Tumgik
#but you know what: if aka wants to make a fool out of me I'm gonna give him the tools lmao
doodlejoltik · 3 days
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the unwinnable game
[~2.7k words. Read it here or on Ao3]
Zugzwang (from German 'compulsion to move'; pronounced [ˈtsuːktsvaŋ]) is a situation found in chess and other turn-based games wherein one player is put at a disadvantage because of their obligation to make a move.
Centuries after their battle atop Mt Coronet, Rei confronts Volo in a nondescript forest, somewhere on Pasio. But the answers he's seeking aren't so easily given.
aka. a continuation of that one dialogue cliffhanger in the Mysterious Stones chapter because I'm extremely normal about these two
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“There's something you'd like to say, isn't there… Rei?”
Volo turns around and Rei musters up the bravest expression he can.
Now that he's here, he doesn't know what to say first; all his planned questions bounce around his head, clamouring for dominance. Why are you here? How? Since when? You have a Togepi and a Togekiss? Why a tournament? What do you know about the mysterious stones?
Were we ever really friends?
That is, it takes an embarrassingly long time for Rei to respond. In the end, what he says isn’t a question at all. “That Togepi in the ruins was yours.”
Volo only shrugs. He's got a languid smile on his face. “It might've been. She likes running around.”
Internally, Rei is relieved. So he hasn't been seeing things. But he doesn't let it show on his face, and crosses his arms. “Why’d you hide from everyone for months, and only show yourself now?”
“Now, I wouldn't call it hiding,” Volo replies, waving his finger. “This is a big island, and I've made a good few acquaintances here on Pasio already! Perhaps our paths simply didn't cross.”
With the number of times Rei has visited the ruins for mysterious stone research, the odds of that are vanishingly unlikely. “But why didn't you even try? It's not like I've been keeping a low profile.” Of course, the reason is probably something like I tried to end the world and it would be awkward. And that's what Rei needs Volo to say.
The Arc Phone sits heavily in his belt satchel, recording every word.
“Oh, I was just preoccupied. The ruins here are simply fascinating! Even though they're replicas, teasing apart all the ancient cultures used in their construction is such a fruitful area of study. You know me.”
Yeah, I know you. “Find anything interesting about Arceus?” Rei snarks.
“Not particularly!” Volo shakes his head, looking disappointed. Then he perks up, and continues, “Now, Dialga and Giratina however…”
“Oh?” Rei seethes quietly. Of course he had been watching. Why hadn't Giratina said anything?
“It’s curious, isn’t it, how they have seen fit to partner themselves with new wielders?” Volo smiles. “And Palkia too, I’ve heard.”
“It is interesting,” Rei forces out, adjusting his scarf. He recalls Volo's last parting line about Arceus, all those months ago. “Nice to know that they've bonded willingly with people in this time,” he says pointedly.
Ignoring Rei's tone, Volo continues, “That man, Cyrus, who controls Palkia. What a character, wouldn't you say?”
Rei has a lot of thoughts about the Sinnohans’ decision to allow Cyrus - a man who has literally tried to remake the world and not disavowed said goal - to keep the embodiment of Space with him. He'd thought Adaman and Irida had to be joking, at first. What would the Captain think if she saw what her descendant had turned the Galaxy Team into…
“I suppose you see yourself in him.” Rei says flatly.
It's only the two of them here, in the middle of a forest, in the dead of night, so Volo should have no reason to be evasive. And yet -
“Hardly,” Volo laughs off. “Intellectual curiosity, nothing more.”
This is going nowhere. Does Volo seriously think he can fool him again? Probably not - every remark is undoubtedly purposeful, but with just enough plausible deniability to appear innocent. So maybe he just wants to mess with him. Great.
A different strategy, maybe. He’ll surely make a mistake at some point if Rei keeps pushing. “This… tournament that you proposed,” Rei says. “I suppose you're participating?”
“Naturally!” Volo says cheerfully. “Battles on Pasio are done in teams, are they not? Perhaps you'd like to-”
“No.” Rei glares at him. Oh, now, that was going too far. Going to shut that line of conversation immediately.
“So hostile,” Volo sighs. “A united Hisuian contingent would've been a sight to see. Well, the clan leaders should be more receptive, at least.”
“Not if I can help it,” Rei says, crossing his arms. He’s well aware of how childish it sounds, but the thought of his friends falling for Volo’s innocent merchant act, again, is too horrible to consider. Mentally, he rapidly revises his priorities - he has to meet with Adaman and Irida as soon as possible and explain everything. Tomorrow, ideally. Does he have the energy for that? It’s something like one in the morning, right now. He's dead on his feet. But he’ll make it happen. He has to, before Volo does.
But what if he’s already too late? When had Rei last spoken to them? The dance competition, that wasn’t that long ago, right? At least a week, maybe more, his mind supplies. He'd just been so busy… and surely they would have told him if they'd met Volo.
This little anxious spiral must be evident on Rei’s face somehow, because Volo chuckles, stepping closer. “The world doesn't revolve around you, Rei. Not here.”
“You don’t get to act all high and mighty,” Rei snaps. “Not when you’re pulling everyone along on your own strings. I suppose you think you make the world go ‘round.”
But Volo has a point, no matter how much he hates to admit it. Rei’s been assuming he was someone significant to this whole saga. The appearance of the mysterious stones coincided with his and Akari’s arrival to Pasio, after all, so was he really wrong for thinking that?
And Arceus spoke to him first. That had to mean something.
“On the contrary, I simply meant that we’re all on equal ground,” Volo says. For the first time, goes unspoken.
“I’ll still beat you,” Rei vows. He’d done it before, he could do it again. No matter if he was still favoured by Arceus or not. “Because my bonds with my Pokemon, and my friends, are real. And you don’t know what that feels like.” Though intended to be a sharp jab at Volo, instead, a deep bitterness colours those final words.
Volo’s expression twists into something briefly unreadable before it settles into a polite half-smile. “You’re quick to assume the worst of me.”
“Quick?” Rei barks out a harsh laugh. “No, it was exactly the opposite.” He’d been strung along so thoroughly, accepting every strange behaviour as simply one of Volo’s little oddities. Only up at the Celestica Ruins did those allowances start to crumble – and by then, it was too late.
Volo’s look at Rei is one of intrigue. The way Rei's seen him examining ancient ruins, like he's something Volo wants to observe, or study.
And Rei has had it. Enough dancing around the subject, trying to draw it out of Volo; clearly it’s never going to happen. “Is this all just a game to you? You tried to destroy the world! You want me to think you care about anyone?”
Volo raises an eyebrow. “That's a bold claim. Surely if that had happened, it would've ended up in the history books, somewhere.”
Well – okay. The only person who knew what happened was the Professor, sort of. And Cogita. Arceus knows how she found out. But Professor Laventon didn't know half of it, even, Rei had just incoherently vented everything emotional and hurting at him, swore him to secrecy, and then hoped that he'd never have to unpack that again.
Clearly Arceus had other designs.
“We were friends.” Rei’s voice cracks a bit, there; he hates how true it is. “I thought we were friends. But you were going to kill me for standing in your way!”
Volo frowns. “Now, why would I do that?” He takes a few paces towards Rei and smiles, purposefully, grin stretching tight across his face. “I wouldn't want to lose my favourite customer, after all!”
Stumbling backwards to regain the distance, Rei exclaims, “I’ve bought maybe one thing from you. Stop calling me that!”
“Recipient of free samples, semantics,” Volo shrugs, entirely unaffected, and Rei wars with the competing urges to punch him or bolt into the treeline.
“Play dumb all you want,” Rei hisses, “but you’ve already shown your hand. I could tell them everything. You won’t be able to fool anyone ever again.” Least of all me.
Volo tilts his head with a smirk. “Well then, why are you here?” he asks, calling Rei’s bluff.
And though he can’t know that the Arc Phone is listening in Rei’s satchel, Rei realises that his motivations must be laughably transparent. Maybe Volo thinks Akari, or Cynthia, is watching the whole thing from the treeline. The specifics of it don’t matter, really. Rei’s been outplayed from the very beginning.
Volo makes a little movement with his hand. There's a sudden rustle of movement behind Rei, and he whips around, hand on Decidueye's Pokeball -
But it's just Volo's Togepi, who warbles in alarm and quickly toddles past him.
“What would people rather believe in?” Volo says lightly. “The accusations of a boy who jumps at shadows?” He bends down to pick up Togepi. “Or in the innocence of their friend?”
In Volo's arms, Togepi lets out an adorable squeak.
Over the Pokeball on his belt, Rei’s hand is trembling with misfired adrenaline. He carefully drops his hand to his side and raises his head up high. “Cynthia trusts me. I’ve been here for months, and we’ve worked together on the mysterious stones since they were first found.”
“And so?” Volo shrugs. “A working relationship is hardly worth much. I thought you would've known better, with what Kamado did…”
Rei flinches.
The worst part about it all was that no matter what ulterior motives Volo might have had, back then, when he’d been thrown out into the wild with barely a few days’ worth of supplies – Volo had been there for him when nobody else was.
Volo had seen Rei fall apart and put himself back together with forced cheer. And so, he knew exactly where the cracks were, where to strike with his words to disassemble Rei all over again.
Of course Rei knows Cynthia is responsible, and smart, and has been nothing but friendly to him – but he doesn't really know her, does he? And Volo is her ancestor. Which is pretty obvious, honestly. She’d probably like him immediately.
Just like everyone else did. Including Rei.
“Besides, you're not the only one who's been making friends in high places,” Volo adds smoothly. “I’ve heard that Bettie’s word is quite well regarded.”
So now that Rei had wised up to Volo's true nature, he'd gone and found himself new people to use. “You’ve always been like this, then,” Rei huffs. None of it had been real; their entire ‘friendship’ had been predicated on Rei's usefulness. “They deserve to know the truth about you.”
“Truth? Or your own opinion?” Volo scoffs. “You think so highly of yourself, Rei, but you're not the beloved Hero of Hisui here. No…” he smiles. “You're entirely ordinary. Do remember, it was everyone in that stadium who heard Arceus' voice.”
Admittedly, that stings. He'd thought - maybe - that Arceus was finally telling him why He'd brought Rei here. What he was supposed to do in this strange new land. But he'd failed, unable to clearly hear Arceus’ voice.
Rei spares a thought for the Arc Phone, once a vessel for divine inspiration, now reduced to recording mortals’ petty feuds. His messages to Arceus have been left on read for months. He's probably allowed to be a bit petty, at this point.
Volo continues, “Imagine! Any one of us could become Arceus’ champion.” Togepi makes a little noise. “Yes, even you,” he says indulgently, lifting her up to face him, and she goes cross-eyed following his waving finger.
It's horribly cute, the sort of thing Rei would've been charmed by before. And it's clear Volo is no longer taking Rei seriously at all.
What starts out as a wavering thought suddenly asserts itself with startling clarity. “I don't need anything from you,” Rei realises. He'd told himself he was here for evidence, something concrete he could hold against Volo, and that was true. But beyond that, he'd been after something entirely more personal.
He can walk away.
“I don't need anything from you,” he repeats, with force this time.
Volo turns his attention away from Togepi, and this of all things is what finally seems to make him genuinely confused. “Leaving so soon, Rei?”
Rei doesn't elaborate. He turns on his heel to stalk through the forest back to civilisation. Now, because if he says anything more he doesn't know if he'll ever bring himself to stop. Because he's asking for something he'll never get.
Volo's saying something. He doesn't care to catch all the words, though some of it filters through - “challenge”, “tournament”, and “rivals” among them. The general shape of the message is clear. They'll meet again; Rei's powerless to stop that. But as best he can, he'll shake off whatever lingering grip Volo still has on him.
He doesn't stop walking as the trodden earth turns to paved cobbles under his feet, and he makes it all the way up his building's winding stairs to the little studio apartment that he's been given. Home, for now. Collapsing onto the lone armchair, he takes the Arc Phone out of his satchel and turns off the recording. Thank Arceus for divinely bestowed infinite storage, he supposes.
Rei knows that if he were to listen to it, there'd be nothing of use. Only hidden barbs and Rei’s own ugly, wounded anger. It feels fitting to delete it, to banish the whole encounter to memory, and perhaps eventually, less than that.
He doesn't, and instead tucks it away in a folder several layers deep.
Maybe Professor Laventon wrote about the whole disaster in his private diaries. Rei knows he has them, bless the man. He'd once stumbled into the Professor's office late at night, after an exhausting, terrifying escape from an Alpha, ready to tell Laventon off for sending him there – and startled the Professor fiercely, who quickly shut the manuscript he was writing with a blush. So even if Rei had sworn him to secrecy, he might have confided in the written word.
That's something he can set Cynthia on digging up, then. Even just the suggestion that Laventon, the First Pokemon Professor, had such personal writings, would probably send her into an unstoppable research frenzy. That much about her, at least, he knows. If it still existed in this era, Cynthia would almost certainly find it.
And maybe he doesn't need evidence. Not for the people who matter, anyway.
Akari’s only a few doors away, their apartments close neighbours just like back in Jubilife Village. If he wanted, he could wander over there once the sun rose, have her fantastic tamago rice, and tell her everything.
Is he ready to take that step into thin air? To trust that he'll be believed, in something that's infinitely more convoluted and improbable than the simple plea – “I don't know why the sky is red, it's not my fault, I only ever did what you told me to” –
Well. Volo might've been the last one to break his trust, but he was in no way the first.
Can he make good on those words that he’d levelled so confidently against Volo? That his bonds with his friends are real?
Akari had never doubted. And Adaman and Irida had gone against Kamado's will, risking the standing of their people, just to help him. He would be doing them a disservice if he didn't at least try.
And in this dangerous game, it might be the only winning move.
Even as he makes this decision, he feels the pull of sleep. It's offensively late, or early, in the morning now, depending on perspective, and all of this is Tomorrow Rei’s problem.
There's no energy left to even stumble to bed. Rei falls asleep right there in the lumpy armchair, hand loosely gripped around the Arc Phone, Adaman and Irida’s Poryphone numbers on the screen, ready and waiting.
And, though Rei will certainly wake up sore with a crick in his neck come the morning…
For the first time in a long while, his dreams are not restless.
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skania · 5 months
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Kana and Ruby were desperate to be seen by Aqua/Goro. Meanwhile, Akane sought to see—understand—the real Aqua.
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Aqua shines the spotlight on Kana to save her from her bad habits. He does the same for Ruby, freeing her from her burden.
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The manga puts a lot of emphasis on the way Goro was Ruby's light, on the way Aqua brought out Kana's radiance. We're shown that Sarina wants to marry him, that Kana wanted to be his idol. Despite this, neither is privy to the burden Aqua is carrying.
With Aqua and Akane, the manga paints a different picture: It actually allows Akane to get involved. Aqua saved her life and ever since she has been doing her best to save his heart in turn.
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What's more: Goro has been saving people all along, but Akane is the one the manga has actively taking mesures to return the favor.
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cower-before-power · 3 months
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As Mortals Do
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Pairing: Gale X Fem Reader
Summary: As much as you enjoy being with Gale in the Weave, you love being with him just as he is more- aka All The Ways Mystra Missed Out
Warnings: Implied sex, very light grinding, mentions of oral (both on Gale and reader), I guess a smattering of angst?? But mostly soppy romantic, sexy fluff. MINORS STAY AWAY!
Word Count: approx 1300
A/N: I haven't written anything for ages but I'm obsessed with BG3 and Gale, just had a little idea and decided to jot it down. I hate hate hate Mystra, Gale deserves all the love and adoration just as he is, and this is me giving it to him haha. I'm not a Weave sex expert, nor do I know for sure if Gale and Mystra did it outside the Weave, but this is my fic and I'll do what I want!
Mystra is a fool, you think.
It’s not a new thought. You often find your mind turning to the goddess, and the depths of her raging stupidity. How she cast aside a man so full of love and devotion, a man whose heart bled worship and loyalty, a man who gives and gives and gives. A man like Gale Dekarios deserves to be loved as much as he loves, to be held near and never let go of.
Her loss is your gain, you think to yourself smugly, as you lay on your lover’s chest, the two of you basking in the sweet afterglow of your lovemaking. Gale is all yours now. His mind yours to delight in, his body yours to lose yourself in, his heart yours to cherish as the precious thing that it is.
You do not intend to replicate her mistakes.
“I can hear the gears in your brain turning, love,” Gale’s rich voice rumbles softly under your ear. “Spare a thought?”
You prop yourself up on an elbow, allowing yourself to drink deep of his satisfied visage before you answer. Gale is truly a vision after you’ve wrung pleasure from him, eyes aglow and face flushed, happiness exuding from every pore. You keep the image tucked close to your heart, a special treasure for you and you alone to revel in.
“I was just reflecting on the folly of your previous lover, darling. As I often do.”
Mystra’s name no longer brings pain to his dark eyes. Instead, he quirks a brow, no doubt curious as to the train of your thoughts.
“Oh? And in what way do you find fault in her this time?”
You brush your fingers along his cheek, his forehead, the slope of his nose. His skin is warm and slick with sweat. “I couldn’t help but think how foolish of her to never have you like this, in this mortal plane. She missed out greatly.”
Gale catches the hand tracing his face, bringing it to his mouth to kiss each of your fingertips. A shiver of delight skitters up your spine.
“How do you figure that?” He asks, lips moving to press more kisses to your palm, your wrist. You want to melt into his gentle devotion, but you have a point you wish to make. Gently, you prise your hand from his grasp, settling it over his beating heart.
You grin down at him. “Don’t mistake me, sex in the Weave is incredible. Every time you take me in there, I’m drowned in ecstasy. Our very souls meeting, entwining like that? It’s not something I ever thought I’d experience, and I’m thrilled I get to. With you.”
Gale smiles at that. “I’m glad to show you those delights, my love.”
“But,” you lean forward and press your lips to his quickly, gently. “as pleasurable as the Weave is, it skips a lot of my favourite parts.”
Gale’s mouth opens, no doubt to inquire what you mean, but you silence him with a firmer press of your lips.
“Your ethereal paramour did not have many glorious experiences, darling,” your breath mingles with his as your lips brush teasingly. “She did not get to feel the smoothness of your lips the graze of your beard against her skin as you kiss her. Or how it bites deliciously against her sensitive inner thighs.”
You nip his bottom lip softly, relishing in the hitch of his breath and the flutter of his lashes.
“She did not smell your scent, sandalwood and mulled wine and bound leather, and how it mixes with the musk of sex and passion into an elixir I wish I could bathe in.” To drive your point, you lower your face to rest in the crook of his neck, inhaling a generous lungful of said aroma. It sends a visible shudder right through you, and you feel yourself already wanting for your wizard again.
Your tongue sneaks out to lave a long stripe up the side of his neck. and the soft groan that tears from Gale’s throat makes your whole being positively ache with need.
“She did not taste your sweat, the salty tang of your spend. She did not feel the wonderful heaviness of you on her tongue, the little twitch right before you spill. Or see the way you look so thoroughly and splendidly debauched after I’m done with you.”
You climb atop him, hands braced on his chest as he grips your hips harshly. Gods above, he is a truly beautiful sight. You think you are the luckiest woman in all Faerun, to have such a man beneath you.
“She did not get to feel how warm you are inside her, how delicious it feels to be flooded with your seed. How connecting in that base, physical manner can feel just as wonderful as a merging of souls.”
To emphasize your words, you grind your hips against his, mewling softly at the feel of him growing between your thighs. Gale himself is practically panting, his sweet brown eyes nearly swallowed by dark lust, his own hips rutting up into yours mindlessly as he hangs on your every word.
You lean over him, chest to chest, face to face. Close as close can be, just the way you always want to be.
“She missed out on so much you have to offer,” you whisper, “and I’m not sorry for her. I’m greedy, all of this-intimacy, unconditional love, an equal partnership-with you is mine and mine alone.”
Gale snaps then, leaning up to capture your mouth in a voracious kiss. You sigh and sag into him, letting him devour your mouth as his hands wander the expanse of your naked skin. His kiss excites, his touch inflames, your bodies melt together like they were made to be entwined.
You firmly believe they were.
Lips meet, tongues dance, sighs and groans mingle in the soft moonlight. You soft whimpers of delight however, are soon abruptly turned into a squeal as he flips you under him. “Gale!”
Your wizard simply smiles down at you in awe and reverence. You think his eyes might be glassed with unshed tears. “My love, your words….I would ask if you truly mean them, but you’ve been quite the persistent one in making me believe my own worth.”
You return his smile. “I am annoying in that way, aren’t I?”
“Doggedly so,” Gale teases, kissing your nose as it scrunches up at his jesting. “But, I appreciate it. More than even my verbose vocabulary can explain, if you can believe that.”
You giggle. “My wizard of words? Unable to explain something? I certainly cannot believe it.”
Gale’s smile turns salacious. “No matter. I’m learning the benefit of expressing myself physically when words fail me.” He shifts, hard as steel against you, and a moan strangles itself in your throat. “Now, my love, my light, my darling precious gem, shall I express my feelings on your lovely speech with my body? Allow you to enjoy all the things you just praised so eloquently?"
He shifts again, and you cant your hips upwards with a whine, desperation seeping into your pores. You want to have him, again and again again, unending, unyielding. You feel like you might go mad if you don't.
Gale’s reciprocation of your hunger shines down upon you like the sun. “Let me indulge in you, sweetheart,” he croons lowly, “let me bring you to the heights of pleasure. In all the corporeal ways that mortals do.”
Your heart cracks open, joy overflowing. There is no greater bliss. He is bliss, in all that he is and all that he gives to you.
“Yes, please,” you murmur, as Gale presses in and consumes you whole. “As mortals do.”
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granddaughterogg · 2 months
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So, you're the newest addition to Task Force 141 and you Make a Move on one of the boys. How will they react?
Johnny Soap MacTavish: With utter glee. "Took ya long enough, lass! Thought you'll never shoot your shot!" He'll announce with amusement. Our perky Scotsman is an absolute Sexpot - and he knows it. He is also a master of Living in the Moment aka Seizing the Day. Rules and regulations be damned. "So what do you say?" He'll ask, filling your personal space with all that muscle and clasping those strong hands around your waist. "Wanna go on a date first…" Johnny wiggles his painterly eyebrows. "...Or shall we skip to the good part?"
Ghost: When you confessed that you'd like to spend some time with him in private, he didn't seem thrilled. As is usual case with Ghost, he didn't seem like caring one way or another. All you got in the way of a reaction was his hand, holding the cigarette and now stilled halfway to his mouth. He threw you one of his Stares - Simon Riley's eyes are as beautiful as they are cryptic, you've never been able to read those dark peepers surrounded by white, seemingly frosted eyelashes of dizzying length. Then he muttered something under his breath and walked away. You didn't hear a word from him for the next three days, apart from work orders anyway. Disappointment and embarrassment tormented you in turns. You were silently cursing your big, reckless mouth. On the fourth day he approached you as if nothing had ever happened and said: "Allright". "Allright what, Sir?.." You asked, dumbfounded. "I agree. We should fuck."
Gaz: Oh, this beautiful boy. Out of the whole squad he's probably the one best adapted to Living in a Society. He reacts as any sensible man would: with a charming smile, a proud, joyful gleam in his eye, a trace of a blush almost. "Gosh, Private, really…Me? Well, girl, you got outstanding taste." "Don't I know it," you answer boldly. "Look, babe," he says in a hushed voice, coming closer and putting his hands on your shoulders, "Cap will rip my head off and piss in my neck if he finds out that I'm fooling around with a subordinate...so we're gonna have to be extra careful, 'kay? Can you promise me that?" You nod enthusiastically. This is so exciting!
Captain Price: So you like to live dangerously. There is no safe way that you can Put the Moves on your commander. You know that...right? On the other hand - if you're gonna break the rules, break them hard and break them for good. Tell him that you desire him. That you can't stop thinking about him. Pick a moment when the rest of the guys won't be within a kilometer radius. Say your line and look into those hard, cloudy sky-coloured eyes which have just grown big and round with shock. "Kid," says Price, his voice suddenly a little breathy, which is oh so hot: "Are you out of your goddamn mind?" "Only for you, Sir." Flutter those eyelashes. Come on, lay it on thick. It's been some time since anyone has thrown themselves at the old man. He will sigh the mother of all sighs, then drag one hand across his tired face. "I am you commanding officer." "That you are, Sir." He will come closer, both hands behind his back. Then he'll reach out and gently, oh, so gently touch your cheekbone. "You do realize tha' I could tell you to pack up and send your arse home?" His voice is very meticulously level, but you can feel the volcano bubbling underneath. "I do, Sir. But I just couldn't live a lie. I want you." That boldness will earn you another sigh - this time more ragged. He'll trace his finger over your upper lip, say: "Well fuck me sideways..." like a man who has just experienced a miracle - and then John Price will embrace you in a kiss, shameless, deep and hungry.
This man has been criminally touch starved. Congratulations, you'll have your hands full from now on. Not to mention your…other regions.
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kaceythecrunch · 2 months
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RANT. (sturntok.)
Yall. Im so mad. Sturntok pisses me the fuck off to the point it isn't even funny anymore. This might be messy, so bare with me.
Tara. Why the fuck is everyone pressed about Tara hanging out with the triplet, specifically matt and Chris. Yall are acting as if it was only two of them, like they're on a date. They were with fucking I don't know, 8 other people? Like why does Sturntok care who they hangout with? Did you not learn from elementary school to mind your bees wax, or business? You're probably 15. They're literally 5 years older than you. There is no way, in any universe they're gonna date you girl. ALSO TO SHIT ON TARA?? LIKE GIRL. FIND SOMEONE ELSE TO SHIT ON CUZ HOMEGIRL DONT CARE. SHE DONT CARE. SHE IS STRIVING AND LIVING LIFE LIKE YOU SHOULD GIRL. Live life and don't care. You'll probably have a positive outcome. No cuz y'all know how Chris owns the Saturn necklace thing? Its vivienne underwood. It's less than 20 bucks on Amazon. Also when was the last time y'all saw Chris wearing that necklace girl. Also there's a post from like months, or I think a year ago of Tara wearing the same necklace. These fucking tiktok girls are so annoying. Like we get it, everyone wants to be Tara. (she's my gf.)
Podcast. I saw a bunch of btiches shit on the podcast. Like cmon. THEY ARE PRODUCING AN HOUR LONG VIDEO FOR YALL EVERY WEEK. Mfs are burnt out, you're lucky that they even produce content for you ungreatful hoes. Like lwk, I'd rather have them remove Wednesday videos. I remember when they first started their podcast that they were really excited to start and stuff. I also remember, I believe it was their earlier vlogs. When they were still living in Boston and they haven't like went to LA yet, they were talking about turning their basement into a podcast room. Like cmon. This is something they've been wanting to do and you hoes just don't appreciate anything. Like have y'all's mama's not been pissed at y'all for not appreciating her food. Live life positive and not negative tf. But ofc, I respect their decision.
Intro. Yall just love to shit on everyone. Ruining the party. Sturntok reminds me of the kids-the class "clowns" who would be so shitty to the teacher for no reason and would ruin fun things for everyone. Like guys, I think we should all as a community bully Sturntok. It requires a bit more bullying, just to knock some sense into their heads. Anyways, back to what I was ranting about. I loved their new intro. its a new era. A new them. Change. Is. Fucking. hard. I understand that you love the teens from Boston running around making fools of themselves. Me too, I shall admit it. But in order to get sponsorships, to get the little paring things. (For example, them sponsoring Celsius, even becoming the youtooz thing.) Like they gotta act more professional.
Change. This tied in with the last few things. CHANGE IS HARD. CHANGE IS A DIFFICULT THING. But how the fuck are you gonna live life, and enjoy life when your stuck on one thing forever. Change is needed for growth, and for learning. Like guys, THEYRE 20. I think that's something y'all forget. They aren't teenagers anymore. Its kinda like how when everyone went into middle school and started to not like kiddy things when you still liked kiddy things. When I was in middle school I still like to play with Legos, draw, watch anime. Until I hit 7th grade, aka everyone's downfall. I still enjoy some of those things today but I changed because people in middle school stopped like those things and its embarrassing (well for me at least) to show up in school with anime shirts cuz I'm getting older. Thats what they're feeling I guess. Again, theyre 20 now.
Crazy ass mfs. Crazy, as in them soft mf's on sturntok. Also what pisses me off more is that they're coming here on tumblr. Like no, I know your soft ass belongs on Wattpad bffr. I have a long rant about this one, so bare with me again. They are so so so so so SOOOOO sensitive about the "spicy edits." Sometimes the fucking video frame isn't even about something "spicy" aka- them being shirtless, video frame near their crotch. It was when there was a song about sex. How soft can you be. Most songs these days are about sex. Some songs y'all probably didn't know about was about sex. (cake by the ocean for example.) LIKE LETS ME FOR REAL. MOST SONGS ARE ABOUT SEX. Also with the tiktok audios being removed like cmon. Not everything is about sunshine and rainbows. I remember I commented on a Chris edit and I was like.
"I need this man in my life. He's so hot."
"you're fucking gross. He's a human being and do you know how grossed out he would be if he saw that you said this? (bullshitbullshit,morebullshitandstupidness.)"
Yeah, keeping fucking running your mouth. THIS TIKTOK HAS LIKE 4K VIEWS. DO YOU WANNA KNOW HOW MUCH FUCKING FOLLOWERS THE TRIPLETS HAVE? YEAH. THAT'S NOT EVEN A QUARTER OF WHAT THEY HAVE. THIS VIDEO HAS 1K COMMENTS. ARE THEY FUCKING HUNTING ME DOWN?? MY COMMENT HAS 3 LIKES. WHY WOULD THEY CARE TO FUCKING CHECK GIRL. ITS ALSO TELLING THE FUCKING PERSON WHO EDITED THIS THAT THIS EDIT WAS FIRE AND THAT THEY MADE THE EDIT HELLA GOOD. UR FUCKING LUCKY I KEPT MY ANGER TO MYSELF CUZ OH GIRL. I WOULD SUCKER PUNCH YOU. You know whats also funny? They're the same people who will be pissed with when they see matt or Chris with a female. Like girl. You're calling me fucking gross? Do you think how much more worse that is than my comment? You ruin friendships. OG sturniolo fans know that they've been friends with girls. If you genuinely care, yall would know that nick made most of matt and chris' friends. Meaning most of them were females. SO OBVIOUSLY THEYRE GONNA HAVE GIRL FRIENDS. I remember watching the Zach sang pod when nick was on and he explained that matt usually doesn't make the friends. Theres a joke where matt says "I'm gonna make a friend that wasn't originally nick's friends." smth like that. Anyways, off topic. Just because they are seen with a girl, doesn't mean they are fucking dating them. Like shut the fuck up. please. Respectfully shut the fuck because I'm a nice person. Also Chris gives off major virgin vibes lets bffr.
Madi. Yall hate so bad on Madi and its fucking grossing me out. Why do you have to ship her with matt and chris??? Literally to the point they can't even put her in photo dumps or videos. You just gotta ruin it for everyone, huh? shes fucking gorgeous, and she's so funny in videos. Plus, when she does talk shes hillarious. She literally reminds me of Matt. She doesn't fucking talk much because she is more of a listener.. Like guys bffr. How can you hate her when she barley spoke in videos. Like respectfully, shut the fuck up. Yall just jealous shes pretty.
Calling Nick fine. I also hate them mfs who are always running their mouth about girls calling Nick fine. Lets bffr. Y'all didn't think a gay guy is fine? I'm sure you've had a crush on one gay person before. And if you haven't trust me. You will. I had a crush on my gay friend in 8th grade. I feel like its a canon even in every girl's life. anyways, I hate when girls will be scared to call nick hot.
"Nick is so fine. But like as a cool guy friend way. Please don't attack me."
POOR GIRL BELIEVES SHE IS GONNA BE ATTACKED IF SHE CALLS A GAY MAN FINE. Sturntok leave her the fuck alone. He's hot as fucking and I will kill civilians if I'm not given more nick edits. He's so fine. Literally the hottest triplet.
If u made it here thanks. There was shit on my chest that I really needed to let out. What have we learned today?
Sturntok can suck my fucking dick.
Thanks goodbye.
Me to Sturntok :
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absolutebl · 2 months
Text
What to watch after Pit Babe? Thai BL Actor Guide
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So you loved Pit Babe and you wanna see your favorite BL boy in his old series? But should you?
Here's a guide...
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Babe AKA Pavel - 2 Moons 2
Pavel is one of my favorite actors in BL (he's this blog's icon for a reason) and actually 2 Moons 2 is pretty good, primarily because of his character, Forth. Who has an actual character evolution and growth arc... in a BL!
Amazing.
Don't be fooled 2 Moons 2 is a reboot and extension of 2 Moons, not a spin off. So you don't have to have watched the first iteration, in fact I recommend against it.
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Anygay, the main couple of 2M2 is naff, but Forth is great and Pavel is great as that character. He has good chemistry with his pairing, and as a BL fan it's not a bad idea to know your 2 Moon's roots. 2 Moons is one of the most popular Y-novels ever written, one of the most popular shows of it's time, and the perpetuator of many Thai BL tropes.
Pavel's second BL, Coffee Melody, is not worth watching.
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If Babe was your favorite character, and Babe & Charlie a pairing you enjoy, I would suggest Big Dragon as your next BL. Same vibes, high heat, chaotic. Another possibility is the slightly lower heat but stil unhinged Laws of Attraction.
You also might like some stuff out of Taiwan. They tend to have the angst + high heat + sappy softness that characterized Charlie + Babe.
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Way AKA Nut - Oxygen
Nut is way different in his previous rolls, as the lead in both Oxygen, and Something in My Room. Same gorgeous voice and soulful eyes and Nut tends to play sensitive torn characters but the similarities end there.
In Oxygen, his acting is stiff. In fact, Oxygen as a whole is pretty stiff. I like it very much and it is a big comfort watch for me because of it's smooth peaceful softness, but it's flawed, slow and awkward. I did an episode by episode thing for that show (my first watch along).
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In his second BL, Something in My Room, Nut demonstrates improved acting and chemistry, but I don't recommend it. It's a touch of horror, built on the "my ghost boyfriend" trope, and it's quite sad.
So try Oxygen but if what you're after is more BL with a Way-like main character then I would recommend Moonlight Chicken or The Eclipse chewy BL with sensitive boys and some grey morality.
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Jeff AKA Pon - Starhunter Talent
Pon was with Starhunter before this and so has appearances in several of their BLs. He's demonstrated great natural acting talent, charisma, and good chemistry with all his pairs but because he often appeared in chaotic ensemble pieces has been easily forgotten (including by me). Starhunter chronically underused him but also utterly miss-applied him.
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Gen Y 2 is actually a master class in flawed casting. They put Pon into a triangle, where he plays a fated mate pining uke against a very stiff lead pair - but they expected us not to want him to be end game. Big mistake. Watch this mess if you just want to see how a good actor can eat up all the air of a bad pair, winning hearts and influencing fans.
Otherwise the Gen Y series is a bloated mess, and I can't recommend them. I trashed watched so you don't have too. While Pon demonstrates skills against a backdrop of ranging tallent, oddball story, and chaotic outcomes I wouldn't have bothered if not for the dumpster fire.
Pon's first BL is The Moment, and he's good in it, but it's a terrible show. Boring and plotless.
He's fantastic in Make A Wish but only a side part (despite what is said in MDL) and his arc is VERY sad. Still it's a GREAT under appreciated BL, I recommend it as the one to watch if you have to see Pon in something else. It's nothing like Pit Babe though.
Yeah our pathway for Pon ends here, so lets look, instead, at
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Alan & Jeff - Bed Friend
This was Sailub's first BL role, and I speak for all of us when I say... more please.
So instead of a watching a pathway for him, I'm gonna give you a few BL suggestions based on the assumption that this side couple was your favorite from this series (as it was mine).
What we had with this pairing was
older sensitive sweetheart sunshine seme + tortured dark scared tsundere uke.
FUN dynamic! Here are some options where this style took center stage:
Bed Friend
Between Us
Love By Chance (AePete only)
Triage
Tokyo in April is
I Became the Main Role of a BL
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Pete & Kenta - Word of Honor
Ah you like your boys troubled with money, questionable morals, and the slight inclination to pick at their fingernails with a knife?
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Neither Garfield nor Ping have done other BLs but here are my picks for BLs that feature this kind of character and dynamic, and we are leaving Thailand for these (since it's darker territory than Thailand usually handles... well).
HIStory 3: Trapped 
Long Time No See 
Irresistible Love
Word of Honor
Where Your Eyes Linger
Other familiar faces
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NORTH AKA Michael
North played by Michael was our big comedy insert for this show.
But all his roles prior to this were very serious. Till the World Ends and Call It What You Want are practically depressing, even his role in Oxygen is pretty dark. He actually has been in BL a very long time, he was one of Noh's friends in Love Sick at just 18. Frankly, that'd waht you should watch if you are gonna watch any of his back catelogue, but it's NOTHING like Pit Babe or his role in it, still it's the beginning of Thai BL and Noh is a little sunshine of chaos, and it's great so...
Where was I?
If you really want a comedic himbo lead character there are are quite a few out there, and it's a crazy playing field because Japan is in it to win it.
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Leaving aside high school stuff, here are some options:
Cherry Magic (Japan)
Ossan’s Love 
Mr Unlucky Can Only Kiss
Love Tractor
Bad Buddy
Love Stage!!
My Day
History 4: Close to You
KIM AKA Benz
Benz who played Kim has also done BL before, En of Love: This Is Love Story, but it is not good and not worth watching.
While I want the queer Falling Into Your Smile or Love O2O or Appledog more than anything, that doesn't exist. We have yet to have a true gaymer BL. (I mean come on, nerdy queer is practically a stereotype at this point, where is it?)
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All of which is to say if Kim was your favorite... I don't know. Our Dating Sim maybe Semantic Error?
WINNER AKA Pop
Pop has lead out a BL, it's a very slow, very queer, very unwatched piece called La Cuisine.
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@heretherebedork and I loved it, but it's hard to imagine anyone else enjoying it. You have to be a hard BL stan to tolerate the pace and pulp quality of that one. He's a completely different character but if you really like the actor try him in La Cuisine, I think he was better cast for that than Pit Babe.
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I just enjoyed the show in general, what's next?
In general, if you really enjoyed Pit Babe itself as a series (and it's multiple couples and chaotic noise and erratic concept) you're in the KinnPorsche camp of Thai BL. I actually made a "watch next" pathways and rating guide for that show, which might work for you.
Specifically I would say Manner of Death. It's a little more focused in character and plot but still a wild ride. And MaxTul are the Kings for a reason.
You might also try Not Me, Never Let Me Go, and 3 Will Be Free although all of these, coming from GMMTV, are lower heat levels than Pit Babe.
Finally, seriously, try The Sign. I know it was airing "in competition" but there is room in your heart for both shows. I promise. They have the same wild sexy energy, and are loads of fun.
(source)
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jupiter-letters · 3 months
Text
Dating Oliver Queen would include:
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Fem!Reader or GN!Reader TW: Suggestive content
A/N: There is not enough oliver queen fics on the internet like this man is so fine. 😩😩😩 You guys need to wake up and appreciate him I'm so serious. This is gonna be based off comic/jlu oliver since I don't rock with the live action one. We don't like live action counter parts in these parts.
In the beginning it doesn't take much for him to work up the courage to ask you out. You weren't having it at first given his reputation, all the girls and boys couldn't get enough of Oliver Queen. This inital skepticism in his motives leads to him trying to win you over, aka impressing you. This results in a cute little back and forth with you two. Him going bigger and bigger with his gestures and you shaking your head amused at his antics. You do cave eventually seeing how far he'll go to get your attention.
You can't go on missions with him at all. At first he's taking everything as seriously as he's supposed to but, the last half he's fooling around.
God forbid it's a stakeout, yeah you both need to keep a look out but he just wants to kiss you for 5 minutes that's all. He teases you about it too he's so annoying. He'll get real close when you're looking out your binoculars and whisper in your ear, "Come on honey you know you wanna kiss me." wink wink nudge nudge. Of course you end up making out on a rooftop only stopping when an explosion goes off in the distance.
He loves taking you on trips, spoiling you in general. Even if you insist you don't need anything he just likes giving you stuff. You need new headphones? Got it. You need a new car, say no more he's got it.
When things get difficult he likes to try to joke just to see you smile, or elevate some tension. Oliver isn't the type of guy to do nothing when his partner is feeling down. He at his core is very proactive, if the jokes don't work he'll make your favorite drink or take you for a drive.
If you are a superhero/vigilante, he makes sure he gets paired up with you so he can have your back. Powers or no powers he doesn't want you to go alone. If you're a civilian, he checks in on you during missions. He could be mid-fight and call you about how your day was. "So....What are you wearing?" SMASH! CRASH! SHATTER! "Hang on one sec honey!" When he does get injured he tries to play it off like it's not as bad as it actually is. He'll melt when you take of his injuries, he'll never be quieter than when you do that.
He really doesn't like to sleep without you, some nights he gets nightmares about being back on the island. You're always there to comfort him after, being able to hold you when you both sleep is very grounding for him. Being able to wake up next to you is best part of his day, he likes to sneak off while you're sleeping and make pancakes.
Having to go with him undercover to gather intel, he going to have a very hard time concentrating when you get dressed up. He's having a conversation with Bruce and Dick when you walk in. As soon as you come into his view his mind goes blank for a moment. Dick has to snap his fingers in front of Oliver's face to bring him back to Earth. He CANNOT be away from you all night after that, of course you get the info you need but he won't stop complimenting you.
"Yeah I agree with you gorgeous." "Of course beautiful, duly noted." "Creeps like that aren't coming anywhere near you pretty." "You might be too smart for me good-looking." "I can't wait to get out of here you look stunning tonight."
He is your biggest fan, when he wants to make a decision he asks for your input. In the watchtower and the hall of justice, during mission briefings he makes sure you can voice your opinion uninterrupted. He'll even buy merch of your superhero logo, you might walk into his mansion and see him wearing a shirt with your logo on it. Oliver may even get you a green arrow shirt and look at you like this 🥺🥺 to get you to wear it.
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Thanks for reading! Lemme know what you think. Please like or reblog if you like my stuff.
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shepherds-of-haven · 2 months
Note
Hiya! Sorry to bother, I really love SoH and I'm sure you hear this all the time but your writing is so amazing I can't help but come back and reread what's available just for fun! ♥
I have a small wonder, My main MC is going for exRed romance just full steam no eyes for anyone else and it's been a fun ride to watch them be so affectionate yet hesitant I gotta wonder though what the rest of the gang thinks having to watch their ridiculous dance? (I fully believe chase has a betting pool for when they get together.)
In Red's case, I think he's naturally affectionate/subtle/socially-mindful enough to not come off as stupidly over-the-top with his feelings in a really obvious or public way; because he's proceeding cautiously with an ex-MC and deliberately "feeling things out" without wanting to make them uncomfortable/make a fool out of himself, I don't think it'd be as obvious to others what's going on between him and MC unless they went to school with them both and witnessed the history there? (AKA Pan, Neon, etc.). For everyone else, it's:
Blade: literally doesn't think anything of it (unless he's also romantically interested in MC)--from his perspective, Red is equally friendly/comfortable/flirtatious with pretty much everyone, plus it would make sense that their being old friends/former lovers would come with certain closeness. In other words, he's not thinking about it
Trouble: took Red and MC at their word and just thinks they dated when they were teens, does not notice anything remarkable going on between them, but he can be naturally a bit dense in that area (though sometimes he isn't)
Tallys: oh my god just hook up already, the tension is starting to get under her skin lol she's of the camp that they should just jump each other and get it over with
Shery: she's 👀 and watching with bated breath, and subtly concocting excuses for them to be together, like "oh MC I needed to deliver a message to Red in his lab, but I'm "busy", could you please let him know so-and-so while I go do this other thing?"
Riel: he's actually broached the topic with Red before out of curiosity because the romantic tension was sooooo obvious to him: it was a really brief conversation because Red was caught so off-guard by Riel going "so are you going to tell MC you still have feelings for them/do you want to try things again?" that he just sort of looked at Riel blankly, but they sort of fumbled their way through a conversation where Red was sort of airing his thoughts/asking for advice and Riel was just like clinically listening?? and then they never talked about it again, lol. It's not like Riel ships them, he was just interested in what was going through Red's head at the time, and now he doesn't really care anymore, whatever happens is between them! but now and again Red will look up from subtle flirting with MC, catch Riel's eye, and Riel will have this unimpressed face like 🙄
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Chase: gleefully has a (private) betting pool and trolls Red/the two of them as often as he possibly can without entering the zone of over-interference, much like an ecologist trying to observe a rare animal without over-affecting its natural behavior
Ayla: she notices if she's romantically interested in MC, but otherwise shelves their behavior as "things exes/old friends must do, which I wouldn't have any personal experience with, so I guess that makes sense to me" and doesn't give much romantic significance to the way they act around each other, that just must be how it is! 🤷🏻‍♀️ She'd be really surprised if someone like Lavinet was like, "Oh, darling, they are obviously still mad about each other..." Ayla: "oh, I just thought their whole thing was how all former lovers who stayed friends acted." Lavinet and Briony: noooooo
Briony: she is peak shipper for ex!Red and MC, she picks up on things right away and is watching both of them with her ponytail whipping back and forth like she's at a tennis match 👀, she's squealing and swooning internally every time they smile over a book together and is like barely keeping things together out of respect to them...
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Lavinet: she's amused and intrigued by what's going on, ex-lovers who reunite years later is so inherently romantic, it's like something out of a drama!!! She's smirking and making sly comments here and there to sort of nudge things along now and then, but otherwise she subscribes to the "leave no trace" observing from a distance mentality rather than an active interference (unless her interference is specifically requested, in which case she's all hands on deck)!
Halek: didn't even realize they're exes, I think because no one told him or he wasn't paying attention, he just thinks they're Like That (as in, they want to bang each other, obviously, he just figures they're dragging their feet about it because they work together or something)
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okchijt · 6 months
Note
Hi! I'd like to request the legion aka frank yandere alphabet please! thank you 😘
Author's Note: The Halloween event is making me play even more unhealthy amounts of DBD so you know I just gotta do my boy Frank! I'm super excited for this one, especially since it's a yandere and an alphabet and this guy doesn't get much of either so I'm more than happy to provide! Definitely took some inspo from @yanderes-galore for this one so you must check them out if you're a lover of yandere content cause that's where you get the best kind of it! So do it NOW! And lastly, go ahead and check out my masterlist if you like what you just read and if you want to request anything yourself, thank you, and enjoy!❤
Possible Trigger Warnings: Some minimal NSFW that is only mostly mentioned a few times with no explicit detail.
Frank Morrison -> Yandere Alphabet
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Affection: How do they show their love and affection? How intense would it get?
Frank is a possessive individual, he makes sure you and everyone around him knows it. The same can be said with the way he shows his affection for you. At the end of the day, Frank is still human and even though he feels the need to fool himself and the others around him that he's a cold-hearted killer, he still craves your human touch. That being said he's not sweet or gentle with his affections for you, when he feels threatened, feels the need to remind you of your place or it's just a matter of his human desires he does possess a strong hold on you. Frank likes to hold you by the waist or put his arm around your shoulder, both methods effectively trapping you in place of no escape as he holds you with a deathly grip. Frank doesn't aim to provide you with physical love but to scare you with it into submission. But at the same time he'd rather die than admit that sometimes he just seeks to have you held against him out of pure desire, because, in the end, it does feel nice to be reminded of that human feeling.
Blood: How messy are they willing to get when it comes to their darling?
Incredibly messy. He's a killer that thinks of himself as hot shit and will make sure to show that just by the way he murders your teammates. Outside of the realm he only has one kill count and that was enough for him to consider himself the best killer out there. It makes his blood boil to see your fellow teammates touch you and spend time with you when it should be him and he'll make sure they'll fear his wrath. Frank doesn't mind being covered in other's blood, he even sees it as some sort of trophy to be prideful about because he was the one that made them bleed. Escpesicailly if the person stood in their way to get to you, Frank will make sure they will have a painful end that he'll later proudly and mockingly tell you about as if expecting some sort of prize from the effort he went through just to have you with him alone.
Cruelty: How would they treat their darling once abducted? Would they mock them?
Kind of yeah. He finds mocking you entertaining in a way, he likes to make you feel powerless against him, boosting his ego in the process. He likes to get you when you're at your lowest so he can guide you through mocking and insults to come fully undone for him, vulnerable enough for you to feel too weak to fight against him as he forces his so-called love on you. Though most of the time Frank would only do it if he's in a bad mood himself because a match went poorly or you're just being "uncooperative" with his affections for you.
Darling: Aside from abduction, would they do anything against their darling’s will?
Absolutely he would. He forces his affection on you and sometimes forces you to reciprocate with threats of various kinds. At the end of the day, Frank is still a teen whose hormones still go off for him, and even though killing satisfies that side of him most of the time, he can't help himself when he's around you sometimes. He'd never outwardly go that far with you if you don't want to, he doesn't want to ruin all of his chances of you eventually falling for him for whatever reason. But do expect some nonconsensual touching here and there, like I said, he'd never go that far with you if you don't allow it, but he's not that good of a soul to limit himself that much for you.
Exposed: How much of their heart do they bare to their darling? How vulnerable are they when it comes to their darling?
He'd never do that. Frank doesn’t want to be seen as weak or vulnerable to you, himself, his crew, or anyone else around him. He has a "reputation" to uphold after all and even though his insecurities get to him most of the time, he'd rather die than let you even witness or hear any of it. Not even as pretend to make you feel sympathy for him, the thought of being this exposed to you on whatever scale disgusts him and he will never resolve to it to trick you into having you. Not for your good, but for his.
Fight: How would they feel if their darling fought back?
Amused, but annoyed. Doesn't matter how much of a capable survivor you are, the Entity will make sure Frank will have an upper hand compared to you in the physical department. He likes the way you try to wiggle free against him or just you trying to fight back in general, he finds it funny because he knows no matter what you do there is no escape from him. Though Frank will get progressively more annoyed the longer you keep going, especially if there are flashlights/firecrackers involved. And because of that at some point, it stops being an entertaining game of cat and mouse and instead a serious threat of finally catching you with no escape.
Game: Is this a game to them? How much would they enjoy watching their darling try to escape?
Kinda, but only when he's 100% sure he'll catch you at the end of the trail or just in general. When things go Frank's way during trials, he'll take his sweet time getting you. He'll pretend to have not seen you hide inside that locker or let you wiggle off him and get away as he pretends he didn't see where you went. Instead, all his attention goes to your teammates as he focuses on taking them out, leaving you for dessert. It's just so amusing to him to see you try so hard knowing that he'll get you by the end and have his fun with you before either killing you or letting you go. On the other hand, if Frank gets absolutely destroyed during the trial his anger will blind him to only focusing on not letting you escape. At this point he has tunnel vision solely on you and will ignore everything else, just wanting to make sure to get you at the end as he lets all your teammates run past him to escape through the gate as he pins you down and prepares to let out all his frustrations on you before either taking mocking pity on you and letting you go or just outright killing you.
Hell: What would be their darling’s worst experience with them?
Being sacrificed the first time and all the other times depending on his mood it can get more brutal than it should. All the while he may just mock you for your existence alone and the things you make him feel as he murders you mercilessly for daring to fight back against him and not just submit. As well as mentioned before some nonconsensual touching, Frank will only stop the minute he knows he's not going to hold back if he lets himself go any further.
Ideals: What kind of future do they have in mind for/with their darling?
There really isn't a future to think of when you're stuck in the Enity's realm, there is no personal purpose, growth or change you can make. So all Frank needs is what's already in front of him, you and the thrills you both provide each other whether you want to or not. But if Frank could wish for something to change in the future is for you to finally submit to him fully.
Jealousy: Do they get jealous? Do they lash out or find a way to cope?
Extremely. He gets so jealous over your teammates being able to spend every waking moment of their pathetic existence with you instead of him. Just for that, he makes sure that if you're in a trial all of your teammates suffer twice as much. He wants to make sure they feel the jealousy and rage they make him put up with because of the privilege of them having you 24/7 and not him. Sometimes Frank gets more into it than he should and throws what's left of his jealousy onto you, accusing you of probably fooling around behind his back with your stupid teammates. Whether that is true or not Frank proceeds to give you mixed signals during his outburst as he continues to accuse you of being disloyal as he puts his arms around you as an act of affection. Lavishing in your touch as he reminds you and himself with his actions who you belong to as he spews venom at you through his gritted teeth.
Kisses: How do they act around or with their darling?
Like he's better than you and you're his prey that he took pity on. You should be thankful he loves so just accept your role in this ''relationship'' and submit. Frank treats you as if you are inferior to him, but at the same time, he thinks you're so much better than everyone else. Frank not only tries to manipulate you but himself as well. He wants to make you feel powerless when with him, he likes to put you down, making him feel better for having does feelings for you. Frank hates that he feels such strong feelings for you, how can someone such as himself feel so drawn to a stupid survivor of all people? The only way he can excuse such feelings is by pity, a mocking kind. But deep down he knows it's not it, it's genuine from his end, but he will never admit to it to anyone especially not himself. So instead he hides behind the fact he's the hunter and you're the prey and abuses it so that the truth will never come out.
Love letters: How would they go about courting or approaching their darling?
Through a trial of course. Doesn't matter if it's your first trial or one of the many ones you've had before, you've officially captured his attention. Whether it was because of the lovely reactions you gave him or the way you stuck with your team and had their back, doesn't matter, Frank is hooked from here on out and he can't wait to play with you some more when you meet again next trial. Approaching you though? Easy, just kill everyone so there's only you two left, that's plenty of time to begin a relationship and get to know each other, don't you think?
Mask: Are their true colors drastically different from the way they act around everyone else?
Just a bit, yes. Frank's just as cruel to you as he is to everyone else and he thinks he's better than you, but he does have that soft spot only for you at times. Sometimes he does genuinely want to show his affection for you, with no cruelty added to it. As much of a sadistic jerk he is, Frank does sometimes just want to spend time with you like lovers do, it's rare but it does happen especially when he's in a good mood. Otherwise don't expect much love and care 90% of the time that is purely genuine.
Naughty: How would they punish their darling?
Depending on what you do, the more painful the punishment. If you misbehave or disobey him in more ways than one, expect to be cut in various ways both shallow and deep depending on how far you push it. But the worst you can get is straight-up murder, but in the realm that's nothing new, so Frank makes sure to make your deaths more painful than they should. He makes them last longer, makes them more gruesome and he does all of this while making sure to keep you alive the whole time so you can feel the utmost pain. All of this is to make sure you remember to stay in line next time.
Oppression: How many rights would they take away from their darling?
As if you have any once you enter the Entity's realm. Frank takes anything he can get from you. He's too selfish to allow you to be with other people, especially the ones he views as under him, which is everyone but himself. Whenever you're forced to be in his presence, he will give you no free will. Frank takes away your decision-making and takes charge of anything of yours he can get, no matter how little the extent of it is.
Patience: How patient are they with their darling?
Only when he's alone with you. At the beginning of the trial, there is no patience in him if things don't go his way. Frank will make sure to get through the trial as fast as possible, eliminating everyone until it's just you two left. His kills are sloppy and quick, wasting no time in finally getting you all to himself. When it eventually gets to that point he takes his sweet time with you, toying with you as you receive his unwanted affections. Wanting to draw out as much time as he can get with you, at that point he's just happy to have you all to himself again so he's patient from that point onward.
Quit: If their darling dies, leaves, or successfully escapes, would they ever be able to move on?
None of these possibilities will ever come true in the Entity's realm. There are no buts or ifs, you are stuck in here with him forever. Therefore there would never be a scenario where Frank would have to deal with the fact you're not here with him anymore because that day will never come.
Regret: Would they ever feel guilty about abducting their darling? Would they ever let their darling go?
Why would he? Frank has no sympathy left in him at this point, not even his soft spot for you will change the way he feels nothing but pleasure in having you all to himself. So the answer is an ultimate no for both.
Stigma: What brought about this side of them (childhood, curiosity, etc)?
A mix of curiosity and his background. It's curiosity that leads Frank to commit his first murder as well as enter the realm. He's never been a good person before the realm as well. What made Frank this infatuated with you though? The answer is even a mystery to him.
Tears: How do they feel about seeing their darling scream, cry, and/or isolate themselves?
Depends on the severity of your outburst and how long it lasts. If it's small or it doesn't last long then he'll find the situation amusing by teasing you. He basically doesn't take you seriously and will mockingly "try" to calm you down, effectively making the situation worse by making fun of you because he thinks it's cute to see you this vulnerable. But once you get even more upset, making the outburst an actual outburst Frank begins to get annoyed and even kind of panic. At that point, it's less funny to him and his mocking turns into actual insults with hints of actual concern that aim to fully calm you down. The longer you go on the more aggressive Frank is with his words and may even start being physical with you just to make you stop. Depending on how you react he will force you to get a hold of yourself or he just leaves you be for some hours so you both can calm down.
Unique: Would they do anything different from the classic yandere?
Frank's more than willing to hurt you. Both because it's just the reality you two live in now and it's essentially his "job" to hunt you down and make you weak before him both mentally and physically.
Vice: What weakness can their darling exploit in order to escape?
Maybe manipulation? Just mentioning that his crew must think less of him because he's actively seeking you out, that he's so obsessed with you. Just anything that could indicate him being weak or vulnerable makes his blood boil, mainly because he knows it's true. No matter how Frank views himself, there is a part of him that hates himself and you for making him so soft to the point where his crew can see it. But would it be enough to escape? No. You can point out the obvious to him and that'll only make him let out his frustrations on you or his crew if they dare say a word about it.
Wit’s end: Would they ever hurt their darling?
Absolutely. It's Frank's "job" so it's basically a given you'll either get slashed a few times before he lets you go or just moris you instead.
Xoanon: How much would they revere or worship their darling? To what length would they go to win their darling over?
The only person Frank will worship is himself. Admittedly you're the most important person to him outside of himself and his crew but he still views himself above you so there is no need for worship. There is no need to win you over, you have no choice after all. Frank will court you however he likes and you can hate it and him as much as you want but you'll have no choice but to just deal with it.
Yearn: How long do they pine after their darling before they snap?
A few trials at most. Frank needed to be 100% sure about you and his feelings for you before he became outright open with them. He needed to get to know you a little bit better before officially making you his, and by that I mean Frank relishing in the sweet reactions and screams you gave him. And maybe just the way you went about when you didn't know he was there and the way you worked with your team.
Zenith: Would they ever break their darling?
The fact you're in a forced relationship with a killer that hurts/kills you and your teammates on the regular will definitely do more damage to you than if he was just a killer with no relations to you. That being said Frank wouldn't want to break you on purpose, he likes you the way you are because you haven't completely lost it yet and you satisfy his sadistic and obsessive needs. So ideally Frank wouldn't want to break you knowingly, but there would be a bigger possibility that he would indeed break you at some point.
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fairyellieee · 2 years
Text
"Flawless"
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Fandom: Criminal Minds US TV (2005)
Pairing/s: Aaron Hotchner x fem!reader
Inspired by: Flawless by The Neighbourhood
Trigger Warning/s: criminal minds stuff/talks about the case briefly.
Summary: A secret relationship is very hard to maintain, especially if that person that you're with works with you; also the fact that the both of you work with profilers.
Requested: ok so my fic idea was hotch x reader but reader is rossis daughter and also part of the bau and they’ve been secretly dating for a couple years and the rest of the bau and Rossi find out abt their relationship somehow (exactly how is up to you) maybe the bau went for a night out but hotch said no (bc he wanted to propose to y/n) and they go to this restaurant w a rooftop and maybe they catch hotch proposing to y/n on the rooftop when they go up for post dinner drinks
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Maybe it was because of the thrill or maybe it's because they like to feel that they're really smart by fooling a bunch of profilers; either way, keeping their relationship a secret was agreed on.
Being David Rossi's daughter has its pros and cons. First, you have a rich dad which also means you're a little spoiled if I'm gonna be honest. Second, he's very overprotective and the list just goes on and on.
Your dad scares the living daylights out of everyone that you've dated or were in a relationship with. It's like he doesn't even want you to be with someone which is why you kept your relationship with Aaron a secret to your dad.
Yeah, maybe it's a little weird dating your dad's boss and best friend who's twice your age but hey, love is love.
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"5 more minutes." Whining out, Aaron just chose to wake you up at 6 in the morning aka too early.
"C'mon Y/n, don't you want to eat breakfast with me? The most amazing or your most amazing boyfriend ever." He said trying to convince you which completely does not work. It only made you more sleepy and snuggle closer to him like a koala.
"Rather not."
Suddenly, he picks you up and puts you over his shoulder, making you squeal and hit his back.
"Put me down! Hotch! No! Put me down!"
"No, I'm not going to let you make us late again. We've been late for almost a week, the team probably suspects something already." Setting you down on the kitchen counter, he kisses your forehead as he starts cooking breakfast.
"I don't think my boss would mind me being late that much." You said giving him your best puppy eyes and a cheeky little smile.
"Well, he would if you were also the reason why he's late. Now get ready before I carry you and drop you in a very cold bathtub." He warned which made you scour into the bathroom in fear.
"All in a day's work of an amazing boyfriend."
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Meanwhile, in the bullpen the team was speculating as usual.
"I really think that they're dating. I mean the chemistry is right there!" Morgan argued as JJ gave him a "what're you talking about" look.
"I agree with my chocolate thunder, I really think that they're dating for like a long time but what I don't get is why they're hiding it from us." Penelope whined and pouted a little betrayed on why you wouldn't tell them or her.
"Well, I for one disagree. Yeah, they probably have feelings for each other but they probably haven't even acted on it. Hotch literally needs Rossi's permission first before asking her out because Rossi is very scary and literally overprotective of Y/n." JJ rebutted which made Emily nod.
"Plus, if they were together wouldn't you guys think that they would've already said something?" Emily said as she raised her eyebrows at all of them.
"You wanna bet on it, Em?" Morgan challenged.
"I do, I bet $20 that they like each other but isn't going out yet or haven't confessed to each other. How about you guys?"
"I also bet $20 that they're both already together but is hiding it from us and especially Rossi." Penelope challenged.
"Well, in that case. I bet $20 that they're both together but only Rossi and probably Jack knows." Derek said shrugging.
"That's literally impossible. I bet $20 with the same accusation as Emily. How about you pretty boy, are you gonna bet on it?" JJ asked Spencer.
"No, I don't think it's right to bet on your coworker's love life."
"Bummer."
"What're you guys talking about?" Rossi suddenly asked from the entrance of the bullpen.
"Nothing." They all said at the same time then they dispersed and started "innocently" doing their work.
Then entered Hotch a few minutes later. Late again.
"Hey Hotch. Why're you late, again?" Emily asked curiously.
"Alarm didn't go off."
"Would've thought that your body would've already gotten used to waking up early." Derek commented which made Hotch glare at him.
Also a few minutes later, Y/n enters late as usual.
"I'm so sorry that I'm late, long night. Don't ask, can't explain."
"Wasn't going to, sweet girl."
"Good."
When Y/n finally reached her desk, she found 2 dozens files. Too much. So she thought of a plan.
"Hey Spence, my favourite coworker and genius."
"What is it this time Y/n?" He asked sort of grumpily.
"Well.... I have a bunch of paperwork and I know for a fact that you love paperwork and not only that but I promise to buy you a dozen donuts later at lunch if you help me." You bargained as he came into thought.
"I guess it is a win-win situation. Sure, hand me half of those."
"Thank you thank you thank you."
"Yeah, yeah, just remember the dozen donuts or I'll haunt you." He said scarily? Well, tried to say it scarily.
You handed him the files then he started doing it. With just a few minutes to spare, Spencer was done with his dozen of your files while you haven't even gotten past half of yours. Well, a promise is a promise.
A few minutes before lunch time, you went and asked your coworkers if they'd like something from Spencer's fave bakery so you could buy it too (with Rossi's money ofc). Going up to Hotch's office seems natural but also nerve-wracking, you can't help but think that they might suspect something.
Knocking on the door three times, you heard Hotch say "come in".
"Hey Hotch, I was going out to Spencer's fave bakery and I thought that maybe you'd like something."
"Just one black coffee and some pastry that's not too sweet." He said smiling a little bit.
"Don't blame me if it's a bitter pastry then.* You said half jokingly which made him chuckle and return back from his work.
Walking out of his office you saw your teammates around Morgan's desk probably gossiping. You paid no mind as you went to get everyone something from the bakery.
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When you came back at the bullpen, everyone wasn't there. You tried to find them and you saw them at the briefing room. Yikes. You must've missed a message that says there was a case.
"L/n, you're finally back. We have a case, you'll be briefed at the jet." Hotch said in his deep hot unit chief voice. You nodded as everyone including you prepared for the flight.
"Hey Spence, here's your dozen donuts. You should eat before solving stuff." You said as you handed him the box full of chocolate sprinkled donuts.
"Thank N/n." he said a childlike glee appearing on his face.
When you both reached the jet, you also handed your other coworkers orders.
"We're going to Detroit, Michigan. There has been multiple kidnappings of men. They're dumped in a trash can with their penis chopped off and apparently inside the victim's mouth." Hotch explained.
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At the end of the day when all of you were at the lobby of the hotel, the unit chief has some semi-bad news.
"We'll have to double up, Rossi's trying to find some sort of suite so he won't be doubling up with us. There has been some mishap with the reservation and they can't do anything about it." He said holding up 3 room keys.
You desperately wanted to room with Hotch but you don't want to make it suspicious but thankfully the team had a plan. They all looked at each other and nodded, you and Hotch didn't notice though.
"I'm rooming with JJ." Emily said as she stood up and Hotch handed her one room key.
"I'll go with pretty boy then." Derek begrudgingly said as Spencer scoffed.
"As if I wanted to room with your loud snoring. It's like living in a bear cave, I think the room moves everytime you sleep." Spencer teasingly said, as he got punched on the arm by Derek.
"Then, that leaves Miss Y/n with Agent Hotchner." JJ teasingly said as you glared at her but Hotch paid no attention to.
"Why does he get "Agent" and I get "Miss", what in the sexist world is this, JJ?" You teasingly said as she just rolls her eyes at you.
"Guess I'm with you bossman."
As you got the keys from your boss, your team has been eyeing the both of you "sneakily". You knew that they were trying to "set" the both of you up, sometimes you wonder if they're really profilers.
When the both of you were in the room, you made sure that none of your teammates followed you; yeah, it was a little paranoid-ish but you can't blame a girl if their coworkers' are really nosey.
"Everything's clear." Hotch said in his very commanding voice, half jokingly I guess.
"Well, since it's just you and me bossman. How about we-"
You were suddenly interrupted by Hotch pulling you close and situating you in his lap.
"I guess we could relax a little bit but I am still your superior-"
"supervisor blah blah blah, whatever. Let's make out."
"What are we 14?"
"Well, you certainly aren't 14. Grandpa." You said as you booped his nose and giggling.
You were suddenly carried and dropped into a really fluffy bed. Well, you like to be manhandled anyways.
"Grandpa, huh? Well, I'll show you who's grandpa." He stated as he looked at you challengingly. The both of you stared at each other until you flipped the two of you, him being the bottom (as he should be).
"Wouldn't want you to have an arthritis, grandpa."
"That does it little girl!" You were suddenly laughing your ass off as your boss/boyfriend tickled you.
All of a sudden, in your peripheral vision, you saw David Rossi aka your dad aka your boyfriend's friend.
"Dad! Oh my gosh! This isn't what it looks like! I swear!" You started explaining as you climbed off of Hotch's lap or whatever.
"I already know but please for God's sake keep it down and always lock the door."
"Y-you knew?*
"How wouldn't I? You can't keep your hands off of each other and everyone else has probably suspected something."
You were shocked to your core and as you turned to look at Hotch he was just frozen. You waved your hand infront of him and he snapped out of it.
"How long have you known?" Aaron asked.
"Since you were so worried about her not coming to work. I saw your car at her apartment parking." He smirked as you were just shocked again. That was almost a year ago.
"Why didn't you say anything, dad?"
"I wanted to give you the opportunity of saying it to me. Plus, it's fun to watch you try to hide it from a bunch of profilers. You're not as sneaky as you think." He chastised and as he approached you guys at the bed, he pulled a chair from the kitchen and said to Aaron condescendingly: "If you hurt her Aaron Hotchner, I'm a damn good profiler and I know how to dispose a body without anybody knowing."
Hotch nervously chuckled as he replied "i wouldn't even dream of hurting her."
"Now, go sleep children. We're still on a case."
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"C'mon bossman, it's a once in a blue moon situation. We solved a case. It's worth celebrating for." Morgan tried to convince Hotch to go with the team and celebrate for solving the case and saving 5 women's lives.
"I have to go home, Morgan. Jack is waiting for me." Hotch said genuinely which made Morgan back off the topic and nodded understandingly.
"Goodbye everybody. Have fun!" Y/n waved goodbye to the team as she exits the office.
"and why aren't you coming, missy?" Prentiss asked Y/n with a raised eyebrow.
"My cat misses me." You said with a little pout as you continued to exit.
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You were admiring yourself on the mirror when you suddenly heard a knock on the door. It's probably your boys.
"Coming, just a second!" You said as you rushed to put on your shoes and go to the door.
"Hey jack!" You said as you were suddenly pulled into a hug by said kid.
"Y/n! I'm so so so so so so excited!" He said as he jumped up and down, clearly too energized for his own good.
"Aww, I'm excited too jack-jack." You said as you kneeled down at his level and kissed his cheek. You look up at his father and smiled at him.
"Hey Aaron! Almost didn't see you there." You said jokingly as he pouted.
"We bought you flowers too, give it to her daddy."
"Aye aye boss. It seems as if he's going out with you." Jack's dad said as he rolled his eyes jokingly.
"Awe thanks Jack, you're such a gentleman. Come inside for a minute as I put this in a vase." Stepping aside and letting them in.
You put the flowers into a vase half-full of water and the three of you went out and into the car.
"It's quite a fancy restaurant so Jack be well-behaved, okay?" His father reminded him as the little man nodded in understanding.
As you were going to the restaurant, you can't help but be thankful to have both of these boys in your life.
When you were finally at the restaurant and parked, the three of you entered and you can't help but smile from ear to ear.
"Reservation for Hotchner." Aaron said to the lady at the front desk as she skimmed through the little book and nodded. She signed to a man to lead the three of you to your table.
To your surprise, the man led you to the restaurant's rooftop. It was peaceful and had flowers scattered around a table, it's shaped like heart.
In your shocked state you turned to your boyfriend and see him knelt down on one knee. Jack held your hand as he can't stop squealing.
"Y/n L/n, you have made me the happiest man on earth when you became my girlfriend. I, now, want to ask you to make me even happier by being my future wife and my fiancee. Will you marry me?" You were speechless, your eyes filled with tears (happy tears) as you nodded and replied. "Yes! A million times yes!" He put the ring on your finger as you hugged each other and he lift you up in the air.
You suddenly heard clapping from the rooftop's stairwell, you turned to look and saw the team with a shocked but happy faces. The girls approached you first and hugged the both of you as you were pulled aside to let them fan girl on your ring.
Congratulations were thrown by the team at the both of you but a question still remains. "Who invited them?"
You turned to Aaron and asked. "Did you invite them?"
"No."
"I actually did. They didn't know that Hotch is proposing but when he asked me for my blessing on his proposal I had to invite the team to witness it." Your dad interjected.
"I'm so happy that I get to share this intimate moment with the most important people in my life. I love you all." you said and hug them.
"We knew something was going on but we never thought that he'd be proposing already! Why didn't you tell us sooner!?" Garcia pouted as she gave you a kicked puppy look.
"Well, I didn't also know he was going to propose."
"We wanted to tell you as soon as possible but time flew by so fast. Next thing I knew I had the urge to propose to her." Hotch reasoned with Garcia.
"We're all so happy for you but the food is here." Rossi said.
As you all were seated, you felt so happy that you had your family with you.
"To the future Mr. and Mrs. Hotchner!" Derek toasted as the team and Jack cheered.
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m1ssunderstanding · 4 months
Text
Get Back Rewatch 55 Years On: Day Four
"Lennon's late again" says Paul, as he walks in late. And sweet Ringo just gently, "between ten and eleven is the time" Which means: "Chill babe. He'll be here."
One thing that always gob smacks me is how bored George and Ringo are watching Paul pull Get Back out of the ether. They literally see him do this shit all the time which is insane to me.
His voice is so so so pretty!!! And he's just so completely in his own world. The hunched shoulders. The twitching. The gibberish. The tapping. The twisting.
Obviously this is a song with the original central feeling being let's go back to before everything went wrong but he wants to make it into a meaningless song with both story bits and almost walrus-esque bits. But why is the first lyric he comes up with about gender? Thinking of @scurators posts on Paul and gender.
Ringo's customary quiet really does add significance to his voice, so him singing along with this so quickly says something I think about his support for the song and for Paul in general.
When John walks in he's greeted with a little cocky nod and smile like "look what I've just done while you were late." And then Paul sings "get back to where you once belonged" directly at him before breaking the eye contact. It's one of those heartbreaking Lennon/McCartney miscommunications because Paul is doing this to get John back, but actually it's scaring him away, you know? Paul thinks he has to prove to John how good he is, but John's exhausted with how good Paul is.
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STFU Michael Lindsay Hogg
Paul really does love the idea of being forced out of parliament by cops and honestly so do I. Would've been iconic and might've kept them together.
John's so quiet today and also Yoko is not here. Correlation or causation I wonder.
"They say don't they say charity begins at home?" I love you forever, George. His humor is always so well-placed and so dry (even though he's clearly cracking himself up here). And it steers the conversation away from a direction he was not happy with without poking any bears. In fact, everyone's laughing. Clever boy.
"I've decided that the whole point of it is communication. And to be on TV is communication and we've got a chance to smile at people like all you need is love or something so that's me incentive for doing it." Wise, egalitarian John making a lovely appearance.
And then there's Paul. "I'm here cause I wanna do a show." Lol I love them.
Why do they say "Mr Epstein?" Is it because they're on camera and they want people to know who they're talking about? Does it have something to do with the maharishi telling them certain ways to talk about Brian? Does anyone have any thoughts about that?
Okay so you know how I just said last time how emotionally mature George was? I still think it's generally more true of him than the others, but this right here? This is not it. "I don't want to do any of my songs in the show because they'll all just turn out shitty." Man has issues.
I think it's important to recognize that George and Paul have both said the literal word "divorce" and it's NBD. But when John does it, Paul takes it as "the groups really over and I have to go into hiding and not get out of bed and maybe od who knows." Why? There's another puzzle piece here that we're missing.
"Should we leave you for a while?" "YES!"
On the one hand I'm like "working on Maxwell is the last thing you guys should be doing with this time alone." But on the other thing maybe it's the only thing they can do at this point.
"Mal? You should get a hammer. And an anvil." As he's walking away. Main character in a contrived mad genius biopic. Except it's real.
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"Joan" sounding suspiciously like "John" ... And then he goes "fool, Maxwell fool." Aka one of their ~special words~ New theory. John hates Maxwell because he dies in it. And Paul's the killer.
"Take it away Johnny." Even though it was George and John whistling before wasn't it? Did George get cut from the whistle chorus? Another straw on the camel's back.
I LOVE that John just does not know any of his own songs. Across the Universe my beloved!
On the glyn/Paul moment featured below, I have three thoughts. 1. Whore. 2. John Lennon villain origin story. 3. The fact that glyn didn't just tell John is striking.
"I wish it fucking would". "Cause I'm down." This lyric going from a self-soothing reassurance that his people aren't going to leave him that he'll always have this beautiful dream he's created with them. To this? I hate it here.
So there is a big emotional and energy difference between their Beatlemania selves singing "Rock and Roll Music" and their current selves. And part of it is due to the fact that they're just not as happy as they were then. But I think most of it is really just that they thrive when they're performing for an audience.
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justrandomayatolover · 9 months
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Hihihi! okayokay so I'm really into the idea of being so very undeniably attracted to someone and them just being so cocky and arrogant about it idk how you feel about that but if it's okay would you do hcs for the obey me bros (any you think could fit this) knowing how bad the reader wants them and them just being such a dick about it idk I feel like this sounds weird but like I want to want them like an embarrassing amount the line 'you want to fuck them so bad it makes you look stupid' comes to mind because well yeah I do you can totally ignore this if you want but if you don't then how smutty or not smuty it is is totally up to you
Hsbsjzhwnsk my first ask and it's damn long, slay anon slay (also let's ignore the fact that I'm writing this in middle of lake)
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Obey me bros teasing a simp(aka u) 18+
Includes: reader being hard simp because yes, some cursing, mentions of sex and more sex so pls kids don't read
Lucifer:
Of course I needed to throw this damn dilf here
He would know straight away that you took liking to him
In private he would com so close to you to the point you feel dizzy, him whispering right into your ear and it would be the most casual thing yet with that arrogant and prideful tone of his
"Oh my, your face is very red, perhaps you have a fever? I think you should stay in bed today"
Going straight into your ear, making you secretly hope that you won't be alone in that bed
Each time he would lean back from you, a smirk would be on his face, watching you trying to control yourself not to just jump at this man and suck the life out of him
Mammon:
Before his brothers he would just talk and talk about how you can't live without him
In private it's different story but let's not talk about it
Basically two simps holding hands and acting like you just played 7 minutes in heaven and fucked in there
But back to the topic
He's such a touchy person omfg
In front of his brothers or just anyone, he would NEED to touch you, your hand, waist, thigh, anything
He's hella possessive and greedy (what a suprise), when Levi or Satan (usually those two) would try to make fun of him for being a simp, oh boy, he would bite right into your neck, making you squeak in suprise, and proudly smiling to them, some of your blood on his lips
Later he didn't talk with you for two days, he was too embarrassed, fucking simp(affectionately)
Satan:
A bitch
That's it
He's a bitch about it
"Oh you like me? I like you too friend" mf said with evil smile that says "fool"
You could fucking propose to him and he would be like "it's such a nice gift, I should get you one too my friend"
He's so, so fucking evil and he enjoys your frustration
He enjoys it even more than mad Lucifer
Pro tip: steal random cat and said that it could be your baby, he will give up
Asmodeus:
Bro would fuck you after your confession send then boom "yeah it was nice but good thing it was once"
Secretly wants more but I didn't tell you
He would randomly come to you, kiss the living shit out of you and then leave like nothing happened
Next second would come to you, dressed very nicely but still slutty and "do you think my date would like it?"
You would be both dumbfounded and jealous because fuck the date, be with me
Get him drunk and he will take you right here and there, not caring if anyone will come, bro's too horny for you to care in the end
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Do I think I did what was asked? No, did I enjoy it? Yes
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leonaluv · 7 months
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What type of Roles would you play as Actor / Actress?
I was going to do Idol but I'm always curious 🥴 plot I would play in so. Anyways for fun
Four piles ,pick a cards
Choose a photo, words or number ~
Action ,Scene 1 , Cut , Scene 2
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Pile one - Action
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You're the one to question the system around you.   Look into the dark secrets of your family . Your love interests are normally going to be obsessed  with you or  not, you must focus on love ,more so focus on your character's journey .  Your first few roles , your going to face some criticism, people talking about how you express your facial expressions . People would want to be more emotional.  People like how you express your anger , and make scenes more intense .  Also, people hope to get a glimpse of who you are behind the scenes.  People like seeing you play more villain roles , more you like gambling and hunting down others. 
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Cards: Queen , the moon reverse , five wands reverse , and truthseeker 
Characters / Descendants - Mal , disenchantment -Bean,bridgerton story - Queen Charlotte
Pile two: Scene 1
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The roles you play , help to show off your sexy side , leaning into being innocent, the plot twist character, telling others to just trust you , while making sure your the one everyone feels comfortable around . Your acting reminds you of Lee Soo Hyuk . Someone that has cool vibes like that. Other roles remind me of mistress.
People perceive you as a good actress/ actor, despite playing the role , turn off the comments on social media. People see you winning awards ,even as a rookie. They see you as someone that has talent to play any role .
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Cards: three wands , the fool reverse , angel reverse , and Prince reverse ice disaster
Pile three - cut
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Here , the person that can pull off  playing different characters , you know, like Raven Symone, but still it's you , now your grandma , neighbor , aunt etc.  Either that or just like to play different types of characters .
 You have talent already at acting , as some of you all have already acted before in your childhood / teenage years . I guess more aspiring actors / actresses chose this pile . You have a good active imagination that helps you to bring your characters to life more.
 So some roles will be where you marry a famous person / reliving the life of a famous couple. Working in corporate but then you have some type of magical powers. . It starts off ordinary but then turns into something magical for your character when your play.  Playing the role of villain reminds me of strangers from hell.
Pile four- Scene 2
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Here , your roles will have you playing someone that either time travels or given a second chance to live.  Going on 17 again type of shows.  You will playing role of sick patients , probably starting out.  Movies that are disasters .Most roles you have to play a younger person and at times you later are the one taking care of kids . Family type of drama. The type of dramas that get pick up from books but different when are screen. Dramas that in up showing more of dark side like winix clubs or new Sabrina show . More of mysterious reboot . People think your acting is new , that you tend to commit yourself very well to your role. Although some think you can be expressionless and a bit just of void like that of the death card.  Some think your bit psycho like the roles you play in film. This the supernatural pile to , where your cast in a lot of horrors , dealing with death , being the role of someone that here to spiritual heal . The roles to have you waiting to be save by someone , so the clumsy hero / heroine . Anime type of heros  role with the orphan card. The 'I die for you' type romance films. Aka till death do us apart . Eternal lovers.
Cards:  father, advocate, angel reverse, damsel reverse, child orphan , child eternal reverse , death
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ferallair · 9 months
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The Minisodes are a Mirror
I've been thinking about the minisodes and how they are a mirror for the three part story we're currently in the middle of and I just wanted to collect my thoughts a bit.
#1 - The Clue/A Companion to Owls
This is a mirror for season 1. Crowley and Aziraphale joining together to defy Heaven and Hell to save humanity. There are a ton of interesting things happening in this episode. Aziraphale trusts Crowley not to destroy the children. Aziraphale eating that entire cow. It's insane, the gluttony of it. It means something about him and his connection to earthly things. They even use the ribs (that he licked clean btw) for their little ruse against the angels. For some reason it brings to mind the body swap in season 1. Aziraphale learns to possess a human(something he's probably not supposed to do, like eating) and use that new skill to fool Heaven and Hell. But the most important in this sitting together at the end.
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So sad.
They're sitting on a nice rock that looks like a bench, as far apart from each other as they can get. It's a reflection of where they were in season 1: together but apart. An angel and a demon who go along with their side but only as much as they want. Not and Us yet (which they still aren't).
A few other questions I had:
Turning the goats to crows, why? Crowley has a crow statue on his desk in season one. Connected? A memento of that time?
Aziraphale says he is on "Gods" side. Is that a nice little side step that allows him to defy other angels but still be "the good one?" Or a foreshadowing of what's to come next season?
Crowley says the wine is from a "promising little vineyard" Châteauneuf-du-Pape perhaps?
All the angels and demons assume you can cause humans to fall in love with miracles, but Aziraphale KNOWS you can't. I wonder about that story.
#2 - I Know Where I'm Going/The Resurrectionist
This minisode is a mirror for the current season. It starts with Crowley and Aziraphale puzzling over a half naked Gabriel only to be distracted by a lesbian couple and basically ruin their lives by trying to help.
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Look at that thigh.
Sure, Azripahle gives Elspeth a bunch of money, but we never find out what really happens to her. Not yet anyway. The more important part is the argument about doing wicked or immoral things for the greater good. The reuse of the name Dalrymple is interesting because it's a call back to The Thundergun of Witchfinder Colonel Dalrymple aka the gun Aziraphale tries to shoot Adam with. And it foreshadows the end of the season with Aziraphale leaving Crowley and going to heaven (something everyone on the internet is SCREAMING is wrong, including me!!) because he thinks he can do something good by it. But is it wrong? I guess we'll find out.
Some interesting things:
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More foreshadowing? Is God gone? There is a conspicuous absence of the voice of God in this season, except for her half heard diatribe to Job. If she's around, is she only talking to humans?
Michael's Prophecy:
"There will come a tempest, and darkness and great storms. And the dead will leave their graves and walk the earth once more. And there will be great lamentations. (Everyday it’s getting closer)"
It's definitely foreshadowing the next episode, which is full of darkness and explosions and clouds and fog. But I think it's also a prophecy of what's to come in season 3. Just like:
#3 - The Hitchhiker/Nazi Zombie Flesheaters
I think this minisode is just one big foreshadow for season 3 and that's why it doesn't make a lot of sense yet. So, let's look at where the furniture isn't and see if we can guess some things? Feel free to play along at home.
But first can we look at the titles of these three episodes:
The Clue - A Companion to Owls. Is the clue the companion to owls? Job? Or is the clue in the meaning of owls: wisdom and sorrow? The Clue in the framing story is the song "Everyday" and a quote "I remember when the Morning Stars sang together, and all the Angels of God shouted for joy." The sorrow of owls is their song, the sound they make represents lamenting, so music might be important next season. (Didn't King David have something to do with music? Or is that just a song I know?) Crows are enemies of Owls and Crowley has a thing for Crows, the statue, the goats, the book he gives Muriel.
I Know Where I'm Going - The Resurrectionist. I know where I'm going can mean "I know what I'm doing" (trust me) or "I know what direction I'm going in" and that direction is to to Resurrectionist! It's literally what happens in this epsiode: everyone goes to the Resurrectionist in the past AND the present. Or maybe it's a metaphor for death, a place everyone (human) goes. Or maybe The Resurrectionist, who represents the Metatron, the moral quandary of doing bad things for good reasons, represents NOT listening to God or yourself (and thinking you know what you're doing), but falling for the lies of people who claim to be doing good when they're actually not. There is also the Ressurectionist as metaphor for rising from the dead and there is a lot of hints about coming back from the dead this season: Lazarus as a unit of measure, the word Ressurectionist, literal zombies, talk of a second coming, probably more stuff I can't remember.
The Hitchhiker - Nazi Zombie Flesheaters. So “The Hitchhiker” is a short radio play by screenwriter Lucille Fletcher. It was first presented in 1941 on the Orson Welles Show and was later made into and episode of the Twilight Zone. It's also the name of a horror anthology TV show from the 80's, which is fitting for this episode, because it feels like an episode of the Twilight Zone or a horror anthology story. Mostly because of the literal Nazi Zombie Flesheaters and a good dose of "be careful what you wish for" moralizing.
So what can this episode tell us about next season? I have a couple of thoughts:
We have the idea of human magic. These zombies aren't just anyone, they are occultist Nazi's that were meeting with Aziraphale in season 1 to buy books of prophecy. They particularly wanted the Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, reminding us that some kind of real human magic exists, and that these Nazi's know about it (and they are now undead Zombies roaming the earth). There is also the mention of Free Masons, a secret organization that may or may not be into the occult. I suspect we'll see some kind of human occult/magic in season 3. Which make's sense with the second coming because by some accounts Jesus was an occult magician in his day.
We also have human magic. The regular stage kind. Here it is used as a kind of trust fall for Aziraphale and Crowley.
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So sweet.
I suspect the boys will be placed in a situation where they will have to trust each other or die. Maybe there will even be a lose of power like this time. But they will definitely have to trick someone using mundane means. All three minisodes are about tricks (and arguably the whole season), the three ribs turning into the children, the melting the corpse and stealing the laudanum, the whole magic show episode. There will be a tricks, illusions, making things seem like they aren't. If there isn't I might be sad.
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starseneyes · 1 year
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Chenford - Lucy Chen / Tim Bradford - The Rookie - Season 5 - Ep 21
"Going Under" AKA "Going Down in the Laundry Room"
We made it home just in time for the episode, but I was too worn from the events of the day to finish last night. So, here it is, your Meta.
SPOILER ALERT: Look, I don't spoil those who want to remain unspoiled, which is why there's a cute "Read More" button. But as soon as you click that, you're on your own. You will be spoiled. Sorry, not sorry.
All squared away? It's time to dive in!
Lucy and Tim Brief the Team
There's something very powerful about seeing Lucy and Tim standing up there to tell everyone about the Op.
It throws me back to Lucy's first Under Cover assignment when an angry Tim perched outside the door, arms crossed, while Lucy sat as a member of the briefing.
Now, Sergeant Second Class Bradford and... what the hell!?
Where's Lucy's promotion, dagnabbit?!
Look, I'm really not trying to complain after the feast we got in this episode. But, it really does strike hard when you're thinking about earlier seasons and how far Tim has come professionally.
I really hope the "Lucy wants to make Detective" story line continues this season or beginning of next.
"Which is where Officer Chen comes in. She'll be going undercover..."
It's good that Tim's the one who's introducing this, and we're continuing our thread of, "Tim is trying to be okay with this."
Also, again, a long way from Tim being pissed about Lucy going UC. The growth has been massive. I think it's important to acknowledge that even as we spend this episode highlighting how much further these two have to go.
The need for continued growth does not cancel out the growth already achieved. Work is work, and when you put it in, it matters.
"Until further notice, if you see Officer Chen out in the world, don't acknowledge her."
And, I'm thrown back to Lucy's Op at the end of Season 3, when Tim and Jackson came across her with the traffic stop. I remember Jackson asking Tim how to play it, and Tim coaching him through.
"I called Hard Luck." "Really? He's such an unreliable CI."
Gosh, I love how these two talk to one another. Again, we've come so fucking far.
And I know I'm waxing nostalgic, a bit, but I think that's natural for an episode of this magnitude. Lucy hasn't done more than a short stint undercover op in many seasons.
And this is the first time we get to see these two handle it as a couple.
Every other time they've done this, Tim was a TO or a coworker. Now, he's Lucy's Shower Sex Sweetie and Quality Quickie with a dash of Down-And-Dirty-All-Night-Long-Hottie.
It's bound to change the dynamic. But one thing that I love about this scene is how equal they are.
Sure, Lucy doesn't have the rank, but she's no longer "sir"ing Tim (unless he asks for it in the bedroom... or shower... or wherever role playing activities might transpire).
"He knows it's important to me." "Aw... undercover love." *giggle*
Y'all, I'm giddy. Like, legit was grinning like a fool. And after the day I've had, that's no small miracle.
Also, it feels like Eric Winter almost broke, and like Melissa O'Neil did. I have no intel on this, and I might be completely off-base, but there was something about his little quirk of the lip and double-take that would definitely have set me off if I was working opposite him in that scene.
"Jamie Hall." "You all set up Jamie?" "Yeah, all good."
So. Fucking. Cute.
I just love that Tim's the one outside keeping an eye on her (even if my subconscious is trying to connect the dots between IA paperwork, possible liabilities of Tim overreacting or losing his cool, and what happens if he uses the wrong name by accident, etc).
He is the protector. And being involved in the Op is easier for him to handle than not being involved.
Think about it... we know that Isabel would go away for months at a time and Tim felt like he couldn't breathe the whole time. He didn't know about the people she met. He didn't know anything.
He told Isabel that Lucy was different, and I think we all can see that Chenford can be different. But without communication, they're doomed.
Golly, that sounds dramatic. Like that old shipping commercial where everyone is doomed. Yeah, like twelve of you reading understand that reference, and I'm leaving it anyway.
But, I truly believe communication is the foundation to a strong relationship. And I'm not just saying that because I happen to hold two degrees in communications.
Tim and Lucy have the benefit of an established relationship based on trust and respect. But learning to effectively communicate your needs, wants, fears, aversions, and desires as a couple is completely different.
"Are you good? .... "Are you good?" "Do you mean do I miss you already? Nah, I'm fine." "You are such a jerk."
This is so me and Matt coded. And, yes, I'm Lucy in this scenario. Can't tell you how many times I've affectionately called Matthew a jerk and he's shared that same satisfactory smirk on Tim's face afterwards.
"Hey, will you keep an eye on Tamara for me? You know, just check in on her every once in a while." "Of course. Yeah, don't worry about her. I'll keep an eye on her. You just focus on the job."
Tim is really trying to be amazingly supportive for her. And I love this little reminder that Tim does have his own place.
Yes, for production purposes we're spending a lot of time at Lucy's (that I head-canon is because she lives closer to the station).
Also, Tim doesn't hesitate to watch out for Tamara. There was a time he only referred to Tamara as "Lucy's Puppy", but now they're family.
"How long do you think this will take?"
Excuse me, we're getting a montage!?! Like, a montage with voice over provided by our intrepid duo? Be still my beating heart!
Y'all don't understand. I was a Voice Over artist for two decades. So, when I see actors who can also do voice over well, I get super hyped.
Melissa O'Neil and Eric Winter decided to make me gawk at their talent even more tonight. Gee wiz! Like, it's possible they recorded their audio together, but more likely they were each in comfy clothes in the booth solo on completely different days.
And the chemistry. still. freakin. works. That's talent, my friends.
Look, some people crush VO and some people don't. Just watch (or don't watch... maybe with shrooms nearby) the Star Wars Holiday Special animated section to see what I mean.
I'm not gonna name names, but it was really easy to call which Star Wars actor was going to go into voice work later and which one really shouldn't have been asked to do that long VO for Blade Runner.
"Oh, do not finish this season of Top Chef without me." "I can't make any promises."
Y'all, this is so me and Matt coded! Now, Top Chef is my show and not Matthew's. I even keep it on in the background when I'm working or writing a screenplay.
Yes, I know most people don't work that way. I'm weird. I've come to terms with it, and I like me—weird and all.
But we totally have our shows where we say, "You better not watch this without me!" And, usually, I'm the one to screw it up. Mostly by accident!
Matthew always reminds me of Mean Girls. He wanted to see it in theaters. I said to hold off. Then we were in the video store (yes, we're old) and he offered to rent it, but I said to hold off. The third time was a year later when he remembered we hadn't seen it.
Except I accidentally caught it on TV totally forgetting we said we'd watch it together. Eep!
Also, after Lucy complaining about her ex watching too many cooking shows after his wrists were slit, I find it interesting she actively watched them with Tim.
Just goes to show cooking shows were never the problem. *cough* dead weight puffed chicken *cough*
"You ever wish you has a normal job?" "One where people don't shoot at you? Not once." "Yeah, me, either."
I love how easy their conversation is. These are the little things that add up to big things when you're building a relationship. And some mastermind in the Writer's Room thought, "What if we advance their relationship while advancing the episode's story via VO?"
As much flack as VO sometimes takes (and I'm actually a VO fan), I adore this choice.
We don't need to meet all the people in the office and establish relationships with them. It doesn't service the story or our core characters. So, we're letting Tim and Lucy—two characters we adore—carry us through via the VO. It's bloody beautiful.
Also, I love the pacing of this episode. Love it. There's an effortlessness to the timing of the edits and the passage of time via wardrobe change is so beautifully done.
I know we have the Super giving us time stamps via dates, but those are almost superfluous because we can visualize the journey via other cues. It's stuff like this that makes me bloody giddy.
"Making any friends?"
This. Is. So. Cute. Tim is actually keeping Lucy sane, here, I'm convinced! Remember her last UC assignment where she had to check in via phone? She was bored out of her mind.
"Is the monotony getting to you?" "I don't mind it... I just don't want it to all be for nothing."
This is so interesting to me. The word choice, I mean. This is how I felt about the infertility drugs... it couldn't all be for nothing.
I'm not going to get into the whole thing, here. But, I dealt with multiple years of infertility for my kids. For a while, I had to be on this medication—letrazole. Most people have minor reactions on it. I had almost all the weird/severe reactions.
But it got my follicles to optimum size for ovulation. It wasn't all for nothing.
There are things we put ourselves through willingly, sometimes, that to an outsider might seem strange. But we have a reason for what we're doing—and a hope that it's the right thing to do.
"Why don't we go for a walk?"
It's not Chenford, but I gotta call out my on-screen bestie for using her brains on this one to prevent Frank from taking her to a second location. Well done.
Tim Pretending to Be On the Phone
Fierce protector is there. Now, I'm turning off my subconscious brain on this one, and I'll explain why at the end. But, I did think it was a nice touch to have Tim on the phone, here.
There's something about this episode that felt like a dash of Alias was sprinkled onto the souffle. It's already an abundant hour that could feel bloated, but instead is rich and decadent. But that added spice is palpable in the shooting and editing, especially.
That over-the-shoulder shot of the landscape when Tim's watching them feels hand-held, giving us that sense of something being off-kilter and unstable.
When Tim hangs up, it's a shot of his torso, out-of-focus, with the real action behind him. There are layers to how this is shot, and it's so reminiscent of a spy movie in the best ways.
The whole episode is already elevated by Michael Rooker. But the script and pacing and directing and editing all feel like they've risen to the occasion, too.
"I was bored to early onset rigor mortis."
But this is a part of UC life. It's the "hurry up and wait" that is strangely a huge part of life in the film/television industry, as well. Like, a huge part.
It could be waiting for the sun to set so you have the perfect lighting, waiting for an actor on set, waiting for notes, or even a Writer's Strike if it comes to that.
UC often means embedding for months at a time before getting what you're going after. It's something for which Tim and Lucy must prepare. And I feel like this episode is the perfect vehicle to get us there.
"Like a date?" ... "odds are he's hoping for a little something-something."
Tim is having a hard time, and Grey knows it. I love how he casts a glance Tim's way on this line, sensing his unease.
Let's be real—Grey saw Chenford coming before they did. And he's the one really tuned into Tim, here.
Tim can't help walking her to the door, holding it open for her, even if he knows he can't touch her. He's concerned.
"You okay?" "Five by five." "You gotta treat this like any other op and treat Lucy like any other UC." "I know."
I'll be honest, when I first watched this scene, this is what I wrote: UGH. I don't like what's being set up. Please don't let Tim fuck this up. Please don't let Tim fuck this up.
I have never been so happy to be wrong about my read on a scene. I seriously worried we were setting it up for Tim to be the liability in all this, and I'm grateful that's not the direction it went.
This show has a history of showing couples working through bad times, tough situations, close calls. The core couples suffer as much as any Austen heroine—and they come out alright in the end. I'm grateful to see that tradition continue with Chenford.
"Okay."
First off, I have to admit that I giggled when Lucy's head popped up. I know it's a completely inappropriate response, but all I could picture was one of those Whack-A-Mole's at the Chuck-E-Cheese growing up. She was like a little prairie dog, and I haven't been able to watch the scene since.
Anyway, back to what I wrote when this first aired: Tim sees Lucy and he can breathe, again. She knew. She knew he'd be looking for her.
And Tim knew he couldn't breach. If he went in, that'd give away everything, and someone needed to go after that car.
He's doing everything right. But it hurts like hell.
"Gun was empty. I got lucky. Otherwise..."
And you can see it hurts. Look, Tim has faced a lot worse in his time in the military and working Patrol. But everything is raw right now.
The woman he loves it in danger. She was nearly killed by that same weapon. Both of them had close calls with the same gun and lived to tell the tale.
"Hey, you okay?" "Yeah. I am now.... meet me at the laundry room in your building." "Yes. See you in 30."
I love the touch that Lucy's hand is on the phone before Frank even pulls away. She needs to touch base with Tim. She needs to hear his voice.
And I love the emphasis Melissa O'Neil places on "Yes". It's a heart cry for its soulmate. There is no question that they need to see one another.
Tim has always had this need to protect Lucy, even before romance was on the table. And Lucy has always had a need to protect Tim, too, in her own way.
Lucy watching out for Tim with Isabel. Tim doing whatever it took to save Lucy from a serial killer. Over and over, these two have a need to know the other is okay.
I remember not so long ago Tim was asking Nolan, Nyla, Angela... asking if Lucy was okay. He needed to know. Then, he finally had the direct line as a friend. He could text her to get the details.
Now, they need to see each other. It's that same need, but it's grown along with their relationship.
*hug* "That was really scary." "Yeah, I almost had a heart attack."
Lucy launches herself up into his arms and he nestles into her shoulder. Tim's right hand is splayed across her back, as though he wants to hold as much of her at one time as he can.
It's another one of those "Eric Winter act all the way through his fingers" moments. Tim's whole body is reacting to holding her, safe in his arms, down to those fingertips.
These poor babies. This is the first time they've had to do this deep since Lucy's S3 arc. And they've never done it in love, before. Not with each other.
Tim knows what he lost with Isabel. But this love is different, deeper, developed from the gradual building of trust. Layers upon layers of caring. Lucy is the love of his life—and he's run raw from witnessing the shootout, and skirting death moments apart.
"If you need to tap out-" "No."
Tim is trying to give her an out, and there's a mix here of professional and personal. She's shaken. So is he. But this is the job.
And he knows that. He does. But we've already established he can't be objective where she is concerned.
"Has he tried anything?"
This is a scenario that's run through my mind a million times—what would Tim do if someone violated Lucy... and what would he do to that person?
The way Eric Winter plays this moment is so heartbreaking, too. There's a vulnerability in Tim's eyes that is completely personal, void of professional. He's a man worried about the love of his life.
He knows she can handle herself. It's not a cognitive issue. It's that part of him that cries out Fierce Protector whenever she is in danger.
Lucy gets that, and she grabs onto his jacket with one hand, almost pulling him closer to her.
"Alright, now is not the time to talk about this-"
It's easier for him to change the subject on her than to acknowledge how much they both need to have this conversation at some point. They've been talking around it and avoiding it.
It has to be addressed at some point. There is no way forward without it.
"If you're good, I'm good." "I'm good." "Good."
I'm having a bit of a Court Jester moment, here, and it's cracking me up. "Get it?" "Got it." "Good."
But also, "Good" is kind of their word. Tim used it post-DOD with her in the workout room, and again when he was happy she didn't change her mind about dating him.
I don't know who made the choice—whether it was a writing thing, first, or an actor choice in the moment, but it somehow makes it more personal and lived-in. And I love that.
"Lock the door first."
Did they just.... have sex in there? Oh my GOSH they pulled a Java!
But what I really love about this is how it feels like a callback to 5x01 and the airplane bathroom. Not only is it a small space where they are covertly meeting to discuss the mission, but it's also a parallel to Lucy needing grounding and Tim being the one to do it.
In 5x01, Lucy was shaken by the Rosalind news. She made an excuse to kiss Tim, to wrap herself in a moment that was a release. Remember Isabel talking about how great it was to unwind in that hotel room and not be on guard for a bit?
Lucy needs this. She needs to be with Tim and wrap herself in the life they are building. Even if it's only a little while, it's going to sustain her while she's pretending while thinking on three levels to not get killed.
He grounds her when she's flailing. And she envelopes him when he's crumbling. Tim and Lucy have built a relationship of mutual respect, love, and protection. And, damn, is it great to get to see it on-screen.
"Miss you." "Getting coffee. 1 Minute." "911."
Shit. Of course this is the one moment when something goes down.
But I love the fact that Lucy was having Laundry Room Sex less than 12 hours earlier and she's already texting her boyfriend because she misses him. No wonder he practically lives at her place, already.
Also, now we know she finally has him listed as "Tim" in her phone. Now, he was "Tim" at the end of S4E1, but I think that was an oversight. So, officially we've graduated to first names.
"Hey. Why are you here?"
Oh, GPS tracking, how I hate thee in real life and love thee on TV.
"You got ten seconds to convince me you're not a cop."
Annnnd, there it is. This guy's not a moron. This isn't his first rodeo. And now he has a gun trained on our girl.
"I'm not a cop I... " "Then how the hell did you know they were coming." "A police scanner app. I can show you."
Well. Done. There are folks in my area who have scanner apps and are constantly posting things online.
I sometimes forget about it because when I worked in a newsroom, we had a guy whose whole job was to listen to the scanner. Still boggles my mind anyone can do it these days!
And Lucy. Gets. Him. Monologuing. And it's beautiful. Lessor actors would have bungled it, but Michael Rooker is a bloody master of the craft, and Melissa O'Neil holds her own opposite him, which adds such richness.
Before we move on, I have to pause and just fawn over Michael Rooker a bit. He's just such a gem of an actor, and that whole interaction there between Lucy and Frank is elevated by his presence.
He pours so much life into a character we've barely known five minutes.
I met him once upon a time. My mother was the Key Makeup Artist on a movie called Deceiver. While I was visiting Mom on-set, I had the opportunity to run lines with him.
He treated me like a working actor, which was crazy to a kid like me.
I remember him running me through this one line over and over. It was a three-word line (which of course I can't remember), but he was trying to teach me how inflection and intention can completely change the meaning of a line.
I carried that with me, and applied it to my acting, writing, and VO work the rest of my life.
My mom said he told her that I acted like a pro. And that's just so bloody special to me. I never had the body or the face for the big time, ya know? But, an actor I admire thought I had the chops. And that's super cool.
"Where are you?" "I'm outside the cover apartment. Frank just dropped me off."
One thing that is a minor thing, but really cracks me up about their dialogue is when they see each other in person, there's almost always a "hey" breathed under their breathe. On the phone, they just get to the point. It's so minor, but it makes me smile.
"I think this op is done." "You sure? " "Yeah. I mean, he's got no crew, no product. It's over." "That's too bad." "Why?" "I was looking forward to another laundry room hookup."
You. Idiots. And I say that with all love! It's so nice to see these two really enjoying their relationship, dagnabbit.
"I need a big meal, a hot bath, and some quality sexy time and then I'm gonna sleep for 24 hours."
Lucy runs her hands down his stomach, but Tim's quick to grab her hands. He rubs her arm, as though reminding himself that she's real.
"What what is that? What? " I just... Isabel used to always crash after a long term assignment. It took her months to come back to life."
I have three children. The first two are twins. And they were born just a few months after my best friend had her first. Her second child was born about six months before my third child.
Yes, I have a point. Gimme a second.
I have dealt with two very different children from day one. I don't know what it is to be the mother of a single child. That was never my reality.
But my bestie was shocked by how different her second child was compared to her first. She'd only known one thing for three years, so she assumed that's how all babies would be.
It was simply lack of experience that led her to lean into her previous understanding thinking it was all she needed. That's Tim, here.
He knows that Lucy is different... but they've never done this before. He's never been the one she came home to after a UC assignment.
He's not equating everything to Isabel because he thinks Lucy is Isabel, but because he has no comparisons. Tim and Lucy are going to build that together, yes, but he honestly doesn't know how to do that.
We know that Isabel shut him out. Tim is terrified Lucy will do the same, even though he hasn't verbalized it... yet.
"You know what, I do have to come clean about something, though. I know I made you a promise to not watch Top Chef without me but I couldn't wait. I'm sorry." "Bad girlfriend." "No! No. I'm sorry." "Horrible!"
I'm sheepishly hiding my face because I'm so Lucy in this moment. My on-screen bestie and I have way too much in common.
Also, we needed that bit of levity to break up the scene. Because it's about to get heavy.
"So... Why didn't you tell me you almost died chasing down the shooter at the restaurant?" "Because I didn't. Who told you?"
It's shocking Lucy thought she would ever be able to keep the Five Player Trade quiet considering how quickly gossip moves through that station. Gee wiz!
"The gun was empty, right? So this is much ado about nothing."
A Shakespeare reference? Now I know our girl's been rubbing off on her man.
"Besides I know for a fact you don't tell me everything that happens when you're undercover." "No. you know for a fact that Isabel didn't. If this is gonna between us I need to know you can see the difference."
Here we go. They are finally having the conversation they need to have. Tim told Isabel that Lucy was different. We know he knows it. But he has to believe it, too.
"... listen, I need you to take it seriously if I ever sound the alarm about something. Otherwise the pain of what I went through would have been for nothing. And I can't lose you the way I lost her.
That "for nothing" is coming back around. It can't be for nothing.
And he can't lose her. He survived losing Isabel. Yes, it broke him. It broke him for a long time. But I don't know if he'd ever recover from losing Lucy. True love can have that effect.
"You won't. I'll walk away before it gets close to anything like that. Okay? I promise."
There we go. This was the piece Lucy was missing last week when she tried to broach the subject. She approached it as though it was something he needed to deal with. But relationships only work when we get through together.
This conversation doesn't make everything all better. They are still going to face obstacles and issues. But they are finally being open and honest in both directions about Lucy doing UC.
Tim and Lucy embrace, but this is different than any of their other hugs, and I wonder if it's intentional. Tim has always nestled into her right shoulder. Lucy usually has one arm up and one down.
This time, she almost scoops in underneath as he wraps both arms around her. She's nestled in his wings as he's held up by her strength.
"We can build a house away from here," the song says. And they could. They could both walk away. But we've established that this is the life they love, dangerous as it is.
And the more they fall in love, the more they both have something worst living for. And that's terrifying.
Have you ever been in love? The kind of love that reciprocates and grows? It's amazing. I've only experienced it once, with the love of my life. It's difficult, at times, but it's also rewarding.
And it amplifies the big stuff. Because you're now a part of something so much bigger than the individual. And for Tim and Lucy, putting their lives on the line means there's someone who will be destroyed if they die.
There's all the more reason to live, but that can't get into the decision-making process in the moment. "You have to keep your head in the game," Tim has said often.
Love conquers all, right? Sometimes, it merely complicates.
I'm grateful for this episode. The pacing and directing were so on-point all around, and I felt like all the on-screen characters had moments to shine without it feeling over-bloated. Just beautifully done all-around.
Thank you for reading, loves. This week has been a hard one in my life as I drove back to Wilmington to say what may be my last goodbyes to one of my best friends who I've known since we were 11. Cancer is the B-word.
Cherish the ones you love. Tell them often that you care. Make memories. Build dreams. Chase hope. Live this life, dagnabbit. I believe in you.
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