#the problem is with david porter

[polkadotjohnson]

RCCC 2019 Interviews - David Dastmalchian and Roberta Solomon

[storytellingdreamer]

Watching Granada Holmes: The Final Problem

See my other granada holmes recaps here. 

So I had a choice this week. Either watch two episodes in the one week and watch FINA before a planned trip - or wait until next week. Obviously I chose the first option, so am now forced to wait to see Empty Hearse until after I get back. It feels poetic. I like it. 

This will be a LONG recap - when I first watched this episode last night I was almost incoherent with feels and these recaps have always been a way for me to process those as I re-watch. 

The first thing about this episode is that, of course, it’s not your usual story. No case, really. (The thing about the Mona Lisa is mostly window dressing.) No, the focus is the Moriarty Problem. 

The Doylian reasons for this are well established, and Granada makes it all the more heartbreaking. The moments where the (ACD canon) narrative stretches thin are given new context, and painful purpose. 

For example, the Doylian reasoning behind this story demands that Holmes and Watson do things that feel slightly OOC for a Granada story. Holmes doesn’t tell Watson some things - deliberately hides them, in the case of the spyglass moment. Watson doesn’t act or ask questions about some things. After all the time Granada’s spent building up the Holmes and Watson Team dynamic, it feels a bit Odd. 

Yet in the same breath, the script, Brett and Burke’s body language and dialogue delivery, all of it, gives the answer as to why. Holmes was scared, and wanted to protect Watson. Watson wAs allowing that, humouring (caring for) Holmes and hoping that some time away might do them both good (protective of Holmes in turn). Granada’s shift in positioning of their dynamic makes this episode all the more tragic. It makes the ending hurt all the more. 

Also, remember how in my review of Resident Patient, I railed against  “voiceover flashbacks”? Well. My position was tested this episode. There are decent chunks of the narrative that are told via those here. Most of the time, however, it actually works. 

Why? It’s simple. The voiceovers for this episode are Watson and Holmes, no one else. Granada TV has spent the episodes leading up to this one establishing “Watson as narrator” by inserting a Watson voiceover at various points over the top of some scene from Baker St. So we’re primed for it to feel more real than some of the other voiceover flashbacks did. We are then further primed by the way Watson’s introduction in this episode is by one of those narration scenes ... and what he says in that voiceover: “it falls to me now to tell the story of Sherlock Holmes and Professor Moriarty”. 

We are directly told that we are listening to Watson recount the story. A story that has already happened. And that becomes one HELL of a gut-punch in the feels by the end. 

Onto the actual recap. 

The music in this show is EXCELLENT - the ending music last time was more sinister, and this episode’s opening tune is more frenetic. It made me sit up and take notice instantly. 

Very “!!” intro - split second of confusion that resolves into Holmes fending off three attacks in quick succession. No slow start this time. Also the title card coming after the intro as an actual card is an emphasis in itself 

Ominous music again... very spooky tinkly music. 

And yay, Watson! ... hang on, that’s a view from a scope, like a sniper gun or something. Thus, the tension continues to build. Only increasing at what Watson says in the voiceover, and what he finds inside 221b. 

Bless Mrs Hudson. She knows more than she lets on, and in this scene we catch a glimpse of one such thing. The change in her demeanour from exasperated but fond housekeeper into worried friend (of sorts) and back again is beautifully done. “... I didn’t like the look of him...” 

Watson’s expressions, too, are excellent - he knows Something Is Up. Though not everything. 

 AHHHH! The juxtaposition of Watson’s “safe and secure as ever” with the scope and the “blind” man!! And that bloody tinkly music again! It’s an obvious framing thing, but it works for me. 

Holmes’s entry... and here we are with the scene-setting of “Holmes is bloody scared (and very tired) about all this.”

That request for a match was not just because Holmes’s hands were sore. He wanted Watson’s closeness for comfort. 

Holmes’s flashback was the most boring part of the episode for me. I know it’s setting up Moriarty’s desire to get rid of Holmes, but it’s just not as interesting as what happens after it. 

Knowing me, it’s probably because it’s Holmes rather than Watson narrating. Holmes doesn’t have the cover of the Usual Narrator role after all. 

Also, the bit with the naked model was a bit of a WTF moment. 

The scene where Holmes announced how they would catch the thief then helped the gendarmes do so was good though. 

Then, after Watson helps Holmes get to the point, we see Moriarty for the first time this episode. 

I do like Eric Porter’s portrayal of him. Polished with threatening villainous potential always lurking near the surface... without being too over the top about it. 

The scowly expression... and the nails of an elegant gentleman, even if he mostly uses them to tear up paper and scratch through forgeries. Quite the detail, that!

Watson and Holmes’s little domestic moment back in 221b is lovely. Any H/W content this episode is precious, and this one is untainted by the later angst. 

A shame Watson had to interrupt it by prompting Holmes about the morning visitor. Nice touch of timing, Holmes saying “ow!” like that. Unable to be stoic after Watson’s question distracted him, perhaps?

Ah, the Moriarty scene. Some nice moments in the wordplay, if one overlooks the ACD canon words about “frontal lobe development” and such. 

No, really, once I got over my wince at that, the rest of the dialogue, and the way Porter and Brett play it, is marvellous.

Watson’s look at Holmes, after, as he says, “If he doesn’t close upon you first” is heartwrenching in its concern. 

Holmes says things about Moriarty and his gang being captured “Monday next”... and we start the clock on the “how much does Holmes really know, and what isn’t he telling Watson?” storyline. 

For if Holmes is so sure that Moriarty and gang are to be put away, why is he wanting to go on holiday now? 

Yes, his life has been threatened three times already today, but surely his life would be threatened wherever he went until the criminals were safely in gaol? Wouldn’t London - the place Sherlock Holmes knows best - be safer?

We know the Doylian reasons behind these things, but the character acting (etc.) in this episode makes us forget them. 

You’re left with a story in which Holmes knew he was staring death in the face, and he wanted to try meeting it on his own terms - by going on one last adventure with his Watson. 

Bravo, Jeremy Brett, and bravo John Hawkesworth (writer and adapter), for selling that impression to me.  

The next ten minutes of run time are a game of cat and mice, where only one of the “mice” knows the full scope of the problem. The other, Watson, is being deliberately kept in the dark, and is trying to enjoy the holiday. Though he still worries for Holmes.

For example, the thing with the boulders... “a common enough occurrence in the mountains”. True, but ominous all the same.

The telegram from Mycroft about Moriarty escaping the net comes - leading to Holmes and Watson’s painful discussion about the possibility of Watson returning to England. 

“You will find me a very dangerous companion, now.” [...]

“Would you be rid of me?” 

“No!” [...]

“I’m not leaving you, Holmes. Not unless you order me to go.” 

... *inarticulate screech* If that’s not the most “!!!!” moment... 

Then THE SPYGLASS bit occurs. 

W: “See anything?” 

H: clearly saw a man with a gun in the distance, who’s now gone to ground. “No, nothing. But it’s time we were on our way.” 

This was when I started muttering at the TV things like, “Holmes! Just tell him - argh, why...” - in addition to screaming inarticulately. I was beginning to understand what Granada’s adaptation had set me up for. Heartbreak. 

The bit with the note drawing Watson away perplexed me on first watch, even as I understood what Granada were doing with the episode. But on second viewing, it’s actually an excellent example of the whole thing. 

During their time in the Alps, Holmes hasn’t told Watson that they’re being followed and are in definite, not just perceived, danger. 

So when the note “from Herr Steiler” - a trustworthy source in Watson’s mind - comes, of course Watson believes it. 

And Holmes (whose facial expressions when Watson isn’t looking at him speak volumes) lets him go, because it means his Watson is safe. 

*inarticulate screech of pain*

Oh help, the intense music has started again. 

I wish they’d timed Watson’s look back slightly differently. Perhaps we’re supposed to think that he didn’t notice Moriarty’s approach because Moriarty disappeared behind the rock? It does seem like an odd detail for Granada’s Watson to overlook, so I’m going with that. 

Eep, the look of confusion-turned-dawning horror on Watson’s face as he questions the innkeeper then runs back the way he came... 

Brilliant staging with the bridge under the waterfall overhang, showing Holmes and Moriarty in classic showdown poses, then Watson the next scene later. Excellent partly because we can’t tell exactly how far behind Watson is... but the implication is he’s only a little behind. 

But still too late. 

My heart breaks for Watson in the scene above the falls. HERE is where the beauty of the voiceovers come through. 

The way his voice catches between, fumbles over or emphasises certain words sells it for me. “It - was the sight of the alpenstock (sp?) that turned me cold, and sick. He had not gone to Rosenlaui.” (Pain. all the pain. Just from that little voiceover.)

Also, two facial expressions of his stand out here - the one where he reads that Holmes had suspected the note was fake ( :( ) and the one after the dramatised fall, where we fade back from the mist to Watson’s devastated expression. 

The confrontation scene that he imagines almost snaps the tension though. Honestly Granada, that fight scene is ridiculous. *facepalms* I only allow it (barely) as the grief-stricken imaginings of Watson’s mind. 

Fortunately, there’s the bit at the end to bring us back to where we started, with heavy hearts. I love so many things about this bit. 

Circular narrative. The final words are framed as if spoken just before Watson’s introductory bit at the start. Granada has split up the first and last lines of the opening paragraph of ACD’s canon story to bookend the episode. It is heartbreaking and I love it.

Speaking to the camera. After telling us the story all episode through the voiceovers and such this technique also works beautifully. Giving us that moment of connection and shared grief. 

You know that “gut-punch in the feels” moment I mentioned earlier? This is that. I tear up every time. 

All the more poignant because this is, in fact, the last time we’ll see David Burke as Dr John Watson. I’m still not sure how I’ll cope with that. 

Then, with the beautiful (different!) violin ending music... Granada’s The Final Problem is over. As is this recap. If you’d like to read more words about the episode, Plaid Adder’s review is excellent. 

[pompyoly]

Redacted headcannons BUT some of them are actually cannon

After Vincent got turned and William was positive he wouldn’t go on a bloodlust spree he would sometimes go out and forget he was rich

Asher was one of those overly excited tall scrawny kids who would get colorful bands on his braces

Aaron and Elliot would play as duo characters for every video game that allowed the player to select characters

Gavin would know how to do things but wouldn’t know how he knew how to do them

Laskos powers sometimes happen as a reflex like his fight or flight instinctively turns into float the second he feels his body falling or if he’s on high places(you wouldn’t catch this man on any roller coaster)

Sam has an old outdated picture of him and his grandmother that’s in black and white

All earth elementals are naturally strong, Water elementals are naturally smart, Fire elementals are naturally determined, and Air elementals are naturally focused

Milo and Sam’s family bloodline has/had problems with addiction so they never associate with alcohol or smoking with the fear that they could get addicted

Quinn used to “joke” with Darlin when they were still together by grabbing them and pretending to turn them when they weren’t paying attention and to this day they wonder if he was serious about biting them

Asher was one of those kids who would listen to old metal songs over and over(AND OVER) again until he learned the lyrics

Sam does own a cowboy hat and the Shaw pack(main 8) has made “save a horse, ride a cowboy” jokes(Sam doesn’t know wtf they’re talking about)

Darlin would lie to Gabe and David’s mom about their parents letting them stay over because they wouldn’t wanna go home

Lasko wears sweaters WITH EVERYTHING

Gavin got his music taste from FL when they first started meeting up claiming that he wanted to get closer to them rather than having sex with them

Darlin and Sam were cautious when they had their first time always asking each other if they were okay before, between, and afterwards

David’s contact name in the pack phones is “Davey” but they’ll never admit that to his face(he currently knows that Asher and Angel have it as theirs)

Gavin has nipple piercings and a tongue piercing(he has tried to convince Lasko to get one)

Darlin has a slight degrading kink that you could NEVER get them to admit(Sam found that out when they once started crying and he thought he hurt them and was flabbergasted when they told him to do it again)

ALL of Asher’s shoes are dirty except for his dress shoes and Milo gets so pissed when he wears nice sneakers and creases them or gets them dirty

Angel and Baabe both like kpop specifically Ateez and seventeen

Sam has a house in the woods and prefers a working house over a cute one(he has a porch swing)

Sam doesn’t like talking about his family but could go hours talking about his grandma

David hates the nickname “Dave”(don’t ask me why I just feel like he does)

Darlin once thought they hurt sams feelings and disappeared for days until they came back with a gift for him and waited until he saw it before talking to him(they’re terrible at apologizing and refused to tell Sam where they went while they were gone)

Porter always kisses Treasure's knuckles

FL has once broken a comb in caelums hair(but was so confused when they were able to move their hands through his hair)

The younger Shaw pack had a clubhouse in the woods in an abandoned cabin that Gabe helped David clean up

TS TOOK ME ALMOST 3 HOURS I QUIT(I’m lying:3 GM AND GN It’s currently 4:36 IN THE MORNING)

[deezbignutz]

More Redacted hc bc why tf not, yknow :))))) (this is also to make up for not doing Brachium and Christian but u don't need to know that-)

One time during their early stages of dating, Angel found out about henna from Baaabe and wanted to surprise David with it some cool squiggles and flowers knowing damn well he would have a strong reaction to it. He did in fact have a strong reaction to it, and so did Angel when they realised they were highly allergic to one of the ingredients used in henna and was immediately brought to the hospital by a very worried David.

Asher has a knack for finding the most unsettling and disturbing facts and sending them to Milo because he doesn't need to know about it at all and gets pissed when Asher texts him in the middle of something important. (Also, fun fact! Camel's piss is as thick as syrup and it was thought to have medicinal properties, so people back then mixed it with camel milk and drink it. It did not have medicinal properties and didn't taste very good)

Gavin has a taser that is bedazzled in pink gems with text written on the front saying "Get tased, b*tch". He bought it for himself some time ago in case some perv got a little too comfortable without his consent.

Damien has a bad habit of chewing on his bottom lip when he's frustrated or zoning out, and he has done it so much that it old cuts bleed on its own even when he isn't biting it. This has led Huxley to buying lip ointments and lip balms for him and placing them in Damien's and his bags whenever they go out, he also has them littered around his home whenever he comes over, in the pockets of his clothes in case they don't bring their bags when going out, and one more he brings everywhere for back up.

Once Freelancer got Caelum a lego set for him to fiddle with while they were doing their coursework. The next day when he finally finished it, they watched in horror as Caelum destroyed the set so he could build it all over again, since he didn't understanding that once you build it, it's done.

Christian has a designer brand crescent cross body bag (it's not designer, he just likes saying it is because it's one of the only expensive things he owns), and because of this, Arden and Kelsey have lovingly named him an eshay (which is a stereotypically hypermasculine Australian man who are inclined to crime and violence, or basically just an annoying Aussie brat who's obsessed with masculinity/a chav) much to his chagrin.

Sweetheart has half empty cups and mugs scattered all over their room with most of the liquid in it drying up or turning into syrup from all the water evaporating. It hasn't gone so far as for mold to start appearing, but it's definitely getting there.

Porter has collected many little things that remind him of Treasure ever since he met them in that club, such as a surprisingly shiny penny from the ground, a cartoony key with a swirly heart on the end of it, a golden ring with hands on it that when worn looks like arms hugging your finger, and many other things that he keeps in his bedside table.

Darlin' and Sam write notes to each other and lay them around the house for each other to see when doing their normal routine. Like, Darlin' would be in the kitchen making their morning coffee and see a sticky note stuck on top of the coffee machine with some sappy shit like "Love you to bits, my Darlin'<3 P.S. Stop putting so many damn shots in your coffee, you're gonna get heart problems one of these days".

Hope y'all enjoy :)))))))

Thank you for coming to my TedTalk :D)))))

[n0r]

WHAT DOES DARLINS REACTIONS TO CERTAIN SITUATIONS SAY ABOUT THEM AS A CHARACTER?

A Darlin analysis >:)

Darlin is first introduced snooping around Wonderworld, looking for Quinn Fox, and is found by Sam, who happens to be on patrol that night. Right from the start, we learn a defining feature about Darlin: they are reckless when it comes to their own well-being.

Darlin’s first character arc centres on finding Quinn, a dangerous vampire with whom they had a brief relationship. They actively hide that they’re looking for him from David. They are caught by Sam, who quickly becomes defensive, knowing Darlin shouldn’t be there. After discovering they detected a six-month-old signature, Sam snarkily remarks, “If you were that good of a tracker, you should be in a lab being studied, not running around in the moonlight on some wild goose chase.”

When David finds out Darlin lied about still being in Washington, he calls Sam and sets up a meeting to discuss Darlin and the risk they’re putting on themselves, and unintentionally, the pack itself, dubbing it a “vigilante vendetta.” He explains that Darlin was never very close with the pack, which led to them “falling in with a less-than-savoury crowd” and finding Quinn. David continues by telling Sam about Darlin ignoring most of his check-in texts, how he looked into the two new members of the Solaire clan, and how the circumstances of their turning reminded him of Quinn. He therefore discovered that Quinn was never apprehended by the Department. While Darlin claimed they kept the information from the pack to protect them, David dismisses this as “short-sighted and bull-headed, but well-intended.”

Though Darlin constantly puts themselves at risk, it’s always in the name of protecting their loved ones. However, they clearly lack self-preservation skills, convinced of their own invincibility due to their accelerated healing ability. In the "Vampire Tends to Your Injuries" audio, Sam calls Darlin about information on Quinn and notes that they sound weird. They admit they’re hurt. Sam immediately expresses concern and chews them out for not going to see a healer to avoid being asked questions. When he arrives at their house, they ask if he is okay with the blood, despite being very hurt, their concern obvious despite their condition. He heals them up before lecturing them on taking on two vampires without backup: “You’re a werewolf, not a damn tank.”

When Quinn is caught, Darlin is out the door with David immediately. Sam meets them there, and when they find out Quinn will only speak to Sam, it upsets both of them. Still, they quickly agree because a girl’s life is on the line. Sam agrees, albeit reluctantly, though he makes a point of stating, “He should have to see you, hear you—he doesn’t get to hide away.” Darlin clearly appreciates Sam’s feelings on the situation—if kissing him was anything to go by (plus I was fully ready for Darlin to launch through the two-way mirror).

Another instance of Darlin’s reactions I adored was with Alexis at the Summit. At this point, they hadn’t interacted with her at all, with Sam actively dreading the inevitable. When Alexis refers to Darlin as “Sam’s latest conquest,” Darlin immediately corrects her, telling her that they’re mates. Alexis, who turned Sam because she wanted to be with him, is bitter about them being together and manages to get a rise out of them quickly. Porter is quick to save them from a public display, remarking, “You looked a second away from taking a swing at a half-century-old powerhouse, and that’s a fight I’d rather not witness.” This furthers the fact that Darlin is quick to react, and that reaction is usually violent—if past references and Alexis feeling the need to say, “Problems don’t get resolved by hitting them,” are anything to go by.

Porter and Darlin seem to have a dynamic of harmless teasing and aggressive reactions, the first of which is in the "Vampire Boys Have It Out." Darlin opens the door to let Porter in, and he immediately takes a dig at Sam, which I can only imagine was met with a tense response. They’re more controlled around Sam, no doubt because the oncoming lecture wouldn’t be worth it.

Darlin’s tendency to jump to violence at the first sign of trouble complements their obvious strength. This is described by Sam at the start of the 2024 Valentine’s Day Sam audio: “Do you have any idea what it’s like to see a wolf of that size push off a tree, hit a guy jumping at vamp speeds, ash him, and still land on your feet?” Their ability to fight off two vampires and force Quinn makes this very clear.

They’re clearly a force to be reckoned with, and to top it off, they’re dating a fine-as-hell cowboy vampire who would both die for them and give them a lecture from hell for it.

Proofread and edited by @achios I LOVE YOU <333

[jacks347]

I feel like hurting people so let's talk about Redacted characters fatal flaws.

David - Obligation

I was originally going to say David's flaw was loyalty but I thought that was too surface level so I dug a little deeper and found something a bit more important. David carries a heavy weight of obligation on his shoulders. He runs the pack and the security company because it's what his dad would've wanted, he works to keep the pack going because people depend on him, he only met Angel cause Caelum made him. Everything in his life is because of feels obligated to keep said things going. He didn't want to be in this situation, he doesn't want to have to work as hard as he does but he knows he has to in order to maintain everything his father left him. David takes on so much because he thinks he has to and that kind of weight will crush him eventually. He's pulling himself in so many directions, something has to give. To put it in his own words, one of these times when he throws himself at the wall it won't be the thing that breaks.

Asher - Optimism

Asher, you sweet sweet bean, your joy will be the thing that destroys you. Asher has the Polites problem (see, I know Greek characters) in where his optimism is the thing that drives the group into a far more dangerous situation. Asher's hopeful belief that they could get through the Inversion almost got him killed. He is the sunshine character, he's the one that everyone expects to be happy, he holds the morale of the pack on his shoulders and that kind of pressure would be enough to make anyone crack. How long will it be until the happy-go-lucky attitude snaps under the weight?

Milo - Dedication

It's easy to say Milo is loyal to a fault. It's hard to say he has a gravely misplaced sense of dedication. Milo feels he has something to prove, he always has. Prove to himself and the rest of the pack that he's useful, he has a place, he has a purpose in this pack. Milo has dedicated his life to proving his worth and that dedication to a harmful cause will be the thing that kills him. Hell, it already almost did. If another event like the Inversion happens, he might not make it out.

Sam - Independence

Sam is an interesting case because his need to be independent won't kill him physically as much as it will mentally. He has worked so hard to make sure other people's actions don't define him that he instinctively isolates himself. He keeps everyone at arm's length so that if and when they do something that hurts the people around them, he won't be caught in the blast radius. But that changes when he meets Darlin, someone who also keeps people at arm's length and doesn't let anyone get close. There's an argument to be made in how Sam seems himself in Darlin and that's why he felt so inclined to help them (beyond just hating Quinn) but not the point I'm making. Sam runs from problems before they can affect him and when the pack dies, he'll be stuck in a problem he can't run from. Sam may not die after the pack is gone but he will fade into the background. Sam will be lost in time, clinging to memories of a time that he let people in as those too eventually fade into the aether of history.

Vincent - Naivety

I heavily considered giving Vincent independence as his fatal flaw too cause it very well could be but we don't do doubles in this house and there is a far more deadly flaw in him and that's his naivety. Vincent is blind to his situation, he doesn't understand most of it because he's been shielded from it. He lacks understanding of what it really means to be a vampire, let alone one in such a well known house. And it's in that where we see his mistake with Lovely. Vincent turned Lovely without fully understanding his own place and therefore doesn't understand the responsibilities he's putting onto Lovely by bringing them into it. It's the blind leading the blind. This lack of real understanding I think will be what tears him apart.

Porter - Peace

Now, this one is hard to explain. How is peace a fatal flaw? Rather simply, actually. You find peace in a situation that you choose not to change. Porter is William's guard dog because he doesn't feel like he deserves to be anything more. He does as asked because he thinks it's all he good for. He had made his peace with the fact that he believes he's not worth anything more than the blood he can spill. Which is wrong and flawed. And it's in that peace in the situation he doesn't believe he deserves to change that will get him killed. If he doesn't convince himself he's worth more than this, it'll be the thing that does him in.

Gavin - Humanity

Gavin's sense of humanity may not necessarily kill him but it will cause an untold amount of pain. Gavin has distanced himself so far from the world of demons in order to choose his own path and be who he is that he's forgotten this world isn't his. Elegy owes him nothing and it'll give him as much. It's the immortal lover problem, he will survive long after Freelancer and the others are gone and it will break him. I've mentioned before that Gavin and Porter are two sides of the same character but what's interesting is how their stories seem to be going in opposite directions until they eventually switch places. When Gavin loses the people that give him a sense of humanity, he will fall to what he believes he has to be in order to survive while Porter is learning that he can be more than what's expected of him and will hold that sense of pride I believe long after Treasure is gone.

Escaped, you're next. Prepare.

[cyanbugremix]

Reductive Audio #7 Spoilers

Uhh this is just a list of my favorite facts from the reductive audio

All d(a)emons are ambidextrous, and Ivan is left-handed, but the cool part is that Ivan became ambidextrous when Vega was controlling him (idk is that cool?? It's interesting for sure)

Brachium has only ever experienced vanilla extract through the memories of the dead.

Caelum on the other hand has made a "Vanilla Extract Tumblr Cake" (one of those polls where people "bake a cake" and it has too much vanilla extract voted for, i think) and it turned out horrible!

In Mario games, Elliot was forced to play as Luigi by Aaron, because of his at home nickname being "Ell/L" and Luigi starts with an L (you get the gist. It sounds the same)(Elliot wanted to be toad tho)(Aaron would play as Mario)

Gavin technically can and has pretended to read a book, he just has never actually committed to doing so

Lasko is scared of heights even though he knows that he could catch himself if he were to fall, so he thinks the fear is annoying

Damien peut parle français (Where did Damien learn french?? At home? School? As a hobby?)

Ash was taller than David, until David hit puberty and shot up (thus the big guy nickname came to be)(Seriously tho. So many boys would shoot up in like 3 months during summer break and be wayy tall when we'd get back to school and I was always amazed that someone could grow that tall that quick)

Oof T-T Sam was close with his Grandma Adeline (Adelene?), and when she passed he went back home to Mont Blanc to say goodbye to her grave (he snuck into the cemetery at night because he was a vampire by then)

Kody was gonna originally be involved with Closeknit, but then his character was taken in a different direction (makes lots of sense. He would be a closeknit guy)

Huxley was the fastest kid in his grade because he was obsessed with Bionicles (specifically pohatu with the mask of speed) (omg i forgot about bionicles until I looked them up again. I never did anything with them but I remember them)

Milo doesn't drink alcohol because he doesn't want to find out if he can get addicted to things as easily as his dad

Avior has HEARD of Gavin but never met him before

Oldest 3 d(a)emons in order: Polaris (Dead), Vega (dead for a bit but alive again), Ursa (elation daemon)

Camelopardalis has been in therapy for 2 years to work through the the bad memories that he had to keep of the whole Vega and Ivan problem (and he hasn't wiped his therapists memories yayy!!)

Arden took out the second most shades (David is the winner in taking out the most) during the Inversion, and Christian and her defended the VIP box through the whole night, even when Christian couldn't stay in wolf form

Kelsey started the Chrissy nickname! (Arden and Asher use it the most)

Aaron, when Elliot's powers first manifested, would imagine what it was like to be magical (He wanted to be a "Warder" and do force field stuff)

BLAKE WAS GOING TO ORIGINALLY BE CALLED CARVER OMG

Zeke (Member of Closeknit) drinks "Cactus Cooler" (orange and pineapple soda)

Xavier (contra-elemental) was originally supposed to survive the inversion

Bailey's mother is beta of the Keaton pack

DJ Anxiety (Hudson) still makes mixes, he just hasn't done live DJ-ing since the Inversion

Gregory Keaton doesn't exist in the Fooliverse (his parents never met in that AU)

Anton doesn't like gore, and bcuz of that he prefers black and white horror movies (modern ones often have too much gore in them) (Such a vibe for him)

Brachium was the last serenity daemon created by Min'Ara's own hands

E'Laetum has a grudge against Vega because Vega was specifically built to be the opposite of Polaris (even tho the dude didn't have a say in his creation)

Quinn sounded like he was interested in turning Darlin' (but they never could figure out if he was serious or not)

Hush was supposed to originally be apart of one of Echo's "deals"

Porter's maker was a dude named Felix, who got executed because Felix seemed to really like creating progeny (as well as being horrible to them)

Alexis resents Porter for becoming William's favorite when he wants someone to go out and do whatever, because Alexis does more "collateral damage" than Porter

(And there's cool Vampire lore from The Summit vampires from 26:18-27:36)

[gravitywonagain]

House Party

(a Fresh Powder in the Pine Trees story)

.

The house is very easy to spot. The building itself doesn’t stand out in any way on this street full of giant, expensive interpretations of log-cabin-chic. Upper Biling is full of this style of architecture. No, it’s the cars in front of it, in both sheer number and apparent condition. Almost none of them were made in the last decade. Almost all of them are plastered with bumper stickers (Wei Ying’s favorite is the white silhouette of a snowboarder on a chairlift that says “Do you even lift?”). 

The music is loud enough that the beat can be heard from the driveway, but not loud enough for lyrics. The combined smell of weed and beer filters through the pine trees from, presumably, the back patio, along with wood smoke and happy voices. 

Wei Ying and Lan Zhan walk up the stairs to the front door and scrape their feet off on the snow grate to the right of the welcome mat before entering. 

It had been surprisingly easy to convince Lan Zhan to come to the Peruvians’ house party once they’d invited him. He hadn’t previously understood that the invitation was open to pretty much all of the employees at Cloud Recesses, including all levels of management. Once Wei Ying told Diego to ask Lan Zhan in person if he was coming (“make it casual as fuck,” he’d said and Diego had nodded along and delivered spectacularly with a “hey, Boss, you like any particular flavor of fizzy waters? I’m stocking up for the party on Tuesday”), Lan Zhan had a very hard time saying no. 

Stepping inside, Wei Ying immediately realizes it’s too loud in here for Lan Zhan. Realistically, it’s too loud for Wei Ying, too, but he’s used to it so he’d live with it for the warmth and the friends. Lan Zhan has no problems with the cold so they decide to keep their shoes on, wipe them off on the ratty, pink towel that’s been laid out like a mat for this purpose, and stay off the carpet on their way to the patio -- via the kitchen, of course. 

Wei Ying makes a point of saying hi to almost everybody they pass. Quick little greetings, nothing that will drag him into a conversation, but just enough to make his and Lan Zhan’s arrival known. 

He finds Ben and David in the kitchen. David points Lan Zhan to the fridge where he pulls out a can of carbonated water, just as Diego had mentioned (loquat flavored, because the man fucking follows through). Ben offers to make Wei Ying a mixed drink, but Wei Ying begs off.

“Nah. Nothing hard for me tonight,” he says. 

“Cool, man,” says Ben, entirely unbothered. “Beers are out back!”

The thing about winter parties in a ski town is you never run out of ice. 

As they walk out the sliding-glass door to the back patio, they see there is a berm built around one side of the fire pit area with many varied cans of beer sticking out of the snow. It’s super easy to build your own backyard refrigerator as you shovel over the course of the season. And it’s always fun to see what melts out of it when spring rolls around. 

It’s quieter out here, but still very much part of the party. There’s an Alexa speaker playing the same music as is playing inside and a handful of other people out here either to smoke or to escape the noise. They snag a couple of chairs by the beer wall and sit down next to Remy and Elizabeth. They’re both instructors in Juniors’ Club so Wei Ying pulls them into conversation easily, placing Lan Zhan between them and himself so he feels included. And he is included. The women ask him his opinions, they prompt stories from him. They don’t make him feel weird either for being there or for not being there before. It’s good. It’s easy. 

The fire is close enough that Wei Ying doesn’t even need to keep his hands in his pockets. He gestures when he talks and it only gets worse the more he drinks. The vanilla porter he’d grabbed when they first sat down is almost gone already and he contemplates his next drink. He’s just decided to see what the fuck Luponic Distortion tastes like when he hears his name. 

“Hey, Wei Ying,” it might be Nick from Rentals, “is that an 805 by your head?”

Wei Ying turns his head to survey the cans in the snow, finds the black and silver label he’s looking for, and tosses it easily into maybe-Nick’s waiting hands.

“Thanks, man!”

“You got it!”

Wei Ying turns to Lan Zhan and grins. “Usually I get tipped for that kind of service,” he says with a wink.

“Do you work at a bar?” asks Lan Zhan, head tilting slightly to one side. It’s an absurdly cute look on him. 

“Only sometimes. Yanli-jie lets me pick up a shift or two when I ask.”

“Why would you need to ask?”

“She’s not a mind-reader, Lan Zhan.”

Lan Zhan’s eyebrows are unimpressed.

Wei Ying cracks up at just how bitchy he looks. “Okay, sorry, sorry,” he says and then continues, “The resort pays me enough to cover food and rent and to pitch in for the car, but sometimes I want a little extra. So I pick up a shift at the Lotus Tavern and whatever I make in tips, plus some under-the-table hourly, I can spend on whatever I’d like.”

“What kinds of things?”

“Oh, you know what I like, Lan Zhan.”

He’s not sure if he’s matching the heat in Lan Zhan’s eyes or the other way around, but they lock eyes either way. It’s intense. 

Wei Ying is so into it. 

“Snowboards,” he says finally, still not looking away. 

“Mn.”

“Mhm.”

Remy clears her throat subtly. Wei Ying hears it but doesn’t realize it’s directed at him until she says something about her dogs and Wei Ying jolts out of whatever trance Lan Zhan had trapped him in. 

“Okay,” he says, “I need another beer.” He stands because suddenly he has all of this energy with nowhere to put it, but realizes that he does not, in fact, need another beer as he’s barely started in on this one, the can still heavy and full in his hand. He doesn’t let that stop his momentum. “Do you want another water or anything, Lan Zhan?”

“I’ll try a beer.”

“You --? You don’t have to. If you don’t want to drink, it’s fine.”

“Can you drive us back?”

“Uh... yeah. I’ll stop after this one,” he says, gesturing with the mostly-full can. 

“Then I would like to try a beer.”

“O-okay. Sure. Yeah. What do you want?”

“You’re the bartender. What do you think I’ll like?”

Wei Ying laughs off the flirtation in Lan Zhan’s voice because he is trying, okay? Lan Zhan is stepping outside his comfort zone, even more now, and Wei Ying needs to respect the boundaries that have been set. No matter how hard Lan Zhan wants to make him. It. It, not him. Obviously. Pull yourself together.

Lan Zhan’s lips curl in a tiny, almost-smug smile and Wei Ying knows he’s doing this on purpose. He hates it. He loves it. 

“Let’s start you with something a bit mellow. You’ve never had beer before, right?”

“Mn,” Lan Zhan confirms, “I tried baiju once, on my twenty-first. I don’t remember it.”

Wei Ying laughs and says, “Okay. Beer will be easier on you, I think.”

“Mn.”

Wei Ying selects a Fat Tire from the wall and wipes off the top of the can before he hands it to Lan Zhan. 

“Alright,” he says after the crack-hiss of the tab being opened, “this is an amber ale. It’s not too hoppy, but it’s not sweet either. It’s a pretty average beer. A good quality, average beer.”

Lan Zhan waits until Wei Ying is finished explaining before he lifts it to his mouth. 

He takes a sip -- a tiny sip -- and immediately scrunches up his nose at it. 

But he goes again. Another sip, slightly bigger this time. His nose wrinkles only slightly less. 

Wei Ying laughs, his smile stretching his cheeks. “You don’t have to like it, Lan Zhan,” he says. “I’ll finish it for you if you don’t want it.”

Something not unlike a pout begins to form between Lan Zhan’s lips and he holds out a finger, “Give me a moment.”

The faces don’t stop over the course of the next few sips, but they don’t seem to impede Lan Zhan’s determination so Wei Ying leaves him to it and drinks his own beer. 

He’s adorable, Wei Ying thinks as he watches Lan Zhan, so fucking cute. 

The alcohol works fast in him, it seems, as it’s not very long before Lan Zhan begins to slump in his chair. His eyelashes flutter as if trying to stay open. They fail. Wei Ying catches the beer can as it slips from Lan Zhan’s long, loose fingers. 

It’s a little bit insane, but Wei Ying thinks Lan Zhan might be asleep. 

He lifts the can of Fat Tire and shakes it gently in his hand: half of the beer is still left. Did Lan Zhan really just pass out after half a can of beer? Half a can of pretty tame beer? 

Lan Zhan’s lips are slightly parted and, as soon as they are free of the beer, his hands settle clasped together in his lap. The firelight dances across his sleep-slack face and Wei Ying can’t help but stare a little bit in wonder. 

He’s aware he should probably wake him. This cannot be what Lan Zhan expected from this night. Not that anybody has even really noticed, but it could be awkward, Wei Ying supposes, to have fallen asleep at a party surrounded by coworkers -- if Lan Zhan is still Lan Zhan and hasn’t realized that he’s One of Us yet. 

But just as Wei Ying makes the decision to stop staring and Do Something, Lan Zhan’s eyes blink open. 

He looks a little glassy. Wei Ying thinks that maybe he’s just groggy from the surprise nap he just took. But then Lan Zhan looks up at him and Wei Ying knows -- despite the composure he maintains as he rights himself in the chair, despite the perfectly stoic set to his face -- Wei Ying knows immediately that Lan Zhan is -- actually, really, in real life, somehow -- drunk. 

It’s in the subtle tilt of his body, leaning toward Wei Ying like he’s leaning into a turn. And then… and then he starts becoming… a little bit… clingy. 

It wouldn’t even be noticeable were it anyone but Lan Zhan. Just a few small touches: knees bumping together, elbows, shoulders. Lan Zhan’s full attention focused on Wei Ying. But it’s not obvious to anyone else, it seems, and it’s nice. Wei Ying is enjoying it, possibly a little more than he should. So he’s prepared to just let it ride for the time being. Let Lan Zhan be comfortable with himself for a moment. 

That is, until Shawn shows up. 

When Shawn walks out onto the patio, it’s clear to Wei Ying that he’s there with a purpose. Wei Ying can even hazard a guess to what that purpose is. He’s not surprised when Shawn spots him and nods before making a bee line for where he’s sitting with Lan Zhan. He is surprised, however, to see Lan Zhan not quite glaring at Shawn as he approaches. 

Shawn notices it too and makes a small, uncertain wave of his hand, like he’s trying to convince Lan Zhan that he comes in peace. When nothing changes, Shawn shrugs it off and squats on the other side of Wei Ying’s chair. 

Wei Ying knows what he’s going to ask, he knows why he’s getting so close to ask it. The hot chocolate machine in question is still a secret, after all. 

“It broke again?” he asks and Shawn nods. 

Shawn leans in closer, presumably to give details, and Wei Ying feels Lan Zhan’s hands close around his forearm and bicep. His head whips around so fast, he almost smacks his chin into Shawn’s cheek. Lan Zhan never initiates this kind of touch. It’s jarring and wonderful and so not the time. 

Wei Ying turns back to Shawn, schooling his face into a cool nonchalance and trying to block Lan Zhan from his view. He missed whatever details Shawn had given him, but he doubts that it really matters. 

“Yeah, man,” he says with an easy smile, “I can take a look on Monday.”

Shawn takes his cue and stands to leave. He says his thanks and grips Wei Ying’s shoulder before he goes. When he does, Wei Ying looks back to Lan Zhan and sees… well… 

Since their conversation on the chairlift, Wei Ying has noticed certain changes in Lan Zhan’s behavior. There’s been a playful undercurrent of flirtation. It’s subtle, a look from across the room or a murmured comment by the lockers. This is… not that. This is possessive. Pouty and jealous in a way that seems specifically designed to break Wei Ying into pieces. Hot and suggestive in a way that has Wei Ying’s pulse racing. 

Lan Zhan looks like he wants to crawl into Wei Ying’s lap, right now, in front of all these people. And, while Wei Ying would absolutely love that, Lan Zhan has very specifically said that he would not, so Wei Ying needs to… do something. As soon as he can get his brain back online. 

“Let’s,” says Wei Ying, giving himself a moment to think, “let’s go for a walk.”

He stands and Lan Zhan looks up at him with eyes like honey. He holds out his hand to help Lan Zhan to his feet and, though Lan Zhan takes it, the man stands with a fluidity and grace that can really only be called seductive. Wei Ying just hopes that he’s the only one to notice. Somehow he doubts that he is. 

He pulls Lan Zhan back inside and through the house back to the front door. He makes excuses as he goes but whether anyone actually buys them, he has no idea. He stops by the fridge to grab another fizzy water for Lan Zhan, waves his thanks to Diego, and gets himself and Lan Zhan back out onto the street. He’s fairly certain he manages to play off Lan Zhan’s drunken clinginess as drunken instability, but he’ll probably never know. He just hopes Nie Huaisang will help him out with that one. 

-

Wei Ying takes a deep breath as they step off the driveway. The night is cold away from the fire, but Lan Zhan is warm against his side. Their breath condenses into small clouds that waft away in the light breeze. 

They walk together down the twisting streets of Upper Biling, past houses that Wei Ying couldn’t even guess the price of, and through neighborhoods that lay almost empty for three-quarters of the year. Summer homes and winter homes to people who can afford five houses and put snow tires on their sportscars. 

While they walk, Wei Ying rambles. 

It’s easy to talk to Lan Zhan. He’s a good listener, a good friend. When he does choose to interject it’s always with something relevant and often with some new perspective that pushes Wei Ying out of his own spiral. 

Or, at least, he is when he’s sober. 

Drunk Lan Zhan still listens -- actively even, nodding and humming at appropriate intervals. But he also wanders off mid-sentence to try to climb his way to the top of a very icy snow berm. 

When Wei Ying directs him away from the potential death trap, Lan Zhan pouts again, harder. 

“Boring,” he says, and Wei Ying can’t help but laugh. 

“Oh, ‘boring,’ is it?”

Lan Zhan nods. 

Wei Ying laughs. “Is this what you secretly want to be like all the time?” he asks. “Clingy and flirty and cute?”

“I am not cute,” says Lan Zhan, sounding almost offended at the implication. 

“You are adorable.”

“No. No, I’m cold and ‘hostile.’” He says it like a quote. Like something he’s heard before. Wei Ying wants to find out who it was who said that and throw them off a mountain. 

Since that is not an option available to him, he jokes instead. “Ah, yes. So hostile, Lan Zhan.”

“People are afraid of me.” 

Which, annoyingly, is true, but, “People are idiots.”

“You’re not afraid of me?”

Wei Ying scoffs so hard he thinks he might hurt something. “I was a little afraid you were going to jump into my lap and claim me when Shawn was just trying to ask me for a favor.”

Lan Zhan looks at him and hums. It’s not dismissive or in any way negative. A smirk even starts curling in the corner of his lips. 

“You’d like that wouldn’t you?” says Wei Ying. “You’re secretly possessive, too.”

“That’s not much of a secret.”

The intersection is one Wei Ying recognizes. If he’s honest, he’s maybe a little lost. But he is pretty sure that up this road is a park that he has walked to with Jiang Yanli, his sister, and Jin Ling, her son. Like eighty percent. Sixty-five. It’s fine. Lan Zhan follows him easily as he steers them toward it. 

“Oh no?”

“I’m rich. Doesn’t that automatically mean I’m possessive?”

“I think the only thing that automatically means is that you have money.”

“I don’t want it.”

“The money?”

“It’s my parents’ money. It’s still supposed to be theirs.” 

Dead parents are not a super fun topic of conversation at the best of times. At the drunk of times, the tone can get very sad very quickly, and that very much is not where Wei Ying wants this to go. Lan Zhan doesn’t need to get maudlin drunk, preferably ever. So Wei Ying deliberately brushes past that. 

“You’re twenty-six. Wouldn’t your trust fund have kicked in by now, anyway?”

“Twenty-seven.”

“Ah?”

There are swings in the park. The black rubber of them is dusted with snow, easy enough to brush off. They sit, turned toward each other still in a way that, once they start swaying a little, causes that awkward torsion in the swing. 

“It was my birthday last Sunday.”

Wei Ying’s mouth drops open. “Lan Zhan! Happy birthday! Why didn’t you tell me?”

“What would you have done?”

“Whatever you wanted me to.”

“Hm… Whatever I wanted?”

Suggestive. But it’s not Wei Ying’s rules they’re following tonight. “Anything.”

Lan Zhan cocks his head to the side. “You wouldn’t have told everyone?” he asks. “Thrown a big party?”

“No,” Wei Ying laughs, “you’d hate that.”

“But I’m here, aren’t I?”

Oh. Oh no. 

Does Lan Zhan think that this is what Wei Ying wants from him? Did Lan Zhan agree to come just because he thought it would make Wei Ying happy? 

Oh fuck. 

Wei Ying stops swinging and grabs hold of the chain of Lan Zhan’s swing too, turning him, forcing their eyes to meet. 

“Lan Zhan,” he starts, “I’m not trying to change you. I just want you to see that you’re welcome here. That people like you. Not that you have to want this all the time. Just… that you can have it… when you want it.”

Lan Zhan’s eyes narrow with something that’s probably skepticism but might be genuine curiosity. He repeats Wei Ying’s words, “When I want it.”

Wei Ying nods hard and fast. And then, “Which you don’t have to! I just--” he takes his hand back and wraps it around his own swing chain. “You seemed so lonely.”

Silence settles between them. It’s not comfortable, but it’s not exactly uncomfortable, either. It just is. The kind of silence in which words are processed. Feelings are processed. Wei Ying doesn’t want to rush it, but there’s an emptiness to it that crawls under his skin. 

He pushes against the ground with one foot, swing creaking back into motion. 

“But I would never force this on you for your birthday!” He gestures vaguely in the direction he thinks the party might be. “That would be absurd.”

“Absurd?” Lan Zhan’s voice is warmer around this repetition. A genuine question, this time. 

“Yeah! Your birthday should be about you. Not anybody else. If all you wanted was to drink tea and read, then you should have that.” Wei Ying shakes his head, “I would just like to have bought you the tea.”

“What if I wanted you there?”

“Then I would be there.”

“What if I want you now?”

Wei Ying tenses. It’s not so much that Lan Zhan’s tone has shifted or his voice has changed. He still speaks with the same smooth baritone, the same stoic serenity, that he’s had all night. But it’s like the air around them charges with electricity. A chill shoots up Wei Ying’s neck. He drags his toe to slow his swing again. 

“Ah… haha. Now is a different story. You’re drunk now. After,” Wei Ying raises his eyebrows and shakes his head, still in disbelief, “half a beer...” Like that’s a thing that happens in real life. 

There’s a sound like a pine bough cracking under too much snow and then Lan Zhan is standing in front of him. His long fingers wrap around the chains on either side of Wei Ying’s head, arresting his momentum as he looms, beautiful and radiant in the soft light. His eyes are bright with intention. He’s so close, Wei Ying can feel the heat of him. 

“Ah… And because you’re drunk,” Wei Ying says very carefully, “I have to stick to guidelines as previously discussed.”

Lan Zhan doesn’t look convinced. He drops to his knees slowly, fingers dragging down the chains. The sight and sound send shivers down Wei Ying’s spine. Without asking, his thighs spread wide as Lan Zhan settles between them. The snow beneath Lan Zhan’s shins crunches and then starts to melt. 

He smiles and it’s devastating. “So you don’t want me to…”

Lan Zhan’s palms are hot on Wei Ying’s thighs, searing even through the thick denim of his jeans. Wei Ying bites his lip to keep from whining at the touch. They slide higher and higher until Wei Ying draws on all of his meager self-control and stills them. He takes a deep breath and screws his eyes shut against the stunning vision of Lan Zhan, wanton and willing, looking up at him from his knees. 

“Fuck, Lan Zhan,” he groans. “Don’t do this to me. Don’t make me the responsible one. I’m not good at it.”

He opens his eyes and that small, infuriating pout has returned to Lan Zhan’s face. Wei Ying has to take another breath before he can move. 

He grips Lan Zhan’s hands and brings them both to their feet. His arousal is obvious in his jeans and Lan Zhan definitely notices, but Wei Ying ignores it, ignores Lan Zhan’s raised eyebrow, ignores the way he licks his fucking lips. (The man is a menace, truly.) 

Wei Ying clears his throat against the lust threatening to choke him. He walks Lan Zhan back over to the other swing and gets him sitting down on the cold rubber again. He moves behind him so he doesn’t have to meet Lan Zhan’s eyes, wraps Lan Zhan’s hands around the chains, fingers lingering longer than strictly necessary, then starts pushing him. 

The motion is good, distracting. Something to do that doesn’t involve actively ignoring the heat in Lan Zhan’s gaze, the pout on his lips. If he holds Lan Zhan’s waist a little too tight, nobody else needs to know. 

When Wei Ying regains control of his body, he lets himself chuckle a little. “You’re probably not even going to remember this in the morning, are you?” he says, watching his breath condense. 

Lan Zhan just shrugs and hums a non-committal sound. 

Wei Ying rolls his eyes and says, “I bet you only had one shot at your twenty-first.”

The night is quiet except for the metallic scrape of the swing as Wei Ying pushes Lan Zhan in an easy rhythm. He tries not to think about other rhythmic activities and to focus, instead, on the cold air biting his cheeks and on keeping Lan Zhan upright on the little plastic seat. 

The cold is good. Sobering. Wei Ying breathes it into his lungs and lets it soothe him. There’s woodsmoke in the air, too, from somebody’s fireplace or backyard pit. 

He looks down at Lan Zhan who is listing to the side like he’s falling asleep. His jeans are wet-dark around the knees and down his shins and Wei Ying realizes that he needs to get Lan Zhan inside somewhere before he freezes or becomes too tired to walk. Wei Ying is strong, but he’s not sure he can carry a passed out Lan Zhan up Northwoods Blvd. Or down Northwoods, to be honest. 

Wei Ying still doesn’t remember how to get back to the Peruvians’ house from here, but he does recognize this park as the one he’s visited with his sister and nephew. Jiang Yanli’s house is actually fairly close and Wei Ying is pretty sure he knows the way. 

Lan Zhan is pliant and amenable when Wei Ying asks him to stand. He’s still listing to the side so Wei Ying gets an arm around his waist and tries to think about anything but the press of Lan Zhan’s body against his own. It turns out to be easier than he thought because the worry takes over. Lan Zhan is cold. He’s leaning hard into Wei Ying’s side and even if he is playing it up a little -- as Wei Ying suspects he might be -- he still needs to get to a bed soon. 

It’s only about four blocks to Jiang Yanli’s house from the little park. Wei Ying sees her mailbox sooner than he expects and points it out to Lan Zhan. Wei Ying and Jin Ling painted the little silver and gold stars on it together. 

Lan Zhan smiles at them and Wei Ying’s knees buckle, which is sweet, but they’re about to climb the driveway and Lan Zhan still requires support so Wei Ying really has to pull himself together. 

Jiang Yanli’s house is huge. Wei Ying always kind of forgets until he’s standing in front of it, but it’s an obscenely large house. The driveway climbs almost fifty vertical feet from the street and the house rises two stories from there. Hidden from street view, the back of the house drops another two stories down the side of the mountain with a wooden deck that gets near-panoramic views of the valley. Floor to ceiling windows in the living room. High, vaulted ceilings. All pine and granite. A fucking elevator. 

It’s way too big for a single family but Jiang Yanli married Jin Zixuan, scion of the Gold Peony Resort Jins. A family that owns hotels and golf courses in three countries. Jin Zixuan, himself, owns the Lanling Golf Course in Caiyi Town. 

Bad enough he’s a golfer, but Jin Zixuan was a real jerk to Jiang Yanli when they were teenagers and Wei Ying has never forgiven him for it. He can admit, however, that he’s treated her well since he managed to get his shit together and ask her out properly. They’ve been married for more than five years now. It’s fine. 

He texts Jiang Yanli instead of ringing the doorbell because children have bedtimes, Wei Ying, and it’s like 11pm and that seems awfully late for a four-year-old to be awake. Lan Zhan curls closer into Wei Ying’s arms as they stand in front of the door and wait. 

Jiang Yanli doesn’t text back but Wei Ying can hear movement inside the house and sees a light turn on inside before the porch light attempts to blind him, and she opens the door in her slippers, a pair of sweats, and what Wei Ying assumes is Jin Zixuan’s high school mascot t-shirt. (A wolverine, he thinks.) 

“A’Ying?”

Her voice is thick with sleep and guilt churns his stomach until he remembers that he’s not really here for himself. 

“I’m so sorry, Yanli-jie,” says Wei Ying, “I know it’s late, I just didn’t know where else to go and hypothermia was becoming a concern.”

Jiang Yanli’s eyes go wide and she takes in the man who may or may not be asleep on his feet in Wei Ying’s arms. “Is he okay?”

“Oh, he’s fine!” Wei Ying says, quick to reassure her but still trying to keep his voice down. “He’s fine. Just drunk. And a massive lightweight. Seriously, I’m never going to let him live this down.”

It’s then that Jin Zixuan pokes his head around his wife’s shoulder, eyes squinting against the (really, incredibly bright) porch light.

“Lan Zhan?” he asks, recognition and concern screwing up his face. 

“Okay…” says Wei Ying, looking to his sister. “Why does your husband know my boss?”

Jin Zixuan, not as useless as one might be tempted to think, steps out and gets his arm around the other side of Lan Zhan. Lan Zhan wakes up at the new contact but seems to recognize him and allows this so, together, the three of them start moving toward the guest bedroom, following Jiang Yanli down the stairs. 

“We were rich kids on the high school downhill team together,” says Jin Zixuan, and Wei Ying struggles not to laugh.

“See,” he says, “that’s the kind of thing I would have guessed, but I would have done it in a mocking way. You just said that with so much aplomb that I can’t even make fun of you for it now.”

“Oh great, he’s using words like ‘aplomb.’”

Wei Ying can’t actually see Jin Zixuan in their current configuration, but he knows an eye roll when he hears one. 

“Shut up, I’m more literate than you are, Business Degree.”

“A’Ying,” Jiang Yanli chides from below them. 

“Sorry, Jie.”

They settle Lan Zhan on the guest bed which, because Jiang Yanli is a real adult, is a real bed with a real comforter and far too many useless pillows. Wei Ying kneels to take off Lan Zhan’s shoes which, along with his own, have tracked road dirt and snow all through Jiang Yanli’s beautiful house. Lan Zhan is no help in this, but he does, to Wei Ying’s great relief, agree to take off his own pants. 

Wei Ying gets him tucked under the covers and Lan Zhan falls asleep almost immediately. 

Wei Ying sets a glass of water on the nightstand. He fishes Lan Zhan’s phone out of his jeans and sets it next to the glass along with a pair of ibuprofen tablets. He has no idea if Lan Zhan gets hangovers or not -- if someone can even get a hangover from half a beer -- but better to be prepared. 

Wei Ying takes off his own shoes and carries them with him as he goes to meet his sister and her husband out in the kitchen. He sets them by the door, next to Lan Zhan’s. He tries not to think about his and Lan Zhan’s shoes together in his sister’s shoe rack, like they’re dinner guests or visiting on purpose rather than too drunk and too lost to find their way back to the car. 

In the kitchen, Jiang Yanli has a kettle on the stove already and is plating what looks like rice cooker bread, because she is a literal angel. Jin Zixuan is sitting at the counter helping her sort through their many teas. Wei Ying does have to admit that he is a very good husband. Golf course or not. 

“Oh no,” says Wei Ying, eyes widening with a startling realization as he sits on the counter next to his sister and looks imploringly at Jin Zixuan, “please don’t tell me he golfs. I like him too much to stop now.” 

It’s a joke (mostly) that Wei Ying hates golf. And golfers. Environmental concerns aside (which they really shouldn’t be), it’s a mind-numbingly boring sport. Wei Ying loves to poke at Jin Zixuan with this particular stick whenever it comes up.

Jin Zixuan huffs. “Why would--? Nevermind. He does not golf. You’re safe.”

“Oh, thank god,” says Wei Ying with an exaggerated sigh. He turns to cover up the even more startling realization that he would probably still like Lan Zhan even if he did… occasionally golf. Wei Ying elects to keep that to himself.

The bread melts in his mouth. It’s so delicious that his eyes actually close on their own. She’s a goddess, his sister. 

Even though it’s clear that Wei Ying pulled them out of bed, both Jiang Yanli and Jin Zixuan stay up with him for a little while as he finishes the bread that keeps appearing on his plate and the water that keeps refilling itself in his glass. 

“I’m fine, Yanli-jie. I only had two beers. It’s Lan Zhan I’m worried about.” 

Which, unfortunately, prompts a conversation about why he and his boss were wandering around Upper Biling together while drunk -- “Not drunk!” -- and courting hypothermia. 

Wei Ying is not subtle in his diversion as he directs the line of questioning away from how he feels about Lan Zhan. How Lan Zhan feels about him. It’s not-- It’s not the time for that talk. Not now. Not when Jiang Yanli is stifling yawns behind her hand and Jin Zixuan is still right there for some reason. 

If they were friends, though, Wei Ying does have a question for him. 

“Were you at his twenty-first?”

Jin Zixuan nods, looking uncomfortable at where this might be going, but still answers, “I was.”

“It was only one shot, wasn’t it?”

There’s a pause, and then Jin Zixuan sighs and nods again, “It was.”

[lorelite333]

thank you to @sclairereject for the inspiration for the post, because i never have anything to post about half the time. however as someone who does do tarot (i'm spiritual), i wanna put my own twist to this. (ppl have their own interpretations, but the cards still have definitions)

Redacted Boys (includes Alexis) Major Arcana Tarot Cards:

I'd also like to say that these are just my takes, and things that I've noticed and felt. I don't have everyone on here, as I got tired writing this halfway through, so I don't have everyone on here.

SHAW PACK:

David Shaw is the Magician, specifically because he was trying to find his power and voice as leader, in which he did.

Milo Greer is the Chariot, because of sense of direction and will power. He tries his best to do what's right, even if it hurts him in the process.

Asher Talbot is the Strength card, due to his overcoming self-doubt, his compassion, and his bravery in situations. In reverse, this card represents self-doubt, lack of confidence, and vulnerability.

SOLAIRE CLAN

Vincent is the Lovers card, standing by his personality alone, resembling unity, balance, partnerships, and choices.

Sam is the Justice card, associated with fairness, truth, balance, and legal matters. I feel like Sam genuinely cares about what's right, and wants to help no matter what, even if he says he wants to stay out of things. He has this sense to try to make things right, even if things may get rocky. He's a healer by heart, and tries his best to do what's best for everyone in a situation.

William is the Hierophant, it is associated with education, knowledge, traditions, and institutions. I dont really have a reason for this one other than vibes.

Alexis the Judgement card, due to her past actions as well as her personality. This card represents reflection, rebirth, transition, and decision-making. In reverse, this card represents self-doubt, poor choices, stubbornness, blame, and confusion.

Porter is the Tower card. It represents trauma, destruction, unexpected change, revelation, chaos, awakening, and warning. We know that Porter is in fact "The Blade" of the Solaire Clan, and we know that he somewhat regrets it in some way, as well as him having trauma from this and his maker.

DAMN SQUAD

Gavin is The World, as it symbolizes success, fulfilment, and an end of a cycle. I feel like this represents him due to his change with the Freelancer, him being able to open up and enjoy his life with them and his friends. Gavin never really considered Aria his home, but more so just a place he lived at. In his SBW, he talks about how Dhalia has become his home, as Freelancer and the DAMN squad had helped him change his view on it (as well as change him).

Damien is the Sun, mostly in reverse, this academic over-achiever has a little bit of an ego. He's also quite pessimistic and has unrealistic expectations that were set on him by other people. However, the Sun is also associated with positivity, happiness, freedom and vitality. Which I think Damien has learned throughout his years of being friends with the Freelancer, that it's okay to take a break sometimes and just have fun.

Huxley is the Star, as he tries to maintain his happy and positive self for everyone else, turning to inspire others and give them hope with their problems. However Huxley also experiences negativity, hopelessness, failure. I think Huxley somewhat feels like the things in life get too repetitive, and he sometimes loses interest in certain things or just becomes bored with them from a tedious routine.

And finally Lasko, is the Fool, mostly from vibes, however The Fool is an air element card, which represents new beginnings, a leap of faith, and loyalty. Lasko sees the DAMN squad as family, in which he's very loyal to. I feel like during his time at DAMN, he's experienced time after time a new beginning, from Damien and him becoming friends to him and Coworker having a relationship.

[mrsmiagreer]

SUMMIT THOUGHTS IN ORDER BY SCENE!!

“Hold still i’ll grab you one of mine” UGHHHH

“What do you think babe? How’s my hair?” EVEN MORE UGHHHHH😩😩😩

Yes Milo I AM laughing 😂

————————————————————————-

Vincent cut himself off, i wanna know what he wants to say :’(

“She sounded— nevermind”

HE GOT US A CROWN HES SO SWEET

wouldnt it be cool if this was like… the way of Royal Vampiric Engagement?

Vincent sounds so cute when he’s nervous 🥺

————————————————————————-

Sam’s loud ass truck rolling up lmao

ICECREAM!!!!

I just know Sam slicked his hair back into the tightest ponytail. His formal look HAS to be super cute

————————————————————————-

Porterrrrr!!

“Your human” LMAO

The thoughts about seating were actually really sweet

Porter now wtf are you talking about?

Vincent’s irritation is so warranted right now 💀

He’s up to something fs

“Bye now—” AND HES JUST GONE??!!

————————————————————————-

“Hey Bud!” Awe Ash we love you

Vincent sounds like he memorized this shit😂

Eccentric he says🤨

“Blink twice if you need a way out buddy” WE LOVE YOU EVEN MORE NOW ASH

“What😟😃” VINCENT LMAOO

————————————————————————-

Bennet you meanies >:(

Alexander and Christopher count your fucking days

A bit formal?? This is a SUMMIT?!

Take a breath BOY?!

Stfu both of yous

“Where’s Alexis?” Anything to get YOU out of my face 😒

————————————————————————-

HERE WE GO

“SAMS LATEST CONQUEST” ouuuu bitch—

she’s so snarky and condescending everything she says means something underneath but she sounds so sweet its annoying

Honestly if i was tank i would think about her words all night and for a few more days after that she dug deep fr and was actually making sense

Yeah okay darlin’ calm it down, don’t wanna get my head snapped off in front of 3810 year old vamps🤨

“Pettiness isn’t childish at all” 😒

You turned him because you wanted him but we don’t all get what we want huh?

“I FIXED HIM” GIRL LMFAOOOO

“I don’t like you, and I’m not going to” first of all, i’m so glad the feeling is mutual and secondly, this is my new favorite quote. I might not like Alexis but she ate with that one

PORTER TO THE RESCUE! but why?

“Oh darling as if i have a gag reflex” UGHHH😩

Sam to the rescue??

“What the fuck did she say??” “Where is she??”

I love the fact that it when tank ran away you can hear their footsteps. Since my Darlin’ is a girl, it sounds like she wore Combat Boots to the summit😭

————————————————————————-

Random message for David?

The music in the back is fucking hilarious

Quinn is coming back?? Yall knew it

William a bad person?? He’s a little shady but i think he has good intent honestly

Why does he lowkey sound like Christian’s VA?

————————————————————————-

“Don’t EVER speak to them again. Do you hear me???” Samuel don’t get me started🫦

“But playing is what I do best🥰🤭” she kinda ate with that one too

The fact that he even had to say anything along the lines of “if you care about me even a little you would do this for me” like If i was Tank i would cry because she agreed so fast😭 Like i know yall had something but like damn she still loves you?

Loser ass response 😒

————————————————————————-

MILO’s BACK

Awee Asher stumbling over his words

Why is Porter in everyone’s business 😭

Milo’s protective tone when he talks to Porter is tickling my insides🤭🤭

Closeknit??! Awe here we go😟

Porter is so suspicious right now…

“Hold the fuck up” MILOOOO😩😩😩😩😍😍😍😍

“Wait what’d you do that night?—” THEY DIDN’T TELL ASHER IT’S BEEN LIKE A YEAR AND MORE LMAO

Asher still being scared of making big decisions🥺

“Babe…” 😫😫🫶🏽🫶🏽

————————————————————————-

Tank being worried that Alexis threatened him is so real

“She was exactly who she appeared to be, i was the one trying to pretend i didn’t have a problem with that” REALLLLLLL

I don’t give a damn about her beat up heart

“I don’t want you to think that i felt like you needed saving” Honestly i appreciate this line because i hate the way it feels for someone to step in for you

“Maybe I wanted a chance of my own to tell the bitch to shove it if i’m being honest” 🤷🏽‍♀️😅🥳

————————————————————————-

knock knock

oouuuuu Asher’s telling David

Asher sounds in trouble 😭 David sounds like somebody daddy fr fr

the eye contact 😭😭

————————————————————————-

Ain’t this Loveboldly? All i hear is Crux😂

Funding?! ALL OF THIS FOR SOME MONEY

“Lower. Your. Voice. ” 💀💀

Alexander is so mean to his prince😭

“You’re showing your age Christopher. Or lack thereof” Damn he snapped him up

NOISE?!

————————————————————————-

“We’re about to have a fight. Be convincing” Uhh okay???

What the fuck is going awnnnn?!

Getting Vincent riled up for god knows what in insane💀

Glad he didn’t bring Treasure 😭

SAM TO THE RESCUE… ish?

“Consider yourself crossed”😲😲😲😲

“He’s dead” 🤨🤨😟😟 ALEXIS WHAT??? HOW’D SHE KNOW?!

[timefadesaway]

MY MACBETH REVIEW. except that makes it sound so formal this is just me saying things. and it’s long too so no one will read im sure except like three of you 🙏

spoilers for the production if ur seeing it i suppose but not really. and spoilers for macbeth but i mean it’s 400 years old so that’s your problem

okay so it was crazy good. really sort of…bare but in a sort of gothic and chilling way. it felt modern without being too full of itself. the sound design was great and i also really loved the celtic folk music they had going on. i ADORED the witches at the start as voices in vapours and also how they had the whole company play them in their later scene. i think it’s possibly the most successful demonstration of macbeth being tormented/haunted that i’ve seen. the choreography was wonderful both here and in the final battle. plus i adored the donmar it’s my first time going there and man. it being so small is wonderful! it really is the most intimate theatre in london

context wise i especially thought how they focused on the loss of a child was engaging. it’s something that i personally haven’t seen focused on much in a lot of productions and it was really interesting that they only had one child cast member to play the children. i know that’s common in productions like this with limited casts but it was really made to be read into. like it wasn’t subtext it was text. that they set him up as THEIR child at the start, and throughout macbeth would interact with tenderness before violence was so so interesting and well-done. that they were haunted by their lost child who they saw in everything and yet still murdered. and the fact that fleance and young siward were both CHILDREN was like. crazy. sickening even. when macbeth kills young siward it was mad too like i gasped as did half the theatre.

another thing is the fact that even though it was a ‘shorter’ production it didn’t feel idk. frantic or rushed. i think coming off the back of seeing lear with kenneth branagh i was unsure about it bc that DID feel rushed and lost a lot of emotion bc of it. this wasn’t the case at allll with macbeth it felt perfectly paced and remained thrilling and tense throughout.

i think some people think the headphone thing was gimmicky but personally i really enjoyed it. it leant itself to parts of the performance (eg. whispers, clinking daggers, the sort of things u wouldn’t typically hear) and i enjoyed how it built atmosphere and tension but my favourite bit of it is that it sort of added a level of separation between say, the ghost of banquo and the witches and the ‘reality’ of the scene. without the headphones they do not exist. it’s involving but also plays with what is real and what isn’t. i did actually remove them a couple of times and tbh i did enjoy some parts of the performances more without them but overall it was utilised well and was more than a gimmick to me.

performances ummm. they were brilliant. cush jumbo was awesome and has such a stage presence which is so important for lady macbeth. very understated charisma that rlly lends itself to all of her character…i LOVED the porter they were soooo fun and funny and did great audience work AND gave me my pantomime fix for the year. and of course david tennant was brilliant. the hype was real he is very good isn’t he. and i’m saying this as a frequent killjoy. and i did like to see him get thrown around and picked up by women

okay ummm yes. i hope they film it so u can all see it alternatively i wish you all well in getting no-shows/daily tix/standing

[thatwasuzi]

49 years ago today

SS Arthur M Anderson: "Fitzgerald, this is the Anderson. Have you checked down?"

SS Edmund Fitzgerald: "Yes we have."

Anderson: "Fitzgerald, we are about 10 miles behind you, and gaining about 1 1/2 miles per hour. Fitzgerald, there is a target 19 miles ahead of us. So the target would be 9 miles on ahead of you."

Fitzgerald: "Well, am I going to clear?"

A: "Yes. He is going to pass to the west of you."

F: "Well, fine."

A: "By the way, Fitzgerald, how are you making out with your problem?"

F: "We are holding our own."

A: "Okay, fine. I'll be talking to you later."

The crew of the Edmund Fitzgerald would never speak to anyone outside of the ship again. After the Fitzgerald entered a squall and was obscured from the Anderson's radar. Some time shortly thereafter the Edmund Fitzgerald sank with all hands aboard.

Michael E. Armagost, 37, Third Mate, from Iron River, Wisconsin

Frederick J. Beetcher, 56, Porter, from Superior, Wisconsin

Thomas D. Bentsen, 23, Oiler, from St. Joseph, Michigan

Edward F. Bindon, 47, First Assistant Engineer, from Fairport Harbor, Ohio

Thomas D. Borgeson, 41, Maintenance Man, from Duluth, Minnesota

Oliver J. Champeau, 41, Third Assistant Engineer, from Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin

Nolan S. Church, 55, Porter, from Silver Bay, Minnesota

Ransom E. Cundy, 53, Watchman, from Superior, Wisconsin

Thomas E. Edwards, 50, Second Assistant Engineer, from Oregon, Ohio

Russell G. Haskell, 40, Second Assistant Engineer, from Millbury, Ohio

George J. Holl, 60, Chief Engineer, from Cabot, Pennsylvania

Bruce L. Hudson, 22, Deck Hand, from North Olmsted, Ohio

Allen G. Kalmon, 43, Second Cook, from Washburn, Wisconsin

Gordon F. MacLellan, 30, Wiper, from Clearwater, Florida

Joseph W. Mazes, 59, Special Maintenance Man, from Ashland, Wisconsin

John H. McCarthy, 62, First Mate, from Bay Village, Ohio

Ernest M. McSorley, 63, Captain, from Toledo, Ohio

Eugene W. O’Brien, 50, Wheelsman, from Toledo, Ohio

Karl A. Peckol, 20, Watchman, from Ashtabula, Ohio

John J. Poviach, 59, Wheelsman, from Bradenton, Florida

James A. Pratt, 44, Second Mate, from Lakewood, Ohio

Robert C. Rafferty, 62, Steward, from Toledo, Ohio

Paul M. Riippa, 22, Deck Hand, from Ashtabula, Ohio

John D. Simmons, 63, Wheelsman, from Ashland, Wisconsin

William J. Spengler, 59, Watchman, from Toledo, Ohio

Mark A. Thomas, 21, Deck Hand, from Richmond Heights, Ohio

Ralph G. Walton, 58, Oiler, from Fremont, Ohio

David E. Weiss, 22, Cadet, from Agoura, California

Blaine H. Wilhelm, 52, Oiler, from Moquah, Wisconsin

[scotianostra]

March 18th 1992 saw Pat Clinton become the sixth Scot to hold a world boxing title when he took the WBO flyweight Belt.

In an emotional evening in Glasgow's Kelvin Hall, Pat Clinton, made Dad Billy Clinton's dream come true for 12 months between when Pat outpointed defending WBO champion Isadore Perez from Mexico over 12 torrid rounds.

This famous ring victory prompted Clinton's manager and promoter, Tommy Gilmour, when asked post-fight if he would grant beaten Perez a rematch into the unforgettable reply: "No. The Mexicans didn't grant a rematch at the Alamo!"

Pat was born on April 4th 1964 at Croy, to Billy and Sadie.

Boxing was in his blood, his dad won the Scottish pro flyweight title in Perth in 1940, his uncle Jim fought and won two British A.B.A. boxing titles in 1944 and 1947.

Pat had aspirations to be a jockey but a fatal heart attack, which killed his dad Billy, in 1980, made Pat determined, instead, to realise his late dad's boxing dream of becoming a bona fide world boxing champion. In a 1990s interview Pat he said

"I owe my father Billy Clinton everything regarding boxing. He taught me everything - how to move, how to counterpunch, not to mix matters in the ring unless desperate, how to box for all my openings."

Pat was a member of Croy Miners Amateur Boxing Club. Clinton represented Britain as a Flyweight at the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, losing only to the eventual silver medallist. Clinton turned professional in 1985 and won his first 11 fights.

In February 1989, Clinton faced Eyüp Can for the vacant European title, losing a unanimous decision. He made successful defences of his British title against Danny Porter and David Afan Jones before getting a second shot at the European title in August 1990; Clinton took a majority decision against Salvatore Fanni in Cagliari to take the vacant European title.

And so to the Kelvin Hall on 18th March 1992, Pat recalls that he had little memory of the build up and entrance to the ring, saying

"When I was walking to the ring there was an incredible atmosphere and it hit me like a sucker punch, I don't remember Ronnie Browne of the Corries singing Flower of Scotland or the fight even starting. In fact, it felt like I was going through the motions to begin with. “ he added "It was only when he landed with a jab that I thought to myself, 'My God this has started, I better get my finger out.'

It wasn't easy that emotion-filled night in the Kelvin Hall. Bringing dreams to fruition never is. After the halfway stage, veteran of 57 bouts Perez forced Pat, who had suffered the old Jackie Paterson curse of weightmaking problems, to fight out of his skin. Helped by a picture of his dad Billy Clinton, which was shown between rounds in his ring corner, Pat battled to a points win after 12 rounds.

It was a world title victory that provoked such emotional scenes of post-fight joy that even today promoter and manager Tommy Gilmour claims that this Clinton world flyweight win is still his most cherished boxing memory.

Still, weight problems continued to dog Pat as they had dogged other Scottish flyweight greats. As a result, Pat looked very unimpressive in beating Englishman Danny Porter in a WBO title defence at Glasgow's SECC Arena on points over 12 rounds in September 1992 - a poor performance stressed by the fact that Clinton had already previously stopped Porter inside five rounds at Watford in a British title defence in October 1989.

Eight months later and Pat, still plagued by weight and hand injury problems, lost his title to South African Jake Matlala, with Pat being stopped in Glasgow inside eight rounds.

An ill-fated comeback at bantamweight eventually petered out but today Pat Clinton can look back with pride on a career that saw him win World, British, European and Scottish flyweight crowns as well as being the first Scot to win a European flyweight title in Italy…as well as fulfilling his father Billy's dream.

In his thirties, as a result of perforated eardrums suffered during his boxing career, Clinton suffered tinnitus and started to lose his hearing, and had to start wearing a hearing aid at the age of 33. He returned to his trade as a joiner before going on to work as a salesman for Scottish Gas.

[abbey-rae]

I wrote my LONG stream of thoughts in my notes app in real time listening to the summit!!

HUGE SPOILERS UNDER THE CUT!!

Ash blaming Aggro for taking his shoe lmaoo

Milo talking shit about Asher’s old belt💀

Milo telling SH they better not have hidden his dress socks again😭

Vincent wanted to hear from Will😞

…but he has a surprise for lovely🤭

AHHHH HE GOT A CROWN MADE BY THE SAME CRAFTSMAN WHO MADE HIS😭

‘you’re my heart.’ FOUL

Sam HATES the summit but he’s glad to have ‘good people’ here this time!

He and Darlin are getting ice cream after🥲

Porter didn’t actually bring Treasure he just said he would to fuck with Vincent😭😭devious little prick (affectionately)

MORE PACK AND VAMP INTERACTIONS YIPPEE

Asher called Vincent ‘bud’ when they all said hello😭

‘Blink twice if you need a way out buddy’ lmao

AHHHHHHH OMG OMG ALEXIS IS HERE AND SHES INTERACTING WITH DARLIN OMG

‘so when are you joining the family then? or do you plan to wither away into old age until he can’t stand the sight of you anymore; but feels too guilty to leave.’🫥

‘problems don’t get resolved by hitting them, you child. grow up.’ girl…

Porter comes to defend Darlin and is being snide with alexis😭

‘being the family’s disappointment has always been your domain. i’d hate to intrude.’ PLEASE

Sam’s back!!

‘what the fuck did she say?’ he sounds so hurt omg😭

SAM WENT GET ALEXIS OH NO

DARLIN RAN AFTER HIM!

Dion Wright is talking to David

be careful of William??

Although none of the houses claim him, Quinn came from somewhere and that means he has friends😬🫣

Adam mention was not on my Summit bingo card jesus CHRIST😭

Sam asked that Alexis not speak to Darlin and she agreed (although begrudgingly)

Ash is complimenting the food and Milo says that doesn’t mean much given Ash has TERRIBLE cooking abilities😭

‘My name is Porter Solaire.’

‘Oh.’

‘ASH!’💀

Porter asked SH if they’re an investigator and is asking questions about CLOSEKNIT I WAS NOT EXPECTING THAT😭

Closeknit has lots of groups finding them and one of them is a Vamp house (Bennett)

Porter wants SH to stealth and sneak into a meeting between the Bennett king and prince which is happening in a few minutes!!!

SH wants to do it😟

The others still don’t know what Milo did to save everyone during inversion😭

The number of people in/joining Closeknit is declining, people need ‘another’ incentive (i.e more funding) to start joining again🫣

IT FEELS LIKE IM IN THE ROOM IM SITTING SO STILL IM SCARED

AHHH HE JUST SAID WHAT WAS THAT NOISE NOOO

Porter is starting a fight with vincent to cause a distraction!

THE KING OF THE HOUSE OF BENNETT IS DEAD WHAT THE FUCK😭😭

In summary:

[sothera]

"On a scale of one to ten, how angry are you with me?" Soth asked, worried.

"That would be zero; I'm not angry at you, just worried." Ryder said, as they drove by the underpass.

"You took the scenic route; the trees are turning..." Soth said, a little melancholy

"The Harvest comes...soon..." Soth finished

Then there's that..Ryder thought...what does he mean... should I ask...?

First things first...

"The things you were carrying; they were...heavy..." Ryder started. "It would take either a forklift or four or five people to carry it."

"I was trying to be helpful, and efficient; Rodney was going to drive it to the front, and then get additional help, I thought it would be faster if I just carry it, and save your staff from doing something so basic." Soth said.

"Rodney?" Ryder asked.

"The porter; he and I have met before, oh, turn left here." Soth said.

"He didn't say anything about you carrying all the stuff in?" Ryder asked.

"No, but he left rather quickly, just like he did when he delivered our breakfast a few weeks ago." Soth answered. "We're almost there, turn right here."

"Okay, so why did he leave so quickly then?" Ryder asked.

"Well, he caught me just after morning meditation..." Soth said. "I was in a hurry, frustrated that I couldn't find my center, I had a flare..."

"Oh boy...he saw Big Red...no shirt?" Ryder asked.

"Yes, but I tried to explain it away as an ugly birthmark." Soth answered. "Not far now."

"Do you think this Rodney guy is going to be a problem?" Ryder asked as he looked around.

"No; he's nice, deep down, just in a hurry all the time." Soth answered... "There!"

"Wow!" Ryder said, "it's perfect, and in good shape too!" Ryder parked across the street, got his phone, took a photo, and entered the number of the realty company into it.

"A shed and a garage; it's better than I thought!" Ryder continued.

"I want to go through it, once, before you move in." Soth said, "just to be sure...so take your time in this... transaction..."

Ryder looked at Soth; his arms and shoulders were... twitching...not like they did when he thought about basketball, either.

Ryder drove on; minor goofs aside, this...kid...was a warrior, like David's dad, and his feelings on these things shouldn't be ignored.

"Okay, you can do a walkthrough before I sign anything, okay?" Ryder asked.

"Do you think Tribesman Bidzill will say anything; there was a brief second of fear when he saw me carrying the pallet in, then he calmed himself immediately..." Soth said.

"Just call him 'Bid', Soth, I don't think so, he's a 'Live and let live' kinda guy, why?" Ryder asked.

"I think he and I may have something in common." Soth answered.

Ryder drove on, "Really?" he asked.

"Yes; when we shook hands....I got to understand him...and I think...he got to understand me..." Soth said.

Ryder sighed as he drove...

"Are you angry at me now?" Soth asked.

"Yes, young warrior, prepare for your punishment..." Ryder said, trying to keep a straight face.

"Yes, Ryder..." Soth said, wondering what was in store for him.

Ryder had a can of soda straight from the refrigerator in his cup holder...he had his index finger on it...

"And now, young Hunter, you must submit to...Cold Finger ..."

Ryder quickly brought his finger to the back of Soth's neck...

"Eye-EEE!" Soth laughed as he bunched his shoulders up to his neck, "I felt that in my wings!" "OOOO!, I don't have to take this abuse, that's what Joey's for..."

"Sorry if I made things harder for you; I know you have a lot happening, I wish I could help." Soth said.

"I wish I could be around like I used to be, and you did help with the car... actually I can see some things where a guy that can pick up a car could be a big help... behind the scenes, of course." Ryder said.

"Always." Soth said.

"You're not going to get all goofy on me, are you?" Ryder asked 😊.

"Not with you trying to freeze my neck off..." Soth answered ☺️.

"Almost there..." Ryder said as he drove up to David's house.🙁

[swynlake-rp]

A magical forest teeming with wildlife and magical beings, a pristine lake, drama and intrigue, and a bustling small town main street, what else could you need to bring these characters to life in a magical town?

Gus Porter - (Gus, The Owl House) - Stage makeup, glitter in your hair from the afterparty, you live for the drama! As you embark on your new adventure, will the quaint Mundus university prove to be what you hoped it would be?

Vee Hauntley (Vampirina, Vampirina) - #NotAllVampires are dangerous – or rather, not all of them want to be. Your family owns the bed and breakfast here in town and what can be friendlier than that? You just want to live eternity in friendship and harmony but is that even possible?

Buford Van Stomm (Buford, Phineas and Ferb) - Buford is not a meanie! Well, not intentionally. You don’t want to be…it’s just easier. Lately, you’ve been getting ideas that could maybe fix the root of all your sadness and anger. Will you succeed?

Erato of Hesoid (The Muses, Hercules) - They say you’re a romantic and you won’t deny that, in fact, you’ll admit it loudly! If there’s one thing you, the Muse of Love Poetry can be reliable about, its romance! You come to Swynlake determined to help some lovers along. That’s what you do, isn’t it?

Dorothy Mouse (The Dormouse, Alice In Wonderland) - How can you live, laugh, become a star in these conditions!? That’s why you’ve come to Swynlake! Someone is bound to have a magical solution for your sleepy little problem.

David Kawena (David, Lilo & Stitch) - The whole “you’re half merman” thing is a tough candy to chew when you’re a whole adult when you learn it, huh? You try to understand why your father wouldn’t just tell you earlier, but parsing through that can wait. You’re here in Swynlake! A town full of magic and those who love it and know about it. There’s got to information about your mercreature heritage here. Perhaps even some merfolk willing to help!