#yes i even want the best for the ��bad” people in the military too

[girlactionfigure]

Enemies With Keffiyehs and the Enemies Without

URI KURLIANCHIK

“The enemy is anybody who's going to get you killed, no matter which side he's on.”

—Joseph Heller, Catch-22

In times of war and strife, it’s important not to lose track of the difference between enemies and opponents. 

An opponent is a person with whom you share a goal but disagree on the methods. For example, I don’t consider Biden or the Labour party in Israel to be my enemies. I think they’re very wrong about their methods on how to achieve victory and peace, dangerously wrong even, but I don’t think they actively wish to harm me. They’ve analyzed the situation poorly, reached the wrong conclusions, and came up with a bad solution. Is this dangerous? Oh yes! Is it hostile? No. 

Surely, no one will doubt the patriotism of the current head of the Labour party, Yair Golan, who was among the first to charge into the Gaza Envelope on October 7, driving a civilian car, to save lives. He just doesn’t understand the psychology of the enemy so he makes poor political decisions. I’ll act within the best of my ability and within the limits of the law and civil decency to make sure he doesn’t get any official positions, but I certainly don’t wish him any harm.

An enemy is someone who wants to destroy you. It can be someone hiding in the ruins with a rocket launcher, or someone manipulating global media against from a fancy office in a skyscraper. It makes no difference.

Obviously a Hezbollah militant is an enemy. Greta Thunberg or Ilhan Omar are also enemies. Their objective is my destruction and I see no reason to treat the Nordic advertisement against drinking during pregnancy any differently than I would the bronze age barbarian hiding in a cave with murder in his heart. 

Both literally want to kill me.

They say all is fair in love and war. This is a battle for survival. You owe the enemy no civility, no fairness, no understanding, no compassion. 

This is something that people must understand: when we reach this level of hostility, this is no longer a debate. This is war. Any person who talks about “decolonizing Palestine” or “dismantling Israel” wants to murder you.

The only thing you owe your enemy is defeat.

Not in a million years would I condone violence against Kamala Harris, whom I consider a poor politician. I explained to people why I believe that voting for her would be a mistake but that’s the extent of the actions I’d condone “against” her. I’m happy that she lost the election because I think this is in the best interest of basically the entire human race, herself included. Whenever engaging her supporters online, I always strove to act with civility and debate in good faith. We all want America and Israel to be prosperous and successful, we just disagree on how to achieve this.

Enemies, on the other hand… Well, let me tell you a story. 

Julius Streicher was was the founder and publisher of the violently racist newspaper Der Stürmer. Imagine if Nick Fuentes and Jackson Hinkle had a baby (I apologize for that image) in a world with no community guidelines.

Julius was such an extremist that he was condemned by other Nazis. 

That’s right. That guy was too racist and hateful for the god damn Nazis. This, along with his generally disgusting behavior, resulted in him losing all party offices by 1940. 

He spent the rest of the war as a very rich and very hateful publisher.

In 1945, Streicher was captured in Austria by a group of American officers. Streicher was not a member of the military and did not take part in the planning of the Holocaust or the invasion of other nations. Nevertheless, he was sentenced to death. 

Why? Because he was an asshole.

Okay, it’s not something you can put in an official paper. Here’s a quote from the actual judgement:

“For his 25 years of speaking, writing and preaching hatred of the Jews, Streicher was widely known as 'Jew-Baiter Number One.' In his speeches and articles, week after week, month after month, he infected the German mind with the virus of anti-Semitism… Streicher's incitement to murder and extermination at the time when Jews in the East were being killed under the most horrible conditions clearly constitutes persecution on political and racial grounds.”

I’m sure you can think of one or two people in the West to whom this description would apply perfectly.

After October 7, these people cannot claim ignorance of the genocidal intentions of Iran and her proxies. This was probably the best-documented genocidal massacre in human history. 

There’s no way Spanish Prime Minster Pedro Sánchez didn’t know Israel was being bombed by five countries when he tried to block weapon shipments to Israel. None of the groups bombing Israel ever hid their genocidal intentions towards the Israeli people. Nevertheless, he did it. 

He’s an enemy.

The objective of these people is the destruction of the Israeli people. They’re not naively trying to achieve peace using the wrong methods. They’re not just trying to stop the war because they love humanity. No adult is that ignorant.

They want Jewish blood and lots of it.

Their goal is the same as Stericher’s, only they’re more careful with their words. In no small part because of what happened to Streicher, whose genocidal rants made him very rich but ultimately bought him the noose.

So keep this in mind. We have opponents and we have enemies. 

Don’t confuse the two and act accordingly.

[mueritos]

i hope we continue to see more protests within the US military. i see a lot of leftists and folks who are anti-military who have such an open disdain for the people who are in the military, yet neglect to considering the conditions this country makes to produce ideology, poverty, and the illusion of choice to make all kinds of people choose to enlist in the military. You ever see those videos of ROTC kids recording each other asking why they joined the military and everyone's like, "healthcare", "it helped me go to college", "I was bored" or "free ptsd lol". I hate to remind everyone but folks who are in the military are people, too, and they are the same victims and perpetrators of violence as the rest of you, we have all been shallowly conditioned to view each other as enemies just because one person is wearing army greens and the other is not.

some of the biggest anti-war advocates are those who engaged in war. Veterans who genuinely believed they were protecting the US against "terrorism" come back with blood on their hands, and they choose to realize that it was US imperialism that forced them to carry out violence, instead of doubling down and shielding themselves from the fact that they too are capable of atrocities... This is a class of people who are intentionally conditioned to be as poor and as ideologically aligned to US imperialism so that the military has a never-ending pool to send their youth to destroy other country's youth. The only people I have ever heard say "do not join the military" are those who ARE military.

This is in no way to ever excuse or explain away any of the atrocious war crimes and violence this industry and its people have committed against others. What I am saying is that we absolutely cannot cast aside the individuals who have been victimized within US imperialism, even if they are wearing army greens. I was speaking with my Palestinian classmate last week and another classmate--a member of the US air force-- walked up to me and struck up a conversation. My military classmate showed me her new bird, bid both of us goodbye, and left. My Palestinian classmate asked me if I was close with her, and I said we talked quite often, and she said, "I never met a person who's in the military. I still hate the military, but I never knew that they did, too. I didn't realize that they were also victims."

If my Palestinian classmate--one who is actively watching her own community die--can understand that it is not individuals who are the problem but it is in fact systems, US imperialism, white supremacy, capitalism...why can't we all? And she has EVERY reason to hate any individual military member. A lot of online activism just creates more barriers. if your optics look bad, complicated, or contradictory, you are cast aside. Everyone has got the be the perfect activist, you can never make a mistake or share a half-baked thought, you should always believe every word from a marginalized persons mouth (because being marginalized doesn't mean you're not entrenched in white supremacy too!) and you should never question what you see...Do you know what you sound like? The very imperialists who are convincing poor whites to vote against themselves. Perfectionism is white supremacy. Black & white thinking is white supremacy.

I'd rather have a military member who genuinely believed in the US imperialism machine but was disillusioned after being deployed as my comrade than some leftist who cherishes the performance of "being a good person". I don't want "good people" in our movements. I want humans who care. I want humans who make mistakes and who learn from them. I want humans who accept the messiness of a person. I want humans who hold others accountable and allow themselves to take responsibility for their actions. I want people who change for themselves and others.

fight systems, not individual people. we can change each other, but if we're too preoccupied looking like the World's Perfect Activists, we will only consume each other alive. Connect to your fellow humans, forever and always.

[alanisinstone]

okay bluecollar!rafe but yall. can we make it MARINE!RAFE?? or more specifically MARSOC!rafe* who works for ward at cameron construction co. on leave?? like hello i need him bad guys.

cw: MDNI smut, cursing, stuff in public, food play, cum eating, military stuff, ass play, manhandling, 1 mention of fighting, recording

*marsoc: Marine Forces Special Operations Command - basically what COD men do

like he starts off as a standard private officer after enlisting when you guys graduate high school. he works his way up from private to corporal to sergeant major, and then eventually to captain, colonel, then general. i mean hes fucking unstoppable, hes blowing thru these ranks like nobodys fuckin business, and he not stopping anytime soon baby he in his primeeee.

he moves on to MARSOC and leads a small team on SPEC-OP missions in like borneo. hes literally the best of the best. his full file is like 4 pounds, full of successful recon missions, confirmed kills, successful captures of enemy targets, accurate tracking efforts, successful counterterrorism efforts, successful hostage rescue and successful direct action raids. when theres a REAL threat? they call LT Cameron. callsign? RAIDER

NOW. when baby comes home on leave he works at the family construction company ward owns, building giant beach houses for rich kooks. he eventually inherits cameron construction when ward gets too old to work and he helps ward retire bcs of the cash from being the most elite soldier in the US military. bae is tannnn bcs of construction work ofc, but also since being in the military he likes to go on runs and be in nature to clear his head. and yall alr know hes yatteddddd, both sleeves done by his boy at home on the cut, who happens to be a very talented tattoo artist (barry...)

strictly keeps a buzz for deployment but will grow out a mullet when hes home. signature gold chain is always on, and has a tat on his ring finger for you and maybe one on his forearm. does he have both ears pierced with fake diamond studs in? yes.

is currently in the blueprint stage for a beach house he wants to build you on figure 8 (and one in florida... and will probably start planning another one if he ends up having a long ship-out next deployment) even tho he despises rich fucks and is suchhhh a country boy. i mean hes like pogue!rafe but hes more of a mudding, dirt biking, bonfire, shotgunning beer, lifted truck, bar hop, football game kind of guy. and the most elite soldier in the US military ofc.

takes you on stargazing dates and fucks you in the truck bed, a big beach towel set down and his head in your neck while he ruts into you short and fast. occasionally gets into bar fights when some dick is tryna say sum to u. is such an ass man and will smack and grope that shit wheneverrrr whereverrrr - has zoned out of convos with people while feelin HIS booty up + loves to grip your pussy with his big ass paw when no one is looking.

has a super firm grip due to years of being a marine and WILL manhandle ur ass around - into various positions, onto the bed or couch or counter or etc., up over his shoulder when you gettin on his nerves. gets actually animalistic when yall fuckin, and yk that boy a munch. growls and grunts sooo loud the whole time.

will take you to the dock and fuck you on the family fishing boat. will christen any new bar yall go to by fucking you in the gross bathroom and carving both your initials in the wall with his pocket knife that ward gave him when he was 15. is kinky af but lets u bring it up bcs he feels awkward talking about it. is sooooo nasty - will eat his cum out of you with his whole mouth, eyes locked on yours, sucking your lips into his mouth. then, when it’s not enough, he drags you up to sit on his face and rubs your clit, watching you clench and letting his cum drip from you right onto his tongue.

will stick a thumb in your ass during doggy, while reaching for his phone bcs the way u throwin that ass back on him? yall bout to make another movie. loves watching you clean him up after round 5, when his dick is covered in his and your cum - will not let you miss a spot, even where it dripped down over his hefty balls to his ass. and he rarely shaves - uncut.

if it’s a hot day, he’ll turn the ac off and find you so he can lick the sweat off every crevice of your beautiful body while he’s fucking you over the counter. both of you completely butt naked bcs it’s hot. has a sweet tooth - will interrupt you while you’re baking and strip you, laying you on the counter like the dessert you are and eating the frosting off his favorite parts. get especially excited when it comes to sweets on your nipples.

honestly if that aint a FEASTTTT i dont know what issss

[vcnillazelda]

Hi! ^^ I don't know if you're still taking requests. I'm kind of new around here.

So If you can, I'd like to ask for headcanons or a scenario where Ghost / Soap / König has a crush on a recruit girl who is a very skilled sniper, but is constantly underestimated and even excluded by other military personnel for being short and mute?

ghost, soap and könig crushing on mute! recruit! reader

tags: pining, eventual relationship/getting together, confessions, protective! simon, könig’s is really long i’m sorry 😭

johnny and könig under cut

a/n: aaaaa this is adorable

✞———————❖———————✞

ghost

he’s nervous around you ngl

full on like palms sweaty and mild stammering it’s so cute

the fact you’re mute is kind of appealing to him, he likes your company because you don’t bother him like johnny does, you’ll listen if he speaks and offer some communication sometimes albeit his sign language is rusty

the moment he realised he’s in love with you is the first mission you went on. he’s seeking you out, knowing he can’t ask your location because you couldn’t respond. he gets a little anxious due to the lack of communication, it’s what keeps him sane, knowing his colleagues are okay.

he gets you a special radio so you can communicate better, putting an extra button on so you could beep it. one for yes, two for no, three for ‘i’m in danger’, yet simon’s the only one to know about that last one

is extremely impressed by your aim, the moment he saw a sliver of a man in a window you took him down.

back on base, he notices other rookies leaving you out of training, so you’d have no one to train with.

pulls you from that training session and offers private training with him (1. because he wants to help and feels bad you’re being ostracised, 2. because he wants to spend time with you and be close to you).

when he confessed to you and asked if you felt the same he thought it would be the end of everything, but you gave him a kind smile and nodded- simon has never been so happy

he’s nervous about dating, it’s been a long time and he’s not exactly a model lover or a ‘good man’, so you’ll have to be a little patient with him

soon after dating, he sticks around you all the time, hovering in your space whilst you’re practicing longer distance shots

no one dares to leave you out of anything when he’s by your side <3

-

johnny

he immediately befriends you, happily chatting away- he does enough talking for the both of you

doesnt realise you’re mute at first, he starts to think you don’t like him until you give him a note explaining your situation, he’s so relieved

people leaving you out? not when johnny’s here! he’ll argue with people before pulling you from that training group and into his own- he convinced price pretty easily due to your file being full of good comments from higher ups + your aim was incredible

is literally your best friend when you join 141 and then ghost team, he’s all smiley and talks for you

he doesn’t even need to communicate with you anymore to talk for you, he’s got a sixth sense for that type of thing it’s crazy

the moment he realised he loved you was when he was done arguing with someone about excluding you, then when he walked back to you, you had a sweet smile on your face, thanking him

because you’re short, he’ll 100% use your head as an armrest btw

he confesses in a pretty old-school way, a note, flowers and a sheepish grin on his face

when you hug him tight and nod he’s over the moon, scooping you into a bear hug and kissing your cheek

he’s much more straightforward and quick than simon, so if you feel your relationships moving too fast you’ve got to tell him lol

adores you and always praises your aim on missions

will always stick up for you, no matter what.

will want you to meet his family- and he comes from a large scottish family so be ready for that 😭

will get slightly jealous when you befriend his baby brother, agreeing to play games with him- this wasn’t meant to happen, you two just clicked and now johnny’s stuck between you two

gets all clingy afterwards, asking for your attention back- he’s so childish sometimes aidjdifjdfkdien

loves going out to places with you, so 100% your first date is in a nice restaurant tucked away in a nook in his hometown :)

-

könig

when he sees you being openly left out of things he genuinely feels for you, considering he was heavily bullied in school

he even gets left out of things now, and he’s one of the top snipers on the force

approaches you, hoping he doesn’t look to intimidating, and asks if you want to train with him

he’s dreading you saying no, but when you smile and accept he’s quite happy

he’s used to training alone, so there’s not much conversation as the two of you work on your aim

eventually, after a few training sessions, he strikes up a few conversations.

gets extremely anxious when you don’t respond, because he’s too busy looking down his scope to look at you, and drops it

you catch on that he’s put off and give him a small note explaining you’re mute

he’s so happy you don’t hate him because deep down he wants to be friends

soon after becoming friends, you don’t care that you’re being left out of things because you just blow them off and go hang out with your extremely tall austrian friend :)

the height difference between you two is very noticeable so some other operators start calling you two ‘big and small’ 😭

you’re the first person he tells his name to, he wants you to trust him and also wants you to know he trusts you

takes time out of his day to learn sign language so the two of you can talk easier, it’s really sweet to peer into his room and see him slowly practicing hand movements

the moment he realised he loved you was when the two of you were in his room, some soft music playing as you wrote something in your journal- you looked perfect in the lamplight and he wanted to kiss you

gets extremely anxious over the idea of liking you more than a friend, he doesn’t want to lose this friendship and has never actually dated anyone before considering he’s such a loner

he asks you out in a completely different way. leaves a note on your bed but isn’t there at all, doesn’t want to face rejection.

it’s easier on him because if you do reject him he can just pretend it never happened because he wasn’t there

when you sign the note saying ‘yes :)’ and leave it on his bed he’s so happy, immediately running to the practice range and hugging you

people ask what happened because it’s so out of character for him to hug someone, and he’ll just state that something good happened

is a very hands on, clingy lover. he’s never been in a relationship before and he didn’t realise at the time how starved he was for any type of affection that wasn’t maternal (he’s a mommas boy come on now)

speaking of which, if you agree to meet his mother he’s gonna kiss you immediately. is so delighted because off base his mother is the most important thing to him

she’s lovely too, never pressures you to talk despite not entirely understanding why you’re mute. gives you plenty of austrian food you’ve probably never had before and gives amazing hugs, she’s so happy her son found a girlfriend :)

[tarre-was-right]

ROUND ONE: MATCH-UP FOUR

Remember, this is NOT about who would win in a fight. This is about who makes the best leader for Mandalore as a whole.

Explanation post

Seeding

Propaganda below the cut! You can submit more on this post and I will reblog it back to here!

BOBA FETT

Anon: Boba The Builder, can he do it? Boba The Builder, yes he can!

@spacetime1969: He grew up in the political game that is the criminal underworld and managed to out manuver all the other groups on Tatooine to take control of the planet. That's not something you can pull off without political and tactical skill.

Anon: Boba Fett Propaganda: - Boba Fett was explicitly raised by his father, past Mand'alor Jango Fett, to be the legacy of his own adopted buir, Mand'alor Jaster Mereel; while this training did seem to focus more on the bounty hunting and mercenary aspects of their work, it presumably included many lessons about working with people and negotiating, both of which would come in very handy - Boba is commonly held to be a classic example of a child who grew up in a cultural diaspora, feeling largely disconnected from his Mandalorian roots; given the climate on Mandalore after the Galactic Empire glassed it during the Rebellion Era, his experience is likely representative of many of the surviving Mandalorians, who likely also grew up away from their traditional homeworlds in the sector, possibly even in hiding as in the case of Din Djarin's Covert - speaking of Din Djarin, the strong respect between him and Fett would likely put Fett in good standing with those traditionalists, who would similarly respect Fett's connection to their people as the son of a Foundling, even if he wasn't raised the same way as them - in Legends, Fett's connection with Goran Beviin and his family really brought him more fully back into Mandalorian culture, and in a way that makes a good story to sell to reporters (and readers, breaking the fourth wall a bit there, lol) - finally, Boba DID become Mand'alor in Legends continuity, and one that seemingly enjoyed popular support!

Anon: You know what? Boba Fett was given a bad hand in life. He’s done some bad things. But you know what he’s shown? Drive. Commitment. Determination. Resilience. Willpower. And a shocking refusal to die when he’s gone up against bitches badder than himself. Thats more than some Mandalorian leaders can say for themselves. He keeps going. And it’d be funny. Here IS how Jaster can still win. - Also I think that he would be pretty chill. Cody prolly couldnt be. We’ve seen him rule a city, maybe questionably.. but he was hot doing it. Fennec would probably help him and she’s hot too. Din would prolly be good with it. Cody’s last experience ruling was being involved in the empire and witnessing a horrible execution after negotiating a surrender. He prolly wants nothing to do with it now. And good for him! Let!! Cody!!! Retire!!! This isn’t a popularity contest.

Anon: Boba Fett Propaganda: Boba Fett literally was the Mand’alor in legends, and he did a pretty fine job

COMMANDER CODY

Anon: Propaganda for Commander Cody: - Cody was a student of Alpha-17, who in turn had been personally trained by former Mand'alor Jango Fett, giving him a strong training lineage claim to the title - Cody's service as Marshall Commander in the GAR gave him a lot of the diplomatic, organizational, and military experience needed to govern a planet like Mandalore

@spacetime1969: This man has led more people at once than anyone on this list.

Anon: Cody should be Mand'alor because it would be unspeakably sexy

@cha0s-cat: Cody has experience with negotiating from accompanying Obi-Wan, he leads a massive amount of his brothers already. Can recognize when there is a need for negotiations vs a need for violence. This would balance out the majority of the two factions (pacifists/traditionalists) excluding the extremists on either end. And with the amount of chaos that he has to deal with when it comes to Obi-Wan and Anakin, this would probably be relaxing.

@skykind: - Has resisted facism and its attendant police/military state at great personal risk (Bad Batch 2.3), which is apparently necessary to successfully govern Mandalore so long as Death Watch is fully armed and also backed by someone more cunning than their usual leadership (Clone Wars 5.15). - Possesses exceptional leadership and organizational ability from his time as one of the highest-ranked Clone officers of the GAR. The Clone Wars and Bad Batch narratives furthermore present him as Obi-Wan’s peer, so he should be interpreted as equally skilled, wise, kind, and unhinged-in-battle as Obi-Wan. Jury’s out on the sarcasm. - Turns to diplomacy before fighting (Bad Batch 2.3). - Has caught a Jedi’s lightsaber mid-battle at least two times (Clone Wars 1.20 and Revenge of the Sith). This is a very useful skill to have as the prospective or current leader of people who keep chucking the darksaber about. - Has returned a lightsaber to a Jedi at least two times. This is a crucial skill to have as the prospective or current leader of people who should stop selecting said leader via darksaber acquisition.

[angel1010xx]

ｃｉｇａｒｅｔｔｅｓ

*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

Pairing: Sanji x Reader

*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

You hated cigarettes.

Cigarettes were stuffy and overwhelming, the scent lingered for hours, and the smoke made your lungs feel closed up. They were complete bombardments to your senses, and genuinely? You felt as if the world would be better off without them. Smoking is a bad habit, after all. Why would anyone willingly choose to give themselves lung cancer and an early grave?

The Thousand Sunny was having a lively night. Brooks was merrily serenading the crew, while each of them were on their own missions. Zoro was drinking (to death, probably, how was his liver still functioning?), Usopp was reliving the latest battle with Luffy, Franky, and Chopper (with embellishments, of course, not that his audience would be able to detect them), and Nami and Robin were sucked into their books (they were so perfect, the crew hardly deserved the gift of their presence). That just left Sanji.

Running around, fawning over “Nami-Swan,” and lighting yet another cigarette.

Yes, he was a phenomenal chef. Yes, he was doting and chivalrous. Yes, he was charismatic and consistent, and it was so hard to find a man that to actually abide by a moral code. But God, he was perverted. He was unbearable. And he reeked like menthol.

Sighing, you crossed your wrists over each other and leaned on the railing of the ship. The Grand Line was dangerous, but it was beautiful when the moonlight reflected across the water. The sights, the wind in your face, and the freedom made all the trouble worth the adventure. You were apart from the main crowd, opting for some personal space at the front of the ship. The Straw Hat crew was your family; and true to life, everyone needs their elbow room sometimes, even from the ones they love most. 

Approaching footsteps interrupted your peace. Looking over your shoulder, you spotted Sanji walking towards you. Great, you thought. He gazed at you with a slight tension in his brow. “The fish is ready. Are you going to eat?”

“In a little bit, yes,” you responded. “I just wanted some fresh air and quiet right now.” Sanji settled in, standing beside you, mimicking your pose by also leaning against the railing. “I hope you come down soon,” he spoke in a low voice. “Our princess-warrior needs her strength just like the rest of us.” 

A smile tugged at your lips. “I’m scared, Sanji,” you whispered, choosing to open up to him. “The world is changing. I worry about my people at home. I know there’s ample resources and military force to keep them safe, but…” you trailed off, eyes shifting from focusing and losing focusing on the sea waves. Sanji let out a hum, and pulled out a cigarette and a light. You cocked your head towards him, this time with a slight lip curl. “You just had one. Do you really have to smoke another one, right here?”

He let out a puff of smoke and a chuckle. “Mon amour, we all have ways of dealing with our stress.” 

Sanji shifted to face his body towards you, but kept one arm on the railing. “You can’t sit there and worry about your people all day and night. I see it on your face every time I look at you. It practically breaks my heart,” he paused to place his free hand on his chest. He broke out into a warm smile. “Right here and now, princess, you are safe, and they are safe too.” 

You let out a deep breath, doing your best to soak in his words. “Thank you, Sanji.” He let out another hum, put out his cigarette, and brought you in for a hug. “Of course, mon amour.”

Yes, he smelled like menthol. Yes, you had a hard time breathing. But he also smelled like cologne. He was warm, and the feeling of his breath down the side of your neck made you shiver. A thought came into your mind for a split second—what would it be like to taste the cigarette, if you were to press your lips to his own?

It’s a fine line between love and hate, after all. 

[chittychittyyangyang]

Look, with the show getting a new home and the rise of people being needlessly shitty about it, I've been very liberal with the block button. I'm just so tired after a decade of this, and even IF you're new to the show (none of these people are) there are many critiques that have been talked about to death that have been fixed, apologized for, or were never in good faith to begin with.

Yes, we know the faunus race allegory was poorly done. The writers have outright said it. It was overly ambitious for their limited experience and the time constraints of the show. No, Jaune isn't a self insert, and Miles hasn't even written his character since volume 2? Either way, for most of the runtime now. Ruby has the most screen time and speaking lines (almost like she's the leader of the titular characters). Adam was never "retconned", even in the Black trailer he didn't care about casualties, and Blake outright calls him a monster in Volume 2. No, Ironwood becoming a dictator willing to do anything necessary didn't come out of nowhere. He brought his military to a peaceful event in Volume 2, which is actively called out, and it's called into question if he even has a heart. It's also brought up of why Atlas (and more specifically Ironwood) would want robot fighters with souls. For Adam and Ironwood, your inability to read media isn't bad writing, it's just annoying.

At best case, these are people new who don't know it's been talked about to death (though given the show is over 10 years old do you think you're adding anything new to some of these topics?). Worst, it's people being shitty because they focus so much of their self on hating things and not just enjoying what they like. Either way, I'm too old and tired, and the world is bad enough without bad faith "critiques" about something I love.

[l1ve-l4ugh-lov3craft]

HI, CAN I TELL YOU ABOUT THE AKKALA CITADEL?????

Yes? Wonderful. Come, friend, have a seat. I have...a lot to say lol

Eight years later and I am STILL not over how absolutely genius this fortress is, like are you kidding me????? Everything from location to design to its inside defenses is just *chef's kiss* PHENOMINAL, and so because I have no filter, I am going to barf all my thoughts I've had on it in the past many many years.

Before we begin, shoutout to the WONDERFUL video by Zeltik that touches on this a bit and gave me a wonderful basis for my brainrot in the first place. Definitely go and watch it it's fabulous NOW! Let's get into the madness shall we? First let's talk about the location cos OHHHH MY GOSH. This was, hands down, THE best place they could have possibly put a fortress of this magnitude in Hyrule and I am going to tell you why. First of all, allllllll along the northern and northwestern border of Hyrule, there's those massive canyons

Passing over that in a way that would be effective military-wise is kind of impossible, so it provides a natural defense from invaders from those directions.

If you were to come from the South, you would hit the Gerudo desert and not only have to face the might of the Gerudo military, but also cross this EXPANSIVE, scorching desert before you can even make it to Hyrule field, and by that time, the royal leader could have very easily sent an army to intercept anyone trying to attack, so that's right out.

Which leaves coming from the Faron region next which is okay??? I guess??? but that's a LOT of swamp and forest you have to cross through, AND you go right past the Great Plateau where any army would have been seen and intercepted eventually. This takes us closer to the eastern coast of Hyrule, and you would be hard pressed to try and travel through Necluda, cos just l o o k at all these mountains you'd have to cross:

Horrible. And you probably don't want to go through Zora's Domain cos that's yet another heavily fortified and well prepared city in and of itself (please ask me about this one too I beg of you I love talking about Zora's Domain)

Any military leader with a brain isn't going to go through Death Mountain for obvious reasons, so really, all that leaves is this tiiiiiinnnyyy vulnerable spot in Akkala

And where did they put the citadel??? Right at the heart of that vulnerable spot >:D Like a boss.

AND SO! if invaders came in from that coastline, they have three options: They can take the path through the Akkala Highlands, they can go through the Torin Wetlands and up to the pass it connects to, or they can take the trail up to the Sokkala Bridges. All of these are TERRIBLE OPTIONS Akkala Highlands path: If they come up this way at the start

this will work allll the way until they get about here:

once they get here though, you are now not only bottlenecking an entire army meant to invade a kingdom (so probably roughly 1,000-1,300 people), but you're also directly under the shadow of the Akkala Citadel. There are archers there to fire on you, and they had a canon post on that side to potentially fire either at the incoming soldiers or fire at the opposite canyon wall to rain debris and rocks on them.

TERRIBLE for the other army.

And even if some did manage to survive, it would be painfully easy for the infantry at Akkala Citadel to send foot soldiers down below to cut them off.

SO THERE GOES THAT OPTION (and admittedly, I think it's probably the worst of the three)

Next option is to go through the Torin Wetlands and up into that same pass by the Citadel

this is ALSO a bad idea because the Torin Wetlands are a DELIGHTFUL tactical advantage for Hyrule. Once you get to that pass, you have the same problems as option one, but now you first have to pass through this wide marshland to get there. This will immediately slow down your army, and if that wasn't bad enough it's also in clear freakin view of the citadel and so they would be able to send their entire militia of archers and potentially even cannoneers to fire on the advancing army and take a bunch of them out before they could even make it to that pass.

So a smart general may say the best option is to go around the long way.

now this eliminates the pass and also slowing down at the marsh, and you could even make it almost all the way to the citadel without hardly any losses probably BUT! The first hurdle is those bridges. Wonderful for Hyrule, terrible for the opposing army. The three Sokkala bridges are SMALL, even smaller than the pass an army would have to go through with the other two options. This military leader would basically have to send their soldiers single file unless they have a way to expand the bridges to make them wider (which, admittedly, could be possible with a bit of foresight, but for now for simplicity's sake let's just assume they didn't think that far ahead).

This brings in an EXTREMELY slowly advancing army right to the heart of the Akkala Citadel's battery.

There are three locations with canons we see in BOTW that cover pretty much the entire open area the opposing army would come in on. And when you look at the amount of space each post covered

There is not a SINGLE spot in that valley a cannoneer couldn't easily reach. And, of course they would continue to have archers to pick off individual soldiers as well.

And if SOMEHOW

BY SOME MIRACLE

enough soldiers make it through that hell to be enough of a problem, there are plenty more soldiers in the citadel to cut them off as they come up the hill AND IF THAT'S NOT ENOUGH! there was this:

by the time we get to botw, it has been destroyed, but that is ANOTHER smaller stronghold that was probably pretty well manned in and of itself.

AND WHAT'S MORE

There's even this long cliff road with very little room to operate, so it would be extremely easy for the citadel to send over some soldiers to post up there and cut off anyone who tried to make it past. And with so little room to operate, it would not go well.

Ain't NOTHING getting past the Akkala Citadel, guys.

And that isn't even touching on the fact that the whole thing is build of solid stone??? And carved into a mountain??? The entire reason it fell in the first place was because the Guardians had enough of fire power to destroy the citadel that they had never seen before (also they could climb walls but that's a side note). This implies that no one in Hyrule or the neighbouring kingdoms had even CLOSE to that level of destructive power, so to try and raze it to the ground would have been impossible.

AND!! it was the most heavily fortified fortress in Hyrule second to the castle itself, and to most likely their military personnel would have been equal too, if not slightly more than even Hyrule Castle. That's A LOT of people!! With most likely endless support and resources from the castle and villages nearby as well.

It was placed geniously, it had impenetrable defense, it had a potentially endless supply of resources and people to use said resources, it was just

argjfbdkjgbks You guys don't understand how much I THINK about this place aghhhhhhhhhh

[the-whispers-of-death]

I read the veteran one with Ghost and I am in LOVE!!! I wanna ask for more veteran male reader and Ghost bcs just hwrkemendksdndn love it!! If you dont wanna do it its fine and feel free to ignore this if you want but just so you know I LOVE THE WAY YOU WROTE IT!!!!

Here's the first part.

Imagine you and Veteran!Ghost on your first date. (It's important to note that he foregoes his mask/balaclava since you two are going out for dinner.)

You know what it's like to be overwhelmed when in the presence of so many civilians, so you take him out to a restaurant that is a small diner that only a few people know about.

You're the perfect gentleman, gently guiding Ghost to a booth with your hand resting on the small of his back. You pull out his chair and push it in when he's settled in said chair.

While you're both looking at the menu, Ghost can't help but glance up at you every now and then.

His eyes take in your face, his lips twitching upwards at the sight of your eyebrows furrowed as you decide what to order. Your skin is wrinkled, but not too wrinkled, and he loves your crow's feet the best. He loves how they're a symbol of your age, of how much you've laughed and smiled during your lifetime.

Ghost is hardened from his years in the military, scarred physically and emotionally from war. And yet here you are, a man who also has been in the military, for even longer than Ghost has, but you're still kind. You've come out of war and healed from it.

"What are you thinking about?" you ask, glancing up at Ghost and seeing him staring at you. But you don't seem off-put by his staring, instead a smile works its way onto your face. "Do you know what you want to order?"

Ghost nods despite himself, glancing back down at the menu and choosing something random. "Yes, I know what I want." His words are laced with double meaning, but he then clears his throat. "Are you ready to order?"

You nod and wave the waitress over, both of you ordering your food. Once the waitress is gone, you look back at Ghost. You eye him for a bit before taking a leap of faith, reaching over the table and touching his hand lightly, giving him a choice to pull away or to embrace the gesture of affection.

Your smile widens when he intertwines your fingers together, holding your hand. "How are you feeling? This place isn't too loud for you, right?" you ask.

"It's not too loud," Ghost replies, his heart melting at how considerate you are of him. God, he doesn't know what he did to manage to get you to be on a date with him. "I want to know more about you, something no one in the support group knows."

You chuckle at that and tell him about your family. You two exchange stories of happy memories until the food comes and your conversation continues in between bites of food.

When the date comes to an end, you pay for the food, despite Ghost's protests.

"Nonsense, it's only fair that I should pay," you say after taking the bill and placing your card in the check-holder. You give the check-holder to the waitress, watching her leave to charge your card before focusing on Ghost again. "I'm the one who brought you to this place, so I'm the one who should pay."

"You're old-fashioned," Ghost teases, getting up from his seat once the waitress comes back with your card.

You huff in playful anger at his words, standing up as well once your card is back in your wallet. "You say that like it's a bad thing."

With one hand resting on the small of his back again, you lead Ghost outside and to your car. Just to continue your playful banter, you manage to open the passenger door for Ghost before he can.

"After you, my little prince," you say, a cheeky grin on your face.

Ghost's heart skips a beat at the petname, a blush working its way onto his face and neck. He can't deny the way the petname coming from you makes him want to melt.

He clears his throat and gets into the car, his heart fluttering when you close the door behind him.

The ride back to Ghost's flat is a short one, unfortunately. Ghost finds himself not wanting this night to end as he goes to the entrance of his apartment complex, you having walked him there.

He looks back at you as he stops short in front of the entrance, his mouth dry. "Would you come up with me to my flat if I asked?" he asks, his eyes on yours and his heart pounding in his chest.

A soft smile appears on your lips and you gently lift your hand, cupping his cheek. "As tempting as that sounds," you say, relishing the way Ghost leans into your touch, "I'm a gentleman. It'd be rude of me to go up to your flat on the first date."

With those words, you lean in, giving him a soft kiss on the cheek before pulling away and letting your hand fall. Ghost takes the hint, nodding and turning to walk inside the apartment complex.

"Old-fashioned," he playfully grumbles, the words floating to your ears via the slight breeze.

Your laugh in return is loud.

"My age is part of why you like me!" you call out to him just as he enters the apartment complex.

Ghost can't seem to be able to deny it.

Reblogs are welcomed & appreciated! Asks are open, feel free to pop in and request something! (Check the rules in "Rules for Requesting NSFW" before requesting.)

[utilitycaster]

I’ve long noticed and previously commented on the odd fandom antipathy towards characters like Suvi of Worlds Beyond Number and Jonas Spahr from Midst; and simultaneously a far, far more generous approach to outright villains like Will Gallows, many of the witches, and Moc Weepe.

I’ve also commented on the favor and endless forgiveness shown villains before, and to get it out of the way, yes, a lot of this is due to horny reasons, and as someone who does not identify personally as a monsterfucker this might be part of my lack of interest. But I think it would be unwise to chalk this up entirely to people wanting to fuck the villains, and given that Suvi and Jonas are both extremely attractive as well it’s certainly not the whole picture.

Suvi and Jonas are born into and achieve positions of privilege - military/political no less - in imperial societies. They are both explicitly indoctrinated. They are not, in my opinion, brainwashed; but they are driven into who they become through competition.

I think a lot of people are really uncomfortable with characters shown to be complicit in and favored within this kind of society. I think Spahr and Suvi occupy a space that they find too close to home; too close to what they themselves are. A villain validates one’s beliefs: Weepe is ruthlessly self-interested, driven by profit, and terribly violent, and so it’s easier to be comfortable with him, ironically enough, because the story tells you he’s a bastard and you can feel good about clocking him as a bastard, and even like that this character is on a meta level telling you that you’re right in your beliefs.

Suvi and Jonas and those like them don’t permit you that validation. They participate in these harmful systems while believing it to be the right thing to do. They are also young people who grew up knowing little else, with unfathomably high expectations placed upon them. They are flawed, with no shortage of harsh edges, but they are also frequently kind and generous people who are incredibly important, as they currently are, to characters one might find more sympathetic. They are deeply human. And they are both the beneficiaries and the victims of a vast and complicated system. You cannot fit them into the box of a “stripped of choice” victim even though both have found themselves backed against a wall by their respective societies. You cannot avoid that the dissolution of their society would have devastating consequences, even if it might be right (which Midst directly explores; I suspect the Citadel might not be a thing to be dissolved). And while many people do so, one cannot in good faith and intelligent analysis treat them as nothing more than a shipping doll who needs to be programmed to become a mirror of the “correct” character of one’s choosing without ignoring who they are and what they bring to the table: a political savvy, a great deal of talent and intelligence, and a desire to embody the best parts of their respective flawed societies.

As Midst reaches its denouement, one of the core messages is that a harmful society is still one comprised of people: some upholding it, some actively furthering it, and some just living within it. While Worlds Beyond Number is nowhere near its end, Brennan Lee Mulligan’s body of work upholds a similar message; that one cannot lose sight of the personhood of people, even those involved in messy and damaging systems, and that people must be judged with that in mind. Suvi and Spahr are not cogs to be wrenched free and corrected, but characters to appreciate in their complexity. It is a shame that so many reject them in favor of those who consistently choose to do harm because it is less difficult and challenging to think in terms of Good Guy/Bad Guy.

[akookminsupporter]

ARE YOU SURE?!: SIXTH EPISODE

MY IMPRESSIONS

Preface: This is not an analysis post, and honestly, I don’t want to overanalyse their interactions or everything they said and did—many others are already doing that. My intention with this post is simply to share my thoughts on the episodes, my impressions, and perhaps my conclusions.

I’m writing this as I watch the episodes for the second time.

Oh no, just from the intro, we can already tell we won’t survive Sapporo. I mean, that alone screams COMFORT.

So, no clips or mention of the time they spent in Tokyo? I wonder if we’ll see that in Jungkook’s documentary? Will Jimin be there too? Not just in Tokyo, but in New York as well. Oh, will we see Jimin celebrating with Jungkook when he released his single "3D"? That happened while they were in New York, right?

It seems unreal that we’re going to get so much content of blonde Jimin and black-haired Jungkook together.

How do you subconsciously say something? Hahaha, when did they say that? I wonder if the original plan was for the show to end in Jeju. The fact that there’s no clip of them deciding to go to Japan before actually going, like what happened when they decided to go to Jeju, makes me think that the trip wasn’t part of the initial plan. I wonder if, when it was confirmed Jungkook was going to Japan for work, they said something like, "Oh, I’d love to go to Japan one last time" or something similar, and the agency didn’t think it was a bad idea.

God, Jungkook mentioning their trip to Tokyo and then saying THAT'S WHY he wanted to go back… my heart! Plus, the tone in which he said it, while massaging Jimin’s neck and looking at him, not the camera… How do people expect us not to be… hopeful?

I don’t know if this is weird, but to me, Jungkook looks great with a mask and a big hoodie. It reminds me a lot of the picture I have as my profile picture. That’s one of my favourite photos of him.

Jimin reminding Jungkook to walk slowly (because Jimin walks slowly) is adorable. Did you notice how Jimin was holding Jungkook’s hand while it was inside his hoodie?

Okay. Them in the car. The angle. The closeness. Jungkook’s expressions. They DO NOT HELP CALM MY IMAGINATION. Also, I don’t understand their seating arrangements. Jungkook looked HOT in that clip. Bro, the car was spacious. Why did they decide to film the clip like that? Oh, Jikook.

Jungkook loves getting the camera up close to Jimin’s face. I guess he loves his eyes. God, saying he can see a lot when Jimin asked if he could see anything… JUNGKOOK!

It’s no longer "Ppeuri" but "standing next to you". I guess this is my tinhat moment of the post. Do these songs, especially the words or parts of Jungkook’s songs, have double meanings for them? Because the way they said them and the way they looked at each other while doing so tells me yes, but I don’t know if it’s just what I want to believe or…

Jimin and Jungkook sitting in their hotel room, deciding what to do or eat, is everything right with the world. I LOVE these moments in the show. I appreciate that the editors decided to include more of this. They should’ve done the same when they were in the US.

Ahh, Jungkook’s best ship will always be him and food hahaha.

Sharing sausage is fine, and even beer – though Jimin didn’t end up drinking any because Jungkook had already drunk it all – but Jungkook crosses the line by eating the potato skin just because Jimin touched it with his fingers. Okay, Jeon Jungkook.

Jungkook, what video did you watch? When did you watch it? Didn’t Jimin film the video he was talking about the day before the trip?

Jimin forgetting about the camera and, with it, the fact they were filming a show told me he was comfortable enough on the trip not to see it as "work".

They don’t know the concept of personal space, do they?

Them making jokes or comments about when they’d be in the military is both funny and sad. Why did they make them do that? They should be on stage, not on the border with the crazies from the north!

They love snow.

When the clip of Jungkook falling came out in the show’s trailers, I thought he was imitating Jimin’s part from "Spring Day", but it turns out he actually fell hahaha.

Jungkook being sure that Jimin would love the gimbap triangle he chose… he knows him well!

Again with the "standing next to you", and this time Jimin said part of it, paused, and Jungkook continued. That means something more between them. Either that, or I’m going crazy hahaha.

Jimin and Jungkook bickering over the most mundane, often domestic things is everything.

Fluffy Jimin and Jungkook!

I’m confused. Was Jungkook talking about the restaurant they went to in Tokyo in 2017? But then Jungkook said he went there that day, and Jimin said he’d gone a few days before. So, they were saying that they went back to the restaurant recently, right?

Ahhh, so Taemin recommended that restaurant to Jimin, and that’s why Jimin and Jungkook went there when they travelled to Tokyo in 2017. Each of them remembering things from the trip the other didn’t is what I call teamwork, or I guess it’s team memory hahaha.

It’s too sweet seeing the hyung line, especially, almost in denial of the fact that Jungkook is all grown up, that he’s an incredible person and an amazing artist. They’re all proud of their maknae.

I really appreciate how Jungkook never makes Jimin feel bad for wanting to eat more or anything like that. On the contrary, he’s always cared about Jimin eating well and eating enough.

Jungkook calling each destination a season - no pun intended - is hilarious. Jungkook, I need more seasons, please!

Jungkook with a headband is too cute.

Jimin and Jungkook love the snow. And Sapporo. Also, they’re great ambassadors for CD and CK, hahaha.

We’ve all been Jungkook, scolding ourselves for eating and drinking too much. I’m like Jungkook almost every day, hahaha.

Jungkook saying he’ll remember those moments from the trip, aka being with Jimin when he’s in the army… with Jimin, that’s everything. Jimin’s comedic timing is everything.

Jungkook predicting Jimin’s intentions… again, hahaha, they know each other so well. Oh, and Jungkook taking a few minutes to choose which glasses to wear because, according to him, none looked good on him. Then Jimin just picks the first pair Jungkook chose, and they look great on him – that’s comedy gold. The way he looked at him, like “Really?” Hahaha.

Jungkook loves the snow. The cold. The winter.

They seriously don’t know the concept of personal space. Also, their bickering is always super funny.

By the way, Jungkook’s bag or pouch or whatever it was – it’s so cute!

Jungkook made Jimin do the sign of the cross over his food with the camera? I mean, I guess that’s some kind of ritual? Hahaha.

I don’t care how this sounds: Every time Jimin talks down about his looks or his body, I just want to slap him a couple of times to make him understand that he’s beautiful, handsome, lovely, incredible. Gorgeous inside and out.

Jungkook’s mission was to make special memories to remember during his military service. And it’s sweet that those memories were made with Jimin so they can reminisce about them together while they serve because they enlisted together. Will they talk about that?

It makes as much sense as Jungkook not wanting to eat the potato skin because Jimin touched it with his fingers but was totally fine with those same fingers in his mouth. That logic is slightly illogical, but I guess it makes sense to him.

Jungkook loves Sapporo.

Joking about their military service was their way of coping, hahaha. It’s not funny, but I’m laughing.

Honestly, I wouldn’t be surprised if they ended up living in Japan, hahaha. They really do have a special connection with certain cities in that country.

Was it really that hard for the editors to give us more of this in the USA? Like, I want to see the everyday Jimin and Jungkook. Not in a rush, just enjoying everything. Being happy simply by… being. That said, it’s hilarious seeing Jimin and Jungkook acting “normal” in Sapporo, with security and their managers behind them, hahaha.

Wait, so Jimin saw the same video as Jungkook where someone was talking about how to talk to cats or something like that? Do they share accounts, and send each other funny videos all the time, or are they really just that similar? Which is it?

The editing the team did to avoid showing the inside of the train station and the train is hilarious, hahaha.

I love how Jungkook will always be gentle with Jimin.

Jimin covering his right ear because he was wearing one of Jungkook’s AirPods, even though he’s a Samsung ambassador, is so funny. And it was even more obvious – and therefore funnier – when Jungkook said they were listening to a Japanese song and he was only using one AirPod, hahaha.

Again, do they have the same 'For You' pages on every video platform, or do they constantly send each other links, or are they really that similar that they watch the same content? Because Jimin always gets the meme or joke references Jungkook makes. And he always plays along. And vice versa.

Jimin deserves an award for not showing that AirPod, hahaha. My question is, wouldn’t it have been easier to just use Samsung headphones or something?

JUNGKOOK RESTING HIS HEAD ON JIMIN’S SHOULDER IS TOO CUTE. ONE OF THE SOFTEST, SWEETEST, SHYEST, AND MOST PERSONAL MOMENTS BETWEEN JIMIN AND JUNGKOOK.

Sapporo, you will always be special.

Jimin and Jungkook don’t know the concept of personal space.

Awww, Jimin talking about having a daughter. I’ve no doubt he’d be a great dad.

Jungkook telling Jimin he didn’t want him to drive without actually saying he didn’t want him to drive is peak Jungkook when it comes to Jimin.

It’s been a while since I’ve seen Jungkook do that hand gesture he and Jimin use when they’re telling themselves to focus on something, hahaha.

Jimin really loves the song 'Hate You'. I remember how, during Jungkook’s concert, he said in the comments that it was his favourite song.

That’s right, Jungkook! Screw society’s standards. It’s a shame we couldn’t hear 'Christmas Day'. As compensation, they should give us another song together.

Okay, but being a bit serious, them walking in that place under the snow, with their coordinated outfits, huge smiles, and constant giggles, it almost looked idyllic. Romantic. Sometimes it’s not our imagination – it’s them giving our imagination material, hahaha.

Them going to a… museum? I think it’s a museum or something like that, about whisky, it's so… hahaha. Yoongi would be proud. They’re so funny, so chaotic, and so quirky. And the most impressive thing is how well they match. Also, they really like role-playing. Like, it’s one of their things.

Nooo, they forgot to pay! They probably thought the staff would handle it, hahaha. Jungkook giving the card to Jimin is so relatable – I’d do the same out of embarrassment. Jungkook having to pay in cash at the end is hilarious. Seriously, they’re funny without even trying. My question is, was that their personal card or the company’s? Hahaha.

Jimin and Jungkook don’t know the concept of personal space.

Jimin and Jungkook seriously love the snow. Like, really, really love it. They just click, you know? 

When the clip of them playing in the snow came out in one of the trailers, I remember someone on Twitter saying they’d bet that after Jungkook threw the snow block at Jimin and dusted off his hands, he went straight over to help Jimin brush the snow off himself – and damn, they were right. And I don’t know if that means we know their dynamic that well, or if Jungkook’s just that predictable when it comes to Jimin... although, isn’t that basically the same thing? 

Honestly, it’s impressive how they instantly get references from memes or viral videos the other made because, how on earth did they even find that video of... Ken? Saying "good" every two seconds? Seriously, how? Did Jimin send it to Jungkook or did Jungkook send it to Jimin? Because I refuse to believe they’re that similar, to the point their 'For You' pages or video recommendations are practically the same. 

Jungkook, you didn’t eat the potato skin because Jimin touched it, but you’ll... never mind. 

The fact that they pointed out they think the same way is funny to us as fans, because it’s like, wow, Jimin and Jungkook just said that if you put your hand in a glass of water, it’ll get wet, hahaha. 

It’s hilarious that Jungkook wondered what it would be like if they were the same age. I suppose he was talking from a cultural POV and it's funny because their dynamic doesn’t really fit that context, and that’s one of the main things that sets them apart from the other members or their dynamics with them. Jungkook often comes across as Jimin’s hyung, and Jimin’s fine with it – which is crazy when you remember that’s something Jimin really respects. Jungkook often drops the honorifics with Jimin or speaks informally to him, and it feels natural like they do it all the time. So, him saying that is funny because their relationship would probably be exactly the same as it is now, except Jungkook would never call Jimin hyung. 

Jungkook, YOU TWO ARE ALREADY EACH OTHER's COPY! 

Jungkook, I need you to keep your promise and tell us the real story about that fight between Jimin and Tae, hahaha. 

Hearing them talk about their future plans, touring again, and all seven being together is beautiful. I can’t wait for 2025. Damn, I need money. 

MY CONCLUSIONS ON THE SIXTH EPISODE

I loved this episode. Like I said in another post, it’s my second favourite episode of the show so far.

Here, we returned to that normality in their dynamic and the show, that we saw in the first two episodes. We went back to the calm, the tranquillity of their trip. I loved that the editors decided to show more of Jimin and Jungkook’s day just… being. Discovering or exploring their surroundings.

I loved that domesticity that many of us were craving to see again.

Sapporo feels different. More intimate, more… melancholic. I suppose it’s because of the moment they were in, in their lives, and what would happen a few weeks after that trip. That said, I also think it’s because of Jimin and Jungkook. Here, we didn’t see that little awkwardness we saw in the first episode. Here, they weren’t adjusting to anything. They weren’t reconnecting, so to speak. They were just them from the start. Literally, from the beginning of the episode, I loved that. I loved seeing them happy and more in sync than ever in this show, honestly – and that says a lot when we’re talking about Jimin and Jungkook.

Something I love about AYS is that it gave Jimin and Jungkook the chance to be “normal”, and to do ordinary things like go to a supermarket or ride a train. And yes, I know they do that kind of thing in Korea, especially the two of them, but maybe not with as much freedom. And yes, I know they had a security team with them, but I hope you get what I mean.

Something I’ve really appreciated seeing is how much Jimin and Jungkook validate each other’s wants. And I don’t mean anything dramatic or anything like that, but the little things like Jungkook wanting to eat more and Jimin saying it doesn’t matter, go ahead, or asking if they should order more food or saying he should get his beer like it’s no big deal. Jungkook telling Jimin it was fine if he wanted another gimbap triangle, etc. They validate and encourage each other to do things they’re hesitant about, whether it’s buying something or eating something – they don’t mock or criticise the other for it. That’s so sweet and important to see in any relationship. Validation and words of affirmation. These are two fundamental things in any kind of relationship, no matter what type. And not just that, I love how throughout the whole show they made sure the other was happy, asking if they liked what they were doing or what they did. The subtle way they care for each other, not just from a material or physical standpoint but also emotionally, is so beautiful to watch.

I loved Sapporo. I loved Jimin and Jungkook in Sapporo, and it makes me sad to think that the show is coming to an end, but I’m treasuring every smile, every moment, every laugh. I’m going to cherish the fact that they shared all those moments with us.

I can imagine many people are happy with this episode because it gave us the same feeling that the first two episodes did. And I don’t blame them. I still think the Jeju episodes were good because they highlighted the difference in the dynamic between Jimin and Jungkook compared to how they interact with other members but Sapporo will always be special. I can’t wait to see the next episode.

Jimin and Jungkook could totally pull off the funniest thing in the world at the end of AYS by releasing a song together. Actually, why just one song? An EP would be amazing!

If you’ve made it this far, I’m sorry and thank you—I just couldn’t stop writing ajajajajaa.

[clarisse0o]

Camp Wiegman-Part 62

Lucy Bronze x Ona Batlle

Alternative Universe : Military School

Words : 5K

Masterlist

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Friday, February 26; 9:00 AM - Zoo.

"Come on, hurry up," my brother urges next to the car.

"Joan," I tease. "Stop it, please, and stay here."

"If you don't listen, we'll turn back," Lucy scolds him.

That threat earns a grumpy response from my brother. He turns his back on us, crossing his arms. I smile, keeping an eye on him in case he seriously considers walking away. Meanwhile, Lucy grabs our backpack, which we prepared last night while Joan was already asleep. Since we couldn't go yesterday, we rescheduled the zoo for today. Joan was over the moon once he figured it out. We didn’t talk about it at all yesterday. We were too busy. We ended up at a small fair with our friends after visiting the local market. My brother had completely forgotten about the zoo because of that, and in the evening, when he asked, we pretended we weren't going anymore to surprise him. It worked quite well. He's very excited now. I hope today will be better than the fair. We came home late, in the late afternoon. We offered to have our friends stay for the evening, but they politely declined, likely feeling awkward about being invited again. Perhaps it was for the best. Joan was so exhausted that he fell asleep right after dinner. We managed to get him to sleep in the guest room thanks to that. Sure, he woke up at the crack of dawn this morning and squeezed in between us, but we couldn't hold it against him. At least we almost got an entire night to ourselves. Joan sulked all morning, but it seems like his bad mood has vanished. Now he’s beaming with anticipation.

"Alright, we’re good to go," Lucy announces, shutting the trunk.

Joan spins around excitedly at the news. His smile brightens, and he looks at me, waiting for my go-ahead.

"Go ahead, but stay in front of us, okay? I don't want to lose you in the crowd."

He nods and takes the lead. I smile, following him with my hand in Lucy's. Lucy sighs softly, probably relieved that we’ve finally arrived. Joan was unbearable the whole ride. I've seen him impatient before, but never like this. It felt like he was deliberately trying to annoy Lucy, and he succeeded. I had to keep him entertained, or else Lucy would have lost her mind.

"I hope today goes smoothly," she says.

"There’s no reason it shouldn’t. Though, there are more people here than I expected," I remark. "I didn't think it’d be this busy."

"It's Friday, the last day of school vacation before the weekend. Of course, it’s packed," Lucy replies. "At least the weather is warming up a bit. It’ll be more pleasant."

I nod. It’s still a bit chilly, but unlike what one of Lucy’s neighbors told us earlier this week, the icy wind has finally died down. The snow has also melted, and in a few weeks, the temperature should finally rise. I can’t wait for that. In Barcelona, we rarely experience bad weather, if ever. It’s the complete opposite here. It’ll be tough at first, but I think I can get used to it. There are perks to the snow and cold. First, you can have fun in different ways, and with the cold, you get way more cuddles. Not that we don’t cuddle in Barcelona, but it’s much more enjoyable here, under a blanket. We reach the ticket booths. We wait a bit before it’s our turn. I handle the tickets, not giving Lucy a chance to argue. It’s about time she lets me contribute financially, even though I’m not working yet.

"I could have paid," she says once we pass the security gates.

"No," I reply cheerfully.

"Yes."

"No, and that’s the end of it. Today, it’s on me."

She rolls her eyes with a small smile before Joan reminds us of his presence by tugging on my jacket sleeve.

"Come on, Ona! We need to keep moving!"

"The animals aren’t going anywhere, you know," I say with a small laugh. "Come on, give me your hand. There are a lot of people here."

"I'm not a little kid anymore," she complains.

"That’s not the point. I just said there’s a crowd, and I don’t want to lose you."

I accompany my words with a stern look. He’s been arguing nonstop since we got here, and I’m starting to lose patience. He sighs and eventually gives me his hand. In the meantime, I turn toward Lucy, but I notice she’s no longer beside me. A brief moment of panic sets in until I spot her at a nearby map stand. I sigh in relief before dragging us over to her.

"Hey, if I tell Joan to give me his hand so I don’t lose him, it’s not an excuse for you to run off."

She laughs softly, leaning her head toward me.

"Sorry. I saw the maps and thought they might be useful."

"Haven’t you done the zoo before?" I ask, surprised.

"No. It’s a first for both of us," she says with a little smile.

I return her smile. She finally takes a map and stops when she sees my hand extended toward her. She laughs but takes it without protest.

"Alright, let’s go."

"What should we start with?" Joan asks, looking around with excitement gleaming in his eyes.

"Well, let’s check the map."

As I speak, Lucy unfolds the map. Everything is super organized. They’ve laid it out by zones based on the animals’ origins. My attention lingers on the penguins. Knowing Joan, that’s what he’ll enjoy the most.

"I’d save that for last," I say, pointing to that part of the map.

"Okay, well, let’s start here then," she points to the opposite direction.

"Should we join a tour group?" I ask, noticing one gathering beside us with a guide.

"No, that’s boring," my brother groans.

"Looks like you’ve got your answer," Lucy says.

"Alright, alright," I reply with amusement. "Just us, then."

"Can we start with the lions?" he asks.

"That’s actually over that way. Let’s go."

We move forward through the crowd to start with the African animals. Joan might be excited, but so am I. I love these kinds of outings, just the three of us. I also love animals. We linger at some exhibits and pass by others more quickly. It’s our first time here, but the layout is really well done. I’m sure we’ll come back, just Lucy and me. The zoo is organized like small villages at various points along the path. They’re often animated by staff, and they even offer activities in certain spots. We managed to get Joan to participate in one of them. He didn’t really want to at first, but in the end, he seemed to enjoy it. Then, we had the chance to feed the zebras. We were lucky to arrive at the right time. That was definitely Joan’s favorite part. Of course, the activity was supervised by staff, but they weren’t obligated to involve the visitors. The African section ends with the lions, which he kept talking about the entire time, even after all the things he got to do. I mentally note that my brother is becoming more and more spoiled and that I need to talk to our mom about it. I’m not the one responsible for his upbringing, but it’d be good for her to keep an eye on this not-so-pleasant change.

"What’s the next section?" I take advantage of my brother’s distraction to ask Lucy.

"The Asian animals. Then the Australian ones. But I think it’d be a good idea to grab lunch before that since we’ll be near a restaurant."

"Okay, that works for me," I reply with a smile.

We’ve been walking for two hours now, so that sounds like a good idea. By the time we finish the next section, I imagine we’ll be ready for lunch just before noon. It seems less busy than the one we just completed, according to the map. That’s good news, considering the crowd around us. Lucy was right earlier. The weather is mild, and it’s the end of vacation, so people are making the most of it. We’ll have to consider these factors next time if we want a more peaceful visit. Lucy kisses me and then wraps her arm around my shoulders. I keep an eye on my brother, who’s been ahead of us for a while now. He’s captivated by the lions. He’s holding onto the railing, looking down as if he never wants to leave this spot. Unfortunately, I have to burst his bubble if we want to see everything.

"Come on, Jo, let’s go."

"A little longer, please," she pleads, pouting.

"No, we’re moving on," Lucy jumps in. "Otherwise, you won’t be able to see everything. There are other animals like leopards and jaguars."

"Tigers too?" she asks excitedly.

"Of course. We’re getting to them soon, but we need to keep moving. »

Finally, without further resistance, he complied. He walked ahead of us. From the start, he had been negotiating to stop holding my hand. It must have been torture for her to see the other children running around while he couldn't. I agreed on the condition that he stayed in front, didn't run, and didn't stray too far. I also didn’t want to spend my day holding his back. So far, he had respected my terms, which was a first since this morning. Lucy had gotten so fed up with his behavior in certain situations that she left him to me to handle. She was probably right. I had noticed that the more Lucy got involved, the worse his behavior became. I imagine it will take some time for him to adjust to having someone else in my life. After all, he had never really seen me with anyone before. When I was with Mapi, he was too young to remember, which was for the best. He would probably have made a fuss about us no longer being together, given how much he adores my best friend.

With these thoughts in mind, we continued along, taking our time to observe everything. The scenery was beautiful, a peaceful place where you almost forget the disrespectful kids shouting everywhere. Almost. Lucy might complain, but at least we didn't have to deal with that with my brother. As someone who dislikes drawing attention, I appreciated this.

Finally, it was time to eat. As planned, we arrived just before noon. There was a bit of a wait, but not as bad as it could have been.  

“I’m not hungry,” my brother mumbled. “Do we have to stop?”

“Yes,” I replied. “You’re not alone, and knowing you, you'll be hungry as soon as we leave.”

“But there’s still so much to see!”

“And we’ll have time to see it all.”

“But—"

“Joan, that’s enough,” my girlfriend interjected with a stern look. “My threat from this morning still stands.”

“Oh, stop. He’s been good all morning.”

Lucy raised an eyebrow at me, and I pressed my lips together. Last night, she’d told me it would be a good idea to support her when she said something to Joan, to avoid making her look like the bad guy. Admittedly, apart from a few grumpy remarks, which I had managed so far, Joan had behaved well this morning. My girlfriend sighed softly and turned back to Joan.

“We’re eating now. If you’re not hungry, you don’t have to eat, but don’t complain later.”

In response, my brother groaned, crossing his arms and puffing out his cheeks. It seemed like his favorite thing to do since he arrived, and it was pretty funny to watch.

“Come on, move along,” I guided him with a hand on his head as we advanced in line.

“But I’m really not hungry,” he insisted, looking up at me. “My stomach hurts,” he added, rubbing his belly.

“Really?” I asked, raising an eyebrow.

He nodded, eyes filling with tears. I sighed and glanced at Lucy, who shrugged. I knew she was aware, just like me, that this was probably a lie.

“Well, I suppose you can take some medicine beforehand. We brought those dissolvable sachets, just in case.”

In reality, we only had tablets. I would have crushed one if she truly needed it, as he can’t swallow them whole. It’s not like I don’t know how to do that. I also knew he hated it, which was clear when he grimaced at the idea.

“No!” he whined.

“Well, what? You’re feeling unwell, aren’t you?”

“I-I think I feel better now.”

A small laugh escaped me. I shook my head. So the negotiations were working after all. Lucy wasn’t wrong to have me handle this. It seemed effective. We finally reached the buffet, which reminded me a lot of a school cafeteria. I grabbed a tray for Joan and myself, while Lucy took care of hers. We helped ourselves to the food. Lucy and I got chicken cutlets with fries and a green salad, while Joan chose spaghetti Bolognese. For dessert, we picked cookies. I think I also slipped a few snacks into the bag in case we got hungry later. We finished with drinks—iced tea for Joan and me, and water for Lucy. Once everything was ready, I paid, and we found a table. The place was somewhat crowded but not so much that we had to wait for a table to free up.

The meal passed peacefully, with Joan chattering nonstop. It was the first time he’d talked so much, so we let him. He had just started his first year of primary school, and since I no longer lived at home, the change was pretty drastic. Not just in personality, but intellectually as well. This morning, he had fun reading all the signs to me, showing that he could read now.

“And then Paul got a new dog. It’s so cute! I wanted to go to his house to see it, but Mom wouldn’t let me.”

“Really?”

“Mm-hmm,” she nodded with her mouth full. “I wanted to have a sleepover, but we already had plans that day.”

“I see,” I chuckled. “Maybe next time.”

“When are you guys going to get a dog?”

Lucy, who had been silent until now, nearly choked. I stifled a laugh. That question caught me off guard too. I’d forgotten how unfiltered Joan could be. If anything, he talks more now than before.

“Why do you think we’d get a dog?” I asked, once I composed myself.

“Well, I already asked Mom, but she said no. So now I’m asking you guys. It’d be great! I could take care of it when I visit.”

This time, I laughed out loud. It wasn’t like he would be spending half the year with us. Besides, knowing him, even if we had a dog, he wouldn’t actually take care of it when he was here.

“We’re not getting a dog, Jo, I’m sorry.”

“But why?” she pouted.

“Well, we’re hardly ever home right now. It just wouldn’t work.”

"Home." The word slipped out before I realized it. It didn’t seem to bother Lucy, though, as she kept watching us with a faint smile. I cleared my throat and continued, giving a more realistic explanation that Joan could understand.

“Don’t you think a dog would be miserable, locked up in an apartment all alone? And dogs require care, which we wouldn’t be around to give since we don’t live in the apartment during the week.”

“Or on weekends when you don’t have leave,” Lucy teased, continuing to eat as if nothing happened.

I stuck my tongue out at her in response. She had said that on purpose. The worst part was that she was the one who enforced this “punishment.” It was funny, though, and I appreciated that she still saw me as the person I was before we got together. It meant she hadn’t labeled our relationship or changed how she viewed me. Now that I think about it, our behavior toward each other hadn’t changed either. Joan’s voice brought my attention back to her.

“But yeah, not now, duh! You could get a dog once you’ve finished school and have a house. You said you love Lucy, so that’s what will happen, right? You could have a dog then, and you wouldn’t even need a baby!”

Lucy burst into laughter—literally. Meanwhile, I died of embarrassment, hiding my flushed face behind my hands. I couldn’t believe he had the nerve to say that in front of my girlfriend. I could feel Lucy’s eyes on me from across the table, but I couldn’t bring myself to look at her. I forced myself to, though, and saw her smiling at me with amusement, clearly expecting me to respond.

“You’re really talking nonsense. We don’t know yet. And who says we won’t have a baby, huh?”

“Well, I’m already here. You don’t need one. And besides, you can’t have one anyway. I’ll just move in with you.”

Once again, Lucy snickered softly. Joan, who seemed very sure of what he was saying, pouted and crossed his arms. I bit my lip to hold back my amusement. He was definitely giving me plenty of stories to remind him of later.

“All that, huh?” I asked.

“Isn’t it a good idea?”

He was sulking. I recognized the tone in his voice when he did that.

“Where did you get all these ideas, huh?”

“Well, my friends say two girls together can’t have a baby.”

I ran a hand through my hair. He must have talked to them about me. I knew he often mentioned me to them, so it wasn’t impossible. Poor thing must have a lot of questions if he’s already discussing this with his friends—or anyone else, for that matter. It must be tough for him to understand everything at his age. I couldn’t wait for him to grow up, if only to understand this better.

“They’re right,” Lucy said. “But there are other ways.”

“That’s true,” I confirmed. “Like adoption, for example.”

I gave him the simplest version of the truth, something he could grasp. Lucy and I hadn’t had the chance to talk about it yet; it was way too early for that. But if I were to give my opinion, adoption wasn’t something I’d want to prioritize. Joan seemed to latch onto the idea instantly, and his reaction caught me off guard.

“Then you can adopt me!”

I rolled my eyes playfully and grabbed a napkin to wipe the tomato sauce covering his face. A few more seconds, and it would have dripped onto his clothes.

“And why would we adopt you, huh? You have a home with two parents. Adoption is for children who don’t have that, you know?”

I can see through his eyes that all the hopes he had thought so much about have evaporated. I don't like seeing that glimmer. I feel bad for him.

“So, you don't want me?”  

“We didn’t say that,” Lucy responds. “You can come see us as often as you want, and we’ll visit you in Barcelona too.”  

“But… I want to stay with you! You’re way too far from home, and Mom and Dad aren’t around much anyway.”  

I give him a sad smile. I know what that’s like, unfortunately. I run my hand through his hair before pulling him into a hug. He lets himself go without any fuss.

“I know, sweetheart, but we can’t do any better. It’s not that we don’t want you, but you can’t just leave home like that. Besides, Lucy and I will probably have another busy year ahead. Even if we wanted to, we couldn’t take you in permanently.”

I think about the opportunity at the Art school for me and the opening of the gym for Lucy. This upcoming year will be just as busy and complicated as this one, if not more. I dread it as much as I’m excited to see what the future holds. I’m still waiting on a phone call, and I’m starting to worry that I haven’t heard back yet. Lucy says it’s normal, and I hope she’s right.

“Hmm… I would have preferred to live with you anyway,” he admits.  

I don’t know what’s going on at home, but there’s clearly something wrong. I think I’ll call my mom when I get the chance. If Joan isn’t feeling comfortable there anymore, I need to know so I can get my mom to react. There’s no way I’ll let him go through what I went through. I know how that ends, and if we don’t find the right person to help, things can go very wrong.

“Alright,” Lucy interrupts. “We should finish up quickly if we still want to do everything.”

This news brings a small smile to my brother’s face before he quickly resumes where he left off before our conversation.

“Slow down, please. Otherwise, you’ll really get a stomach ache.”

He nods but doesn’t slow down, which makes Lucy and me laugh as we exchange a glance. She may not have said much at the table, but I know she heard everything. I’ll ask her what she thinks about it all when we’re alone. We finish dessert, then head off to explore another area. Even though Joan claimed he wasn’t hungry, he still ate well. The day goes on, and surprisingly, Joan has become calmer than before, which delights my girlfriend. It’s understandable. As much as he pushes her limits, it’s annoying to have to constantly put him back in his place when we’re supposed to be having a good time. He must have realized that his tantrums don’t work with us. Maybe I should call Sofia as well to see how she reacts to his. Unlike my mom, I don’t doubt Lucy knows how to manage him as I do. It’s just that my mom doesn’t have patience for this sort of thing, so it’s very hard for her to react calmly. She loses her temper rather than defuse the situation.

“Hey,” Lucy calls out after a while. “Stop worrying. It can’t be that bad.”

“I don’t know,” I admit with a small, anxious smile. “We’ll see. I’ll call my mom tonight. I need to know what’s going on.”

She nods understandingly before giving me a soft kiss. Unfortunately, it’s the moment Joan turns around. His new habit is to let out disgusted noises whenever he sees us. But it seems he didn’t hear the rest. We change the subject as we finish this park, which Joan seems particularly fond of. It’s true—it’s very well done. We’ll definitely come back.

Friday, February 26th; 9:00 PM – Lucy’s apartment.

We’re back home. Everything is peaceful. It was six o'clock when we got back. The day was good. We all enjoyed it, especially Joan, who has already showered, eaten, and even gone to bed. He fell asleep in the guest room without even protesting. In fact, he went there on his own with his new penguin plush. We managed to finish the park, and it seems I was right—Joan loved it, and I couldn’t resist buying him a plush when he asked for it. He earned it with how well he behaved in the afternoon. As for Lucy and me, I had just settled on the couch with Netflix on in the background. I had already showered, and Lucy should be joining me soon. I hadn’t heard the water running in the bathroom for about five minutes. Now that everything is calm, I wanted to call my mom. Joan’s behavior wasn’t normal. I knew he had behavioral issues, but now we needed to figure out why. Nothing ever happens for no reason. It seems like everyone’s already forgotten what happened with me. I’m not going to let them forget. Just as I was about to call, an unknown number appeared on my screen. I don’t recognize it, but it seems to be from here, from Manchester. I frown, intrigued by the late call. Could it be Feli? Would she really come here? How would she even know where I am? The thought makes my stomach knot. I inhale slowly, glancing behind me to check if Lucy is around. Not yet. She’s still in the bathroom. After the fifth ring, I force myself to pick up.

“Hello?” I answer cautiously, my voice uncertain.

“Miss Batlle?” a voice asks.

“Yes...?”

“Hello, this is Bennett Fields! I’m sorry to call so late. I lost track of time,” he says with a small laugh. “Am I disturbing you?”

Bennett Fields, Bennett Fields... Oh! He’s the gallery director. I immediately sit up straighter on the couch, as if he could see me from afar.

“No, no! I’m at home,” I tell him.

“Good.”

If he were in front of me, I’m sure I’d be able to see his smile. It’s amazing how you can read him so well.

“How are you?”  

“Well, I’m pretty nervous now that you’re on the line,” I admit, which makes him chuckle. “And you?”

“I’m well, thank you. I apologize for not contacting you sooner. I had a rather busy week. I know I said I would get in touch with the person who sent me your drawings, but I preferred to speak with you directly.”

“No problem.”

In any case, I would’ve gotten the answer tonight since the other person is also in this apartment. I now understand why he asked for my number at the end of our meeting. He seems to like dealing with people directly, which is completely normal.

“I’m calling to follow up on our meeting.”

“I figured,” I reply with amusement.

I like the way we talk. I should be stressed, but he puts me at ease. His laugh is contagious.

“You impressed me a lot, Ona. Certainly not by your lack of experience, but by your undeniable talent.”

Blushing, I feel flattered to hear that from a professional.

“So, here’s the thing. I have a proposal for you. Of course, as we discussed, it would mean going back to school. Are you still okay with that?”

“Of course!”

We haven’t discussed next year much with Lucy yet, but we both kind of know what to expect.

“Good. However, the offer wouldn’t be for the Manchester gallery…”

“What do you mean?” I ask, feeling a bit worried.

“Well, here’s the thing. My gallery is expanding. I’m developing new locations in the region. I’m about to open one in Cardiff, and I’m putting together a team. I think you’d be a great fit there, under the direction of my new manager.”

Cardiff? The news leaves me speechless. What should I say to that? I definitely can’t accept such an offer on the spot. My lack of response prompts him to speak.

“I know it’s a big decision to think about. You’ve already traveled a lot, but this would be an excellent opportunity for you.”

“It definitely requires some thought…” I murmur.

“I didn’t expect an immediate answer. I’ll give you time to think it over. Just so you know, there’s also an Art school there, and the program can last two to three years, depending on the student’s choice.”

Two to three years? My vision blurs. There’s no way I’m staying away from Lucy for that long!

“If you’d like, we can schedule another meeting in two weeks. Do you think you could get some time off from school for a weekday meeting?”

“I-I’ll have to check.”

“Well, call me when you know. That way, we can set up a time to meet and talk face-to-face. Can we do that?”

“Yes, we can do that. I’ll call you then.”

“Great! Well, I wish you a good evening. Talk to you soon.”

“Talk to you soon, Mr. Fields.”

I hang up, completely overwhelmed by the conversation. Damn it! I think I’d have preferred if he’d just rejected me rather than making me face such a decision!

“Who was it?”

I jump, not having noticed Lucy’s presence. I turn toward her as she slowly approaches to sit beside me.

“Ona?” she calls gently. “Is everything alright?”

“I think we need to talk…”

Concern flashes across her eyes. Oh yes, she has reason to be worried. If she only knew how I’m feeling inside right now... I almost feel like crying.

[inawickedlittletown]

It's A Love Story (BuckTommy) - one-shot

Summary: You saw all kinds of things working at a restaurant. First dates. Failed dates. Proposals. Arguments. Break ups. The passing of secrets.

Or, the waitress at the restaurant Tommy and Buck go to for their first date likes to people watch.

BuckTommy Positivity Week Day 5: outsider perspective

Rated: G

Words: 2.9k

@bucktommypositivityweek

-

Read on Ao3

You saw all kinds of things working at a restaurant. First dates. Failed dates. Proposals. Arguments. Break ups. The passing of secrets. People watching almost made up for the meager pay and the nights when few dine-ins meant less tips. Rachel was only working there until she managed to get the right role. That was something she’d been saying for years and she’d landed her fair share of commercials and done a few background characters here or there. Her boss was at least very understanding of her goals and willing to work around her auditions. It was better than she could have ever expected. 

People watching was fun too, especially for someone that was trying to hone the craft of emoting emotions well on film. The best people to watch were the regulars. On them you could see the human condition. A good day or a bad day played out differently. You got to see how things changed from a change in partner or family that grew or got smaller. A small insight into their lives. 

One guy, a guy that Rachel and her coworker, Casey, had named David after the Michelangelo statue, came in almost once a week. It was never on the same day, but he always ordered a medium pizza. It was always just the single pizza pie. It was always ordered over the phone and he paid in cash and nearly always left a tip in the jar. 

David was a bit of a mystery, but he was so hot that she, Casey, some of the other girls, and William tried to make conversation with him if they spotted him. Sometimes, when they knew it was his order, they made the kitchen wait to put it into the oven so they could get a bit more time with him. 

The problem with David was that he was hot and nice. He was tall, kinda built in a way that meant he could probably pick Rachel up without breaking a sweat. His jaw looked like it could cut glass and his cheeks were perfectly chiseled. He had an aquiline nose and on him it made absolute sense. What made it worse were his blue eyes and how sometimes his dark hair curled just a bit. 

He was always friendly, greeting them with a polite hello and a smile. He was always on his own and nothing about him gave away what he did. Casey thought he was or had been military. No ring on his finger told them he was unmarried. William had once gotten the courage to ask if he was seeing anyone. 

He’d gotten a crisp, “no” for his trouble. 

Casey had gotten him talking sports one night and since Rachel knew nothing about sports she hadn’t been able to tell if his opinions were good or not. 

Years went on like that and there was something absolutely lonely about the guy. The few times he ate in it was always on his own. 

On Wednesday afternoon when it was quiet enough that even William had gotten bored enough to start rearranging the shelves under the counter, David walked in. 

“Hi, how are you,” Rachel said at once. “Did you put in an order?” 

“Oh. No. Last minute decision,” he said. “I almost forgot I don’t have anything to eat at home. Can I just get a medium veggie?”

“Sure,” she said. “Fifteen minutes?” 

He gave a nod and took a seat at the counter. Rachel hated the counter seats because it meant having customers right within hearing distance, but she was changing her mind having David there. 

He propped his head on his hand. 

“Long morning?” Rachel asked. 

“Yes. Very,” he said. “I was supposed to get off work — at this point — ten hours ago. So now all I want is food and sleep.” 

He blinked lazily and left as soon as his food was ready. 

Rachel didn’t see him again for a few more weeks and then to her surprise when he next showed up on a Saturday night, he entered with another guy. He looked like he’d put a little more effort into his clothes than usual, not that he ever showed up looking like a slob. His friend was probably equally as hot as him. He had an interesting marking over his left eye and he was cute in a more approachable way than David. 

“It’s a date,” William said. “Haven’t I been saying for ages that David is gay?”

There was actually no telling if it was a date or not. Rachel hadn’t been lucky enough to have them sit in her section, but Casey was willing to recount everything she heard from the table. 

So in the kitchen they all got to hear about how the not-David guy was a bit of a rambler and was giving David a lecture on sea turtles of all things. David, according to Casey, didn’t seem to mind a bit. He seemed to encourage it. So far there was no telling if they were just good friends or on a date, but one thing was for certain, they seemed to be enjoying each other’s company. They drank almost two pitchers of beer between them by the time they asked for the check. 

“Rachel, he’s paying for the whole thing and he’s paying with card,” Casey whispered to her. 

“They’re on a date,” William threw in. “Also, look at his name on the card.” 

Rachel had to go deliver drinks to her table, so she returned after Casey had already processed the payment and returned the card to David. 

“Thomas,” Casey told her. “His name is Thomas Kinard.” 

Something weird did happen, then. Thomas’ friend seemed to get spooked for some reason, glancing around like everyone in the restaurant was looking at them. It wasn’t the other dinners as much as the wait staff but he didn’t seem to get clued into that. David — Thomas — was suddenly looking a bit more serious. 

Rachel went to lead a couple to their table when halfway there, the guy stopped in front of David’s — Thomas’ — table and he called out, “ Tommy!” 

So he went by Tommy. Rachel thought it fit him. His companion was named Buck apparently and Buck only managed to stiffen even more. Rachel didn’t hear everything that was said over the din of plates, cutlery, and conversation, but she could see that Tommy had gone a little flat. His companion looked even more panicked. They didn’t look like they even said another word to each other and then they got up to leave. 

“What is happening?” William asked. 

Rachel was taking care of her own table. The couple looked happy and the guy actually informed her that they’d just decided to move in together. 

“That’s nice,” Rachel said distracted by watching David — damn it, his name was Tommy — walk out with Buck. 

Rachel managed to sneak closer to the window to look out there and she saw them share a few words before Tommy, shoulders squared, got into a car and left his companion behind. Buck seemed frustrated by being left behind. He didn’t waste too long before he too departed. 

“If it was a date,” Rachel told William and Casey later, “I don’t think it ended well.” 

They saw Tommy again two weeks later. He wasn’t picking up his single pie, but two pizza pies, garlic knots, and an order of wings. He was all smiles and talked to William about having spent the day at the zoo. 

“Well that was unusual,” William said. 

After that he just kind of disappeared. He had either found a better pizza place or he’d given it up altogether. So, it was shocking when Tommy returned one Thursday night. He wasn’t alone. Buck, the guy he’d been eating with that one time was with him. They stood close to each other at the counter and Buck laid his hand on Tommy’s forearm. Tommy smiled at him. 

Tommy smiling made him look even more gorgeous. The skin around his eyes crinkled and he had the straightest, whitest teeth. No one had ever managed to get his job out of him and Rachel was starting to wonder if he was maybe some kind of model or actor. 

“So I suppose I have to thank you,” Buck was saying. 

“How do you figure that?” Tommy asked. 

“I think the muay thai helped a little.” 

Tommy laughed. “I doubt that. But I’m glad you were quick on your feet.” 

“The whole thing was nuts. Chim really saved the day catching the baby. I like when everything gets resolved in one shift.” 

“I know what you mean. You’re not left wondering.” 

“Exactly.” 

Rachel caught Tommy’s attention. He went to pay, but Buck pushed him back and extended his card to her. 

“Evan,” Tommy said. 

She looked between them as Tommy finally gave a nod. Evan looked a little smug and as he signed the slip he shot her a smile. 

“My boyfriend here is always trying to pay for everything,” he said. 

Boyfriend, he said. So William was right and it had been a date that time they were in before. And, clearly whatever happened at the end of the last date had been resolved. 

“That’s not a bad thing,” Rachel said. 

“Exactly,” Tommy said. 

“I’m not saying I don’t appreciate it,” Evan said and he glanced back at Tommy. “I’m just saying that you deserve to be taken care of too.” 

The look that Tommy settled on Evan was one that Rachel wanted to take and keep into her back pocket because it was infatuation and fondness and maybe even love rolled into one. 

They left still talking to each other and Tommy opened the door for Evan who carried their food. 

After that Tommy started showing up on his own again, but there was no telling if it was because he wasn’t dating Evan anymore or what. After all, sometimes he still did pick up a single pizza pie, but other times it was two or other things from the menu. Casey did report that she’d seen Evan stop by to pick up take out once or twice and that he was nearly always distracted by his phone when he did. 

It did take a while for Tommy and Evan to return together. It was, of course, on the night before Rachel’s big audition. It was for a new tv-show and for some reason they were looking for complete unknowns for the main cast. Rachel was hoping it’d be her big break. Her agent seemed to think she had a shot. 

So, she was a little distracted and running lines as much as she could. She was also lucky that Casey and William were both on shift because as long as it wasn’t busy they were willing to let her take up a table and just go over the lines again. Rachel would pay them back when William needed to sit and write whatever had popped into his head or when he needed to revise something he was turning in and Casey when she had a big test or finals to study for. 

Casey, as a lark, even sat them at the table next to her and winked at her. She rolled her eyes, but that didn’t stop her from eavesdropping. 

“It’s horrible,” Evan said in a tone that was almost whining. “Like I expected the worst, but it’s worse than that. But we can…we can talk about something else because I don’t even want to think about Gerrard anymore. He already takes up too much of my time. Can you tell me about your day?” 

“Lucy and Melton are feuding,” Tommy said. “I think he ate her sandwich by mistake a few days ago and she’s not letting it go. That’s as exciting as it gets around Harbor.” 

“Other than when you’re flying a helicopter. Maybe I really should think about transferring. After all the lessons have paid off.” 

“Uh…I’m not saying it’s not an option, but they kinda need you over there right now.” 

Evan laughed. “I know. I know. I think Eddie is growing a mustache and I don’t know if it’s in response to Gerrard or Chris. Either way, it’s weird.” 

“Evan, you can’t just say that and not have pictures.” 

“He’ll probably still have it when you see him for basketball tomorrow.” 

When the restaurant started getting a bit busy she had to get up and help with the takeout orders. So Tommy flew helicopters? She added that to the lore and passed the information on to William and Casey. 

It was almost a week after the audition when she heard back about a call back. A chemistry read. Two more auditions and then right in the middle of grabbing a take out order to pass to a customer her phone began to ring. 

“Casey, I gotta take this one.” 

Considering how noisy it was inside, she ran out to the front. It was twilight, the sky shot with a bunch of different colors as the sun went down. 

“Hello?” 

She paced the sidewalk in front of the restaurant and listened as her agent said a lot of things that lead up to, “you got it, Rach. You got the job.” 

Rachel didn’t know what noise she made, but her agent was laughing and Rachel was laughing. There may have even been some jumping up and down. 

“Thank you sooo much,” Rachel said into the phone. “I can’t believe it.” 

When she turned around, she saw Tommy and Evan walking out of the restaurant. They were smiling at each other, completely caught up in each other. 

“I didn’t think I’d ever want to come back here,” Evan said. “It was…it was an awful first date.” 

“It was not and I have no regrets.” 

“Still,” Evan said. 

Rachel smiled to herself as she watched them go. 

Rachel didn’t think about Tommy or Evan again after that. She had finally gotten a role on an actual tv-show. Her boss at the restaurant was cool about it and let her know she could come back if she needed to. Rachel didn’t wind up needing to even if that particular tv-show lasted all of one season. The doors had been opened to her, at least, and she had steady work. 

It was almost a full three years later before she stepped foot there again. William, and Casey had agreed to meet up for dinner and they decided it may as well happen where they had met and become friends in the first place.  

Soon after Rachel left, Casey had finished her degree and gotten a different job. William had stuck around a little longer until the script he’d been working on for years was finally picked up. They’d always kept in contact and William had kept them informed on the regulars that he still saw right up until he left. 

“Oh my god,” Casey said twenty minutes after they arrived. 

“What?” 

“Guess who just came in?”

Rachel almost didn’t even have to, but she turned anyway and there they were. Tommy and Evan. 

They were sat a few tables away which meant they couldn’t actually listen in, but they both still looked amazing. Both were smiling easily and didn’t seem to run out of things to say to each other. There was actually something sickening in how in love they looked. 

“What are the odds,” William said. 

“I know,” Rachel said. “But maybe we shouldn’t be creepily watching them all night.” 

Casey laughed. “I guess you know about that now.”

Rachel rolled her eyes. “I’ll die if anyone ever recognizes me from that show. One eight episode season and it was over. Haven’t had anything that big since.” 

Not that she was complaining, really. She was, after all, a working actor and she’d gone to a few auditions that seemed promising. One might mean having to live in Canada for a while, but she was at a stage in her career where she wouldn’t be passing anything up. 

“You will,” William said. “You’ll be the first I call if I ever get backing for my latest script.” 

They were catching up and Casey was giving them the gossip at her new job when silence seemed to fall over the restaurant. 

“Holy shit,” William said. 

At the same time, Tommy said, “Evan, I can’t believe you. Of course. Of course, yes.” 

Rachel turned at once. Evan was down on one knee next to the table and Tommy looked like he was going to start crying in his seat. In the next moment they were hugging and kissing and maybe even crying. 

“Now that is a love story right there,” Casey said. 

Rachel couldn’t help but think about Tommy back when they had named him David and how he had been such a constant every week or two. Always on his own, always ordering take out for one. How there had always existed a loneliness in him even while he was always kind, tipped well, and looked insanely hot. For years that had just been the norm. He never shared much about himself and small talk with him just always resulted in conversation about sports or a movie and nothing about himself. 

Bringing Evan that first time had shocked them because it was outside the norm, but looking at them with their big smiles, holding hands across the table, she was happy to have witnessed even a tiny bit of their story. She was sure there was a lot more. 

[brf-rumortrackinganon]

You answered an ask the other day about how things will go when William is King. I’m just thinking, aren’t you sort if overestimating William? Let’s be real, if things continue the way they are, if Harry won’t get invited to the coronation, there will be cries about poor Harry for sure. I think maybe people are underestimating Harry’s chokehold on people, especially if he uses the Diana card. He’s Diana’s true son, blah blah blah. The royal reporters are all soft on him. If he gets invited to a walkabout, people will just compare him to William like they did when Queen Eizabeth died. He’ll cry about military uniforms again and there will be people actually echoing about how poor he is to not be allowed blah blah when he’s the one who fought in an actual war blah blah.

I think not a lot of people like that William is headstrong and resolute. See how people reacted with Kate’s hospitalization. They legitimately thought he was holding Kate hostage or something. They think he is too strong and controlling. Let’s be real, William is kinda bad at PR because he doesn’t like playing it. And when he does play, people still don’t like it. I don’t think Harry’s relevance will just fade either. Not as long as he uses the Diana card. He’s also not really like Andrew and won’t be disgraced like Andrew no matter how people want him to be. He will always be a thorn in William’s side.

No, I don’t think I’m overestimating William. The best indicator of future behavior is past behavior. William’s past behavior shows that he doesn’t take betrayal kindly, he isn’t emotionally manipulated, and he doesn’t play Harry’s (and Charles’s) media games; all qualities that make him able to deal with Harry more resolutely.

Will Harry try to galvanize public support to get what he wants for Charles’s funeral or William’s coronation? Yes, absolutely, and there will be people and press who’ll advocate for him to William, even within their own family (maybe). But just the same, there will also be people, and press, there who’ll support decisions to block or exclude Harry. So it’s really a balancing act and William, as all monarchs do, will do what’s in his best, personal interest.

And right now, the record shows that William’s personal interest is not having Harry around.

[wingedjellyfishflight]

Hunting Trip

"Have you even ever been hunting?" Ghost opens his mouth. "Animals, not people." His jaw snaps shut. "Yes, you can come with, but it's not like a mission. And you have to be nice. My dad and my brothers will be with us all week."

"I will play nice with your family, promise," he says, smirking down at you.

"I don't believe you when you say it like that, but I know it's the best I will get. You should be excited, though. I pulled really good tags. Moose, elk, and a black bear. I was not expecting the moose, or else I wouldn't have gone for the other two, but I can't turn down moose." He happily listens to you chatter away about the upcoming trip, your eagerness palpable.

"What will you do with the meat? And furs?" He doesn't really care, but he wants to listen to you talk.

"Oh, we have a guy that cuts it all up, and I'm old friends with a taxidermist. If I had more time, I would cut it up myself, but Captain said he can only give me one week, so butcher it is."

"Wait, wait, wait! You know how to cut up an animal? Why are you so bad at using knives in the field?"

"I hate using it against people. It's... too similar," you say with a small shudder before focusing back on the mission.

You catch a military flight back home three weeks later. You spend the trip curled up in the webbing and trying your best to nap after the week you had. Barely had time to clean up from the mission before you ran to the tarmac. Somehow, Ghost made it there long before you. Must be excited, you think, smiling up at the big guy.

Wrapping your arms around your dad and your big brothers doesn't feel like home, you realize with a pang. Not now that you are across the pond with the team. Price's gruff hug after a mission feels more comforting. Of course, part of it may be the glares they are shooting the "strange man" who walked in the door with you.

Introducing him isn't a disaster, per say, but for some reason, they had assumed you were bringing a woman when you told them a friend was tagging along. Luckily, tags haven't sold out since they assumed a woman friend wouldn't actually want to hunt, and you are able to get an elk tag for Ghost.

Your brothers mock him for living in a country without guns. The ribbing ends when he takes the rifle he is given apart for a thorough cleaning before putting it back together in record time. You know he is showing off and you also know that you won't have to clean the guns by yourself this year, which is a relief as your brothers and dad never seem to remember to clean them.

Your oldest brother talks about the moose he is going to get and the recipes he is going to make with it. You congratulate him on drawing a moose tag, too. He stares at you for a long moment before saying that he will be filling your tag and keeping the meat since you won't be able to take it all back.

"News to me. I got special permission and certification to bring back everything. I will be filling my tags and keeping what I get." Your brother looks like he's been slapped and opens his mouth to argue, but your dad steps in.

"Enough. You were supposed to ask, not make assumptions. She will be keeping what she kills, just as we have always done in this house."

The next morning, you wake up to see Ghost sitting and waiting in the chair next to your bed in the dark. The two of you sharing a bed had been an argument and a half the night before. It had only ended when you threatened to leave and stay at a hotel. You're more than capable of platonic sleeping, and you are old enough not to need to put up with their shit. It's still another two hours before the rest of the house will wake and three before you leave for hunting camp.

"Run?" You ask Ghost sweetly.

"Run," his deep voice responds. You manage good time, clocking in several miles before heading home, showering, and making breakfast. The bacon is finishing just as your dad ambles into the kitchen, dressed to go and yawning, but a smile on his face when he sees you cooking in the kitchen.

"You're up early, dear. Didn't need you to make breakfast for everyone," he says, pressing a kiss to your forehead.

"Oh, I didn't. Bruvs are on their own. Asshats kept opening my door to look in last night. They're gonna oversleep, I'm sure," you say with a frustrated smile. Your dad chuckles and claps a hand on Ghost's shoulder in good spirits.

"Ready to put in some miles, son? Could be a long day."

"Lamb warned me. We did a short run so we wouldn't be too worn out be day's end," Ghost says politely. You shoot him a glare at the use of your nickname.

"Yeah, so we-" you try to interject.

"Lamb? Like what? Lamb to slaughter? That doesn't sound..." Your dad flounders on what to say.

Before you can salvage it, Ghost jokes, "More like a lamb sending men to slaughter. Your daughter can hold her own in the field." Your elbow to his side doesn't even slow him down.

"Field? You are consulting in the field now? It's too dangerous to be around all those amped up men, sweetie," your dad admonishes you gently as the three of you sit to eat a quick breakfast.

"Just sometimes. You know how much I love my desk, dad. If I didn't work out with Ghost, I'd get fat," you joke. You know your dad is skeptical, but he worries enough without knowing the true nature of your work. You miss the glance the two men exchange. Breakfast finished, you rope Ghost into loading the last of the gear with you, trying to keep him away from your dad.

It's only minutes before time to leave when you see your brothers stumbling out of the house to the truck. You make sure to sit between your middle sibling and Ghost. Annoyingly, your brother manspreads, squishing your legs over despite your protests. Ghost is nice enough to let you rest your legs against his, giving you a little more room. At least it's only a few hours to hunting camp. You made sure to bring your own tent and gear, so you and Ghost will be cozy the entire trip. You knew from the start that you didn't want your family to see your newly acquired scars, especially the burns on your back from last year's incident. Roasted pork had been permanently removed from your menu after that one.

"So, you two fuckin or what?" Your middle brother asks out of the blue about an hour into the trip.

"Or what," is your flat answer. No matter which is true, you're not one to kiss and tell.

"You ever hunted an elk before, boy?" You grimace at your brother's terrible mouth filter.

"Not elk, no," comes the answer from your other side.

"Oh, sheep? Antelope?" You try to intervene, but you're not fast or loud enough to drown out Ghost's answer.

"People." The rest of the ride is mercifully silent with your brothers seemingly absorbed in staring out the windows.

Reaching camp, you and Ghost work as a well-oiled machine. After so many months and especially after the time spent together in the last month in the field, you work silently and smoothly. You help your dad set up their tent, your brothers gearing up already to hunt instead. Between the three of you, camp is set in record time. Your dad begs off hunting, claiming he is going to take a nap after the early morning and long drive there.

Having pre-selected your hunting areas as a safety measure, the two of you set off into your designated zone. You let your brothers pick what they considered the prime area, hoping they would bag out early and give you time to fill your own tags. Luck is in the chilly air, though, as you see sign of a black bear not far from the trailhead. Stalking it, you realize it is stalking a herd of elk itself.

Setting up a shot can be difficult. It's even more so when you are hunting a predator. When you shoot your bear, Ghost takes down a big bull elk, too. You send him back to camp to grab your dad and get the animals ready to move. Your dad switches off with both of you to help pull the game back. You load them in the back of the truck and hug both of them excitedly, happy with the quick start to the trip. Two tags done and two to go. Your brothers have no such luck, and they are less than thrilled with your first day success.

You almost laugh when your brothers corner you later, demanding answers. "How could you bring someone like him?!" Your oldest brother is indignant.

"It's not like I work with fucking girl scouts. What did you think spec ops guys do?"

"You never said-" your brother starts.

"I said he was a coworker. The fuck do you think that means, idiot."

"All you do is push papers, course we assumed he did the same," your younger brother interjects.

"Whatever. He's here now. Deal with it and stop being rude to him," you growl out.

The next morning, you get up early and drive into the local butcher to drop off the elk and bear. You come back and set off on an all-day scout to find a moose. You find mostly older evidence of them around, but also spot another elk herd and sign of deer. Your brothers get one deer between them, and they celebrate as if it was a world record animal.

The third day, you roll out of bed antsy. "Run?" Ghost asks with a grin. "Run," you answer easily. This time, you push nearly ten miles before calling it quits. Coming back, sweaty, and flushed gets your brothers riled up. Your response is simple. "Keep your hair on, lads. We just went for walkies. Haven't been getting enough exercise in and eating too well with dad feeding us."

They both bristle at your casual use of British slang and storm off to hunt again, unwilling to even talk to you. Your dad shakes his head. "They'll never see anything crashing around like that."

"Nope. Dad, you take our section today. We are going to push further up and try to glass a moose, and we saw some good elk out our way." By the end of the day, you're tired, but you did find fresh sign, which is encouraging. Just as your dad had predicted, your brothers didn't see anything all day. Your dad, on the other hand, had opted to be picky and didn't take any shots, but saw many animals.

Day four, you decide not to go for a run. It could be a tiring day if you get a moose and have to haul it down. With that in mind, you stage extra gear partway up to be able to move a moose back to camp more easily. You finally glass the moose you've been tracking near mid-day, getting eyes on it for the first time. It's a huge bull, well over the minimum horn size. Your hands shaking slightly, you take the shot. The bull goes down after just a few steps. Processing it takes longer than any other game you've done, but with Ghost helping, you get back to camp not long after dark. Your brothers managed to shoot an elk today, and you celebrate with them, happy that they are happy.

That night, you wake up to a hand pressed to your mouth and a gentle voice shushing you in your ear. Another nightmare, you realize. Your whimpers had woken Ghost, and he covered your mouth before the screams started that would have woken up the entire camp. You thank him with a shaky voice, and he moves his sleeping bag next to yours, wrapping around you. It's what the team has done for months when in the field as a warm body next to yours staves off the screaming and whimpering. Though it doesn't help with the nightmares themselves.

You get up extra early and drop the game off at the processor before heading back to camp. Today is your last chance to fill tags if you want to bring the meat back, so you move fast tracking an elk herd. It takes most of the morning, but you manage to find them and drop a good-looking bull. Hauling it back, you are elated to have filled all of your tags in time.

When you reach camp, you see that your dad has finally gotten his deer, but your brothers were empty-handed again. They complain about not seeing anything. Unable to help yourself, you say, "Maybe if you didn't sound like a pair of trucks crashing through the woods, you'd see something." This sets them off. They think you are making shit up, again, and talking down to them.

You decide they are a lost cause at this point, but Ghost offers to show them a few tricks on moving silently through the forest. He jokes that he isn't as good as you, but he's good enough.

"That's just because she doesn't move. She just sits there waiting for someone else to do the work." Ghost just shakes his head, knowing he can't tell them any stories. Your dad watches you closely, realizing that there is something more going on here, but unable to pinpoint exactly what that something is.

The next morning, Ghost goes with your eldest brother, and you take your middle sibling into your section. You hope that separating them will help increase their chances of filling tags. Your brother pays closer attention than you'd thought he would, and his walking quiets tenfold. He keeps trying to talk to you until finally you snap at him.

"Please shut up. You can talk after you shoot something." Mercifully, he is quiet. You spot the elk herd you've been tracking and move him to set up the shot. He tries to silently argue about where to move to, but you glare until he follows your directions. He settles in and nearly spooks the herd, stepping on a stick as he shifts his body around. Thinking quickly, you almost perfectly imitate a young bull's call, which settles the cows and brings the bull closer to where the two of you are standing, looking for the challenging bull. Your brother successfully takes the shot. And he is ecstatic, whooping and hollering as the cows all take off into the surrounding forest, leaving you far behind.

You help your brother break the bull down for packing out. He looks a lot nervous at the size of one of the packs, clearly not looking forward to carrying it out, until you shoulder it easily. His surprise doesn't surprise you, though. Your brothers hadn't paid much attention to you after they moved out, and basically, none once you enlisted in the military. Upon reaching camp, you find that you are the first ones back. You help him load the elk into the back of the truck and make lunch silently. He looks like he wants to say something, but he never gets it out of his mouth. He spends the time simply standing around, thinking hard and barely interacting with you, though he is watching you closely.

When you hear heavy footsteps coming through the woods, you hurry to meet your dad, helping him drag his big elk back to camp. "Surprised you hauled it back yourself, old man," you tease.

"I've been dragging elk out of the woods for twice as long as you've been alive, girlie." The grin on his face couldn't be matched though when you load it up by yourself, waving him off. The last to return were not successful. It seems your older brother decided that he would show Ghost a thing or two and refused any advice or tips. Thus, he didn't see anything all day. You shoot a look of sympathy at Ghost. That couldn't have been easy to handle silently. He just rolls his eyes back at you, tapping his fingers on his thigh. You tap your fingers back at him and go back and forth in Morse Code. He tells you about how many deer your brother missed seeing sign of or scared off because he wouldn't shut up.

You share how your other brother did, and he smiles at the success you had with him. He tells you that you should take your older brother for one last morning hunt on the sixth day. Maybe you can make him shut the hell up.

Sighing out loud, you say, "Bro, I'll take you out tomorrow morning instead of Ghost. We will get your tag filled." Your brother agrees and mentions that he will show you how it is done, which makes everyone laugh at him.

"Bruv, we are filling your tag. I filled all of mine already. Seems I need to show you how it's done."

He sputters, and your younger brother adds, "It took us just two hours to find a herd of elk. She knows what she's doing, bro. Better hunter than me, for sure." This makes your oldest brother glower, but he finally shuts up.

In the morning, he tries to tell you what to do, and you finally tell him to knock it off after about twenty minutes. He growls, "I'm the oldest. I'm in charge."

You laugh quietly and respond, "Whatever, if you think age is all that matters, you're an idiot. Let's go, and if you want that deer, you'll listen to me. Ghost told me how many you missed or scared off by being too loud and cocky yesterday."

"He what?! Why didn't he tell me? We could have filled my tag yesterday!"

"Probably because you're being such an asshole to him." You shrug like it's the clearest thing in the world because to you it is. Grumbling, your brother follows you. Gradually, he picks up on your mannerisms and his walking quiets, but it still sounds like a moose shoving through a bush most of the time. You stop suddenly, and he nearly runs into you, not paying attention. Grabbing a bit of hair from a bush, you show him silently before walking on quieter than before. Slowly, sign becomes more frequent, and finally, you spot the deer herd. Your brother gets his deer, a big buck, and you help him break it down and load it into the packs. You add both hindquarters to one pack, and he complains that you're trying to load him too heavy. When you shoulder the heavier pack, he then jokes meanly that you're just showing off.

"Just give me that one. I don't want to have to switch off partway down because you're tired," he crows. You ignore him and set off down the trail, too annoyed to even respond to his rudeness. A grunt follows you as he shoulders his pack. At the halfway point, he is nearly wheezing with the added weight of the head on his pack.

"I need... to... stop..." he huffs. "This pack... is too... heavy..."

You wave at him to stop, and when he does, you walk around him and unhook the head from the top of his pack. Hefting it over your shoulders, you use the antlers to keep it in place at the top of your pack. "Let's go. We don't have all day," you call back to him. You can feel his stare as you hump down the mountain, moving faster now that he isn't slowing you down as much. Luckily, it's only a few miles to camp because you're exhausted after hauling so much on your back. Your dad scolds you that you should have sent someone back to get the rest of them to help, and you shrug it off.

"No sense in wasting time, dad. We got it down just fine." Happily, the three of them already have camp broken down except for the makeshift shower area. You've mostly avoided using it, just wiping down with a washcloth, but the deer head bled on your neck and down your back the whole way. "Ghost, can you help check me for ticks," you ask quietly as you strip off your gear before walking to the shower. Your brothers grumble about the two of you showering together, but you don't care as Ghost is the only one you trust to do it and the only one that knows why you won't wear tank tops very often anymore.

When you're nearly finished, Ghost convinces you to put lotion over your burn scars as they are flaring up from the lack of it in the last few days. He walks out in just a pair of shorts and shoes to dig through your pack, ignoring the suspicious stares of your brothers and their stares at his scarred torso. You manage to bite back the moan when Ghost swipes over the first scar, but not the whimper of pain when he brushes the second, which is severely inflamed. He whispers an apology and continues, knowing that you hate pausing part way when treating them, even if it hurts badly.

When you walk out fully dressed and he is still in just shorts, your brothers shoot him similar dirty looks. "Couldn't keep it in your pants a minute longer, eh?" says your younger brother angrily.

"You're disgusting! Havin sex with my sister feet away from her family," adds your older brother.

"Shut up, idiots. He was rubbing lotion on my s-back. I needed it done, and I can't reach the dry skin there easily," you growl at them.

"We know you're lying. You're disgusting. Can't believe you, seriously."

Your dad sees the stubborn set of your eyes and the hurt beneath. His sons have gone too far, he knows. "Knock it off, boys. You've been nothing but rude this entire trip, and I'm sick of it."

"But dad...!"

"Sugar, just tell them. You've been stepping around questions and hiding yourself long enough," Ghost's voice cuts through the air.

"You gay or somethin? Would make sense, but you know we don't care," your oldest brother says as he just can't help himself. It makes you mad enough to about face away from them and rip your shirt off angrily, showing them your back.

"No, bruv. He means I should show you why I couldn't make it on the trip last year. The things I hide by telling you that I consult for the Task Force rather than telling you that I am a member of the task force. I... I haven't wanted to worry you, dad." You nearly whisper the last in the complete silence that follows. Ghost rests a hand on your shoulder, watching their reactions carefully. Their eyes trace up and down the burns that mar the middle of your back and dipping down below the waist of your pants.

"You called from the hospital," your dad says finally. The pieces are clicking into place for him. "I remember hearing the beeping in the background, and you sounded... stressed."

"It was a long recovery. They had to harvest donor skin, but luckily, I got to be a guinea pig on a new treatment that sped things up," you say quietly.

"How did this happen? Why weren't we notified? You didn't let us visit or anything?!" You're surprised to hear your middle brother sounding upset. You take the time to fix your shirt, thinking about what to say.

"I was on a mission. There was a complication, and it bollocksed up the whole thing." You pause as you think back to it. "Anyway, I got caught under some burning shit and yea, this happened."

The glare Ghost gives you has you rolling your eyes at the intimidating man. "You forgot the part where you held a burning timber up to save someone and crawled out on your own, refusing to medivac until the mission objective was completed. I think that adds a few important details to the whole thing."

"And...what were you doing when this happened," your oldest brother demands.

"He was shooting anyone who tried to come near us. Saved my life, he did," you say with a grateful smile up at Ghost.

"So, you've been lying to us about your job and getting hurt, and what else? How do we know what to believe now? You only make it back here once a year, after all." Your oldest brother sounds betrayed, his tone accusing.

You just shrug and shake your head, ignoring his questions and accusations. "You gonna shower before we go, or can we break camp and head home?"

"Let's go. I want away from you as fast as possible," he sneers, turning away from you angrily.

"Fine with me," you say in a flat voice. You take down the last few tarps and drain the water with Ghost's help. The trip to the processor and back home is silent in the car, your dad and brothers thinking heavily on what they learned today while you and Ghost simply enjoy the peace and quiet. As soon as you get home, your oldest brother leaves, tires squealing as he takes off in his truck. You just shake your head, disappointed that he's still got his head so far up his ass after all this time.

You pack the meat from the butcher into coolers for the trip home to London. "You should probably call Captain and tell him to pick up another freezer or two," Ghost jokes as more and more coolers are filled and packed into the back of the truck you rented.

"I had three delivered while we were gone," you grin up at him. "Good thing I got my permission ahead of time. Captain is dying to try this stuff."

"You think they'll let you on with it all? It's more than I expected, and I thought I had a pretty good idea of what to expect," he says, a little worried.

"Oh, I grabbed bribe jerky from the butcher. They'll be excited enough not to care once I pass it around," you say with a knowing smile.

"You know the way to a man's heart, luv."

"Yes, ordnance and explosives," you quip with a loud laugh, making him grin down at you.

Telling your middle brother and dad goodbye the next morning is hard. They both hold tightly to you, and you nearly have to pry your dad off when you go to leave, his worries making him want to hold you tight and keep you safe.

"I'll be back next year, I promise. We probably will need to hunt extra, knowing how much the team will love this meat," you assure him with a smile, pressing a kiss to his cheek. You drive back to the air strip, happy to have ended things on a better note.

"So, yer dad is the dog's bollocks. Brothers are shite though," Ghost says as you drive away. You laugh. It's all you can do. When you show up with a pallet of coolers, the flight crew is ready to deny you until you hand over your certificates and small box of jerky to share between them. They eagerly call over the forklift to load the pallet, and you spend the whole trip listening to hunting stories from their childhood and telling your own with Ghost listening quietly at your side.

Captain Price is there waiting on the tarmac when you land. His eyes bulge when he sees how many coolers you brought back. "I take it the hunt was successful then," he teases.

"Yeah, just a bit. Bet you thought the freezers were overkill, eh?"

He laughs, "You know I did. Set them up anyway. Welcome home, kids," he says, ruffling your hair as he wraps you in a hug and gripping Ghost's arm in a friendly squeeze. You smile up at him, happy to be home with your team.

[stryshttu]

the scriddler nation doesn't appreciate Riddler 2022 as I do so I'm here to make you love him

He's one of the best interpretations of Riddler and here is WHY.

“he's a desyassified version,” “he doesn't wear expensive suits full of question marks,” “that suit was boring” NO!!!!! IT WAS THE PERFECT SUIT FOR HIM TO START!!! He literally comes from the lowest point, and he talks about how the men in power and corruption keep the low income/poor people at the bottom. Ofc he can't afford those shiny beautiful suits because he doesn't have money for it. Also the military suit was GREAT. He paint it and designed his own symbol which is amazing, a gun sight with a "?" in the center.

Also, he fights againts corruption and classism? 😭 Why would ppl hate that? He fights for the people that were forgotten like him.

“it's not the same story of his father and blah blah blah” ok, they changed his origin story A LOT, and I can get why you get mad at it. I also get mad when I am used to the southern granny Scarecrow story and ppl change it to the story of his father experimenting of him- BUT regarding the Riddler's origin story, it is so so great. Eddie HATES LIES AS WELL, HATES CHEATING, because ppl used to tell him that he could have a better future, and gave him fake hopes. He just wanted an opportunity to be better and when that promise of renewal broke, he broke, too.

He grew wanting to please everyone, be a good boy for the nuns and the other children at the orphanage, even if he didnt agree in somethings or if it was difficult for him to act "normal" (masking his autism- we will talk about that soon), but NOBODY thanked or pleased him. As he got older, he still followed orders from his corrupt boss and the goverment. But what did they do for him? NOTHING. And when he does something for himself ppl tag him as self-centered.

He became the Riddler for the others that also needed help, not only because of him, and ppl still think he's selfish.

He's implied to be autistic (you can notice this more in the comics of Riddler: Year One by Paul Dano), he is non-verbal since kid (canon), as an adult ppl say he doesn't talk and call him weird. He doesn't know how to interact with people in a "normal" way. He also seems to vocally stim with riddles and weird silly noises that you can hear in the movie.

The catholic guilt content? PLEASEEEE. We need to take advantage of that. He even did a catholic reference riddle!!! (That one of the sins of the father)

We can also see that topic of him dont knowing if he's insane or not, (or denying being it). He knows his situation is not good, and HE TRIES to be better, listening to podcast about mindfulness and stay positive- but at the end, everything gets worse to him. He's very smart and is afraid that his biggest and greatest thing about himself (his mind) is also the worst thing and can turn againts himself because of a mental illness. We saw it in the movie when Batman calls him "sick and twisted, etc etc," and he has a mental breakdown. Yes, that scene is DEEPER than you think. His mother died in Arkham when he was in the orphanage as a kid, now imagine that the guy you always admired says to you, “you're gonna die alone at Arkham” just like his mother did and no one cared. He doesn't want that, he wants to be remembered. He doesn't want to end up like his mother- alone and mentally ill.

He makes funny jokes in the movie! He's so goofy!!!!

AND CAN WE TALK ABOUT HIM BEING A BIG BOY?!!!! CHUBBY RIDDLER SUPREMACY!!!!!

And please he has the same bad habits as Arkhamverse Riddler, you cannot hate this version of him if you love Arkham Knight Riddler. He doesn't sleep well because he plays the DETECTIVE role (YES! HE ALSO GOES THERE AND INVESTIGATES- or else how tf would he have evidence of all the corruption and know all that information?) and claims that Einstein only took naps. He doesnt eat well. His lastname is Nashton (a reminder that is canon that Arkhamverse Riddler had the same lastname before changing it to Nygma). And in this page called "nigma. org" is well known and ppl call him a genius, which suggests that we will soon see how he calls himself E. Nygma.

And yes, he is also a little bastard insufferable, and if you dont think so, then I guess we didnt watch the same movie.

THERE'S SO MUCH MORE OF HIM BEING ONE OF THE BEST ONES!!! but i'll end it up here, thank you for your attention.