#the line has finally been crossed and they've come on the other side better than they dared to hope

[lisbonsteresa]

just started weeping

[envy-of-the-apple]

Third Wheel

Dark!SatoSugu x reader

(Warnings: Yandere, dark content, dark, misogynistic language, delusional behavior, kidnapping, blood, violence, +ShokoHime x reader, choking (not in the sexy way tho), threesomes, oral!F!recieving)

Synopsis: Regardless of what Satoru and Suguru tell you, you've always felt left out in this relationship. But when you leave, you quickly find out there's no line your ex-lovers won't cross to get you back

Word Count: 7.3k

When you come home that night, they're already cuddled together, watching TV. 

It's cute. Your boyfriends were always so loose with their affection. When Suguru was cooking, Satoru would lean on his back, more than happy to talk his ear off. Suguru would hold Satoru's waist, steadying him, being his anchor. At night, you'd catch them reaching for each other, trying to hold hands even in their sleep. 

It's clear to even the blind: they are soulmates. 

And you were just extra baggage. 

You don't know how you caught their eyes, but this past year was fun. They've been sweet, both of them have. Inviting you into their lives, into their home, into their bed. Everything moved so fast, but you didn't mind. You were young and a bit spontaneous. Two beautiful men showing a glimpse of interest in you wasn't something you could pass up. This was nice, while it lasted. 

But unlike them, you aren't forever. Their bond would never come close to anything they could have with you. 

It took a while for you to accept that, but eventually, you did. 

"Hey, babe," Satoru calls. "Rough day?" He lazily waves you over. Suguru grunts, before shifting over to make space. 

Despite it all, you're a coward. You don't announce it; you just stare at them. Fondly. Yes, this was nice. You don't think you could handle telling them, though; that would be too much. Seeing how little they cared would break you. 

"Yeah." You give. "Rough day." 

You weave through the house. It's theirs. Not yours. That they've made clear. You're an afterthought. It's the little things. Their toothbrushes are together, yours on the other side of the sink. Their shoes were neatly stacked side by side, and yours were always tucked away in a corner. Left out. Forgotten. Why wouldn't it be like that? They've been together for years. You were still an outsider. 

You only have a little to grab. You just grab your extra clothes, the hair clips you have a terrible habit of leaving around. Just a few items. And then the bedroom looks like you'd never been there at all. 

When you come back out, they don't notice your suitcase. Satoru laughs loudly at something happening on screen. Suguru chides him sternly. Good. It's better this way, you think as you take your suitcase to your car. You don't need any additional heartbreak. 

You make a few more rounds, collecting everything you need. Suguru only catches you when you are about to leave their house forever. 

"Angel?" He calls. "Where are you going?" 

He's looking at you, head tilted in mild curiosity. You manage to smile, looking down at your car keys. 

"Out for a drive." You shrug. "I'll be back." 

Suguru takes it at face value. He lets you go with a small 'have fun'. The walk to the car is heavy. Metal dumbbells on your shoulders. 

When you get in the seat, you finally allow yourself to sob. 

~

I'm sorry, I just can't do this anymore

That's how you ended the wall of text before blocking them. It was the coward's way out. 

"No." Utahime's quick to tell you. "It's the only way. Those bastards would've never let you go otherwise." 

You shouldn't be so quick to listen to her, considering she hates them both. Still, she was more than happy to offer you her home while you picked yourself back up, and started looking for an apartment. You'll humor her for the time being. 

"She's right," Shoko pipes up. Her dark circles are even more prominent tonight. You guiltily think it has more to do with you than with her patients, but she and Utahime have insisted that you stay with them. 

"It was for my sake, more than theirs." You say honestly, tucking yourself into the couch. "They...don't care about me. At least, not like they do each other." 

Utahime rolls her eyes. "You are blind." She says. "Those two were obsessed with you. I'm just glad you got out while you could." 

You laugh, but it beats crying all over again. Utahime doesn't find what she said as funny. She chides you again, something about being oblivious before she settles down to watch the movie she put on. Shoko falls asleep right at the intermission. Her head falls against your shoulder. Utahime leans against you too. And it's nice to have friends to fill the void they left. 

~

Satoru appears first. 

You woke up later than you would have liked. Your eyes are itchy and red from crying all night. Utahime was more than happy to give you her guestroom, but you know you can't take advantage of her kindness for too long. Tomorrow, you'll start apartment hunting. 

Today, you'd sit on the couch and eat ice cream. 

When you go downstairs, you hear a hushed whisper. Utahime's by the door, using her body to keep someone out. She looks angry. 

"-No one's here but me. Now get the fuck off my property." She seethes. 

You recognize his voice. You aren't ready. "Have you heard anything? Anything at all?" 

"No." Utahime gripes. "So go, Gojo-" 

He catches your eyes. Your heart gets stuck in your throat. 

He's taller than her. It takes little to no effort to barrel through her body, easily shoving her aside to get to you. You flinch, his touch burns when he grabs you, pulling you into his arms. 

"Oh, baby." He sighs into your hair. "There you are. Missed you." 

It's too soon. You aren't ready. You can still feel the emotions bubble up from that night, when you collapsed in Utahime's arms, sobbing your heart out. This wasn't fair. They never made it fair. 

You cast a glance at Utahime. She was scowling, close to boiling right over the edge. It gives you enough strength to try to push Gojo off, but he only lets go, when he wants to. 

"Okay." He smiles, reaching down to grab your hand. "C'mon. Let's go home. You had us both so worried for a sec, but if we explain everything to Suguru it'll be okay." 

You find your voice then. As well as your strength. His grip on your hand isn't all that tight. It slips away when you gently shake him off. Satoru stops, confused. 

"Satoru..." You start. "Didn't you get my text?" 

He rolls his shoulders, agitated. "Yeah, but-but it doesn't matter." 

There it was. His lovable personality. Casual careless, nonchalance. For once, you aren't annoyed by it. Maybe your grief made you numb to it. 

"I did mean it," you say as plainly as you can, "every word." 

He freezes. You smile at Utahime. 

"Could you give us some time?" You ask. 

She frowns, but she's never been able to say no to you. 

"Ten minutes." She finally says, before she's marching back to the kitchen. You still hear her muttering while leading Satoru back to your room. 

"I'm sorry." He says when the door shuts behind him. 

"For what?" 

He runs a hand through his hair, taking off those glasses he loves so much. You can't look him in the eyes for too long. It brings up too many memories. 

"I fucked up, right?" He says, he sounds desperate. You've never heard him sound like this before. "I'm sorry. I dunno what I did, but I'm sorry." 

You shrug, picking at the lint of your sleeves. "You didn't do anything. I just...it felt like a good point to just-" 

"-Leave us?" He cuts in. "Come home, baby. I'm so sorry, just come home and we'll figure this out." You look away because you can feel the tears burn up. 

"You didn't do anything." You insist, but your voice is weaker. 

"Was it Suguru? Did he do some bullshit?" Satoru interrogates. "What'd he do? I'll kick his ass, I promise." You hide your smile underneath your sleeves. 

"He didn't do anything either," you assure, "neither of you did." 

He's getting more and more desperate. "Then why did you leave us? What's wrong with us? Why can't we go home and talk this out? Please come back, baby; home doesn't feel like home without you." 

Isn't this what you wanted? A confession. Evidence that they wanted you just as much as they wanted each other. Satoru certainly did. Suguru did, too, considering how hurt Satoru implied him to be. A week ago, you might have been over the moon, too wallowed in self-pity to do anything but agree, run back into their arms, and willingly sink back into 2nd place all over again. 

But the thought of going back to their home makes you feel sick. 

"I can't." You decide. "I just can't. It's over, Satoru." 

I'm sorry. You keep that last line to yourself because you're too scared to crack in front of him. Shatter. Splinter. 

Satoru doesn't share the same sentiment. You hear movement, and when you look up, he's crying. 

A part of you wants to hug him, but you hold yourself back because he isn't yours anymore, and maybe he never was. Still, it hurts seeing him like this. The piece of you that still wanted him is ready to forgive and forget. Your vindictiveness keeps it at bay. 

"That's not fucking fair." He's saying through his tears, even when he's crying, he's beautiful, "You-you can't just ditch us like this. You don't get it; we can't live without you. It's killing us; you're killing us, baby." He staggers forward, in a way that makes you afraid he might fall. In the end, he just collapses on the bed. Eventually, you take a seat next to him. 

He's looking around, you catch him eyeing the pile of clothes in the laundry basket. The hair ties on top of the drawer. The plushies on the bed. You think it might finally be starting to sink that that you're truly gone. 

"Suguru can't sleep these days, y'know that?" He starts, a sardonic laugh in his throat. "He pretends to, but he can't. He stays up all night just wishing you'd come home. The guy is miserable without you, and you can't even gimme a fucking answer." 

His voice cuts you just the way it's supposed to. You wince, feeling his words slice into his skin, finding their way into your heart. You look at his shoes for a moment. He didn't bother to remove them. Maybe that's another reason why Utahime was so pissed. 

"I was starting to feel like an afterthought with you two." You speak. "I mean, it makes sense, you two were together, first. I thought the barrier would just take time to go away....but then it didn't." 

How many times has Suguru taken Satoru's hand over yours? How many times has Satoru forgotten your drink but not Suguru's? How many inside jokes you didn't understand? You always felt petty for being jealous over the tiniest things, but those tiny things kept getting bigger and bigger until it felt like they'd been purposely building that barrier themselves.

You were sick of feeling like the third wheel in your relationship. 

"Baby..." Satoru's voice is tinged in guilt and you can't look at him because you can feel the tears start to well up. "I-I didn't realize." He grabs your hand. 

"Come home." He pleads. "We'll fix it, I promise. We'll be better. We'll do better." 

You shake your head, slipping away from his grip. 

"It's too late." Your voice is shaky. Please let him not notice. Please, please, please for once can his oblivious about everything but his one and only work in your favor? "You can't fix anything, Satoru. Not now." 

"You haven't even given us a chance to-" 

"You should go." You stand up. Satoru follows you out the door. Utahime's already outside. She catches your eyes and nods. 

"Gojo." She speaks, tone clipped. "Get the fuck out of my house." 

He stills, frozen like the prettiest painting in the world. His eyes turn to ice as he stares at her. Utahime doesn't budge. If anything, she advances, pulling you close, acting like a human barrier between you and your ex-boyfriend. You take it immediately, nestling into her side, taking refuge from his icy stare. 

There's silence. You only relax when you hear his footsteps fade and the door slams ricochets into the apartment. And that's when you break down into Utahime's arms completely, letting her coo you into comfort. 

"Maybe I am being overdramatic," you say when Shoko comes back later that day. Utahime was enraged since Satoru left, pacing around the apartment. It's only after both you and Shoko coaxed her back into the couch that she calms down enough to take a seat next to you. 

"Maybe this whole thing is ridiculous. I-I should just go back and-"

"No." Shoko is immediately saying voice firm. "Absolutely Not." 

You can smell the hint of smoke when she came back from the hospital. You try not to assume it's because of you. 

"No way in hell are we letting you go back there after what he did." Utahime gripes. 

"He didn't do anything." You argue. "I swear, I-I was just...being pathetic." 

Warm hands lift your head up. You struggle, still shuddering from your sobs as Utahime forces you to look at her. 

Her eyes are brown. Not as glittery as Satoru's, who's eyes shine like the burning sun itself. Not like Suguru, with his celestial purple. No, hers are just brown. 

You didn't realize how beautiful brown eyes could be. Not just the color of home; the color of chocolate; the color of brownies. The way the light cast down at them made them deep and dark, like a night sky. If you looked closer, you could see tiny stars swimming around. 

"Listen. Are you listening?" When you nod, her voice softens. She tucks your hair behind your ear. 

"You deserve better." She insists. "You deserve better than them. So so much better. I know you can't see it right now, but there is better out there waiting for you." Her voice loses all momentum all at once. "Just...trust me, okay?" 

Her desperation to be heard makes you smile a bit. You nod. Her frown loosens, just the tiniest bit. She relaxes. 

"Thanks," you say after a beat. "I...I needed that. I'm glad I have goods friends." 

Utahime's hands drop from your face. She collapses into the couch cushions with a groan. Shoko laughs. 

"Told you." Shoko says, mirth and alcohol on her tongue. 

Utahime flips her off, and Shoko takes her place. She settles into your side. 

"They were assholes." She tells you. "Forget about them. And she's right, you deserve better." 

You were glad they were there for you, even when you weren't there for yourself. It felt nice that they cared. Vouched, Advocated for your comfort. They made better boyfriends than your old boyfriends ever did. Their support helped heal the Satoru and Suguru-sized holes left in your heart. Every day became a bit better. 

When Suguru eventually turned up, you were a bit more prepared. 

He's a bit nicer than Satoru was. He actually knocks, instead of relentlessly pounding on the door. He doesn't barrel through Shoko when he spots you cowering behind her. His face betrays nothing. He's still. A polite smile is stretched on his lips. Shoko isn't happy about letting him into her home, but when she glances at you, you nod. You needed to do this. You needed closure. 

And so did Suguru. 

You don't speak to him until you're shut in your room. Geto cuts the silence first. 

"How have you been?" He asks nicely. 

"Good." You respond. "You?" 

"Good." 

Conversation stilts. You don't know what to say. Luckily, your ex is never the man who stays silent for long. 

"How's living with Shoko and Utahime been?" He asks, "I'm surprised you've put up with them for this long. They were pretty scary in high school." 

"I bet you two were scarier." You counter. 

He smiles. It's soft, looks good on him. You find yourself smiling back. When you take a seat on the the of the bed, he doesn't follow. You don't know whether to feel glad or not. 

"Yeah, I'm not the proudest of those times." He admits with a sheepish laugh. 

It dies down, and you know the artificial barrier between you two has broken. You shift, waiting for the inevitable. 

"Satoru told me what happened." He sighs. "I'm sorry, Angel. We-I didn't know how you felt. Everything was so perfect, I just thought you felt the same." 

"It's fine." You assure, and this time, your throat doesn't clog up, and your eyes don't feel itchy. "Really. It's-it's fine." 

"It's not." Suguru shakes his head. "You'd be in bed with us if it were." 

That comment pricks something deep within your skin. You swallow, turning away from his piercing purple eyes. They were much like Satoru's. Breathtaking, you could stare at them for hours. You used to. 

But now, you don't have that desire anymore. 

And maybe now that you aren't so attached, maybe you could try being a little more honest. 

"I was jealous." You finally admit. "I couldn't help it. I-I always felt like I was fighting within my relationship. You two were so much closer to each other than I was. Than I ever could be, honestly." 

Suguru frowns, troubled. 

"That's not true." He insists, soft, but something's burning underneath his tone. "Satoru and I have history, but that doesn't mean-" 

"I was runner-up." You cut him off. "For both of you. Looking back, I'm not really upset. It was always impossible for anything to come between the two of you. This-" You gesture between you and him "-was always inevitable." 

"It's my fault." You smile at him, hoping it comes across as sincere as you feel. "I couldn't stand being second place." 

He moves then, kneeling in front of you. Eyes the widest you've ever seen them. He catches your hands in his. You let him. A parting gift. 

"Angel." He starts. "We never once thought of you as that." 

You shrug. "It doesn't matter." You reply. "It's how I always felt. You can't really change the way I feel about things, Suguru." 

You think he's realizing that he's beginning to lose you. His grip gets tighter as if he can physically keep you with him at the very least. He shifts until he's right at your knees, looking up at you desperately. 

"Come back." He insists, abandoning his persuasions. "Just...come back. At least for a little while? We can try again, can't we? Just give us a second chance?" 

It's strange, they don't look too similar, but you can see the similarities. Wow, they're just perfect for each other, aren't they? Yin and Yang. Two halves; one whole. 

You were always a leftover. You just had to learn that the hard way, through days of heartbreak, crying, and sobbing your heart out. It took you awhile to understand that the affection they had for each other is different from the affection they had for you. 

You shake your head. His hands nearly crush yours. 

"I love you." 

It takes you a while to figure out what he said. When it does sink in, your world tilts. Your heart stops at his abrupt declaration and you must stare at him because why? At first, you think he's just desperate: lovebombing. And then you look into his eyes, his sincerity. No, he means it. It makes you feel worse. 

"Satoru does, too, but you know him-he'd rather die than admit something like that." Suguru gives a bitter laugh, one you find familiar even after all this time. "I've always wanted to tell you but thought it was too soon. I thought we had all the time in the world." His voice tapers so he doesn't have to say the obvious but clearly you three didn't. 

You want to reach over, tuck a stray lock behind his ear but you stop yourself because he isn't yours anymore. You gave it all away when you ran. Instead, you curl your hands around his in silent understanding. 

You don't know how you didn't realize it before, but Suguru is less put together than usual. His hair is typically well-groomed and shiny, but now you see split ends. His eyes are clear and bright, but today...they aren't. A dull purple. Hazy violet. 

He's miserable. 

You did this. This was all you. 

"Satoru misses you," he says, "always had. Barely smiles anymore. I don't think I can blame him." 

They loved you. They love you. This was all what you wanted. Just a bit of recognition. There's a tiny part of you that's still itching to jump back in Suguru's arms, kiss him until you're out of breath 'just kidding! it was a prank! let's go home!' and then you two would leave hand-in-hand back to Satoru. 

Going back to them would make them happy, but not you.

But Shoko was right. You deserved better. 

 "It'll get better." You assure. "You'll heal." 

Day by day, the cracks in your heart start to seal. Bit by bit. It may never heal over completely, but you know you'll be okay one day. And they'll be alright too. Who knows, maybe in a couple years, you'll all laugh at this. 

Suguru shakes his head and stands up. His eyes are just the bit glassy, but he's blinking them away before anything gives. It's just like him, honestly, so you're not too upset. 

"You don't get it." He's smiling, not quite in humor. "I don't think you'll ever do but..." He trails off, mid-thought. 

"But what?" You press. 

Then he sighs and closes his eyes. When he looks at you again, his signature pleasantly cold smile is on his face. 

"I did all I could, I think." He turns around, abrupt. "I'll see myself out." 

You're caught off-guard by his sudden departure, but by the time you're following him, Shoko's already leading him out the front door, locking it with exasperation. 

"Is that it?" She asks. "They won't be barging in anytime soon, right?" 

You stare out the window, watching as Suguru gets in his car. Something bubbled in your stomach. 

~

It was one of those nights. Shoko had come back early. Utahime was back from the school. You had planned a cute little evening for the girls and a relaxing night in. You had everything: wine, freshly-prepared dinner, a cheesy horror movie, and an announcement you're sure they were more than happy to hear.

You had just settled down the blanket when you hear Shoko come through the door. You take off her coat before she can even touch it, excitedly flitting around her. 

"What's gotten you in such a good mood?" Shoko asks, her dark circles even more profound than before. You don't have to feel guilty about those for long. 

"You'll see!" You chirp back. 

Utahime strolls out of the bathroom, fresh from the shower. Her hair is still wet. You'll ask if you can blow dry it later. 

"That's what you've been saying for nearly an hour now." Utahime groans. "Just tell us already. Or at least, me."

"Patience." You chastise. "But, it's a good surprise, I promise." 

She's not satisfied, but she sits down anyway. They eat dinner, complimenting your skills all the while. You preen at their praise. It's a stark contrast between Suguru and Satoru, how cold they'd often been whenever you did something nice for them: tilted smiles, less-than-receptive words of 'oh baby you didn't have to'. 

As you lived with both couples, you can see the similarities. Utahime's temper is close to Satoru's, but that's where the similarities stop. She's more serious and less likely to blow off your feelings with a playful huff. Shoko and Suguru share the same laid-back personality, but Shoko is always there to listen to you instead of cutting you off with condescending sympathy. 

Wow, maybe Satoru and Suguru were a little more shitty than you initially thought. 

Eventually, the night draws to a close. They're drunk, full, and smiling. Perfect. You clear your throat just when Shoko refills her fourth glass. 

"Again, I'd really like to thank you for letting me stay." You start. "It meant so much to me to have two amazing people to support me like this. So, thank you." 

Utahime smiles. "Don't thank us," she says, "again, you can stay for as long as you want-forever, honestly!" 

You nod. "Well, I don't think I have to do that anymore." 

Shoko freezes mid-sip. 

"What?" She asks. 

"I talked to my parents." You tell them, oblivious to their stone faces. "And I'm going to move back in with them, just until I get back on my feet. Isn't that great? Now, you two won't have to-" 

You stop when you finally notice how cold they look. Utahime looks close to tears. 

"What's wrong?" You ask. 

"You're leaving?" Utahime asks, her voice nearly cracks. "Why?" 

That...wasn't what you were expecting. Shouldn't they be glad the third wheel is finally out of their house? Why does Utahime look so heartbroken? Why is Shoko so quiet? What was going on?

"Isn't-isn't this what you wanted?" You fumble with your words. "Now, you don't have to share the house with me anymore. It'll be just the two of you again." 

They exchange glances, and it reminds you of those secret conversations Suguru and Satoru used to have. Except this time, you can read their faces. 

"What if...we don't want it to be just the two of us anymore?" Shoko starts, hesitant, reproachful like she's approaching a scared wild animal. 

Your eyebrows scrunch. "I don't understand." 

At that, Utahime drops her head in her hands. "Oh, c'mon! We've been doing this for weeks! You can't be that oblivious-" 

And then, she stops herself. Looks at you. You stare right back, and the three of you have the exact same realization at the exact same time. 

"Oh." You breathe. 

"Oh." Utahime whispers. 

"We're all idiots." Shoko says behind her glass. 

"Wait wait. Hold on." You backtrack. "You-you two want...with me?" 

"Yes!" Utahime exclaims. "Yes! God, now everything makes sense. I thought you were just trying to let us down gently, but this whole time you just weren't even paying attention!" 

"No." You argue, face hot. "You two were just really subtle." 

"We all sleep in the same room, these days." Shoko lists. "'Hime sat on your lap with nothing on but a bra and panties." 

"I thought we were just doing friend things!" 

"What kinds of friends sit on your lap, half-naked?" Utahime asks, mortified. 

"I-I-" You give up. 

All this time. You were mourning over something you lost months ago, even when there was something blooming right under your nose. God, you're an idiot. 

Hands. They clasp your own. You look up into Utahime's pretty brown eyes. 

"We want you to stay." She whispers. "We want you." You take a glance at Shoko. 

"Do you want us?" 

You take a deep breath. 

You nod. 

She's smiling, and then Utahime's kissing you. Soft, so soft, nothing like the possessive kisses Satoru gives you. It's innocent and adoring and you find yourself melting into her completely. 

Utahime disappears and before you can mourn her warmth, Shoko's lips join yours. You can smell the alcohol, the slightest sting of cigarettes. You don't mind it. Her kisses are nothing like Suguru's, all powerful and domineering. She takes what you give her, asking ever so nicely for more. 

You break away, panting. 

"You good?" She asks. 

You nod. 

"Good." Shoko hums. "Cuz we're gonna fuck you now." 

"What?" 

Shoko pushes you down on the couch. You land with an oomph before Utahime's descends on you with a flurry of kisses. 

"Waited so long to do this, baby." She's sighing into your lips, fiddling with your shirt so she can pull it off. "Weeks and weeks." 

She pulls down one of your bra cups, massaging at your tits. You hadn't had action in so long, so you eagerly encouraged her movements, kissing her back with just as much fervor. Shoko takes her place next to her girlfriend, pawing at your other tit. 

"Look." Shoko purrs. "One for each of us." Her soft mouth sucks on your nipple, swirling it around her mouth. Your head leans back with a pleasant sigh. 

"Feel good?" Utahime asks. "She's good with her tongue, isn't she?" 

"Yes," you nod, and Utahime gives out a delighted giggle, peppering your face with kisses. You gasp when you feel her hand shift through your shorts, palming at your dripping pussy. 

"Poor thing." Utahime's cooing, and there's a brief hint of mockery in her tone. You've never heard that before. It turns you on even more. "They never gave you attention back there did they?" She circles your clit. "They were too busy sucking each other's dicks to pay attention to such a pretty pussy." 

Shoko pops off your tits, shifting down. She kisses her way to your stomach. You blearily watch as she adjusts herself until she's right at your shorts. Utahime follows her lead, tugging off your shorts. Your panties go next. 

And then you're staring down at them with trepid anticipation. 

"I meant what I said." Shoko says softly. "You deserve better. You deserve someone who cares for you." 

"You deserve us." With that, She and Utahime latch onto your pussy. 

They're everywhere. You have to stop yourself from cumming right then and there, arching your back as one of them sucks on your clit while the other licks into your hole. She manages to stick her tongue inside of you, and it's enough to shoot sparks through your eyes. 

"So tight." Utahime's hissing into your cunt. "Sho, after this, you wanna try to fuck this pussy with your strap?" 

There's a soft laugh, and Shoko pulls away from your clit to answer, much to your disappointment. You whine, thrusting your hips in the air. She stills you with a hush. 

"I don't think we're ready just yet." She hums. "Yet." 

When you glance down, they both are making out with your clit. It's debaucherous. Their soft lips are connected, your tiny bud locked in the middle as their spit trickles down into your pussy. Utahime groans and when you look further down, you realize she's touching herself. 

You don't know which part of this makes you cum, but you cum. It's the hardest you've ever orgasmed. There's so much stimulation that your hips buck up, trying to chase the sparks of pleasure. They let you, licking you through your orgasm. 

When you come down, your thighs fall apart, splayed against the soft cushions. Utahime still isn't finished, licking at your clit. You shudder at the overstimulation, whining until Shoko is pulling her off of you by her hair. 

"Good, baby?" She asks, crawling back up to you. You kiss her as an answer. She melts in delight. 

You break the kiss, glancing over at Utahime. 

Taking the silent request, she kisses you again. You can taste yourself on her lips. You don't mind it. For some reason, it's sweeter on Utahime's tongue. 

When she breaks away, she stares at you, face soft. "You're staying, right?" She asks you. "You'll stay with us? Because after this, I don't think we could ever let you go." 

You give a shy nod, and Utahime beams. 

"Then, you're ours now," Shoko says, settling into your side. "And we're yours. Always." 

"Always." You breathe, content, happy. You could almost go to sleep. 

Shoko slaps your thigh. 

"Not yet." She warns before propping you up. "First, I want you to sit on my face." 

Hours later, you wake up delightfully sore in bed. The two girls are curled up next to you. When you move, you can still feel the bruises Utahime left. You never knew she liked to bite so much. 

You can't even begin to remember what happened, but you don't regret any of it. Hours and hours had passed as they fucked you and fucked each other, and you fucked them. 

Shoko shifts beside you. She was always a light sleeper. 

"Awake?" She asks. 

"Yeah." You softly say back. 

She hums, shifting a little more to face you. Utahime's behind you, arms protectively curled around your waist. At your voice, her eyes twitch. 

"Shut up." She grumbles, but her arms cinch around your waist. 

Shoko stretches as she rises up. You miss her body warmth but you don't mind the view she gives as she saunters over to the dresser, pulling on some clothes. 

"I'm gonna get food." 

Utahime mumbles out her order. You say nothing because you don't want to come in between them, and then Shoko looks at you. 

"What do you want?" She prompts. 

You blink, and when you answer, Shoko smiles, and then she's out the door. 

The interaction makes your heart warm. 

Still, it can't last. 

When you go to get up, Utahime protests, grabbing your wrist. 

"And where are you going?" She prods. 

You fumble. "Back to my room?" 

"What? Why?" Utahime demands with a frown. "What's the point, you're already with us, now." 

"Oh." You blink, but you give in and slink back into bed. "Is...this really okay?" 

"For God's sake, " she hisses, but you don't count it against her because Utahime has always been a little grumpy after waking up. "Yes. We're obsessed with you. How are you so blind?" 

"We want you, and we're not like them." Her voice drops in disdain. "We'll treat you better. You're ours now. You're mine." 

"Yours." You repeat, something warm fluttering in your belly. 

"You can't leave, we'd go crazy, okay?" She seriously tells you. "If someone else takes you away, I'd lose it. And Shoko is okay with murder." 

You laugh. 

"That's not a joke." She warns. 

"I know." And you kiss her again. 

It's like that for a couple weeks. You live in peaceful domestic bliss with two wonderful girlfriends. Now that you're in an actual loving relationship, you can't tell why you ever contemplated ever going back to Satoru and Suguru. Shoko actually talked to you about your feelings. Utahime cared about your input. You weren't treated like an afterthought, second place. 

They were with each other longer than they had been with you, but they never made you feel like you had to fight for your relationship. Speaking off Satoru and Suguru, they never once contacted you after their first two attempts. They'd clearly given up. 

Everything was just perfect. 

And then, it just wasn't. 

You were in bed with them. Fifteen minutes ago, Utahime shuffled off to go to the bathroom. She still wasn't back. Half asleep, Shoko grumbled. 

"She's probably in there fighting a cockroach." She complains, but she rises anyway. "Sleep, I'll be back." She kisses you on the cheek, and then she's gone. 

Their body warmth fades, but they stay because they're tired. These days, you can't really sleep without them, so you wait for the girls to return. Two minutes pass. Then, five. Then, ten. By then, the bed is cold. 

You open your eyes, sitting up. It's so quiet. Are they okay? 

You pull off the comforter, stepping onto the cold wooden floor. The apartment feels strangely...haunted somehow. The air felt heavier now, thick with an invisible tension, like the house itself was holding its breath. It must be because you feel alone, you're sure of it. 

The bedroom leads to a dark hallway. As you make your way down, you can hear something. Voices? Murmuring. The relief almost makes you laugh. Seriously, what were you even afraid about? 

The living room is horrific. 

They look dead. You can't tell if they're breathing or not. Shoko's eyes are closed. Utahime's limp body is sprawled across the floor. There's blood on the wooden panels. 

Suguru doesn't even blink. 

"You're awake." He says it so casually, like waking up to your ex-boyfriends mauling your girlfriends is normal. 

"What..." Your voice fails, you weakly try again. "What did you two do?" 

Satoru answers, smiling with glinty teeth. 

"Isn't it obvious? We're getting rid of the competition." 

You don't understand, your brain hasn't caught up yet, you still think you can talk to these psychos. 

"It's their fault." Satoru's still smiling, but there's nothing happy about his tone. He's carrying a knife. There's blood on it. "It's all their fault. They manipulated you into breaking up with us, baby. That's how these useless sluts got you into their arms." He spits on Utahime's hair. You cover your face with your hands. 

"But, it's not like you aren't at fault, Baby." He points the knife at you. "You left us for them. I'm not letting you off the hook for that." 

You don't know what he's saying. His movements scare you, his eyes, the knife. When you glance at Suguru, you don't know what you're expecting. 

But you know you aren't expecting...that. 

His purple eyes are icy cold. Utterly devoid of any emotion. You don't think you're staring at a person, anymore. 

"You lied," Suguru says, "You lied about us not giving you enough attention. You just wanted to leave us. For them." 

You step back. They step forward. 

Those bastards would've never let you go otherwise. Utahime warned you. Looking at her limp body, you wondered if she thought they'd ever go this far. 

"I didn't." You weakly insist. "I-I wasn't lying about anything! It-it wasn't like I wanted to leave-" 

"Stop lying," Gojo insists. "Stop fucking lying already." 

He smiles again. 

"It's okay, baby. I know you'll come back with us. Right after we're done dealing with these two whores." 

"You'll belong to us." Suguru promises and he steps on Shoko's hands. "Just like always."

They were both crazy. Nothing could get through to them. Now, you would sit there and watch them maul the only things in your life that made you feel complete. 

The worst part is that everything was your fault. 

Shoko's pinky twitches. You can see Utahime take shallow breathes.

And you speak. 

"I'm sorry." 

Your weak voice makes them stop in their tracks. Satoru glances at you, Suguru does too. You can't convince them. The only thing you can do is play into their delusions. 

"You're right." You say, the tears finally feeling useful. "I just wanted to leave. I-I was just bored. I wanted something new." Suguru's lips curl and you quickly move on. "But-but the more I stayed with them, the more I realized...how much I missed you two." 

Satoru halts. You caught him. 

"I did." You stress, carefully making your way to him on feet that were close to dropping at any minute. "Every day, I thought about you two." You reach out, touching his face with shaky fingers. "I really really wanted to come back, but I was afra-afraid you wouldn't...want me back."

Satoru reaches up to touch your hand. His fingers are cold. You resist the urge to shudder. 

"You missed us?" He wonders. 

The lie feels like sand. 

"More than anything." 

His kiss is violent. He crushes you with his grip, touching and biting and everything you hate. You squeeze your eyes shut, letting him suck your soul dry. 

"Don't kill them." You whisper when he finally pulls away. "Please don't kill them. Everything was my fault." 

Satoru's face is pensive. His gaze drifts off to Suguru's. Those silent conversations you hated so much. 

Then, Satoru gives a delighted sigh. 

"You're lucky. I love you so much." He kisses your nose, before pushing you in Suguru's arms. 

"I'll clean up here. Suguru, go back to the truck." He demands. 

You don't fight, letting Suguru drag you away. Shoko and Utahime live in apartments, but you're afraid if you scream, Satoru might change his mind and gut them anyway. Before Suguru leads you off, you catch Gojo scoffing before he kicks at Utahime's face. You gasp and pray that when Shoko wakes up, she'll be coherent enough to call for an ambulance. 

I'm sorry, you tell them. I'm so so sorry. 

Suguru pushes you into the backseat of their vehicle. You obediently take a seat. 

"You shouldn't have left." He tells you. "You should've stayed." 

His face is cold, but his tone betrays the tiniest tremor. If you weren't so scared, you'd laugh. The irony is that he's the one who feels wronged here. 

"I'm sorry," you say anyway. 

He hums, not quite satisfied with your answer. 

"You aren't." He responds, and you hate how well he knows your tells. 

And then, he grins. 

"But you will be."

Hands reach out, gripping your neck. You flail immediately as Suguru cuts of your oxygen. You can't breathe. You can't fucking breathe. No matter how tightly you squeeze onto his wrist, digging your nails into his hands, clawing at his face. He keeps you still, keeping you there as you grow weaker. Your vision gets blurry. Your attempts get sluggish. There's a kiss on your forehead, and you black out completely. 

~

You wake up in a room you've never seen before. And your neck is sore. 

The pain drifts in as soon as consciousness does. You feel like you have a hangover, your head throbs, your eyes struggle to remain open. You can't go back to sleep either, not when it hurts so much. 

The panic doesn't settle in until you catch the cuffs on either one of your legs, keeping you attached to the bedpost. Silver chains, with enough lead to let you move around a bit. The cuffs are padded so you don't rub yourself raw. You don't care about the thoughtfulness. 

They're in the room with you, watching with silent eyes. Nausea builds up in your stomach, and you wonder how long they'd stayed there, just watching you. 

You miss Shoko. You miss Utahime. You missed people who actually loved you. 

Not these two. Monsters that lied and pretended, but deep down, they were just too selfish to share. 

"You were out for a while." Suguru comments. 

"I told you to use the syringe," Satoru remarks, but he doesn't sound too upset. At his voice, Suguru laughs. 

You shift in your spot. Suguru takes that as an invitation. He sits at the edge of the bed, watching you with satisfied eyes. You must look pathetic: shivering, in tears. He reaches up, catching your tears with his finger.

"So cute." And then he frowns. "You know why we're doing this, yes? You were bad. You need to be punished."

"I'm sorry." It's all you can say. You feel like a broken record, doomed to repetition over and over again.

"You aren't. You should stop lying." Suguru says sweetly. "But I'm sure, a couple hours in your new home will help you think about how much you hurt us."

You wanted to scream, but you can't cuz your throat still hurts from Suguru's hands, and you know he's not above putting his hands on you this time. Maybe he never was, you just never saw this side of him until you made him snap.

"You're leaving?" You stumble, moving as they back away but the chains only take you so far. There are no windows, and when Suguru shuts the light off, the only thing that's keeping you from the dark entirely is the light emitting out the hallway.

"Wait." You beg. "Please. Wait, don't-don't leave me here. I'm sorry. This is scary. I'm scared."

Satoru hesitates at your broken voice. Like a shark smelling blood, you pounce.

"Satoru, please."

"If you keep coddling, then the lesson will never be learned." Suguru warns.

Satoru stares at you. He's not wearing his sunglasses. You can see him for what he is now.

"I love you." He says it so sincerely, you almost believe it. "This is for your own good."

The door shuts, and everything goes dark.

[br7ght]

how about 5?

I feel like we should finally give them all what they want 😉

when the god of smut requests speaks she speaks... so here you go guys, have this teaser on us, @occasionallyaurora and I have been working really hard on this one :)

Captain's Night Out Lucy Bronze x Alexia Putellas

summary: Lucy has a burning request to ask of Alexia, what better opportunity than the annual captain's night out when they've all had a bit too much to drink.

warnings: none... yet

pairing: lucy bronze x alexia putellas

word count: 800 words

14/02/2024, save the date lesbians <3

It had been a wilder night than the five of them were expecting. The annual Captain’s Night Out had been well underway and to Lucy and Alexia’s disappointment it was seemingly reaching a plateau.

“No Mapi, come on one more drink.” Lucy pleaded, her words slurring slightly as her hand gripped around her glass. They had already lost Marta and Paredes to the alcohol, both heading home about half an hour ago despite the blonde and brunette begging for the night not to be over so soon. Little to her surprise, Mapi didn’t give in to her pleading, kissing their cheeks goodbye and stumbling away to get into the taxi that was waiting for her outside.

“And then there were two.” Lucy giggled into her drink, knowing that Alexia would be the last one standing with her, every time they went out together it was the same. They were laughing together in a cloud of tipsiness, fingers grazing against each other from across the table, nothing serious, just harmless touches driven by the alcohol in their systems. “How’s the relationship going?” Lucy questions, acting casual but her cheeks flushing pink at the question giving away her motivations.

“It’s actually the best thing I’ve ever done,” Alexia stated honestly, her chin resting in her hands, her tongue reaching around her straw and sucking up the last of her vodka lemonade. “I’ve never been happier, or more sexually satisfied.” There was a slight pause before the second reason, her grin stretching across the width of her face, but it was Lucy’s cheeks that were still glowing red.

“I mean, two hot women in your bed, what else can you expect?” The raven-haired woman giggled nervously, her fingers rubbing the ridges on her glass as she watched Alexia’s nonchalant reaction to all her questions. The blonde was an open book sober, so she basically qualified as a billboard when she’d had a few drinks.

“How’s Ona?” Alexia asked, winking at Lucy’s flushed cheeks. “You not feeling the same cariño?” Her head tilting to the side as she observed Lucy’s facial expressions, glancing at the way she was nervously tapping her hand against the table, her leg bouncing slightly, and Alexia could tell that she was working herself up to ask for something.

“She’s good, better than good, we’re doing really well actually, it’s like a breath of fresh air being with her.” Lucy waffled, her words tripping over each other. Alexia was grinning at the confident woman losing her words between her tongue. This was one of the only ways that Lucy could be made nervous. “She got a bit jealous though, of your girlfriend.” Lucy admits finally, a weight on her shoulders lifting slightly as she waited nervously for Alexia’s response, hoping it wasn’t a negative one.

“Which one?” Alexia laughed, but Lucy gulped, wondering if she’d overstepped the line, but the warming look she got from Alexia straight after reminded her that it was near impossible to cross boundaries with her.

“Well, I haven’t ever fucked Jenni, have I” Lucy gulps again, her lips pursed as she realised that she was really admitting this to her ex-lover’s new girlfriend. It was all needed if she was ever going to get to the question that had been burning in the back of her mind ever since Ona mentioned it.

“Oh, you and-” Alexia starts, her eyes widened but not with hatred, more a sense of curiosity at how Lucy was nodding before she could even say her girlfriend’s name. “I didn’t know that about you two.”

“Nobody does, it was kind of our secret but when Ona found out she wasn’t too pleased about it.” Lucy said, taking another sip of her drink in order to force her to keep talking, opening up to the blonde who was gazing at her over her glass, looking straight into her brain with those dark glossy eyes that could quite literally seduce anyone she dared to notice.

“Did you fix things or is it all still a bit rocky?” Alexia asked intensively, still not quite processing the information that she’d just found out. Her girlfriend used to have frequent casual sex with Lucy Bronze who was now one of her closest friends.

“No, we more than fixed things, Ona is beyond chill about it now, but something else came up afterwards.” Lucy started, her fingers fidgeting between her hands in front of her before Alexia grabbed her hands to stop her from acting so nervous, not used to seeing the brunette any ounce below confident. “Something I wanted to ask you about.” She finished, feeling at ease once their hands connected across the table.

“Ask ahead.” Alexia comforted, her eyes squinting slightly in anticipation of the words that were about to come out of her mouth. She watched as Lucy’s chest rose and fell a few times before she opened her lips to speak.

“Would you be open to having two extra people in your bed for a night?”

[goodomensafterdark]

Feature Fic Fursday

FFF - Feature Fic Fursday!

This is a special day of the week: fic recs Thursday (pronounced à la Française)!

Each week, we will browse the Good Omens After Dark official AO3 collection, choose a tag and promote the fics that are featured in it!

Have a tag idea for the next week? Comment it!

Have other fic recs, or your own fic would qualify for the tag? Reblog and throw in the link!

Tag of the week: Sex in the Bookshop

Crowley works hard, but Booktok works harder by cheeseplants

Rating: Explicit

Genres: Humour, Fluff, Smut

Word count: 6,739 words

Chapter count: one-shot

Summary: What if instead of an amnesiac Archangel, a bunch of TikTokkers descend on Aziraphale’s bookshop instead? Well good thing you asked that question, because that is exactly what happens here. Crowley attempts to badly thwart the powers of TikTok. They may end up in a bedroom together. Feelings (and more) bubble to the surface.

We Don't Need To Talk About It by Ro_Fell

Rating: Explicit

Genres: Smut -first time

Word count: 2,635 words

Chapter count: one-shot

Summary: It's after the apocalypse that wasn't. Crowley and Aziraphale are just beginning to negotiate what it means to be on Their Own Side. One night, in the Bookshop, after copious amounts of wine, Crowley finds Aziraphale sitting just a little too close to him on the small sofa. Will one of them find the courage to finally cross that line? And will they finally find the words to say everything that's been left unsaid?

~ The French Maid ~ by Bucky1984

Rating: Explicit

Genres: Smut

Word count: 2,171 words

Chapter count: one-shot

CW: voyeurism

Summary: Crowley has been neglected by Aziraphale since Jimbriel moved into the bookshop... It's time for a change!

Sheltered by brahms3rdrackett

Comes with a podfic! by Outrageous_Ring

Rating: Explicit

Genres: Angst, Fluff, Smut

Word count: 7,233 words

Chapter count: one-shot - part 1 of series Searching for Shelter

Summary: Our heroes helped spoil the plans for Armageddon 1.0, they've been cut loose, and now they're working to figuring out what to do with themselves. One of them (no guesses which) is coping better with his free time than the other. In fact, he has a hankering for something he hasn't treated himself to in a while. This series is based on the line Aziraphale casually throws in about THEIR bookshop in S2. You know the one. "We both get plenty of use out of it, don't we?"

Safe by brahms3rdrackett

Comes with a podfic! by Outrageous_Ring

Rating: Explicit

Genres: Angst, Fluff, Smut

Word count: 9,730 words

Chapter count: one-shot - part 2 of series Searching for Shelter

Summary: “Crowley!” the angel said angrily, pulling so hard he very nearly dislodged the snake. But Aziraphale's fear for his coat won out, and he stopped tugging lest he tear something. He slumped back in the chair with a defeated sigh, and Crowley nuzzled his nose into the angel’s sleeve again.

“Hmm,” Aziraphale hummed after a moment, sounding very much like he did when the proverbial light bulb had gone on over his curly head. “You know, there was something I wanted to ask of you, but it’s not something your, erm, serpent form can help me with.” He lifted the coat again to see if the snake was listening. He was.

“A little favor, if you will,” Aziraphale went on, lifting his eyebrows meaningfully when he met Crowley’s beady stare.

Respite by brahms3rdrackett

Comes with a podfic! by Outrageous_Ring

Rating: Explicit

Genres: Angst, Fluff, Smut

Word count: 11,346 words

Chapter count: one-shot - part 3 of series Searching for Shelter

Summary: They're passing the time as best they can, but for Crowley the lull is beginning to feel interminable, as the shadow of Heaven and Hell fades even further into the background. And for better or worse, it's allowing him to focus on other things he's not quite prepared to focus on. To escape the wandering thoughts and boredom, he might just have to resort to another one of his nice, long naps. Only this time, he doesn't necessarily want to go alone.

A Casual Blowjob Between Hereditary Enemies by GroovyNightStrawberry

Rating: Explicit

Genres: Smut

Word count: 4,255 words

Chapter count: one-shot

CW: sex pollen, dubcon

Summary: When Aziraphale experiences a problem with his corporation, Crowley is only too happy to assist. Neither of them are prepared for the result.

Nanny Likes to watch You Eat by Depressedpenguin2 for DisastrousLook5116

Rating: Explicit

Genre: Smut

Word count: 1,464 words

Chapter count: one-shot

Summary: Sexy times between the Ineffable Wives. Food is involved.

We Could (Have) Be(en) Us by redheadedjapanese

Rating: Explicit

Genres: Smut

Word count: 3,332 words

Chapter count: one-shot

Summary: In the middle of their devastating first kiss (and in the same universe as the events of Lavender Isn't Scary), Aziraphale uses his little-known power to stop time and debrief his favorite demon.

Alphabet by Depressedpenguin2

Rating: Explicit

Genres: Smut

Word count: 30,000 words

Chapter count: 26 chapters (completed)

Summary: Smutty Alphabet for our ineffable husbands.

Conflict Resolution by ElysiumLeo (The_Nerd_Alert)

Rating: Explicit

Genres: smut

Word count: 5,767 words

Chapter count: one-shot

Summary: After a seemingly senseless argument, Crowley has stormed out of the bookshop to go cool off. Aziraphale should be irritated with him; he didn't even know what the argument was about! But knowing his darling, Aziraphale simply decides to wait until his demon is ready to return, knowing that when he does, they will have the chance to make amends with each other, like they always do. He just didn't anticipate that their latest attempt at an apology would be so... intimate.

Your Mouth As If It’s Heaven’s Gate by Peonyscones

Rating: Explicit

Genres: Fluff and Smut

Word count: 3,802 words

Chapter count: one-shot

Summary: He knows he won’t sleep tonight. But it would be nice… it would be so nice to be held. It would be so good to cling to Aziraphale and make their last night in existence mean something, bring him pleasure, bring him comfort. Let him feel loved.

That’s all, folks!!

[arcsimper5]

Episode 5 - Rants!

Okay, so, first off WHAT AN AMAZING EPISODE!

Putting spoilers below the cut just in case, and this is gonna be way out of order, but my brain is still firing on all cylinders lol.

So first off - Echo!

Our baby is back! And he is taking no shit which is just perfect. His reaction to Crosshair is interesting though. I imagine, with him having been with the 501st and around Jedi, he may well have heard 'the stories' about Jedi falling to the Dark Side and being welcomed back. He's also probably heard about Slick from Rex, and seeing other clones turn on the empire despite being loyal, he is likely more sympathetic towards Crosshair than the others.

The 'What, no hug for me?' did have me cackling though. Such snark, such sass. Cross and Echo are underrated as friends, honestly.

Omega on Pabu. That opening was so lovely, her cuddled up with Lula and being so happy! And I LOVE how when she leaves to find Crosshair, Wrecker and Hunter have an entire conversation just through facial expressions. They've been through so much together, they can read each other better than ever, and it's wonderful.

Crosshair and AZ! I love how much that little droid wants to help. Crosshair's line about Lyanna and Shep's ability to find him being 'uncanny' also made me smile. Shep is just a homing missile of care, and of course his daughter is going to be the same!

Him explaining sniping to Omega as well, her just being a sponge of information must remind him of Tech at least a little. Then Wrecker and Hunter peeking over the rocks. Sorry, had to laugh!

Wrecker telling Hunter that if Omega trusts Crosshair, that's enough for him. YES! He's not letting things go, but he's giving it a chance, unlike Mr Face Tattoo Grumpy Pants.

ANOTHER WHISTLE!!!!

Echo hug, and that is just wonderful. Not long enough, but hey, Echo's always been straight down to business.

Batcher's relationship with the moon-yos is also beautiful, them asleep on her by the table is just lovely!

The dining table scene, Tech mention, heartbreaking, but it shows there is still a void there. They're all aware, and all working to fill it, but it's still gaping and raw.

As soon as Crosshair said he knew an outpost, I was like, NO, THEY'RE GOING BACK TO BARTON IV *crying*

Then Wrecker giving him back the armour and the way Crosshair's eyes WIDEN when he sees it. Just UUUUUGH!

The 'little brother' moment and the chuckle made my heart SING. These two are just peak sibling and I AM HERE FOR IT!

And man, did I ever want them to turn up and Mayday be there, alive and having survived thanks to Crosshair and telling them all what he did and how amazing he was.

Sadly no :(

But Mayday's helmet, and Crosshair making a memorial to him with the rest of his squad beside him as well, it shows real growth, and THE MUSIC! Ooof!

Hunter being all side-eye-y by the door, what a dramatic bitch lol

Echo and Omega work so well together, and the tension between Crosshair and Hunter is ridiculous. Just fight already! And make it a good one!

So close, but Mama Echo stopped it lol

The entire scene with the wyrm was wonderful, from the beginning argument (I could write an entire novel on how much I love Crosshair calling Hunter out on his BS in a way no-one else does) and Hunter being an angry boi.

But the innate trust that comes out as soon as Hunter falls in that hole.

Also... 'HUNTER!!!!!' :')

The nods at the end, then loading onto the ship. I REALLY wanted Crosshair to tell Hunter about Mayday, that he shot the officer for a Reg, because they refused to help him. I wanted him to tell him how he was tortured, how he kept them safe.

I only hope Echo goes through the medical records and finds what they did to Crosshair, shows it to Hunter and they finally get a bit more understanding.

Overall, it was AMAZING!

My only gripe is with the perimeter - Hunter has enhanced senses but it seems like they write him like he can turn them on and off lol. If it's high pitched enough to keep the wyrm away AND bother Batcher, he's sure as hell going to be hearing it, helmet or not! And it wouldn't be pleasant!

But no, he has to look through his helmet to pick it up? Yeah, I call BS on that :P

But considering that is the only complaint I really have, 9.9/10!

[pipitwrites]

2023 fanworks round-up

taken from @francophonesfictions, thank you for creating a formatting template, hehehe. sticking to the things that made their way to my ao3...

the fics:

1 • but i like you, we can howl at the moon (piarles, explicit, 2.4k) -- posted incredibly on january 1, 2023

“Usually, I am better at controlling it.” “Usually,” Charles repeats numbly. Pierre smiles, rueful. “It is harder with you.”

2 • in faith (sebchal, mature, 1.8k)

At his side now, Charles sat taller than Sebastian with a weariness in his sunlit eyes that belied his relative youth and beauty. A simple golden circlet lay nestled in his hair, his only adornment. "You might smile," Sebastian whispered, the rough edge of his untamed beard brushing against Charles's cheek. "One might think you are at your funeral."

3 • this little space in between (chalex, teen, 2k)

When he reaches the station, Alex finds Charles curled up with his knees against his chest on the lone splintering bench by the platform, pushing a roller bag back and forth with the tip of his shoe.

4 • in my ribs and under my chest (piarles, explicit, 2.8k)

"I already know what you look like naked," Pierre reminds him with a smirk and Charles flushes at the implication, which is stupid. They've been living out of each other's pockets since they were children, before Charles had ever considered what it might be like to be wrapped up in Pierre. "I am not," Charles finally admits. "Not naked." Pierre's eyebrows climb up his face again, intrigued.

5 • a thing most new (piarles, explicit, 3.6k)

Pierre comes back home with a mustache. It is neatly trimmed, following the line of his full mouth. Charles feels as if he is greeting a stranger when Lorenzo comes back from the station with Pierre in tow. He hangs back toward the end of the hallway—everyone in the house has come out to welcome Pierre back from his first year away at university, popular as he was with the rest of the staff.

6 • as unchanging as the sea (piarles, mature, 2k)

Like most of the petits rats, Charles keeps a small box of personal effects in the dressing rooms. A bit of powder and a nub of rouge for his cheeks, a bundle of letters from home, a sachet of dried herbs from his grandmother’s garden that has long lost its scent. There is a cross embroidered on the yellowed cloth and although Charles no longer attends mass, it is still dear to him as is the thin gold crucifix that he hides in a loose panel at the bottom of the wooden box. warnings: implied off-stage sex work with coercion/violence, typical of the historical period/setting. this is non-graphic and obliquely referenced in the text.

7 • little bright things (piarles, explicit, 2.2k)

The skirt is too short, stealthily taken from the box of outgrown things Marie, the gardener’s daughter, had packed up to donate to the church. It barely covers Charles’s ass, hem skimming the tops of his thighs, but the waist had just fit with a cream-colored polo shirt tucked in. Charles’s professors might have scolded him about the contrasting whites, but they aren’t here right now. It is just Charles and the moonlight and the soft strains of music filtering in through the high windows. And, of course, Pierre.

8 • give a kiss, get a cab (chalex, explicit, 1.5k)

Alex nearly spits out her drink when she spots Charles in a corner by the windows. Charles has more than put in the effort tonight, wearing a glittery tight little mini skirt and strappy sandals that show off the long line of her legs and the pert curve of her ass where it meets her thighs.

9 • the bride of gévaudan (piarles, explicit, 12k)

At the altar, Charles’s hands trembled as he took the cup of sweet wine from the priest and drank. It was only a small sip, but he felt the rush of heat spreading from his stomach, making him dizzy in a matter of seconds. There was a soft tickle at the back of his hand, barely even a touch. The tip of the Wolf’s tail swayed back at Charles’s elbow. Startled, Charles met the Wolf’s eyes. They were a shocking shade of icy blue and almost human in their regard.

10 • a blessing, a fable (sebchal, explicit, 6.8k)

“I carry a message from the abbot of Maranello,” Brother Charles announced, voice ringing across the courtyard like a bell. He wore the short white tunic of a novice under his cloak, which was enough to set Sebastian on edge. As far as Sebastian knew, Maranello did not send initiates on missions before they had taken their full vows. There were too many temptations outside of the abbey walls, the former abbot had told Sebastian once, his mouth loose with wine and good humor. Brother Charles would have been a temptation himself, long dark lashes sweeping across his delicately carved cheekbones. His eyes were bright and unguarded as they met Sebastian’s without a hint of fear.

11 • a christmas reel (piarles, teen, 6.5k)

When his girlfriend had first told him she wasn’t coming with him anymore to Nicolas’s wedding, Pierre had been confused, worried even that something urgent had happened—a death in the family, perhaps. It had only been when she had failed to answer, unusually hesitant, that it had become clear to him that there was nothing wrong—except them. It’s not just this, she had said, unusually somber, and Pierre had understood. So Pierre had come home the night before with just a single suitcase and a long garment bag holding his best suit.

the ficlets:

double entendre (piarles, explicit, 528 words) (yes... this was me...)

sovereignty (piarles, mature, 499 words)

a sea-change (piarles, teen, 473 words)

EN-20 (sebchal, teen, 461 words)

like water to wine (piarles, explicit, 671 words)

like you a little (chalex, general, 595 words)

let me crack the code (piarles, teen, 788 words)

total # of completed works: eleven works that i would say are finished, plus seven ficlets of varying lengths

total word count: 47,936, which is, like. an insane amount of words for me. i've been visited by the chuse (charles muse) sdfkljgkjli

what’s your own favorite creation of the year: "a thing most new" and "give a kiss, get a cab," which speak to different parts of my soul.

do you have any goals for the new year: just to continue to have fun!!!! sdfkljfk i'm going to be honest and say i've never approached writing fic for myself as like. an exercise for honing any sort of craft.

most popular creation of the year: by hits, "in my ribs and under my chest," aka the corset fic... but by kudos, "but i like you, we can howl at the moon" just edges out ahead (ha!).

under-appreciated creation of the year: i'm so thankful for any bit of love & appreciation i have received tbh!!! if i had to choose one thing... perhaps "a blessing, a fable" because i had this idea percolating in my mind for so long, that it getting out there in the world even in the form that it is in is a minor miracle to me sdfkljdslkfjljg

most fun thing to make: "a thing most new" and "give a kiss, get a cab" again sdflkjsdlkfj or honestly any of my off-the-cuff ficlets which usually come out of me being extra ridiculous and self-indulgent.

most unintentionally telling thing: um. perhaps "little bright things."

biggest surprise: i'm not going to lie... i did not think "double entendre" would garner the attention it did when i somewhat shamefully posted it on anon. but i understand. we are all holding hands together and wanting to see charles leclerc be [sirens blast by].

[areiphilos]

🛐 and 🚦

🛐 — snake cult au, angela project

Angela can barely keep up with Ponyboy as he makes his way down to the shoproom. Quietly, she's happy that he's not wearing his usual off putting clothing, if only because the people in shop class could be as bad as anyone else. He's saying something to her she's only half paying attention to, moving her hair to the side as they finally walk inside.

Half of the shop class is goofing around, the other class are working. About normal, and it' snot a surprise when every alpha swings their eyes towards Ponyboy. He was still so new that no one had really pinned him down — though she can see there's some reconsideration on those who spot Dallas' jacket on him as he makes his way to them.

She keeps herself leaning against the door jamb, her eyes sweeping cooly over them all. Ponyboy was going to do all the work here, not her. That was going well for her, why mess it up?

Whatever he's saying, it's enough to get half of the class to practically line up to listen to him, his hands suggesting dimensions, and god, Angela can't believe that she has to watch some of the allegedly toughest hoods and most principled rich kids about trip over themselves to get what Ponyboy needs.

In no time, though, he's walking out what what he'd wanted: a much, much bigger version of the bird house, a few paints, and a smirk on his face. "C'mon, we gotta paint this first."

Angela waves to the shop class, and departs with him, curious. The not exactly bird house was a lot bigger than what she thought it was going to be and she frowns. "We've gotta put something in there, right?"

"Yeah, we do. We gotta make it look nice before we put anything in there and you said you were good at paintin'," He flashes her that same smile and Angela realizes that she won't be getting out of this without some paint on her nails.

Shit.

🚦 — kidfic escape au (cw: implied child abuse)

The hotel takes hours and hours to get to. Jack and his Mama switch turns at the wheel, on and off. He's stiff, sore when they pass the sign announcing that they've crossed in Texas, and he can't even celebrate it with Penny making fussy noises. His Mama isn't that much better off, and it feels like they're drunk on their feet once they pull into the parking lot.

The sign glows above them, his Mama taking Penny with him to go inside and get the rooms. Jenny is in the backseat, her fingers playing with the book she brought, half peering out the window into the darkness on either side of them.

His mind races; what if Dad was awake now? What if he was calling all his friends or worse, his Uncle Curly to come find him? His stomach sours thinking about him, how he always smelled awful with his jagged teeth, how hard he'd grasped Jack's cheek when he'd said those awful words to him.

"Where are we?" Jenny asks, rubbing at her eyes. "We still in Oklahoma?"

"Nah," he says, "We've been gone."

Jenny relaxes in the back, and that's when his Mama comes out, the keys in hand.

[wheneclipsefalls]

Can we know a little more of Tamil and Pulo?

Yes of course! I love answering questions, especially ones about some of my original characters. I'm not sure what exactly you want to know but here is some random tid bits about them.

Tamil, Pulo, and Kxolo have been friends since childhood. When they were younger they were known for causing a lot of mischief (unfortunate for Kxolo who had a harsh father that was constantly putting him back into line, reminding him that he is future Olo'eyktan). They've stayed close and developed a friendship with Epok over the years.

Both Tamil and Pulo serve high rankings in the clan, each acting as unofficials second in commands to Kxolo, however they have different strengths. Pulo is known for his ability to motivate and rally troops, captivating an audience with his motivational speeches and screeching war cries. He has done more than his fair share of leading groups of warriors into battles when needed, although their clan has only had the very ocassional disturbance from the Sky People. Tamil's strengths too are related to combat, being known for his stealth and efficency in the heat of battle, but this is a side of himself he prefers not to share unless necessary. He prefers to involve himself instead with the day to day negotiations and preparations required to keep the village running smoothly. He is the first man Kxolo wants by his side when discussing matters with other clans. Although, not a usually talkative male, Tamil has a calming presence and ability to craft sentences carefully that can put others at ease.

Tamil is a gentle and sensitive alpha. He only sheds blood when necessary, a thought that crosses his mind more often now that he has a mate and daughter to worry about. His daughter is only a few months old and her name is Vili. As a first time father he constantly worries that he is not doing things properly. He spent more than his fair share of time listening to the women in his life, in search of every tid bit that would help him. His mate had to reassure him over and over that Eywa would guide him when the time would come but that doesn't stop him from doing everything in his power to prepare for the small angel. Now, he makes sure to balance his responsibilites and social life with his home life. He is not afraid to sneak away from the circle of his friends at the sight of his gorgeous mate holding that energetic bundle of joy. Tamil isn't quiet out of shyness, but rather he knows how to determine which things are worth saying. All of that goes out the window though if his daughter is brought up. He bosts about every milestone that his little Vili has accomplished in the few months, showing off each songchord bead to aid his stories.

Pulo and his mate have been married for almost a year now and their relationship is very much so fire meets fire. She pushes him in a way that no one else can, finally finding ways to get under his skin. They grew up together, training in the same groups. He considers himself someone with thick skin. People can tease and poke at him all day long, but it does nothing to shatter his confidence. However, Resaal was known to flare his temper to new extremes throughout their adolescence. Her ability to achieve every warrior milestone better and sooner than him was a great sore spot while growing up. He can still remember the cocky wink she sent him after surfacing back on her new ikran after he had failed his iknamaya. His temper would simmer to a boil while she would simply send him coy smiles and prance along the village with the grace of an etherial being. It took him getting over his own adolescent pride and stubborn feuds to finally admit his feelings for her. Although, the entire village saw it coming, especially Kxolo who teased him about it constantly. Now they are considered the ultimate power couple, training and strategizing together. Most of their sparring ends in sensual love making, no matter the scene. Now, she is currenly on an expedition to the south, protecting a group of Na'vi that are harvesting special herbs collected yearly for invaluable medicines. He misses her greatly, but his best distraction is interacting with his friends and focusing on work.

Both males are ecstatic to finally see their friend that has suffered through so much, find happiness.

Let me know if you have any specific questions, but hopefully this gives a little more insight.

[lost-kiwi-dev]

❝beneath the bright, flashing neon signs and thick layer of oppressive smoke, a monster stirs. their sight locks onto an unassuming figure — the target they've waited months to inflict revenge on. a maniac cackle slips through their lips, their mind utterly consumed with the euphoric feeling brought about by their distorted perception of justice. what was that phrase again? oh, that's right — an eye for an eye.❞

In Pendosa, there is civil unrest. The people demand change from a government that prefers to turn a blind eye to any of their wrongdoings. The people are angry, sick, and starving — but the president is just as stubborn and determined to hide this problem from the general public.

In Zesa City, you live a life of relative luxury with your roommate and best friend. The capital is the hub for the entertainment industry — it is where dreams are simultaneously realised and broken, and reputation trumps all moral code. You don't have to look very hard to see the other side of Zesa — the poverty, drug, and crime centre known as the Underground sticks out like a sore thumb, although the government prefers to ignore this suffering, too.

In the Underground, your older sister is murdered. Within a matter of weeks, your life is flip flopped on its head and, after the police refuse to investigate further, you decide to get to the bottom of the mystery yourself.

Travelling into the heart of the city, where crime runs through the veins of all its residents, was always going to be dangerous. Luckily you manage to scrounge up a motley group of misfits who are willing to assist you on the biggest journey you've ever been on. And you will soon be grateful for their support, as you come face to face with a dark, vengeful figure from your past you've tried your best to forget about.

In Pendosa, a revolution is coming, and when you inevitably find yourself right in the centre of it, you finally wonder whether you've dove too far deep into water you cannot emerge from.

A fully customisable character — play as male or female and choose your appearance and shape your personality [currently working on non-binary options]

Romance one of five of your fellow misfits!

Come to terms with the murder of your beloved older sister, Belle, and the effect this has on your parents

Solve the murder!

Face off with a shadow from your past

Explore the dark underbelly of the Underground, and the interesting people who call it home

Get to know your five closest allies, forge bonds, and destroy them just as easily

Discover controversial secrets the government has been hiding from the public

Eat trash?

And more to be added!

We All Bleed Red is currently rated 18+ for dark themes (murder, abusive relationships, violence, suicide, etc) as well as mentions of drugs/alcohol and swearing.

PLAY THE DEMO HERE

all ROs genders are player selectable and, as you will never be asked to state your sexual inclination, are avaliable to all players!

the artist — chengyi/changjie huang

Loyal to a fault, C has been your roommate for three years now, and has known your sister for just as long. Devastated by your older sister's death, C does not hesitate to assist you in your quest to find her murderer. A dark sense of humour, amateur art skills, and a painful lack of confidence seem to follow C where ever they go, but you really couldn't ask for a better best friend. Over the years, you've noticed a change in your relationship with C — there seems to be a vague line between the two of you that you are both too scared to cross, although C seems to be testing how far they can push, and you know they would love nothing more than to call themselves yours. Will C be able to finally tell you how they feel about you, or will their child-like love only put your investigation in jeopardy?

the journalist — noel/noelle reid

Despite being the child of a baron, there is no love lost between N and their family. Brought up to believe in treating someone well until you have the chance to strike, N seems to lack any grasp on who they actually are as a person, and what they value most. On the surface N is as charming as anything, but there is a rage bubbling under the surface ready to blow at any moment. Finding an interest in journalism and learning of other people's stories, N offers you their skills in your investigation while trying their best to ignore the implication the tag 'the family disappoinment' has on their life. Will you be able to help N gain a sense of identity, or will they poison your own heart with their destructive presence?

the rebel — yuri/yaryna tarasovich

51% motherfucker, 49% son of a bitch — Y runs one of the most notorious gangs in the Underground. While just as morally ambiguous and dramatic as you expected they would be, Y also has a curious habit of never taking anything too seriously, to the point where you wonder how they actually manage to lead a gang as fear-inciting as The Liberation. Their insight into the dark underworld of gang society makes them a crucial member of your amateur detective squad — well, they would be if they would stop flirting with you every chance they get. Y has the bad tendency of loving and leaving whatever pretty little thing captures their eye: will you be able to convince Y you're well worth keeping around, or will your heart simply be the next one they break?

the prodigy — vinesh/varsha kusari

The child of the chief police commissioner, V is furious when they find out their mother has given up on your sister's case, and is the one to suggest you start to investigate it yourself. However, don't mistake their initiative for a helping hand — V is only assisting you to prove themself to their mother. In fact, V tries their best to make this very clear: their presence soon becomes more overbearing and controlling than anything, as they insist on disagreeing with every suggestion you have about the case. Additionally, you can never actually tell what they are thinking — is that stare they're sending you a look of longing or disbelief? Will you be able to break through V's cold, emotionless exterior, or will their stubbornness be the downfall of the whole investigation?

the fighter — lian/leilani soriano

L has met evil when they were just a child, although it seems the dark tendrils of the Underground haven't managed to pierce their heart quite yet. Initially suspicious of you at first, L is quick to change their tune. With a heart of gold and the demeanor of your typical 'dad friend', they are hesitant to fully assist you with your impromptu investigation due to the trauma of their past, but are influenced to help by their unwavering morality.  However, L has tried to bury events in their past deep, just like you, and they threaten to spill over the further you sink into the dark underbelly of the Underground. Will you support L as they work through the trauma of their past, or will you merely be another presence in their life who leaves them eventually?

more about the ros | about me! | updates

[nagisasstunningpersonality]

Retranslation and Analysis of That Fight Scene

So firstly, I just want to say the subs are not bad and convey the general meaning very well, in a way that sounds natural in English. That being said, there's always some things that get lost in literal translation, and I really want to demonstrate how much depth the Japanese in this scene actually has for Karma and Nagisa's characters.

Basically the TLDR point here is that this fight is very much not about Korosensei. This is completely platonic, I promise I resisted making any shippy points.

Karma: Hey, Nagisa kun, aren't you getting extremely carried away?

Nagisa: Eh? (definitely surprised and bewildered)

Karma: The number one strongest assassin in Class E is Nagisa kun, isn't it? (uses yo here, which suggests confidence in the statement). Are you (very directly yourself, your own thoughts) wanting to quit assassination? Let's think about the talentless others who are desperately trying their hardest to kill him. When you put it like that, it's like a woman who 'has it' telling the ugly ones that they should honestly quit being so desperate to get a boyfriend, that kind of feeling?"

So some interesting analysis here is that Karma says "zuibun", or extremely, when the original translation is "a tad". The translation feels more natural in English, however it kind of makes me feel that Karma's trying to make more of a point. Nagisa has the right to be making suggestions and stepping up, but he's gone so far this time it's crossed a line.

I think 才能がないなり (talentless, saino ga nai nari) is also very interesting. Talent is the best translation, but if you look at the kanji very literally, there's "genius" and "ability". This specific word choice more implies that the other assassins are good, but Nagisa's just another level. Japanese grammar is confusing at best, but essentially 'nari' means become. So you take this as kind of like 'students who couldn't develop genius ability'.

The repetition of 'desperate' is also pretty interesting, linking the examples together better. It emphasises the point that they're kind of at a loss with. He also doesn't directly say attractive woman, he says "motteiru onna", which essentially means the same, but is literally "a woman who has (no object given but essentially 'it'). This more directly reflects to what he's saying about Nagisa, he HAS talent, this unspecified natural quality that makes him better than everyone else without trying.

There's also a lot more rhetorical questions in the Japanese, which got combined into single sentences in the English. The "let's think" thing is very literally what he says, like he's wanting Nagisa to actually consider his thoughts for himself.

Nagisa's original argument and intention may have been about Korosensei. Karma may be genuinely opposed to saving Korosensei. But that isn't the point of Karma's argument at all, he's making this about Nagisa because he's reached a limit with the both of them.

In order to spare you, more under the cut.

Nagisa: T-the aim wasn't... Above all, for assassination, your understanding is always better than mine

Karma: Saying that directly (take with slight pinch of salt - he could have also said "fixing your statement") is irritating. In reality, isn't it that you yourself are the most powerful, and you can't comprehend the feelings of weak humans?

Nagisa: That's wrong (also using affirmative yo here)! That's not what I said! These are my true feelings! Do you hate Korosensei? We went to see a movie together with him, didn't we have a variety of great times?!"

Karma: That's why, that octopus did his best to come and make a fun classroom every time, and didn't give up like Nagisa. Without bloodlust, this classroom wouldn't have been built. Can't you understand the effort?! It's not just your body, are you still a fresh elementary school student?

One thing to note here is that Nagisa isn't actually finishing his sentences. You can absolutely tell what he means because Japanese makes sense like that, but he's still dropping words. Or when he does say a full sentence, they're very short statements. He is desperate here, trying to prove a point he can't actually voice into words correctly.

The context here is that this is before we know their full backstory. Nagisa admired Karma, and he can't quite say it right yet. He thinks they're on different stages still, and Karma is frustrated because Nagisa doesn't see the point.

Karma, after all, does have this inhuman image of Nagisa in his head from years ago. The image of Nagisa looking like some kind of snake demon as he kills Karma in his sleep. He genuinely still, here, believes that Nagisa is purposely hiding this. That's why he keeps putting words into Nagisa's mouth. He's also cutting him off at points, not listening at all to what he's truly saying.

At the same time, Karma starts talking down to him. Instead of saying 'no' (how you'd end a sentence to a friend), he starts using 'kai', which is condescending and how you'd speak to a child. There's an argument here to be made for Karma doing this as a kind of defence mechanism too, but that's very complicated. At this point he really is just trying to get to him.

They are not arguing about killing Korosensei, not at all.

Karma: Huh?

Nagisa: *does the creepy eye thing*

Karma: Eh? What are those eyes? You with the social standing of a tiny female animal, are you defying a human?

Nagisa: I was just...

Karma: If you have a complaint, how about saying it after you win a fight for once? It's aimed at me, so come on. C'mon. C'mon. C'mon!

This is actually one of the most significant changes to the original.

This is the thing, Karma was never calling Nagisa a tiny mouse of whatever, he was just comparing him to one. Because he knows very clearly that Nagisa isn't like that. He sees that look in his eyes and it prompts him, in his frustration, to finally try and bring it out of Nagisa. He's trying to prove a point.

But then Nagisa stops himself. He lets go of his bloodlust for a moment, defaulting to Nagisa as we know and love him, literally turning his head away from Karma.

But Karma's too far gone at this point, he's dragged stuff up his past feelings about Nagisa, the ones he's been hiding for a year to be tentative friends with him, and now he can't let them go. He needs to see Nagisa's darker side plainly, no matter what that means.

It's also important that he says "it's aimed at me". I think this is a little deeper than literal. I think what he's implying here is this entire thing is somehow aimed at him, like Nagisa's trying to strip everything away just for his own perspective.

Obviously at this point Nagisa snaps and chokes him.

Nagisa internal thoughts: Even I...

Nagisa: I'm not going with half my feelings!

Karma: This guy...

This is also pretty significant. I'm surprised they cut the "even I" part because that says a lot about Nagisa's current feelings. He still doubts himself. He's aware that he's a pacifist, that he's got a lesser social standing, but Karma's put him into a position where he has to stand up for himself. And this is important to him.

Karma smiles when he says "this guy", getting ready to punch him. He feels like he's succeeded, in a way. Though at first he looked genuinely surprised Nagisa actually did it. There's a certain kind of satisfaction that finally he managed to bring Nagisa's 'true' self out.

Obviously at this point they get separated.

So what does all of this actually tell us? Well, pretty clearly here, this is just Karma's issues coming to light. But also a very helpful and useful moment for Nagisa's development as a character. Whether we agree with Karma using him as a punching bag or not, it genuinely does force Nagisa to get some self agency for once.

Karma and Nagisa will never be characters who sit around and talk honestly about their feelings. But even if they're using a whole situation to mask the fact that they very much are discussing their relationship here, it is still a significant moment where pretty much all the barriers they've been putting up against each other drop. They're just still not entirely on the same page through this scene.

Nagisa thinks Karma is just looking down on him and trying to pick a fight. He's baffled and confused as to why Karma feels so strongly against him.

Karma, on the other hand, thinks Nagisa is better than them all and is frustrated when he 'purposely' acts like he isn't. Karma still feels lied to from when they were kids. And he wants to expose it all, to get Nagisa to understand the position his skill puts him in. I honestly don't think Karma ever thought Nagisa was less than him at all, he just knew it would be an easy way to get a reaction. See how he flips tactic from "you're the best here" to "you're a tiny animal" when Nagisa just went into denial the first time?

I'm not going to go into the whole of their actual full fight, but there's some interesting points that reflect back on all of this.

Korosensei saying "your own answer is right in front of you", basically demonstrating that this entire thing really is just Karma and Nagisa

The entire point of the fight was to get one hit in with a knife, but Karma decides to just continuously beat Nagisa instead. Which yeah, is pretty ineffective. Pretty much proves again that it wasn't about just taking a victory.

Karma took Nagisa's hits on purpose, maybe it can be argued that this is trying to make things last longer, to get Nagisa to actually work for it.

Nagisa demands that he listens to what he has to say. And that's right, because Karma was cutting him off originally.

Karma is a super strategist right? And he was genuinely shocked that Nagisa didn't use his bloodlust to take him down. This is Karma. Sure, he's allowed to make mistakes. But this is odd for him. He was so caught up in his own perspective of Nagisa just having that skill that unfairly made him better. But Nagisa literally throws that skill out and beats Karma on his own level, pretty much disproving him. Maybe Nagisa has this special ability, but he's also worked just as hard as everyone else. He's trained to know what assassination means.

Beating Karma like this, on a 'human' level, was pretty much it. Karma stopped fighting back when he realised that, because he was disproven, and pretty much every wall he put up against Nagisa got literally choked out of him. Karma is already known as kind of an ass and a dirty fighter, you really think he'd worry about the others not accepting it if he stabbed Nagisa fair and square? If he cared that much about killing Korosensei, he would have just done it.

Their fight was never about Korosensei.

[amy-oswin-lovegood]

As I watched the second half of episode 9, I knew I'd have a lot of thoughts about O Helga Natt, but apparently I also had a lot to say about Sees fredag. Anyway, here's all of it (tw bipolar, mania, depression, suicide).

Just as a side note, it always tickles me that Isak still has Even's contact saved as Even Kosegruppa after everything, and is a nice detail to have. As always, Tarjei's acting is amazing and really carries this scene, especially since there aren't many lines. You can see him gathering the courage to finally call Even, and the anticlimactic feeling when it goes to voicemail. We know that by this point Even is depressed, so it could be that he just wasn't answering his phone in general. But I can also imagine him assuming Isak wants to break up and not being ready for that. It's such a heartbreaking juxtaposition, how Isak is like this is how we start again while Even is like this is how we end.

Isak's phone rings and it's his dad, and this is the third time recently that the show has teased us (and Isak) by making us think it's one person, only for it to be someone else. After Isak comes out to his mom, you think it's her, but it's actually Sonja wanting to talk about Even. Then, when Isak tells Even to stop texting him, you think it's Even yet again, but it's actually his mom telling him how much she loves him. And now, he's called Even, and you think it's him but it's actually his dad. It's great for tension and also for redirecting the scene in a way that feels natural. After all, in real life, people don't communicate with you in an orderly or coordinated fashion. Life doesn't wait for you to wrap up one plot point before introducing another.

This is the first time we get to hear Isak's dad, not just see his texts. We honestly don't know much about him, just that he left Isak alone with his mom at 16, he's now paying Isak's rent, he's trying to reconnect with Isak, and he's not homophobic. We also know that Isak is very angry and resentful towards him, never talking to him unless he has to and always replying in a curt or angry tone, so I get the sense that he hasn't been a good dad to Isak in maybe more ways than we know. But he's trying to make amends, and that complicates things. How do you deal with someone who's trying to change and be better, but wants to forget the past actions that are still hurting you now? How can you trust that they're genuine now when they've only let you down before? It's easy to hold on to the justified anger when you're apart, but when Isak finally talks to his dad, you can almost see the anger slip away from when he answers the phone to when the conversation gets going. Because he's still his dad, and Isak still wants his love and acceptance just like with his mom.

Isak tells his dad that him having a boyfriend was just a joke, closing himself off. But as his dad continues talking, the look in Isak's eyes says so much. It's the feeling of I don't want to hide anymore and how could I say that what I had with Even was a joke and I have to say something now while I still have the chance. So he tells his dad it wasn't a joke, it's just over. And now he's admitted the truth to his dad, but he's also admitted something to himself. It's over. And I think that realization is what brings him to tears again, even as he tells his dad he's fine. That moment feels so real - when you're sad and you want comfort, but you can't trust the person offering it, and that makes you feel even more alone.

You hear the murmurs of a crowd. You're inside a beautiful church filled with candles and a cross with a bright blue outline. The violins start. Isak is walking up the aisle, towards his parents. You can see that he's nervous and apprehensive. When he finally gets to them, there's a bit of awkwardness as they hug, but as they talk Isak gets more confident and happy. They're all trying for each other. They're all here.

Isak gets a text from Even, and my hope grows, but as I read it my heart drops. Because it's a suicide note. Now, I have no way of knowing what Even's intentions were at the time because they're never explained to us, but it reads exactly like a suicide note and there's no way the production team didn't know that. Even's gone somewhere sentimental, is apologizing for hurting Isak, talks about how everyone's alone, and then writes In another place in the universe we're together forever, remember that. Love you. Even. It's all so final, like he's telling him now because he'll never get the chance to again. And I can't help but be baffled every time when Isak reads it and smiles before going to sit down, not picking up any of the implications. But I know from their previous conversations that Isak doesn't have dark thoughts the way Even does, so I can understand why his mind doesn't go there, even as mine does.

The music is beautiful. We watch Isak watch the singer. The moment when he makes eye contact with Isak, with us, always gives me shivers, like he's trying to send a message. And then Isak starts remembering. Romeo + Juliet and how it ends in death. Even's comments about death. His drawing that says sleep is the cousin to death. Even saying that epic love stories have to end in tragedy. The wikipedia article that says that often, mania is followed by depression. You see Isak putting it all together, re-reading the text and realizing the darker meaning. And then he runs out of the church and towards Even.

The way we flash through all of the Isak and Even moments as Isak runs through Oslo is such a good reminder of everything they've been through. That despite the pain, there's been so many moments of happiness and love. They show us that Isak is remembering, and is determined to fight for this relationship, that he won't give up on Even. Isak gets to the bench, and it's empty. He doesn't know what else to do, and for a moment I wonder if the worst has already happened, if the show would do that to us. But then he remembers the bathroom, and turns around, and Even is there, alive, walking out of the school.

The moment Even sees Isak he just stops, like he's shocked and also not sure if Isak is actually here. I love how they walk to each other slowly, because it would be wrong for them to run at each other and kiss and spin around like in a rom com. They're both taking their time, taking each other in, taking in the fact that they're here and they're alive. Isak presses his forehead to Even's, then rubs their cheeks and noses together, just reveling in the fact that he is with Even, that he can be close to Even like this, and it feels so much more intimate and loving than a kiss ever could. Even is still trying to take it all in, to process that Isak has come back for him. He finally allows himself to accept Isak's affection, to reciprocate, and then Isak utters the only words in the entire clip. You are not alone. And you can see the moment the words hit Even, how much he needed to hear that, how much this means to him. Only then do they kiss, tenderly and carefully, before Isak pulls Even into a tight hug, holding and comforting him in the cold night.

So much of this scene is in Henrik and Tarjei's acting, in their microexpressions and small movements, in how they react to one another. With that and the way the scene is cut together, they don't need words to convey the weight of the moment or the conversation happening between Isak and Even. And on top of it all, we have O Helga Natt playing beautifully. I don't speak Norwegian, so I can't speak to the lyrics, but I trust that this song has been picked for a reason and that there's a lot of significance in them as well as in their timing. It makes me so happy to know that this won an award, because it's probably the most beautiful scene I've ever seen in a television show, and I know I'm far from the only one to say that. Every element is so well thought out, and it all comes together to create a masterpiece.

I realize a lot of this has been more of a play-by-play than actual thoughts or analysis or anything, but I feel like the scenes speak for themselves. I'm not saying anything new here, just getting everything out in a more coherent way. While episode 8 leaves me broken and hurting in the best way, episode 9 picks up the pieces and leaves me with hope.

[lotr-mkg]

Prologue Recap 2/2

“Good morning! Good afternoon! Good evening, everyone!”

Freyja summons the contestants back to the Boreal Tryst's sundeck to kick off Love on the Rocks, with her first order of business being to score the icebreakers that the cast has been filling out for the past several days.

"Looks like we got some fierce competition! Was it the passion of love that made you guys so eager to fill this out? Put a little pep in your step? I know it does mine. This won't take me too long to put together and decide a winner. Sit tight for a second, ok? I’ll be done in a j—!”

Her voice abruptly cuts off.

“I’ll be done in a ji—!”

She takes a second before she attempts the line again, repeating her contemplative movement in a cycle. But when she tries it this time, it sounds… Off. Not just off, but strange. Weird. Uncomfortable, almost, as her pitch drops and becomes distorted to the point of being completely intelligible.

“I̸̽̽'̸̀͒l̷̈̊l̶͌̈́ ̵̉͠b̷̌́e̵͒̓ ̴̀̉d̸͖̃ȯ̷͝n̶͛̕é̶͠ ̷̈́͗i̵̎͘n̵͋̌ ̷̂͒a̷͒͊ ̷̈́̕j̶̋͝í̴͐f̷̺̉f̸̂̋y̴̻͝!̸̑͗”

While many of the contestants look on in confusion, some more concerned about the program's well-being than others, a few attempt to gain Freyja's attention.

She doesn’t respond no matter what you say or do to get her attention. In fact, if anything, it looks like your attempts only make it worse. Almost like repetitively left clicking a frozen browser page. Not only does she remain stuck in her two-frame, chin-tapping buffering motion, but her pixels become grainy and glitched in the process. This doesn’t last for too much longer though, because just as it happened, her hologram shuts off all together, and you’re left just… Standing there. No explanation for what happened, let alone why it happened in the first place. You could pass it off at some sort of elaborate joke if you really wanted to - if it puts your mind at ease - but when there is a slow but drastic shift in the ship's course of direction, the fact that something is very, very wrong can’t be ignored. Water in the pool and jacuzzi slowly begins to tip to one side from the sudden change in momentum, the unbolted chairs on the deck slide, and, if you’re not careful, you could very well join them. Thank god for the rails.

With Freyja missing in action, the Boreal Tryst barrels towards land, eventually striking a number of rocks along the shoreline before coming to a stop. The contestants go uninjured, save for maybe a few minor bruises from stumbling around, dazed, confused, and angry about whatever just happened.

Among the chaos of their shipwreck, they're able to spot buildings in the distance. Hoping they've lucked out on being dropped near civilization, the contestants safely climb their way down the escape ladder and make their way towards what appears to be a small town, hoping they'll be able to call the producers and explain what happened.

... A small town that's entirely abandoned, unfortunately.

The streets are filled with hollow and dilapidating buildings, with no signs of life in sight as the light dusting of snow crunches underneath their feet.

Suddenly, a familiar upbeat voice cut through the cold.

“Hello? Hellooo?”

A small display of Freyja pops up from each one of your watches, speaking in unison.

“Oh, gosh! That was so weird! My body felt all tingly and numb… My head got all dizzy... Or, it would have if I had a body that could feel tingly and numb, and a head to get dizzy in the first place. Haha!”

Questions about their circumstances begin to rise. What happened? Where are they?

"Luckily, I do know where you are, Liezel! A liiittle isolated coastal city way up north of Norway called Forsetalundr." She giggles before leaning in, like she's whispering. "Kind of cozy, isn't it?"

“My sensors are telling me that the cabins in the ship aren’t being fed heat anymore… But that’s nothing to worry about! I’ve found a nearby motel for you all to stay in, and I even took the liberty of assigning you some new roommates for a change of pace. You know, since, um, you’ll prooooobably be here for a while!”

“I guess I could [also] send out a radio signal on an open channel to ask for help, buuut… I don’t think I’m gonna do that! If someone else shows up to save you guys, that would ruin the whole show, you know? Since the whole point is to see what you guys do without other people interfering, right?”

The group begins to grow irate. What is she talking about?

"... Oh! I know this one. That sounds like disappointment, doesn't it? Anger, maybe? I know it's not super ideal, but I've been told that people say the show must go on, or something! So, we're going to keep playing the game, okay? Buuut, if you really want to go home, you can always d̶̦̚ì̴̅v̴̻̄o̵̩̕r̴̛̼c̴̆̍e̶ someone."

"It'll break my heart - and theirs, I’m sure - but if you d̶̦̚ì̴̅v̴̻̄o̵̩̕r̴̛̼c̴̆̍ẻ̶̗ one of the other contestants without getting caught, you'll get closer to me signaling for help! How do you divorce someone, you might ask? Welllll, it's simple, really!"

"You k̸i̵l̶l̸ them, of course!"

"It'll be so romantic, but so tragic! You've all read Romeo and Juliet, right? Star-crossed lovers, pulled apart by the claws of death..."

"Oh! But I know that's pretty vague, so I went ahead and updated your guidelines on your RIMEKEEPERS with more information on how it'll work. Do me a favor and read those over, will you? Thanks!”

The contestants read over the updated rules provided by Frejya, naturally outraged... well, save for a certain Shinya, who seems pretty amused by the whole thing. Hey, this isn't what they signed up for at all, is it?

As her last order of business before disappearing, Freyja finally seems to remember what started all of this-- The icebreaker! But what she adds seems... a little different than your standard dating show fare.

“Since we're probably going to be stuck here for a while, we'll need some new ground rules, since this isn't the ship, right? Our three winners of the icebreaker - the person with the highest score and two runner ups - will be this rounds very special lawmakers. They worked really hard, so I figured they would be best fit to set the bar for this lawless town. Like sheriffs back in the days of cowboys!”

“They’ll get together and discuss one rule to set into motion, for better or for worse. This rule could potentially only help them, or help the entire group if they’re feeling generous. Either way, it won’t be easy. It’s a lot of responsibility, and it’s hard to make everyone happy! I’m sure they’ll do juuust fine though.”

Before anything else can be said, her display on your watch flickers off, and you’re one again felt with how you started — alone, together. Is this… really what you all signed up for? Being stranded in a desolate town, being held hostage unless you’re compliant, and being forced to kill one another if you ever want to leave? Is this Love on The Rocks?

[roswelldetails]

RNM 2x06 - Sex and Candy

EPISODE SUMMARY:

Maria’s (Heather Hemmens) investigation into her mother’s disappearance leads her and Alex (Tyler Blackburn) to the home of a mysterious boot maker named Travis (guest star David Anders). Meanwhile, on her journey of self-discovery, Isobel’s (Lily Cowles) night out leads her into the arms of someone unexpected. Finally, after making some major scientific strides, Liz (Jeanine Mason) is dealt a devastating blow. Geoff Shotz directed the episode written by Rick Montano & Vincent Ingrao (#206). Original airdate 4/20/2020.

DETAILS:

Max and Isobel's fight:

Lights start flickering when Max starts getting aggressive and then get brighter as he gets more worked up.

The first attempt to expel it seemed like he was causing an earthquake.  He blew out all the windows in the gym, knocked Isobel down, and there was shaking.  But it didn't seem to go beyond that room - no damage is seen when Michael arrives or around town.

Note, after the earthquake thingie the lights go out 

His hands are doing the electric power thingie and THEN he also grabs the lightning.

I think Isobel used her telekinesis to stop it and then push it away, which seemed to work...but if so then why couldn't Noah do that last season? 

Was it the sheer volume of electricity? There was definitely MORE than with Noah.

Michael uses his telekinesis to manually reset Max's heart.  This is very smart of him. Note that he's using his own heart/pulse to get it right.

They are using the antidote to Liz's serum to try to heal Max's mind. 

Michael says that they've been giving him antidote injections for three days (time jump).

Three days of antidote and no new memories for Max.

Isobel remembered her blackouts within a few hours of getting injected with the antidote in 1x10.

Note: Liz hesitated using the antidote this way in 1x10 because Isobel could still be dangerous and they didn't know about the 4th Alien yet.  There doesn't seem to be a similar hesitation with Max. Because Liz trusts him more? Because him forgetting her is more personal? It's not like there isn't a chance that Max is still dangerous…

Maria arranged a Mexican market in the Pony parking lot to subsidize her income.

Buffy the Beagle is Forrest's dog!

Maria comments that the meteor shower makes animals act strange. And humans too.

Forrest and Maria are organizing an open night mic at the Wild Pony.  Free drinks for performers.

Maria clearly approves of Forrest and Alex getting to know each other.  She smacks Alex for his awkward flirting.

The bootmaker's farm is about an hour outside of town.

The Science:

Kyle and Steph are watching a "surgical separation of craniopagus twins".

Craniopagus Twins = twins attached at the cranium/head. (Aka not a heart surgery).

"Did you know, ever since 1947, twin births in Roswell are higher than the national average? Maybe it's aliens."

Speaking of awkward flirting…. "You're just my favorite person I can't stand."

The Spanish:

Le cambio una bolsa de chiles para mi papá...for the free fries next time you come to the Crashdown.

Liz is bartering.  She says basically, I'll trade you a bag of chiles for my papa for free fries next time you come to the Crashdown. 

Note, the captions for this are wrong and use the Spanish word for grasshoppers instead, but you can clearly hear Liz say chiles. Thanks to @rosaortecho for pointing that out to me.

Max says:

I'm trying to eat clean. Uh, tiene carne seca sin como se dice, preservativos.

He's trying to say, basically, does the jerky have preservatives. 

Quiere carne a sin preservativos?

Basically, you want meat without condoms?

Lo siento. Uh, no lo entiendo.

I'm sorry, I don't get it.

Él quiere decir conservantes.

He means preservatives.

Gracias. Estoy embarazado.

Thank you. I'm pregnant.

Michael asks Max who he's texting. Max says everyone has been messaging him but Cameron is the only one who hasn't responded, which isn't like her.

Wildly curious who he was texting though.  It's not like he's a social butterfly. His mom? The sheriff? Who? As I pointed out to some friends the other day, he spent his 21st birthday getting trashed with his SISTER. This is not a trait of a guy with lots of close friends.

Just as another note, Michael says he ghosted her. When exactly was that? Yes, Max ran out on her in the middle of a handy in 1x03, but they addressed that the next day.  She "broke up" with him in 1x07, but they were still good right up until she left town. 

Isobel:

"Does he seem different to you?"

Alex and Maria playing "Never have I Ever" in the car. Good way to do background on characters.

Maria has never cheated on a boyfriend

Alex has never been in a real relationship. Not even "Kellie Sommer-something".

Alex says that whenever he was with a woman he was trying to disappear.  Except for Sophomore year after Battle of the Bands. Seven Minutes in Heaven in Haley Moore's hall closet. Alex and Maria kissed and it was Maria's first kiss (and boob graze).  She always thought she'd marry Alex. Had to come up with a new plan after he came out. 

Alex says "I did too."

"Kissing you in that closet was the first time in my life that I enjoyed touching someone."

Max picks up Liz for their first date…

Just as a note, Save Tonight was the opening song in the pilot of OG Roswell. During the "oh, Max Evans is staring at you again." exchange between Liz and Maria.  So, it might go well with new beginnings or something ;-)

The Science:

"Psychogenic amnesia limits retrieval of stored memories, but if we light up your limbic system and gustatory cortex with some familiar signals…"

"Your milkshake might bring all my memories to the yard?"

**Note, second reference to this song in the context of Liz bringing Max milkshakes. First was in 1x06 by Isobel. Hmm. 1x06 and 2x06… maybe they should crack this joke in 3x06 too.

"Sometimes when people wake up from comas they have different personalities, different tastes even…"

Everything you ever wanted to know about psychogenic amnesia:

But, my main takeaway is that it's a specific type of amnesia where there's abnormal memory function but no brain damage or other clear cause of it.

Limbic system:

Basically the part of your brain that stores emotion, behavior, and long term memory.

Gustatory cortex:

Basically the part of your brain that processes taste.

Maria compares Michael to Chad because he starts fights and lies.  Alex disagrees and lists ways that he was doing good things:

He lied to protect his family from Alex's family.

He shouldered the burden of a murder he didn't commit for ten years so that Isobel didn't have to.

He pushed Maria away to protect her - which might be a good thing too because of all his baggage. 

First Date:

Max went to Ranch camp one summer and dislocated his shoulder while trying to read Lord of the Rings on horseback. #nerd. 

Liz references the gala as not their first date, but there was also the desert in high school.  I guess she doesn't count that either. 

Side note: Cam and Liz talked about him peacocking in 2x03, but that kinda felt out of character at the time to the Max we knew.  This Max DOES seem like he's peacocking a bit. Got dressed up, taking Liz horseback riding. He admitted to trying to one up whatever they did together before. Just an interesting (to me) observation.

Liz looks panicky when Max suggests truth serum (because Science!Liz probably could make truth serum), but once she realizes he means whiskey she's like, "oh yes, that's fine." Oh Liz… 

Diego details:

They were engaged just last year

Liz left without saying goodbye

Bioengineer 

They were working together on the Denver study

They would come home and keep talking about work

He had ideas to help improve it

They both spoke The Science

He pushed her to get better at The Science

When the funding was cut she realized she loved the work more than him

Liz couldn't figure out how tell him that so she packed her things in the middle of the night, hit the road, changed her phone, and blocked him on Facebook.

**This is the first time LIZ has mentioned social media. Interesting given the crap Maria keeps giving her about it!

Travis and fresh warm milk. What is up with it??

"Nice ring. Does it keep you from burning up in the daylight?"

David Anders introduces himself as Travis.

Just as a point of interest, Maria researched enough to find the bootmaker, figure out where he lives, but she didn't get his name??? 

Vampire Diaries/Originals reference.

Travis says he can't help with car stuff.

The milk was from a cow named Jennifer.  He milked her for the last time today. (Creepy).

Weird contradictory statements from Travis:

"You're the best thing I've seen in a long time."....

"Mm, I'm sorry. So many customers and all their ugly faces get all sewn up and stitched together in my mind."

"Yeah, that's the woman that bought them boots. While back. Nice lady. She paid cash."

Second reference to animals behaving strangely during a meteor shower:

"Meteor shower's got my girls singing a bit off key tonight.  Jennifer, she likes a good lullaby."

"Okay this guy is going to turn us into skin suits." (OG reference? Or just general sci-fi?)

Meteorchella at Planet 7 (Coachella-style party during meteor shower?) with any excuse to add sparkles!

Kyle says he's at Planet 7 because he's trying not to hang out with people from high school.

Isobel says she's trying to have fun without feeling like prey.

Don't think the details of Kyle/Isobel dancing matters all that much, but as a point of amusement I'll share that in the panel on Tuesday night they shared that Lily whispered something different to Trevino on every take...And they got progressively dirtier to the point that she finally felt like she crossed a line and profusely apologized.  Also the lick was a Lily addition. 

Max's confession about killing the drifter:

Kind of an interesting thing, comparing the first version of the drifter story in 1x06 to the 2x06 version. 1x06 was more dramatic, but 2x06 was more personal, I think. 

1x06

"There are moments that define our lives, and there are moments that divide our lives. Incidents that separate us into two different people: who we were before and who we will be after. Forever…One day we were children and the next we were something else. I was a killer. Michael an accomplice.  And Isobel...Isobel was broken."

2x06

"I killed a man once, on a camping trip. This drifter came out of nowhere, attacked Isobel.  I wasn't even thinking. I killed him. With this. I arrest people who kill people. Most of them usually regret what they did. You know, you can just tell that they're forever broken. It's like a piece of them dies with their victims. So when I could feel that darkness, like I had to kill, I wanted Isobel to let me die. Because I couldn't risk hurting even one innocent person. Cause life just wouldn't be worth living."

Kind of an interesting narrative choice to confess to murder on a first date and then have the girl just brush it aside. 

"No, it just hit me why you're so happy and idealistic, and I feel like an idiot. You are that way because you don't remember me. It's a clean slate.  It's like when you got out of the pods with whatever memories you had erased it's probably for your own good."

"Last I heard you were the love of my life."

"Your cohorts, they left out some details. Cause if you had your memories I'm positive the worst thing that's ever happened to you is connected to me. And I can't bear the weight of making you remember that again."

**Note, second time this has been implied.  Last time was by Michael in 1x08 regarding the alien symbol.

"...it's gotta have some connection to us right? Maybe it was something we saw somewhere before the crash."

"Sorry, are you, Max Evans, acknowledging that we must have had lives before we hatched out of the pods? You never want to talk about home."

"Hey, Roswell is home. Look, I'm sorry man. You're right. I've spent a lot of time not talking about where we come from or why we're here.  Keep thinking I can pretend the past away and just be normal. But if Isobel's blackouts are some alien thing, then I need to know more. Okay, and this symbol? That's all I have to go on. I mean don't you think it's strange that we don't have any memories? I mean, no parents, no language. We weren't infants, man. We were seven."

"I just figured our memory faded. Over 50 years in those pods. Maybe it was just time. Or maybe whoever put us in those pods doesn't want us to remember."

Travis and Trevor's house...with added bonus of his ring that Alex comments on.

Leather ribbons/strips on the wall are for (from?) Hayley and Gertrude. More cows, I presume. 

There's also a framed Purple Heart on the wall next to a photo of Travis?

"War really messes with a man's mind.  Gets it all twisted up.

Timeline issue!! Alex says Mimi was missing for 3 weeks, but according to the clearly established timelines in 201-203 it was 4 weeks (or a month ish).  I wrote about this here:

Maria put her jacket on a scarecrow to trick Travis. And did she leave it there?

(Answer: yes. She doesn't wear it for the rest of the episode. Smart of her, actually).

Michael sees Trevor come out of the house and is about to shoot him. Maria immediate knew it wasn't Travis and threw herself in front of Michael's gun

Trevor shoots Travis.

A bullet from the Crashdown shooting falls out of Max's journal.  Does it look like it has blood on it? Or maybe just ketchup? If it's THE bullet it would make a lot of sense that he kept it hidden - evidence that Liz was shot. See this comparison between one of Wyatt's bullets in 1x02 and the one Max finds in 2x06

"Sorry about my twin here. He's had a rough go."

"Combat does not make you an axe murderer."

"No, it wasn't the combat. It was the R&D. If a paramilitary group ever asks you to take part in a study, you run the other way. He showed up a few weeks ago. Locked me up out back. Lucky y'all showed up when you did. Gave me a chance to escape."

R&D is a military acronym for Research and Development. (Aka...The Science.)

Priscilla - the cow Mimi's boots were made from.

This is literally the only direct information gained about the boots from this little sleuthing excursion. 

Well, and that Mimi paid cash, which isn't like her.

Side note - I didn't really know what Paramilitary meant, so just in case any of you are also not good with military stuff, Paramilitary groups are like private armies. Like, I dunno, the private security firm that Jesse and Cam discussed in episode 2x04. 👀

Male doctor operating on Steph clearly states:

"All right we're approaching an arterial junction."

A female doctor replies and its less clear.  What I hear is...Blood gasses are back? Anyone else hear something that makes more sense than that?

He replied something like...the stint through here

She says something about pH levels.

Max admits that he didn't know what would happen when he decided to bring Rosa back.  He just wanted to fix the worst thing that ever happened to all of them.

"I can't believe we were Shyamalan'd by an evil twin."

I think Alex is referring to the twist ending? Or maybe just the insane axe murderer stuff.

M. Night Shyamalan wrote and directed the Sixth Sense, Signs, Split, etc…

During this scene is the first time we see Michael's tattoo… it's on his arm. I struggled with getting a cap of it, but I know there are gifs going around.

I had every intention of detailing the dialogue in the trailer scene, but before I could get to it, Carina posted the script, so I didn't think it was a good use of my time. Here's the script:

The next morning, Alex calls the Sheriff from outside the trailer for an update.

The Sheriff tells him that Travis and Trevor burned their home and ran...weren't caught by the sheriff.  Which means we may not have seen the last of them.

The Spanish:

"Oh my God. Dios mio, Max. I took off your pants before I even said I love you. I'm some kind of zorra."

Dios mio basically is Oh My God! So Liz really was spiraling. She went, "Oh my God, Oh my God..."

Zorra - female version of Zorro. Basically a vixen, bitch, prostitute… the internet has all sorts of fun words that it translates into. 

"I call this one Visceral Werewolf Part 2, dedicated to my boy Chee Chee, may he rest in peace."

Can we have more Bert? Bert is the best. Also kudos to his goofy friend who is wayyy too excited about this.

Forrest's slam poem:

Locked up for days,

Time slipping away,

On my knees I would pray to break free from this cage.

But bargaining for keys, you forget hidden fees.

And wishing for what you’re missing ain’t the same as living the dream. 

And now I’m fighting to stay on this side of the cage.

Even though I know a part of me wishes I’d stayed. 

Ain’t no prophet or rebel or savior or devil

Could have predicted, fought, cheated or leveled. 

A life with potential that’s squandered, 

A comfortable cell is a question I ponder. 

Am I a free man or a prisoner wanderer?

Max's memory flash:

Young Max, chained to the ground as described in 2x03. 

Max looks scared.

He's dressed all in white like the 1947 aliens after the crash (As shown in 1x12 and 2x03).

He's in a cave or something like a cave. 

Holes in the wall are glowing an orangey red color.

The ceiling is like the alien ship material with the alien symbol in it.  

A figure approaches from behind him, bends down, and places a hand on his shoulder.

It mirrors the figure approaching Nora in 2x03 and touching her shoulder before burning the military men...probably the same person? Noah? The stowaway? Someone new?

After the figure touches Max, he looks at the hand, and then a red glow lights his face.

MUSIC:

1. Xocoyotzin Herrera "Esperanza"

2. Jose Luis Lepe "La Carreta"

3. Eagle Eye Cherry "Save Tonight"

4. Lousiana Red "I Done Woke Up"

5. Whissell "Magnetic"

6. Stop Dead "Alchemistress Dance"

7.  Orville Peck "Turn To Hate"

8. Kim Petras "Close Your Eyes"

9. Orville Peck "Queen Of The Rodeo"

10. Moontricks "The Fall"

11. Years & Years "Hypnotised"

12. Jordan Critz Feat. Birdtalker "Through Your Eyes"

This time I couldn't find the Whissell and Stop Dead tracks on spotify - however the Stop Dead track is referenced at being by Chelsea Dawn in the closed captions.  Which I did find. Trying to confirm this. Let me know if anyone else had better luck!

[catferro]

Timeframe:  Sometime earlier this year

Location: Tina's apartment

People: Ryan Pierce & Tina Cohen-Chang

Third time is the charm. That's what people always say, right? So wouldn't it make sense to assume it would also be the case for Ryan and Tina's relationship?  Ever since they got together a few years back, they've had their ups and downs. They've broken up and gotten back together, over and over again. Each time they broke up, however, made a bigger dent in each of their hearts. Angry words, spiteful comments, and unreasonable assumptions were all made in the heat of the moment, but each time they managed to get through it together. But this time? This time, reconciliation didn't seem all that likely...

Ryan fought to not raise his voice but the frustration was getting the best of him. Brashly, he ran a hand roughly through his hair, leaving odd pieces of hair sticking out from its usual coiffed shape. "Tina... baby, please. Can we just talk about this? I don't, I don't understand why all of a sudden, you're making that kind of accusation. I just want to understand, please... I know you're angry, but I can't understand if you won't talk to me."

Tina crossed her arms across her chest, not here for his baby, please. Not this time. He couldn't just nice it all away. "I've been talking, Ryan. You're not listening," she insisted, though she knew on some level her thoughts had been far from complete. "I see you flirting and charming every person that walks through the doors. The exact same flirt and charm that gets me hook, line, and sinker. What am I supposed to think?"

Ryan, with a frown marring his normally bright and open face, peered at Tina from his seated position in front of her. How did things get so wrong so quickly?  "That I am absolutely and irrevocably in love with you? That you're the one who brightens up my day just by showing up?" He had no idea that being himself bothered Tina so much. This was his personality and he thought she knew that from the beginning. What kind of person would he be if he had to stopped being this way? Was he willing to compromise his own personality for her? Thousands of questions rushed through his mind and it was getting far too overwhelming. All he wanted was to be with Tina, why couldn't she see that?

Tina closed her eyes, her head shaking at his remarks. Whether his remarks were true or not, it didn't do anything to dissuade the remarks she'd made. What was she supposed to do? Let his love for her blind her to the fact that he'd chat up anything that breathed? "I love you too. I do, but I just... It's one thing to be the friendly doorman, it's another to try to be getting an invite to open doors back at their place," she accused, and maybe it was a stretch. Maybe. She knew he was a charmer, god did she ever, but until they started working at the same place, she hadn't had to witness the way other girls preened under his attention. She hadn't thought herself the jealous type, but then again, she knew she still had plenty to learn about herself.

Tina's words hit Ryan like a bullet speed train, leaving him jaw slacked and unable to breathe. It was like an insurmountable weight was sitting on his chest; it hurts so much. After everything that they've been through, the previous separations, their reconciliations, every good and bad... How could she even think that he would cheat on her? "How could you say something like that?" He asked incredulously. "You're the only girl I've ever loved to such a degree. I'm sorry that my inaction have allowed you to draw such a conclusion, but god dammit, Tina! I love you! I'm so in love with you that I can't go one minute without thinking about you!" Feeling choked up, Ryan bowed his head and allowed the tears to well up in his eyes. "I would never cheat on you... or even entertain such a preposterous idea..."

Tina could only stare him down as he spoke, feeling her gut twist as he did.  She knew he was telling the truth, despite the jealousy that was still brewing inside of her. Ryan probably did have endless opportunities to cheat on her, but he wouldn't. But not trusting him and the girls and guys that swooned when his eyes sparkled in the afternoon sun was easier than admitting she didn't trust herself. Not to cheat, she was undoubtedly faithful to Ryan, but to be faithful to herself. To not lose herself in a boy or a romance. To just become his or the better half.  Accusations were definitely easier, until he looked the way he looked when he heard them.  "You're not standing where I'm standing. They eat up every word you say."

Ryan was a giant ball of emotion, and it was wrecking his concentration. He was desolated by the things Tina was saying, so much so that he could feel himself getting angry. The last thing he ever wanted to be was angry with her. "No, I'm not, but what I'm getting out of this is that you want me to change who I am fundamentally. Can't you see that you're everything I want and need? You're more than enough for me. Yes, I'm affectionate with others, but even when I'm with them, I'm with you!" His voice began to raise.

Tina raised an eyebrow then. “So you are with them, then?” she challenged, voluntarily twisting his words. “Do you tell them you have a girlfriend or do you just let them assume your bachelor status?” She was pacing at this point. The frustration and uncertainty were bubbling right underneath the surface while consequence had escaped her mind. “If I’m everything, why do you need to entertain their whims?”

It would be a lie to say that Tina's words didn't hurt, every accusation chipped away at Ryan's heart. To know that he can inspire such hostility from the woman he loves is almost unbearable. But it was that woundedness in her voice that made him feel helpless to try and remedy whatever is going on as soon as possible. The questions were coming from all over the places, places that Ryan had difficulties to reconcile that it was even Tina that he's talking to. "I have made it very clear to everyone who asks that I am yours." Ryan did his best to temper his tone with love and patience, void of any bitterness or condescension; he just wanted to make her see the situation as he did. That his every word, his every action with others stemmed from a place of respect and comradery. "I know my job doesn't exactly allow me to spend time with you whenever you're there, but please, please know that there isn't anyone else for me."

Turning to look at Ryan again, Tina propped a hand on her hip. "So, what about the ones that don't ask? Then it's all just best kept secret?" This conversation was going nowhere, and everything he said just frustrated her more.. Not to mention how level he still sounded. Yes, she could see the hurt in his eyes, but wasn't she worth actually fighting with - fighting for? "You thinking I'm making up stories in my head because I'm lonely? It's not like I'm some pathetic girl waiting by the phone for you to call me. I have a life outside of you."

Ryan wrung his hands together in frustration and exhaled through his nose. God is really testing him; how could they give him the greatest gift of all only to cruelly rip it away from him every single time he got so close? Things were getting louder and louder inside his head, he didn't even know if it was voices or just white noise, but it was all too overwhelming. "I have never once thought that you're not perfectly capable on your own, Tina! You're an inspiration to many, but more importantly, you inspire me to be a better person so that I may be worthy of being next to you." Curling his hands into a tight fist in another attempt to remain calm and not fall into a shouting match with Tina, because that helps nobody and nothing. "You do understand that... It does occur to you, hopefully, that you realize I have feelings too," Even with his nails digging into his palm, Ryan could feel his hands shake, his breathing uneven, his jaw clenched tight; it was almost like he was getting unhinged. "When you say something like that." He bit out just shy of angrily.

Tina pursed her lips, considering what he’d said and only feeling the wheels turn more quickly in her head. “So now I’m making things up because you don’t spend enough time with me AND I’m completely unaware of your feelings,” she recounted, using her fingers to list off the so-called accusations. Her hands dropped, clapping against her sides as she groaned in frustration. The fight had yet to be the same when they’d broken up, but the pulse through her veins was all too familiar. The stab low in her gut. “If it’s so much work to be with me, then maybe you just shouldn’t be,” Tina finally challenged.

What else was there left to say? Everything Tina has said thus far has solidify the fact that they shouldn't be together. Every single time something of importance happens in their relationship, they fail to overcome the hurdle together. It was always the same thing, rinse and repeat. Really, Ryan should just cut his losses and find someone else. Someone who wouldn't break up with him because he said he loved her for the first time. Someone who wouldn't say these hurtful baseless things simply because they can. By all accounts, they should just be done with each other. But he didn't want to. It all sounds logical and reasonable but it went against every fiber that made up who Ryan is. "But can't you see, Tina, that all I ever wanted was to be with you?!" He yelled out, letting all his frustration pour out. "All I ever wanted was to make a life with you! Why can't you see that you're the person I want to marry and grow old with?" Silence reigned between them after his outburst. His chest was heaving from his uneven breathing and his heart pounded loudly in his ears. Taking a deep breath, Ryan kneeled down in front of Tina, and said softly, "I want to marry you, Tina. I want to be there for you through every high and every low. I want to share every part of my life with you. I never want there be a reason for you to ever doubt my devotion for you, and if that means taking any and all the oaths with you, then I want nothing more. I can wait forever for you, but I just need there to be a reason to wait. Because I can't.. I don't want to live without you." Reaching out, he held Tina's hands in his palms. "So, will you marry me?" He looked on, half terrified and half hopeful.

The yelling was enough to stop Tina where she stood, a look of shock on her face as she met his eyes. Ryan never yelled. She tried to find the words to say next, the snappy comeback she always had in her back pocket, but it was gone. This man that she loved, and she did. She did love him. This man she loved kneeling in front of her, saying the sweetest words any person should want to hear, took her words away. Under different circumstances, she might have said yes. Might. He would have said the same words and had a beautiful ring and she’d have wiped away a tear as she only nodded her response. Sealed with a kiss. Happily ever after. But no. This was not that. A proposal was not the solution to an argument. What life would they be building if this was the foundation? Tears pricked at Tina’s eyes all the same, but from sadness instead of joy. She tugged her hands from his gently, shaking her head and taking a few steps back. “I can’t,” she finally said, her voice barely more than a whisper. “No.”

Ryan stayed kneeling for a good few minutes, he made no attempt to wipe away the tears that were freely rolling down his face. Why should he bother to hide the pain that he's in? Swallowing thickly, he finally tore his eyes away from Tina and stood up shakily. His mouth opened and closed, as though he wanted to say something, anything, but nothing came of it. So what now? "Do you... Should I leave?" His voice croaked from how choked up he was.

Tina ’s arms hugged around herself. The pain in her chest new and unsettling. Every time they’d broken up had been hurtful, and for both of them she knew, but this was different. She sniffed back tears as he stood and nodded. “I don’t think there’s anything else to say,” she stated, trying to sound more confident in the point than she was. “I’m sorry, Ryan.”

Shaking his head, Ryan could say nothing else, "It wasn't your fault, please don't think that." He wanted to just cut across this despicable distance that's separating them and hold her in his arms. Wiping away his tears, Ryan nodded in assent. "Take care of yourself, please." With great difficulty, Ryan took one last, long look at Tina, wanting to etch every little thing into his memory. This was the end, it felt like it was the end every other time, but this time it really felt like someone ripped his heart out and ran it through a shredder. It hurt, it hurt so damn much. Regardless of how much he wanted to just say fuck it and take everything back just so they could be back to the smooth sailing times, he knew he had to go; for Tina's sake, for his own sake. He can't be the person that makes her life difficult just because he couldn't accept the fact that she's no longer with him. Ripping his gaze one last time, Ryan turned about face and with heavy feet, he walked out.

[teenwerewoofs]

Ooooh great list!

I’m gonna be That Person™️ and add on some more of my favs! (I’m on mobile so apologies in advance for any formatting weirdness!)

Safe Harbour by cwyscross

Peter didn't think he'd find a home here. He certainly didn't think he'd find a home with two other men.

Chris and Stiles prove him wrong.

living on borrowed time (but we live it so well) by cywscross

Whatever last desperate piece of magic Gerard played after his body rejected the Bite, even that old bastard probably didn’t mean to raise the dead with it. Not that it makes a difference either way of course. [Apocalypse AU]

Firebreak by Whreflections

When Stiles comes to Chris to tell him he's interested in pursuing a relationship with the snarky, brilliant phoenix firefighter he met through his job at the hospital, Chris isn't entirely surprised. They've been friends for a while, now, and Peter is exactly Stiles' type.

After ten years together, he knows Stiles inside and out- it isn't a shock that he's falling for Peter, or a shock that he's capable of considering anyone else. Stiles has never been less than open with him- but if this is going to work, Chris is going to have to be just as honest with Stiles, and with himself.

Some lines are hard to cross, even if those boundaries are self inflicted.

The Future's So Bright, I Gotta Wear Shades by Bittah_Wizard

"It’s funny. It is. It’s abso-fucking-lutely hilarious because this is the seventh time in a calendar year that Stiles has been on the run from a bloodthirsty monster and the thing that still trips him up—quite literally—is that he still hasn’t gotten any better at running through the woods."

An AU where everything he loves gets buried in the dirt, so Stiles rips apart the space-time continuum.

Of Soulmates and Sparks by covarla

John leaned forward slightly and looked at the marks. He jerked back and looked at Stiles. “You have two soulmates?” he asked incredulously.

Stiles’s eyes slipped over to Chris and Peter again and then he looked away. He nodded.

The Sheriff swore under his breath. “You said you didn’t know who your soulmate was,” John said. He sounded both confused and at the same time frustrated.

Stiles licked his lips and unconsciously took another step backwards. “That may have been inaccurate,” he replied softly.

In The Waking Hours by Triangulum

Chris and Stiles have been at their house in Spain for a little over a year when Stiles answers the door to see Peter standing on the other side of it, a bag slung over his shoulder. Chris hears the doorbell, but doesn't hear anything else, so he walks into the foyer curiously, to see Stiles standing in front of the door, staring at Peter with her mouth hanging open. Peter looks uncomfortable and unsure, hand clenching the strap of his bag tightly.

Table for Three by Bittah_Wizard

The AU where Stiles' life is a Lifetime movie, but with more peace lilies.

And four WIPs that are so good that they’re worth the read, even if they’re never completed:

Well, This is Awkward by thesherlockianwhjustcant

Stiles stood there, stunned. The other two men in the room, Chris and Peter, stood there, stunned. Stiles’ throat seemed to be closing up, but he forced it open. Breathe, breathe, he told himself. He held up his wrist and watched as the two phrases on his arm slowly faded away. His mouth fell open even wider. He refocused on Chris and Peter, who were also staring at their wrists, watching their phrases disappear. Each man’s eyes were wide, even Peter’s, who wasn’t normally one to be surprised.

Well, this was going to be awkward.

****

Stetopher soulmate AU in which Stiles, Peter, and Chris only find out they're soulmates when they're alone in a room together for the first time...

when fates collide by finnickyfox

Beacon Hills has been waiting a century for its Guardian to appear. Finally, in 2005, the Nemeton awakens and a human Spark stumbles into the Hale pack's lives. Peter and Chris struggle with the unusual pull they feel to the savior that's intent on avoiding them. Meanwhile, Stiles has trouble forgetting his past as he navigates a role he was never meant for.

Three's A Crowd (So Follow The Sound) by naijagirl101

"He could ward places, perform protection spells, and outthink everyone but Deaton this side of the Andes, and he had a successful side hustle in charms. He had his own apartment up in Palo Alto during the school year and Skype calls w/Scott and Kira, and Thanksgiving with Lydia (and Jackson, the everlasting douche, God) at RPI to look forward to and -

- his life was full. Amazing, even.

So, really, he was still whole."

Or the one where Stiles has kind of made peace with the fact that he was born with no soulmate. As fate would have it, it turns out he actually has two.

we never stopped burning by forpony

Peter wants to reclaim the Hale pack's glory, Chris wants to avoid a bloodbath, Stiles just wants to survive high school.

OR, the one where Peter wakes up from his coma in New York with Laura, Derek and Cora, a pack to keep him sane(r), Chris is divorced and hasn't gotten along with his family in years and Stiles and Lydia get dragged into the Hale vs Argent family drama by a semi-sentient tree.

10 of my favorite stetopher fics

unfortunately I haven't read many stetopher fics that weren't purely smut (I like a little plot sometimes, sue me) and I only have around 15 bookmarked stetopher fics. if you have any more you like, please don't be afraid to comment or send the link through my asks! I always love more stetopher (this is me begging (like on my knees begging))

1. The Murder Weapon by twothumbsandnostakeincanon

Is the murder weapon guilty?

my opinion: this hits right in the feels. it's gorgeously written, and I come back to it any time I want my heart to hurt. I would absolutely read 100k more of this.

2. Warning: Contents Are Under Pressure by Shey

God, Stiles needed more Adderall. And a nap. And a good fuck. Possibly not in that order.

Recent NYU grad, and new law clerk, Stiles Stilinski is sixty-five hours into a very long work week, the latest in a string of very long work weeks. He’s suffering from a terrible case of no-time-to-jerk-off, and a shared apartment with painfully thin walls. To top it off, his entitled bastard of a boss seems to have missed the memo on personal space. If he doesn’t get some quality time with his right hand, and soon, he’s going to end up fired, or evicted.

Unfortunately, his roommate is forever getting in the way of his plans, and it turns out his boss is just plain trouble with a capital T.

my opinion: it's hard to believe any stetopher fans haven't already read this one, because PHEW. goodness. not only is it INCREDIBLY hot, it has feels. your (my) all around perfect fic

3. Kinktober 2020: Dom/Sub by Jokers_Wild

Peter can't help it when he hears things in the club, most are just things that see him getting hard in his pants, but tonight there's something else going on. A Dom abusing their Sub, and as much as he'd like to keep out of others business he can't. Chris and Peter find the result of an abusive Dom and help the abandoned Sub come up from a bad drop.

my opinion: it's such a good read. it's quick, adorably smutty (that's a thing) and it always makes me happy when i read it.

4. smells like love by Areiton

They smell like warm love and want.

That isn't the problem.

The problem is they smell like sex.

my opinion: if you follow my account for fic recs or have read my previous posts, you gotta know I love hurt Stiles. I like when he suffers, it's a personal flaw and all. This was beautiful, a take on Stiles we don't get often

5. Power of Attorney by Shey

“We pinky-swore that if he ever got magically roofied I have his power of attorney. I’m contractually obligated to get him laid.”

Or

Stiles is the smart one, and he’s not leaving anything up to chance. He’s quite happy with this plan actually.

my opinion: please this was awesome. I'd read so so so much more of this, if it was written. short, but hilarious.

6. Madness by spqr

“This is a very awkward way to have a conversation,” Stiles says. “I really wish you would put some clothes on.”

“Stiles,” Peter sighs, “I’m not going to contort myself into one of your t-shirts just so you can pretend you’re not lusting after my godlike body.”

“I’m really more worried about the pants,” Stiles says, “also what the fuck, I am not lusting after your godlike body—”

“Ah,” Peter grins, propping his head up on his hand. “So you admit the adjective is appropriate.”

my opinion: hohohoboy. there aren't words. hurt Stiles, petopher turned stetopher. lowkey dead Peter. amazing Lydia. what's not to love?

7. Asking for Trouble by ViciousHyperbolizer

So, a man and his husband walk into a bar. The punchline: stiles finding out his hookup from the other night is married.

On the plus side, he didn't help anyone cheat, exactly.

On the weird side, he ends up sleeping with the husband, too.

Or the one where Stiles ends up in the middle of Peter and Chris' marriage, and the only place he can end up is hurt

my opinion: so I haven't read this one since February. I'm not sure why, and I plan to read it again immediately. I love that there's hurt with the sex, it's a dramaticvhs favorite!

8. So Well Suited by Bunnywest

Chris and Peter run HA Menswear.

Stiles works at Gamesworld.

They strike up an agreement, sharing kitchen and bathroom access.

Stiles would like to share more, but Hot Suit guys are a couple, so he knows it will never happen.

Never.

Right?

my opinion: I mean. it's by Bunnywest. We know it's going to be good. I've definitely rec'd this before, and I'll never stop. It's one of those fics where if you haven't read it, you're probably new to stetopher and if you have read it, you're going to reread it.

9. life's for the living by pprfaith

Chris doesn’t know what to do.

Considering the life he’s lived, it’s certainly not the first time he’s felt that way, but that doesn’t help him one lick right now because he absolutely does not have the first fucking clue what to do.

He shoots a look into the passenger side footwell of his truck and hopes for inspiration.

Or: Chris saves a baby werewolf and tries desperately not to move on. One of these things is doomed to fail.

my opinion: I mean, where do I even start? This is everything I ever wanted in a stetopher fic. This is female Stiles, which I normally don't read but it drew me in. Stiles is adorable, and so in love with her grumpy men. 10000/10

aaaand finally:

10. Untangled by silentdescant

Before heading to college, Stiles gets a summer job as a deckhand on the Hale family yacht, and he has a burning desire to embrace his new adulthood and lose his virginity. He’s disappointed to find that the two most attractive and unattached men on the yacht, Captain Chris Argent and rich lawyer Peter Hale, are already in a secret relationship with each other, and he doesn’t want to come between them. Luckily for him, they’re more than happy to have Stiles between them, and they introduce him to their kinky dynamic and invite him to explore his own sexual interests with them.

Written/finished for WIP Big Bang 2021. Banner and chapter headers by Tarvera.

my opinion: I've rec'd it twice and I'd do it ten more times. possibly my all time favorite. there's just really no describing how much I love it.

n that all folks! I hope you enjoy these fics if you're reading them for the first time or rereading them. <3

[somanypetals]

#like at first i get so caught up in how good it feels for jane to finally say it i almost miss how good it must feel for lisbon to HEAR it#like the SMILES - jane's is this big grin and lisbon's is quieter but they're both so overjoyed#they're both so relieved to have it out in the open -#the line has finally been crossed and they've come on the other side better than they dared to hope#lisbon especially just looks so damn CONTENT like she KNOWS now - she sits there and sees him openly look at her like he's almost in awe#like he can't quite believe this is happening#and he still makes jokes at the worst times - he's still HER jane - but he doesn't walk back on anything; doesn't joke it away#like shit he doubles down he gets serious again and again he makes the first big move (which is....GOD)#obviously there's still stuff coming down the road for them but them getting this (a little cheesy) romcom moment is so deserved (imo)#and appreciated by me#they're finally moving towards the start of something instead of the end and that's beautiful

just started weeping