#41 stories later and that boy is still sad | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

rosyl-stuff · 3 years

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Hunting the Beast

Paring: Ju Haknyeon (The Boyz) x reader

Genre: Beauty and Beast retelling/inspired; dark romance (does get a little suggestive at times), angsty end

Warnings: violence, old-fashioned thinking about mental health, as well as incorrect treatment of patients

Word Count: around 10k (I thought about splitting it into multiple parts but then I was like Nah; apparently it takes around 41 minutes to read this)

Synopsis: One fateful night you are not only attacked by a beast but also meet the mysterious Haknyeon. You are attracted to him, but his secret seems to stand in the way of your relationship. Will you two find your happily ever after?

A/N: I was inspired to write this, after reading Old as Time by Liz Braswell. It's a Beauty and Beast retelling. Not my favourite book, but still good. I bought this book because of the cover, lol. Would recommend it if you like fairytales. Another huge inspiration here was the game Cinderella Phenomenon (Dicesuki). I played the entire game with all the different story paths in one night, so be careful if you want to play it because it’s addicting.

It was the third day in a row that it was raining. Your father, however, did not seem to mind. He walked across the meadow near your cottage and piled up stones. You and your father lived near a village, which was far away from the rest of the world. Once upon a time you and your father were very close to the villagers but after that one particular night, you tried to avoid the village as much as possible.

You thought about how you would get your father inside. If he stays any longer outside, he would catch a cold. He was very fixated on his project. Unfortunately, his project didn’t seem to make any sense. He was just stacking stones and calls his invention that would save their lives one day.

“Papa!”, you yelled but he wasn’t even reacting to you.

Too much in his head for him to notice you. That did happen very often since that one night. You could still clearly remember it. It had been raining a lot just like now. Your father had gone to the next town to discuss some business and left you home alone. Clearly, you were old enough to stay home alone but you haven’t been prepared for what was to come that night when he came back.

Between the village and the next town was a dark forest. As a child, the elders would tell scary stories about this forest, how they were haunted and all kind of stories to keep the children from wandering away into the forest. Your father had travelled through these woods on regular basis, but on his way home that night something had gone terribly wrong.

What exactly had happened, you didn’t know and you weren’t even sure if your father knows it. The image of your father running out of the forest would haunt you forever. He was covered in blood and dirt and the fear was evident on his face. He collapsed right at your door. You pulled him inside and luckily, he only had some minor injuries.

But when he awoke the next morning, he didn’t remember anything. He didn’t even remember you at the beginning. It seemed like the horse wasn’t the only thing your father lost that night in the forest. Sometimes there are little silver linings, where his eyes begin to clear up but the only thing he then would say: "There is a beast, Y/N! In the forest. Promise me, my dear, never go into the forest.”

Overwhelmed by the situation you went to the village to consult the elders and the pastor, but this turned out to be a bad decision. Not a week later the pastor and mayor came by with a doctor who was a specialist for people with lost minds. But you couldn’t let your father go with him. You heard rumours about how badly they treated the patients there and that relatives were prohibited to visit. And after losing your mother at a very young age, you couldn’t lose your father too. So you assured the visitors that your father is no threat: You will take care of him and he will never bother any of the villagers.

But every time you wanted to go to the village and run errands your father would insist on accompanying you. The villagers didn't like that, they were afraid that his disease was contagious. Many vendors didn't let you buy their goods. You needed to find an alternative. You went hunting. In the forbidden woods, but your father didn’t need to know that. Every time your father was busy with stacking rocks, you sneaked in the forest to hunt something or collect berries, mushrooms or any herbs you needed. Before dawn and before your father got tired, you were back at the cottage. He never questioned where you got the dinner from. He just ate it while mumbling about his invention.

“Papa!”, you yelled again while stepping into the rain.

He only noticed you when you stood right next to him.

"Oh, dear! What is it?”

“Come inside, Papa. We don’t want you to get sick.”

“But my invention is not finished. We will need it very soon!”

“Tomorrow is another day. If you get sick, you will not be able to finish it on time as well.”

“Well, you’re right, my dear! Let’s go inside and have some tea!”

You sighed and the both of you, now fully drenched, went inside. After dinner, you spent your time reading a book while your father went to bed early. It was a romance novel and you wondered if your life would have been normal, would you have been married by now. The boys and men in the village didn't take a particular interest in you, and even though you knew that did not mean you were unattractive, you couldn't help but feel a little sad about it.

The next day the weather was significantly better, which was the perfect opportunity to go hunting. Unfortunately, your father got up very late which meant you had less time than usual for hunting. Nevertheless, you were confident that you could at least catch a hare, or maybe even a deer, for tonight's dinner. You snuck away and in the forest, you breathed deeply the humid forest air. Here, you could forget about your worries a little and have a little me time.

Unfortunately, the evening came sooner than you expected and it got dark in the forest. You still had nothing for dinner except for a few berries. That was not enough. You felt safe enough to walk to that one stream and then you would go back. You started to think of an excuse when your father asked where you have been. On the other hand, you doubted he would ask you that.

At the stream, you found many bushes with berries. You hurried to pick them up and made your way back to the cottage. It was getting darker and darker. Again and again, you tripped over branches or roots. The chirping of birds stopped and an eerie silence fell over the forest. Occasionally you heard the sound of branches cracking, and each time you had to convince yourself that it was just an animal in the undergrowth. It would be more afraid of you than you were of it.

Then you heard it: a howling. You never knew that wolves lived in the forest. You were not up to a confrontation with a pack of wolves, so you started to walk faster. But the howling got louder and louder. Not a minute later you saw blood-red eyes staring at you. The creature you faced was way too big for a wolf. It stood on his behind legs and breathed heavily. It had horrible claws and its teeth were bared. Escape or fight, you asked yourself as you reached for the knife you carried in your belt. Slowly, the smell of wet dog from the beast enveloped you.

Before you could react, the beast pounced on you. You couldn’t help the scream that erupted from you, as his canines sunk into your arm. You took your knife and ram into the direction of the beast. It let go and you got up as fast as you could and ran for your life. The beast was not distracted for too long and followed you. Not much later it had caught up with you and this time it bit you in the lower leg. Again, you screamed out as unbelievable pain flashed through you. You stabbed the beast with your knife but it seemed to be to no avail.

Then, you heard something thudding noises. The beast let go of you and ran away. For a few more seconds you lay there bleeding out on the forest floor. Father, you thought, he needs to eat something. The berries you had gathered were now squished. You didn't dare to move because the pain was too great and in your despair, you started to cry. You only noticed the footsteps when the boy was already bending over you and inspecting your wounds.

You looked at him in amazement. You had never seen him before. So he wasn't from the village and the town was too far away. You held your knife ready to stab him.

"Come on. You have to get up. Before it comes back.", he held out his hand to you.

You weighed your option. Unknown forest boy or beast? You decided to take the mysterious boy’s hand. He helped you to your feet and you both quickly realised that running was not an option for you.

"I'll carry you ok? I'll take you to a safe place," he asked.

Dazed by the pain of standing up, you nodded. He took your knife and before you could protest, he grabbed you and shouldered you. This triggered a new wave of pain and you remained silent. Instead, you concentrated on breathing the pain away.

He carried you effortlessly through the forest and you wondered if he could see anything at all. Unlike you, he moved much more elegantly and safely through the forest. After a while, he lowered you down. As you looked around, you found yourself in a ruin. He laid you down on a blanket and checked your wounds again.

After he had decided that you would not die any moment, he said: "I have to go now. Just stay here and try to sleep. I'll come back for you tomorrow!"

"Wait! Who are you anyway?"

"My name is Haknyeon!"

"And where are you going? You can't just leave me alone now!"

"Yes, I have to!"

"Are you going to get help?" you asked.

"Something like that!" he grumbled and disappeared into the darkness.

When he was gone, the panic set in. You were defenceless and injured in some ruin in the forest. You are going to die here. Your breath was going way too fast and only with difficulty did you manage to calm it down. Then exhaustion and tiredness came over you. You didn't really want to sleep. What if the beast returns? But sleep could no longer be stopped. You fervently hoped that your father would be all right.

You fell into a restless sleep. You dreamt of the beast and the red eyes and of the night your father came home covered in blood. Had he also been attacked by the beast? But he didn't have any bite marks. More like scratches and bruises.

Then you dreamt of Haknyeon, even though it was dark, you were sure he must have been a handsome young man. Or maybe it was the hopeless romantic in you because in the next moment he smiled at you and gave you a kiss on the cheek.

Only the background noises did not match the supposedly first beautiful dream of the night. You heard the howling and growling of animals. Was the beast nearby? But nothing could wake you from your beautiful dream when Haknyeon smiled at you like that and stroked your hair gently.

When you woke up a few hours later, the sun was up again. As long as you did not move, your pain was bearable. You looked around and tried to keep your body as still as possible. Haknyeon was nowhere to be seen. Just as you were about to try to get up and find your way home, you saw Haknyeon approaching you. He was all dirty and bloody. His clothes, however, were completely intact, unlike yours.

"Good morning!" he mumbled exhaustedly, grabbing a nearby bucket and turning to leave.

"Haknyeon!" you called, "what happened? Did you fight with the beast? Where are you going again?"

"I'm going to get water!" he said without turning around and then he was gone again.

This boy's got some nerve, you grumble to yourself, deciding he's not as great as in your dream. Nevertheless, you decided to wait a while longer to see if he comes back. After all, the chances of finding your way back with him were much better than alone. Last night you had completely lost your bearings. You could be anywhere.

In fact, Haknyeon came back a short time later with a full bucket of water. He seemed to have bathed himself because there was no trace of the dirt and blood. There was only a scratch on his forehead. He sat down next to you and gave you a drink.

"What is your name?" he asked.

"Y/N.", you answered.

"Do you live in the village?", he asked as he began to clean the wound on your arm. "

Yes, kind of. The cottage a bit further out."

He nodded as if he knew where you were talking about.

"And you? Where do you live? I've never seen you before!"

"Here!" he replied.

"Here?" you asked surprised.

He nodded and continued with your leg. The bite was much deeper than the one on your arm and also hurt a lot more when he cleaned it. You bit your lip and concentrated on not crying. After Haknyeon had finished cleaning your wounds, he tore some old sheets and wrapped them around both your injuries as bandages.

"Thank you!" you whispered.

He smiled at you and it was even more beautiful than in your dream.

"No problem," he replied and then gave you a handful of berries.

He had one himself and began to eat it contentedly. A little hesitantly you began to eat too.

"I have to go home again. My father must be worried already!”

He nodded: "Don't worry. I'll take you home in a minute!"

"How come you live here?" you asked again.

"It just happened that way. The people in the village are very averse to strangers or anything they don't know. That's why I decided to stay here. Free from responsibility and judgmental looks. I have everything I need here."

You look at him for a while and then ask further: "And the beast?"

"I've learned to deal with it," he answered quickly, "Let's go. Before we end up in the same situation as yesterday."

He helped you stand up and unfortunately walking was still not the best option. He picked you up and walked with you through the forest. Haknyeon smelled just like the forest, earthy and fresh and you quickly found that you liked the smell very much. On the way, you told him about your father and what happened to him. When you told him what the villagers wanted to do with him, he snorted contemptuously.

"It's so typical that they want to lock up a harmless old man right away."

Your arms tighten around him, as he wobbled down a hill.

“Don’t worry. I got you!”, he reassured you and held onto you a little tighter.

The forest slowly began to look familiar again and as soon as you emerged out of the forest, you could see the cottage. Your father was in the meadow, stacking his stones.

“Is that your father?”, asked Haknyeon.

“Yes…”, you answered.

Your father didn’t notice you coming, too focussed on his task.

“Should I take you inside or to your father?”, Haknyeon asked.

“To my father, please!”

He hesitated for a short second, but then he walked towards your father.

“Papa!”, you yelled and surprisingly he reacted.

He looked up to you and for a short moment, he had his clear eyes back.

“Y-you?”, he stammered.

“Papa! It’s me, Y/N!”

Haknyeon let you down into the soft grass of the meadow.

“I know, my dear. I remember!”

He looked at Haknyeon and studied him. He looked back at you.

“The Beast, my dear. Don’t go into the forest.”

“I know, Papa. I’m sorry. But Haknyeon saved me from the Beast!”

He looked confused at Haknyeon: “No, but-“

“I’m Haknyeon, Monsieur.”, Haknyeon interrupted him and hold out his hand for him.

Your father eyes clouded over again and he took Haknyeon’s hand and shook it.

"Are you interested in investing in my latest invention? Come on, young boy, I show you what it can do!” your father said and dragged him to the pile of stones.

You observed how your father talked, probably nonsense you guessed. Haknyeon patiently listened to him. You lay in the high grass of the meadow, unable to probably move due to your injuries and enjoyed the sun. Something was comforting about it after the many days of rain and the last night of terror. You fell into a dreamless sleep and when you woke up, you laid in your bed.

When you turned around, you could see how Haknyeon served your father a soup while he still listened to his ramble about his inventions. As he saw you were awake, he gave you smile and served your bowl of soup as well and came to your bed.

“Slept well? Here!”

“Yes, thank you!” you mumbled as you sat up.

Haknyeon sat next to you and was ready to feed you.

“I can feed myself!”, you grumbled and took the bowl and spoon away from him.

You instantly regretted it, as pain shot through your arm. You ignored the pain and began to eat. To your surprise, the soup tasted heavenly. Haknyeon observed you with mischievous eyes.

“It’s good, isn’t it?”, he said confidently.

You nodded and he grinned.

“Perfect. I will head home now. I will check by soon again and bring new food.”

“You can stay here. I’m sure my father wouldn’t mind.”

He shook his head and gave your sad smile:

“I appreciate the offer, but I can’t. I’ll see you soon. Get well soon!”

With that, he stood up and left without another word.

“What a strange guy!” you said to your father who hummed and you took it as he agreed to you.

That night you stayed awake because you couldn’t stop thinking about the moment when you laid there helpless on the ground of the forest. You read a lot about the damsel in distress and you absolutely hated that trope. Now you are one yourself, you scoffed and turned around in your bed. You tried to minimize the pain, but that turned out to be rather difficult. You will never let this happen to you again, you decided. Next time you will see the beast, the roles will be reversed. You will be the one attacking and the beast cowering in fear. With this thought, you fell asleep.

The next morning, your father attempted to make breakfast, it didn’t go that well so you two ate the left-over from Haknyeon’s soup. The pain was much more bearable today and your wounds seemed to start to heal. Short before dawn, Haknyeon came with some food and a balm for your wounds. He didn’t stay long and your father claimed most of his attention. Then he disappeared for three days.

When he came to visit again, you were able to move quite okay. You cooked something from the food he brought as a thank you and you never saw someone eat your food so enthusiastically. It made you smile like an idiot the whole dinner and you secretly hated yourself. Why are you so whipped for a strange boy who you know nothing about?

Soon after dark, Haknyeon wanted to go again and you accompanied him to the edge of the forest. When you arrived, you both stood there awkwardly.

“Why won’t you stay here? It is safer here!”

“For me, the forest is safe as well!” he countered.

You sighed. Why did you even try?

He chuckled: “You like me that much?”

You felt the heat creep up your neck and your cheeks and hoped he won’t notice it.

You scoffed: “No. I just don’t want the beast to kill you.”

“It won’t!” he said still grinning.

“Yes, maybe you right. Because before it can kill you, I will kill it!” you announced confidently.

For a moment you saw shock and surprise on his face, but then he laughed.

“Idiot!” you grumbled and turned around to go back to the cottage.

“Wait!” Haknyeon yelled and followed you.

Soon he reached you and grabbed your arm: "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to laugh at you. It's just…"

“You think I can’t do it. I get it. Now go.”

He sighed and ran a hand through his hair.

“The beast is very strong. It will kill you before you can even attack it. I think no one can kill it.” he said.

"Well, we will see," you said still a little angry.

You had to admit, you didn’t come up with a good plan yet. But there is still time and you will prepare accordingly.

“Please, think about it again. I don’t think it is a good idea.”

“What if we do together?” you asked suddenly excited.

He seemed to know a lot about the beast and the forest. If you both trained a bit together, you would definitely stand a chance.

"I can't.", he said with a sad smile.

You scoffed: “Why not?”

“I can’t tell you.”

You stare at him perplexed. Why did he have to be so mysterious? What couldn’t he tell you?

“I’m starting to think you want to protect that beast.”

“No, that’s not it.”

"You know what? Forget about it. Go to your oh-so-comfy ruin and cuddle with your beast.” you said and ripped your arm out of his hold.

You had enough of his mysterious shit and turned around to go to the cottage. This time he didn’t follow you and you didn’t turn around to see if he was still standing there.

The next morning you were still filled with anger. After breakfast, you went to the village to visit Gaston. He was the best hunter you knew and an old childhood friend of yours. He became popular as you were teens so he stopped hanging out with you. You were now sitting in his kitchen while his mother served you tea.

“So? You want to learn how to hunt?”

“Yes!, you said.

He didn’t seem to be opposed to the idea.

“May I ask why?”

"It is kind of a long story. But in the forest, there is some animal I want to see dead!"

He raised an eyebrow: “Okay? You want to hunt a predator, I assume.”

You nodded again: “Yes, can you teach me?”

He seemed to think about it for a while: “Yeah, sure. Why not?”

“Really? Oh, thank you!” you said excitedly and hugged him.

He seemed surprised but he reciprocated the hug nevertheless.

“Okay. When do we start?”

“Tomorrow?”

“Sounds great! Where?”

“You have that large meadow near your cottage. That should be a good place to start. I will come by after breakfast.”

“Thank you so much!” you exclaimed.

On your way home, you couldn’t help but skip like a little school girl. You hoped to make fast progress. Maybe Haknyeon will change his mind when he sees how capable you are.

The next two days were the most exhausting you ever had. Gaston didn't go easy on you and taught you many different techniques with different weapons. You were surprised how good you and Gaston got along. It was just like back in the old days. In your breaks, you would lay in the meadow staring up the sky and watching the clouds.

On day three of your training, you saw Haknyeon. He stood at the edge of the forest and watched you two with a dark and unreadable expression on his face. You sent Gaston home and went to him.

“What are you doing here?” you confronted him.

“Just checking by. What are you up to with that hunter?”

“You know Gaston?”

“I’ve seen him hunting in the forest.”

That made sense, you thought.

“So? Is he your boyfriend?” Haknyeon asked.

You couldn’t help but smile. “That’s none of your business.”

Haknyeon scoffed: “Is he trying to teach you hunting?”

You nodded.

“You know he’s not that good!” Haknyeon said.

“Is that so? He is the best hunter, I know!" you countered.

“Well, I hate to break it to you, but I’m better”

You chuckled. He might be right, you thought, but he won’t teach you.

“It doesn’t really matter!” you said.

“Why? So he is your boyfriend?” Haknyeon asked again.

You sighed. Why was he so obsessed with Gaston being your boyfriend?

“No. But I need someone to teach me how to hunt!”

“I can do that!” Haknyeon exclaimed.

You raised an eyebrow. What made him change his mind?

You decided not to question it, so you said: “Okay. Then teach me!”

He grabbed your hand and pulled you into the forest.

“First of all, just because you can do it meadow doesn’t mean it will work in the forest as well.”

So your training with Haknyeon began. It was very different from Gaston's. Instead of theory and technique, Haknyeon concentrated on using the forest to your advantage. He showed you how you could outsmart the beast and its instinct. He knew a lot about the beast, just like you had guessed.

But Haknyeon only came by every third day, so you kept training with Gaston. One day Haknyeon came at a day, he usually didn't. He saw you and Gaston laying in the meadow and laughing. You only saw him as he disappeared into the forest again. You really hoped he wasn't hurt by you still training with Gaston. This night you could barely sleep.

But the next day, when Haknyeon came to visit you, he wasn’t mad at all. He even brought you a rose. It looked ethereal.

"I didn't know roses grow in the forest!”, you said as you put it in a vase.

Haknyeon laughed nervously: “Yes, I found this one rather by accident too. I hope you like it.”

“It's beautiful! Thank you.”

“It reminded me of you," he said and you couldn't help but blush.

You stared intently at the rose. Carefully, Haknyeon stroked your cheek.

"You are both so beautiful. I'm afraid you'll fall apart every time I touch you."

The blood rushed in your ears and when you looked at Haknyeon you thought you were sinking into his beautiful brown eyes. He took a step closer to you and you could smell his scent: earthy and fresh. His hands cupped your face as he looked at you intensely. As if he wanted to imprint the sight of you forever.

He pulled you even closer and your chest touched his. Your body tingled with excitement. Your gaze briefly wandered from his eyes to his lips. When you looked into his eyes again, he had come much closer to you. You felt his breath on your lips and you closed your eyes. But your lips never touched because Haknyeon suddenly pushed you away.

"Sorry!" he mumbled sheepishly.

You just nodded, unable to process this situation.

"We should start training!" he said and walked towards the forest.

However, you couldn't concentrate on the training at all. Every little touch from Haknyeon brought you right back to the situation before. You wondered all the time what it would have been like if he had actually kissed you. Haknyeon was not much different. He just stared at you and didn't complain when you did something obviously wrong. When you both took a break, you both fell silent. Just when you could no longer stand the silence, Haknyeon took your hands and pulled you towards him so that you were pressed against his chest.

"Tell me when to stop," he murmured as he placed one hand on the back of your neck and the other on your waist.

You looked at him wide-eyed. He smiled softly at you as he pulled you impossibly closer. You smiled back at him.

“Why are you so beautiful?” he whispered against your lips.

His nose gently touched yours and you closed your eyes again. You hoped he wouldn't push you away again. He didn't. Instead, you felt his lips on yours.

The kiss started out hesitantly and very soft. But once Haknyeon realised you wanted this as much as him, the kiss got more intense. His hand on your neck pulled your more into the kiss. You couldn't help the little whine that left your lips when Haknyeon lips pulled away from you. Your lips chased his and with a deep chuckle, he gave in and kissed you again.

He slowly moved you backwards while kissing you and then he pressed your back against a tree. You moaned into the kiss and Haknyeon tongue slipped into your mouth. Your body felt hot and tingly as Haknyeon pressed his hips into yours. You pulled away since you really needed to breathe. He on the other hand didn't want to stop so he kissed down your neck. At a very sensitive spot, he stayed a little longer and slightly bit your skin. You whined and your hand went into his hair. You pulled it, so his lips will connect again with yours. Haknyeon obeyed and kissed you again with a lot of passion. Your hand that wasn’t in his hair roamed his chest and abdomen, which made him release a moan into the kiss. His moan excited you more than you expected and you pulled his hips closer to yours as wrapped a leg around his hips. His hand immediately started caressing your thigh.

You were so into kissing him that you almost didn’t hear the howl. It was unusual. Normally the howling could only be heard at night. Haknyeon heard it too and immediately he pulled away from you, but still kept you close. He swore under his breath and pulled you to the direction of your cottage.

“Why is it awake now? I thought it was nocturnal?” you whispered.

“I don’t know!” Haknyeon whispered back and constantly checked your surroundings.

You believed him. Something in you told, he being honest with you. The beast didn’t howl a second time and you made it safely to your cottage.

“Haknyeon?” you said as you took his hands and pulled him closer to you.

Almost naturally, his lips found your temple and he placed a kiss there.

“Yes, my love?” he said as he smiled at you.

You already hated yourself for what you were about to do.

“Please don’t get mad at me. But I really want you to stay here with me. It worries me, that you’re out there alone with the beast.”

“I’m fine. Don’t worry, ok?”

“You say that every time. I don’t understand that. Please explain it to me. Why is it so bad to stay here with me? You’re not a burden if you think that. I like you and I think you know that.”

He sighed: “I like you too. I really do. And that is one of the reasons I can't stay here… Wait no, that sounded kind of wrong. You're not the reason why I don't want to stay with you. I'm the problem, ok?"

"Haknyeon, you're not a problem," you said as you took his face into your hands to make him look at you.

You saw how sad his eyes looked and how emotional he got over it.

“Stay with me.”, you whispered as your felt your eyes water, “You’re not a problem, ok?”

He hesitated, but then he nodded. Later that night, you thought you should have made him promised to stay the whole night. You hadn't been asleep for very long, but you woke up from the sound of the door being closed. You looked around and found that the spot on the floor, where Haknyeon insisted he would sleep on, was empty. You cursed as you looked out of the window and saw a figure hurrying into the forest.

You locked the door from the inside. He shouldn’t come back in the morning and pretend he stayed here all night. He wasn’t fooling anybody here. Angrily, you went back to bed. The next morning, Haknyeon wasn't there and didn't appear for the next two days. But Gaston was there and he showed a lot of interest in the rose Haknyeon has gifted you. He was very curious about who gave you this rose. You only answered him it's from a boy, but more you didn't give out more information. You were still angry at Haknyeon, but you still wanted him to be your secret.

You regretted telling Gaston not more about Haknyeon when Gaston came with a massive bouquet of roses. You were actually waiting for Haknyeon. Today it was his turn to train you and you hoped he would actually appear and you could talk about what has happened. But instead of Haknyeon, Gaston appeared with his massive bouquet. A little confused you took his gift and let him in.

“Y/N! There is something very important I need to ask you.”

“What is it?” you asked as you turned around.

Gaston was kneeling one knee before you and took your hand: “Do you want to marry me?”

You were speechless.

“G-Gaston…” you stammered, "I didn't even know you liked me that way!"

“Well, you’re pretty and I’m quite handsome myself. It only makes sense if we marry. Everyone in the village is already wondering.”

“B-But…” you stammered, your gaze fell onto Haknyeon’s rose.

Gaston followed your gaze.

“This boy is nothing. I can give you everything you want and need. I got you dozen of roses.”

"Still, I don't think I can marry you," you answered.

You liked Gaston, yeah but as a friend. You don’t think he could erupt the same feelings you felt with Haknyeon that afternoon in the forest.

Speaking of the devil, there was a knock at the door and you heard Haknyeon calling your name.

Gaston raised an eyebrow: “Is that your boy?”

You didn’t answer and Gaston stood up.

“I won’t give you up. You’re destined to marry me.”, he said to you.

As Haknyeon knocked again, Gaston ripped open the door and immediately grabbed him by his neck. You couldn’t help but embarrassingly squeak Haknyeons name. His eyes instantly found yours and he gave your sad smile. In his eyes, you saw how sorry he was and knew that he had angered and disappointed you. Gaston pushed him onto the grass and punched him full force in the stomach.

"Hands off my girl!"

"Stop it!" you shouted as you followed them. No one listened to you.

Haknyeon scrambled to his feet and unceremoniously punched Gaston in the jaw.

"I don't think she's YOUR girl. Who do you think you are? Walk-in on her with a bouquet of flowers and think you've been courting her?"

Gaston muttered something unintelligible and lunged at Haknyeon. Haknyeon deftly dodged and pushed Gaston to the ground.

"Get out of here," Haknyeon growled to Gaston.

Your father had witnessed the tumult and was now at your side.

"What's going on here?" he asked, and you didn't quite know how to explain to him that you had just been proposed to by the village beau, had turned him down, and now Gaston and Haknyeon were fighting.

It was like something out of a cheesy novel. Your father didn't seem to expect an answer and approached the two. They both stopped fighting and your father told them both that it was not right to run around on his property and that they should get lost. A little perplexed, they both stared at your father but agreed. Gaston went towards the village while Haknyeon went to the forest.

When Haknyeon reached the forest, he turned to you again. Your heart ached and you couldn't explain why you wanted to run to him when you were so angry with him.

Your father came to you again and said: "Those tramps. They must have wanted to steal my invention!”

You couldn't help but smile at that.

"How about a cup of tea and a piece of cake, my dear?" your father asked.

You agreed and turned your back on Haknyeon, who was still staring at you.

Later, when you were about to start cooking dinner, it knocked again. You sighed hoping it wasn’t Gaston again. You opened the door and Haknyeon stood there.

Before you could say anything or even let him in, he said: “Hey, I know you probably don’t want to see me, but I really need to apologize.”

You open the door a bit wider to let him in and went to the stove to make some tea. Haknyeon closed the door behind him and sat down at the kitchen table.

"I'm really sorry, Y/N!" Haknyeon started, "I shouldn't have said these things to your potential suitor and shouldn't punch him. I'm sure he is a nice guy. I'm sorry I ruined his proposal. You're going to marry anyway, right?"

Astonished, you turned around. "What makes you think I want to marry him? Actually, his proposal took me completely by surprise."

Haknyeon smiled sheepishly: "I can understand him very well on that point. Who wouldn't want to marry you?"

You felt your cheek flush and tried to concentrate on pouring the tea.

"I don't want to marry him and I won't!" you said quietly as you put the tea down in front of Haknyeon.

When you looked up, Haknyeon was already looking at you and his look was somehow hopeful. But there was more. But before you could lose yourself in his eyes, you turned away again.

"I'm still mad at you though. Not because you ruined the proposal."

"Look, I know, I shouldn't have left that night. But I can't stay here."

You started to get very annoyed: "Why not? Just tell me!"

"I can't!" he replied.

"Then leave and don't come back until you can."

Haknyeon was silent for a moment but then stood up.

Just as you were beginning to regret your words, he said, "Please don't try to kill the beast, ok? It will kill you first!"

"Go!" you replied coldly.

With a sigh, he left into the rain again. As you watched him go, you decided the beast will die soon.

The next days you prepared everything for your beast hunt. Gaston showed up one day to ask again if you want to marry him. You dismiss him with a simple no and after a while, he left. Haknyeon didn't show up, but you secretly wished he would. Your heart seemed to long for him. Your dreams were filled with him and every time you thought about him, your heart ached. Is that what love feels like?

You also prepare everything in case you won't survive the night. Someone needed to take care of your father. You talked to an old lady in the village and she agreed to look after him in two days. Her husband was a soldier and when he came back he had also lost his mind. He was now in the asylum and his wife was forbidden to visit him. She understood that you couldn’t let your father go there.

As the night of the beast hunt came, you felt a tiny bit nervous. It was raining, which means finding the traces of the beast would be hard. Also was there a higher risk of slipping. But you went anyways. Not much later, the howling of the beast started. It must have been near you. You started walking in the direction of the howling. You needed to find the beast before it found you, so you hurried through the forest.

The training had made you more agile and now you practically flew through the forest. The next howl was very far away and came from a completely different direction. You changed your direction and a little bit later you found your first traces of the beast. You followed those, but you never came close to the howling.

You were confused. Where is this beast? It is a predator. They don’t hide.

You kept following the traces which ended in the ruins where Haknyeon lived. And then you saw it. His deformed body was on top of one of the ruins. His red gleaming eyes were staring at you. You stood there frozen. The beast didn’t move as well. Is Haknyeon here? Where is he? Is he hurt?

You looked around for him. You heard a loud thud and when you looked up again the beast had disappeared.

“Haknyeon?” you yelled and started searching the ruins for him.

The thought of him being hurt sent you into complete panic mode. You searched the ruins and its surrounding the whole night. No trace of him. Luckily, the beast didn’t come back.

In the early morning hours, you found Haknyeon. He was covered in dirt and blood. He was lying unconscious in a small stream. You ran over to him and dragged his head out of the water and into your lap. With shaking hands, you tried to feel his pulse. When you felt his pulse, breathed out loudly, feeling relieved. You shook him gently while caressing his hair. Slowly he opened his eyes.

As he saw you he smiled and your heart skipped a beat. His hand reached up to your face and gently whipped away your tears. You didn’t even realise you were crying.

“What happened? Why are you crying, beautiful?” he asked with a hoarse voice.

“You happened! I thought you were dead. I searched the whole night for you.”

“You did?” he asked.

The surprise was on his face for a short second but then it was replaced with a cocky smirk.

“You like me!” he stated.

“I thought you know that!” you replied and splashed some water in his face.

A boyish grin took over his face and he moved away from your lap and started splashing you with water as well.

You giggled: “Stop. Aren’t you hurt?”

“Nope!” he replied and continued on with splashing water at you.

You decided to also attack him with water. And soon you both played fighting in the middle of the small stream and you both couldn't stop giggling. Haknyeon’s arms were wrapped around you to keep you from splashing water at him. You squirmed in his grip as he pulled you close to him. You stopped squirming when you realised your faces were only inches apart. You looked into his eyes which were staring so lovingly at you. It still hurt that he wouldn’t tell you why he is staying in the forest. It just didn’t make sense. Doesn’t he trust you enough? You just wanted him to be safe.

He laid his forehead against yours and as if he had heard your thought he said: “I’m sorry. I just can’t tell you everything. And I’m afraid you run away from me!”

“Please try!”, you mumbled.

Both of your eyes began to water.

He placed a fleeting kiss on your lips and then whispered: "I'm cursed. And I physically can't tell you anything about my curse."

“The curse keeps you in the forest?” you asked and he nodded.

You slung your arms around his neck and hugged him. He pushed his head into your neck.

You heard of curses before. You knew there weren’t just stories to scare children. When you were younger, there was this cursed man who couldn’t remember his name and life anymore. He didn’t even know he was cursed. The curse was broken when he found out was his name was.

“Can you show me your curse?” you asked.

He shook his head.

“Do you know how to break it?”

“I have an idea. But it feels impossible," he mumbled into your neck and cuddled closer to you.

“I will try to help you, ok?”

He just nodded at that and moved his hand under your thigh to carry you. With you in his arms, he went out of the water and laid you gently on the grass growing at the edge. He bent over you and looked at you again with those loving eyes.

"You are the best thing that has ever happened to me," he said softly, his hand tenderly stroking your cheek.

You smiled at him and pulled his face closer to you.

Then, he kissed you. You still had so many questions, but his kiss and his proximity made you forget about everything. As his lips moved against yours, time seemed to stop and nothing else but he was important now. As he slowly pulled away, you didn’t allow him to be more than a few centimetres away from your lips. He chuckled lowly. One of his hands caressed your side lovingly.

“I’m not going anywhere!” he breathed out against your lips.

“You’re not close enough!” you replied, still a little breathless.

Still, you pulled him into another kiss. This one was more intense and you wrapped your legs around his waist to pull his body flush against yours. Haknyeon groaned into the kiss when your hips touched. He couldn’t help but grind a little into you, which made you moan in return. Your hand went into his hair and you pulled lightly. He kissed you again with more lust. Your body began to feel very hot from the fiery kisses you shared and you wanted more of him.

But Haknyeon began to slow down the kiss. You whined against his lips. He pecked your lips several times as an apology.

“You don’t deserve this. I should take you to the castle and make love to you on a huge bed.” Haknyeon mumbled with his eyes still closed.

“Which castle?” you giggled and softly run your fingers through his still-wet hair.

A blush crept up his cheek: "The one, you deserve to live in.”

You giggled again and Haknyeon showered you with short pecks all over your face, so would keep giggling. When he was finished, he smiled proudly at you. A small breeze came through the trees and made you shiver. You were still soaking from the rain last night and your shenanigans in the water with Haknyeon. He noticed immediately and rubbed your arms to warm you up a little bit.

“We should get you home before you get sick. Your father is probably worried.” Haknyeon said and sat up while pulling you with him.

As you two walked through the forest, Haknyeon kept you close to him in hopes to warm you a little bit.

“Has the Beast something to do with the curse?” you asked as you reached the meadow by your cottage.

Haknyeon didn’t answer but he didn’t have to. You were pretty sure that his curse and the beast were connected.

As you reached the cottage, you told Haknyeon to wait for a minute. Inside you went straight to your jewellery box and took out an amulet with a rose on it. You went back to Haknyeon and told him to close his eyes. With a grin, he closed his eyes and then he tried to relax his lips.

He was hoping you would kiss him and you couldn't let him down, so you gave him a quick kiss. Haknyeon had other plans. He wrapped his arms around your waist and pulled you closer, effectively prolonging the kiss. You smiled against his lips and softly laid the amulet around his neck.

As the lock clicked into place, Haknyeon detached himself from you. He looked back and forth between you and the amulet in amazement.

“It’s a little present. So you’re not completely alone. I’m always with you.” you explained and felt heat rush to your cheeks again.

Haknyeon’s cheeks also turned red but looked really touched and grateful. He pulled you again into a kiss. It was a very soft and loving kiss.

“When will I see you again?”, you asked him.

“Soon. I try to come tomorrow, okay?”

You only nodded. Your heart ached at the thought of letting him go.

“Will you promise to stay out of the forest?”

“Nope!”

He sighed: “I already thought so. But I thought asking wouldn’t hurt.”

He gave you a kiss on your temple and mumbled: “Thank you!”

You smiled at him and neither of you wanted to go.

“Please go inside now and warm up.”, Haknyeon whispered against your hair as he pulled you into a hug.

“Not before you leave!”, you replied.

Slowly, Haknyeon let go of you and started to walk backwards.

“Turn around. You will fall!” you scolded him.

He just grinned and shook his head. So you have to endure, Haknyeon walking backwards to the forest. When he has disappeared between the trees, you want into the cottage to wash up.

You had a lot to do today. First of all, tell the old lady in the village you survived the night and she doesn’t have to look after your father. Secondly, visit the library to find out more about curses and how to break them. And lastly, find a way to kill the beast. The beast puts Haknyeon in danger every night and maybe if the beast is dead, his curse will be broken.

After visiting the old lady, you went to the library. You found out if you’re cursed you can’t talk about your curse and how to break it. People close to the cursed shouldn’t help, that’s why witches took this precaution. A witch couldn’t take back her curse, so searching for the witch who cursed Haknyeon wasn’t really an option.

The curses are often inspired by fairytales. You searched in your mind, for a fairytale with a beast. The first one that came to your mind was Beauty and The Beast. Could Haknyeon be the Beast? You thought back to the first night you met both of them. He saved you from the beast and you once heard the beast while you were with Haknyeon. It didn’t really make sense. But maybe killing the beast isn’t the best idea. Just in case, you thought. Maybe catching the beast with a trap would get you more clarity. But you knew nothing about traps, so you decided to visit Gaston.

Gaston wasn’t home, but he was in the local tavern. You didn’t have a good feeling while you entered the tavern. You spotted Gaston drinking with his friend in a corner. You walked over to them.

“Hi! Gaston? Do you have a minute?”

“Have you changed your mind?” he slurred and almost fell out of his chair.

His friend laughed.

“No, but I need your help. I need to know how to build a trap!” you said.

“Depends on what you want to catch?”, a friend of his who is much soberer answered.

“A beast?”, you said and they all laughed again.

One of the older hunters came to the table: “A beast? The same story that your father tries to tell us?”

You hesitantly nodded and everyone else laughed.

“Get the pastor and send someone to the cottage to get her father. They both have lost their mind. They’re crazy. She keeps seeing a boy that doesn’t exist.” Gaston said, he still sounded drunk but no one cared.

He was popular, after all. You, on the other hand, weren't.

“Is that true? You see a boy?” a middle-aged woman asked.

“No. Haknyeon does really exist," you replied angrily.

“Oh, he has a name.” the woman laughed and everyone else joined.

“And where does your boy live?”

“In the forest!” you replied before you could shut yourself up.

Everyone laughed again but you didn’t care. You needed to get out of here. As you turned to the door to leave as fast as possible, the older hunter gripped your arm so tight that it hurt.

“Let me go!”, you hissed, but it was no use.

Before you knew it, you were locked in a carriage. Not much later, the villagers threw your father into the carriage with you.

"Papa! Are you all right?" you asked as you crawled to him.

He nodded, dazed.

"My dear, what are they going to do to us?"

You shrugged even though you already had a pretty good idea where they were going to take you. To the asylum. The carriage started moving. When the carriage stopped, you were met by guards in front of the asylum. When the heavy gates closed behind you, you felt so helpless again. How you hated that feeling. Would it never end?

Your father and you were locked in a cell together with the comment that the doctor would be here soon to take you for a first examination.

"I didn't know we were sick, my dear," your father said.

"We're not!" you grumbled as you paced up and down the cell.

Your father lay down on one of the beds. You didn't understand how he could relax with the agonising screams that came to you from time to time. You had to find a way out of here as quickly as possible.

The doctor arrived earlier than expected and had guards lead you both through the building to an examination room. On the way, you caught a glimpse of a crowd of tortured souls sitting whimpering in the corners of their cells. Soon your father and you would be one of them. And you could no longer help Haknyeon? But maybe he could help you? But that only happened in fairy tales. Gaston and his friends would probably hunt him to death at the latest. You really underestimated Gaston's jealousy.

Your thoughts were interrupted by the sight of the examination room. All sorts of bloody equipment hung on the wall and the doctor donned a bloody apron. Your stomach turned and you began to struggle against the guards' grip.

"Well, let's start with the young lady."

You were strapped to the table so that you could no longer move. Another gag was shoved into your mouth.

"What are you doing with my daughter?" your father asked indignantly, "She doesn't know anything about my inventions!"

The doctor laughed and ordered the guards to tie him to the chair. He was also gagged, for you only heard muffled sounds from him.

“That will hurt now a little.” the doctor said and felt how something is injected into your arms.

Shortly afterwards you felt your body getting heavy and you couldn't even move your fingers. You were briefly lit up once in the eyes. Then something cool was pressed to your temples. A little later you heard a slight chill and then an unbelievable pain went through your body and your muscles tensed up. Your scream was stifled by the gag. You wanted to move away from the cold metal touching your head but there was no escape. After the third shock, you passed out and woke up when you were back in your cell.

Your father lay in the bed on the opposite side. You were feeling dizzy but you got up anyway to check up on your father. His breath was steady and didn’t seem to have any injuries. You sighed with relief and went back to your own bed. Your body felt drained from all energy and you just wanted to sleep. As laid down, you close your eyes and could feel sleep taking over.

But then you were startled awake by a howl. At first, you thought you were dreaming. But the howl became louder and you heard the clashing of metal against stones. Some patients screamed, but that wasn’t really unusually.

You got up again as you heard a roar again. It sounded like the beast. You went to the bars that separated you from your freedom. One of the patients, whose skull was shaved bald and covered with scars, ran past.

"Wait!" you shouted, "What's going on?"

"A beast is here and it's tearing open the cells!" the patient shouted in panic and ran on.

You tried as best you could to stick your head out of the cell to look in the direction where the patient had come from. More and more patients ran past you and the turmoil grew even bigger. The first thing you saw was his red eyes. It was indeed the beast, fighting its way through the corridor. By now there were also several guards trying to fight the beast.

You retreated back into the cell and crawled to your father. You shook him awake. Confused and dazed, he looked around.

"The beast is here!" you whispered and his gaze immediately cleared.

"Crawl under the bed, dear," he ordered you and you obeyed.

He came to you under the bed. A little later, the beast stood in front of your cell and tore the bars out of the wall and threw them at the guards. It was bigger than you remembered which didn’t make it any less frightening. It didn't notice you and went to the next cell. Your father crawled under the bed. You followed it and your father helped you up.

"Let's get out of here before it comes back," your father said and dragged you out of the now open cell.

He turned in the direction away from the beast, but you couldn't help turning around to look at the beast. It was by now surrounded by guards and had to endure several stabs from their spears. What if Haknyeon was the beast? Then you had to help him. And you stopped running.

"Come!" urged your father.

Then the beast looked up and looked you straight in the eye. All your focus was on the beast. It knocked the guards aside, slapping them against the wall like dolls. Then it ran towards you and your father called your name. But you did not react. You stood rooted to the spot. Why else would the beast be here if it is not Haknyeon?

The beast came to a halt in front of you and let out a growl. Then you discovered the amulet dangling around the beast's neck.

"Haknyeon!" you breathed and reached out your trembling hand to him.

The beast came even closer. Neither you nor the beast saw your father coming. He had taken the spear of an unconscious guard and was charging at the beast. When its muzzle touched your hand, it crackled in the air and the beast's chest began to glow.

It was into this glow that your father thrust his spear. The beast sacked to the ground.

"Haknyeon!" you shouted and ran to the beast, which slowly began to change into a boy.

Haknyeon knelt on the ground, the spear still in his chest. Blood began to pour out of his mouth.

He coughed a little before speaking softly, "You have broken the curse."

Tears streamed down your face as you panicked, trying to calm the bleeding around the spear.

"My brother and I were both very conceited, so a witch cursed us. Every night we would become beasts and the curse can only be broken if someone loves both sides of us," Haknyeon explained.

"I didn't know you had a brother," you said as you tried to prop him up.

"He was the one who had hurt you and also your father. He is now more beast than man. He has started to change during the day. Every night he wanted to go out of the forest to attack people. I fought with him every night to stop him."

Everything seemed to make sense now.

"What is your brother doing now?" you asked, realising what it might mean if Haknyeon was here now and not stopping his brother.

Haknyeon murmured: "I'm sorry. I know the people in the village don't deserve it. But I couldn't leave you here."

You looked up to your father who was standing next to you pale as a sheet, guilt written all over his face.

"I-I'm sorry. I didn't know."

"It's okay. You were trying to protect your daughter. I probably would have done the same."

"You would never have hurt me!"

"No. I would have killed myself before that."

More tears stream down your face as Haknyeon's eyelids slowly began to flutter.

"No, please don't." you pleaded, "Stay with me!"

You heard the guards starting to collect the patients again and put them in other still intact cells.

"Go now! Get as far away as you can with your father. Start a new life, far away from here."

"No, I won't."

"I'm beyond help. Go!" he gasped, coughing up more blood.

"The boy is right. Let's go."

"I love you!" you murmured desperately, unwilling to break away from him.

"I love you too. You're the best thing that's happened to me. The most beautiful thing I've ever seen."

He smiled weakly and darted away briefly, driving the spear deeper into his chest. Your vision was blinded by your tears but you felt how you were picked up. You trashed against the hold, but the grip was strong. You saw the bleeding Haknyeon getting smaller and smaller. The last thing you saw was how he completely collapsed. You had found the love of your life and managed to break his curse, just to lose him.

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unfortunatelydead · 3 years

Text

SO I am a really big Adventure Time fan and I made a decision for all the people in my life who wanted to watch the show but didn’t want to watch unnecessary episodes: to create a watch guide.

Surprisingly whenever I talked about it, a lot of people were interested.

So, below the cut, my Adventure Time watch guide:

*Not a lot of episodes could, in my opinion, be cut. My reasons for not cutting an episode could be because it has a character that comes back later in the series, a certain character needed more screen time, or as simple a reason as I personally feel like it shouldn’t be cut. However, some episodes that I think just enhance the series or are particularly memorable, but aren’t necessary, are labelled as “not necessary but fun/cute”

Adventure time watch guide: The necessary episodes Season 1: 1.) slumber party panic, episode 1 2.) trouble in lumpy space 3.) prisoners of love 4.) tree trunks 5.) enchiridion 6.) the jiggler 7.) Ricardio 8.) business time (not necessary) 9.) my two favorite people 10.) boom boom mountain 11.) wizard school (not necessary but fun) 12.) Evicted 13.) city of thieves 14.) the witch’s garden 15.) what is life 16.) fear of the ocean 17.) when wedding bells thaw, ice wedding (not necessary) 18.) dungeon 19.) duke of nuts 20.) magic man, freak city 21.) Donny 22.) henchman aka marceline pt 2 23.) bmo cuteness, rainy day dream (not necessary) 24.)what have you done (not necessary) 25.) BILLY THE HERO 26.) gut grinder Season 2: 1.) it came from the nightosphere 2.)horse eyes 3.)nice king (not necessary) 4.) blood under the skin 5.)storytelling (not necessary) 6.)snail love (not necessary) 7.) power animal 8.)crystals have power 9.)royal tart toter (not necessary but fun) 10.) beautiful hair 11.) chamber of frozen blades 12.) her parents 13.) the pods 14.) a silent king 15.) the real you 16.) guardians of sunshine (not necessary) (different animation style episode) 17.) death in bloom 18.) Susan strong 19.) mystery train (not necessary) 20.) go with me 21.) belly of the beast, party bears 22.) ancient psychic tandem war elephant 23.) video makers (not necessary) 24.) mortal folly, the lich king 25.) mortal recoil 26.) heat signature (not necessary) Season 3: 1.) conquest of cuteness 2.) ghost gladiators (not necessary but fun) 3.) memory of a memory 4.) hitman 5.) baby pb, lemongrab 6.) the monster aka lumpy space princess (not necessary) 7.) still (not necessary) 8.) wizard battle 9.) fionna and cake pt 1 (not necessary but fun) 10.) what was missing 11.) Apple thief, the pig 12.) murder mystery dinner party 13.) zombies, again (not necessary) 14.) beautopia, return of Susan strong 15.) no one can hear you, THE DEER EPISODE 16.) jake vs memow 17.) snow golem and fire puppy 18.) cosmic owl croak dream 19.) holly jolly secrets 20.) holly jolly secrets pt 2 21.)marceline’s closet (not necessary) 22.) paper Pete (not necessary) 23.) another way, clown nurses (not necessary) 24.) ghost princess’ story 25.) dad’s dungeon 26.) incendium, intro of flame princess Season 4: 1.) hot to the touch, more flame princess 2.) five short graybles 3.) stuck in spiders web (not necessary) 4.) dream of love 5.) return to the nightosphere 6.) return to the nightosphere pt 2 7.) in your footsteps 8.) hug wolf (not necessary) 9.) princess monster wife (not necessary) 10.) goliad 11.) beyond this earthly realm, (not necessary) 12.) gotcha 13.) card wars 14.) princess cookies 15.) son of Mars 16.) burning low 17.) bmo noire 18.) king worm 19.) lady and peebles 20.) you made me 21.) who would win (not necessary) 22.) ignition point 23.) the hard easy, mega frog, (not necessary) 24.)reign of gunthers 25.) I REMEMBER YOU 26.) The Lich Season 5: 1.) Finn the human 2.) jake the dog 3.) five more short graybles 4.) up a tree (not necessary but fun) 5.) All the little people (not necessary) 6.) jake the dad 7.) davey (not necessary) 8.) mystery dungeon (not necessary) 9.) all your fault 10.) little dude (not necessary) 11.) bad little boy (Fionna and cake pt 2) (not necessary but fun) 12.) vault of bones 13.) the great bird man 14.) Simon and Marcy 15.) a glitch is a glitch (not necessary but fun) (different animation style episode) 16.) Puhoy <3 17.) BMO Lost 18.) princess potluck 19.) James Baxter 20.) shhh! (Not necessary) 21.) the suitor 22.) party’s over (not necessary) 23.) one last job (jake jr’s episode?) 24.) another more five short graybles 25.) candy streets 26.) wizards only, fools 27.) jake suit 28.) be more 29.) sky witch 30.) frost and fire 31.) too old 32.) earth and water 33.) time sandwich (not necessary but fun) 34.) THE VAULT 35.) love games 36.) dungeon train 37.) box prince 38.) red starved 39.) we fixed a truck (not necessary) 40.) play date 41.) the pit 42.) James 43.) root beer guy 44.) Apple wedding 45.) blade of grass 46.) rattleballs 47.) the red throne 48.) Betty 49.) bad timing (not necessary) 50.) lemon hope part 1 51.) lemonhope part 2 52.) Billy’s bucket list Season 6: 1.) wake up 2.) escape from the citadel 3.) James 2 4.) the tower 5.) sad face (not necessary) 6.) breezy 7.) food chain (not necessary but fun) (different animation style episode) 8.) furniture and meat 9.) the prince who wanted everything (fionna and cake pt 3) (not necessary but fun) 10.) something big 11.) little brother (not necessary) 12.) ocarina (Kim Kil Whan’s episode) 13.) crabapples (not necessary but fun) 14.) princess day 15.) nemesis 16.) Joshua and Margaret 17.) ghost fly (not necessary) 18.) everything’s jake (not necessary) 19.) is that you 20.) jake the brick (not necessary but fun) 21.) dentist 22.) the cooler 23.) the pajama war 24.) evergreen 25.) astral plane 26.) gold stars 27.) the visitor 28.) the mountain 29.) dark purple 30.) diary (tv’s episode) 31.) walnuts and rain (not necessary but fun) 32.) friends forever (not necessary) 33.) jermaine 34.) chips and ice cream (not necessary) 35.) graybles 1000+ 36.) hoots 37.) water park prank (not necessary) (different animation style episode) 38.) you forgot your floaties 39.) be sweet 40.) orgalorg 41.) on the lam 42.) hot digging dam 43.) the comet Season 7: 1.) Bonnie and Neddy 2.) varmints 3.) cherry cream soda 4.) mama said 5.) football 6.) STAKES, part 1 7.) STAKES, part 2 8.) STAKES, part 3 9.) STAKES, part 4 10.) STAKES, part 5 11.) STAKES, part 6 12.) STAKES, part 7 13.) STAKES, part 8 14.) The more you moe 15.) summer showers (viola’s episode) 16.) angel face 17.) president porpoise is missing (not necessary) 18.) blank eyed girl (not necessary but fun) 19.) bad jubies (not necessary) (different animation style episode) 20.) kings ransom 21.) scamps (not necessary) 22.) crossover 23.) the hall of egress 24.) flute spell 25.)the thin yellow line (not necessary but fun) Season 8: 1.) broke his crown 2.) don’t look (not necessary but fun) 3.) beyond the grotto (not necessary but fun) (different animation style episode) 4.) lady rainicorn of the crystal dimension 5.) I am a sword 6.) bun bun 7.) normal man 8.) elemental 9.) five short tables (fionna and cake pt 4) (not necessary but fun) 10.) the music hole 11.) daddy-daughter card wars (Charlie’s episode) 12.) pre boot 13.) reboot 14.) two swords 15.) do no harm 16.) wheels (bronwyn’s episode) 17.) high strangeness 18.) horse and ball 19.) jelly beans have power 20.) Islands pt 1 21.) Islands pt 2 22.) Islands pt 3 23.) Islands pt 4 24.) Islands pt 5 25.) Islands pt 6 26.) Islands pt 7 27.) Islands pt 8 Season 9: 1.) orb 2.) elements pt 1 3.) elements pt 2 4.) elements pt 3 5.) elements pt 4 6.) elements pt 5 7.) elements pt 6 8.) elements pt 7 9.) elements pt 8 10.) abstract 11.) ketchup (different animation style episode) 12.) fionna and cake and fionna (not necessary but fun) (fionna and cake pt 5) 13.) whispers 14.) three buckets Season 10: 1.) the Wild hunt 2.) always bmo closing 3.) son of rap bear 4.) bonnibel bubblegum 5.) seventeen 6.) ring of fire 7.) Marcy and hunson 8.) the first investigation 9.) blenanas (for some reason this episode is separate on Hulu?) (not necessary) 10.) jake the starchild (out of order on Hulu, this one comes before temple of Mars) 11.) temple of Mars (out of order on Hulu, watch this one after jake the starchild) 12.) gumbaldia 13.) Come along with me Adventure Time: Distant Lands- 1.) BMO 2.) Obsidian 3.) Together Again (not yet released) 4.) Wizard City (not yet released)

#Adventure Time #at #finn and jake #watch guide #reference

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cuttlefishkitch · 5 years

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I figured I’d actually make a post about this instead of burying it in the replies of some other post but I did some math about Micheal, Eric, Gertrude, Mary, and Gerry. This is mostly using the wiki and a couple quotes cause I don’t feel like digging through all the transcripts right now. Before getting into it though I did this b/c I was curious about what if any relationship Gerard and Micheal could have had, how old Micheal was when he got Spiraled, and how old Gerry was when he died. I’ll put the conclusions at the end.

Okay so

Gerry was born in the (probably late) 80s: I don’t think we get anything more concrete than that but he’s a teenager in 2002 and is old enough to be tried as an adult in 2008, and described as a young man in 2009, so my guess is he was probably around 22-23 around then so he’d be 15-16 in 2002 and be born in late 80s, like 1987 or 88.

Eric is working at the institute when Gerry is born: So from the way Eric says it, “ You know, you were never actually all that nice to me when I worked for you, Gertrude. Not like Michael, or Emma.” it does really sound like he probably worked with Micheal, cause how else would Micheal be nice to him if they hadn’t met in person. So Micheal was working as an archival assistant at least at the same time as Eric, which will be important later.

Eric quits the institute and Mary kills him: This is where there’s some wiggle room in the timeline. So Gerry says he never knew his dad, and that Eric quit once he was born. What could have happened is a phenomena called childhood amnesia, which basically means that as your brain is developing it stores memories differently than it does when growing up, so most people can’t recall memories from when they were very young because they’re encoded differently. The feelings of those memories are still there, even if you can’t remember the actual events. This phenomena usually lasts until about 5 or 6 so technically Gerry could have been up to 6 years old when Eric was killed and still “never know him” especially if Mary lied to him or didn’t talk about Eric at all. So story wise it would make sense if Eric quit within a year after Gerry was born, putting that in either 1988 or 89, BUT timeline wise it makes more sense to me if he got to know Gerry a little bit as he was growing up and decided to quit and help out later, when Gerry was about 5 or so, lets say 1993 or 4.

Micheal is working as Gertrude’s assistant at least a little before Eric quits: So, depending on what you think about when Mary killed Eric the farthest back Micheal could have been brought on as an assistant is 1988 or 89, and the earliest is 1993 or 4. We know Martin and Jon were in their late 20s early 30s when they started working in the archives, and we assume Tim and Sasha were as well. It seems like most hiring into the archives is probably done from other departments in the institute, which would make sense, as Jonah/James/Elias would want to watch and get a feel for his people before sticking them in his precious archives (gross ass man that he is). So assuming Micheal is probably a fresh hire when Eric is on his way out, let’s say he’s like 27-33.

Nothing relevant happens for a while.

Micheal is heard on Gertrude’s tape in 2007: And he doesn’t really sound that old. The youngest he could be by my calculations is 40, which like, good for him, long time to last in the archives. But the oldest he could be is like 52, which is really doesn’t jive with how he’s most often described or how he sounds both on the tape and as the distortion. When I took a first pass at this I got him down to like 34 but I’m pretty sure I screwed up some math and I was REALLY PUSHING IT.

Oh boy a lot went down in 2008: 2008 is the earliest Micheal could be Spiraled. It’s also when Mary gave Eric’s page to Gertrude before attempting to bind herself to the book and subsequently getting Gerry arrested and then unarrested. He’s probably around 22 or 23, but if you wanna push it he could be as young as 19.

2011: The latest Micheal could be Spiraled, making it possible that, by my (incredibly shaky) math he could have been anywhere from 41 in 2008 to 56 in 2011. Hardly the young twink everyone pictures him as. Also Gerry would be around 25 to 26 but could be as young as 22.

Gertrude frees Gerry from Mary in 2013: So unless you think Mary would share her son with the Institute, which I suppose is up to your own headcannon, but I have a hard time believing considering her “one last screw you to the eye” and hatred of “ivory tower idiots.” This is when Gerry actually has any chance to interact with the institute.

Gerry dies in 2014: This isn’t relevant to anything I just realized poor Gerry only had about a year to enjoy a life without his mother, and most of that time was probably spent being at least subtlety manipulated by Gertrude, and that makes me really sad. :( He was probably in his late 20s by now, the age where it would have been reasonable for him to become a proper archival assistant.

In conclusion: Micheal’s probably AT LEAST 41 at the time of being Spiraled, but if you REALLY PUSHED IT you could probably put him in his mid to late 30s, but that would make Gerry REALLY YOUNG, like younger than Jon by a couple years, so he’d be in early 20s when Micheal’s that age. Also Gerry probably never met Micheal, and even if he did it was while he was being actively haunted by his mom. Idk what to do with this information, especially since I also can’t really see Spiral Micheal being any older than like mid 30s so wtf jonny??

#tma spoilers #Micheal Shelly #Mary Keay #Gerard Keay #Gertrude Robinson #Eric Delano #tma #The Magnus Archives #i'm not actually upset at jonny #timelines are HARD #and who knows #maybe fanon micheal just has a bad case of blond twink syndrome #i personally think this opens up the possibility of Father Figure Micheal #and Eric Delano as Micheal's fandom assigned boyfriend #just think about it #Eric tells Micheal he's gonna quit for his son #Micheal later finds out about how much of a fucked up life Gerry's led #and feels super bad about it #maybe wishes he could do his old flame a favor by taking care of his son #THEN HE GETS SPIRALED #and Mr. Distortion still has fatherly feelings towards Gerry #Micheal: *t posing in the corner of Gerry's bedroom*#hAvE yOU donE yOUr HomeWOrk sON #Gerry who has no reason to believe Fuck Hands Mc Mike isn't his newest sleep paralysis demon:#I'M IN MY 20S FUCK OFF!!!#My Meta

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jess-rewatches-prodigalson · 4 years

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Head Case (S2, E6)

My time-stamped thoughts for this episode. As always I reference Malcolm’s mental health. A lot. So if that’s going to be a trigger for you, don’t keep reading.

SPOILERS AHEAD:

0:03 - This clip of Malcolm in the car is from the pilot episode. I was so betrayed by this clip. Full disclosure - I’ve always had a thing for Malcolm’s jacket from the pilot episode. I just love it and I think Tom Payne looks cute in it. BUT - I was betrayed because Malcolm isn’t wearing my favourite jacket in the next scene (I was disappointed but not surprised). Rant about wardrobe over.

0:20 - This is weird to me. In the clip right before this, when Malcolm was coming to Claremont (wearing the awesome jacket) - Malcolm is clearly in emotional distress. He’s not in a good mood. BUT right here, when Malcolm is chatting with Mr. David he seems like he’s in a good mood. Not one of his manic good moods - just a regular good one.

0:32 - Anyone else notice how visibly uncomfortable Jessica AND Malcolm are? This whole Ainsley situation is literally going to destroy them both. :(

0:34 - sooooo Mr. David knows by now right? He has to? ALSO when the European FBI guy shows up in a few episodes this is going to be bad for Malcolm and Jessica right? The FBI guy will probs talk to Mr. David who will be like - oh yeah, they’ve had more ‘family meetings’ in the past 6 months than in the past 20 years.

1:22 - Sooooo this whole family honestly thinks Ainsley’s going to become a serial killer. From the tidbits of her childhood that we’ve seen, the way she treated Malcolm in Q&A, and generally how she acts when she wants to get a story - I’m not surprised. Read my thoughts on older episodes (1x7, 1x20, 2x5), I’ve always thought Ainsley was a sociopath or psychopath. The girl doesn’t show a lot of moral backbone or sympathy for anyone.

1:33 - Wait. Does this montage of Malcolm’s erratic behaviour mean that Malcolm killed someone as a kid? And doesn’t know it? Or is this just a reference to the whole ‘girl in the box’ trauma arc from last season?

1:44 - “I wish I didn’t know that you were a killer.” Anyone else get major flashbacks to the movie Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause? “I wish I had never become Santa at all” then we get an AU for 40 mins? Just me? Cool - excuse my bad taste in Christmas movies.

1:50 - hahaha Martin is so bitter.

2:25 - You know, as much as I love to hate Martin - he has a point. Malcolm loved his Dad (still does whether he wants to admit it or not) in 98′ - why is Malcolm chill with Ainsley killing but not Martin? Is it because with Martin, he found a poor girl tortured in a box but with Ainsley he saw her kill a man that was threatening their family? Or was it because Martin tried to kill Malcolm but Ainsley hasn’t (yet?) **honestly - that would be such an interesting episode - if Ainsley tries to kill Malcolm**

2:33 - THANK YOU. Someone finally thanks Malcolm for trying to protect Ainsley (and in extension Jessica) from the emotional trauma he’s been dealing with since the age of 10. EVEN THOUGH PROTECTING THEM IS MAKING HIS MENTAL STATE WORSE. Seriously - Malcolm is going to snap soon I honestly won’t be surprised if we get some suicidal ideation from him this season (especially if things don’t improve). Look at those big sad puppy dog eyes when Jess thanks him.

2:38 - hahahaha that side-eyed glare directed at Martin.

2:53 - I know Jessica had good intentions here - she’s trying to protect both of her children but honestly, this whole interaction was probably super upsetting for Malcolm. Think about it - BOTH of his parents haven’t tried to have a serious discussion with him at the same time since he was at 10 years old or younger. This interaction is probably bringing up some memories for Malcolm and making him grieve for the childhood he lost all over again.

3:06 - “You’re gross.” followed by a very regal wave at Mr. David. YES. Queen Jessica. <3

3:25 - Malcolm startling JT is pretty freaking cute. Look at how JT’s expression immediately changes from startled to concerned. I don’t blame him. Malcolm gives off major manic energy in this scene. The visit with the parents did not leave him in a good place. Also - Malcolm straight up admitted that he’s had a ‘rough morning’ this boy almost never tells the truth when he’s struggling. He’s fine. He’s always fine.

3:30 - “Rough month.” IS THIS IT? IS THIS ALL I’M GOING TO GET? JT had a baby THREE EPISODES AGO. ‘rough month’ is a reference to the fact that he’s a new dad and he’s struggling with lack of sleep, leaving Tally alone with the baby while he’s a work, being a good husband, adjusting to dad life, ect. RIGHT?!? We’ve literally had no mention of the baby since 2x3 and I’m losing my mind. I just want someone to say, “Hey JT, how’s the baby?” that’s it. I want 5 seconds of dialogue. Just an acknowledgment that the child exists.

3:54 - “Sooo bring me up to speed.” OMG. That smile is both extremely manic and completely adorable. Seriously - why is no one on the team more concerned about Malcolm during this episode? AND WHERE THE EFF IS EDRISA IN THIS SCENE?!? We’ve been robbed.

4:21 - “What? I liked math class.” OMG. JT is a closet math nerd. You can’t take this headcanon away from me.

4:24 - hahahaha look at Malcolm absorbing the new information about JT. He’s like.....yes. I will keep that information for later. Very good. Will pry further.

5:04 - I love Dani. She’s perfect. She can see that Malcolm just checked out into his own horror of a memory. So she gently teases him to bring him back to reality. <3 This is true friendship. <3

6:00 - Was I the only one who thought it was weird that Gil asked Malcolm to help with the canvasing? Like - doesn’t Malcolm always help? Isn’t that part of what he does to build his profile?

6:12 - “KGB agent” Yes. Malcolm is still annoyed that Ainsley was so competitive about a literal murder last episode. I promise you. Ainsley’s probably still annoyed too.

6:26 - This is why Malcolm is considering telling Ainsley the truth. He’s already losing her. May as well rip off the band-aid. She might not react as badly finding out from him as she would finding out by herself.

6:51 - “That is my vagina.” hahahahaha OMG. As a woman I must say: HOW?!?! As someone who adores JT: hahahahahahahaha OMG.

7:23 - “You’re getting a lot of mileage out of that tidbit”. lol. JT gently teasing Malcolm is one of my favourite things. Hands down. Especially since they’ve reached a point in their friendship where Malcolm doesn’t seem scared or offended when JT makes fun of him. They’re acting like brothers and I LOVE IT. <3

7:25 - “That’s the tip of the iceberg my man.” I have no idea why I am so amused by someone calling Malcolm “my man” but I am.

7:36 - “The Bowery Ripper” hahaha the look that JT and Dani exchange when Malcolm starts nerding out.

8:00 - Wendell is kind of creepy. But like a weird, non-threatening creepy?

8:22 - OMG. JT let the vagina sculpture go. hahaha Look at how grossed out Dani is hahahaha she’s like, “Ugh. Men are gross.”

8:30 - This is why I love JT. He knows that that elevator is sketchy as hell. Plus it’s some (less than subtle) foreshadowing for what’s to come in this episode.

8:41 - How did Dani find out he was at Claremont?! Does Mr. David call Gil every time Malcolm visits?!? ......this is my new headcanon. You will have to pry it from my cold dead hands.

9:00 - This is a really cute moment between Dani and Malcolm. Regardless of whether or not you ship Brightwell - it’s really sweet to see Malcolm interacting so honestly with someone. He’s telling Dani the truth about something and she’s not making him feel bad about how messed up his family is or how weird his situation is. She just listens and teases him to make him smile. That is a good friend. IDC how you feel about Brightwell - right now - this is a GOOD FRIEND moment and Malcolm deserves more of them.

9:10 - Annnnnnndddd this is why Brightwell shouldn’t happen (right now). Dani is still hurt that Malcolm doesn’t trust her enough to tell her everything. She still doesn’t completely trust him after what happened last season. A romantic relationship without 100% trust will fail. End of story. They’re great friends but right now they can’t be in a romantic relationship. It’ll end poorly. (Damn, I hope Brightwell is endgame though).

9:38 - hahaha Greta Swan is a perfect comedic relief for the Dani/Malcolm tension we just witnessed. This girl is a little nuts and a lot funny.

10:00 - “Dad’s lived here his whole life” - wow. The writers really left us some big bread crumbs. We go from the scene where someone mentions a serial killer who killed someone (who was abducted from this hotel) in 1963. THEN we find a strange, gossipy woman and her grumpy father who has lived there his whole life. Coincidence? Nah.

10:17 - SERIOUSLY?!? The Whitly home is ENORMOUS. WHY IS JESSICA LETTING AINSLEY WORK IN THE MURDER BASEMENT?!?!?! We literally just found out that Jessica has a SOLARIUM somewhere in this house.

10:40 - “The guy definitely seems like he kills people.” Oh the irony here.

10:55 - “Are you upset with me?” This is soft and I love it. Malcolm is being vulnerable with his little sister and it warms my heart.

11:07 - “Insomnia sucks.” “Who knew?” Again. Irony.

11:18 - “Anything you want to talk about?” This is precious. Malcolm loves Ainsley SO FREAKING MUCH. He has major Dad/Big brother/concerned school counsellor energy here and I’m here for it.

11:38 - Malcolm’s soooo going to replay this conversation in his head about a million times. He’s going to blame himself for Ainsley’s murder victim of this episode. He’s going to play the “what-if” game. What if - he told her the truth here? Would she still have killed someone tonight?

11:52 - Look at Ainsley’s face here. She seems sort of confused and comforted? Like maybe the fractions of memories that she’s admitting to having are making her believe that she killed Endicott and it scares her. Malcolm telling her otherwise is probably comforting on some level. It’s helping her convince herself that she’s done nothing wrong.

12:25 - According to IMDB - this isn’t the episode LDP directed SO WHY IS THERE SO LITTLE GIL CONTENT IN THIS EPISODE?!?!?!

12:27 - What the hell is the puddle on the floor btw? Is it paint? Tar? Blood? I thought construction hadn’t started on the hotel yet?

14:14 - Malcolm. You. Are. A. Moron. Why go towards the creepy elevator that opened by itself? Why did you think that was a good idea?

14:29 - The Bowery Ripper is pretty strong for an old guy. I mean, Malcolm isn’t that big and he was caught off guard but still.

14:38 - I wanted this scene to be reality SO SO BADLY. I don’t even care about the Brightwell interaction in this scene. Malcolm is on a hospital bed. With an ice pack. I could’ve watched 45 minutes of “Malcolm in the hospital” content. The fact that this boy didn’t spend longer than a 30 second scene in the hospital is a CRIME. Why does Fedak hate giving us the whump aftercare?!? WHY?!?! Doesn’t he know like half the fandom LIVES FOR IT?!?

14:40 - You know how I knew this was the start of Malcolm’s AU dream? 2 reasons: 1) Dani has her hand on the ice pack on Malcolm’s head, even though he totally doesn’t need her help to hold the ice pack to his head. 2) GIL ISN”T HERE. .....although this episode did us dirty with the lack of Gil content (I miss Papa!Gil so much)

14:46 - There’s something about dream JT. I can’t quite put my finger on it. Real and dream JT are almost identical. But dream JT seems to be more open with Malcolm? IDK - he’s more relaxed around Malcolm? I can’t quite describe it. Did anyone else notice that there was just something a little bit different about dream JT? Not even in a bad way. Just different.

15:15 - “Noooo she said it could’ve been worse. Not the same.” hahaha YES DANI. Good looking out. Call out this boy for neglecting his health.

15:24 - This whole scene where Dani and Malcolm do a joint interrogation was awesome. They were talking pretty fast which I found a little distracting but JT said it best, “They were on FIRE”. One thing I REALLY liked about the scene was the dynamic between Dani and Malcolm. Neither one of them was really taking a lead in the interrogation. They were equal partners and I think that says a lot about Malcolm’s romantic desires. He doesn’t want to dominate anyone. He doesn’t want to be taken advantage of. He just wants someone he can trust and respect. Someone who will trust and respect him. He wants a partner. An equal partner. I think that’s a really healthy desire for anyone in search of a relationship.

16:12 - an affair? Did we know that Lyle and/or Katrina were married?!? If they weren’t married it would just be a relationship. Not an affair.

17:01 - Is this honestly the first time Dani has called Malcolm by his first name? In 26 episodes? It must be right? Because I swear I was so shocked my heart skipped a beat (also my Brightwell heart melted but that’s a whole different thing).

17:06 - .....so in Malcolm’s dream does he still work for Major Crimes? Is JT running the department? I need some more details here.

17:12 - Soft!JT <3 <3 <3 How cute is it that in Malcolm’s AU dream, JT (and Dani) don’t actually change (in terms of personality). Their roles in his life just intensify. Dani becomes his significant other and JT becomes a much closer friend/brother. It’s precious. <3 <3 <3

17:52 - Something about the fact that Jessica isn’t drinking liquor in the AU is hilarious and depressing to me. It’s funny because, well, it just tickles me. It’s depressing because Malcolm understands that Jessica drinks to dull the pain. In this AU, she isn’t in pain. She’s happy. Therefore, she doesn’t need alcohol. I don’t know about you but the fact that Malcolm’s subconscious wanted his mom to be happy so badly that she became (more or less) sober - is heartbreaking and heartwarming all at the same time.

18:11 - “No one in this family is scared of a little blood right?” The irony here is THICK.

19:23 - The fact that Ainsley is a doctor just like Martin in Malcolm’s AU is terrifying and hilarious. This whole “I watched Ainsley kill a man” thing is really destabilizing Malcolm’s questionable mental health.

19:27 - “Please Ainsley is the talented one. I’m a distance second.” ....does this mean that Endicott isn’t the first person Ainsley has killed? Does this mean subconsciously Malcolm somehow thinks that Ainsley is a better serial killer than Martin?

19:56 - “No phones at dinner okay?” Something about the way Martin is looking at Malcolm at this moment and Martin’s tone of voice made me think - “Shit. Martin’s still a serial killer in Malcolm’s AU.” Especially since they Ainsley literally just announced to the room that he’s getting a from Claremont.

20:06 - Yep. That’s a nightmare. From the back, Claremont!Gil probably looked like Martin circa mid-2010s for Malcolm.

20:09 - Look idc who you ship on this show. But I will fight you if you don’t think that Malcolm being comforted after a nightmare by someone he loves is the sweetest thing ever. Look at how Dani gently rubs his arm and back. Ugh. This is the kind of safety Malcolm DESERVES.

20:43 - Dani lying on Malcolm’s chest. <3 It just makes me so happy. Not even necessarily because it’s Dani (although I do ship Brightwell as end game) but because Malcolm’s subconscious is showing us his ideal relationship and we don’t see anything wild or questionable - we just see G-rated cuddling. And damn if that doesn’t say a lot about how much Malcolm just wants to be loved.

20:53 - .......Can we have a full episode’s worth of footage where Malcolm is unconscious on the floor? I know I’m a basket case but it would make my whump heart so happy.....even happier if that footage was immediately followed by 40 mins of hospital care/comfort footage.

20:59 - I know that time has sort of slowed down for the purpose of plot in this episode but ngl - every time we saw the elevator approaching passed out Malcolm all I could think was “this is the slowest elevator in the world.”

21:26 - Malcolm is so so relaxed and comfortable in this scene. I want him to be this happy forever.

22:07 - “You deserve all of it.” Malcolm subconsciously just wants permission to be happy. He doesn’t think he deserves to be happy (especially after Endicott). That little revelation broke my heart. Also the Brightwell kiss was adorable. Dani takes control because, Malcolm wants to feel wanted and this is how his subconscious is manifesting that desire. I will argue that Malcolm doesn’t necessarily want a relationship where his partner takes charge or dominates him. He made coffee of both of them. They’re living in his apartment. They’re having calm, mature, adult conversations. They are both equal partners in his dream relationship.

22:45 - Dani isn’t scared of Malcolm when his hand starts shaking. She isn’t judging him. She’s just concerned. <3

22:47 - “Existential ennui”? Soooo much french in this episode. Damn. “Jamais vu”, “Quelle suprise”. Now “ennui”.

23:35 - “I don’t fit your profile.” ....am I expected to believe that Malcolm didn’t realize this was a dream until this moment? Dani calling him “Malcolm Whitly” in the last scene wasn’t a red flag? Or the fact that Ainsley is a doctor. Or that Martin isn’t in Claremont? Or that Jessica isn’t drinking booze by the bucket? I mean, I know he has a head injury but these are big red flags.

24:15 - Sooooo is Wendell dead irl? Because this is technically a dream.

25:02 - “I thought we were looking for an inexperienced psychopath. A first time killer.”......this is him projecting about Ainsley right? Am I overthinking this? And now he says, “I was wrong”. Is that supposed to suggest that Malcolm thinks Ainsley has killed someone before Endicott?

25:07 - “The blows are confident. They were having fun.”.....couldn’t the same be said about how Ainsley stabbed Endicott? They were definitely confident stabs (plus a confident throat slitting).

25:14 - “We’re looking for a serial killer.” Istg the writers are hinting that Ainsley is a serial killer (or will become one soon).

25:27 - Mr. David appears in the AU but Edrisa doesn’t. We were ROBBED.

26:07 - I’m not the only one who thinks that beard makes Gil look like a werewolf right?

26:33 - Claremont!Gil is creepy. LDP’s performance here is really really good. Also - I hate it. Because serial killer Gil is just not my Gil and it upsets me to see Gil chained to a wall.

26:56 - Sooooo in the AU “The Surgeon” is still at large right? ....you’d think Malcolm would be trying to solve that case with Dani and JT. You know, an active prolific serial killer in New York?

27:34 - The way that Martin, Gil, and Malcolm interact in this scene is really interesting to me. In a lot of ways, this isn’t an AU. Think about it.

In the dream: Gil is frantically trying to convince Malcolm that Martin is a serial killer. In a way, Gil is trying to protect Malcolm from Martin.

In reality: Gil just shoots Malcolm disapproving looks when he mentions seeing Martin. Gil desperately tries to protect Malcolm from Martin.

In the dream: Martin is trying to convince Malcolm that Gil is a monster. He’s trying to convince Malcolm that he’s a Good father. That he would never hurt Malcolm. That he loves Malcolm.

In reality - Martin is the same.

The only main difference between AU!Martin, AU!Gil, and their real counterparts is their temperaments. AU!Martin has Gil’s calm, comforting, and rational temperament while AU!Gil has Martin’s angry, manic, and controlling temperament.

What is the same between the AU characters and their real counterparts?

Martin is still a manipulative killer.

Gil still shoots Malcolm looks of concern (27:45).

Gil and Martin still hate each other.

28:30 - Even dream Martin tries to gaslight Malcolm.

28:56 - “You can always count on Dad.” ....is this how Malcolm really feels about Martin subconsciously? It kind of makes sense? Who did Malcolm turn to when Ainsley did the unthinkable? Not Gil or Jessica. Malcolm said it in 1x12 - (I’m paraphrasing) “The child in me thought he cared. Loved me even.” I think there’s still a part of Malcolm that believes that. Or at least a part of Malcolm that desperately wants to believe that.

29:17 - “I’ve never been to a crime scene before.” That’s because you create the crime scene, Martin. In all versions of reality.

29:20 - annnnnnd AU Martin shares regular Martin’s weird fascination with Dani.

31:00 - JT being buddy-buddy with Martin is hands down the most horrifying part of the AU.

31:10 - “I think he’s having a psychotic break.” ......I want this to be foreshadowing so so so badly. I think it would be so interesting to see how the team, Jessica, Ainsley, and even Martin deal with Malcolm just having a total breakdown. Maybe not a full psychotic break. Maybe a nervous breakdown? Or he succumbs to his suicidal ideation? Probably a little too dark for network TV though.

31:34 - “I’m very protective of her and her boots.” Does Malcolm see himself as the Bowery Ripper, trying to protect Ainsley as opposed to his daughter? Or is the Bowery Ripper supposed to be a metaphor for Martin protecting Ainsley? Is Malcolm going to take the fall for Ainsley and all her murders?!?

32:45 - “Why did you kill again? After all these years.” istg this is hinting that Ainsley killed someone as a kid and Martin knows about it.

33:00 - “I can’t let my daughter know what I was.” .....is the Bowery Ripper supposed to be Ainsley? Is Ainsley killing people to try and protect Malcolm? Ugh. I’m totally overthinking this.

33:02 - Even in his dream, Malcolm can’t bring himself to kill his father. Wether that is by cutting off contact with Martin irl or letting the Bowery Ripper kill him in the AU.

33:07 - Actually though - why doesn’t Malcolm carry a gun IRL? We know he’s trained to use one. We saw him use one in the pilot on a case for the FBI. Is there some sort of NYPD rule about consultants carrying weapons? Is it a rule that Gil has imposed on Malcolm? Is it a rule that Malcolm has imposed on himself? A mixture? I want to know.

33:38 - OMG. Is Malcolm going to try and kill Ainsley?!?! What a twist that would be. AU Malcolm just killed a killer. He doesn’t seem to feel bad about it and he agrees with Martin that “everything is okay now”.

33:55 - This hug deeply moved me. Malcolm is fully aware that this hug isn’t real but he looks so content to be hugged by his father. Malcolm is finally getting a proper hug. <3 It honestly makes me wonder what Malcolm would do IRL for his father’s approval though. He’s clearly sooo desperate for Martin to love him. Who knows what Martin will be able to convince Malcolm to do in this season? Malcolm’s not all that mentally stable right now and he’s really vulnerable emotionally. I’m worried.

34:26 - “Not that it’s a competition.” ....yep. Ainsley wants to be better than Malcolm even in Malcolm’s own subconscious.

35:00 - Heart. Breaking. Watching Ainsley, Martin, and Jessica tell Malcolm how good they think Dani is for him breaks my heart. Look at how happy Malcolm looks. Look at how desperately Malcolm wants this to be real. Ugh. My heart is shattered.

35:20 - “You’re the best, big brother.” Even Malcolm’s subconsious knows that he’s an excellent big brother. Seriously, I love my younger brother but I don’t think I could ever cover up a murder for him. Never mind dispose of the body. Maybe I would? IDK the situation has never come up (thankfully).

35:25 - .....aaannnnnndd we’re back to the Girl in the Box.

35:58 - “Why would you ever want to leave?” “Because it’s all a lie.” Isn’t Malcolm living a lie IRL too? He’s pretending that Ainsley is a law-abiding citizen. He’s pretending that he isn’t an accomplice in a murder. He’s living in constant fear because of his secrets. They’re going to destroy him. This is why I think a suicide attempt is a possibility for this season. This trauma is a lot bigger (in some ways) than last season’s. Plus - Malcolm has a lot of pre-existing trauma. This could be the metaphoric straw that breaks the camel’s back.

36:45 - “Even in my wildest dream. I’m still a detective. I need to seek the truth. No matter how painful.” That’s it. That’s Malcolm’s character in a nutshell. “Traumatized boy who intentionally puts himself through more trauma for the sake of seeking the truth.”

37:01 - “You’re right. I need to work on that.”.......if Malcolm tells Gil and/or the team about Ainsley next episode I will lose my mind.

37:15 - TOM PAYNE. YOU ABSOLUTE TREASURE. THIS IS SUCH A GREAT PERFORMANCE. THOSE UNSHED TEARS. THAT DESPERATE ANGER. THAT HOPELESSNESS AND DESPAIR. <3 <3 <3 <3

38:21 - Look, I’m a mechanical engineering student (not an expert) but if that was a wooden stick like I think it is - that would’ve NEVER stopped an elevator (at least, not long enough for Malcolm to escape). But I’ll overlook it for whump. Because Malcolm has a head wound and I’m loving it.

38:33 - I’ve rewatched this clip of Malcolm with a bloody face meeting JT and Dani about 50 times (wish I was exaggerating that number). There is something so gorgeous about this scene. I mean - the fact that Malcolm is clearly in physical and emotional pain is enough to make my whump heart sing but it’s more than that. Listen to the genuine concern in JT’s voice when he says, “You okay?”. Look at Dani’s concerned face. Listen to how soft and desperate Malcolm’s voice is when he says, “When was the last time I talked to you?” Look at how concerned and confused JT and Dani are when Malcolm says, “I know who the killer is.” They’re not scared of Malcolm. They’re scared for Malcolm. Malcolm just showed up covered in blood, he can’t walk straight, he’s clearly confused, and now he’s claiming that he’s solved the case. They’re worried about him and they have every right to be. Listen to how broken Malcolm sounds when he says, “Long story.” <3 <3 <3 I’m in love with this scene.

39:19 - “Are you sure about this?” “I have no idea.” This. Is. Important. JT and Dani have every reason to believe that this old man isn’t a killer but Malcolm’s head injury is making him confused. BUT they choose to trust Malcolm (or at the very least, humour him). They trust him enough to take a risk on him and I think that’s beautiful. I think that’s exactly what Malcolm needed after his nightmare of an AU dream. He needed to know that they care about him IRL. I hope he notices their behaviour despite the head injury.

39:35 - Malcolm puts the skull down with his ungloved hand. I’m blaming the head injury.

39:55 - Look this was a really moving scene. The parallel of Malcolm arresting a serial killer in front of the serial killer’s child and Martin being arrested in front of Malcolm is haunting. HOWEVER, when that old man stood up from the wheelchair my stupid brain went “THAT ASSHOLE NEVER EVEN NEEDED THE WHEELCHAIR?!?”.....even though he literally wasn’t in a wheelchair in Malcolm’s dream.

40:40 - WE WERE ROBBED. I want to see the scene where Malcolm explains his dream to the team. I want to see GIL. WHERE THE EFF IS GIL IN THIS EPISODE?!?! FURTHERMORE - I WANT THE IRL VERSION OF “MALCOLM GOES TO THE HOSPITAL FOR A HEAD INJURY” SCENE. WTF FEDAK. GIVE ME THE AFTERCARE.

40:47 - “That man will be buried in a turtleneck.” hahahahahaha OMG. Iconic.

41:27 - “Goodnight Malcolm.” <3 <3 <3 She called him Malcolm IRL. Excuse me while I go and stoke my slow burn Brightwell fire.

41:36 - “Goodnight.” This is the face of a man who just accepted the fact that he will never be happy. Malcolm honestly doesn’t think he deserves to be in a relationship. Especially with someone as beautiful, kind, and talented as Dani.

41:40 - THAT HAT. Was this really in Season 1?!?! I don’t remember it? But holy hell - I want to see Malcolm wear it. Like now. It’s going to make me laugh. I can feel it.

41:53 - Immediately you can hear that something is wrong in Ainsley’s voice. She sounds distracted, dissociated, and scared.

42:14 - Give. Tom. Payne. An. Emmy. Listen to his voice breaking here. He’s so close to tears and it’s genuinely beautiful. Such an astounding performance.

42:51 - I honestly think Ainsley is shaking her head because she realizes that she made a mistake. She came to Malcolm because she thought he killed Endicott. She thought that he’d be able to understand. That he’d be able to help her because he had committed the same crime she just committed. She was wrong. He can help her - but legally, he really shouldn’t.

43:08 - Look. A new scene for Malcolm’s night terrors.

43:15 - Yep. This is going to drive Malcolm into a mental breakdown. This is bad.

43:20 - There’s a part of me that wants Malcolm to tattle on Ainsley. Just so he doesn’t have to keep the secret any longer. The secret is killing him. Telling won’t make the situation any better though. Gil and the team will react horribly and it’ll make Malcolm feel like garbage. Plus I can only imagine how the press would scrutinize the Whitly’s again. It won’t be good any way you slice it.

I have a love/hate relationship with this episode. On one hand - it’s the cannon AU episode that every fanfiction lover dreams of. It’s also a really compelling episode complete with some excellent acting and great insight into Malcolm’s psyche. HOWEVER: 1) not enough Gil, 2) WHERE IS MY WHUMP AFTERCARE?, and 3) I wanted to see Malcolm at the base of that elevator for longer. The whump wasn’t prolonged enough for my sick soul.

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inevitably-johnlocked · 4 years

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Hi! So I’m rewatching TAB atm and it’s giving me feeeels. Do you have recs for after the get off the plane where John deals with Sherlock and specifically his overdose? I wish we’d had a part 2 where the show went into it, but I’m hoping you can give me some amazing fanfic instead! And Johnlock as friends is good as well as slash!

HI NONNY!!!

AHHHH I love TAB SO MUCH. It’s my favourite Sherlock Ep, and I wish I had more fics related to it :( I don’t have anything new since then, but all these fics are from my S3 / TAB / S4 [FIX IT] Fics list from last March, but because I love y’all, I’ll separate it on its own because it’s pretty far down and hidden, and I know other people would like to read some separate, so here you are!

And friends, if y’all have any TABlock, PLEASE give them to me!! I need more!!

THE ABOMINABLE BRIDE (TABlock) (APR. 2020)

See also:

S3 / TAB / S4 [FIX IT] Fics (March 2019)

Victorianlock

ACD Canon

The Two of Us Against the World by slashscribe (T, 1,617 w., 1 Ch. || Post-TAB, Implied/Referenced Drug Use, Drug Addiction, Anxious Sherlock, Angsty Fluff) – John is there to take care of Sherlock as he comes down from his overdose in The Abominable Bride. Set immediately after the tarmac, back in 221B.

Loudly Unspoken by Mount_Seleya (M, 1,871 w., 1 Ch. || Post-TAB, Love Confessions, Vulnerable Sherlock, Frottage) – John confronts Sherlock about the words he left unsaid on the tarmac. Set immediately after TAB.

Stay by sussexbound (M, 2,067 w., 1 Ch. || Post TAB, Suicidal Ideation Mention, Implied / Referenced Drug Use, Kissing, Love Confessions, Frottage, Coming in Pants) – “Why? Why did you do it? Hmm…?” He takes a deep breath, waits, lets it out again. “Look at me.” There’s no denying him when he takes this tone. “Why did you kill him? Hmm…? For her? After…” A muscle twitches in the corner of John’s eye, and he clamps his jaw down tightly, swallows and sniffs a little before continuing. “For her? After everything she’s done?” “For you.” Before he can even stop himself. Just like that.

Journal of Truths by Goddess_of_the_Night (T, 2,317 w., 1 Ch. || Post-HLV / TAB, Pining, Idiots in Love, Love Confessions, Love Letters, Declarations of Love) – When John escorts Sherlock back to Baker Street from the tarmac, he discovers a journal that Sherlock has kept secret...that he has kept secrets in.

Green Carnation by glenien (T, 2,616 w., 1 Ch. || Sherlock’s Mind Palace, Meta-Fic, Angst and Fluff, Communication, Post-TAB) – John takes Sherlock home. Part 1 of It’s No Longer Eighteen Ninety-Five

The Trial of Sherlock Holmes by jenna221b (G, 3,015 w. across 3 works || TAB!lock, Metafic / TJLC, Victorian AU / 1895, Christmas, Sherlock’s Mind Palace, Oscar Wilde) – Scripts based on speculation that Sherlock will be put on trial in The Abominable Bride to parallel the Oscar Wilde Trials of 1895.

I Love You (Is All That You Can't Say) by theSeventhStranger (T, 3,147 w., 1 Ch. || Post-TAB, Post-Tarmac Scene, Fix-It, Dev. Rel., Retrospective, Angst and Fluff) – “Sherlock. On the tarmac. I got the feeling that you were going to, um. To say something else.”

five times sherlock holmes lied to john watson (and one time he finally told the truth) by miss_frankenstein (G, 5,948 w., 1 Ch. || TAB Compliant || Homophobia, Pining Sherlock, Oscar Wilde Trials, Happy Ending) – Set in "The Abominable Bride" universe, this piece adopts a familiar format to chronicle Sherlock's quiet suffering in the wake of the 1895 Oscar Wilde trials and the particular way they affect his relationship with (and feelings for) John.

Drawstring by May_Shepard (E, 7,412 w., 1 Ch. || Friends to Lovers, UST/RST, Fluff and Smut, Post-TAB, John POV) – John is bothered by Sherlock’s slowly-falling jim-jams… as in hot and bothered and he is trying to deal with a sexy dishevelled Sherlock while also keeping his pining in check.

Never Been This Swept Away by estalita11 (T, 8,531 w., 1 Ch. || Post-TAB, Mary is Not Nice, Drug Use, First Kiss, Love Confessions) – Set immediately after TAB, Sherlock visits his brother to definitely not apologize about earlier and ends up finally learning a few things that would have been nice knowing about months ago. Mycroft never wants to deal with lovestruck idiots ever again.

Out of the Darkness by Irrevocably_Sherlocked (M, 12,165+ w., 2 Ch. || WIP || Death, Overdose, Heavy Angst, Whump, Mary is Not Nice, Post S3/TAB Compliant) – John Watson has long assumed Sherlock Holmes is immune to sentiment, “doesn’t feel things that way.” Sherlock, however, would do anything for the person he loves most in the world, including putting himself in danger while keeping John in the dark in hopes of keeping him safe. Tired of being left behind, John is running a strategy of his own. Unfortunately things do not go as planned for either of them. And as John lays bleeding, Sherlock finally allows himself to say the things he’s always meant to… This is the story of love, forgiveness and finally making right all the wrongs in these two men’s lives.

Wars We Fought, Things We're Not by blueink3 (M, 55,204 w., 10 Ch. || Post S3 / Post TAB, Parentlock, Fluff & Angst, Kidnapping, Whump, Post-TAB, UST/URT, 3G, Mild Peril, Slow Burn, Couple for a Case, Protective Mycroft, Infant Death Pre-Story, Friends to Lovers) – Five months after John's world has fallen apart, Mycroft sends the consulting detective and his doctor on a case that neither is prepared for.

The Adventure of the Silver Scars by tangledblue (NR [M], 142,458 w., 41 Ch. || S3 Fix-It, Post-HLV/ Post-TAB / Canon Compliant, Case Fic, No Baby, Angst, Humour, UST, Slow Burn, Angry John, Reconciliation, Not Nice Mary / Leaving Mary, Dependent Sherlock, Pining Sherlock, Caretaker John, Fist Fights, It’s An Experiment, Virgin Sherlock, Dancing, Drugging, John Whump, Pet Names, Sherlock’s Mind Palace, Scars) – It’s been thirteen months since Mary shot Sherlock and John finds he’s still pissed off about it. Sherlock had thought everything was settled: John and Mary, domestic bliss. But when John turns up at Baker Street with suitcases, the world’s only consulting detective might not be prepared for the consequences. A new case. Some old scores to settle. Certain danger. Concertos, waltzes, and whisky.

MARKED FOR LATER

Stay for Me by Itsallfine (M, 17,310 w., 7 Ch. || Post-TAB, Implied/Referenced Drug Use, Drug Withdrawal, Implied/Referenced Suicide, Hurt/Comfort, First Kiss/Time, Bed Sharing, Mental Health Issues, Not-Nice Mary, Divorce, Angst with Happy Ending, Parentlock) – 221B was packed into boxes and bins, and that was when John knew, really knew—Sherlock had planned to be gone forever.

Crimson Hymns by brilliantlyburning (E, 48,982 w., 9 Ch. || Post-S3/TAB, Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Drug Addiction, Unhealthy Coping Methods, Demisexual Sherlock, Boxing, Pining, Sensory Processing Issues, Drug Use, First Kiss / Time, BDSM, Mary is Not Good, Parentlock, Proposal, Happy Ending, Beekeeping, Violence, References to Addiction, Poetry) – He laid his head over John’s heart, eyes level with his silver-rough scar, and listened to the crimson hymns beating beneath the surface. He imagined flowers blooming in his own chest: veins weaving intricate patterns on petals of thin muscle engorged with blood, sinew for stems and tendons for roots—the flowers would be poppies, maybe (addictive) or foxglove (deadly yet useful)—twining gleaming blood-red around the porcelain bone of his ribs. In his mind’s eye the gruesome bouquet all tied together on the left side of his chest, the stems bound together in heartstrings and the flowers fed by the rhythmic contraction of ventricles. It’s yours, he imagined saying to John—from the vena cava to the mitral valve to the arteries it is yours.— Or, the Love Song of W. Sherlock S. Holmes.

NO! by Tildathings (M, 50,043 w., 36 Ch. || Homophobia, Bed Sharing, Military Uniforms, Past Abuse, Jealous John, Stalking, Violence, First Kiss/Time, Fluff, Pillow Talk, Coming Out, Sherlock’s Past, Shower, Cuddling, Grief and Sorrow, Hugs, Character Death) – Sherlock has been in a coma in over 8 months after he overdosed on the plane at TAB, during which time Mary and Rosie were killed by Vivian Norbury. This story starts 3 weeks after Sherlock has woken up. John is asking to move back to Baker Street.

The Summer Boy by khorazir (T, 94,706 w., 6 Ch. || Post S3/Post TAB/Alternate S4, Friends to Lovers, Flashbacks, Sussex, Bullying, 1980′s Kid Sherlock, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Inexperienced Sherlock, Grief/Mourning, Pining Sherlock) – About half a year after the fateful events at Appledore, Sherlock and John embark on a private case in Sussex. For Sherlock, it’s a journey into his past, bringing up memories both happy and sad that he has locked away for almost thirty years. For John, it means coming to terms with the present – and a potential future with Sherlock. Part 1 of the The Summer Boy series

#steph replies #the abominable bride #tablock #tab fics #my fic recs #Anonymous #fic rec wednesday

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axwalker · 4 years

Text

Wacky Drabble #41: Now and Then 2

This will be a mini-series , and I’ll be using the weekly prompts of the lovely @emceesynonymroll WACKY DRABBLES.

This week is prompt #41: Can you move? It will appear in bold in the text.

I’m also participating in the May Challenge hosted by @kinda-iconic Today’s prompt is #9 Truth.

Synopsis: The story of Alexis’s and Drake’s friendship since they met when they were 10 years old until they become roommates after college. (AU)

MASTERLIST

Warning: No one under 18 should read my stories. Angst, Mention of a character’s death (Jackson).

Pairing: Drake x ?, Alexis x ?

Disclaimer: All characters belong to Pixelberry

Word count: 1596

Thank you to @pedudley who beta read this! I LOVE you 💕💕

Permatag list: @mskaneko @pedudley @burnsoslow @ac27dj @twinkle-320

@kimmiedoo5 @marshmallowsandfire @loveellamae @lauzales @pug-bitch @debramcg1106 @ravenpuff02

Wacky drabbles: @dcbbw @texaskitten30 @bebepac @pedudley @bbrandy2002 @katedrakeohd @sirbeepsalot @bobasheebaby @loveellamae @flutistbyday2020 @soheila-1996 @kingliam-rys

2007

Lexis tried not to make any noise when she left her room; if her mother caught her, she’d be dead. She went to the kitchen and filled her backpack with Drake’s favorites: Doritos Nacho Cheese, Reese’s pieces, and a bottle of Mountain Dew.

She took her bike to Drake’s house. Getting into his room was no problem, he had taught her how to climb the trees in his garden to access through his window. Lexie saw Drake staring at the ceiling with the same sad expression he had in his eyes since his father had died one week ago.

She stood at the foot of the bed, looking at him. “Come on, Drake! Let’s go,” she said as she looked for his sweatshirt.

Drake furrowed. “Where?”

“To the beach. You haven’t been to school or out of this house all week.”

Drake was torn; he wanted to go out, but he felt too numb to make an effort. “It’s almost 9:00, and It’s like one hour from here!”

She raised her hands. “So? We’ve done it tons of times before.”

He stood up and put on the sweatshirt. There was no persuading Lexie when she got an idea into her head.

When they arrived at the beach, they laid down on the blanket Lexie had brought; She plugged her earphones on her mother’s IPod and gave one of them to Drake.

For a while, they laid next to each other in silence, looking at the stars Jackson loved so much and listening to The Beach Boys, his favorite band.

God Only Knows started to play. She raised the volume. “Your dad loved this one, he always repeated it two or three times when we went camping.”

Drake nodded as his eyes watered at the memory of his dad singing out of tune with the Beach Boys.

After a few songs, Drake finally spoke. “It’s so weird. This morning I was waiting for him to knock at my door and tell me breakfast was ready, and then I remembered that he’s not here anymore because he had to protect that duke!” He seethed. “He cared more about his job than he cared about me.”

Lexie took his hand and squeezed it.

“You know that’s not true, Drake. He was always there for you. He took us camping, he taught you how to fish, he coached our team on weekends. He loved his job but not as much as he loved you.”

Drake shrugged. He would never admit it to her, but Lexie always knew how to make him feel better. His stomach growled.

“Hungry?” Lexie asked.

“I didn’t eat dinner. Bas put chorizo in the pizza.” Drake grimaced. “Plus, he wants me to talk about dad all the time.”

She gave him a conspiratorial smile and grabbed her backpack. “Don’t worry, Walker. I got you.”

They ate their snacks quietly for a while.

“My mom is coming tomorrow with Savvie. For the… funeral,” he said, gloomily.

Her stomach dropped. She had heard her mom and her abuelita talking about it, the previous night. They were sure that Bianca was going to take Drake with her to Texas.

Lexie couldn’t imagine her life without her best friend. They did everything together. They shared their deepest secrets. She was the only one that knew about his crush on that stupid Jenny Stone; He was the only one that knew about her secret dream of finding her dad.

“Are you going to Texas with her?” Lexie asked, scared of the answer.

He wasn’t sure about anything. “I think so, Bastien says that I’ll like Texas, though. He says my mom’s new husband has a stable with a lot of horses and I’ll be able to live with Savvie again.”

Lexie nodded, she knew how much Drake missed his mom and sister, so she tried to be supportive. “I’ll miss you a lot Drake, but we can Skype all the time. Maybe I can be friends with Savvie too.”

Drake wanted to live with his mom and his sister again, but the idea of leaving his football team, his school and Lexie terrified him.

He stood up and picked some stones. He threw one on the ocean’s still water. It skipped five times. He turned at her smirking. Her record was three.

“Please, Walker. That was pure luck” She stood up and took a stone from his hand. She threw it but it only skipped twice. She snorted, frustrated.

He chuckled. “You’re such a sore loser.” He took another stone. “Look, I show you. When you throw, flick your wrist at the end and let go of the rock. It will spin and make it bounce,” he said as he threw one at the water. It skipped five times again. He turned with a smug look in his face.

She rolled her eyes. “Show-off.”

He sat on the blanket again, quietly playing with the sand for a few minutes before he asked, “how do you think heaven is like?”

Lexie sat next to him, cross-legged. “I think it’s a place where you’re always happy. Abuelita is convinced she’ll see grandpa Ramiro again. I guess you can do whatever you want, and you’re never scared or angry. I bet Jackson fishes all day while he drinks his beers and listens to The Beach Boys,” she said.

Drake chuckled, “Do you think there’s beer in heaven?”

Lexie answered, confidently, “Sure! Why not?”

After another stone-skipping contest, Drake checked the time in his luminous watch. “It’s almost midnight, Lex. Let’s go back or your mom will kill us.”

---------------------------------------------------------

Three days later they were all in the O’Brien house for the luncheon after the funeral.

Bianca had arrived that morning with Savannah and, Larry, her new husband. Elena had disliked the woman since she had set foot in the funeral home. It wasn’t anything she did in particular, but her whole attitude seemed off.

Maybe it was because she was playing the part of the perfect mother around her new husband, after she had abandoned Drake when he was barely eight years old. Jackson was a good man and tried to justify Bianca, but Elena never understood. She wouldn’t abandon Lexie for anything in the world. But for the boy’s sake she was going to try to be nice to her. Elena hoped that Bianca would allow Drake to spend the summer in Cordonia.

Elena was worried about Lexie, her little girl was going to be crushed after his departure. She and Drake were thick as thieves. Lexie was trying to act all grown-up and supportive, but Elena knew how much she was going to suffer.

She worried about Drake even more. In the last two years, Elena had learnt to love him as a son. He was incredibly smart and mature for his age and had a heart of gold. Her own heart tugged, thinking about how terrified Drake must be feeling. He was barely twelve years old, had lost his dad and was about to leave the country with a woman he had seen once in four years.

Elena went to check the table where she had set the food and saw that almost all the pie was gone. She went to grab another one in the kitchen, where she saw Bastien and Bianca arguing.

“He is your son! He’s expecting you to take care of him. Fuck Bianca, you haven’t changed at all!” Bastien yelled.

Bianca answered, calmly, “I just got married and Larry doesn’t want kids for now. Leona will take Savvie but she doesn’t want a boy doing pranks around her property.” She smiled, obsequiously “Plus, it’s only for a while. When Larry gets use to the idea, I’ll come back for him. You can take care of him until then, Bas. I know Jackson left the kids his cabin. Can you move there with Drake?”

Elena couldn’t believe her ears. She was cutting the pie so angrily that she almost cut the table in half.

Bianca snapped at her, “I’m sorry, dear, but this is a private conversation.”

Elena placed the knife on the table to avoid accidentally – or not so accidentally- stabbing Bianca. “It’s me who’s sorry, dear, pero esta es mi casa (but this is my house), so I go wherever I want to. And you need to hear the truth, so I’ll tell you. First, I’m still in shock that you weren’t here the second Jackson died, Drake needed you. And most of all, I’m disgusted that you’re seriously planning to abandon that sweet boy again, because, in theory, a boy his age needs his mother.” Bianca was about to reply, but Elena raised her hand not giving her the chance to interrupt her. “But honestly, you’re doing him a favor. You’re clearly incapable of seeing what a great boy he is, how smart and compassionate. I’m sure you don’t even know anything about him. Did you know that he is on top of his class? That he loves animals? Which is his favorite football team? Anything at all?” Bianca couldn’t answer any of those questions, so Elena added, “you don’t deserve him, and sure as hell, you don’t deserve to be called a mother.” Elena turned to Bastien. “Don’t worry, we’ll be here to help you out with him, but do Drake a favor and keep him as far away as possible from this… woman.”

Bianca’s lips formed a thin line. She crossed her arms over her chest, before replying, “I love my son, but I have a right to have a life too when I’m still young.”

Elena shook her head as she spoke. “You didn’t hear a word I said.”

Bianca left with Larry and Savanah the next morning, Drake didn’t see her again for another six years.

#wacky drabbles #tw character death #tw grief #choicesmaychallenge #kinda-iconic #drake walker

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sakura-83 · 3 years

Text

Things from Anne with an e that I feel like writing down

Season 1 Episode 6: Remorse Is the Poison of Life

1. Diana having to run through the dark with nothing but a lantern and quite reasonably tripping. I never really thought about how dark it would actually be out because there’s always light.., somewhere in a modern city. It’s dark but you can usually still see

2. Every time Anne and Diana are separated they end up reunited during some great tragedy and are like “I missed you so much!!” Like yeah that’s great but. Please focus

3. It’s terrifying how easily children could die before modern medicine. They still can die very easily and that’s still terrifying but back then there was no quick fixes or easily accessible help

4. “It’s an old wives tale.” “I might be one but not the other. Evidently one doesn’t have to be either thing to know it.”

5. Anne knowing how to treat croup because all of Mrs. Hammond’s sets of twins had it

6. “I was supposed to be a boy but when I wasn’t, they decided to keep and raise me.” “How extraordinary!”

7. Minnie May almost choking to death on her own phlegm and Anne ultimately saving her because there’s no way the doctor would’ve made it all the way from Soencervale in time

8. “I believe I need a brandy.”

9. It’s really interesting how much of the script comes straight from the book

10. “I’m so glad I live in a world where there are white frosts, aren’t you?”

11. John Blythe’s love for adventure and how Gilbert undoubtedly sees it in Anne

12. Eliza apologizing for how she misjudged Anne

13. “My darling Diana”

14. “I can’t tie myself down to anything so unromantic as dishes at this thrilling moment!”

15. “Even aunt Josephine said she’d like to see you again, and she doesn’t like anyone.”

16. “Shes disinclined to stay home alone since her companion passed away.” “Her companion?” “Her best friend forever and ever.”

17. “Aunt Josephine never married. Neither of them did, they lived with each other their whole lives.” “I’d live with you forever if I could. But I know you’ll leave me the date you get married to some wealthy and handsome gentleman. I hate him already.” “How’s Gilbert?”

18. “It’s very likely Gilbert’s father isn’t going to get well, so it’s more than possible that when Gilbert finally comes back to school… he’ll be an orphan.”

19. The cut from that conversation to John Blythe’s funeral

20. Matthew grabbing Marilla’s arm because he knows how much john meant to her

21. Gilbert watching the snowflakes melt in his hand

22. Marilla’s flashback

23. Young Marilla teasing john

24. Him giving her the same hair ribbon she later gifts to Anne

25. Anne and Gilbert being just like their parents, mirroring their romance and yet achieving the love Marilla and John could never have

26. Anne trying to make Gilbert feel better but making it seem like it’s about her. I often find it hard to articulate my relation to others in a way that does sound like I’m relating and not like I’m making it about me

27. Aunt Josephine on a stroll in the woods

28. Anne’s ranting about her “extensive knowledge of being an orphan”

29. Her calling Gilbert a dumb boy and refusing to think about him

30. “Romance is a pesky business. No sense to be made of it.”

31. “May I enter your humble abode.” About Anne’s run down little shed

32. “I couldn’t be less interested in Gil- that boy!”

33. “Let your ambitions and your aspirations be your guide.” “But I have so many!”

34. “I’ve always wanted to be a bride, but I don’t really expect to be a wife.” “Interesting!” “So you see the conundrum.” “I do. I have the following thoughts to offer. First, you can get married any time in your life, if you choose to do so.” “That’s true-“ “And two, if you choose a career, you can buy a white dress yourself, have it made to order and wear it whenever you want.” “Why didn’t I think of that!? I love that idea! I’m going to be my own woman!” “I’m a proponent for making ones own way in the world.”

35. “If you become a doctor, perhaps you can discover a cure for old age.”

36. Anne calling aunt Josephine her new role model, as well as Marilla and Matthew

37. “I’m going to be the heroine of my own story.”

38. Marilla finding an old letter from John

39. The theme Unrequited Love playing during this scene

40. It’s fascinating when you come to recognize the instrumentals by name, the names actually have a lot of double meanings in relation to the show. Fire in The Town not only plays when there’s an actual fire, but also when Anne’s rumors about prissy set the town ablaze

41. “If the key to a mans heart is through his stomach-“ “Which it is!” “Then, we have to make sure that this is the best shepherds pie that Gilbert has ever had.”

42. Anne wanting a boy to loved for her brain and personality rather than her abilities to keep a home

43. “Don’t you think Gilbert looks even more handsome now that he’s sad?” “I didn’t notice.”

44. I just noticed aunt Josephines mourning clothes, I know she was grieving but I didn’t put two and two together

45. “Take the boy the godforsaken pie before I suffer a mental collapse.”

46. Anne rambling excitedly about Jane Eyre.

47. Anne almost spoiling the book, just like Gertrude used to do

48. Anne suddenly breaking down over death. I’ve done that before, far more frequently in middle school when I realized that we all die someday

49. “It must be awful beyond measure to lose someone that you love deeply. In a split second, a heartbeat, they’re gone forever… and there is nothing you can do to change it or bring them back…”

50. “Anne? You’re crying on the potatoes.”

51. “There’s nothing wrong with saying ‘I’m sorry for your loss’, Ruby. And I’m going to say it because I am.” “You’re just going to make it worse if you say that. His father!! Just died!!!” “That’s what people say when someone dies.” “I don’t want you to upset him.” “He’s already upset because his father just died!”

52. “We hope you like shepherds pie.” “Everyone LIKES shepherds pie 😡. We hope it’s a comfort to you, Gilbert.🥰”

53. Anne telling “but I would make a terrible wife!” And running out.

54. Matthew offering to help Gilbert get his farm back in order

55. Gilbert not wanting to be a farmer but having an entire farm shoved off on him when his only family does, despite being… 14 at most? 15 maybe?

56. Matthew losing all his crops when the Dal Marie sank

57. Billy wanting Gilbert back to control the “ugly orphan” and Gilbert defending Anne

58. “She’s smart, deal with it.”

59. Gilbert telling billy to read a book for once

60. “I’ll give you a tip, okay? I’m not your bud. And if you ever hassle Anne again, you’ll regret it.”

61. “What’s your problem?” “Ask me that again. No, seriously. Go ahead.” “Why you gotta be like that?” “Ask me!” “…what’s your problem?”

62. Gilbert throwing his stuff at billy to preoccupy his hands and THEN punching him straight in his stupid face

63. The boys are fighting!!!! And rolling around in the snow too that’s kind of funny looking

64. Gilbert beating billy in that fight

65. Marilla telling Gilbert about his father

66. All of Gilbert’s siblings died

67. Gilbert’s father taking him to Alberta before he died, where Gilbert was born

68. “You resemble him in many ways.”

69. “He asked you to go?” I’ll always be grateful to him for thinking I’d be brave enough. Obligation… can be a prison.”

70. Anne trying to write a letter to Gilbert apologizing for what she said

71. Anne visiting aunt Josephine for advice and accidentally interrupting her grieving

72. “Emotion is rarely convenient and often intolerable, but I find at the moment that I don’t mind it.”

73. “Grief is the price you pay for live, you see. So it’s alright.”

74. “You and I are not the marrying kind.” “Ah, but I was, in my way. And we had a full and wonderful life together, and I gave no regrets. That’s all you really have to decide Anne, to live a life without regrets.”

75. Anne kissing aunt Josephine on the cheek and running off to live said life

76. No Matthew don’t make that loan deal!!!

77. Anne sprinting to Gilbert’s house bit for the first time of many to come, being too late to reach him.

#anne with an e #renew awae #awae #anne shirley cuthbert #gilbert blythe #josephine barry #marilla cuthbert #mathew cuthbert #diana barry

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bangtan-madi · 5 years

Text

546 Days Without You — One: Negative 41

Pairing — Seokjin x Reader

Tags — boyfriend!Seokjin, older brother!Yoongi, producer/songwriter!MC, military au (ish), idol au (ish)

Genre — fluff, angst

Word Count — 3.1k

Summary — Kim Seokjin is your entire world, and that world falls apart the moment he and your older brother Yoongi are conscripted into the South Korean military.

Part — 1 / 15

A/N — Hey lovelies! This is the first chapter of an estimated 15 part series. Feedback is always welcome! I anticipate a chapter of this story going up every weekend, either Saturday or Sunday. Thanks for reading, hope you enjoy!!

(gif not mine. credit to original creator.)

Previous — Next

Not every great love story starts with a chance encounter, and not every beautiful relationship blossoms from love at first sight. Sometimes the universe has a sense of humor as she tosses two unlikely people at each other just to see what could happen.

Sometimes it's not love, but annoyance at first sight.

"All right, again, from the top," you state into the microphone at your desk. "This time, try to nail that middle note. I know you got it in you, Kook."

Jungkook glances up from the sheets of music that line his podium in the recording studio. From behind the glass, he gives you a big thumbs up and boyish grin.

"That's producer-speak for, 'Again...but with passion!"

You don't have to turn to know who's sneaked up behind you, speaking over your shoulder and into the mic so Jungkook can hear.

The youngest member snickers, replying, "Aish, I got it, Hyung. Go back to your own room."

"I finished recording mine!" Seokjin retorts, causing you to finally glance over your shoulder at him. "My vocals were flawless so it didn't take nearly as long as the rest of you."

Without thinking, you pop your elbow back just hard enough to hit Seokjin in the ribs. Being the dramatic fool that he is, Seokjin jumps back, cradling his rib cage as if he's just been shot. The look on his face only causes you to roll your eyes.

"Oh, you're fine," you murmur. "What were you recording anyway? You didn't say."

He shrugs. "Mostly just practice, nothing specific."

"Well, if you're done being secretive, can you go be annoying somewhere else, just for a few minutes so JK can finish his session?"

"What do I get out of it?"

You tap your chin for a moment, pretending to think it over. "My undying gratitude?"

Seokjin scoffs. "I already have that, Jagiya."

"C'mon, Jin," Jungkook intervenes. "Leave [Y/n] noona alone."

"Five minutes? Then I'm off the clock and all yours. Until then, maybe go bug my brother. I know that makes you happy."

At the mention of Min Yoongi, Seokjin's face spreads into a wide smile. He leans down, presses a quick kiss to your cheek, and says, "Okay, okay, I get it. I'll go bug Yoongi until you're done. Then I'm holding you to your word."

Attempting to hide the happiness that simple gesture brings you is hopeless, so you settle for saying, "See you in a minute!"

Seokjin flashes a wink as he reaches for the doorknob. "Don't you dare be late."

Once the oldest member has left the room, you turn back to Jungkook with a grin and wave of your hand. "You heard the man: Again, but with passion!"

After wrapping up at the studio—a task that takes closer to an hour than five minutes, like you initially promised—you turn off the lights and lock the door on your way out. Jungkook had really sung his heart and soul today, and you couldn't help the proud smile that stays on your face on the bike ride home.

You're lucky. Of this, you're very much aware. Not only are you involved in one of the most lucrative businesses in South Korea but the particular company you've dedicated yourself to for the past eight years is truly one of a kind. Big Hit has given you so many opportunities, just like all of the other five-hundred-ish employees. Your CEO, Bang Si-Hyuk who is often referred to as either Hitman Bang or Bang PD, is one of the most passionate and empathetic humans you've ever met. If it weren't for him, there's not a change Big Hit would be where it is today. The co-CEO, Lenzo Yoon, is also a talented man, but he came into the picture far later than Bang PD, around March of last year.

But your luck doesn't just stop with the company or its leaders. Your specific job is one you've always wanted. Not only do you get to manage some of the best music coming out of your country, but you get to produce and write it alongside the biggest band in the world. This is a group that includes some of the most important people to you, including your older brother by two years Yoongi, your boyfriend of four years Seokjin, and your best friends of almost eight years which make up the rest of the group.

You don't like to think of your life as fate or destiny, but hard work and a little luck paying off after years of struggling.

There's no greater example of your success than what you get to come home to. Some people might see the nice apartment in downtown Seoul and think that's what you mean by success. Nice things, nice home, nice location just down the street from Big Hit HQ. But what you mean when you say success is the person, or people, you get to come home to.

On most days, the entire band is at the dormitories a few blocks away, but a couple years ago, you and Seokjin decided to get a place to yourself so you could have some space as a couple. This is where you spend most nights, but Seokjin still splits his time between the two locations. Lately, you've noticed him spending more and more time at your shared apartment, and your heart sinks when you remember why.

The word feels like venom in your mouth, and your hands grip the handlebars tighter as you pull the bike through the front door of the apartment.

Enlistment.

Everyone knew this was coming. It doesn't make it any easier to accept. Big Hit's had lawyers fighting against the boys' conscription for years. They've tried every argument they could think of: their impact on the South Korean economy, the fact that the Idol projects were started by and are still majority funded by the government and thus they've already served, the Hwagwan Order of Cultural Merit they were awarded by President Moon Jae-in himself.

So far, nothing has worked, but they swore they would keep trying until the very last day.

A string of uttered curse words brings you out of your thoughts and back to your surroundings. The beautiful apartment, simple and elegant as well as lived-in and homey, gives you an immense sense of comfort. As you park your bike in the interior walkway, you hear even angrier muttering from the kitchen.

In the kitchen, Seokjin stands over a set of sizzling pans. Several ingredients are strewn across the counters, and the heavenly scent of traditional Korean food fills your nose. Soft instrumental music plays in the background.

The sight wouldn't be unusual if it weren't for Seokjin cursing at the pan that's holding what should have been mildly brazened vegetables. However, the greens are charred beyond recognition, and Seokjin's palm is clutched to his chest.

"Wow, that radish must have seriously pissed you off."

Seokjin jumps and lets out a yelp. Knowing how easily scared he is, the sight makes you giggle, much to his dismay.

A scowl quickly replaces the fearful expression. "It's not nice to sneak up on an unsuspecting boyfriend, you know!"

"You'll live," you reply, teasingly popping a small slice of carrot into your mouth. You gesture for him to extend his hand. "Let me see?"

The brunet offers his hand, and you examine his palm. There's a small burn there, nothing too nasty, but it does look like it hurt a few moments ago. You bring the palm to your lips and kiss it tenderly before moving towards the pan of burnt vegetables.

"Burning the food and then yourself. Are you feeling okay, Jinnie? It's not like you to be so careless in the kitchen. I'd expect this sorta thing from Joon, but not you." Lifting your eyes to meet his, you add, "Something on your mind?"

Seokjin's smile tugs at the corner of his mouth, but not in the way it usually does. It's not playful or teasing, nor is it caring or empathetic. It's a little sweet, a little sad, and a little bit too revealing of what's going on underneath.

"Honestly? I just wanted to have a nice night with my Jagiya. No talk of the album or tour, no one or several of the guys interrupting, no one but us. And I wanted to impress you by making your favorite meal!" He runs his un-burned hand through his hair, messing with the long black ends absentmindedly. "I guess I have a lot on my mind, and it distracted me."

You remove the pan of ruined food and place it quietly in the sink. "You wanna talk about it?"

"You probably already know, Jagi."

You do. Of course, you do. What else could make the happiest person you know this distracted and frustrated?

It's just like a few years ago, and you feel your chest tighten at the thought of the friend you lost. You felt a similar sense of impending doom just before he left for the military, too. After all these years, you thought you'd forgotten that feeling, only to have it return ten-fold with Seokjin.

Shaking your head, you turn on a different playlist—something more upbeat, and turn back to Seokjin with a grin. "C'mon. I'm hungry, and you need a sous chef."

Seokjin's somber expression melts away. Reaching into the cupboard nearest him, he pulls out two chef's hats that belonged to a couple's costume set you'd worn for Halloween a few years back. Being the goofball he is, Seokjin kept both hats and forces you to wear them whenever you cook together.

Placing the item on your head, tucking your hair behind your ears, he gives his signature windshield wiper laugh at your eye roll.

"You can be my little chef!"

The reference to the animated movie Ratatouille, which you both adore, causes you to chuckle along with him.

"So does that mean if I yank on your hair, you'll do what I want?"

Seokjin's laugh becomes outrageous and uncontrolled. Realizing how your words might've sounded, a deep heat rises in your face, and you pull your sweater collar up to cover your cheeks.

Your boyfriend claps his hands, thoroughly entertained by your reaction. "Well, you can give it a try, Jagi! I think that jus—"

"—Shut up or I'll stab you."

The laughter didn't stop for another few minutes, and the teasing didn't cease the entire night. If you're honest with yourself, you wouldn't have it any other way.

Seokjin was right; it's nice for once just to be alone together. Not that you don't adore the boys—hell, one of them is your brother—but it is nice to have a quiet night in, filled with good food and great company. Despite it just being the two of you, nights like these are never dull. You doubt there's ever been a dull moment in the man's entire life.

After the meal is finished, you decide to do your usual wind-down routine: shower, skincare, dancing on dangerously damp floors to the sound of your favorite playlist. The usual.

When you are finished, you exit the bathroom and enter immediately into the adjacent master bedroom. What you should've seen is something simple: a few pieces of furniture, various personal items, and a large mattress in the center. However, it seems as if Seokjin's taken the opportunity while you're in the shower to redecorate.

All the pillows are on the floor, in front of the mattress. Several duvets cover the floor. Throw blankets line the space, and curtains are strewn in the air above it, creating a sort of carnival-esque tent. Fairy lights are strung from the ceiling down to the interior of the space. BT21 character pillows line the exterior, creating a walkway of sorts. The whole space looks cozy and enchanting and well thought out.

He's gone way out of his way to make tonight special, you think to yourself.

You grab a notebook from your nightstand before nestling down into the pillow fort. You're unsure of where Seokjin has sneaked off to but are fairly certain he'll be back any moment. Until then, you hum gently a recently crafted melody to yourself, repeating it over and over, until you get it just right. Once nailed, you sketch the notes onto the blank music sheets inside your notebook, knowing that if you don't write it down you'll forget.

Yoongi's notification pings from your cellphone. Placing your notebook on your lap, you read the text before swiping to respond, all the while continuing to hum the newly created melody.

"You can sing like an angel and yet you still refuse to do vocals for us." Your eyes lift to meet Seokjin's as he stands in the door. "Do you like holding out on us or something?"

After seeing Yoongi respond with a smiley face emoji and a thumbs up, you turn off your cell and drop it onto the pillows. "How long have you been standing there?"

He shrugs. "Long enough."

"And...why are you staring at me?"

"So I can have a better picture of you in my mind."

You toss your notebook aside with an exasperated groan, only causing Seokjin to laugh. "You're so cheesy, my god."

His playful smile doesn't fade as he approaches the pillow fort. "Worldwide cheesy is my second nickname, you know."

"I am not calling you that. And I do not sing like an angel. So...no. Not holding out on anyone."

"But you do write your own lyrics and melodies. You don't share most of that with us, either. Except maybe with Yoongi, but that's not fair."

Seokjin plops down on top of you, his weight causing an "Oof," to slip from your lips. He nuzzles his face into the crook of your neck and slips his arms under the small of your back.

"Are you seriously pouting because I tell my brother, my producer and songwriter brother, about my shitty drafts?"

A muffled, "Yes," comes from your boyfriend's mouth.

Rolling your eyes, you relax into the comforters and relish in the cozy and intimate atmosphere. One of your hands tangles in Seokjin's dark hair, playing absent-mindedly with his long hair. The other rests against his broad shoulders; your fingers dance along the edges of his ocean-blue sweater, the one you often steal for yourself.

"Tonight was really sweet," you whisper after a few minutes of silence. "You didn't have to go out of your way like that."

"I wanted to. We haven't spent a long of alone time together since we started pre-production on the next album. And before that, there was the tour for Seven. I feel like 2020 has been a year we've spent more apart than together, and it shouldn't be like that..."

His sentence trails off, and you know what his somber tone is implying. It's 41 days until his twenty-eighth birthday. What should be a day of celebration will most definitely be a day of mourning.

"There's still hope," you mumble, pulling him tighter to you. "The lawyers haven't given up yet. They're still working on getting you and everyone else an exemption."

"Yeah...you're right."

"Hold on, can you say that again? I didn't quite catch it."

Seokjin nips gently at your throat, earning a surprised giggle from you. "Watch it, Jagi."

After your laughter settles down, the peace of the evening returns along with the blissful quiet. It's not often that Seokjin is still or silent, but over the years, you both have found a rhythm that works for you. You have your obnoxious, loud, exciting times, and then there are the serene, still, hushed moments like these. Both are beautiful in their own way, but after a full day of work, this is exactly what you needed.

"I wish every day could be like today," you murmur, half to yourself.

Your brunet boyfriend moves slightly, resting his head on the pillow beside yours. He shifts you so you're curled up against his side, arms and legs tangled under the covers he pulls over you both. A yawn slips out, despite you trying to fight the signs of sleepiness. Your eyelids become droopy, and his fingers rubbing circles on your ribs doesn't help.

When a second yawn escapes, Seokjin chuckles and presses his lips to your forehead. "You can sleep, [Y/n]. I'll be here when you wake up."

Loving nothing more than to spend more time with him, you know he's right. It's been a long day, and you have another one ahead of you tomorrow. Instead of fighting him and slumber, you curl closer, pressing a brief kiss to his lips, then tuck yourself under his chin and wrap your arms around his small waist.

"Promise?"

As if to show you, Seokjin holds you tighter as he continues to run his fingers along your rib cage and spine.

"I promise."

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demonkidpliz · 4 years

Text

Things I learned while re-watching Star Plus Mahabharata (Part 16/many):

1) As ever with Duryodhan, I cannot disagree with anything he says.

2) Oh god. This scene. Panchali’s curse. Her walking away as Arjun looks on. Gold.

3) Not sure I like this new version of Krishna seekh.

4) Also we have not seen Krishna fight once in this battle of Dwarka vs the King of Shalva.

5) I also don’t like crying Krishna. Not saying he can’t. But I can’t take him seriously when he cries. I need him to be infinitely more chill than SRJ is being right now.

6) Ah, Arjun swearing at the Kurus. A+ 10/10.

7) Oh my fucking god, Subhadra’s opening line to Arjun: how could you let this happen? I expect nothing less from her.

8) Madhav is back now, after chilling in his war. He’s still in a self-driven chariot.

9) Wow, he’s so pissed at the Pandavas and rightfully so.

10) Draupadi telling Krishna that she’s become impure. And anyone who comes near her would also become impure. No. NO. Every woman in the world knows this feeling.

11) Okay, first of all, Krishna, you moonlighting feminist, the first thing you should tell Draupadi is that she has not become malin because of what Duryodhana and Dushasan did. This is on them, not on her. I cannot but compare StarBharat with BR Chopra Mahabharat, the comparisons come very easily to me. And the truth is, they just did some things better.

12) Draupadi’s now fallen at his feet. Krishna is just like, Lord give me strength.

13) This scene is important because I feel like for once Krishna is putting his grand plans on hold for one second to give Draupadi back her peace of mind. Because first and foremost, the Lord is kind to those who follow him.

14) It’s so nice that StarBharat has shown this sort of sisterly solidarity between Draupadi and Subhadra, which is so important.

15) Draupadi is not even remotely impressed by Yudhishthira’s theatrics.

16) Draupadi’s pratigya makes her sound like Bhishma. Intentional or unintentional.

17) I cannot imagine Subhadra watching idly by as the Pandavas and Draupadi walk to the forest. I’m sure she put up a fight against her brothers to be allowed to go.

18) Speaking of, where is Balaram in all of this? His cousins are heading for vanvas and he is still chilling in Dwarka? Unrealistic.

19) Oh nice, Abhimanyu hasn’t even been born yet but somehow Krishna has managed to name him.

20) That scene where Arjun stops Subhadra from touching his feet. Some of StarBharat’s dialogueless scenes are just as touching.

21) Krishna’s glare as Shakuni enters the Indraprastha palace lmaoo.

22) A well executed scene but the watering hole scene happens only towards the end of the 12-year vanvas period.

23) This is hilarious. Yudhishthira is basically like Krishna is going to whoop my ass if I let something else happen to Panchali.

24) Oh god. Everyone loves Arjun the most. But I think Yudhishthira loves Bhim the most.

25) It’s time for Yudhishthira to meet his bio daddy!

26) Arjun doing tapasya for Shiv is my jam.

27) Bhim is such a cutie.

28) This Hanuman story is different though, right? Something to do with some lotus for Draupadi.

29) Is Hanuman a Yadav? He wears the same tilak. Or is this some Ram/Krishna connection we don’t quite know about.

30) I love Hanuman’s character! He’s so playful. And also the Hanuman Chalisa in the background score.

31) Oh so Hanuman knows that Krishna is Ram/Vishnu avatar and says he will chill on the chariot that’s being manned by God.

32) Oh no they never told us about the magic bowl Draupadi had that was gifted to her by Surya Dev which gave them unlimited food.

33) Also, do the Pandavas and Karna ever realise that they are all ‘gifts’ of Durvasa.

34) Krishna creeping in the background like some mega creep 😂

35) This is a conversation for another time but some day we need to talk about the incessant whitewashing of our gods such as Ram and Krishna in modern mythological serials. Also of Draupadi/Dhrishtadyumna/Arjun—basically anyone who’s described in canon as dark. There is some modern fetish for fair-skinned gods that just doesn’t sit right. I miss the dark-skinned Aruns and Nitishs.

36) Durvasa is still not impressed by Krishna. This man is literally god.

37) Arjun is fishing.

38) Oh nice, Indra is also here. Old gods and new.

39) Not sure whether I like this Shiv. Shiv in general I love.

40) Aaaand Jayadrath is here. Can’t wait for this guy to die in tomorrow’s BR Chopra Mahabharat episode.

41) Duryodhan low key throwing shade at Jayadrath is my jam.

42) Really, what does Dushala see in this man?

43) Kaun ho tum? Really? Draupadi doesn’t know her own brother-in-law? That seems highly unlikely.

44) Why is Arjun wasting time with all this trash talk?

45) Arjun is having a lot of second thoughts about keeping Jayadrath alive for Dushala’s sake but this is going to change very quickly during the war. Also Nakul rightfully points out that this man will give grief to Arjun later on.

46) This is by far the worst and most inaccurate map of Aryavarta to ever exist.

47) Oh no Jayadrath’s hair makeup is so not on point at this moment.

48) Mamashri Shakuni is literally fortune telling at this point and this is my jam.

49) So it’s canon that both Shakuni and Krishna are Slytherins, right? Yet they are the two most diametrically opposite Slytherins we have ever seen.

50) Also I want to see Dushala but these shows never give me what I want. When I make the Mahabharata I will make sure the women get equal and opposite screen time and character development as the men.

51) Yudhishthira is getting on my nerves.

52) This Draupadi is infinitely nicer than BR Chopra Mahabharat’s Roopa Ganguli who used to give it to her husbands every opportunity she got.

53) I also have lots of complaints. They didn’t show Dhrishtadyumna taking Draupadi’s sons home to Panchal to raise them.

54) They didn’t show Arjun chilling with his bio dad in heaven! They didn’t show Urvashi hitting on him and him rejecting her advances! Then she curses him, causing him to lose his manhood. And then she reverses the curse after Indra begs her and she limits it to lost manhood for one year of his choosing. That’s how Arjun uses the Brihannala guise for a year during agyaatvaas!

55) Shakuni training himself to think like Krishna. Looool.

56) Nakul bullying children is my jam.

57) Clearly this sattoo ke laddoo business is some sort of secret code amongst the Pandavas.

58) At least Uttar and Uttara are aptly shown as young teenagers.

59) My fav is back! Brihannala! 😍

60) Also what is this face covering nonsense by Sairindhri?! Women in the Later Vedic Age did not cover their faces or their heads behind purdah!!!

61) The Pandavas meeting together after a long time is giving me hope! This is what it’s going to be like when lockdown is over and I meet my friends 😭😭😭

62) This Keechak guy looks evil but I can’t take him seriously because his voice makes him sound like a prepubescent boy.

63) What is this casual classism from Keechak? Like Jesus, what a dirtbag.

64) Again there was no ghunghat back in those days?!?!

65) But iss Keechak ne toh consent ki maa behen kar di.

66) How happy the Pandavas are to see Panchali! Arjun the most, perhaps 😍

67) Virat making a dig at Dushasan. I’m here for this tea.

68) I can’t take Keechak seriously because of his voice.

69) This logic whereby if Draupadi has five husbands so she can have one more—like I will never understand this! She consented to five and no more???

70) Brihannala, my one true fav, is back!

71) Keechak vadh is my favourite episode, behind Shishupal vadh and Jayadrath vadh. Do you see the pattern?

72) Why is Draupadi here? I wanted to see Bhim’s giant form hidden as a lump under a blanket, enticing Keechak.

73) Bhim is here! 😍 Seriously, no one loves Panchali as much as Bhim does. Arjun toh is smitten by our Yadav homegirl.

74) Now Arjun is going to do his tandav dance. This should distract the others from the noise nicely.

75) Oh nice. Nakul and Sahadev are also participating.

76) Predictably, Jyesth Bhrata, Yudhishthira, is not invited to this Keechak vadh party.

77) King Virat is like oh no what a loss.

78) Yudhishthira looks pissed, as always, when his brothers have done something good.

79) Haha. Duryodhan has caught on to the fact that Bhishma is trying desperately to stall so that the Pandavas are not found out.

81) Now Duryodhan is now accusing Vidur of partiality. Again, he is not wrong. I’m so impressed by how well his character has been written. Not one word he says is incorrect.

82) Nice. Duryodhan has his father wrapped around his little finger. He knows exactly how to manipulate him so that Dhritarashtra rises to the bait.

83) After all these centuries Bhishma realises that Shakuni is after the destruction of Hastinapur.

84) Shakuni is admitting now that all of this is revenge for Gandhari. Oh man. Do you think Bhishma knew that the Mahabharat was the result of his poorly executed actions (intentional or otherwise)?

85) King Virat is so smart. I like him. I’m going to be so sad when he dies.

86) Brihannala is going to stay behind. Great. It’s so interesting to see this story in retrospect (which is how it’s told to Janamajeya and Vajra) in the first place.

87) I like Virat with open hair.

88) What the hell is this? I cannot be attracted to Pitamaha Bhishma and Mama Shakuni with their open hair and battle armour?! Adharm!

89) Oh what a cool sundial!

90) I’m glad they showed Uttar as nothing more than a teenager.

91) Mama Shakuni is so fit.

92) Do you think Bhishma recognises Arjun as Uttar’s chariot?

93) Poor Uttar is probably shitting his pants.

94) Arjun praying to Agni Dev to return his Gandiv. Old gods to the rescue.

95) This background score! It’s my absolute favourite! Parthasya Dhananjaya! My fav song on my fav, Arjun 😍

96) Bhishma looks thoroughly pleased. He recognises the sound of the Gandiv’s twang.

97) Now they will fight about the authenticity of the calendar. They should go to a calendar expert.

98) Bhishma looks proper chuffed at Arjun. How on earth will they fight against each other in the Great War?

99) Oh man, Karna is here. Ugh.

100) Karna is here to trash talk as per usual. Oh god both these men are useless. Fight no instead of talking so much.

101) Oh man, the charioteer’s son has been thrown from his chariot but not before taking a shot at Arjun.

102) Ah Karna’s divine armour makes an appearance!

103) Oh shit, this just got real! They’re calling on divine weapons!

104) Bhishma steps in. Of course.

105) Duryodhan’s hah! 😂😂

106) Arjun crying that if he is responsible for Bhishma’s death, it will be hell on earth for him. Oh, Arjun. You must still suffer, a lot.

107) Arjun’s threat, that all the Pandavas will come to avenge Draupadi’s insult. Yes. 100%. I hope in this yug even if men are not punished for their crimes against women on earth, they will suffer forever in hell for their misdeeds.

108) The Pandavas and Draupadi are ready. It’s time for the Great War. It’s time for Mahabharat.

#mahabharata #mahbharat #starbharat #siwt #starbharat recap

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onefenix · 5 years

Text

17 Short Fic Recs

I’ve been mostly a fandom lurker for the past five months (since the Game of Thrones Series Finale). Since then I’ve been reading some of the best fanfiction I’ve ever read. I’ve been a part of some very small fandoms before and can say the J/B fandom is lucky to have many very talented writers. I wanted to make a list of my favorite stories so far for J/B Week, but life… so here it is now. I’ll try to be brief (I anticipate I am going to fail at this) and not spoil the stories.

These are all stories with less than 14k words. The division between short and long fics is a bit arbitrary but necessary due to the length of this list. I am sure there are better ways to classify these stories that I may get around to later on.

Sorry in advance for the overuse of words such as beautiful, perfect and spectacular, the Jaime/Brienne fandom writers are that good. Also, English is not my first language, so sorry for any mistakes.

I’ve tagged the authors whose handles on Tumblr I know. If you wish to have your tag removed or added (I’d love to follow you!), let me know.

You can find a long fic rec list here.

41 Nights and a Day by rhye

This one reads like a collection of drabbles, one for each day Jaime and Brienne spent together in Winterfell. It’s lovely and intimate and we get to see them discover everything about each other in this new facet of their relationship.

no sweeter innocence (than our gentle sin) by sameboots @agirlnamedkeith

This is a short post S8E3 episode one-shot. It’s a story about loss and comfort. Jaime taking care of Brienne and being tender with her always does things for me. This story is poignant, beautiful and much better than what the show gave us in episode 4.

A Whole City Suffers by Mussimm

A Whole City Suffers is a collection of seven post-canon ficlets, one for each of the deadly sins. Each ficlet is a wonderful dip into Jaime’s mind. It is part of a really creative series called Works and Days which include the seven heavenly virtues from Brienne’s POV which is a fantastic companion to this one.

The Stranger Catches Us All by Miss_M @miss-m-calling

This is a very bitter-sweet short story. Jaime and Brienne’s personalities and loving relationship are perfectly captured in this Post-Canon short story where they worry about their future.

Ball and Chain and Golden and True by Miss_M @miss-m-calling

These two stories were in my reading list for quite a while. Reading the description only I wasn’t sure I would like, but boy am I glad I decided to give it a shot. In this story, Brienne is a cop who has to arrest and repeatedly interview Jaime Lannister. The level of the uncontrollable, contained sexuality in this is off the charts, but somehow the story manages to also delve into the trust and intimacy between Jaime and Brienne.

Mercy in You by Miss_M @miss-m-calling

I love a story where Jaime and Brienne are in an established relationship but are still learning to navigate it and eventually, they have to confront those lingering fears and insecurities. That is beautifully handled in this story. The characterization in this piece are fantastic. Miss_M is very true to both Jaime and Brienne’s characters.

A Woman's War by Lady_in_Red @ladyinredfics

I can’t say a lot about this story without giving away the plot. It is a wonderfully written and moving short piece. The two chapters in this go beautifully together and Jamie's love for Brienne shines through in both of them. Lady_in_Red manages to pack a lot in, but the story flows quite naturally.

He Wants (he wants) by ShirleyAnn66

This is one is, I believe, the shortest story in this list. However, it does a perfect job depicting Jaime as a character and dissecting all of his flaws and insecurities. I particularly love that the story touches on the book version of his parting with Tyrion.

Catch Me if I Fall by JustAGirl24

I’m starting to think most short stories I love are more than a little sad. This story has a modern setting. It’s angsty but beautifully written. Please heed the warnings before reading. I love that the story doesn’t shy away from describing how a couple copes and manages to get through dark times together.

Spoken to Skin by SandwichesYumYum

This is a Pennytree to Stoneheart one shot. I love how from the very beginning Jaime knows Brienne is lying but his trust in her never waivers. Brienne is quite hurt at this point and Jaime is incredibly soft and tender with her. The tension and intimacy in this piece are superb.

Salt Wife by Lady_in_Red @ladyinredfics

This is a post ADWD story where Jaime is banished to Casterly Rock with the constant threat of Daenerys’s wrath. The story is perfectly paced and structured. It reads like being inside Brienne’s head and the ending (however bittersweet) never fails to make me smile.

Same Old Auld Lang Syne by Lady_in_Red @ladyinredfics

I said it in the long fic rec, but I’ll repeat it here: Lady_in_Red is a true MVP. This story has a modern setting. After a very volatile relationship with Jaime, Brienne seeks stability with Hyle. This story explores where Brienne is almost six years later in a beautiful, heart-wrecking manner. Also, the short glimpses of songwriter!Jaime are to die for.

A Love Song by ozmissage

This one is very angsty. We are in Jaime’s head as Brienne suffers from amnesia. It’s amazing how even with her lack of memories ozmissage’s Brienne feels so in character. This is a very original, moving story. Each sentence hits right in the feels.

the battlefield between us (isn't here tonight) and no war is enough (to keep me from you) by robotsdance

This is late Season 7/Season 8 Secret Marriage AU. It is incredibly romantic and written in the most beautiful style. I’m so on board with this version of events. The wedding could not be more fitting for Jaime and Brienne. Jaime and Brienne being already married in the dragon pit scene? Yes, please. And the knighting scene is absolutely breathtaking. I love that Jaime's feelings for Brienne shine from start to finish.

once it ends (so it begins) by nubbins_for_all

This is probably a post S8E3 story. It is a great exploration of both Jamie/Brienne as a couple and Brienne and Sansa’s friendship. Brienne has to open up and manage to put her feelings into words in order to be there for Sansa. Every little scene between Jaime and Brienne serves a purpose and is beautifully written. The dialogue in this is honest, teasing and funny and it’s a joy to get to see Brienne learn to verbalize her wants and needs and feelings.

Madness by RoseHeart

This is a Quiet Isle story. It has almost every Jaime I love: worried/caring!Jaime, jealous!Jaime, and exasperated-because-Brienne-doesn’t-see-how-much-he-loves-her!Jaime. The story is very indulging and filled with every trope and post-ADWD hope of any Braime shipper but it is beautifully executed.

A Keeping of Oaths by lodessa @lodessa

This is a Season 8 fix-it. This story gives a much more satisfying ending for almost every character. It’s fluffy and hot and funny but still manages to realistically explore Jaime’s feelings of unworthiness. It has some great Bronn, Aunt Genna, Daenerys and Jorah appearances.

#jaime x brienne #jamie/brienne #fanfic rec #fanfiction #jamie lannister #brienne of tarth

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foofygoldfish · 4 years

Text

hello i am impatient and just want to delete the note, so here! 50 facts on rosie!

Personal

1) Age?

25 - born a month after outbreak day

2) Gender?

cis female

3) Romantic/Sexual Orientation?

4) Height?

5'.

5) Race?

human

6) What do they look like? (i.e, hair color, eye color, etc).

anya taylor joy!

7) Any disabilities?

She has a bad back - it stops her from going out on regular patrols etc, and cemented her decision to be a teacher and not a soldier.

8) Is there a meaning to their name?

to me? i wanted something floral lol. in-universe - it was her great-grandmother's name. her great-grandma is the one who raised her dad, and she died during the initial outbreak

9) What makes them, them?

she's definitely more of a peacemaker - while rosie may not have a formal teachers education, she's still very good at it, and she uses some of her mediation skills she's learned on the job on her friends. which they tend to not like lol. she's also really good at playing the piano - in another world, she'd be good enough to be pro, or at least have a spotify page. mood-wise, she's always outwardly happy - even when she feels like she's dying inside, she tries to look as happy as can be, or at least neutral.

10) What do they want to be when they grow up/what do they want to do with their lives?

in her world? she wants to be alive, honestly. she's already a teacher, which she loves doing, but she might be interested in transitioning fully to being a librarian. in a no-outbreak au, she teaches online while her and abby travel, but she thinks she would like doing music for video games and movies or something.

Family

11) Do they have parents? What are they like and how do they act with their child(ren)?

her parents are christopher and jessica - both were very loving and supportive while they were alive. they died about a year before the events in jackson, after running in to a group of scars.

12) Do they have siblings? How do they interact with them? If not, do they wish they had siblings?

she has a twin sister, hazel, who was her lifeline. the two were almost literally inseperable, up until hazel was killed by runners.

13) Extended family? Do they see them often?

the only extended family she knows of is her nephew, wren - he's eight when the events of the game take place. the rest of her family was back in austin, and her parents weren't able to make contact with them after the outbreak.

14) Do they like where they live? (Is it a safe place?)

for most of her life, yeah, she does - life under FEDRA isn't ideal, but it's safe, and they have enough food, and with the WLF? it's pretty good, and the little city at the stadium is really nice. after jackson, though? the cracks start showing, and she decides to leave the WLF with wren.

15) Where do they live? Are they wealthy? Poor? Middle-Class?

over the course of the story: seattle, jackson, and avalon, on catalina island. money isn't really a thing? she's comfortable enough, and is happy with what she has.

16) Do they have a lot of expectations/pressure on them from family to do great?

not really.

17) Do they have pets?

she's between pets at the time of the game - her dog died a few months before hazel, and she just wasn't ready for another dog quite yet. she semi-steals one of elizabeth's cats while she's in jackson, and she gets more cats and dogs when she finally makes it to avalon.

18) Who do they look up to the most/are the closest to in their family?

her sister. hazel is brave and strong and loving and -- rosie doesn't really see any faults with her (she does have faults, but rosie chooses to ignore them...). if she had been able to meet her grandpa, though, she would have adored him, and definitely would have been spoiled rotten by him.

19) This there anything special about their family?

for the longest time, it was that they were whole - they weren't sure about the extended family, sure, but their little nuclear family was intact. after her parents die? rosie thinks they're just like any other family in seattle.

20) Do they wish they lived in a different family/household?

not really.

Friends

21) Best Friend(s)?

Hazel, Whitney

22) Who was their first friend?

That wasn't her sister? A boy name Justin, who lived in the same apartment building as her family. They were pretty close for a while, but his family left Seattle around the time the WLF became active.

23) What is their friend group like?

It's not the biggest - she's closest with Whitney and Nora, but most of her friends are her coworkers in the school and library, though after she befriends Abby, she starts to befriend more of the Salt Lake crew and things get a little more... chaotic.

24) Do they have a love/hate relationship with any of them?

Not... that I can think of? She's not particularly fond of some of the Salt Lake crew,

25) Do they consider any of their friends to be like siblings?

I mean, Hazel is literally her sister

26) Have they ever hurt a friend or lost one?

Hazel :(

27) Do they have a crush on any of their friends?

....Abby.

28) Do they share classes with good friends?

She did! She had most of her classes with Justin and a few other friends from high school, some of whom are still in Seattle, though she's drifted apart from them.

29) Whom do they go to the most when they need a shoulder to cry on?

Hazel. After Hazel's gone - Abby, even though Abby's not really that type of friend - she's just the first person Rosie thinks of.

30) What would this person do without their friends in their lives?

Be very quiet. Without the presence of her friends, she'd be perfectly content disappearing into her books, and it's highly possible she'll go days without talking to someone.

School

31) What grade are they in? If they aren’t in school, how come?

She's.... 25?

32) Do/Did they like their teachers? Was there a good one? Bad one?

She didn't like her math teachers, but she adored her science teachers. Oddly enough for someone who ended up teaching history, she didn't really care for her history teachers - they were kinda boring.

33) Do/Did they listen to their teachers or are/where they goofing off a lot?

She was a bit of a teachers pet lmao - she wanted to learn, so she was very good at staring the kids who were misbehaving down so they'd shut up.

34) Are/Where they a good student grade wise?

She wasn't great, but she wasn't terrible - solid B's.

35) Do/Did they need extra help?

Not really. She ocassionally needed help finding a place to do her homework, or for clarifications on things (particularly history-related) that didn't quite sound right, but that's it.

36) What is/was their school like?

Ever-changing. First it was in a tent, then an old school, then she was a day student at one of the military schools... She finished her schooling at the new WLF school, and went on to teach there a few years later.

37) Do/Did they have bullies in school?

A few that'd tease her for being quiet, but that's as far as it ever went. To be fair - Hazel was protective, and the other kids knew not to mess with either of the Bowers girls lol

38) Have they ever gotten into a fight at school?

She threw a book at a kid in her class once. Teacher didn't believe it was her, though, so she got off scot-free. She's still not sure how she got away with that...

39) Have they ever done something stupid/embarrassing at school?

She'd fall asleep in her history classes. A Lot.

40) How far do they plan to go with school? If they dropped out, do they want to go back?

In a no-outbreak au? She would go as far as getting a dual masters degree - one in education, and one in library science.

Other

41) Are they dating anyone? Do they want to date? Are the married? Divorced?

she's in a friends-with-benefits relationship with abby, which eventually (eventually) turns into a proper relationship.

42) What is their favorite hobby? Do they keep it a secret?

for something that isn't book-related - she likes pressing flowers and roller skating! she can't skate as much as she wants because of her back, but she still likes skating around the stadium in the early hours of the morning.

43) If they could have one thing in life, what would it be?

gonna be sad here and say she wants her family back.

44) Do they work? If so, what is it? If not, are they looking for one or even want one?

she's a teacher/librarian! she only has two classes in the morning, she works in the library in the afternoon

45) Do they use social media?

well, social media doesn't exactly exist in the apocalypse... in a modern/no-outbreak au, though, yes - she has an instagram, and her and abby have a youtube channel.

46) Have they ever been in the hospital?

yes - after she hurt her back, she was kept in the hospital tent for about a week. since then, she hasn't really been in for anything other than cuts and scrapes, at least until the day hazel died - she was kept overnight to make triple sure she hadn't been bitten, and because nora was worried about her.

47) Do they believe in the supernatural, that there is more than the eye can see?

oh yeah. she absolutely believes that the stadium is haunted.

48) What do they do when they get angry, stressed, or upset?

She gets quiet - if she's scared, she'll cling to the closest person she's comfortable around.

49) Would they consider themselves as a good person, bad person, or morally grey?

she thinks she's a good person, but she knows that she can be very petty and spiteful, though rarely over 'major' things

50) Does this OC have any part of you in them? (I.e, personality traits, similar background, etc)

well, her name for one lmao. also loving abby. and her arms. and being a librarian. and uh.... yeah...... more and more of me is seeping in to her OOPS

#rosemary bowers #tlou #anyways #some of this might be a little disjointed #as usual

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jess-rewatches-prodigalson · 4 years

Text

Bad Manners (S2, E5)

My time-stamped thoughts for this episode. As always I reference Malcolm’s mental health. A lot. So if that’s going to be a trigger for you, don’t keep reading.

SPOILERS AHEAD:

0:35 - Martin totally thought John Watkins abducted and killed Ainsley. Mark my words.

0:44 - Holy. Shit. Ainsley is FIVE years old (or younger) here right? A five year old with that much determination?!?! She literally stayed silent in that clock for probably hours......and no one was concerned about this kid when Martin was arrested because...?

1:09 - Anyone else impressed with Malcolm’s aim here? Just me?

1:20 - Gil and Malcolm talking about sleep and murder is so freaking sweet. <3 Honestly, they’re acting like friends instead of co-workers and it warms my cold dead heart.

1:29 - Does Gil become a grumpy old man when he doesn’t get 8 hours sleep? I really want to know now.

1:39 - OMG. Gil pointing at Ainsley here is hilarious. He’s totally acting like some weird mix of a stern pissed off high-school teacher, and a step-dad trying to discipline an unruly teen. hahaha AND MALCOLM’S FACE. Look how done Malcolm is. He looks so so tired, sad, and exasperated.

1:44 - Wow. Girl power. Ainsley has those camera guys bending to her will. I honestly would’ve thought they would just read the situation and turn the camera off themselves.

1:47 - “It’s not a game.” Yikes. I have thoughts about this:

Malcolm is right - it’s not a game.

Malcolm is a bit of a hypocrite for saying that to Ainsley. Although, to his credit even when Malcolm is excited/inappropriately happy about murder it��s always pretty clear that he thinks murder is wrong, and that he has sympathy for the victims and their families.

Ainsley does not have that same sympathy for the victims. That much is clear later in this episode.

Pretty sure the writers are trying to turn Ainsley into a serial killer this season.

2:13 - “You know I like to share these things with my friends.” .....does this mean Malcolm thinks Dani and JT are his friends now? Last I checked (Ep 1x05) Malcolm didn’t have friends. This absolutely melts my heart. <3 I’m honestly so happy that Malcolm considers someone other than Gil to be his friend.

2:18 - “We lost Dani to vice.” .....What is vice? AND WHAT IS THE REAL LIFE REASON THAT DANI WASN’T IN THIS EPISODE?!?

2:19 - Edrisa has a medical degree right? She has to know how dangerous consuming that much caffeine is right? Plus aren’t energy drinks super dangerous if you drink a lot of them (or maybe that’s just what adults in my neighbourhood told kids)?

2:30 - Edrisa SHINES in this episode. She’s so funny and awkward and I just love her.

2:36 - hahaha Gil has adopted the whole team. Look at him throwing the “Dad warning stare” at Edrisa.

3:31 - Why does Edrisa start bouncing around looking upset when Malcolm says, “rejection is a powerful motivator”?!?! Has she recently been broken up with or something? Is this a reference to how she has a crush on Malcolm (who doesn’t reciprocate)? I WANT MORE INFORMATION.

3:47 - TWIZZLERS!!! <3 Damn I love how this tiny detail about Malcolm’s character keeps coming up.

3:55 - Ainsley is on a rampage this episode. She’s so determined ...actually she’s acting a lot like Jessica (think girl in the box bracelet). However, unlike Jessica, Ainsley’s motives aren’t about justice or the safety of her loved ones. Ainsley is chasing personal gain (career) with a side of (a subconscious?) need to be exposed to murder and her father’s twisted world.

4:05 - This whole interaction between Ainsley and Malcolm is really interesting. Ainsley is knowingly manipulating Malcolm to get the answers she wants. We’ve seen her do it in 2x4 and 1x19. She knows her big brother would do anything for her. It makes sense, they’re five years apart and after the trauma they experienced as children Malcolm felt responsible to protect Ainsley. He never wants to disappoint Ainsley. Not a burden he should’ve had to deal with but I digress. PLUS Malcolm looks weary of Ainsley here. He knows what she’s doing. He’s scared that she’s turning to the dark side. But he still gives her the answers because if he doesn’t - that means something has changed. He thinks that would make Ainsley suspicious and then she might remember what happened to Endicott. He’s scared of and for Ainsley.

4:32 - OKAY. I’ll say it. The thing that annoys me the most about this episode is that it suggests that Ainsley was a debutant when in 1x6 AINSLEY TELLS MARTIN SHE WAS NEVER A DEBUTANT. She went to etiquette school - I guess that doesn’t strictly mean she also did debutant balls but it sort of suggests it in the context of this episode? Did she actually graduate from the etiquette school (there was bullying, maybe she was expelled/dropped out similar to Malcolm and Remington?)?

4:59 - “No stabbies” OMG. How is this show not classified as a comedy?!? Istg I laugh harder watching this ‘drama’ then I do watching most of the shows that call themselves ‘comedies’.

5:35 - It’s honestly kind of amazing that Ainsley and Malcolm are as ‘sane’ as they are. They were raised by a stubborn predatory psychopath and a stubborn rich meddling socialite. They had no chance of normalcy. Look at the amount of pleasure Martin is currently getting by throwing his son under the bus with regards to Jessica.

5:45 - “No actually, I cleaned it up.”.....does this have a dual meaning? Did Martin do something to make Malcolm dispose of the body? We already know that Martin has tried some sort of conditioning on Malcolm (remember ‘C’mon boy!’ from 1x14? The stabbing?). What if Martin said some sort of trigger word to control Malcolm and coerced Malcolm into getting rid of the body? What if this isn’t the first time?

6:05 - Ainsley is a sociopath. I’m calling it again. I called it when I first watched Q&A (1x7) because the way she treated Malcolm was more than just selfish/careless. It was cruel and she didn’t feel any remorse for literally broadcasting her brother’s private health details on television. That is messed up. I honestly won’t be shocked if the writers make Ainsley a full blown serial killers (although I’m not sure I want that because I don’t know how Malcolm would remain the main character if the story goes in that direction?).

6:12 - Poor Jessica. I honestly feel really bad for her. Sure, she’s a headstrong alcohol dependant crazy rich woman. She also has a good heart. She’s been dealt a pretty shitty hand when it comes to relationships (minus Gil but she ruined that because she’s a MORON) and now she’s terrified that her own children have become monsters and she blames herself. She definitely hasn’t been a perfect mother but I don’t think she’s to blame for Ainsley and Malcolm’s obsession with murder. If these kids had a different bio dad, they would probably just have a low-key drug problem or some other common rich kid baggage.

6:15 - “You know that’s not how cancer works right?” LOL. hahahaha

6:33 - Martin kind of has a point. There’s no rehab for murder. That’s why he’s been in jail for 20 years and he still wants to kill people. In my opinion, given what we’ve seen of Ainsley’s personality: as soon as she fully remembers that night - she’s gone. She’ll go full serial killer and Jessica and Malcolm will lose her forever.

6:40 - Jessica’s little jazz hand finger twinkle as she spins on her heel and leaves Martin kills me. It’s so extra. It’s so funny. And it’s sooo Jessica.

6:47 - Damn. Martin is pissed. I’m worried. That’s murder-level rage. If he escapes ISTG Martin is going to try and kill Gil. For so many reasons 1) because he hates Gil, 2) it’ll hurt Jessica, and 3) killing Gil will eliminate his ‘Dad’ competition.

6:54 - Edrisa on caffeine is AMAZING.

7:43 - I love Edrisa but her blatant, unreciprocated crush on Malcolm is honestly getting a little creepy.

7:52 - Gil spent all last season drinking out of a Yankee’s mug. Doesn’t that mean he’s a baseball fan? Why doesn’t he know this pitcher guy?

7:56 - hahahaa “Where is JT?” Because obviously JT is the team sports fan.

8:22 - Does Gil get nightmares about cases? He always seems really uncomfortable around the dead bodies.

8:45 - “And suddenly I’m wide awake” SERIOUSLY - is anyone else laughing every 60 seconds when they watch this show? Is my sense of humour just super dark and messed up?

8:54 - YES. The liquorice is BACK.

9:00 - I love Malcolm talking to JT about his obsession with candy. I love how Malcolm doesn’t even hesitate before giving JT an honest answer. Malcolm is acting like JT’s annoying little brother and I am here for it. One thing I did notice though - Malcolm specifically mentions candy+dopamine but doesn’t mention his depression/anxiety. Processed sugar can be a short-term (unhealthy) way to boost your mood. It’s why some people eat their feelings. I really want more backstory about Malcolm with the lollipops and licorice though.

9:19 - “But you didn’t do anything wrong.” Awwww Malcolm is so soft here. I love how much he genuinely cares about JT. <3 I love how JT is comfortable enough with Malcolm to give him an honest answer. <3 THEIR RELATIONSHIP HAS GONE THROUGH SUCH A GLOW UP. <3

9:32 - “Like toy dolls?” hahaha the way Malcolm perked up here. All I could think was “SQUIRREL!” hahaha.

9:41 - Malcolm is doing better than he has been the past few episodes? I mean he’s still suffering and he’s still in a terrible mental state. BUT he also seems happier? IDK maybe he’s just entered the more manic nervous energy stage of his emotions as opposed to the depressed and scared stage.

9:49 - “Deep childhood trauma”. So we’re looking for a debutant killer with childhood trauma who is chasing perfection? Debutant = rich lady culture. Like Ainsley. AND Ainsley went to the same etiquette school as the first two victims. The writer’s wanted us to assume the killer was Ainsley for the first 15 mins of this episode right? I’m not the only one seeing it?

10:04 - “My sister went there too.” ....why is there something super attractive about the way that line was delivered?

10:08 - I’m so done with this absolute tom foolery. Why does the team keep splitting up into two teams - where one team is JUST MALCOLM. The one who is unarmed and technically a civilian?!? This makes no logical sense to me (except for plot).

10:25 - Was Martin just about to say, “Just like the old days”?!? Is Martin referring to Endicott? OR is Martin referring to something that Malcolm’s repressed from his childhood?

10:30 - “I always root for the bad guys.” .....finally some truth from Martin.

10:40 - Soooooo I guess Mr. David doesn’t know? I promise you Mr. David has suspicions though. How could he not?!?!

11:24 - “It was brutal for Ains.” Look at how sad Malcolm is! Ugh. This hurts so much. He clearly loves his sister so so much and what she’s done is slowly killing him. I honestly think that part of the reason Malcolm helped Ainsley dispose of the body is that Malcolm doesn’t want to loose his sister. His sister is one of the only good things he’s always been able to count on. If word gets around that she’s a killer - Malcolm’s fragile world gets shattered a little more and I don’t know if Malcolm can recover mentally from that.

11:36 - “Teasing made her capable of...stuff.” C’MON. There’s no way Mr. David doesn’t know.

11:45 - Sooo is Martin saying that he recognized that Ainsley was a sociopath when she was a small child? Or did she just respond to his (or John Watkins’) grooming much ‘better’ than Malcolm?

11:56 - “Because she’s her mother’s” Okay. So I see the point. I can see that Ainsley is driven and stubborn like Jessica. BUT it feels like Martin is suggesting that Jessica is capable of murder? Which - I honestly don’t think she is. If anything - Malcolm is more like Jessica than Ainsley is.

11:59 - There was a look in Martin’s eyes when he was comparing Ainsley to Jessica that really freaked me out. I can’t figure out why. It makes me wonder if Martin still somehow views Jessica as ‘his possession’ (he refers to her as his wife all the time but I always assumed that was just to get a rise out of people?). Martin’s dream from 2x4 certainly suggests that he still wants Jessica romantically. I honestly think he’s going to try to escape and rekindle the romance with Jess; and it’s going to go very poorly when Jessica rejects him.

12:06 - Preach JT. Preach. This is creepy af.

13:00 - Ugh. Of course this creep has a history of indecent exposure. Now I understand why Gil and JT were hostile with the dude right from the start.

13:12 - Man. People will use the Bible to justify anything. No wonder people hate Christians ( I say this as a practicing Christian).

13:18 - JT is such a good dude. I’m so glad he’s a dad now. <3 He’s going to be such a good one. <3

13:26 - “One phone call and this place will be shut down.” OH SHIT. GIL THAT IS VICIOUS AND I RESPECT THE SHIT OUT OF IT.

13:35 - I soooo thought that dude was going to sprint out of that room.

14:30 - THIS. YES. This is why I have a problem with Ainsley’s enthusiasm for murder vs. Malcolm’s. Ainsley’s enthusiasm is centred on her nee to ‘get the story’. She’s obsessed with forwarding her career and as a result she’s treating crime like a competitive sport. Malcolm’s obsession (while it can border on creepy and reckless) is always centred on his need to find the killer and stop the murders. Malcolm is seeking justice and his heart is in the right place. I can’t say the same for Ainsley.

14:31 - “We’re brother and sister, everything is a competitive sport”.....whoever wrote this doesn’t have a sibling they experienced trauma with as a kid (and as a result was raised by a single parent). Seriously, my dad was abusive he lived with us until I was 10 and my brother was 7. Then my parents got divorced and my mom was a single parent (he didn’t pay child support or see his kids after the divorce). Are my brother and I competitive? Sure sometimes. But the way we grew up forced us to become partners. Annoyed with Mom? Let’s rant about it together. Is he struggling in math? I’ll tutor him in exchange for a Reese cup. Am I struggling at daycare because I have massive social anxiety? He’ll include me in whatever he’s doing so I’m not sitting alone in a corner. My point: siblings who experience trauma together don’t have the typical sibling relationships that are widely televised in North America. There’s a lot less fighting and competition and a lot more teaming up and commiserating.

14:39 - “It. It’s terrible.” - Notice how Ainsley didn’t actually say how it made her feel? She gave the standard “TV response” to a murder “a terrible/horrific/tragedy has occurred”. She doesn’t feel bad that these women are dead. She’s too consumed with getting a story to even stop and let herself feel anything. I’ve been saying it since last season - the way Ainsley shows no regard for other people and their feelings when she’s obsessed with her job is concerning.

14:50 - “Remind me of the people who cut us off after Dad’s arrest.” ...Are you kidding me?!? The whole fandom has been speculating about this since early season one and they’re not going to elaborate on that line?!? I’m going to need some more information about this and it better be in the upcoming episode where Jessica’s younger sister appears.

15:40 - She thinks of her students as family? Sooo what does she think of Ainsley? Wasn’t Ainsley bullied at this school? Did she do anything about it?

16:00 - this is like a ‘weekend/evening school’ right? Kids aren’t living in this house like a boarding school/summer camp?

16:01 - “Mr. Whitly” UGH. This bitch preaches etiquette and she doesn’t even have the common courtesy to call Malcolm by the name with which he introduced himself? Nah. I don’t like her.

16:13 - Ugh. Ainsley, seriously? Why don’t you help your brother solve the case. AND PREVENT MORE MURDERS. Why are you indirectly but purposely obstructing justice?

16:37 - “Of course.” Huh. Do you think Martin might try and manipulate Ainsley into killing Malcolm? Ainsley definitely capable of it. She doesn’t actually seem to care about Malcolm nearly as much as he cares about her.

17:17 - WTF?!? That’s creepy af. How did no one in this show think this assistant was a suspect? She has a super creepy doll that she ‘forgot’ on the floor the middle of a hallway. AND THE DOLL WAS STANDING UP. Not sitting, not dropped carelessly, STANDING UP.

17:30 - Look at Malcolm’s face. He’s definitely going to be having nightmares about that doll.

18:25 - OMG. This was amazing. JT just totally bulldozed his way into catching that dude. Very badass. Also kind of funny (maybe that’s just my messed up sense of humour again?).

18:44 - Ugh. This dude has a thing for dolls. I don’t want to kink shame but - no. no. There’s something really gross about that.

18:48 - I’ve seen some people say that this doll looks like Ainsley and how that’s supposed to be some sort of foreshadowing/symbolism. I kind of see it? I mean the hair colour is similar and if you pause the screen at 18:48 the angle kind of looks like Ainsley? It would be an interesting metaphor though - Ainsley played with dolls as a little girl. John Watkins gave her angel statues. She is Watkins’ and Martin’s doll’ in the sense that she was the object that murders manipulated/groomed.

18:53 - Then again, pause the screen here and there’s something about the facial structure that looks like Dani to me.

19:00 - Jessica lets Ainsley work in the murder office?!? No. No she doesn’t. This is garbage. Jessica would’ve forbade it. Jessica would’ve bordered up this room immediately after Watkins.

19:57 - Poor Jessica. She’s clearly terrified that she’s losing Ainsley and terrified of Ainsley. BUT Jess, sweetie, running to Europe won’t fix this.

20:16 - “She wanted the dolls to look like her students.” AND PEOPLE SEND THEIR CHILDREN TO HER?!? WTF?!? NO. NO. NO. NOT OKAY.

20:31 - HAHA look at Gil’s face when Trevor tells him he can make the ‘perfect woman’. Gil’s like WTF - can I arrest you for thinking you can fabricate a ‘perfect woman’?!!?

21:06 - Malcolm is having so much fun playing with Trevor’s doll head. Look at how excited he is. It’s kind of adorable but his manic energy is showing which is concerning.

21:10 - Why is Trevor giving his doll fancy 1940s(ish) names?

21:31 - Props to LDP. I honestly believed Gil was annoyed with Malcolm for barging in on the interrogation the first time I watched this.

21:42 - “They got a word for everything.” hahaha OMG. This is so reminiscent of a teenager explaining some new tech to their tech-illiterate parents.

22:00 - I can’t tell if Gil feels sorry for this creep or if he just thinks the dude is really gross. Probably a mixture.

23:00 - Oh we’re bringing up the chloroform again. At least Malcolm knows not listen to Martin about this nonsense.

23:25 - “It doesn’t feel fun.” - THIS. This is why I honestly don’t think Malcolm will ever become a serial killer. His guilt complex is just too big.

23:56 - Are. You. Kidding. Me? This is next level. Ainsley is so out of line here. AND SHE SHOWS NO REMORSE. SHE DOESN’T THINK SHE’S DONE ANYTHING WRONG. THIS GIRL HAS GONE DARK SIDE (she was already halfway there).

24:17 - I’m getting papa!Gil vibes when Gil is talking to Ainsley and I want more scenes of them interacting. Seriously, did Gil have a relationship with Ainsley when she was a kid? I MUST KNOW.

24:45 - Ainsley has no conscience. I honestly don’t think Ainsley has a conscience.

25:00 - “Who is that!?” Malcolm is totally acting like he’s Ainsley’s father-figure right now. I’m here for it.

25:22 - SORE LOSERS?!? I’m sorry. What? If you weren’t concerned about Ainsley you damn well should be now. That is seriously messed up. People are dead. This is not a game. Do you know who else thought murder was a game? Martin Whitly.

25:31 - Okay. Ainsley has a point. Malcolm lecturing anyone about being reckless is pretty hypocritical. But at least Malcolm cares about her.

25:54 - Heart. Shattered. Look at how terrified Jessica is. Look at how gentle and reassuring Gil is. UGh. WHY DID SHE BREAK UP WITH HIM??! I mean, I know why I just think she’s a moron for doing it.

26:00 - Poor Gil. He’s so confused and so concerned. The whole Whitly family is acting crazier then usual and he doesn’t know why.

26:11 - “Both you and Malcolm are at an 11 and I’ve never seen Ainsley like that.” FIND YOURSELF A MAN WHO CARES LIKE GIL AND NEVER LET HIM GO. <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 Seriously. The love and concern he shows for this family warms my cold dead heart.

26:16 - “Her father?!” Oh shit. Now Gil knows there’s something BIG happening. Jessica would never run to Martin unless she absolutely had to.

26:19 - annnnd Gil’s also being a prideful man who’s feeling are hurt. “You went to him?” He’s right to be though - the woman he loves went to a serial killer for advice before going to the guy who practically co-parented with her.

26:33 - “I’m here. Whatever you need. I’m here.” <3 <3 Gil is the definition of a good man. <3 I’m in love with it.

26:48 - “You were right on time for me.” ....*snort* subtle Gil (and in front of JT!!)

27:08 - Edrisa is hysterical on caffeine. hahaha. This whole scene is perfect.

27:20 - You know someone is acting manic when Malcolm Bright is concerned about their eccentric behaviour.

27:34 - Annnnnd Tom Payne was a split second from breaking character here. I don’t blame him. hahaha

28:05 - EDRISA flipping and dropping that pencil. HAHAHAHAHAHA

29:10 - “Absolutely not.” hahaha this is funny but also really sweet. Malcolm knows that Edrisa hopped up on caffeine isn’t safe to have near an active killer. Who knows what’ll happen. I wish he’d care that much about his own well being. Looks like calling for backup last episode was a one time thing.

30:37 - I’ll give the writers one thing - Miss Windsor makes a convincing murder suspect.

31:22 - GIL. STANDING. UP. FOR. JT. IS. EVERYTHING. Where is O’Malley’s back up? Oh yeah, they’re not brave enough to defend him.

32:00 - Huh. Bright texted for backup. This is growth. I’m proud of him.

32:15 - YES. This JT arc was handled right. Sure JT could’ve complained. It would’ve been episodes upon episodes of bureaucratic nightmares and injustice. This show isn’t about racism. They showed enough to portray that the system is broken and they had JT act like a responsible adult. It’s not fair that JT had to go through this or that he’ll likely experience something similar to it again. But the fact that JT is acting like a bigger person is perfect. JT will protect his family. Always. That includes Malcolm. So JT avoids putting through a formal complaint because he knows that will take time away from doing his job, from protecting others, from hanging out with his wife and kid. JT’s taking the higher road, it might not be gratifying or fair but I respect the hell out of him for taking it.

32:28 - Gil is so so proud of JT. Look at him. <3 <3

33:40 - Look, Miss Windsor is a bit of a stuck up bitch but she has a good heart. Look at the way she immediately tells Malcolm where Ainsley is when she realizes what’s happening.

34:14 - This confused me during the first watch - Ainsley obviously didn’t drink any tea - so why is she drugged? (obviously I know now).

34:17 - Big brother Malcolm frantically looking for Ainsley is so so sweet. <3

35:42 - The music, the dolls, and Miss Windsor’s speech here. There’s something about this part of the episode that is strangely reminiscent of 5x16 of Criminal Minds.

36:20 - ......does Miss Windsor have some sort of mental illness? She’s talking to herself and ranting erratically. Is this just emotional stress or something deeper?

37:00 - This is why Malcolm’s not a serial killer. Even now- looking at a killer - he’s trying to sympathize with her. He’s trying to understand why. He’s trying to calm her down, diffuse the threat, and get her mental help.

39:00 - Oh yeah. Ainsley was definitely going to kill without remorse. Again. I’ve seen some theories that Ainsley only ever tries to kill to protect Malcolm. I disagree. I think Ainsley’s trying to protect herself. Ainsley is pissed off that this girl tried to drug her and kill her because she thinks Ainsley is wicked. Ainsley was pissed at Endicott for whatever he did to Ainsley before Malcolm got there. I think Ainsley felt threatened and scared so she reacted. I don’t think this has anything to do with protecting Malcolm.

39:41 - Malcolm isn’t a killer. Look. He smells gas but he takes the time to carry an unconscious murderer (who literally just tried to kill his sister) out of the building.

40:00 - The drama. Holy hell. What a weird ending to this case.

40:48 - Who gave Ainsley a police jacket and let her keep it?

41:14 - She almost died and she’s still obsessing over ‘winning’. This is seriously unstable behaviour. Way more concerning than anything Malcolm’s done since 2x1.

41:45 - “My father was a serial killer also.” Anyone else super irritated by that phrasing?!? Just me?!? Something about the ‘also’ feels super wrong to me.

41:53 - Oh sweetie. I’d argue that you are more messed up than Malcolm.

42:06 - Jessica went to see Martin twice in one episode. THIS IS BAD.

42:15 - “Maybe even more so than Malcolm if that’s possible.” Jessica knows her kids. I’m on her side here.

42:20 - Martin is way too happy about Ainsley showing signs of serial killing.

42:30 - Jessica? You married an act. That man never existed. He’s always been a serial killer. You just didn’t know it. He’s manipulative and you were a victim to it.

42:50 - “A partner.” OH THIS IS NOT GOING TO END WELL. ESPECIALLY FOR THE GIL/JESSICA ARC.

Okay....so definitely the weakest episode of the season so far. AND the fact that we got no mention of Tally and/or the baby this episode is a crime.

BUT I’M SO SO SO EXCITED FOR THE NEXT EPISODE. It’s going to be a televised fanfic and I can’t wait.

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a-very-fond-farewell · 4 years

Text

The forbidden crack! Untamed prompts: 25/?

Gaming Chat AU [xuexiao + songxiao = ?]: “Lie to Me”

[tw cyber bullying; tw use of slurs; tw fake suicide mention; there’s a redemption arc, but it starts with 15yo Xue Yang being... well, himself I guess. so be warned.]

[attn!: I don’t know shit about playing games and going to quests with strangers on the internet so bear with me. if you feel inspired by this please, by all means, feel free to use this prompt and write something and then tag me so I can read it and reblog it!]

[enjoy!]

It’s been 15 years since that idiotic intern at the school counseling center suggested him to... what did he say? “Channel his anger in something productive”. And then tried to talk Meng Shi into purchasing a fucking computer to let him “get off some steam” by killing fictional people instead of smashing actual valuable objects like, say, the principal’s Mercedes with a stolen golf club, or, the nurse’s desk with a fire extinguisher back in middle school.

Good thing Su She had disappeared under mysterious circumstances after Xue Yang had surreptitiously let the intern’s uni professor know in a detailed email how the aspiring counselor had suggested him (a sweet innocent 15 year old) to use his new computer to watch porn instead of focusing on his studies. Song Lan was much better than him, and bitchier too, which was fine by Xue Yang anyway. Not that he cared.

What good had that stupid glorified television brought him in the end? Most of the computers at school had become intimately familiar with many a malware and virus already with how frequently he used to browse through the deep web. The ones at the local library had let him in on the secrets of 4ch*n since the tender age of 8. Hell, even his pediatrician had made the glorious mistake to leave him alone in her office one merry day of winter when he discovered the wonders of x-rated videos.

But Meng Shi had tried to cheer him up anyway, buying him that stupid thing. Working her ass off at the bar trying to make social services forget she used to be a stripper back in the days. All to provide a place for children in foster care to feel safe, the stupid hag. Xue Yang wasn’t fucking stupid, he knew she was collecting money for every kid ever stepping inside her ratty flat. He knew that she would have never adopted anyone for real because she already had a son and she was working to send him to university anyway.

Yet, she had come home one day with a big smile on her youngish and bland face, hoisting up the heavy computer in a box, and told Xue Yang to share it with his siblings. Yeah, fuck that. That little bitch A-Qing was even worse than him, and she probably used to sell feet-pictures recycled from the internet to disgusting men online. To this day Xue Yang is none the wiser and he doesn’t need to know what that fucking witch had been up to at 14. XuanYu would have used the computer to stream and torrent shit nonstop to sell at school even if he was only, like, 12. Qin Su was 15 like him and she would have been tempted to set up a fucking YT channel and subject him and XuanYu to whatever scientific experiment she would have come up with. And Meng Yao had too much embarrassing blackmail material on Xue Yang already, he didn’t need to have access on his erased search history after digging gods-knows for how long.

Ahah no. No thanks.

But detention got him occupied for so long by cutting library books pages down to papermen without getting bored out of his mind. And he did have his fun that one time when he caught a pervert with a hand down his pants when they chatted on Om*gle after Xue Yang had catfished him good by pretending to be a girl. Got everything on tape and published the whole interaction on the school website for everyone to see. Which had been appropriate at the time, given that the man had been part of the board of directors. Fittingly hilarious too.

Still, boredom loomed over him like a quilt of sadness on summer break and he had been tempted to log in and play games in the end. Nobody wanted him in their stupid ass teams anyway, with him having higher kill counts than them and all, not following tactics and so on. Whatever.

Until one day user shuan_ghua naively trusted Xue Yang when the other assured him that “teabagging“ was just a fancy slang for ordering a cup of jasmine tea. The 17 year old boy named Xiao XingChen had thanked him for teaching something new to him and then proceeded to ask him to join his one-man-party out of fucking nowhere.

Everything changed after that.

[more under the cut. it’s long long tho]

XXC family!:

XXC is 17 at the beginning of the story and he used to live with his mother Baoshan [i know that “Sanren” and “Daoren” are titles, but in absence of a real surname I will use them as such for this prompt. feel free to change that if you take inspiration from this post to write your take on the story] and the rest of their family on a mountain before they moved back to the city in Gusu.

XXC’s mother was barely 20 when she got married the first time and her first son Daoren YanLing was born. two years later her husband died and she travelled a lot afterwards, adopting 4yo CanSe when she was 25. then she married again at 41, had XXC at 44, and then divorced at 48.

CanSe eloped with ChangZe when she was 18 and got WWX at 20, the same year her own mother got married again (at 41).

BaoShan got XXC three years later (at 44).

hence, WWX is 3 whole ass years older than XXC despite being his nephew. both boys find the thing absolutely hilarious.

YanLing and CanSe are only 1 year apart and they still bicker nonstop. both of them went to school with Lan QiRen and his older brother and frequently got in fights back in the days at Gusu.

(if YanLing had a thing for Lan QiRen, well, nobody has to know)

XXC, being the baby of his family, is doted on by YanLing and brought to mischief by CanSe until XXC’s father divorces their mother and they move on the mountain along with ChangZe and 7yo WWX.

up on the mountain BaoShan works as a tour guide and she takes baby XXC and WWX on hikes along with tourists to admire the beauty of the scenery.

XXC’s sight starts deteriorating when he is 12 and WWX is 15. they have been homeschooled until then, so when it gets clear XXC will not improve much so far away from proper healthcare, the whole family moves back to the city in Gusu.

XXC is not comfortable leaving his new home, not with all those new noises and flashing lights. WWX is drawn to them instead, more than happy to enroll in school, where he meets JC and he realizes the boy is the son of CanSe’s middle school boyfriend. WWX declares them to be almost-brothers and is perfectly fine with adopting even JC’s older sister in the family and CanSe can only laugh at that. JC and YanLi visit XXC often as a result and they help him make sense of the new environment without stressing him too much.

YanLing finds a job as a cook in WWX’s school and he is back to making Lan QiRen’s life impossible after learning the man is a teacher there.

LWJ and LXC’s mother is a music teacher there as well and YanLing bonds with her to make Lan QiRen life’s an absolute nightmare.

LWJ and LXC make friends with the mountain gremlins and they are initially horrified by their manners: XXC would pick food from the ground and eat it, it doesn’t have to be his for that to happen to begin with; WWX doesn’t realize he should cut his nails (both for his feet and hands) until he is forced to wear shoes outside and not climb up trees, for he assumed nails simply never grew bc he used them constantly, wearing them down; etc.

LWJ hates himself for falling for WWX but he cannot care less.

LXC notices how lonely XXC feels when wangxian becomes a thing, so he buys him a computer to better gather more information about the world and adjust the settings to maximum accessibility whenever XXC wants to read something.

by the age of 17 XXC is mostly left alone in the house: WWX goes to uni; his mother BaoShan works at a local museum; his brother YanLing is trying to not get fired at his job; and his sister CanSe has started to travel with her husband selling the delicate dizi flutes ChangZe makes as an artisan.

XXC is also on the waiting list for an important eye surgery and he figures he has a couple of years to go before he will either lose his sight or be granted a second chance at life altogether.

XY’s family!:

Meng Shi had Meng Yao at 19 and started stripping the following year in Yunmeng.

her friend SiSi helped her both financially and emotionally, spending time with A-Yao while she worked at night. after four years she can move out of her flat and finds a job as a bartender downtown. she would have kept her old job, if SiSi hadn’t convinced her to think of A-Yao first, who was painfully shy and didn’t know how to socialize with other kids his age.

at 24 she starts the paperwork to become a foster parent and has to child-proof her entire apartment before the first kid arrives. at 25 she welcomes Qin Su, who is only 5, and initially A-Yao doesn’t want to share his mother with anyone. the situation gets bad to the point social services have to take Qin Su away one year later, because she tried to set A-Yao’s hair on fire in retaliation once, but two years later Meng Shi gets her back.

A-Yao, now 9 years old, has thought about it and reasoned that having a sister wasn’t so bad after all. Qin Su is only one year younger than him and she will not take up much space, right? wrong. but they bond over their shared nerdiness and while A-Su likes to blow things up, A-Yao helps his mother with taxes every year.

at 29 Meng Shi takes in XuanYu, who is not an orphan like A-Su, and still misses his birth mother fiercely. she had to give him up for adoption when he was 3, because she had been only 15 when XuanYu was born and her family threatened to disown her.

being profoundly deaf on top of that, no foster home wanted to have him and he was kept in the system for three years after his mother had to let him go. the woman had tried to be present for him while he waited for a family to pick him, teaching him sign language and reading lips, but she had been forced to eventually let go.

XuanYu arrives at Meng Shi’s when he’s 6. A-Yao (10yo) and A-Su (9yo) try their best to involve their new brother, but they don’t know how to communicate with him. SiSi takes the children to sign language classes at the community center after school and XuanYu warms up to them. he teaches Meng Shi what they learned the previous day every morning, before going to school. teachers don’t really pay attention to him, but he manages by reading lips when people face him properly, which is a rare occurrence, but he tries his best.

when A-Yao and A-Su realizes A-Yu is being bullied, they start to get nasty, setting backpacks on fire and terrorizing the other children at school. even when they move to middle school one after the other nobody picks on A-Yu, fearing what his siblings could do.

XY arrives at Meng Shi’s when she is 32 (A-Yu is 9, A-Su is 12, A-Yao is 13) and XY is 12. A-Su initially gets jealous bc they are the same age, but XY doesn’t talk to anyone for a year and ignores her attempts to rile him up. Meng Shi had been warned about him: his father had killed his mother and then failed to kill himself afterwards... and XY still believed the man was out there, looking for him to finish the job. XY had lived on the street for years before social services could find him, but he had felt trapped like a dog, not wanting to be touched, frequently running away.

XY doesn’t remember much of his life before entering foster care. he only knows everything is a bother, that his nightmares give him constant migraines, and that he doesn’t care how he lost one of his fingers. but anyone who makes fun of him for that gets kicked, that’s for sure.

it’s only when A-Qing (12) comes one year after XY’s arrival that things get a bit better... so to speak.

she is even less well behaved than him, thrashing around at night, screaming at the top of her lungs, saying that she doesn’t want to be there. that she’s better than the rest of them combined.

her anger issues trigger something in XY and the two of them get into fights with each other constantly.

A-Yao (14) and A-Su (13), reminiscing of the 2 years they spent apart because they couldn’t stop hitting each other up, take the issue seriously and convince Meng Shi to ask for help. SiSi is the one taking A-Qing and XY to therapy two times a week and they are followed through by professionals who know how to tackle their issues, an elderly woman who goes by the name of Lan Yi (LWJ and LXC’s paternal grandma) and her assistant Wen Qing, an intern working there for uni credits.

one year later XY is 14 and A-Qing is 13 and they... don’t really love each other, but at least they can talk to one another without trying to kill anyone in the process. they spend a lot of time with A-Yu (11) and learn sign language to keep him entertained.

by the age of 35, Meng Shi has 5 kids and can barely afford food for herself but she is happy like never before. A-Yao (16) is already considered smart enough to attend advanced math classes in high school. A-Su (15) has won a science competition sponsored by city hall. A-Yang (15) is trying to work on his anger issues with video games, making friends online. A-Qing (14) doesn’t let anyone make fun of her for her dyslexia, asking adults and classmates to take her issue seriously for once. And A-Yu (12) wants to learn how to sign in different languages to maybe travel the world one day.

Meng Shi is very happy indeed.

now, the plot: (tw fake suicide mention; tw use of homophobic slurs)

XY (15) and XXC (17) meet online every night before bed, playing video games together. XY made a mistake first time they chatted, saying he was 17 instead of 15 bc he didn’t want the other to look down on him.

XXC trusts him a little too much and doesn’t question if his new friend is lying to him or not. he’s the funnies person he has ever met, after all.

WWX (20) notices something is wrong by the way XXC starts speaking around others, using inappropriate language when he has never been anything but polite and gentle. even if, technically, XXC is WWX’s uncle, the latter sees the other more like a cousin than anything else given that he’s older. so he takes the matter in his own hands and one day asks him to let him play games with him.

XY doesn’t like his only friend not telling him someone else would have joined their party, and initially he covers XXC in insults and threatens to leave. but then WWX is really good at killing fictional people and XY reconsiders. he makes fun of WWX for being the older one AND the other’s nephew at the same time, but aside from that he doesn’t try to run away like a caged animal anymore.

WWX trust XXC when the younger says XY is 17 like him, but he still supervisions most of their sessions just to be sure XY cannot teach too many horrible things to XXC. WWX wants XXC to make more friends and maybe one day leave the house to attend university if the other will feel inclined to do so, but he doesn’t pressure him.

in the meantime, XY changes counselor at school and it is Song Lan (23) who tries to make a better human out of him. SL is deaf and occasionally uses cochlear implants to hear, but only because his family made the choice for him to have surgery when he was only a child. he can speak if he feels like it at times (not frequently, he’s very adamant about reminding others he doesn’t owe them anything. he’s also trying to make a change at the school where he works by organizing classes on Deaf culture and sign language for the students to take as an elective)

XY already knew of SL thanks to XuanYu, bc A-Yu had seen the counselor at the community center where SiSi usually takes the kids to for sign language classes. counseling at school doesn’t really happen one-on-one, detention kids being too many to follow one at a time and all, but when SL comes by to chat with them he’s always funny as fuck and XY (who will never admit it) feels good about being the only one in class able to understand SL only through sign language.

SL forces himself to talk to the kids and read their lips only bc... well, they’re young and did nothing wrong to him. he occasionally asks XY to help him translate, but aside from that there are really too many kids to look after and he doesn’t treat XY differently from the others, nor he notices him much.

two years pass and XXC (19) announces to XY (17) that wangxian (22) is having their wedding. since XY has learned all about their family, he asks XXC if it’s a common thing to get married super young in their household and XXC laughs... but it’s a sad and brittle thing and XY gets a bit worried.

XXC reveals then that soon after the wedding he will have a surgery to (hopefully) fix his sight and he’s very anxious. he timidly asks XY if he wants to go to the wedding with him, because he would like to see his face at least once before the surgery.

XY panics: he knew XXC’s eyesight was bad, but he never knew to what extent exactly; he’s not really of age yet, so he cannot move on the other side of the country just to attend a wedding; he has never talked specifically about XXC with his family and Meng Shi is working a lot and A-Yu should get his hearing aids soon and A-Qing needs help for her finals and... and...

...and he’s not ready to meet XXC.

XY lied to him and told him they’re the same age. he had never told XXC his name, even if the other had revealed his own, always going by his username jiang_zai. he called him and chatted with him and made fun of his own family and the other had been nothing but kind and amazing and... and... and XY realizes he’s been in love for a while and he abhors the idea to the point where he openly laughs at XXC and calls him a sap.

XXC notices the change in his tone immediately and wonders if he’s overstepped, if he’s asked too much by inviting the other over to celebrate with the rest of the family. XXC apologizes to XY and begs him to not step away like he usually does when he feels cornered.

XY feels absolutely cornered and attacks XXC by asking him why he’s so keen on asking him out (“are you a f*g or something?” etc.). the other doesn’t even know what that means but hearing XY so scared hurts, bc he doesn’t want to make the other uncomfortable in any way.

XXC does like XY romantically, but would never dream to say anything and hinder their friendship. yet, it hurts more to hear his only friend so afraid and angry. he apologizes profusely and promises him not to bring the subject back.

after that, XY doesn’t log in much, avoiding XXC. A-Yao (18) notices he’s sullen and tries to spend more time with him, but the younger doesn’t budge and talks less and less. even SL (25) sees XY less and less, but he doesn’t thinks the younger one is actually skipping classes or anything.

but XY is, in fact, skipping school and Meng Shi covers for him saying he doesn’t feel well enough to go to class. she knows something’s up and she also understands the need to have days off in order to take care of yourself when everything goes to shit.

wangxian wedding happens and XXC is both happy and sad. they made him the official photographer of the day, which is both sweet and incredibly hurtful, because he’s the one taking all those beautiful pictures... and maybe he will never be able to look at them ever again after the surgery. WWX and LWJ already had to organize the wedding earlier than what they originally planned to accommodate XXC and the date of the surgery. XXC feels bad but he’s very happy for them.

YanLing and CanSe worry about him and they ask their mother to help them figure out what’s going on. BaoShan agrees with WWX that XXC had a fight with a friend, alright, but that cannot be all, surely...

it’s the week before XXC’s hospitalization and WWX takes the issue in his hands. logs in pretending to be XXC and plays until he takes XY’s place in the rankings of his and XXC’s favorite game.

XY receives notifications about it and initially fumes at the idea of being outranked, but then he understands what XXC is trying to do and doesn’t know how to react.

he does something horrible instead.

WWX waits to be contacted by this jiang_zai boy who broke XXC’s heart, but when it finally happens... it’s not the familiar, high-pitched voice he expects to hear in the chat. it’s a girl (A-Qing), who tells him her brother had died and that he won’t be playing games anymore. she sounds too serious to be joking and WWX tries to ask more about it... but she just tells him her brother killed himself before ending the call.

WWX doesn’t have the heart to tell this to XXC, not before the surgery and not until he has properly recovered (one year later).

XXC had wondered about XY in silence, not trusting himself to reveal all about his crush to his family, worrying about making the other boy uncomfortable.

XXC misses XY, but he is patient. he can wait.

A-Qing had agreed to lie for XY only because he lied to her first: he told her a creep on the internet had tried to meet with him and he needed a way out; outraged, A-Qing had helped him without a second thought and answered the chat in his place.

this spurs her to take more seriously what she and her siblings had been doing on the Internet and reconsiders some of the things she herself posted in the past. she will take this topic so much at heart that she will pursue an academic career to become a social worker.

XXC’s surgery goes well, but he still loses his sight after a while. WWX ends up telling him what happened to his online friend and XXC is so heartbroken he doesn’t even blame WWX for keeping the secret from him for so long.

after some time BaoShan makes sure he goes to therapy and takes better care of him, helping him figure out what to do. she fears people will look down on XXC and, as a blind person, he will probably be hindered by the system to pursue a career, so she retires from her job at the museum and focuses all of her attention on him.

XXC feels guilty for XY’s passing, but he doesn’t think the other had been triggered to commit suicide bc of him: XXC simply fears XY had hid a different type of sorrow from him; a pain so deep that XXC had failed to see while they were playing silly games. so, three years after the surgery, when he’s 21, he enrolls in uni to study psychology to help kids who are struggling to ask for help.

15 years after XXC and XY had met online:

XY is 30 and a professional carer. he studied to become a nurse, of all things, after what happened. he got a lot of time to think about the horrible thing he had done to XXC and considered helpings others to atone for that.

he is the first to say such a choice was very out of character for him, and even if he has to bite his tongues at times he doesn’t mind his job: it keeps him occupied and exhausts him well enough... but after working in the hospital for 5 or so years he decides to become a carer and trains to help disabled people in particular in his late twenties.

A-Su (30) has become a chemical engineer and married a man working as a lawyer (who happens to be LXC), while A-Yao (31) ends up moving in with his best friend (NMJ). A-Qin (29) doesn’t find romance interesting enough to give up on her career as a social worker, so she doesn’t really move out of Meng Shi’s old flat and everyone is fine with that. A-Yu (27) has graduated from uni and travels the world as an interpreter. Meng Shi and SiSi have lived together since the first has adopted all the kids and they opened a B&B near the seaside. they are wives and very in love.

XY lives with A-Qing in Yunmeng until his late 20s and they fight a lot for stupid things (like when A-Qing makes fun of the boring people her brother hooks up with on the regular, or when XY tries to coerce her to do the fucking laundry by tickling her into a pulp of pain and tears), but otherwise they work well together.

A-Qing is working at the community center as a social worker to help the kids find purpose in life and use the internet safely. she still believes a creep had tried to mess with her brother and doesn’t want anything to happen to the kids under her care. XY knows this, but never got around to tell her the truth, believing it would have been pointless to reveal her how everything she knew had been a lie. even her own purpose on top of that.

A-Su’s husband (LXC) rarely got to speak with XY in person, the latter busy with his job as a nurse most of the time, but during a dinner party LXC has to suddenly leave because of an emergency: his brother-in-law had been brought to the hospital after a car crash and lost the use for both of his legs.

one year later, XY (29) coincidentally becomes WWX’s personal carer and decides to move closer to the man’s house in Yiling since it would be troublesome to help him as efficiently otherwise. XY does not recognize WWX (34) from his voice or name (he did play games with him in the past, sure, but he knew him as XXC’s nephew by the name of Wei WuXian, not Wei Ying, which is the name LWJ uses around him) and helps him around the house and out of it.

WWX’s husband (LWJ) is frequently out of the house to work as a lawyer like his older brother and entrusts WWX to XY, even if begrudgingly so.

WWX pretends to be fine, but he has a tendency to try to sneak out and walk on crutches without anyone noticing, so LWJ has asked for a carer to come to their house every day. XY doesn’t have to bite his tongue as much around WWX, their interactions easy enough for the both of them to work together despite bickering about the stupidest things.

XY discovers WWX is friends with Wen Qing (37) (the same intern who helped the psychologist take care of XY and A-Qing while they sorted their shit out in the past).

he meets her and learns from her how WWX’s family had moved in Yiling to help him recover after the crash. her brother Wen Ning is the physiotherapist helping WWX regain control of his legs, but there are basically no chances for him to go back to be a professional athlete even if he were to walk once more.

this new information spurs XY to force WWX to rest more and take his situation more seriously. they work together to find possible solutions and WWX decides that he would much rather have his legs cut off from the knee down that suffer through the pain of having multiple fractures splitting him apart day after day. the surgeons had done their best to save his legs, but the fractures had compromised his nerves maybe forever and the pain is now unbearable.

LWJ trusts his husband but he’s weary at the idea of having him evaluated for amputation. XY refuses to feel responsible for the tension in the house, since this is clearly what WWX wants. XY knows WWX is secretly considering running again on prosthetic legs in the future, but he doesn’t want to anger LWJ more by mentioning it. it’s too soon to know anyway, and who is he to tamper down what little hope WWX has managed to harbor for himself after an entire year drowning in grief?

one year later WWX (35) gets permission from his physician to get prosthetic legs fitted for his needs and he couldn’t be happier. his family visit him more frequently now to congratulate him, even his grandmother who has descended from the mountain where she retired to in order to celebrate him.

XY (30) has already met WWX’s parents and his oldest uncle, but he never suspected them to be related to XXC, because he had never knew them by name.

yet, one day Song Lan (38) comes in with a huge backpack on his shoulders and recognizes XY immediately. XY doesn’t know why his old counselor is there: he knew WWX’s other uncle was coming over, but he never imagined it was SL they were talking about.

SL is beaming at him, signing he met XY’s bother A-Yu during one of his travels as a tour guide and that they kept in touch. SL has come to know XY is the reason behind WWX’s recovery and he tells the younger man that everyone in their family is happy XY has appeared in their life.

XY doesn’t have time to answer, overwhelmed with this sense of belonging, this sense of being finally, finally accepted somewhere outside of his own family... that someone else enters the house with a backpack on his shoulders.

XY doesn’t know the man and SL enthusiastically guides him over to meet the newcomer. XY is surprised to hear SL speak out instead of using sign language as the older man asks “A-Chen” to come meet “his nephew’s savior”. based on the pronouns SL has just used, XY recognizes the newcomer to be WWX’s actual uncle and he smiles at the beautiful man in front of him...

...only to be filled with horror the minute the other speaks.

XXC (32) greets XY without knowing who he really is, smiling at him without even recognizing the younger man’s voice. the two of them had never seen each other, playing games only through chats and calls... but XY recognizes XXC immediately, aware that his own voice has changed drastically over the years.

XY is still transfixed and petrified when XXC asks him if it would be okay for him to touch his face to have a better idea of who he’s interacting with. XY doesn’t even register himself voicing his consent when he feels XXC’s hands on his face. only then he understands the infamous surgery had failed and that XXC did not regain his sight after his nephew’s wedding.

overwhelmed with grief, guilt and longing for what never was and never could be, XY is unaware of the tears rolling down his cheeks as XXC gently trails his features. XXC apologizes when he feels his palms dampening and he asks XY if he overstepped. next to them SL is distressed, not understanding what’s happening in front of him.

XY shakes his head and simply says... that he lost someone and that XXC reminded him of that person. then he excuses himself looking for WWX, to ask him to give him something... anything to do. he gets himself a task to accomplish and leaves the house brimming with relatives that he will never be able to call his own.

1 year later:

XXC and SL do not leave the city as they originally planned. they have travelled long enough for the time being and they decide to get a house close to WWX and his husband. they spend the following year after their return looking for stability and peace.

XY (31) didn’t stop working for WWX (36) and doesn’t plan to. not now that he got his new legs finally fitted. the recovery takes long, but it’s already been two years since the amputation now and WWX tries his best every day. he believes to be a handful and doesn’t dare ask for things he needs after receiving the prosthetics. XY is there to loudly remind him to stop being an idiot and that he is paying XY to boss him around however the fuck he wants. LWJ is very grateful to hear WWX laugh more and more these days thanks to XY.

XXC (33), however, is frequently around his nephew’s house, keeping him company. before his three-or-so years of traveling with his boyfriend SL, XXC has briefly worked as a psychologist with Wen Qing, of all people and the two of them have applied for a position at the community center in Yunmeng at the same time. there isn’t one available in Yiling and the commute shouldn’t be too bad. during that first year after his return, XXC has met A-Qing multiple times to inquire for a place at the center in Yunmeng and they are quickly becoming more involved with each other because of their shared passion for the job.

XY feels the end nearing, time ticking away. it had been an agonizing, brilliant, terrible year the one he had spent so close to XXC... and it is now coming to an end. knowing that A-Qing will eventually tell XXC how and why she became a social worker, spilling everything about how “her pitiful bastard of a brother had been molested by a pervert online” and so on. he only hopes A-Qing will never get to meet WWX... she would absolutely recognize the other man’s voice and accuse him of being the pervert in question and XY... XY will die.

XY feels trapped and he will most certainly have a stroke the moment XXC will realize that he lied to him, that he is still alive, that his reason to become a psychologist to help troubled kids was not a real thing... XY will die and Meng Shi will cry.

only because he lied about being 17 when he was 15 one day of 16 years ago.

XY disappears the same night XXC tells him he invited A-Qing over. SL (39) is overjoyed at the idea of meeting the girl once more after the time she and her step-siblings used to go to sign language classes at the community center in Yunmeng. WWX is interested as well, having heard all about A-Qing from XY along the years.

but XY disappears anyway.

2 years later:

it’s XuanYu (30) who finds him, but doesn’t ask him to go back home. A-Yu takes XY (33) with him in his travels for some months to hide him. he doesn’t ask him what he did in those two years, but he does force him to call Meng Shi and SiSi at least.

XY complies but still feels empty inside. the single year he had spent with XXC while the other visited WWX will be permanently engraved in his memories and he cannot stop thinking about it. about how gentle XXC had always been with him, how sad he had looked and sounded reminiscing an “old online friend who had died many years back”, how generous he had always been towards him and everyone and... and XY cannot do this anymore.

A-Yu may be younger than him, but he protects him well for those months... waiting for XY to tell him the truth. so one winters night finally XY does, starting from the beginning.

the following week, close to New Years, XY realizes A-Yu had betrayed him.

someone rings the bell of their shared apartment and A-Yu asks him to go open the door. XY does and it’s A-Qing (32) and WWX (38) who greet him with tears in their eyes. A-Qing tackles him on the ground and tries to hit him they way they used to do as kids, fists getting the point across faster than any word ever could, but WWX pries them apart and hugs them instead.

somehow, XY had not been notified of having acquired a new sibling, but WWX clearly considers him a brother of sorts and he had missed him greatly. A-Qing explains that A-Yu had sent her an email with XY’s version of the truth, sure... but she also tells him that she and WWX had solved the mystery soon after XY’s disappearance already, after talking extensively on the matter.

A-Qing had recognized WWX as the person she had talked to in chat all those years ago, that is true, but she also realized WWX was not, in fact, a bad person and that something didn’t add. when she understood who XY’s online friend actually was... she had felt sick to her stomach for having let someone as kind as XXC presume XY had killed himself bc of him.

hurt and confused, XXC’s family and even A-Qing’s one had initially blamed XY for the pain he had caused, the lot of them filled with anger and grief. especially BaoShan, who had felt guilty for not supervising and protecting her younger son better when he was still too naive to understand the ways of the world.

but then, seeing XY was not coming back, Meng Shi and SiSi insisted for XXC’s family to help them with the search instead. after two years the lot of them missed him. yes, even those who still berated him for his poor choices in life.

XXC now knows the truth and only wants XY to come back home.

some days later:

XXC opens the door after hearing the bell and he knows, he knows who the person in front of him is. he already had his suspicions back when he used to visit WWX every day two years back. WWX’s carer reminded him so much of his friend that... that he may have hoped.

but now XY is back and he has a name and a face and is alive and XXC greets him with a smile as the other hugs him and never lets go.

XY has never been happier in his entire, miserable life.

and XXC will never lose sight of him ever again.

the end.

[now imma go weep for fucking ages. also fuck typos.]

#mdzs #cql #songxiao #xuexiao #wangxian #the untamed #mo dao zu shi #(possible songxuexiao ?)#mdzs/au: modern #mdzs/au: gaming chat #tw suicide mention #tw homophobic slurs #the forbidden crack! untamed prompts #sorry for the horrible pun at the end

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