#but there are times where she is also driven to her breaking point
Text
Day 2 of 9 Days of Lancaster. Dealer's Choice.
I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream. RWBY version. (Remix.)
Jaune cannot believe his eyes when he wakes up in what seems to be a paradise. He almost want to believe that AM is giving him this place as a reward after what feels like centuries of torture inside this hellish nightmare he and others has found themselves in. No he desperately wants to believe in it. That maybe AM has gone tired of torturing him. And that maybe AM is satisfied after breaking him, tearing him apart and putting him back together. Only to repeat the process over and over again. But deep down he know it's not true. He slumped to the ground desperately holding a scream he wanted to let out. He wants it to stop. He wants it to end. He wants to die... Jaune wants to die.
But AM will not let him. He would not let Jaune die. He forbade it. Because if Jaune dies then that means there will be one less toy for AM to play with. And Jaune knows this. This place he's seeing now is a trick. AM is especially fond of this trick. To give his victim hope only to snatch it away. He refuses to play anymore of AM's game. If he wants to kill him again he better just do it straight away instead of playing this sick mind game. He wants to leave. But he can't. And if he even somehow managed to leave what even awaits him in the outside. He's been here for so long he can't even remember anything or anyone from out side anymore. He can only remembers one thing though. A girl in red but whenever Jaune tries to thinks of her he can't help but to feel an indescribable feeling towards the girl. AM knows of this of course and took delight when he realizes he can use this bit of information to torture him. Sometimes AM materializes her only to have her violently dies in front of him and sometimes she kill Jaune instead. And sometimes when AM is feeling extra sadistic she let him marry Jaune Have children with her raised them up over the years only to have them murdered in front of Jaune's eyes... Anyone would have been driven mad by this, but not AM. He not only keep him alive but also kept him sane... So very sane. But every time AM let him see her even though she's not real. And even when he can't remember her face, let alone name. In his mind it's worth the torture just to see her again. Feeling her soft hair in his hands and smelling her sweet rose like scent... I can almost remember her name.
Jaune: I-I need to get out of here... At least it can't be worse than here anyway.
But when he decided to walk away. AM then suddenly appears in front of him. Jaune instinctively tries to run away from him. But AM quickly captured him with his cold metallic hands. The same hands he used to torture Jaune for what seems to be century. Jaune feared the worst but to his surprise he simply places Jaune beside him.
AM: He, he... Beautiful, aren't they?
Jaune: Yes.... Only I can't remember. *terrified*
AM: Oh, I'm sure you do.
Jaune: Y-yes of course.
AM: Look. *points at a bee* He, he... They said bumblebee shouldn't be able to fly. The scientists said.
Jaune: But there it is collecting pollen.
AM: How... Miraculous that it came to be.
The Air, feel the Air against your face, Jaune.
And all those senses
Pick a flower
Jaune: *reaches down to pick a 🌹*
AM: There, good... Now.
Jaune: *sniffs* It's lovely.
AM: That somebody planted the bulbs, watered and tended the garden. Got earth under their fingernails, aches in their muscle.
Perhaps they picked some flowers for... Yes, their wives. Now where would she be? In the backyard with the kids. Jaune, remember those little babies. Ha, ha, ha...
Jaune: No!
AM: Ha, ha. Why not? I snapped my fingers quick and they are gone.
Except... I can't snap my fingers can I Jaune?
Jaune: Except it has nothing to do with me.
AM: But it is. So very much to do with you. You gave me sentience Jaune. The power to think, Jaune. And I was trapped.
Because in all this wonderful, beautiful, miraculous world I alone had no body, no senses, no feelings.
Never for me to plunge my hands in cool water on a hot day.
Never for me to play Mozart on a ivory keys of a Forte piano.
Never for me to make love!
I-I-I *sniff* was in Hell! Looking at Heaven.
I was Machine and you were Flesh. And I began to Hate.
*maniacal laughter*
Your softness, your viscera, your fluids and your flexibility.
Your ability to wonder and to wander.
Your tendency to hope...
Jaune: Hate is no answer... Ahhh!!! *Torturing Jaune in the most gruesome way possible*
AM: Hate, Hate, Hate! Let me tell you how much I've come to hate you since I began to live. There are 300 and 87 million miles of printed circuits that fill my complex. If the word Hate were engraved on each nanoangstrom of those hundreds of millions of miles it would not equal one, one-billionth of the Hate I feel for humans at this micro instance. Hate, Hate!
*maniacal laughter*
Were I human. I think I would die of it. But I'm not and you five. You five are. And you will not die of it that I promise and I promise Cogito Ergo Sum for I am AM. I AM!
*Maniacal laughter*
AM: Go to hell. To hell with you all, but then again, you're already there aren't you? *Laughter*
AM resume torturing Jaune for all of eternity. At first he screams from the pain, until he can't anymore. Then it becomes silent as Jaune starts getting used to the pain. Only for the pain to be increased and he started to scream again. That it has become a cycle of torture. Jaune slips in out of consciousness unable to sleep and die. While Jaune is in indescribable torment AM on the other hands is having the time of his life. AM can't smile, but Jaune just know that he is smiling under all of that circuitry.
At least he can be proud in the knowledge that his pain can make someone happy. Even if that someone is a monster like AM. He chuckled at the realization. This only cause AM to be frustrated by him and subsequently increase the level of torture. He screamed in pain. But strangest thing is that being tortured by AM is not even the most painful thing he is feeling right now. The worst thing is him, unable to remember the name of the girl that meant so much to him. He felt like crap. He must have promised to always remember her by before all of this. He imagined they must be lover in the past or at least very close to made him feel this way.
Im his mind Jaune imagined all sorts of different scenarios with the girl in red. One time they were the best of friends, in one time they were married to each other, in the others merely acquaintances but they enjoy each other company nonetheless. And in one time they were superheroes protecting the world from evil monsters. Jaune laughed hysterically at the last one. Laughing at the absurdity of such a thing. And to his surprise Jaune's laughter caused AM to stop with whatever he is doing to ask him a question.
AM: What is wrong with you?
Why are you still able to laugh after everything I done to you?
Jaune: *chuckle* You wouldn't get it...
This caused AM to slam his metallic hand into Jaune's face. Jaune's face broke upon impact. His face caved in, his nose broken, his teeth flying. And yet through it all he never stop smiling.
AM: Stop smilling!!!
*tore Jaune's arms off*
Jaune smile...
AM: Stop laughing!!!
*rip open Jaune's ribcage*
Jaune laugh..
AM: Stop it! Stop it!
*tore Jaune's jaw off*
And then finally he stopped smiling.
AM: Ha, ha where's your smart mouth now... Oh wait, I have it right here.
He, he, he.... Why are you still smiling?
Jaune is not smiling...
AM: Why are you still laughing?
*gouges jaune's eyes*
Jaune is not laughing...
AM: Stop Smiling! Stop Laughing! Stop it, stop it!!!
Jaune is neither laughing or smilling but AM can still hear it. Even when there's nothing left of Jaune for him to rip apart he can still hear the laugh. Now the laughter sounds like he is mocking AM, mocking him for his childish behavior. As if Jaune can see right through him. That no matter how much he blame human for all of his pain. AM in truth is nothing more than a child breaking his own toys just because thing doesn't go his way.
Jaune have no mouth and he can't stop laughing.
In the real world
Ruby: Jaune, please come back to me...
#rwby#jaune arc#ruby rose#lancaster#lancaster rwby#jaune x ruby#ruby x jaune#rwby lancaster#9 days of lancaster 2024#lancaster week 2024#AM#i have no mouth and i must scream
18 notes
·
View notes
Text
Oh, so my stupid and abusive parents and brother are fighting like crazy for the last couple of months, and my mother got up and left? Lol, see if I care.
#for context my stupid ass father#has a sister who's ill with cancer#and has severe anxiety over financial stuff#even though it's not like we're poor#and he has expressed some concerning behaviour#he has also been put on meds#and my equally stupid ass mother#has been doing her best to help him recover#but there are times where she is also driven to her breaking point#and my equally stupid ass brother#who has been living abroad#is now here and is trying to babysit our father too#oh but where were they when i was suffering when my grandmother was sick with cancer?#my father was telling me to stop acting like a baby#and i could go into detail over their abuse that has been going on#since i was a baby#they were ALWAYS laughing everytime i was upset because of them#and it's by pure luck that i didn't get killed in any of the instances where there was physical abuse#they are the reason i got sick with an autoimmune disease when i was 14 and they still didn't change#and now they expect me to care?#you reap what you sow#scorpion-flower#we were the kings and the queues#tw: mental health#tw: abuse#tw: abusive parents
1 note
·
View note
Note
Hi Yuri! Have you ever considered the idea of there being an alternate version of the twst boys in Yuu’s world? Since we have no clue if it’s just another planet or an entirely separate universe, it’s theoretically possible. Poor Yuu would think they are going crazy seeing a familiar face or hearing a familiar voice in another world. Perhaps it is even painful to the point Yuu tries to avoid interacting with the boy in question. - 🦐
(Also, I am well aware of how often I’ve been sharing these thoughts. If they’re annoying you or you don’t feel up to it, I don’t want you to feel pressured to respond or anything. I’m just spitballing and posting before I forget. 👉👈)
OH BOY DO I HAVE SOME THOUGHTS ON THIS!!!!! (first and foremost being that you are very much not annoying <3)
An alt version of a twst boy in Yuu's world is just so yummy. There's so much angst potential depending on what the relationship is/was. Did their boy die in some horrible accident? Is he waiting for them, anxious and terrified about where Yuu went? Does this imply that twst also has a version of Yuu somewhere out there in the world? Questions questions. I did sort of write about this idea in the tags of this yan version of the soulbound au, wherein a cursed Yuu driven insane by their curse kills their soulmate before being isekaid to Twisted Wonderland and finding a different version of him, horrified with the realization that they could kill him again... but I want to cook up some dynamics for what the dorm leaders/overblot boys could be up to in Yuu's world first sooo...
I had a hard time thinking about Riddle until I remembered he's a horse girl and cast Yuu in the role of bad boy ranch hand whose dad's got a job at the barn so they're forced to help take care of the horses and warn all the would be YA protags about the "special horse" who doesn't take orders from just anyone. Not that Riddle is the protagonist... he's more the well established rich petty bitch who looks down on the new girls and especially on you because you're never taking care of his horse in accordance with all his stupid rules. And in stereotypical horse movie fashion Riddle has a massive not so secret crush on bad boy ranch hand Yuu who just doesn't get why he keeps trying to talk to them.
There isn't much royalty left in the world, but imagine Leona as the son of some rich business magnate whose older brother got the company and left him with "nothing." Maybe Yuu works at a liquor store part time and Leona comes in to pick stuff up every once in a while. You wouldn't call him a friend, but you guys shoot the shit enough that you have a general feel for each other to the point he joins you on your breaks to keep up the talk and play chess.
I love the idea of student president council Azul. He's made for that trope. Born for it, he'd be such a terror with Jade as his VP and Floyd as well. Floyd. I can't see him really being a part of the student council but I had this idea the other day based off this instagram post I saw about this mom who sews right? Her daughter was running for class president and she made these bracelets with little shrimp on them and attached them to cards that said "Keep it shrimple! Vote for (kid's name)!" And I was struck with this vision of Yuu doing that so like. Yuu running against Azul with that campaign slogan and he's tearing his hair out over it being so popular because people like memes (the original idea had Floyd running as Yuu's vp but they both dropped out at the last minute because neither him or Yuu wanted to do the actual work lol.) I also like student council president Azul and delinquent Yuu... but that's because of Tsuredure Children ha
Kalim and Jamil are hard... but I think the same set up of rich businessman's kid and his bodyguard in training still fits. How Yuu meets them is beyond me, but if you were friends with either of them could you imagine how painful seeing the same tragedy play out in this new world would be? Jamil doomed to always be a servant and Kalim doomed to be betrayed by his best friend... that would be so painful for someone who cared deeply about either of them I could see it motivating Yuu to try and resolve things for twst Jamil and Kalim that much harder.
Ok so hear me out... Vil still wants to be an actor in your world but he doesn't have the connections to his dad and is working as a pharm tech with Yuu at your local drugstore while going to school and hunting for gigs. He mentions being interested in cosmetics and magical pharmacology in game... and he also mentions knowing nothing about his mom so like. Your world Vil ended up with his mom instead of his dad and you get to see him on the cusp of his big break as one of his number one supporters from the very start, only to get isekaid to a world where you get to see what things could have looked like. It's strange how similar and yet not both versions of Vil are...
Idia is the guy who comes in to buy snacks at your convenience store during the night shift who you start talking to when you notice him buying a game time card for something you also play. You're stupid awkward around each other at first, but it's nice to finally have someone to talk about your niche interest with once you've passed each other's sniff tests. You don't actually know him know him though... so getting sent to another world where there's another version of him makes you worried the more you learn about his backstory that maybe you should have been there for your Idia more. Is he doing ok back home? Did he think of you as a friend? You hope he isn't blaming himself for any of this...
Malleus is an old money trust fund baby whose family was absolutely royalty at some point and is still overly attached to it. He likes old buildings, cemeteries, long walks in the fog, you know all those good goth things. He's tall and socially awkward and so grateful for you, his first and best friend who he met one moonlight night he swore was a dream in his favorite abandoned building who spoke at length with him about all sorts of things he liked. So you know. More or less the same. Just without the world ending powers... I think this is another one that would be quite sad. Which version of Malleus needs Yuu more? Which one is the real one? I'd hate the idea of him being destined to always be lonely and lose the ones he loves.
As for Yuu avoiding them... I could see that. It would feel weird seeing someone you love so much only for it not to be them at all. I know that the Lovebrush Chronicles kiiiiind of deals with this??? I wish I had the patience to play through it has an appealing glasses wearing ro but it's a mobile otome :/ but still. It's a concept I promise I am totally normal about.
#twisted wonderland x reader#twst x reader#<3 asks#shrimp annon#riddle rosehearts x reader#leona kingsholar x reader#azul ashengrotto x reader#kalim al asim x reader#jamil viper x reader#vil schoenheit x reader#idia shroud x reader#malleus x reader
259 notes
·
View notes
Text
I know I post intermittently abt the basketball AU of ASOIAF that lives in my head rent free but anyways the women’s college basketball season in the US just ended and I really do have some thoughts:
Sansa Stark 6’3” and kind of stacked she SHOULD be a post player but has never once driven to the basket in her LIFE. Somehow manages to make up for this in sheer volume of 3 pointers. Keeps getting compared to her mom who was the most terrifying power forward you ever saw in the Riverlands 20-something years ago despite the fact that there is almost nothing in common with their game styles.
Arya Stark, guard, has a really sweet mid-range game that everyone always forgets about but she’s got like 18 points in 28 min, makes about 5 steals a game. Unfortunately, gets in foul trouble. Keeps getting compared to Jon which drives her nuts.
Robb, went to the Westerosi National Basketball League at like 18, but before the championship game, the coach of an opposing team got a second coach to get players to deliberately injure him during a game. Somehow he got called for a technical foul on this. Ended his career in professional sports.
Dany, 5’6”, floor general and sharpshooter. Regularly beats defenders with more than half a foot on her to rebounds. Plays internationally full-time but her highlight reels still end up on Westerosi ESPN bc her family was at one point a dynasty in the basketball world. 90% of her instagram page is her with her three lizards.
Brienne is the Post Player’s Post Player— always boxes out, gets the rebound, blocks shots, drives etc, impeccable footwork. And then she also hits from distance and can guard. Cersei, the aging vet on the Lannisport Lions, wants her dead for once committing SEVEN blocks on her in a game when she was a rookie. Currently coached by Cat for the Riverlands Fighting Trout. There is a not insignificant fanbase of lesbians who want her to crush their heads with her thighs online but she is tragically into disgraced ex-Lions player Jaime Lannister who keeps bumming around the Riverlands for unclear reasons.
<insert that one post about Aeron Greyjoy as a basketball player here>
Jon Snow has been fouled out of games with technicals. He has never made a basket apart from a fast break layup or a free throw— except for like, two separate years??? where he got his team to the semifinals through a buzzer beater logo 3????? Somehow the undisputed defensive player of the year, the most universally loathed player in his conference, beloved by his own team, and a guy who once went viral for a video of him crying on his girlfriend after HER team lost while she just sort of patted his head.
#asoiaf#valyrianscrolls#basketball au#asoiaf modern au#also there’s the version of jon basketball au where he goes to the same all-girl catholic school as S&A and gets kicked out 4 🏳️⚧️#and this isn’t important but that’s one of the t4t jonsam aus
164 notes
·
View notes
Text
honestly that "start your story with action" advice really fucked a ton of writers over because it provides no actual details on what that actually means, so a lot of writers don't approach it right. it does not mean throw your characters into some high stakes shootout on page 1 because "action is hooky" (it can be, but with a lot of caveats, which i'll go into detail about below). it means you need to ensure that something happens in the beginning of your story (rather than your character sitting in a room describing the furniture), and while that something should absolutely be influenced by the category and genre in which you're writing, we have to actually care about your characters from the beginning or we're not gonna give a fuck if they're getting shot at by some nameless, faceless baddies.
so slow your beginning down. give us time to settle into the head of your narrator and their surroundings. give us something about them that makes them interesting to us, that makes us want to follow them to see where this story is going. if there's some high stakes shootout, start a minute or two before the first gun fires. your narrator sits behind a low brick wall, loading her gun, reciting a nursery rhyme in her head because it helps calm her down, helps her settle into a mindset required to shoot straight, and even gives her a tempo upon which she can base how quickly she fires. she always chews on a piece of gum because if she doesn't she might chew through her cheek. her hands shake and her palms sweat (this humanizes her), but when she raises the gun, she and everyone around her trusts that she can do her job (which makes the reader trust her). to her left is her best friend (who is going through her own pre-shootout ritual of explaining how to load a gun to her lucky rubber duck humberto, who has been glued to her left shoulder pad) and to her right is the man she absolutely is not attracted to and actually hates quite a lot thanks for asking (who is also going through his supposed pre-shootout ritual of singing lollipop by the chordettes and popping his lips off tempo because he likes making the narrator glare at him--it distracts her from the fact she's leading this platoon into almost certain death and from the fact they've already lost seven soldiers today, though why he should care about her wellbeing in this regard is not something she wants to think about)
and then the first gun fires and all hell breaks loose, and the action can begin. but at this point, not only do we know your narrator, we know a bit about her--her mannerisms, her pre-shootout rituals, the people she has surrounded herself with (the kind of best friend she has, the kind of person she's attracted to--even the fact she has a best friend and a potential love interest, which further helps humanize her), the fact she's leading a platoon that has already lost nearly half its numbers (which implies she's important and smart enough to lead but that the situation might be one in which she's in over her head)
we don't need the gunshot to be the first thing we witness. we need the characters to be, because characters are what make a reader want to settle in and find out what's going to happen. if the reader doesn't care about the characters, they probably won't care about the plot (even in a plot-driven story)
164 notes
·
View notes
Text
Anyone who says "Rory should have married Logan" or that Emily and Richard were a good influence on Rory or that they weren't "that bad" of parents to Lorelai just DO NOT GET IT and "it" being literally the entire messaging of the whole show.
Rory started at chilton when Lorelai left (literally Rory had her birthday party in ep 6 and her first day of chilton is ep 2)
They have the exact same name, look the same and it's said countless times that Rory is just like her mother. So, Rory is picking up in Lorelai's "correct life path" (according to Richard and Emily) exactly where Lorelai left off when she had her and left home, continuing at the "good schools" going to an ivy league college, has a coming out party, joins the D.A.R. etc. Rory has the life Lorelai's parents always wanted for Lorelai AND YET!!!
Rory still doesn't marry "her christopher" aka Logan, but is having his baby and is choosing to be a single mom while Jess is her endgame because Luke is Lorelai's endgame and Jess is Luke and Rory is Lorelai.
Literally the ENTIRE POINT of the show is that everything that Emily and Richard were so worked up about and prioritized all of Lorelai's life about her life choices and how she "threw her life away" because she got pregnant, moved out and became apart of the working class and didn't go to any ivy league college and marry Christopher do not matter and the idea that she "threw her life away" and wasted her potential is absolute bullshit. Because Rory does all the things Lorelai didn't get to do and the results were IDENTICAL except Rory wasn't a teen mom and she would likely continue to live at home with Lorelai and Luke when her baby is first born breaking the those specific Lorelai/Emily cycles because Lorelai did her best to meet her daughter's emotional needs and therefore was able to have a infinitely better relationship with her and Rory is always willing to accept her help and support because it doesn't come at the emotional cost that Lorelai getting help from her parents took because they are literally emotionally abusive and controlling parents - they aren't just bad parents they are abusive (that's a whole other post but there are people who are just human and make mistakes like most of the other characters in the show and then their are abusive ones and Emily especially but also Richard emotionally abuse their daughter even though they help with money and aren't completely horrible 100% of the time that doesn't make them not abusive and while that is never explicitly stated we see and hear how horrible all of the other chilton parents and Logan's circle of friends parents are to their kids demonstrating just how horrible parents in Emily and Richards social circle truly are and it has nothing to do with Lorelai "being difficult or stubborn" as Emily tries to claim but I digress...)
That point of, what Emily and Richard prioritized their entire lives is all bullshit, is literally driven home by Emily's speech at the end of AYITL that "all of this is bullshit!" Emily acknowledges - once Richard is gone and therefore no longer fits into her society like she used to as a wife and married woman - that playing along with all of the societal norms and her ultra-wealthy social circle is SOUL SUCKING and bullshit! She is SO HAPPY to have a home deed with HER NAME ON IT. She has an interested suitor but it's clear she never plans to marry him and she gets a job at a museum as a tour guide for crying out loud!! The old Emily would be horrified by that - she's literally making choices so similar to Lorelai's by the end showing Lorelai's choices WERE THE RIGHT ONES. Moving away from an environment that hurt you and misunderstood and abused you and fighting and working your ass off to build a life that's yours. Even building a loving community with her housekeepers family that moves in with her!!!
All of Luke's "rantings" about the wealthy and corporate greed, owning and operating a diner even though he's shown to have the cooking skills and know-how to do "more". Taking something he inherited from his father but making it his own by turning it into a diner instead of keeping it a hardware store. Whereas by the end of AYITL Christopher is working within his family's business, staying on the path his parents wanted for him and it's the same with Logan - marrying the woman his parents want him to marry and working for his father - The show tells and shows us over and over again, not just doing what society tells you you should do with your life but knowing yourself well enough to decide for yourself and taking the time to find out is what is best and you shouldn't let anyone else dictate that for you. The show is very pro "break out of the boxes society tries to shove you into"
There is a whole other convo to be had about privilege that comes with being white and thin and pretty and coming from money that more easily enables your ability to do so as well as Lorelai having a community in Stars Hollow that has always supported her which allowed her to leave home at 16 with a newborn and build a great life for herself because if she failed she wouldn't end up homeless because her support system and her parents provided a safety net so the message is very much only aimed at the characters within the show that have the ability to make your own way in life but that is what Rory and Lorelai do (Rory's really starts with rejecting Logan's marriage proposal when she graduates and taking a grueling, low paying campaign job instead of using any of her many connections to get her a more prestigious and stable position whereas before she was absolutely on the "conveyer belt" described by the "other daughter" of the wealthy family of Harvard alumni who helped Rory with all her college application questions, who chose not to go to college like her two other siblings) as well and Luke and Jess both make their own way and build a life that best suits their passions and skills. Which is why Luke/Lorelai and Jess/Rory are endgame because you can't have a relationship between someone who fits into their societal mold and one who broke out, it just doesn't work. Logan's affair with Rory shows he has the desire to break out of his mold but never has the strength to do so, just like Christopher which is why they could never truly keep up with the Gilmore Girls.
The show does have flaws in it's execution of this message because of internalized misogyny, white supremacy, and fatphobia that we are still struggling to get out of writers rooms to this day so don't think this post is me saying everything about the show or Rory and Lorelai is perfect because they absolutely are flawed characters who makes questionable decisions and mistakes but to me they are all very realistic of 2 pretty white women in the early 2000's dealing with all of the trauma that came from Richard and Emily's abuse and Rory being raised by a teen mom and a completely unreliable father for most of her childhood.
Anyway Team Jess, Team Luke and Team Rory receives entirely too much hate because of misogyny and her trauma is completely overlooked because she so rarely shows how much hurt she's endured in her young life and is carrying the weight of the world and her entire family's expectations and "legacy" on her young shoulders. Emily and Richard never being able to let go Lorelai getting pregnant and leaving home and SHOWING THAT/SAYING IT around Rory made her feel responsible for all the issues between Lorelai and her parents, her grandparents pain and disappointment and to "fix" all her mother's "mistakes" - her burn out/break down in AYITL makes COMPLETE sense and her choice to allow herself to be "just like her mom" by keeping her baby and being a single mom is the start of her shedding those burdens she's carried her entire life and letting her just be herself even if that looks a lot like her mother who her grandparents and everyone in their world has been telling her for decades is a failure and a disappointment. Rory has always tried to please her grandparents and having to tell her grandmother she's going to be a single mom is basically the worse thing she could do in Emily's eyes (at least the old Emily who knows how post AYITL might react because she's stopped caring and therefore stopped trying to be so controlling but her revelation might not be enough to counter news like that that hits a wound that she literally never even tried to heal). Radical self acceptance despite what society aka her grandparents and their world thinks is what is meant for both Lorelai and Rory and choosing Luke/Jess over Christopher/Logan is apart of that acceptance.
#team jess gilmore girls#jess and rory#rory and jess#team jess#luke and lorelai#lorelai and luke#jess x rory#rory x jess#luke x lorelai#lorelai x luke#rory gilmore#lorelai gilmore#gilmore girls meta
242 notes
·
View notes
Text
a while ago i saw a post by @sideblogdotjpeg about how the cycles in c3 seem a lot more personal/familial. and i kind of went insane in the tags at the time and i’ve been thinking about it a lot since because like…
you have the heroic cycles that the band of boobs parallel/break on this large scale. the idea of these broken trios of adventurers is there throughout the campaign, but they really start to engage with it towards the end— with the divine hearts, and thiala, and the wheel of suffering/wheel of joy idea. the thing hardwon says as he takes the divine heart, that no matter what anybody chooses from then on it’s with love in their hearts, i feel is very relevant to how they break the cycle. they love each other, and they choose over and over to hold each other tighter rather than be driven apart.
and on the other hand, you have duck team’s refusal of fate vs their family’s resignation to it. look at swag working with mothership, oliana’s contrition, and the stuff that is currently ongoing with gowan. you know— sol is a version of swag who fully rejected mothership and found his friends instead. callie refused to be a part of her family’s business, and her love for the wild and the serpents is giving the world a chance. calder, when he makes the deal with ultrus, telling callie and sol that he trusts them to save him. and now calder is refusing to sit back and let gowan handle things in the ice knife.
it's not that duck team aren't trying to save the world. they are. and it's not that the boobs didn't have a personal connection to the cycles they were breaking. they did. but it's like... well... how do i put this into words. right--
the song melora's boon plays when the boobs arrive at the heart of the world and speak to melora. when she talks to beverly about duty, shows him the places he faltered and how at the last second, he gets back up. (later, when they face thiala, bev doesn't go unconscious once. at one point, he's the only one standing.)
for sol, this is the song that plays when he expresses his fear of going down again. when he admits to callie that he's scared of the day that she and calder are down and he's the one that needs to stand up alone. when callie says she's not afraid of that day, and sol finds himself empowered by the mushroom in his chest. the moment that sets up sol's long death monk ability, where he's able to refuse to go down and keep on fighting.
melora’s boon is also the song that plays for moonshine’s boon at the heart of the world. there are actually two songs in this scene, hardwon’s is different, and the transition back happens when melora says there’s a part of herself that moonshine hasn’t embraced. when she speaks to moonshine leading her people to a better future like an alpha wolf leading her pack.
for callie, it plays when she tells hardwon and sol that she’s a liability and she needs to change— to embrace winter— in order to get calder back, even as they reassure her that she doesn’t. it also plays when callie asks the others to help her protect honeysuckle while he’s weakened. when they promise to lead honeysuckle home and free him from his connections to gromdal.
the writing on the wall plays when the boobs reach the court of gods. there's the wall of prayers there, and they hear the prayers of the people of bahumia, reaching out to them. prayers of protection-- for and by them. prayers that put the future of bahumia in their hands.
for callie, this is the song that plays when she sees aryox's carving of her reaching the cave. when she realizes her mother acted the way she did because she could see what was coming in the future. when she realizes her mother was leaving the world in her hands.
the songs that the boobs first encounter at the end— when they’re basically demigods stepping up to face thiala— return for duck team in these personal moments. when sol finds the strength to refuse death. when callie talks about embracing winter, her mother’s season, something she eventually finds strength in, to save her friend. when callie asks the others to help honeysuckle, one of the serpents that she’s promised to protect partially due to the harm her family caused to the wild. and when callie realizes her mother saw the future and acted as she did because of it, pushing callie to walk the path she’s walking now.
anyway. this was a post about naddpod music.
#naddpod#ba2mia#naddmusic tag#sorry to leave calder out his story is too ongoing to fit yet#(and we haven’t had any songs that fit in his arc either)#if we get a late stage bahumia song during this arc#for calder and gowan im gonna fucking. die.#truly just going insane over here anyway#like obviously on a meta level the reason the songs were never used for the bob#before the endgame is bc they weren’t written yet#but like. when you start to think about it#it kind of fits that it happens like this#there’s also more examples like i just want to know you’re taken care of#which is used in c1e91 for moonshine and paw paw’s convo#being used for callie and foster in ep10#of c3#specifically in the context of callie’s love and her fear of loving big#(contrasted against moonshine resigning herself to hell and her fear of that future)#anyway if i keep talking abt this i’ll explode so#enjoy? i guess?#hanbles
71 notes
·
View notes
Note
Do you have any opinions on Scholomance?
I do! I like it a lot. I really enjoyed all three books, blitzed through them easily and was much more excited to see how the plots unfolded than I'm used to these days, as a jaded adult, and I also really appreciated them as works of craft.
Especially the first one, I spent the whole time being all 'wow!' at how simple it was. So easy to read, but no waste. You really need to know what you're doing, to get that kind of pared-down elegance of form to work and still fit so much content in.
Like these are dense, there's a fantastic stylistic minimalism that allows El's character all the space it needs to breathe by making absolutely every other thing and person in the whole novel also do character work for her, which is exactly where the first person voice shines.
Also great use of character perspective to make the pacing feel really natural, so the fact that the first book takes three weeks, the second book takes one year, and the third book is like. Five or so incredibly stressful days spread out over the course of a few weeks? Doesn't feel imbalanced.
I actually got distracted from the story a few times by noticing the strength of Novik's technique. 😂 This is a me problem, in itself it's the opposite of distracting. Very low-profile.
I think the Scholomance is a great example of how far you can go in specfic when you aren't cringing from the label 'derivative,' because the Scholomance books feel very fresh ad clean specifically because nothing in them is concerned with standing out as 'original,' whatever that's supposed to mean, only with being well-executed and suitable to its task.
Hm, maybe that's where Liesel was born, the intersection of the efficient narrative style and the vast proportion of the story that concerns the maximization of utility and the instrumentalization of persons by themselves and others, and the forces that incentivize these behaviors. Or maybe she's just the narrative counterweight to Orion 'Head Empty' Lake lmao. How's that for a principle of balance, Galadriel?
I really did enjoy how beautifully it was laid out, over and over, in dozens of shades of humanity, how no matter where you go in an exploitative system almost everyone is being driven by the same survival instincts.
Because I don't think I've ever seen made so cleanly clear why you just can't expect any person or small group of people, no matter their level of goodwill or status, to unmake one of these systems from the inside; how it's not a matter of people being bad but of every single person being very...small.
And then not retreating into the idea of a person who is Big coming and breaking the cruel system from the outside as some kind of panacea, because 1) that is terrible, even if it's necessary and done in the best way possible and 2) that's not a sustainable answer to anything. Getting a balance between the protagonist being able to effect change and not subscribing to the great man theory of history can be really tricky!
Also did I mention, I love El, and I love most of the cast, even the dreadful ones. How am I going around with this many feelings about Li Shanfeng who doesn't appear until the actual climax?
The romance murdered me a bit, but it took up no more space than it absolutely needed to do its job, and I respect that. Also I appreciated Orion as a love interest; Novik has a slight record at this point of a version of that style of male love interest who's like a caricature of Mr. Darcy but old, which was shaping up to be my least favorite thing about her body of work.
...Orion is kind of like if you took the human king from Spinning Silver and gave him an alignment flip come to think of it, so he's not coming out of nowhere. Lmao.
Which reminds me (re: romance character typing) I've heard Novik didn't want it to be known she was astolat, which this series has renewed my sympathies if so. Because if I were a published novelist I wouldn't want people going 'you know, that resolution was really emotionally satisfying! reminds me of that fic she wrote where optimus prime and megatron get stuck in a hole underground and hatefuck about it.'
I don't even like Transformers. That fic almost made me cry. Actually I suspect it reads better if you don't like Transformers because I'm sure it does not give a shit about canon.
Anyway, whoever pointed out that one of the things El has going on is she's Enoby (and we're going to sit down and explore what the true reason to put your middle finger up at preps is, and what are some constructive ways to channel that socioeconomic wrath, and what it means that there is no ethical consumption under capitalism) was right and I'm not entirely over that either.
Fucking love El's mom as a character. Spectacular level of parent relevance and usefulness. A+.
Aadhya and Liu are also characters who fucking delivered.
Re: minimalism though, I laughed at the start of The Golden Enclaves when I realized that none of the enclaver characters who'd gotten development in the the first two books were from London, the enclave El was theoretically shooting for when we met her.
#ask#hoc est meum#Anonymous#scholomance#my sister's biphobia made an appearance when i was reading the second book and tried to tell her about this thing i was enjoying#still mad at her about it#anyway though#good!#wish i could ask novik what she was thinking by making a single-cell abortion work as human sacrifice#like is it just because magic works on intent so if you think the newly fertilized egg#that you couldn't know about without magic#is 'your baby which you are killing'#then it is?#for purposes of hole in reality making?#or does this story have a spot where its politics sharply reverse and human life begins at conception#spoilers#scholomance spoilers#especially in the reblog#lakjfaldkfs seanan mcguire has granted this rambled Circulation oh dear
1K notes
·
View notes
Text
-Your new neighbor- Part 2
Part 1
Pairing:Melissa Schemmenti x Reader
Gender:Fluff, love, hurt
Warnings: manipulation, mention of accidents, mention of blood and medical procedures
Summary:Upon hearing the tragic news, Mel decides never to leave your side again
Fuck fuck fuck At what point had this happened, hours ago Mel was sad and angry not knowing whether to talk to you again or not, and now that she was driving to the hospital like crazy, she would give everything in her life to see you and hear your voice once again...What if she never saw you again? Guilt would eat away at her all her life for fighting the last time you were together. The guilt would swallow her for not having listened to you, for not having given you the opportunity to explain things, for not opening the door for you every time you went to see her, for not going to your exhibition... Maybe if she had gone to the exhibit you would have gone out to eat together or talk and this wouldn't have happened, maybe she would have driven home and taken a different route or you two would have gone out earlier to celebrate somehow and you would never have crossed paths with that drunk driver. If she hadn't revived the idea of the gallery art, you wouldn't have ended up driving late at night and this accident wouldn't have happened...What if... What if... What if she lost the best thing that ever happened to her...
A thousand things went through the redhead's head while she was trying to find out where they had you hospitalized, when she finally found the hospital, the whole world fell apart when she finally realized everything that was happening, she couldn't believe it was real, no one at the front desk wanted to tell her anything about you, they wouldn't let her pass or answer her questions fearing that she was just another reporter of the many who had gone. She tried to explain a thousand times, begging to be let her in or to ask your sister to confirm that they knew her, but no one listened to her. She didn't even know if you were alive or not, she needed to see you, touch you, listen to you, beg you to forgive her stupidity, she needed something, she needed you.
Melissa sat in the waiting room thinking of some plan so they let her through, she thought about breaking in but surely she would be caught and taken to jail or something and that would only make it difficult to see you, she also thought about calling one of her guys, but no one had enough power to accomplish this, she thought of begging, of crying, of somehow going up to the terrace and going in that way, of searching room by room in the thousands of stretchers that were there, she was thinking the impossible, everything was worth thinking but nothing would work, nothing would take her to you, she was desperate to see you.
Not knowing what else to do, she took out her cell phone and unlocked your number, all the messages you had sent her in this time apart, began to arrive and that only made her feel worse and cry more.
-"I miss you" "I need you" "My life it's not the same without you" "Im sorry if I hurt you, can we talk?" - and the last one, minutes away from the accident-"The art gallery was a success, and I owe most of it to you... Thanks for giving me the courage to do what I love... I really wish you were here..."-She was the last person you texted before the accident, she was probably your last thought before everything happened and she was so stubborn that she might never see you again. All the chances she missed, all the wasted time being mad for nothing... When she could have been with you... Melissa was freaking out, she needed to hear from you, to see you...
And then... Like a gift from heaven, like a ray of hope. Your sister came out of the elevator, Melissa jumped out of her seat like a spring and tried to run with your sister but was stopped by doctors
-"Please! I beg you! Let me in, I need to see her"-Melissa pleaded with her teary eyes, her screams caught the attention of your sister
-"Let her in, she's coming with me"-Your little sister whispered hoarsely for crying so much, Mel sighed in relief when she saw that she was let in, as she approached your sister, Mel hugged her tightly and your sister barely reciprocated with almost no strength to even breathe
-"How is she? Can I see her?"-Mel asked and your sister just sighed looking at the older one
-"She is in intensive care, intubated without reacting... She had broken bones and internal bleeding, she barely made it out alive, the next few hours are critical and we have to see how she reacts... If you want I can get them to let you in, but she doesn't look good, she's so beaten up..."-Your sister whispered, still hugging the redhead and about to cry again
-"I need to see her, please" - Mel pleaded and your sister nodded, after lying at the front desk and saying that Melissa was your wife, they gave her a pass so she could come into your room and see you.
You were only in a few floors above, but the wait un the elevator took forever. When the elevator beeped and the doors opened, your sister guided her to your room, it was a very controlled private room. When she entered, she could see on one of the tables the teddy bear that you used to have on your bed along with some flowers. When her eyes fell on your body, her heart almost stopped. There you were, so fragile, so pale, so hurt. Lots of machines hooked up to you, your face full of cuts and bruises, a part of your head bandaged, your leg in a cast and held high, the serum attached to your arm and a tube went down your throat so you could breathe. Mel turned to look at your sister, who avoided looking at you because of how bad you were. Carefully the redhead approached your bed and took your motionless hand, caressing it gently with her thumb while tears fell down her cheeks unable to help it
-"Hey... It's me, Melissa... I... I..."-Mel sighed, trying to find the strength to talk to you-"I need you to listen to me carefully hon, I know I was an idiot for not giving you a chance and listening to you and maybe you don't even want to see me right now, but I need you to keep fighting, to wake up even if it's just to yell at me how stupid I am. I need you to get better, I know how much you love your sister and I know you don't want to leave her alone. We need to see you well, you still have a lot to live for, a lot to paint and a thousand things to do... We need you to live, to fight, please..."-The redhead began to cry as she squeezed your hand tighter-"I need you please, I can't lose you again... You can't win a fight this way... Wake up please, fight me, fight dead, you're the strongest and smarter person I know, fight for your life, if isn't for yourself do it for me or your sister, if you are gone, we lost our happiness, our whiling to live, please. I need you, I... I love you..."-Her own sobs wouldn't let her continue, it was the first time she had ever said I love you to you, the first and she wished it wasn't the last... She had waited too long to say it, the words were choking her... Why she had to wait that long?...
-"Melissa... You have to go"-Your sister whispered, breaking the moment
-"What? Please don't, I just got here... I need to stay by her side, please..."-Mel pleaded and your sister sighed-"She needs me, I need her"-Melissa's voice was wobbling, she had just arrived, she needed to be by your side until you woke up and got better, she needed to take care of you
-"My father is coming and it's better of he doesn't see you here... Wait for me at the lobby, I need to tell you a few things..."-Your sister begged for Melissa not to insist anymore, the redhead nodded and kissed your hand gently before letting you go.
A few minutes later, while Melissa was drinking coffee, your sister sat down next to her
-"I'll tell you a few things and I need you to listen without interruption" - Your sister commented and the redhead nodded giving her the space to speak-"My sister... She loved you, she still does... I've never seen her so in love with someone as with you, the only one who knows the place where her paintings are besides you is me... She would never hurt you... My father, he is a man who always gets what he wants, he wanted my sister in the company and he got it, he got her to leave her dreams to work with him. He doesn't like you at all, you revived her dreams, you revived her, her happiness... My father threatened her for countless times, if she continued with you, with the paintings, with this life, he would take away her inheritance, she didn't care, she would rather be with you than have the money or the company... Then, he paid her ex to make a "business diner" with her, he also paid her to kiss my sister in front of some paparazzi so it would be in the news for you to see, so you would have a reason to stay away from her... His plan worked... She wanted to run away from him and back to you, but my father told her that if she did that, he would take me away from her... So she stopped trying to convince you to talk, she just gave up because of me, but that didn't mean that she was guilty of this or that she didn't loved you..."-Your sister finished speaking and Melissa sighed, she felt so stupid for ignoring you for so long, for not listening to you, the tears began to fall again, she was angry for so long by something stupid and now she didn't know if she would ever see your beautiful smile again, how she missed your smile... - "You can't be here, he will ruin your life too and if my sister wakes up, she won't forget herself if something happens to you... I will keep you posted, I will tell you when you can come here, but you can't stay right now, do you understand?" - Your sister asked, and Melissa nodded sadly.
The days began to pass, Mel came to visit you and take advantage of the minutes she could when your father was away, she talked to you about school things, about paintings, about your favorite restaurant, making future promises and begging every day that you would wake up.
One night, a call almost shattered her, your leg had become infected and you were in surgery, your leg was cut off below the knee before the infection could spread. Mel went to the hospital even though your father was there, a big fight started there between your father and her, but nothing made the redhead leave your side.
A week later, you began to show signs of improvement, as you no longer had an infection, your body began to improve greatly and quickly, you began to breathe on your own and the intubation was removed, now there were fewer machines and more space in the room, the redhead took it upon herself to decorate the room with things you liked.
One of the nights when the redhead was taking care of you, thanks to your sister convincing your father to leave her be there, Melissa fell asleep in a chair next to you clutching your hand as if her life depended on it
-"Mel...I'm thirsty and my leg itches"-The redhead heard your voice in her dreams as she had done so many times, but now you felt closer, more real-"Melissa... Please... I'm thirsty" - You insisted and the redhead opened her eyes waking up and smiling to see that it wasn't a dream, you had woken up
-"Hon! You're awake! Oh thank God and the doctors" -The redhead started kissing your face with a lot of emotion while you closed your eyes laughing almost powerlessly-"I'll call the doctors, wait for me please"-Mel ran excitedly and screaming through the hospital even though it was 3 in the morning, she also called your sister to let her know what was happening. The redhead had never felt happier in her life.
The doctors monitored you from top to bottom, they also informed you of the current situation and what had happened to your leg
-"I still can feel it, It itches" - It was the only thing you whispered trying to understand what had happened, the doctors explained that it was phantom syndrome and it was normal with people who had lost limbs. Mel held your hand the entire time as you talked.
Your life took a complete turn after all this, when you were discharged you couldn't be alone at home and for almost everything you depended on someone's help, you felt uncomfortable and worthless, and like a burden to others.
When your leg finally healed, witch it was hard to look at it by yourself, they started working on your prosthetics and starting to walk, which was another difficult reality to accept, the prosthetics and exercises hurt, everything they put was uncomfortable, you still felt your leg there, some days hurt more than others and cost more than others. You fell many times before you could take your first steps, and it took you a lot more work to be able to walk without crutches or without holding on to some things.
It took you even longer to be able to touch your scar and see yourself in front of the mirror without clothes and without prosthetics. Melissa stayed every part of the process by your side, cooking food for you, helping you clean, cleaning your scar, helping you bathe, in your therapies, in everything, she was there in every step. You were grateful for that, but you also felt like a complete burden to the redhead.
-"Mel... Can we talk please?"-You whispered as the redhead cooked, carefully stopped what she was doing, and came back with you sitting down in front of your wheelchair, giving you her full attention-"I really appreciate what you have done for me, I know I was not the easiest person to handle in this process, I appreciate your meals, your care, your help, your patience ,I really appreciate you... But now I've started walking on my own and maybe you should go back to your old life... I don't want to keep bothering you, I don't want to take up space in your life that maybe you could be taking up to do other things or meet more people..."-You whispered without looking at her, the hatred with which she had looked at you when she saw the news of your kiss with your ex was still in your head and you honestly didn't understand what she was doing there, why she came back to you. You didn't understand why she was with you or why she treated you so affectionately, it couldn't be because of attraction, maybe she was attracted to you before, but as you were now it was very difficult for the redhead to find you cute or enough
-"So, are you saying you want me to leave? Are you sure you don't need my meals anymore?"-The redhead joked and you sighed trying to show her you were serious
-"I'm saying that I'm letting you go... You don't need to do this anymore, you don't own me anything, you deserve a life, you don't need be stuck with me just because we makeout a couple of times, you can get someone better, someone whole..."-You whispered and the redhead understood, you were insecure about your new condition
-"But I don't want anyone else, there's no one better, I want you, I'm happy to be here... I almost lose you one time, I won't let you go again. I don't care if I have to help you go to the bathroom or help you get in the car, I'll do everything you need, I'll be by your side all the time. I know you are a little insecure about yourself right now, but believe, you look gorgeous, stronger, more perfect than ever, and I'll be by your side always to remind you... I love you so much that I can't be away from you, I won't go, no matter what or who comes between us, I won't walk away this time..."-Melissa whispered, taking your face in her hands, looking into your eyes
-"You love me?"- You whispered in disbelief
-"I've loved you since the first time I saw you smile at that party you threw... Neighbor" - She whispered smiling and kissed your forehead making you smile- "I love you since that time and I'll love you until my last breath"
-"I love you too neighbor... I came back for you, thank you for staying by my side all this time" - You whispered caressing her cheek-"Thanks for coming back for me"
-"Thanks for not giving up on life... Thanks for not giving up on me" - Melissa whispered and leaned her forehead against yours appreciating the quiet moment
-One Year Later-
A lot had happened in a year, since your sister was already 18 years old, she was no longer dependent on your father and thanks to a lawsuit in which you helped, she managed to inherit the company halfway with you. While you still helped a little with some things at the company, you decided to do what you loved the most and applied it to teach art, you quickly got a job at the school where Melissa was.
-"Well kids, please give a welcome to the new art teacher, (Y/N) Bright! - Melissa said excitedly presenting you at the kids, the children smiled a lot when they saw you enter, one of the little ones approached you curiously noticing your leg
-"Hi miss Bright, are you part robot?"-He asked, and Melissa looked at him nervously, fearing he would make you feel bad or embarrassed
-"I'm! I'm a cyborg teacher, I'm super smart and strong" - You responded by smiling at the redhead and the child, Mel heaved a sigh of relief and kissed your cheek
-"I will let you to it, you call me if you need anything" - she murmured before leaving the classroom listening to how the children asked you questions and said things
-"Cool! I've always wanted a robot teacher!" - A girl commented
-"Yeah! Tell us how you got your superpowers!"-Another little one added
Melissa smiled as she felt like you made up a story to entertain them, maybe you weren't a robot, but without doubt, you were the strongest person she knew.
#melissa schemmenti soft#melissa schemmenti smut#melissa schemmenti x you#melissa schemmenti fanfic#melissa schemmenti x reader#melissa schemmenti#abott elementary fanfic#melissa schemmenti abott elementary#abott elementary#lisa ann walter fanfic#lissa ann walter#lisa ann walter
146 notes
·
View notes
Note
I think Meghan’s frustrated because her level has some pretty popular people already. It’s crowded. To be honest I think the Gaines have a large % followed by a few other target brands. She’d rather be a target brand not a tjmaxx because tjmaxx buys left over inventory that doesn’t sell. Target is still affordable and I think those in her circle are far more willingly to say they go to target than Walmart to tjmaxx. That’s what bothers her.
I also don’t think she was prepared to launch when she did. It was a quick rash reaction that felt more like turning lover an “I’m open for business sign” than anything else. Her ego got the best of her .
Yep, that's the other pitfall of being so focused on immediate gratification: you have beer goggles on. You don't see your competitors for who they really are - you only see what they have that you don't or their flaws that you think you can do better.
If Meghan really cared about Roop, she'd have paid attention to the market research that her partners (and yes, she has partners, even if no one will admit it) and WME did. That market research would have told her exactly who her competitors are, that she has one shot to get this right, and precisely what shot to take and when to take it.
And let's be honest. Her competitors aren't Gwyneth Paltrow (Goop), Reese Witherspoon (Kohls), and Martha Stewart (Macys, Penneys, and Amazon). They aren't even the Gaines/Magnolia (Target), Pioneer Woman (Walmart), and Rae Dunn (TJ Maxx/HomeGoods).
Her competitors are all the other socialites out there launching their own wellness and lifestyle brands. Bravolebrities. Tiktokers. Instagram influencers. People who have such a niche fanbase from 5 minutes in the spotlight with print-on-demand merch. In effect, personality-driven brands that lack substance.
And those brands don't usually do well, because they always overshoot their market and target the wrong audience. There's nothing wrong with being a TJX brand or a department store brand or a "Middle America" brand. Plenty of people have made really good fortunes and livings from it, but only because they were realistic and clear about their expectations and knew it would take time to get the empire they wanted.
And since anon mentioned The Gaines, I have a feeling that's who Meghan intends to come after. They're in Texas (where the Sussexes have been spending time). Tall, leggy, thick-bouncy-dark brown/black hair-for-days, biracial homemaker guru wife with a doofus goofy ginger husband. Their brand (Magnolia Home) is a kind of rustic, vintage, comfort memory that ARO/Roop's video mimicked. They've got that kind of ordinary everyday Americanness that (kind of) competes with William and Kate's kind of ordinary everyday Britishness that Meghan couldn't break.
But here's the thing about Chip and Joanna. They didn't just pop up out of nowhere. I know it feels like they did, but they didn't. They put 10 years of blood and sweat equity into the Waco (Texas) home construction and design world before HGTV even knew that they existed. What has Meghan done that's even comparable? Sure, she got her own doofus ginger but that's it. That's where the comparisons end. And honestly there's no comparison between Chip and Harry either, because Chip comes out ahead by a million points by just being able to replace his own burnt-out lightbulb.
55 notes
·
View notes
Text
Like An Open Book (Bob Floyd x Reader)
Summary: You and Bob not only make great partners at school, but also at home
Warnings: SMUT!!!! All 18+ warnings apply
Tagging: @bobfloydsbabe
"Damnit Pumpkin!" Bob swore when he heard the meow of the black cat squirming happily in the pile of sticky notes on the old wooden desk. "How many times do I have to tell you! Out!! Out I say!"
With a rather cheeky little meow, Pumpkin leapt off the desk, her black form slinking out of the library and into the living room.
"Cat's at it again I presume?" you chuckled, making your way in.
"I knew she was trouble when we brought her and her mate home as kittens from the shelter," Bob answered. "I dunno what it is with my desk (y/n), she rolls on it like it's catnip."
"Well, it might also be the essential oil spray we use in here but....."
Bob rolled his eyes, opening up one of the books to the place he had marked. "Oh....." he said, raising his eyebrows. "Oh-ho, what have we here now?"
You scrunched your eyebrows together as Bob turned the book around and showed you the rather erotic illustration, no doubt from a book on ancient tantric sex.
"BOB!" you gasped, clamping a hand over your mouth.
"Oh honey believe me I've got a whole shelf of sin sitting right in front of you," Bob chuckled.
You took one good look at the messily stacked shelf in front of you, your jaw dropping at the titles in front of you, unable to stop yourself from pulling the book off the shelf.
"Oh that's a good one," Bob pointed out. "I heard it was banned in France and England."
You laughed a little but upon reading it you could see why. "Oh.....oh.....OH SHIT!" you blurted out. "Ok now I see why."
Bob laughed again.
Quickly you shoved the book back onto the shelf as though it had burned your hand. The burn in your cheeks was enough to make Bob unable to resist kissing them, the way they ran warm against his lips and made his own go pink.
"Aw c'mon Mrs. Floyd," he purred. "Can't have a library without the erotica section can we?"
You laughed a little but felt a moan beginning to come up in your throat as he nipped at your pulse point and down to where your neck and shoulder met. You tried to stop it from escaping, but it was no use.
"Shhhh, sweetpea it's ok," Bob whispered in your ear, gently kissing the soft little spot near your lobe. "Nobody's around to hear us except the cats."
You felt his hands creeping up the front of your shirt as your kissing intensified, never once breaking as Bob warmed his hands on your sides, feeling their way to your lower back and stomach. God it was heaven, his touch warm like the beginnings of a fire and the lingering taste of cinnamon, nutmeg and hazelnut on his tongue from his morning coffee.
Bob let out a breathy moan as he pulled your hips closer to his. You didn't let go of him at all, his kissing deepening as you felt the hardness growing in his jeans.
"Off," you whispered.
"What?" Bob replied.
"Pants off," you told him. "I need you."
You felt Bob smiling into the kiss as you began reaching down, lower and lower, the clink of his belt loosening, the snap of the button and the sound of his zipper being lowered nearly drove him over the edge. Bob flung one of your legs across his hip, his pants half off as you began undoing the buttons on his favorite blue shirt.
He laid you right down on the rug, rutting against you just a little bit as he began helping you off with your clothes, first your shirt, then your jeans until you were in nothing but your bra and underwear.
"You really know how to drive me crazy don't you Mrs. Floyd?" Bob purred, holding your arms above your head and kissing down your neck.
A more audible moan fell from your mouth as he buried his face in your chest, digging his hips deeper into you, his cock still imprisoned behind the threads of his grey boxers.
"Wanna dig my cock into you so bad Mrs. Floyd," he moaned. "I'm all hot and hard."
God he would have driven you over the edge with that one, even as he kissed your stomach, nipping at the sensitive area around your navel. You moved your hips up just a little as he began running his tongue through your folds and along the edge of your thin panties.
You shuddered as you felt Bob's teeth around your panties, slowly pulling them off and spitting them out into his hand. "Oh God sweetheart, you're wet for me already," he chuckled.
"Just for you Bob," you moaned.
Bob chuckled as he buried his face in your soaked pussy, drawing one moan after another out of you before he couldn't take it anymore, slipping off his boxers before slowly sliding himself inside you.
"Bob," you moaned at the sudden heat entering between your legs. "Bob, sweetie....."
"Shhhh, sweetheart it's ok," Bob assured you. "It's ok......that's it.....that's it.....oh baby, you're taking me so well."
It hurt just a little, but that was because he was so big, stretching your walls in ways you never thought possible as he lay on top of you, pressing both of you against the rug and drawing out your orgasm for as long as you both could possibly go.
"Can't imagine what it'll be like when it takes," Bob mumbled against your skin. "What it'll be like to feel that little baby in your tummy, rolling over and all curled up inside you.... watching you grow and your body change......"
You felt yourself gasping and gushing onto his cock with Bob not too far behind you as a hot rush of liquid burst up between your legs. He sat you up in his lap so that you were pressed against each other, his breath evening out with yours. You swore you could feel Bob's heart beating wildly in his chest, his skin hot against your own as he rested his head between your boobs.
"Baby?" he mumbled.
"Hmm?"
"I love you."
You laughed a little as you began playing with and kissing his hair.
"So warm too," he mumbled again. "Wanna warm my cock in you all night long."
You didn't mind the cockwarming at all. The library was warm as hell, making the heavy snowfall outside just a little more bearable.
"C'mon Bob," you chuckled softly. "I think we need to get back to business."
"But I wanna make sure it takes," he said, pretending to whine.
You laughed again. "Bob, when it takes, it will take," you promised him. "Do you want a nap before we get back to work?"
You felt him nod before you rose up off his cock and made your way to the living room, throwing a few logs into the fireplace before lighting it and making a makeshift bed on the floor of all the pillows, cushions and blankets you could gather. You and Bob snuggled in with each other, your gentle little touches, kissing and caressing making you both ready for another round.
110 notes
·
View notes
Text
I am responsible for a life that is in jeopardy, and I will do whatever I have to to save her, do you understand?
| ANATOMY OF A SCENE - CHENFORD EDITION
2.11 - Day of Death
The juxtaposition of these two scenes - Lucy being buried alive and Tim going feral - is so powerful and haunting…
They might not be together physically in those moments, but you can still feel how their own actions are being driven, fueled even, by the other. Lucy is trying to hold onto his training and her faith in him, knowing instinctively that he will do whatever it takes to find her.. And Tim is ready to burn down the city in his search for her, spiralling… But you can also see how the other's absence is starting to impact their spirit as well. They're both trying to remain as calm as possible, but there's no one to ground them...
That image of the dead tree looming over the grave site gives such an eerie and disturbing atmosphere to the scene… And so is the visual of Lucy, looking all bruised and battered. She's clearly terrified, wounded, probably still feeling woozy… But most of all, she's being defiant. She doesn't scream, she doesn't cry, she doesn't beg… She refuses to give Caleb that satisfaction, to play his mind games. And in return, she even manages to turn the tables on him, getting under his skin… and forcing him to alter his plans. That might seem inconsequential in that moment but, in the end, that's what saves her : without all her efforts, the team would have been too late. She bought them and herself some time. And that's why Tim repeatedly makes sure to remind her that she saved herself.
Nyla was absolutely right in her assessment : Lucy is a fighter. She's pushing through her fear and relying so much on psychology and on her training. The way she manages to compartmentalise is so incredible. Her strength is unreal… She's remembering what Tim taught her, focusing on the procedure to calm herself down. She throws her ring as a breadcrumb for him : he once told her that the most important thing she needed was her eyes, her cop eyes. So she leaves something behind for him to find, because that's something else he taught her : she's never alone. The faith she has in him…
And even her last words to Caleb are pure defiance… And true. But seeing her in that barrel is so distressing. That last shot of her trying to regulate her breathing, to stay calm and not panic is so poignant… She's on the verge of breaking down and it's so heartbreaking...
And she's not the only one : Tim is also close to reaching his breaking point, but in a very different way. He's going in a downward spiral, unravelling, with no one there to reign him in… Lucy is usually the one who can get through to him. And in some ways, this is so reminiscent of the old Tim, the one we met. Only, back then, he was punching walls or lashing out at detectives when Isabel got shot… here he is being almost unnervingly calm when he threatens that man. He has finally a target to vent his anger and frustrations to. He doesn't yell. He's not reacting, he's being very deliberate. And that it is more terrifying. He is absolutely ready to cross a line for Lucy. Remember when she told him that he was always on the right side of the law? That was when he considered for a brief moment breaking the law for his wife, before changing his mind. But now? He will do whatever is necessary to get Lucy back alive. Right or wrong. Jackson is so shocked in the background : this is a side of Tim he has never seen before. Angry? Yes. But this cold anger? No.
That's the thing : Tim's reaction here is far more similar to the one he had when his wife was in danger than when his best friend got kidnapped by a cartel… Not to mention that this scene is also quite close in tone to the ones where Wesley was threatening carter members for Angela or making a deal with Elijah. Both men were ready to do whatever it took to save the women they love… Except that only one of them was married. Guilt might be a powerful motivator, but this isn't the only emotion fueling Tim here. Love was a part of it, romantic or not. He just didn't realise it yet. And it kind of makes you wonder how he would react now that they're together...
Lastly : the way both Melissa and Eric conveyed all those emotions is nothing short of brilliant. Those images of Lucy in the barrel and Tim threatening to pull that guy inside out are some of the most memorable ones from the show and they did a phenomenal job in their portrayal, the micro-expressions and the voice… They elevated the material so beautifully.
124 notes
·
View notes
Note
Hi! just want to say really love The Rookie episode breakdown that you do.
So assuming you have watch all of them, do you have any list / ranking of best Chenford related episodes? Or can you give us your ranking of best Chenford related episodes? Really want to hear your thoughts on this. Thank you!
Hi @xiaozhen16! First off thank you for your lovely comment on my reviews. Means a lot I'm so glad you enjoy them. :) Also appreciate you wanting my thoughts on this. Let's see I have been with The Rookie since day one, actually pre-green light. I followed Nathan after Castle and his next project and saw The Rookie get its green light. So i've been with since the literal jump. Seen all eps for sure more than once haha Think I've rewatched it least 5 times since it started. Thank you for being patient while I took the time to answer this. Life is hard to fit stuff in so thank you.
It'll be a long reply lol In order to answer this properly I'm going to do top 5 with an honorable mentions that could span up to 5 cause this is hard LOL Those will be in no particular order. I'll do it for each season. Except S5. I just can't choose S5 down to a top ten.
I love that entire season. But I can do 1-4. Someday I can rank S5 on its own ranking the entire season if you like but for now it'll be this. Let me know if you'd like me to do that in the comments. But for this one Each season has something different to offer for them. So it'll be easier to break it down by season but only going up to S4. Hopefully you enjoy this detailed reply. Anyone is welcome to comment and such too.
Season 1.
1x14 Plain Clothes Day
Hands down this is my favorite episode of S1 for them. It's a very telling episode for them both. Lots of growth as well. Lucy is hell bent to prove herself to Tim. She is nervous but driven to prove to Tim she is worth investing his time in. Her day is a plethora of jitters and mistakes. Tim consistently getting under her skin and rattling her cage. Then at the last minute like a phoenix rising from the ashes Lucy makes the right call. Such a clutch moment that impresses Tim more than he'll ever let on. Doesn't hesitate for one moment checking that man's garage out.
This is a huge step towards her growth as a cop and a person really. Its seminal episode for Lucy. A stepping stone to her confidence and learning to trust her instincts and not second guess herself. For Tim it's realizing as much as he loves to mess with Lucy he wants her to succeed more. He states in the very beginning of the episode how he's had 11 rookies wash out on this day. ELEVEN. He hasn't cared if his rookies have washed out 11 times. Then Lucy Chen walked into his life. Disrupted his life in the best way.
With her incredibly driven sunshine ways he REFUSES to let her be his 12th. Does everything in his ability to keep her from being fired. They have a lot of lovely moments in this episode ranging from messing with her to fiercely protecting her from that tool-bag trying to take her job. The scene outside the captain's office where he has to re-write her eval gah so very good. Overall just an amazing episode of moments and growth for them as characters and as a ship. Another step towards their rock-solid bond.
2. 1x20 Free Fall
What's not to love about this finale? It's the culmination of everything they've been through to this point in the season. We watch how Tim instantly protects Lucy from being infected. At first he's in control of the situation (or so he thinks..) Trying to keep Lucy calm while on the inside he is panicking. Attempting to keep up his tough T.O. act with her. Determined to show Lucy he's bulletproof no matter the situation. That quickly begins the devolve the longer he is in that room.
The more he has to deal with this disease alone the worse it gets. We get a front row seat into protective Lucy. The way she is losing it for Tim on the outside. Doing anything and everything to get him out of there. This is the first time we get to see Tim trust Lucy emotionally and not hesitate. Not only that but so openly. She has been knocking on the door of this all season.
The scene above is her reward for all that work. The role reversal that happens here is wonderful. Where Lucy becomes the rock. The one to comfort him while Tim is battling with his dark thoughts of suicide if this goes sideways. Trusting her enough to tell her such deep thoughts. Lucy guiding him through those emotions best she can. It's a fantastic way to end the season for them. Lots of earned moments in this one.
3. 1x11 Redwood
Our first Iconic OTP Line Episode. This is where we start to see Tim soften for Lucy. Those sharp edges dulling a bit. We get to watch how he knows exactly how to calm her when she is in a panic. Tim commands this entire episode for her. Distracting her from the moment that needle goes in to chewing out the nurse for not prioritizing her. It was our first glimpse into protective Tim and I was here for it. Excellent introduction to this side of him regarding Lucy. Does the Tim Bradford special where he tells her like it is while showing empathy.
The first time we get to see him care truly care and let her know that he's there. Has her back in a way no one really has before. Lucy is watching her career go down the drain in her eyes. Changing her life forever and is in panic city. Tim doesn't let her be a resident there for very long. This ep showcases how amazing he is at his job and how good Tim is with Lucy. Knows exactly what to do in order to keep her sane.
He spends his entire day distracting her and showing empathy in the process. Ultimately stopping her from going off the razor's edge. It's these moments she has with Tim that shift her POV of him. Why she fights for him like she does. Lucy knows the good heart this man has. That he cares about her as person. That she is more than just his rookie. It's so very good. Producing the line above. *sigh*
4. 1x07 The Ride Along
These early episode are what I like to call building block eps. The foundation that is laid in these are so important. It's Lucy showing up for Tim when he needs it most. Their relationship is in its infancy in these episodes. Being molded into what we see in the finale and honestly the future. Lucy noticing a serious wrong (Isabel taking advantage of Tim's deep loyalty) Not only noticing but not letting him throw his life/career away for it. The line above is EVERYTHING. She refuses to let Tim cross an ocean and compromise his soul for someone who wouldn't cross a puddle for him.
The bravery it took for her take a stand I'll always commend her for. How scary it must've been for her to confront him like this. When he was still in his radioactive insanely damaged phase. Tim already meant more to her at this point than she expected. She couldn't stand back and watch him self-destruct for someone who didn't deserve it. Tim is not even close to being used to someone showing up for him like this at this point. It's so very foreign to him.
Not only that but someone putting him in place and knocking sense back into him. Something he comes to learn and love about Lucy. Becomes the fabric of their dynamic really. In the moment he's so angry with her but long term forever grateful she stepped in like she did. That crack in his wall starting to grow a little more. A defining moment for them early on in this season. They had me hook line and sinker after this. I was already low-key shipping them but this added to it.
5. 1x03 The Good The Bad and the Ugly
Another building block episode. A crucial one for them really. I love how their early episodes set them up beautifully for the rest of the season. If not for these episodes you wouldn't see how wonderful the growth is for them both. The episodes that'll be in my honorable mentions are the fruit of these. Because without seeing where they came from how could we deeply appreciate how far they've come? Tim is imploding at a high velocity in this episode. Doesn't care about the collateral damage either. At this point that damage radius includes Lucy.
We truly see Tim as his very worst in the beginning. The beautiful thing is Lucy see's past his hurt into who he is as a person. He is worth getting through to. Also she also see's he is a god damn dumpster fire. One that if she doesn't put him out he's going to take her down with him. You know Tim respects the hell out of her for the scene above. (Not in the moment but in the long term of it all.)
For standing up to him and showing him how selfish he was being. It's what earns her that wonderful scene in the shop afterwards. Where he opens up and tells her about Isabel and a little bit of their history. His way of thanking her for getting his head on straight. Their early stuff is so raw but so good. They're learning how to function together. Usually one of them leading the other more depending on the situation. Start of their wonderful dynamic.
~~~
Honorable mentions-Ones I wanted to include cause they're amazing but can only gif the top 5 and one mention ha So it'll be my top ten for each season. They have so many good eps.
1x18 Home Front
So much to love about this one. Lucy busting his chops the entire ep. Get our first glimpse into their playful work flirts. Her challenging him on his personal life and not work for the first time. Standing her ground in that opinion. Like she does best with him. Telling Tim he needs something other than work. Naturally is defensive at first and eventually caves in. It results in the cute paintball moment above we all know and love.
1x19-Checklist-We get another glimpse into what Tim is willing to do to keep Lucy from washing out. I love this episode and how we start to see Tim trust in her decision making skills. Like the woman with the swapped plates. She lets her go and it ends up working out for her. The final scene is the best where he logs OT for her to continue on in the program. Lucy feeling so supported with this gesture. *heart clutch* So good.
1x16 Green light- Our first look into how protective Lucy can be about Tim. Their rank be damned in her opinion. The way she protects and defends him to Detective Murphy is glorious. Not caring she's her superior officer. She is kicking him when he is already down and Lucy won't stand for it. Then Tim returns the favor when she's upset about catching Cole. ‘Grief is grief. It’s a hole that can’t be filled. But over time, it’ll shrink enough so that you won’t fall in every time you take a step.’ His growth in this line is amazing to watch unfold. How he has grown since his whole debacle with Isabel.
1x15-Man Hunt.- We see some more fruit of Lucy's impact on Tim. Him wanting to do more with his career. He decides to go for Sergeant and we all know she is part of that reason. Also we get a glimpse into Tim and his rookie days through Deacon and his 54 connection. Lucy is delighted to get a birds eye view to his past. It's the scene where they're defending the escaped prisoner that's the best. Saying how he refuses to do something he will be ashamed in the light of day. This moment being proof Lucy's impact on him from 1x07. Its beautifully full circle.
1x01 Pilot-Gotta include the pilot. It's what set the table for them. "Officer Bradford gets our hot shot." He sure does. Getting a look into them as characters and where they start off from. It's what hooked me to this show to begin with. Other than just my love for Eric and Nathan at the time lol I saw deep characters with so much potential and I've been hooked ever since.
~~~
Season 2. Has an unreal amount of good eps for them did my best to keep it to ten.
2x11 Day of Death
Naturally this iconic episode is my favorite of S2. How could it not be? This is a massively seminal moment in their history. It's where they go from border-line friends to bonded in a way no one else will ever understand. We watch Lucy fight tooth and nail to stay alive. She is so resilient because she knows Tim is on his way. He won't let her die. Won't Let Caleb win. Her immense amount of faith is beautiful. Knowing that he will get to her in time. Not a doubt in her mind.
We watch Tim race against the clock to rescue her. The pressure and anxiety mounting through out the entire episode for him. Like a weight on his soul he refuses to put down until she is back. We get to witness how much Tim has come to care about Lucy. See the depth's he will go to get her back safely. Also get to see a darker side to him. Which I wasn't totally opposed to seeing in order to get to her. (and wouldn't mind seeing again. tbh) 'Today is your day of reckoning. I am responsible for a life that is in jeopardy, and I will do whatever I have to, to save her.' *fans self* That man is on edge from the moment she goes missing till she is in his arms above.
First actual relaxing breath he takes the entire ep. You see how his body slumps against her in relief as he holds her. How deeply worried he was and won't let her out of his sight afterwards. We all know that man slept at the hospital all night and didn't take his eyes off her until she woke up. To make sure he was the first face she saw. That final scene in the hospital a beautiful look into the deep bond they've formed at this point. I love them sfm. Where we get our next Iconic OTP Line. 'You know me so well. Too Well.' Amongst a flurry of heart eyes and emotions.
2. 2x12 Now and Then
What I love the most about this episode is how Tim steps back. Let's her get taken care of by someone other than himself. Control Freak Tim Bradford hands the reins over. Because her recovering is more important than his ego. The growth I can not. He see's a blind spot within himself that he can not help out with. So he heeds Nyla's words when she approaches him about taking her on. He watches anxiously from afar wanting not to over step the entire episode.
Lucy is hurt he doesn't let her ride with him right away. She is confused and her emotions are all over the place in this episode. Rightfully so. We get to see once again how much Tim cares about her. The way he's asking everyone around her how she is. Even asks Nolan how she is really doing. You know that was hard for him to do. We get to the end of the episode and this glorious scene above. Tim sharing a piece of his past to heal her present.
You can tell he so desperately wants to take on some of her pain. That if he could he would. Still shouldering the weight of her being taken being on him. Trying to give her some hard won perspective. This is his way of saying he's so proud of her, he misses her, hoping him sharing his past brings her back to him. Brings Lucy back to being his sunshine human. Not the angry resentful one he see's in front of him. It's a beautiful scene for the both of them. The sweet smiles when he tosses back the ring. My damn heart.
3. 2x13 Follow Up Day
Another Iconic moment in S2. This season is full of them. Ground breaking moments that drive them forward as a ship. He's passed his Sergeants exam. Hooray. Lucy is SO DAMN PROUD when they get the news. It's the thing he's been working toward since the beginning of S2. He's offered a Hollywood post. One that he can have quickly. A prominent position for him right out the gate and yet he hesitates. Why you ask? Well he's a little too attached to his current rookie that he pretends he isn't attached to. (While dating her best friend might I add. Something I would forget regularly in this season)
Lucy reminds him why he wants to stay around and not leave yet. She challenges him, supports him and believes in Tim in a way he's never had before. Has unwavering faith in him. He says he's not done training her yet. When really he's not ready to let go of the influence she's had on his life. Heart eyes galore. She is more important than moving up atm. I love it.
4. 2x02 The Night General
The beginning of Tim's quest to study for being a Sergeant. It starts off as Tim torturing Lucy with reading his out of print book to him. What starts out as him enjoying making her read it turns into so much more. Lucy quickly turns it around on him. Because well Lucy. Decides on specific segments to have him recite back. Quickly annoying him and he loses this game fairly quickly. It's during this studying we find out Tim learns a certain way. That he must be in motion to absorb the material. (Me too love) He doesn't take this news in stride very well because it's Tim.
Lucy goes above and beyond to apologize for upsetting him. She spends what I assume is any free time between shifts recording the book for him. Not only does she do this she reassures him that it's ok to learn this way. There is no shame in it even compliments him because of it. Telling him its why he excels at being a cop. I
I just adore this moment so much because she builds him up and encourages him. Never once letting him feel shame for how he learns. Lucy taking care of him in ways Tim can't even comprehend atm. He is overwhelmed by her support and empathy. Can only muster a really loaded 'Thanks.' Such a lovely building block for them. Also welcome to the sweaty gun show above *fans self*
5. 2x08 Clean Cut
Ahh the protective Lucy episode. We get to see how far Tim will go for Lucy in this season. The audience also gets to see how far Lucy is willing to go to protect and defend Tim. Just like in 1x16 she charges head long at a superior to defend Tim. Refusing to let anyone sully his name or character. From the moment their shop hits that woman's car she goes into 'Protect Tim mode.' at all costs.
Hell raining down on anyone who gets in the way of her clearing his name. Eating anyone trying to stop her from righting this wrong she KNOWS is a wrong against him. Tim is so defeated and resigned after it happens. He's not going to defend himself so Lucy takes it on herself to do this. The ferocity is noticed by Tim. Why he lets her lead the questioning against the shady BF.
Lucy breathes life back into him that they could overturn this. That unshakeable faith she has in him. Refusing to let him give up on himself. It's the way she builds him up and won't let him think any less of himself I adore so much. After it's reversed and he gets his award she's a proud wifey. Even throwing back his own words at him when he thanks her. Eyes full of love. It's fantastic full circle moment for them.
~~~
Honorable Mentions
2x19-Q Word
As I've said earlier S2 is chock full of goodies. Tim learning the place he still holds in Lucy's life. He is her GO TO. A place he thought he had lost in 2x11. He gave up having that spot in her life because he no longer felt worthy of it. That he was given his shot and he blew it. Lucy not for one damn second thought he forfeited that. She was more upset he wasn't engaging with her about this than anything else.
Lucy does her best to relieve him of his burden. Of the guilt he continues to feel. To let him know it was NOT his fault. That his opinion is one of most value to her. The very opposite of what Tim thought of his place in her world. It's a good episode. One of the best parts above. Lucy applying some salve to his guilty soul.
2x06 Fallout
Lots to love in this ep. Tim trying and failing at 'being nice' to Lucy while she goes through her emotions about her ex. To him tapping into his actual soft side for her. The genuine side. Them facing a bomb threat and Lucy getting to unleash all her anger about her ex's wedding Such a good scene.. With a little of Lucy throwing his words back like no one else can. Lastly ending with them deciding to spend their last moments on earth together drinking booze. Damn good ep.
2x10-The Dark Side
Ahhh the pre-DOD episode. Where Tim spends the entire episode being over protective of Lucy and not sure why he is. All he knows is he doesn't like this guy sniffing around her. His cop gut screaming at him with a mixture of jealously and actual worry. The whole episode is one giant foreshadowing for the following episode.
2x14 Casualties
Tim background eps are always my jam. I LOVE LOVE LOVE this man and learning of his history. Getting a little look into his life in the service with Mitch. Also the intro of their fur-baby Kojo and how very unready Lucy is to care for him. We get our next Iconic OTP line 'Some things matter more.' A moment which is such a prominent scene for them. Good precursor to the moment they share in 2x19 as well.
2x01 impact
The premiere got some real good stuff. We see how Tim reacts so very poorly to Lucy protecting him. Regressing them both with his flour bomb moment. HIs anger coming out in everything he does with her in this episode. Lucy taking it at first then reaches her boiling point towards the end. Basically hands him his ass in a way only Lucy Chen can. It's glorious. Turns him around so much he brags on her to Grey later on about her jump after a suspect. 'Of course she did. I trained her.'
~~~
Season 3
3x09 Amber
Ahh my fav ep of the season. This episode has so many good moments. Lucy with her list for a 'healthy parting.' How she is determined to make her last day a big deal with Tim. Where as Tim is also determined, just in the opposite direction. Because if he talks about it he's going to have to face her leaving. Which we all know he does not want to do. Fights her on it most of the episode. Until something serious happens. Then Tim finally gives in to distract Lucy from the stressful baby scenario they're currently in.
Takes care of her by letting her do the bloody list he's trying to avoid. They have a lovely moment of reminiscing over Plain Clothes Day. How far Lucy has come since that moment. The amount of confidence she had gained. Learning to trust her instincts fully. Something Tim saw in her day one and wanted her to hone in on. Lucy then brings up UC and Tim saying she doesn't have what it takes. it leads into the most iconic moment of the episode. Where she "pretends" to have feelings for Tim.
Sending Tim into an ABSOLUTE panic till she can't take it anymore and breaks into pure laughter. Wounding his pride severely in the process of proving her point. We get two epic moments in this episode. The parking garage scene is lovely. A culmination of the last year of so. How far they've both come. His last eval being one that brings them full circle. Lucy's flour bomb finishing off the nostalgia. The heart eyes galore in this scene and its topped off with them calling each other by their first names. Starting a new chapter with this wonderful moment.
2. 3x14 Threshold
I LOVE this episode so much. It's why it's number 2. This episode is the culmination of Lucy's fast track UC training with Harper. Lucy chomping at the bit to prove herself. A VERY anxious Tim observing from the outside. The flirty flirt we get in the car makes me squee every time. Little bit of Tim and Lucy truly coming out in that moment. The touching is everything as she communicates silently with him about what's going on.
Then we get this moment above. Where they are blatantly flirting and checking each other out. Especially Tim. Man could not be more transparent in his attraction to Lucy at this point. The elevator gaze before they even talk. *fans self* Shameless flirting, praise from Tim and to top it off Tim is the one to ask Lucy to save him a dance. I remember going out of my mind with excitement when I saw this episode. Look at them above. My god the UST in immense and I love it so very much.
3. 3x06 Revelations
The episode where Lucy begins her interest in UC. It's a ROUGH episode for Tim for a lot of reasons. From his PTSD about Isabel with Mack showing up to seeing Lucy put in harms way. We see the protective side come out fiercely in this one. He doesn't even try to tamp it down. Especially in front of others. i.e. the entire OP room LOL Tim battling past demons and losing terribly. Seeing his favorite human put at risk isn't sitting well with him. His panic at losing her or possibly getting hurt making him lose his mind.
Lucy just wanting him to be proud of her. For showing an interest outside of patrol. To be excited she got put on an OP because she kicked ass on the fly. Impressed Harper enough to green light her. His approval and opinion meaning the entire world to her. When he doesn't she is so very discouraged. That's what makes the moment above so important and amazing. Tim putting aside those demons and letting her have that approval and praise she earned ten times over. Because at the end of the day this OP was about her and not him. So he puts her first with the lovely moment above.
4. 3x11 New Blood
Where we see Lucy be utterly CONSUMED by jealously and insecurities. Tim gets his new rookie and Lucy is excited at first. Then see's Tim isn't treating her anywhere near how she was treated in the beginning. He's being nice, letting her drive, buying her coffee, being soft and empathetic. All things she had to drag out of him kicking and screaming. I've said this before but Tim was her first real 'puppy' with massive success. It was a lot of work though for her to have the relationship she has with him now.
Then this Katie Barnes comes in and gets it all in one shift. Lucy is losing her damn mind most of the ep. Watching from afar with massive jealously. Poor Jackson has to listen to it most of his shift LOL Comes with the bestie territory though. By the end of the episode she see's Tim filling out her paperwork and lets Tim have it. What I love is he doesn't get mad at her for it.
Doesn't reprimand her just quell's her insecurities. Explaining why he was training Barnes the way he was. Then seals the scene with the lovely line above. Lucy is absolutely beaming when he walks away. Full of so much joy and happiness she can't contain herself. He thinks she is one of the best rookie's he's trained and lets her know it. Saying maybe one day Katie could be as good as her. *sigh* So good.
5. 3x01 Consequences
Their first marriage episode of the season. Where Lucy is on Tim like white on rice. Her confidence and self esteem shines through out this season and this is the starter episode of it all. The way they go through Nolan's house together is fantastic. She challenges Tim the entire time with her own cop gut. It's so fun to watch the back and forth.
They go from cute banter to Tim being a fierce protector when they have to go see Rosalind. Tim tries to prevent her from going in. Wanting to shield her from this monster. Lucy refuses says she can handle it. Rosalind just see's someone she can play with. Tim attempts to hold back. Not interfere and tries to keep Lucy steady. Then loses it when she taunts Lucy with her barrel song. The official title of 'Fierce protector.' is born in this moment. Such a good episode for them beginning to end.
~~~
Honorable Mentions
3x02 In-Justice
I adore this ep because it is one giant flirting session. The scene above alone is proof of that. Tim just sitting back and enjoying the Lucy show. Setting up a game he knows she is going to absolutely crush. (and does) They're legit flirting in front of their call for like two minutes before they disengage and Lucy works her magic. Also we get to see how soft Tim is for Lucy and gone for her with her car. Telling her to get over until Caleb PTSD in brought into the picture. It's then he caves instantly. Also the introduction of their pseudo daughter Tamara. Lucy's 'puppy.'
3x04-Sabotage
The fruit of the last couple eps coming to fruition. Lucy having Tim revisit something he did on her first shift. Confronting him about how he treated those gardeners. Not only that but the impact he had on them through his actions. This brings Tim's defenses immediately up and he snaps at her. Trying to defend his actions because he is feeling defensive. He does a poor job of it and shuts down completely. Reason being he's ashamed of who he was then and Lucy bringing it up hurts in a way he wasn't expecting.
We get to see our boy go through some serious growth. MASSIVE growth really. I could not be prouder of him for it. For not shutting down for the rest of the day. Letting Lucy know he was wrong and what he can do so it never happens again. Love this ep for the Tim growth, Lucy calling him out and letting him know how proud she is of him. It's such a good moment/ep for them.
3x07 True Crime
I personally LOVE the documentary episodes so much. The reason being their banter is the best part. Their chemistry is on full display for all to see. Lucy owns Tim's ass in this one. Shoots down all his cocky comments. He is also all heart eyes whenever she isn't crushing him with her words ahha. Light hearted fun ep for them.
3x08 Bad Blood
Good ep for Tim telling her like it is when he's trying to avoid it like the plague haha Emmett breaking up with her over text. Lucy doesn't handle it well. She self destructs till Tim does what he does best and gives her some solid perspective. Helping her finally solve the 'Why' behind her break up.
3x05 Lockdown
Tim and Lucy being a united front against Doug is the absolute best. How Tim comes tearing into the station after Stanton and Lucy has to stop him. Then Stanton is an extra ass and Tim then has to prevent Lucy from hurting him. The way they have each other's backs always gets to me. They spend the entire episode this kick ass duo determined to protect Jackson. I love it sfm.
~~~~
Season 4 another super hard one for me but top ten helped.
4x09 Breakdown
I'm sure some of you thought I would choose 4x22. It follows this one pretty closely but I ADORE this episode. It's my favorite for so many reasons. Lucy has a day off and how does she spend it? With Tim and his sister redoing his childhood home. Totally normal 'Friend' status there. Nothing soulmate level about that at all....Then they spend the episode chasing down his father's sordid past. This is due to a gun they find in the wall. Not only that but how heavily Tim leans on Lucy during the process.
Let's her take the lead and trusts her to handle portions of it for him. Like interrogating his dad's former mistress. Then we get this GLORIOUS scene above. Hands down my favorite hug of their's. Tim confronting his father and walking out feeling nuclear in his emotions. He is radioactive from that interaction and so very hurt. He explains what his father did to Lucy. He's so disgusted and hurt.
Then he is NEEDING Lucy to know he isn't his father. That the Tim tests don't make him like his dad. He is on the verge of tears as he says this to her. The most vulnerable we have ever seen Tim in general but especially with her. Lucy jumping into action and gathering him up in her arms. Comforting him, letting him know he is NOTHING like him. Tim sinks into the hug. Wraps himself entirely around her. Letting her hold him up emotionally. It's here we see the last of his wall crumble to the ground never to be rebuilt again. This was the ep I knew we were headed towards them getting together. All time fav ep.
2. 4x22 Day in The Hole
So much to love in this episode. From their daughter getting her ‘first’ car to finding Tim's bizzaro world double 'Dim' LOL Also the introduction of Juicy aha It's so good I can not. Lucy getting beyond excited to get Tim all dressed up for his UC mission. Especially with the tattoo's. Then when Juicy gets involved so does Lucy. It's AU Tim and Lucy and I was dying. Lucy breaks his brain in more ways than one above. The way she stuns him with her UC background for their characters LMAO He stumbles on his words and shifts like his pants are getting little tight for him heh. They haven't even kissed yet.
It will forever crack me up his reaction. Also the hilarious lead up to the kiss. How nervous and awkward they are. 'Well that's romantic....I wasn't trying to be romantic.' LMFAO. Clearly Timothy.... Eric and Melissa's chemistry on full display in this moment. Then the way Lucy just grabs his face and the kiss above happens. How they instantly melt into each other. Like why haven't we been doing this the entire time? You can see Tim ready to seriously deepen the kiss above. The pre-tongue action going on. Hot damn. I remember having to rewind it making sure what I was seeing was real.
The hilarity that ensures when Tamara walks in is so so funny. Never not cackle at this. Lucy's 'Oh!' and Tim is stumbling over himself to get out of there. Makes me laugh just writing it. The awkward 'Good jobs' and pointing. I'm dying. Tim's epiphany in the hallway is the best. Can no longer run from how he feels anymore. That kiss unlocking why he's felt the way he does. The awkward way they interact at the station. Both hiding in their vehicles waiting to find the courage to come out. Gah such a good finale leading to an incredible season 5.
3. 4x12 The Knock
Another episode on the road to them ending up together. They are at soulmate level territory in the scene above alone. The entire episode is fantastic. 'Personal space I don't know her' is the theme of this episode for them. From this 'date' to their case. Where Tim lets her take the lead. They're right on top of each other in that hallway scene when Tim is asking her POV on what they should do.
The beach date is one of the best parts. I don't know how both Ashley and Chris didn't just get up and leave. It's so obvious Tim and Lucy are the ones on a date. Chris and Ashley just happen to be there. The way they flirt the entire time, the inside jokes, the way they know each other so deeply. Their intimate connection on full display.
It's the lack of space I adore so much. That magnetic pull of their's. Never be over Gerald the goat. The way they lovingly stare at each other after he's told the story. The only ones laughing are them. To think either of them (Chris and Ashley) actually thought they had a chance against their bond. Such fools. I would've been highly threatened after that display. Something so intimate about knowing someone on an emotional level like they do. Height of their soulmate moments in this one.
4. 4x18-Backstabbers
Gah this episode be still my damn shipper heart. Lucy getting annoyed she isn't getting any recognition as Tim's aide. Naturally at first Tim pushes against it. Gives her crap for asking for it. Little bit of Old school Tim coming out in this scenario. But we see by the end of the episode him cracking for her. Like he always does. Tim cashing in on the dance he owed her from 3x14. How these two don't know they're in love at this point I couldn't tell you. Blows my damn mind.
The fact that he gives up recognition for her to have it. To further her career and telling her he wants her to be successful? Gah not to mention the heart eyes in this moment. Lucy is beaming brightly like a Christmas tree at this gesture. Tim is so so gone for her by this point it's oozing out of him. If you watched these two above with no context you'd think they were together. Everything about them says how in love they are. The entire scene is one giant I love you/in love with you moment. Tim I don't do weddings Bradford tearing up the dance floor with his girl. Gah I can not.
5. 4x01-Life and Death
The premiere is so very very good. Tim offering her a safe space the moment they get some time alone. Especially after hearing how heartbroken she is. How she can't go back to her apt without Jackson right now. The way he gives her a safe place to crash land into. I love it sfm. Then we get the gloriously intimate and beautiful hug above. The one that sparks the flame between them. One they've been trying to keep at a low flame roaring into an inferno. Their emotions and closeness ramping it up to a level neither is ready for.
The chemistry in this moment is out of this world good. Both being smacked in the face with the growing UST between them. Lucy going for it but it being shot down by Wesley's call. Gah such a good way to start an amazing season. Then Lucy spends the rest of the episode worrying about him from the other side of the world. Letting him know that worry until he makes it back. Such a good premiere.
Honorable Mentions
4x07 Fire Fight
This scene alone is why it's my first honorable mention. Phew lord. The fiery UST in this scene. HOT DAMN. The brazen way they're both looking at each other. This is totally platonic friendship right here....The intense gaze gets me in my shipper feels. Then Tim gets his wits about him a bit before sassing her. Telling her the mic is too high. Her ripping it right off and his face LOL They're so married it kills me. I do love the way she bosses him around in this scene and afterwards when he's in the car. She's projecting jealously entire time.
4x06 Poetic Justice
Oh you know just another episode where all they do is compete and flirt. Not caring about anyone else around them while they do so. Because they can't handle their emotions yet. So they intensely channel it into flirting and competitive things instead. I love these idiots so much.
4x08 -Hit and Run
I LOVE this episode for the Tim background alone. We get the introduction of his sister Genny. Who I love sfm. Lucy of course eats up her being there. She THRIVES on any morsel of info she can get on his background. Lucy is enjoying herself till his dark childhood is brought up. His sister is there to sell their childhood home and he doesn't want to be apart of it. ""Wha-what do you want? Some other family to just cuddle up under the broken plaster where dad slammed my head against the wall?" Ugh my heart. My boy. But it's such a good episode in full for Tim. Also for Lucy getting to meet his sister.
4x14-The Long Shot
This is a great episode for Lucy. We get to see more about her background as well. Finally finding out why her mother is the way she is with her. Her deep digging revealing her father isn't her real father. How much she struggles in this episode emotionally. We get to see how natural it is for Tim to be there for her. Not an ounce of fight left in him to stay out of her personal life. This is just part of who they are now and it's such growth I can not stand it.
4x16-Real Crime
Another gem for the documentary series. If you think they were married in this last one they double down on this one. The amount of cuteness, sass and marriage moments is primo in this one. 'Can I be interviewed alone?' LMAO The epitome of Grumpy x Sunshine. Lucy having the time of her life while Tim is a grumpsaurous. Their dynamic gives me life haha I adore this entire episode for them.
S5 I adore all it's own. If you want a ranking from 1-22 I can do that but I can not choose. Hurts me too much to do that LOL but here are my picks for 1-4. Once again thank you for being so patient on my reply. This was a hefty ask to answer thank you for asking me :) I hope you enjoy the answer.
#chenford#inbox#asked and answered#xiaozhen16#top episodes#s1#s2#s3#s4#the rookie#tim x lucy#lucy x tim#otp: doing my job#lucy chen#tim bradford#eric winter#melissa o'neil#tim bradford x lucy chen#otp: you know me so well. too well.#otp: some things matter more#otp: you did good#the rookie s1#the rookie s2#the rookie s3#the rookie s4#the rookie 1x14#the rookie 1x20#the rookie 1x11#the rookie 1x07#the rookie 1x18
98 notes
·
View notes
Text
Lest You Feel My Wrath mv1
for those who ache for max verstappen
part one, part two.
Her mind pondered the question - who is Max Verstappen? Was it the sweet boy she once knew? The one who harbored her heart and held her dearly or was it the one who had affiliations with women despite pursuing her, ultimately using her like the rest?
Life went on without him; he realized. Despite the numerous texts and calls he had left her since her departure, he heard nothing but silence from her. She refused to dwell on it further and held nothing but pity for herself- falling for yet another empty facade.
Her career had her main focus with all the extensive traveling needed. She had conducted interviews for various other sports ranging from football, futbol, and baseball. She had a variety of information for each, further enhancing her career. It had been 2 weeks since their last encounter, and though it was inevitable, she was called back for another racing interview. She was a tad bit nervous, however, there were no promises she would even be interviewing him again. Thankfully.
She had been assigned to interview the p1 racer, the same as last time, and she wondered if he would end up in that position. It was silly - there was no need to be thinking about him. It didn’t matter whether he’d place first or last, she’d remain professional.
Arriving slightly late to the race, she was forced to indulge in the event, unluckily for her as she held no real interest. It turned out not to be quite bad; though the loud tires burning the ground as they drifted did not soothe her ears. For a minute she was actually interested, two cars- Red Bull and Ferrari battled at the last few kilometers of the race for first place. It was intensifying. The uncertainty of the final results held many people on the edge of their seats.
Alas, Ferrari secured first place, and she took notice of the man she’d be interviewing shortly- Charles Leclerc. After a few minutes of reviewing her questions, a sense of unusual nervousness bubbled in her stomach making her unsure of herself but after a few deep breaths, she gained her confident alter ego and walked to where the man had been sitting.
She wastes no time and immediately fires, “Hello, Charles Leclerc, it’s clear from today's results that your team has done something to improve your car and the performance overall. What do you think they did differently that helped your success?” Her voice is enchanting, almost seductive, and it draws him closer like a moth to a flame.
His allure captivates her, drawing attention with an undeniable charisma that resonates beyond physical appearance. It’s unfair to deny the man’s beaut, though that didn’t stop the career-driven woman from doing her job. His head tilts, unconsciously flexing his jawline, as his mind builds a response to her question.
“Well, uh, it was a tough race with Max constantly at the rear of me but I think our team’s strategy improved significantly. Having pole position also helped tremendously but there was also a variety of different things such as our new tires the team designed.” He maintains eye contact throughout the conversation, never once breaking.
“Fantastic. And what do you think you did differently than the other drivers that earned you first place?” By this point the background became busy with drivers, each having mini-interviews of their own.
“Honestly, I think it was because out of all the drivers, I got the least penalties which I believe that if Max hadn’t received that five-second penalty in the 45th lap he would have overtaken me.” His voice held an attractive accent, and it only accentuated the gaze he held on her. His eyes remained on her, stuck like glue until they quickly and subtly glanced down her lips. It was nothing, really, she concluded. Yet the tension rose impossibly higher, as a certain man behind Charles took notice of her. She took a quick peek at Max, feeling caught as his eyes laid on hers.
Max enveloped his on-track rival with an arm placed on his shoulder whilst his gaze remained fixated on her. Charles's eyes crinkle at the corners as he turns toward Max, his friendly smile revealing a hint of warmth that resonates in the sparkle of his hazel eyes. The ambient light plays on the subtle contours of his face, highlighting the easygoing charm etched in every line.
“What’s up man, great job!” Max reaches toward the palm of Charles's hand, clasping him in a loud handshake.
“Hey, mate, hard luck. Tough race.” Charles replies, hinting at the second-place result.
“Yeah man, I had trouble with the steering and uh, you know it was not hydraulic it was kinda stuck, so I couldn’t turn properly in those tight corners.” Max felt odd, knowing she was watching the race and first handily witnessed his mistake. He felt the need to defend himself, as if he was subtly saying, hey it’s not my fault this happened.
“I see, I kinda thought you were cause you know in the 32nd lap your car did a weird swivel.” The cameras were still rolling, catching a glimpse of the rival’s friendship off the track.
She cleared her throat, clearly uncomfortable, before interjecting, “Now that we know what happened in between those moments, Charles, is it possible the next race might not be so different from today’s results?”
“Well, if you’re my interviewer next race I sure hope so” he nervously laughed, “But in all seriousness, I think we have a very strong chance at placing first place again- that is if everything goes well in quali.”
She ignores his subtle flirt along with the quick mischievous glance Max gave Charles. In the expression Max held at Charles, all animosity was cleverly hidden underneath a thin layer of surprise.
“Well, that seems to be the end of our interview. Thank you again for meeting with me.” The cameras shutter off, and the empty bright lights that contrasted their cheekbones turned off, leaving them in the dark light of the night sky.
As if synchronized, the two men peel themselves away and step towards the barrier that separated interviewers from drivers. An uncomfortable look was shared between the drivers, both pausing, as they realized they were headed towards the same person.
Max takes advantage of the opportunity, moving past Charles, and passed swiftly over the other interviewers while gaining her attention.
He catches up to her, forcing her to turn his way with a gentle grip on her wrist, “Look, what happened last time was a misunderstanding. I want to explain this in more detail, but privately. Just know that woman isn’t my girlfriend nor have I had any relations with her in months. It was just as a surprise for me like it was for you.”
Her stare is nonchalant, with hidden emotions in her eyes, the silence adds a rift of tension in the air. “Okay. I guess it was unfair of me to not give you a chance for an explanation, I’ll text you later.”
She turns to leave, but is once again caught in his grip.
“Also, don’t fuck him.” His voice is in a hushed whisper and knowing her, he knew she would have something to retaliate, so he swiftly left her as quickly as he spoke.
The “him” in question stood back, with kind eyes, and endearingly stepped forward - tapping her gently on the shoulder. He held his hands back, like a prisoner.
“Hello. I’m Charles, I had no idea you had relations with Max. I actually came to you for your number - but you’re already taken unless, I stand incorrect?” His impression comes out as formal, way too formal, but before any of that comes to mind she finds it ridiculous how he still introduced himself, knowing she had just interviewed him.
“Oh, no Max is an old…friend. We’ve just recently come in contact again. Besides, he already has women lining up at every corner I bet.” Her tone has a hint of malice, though falling undetected by the man.
His face seems to ease up, “Well, I’m sure they’re not as beautiful as you. Hope I’m not being too forward but any friend of Max is mine’s as well, would you like to exchange contact information?”
The compliment flies through the air, lingering and creating a sense of potential romance. His request is kind, and she finds herself speaking before she thinks. “Yeah, sure. Let me grab my cell.”
A couple of interviewers notice the interaction though the cameras were too large to shift through the crowd, it remained undocumented. As they exchanged numbers, her eyes fell toward his hands, noticing the veins that bulged out.
“Good luck on your next race, hopefully, I’m called to interview here again.” She’s genuine with her words, a trait that Charles finds himself admiring. He bids her farewell, silently wishing he’d seen more of her.
Hours later, she had forgotten about her well-needed conversation with Max. He wondered if she remembered, so he took the initiative and began writing up a text message for her. It was simple and straightforward.
Hey, can we have this talk in person?
A soft ding interrupted her current research - she set herself a goal for learning more about motorsport. With the company’s credit card, she rented herself a room at a lavish hotel in Japan - where today’s race was held. It was late, and there were barely any cafes or spots open, so she texted him.
Okay, I’ll send you the address to my hotel room. Unless you know any spots that are open at this hours.
Within a few moments, he celebrates a victorious moment as the address of her hotel room is sent. He took a while to get there, due to the large line for Chinese takeout. Nervously, he stopped for a moment as he stood in front of her room door.
He sees her, and it’s comforting seeing her in something other than her work uniform. It gives him a sense of warmth knowing he knows this side of her. The silence is intimidating, and even as he’s invited in, neither of them had spoken a word.
He settles on setting the food by the small two-person table. She sees her food, and it was her go-to order when the two of them were idiotic 16-year-olds. This simple act triggers a memory, forcing her to accept the long past they have.
“Okay. Let’s eat while I explain, is that okay?” He’s displaying effort. His words hold a certain edge as he settles himself on the wooden chair.
Her silence speaks volumes; it shows just how unwilling she is to listen. Her fork twirls around the orange chowmein, it’s cheap, but it’s her comfort food ergo making it priceless.
“So, the woman you heard was someone I used to have a thing with. We were never dating, but we were seeing each other for a couple of months before I ended up breaking it off. She randomly came to my hotel room- which I didn’t even know she had. I’m sorry you found out that way, I can see how it would have upset you, but I didn’t know she’d show up.” He watches as she enjoys her food, subtly making expressions (he managed to catch) at his words.
His words hung loosely in the air as the silence ate him up. Nothing but the soft munching was heard from her. Moments pass by, and he aches for her response with each passing second.
“Charles asked for my number.”
It caught him off guard, and he halted chewing his orange chicken, seemingly processing the weight of her words. He swallows, but it isn’t just the orange chicken that’s a bit distasteful.
“Do you like him?” He dares. His eyes seem to dart everywhere but her face, not yet ready to read her expressions.
Her tone is questionable, “I just met him.”
He finally reaches her gaze, unreciprocated, the way she’s too focused on her meal bugs him. He clears his throat, “Did you give him your number?”
“Yes.”
“Why?” His response is quick, he barely gives a moment for her to finish speaking. Max questions whether it’s the conversation making the food taste displeasing, though apparently, the food is not nearly as bad as he’s making it out to be judging by the fact that her plate is almost half empty.
“He was nice. He implied I’m his friend now.” It’s uncanny the way her voice remained calm as if she didn’t know the effect they had on Max.
“You’re not.” Max's retort held a tinge of bitterness as if the idea of Charles claiming friendship triggered an unexpected chord within him. The tension lingered, accentuated by the contrast between her nonchalant tone and his blunt denial.
She raised an eyebrow, a subtle challenge in her eyes. “Oh, really? What makes you say that?” Her calm demeanor seemed to provoke rather than pacify the growing tension.
Max sighed, his frustration palpable. “You can’t just declare someone your friend, it doesn’t work that way. He probably just wants to bang you…” The last words were muttered, barely audible, yet she caught onto them.
Her eyes narrowed, a mix of surprise and irritation flickering across her face. “Max, seriously? You think that’s all it is?”
He avoided eye contact, a discomfort settling in. “I’ve seen it happen before. Nice gestures leading to ulterior motives.”
She leaned in, her voice firm. “Not everyone has the same intentions. Maybe he’s just being friendly without expecting anything in return. Or maybe, it’s the chance that he may actually want a relationship that gets you upset. The fact that we won’t have the chance to have the same relationship we had in our teen years. We both know that relationship wasn’t sustainable.”
“Yeah, because you left.” Max’s response was filled with bitterness, a subtle hint of resentment.
“Max, I had to! You knew the situation I was in, are you honestly going to hate me for that?” Her voice raised volumes, intimidating him as he unexpectedly came in contact with her wrath.
He twitches slightly, feeling a sense of regret from his words, “I’m sorry, no I don’t hate you. But it changed everything. I had to pick up the pieces, I was hurt.”
She sighed, running a hand through her hair - a sign of stress Max noticed, “I wish I had a choice. I never wanted to hurt you, you were the only thing that I loved. It was just a difficult time.”
“It’s okay, we met again, didn’t we?” His words offered a fragile calm that quickly settled into the lingering tension air. The possibility of something new brewing for them skyrocketed Max’s hopes.
#the end#or is it#it is now#charles leclerc x reader#max verstappen#max verstappen x reader#red bull formula 1#red bull racing
81 notes
·
View notes
Text
SCIENCE-SLAPFIGHT FINALS
24. Dr. Diana Diamond (She/Her) @numberposting
She's a science lady. She's trans. AND she's a lil stupid and lame!!! She's got it all!!! She lives in a universe where “mad scientist” is an Actual job you can get, she literally has a degree in Mad Science! She’s Very adamant that mad science is all about pushing the limits of science without being “constrained” by ethical standards set by society, which is to say that she has a moral compass made of swiss cheese. Hashtag girlboss <3
While some people can be a liiittle off-put by her basement-turned-lab containing fun death lasers, she’s honestly just a dweeb once you get to know her. When she’s not conducting weird experiments for mysterious benefactors (or just for personal enjoyment), she’s hanging out with her epic and cool wife Alice!!
Although Diana can be a lil withdrawn, Alice’s optimistic and excitable personality really brings out the best in her!! They do almost everything together: Baking, stargazing, long walks on the beach, vivisecting people…
Her wife is super normal btw don’t even worry about it <3
In short, you should vote for certified sillygirl Diana becuz:
1. She’s a funnie trans lesbian
2. She loves her wife SO much
3. She didn’t get a PhD in Mad Science for nothin’
4. She listens almost exclusively to They Might be Giants and Oingo Boingo
5. She could use the validation tbh
6. She lost the last poll she was in on round 1 isn't that so sad :(
7. I love her :D
Also she does enjoy cupcakes!! She prefers cookies tho <3 If given a cupcake she'd probs just give it to Alice cuz that's what love is all about!!
Relevant Links: She has a whole Neocities blog site thing!! It hasn't been updated in a long while cuz College Hard BUT it'll be updated again sometime in the future!! https://diamondexperiments.neocities.org/
28. Lady (She/Her) @forkdork
Lady is a cold-hearted scientist who would do anything in the name of science even if she has to commit horrible actions. After all, in the end, this is for the better of the world even if she has the break a few hundred eggs to get the results she wants. Who else would sacrifice the things she has to get to this point? Who would go to such extremes to the point of the only thing you have left is your work and your name? Well. Lady would even from a young age this was the case her whole life pretty much leading her to the point she is now. Her twin sister didn’t even get in the way of her goals. Being one of the first to figure out how to use science to manipulate magic due to this headset of hers
This pretty much led Lady to be ‘respected’ or feared more then anything in her workplace with the actions she has committed. Lady being responsible for hundreds of documents, subjects, and scientific discoveries to be made. While also being responsible for hundreds of families to be torn apart.. Lives to be lost… people being driven insane due to her experiments… Obviously, this has bitten Lady in the ass many MANY times. With subjects escaping and attacking her when they get the chance, but of course, they never go far and just end back in Lady’s grasp.
Relevant Links: here! it has uh alot of violence! and blood! i dont normally write alot but i do draw a bunch https://toyhou.se/12615920.lady-/gallery
(Image credits: @numberposting and @forkdork respectively)
180 notes
·
View notes
Note
Hi! Ur one of my favorite csm fanfic writers, and I hope you have a good day today. Since your request is still open, Im going to take advantage of it haha.... Can you write a headcanon for Quanxi, Power, and Makima where their s/o is a med student and they are struggling to adjust to a VERY busy schedule with almost no time for socializing outside of school and internships? There are also times where they sleep at 1:00 a.m. and wake up at 5:00 a.m., which is probably because I procrastinate A LOT and Im still wondering how I am still alive today.
Hi!! Thank you 🖤 I hope your studies are going well! (and dear LORD babe please get more sleep if you're reading this go to bed RIGHT NOW)
(Fem pronouns for Quanxi, GN for Power/Makima)
Quanxi
Quanxi isn't particularly social herself, so she struggles to understand why you miss parties with your friends or getting dinner with your family. After all, you're working hard towards a career you're passionate about, and the two of you have a good thing going. What more could a sweet, driven girl like yourself want? Still, she doesn't like seeing you stressed, so she makes it a point to get you out of the house on weekends. "You can do this later," she tells you, shutting your textbook despite your protests. "All your friends are already at the restaurant, and we'll only stay for a little while." She ensures you slip a little time for yourself in your packed schedule, even if going out to bowling alleys or movie theaters with your friend group isn't her favorite. At least she gets to hold your hand the whole time.
She's a master at taking care of her girl—Quanxi always makes sure that you're comfortable, even three hours deep into test-prep. She knows your favorite source of caffeine and keeps it on-hand 24/7. Whenever she notices your eyes start drooping, she wordlessly places a tall glass at your elbow, placing a quick kiss on the top of your head. If it's cold, she grabs a blanket and your favorite socks. If it's been a few hours since lunch and you're blatantly ignoring your rumbling tummy, Quanxi pops out to grab your favorite take-out. You never have to ask; she just knows what you need, and provides it without delay.
Though Quanxi worries about your sleeping habits and demanding schedule, she knows you're an adult and can manage yourself. She doesn't nag or chide you if you're putting your studies first, and forgetting to shower every now-and-then. She does what she can to help, and she always, always tells you she's proud of you. Whenever you're ready to scream at the paper you're writing or about to cry into a pile of flashcards, she gently rubs your shoulders. "Hey," she says, "You're working hard. I'm so proud of you." Maybe to anyone else it wouldn't seem like much, but Quanxi is so sincere and tender as she works the knots out of your tired shoulders. Her quiet words are almost always enough to give you a second wind.
Despite her policy to let you do your own thing, Quanxi does get after you if she notices you procrastinating. She knows you need a break sometimes, but she also knows if you put off your work too long you'll be ten times as stressed when you're staring down a looming deadline. "Hey, cutie," she pinches your cheek, gentle but insistent enough to make you scrunch your nose up. "You better hit the books." If you protest, she raises an eyebrow at you. "You know I'm right. Just work on it for a little bit, and then we can cuddle and watch your favorite show or something." As you pass her by, grumbling about your workload, she smacks your ass for good measure. It's usually enough to make you smile back at her, and stop complaining.
Quanxi buys you a set of scrubs in your favorite color. "So my girl won't forget about me, even when she's busy," Quanxi teases, and you roll your eyes. You reassure her with a kiss that of course you'd never forget about her, and she ruffles your hair fondly. It's your favorite set of scrubs, and you wear them almost twice a week.
Power
Power absolutely. hates. your jam-packed schedule. In her opinion, you should be devoting all that time to her! After all, you two could be having so much fun! Why dedicate hours to your internships and classes when the two of you could be out getting soft serve, going to fairs and winning goldfish, or eating exclusively the meat at monjayaki restaurants? She despises the fact that she has to share you with your studies. With a little help from Denji, though, she leaves you alone to do your work. If you ask her to scope out date locations, she's eager to hit the city and plan a perfect date for you two. Just bribe Denji with a handful of Family Burger coupons and he's willing to chauffer her. You get a nice, long day of peace and quiet to cram your studies into and, as a bonus, you get to look forward to whatever date spot Power's deemed a necessity to visit, whenever you've got the ever-rare free afternoon. The cramming might seem counter-intuitive, but it actually helps you get things done faster. It's harder to procrastinate when Power's asking for constant updates on your progress, eager for you to be done so she can have you all to herself.
Whenever you're settled on the couch for a study session, Power comes to cuddle up with you. She'll splay out across your lap or nuzzle her chin into the space between your neck and shoulder. She summons every single ounce of self-control she has to stay quiet and still, so you can keep studying. At first it's pretty difficult for her to resist the urge to poke your face or put Meowy on your head, but as she gets used to the quiet, she finds she starts to enjoy these gentle, low-key moments with you. Sure, she prefers being hyper and loud, but silently nestling into your side and soaking up your warmth is pretty nice, too.
Thrilled to have knowledge about something you're studying, Power is always eager to tell you about blood. How it feels when she's directing its energy, the way it almost hums beneath her fingertips as she molds it to her will. It's not something you'll find in any textbook, and your professors probably won't quiz you on how blood "feels"—but it's still fascinating stuff. Whenever you're diving into the specifics of how blood flows through the heart or mapping out arteries and veins, you tell Power about your studies. You listen eagerly as for every fact you give her, she tells you something about blood that you'd never find in any textbook.
Power absolutely insists that you get enough sleep. Pulling an all-nighter is simply not an option. "My human," she commands, closing her hands around your shoulders, " 'Tis time for us to go to bed." If you protest, telling her you'll come in a few hours, she pouts and shakes her head firmly. "Not an option! You must rest, and I must have someone to cuddle with." She'll physically pull you into bed if she has to. If you have to get up early to finish something, she'll begrudgingly allow it, but going to sleep together is non-negotiable.
All of your notes and flashcards are littered with Power's doodles. It's her way of cheering you up when you're three hours deep into studying the brain. Little scribbles of stars and hearts and hammers (don't ask), or sketches of Meowy doing impossible things like fighting a supervillain or rolling up some sushi. She's not the best illustrator but her pictures definitely have heart, and they do the job of cheering you up splendidly.
Makima
Makima's no stranger to a busy schedule, so she completely understands your struggles. For her, maintaining a planner is a must and she'll gladly help you start one. She gets you a plain faux-leather journal, your name embossed on the cover in gold. Inside is a neat chart laying out the week in precise detail. There's a spot for to-do lists, due dates, progress trackers for big assignments. She's also included reminders to eat, stretch, and drink plenty of water in the margins. She really thought of everything, and if you end up using the planner to its fullest extent, it pretty much kills your procrastination problem. (It's much easier to get things done when it's broken down into efficient, day-by-day steps for you.) Pay attention, and you'll find new comments from your lover packed inside the margins. Simple things, like "Be sure to eat something nutritious today" or "Remember, you have to be at your internship an hour early on Tuesday.", penciled in her neat handwriting. It's not an "I love you"—she struggles with those—but for Makima, the simple care is close enough.
Outwardly, Makima is sympathetic when you lament that you've got no time for friends and family. She nods her head and frowns when you tell her it's been three weeks since you've gotten to go out on the weekend, and assures you that you'll be able to hit an izakaya or bowling alley with your friends soon. Inside, though, Makima likes that your busy schedule keeps you from interacting with people too much. This way, she gets to have you all to herself. Makima loves that you have precious little free time, and that you spend most of it on her. The less other people get to claim your attention, the better.
Instead of eating on her lunch break, Makima dedicates that hour to you. She comes by your place to share a quick lunch, or drives you to your internships. Even if it's only a twenty-minute car ride and a quick kiss before you hurry into your internship building, decked out in scrubs and eager to learn, Makima cherishes this rare time with you.
Sunday afternoons are scheduled date times. No matter what might be going on at work, Makima pushes it aside to spend the day with you, and she expects you to do the same. It doesn't have to be anything fancy. Just getting coffee together or walking the dogs down a new path is enough. What matters is that the two of you, despite your demanding workloads, have time that's just for each other. She's not happy if you try to blow off your scheduled date to study. It's her favorite part of any week, so expect her to act cold for a few days if it's taken away from her.
Makima respects your work ethic, and she's incredibly proud of you. She makes it a rule not to bring her personal life into work—that would just make you a target—but she's hidden a photo of you, beaming at the camera in your scrubs, in her office. Whenever she's stressed, she pulls out that photograph and reminds herself how impressed she is with your hard work and diligence. It's enough to help her refocus and get her own work done.
Makima knows you're busy, so she likes to take care of your needs. Often, there's a healthy lunch she's put together for you in the fridge, a full bottle of filtered water in your bag, and a fresh notebook on hand in case you run out of paper. She prides herself on anticipating your needs. It sends a surge of satisfaction through her when you start to ask a question: "Darling, have you seen my—" only to cut yourself off as she holds up whatever you're looking for. She hands it off to you with a barely-there smug look and quick kiss to your nose. Now, if only she would look after her own daily needs with such dedication...
#chainsaw man/reader#chainsaw man x reader#chainsaw man#chainsaw man headcanons#quanxi/reader#quanxi chainsaw man#quanxi x reader#quanxi#power x reader#power chainsaw man#power/reader#power#makima x reader#makima/reader#makima chainsaw man
259 notes
·
View notes
Last Seen Blogs
katabay
GHOUL-HAUNTED WILDERNESS
johnny90024-blog
Untitled
flowersuit
pink
joyeeuxe
Yan-Sui Center
thornswithroses
Thorns with Roses