#with s6 out of my system

[littlerosetrove]

Buck’s Coma Dream in Retrospect

It fell flat and it had conflicting messages.

I think the two big takeaways we were supposed to get and see were 1) Buck realizing that he’s enough just as he is. 2) Buck understanding/realizing that in the real world he has a family that loves him and accepts him as is, that’s real and not a fantasy (ie his parents loving him anyways and Daniel being alive), and that’s the 118.

Okay, let’s focus first on Buck realizing he’s enough. Well, he may have understood this message in his dream, but did we see this in any capacity in the real world? I’d have to say no, not really. For a few episodes Buck was struggling with the fact that he died, he was unsure how to feel about dying but still being alive, he didn’t know how to feel or act, etc. And then this very important story was effectively dropped, especially once the romance with Natalia was brought in (to only be a love interest, lbr).

Where, after the coma dream in episode 6x11, did we see Buck truly feel like he was enough? At most we have some “well I guess he felt confident in ____” moments. I’d say those are: - Buck going through the five stages of grief in 3 seconds before handing over the baby he helped create. - Buck taking on “leadership” in the finale. I mean yeah, but he was mostly on his own to do that. He kinda had to lead Ravi, but that was it. I’m stating this with a bit of an unsatisfied air because we really hadn't seen the proper build up this season to Buck even taking on a leadership position. So.

Beyond those two pieces, where exactly have we been shown that Buck has learned and felt that he’s enough? I’m really struggling here. (too bad his story about learning to be at ease with himself was forgotten). What also doesn’t help, and this happened in season 5, is we get so little insight into Buck’s mind and how he’s really feeling. Buck in season 4 admitted to hiding his true feelings, but... it still feels like this is the case even now. As if both Buck and the show are often hiding how he really feels about things. So we have to guess a lot. 

This is also where dream!Bobby saying “if you only care how people see you, you haven’t learned a damn thing” comes into play in this. You know where this is going. The only thing we got was Buck saying to Eddie in 6x15 or 6x16 that Natalia, after one conversation that predominantly took place off screen, that “she sees him.” Ah. So Buck has learned nothing, got it. In particular, Buck has learned nothing when it comes to his romantic life. After six seasons. My good dudes (gn).....

(we honestly got Natalia not seeing Buck even before Kameron randomly showed up at Buck’s place; we were shown Natalia being overwhelmed and low-key judgmental of Buck’s full life before and after Kameron came in. and she ran away from it all. sound familiar? y’all also please note she came back after Buck was in danger. for all we know, she saw what went down on the news and decided to come back. sound familiar??? we saw Natalia not understanding why Buck helped Kameron and Connor, she had to be told the answer. the only thing we’ve concretely been shown is Natalia finding Buck’s death, a piece of him, “so cool.”)

*deep sigh* Okay, now for point two.

There’s two aspects to how the fantasy vs reality of it all was clumsily handled. (this was inspired from a chat I had with @lovecolibri ) 

In the coma world, Buck’s parents genuinely seemed to be loving and supportive towards Buck, something Buck never got in the real world. In the scenes of the real world, we were shown the 118 family and Maddie being that: a family that loves Buck and are hella concerned about him. Of course they are, because we’ve spent several seasons making this a fact, a fact that they all love Buck and they love him as he is, unconditionally.

A big HOWEVER. However, also in the real world, we had the Buckley parents present and seemingly concerned about Buck. Sure, this is in part nothing new about them; the Buckley parents only showing concern when Buck is physically hurt. BUT we also have to factor in that in episode 6x10 we were shown the Buckley parents “trying” to, at the very least, be civil with their kids, honestly, and this is my interpretation here, in great part only so they could have a relationship with Jee-Yun (despite them… I don’t think showing that much interest in Jee-Yun beforehand. not that I remember atm).

The conflicting message here is that in the coma world Buck has parents that love him unconditionally, but he knows this isn’t true in the real world. We saw him, as I interpreted it, Buck giving one last hug to coma!Buckley parents in a sort of goodbye to this fantasy, because again Buck knew that he’d never have the relationship he wants or truly deserves in the real world. But Then, when Buck wakes up he has his parents there and “trying”….. But. But Buck had also had the understanding in his dream that the 118 are his family and he wants to return to them, for himself.

I hope y’all are following because this is a bit confusing isn’t it; my explanation and what the show was even trying to say. What we got was coma!Buck understanding that his parents have never and will never “love him anyway.” He has the 118 that do. But then in the real world we have the 118 there for Buck, but ALSO the Buckley parents who still don’t love him anyway, but are “trying,” so… Good enough? 

Idk idk, what would have been more impactful was to have Buck return to a reality where he has his 118 found family who can be contrasted, clearly, to his parents that both a) still don’t love him unconditionally (which is true in any case, but...), and 2) not have the Buckley parents there for reconciliation purposes. The timing of the reconciliation really muddles the messaging, if you follow me. 

I’ve seen a lot of people view the show as redeeming the Buckley parents (and Mr. Han), when the show was going for reconciliation.  

The only parents that have actually gotten redemption stories are Ramon Diaz and Toni Wilson. Those stories worked because both parents acknowledged their wrong doings, and said and showed that they are willing to try to mend things with their kids. Which both have been actively doing.

Neither the Buckley parents nor Mr. Han has been shown to acknowledge their wrong doings to their kids. Instead we were given a silent message of “let’s start from scratch and… just try to get along.” This is why their stories are meant to be reconciliation and not redemption, but they were clearly poorly executed.

For Buck in the real world we just… saw him going with the flow of his parents being there. Oh his mom wants to buy Buck a couch? Buck: “...Sure, I guess. Go ahead.”

Circling back to the 118 family. While we did get some moments and scenes in 6x11 and 6x12 of the 118 being there for Buck… idk, that was kind of it. The rest of the season after that was kinda scattered on - really showing the bond amongst the 118. At least to me. Like, why weren’t there more scenes of Buck and Bobby, especially after May said out loud that Bobby is Buck’s dad? I’m blanking, but did Buck ever say “congratulations on the engagement” to Chimney or Maddie, his sister? We didn’t get any further discussions amongst the 118 of Buck’s death, not really, beyond 6x12 having some check in with Buck, and 6x13 having everyone joke about Buck’s math skills. (i do love the Buck/Eddie of it all, don’t get me wrong. but in hindsight it’s hilariously bizarre that in retrospect we and Buck are being told that Eddie seemingly regularly plays poker with other firefighters. haha ok.)

Hell, why was there never a conversation between Buck and Chimney? Chimney died twice in season 5 (but that was quickly forgotten), and almost died in both seasons 1 and 2. Chimney would absolutely be a perfect person for Buck to talk to about death.

I’m sure I could give more examples, but overall I felt season 6 was weird in how they handled the dynamics on the 118 as a whole. To me, a little too often they were just kept apart because for a show that is supposedly big on found family, it wasn’t that consistent or as present as it should be in season 6. (yes there were definitely good and great 118 moments in season 6, but there could have and i think should have been more for this found family.)

Like holy shit, the finale? We got a baffling time jump from the rescue, so we didn’t get anything like Buck checking in on Bobby, his dad. We didn’t get Buck checking in on Eddie, his best friend and partner. We didn’t get anyone checking in on Chimney, etc etc etc. Everyone was off in their little pairings, and two of the pairings of course were Buck and Eddie with their female love interests. I phrase it like that because that’s exactly what the writers, at present, have given us and nothing more; female love interests. So satisfying.

...

TL;DR If Buck learned and understood that he’s enough in the real world and not just in his coma dream, call me dumb but it wasn’t clear at all. Season 6 overall, while having some good moments with the 118, was honestly lacking in the found family aspect that used to be so important and central to this show. 

[thrandilf]

soft, but cold

He couldn't bring himself to get rid of her belongings.

Keeping everything clean and tidy hurt, but somehow the maintenance hurt less than pretending he had a spare bedroom. Aaravos had already cried his ocean, but it didn't make the tightness in his chest any less painful.

The primal stones she'd made had been the first things he'd packed up that first day back, taking care to wrap each carefully and set them aside, their uses already swirling in his mind- but he wouldn't think of such things in her room. After that, he'd folded and put away other toys and clothing, leaving everything set for her to come home, which she'd never do.

Now, he just dusted and kept the place clean.

He changed the bedding for something to do, throat aching. Then, he pulled out a toy chest full of stuffed animals, sniffling as he did so.

She'd had a meticulous schedule laid out for which stuffed animals she held at night so no one got left out. He wondered where she'd left off.

Aaravos took a deep breath, wiping away another tear as he set all of the stuffed animals on the bed, going through the motions of tucking them in. Her favorite had always been a unicorn plush, but she'd also insisted to him that she wouldn't tell the other plushies that, and he'd agreed to keep her secret.

Even creatures made of stuffing had her full love.

If only, if only, that had been her only secret.

He stood there for a long time, how long was impossible to say, but eventually he caved. What was missing was warmth, and he was the only one left to provide it. Leaving the bed empty just felt... too sad.

Her bed was long enough for an average adult, but Aaravos's ankles hung off of the edge of it even as he curled up around the armful of plushies, as if he could close his eyes and imagine she was back, but they weren't warm enough or alive for it to work. He clutched them close, as if to make up for the lifetime of love they'd all lost.

Aaravos had already cried his ocean, but that didn't stop him from letting tributaries of tears slide down his cheeks as he waited for the mercy of sleep.

[jellydrawsposts]

My favorite Corvus headcanon is that he has a perfectly normal, healthy, happy family but he just liked to keep work and personal life separate

(Pls S6 dont take away my Corvus headcanon)

[ladykeane]

I think the only way I will survive sitting through s6 of wwdits is by severely gaslighting myself

I will keep my screaming into the void under the cut

Nandermo who? 🙃🙃🙃Nandor and Guillermo's relationship has always been clinically platonic and they keep at least 5 feet apart at all times🙃🙃🙃

Also being queer has nothing to do with love and everything to do with paying royalties to daniel quasar so you can wave a coloured flag around for the duration of a twenty minute episode 🙃🙃🙃🙃

🙃🙃🙃Gosh I really hope Guillermo finds a nice generic heteronormative girlfriend this season🙃🙃🙃🙃 I might just rewatch s4 of BBC sherlock as a warm up 🙃🙃🙃

🙃🙃QUEERBATING WHAT DO YOU MEAN QUEERBATING 🙃🙃🙃 I'M FINE IT'S FINE IT'S ALL FINE🙃🙃🙃🙃

🙃🙃🙃PAUL SIMMS PUNCHED ME IN THE FACE ONE TIME AND IT WAS AWESOME 🙃🙃🙃🙃🙃

[fluffypotatey]

This is going to sound crazy, especially since we’re all sure SunBurst’s fight is a parallel to ShadowPeach. But I find the blue chains far too strange. When Wukong used them, they were gold. When Tripitaka used them, they were blue. If they don’t reflect the magic of the user, otherwise Trip’s should be gold too, then could they respond to the magic of the restrained? MK does also have gold colored magic like Wukong. Macaque’s should be purple then. They ARE slightly purple when LBD restrains him, but barely. Only the other ends that *don’t* make contact with him. Since they are mostly snapped off in the flashback, they’re pretty blue. I would almost say “Macaque’s” vision of his death was actually LBD being restrained before they moved her to that underground tomb to be sealed. They obviously wouldn’t have fought and finished the job there, right? The only thing that makes me hesitate is Nine’s being orange, but we can disregard that as the same rules don’t apply. It reflects the user bc it’s purely his magic and not a spell. We don’t see that circle design the others had. Who knows, maybe Macaque already had some LBD in him when he fought Wukong. She has a tendency to possess people instead of transforming in LMK to reflect the “disguised as three innocent civilians” in JTTW. It’s easier to revive a dead monkey whose corpse a part of your essence already inhabits than to reach him after you’re sealed away.

no yeah the who deal with seals and chains and shit is not explained very well in lmk. mostly just a “yeah and X got sealed by Z….how? don’t worry about it, it just happened in the distant past.”

like do i mind overall? not really because it isn’t harming the plot that badly (bc the plot is focusing elsewhere)

is it becoming a problem? yeah. it is actually because nothing in lmk’s magic system has really been explained or fleshed out fully. it made sense as a throw away for LBD, it made sense as a tease for Macky’s possible death, but they make it a big deal in 5x09 and no one really explains HOW is is fine or WHY the colors of it are different from when LBD and Macky had theirs

we are diving deeper into the past in order to foreshadow the future which means those chains will need to be elaborated on. not ignored or brushed off like they have been

[alitgblog]

as promised, alternative universe grozzy where they are happier (original post if you haven't seen it yet)

doing the shading on this was very fun and i think it's partly because i wasn't even going to draw the original post I made but then suddenly i'm working on adding sparkles to grace's top? going all in then

[solargeist]

That one AU I have where Mumbo is dating Griande in s6, and while she’s separate from Grian they look way too alike and I don’t want to draw this interaction so I just wrote all of my thoughts down here ok and action—

"You think she looks like me, and yet you’re still dating her? You see how this looks, Mumbo." Grian said, raising a brow

"It’s not like that.” Mumbo defends himself against the in love with my best friend allégations

“Uh-huh….. Soo.. What is it?" Grian questions

“What, what do you mean?”

"Is it the long hair? If I had long hair?” Grian says, making a show out of mimicking long hair

“What-Grian—" Mumbo catches on, but there’s no stopping Grian in this mind game

"Or if I still had boobs? Is that it? That’s what you like?” Grian pats his own chest

“Grian! Now hold on a second-“

"No wait! I got it! It’s my wings, isn’t it! You find my wings ugly." Grian covers his mouth in a faux sadness, dramatically bending at the waist and furrowing his brows in absolute heartbreak

A low laughter crawls in the back of Mumbo’s throat, threatening to explode at Grian’s performance. “You are ridiculous. Ridiculous! So--so what about you, huh! Why are you trying so hard to figure it out, are you attracted to me then? Hmm!” Mumbo accuses

Grian laughs as he crumbles to the floor, defeated as Mumbo turns on him. “No.” He answers easily, glancing up at Mumbo still standing above him, "Hm. Well..? You are an attractive guy.”

Mumbo surprises at that, laughing in his confusion, "What? I mean thank you—but what? Why did that sound genuine from you-”

"It is genuine! I’m capable of being nice Mumbo. And I’m gay, so—have I told you that actually—?"

"No—you haven’t! But! Good to know? I guess? What are you say-"

Grian sits up with the help of his wings fluttering, "I’m not jealous of your girlfriend, Mumbo. Ok I am—but not in that way.”

“I—you just turned me down before I even said anything, I can’t believe that, that’s a new low for me!” Mumbo sinks to the floor, sitting criss-cross across from Grian, whose staring at him.

Grian laughs, how did this turn into him gently turning Mumbo down? “We can still be friends, Mumbo.”

Mumbo smiles and scoffs, "Obviously. And I wasn’t trying to ignore you, I’ll even get to responding to your mail, promise, I’ll make a mental note of it."

Grian’s hands clench and shake slightly, he almost—almost—squeals at the excitement of Mumbo using their mail system "Yesss thank you there’s some really good stuff in there!"

They pause in silence, only smiling at each other

“Oh, but I have to ask, what is your type then?” Mumbo asks, curious

"Scar.” Grian answers suddenly and earnestly.

Mumbo raises his brows in surprise “Really?? You dont even have to think about it??”

Grian surprises himself, he doesn’t even know Scar that well, but that was the only example he could think of on the spot.

Grian laughs loudly, and Mumbo can’t help but copy him, what even is this conversation?

[sibylsleaves]

my interpretation is that buck is just SO out of touch with his own feelings + kind of susceptible to suggestion, ie someone tells him what they think is going on with him and for whatever reason, maybe bc he doesn’t know or maybe doesnt possess the tools to do the internal interrogation of his own self needed, he just kinda goes “oh yeah that must be it.” like that text post that’s like “Yeah I'll go ahead and integrate that into my belief system.” not saying he didn’t have a crush on tommy but i think the eddie of it all made everything 100x more insane for him to the point where it couldn’t be brushed aside. and yet he’s still only gotten the tip of the iceberg figured out

yeah I've said similar stuff about Buck before and like. I don't think he's unique in relying on other people to help him process his emotions like that's a pretty normal thing to do as a human being. but Buck does, as Bobby points out in s5, just kind of let himself get swept up in stuff easily. and he is someone who, from the first moment we meet him, is searching for meaning and continually thinking he's found it without truly investigating whether it's a) good for him an b) even what he wants.

He's also someone who forms crushes easily and gets infatuated quickly and every time this happens I do truly think there's always a part of him that's like this is it this the one. I actually thought his storyline in s6 had the potential to get to the heart of this, starting with the first episode where he's like vowed to become more cautious about "picking the right couch." which if you think about it is such a specific way to go about dating, right? like he can't date someone casually and see where it goes, he has to date them with the intention of like, ending up together forever. he can't just try out a couch he has to make sure it's "the right one" so every time there's a new couch that catches his eye he's like yes. this IS the one. and then he is inevitably wrong.

and yeah, the eddie of it all is just. very apparent. like please imagine tommy was suddenly trying to be pals with, say, chimney. buck simply would not have given a fuck.

[carrie-tate]

I admit that watching season 6 takes longer than season 5, that is, I literally only watched s6 e4 x'D

But I will still share my impressions because I am delighted. A little sad, but more excited

s6 e4 spoilers:

THE FACT THAT WE WERE GIVEN THE CHANCE TO FIND OUT HOW THE TARDIS WOULD SPEAK IF SHE HAD THE CAPABILITY TO TALK IS AMAZING

It's a shame that so many Time Lords fell for the trick of this living asteroid... Come to think of it, remembering what the Doctor said about... Corsair, I think? I didn't catch his name, was a good person.

And it turns out that the Time Lord's urgent signal for help was always answered by the same Time Lord with clearly positive value systems. Good ones in general

I liked the moment where the TARDIS disappeared right in front of the Doctor and he was just like "Okay, I really don't know what to do now... What an unusual feeling :D *slaps face* Pull yourself together!"

And the TARDIS, the TARDIS!!! I perceived her as alive before, from the very first season, from the Bad Wolf arc

But seeing her and the Doctor interact is amazing (the fact that she actually bit him when she had the chance... Or at least tried, damn, that's a masterpiece) And it's also such a nice reminder that the Doctor essentially stole the TARDIS... But he couldn't have done it if the TARDIS hadn't wanted to be stolen by him. Wonderful

And also, also, the fact that the TARDIS doesn't lose its independence, that they can communicate a little, even without the ability to speak, it's so awesome

I also love the fact that Rory and Amy are just like, "Can we make a bedroom without a bunk bed this time?"

And Doctor "What? But it's a bed with stairs! It's cool, a bunk bed, a bed with stairs... Oh, get out of here already—"

[tommykinard6]

Headcannons:

When Tommy strolls up and saves Hen from the paper pusher in 7x03, with the whole *actually* it falls under the Mexican maritime whatever, *not* the coast guard, this is a weird fact he learned from Buck not five minutes before. Exact same conversation happened in the helicopter waiting for Hen.

Clipboard! Buck would have a very comprehensive system for his body to be bottom friendly within 2-6 weeks of dating Tommy. (way before their first time, just in case. He’s keeping his/Tommy’s options fluid)

Tommy goes absolutely feral for Buck’s lightening scars. Following the entrance scar on his chest to the exit scar on his upper thigh is how Tommy gets Buck’s pants off for the first time.

They’ve probably had at least one date between the cafe scene and the wedding.

Tommy has talked a lot about teaching Buck his hobbies. Buck could teach Tommy how to surf.

Notes:

Everyone is like they kissed so long in the lobby that there was time to serve cake! But I have yet to see, they kissed so long in the lobby other sooted up firefighters made it to the hospital wedding and also got served cake. (There is one such firefighter behind Buck in the soot-face scene, and you know Tommy got to the hospital first out of those guys)

S1 Fuckboi Buck had a dating profile name that had the word FireHose in it and says it’s not referring to an actual hose. S6 Buck confirmed to have enough experience with cock rings to necessitate owning a ring cutter. HC: Buck is explorative and who knows what else he owns but I bet it’s pretty kinky. I can see him and Tommy getting a sex swing together.

Hi nonnie!! 🍄🌸

I’ll number these as I talk about them!

1: YES. I love that actually. Buck totally went on a ten minute spiel about the things he’s learned from the internet or aviation museum.

2: oh yes! In my headcanon, Buck does switch and bottom sometimes, so I totally can see that. He had a checklist and a PowerPoint.

3: Nonnie all I have to say is YES

4: oh for sure, I absolutely think they had a “do over” at the very least. Though idk that they strictly need a do over, so we can leave it at a third date.

5: oh yes! He could teach Tommy surfing and yoga and random facts about bartending (as a bartender, I love this one) and also? Let’s not forget, ranching.

6: I never saw this other firefighter, I’ll have to look next time I watch the scene!

7: oh yes, Buck is kinky and explorative. Idk about the sex swing thing, but I could see it!

Ok bye nonnie! 🍄🌸

[cecekeating]

Jordayla S6 Finale Commentary pt.2

I also feel we need to know if Billy knew/was close to the uncle and whether Laura is even aware of this aspect of Billy’s life. If you recall in the wedding episode for Jordayla, when they announced Jordan and Layla as Mr and Mrs for the first time, the camera panned to Laura and GW before Jordayla. Laura’s outfit matched Jordan’s suit and it was the same material as Layla’s wedding dress. Laura and GW also gave Jordan marital advice. I saw all of this as a hint that Laura and GW will be the support system for Jordayla, especially on Jordan's end. This uncle arc is a perfect way to introduce them.

Another angle with GW, Jordan and this new uncle is to have GW and the uncle not get along at all and possibly hate each other and Jordan, being one to try and make peace is caught in the crossfire. This will likely be similar to season 1 where GW and Billy were at loggerheads on how to be there for Jordan as a footballer. Again, if the uncle is in the sports/football career path, slam dunk!

Now let’s talk about Layla. I don’t know about you but I am calling that motherhood arc for her next season. I am putting my money on 7a being when we find out about the pregnancy. I can also see the pregnancy being a storyline on its own - with the writing showing us how Layla is coping with pregnancy. Remember she has a history with mental health and it is not weird at all if we have her worried about slipping into depression since she has a history. The pregnancy arc can also be a good way to revisit Monica Keating. A big fear of Layla this season was the fear of ending up like her mother. We got a resolution of that fear in relation to Layla’s career/impending marriage. A pregnancy arc will be a good way to show us the resolution of that fear from the place of motherhood. From a writing perspective, this would hit harder if she begins to bond with Amina during her pregnancy. We also have her label. What will it be like as a pregnant woman running a business?

Another sidenote: I did think Layla leading the line of women to get Liv ready was a sort of foreshadow as her being sort of the female lead of the show. And she was seated next to GW and on the same seat with Laura - the woman of the house vibes. 

So happy Jordayla got the Baker house. I think we have been calling it for a while now. The Baker house is home for them and they get to keep the money they were planning to use to buy a house. Them getting the Baker house makes sense as the new Bakers and it has always been home for them, particularly Layla. Looking forward to seeing them live and build their lives in the Baker home next season. Them bickering over the cake slice was hilarious and super cute!  Jordayla is such an adorable married couple. 

So what will all this mean for Jordayla next season?

I personally feel season 7 will be similar to this season only that Jordan is likely going to be the one that has loads of stuff thrown at him- similar to Layla this season. I am still sticking to my theory in 612 that the Jordayla dynamic will flip and Layla will be the one looking after Jordan and being there for him. If she is pregnant, I can see some bit of their season 4 dynamic return with them coming through for each other at different times over the course of the season. My money though is on Jordan being the one that needs the most support in s7. 

So you can begin to see why the writing for Layla/Jordayla had to be airtight this season. Layla will need to be mentally and emotionally stable to support and care for Jordan this season. If we didn’t get this Jordayla arc this season, it would be difficult for the writing to convince us that Layla can actually support Jordan. Seeing her work through all her issues in what I consider to be one of AA’s most thorough arcs, will make sense when she begins to support Jordan and even as she navigates the pregnancy journey. 

So that is my yapping for this episode! I have loved writing this for you. If I have shared anything that makes no sense to you, please toss it out. Again, all I have written, I have written based on the established writing and what my writer/fan theory brain is telling me. I have no idea where NK is taking us to in S7 but I have a feeling I will be back with more Jordayla yappings! 

[thrandilf]

Claudia, Claudia

Predicting a being who always held more cards in his hand than she did was difficult. She'd resigned herself to searching for Aaravos, alone, figuring her best shot was going to Katolis Castle and cutting through whatever and whoever she had to.

His voice surprised her, a voice she could hear when some part of her mind seemed to buzz, a voice that she'd gotten used to only catching whispers of in her ear. Now, it spoke in her mind directly.

I'll come to you. Wait for me.

She stopped in the middle of the forest path she'd been taking west. "What?" she asked aloud. Aaravos had never been one to respond to her when she wanted, much to her fury. She spun around, as if he was really there, still not used to her makeshift new leg, stumbling slightly. "Aaravos, come on! I don't- I don't know what else to do!"

Of course he wasn't there.

Because no one was, nor would they be. Not anymore.

Claudia halted for the day, making camp early, wondering if there was anything to his command for her to wait.

When she next heard his voice, it shot chills down her spine.

Claudia, Claudia,

She bolted up in her bedroll, gasping for breath. Unlike before, when he spoke into her mind, his voice seemed to echo physically around her, cushioned by the canopy of leaves above her.

A figure stood behind the last smoldering embers of her campfire. Tall, silhouette outlined by the moon, every angle from the hem of his robes to the curves of his horns elegant against the sky behind him. His skin glistened with constellations from somewhere far away, but the brightest spots were under his eyes. Even his eyes seemed to glow.

Those eyes glinted for just a moment as Aaravos took her in, expression softening as he knelt. He reached out, the scene still like a dream to her, fingertips resting on her jaw, thumb wiping away a tear she hadn't known had shed in her sleep.

"I'm here."

It was still as though his voice enveloped them both, deep and reassuring, just a hint of breathlessness to it as though he couldn't believe it either, a crack in the mask. She meant something to him- she was the first person he wanted to see.

She was first, to someone.

Claudia stumbled out of her sleeping bag and into his arms without thinking. "He's gone," she said, rambling and trying to catch her breath. "And Terry, he didn't understand- I know he'd leave too and so I had to go first, and- I just-"

"I know." He radiated patience, understanding without condescending. Aaravos returned her embrace, after a moment of hesitation. Perhaps she should have waited, given him time, how long had it been since he'd touched anyone? She almost pulled back but he held her closer, finally not just his voice but his breath and warmth also in her ear. "I never break a promise, Claudia."

Aaravos pulled back enough to look in her eyes, caring smile placating her worries. "I know what true loyalty means, what a gift you are to me." Claudia sniffled, torn between wanting to sob over how the past week had been or trying to be strong, to prove she was powerful enough, to earn what had always been impossible to earn, but there was no need for any of it.

"You have never failed in tests of love," he said, as if he knew what she wanted to hear, what she'd needed to hear all of her life. His lips twitched upwards into a smirk, relishing his own words. "Others failed us, Claudia. We need only give them what's coming to them for it."

[justafriendofxanders]

my hot take (not in a condescending way) is that lindsey's obsession with darla is not "actually" about angel, by which i mean that his obsession with angel is ALSO not actually about angel. i think both represent ways of coping with an inferiority complex that requires impossible figures -- an unattainable object, an insurmountable obstacle -- that externalize interior feelings of shame and inferiority, the point being that he CAN'T ever beat angel or "get" darla.

that being said, i DO think lindsey has a weird psychosexual obsession with angel. i DO think he would benefit from a healthy bdsm relationship, but i DON'T think it should be with angel, not because angel couldn't do it but because he shouldn't, because angel does actually look down on him for real. i mean i DO think lindsey would get off on that. not because he should. but he would.

mostly the only situation i see angel fucking lindsey is if he was REALLY down in the dumps about something and felt isolated from the rest of his support system, a la buffy s6. at which point the relationship would be about proving to each other that angel's not AS evil as lindsey but also that, by "using" him, angel has ~evil~ within him too. eventually lindsey would pick up on the fact that angel was doing this out of self-loathing and engage in psychosexual warfare where he realizes he can't "beat" angel by overpowering him, but he can humiliate him for fucking him. like i think the worst thing lindsey could say to angel would be the acknowledgment that he can't ever surpass him, because angel is just that much more evil than lindsey could ever hope to be. the levels of self-destructive hatesex would be off the charts, and actually, when i put it that way,

[epicbuddieficrecs]

Epic Buddie Fic Rec | October 9th-15th 2023

Hey guys!

I'm trying to get back into the habit of making these recs every week. I've been working on a banner and it's not ready yet, but I didn't want to wait for it to be ready before making fic recs because procrastination = bad!! 😆 I hope you enjoy!

If you don't know me from my other fic rec blogs, I rec pretty much all the fics that I've read and that I've enjoyed in these recaps, but I put an emoji next to the ones that I liked just a liiiiiittle bit more 😉 For Stucky, I used blue hearts (💙), for Steddie I used black hearts (🖤), and for Buddie... well the decision wasn't too hard to make 😜

Complete

take me to the edge (then let me fall) by honestlydarkprincess/ @honestlydarkprincess (PWP | 1K | Explicit): Or, the one where Eddie edges Buck until he loses his mind all the while calling him a good boy.

🔥 but i can see all along, love (it was you all the way down) by diazchristopher/ @captain-hen (Post-S6, Time Loop | 28K Mature): He puts his laptop away after a bit, and paces the length of his apartment as he tries to take stock of the situation at hand. One: The date is March 22nd, 2024. Two: It has been March 22nd for 3 days now. Three: Buck is trapped in some kind of time loop that is forcing him to relive this day. Four: Eddie is, apparently, in love with him. And. And. Five: Buck doesn’t feel the same way.

🔥 still by brewrosemilk/ @gayhoediaz (Post-Season 6 AU, Near Death Experiences | 9K | Teen): “Your guess was correct, Diaz,” the bomb technician tells them, as he gestures to the orange circle. “You’re standing on a large sensor plate, wired to a detonator. It’s incredibly important that you don’t move. Don’t shift. When you put your weight down, it was like cocking a gun - you take your weight off, this thing is powerful enough to take the entire house with it."

to feel the need of your touch by honestlydarkprincess/ @honestlydarkprincess (PWP, Light BDSM, Post-Season 6 | 7K | Explicit): When Natalia had casually suggested they stay fuck buddies, at least until he got his shit together about Eddie, Buck had seriously considered it. But it just wasn’t what he wanted. So, he had said no and Natalia had understood, and that was that. And now, Buck was miserable. He was so sensitive. His skin felt like a live wire. Any and all touches he received started to feel like a shock to his system. Or, the one where Buck is touchstarved and desperate for Eddie. They fuck but it's also really sweet.

reassure me with your praise by honestlydarkprincess/ @honestlydarkprincess (PWP, Kinktober, Getting Together | 5K | Explicit): Or, the one where Buck is concerned he might be bad in bed and Eddie has a solution.

bet on it by honestlydarkprincess/ @honestlydarkprincess (PWP, Kinktober | 4K | Explicit): Or, the one where newly together Buck and Eddie make a bet to see who can last longer without sex. The bet lasts one day.

Something Dumb to Do by glorious_spoon/ @glorious-spoon (Friends to Lovers, First Time | 8K | Explicit): "Too bad we can't just date each other." Eddie laughs. "What?" "No, I'm serious!" Buck sets his beer down, the better to gesture with both hands, face lighting up, and Eddie just—he really loves the guy, okay. Ridiculous as he is. "It would be so much easier! You wouldn't have to introduce a new person to Chris—he already likes me anyway—and you could tell Pepa so she'll stop setting you up on dates that don't go anywhere—" "And what would you get out of this?" Eddie asks, grinning. - Or: Buck and Eddie try something out together.

hope is a sword by marcato/ @callaplums (Post-Season 6, Near-Death Experiences | 5K | Teen): Holy shit, Eddie loves him so much. He’s been so stupid, telling himself to wait for the right moment. What right fucking moment? It should have been yesterday, three weeks ago– hell, it should have been three years ago when he was telling his best friend about the goddamn will. It doesn’t matter right now, though. The only thing that matters is keeping as much of Buck’s blood inside his body as possible. One can only hope and wish and pray.

🔥 Four Can Keep a Secret by Daisies_and_Briars/ @cal-daisies-and-briars (Post-Season 6, Secret Relationship | 20K | Teen): When Ravi and Hen accidentally see Buck and Eddie, who are trying hard to keep their new relationship a secret, in the middle of a romantic moment, they try to make them confess without the rest of the station finding out. Shenanigans ensue.

early hours of yearning by brewrosemilk/ @gayhoediaz (PWP, Kinktober | 4K | Explicit): “You really wanna go again?" “Yes,” he confirms, gently scratching his teeth down the side of his neck, treasuring the deep moan he gets in response. “God, you’re fucking insatiable," he hears Eddie moan as he tilts his head back, giving Buck more space to work. “Doesn’t feel like you’re complaining."

how forever feels by icesculptures/ @ice-sculptures @athenagranted (Post-Season 6, Getting Together | 8K | General): Or: tired of the growing distance between them, Eddie asks Buck to dance at Maddie and Chimney's wedding, healing more than his own heart along the way.

WIP

Don't They Know It's the End of the World? by Daisies_and_Briars/ @cal-daisies-and-briars (Fallout 4 AU, Post-Apocalyptic | 4/14 | 7K | Mature | Warning: Violence): After being put in a cryogenic sleep for over a hundred years to wait out an apocalyptic event, Eddie Diaz wakes up, too early, to find his son has been stolen from his cryo-chamber. Scared and alone in a frightening world he doesn't recognize, Eddie is willing to do anything to get his kid back.

🔥 Nothing Left But You by Daisies_and_Briars/ @cal-daisies-and-briars ("Blip" AU | 8/9 | 24K | Teen | Warning: MCD): In May of 2021, 25% of Earth's population suddenly disappears. Including Eddie. In May of 2026, they all come back. Eddie finds himself suddenly in the middle of a world he doesn't recognize, where the people he loves most have changed significantly.

Innocence died screaming, honey, ask me I should know by JJK/ @trenchcoatsandtimetravel (Demon Buck, Canon Divergent | 2/? | 4K | Teen): Buck is a demon with the power to help with pregnancy, childbirth, and infant health. When the Buckleys make a deal asking for someone to help 'save their baby', Buck leaps at the chance as it will give him what he's always wanted: a life on earth. But demon deals are tricky and neither of them gets quite what they're after. This is Buck's journey as he navigates growing up on earth and remembering how to help those in need.

🔥 for all the haunts and homes of men by euadnes/ @kananjarus (Canon Divergent, Post-Apocalyptic, Station Eleven Crossover | WIP | 10/? | 85K | Mature | Warning: Violence): The year by the old calendar is 2025. Home is gone. Home is a failed rescue mission and an echo of a memory. Home is a lost boy living in a wooden house by the sea. But first, there was a promise. Christopher, when it's safe, I'll take you back to your father. Buck had all but given up on keeping it after the world had died and everyone in it. But just as some oaths refuse to be forgotten, so the same can be said about the endurance of love.

[bronx-bomber87]

Happy Saturday :) Counted the days today see how far off we are. 73 days till s6. Still awhile away but glad to have something to look forward to. Not a ton of moments in this one but what we do get is good. Always is with them having crumbs or massive moments tis a delight. Do get to see Tim in sexy leader mode. Always gets my engine revving ha

4x15 Hit List

We start off with the clown saying 'Hi' to Lucy. She asks if he got her emails? He babbles on about not reading them yet. Cause they pertain to coddling felons. (asshat...)He then jumps the gun and calls her his GF. Lucy is not about it. I love her calling him out on it. The clown tries to defend his answer but Lucy cuts it off. Not allowing the convo to go any further. It’s almost like he’s not worth it Lucy…. Or just a relationship of convenience....Instead of digging deeper into that she presses on about the judicial system.

How he could make a difference with the position he’s in. Chris asks why she didn’t go to law school then? Her answer is classic. Because her parents wanted her to LOL The clown starts telling her she should go to law school. Leave being a cop and the violence behind. It’s funny or more annoying really. Both Chris and Ashley wanting them to leave being a cop behind. Something that so dear and important to them. An intricate piece of who they are. Oh the reasons these people are wrong for them is plentiful.

They truly pick the polar opposites for themselves this season. Before the clown leaves he asks her if she really wasn’t ok with him calling her his GF? Lucy deflects once again. Saying it’s fine if she can call him her ‘Work in progress. ’ Easy love, your commitment issues are showing…Amazing how in s5 with Tim she doesn’t hesitate…. *sigh* The clown is an annoying speed bump on our journey to that moment.

We first catch our couple rolling in their shop. Lucy looking out the window. Pensive look written on her face. Tim notes this silence and says she’s been quiet. So funny this man who would get so irritated by her talking and personal stuff notes this. We know that wall is demolished so when he doesn’t have that he misses it. i.e. this moment.

We all know he secretly loves their shop talks at this point. She came barreling into his life like a chatty sunshine filled wrecking ball. Knocking his high wall down to rubble. With it gone he’s used to it now and craves it honestly. Especially when it’s absent. He’s the one to break the silence in this moment not Lucy. It’s the little things I love so much. Look at our Tim.

Once the silence has been broken Lucy asks her question. Asking Tim if he thinks she’d be a good lawyer? Doesn’t waste a second before telling her No LMAO Her face in the second gif haha She’s so offended. Tim sees this and follows up with saying it's a compliment. Lucy tries to defend it by saying Wesley’s a lawyer. ‘We’ like Wesley. Heh who is this 'We' eh Lucy? Talking like an old married couple. What else is new? Haha I love it Tim fires right back with the same ‘We’ below. This is making me giddy. I see you guys and I’m happy about it.

Tim makes the point they only accept Wesley cause they fear Lopez. I mean where’s the lie? LOL If there is one other woman (other than Lucy) who can put the fear of God into Tim it’s Angela Lopez haha Also his disdain for lawyers explains his extra dislike of Chris the clown. Already doesn’t like the guy. Him being a lawyer isn’t scoring him any extra points with Tim.

Nevertheless she is amused by her husband antics about this. Written all over her face. Damn they cute. Lucy continues on about making change. That a progressive DA can change a lot more than they can. Tim stops her. Says they’re not there to make change. Their job is to catch criminals. If she wants to become a crusader for change tells her to become a billionaire. Then she can eradicate poverty.

Before their convo can go any further they see a car pull up speeding. It cuts them off and opens fire on the vehicle next to it. They pull up to the car and the poor driver is already dead. There was nothing they could've done for her. She’s so young it’s sad to see. Lopez pulls up to their scene after its in progress. Asks what happened? All they have right now is a drive by for info. She tells them that the key into why she was shot at will be in ID'ing her.

Tim takes over for Grey so he can go testify in his case. It’s his first stint as Watch Commander. Already off the a rocky and hectic start. Nolan also had a victim this morning. Man blatantly poisoned in the lobby. He died waiting for help. They connect the two through the fact they were both witnesses to a massive case. Tim lets them know it’s the same case Grey is about to testify for… I do love seeing him in that chair. Everyone coming to him because he's acting commander. He wears it well.

Tim comes to see Grey at the hospital. He just barely survived his attack. The scene in the garage is intense. It's a throw back to when Nolan killed his suspect back in S1. We can see the worry on Tim's face before he walks over to Wade. He does his best to put his worry away before coming up. The worry is still evident though. Especially through out their interaction. This man has been a rock and a mentor for Tim. To see Grey shaken up like this is hitting him hard.

I love Tim coming up calm and patting his leg. Trying to reassure him. He then does what he does best and takes control of the situation. Lets him know everything is squared away. That all he needs to focus on now is getting better. Wade asks who she was? He tells her a hitter for Matteo Rubio. The man he was set to testify against. They think that she was also the shooter for the drive by.

Tim goes into sexy sergeant mode. Reports back to his crew who are waiting for news. They discuss what happened and if the threat is over. Nolan doesn’t think so since the person who killed his victim was a man. Tim sends Lucy to the DA with Angela to get the witness list. See if they can prevent anymore deaths. He then directs everyone else in that take charge tone of his. Yum. Everyone turning to him for guidance and respecting everything he's saying. I love it sfm.

He wants round the clock security for Grey. Then advices Nolan on how to be there for Wade. Going from strong leader to teacher in the blink of an eye. Getting me all hot and bothered Sergeant Bradford. *fan-self* Tim says he’s going to try and ID the deceased shooter. That way he can find out who she was partnered with and catch this other threat.

The trip to the DA is fruitless. Del Monte won’t share the confidential witness list. Says unless they have credible evidence he isn’t sharing anything. That they handle witness protection for a reason. Angela is fiery af with Del Monte. Saying they’re doing a bang up job LOL I love her so much. This is why Tim fears her haha

Chris tries to catch them before they leave. Angela allows a minute for them to chat in private. He hands her the list. Lucy immediately tries to hand it back. He follows it up telling Lucy that she can’t say where she got it from. He’ll be fired if she does. Maybe then don’t do that and put her in this position clown…

Acting like he's doing her this big favor but also letting her know how it could damage him. Trying to be the big hero but it comes off as anything but that IMO. Like look at me and what I'm going to possibly sacrifice. You'll owe me if this works out. Putz. Lucy’s moral compass winning out though. Tim would be so proud. Telling him they can’t become criminals to catch one. That they’ll find another way. My girl. I love it. Angela interrupts says they ID’d Grey’s shooter.

We return to our ship on a stakeout. They found the place she has been staying at. Waiting to gain entrance to their shooters home. Tim coming up asking if there has been any movement? Lucy reports no. What I love here is the lack of space. This whole season it's not a concept they understand. I love it sfm. He closes the gap and she doesn’t even notice. It’s just their natural rhythm at this point. Magnetically drawn to one another. Could he be any closer to her?

Once they’re inside they notice her associate isn’t there. They don’t have a name attached to him yet. All they had was this house and it’s empty. Lucy asks Tim if he smells smoke? He says yes. Being the smart cookie she is saying it’s a little hot outside for a fire….The theme for lack of person space continue as they examine the fireplace. Looks like they just missed him. He bailed and burned their paper trail before he took off.

As they check the remains of the burnt paperwork. Tim joins her and leans close as they inspect what’s left. No need for it but I’m happy for it haha He physically can’t help it. Tim saying there isn’t much to work with. Lucy being the bad ass she is finds something. A name Kellen Myers. Just what they needed. A huge crack in the case courtesy of our girl.

We find out that name was of a paralegal who sold the list to their shooter. Angela breaks down this dude quickly. It's amazing to watch her in action. He easily collapses under the pressure. Says he didn’t know anyone would get killed. Tells her he gave the name of the witnesses and the DA. Idk how this dude thought they would just play nice with them all. Idiot. Probably why they picked him.

Tim and Lucy race to the DA office. Phone lines are down and they know their next target is them. Unfortunately they save his clown ass and Del Monte (would’ve saved us a lot of trouble had this guy succeeded haha) Guess them being together did get us pouty, pining Tim in S5 so it’s not a total loss her dating him lol

Lucy checks in on the clown after everything is settled. She then asks him why he really wanted to give her the list? To me Chris was one big manipulative red flag. (Also clueless as hell at the same time. Enigma of ugh.)He never did anything because it was the right thing to do. It was because he was trying to impress her. Pleading the 5th and all that for the list. Just like Tyler's deal in 4x11. He did it because it was to impress Lucy. To get in her good graces.

So once again with this moment he did it for the sake of impressing her. Not because it was the right thing to do. Nothing like Tim. I’ve said this before they both went for people who were the polar opposite of who they really wanted in s4. I dislike Chris so much and he lasts the longest bleh. I don't like either Ashley or Chris but I dislike Chris more. Love the actor to bits he's a sweetheart. Chris though? blah. Pretty low content ep for them but next one will more than make up for it.

~~~

Side notes-non Chenford

The SL with Grey and Nolan is really good. I may give Nolan a hard time cause well he is a putz most times ha but I do enjoy how he and Grey have grown professionally and personally.

Aaron’s plain clothes day is ROUGH to say the least with running into Patrick’s dad…

Thank you so very much to those who continue to be on this review journey with me. By liking, commenting and reblogging these ❤️ you’re the all the best. See you in 4x16 :)

[raayllum]

Regarding working on the video about arc 2, do you think people are upset with how ''slow'' the show is, some other plots being boring( their words, not mine) or that humans are the oppressed and that the Aaravos is the good guy somehow?

Most under a read more cause this got a lil long

I do think some of the arc 2 backlash is the perception that things are slower, and I would agree that for some characters S4 and S5 are paced slower (Claudia in S5 for example) than they have been since S1, I just disagree that it's a problem because character expansion is worthwhile and there are always new sides we're seeing or understanding to everyone throughout arc 2. I also think sometimes people conflate character development with "this character is doing things I want to see". For example, Soren at the beginning of S6 is more or less the same person he is at the end of S6, but his arc in S6 is widely praised. Because even though it isn't about change, there is a lot of emotional intensity, and that's fun to see. TDP has never been a show where emotional intensity is true for everyone all the time, though, and it's not as though Soren doesn't get those moments in previous seasons (S4 in particular has some pretty rough patches for him, emotionally)

so... Idk. S4 rips my heart out multiple every time I watch it, so the idea of it being less emotionally intense (even if S5 and S6 are undeniably more) in a bad way doesn't hold water for me, personally, but that's also just my own experience (which is, of course, all I can really draw on).

The main plot arc labelled as boring in Arc 2 is the Sunfire elf plotline. I like politics and worldbuilding and Janai as a character. I don't need it to be constantly connected to the main plot line because Viren's entire plotline as a character from 1x06 onwards (and even the bulk of 1x04 and 1x05) has no bearing on any of the entire main cast again until 3x03 (for Soren and Claudia)... so, two whole seasons? But that's Okay and Not Boring, presumably, because audiences were willing to accept a white man being a semi-protagonist / bc it was established early on, and when things shift to include other main characters - especially a Black, queer led plotline - that gets people's internal hackles raised, I suppose. There's very little criticism of the Sunfire elf plotline in S4 that doesn't feel like it's coming from a racist or queerphobic place, whether from disregarding Janaya's allegory and navigating religious differences (which you don't really have to do when you're Christian/raised atheist in a culturally Christian/agnostic culture), or even just hating Karim (who is a lot more like Viren) because he's an emotional Black man experiencing cultural grief (which the majority of a white Western audience cannot relate to, but Viren's entirely individual desire for power - esp taking power away from a Black family, is seen as far more sympathetic, for some reason).

As for "the humans are oppressed and Aaravos is the good guy" that's been a complaint throughout the show and isn't exclusive to arc 2, and it's one I've always thought was silly. By virtue of showing elves and humans working together as a good thing (all of season 1 onwards) the show implicitly condemns the expulsion of the humans and division of the continent until they finally do so in words from Ezran as a mouthpiece (6x07). It's not even so much debate over whether humans are oppressed (the system was unfair, but largely we see Xadia leaving them entirely alone after the expulsion, which again, was never justified in text in the first place) as it is a statement where even if you are oppressed or scared (and this goes for the elves too, and that half of them had to mutually leave their homes, which has been Completely unaddressed by the narrative outside of inklings at the Moon Nexus) that doesn't mean your ends justify your means. Given the state of global affairs, I don't think I have to explain why a traditionally oppressed people seeking to reclaim their perceived 'homeland' after centuries away by any means necessary, even if that means destroying the lives of everyone who's currently living there, makes "we're oppressed so it's okay" the ironclad argument people seem to think it is, and why challenging that view is routinely a worthwhile thing to do (it's also why conservative far right people love to have a persecution complex, too).

That said: none of this is stuff I plan to focus on the "in defense of arc 2" video. The goal of that video isn't going to be "you shouldn't have a problem with arc 2," because people are entitled to their feelings and trying to change them rarely works. The goal of the video is to talk about why I think choices were made, how the seasons fit with each other and arc 1, and why I think the choices the show made were the most effective for the Story the creators want to tell with respect to time constraints, etc. That's it and that's all.