#this is what i do instead of doing homework

[iatheia]

I'm not sure I entirely agree? I would love nothing more than if every single student in my class got an A, if they demonstrated they understood the material, and demonstrated it in the homeworks and on the exam. But, there is always a fraction of students who refuse to even show up or do the barest minimum. And plenty of students would half-ass it. And after you taught a class enough times, you can pretty well intuit not "this is the bell curve distribution, and it has to be maintained no matter what" but "this student is doing comparatively to all those who have earned this grade in the past". I strive to have a consistent grading, but it isn't necessarily imposes a particular distribution of grades on a particular class, just that on average you would get certain types of students year after year.

Of course, if you have multiple people teaching the same class, you should communicate with your fellow instructors, striving to have consistency. You want to be fair to the students, if they answer the question incorrectly, but they answer it in the same way, that deserves the same grade, you shouldn't have the case where one student would get a B, and another a D for the same submission assignment in the same class, with the only difference being who is grading them. But this is solved through having a consistent rubrics, not through it being free-for all for the TAs and then trying to match each other's grade distribution.

My opinion on ChatGPT is that it is a tool like any other. And if you know how to use it, great. But in order to use it effectively, you already need to know quite a bit about the material. Even the thing that it is supposedly good at, writing computer code, it cannot handle anything more than the most trivial of tasks without hand-holding. About half of my class involves programing. And it is incredibly obvious when a student uses it. So many times they ended up generating random data instead of using the data provided to them, because a student mindlessly copied over what chatgpt has given them and didn't care if it is correct or not.

Obviously it isn't a problem unique to ChatGPT. A decade ago, there was a different type of assignment that I gave, they needed to go outside and record some observations. And if you know what you are doing, these "recordings" are incredibly easy to fake, and I would have been none the wiser. But if you don't know what you are doing... I had a student trying to convince me that they have never seen the Moon in their life after I caught them trying to "observe" it when it was below the horizon.

But generative AI amplifies the problem more. Even if you wanted to use Spark Notes, at least you needed to read those, and engage with the material to at least some degree. They were also written by people who understood the material, so even if students regurgitate that, they wouldn't be lead quite as far astray. With ChatGPT, students don't even need to read what it wrote to submit it, but they are also more blindsided when it takes them astray.

There were a couple of students I ended up calling out on its usage. One of them has admitted that he had no idea what he is doing, and I sat with him, and I walked him through the assignment, from the beginning to the end. And he is still not great at it, it doesn't come to him naturally at all, but you can definitely see him improving after he started doing stuff without resorting to AI. I can see him being more engaged, more interested in trying to succeed. The other student... is a bit of a hopeless case. They don't care, and I have no idea what is it is they are trying to get out of not just my class, but their major as a whole, because what they are getting out it so far ain't much...

Point is, yes, a diploma doesn't make a person more special than someone who doesn't have one. What matters is your passion, and whether you are willing to put in the work. Classes are meant to encourage cognitive development, to broaden the perspective, to gain at least some skills that would be useful to you later in life - they aren't the only way to get these skills, of course, you can do it in other settings if you chose to apply yourself elsewhere instead. But, if you chose to pursue higher education, then I would hope that by the end of the 4 years, you would get something meaningfull out of it, and this would only happen if you actually put in at least some modicum of effort. Otherwise you might as well buy your diploma off the street, and that would benefit absolutely nobody, least of all yourself.

(taken from a post about AI)

speaking as someone who has had to grade virtually every kind of undergraduate assignment you can think of for the past six years (essays, labs, multiple choice tests, oral presentations, class participation, quizzes, field work assignments, etc), it is wild how out-of-touch-with-reality people’s perceptions of university grading schemes are. they are a mass standardised measurement used to prove the legitimacy of your degree, not how much you’ve learned. Those things aren’t completely unrelated to one another of course, but they are very different targets to meet. It is standard practice for professors to have a very clear idea of what the grade distribution for their classes are before each semester begins, and tenure-track assessments (at least some of the ones I’ve seen) are partially judged on a professors classes’ grade distributions - handing out too many A’s is considered a bad thing because it inflates student GPAs relative to other departments, faculties, and universities, and makes classes “too easy,” ie, reduces the legitimate of the degree they earn. I have been instructed many times by professors to grade easier or harder throughout the term to meet those target averages, because those targets are the expected distribution of grades in a standardised educational setting. It is standard practice for teaching assistants to report their grade averages to one another to make sure grade distributions are consistent. there’s a reason profs sometimes curve grades if the class tanks an assignment or test, and it’s generally not because they’re being nice!

this is why AI and chatgpt so quickly expanded into academia - it’s not because this new generation is the laziest, stupidest, most illiterate batch of teenagers the world has ever seen (what an original observation you’ve made there!), it’s because education has a mass standard data format that is very easily replicable by programs trained on, yanno, large volumes of data. And sure the essays generated by chatgpt are vacuous, uncompelling, and full of factual errors, but again, speaking as someone who has graded thousands of essays written by undergrads, that’s not exactly a new phenomenon lol

I think if you want to be productively angry at ChatGPT/AI usage in academia (I saw a recent post complaining that people were using it to write emails of all things, as if emails are some sacred form of communication), your anger needs to be directed at how easily automated many undergraduate assignments are. Or maybe your professors calculating in advance that the class average will be 72% is the single best way to run a university! Who knows. But part of the emotional stakes in this that I think are hard for people to admit to, much less let go of, is that AI reveals how rote, meaningless, and silly a lot of university education is - you are not a special little genius who is better than everyone else for having a Bachelor’s degree, you have succeeded in moving through standardised post-secondary education. This is part of the reason why disabled people are systematically barred from education, because disability accommodations require a break from this standardised format, and that means disabled people are framed as lazy cheaters who “get more time and help than everyone else.” If an AI can spit out a C+ undergraduate essay, that of course threatens your sense of superiority, and we can’t have that, can we?

[saladoffruitcolored]

Yandere platonic omega father x neglected child reader PT 8

You were in the living room enjoying one of your few moments of rest, since your father married Sarah it's still weird not to call her Dr. Sarah your whole life has changed drastically

During the wedding planning your father warned you that there would be changes, changes for the better, but honestly nothing prepared you for it, for years your life was a constant monotony suddenly everything changed and you were uprooted from everything you ever knew

The first change was the house, the house you always knew was gone, Sarah sold it for the lowest bid possible and donated the money to some needy orphanage saying

"the past belongs in the past, I don't want any old memories to work on our bright future as a family, do you understand that right dear? Sometimes the best thing to do is to TOTALLY get rid of the past and everything that reminds you of it, so you can focus TOTALLY on the future”

She said these words with such a bright smile that you didn’t have the courage to disagree despite the sadness you felt when saying goodbye for the last time to the house that had been your home since you were born

Now you lived in a big and cozy house, the colors were handpicked and Sarah insisted that you should paint the walls by hand to create nice modern decor together, she was right, despite the sadness you felt for being in a house that was completely foreign to you, it would be a lie to say that you didn’t have fun painting the living room walls a cheerful shade of soft yellow, watching Sarah trip and spill blue paint on your father was completely hilarious

The second change was school, your enrollment in the private school was canceled and now you study at home learning directly from the best tutors that money can buy, it was expected that you could learn several subjects, languages ​​and musical instruments at the same time

And you HAD to be able to learn, failure is not an option, you HAD to show that you are not a failure, show that you are sorry, that you are not USELESS, if you could prove this maybe Sarah wouldn't decide to leave like HE was

You weren't stupid, you knew very well that your school payments were late, it was easy to notice the different way the teachers treated you, always singling you out and never letting you participate in parties or extracurricular activities, you weren't blind enough not to notice the dirty looks that the other parents gave your father or the look of pity that the principal had on her face whenever she talked to your father

It was just a matter of feeling sorry until you were asked to leave school, you were already mentally preparing yourself for the embarrassment that would be all your classmates whispering about you they already were

Your prediction was right, you really did leave school but not the just as you imagined, instead of leaving with your head down you walked out next to Sarah while she was being pampered by the principal, the faculty that had previously ignored you at the very least were now showering Sarah with praise, each one trying their best to cement their place as a helpful educator in the memory of your new stepmother

Your whole life has changed so quickly that you feel like the world has turned upside down

It was already night and you were home alone, your tutors had already left a few hours ago leaving you with a series of homework assignments that needed to be done perfectly and turned in as soon as possible

While you were writing your last essay you heard a noise, loud laughter and shouted whispers, they both seemed happy

Ah it seems your father and stepmother have arrived

You want to feel happy that the two of you get along so well, you really want to feel happy that your father has moved on but deep down, inside your already hurt heart, you you feel the cold feeling of fear whispering insecurities in your ear, what if Sarah gets pregnant? Will you be forgotten and left aside again? Will the only person you love leave you and start loving this new baby more than he loves you? It would make sense, why would he love you, the fruit of a failed marriage, when he can love a new baby from a new love?

You force yourself to silence these insecurities by forcing yourself to focus on the lesson in front of you, it's a lesson taught by a college business professor, Sarah personally chose him to teach you

You hear them before you see them, it's impossible not to, they both look euphoric as they enter your new room, your father looks happy happier than you've seen him in years and Sarah is smiling and smiling

"Today we had an indescribable victory in court", your father's words were breathless, he was euphoric and happy, you could see the happiness in his eyes, he stumbled in the air the same way a sailor used to being at sea for a long time would stumble when stepping on dry land again after months

It was as if a huge weight had been lifted from his shoulders

Sarah on the other hand seemed more in control, the only difference between her normal appearance and the current one is that her hair was literally messy and she was blushing happy on the cheeks

She is so beautiful and smart, if she got pregnant the baby would be infinitely more beautiful than you, you would be overshadowed in beauty and intelligence, if you don't stand out in one of the two what would be your use in the family?

“We were thinking of celebrating, what do you think of a family outing? Maybe a picnic? A stay at a hotel on the beach? Oh we can take a trip to France, I used to go there with my parents all the time, I have wonderful memories, I’ll show you all my favorite places” as she listed everything the three of you would do as a family and all the girl-only activities the two of you could do you felt a little numb

Ironically when you were just a little puppy, before the divorce, your omega father promised to take you on a trip to France, he of course never kept his promise, at least not to you because the last time you looked at his social media, before blocking and permanently deleting you, he took a trip with his daughters to the city of lights

For years you wanted to visit Paris and it seemed like now you would be able to, ironically your omega father was partly responsible for giving you that experience

“By the way about your clothes”, Sarah’s nose twitched in slight disgust

Your clothes? Sarah doesn’t like them? You've already gotten her disapproval... why are you so useless

“How about we give them all to charity? Since we're going to Paris we might as well take the opportunity to buy you dozens of new clothes, you don't have to wear these anymore”

“Sure, I'd love to”, your voice cracked a little, maybe your father and Sarah thought it was due to excitement but in reality it was because of embarrassment, was there something wrong with your clothes? Did she think you were badly dressed? Did everyone think that?

You thought you were well dressed, you made money yourself by selling schoolwork to your classmates, you saved up to buy them and did your best to sew them when they eventually ripped

“WONDERFUL!! I knew you would like the idea, I can't wait, we're going to have a GREAT time together, we can even buy clothes together”, Sarah happily left your room after wishing you a good night, her loud and cheerful voice could be heard as she talked about how this would be the best trip ever and how she needed to start planning the trip right now

Your father finally approached you and hugged you

“Good night dear, remember these are changes for the better, changes for the better”, the hug comforted you a little, but not enough, after he left the room you were alone

Looking in the mirror you started to feel very

self-conscious“I have to do it, I can't ruin daddy's happiness... I'm going to do it”, you needed to change, it was necessary to change, that's okay, even if it hurt to know that your appearance didn't seem to be enough

These are changes for the better, if to evolve it's necessary to change everything about yourself then everything Well, everything will be fine

You repeated these words to yourself like a will throughout the night, unfortunately your attempt to convince yourself of this did not take away the pain in your heart

[fictional-reylin]

Class 1-A knows that their grumpy classmate hides something. Everything came to mind: drugs, alcohol, a crime scene even. But it’s neither of those, in fact, it’s not even something, it’s someone.

Longest one-shot I’ve ever written, I’m so proud of myself to have the energy to sit down and actually write this.

You are welcome to send requests/asks. Just make sure to read my rules.

Everyone in class 1-A knew, scratch that, everyone who set foot in UA knew that Bakugō Katsuki wasn’t someone who you could expect to be friendly. He never tried to hide that fact, and even so, when he started sneaking out early in the day after some time when they all moved to the dorms, it got more than a little suspicious. What was so important for him to do that he needed to get up at five and directly go out ?

At first, his classmates thought that he just decided to work out outside of his usual training. He wasn’t just screaming at everyone that he’ll be N1 just because. But the guys quickly noticed that he never showered after returning, never even touched his cologne, so that option quickly was cast away. And when some tried to ask him about, like Izuku, Kirishima or Mina, he dismissed them, saying that it wasn’t their business or that they were creeps for paying such close attention to him.

So here they were, sitting in the common room of their shared space, theorizing about the blond's whereabouts.

“Maybe he’s smoking early in the morning”

“Katchan ? No way, he hates smoking. And anything related to that…”

“Seriously ?” Mina asked surprised, “He looks like a smoker.”

“Maybe he’s getting blackmailed !”

“Kirishima… If there was blackmail involved, he’s the one blackmaili-”

Before Denki could finish, he felt a hard slap against the back of his head, making him fall from the couch with a loud thud. Everyone turned to look at a very angry Katsuki glaring at all of them.

“Why are you extras talking behind my back like some kind of creeps ?!”

None of them answered, instead deciding to go because they were “busy”. Smart move from all of them. And thankfully the blond didn’t expect an explanation from any of them, so with a huff, he went upstairs to his room. Letting his bag fall on the floor, he sat at his desk and began doing his homework like the nerd that he was. That is until a notification popped up on his phone and he read the message, a small smile creeping on his face.

[Name]

Hi !

I have an exam early in the morning, so how about you come in the evening ?

[Katsuki]

Sounds good

So there he was, getting ready to go out to see you at the time you both agreed to. As soon as Katsuki walked up to the exit door, everyone who was near turned to look at him with questioning stares and raised eyebrows in suspicion.

“Where are you going, Bakubro ?”

“None of your business”

With a slam of the door, he left the dorm. After that, everyone else was rapidly called to have a meeting like previously. Now the situation was even more weird, he never went out in the evenings, only in the early mornings.

“Maybe he’s holding someone hostage !” Shouted Denki

“Don’t be dumb, that’s impossible”

“Well, he sure is acting like he does…”

Everyone quieted down, thinking over the possibility. Their classmate was a bit aggressive, that was for sure, but kidnapping someone ? Surly not…

No one moved for a while, sitting in the quiet before rushing to Mr. Aizawa for some answers. After all, no one could walk out of the dorm for no reason, they moved here for safety after all. As Shōta was quietly sipping his coffee, he was startled by the teenage bunch that ran into his room, screaming and shouting questions that he didn’t even understand. With a furious red glare, he quickly shut them up.

“Bunch of savages. Iida, what is this all about ?”

With a bit of hesitation, the class president spoke:

“Well… Everyone is curious where Bakugō is heading every day. We aren’t allowed for no reason, after all.”

Shōta stared at them annoyed, turning his back to them. “It’s really none of your business, kids. But he is meeting with someone.”

“His hostage victim…” Someone whispered.

“What was that ?”

“Nothing teacher !”

And with that, the man was left alone again, confused in the major interest that everyone had for their blond classmate and his whereabouts.

With the new information, the bunch of teenagers, some of them paranoid, decided that the best course of action in this situation would be to send Tōru… to stalk Katsuki and figure out if he was really holding someone hostage. So, the next time he went out, she followed him discreetly, which wasn’t really all that difficult for her. The rest of the students waited patiently until they were all together again, with the exception of Katsuki of course, to discuss what she saw.

Everyone expected a serious discussion, but that was definitely not the case with the way she squealed in excitement and repeated “You’re not gonna believe this !” over and over again.

“Well not if you keep not telling us, come on spill it”

She took a breath and spoke, the huge grin could practically be heard on her face as she spoke the next few words. “Bakugō has a girlfriend”

A bunch “Huh ?” and “What ?!” erupted amongst the group. They were expecting everything from their classmate, literally anything, but not a girlfriend.

But everything quieted down once they saw their blond classmate marching towards the classroom, looking at him expectedly like he promised them some sort of gift. He scanned the classroom, annoyed at everyone’s stares.

“What is it, you extras ?”

Everybody had a silent agreement to let Katsuki be, it wasn’t really their business after all, and he didn’t own them any explanation, and they were sure he wouldn’t appreciate them being nosy. Everyone got the memo, except Denki.

“When were you going to introduce us to your sweetheart ?”

Aizawa came just in time because otherwise, Denki would be dead, probably. Everything steeled down, but Katsuki was still furious. He didn’t like them meddling in his personal business, especially when he wasn’t the only one involved in it. But oh well, at this point he was used to living with a bunch of dumbasses that believed in the magic of friendship.

At the end of class, everyone apologized and guessed that in hindsight, they really shouldn’t have jumped to such drastic conclusions. And Eijirō even apologized at the end of school.

“Sorry Bakubro, you were acting so mysterious, I really thought something was not okay”

The blond only let out a grumble in response, before turning his head opposite to the dorms. He looked back at his friend, still looking apologetic, before asking, “You wanna meet her ?”

“What ?”

“My girlfriend. Do you want to meet her ?”

He got a hell yeah in response as they both went towards your high school. It was weird for Katsuki, only his parents and yours knew, so this really was something different, like a step ahead into your relationship. It made him nervous.

They walked for about half an hour before they stopped near a high school, a bunch of students already heading home, or staying for a quick chat with their friends before parting ways. Bakugō scanned the sea of students, before his eyes landed on you. He called out to you, making you turn your head and smiling, before quickly walking up to him.

“Katsuki ! And… Kirishima ?”

Kirishima smiled and reached out to shake your hand. The fact that you knew his name, heck even recognized him, was making him all happy. He didn’t expect Katsuki to talk about his classmates, even less show photos of them.

“I’m [Name]. Nice to meet you.”

“Yeah well, you’re meeting someone who thought I was a criminal” Bakugō said, swinging his arm around your shoulders.

Your eyes widened slightly, looking between your boyfriend and the redhead beside him, wearing a sheepish smile on his face. As the three of you walked towards your home, Katsuki explained the situation to you, and you couldn’t help but laugh at the absurdity. Sure, your boyfriend was intimidating, but holding someone hostage ? He wouldn’t even have the patience to do that.

“That’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard !”

“Hey ! It’s not our fault ! Who is so secretive about having a partner anyway ?”

“Someone with brains and who likes their privacy” Bakugo retorted, before stopping dead in his tracks and looking down at you.

“Well, we’re gonna leave now, it’s getting late. Text me when you get home, okay ?”

With a hum, you kissed his cheek, waving him and his friend goodbye as you continued your walk. Bakugō turned to look at his friend, only to find him smiling at him proudly.

“What ?”

“You are truly a manly boyfriend man”

The pair returned to the dorm, the rest of the class already waiting for their arrival, as Kirishima texted them about their whereabouts earlier, expecting some sort of info about you and your relationship with him. He of course glared at all of them, told Kirishima to not spill a word and went to his room.

They then all turned to look at Kirishima, who was already in the centre of the living room, ready to spill the beans like Bakugō’s threat meant nothing to him. Everyone was asking questions about you, your personality, your looks, how you acted with Bakugō and vice versa.

“It doesn’t sound like Bakugō at all. Are you sure you went with him and not some clone ?”

“I’m telling you guys; he was so chill with her. He was about to smile a couple of times before remembering that I was there too.”

Even if the attitude of their classmate sounded foreign to them, they were all glad that he could be sweet at least with someone. Even if they didn’t get to see it, they hoped that with your influence, they wouldn’t need to sit through his constant shouting and threats of aggression.

Just as they were about to all head to their respective rooms, Kirishima got a notification from his phone. Reading through it, he smiled and held up his phone for everyone to see.

“She invited all of us for a hangout”

You on the other hand, you were giggling to yourself, proud that you could convince your boyfriend to give Eijirō’s number. You wanted to make an impression on all of his classmates and get a bit of revenge for getting into his business. And what a better way than to invite them all to a picnic, without informing it will take place in a haunted house ?

[Katsuki]

Did they agree ?

[Name]

Yeah. He said they all did.

I’m gonna have fun with this.

[Katsuki]

¥ 1000 if two of them cries

[Name]

Deal

Thank you so much for reading ! If you want to join in my daydream, consider checking out my navigation.

[deesseshesca]

PAC What lesson is this situationship trying to slide into my DMs? (18+)

You are stuck giving all that you got ...

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PILE 1 

Y’all are POC. 

You use your love to destroy. Stop talking with me by using bad poetry. Enough is enough. Y’all should stick to math. Not everyone that loves Lana Del Rey is meant to be a big writer. Some are meant to be engineer and is ok pile 1. Your guys are gashlighter, manipulators, whore but never broke. Y’all will use love to eat something. I feel like y’all just get in a relationship to get free food. I just got a vision of somebody in their pj in their bed choosing from their roaster who is going to have the pleasure to pay for their food. Some of y’all are staying with your cheater of a partner because they always offer amazing gifts when they feel guilty. Designer bad, baecation and concert ticket. Y’all may be in a relationship and you still fucking on your boy bff. I just heard y’all say ‘’ You always need to keep an eater close (wink)’’. You felt so safe to share that with me … Anyways Pile 1 … stop being a red flag. (Hum .. hum before y’all retirer can u show me how ? (my spirit guys looking at me) What ? You would do it 2 for a check …) 

2. You need to stop being dumb. Y’all need to be more careful. You're out there with a restaurant name in your contact, you don’t delete text and nudes. When your partner finds out you stay defensive when you are caught on 4k. I just got a vision of your sex tape and we can see you clearly, giggle and  shit. Not y’all in your Kim K era. Babe you're not Future and a tower moment is coming your way. Yes. you will pay for all the heartbreak you did. So enjoy because what’s about to hit is inevitable. C’mon you did not think this playing around is going to last forever. 

What's their love language according to the cards – text, treats, or trauma bonding?

Text

The person you are currently messing with, they love to keep up with you. They love to text you throughout the day the most basic things. They love to send you memes, tiktoks, reels. Y’all may even still be doing Streaks. They love taking pictures of you without you knowing it. They love your face when you are focused on a task or doing your homework. They love sending you money. Unlike Pile 2, your person loves when you are asking them instead of them giving it to you. Is like they love to feel and hear in some shape way or form that they are needed in your life. Almost like they are in competition with other suitors and they think that they are winning. 

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PILE 2

I’m getting a very sinister vibe from y’all. Y’all are maybe worshipers of Lucifer or be very deep into the goth culture. Y’all may be self-harming or you are going through extreme depression . Y’all may have lost someone extremely close to you. 

This is a DUAL POV. Your partner came in  fucking strong and did not want to let me go. But I don’t ever feel like they are going to be reading this, that’s why for their POV, I still use ‘’ They’’. 

Feminine Energy. 

You need to learn to accept the love you give out. You have a heart full of love and you are not scared to pour it into other people's cups but when it comes to you, you are nowhere to be found. You keep everyone at arm length while genuinely being there for them. You will always be an open ear for them. You don’t mind tagging along to a very scary appointment if he needs it.  You don’t mind staying awake on the phone because they have night terrors. You don’t even mind giving your all in the bedroom. You always make sure they are pleased. You always make sure they know they are loved and their voice matters. They especially love when  you give them head. Your mouth feels amazing. They think you are gorgeous when you are going down on them. Your hair in a ponytail so they can truly enjoy the beauty of your face (Ok.. Pile 2 … Face cards never decline !). They love to see your eyes full of lust while your mouth is sweet like honey. I’m hearing:’’ Ok now I am going to suck. Baby you tell me if you need me to stop.’’ After you are done give them a handjob. In my vision they are still fully clothed (even have their coat on (Damm y’all not even going to take off the coat… Not y’all fucking in winter attire)). But when is their turn, no show. I’m hearing : ‘’ My turn now’’. You are still in your panties and a big t-shirt. ‘’ Nah … I’m ok…’’ you put yourself under the cover. That makes them feel like a piece of shit. I feel like y’all be doing that because you don’t think you have a pretty pussy. But babe… is more than sex. You refuse to admit that you care. You tell them the only reason you cuddle is because you are cold. You tell them the only reason you go on a drive at night is because you hate driving but love music. The only reason you help them study is to make sure you understand the subject enough. You give love while making sure he knows that it is not that deep. That kind of hurt. 

Stop making your partner feel useless. The person that you are dealing with doesn't feel needed in your life. You treat them like you can’t depend on them. Some of you even walk 45 minutes from your house to school (even in high heels from home to work) because your car broke down. Instead of calling them to pick you, they find out when you got there. It really wasn’t your intention to make them frustrated or scared for you. Some of you ignore them when life goes hard. When depression  hits a tap a bit too much and you are in bed incapable of communicating with the outside world. They would love you to at least text I am ok but can’t talk right now. Make them feel like shit that you don't think they are worth enough to open up. When you need help you don’t ask for them. When you want space you disappear. 

3. They hate the way you don’t defend yourself. It might be specific to people with abusive families. If your parents are physically abusive, I’m seeing : Both of y’all cuddle in his bedroom (he may have red cover) and he asks why you are shivering but you brush it off with ‘’ Oh, I’m cold’’. But really the contact of your clothes with the wounds hurt. They cuddle you but you don’t relax, actually you get stiffer. You try to not make them look under your shirt but they saw it all. I’m hearing y’all tell me; ‘’ It happened one time !’’. They are answering; ‘’ One to many fucking time.’’. You are not lying it was a one time type of shit but still it was fucking mess up. The one with the abusive verbal parents, I got a vision of them going through your phone. At first they thought it was a boy blowing up your phone (y’all have another name for your mom in your phone) but actually it was your mom telling the worst kind of shit. I hope you slowly, I should have never kept you, you are nothing but a useless slut. Then you walk in and you brush it off. ‘’ Until I found out it was because of some fucking dishes.’’ (Well thank you for the input, maybe soon to be bf). Anyways no matter the scenario, they fucking hate the fact that u refuse to anything because you know it will only get worse. They are in your life to show you that babe … this is the worst. You are trying to save yourself from the worst while living in it. 

What's their love language according to the cards – text, treats, or trauma bonding?

 Treats 

They love doing stuff for you. Especially with their hands. Some of you have verbally abusive and alcoholic mothers. One day she went in your room and mess it the fuck up. And your men re-purchase a vanity and build it for you. It was a mini (huge) surprise for you. They may have also helped you set up your bed frame. They also like to bake for you. They love to go pick up your Starbucks orders and bring it to your school (some of y’all may go to cosmetology school). They hate when you use your money and you hate using their money. They are so petty, they just say ‘’ Well your money is for everything your mom broke … my money is for you’’. Not them shutting you up on Tumblr, Sir���They love treating you like princess. The reason … is your smile. When you smile it is like a whole sun is on their phone (they may have your face as their lock screen),in their bedroom, in the car. LOOOOL ! You are like the sun in the teletubbies. 

Masculine energy. 

Not them asking for a whole reading for themself. Sir… please go book on Ko-fi. Out here making me work extra on an empty stomach (smh). 

They are going through a hard phase in their depression. 

They can’t imagine a future with you. HA ! Don’t be scared. I just saw someone holding their heart… Lol. ‘’ Well you could have worded it differently …’’ Sir, this is my blog … CAN A GIRL CLICKBAIT IN FUCKING PEACE ? Girl, come get your man, he is getting on my nerves. You can let go of your tits. What actually is happening is they don’t think they are going to make it past a certain age. Stop holding your tit … (I’m just clickbaiting rn … sometimes I enjoy being dramatic … what ? I am a writer after all). People around them  always seem to die at a specific age because of their mental health, substance abuse or misery. But there’s age in their family in which most don’t pass and in the state they are in … they don’t think they are going to be different. Maybe their bff ended their life and they think they are next. That destiny only enjoys torturing them. They see you old and gray with your teletubbies smile running around in your backyard (hum… weird…) but it is like from the bottom of their soul they think they will be there. 

They don’t know their light. You came into their life to show them that there’s more good in them than they think. Maybe they are from a family where there’s more people in jail than free. Or more people die more because of addiction than old age. So all their life nobody gives a damn about them. Why would they care for the mess up kid in the fucked up family ? Is like they are multiple generations of fucked up. You showed them their light. The fact that they always answer your call no matter the time, they also serve you, they also go to work for you. All those actions prove their love but also their commitment at being better than the rest. They know how to budget, keep a job, take care of their health, etc. They just need the right motivation. 

What's their love language according to the cards – text, treats, or trauma bonding?

 Trauma bonding

First they love you. Second, their intentions are pure. It is just that my question can give a bit of a clickbait vibe, y’all know that I live for the drama (rarely … I just hate basic questions …). You are their safe place. They love having sex with. They love seeing in red lingerie.  They love the push up bra, the extremely thin pantie, the stocking, the way you did your hair and makeup just to end up being a sucking them the fuck up. They also love when you are drooling with spit from how big they are. They love touching you. They love cuddling you. I don’t feel like y’all make love. Y’all are way more rough in between the sheets. They love aftercare. They love taking care of you. They love taking a towel and cleaning you up or running a bath for the both of y’all. They love taking a shower with you (it may be mandatory activity everytime y’all sleepover to their house). They love cuddling you. They just love you ! They hate any kind of space between y’all. You are the only person to whom they open up too. They love the fact that you never rush them. They love the fact that you try to give them tips to cope in a better way. They love the fact that you believe they can be a better man. 

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PILE 3

You guys are the children of divorce parents. They always took care of you. You always had the newest clothes and shoes. You always had the newest technology gadgets. They put you in private school and you had a luxurious car as a gift. Yet, you grew up watching your dad being abusive very severely to your mom physically. You swore you were going to be different … but  here we are….  I don’t think y’all are physically violent to anyone but your anger is something. Is not like is coming out of no where but the stuff y’all do when you are loosing it is fucking questionable. If it was not for your beauty and money … y’all would be in JAIL ! 

Y’all need to learn to what the fuck a patnership is. You don’t like when people tell you what to do. Well sometimes it is needed. Also I am getting that a person just stating their opinion can piss you off. But ruffling feathers is part of  a relationship. Is also the fault of your partner because how is he/she going to get mad at you because you attract attention. Like you are a pretty boy/girl so for sure you are going to attract isn’t how they got you. Getting mad at you because you are wearing a short skirt like they were not in the same instagram profile liking that very same picture of you in it. You can’t get mad at baddie consequences when you bag one. On the other hand the way you show that anger ain’t it. The screaming, the destroying or even the blocking his/her phone number no, no , no. Y’all need to create a safe place to communicate and allow opinions that hurt you. Because in a safe place every emotion is valuable even if it is not factual. Is for both of y’all to find a way to explain yourself with love and care. 

2. With kind intention ONLY…Y’all need therapy because that’s the reason you can’t keep nobody close. Is not just that person is a friend, coworker, or even family member. I know you want someone to see past all that anger because you are so much more than that. You are brilliant, you are pretty, you are elegant, you speak multiple languages, you are multi-talented, you are excellent at study, you have great life hygiene, you are kind and extremely giving but girl… that monster inside of you needs to be tame. There’s only so much that a rage room can do. I know it is not your fault … your parents made you that way. With the constant screaming, beating, and even choking. It’s so fuck up to be responsable for a healing from trauma we never ask for. But not doing it is going to cost you all the love you are meant to receive. 

3. Stop suppressing your emotions. This situationship makes you realize how bad your emotional state actually is. Because being in a relationship with someone put you in a situation where all your triggers are in the open. You can’t run away, you can’t act like nothing is going on, you can’t play it cool. Because everything is too much, you feel too much so act impulsively. From the exterior, you have that facade of the perfect child. That front is a huge source of stress. You wish it to be true but you know damn well that you are far from it. You are always one trigger away from breaking your protection. That’ s a fucking source of stress on it’s on. Admit that you are angry and mad. Being always happy is killing you slowly. Y’all make me think of the red hair in Desperate Housewive. 

4. Gradual numbness. Since reacting doesn't work for you. When you are mad all the people in your life tend to forget all the good you did to them and all the good living within you. You are slowly running in a hole of feeling nothing. Going from feeling too much to feeling nada. 

What's their love language according to the cards – text, treats, or trauma bonding? 

Text

They love texting you. Honestly I feel y’all recently broke up but even if it has been a while they still love you so much. They are rooting for you. They also love the fact that the only communication between y’all 2 is texting. They can’t handle all you are but that does not mean they don’t love all of you 2. They love staying on the phone talking about everything. They love how educated you are on many subjects. They love your voice. Damm do they love your voice. Y’all have a pretty voice. They would never admit it but they love your voice even when  you are yelling at them. They love your moan and they still masturbate to your voice audio. Y’all may still practice phone sex because they can’t have enough of you. You are genuinely the most perfect human they've ever seen. Rightfully so, y’all have a very proportionate body, beautiful brown eyes and full tits. They have flashbacks of touching you not in a sexual way but they miss having their hand on you. You have one of the softest skin. 

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[burntheedges]

Pas de Deux Chapter 6

Din Djarin x f!reader | 2.5k | fic masterlist | main masterlist | ao3

chapter summary: You can't avoid it any longer -- it's time for you and Din to talk.

a/n: I feel like this is the moment many of you have been waiting for, lol. I'm very excited to see your reactions! See my notes at the end and on the masterlist about reader in this fic and ballet in general. Thank you @katareyoudrilling for being the best beta, as always!!

chapter tags/warnings: gen, ballet terms (see end notes and the masterlist for definitions and videos), a bit more angst (sorry), but they are going to talk!

Chapter 6

You thought about your conversation with Kuiil as you walked to your rehearsal with Adrian, as you stretched and practiced in your morning classes, and as you took the stage over the weekend in Vince’s piece in the mixed program. You thought about it as you watched Din and Yuna in the Balanchine ballet and as you did your PT for your ankles and as you talked with Talia about your role in Midsummer. You thought about it as you sat on the bus home at night, so tired and achy that you needed something to think about to keep you awake.

You thought about it so much you barely had time to think about anything else.

Was Kuiil right? Was Din more uncertain than frustrated? Was he finding it difficult to communicate and connect in a way he hadn’t before, at CBC? You thought about seeing him on stage with Yuna, and how effortless that had seemed. But Balanchine’s choreography, more than so many others, was so technical, so focused on precision. There was so much less room for the dancer in a ballet where all of the space was taken up by striving for technical perfection. 

In class, you let your eyes stray to Din for the first time in two weeks. You watched as he stretched and jumped and wondered if perhaps you had just been talking past each other.

What if he’s trying, and you simply haven’t realized it? What if he just doesn’t know how?

He’s never done this before, you reminded yourself. 

Your mind was swimming as you stepped into the studio for your fourth rehearsal with Kuiil. You found Din was already there, as usual, and tried not to stare as you worried over your questions. You resolved to be more observant, this time.

And this time, because you were looking for it, you finally saw what Kuiil was talking about.

More than once, as you danced, Din reached for you, literally and figuratively. You leapt past and he oriented his body towards yours, echoing your movement. He turned, but kept his eyes on you as he did. You could see him trying in the ways he knew, to shape his movements around yours, to showcase his partner on stage, but his discomfort with improvisation shone through. The problem was that all of his movements were so stylistically different from yours, that there was little for you to hold on to. And so the two of you struggled to react to each other, as Kuiil had asked.

You tried. You tried to respond to him, to react, but it threw both of you off. He clearly wasn’t expecting you to improvise so drastically. Suddenly the dance was disjointed, and you fell so badly out of step in trying to turn towards him when he moved away from you that you stumbled. 

The music stopped.

Din turned to look at Kuiil and you spun around to do the same. 

Kuiil simply looked at you both for a moment, and then sighed. “I have pushed you too much, I think, and forgotten the basics of partnership. And you will need to work together, to connect more deeply, as we begin the second movement.” You started to shake your head, but Kuiil held up his hand. “No. Here is what we will do, as you prepare for Midsummer and Swan Lake.”

And then he gave you homework.

…

“So, what, is Kuiil going to lock you in a room until you talk to each other?” Adrian’s voice was teasing, but you could tell he meant it.

“Not quite,” you said. “But instead of rehearsal next week we’re supposed to try to get to know each other. To talk.”

He smirked at you. “Ooooh, to talk.” 

You rolled your eyes. “Yes?” You poked him in the side and he yelped. “Stop teasing me and help me figure out what to talk to him about.”

He laughed. “I think you know what to talk about. You just have to figure out how to get him to talk at all.”

You shook your head. “He’s talked to me. Just not about… this.” You waved your arm at all of the problems you’d been having in rehearsal.

Adrian seemed to consider that for a moment. “You know, you’re right. He does talk to you, in a way he doesn’t talk to anyone else.” He furrowed his brow. “Maybe all you need to do is ask.”

…

You followed Adrian’s advice and started with simply asking Din to meet you at the rehearsal studio, without Kuiil, to talk. He agreed readily and you decided to take that as a good sign.

It was the week of Midsummer’s debut, and you were focused to the point of distraction on your role as Hermia. You appreciated it for taking your mind off of the disaster that was the pas de deux, though, and by the time you found yourself outside of the studio where you’d meet Din you realized you’d barely thought about the meeting at all.

(Well, not much. Not as much as the week before, at least.)

He was, as usual, already inside.

You closed the door behind you and dropped your bag and shoes before moving to join him where he sat with his back to the mirror. As you slid down beside him, he nodded in greeting. 

“So,” you said, when it became obvious Din wasn’t going to jump in first. “I think we both know what the problem is, but where do we start?”

You looked at Din and took a moment to observe him up close. He was staring straight ahead, but you didn’t think he was looking at anything in particular. He seemed too inside his own mind for that.

Just when you began to worry that you’d have to push him, that this wasn’t going to work because he wasn’t going to meet you halfway, he spoke.

“I’m sorry.” 

You blinked, startled — you weren’t sure what he was apologizing for. Did he think you meant he was the problem?

“What? Din, no—”

He shook his head and finally turned to look at you. His expression was as closed to you as always. “No, I want to say this. Let me… let me say this. I should have told you this weeks ago, but I can’t…” he trailed off, but this time you didn’t interrupt. You turned slightly towards him on the floor, extending your left leg and drawing your right knee to your chest. You gave him your full attention. He looked down at his hands and continued, softly. “I’ve never done anything like this before. I’ve been so worried that I won’t be able to… to let go of my training. To dance in any other way. To do anything else.” 

You wanted to reach out to him, but you were worried he would startle if you did. You laced your own fingers together and squeezed your hands around your knee.

“I can see the problems, but I don’t know how to fix them. I don’t know how to move like you do. I don’t know how to do anything but what I’ve always done. I don’t know…” Suddenly he looked up at you, and you sucked in a sharp breath at the sheer emotion in his eyes. “I want to dance this with you. I want to partner with you. But I can’t seem to figure out how — not because of you. Because of me.”

You were reaching before you could stop yourself and lightly rested your hand on his forearm. He didn’t startle, but he did look down at it, brow furrowed. You forced yourself to leave it there and squeezed his arm lightly. 

“Din, I…” you weren’t sure how to reassure him. You’d seen his discomfort in rehearsals and you knew this was new to him, even if he hadn’t told you so before. You decided to share your own worries instead, since he had just been so open with his own. “This is the biggest role I’ve ever gotten. I mean, you know I’ve got Hermia, and then the spring fairy in Cinderella… but I’ve never been chosen for something like this before. I’ve never had a chance like this.” He lifted his head and met your eyes again, and this time his eyes were soft. It encouraged you to continue. “And you’re so good, I’ve been so worried that I’m not…” you bit your lip and squeezed his arm again when he opened his mouth. You shook your head and he nodded, letting you continue. “That I’m not good enough. I’ve had bad reviews before and I’m not even a principal and I know there are people out there who think I’m not good enough to be one. I—”

This time, Din cut you off. “That’s absurd.” His tone was flat, like his point was so obvious he couldn’t believe he had to say it.

You blinked. “What?”

He tilted his head, his gaze dancing over your face. He covered your hand on his left arm with his right and squeezed. “Of course you deserve to be a principal. They should have already promoted you. Karga clearly wants to, anyway. You’re a beautiful dancer.”

Your mouth dropped open. “What?”

The corner of his mouth lifted in that barely-there smile and you felt your cheeks start to heat as his praise continued. “I’m surprised you didn’t notice me watching you. It wasn’t just for our homework. You’re… amazing. I don’t know how you put so much emotion into your dancing at the same time as so much such skill and technique. Like in Midsummer, everything you bring to Hermia, it’s…” His eyes scanned your face again, and you wondered if you were gaping at him. It felt like it. “It’s so real. And connected. I feel like a robot, compared to you. I’ve been trying to find that connection for myself, but…” he trailed off again and let his hand slip from where it covered your own. You took your hand back, too.

A connection, he said. “Um, thank you. Maybe…” you started, hesitant. He looked at you again. “Maybe we can help each other. Practice together, outside of our rehearsals.”

He nodded. You nodded back, and then you both laughed, a little. You’d never seen him laugh before and couldn’t help but stare.

You felt a bit shaky after all of that honesty and decided to lighten the air a little. “Ok, well, one thing we definitely need to do is get to know each other, right? So we’re comfortable together.” He nodded, and his expression was so open you had to force yourself to keep going, rather than to simply marvel at the fact that he’d dropped his mask. For you. “So. How about we each get 10 questions, but we can pass if we need to. Ok?”

One side of his mouth lifted in a smile. “You sound like you’ve done this before.”

You shrugged. “It’s a good way to get to know someone, especially when you have to dance with someone new.”

Din nodded. “Alright. You go first.”

Over the next half hour you learned that Din’s favorite color was black (“come on, really?” “Fine, my second favorite is green.”), he hated smart technology (“I don’t want my fridge to talk to me. I want it to be a fridge.”), and his favorite ballet he’d ever been in was, surprisingly, Giselle (“it’s not in the normal repertoire there, and they didn’t like how I danced it. But I did. It was the most free I’ve ever felt on stage.”).

You wanted to ask more about why he’d left CBC, but that felt like too much for your first real conversation. You did learn, though, that he had a son.

“Grogu,” he said, “that’s his name. He’s five. He loves watching ballet.” Din smiled a little, looking off into the distance. “I don’t know if he’ll want to dance, but at least he likes watching me do it.”

You smiled. He was more open when he talked about his son, who must have been the little boy you saw him with, back in December. “Sounds like he sits through it better than my family.”

Din laughed, and shook his head. “We’ll see if it changes as he gets older.”

“Is that why you’re always in such a hurry?”

He nodded. “My friend takes care of him during the day, but I hate leaving him for so long. She lives close by so I try to go home for lunch, on the weekends, or to pick him up from school.”

That made sense. A new understanding of Din was forming in your mind — not an avoidant, aloof principal dancer, but a father who wanted to spend time with his son as much as he wanted to dance. Someone with more on his mind than fitting into this new company — you imagined the move must have been difficult on Grogu, too. 

“How’s he settling in here?”

Din looked at you, that little half smile back on his lips. “Just fine. He likes his new kindergarten, he’s made some friends. Better than I even hoped, really.”

You nodded. “That’s good. I’m glad he’s liking it. I bet that was a difficult transition for him. And you.”

Din sighed. “A bit. But it was necessary.”

Before you could even consider asking what he meant by that, you both heard commotion in the hall. You checked the time and realized you needed to get to your next rehearsal. Din stood first and offered you his hand.

You slid your hand into his, and he squeezed it as he pulled you up. 

“This was a good idea,” he said, squeezing your hand again. “Do you think next week will go better?”

You nodded. “I think so. But do you want to meet beforehand, to talk about the choreography? Maybe figure out where we can find each other instead of missing each other.”

He nodded. “I’d like that.”

…

You felt lighter after your conversation with Din. You hadn’t solved the problem, of course, but you’d at least talked to each other. It felt like the air was clearer, now that you both knew the other was struggling in some way. Neither of you was alone in it.

Over the weekend you focused on Midsummer — it was a big deal for you, getting cast as Hermia. You were excited to dance through her turmoil. She was so torn, as a character, and you wanted to portray that on stage. 

As you prepared and stretched on Friday night, you thought about what Din had said — that he couldn’t figure out how to dance in a new way, and that he felt like a robot. You shook your head. A robot? You weren’t sure what he was feeling while he danced, but Din never looked like a robot when he was performing. He’d said, too, that he loved being in Giselle, an overall more emotional performance than much of CBC’s usual repertoire. That he’d felt free. 

You thought about his face, every time you’d seen behind the mask, and you knew he could do it. You just had to help him figure out how to find that connection again, and how to lower the mask more while he was performing.

As you stepped out on stage that night, you let that certainty ground you. As you performed your variation, you’d never felt more like you were floating.

...

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a/n: they talked!!! what do we think?

Pas de deux & partnering -- Partnering in ballet is hard! There has to be a lot of trust and communication between partners, even though you don't necessarily need to be like best friends. These two are so advanced and have been in companies for so long that they are able to jump into something like this, but they still have to establish a partnering relationship, which is tough! To give you an idea of just some of what goes into partnering, here's a video of "beginning tips" (skip to around ~12:00 for some interesting stuff on balance). Din is used to verrrrry formal partnering, and that is some of the reason for their communication issues.

Midsummer - reader is dancing the role of Hermia in A Midsummer's Night Dream, which can go to either a principal or a soloist, just depending on the company. Here's a nice overview of the two acts and the ballet from the San Francisco Ballet. Here's a video of a dancer breaking down the role. Here's a couple examples of Hermia's famous variation (solo): one, two. Hermia has other big moments in the ballet but I've mostly been mentioning reader prepping for the solo. Companies might also spread out the roles over different nights or weekends -- in this case reader has Hermia for one weekend, like Adrian has Puck for one weekend (which isn't really mentioned in the fic because I didn't think it was relevant). (Is it a little unbelievable that reader is so unsure about her possible promotion if she got this role? Maybe. Soloists could get this role, especially a first soloist!)

Spring fairy - reader is dancing the role of the spring fairy in Cinderella, too. This and Midsummer are big story ballets that would draw an audience. Here's another two performances of the spring fairy variation and all of the fairies in one video from a 2003 Royal Ballet production. Spring starts ~2:30. The wiki page has a nice overview of the numbers in each act, so you can see where the fairies come in. The wiki lists 4 acts, though, and most companies do it like ABT I think -- with 2 acts. And here's a full length recording.

Giselle - Din mentions this briefly and we'll learn more later, but here's an overview of the ballet. (it's one of my favs)

tag list coming in a reblog!

[callsign-magnolia]

Undiagnosed // Ch. 23

Mature Content 18+

Jake Seresin x Neurodivergent OC

Summary: Katie Blair grew up trying to be the perfect daughter. She always struggled to be the prim and proper little girl her parents wanted. Big personality as a kid, but now at 25, she's the shy admiral's daughter who just keeps her head down and tries to get through law school. So what happens when she's had enough and with help from a certain Lieutenant, she gets out.

Warnings: Emotional abuse, trauma response, abusive parents, smut.

Word Count: 3.4k

Chapter 22 | Masterlist

I’m not sure how long we sat against the wall, but I finally got up to feed the kittens again. Jake and I didn’t say anything to each other, he threw away his beer and grabbed another before plopping down on the couch and turning on the tv. Once I was done I prepped more bottles for the evening and took the bottles and the kittens upstairs into the guest room. They were fast asleep so I walked into mine and Jake’s room, grabbed some clothes and quickly showered. I dried off and changed before going back to the guest room. It was only five in the afternoon at this point, so I opted to grab a book I left in here. I feel like I should be doing homework, but I guess it doesn’t matter now. I settled onto the bed with a blanket and leaned against the stack of pillows, trying to get comfortable. 

I fed the kittens a few more times and went downstairs to make myself some dinner. The awkwardness was palpable as Jake still sat on the couch, beer in hand. I wanted to ask him if he wanted me to make him dinner too but I'm pretty sure he doesn’t want to talk to me right now. So I made my dinner and ate it before retreating upstairs to feed the kittens one last time before bed. Once that was done I crawled under the covers, pulling the blankets up to my chin. I stared at the wall, everything that happened recently flowing through my mind, not stopping long enough for me to think of something else. 

“I almost just stopped taking care of you all together”

This single thought sent me into sobs and I was gasping for air to catch my breath. Did my parents really hate me simply for being born? I found it hard to accept that. Even for my parents that was hard to believe. I had to have done something to make them hate me. I’m not sure how long I cried for but I finally drifted off only to be awoken later by a hand on my shoulder. “Katie?” My eyes flew open and I gasped as my eyes adjusted. “Jake?” I sat up a little and he gave me a small smile. “Everything okay?” He sighed, his eyes meeting mine. He was only in his boxers and his hair was a wreck. “I’ve been trying to sleep for four hours and I can’t.” I pursed my lips, not sure what to say. “I’m sorry. Have you tried reading? I know it’s made you sleepy before.” He shook his head, looking at me. “No. I can’t sleep because it doesn't feel right without you in the bed.” I sighed. “Oh.” He nodded. “Just… come back to bed.” I met his eyes and his own were half closed. “Jake, I’m sorry.” He shook his head. “If anything it’s my fault.” “No, it’s not.” I told him. “But it is. I should’ve found a different way to separate you from your parents.” I huffed. “Jake, there was no other way. Any longer and who knows where I’d be and with who.” I said as I dangled my legs off the bed, sitting next to him. “No. I should’ve come up with something else. It is my fault.” I just huffed and fell back on the bed, putting my legs back under the covers. “What are you doing?” He asked. “I’m not arguing with you Jake. I’m not doing the back and forth and the taking blame bullshit. If anything it makes me feel worse so just stop.” I fully expected him to get mad and walk out but instead he laid down next to me, tossing his arm over my waist. “I love you.” He muttered. I sat there in silence for a while before I spoke up. “I love you too.” It didn’t take long at all for me to go back to sleep after that. 

The next few days were weird. We didn’t know what to do with ourselves except take care of the kittens and search for lawyers. Jake was still trying to apologize and it was driving me crazy. He had nothing to apologize for and I have no idea how else to tell him that. “Any of these stand out to you?” Jake asked as he slid his list in front of me. Being in law school for as long as I was, you learn a thing or two about local lawyers. “No… am I being too picky?” I asked and he shrugged. “I don’t think so, but I’ve also never had to search for one.” I nodded and we sat in silence for a while. We continued to look the rest of the day when there was a knock at the door. I immediately jumped up, beating Jake to the door and swinging it open. “Mav.” I smiled at him. “Katie. Hi.” He smiled back. “I wanted to talk to you and Jake.” I nodded and swung the door open so he could come in. “Want anything to drink?” I offered. “Water would be great.” I led him towards the dining room where Jake still was. “Mav! Good to see you!” Jake was excited to see someone from work, it was written all over his face. They both hugged before sitting at the table. I grabbed some waters and went back into the dining room. “So, I wanted to talk to you two about getting a lawyer.” I nodded. “We’ve been looking for the past few days but just can’t seem to pick one.” My face burned red at Jake’s words. “Well, that Cartwell guy seemed like he’d be good.” I spoke up. “You said you hated him because he gave a lecture in your class and he didn’t know what he was talking about.” My face burned even more. “I know a guy, he’s helped me multiple times.” 

He pulled a card out of his wallet and handed it to me. “He’s not that well known, but he does great work and I think he could really help you.” I looked it over, the name sounding familiar but it wasn’t ringing any bells. I handed it to Jake and he looked at it. “Michael Sterling.” Mav nodded. “Great guy, goes to great lengths to help his clients and he has experience dealing with navy court hearings.” My eyebrows popped up. “That could be a big help to us.” I said and he nodded in agreement. “Well we’ll call him and go see him as soon as he has an opening.” Jake said and I nodded. “You have an appointment tomorrow morning.” We both raised our brows at him. “I already called him and set you up with an appointment. Nine a.m.” I was a little stunned. “Th-thank you, Maverick. We really appreciate it.” He nodded. “What’s your game plan?” He asked. “Counter charges. I’m going after them for everything they did to me throughout my life. I have pictures and papers to prove a lot of stuff, then Jake is going to sue my dad and the Navy for wrongful discharge.” Mav sighed. “That’s going to be very difficult. But whatever you need, I’m happy to write a letter, give a statement, whatever you need and I know the rest of the team is too.” Jake nodded, his hand falling to my leg. “Well, guess we finally found our lawyer.” I nodded. “We’ll talk to him tomorrow and see how it goes. Hopefully we’ll get somewhere with it.”

The next morning Jake and I got ready. I went back to my dresses and heels and he put on a nice pair of jeans and a polo before Penny arrived. “Thank you so much for doing this for us, Penny.” I said as I let her in. “You’re welcome. How hard can it be?” I laughed at her question, leading her to the kitchen where Jake was making all the bottles. “Penny, hey.” Jake greeted. “Hey, Hangman. Look at you being all domestic.” He chuckled. “Never thought I would enjoy it so much.” They both laughed. “Uh, the kittens ate about an hour ago so they’re all asleep in their pen in the living room. When they wake up they’ll probably be hungry but if they don’t eat that’s fine, just try again later. Help yourself to anything in the fridge, there’s still some coffee and it’s hot. Just, make yourself at home I guess.” She nodded. “They’re in good hands, Katie.” I smiled at her. “Now go, before you guys are late. We need to get this show on the road if we’re going to beat you parents in court.” She ushered us out of the kitchen and I turned back to look at her. She winked at me before shooing us out. “Got everything you need?” I snatched the manilla envelope off the dining room table full of papers and pictures as well as my purse. “Yep, let’s go.” Jake helped me into the truck before getting in himself. I took a few deep breaths as he backed out of the driveway and as soon as he put it in drive he took my hand, fingers intertwining on the console.

“Hey, it’s gonna be okay.” He kissed my hand before we rode in silence. My heart was thumping out of my chest and it felt like it got worse the closer we got. As we pulled into the parking lot in downtown San Diego I felt my stomach twist. I couldn’t tell if I was gonna be sick or not. “Darlin’?” Jake asked as he put the truck in park. I held up my finger as I opened the door to let in the warm air, a soft breeze brushing over me. “Are you okay?” I nodded. “I couldn’t tell if I was gonna be sick or not.” His eyebrows raised as I pulled down the mirror to check my makeup. Once I saw it was fine I closed it and took another deep breath. “Let’s do this.” I jumped out and Jake scrambled to catch up with me. I didn’t stop, knowing if I did I would never walk in there. Jake rushed ahead, getting the door for me and I walked on through up to the front desk. “Hi, we have an appointment with Mr. Sterling at nine.” She nodded. “And what’s the last name?” I froze, realizing Mav never told us what name he put it under. “It’ll either be under Blair or Seresin.” She raised a brow but looked it up. “Oh, Miss Blair. Mr. Sterling asked that I bring you back as soon as you get here.” I was a little surprised as she stood. “Oh, thank you.” I looked as Jake and he shrugged but we followed her down a few hallways before she stopped in front of an open door. “Mr. Sterling?” She asked as she poked her head in the door. “Send them in, Carla. Thank you for bringing them back.” She nodded. “You’re welcome,” She turned to us with a smile. “You can go in.” I smiled and nodded, steeling my nerves before I walked in the door. 

A tall dark haired man stood next to his desk, setting a paper down before he lifted his head. “Miss Blair.” He came over, taking my hand gently as he shook it and I gave his a firm squeeze which he smiled at. “Mr. Seresin.” Jake nodded at him. “Please, take a seat. I suspect we’ll be conversing for a while.” I sat in the chair on the right and Jake on the left while Mr. Sterling sat in his desk chair. “When Pete called me I was surprised when he told me he was calling to get help for someone else. Usually when he calls me, it’s never good.” I cracked a small smile at his remark. “Maverick does have quite the reputation.” Jake said and Mr. Sterling nodded. “That he does. So Pete told me a little about what’s going on and I have a few notes but i’d really love to hear it from you two.” I raised my brows. “Short or long version?” I asked and he chuckled. “We can do a summary for now and deep dive as we need. But if there is any important information please don’t skip it.” I nodded, still clutching the manilla envelope to my chest. “Well, I guess I’ll start before we moved to San Diego.” He nodded and I took a deep breath. “Katie, don’t feel like you have to rush anything. Just go at your own pace.” I nodded at Mr. Sterling’s words and set the envelope on the desk. 

“My parents weren’t the most loving. They were cold and distant and I thought that’s how all parents were. We moved around so frequently I never really got to see how other kids' parents treated them. I thought that’s how all parents were. My parents really limited my contact with people and they controlled basically everything I watched and listened to. There were no tv’s or radios in the house and I didn’t even get a cell phone until I was eighteen.” I opened the envelope, pulling out the stack of pictures. “This was the first time my mom hit me. I took the picture on my phone and hid it in backup storage because I knew if she saw it, she’d delete it.” My face was red in the picture and there was a cut from her ring. He took it, his face falling at the picture. “I didn’t know what I did wrong. Now I know it was nothing. I was eighteen and they had no control over me anymore, but I didn’t know that. So they started getting physical as a way to keep me in line and in their grasp. This happened various times throughout the last seven years.” I pulled out a few other photos before I continued. “But it all escalated when I met Jake.” I could hear Jake sigh from next to me and I knew he was getting angry. “My parents care more about their image and reputation than anything, even me. A lieutenant asked me on a date and my father said yes for me. The date sucked and as he was taking me home he stopped just down the road from my house. He decided he wanted more from me than I was willing to give and when he tried to get my dress off me I kneed him in the crotch and punched him in the nose, breaking it.” Mr. Sterling and Jake both huffed. “As you should.” Mr. Sterling said, jotting down some notes. “I managed to get out of the truck and run towards my house and he cut me off. I managed to draw attention by screaming and our neighbor came out but my parents brushed it all off. My parents were mad I didn’t just let him do it and risked ruining their precious image.” Mr. Sterling just sat there speechless until I pulled out the photos I took. “I took these right after it happened.” He just sat there dumbfounded as I went on. 

“Jake and I didn’t get along at first and my dad decided to humiliate me in front of him by making me apologize to another pilot when he was in the wrong. Around that time was when my parents started hitting me more often.” I took a deep breath. “My dad smacked me in his office multiple times. It usually threw me to the floor. He’s thrown me on the ground, hit me with his belt. But I think the worst was the night before I left with Jake for the first time.” I gave Jake the smallest smile and he grabbed my hand, squeezing it. “You ran more than once?” I nodded. “Twice. The first time I left was because my dad was angry I wasn’t studying. He called me lazy and stupid and started wrecking everything in my room then told me I’d be nothing without them and I snapped. I told him I didn’t need them.” I took a deep breath, pushing my glasses further up the bridge of my nose. “Then he yanked my glasses off my face, smashed them with a textbook, threw me into a table and smashed my fish tank, killing all of them.” Mr. Sterling’s eyes widened in shock. “I felt numb. I didn’t sleep that night because I was terrified. The next day Jake talked me into leaving with him and it was probably the best thing I could’ve done.” He nodded. “So how did you run a second time if you had already left?” He asked. “I got scared. My dad is Jake’s superior. I was worried he’d lose everything he worked for, and seems I had every reason to worry.” Jake sighed. “I told you not to.” I huffed out a laugh. “Anyway, I left in the middle of the night and walked all the way back to my parents house. They were still up and when I walked in, they acted like they cared, like they were so worried. I should’ve known it was all a lie but I wanted so badly for them to care. But I was woken up the next morning to hear my dad drilling a chain on my door.” 

Mr. Sterling nodded. “And how long were you there for?” I took a deep breath, trying to think. “A few weeks at least.” I said and Jake nodded. “Two weeks. We went over to her parents a few days after she left because we hadn’t heard from her and they said she was sick, which we knew was a lie.” Mr. Sterling eyebrows raised. “You and who?” He asked. “A few coworkers and friends of mine. Natasha Trace and Bradley Bradshaw.” He nodded. “I think my parents were trying to sell me off or marry me off.” Mr. Sterling once again stopped writing. “You’re sure?” I nodded. “They kept talking about someone coming over and I had to be perfect and they didn’t care what these people did to me once I was out of their house. Mom had me get dressed in a white dress and everything.” He stared at me dumbfounded. “Jake and our friends showed up, kicked in the door and helped me run. I’ve been with Jake ever since. I started therapy, started nursing school and it all went down the drain when I went to the doctor. That was my breaking point.” “What was it, Katie?” He asked. “I had the flu, went for a normal doctor's appointment. She asked what I was doing for my ADHD and depression. I was confused and she printed off my diagnosis for me.” I laid those papers on his desk. “I was never told about this. My parents kept it a secret. I confronted my mother as soon as I found out and we got into it. She admitted she knew but she just believed I was just a shitty kid and didn’t have anything wrong with me. She admitted she never wanted me and considered just not taking care of me as a baby. Even said she hoped to live long enough to see me dead and buried.” 

Mr. Sterling’s mouth gaped open, closing and opening again, as if he was searching for words. “We got into it and I hit her, that’s how we got here. She pressed charges on me and I was made to leave nursing school, and Jake was wrongfully dishonorably discharged. But I want to counter charge them both. After everything that has happened I want them both to pay for everything.” He nodded, gathering everything I laid on his desk. “Mind if I make copies?” I shook my head, “Not at all.” He nodded, pressing a button on his phone. “I think we have a very solid case here. I think we could win it, honestly.” Now it was my turn to be surprised. “Really?” He nodded. “I don’t want to get too boisterous but I think with everything we have, photos, witnesses, your diagnosis, I don’t think her charges will even stand.” I looked at Jake, the first genuine smile on my face in days. “If you’d like, I’d love to take your case and work with you two.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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[canonicallyobserving911]

My theory about "Brad" for episode 8x8

In a recent post (linked here), I indicated I would reveal "My Theory" regarding the reason why I believe the character "Brad Torrence" is still around this late in season 8 and here it is.

Full disclosure: Initially, I didn't have a problem with Brad because Bobby was working as the tech advisor for the TV show "Hotshots" and I thought he was interesting. Also, after 8x1, I posted that I hoped him and Bobby could be friends since Bobby hasn't had anyone to hang out with outside of the 118 since Michael left in season 5. But my opinion of him has changed because he should be gone and I thought he would be once Bobby went back to the 118 in 8x4. He's still there taking up screentime from the mains and I don't like it 🙄. Even though I'll be glad when he's gone, I've still provided a fair and balanced assessment of his character.

On Friday, I posted my review of episode 8x7 "Hotshots" (linked here) and earlier this week I posted about my expectations for 8x8 "Wannabes". After rewatching 8x7, I noticed a common theme between Bobby's and Athena's storylines and it was centered around preparation for their retirements with Bobby dealing with Brad, a fake firefighter and Athena working with Sparks, a rookie police officer.

Before I delve into this, I need to make something crystal clear! These are my interpretations and observations regarding what could happen in episode 8x8 and even though it's possible some might not agree, it's ok if they don't because two differences of opinion can coexist. I'm basing my analysis off things that happened in episodes 1, 2, 3, 4 and 7 along with the stills that were released for episode 8.

Let's get started.

At the beginning of season 7, I did a post about the way the show was setting everything up for Bobby and Athena to begin their retirement arcs (linked here) but something happened (probably during the three-week hiatus between 7x5 and 7x6) that changed their storylines. When season 8 started, they were and still are living in an apartment, they're looking for a home and once again, Athena was in peril during the opening disaster. At the time it seemed like neither of them would be slowing down but the "cracks" in their communication were shown again and they've been present throughout their marriage (especially in season 4 when they argued about not talking to one another and it was about their retirement). They don't talk about the important things and it was even more evident in 8x7 when Athena told Hen that she told Bobby she didn't want to walk around with a cane. IMO, they're setting up their retirement arcs again but this time they're inserting others (guest stars) to assist with the development (which is unnecessary to me especially since the main cast is large enough which means they could utilize the people who are already there. I mean HELLO Buck's right there but I digress).

After rewatching 8x7, the common theme I found between Bobby and Brad and Athena and Sparks was that both Brad and Sparks were inexperienced, hot heads who wanted power and they were aiming to use firefighting and police work to get it. Brad is an actor playing the role of a fire captain on a hit TV show that contributes to the LAFD while Sparks was a rookie cop (who Athena kept addressing as a "probie" instead of a "rookie" and I think that was done on purpose for Brad's storyline). Brad and Sparks were/are impressed with Bobby's and Athena's work and they admire them.

Athena - Sparks did his homework and learned everything he could about her including the number of arrests she'd made and her commendations along with all of her other accolades.

Bobby - Brad told Bobby to his face in 8x1 that he was going to study him and in 8x2, he suggested Bobby do a bootcamp in the mountains or at his home in Malibu with him and his friends so he could learn how to be a fire captain.

Sparks and Brad have a lot of similarities; however the major difference is Sparks is young and he doesn't have a LOT OF LIFE EXPERIENCE (Sound familiar? It should since that's what Bobby told Buck in 6x1 when Buck wanted to be interim captain). Even though Brad is older, he's an asshat and he's also a reckless manchild (Bobby's description of him in 8x7) who will likely get someone hurt and he seems like a womanizer (Sound familiar? It should since that's how Buck USED to be when he first started at the 118.) He's been married 5 times and in the stills; it seems like he's flirting with a woman during that water rescue call.

These two guest characters have a lot of similarities with 25-year-old probie Buck and I believe that was done on purpose. During one of OS's Entertainment Weekly Q and A responses, someone asked, "In 9-1-1 s8 was Brad the British actor a reference to you being a British actor" and he answered, "Yes! Well, not like based on anything but I think he is an "homage" to me." The word "Homage" means "to show respect or honor to someone or something." Therefore, I believe my theory has merit since Callum Blue the actor who plays Brad Torrence is supposed to be an "Homage" to OS.

I've included a quick video below of Brad's interactions for two reasons, one, I didn't feel like making the GIFs for them and two, I think when the things a person says can be heard as opposed to reading them, it provides more context.

It's evident that Brad is mesmerized by Bobby's and Buck's father/son relationship and before 8x7 aired, I completed a post that included the way Brad wants to be like Buck and how IMPRESSED he was by Buck's and Bobby's heroics during the opening airplane disaster (linked here).

At the end of 8x8, Brad said he talked to the chief and had the show put his character in a coma so that he could "job shadow" Bobby but in the stills for the episode, he's wearing full turnout gear with a name on the back. I found this to be problematic for two reasons. First, Brad is NOT a firefighter, therefore he shouldn't be wearing any 118 or firefighter gear period. Second, the turnout coat he's wearing has a name on the back of it. Now, it's unclear if he borrowed it or if it's his but the last name is "Boothe" and since his actor name is "Brad Torrence" it made me wonder if that's his real last name.

FTR, job shadowing means a person is supposed to observe someone while they're doing their job. It doesn't mean "participating" and they shouldn't be dressed to look like they're part of the team but Brad is and it's going to be a cluster f~ck.

Why is this a problem?

It's a problem for him to be wearing turnout gear because he should be standing off to the side without getting involved. Bobby's captain of the 118 which means Brad should have a notepad and an ink pen instead of standing next to him. Since he's wearing 118 gear, someone will easily mistake him for being a real firefighter and reminder, in 8x3, he lied to the soccer player and claimed he was one even though he isn't.

Also, during the Metro Dispatch fire in 5x16, Eddie was still a firefighter but he wasn't with the 118 and when Bobby told him to grab some turnouts, THERE WASN'T A NAME ON THE BACK OF THE JACKET.

Therefore, how is it that Brad "an actor who plays a fire captain" is wearing full turnout gear with a name on the back when he hasn't even gone through the academy to become a real firefighter?

In the above BTS stills, it seems like Brad's flirting with a victim and the statement about not dating someone they meet on a call has been spoken numerous times since Eddie said it in 6x15. Since Brad's not a firefighter, he doesn't know that and he appears to be fascinated with the attention he's getting from the people who recognize him. Therefore, it seems like he's going to hookup with someone from a call and it's likely to cause problems with the team and the LAFD.

While I was making GIFs and the video for this post, I noticed something from episode 8x3 that I didn't see before. After Athena landed the airplane and the emergency escape slide inflated, the spotlight was on Brad for about 3 seconds and he was standing there all alone. Then the camera showed Buck and Brad standing next to each other and I don't believe that was a coincidence.

Here's my theory... I believe Brad is there so that he can become a "Probie" and Bobby will be the one who has to make a decision at the end of the episode about if he wants him to be part of the 118. The interviews all indicate that Brad will be there, he's going to cause chaos and he's supposed to have a conversation with Eddie that will be life changing and I think it'll revolve around Brad asking Eddie what made him want to become a firefighter. TM (showrunner) said in an interview that their conversation will revolve around something that has to do with being an "All American" (I couldn't find the quote but I remember reading it) and based on Brad's propensity to want to be like Buck and that he does in fact have "daddy issues", it appears he wants to work with Bobby so that he can aspire to be like him. This guy has to be at least 45 years old or older so his daddy issues should be resolved but that's my opinion.

Brad wants to be like Buck so he can become a firefighter and like I said in a previous post, he was impressed by Buck's and Bobby's dynamic. Everyone knows Bobby is Buck's found dad and they've been working together for so long that Bobby didn't have to tell Buck what he needed while they were preparing to shutdown the I-110. Brad watched all of it and he called Buck, "Bobby's boy."

I don't know how long Brad will be around but based on everything that's happened so far, it seems like he could be part of the 118 at least until the end of 8B the same way Jonah was there until the end of 5B and he didn't leave until the real reason he was there had been revealed.

Do I think Brad is dangerous? No, I don't believe he is... at least not in the sense of him trying to capture someone and hurt them so he can be captain of the 118 or anything. But I do believe his reckless behavior is going to get someone hurt or they'll experience an NDE because of his actions and those someone's will likely be Buck or Eddie and/or Buddie.

All of this seems like a huge setup for the second half of the season.

These are more Bathena and Buddie parallels (related posts linked here and here) and I believe it's being done this way for a reason. IMO, it's still too early to tell if these things have anything to do with the 9-1-1 spinoff that's supposed to start filming in March but I'm not ruling it out. Since TM and RM (creators) like well-known stars with top billing name power (hence AB, PK and RL from LS) I'm not sure if Callum Blue fits that description to carry an entire series on his own but only time will tell.

The point of this post is to highlight the reason why I believe Brad is still around and it's so he can become part of the 118. That way Bobby will have someone to lead, teach and train since the core four (Chimney, Hen, Buck and Eddie) have been working with him for so long that they know what he expects. Even though Gerrard was a complete and utter terror while he was there (mainly towards Buck), when he got injured, they carried on with Hen as interim captain. It kind of seems like Bobby needs someone to lead who doesn't know anything and this is more about him than it is about Brad. At the end of season 7, Bobby left and he didn't tell his team that he was planning to retire. Now that he's back, it appears that he's realizing they can and did function without him and it's making him understand his role as captain could be coming to an end the same way Athena pulling her hamstring is making her realize her own mortality as a LAPD police officer.

It'll be interesting to see how this will play out but Brad being around at this late date is NOT a coincidence and I think Bobby will have to decide if he wants to hire Brad as a probie after Brad reveals he wants to change careers.

Just saying.

[fuckmeyer]

It's been a long time since I last stepped foot in high school, but don't you ever wish we would've seen them just being high school sweethearts sometimes? Him carrying her backpack, helping her with homework, just simple shit man :/

yes. tho if i'm being real, i think all the cutesy "high school sweethearts" content would be equally cute in a college setting. he can still carry her backpack, help her with homework, sit with her and her friends at lunch, study in the library, etc. but instead of a solid 8-hour day of back-to-back classes with little freedom, in college they have a more disjointed schedule with several hours of free time between classes.

it allows Bella more freedom to develop her personhood both in and outside a relationship, allowing the reader to see who she really is. (note: i am NOT implying Bella has zero personality.) maybe she still proves herself a caretaker by cooking for some people in her dorm, but now she's also doing it bc it's a hobby that reminds her of home. maybe she's an old soul not bc she reads Wuthering Heights for the four hundredth time, but because she's spending her nights in the archives reading disintegrating manuscripts for fun. maybe she scores an on-campus job at the library's circulation desk. maybe, instead of using her free time to clean Charlie's house or cook Charlie's meals or do his laundry etc etc etc, the sudden lack of responsibility forces her to consider what she wants to be doing. what does she gravitate toward when she isn't burdened with caretaking and is surrounded by more opportunities?

the tl;dr of it is yes. i love the "Edward/Bella school sweethearts" angle bc it is indeed cute as fuck. and i do wish we'd gotten more content like that. but i think the content we really desire - i.e. Edward/Bella acting like a couple and having cute interactions in a school setting, and seeing who they are as people both in and outside their relationship - would be better suited for an environment like college.

[loco-warehouse]

Season 3, Episode 3, Part 2

Adrenaline rushed through Britney as she attempted to rip the arrow-staff away from her overall straps, only to result in her tearing it. Though things have wind down, survival kicks in as she flips herself over, dragging her shoes through the damp dirt as she pushes up with a messy upright position as she began running, running.

If there was one thing track has taught her, was how to be efficiently fast. 

Away with her backpack of rare comics of her father’s collection, the rifle, the ammo, the expired Rocky-Road candy bars– She needed to run. ��� Britney couldn’t stop, even if her lungs and legs were begging her to. Her thoughts slowly cleared up as the bushes became less and less as she spotted her grandparents' farmhouse in the distance.

Just as Mrs. Patel finished up grabbing the chicken eggs, she stopped in her tracks as huffing and puffing filled her vicinity. Turning, she quickly rushed over to Britney.

Slowing her run, she collapse into the grass to catch her breath. “Britney!” Mrs. Patel slid to her side, “Britney, what happened!?” --- “I think there’s more cryptic's out there, Pops…” Britney slumped on their couch, chugging her third glass of water as she sat in tattered clothes. Mrs. Patel placed cold towels on her limbs to help cool her down.

Besides them, Mr. Patel flipped through his battered journal. “Sugarcube, it doesn’t make sense…” Drawn photos of what he’s seen, flipping through depictions of Bigfoot, Mothman, the Loch Ness Monster. Other than the Loveland Frog, there was no turtle he was familiar with. “I told you to go hunt!” A hand slams down on the coffee table, startling the two. “Sweetheart, I know what I did wasn’t right but–” “No, YOU but–!” “STOP IT!”

The Patels snap back to Britney as she shouted, standing. “I’ve seen things like this before. And…” Reminiscing back to New York. The falling stars. The mansion. “...Somehow…” Dad. “I think I know where the turtle came from.” --- * When Donnie is looking up what might have happened with Mikey, he pulls up an article showing three depictions of the frogs. One of the depictions is what Mr. Patel turned in and reported. * During Napoleon's introduces Mikey to the frog tribe, there’s a moment where Genghis slyly states how there’s, “More of them than he anticipated…” --- “Guys, come here!” The Hamatos rushed towards April’s voice. “Look!” She pointed to the large, muddy footprints. “It has to be Mikey…” “Obviously, Red.” Casey annoyedly stated as Donnie smacked his arm.

Receiving an eye roll, they followed the tracks, eyes scanning the woods and watched as the steps transformed into a messy pile of dirt. Stopping, the five split off into different corners of the wooden area. “What…happened?”

As they began scouring the scene, April took notice of another set of estranged, petite shoe prints.

”Hey guys, check it!”

“WHOA!”

“CASEY!”

The turtles ducked as Casey whiped around with a rifle, pointing it directly at whoever was in its way. Raph came from behind him, snatching the gun from Casey hands to keep it downwards. “Are you crazy!!” Met with nervous laughter, Casey lifts his hands as a semi-defense, backing away from his pissed-off best friend.

“Wait,” Leo crutch forward towards Raph, examining the rifle. “What’s a gun doing all the way out here?”

Continuing her search, April peered behind a bush, finding a yellowed backpack. Raising a brow, she grabs the bag and shuffled through its contents. Ammo, comics, candy, and a…crumpled piece of math homework?

Taking a closer look, April scanned the red markings of error to find the name–

Britney. Patel. Stockman. 

Gasping, she folded the piece of homework, proclaiming, “I think something bad happened here…” 

“What is it, April?” Leo moved forward, watching as April handed the backpack towards him. Instead of being met with worry, she was met with Leo’s excited gasp, reaching into the backpack and pulling out, “Space Heroes issue #46 in mint condition! April, do you know how rare–!”

Glares. 

“Right, right, not important.” Leo cautiously put the comic back in the bag, before grabbing it and stating, “But I am taking this.” 

They all groaned before Donnie started making connections.

Eyeing the rifle and backpack, he bent back down to feel how fresh the dirt felt between his fingers. “Guys…do you think Mikey got–”

“No.” April interrupted. 

Back turned towards her friends, she walked further into the woods, following the continued shoe prints rushing from their crime scene. In a last ditch effort, she shoved the homework into her pocket before returning to the Hamatos. 

semi timeline uhh season 1 and 2 for britney and angela

Season 1 "I Think His Name is Baxter Stockman" Angela and Britney are introduced within' Baxter's morning routine. Baxter is shown getting ready for work, saying goodbye to his partner, dropping his daughter off at school, before proceeding to his workplace. Baxter returns home and let's Angela know of his termination. It leads to a mini argument, resulting in Baxter storming away from his apartment to his storage lab. Later in the episode, Britney and Angie are eating dinner while questioning when Baxter would be home. Angela turns on the TV, unexpectantly witnessing Baxter destroying his workplace in pure shock.

"Mousers Attack!" Baxter has started using his MOUSERS to steal local loot, trade with juveniles, and create a mini ring of his own without using his face. Baxter, through the power of high-power attorneys (thanks to Angela,) was able to remain in parole and escape jail time. Baxter hangs out with his family, taking them out to a dinner at a local diner with his sudden, financial increase. He makes false promises that he's handling the damages he's caused, and making a lie that his "new job" is calling him to come on out for a important technical report. He leaves as the two finish dinner and expect to see him the next day.

"It Came From the Depths" There's a off scene where Angela is sent a lawsuit letter, expecting payment from TCRI for Baxter's property damages. Angela looks tired from working overtime to pay off the attorneys, and Britney is coming home wanting her mom's and dad's attention and care, but watches as her mom attends to something else and looking around for her absent dad.

"The Pulverizer" During moments of isolation, Baxter takes calls from Angela. He lies that he's on a separate business trip with this "technological company," stating that he's gonna be gone for a week or two. When Britney takes over on the phone, she immediately suspect that he's lying, but doesn't push further on the issue as she brags about her track meet third place spot to her dad. Soon, the phone call is cut short, leaving the two to wonder about Baxter's position.

"Baxter's Gambit" The two aren't visually seen, but during one of Baxter's "doom" speeches to the turtles and henchmen, he gets a phone call suddenly. He pulls his phone out too fast that bounces between his hands, accidentally pressing the answering button and the words, "Hi daddy!" is heard over the speakers before being cut short. His captures are left confused before being thrown towards another trap, leaving them to question it later.

"Showdown Part 1/2" Both Angela and Britney have a mini moment of being trapped in the pods, before they're shown being freed from them post-Kraang takeover.

Season 2 "The Mutation Situation" Britney opens her window due to the falling, bright blue "rain," before introduced to a canister of mutagen. She takes it in, putting it on her nightstand as a sort of lava lamp. During the rainfall, she watches as mysterious figures and flying saucers fly over her apartment, in which she tries to ignore and hide away.

"Mutagen Man Unleased" Britney and Angela are shown within the backgrounds, noticing the turtles existence for the first time.

"Mikey Gets Shellance" Britney makes her last call to Baxter, talking about her recent track race place. and her recent grades. It was cut short, making Angela more suspicious of Baxter's duties.

"Target: April O'Neil" Angela, at this point, has hired a private investigator to continue searching within' Baxter's disappearance. (Side note: this investigator is Agent Bishop, who's trying to understand Baxter's connection to TCRI, and took the job to see if it would further benefit his investigation within' the Kraang.) Instead, Bishop reports back that Baxter's "job" and absence was mostly a lie, and was also left at a dead-end by the last time his family communicated with him. In-between what's going on, Britney breaks into Baxter's storage room lab. Using whatever is left behind, Britney boots up whatever mousers are left.

"The Kraang Conspiracy" Angela is given a short appearance. She's getting multiple calls from loan companies to pay off the damages that Baxter caused to TCRI. Angela enters her apartment, stressed as she's coming off her second job and negotiating with the people on the phone. Once she's off the phone, she turns and face a pissed off and tired Britney on the couch. Britney tries to talk to her mom, but is brushed off as Angela is focus on other things, before she throws a first place medal on the table. The two are left in silence before Britney stomps away into her bedroom. (btw want to mention that this is a child who wants her dad back and is looking for her mom for that same emotional support, and Angela is trying to make sure that Britney gets everything she needs even if it means sacrificing time with her daughter. neither are at fault, just a very tough situation.)

"Fungus Humungous" A reference back to "The Mutation Situation." During Mikey's nightmares from the fungus, he has a flashback of making eye contact with Britney. The memory continues as the raining mutagen canisters finish, witnessing her climb out and take one in as a lava lamp, before being ambushed by squirrelanoids. It's less of a actual presence in their lives and more of Mikey realizing they've been seen.

"The Manhattan Project: Part 1" The two aren't shown, only mentioned. Baxter makes a offhand comment about having "no one" and continues to ignore phone calls from them. He does this for their protection.

"The Lonely Mutagen of Baxter Stockman" Angela, after Bishop left her at a dead end, tries to continue to add to her "conspiracy board" of Baxter's disappearance. She looks tired and stressed, juggling between jobs, payments, and figuring out what's going on. When Angela is gone, Britney sneaks into Angie's room and pulls out her own evidence from Baxter's storage lab-- his criminal involvements. Soon, she makes the connection that Baxter is connected to working for an abandoned church. From there, Britney makes a plan to seek it out.

"The Wrath of Tiger Claw" Britney has a B plot of trying to break into the Foot Clan's hideout. Britney makes the conclusion quickly that it's protected to an extent by masked folks. After using Baxter's leftover mousers, tricks of being a girl scout selling cookies, to just spraying them with the same chemical Baxter used, she was able to temporarily break in. She was able to see more masked people, before noticing mutants walking around. Before being noticed, she's gone from the building. The henchmen do notice that a child has broken in, and is talked about among themselves, assuming it's the turtles or their companions.

Inbetween "Plan 10" and "Vengeance is Mine" @dongpound so sorry to tag you, I just want to make sure people know who your OC is ;o; Alec, who's aware of Britney's continuous involvement for a long time in figuring out the Footclan, finds out that she's trying to find their father. Alec does try to dissuade this child from continuing her search, but is met with a unrelentless determination to see what's going on with her father. To help protect this child, and prevent the others from going after them, they make the unwanted choice to reveal their father's fate to them. Alec turns around and realize she's gone. The episode ends with Britney running away from him, faster and faster before falling, getting back up, and rushing towards her home. Britney breaks down and not wanting to accept who her father is.

"The Invasion: Part 1 and 2" When the invasion starts, Angela rushes Britney out of New York. The two meet a halfway point to Angela's parents. Britney is handed off to her grandparents, but before any of them could convince Angela to join them, she's heading back to New York, convince she could find Baxter. Angela gets mutated.

[lennjamin-o7]

[star--nymph]

thinking about how as a templar, Cullen wasn't functioning as a person. He was just a cog in a machine; a rusted, chipped one that screeched when it connected with another cog, but a cog nevertheless. Templars don't have belongings, they don't have interests, they forfeit their family, if they are allowed to marry it's under strict guidelines. the lyrium isn't just there to make the powerful, it's to make them subservient, in theory it is meant to be the leash that yanks when the templars speaks for themselves or others. You want to rebel, you want to advocate for others? The leash can be pulled, taking you further and further away from a new drought of lyrium.

no one pays a templar to think. you are there for the honor and love of the Maker and you swing your sword for Him and no one else

and when he comes out of it, what does Cullen have? His suit of armor, his sword, his mantle, maybe an under shirt and a pair of breeches, and his coin

the coin that was his one act of rebellion in his seventeen year tenure

no one wonder he says to a romance inquisition 'when it started, I hadn't considered much beyond our survival' because why would he? Templars don't have futures, they have service and they either die in service or die on the street, starved of lyrium and dignity. It's an act of rebellion in and of itself for Cullen to think he has the possibility of a future with anyone or anything

maybe that's the greatest gift an inquisitor, romanced or not, can give him--a chance to leave service and for once, be a person with dreams and desires. And what does he do when he's given that? He creates a sanctuary for other templars, so they may no what it's like to be a person as well.

[giantenemyrobot]

Wip !?

There's more dialogue before this chunk that I want to add stuff to, but idk when I'll get to that

The audio is from the Bluecoats 2023 show Riffs and Revelations

Fav frames, I think I did really well on their sad sad wet cat faces

[frankensteinposm0]

Lil bro got stuck in my head and doesn't want to get out of there

[avianii]

ice cube

[bolithesenate]

tragic: local student forced to do coursework

[carpetbug]

animation practice :3

i love this silly little cat boy