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spencers-renaissance · 3 years

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I found my way home

Summary: After Spencer tells Hotch about his recent autism diagnosis, he expects that to be the end of it. Somehow, though, it keeps coming up, and Hotch keeps proving himself to be the best father figure he could have asked for.

Tags: autistic spencer, protective hotch, hurt/comfort, fluff, paternal hotch, team as family

TW: mentions of ableism, one small instance of ableism & homophobia

Pairing: Gen

Word Count: 4.1k

Masterlist // Read on AO3

This was borne from my conversations with @criminalmindsvibez about the lack of autistic spencer fics and her amazing headcanons. While I'm not autistic, Emily is, and helped me to portray Spencer's autism as accurately as possible. That said, please feel free to correct me on anything I got wrong :)

Spencer had made an effort to get into work even earlier than usual today. He’d ridden the metro through the city, dipping his hand into his messenger bag every few minutes to compulsively check that the slim letter he’d received in the post the other day is still in the front pocket where he’d safely placed it that morning. He brushes his fingers over the paper once more as he enters the near-empty bullpen, the letter cool from the winter air.

It’s still so surreal to him that this is where he works. After years of dreaming of working for the FBI he’s finally here, and even though it’s been his place of work for almost two months now, he’s still not used to it. The warm offices are a nice reprieve from the wintry December wind, and he can feel himself relaxing as he heads to his desk. Leaving his coat and messenger bag on his chair, he pulls the letter out of the front pocket and runs his index finger along the edge. He finds himself biting his bottom lip as he tries to work up the courage to go and see Hotch.

Sucking in a deep breath, he marches determinedly up to Hotch’s office, entering as soon as his knocks are answered.

“Reid,” Hotch says pleasantly as he takes a seat opposite his desk, realising belatedly that he probably should have waited until he was invited. “You’re in early. What can I do for you?”

Nervously, Spencer hands him the letter he’d couriered across the city so carefully. He’d taken care to open it neatly with his letter opener but the return address on the back has been stamped at a crooked angle, and it bothers him every time he notices it. He can’t stop looking at it now as he taps his fingers anxiously against his leg in the pattern of the Fibonacci sequence, a safe and familiar reassurance played out by his nervous fingers. He watches apprehensively as Hotch pulls the letter out of the envelope, unfolding it and skimming his eyes down the page, taking in the news Spencer’s been so anxious to share with him.

Diagnosis: Asperger’s Syndrome

God, it had been a long process. He’d had to seek out a doctor in DC who diagnosed adults, paid for all the consultations and diagnostics himself — his insurance certainly wouldn’t cover it, not that he’d feel comfortable using his cushy FBI insurance for something so personal anyway — and the whole process had taken far longer than he’d expected. Finally, though, the envelope had arrived in the mail, and he officially had a diagnosis.

Of course, he’d had his suspicions for years, especially after one of his professors during his second PhD had casually asked whether he’d ever been tested, planting a seed in his brain that led to many late nights in the library, reading all the literature available to him. It’s why he’d found it strange that it had felt so validating to finally receive that letter in the post. But it had.

The label made sense, and now that he had a diagnosis from a medical professional he felt comfortable to share it with others; he’d been far too paranoid about being questioned, not being believed or lectured about the evils of self-diagnosis no matter how he was confident in himself. He didn’t tend to be an insecure or self-conscious person, but after years of bullying and trauma surrounding what he now knew for sure to be his autistic traits, he couldn’t help but feel almost protective of his affirming label.

Now though, it’s an irrefutable statement. Dr Spencer Reid has autism, and the first person he wants to tell is Hotch.

“I had no idea you were getting tested, Reid,” Hotch says, a hint of surprise bleeding into his voice. “Is there any specific reason you wanted to share this with me?”

“Well… I felt like someone on the team should know,” Spencer starts carefully, afraid to give too much of himself away, “and I thought that someone in a leadership position was the best option. Gideon has never been very… supportive of my autistic traits or behaviour, so I thought that you— that you would be the best option.” He feels awkward, fidgeting in his chair as he watches Hotch’s serious face and kind eyes absorb the information.

“That trust in me means a lot, Reid,” he says, a rare smile making its way onto his face. In that moment, Spencer knows he made the right decision. “How can I make things easier for you? Is there anything you need me to be doing differently?”

“Uh—” He hadn’t really been anticipating that question and it catches him off guard: he’d predicted a quick nod of acknowledgement, a request to photocopy the letter so it can be put on file followed by a swift dismissal, but the letter is now sitting on his side of the desk: clearly, Hotch intends on keeping this between them. This is far from what he expected.

“Why don’t you start by telling me about autism and how it might affect your work?” Hotch corrects himself, recognising quickly Spencer’s need for specifics. “I’ll admit I don’t know much beyond some probably rather unhelpful stereotypes.”

Spencer nods. He can answer that question. “As everyone knows I often go off on tangents,” he begins, “and that’s because my special interests — or hyperfixations — often coincide with our work, so I know a lot about the topics we’re investigating. If I do that, just redirect me to the case and I’ll be fine. It’s also really hard for me to have to present myself in a certain way all the time. Vocal stims and gestures are the most satisfying to me but I often have to mask them, which I’ve never been very good at anyway, and it’s fairly exhausting. That’s why I often excuse myself; I go to the bathroom or a secluded hallway and stim on my own. My doctor also told me I tend to overcompensate in social situations and over-perform emotion. Those are the basics, I guess, but it’s a very complex disorder and since it makes up me as a human being, I can’t exactly explain all of it in one conversation.”

“No, that’s fine, Reid, you’ve given me a good picture of what to expect, thank you.” Hotch smiles at him, fondness in the crinkles around his eyes and the softness invading his usually stern expression. “First of all, you never have to feel like you need to excuse yourself to stim. Do you think it would be helpful if we told the rest of the team so they know what to expect? I’m assuming vocal stims are saying certain words or making sounds…?”

Spencer nods.

“Okay, so if you needed to do that we could just continue the conversation while you get it out of your system. Gestures certainly wouldn’t be a problem. How do you feel about that?”

He hadn’t really considered telling the rest of the team but it seemed sort of intimidating, like he’d be opening a vulnerable side of himself to people he didn’t even know that well. On the other hand, they’d all been so understanding of his quirks and odd behaviour so far without even knowing the reason behind it. He’d never once been made to feel the way he used to at school, forced to either pretend to be someone else completely or be isolated and ostracised.

He settles for, “I’ll think about it.”

“That’s fine. There’s no pressure,” Hotch assures him. “I’m very happy you told me, Reid. I hope you know you can come and talk to me about anything, whether it’s about this or something completely different.”

Spencer leaves his office with the letter back in his hands, no notes or copies having been made, feeling almost elated. Never in a million years would he have expected that to go so well.

⭐️

He doesn’t really expect it to come up again. He’d told Hotch so that he could understand him a bit better, and also because Hotch had quickly assumed a protective, almost paternal role in his life and he wanted to share the piece of news with him whether he was leading his department or not. That was supposed to be it, though, he didn't think anything would materially change, especially since he decided not to tell the team about the diagnosis just yet.

But almost immediately after he’d told Hotch his diagnosis, his rambles began to be gently redirected back to the case, sometimes without him even noticing. He wasn’t rudely cut off by anyone anymore, Hotch always steering him back on course before anyone else can jump in and hurt Spencer’s feelings. It’s so… kind that it almost feels foreign, and he finds himself gravitating towards the older man more and more, sitting next to him on every jet journey and staying glued to his side during cases.

His newfound protectiveness over Spencer is only demonstrated more clearly a few months after their conversation in Hotch’s office when they’re on their way to New Mexico for a case. The second he spots that the murder victims had all been found with different Fitzgerald quotes scrawled on sheets of paper found in their own personal notebooks, ripped out and left for investigating officers to find, he launches into an info-dump to rival info-dumps.

He can’t help that literature is a special interest of his, made all the more intense by the fond childhood memories of reading to his mother in her bed. Fitzgerald had been her favourite author of the Modern Era, and he’d spent hours analysing significant passages in his novels as a child, so he starts explaining the literary merit of each of the quotes left at the crime scenes.

Apparently, he doesn’t hear the first two times Hotch tries to direct him back on topic, but he hears it when Gideon shouts, “Spencer! Long and unnecessary tangents are not conducive to actually solving these cases. Get back on topic. Now.” He’s loud enough to briefly knock him back several decades to memories of his father screaming at his mother’s schizophrenic babbling, when she’d become convinced that the villains of her favourite novels were trying to break into the house.

Spencer stops mid-sentence and stares at Gideon, who is staring right back. Everyone’s watching the two awkwardly, but the short moment of silence is quickly broken by Hotch. “There is absolutely no need to be that rude, Jason,” he says disapprovingly, while he lays a hand on Spencer’s arm in a light, absent-minded sort of touch. “Reid may have been off-topic but he deserves respect just like everyone else on this team. Nobody needs to be shouted at like that.” He directs his attention back to Spencer. “Why don’t you tell us how those Fitzgerald quotes could help us solve the case, Reid?”

He gives him an encouraging look, and when he looks around the jet, everyone else is, too. Carefully, he starts speaking again, a little afraid of being cut off again, but after a few sentences of relevant explanation he regains his momentum. It’s more than a little vindicating when it’s his ‘unnecessary tangent’ that ends up being the key to cracking the case.

⭐️

Soon after Hotch’s split from Haley, he approaches Spencer one evening when they’re the only two left at the office with a dinner invitation. Within the hour, they walk into a nice, low-key Italian place in the city and take a seat in the far corner of the restaurant.

“Is everything okay?” Spencer asks a little uncertainly, confused as to why his boss is suddenly taking him for dinner.

“I had this idea almost as soon as you told me about your autism,” Hotch explains, knowing by now that preambles and niceties only frustrate Spencer instead of setting him at ease. “I wanted to take you out for dinner every week to try and give you a space to ramble about all your special interests and not feel like you have to mask around everyone. But when I was with Haley, all my personal time was obviously spent with her and Jack. Now, I have the time to dedicate to you and all the incredible knowledge you’re hoarding in that brain of yours.”

“Really?” Spencer asks excitedly. The idea of uninhibited space to talk about the recent knowledge he’s acquired and not have to feel insecure or worry about performing social skills he doesn’t see the point of is everything he’s ever wished for, and something so wonderful being provided by Hotch only makes it better.

“Really.”

Spencer wastes no time. He dives right in. “I was just watching a documentary the other day about volcanoes and their ability to trigger lightning storms with their voltage,” he begins. “Basically, magma rises toward the volcano’s surface, its water rapidly turns to vapor, which shatters the molten rock into tiny particles and creates charged particles. When the ash plume erupts into the atmosphere, the densely packed particles collide, driven by momentum. Friction then affects their electrons, becoming electrically charged. Positively and negatively charged electrons separate in the ash plume which creates a charge imbalance that builds an electric charge strong enough to trigger a lightning storm.”

“That’s incredible.”

“I know,” Spencer says excitedly. “If the ash plume rises high enough in the atmosphere ice forms, and when ice, hail, and supercooled liquid droplets collide, the rates of lightning explode, it’s crazy.”

They’re briefly interrupted by a waitress taking their orders, but as soon as she leaves, Hotch gets him to jump back in. “What about that lecture you attended last week… the literature of 18th Century England or something?”

“19th Century English Lit, yeah!” He’s so eager to finally share this with somebody who will genuinely listen to him, and he can’t help it when his arms start to flap excitedly. Remembering where he is, he doesn’t try to mask it, pin his arms to his sides and simply deal with and suppress the innate urge to stim, he lets his body do what it wants to. Instead of eliciting a strange, sideways look, Hotch just smiles fondly.

“The lecturer had this fascinating theory on Dickens. I’ve always seen him as a pretty straight forward author of picaresque fiction, obviously combined with facets of melodrama. And it’s common knowledge that he was inspired by the novel of sensibility, of course. But I’d never thought about the stylistic and lexical choices in his works beyond standard analysis, and this lecturer went on a deep dive into his use of collocation and it opened my eyes…”

He spends the whole evening stimming to his heart’s content while detailing every current interest of his to Hotch, who simply listened intently while eating his meal slowly, dragging out the meal for as long as Spencer needed. “Let me give you a lift home,” Hotch insists after footing the bill, leading him out into the warm evening air.

“Oh, I don’t mind taking the metro,” he replies truthfully.

“I know. But it would make me feel better to drop you home safely. It’s late and seeing you into your apartment building would give me peace of mind.”

“Sure,” Spencer agrees happily, he’s still buzzing from such a nice evening and the least he can do for Hotch is let him rest easy tonight, so he climbs into the passenger side of his car. A few minutes into the car ride home, he realises he should probably actually verbalise just how much he enjoyed dinner. “Thank you, Hotch. I don’t think anybody’s ever done something so nice for me before.”

“Don’t mention it, Spencer,” Hotch replies, smiling even though he doesn’t take his eyes off the road. Spencer very much likes it when Hotch uses his first name, and he’d been doing it all evening. He doesn’t really understand why it feels so nice, just that it makes him feel… special, maybe.

“Don’t mention it, Spencer,” he repeats, before freezing as he realises what he’s said. He’s got so used to not masking all evening, he’s not in the right rhythm and mindset to suppress the urge to repeat Hotch’s words. He’s been so nice the whole evening, the last thing Spencer wants is for Hotch to think he’s mocking him.

“Hey, it’s okay,” Hotch reassures him, tapping his arm lightly as he smiles encouragingly.

“Don’t mention it, Spencer,” he says again, repeating it a few times in relief before the itch is satisfied. He really does have the best boss/friend in the whole world. There’s no doubt about that.

⭐️

Rossi’s initial reaction to Spencer had admittedly been a bit rocky, and having Hotch undeniably on his side was the only thing that made those first few months bearable. He never let them go off on their own; never put Spencer in a position where he’d have to be alone with him. Gradually, though, Rossi adjusted to his quirks and he became almost as protective of Spencer as Hotch.

That doesn’t bode well for the local sheriff when they’re on a case in North Carolina. He’s been prickly since they arrived, being as stubborn and uncooperative as possible, slowing down their progress on actually solving the case, and Spencer’s noticed him being a little extra rude to him in particular. It doesn’t massively bother him — it’s not exactly like someone’s aversion to him is a novel concept — but he can feel some sort of tension coming from the others. It happens a lot more now that they know about his autism and are more aware of themselves and others.

He tries to ignore it the best he can; he puts his head down and focuses on the geographical profile, going wherever he’s sent. Besides, the sooner they solve this case the sooner they can get out of North Carolina and back to DC. On their third day on the case, he’s working quietly in their designated corner of the police department alongside Hotch and Rossi while the others are out investigating in various different places. It’s a nice environment, and even though both men are his superiors, he feels more relaxed in their company than in anybody else’s.

It’s a relatively pleasant morning — considering the whole trying to catch a brutal serial killer thing — until they need to ask the sheriff a question. He saunters over, a tense and angry expression on his face, and Spencer can’t help but feel a little off, the confusing tension in the air that Spencer can’t quite identify making him anxious in his inability to properly decipher it. “Gentlemen,” he says, already frustrated. Spencer suspects it’s a pride thing; not many police departments like being shown up enough to have the FBI called in.

Eager to know the answer to their question, Spencer’s the one to jump in and ask. “Sheriff, we were just wondering whether the town gets much traffic from the local university or—”

He’s cut off by the sneering, towering man. “I’m not taking any questions from your kind,” he says aggressively.

“I’m sorry?” Spencer squeaks as Rossi and Hotch both prepare to say something in response.

The sheriff cuts them off before they can get their likely diplomatic and calming words out. “Homo retards aren’t welcome around here.”

“Hey!” Rossi shouts as he leaps out of the chair, grabbing him by the collar as he’s helped by the element of surprise. “You don’t fucking talk to Spencer like that, you hear me? Weak, cowardly men like you—”

“Dave,” Hotch says placatingly, putting a hand on his shoulder and diffusing the situation. “Listen, Sheriff, we are only here to help you. But if you can’t respect my agents then we’re going to have a problem. Either you’re civil to Dr Reid, or I’m reporting you to the NC Sheriff’s Association. You hear me?”

The sheriff’s pride is clearly wounded, but he at least nods before giving them all a scornful look and walking away.

“We didn’t even get to ask the question,” Spencer says anxiously, suddenly feeling out of his depth, like he can’t quite get enough air.

“Dave, try and get an answer,” Hotch directs, taking charge of the situation. “Spencer, come with me.” He takes him into a secluded hallway for a little privacy, sitting him down on the cool linoleum before sinking down next to him. “You’re okay.”

“You’re okay, you’re okay,” Spencer whispers over and over to himself as he rocks backwards and forwards, trying desperately to self-soothe.

“Do you want me to touch you?” Hotch asks. He’s been in enough of these situations with Spencer to know he’s usually in two very different headspaces: he either longingly craves the grounding touch of a hug or a hand on his back, or he needs complete space. He’s also learned that asking outright is the only way to get an direct answer.

“Yes,” Spencer replies, before repeating it over and over again as he’s wrapped up in Hotch’s arms, head pressed against his chest, his hand pressing gently against the back of Spencer’s head. He starts to calm down as he manages to breathe to the heat of Hotch’s calm, steady heartbeat, the comforting touch of someone he trusts with his life also helping to bring him back down to earth. A good ten minutes after the altercation with the sheriff, he’s feeling much better and brings his head out of it’s safe cocoon between Hotch’s chest and hand.

“Come on,” Hotch says kindly. “Let’s get back to the case, yeah? You can just sit and work quietly until you’re ready to hold a proper conversation again. How does that sound?”

Spencer nods tiredly, knowing that work will perk him back up again, and being surrounded by his team will make him feel safe, asshole sheriff or not.

⭐️

Over the years Hotch helps him through any hurdles that come his way, learning the exact nuances of Spencer’s characteristics and requirements, making sure to accommodate him in every way possible.

He brings an extra, super-soft sweater in his go-bag in case Spencer ever forgets his and needs something gentle on his skin but tight enough to make him feel secure. He buys him stimming toys, dropping them on Spencer’s desk before he even arrives at work and lets him use his office whenever the lights and noise of the bullpen get too much, drawing the blinds and giving him the space he needs. Rossi doesn’t even question it anymore when Hotch shows up with a stack of paperwork and moves into his office for the morning.

It wasn’t until Hotch made a concerted effort to make his life easier that Spencer realised how hard it had been fighting through life on his own. So when he realises Hotch’s birthday is coming up, he decides he wants to show his gratitude. It’s never been easy for him to express emotions, especially since he’s never really found it rude when people don’t thank him, but he knows that for most neurotypical people, appreciation is important.

So he talks it over with Derek and on Hotch’s birthday, he comes into work to see Spencer waiting in his office with balloons, a cake, a card, and a present. He’d spent hours trying to find the right words to explain how he feels, to find the right words to show Hotch just how much everything he’s done for him means, but eventually he’d settled on something simple:

Caroline B Cooney wrote: “I found my family. I found the right thing to do. I found my way home.”

I found all of these things when I joined the BAU, but more specifically when I walked into your office, hands shaking, clasping a letter I’d been waiting for all my life. Thank you.

Hotch reads it with tears in his eyes before taking in the cake, a classic birthday cake Spencer had bought at the store, the words “Happy Birthday Dad” written in blue icing. He didn’t really understand why the cake had stood out to him, or why he associated the word ‘dad’ with someone who wasn’t related to him at all, but he’d trusted his gut and with Derek’s cheerleading, he’d bought it.

“Oh, Spencer,” Hotch says tearfully. “Can I hug you?”

Feeling only mildly uncomfortable at the visible display of emotion Spencer doesn’t know what to do with, he nods and steps into Hotch’s comforting embrace. “This means the world to me,” Hotch murmurs quietly as he stands, hugging Spencer for as long as the younger man can stand it.

Spencer’s still not completely sure why he’s managed to make him so emotional, but at least he can trust that it’s a good thing, that Hotch is happy and pleased and reassured. And if he can make him feel even a smidgen as happy as Hotch has made Spencer over the years, well. He’ll consider his long and boring trip into the city to buy the cake, present and card worth it.

Quick Note: Spencer is diagnosed with Asperger’s because that part of the fic is set in 2005. These days he would be diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

taglist: @criminalmindsvibez @strippersenseii

#criminal minds #criminal minds writing #criminal minds fic #spencer reid #aaron hotchner #hotch & spencer #spencer #hotch #my writing #autistic spencer reid #autistic spencer #dad hotch

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wearetakingthehobbitstogallifrey · 4 years

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Kdrama recs Part 1

Hullo and welcome to the kdrama life @camsthisky! The following list is not in any particular order, other than the fact that I start with a more rom/com vibe and head toward more romantic/action or action. All the following kdramas are set in the modern day, and part 2 of my recs for you will be either darker kdramas set in present day or historical dramas.

Let the list begin!

1. Strong Woman Do Bong Soon:

Do Bong Soon is a v smol woman who has super strength and who wants 1. To create her own video game 2. Get her police officer crush to return her affections. Which like, police officer is kinda cute but he ain’t that special. Bong Soon winds up becoming a bodyguard to Ahn Min Hyuk, the extremely rich, kinda spoiled, ridiculously extra CEO of a gaming company who does not like the police for secret reasons, and sadly does not have a good relationship with his family. (He a lonely boy underneath everything.) Min Hyuk finds out about Bong Soon’s powers, is in TOTAL awe of her, offers to train her in fighting, and literally falls head over heels for her.

The caveat with this show is there is a subplot or two that annoy me, BUT I just use the 10 second skip button and it is totally worth it because the romance is super cute—SUPER CUTE (also I have a list of favorite actors and Park Hyung Sik is def on it—one minute he is an adorkable, blushing bby the next he can be intense and sad)

He cute

2. Her Private Life:

Hello fake-dating!! Ryan Gold (an adoptee who didn’t live in Korea for a while) is a former artist who stopped painting because he couldn’t deal with his Stendhol (?) syndrome (among other traumas). Deok Mi is the classy art curator of a famous museum who definitely does not have any secrets she wants to keep from the world—well, other than the fact that she is the number one fangirl of kpop idol, Cha Shi-an (who also appreciates art) and has a major crush on him. Ryan becomes director of the art museum and there is a whole thing with getting Shi-an involved in an art show.

Following this and a series of unfortunate events a false rumor starts that Deok Mi and and Shi-an ARE dating. It’s a little complicated to summarize, but basically what you need to know is that Ryan and Deok Mi become a fake couple so there won’t be a scandal for Shi-an or violence done to Deok Mi by rabid fangirls. I enjoy the fake-dating trope a lot, and how it becomes real for both of them! The leads are played by Kim Jae Wook and Park Min Young, who both have incredible range. Lots of soft moments in this one! Good kisses, a scene where the faves bake together, and also Ryan wears a lot of deep v-neck shirts and jackets which is an attack on me personally.

The show also contains a bit of angst, which I LOVE. Hand-holding becomes an important theme 😊

RYAN NO

3. Crash Landing on You: Rich South Korean heiress/fashion designer Se-ri accidentally winds up in a North Korean village, and really REALLY wants to go home. Mostly because there are no scented candles or spa-like bathtubs in the vicinity, but also because she could easily disappear into a NK jail and never return. A North Korean captain named Ri Jeong Hyeok finds her and decides not to turn her because, one, he’s a good guy who doesn’t want to turn an innocent person over to what might be her death, and two, turning her over might get his four underlings in trouble for reasons. Said underlings are his family, basically, and they are a deLIGHT. One is an argumentative proud sort who likes to drink and to feel important and who tries to provoke (and gets provoked by) Se-ri at every opportunity, one is a lover of banned South Korean dramas, one is a 17 year old bby who misses his mom, and one is the silent but most loyal follower of the captain.

Besides all these people, there are two other characters (including a surprisingly wise conman) who become faves and major players in the plot.

There is a great mix of humor, romance, found family, and angst, and I love it very much. A few things don’t go the way I want them to near the end, but a bit of imagination and fanfic can fix anything

ALSO I FORGOT THE CAPTAIN GETS SUPER SULKY FROM TIME TO TIME AND IT IS HILARIOUS

Show of hands, who thinks they will meet again

4. Are You Human Too: A FAVORITE SHOW OF ALL! TIME!

What do you do when your husband dies and your evil mega-rich father-in-law takes your son away from you and keeps you from seeing him ever? Well, if you are scientist with more genius than positive coping methods, you build yourself a robot son who looks exactly like your real son. Great solution, am I right?

Nam Shin III is the name of my favorite robot son, played by the inestimable Seo Kang Joon. He is the purest bby you will ever meet, being designed so that he never lies and so that he will immediately go to hug anyone who cries. He seems quite a contrast to the bitter human Nam Shin, who hates his gilded prison life, hates his Grandpa, and tries to sneak away from his right hand man, Secretary Ji Young Hoon, his only friend in the world. The girl in the show is Kang So Bong, an ex-UFC fighter who was so badly injured she had to quit. She is at first a bit jaded and mercenary because of her past, but she has a golden heart that just needs to be reminded of its existence.

Not going into details to avoid spoilers, but everything upends when the robot Nam Shin has to take the place of the human Nam Shin. The show is a soft, funny, angsty exploration of what it means to be human, with some good found family throughout. The character development is phenomenal, and the connection between So Bong and Nam Shin III is *chef’s kiss*. I just want to give a shout out to Seo Kang Joon who plays a duel role like you wouldn’t believe, to SKJ’s smile, to the soundtrack, and to the character of Young Hoon, a loyal, steady, and self-sacrificing secretary that we do not deserve (gosh tho he looks good in blue!)

Look at my robot son getting a long-looked for affirmation! (his lil smile!!!

5. W: Two Worlds:

This show unique because it meta as HELL! Oh Yeon Joo is a junior doctor and the daughter of a webtoon artist whose big hit, W, is coming to a close. Much to her surprise, she gets pulled into the world of the comic where she encounters and saves the main character, Kang Chul, a former Olympic shooting champion who was blamed for the murder of his entire family, and whose sole desire is to find the real killer. It’s a good romance between them, and I also love Kang Chul’s relationship with his hyung, which, tho it is not always a main focus, is present and wonderful. Kang Chul himself is both intelligent and adorably bratty, charismatic and angsty, soft and fierce, and he is one of my favorite kdrama characters for sure.

As for the meta, the show does a fantastic job exploring the rules of the comic world, of how one can enter and leave, the importance and power of main characters and supporting characters, and the purpose of an author. There is always another twist coming, and it is just so much fun!

UM SIR PLS POINT THAT ELSEWHERE

6. Healer:

I watched half this show and never realized that the female lead is played by Park Min Young, same actress as in Her Private Life. Someone had to tell me lol! She’s just so good at playing different people. In this show, she is Chae Young Shin, a reporter for a celebrity tabloid who has big dreams of becoming a famous reporter who investigates stories that actually mean something. She is a bit quirky, very cute, very brave, and probably one of my favorite female leads. She lives with her dad above his coffee/teashop bakery and is friends with all the ex-cons he has defended while doing his other job of lawyering.

Anyway this show is more of a romantic/action drama. To get an idea of the titular Healer, picture what you would get if you took some of Batman and Nightwing’s aesthetics (wearing black, hanging out on rooftops, punching people, flipping around, etc) and put them into a night courier who likes to watch National Geographic and dream about one day going off to an island where he can live all by himself for the rest of his days because oh yeah he is a loner whose only friend is an older woman who sets up his jobs and whom he has never actually met.

There is also an older reporter that Young Shin looks up to, the fun tabloid office where she works, a heck lot of mystery surrounding some tragedy involving a group of reporter best friends/found family back in the 80’s/90’s, and of course both members of the OTP have childhood trauma that has made them who they are today. One of my favorite things that happens in the show is that Healer has to go undercover for a while, Clark Kenting it up in Young Shin’s tabloid office, which overnight becomes a real news agency for reasons.

The action is LOTS of fun, and the romance is really soft and cute, and better still, when there is a misunderstanding or something that gets in their way, they almost immediately talk about it and resolve issues. They TRUST each other and give the benefit of the doubt where many tv couples would break up or get in big fights. I find it (plus the character development) very refreshing.

I couldn’t find a gif of my favorite fight sadly. This will have to do

7. Lawless Lawyer: This has Lee Joon Gi. Watch it.

Just kidding, there are many other reasons to watch the show, but it is true that Lee Joon Gi is one of my favorite actors. The man has phoenix eyes, a jawline that could cut silk, diamonds, you name it, and such a deep well of emotional acting that it literally kills me when his characters rage/weep/love/etc.

Anyway, in this legal thriller/romance/action drama, LJG’s character Bong Sang Pil is a beautiful, very extra ex-gangster/now lawyer who opens his own office, ready to fight villainy and avenge his mom with the law or with his fists, whichever is more useful at the time. He has a right hand man named Manager Tae and recruits a bunch of thugs as his minions, and they all become a weird sort of family as the show goes on.

Ha Jae Yi is a quiet badass lawyer who has no time for sexist idiots and gets her license suspended for smacking one of said fools. She gets recruited to assist Sang Pil, and they find their goals align as both their mothers were destroyed by the villains.

Speaking of the villains? EXCELLENT acting by them all, like they need to go down obviously, but you can’t help but be in awe of a few of them or even get attached to one or two in a weird way. Props to the show for having one of the best female villains I have ever seen

What an icon

Here you get two gifs of him

Sorry I needed to make it a magical three lol

Tune in next time for historical dramas and modern dramas that are a bit darker!

#kdrama recommendations #lawless lawyer #healer #w two worlds #are you human too #her private life #strong woman do bong soon #crash landing on you #kdrama recs for cam #my kdrama recs

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princeasimdiya12 · 4 years

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My Problem with Akudama Drive

So the new anime by Kazutaka Kodaka called Akudama Drive has been out for awhile now. For the most part, I do enjoy it. The animation and backgrounds are beautifully drawn, I like the abilities and personalities of the characters, and I’m excited to see what will happen in the story. That said, I do have one problem with the show.

Brawler’s characterization and story role is filled with colorist writing.

As it stands, Brawler is the only main character in the cast with dark skin. Mixed with his dreadlocks, he is meant to be an Afro-Japanese coded character. I personally love Brawler and consider him to be one of my favorite characters on the show because of his cool design and boisterous personality. That said, I have noticed several points in each episode that often paint Brawler in a negative light. And considering how Kodaka is heavily involved in this project and Brawler’s creation, it stands within reason that Brawler was written with colorist tropes. I bring this up since this technically isn’t the first time he’s used colorist writing in one of his works. So this post will be mainly me discussing issues I have with Brawler’s character and his relations with the other protagonists.

For starters, his character is based on The Dumb Muscle Stereotype.

Given how his primary talents lie in his super strength and fighting abilities, his apparent drawback is that he’s an idiot. Kodaka even mentioned in an interview that he was written as a built idiot. It’s technically an issue that the one dark skinned character in the show is recognized primarily for his physical strengths and lack of intelligence while his light skinned colleagues are recognized for their intellectual themed talents (Hacker is technologically savvy, Doctor is a professional medical expert, even Hoodlum is smart when it comes to money-laundering and smooth talking to people).

Another issue I have is that every episode often features Brawler being ridiculed or insulted by his light skinned coworkers for his stupidity. Most of the Akudamas are portrayed as more level-headed, mature or reasonable compared to Brawler. This has the implications that dark skinned people are considered to be more stupid, reckless and impulsive compared to their light skinned counterparts. Literally, every episode has the Akudamas taking jabs at Brawler whenever he does something they consider to be stupid.

And this only happens to Brawler. He’s the main one out of the group who gets insulted and ripped on for being an idiot. The only other Akudama that matches Brawler’s idiotic tendencies would be Cutthroat. When he’s not in attack mode or fawning over Swindler, Cutthroat is shown to be just as childish and carefree about his life. Yet none of the other criminals take jabs at him when he does something reckless. Like in Episode 2 when he crashed the blimp bus because he wanted to touch the red button.

Another thing that rubs me the wrong way is how gullible and easily swayed he is. Brawler eagerly believes anything that is told to him and he doesn’t question it or show reasonable logic. Hoodlum of course uses his stupidity to his advantage in order to use his muscle for protection or to proceed with the heist. It’s roughly the equivalent of convincing a child to do something for you by playing onto their interests.

So it looks preeeeetty messed up that a 35 year old man like Brawler can be easily manipulated in order to use his strength.

The next big issue I have with Brawler is how his fighting talent is lackluster.

As I mentioned before, Brawler’s main contribution to the group is his fighting spirit and his super strength. For me, it feels like he got the short end of the stick when you compare his talent with the others.

Courier owns a futuristic bike and is skilled enough to navigate cities using alternative routes and high speeds.

Hacker is capable of breaking into any computer or security system in seconds.

Doctor has the medical expertise of a regular doctor and knows how to use regeneration technology to heal herself and her coworkers.

Cutthroat has a variety of knives in their person and is efficient when it comes to killing people.

All of them have expanded abilities and tools that make them more impressive and valuable to the grand heist. Whereas Brawler is only able to use his fists and strength when needed. He doesn’t even have expansive knowledge in regards to his fighting techniques or what he uses to maintain perfect physical endurance. If he actually explained what he has that makes him so durable or if he was shown practicing unique fighting techniques, then maybe he would be on the same level as the other Akudamas. But as it stands, his fighting is all just free form.

Also, you can’t even consider Brawler as the only valuable fighter of the group. Three of the Akudamas (Courier, Doctor, Cutthroat) are shown to be just as competent and dangerous when placed in a situation that requires them to fight back.

Courier has his gun and bike to attack enemies.

Doctor is skilled with surgical knives and uses a variety of chemicals during combat.

Cutthroat is a professional serial killer who can use different knives at a fast speed.

So unfortunately, Brawler really isn’t special when it comes to fighting.

Another issue, albeit minor, is the not-so subtle racism from Doctor.

In episodes 4 and 5, Doctor refers to Brawler as a dreadlocked gorilla as a way of insulting him.

I unfortunately am not familiar with how Afro-Japanese people take to being referred to as gorillas or apes. But from an American perspective, this comes off as pretty offensive that Doctor, a light skinned woman, would refer to her coworker, a Afro-Japanese coded man, as a gorilla. Everyone and their mothers know about the racist history with black/African people being referred to as anything related to the primate family. It’s uncalled for and rather distasteful. And of all the animals or insults she could have used against him, why would she use gorilla?

And while Brawler does find the insult to be “cool” since it associates him with being strong, I can guarantee you that no person of African descent in the real world would take kindly to being called a gorilla by their white/light skinned colleague.

And my last issue is the lack of variation in this show.

As I stated before, Brawler stands out as the only main character with dark skin. Because the cast is predominantly made of light skinned characters, they can range in having diverse personalities, abilities and roles as nothing would be lost on him. But because Brawler is the only dark skinned character, his role as a dumb muscle character can promote negative stereotypes and ideas on what dark skinned Japanese people are like and how they are treated by their peers. If there were more dark skinned characters who were shown to be effectively intelligent or had creative talents, then this wouldn’t be too much of an issue. But as we’re already 5 episodes into the series, Brawler is the looking like the only dark skinned person right now.

Given how we still have 7 episodes left, I can only hope that Brawler will get positive character development or can contribute something more to the group’s agenda/plot that can make him more than just a dumb muscle stereotype. Or at the very least, it would be nice if we had more positive/complex dark skinned characters can be introduced into the plot later on.

And that is my complaint with Akudama Drive. Thank you for taking the time to read all of this. If there was anything here that you agree with or disagree with for any reason, feel free to reblog this with your thoughts. I’d love to hear them and I’m always up for friendly discussions.

Thank you and may you have a pleasant evening.

#Akudama Drive #brawler #colorism #eddy's posts #anime #doctor #hoodlum #cutthroat #courier #hacker #swindler

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poor-wifi-uwu · 4 years

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Veil ch.3

Tying up loose ends before the journey to the end... and the beginning.

It took some time for Wei Wuxian’s group to settle on their roles and responsibilities henceforth.

The time was too short.

He looked around at his friends, all staring back with reluctant expressions knowing it’s time for him to go. Biting his lip, Wei Wuxian suggested they check their compasses to ensure they’re properly aligned with each other.

Honestly, it was pointless to check their compasses. They all knew that.

A token of honor denoting one’s place within Wei Wuxian’s inner circle, the Red Thread Compass is differentiated from other Wei army compasses by the red hanging off the top. As a sign of camaraderie between members, a person receives a compass for every bond they form with the others.

That’s the public description anyway.

In reality, the compass comes as a pair that react to one another. Once calibrated, the two compasses will point the red half of their needles towards one another, the attraction so strong that they remain accurate regardless of distance or weather. As long as you follow the compass, you will always find the other half.

This function is one of the main reasons Wei Wuxian’s inner circle could coordinate so well and quickly even when across the territories or in hiding. This secret is so vital that the only people who know about it are those that receive one. The downside is that each compass can only be calibrated to one other compass, so they always have to carry around a set. It took some playing around to figure out an excuse for that one.

The materials needed to make them are rare and difficult to make, so one would think the one-time usage would be a problem, but it becomes an asset in Wei Wuxian’s case. Since they can be used to find the other side’s location, if someone were to learn the true meaning of the Red Thread Compass and somehow acquire it, it would be deadly. When uncalibrated, the compass needle spins wildly without end, unable to orient itself. If one of the pair gets critically damaged the calibration breaks and the compass becomes useless, unable to be fixed. What a useful defect!

Taking out his ‘angry’ compass, Wei Wuxian laughed.

Since they carry around so many, they need to keep track of them somehow. And just in case, they can’t use names so everyone marked their compasses in different ways to recognize its partner. It went about as well as you’d expect.

Instead of names, Wei Wuxian drew icons to represent each person. Wen Qing’s had an angry face drawn on it, while Wen Ning’s was a crying face. Of course, his Shijie’s was a detailed engraving of Guanyin.

The others had a lot of fun with theirs. MianMian was all sass, calling him Yuan Dao and labeling Jiang Cheng’s as “Single and Ready to Mingle”. On the other hand, Wen Qing just drew a middle finger. Though, Wei Wuxian doesn’t know if that was before or after Jiang Cheng nicknamed her’s “Quack”.

He’s sure that anyone who gets ahold of them would be very confused.

His smile warped into a grimace as he took out Jiang Yanli and Jiang Cheng’s compasses. He’s never gone five feet without them since the day they were made, but with his siblings being so against this marriage Wei Wuxian can’t risk them finding him before reaching the Cloud Recesses.

He gripped the compasses tightly and raised his head to look at the others. They silently nodded at him. Wei Wuxian took a deep breath and steeled himself, “You all know what to do. I’ll release the courier falcon once I’m outside of Lotus Pier’s gates, just in case.”

Wen Qing looked out at the moon, “Are you leaving now? There is still some time left before the patrol shifts.”

Wei Wuxian crossed his arms, “I need to make a show of walking around Lotus Pier to lower everyone’s guard. Plus, I need to make a stop before I go.”

Wen Qing relaxed in somber understanding, nodding to him.

He should probably be grateful to not have run into any of his family while making his rounds, but instead felt like a rock was weighing down his chest. Even though he was purposefully avoiding the halls they frequented, a small part of him hoped he could see them with even just a neutral expression before he left.

He made his final stop at the medical wing. The heavy scent of medicine had always reminded him of the safety and protection of Wen Qing’s hands, but lately it just brings back memories of bloody sheets and Clarity Bells.

Wei Wuxian walked across to the door at the other end. Originally an office of sorts, they converted it to a private room since Wen Qing was always too busy to have time for an office. Reaching the door, Wei Wuxian hesitated. No matter how many times he visits, it just somehow never gets easier.

“Master?”

Wei Wuxian jumped, cracking open the door and sticking his head inside to see Suibian sitting up in bed with a smile on his face. Wei Wuxian threw himself into the room, “What are you doing, you need to lie down!”

Suibian pouted at him, “Aw come on, it’s not that bad. Doc even said my rehab is almost complete!”

Wei Wuxian bit his lip as he looked for any sign of strain, relaxing when he found nothing. Suibian had recovered well. Wen Qing has been taking care of him since he first sustained his injuries, so if she said anything about his condition it should be believed.

Wei Wuxian realized Suibian had a lap desk set up on the bed with some ink and a half-written letter. He pursed his lips dramatically with his chin up, “Hmm, how incredible. I wonder how you got Qing-Jie to let you stay up so late. Hasn’t she always been violently strict with patient rest?”

If the situation had been any different, Wen Qing would have knocked him out if he tried to work as soon as he got home.

Suibian crossed his fingers in front of his face like a mastermind revealing his tricks to the worthy, “Well you see! There is one method that always works on people like her.” His eyes scanned left and right quickly before he leaned forward slightly, “What you do is! Wait until she leaves for half an hour and stop pretending you’re asleep.”

Wei Wuxian huffed. So that’s why Suibian’s gotten a few bumps on the head before. Wei Wuxian sent him a cheeky grin, “You remembered to rotate the times right? Like 30 minutes for 2 weeks, then 1 hour for a week to see if she’s catching on?”

Suibian kept his pose, “...I never said that I didn’t.”

“Mhm.” Wei Wuxian’s eyebrows bobbed.

Suibian threw his hands up in a whatever pose, “What, I never said that did either.”

Wei Wuxian chuckled as he slid into the chair by the bed, “For the love of god, please tell me you at least took a bath?”

Suibian propped his head up on his palm, “Yes yes, I took my supervised cold medicinal bath.”

Wei Wuxian copied him, “And I’m sure Qing-Jie told you every single day how your bandages need to stay completely clean.”

Suibian pouted at him, “Well maybe she forgot today! Us Sentinels take after our masters, so any poor memory isn’t my fault!”

Wei Wuxian waved at him to take his shirt off as he moved the desk, glancing at the letter, “Who are you even writing to? You don’t have any friends outside of this palace.”

Suibian gasped in shock, “Rude!” Then he gave a mock sigh, “Master is so cruel… Bringing the truth when I clearly don’t want it.”

Seeing Wei Wuxian’s face lighten from its grim expression, Suibian cheered at his victory before glancing at the letter with a bemused tone, “Honestly, I don’t know. Wen Ning came by earlier with a letter from the Captain of the royal guard of Gusu addressed to me. It was really weird. He gave condolences for my injuries and wished me well in my recovery. He also thanked me for helping him in the Camp. He went through all this trouble, so I might as well respond.”

Wei Wuxian raised an eyebrow at him, “You know the Captain of Gusu’s royal guard?”

Suibian threw his hands out in a shrug, “No idea. There were lots of Sentinels, and I didn’t see the guy personally so I can't be sure.”

Wei Wuxian matched his bemusement, “A Sentinel? Given such a prestigious position in the tight-as-a-virgin Cloud Recesses?” Suibian just shook his head in bafflement.

Sentinels were specially trained lifelong servants assigned only to nobility. Raised from birth with the understanding of their future role, Sentinels are trained in many skills including combat, endurance, and caretaking. Often a few years older than their masters to better serve them, Sentinels do not have names until they are assigned a master, after which that master will name them personally. As a lifelong servant, they are neither expected nor permitted to marry or have children. Sentinels are such an integral part of their masters’ lives that the only time they are not attached at the hip is for a mission ordered directly by that master.

Of course, they are still human so problems can arise. Arguments can break out, loyalties can shift, and personal desires can arise.

Wei Wuxian thought of Suibian as a perfect mix.

He definitely had his own agency with a strong personality unbefitting one of his station. No matter how he got scolded or punished, if Wei Wuxian wasn’t the one upse then he simply wouldn’t care. Suibian knew what he wanted and carried himself like an equal to anyone around him regardless of rank. He treated Wei Wuxian like a friend instead of a boss, and wasn’t afraid to test the limits of Wei Wuxian’s patience in all the most fun ways.

At the same time, he was a marvelous Sentinel. The most loyal man Wei Wuxian had ever met. He treated his role as his meaning for life instead of the neutral acceptance many relegate themselves to. Incredibly powerful from endless hours training far beyond what was expected of him, when Suibian stood by his side it felt like nothing could touch him. He also took any opportunity Wei Wuxian offered to him to learn new things, even demanding to be useful when bedridden by helping with paperwork.

Beyond his skillset, Suibian also knew how to regulate himself when necessary. He was respectful towards Jiang Fengmian and knew when to hold his tongue around Jiang Cheng. He was never—.

…

—He was rarely rude to Madam Yu, and understood boundaries expected of interactions with Jiang Yanli in public. Suibian always tried hard to be who Wei Wuxian needed him to be, and that alone was more than Wei Wuxian could ever ask.

Wei Wuxian stopped him from unwrapping the bandages, Suibian giving up with a huff. Almost recovered or not, Wei Wuxian doesn’t want him straining anything more than necessary. Fingers running across the gauze, his mirth faded into melancholy.

Wei Wuxian’s breath hitched as he unwound the bandages, never quite able to get used to the sight. Heat, chemical, and radiation burns ravaged the expanse of Suibian’s back, stretching even to his elbows and below the backs of his knees. Raw pink skin glistened where the charred patches of skin had to be removed.

Suibian sat still with a calm smile on his face as Wei Wuxian grabbed the medicine Wen Qing knew to leave for him, the man not even flinching as Wei Wuxian applied the cream directly to the sensitive skin.

He should have recovered a long time ago, especially with Wen Qing’s special recipes, but she only dug her nails into her palms before telling him his options. Suibian’s injuries were so extensive that if they were to heal quickly the scar tissue along his spine would render him crippled for life. With rehab, he may be able to walk but he would never wield a sword again. The other option was to intentionally delay the healing process with a rare medicine so Wen Qing could slowly heal him bit by bit to prevent the scar tissue from forming. All that would be left is the discoloration of the skin. Wei Wuxian could never put Suibian through such a thing, and was shocked when Suibian chose the latter option without hesitation. He was so adamant that Wei Wuxian could only cry like a child with nonstop apologies as he held Suibian’s hand through his first treatment.

It must have hurt to even breath.

He would accept Suibian’s hatred, give him anything he wanted. Any rank, freedoms, anything! It doesn’t matter what happens to Wei Wuxian, he deserved it! He deserved all of it! He wanted it, needed it!

But from the very start until now, Suibian had only asked to continue serving as his Sentinel. Always looked forward to Wei Wuxian’s visits and showed him nothing but the friendliness and respect he had always awarded his master.

Wei Wuxian paused for a moment and leaned so his head bumped against Suibian’s hair, “...Do you resent me, Suibian?”

Suibian just raised a head over his head to rest on Wei Wuxian’s hair, “I only resent these injuries for keeping me from master’s side when you needed me most.”

Wei Wuxian gripped the fabric of his robes as Suibian gently pat his head, the comfort spreading from the motion leaving an equally bitter taste in his mouth. Suibian deserved better than this. He’s one of the strongest Sentinels in the world, he deserves better than some reckless servant’s son. Taking a trembling beath, Wei Wuxian returned to his work with pinpoint focus to block out any thoughts. This would be the last time, so he’d better make it count.

Suibian relaxed as they fell into a comfortable silence, smiling at the gentleness of Wei Wuxian’s touch.

His master was truly the best.

Suibian remembered his first day assigned to Wei Wuxian with almost as much confusion as he felt that day. Like whiplash, Wei Wuxian had overturned every notion Suibian had ever thought of what to expect from a master. Little YingYing had somehow come to the conclusion that Jiang Fengmian’s description of Sentinels being someone who always protects you, fights for you, and listens to your whims until death meant “best friend for life”. The then shy newly adopted Wei Ying had looked at Suibian with stars in his eyes and the sun in smile as he bounced on his feet, silently begging the King to let them go play.

Although Wei Ying now had a home and a family, Lotus Pier was still a harsh environment. Wei Wuxian was constantly made to feel like an outsider, a rat given salvation that pests don’t deserve. No matter how much he smiled on the outside, Suibian knew he felt lonely.

Wei Ying had led them to a more private pier and began to ask a bunch of questions about him. Suibian didn’t want to disappoint his master, but he had no answers that wouldn’t get him a punishment. How could he tell his master that his only hobbies were being a troublemaker? Training sucked, work sucked, people sucked, and Suibian often wanted nothing to do with any of them.

In the two weeks leading up to his naming ceremony, Little YingYing did his utmost to ensure Suibian felt welcome and enjoyed his new home. The rest of the palace found it as ridiculous as Suibian himself did, and looking at the way the crown prince handled his own Sentinel, Wei Ying made for a rather unusual child. Suibian adored him. He knew, from the moment Wei Ying took his hand and pulled him to the ceremony room asking Suibian what he’d like to be called with those large shining eyes, that he would protect this boy forever.

Wei Ying wanted Suibian to choose his own name since it’s so important to a person’s identity. The way he looked down as he said that made Suibian wonder how long it had been since anyone called Wei Ying’s name before King Jiang found him.

Suibian didn’t know what he wanted to be called. Sentinels are not given names at birth, nor are they taught to give any importance to their individuality. A Sentinel is an extension of their master, which is why any personal decisions are relegated to the master’s discretion. Wei Ying tried to help him, listing off twenty different names while asking if he liked any of them. Some were genuinely good, others were so laughably silly that Suibian almost picked them. In the end he ended up rejecting each of them, much to the indignance of the others in the room.

He told Wei Ying he didn’t know how to pick a name. He wanted his master to give him one. Wei Ying just fumbled around for a while trying to explain before giving up and trying to lighten the supposed stress of deciding, “It doesn’t have to be super special or anything. Just pick whatever!”

So Suibian did, writing it down on his official papers as per ceremony. When Wei Ying begged to see it, excited to know what Suibian picked, he just froze and stared dully at the paper. The Jiangs that looked afterwards held the same expression. Suibian couldn’t help but laugh.

The confused look that Little YingYing sent him had Suibian ruffling his hair. Of course, everyone asked him why the hell he would ever choose such a name, so he told them point blank it was the name his master chose for him. Wei Ying startled and began knocking his little fists lightly against Suibian’s chest crying, “That’s not what I meant, I swear!”

It was a great day.

Wei Ying tried to fix his “mistake”, but Jiang Fengmian could only give him this wry smile and explain that since it was marked on official documents it would be a pain and a half to get it changed. So how about they just go ahead and call him “Suibian”?

Wei Ying soon began to love the name as they went on more and more adventures, two swashbuckling troublemakers making the most of life. There was one time when Wei Wuxian gained some power that he offered to go through the pain and a half if Suibian wanted a new name, but he adamantly refused. It was the name his master gave him with such, albeit indirect, enthusiasm.

Suibian loved his name.

Plus, it made for a great prank that had tsunderes the world over blushing at being tricked.

With each passing year they grew closer and Suibian’s conviction grew. He would suffer a thousand full-body burns before watching his master die.

Wei Wuxian was there for every step of Suibian’s recovery, always taking care of him. It should have been the other way around. A Sentinel should not be a dead weight. Suibian could only hope to finish his rehab and return to his master’s side.

For now, all he can do is ease his mind.

Suibian lifted his arms as Wei Wuxian began wrapping the gauze around his torso, “Master is unusually quiet today. Did Doc knock you out again? Or did Lady Shijie find your porn and tease you about it again?” Wei Wuxian paused and Suibian grinned as his tone turned mischievous, “Oh my, master, there’s nothing to get upset over~. Lady Shijie already complimented you on your taste! Besides, she always makes sure to expose Grumpy Grape’s porn to everyone as well!”

Wei Wuxian cut off Suibian’s laughter, “I’m getting married.”

Suibian froze, wide smile slipping slowly into a slack-jawed expression. If Wei Wuxian had liked someone, Suibian would know. While he was still wrapping his head around the words, Wei Wuxian continued, “Well, married might not be the right word exactly…”

Suibian stared ahead dully as Wei Wuxian explained the situation. He didn’t even register when his master finished and sat back in the chair by his bedside. This… This can’t be happening.

Suibian understands. He understands more than anyone how much Wei Wuxian wants to end this war, how desperate the situation is, the damage that could result should the war continue on. He doesn’t even disagree with his master’s decision.

But why Wei Wuxian?

Why his master, who has given everything of himself and more already? He deserves something better than this, something real.

At the very least he deserves more than a concubine position!

He turned sharply to face Wei Wuxian, “I’m coming with you.”

“No you’re not.”

Suibian felt as if the air got knocked out of his lungs. He stared at Wei Wuxian as if unable to comprehend the words. Wei Wuxian knew it would be a huge blow, but what was he supposed to do?

He looked at Suibian as if memorizing his face, before taking his hand and pressing two compasses in his palm, “I need you to stay and protect everyone.”

Suibian blinked dazedly, “They won’t just let you go without a fight.”

Wei Wuxian released a breath, “Shijie can’t leave the castle without a preplanned destination and a huge escort. Jiang Cheng has the stealth of a rampaging bull. It won’t be hard to slip away, if they even find me.”

Suibian stayed quiet for a moment. Then, with the smallest voice awei Wuxian had ever heard from him, “Will I...get to join you?”

Wei Wuxian squeezed his eyes tightly and took a deep breath, “...I don’t know.”

He really didn’t want to leave it off like this. Suibian hadn’t even been this pale when he was literally dying from his injuries. His wide eyes had this haunted light as he looked at Wei Wuxian, as if he was vanishing before Suibian’s very eyes. He quickly grabbed Suibian’s hand, unsure of what to say or what to do, when Suibian gripped his hand tightly back.

It was like the birth of a raging fire as Suibian’s eyes glared with a fierce conviction, “I will.”

He pulled Wei Wuxian into a hug so tight it was hard to breath, but Wei Wuxian could only hug tighter at his unyielding tone, “I will come to you. Whether through tricks or lies or false identities, I will find my way back to your side.

Wei Wuxian didn’t respond.

Closing the door as Suibian stared at his back was the hardest thing Wei Wuxian had done that night.

Heart heavy and spirit low, Wei Wuxian could no longer bear to look at the fog-dusted lotus flowers that had charmed him most of his life. He immediately grabbed his bag and the bird,and left without a glance back.

He was glad royal courier birds from Gusu were trained to be silent. It was already difficult to carry around a large cage without making any noise, let alone worrying about its contents. Wei Wuxian had already attached his acceptance of the proposal to the bird’s leg, planning to release it outside of Lotus Pier’s walls in case someone tried to shoot it down.

Years of troublemaking came in very handy when Wei Wuxian knew every secret entrance and hidden passage that even the elders weren’t aware of.

Reaching the horse stables was pitifully easy. With his best horse at full speed, only taking breaks when his horse needed it, Wei Wuxian could reach the Cloud Recesses in a week. Had the Jiangs gone beyond etiquette and touched his horses, then a normal horse could get him there in 10, maybe 12 days. Looking over, Wei Wuxian gawked at the empty stables.

They did it. They actually did it.

They had all his war horses put in the winter stables.

As a General, Wei Wuxian was to have unrestricted access to his horses at all times. Even a second could mean the outcome of a battle, so even Madam Yu respected that boundary even when he would ride around in the middle of the night with his friends. The only time anyone was allowed to touch Wei Wuxian’s horses without his permission is to move them into the winter stables to protect them from the cold. With all their horses in one place, the stables are heavily guarded. Of course, Wei Wuxian never minded especially since he could take out his horses as he pleased, but he couldn’t do that now without alerting everyone.

Wei Wuxian clicked his tongue. Now he’d have to buy a horse in town. Never expecting they would stoop so low, Wei Wuxian only brought enough for a month’s worth of expenses. Not only would a new horse and gear cost the majority of Wei Wuxian’s coin, but a horse not bred for the Jiang’s preference for speed would take even longer than before. These next two weeks were going to test Wei Wuxian’s frugality.

His mouth dropped even further once he made it past the gates.

Lotus Pier had officially declared Winter despite it still being a month away this far south. Wei Wuxian couldn’t even steal a horse because they were all locked up somewhere snow couldn’t reach them. Yunmeng’s famous night market would be the only place to buy a horse at this hour, and given the increased guards it was a no-go.

Wei Wuxian felt like breaking something.

This meant he would have to walk. At least until he finds a horse in another town, but who knows how long that might take if the news reached beyond the capital already.

Taking a deep breath, Wei Wuxian steels himself as he watches the falcon speed off in the direction of Gusu.

If he has to walk, then he’ll walk.

Lan Xichen couldn’t help but chuckle as he watched his brother slip the letter out of his sleeve and read it again while supervising the construction of the Red Lotus Pavilion. Despite having received the acceptance letter only a day ago, it was already as worn as ancient text with how often Lan Wangji took the paper out to read it.

Despite their confidence in Wei Wuxian’s agreement to the proposal, Lan Wangji had read the acceptance letter with a face of awe as if he couldn’t believe it was real. Lan Xichen had never seen his brother so stunned and happy at the same time.

As soon as the emperor snapped out of his daze, he sprung into action. He finalized, with a bit of reluctance, the structural plans for the pavilion and immediately ordered for the construction to begin the very next day. His brother hired the best, and a lot of them. Already they had done so much work despite the short time frame. Although it won’t be ready in time for Wei Wuxian’s arrival, the pavilion would be ready in time for the wedding.

Yunmeng’s acceptance letter was rather strange. It was addressed directly from the General instead of the Yunmeng royal family.

The General stated that due to their current states it would be best to make the engagement official as soon as possible, so he would be journeying ahead to reach the Cloud Recesses quickly. He added that the Jiang retinue and all proper procedures would be handled afterwards. There were other things as well that found puzzling, but he hoped it was just some cultural differences. The emperor didn’t seem to notice the rest as he kept rereading the opening line where Wei Wuxian personally accepts the proposal.

Lan Xichen smiled softly as he watched Lan Wangji trace the characters gently with his fingers. There’s still a lot of work to be done, but for now he’ll let his little brother enjoy the moment.

Out of the corner of his eye, Lan Xichen noticed Lan Qiren approaching and panicked. He would never approve such an unorthodox design and even if it’s not his decision in the end he doesn’t wish to sour Lan Wangji’s mood.

The emperor was too lost in his daze to notice the fluttering of his brother’s robes as he bolted at maximum allowed speed.

When he first held the sealed letter, Lan Wangji could feel the world fade away as his heartbeat increased. His brother was saying something but his voice felt far away as if he was on a boat while Lan Wangji sunk further into the depths of his thoughts. His heartbeat seems to thunder through his chest as such an intensity he wondered if Wei Ying could feel it from across the land.

Only his brother’s hand gently tugging on the paper snapped Lan Wangji out of his daze as he slapped the letter to his chest protectively. Lan Xichen just gave a knowing smile, “Wangji, if it’s too much I can open it for you.”

Lan Wangji froze as his ears went hot. To have lost his composure at such a small thing…

With a light cough the emperor straightened, ignoring his brother’s raised eyebrows, and broke the seal to open the response. Lan Xichen stood beside him as they read and and could practically feel the slight tremble in Lan Wangji’s hands as his eyes widened in pure awe. With the face of a lost child in disbelief of receiving their greatest wish, he turned to Lan Xichen as if to confirm that what he read was real.

He and Wei Ying are getting married.

At Lan Xichen’s warm nod, Lan Wangji felt a sudden lightness hit him with such an intensity that he had to sit down. They’re getting married.

He will finally, finally get to be with Wei Ying.

Lan Wangji could not sleep the entire night. It was the first time he had ever broken curfew. The bubbly feeling of fairies dancing across his heart had him taking out the letter over and over to read under the moonlight. Some part of Lan Wangji feared that if he fell asleep he would wake to find it was all a cruel, albeit beautiful, dream.

Justifying it as truly important political work, the emperor gave up on sleep and spent the rest of the night finalizing the design and writing a list of tasks to delegate in preparation for Wei Ying’s arrival. He ignored his brother’s amused look the following morning.

The official announcement was a short affair, Lan Wangji not wanting to waste time listening to pointless drivel when there are so many things to do. It was for the best anyway, as hiz daze had caused Lan Wangji to make several mistakes, walking into door frames and pouring his tea until the entire table was soaked.

Lan Wangji could only relegate himself to those tasks which he knew could hold his focus, and therefore put his full attention into the wedding preparations. He didn’t wish to pressure the workers with his authority, but he cannot deny his appreciation at the speed and quality that resulted from it. With winter having begun, the foundation must be finished before the first snowfall.

He had already sent people to buy the various textiles, decorations, and other such materials, even giving the order to journey to other cities should the capital not have enough.

Lan Wangji was dismayed to learn the pavilion would not be ready in time for Wei Ying’s arrival and wanted to decorate the guest courtyard to properly welcome his bride, but Lan Xichen had informed him that with the season ramping up, removing any workers from the pavilion could cause drastic delays. The emperor could only hope to make up for the housing with hospitality.

Lan Wangji stared at the construction silently before his ears turned red.

Of course, should Wei Ying accept, Lan Wangji would gladly host him in his own pavilion. The emperor shook his head of such thoughts. He looked down, remembering their meeting in Yiling. No matter his intentions, he doesn’t wish to put pressure on his empress to do anything he doesn’t wish to. And if it takes time for Wei Ying to feel comfortable in his presence, then Lan Wangji will wait.

As Lan Wangji ran through a list of activities to host for Wei Ying’s arrival, he saw a flash of gold approach from the side. The emperor turned his head just enough to acknowledge Jin Guangyao’s presence before returning to gaze forward. With his gentle smile, Jin Guangyao gave a salute before standing a respectful distance away. They were silent for a few minutes as Jin Guangyao seemed to fidget, unsure of what to say.

In the end he took a breath and turned to bow to the emperor, “Your Highness, I would like to offer my sincere apologies.”

Lan Wangji turned his head, flicking his fingers in pardon which Jin Guangyao shook his head to refuse. He looked down with a scrunched up expression, “Er-Ge spoke to me about our discussion over Yunmeng.” His voice lowered with a slight irritation Lan Wangji had not seen on him before, “As you know, my status in Koi Tower is… rocky. As the king, Father demands I report to him on my activities in case my actions somehow affect Lanling. I had always kept our discussions as a Triad private. This case was the only exception because the resources would need to be prepared in advance for the recovery efforts to work, and such things are outside of my influence.” He grit his teeth, “The one time I tell him…”

Lan Wangji stared at him for a moment before lifting his hand, “Rise. It has already finished.”

Jin Guangyao gave one more salute in gratitude before rising with a smile to admire the enormous construction taking place. The scale of it was truly astounding, more fit for a goddess than an empress. If he had to guess, Jin Guangyao would wager it matches the size of the emperor’s own pavilion at the very least. He struggled not to show the astonishment on his face as his mind tallied up the costs involved.

Even Lanling with its abundant wealth does not have such a glorious construction for such a relatively minor purpose.

This is an area to tread lightly, especially given the current tension.

Jin Guangyao spoke his praises of the pavilion, marveling at the planned man-made lotus pond they planned to build all the way up here in the mountains. Lan Wangji just nodded with a subdued air of excitement as he gave some small information, though nothing of importance.

Jin Guanyao turned to him with his own excitement, “Your Highness, such a marvelous palace must surely be expensive. And given the purpose of the marriage is to end the war we are all involved in, I am sure that both Lanling and Qinghe would like to gift resources and treasures to the Red Lotus Pavilion to ease the tensions between our countries and welcome a new era for the coming future. While I am sure Gusu is brimming with more than adequate quality, there are some things that can only be found in other countries. Lanling especially has some of the finest hardwood in the world. And I have personally felt the quality finish of Qinghe silk. With your permission, we could have these gifts prepared for the Red Lotus Pavilion before the wedding.”

Lan Wangji stayed quiet for a moment before responding, “tradition dictates that the husband provide all resources for the wife’s living.”

Jin Guangyao just smiled, “I see.”

They stood silently for a few more minutes until Jin Guangyao excused himself to return to his diplomatic paperwork. It reminded Lan Wangji of his own desk overflowing with documents about the treaty and wedding. Releasing a small breath, Lan Wangji turned to leave, but his daze had yet to life as he had bumped into an attendant after a few steps. The girl had immediately kowtowed and begged forgiveness. Lan Wangji could not blame her for his own carelessness, especially after noticing her pole, “No matter, rise.”

The girl kowtowed one more time in gratitude before getting up and dusting off her robes to be more presentable. With a salute she greeted the emperor and asked if he needed anything. Lan Wangji was about to refuse when he noticed the bounciness in her stance as they listened to the construction. He motioned for her to speak, remembering after a moment that she can’t see it, “Speak.”

The girl jumped and blushed as she lowered her head, “I heard we will be getting a new empress. This servant has not yet been assigned a proper master, so this one wishes for some work to help prepare for the empress’s arrival.” Her pale eyes widened as she waved her hands, “Of course, this one does not expect to have such a prestigious assignment especially with my… inadequacy. I only wish to help…”

Lan Wangji’s eyes softened behind his headdress. He was sure Wei Ying would never have a problem with a blind attendant, especially one who shared parts of his own history.

Ever since learning of the tragic tale of Wei Ying’s childhood, Lan Wangji could no longer look past the struggling children on the streets of the capital. He had set up programs to aid them, but it never felt enough. Sometimes he would see their thin wrists and hollow cheeks and wondered if Wei Ying had once suffered the same state.

This young attendant was one such orphan living on the streets. He had always seen her near the entrance of the city leading up to the Cloud Recesses. It was a good spot for sure, with a lot of traffic to offer food. She had always been more quiet, content to sit in her spot and not draw attention to herself. When he realized the girl was blind and the cacophony of noise must make things even more difficult, Lan Wangji had since made sure an attendant would give her some food.

She reminded him of the stories of an orphan Wei Ying, shy and quiet, but looking forward with a smile. Although it was a year ago, Lan Wangji could still remember his worry when the seasons began to change. Going into the capital dusted with snow and finding the girl sleeping under a ratty square of fabric, Lan Wangji’s mind would always superimpose a young Wei Ying over her face.

He couldn’t just leave her out there.

The most he could do was offer her a position as an attendant.

When she first heard his offer she stared at him absolutely dumbfounded, quickly becoming suspicious. Of course, someone in her position must face unsavory liars hoping to take advantage of her every day. Lan Wangji could only hand her a jade token to the Cloud Recesses and hope it was enough to convey his sincerity. He could almost see the thousands of thoughts running through her head as she looked side to side in slack-jawed disbelief before accepting his offer with an enthusiasm that left him heartbroken.

She was a nice girl with a strong work ethic. Regardless of the job, she would do it with full effort, going to every corner of the Cloud Recesses on an almost daily basis. She even refused assistance to not bother anyone else, her supervisors only accepting because of the quality of her work despite her disability.

Even now she wishes to help with the marriage preparations, willing to give up what little free time she has to work within the Red Lotus Pavilion.

Watching her be so grateful to be worked hard as a servant just to have a roof over her head, Lan Wangji wonders if that is why Wei Ying was so loyal to Yunmeng.

He narrowed his eyes.

Lan Wangji would make sure to treat her with the kindness he wished Wei Ying had been given in Lotus Pier.

Wei Ying would be a good master for her, and she’s shown a dedication to her work that Lan Wangji would approve within the Red Lotus Pavilion. Lan Wangji stroked the sachet in his sleeves, “This emperor accepts your request.”

The girl lights up.

Lan Wangji nods as he gives her an assignment, “Clean the tiles and other embellishments for the pavilion. 139 each. Wash thrice.”

The girl froze and sent him a closed-eyed smile, “...Thank you, Your Highness.”

Lan Wangji nodded to himself before dismissing her and returning to his study.

Lan Wangji spent the rest of the day finishing paperwork, and yet it felt like he barely got anything done. Thoughts of the wedding would hit him as soon as he got bored and left him distracted throughout the day.

He wanted to see Wei Ying.

He had never understood the impatience of wanting something so close within your grasp. Never before had he wanted to see Wei Ying as strongly as he did then. To hold him, to listen to his chatter, to spend time idling over nonsense together.

He wanted to spend some time as fiancees instead of rivals.

His thoughts haunted him that night, the phantom warmth of another body pressed against his side torturing him with yearning. Lan Wangji got up to look out at the moon, its silver glow reminding him of bright mischievous eyes.

He wondered if Wei Ying was looking out at the same moon.

Based on the letter, Wei Ying should already be on his way. Lan Wangji had not expected him to come separately from the Jiang retinue. Did he go alone with no protection? Lan Wangji found it ridiculous, but stranger things have happened when Wei Wuxian was involved.

A small gust of wind blew a chill into the room. Was Wei Ying prepared for the Gusu winter so far north?

…

Wei Ying...

The emperor could only gaze out at the moon as he made up his mind.

The following morning was a subdued flurry of activity as Lan Wangji’s attendants prepared him for his journey.

His brother stood to the side with an indulgent smile, “Ah, I should have seen this coming. Wangji is a proper gentleman, how could he marry without even a date?”

Lan Wangji’s ears burned as he chose which betrothal gifts to bring, “Brother.”

Lan Xichen dabbed his eyes with his sleeve, “Gallivanting off to woo your bride, leaving this old Xichen behind. Brother feels lonely.”

Lan Wangji curled away from him, ears a blazing crimson, “Brother.”

Lan Xichen just gave an exaggerated sigh, “Yes yes, this brother understands.” His hazel eyes softened at the emperor in his travel attire, “Wangji, be safe. Our decision has not been met with enthusiasm on most sides. It could be dangerous.”

Lan Wangji looked back at him before fastening his sword, “All the more reason I should go.”

Lan Xichen huffed a laugh, “With you and General Wei together, I have no worries.” Then with a suggestive wink, “Good luck.”

Lan Wangji stood stiffly for a moment before quietly turning around, ears red, “Mn.”

He left at dawn.

#mdzs #mo dao zu shi #wei wuxian #lan wangji #suibian #lan xichen #jin guangyao #a-qing #royalty!au #arranged marriage au #emperor!lwj #general!WWX

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ebaeschnbliah · 6 years

Photo

WESTIE’S ENGAGEMENT PARTY & JOE’S CONFESSIONS

“I started dealing drugs. I mean, the bike thing’s a great cover, right? I dunno – I dunno how it started; I just got out of my depth. I owed people thousands – serious people. Then at Westie’s engagement do, he starts talking about his job. I mean, usually he’s so careful; but that night after a few pints he really opened up. He told me about these missile plans – beyond top secret. He showed me the memory stick; he waved it in front of me. You hear about these things getting lost, ending up on rubbish tips and what-not. And there it was, and I thought ... well, I thought it could be worth a fortune.” (Joe Harrison)

This and a little bit more under the cut ….

About engagement parties

They are held to celebrate a couple's recent engagement and to help future wedding guests to get to know one another. Traditionally, the bride's parents host the engagement party, but many modern couples host their own celebration. It is a party like any other, except that usually toasts or speeches are made to announce the upcoming wedding. While it varies, an engagement party takes place at the beginning of the process of planning a wedding. It is often thrown at the couple's home or at the home of a close friend or relative of the couple. (Wikipedia)

Why do I have the feeling that Westie’s ‘engagement do’ was a party for two?

The camera focuses only on the two men. There isn’t even one picture of Lucy Harrison, the lovely bride to be. And the other people in the bar/pub don’t look much like family, friends or even aquaintances either. It’s a bit similar to the stag night Sherlock organized for John, isn’t it? Even the colours are alike … though much more intense.

“It was pretty easy to get the thing off him, he was so plastered.” (Joe Harrison)

Joe takes the memory stick with the very secret Bruce-Partington Plans out of Westie’s breast pocket …..

Is this still the bar/pub? Somehow it looks differenthere …. for just a few shots ….

Secrets of the government .... or secrets of the heart?

“The M.O.D. is working on a new missile defence system – the Bruce-Partington Programme, it’s called. The plans for it were on a memory stick. We can’t possibly risk it falling into the wrong hands.” (Mycroft)

“Next time I saw him, I could tell by the look on his face that he knew.“ (Joe Harrison)

“What’s Lucy gonna say? Jesus. It was an accident. I swear it was. I was gonna call an ambulance, but it was too late.” (Joe Harrison)

“Then a neat little idea popped into your head. Carrying Andrew West way away from here. His body would have gone on for ages if the train hadn’t met a stretch of track that curved.” (Sherlock)

“Andrew West, known as Westie to his friends. A civil servant, found dead on the tracks at Battersea Station this morning with his head smashed in.” (Mycroft)

The Battersea Power Station …. that’s where the track curved … where it passed a point and the transport changed direction …. and a dead body fell from a train …..

Battersea ... the very same disused power station where Irene meets John ... at New Year ... and Sherlock follows them and overhears their conversation. Until that moment everyone thought that Irene had died because there had been a body in the morgue … at Christmas … the face bashed up … and then, she comes back from the dead … at Battersea …. where the Transport changed direction ….

This happens in ASIB. That’s the episode directly after TGG and the case of the Bruce-Partington Plans. The stolen memory stick with the secret government plans lead Sherlock to the pool where once little Carl Powers died, to John wearing an explosive vest and to Jim Moriarty, Mr. Sex, the criminal mastermind behind that great game. And immediately after the confrontation at the pool, a hiker turns up, just returned from East of GB, with a bashed in head …. because his own boomerang had backfired at him …. sort of a literal boomerang-effect …..

The original characters from ACDs Story

Arthur Cardogan West - goverment employee, twenty-seven years of age, unmarried, and a clerk at Woolwich Arsenal

'West left Woolwich suddenly on Monday night. Was last seen by his fiancée, Miss Violet Westbury, whom he left abruptly in the fog about 7.30 that evening. There was no quarrel between them and she can give no motive for his action. The next thing heard of him was when his dead body was discovered by a plate-layer named Mason, just outside Aldgate Station on the Underground system in London.'

'The body was found at six on the Tuesday morning. It was lying wide of the metals upon the left hand of the track as one goes eastward, at a point close to the station, where the line emerges from the tunnel in which it runs. The head was badly crushed - an injury which might well have been caused by a fall from the train.’ (ACD, The Adventures of the Bruce-Partington Plans)

Miss Violet Westbury - Arthur Cardogan West’s fiancée

Colonel Valentine Walter - the man had to pay a stock exchange dept, needed the money and so he stole the plans of the Bruce Partington submarine and sold them to Hugo Oberstein, a German spy.

Sir James Walter - Valentines older brother, famous government expert and official guardian of the Bruce Partington plans. He died due to a ‘broken heart’ because of the horrible scandal and because he rightfully suspected his brother to be involved in the heft.

Hugo Oberstein - the german spy who killed Arthur Cardogan West with a blow to the head. It was him who had the idea to put the body onto the roof of a train.

Examining the window in Hugo Oberstein’s/Joe Harrison’s flat. Illustration by Arthur Twidle (X) compared to a screenshot from Sherlock BBC The Great Game

Interesting modifications in Sherlock BBC

It is no secret that names are always important in this story, just as the chosen modifications and the resulting differences between canon and adaptation. And a lot of name-changing took place with the story of the Bruce Partington plans. (Source for the meaning behind the names (x)

Arthur Cardogan West stays the innocent victim but his first name changes to Andrew and the second name is entirely omitted

ANDREW (from Greek: man, manly, masculine) Using the nickname ‘Westie’ draws the attention strongly to the unchainged surname. Considering that East and West seem to be of some significance, this modification is maybe not a coincidence. Is ‘Westie’ meant to be the opposite of ‘Eurus’ (EASTwind)? Be it as it may, Westie feels very much like a Sherlock mirror.

Miss Violet Westbury - she stays West’s loyal fiancée but her full name changes ... to Lucy Harrison

LUCY (from Latin: feminin form of Lucius, lux, light) Of course, it is John who comes first to mind, whom Sherlock calls ‘conductor of light’ in THOB. Lucy’s words ‘He (Westie) was my good man’ seem to point in the same direction, that Lucy is a mirror for John.

Colonel Valentine Walter and Hugo Oberstein - thief and murderer - are melting into one character …. Joe Harrison, brother of Lucy Harrison. Colonel Valentine’s older brother Sir James Walter is completely removed from the story. If he weren’t, I would call him a wonderful Mycroft mirror.

JOE (from Hebrew: Joseph meaning ‘he will add’) Not a Colonel anymore but a cycle courier and drug dealer, which is very interesting. Only one main character uses a bike, and this one is John. Furthermore, biblical JOSEPH is the husband of VIRGIN MARY. This fits for John as well. It looks very much like the siblings Lucy and Joe are serving as a double mirror for John.

The canon surnames Westbury, Walter and Obrstein are omitted from this adaptation and replaced with HARRISON. Lucy and Joe Harrison … assuming that both siblings are mirrors for John, certain ideas come to mind by the surname Harrison …. especially regarding John’s sibling Harry, who is still a character without a face.

The place where West’s body fell from the train and was later discovered by a plate-layer/tube guard, changed as well ..... from Aldgate to Battersea. As mentioned above, the disused Battersea Power Station plays an important role in the following episode A Scandal in Belgravia.

The last evening together

'We were to go to the theatre. The fog was so thick that a cab was useless. We walked, and our way took us close to the office. Suddenly he darted away into the fog.' (Violet Westbury, The Bruce Partington Plans)

‘We were having a night in, just watching a DVD. He normally falls asleep, you know, but he sat through this one. He was quiet. Out of the blue, he said he just had to go and see someone.’ (Lucy Harrison, The Great Game)

Lucy and Westie were watching a DVD. It doesn’t say movie or film …. no, it’s DVD. Not really suspicious, in general. Unless though, one remembers what special role DVDs are playing in this story. (Miss me?)

Westie/Sherlock sits through a DVD, then out of the blue announces that he needs to see someone and runs off …. Sounds rather familiar to me.

And while one half of John/Lucy is engaged to Sherlock/Westie, the other half of John/Joe deals with drugs/chemistry of love and finally ‘kills’ Westie/Sherlock. Head bashed in/brain switched off? Hmmmm …..

The places where they live

The first pictiure shows Westie’s and Lucy’s home. Both times, when John arrives and when he leaves, the front of the house is presented beautifully mirrored in the roof of a car.

The pic below is Joe’s flat … it has the number 21A. Also an interesting choice.

An interesting engagement party, interesting canon changes, a surprising turn-up at its end, a very interesting case altogether .... this case from The Great Game, that opens and closes the episode .... the case with the ‘missing’ Greenwich pip.

And it is a ‘dog’ case too

This is probably the most amazing discovery I made when I started to focus on the Bruce-Partington case. There are three scenes in the episode which are visually dealing with that case.

A short review (in Mycroft’s office) of the DVD night, while Mycroft gives John more details about the case

John’s investigations at Westie’s and Lucy’s place

Sherlock and John at Joe’s flat, when they confront the man with his deed and he confesses

In each one of those scenes the barking of a dog can be heard in the distant. That’s not a coincidence, because sounds don’t appear without purpose in films. They are made and added and have a meaning.

A dog barks at the end of PILOT, when Sherlock walks away from the ambulance and over to John. (X)

A dog barks at the beginning of ASIP, right after John wakes from his nightmare. (X)

A dog barks in each of the Bruce-Partington scenes.

Dogs are there from the first episodes onward and in the fourth series a dog - RedBeard - turns out to be a key element of the story. Dogs are important in this very long game. :)

The Connecting Element - an outtake for the barking dogs in the Bruce-Partington case

Shoes for the Hound - a hound theory playing with the idea that Sherlock BBC could be a special adaptation of the Baskerville Hound with the episode THOB embedded in the story and serving as ‘the old tale of the hound’ … the history.

A Case of Identity - old familiy pictures solve the case of the hound

The Big Question - a Reichenbach/Hound Theory

I leave you to your own deducktions. Thanks @callie-ariane for the scripts.

November, 2018

@gosherlocked @sherlockshadow @possiblyimbiassed @raggedyblue @sarahthecoat @loveismyrevolution @sagestreet @idontneednormal

#westies Engagement party #tgg #lucy harrison #Joe harrison #andrew west #bruce partington plans #canon comparison #a barking dog

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morfinwen · 6 years

Note

#2, 5, 7, 10, 16, 25, 32, 40, 45, 52, and 60, please! :)

You didn’t specify characters, so i guess i’ll just have to answer each question for all most of them!

Since i have so many, i’ll be grouping them.

The quartet (Christopher “Chris” Hardie, Reagan Travers, Angela “Angie” McKendrick, Neal Fairchild) are my usual go-to characters when playing a game with some kind of role-playing element, but also have versions of themselves in a more ordinary world, which is typically the one i’m thinking of when i answer questions about them.

“Heaven and Earth” is a story i’m working on with my sister. Characters from this work include Lanzo Ramsey, Ashley “Ash” Jackson, Conri “Connie” Lowell, Aidan Michaels, Nate Vasquez, Niner, Q Free, and Amanda Wheeler.

Next group are video game specific characters - Leah Tolkien from Fallout 4, Elarin Is-Ha'Arel from Knights of the Old Republic, Meaghan Caoilfhionn from Knights of the Old Republic 2, and Avery Hawke from Dragon Age 2.

Lastly, my other original fiction characters, the Raines siblings (Kira, Darcy, and Susanna) and Ian Grayson and Lauren Winston.

In case it isn’t already obvious, this is going to be a long post, so the actual asks and answers are going under a read more.

2: Where does your OC work?

Christopher is an theater actor/musician. He’s not tied to any huge corporations, so work can occasionally be a bit thin, but he’s dedicated and talented enough that it hasn’t caused him many problems.

Reagan has an uninspiring office job of some type. It’s not her passion, but it pays the bills.

Angie and Neal, no idea yet.-Lanzo’s worked a lot of odd jobs. Currently working as a bartender at a magical people-only bar.

Ash does enchanting work on a freelance basis.

Connie … haven’t nailed down his career yet. Something in the sciences.

Q is a bike messenger/courier, also for an occult-only company. At this point in his story, he has not realized this yet.

Niner and Nate are unemployed.

Amanda is a reporter for the local newspaper. -While Leah, Elarin, Meaghan and Avery have a lot to keep them busy, they don’t have specific careers; unless you count keeping their respective homelands/worlds safe as a career.-Kira, Darcy, and Susanna are too young for jobs, unless you count school.

Ian and Lauren work for a blues musician’s crew in some capacity, also not nailed down yet.

5: How old is your OC?

Chris: Early 30sReagan: Late 20sAngie: Mid 20sNeal: Mid 20s-Lanzo: Over 600 (vampire)Ash: Early 30sConnie: Early 20sAidan: Little over 100 (phoenix)Q: Late 20sNate: Early 20sNiner: Mid 20sAmanda: Early 30s-Leah: Mid 20sElarin: In her own game, 27; five years later when KotOR 2 rolls around, 32Meaghan: 30Avery: Mid to late 20s -Kira: 15Darcy: 13Susanna: 11

Ian: Early 20sLauren: Early 20s

7: Is your OC in a relationship?

Most of them are not, because most of them haven’t had their stories completed.

Chris had a couple girlfriends in high school and college, none of which lasted very long. He wishes he’d taken them a bit more seriously, but he parted with all of them on good terms, so it’s not a deep-seated regret.

Neal had his heart broken once. He’s not eager for that to happen again.-Lanzo’s present-day relationships rarely last long enough to deserve the term. In the past, he has been married four times. He has no desire to make it five.

Ash met a very nice young lady named Danae in his junior year of high school. They became fast friends, studied together often, and had long, interesting discussions on a wide variety of topics. Under different circumstances, they probably would have dated each other, but both of them had plans for after-graduation that would take them to very different parts of the world, so they decided to just remain friends instead. They still exchange letters, though since Danae travels so much and in rural locations, Ash has to send his letters to her mother to pass on to her.

Q was in one long-term relationship that ended badly: he tried too hard to be who she wanted rather than who he was, and she cared more about getting what she wanted out of it than making a relationship that could last. It probably hasn’t turned him off relationships in general, but it’s going to take time for him to be willing to consider dating again.-Leah is in her second relationship. She married her high school sweetheart, Nate, and losing him was devastating. It’s strange how different her second partner is from Nate, but he has a lot in common with her – he married young, has a son, and lost his wife. Sometimes she thinks it’s because he’s so different from Nate that their relationship works – when she looks at him, she sees him, not Nate.

For most of her life, Elarin had no real interest in romance; so she’s told, at least, but what memories she still has support that. Then she had to spend several weeks on a planet occupied by enemy forces, and the only person she could count on was a widowed pilot with a hideous orange coat and raging trust issues. Love is weird.

Meaghan’s story is pretty similar to Elarin’s, except instead of weeks it was days, instead of an occupied planet it was a mining station where almost everyone else had been murdered followed by an apartment they had to stay in for a couple days under police surveillance, and instead of a decorated war hero and straight-arrow pilot it was a snarky two-time deserter who never gave a straight answer about his past because he used to work for her worst enemies. So basically the same thing.

As a teenager, Avery had a brief romance with a young man in her hometown that probably wouldn’t have lasted even if he hadn’t fallen in battle and her family hadn’t fled as refugees to another country. Unlike her current relationship, which might even survive the end of the world. Don’t get between Avery and the people she loves.-Kira, Darcy, and Susanna are all too young for love yet.

Ian broke up with his high school girlfriend when they had different plans for college, and broke up with his college girlfriend when she fell in love with his rich roommate’s gardener. Since then he’s decided to focus more on music than relationships.

Lauren has had a couple short relationships, none of which ended well.

10: What is your OCs favorite outfit?

Chris - for every day wear, his pair of good quality blue jeans and red t-shirt. For formal occasions, he has a tailored black suit, a white shirt, and a brilliant blue tie that matches his eyes.

Reagan - black jeans, one of her t-shirts with a funny image or text on it, and her black-with-blue-highlights jacket.

Angie - a pastel-colored blouse, white or khaki capri pants, and sandals.

Neal - long-sleeved button-up patterned shirt, black slacks.-Lanzo - doesn’t pay that much attention to clothes anymore, so whatever is comfiest.

Ash - flannel shirt, brown carpenter’s jeans, suspenders.

Connie - his entire wardrobe is t-shirts (solid color, mostly black but also subdued reds, greens, and blues) and shorts (black or tan).

Aidan - the 1920s were the height of fashion, and nothing will convince him otherwise. He only wears clothes in that style on special occasions, though, so as not to attract (more) attention.

Nate - video game t-shirt, black jeans, jacket with a hood he can pull over his head.

Q - jeans, band t-shirt (all his shirts are band t-shirts, whether he’s listened to or even heard of the band in question), his jacket.

Amanda - black slacks, solid bright color shirt.

Niner - why are humans so obsessed with clothes of all things?-Leah - never used to be that fond of dresses, but having the opportunity to wear one now reminds her of pre-War days, in a good way.

Elarin - whatever helps her blend in her current environment.

Meaghan - Jedi robes, honestly. They’re not flattering but they remind her of happier times.

Avery - there are a couple outfits she has that remind her of absent friends; friends who were more fashion-minded than she ever would be, and insisted on taking her (over her slightly exasperated objections) clothes-shopping for said outfits.-Kira - jeans and a t-shirt, probably.

Darcy - jeans, thick sweater.

Susanna - she has a floral dress she loves, but it’s too nice to wear on ordinary occasions.

Ian - he loves his red flannel footie pajamas, and would never take them off if that was a reasonable option.

Lauren - skirt, floral blouse.

16/25: When is your OCs favorite time of year? What time of year does your OC prefer?

(These two questions seemed like basically the same thing, so i combined them.)

Spring - Angie, for early mornings and warm rains. - Meaghan and Leah, it represents new beginnings. - Nate, associated with his mother’s flower and herb gardens planted on the windowsills and tiny balcony outside their apartment. - Ian, it’s the one season his allergies don’t flare up! As much.

Summer - Neal, loves the heat - stepping outside when it’s warm feels like being wrapped in a blanket- Susanna, NO SCHOOL! :D- Elarin, warm evenings and swimming.- Avery, stays light out later.- Kira, no school, also swimming.- Niner, less trouble finding warm sleeping spots.- Reagan, thunderstorms are awesome, and it doesn’t get dark stupidly early.

Fall - Ash, cooler but things aren’t quite as dead or bleak yet- Darcy, likes being bundled up and drinking cocoa and tea, but without having to deal with ice.- Connie, more comfortable running around outside, and the changing leaves are pretty.- Q, it’s socially acceptable to wear a jacket again, but not freezing cold or too snowy/icy for biking.

Winter - Chris, loves the feeling of dry cold, and some of his favorite outdoor activities require snow.- Lauren, the snow is pretty, and she has more excuses to stay home and away from people (the roads are bad, the flu is running rampant, holiday season).- Lanzo, it gets darker earlier, and snow is just plain beautiful to watch fall.- Aidan, finally doesn’t feel like he’s running too hot all the time! Also has a lot of fond memories of Christmas and New Years’.- Amanda, enjoys skating and cross-country skiing. Also certain members of her family act like they get along for a while.

32: Did your OC go to college? What did they major in?

Chris was a double-major in theater and music – he has a Masters in both, contemplating going for a doctorate in music. He’s also taking night classes in advanced math and physics, which will probably be enough to net him an engineering degree before too long.

Reagan went for a four-year English degree. Being a normal, sane person (unlike some people), she has not gone back for another one.

Angie and Neal, not sure yet. Angie might have gone for a degree, but probably not – she’s brilliant and as driven as Chris in her own way, which is not a way that’s conducive to a college education.

If Neal doesn’t have a degree, it’s something he’s contemplating. Contrary to Angie, the validation of an external organization is something that would appeal to him.-Lanzo - not unless you count the school of hard knocks. According to him, he’s the star pupil of that particular school.

Ash - not formally. He received extensive education in enchanting things from his great-aunt, probably equivalent to a Masters.

Connie - his decision to go to college was a definitive one for him in several ways, not all of them good. He originally just went for some Bachelor of Science degree, but wound up graduating a few years later with two or three after all the credits he’d accumulated (details on what types of degrees to be determined).

Aidan - didn’t even graduate high school. He’s considered getting a GED, but honestly it doesn’t really appeal to him, and there’s not really a compelling reason to try.

Q - no.

Nate - was in his senior year, on his way to a degree in audio engineering, when he died. He has not made any progress since then.

Niner - what’s college?

Amanda - yep, graduated magna cum laude with a journalism degree.-Leah - law degree.

Elarin - no.

Meaghan - no.

Avery - no.- The Raines siblings are of course too young, but college is probably on the horizon for them.

Ian - yes, music.

Lauren - yes, music.

40: What is the craziest thing your OC has done?

There may or may not have been a time when Christopher got drunk during college and woke up the next morning in a strange place with a hangover and a bag full of things he didn’t remember acquiring, half of which were illegal and/or something he had no idea how he would ever have gotten his hands on it. If that ever happened, and if he ever happened to remember what had transpired that night, it would probably be an incredible story that he will not be telling anyone, at least not until he’s sure the statute of limitations has run out.

Reagan isn’t generally into crazy stuff. There’s probably some story where she stepped outside her usual bounds, but even that probably wasn’t terribly exciting.

Angie and Neal, not sure yet.-Lanzo has a long list of things he’s claimed to have done over the years. Given his character, it is … difficult to tell what is exaggeration and what has actually happened.

When Ash was college-aged, he and some friends got a bit … passionate in their attempts to convince their state senator to sign a particular environmental bill. All you need to know is that the giant papier-mâché horse wasn’t his idea, and while he isn’t exactly sure who the guy in the newspaper photo is, he has never gone out naked in public, so it wasn’t him.

Connie once signed up for a night class (Ancient Greek) and an 8 am class (Calculus) in college. During midterms and finals he subsisted almost entirely on coffee and protein bars. It’s mostly a blur now, but there was a period in there where he almost thought he could taste colors, and attempted to verify it with experimentation. Eggs still taste green to him.

Around the age of ten, Aidan and his sister were really starting to get a grip on their powers, and wondered if they could fly. They decided to test it by jumping off the roof of the burned-down barn they lived in. Fortunately, the answer turned out to be “kind of”.

There’s a lot of risky stuff kids can get up to in New York City, especially when they’re with their friends thinking about what would be cool and not thinking about the consequences. Nate spent one summer doing those kinds of things. Then his mother remarried, and suddenly had time to keep tabs on her son and what he and his friends were doing when they weren’t in school.

Q once rode his bike – a regular bicycle, not a motorized one – on a highway. It was late at night, so there were almost no cars, and there was a full moon so he could see well, but the heart attack he nearly had seeing the headlights of a car suddenly appearing ahead of him helped him determine never to do that again.

On multiple occasions, Niner has first gone to a place where it would be unlikely or impossible for a cat to go, then turned into her cat form.

Amanda has interviewed a drug kingpin, and investigated a death that might have been an assassination by a mega corporation. -Leah tends to think of herself as two different people, pre- and post-The War. Given that Pre-War Leah’s craziest stunt involved toilet-papering a racist teacher’s house with friends in her sophomore year of high school, and Post-War Leah’s craziest stunts are things like facing down a ten-foot-tall deathclaw alone, traveling through an area so irradiated it’s called the Glowing Sea, and teleporting directly into the base of villainous scientists with technology beyond the capabilities of any other organization in existence with very little idea of what to expect, that is perhaps an understandable distinction to make.

While Elarin has been involved in a lot of dangerous stuff, she’s not really one for the “it’s just crazy enough to work!” type of plans. Even if it seems crazy, it’s honestly the best option available at the time.

Meaghan regularly walks into deadly, dangerous scenarios with no clear plan of escape. Whether that’s just her duty as a Jedi or craziness depends on who you ask.

For several years, Avery’s closest companions included an apostate mage, a Dalish elf willing to make deals with demons, an ex-Gray Warden apostate mage running an underground clinic for refugees and helping other apostate mages escape the Chantry, a member of the City Guard and the widow of a Chantry Templar, a dwarven merchant, a magically-enhanced elf slave from the Tevinter Imperium who hates magic, and a pirate captain. It’s questionable if one could think they could have such people interact regularly without ending in murder and not be at least a little crazy.-Whatever the craziest thing the Raines siblings have done is, it probably wasn’t all that crazy, especially compared to the other stuff on this list.

When Ian gets started on a long-term joke or prank, like using a fake name or always arriving somewhere in some wild and slightly dangerous way, he feels obligated to keep doing it longer than most people would. It’s a minor miracle he hasn’t been hurt or fired yet over something like that.

Lauren does not do crazy stuff, except maybe her friendship with Ian.

45: Does your OC like reading?

Chris enjoys a good action-y book, usually with the writing quality of a McDonald’s hamburger but fun to read nonetheless. He doesn’t care much for non-fiction, as he learns best by doing.

Reagan has mild dyslexia, and finds it hard to visualize stuff happening in a written medium. She does enjoy books once she gets into them, though that doesn’t happen terribly often. She keeps meaning to try audio books.

Angie reads so much asking if she likes reading is like asking if she likes breathing. About the only genre she doesn’t read is erotica.

Neal likes dense, complex stories with deep symbolism and philosophical themes. He can only read one of those at a time, and then has to take a little while to think through it all, so he sometimes breaks it up with books of poetry - particularly nature or romance.-Lanzo buys pretty much anything on the bestseller lists, wanting to keep up with what’s popular. Most don’t stick in his memory very long, so if he makes a book recommendation, it’s definitely worth looking into – if he still remembers it, it’s either fantastically good or hilariously terrible.

Like Angie, for Ash reading is roughly the same as breathing, though he’s less varied than she is in topic: he prefers non-fiction, or fiction with a handful of characters who interact mostly with nature. He also tends to re-read a lot, since it can be hard for him to find new books he likes.

Connie is not as voracious a reader as Ash, but he tries to read one or two books a month. He also reads all kinds of genres, but has a slight preference for non-fiction.

Aidan is very picky about what he’ll read, and if he ever puts a book down out of disinterest he won’t be picking it up again any time soon (if ever), but what books he likes he really likes.

Nate reads exclusively fantasy and science fiction, more of the latter than the former. Considering recent events, some parts of fantasy hit too close to home.

Q is continually reading new stuff, usually stuff recommended by “if you liked x you’ll love y” lists. He usually only likes half of what he finds that way, but the ones he doesn’t like tend to fade from his memory pretty quickly. He’s a very fast reader as well.

Niner never learned to read, and has no interest in learning.

Amanda loves mysteries, historical fiction, and true crime novels. Outside of that she tries to keep up with journalism-related things.-Elarin likes reading well enough, but only obscure texts, rare books, etc. Fortunately she’s had a lot of chances to find those kinds of things.

Meaghan is not a big reader, but she finds certain kinds of poetry soothing.

Avery never has time to read.

Leah enjoyed reading when she was younger, with a particular fondness for pulpy comic books, but there aren’t many books in the Wasteland, comic or otherwise. She makes sure to collect any she finds in readable condition.- Kira’s just started getting into light horror/suspense, now that she’s old enough that her grandmother lets her. She’s also a fan of mysteries, having been able to read Nancy Drew and Sherlock Holmes and the like since middle school.

Darcy reads a lot. Sometimes he picks a particular non-fiction topic to focus on, other times he reads more broadly. For fiction, he prefers to re-read his favorites, but if given encouragement will try something new. He’s also been known to read university textbooks for fun.

Susanna isn’t a big fan of fiction, but she likes history books, particularly ones that cover what life was like for ordinary people back in the day, with lots of pictures.

Ian likes to pretend he doesn’t read anything deeper than some cheap superhero comic, so unless you know him well or recognize a joking allusion to a more obscure Shakespearean play, you would never know he read anything else. In reality, his reading material is about half comic books/graphic novels (some Marvel and DC, but he prefers less common ones) and half classical literature, particularly the older stuff. He never paid more attention in English class than the year they read The Odyssey and The Iliad, and never confused a teacher more than poor Mrs. Mitchell.

Lauren read a lot when she was younger, but not so much anymore. On the occasions she does read something, however, she really gets into it.

52: How does your OC feel about insects?(Technically some of the mentioned critters are not insects but whatever.)

Chris: They do an important job, so as long as they stay off of him to do it, you go, little bug buddy.

Reagan: She loathes flies and mosquitoes, is terrified of centipedes, and likes butterflies, moths, and spiders (certain kinds). Other than that, so long as they keep their distance from her, they’re okay.

Angie: Finds certain kinds interesting, but like Chris and Reagan, prefers if they keep their distance from her.

Neal: Not welcome anywhere in his vicinity, not even spiders. Any insect he finds inside his home is dead.-Lanzo: He’s more used to bugs than some. Not a huge fan of them, but is definitely more “live and let live” than most people.

Ash: He has supported various endeavors to save endangered bugs, and is more knowledgeable on the kinds found in the Pacific Northwest than most non-entomologists. That said, he has a pacifist zero-tolerance policy on insects in his house (except for certain species of spider).

Connie: Apart from a special hatred of fleas, most bugs would have to tap-dance on his nose to get him to notice them, let alone do anything about it.

Aidan: Live and let live, with one exception. If he ever finds an ant in his general vicinity, he will carefully use a very precise amount of fire magic to incinerate it instantly. Don’t tell Ash.

Nate: Spiders are cool. Cockroaches are disgusting, but don’t affect him much anymore. Both receive the same indifference he gives most things these days.

Q: Prefers to ignore them as much as possible, and more likely to run or move away from one that’s pestering him than squish it.

Niner: If questioned, she has disturbingly (according to Q) thorough and well-researched opinions on which ones are the most fun to chase, and which ones are the tastiest to eat.

Amanda: They are an undeniably important and fascinating part of nature, and she can stand them when she’s out in the wild, but if she finds one in her house it makes her skin crawl and distracts her until she’s sure it’s dead. If it’s mostly benign (like a spider) and hasn’t made a pest of itself, she might be willing to let it outside, but her instinctive response is “kill it! kill it! kill it!” The only thing worse than insects is *shudder* rats.-Leah: In the past, insects generally grossed her out, but she mostly left them alone. After facing down mutated bugs the size of her dog (or bigger), the little ones no longer trouble her so much. The big ones, though – she hopes they’re all burning in hell.

Elarin: Depends on their size, general danger level, appearance, etc.

Meaghan: If they leave her alone, she leaves them alone.

Avery: Spiders are evil, and they’ll stay far away from her if they know what’s good for them. -Kira: Ew, yuck, gross, kill them.

Darcy: Bees make him nervous, since he got stung by one when he was younger, but for the most part he doesn’t notice them unless they’re crawling on his face.

Susanna: Used to hate them, until she did a report on the insects common to her area in grade school. Now she has a long list of insect trivia to creep out her sister when she’s being annoying.

Ian: Tolerates them, which is good because his general living habits mean he always has a minor infestation of one sort or another going on. So long as it’s not termites, he lets it run its course.

Lauren: The best part of winter is most bugs are now burning in hell where they belong.

60: Does your OC enjoy nature?

Chris’ default location, so to speak, is urban, but he likes the occasional venture into “extreme” nature – mountain climbing, scuba diving, downhill skiing, etc. He’ll enjoy nature while he’s out in it, but once the event is over he returns to the urban jungle.

Reagan likes “organized” nature - parks, gardens, beaches, etc. Beyond that, she prefers to experience it through photos or documentaries. Sure, it’s not the same as actually being there – actually being there often involves exposure to the elements, biting insects, outhouses or disgusting gas station bathrooms, labor-intensive hiking or climbing, treacherous ledges, money spent on entry fees or equipment or tour guides, and risking the whole business being ruined by bad weather, sudden illness, or tourists. Photos and documentaries involve none of that, and so are unarguably superior.

Neal also likes “organized” nature, though he has more of a need for it than Reagan. It relaxes him in a way that few other things can. If he goes too long just in cities, he starts to feel drained. That said, he’d be lost if he ever wound up more than, say, fifty miles from civilization.

Angie tries to blend nature and the city – terrariums and potted plants in the house, vegetable and flower gardens in the yard, roads lined with trees, etc. She likes the occasional trip out into “just wilderness”, but prefers having nature more easily, commonly accessible.-Lanzo and the sun are no longer on speaking terms, but even before becoming a vampire he was of the opinion that anything worth doing was something that could be done inside.

Ash lives and breathes nature. If it weren’t for the handful of things tying him to a more ‘civilized’ existence, like his friends and family, he would happily move out into the wilderness and live the rest of his life there. He has a tremendous respect for nature as well, and knows full-well how dangerous it can be if you don’t respect it.

Connie is always a little more at home outdoors than he is indoors, though he usually winds up indoors more often. While not quite as willing to go live in the wild as Ash (despite being better suited to it), he gets a lot out of extended camping trips or hikes in remote nature areas.

Aidan has a particular fondness for the countryside where he grew up, but apart from that, doesn’t really care if he’s indoors or outdoors, so long as he isn’t getting too hot.

If liking house plants and herbs counts as enjoying nature, then yes, Nate enjoys nature. Otherwise, no.

Given the number of bug bites, sunburns, sudden downpours, black ice, and other things he’s endured, Q has a slight suspicion nature has it in for him. Still, it’s more honest about it than some humans have been, and he’s seen some breathtaking sunrises and meteor showers, so it evens out.

Amanda likes to go out into nature on occasion, like hiking in national parks or on scenic bike trails.

Niner has pretty much always lived in “nature”, albeit usually close to human habitation. It’s all right, she supposes. Not the worst, usually. She can even tolerate rain, so long as it’s gradual or predictable, and doesn’t involve thunder and lightning.-Kira loves the rain, and wants desperately to visit the mountains someday. Other than that, she likes suburban living, provided there’s sufficient trees and shrubbery around.

Darcy has, on occasion, enjoyed outdoor activities, like ice skating. He can count them on one hand.

Susanna was already inclined to prefer being outside to in, and then she discovered she was far less likely to be yelled at for being loud or energetic if she was outdoors. The hardest part of moving from the suburbs to the city is the lack of trees to climb and fields to run around in.

Thanks to his terrible navigational skills, Ian has seen more of the countryside in Tennessee than he ever planned on. He’s developed the fondness that comes from repeated, unintentional exposure, like learning to like that dumb pop song that’s always on the radio.

Lauren likes the beach, and seeing mountains or forests from a distance. That’s it.

Okay, that’s probably more information than you were expecting. Hope it was interesting and not too painfully self-indulgent of me. It was fun trying to answer for everyone, though!

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robertmartinezfan · 6 years

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The Job Of An Affiliate Marketer

By Christopher Wilson

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The Job Of An Affiliate Marketer via business self improvement

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flauntpage · 7 years

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Simply Not Enough: Five Takeaways from Jets 3, Flyers 2

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Well… they scored. Twice actually.

Not enough.

Nolan Patrick returned to the lineup from his “upper-body injury” for the first time in nine games. That’s a plus.

Not enough.

Brian Elliott had another really good start – that makes five in a row for him.

Not enough.

Much maligned to start the season, the one other thing that has been pretty steady for the Flyers in recent games has been their defense, and they were relatively good again last night.

Not enough.

Hey, they earned a point on the road against a good team in a difficult building in which to play.

Not enough.

But Radko Gudas looks like he’s going to be suspended for slashing someone in the neck – although the referees didn’t give him a game misconduct until after seeing a replay – which isn’t allowed.

ENOUGH! On both fronts.

Yes Flyers fans, this was another frustrating one-goal loss. They seem to be paramount these days. Much in the way one-run losses crippled a last-place Phillies team this past season, they’re starting to plague the last place Flyers a little now too.

And maybe that’s just the sign of a team that’s getting closer and just doesn’t have that killer instinct to put a game away.

Or maybe it’s a sign there isn’t enough talent on the team to get it done.

Either way, things aren’t looking very hot for the Flyers right now, and at some point, someone is going to have to identify where the issue is for a team that has stagnated both in style and philosophy.

But for now… to the takeaways.

1) Drought’s over… sorta

It didn’t take long for the Flyers to snap their goalless streak. All of two-and-a-half minutes actually:

The Flyers scored. http://pic.twitter.com/YwyUkq0nsx

— Chris Jastrzembski (@CFJastrzembski) November 17, 2017

And then they scored again, less than three minutes later:

POWER. PLAY. GOAL. http://pic.twitter.com/Q9OnFd2ot8

— Chris Jastrzembski (@CFJastrzembski) November 17, 2017

But what do you see on those goals? Here’s a clue: it’s something familiar.

That’s right. They were scored by the usual suspects. Jake Voracek and Sean Couturier with Claude Giroux involved in the action.

Voracek’s tally snapped a 158:36 span of hockey without a Flyers goal. They were starting to sneak eerily close to a franchise record for an inability to score, and only came 41 minutes short.

But there’s a more daunting number that still exists:

263:23

That’s how long it’s been since a player – any player, defense included – other than Voracek, Couturier or Giroux scored a goal. That’s more than four games. It’s more than 13 periods.

It’s unacceptable.

Something has to give. Dave Hakstol has to stop waiting for it to happen and he needs to break up his top line. It doesn’t need to be a permanent breakup – just until the offensive flow can start to regenerate through the lineup. But it needs to happen.

But how do you do it? How do you mix and match and keep lines equally responsible defensively as offensively?

Let’s break it down.

2) A new lineup

First thing’s first. There’s a clog at right wing. Voracek is a lefty shot, but doesn’t like playing left wing. He prefers the off wing. Always has, always will.

I remember former Flyers coach Craig Berube telling me once that if Voracek was willing to learn how to play the left side, he would have much more lineup flexibility.

When I asked him why he just didn’t put him over there and force him to learn, he just gave me a glance and said, “I want to keep my job.”

Well, he didn’t keep it much longer after that conversation.

I wasn’t sure if that meant Voracek had former GM Paul Holmgren’s ear, or word came down from above to Berube that Voracek had to play right wing, or what the case was, but Voracek has remained on the right wing since Day One in Philadelphia, and it doesn’t seem like that’s going to change either under the Ron Hextall/Hakstol regime.

So, who do you move off the top line?

Well, Voracek. Quite simply because you need to plug another right wing there since he has to take a right wing spot in the lineup somewhere.

Conventional wisdom would tell you to put Wayne Simmonds there, but I don’t think that’s a good idea. First of all, Simmonds is in the second longest stretch of his Flyers career without a goal (11 games), so he’s pressing a bit. Not to mention, he’s still likely not completely recovered from a groin injury that has been hounding him for a month.

But most importantly, he changes the way the line is playing.

Simmonds isn’t a playmaker like Voracek. He plays a game too similar to what’s working for Couturier right now – go to the net and make things happen in front.

With two guys like that on the top line, it leaves Giroux as the only creator, and defenses would clamp down on him and force others to create the offense – which they wouldn’t be able to do with any regularity.

No, instead, Giroux and Couturier need another playmaker on the other side.

Enter Travis Konecny.

The young winger has speed to burn, is incredibly creative and is an offensive risk-taker, often forcing defenders to make a quick decision, sometimes one they don’t want to make.

His skating ability will still give Giroux some room to operate on the left side and not clog the middle for Couturier.

Now, Konecny is still prone to defensive lapses – and I know that’s what frustrates Hakstol about him – but playing him with Couturier, who is one of the top five most defensively responsible forwards in the entire NHL, will help cover for those occasional errors in judgment.

He also doesn’t have Voracek’s heaviness with the puck, which could affect puck possession a little bit, but there has to be some trade off to improve the lineup elsewhere.

Now the second line is where things would get really new.

With Patrick back in the lineup (more on him in No. 3 below), I’d love to see a line full of creative types play together, especially if you can coach it in such a way to keep them away from the other team’s top scoring line via a smart deployment strategy. Maybe give them only offensive/neutral zone starts. Maybe make a quick line change if the top unit from the other team is out there against them. Whatever… be smart about their use 5-on-5 and you could end up with something special here.

That combination would be Jordan Weal, Patrick and Voracek.

Again, three different styles, but if you want to instill confidence in Patrick’s game, and get Weal more chances to score, you play them with one of the league’s best assist men.

So where does this drop Simmonds?

Onto a third line I love for grit, puck possession, energy, and reliable defense that you can throw out with confidence against the other team’s top unit without much worry.

This line would be Michael Raffl, Scott Laughton and Simmonds.

Yes, I know I’m breaking up the best fourth line in Flyers history, but again… we’re talking temporarily here.

And yes this diminishes Simmonds scoring opportunities a bit, but it puts him into a role where he doesn’t have to press as much, and can still get to the front of the net. Put this group out there when Shayne Gostisbehere is on the point, or even Ivan Provorov, guys who know how to get the puck to the net, and watch them collect the trash and put it in the bin where it belongs.

Not to mention, Simmonds creates space and Laughton and Raffl are good enough to make things happen with a little room.

Finally, the fourth line, using players that are here mind you and not elsewhere in the organization, would be Dale Weise, Valtteri Filppula and Taylor Leier.

This isn’t a brutal fourth line and actually has a little bit of skill with Filppula and Leier that can take advantage of the fourth line of the opposition.

Ultimately, I’d like to see Mike Vecchione of the Phantoms get a chance here in this spot, but if we’re using what’s on this team right now, this is what I’d go with.

I could also swap Weise with Matt Read and not be disappointed. I don’t want to see any more of Jori Lehtera. I’ve seen enough.

Point is, something needs to change. Because this is one of the most dreadful scoring droughts for 15 of 18 forwards I’ve ever seen.

3) Patty’s back

Patrick returned to the lineup for the first time in almost a month for the Flyers. He did so in his hometown of Winnipeg. He started on the second line, but didn’t play much. just 7:32 of ice time. He didn’t look especially good or noticeably bad. He just existed.

The thing is, he didn’t miss all this time with his “upper body injury” – a.k.a. concussion.

No, he could have played sooner. The Flyers just wanted to work on his game with him. When you hear a 19-year-old player say the things he said, I can assure you he is parroting what his coaches are telling him.

Here’s what he told the Courier-Post’s Dave Isaac before yesterday’s game:

“I think I need to move my feet a little more. I think too much out there. I was thinking instead of moving my feet and making plays. I think I need to contribute a little more offensively and stay good defensively and keep improving on faceoffs. I think those are the main things.”

Yeah… it wasn’t the concussion keeping him off the ice. It was the slow adjustment to the NHL pace.

Patrick will ultimately be just fine. The Flyers are going to baby him a little bit and only use him in certain situations, but it’s good to have the No. 2 overall pick back in the lineup. He just needs to start showing everyone why he was picked there.

4) Steady goaltending?

Those two words are rarely used together in reference to hockey in Philadelphia, but, for a few games at least, Elliott has been really strong for the Flyers.

Brian Elliott coming up big again. http://pic.twitter.com/hrrMvn1VKy

— Chris Jastrzembski (@CFJastrzembski) November 17, 2017

O.K. he didn’t look great in the shootout last night, but most goalies don’t. But in the game, he was excellent again. He made another 31 saves.

In his last five games, he’s allowed just seven goals (1.39 GAA) and has a .954 save percentage. And yet, he has only one win in that stretch.

That’s a tough break. But, he’s keeping his team in every game. He has to with the ineptitude in scoring. I expect he’ll be back in net tomorrow against Calgary, since he was the Flames goalie last year, and probably doesn’t get a game off until next week, when the Flyers play three games in four days around Thanksgiving.

He’s been a recent bright spot for the team while the struggles have been so incredibly noticeable elsewhere.

5) Gudas and the Stripes

Sounds like the name of a bad bar band, no?

O.K. first, here’s the play – which is definitely a penalty and probably deserving of some league discipline, especially with Gudas’ reputation:

Radko Gudas has been given a game misconduct for this play.

What do you think of the call? http://pic.twitter.com/tTL5rQnF6E

— NBC Sports Philadelphia (@NBCSPhilly) November 17, 2017

One could argue that it was just the way Gudas came down and landed on the back of Mathieu Perrault’s neck. But, you still need to be in better control of your stick there.

Gudas has dodged suspensions before, and maybe he does again here – especially since the league isn’t as quick to hand out suspensions if there weren’t injuries involved, which is stupid, but hey.

However, I think Gudas gets one here. It may be just a one game suspension, but I think it’s a send-a-message type pf suspension.

Gudas has regressed so far this season after having a very good showing for the Flyers last season. Andrew MacDonald is close to returning, and when he does, it might not be a bad idea to sit Gudas for a game or two to make him remember that he plays precariously close to the edge. When he stays on one side, he’s effective. When he plays on the other side, he’s reckless and ineffective.

But the grander scale issue here is the scoreboard officiating.

Now, full disclosure, I didn’t watch the first part of the game live. I went back and saw it on DVR after the fact, but I didn’t need to see what happened more than once.

The penalty was originally called a slashing minor on Gudas. But then, the in-arena scoreboard showed the replay of the video, the officials looked up and saw it, huddled together and decided to change the call to a slashing major and a game misconduct.

That’s not allowed.

You can not use replay to change a call – and yet these guys did.

They tried to explain to the Flyers that they didn’t, but that was some serious B.S.

Once again, Dave Isaac from the Courier Post was all over it and reached out to a league official (I’m pretty sure I know which one, because there is one who answers emails during games all the time – and he would be the right person to go to).

Here’s what the official told him via email:

“The Situation Room is unable to confirm the exact sequence of events which occurred between the officials on the ice.”

Translation: Yep. They looked at the video.

That’s a disgrace. The league needs to stop protecting these guys from continued abuse of the rule book or finding loopholes in the rules to justify their poor decisions. There have been far more egregious mistakes in the first 19 games of this season than I can remember.

Whether they ultimately got the call right or not is not the point. The point is, allowing this to happen sets a precedent for the future of the game – and a bad precedent at that.

Not only does the NHL need to do something about this, but they need to address it publicly, otherwise they will be continued to be viewed as a flim-flam operation not just by me, but scores of other writers and fans of this sport.

Simply Not Enough: Five Takeaways from Jets 3, Flyers 2 published first on http://ift.tt/2pLTmlv

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