#v;1 || season two || pull your knife out of my back;

[gonemadgirl]

Anyone else ever think about how Alice was being kept in house arrest after the snow storm? And that she was locked in her basement, beaten, for having tried to sneak out to go to Varian & Quirin? (Because her mother wasn't giving her any food or heat). And she got caught? So, Alice didn't even know that Quirin was trapped until like a week later?

Or how Alice's single caught attempt at sneaking out would turn into punishment that lasted on and off for months? And that Alice physically did not know about any of Varian's plans due to the abuse she was facing? & the way she was constantly under house arrest?

Do you think about how Alice finally came running up the path, nearly screaming Varian's name--

just to find everything covered in black rock? The giant hole in the wall? Robotic things covering the ground? The fact that there is no one in Old Corona finally dawning on her? Her crawling down into the basement and finding Quirin alone, and the evidence of all Varian did--and Alice just falls against the amber and cries?

Or do you think about Alice trying to visit Varian in jail for the entirety of season two? About Alice begging, crying, pleading and being ignored by the guards?

Alice trying to get an audience with the king? Pulling every string that her name comes with? Clinging to Daniel and begging him to help?

But how none of it works? And how sometimes, in a poor attempt to make Alice feel 'better' about the situation, the guards would say that varian wasn't 'accepting visitors' instead of saying she simply was banned from the prison? That the King did not trust Alice, the mad girl, in the prison?

And Varian the whole time isn't told that Alice has been trying to see him. He thinks even Alice has abandoned him. He thinks that even Alice wants nothing to do with him.

And then, suddenly there's a take over. And Varian is working with these weird rebels???? And Alice has no idea what's going on because she's been kept in the dark for so long (not by her or his choice)

And Alice tries so hard to get to Varian, but the saporians stop her in her tracks every. single. time. Until finally, one of them leans real close, and snickers, "Do you really think he cared about you? You're meaningless. Useless. Get out of here. He doesn't want to see you, ever." And Yet, Alice, the determined girl she is, still came back.

Do you think about how it wasn't until Alice was being dragged into the mines, as she kicked and screamed for Varian, and she realized as she was thrown into the dark tunnel that he wasn't coming. And the Saporian that dropped her smirked and said: "Varian said he doesn't care what happens to you, blondie."

Do you think about how Alice's biggest fear is being trapped somewhere dark and constricting? How her biggest fear is being trapped underground?

Do you think about how Alice knows that Varian knows that? How Alice is led to believe that he knew yet purposefully sent her to the lowest, darkest part of the mine?

Do you really think about that? Cause I do.

[dujour13]

Some warmth would be great. Seasonal prompts 19. warming cold hands/feet for siavash and woljif please. 🙂

Thanks for the ask! Apologies in advance for 1) grumpy Woljif and 2) nerding out via Nenio. Credit to my dad for Regill's insufferable aphorism.

The Pathfinder Winter Solstice prompts

“Yeah, who named it Ch-Chilly Creek? Hard up for inspiration, huh? And who decided we needed to pay a social v-visit to Chilly Fucking Creek in the middle of f-freezing fucking Kuthona? What’s with the c-creepy dolls, anyway? And then there’s what, a sea monster with t-two dozen heads? And it splashes freezing water on you when you try to s-stab it?” Woljif was really out of sorts. His feet were so cold they hurt—the parts of them he could still feel, at least. A steady, horizontal sleet pattered against their tightly wrapped cloaks. Under a wide hood to accommodate his horns, his teeth were chattering and his breath made angry little clouds.

“There’s no such thing as poor weather,” Regill declared. “Only poor preparation.”

“Hey, good one.” Lann raised his eyebrows appreciatively.

“What the hells? You’re half lizard, you oughtta be f-frozen solid right now.”

“Perhaps he’s not as cold-blooded as he lets on,” said Daeran. “Perhaps an ardent, four-chambered heart beats in that chiseled breast.”

“At least I have one,” Lann retorted.

“You err, my chimeric companion. My breast is perfectly chiseled.”

All this talk was diverting attention from Woljif’s complaining. “I c-can’t feel my hands. You better hope there’s no t-traps in Chilly Creek, ‘cause you’ll be outta luck. Hells, a f-fireball sounds kinda good right now, come to think of it.”

Yet they were warmly welcomed by Chilly Creek as Jernaugh and his friends led them through the gates and half the village came out despite the weather to greet them. Siavash and Woljif were lodged in a tiny but cozy guest cabin. Malessa brought them firewood and dry clothes.

“Well,” she said, looking Woljif up and down with a crooked smile, “these aren’t going to work for you.” She pulled out a razor-sharp filet knife and began cutting a hole in the trousers for his tail.

“You don’t have to—”

“Don’t fret. Easy enough to sew back up. Or better yet, we’ll set them aside for your next visit,” she smiled.

Woljif’s ill humor got the best of him: her smile seemed so natural and guileless his guard went up instantly. Good old suspicion and contempt would have been honest at least. He frowned.

Not seeming to notice, she peered at him worriedly. “You’re looking a little pale around the gills, sweetie.” His expression turned from grumpy to sheepish. “Get changed and warmed up and we’ll fetch you as soon as supper’s ready. See you shortly.”

At last Siavash noticed. “Great gods, look at you.”

Woljif was standing there shaking violently, hugging himself, his tail wrapped so tightly around his right leg he couldn’t bend his knee.

Siavash kissed his pale, trembling lips in concern, then helped him change, bundled him into blankets in front of the fire, and only paused to change his own wet gear when he was satisfied some color started to come back to Woljif’s cheeks.

Throughout this, Woljif was lost in contemplation. He couldn’t remember one instance when Gran took any interest in whether he was cold except to tell him to quit complaining. Seemed like that was normal. He’d always had an inkling in the back of his mind that maybe it wasn’t, but with everyone fussing over him there was no denying it. This is how it’s supposed to be, he thought angrily. How come I’m just finding out now?

But the anger melted into a glow of gratitude when Siavash scooted under the blanket next to him and snuggled close, making little concerned sounds. “Your hands are ice! By all the good gods, why didn’t you say anything?”

Woljif opted not to tell him he had said a great deal while Siavash was out of earshot. A pretense of stoicism could go a long way.

They sat cross-legged facing each other so that Siavash could tuck Woljif’s freezing feet under his knees and his hands in his armpits. One last huge shiver passed through Woljif’s frame as the warmth flooded in.

“Boy did we get an earful. His teeth weren’t the only thing chattering,” Lann chuckled.

Supper was a whole-village affair in the longhouse, fires blazing and dishes passed around a massive table. On his third helping of fish, Woljif was getting the ribbing he deserved for his complaining, which attracted Nenio’s unpredictable attention.

“Having a furless tail is indeed a thermodynamic liability,” she said, a phenomenally quick hand catching the appendage in mid-annoyed twitch.

“The high surface area to volume ratio allows for rapid radiation of heat, and the way you wave it around, convection is also a significant factor. Indeed, it’s curious you aren’t chronically hypothermic. Hm, it must have a thick subdermal layer of adipose tissue,” she said, poking it. Her grip was firm; he couldn’t pull it away without risking it whipping someone, especially the children who had gathered behind them to whisper and giggle. “I would hypothesize it possesses a countercurrent exchange system. Aasimar boy, if I take a cross-section for observation, you could re-attach it, yes?”

“Of course,” said Daeran with a mischievous smirk.

“Don’t egg her on!” Woljif cried, snatching his tail out of her hands and wrapping it firmly around his chair.

Meanwhile, down the table, Siavash was also on his third helping of river perch filets in herbed butter. “There’s no village leader?”

“No,” said Malessa, “it’s too small to bother. Whenever we have a big decision, anyone who cares enough to voice an opinion speaks up.”

“Loudest wins,” said Markyll.

“Sounds a lot like Andoran. So Jernaugh, no converts yet?”

The priest shook his head with a self-deprecating smile. “No. I’m trying to convince them they can welcome Old Deadeye in their midst and keep their traditions at the same time, but they have their convictions. Not to say they’re stubborn.”

“He’s a clever one,” said Markyll, pointing a fork. “Just insistent enough not to get himself kicked out on his arse.”

“And helpful,” Malessa added with a warm look in her ice-blue eyes. “We’re growing fond of him, our odd little priest.”

Jernaugh blushed.

“So what I’m really curious about,” Siavash went on, eyes twinkling at the flustered young priest, “is how you’ve never had any trouble with demons. We’ve almost forgotten what peace like this feels like.”

“They don’t bother with a little backwater like this one,” Markyll shrugged, looking away.

“Our mother Icy Rill looks out for us,” added Malessa, but her smile had gone a little rigid.

Markyll shot her a quick glance.

“A parochial goddess,” Jernaugh explained. “Probably a Sarkorian river spirit. They’re very devoted to her.”

“But that’s hardly interesting,” Markyll said loudly. “We have the Commander of the Crusade at our table. How about some Crusade stories?”

That night Woljif lay awake in the cabin, listening to the wind and the soft hiss of snow outside, the restless wheels of his mind engaged in more contemplation. He was reminded of something Lann had said about everybody pitching in and being better off for it. This village seemed to be working pretty well on that model. Nothing like the streets of Kenabres. Dry clothes set aside for guests, platters of food passed around until you could burst, Malessa with her all-purpose fishing knife calling people sweetie.

Suddenly there was that prickly sensation at the back of his neck that meant his shadow was about to have opinions.

Something is not right about this village, it whispered.

“Somethin’ fishy?”

His shadow was silent.

“They’re tryina reel me in?”

Sheesh, his shadow really didn’t have a sense of humor.

Be wary. They’re hiding something. And another thing…

Woljif rolled his eyes, but he was listening.

It is because you weren’t coddled that you’re so tough and self-reliant.

His brows knit in the dark.

Don’t let them soften you up, the easier to shape you to their own purposes. Or stab you in the back.

“Piss off, I’m tryina sleep.”

“Hm?” Siavash rolled over.

“Nothin’, I didn’t mean you.”

Sleepily, Siavash tucked an arm around him and kissed his cheek. “Bad dreams?”

“I’m all right.” Woljif remained rigid and wide-eyed. He was definitely being coddled. It was making him soft, and he was going to regret it bitterly.

Right? Or was there a sort of strength in having somebody’s armpits to stick your hands in when they were cold?

He was aware he was in danger of believing what he wanted to believe, but it felt good to stop on that thought and snuggle into the pool of warmth in Siavash’s arms, heave a deep sigh of contentment, and let himself relax and drift off to blissful sleep. Beside him, the shadow seethed.

[justasparkwritings]

Camp Evergreen: You & Me, Me & You {4}

Previous: You & Me {3}

Pairing: Kim Taehyung x Reader

Genre: Summer Camp AU, Non Idol AU, FILTH, SMUT

Rating: NC17

Word Count: 6.5K

Warnings: Swearing, Consensual Oral Sex, Consensual Fingering, Consensual P-V Sex, Making Out, SEARCH PARTY SEASON 1 AND 2 SPOILERS

Summary: A thunderstorm traps you and Taehyung in your office, tension reaching its breaking point as you are pulled dangerously close to repeating the events from the week before staff training.  

Beta Readers: @sugasbabiie​ & @xiaokoo​

Notes: This is my Free Space for @bangtanwritingbingo​ 

Okay - Did you see this coming? How are we feeling so far? 

Camp Evergreen Master List

Be the One Master List

        The loud clap of thunder accompanies the lightning that just tore open the sky, opening the heavens and pouring out every angel tear that had been collecting in the metaphorical dam. If this was God punishing you for how terrible you behaved last week, you wouldn’t be surprised. You owed many people apologies,

        All campers were tucked into their cabins, games and books from the library passed out in labeled buckets, a project you had finished a summer ago, and storm treats had been given to cabin counselors for emergencies. Everything was set, ready for the downpour, except for the man trailing behind you, following closely as you moved to double check that the theatre windows were closed and the shades outside were bolted down. He didn’t have to be there, he didn’t have to continue helping you, and though you were still mad, you were relieved to have extra help. Seokjin and Namjoon had gone to pass out supplies, calm campers’ fears, and make sure every staff person had a radio. This was going to be the storm of the summer.

        Stomping into your office, shoes squeaking from the downpour you’d just barely escaped, his footsteps follow.

        “You have to talk to me,” Taehyung pleads, not stopping when you enter your office and turn to shut the door.

        “No, I don’t.”

        “Yes, you do. You’re angry and hurt and we need to talk-

        “I didn’t even know we still spoke,” You snap, your raincoat hanging crookedly against the hook behind your door.  

        “That’s bullshit and a complete low blow.”

        “Do you want an apology?”

       “I want you to talk to me!”

       “How do I know what I say isn’t going to find its way back to Kwan?”

       “When have you had any reason to doubt my loyalty or question your trust in me?”

       “How do I know what I say to you won’t get back to her? To Yoongi, to Jungkook? But you telling her our private business, what happens between you and I outside of camp, to her? Are you fucking kidding?” You ask.

       Taehyung sighs. “I- she asked! She asked what was happening and I said that you and I were, that we’re,”

       “We’re what?” You snap, arms crossing over your chest.

       He sighs again, watching your posture curl in on itself. “All I said is that we’re more than friends, which until this moment I thought was true.”

       He knows it’s a lie, he knows he isn’t doubting what he feels in his heart, what you feel in yours, he knows it, but he’s scared you’re backing away. Insecure that this little tiff will set you off, irreparable damage done to what was once an impenetrable fortress.

       “It is true, you know it’s true, Tae,” You whisper.

       “Then why are you taking shots at me?”

       “Don’t bring a knife to a gun fight,” The paraphrase comes easily, an eye roll accompanying, usually he smiles at your subtle annoyance, but tonight he’s devastated.

       “Please, don’t quote Taylor Swift,” He asks.  

       “Oh, I’m sorry. First you spill my secrets and then you try to monitor how I express my feelings?”

       “I’m not trying to monitor you. I just, I feel like Tony showing up to the rumble,”

        You have two options, either veer off track to start singing West Side Story, or fight back, quantifying his metaphor with some snide remark, claiming that if Tony hadn’t fucked up, none of this would be happening. But you don’t want to. Fighting with Taehyung is the most your heart has hurt in years, this summer, once billed as exciting and thrilling, has been more heartache than you’ve ever managed. Isn’t it so much easier to be in love with Tae than fighting what you both know to be true?

       “Make of our hands one hand / Make of our hearts one heart / Make of our vows one last vow: Only death will part us now,” You sing, albeit off key, but sweet and tender. It catches Taehyung off guard, your shift from anger and fire to a downpouring of love, rivaling the storm clouds outside.

       “Make of our lives one life / Day after day, one life,” He sings, still looking away from you, shaky inhales deceiving the look of placid calm that rests on his features.

       “Now it begins / Now we start,” You begin to sing in unison, Taehyung finally turning to face you, licking his lips with his next breath. “One hand, one heart,”

       Taehyung moves first, arms pulling you flush to him, eyes searching yours before his lips crash down, starved, missing your touch. The need, the want, building over the last few weeks pulls your mind from him and back to the week before you left for camp.

        Taehyung’s hand slid into yours, fingers intertwining as he slowly swung them back and forth, back and forth. The summer air had just begun to settle, the light sky deceiving of the hour, the moon bright against it. He sighed contentedly, hand squeezing yours, feet guiding you down the path, back to your apartment building. Taehyung had said this was his favorite part of your new place, the proximity to his favorite park, walking trails in abundance. You hadn’t paid much mind, other than acknowledging being close to the park meant more opportunities for him to stop by, for lunch or dinner, for after work strolls or star gazing. He had been excited for your move, not only was the building closer to his, but he knew he’d be seeing you nearly every day, quick stops, walks with Yeontan, dinner... Seeing you more than a friend, seeing you more than a casual acquaintance. Seeing you.

           “Do you have to go back to yours?” You asked, his feet stopping in front of your building.

           “I don’t have to go right now,”

           “You’ll stay for a bit?” You asked again, puppy dog eyes willing him to say yes.

He chuckled; your wide eyes always made him smile.  “I still have to finish packing.”

           “We don’t leave for a week.”

           “I know, but I have to get Yeontan’s stuff together, and I need to go shopping for some new clothes,” Taehyung lamented, his pre camp to-do list was more organized than last years… and the year before … and the year before. A part of you hoped your Type-A planning had been rubbing off on him.

        “You mean t-shirts in a pack so you can smear paint, charcoal, clay, and glitter on them all summer?”

        “You know me too well,” Taehyung leaned down, head craning to place his lips on your cheek, any movement on your end and his lips would’ve found yours, a feeling you were desperate for.

        “Stay,” You asked again.

        “Of course,” Taehyung gave your hand another squeeze before moving it to your waist, guiding you through the long hallway of your building and to the elevator.

        “Do you want to watch another episode of –

        Taehyung interjects quickly. “I can’t watch any more Sex and the City.”

        “I was going to say Search Party.”

        “Yes, I’d like that,” He smiles.

        You hummed. “I have some frozen cookies, too, I can pop them in the oven?”

        “What kind?”

        “Brown butter snickerdoodle and chocolate chip.”

        Taehyung groaned, head dropping to your shoulder. “I’m so glad you aren’t allowed to bake at camp,”

        “Why? Do my snickerdoodles bring all the boys to the yard?”

        Taehyung giggled, hardy and deep, reverberating in the hollow space of your ear. Another kiss to your cheek, this one lingering, his hand still on your waist.

        “Just me,”

        “Only you,” You muttered, eyes glancing sideways to find him blushing.

        The ding of the elevator and a “have a good night” from someone who lived on the opposite side of the floor later, Taehyung found himself situated on your couch, feet on the ottoman, arm stretched around your shoulders.  

        “I don’t understand why Elliot said to hide the body, wouldn’t this all have been solved if he hadn’t done that?”

        “Or if they plead self-defense?”

        “How many times have you seen this?”

        “I mean, a solid three… four times.”

        “All five seasons?”

        “Season 5 just dropped, we’re only in the middle of season 3, Tae,” You correct him.  

        “You haven’t watched 5 yet?”

        It’s a shrug, a small admittance. “You said you wanted to so I just, I’ve been waiting.”

        “You’ve been waiting for me?”

        “Yes,”

        Taehyung, again, groaned, his body shifting to cover yours, straddling you against the couch. His shaggy black hair tickled the column of your neck as he continued to hold himself there. It was too easy, falling into this embrace, your arms around him, your laugh in his ear. It was too easy to get lost in the scent of each other, the comfort of your familiarity erasing the awkwardness of the tension between you. For as comfortable as it was, him in your arms, it was equally as frustrating. The want you felt towards him, the heat bubbling in your core whenever he was close, the need in your eyes, pleading with him to make the move, but he didn’t.

        Taehyung moved his head, lips a whisper against your heated flesh. He continued, feather kisses up your jaw, lips just missing yours for the corners of your mouth.

        “Tae,” You whispered, eyes closed, hands on his hips.

        “Hm?”

        “I can’t, I –

        “Do you want me to stop?” He pulled away quickly. “I’m sorry if I-

        “No, no, I don’t want you to stop. God, I’ve never wanted you to stop,” You murmured, your lips brushing lightly against his with each syllable spoken.

        “Yeah?” He cooed.

        “Yeah,”

        Taehyung sighed, forehead pressed against yours, sticking together by the thin layer of perspiration you both had sprouted. “Me either, I just, I want everything to be perfect for you, for us.”

        “It’s always been perfect, you and me, we’re, perfect,” You breathed into existence the thoughts that had begun formulating years ago, that this itself was more than something.

        “Yeah?” He asked.

        You shook your head, hair falling from behind your ears. “This isn’t The Fault in Our Stars.”

        “Then what is this?”

        “You and me,” You told him.

        “Me and you,” He repeated.

        “Tae?”

        “Hm?”

        You smiled, eyes open, staring cross eyed at him. “Are you gonna kiss me?”

        “Abso-fucking-lutely,” He smirked, proud of his Sex and the City reference.

        The eye roll and groan leaving your lips was eclipsed by his finding their way to your neck, biting your flesh harshly, only to caress and heal with languid swipes of his tongue. He didn’t linger too long, fully aware that hickies and Head Instructor did not mesh, and instead kissed the line of your jaw again. Moving ardently towards your mouth, Taehyung didn’t stop before he pressed his lips to yours, a soft moan vibrating through him and into you at the first contact. He set a gentle pace, lips acquainting themselves with each other, pressure changing and shifting as each of you grew needier. You held fast to his hips, the cotton of his shirt balled into your fists. He gingerly cradled your head, thumbs rubbing gently against your cheeks. You slowly pulled his bottom lip between your teeth, a growl escaping his lips as he tried to inhale quickly.

        “Heaven,” Taehyung muttered before kissing you again, opened-mouth and wanting. His tongue swipes against the seam of your lips, asking for permission that was willingly granted. He moved methodically, tongue exploring the soft confines of your open mouth, lips keeping pace as your kisses grew hungrier.

        “Tae,” You moaned, his lips finally leaving yours to nibble on your earlobe.

        “Hm?”

        “Can we, can we switch?” You asked.

        “Switch?” Taehyung

        “Can I be on top?”

        “Oh! Yes,” Taehyung moved out of your lab and onto the couch, a lean hand running through his ever-expanding locks. The heat of the moment, the slightly foggy summer air, had put a damper on his permed locks. A new style he was trying, unconvinced he liked the slight curl it gave him, a look you had told him you loved. But he had pointed out, you loved every look on him. Cherry red, platinum blonde, brown, straight, too short, curly, everything looked good against his features.

        Swinging your leg over his lap, you settled yourself onto him, hips grinding gently into him.

        “Better?” your voice was dripping with lust, and what Taehyung had hoped for, love.

        “Do that again,” He requested.

        “You like that?” The smile on your lips was replaced by shock as he bucked his hips to meet yours.

        “Yeah, I do,” Taehyung leaned forward, hand pulling you to him, teeth dragging across your collarbone. A gasp left your lips as you continued to rock your hips, his hands holding firm to the globe of your ass. “Can I take this off?”

        “Can I take yours off?” Your hands had already found themselves under his shirt, hands spreading against his honeyed skin.

        “Yes,” He hummed.

        “Then yes.”

        “How egalitarian of you,” Taehyung smiled, lips pulling back into his famed boxy grin.

        You smiled back, “I love your smile.”

        “You do?”

        “Surely I’ve told you that before.”

        “Probably have, you say a lot of sweet things to me,” Taehyung had busied himself with tracing the lace pattern of your bra, nimble fingers dragging over the straps, gingerly tracing the scallops dancing over the top of each cup, winding further and further down.

        “I mean them all,” You assured him, because you did, truly, mean every single compliment you’d given him in the last 5 years.

        “I know you do, I mean them too,” Taehyung’s gaze held yours while his head leaned further and further down, lips wrapping around your hardened nipple, tongue swirling through the thin fabric.

        “I can take it off,” Your whisper crashed in between a sigh of relief and need.

        “Not yet,” Is all he said, teeth pulling through the fabric to get to your skin, wetness of his mouth seeping through the flimsy material.

        “Okay, but if you ruin this one, you have to buy me another,” You told him, hands resting on his shoulders, slowly moving to the sides of his neck.

        “Honey, I’ll buy you a thousand,” He promised.

        “I know you don’t have the money to buy me- Ah!”

        Your words were cut short by his teeth sinking into the sensitive bud, your hips stilling as your hands gripped the dark locks at the nape of his neck. Taehyung took the opportunity to move to your other nipple, tending to aggressively, tongue and teeth trading off. His free hand gave no time for your right nipple to recover before it’s pinching and twisting, the flood of attention pooling in your core.

        “Taehyung,” You moaned, his name fluid and breathy through your lips. You didn’t know that this side of your relationship with Taehyung would come easy too, as easy as falling into his arms or cuddling with him in your bed.

        “Take it off,” Voice muffled by his lips on your skin, you slipped your hand behind your back to unclasp your bra. “Wait,”

        “What?” You sat back, a hand moving the baby hairs off your face.

        “I just want to remember this,” He moved his hands slowly up and down your clothed thighs. Staring at you, you holding your bra against your chest, you, fly away hairs slipping from your butterfly clip, you, who he’s been falling for, for five years, you, woman of his dreams. “This is, this means a lot to me.”

        “Me too,” You answered.

        “I just want us to savor it,”

        “If you make me beg for it-

        “I won’t, I promise, just, really want to show you how much you mean to me, how much I want us to work, I just-

        “Taehyung,”

        “Hm?”

        “We’ve got plenty of time for words and affirmations and sweet nothings and prose, lots of time, but right now, I’m feeling a little vulnerable and chilly so if we could maybe, resume, I’d appreciate it,” You asked. The tightening in your core was still present, but the very real understanding that he sat clothes while you were grinding on top of him, topless, was beginning to make you feel uneasy. What if he didn’t like this side of you?

        “Should we go to your bedroom?” Taehyung took the note.

        “Can we?”

        “It’s your home, you tell-

        Taehyung couldn’t finish his sentence, his jaw going limp, eyes wide as your bra slid from your arms exposing your chest to him. He sat in silence, admiring the curves of your chest, the weight of your breasts, how desperately he wanted to burrow into them. He licked his lips, hands moving to cup them before you’re standing up. “You can look, but you can’t touch.”

        “Baby,” Taehyung groaned. “Are you going to make me beg for it?”

        “Not tonight,”

        Taehyung followed quickly behind you, hands adjusting the waistband of his trousers. He’d seen your room before, slept in your bed, held you while you cried over TV shows, waited patiently at the edge of it to zip your dress before a birthday party, brought you lunch and dinner when you’d been sick. He’d experienced so much within its confines, but you, topless, sitting prettily in the middle was brand fucking new.

        “You’re beautiful,” He said again.

        “Yeah?” You asked.

        “Most beautiful woman in the world,” Taehyung found it easy to crawl over you, a hand on your waist, the other holding him tantalizingly close. He lowered himself cautiously, testing the boundaries of his hips between yours, harboring the little moans leaving you, before kissing you once more. His tongue lazily swept against the underside of your upper lip, before meeting yours. You continued to move together, your hands scraping down his back causing goosebumps to raise across the already heated flesh.

        Kissing Taehyung was more than you anticipated, the lust and adoration you’d built over the last half a decade seeping into every movement of his tongue, every twist of your nipples, every moan from deep in his throat. Your lips separate from his, kissing the column of his throat and down his chest.

        “Can I take these off?” You questioned, the button of his pants already between your fingers.

        He groaned his reply, “Yes.”

        Haphazardly, you unzipped the grey material, fingers trailing down and up the outline of his hardened cock, squeezing the tip gently before glancing back up at him.

        “These too?”

        “Y-yes,” He stuttered in anticipation, all hope and want in his darkened irises. “Please,”

        Springing freely from the confines of his boxer briefs, Taehyung’s hardened member stood at attention, precum beginning to run down the tip. Without hesitating, leaned forward, tongue tracing the salty trail from the base back to the tip.

        “Fuck,” Taehyung groaned.

        “You like that?”

        “Yes, baby, your tongue feels amazing,” He groaned again as your hands pushed his thighs further apart, allotting a space for you between them. Hands on the tops of his thighs, you dipped to allow your tongue a clean line from perineum, through his sack and agonizingly up the veins of his cock.

“Do that again,” He moaned.

Retracing your path once, twice, you stopped to unhurriedly swirl your tongue around his reddened tip, teasing the slit with precision before taking most of his length in your mouth. Girthy and long, taking him in one go was going to have to be something to work toward. Using the saliva dripping from your lips as lubricant, your hands began a punishing rhythm around his base, your head bobbing and lips gently sucking in time.

        “Fuck, baby, just like that,” Taehyung moaned.

        “Tae?”

        “Hm?”

        “Keep calling me Baby,” You winked before lowering your lips over him again. You repeated your previous pattern, this time allowing your tongue time to explore him thoroughly, carefully mixing your saliva and sweat as your mouth tended to him.

        “Baby, baby,” Taehyung had become a moaning mess underneath you. Your name and newly appointed nickname all he could say as he gently allowed his hips to buck into your open and dripping mouth. “Baby, stop,”

        “Hm?” With hollowed cheeks, the vibrations of your response causing his dick to twitch before slurping off of him, you stared.

        “I’m not going to last if you keep doing that.”

        “What’s so bad about that?” You moved to lay beside him, hand propped under your head, eyes taking in his fully exposed form. “You’re so sexy, if this was the era of the Greek’s I’d guess you’d been cursed, or blessed, maybe a demi-god or nymph.”

        “I’m just-

        “You’re not just anything, Taehyung,” Your hand rested on his abdomen, tracing the lines of his indistinct abs.

        “Baby,” He cooed again.

        “Loverboy.”

        “What?”

        “Sorry,” You laughed, rolling onto your back to stare at the ceiling. “I was running with a Dirty Dancing theme.”

        “I liked it,” He smiled.

        “Yeah?”

        “I told you, I love everything you do,” Taehyung repeated.

        “Tae?” You asked.

        “Hm?”

        “Fuck me,”

       The passion radiating between your bodies, amplified by the giddiness of the first time together, suffocating the air, only allowing space when he began his descent, opened mouth kisses, nips at your belly, tongue over stretch marks, hands grasping the waistband of your leggings.

        “Can I take these off?”

        “Please,” The sentiment didn’t need the begging in your voice, but there it was, all want and expectations.

        “And these?” He asked, finger toying the lace of your underwear.

        “Yes,”

        He kissed down your thigh as he pulled the material further until your right leg was free. He repeated the pattern, nibbling at your inner thigh, cheek grazing your heat as he methodically performed his ministrations. Goosebumps forming across your arms, hips wiggling against the mattress, you wanted more.

        “Mm, Tae,” You groaned, hands already holding the fabric of your comforter. “Wait!”

        “What?” Taehyung sat up, eyes scanning for any sign of foul play.

        “Two things, one, get up,” You instructed. He laughed heartily as you pulled a random towel out of a drawer, tossed the comforter and blanket back, before dropping the grey cloth on your pristine white sheets. “Two, I have condoms, I haven’t been with anyone recently, and I’m clear STI wise. You?”

        “Is this how you normally-

        “Please don’t compare yourself to who you think I normally sleep with, I guarantee it’s not what you think,” You interrupted.

        Now he was curious, arms crossed over his check, eyebrow cocked, he asked, “Who do you normally sleep with?”

        “You want to talk about this now?” You sighed. Every delay that got in the way of having him buried inside of you, thrusting so deeply you forgot your name, was beginning to piss you off.

        “Yeah, kind of,” Taehyung seemed unperturbed by the interruptions, happy to discuss who you’d been fucking instead of him.

        “I haven’t slept with anyone in months. But I usually have one, or two, fuck buddies, depending,” You explained.

        “You have fuck buddies?” He couldn’t hide the shock if he tried, which he didn’t.

        “Yes,”

        “Why?” Taehyung can’t discern if he’s wounded or surprised.

        “Because I haven’t been able to fuck the person I’ve been wanting to for the last five years, and a woman has needs too,” The decibel increase in your voice alerted him to the fact that while he still wanted to discuss the notion that you slept around, he was moving you further and further away from where you wanted him to be.

        “You’ve wanted me for five years?” The smirk, the wink, all accompanied by him walking around the edge of the bed towards you. His arm wound around your back, hand grabbing your ass in a tight squeeze.

        “How long have we been doing this?” You questioned, your words taking place of the bites you wanted to litter across his exposed flesh.  

        “This?”

        Another eyeroll peppered by kisses to your shoulder. “Kisses on cheeks, hand holding, staying over, cuddling?”

        “Five years,” Taehyung answered.

        “It’s always you,” You told him, his gaze finding its way off of your body and to your eyes.

        “Nobody puts baby in a corner,” His expressionless execution had you ready to push him off of you, damned to watch you pleasure yourself while he sat helpless.

        “How many times are you going to say that?”

        “Forever,” Taehyung closed the distance between you, boxy smile and joyful eyes breaking through to stare lovingly at you. “We’ve waited five years for this, let’s stop postponing and –

       “Fuck,” You finished.

       “Fuck,” He repeated, both a promise and curse, before crashing his lips onto yours. Gone was the sensual movements of his hands, the gentle embrace, the sensuality of exploring each other for the first time. In its place, heat, scalding passion and a need to be joined together. Lost in Taehyung’s lips, it caught you by surprise when his chiseled fingers found themselves delicately separating your lips, wetness coating them.

       “Fuck,” He muttered. “So fucking wet.”

       “All for you Tae,” You moaned.

       Taehyung guided you towards the middle of the bed, legs spread while he, a true artist and lover of patterns, repeated his actions, drawing your wetness in his fingers coating them before drawing harsh circles against your clit. The want building in your core tightened against his movements, hips bucking harshly into his palm seeking added pressure.

       “Tae,” Your voice was growing tired, the building cries from your lips wearing against your vocal cords. Nibbling at your collarbones, Taehyung took the opportunity to slip his middle finger past your folds, through to your entrance. He wasted no time adding in an additional finger, then two, curling inside to hit that ever elusive spot. The feral sounds leaving your lips matched in volume the sounds of his fingers plunging into you, only to be outdone by Taehyung’s low moans in your ear. He loved the feeling of his fingers inside of you, coated in your arousal, walls pulsating against them. He loved the way you scratched him harder, bruising his flesh, his own sex grinding into your leg.

       “I’m gonna cum, Tae, don’t stop, please don’t,” you continued to moan, voice reaching new octaves as the tightly wound chord within you began to crack, a complete snap imminent.

       “Wouldn’t dream of it, fuck you feel so good on my fingers. Can’t wait to fill you with my cock,” He growled, teeth pulling your earlobe harshly.

       “Please, fuck, Tae,” You cried as your climax peaked, crashing over you, walls convulsing around his fingers. He took the openness to slide his fingers deeper, curling and pressing on the one spot designed to send you further over the edge.

       Lips finding the shell of your ear, Taehyung pressed a gentle kiss, “Now imagine what I can do with my tongue.”

       He pulled his fingers from you, licking them before returning them to your cunt, utilizing the glistening wetness to stroke himself a few times. Watching in awe, heartbeat regulating slowly, you reached for the condom and tossed it at him. Tearing it open with his teeth, he rolled it over himself before glancing up at you. His locks long coated to his forehead, he pushed them back, hunger beating out the over sexed state of his irises.

       “Fuck Tae,” You muttered.

       “Yeah Baby?”

       “Come here, Loverboy,”

       “My pleasure,” Taehyung began to crawl over you, halted by your hand on his chest.

       “How do you?” You both started, laughing as your words mingled together, the uncertainty of what comes next heavy in the tenuous air.  

       “Just like this, yeah?” You offered, spreading your legs wider to give him room.

       “Perfect,” Taehyung grinned, nodded his head and adjusted himself above you. “Yeah?”

       “Yeah,” You grinned in response, the heat simmering to a gentle roar, the reality of the moment crashing back down. “You and me?”

       “Me and you,” Taehyung answered. A hand between your bodies, he aligned himself with your entrance. “Baby, tell me if it’s too much,”

       “Go slow, yeah?”

       “Nice and slow,” Taehyung said, all self-control dedicated to ensuring he didn’t just bury himself to the hilt, splitting you open, his orgasm close behind as you cried underneath him. No, he needed to be patient, gradually easing into you, first the tip, then his length. Every inch eliciting a new moan, each coming from deeper and deeper in his chest until his diaphragm felt completely depleted.

       “Fuck, Tae,” Your hands, once fisting the sheet beneath you, reached for his flesh, finding purchase on his back, his lips gnawing at your throat. “You can move, slowly,”

       “Okay,” He answered your request by slowly pulling out halfway, and sliding back in. “Baby, talk to me,”

       “It’s good Tae,” You turned your head to the side, senses overwhelmed by him filling you. “Faster, please, faster,”

        Taehyung listened to your pleads, hips snapping punishingly into you. Arching your back, your lips found his again, teeth and tongues bruising.

        “You feel so good, baby,” Taehyung moaned, reverberations echoing in your mouth.

        “So do you, better than I imagined,”

        “You imagined this? Me fucking you into your mattress?” He snarled.

        You nodded vigorously, mouth falling open as he began alternating between quick thrusts and languid movements, eyes memorizing his face and reactions to every second of him pounding into you. “You fucking me until camp starts, and after.”

        “Yeah? You like that? Me filling you – oh shit,” Taehyung gasped as you clenched around him.

        “I’m close,” You pulled at his hair, wanting to kiss him through the build of your second orgasm. “Right there,”

        “Baby, can I?” He begged.

        “Yeah, fuck, harder,”

        Taehyung wound his hand between you, fingers once coated in your arousal now back, harsh circles against your clit pushing you the final beats towards your orgasm.

        “Oh god!” Your vocal cords stretched, the high-pitched whine leaving your mouth, your walls clenching around Taehyung, mercilessly holding him in you as your back arched, body convulsing in ecstasy.

        “I’m gonna cum, baby, stay with me,” Taehyung buried his head in the crook of your neck, hips snapping against your pelvic bone, the sounds of your arousal and skin against his echoing in your room, a sound he only dreamed of sharing with you. “Fuck I’m cum-”

        He thrust himself into you, letting your walls pull the last of his release from him, guttural moans burrowing into your skin, into your bones, his skin melting to yours. He slumped onto your chest, the rapid rise and fall of his breath matching yours. Craning your head, you placed a kiss on his cheek, then his forehead, the saltiness of his sweat imprinting on your flesh.  

        “You did so good, baby, so fucking good,” Taehyung muttered.

        “You did too, too good,” You cooed.

        “Did I go too hard?”

        “I don’t know, get off of me and we’ll see,”

Taehyung rolled over, removed the condom and tied the end.

        “I’ll probably be sore,” You said standing. It took your legs a second to get their bearings, your arms stretched overhead, and you turned your shoulders to awaken your body. “For sure, sore.”

Taking the condom from him, you retreated to the bathroom.

        “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have gone so hard at the end,” He called.

        “It’s what I asked you to do,”

        “I know, but was it-

        “Loverboy,” You stood at the entrance to your bathroom, eyes scanning his naked and glistening body.

        “Baby?” He asked.

        “I’ll be fine, and if I’m not, you’ll take care of me,” You brought the warm washcloth to his thighs, gently wiping his body down.

        “I’ll always take care of you,” Taehyung promised.

        “Good, wouldn’t want to have another Loverboy,” You pulled the towel from the bed, tossed it into your dirty clothes hamper and crawled in next to him, the clean cotton sheets a relief against your skin.

       Taehyung watched you carefully, the way your hips shifted as you tossed the towel, how you ran a hand through your hair, tossing it back into a ponytail. “Do we always have to use a towel?”

       “No, I just changed my sheets and I didn’t want to get sex juices on them,” You shrugged. “I haven’t washed the other ones yet.”

       “That might be the most neurotic thing about you,” Taehyung giggled.

       “You like all those parts of me, or did having sex with me prove nothing?” You questioned.

       “It proved a lot, actually,” Taehyung held his arm open for you to crawl into.

       Head against his chest, you asked the second most horrifying question that came to mind, “Do you have to go?”

        “No, I can stay,” Taehyung didn’t hesitate.

        “I want to,” You hummed, unsure if you wanted to say it.

        “What, baby?”

        Lifting your head, your irises stared into his midnight eyes, all hope and expectation waiting for you to say what you were thinking. “I want to wake up to you, that’s all,”

        “That’s not all,” Taehyung nuzzled his nose against yours. “That’s something. I’ll be here when you wake up, and the day after that, and the day after that, if you’ll have me.”

        “You and me?” You asked.

        “Me and you,” Taehyung answered with a loving kiss to your bruised lips.

        You’re pulled from your reverie by the slight tug of your hair, grounding yourself in Taehyung’s grasp, lips still hungrily, sloppily moving together.

        “Taehyung, stop,” You push on his chest, the shock on his face clear as the lightning in the sky.

        “Are you okay?” He demands, hands immediately wrapping around yours.

        You glance out the window, lightning giving way to thunder, the storm still close, the blaze between you still ignited. “Do you know what they did to her?”

        “Who?” He questions, “are you okay?”

        “Monica Lewinsky,” You stand, dusting your ass and moving away from him.

        “The girl with the cum on her dress?” Taehyung knows you’re one for political references, for including pop culture and obscure 90s trivia into conversations like they’re facts everyone knows. He can’t count how many OJ Simpson jokes you’ve made, or how many times you’ve made him listen to The Thong Song in hopes that he “just gets how much of a groove” it is.

        A scoff, another eyeroll. “Yes, the woman who was used and manipulated by the President of the United States.”

        “Yes, what’s your point?” Tae can’t tell where this is going, can’t move the leaps and bounds ahead of you to make the connection before you get to it. He can’t connect the dots, and he’s scared of what will come next.

        “How do you not get it Tae?” You’re whining, the frustrated tears forming again.

        He pauses, tongue sticking out to wet his already moistened lips. “I’m Monica Lewinsky?”

        “Yes!”

        He thinks he’s getting it; he thinks he knows where you’re going next. “You’re not using your power to get me to go down on you in your office, after hours.”

        “It doesn’t matter!” You don’t mean to yell, but in the rumble of thunder, it slips out, dissipating after seconds after the thunder subsides.

        “Why not?”

        “Are you particularly stubborn today?” You hate yourself so much. He doesn’t deserve this berating.

        “No, I don’t think-

        “You get all the power and clout of fucking your superior.” You watch Tae wince from the pain of your words, the vulgarity in your sentence. “I get fired, I get asked to leave camp and rumors about how I couldn’t keep it in my pants will spread faster than the rumor cabin 8 had head lice. I will not get asked back, and when people ask why I didn’t serve my two year term as Head Instructor I’ll have to say it’s because I was hooking up with you. All I’ve been working towards at camp, for the last what, five summers? Absolutely gone, my letters of rec, my promotion at work, gone. My career is on the line because you can’t stop-”

        “Stop what?” Taehyung interrupts, voice leveling yours.

        “You know what you’re doing,” A less humble person would’ve been embarrassed by the crack of your voice, the tears and snot pouring down your sun-tinted skin. A more self-involved person would’ve said fuck it, let’s be together in secret. A different person, in a different moment, would’ve crumbled at Taehyung’s feet, burrowed back into his arms… A person who didn’t know what a slippery slope that was. What September – May was like, outside of this camp, outside of the summer musical and one-act  performances… or the cabin that tries to do a flash mob every single summer… what it was like to fall asleep after a gallery opening and too much champagne, or a stolen kiss over Saturday morning donuts and coffee (tea for Tae)… to homemade Christmas cards, pieces of art wrapped in immaculately unassuming brown paper to hide their beauty, to playlists of love songs and stolen glances and hand holding and falling in love.

        “No, tell me,” Taehyung demands.

        “I can’t do this.”

        “All of that stuff is the worst case scenario; it has to be!”

        “It’s not.”

        “Why not?”

        “Because you’re a fucking man!” You yell, another moment you’ll look back on and hate yourself for.

        Taehyung stares at you, confusion dissipating as he connects the dots.

        “I will have ‘pulled a Clinton’, people will quote Partition to me, asking if you Monica Lewinskyed on my Evergreen t-shirt. I will be degraded and mocked, not because I used my power to lure you into something, but because I’m the woman.”

        “But this, you and me, me and you! We’re something,” Taehyung demands.

        “No, Taehyung, we’re something outside of this camp. I’ve been telling you all summer, that in the confines of Camp Evergreen I’m your superior. You report to me, nothing more.”  

        “That’s bullshit!” He yells, voice startling you. Tae doesn’t yell, not at you, not at anyone, ever.

        You don’t back down, instead raising your voice decibels to squash his. “I don’t make the rules!”

        “But you have to follow them,” He accuses.

        “And so do you,” You’re fighting again, you long for the days, weeks, where you and Taehyung aren’t at odds.

        “We’ve been doing this, back and forth, for years, Y/N,” Taehyung sighs, weariness seeping into his face and posture, shoulders slouching.

        “I know,” You’re not trying to hide the tears, the hurt that this summer is putting you through.

        “I just, I thought this would be the summer, you know? We’ve been building and building, and I just thought this was the moment,” Taehyung’s voice cracks too, and it’s utterly devastating, an arrow straight through your heart.

        “I know,”

        He wipes the tears off his cheeks, a little bloated from the sodium rich orange chicken he’d eaten the night before– a commodity he’d snuck in after his run into town for a few niche supplies for a special project he was working on.

        “I’m glad your new clipboard is holding up,” He fingers the corner, still impressed with his handiwork.

        “Tae,”

        “I’m sorry,” He shakes his head, moving daftly towards the door.

        “The rain,” You point out, the loud pellets sounding more like hail with each passing moment.

        “I’ll get wet,” Taehyung doesn’t look back, moving in quick strides to Cabin 12, drenched before he crosses the threshold.

Next: You & Me {5}

[daughterofluthien]

“decisions were respected” Sorry but didn’t Scott violently throw Isaac against a wall more than once just because Isaac liked his ex girlfriend in canon? That’s the literal opposite of healthy...

Hey, anon!

This is in reference to this post about Scallison for the shipping meme, where I said that one of my favorite things about Scallison is that the show lets them have a healthy breakup, and even date other people while still remaining friends. The scenes you are referring to are a pair of scenes in 3x13 Anchors.

So lets’s take a look.

(under a cut bc it turns out that when you try to be comprehensive, things get v long v quickly 😅)

The Scenes

I’m actually gonna copy/paste the dialogue of both scenes (along with minimal action/inflection notation for context) so that we can really make sure we know what we’re talking about here, so bear with me:

The first of these scenes occurs as Scott and Isaac are getting ready to head to school in the morning. After some initial ‘hey, what’re you doing, are you heading to school’ dialogue—during which both boys seem a bit awkward—we get the following:

ISAAC: [anxiously] Can I ask you a question? SCOTT: Okay... ISAAC: Are you angry with me? SCOTT: No! ISAAC: Are you sure? SCOTT: ...No. ISAAC: [awkwardly] What's that mean? SCOTT: I guess I'm not really sure how I'm feeling... ISAAC: [nodding] Okay. ...Do you hate me? SCOTT: [sighing] No, of course not. ISAAC: Do you want to hit me? SCOTT: [taken aback] No. ISAAC: I think you should hit me. SCOTT: I don't want to hit you. ISAAC: Are you sure? SCOTT: Why would I want to hit you? You didn't do anything, did you? ISAAC: [stammering] No. I mean, um... What do you mean? SCOTT: I mean, like, you didn't kiss her or anything, right? ISAAC: No! Absolutely not. No. SCOTT: ...Did you want to? ISAAC: Oh, yeah. Totally. [scene cuts to hallway outside the room. Isaac flies through the doorway and hits the wall] MELISSA: Hey! You two teenage boys? Don't test my entirely un-supernatural level of patience! ISAAC: ...Feel better?

The scene then ends, and we cut to subsequent scenes of Stiles and then Allison also getting ready for school.

The second scene is much shorter and happens later in the episode, after Isaac saves Lydia from an arrow that Allison fired while hallucinating. He and Scott are in Scott’s room again, and he’s telling him about the incident:

SCOTT: Right at her head? ISAAC: Almost right through it. And she keeps saying the same thing-- that she keeps seeing her aunt. Whatever's happening to you guys is getting worse. If I hadn't been there, then Lydia would be dead. SCOTT: ...What were you doing there? ISAAC: Uh... [scene cuts to hallway outside the room. Isaac flies through the doorway and hits the wall] MELISSA: [groaning] Oh, you guys, come on! This house does not have a supernatural ability to heal! So, stop it!

But of course just the text of the scene isn’t enough to accurately convey everything in even a tiny portion of a larger narrative, because nothing happens in a vacuum. With that in mind, let’s look at...

The Context 

The first of these scenes occurs immediately after the opening credits, and is the first time we see either Scott or Isaac this season. (Assuming you consider 3B a separate season, of course, which is a whole ‘nother can of worms. This tv show we all choose to enjoy sure is Something.)

Often, the opening of a season is used to reintroduce the audience to the main characters—letting us know where their characters arcs are starting, and what they’ll be struggling with this season. Teen Wolf did this previously (and did it well, imo) in 3x01 Tattoo. Act 2 of that episode begins with a series of four scenes showing our main characters getting ready for school in the morning, highlighting where everyone currently is, and setting up where their arcs are going to go.

Scene order taken by itself would seem to indicate that they were trying to do something similar in this episode. It starts off with the hook of Stiles’ extended nightmare sequence. He can’t tell dreams apart from reality anymore, and wakes up screaming. Cut to black, cue opening credit sequence.

Immediately after the first ad break, we get a sequence of three scenes. The first is the longer of the two Scott and Isaac scenes (which, as previously mentioned, occurs as they’re getting ready to head out to school). The second is of Stiles. He’s packing for school, and the audience learns that he’s been struggling to read when he’s awake as well. Finally, we see Allison leaving her and her dad’s apartment. She seems like she’s doing fine, if a little over-focused. But then she gets into the elevator, and has an extended hallucination/flashback of Kate.

We learn soon after this that all three of them (Scott, Stiles, and Allison) are suffering from the aftereffects of their sacrifice in the previous season. According to the explanations we get both from Kira and, later, from Deaton, they’re slipping into bardo, or the space between life and death, and there’s a door open in their minds. 

Okay, problem established.

It stands to reason, then, that all three of those opening scenes are supposed to serve to set up this problem. We’re shown, in three successive scenes, that all three of our sacrificees are, as the kids say, Not Doing So Hot.

(yes I know the kids don’t say that, let me be an increasingly out-of-touch millennial in peace)

This is all well and good, and honestly makes sense! Under this paradigm, the Scott and Isaac scene should be highlighting that Scott is Losing Control. Bardo is affecting him, and it’s causing him to be more aggressive. Giving in to violence in a way that he generally holds himself back from. Heck, the scene even starts with Scott flexing his fingers, and we (and Scott) see the shadow of a clawed hand against the door.

In the context of the narrative, it makes sense.

Except.

eXCEPT—

The Framing

The thing about the medium of television is that, when we’re talking about a scene, we can’t just look at the narrative structure. We also have to look at the scene itself: how it’s shot and directed, how it’s edited, even what music is paired with the scenes.

In the Stiles and Allison sequences, the scenes are very clearly shot for tension and horror. Long lingering shots on the things that Just Aren’t Right. Music that heightens the tension. Stiles gets some nice lil scare chords over the shot of the book that he can’t read, and there’s a very quiet droning in the background of the Allison nightmare sequence that slowly grows into some classic horror soundtrack music.

Okay. So far that tracks with the narrative thesis.

Now let’s take look at the Scott and Isaac scene.

We start out with some of those lingering shots I was talking about, as Scott is halted in his tracks when he notices the shadow of the clawed hand. We see his own hand is human and unshifted. There’s quiet, percussion heavy music over this portion of the scene that increases in tension at this point. Shaken, Scott closes his hand into a fist, and when he opens it, both the shadow and his own hand are smooth and human. The tense music fades out to silence, and he breathes a sigh of relief.

Scott opens the door to reveal Isaac, which startles him. There’s a short musical sting to underline this moment, and then the background music cuts out completely, leaving us (and them) in the awkwardness of this moment. 

And OH BOY. IS IT AWKWARD. 😬

You can kinda see the Awkwardness Inherent in the System in the dialogue that I pasted up at the top—it’s a lot of back-and-forth, short statements, trailing off... And both Posey and Sharman are playing up the awkwardness as well. Neither boy looks like they really want to be there, and that includes Isaac, who initiated this entire conversation.

But here’s the thing.

The thing that really frustrates me about this scene.

It’s not the sort of awkwardness that exists to increase the tension. The sort that builds and builds until it reaches a fever pitch and you know something just has to give. You know, the sort of tension that you would want to build if you were showing how the protagonist of your show is no longer fully in control, and is on a knife’s edge of lashing out at his friend and beta.

Instead, it’s played for comedy.

And once again, a lot of this is down to the music.

Before the dialogue that I quoted at the top even begins, the music starts back up, and this time the tense percussion has been replaced by light, pizzicato strings. (That may not be the exact right term, fyi, I only really know enough about music theory to be dangerous.) But you know, the playful, plucked strings that often accompanies comedic or otherwise not-serious scenes.

Background music tells the viewer how they’re supposed to feel about the events in a particular scene, and the music here is saying that we’re not supposed to find this whole confrontation that dramatic. In fact, we’re supposed to find it funny.

But it’s not just the music that that frames this scene as comedic. It’s also the fact that we don’t actually see Scott shoving Isaac. Instead, the scene cuts to the hallway, and all we see is Isaac flying through the doorway.

Now, obviously I don’t have a direct line to the director and editors’ minds here. But I would bet money that those particular shots were chosen 1). because it’s so much easier to do a wire pull stunt when you don’t have to show what it’s in reaction to, and 2). because it’s kinda difficult to show your main character directly doing a violence and make it funny.

But show someone yeeted into frame, and that’s funny. Right?

(Spoiler alert: not in this context, it isn’t)

Now, I know I’ve been focusing on the first scene a lot—partially because it’s longer and partially because it’s really the only reason that the second scene exists—but I do want to take a look at the second scene really quickly as well. It’s much shorter and generally adopts a more serious tone than the first one, mostly due to fact that we’re smack dab in the middle of the action at this point. The weird visions that the sacrificees have been having all episode have started endangering lives, and they can’t just wait for it to resolve on its own.

But then the focused, intent exposition is broken by Scott’s question of “why were you there.” Then smash cut to a near identical shot of the hallway,and Isaac yeeting into frame.

The thing is, this scene is entirely dependent on the previous one. It only “works”—and I use this term loosely—as a call back to the scene at the beginning of the ep. Heck, both even have the stinger of a frustrated Melissa at the end of both scenes, frustrated at all the boys-will-be-boys roughhousing going on in her house.

Much like the first scene, this one is also set up and framed for Comedy.

Which is um. A Choice. 

But What Does It All Mean

What frustrates me about these scenes, at the end of the day, is that the narrative intention and the directing/editing seem to be fundamentally at odds.

On the one hand, it makes narrative sense to say that the purpose of the scenes is to show that Scott is losing control. That he’s being affected by bardo and the open door in his mind, and it’s putting the people close to him in danger. But then on the other, the way the scenes are actually used are as comic relief. As a way to release tension between very tense, dramatic scenes. 

I don’t think it works, as I don’t personally find it funny at all. But that really does seem to be the intention.

Once again, absolutely wILD choices were made on the part of tptb, and I really wish anyone had thought for two seconds about the implications of all of this, but nO

Ahem.

So now (literally 2K words later I’m so sorry 😅) what does this tell us about the characters? Certainly no one here is arguing that shoving someone is a good or defensible choice, whether it’s due to forces outside the character’s control or not. But even taking the influence of bardo in mind, is it even in character for Scott in the first place?

Because canon can also be written inconsistently/out of character, especially when we’re talking about a long-running show like tw.

One’s an Incident, Two is Coincidence...

Well, we all know the end of that saying.

So let’s end by looking at a few patterns.

As I mentioned at the beginning of this, once again, eXCEEDINGLY long post, this is reference to a post I made about scallison. I said the following in that post:

And I also really like that they [Scott and Allison] didn’t get back together. That they were allowed to be friends. That even though sometimes it hurt to watch someone you love loved love become romantically close to another person, decisions were respected, and no friendships were broken over it.

The first pattern we need to look at, then, is this:

What’s Scott’s pattern of behavior toward Allison and Isaac’s relationship?

And does Scott’s behavior toward Isaac in these two scenes match the pattern, or is it an outlier?

3x11 Alpha Pact: Sacrifice Prep The revelation that Allison and Isaac have grown close enough for him to act as emotional tether for her is very visibly a blow to Scott. He looks like the rug has been pulled out from under him, but he doesn’t look angry or upset, just.... sad. In fact, it looks like he’s swallowing back tears. But he nods towards the two of them and just says, “It’s okay.”

3x12 Lunar Ellipse: “I look for my friends” This is the epilogue of the season. Scott walks into the hallway at all of his friends in turn. Satisfied. Happy. First at Lydia and Aiden, then at Danny and Ethan. Then he turns and watches as Isaac and Allison walk down the stairs, and they’re laughing, and so obviously happy, and Scott’s small smile grows. He isn’t jealous here—he’s happy for them. 

3x14 Illuminated: Mutual Recognition Scott and Allison are both at Danny’s halloween party, but they’re not here together. He sees her from across a crowded room, just like he did at the winter formal, so many months ago. But so much has happened, and they’re different people now. Allison’s with Isaac, and he’s starting to having feelings for Kira, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t hurt, and that he doesn’t miss the relationship he and Allison had. For a moment, his fingers slip away from Kira’s, and he and Allison share a sad smile. 

Believe it or not, these are actually the only other examples I could find of Scott reacting to Isaac and Allison’s relationship. And uniformly across them, he’s sad, yes—after all, he loved her, and that relationship is very definitively over now. But he never seems jealous, and he isn’t angry.

So, if the Scott and Isaac scenes in Anchors don’t fit the pattern of Scott’s behavior towards the new couple, what pattern do they fit?

“Hit me.”

The teen wolf writers have a... really upsetting habit, honestly, of “resolving” interpersonal conflict between two characters by having the “wronged” party hit the other. Afterwards, the tension is almost completely broken between them, as if letting the person act aggressively in a way consensual to both parties has somehow solved the problem.

2x11 Battlefield: Derek and Peter After Peter comes back from the dead, he confronts the now pack-less Derek and offers to help him. Derek, likely remembering that Peter killed Laura and was responsible for most of the events of S1, attacks him instead. After taking a beating, Peter says the following:

PETER: Okay, go ahead! Come on, do it! Hit me. Hit me. I can see that it's cathartic for you! You're letting go of all the anger, self-loathing, and hatred that comes with total and complete failure. I may be the one taking the beating, Derek, but you've already been beaten. So, go ahead. Hit me if that will make you feel better. After all, I did say that I wanted to help.

3x13 Anchors: Scott and Isaac We’ve already discussed this scene in uh. Detail. So I don’t think we need to go into the specifics again. But just a reminder that this dialogue exists:

ISAAC: Do you want to hit me? SCOTT: No. ISAAC: I think you should hit me.

5x15 Amplification: Scott and Liam During the previous supermoon, Liam—swayed by grief, the full moon, and Theo’s manipulations—tried to kill Scott and take his power. They’ve since rediscovered an equilibrium in their relationship, and Liam’s back in Scott’s pack, but they’re both still dealing with the implications of that event. In this episode, they’re attempting to break Lydia out of Eichen, but they’re not as strong as they should be, due to the mountain ash laced through the building, and are having difficulty breaking down a door. Then, the following exchange occurs:

LIAM: Hit me. SCOTT: What? LIAM: Hit me! I'll get angry, then I'll get stronger. STILES: Hit him. Hit him! LIAM: I tried to take your powers. I tried to kill you. Hit me! STILES: He also left you for dead. LIAM: I wanted you dead!

6x16 Triggers: Liam and Theo No one actually directly says “hit me” in  this one, due to the circumstances, but the sentiment’s there. In this sequence, Liam and Theo are trying to convince Gerard and the hunters that the whole pack is hiding out in the zoo, so Theo goads Liam into hitting him, in order to stage a very audible fight.

THEO: Okay... Then they have to believe us.[shouts] Isn't that right? LIAM: [whispers] Why are you yelling? THEO: [shouts] You got a problem? Oh, that's right, you always have a problem! LIAM: [whispers] What the hell are you doing? THEO: [shouts] Shut up! [punches Liam] Yeah, you see that, Scott? Your little Beta can't even take a punch. And what do you think, Malia?

While there’s a variety of primary textual reasons here, all of them deal with personal issues between the pair, and all of them involve some level of catharsis for the person doing the punching. Taken all together, it’s honestly a pretty troubling pattern, especially given the inclusion of an actual canonical abuse victim initiating and receiving the violence.

TL;DR

This is a writer issue, not a character issue. The serious narrative context conflicts with the comedic framing in a way that is honestly baffling to me, and it doesn’t fit the established pattern of Scott’s character and actions. Moreover, it’s an example of the writers’ apparent belief that interpersonal conflict can and should be solved through consensual violence.

The pattern we do see, is that the Scott is saddened by the knowledge that Allison has moved on, but he’s glad that she and Isaac are happy. Similarly, Allison is saddened that Scott is moving on as well, because she does still care for him deeply. Despite their conflicted feelings, neither tries to disrupt the other’s new relationship.

On other shows, that would be a season-long, drama-filled plotline. Here, nothing.

And I legitimately love that so much.

[feralnumberfive]

The Rewatch Academy: Episode 1 of Season 1

"We Only See Each Other At Weddings and Funerals”

I am in no way a good analyst so my little analysis and speculations probably sound a bit goofy or pretty wild and probably mean nothing at all. Everything I put into this post about each episode is purely what I noticed or thought, whether it's funny or serious. I will be making jokes, so please just leave it at that (in no way am I trying to make fun of an actor and or character!) I am also in no way saying I noticed this stuff first. This is just what I noticed while rewatching these episodes

☂ ☂ ☂ ☂ ☂ ☂ ☂ ☂ ☂ ☂ ☂ ☂ ☂ ☂ ☂ ☂ ☂ ☂ ☂ ☂ ☂ ☂ ☂ ☂ ☂ ☂

1x01 | 1x02 | 1x03 | 1x04 |

☂ ☂ ☂ ☂ ☂ ☂ ☂ ☂ ☂ ☂ ☂ ☂ ☂ ☂ ☂ ☂ ☂ ☂ ☂ ☂ ☂ ☂ ☂ ☂ ☂ ☂

☂️ In the Pilot script, it has a woman giving birth to a baby boy in Poland in 1984 (potentially Five or maybe even Luther??) 

☂️ “Picture Book” is an absolute bop and no one can tell me otherwise

☂️ What if someone saw this parade of carriages and noticed that there were seven? Later Reginald announces that he adopted 6 kids, so I wonder if anyone saw the carriages earlier and heard Reginald's announcement and became confused

☂️ The concert hall in the Pilot script is in New York, which I assume is safe to assume in NYC. The script also mentions later that Diego drops the monocle in the Hudson River

☂️ The Pilot script originally had Allison in LA, and Klaus in Amsterdam (which he was supposed to be levitating in that scene)

☂️ Diego was originally supposed to be pretty brutal and violent

☂️ I am a huge POTO fan so having a medley of the songs from the musical is so awesome to hear. The first time I watched this episode and heard the violin starting to play, I was like “Huh, this really sounds like POTO” and then I realized it was! It gave me chills and still does to this day overtime I watch this scene

☂️ The dark and mysterious tones of POTO really matches the vibes of TUA well. It’s just so good, especially as a way to introduce Vanya. The first song Vanya plays is “Phantom of the Opera” which is a nice symbolism when introducing the Hargreeves Siblings. The song itself is Christine discovering who her true Angel of Music is, a strange masked man that everyone knows well but they truly don’t know who he really is, like with the Umbrellas and their separate personalities and struggles as actual human beings and not just as the superheroes the public knows them as. It also plays while showing Diego, who is a mysterious masked figure at that point. 

☂️ “Angel of Music” is basically Christine asking her angel to guide her, which is ironic that it plays while Klaus is getting out of a place that guides him down the right path, knowing that he’s immediately going to go do drugs again and to go down the “wrong” path

☂️ I wonder if the voice in Luther’s spacesuit as he receives his message is an automated voice or his robot named “Ben” like in the comics. I doubt it’s the latter, but who knows

☂️ Okay, here’s another POTO thing. Diego picks up his knife and wipes the blood off of it and tells the family “Your family is safe now” right as the start of “Think of Me” plays. The first lyrics of the song are “Think of me, think of me fondly” which can be seen as Diego wants the family to truly view him as a hero that saved them

☂️ Aaaand here’s another! Again, while “Think of Me” is playing, one of the parts in the song where Raoul sings “Long ago, it seems so long ago, how young and innocent we were” plays while the paparazzi begins questioning Allison about her father and siblings

☂️ Okay okay, last POTO thing. I especially love that "Music of the Night" plays when Klaus wakes up in the ambulance at night. It's so awesome! Especially since the song is basically about giving into your darkest desires, which Klaus clearly did

 ☂️ Goddamn is the music in the show amazing, and I’m not just talking about all of the fun lyrical songs! Jeff Russo you get a thumbs up from me

☂️ Ta-da! Here’s some portraits that are shown of the siblings with Reginald when they were young that are shown in the show

☂️ Even the first person Vanya sees when she arrives home doesn’t greet her/welcome her back 

☂️ Emmy and Elliot really played that awkward hug and greeting between Allison and Vanya well. You can feel the awkward tension (hey sisters)

☂️ According to the pilot script, Diego wears his mask practically all the time like in the comics

☂️ Luther was literally supposed to have a gorilla body in the pilot script

☂️ “Oh, YoU gOt BiG, lUtHeR”

☂️ Godddd the song playing while Vanya looks at the books on the shelf in including her own is 👌

☂️ Ah, there’s a book called “Lunar Living”

☂️ It might just be me, but it seems like the light shining onto Five’s portrait is ever so slightly askew

☂️ Vanya leaving the lights on and sandwiches for Five reminds me of someone leaving food outside for a stray cat

☂️ Five was originally supposed to be gone for over 22 years in the pilot script

☂️ I wonder at what point in each of the siblings’ lives did they realize, or at least they thought, their brother wouldn’t be coming home 

☂️ Babies 

☂️ There’s so many ape and monkey pictures and diagrams around Reginald’s office. Foreshadowing for Luther?

☂️ I love Klaus’s theme. It’s heard in almost every episode https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJa9H8SY4wQ&list=OLAK5uy_k2NJivpu0PIwxrOmPVrqN4umBZaahOGWI&index=6

☂️ Why does Reginald have two pictures of himself featuring aircraft? In one of them he’s outside a private jet and the other is him inside a cockpit

☂️ I must say that the dialogue in the pilot script definitely closely mirrors the dialogue of the comics 

☂️ “Told me I should be careful who to trust” 👀

☂️ Something behind Elliot is moving

☂️ I was hoping for this to be a gazelle of some sort above Five’s portrait, but It’s an Gemsbok. However, the Gemsbok is an antelope and all gazelles are antelopes

☂️ “The Walker” playing during the bank robbery scene is 👌👌

☂️ Luther is ready to throw hands

☂️ These robbers really decided to rob a bank at 10:05 am?

☂️ I just love Five popping out of nowhere criss-cross applesauce 

☂️ Something that hasn’t been explained/fully shown is Five’s ability to teleport objects. He teleported the gun out of the guy’s hand and replaced it with a stapler

☂️ Five’s teleportation noise reminds me of something going really fast, like an aircraft breaking the sound barrier. It’s almost like a mini sonic boom, but not as loud

☂️ Okay so I’ve noticed this in most of the episodes, but I don’t think when Five teleports he makes an actual noise. I’ll point this out more as we continue through the episodes. At the bank scene when Five is on the counter, it appears that the first time he teleports the bank robber whips around when Five speaks. The second time the robber turns to Five simply because he doesn’t know where he went and he’s searching for the threat

☂️ “That’s one badass stApler”

☂️ When Ben asks if he has to go into the Vault, he looks at Klaus for reassurance even though Luther is the one speaking to him

☂️ Five was still pretty cocky back in his youth. They, or more like Ben, have more bad guys to take care of and he’s just chilling with his hands in his pockets and leaning back/slouching like he’s bored. His tone with the robber also proves that and the way he just happily bounds out of the bank

☂️ Sir, why are you looking at the camera

☂️ Luther’s little wave to the reporters when the Umbrellas come out of the bank is cute

☂️ The pilot script didn’t include a flashback of a bank robbery, but instead to the Umbrellas training when they were younger. There’s too much to screenshot to I’ll summarize it.

-Luther bench-presses over 500 lbs

-Diego has been holding his breath for about six hours and he flips Reginald off

-Klaus levitates stuff

-Allison is slacking off and when Reginald tells her to continue her training she simply rumors him that she doesn’t have to

-Ben is fighting guards and Reginald calls him “Number Six” to which Vanya, who isn’t supposed to be down there, corrects him that his name is Ben and reminds Reginald that they have names

- Five very quickly and quite brutally rips off the heads and limbs of training dummies, snaps their necks, and stabs them. He is referred to as “A ruthless little war machine.” Reginald calls him “Perfect”

☂️ The pilot script implies that Reginald had alien life mounted on the walls of his office

☂️ There wasn’t a dance scene in the pilot script

☂️ Not to get super into detail about this, but Luther’s room is filled with a lots of models and paintings of aircraft, mainly from WWII. Almost all of them are of Allied aircraft, and more specifially Commonwealth aircraft, like the RCAF. So this could be more of a clue to the Umbrellas living in Canada

☂️ Diego giving that Wildebeest head the stink eye aways makes me laugh

☂️ Klaus is dancing with Reggie’s urn in a Waltz fashion, so maybe he’s just doing that or it’s the ballroom dancing lessons they received as children peeing through

☂️ I love Diego’s dancing skills

☂️ Fuck you Five for ruining their dance party

☂️ Honestly Five’s portal is pretty powerful. Here’s a description of it from the pilot script

☂️ I like that when Luther tells everyone to get behind him and Diego copies him with “Yeah, get behind us” Luther lets his brother use himself as a shield instead be pulling the “I’m the leader, I’m the strongest” card

☂️ When Luther and Diego are shielding their siblings, Diego has his arm stretched out to guard Vanya

☂️ In the pilot script Five’s body is smoking when he comes out of the portal

☂️ What if when Five fell out of the portal he got knocked out so he just laid face down on the ground unconscious aksdhfjsafhd

☂️ “So are we gonna talk about what just happened?” No bitch, let him make his sammie first

☂️ Diego and Klaus had some sort of bet on Five’s time traveling in the pilot script

☂️ Here’s another example of Five’s teleportation possibly not making noise. When he teleports around while his siblings are questioning him, it looks like they only look at him when he appears and not when they hear a noise

☂️ Five in the pilot script is actually 62

☂️ “What part of the future do you not understand?”

☂️ I like that Five styled his hair to the exact style it was when he was actually young, but eventually gets looser throughout the season

☂️ Five is so oddly calm when talking to Vanya in front of his portrait

☂️ “Well, there are worse things that can happen.” “You mean like what happened to Ben?” Yeah there’s also an apocalypse on the way lol

☂️ Five actually got a hug in the pilot script! 

☂️ An ironic moment from the pilot script considering that Five is an assassin and has killed tons of people but this siblings don’t know that

☂️ When Diego is talking about their names and numbers in the courtyard, Five sighs, which I’m sure he’s just bored/has better places to be and is annoyed, but I’d like to view it as “Shit, I don’t even have a name”

☂️ Funny tidbit from the pilot script during the funeral scene “Whatever the hell you are”

☂️ Diego talks about how he assumed Reginald sent Luther to the moon because he couldn’t stand the sight of him, so he must be talking about Luther being like a “failed” leader or something? Like he couldn’t keep the team/his siblings together? Diego doesn’t know about his ape-like body so he’s not thinking about that.....

☂️ I love that Klaus reaches his arm out to guard Five, and that Five simply glares at him and bats his arm away

☂️ When Luther broke Ben’s statue, I can just imagine Ben yelling at Klaus “Seriously? Klaus, why didn’t you stop them?”

☂️ So I’m sure this is just a continuation error, but you can’t see Five walking away in the shot of Ben’s statue hitting the ground. Considering that he had just left, he should still be visible in the background. Again, probably a continuation error or maybe he even teleported inside

☂️ A detail I love about Luther is that his fingernails are dark due to the gorilla DNA

☂️ The bank robbery scene in the pilot script is after the funeral. Not much was changed for the actual first episode, just a few different scenes. Also the Umbrellas were described as gods

☂️ Vanya drawing the tattoo on her wrist hurts my heart

☂️ “Together, you will stand against the reign of evil” gives me chills 

☂️ “This is your home and always will be” is great foreshadowing to S3, and hurts my heart when I think about how it is in fact no longer their home

☂️ When I first watched this episode and saw Pogo watching Vanya I knew something was pretty sus

☂️ Just some gold dialogue from the pilot script during the scene of Five, Allison, and Klaus in the kid area and Five is complaining about coffee (but in the pilot script everyone but Vanya is there)

☂️ “An entire square block. Forty-two bedrooms, 19 bathrooms” goddamn the Academy is HUGE. Also 42 is just one away from being 43 👀

☂️ “I know how to do everything.” Yeah, like survive an apocalypse and professionally kill people :]

☂️ I’ve pointed this out before, but the license plate on the car that Five takes to Griddy’s says HERMES, which is the license plate of his car in the comics

☂️ The exit sign in the background is only half lit up to where it says EX and if my memory serves me correctly that’s the door Vanya and Leonard enter the Academy through in episode 6

☂️ Diego telling Klaus to lean back is like “Ugh I don’t want him with me, but safety first”

☂️ I love that they added his feral chimpanzee smile from the pilot script into he show

☂️ “You won’t be going home.” Cocky smartass strikes again. Not to mention he smiles when he says that. He also says this to the men before he kills them in the pilot script

☂️ Before I even knew about TUA, I had heard of the “Istanbul (Not Constantinople)” scene and looked it up. I remember thinking “Wow, that kid is scary.” Now I think “Wow, that old man is scary.”

☂️ I love the little salute he does before he blinks away, and the way his basically just plays with these men like a cat playing with its prey. He knows he’s going to kill them, but he wants to have fun doing so

☂️ Five had some fancy moves in the pilot script

☂️ Five teleporting his tie around the man’s neck is another example of him teleporting an object. Can we see more of this actually happen in S3 please?? I also love the fact that he takes it off the man’s body and puts it back on

☂️ The way he calmly, or tiredly, snaps the man’s neck is chilling to see from a child’s body. This was also included in the pilot script *chanting* Feral Five, Feral Five, Feral Fi-

☂️ It’s honestly such a cool and iconic scene on the show. It truly shows that Five is fully capable of handling himself, and is/was great at his job

☂️ Having the city at night in the background of Diego dropping the monocle is really pretty

☂️ I really like the way they revealed Ben. Having watched both season and now watching this scene again is a bit awkward when Ben doesn’t talk. He’s probably just tired of Klaus 

☂️ “The world ends in eight days, and I have no idea how to stop it.” This line combined with the music and the previous scene of Five in the apocalypse is powerful and chilling and I love it

☂️ I love that they have The Umbrella Academy theme playing during the credits in both seasons

-------

Feel free to comment or reblog with things you have noticed too!

[letterstothemidnightsociety]

Alright, so if you've been following along with me, Supernatural season 3 starts out on a trio of episodes that are Really Fun, slides into some episodes that are Pretty OK, then takes a real nose dive into Bummersville. Hoo boy guys, I really hope that this season picks up. I mean, it won’t, but I can still dream. 2021 was maybe not the year to start watching this season. Fair warning.

The next three episodes for this season are just, like, real downers. First we get “Fresh Blood,” which, aside from the terrible title, starts out on a high note. Gordon (gross) somehow manages to catch up with Bela (HOW??) and threatens her if she doesn’t hand over the Winchesters. Bela, in all of her class and grace, won’t give them up because she has a high price point and Gordon is really lowballing her here. Just like, yes, ok, please stay forever, you’re amazing and I love you. And what a scene this is! You have two characters, one with a strict moral code (albeit one that allows for violence and winning at all costs) and the other with almost NO moral code, but an allegiance that can be bought with the best price and it’s such a fun back and forth until Gordon pulls out a gun. And then she pulls out her phone and just has Dean on speed dial and that’s maybe my fav part. Bela has run into the Winchesters twice and they maybe legit hate her but she’s very much like, oh yeah, my BFF’s the Winchesters, I love those idiots!

I love that we come back to this moment later in the episode when Bela, like, three days later, is like, Oh! I guess I should warn the Winchesters that some crazy guy is after them! She’s just so casual about it you kind of get the feeling that, even though technically Gordon was threatening her life, she doesn’t view him as A Threat. She gives the Winchesters a heads up just to be like oh yeah, you might want to watch out for this mild inconvenience, and she seems legit shocked when Dean freaks out. There’s this moment that plays across her face like, oh shit, did I...did I fuck up? And it adds a nice bit of depth to her character. She’s seems honestly worried, both for the lives of the Winchesters but also that Dean won’t like her anymore and that is just a charming bit of A C T I N G!

I am gonna miss her SO MUCH when she dies at the end of this season. WHY did we CANCEL HER???

But despite the fun beginning, this episode is about monsters and how people become monsters and how other people are probably the reason. Because our main baddie is a vampire who hunts to...well, listen if we look at the facts that he lays out in his monologue, it’s a little more tragic - he’s trying to replace the daughters that he lost hundreds of years ago, cool motive, still murder. In practice though, he goes around turning hot blonde coeds into vampires and then ?????? Who knows. I’d like to believe that this was a problem with the CW executives or maybe casting/directing and not with the writing, but it’s SPN and you really can’t be sure with anything. The fact is, this is a CW show from the early 2000’s and a lot of their extras are cast to type. And that’s maybe me exhibiting some girl-on-girl crime, but there are other episodes that did a much less blatantly gross job casting their extras/Very Special Guest Stars.

Anyway, the POINT of this guy is that he’s a monster because someone killed his daughter and he’s just been trying to fill that grief hole inside of him for centuries. This is not unlike Gordon, who ALSO has been trying to fill a grief hole that he’s had for decades, except he’s not killing people and resurrecting them as blood suckers, he’s just killing them. And then, when the Vamp decides to turn Gordon it’s a real sweet moment of comeuppance for like, a HOT second and then you’re like, awww dude, ya done f’ed up. That was a bad idea. You’ve made a HUGE mistake.

More importantly, our Vampire In Question finally runs into the Winchesters and get’s to say things like “I was desperate! You ever felt desperate? I've lost everyone I ever loved. I'm staring down eternity alone. Can you think of a worse hell?” and also “I just ... I didn't care anymore. Do you know what it's like when you just don't give a damn? It's like ... it's like being dead already.” and Dean’s v. much like, THIS IS TOO REAL ROY.

Sam may ALSO be feeling Too Real feelings because he is DONE dicking around with Gordon and honestly yes, I like this, this is good Sam development. It’s nice to know that Sam has a breaking point. And I admit I’m of two minds about this moment because 1) I love the idea of Dark!Sam this season and that maybe Sam’s decision to actually kill Gordon is just one step in that process but 2) I ALSO love the idea of Sam Lite finally having a breaking point and Gordon is IT. I don’t know which theory I like more in this scenario, but they are both good theories.

I think as much as this episode wants to draw parallels between the monsters and Dean (thank you artful editors), you can’t look at the “I’ve lost everyone I ever loved,” line and not think of Sam? Cuz he’s got one (1) person left in his life that hasn’t died horribly, so how desperate is he about to get through the end of this season? I’ve definitely been watching this season with eyes on all the ominous Dean foreshadowing, but the Sam foreshadowing is also there, just buried under the heavy weight of a thousand smulders and suicidal levels of denial.

And also, FUCK the tag on this episode! Guys, it is CUTE but it is also HORRIBLE. Dean starts teaching Sam how to fix the Impala and at first it’s all, “Oh! Adorable Brothers Being Brothers!” and I loved it but then I almost immediately hated it because you realize this is about making sure Sam can get along without him once he’s gone and Dean just accepts his own death with such casual ease that it’s just...INFURIATING!

This scene was rude and I HATE IT!

Cut to - “A Very Supernatural Christmas” Special!

Guys, I was so excited when I got to this episode. THIS is Classic Supernatural Shenanigans. Plus, you know a Holiday Special is the ultimate sign that this show has Made It, right? Or it could be a sign that they’re selling out, who knows, but I think we can say that at this point in the series, SPN is established enough to start having fun with their fans. That’s what this says to me. BUT THEN what we get is like...oh boy.

First - like, I’mma beat this horse to death, but what is WRONG with this FAMILY? John Winchester very quickly devolved into the sort of father that forgot about every single holiday and did not ever, even a little bit, make up for it. It’s not a surprise, but it kind of wrecked me seeing a flashback where Baby Dean is just so attached to a father who can’t be bothered to actually care for his children. I know he’s not in this episode because Jeffrey Dean Morgan was tied up in other projects, but the fact that John doesn’t show up at the end to button the flashbacks with a But then he DID show up for Christmas! just makes this plot line that more gutting. And despite Dean’s hero worship of their father, this is maybe the Christmas where Baby Sam stops believing in his own father. The only bright side to this is that it continues to enforce the fact that Bobby should have sued John for custody. Bobby should maybe STILL Sue for custody so that Dean at least would feel like someone wants him for once in his life, damnit.

And then we wrap this episode up with the Best Worst Christmas of all, because we see Sam start to...also?? accept that Dean is about to die? Cuz that’s what this episode is really about - Dean’s Last Christmas. And everything about that makes me ~ u p s e t ~.

So Sam decides to put his curmudgeonly grinchy attitude aside in order to make it a special day for Dean and ugh. UGH. UGHGHGHG. Season three is the worst guys, and I can’t believe I didn’t realize that until right this second now.

So let’s wrap this up with "Malleus Maleficarum", honestly an episode that is mostly forgettable until we get to, like, the last five minutes. Sure, witches and curses and selling your soul, woohoo whatever.

But then we get some real Ruby centric reveals and like, WHAT is happening?? First off, the scene where Ruby and Tammy have a moment is a real Moment. There is some baggage and tension here and it is heavy. And then Tammy drops the mic when she reveals that Ruby used to be human.

THEN, Ruby legit saves their asses by killing Tammy with a fancy magic knife. Ok, Dean does the actual killing, but Ruby brought the fancy magic knife. So between the hot and heavy tension with “Tammy” and her repeated attempts to keep the Winchesters alive, we’re left wondering what IS Ruby’s deal? I personally wonder how much of the show’s mythology the show actually has figured out at this point? Because interviews with Kripke definitely walk the line between “Oh we definitely have this whole thing worked out,” and “yeah, we’re sort of finding things as we go along,” which is maybe why it’s able to last as long as it does. More on that later.

Of course the big kicker is the final scene between Ruby and Dean. Dean is almost on board with Ruby at this point in the season, and much like his scene with the demon in “Sin City”, they share a kind of vulnerable moment together where Ruby admits that, yeah, she was human once and yeah, Hell will destroy you, body and soul, and yeah Dean’s worst fear will probably come true - he will become the thing he hunts, no ifs, ands or buts about it. And Dean knows that Ruby knows that Dean knows that there’s no way to save Dean from his fate, but they both agree that they can’t take Sam’s last ounce of hope away from him because, for both of them, Sam is their hope. Ruby and Dean both see the war happening around them and they know that with Dean gone, Sam’s maybe the last guy holding back the tide to save all humanity.

Which, honestly? Bull shit. Do you know how many hunters are out there? Neither do I, but this season seems to indicate that there are a LOT. We have barely scratched the surface on the hunter community and it’s a damn shame that they are all weirdo loners because there is a war going on. You know what works great in a war? An ARMY. Buncha mentally unstable, martyr-complex ijits who can’t put their differences aside for one damn MINUTE so that maybe, JUST maybe, the could actually defeat the evil they’ve spent their entire lives dedicated to fighting. And if Ruby and Dean wanted to help Sam, what they should probably do is get him plugged in to that community. I do believe that of all they backasswards, self-obsessed, painfully anti-social crazies out there, the Winchesters are THE WORST.

Listen tho, this was like, a solid scene between these two. Just a lot of work goin' into this and it paid off.

Anyway, back to the mythology for a hot second - This sort of loosey-goosey stumbling into your own world building is probably another one of those things that you’ll only really get in a show with this many episodes per season? It’s that room to play and experiment and just make stuff up as you go along. I think the slow drip method of releasing episodes ALSO helps in this scenario because you’re able to see what fans are reacting to in almost-real time. When viewers are binging episodes, I think you're less likely to see what specifically they’re reacting to and more wholistically they’re reacting to. And that’s not to say you won’t see those specific things that they like/love eventually, but by the time you get there, your season’s been produced in its entirety and you’ll have to bear that in mind for (hopefully) next season. But with SPN, they were writing and producing the show at the same time that some of the episodes were airing. That’s why they were able to make decisions on the fly, based on what fans responded to. And definitely by this point in the show, there was a sizeable and vocal fan base that made their feelings VERY well-known. We’re only in season three, but they’ve already had a number of con appearances and a pretty active online presence. That kind of feedback has got to be helpful, from a writing perspective, but it also allows for things like characters getting cut because nobody liked them for some dumb reason. BUT, if you’re fighting to stay on the air for 100 episodes or longer, responding to fan reactions is what’s gonna do it and that’s a fact.

[notalwaysthevillian]

Parent Trapped

Warnings: knife mention (pocket knife), general anxiety

Pairings: Eventual Romantic Remile, platonic LAMP

Word Count: ~3.2k

Next Chapter

Masterlist

Chapter 1: Moving In

Patton Picani stared out the car window as they drove through their new town. He was careful to keep his excitement down so that he wouldn’t wake up his sleeping brother. He’d been so nervous about moving that he hadn’t slept at all the previous night, only to pass out as soon as they’d gotten in the car.

The moving van was leading their way through town. Patton could see a few kids his age looking at the van, probably wondering who the new people were. He hoped they were friendly!

“What do you think, Pat?” His dad asked from the front seat.

“I like this place.” Patton’s glasses clinked against the window as he pressed his face against it. “It’s a lot smaller than Elmville.”

“Hopefully it’s easier for V.”

There was some shifting in the seat backseat as Virgil finally woke up. He blinked the sleep out of his eyes, panicking as he realized he was in the car.

Patton quickly reached over, grabbing his hand and rubbing soothing circles into the skin. “It’s okay V. It’s moving day, remember?”

There was only a slight release of tension in his shoulders. With the hand Patton wasn’t holding onto, Virgil flipped up his hood.

Shortly after, Emile pulled into the driveway of their house. The moving van parked by the curb and a few workers hopped out, heading for the back.

“You boys ready to work?” Emile asked as the three of them got out of the car.

They both nodded, Patton clearly more excited than Virgil.

Grabbing the boxes labelled ‘kitchen’, Emile set them on their island. “If you boys could get the kitchen set up, that would be a huge help. The movers and I will get the bigger furniture inside, so when you guys are done with that you can set up your rooms. When we’re exhausted, we’ll order some pizza.”

Virgil pulled out his pocket knife, slicing open the tape on the box. He and Patton immediately dug inside as their father left the room.

“What if we don’t like it here?” Virgil asked as they started putting mugs in a cabinet.

Patton pulled their favorites out, leaving them off to the side for later. “I think we will. You were asleep when we came through most of town, but everything is really close. The library is only a few blocks from here, we could walk to it every day. And there’s a cafe right across from it in case we get hungry.”

Virgil nodded, but Patton could tell he wasn’t convinced. He had that look in his eye that he got when he was worried about something, but he didn’t want to talk about it.

Instead of pressing the issue, Patton slid over the next box. “Can you open that one?”

The two quickly formed a rhythm. Virgil would open the box and decide where the items went. Patton would start emptying it as Virgil moved to the next box. When Patton could no longer reach, Virgil would take over, his few extra inches allowing him to just reach the top shelves in the cabinets.

It took them all morning to completely unpack the kitchen. The refrigerator was still empty, but all of their dishes were now in their proper places, as well as the cleaning supplies under the sink.

After stacking the boxes, they started looking for their dad.

“All done already?” He asked when they found him in the master bedroom. “I knew I picked the right ones for the job.”

“This is the last of it.” One of the movers said, wiping sweat from his brow.

Emile immediately grabbed his wallet. “Let me walk you out. Boys, you can work on your bedrooms if you like. If you’re too tired, just get out some clothes for tomorrow and throw some sheets on your beds.”

The two boys looked at each other before darting down the hall. They found each of their rooms with ease. Patton had a canopy bed, easily distinguished from Virgil’s more modern bedframe.

“Look at your window seat!” Patton bounced on his toes. “When it rains we can make a blanket fort in here.”

“We definitely have enough materials for that.” Virgil said, a small smile starting to form. “You have direct view of the driveway, Pat.”

“Good! I’ll know if any of our friends come over.”

Virgil sat on his window seat, wrapping his arms around his legs. “Pat...what if no one wants to be my friend?”

“Why wouldn’t they?”

Virgil shot his brother a look, flicking his dark hair out of his eyes.

“V, anxiety is something a lot of people have.” Patton sat across from his brother, nothing but truth shining in his eyes as he repeated what he’d heard their dad say a few times. “It’s not something to be ashamed about. And if people don’t like you for that, then it’s their loss because I think you’re awesome.”

The edges of Virgil’s lips twitched ever so slightly. “Thanks Pat.”

“Hug?”

Truly smiling now, Virgil slid into his brother’s arms, the pressure calming him down almost immediately.

“Boys?”

“In here!” They called out in unison.

Emile walked in, peering through his glasses at his phone. “What kind of pizza do you want? They have a coupon for two one-topping pizzas and a liter of soda.”

“Pepperoni!”

“Sausage!”

Emile laughed. “Alright, pepperoni and sausage it is. I’ll get some Sprite for all of us, is that okay?”

“Yep!”

While they waited for the pizza, Virgil and Patton did a little bit of unpacking.

Virgil made his bed and grabbed his clothes for the next day, before digging through his boxes and finding his weighted blanket.

Patton did the same, but opted to start putting some of his clothes away.

When they heard the doorbell ring, they both headed downstairs, Virgil wearing his blanket over his shoulders.

Emile took the pizzas and handed them to the boys before giving the delivery driver a generous tip. “Thank you very much.”

“No problem sir.” The driver said, eyes widening at the tip. “Have a nice night.”

“You as well!”

By the time Emile got into the kitchen, Patton and Virgil already had pizza on their plates.

“I don’t have the cable set up yet, but I did set up the router.” Emile said as he grabbed a few slices. “We can watch something on Netflix.”

Patton looked over at Virgil. “Anything in particular you want to watch?”

“Just something relaxing.”

Heading into the living room, Patton grabbed the remote and pulled up The Great British Bake Off. “Is this good?”

“It’s perfect.” Virgil leaned back into their new couch, loving how soft it was. He rearranged his blanket on his shoulders as Patton picked a season to watch.

After finishing their pizza, Emile gathered their plates. Patton roused a nearly asleep Virgil, helping him to his feet.

“C’mon, V, we’ve had a long day.” He started leading his brother to their bedrooms. “Let’s get some rest.”

Half dragging Virgil, Patton got them upstairs. Virgil snuggled closer to him when they got upstairs.

“Did you want to sleep in my room tonight?” Patton whispered.

Virgil nodded, his eyelids drooping again.

“Go put on some pajamas.”

By the time Emile finished cleaning up and checked in on his sons, they were curled up on Patton’s bed. He smiled at their sleeping forms before flicking on the hall light and mostly closing the door.

Knowing the boys were safe and sound, he headed to his room, opting to watch some Parks and Rec on his laptop before he joined his sons in a peaceful slumber.

The next morning, Emile rose bright and early, like he always did. He took a quick shower before deciding to go for a walk around the neighborhood. The sun was just peeking over the horizon, painting the houses in a beautiful golden glow.

As he rounded the corner, he nearly bumped into small woman who had her hair neatly tied up in a ponytail, blonde waves cascading down her back.

“Pardon me!” He said, moving to the side.

Instead of continuing on, she stopped, pulling her headphones out of her ears. “Sorry, I don’t normally run into anyone on my morning walks. This neighborhood is full of night owls. It’s nice to meet another early bird!”

“Same here.” Emile held out a hand. “I’m Emile Picani. My sons and I just moved in.”

“Oh!” The woman shook his hand, flashing him a big smile. “You’re our new neighbors. I’m Juliet Task. My husband and I have a set of triplets. They’re sophomores at the high school.”

Emile couldn’t help but match her happy energy. “My sons will be starting on Monday! They’re freshman.”

“Did you guys need any help unpacking? My husband and I try to keep our Sundays open in case the kids need any homework help, but we could spare a few hours.”

“Oh, I wouldn’t want to be a burden.”

Juliet shook her head, a stern look on her face. “Nonsense! Our last neighbors were shut ins, I’m not allowing that to happen to someone as lovely as you. I’ll even bring over some dessert.”

Emile laughed. “That’s very kind of you, Juliet. You’re welcome at any time. Though my youngest does prefer to sleep in, and he’s had a bit of a rough move.”

“Poor thing.” Juliet put an earbud back in. “I’ll see you in a little while!”

“See you!”

Emile finished his walk, finding Patton in the kitchen when he came back in.

“I forgot we didn’t have anything in the fridge.” He said, his stomach punctuating the sentence with a growl.

Grabbing his keys, Emile said, “I’ll run to the store and grab some eggs and bread right now. Let Virgil know where I went if he wakes up, but I’ll be back in about five minutes.”

Patton headed back upstairs. He quietly unpacked a few more boxes, doing his best to not wake Virgil up.

The silence was ruined when he dropped a box on his foot and let out a yelp.

“Pat?” Virgil mumbled as he sat up. His normally straightened hair had started to curl overnight, pulling up and away from his eyes. “You okay?”

Patton opened the flaps of the box. “I’m fine! Just clumsy. Oh! Virgil, look!”

Patton pulled a small trophy out of the box. Virgil couldn’t help but smile, remembering how happy Patton had been when he’d gotten a trophy for ‘cutest smile’ in the fourth grade. Their whole class had voted, and since the winner had been unanimous, the teacher had bought a trophy. Of course, that had set off a whole slew of angry parents, but Patton didn’t know that.

In fact, Virgil only knew that because he’d come to class early, anxious about being late, and had overheard the teacher on the phone. He’d never told Patton, knowing it would crush his spirit.

The two of them perked up as they heard the front door open, darting downstairs. Emile set the bag down on the kitchen counter, pulling out a carton of eggs, a loaf of bread, and a small package of bacon.

“I’ll go grocery shopping a little later, but I figure we can have this for breakfast and some leftover pizza for lunch.”

“Okay!”

Patton grabbed a frying pan off of their rack, twisting the knob on the stove to get the heat going. Virgil started peeling apart the bacon and getting it in the microwave. They’d had a few issues with cooking bacon in the pan before. After that, they agreed that it was safer to cook it in the microwave.

Emile threw some bread in the toaster, not pushing the levers down until Patton cracked the first egg.

Working in tandem, they got breakfast on the table. Each of them grabbed their plate, moving to the dining room table for this meal.

“So, I ran into a neighbor this morning on my walk.” Emile started, smearing butter on his toast. “She said she lives right next door to us, and offered to help us unpack some things. Her name is Juliet and she’s very nice.”

“Juliet is such a pretty name!” Patton took a bite of his bacon.

“Are you going to be alright if she brings her family over, Virgil?” Emile asked, looking at his younger son. “I can always tell her that you’re sleeping.”

Virgil chewed on his lower lip for a second. “Her whole family?”

“Yes, she talked about bringing over her husband and her triplets. But if you’re not going to feel comfortable -”

“I think I’ll be okay.” Virgil said, spreading the egg yolk around his plate. “I’ll let you know if it’s too much.”

Almost as soon as the three of them had finished and cleaned up their breakfast, the doorbell rang. Emile opened it up, feeling his sons behind him.

Once more a pair of sparkling blue eyes shone up at him. “Is it too early?”

“Never.” Emile said, waving a hand. Virgil and Patton moved out of the way as the Task family entered the house.

A bigger man with dark skin who stood tall, compared to his tiny wife, held out a hand. “Brad Task. Juliet came home absolutely gushing about the polite new neighbor.”

As the adults got acquainted, Patton and Virgil had led the triplets into the living room.

The triplets all shared the same wavy black hair and green eyes, which made it harder to tell them apart.

“I’m Tanya!” One of them said, her grin showing off her dimples. “That’s Ted and that’s Trevor. Trevor is the one with the birthmark in case you need to tell them apart.”

“Nice to meet you guys!” Patton wiggled in place. “I’m Patton, and that’s Virgil. We’re twins!”

Virgil nodded, beside Patton, doing his best to look inviting.

Tanya tilted her head, looking at Virgil. “I like your hoodie. It looks really comfy.”

“It is.” Virgil flipped the hood up, anxiety getting the better of him. “It’s starting to get some holes in it though.”

“I could help!” Ted offered. “My mom’s been teaching me a little bit of sewing. She said that since I keep putting holes in my clothes, I should learn how to stitch them up.”

As the kids bonded in the living room, the adults walked in and started unpacking. Brad helped Emile get the cable set up while Juliet got the kids to help her unpack all the knick knacks.

“This is such a cute photo.” Juliet said, holding up a photo in a silver frame.

Patton and Virgil exchanged a quick look, before Patton spoke up. “That was taken just after we were born.”

“Where’s your mom now?” Tanya asked, before she covered her mouth. “I’m so sorry, that was - you don’t have to answer that.”

“No, it’s okay.” Emile said as he walked over. “Their mom was a wonderful person. Unfortunately, she passed away not long after the boys were born. There had been some complications during the birth and the doctors didn’t catch them in time.”

Tears shone in Emile’s eyes as he spoke. Patton and Virgil hugged him tightly.

“Do you miss her?” Trevor asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

Emile nodded, taking in a deep breath. “Every day. But I know she’s watching over us, and that she’d want me to keep living life to the fullest.”

“That’s a very positive attitude to have.” Brad said, wrapping his arms around his wife and kissing the top of her head.

One slightly awkward silence later, they continued unpacking.

With the help of the Tasks, the Picanis had a functioning home in no time at all. The only boxes left to unpack were sitting in each of their bedrooms.

“I think it’s time for a break.” Juliet said as Brad and Emile came back in from recycling the boxes. “Who wants some chocolate cake?”

“ME!” The kids all shouted.

“That sounds delicious!”

Brad grinned at his wife. “She makes the absolute best desserts. I guess that’s why I’m a little more like Santa.”

“If that makes me Mrs. Claus, then I’m all for it.” She said, going up on her tiptoes to give him a kiss.

The triplets rolled their eyes in unison, making Patton giggle. Trevor leaned over to them. “They do this all the time and it’s so gross.”

“I think it’s sweet.” Tanya said. “But it is a bit gross.”

“Oh, hush.” Juliet walked over, grabbing a knife from Emile and slicing up the cake. “You’ll feel the same way when you’re older about a lucky guy.”

“Or girl.” Brad added on. “Or person. Whoever you end up with is going to be lucky to have you.”

“What if I want to be a cat lady?” Tanya asked, raising her eyebrows.

“Then we’ll love you just the same.”

Emile couldn’t help himself. “Awww, that’s sweet. And it’s great that you’re so accepting. Our last place we lived in wasn’t as...accommodating.”

Juliet’s happy smile vanished. “There’s still a few people in town who aren’t as open minded, but for the most part, the whole town is working on our acceptance. More and more of our kids are finding labels that fit them, so a lot of us are making an effort.”

“That’s very kind of you.” Despite Emile’s smile, there was a sadness in his eyes.

Brad and Juliet didn’t press the issue, instead enjoying the rest of the cake. When it was gone, they gathered up the cake pan and the kids.

“Thank you for all the help.”

Brad waved a hand in the air. “It was no problem at all.”

“Did you need the triplets to help your boys to the bus stop in the morning?” Juliet asked, hovering in the entryway.

Virgil’s eyes shot wide. Emile caught the look, giving him a squeeze on the shoulder. “That won’t be necessary, I’ll be taking the boys to school. It’s on my way to the office anyway.”

“No worries!” Juliet waved as she headed out the door after her kids. Brad followed right after, leaving the three of them in a now mostly unpacked, silent house.

Virgil immediately headed up to his room, mumbling something about ‘too much interaction’. Emile let him go, knowing that he needed a cool down before talking to anyone else for a while. Patton headed upstairs as well, hoping to unpack more of his stuff.

Looking at their empty fridge, Emile decided to take a trip to the grocery store. He popped his head upstairs to tell the boys were he was going before heading off.

With a general list of what he needed, as he was mostly getting the basics, he managed to power through the store. Just as he got to the checkout line, a man in a leather jacket stepped in front of him, throwing his items on the counter.

Emile bit his lip to keep from saying anything. After all, he didn’t know anyone but his neighbors. For all he knew, this guy was having a bad day, or maybe one of his kids was sick and he needed to get home quickly.

As the man gathered up his groceries, he finally looked at Emile. “Thanks for letting me cut babes.”

Flushing bright red, Emile was left speechless as the man left the store.

There’s currently no taglist to this fic, but if you’d like to be tagged you can find the link to my taglist here. It can only be edited on desktop, so if you’re on mobile just send an ask to my inbox!

Also, make sure you can be tagged by following the instruction in this post.

[jaaryl]

jaaryl (or if someone beat me to it, daaron)

Some answers are going to be based on the rewrite of my Daaron fic which is going to be set during 9.16 (that one day I will get around to finishing I swear lmao).

So, spoilers for that I guess lol. 

1. Who makes the first move and how?

It would have to be Daryl.

Even though Aaron has the most experience dating another man/ person in general, I have no doubt in my mind that he would find it incredibly daunting to even try and proceed a relationship with Daryl. His friendship with Daryl is one of the few bright spots of the apocalypse and it would absolutely break his heart if he scared him off or was rejected.

Since my fic is set during the 9.16 blizzard, the two of them are going on ahead to collect supplies at the next way station and, of course, it has to have the cliche trope of Aaron being all heroic and pushing Daryl out of the way of cracking ice so he’ll fall through instead… all while they are escaping ice zombies. Cue the trope of them cuddling naked for warmth and waking up with an awkward situation yada yada.  

Aaron: [incredibly embarrassed and freaking the hell out] This doesn’t have to change anything.   

Daryl: [also incredibly embarrassed and freaking the hell out, and just fresh off thinking Aaron could of so easily died one (1) day ago and not wanting to waste what time they have together] Ahhhh I kinda want it too????          

2. Who is the most insecure and what makes them feel better?

Being seen as outcasts still bothers them a lot, even if they try their best not to show it. No matter how far into the apocalypse, or how important they have become to the success of the communities, there will always be those douches who look down on people for being different. And the best thing about Daaron is how leaning on each other for support and having each other’s backs when they are feeling this way is literally the foundation of their relationship.          

3. Who is the most romantic?

Aaron’s the obvious choice with his tendency to be extremely tactile and handing out affection left and right while also giving away huge gifts, like the bike. However, Daryl is incredibly sentimental, and loves and cherishes that bike like it’s one of his most precious possessions, and he also shows his love by making sure the people that he cares about are well provided for. So, it’s for you to decide.  

4. Who can’t keep their hands to themselves?

Daryl is extremely touch-starved but he is also pretty awkward when it comes to asking for affection. Aaron is a mix of very tactile, begging to give hugs and super lonely. 

So, once Aaron figures out that Daryl wants to be touched more than the occasional hug, handhold or brush of arms all bets are off. I can only imagine how bad it will be when they get into an actual relationship.

5. Who says ‘I love you’ first?

I feel like Aaron has said those words long before they started dating, “Daryl, I love you, but no,” and completely mean them (both platonically and romantically). So, the moment Daryl says the words back for the first time…he is kinda worried Aaron’s smile is going to split his face in half.    

6. Who would they ask if they ever had a threesome?

Season 5: Eric, for obvious reasons.

 Season 9: Paul, most definitely, hot, gay, single and already someone they both trust completely. 

Post 9.08 though? Ah, no one? Aaron is literally the only male character that Daryl is close to lmao.  

7. What do they get up to on a night out?

I doubt there is much to do datewise beyond the wall, even for two bamfs like Aaron and Daryl. Maybe fortnightly overnight camping trips when it gets too stuffy in Alexandria and they need to escape for a bit.   

On the nights that they have the house all to themselves, it is pretty quiet. Just the two of them hanging out, kicking back beer, pressed up against each other, talking about mindless topics, and having sex etc.                  

8. What do they like in bed?

Daryl: when you said “magical in bed” this isn’t exactly what I was exp-

Aaron: *holds up 8 of hearts* is this your card

Daryl: *softly* holy shit

Aaron knows that Daryl doesn’t have a lot of experience in the bedroom department, and is happy to help guide him. I see Aaron as someone who is super into foreplay and body worship, especially on someone like Daryl who needs all the touch he can get and is v receptive to praise kink. As Daryl becomes more confident I do see him taking charge a little more, maybe some manhandling etc and he doeeesss have an oral fixation, always putting things in/exploring things with his mouth so take that as you will lmao.    

9. What is the most embarrassing thing they have done in front of each other?

Honestly, Aaron is pretty hard to embarrass. Like, sure, he does embarrassing things but he’s always the first one to laugh at himself. Things like his over-the-top dorky dances to make Daryl laugh, his celebrity impression of people Gracie has never even seen, or heard of, and she is super embarrassed about when he pulls it out as his party trick, his off-key singing to Disney songs with Gracie and trying to get Daryl to join in (AK can take Disney nerd Aaron from my cold dead hands these people have solar panels and the kids have definitely seen movies).   

10. What two songs, two books and two luxury items do they take to a desert island?

Damn, I can’t cheat and answer with ‘a book on how to build a raft’ or ‘survival guide for dummies’ because they are both very survival competent lmao.

For luxury items: Daryl’s crossbow and Aaron’s knife.

Ahhh I am worst at music questions! I can see Daryl being a sentimental loser and bringing Rick’s terrible music with him even if he hates it.

 Ross apparently headcanons Aaron’s favourite song as “Hand in Glove” by The Smiths, so why not?

11. What do they hide from one another?

Their unspoken feelings uwu (lame).

12. What first changes when it starts getting serious?

Their relationship status.

13. When do they realise they should get together?

There has always been something simmering under the surface of their friendship. From the very beginning, Aaron has been incredibly fascinated by everything Daryl Dixon and Daryl in return has found comfort, acceptance and an overwhelming amount of fondness towards Aaron.

It has just never been the right time to explore the unspoken thing between them. But after the six-year time jump, Daryl is finally in the right emotional place to settle down and Aaron has been ready for a long while. Daryl is confronted once more that the world is a dangerous place when Aaron almost dies again (in the fic) and the prospect of leaving their relationship open-ended weighs on him heavily.      

14. When one has a cold, what does the other do?

Aaron has been run ragged by the worrying he has done about sick Gracie all week (even just a cold in the apocalypse is a scary thing for Aaron with all that he’s lost). He probably got one good day in before his own immune system came crashing down hard. Daryl feels a little useless that he can’t really help him get better so he goes out and hunts whatever bird he can find so he can cook him something at least resembling chicken soup, and distracts Gracie for the next couple of days so he can get some rest.        

15. When they watch a film what do they choose and why? Who gets the final vote?

In this house, we appreciate animated films and since Lydia and Daryl are not really accustomed to the broad range of them they get the final vote. It would probably be Jungle Book (after years of rejecting civilization they finally rejoin it) or even something like Spirit (refusing to let anyone tame their wild).   

16. When the zombie apocalypse comes, how do they cope together?

Do I need to answer this one lmao?

17. When they find a time machine, where do they go?

Try and change the events of 8.02? Saving Eric and having the three of them adopt baby Gracie? Changing the events of 9.08, so Paul lives and Jaaryl can happen? 7.01, so Glenn lives? 9.05, Rick never blows up the bridge? 9.15, so there are no pike deaths? 

Ahhh there are just so many options, these two have such a sad life!     

18. When they fight, how do they make up?

19. Where do they go on their first date?

Out on a hike in the woods, a picnic is involved.  

20. Where do they go on holiday?

You and @boltsandashes have given me major daaron beach day feels, it’s an absolutely adorable visual. Aaron making sure Daryl has the best day possible visiting the beach for the best time? I dieeee.

21. Where do they get nervous about going with one another?

They are still both not the biggest fan of parties unless it is a family event with people they like. 

22. Where does their first kiss happen?

Waystation cabin.  

Aaron makes sure to ask him if it’s okay if they kiss for the first time after they are already in a heated grinding session, the goober. 

23. Where is their favourite place to be together?

Beyond the walls and out in the woods hunting, hiking, exploring ect just like old times.

24. Where do they first have sex?

Waystation cabin.

25. Why do they fight?

Pissed at each other for being so damn self-sacrificing (“Whether we make it or not, we do it together,” remember that, asshole?!)

26. Why do they need to have a serious chat?

Aaron’s first priority is his daughter’s happiness so it is pretty crucial to find out where their relationship stands before it gets way too deep (which good luck on that one), it would be different if Gracie wasn’t in the picture but she is so he needs to know if Daryl is 100% on board with being a parent to her or not.

27. Why do their friends get annoyed with them?

The shifty way they try and keep their relationship under wraps. 

There’s nothing strange about Daryl moving in with Aaron, they are both close friends, right? But what is strange is Aaron turning up to every council meeting absolutely glowing and grinning ear to ear, and Daryl being a super nice to everyone in Alexandria.

Are they sick???   

It goes on and on until Gracie accidentally spills the beans when she excitedly tells Judith that her daddy and Judith’s uncle are dating(not that Gracie knows all the details of their relationship or anything it’s just what she suspects lol).

They probably going to get married one day, and it will make her and Judith related!  

So, Judith goes home and asks her Michonne if Aaron and Daryl are dating, causing Michonne to finally connects the dots on why the hell they have been acting so weird.         

28. Why do they get jealous?

Aaron is super jealous over how cool Daryl looks on a motorbike, while Daryl is pretty jealous over how well Aaron can articulate his words to describe how he is feeling.    

29. Why do they fall a little bit more in love?

When Daryl is being absolutely precious with Gracie, Lydia and Dog. It makes Aaron’s chest tighten and his heartbeat frighteningly fast. Those are the moments that Aaron wants nothing more than to raise a family and have a future with him.  

Aaron is probably being dorky af just to make Daryl laugh, for real not just an under the breath chuckle. Every time he pulls one from Daryl, Daryl can feel his heart expand tenfolds.       

30. Why does it work (or not work) between them?

Oh man, I could write an entire essay on why these two are perfect for each other but to really simplify it: they already have a super strong bond, they are comfortable with each other and trust each other, both relate to feeling like an outsider, both like kids, they have history, their personalities balance each other out etc

It’s one of Daryl’s healthiest relationships on the show I don’t think there are any reasons why not?

[survivesalem]

Episode 4 - “THE BIG PASTA MONSTER FLOATING - Raffy” -Keegan

LIAM SURVIVED THE VOTE WOOHOO! I’m super proud of him and hope he’s not a target. Right now I need my Tituba 4 of myself, Brien, Raffy and Jay to throw the comp and lose so we can send Keegan or Lukas home. I think it’s beneficial to my game tbh. This challenge is v silly goose energy with 24 hrs of trivia at random times. No thank you. I’m not gonna look at the immunity challenge chat once. Come on Liam win it for your tribe! Side note, I’m close to the Protection and Banishing spells. I think it’s like an idol and a Safety without Power or send someone to exile kinda advantage. Goodluck to me I guess haha.

I'm pissed. That was a blindside to me. Liam came to me and told me that he flipped. He said people were worried I would spill to Austin. Why?! If I'm trying to secure myself why would I go immediately shoot myself in the foot by spilling!! Now I'm playing damage control. I've actually been talking to Paolo and trying to save a relationship. He seems willing, but who can I trust on this tribe now? At least I have Cameron again. That's at least 1 person I know is in my camp. So glad to have them back.

So.....here i am.......barbacue sauce on my titties.....wait no that's a song any who I'm now on Osbourne in a disadvantage i think it's only me and gizmo from my original tribe but hopefully i can pull in people to help us make it to that merge and maybe even hopefully further. Let's just hope my tase curse doesn't hit me here

Mac went out of his way to form another alliance with Jay, Brien, and I. He's going to be the one to put a target on his own back. I do not even need to do anything. I like this alliance, however. I feel like I can make Brien a very loyal puppet for me. If we can solidify a ride-or-die thing, then I would be able to put my trust in him. I know I said he was very strategic and that was worrying before, but I can use that to paint him as the more strategic of us two. That way I can avoid the target on me if anyone sees we are a pair. Mac wants to throw this challenge so that we can vote out one of Keegan and Lukas. He views them as a threat to his game because, according to Brien, they were running their OG tribe. I believe Brien in this, and Mac is more worried since Keegan is a past winner and Lukas is very popular. I think he is overthinking these things, but this gives the group solid targets to go after. Throwing the challenge is a bit icky, but I am fine with it for this instance. However, Mac says he wants to throw the next one as well because he firmly believes merge is at 12. I think that's a dumb plan because it relies on Mac's hunch more than anything else. If we don't merge at 12 and go to tribal, we'd have to get rid of Jessie which makes us an obvious 4. Plus, it gives the other tribe more room to bond with each other if anything else. We cannot throw two challenges in a row. It's just not realistic. This whole plan has signaled to me that Mac has got to go in early merge. He is way too much of a strategic threat to keep in this game for longer than Final 7. I am hoping he is either the first or second merge boot. Maybe I am planning too much ahead and will have to rely on Mac at merge, but I don't trust him as far as I can throw him.

THE BIG PASTA MONSTER FLOATING - Raffy

It’s Spooky SZN Witches! You know what’s spooky? Planning a blindside! Ahhh it’s v scary and I’m worried. I have my 4 person alliance of myself, Brien, Raffy and Jay. We successfully threw the challenge and it’s time for Keegan or Lukas to go. I’m pretty sure people would prefer Keegan gone which, Oop. I love Keegan from past experience but boy is he spooky to play with. If you aren’t on his side, take him out. 🔮😳.

Brien informs me that Keegan’s throwing my name out. Crap. I thought this would happen. This means if my blindside doesn’t go to plan I’m gone. My games gone. All that strategy and bonding will be for nothing. I’ll feel embarrassed and Liam will be disappointed in me. I can’t go home. Not just yet. I need to make sure I have the votes. This could be one of my last confessionals. *gulp*

So as y’all can tell austin got yeeted for targeting Dylan and I. And uh...we won the challenge! Idk I’m not playing super strategically yet. I see partners in Dylan and gizmo though. I guess we’ll see how that pans out

WHY IS NOBODY GIVING A NAME? Like come on guys it’s not that hard to pick someone . It’s 3-3-1 tribe lines but I’m starting to think I’m gonna be voted out which would suck because I’d very much rather not . I did try to help our team in the challenge and I think certain people will hopefully tell me if I was the vote . Anyways updated thoughts on people Raft- so apparently we are vibing according to him which I’m fine with. He said he wanted the two people who worked hard on the music video to stick together . We made a pact to tell each other if we heard the others name Jay- we haven’t spoken since that one time we spoke . So I’d be down to vote jay if need be even though I like the vibe Lukas- has only messaged me for the first time since we lost I believe he is worried he may be the vote. .idk. Brien- had a Skype call where he said he’s happy to be playing with me so I’m going with it . I think he’s less likely to backstab me and write my name down . He did mention people may be worried I’d stick with Original Tituba if I make merge so trying to get that idea out of people’s heads . Mac/Oak tree man- only name I have heard this round so far and that’s from one person so idk how I feel about that I’d like to work with Mac. Keegan- I assume Keegan and Raffy will be safe from votes this round due to getting the most points in the challenge. I believe we are good but who knows at this point . Jessie - so you managed to get a few points in the challenge . Good for you !  I think you may be seen as an easy vote but you could also be a number to people . 💕 Hopefully people will start strategizing with you soon . Also do we wanna be extra at tribal? Yeah probably lowkey .

Oh sis, I’m safe. I’m fine. Literally an idol is the only thing stopping me from being in this game at this point. I went on a call and everyone’s keen on Keegs leaving. Love Keegan but he’s also a bit of a silly goose and I need him gone. Thank you. If the vote is 5-2 with Keegs leaving then my plan was literally PERFECT. 4-3, I’d give a 9/10. Wasn’t perfect but the same outcome happened. If I’m blindsided then LITERALLY I’m trash. I feel like I’m really manipulating my tribe into doing what I want (aka throw the vote and make Keegan go home). Brien told me Keegan lied to Jessie about The OG Osbourne tribe (me, Raf, Jay) into voting Jessie. That’s a complete lie and now Brien is going on call with Jessie (which I asked him to) and Lowkey expose Keegan. I’m sorry, but I feel like this is gonna be one of the most iconic moments of the season, if Keegan gets blindsided 5-2. All Star Material. This move I’ve concocted, KING SHIT. This is the moves Kings make. I love me. (Watch me leave this vote).

So, the group of me, Brien, Mac, and Jay are targeting Keegan for this round because Keegan and Lukas are apparently a tight duo. After deciding on that, I went to Jessie (with their permission) and told her the vote was Keegan. Then, Mac did a follow-up explaining his reasoning why. He also told her that they were considering targeting Lukas as well. I thought she was on board. However, apparently, Keegan went to Jessie and told her that me, Mac, and Jay were targeting her this round which is a complete lie. This signals to me that Keegan is the right move as he seems to be a very strategic player. This came from Brien who Keegan told this plan to. Now, I am nervous that Jessie is going to fall into an alliance with Keegan and Lukas that makes her lose trust with me. My alliance wants to rope in Jessie and get her to trust us, but this seed of doubt it dangerous to that plan. So, Brien is going to go talk with Jessie, who thinks Brien is with Keegan and Lukas, and he is going to try to convince her to vote Keegan. His strategy is tell her that he doesn't trust Keegan and try to dissuade her from thinking that the target was ever on her. Essentially, he wants to expose Keegan for lying to her. I hope this plan works because I want Jessie to be under my thumb as a loyal ally. Keegan's little lie disrupts that for me.

Update: Jessie seems on board with the plan to vote Keegan out. Brien was the bearer of good news and said that Keegan/Lukas were going to target either Mac or Jay. I love not being a target because I am just so lovable (and good at challenges). In any case, I will just chill for this tribal as my neck is not on the line. I do not believe that Keegan even has an idol because this idol hunt is so weird and takes so many steps. We'll see how this all pans out.

WELL. I finally got a name . It’s Keegan . This isn’t the person I’d choose to go after specifically because you know Keegan really helped us with the challenge . But according to a rumour through the grape vine Keegan and Lukas are close ? I honestly don’t know how true that is tbh. But if it keeps me safe I guess it’s the plan. Idk I feel kinda bad I wanted to work with Keegan this time around like really badly . This is why I wish someone dragged me into a trio. Because I do feel like the odd person out. I’m just sitting here eating gummi worms stressing high key. What if these people are just playing me like a violin and they plan on stabbing me in the back with a stake? I’d say knife but meh that’s too classy. I feel like my pyre is lit and I’m heading to  a burning . I’m glad these confessional threads are a thing because at this point I just needed to vent . Here’s to hoping  I’m not blindsided this round I just want to beat my Nova Scotia placement. That is my goal. If I can do that I can do anything . Also I never touched on it in my last confessional but I feel bad for Austin . He was my ride or die when merge came. Anyways yeah I think I’m done rambling ? May the odds be ever in my favour

To be completely honest this is the most comfortable I felt all game and I know in survivor you’re not supposed to feel comfortable bc that’s when you’re blindsided but I would bet my bottom dollar that the vote is coming down to Keegan and Mac unless something changes hours before tribal.  the 4some of me raffy jay and Mac is strong at least for the time being Lukas and Keegan suspect something which means one of 2 things. 1 someone told them something or 2 everyone is being quiet with them and they are getting suspicious. I hope this is the right vote for me to allow me to make merge and not be the next boot but I know one thing is Lukas is gonna be mad coming back to camp without Keegan I came into this tribe I observed the dynamics and saw it was 3-3-1 but I took the swing vote power away from Jessie and flipped myself to hopefully give me more agency later in the game and more allies amongst all the original tribes. I feel bad voting Keegan but it’s the name of the game and he seems like a real nice guy otherwise

[gonemadgirl]

@thcsevoices said: ❛ i thought you said you never wanted to see me again. ❜ (Varian)

& rivals.

Alice freezes at the question, realizing that she had absent mindedly walked down the path to Old Corona. She could almost curse herself, her habits--

She was still mad at him, wasn't she? It wasn't even a week ago that Varian--

Alice's hands were still full of wounds from the mines.

"I didn't come to see you." She snaps, faster than she wants too. And she instictively takes a small step back at her own voice. It was harsh. Cruel. Alice didn't like it. She sounded like her mother.

"I...was stopping by to check on... Quirin." She states, adjusting the small bag against her hip. "It ... has nothing to do with you, don't worry." Alice states, moving to brush past him, careful not to touch him. But she can't hide the way that tears are forming in her eyes. Or the way that when her bag gently brushes against him, she flinches backwards--

Her hands lifting to her chest as she practically stumbles away from him, avoiding eye contact. And the once outspoken, clinging, annoyingly brave Alice is no where to be found. Instead, she's trembling as she tries to speak.

"I won't bother you, Va....Varian."

[beatricethecat2]

out of place/out of mind - 4

(Read first) one step forward, two steps back (v.2.0):part 1+ part 2, (Previously) out of place, out of mind: part 1, part 2, part 3

I posted chapter 3 at a weird time so maybe later will reach more people (though who knows on a Monday.) To repeat, it's an Instinct replacement and forward fix it fic, in six chapters. I'll fix typos later and thanks for reading!

///////////////

After a long, nondescript highway drive, Myka and Helena travel deep into the forest, side roads giving way to back then on to dirt. Dappled light flits across the dash and Helena leans closer to the window, her eyes coming alive in a way Myka hasn’t seen for an eternity. It was a toss-up whether Helena would freak out or feel at home in the woods, but now Myka’s certain this was a good idea after all.

She thought the drive might loosen Helena's tongue and she'd learn more about the cabin “the cowboy” built for his wife and child. But when pushed for details, as per usual, Helena changed the subject. Helena avoids talking about her life there in general, and it drives Myka crazy. She's puzzled “the cowboy’s" backstory out on her own, but Helena’s insisted both worlds be kept separate, so Helena’s experiences of it remain a mystery.

When they arrive at their rented cabin, Helena searches every room, as if looking for something, or someone, hidden inside. She's put off by its layout—it’s more modern than she’d like—but after close inspection, she seems pleased to be there.

It’s an unseasonably warm night, and Helena insists on sleeping under the stars, but Myka, at first, declines to join her. Craving a warm, soft bed, she settles into the loft bedroom, but eventually gives in, feeling silly in the house all alone. She drags out an extra blanket and snuggles up to Helena for warmth, then nods off with her head on Helena’s shoulder.

She's alone when she wakes the next morning, rested but worse for wear, so she wraps the blanket around herself and joins Helena in the kitchen. "The cowboy" must feel at home here, as Helena’s more animated than she’s been in weeks, and if “the cowboy's” happy, Helena’s mood might improve.

After their meal, they finish unpacking, then, post lunch, take a stroll in the woods. Myka naps upstairs while Helena cooks a modest dinner, and as evening wanes, they read together on the couch. Helena made cozy fire as it’s cooler than yesterday, and as they inch together, Myka guides Helena’s head onto her lap. She strokes her fingers through Helena's silky hair and smiles as Helena relaxes into her. Not wanting to wake her, Myka continues reading for a spell, but eventually guides Helena upstairs to bed.

The next morning, Helena’s gone again, so she rises and shuffles sleepily downstairs. Coffee is brewing, but Helena’s out in the yard, her back turned, huddled over the picnic table. Myka slips on her boots and a jacket, then heads out to see what she's doing.

“You’re up early,” she says, but the closer she gets, the more concerned she grows. Is that a pile of feathers on the ground? A quiver of arrows leaning against the table?

“Good morning,” Helena says, with a sunny lilt in her tone.

Myka jumps back as Helena turns to greet her as her hands, and the knife she’s holding, are both covered in blood.

“I’ve acquired dinner, but it's currently not for the faint of heart.” She smiles at Myka and steps to the side to reveal the table.

“Y-you killed that, with that?” Myka points at the arrows.

Helena nods, sagely. “And 'that,' I believe, is a turkey.”

“I thought those arrows were a decoration."

“They were most efficient.”

“You need a license to kill things. And it has to be in season.”

“On our own lands?”

“On any lands. This isn't the Wild West. There are rules.”

“Too late for this fowl,” Helena says, turning back to the table, continuing her task.

“I didn’t know you liked to hunt,” Myka says, seizing the moment. If she keeps Helena talking, maybe she'll open up.

“As the hunter, yes. The game, no.”

“What do you mean?”

The knife thwacks down on the turkey’s neck, and it falls to the ground with a thunk. “You've read my report.”

“I did. I was worried about you and you wouldn’t—“

“Talk with you. Only Abigail.”

“Yeah. I still don’t understand why.”

“You’ve read what happened.”

“It barely scratched the surface.”

"What would you have me say?” Helena turns to face Myka, lips pressed into a thin line.

“Anything. Anything at all,” Myka says, throwing her hands in the air. “I can’t help you if I don’t know what happened, and right now I'm totally in the dark.” Abigail, too, wouldn’t reveal much, citing doctor-patient confidentiality. She said Helena would open up when she was ready, but Myka’s patience is wearing thin.

“Shall I describe, in graphic detail, how I narrowly escaped execution after being thrown in jail? Recount tales of being hunted like a wild animal, bruised, bloodied, delirious for months on end? Or relive the battle between townsfolk and local tribe where my freedom was gained by brutally murdering my enemy?”

Myka flinches as the knife's point is thrust into the table, Helena's fingers remaining wrapped around its hilt.

“I’m sorry. I’m really, truly sorry. But I need you talk, so I can understand what you’re going through.” All of that was in Helena's report, and Myka's genuinely horrified, but to bring the real Helena back, she needs to understand what she's dealing with emotionally.

“My trauma should never be your burden to bear.”

“Is there another reason you won’t talk to me?”

“Such as what?"

“Did you kill Jamison because Mary asked you to?”

Helena’s glare turns into confusion at the question. “It was the climax of the film, was it not? By then, my actions were no longer my own. Jamison was truly evil, and the child’s safety was at risk. Had that ridiculous flash-forward not been tagged on, I'd have been back years earlier, and I wouldn’t be standing here the mess that  I am.”

“Yeah, but, did you love her?”

“The child? Of course.”

“I meant Mary.”

It's a selfish thing to ask, and the flash of hurt in Helena’s eyes confirms it; Myka wishes it never came out of her mouth. But it’s been niggling at her since Helena’s return, and she needs to know for certain if Helena's reluctance to talk is because of a lingering loyalty to Mary.

“I felt as scripted, with little agency. By the time Claudia arrived, I was fully immersed. I did care for Mary, admired her spirit, but even lost in "the cowboy’s" psyche, I understood my heart belonged to another.”

Helena smiles weakly at Myka, and Myka smiles back, tears welling up behind her eyes. She reaches out to hug Helena and Helena lifts her arms, but her hand’s bloodied state gives her pause. Helena looks down at the ground, then turns back to the turkey, shoulders dropping, head hanging low.

“Deep down you knew we were trying to get you back.”

"You’re what kept me alive in the beginning, through my worst moments. When I was freezing to death, I’d imagine you there to warm me, bringing me tea, like you did before I betrayed you.”

Helena folds further in on herself and Myka places a hand on her back.

“That was a long time ago. We’ve moved past that."

Helena breathes in deeply and slowly releases the breath then glances back at Myka. “There were days I’d lose myself in you, gazing into your eyes, kissing you for hours, sharing your bed as we did after Sykes. But then modernity began slipping away, and I was arguing with Charles or traveling with Christina. All my memories became circumspect, and you became a figment of my imagination. I rationalized my situation by believing I ran away to America to escape the trauma of Christina’s death. The thought of better world existing in the future seemed too farfetched, clearly something I'd dreamt up for a novel.”

“Oh, Helena,” Myka says, stepping behind her, skimming her hands down the sides of her arms.

Helena looks down at her hands, at the blood on them. “There were others, beyond Jamison.”

“You did what you needed to survive.”

“Perhaps,” Helena says, sounding as if that bitter Helena, the one straight from the bronze, has reappeared. “Isn’t the saying, dog eat dog world? Survival of the fittest? In hindsight, that’s not justification enough.” Her knees wobble, almost buckling.

Myka grips Helena’s upper arms to prop her up. “Why don’t you finish here and call Abigail?” she says, seeing she's pushed Helena too far. If Helena refuses, she'll call herself, as it’s time to ask for help.  

Helena steadies herself and nods in agreement then looks over her shoulder Myka. Myka smiles her most comforting smile and threads a lock of hair behind Helena's ear. As she meets Helena's wild, sad eyes, she says, “I’m real, ok.” She then cradles Helena's chin and kisses her temple. “Never forget, your home is here with me."

----------

As Helena pulls into the driveway, Myka moves to the window and watches her walk directly around back. Helena left hours ago to find cell service, and she's not the best driver, so she was beginning to worry she'd gotten lost. Myka offered to chauffer, but Helena insisted she go alone and wore Myka down until she gave in.

Helena enters the shed and emerges with a hatchet, then walks toward a pile of wood. She selects a specific log, then balances it on a stump and swings the hatchet to split it in two. She repeats the motion several times over, splitting each section into even smaller ones. She then starts whole the process over again, as if on an assembly line, and Myka stares, mesmerized by Helena's lifting, chopping, and throwing.

She wonders why Helena didn't stop in and say hello first, but maybe time is of the essence. She wanted to roast the turkey over an open flame, and for it to be ready for dinner, she probably needed to start it right away.

After ten or so logs, Helena seems to be winding down, so Myka nips out to ask if she needs help. She crosses the lawn and approaches Helena from behind, admiring her fit physique as she walks.  

“I thought you might need help with—“

The second she touches Helena’s shoulder, Helena spins around, smacking her in breastbone and pushing her to the ground. Helena then pins her down, forearm to chest, legs straddling hips, teeth bared, hatchet blade hovering just above her neck. With the wind knocked out of her, Myka coughs and gasps for breath, the cold metal stuttering against her skin.

“H-Helena, s-stop,” Myka wheezes, her body limp, save for her cough. Her heart beats out of her chest at the crazed look in Helena’s eyes, one she recognizes all too well. “It’s Myka.”

A hint of recognition flashes across Helena’s face, and she bears down less on Myka’s chest. She scrambles to her feet and hurls the hatchet to the side, stumbling back, tripping over herself as she turns and runs away.

“Come back!” Myka croaks, falling forward as she rises, hand flying up to her chest as she coughs. “Damnit,” she mutters, and as Helena disappears into the woods, she falls to the side then lays flat.

--------

Myka camps out on the porch, huddled under a blanket, tipping her rocking chair back and forth to stay calm. She stares into the darkness, knowing Helena will come back, though the hatchet may add time to her disappearance.

After this afternoon's incident, she Farnsworthed the Warehouse, driving out of the valley to combat fuzzy reception. Months ago, Claudia put a tracking device in Helena's locket, and Abigail located her only a mile away. Myka asked her to email the location, but Abigail warned against retrieving her too soon. She said Helena needed distance to work through her jumbled mind and maybe Myka deserved a break, too.

When asked what prompted Helena's flight, Myka burst into tears, her suppressed fear from that moment releasing itself. She insisted it was her fault, that she pushed Helena too far, triggering harmful memories for them both.

Abigail urged Myka to leave if she didn’t feel safe and said they'd send backup for when Helena returned. Myka said no, she was ok, and ambushing Helena would only drive her further away. She assured Abigail when Helena returned she knew what to say to make things right. She even admitted it was time to face up to hard facts and but wanted one more chance to reach Helena on her own.

When the temperature drops, she heads into the cabin, leaving the porch light on just in case Helena returns. She hunkers down in bed and hugs a pillow to her chest, wrapping her mind around the fact Helena may never be her Helena again.

-----------

A warm light flickers over her eyes as the scent of coffee fills her nose; the sun is up, and Helena must be back. She dons her robe and her slippers and peeks out the bedroom window, seeing Helena cutting up vegetables below. Helena looks up, meeting Myka’s gaze but, without smiling, turns back to her task. She cleans off the knife and slides it into its wooden holder, then glances at Myka before moving to the stove.

Myka descends the stairs and enters the kitchen, grabbing a clean coffee cup from the dish rack. She fills her mug as if it were a normal morning and adds a dab of milk from a carton. She takes a small sip and leans a hip on the counter, all the while, eyes on Helena.

“You're back,” Myka says.

“Momentarily,” Helena replies, dropping peppers into the already sizzling onions.

“What does that mean?” Myka says, hands tightening around her mug.

"I’m going,” Helena says, glancing at Myka, then back at the pan.

“Going where?”

“Away.” Helena adds a bowl of chopped tomatoes and moves the mixture around with a wooden spoon.

“You shouldn’t be alone,” Myka says, stepping closer to Helena and setting her mug down on the counter. She reaches out to touch Helena’s shoulder, but Helena shrugs away.

“I nearly killed you yesterday. Again.” Helena's hand tightens around the spoon, her movements slowing to a stop.

“You wouldn’t.” Myka reaches in front of Helena and carefully turns off the burner.

“You can’t know that for certain.”

“I just do.”

“If I can’t predict my actions, how could you?” Helena’s hand trembles as she places the spoon on the counter, so much so it clambers to the floor.

“I got you through the bad times, remember? Thoughts of me kept you safe. I’m what's real, and your subconscious knows it."

“That’s not enough to keep the demons at bay.”

“Then you wouldn’t because you love me. You said so after Sykes. That your capable of love at all, after Christina, scares you enough to stop.”

Helena grips the edge of the stove and leans forward, closing her eyes, dipping her head down.

“Every time we go on a mission, we risk our lives. How many times have I nearly died? Have you actually died? I think I know by now the difference between almost and inevitable.”

“What if you’re wrong?”

“I’m not.” Myka steps even closer, sliding a hand across Helena's jaw and turning her head, so their eyes meet.

“I don’t know who I am anymore,” Helena says.

“But I do.” Myka strokes her thumb over Helena’s cheek, but when the fear in Helena's eyes doesn’t lessen, she draws back her hand. “OK,” she says, nodding. “Have time to yourself. But you have to let Abigail help you. And I have to know where you are.”

“That defeats the purpose.”

“You can’t disappear. You owe me that much. No matter what is or is not happening between us, you’re my friend, and I care about you. You need me, and I need you.”

“Surely you have others to turn to?”

“No one gets me—gets to me—like you do. Unless everything between us was an act.”

“Certainly not.”

“I never once gave up hope over those three long years. And look at you, here, now, alive. My wish came true. What more could I ask for?” Myka’s chin begins to tremble.

“More than you’ve been given. More than, ‘I didn't die today.'” Helena brushes a tear from Myka’s cheek and lays a hand on her upper arm. Myka lunges forward, wrapping her arms around Helena, burying her face in Helena’s shoulder.

Helena hugs her close, stroking a hand through her hair. As Myka settles down, she steps back.

“Sorry,” Myka says, wiping her eyes and nose with her sleeve. “You didn't need to see that.” She looks towards the door. “I’ll go. You stay. Just drive me into town.” She walks towards the stairs with purpose.

Helena scrambles behind and grabs her arm. “No. Not like this.”

“Do you love me?” Myka stops but doesn’t turn around.

“I do,” Helena says, without skipping a beat.

“Then let me help you. Let me in.”

Helena drops her hand. “You shouldn’t have to navigate my instabilities.”

“I can handle it, ok?" Myka says, turning around and taking hold of Helena's hands. “You don’t have to shelter me. I know it’s hard to tell, but I’m not all rainbows and sunshine either.”

A weak smile flits across Helena's lips before she looks down at their entwined hands.

Myka brushes her fingers over Helena's cheek then combs slowly through Helena’s hair until her fingers cup the base of Helena's skull. “I know you’re in there, Helena. I need you to come out.”

Helena’s breath hitches as Myka places a light kiss on her cheek then trails her lips across to her ear. She nuzzles her nose into the valley under Helena’s earlobe, and presses kisses down the length of her neck. She always second-guessed herself when they’ve gotten this far before and stopped before moving forward. But this time, Helena's veins tense under her skin, and her quickening pulse gives her the green light.

A guttural growl escapes Helena's throat as Myka teases a familiar sweet spot, and she leans into Myka's touch. Helena tastes like salt and earth, her hair smelling of smoke and leaves, and the earthiness heightens Myka’s resolve to continue.

Helena's hands lift to cradle Myka's jaw, and she kisses her deeply, a latent want taking over as if awakened from a dream. Myka reciprocates, hungrily, her hands moving everywhere at once, then settling the small of Helena's back. Remaining entwined, she guides Helena backward to the couch, and as Helena falls, she pulls Myka down on top of her.

They spend the day lost in a haze of rediscovery and desire, languidly restoring memories of each curve and valley.

-TBC-

[oadara]

Game of Thrones - Jon and Daenerys Parallels v.2

ETA: I’ve added a few more parallels but Season 3 is sadly lacking. If you’ve noticed any, send them my way. 

Hey guys,

So I wanted to write a post about all the parallels and connections there are between Dany and Jon on Game of Thrones. I started a re-watched but it stalled. As you can see I was really good the first season and a half. I wrote a little summary of each of their scenes (if they appeared in the same episode) and what the connection was.

If any of you guys have noted these things for the episodes I don’t have anything for please send them my way. It would be nice to have a complete list.

Season 1

Episode 1 - “Winter is Coming”

- We see that both Dany and Jon feel disconnected from their family. Jon of course because he’s a bastard and Dany because she feels powerless against Viserys.

- In contrast, Jon is kept away from the celebration welcoming King Robert, this angers him because he is once again being ostracized for being a bastard. Dany on the other hand is forced to attend the celebration of her wedding even as she begged Viserys to not make her marry.

- Both receive/find their animal companion:Jon finds Ghost and Dany is given the dragon eggs.

Episode 2 - “The King’s Road”

- While Drogo is rapping Dany she is looking at her dragon eggs which are surrounded by candles, as she looks into their fire we transition to Jon looking at the campfire. This is a clear connection between these two characters and probably a hint of Jon’s Targaryen heritage.

- The parallel here is the both lament the situation they find themselves in. Dany suffering in her marriage and Jon realizing that the Night’s Watch is nothing like he had imagined.

Episode 3  - “Lord Snow”

-We see the scene transition from Dany to Jon. In Dany’s scene she is learning to assert herself as a khaleesi, earning the respect of her followers (Dothraki as well as Jorah). In Jon’s scene with Benjen, he tells him, “a man gets what he earns when he earns it.” Later in the episode we see Jon working with the other recruits teaching them what he knows, and beginning to earn their respect.

-Tyrion is meeting with the Lord Commander of the Night’s Watch and Maester Aemon, when the conversation is almost to an end Maester Aemon says: “When winter comes, gods help us all if we are not ready.” The scene then transitions to Dany’s dragon eggs. We then see Dany telling Drogo that they are having a boy, then we transition back to the Wall and Tyrion and Jon.

Episode 4 -  “Cripples, Bastards and Broken Things”

-We begin with The scene in which Jon meets Sam, the coward, this scene then transitions to Dany riding alongside Jorah into Vaes Dothrak. Jorah complains about Ned Stark driving him from his land, to which Dany reminds him that he sold slaves.

-Second transition: Ser Allister is talking to Jon and Sam about winter and says to them “When you are out there beyond the Wall do you want a man at your back or a sniveling boy?” This then transitions into Viserys dragging Doreah into Dany’s tent, he attacks Dany but she hits him back, showing him to be a sniveling boy.

-We then transition back to Jon and Sam, Jon tells Sam that he almost had sex with the red-headed Ros! Ser Allister then comes in and after throwing some more insults says to Jon “Mance Rayder’s men are hard men, harder than Jon will ever be. Not quite true Ser Allister. Finally, we transition back to Dany and Jorah, they are both taking about going home. Dany confesses to Jorah that she doesn’t believe Viserys will ever be able to take her home.

NOTE: In this episode we see both Dany and Jon stand up for some else and confront a bully. Jon stands up for Sam and confronts Ser Allister and Ralf while Dany on the other hand stands up to Viserys and defends Doreah.

Episode 7 “You win or You die” - The first transition goes from the assassination attempt against Dany to Jon being selected as Stewart to the Lord Commander. - Second transition from Jon to Dany. Jon takes his oath in front of the Heart-tree this transitions to Dany talking to Jorah about punishing the wine seller and Drogo makes his speech promising his son the Iron Throne. The symbolism going on in their scenes this episode was about being given a ‘gift’ that they don’t really understand the magnitude of yet. In both cases they are coming close to their future leadership roles but not in the way they expect. Jon is put out and sulky to be assigned a steward without realizing the leadership potential of being LC Mormont’s direct assistant. Daenerys on the other hand is given the gift of what she wants most from Drogo, to take back the Iron Throne. She expects fully expects this will happen and has no idea it will in fact be herself that follows through with Drogo’s promise much later. Episode 8 “The Pointy End” - Ser Alliser taunts Jon about being a traitor’s bastard, Jon responds by lunging on his with a knife and Ser Alliser tells him, you will hang for this. Not really, but you will Ser Alliser, for being a traitor. Oh the irony. Later on Ghost senses the Wight and Jon burns his hand with a lamp while burning the Wight. - We then transition to Dany who is in the Lhazareen village as the Dothraki are pillaging it. As Dany looks as the mayhem around her she asks Jorah to make the Dothraki stop raping and abusing the women. Jorah looks at her and tells her that she has a kind heart but this is how things have always been. Dany denies this but demands that Jorah make the men stop. I think this touches on an important theme in Dany’s story, which is that she doesn’t believe in maintaining the status quo. If something doesn’t seem right to her, she will do her best to improve it, no matter if it’s been done that way for hundreds or thousands of years. After Jorah stops the men he tells Dany “You can’t save them all” to which Dany answers “I can and I will.” This will later be manifested in her campaign against Slaver’s Bay. An interesting part of a parallel occurred in this episode or at least part of it. In this episode Theon asks Robb if he’s afraid (after he tells Maester Luwin to call his banners after Ned is arrested) to which Robb says “I must be” while he looks at his shacking hand. Theon says “good” and Robb asks “why’s that good?” to which Theon answers “ because it means you’re not stupid.” This conversation is eerily similar to the one Dany has with Tyrion at the end of season 6x10, where Tyrion asks her if she’s afraid of entering the “Great Game” and Dany nods yes, to which Tyrion answers “Good, only mad men like your father are not afraid.” Bringing this full circle Jon’s selection as King in the North in episode 6x10 is almost identical to Robb’s selection as KITN. So, in the season finally of season 6 the show tied in both Dany and Jon to Robb, another young leader and monarch. Let’s hope that they at least end their lives in a better way than poor Robb’s. Episode 9 “Baelor” - We only have one transition between the two this episode. We go from Jon and Aemon discussing choice to Dany in the Dothraki sea choosing to fight for her husband even though it’s clear he is dying. While Jon is being given the philosophical view of what it is to choose between love and duty, Dany is force to make that decision at that very moment. Episode 10: “Fire and Blood” - We transition from Dany to Jon. First Dany wakes from her miscarriage to find out her child is dead, that her husband is a shell without a spirit and that MMD has betrayed her. Then we transition to Jon who is running away to join Robb. Then we have Jon’s friends stop him and recite the oath he made. We then transition back to Dany who is washing khal Drogo before smothering him. I’m not sure if there are any connection between these scenes. -Finally the season ends with a transition between Dany and Jon. First Jon goes beyond the Wall with Lord Commander Mormont and the Night’s Watch. Then, we transition to Dany who is preparing the pyre for khal Drogo, gives her speech to her newly formed little khalsar, burns the pyre with MMD in it, enters pyre wakes up with dragons. The connection between the two being that they are about to embark in life-changing adventures. Neither of their lives will ever been the same after this. General Parallels: Both Dany and Jon deal with the grief of loosing someone they love, Dany with Drogo and Jon with Ned. Also, Dany’s first scene lead’s into Jon’s first scene. Jon’s second scene lead’s into Dany’s second scene. Jon’s final scene lead’s into Dany’s final scene.

Season 2

Episode 1: “The North Remembers”

-We find Dany in the Red Waste with the comet above her in the sky. Dany is talking to Doreah and says that no one will take her dragons. Yet, we will see that in Qarth they are taken from her by the warlock at the House of the Undying. Dany looks up at the sky and sees the comet and this transitions to Jon in the North at Crasters. Jon mouths off at Craster and Lord Commander pulls him aside. He asks Jon, “Do you want to lead one day?” to which Jon nods to which Lord Commander says “then you must learn how to follow.” It is important to note that Jon does want to be a leader, I think he wants that respect and acceptance, to earn it on his own right. We see him smile when he is elected Lord Commander, although, with a little trepidation. However, when we get into the King in the North scene he accepts but with a lot more trepidation. Now realizing how truly hard it is to be a leader.

- We have another scene with Dany in the Red Waste. Her people are starving and she doesn’t know what to do. She questions herself as a leader, because she cannot help her people, she cannot feed them or give them water. Jorah tells her that she must be their strength, and Dany asks Jorah to be her strength.

The scenes between Jon and Dany are both about learning to lead but in different ways. Jon needs to learn how to follow, being part of a military order before he can learn how to lead men. Dany having found herself leading already needs to learn how to take on the sorrows of her people, to be their strength, to give them hope when their is none.

Episode 2: “The Night Lands”

-There was a great Jon and Daenerys book-ended set of scenes - and a potential parallel between Jorah/Jon that I feel will later come full circle in both loving Daenerys also.

At the end of the scene with Sam and Gilly … We see Jon reflect on his feeling of helplessness in doing what’s right for people. His honor is warring with his sense of duty and keeping peace with Craster. The scene then transitions to Jorah sighing the same as Jon was … only now it’s he who feels helpless as Daenerys and the Dothraki are suffering (no water or shelter). I liked this parallel between the honorable men and the people they love. Jorah’s love for Dany and Jon’s love for Sam. Both are honorable men who will later do anything to save those they love.

Episode 3: “What is Dead May Never Die”

- No parallel this episode as Dany doesn’t appear in it. Episode 4: “Garden of Bones”

- No parallels as Jon doesn’t appear in this episode.

Episode 10 “Valar Morghulis”: -In Dany’s visions in the House of the Undying she goes through the red keep to the Wall.

Season 3

Episode 10 “Mhysa”

- Both Dany and Jon are carried. Dany by the newly freed slaves of Yunkai and Jon by his fellows brothers from the Nights Watch.  

- Dany being at the center of a group of people is mirrored in season 6 episode 9 when Jon is at the center of a group of people. The different is that Dany is surrounded by the living and Jon by the dying. 

Season 4

Episode 1 “Two Swords”

-Daario gives Dany the Bouquet of Symbolism (dusky rose (blue rose) = heals fevers). He also says to her that if he wants the people to follow her she needs to become part of their world.

Episode 3 “Breaker of Chains”

- A small parallel between Dany and Jon. Ser Alliser tells Jon that he is a “champion of the common people.” Then at the end of the episode we see Dany arriving in Meereen and speaking to the slaves about freedom, thus being a champion of the common people.

Episode 4 “Oathkeeper”

 -  Dany and Jon, they both coming up with plans to infiltrate/attack their enemies by surprise.

- They both speak of justice, Dany says “I will answer injustice with justice” and Jon says “ All we can give him [Mormont} is justice”. 

Episode 5 “First of His Name”

 - A small Dany and Jon parallel is Dany’s punishment of the Masters the episode before and Jon’s punishment of the mutineer’s in this episode. Their justice is a sentence of death. 

Episode 9 “The Watchers on the Wall” and Episode 10 “The Children”:

- Dany and Jon are left grieving and walking into an uncertain future. Dany chains away her dragons, afraid that they will harm another child. Jon buries Ygritte after the event at castle Black.\

- Jon holds a dying Ygritte in his arms the way Dany held a dying Drogo. 

Season 5

General - both are trying to incorporate a formerly persecuted group into the larger society. Facing opposition from the status quo, neither can seem to get both sides together.

Episode 1 “The Wars to Come”:

- Jon expresses a similar sentimate this episode that Dany expressed back in Season 1, Episode 4 when Dany says to Viserys regarding the Dothraki: “They are my people now. You shouldn’t call them savages”. In this episodes Jon says about the Wildlings: “They were born on the wrong side of the Wall. That doesn’t make them monsters.”

Episode 2 “The House of Black and White” and Episode 3 “High Sparrow”:

-Dany and Jon execute members of their “organizations”. Dany beheads Mossador for defying her orders and Jon beheads Slynt for defying his orders. 

Episode 5 “Kill the Boy”:

- Jon seeks out Maester Aemon’s advice regarding what he should do about a difficult situation, this is paralleled but Dany seeking out Missandei’s advice about what she should do about a difficult situation. Both of their advices advice the, to follow their instincts.   Additionally, both Dany and Jon release their prisoners in order to use them as allies. Also, there is the parallel of Sam and Missandei. Both  of them are the “right-hand man” of each character and they are both in the mist of unorthodox romantic relationships.

Season 6

Episode 9 & 10 - “The Batlle of the Bastards” & “The Winds of Winter”:

- In episode 9 while Dany is speaking with the slave masters she tells the “My reign has jus began” . In episode 10 Jon is selected as King in the North, effectively the beginning of his reign.  

[revenantoverwatchoc]

Revenant Back Story and in game info and how he meet D.VA and some interact voice lines

_______________________________________________________________

Name: Blaze Crow

Alias: Revenant,

Race: Human

Age: 20

DOB: 25/05/2055

Nationality : Australia

Job: Pro gamer (former) Gun for Hire

Affiliation: the paying Country

Role: Offense

Height: 5 ft 12

Weight: 150

Health Max: 200

Ammo Max: 60 - Sub machine Gun 8 - Shotguns 1 Throwing Knife

Ability 1: Dual Sub Machine Guns

Ability 2: Dual Lever action Shotguns

Ability 3: Throwing Knife

Ability 4: Wall Run

Ultimate Ability: Omni Breaker - Summons a variety of Guns which he jumps from one to the other firing them in circle.

Extras: Is dating D.VA He has been contracted by Talon multiple times to join but he has always turned them down as he only works for money Is Skill with both Console and Computer Has trained  in different fighting styles

________________________________________________________________

Background/Bio:

Blaze was once a pro gamer specializing in First Person shooters.

Winning his first competitive match at the age of ten defeating the Australian Champion, but the Champion felt humiliated for losing to a ten year old and in a drunken rage went to Blaze’s hotel that he was staying at and tried to kill Blaze but due to being drunk at the time he shot Blaze on the right side of his chest, then killing Blaze’s parents and his older Sister.

Blaze was placed into a foster home and continued competing in pro competitive matches, eventually taking the nickname Revenant after the near death experience he felt like the creature that returned from the dead.

Blaze became well known for using dual wield weapons in all of his matches and over the years Blaze rose though the ranks of pro first person shooters and became number one in the game series.

At the age of 18 Blaze left the pro life behind as he wanted to do something new with his life, with his skills in first person shooters Blaze took up learning to use real fire arms, with these skills he became a Mercenary. Blaze used his winnings and brought gear and weapons for him to use and Revenant became the name he would be hired under.  

For his first hire Revenant was to protect a wealthy business person, Revenant wasn’t the only person hired to protect the business man but after the meeting Revenant didn’t she her much after that, until one night he caught her stealing files from the business man’s computer, thinking that she was a spy sent to get data on the building so that others can get in and kill the business man, Revenant tried to stop her but knocked down by her

she told him that hired Revenant is a liar and steals money from the people and she was sent here by the people to put an end to him. She showed Revenant the files of all the money he has stolen, Revenant asked to join her on her mission she agreed but he was to stay out of her way.

Revenant took one part of the mansion while the other Mercenary took the other way and meet up at Business man’s room, he tried to tease Revenant as he knew of his past but all Revenant did was kill him.

Impressed with how Revenant handle himself on his own and that he didn’t take his cut of the pay the other Mercenary took Revenant trainee showing he many fighting techniques as she could for two years while he still took on Mercenary jobs but only for the Military of any country, Revenant began to see her as a mother figure.

________________________________________________________________

How Blaze met D.VA

As gun of hire for any military in the world as he is not loyal to any country, Blaze was hired by the South Korean Military to help there MEKA units to fight off the omnics, He was assigned to D.VA’s unit who was unaware of Blaze’s true mission,

at first the two of them would mock each other of their choice of game play style, while the MEKA attacked the omnics Blaze took off on his own to infiltrate the omnics base to destroy it from the inside,

D.VA noticed Blaze had left the squad and saw him entering the base after her squad destroy the omnics D.VA entered the base going after Blaze she found him as he plants the bomb informing D.VA that this was his true mission from the start right as they were leaving the base they are attacked by newly built omnics, since she was away from her Mech D.VA had trouble during with the overwhelming forces of Omnics and is knocked out,

D.VA woke up in a medical bay with Blaze asleep on the chair next to her bed, she is told that Blaze pulled her out before the bomb went off and carried her to the medical bay by himself and hasn’t left since then and even hasn’t collected his pay check.

Once D.VA was out of the medical bay she thanked Blaze for saving her life, Blaze asked if he could have a date with her to which she agreed to, D.VA showed Blaze all the popular arcades in Busan, the two of them had so much fun but Blaze told D.VA that he is only allowed to spend the weekend in the Country before he has to leave for his next hire so D.VA decided that she would make it a weekend to remember the two of them spent the weekend together that they had so much fun together that they fell in love.

Right before Blaze left he gave the South Korean Military an offer that he will lower the price of his normal payment in return he will always be with D.va when he is hired by them and will be allowed to stay for one week and will be allowed to stay with her in between hires to which the South Korean Military agreed to.

________________________________________________________________

interact Dialoge

D.VA

Revenant - 1 V 1 me babe D.VA - Loser pays for our next date Revenant - Deal

D.VA - Why didn’t you show up to our last date Revenant - Because we were both were past out from over night gaming

D.VA - Do you have anything planned for our next date Revenant - Yeah Doritos and mountain dew and playing video games

D.VA - Hey Babe be my player 2 tonight Revenant - Always

Lúcio

Revenant - Lúcio wow I’m like your biggest fan Lúcio - Always love meeting a fan

Solider 76

Solider 76 - You need to take this more seriously. Revenant - I’m serious than I’ve ever been I think maybe

Genji

Revenant - Now that’s a Knife Genji - It’s acutally a sword

Winston

Revenant - Hey Winston we should exercise together I’ll Bring the Peanut butter Winston - And I’ll bring the Bananas

Junkrat

Revenant - Aussie Aussie Aussie Junkrat - Oi Oi Oi

Mccree

Revenant - Hey Mccree I bet I drink you under the table Mccree - I’d like to see you try

Sombra

Revenant - Think you could download me all 12 seasons of a show Sombra - That would just be a waste of mine time…sure

Tracer

Revenant - Can you slow down a bit my eyes can’t keep up Tracer - That’s the point

Mercy

Mercy - When was the last time you saw a doctor Revenant - Aren’t you a doctor

[gonemadgirl]

verse corona tag drops 

V;1 || VARIANT || I WILL GUARD YOU WITH MY LIFE; V;1 || TO BE DETERMINED; V;1 || SEASON ONE || COLLECTING STARS AND DREAMS; V;1 || SEASON TWO || PULL YOUR KNIFE OUT OF MY BACK; V;1 || SEASON THREE || I’D GIVE ANYTHING FOR YOU; V;1 || POST CANON || THESE VOICES THESE STRANGE NOISES; V;1 || GROWN || IT BARELY STINGS; V;1 || STARDROP || SHINE BRIGHTER THAN THE SUN; V;1 || SAPORIA || THEY’LL PAY IF IT HAPPENS AGAIN; V;1 || ROLE REVERSAL || THERE’S HELL TO PAY; V;1 || RAPUNZEL || PRACTICALLY PERFECTLY REPLACEABLE; V;1 || BROTHERHOOD || SWEAR TO THE MOON; V;1 || NIGHTMARE || WAKE UP ALICE; V;1 || 7K || THE WOLF WORE THE SHEEP;