#pool scene meta

[cryptidotter]

I know it's always "being sad about these kids" time in The Locked Tomb but, uh, I just put all these Harrow quotes together and need to share the sadness with everyone else:

So the Reverends told Harrow about the child genocide when she was THREE? jfc

Tamsyn why do you give us distressing facts like this?

And as I sit here with this, it makes me think of how many times I've seen people be frustrated or confused by Gideon being kind to Harrow in the pool scene after this revelation. Where for me, also a religious cult survivor, I would have expected nothing else.

Because it's not that Gideon thinks this new backstory EXCUSES what Harrow did. That's not the kind of forgiveness happening here. It's the realization that neither of them deserved to have their childhood stolen like that. Neither of them deserved to be so dehumanized, treated as nothing more than tools who should feel guilty for never being good enough.

But before that moment, Gideon clearly hadn't realized how fucked up Harrow's life had been, so she hadn't ever seen them on a similar level of victimhood.

Harrow lived an exaggerated form of the standard religious trauma that kids like me and Gideon experienced while growing up. The whole, "you, yes you, toddler, are sinful and deserving of eternal torment unless God shows you undeserved grace" experience.

I think it's easy for a fellow victim of that to sympathize like Gideon does, knowing so intimately how that kind of trauma fucks up a person. Even when a person turns their trauma into a weapon against others like Harrow did for so many years. It doesn't make the bullying acceptable, obviously, but it does make it worthy of sympathy instead of pure condemnation. Gideon finally realized that Harrow didn't act out of personal sadism, and that meant a lot for Gideon and how she sees Harrow.

Anyway there's just something inherently relatable to me when one victim sees another one, even and especially an imperfect victim, and still chooses to humanize them. Because that act of compassion is a rejection of the system that broke them both.

[stheresya]

considering how close Sansa and Jeyne were in agot, one might think it's odd how she hardly mentions her friend in the following books. some take this to mean that their bond was superficial, or that Sansa is just a horrible friend or that the author is bad at writing female relationships. but i think all the confusion can be explained here:

She missed Septa Mordane, and even more Jeyne Poole, her truest friend. The septa had lost her head with the rest, for the crime of serving House Stark. Sansa did not know what had happened to Jeyne, who had disappeared from her rooms afterward, never to be mentioned again. She tried not to think of them too often, yet sometimes the memories came unbidden, and then it was hard to hold back the tears. (Sansa II, ACOK)

so Sansa actively pushes down memories of both her septa and Jeyne. this is very much in line with her usual coping mechanisms, which are: avoid and retreat into self. that's the only way she manages to not break and keep some shread of dignity in her situation. when she's forced to stare at her father's severed head she looks at it but refuses to see it, when she's forced into marriage with a Lannister she plays the dutiful wife while freezing her husband in place with her courtesies, when she's forced to lie about the murder of Lysa the truth eventually becomes just a bad dream in her memory. remember that the one time Sansa allowed herself to openly grieve (after Ned's death) she was awarded with physical abuse by Joffrey, so of course she had to learn to use her own skin as armor and rewire her own memory in order to numb herself from all the pain she has to endure. the mysterious circumstances of Jeyne's disappearance cause Sansa a different sort of grief precisely because she does not know what happened to her. she doesn't know if her friend is dead, but she understands that something terrible must've happened to her considering it was Cersei who ordered her to be put away. Sansa does care and misses her friend, but there's nothing she can do to help anyone or herself so she does what she does best: cope. she cannot allow herself to give in to grief or else she won't be able to function as a person and as a good hostage to the king, all that's left for her is to try to avoid feeling all the things she should naturally feel in her condition.

[carlyrossart]

Was the pool scene harrows first hug ever ?

Brb crying

[stuckasmain]

Revisiting the conversation scene on my last rewatch made me appreciate this scene more for its subtleties.

Initially I saw it as Dave being dismissive and changing the subject. It’s actually a misunderstanding. Hal asks his questions in a more rhetorical manner/asking if Dave felt anything was off/had similar concerns. He’s not outright saying it’s his own worries until the end of the conversation. Thus dave comes to the conclusion that Hal must’ve sensed some doubt and apprehension from him or Frank and was checking in on him. It’s more “oh, you’re working on your crew psychology report” > “give me the report.”

It makes additional sense when you think about the context of emotion. Never certain if Hal has those genuine emotions, it feels like he does but you can’t know. He’s never expressed worry/doubt before… at least that’s what it seems like in the way he discussed it as a question and how “silly” he claims he’s being. Also that Dave doesn’t catch on, it’s understandable because the first thought shouldn’t be the computer developed anxiety.

It’s all a bit sad looking back on it, as it’s a logical misunderstanding to make but if Dave caught on or agreed maybe things would’ve gone better for their little crew. Questionably, as this would’ve eased Hal but not suddenly fixed the mental break.

Side note Hal’s “of course I am🥺” gets me every time. The little guys so nervous and unsure and doesn’t know how to express it.

[thepotatofrog]

when gideon says i’m so bloody sorry and THATs when harrow loses it. because she needs gideon, and she needs her as an enemy. she’s clung to their mutual hatred all her life, it’s the fire that keeps her heart beating, it’s armour even more than the bones she wears. gideon not hating her, gideon forgiving her, is unthinkable. for harrowhark nonagesimus, walking war crime, being hated is so, so much easier than being loved. gideon opens the floodgates, and harrow breaks.

[gaiaxygang]

when sailom realises there's still something salvage in kanghan, that he still has a heart. from the moment kanghan saves him and concedes (accepting his tutoring offer) you can see something in sailom start to change from the look in his eyes. this show makes me want to walk into the ocean

[wholoveseggs]

Kinktober - {Day Twelve}

{<- kinktober masterlist}

18+ ---- {Masterlist} {Tag-List} {Kinktober}

{Kol Mikaelson x F!Reader} Request { @midoriiakina }: Idea is: She often goes to the library, far from others in a secluded little spot, listening to music while she works and thus, she's oblivious to the world around her while she's working. Secretly, she's already a published author writing romance novels as a side hustle to pay the bills, even writing steamy as hell sex scenes even though she's a virgin, too busy or too shy to have any actual experience herself ... he sneaks up on her while she's working and reads over her shoulder, seeing that she's writing some unexpectedly kinky sex scene. And of course, Kol being Kol, he can't help himself... Kinks list: Overstim, breeding, size kink, height kink (lets be honest, he's a foot and a half taller than her, he can manhandle her around like a doll), hair pulling, public sex (Mustn't be too loud in the library, darling!), squirting/cum, oral, blood drinking (she knows he's a vampire and doesn't care how much he marks her up), virgin (but mostly knows what she's doing), and morning after somno to wake her up for more~!

♡♡♡ Darling! Sweetheart! Babe! Your request was so long & detailed... I appreciate your enthusiasm, but I had to shorten this idea immensely... That being said, I LOVE YOU FOR IT.... SO YOU WIN!!!!! You are the greedy award winner & you get a certificate!!!!!! (see the bottom of this post for your reward) ~ XOXO ♡♡♡

3.1k words - Kinks: library sex, a tad bit meta, Kol being a mega flirt, overstim, size, breeding, hair pulling, public, squirting, blood drinking, inexperience...

The library was always your favorite place, especially the quiet corners where you could hide and read your books. You could easily get lost there for hours, curled up in an armchair by a window, just reading away your worries.

That was what you had intended to do this afternoon, but inspiration had struck and instead, you had opened your laptop and started writing. It was the perfect way to pass the time, letting your fingers fly across the keyboard as you created worlds and characters and scenarios, letting yourself escape reality.

There was this particular fantasy you liked to write, a series of one shots based on your biggest turn ons, and today you were writing about a vampire that had caught your eye at the Mystic Grill. He was tall and handsome and the thought of him pinning you against a wall was making heat pool between your legs.

You knew who he was, all dark and dangerous, a Mikaelson. But even though the Mikaelsons had a reputation for being trouble, you couldn't help the way your eyes would roam across his chest and down his arms whenever you saw him.

It wasn't like you were ever going to make a move, or even have a chance with someone like that. So instead you chose to channel all your pent up desires into a good story. Your thighs rubbed together as you imagined him kissing you, and you were so lost in the words and the fantasy that you didn't notice anyone approaching you until a shadow fell over your laptop.

"I... um..." you stuttered, not knowing what to say. You wanted to crawl into a hole and die, you were utterly mortified that someone had caught you. You had been so careful to keep it a secret, and now...

Your head snapped up, heart in your throat, and you found yourself staring up into the face of the very same vampire you had been writing about. Kol Mikaelson stood behind you, leaning in to read over your shoulder. "Interesting... 'his hands pinned my hips against the wall as his fangs dragged across my neck.' how very kinky of you," he chuckled, and you quickly shut your laptop, your cheeks burning bright red.

"Don't stop on my account, love. I was quite enjoying the story," he said, taking the seat across from yours. "What happens next?"

You gaped at him, mouth hanging open, trying to form a response. What the hell did he mean by that?

He grinned at your reaction, "You know, we could make that happen if you'd like."

"I... what? No! That's... that's ridiculous," you shook your head, unable to believe he was actually propositioning you. You must have been dreaming. There was no way Kol Mikaelson was flirting with you.

"Why is it ridiculous? Do you have a boyfriend or something?" he asked, grinning even wider when you shook your head. "So why not? It's just a bit of sex,"

You didn't know what to say, so you just sat there staring at him. After a minute he laughed and leaned forward. "Come on, don't tell me you've never had sex before, sweetheart."

Now you really wanted to crawl into a hole and never come out. Maybe there was a spell to make you invisible, so you could just disappear from this conversation.

"I, um, I mean, not... not exactly," you finally managed to stutter, cheeks burning even hotter.

He leaned back, raising his eyebrows in surprise. "Well now that is unexpected, considering the words you have flowing through that pretty little head of yours."

You blushed, unable to meet his gaze. This was so embarrassing, but it also felt strangely exciting. No one had ever talked to you like this, and the fact that it was Kol made it even better.

Kol watched your reactions, and decided he was going to have a bit of fun with you. He had seen you around town in the past few weeks, and he knew you were a witch, a very cute one at that. And he loved cute witches, they were always so much fun to tease.

"How about this then, since you're so innocent, let's play a little game," he said, smirking at the way you were fidgeting. "We can each tell each other a fantasy, and if we both like it, then we can act it out."

You swallowed, looking up at him, "please stop," you whispered, feeling nervous.

"What do you mean?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I... I mean I don't appreciate you making fun of me," you mumbled, looking down again.

Kol frowned, surprised. "I'm not making fun of you, love, I just want to get to know you a little better," he said, trying a different tactic.

You looked up at him, not sure what to say. He sounded sincere, and he was so attractive that it made you nervous. You wanted him to be sincere, to actually like you, but you couldn't stop the tiny voice inside you telling you that this was all just a joke.

He smiled softly, seeing the conflict in your eyes, "How about this, I'll tell you one of my fantasies, and if you like it, you can tell me one of yours."

You considered his offer for a moment, biting your lip as you looked up at him, trying to decide if he was being serious or not. Finally, you nodded, "Okay," you whispered, curious to hear what he would say.

He smirked, pleased that you had agreed, and leaned closer, "I love it when I have a pretty little thing in my lap... and she... makes a mess, if you know what I mean,"

You could feel your body responding, his words sending a rush of heat through you. You shifted in your seat, pressing your thighs together, unable to deny how aroused his words had made you.

Kol noticed the shift in your body, and he knew he was getting to you. "Come now, darling ... You write about these things, but can't speak them aloud?" he asked, smirking at the way you blushed.

You were growing tired of feeling so embarrassed, so you took a deep breath, willing yourself to be confident, to be the version of you that you wrote about. You met his gaze, "I've fantasized about... having sex in public," you said, voice shaking slightly.

He raised his eyebrows, a slow smile spreading across his lips. "Well now... that's a very naughty thing for such an innocent little girl," he teased, his words sending another wave of heat through you.

"I'm not that innocent," you retorted, trying to maintain eye contact, but it was hard when his eyes were so dark and intense.

He chuckled, "oh, I'm sure. You just need someone to teach you how to be a proper little slut," he purred, making your core clench.

"And you think you're up to the task?" you asked, surprising yourself with how bold the words sounded coming from your mouth.

"I think I can handle a pretty little thing like you," he grinned, watching as your cheeks turned pink.

You looked around the library, suddenly remembering that you were still in a very public place, and anyone could see you. Your gaze met his again, and you swallowed hard, "what if someone sees us?"

He leaned closer, his eyes burning into yours, "isn't that what makes it so hot?" he whispered, his voice low and seductive.

You bit your lip, your body aching with need. You were still a little hesitant, but there was no denying the way his words affected you, and you were tired of denying yourself what you wanted. This was an opportunity you couldn't let go to waste.

"Okay," you whispered, "let's do it."

His eyes lit up, genuinely surprised that he had convinced you. But he was not going to look a gift horse in the mouth. He stood up, taking your hand, and led you towards the stacks of bookshelves, further into the library.

There was a cozy little corner that had a couch, and he took a seat, patting his lap, and waited for you to join him. You hesitated for a moment, not sure if you could actually do this, but he was so sexy and confident and you wanted to be just like that. So you took a deep breath and climbed into his lap, straddling his hips.

His hands moved to your waist, holding you in place, and his gaze drifted over your body, taking in the sight of you. "At least tell me you've kissed someone before," he said, giving your hip a little squeeze.

"Of course I have," you replied, feeling a little offended by the question.

He grinned and pulled you closer, pressing his lips against yours, kissing you deeply. You moaned softly, your hands gripping his shoulders, feeling his muscles beneath the fabric of his shirt. His lips were so soft, and he kissed you with a passion that made your toes curl.

You had kissed guys before, but it had never felt like this. He knew what he was doing, and he certainly knew how to turn a girl on. He tasted like mint and spice, and you felt dizzy with desire.

He pulled away, leaving you breathless and wanting more. His lips trailed down your neck, nipping at your skin, and you could feel the slight graze of his fangs. The thought of him biting you was exciting, but also a little terrifying.

A small spark of your magic tingled on your fingertips, a natural reflex to danger, and the feeling made him pause. He lifted his head and looked at you, "do I make you nervous, love?" he asked, a grin spreading across his lips.

You took a shaky breath, trying to calm your racing heart, and shook your head, "No, I'm fine," you said, trying to sound confident, but your voice came out a little squeaky.

He smirked, knowing full well that he made you nervous. But instead of pushing the issue, he reached under your dress and ran his fingers up the inside of your thigh, teasing your warm skin.

"Now, if we were in a more private setting, I would strip you naked and worship every inch of you. But alas, we'll have to be a bit more subtle," he said, his fingers brushing across the front of your panties.

You gasped, and he grinned, knowing the effect his touch was having on you. His fingers continued to tease you, brushing over a damp spot, searching for your little nub, and when he found it, your hips jerked and you let out a moan.

He grinned, loving the way you responded to his touch, and pressed a little harder, making circles with his fingers. "You are such a pretty little thing," he whispered, his other hand moving to grip your hair, tugging slightly.

You moaned at his words, and the sensation of him playing with your hair, tugging on the strands as his fingers moved. It was intoxicating, and you found yourself rolling your hips, grinding against his hand.

"Ooh, she likes it a bit rough, does she?" he teased, his voice low and seductive, "what else do you like sweetheart?"

Your mind was spinning, overwhelmed with sensations, and you struggled to find words. But the way his fingers moved had you desperate for more. "I... I like... the idea of being filled with.. cum." Your cheeks burned with embarrassment, hoping he knew what you meant.

He chuckled, amused by your shyness, "I'm the perfect bloke to try it with then," he said, his words making your stomach flip, "Can't get you pregnant, being a vampire and all... but I sure do love to try…"

His words sent a rush of heat through you, and before you could stop yourself, you were nodding. You wanted him, desperately.

He grinned, pushing your panties to the side and pressing two fingers inside of you, making you gasp.

He worked them slowly, his thumb rubbing circles over your clit, and it was all too much. You had never been this turned on before, and the way he touched you made your whole body feel like it was on fire.

You leaned in and kissed him, desperate for more. He tasted so good, and his lips were so soft. His tongue danced with yours, and he sucked gently on your lower lip, making you whimper.

Your hands gripped his shoulders, and you ground down against his hand, wanting more.

"Eager little thing, seems you aren't quite so innocent after all," he murmured, grinning against your lips.

"I told you, I'm not," you breathed, moaning softly as his fingers moved faster.

He chuckled, enjoying the way you were squirming, your cheeks flushed, the sweet little moans escaping your lips.

He could feel your walls starting to tighten around his fingers, and he knew you were close. He pulled his fingers out, making you whimper in frustration, and quickly unzipped his jeans.

"Now, sweet thing, writing about riding a cock and actually doing it are two very different things," he teased, taking your hand and putting it on his warm length.

You could feel how hard he was, and it was thrilling. His skin was so smooth, and you wrapped your fingers around him, stroking gently. He groaned, his eyes fluttering shut, and you could feel his cock twitching.

"Good girl, keep doing that," he moaned, his hands gripping your thighs, helping you plant your feet on the sofa so that you could lift yourself up.

You positioned his cock at your entrance, feeling the head rubbing against your wet slit, and slowly started to sink down. The stretch was almost too much, and you gasped, feeling your walls stretch around him.

"Slow down," he growled, his fingers digging into your thighs, holding you in place, "You have to take it slow, or else it will hurt."

You stopped, taking a few deep breaths, and tried again. He held your hips steady, guiding you down, and you could feel the burn as he slid deeper. It was an intoxicating mix of pleasure and pain, and you could feel yourself stretching, taking him inch by inch.

When he was fully inside you, you let out a sigh, feeling so full.

"Far superior than any toy that you modern girls seem to favor," he said, chuckling at your expression.

"Shh... let me focus," you hissed, adjusting to the feeling of him.

"So bossy," he teased, but didn't say anything else, letting you take your time.

You moved your hips a little, testing the waters, and a soft moan escaped your lips. He felt so good inside you, filling you completely.

His hands gripped your hips, and he guided you into a slow, steady rhythm, helping you ride him. The muscles in your thighs immediately started to burn, and it was distracting you from your pleasure, so you put a hand on his shoulder and used him as leverage, grinding down harder.

"That's it," he murmured, his eyes glued to the point where you were joined, watching his cock disappear inside you, "you're a natural."

You moaned, feeling your body start to tingle, and knew that you were close. Your nails dug into his shoulders and he groaned, his hips jerking up, driving himself deeper. It didn't take long for you to completely unravel, falling over the edge with a cry, his name on your lips.

There was a sudden loud sound of a book dropping to the floor nearby, and you froze, wide-eyed, suddenly remembering that you were not alone.

Kol laughed, clearly amused by the situation and you pressed your face into the crook of his neck, trying to hide your embarrassment.

"Don't worry sweet girl, no one saw us," he whispered, his lips brushing against your ear.

He gently picked you up, keeping your bodies connected as he turned and laid you down on the sofa, his hips grinding against yours. He took your wrists and pinned them above your head, his fingers interlaced with yours.

"Now, let's see how quiet you can be, hmm?" he teased, his hips moving slowly, rocking against yours.

Your fingers dug into his hands, and he picked up the pace, his cock sliding in and out of you, his skin slapping against yours.

"I'm going to fill you up with my cum and make a proper mess of you," he whispered, his lips trailing over your neck, his fangs grazing the skin.

He reached between your bodies, his fingers finding your clit, rubbing circles over the sensitive nub, and you gasped, the pleasure building inside you again.

His fangs pierced your skin, the sharp pain mixing with the pleasure of his cock thrusting inside you, and it sent you over the edge again. Your thighs trembling, a gush of wetness rushing from your core. Your walls clenched around him, and he groaned, his hips jerking as he came, spilling himself deep inside you.

"That's a good girl, making a mess just like I requested," he teased, his breath hot against your neck.

Your face was flushed, your chest heaving as you tried to catch your breath. It had been the most intense orgasm of your life, and you were still struggling to wrap your mind around what had just happened.

He pulled back, grinning down at you, "See? Way better than fiction," he said, leaning down to kiss you softly.

Your heart was pounding, and you couldn't deny that he was right. Being with him was better than any fantasy.

He pulled back, giving you a wicked smirk. "Well, now that we've established how not very innocent you are, how about I take you home and we can try out all our fantasies on each other,"

You bit your lip and nodded, not able to deny how much you wanted him, again.

He stood, and helped you up, straightening your dress, and fixing his pants. He was surprisingly sweet with you, fixing your hair and leaving little kisses on your cheeks.

"I hope you know I don't want this to be a one time thing," he said, taking your hand and leading you to the exit.

"I wouldn't mind seeing where this could go," you replied, smiling shyly up at him.

He walked with you out of the library, and down the sidewalk, and the cool night air made you shiver. You were glad for the company, and you found yourself leaning into him, his arm around your waist.

"Now, where do you live, my little writer?"

You grinned, and gave him directions, excited for whatever he had in mind next.

After all, it would make a good story, wouldn't it?

~CONGRATULATIONS~

[past-the-comfortzone]

Little things I'm catching on a rewatch:

From "who would wanna use their last days not fucking and fighting?"

To

"Last day of the afterlife and you're not off snorting a line off some hunk's abs?"

"Eh. You fucked one cannibal pool boy, you've fucked them all."

"I guess you have changed."

"Hey, Charlie said live tonight however we wanted, so pour me a fresh one! And lets get to living!"

(I am sobbing, you hear me? SOBBING)

(Also if you listen very closely to this scene while they talk at the bar you can hear a slowed down version of Loser, Baby in the background) (Once again: SOBBING)

"I can sense they're planning to kill me. But when?! How?!"

(Bro thats's so meta. They didn't need to do him dirty like that.)

"Don't worry mom, I'll make u proud."

"Only...seven...years. Off doing something important, I'm sure! But this kingdom was really something she cared about"

Welp. She's relaxing is heaven.

(Really love how Lucifer was built up to be this awful person, and Lilith a very loving person, but so far it seems to be the other way around.)

Funny things I missed the first time around:

THE TEXT.

"Bad. It makes us look bad!"

"Funny, I was going for hilarious."

Vaggie doesn't know what she's saying. Alastor was right. The text had me dying fr.

Never noticed Alastor had a little tux get-up for a few seconds I feel so robbed. Also in the commercial, he has his back to the camera and I just LOVE the possibilities as to WHY.

Did Vaggie force him to participate?

Did he still want to be included bc he's a little egotistical attention seeker?

Did he do it it bc he knew Vox would see it and it would fuck with him?

I need to know because like why are you even there little red demon man if you're gonna be barely out of frame and looking away??

Either vox had two mugs made except one with extra text OR (and my personal headcanon) he rushed to write "FUCK ALASTOR" on his mug just before Stayed Gone.

[thelostgirl21]

Somehow, I don't think I've ever truly taken the time to appreciate just how sort of... ridiculous Radovid's introduction scene is?

Not Radovid himself, he's adorable!

But it does make you wonder...

How often does King Vizimir just... randomly yell his name at the top of his lungs like that to get his attention, and then, just... basically lets him carry on, because turns out he didn't want anything from him?

He's like: "Nah, don't worry about it, 'bro! I just felt like loudly shouting your name in a crowd rather than simply telling Dijkstra that I'd decided you'd be leading the 'Princess Ciri finding efforts' from now on! Just reminding him of how adorable you are, you know? Look Dijkstra? Isn't he adorable? That's my baby brother with his little bottle making cute little "whoo! " sounds right there..."

Because, you know, once Radovid realises that his brother is calling him, he makes literally no effort to go see him, either!

I know he's playing dumb/drunk, but still!

"What's that?! Oh, okay! It's just Vizimir trying to locate me. Whoo!"

WHAT *IS* THAT?!

It's like a parent at a children's party suddenly going "SAMUEL!".

Child: *Stops playing to look at their parent.* "What?!"

Parent: "Oh, no worry, honey! I just wanted to make sure you hadn't run off, drowned in the pool, got kidnapped or something! But I see you've got your grape juice bottle and are having fun with your friends, everything's fine! Go on!" Child: "Yay!"

I mean, you might reasonably expect King Vizimir to shout Radovid's name in a crowd like that to get his attention so he can motion to him to come over, and then introduce him to someone he's never met before.

Which, on a meta level, is technically what he's doing: introducing Radovid to the audience.

But in Universe?!?!

It's Dijkstra. Dijkstra knows who the crown prince of Redania is, Vizimir! You could've just told him, and he'd have gotten it! No need to get all dramatic about it!

TL;DR: King Vizimir is a ridiculous drama queen that loves showing off his pet baby brother every chance he gets!

And Radovid's gotten so used to it by now, that he's totally stopped attempting to figure out what his big brother wants when he calls him.

What if it's not just Vizimir, though, and Radovid just has that reputation for constantly getting himself into trouble if left unsupervised for too long.

So, people at court have a habit of periodically shouting his name; just to get him to manifest himself in large crowds, or crawl out of whatever hole or tight space he's crammed himself into, make eye contact, and locate him.

Therefore, in my new personal headcanon, there's now a scene at the Thanedd Ball that pretty much goes:

- Dijkstra: "RADOVID!" - Philippa: *walking over to him* "I think I saw him leave earlier with his royal security detail. He's probably sniffed out the bard's scent..." - Dijkstra: "Oh, good! You made sure those guards understood their assignment, right?" Philippa: "Of course!"

***Meanwhile, in the nearby woods.***

- Captain of the guards: "RADOVID!" - Other guard: "It's no use sir, we've lost him! " - Captain: "Gods damnit! Dijkstra won't be pleased..." - Radovid: *having already put plenty of distance between them, on his way to go see Jaskier* "Whoo!"

It's a good thing Philippa wasn't with them, or what might have happened would have been something closer to:

- Philippa: "Don't worry! I've got this!" *in whispering tones* "Sabrina was right. Valdo Marx's compositions are far superior to Jask -" - Radovid: *instantly traveling across space and time to appear right before her* "Valdo Marx has NOTHING on Jaskier! His sublime ethereal melodies, and the poetry of his lyrics, elevate the bardic arts to -" - Philippa: "Oh. Look. There he is!"

[nothinggathers]

I'm about to go off on a long tangent about the Kamski test here because I have spent far too many minutes of my life thinking about it. My apologies.

So the Kamski Test was "Shoot this android and I'll tell you everything I know, or spare it if you think it's alive." Or at least that's what Kamski says. But Connor's a computer and his instructions are to find deviants, and within the scope of finding deviants is pursuing information and sucking up to Hank Anderson.

Kamski, who does nothing but act like an obtuse melodramatic fuckwit from the moment we meet him, claims to have information that might be helpful to Connor. Except there's no evidence of that. So Connor, as a computer, has to weigh up the probability of Kamski both having helpful information and willingly handing it over if he shoots the Chloe (which, by the way, entirely depends on which question you ask because Kamski is nothing if not an obtuse melodramatic fuckwit).

Meanwhile, Connor's mission parameters are easier to achieve if he sucks up to Hank. He gets access to evidence and crime scenes this way. Sucking up to Hank makes his life easier.

And by this point one thing Connor has definitely learned about Hank is that Hank gets upset if Connor shoots deviants that aren't actively attacking them. Connor's meant to be bringing them in alive anyway, so this is fine by Connor's mission standards.

The second Kamski tells Connor to shoot the Chloe Hank tells him not to. Which means that Kamski's little test is no longer about any sense of empathy Connor might have, but becomes a computer picking between two weighted priorities. Find information (33% likelihood) and upset Hank (100% likelihood) or refuse (information gained 0) and make Hank happy (100% likelihood).

Connor has a pretty good shot at coming away from that interaction with nothing useful and his relationship with Hank damaged, or he can still come away with nothing useful and his relationship with Hank intact or even improved.

So why would he shoot the Chloe?

Because he's desperate. Because Amanda's pressuring him, and time is running out, and he knows that failure of the mission means his deactivation. Because he's programmed to react with a visceral horror to the possibility of failure.

He'd have to be desperate to take the chance on Kamski's information. Either his relationship with Hank is already in the tank, or the fear of death is getting to him and he prioritises a slim chance at gaining something quickly over the certain knowledge that Hank, who can have already shot him at this point, will be extremely pissed.

What's I'm saying is that shooting Chloe should have been the deviant option, driven out of fear rather than logic.

And what about Kamski? He's the smartest man on the planet, and he built androids, he should know that the second Hank says "Connor, don't" his test is null, right?

Unless he's not actually testing Connor.

Kamski knows he has at least one deviant among his Chloes. If Connor shoots the kneeling Chloe and then asks about Jericho, another Chloe transmits the location to him via interface. Only deviants get the location of Jericho because it's passed from deviant to deviant. "It means one of us trusted you enough" is what Markus gets told.

There are two Chloes in the swimming pool when you enter that room. One of them reacts to what's going on in the room, including staring at Connor as he leaves, and turning away from the scene when Connor refuses to shoot.

But she doesn't say anything. She doesn't try to stop it. She doesn't reveal herself (unless Connor shoots the other Chloe and asks the right questions).

So was Kamski really testing that Chloe's desire to cling to her own life? She can't risk revealing herself to save the other Chloe because it puts everything on the line.

Unless Connor shoots that Chloe, and then she surrenders Jericho when ordered to.

It was probably the only shot she had at preserving her own life. But it meant letting other androids die.

A test of empathy. Would she put herself before others?

TL;DR Elijah Kamski is an obtuse melodramatic fuckwit who wasn't just screwing with Connor during that scene.

i’m about to say something so controversial and not brave. kamski gives me elon musk vibes

[inevitably-johnlocked]

do you have any recs for full-series rewrites? ideally ones without the Mary storyline or John lashing out?

thank you for all that you do!!!!

Hey Nonny!

OH Gosh, ah... This is a tough one because like technically "episode specific" and meta-fics can work for this. Check them out:

Pre-ASiP fics

Season 1 Fics

Season 1 Fics Pt 2

TGG Related Fics

TGG: Pool Scene

ASiB Fics

THoB Fix It Fics

THoB Fics Pt. 2

Post-TRF Divergence

Post-TRF No Mary (Jan 2023)

Reverse Reichenbach

Reverse Reichenbach Pt. 2

Reunion and Other Post TRF Fics

Reunion and Other Post TRF Fics Pt. 2

Reunion and Other Post-TRF Fics Pt. 3

John Finds Out About Hiatus

John Joins Sherlock During Hiatus

Johnlock Against the World

Sherlock Returns from Hiatus Injured 

Serbia / Aftermath of Hiatus Fics

The Empty Hearse-Related Fics

TSo3-Related Fics (Updated Sept 2023)

Post John’s Wedding Fics

Gay Bar Scene

Stag Night

HLV Fics

After the Gunshot (HLV)

Tarmac Scene

Post S3 Fics

Long S3/Post-S3 Fics (20K+ w.) [Apr 2020]

TABlock (Apr 2020)

TLD Fix-Its / Aftermath of TLD

TFP Is Canon

Post S4 / S4 Fix Its

Post S4 / S4 Fix Its Pt. 2

Post S4 / S4 Fix Its Pt. 3

Post S4 / S4 Fix Its Pt. 4

Post S4 / S4 Fix Its Pt. 5

S4 Rewrites / MetaFics

S3 / TAB / S4 [FIX IT] Fics (March 2019)

Post S4 and Mental Health

Unseen Moments (Updated Sept 11/23)

=====

I wish I could help you out beyond that, and I'm pretty sure I'm misunderstanding exactly what you're looking for, but I hope these help you out <3 I'm working on an S3 No Mary list, so one day that will be done LOL.

If anyone wants to suggest their own fic or a fave fic, please do <3

[stuckasmain]

Thinking about the stiff and awkward fake conversation they pull before their talk in the pod. It’s done for two reasons, primarily to not seem  conspicuous but it’s also been expressed in the novel how they view Hal so much as a person it’d be rude to talk about him infront of him. But in trying to seem casual you appear the most  suspicious, neither of them are good actors.

One of the main things they forget in this scene is symbiosis (expressed both in the film and book in different ways). Hal is a part of that. Spending so long on the ship and in routine it is easy to pin point if anything is out of sync - especially with each other. They forget here just how much a part of their little group Hal is and that he’d be able to tell quite clearly, something is wrong, they want to hide something- this is not the way they’d talk if there were a real issue. Honestly, I think how close he is to Frank and Dave is what leads to the “evil” super smart interpretation. This isn’t to say he lacks intelligence it’s just— really obvious something is going on in this situation.

It’s almost funny that Hal was right, a lot of what goes wrong is on the part of human error. Mission controls secrecy, their bad acting, failing to turn the pod around etc.

[oshiawaseni]

Trails of Love Hori's been paving down in the build up for the series' ending

Part I: The Shape of an Eternal Bond

Romantic Love. Falling in love. When we break it down, what really is it, but a deep emotional connection formed with someone, an overpowering instinct that screams at you to protect that person, and the vulnerability you allow yourself to succumb to when your logical 'self-preserving' mind and it's hurt-proof walls is completely overrun by your heart's most based need to be close with them, the object of your affection.

And who shows these feelings for each other the most in BNHA? Bakudeku, right? Of course it's them.

It's something so obvious and yet this somehow feels overlooked by almost everyone in the fandom: I’ve never actually seen Izuku feeling happy or excited about his relationship with Ochaco, nor elated about getting to spend more time with her. But Izuku and Kacchan? The feelings they both have of longing to be closer to the other and every single action they took for that, chaotically and passionately smashes the "stable pleasantness" of IzuOcha right out of the park.

Izuku views getting to speak 'normally(?)' with Kacchan as a miracle on the exact same level of importance as being mentored by the greatest hero of their generation (and his U.A. room looks like what it looks like). This scene gave the cutest 'Work life: check. Love life: check' vibe.

Is it really all that surprising that BKDK have had plenty of development in this area while IzuOcha has had almost none? In fact, as BkDk became closer, the "expected end game" pair has gone in the opposite direction. And why does this not strike odd to "bkdk canon" doubters or the fans that ship IzuOcha? It really is no coincidence how many moments we’ve accrued about this mutual feeling and attraction that exists only between Izuku and Katsuki.

I want to be closer to you. I can't imagine life without you. vs Why are you so confused when I show you I care about you, too?

It's so simple - but maybe it being so simple is why this is not something we really stop and take a minute to think about specifically. About how this 'obvious' concept of two people desiring to become closer is one often shared between lovers and those who are falling in love.

And how that fits with bkdk because this longing for deeper connection has existed between them almost since the beginning... and we haven't been talking enough about it.

I want you to think about the true feelings and meaning lying behind these moments that have inspired the writings of many fic and meta:

Izuku's desperation and suffering at Kacchan being taken away...

the hurt and loneliness that pools within Katsuki's heart from his fear of being left behind (and alone) by Izuku...

the regret they both felt in not using their own hand to reach out and connect to each other (believing their hand 'wouldn't be enough') and putting those feelings aside to prioritise their boy's rescue and safety...

the distress Katsuki felt in facing his biggest fear of all - losing Izuku for good - forcing him to become a true hero, for his sake...

and the total overwhelming despair Izuku felt in realising he didn't make it in time and he had lost his hero.

This is it, this cover was Hori locking them in. Holding his Kacchan so precious, placing his hand gently over his heart, trying to somehow connect to it. The appearance of an enraged and protective alpha ready to strike down the monster who did this to his mate. This is the vision Hori wanted to draw for bkdk and it cemented the deep romantic love and bond that's been growing between them, rewarding those of us who have picked up on their trails of love and causing meltdowns baked in confusion for the rest.

They've had many scenes like these throughout MHA. Scratch a little at their surface and what lies underneath every single one of them is the pining desire Izuku and Katsuki both share of wanting to be together. The need for the other to be by their side and within reach.

And they don’t share this feeling with anybody else.

It’s always been this way exclusively for them and I think this aspect of their relationship was established by Hori to tell us they will stay feeling this way forever.

If Izuku is right and he takes back everything and the course of their future gets put on track again, then maybe the idea of them holding onto each other and never letting go isn’t all that far from reality.

After they graduate, I can't imagine these two not choosing each other every single time, until the very end of their days: becoming a hero wonder duo, moving in together, living their best domestic life complete with their adorable husbands banter (but repackaged into something so much more loving and soft which befits them), nurturing their relationship... letting themselves fall deeper in love...

It's so easy to imagine this all happening, simply because of their desperate need for closeness to one another in the manga.

They can’t imagine their life without the other.

Their love is a multi-threaded story that's been told to us over, and over, and over again. Through Izuku and Katsuki's every action and by the mouths of others (which I'll be covering in my next post).

I honestly believe that since the beginning, Hori has been carefully leaving trails of their passion for each other, simply to say this: While this series may be coming to a close, Izuku and Katsuki’s bond, that brings them only closer and binds them tightly together, will transcend the very last of their inked pages and never end. ❤️

Part Two -> Intro & Compress

[heycoyotegirl]

Of course they did. They did the same thing at the beginning of season 2 (though he hadn’t completed his arc yet, so it didn’t feel as egregious).

I’ve ranted about this before, but there were so many options they could’ve gone with instead. Paxton could’ve had an awful first semester and been thinking of dropping out when he came back for winter break right around when Devi’s application was deferred (which is when he actually starts having relevance to the plot this season anyway), and they could’ve had a heart to heart about their struggles.

Or he could’ve transferred to a university in California, if he realized that the culture at ASU wasn’t a good fit.

Or, to avoid the problem entirely and tie up the swimming loose end, he could’ve deferred admission for a year to get back into shape for competitive swimming. You have a limited number of years you can compete at college sports, and the clock starts as soon as you graduate high school, but most sports (swimming included) give you a grace period after graduation so that you can take a gap year.

Hell, the writers could’ve just thrown in a line about how he had to drop out so fast because the window to withdrawal and get a full refund for his tuition was coming to an end, which wouldn’t have been great, but would’ve at least some explanation for why he gave up after only two weeks.

Also, since he was written off as a romantic lead, he doesn’t actually need character growth this season (though it is hilarious that he still gets an (admittedly sloppy) arc, while Ben still has absolutely no growth).

Did they regress Paxton in order to “develop” him this season? Bc there are so many different ways they could have gone about his character in season 4. Like making friends in college is actually super hard and something a lot of people struggle with.. that would have been a fun arc but the writers took such a lazy route… they could have atleast tried something like gap year or back for a holiday or internship or idk?😭 One more thing I’ll never understand is why did this boy abandon swimming? He recovered from the accident he was able to climb thru Devi’s window… Ben even said in season 4 that “there’s nothing to hold onto except razor sharp trellis” and Devi said he found it pretty easy and he had been doing it almost everyday for a long time soo he had to be fine? Or if he wasn’t I wish the show addressed it atleast bc this boy was so good at it? He had scouts from ivy’s coming to watch him. He was setting school records. He also swam to San Diego from L.A💀. He also has cartons of trophies lying around his garage like it’s nothing 😭.

[jolieblack]

Jolie's thoughts on

The Creeping Man (Sherlock & Co. podcast)

Check out these lovely pieces of fanart for the episode:

Stake out by @mayhasopinions

Rip Ratthew by @noodles-and-tea

You feline bastard by @abstractfrog

I hope people in this universe will never get the idea that Watson is the great storyteller. That’s clearly Sherlock - his deduction about the death of Ratthew was easily as engaging as his account of Matheus's death back in "Thor Bridge".

"Get down here and atone for your sins, you feline bastard!" 🤣 I just love how strongly Sherlock felt about Ratthew‘s death. And then how strong a bond he ended up forming with the perpetrator.

And the meta jokes in this podcast! Mariana pleading for donations bc Sherlock & John weren’t getting paid for this case but were still renting high end cars and attending expensive events… John ruining a brilliant opportunity for an ad break at the Thai restaurant… I can’t believe how brilliant a parody of true crime shows this continues to be, as well as a fantastic audio drama, *and* a very very sweet account of one of the most beautiful friendships in the history of literature.

More stuff I liked in this episode:

Sherlock & John playing Scrabble. Joel Emory is the King of Banter.

We got a "come at once"! 🥳

"It’s 2024, no-one needs to be saying 'thus'". 😆

Have we actually just assumed until now that John is short in this universe, too? At any rate we just heard it confirmed by Bill Wiggins and I’m HERE for it.

The uncool non-noir stakeout 🤣

"And are those skeletal entities in the room with us now?" 🤣

"My dear companion" *happy sigh*

John ending up in Chekhov‘s pool just before the 2nd part credits. On the cliffhanger scale of 1-10, definitely an 11.

"There we go, John." - I love how Sherlock reserves the use of Watson's first name for special occasions. And how caring he can be. He also literally just fished John out of the pool!? So they’re both sopping wet in this scene?!

Loved John's little speech about people’s lives getting commercialised. And the ping at the end.

"I hate you both." - Mariana is such a vibe sometimes.

"Say no more." - "So long, sucker." - "Oh no, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry!" - John Watson , anti-hero extraordinaire, strikes again, pun intended. How can you not love him.

"I have a dog and a detective to look after." - My heart.

On a serious note for a moment, I thought it was interesting how well this ACD story translates to our modern day and age, with the quest for eternal youth going stronger than ever, and people still willing to pay enormous sums of money for scams like that, and even ready to ruin their physical and mental health for it. I love how this show keeps finding ways to make the themes of ACD‘s stories relevant to today’s world.

In the crime solving sense, I dare say it was completely clear what the mystery was about halfway through the 2nd part, even for those who didn’t know the original story… but the showdown was definitely worth waiting for. Glorious.

[dallasgallant]

The first meta I’ve made in this fandom was actually on the drive in scene, and I want to explore it again. Mainly because I can say it far better than I did then.

While the movie rivalry is North/south, the drive in has an East/West side. Notably the East side is run down and closed for repairs where the west is buzzing with activity, clean and nice. It’s an allusion towards the class divide and such a clever detail… to me anyway, it may not even have been intended.

On screen-

Then there’s the movies they’re watching “one of those beach movies” as Dally so eloquently puts it. And he is right they pumped out an insane amount of teenage beach party movies. It was a time of a lot of turn off your brain popcorn movies — lots of chase scenes to groovy music, running about and partying. Teenagers were still a new demographic at the time and were figuring out how to cater to them (interestingly a contributing factor for S.E to write The Outsiders is the hypersantized and cutesy stories at the time. This isn’t to say this was all they produced either).

With these beach party movies you’re basically there for a few songs and bikinis or muscles.

It is a nightly double but the movie we briefly get on screen is Beach Blanket Bingo (1965), and the moment we see a pretty girl beat a biker over the head with a pool cue. Now, all bikers of this period are Greasers but not all Greasers are bikers (in that leather and denim, greased hair, being a Jd or hood is an overlap). This too plays into the realities of the Greasers and how they’re beaten by soc’s and not typically welcome in the “nice” side of town. They’re not exactly kicked out of places but there’s stares and concerns and thinking you’ll do something wild and violent just hy being there. (A good show of this is The Wild One 1953, a biker gang rolls into town. They’re a bit loud but don’t do anything yet the town attacks them constantly, blaming them for their own paranoia.) -> Pony makes the point late in the book to not judge a boy for the amount of grease in his hair, they’re people etc.

Media reflecting a reality of Pony and the gang even if it’s just for laughs and you shouldn’t think about a beach movie too hard. But there’s something to be said about seeing yourself on the loosing side of even a goofy movie…

—

I haven’t actually seen Beach Blanket Bingo but I may give it a watch just because it seems silly and fun. I’d also like to note that there is a lot of actual Greaser/JD centered movies out there with a more nuanced and often sympathetic base but this meta was focused on what they were specifically watching and how I think it’s an intentional choice to show that scene out of all of them.

It’s such a neat thing too as most people pay attention to the actual scene and may not pick up on the background.