#sorry for the long delay between episodes

[theyonapodcast]

We’re back with more Palace Arc this week on The Yona Podcast!

We cover Yon-Hi’s diary and all the sad, poor decisions Yona and Soo-Won’s parents made. Then, in the present, we get to see Yona act as a badass politician while Soo-Won gets sicker and Hak gets thrown in jail. It’s a great time. 

Please check us out on Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts. If you have a Twitter, you can find us over there, too!

[miraculouslbcnreactions]

The Best Friend Showdown

Season four had many, many flaws. One of the big ones was the Rena Rouge vs Chat Noir conflict where Ladybug starts relying on Alya more and more, basically using her to replace Master Fu. We get a sense that Chat Noir feels inferior to Rena Rouge because of this change, but it’s never directly addressed. The most we get is this conversation from Hack-San:

Ladybug: I'm really sorry, Cat Noir. I should've told you. I mean, if I found out that you told someone about your secret identity, I'd... probably be upset, too. I'm really sorry I hurt your feelings. Cat Noir: You didn't hurt my feelings. You did everything right. 

Which is actually a really weird bit of dialogue because - as far as I can tell - nothing in the episode revealed that Scarabella knew Ladybug's identity. She hands out miraculous all the time and no one knows who she really is. Why would this time be different? Ladybug could just show up in costume, explain what's up, and then hand off the earrings while using yet another miraculous.

Anyway, the Rena Rouge vs Chat Noir conflict is “resolved” by Rena Rouge being outed again (and I guess that matters this time), leading her to give up her miraculous so that Gabriel can’t steal it away, which of course leads Gabriel to steal it away and fully disempower Ladybug’s larger team, leaving Chat Noir her only teammate.

How satisfying! This is such good, character-driven story telling!

It’s not. This is plot contrivances to the max with no meaningful character beats, but we’re not here to talk about that. We’re here to do one of my favorite things: gush about a relevant Kim Possible episode! Today’s topic is episode 12 of season one: Pain King vs. Cleopatra, the episode that introduces Kim’s female BFF, Monique!

This was a bit of a shocker for me because I didn’t realize that Kim and Monique weren’t pre-series friends. Turns out that, much like Alya, Monique is a new girl, which isn’t a bad call. This was a nice way to delay Monique’s introduction for a few episodes so that the writers could focus on establishing Kim’s relationship with other key members of the cast like her partner, Ron. Spacing out your intros is the way to go whenever you can pull it off as it’s a kindness to your audience that keeps them from feeling overwhelmed, making it more likely that they’ll remember your cast.

The other, more important similarity between Alya and Monique is that, when Kim’s hero partner and life-long friend finds out about Monique, he is less than thrilled:

Kim: I barely got to see them. Right after I hooked up with Monique, the museum was robbed by some glowing-headed animal guy. Ron: Oh, that's nice. Ron: Wait a minute, who's Monique? Kim New friend, really great. Anyway, the thief stole an enchanted ancient talisman. Ron: Whoa, whoa, back up! How can I not know about a new friend? Kim: I met her at Club Banana, then again at the museum before I chased the glowing robber. Ron: So what's she like? Kim: The robber? Ron: The friend, Kim, the "new friend".

Throughout the episode, Kim and Monique continue to bond without Ron, leaving Ron feeling left out:

Ron: Seein' a pattern here, Rufus: Kim does her thing, I do my thing, and pretty soon - we're doing different things.

Which leads him to get a little territorial:

Kim Ron! What are you doing here? Ron: Can I dine with my best friend and her new friend? Kim: Uuh, Ron, Monique, and vice versa. Ron: Bearclaw? Monique: No, thanks, I'm vegetarian. Ron: Uhm, I'm pretty sure it's imitation bear? Kim: She's joking, Ron. Ron: Good one, hahaha, ha, good one. So, did Kim tell you that I'm her sidekick? Cause that role is definitely taken by me. Monique: Riiiight. Well, in... you know I better get to class. Later, Kim. Um, n-nice meeting you, Ron. Ron: Likewise, I'm sure! Kim: What is your problem? You're acting really weird. Ron: Well, let's see. You went to the museum with Monique, not me. Monique was with you this morning, not me. Hmm, pattern? Kim: Yeah. You. Weird. Ron: No, we're drifting apart because you're excluding me. Kim: I am not excluding you. It's just that you and Monique are... different.

Noticing some similarities to Miraculous here?

So how does Kim Possible resolve this conflict?

Well, the plot of this episode resolves around Kim Possible’s version of professional wrestling, the GWA. There’s a competition going on that Kim has no interest in watching (mood), but when Kim mentions the GWA to Monique:

Monique: Why didn't you bring [Ron] along? Kim: Unless someone put a waiter in a headlock, this is definitely not Ron's scene. Besides, he had a date with "Steel Toe". Monique: He scored tickets to Mayhem in Middleton? The GWA rocks! Kim: What?

It turns out that Monique and Ron have a shared interest! Multiple shared interests, in fact! Interests that Kim does not share:

Monique: You know, I still can't believe you met Pain King and Steel Toe. Ron: I can't believe you're into wrestling. Kim: I can't believe I know either one of you.

By the end of the episode, the conflict is resolved not with Kim having to pick a BFF or with Monique somehow being demoted, but by showing that this didn’t need to be a conflict at all. Kim can have multiple close friends that she shares different interests with without any of those friends being lesser. Those friends can, in turn, have their own friendships that don’t always involve her.

It’s a genuinely lovely resolution that makes me love this little friend group because it now has added complexity. Monique and Ron are friends in their own right! Kim is not the center of the universe in spite of her main character status!

I also love that Kim isn’t vilified for having other friends or portrayed as constantly leaving Ron out of things that he'd want to do in favor of Monique. Ron genuinely would not enjoy most of the things that the girls love to do together. At the same time, Ron’s feeling aren’t treated as totally irrational either and Kim even admits to ditching him. It’s a genuine, complex conflict that is super common when someone enters a new relationship be it platonic or romantic.

Obviously Kim Possible’s version of this conflict feels far less complex than Miraculous’ because Kim Possible understood that Ron should be Kim’s one-and-only partner, so his position was really never threatened. Monique does not want to be an action hero and is never given the sort narrative weight that elevates her to Ron’s level or higher, but that doesn't matter. The basic lesson here is still relevant and super important for the intended audience of both of these shows.

There did not need to be a Rena Rouge vs Chat Noir conflict that never got properly resolved. Miraculous could have made these two friends and no, Scarabella doesn't count because Chat Noir has no idea that Scarabella is Rena Rouge/Furtive. Their relationship ended at the end of Hack-San. He didn't even know that Rena Furtive was a thing until she was in the process of being benched and that's the problem.

Kim Possible is not a team show, Miraculous is, and yet Kim Possible has better team dynamics than Miraculous. Monique could have joined Kim's team at the end of Pain King vs. Cleopatra and it would have felt natural because both Kim and Ron had welcomed Monique and formed a genuine bond with her. This is a true friend group that Miraculous can only dream of even though they've been adding new superheroes since season two.

We're going into a season with a full, massive team and yet that team has no established dynamics on the hero side. It's not a functional team! None of these characters have meaningful relationships with each other as heroes save for Alya and Nino since they know each other’s secret identities. The only relationships Miraculous cares about are the various romances and everyone's relationship to Marinette and everyone suffers for it.

The show would not have been harmed by Rena Rouge, Chat Noir, and Ladybug being a team. It was the thing I kept think after watching the Kim Possible episode. Since the team is the end game, why aren't we seeing them? It would have been so nice to have Hack-San end with Ladybug introducing Chat Noir to Rena Furtive instead of a nonsense discussion about an issue the episode didn't even address.

[binniesbooks]

ahh hi my fayebae(idk is this cute?if its not I can think of another one)

anyways i thought real hard and long for this(while eating ice cream since its so hot here rn) but here's my idea!! gyu and reader are school rivals of a certain sport(u can choose the sport), let's just say boys and girls are both on the team!

they are pretty popular/well known (cos it looks like one wrong move and they would rip each other throat's out) but also cos they are both captains of their own school team!

but what others don't know, is that the whole tension and rivalry that they put on, is just an act. behind close doors well, one can say they are more than friends 🤭 seeing that after every game. they are both nowhere in sight.

(honestly dont mind switch between gyu and reader?? but u can choose who would take the lead n such idm!!) like it'll be hawt ughhh please ofc include smut!!(gyu eating out reader if possible I'm on my knees😳n anything else that is pleasurable for both of them heheh) everything else is up to u!!🤍

idk if this is any good cos this is like my 2nd ask of a fic to anyone T-T I rlly hope this inspires u <3

• LOCKED AND LOADED

BG 001 .F23 2024

wc 3.8k

pairing rival(?)!beomgyu x fem!reader

warning cursing, unprotected sex, oral sex, cum playing, dangerous activity(gun holding) (tell me if I missed anything)

faye's note dedicated to my one and only dearest Beomgyu's kitten, @babymochibeargyu here you goooo! I'm sorry for the delay, I feel bad omg. But here's a little TMI, I rewatched one of TODO episodes for this kkkkk! Plus I did my own research tooooo! But, okay, I know there's no Olympics likes this but just imagine. Omg. Kkkkk bye!

Btw, I feel like I'm being surrounded with bamtoris 😋 ❤️

2024 Campus Olympics

"And...they're out!" The crowd roared from cheers and disappointment coming from the bleachers as the big screen showed the "GAME OVER" sign.

"We have our semi-finalist! Ladies and gentlemen! ELITE EAGLES!" The crowd roared once again at the announcer's statement. You heard the deafening sound as you and your teammates stepped out from the range. The air was thick with competition and excitement.

This sport has been ongoing for years now. The sport that requires skill, accuracy, precision, and speed, is a shooting game. However, the guns used in this competition are nerfed, to lessen the power and accidents that may happen. You and Beomgyu's school had been the biggest rivals in this sport. Making it the spotlight and main event of the Camp Olympics.

"Now! Who will be our champion of the year?! Will it be the ELITE EAGLES?" the crowd cheered again, "Or our defending champions, the ALPHAS!" The crowd grew louder, you glanced at the other side of the entrance of the range. And there he was, standing all proud with a smirk plastered on his face, it was no other than your only rival, Beomgyu.

You clutched at the nerfed gun you were holding as your teammate were fixing their protective vests and head gears.

"This will be the game of the century for both of these teams! For the past 2 years, they have scored 1-1 so far, who will conquer this time?" The commentator announced. You could practically feel the stretch of the veins in their neck with the way they shouted.

It's been two years since you joined this sport, you were still a sophomore at that time. And this time, it was your last and final year to play, craving for the victor's crown. Beomgyu had been your rival from the start, making it his last and final year to play too.

Beomgyu turned his gaze towards yours, grinning at how you were practically boring holes in his head. As you line up in front facing each other's team, the fiery stare and sharp remarks on the field had all the students buzzing, and it seemed like a single misstep would ignite a full-blown feud.

"Go Eagles, we soar, we flight! United and bold, in the heart of fight!"

"Who's got the power, the strength, the drive? We are the Alphas, we thrive, we thrive!"

The cheer squad from both teams were doing their best to boost their player's determination. Showing off their respected school representative animals from banners to mascots, cheers to flaglets. The rivalry, driven by pride and competition, garners attention from everyone as both teams relish in the spotlight. The tension is palpable, with the upcoming round heightened by mutual taunts and challenging glances, fueling their status as competitors.

"Players! Lock and Load!" the rumbling sound of cheers and shouts envelops the field.

2022 Campus Olympics

"Y/n, you should definitely join, I swear it will be worth it." Yeonjun, your president of the photography club recommended joining the Lock and Load sports club. He used to be the team captain but since he and the members were about to graduate, he needed to keep the club alive. Persuading you to join and be the captain of the team.

"Jjun," his face crumpled at the name, "I really can't do that, prez. Look, I'm already in this photography club, I can't manage my time. " You sighed.

"Says the one who can stay up all night to watch her favorite movies but can't even accept her president's slash friend's request." He yapped and yawned.

"Fine!" You stomped your feet, "If you were not just my president and one of my dearest friends, I wouldn't have considered your request at all!" You crossed your arms, pouting as you hear his light laughs envelope the room

"We have a new champion! Ladies and gentlemen! Elite Eagles!" Your crowd cheered on you. This annual event is a big event for your schools. And you felt the proud look from the participants of your school. Being the champion in this sport was a normal occurrence especially when Yeonjun was still the captain. So as you turned to him, his smile was the brightest you had ever seen.

As you turn to the other side, you see your opponent's team. You can't see any disappointment in their eyes, but their aura practically screams revenge. Their team captain caught your eye. He's tall and looked like he had a pleasing personality the way he was talking to his teammates. Well, that's what you can see.

As your two teams gathered up in front for a handshake to show sportsmanship, you hesitated at the way he was smiling at you. You raised your hand to shake his, but you feel strange.

"Congratulations." The word rolled out of his mouth so smooth and sweet yet full of threat. Your skin crawled at how cold his palm was. You immediately pulled back your hand as you felt an electric sensation radiating off of him through you. A palpable tension between you ignited when both of your eyes met, frowning faces as if about to kill each other. -- That's when everybody knew, you would be the biggest rivals of this sport.

"I told you, you can do it!" Yeonjun said as he ruffled your hair while walking with your team. "All of you, you did well too, I knew you could do it." Greeting the group made them cheer and thank Yeonjun, for the support he gave and the persuasion he did.

"Are you coming?" One of your teammates shouted outside asking you if you would go with them to celebrate, but you're still not finished taking a bath to remove the sweaty scent that makes you feel icky. "I will! But go ahead, I'll catch up later." You confirmed. You heard the door closed. It was really good to have such a facility that caters for your annual school events. The big field could accommodate all of the participating schools for the event, and the participants' team themselves had their own rooms to stay in. You were more than happy, you got to experience using these athlete's rooms plus you even won the championship of Lock and Load.

You were about to leave when you stopped in your tracks as you saw someone standing leaning on the wall in the hallway. He's wearing your opponent's uniform.

"Hey there. Come with me for a while."

2023 Campus Olympics

"They're three points left behind with 2 minutes remaining! Will Alphas catch up or will they be the ones to win the championship?" The roaring crowd ignites the desperation of both teams to win.

With a ten-point difference, Alphas won the game. The victory wasn't supposed to be theirs but their captain changed plans last minute. The prideful face of Beomgyu shined bright as he walked out of the range. His grin grew wider when you were in his sight. You couldn't help but roll your eyes and turn your back to him. This rivalry between the two schools will get bigger, given the fact that you two will be playing your last games next year. The score tied at 1-1, the next annual event will be the tiebreaker.

"It's fine really. We do lose too, even before." Despite being a graduate student, Yeonjun still gives his full support to the Elite Eagles' Lock and Load team, patronizing them, especially at this event, he is also the acting coach of the team as of now. Besides, he was the reason why your school has its own team for the Lock and Load sport. He tried to cheer you up, tapping every slumped shoulder of every player.

You forced a smile at him, trying your best not to look too bad. "I have an idea. I'll buy tonight's dinner for you guys. I can't look at your droopy faces." He volunteered, gathering some "Coach, you don't have to" and "Hyung, you don't have to" as answers. "No, I insist."

When your fellow players got up to head to the accommodation room, you stayed behind at one of the benches for players near the range. Yeonjun sat beside you. "Don't be so disheartened. You know, there's still one more year for you. I know you'll make it." He ruffled your hair, giving you a bottle of energy drink.

"Replenish your energy. Then come over to the team dinner." Maybe Yeonjun felt that your silence had screamed that you wanted to be alone for a while. He put his hand in his pocket as he walked away.

"Come out. I know you're there." The same person from the opponent's team, leaning on the post not too far from where you are sitting, is hidden away from eyes that can see both of you.

Present

Your team ran through the course, earning points at each shot. For the past years, you have Beomgyu as an opponent, you could say that you can read his plans and movements. Allowing you to move and think faster than him. His teammates were quick, but you and your teammates trained yourself to be wary and not let your guard down.

"This is an interesting and intense game of the century!" You almost scoffed at the figures of speech the announcers had been using in their comments.

"Shit, that was a close call!" You muttered as you hid yourself on a stack of sacks, you were almost hit by his teammate. "Attention eagles! I can see their position from here. E7, proceed under the truck, someone's behind the wall. E5, someone just ran near your position. E6, remain seated, they might see you. Others, stick to the plan, be careful!" You quietly talked to your teammates as you distributed their tasks.

All 8 members of each team can earn points as much as they can, each shot is equivalent to a certain point depending on what part of the body the bullet hits. The suit and protective vests that the player wore had built-in sensors, that whenever an opponent’s bullets hits it, it would automatically count as a point.

It's almost the end of the round, and with 9 minutes remaining, the score was 88-67 with your team at the lower end. You're frustrated-- Beomgyu irks you so much. With 8 minutes remaining, you kept on shooting at any opponent that came your way. You did not camp anymore. Moving from one place to another. 7 minutes remaining, the crowd became louder. Your mind is blurry to think of a strategy. 6 minutes remaining, your teammates are trying to reach you but to no avail. 5 minutes remaining, you don't have much time left, you can't just remain still. 4 minutes remained, and you dashed to the opponent's base aiming for their captain, receiving a few glancing blows in the process. 3 minutes remaining, you covered yourself near the metal wall. 2 minutes remaining, the score ascended to 112-103, but still, your team was at the lower end.

The firing from others has ceased, probably killing the 2 minutes remaining to save energy and steady the scores. You roamed your eyes through the opponent's base. No captain in sight. "Shit, am I too late?" You muttered, slowly walking to search for him. You were about to step out of their base when you heard someone.

"Hands behind your head." The voice commanded. Fucking hell, you're doomed.

....

Both teams step out of the range with loud cheers from the crowd.

"We almost did it. We were so close."

"Man, that was close."

"This is my last year already."

Clear disappointment, was what you heard.

"Ladies and gentlemen! The game of the century has now officially ended! Our champion! No other than..." Your ears practically ring with the announcer's shouting voice.

"ELITE EAGLES!" Your team cheered as much as the crowd did, jumping and shouting their lungs out.

You turn to Beomgyu, one of his hands in his pocket, and the other still holding the gun. He smiled at you, mouthing a 'congratulations'. You nodded before you were called to line up and shake each other's hands.

"The annual Campus Olympics has officially ended. This is your official commentator of the year's event, Kim Jun-soo, signing off."

"Woah! How did you do it, captain? I thought we were going to lose!" Your teammates were overjoyed, but still not over the fact that you won.

"See? I told you, you can do it. And look you actually did!" Yeonjun placed his cap on your head. "Nice job, team captain."

"I..thank you." You were out of words -- no, you were out of this world actually.

"Hey, dinner is on--"

"Coach, the organizers gave me a stub. Dinners are on them for both teams." Yeonjun was cut off by one of your teammates.

Hearing the free dinner, Yeonjun cheered with your teammates. Free dinner = not a single cent to be spent.

"See you later then, rest for now, we still have plenty of time," Yeonjun announced.

...

"Hey move over, the seat is empty." Bickering can be heard from the next table in the restaurant reserved for the players. Yeonjun sighs, for three consecutive years, you haven't attended the team dinner. You are, again, not in sight.

"By any chance, have you seen Captain?"

"Oh yeah, Beomgyu is not here again. I wonder why the seat's empty."

"How many years has it been? 2?"

"Three years. He did not attend any single team dinner at all."

"Forget it, eat to your heart's content. He might not just wanna attend."

Yeonjun's head snapped at what he had just heard. Alphas and Elite Eagles have been rivals for so long. You and the other team's captain have been rivals for three years. And neither of you has attended team dinners for three consecutive years too. Was something going on? Or was he just overthinking it?

"Gyu... Beomgyu..." You whined.

"Shhh, stay still." He whispered.

"Ahh... Beomgyu..." his name rolling off your tongue so sweet it makes him feel tingly.

Your grip on his hair tightens a little bit, "More... I want more..." Your words are shaky and needy.

Beomgyu held your thighs to keep them steady, lapping at your sweet wetness. "Why are you so needy right now?" He asked sucking at your clit. Your back arched at his action. "I...I want more, please... I want you." He pulled back a little bit, just a few inches away from your dripping cunt. His hot puffs of breath make you shiver and whine for me. "N-no teasing..." Your legs felt weak. Shaking. Trembling. "But I love you being so needy, captain. I like seeing you squirm under me." Your hand clasped your mouth, refraining from moaning, the term captain gives butterflies to your stomach.

"Captain, just so you know, I love how you moan my name, I love how you make that face when you cum. I love it when you whine and whimper." His eyes are fixed on you while he's kissing your inner thighs. He watches the rising and falling motion of your exposed chest.

"Now, say my name again, will you?" He uttered, getting ready to dive in you again.

His hot and slippery tongue licked a stripe on your cunt, making your back arch once again as you gripped tightly on his sheets. "Beomgyu... Cap..captain Gyu.." you yelped, "I'm gonna cum.. please.." he likes this so much. He likes it when you beg for him to take care of you.

"Let it out, captain." He smirked as he continued tongue fucking you. Your eyes rolled to the back of your head, you quivered as you reached your high. Beomgyu's bed was a total mess, from your thrashing, from your sweat, from your squirming.

"This never changed, you always taste good, captain. Ever since we were young." He grasped your waist to pull you closer, sucking your remaining cum from the intense orgasm he gave you. He sat down on the edge of the bed, just to rest for a while, but he did not expect what you were about to do.

You crawled down on him, between his legs. You look up at him as you lay your cheek on one of his thighs. He smirked at your quirks. He grabbed a gun from his table drawer. Pointing it on your temple. Your eyes flutter at him as he smiles sweetly at you. "Do it for me, yeah,?" He motions at his belt. Beomgyu owns a licensed gun, it was your gift when you two just turned 18. Probably the reason why he joined lock and load.

You carefully unbuckled his belt and unzipped his pants agonizingly slow. The cold muzzle kissing your sweaty temple. You were still staring at him, he was biting his lips, abs clenching at the sight. You pumped him a few times causing him to groan at your work.

"Careful, Captain. Fuck." One hand still holding the gun pointed at you, another gripping at the sheets.

You spit on his cock, a makeshift lube, as you bobbed your head carefully. His breath was shaky and hot. Lips were now red at how he occasionally bit them from the sensation.

Your tongue prodded at his tip, trying to lick his slit.

"Ahh, fucking shit, y/n.." His hips were thrusting up to your mouth.

"Do it again. Fuck, do that again." He commanded when you stop licking his slit. One more move and he will fall from the bed.

You took him whole --that's when he lost it, he holds your head with both of his hands, still clutching onto the gun.

He was fucking your throat, your gag reflex kicking in, "Shit, god damn it y/n, I'm sorry!" Despite the apology, his movement did not stop one bit, if anything, he even moved a bit rougher.

"C-can I cum in your m-mouth?" His words fumbling, the muscles of his legs tensing. "P-please tell me if I can. I-i'm... Shit. Ahh! I'm close.." he stammered.

You hummed, causing him to lose himself at the resonance. His cock throbbed inside your mouth as white spurts of cum painted your mouth.

He quickly tossed the gun on his bed as he pulled you up to straddle him. One hand resting on your hand, the other on your chin. "Open your mouth." You opened your mouth, very carefully, not wanting to spill his milk. He pressed his thumb on your tongue, playing with his cum, as he let it spill out, trailing down to his hand.

"You always make me horny." He licked his thumb before pulling you to a fervent kiss. You started grinding on him as he kissed you with so much longing. He easily slipped inside of you with your slick still dripping on your thighs, causing you to gasp allowing him to fuck your throat with his tongue. You started to roll your hips in a circular motion causing him to curse. "Are we doing it raw again, captain?" You asked, but he dodged your answer with another question.

"Captain, I-I just came. How could you?" He wrapped his arms around your waist. You stilled before pulling away, "The stunt you pulled is dangerous," you pouted, "What if you suddenly killed me? I bought that for you as a souvenir when I went to the States. I did not expect it to be used against me." You crossed your arms. He planted a sweet kiss on your lips, "Rule number 2, firearms should be unloaded when not actually in use," he shrugged, "The magazine ain't intact." He added.

Your mouth gaped, you were dumbfounded, all this time your heart had been racing thinking about the danger that might actually happen. But in fact, it was actually unloaded.

"Damn you! I was scared to death! I thought --"

"You thought? You thought what?" He cuts you off when he starts thrusting, stretching you out. You hid your face in the crook of his neck.

"Wow, that's cheating, making an excuse to moan on my ears." His moves were unchanging, deeply thrusting in your sloppy cunt.

You can't help yourself but moan, not when he's gripping your waist to push his girthy cock deeper on you.

"Captain... Captain, you're hitting the right s-spots..." You moaned as you stayed glued to his sweaty body.

"I-i'll pull out. I'll pull out c-captain." His words stuttered as his moves also stuttered.

"Don't, please Gyu. I want you to cum inside, I'm on the pill." You buried your face more in his neck, embarrassed hearing yourself begging him to cum in you.

"How can I say no when you're c-clenching on my c-cock. Shit, I'm close." He huffed. You clenched more, you want him so much. You're desperate to feel his warm cum filling you up.

"C-captain, c-can I rub my..." You're too shy to finish your sentence, but he pulled the words out of your mouth when he started moving his fingers on your clit in a circular motion."Captain! Captain, fuck! Oh god!" You were both ecstatic rushing to chase your highs.

He restrained your hands behind your back as he started moving harder, abusing your stretched cunt. You moved closer to him, to his ears, moaning at it purposely, pushing him to the edge as he spilled inside you.

He continued fucking you and rubbing your clit despite the fact he had reached his own orgasm, overstimulating himself. "Fuck it fucking h-hurts! Fucking hell!" You can't hear any words from him other than his resounding curses until you are squirting on him. He was chasing his breath as he laid his forehead on your shoulder.

"I love this so much... I love you... You're so hot squirting on my cock.. sexy." He muttered. You pulled him into a hug, slight movements causing the both of you to wince. I love you too, Captain.." You whispered.

All you can hear in the room is the ticking of the clock, the thumping of your chest, and the heavy pants and breaths coming from both of you.

"Why did you do it, Gyu?" You look at him, eyes searching for answers. He just smiled.

"Hands behind your head." It was Beomgyu. You're doomed.

"Hello there, Miss Captain." He clicks his tongue as he stares at you. "You really wanted to win, yeah?" He added.

"Ah-ah! Do not move! Give me your gun." He commanded making you flinch, you glanced at the timer on his suit, less than one minute remaining. You handed him your gun and placed your hands behind your head again.

"Do me a favor." You looked at him confused, "What favor?" 30 seconds remaining.

"Call me captain." Short, yet precise words.

"What?" Your eyebrows furrowed.

"I said, call me captain." 20 seconds.

"Look, I don't know what-"

"Call. Me. Captain. Right now." His voice was full of authority. 10 seconds remaining.

9

8

7

6

5

4

3... "Captain!"

2

1... "Bang!" You flinched at what you've heard, he pulled the trigger! Beomgyu fucking pulled the trigger.

But it wasn't his gun, it was yours, and the muzzle was pressed on his headgear.

10 points were added to your score, a headshot is equivalent to 10 points. The score ascends to 102-113.

@binniesbooks 2024

[shardsofmarxx]

Lost | Spencer Reid x GN! Reader

Criminal Minds Songfic based on/inspired by the song Lost by Dennis Van Aarssen. (This is a cover of the song "Lost" by Michael Bublé)

Summary: After a long case, Spencer decides to surprise you with a visit to your apartment. Once he arrives, he realizes that you've been struggling, and he does his best to comfort you.

Warnings: Talk of medication, and bipolar II. Reader is clearly going through a depressive episode.

Word Count: 1.8K

A/N: So sorry for the delay in getting a new fic out!! Between my busy college schedule, my mental health, and writers block, it took me wayyy too long to come up with a solid idea for a fic. I was randomly listening to this song one day and was suddenly hit with the inspiration for this, so I ran with it! I really hope you guys enjoy this one :)

Spencer rushed to his car, excited to see you after dealing with a long case in Florida for the past two weeks. He didn't tell you that the team finished the case because you two just hadn't talked much today. Now that he was thinking about it, he realized you two hadn't talked much at all these past two weeks, aside from casual good morning and goodnight messages. Regardless, he was sure you'd be happy to see him.

Spencer drove out of the parking garage, whistling some tunes and tapping his fingers as he winded down the road to your apartment. He got there relatively quickly, seeing as you only lived a 5 minute drive away from the BAU. He parked his car, got out, and eagerly headed up the stairs to your apartment.

Once he got to the door, he fished out the spare key you had given him when you two first started dating and unlocked the door, opening it very slowly so as not to startle you awake. He walked in, quietly taking his shoes off and placing his messenger bag by the door. He carefully walked through the hall and saw light coming from the living room, accompanied by the low sound of the TV. He stood in the doorway and found you asleep on the couch, watching Friends reruns. As he walked towards the couch, he noticed miscellaneous wrappers and bottles strewn around the floor. He furrowed his brows and diverted his path over to the kitchen, only to find the sink full of dishes and the trash slightly overflowing, along with takeout containers spread across the counter. He walked back into the living room and over to the couch, kneeling on the floor beside you. He looked over at you and moved some stray hair strands out of your face, being careful not to wake you. He saw your eyes were puffy and your cheeks were still a bit wet, which he deduced was from crying.

Spencer’s profiler brain quickly began putting everything together. He knew you had been struggling with bipolar II for a while, but things had been getting better. He made sure that you were seeing the best people in the field for your treatment. Your therapy sessions, along with the current medication you were on, seemed to be working fine, so he didn’t understand why this was happening. There was no way you would have hidden your symptoms that well from him; after all, he was a profiler. He sat there, racking his brain, trying to figure out what could’ve gone wrong.

Suddenly, it hit him.

Spencer quickly, but quietly, got up and walked to the bedroom. As he walked in, he turned on the lights and went straight to the nightstand on the right side of your bed. He quietly looked through the cabinets until he finally found your medication. He picked up the bottle and saw it was much fuller than it should be, confirming his suspicion.

You hadn’t been taking your medication since he left.

Spencer knew this feeling all too well from all the times his mother would refuse her medication. He felt a wave of guilt rush through him as he sighed and returned the bottle to the nightstand. He slowly trudged back to the couch and sat on the floor so that he was right by your face, completely enthralled by your beauty as you slept soundly.

As Spencer stared at you, his mind began to wander. He felt guilty for not realizing the implications of your distance from him over the past two weeks. Although he loved his job, he hated how busy it could get and how it could cause him to neglect the things he cared most about, like you. Most importantly, he felt guilty that he couldn't be there for you. He did his best to push all these thoughts out just as quickly as they came, telling himself that he should just focus on the present. He was here now, and he was going to do anything and everything he could for you. He sat by your side, gently caressing you until you finally awoke, stirring for a few moments until your eyes fluttered open.

“Spencer?” You croaked, your voice slightly raspy from sleep, “What are you doing here?”

“We landed a while ago, and I figured I’d come surprise you,” he replied softly, accompanied by a warm smile.

You sat up and rubbed your eyes for a few moments in an effort to wake yourself up. As you looked around, you realized the mess that was your apartment, and memories of how you'd been spending the past two weeks began to flood your brain. As this was happening, you came to the realization that Spencer has seen all this too, which means he’s definitely figured out that you’re off your meds. You immediately stand up, and Spencer does the same, a look of concern forming on his face as you lead him to the door.

"Well, Spence, this was a lovely surprise, but I have a busy day ahead of me. You really should get going,” I said, handing him his messenger bag. As you reached to open the door, he grabbed your wrist, his warm touch causing you to turn back around.

“Unfortunately for you, I can't be fooled that easily.” His voice trailed. “I'm not leaving you, darling.”

He grabbed the messenger bag from my hand and kneeled down to place it back by the door. He stood back up and placed his hands in yours, giving you a soft look with his warm, hazel eyes.

You couldn't bring yourself to meet his gaze. All you could do was stare at the floor and mumble. “Nothing's going on, Spencer, really.”

“I doubt you would go off of your medication for nothing,” he replied matter-of-factly, taking a deep breath before speaking again. “Listen, I understand that dealing with this kind of stuff is hard, really hard, but you can't keep me in the dark forever. I'm your boyfriend, and I'm always going to be by your side, no matter how hard things get. We're a team, remember?” He paused for a moment and cupped my face, making sure you were looking him in the eyes for his next sentence. "You're not alone, honey. I promise.”

As his words echoed in the room, you felt tears form in your eyes. It had been so long since you had heard those words— so long since you had someone express such genuine care and concern. You were so used to the shame, disgust, and scolding from others in moments like these, yet he displayed none of that. It wasn't long before sobs began to creep out of your mouth, and you stuffed your face into Spencer’s chest. He just held you tightly in response, rubbing his open palm on my backside and whispering words of love and care in your ear as you wept.

Eventually, you lifted my face and met his eyes once more. He gave you a small smile as he gently wiped the tears off your cheek.

“I say we go over to the bedroom and talk; does that sound good?” He asked softly.

“I think that's a good idea,” you answered.

He held your hand tightly as he led you to the bedroom. When he entered, he lay down on the bed first, motioning with his hand to the empty space beside him. You laid down, and he immediately wrapped his arms around you, pulling you in and completely enveloping you in his warmth. You both laid there silently for a few minutes, basking in each other's company. You lost yourself in the sound of his gentle heartbeat for a bit before you remembered what you two were here to do. You took a small breath, lifted your head from his chest, and began to speak.

“I didn't like the way I felt when I was on my medication; nothing felt right once I started taking it. I felt like I was a robot or something.” you began. “One morning I woke up and had enough, so I stopped taking them, and I felt great; I felt alive... Well, at least I did for a bit. After a day or two, it felt like reality just came crashing down and-” You paused, feeling a sob creep up your throat once more. "Suddenly, any trace of happiness was gone, and I crashed. I couldn't bring myself to get out of bed, leave the house, or talk to anyone, especially you. I just felt empty.” You stopped for a couple more moments, glancing over at Spencer, before speaking again. “I was lost and didn’t know what to do, Spence, I’m so sorry…” You finished, your voice trailing.

Spencer never stopped comforting you as you spoke, raking his fingers through your hair and kissing your forehead. Thankfully, it didn’t take long for him to speak up once you had finished.

“Unfortunately, that happens a lot to people when they're on medication. I’m really sorry I couldn’t be there for you, honey,” he said, holding you tightly. “We can make an appointment with your psychiatrist to discuss changing your medication as well as looking for other treatments that might benefit you.” Spencer began rambling about various treatments for bipolar II that he had recently read about. Once he got word of your diagnosis, he poured countless hours of research into learning everything there was to know about it. He wanted to make sure that you received the best treatment possible, and, most importantly, he wanted to make you feel as understood as he could. After all, he knew all too well what it was like to not be understood by anyone around you.

He began rambling about things he had found in his most recent research on bipolar II, and you felt your heart swell with joy. Even though all you could really do was nod your head every once in a while and let out a few “mhms'' and “hmms” to assure him that you were listening, mainly because you didn't understand what he was talking about half of the time, you appreciated this more than he would ever know. After all, it was his way of making you feel loved and understood. Eventually, Spencer ran out of things to say and stopped talking. He turned his head down to look at yours, moving some stray strands of hair out of your face before he spoke once more.

“Y’know, because this case took so long, we got a 3-day weekend from Hotch,” he said softly. “I could help you clean up the apartment and keep you company these next few days, if you’d like.”

You met his gaze and smiled warmly at him. “I would love that, darling.”

Spencer smiled back at you and jumped up from the bed. You were barely able to get a word out before he bent over and picked you up, wrapping his arms around my waist and holding you securely against his chest.

“Spence, what’s gotten into you?!” you said, trying to stifle a giggle.

“C’mon, let’s go get breakfast,” he said, wearing a wide grin on his face as he carried you out of the bedroom.

Thank you so much for reading! If you have any ideas for fics you want me to write in the future, feel free to send them in my ask box!

[ithaca-awaits]

"#love every time we made dave a question and he went all fanficcy #this one and the post-survival one" hello i have a BURNING need to know..... which post-survival question did he answer?

Hi! Sorry for the month-long delay in answering this! I don’t usually get asks on this account so I kept forgetting and say I’d answer as soon as I got to check Dave’s Q&As again, which I kept not being able to check. Anywho, the question I was referring to here was made by Liv on the Q&A session that took place on the 25th of June. You can find the complete recording and transcripts here (along with other fantastic fan-curated resources if you’re new to the fandom.)

Q: If the expedition had been rescued around, say, episode 8/9, and made it home, how do you think the various relationships that developed on screen would have fared back in ““civilization””? Would the intimacies some of these men formed between them persist? I’m also curious to know if you think any of them would resign from the Navy, be it for whatever reason: ethical, practical, physical, to explore other parts of themselves, etc.

I’m gonna try to be as brief as possible because Dave gave a very long response (find the non-abridged version in the link provided above), but this was the meat of it:

Crozier and Blanky would talk endlessly about quitting the Navy but only Crozier would. This doesn’t mean that Blanky would do this comfortably, as he’d already have survived two naval expeditions that turned out badly, so maybe he’d join a whaling ship, even if that would also have gotten under his skin.

He doesn’t think any of the surviving Lieutenants would have come back anywhere close to the poles, but he does think that most of them would have succumbed to the calling of fame and glory, i.e. wanting to return to the sea now that they had been named Commanders or Captains of their own vessels.

He’s not sure if Fitzjames would have been brave enough to stay aside of the Navy, even if during those three months he learnt a lot more about himself that what keeping the same persona for thirty years had brought him. He thinks Fitzjames would have written a “hell of a memoir” as well as a “hell of a military career, and that he would have stayed friends with Crozier, even if some of the things that happened in the Arctic would never have been mentioned again.

Goodsir would return to visit Silna “as often as possible.” Not for romantic reasons, but because there’d have been “a friendship there”. (also, taking into account he is making up all these scenarios after 8 or 9 the tuunbaq would have lived.)

“I think Bridgens and Peglar [smiles] would have worked like dogs to be able to afford some goddamn privacy where they could be together for the rest of their lives. [laughs]”

Pilkington and Des Voeux would have stayed friends.

“Little and Hodgson would be in one another’s lives.” They’d help each other patch themselves up after what happened because they’d both be in denial about everything that went down, helping create “a more palatable story about themselves”.

Sophia would feel like she’d have to choose between Lady Jane and Crozier and would chose the former, especially after the loss of her uncle.

Jopson would have stayed close to Crozier, they’d stay best friends for the rest of their lives.

Golding would commit suicide at some point, he was not equipped to deal with everything that happened and much less to go on living carrying it with him.

David Young’s ring would have been delivered to his sister. (with one of the crystal diamonds having fallen off during the journey.)

Mr Diggle would have been fine and stayed friend with some of the AB’s and midshipmen, but not with anyone else further up the hierarchy.

Collins would have lived a very quiet life, as most of what troubled him was PTSD.

Hartnell would have had a family and lived a quiet life. He’d have stayed close to Manson and from time to time he might have met with Crozier.

Hickey would have ended up in prison if he managed not to ger executed. If Tozer and him had ended up in the same prison they would have avoided each other for years, until they realized they were the one’s more suited for each other’s rest and protection. It’s tricky for Dave to say if they’d have become lovers because he is unsure about Tozer, but it’s prison so HE’LL LET US DECIDE. [ten seconds later he changed his mind] Tozer would have turned to Hickey for that kind of comfort and ended up murdering him, while Hickey convinced himself that he was the one letting himself be murdered. (This is already a very long ask, if you want more details on Hickey’s Vermont sex-cult, ping me and I’ll expand on it, because it was an answer from a different day and I don’t currently have it at hand.)

Gibson wouldn’t have wanted nothing to do with anyone. He might have found some new expedition or a house where he could work in as a domestic servant, but he wouldn’t have told anyone.

Hope this helped!

[n7punk]

i know probably no one here gives a shit about it or listening to me specifically talking about it but i watched a great video on the watcher situation and i have thoughtsssssss so im going to spew them into the ether

tldr watcher (the former buzzfeed unsolved + worth it boys after they split from bz) did a big hype countdown for their fans... to them announcing they were launching a "streaming service" and paywalling all their content - present and PAST - behind it for 6$ a month. they totally shit on their fans saying anyone could afford it (i cant - or at least i wont for the value to me) and then they gaslit us and said it was never the plan to remove the past content even though they say it in the video and it was in the fucking variety article that launched along with the announcement.

anyway, what kind of surprises me is everyone comparing this to dropout (and now try guys) when there's another example of this that is even more relevant right now and it's roosterteeth, which is only relevant right now because they just went bankrupt. and imo, there's absolutely no comparison in value (however you feel about the content) between dropout/roosterteeth and watcher.

size: rt had a massive cast, dropout seems to have a decent amount too (only familiar with game changer, sorry). try guys has a few core members, true, but over the last few years they've been trying to diversify, bring more people in over a few videos to test the waters, and then they invested into new shows with those faces when creating their lineup for the streaming service. watcher is three guys. oh sorry four now they brought andrew on for the worth it clone 🙄 i hated that guy at buzzfeed and i hate him now lol

bloat: try guys started with a few employees working out of ned's old house and grew organically. dropout cut down significantly when they broke from college humor and budgeted until they could afford to hire more. roosterteeth started in a spare bedroom and then slowly grew into larger and larger offices over time. watcher immediately bought a massive office space in LA and then jumped to an even larger one, with 25 employees when most shows could probably be done with half as many people that end up credited! 25 employees and you upload once or twice a week if that?? that means one video has to pay for 25 people to live that week, in addition to business expenses. they want to be a large production company, so they're acting like they are without making the output or doing the research.

youtube presence: rt still uploaded most things to youtube, my understanding is dropout still posts as well, and try guys is planning to keep all their current shows on youtube, just on a schedule delay like rt did. all services have stuff exclusive to their service, but that's new, extra stuff that serves as a value-add. watcher was just going to abandon every fan that didn't pay for their service, and even after the backlash the delay is a MONTH? for rt it was just a week!

platforms: try guys is launching with the site, phone apps, and even a roku tv app! roosterteeth had an app too and dropout has phone/roku apps. watcher is launching with a single website in beta. it's a money-hungry patreon, not a streaming service with a diverse lineup of shows. calling it a streaming service is ludicrous to me.

(apparently the fan theory is that watcher caught wind of the try guys launching their own streaming service and tried to jump the gun to get ahead of them, but by god did they fumble that)

frequency: if you were a fan of one person at roosterteeth, as long as they were the main cast member of something, it was likely you could tune in to a new episode of something with them in it twice a week, sometimes every day, multiple times. like, it's insane watcher thinks they have the amount of content to justify this. and remember, roosterteeth failed! obvs it worked for a long time and there's warner bros being eager to pull the plug to contend with (not to mention the alleged embezzlement?) but youtubers should be really fucking cautious right now. try guys is launching with a catalogue of new shows they've been silently producing alongside their usual content for a year! that's the way to do it right

paid events availability: try guys used to have ticketed flagship liveshows that are all being added to the new streaming service. if you were the kind of fan who wants to go to all those, you might even save money. roosterteeth also had events like this that were exclusive to paid subscribers. watcher doesn't have anything comparable.

goodwill: i would argue this was a big contributor to why roosterteeth finally went bankrupt with all the trust (and good memories too!) lost in the scandals. dropout fans seem to be really proud of the company and how its run (i heard they're like, the only streaming service to offer residuals? thats so cool). the try guys went through their own scandal and only came out with a stronger bond with their fans for how quickly they acted (a few were lost, but my final impression in the end was we all gained respect for how they handled it). the try guys have talked about taking paycuts as the ceo to fund all this production! meanwhile watcher brags about how large their production is without ever justifying why they need it. related:

tonedeafness: supposedly the streaming service is to pay for high production value. no one is really buying that. the company is bloated and mismanaged, but the real thing was them launching a worth it clone. don't get it twisted, every ceo, part-owner, etc is to blame for this, not just the face of worth it, but no fan who is bankrolling the show themselves wants to watch someone else eat luxury food. people liked that when it was a grift on buzzfeed, not on them.

this is completely subjective but i watch three shows on watcher (unsolved, puppet history, and mystery files) and i'd have to be making 4x my salary for me to be willing to pay 6$ a month for three shows no matter how much i like them. like, i'm not paying 6$ for try guys either, but watcher being so focused on having "shows" and "seasons" makes it really easy to point to how little i really watch there versus try guys which has a big variety of stuff not tied to a specific show name. i never think about "which shows" i watch on try guys.

idk i just think roosterteeth's goliath cast and output still burning out should be brought up more when talking about (the comparatively) little 3 million subscribers watcher trying to launch their own "streaming service" when there's a pretty good cautionary tale right now - well, two when you consider how this went down lol

[orangeocelotmartyn]

Martyn talks a bit more about the Imp and Skizz podcast (which he’ll be on June 16) including a lovely message Skizz sent him afterwards. Transcript under the cut!

Martyn: But yeah, I got a really nice message from, uh, Skizz earlier on today about the podcast. Um, he just sent a message saying, "Hey, I'm editing part one right now, just wanted to say thanks for being so incredibly authentic. This episode's gonna be well recieved as people learn about the real you, it's extremely interesting." So...yeah. 

There was a few times I gave answers and they were both kinda sat there...almost like, they almost looked somewhat surprised, or stunned, I dont know, that I was speaking so (laughs), so, I don't know, so blatantly. And I was a bit like, "ooh, is that too much?" (laughs), I was just like, "oop." 

And earlier in the podcast as well—so please forgive me when you watch it—ah, there was a few times in, uh, like, the first hour, where I kept kinda like, chipping in, or chiming in, and kinda like, speaking over them? And it wasn't intentional, it was more—there was a very slight delay on the, um, on the feed between the two of us—and also as well, sometimes, like, their sentence, or what they were saying, felt like the tone of their voice was like indicating the end of their statement, but then they would say something else, and I'd be like, "oop-ah-I'm so—sorry, sorry." (laughs)

So yeah, that, that happened a little bit. But that's not just me completely ignoring their saying, it was just me, um, navigating—like, learning how they speak, as well as—y'know, the lag as well.

"Got a long plane ride coming up so it sounds interesting," yeah—the thing—the thing that I said to them as well, I said like, I think the reason I did speak openly and honestly about it is, one, because of my recent therapy, but also because I find those two incredibly authentic. Like, you know, Impulse is very open, about talking about, like, how much he second guesses himself, and things like that, and then Skizz is—you know—very much like, I think Skizz is kinda like the person I've become, or am becoming, where it's—there's a lot of, kinda, self love, and kinda unapologeticness with stuff like that. 

Um, so I think speaking to both of them meant that I felt as though I'm literally in a limbo between their two personality types which is why it felt so easy to speak about those things, is because I feel though they've both experienced it, or are currently experiencing those things. Um, and I was saying to them, like, whenever I watch their podcast and they talk about stuff—like, they do a lot of, kinda like, sorta like pushing for people to help themselves kinda thing. But I was saying to them that, like, it always genuinely feels really authentic, and doesn't feel...it doesn't feel preachy, or—they're not trying to shift some course, or some pyramid scheme thing, its—they've just both got some good life experience behind them and they've had time to learn lessons and stuff, and I was just like, yeah, like, this feels like a space where they will-they will pick up what I put down, y'know what I mean.

Um, it was really good. I said to them towards the end I was like, this was like—I think is it the word cathartic? I think I said that, I dunno if that's the right word, but for me I was like, oh that felt really good. That felt great for me.

[k-s-morgan]

Hi there! Greetings from Argentina, I hope you're doing well. Sorry for my English, I'm using a translator 😅 I've read your Kuro fanfic and I'm absolutely fascinated! I spent many hours enjoying each storyline. I have some questions about the future development, will you include the arcs of 'the green witch' and 'the blue cult' in the plot?

Hi! Thank you, it's so lovely of you to get in touch <3 I'm happy you like my story.

I probably won't include these future animated arcs into my story. Partly it's because from what I know, they are going to touch on the twin plot more heavily, and Ciel doesn't have a twin in my fic. Also, I feel like trying to incorporate all these arcs will only delay the serious development between the characters. There is still so much ground to cover with the existing episodes - at the pace Ciel and Sebastian are going now, they'll be even bigger idiots if they fail to figure things out for this long :D

[yumedoca]

Alright, my fellow UY folks!! Since the new trailer has dropped, why don't we unpack everything they've shown us so far?

Or more specifically, what all chapters are getting adapted in the third cour (only third since they won't reveal footage for the fourth one till the third is over.)!!

Also, ignore the stupid quality since I took the pictures on my phone..

First up is the Kurama - Ran - Rei two-parter!! Nice to see Kurama again since I was worried she would be a one time character since she didn't appear in the eye catches. However, I'm pretty sure this is going to be her last appearance since it's her final appearance in the manga (not counting cameos). It's one of the funnier Kurama chapters, so this will be great fun!!

Next up is the 'Fantasy bubblegum' chapter!! Another one I didn't think which would be adapted since we see Ten order the key item in this chapter in the post credits of the love-love crystal ball episode. Maybe the order was delayed? Or Ten didn't use it till now? Who knows. Anyways, this is a pretty funny chapter and I'm excited to see how it turns out (Also BenOyu yuri, Let's goo!!!)

AtaLum fans, Let's rejoice, because it looks like they're adapting "Love knows no barriers" aka the chapter where Lum gets hit with the rice cooker!!! This one is my favorite singular chapter in the series and I absolutely hated the original anime's version of this one so I hope the remake does this one justice!! I'm not sure whether the first one is from this chapter since Ataru's wearing his school uniform instead of his casuals, but maybe it's because of a few changes here and there. DavidPro, you better not disappoint me considering what the original did.

Looks like we're going to get the chapter which introduces the Ryuunosuke's mom (Masako) saga. I'm not sure whether they'll adapt everything under this saga, but the first one seems to be there. I really like this chapter because we get a wholesome relationship between Ryu and Ataru's mom.

THE BODYSWAP CHAPTER!!! This one comes a bit earlier from what I remember and not to mention, it's pretty hilarious (literally any chapter where Sakura has to deal with Ataru's BS is an A+ for me) so I'm super excited!!

ASUKA, MY CHILD!! IT'S HER!! Finally one of my UY Blorbo's gets animated!! And considering the shot of her and Ton- chan, yes guys, they're keeping the incest. I've never understood why there were some who said they wouldn't adapt it but like, it's one of Asuka's main character points and the incest is clearly portrayed as wrong and unacceptable, similar to Ataru's lecherous behavior (They might still tone it down though). Anyways, I'm so excited for Asuka, I can't wait!!!

And finally, two very beloved and very important arcs!! First, I can't believe we're getting three AtaLum stories in this cour, I mean we deserve it after being fed with only one last cour. And second, I'm pretty sure both these arcs are going to be at least a whole episode long considering how big these two are. And I have to admit, the door realm looks so pretty.. and I'm so excited for Shingo, Inaba and their arcs, can't January come already???

And that's all for it!! Other than these, there were two to three shots I couldn't exactly place which chapter they belong to, so sorry about that. And I wanted to point out that the animation looks quite fluid in some scenes as well, so it looks like DavidPro is doing great work as expected. Anyways, UY is coming back once again on January 11th and I am so ready!! THE HYPE IS REAL!!!

[ladykyrin]

tell us about kindling. it's so fire coded with rich imagery

i love your titles! they're poetic, like this one: 4. turning page, turning page scraps

I’m so sorry for the delay in answering this!

“kindling” is a canon divergence AU where Gaon and Yohan have their first kiss while they’re watching the workshop burn after their confrontation with Do Yeongchun. I’ve always felt like that scene—and episode 9 in general—represents a turning point in Yohan and Gaon’s relationship, and I wanted to take that a step further.

What I find so striking about the whole confrontation scene is that Yohan displays a willingness to make a significant sacrifice for Gaon. Where he once cautioned Gaon against harming Do Yeongchun because they need him for their plan to take down Cha Kyunghee, he now hands Gaon the chance to take his revenge. (It can be argued that Yohan correctly assumes that Gaon won’t kill Yeongchun even if given the chance, but Gaon isn’t always predictable, and Yohan would’ve considered all possible outcomes before offering Gaon this opportunity.) He doesn’t pressure Gaon in one direction or the other; he allows Gaon to make his own decision. He’s willing to sacrifice his meticulously laid plan if Gaon wants to take his revenge. To me, that’s huge.

As they walk away from the fire, Gaon recognizes the significance of Yohan’s offer, and that realization catalyzes the events of “kindling.” As they make their way to the car, Gaon reflects on his time and experiences with Yohan and decides it’s time to stop denying their mutual attraction.

Yohan, meanwhile, is not so eager to cross that boundary—not because he doesn’t want to, but because he knows there are countless reasons why they shouldn’t. Buried under that pragmatism, though, is confusion. How could someone really see him—every facet of him—and still want him like this? It doesn’t make sense, he thinks, so this must just be another foolish impulse of Gaon’s. Something he shouldn’t allow, for both their sakes. Right?

The title refers to two definitions of kindling: 1) the material that’s used as the foundation of a fire, and 2) the initial lighting of said fire. Since this scene marks the beginning of a new relationship between Yohan and Gaon with an actual fire as their backdrop, I thought this title suited the story well.

Here’s a little snippet where Yohan presses Gaon about the reasoning behind his desire to pursue a romantic relationship together:

“Why?” Yohan asked, face unreadable. “You know what I’m like.”

Gaon did know. Yohan was undeniably dangerous, a perfect and deadly fusion of brilliance, ruthlessness, and charisma. He had honed ten years of rage into a scalpel and wielded it with patience and precision. The game he played wasn’t chess—he was too fond of bending and breaking rules to call it that—but whatever it was, he’d mastered it, and he used any means necessary to either remove opposing pieces from the board or bring needed ones under his control.

But he was also the man who seemed to exist nowhere but within the walls of the Kang mansion, soft-haired and loose-limbed and unpolished—the version of Yohan that first came to Gaon’s mind at the sound of his name. He was bookish, playful, introspective. He’d brought a stray cat home to keep his niece company—and scratched behind Komi’s ears when he thought no one was watching. He let Elijah sleep until noon on weekends. He did everything he could to avoid telling his housekeeper that her cooking was atrocious. He wore his brother’s cross as a reminder of a promise he claimed to have no belief in. And when he smiled—really smiled, uninhibited and true—the beauty of it stopped Gaon’s heart.

If you took the time to read all this, thank you so much—I know it got rather long 😅 I’m hoping to actually finish this fic eventually, since I do have a lot in mind for it. Thanks again for the ask!

[jimmywilsonschutzpah]

In the episode don’t ever change, why do you think house changed his mind about amber and okayed Wilson’s relationship with her?

Hi anon, I’m so sorry for the delay in getting back to you! I don’t usually get asks and I didn’t see your message.

Ok, so. The theme of the episode is that people are capable of change. House repeats over and over again throughout the episode that no one changes, but the ep points out that he, Wilson and Amber changed (and so did the patient). House accepts Wilson’s partner, Wilson is suddenly attracted to a woman who is self-assured (and not needy) and Amber is no longer necessarily putting herself first.

I think House accepts Amber due to the fact that he respects her and that he deeply sympathizes with what she says: that her whole life she had to chose between love or respect, and she always chose respect. With Wilson, for the first time, she gets to have both. And that this combo is worth more than a fellowship or a job. House gives her a stunned look at that, and I think he realizes he is the same and that Wilson is also the only person capable of giving him both love and respect. And we know House is the same: at the end of all things, when he is about to lose Wilson, House did give up his job and career for Wilson’s love and respect. Back to the scene: when Amber is about to leave the office House says “You’ve changed” with a knowing smile and Amber replies “I hope so”, telling us that she did change and that House’s screaming at the top of his lungs that no one changes is a lie. She did change, for Wilson. House understands that and respects it (and he respects her as a doctor too, as he says she had a good guess about the patient’s diagnosis). So he finally accepts her as Wilson’s partner and part of Wilson’s life (and a part of House’s life by proxy).

My personal headcanon tho? The episode also has to do with House 100% admitting to himself he loves Wilson in a romantic and sexual way too. The C plot (or D plot, I’m not sure anymore) is about how both Foreman and House clock Thirteen as bisexual. In my headcanon that’s about two established characters who are queer (in my headcanon) nodding to Thirteen in a “I see you” way. While House might have been in love or attracted to Wilson before, or maybe even acted on it in a friends with benefits way or however else, this is the episode to me where House changes and in his own head logically accepts what he truly feels for Wilson. It is also the episode where House says he doesn’t do self-sacrifice, and we know he does exactly that for Wilson at the end of this season, and at the end of the series as well. So to me he also accepts Amber because he likes the idea that Wilson is with a proxy for himself—Mr ‘So Far In The Closet I’m Shaking Mr Tumnus’ Hand’ Wilson can’t be with House, but at least he chose a House proxy, and showed he is capable of change in chosing a romantic partner who is like House. I hope this also makes it clear why I love the House/Wilson/Amber ot3 so much. The three of them have such deep respect for each other (even if they bicker all the time), and I do think House would also be capable of giving Amber love and respect (and Amber would also be capable of the same), as they all so deeply crave.

Sorry this is so long, nonny, but I hope it made sense. Thanks for the ask!

[yours-the-author]

...And by a day or two I mean like five.

Sorry for the delay, everyone! First I had work and assignments to do, then I had to spend a whole day drawing the base sketches for each picture, then I had to color them but my phone started dying so I had to do it in two days instead of one... I feel like I always overestimate or underestimate how long things like this will take; there is never an in-between.

Anyway, as you may or may not know, @lumyious-studios came up with a lovely little idea (original post here and post further exploring the concept here), and the moment I saw it, I knew I had to draw something. This isn't a full concept or anything (I don't have the brain energy to make a whole AU out of this), but I've got some fun little bits and bobs to show off, so enough waiting around! Let's set the scene!

.

.

.

The shadow monsters appeared suddenly, quietly, as if they had always been there. A planet already struggling with violence and theft was at the mercy of a darkness that spread mischief and tragedy wherever love was felt. The world prayed for a savior, but nobody came. So the world kept turning, for what else was there to do?

Much time passed, and the world eventually found a new sense of normalcy. People's lives continued on around the dangerous shadows, including the lives of the Toppat Clan as they scoured the world for treasures and valuables to expand their power and influence.

Then, one fateful day, in an inconspicuous lot of dying grass that was rumored to hide a great treasure, the world changed forever...

Desperate to save his chief, the Right Hand Man of the Toppat Clan reached for what he hoped was an impromptu weapon to fight off the darkness.

And one

*MAGICAL TRANSFORMATION SEQUENCE THAT LOOKED REALLY COOL AND EPIC TRUST ME YOU GUYS*

later...

RIGHT HAND MAGICAL GIRL was born!

As unexpected as this sudden transformation was, Right Hand Magical Girl quickly got to work.

And that's the first half of the episode!

The second half introduces the staple of every magical girl anime/manga ever: the adorable and definitely not dubious magical companion that leads the hero to the right path!

And just as quickly as it was introduced, the adorable and definitely not dubious magical companion was gone forever...

...Or was it?

As uncertain as the chief of the Toppat Clan was about his Right Hand Man's magical new side gig, he quickly came around to the misadventures that followed.

...Too quickly, actually...

Aaand, SCENE!

Obviously, a magical girl dress should be drawn in complete detail with all the frills and ribbons to match... unfortunately stick figures- despite the name- do not actually have good figures. So I ended up creating a slightly thinner version of Mayor Fredrickson as the base for the full image of Right Hand Magical Girl. It took a lot of time to get the body down just right (and don't even get me started on those hands), but I think it looks pretty okay!

You may be able to tell, but a big influence for this outfit was the Magical Dress from Animal Crossing: New Horizons (I tried to add a link to a picture but Tumblr Did Not Like That), but I also drew inspiration from Sailor Moon and whatever Google Images pulled up. The shoes were also fun; I decided to add some fun little ankle flaps that pop outwards and I like it a lot! I also settled on giving Right Hand Magical Girl silver slippers as a homage to the original version of The Wizard of Oz, which was switched to ruby slippers in the movie since color TV was new and silver wouldn't look as fun. Here though, silver is a better match for purple.

Speaking of purple, you might be asking: why he ourple tho? I thought about doing pink, or a variety of colors, or even mint green, but given that Right Hand Man's official Among Us color is purple, I figured it'd be good to stick with a classic look. And he works it, if I may toot my own horn for a bit.

The shadow monsters feed on love, so since Right Hand Man and Reginald are... you know... they get attacked pretty frequently. Right still has his hands full protecting his chief, there's just some magical stuff added on now.

Hmm, that adorably dubious magical creature we got rid of in the first episode looks all shadowy when it gets splatted... maybe it's actually the real leader of the shadows, a miniature god of chaos and hate that plays this game over and over again on every planet it finds, picking some random sap to be the "hero" that eventually gets defeated in the end? If it is, I can't imagine it's too happy that Right Hand Magical Girl isn't playing by the rules... Right had better watch his back (or the back of who he most desires...)

Okay, done, boom, happy birthday, peace and love in the world despite everything! I hope this little thing I made brought a smile to your face, or at least made you exhale sharply out of your nose in amusement.

Stay safe, ya'll. I'll see you this Monday for the next update of Liminal Love!

[jq37]

You know what, Aabria's not allowed battle maps anymore. She nasty. She does nasty things on battle maps and she can't be trusted to not be nasty when using them. Shame on her. On to less nasty parts of the episode, the very funny obsession with the invention of hats reminded me of the Taco Quest from Taz Balance and that was very fun for me. I hope the upcoming murder of all the leaders of Last Bast doesn't get in the way of Tula slamming down Bennet big style.

Oh man between school, my game coming out Thursday, and work I have been so busy this week. Sorry for the delay in answering but I wanted to make sure I answered this before the new episode tomorrow! Let's run through these real quick:

(1) Every season Aabria is on D20--as player or as a DM--she comes into the dome with a mission and clearly, this go around, that mission was push the practical effects to the LIMIT. She really said, "Theater of the Mind has protected you for too long," and came out SWINGING. There was a whole ass tile puzzle! Which, is an insane thing to exist in the world diegetically btw and I'm glad they addressed that on the AP lol.

(2) Yay for the players achieving their nonsense, self-imposed hat side quest. That's one of the best parts of D&D!

(3) In The Seven, Brennan created a hot NPC that Aabira's character was into but at the end of the day couldn't be with because (spoiler alert) he was working for the bad guys and Aabria said, and I quote, “Who could have known the cop was a cop." Now, Bennet isn't a cop, but he is a lieutenant at this super shady compound and turnabout would absolutely be fair play. But I do hope Bennet ultimately has a good head on his shoulders and doesn't betray the party in some way because Tula is so tired. She deserves this W. Aabria please. Let her have this.

[professonalarttheclownfan]

Not so useless, Pt.2

Author’s note-sorry for the extremely long delay, but life got in the way of my writing so i apologise. But here’s a part 2, enjoy.

Pt1 here

PlusSize!femreader

Nerves racked through you, making your hands shake, why did you agree? why did you say yes? Questions swirled your head. This must of been some form of wicked prank. Allowing the towns people to laugh at you, was this Bjørns idea of a joke? Make you believe he’s interested just to have you be the laughing stock for him and his friends.

You sat on your bed, allowing your fingers to run through the furs to try and keep yourself grounded. The anxiety had creeped up all afternoon after agreeing to go with Bjørn. Causing your chest to tighten, breathing to quicken, and tears to sting your eyes. You wished to be excited, but your brain wouldn’t allow you. With being tormented most of your life you often kept yourself to yourself, withdrawing from situations where there would be a big amount of people. Having people stare and laugh at you would hurt, no matter how hard you’d try to hide it and in turn made you shy away from others.

You had worked yourself up so much that a great deal of time had passed and unbeknownst to you, the feast had already begun. You’d managed to calm yourself, but it had taken a mass amount of your energy. Causing you to fall asleep.

Bjørn waited outside the great hall for you, he felt like a giddy teenager. The woman he’d had his eye on for years was finally going to spend time with him. The people of Kattegat eyed him as they entered the hall wondering why the prince was waiting outside, rather then drinking ale and getting merry with his people.

“Brother are you joining us?” Hvitserks head poked out the door, “the feast started an hour ago, we Vikings don’t fear the cold. But we do fear missing out on food”

Bjørn hadn’t realised an hour had past and you still hadn’t shown, his heart sank. “I’ll be with you in a minute brother I just need to go see about something” and with that Bjørn set off toward your hut, leaving a confused Hvitserk in his wake.

Your hut glowed from the fireplace illuminating the windows and cracks between the wood, it was situated slightly away from the other homes due to being surrounded by land for your father’s animals and crops. It was the only hut that was lit up indicating that someone was home, every other townsfolk was at the great hall.

Whilst walking Bjørn played with idea of just walking away, it hurt him that you didn’t show. He’d been so eager to hear your voice again. But alas, once he reached your door his body betrayed his thoughts and he knocked. With no response he tried again, this time his fist had caused the door to open.

“Y/n?” His voice was soft, but called out in hopes you’d hear him. The great hall was far enough away that the music and chatter was only a gentle hum in the air. He pushed the door a little more, and noticed you sound asleep on top of your bed. Unfortunately the noise from the door hitting the wall awoke you, it wasn’t a slam but it caught you by surprise and jolted you awake.

Bjørn invited himself in, smiling at the sight of your messy hair. But not too long after the small smile dropped when he noticed the drained look adorning your face.

“You never showed” Bjørn spoke, “so I came to see if you were okay”

You were still pretty groggy, and mentally and physically spent from your earlier episode.

“I’m sorry Bjørn, i-“ you cut yourself off, too embarrassed to admit you were to anxious to show. Bjørn could tell you hadn’t intended to stand him up, the tired look on your face let him know something else was going on. “I didn’t want to be made a laughing stock, Bjørn, I cannot simply fathom why you’d want to be seen with me. So, I got worked up. My fear got the best of me. I hadn’t any intentions of standing you up, I had thought it ought to of been a cruel joke.”

Your words hurt Bjørn, cutting into him like a knife. How could people of been so cruel to make you believe it had to of been a joke. He wanted to be around you, he wanted to be near you, he wanted you.

“Y/n, it hurts that you think I would do something like that to you. But I can understand your worries and fears. But by the gods I promise you, I have no intentions of making a fool out of you. If anything I’m am a fool” Bjørn caught you by surprise, instead of anger or sneering he was understanding and soft with you.

“A fool? How?” You asked

“You have me acting like a child, I’m a fool for you. I just want to be near you. We’ve only spoken once yet I have always wanted to be around you. From the very moment I set my eyes upon you” Bjørn finally sat next to you, his thigh gently pressed against yours. “I will remind you till im blue in the face, that I think you are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen. I can only imagine that when I get to know you, and I mean properly know you, that I would only fall deeper for you.”

With that you pushed your self up, grabbing the dress you’d laid out earlier, despite your anxiety rising again, you felt you could trust Bjørn. He came to find you, that alone showed he wasn’t trying to pull a joke.

“I’d like to still attend the feast with you, if it’s not to late” you asked walking away to get changed, Bjørns face beamed “of course, I cannot wait to see how beautiful you look”

After rebraiding your hair, and slipping on your dress, you lined your eyes with black makeup making the colour of them pop. You walked out, feeling insecure as you’d opted for an outfit with out your cloak. Bjørn took you in, you looked ethereal. Like something the gods handcrafted just for him. The glow of the fire casted a warm halo around you, illuminating your already perfect face.

You were breathtaking.

“Are you ready to go?” You asked, you looked away from Bjørn as he continued to stare at you in awe. A blush raised on your cheeks. He nodded, and you both made your way toward the hall.

Without hesitation Bjørn shrugged off his furs to wrap you in them when you both walked outside, the chill in the air caused you to shudder. “You didn’t have to that it’s cold” you said, your voice soft. Trying to hide the nerves that seemed to bubble away in your stomach, how would people react to you walking in with the most desirable man in Kattegat. “I’d rather you be warm then myself. Plus it gives you chance to reveal the outfit once more.” You smiled at him, nerves settling when you looked at him. His presence alone calmed you.

Once you both arrived at the great hall you were greeted by the glow of the party that load behind its doors, indistinct chatter and laughter filled the air. Sensing your nerves Bjørn slipped his hand into yours, it wasn’t common to see people hold hands often, especially seeing springer hold the hand of someone. But you appreciated it nonetheless. With a light squeeze from Bjørn you both entered the hall, at first no one seemed to notice you entering. But when Bjørn stepped in behind you eyes starting darting toward you both, nudges and the odd point of a finger. Sending your hesitation Bjørn let go of your hand, immediately placing it on your hip to hold you closer to him. For once the staring didn’t bother you half as much with him by your side.

His brothers watched him guide you to a seat, opting to be away from the head table but close enough that you could clearly see them looking at you both. Sigurd let out a snot shaking his head whilst tucking into his 5th chicken leg of the night.“I wonder, the birds her farther farms are always extremely plump I wonder if he feeds her the same stuff too” the words fell out of Sigurd lips, Ivar let out a laugh too. His brothers were cruel, but they were young so you chose to ignore his comment. Turning your attention to Bjørn, who happened to be sending a look that would put a man in his grave if it could kill toward his brothers.

“Bjørn it’s okay, they’re young. And boys will be boys” you said placing your hand onto of his clenched fist. This small gesture seemed to help calm him as he moved his eyes to you. His face softened, “I shan’t let anyone speak about you like that, so, I shall deal with him later but for now I’m here for you” For the record, after Bjørn had found his brother the next morning, Sigurd never said a thing about you again, infact none of the brothers did.

~Hours passed, you and Bjørn spoke about anything and everything. The conversation flowed as easily as water in a stream. Despite the constant talking, flirting and laughter there always seemed to be a million more things you both could say. People passed judgement but for the most part you ignored it, or hadn’t even noticed. You were both too swirled up with each other that the world seemed a blur. You hadn’t ever thought a man such as Bjørn would have such a gentle, kind and crudely funny side. He’d seen things only people could imagine, done things that no man should ever have to do. Yet here he was pouring his heart out to you.

“I’ll never forget the first time I saw you, we were both so young. It was before I left with my mother.” You looked at him remembering that he once was just a farmers son.

“You were playing with my dear sister, our father’s talking about trading some farm animals for tools. You were pretty to me then, I wish I had befriended you as a child. But, much like now your beauty made me nervous. Even as a little boy I found you intriguing. Like I knew one day I’d make you mine. I never forgot about you know, not since that day. When I came back and I saw you again, you’d grown into this god of a woman, hard working but so beautiful. So unbelievably beautiful”

He finished speaking his thumb gently rubbing over your knuckle. Your brain was scrambled, all these years of thinking no one would ever see you as beautiful. And here he was, a man that no woman could ever truly have, was telling you you were the woman he thought about since a child.

“Bjørn, you’ll have to pinch me, I feel as if I’ve fallen asleep again. Your words they are making me melt” you laughed, he cracked a smile himself.

By now most of the great hall was empty, the gentle buzz from the ale you had drunk was helping you from shying away from his words.

“Bjørn, you had my heart since I was a child. Much like every other woman in Kattegat. And I feel like the luckiest woman alive” you caught his eyes with yours,

He leaned in placing a kiss on your cheek, he tried to not scare you away. He didn’t want to do to much too soon. The alcohol gave you some much needed confidence, and you wanted to kiss the man you’d loved from afar properly,

“I think you missed” you said, pulling him by his collar. He caught your lips with his own. Deepening the kiss by gently placing his hand and pulling you in by the back of your neck. His lips fitted yours perfectly, your body warmed with his touch.

Bjørn Ironside the man no woman would seem to keep, was yours.

[sgiandubh]

You know, seeing a March start date just reminds me of how in past instances both S&C have talked about the time commitment for the show. This show is ridiculous with how long they take to film, edit and air the show. Starz has done such a disservice to the actors and to the fans (for different reasons) and I'm sure they can't wait to actually be done with it (even if they are sad about moving on). Most shows have resumed production and have started re-airing the paused episodes since the strike ended. I hate that Starz/TPTB make the fans left wait around for 10-16 months between each season, all why providing zero engagement. Ridiculous. Sorry for ranting at you, for some reason this just irritated me.

Dear Time Commitment Anon,

Oh, by all means do not be sorry for ranting on this page, as we totally agree.

If scarcity might prove to be a clever sales & distribution strategy, especially when we are talking about hard to source & expensive luxury items, in this particular case I cannot think of a more idiotic, almost insulting approach of ***'. One year to one year and a half between season releases begins to seriously sound and feel like beating a dead horse. Especially in a more and more superficial world, filled with ready-made, limited availability short series, tailored to fit the Millennials' proverbially short attention span. I mean, who the hell is the genius that thought delaying is the best way to go for it? And how on Earth is this supposed to please an already weary fanbase (not that they really care about that, mind you)?

However, if you take into account the latest developments related to ***'s positioning on the global market, this makes sense. If *** is supposed to be getting its best act together for a future merger & acquisition, it's not rocket science to promote itself using the biggest asset in their portfolio - OL, the little engine that could. Preferably while OL is still in production, of course: after it's done, it's not as effective a sales argument, anymore.

I will be fucking relieved when the last episode airs. As S&C, I suppose. Fi-nal-ly!

Thank you, witty Anon and you're always welcome to share in here!

[emma-m-black]

Soul Mate Magic - Chapter Ten

Rupert Giles x OC (FanFiction) - MATURE 18+

A new magical transfer comes to Sunnydale High, and ends up discovering a magical connection with our favorite Watcher.

OC is 19+ (Not a Minor), Age Gap, Slow Burn-ish (with a little preview thrown in there during the Bandy Candy Episode).

Notes: I had to go back and do a bit of rework, so sorry for the delay. But here is the next chapter.

Author Master List

Read: Chapter One, Chapter Two, Chapter Three, Chapter Four, Chapter Five, Chapter Six, Chapter Seven, Chapter Eight, Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten:

Rose glanced at Buffy, wondering if she should offer to help pick the young woman’s jaw up off the floor. The silence that stretched between them felt suffocating, thick with unspoken words and tangled emotions. “You know what,” Rose said, forcing a casual tone, “I should probably head out, anyway. I’ll get that book from you later.” She didn’t wait for a response, slipping past Buffy and out the door, the frosty night air rushing to meet her like a cold slap.

Behind her, she heard Buffy’s voice, low and sharp. “Giles! Are you sleeping with her again?”

Rose’s step faltered, her heart skipping a beat as the words hit her. She wasn’t meant to hear that, yet the question echoed in her mind, heavy with implications.

By the time she arrived home, the tension from earlier came back to her like a tidal wave. The moment she stepped into the foyer, a thick wave of spiced apple and cinnamon enveloped her, warm and inviting, yet oddly suffocating. She hadn’t been expecting anyone home, let alone the overpowering scent of cider that now filled the house, wrapping around her like a shroud.

“Aunty Selena?” Rose called out softly, her voice trembling as she paused in the hall. A prickling sensation crept up her spine. Something felt very wrong. “Aunty Selena?” Her voice wavered as she moved toward the kitchen, her steps light and cautious, her instincts screaming at her to turn back.

When she reached the doorway, her feet froze. Her breath caught in her throat. The kitchen, dimly lit, revealed not only her Aunt Selena standing at the stove, stirring a large pot, but her parents and several other relatives gathered around the room. They all turned to face her at once, shadows casting strange shapes across their faces, their expressions unreadable.

“Guinevere!” her mother called, her voice too bright, too forced, shattering the thick silence that hung in the air like a storm cloud.

Rose swallowed hard, her stomach churning with an unease she couldn’t quite place. “Mom?” she asked, her words coming out in a strangled whisper. “What are you doing here?” Her eyes darted around the room, taking in each member of her family. There was something wrong in the way they all stood there, watching her, their gazes piercing and intense, as if waiting for something she couldn’t comprehend.

“Look at you, sweetie, your aura is as fiery as always.” Her mother crossed the room, pulling her into a hug, but the warmth that should have comforted her only made her heart beat faster. Rose hugged her back stiffly, her body on high alert. She could feel every eye in the room on her, the weight of their collective gaze pressing down on her, suffocating.

“We thought it would be a pleasant surprise. We hadn’t seen you in so long,” her mother said, though the words felt hollow, rehearsed.

Rose pulled back from the hug, glancing at her mother’s face. There was a sadness there, a strange, unreadable sadness that sent chills down her spine. “Yes, too long.” Rose said, though her voice cracked.

The silence that followed stretched on too long, too thin, a tension that coiled in the air, palpable and suffocating. “It’s been strange not having you around,” her father’s voice broke in, startling her. “We missed you.”

Rose’s heart pounded in her chest, her skin prickling with dread. Why were they all here? Why now? This wasn’t just a family gathering; there was something more, something she couldn’t put her finger on. Her aunt Selena, always cheerful, smiled, but it didn’t reach her eyes. The shadows in the room seemed to deepen, darkening their expressions.

Selena’s voice, bright and cheerful, broke through the tension. “How about we all move to the sitting room? The cider’s just about done.” She stirred the pot with exaggerated enthusiasm, her movements too smooth, too calculated, like a performer playing to an unseen audience.

Rose forced a tight smile, her throat dry. “Actually,” she began, her voice trembling slightly, “I’ve been working on debate points with Willow all day. I was planning on an early night.”

Again, a heavy silence followed her words. Too heavy. Too long. Rose’s pulse quickened, the atmosphere suffocating her, the air thick with unspoken fears. She felt every pair of eyes in the room drilling into her, as if they could see through her flimsy excuse.

“Your friend and you were working on schoolwork... on Christmas Eve?” One of her uncles asked, his tone sharp, as if he didn’t quite believe her.

“She’s Jewish,” Rose blurted out, her voice tightening with the effort to keep it casual. “So it’s just a normal day for her��perfect for catching up on schoolwork.” She shrugged, hoping to sell the lie. “I’ll catch up with everyone in the morning?”

Selena smiled, but it was a smile laced with something that made Rose’s skin crawl. “Of course, dear. Go get some rest.”

Rose hesitated, scanning the room one last time. The unease coiling in her stomach had now become a gnawing fear, biting at her insides. She turned and made her way toward the stairs; her legs moved faster than she intended, as if her body knew she needed to escape before her mind could catch up.

And as she reached the staircase, a whispered conversation drifted through the air, cutting through her thoughts like a blade: “The coven is running out of time, the sacrifice must me made.”

The words sent a chill down her spine.

Once in her room, Rose shut the door, locking it with trembling hands. She pressed her ear to the door, listening. No one had followed.

She paced across the room, her skin prickling, her heart racing. Something was wrong—terribly wrong. Her family didn’t gather like this without a reason, and there had been too many of them watching her. Watching her too closely.

Her breath came in shallow gasps as her mind raced. Anya’s warning echoed in her head, louder with each frantic heartbeat. What if they were here for her? What if the burnt lovers were a sacrifice? The one thing she had feared but hadn’t allowed herself to believe could happen?

She was the sacrifice.

Kneeling by the vent, Rose pressed her ear close, desperate to catch even a fragment of conversation. She strained to hear, and then—voices.

“—we can’t wait, the protector could already be here,” one voice said, cold and clipped.

“I think he is here. Her aura has changed.” Came the hushed voice of Selena.

“She looked the same to me.” Rose’s mother’s voice echoed through the grate.

“There is something attached to her soul now. It’s why I called you all here early. I think it is him.”

“But we don’t know who it is. What if he is waiting for us to make the first move?” another added, their tone grim. “We should wait and burn the girl and him together.”

Rose’s heart dropped, her blood turning to ice. They were talking about her. She leaned in closer, her breath hitching in her throat.

“Tradition states we ask her to make the sacrifice.”

“What if she refuses?” a voice questioned, filled with uncertainty.

“Then we do it without her permission, just like the last. It’s for the good of the coven,” came the chilling response. “Burning her is the only way to save us.”

Rose’s heart thundered in her ears. They were planning to sacrifice her to the fire. Panic surged through her veins, and she pulled back from the vent, her mind racing.

Standing abruptly, Rose hurried to the door, unlocking it as quietly as possible. She gripped the doorknob, twisting it slowly—but it wouldn’t budge. Fear wrapped around her like a vise as she tried again, harder this time. No use. She had been sealed in. They were keeping her here.

The weight of their plans pressed down on her, each breath a struggle as she fought against the walls closing in. She had to get out—before it was too late.

Her mind screamed at her to run, to escape, but the windows wouldn’t budge, either. The wood frame was jammed, sealed tight by powerful, oppressive magic. She could feel it, a heavy weight pressing down on her. They’d blocked every exit, trapping her like prey.

Desperate, Rose grabbed three candles and placed them in a triangle on the floor, her hands trembling as she lit them with a flick of her wrist. Each flame flickered to life, casting eerie shadows on the walls that danced like specters. She sat down between them, crossing her legs, her palms facing upward, though her heart raced with fear and adrenaline. “Rupert...” she whispered, her voice barely audible over the pounding of her heart.

She needed to reach him. Now.

Her thoughts spiraled, panic clawing at her throat. She focused on the connection she shared with Giles, trying to reach out to him through the magic that tied them together. “I need help,” she projected, her mind frantic, desperate. “I think they’re going to kill me. I need you to find me.”

A warmth tugged at her, pulling from deep within her, but it felt distant, flickering like a dying ember. She shivered as the room grew colder, the air thickening with an unsettling energy that wrapped around her like a noose. She opened her eyes to see a faint, glowing orb hovering in front of her, pulsating with urgency and fear. It glowed brighter, illuminating the darkness around her, before it shot through the wall and into the night, snuffing out the candles in a blink.

The room plunged into darkness, suffocating her. Rose’s breath quickened, her vision blurring as her body crumpled to the floor, the cold seeped into her bones, an all-consuming dread wrapping around her heart like a vice. She was utterly alone, and the realization settled over her like a shroud as the darkness overtook her.

“Rose!”

The sound of her name cut through the fog of her mind, pulling her back from the edges of unconsciousness. Her eyelids fluttered, heavy and unwilling to open, but she felt strong arms lifting her, cradling her against a warm chest.

“Rupert?” Her voice was barely a whisper, her strength sapped by the spell.

“I’ve got you,” Giles’s voice answered, laced with worry but firm, grounding her. “I’m here.”

She forced her eyes to open just a fraction. Her vision was blurry, but she recognized the familiar smell of Giles, paper and dust. The soft texture of his sweater brushed against her cheek. She glanced toward her door—it was shattered, hanging from one hinge. Buffy stood nearby, an axe in hand, her face set with determination.

Relief washed over Rose, her body sagging against Giles as he carried her from the room and down the stairs. The warmth of his magic wrapped around her, drawing her back from the edge of panic, easing the fog that had clouded her mind. She could feel the strength of their connection, the power between them flowing like a lifeline. Giving her back her strength and energy.

“You can’t do this!” a voice shouted, cutting through the moment.

“We’ll do whatever we bloody well please,” Giles’s voice snapped, fierce and unwavering.

Rose opened her eyes again, just in time to see her family, standing in the kitchen, frozen in place. Their faces were a mix of anger and fear, their eyes darting toward the door. Ready to attack but held back by something—or someone.

“Set me down, Rupert,” Rose whispered, pushing gently against his chest.

“Are you sure?” Giles’s voice was soft, but the concern in his eyes was clear.

“Yes,” she nodded, “just... maybe don’t let go.”

Giles set her gently on her feet, his hands hovering protectively nearby. Rose took a moment to steady herself, her gaze drifting toward the hallway where Faith stood, gripping Aunt Selena’s arm tightly. Willow and Xander flanked her, their expressions grim but determined. As Buffy moved to Rose’s side, Rose’s attention shifted, and that’s when she noticed a man standing in the shadows, dressed in black, his face twisted into a demonic snarl. But he was not attacking.

Rose’s mother stepped forward, her voice soft but edged with urgency. “Guinevere, let us explain.” This dragged Rose’s attention back to the problem at hand.

“Were you going to kill me?” The question came out shaky, almost as if Rose didn’t fully believe it herself. But the unease in her gut, the way her knees buckled beneath her, told her otherwise.

Giles immediately stepped closer, wrapping his arm around her waist to steady her. His presence, as always, made her feel anchored. Protected.

“A sacrifice is required by our coven. We knew when you were born, you were the next in line.” Her mother began, a sadness etched deeply into her features. “It is a horrible curse, with a payment we don’t want to pay, but we must.”

“So this is a curse?” Rose asked, her voice barely above a whisper, the weight of it all pressing down on her.

Her mother nodded, tears brimming in her eyes. “Yes, he wants to take our magic. Our entire coven would be lost if that happens. Whatever he’s told you, it’s a lie, Guinevere.” Her voice cracked. “He has you under a spell. You are trusting them, so you wouldn’t see what’s really happening.”

Rose’s heart pounded in her chest as her mother took a step closer. But before she could react, Giles stepped in front of her, his body a protective shield.

“You will stay away from her,” Giles said, his voice low and dangerous, a warning growl that echoed in the tense air. “We are leaving. And you will not follow us. Or trust me, you will regret it.”

“Guinevere. Rose, dear, please just come here. We can explain everything. You will understand what an honor to the coven this is,” Selena added, her voice pleading, but it only fueled Rose’s growing confusion and anger.

“You knew?” she asked, her voice small and tremulous. “This whole time, and now you want to explain?”

Her mother’s face softened with guilt. “We were trying to protect you. Give you a life of love. We wanted to give you everything before, before we had to tell you about your destiny.”

Rose shook her head, stepping out from behind Giles, though his hands still hovered near her, ready to catch her if she faltered. “It’s too late for that. If this is a curse, then we’ll break it. I trust Rupert.” She met her mother’s gaze, her own resolve hardening. “He isn’t what you think he is. You’re wrong.”

“That’s the curse talking, sweetheart,” her mother insisted, her tone gentle but firm. “He is evil in disguise. There are people, people who want our power, and they have been trying to get it for a very long time.”

“They are lying,” Came the voice of the mystery guest as he moved to stand next to Buffy.

“Shut up, demon! You were not welcomed into this house!”

“Enough of this!” Faith cut in, her voice sharp as she tightened her grip on Selena. “Can we leave already?”

But the air in the room was thick with tension, and Rose felt her heart racing as her family’s accusations hung heavy in the air. It was suffocating, their words like chains wrapping around her, trying to pull her back into a world she no longer recognized.

Rose’s eyes flicked to Giles, seeking reassurance, but she felt the weight of their stares, their distrust like daggers piercing her resolve. She took a deep breath, summoning her strength from the depths of her being. “I trust him,” she declared, her voice steady and unwavering, a fire igniting within her. “And frankly, that’s more than I can say for any of you. All my life, I’ve watched you—all of you—manipulate magic to control those around you, to amass wealth and power, to elevate yourselves at the expense of others. You’ve twisted everything that’s sacred in magic for your own gain. But if there’s one thing I know, it’s that true power lies not in dominance but in protection. My friends have proven that time and again. I think I’ll be leaving with them.”

Her family’s expressions twisted in disbelief and hurt, and she could feel the gulf between them widening, a chasm filled with misunderstandings and fear. The tension was electric, and the silence that followed felt like a thundercloud ready to burst.

“You don’t know what you’re saying!” her mother exclaimed, desperation creeping into her voice.

Rose stood her ground, feeling the weight of Giles’s presence beside her, steadying her. “I know exactly what I’m saying.”

Giles took a half-step closer, his hand brushing against her arm, a subtle reminder that they were in this together. The connection between them crackled, amplifying the tension in the room.

“Guinevere,” her mother said, her voice strained, almost pleading. “We can’t let you do this. He is tricking you.”

“Enough!” Rose shouted, her frustration boiling over. “You don’t get to decide for me anymore, and something tells me you couldn’t stop us even if you wanted to.”

And then the atmosphere shifted, palpable and charged. As Rose’s words hung in the air, she could see the pain in her mother’s eyes and an unreadable look on her father’s face, but she also saw something else—a flicker of doubt, a crack in his resolve.

“Your choices have consequences, Rose,” her mother warned, but it only fueled Rose’s determination.

Giles shifted closer, his presence a steadying force beside her as she faced her family. “We’ll find a way through this,” he said, his voice low and fierce, filled with an unwavering promise. “We always do.”

“Are you really willing to risk everything?” her father asked, a tinge of something in his voice she could not place.

Rose met his gaze, a storm of emotions swirling within her. “I am. For the first time, I’m choosing where I want to be.”

The silence that followed was deafening, and in that moment, Rose knew there was no turning back. She had crossed a line, and the tension crackled between her and her family like a live wire, ready to snap.

“Yes. Let’s go.”

As they stepped outside into the chilly night air, a crisp breeze brushed against Rose’s skin, invigorating and reassuring. She looked around at the others, her heart swelling with a sense of unity. “I’ll seal the house. It’ll give us about a day before the spell wears off.” Raising her hands in the air, she channeled her magic, sealing the home shut so that nothing could come or go.

Buffy hesitated, eyeing Rose cautiously. “Are you sure they won’t be able to break it?”

Rose took a deep breath, feeling lighter than she had just moments before, as if the weight of uncertainty had lifted. “No. I think I have more power than them, even if I didn’t have access to the coven’s magic.” She met Giles’s eyes, a soft smile tugging at her lips, grounding her in the moment. “You heard me, didn’t you?”

“Loud and clear, actually,” Giles replied, a hint of warmth returning to his gaze, his faint chuckle wrapping around her like a comforting embrace.

“And you all came?”

“Of course.” Said Xander.

“I’m all for the sappy rescue,” Faith chimed in, her impatience clear, “but can we have this conversation back at the house?”

“Of cour—” Rose’s words trailed off as she finally noticed the snow falling around them, delicate flakes drifting from the sky and catching in her hair. She blinked, momentarily distracted by the ethereal beauty of the scene. “It’s snowing?”

“Yeah, it’s a Christmas miracle,” Xander quipped with a smile, and in that moment, the group shared a lightness, a small reprieve from the chaos ahead. The gentle snowfall felt like a promise of hope, reminding them that even in the darkest times, there could be moments of solace and beauty.

Chapter Eleven