#they're both very stupid and spend a stupid amount of time pining

[shadow0-1]

I love your Graves/OC renders, but I am wondering what is the lore/story behind them? I’m only picking up crumbs from the dialogue you give them lol

hahdsgkjdgbj thank youu 🥺

I've made a few sporadic lore posts here and there, I went back to tag them and made a little masterlist in my pinned post!

But essentially, they start working together a little after the Armistice collapse in 2020 after Alex tipped off Jackie to some gas shipments still in Urzikstan. Shepherd doesn't their own armies to chase rumors and maybes so he gets Shadow Company on it, and Laswell gives the assignment to Jackie who acts as their Watcher, providing intel, etc. Graves brings a team of Shadows to Urzikstan and they work together with Alex and Farah to chase down the gas, and eventually they find blueprints to more gas factories in Urzikstan, Russia, and the UK

After all of that, they help set up the events of MWII by trying to set up a fake arms deal with Gorbhani via one of his trusted generals and they then split off to do their campaign stuff, Graves gets sent to Mexico and Jackie stays with Laswell, helping Price and Gaz on the side

[motherflecker]

that episode got me so overwhelmed i had to go watch something else and take a walk before i could sit down and write out my thoughts, my god. anyway, here's some thoughts, chronologically.

the way they had the time behind akk's head was stylish. this show is so stylish. and dumb. so dumb. also, someone needs to slap each ambassador individually at least once. maybe multiple times for phupha and wayo. i volunteer.

i love the implication that akk and theo just RAN AWAY. that's my headcanon now, that's why they were running, theo just bolted and akk followed. no one can convince me otherwise. everything about akk in this scene was very, very funny. the way he forgot what the louvre was called.

actually, that's one thing i appreciate about this show -- they make it very clear that akk is like, the boy next door. he cares about his sisters and photography and that kind of stuff but he never thought in a more globetrotting sense. he has no reason to know what the louvre is or remember that oxford is in england. why would he? though that said, incredibly charming that he demanded theo take him to france and joked about buying tickets. if i'm gonna be real soft about it, the boy is just trying to connect more with theo when all these four weirdos show up, speaking french, and knowing about that side of theo more than akk can. my boys!

akk getting punished for putting up all the flyers by being forced to take them down. i love the continuity here and akk continuing to be best dumb boy. this is also the scene that put wayo on my shitlist. i do not trust this sports boy at all. he can barely even PRETEND he actually likes theo, what a tool.

theo sulking and watching for akk's bedroom light. man, the amount of time these boys spend looking for the other one is incredible. they're always so aware of each other, wtf. i'm emotional.

akk thinking "i'm gonna help cheer theo up!" then immediately proceeds to get the shit kicked out of him by theo. my man was not holding back on those punches. this was not how akk pictured his night going and you know it. then going home and that soft stupid smile at the plane and his utter faith in theo??? after playing it cool when theo asked if he believed in him?? god, akk loves theo so utterly and fully, i'm gonna scream.

now the ep is just SCHEMES ON SCHEMES ON SCHEMES. the only thing that would have made all of akk and theo's attempts to get the handwriting better would be if yakety sax was playing in the background. there was one brain cell in these scenes and neither akk and theo had it. (it went to saifa, obviously.) what these scenes proved beyond the fact that akk and theo are complete morons, is that they have so much stupid chemistry. god. all their little moments. literally this entire episode was just "hey, you know how akk and theo are the best when they're together? here's more proof of that." they're so good for each other.

when this show is over i want a compilation of akk and theo just standing places and looking aesthetically pleasing. the amount of times they stand in WIDE OPEN PLACES, shoulder to shoulder, pressed up against each other, and talking about something completely idiotic. i love it, i love them.

JIMMY. i was like oh why aren't they showing p'sun's face BUT THEN THEY DID AND IT'S JIMMY. i knew he was on the cast list but we didn't see him until now. my utter trust in sun vs my utter distrust in wai. the duality.

now it's akk's turn to look through his window for theo. i'm glad they both had looking through the window for the other one and Pining scenes in this ep. good for them. egg giving akk the binoculars was fucking funny tho, for real. akk's GENUINE MOMENT OF CONSIDERATION when thinking about using them made it even more funny. what a tag team of dumb.

ZINE FAIR. i really liked how it was a lot of montage moments showing akk and theo in their natural habitat of being utterly stupid together. i hope every single ambassador watched their natural chemistry and got jealous. ESPECIALLY YOU, PHUPHA. THEO WILL NEVER LOVE YOU.

wayo taking the wood from theo is especially hilarious when it's trying to paint theo as this delicate flower. except akk knows theo isn't bc theo beat the shit out of him only a day or two ago. akk in the background probably thinking about all the bruises he has from this man and that he can just CARRY SOME WOOD in return. akk very loudly talking shit about wayo after he leaves and being called out for it, with theo covering his mouth was so fucking funny. i'm glad they just address how fucking loud akk is, especially when he talks shit. this boy is not subtle about anything, ever.

our obligatory oishi scene. things that made me laugh: the way force accidentally covered the label with his hand and you can see they had to shoot it a few times bc the drink is empty by the time they cut to him drinking it. you can tell they're new to the obligatory oishi moment. next time, boys. you'll be as smooth about it as the rest of the gmmtv lads eventually.

"you just wanted to bicker" and akk not even denying it. akk and theo's love language is a fight. i love them.

theo not realizing akk finished the drink and trying to drink anyway. then giving him the middle finger. true love.

everything about the ambassadors telling their favorite stories was funny and i'll hear no disagreement. that was so over the top and ridiculous. and we got naked fluke as a treat.

also lowkey, saifa/tan? saifa/tan.

the INTENSE DISCOMFORT that radiates anytime phupha interrupts akk and theo's little bubble. the way every moment around him hurts akk but while he'll go quiet, he won't leave bc what if theo needs him. i'm going crazy here.

phupha's insistence that he's enchante is a lot. i'm getting the feeling he has a BIG reason for trying to get on theo's good side and i think it has to do with his mom. the BTS video from before the show talked a lot about his mom and implied she's kind of abusive to him so i'm really curious. man, theo would just help phupha if he came to him honestly about whatever he's trying to get out of him. looks like next week we'll learn more about phupha's intentions based on the preview.

the end of that episode was just a lot of [AKK RADIATES UNHAPPINESS IN THE CORNER] after an ep where it was just akk and theo the chaotic duo. makes me sad. the moment theo was left alone with phupha, i was just like NO HE'S GONNA LIE, YOU NEED A WITNESS. don't leave that boy alone with him, damnit. still, i think theo is more savvy than he lets on and i don't think he's entirely believing phupha either. just don't like phupha's insistence on getting theo alone (to manipulate him!!!!!!!)

the preview for next week was a lot. i hope akk chasing after theo's car was just them being clowns again and not something that's going to send me into a WORLD OF PAIN, considering theo's insistence akk always comes with him to school. also the rain/movie date??? bro?? romantic movies??? how are you going to play this as platonic at all?? i'm not ready

[honey-dont]

tulip, daisy, orchid and snowdrop for flattop/dustin!!!!

@rathernotmyname also asked them so i will do all the flowers :)

-

Rose ; Who's more romantic?

dustin's more traditionally romantic! freight tend to be rough-and-tumble with each other as a default so he ends up asking the coaches for advice a lot :) don't ever take romantic advice from the rockies

Tulip ; Which one gives the most gifts? Do they know the other well enough to give them something they'd like?

they both do! flat top will bring dustin random "flowers" he finds (they're usually weeds but hey they look pretty) and dustin likes to save cool rocks from his loads to give to people! flat top gets first pick tho

Daisy ; Which one sings while doing chores? Are they good at it?

dustin usually does! he gets embarrassed if he's caught though. sometimes flat top joins in and i think they would ended up singing just like, stupid random nonsense. someone else walks by and is like wtf is going on

Lily ; Who's the "fun one"?

flat top gets bored easily and has a lot of pent-up energy so he's usually encouraging dustin to come try whatever stupid thing he's up to. dustin prefers to play it safe and likes to just hang out in his garden :)

Dahlia ; Do they keep secrets from each other?

nope! outside of the whole mutual-pining-can't-let-my-best-friend-know-i'm-in-love-with-him thing

dustin's actually the only one who knows flat top's afraid of thunderstorms and he'll cover for him by holding his hand and saying he's the one who's scared

Poppy ; How much do they trust each other?

pretty much unconditionally! dustin's very open and trusting bc he's a sweetheart. flat top has a lot of insecurities but he's getting better about talking them out

Bluebell ; Who's more emotional?

dustin's more likely to get sad/upset and cry, but flat top has some problems processing his emotions and is prone to random outbursts

Peony ; Which one is the most impulsive?

flat top...he'll do literally anything and dustin will be like oh i don't think this is a good idea :(

Sunflower ; Which one would go to jail for the other?

they both would <3 thats love baby

Water Lily ; Which one cares about their appearance more?

flat top cares a ridiculous amount about whether he looks "cool" enough. he also rly likes his graffiti and will avoid washing it off for as long as possible. is he also a lil insecure about being a bulkhead? yeah :')

Cherry Blossom ; Who takes the longest to get ready for a date?

also flat top! he tends to get a little wrapped up in his head and obsessive about things so he always wants stuff to be perfect. dustin's happy to just spend time together!

Orchid ; Who's the big spoon and who's the little spoon?

dustin!! he's big and cuddly <3

Snowdrop ; How long have they been together?

since a little bit after the race! they both had crushes on each other for a stupid long time though, to the point that the rest of the freight were taking bets on when they would finally get together

Forget-Me-Not ; Are they married yet?

i don't think trains rly have a concept of marriage! however the thought of them trying to recreate a wedding ceremony based entirely on what cb + the coaches know about it from overhearing humans talk is genuinely so funny