#sure hope that doesn't come back in any significant way in any significant scene. ...........
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btw Still thinking about the moment where Tula first realizes she's literally, mechanically unable to keep up with / catch Jaysohn when he bolts and runs his full speed. That revelation that she's not fast enough to stop him, or get alongside him, much less get in front of him to protect him if he needed it. The dread terror of it. :(
#N posts stuff#dimension 20#d20: stupendous stoats#burrow's end#Siobhan said it almost like a joke but then Aabria put Weight behind it and oh boy. oh boy. there's Terror there babey!!!!!!#sure hope that doesn't come back in any significant way in any significant scene. ...........#It's like the moment in ep 2 when Tula's initiative fell behind Both Lila and Jaysohn and the only thing she could do was Watch#as they both jumped into the battle ahead of her. because she couldn't keep up with them...#look Sometimes catching a recurring theme in an actual play show doesn't necessarily Mean anything bc of the improv nature of it#but Obviously the dice also tell stories. and Aabria is a Fantastic GM. and the players are Excellent at role play. so it's..... 👀#certainly not off the table. G-D i'm so invested in this season i'm fully gonna lose my mind no matter what happens lmao#i'm on the edge of my SEAT
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*deep breath* Okay. Here we go.
I don't think the Netflix Avatar show likes women very much. It's a great show for fans of Aang, Sokka, Zuko, and Iroh specifically. All four of those characters get a ton of great material. In fact, it's super great for Sokka stans, because the show takes him ultra-seriously and can't go five minutes without one character or another (usually a woman) praising him.
But the way it handles its female cast is troublesome.
Katara
So, all three of the main trio got some changes made to their stories. They changed Aang's story so that he wasn't running away from his responsibilities; He was just clearing his head and somehow accidentallied himself into a tsunami. Whoopsy-dooodle. Aang did nothing wrong.
They changed Sokka's story so that him being a leader of his people and a great guardian warrior is treated with complete seriousness. Multiple times, characters stop to talk about how brave and noble Sokka is for taking on such an intense responsibility, and tell him to his face what a great warrior and a wonderful leader he is. Also his misogyny is erased.
And they changed Katara's story so that she directly got her mom killed because she sucks at waterbending.
Katara tries to waterbend to attack the Fire Nation soldier but couldn't manage it, provoking the soldier to start actively searching for her and forcing her mom to fake a waterbending attack and draw his fire. They changed Katara's story so that her bad decision making fucking got her mom killed.
This is treated with the same level of severity as "Sokka was bullied by mean kids and also his dad doesn't think he's good enough to be a leader."
"I hoped Sokka would do better but not everyone is meant to have people's lives in their hands," Sokka's dad says of him.
Yeah, you're right, that's totally comparable to watching your mom get barbecued because you tried to waterbend in a situation you shouldn't have and then failed.
In fact, they give Sokka's greatest trauma more weight because it gets examined again with Yue next episode, while Katara actively getting her mom killed isn't brought up again at all. We get traumatized glimpses of it throughout the season leading up to the reveal, but after this scene in episode 5, it never comes up again.
But to be fair, Katara was a child. An event this significant would surely have motivated her, driving her to become the great waterbender she is now, right?
No! Katara sucks at waterbending and needs men who aren't even waterbenders to teach her how to waterbend. She requires instruction from Aang in episode 1 to learn how to waterbend, then from Jet in episode 3 to learn how to waterbend better.
And unlike the show, her relationship with Aang isn't a give-and-take; Katara doesn't teach Aang a single goddamn thing. He never learns to waterbend. She is a strictly a pupil throughout the whole season. Though she at least gets officially labeled a master in episode 8, so there's that.
In any case, the whole traumatic memory thing isn't even the only time she's directly compared with Sokka. Episodes 3 and 4 see Katara and Sokka bicker over whose morally dubious side character is better. Sokka likes the Mechanist and Katara likes Jet.
Ultimately, Katara is forced to eat crow when Jet turns out to be the worst, while Sokka is vindicated when the Mechanist sees the error of his ways and reforms. But not before two separate arguments where Sokka calls Katara childish and accuses her of acting like a little girl.
Arguments ultimately resolved when Katara apologizes to Sokka for not adequately respecting his very serious and ultra important role as village protector and leader. Gives him a whole speech about how great and glorious he is. And Sokka... appreciates Katara learning to respect him properly, I guess, because he never offers any similar sentiments back to her.
The show just... They need you to know how important Sokka is, okay? It's very important that you respect Sokka.
Suki
Suki suffers tremendously from that whole "Sokka's misogyny was removed" thing. Y'know, because they need something else to do with that episode. The show is deeply aware that Suki is Sokka's love interest, so they just do that right off the bat. Suki falls madly in love with him from the moment they meet, and spends the entire episode making goo-goo eyes and trying to get him to Notice Me Senpai.
They still do the "Suki Trains Sokka" stuff. But Sokka is a serious, dignified manly man worthy of the deepest respect now, so of course they don't make him wear the Kyoshi uniform. Instead, the main purpose of his training is to allow them to flirt some more. It's less martial arts training and more an excuse to grope each other and near-kiss.
Suki's just a waifu now. She still fights real good, but all of the stuff that made her relationship with Sokka interesting has been erased.
Yue
Yue, similarly, leaps straight to shipping from the word go. They write out her fiance, Hahn, by having Yue briefly meet Sokka earlier in the season. She spends one minute talking to him in the Spirit World about Spirit World lore; In that time, she falls so desperately, madly, unfathomably in love with him that she breaks off her marriage to Hahn and devotes herself to waiting for him to one day come to her.
"Never have I known such joys as that time you let me explain the spirit bear Hei Bei to you. Truly, we are destined to be together for life."
Like with Suki, they go out of their way to have Yue and Sokka already be a ship from the word 'go' so they don't have to spend time developing any kind of meaningful attraction.
They just. They really want you to know that Sokka is the manliest and most desirable man ever to walk this earth. It is very important that you understand how great he is. Women hurl themselves into his arms with zero effort whatsoever, because he's just so goddamn irresistible.
Fortunately, Hahn is super okay with this turn of events. He's the most chill guy ever, he gets along perfectly well with Sokka, and he completely supports Yue's right to dump him! In the famously misogynistic Northern Water Tribe, no less! What a swell guy. Aren't men swell?
June
June gets hit with that "rewritten as hollow waifu" stick too, but her eyes are set on Iroh. They rewrote June to be super attracted and flirty towards the man who was her unwanted sexual harasser in the source material. So that's fun.
Also, she barely does anything. Zuko hires her to find Aang, she succeeds, and then she fucks right off out of the show - But she manages to find time to express how unbelievably sexy Iroh is twice during that time.
She seriously just dropped into the show to flirt with Iroh and leave. She is unbelievably inconsequential.
Kyoshi
And then there's Kyoshi. They really want you to hate Kyoshi. She's constantly shot from below, as if looking down on Aang and the audience. Her voice takes on a demonic echoing reverb at one point as she's screaming at Aang that "THE AVATAR MUST BE A MERCILESS WARRIOR!!!"
She despises Aang, calling him a coward for running away from his responsibilities - Which, I remind you, is no longer a plot point because they unwrote that flaw from his character. So she's just a complete and utter asshole, shot from the asshole angle, yelling violently at him with asshole sound effects. They want you to despise this woman.
Azula
Awkwardly, they do not seem to want you to despise Azula.
There's a lot to be said for how Ozai treats Azula in the original show. The way the favoritism he shows her is every bit as cruel and manipulative as the unfavoritism that he shows Zuko. Ozai does not love Azula. He loves the reflection of himself he sees in her eyes, and his encouragement urges her to polish herself to ensure his reflection always shines through.
This is not that. The show instead erases the favoritism entirely. Ozai doesn't really care one way or another about either of his kids. He plays them against each other, bragging openly to Azula about how great Zuko is and unpleasably writing Azula off as weak and useless.
They've rewritten the dynamic between abusive father and his two abused kids in order to take Azula's pride away. Reimagining her from a gifted prodigy who excels at imitating the toxic behaviors of a father who doesn't truly care for her, to a put-upon overachiever tearing herself in knots to live up to the standards of her unpleasable father.
This results in a truly wild portrayal of Azula as insecure and jealous of Ozai's seemingly love for Zuko. Here, she is simply a browbeaten child constantly complaining to her friends about how mean her father is and conspiring to get one up over Daddy's Golden Child Zuko.
Which she fails at, because she backs Zhao. Zuko deftly defeats her without even realizing they're in competition.
Conclusion
The season ends well for some of these women. It ends promising that maybe we'll see Katara teaching Aang some day. It ends with Zhao bragging that Ozai just used Zuko to train Azula so maybe we'll see the more confident and misguidedly proud Azula some day. Yue becomes the moon like she's supposed to. June's still out there so maybe she'll get to do something again some day.
Katara gets to fight Pakku and lose, but she looks pretty cool. She gets to fight Zuko and lose, but she looks pretty cool. Azula learns to lightningbend because she's just so mad about Ozai's contempt for her and favoritism for Zuko, which isn't how you lightningbend.
But promises of future content fall flat when the content that exists is so underwhelming. This season made its feelings on these characters pretty evident, and it's unwise to expect better material from creators who've disappointed you with the material they already made.
The women of Netflix Avatar simply do not get to shine, outside of superficial moments like the "Women of Northern Water Tribe demand the right to fight and then fuck off and don't do anything for the entire rest of the episode" bit.
"In the midst of battle, we demand that you stop being sexist and give us permission to fight! This is a way better idea than convincing you to teach us to fight before the battle begins."
The characters of this show feel as if they've been reimagined to glorify the boys at the expense of the girls. The boys are treated with a great amount of care. They're dignified and made important movers of the plot, with their rough edges sanded off. While the girls are molded around them.
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PICK A CARD
“kissin’ and hope they caught us.”
what will a night out with your future partner be like?
disclaimer ✩: 18+ mature themes. take what resonates, leave what doesn't. this is my early thanksgiving gift to y’all 💗 i’m so thankful for the constant support and feedback idk how many times i can say it lol but thank you. enjoy and have a great holiday!
PILE i.
i can see you two in a club/party setting. the music is so loud it's pulsing through your veins, it's not usually your scene, but your person is right by your side holding you close. their hand is resting slightly on your back/waist guiding you through the crowd — i feel like they'll smell really good too they have a distinct fragrance on that's comforting to you. i feel like you'll be so giddy and excited to be outside with them and be seen together. lots of heads will turn for sure. i feel like y'all are a power couple…like looking at you two walking in together just makes sense but it also triggers jealousy and disbelief in other people? you and your person may come from different backgrounds or have different aesthetics but y’all pair together very well. they’re gonna be looking so smug lollll your person is the silent but confident type, like having you on their arm will shut everybody up and they’ll love it. this person could be very popular or well-known in their profession…i'm getting a serena van der woodsen type of vibe so people can definitely be infatuated with them. you might not even like dancing but you will with them! you're gonna be on cloud 9 the whole night, pile 1. some of you might not smoke or drink but you’ll feel high/drunk off them the entire night it’s so cute! u are my high by dj snake and future vibes for sure.
PILE ii.
the atmosphere is sensual af, pile 2. it's giving the vibe of a private dinner at an upscale restaurant/bar or hotel. your person planned this out very meticulously, and they managed to pull it off without you knowing too many details. you’ll be so happy to be sitting across from them and enjoying their company — i feel like you both don't always have the time to just sit and unwind because you both have very demanding jobs/schedules. i see you two flirting a lot with your eyes and smiling so big…the energy is very warm and playful. the sexual tension will be very thick between the two of you lol they might make comments throughout the night about how good you look. the lighting seems very dim and red seems to be the major theme so you could be wearing a red dress, they might give you a bouquet of red roses, their shirt might be red — idk it's something along those lines lol the color red is just significant for some reason. the food, their company, and the ambiance will be 100000/10 and the night won't stop there 😮💨 cause when they get you back home? soon as i get home by faith evans just came to mind LOL yeah they’re going to want to make up for lost time and please you in any and every way that they can. OKAYYY PILE 222.
PILE iii.
ah this is my introverted pile! i don't think you get out much, pile 3. if you do it's usually because someone begged you to come out and socialize or you pushed yourself to go. you like having your own space and privacy, and sometimes it's a bit overwhelming having to constantly socialize and be around a whole bunch of people that may not mesh with you. i think that your person will be receptive to this, and will take baby steps to get you out of your shell. they’d take you somewhere where you can relax and be comfortable like a drive-in movie theater or maybe somewhere in nature…it's somewhere you both can be alone and in your own bubble tuning out the rest of the world. i can see them holding you close and you’re leaned back against them just so content and reveling in the precious moment. it’s a night you’ll never forget because you’ll realize just how much they mean to you, and how far you’ve come in this connection. it's reminding me of that picture of ariana grande and mac miller at coachella. so so cute.
PILE IV.
y'all are that cute couple that ride for each other, okay!!! y'all will be so in loveeeeeee my GOSH the passion and desire will be so heavy and evident between you two. lana and asap rocky in the ‘national anthem’ music video vibes — it's like that bad boy meets good girl trope. i feel like this person would want to take you places you’ve never been before…they’d want to get all dressed up in fancy clothes and go out on the town with you. there'd be multiple activities in one night. omg they're so spontaneous it'd feel never-ending! you two will be so giddy around each other lol always cracking jokes and laughing about any and everything. i don’t think that it matters where they take you per se, pile 4. you will have the time of your life regardless. they just know how to light up every room that they walk in and ensure that everyone is having a good time! it's so cute and refreshing, ugh. they're going to really sweep you off your feet. they might have a really nice car and you’ll love being a ✨passenger princess✨ LMFAO they might tease you about it too. this person will be your best friend just as much as they are your true love.
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Hi! May I request a Daryl x female reader the scene where he and Beth played “never have I ever” while drinking moonshine but with female reader?. With some angst and fluff? If it’s okay of course :3
Yes! This is so cute. For some reason I can't remember them playing never have I ever, am I dumb?🙃
"Never thought you were a drinker." Daryl grumbles, taking a sip of his moonshine while motioning to the half empty jar in my hands, my lips burning and stomach clenching at the lack of food.
"I'm not. Must be genetic." I mutter with a sad smile, taking another burning sip of the potent drink, face screwing up in disgust but there's something about the fuzziness that fills my brain every time I take a sip.
"Yeah?" He asks with a gentle laugh.
"Wanna play a game?" I ask suddenly, watching Daryl's brows pull together in confusion. I almost expect him to say no and for him to tell me to shut the fuck up but he doesn't.
"What kinda game?" He questions with a gentle tilt of his head, pulling his knees up to his chest and he leans against the beam of the front porch.
"Never have I ever?" I offer with a smirk, hoping to pull any and all information from him in his state of vulnerability caused by the alcohol.
"I don't think there's much I ain't never done." He admits with a gentle dusting of a blush on his cheeks that I can pick out in the moonlight above us and I grin wickedly, hoping he'll come up with something.
"Whatever. You know how to play?" I ask and he nods, taking another swig before explaining.
"I say something I never done and if you've done it, you drink?"
"Yep, pretty simple." I nod, my heart pounding nervously in my chest, hoping this game will get me closer to him whether that be physically or even just emotionally. "You go first." He thinks for a minute, biting at his lip as he looks out into the woods.
"Never have I ever been in love." His comment makes me sad almost, lips tugging down into a frown as I he shakes his head at me, telling me stop feeling sorry for him.
"You seriously haven't?" I ask and he shakes his head, taking a hefty chug of his moonshine that's nearly gone.
"Don't think so. You?"
"Yeah. Don't like to talk about it though." I huff, taking another drink "Never have I ever smoked weed." I smile, watching his eyes roll teasingly at me.
"Ouch." He takes a large swig, emptying it without the slightest bit of a reaction and he reaches over to grab another, opening it without hesitation. "Don't know if I would've gotten my way through teenage years without it." He admits and it makes perfect sense. I can almost picture Daryl sitting on a couch with his brother, joint between his fingers, ten years younger. That's a handsome picture. "Never have I ever..." He pauses, looking at me intently with a soft look, almost bashful. "...been kissed."
My jaw drops at his confession, brows pulling together as I begin to think back, trying to think of a time where Daryl would've mentioned a past significant other but I can't put my finger on one time where he even mentioned kissing someone- it makes so much more sense.
"You haven't?" I ask, simply out of shock. I know Daryl, I know him, and it's shocking to me that no one, not even some hooker that I know Merle would invest in, would kiss him.
"Ain't that stupid." He scoffs, reaching up to run a hand through his greasy hair, giving it a frustrated tug.
"Not stupid at all." I say before I can stop myself. It must be the alcohol running through my veins and running my brain. "I mean, I could- if you want." I offer nervously, fully prepared for him to shoot me down but when he gives me a little sideways glance, not completely sure if I mean it, I know that he just might consider it.
"Yeah?" He asks, scooting towards me shamelessly and I feel butterflies bubbling in my belly at just the feeling of him so close to me, all I'd have to do is lean in and...
When my lips meet his, he flinches, but he doesn't pull away. Instead he stays frozen until my hand reaches up to rest on his cheek, a smile slipping across my lips at his bashfulness. He pulls away after a moment, eyes wide and lips swollen and I giggle, reaching up to wipe at my lips.
"Yeah..." He mutters, eyes moving in a triangle between my eyes and my lips, almost as if he's asking for another.
"Yeah?"
-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o- Taglist: @bubblebuttwade @rafelover2405 @leslienjazzy @sorceresss @grxnde-dwt @alex–awesome–22 @bunnietoof @niyamar1e @serialghost @plantlungs @geniusohn @akaliltimmytim @lilaalouuxx @xshariex @elliotsbeigeguitar @elle4404 @lelieja @srhxpci @joselyn001 @taysirene @spinkspanther @thedivineuphoria @peter-maximoffs @tsukishimawhore @poohkie90 @szlaco @distantsighs @nstyles4299 @wolflover384 @givemefoodandlovesstuff @vane28282 @yeswhatever33 @amirrahfranson @vvaalleennttiinna @f-mu @yaspillz @jeyramarie @skylievin@abbybarnes17 @jointherebellion215 @visiondaddy @steezysimfinds @its-ya-gay-boi-luigi @crunchytoenailsyum@glizzymcguirex @beth123lg @melovesmut @rafecameronswhore @ariianelle @write-from-the heart @vampviolets@haylee-e @honee-chai-tea @lokiandbuckywife
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(ignore the fact I straight up forgot I had tumblr and pretend I don't disapear regularly)
You've seen the season 5 trailer, I've seen the season 5 trailer, you know my brain is instinctively rotting with no regard to my own health so lets cut to the chase on a run down of said trailer and what the hell I think is going on in it!! Plz excuse the low quality images and if you don't want to see anything from the trailer do not open this next part <3
Something big is coming. Initially my mind went to potential kid at button house but the rest of the trailer kind of had me leaning elsewhere to the idea of them having to move? I'll go into more detail but either or of them feel like they could fit for "life changing" as both having a kid and moving houses are massive steps in life. I'm kind of hoping for the former because there could be a really cute story line there but also the latter is where I'm placing most my bets.
BARCLEY! MY LEAST FAVOURITE AND FAVOURITE GUY AT THE EXACT SAME TIME! I HATE EVERYTHING HE DOES IN A GOOD WAY! No but seriously, Maybe something happens to him and he sees ghosts? Or maybe he just goes snooping a little too much and gets trapped. If so I'd love it if the ghosts tried to mess with him to get him out and we could get a little Jemima back! Though I'm not sure how old her actress is now so it might now work :|
U good Thomas?
I'm feeling like if Cap's backstory is explored here this could be Pat picking fun at him a little on something related to said backstory? Not necessarily but something along those lines. There isn't a lot of context attached to this but I'm kind of hoping it's something like that. It could be nothing though, this line could have been in any season and I would believe you, it is a very them moment. Maybe though its a little exploration of the Cap's sexuality though? I don't personally think he needs one, I think it's better as it is, making it clear that a LGBT character doesn't need to have a whole coming out scene or anything like that to make them valid, more characters who are gay rather than gay characters. I think I've ranted about that before though and how Cap is the kind of rep I want. If it is something like that though, I don't mind, I still love a good bit of rep!
I mean it is what it says on the tin. They are being investigated for the claims regarding the fire. Thus triggers various theories for me, mostly surrounding the fact that that will not go in their favour and will cause financial difficulty but whatever, these claims will control and be the main plot of this series, like how running the guest house was a focus of series 4.
Not entirely sure? Maybe something associated with the previous thing of the fire but whatever it is if it is to do with the fire then maybe some sort of lawsuit is placed against them? MAybe it's assumed that they started the fire on purpose to claim off of it and they're forced to gather money to pay back some kind of fine? I'm not sure of those legalities but it could work and could lead to an ending of them being forced to leave for financial difficulties. On that maybe it's to do with the loans from season 1 that Mike took out and they simply ran short of cash for paying it back. Regardless, it wouldn't be so significant in the trailer if it wasn't important for the series (probably)
... I'm not happy about this but also I am. The clothes, the room dress, this just is a Kitty flashback. Hey maybe it could be Thomas but it couldn't be anyone later. I don't know when the pineapple became more popularised but everyone's shocked, Kitty was shocked at the concept of a pineapple in earlier seasons and just look at what she is wearing. Whatever episode this is in, this has to be the episode where we find out how Kitty dies.
IDK BUT LOOK AT THIS INCREADIBLE SCREENSHOT I TOOK HE LOOKS DEMONIC
Same to the Kitty point. This has got to be Cap dying. Even if it isn't it's a little bit of backstory because he has his lil hat on! I can't read the signs so I am likely missing a huge context lump but the sumary of it's his backstory stuff I think covers the most part. This too will likely shatter my entire soul
Oh boy that's gonna be a stinger. It looks like older decor in a way so could be a flashback to when older ghosts and Robins friends got sucked off (chance for a little Mary appearance??? PLeaSE) but also the floor (maybe because of the low quality) looks kind of dusty and leafy which likely means nothing but to me it associates with the current disrepair Button house is supposed to be in? That is likely (and hopefully) me reading too much into things but if so, I'm going to bawl either way. Regardless, we will see someone else move on, mostly clear due to what Robin was saying over the top (Something like "There is battle to when one of us go whoomf")
Maybe about Alison and Mike leaving? He's trying to lighten the mood? Or talking about peoples deaths? I know lots of people have said Caps death is probably going to be something very silly and if so this would be a likely appropriate response. Or its him talking about his own death and is one of those things trailers do to make them more editable for adverts as it is the last season, going out with a bang is an appropriate little phrase for them to snip in.
I'm absolutely stuck on this theory that Alison and Mike will be forced to leave Button house at this point, hence Kitty's reaction which would be pretty appropriate, 'nough said.
This feels significant. Like REALLLLLY significant and I can't figure out why. Maybe the framing? I have no clue but currently thinking if it is forced to leave, they had until midnight on a specific day to pay money or if not, maybe the time that the captain died? Maybe he died after being attacked or something while wandering around Button house at midnight and Alison finds out after finding him sleepwalking around the house which he has always done but she's never noticed before. Like how Fanny always throws herself out the window. It would work as well because of the time difference as that clock I believe is about 4 hours behind so if he died at midnight then he'd be walking around at about 4 which would be a bit late for people to be up (ordinarily)
Nothing really to add, just reiterating that they all look pretty crushed and defeated in this screenshot - throwing hands at one theory AGAIN
Sorry for how long this was but in summary: I think the gate house burning will cause massive financial problems for Alison and Mike and they will spend the entire season trying to fix these problem but be unsuccessful. We know how heart-breaking this show can be after all. It would lead to a very tragic but very round ending where Alison and Mike are forced to leave via financial difficulties and they are forced to say goodbye to the ghosts and there could be a heart-breaking scene as they pull away and the ghosts run after the car like children following their parents down the road. The though crushes me a little but I feel like the most logical ending is that they have to leave. If that is how it ends though I think the last line should go to Julian awkwardly standing there as everyone's sobbing and he just kind of goes "... Now what?" I don't know why, I just think it would be funny :D
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Do you have a favorite underrated Buddie scene?? I mean we have so many epic heavily loaded scenes we all concentrate on that it feels like some of the ones that would be heavy fodder in other Fandoms get overlooked.
For me it's that tiny moment during the call center fire when Eddie called out for Buck and we see him look back then say here hold this to the other firefighter, I gotta go help my boyfriend right now. I'm not sure why the subtlety gets me so much. Maybe the underlying fact that Eddie is "with Buck", meaning Buck should be leading. So it kind of cool it shows Buck will still follow Eddie any where. I don't know I just love that little moment!!
Hi Nonnie, thank you for the lovely ask and for your answer. I love it!
Oh, I feel like with my weekly Buddie meta I have probably yelled too much about too many things, so I'm not sure I have a right to speak. Even if I did, I'm not sure if my choice would be exactly "underrated," but I guess I would say the 202 to 204 arc of Buck being introduced to Chris and choosing to step into Eddie's mess with him.
Everything about this is gold, any one of these could qualify IMO as an underrated moment in Buddie's love story:
The way Buck wants to know who Eddie is trying to call in 202. Damn, Buck, YOU WERE AT EACH OTHER'S THROATS TWO SHIFTS AGO, KEEP IT IN YOUR PANTS!
Eddie's hesitancy, but willingness to share the most pressure part of his life, the most vulnerable part of his heart, with the guy who was a dick to him just two shifts ago. I GET IT ALREADY
The way Buck keeps encouraging Eddie to believe the best possible scenario when it comes to Chris, a child he literally has no investment in, and Buck's doing it even at moments when Eddie is not giving an indication of being distressed. This is where Eddie first sees Buck is marriage and co-parenting material, and there's no faster way to Eddie's heart than that
Eddie choosing to let Buck drive him to Christopher's school, meaning reserved Eddie allows the guy who was a dick to him just two shifts ago to witness his emotional re-union with his son, and accepts that he will introduce them to each other as Buck will drive them both home at the end of 203, NO I AM NOT OKAY
Buck choosing to get involved and help Eddie with Chris by introducing him to Carla in 204, just everything about that ep is WILD and I have not been able to shut up about it since s2, but really the most significant thing will always be the way Buck doesn't have to be told to step into Eddie's mess with him. Buck WANTS TO
I hope this kinda answers the question? Thank you again and have a lovely day! As always, you can find my ask tag here. xoxox
#ask#anon ask#buddie#911meta#911 on abc#911 abc#buddie meta#911 meta#911abc#9-1-1#evan buckley#eddie diaz#911onabc#911#edmundo diaz#evan buck buckley#christopher diaz
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Wake me up when July is around
Chapter 4 Chapter 5/?
Steve's POV followed by Billy's.
Billy's POV in the car scene is canonically accompanied by Ted Nugent's screaming "Wango Tango"
***
"Who THE FUCK put a fucking dildo in my locker ??"
Hargrove's voice is booming in the school hallway. It's between angry and .. what is it, amused? Why is it fucking amused ?
Billy's turning away from the locker to scan the faces of those who happen to be around. People have heard the question. There are faint gasps and surprised giggles spreading across the hallway.
Harrington pretends to be digging in his own locker looking for a book, although he's dying to see Billy's face right now. How pissed is he exactly? Or better yet, how embarrassed ? He can't look now though, not that fast at least, or he'll betray himself right away.
Some guys are gathering around Hargrove to take a look, and Tommy is of course the first one to put his nose inside Billy's locker.
He's whistling
"Looks like you got yourself a secret admirer, man."
Carol is snickering and all the guys start laughing and whooping loudly, girls just hiding shocked giggles in their palms.
Steve thinks it's safe to watch the show unfold now. However, he quickly becomes disappointed.
Because that's definitely not the result he wished for.
Hargrove doesn't look embarrassed at all, what the hell. The motherfucker is grinning, like life has just become much more interesting. He takes out a box with an average-size skin coloured dildo and raises it above his head for everyone to get a better view.
"Oh look, there's a bow wrapped around it!" Carol, Tina, Vicky and other girls are close to being hysterical now
"Didn't know this school had welcome gifts for newcomers. Not bad, Hawkins High, not bad at all."
"Why would anyone .. how would you even use it ..?" Carol's curious, for fuck's sake, Carol is blushing but Hargrove just looks entertained
"You're asking very good questions. Let me just .." Billy bends and whispers something in Carol's ear while she covers her mouth in utter delight, eyes getting bigger and more illuminated
"Easy, bro!" Tommy is playfully shoving him away
"That's my girlfriend. Hands off." Carol looks intrigued and excited and not like she minds Billy whispering obscenities to her
"Sorry, man. My bad." Hargrove raises his hands in the air as if apologizing. He's still holding the box in one hand and throwing the other one around Tommy's shoulder, talking low so that only he and his significant other can hear him
"Maybe you and Carol can have some fun with that thing? I bet you can't get something like that around Hawkins. Someone must've put real effort into it."
Carol scrunches her nose in eager disgust, and Tommy looks interested but shakes his head, laughing.
Billy looks around until his eyes lock with Steve's.
"Yo Harrington! Any idea how it got into my locker, man?"
Steve is shrugging his shoulders, lips curved in a mocking smile
"Nah."
Harrington can see that Billy wants to say some more but restrains himself
"I'll just keep it here in case anyone needs it .. for some fun and games."
There's a teacher turning the corner and walking towards the loud gathering of teens
The crowd disperses, Hargrove bangs his locker closed, people still laughing and joking about the whole thing
Nancy comes back from the bathroom
"What happened here?" She takes Steve by the hand.
"Ugh, nothing. That new guy just wants attention, as always."
"Let's get to class?"
"Sure." Steve kisses his girlfriend's cheek.
"You seen it, man? The fucking sex toy??" Tommy is going to talk about it for a week.
Nancy speeds up and Steve has to follow.
Damn it. Fucking damn it! That is not the outcome Steve was hoping to achieve. He wanted to see Hargrove's face turn red, wanted others to make a couple of nasty jokes. It seems he can't really make people dislike Hargrove cause they already love him so much. It's like no-one is immune to Hargrove's charm.
The way Billy was easy about the whole thing, the way he's easy about a lot of things? Breezy and carefree, the way he can laugh anything off, and people will laugh with him. And still there's like an iron wall inside him, that hidden strength, the backbone.
Why is he not ashamed? Why is he not afraid?
What the fuck is his secret? And what the fuck is his problem ??
Steve is not listening to Nancy. He's not listening to the teacher during the class. His mind is busy with more important stuff.
So yeah, it was Harrington. He put a sex toy in Billy's locker. The whole affair needed some preparation, of course. Effort was definitely applied. When Steve was visiting Indianapolis with his parents at the weekend and shopping for new clothes, he had already been cradling the idea for a while. So he found a sex shop, put his sunglasses on, got inside, grabbed the first dildo he saw, paid for it in cash and left the store with a wildly beating heart. Then on Monday he stayed late after classes and picked Hargrove's locker. Looked around inside it. Nothing that stood out, just books. A picture of the ocean waves rolling on the vast sandy beach, stuck to the door. Must be California or wherever this asshole is from.
He stuffed the dildo in Hargrove's locker with a bright red bow wrapped around the box. Valentine's Day is too far away. Surprise, bitch, October Valentine's.
No, but seriously the motherfucking ass bitch. Why is he so fucking annoying, so annoyingly calm?
So the plan didn't work. Okay. Maybe it was stupid from the beginning. But .. take Steve, for instance? Steve would totally be pissed if he found a gift like that. Tommy would launch a whole investigation, sniff out and crucify the joker. All guys would be furious, like .. whatever would they need a dildo for? Is there an implication hidden in there?
But that jackass Hargrove didn't bat an eye. Cool as a cucumber. In fact, it all started with the giant cucumber he had given Harrington during that memorable Health class when Billy was teaching the class how to use condoms, ironically probably making half the girls present pregnant just from the sheer sexual energy of it. It was when Steve felt the underlying agenda, a probable insult like Hargrove was fucking with him, choosing the biggest of all the vegetables specifically for him.
Hence the dildo. Maybe Billy can stick it up his ass and unwind a bit. Leave Harrington alone. Become less exasperating.
Shit. It all played out not like Steve wanted it to. So much effort gone to waste.
Well, no, wait, wait. Not really. Every failed attempt is an experience, right? Now Steve knows that if he wants to bring that arrogant dick down a notch, he has to strike on a different level. Deeper.
Steve's gonna make him embarrassed. He's gonna make him fucking humble. He might just have come up with another way to do it.
Another little scheme.
Harrington's sixth sense is telling him there's something wrong with Hargrove.
Something .. something Steve has never come across face to face before, it's in the way he taunts Steve, in the way he looks, no, stares at him. There's a secret, there's a problem, and Steve's gonna take advantage of that.
Why does he want to do it? Steve just hates the used to be the most popular guy badge. Yeah, he's got a girlfriend now, a serious one. Relationship material. Well, maybe too serious, really like .. he likes her, even loves her, but he's been trying to make her loosen up a bit, you know? Try something different other than sweet and romantic and missionary. Shake her down for some fun. All in vain. Also, that troubling conversation they had when he was bringing her home last Friday? When Nancy suggested he should get Byers a camera to replace the one that he'd broken. What the fuck was that ?? Anyways, that's not the point here. So yeah, Steve's in a relationship, and Tommy has told him a couple of times already that he's walking a slippery slope of becoming pussy-whipped, but he's still fucking King of Hawkins High and he doesn't want some Californian self-entitled hotshot, the fucking pleb coming to his town and all of a sudden stealing the crown? All girls' eyes are on that ass, all of them are drooling to get a ride in the flashy blue car. All guys want to be Hargrove's friend. Tommy has been following him around like a bitch on a leash. He's doing good at school, he's superb at basketball.
Stupid fuck.
Harrington is not ready to let go of his title that easily. He still wants to be crowned prom king at the end of school year. He doesn't want to lose to that piece of trash who thinks he's the hottest shit.
Also, you know what, Steve would actually be absolutely fine with this new pain in the ass called Hargrove, if he quietly minded his own business. The thing is, he doesn't. He comes at Steve, he thinks he can take the fucking liberty of making obnoxious remarks, stick his nose into Steve's life, fucking push him around during practice like Harrington's a little snotty loser? Hargrove's been doing it since day fucking one, who the hell does he think he is?
Steve's not mean. Well, he's not the meanest, really. He never bites first. The photo freak? He deserved his camera to be broken. The creep was taking pictures of them, of his girl, in the middle of the night, hiding, like a stalker. What should Steve have done? Should he have patted him on the shoulder, great photos, man, real artistic shit, wow, do you mind taking a couple while we are actually making love?
Steve only bites when he gets bitten.
There is something else, too.
On top of everything, deep down, he hates the fact that Hargrove has somehow managed to sneak his way into the back of Steve's mind. Fuck knows how and why he got there. But he's there. Just yesterday morning, in the shower Steve was washing off the memories of a very vague but intense wet dream featuring Billy.
So he sets the new plan in motion.
It's really simple.
Next time they are in the showers, Harrington throws a glance at Billy. Doesn't say anything, throws another one. When Hargrove looks back, Steve averts his eyes. It's a matter of milliseconds.
Next day when they have basketball practice and Hargrove starts his usual dance, Steve pushes him back like he usually does, only gentler. Just a tiny bit, a whiff of less force, but Hargrove notices. It throws him off his game, like an unexpected stumble, and Steve is sensing it, like a hound.
In the showers he looks at him again, a second longer than the previous time.
Slight confusion is written all over Hargrove's face under his usual asshole expression.
Steve can feel it in his gut that Hargrove, despite being smart, has taken the bait, hook line and sinker.
Maybe, just maybe Steve has an idea what Hargrove's secret is, and he can make it work in his, King Steve's, favour.
Now all he has to do is wait for the right moment, keeping the interest up in the meantime. The moment when Billy slips, gets too greedy, and takes a big bite, Steve will hook him fast and reel him in.
Watch him choke on it.
Not for everyone's amusement, but exclusively for his own.
He will make this asshole humbled.
***
***
Billy knows it was Harrington. He's not dumb. It's the spoiled brat's way of saying "stick it up your ass and shut up already." It has a hidden message, a private message
It's payback for the biggest cucumber during health class, and a smirk that was painted all over Billy's face.
Jesus Christ, Harrington couldn't have ignored it, could he?
He wanted Billy all flustered and shocked and flailing his hands around like oh my god who could've done it, what should I do with it, why would anyone put something like that in my locker?
Or he wanted Billy shutting his locker quickly bursting into a bashful blush and looking around like someone's has found out his most shameful secret?
You picked the wrong guy, amigo.
I'm not one of you hick town prudes. A fucking sex toy could never make me embarrassed.
Weak, doll face, so weak. Is that all you got?
One thing is clear for Billy after this small episode.
Harrington really might be fun.
Too bad he's in a relationship that seems to suck all the spark out of him.
Although lately Billy has noticed something weird. Like something really.. impalpable has changed. The electricity current has become slightly different. It's dislike, it's jealousy, but with a sparkly tingle to it all now. Billy can't put his finger on it.
***
It's Friday, and Max is fucking late, again, like when is she gonna learn ?? Billy has been waiting for twenty minutes already, and his blood has been boiling for the same amount of time.
He finally spots her coming out of the middle school building talking to a couple of boys. One that looks like the nerdiest nerd ever, and the other boy's black.
If Max is gonna hang out with a black kid, Neil's gonna flip.
Guess who he's gonna flip at? Billy thinks in this case both he and his stepsister are gonna be caught in the same raging shitstorm.
Max, Max, Max, you seem clever, have you not figured out who your mom married yet?
It can become a really big problem.
Max gets closer to the camaro
Billy takes a drag. For the hundredth time, dear stepsister
"You're late again."
"But Mr. Clark was explaining the project assignment.."
"Jesus, I don't care. You're late again, and you're skating home again, nevermind what Neil says."
The red-haired leprechaun pouts and looks at Billy like she hates him.
She does, and Billy's fine with it. The second he's out of this town and heading west, he'll forget he even had a sibling.
When Max is sitting in the car, Billy notices a little smile on her lips like she's thinking about something funny. Stepsister seems to be in good mood?
Let's foul it up, out of spite.
Life is not a bowl of cherries, Maxine.
"God, this place is such a shithole."
"It's not that bad."
"No?"
Billy's sliding the windows down. It's farmland air, with all the smells that it implies
"Mmm .. you smell that, Max? It's actually shit. Cow shit."
Max doesn't seem to understand what's gotten into her asshole of a big brother.
"I don't see any cows."
"Clearly, you haven't met the high-school girls."
Why the hell did he say that, they are okay. Well .. Cali girls are way better, but like .. who cares. He's getting meaner by the second.
Max clearly does not want to keep this conversation going, but Billy's not done talking
"So what, you like it here now?"
"No."
"Then why are you defending it?"
"I'm not".
Why are you lying??
"Sure sounds like it."
"It's just we're stuck here, so .."
"Hmm. You're right. We're stuck here."
That's true. Maybe, just maybe if Susan was from another state, -- Florida? Oregon? Massachusetts? .. still closer to the water, could be breathing that ocean air that Billy misses so much, -- they would've moved there instead of the fucking middle of nowhere.
"And whose fault is that?"
There's a barely heard whisper
"Yours."
The fuck you mean? Your fucking mother was yapping about all the relatives out here, "Could be nice to be closer to the family, honey .." Could also be awesome to tear all what's left of the connections to Max's dad
"What did you say?"
"Nothing."
"Did you say it's my fault?"
"No."
Why are you lying ??
And why the hell is it my fault?
Max is looking at him with a scared expression on her face. It must've become clear to her that she blurted something really stupid that she shouldn't have
"I don't know."
"If you don't know, then shut up."
Max might be afraid of him but she's also stubborn as fuck
Just like Billy.
"It's just that .. you know it's about your mom."
These words are said in the direction of the car window, but Billy hears them nonetheless
"What did you just say?"
"Oh my god, nothing!"
Nooo, you didn't say fucking nothing.
My mom, Maxine .. My mother. Do not ever talk about my mother.
My mother is probably happily married and having a kid or two who she loves and cares about, and I'm stuck here where I don't wanna be, and dad's an asshole, and like .. the kind that wants to break you and turn your whole soul into a fucking desert, and I have this gaping hole in my chest, which nothing can cure, and you're a little piece of shit having your fucking theories which have no ground whatsoever, and you have always had your mom by your side, and now you have friends here, and you like it here already, and dad never fucking ever blames you for anything, cause I'm his scapegoat the whole fucking time, I never wanted a fucking sister!
Billy feels an upsetting sting in his eyes.
Two things in this world can bring him to tears.
Two people.
Mom, who he doesn't have, and dad.
Billy's not gonna cry in front of his stepsister. Instead, the mood swing has been set in motion, and he's close to rotating the full circle.
Fuck, Maxine, why did you have to bring up mom? Two people can make him cry, but mom is literally the only person, the mention of whom can make him unpredictable and completely off the hinges.
At least Neil is a constant. Billy knows what to expect. The old man doesn't hold any surprises anymore.
With his mother? He expected her to come back for him. She told him she would come back.
When he was little, right after his mom had left, and after the last phonecall when she still promised to come back for him
Soon, baby
It had already passed five or six months, then a year, and his hope was vanishing but somehow still there
And he cried more and more seldom
Cause there was no point
She didn't hear him
He used to stay on the playground and swing on the swing set till his head got dizzy, he wanted to fly so high, do the entire circle, denying all laws of physics
He imagined he would fall down and break a leg or something or worse and he'd be taken to hospital and his mom would somehow find out and run to him and take care of him and .. she would love him
He's swinging so high now, he wants to go all the 360 degrees
Billy changes gears and the car is gaining speed. He's turning up the volume of the music. Let's fucking tango, the upcoming song is a perfect match for his mood. Blood's pumping in his veins faster.
He's already spiralling and he doesn't give a fuck. Let the concrete wall stand in front of him now, he still won’t slow down
Max is sinking into the seat and clutching onto her seatbelt like she usually does when he's speeding dangerously
The fact is, Billy has done something stupid. He wanted to find his mom, okay? And what is more stupid, he tried fishing for some information about her from Neil. He tried asking him cautiously, heart almost jumping out of his ribcage, if his mom was still living in California. It was stupid and reckless, but he's done it out of hopelessness, because where else was he supposed to get anything on his mother?
No grandparents left, no relatives on mom's side.
Naturally, the only information that Billy got out of Neil was a hard grab of his hair, like his dad wanted to scalp him, red face distorted with anger and spit flying
"If you ask one more question about this whore .."
"She's not a whore!" Billy never learns.
Neil just shoved him against the wall with all his force and said, voice cutting what was left of Billy's heart in two
"One more question, and you don't have a car anymore, you don't have a home anymore, you're out in the street."
Anyways, it wasn't the reason for their move, but Max overhead their conversation with Neil that night, Billy saw that her door was cracked open and he could swear he saw her shadow standing by the door eavesdropping. She must've gotten ideas.
He spots a bunch of kids riding their bikes on the road
Could make use of that.
All right! One two three four
Come on boys
Time to wango!
"Billy, slow down."
"Oh, these your new hick friends?"
Max looks terrified. Bingo.
He's in luck.
"No, I don't know them."
Why is she always fucking lying?? Just say fucking yes, for once!
"I guess you won't care if I hit 'em then?"
My baby got no control
"I get bonus points, I get 'em all in one go?"
She do the wango tango
The kids are pedaling faster. Just turn off the damn road, you idiots.
"No, Billy, stop. It's not funny."
Being late is not funny. Lying is not funny. Bringing up my mom is not fucking funny!
"Billy, come on, stop it. It's not funny. Stop!"
My baby she can scream and shout
"Billy, stop it!"
My baby she can take a chance
Max grabs the steering wheel, the fucking kids finally turning right and falling off their stupid bikes, and Billy and Max, too almost end up on the side of the road
Thank fuck Billy might not be in full control of his rage, but he's always, always in control of his car.
"Yeah! That was a close one, huh?" He sounds like a madman.
Why like? He's mad, at everything and only getting madder
Wango tango
Wango tango
It's a wango tango
Oh yeah!
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Any thoughts on Mike's suicide attempt in S1? Do you think there could be a call back to that moment in s5?
I'm going to be honest, the first time I watched the show, I really didn't pick up on the implications of the quarry scene, but upon rewatching it, boy did it get me. The context around that scene is so heartbreaking, and we even hear Dustin saying "I don't need teeth" to Mike while Troy is threatening him; he's saying to Mike that his teeth aren't worth Mike's life, and yet Mike is perfectly ready to step off the cliff if it means that his friend doesn't get hurt, because he doesn't see the value in living any more if it means they have no way of getting to Will and if so much of what Mike believed about the world no longer holds true. I really think that one of the reasons Mike clung so tightly to El was because it gave him hope that there was a way to overcome that darkness that took over Hawkins, the darkness in losing Will, and when he's not only lost Will, but also lost that one thread of hope he was clinging onto so tightly when he thinks El left, Mike doesn't know how to make sense of his reality or what the next step to take is. This is what giving up for Mike looked like, because at least then Dustin could keep his teeth, and he could do some good. I really think that Mike felt so powerless in that moment, because all through season 1, we saw Mike actively trying to help to find Will even when he was told not to. He wanted to do everything and anything in his power to get Will back safe and alive, and if that meant putting himself in danger in the process, then so be it. But Mike felt as though he alone wasn't enough to save Will. I really think that the quarry scene is kind of the turning point for Mike's arc, because he relinquishes his role as leader of the party here. He no longer feels like what he has to contribute is meaningful in this endeavor, and I also think that this feeling of worthlessness that Mike felt at the quarry is also helplessly intertwined with his entire relationship with El. El once again steps in and plays her part as the superhero to save Mike's life, and of course he's grateful to her for that because I'm not really sure that consciously Mike wanted to die, but at the same time, I don't necessarily think he felt relief in her coming back because he felt like his own life mattered, I think he felt relief because he could still cling on to that hope that Will could be saved. But even still, Mike believed that El was the one who mattered, and not himself, and I think this moment is really key in understanding the development of Mike's superhero idolization and fixation on El when Mike thinks she dies at the end of s1, because El symbolized this hope and this new understanding he had of the world, this ability to change the boundaries of reality, and in his eyes, this was the only way to get Will back, so without her in season 2, he throws himself into being Will's protector without truly believing he's enough to protect Will.
I think we're really meant to see the significance in this moment when it's called back in season 2 with Ted saying, "If your friend jumped off a cliff, would you jump too?" Because it contextualizes this scene completely differently than the initial interpretation that it was just about Dustin. The connotation was that people believed Will had either jumped or been pushed off of the cliff into the quarry, and Mike had been willing to follow. It indicates to us as viewers that there was so much more going on in this scene than what initially met the eye, and that Will was always centered there.
I think it would be a great narrative choice to see a callback to the quarry, but I'm not quite sure how I would want that to happen yet. I think that so much tragedy has already taken place there that I would like to see some form of healing taking place in a return to the quarry, an intimate conversation about loss and how much the friendship (or something more) that exists between Mike and Will means to them both individually. I'd like to see a reclamation of the quarry in a way that doesn't lack the acknowledgement of the trauma surrounding it, but that also makes it a meaningful place to look back at and think, thank God it didn't end this way for us.
#byler#byler endgame#byler nation#ask#mike wheeler#will byers#el hopper#stranger things#st#the quarry#will byers is gay#mike wheeler i know what you are#cw suicide attempt
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The Heat The Night Brings
Garvez
wc:3,261
Fit for all consumption
Wrapping up a spring break case in Florida, the team joins the Miami-Dade CSIs for some after work drinks and dancing.
JJ and Tara banter, Penelope dances with Eric, Luke doesn't like it.
It smells of salt, ripe fruit, and overly ripe bodies, heat hanging in the air oppressively clings to skin, that same oppressive heat prompting the night’s outing.
The teams, spread out across tables under the Miami stars, rejoice when fresh pitchers of white, fluffy, frozen daiquiri are laid out in front of them.
It’s been 6 hours since they caught the guy responsible for so many spring break murders- murders spanning years, some jealous cameraman working for a show dependent on exploiting drunk college girls. They were lucky to have caught the guy when they did, narrowly saving the woman who would have been his fourth victim this season. They were all glad that one of the production crew had been following the cases, remembered those poor girls, and that he had spine enough to come to the cops about their connection. Because of him it was finally over.
With the suspect apprehended, normally they’d be back on the jet headed straight for home, but there was a hurricane threatening the coastal Carolinas, so instead of altering the jet’s flight path and hoping for the best, the team of agents agreed to wait one more night and spend some time with the team of crime scene investigators who they were able to assist in closing the case.
~~~
“It’s uncanny”
“It’s unreal”
“It’s disgusting!”
The two women turn to Penelope, waiting to hear what gauze of refusal she’d come up with this time.
“They look nothing alike! Alvez? Uck!” her face twists up expressing her displeasure, the same protest she’d made each time someone brought it up during their stay here. “Eric? Eric is…delicious. An Adonis with dimples and the most succulent, cherubic lips…” she bites hers and pulls the straw of the icy concoction up to her mouth as she, JJ, and Tara compare the features of Luke Alvez and Eric Delko, the two men completely unaware and immersed in their own conversation three tables away.
“You really don’t see it?”
“I really see the finest hunk of Miami’s finest talking with SSA Blandsome, Wonderboy, and the delightful Natalia, if that’s what you mean by ‘it’.”
“Penelope, they could be twins.”
“Pft, as much as Arnold and Devito, but definitely not in that sexy sandwiched and mirrored type of way.”
“Hmm the lady doth protest too much, methinks”
“Can it, Gertrude.”
Tara and JJ share significant glances and stifled smirks. She could deny it all she wanted, but they were trained profilers, and Penelope was terrible with secrets even when she wasn’t talking. The fact that the whole team, save her and Luke, saw it, was only additional fodder.
The trio watched as Luke’s doppelganger looked over, catching their appraisal, and grinned. Eric, saying something to the group, downed the remaining rum and lime slush in his glass and left the table, sauntering to theirs.
What’s a little fun between departments? Penelope, she’s quick, and witty, and cute and if her body language, her banter, has been any indication, she’s on the same page.
Pretending to continue conversation with Spencer and Natalia, Luke repositions himself, tracking Delko, watching as their Tech Goddess beams up at Eric, placing her hand in his and follows him from the tables to the string-light clearing in the middle already filled with people enthusiastically dancing off the day’s humidity.
Women like macaws in brightly colored dresses and partners in light guayabera as their uplifting skies crowd the dance floor, but there’s only one couple Luke cares about, only one bird his watchful hunter’s eye stays on.
As Spencer continues to talk about whatever it is they were talking about- Luke isn’t really sure anymore- somewhere in the mushy distant part of his brain he detects the upturn of a question, a finalizing statement. “Yeah, no, absolutely” he agrees, trying to keep up the charade, pretend that his whole focus hasn’t been drawn to the interaction between Penelope and Delko.
“You think the orcas are somehow harnessing the signal put out by their location tags to track and attack specific yachts?” Spencer asks, oblivious to Luke’s preoccupation, confused by the response.
Covering her mouth, Natalia breaks into a fit of giggles which breaks the spell for Luke, attention snapping back to the people across from him. “What?” He feels the back of his neck flame against the already sweltering heat, embarrassed, hoping he hadn’t been caught, and somewhat ashamed at his own behavior. Normally he would have been listening with rapt attention, soaking up every bit of information Spencer could throw at him, but tonight he’s finding himself…troublingly distracted.
“Luke, I was joking-” Spencer says, looking from Natalia to his friend.
“Yeah, no, obviously, Spence” he says lightly, as if he’d been joking too, because obviously orcas reworking technology to their advantage would be an insane theory. The orcas that had been attacking yachts, right, that’s what they’d been talking about. “I think these drinks are stronger than I thought. I should go burn off some of this alcohol.” Luke claps a hand to Spencer’s shoulder, “I’m gonna take a walk, check in with the rest of the team.”
Getting up, Luke barely registers the parting words trailing after him and casually weaves around the tables, eyes never leaving the dance floor for long. Joining Tara and JJ at their table, he fills Penelope’s abandoned seat, closer to the dancing couple.
~~~
“That was mighty quick work confirming, and tracking down the camera man, I’ve never seen fingerprints come back so fast except on my own computers.” Penelope changes the subject.
It’s not that she doesn’t find him attractive, she very much does and gives zero cookies who knows, but as much as she wants to…something’s tugging her back.
What was that?! What is wrong with you?
“Yeah, it’s a miracle how our janky old system just perked right up the second you walked into it’s life,” Eric lowers his forehead to hers, eyes flashing as he murmurs, “don’t worry, I won’t rat you out.”
A goofy smile spreads on her face at the contact, the shared secret, but she plays at a haughty tone, sniffing, “I don’t know what you’re talking about, I guess I just have that effect on computers.”
“Mmm, computers aren’t the only thing you have that effect on…” his fingers sweep from left to right across her back landing at her waist, “Some coincidence though that it started to show it’s fondness when we were all out in the field and you were alone inside…”
Penelope mockingly gasps and hits his shoulder, “That is a pretty serious accusation- Tampering with another office’s equipment, especially if it happens to be with code that isn’t on the market… I would never risk my job like that.”
Eric tilts his head, fingers curling and brushing down her sides, hands slipping lower as his hips continue to swing and guide her through the dance floor, "If I borrow Speed's bike, it'd only take us 20 minutes to get there..." He switches back to the original conversation, an art installation someone built under a freeway in Ft. Lauderdale, about 30 miles from where they are. “You’d love it, a woman prying herself apart, exploding with nature’s beauty, exposing a little hideaway of plants. Paradise in paradise big enough for two…”
Penelope laughs pulling back, eyes glittering up at him, the daiquiris working their way to her head, but still she feels some shadowy cause for refusal, “That’s gonna be a no for three reasons, Officer Delko; one, this hair does not go under a helmet. Two,” her fingers tap his chest as she counts off, “it certainly doesn’t go 90 miles an hour, even for art, even for a sculpture as finely constructed as you. And three,” He captures her fingers, kissing them, Penelope quickly pulls them out of his grasp, continuing, “AND THREE, we are not stealing your best friend's motorcycle.” Despite the part of her saying she can’t, she’s enjoyed flirting with him throughout the case, is enjoying the feeling she has right now… It’s been a while since she’s let herself act like this with someone, been receptive to someone chasing her like this, openly, honestly… maybe it’s because she knows it’s nothing serious…unlike…
“Officer? What happened to Eric, Penelope?” The stroke of his thumb as he purrs her name breaks her train of though, the humm of her skin under his, the pounding of the drums beneath the soles of her feet traveling up her legs. “Just leave Speed to me…unless there’s another reason you haven’t mentioned, give me half an hour and I bet I can strip those three reasons down to none…”
She smiles again, her cheeks smarting, her hand sliding from chest to flexing bicep, a week of playful toying volleyed back and forth coming to a head. She thinks of Emily, of HR…of Tara and JJ…and Luke…No, no other reason…no 6-foot, broad muscled, soft spoken… completely endearing trap of a reason. “I’m sure you’ve had lots of success stripping a lot of things down to none given very little time, Eric.”
He laughs, grinning at the blonde, a woman who, in spite of their myriad of differences, reminds him of someone else, someone he’s been waiting on to catch up to him, maybe in the same way he suspects Alvez to be waiting for her. Peering back at the tables, his eyes briefly connect with a piercing stare, Eric shakes his head and twirls Penelope in time with the music. If there really was nothing between them, he was definitely continuing tonight’s crusade, but maybe tonight would unearth something different.
~~~
“Not dancing, Alvez?”
Luke gives a dismissive glance to the group in the middle of the tables “Floor looks a bit crowded…figure I’d cool off here with you two.”
“Conversation with Reid heating up?” Tara questions.
Luke smirks thinking about his slip, “Only if you’re a sailor.”
JJ leans forward planting her elbow in a clear spot on the table, chin in hand, “What about pirates? You’re not going to step in? I mean, there’s professional courtesy…and then there’s that,” she says as she points a finger toward the dance floor.
The trio look over, finding Penelope and Delko not far from them, not that Luke isn’t already acutely aware of what’s happening to his left. Delko’s playbook is par for the course, though he can’t object to his taste.
Still, sour irritation shadows his face at the sight, the reply coming out more terse than he intends, “Garcia knows what she’s doing, she doesn’t need saving, and she definitely wouldn’t appreciate it from me.”
Delko isn’t a bad guy, she doesn’t need protecting. Besides, she isn’t his to protect. Not by a long shot. Not even in his wildest dreams…And yet, something about him touching her, dancing with her…the way he leans in to whisper in her ear and she throws her head back laughing, blushing, touching him…how her hands rest on his chest, her focus immobile, singular, his hands dangerously close to…
Nothing- he reminds himself, ‘dangerously’ nothing. Penelope’s allowing this.
Still, the obvious assumption that her body is free rein to him, something about the whole thing makes his blood boil and fingers tense. Makes him simmer animalistic for reasons he knows he can’t legitimize.
Luke thinks about pulling anyone on to the dance floor, swaying and grinding, but it wouldn’t draw from her half of what she’s doing to him, possibly even reignite that bullshit macho player tag she loved to pin him with, and in the end it would only highlight his desperation to those who knew them best.
“Do you think she has a thing for bald, muscular guys, or is it just a coincidence?” Tara muses.
“Mmm, not sure…” JJ says thoughtfully, “What was it she said about Jason Statham…?”
“Oooh, that his voice grated on her.”
“Derek…Eric…Maybe it’s the names.” Tara and JJ trade teases back and forth, “Luke just doesn’t have the same ring to it, does it?”
Tara’s words weasel their way through his thoughts in the way he wished someone would weasel their way between a particular pair of bodies. Chuckling, Luke turns his attention back to them, determined to let the situation roll away with the tide, “I know what you’re doing. You can stop, we’re teammates, friends, nothing more.”
“And here I heard the heart wants what the heart wants-”
At that his eyes snap to Tara, recklessly unaware of how close she is to voicing the truth he’d discovered about himself only so long ago.
“Thoughts, Luke?...No. Maybe the heart doesn’t want it bad enough-”
He’s well aware of JJ watching the exchange, his reaction, hopes he’s kept his cool, his looks neutral, like every time they’ve teased him before. But his mind can’t help but yell. The heart does want…the heart wants what it wants, or else it does not care.
Emily Dickinson, you aren’t a man in the specific situation of respecting the boundaries of work-friends-maybe-more relationships with a woman in the 21st century.
Thoughts race and images flood, feelings welling, churning. Between Penelope dancing with Delko, and Tara and JJ twisting the knife, his brain nearly doesn’t care.
Is Delko really that much more charming? Likable? Genuine? Could she never entertain the thought of seeing him as more? Admitting that she did? Even after all this time? See through her rash judgment? Or is it something else altogether?
She steps in and steps out, arm flying, tucking, being tugged and twirled, out like an unraveled cinnamon roll, and back in, her body with his, hips dipping and swaying wildly, Penelope whipped up. It’s a dizzying mix of daiquiri and gravity forming a delightful kind of vertigo, her body moves like the ocean, like it knows the steps before she does, his hands a magnificent guide drifting lower, lower, lower
Fuck it, ‘yo-ho’ Feet slapping brick, side stepping hips, dodging legs and skirts and errant hands, unable to stop the draw or contain the carefully boxed need, Luke parts the throng, led by the yearning to crash into her, the deep sense of knowing all would be right if she was just-
He could say there was no premeditation in the move, no planned action, that it was a case of catatonic automation, his hand reaching out as if not his own, snatching her away, but the force he uses to tandemly push Delko away is perhaps too much, and the fuzzing relief he feels as she rolls into him, giggling softly and grinning up at him is telling. He knew what he was doing, he simply didn’t care anymore.
Eric stumbles back, shoulders jostling as he regains balance from being propelled into those dancing around them and watches dazed for a second, mouth breaking into a lopsided grin, knowing. He watches Luke, watches Penelope, sees her expression and the way she relaxes- he hadn’t been the only one to know, the teasing was blatant, the lovesick look the agent gave to just one member of the visiting team, but her denial was so adamant he was willing to put aside his suspicions.
Penelope, tottering, can’t help but notice something’s different, she just can’t put her finger on it- The….hair? The build? No...maybe something around his eyes…it’s definitely in the eyes. Did he suddenly look older? -Those eyes, they put her at ease, the warmth suddenly flooding her, not at all connected to the heat of the day.
Luke doesn’t give a single glance in the direction of the friendly cop, no apology, no acknowledgement, all thought, all attention, devoted to the woman now at home in his arms. Penelope, right where he’s needed her for months now.
Lost in her eyes, he can feel that dumb smile creeping across his face, feel it even as the music stops and changes time, feels it as she stops, but the grin doesn’t break, and neither does her study.
That smile…those eyes…his hold is different now too. She’s still working out the change she can’t put her finger on when the song ends and the band, in a change of pace, opts for the first slow dance of the night. It’s a sultry bolero-son, slow, whining horns and guitar. She’s about to back off, but his hands hold her firm.
“Of all the things to scare Penelope Garcia, I didn’t think slow dancing would be one of them...” The smile shrinks to a small, lopsided teasing thing, eyes narrowing.
Breath catching at the accusation, at his hold, her eyes flicker across his face, sure that the key was just there… “Ha! Death, sure, dancing? Pft!”
Unwillingly her feet move, Luke turning them both, guiding them away from the tables, out of the vision of prying agents, closer to the music as he slowly dips and sways in time with the beat, “Prove it. Come on, dance with me, Penelope.” If she really didn’t want to, if she let go, he’d walk away…
Her eyes narrow in return, body pressing closer, leaning up to his ear when the light crisp smell hits her, warm eyes and teasing smile flashing through her mind, snapping into place, Alvez. Tara and JJ.
She jerks back, body freezing for a split second, the confirmation flitting and disappearing, Penelope quickly realizing she’s proven them right. Staying like this with him would only be further ammo…But then, while he’s here, she might as well mess with him. Leaning back in, Penelope’s lips brush his ear whispering, “Is dancing the only thing you want me to come on…and do tonight?” It’s bolder than anything she’s said to him before, possibly more telling, but the only one hearing it this time is him.
Reflexively Luke coughs a laugh, flustered, and ducks his chin away and to his shoulder, stepping back, putting space between them, acutely aware of the effect her proximity was having on him, how all of her melded in contact with all of him, the images thrust at him from the suggestive question. He shakes off the deliberate riling, the purpose behind it, then steps back into her space, determined to keep moving forward, “You’re not getting out of this that easy. Dance with me”
It’s insistent, but a question. One she makes the mistake of looking up at, looking at him, at the deep brown looking back at her, the soft pleading…and lets him hold her there, hold her in the same way she feels his arms, his hands holding her, soft, and warm, and steady and strong…and gives in. “ONE. One dance,” she agrees, though she isn’t sure why. “Call it your prize for today’s daring heroics.-NOT that I approve of heroics-” That damned smile spreads into those eyes at her edict and she hates it, but not as much as she likes that she knows it’s just for her…
Work, friends, maybe more…Maybe one day they’d figure it out for real…Maybe one day she’d let him. Maybe one day he’d give up. But tonight they’re dancing. Tonight the stars are shining above them and the waves are crashing in the distance and the band is playing loud and clear and everyone else is miles away and it’s just them, just him, just one dance…and who’s to say if neither of them notice when one song blends into the next, when night blends into day, when nothing blends into something…
#criminal minds#csi miami#garvez#penelope garcia#luke alvez#eric delko#jj#tara lewis#fan fiction#snail's tales#ao3
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Okay, okay...
So I know the entity in episode three of The Sounds of Nightmares likely isn't connected to Mono at all. There are too many plot holes and it perhaps has better parallels elsewhere.
But I don't think it was entirely by accident that so many of us latched onto the idea.
For starters, Noone begins her recounting of the dream in this way.
"In the dark... A hand let go of mine."
This statement doesn't seem to connect to anything that was happening before or anything that follows.
Hand-holding was a pretty significant aspect of Little Nightmares II. Mono and Six would give each other boosts to reach high places, catch each other when making a long jump, or if you were so inclined (and I was because it was cute) just hold hands as they walked along.
Until of course that last scene. You know the one.
In the dark.
When she let go of his hand.
The second major connection is the Mall itself.
A living structure, able to bend space and time, and give you exactly what you want if it means you won't try to leave.
I believe that's what happened to Six in LN2.
It gave her back her music box. How would it have known about that? Perhaps it saw into her mind. Saw something she wanted.
After all, when we first find her she's sitting alone in the Hunter's basement just playing with it.
Not trying to escape or anything.
perhaps it would be enough to pacify her? (It's my theory that Six has been in Nowhere longer than Mono, and is, therefore, closer to the monstrous than he is.)
In the case of Noone, if we imagine it's the same entity, it seems its tactics and vocabulary have improved since Six's imprisonment. The illusions are more complete, less dreamlike. Perhaps as a side effect of being able to keep Mono. Learn from him. (Total headcanon here, but I like to believe that eventually Mono and the Tower begin to work as one.)
It's also the only non-hostile entity (not counting the Nomes) we have met in Nowhere.
It's just lonely.
So terribly lonely.
And who can blame it? If it grew from one little boy, abandoned in a deep pit by his only friend.
(Maybe that's why his purpose as the Thin Man was simply to abduct children and bring them back to the tower. But I digress)
But let's get back to Noone.
Once she enters the projection booth, she comes face to face with the true nature of the building.
A giant eye working as a projector, and a pulsating mass of flesh. The building is literally alive, and the image is instantly familiar to the listener.
The illusion even begins to tear itself apart at the seams when she tries to run. The same as it did for us in the game.
Anyway, I'm not sure to what end these similarities exist. I don't think it was the intention of the showrunner that Noone meet Mono.
But hey, I think we all felt like we'd gotten socked in the gut when we finished Little Nightmares II.
So is it any surprise that we're desperate to see him again, in any form? To hope that he finds some kind of solace, even if only for a short time?
I mean, I do.
So even though it's not strictly true (unless stated otherwise by the developers) this is a headcanon that I hold near and dear to my heart. Like a beloved bootleg plushie.
This is not to say that I disagree with, or even dislike other interpretations.
Basically, It's just that Mono is my poor sweet baby child and I wuv him. 🥺
#Little nightmares#the sounds of nightmares#Noone#Mono#The tower#the mall#Theater of the mind#I'm just saying things#feel free to take it or leave it#I hope I explained it alright#I'm not so good at articulating my fannish thoughts lately
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hi, it's me again, the anon with the "911 characters have no real ambitions" ask :) i agree with your take and the takes of the people who reblogged and commented on this. it's interesting to see other people's opinions on this, and i'm glad i'm not alone with it.
911 is solely about this one team and allowing this team to change in any kind of way would go against what the show is about in its core – i never expect it to change in that regard, hence my deep disappointment. especially during season 3, i was so hopeful that they might be brave and allow the characters to slowly test the limits of their own comfort zones and the rigid team dynamics. buck asked the others if they would all still be in touch even if they left the 118 (hen and chim admitting that they didn't stay in touch with former team members), and eddie said something like "this won't happen to us". and like, yes, that is the point! if they truly are a family, shouldn't they be encouraged to spread their wings and be allowed to be their own persons? it would not have hurt the 118 but rather enriched the characters and family dynamics. again, i get that 911 would and will never do that. you need much better writing to pull this off, after all.
in the end, the complete lack of real character arcs is a fatal flaw (or how the one user called it, a "build-in bug") and the inevitable demise of the show. in the long run, having set up the narrative like this, it means that nothing that ever happens to them will be allowed to have real consequences, that none of the drama is allowed to matter long-term, that none of the characters are ever truly challenged and changed and developed. comas and (near) deaths and suicide attempts and trauma and disputes and disagreements and attempts to leave the team and attempts to try different careers. all of it falls completely flat because we, the audience, already know how the story will end. there is no suspense. we know better than the characters that they'll end up back where they started anyway, so why waste our time feeling excited over things that won't matter. you can have the 118 go to space with their ladder truck in season 10 to save the world and there will still be zero suspense. you cannot rinse and repeat the exact same storyline every new season without the audience losing interest at some point, because flat writing can only keep you afloat for so long. new season starts out with some inconsequential drama (again) that triggers usually complete exaggerated reactions in the characters (again) which ultimately leads to nowhere (again) because in the last episode, the 118 family must be together (again). and again, and again, and again, and again. all it does is slowly but surely chip away at the integrity of the characters until you cannot even stand them anymore.
i agree that one can enjoy a good romcom movie or a romance novel where the focus is romance/love only, of course! however, there is a significant difference we must acknowledge here: you have one (1) overarching story arc with one (1) final resolution for those narratives (resolution usually means canonization of the main couple). with 911, though? you have years and years, seasons and seasons, of one (1) circular story arc. every season, for all the seasons, no matter what happened, the characters end up where they started, oftentimes completely nullifying things that happened to them which would have been pivotal points in any well-written narrative. but not in 911, because character development is the enemy. how much longer can 911 go in circles before it meets its expiration date and starts stinking like old fish? tbh, that has started for me in season 5 already, which is why i only pick and choose specific scenes to watch while skipping out on like 80%. it doesn't even matter. i'm not missing out on anything because there simply is nothing substantial to miss in the first place.
sorry that this got so long... i hope this doesn't come off as negative towards you or anyone because i'm just rambling sdkjds. i'm just sad and frustrated that the characters i really loved in earlier seasons, who had interesting and unique backstory and so much potential, will not be given real arcs and goals. they all have cool "begins" episodes, they all have cool pasts, they all struggled immensely! only to land and forever be stuck in the 118 hamster wheel where nobody is allowed to develop and leave. orz
Anon, I spent a couple days trying to figure out how to answer this. As I read your ask, I said to myself “it sounds like they’ve given up” and indeed, at the end, you said you pretty much have. So I’m not sure anything I say will help or shift your perspective on anything. While I fully respect your take and see where your concern is coming from, I don’t think I necessarily agree on all points.
I’m interested that you don’t seem to think the characters have had full story arcs. I think, fundamentally, that isn’t correct. Yes, they haven’t advanced in careers. But Buck used to be a self diagnosed s*x addict with commitment issues, family issues, self esteem issues, you name it he probably had it. Look where he is now. He’s grown up. His relationship with his family and his sister has never been better. He’s still not the best in relationships with women, but he’s come worlds from where he was before. Plus, he’s discovered he’s queer, which is absolutely huge for him. He’s gone through so many up and down arcs that I can’t even list. Every season, we have him moving forward. His arc is really beautiful. I didn’t even used to like Buck, but now I adore him.
Eddie Diaz. His arc is still very much ongoing, but it involves him digging through his PTSD and his own self esteem issues. He goes through the trials of being a single dad. We see him have a full on breakdown in season 5 because he couldn’t keep going on like he was. He even left the job briefly to work PR, but came back.
Bobby Nash. Came in as an alcoholic with a death wish. A little black book to fill before he offed himself. Now look at him. He’s married to Athena, he turned the 118 around from its regressive state into a family, and has in recent times still shown that he has in fact still got it. I think we get a little less drama with Bobby personally speaking but he’s still undergone a huge arc and I’m hoping we continue to get more.
Chimney. Oh boy, the arc on him is tremendous. From the man that lied to the girl he was dating and held very little care for himself to a dad, a soon to be husband, a very competent senior paramedic, and a loyal friend. The Chimney we have now is not the one we had originally.
Hen. She cheated on her wife originally. Their relationship in and of itself took a huge arc, through healing and learning to trust again to trying to grow their family to fostering and now looking at adopting. Through Karen almost dying and us learning where they began and how far they’ve come. Hen herself came from having to fight tooth and nail for respect and decency at the old 118 to the paramedic who takes over as Captain when the need arises, even though Chimney is technically more senior. She was the one closest to advancing career wise, as she was going to be a doctor, and while I’ll always be sad that didn’t happen, that itself was a rich and in depth arc that if she had continued on that path, would’ve taken her from us.
I could go on, but my point is that there are plenty of character arcs. We’re still going through all of them. Just because they may not involve career advancement or changes that may permanently take a character from us doesn’t discount their validity.
9-1-1 isn’t a show that will ever be a revolving door of actors and main cast and I’m happy about that. If anyone wants that, find literally any other emergency drama. 9-1-1 is a rarity in keeping most/all of its main cast. In order to keep that, unfortunately, we have to sacrifice some things. But that doesn’t leave us with a rom com. This show isn’t centered around romance, it’s centered around family and finding love (platonic and romantic) and growing personally. Romance just happens to be a part of that. I personally still find it suspenseful and love the big emergencies that they do.
You may not. Others may not. And that’s ok, we all have our preferences. I just don’t necessarily like seeing 9-1-1 written off so blatantly when it’s still a rich and developed show.
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final thoughts: hannibal season 3
this was so overdue but finally. finallyyyy i finished hannibal. that's so exciting. and i liked it! the first two seasons especially were awesome, really well done and so expertly committed to itself. the third season, i think i'll have to say it underwhelmed me a bit.
it's not really that i didn't like it, but i think a lot of the developments just weren't given proper setup to actually mean anything. not even just with the three-year time skip, which is where most of my problems stem from, but even like... alana's relationship with margot? there was no buildup to that before suddenly they were fucking. and without that foundation i'm not really sure how to feel about that. to me that just came off as "well both of alana's love interests are unavailable, so let's pair the spares" and the spare happened to be margot, since she has her whole pregnancy subplot. there was no on-screen chemistry, no attention to their relationship outside of a bland confirmation and some nods to it in passing, nothing to sell the relationship. and i kind of expect a relationship like that to be sold pretty well, since it ties in with margot's character arc and alana is a major character who deserves time spent on her own arc.
also in general the whole "surprise, everyone lived (except abigail)" thing made me roll my eyes a bit... i like the characters but the total absence of consequences for that massive confrontation feels pretty cheap. and they were all fine! hannibal is the only one who walked away from the season 2 finale with any lasting (visible) disfigurement or scarring. alana fell two stories directly onto her back but she walked around with a cane for a bit and now she's fine. jack made a full recovery we didn't even see the process of. will has a little scar on his belly. i found that whole thing pretty disappointing, like the showrunners were trying to undo their own writing. some of the disappointment definitely comes from my excitement that they had alana in a wheelchair for a short period; i let myself hope that she'd been paralyzed from the waist down, based on the way they showed her skeleton as she hit the ground. maybe i'm just a guy who wants consequences and thinks those are more important than aesthetic. who can say, really.
my biggest issue with the season, though, was the time skip. i recognize its importance for the plot, but molly and walter absolutely got the short end of the stick as a result of it. this could have been avoided if will had met them before the skip, yknow give them some time to marinate and show some kind of chemistry (there's a trend here...) instead of just plopping them into the story with no warning and announcing that they're married. will and molly are a perfect parallel to alana and margot, in that they lack any emotional significance to the audience due to poor setup and execution. which is a shame, because the sparse few scenes molly and walter were in made an impression on me—it was just sorely underdeveloped. and it's kind of a shame that they drop off the face of the earth as soon as molly wakes up in the hospital, like their well-being doesn't really matter to the show and it's evident in the writing. i'm not saying like "they deserved better" or anything, god no, but it is difficult to find the relationship believable and enjoyable when the show itself treats molly as some kind of cockblock to hannigram. which is a bizarre thing to type out actually.
i think my last real gripe was that will and hannibal should have kissed. i don't even necessarily find their relationship overly compelling, at least not in a "i ship them" way, but the situation they were in and the fact that will hurled them into the ocean called for a little bit more passion, i believe. calmly resting his head on hannibal's shoulder i think does something of a disservice to the feelings that have been building inside of will since the first season, especially as everything spirals out of control around him and he comes to terms with his need and disgust for hannibal. will has strong emotions for him, and so it makes sense that he would react strongly in this scene where tensions are at their highest and will has finally made a world-ending decision regarding his relationship with hannibal. will just saved hannibal's life; he chose him. they killed a guy brutally together. there really was only one option going forward with the release of the scene, and the show failed to follow through. i read somewhere that they were supposed to kiss at the end, originally. i'm interested in why this decision was changed, because at the moment i fully disagree with that 🤔 passion begets passion, not fucking. whatever that was lmao.
i do love the decision to hurl them into the ocean though, especially with the context that this is where hannibal took miriam and abigail. it firmly paints will as yet another victim of hannibal, and yet this image is distorted because of who will is and who he's become (and the theme of "Becoming" in the second half of the season was really well-placed imo, and continued a nice strong theme reminiscent of the transformations in season 2) under hannibal's influence. with the push and pull will experiences with hannibal, there's no other option for him. he can't live with him, he can't live without him. and so he chooses to die together—i wonder if hannibal thought of dazai as they fell off the cliff.
i actually quite liked the red dragon plot. i mean, i'm not entirely sure how i feel about francis himself, i would have liked more exploration of his psyche maybe i don't know i guess??? but his relationship with reba was extremely compelling in such a refreshing way for this season. the other relationships were bland in comparison, to put it lightly, so i was all in with francis and reba. i like how they ended up too, and i like what they both obtained from each other. the self-loathing francis struggles with and the pity from others reba struggles with meshed really well and created a great emotional arc. i love how francis tried to save her in the end, in his own way, and how she influenced him for the better. like will said, she saved lives just by showing him love. i appreciate how receptive francis was to that affection, and how gentle he was with her to contrast the brutality of his murders. it was really well done.
god i think there's probably more i want to say, particularly about bedelia because damn her ending was something, but i'm so tired and this is so long already. so i'm gonna go to bed instead 💗 and tomorrow i will, at long last, start season 10 of supernatural lol. overall i liked hannibal, it was well made (at least for the first two seasons, i think the third has a lot of glaring issues...) so i'm really happy i finally got to watch it. insane show for insane people, my favorite :)
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I hadn't really thought about this until recently, but there's something interesting in how Jerry and Henrik's "how did that make you feel" conversation in "We Need to Talk About Fredrik" has Jerry point out to Henrik: "You had gone out of your way to make this new F1 passive, to remove any sense of agency or free will from her."
Because that, I think, ties back very much to what Henrik did to Sahira. That was exactly what he wanted to do: make her passive, give her no agency or free will.
Obviously the situation Jerry was describing, with Nicky, was different. That was an attempt at "protecting" Nicky and Meena, as Jerry points out himself. Henrik was making no attempt to "protect" Sahira - at most, he may have told himself that's what he was doing so he could sleep at night. But looking at his actions in that storyline themselves, no, it's most definitely not his actual reason: that would be that he was in love with her and thought that made him entitled to her somehow. But there's a similar goal in both, even if the reasoning was very different.
It also ties back to how Jerry himself had described Henrik back in "Black Dog": "Borderline sociopathic need for immediate and total obedience." Jerry is definitely throwing around some outdated psychiatric terminology there, but still, the fundamental idea of Henrik having a need to be obeyed - there's something to that. I don't think that's entirely a personal character flaw; I think some of it is just his autism. He sets up expectations in his mind for how things should go, and he doesn't know how to handle it when they go differently. He doesn't have the best coping mechanisms for that but also, like, he's been undiagnosed for his whole life so I have to let him off for it a bit. I could talk a lot about Henrik's autism in the context of how and when he grew up but maybe that's a conversation for another day.
The other part of it, I'd say, is his control issues and his need to be in power over others - and, again, that's something that showed through a lot with Sahira. For all he was in love with her, I don't think he would've ever wanted to be with her, practically speaking; he wanted her all to himself but not in the sense of being in a romantic relationship, which is interesting.
I also think it's why Henrik went back to being CEO of Holby so much when he literally hates it and it ruins his mental health. It gave him a position where he's powerful and has control over things, and he felt he needed that.
Jerry first appeared quite early on in series 15, and I'd say he seemed to have been working at the hospital for a while by then, so I wouldn't be surprised at all if he'd heard about Henrik and Sahira and all the rumours about his interest in her. So it makes sense for him to comment on things like Henrik trying to make younger doctors passive, or him needing to be obeyed.
I do wonder if Henrik understood those implications, though. I wonder if he still thinks about Sahira in general - I'd hope so, because he was awful to her, and I do think he regretted that and learned from it but I'm not sure if he ever acknowledged the extent of it to himself.
It's also interesting how that scene comes so early on in the Gaskell storyline and is similar to the "need for immediate and total obedience" comment, because I think obedience towards Henrik was a significant character trait for John, to the point that if Henrik had put his foot down properly about John's medical trials John would have stopped. Of course, that's yet another different context, but I do think there's an interesting parallel.
I think all of this ties to Henrik's OCD too but that's a difficult conversation to get into when we don't know all that much from the show about how Henrik's OCD affects him. I wish there had been another ep with Jerry, to get into some of this more. It would have been great.
#i've had this half written for a while but now i'm finally done writing it so have these henrik thoughts#Holby City#Henrik Hanssen#my meta#tw;abuse mention#because that is what henrik's treatment of sahira essentially was
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Hear me out. Ardyn being exhausted after a week of work who comes home and is greeted with his favorite meal, drinking wine inside of a bath and a massage from his s/o in their shared room as the lights are dim and that there are peach-scented candles. Just pure fluff, love, hugs and kisses ପ(๑•ᴗ•๑)ଓ ♡. (i've been thinking of that scenario a little too much. Have a nice day/evening ! all of your hcs and scenarios are so lovable like my heart always melt when i read them, thank you it makes my day-)
Aw! Thank you so much! And this scenario is absolutely adorable and I’m all here for it!
I also wanted to try something new when it comes to changing scenes, so I hope it doesn't look strange!
Tw: none, only fluff :3
You were currently in the dining room, making sure everything was perfect for when Ardyn got back from his exhausting job.
He's been working himself to the bone for the past week and you can see the toll it's been taking on him, and while the man may try to hide it, he's incredibly exhausted.
So you were taking initiative by making his favorite meal with a bottle of his favorite wine for Ardyn to enjoy later in the evening.
And that was just the first part, you had a plan from the moment he got there to the moment it was time for bed. You had every intention of making sure that this man was no longer stressed.
"And that should do it!" You say to yourself once the table was finished and perfect.
There were two completely filled plates, one at the end and the other right next to it with some fancy glasses beside that held water.
A vase with a lovely bouquet was sitting right in the middle, on top of a beautifully deep red tablecloth. Not to mention that there were some royal purple unlit candlesticks to compliment the red cloth.
Ardyn had actually picked those out, he said that they could be used for special occasions.
And you definitely considered this a special occasion.
You began walking around the house, specifically the dining room and your shared bedroom, checking to make sure everything was where it was supposed to be.
There was also some other things you wanted to go ahead and set up before your lovely and hardworking significant other arrived.
~~~~~~~
Whilst you were getting some other things ready in the bedroom, you failed to notice the sound of Ardyn pulling into the driveway, nor did you notice the jingling of his keys as they were used to unlock the front door.
Ardyn could feel the exhausting dripping off of him as he unlocked the door. The only thing getting him through the day was the thought of you in his arms.
Once he stepped through the door, the first thing that Ardyn noticed was the smell of his favorite meal waiting for him.
Closing the door behind him, he went into the dining room, hoping to greet you after another long and hard day of work.
Though you weren’t there like he had thought.
“Dear?” He called out for you, beginning to making his way towards the bedroom.
He got halfway before you appeared, making sure to close the door behind you since there was a bag of supplies sitting next to the bed.
There were also more noticeable things that you couldn’t exactly hide so it was best that he didn’t come in at the moment until it was time.
“Darling!” You said while rushing to him, quickly pulling him into an embrace, something he’s been looking forward to all day.
“How was work?” You asked.
Ardyn placed a kiss upon your forehead before sighing. That sigh was a good enough response to get his message across.
“The same as yesterday, or I should say week.”
He answered, still resting his head on your own. He wanted to stay like that for a few more minutes, but dinner was going to get cold if it was left unattended any longer.
You grab his hand and gave it a soft squeeze. “Let’s eat, you’ve definitely earned a homemade meal after the week they’ve put you through.” You say while leading him into the dining room.
You were suddenly pulled back, his arms caging you in from behind.
“Thank you.” Ardyn’s voice was deep, but soft. He was touched that you went through this effort, but he was going to be even more surprised because the night has only just begun!
“There’s no need to thank me, you deserve this.” You gave him a peck on the cheek before trying to escape his grasp.
You trying to break free only made him chuckle, but he complied and released you so the dinner you worked so hard on didn’t get cold.
After “breaking free”, you lead Ardyn towards the table, pulling out a chair for him with a goofy grin.
“Why, thank you.” he smiled, deciding to play along.
As Ardyn sat down, he realized this was one of the only times today where he could just sit down and relax.
It’s been a while since he’s had a homemade meal, he would usually pick up something on the way back, and if he forgot due to being incredibly exhausted, you both made something quick. Like boxed macaroni.
It was a good thing that he forgot to get takeout today because he now has a wonderful meal to look forward to!
You also made quite a bit so there will most likely be some leftover for tomorrow.
A part of you was anxious as Ardyn took a bite, you wondered if the recipe was right or if it was seasoned properly.
But the smile that graced his features afterwords sent a wave of relief over you. You just wanted to make sure it was perfect for him.
“My dear, this is perfection!” Ardyn exclaimed before taking another bite.
It did fill you with a little bit of confidence to see him enjoy your cooking so much, all of that effort didn’t go to waste after all!
After seeing Ardyn enjoy it so much, you decided to dig in as well. You were quite hungry since you forgot to take care of yourself after all the preparing you were doing.
But you know it’s all going to be worth it! But best not let him know that you skipped out on some meals.
Seeing that sweet smile on his face already made it completely worth it. Oh, how you loved seeing him so happy.
Even though you wanted Ardyn to take his time on the meal, you were trying to get it down in a hurry so you could continue on with the plan before he finished.
Though, by doing that, you only made him assume that you forgot to take care of yourself once again. So, he decided to question it.
"Darling, I do hope you had some food before this." It seemed more of a threat than anything.
"I did eat, maybe not a full meal, but food nonetheless!" You acted as if that would stop him from getting onto you, though this time it actually worked, but he did give a slight glare.
While you were enjoying spending time with Ardyn, which has been difficult to get lately, the night wasn't over, and you still needed to do a few things.
You gathered your dishes before getting up, giving Ardyn a quick peck on the cheek before heading into the kitchen, and though he didn't show it, Ardyn was sad to see you leave so soon.
"I shall be right back!" You call out to him as you rush to the bedroom, not giving him a chance to answer.
~~~~~~~
It didn't take too long for Ardyn to finish dinner. He did take an extra few minutes to sit and relax, slightly zoning out here and there. After that, he decided to join you in the bedroom.
Even though he was waiting for you to come out since you said you'd be right back, he decided to meet you halfway.
His usual routine after work was dinner, chat with you but not for long due to exhaustion, a shower and then bed. That has been his afterwork schedule for the past week.
The sudden foreign scent threw him off as he got closer, smelled like candles, peach maybe?
Opening the door, Ardyn didn't expect the lights to be dimmed nor did he expect the rose petals scattered all over the place.
There were some carelessly thrown on the bed, which got a chuckle out of him.
He noticed you weren't in the bedroom, but he did find the source of the smell. Candles on both nightstands and on the dresser, of course they were placed safely and away from anything flammable.
He did see that the rose petal trail did lead into the bathroom, where he heard some shuffling and a tad bit of clinking perhaps?
"Ardyn?" You called out.
"Yes, my dear?" He answered, curious as to what you were doing in there.
You opened up the door, revealing a bathtub filled with Ardyn's preferred temperature, along with what seemed to be the remnants of a bath bomb.
There was another candle lighting up the bathroom, along with a bottle of wine right next to a glass sitting on the sink. The basket filled with rose petals was also sitting up there.
The only other light source was the bulbs above the mirror.
"I was about to come and get you!" You said, surprised to see him already here.
"What is all this?" Ardyn asked, in awe that you went through all this effort for him. Also amazed that you were able to do it while he was just in the dining room.
"You've been so stressed and tired as of late, I wanted to do something special for you, since you've been working so hard." You said, sincerity clinging to your voice just as the blush was to your cheeks.
"Now!" You all of a sudden exclaimed while clapping your hands together.
"I shall get out of your way, don't want the bath getting cold!" You said, stepping out of the bathroom, but not before grabbing a handful of rose petals and throwing it at his chest.
You ran out of the bedroom right before he could grab you, cackling on the way.
Ardyn laughed at your goofiness. You never fail to make him laugh when he most needs it.
You decided to go ahead and put-up dinner while Ardyn was in the bath, you didn't want a perfectly good meal to go to waste when you can eat off of it tomorrow.
After you finished putting everything away in the fridge, you heard your name being called.
Making your way through the bedroom and to the bathroom door, you knocked, not wanting to barge in just in case you misheard. You definitely didn't want that.
You heard a muffled "come in" before opening up the door.
There, you saw Ardyn mostly submerged in the bath bombed water. You made sure to pick a lavender one, to help him relax more. And it seemed to be working.
You noticed that he put his hair up in a messy bun. Probably didn't want to get it wet since he would most likely be going to bed after, not that you minded in the slightest.
Ardyn's eyes were closed, he looked completely relaxed, which is exactly what you wanted!
"How are you enjoying the bath?" You ask, trying not to giggle from how adorable he looks right now.
"I haven't been able to feel this amazing in quite a while." He spoke before slightly sitting up, wanting to get some of that wine he was eyeing.
You noticed and decided to get him a cup.
You completely stepped into the bathroom, closing the door behind as to not let out all the steam from the bath.
Once you had successfully opened the bottle on the first try, you poured Ardyn a glass in the fanciest wine glass you two own. You wanted only the best for him tonight.
"There you go, my love!~" you said while handing him the glass, smiling at him in the process.
"Thank you." He quickly stole a kiss from you once you had sat down on the floor, which you happily accepted.
Ardyn pulled away after a few seconds, sneaking in one more peck before sipping on his wine.
"How long have you been planning this?" He asked, curious because all of this seemed to be thoroughly planned out.
"Honestly, I came up with this plan yesterday."
"This seemed like days of planning."
"I make sure to get things done as soon as I have my mind set."
You both laughed, knowing how true that last sentence is. Ardyn has had to force you to rest before because you were so insistent on getting something done that you were neglecting your meals.
"Eat next time you plan something." He warned.
"Don't worry!" You told him, waving you hand up and down.
He made a sound, one that told you that he wasn't very convinced, but he wasn't going to continue to push the subject right now. That was something to talk about later.
The two of you stayed like that for a while, at least until the water became cold.
You both started talking about plans for a vacation, Ardyn even talked about taking a week off so the trip wouldn't be rushed. Which is preferred, no one wants to rush their vacation.
You left for a few minutes, to give him a chance to get out and get into his nightwear, you made sure to go ahead and get that done before he left the bath.
Once the both of you were done getting ready and making sure all of the candles were all blown out, the two of you laid in bed together, holding one another close.
You noticed that Ardyn had a little bit more energy tonight, more so than you've seen recently.
So once again, you two kept talking, even joked about how some of the petals were still on the bed from when you started throwing them everywhere.
You both kept talking, just waiting for sleep to take hold.
Which you knew would be very soon, especially with how Ardyn was holding you, you felt very safe and comfortable in his arms. But also felt like a teddy bear with how he was laying his head on you.
You knew for sure that you weren't leaving this position anytime soon, not if he could help it.
After the talking had died down, it was him who ended up falling asleep first, which gave you the opportunity to look at him while he slept.
Oh how you wouldn't trade this sight for anything in the world, nothing could beat this.
You gave him a soft kiss on his forehead before letting sleep take over.
You haven't seen Ardyn look this relaxed in while, so you couldn't help but feel happy that he was finally able to again. You would do this all again, just to see him smile.
And he is very much aware of that.
But you know that he'd do the same for you in a heartbeat.
I didn't mean for this to take as long as it did, but I hope you enjoy it!
#x reader#ardyn izunia#ardyn lucis caelum#ff15 ardyn#ffxv ardyn#ardyn x reader#ardyn#ff15#scenarios#comfort fluff#fluff#ffxv
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The Ruin of Gabriel Ashleigh. By KJ Charles. Loveswept, 2014.
Rating: 4/5 stars
Genre: historical romance, short story, lgbtqia+ romance
Part of a Series? Yes, Society of Gentlemen #0.5
Summary: The youngest son and the blackest sheep in his family, Lord Gabriel Ashleigh never imagined he could sink so low. Though he’s a notoriously bad gambler, he takes on the formidable but strangely alluring Francis Webster, only to lose everything: all his money, the lovely estate he inherited from his aunt, and any hope of future happiness. So it’s a shock when Webster summons him to a private game for a chance to win back his possessions. The stake? If he fails, Ash must surrender his body.
Francis has been waiting years for this moment. At Eton, Ash’s elder brother harassed him relentlessly. Now, consumed by lust and rage, Francis is only too happy to exploit Ash’s foolish indiscretions. But as Francis strips the magnificently built youth—first of his family assets, then his clothes—he begins to wonder whether he’s been plotting revenge . . . or exquisite seduction.
***Full review below.***
Content Warnings: graphic sexual content
Overview: I'm quite in the mood for a full length novel, so for the past few days, I've been reading novellas, graphic narratives, and short stories. I picked this one up because I don't think I've ever read a short story that was also a queer historical romance, and I was curious as to how it would unfold. Fortunately, it worked out; Charles is very careful to keep the scope reasonable and does a good job laying groundwork before the romance begins. The only reason this story gets 4 stars from me, however, is because I think Charles could have injected more sensuality into the build up to the intimate scene and held back a little more on the info dumping after. But other than those things, this is a nice, quick read that will surely delight lovers of queer (especially mlm) romance.
Writing: Charles's prose is very quick, clear, and well-balanced, without rhetorical flourishes that take up space or make the pace drag. However, it doesn't feel sparse either; especially towards the beginning, I never felt as if Charles was breezing through things, but took care to devote time and attention to the context and backstory that would inform the character dynamics moving forward. I also really liked that Charles moved back and forth between past and present, using flashbacks to show the reader where certain feelings come from rather than telling us that Ash and Frances had history. It made the story feel more "literary" and therefore more engrossing.
Plot: The plot of this short story follows Gabriel "Ash" Ashleigh, the youngest son of a prominent family who bets his entire inheritance on a game of cards. To his horror, Ash loses, and the short story begins in medias res the day after, when Ash realizes what he's done. After turning to his brother for help (which is denied), Ash receives a note from Francis Webster, the man who now holds all of Ash's gambling debt. Francis invites Ash to his house and offers to allow him to win it all back, but because Ash no longer has anything to wager, Francis proposes a solution: Ash's body.
I personally found the plot to be appropriate in scope, which meant that the story didn't feel as though Charles was trying to stuff a novel-length plot into a scant 44 pages. Because Charles also inserts some flashbacks, the plot felt richer than if background information has merely been told to us and we were left to absorb its significance on our own.
The only thing I didn't like about this plot is the falling action, after Ash and Francis are physically intimate. After they sleep together, Francis explains how long he's wanted Ash, how he knew he was queer, etc. and it felt like such a departure from the literary way Charles related backstory in the beginning. I think I would have liked it better if some of this info was relayed earlier, such as more sensuality in the card games that built up to their encounter, or more revelations in the throes of passion. As it stands, there seems to be a lot of telling at the end, and the tone shifts from dark and potentially dangerous to bright and hopeful. If more seeds had been sown earlier, the shift might have been more gradual and, at least for me, more enjoyable.
Characters: Ash, our main protagonist, is something of a Rake in that he is characterized by his pursuit of pleasure. He is frequently drunk and plays all sorts of impulsive card games, which makes him the black sheep of his family. However, Ash is more complicated than a straight forward stock libertine because he seems to have a sense of honor, yet is always afraid to show it. For example, he remembers seeing his older brother bully Francis at Eton, and though he took his brother's side, he secretly hated all the things that they were doing. Giving Ash such conflicting feelings made him interesting because as a reader, I didn't quite know for sure how he would respond to certain things, and I appreciated the character growth that happened when Ash decided to do the right thing and apologize.
Francis, the love interest, is less complex, but that didn't bother me because this short story is told in third person from Ash's POV. Most of what we know about Francis is given to us through Ash's perception of him, so Francis comes across as dark, ruthless, calculating, and potentially dangerous. I would have liked him better as a character if he didn't infodump so much at the end, but as a love interest bound by the limits of this story, he was fine.
Romance: I wouldn't quite call this story a proper romance because we don't see a complete love story, just an act of ohysical intimacy which promises to turn into a long-lasting relationship. I can't really comment, then, on the arc of the relationship, though I think it's fair to say that I wish Charles had done more to build up the sensuality and hint that there was something more than lust going on a bit earlier. As it stands, the physical scene feels like a moment of sudden passion until after it ends, when Francis reveals his true feelings. Personally, I dislike it when reveals like this are too sudden and shift the way I conceptualize the relationship too suddenly, but because of the length of this story, I kind of understand why it was done. Basically, what I wanted was for Charles to *show* us more longing rather than *telling* us about it after.
Ash's older brother, Mal, makes a brief appearance, but his main way of being present is through Ash's memory. Because Mal and Francis have an antagonistic relationship, it would have been easy for Mal to distract from the bond between Francis and Ash, but I think Charles did well. Mal is neither presented as an incidental character nor one that dominates the story, and I appreciated that he was kept in his place, so to speak.
TL;DR: The Ruin of Gabriel Ashleigh is a fun, quick, erotic short story that feels both rich and complex and appropriate in scope. Though I personally would have liked the ending to play out differently, this story is a good intro to mlm historical romance and a good example of how to write a short story that don't feel rushed or over-full.
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I think one of my favorite things about Buddie is how Eddie has to tease him. He's literally the definition of pulling a pony tale. But especially when he is being vulnerable like the skateboard talk. Like I'm baring my soul but also your immature Buck said with love. And the way Buck always just smiles and let's him do it. Also interesting how you made me remember he had that Jim Abbott story in his back pocket like he knew one day he would need it.
It reminds me of Treasure Hunt though because I remember watching that live when I had an ohhh moment about him and the fact he was genuinely bummed Buck wouldn't choose him to "pal around with" in hindsight it was that episode that I don't know marked the way the writers altered their behavior towards each other. Even that small scene when they walk into the party and I never realized how much Eddie seemed to be stealing himself to walk in.
I honestly hope I'm not over romanticizing the direction but it really does feel like choices were made. Especially in having them not share spaces in their homes till the end of 5b.
Hi Nonnie!
OMG, yes! So much this. I wrote in the past about how their dynamic is so often that Eddie teases and Buck responds with quiet heart eyes. On some level, I'm sure he gets that this IS Eddie pulling his pony tail, trying to show his affection by showering Buck with his attention. Eddie teases Buck in a way that he doesn't tease any of his other teammates, this isn't platonic colleagues-and-friends behavior, this is something uniquely reserved for Buck, and even if Buck doesn't have a grasp on exactly what it means, on some level he knows he's the center of Eddie's attention, and I think he secretly thrives on it, 'coz he can feel the underlying love.
Oh yeah! I can't remember where it was that I wrote something about this, I thought it was in the 312 meta, but apparently not... Though funnily enough, you can see that at the end of 312, I already pointed out that the whole way Buck and Ana are juxtaposed shows him as the better suited partner for Eddie. Anyway, somewhere (maybe an ask reply?) I know I wrote that Buck might have actually picked up the book about Jim Abbott with the intention of not only inspiring himself to overcome his injury from the bomb, but also to have something to help them handle challenges that might come up with Chris. What I mean is, I could see himself picking Abbott's book to read with Chris being present somewhere in the back of his mind. So of course he kept that info there for a rainy day, when they would need it. Because he's Christopher's other dad, simple as.
Without a doubt, 412 was a moment when Eddie was non-verbally expressing his disappointment to discover that his battlefield boyfriend was... playing in other fields. But honestly, he’s so adorable in how he expresses it? Almost like he’s trying to shrug it off, but he can’t quite do that? But he also doesn’t look full on crushed, so it’s as if on some level, he knows this can’t be right, the universe has just served out of its lane for a second, but it would correct itself in a moment. Which is EXACTLY what happens. And it happens BECAUSE Buck could clearly see Eddie’s disappointment. THEY ARE husbands. THEY ARE soulmates. THEY ARE linked at their very core. I AM... And yes, Eddie did ready himself for the welcome home party in 414. I don’t think he likes being the center of attention, and I also imagine that returning from the hospital, knowing Ana would be there, wasn’t fun for him. So it’s extra significant that he still ends up looking overjoyed. When? When the frame captures him with Chris, and Buck, who was right by Eddie’s side when he was mentally readying himself for this, Buck who’s looking at the two of them and is bursting at the seams with joy. In what world are they not a family? I think the point is that whether Buddie ever goes canon or not, they ARE a family, and they ARE soulmates, and they SHOULD be together. And writer worth anything would let the buildup progress to its natural conclusion, meaning Buddie SHOULD go canon. You’re not over romanticizing anything, Nonnie.
Hope you have a good day and thank you so much for this ask! xoxox
(If you're looking for my ask replies, here is my ask tag! xoxox)
#buddie#911meta#buddie meta#911 meta#9-1-1#evan buckley#eddie diaz#edmundo diaz#evan buck buckley#christopher diaz#anti-eddieana#ask#anon ask#911onabc#911 on abc#911abc#911 abc
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