Nguuhao outfit. He was cute when he was young and had long hair!

M. Bison

favorite thing about them - Sexy silver fox.

least favorite thing about them - He killed my favorite Street Fighter character at least once, so I can only enjoy him but so much!

favorite line - Not a specific line, but the time in SFA3 when he called Sodom a piece of trash and then suddenly became interested in fighting him when he said he wanted to show him his special moves was pretty great. It’s such a M. Bison thing to give a person the time of day when they offer to show him their strength, even if that person is a big goofy weeaboo who maybe isn’t entirely prepared to fight a supervillain, but who has a hell of a lot of heart.

brOTP - Depending on the continuity, I could definitely see him being bros with Zangief and/or Sagat!

OTP - F.A.N.G / Bison is still amazing, t-trust me guys.

nOTP - Bison/Nash, Bison/Guile, but also I really don’t ship Bison/Rolento at all anymore. I know I was big on that for a while, but man, I’m way more inclined nowadays to want the villains hook up with a loyal villain in their own faction, you know?

random headcanon - After possessing Rose’s body, M. Bison held onto some of her traits, such as a sense of fashion and a love of taking baths. Considering that they share a soul, I wouldn’t be surprised if they have overlapping interests despite being on opposite sides of moral alignment! (Anyway, he’d look amazing in her sort of fancy clothes, and also that stink man is in need of a bath, if you ask me)

unpopular opinion - I don’t want Tumblr’s rules to get on me about this, but let’s just say I see him as being the ah… submissive type, if you know what I mean!

song i associate with them - Uhhh maybe Telepathic by Starset? I’ve been listening to a lot of Starset lately. The songs that come to mind are usually from their albums!

favorite picture of them - Did you mean “the best M. Bison alt costume in the entire series?” We got ourselves a sexy silver fox in a low-cut leather suit with his tiddy out and everything. Does it get better than this?

Honorable mention: this part in the Street Fighter Animated Series:

[ifeveristoday]

Are we in Bizarro Land?

@jenny-calendar has already keyboard flailed about the progress of Jenny and Giles in the Boom!verse (and I definitely have thoughts of my own) but this issue is so good about picking up from the quiet introspectiveness of issue 7, as if Jordie thought, ‘Okay, I’ve let Willow breathe and Xander come to terms with his new existence...now shit’s really getting real’ and we’re back into action.

A feature of the Boom!verse has been the feeling that each issue has a mini cliffhanger - not necessarily, OMG what happens next?!? in feeling all the time, but ‘why did you end it THERE?’

It happened for me in the Chosen one-shot - I would have liked to have spent more time with the individual slayers (possibly giving each one her own issue instead of sharing?) but the glimpse I got of each life was intriguing.

With issue 8 of the Boom!verse, we’ve definitely hit upon OMG what happens next territory.

And one of the elephants in the fandom - the Buffy/Angel relationship gets introduced in this issue.

There’s a lot of other plot points about issue 8 that I’m going to address in separate posts, but I want to comment on the B/A dynamic as it is in the Boom! verse. OG canon will be referenced but for the most part I want to focus on what Jordie and Bryan have decided to do with them and how that impacts their relationship in 2019.

Did I go down a google deep dive to ascertain if Bats do in fact have tails? Yes. Yes I did. And they do, but it’s not quite to the extent that Handmade Costume Buffy takes it to -- her costume looks more like a cartoon version of a Bat, with the little forked end. There are 1000 species of bats, however, with the majority of them having some sort of tail, both obvious and not so obvious. And there’s a bumblebee bat that does not have a tail. I highly recommend that you google it because it’s goddamn adorable.

Despite his many years existing, I don’t think Angel really was cataloging all 1,000 species of bats and just went with the common perception that bats are tail-less. The bat motif has been repeated over with them in canon, however - there’s Camazotz, Buffy’s pegasus bat (who’s returning for HELLMOUTH), the endless Batman comparisons Angel has (TV and Bryan comparing him to Bruce Wayne) and of course vampire bats (Dracula and his party trick). Buffy dressing up as a bat is pretty on the nose for this ‘verse.

And I like that it’s obviously homemade - Joyce (or Eric! Doctor after all) probably helped her stitch on ears and a tail to a black hoodie and black shorts, and she just needed fishnets to complete the look - cozy with a slight detour into Women’s Halloween Costumes Must Be Sexy All The Time Now, Especially if It Is Not Sexy Before. Buffy wasn’t going to spend Tuna Palace money on wearing a costume for an event that she was forced to unofficially chaperone, hence the surliness/over it attitude with Halloween. We still have no idea what fifteen-year-old Slayer Buffy was like and if her Halloween in Los Angeles was eventful or it’s a Los Angeles vs “small town” approach to Halloween.

Or if it’s Buffy just being annoyed that once again, she really can’t participate in an ordinary teenage ritual, she has to watch over it to make sure everyone’s safe. The visual of Buffy on the fringes of the party, observing, not participating is something that really resonated with me, as a fan of the TV canon and just being a withdrawn person in RL. 

Buffy’s had a setback - her friends have gotten hurt helping her slaying, her crush has fizzled out before it could properly begin (and Robin dancing with a look-alike didn’t help) and as Giles likes to remind her, evil is always in the background. Her doing normal stuff - group date with her friends is directly before Xander gets turned by Spike and Drusilla, and then she witnesses Willow giving up a part of her soul for Xander, and being defensive when Willow tells her she hardly knows herself - Buffy is both a part of their group but separate. The argument the two get into in front of the demon - that Buffy tells Willow she’s pretending, and Willow tossing back that Buffy is a master of pretending and lying (Slayer, secret identity after all) and the demon sneering at Buffy’s overinflated sense of worth - just because she’s the Slayer doesn’t automatically give her soul more weight. Xander and Willow’s bond excludes her because they’ve known each other forever and she is the new girl. The outsider.

We’ve been given more insight to Willow and Xander, but just peeks at Buffy’s mindset - and with all that’s happened, I don’t blame her for being resentful or less sunshine-y than her season 1 TV counterpart. But Boom! Buffy as always, is her own person.

It’s this person Angel is trying to figure out. Over in his world, Buffy/The Slayer is nothing but a flashing danger sign - a shadowy figure that he first mistakes for Mara/Marius - a source of regret/love from his Angelus past. Mara was chosen by Angelus because she was a renowned fighter, and he makes/renames her in his image - possibly referencing the Roman god of War as well. But all the omniscient demons in his life insist that this girl is a danger to him and that love will bring him nothing but pain and she is the instrument of that pain.

Moth, meet flame.

Boom! Angel is not burdened with destiny in the shape of a girl, he doesn’t know anything about the Slayer or what role she’s going to play in his life, only that she’s going to impact it - most likely in a negative way.

So what does he do?

Treat it like a war campaign - do the recon, know your opponent’s weaknesses.

Which brings the comedy, because the Slayer he’s been warned off so many times isn’t the feared creature of vampire myth and legend, but a resentful tired girl in a bat costume who does not appreciate the tall dark ‘looks like a serial killer’ man in a devil mask sitting right next to her. She wants to be left alone.

In any other typical story, there would be that element of fear with a stranger, but because Buffy’s the Slayer, she knows she can defend herself and put the hurt on this guy.

Meanwhile, it’s Angel’s turn to observe. And 2019 Angel’s social skills have ...not improved. There is a slight symmetry to their meeting - Buffy watching a world she’s not quite a part of, and Angel watching her and not sure how she fits into his world, both outsiders looking at something they’re not sure they want but still are fascinated by.

Angel’s initial attempt to get closer to Buffy (literal sitting down next to her, then being a troll and moving up one stair) is the personal approach - he notices that she’s bothered by Robin dancing with another girl and then quickly enters Uncomfortable Job Interview Questions territory - 'tell me about yourself - where would you be if you weren’t here? What if you had more time for you?’

These are not mortal enemy questions, obviously. Angel is trying to decipher Buffy as a person and subtly mirroring her body language.

In a callback to Willow’s accusation that Buffy doesn’t really know herself - she admits she doesn’t know what she would be doing if she didn’t have to be there - she said to Xander that she’d rather be home studying...but come on. That’s not what she really wants to be doing.

To defuse the suddenly personal conversation, Angel makes the observation that the reason no one can tell she’s a bat is that she has a tail - and Buffy is so wrapped up in her situation that she doesn’t clue in on the fact that Angel has used Xander’s words almost exactly. She repeats that she hates Halloween while flaming with embarrassment that she’s appeared both vulnerable and not bright in front of a stranger.

This whole exchange - about who Buffy is and what she presents to the world - no one knows if she’s a cat or a dog - I’m a bat fits neatly with her identity crisis as a Slayer and as a teenager still figuring stuff out. 

Similarities to TV canon - Angel knows more about Buffy than she knows about him, and he’s intrigued by her, and she’s...annoyed by him.

The update to their histories is what makes me intrigued about the potential of their romance/relationship - it’s definitely happening with all the hints that have been dropped, anvil-like from the sky - but Buffy is not Angel’s route to redemption or desire to be useful for the fight for Good. He was already going down that path/doing that before he meets her. Angel is not a romantic figure for Buffy, she doesn’t know what he looks like, only that he’s really chatty (!) and vaguely has motivational speaker vibes. He’s not a canvas for her to project ideal fantasies on, just yet.

They’re both damaged, unsociable in their own ways people - but a connection has been made. Where Jordie and Bryan (and Jordan Lambert for HELLMOUTH) go with it, is the exciting part. The ending we know is inevitable, plus it’s the first year of their series, and creators rarely get OTPs together and stay together that quickly, but because Boom! has them both under their umbrella, crossovers will happen more easily and the mythology will be tighter instead of the same tiresome ‘one is more darker and adult than the other blah blah blah shut up dude creators as if that’s the only worthy characteristic of a story’ box.

So, I’m excited about the journey, and as you can see in my chat bubbles above - any Hades/Persephone parallels.

Look how gorgeous this panel is - the colors and the way Buffy is perched above it all...like a bat. Or Nosferatu.