#Nora can smell a ship

[superiorsturgeon]

Nora: Even though Pyrrha didn’t tell us outright that she and Jaune were dating, everyone figured it out immediately.

Nora: There were…signs…

Pyrrha: *reclining like a Greek goddess from a renaissance painting on her bed, but wearing Jaune’s hoodie instead of flowing robes* 😌

[immaturityofthomasastruc]

Every Episode of Miraculous Ladybug Season 5 Ranked (Part 2)

Part 1

(This site's stupid 30 images per post forced me to do this, so thanks for nothing, Tumblr)

#14: Transmission

I swear, I'm not doing these on purpose. This is just how I've been ranking the episodes.

Like I said in the last part, this episode just did not need to happen. The first half is cheap melodrama between Marinette and Adrien and the second half is a run of the mill Akuma fight with two different heroes. This is the story that seriously warranted two parts this season?

I just can't stand the fact that Marinette and Adrien gave up their Miraculous so easily here. Maybe if it was Season 2, Season 3 at the latest, I'd buy it, but near the middle of Season 5? They honestly view their love lives as more important than the battle with Monarch. If it was anything else like the stress or physical danger, I'd also be understanding, but Tikki and Plagg decide that Marinette and Adrien are so miserable that they need to be happy by losing their Miraculous without a fight. Remember, this was just two episodes after “Reunion”, which showed Joan of Arc was a Miraculous holder. So fighting in the Hundred Years' War didn't get so much as an ounce of concern from Tikki, but teenage angst is too much for her little heart to bear?

Maybe it's the benefit of knowing this won't be permanent, but the issue I have is how much the show draws this out for so long, as if the audience is supposed to buy it. “It's really happening, guys! Ladybug and Cat Noir won't be the stars anymore, we swear!” This kind of plot can work under the right circumstances. All you needed to do is at the very least, make it something they choose to do instead of their Kwamis taking their Miraculous away so we can see them weigh the benefits of giving up life as a superhero in ways that aren't exclusively about their love lives. I'd even buy it if it's something Ladybug and Cat Noir actually agreed on before quitting.

While I can sort of get Alya becoming Scarabella due to her experience with the Ladybug (even if she chose to give up using any Miraculous at the end of Season 4), Zoe getting the Cat just feels like the writers put a bunch of names in a hat and picked hers. The two just don't have as compelling a dynamic as Ladybug and Cat Noir do, because they don't get a lot of time to know each other. Alya and Zoe have almost never interact with each other, so the masks don't really shake up their relationship, because there's no relationship to speak of.

Also, the Akuma here was really forced. We know nothing about this new character while the show acts like we're supposed to know who he is based on some minor hints with Nora calling earlier. While I will give the show credit for arguably giving us the most powerful Akuma of all time due to being both a man and a bear, he's as forgettable as a villain as Kitty Noire is as a hero.

Just about nobody here comes out smelling like roses in this episode. The Kwamis are morons for caring about one ship becoming canon, Marinette and Adrien are selfish cowards for giving up their Miraculous with little hesitation, their friends are ignorant buffoons for thinking some random attempt to get Marinette and Adrien to talk will somehow seal the deal, and Alya and Zoe are idiots for not thinking that they should take off the shiny ring that tracks their every movement. It's a terrible episode, and the only reason why “Deflagration” is ranked higher is because it didn't irritate me as much as this one did.

#15: Determination

And now we're onto the really bad episodes this season.

This episode is pretty much what you've come to expect by Season 5. People keep forcing Marinette into situations she's clearly uncomfortable, and we're supposed to just laugh at her anxiety, because we still have eight episodes to go before the show decides to take her mental health seriously.

What makes this episode really sting for me is that it's Luka and Kagami that are forcing Marinette into these unfunny antics this time. For the most part, they never really stooped to this level and didn't try to force anything with their respective love interests until they had trouble in their relationships that required them to communicate. But now, even though one knows Marinette and Adrien are superheroes while the other is usually very blunt with her feelings (at least, before she became this season's next victim), they're going to try forcing Marinette and Adrien to spend time together even they both know they have feelings for each other and MY GOD, THIS IS SO STUPID! It's just a cheap excuse for more pointless shenanigans that stopped being funny years ago.

Yet somehow, that's not the worst of the Love Square drama this episode. It's here where we learn that Adrien fell in love with Marinette over a season ago, during a scene where she violated his personal space. In addition, Adrien somehow showed no signs of attraction to Marinette until the plot demanded it, and came right after another episode showing him falling for her. Why not make it the fake confession Marinette practiced with Cat Noir in “Glaciator 2”? The kiss Marinette gave Adrien at the end of “Heroes' Day”? I'd even take another umbrella scene callback like in “Mr. Pigeon 72”. But no, it's the statue scene that the writers decided on. It's like they noticed all the criticism Marinette got in that episode and were like “Joke's on you! Adrien actually liked being lusted over like an object!”.

And then the masks come on and make things even more convoluted. Adrien at least got to reflect on the events of a previous episode to explain his new feelings for Marinette, but what caused Ladybug to suddenly fall for Cat Noir after four seasons?

The writers don't even bother with an explanation for this. Ladybug spontaneously becomes attracted to Cat Noir with absolutely no foreshadowing, buildup, or even callbacks to earlier episodes. The writers either wanted to complicate things one last time before Adrienette became canon, they wanted to bury the Ladynoir conflict arc from last season in the sand, or the most likely option, a combination of both.

The idea of the public turning on Ladybug was an interesting one to take, seeing how she's been universally beloved for the past four seasons. But despite hinting at it in “Multiplication”, this is the farthest is goes, and even then, guess who's behind it? You can't keep raising points against the main characters if it's only Chloe who does it. It doesn't open debate on the story and essentially tells the audience that they're wrong to agree with her, no matter what kind of point she makes.

As dumb as the way it happened was, Ladybug still screwed up and endangered the city by losing the other Miraculous, but we can't actually challenge children by acknowledging that the hero actually did something wrong and needs to grow as a person. We need to use a recurring character as a strawman to tell the audience that only bad people think this way! Way to remove any interesting internal conflict, writers.

The Akuma was pretty weak, just being an older Puppeteer, down to using wax statues like what happened in “Puppeteer 2”. The army of wax heroes could have been interesting, but there wasn't enough time to do much with the idea. The one thing I liked was how the Ox Miraculous' Resistance was used. It felt like an upgrade instead of a core power Manipula got.

This episode pretty much set the stage for a new level of frustrating Love Square drama this season, and it was one of the season's first outright awful episodes.

#16: Conformation

The only reason this episode isn't at the bottom is because the rest of the ones on this list are far worse by comparison. Make of that what you will.

Like most season finales, this one continues the tradition of being better at buildup than actual execution. Gabriel's plan is pretty decent, even if it's just Heroes Day on a global scale. He utilizes his public influence and business skills to plan out a plan to get almost all of humanity working for him. While I don't like the Miraculized, I still think Gabriel being on top works here, especially since he's not going out into the field like the last three finales.

But other than an okay evil plan, this episode is still pretty bad. Marinette being infected with nightmare dust only happens to get her to the Agreste manor because the writers forgot that Marinette learned Gabriel was Monarch last episode. It could have been a decent way to up the stakes by showing Ladybug not being at 100%, but like everyone else, she just fights off the nightmare dust and doesn't have a single problem during her fight with Monarch. In general, the nightmare dust isn't really utilized well, only being an excuse to bring out the Miraculized. It doesn't impact everyone fighting off the Miraculized, and there's no lesson or theme about fear that's conveyed here.

Speaking of nightmare dust, I'm pretty sure the only reason why it was introduced in the first place was to bench Adrien, which is still easily one of the dumbest decisions the show has ever made. While everyone else had no problem resisting the nightmare dust, Adrien is just physically incapable of doing so because of some half-assed character arc the show pretended happened. So either Adrien got a more potent dosage of the nightmare dust, or Adrien's just too weak to actually overcome his fears. “Sandboy”? Never heard of it! The fact that the writers also tried to claim they were being subversive with fairy tale tropes and cliches didn't help, since it devalues Adrien as a character even further. He's not a superhero and Ladybug's closest ally. He's just some damsel in distress who needs to be saved. Let me just remind you, if the genders were reversed, this would not be seen as some bold move, but the same overused cliche trying to be something new.

I already talked about my problems with Nathalie in “Passion”, and the stuff she does here isn't really different. Despite enabling Gabriel for five seasons, the episode has the balls to act like Nathalie always had morals and is appalled by Gabriel planning to sacrifice someone to save his wife. Just remember, “Passion” established that Nathalie had a history as a treasure hunter, so this is like Indiana Jones not knowing what the Holy Grail does. Nathalie only got dumber than in “Passion” because she somehow thought she could take on a supervillain with nothing but a crossbow and a body that already has one foot in the grave. And just like Felix, Nathalie can't even apologize to Ladybug for the aiding and abetting a terrorist thing. Between Nathalie, Felix, and Gabriel, does using the Peacock Miraculous just make you an idiot?

While the buildup is decent, it's just not enough to really get audiences excited for the second part.

#17: Representation

This episode is yet another example of the show's double standards.

Without going into detail too much, this episode came right after “Revolution”, the one that essentially portrayed Audrey taking control of Chloe's life as a karmic punishment. What happens in this episode? We learn Felix's father literally took control of his life and it's portrayed as wrong as child abuse should be. That's why this episode is still better than “Revolution”. It at the very least understands how serious child abuse is, and tries to tell Felix's story with as much dignity as two teenagers in white onesies can have.

With that being said, there's a reason why this episode is as low as it is. The Sentimonster play used to tell Marinette about Felix is just so stupid. The sets and costumes look ridiculous, it's hard to take the story seriously with Felix and Kagami doing all the voices, and most of it is unnecessary since the whole point is to tell Marinette that Gabriel is Monarch... something that the writers decided she needed to find out on her own in the next episode. It comes across less like Felix trying to alert Ladybug to who Monarch really is and more like he's just trying to justify his own actions. Hell, the actual reason he decided to tell Marinette about Gabriel was because he and Kagami were worried about their own relationship being ruined by him. And yet somehow, Ladybug lets him on the team at the end of the season.

The stuff with Adrien was also pretty dumb. It's cheap fanservice that reminds the audience of Cat Blanc when none of the characters should know who Cat Blanc is. You can call him Anticat all you want, but everyone can see that he's just Cat Blanc with blue hair. It's bad enough that this was what all the times Cat Noir almost Cataclysming people this season was meant to lead up to, but this is pretty much the reason why Adrien is benched during the finale.

This episode really shows how desperate the writers are to make people take this show seriously by showing serious topics like genocide and child abuse, as if the show didn't already ignore the horrible implications previous episodes (like the very last one before this) raised and will continue to raise during the season finale. So much of the episode is just dark for the sake of being dark. It's nothing too horrifying for children, of course, but the issue is how obvious it is that the writers are trying to raise the stakes right before the season finale and show how mature the show's writing is. For lack of a better term, it's this show's equivalent to “Ow The Edge”.

#18: Revelation

Get ready for the episode where the writers abandon all attempts to be subtle and create an episode specifically to attack people who think Chloe isn't the most evil character on the show. Because how dare they be optimistic and try to see the good in people! What do they think this is, a kids' show?

While a big problem with the Lila episodes was how stupid the class is, this episode made it so Marinette got to join in on losing brain cells too. Despite outright admitting to neglecting her duties as class representative (as absurd as it is to be in charge of notifying teachers about student progress they should be aware of), we're supposed to agree with her for not telling her teacher about Chloe cheating. Not only does this make no sense since you'd think Marinette would want to see Chloe get punished, but her claiming that all Chloe does is abuse her privileges loses any point to it because Marinette admitted to not doing her job as class representative, making her just as lazy as Chloe and unintentionally helping her through not telling the teachers. And that's not even getting into how many times Marinette has broken the secret identity rule despite also being the one to enforce it the most as the Guardian.

If the episode at least admitted to Marinette having personal issues that prevented her from displaying any form of professionalism towards Chloe (especially since this episode takes place after “Derision”), that'd be fine. Sometimes, people just can't let bygones be bygones and let their emotions dictate how they handle things. If she willingly resigned from her position by admitting she was just as at fault for Chloe getting as far as she did with her cheating, that would have worked. Instead, the episode does the same things it did with Adrien for the last few seasons: Go out of its way to vindicate Marinette's complaining and never even consider the idea of her being wrong in the slightest.

It's also hilarious to see Ms. Bustier act like an actual teacher for once and plan to work with Chloe to help make up her missed work, but portray it as a bad thing because in Marinette's eyes, that's not a punishment. Since the school year is almost over, Chloe will have to attend summer school at best and be held back or even expelled at worst. How the hell does that not count as a punishment, Marinette?

And don't forget how she gets not one, but two separate scenes insulting people for being idealistic and not wanting to write off people as beyond saving, the second one being copied from Astruc's Twittter.

And remember, this was right before a string of episodes where characters were able to change their ways, including Sabrina (Chloe's accomplice), Andre (Chloe's enabler), and Gabriel (Chloe's supervillain contact). How the hell is Chloe the only one being written off as irredeemable when she didn't pull off any of her evil plans without help? You can still punish Chloe. All I want is for the other characters to be punished as well.

But let's talk about the main event for this episode: Lila. In one of the most confusing “twists” in the show's history, she's now an identity thief who lives with three different mothers. Why? Because the writers have no idea how to hype people up for her being the main villain for Season 6, so they think just making her mysterious for the sake of making her mysterious is enough to build her up as a villain. It's like the writers realized Lila had absolutely zero resources of her own, so they felt like they needed to establish her as an evil genius to compensate. “Who cares if there's no logical explanation for how she's gotten as far as she has despite constantly boasting about her celebrity connections in public? We have to make her vague and mysterious, damn it! It worked for Judas Traveller and Kaine, didn't it?”

This episode takes multiple shots at fans and tries to make Lila seem more compelling than she actually is. It feels more like damage control than an actual plot-relevant episode.

#19: Illusion

Want to see the main characters acting like idiots for almost a half-hour? No? Too bad!

So much of this episode's conflict, the characters trying to investigate a possible lead related to Monarch, comes from everyone making stupid decisions. Nino tries to get one of the most influencial men in Paris akumatized, talks about it in public, falls for his trick, and lets him into his secret alliance. This season really cemented his role as the Zapp Brannigan of Miraculous Ladybug with how incompetent he is. If you really want to start portraying Nino as a tactical genius, maybe you should actually show him doing something smart instead of getting outsmarted by obvious tricks.

Of course, the other characters aren't immune to Nino's stupidity either. Marinette, Adrien, and Alya just go along with his asinine plan to get Gabriel akumatized, never question his logic, and ultimately still go along with the Resistance despite how obnoxious their leader is. The worst part is Ladybug not recognizing her own partner being stung by Venom... when they're fighting someone with access to over a dozen Miraculous. I know Cat Noir was born with glass bones and paper skin, but I don't think he literally freezes in terror when he's scared. And of course, Ladybug never questions the tiny invisible men who stunned Cat Noir after this scene.

The cafeteria scene is something that should really be cited as an example of how terrible this show is with acknowledging continuity. You thought there would be some compelling drama discussing the secret identity rule and all the double standards it has? NOPE! It's a funny joke about how confusing the identity stuff is at this point. The fact that Nino somehow doesn't understand the concept of secret identities in this scene is yet another reason as to why he isn't even qualified to lead an anime club, much less a resistance against Monarch.

The idea of Monarch using an illusion to fight Ladybug and Cat Noir was an interesting one, but it still had some holes. For one thing, what if the two heroes can't dodge one of the illusion Collector's attacks? What if they're fast enough to try tying him up, only to dispel the illusion? The entire plan pretty much relies on the fact that Ladybug and Cat Noir are too slow to catch the Collector.

But one scene that has only become more questionable after the finale is Ladybug trying to reach through to the illusion Collector. Like several episodes this season, it comes across like the show is spitting on idealism and wanting to solve problems peacefully because Monarch tricked Ladybug into believing he willingly rejected an Akuma. Remember kids, if someone says they want to change, it's really a trick as part of an evil supervillain's plan to maintain his secret identity.

This episode is like a microcosm of everything wrong with Season 5. Poor morals, characters acting like idiots, shooting down any potential for plot development, and being told characters are right when their actions say otherwise.

#20: Confrontation

Ladies and gentlemen, I give you the episode where the writers just gave up.

There is just so much that happens in this episode that the writers cram in. There's Marinette's “final” confrontation with Lila, the battle with Reflekta, Sabrina's redemption, Juleka's character development, Ms. Bustier's character development, Mr. Damocles' character development, and the reveal of Lila's true nature. I don't think I need to tell you that the writers struggle to make all of these plot threads work in less than a half-hour.

First off, Marinette and Lila. The previous episode implied that Marinette let Lila have this short-term victory because she had her own plan to expose her. This episode puts that plan into action. See, she has the genius idea of going along with submitting school application forms to Lila and Chloe with no actual countermeasure in place, waiting for Sabrina to have a sudden change of heart so they can work together to expose Lila and Chloe through a bathroom peephole. This is the kind of tactical intelligence that will be studied in the history books, let me tell you. There's just no weight to Marinette and Lila's final battle of wits because there isn't any. There's no series of gambits or scenarios that actually pit their minds against each other, so you don't get a lot of satisfaction from Marinette's triumph over Lila. It doesn't help that there's more focus on Sabrina than on Marinette, but I'll get to that later. Even the actual payoff is anti-climactic. Most of the class' apology to Marinette was deleted because Mr. Damocles using a Magical Charm shield was just too important to leave on the cutting room floor according to the writers.

This episode really shows just how Marinette's classmates are like NPCs in the Lila-centric stories. They don't second guess Lila's accusations due to their past experiences with Marinette, and as soon as Marinette's name is cleared, they instantly apologize to her and don't even think about how easily they were fooled by Lila and Chloe. The worst example is Alya, Marinette's confidant and someone who was trusted to temporarily use the Ladybug Miraculous last episode, falling for this and not trusting Marinette. My sister in Christ, your friend goes out and saves lives on a weekly basis at least. How can you fall for Lila's story? This is why I think the Lila episodes should have all been set pre-Season 4, so Alya falling for Lila's lies is a little more believable since she isn't already in on Marinette's biggest secret.

I also have to roll my eyes at how melodramatic the talk about everyone's “futures” is. Yes, I don't know a lot about the French education system (If there's anything I'm getting wrong here, don't hesitate to let me know), but I don't get why they're treating their high school choices like such a big deal. Maybe if it was college, I'd get it, but high school? Why can't you just transfer if it doesn't work out? But then again, this is the same show created by a man who thinks school uniforms are a sign of fascism.

THIS IS WHAT THOMAS ASTRUC ACTUALLY BELIEVES.

Speaking of futures, this episode also showed just how little the writers cared about Adrien at this point, with how a supposedly heartwaming moment is him having no plan in life other than Marinette. I know this might seem weird given my problem with him last season was his refusal to think about anyone but himself, but there's a difference between wanting someone to follow orders without complaining and giving them absolutely no motivation outside of their significant other. And once again, if you swap the genders, this becomes sexist as hell.

But the big problem comes in the form of how the side characters are utilized. I don't know why the writers decided to focus on developing characters like Sabrina, Juleka, Ms. Bustier, and Mr. Damocles with five episodes left in the season. This should have been done in earlier episodes, not in the middle of a major story arc. I'm just left not caring about the development because it takes away from the conflict between Marinette and Lila, to say nothing about how little Adrien and Alya contribute to the story.

To me, this episode feels like the writers had no idea how to make Marinette outsmarting Lila into an episode, so they crammed in all these half-assed character arcs to pad out the runtime. While “Revelation” personally upset me more, I personally think this is the worse episode of the two from a writing standpoint.

#21: Revolution

Given how often I've criticized the way Chloe has been handled over the years, I bet you're surprised that this one isn't at the bottom of the list. You'll be even more surprised to learn that I think Chloe is one of this episode's saving graces.

This episode (along with “Derision”) provide an example of the Chloe we should have gotten ever since Season 3 ended: A villain who's allowed to be a threat while still being funny. So much of the past two seasons have done nothing but portray Chloe as nothing but an incompetent joke, but here, near the end of the season, she's in a position of power and is taken seriously. The episode does a good job showing how tyrannical Chloe's rule as Mayor is while still making it funny and in-character for her. She uses her power on frivolous things because she's a teenage girl who doesn't understand the complicated issues that come with politics. It's also why her idea of punishment involves detention, because it's something she's more familiar with as someone in middle school. Of course, even the episode all about Chloe ruling Paris with an iron fist isn't stupid enough to actually let Chloe be a compelling antagonist. No, we need to constantly remind the audience that Chloe is being played, as if we're supposed to see her as nothing more than a pawn even though the show still wants us to see her as an irredeemable monster.

Putting aside that one speck of something interesting, this episode is still incredibly bad. So much of the story is dependent not on how smart the villains' plan is, but rather, how lazy the heroes are. Not only is there not a single moment where Ladybug and Cat Noir acknowledge that the whole reason why Chloe was able to take over as Mayor was their fault, they act as if Chloe abusing her power to make everyone's life a living hell isn't enough of a reason to stop her. What kind of Prime Directive bullshit is this? YOU JUST HELPED SOMEONE LEAD AN INSURRECTION AGAINST A POWERLESS CIVILIAN! HOW IS THIS ANY DIFFERENT?! If there was at least something involving Ladybug and Cat Noir taking responsibility for what happened or at least showing that they played a part in this (especially since they “grow up” in this episode), I'd get it. Instead, because this is Season 5, our heroes are perfection incarnate, and can't ever be wrong. Even when they finally decide to get off their asses and stop Chloe, they didn't know she was akumatized, and nobody seemed to care before Chloe blurted it out, so Ladybug and Cat Noir have no excuses for slacking off.

The final battle is just a joke. Not only is it another excuse to force the Resistance into the plot, it shows Ladybug and Cat Noir unlocking the full power of their Miraculous in the most anti-climactic way possible. Even though they spent most of the episode caring more about their personal lives than actually stopping the obvious threat, somehow, this means they “grew up”. There's no buildup, no explanation, and no catharsis gained from this achievement. All of a sudden, Ladybug and Cat Noir are adults now. There's one decent scene with Adrien, but that's far from an actual explanation. What, did you actually expect an explanation for something this huge? Too bad! We need to have Marinette tell Chloe she's not afraid of her anymore even though she was never afraid of her prior to this season. Of all the things that happened this season, this is the one that makes it clear that Season 5 was supposed to be the end. There is no way Season 6 can happen unless the writers come up with some crap that undoes this, because Ladybug and Cat Noir have essentially unlocked god mode.

But I saved the worst for last, and you all know what it is: Chloe's punishment. I still can't get over the fact that there's actually a scene heavily implying we're supposed to be happy Chloe is going to live with her emotionally abusive mother in the same season that's trying to tell a serious story about child abuse. There's already been so much said about all the horrible things this implies, so I'm going to try and bring up something else. Specifically, how everyone is just okay with this. I can buy Ladybug given all the things Chloe has done to her, but it's pretty odd that Cat Noir, Andre, and Zoe all decide to wash their hands of their association with Chloe as if they never knew her. They don't even feel bad that it had to come to this, and feel absolutely no sympathy for her. Remember in episodes like “Malediktator” and “Queen Banana” that showed Adrien and Zoe still cared for Chloe despite all the terrible things she's done, teaching kids a lesson about trying to show compassion to your enemies? The writers sure didn't, because Adrien and Zoe don't get to say a thing about Chloe after she's defeated. Way to establish connections between characters and do nothing with them, writers!

This episode had so many things wrong with it, and it only got worse the longer it went on, to the point where the ending is essentially condoning child abuse. It's disgusting, but at the very least, it means we're not going to have to deal with Chloe in Season 6.

.....

#22: Adoration

This is one of those episodes I honestly didn't think would hate as much as I did.

I think of all the episodes this season, this is the one that shows how frustratingly inconsistent the characterization is. Characters will either announce how much someone has changed or will take a complete 180 while the show makes it clear this is how things have always been. Not only does the show say Zoe has somehow changed and suddenly developed feelings for Marinette, but Chloe's view of Sabrina has gotten even lower, to the point where she calls her an underling to her face. Because actually showing character development and changing interpersonal relationships is too hard for these writers. It's like that rule everyone knows: Tell, don't show. That's how it goes, right?

Before anyone gets on my case about this, I'm not trying to say that Zoe having a crush on Marinette was a bad idea. The issue is more how it comes across like the show is trying to earn brownie points with LGBT+ audiences with the reveal. The issue is that this major revelation isn't about Zoe, but rather, Marinette. It's from a Marinette-focused episode all about her heterosexual feelings for Adrien while Zoe's coming out story is nothing more than a cautionary tale to get Marinette to finally try kissing Adrien. I'm not saying Marinette should have dumped Adrien to be with Zoe. The point I'm trying to make is if you want to show something as huge as a character coming out as sapphic, maybe put more focus on that character's struggles than the struggles the straight main character goes through. Maybe instead of being an afterthought in the story, make the episode about Marinette helping Zoe confess her feelings to a girl she likes.

This was also the episode that laid the groundwork for Andre and Sabrina's “redemption arcs”. Normally, I wouldn't mind something like them changing, but it's less to show a character becoming a better person and more to vilify a different character. Andre went from a corrupt politician who abuses his power to please his daughter to an honest politician who is forced to abuse his power to please his daughter. Sabrina went from Chloe's loyal friend who chooses to help her make people miserable to Chloe's underling who is being forced to help make people miserable. Both of them were perfectly willing to go along with Chloe's acts in the past, and as we saw in “Revolution”, being a pawn didn't excuse her from being punished, so by that logic, they shouldn't get a free pass either. It's also strange how this wasn't the episode where Andre and Sabrina officially cut ties with Chloe, considering they already had issues with them. There wasn't really a reason to wait if they already made their issues clear, especially Sabrina. Somehow framing Marinette here is okay but doing it a few episodes later is too much for her?

Also, Lila served no purpose in the episode. Just like in “Collusion” and “Revolution”, all she does is tell Chloe to do things she was perfectly capable of doing in earlier episodes. We're supposed to see her as a mastermind, but I don't get why she has to hold Chloe's hand here. Why can't Lila come up with her own plan or manipulate different people from behind the scenes? It only further highlights the double standards because while Sabrina being a lackey to Chloe earns her sympathy, Chloe being a lackey to Lila doesn't for some reason.

I am getting really tired of the whole “Nobody believes Marinette” formula that every Lila episode relies on (Chameleon, Ladybug, Risk, Revelation, Confrontation). It's the exact same story. Everyone who has known Marinette for the past four seasons suddenly loses all trust in her, only instead of instantly believing Lila, it's Chloe. CHLOE. This is worse than Lila, because she's at least in good graces with other people, but this is the same season that solidified the idea of nobody liking her at all. They seriously take her words at face value over Marinette, someone whose friends know has tormented her for a year at least (Derision)? Put aside how I feel about Chloe, this is a story that depends on trusting someone nobody has any reason to trust, and it makes no sense.

There are just so many minor issues in this episode that pile up enough to really piss me off. It's like a death by a thousand cuts.

#23: Collusion

I normally don't try to get political on this blog unless I absolutely have to, and talking about this episode is one of those occasions.

If you've been around since the early days of this blog, you'll remember that Astruc once compared Chloe to Donald Trump, and not too long after the January 6th attack on the Capitol Building at that.

Even before that thread, Astruc made a joke comparing Trump to Chloe less than a week after the attack.

Whether you agree with Astruc's views on Trump or not, the point is that he kept up with American politics and strongly opposes him. So anyway, let's get to the episode where the heroes let someone lead a small army to storm the mayor's office and force him to resign, which is totally different from what Trump did.

I cannot get over just how confusing this episode is. For a show created by someone who usually keeps up with American politics, this is such a tone-deaf episode. I get that the story is trying to lean into French history, and I'm not sure how far into production the crew was when the attack on the Capitol happened, but given how Astruc was aware of the drama, he and his team should have at least considered the implications this episode could raise. The problem with the discussion around January 6th is that the supporters see it in as righteous a light as Miss Sans-Culotte is. As far as they know, what happened wasn't a violent invasion of government property, but a peaceful demonstration. Sure, none of the talking balloons said “Hang Andre Bourgeois!”, but it still brings similar imagery to mind.

Something that also harms the French Revolution narrative is the fact that all of Miss Sans-Culotte's supporters are helping her against her will. Much like countless Akumas throughout the show's history (Darkblade, Kung Food, The Puppeteer, Princess Fragrance, Despair Bear, Befana, Zombizou, Malediktator, Gamer 2.0, Mr. Pigeon 72, Hack-San, Revelation, Confrontation), Miss Sans-Culotte brainwashes innocent civilians so they can help her cause. This goes against the idea that she's speaking for the people, because her victims don't have a say in this. She's not reenacting the French Revolution, she's reenacting Order 66!

Also, this is something I've neglected to discuss. Why make Miss Bustier pregnant at all, much less akumatize her while pregnant? Outside of her students telling Chloe not to make a scene because the stress caused from dealing that is bad for the baby, Ms. Bustier's pregnancy adds nothing to the story. Seriously, the story thinks Chloe annoying the class is more dangerous for Ms. Bustier's baby than Ms. Bustier herself running around and getting into fights with her baby inside. It could have made for some interesting drama where Ladybug and Cat Noir are hesitant to hurt a pregnant woman, even if she's been akumatized. While the writers do try to work around it by giving her minions to do the fighting (as much as it mucks up the themes of this episode), it still doesn't explain why she needed to be pregnant during this episode in the first place.

Putting aside how unlikable Miss Sans-Culotte is in this episode, you can't even enjoy seeing Andre getting kicked out of office because this is the same episode where the writers really want us to feel bad for him. Look at how sad the rich white politician is. Let's ignore the fact that he's a big part of the reason why Chloe is as bad as she is, has abused his power multiple times, and is all around the cause of his own problems. But even though this is a show that tries to take an anti-capitalist stance (which I'll get to more in “Emotion”), we're supposed to side with one of the biggest symbols of everything wrong with capitalism and political corruption. Even then, Andre is framed for corruption instead of the several instances he actually abused his power, as if they're trying to say he was never a corrupt man. He just loves his daughter. Is that too much to ask for? His daughter herself? Eh, who cares? You really need to support the rich white man. Are we sure this show was created by a liberal?

But the biggest issue is the moral. It's impossible to frame Miss Sans-Culotte storming the mayor's office as a peaceful protest because she's clearly inspired by one of the bloodiest and most violent revolutions in history. If she was supposed to be a violent warrior who needed to learn there was a better way, that would work, but instead, the show downplays how dangerous she is... when she has a guillotine blade for a weapon. You can't claim Miss Sans-Culotte is non-violently protesting Andre's administration when she brainwashes innocent civilians, storms into the building, and demands he resign without any question. Even taking all that into consideration, the moral ends up backfiring because forcing Andre out of office caused an even bigger problem with Chloe taking over, and the very next episode threw the non-violence message out the window.

Whether or not you want to consider the political implications here, this is still a terrible episode with a terrible moral.

#24: Pretension

I've always had issues with Felix, and after the trainwreck that was “Emotion”, let's just say this didn't exactly do anything to raise my opinion of him. Just like his other appearances for the last few seasons, he did absolutely nothing to help Ladybug, focused on only doing things that benefited him, and making everyone's lives worse due to his incompetence. And somehow, this idiot is the one who moves the plot along the most.

The entire conflict happened because Felix kidnapped Kagami without even coming up with a plan. Even when he believes that Kagami is a Sentimonster (I apologize for saying that word Felix hates, but once again, the show provides no alternative to it), he doesn't think of Tomoe being able to track her or command her to leave even at a far distance. He doesn't even try to explain himself to Ladybug and Cat Noir and spends more time running away from everyone who wants to kick his ass. But by the show's logic, he just needs friends, even though his entire deal is that he works alone to get what he wants.

It's bad enough that Felix has to screw up everything he touches, but now he's dragging Kagami to his level. Kagami has cemented her role as Felix's lackey/girlfriend and nothing more. People give Marinette crap for the way the behaves around Adrien in and out of universe, but Kagami knows nothing about Felix, yet a single conversation about his past is enough for her to fall head over heels in love with him. She went from someone not willing to take any bullcrap from Marinette and Adrien to believing Felix's story in a fraction of a heartbeat. This season really likes ruining the few likable characters the show has left.

I also have to roll my eyes at the conversation Marinette and Gabriel have about fashion. For one thing, it's one of the few times the entire season remembers that Marinette wants to be a fashion designer and doesn't really factor into her rivalry with Gabriel. This season made their conflict revolve around how to treat Adrien, not their views on fashion. It feels like they only brought it up to remind viewers that Marinette is still into fashion. Well, that, and also to take a stance on artistic integrity... supposedly.

And on that note, it's amazing how the writers display little to no self-awareness during this scene. The show that embraces sticking to the status quo and rejecting almost any attempt at keeping consistent continuity is now trying to teach children about the importance of being willing to take risks when creating something. This is like Hannibal Lecter trying to promote veganism. I get the message, but the messenger's history is keeping me from buying it. It doesn't help that for a scene trying to point out how outdated certain views are, the show ultimately chooses to take the side of the man with the “wrong” mindset by the end of the season.

The pancake metaphor really confuses me too. It's meant to be a running gag that the only thing Gabriel knows how to cook is pancakes, but A) Nothing is really indicated to show how terrible they are as a metaphor for how bad his outdated views are other than Marinette's verbal assessment of them, and B) We later learn Gabriel used to be poor, so either he never knew how to cook prior to earning his fortune or being rich somehow made him forget basic living skills. I'm just saying, when an episode of Sid the Science Kid manages to better convey someone doing a terrible job making pancakes, you might need to put in a little more effort to show how bad Gabriel's pancakes supposedly are.

Finally, Tomoe. This episode didn't really do much to show her as a compelling threat, given all she did was nag Gabriel and try to shoot her daughter when she didn't even try commanding her to fight back when she was kidnapped. She's nothing more than a female Gabriel and is another example of how overstuffed this show's cast is,

This episode is awful, plain and simple. It took aspects from previous episodes that were already questionable, and doubled down on them while acting like there weren't any problems at all.

#25: Derision

And now we're onto the really, REALLY bad episodes this season. One of the reasons why this post took so long to make was that I wasn't sure how to rank these last three episodes. Thankfully, I managed to find a way to rank them based on the morals are executed. With that being said, let's start scraping the bottom of the barrel.

Ah, “Derision”. You're the only episode that makes the backlash caused by “Chameleon” seem like a pleasant breeze. It's incredible to see just how much negative a reputation this episode has in the fandom. Virtually nobody likes it because it manages to upset everyone with its poor characterization. I'm talking Marinette fans, Adrien fans, Chloe fans, Kim fans, and pretty much every other character's fans. I've only seen a few die hard fans defend this episode, and they're the people on Tumblr who defend pretty much everything done this season.

I have just one question to ask about this episode: Why did it need to happen? We didn't learn anything new that we didn't know already. We know Chloe is mean, and we know Marinette used to be more timid and had no friends. We didn't even need that much of an explanation for why Marinette acts the way she does around Adrien, seeing how it was usually played for laughs

Speaking of which, let's talk about the fact that the episode tries to shame the audience for laughing at the jokes about Marinette's reactions to Adrien. You know, something that was the show's primary running gag ever since Season 1? A running gag the writers ran into the ground by the end of Season 3 but still chose to go with it? Now we're not supposed to have laughed at it, assuming we laughed at it all. Way to insult even the small portion of viewers who didn't get on your case about this, writers.

I only have about two positive things to say about this episode. For one thing, Chloe actually served as a pretty decent antagonist in the flashbacks. Much like in “Revolution”, when the writers actually let her be a villain on her own without being made a pawn, she can be somewhat entertaining. If this was the Chloe we got after Season 3, I don't I would have been as upset at the direction Astruc's team took with the character.

In addition, the thing that saves this episode from being at the bottom is that unlike the next two, it actually understands that what the antagonist did was wrong. They don't make up excuses for what Chloe did and she actually gets called out as a result. It doesn't lead to anything major, but it's something.

Like with “Queen Banana”, there's not much else I can say that hasn't already been said. There's plenty of retcons, the characterization for everyone is off, it attacks the audience, and the message about trauma got fumbled by the show's usual double standards. It's been said over and over again, and it's become a symbol of how much the show's quality has degraded.

#26: Emotion

I think if you've kept up with my reviews of this season, you should know by now that I don't exactly like Felix, and most of the problems I have with him can be attributed to this episode. In fact, for a while, this was going to be my choice for the bottom slot.

It's clear that the writers want to make Felix this wild card who's only in it for himself, but like most of the show's antagonists, they want to show Felix as this devious mastermind... but he's also not really evil, and you should feel bad for him. For most of the episode, Felix does nothing but make everyone's lives worse during his first outing as Argos. He smears his cousin's reputation yet again, tricks his girlfriend into dancing with him, condemns some rich kids for the crime of being rich when he's just as rich, and eventually wipes out all life on the face of the earth. But he's just doing it for his cousin, we swear!

While Felix has understandable motivations for what he does, wanting to free Adrien and Kagami, the way he tries to achieve his goal makes it hard to sympathize with him. If the whole point was that what he did was wrong and that he needs to find a different way, that could work. Instead, we're supposed to see him as this tragic figure who was forced to do terrible things when the episode shows him happily singing while causing chaos. It's the same problem with Gabriel, wanting a sympathetic character to do unapologetically evil things. The fact that he has to be told that genocide is bad doesn't make us want to sympathize with him when he breaks down crying. It paints a picture that he's crazy but the show wants to act like he isn't.

Even putting all the crap with Felix aside, the episode is still unbearable. The stuff with Marinette was poorly executed and was just done to get her involved in the plot, and later become the first one to excuse Felix for betraying her. Other than the dance scene, you could easily just have Marinette swing in as Ladybug when Argos starts his rampage and nothing would really change. The episode tries to make jokes about how unnecessary this is, but as usual, its attempts to be self-aware come across like its saying “What we're doing it wrong, we know it's wrong, but we're gonna do it anyway!”

Speaking of the dance scene, I can't stop rolling my eyes whenever Felix tries to be all “We live in a society” to Marinette. Forget the corrupt politicians, corporate moguls, human traffickers, and despotic rulers of foreign nations. The absolute worst section of humanity is composed of the teenage children of the 1%. Sure, you'd have to break my legs before I'd agree to supervise them at this party, but I don't get why these are the people we're supposed to see as irredeemable monsters. Do the writers think because these kids associate themselves with Chloe, we'll automatically hate them? Newsflash, but if I had to choose between hanging out with some annoying kids and a mass murderer, I'd stick with the annoying kids.

Rewatching this episode was what helped me finally realize just what my problem with the show's anti-capitalist message is. How the hell am I supposed to hate the villains on this show for being rich when several characters are rich or at the very least, are successful thanks to their connections to the rich? Think about it for a second. Putting aside Adrien and Kagami, you have Marinette, the daughter of two of the most popular bakers in Paris and earned the respect of multiple celebrities, Alya, the daughter of a chef who works at a five-star hotel, Nino, someone who got to DJ at a major fashion show, Rose, who is friends with a literal prince, Luka and Juleka, the children of a popular rock star, and Max, the son of an astronaut with access to cutting-edge technology. Somehow, these people are supposed to be poor? They make Monica from Friends look like Oscar the Grouch. It's why I can't take the message seriously. You can't write a story about a class struggle when both classes are shown to be pretty well-off.

The only thing that saves this episode from being at the bottom of the list is the fact that despite committing genocide while singing, Felix at least gets what he did was wrong and makes up for it. It doesn't fix everything else he did in this episode, but that's better than nothing. As for the villain featured in the episode that's at the bottom of this list? If you've been keeping track, I think you know who I mean.

#27: Re-Creation

I'll admit, I'm sort of cheating here. I'm judging this episode more as a finale than an individual episode, but I'm making an exception because the plot is tied to wrapping up all the loose ends this season.

I'm mentioning this because for a season finale, the stakes just feel so low. The fight between Bug Noire and Monarch doesn't have any weight to it because they've barely interacted at all for the last five seasons. These are supposed to be two mortal enemies, but you can't really buy the enmity between them. It ultimately cheapens the moment of Bug Noire triumphing over Monarch in the end... before Monarch triumphs over her not long afterwards, but we'll get to that.

The stuff with the Miraculized doesn't help either. We already know that the Ladybug and Cat Miraculous are in the Agreste manor, so the Miraculized's goal is impossible to achieve. It's never even explained why the Miraculized don't go back to the manor to help Monarch beat Bug Noire, since they should still be able to track the Miraculous. All of the fights with them just come across like filler, and there's no real sense of danger or hopelessness to be found. Whether the Miraculized win or lose is irrelevant. Nothing will happen either way because the important stuff is happening in the Agreste manor.

This extends to the part where all the heroes appear to help. It doesn't come across as an Avengers-esque moment for the climax, because it doesn't change anything. The episode never explains what any of these characters were doing prior to the events of this episode and why only now they're helping out. The United Heroes are the most egregious example because unlike Fei or Su-Han, they're a major organization whose members include the president, and they didn't do a damn thing when Monarch stole all of the other Miraculous. Speaking of, there is no way in hell that Su-Han taught Mirakung-Fu to three random people over Ladybug and Cat Noir, much less that those three people are actual masters after about two months at best. Maybe they got to train in Bunnix's Burrow? After all, she's not doing anything else to stop the end of the world other than sending four people over to Paris. This whole sequence really highlights how bland the other heroes of this universe are. If they're not slacking off when they're needed, they're criminally underdeveloped because there's a slim chance they'll get spin-offs to flesh them out.

But I think the biggest issue me and other people have with this finale is the resolution. In what is easily one of the most baffling decisions the show has made, Bug Noire doesn't defeat Monarch, and Monarch gets to make his wish. I don't care how many times the writers technically say she won because she beat him in a fight. Gabriel backstabbed her at the last minute and got her Miraculous to make his wish. Yeah, he died, but he succeed in achieving his goal, never faced any real consequences, didn't get any closure with his son (much less apologize for abusing him), told Marinette to lie about the monster he was to him, and was turned into a martyr with a statue made of the same things he used to control the world.

This ending infuriates me because it not only makes Marinette out to be a terrible hero for failing to do the one thing she was chosen to do (get the Butterfly Miraculous back), but it also ultimately makes Gabriel out to be a decent person even though he destroyed and recreated the world. All Marinette did was take credit for saving the world, and even then, Gabriel got more celebration in the end. Our hero, ladies and gentlemen! She got outsmarted by an abusive parent and didn't even get a new statue in her honor!

But the most damning thing of all this is the fact that this finale retroactively makes everything that's happened over the last five seasons completely pointless. If Gabriel making a wish wasn't as bad as it was supposed to be, why didn't Ladybug and Cat Noir let him borrow their Miraculous? Why make the stakes this high if you're going to downplay the impact of a madman recreating the world in his own image? Follow-up question: why make the stakes this high if the wish being made is ultimately shown to have huge benefits for society? In an attempt to wrap things up with a happy ending, the writers accidentally made the conflict completely meaningless.

That's why this resolution is the ultimate example of the writers refusing to allow any major changes to happen. If they're willing to treat the end of the universe as less important than Ms. Bustier becoming mayor, why should we assume they'll ever take their story seriously? For God's sake, every character you know and love is essentially dead, and we're supposed to act like that isn't a big deal? That's how you wanted to end the show originally? Then again, at least they tried to resolve something, unlike the Love Square. We still haven't gotten a reveal, and I don't think we ever will at this point. These writers will drag out the story until the show stops becoming profitable, which won't be for a long time.

And with that, I am officially done with Season 5. Honestly, after having to rewatch this season again, I'm not sure if it's even worth giving Season 6 a shot. There's nothing to look forward to, and Lila becoming the main villain isn't really appealing to me. At the very least, I have the movie review to look forward to, meaning I can watch something good for a change.

[mlbfemslashfebruary]

Miraculous Ladybug Femslash February 2024 is here…! 

I tried to include most female characters in these ship lists, including some newer characters from Season 5.

All main girls get at least one or two pairs, but some are more popular in this chart than others. Once again, f/f starring older female characters are double-booked to allow more pairings.

.

Rules:

• Any fanart, fic, playlist, or edit is welcomed in this event. Just tag your work #mlbfemslashfebruary or @ this blog so your work can be reblogged here!

• You don’t have to follow all the key words or ships for each day, they’re just prompts to help the creative process.

• If you have another femslash pairing you want to write over a certain day’s theme, go ahead! This includes creating content for poly femslash ships.

• Please no male characters or m/m ships that are genderbended. Male characters and slash ships get much more attention in fandom spaces than female characters and femslash ships. This event is supposed to help elevate femslash content, which is much rarer in fandom (and especially lacking in Miraculous Ladybug outside of a small handful of ships.)

• This event is meant to be for romantic pairings, but you can also write platonic or queerplatonic interpretations.

• No NSFW content will be reblogged for this event, but can still be created and posted on your own time.

...

Below is also a written out list of the prompts, for accessibility purposes and in case the image is too hard to see.

[Image ID: A calendar for February 2024 filled with prompts for Miraculous Ladybug Femslash February 2024. Each day has two prompt words and one f/f pairing, with some days instead having two f/f pairings to showcase adult women f/f.

Day 1

• Warm • Lipstick

Marinette/Kagami

Day 2

• Lovely • Blush

Aurore/Ondine

Day 3

• Wicked • Mascara

Juleka/Zoe

OR Olympia/Barbara

Day 4

• Fixed • Shirt

Kagami/Zoe

OR Emilie/Nathalie

Day 5

• Equip • Sweater

Alya/Sabrina

Day 6

• Method • Jacket

Chloe/Alya

Day 7

• Succinct • Jeans

Zoe/Fei

Day 8

• Lonely • Skirt

Marinette/Chloe

Day 9

• Successful • Shorts

Ondine/Kagami

Day 10

• Hold • Dress

Juleka/Rose

OR Amelie/Nathalie

Day 11

• Mercy • Classical

Kagami/Alya

OR Miss Bustier/Gisele

Day 12

• Lucky • Jazz

Alya/Lila

Day 13

• Belong �� Pop

Chloe/Sabrina

Day 14

FREE SLOT

Day 15

• Faulty • Rock

Marinette/Lila

Day 16

• Enthusiasm • Hip-hop

Aeon/Alya

Day 17

• Brave • Country

Rose/Mylene

OR Miss Bustier/Ms. Mendeleiev

Day 18

• Learned • Lightning

Kagami/Chloe

OR Anarka/Penny

Day 19

• Giddy • Fire

Alya/Zoe

Day 20

• Beautiful • Ice

Chloe/Lila

Day 21

• Trace • Earth

Zoe/Mylene

Day 22

• Quaint • Air

Marinette/Zoe

Day 23

• Indoor • Light

Aurore/Mireille

Day 24

• Atmosphere • Water

Juleka/Marinette

OR Anarka/Claudie

Day 25

• Gentle • Hear

Kagami/Juleka

OR Nora/Clara Nightingale

Day 26

• Idea • Taste

Alya/Marinette

Day 27

• Redeem • See

Chloe/Alix

Day 28

• Lament • Touch

Zoe/Jess

Day 29

• Scrape • Smell

Marinette/Socqueline

End Image ID]

[captain039]

PART 6 Predator grounds (Cooper Howard)

Alpha!Cooper Howard (pre-war)x omega!reader

Alpha!Cooper Howard (The Ghoul) x omega!reader

Warnings: AOB dynamics, vault tech things, forced heats/ruts, eventual smut, age gap, angst? Experiments, needles, drugs, talks of pregnancy, first times, anxiety attacks, anxiety, forced claiming, mentions of rape, plus size reader, fat shaming.

Me to me: Finish the story’s you’re writing! 😡

Me to me also: oh look new idea 😘

Fricken roller coaster 👌🏻

Previous part <-

It’s strange. Coming back to the world, one you thought you knew the one you grew in. This, this wasn’t it.

Nora stared with you, the browns, yellows and little green. The rusted ruined cars, building and ship cargo. The overly hot sun.

“Come on, I used to live down there in Sanctuary hills” she whispers and you just nod following her down the path. There’s skeletons by the gate and you hold your breath as you go past before letting it go. You follow the woman through the shrub and into the nuke ruined homestead. She talks with a Mr.Handy while you’re staring at the world you can see past the broken stone wall. Your minds blank yet over running and you reach out for Nora instinctively. She stops talking as does the robot and she holds your hand following your gaze. The beta lets you hold her hand before you’re searching the ruined houses for anything you guess. After it’s clear this place has been ransacked the Mr. Handy robot, or Codsworth points you in the direction to the next city.

You follow Nora silently she’s got the gun and knows how to use it, you’ve got scared omega running through your veins right now. You rub the mating bite on your neck, gods you wonder if he’s alive, if they froze him again or he got out. You hope he didn’t get out as you pass what you think is a dead dog in the middle of the road. You almost gag seeing its insides and quickly avoid it while looking away. You continue down the road seeing a red rocket station and a bark making you and Nora jump. You frown as she aims her gun but what comes running from the garage doesn’t look like what was on the road. The dog wags his tail, tongue out happily as he sniffs you both intently before barking.

“Ok boy?” Nora asks kneel to pet him before looking around.

“No owner?” She asks glancing to you and you shrug.

“Good boy” she mutters petting the dog one last time before checking the station. It’s empty besides some medical items that look very out of date. The dog follows you the whole time sniffing around before your on the road again. You take in the broken buildings, broken road and weird smells, it’s been like this since the bombs dropped and you’ve been hiding away underground, forced for some breeding program when there were already people up here?

You hug your middle keeping your eyes on the ground before you hear shots.

“Stay here, hide in that building!” Nora says quickly urging you into the rundown store.

You hear more shooting and shouting, your spot in the dusty smelly closet is horrid but it keeps you from out there.

You don’t know how much times pass, but the shooting stops, the shouting stops too. You don’t leave your spot though. You hear your name called though and peek out the door and see Nora, you sigh in relief and head out hugging her quickly without thought. She’s panting slightly and sweaty but you don’t care.

“Sorry” you say letting go and she just smiles saying it’s alright.

“I found friendly people” she says and you nod following her. You meet with some survivors, Preston alpha, Mama Murphy beta, Sturges another alpha and two betas a man and woman who seem intent on arguing more than giving their names.

“Oh you’re not from around here” Mama Murphy says looking at you and you gulp a little.

“No, no you’re far from home, far from your mate” she hums and you frown a little.

“Hm I’m getting the sense he’s changed” she says frowning and your heart skips a beat despite not believing the woman.

“Mama Murphy come on” Preston sighs.

“Oh shush” she waves the man off.

Your group heads back to sanctuary hills. You stick close to Nora the whole way. You help her clean out her old house, keeping what’s useful like the old table, couch and mattress. Nora sets up the mattress outside trying to dust it off the best she can while you sit on the surprisingly stable old chair, head in your hands.

There’s a scattering that wakes him damned rad roaches thinking he’s an easy meal. He barely looks to blow the thing to pieces before sighing and getting comfortable again. It’s morning before he can sleep again and his clicks his tongue before moving. This bounty he’s been chasing enjoys running too much and he’s getting sick of it. One Charlie James, stole something from some high and mighty, he didn’t care, didn’t matter as long as he was getting paid. He needed the caps fast, he’s been running low on viles for a while now and the coughs started to hurt more.

He finds the rat bastard hiding in a shopping mall, holed up like a little rat with his trinkets. The man doesn’t get a chance to speak before there’s a hole in his chest and his heads coming off with a few saws. Cooper grunts as he raids the little hide out before he’s heading back to the small town to get his bounty. He wonders how he got this far, roaming America, his first instinct was to stay around Los Angelas see if he could find his ex wife and daughter so he could find you. Hell there hasn’t been a day in the last 200 years he doesn’t miss you, his body aches every time he thinks about you, about that bite he left on you, about how you’d react if you saw him. After they took you away he went haywire, feral as the doctor said, he was teeth and claws before he got turned into this. Now he was truely feral, well not in the ghoul sense feral. Heading back into town with a head strapped to his thigh made most people look away or dart inside while he went to the towns mayor. He got paid, left a head lighter and headed to the closest drug dealer he could find. While hes waiting he hears about sanctuary hills, about how a Vaultie is running it with her little mated omega that ain’t even hers. Running it with the minutemen apparently. He shrugs it off at first but what makes him clench his fist though is their description, laughing about how the omega was ‘fat’ then the exact description of your hair, your face then your name leaves their mouth… He snatches his viles throws caps at the man, shoots the bastard laughing about you in the leg and barges out the door ignoring the pissed off yelling. He’s storming through the town before he looks to a map to find Sanctuary hills He’s got a five days trip to get there.

It’s been four months since you got here, three months to watch people build and grow this place into something of a community, guess Mama Murphys got one thing right about this place. You’re tending to the plants, Nora’s out helping another settlement and you’re left in charge seeing as Preston would happily stand by and guard rather than lead and leave it in your very incapable hands. Hell Struges would be better at this, Marcy could easily bark around orders, you just want to curl up in your bed. It’s been hard, really hard, you’ve sworn and yelled at Nora more than once and you felt like an absolute shitty friend but she would smile, give you a hug before heading out. Preston tries to offer his comfort in his weird way, Sturges makes sure to not cross your path when you’re in a mood and Marcy fights back and poor Jun looks like he’s about to cry if you slightly raise your voice at him. You’ve avoided all other settlers like the plague and thankfully they only introduced themselves and moved on. Nora was the real hero, saviour, mayor of the town, she ran this place like she knew how to run a government. You bonded with her, your mind and body designated her as your person and she didn’t mind. She had that motherness about her, strong but kind. Though you missed your mate, Cooper, you hear people saying how you’re lucky you hadn’t followed his path into death, or how you hadn’t been plagued by sickness or him being gone. It made your hope spark that he was alive, frozen like you somewhere. It’s hard with limited medical access out here despite the clinic, your heats come, people’s smells feel like an attack every time, you have a nest you made, Sturges yelling over construction makes you want to tuck talk and run. It wasn’t like this before, you could live your life, with suppressants and scent blockers. You were heading down to the clinic, made after the ruined house was removed by the bridge when you see a figure across the bridge. You think it’s Nora or a settler at first but the way he’s standing has your neck hairs standing up. You signal the guard standing by the clinic having a small chat and she’s up instantly heading to the gate. Despite the gate open and this place being friendly with most, sometimes raiders or other hot headed people think they can take on a community. You’re weary as the stranger approaches the gate and the guard Kayla simply nods and he’s let in. Not a raider then thankfully.

You go into the clinic smiling at Jun before your body tenses, a scent invaded you and your mind reels back to Cooper. It feels like a bullet, quick hitting and build up flaring. You turn seeing the stranger, he’s hidden under his cowboy hat and cowboys outfit. Your body shakes at the familiarity of the outfit, the scent that hits your nose when a soft breeze comes. You can’t speak or say anything as he just stands there. Your mate bite seems to flare up in response knowing who gave it to you is here. What lands a killing blow though is that he walks away, walks down the road heading into the guns and ammo store. You let out a noise sounding like some strangled cat crying and take the extra long route back to Nora’s house where you slam your door shut and hide under your blanket.

[vvivacious101]

Rewatching RWRB ALREADY?!

I rewatched the film. And, I can say this for a fact that I liked it a whole lot more the second time around and I already liked it the first time around but watching it for the second time made me appreciate it a whole lot more!

This has never happened in my life, I have never rewatched a movie in a single day! So, RWRB is making my personal history as well.

I remember the director mentioning the fact that Nick or Taylor are in every scene of this movie and they really are! They really carried this film.

Under the cut are all my thoughts that I had while rewatching this movie for the second time. There are spoilers galore. So, you have been warned!

Also, if you make a drinking game out of every time I use the word 'good' you will be dead by the time you reach the end!

With all that out of the way, let's get into it!

"When the revolution happens it will be because of this wedding." Henry's first line in the movie is so underrated!

Cake-gate is AMAZING! I love the fact that Henry pushes Alex down while getting up! Poor guy deserves a little revenge. I had never heard the song ‘Bad Reputation’ before but I'm in love with it!!

Everyone who said Zahra is the BEST thing in this movie is right. I can't get over her railing Alex with a pillow.

“What if I set myself on fire?” Alex is the king of comebacks! “We'd ship the ashes to Heathrow.” But no one is getting one over Zahra.

Taylor as Alex is so good! I can't get over how perfect he is!! Also, I love how Henry is just upstaging Alex in the damage control portion of this movie. Like, Henry's revenge arc is not over yet!!

I feel bad for Alex, every time he tries to one-up someone he just ends up backing himself into the corner.

Okay, the CLOSET SCENE AKA ONE OF THE ONLY SCENES THAT I REMEMBER FROM THE BOOK IS EPIC!!!

The beginning of it with them flailing around is peak physical comedy and then Henry just casually admits to smelling Alex... it's too much and it's only starting.

I just love how Taylor fidgets in this scene, he is like trying to find space for himself so badly but when he turns to confront Henry that moment is so good!

“I need to get out of here.” Ugh, I feel for Henry.

Okay the threat neutralized bit is comedy gold. I hope it becomes a viral meme!

We need to talk about Oscar. There is something very weird about Alex's parents. I feel like the writers of the film were very conflicted about their relationship and instead of having them be together or be divorced, they just left them in limbo. We never see Ellen and Oscar interact in the film. In the one scene, they do appear together, Alex is in the middle and it feels weirdly symbolic like he is literally the thing keeping them together.

We need to talk about this coffee shop scene. We all hate Miguel. But seeing Taylor as Alex in this scene is everything. He comes across as so charismatic and gorgeous. Just look at him!

We have got to talk about how many strong female role models Alex has in his life – his mom, Amy, Zahra even, Nora.

Zahra literally puts on a lot of hats in Alex’s life. She is like his big sister, substitute mom and friend and she does all this while looking supremely put out with Alex. This one’s a multitasker.

This is what I actually want to do in parties!

Henry is so awkward, I love how squeaky he sounds when he first meets Alex at the New Year Eve's party, poor boy is so awkward. And, then when he gets left alone he just completely shuts down. Henry, I love you!

I love how Alex just pulls Henry onto the dance floor.

Henry isn’t even dancing he is just getting progressively more drunk and flustered.

Henry looks so devastated in this scene. I literally feel for him. But, I can’t get over the fact that the song playing in the background is 'Magic' originally sung by Selena Gomez for Wizards of Waverly Place the movie. I loved hearing it here even though they are using a remix in this instance.

Their first kiss is so GOOD! I have seen it umpteenth number of times thanks to the trailer but it hits me in the feels every time. Also, I love how panicked Henry is and how shocked Alex is after the kiss.

“More like the first 50 rows of a Gaga concert kinda gay” is absolutely sending me. Also, accurate AF.

Not Alex being completely distracted by the sight of Henry!

Amy and Alex's moments are so GOOD! I really love the casting for Amy!!

IMHO all of Amy and Alex’s scenes should become viral memes, they are all so good!!

This entire RED ROOM sequence is so epic with Alex trying to decide how he should be standing when Henry comes in, to the ending when Amy barges in and Henry starts looking at the books so intently and whatever the hell Alex is trying to do. Oh god!

Like Stonehenge!!! (IYKYK)

Poor maypoles. I really love this scene. There is a reason we got a teaser for it, their chemistry in this one is off the charts!!!

This kiss is my absolute favourite no wait isn't the bicep kiss my favourite but this one is up there. It's so good. The way he pushes Alex and kisses his smile and then stares at him. Ugh so so so good! This teaser might have come close to the trailer in how many times I watched it and you may remember that the trailer came way earlier.

Oh god, Henry is so goddamn happy and SMUG as he says, "Yeah, agreed". He literally goes through every emotion under the Sun in this movie.

Wait a minute! WAIT A MINUTE! I didn't realise this the first time around but as Henry stands in the doorway he seems to be taking a mental picture of Alex and HOTDAMN. Fodder for the spank bank apparently.

The cafe scene is so good. The banter, the eye contact, the flirting, the blushing!!!

"And I thought Alexander Gabriel Claremont-Diaz was a mouthful." "He is."

Oh God! So good!!

"Only momentarily", that scene is so angsty. When Henry flinches it is its own goddamn scene!

I really like the "I'm so not playing this cool right now" moment. His apprehension is so delicious. I'm sorry Alex but it is and when he just puts his head down on Henry's shoulder in defeat. So good!

Let's talk about the sex scene! It is better than I remembered. I really like the kiss they share after Henry tells him that most people are wrong about him. And the thing with the hands. Listen I read a post about it being an old Hollywood thing but man if this is an old Hollywood trick it was masterfully employed. I just loved their hands and how Alex's hand is going down to meet his (imitating penetration) and then how Henry's hand opens up (imitating release) followed by the withdrawal of Alex's hand. This is genius why did people stop doing this! Also, Nick's expressions in the penetration scene are so goddamn... WOW. I don't know how to describe them but holy shit that is some explicit stuff. But what I think I love the most regarding this scene is how intimate it feels like the camera almost feels like an intrusion on a very very private moment because the scene itself seems to depict an intimacy between these two characters that is beyond just sex.

Also, RIGID. IYKYK!

I have got to give it to Taylor he really held his own in this scene with Uma Thurman. Like WOW!

Okay, wait there is another scene with Alex and his parents which I completely blanked out but it still leaves me with the same sentiment regarding the state of his parent's marriage.

Say it with me! Happy Henry is my serotonin!

Zahra really lays into Alex and Henry. "Little Lord Fuckleroy!" WTH! Henry's expression at the end of it all is so good!

This scene between Alex and Ellen is so heartwarming. I think it might be their best scene together. I love how there is this implication that things aren't right as Ellen picks up the phone but then it's undercut by the fact that she is only ordering pizza. I love how Alex's uncertainty over his mother reacting negatively is undercut by her acceptance.

The moment on the lake is probably my favourite part of this movie because it highlights the fundamental difference in Alex and Henry's positions.

Henry's situation isn't time-dependent or a for-now problem it is a forever thing and Nick's expressions in this scene are heartbreaking. But, despite where it ends up going I really love their interactions as the scene starts. Alex and Henry are so happy and touchy-feely. I just love the intimacy of this moment even though it leads to heartbreak.

Also, Henry jumping into the lake to escape a love confession is a whole-ass mood.

So someone pointed out that the transition from Henry's bedroom to the V&A is a bit iffy and it is. It totally is. I also don't know if I get what point Henry is trying to make with the whole trading one prison for another thing but the ending still makes the whole rift come together. I really want to know how this is handled in the book because I need clarification on the minutiae of this scene and how it came to be.

We have seen Henry and Alex in the same bed atleast three times now and this third time is the best. I love how Alex is holding Henry's wrist and how Henry smiles his little smile.

Henry is really conflicted at this tarmac, isn't he? And, things are just going to get worse.

I really like Alex's speech and how it's intercut with scenes of Henry literally trying to make himself smaller followed by scenes between Alex and Heney that we haven't seen so far. I especially like the last scene in the woods. Did I mention happy Henry is my serotonin?!

I really love Zahra's expressions in this scene. Zahra and Alex have some of the best scenes. These two really play very well off of one another.

The scene when Alex calls Henry baby. I remember reading someone say that they wanted this thing to be a whole ass thing and it was. It was a thing. I love how they utilised this endearment to further this moment.

This piano scene is so beautiful. These two really love each other.

I really like how Alex picks up Henry's nervous habit of fiddling with his ring.

So, we are here on election night and I just love the scene in the hallway with Alex and Henry and that hug. It's so damn cute and wholesome.

I really like the ending of the movie. It's kind of a nice allusion to Henry and Alex having a home together.

I really also love the end credits with the actors' names because in the end you have Nick and Taylor and you can see them playing with their pinkies. This scene is actually in the movie it's only that when it appears in the movie you are distracted by everything happening with the King. But, it is positively the cutest thing ever.

Also, the end credit scene. "Do you think anyone noticed?" You betcha Alex we did!!

[jotunkhiicha]

“…Al’Kamakas are a race of celestial beings who place their embryos in stars so that their children may feast and grow strong, risking the collapse of these cosmic bodies just to survive.”

~Professor Elvitania Essentendum on the Celestial Envoys, Al’Kamaka.

Owed To My Jailer.

“Life is not a question of ‘can’ or ‘can’t’; you simply must believe.”

Who had said that to her?

Why does she remember it now, upon the laboratory floor while she lay, lathered in viscous liquid from burst test tubes?

Did it… happen again?

These voices, they blend and mould like kaleidoscope visions; they are akin to whispers in her mind and they chain her down onto this floor.

“…vitania… again…”

It seems familiar, this strange wisp that flutters on the corner of her comprehension.

She can feel the discomfort of the liquid oozing into her clothing and upon her flesh, pressing her down into the metal floor of the ship. She can smell burning flesh but she doesn’t know where it comes from; is it her own flesh or the discombobulated remains of her beloved projects? She can hear footfalls that also reverberate through her being, thundering through the metallic floor and into her bones; vibrating off of the organic structures to induce fear. Her heart yearns for her to open her eyes and look upon the dreaded spectre, come to take her and all her pride.

Will it be an amalgamation of all her creations, of all the creatures inside of Apostate Fissures or will it be her demons given form?

…or is it something else entirely?

“Vita?” A voice calls her familiar nickname.

Is it her beloved goddess?

The temptation is there, lurking and awaiting her to bite upon the bait.

“…Phaixue-Li?” Elvitania mumbles through the webbing of her own inertia.

She hears the thud of something heavy hitting the floor and the clang of something metallic following its master. Then, she hears the clacking of heels against the same metallic floor she lays upon and, this time, she opens her eyes.

She does not see her Goddess.

She does not see her jailer.

She sees—

“Hey, Vita. It’s Nora.”

The Devil.

Elvitania squints at the figure kneeling beside her that plays with the black solution consuming her, deftly weaving her fingers around it, and perhaps playing with it a little too provocatively as she brings it to her lips.

Widening her eyes, Nora hums as she tastes the liquid. “Al’Kamaka essence? Now where did you get one of those, Vita?” She tilts her head and her grey suit is dirtied by the liquid as she kneels beside her, gently brushing the hair out of Elvitania’s face.

“Come now. Don’t be shy. We’re friends.”

Elvitania blinks softly and the desire to resist this spectre comes off her body in droves, like water slipping off of the roof tiles of her childhood home. “Apostate Fissures.”

Nora chuckles approvingly. “My, my. The truth really does live up to the hype. Aren’t you just a crafty little lab rat?”

She, deep inside her soul, wishes to be wrestled free from the Devil’s gaze, but she cannot find it in her to move her muscles.

“…Let me go.” Elvitania manages through gritted teeth and bloodied lips as the liquid seeps into her flesh, down into her muscles and then, before the rapture, into her bones.

Nora sighs and leans ever closer. “I can’t do that, Vita. I made a deal with someone with a lot more power than your will—and I never say no to having a God owe me a favour.”

It dawns upon the scientist that this leaching Devil has come to fulfil a desire, a request and a compulsion. It felt like the gaze of the impure and she wished to cover herself in curtains and roll down hills until no one finds her.

She wishes this were a dream, that this horrific nightmare knew an end and she would awaken somewhere far, far away—

“Elvitania?”

[paganminiskirt]

*Wanders in two hours after Wednesday ends holding starbucks*

Episode #2 of The Little OC/Canon Ship That Could, officially titled Blackamore Stump assuming it ever gets finished. This snippet is a direct continuation of this, if anyone wants to go back and read more niche Burkefucker material.

Got tagged by lovelies @adelaidedrubman and @shallow-gravy, and am tagging @henbased @florbelles @cultfollowlng @snake-in-the-garden @derelictheretic

Staci’s the first to take notice. 

“Federale.” He barks, dropping a sharp gaggle of square keys and MSU keychains into Joey’s fist. “Get down here. Try some real beer.” His syllables roll over each other, sloughing and sliding into what sounds like three long German words; he sounds worse than he feels, Nora would suspect, as his head sways to follow Hudson, trotting over to the driver’s seat with a levity she rarely lets loose. 

“Real beer?” Burke asks. He’s got the whitest voice of any ambiguously tan man she’s ever met, tense enough to be tweaker-ish while maintaining the distinct, upper middle class brand of snide. “I could smell the liquor from my office, man.”

“100% Hope County Grain.” Staci supplies helpfully, just as the doors unlock. “You should’ve had some, it’ll put hair on your chest.” His “office” refers to a cramped sideroom, once occupied by Hudson’s late partner, the Danny who Nora replaced. She’s never been brazen enough to move in, so it had been gathering dust until the Marshall arrived to fill it with a bunch of heavy folders he never opens and the smell of Arm & Hammer deodorant.

As far as she could tell, that room was always half shrine, half open wound - maybe that’s why no one can seem to decide if the Marshall’s worth his salt. He cocks his head, glancing between the three of them. “I already have that.” Nora huffs a laugh. “Oh shit, really?” 

Staci’s trying to work his right leg into the passenger seat, and not having much luck. She doubts he’ll stay at the bar very long, but she’s got a pleasant buzz on that she doesn’t mean to ruin; or at least, not alone. 

“It’s nice people there.” She says, opening the back door. “Family owned, I think.”

“I know them.” Burke says. It sounds dismissive, but he pushes himself up off the door nonetheless. “I’ll drive behind you.”

[pastelwitchling]

moviesbuff asked:

So this one is kinda sad.

So the aliens have weird biology and once they love someone, that person can smell the love pheromone on them. ( which smells like rain.) And they have this pull toward them (like the cosmic connection that Tripp and Nora had)

The whole gang (+M*ria) are at the crashdown, and Liz and Alex and Kyle start talking about how the pod squad smell like rain, and Maria laughs "No they don't." And they're like "yes they do." And everyone realizes that Michael didn't love M*ria.

So Alex wants to move on with Forrest but Guerin wants to be with Alex. And mr. Jones finds out and tells Alex that he can sever the cosmic connection between Malex and that he can take them to the remains of their alien ship where there is sth he can use to do it.

So the pod squad + Alex + Mr. Jones go to the remains and on the way there, Guerin corners Alex and tries to change his mind but Alex is adamant about moving on and he tells guerin that he loves Forrest and that they're not good for each other and that he's saying no. (All the things Guerin told Alex in 2×01)

Bonus for Alex/Isobel friendship and Belmanes.

***

Liz smiled over her microscope. She’d first conducted this little experiment a few days ago, frustrated with the dead ends she kept hitting and eager to do something mindless and silly and fun for the first time in a long time. It had been a question, small but incessant, nagging at the back of her mind since she’d woken up to Max’s scent of a heavy storm one morning.

She couldn’t help the giggle that escaped her lips now at what she was looking at. The bloodwork and sample tests she’d had done confirmed it.

“I take it that’s good news?” Michael said from across the lab. He would come by sometimes, not often, to look through some of his own samples, and when he caught sight of Liz’s blush, he raised a brow. “Or great news?”

“Okay,” she shook her head, knowing Michael might find the findings as amusing as she did. “So. A few days ago, just during my free time, I started looking into the pheromones that you, Isobel, and Max give off. I noticed that Max smelled like rain, and then Kyle had said the same thing, and I suspected Isobel felt something for him for a while though she wouldn’t say it which I don’t understand why I mean –”

“Liz,” Michael pinched the bridge of his nose. “It’s too early in the day to sing Valenti’s praises. Back on track, please. You’re saying Isobel, Max, and I . . . give off pheromones? What, like, to attract people to us?”

Liz’s smile widened. “Not exactly. I compared your samples to mine, Kyle’s, and Rosa’s. Now, mine and Kyle’s carry traces of that same pheromone, but Rosa’s doesn’t.”

Michael, ever the genius, understood what she was trying to say right away. “You’re saying whenever one of us likes a human, that human can – can smell us?”

“Smell rain,” she said, “to be more precise. It’s a very innate and unnatural scent, but to me, to Kyle, it’s like you’re always wearing a special kind of perfume. And you have to do more than like, otherwise half the school would carry the traces after Isobel. No, you have to fall deeply in love. I’m talking true, Once Upon a Time forever-kind of love.”

Michael did not smile or laugh or share in any of Liz’s excitement. Instead, he fidgeted uncomfortably where he stood. Liz faltered. A year ago, she might’ve understood why Michael would react this way, but after Maria . . .

As if sensing her name, Maria suddenly came into the lab with Alex at her side.

“It is ten in the morning,” she said, a cup of coffee in hand which she set on the desk. “I have a business to run, there better be a good reason to call us down here, Ortecho.”

“I’ve been awake for five hours,” Alex told her, taking a seat on a stool between the desks. Liz noticed Michael glancing at him every so often. “This is basically the middle of the day.”

“Oh, well, aren’t you Mr. Perfect?” Maria said, taking a long gulp of coffee. “Super Alex, up before the sun is, how good for you.”

Alex winked, and Maria almost choked trying not to laugh. Liz smiled, noticing Michael subtly inching closer to Alex. He didn’t even seem to realize anybody else was in the room anymore. She cleared her throat loudly.

“I found something really cool that I wanted to show you,” she said, turning back to her microscope. “Come see this, both of you.”

“Uh –” Michael started, “Liz?”

Maria sighed and did as she was told. She straightened. “Okay, why am I looking at a bunch of squiggly little lines?”

“They’re pheromones,” Liz said excitedly, and both Maria and Alex waited. She quickly clarified, “I – well, I realized that whenever Michael or – or Isobel –”

“Liz –”

“Or Max, when they fall in love with a human, they release this special pheromone that only that human can smell.”

Alex blinked, and came to see through the microscope, too. “Really? That rain smell is a pheromone?”

“Yeah!” Liz said eagerly. “You know about that?”

“Yeah,” he scoffed, still looking at the sample. “I knew Michael was in here before I saw him, I could smell him in the hallway.”

That strongly? Liz thought.

She started to smile as she noticed Michael’s eyes on him soften, like he wanted nothing more than to hug Alex from behind and bury himself in his warmth. All this time, how had she never realized? “Really?”

But Maria only frowned, looking from Michael to Alex to Liz, and back again. “What rain smell?”

Silence. Alex looked up at Maria with furrowed brows, then to Michael. He looked just as startled and confused as Liz felt.

Maria rounded on Alex. “Alex?”

Alex cleared his throat, waking himself, glancing at Michael. “It’s – it’s this intense rain smell, like . . . like a storm.”

She shook her head, and her thought was clear; she had no idea what they were talking about. The only one that didn’t seem the least bit surprised was Michael.

“Not even a little bit,” she said quietly. Then she turned to Michael. “Never? Not for a minute?”

Michael shook his head. “I . . .” he tried, but trailed off, raising his arm halfway to gesture at Alex before it fell back down to his side.

Maria looked to Alex and something in her eyes shifted to resignation as the truth dawned; Michael had never really loved her. Not like he loved Alex, not for a second.

She cleared her throat and plastered on a smile. “Well, if that’s all, science geeks, I have a bar to run. Excuse me.”

“Maria –” Alex started to follow, but Maria turned at the door and said, “We’re still on for lunch, right?”

Alex, startled, seemed to only be able to nod. Maria’s smile turned warmer, more genuine. “Good.” She turned and held up a hand. “Later, nerds!” she called, and left.

Alex sat back down on the stool with a sigh, wincing as he rubbed his leg. He must’ve been a little more worse off this morning than he’d been willing to show, and after Maria’s exit, he seemed to simply be too tired to pretend he was fine.

“I’m sorry,” Liz said, shrugging a shoulder. “O-Or I’m not? I don’t know.”

Alex gave her half a smile. “That makes two of us. Except . . .” he looked to Michael who was tentatively kneeling at his side, squeezing his knee as if hoping it would help relieve him of any pain. “I may be a little more selfish than you.”

“Right,” Liz muttered, trying not to smile. She didn’t think it was right to, not after what had happened. But Alex . . . Alex was her friend, too, and she couldn’t help but be happy at the way he was looking at Michael, at the way Michael was looking at him. It was like how Max looked at her; like all the stars in the universe couldn’t compare.

She turned around as Alex slid a hand into Michael’s curls and Michael leaned into his touch as if desperate for it. Next time, she realized, when it had to do with Michael, Alex was the only one to call. He was the only one, after all, that seemed to matter.

***

I hope it’s all right that I deviated so much, I had to!

[ddullahan]

Hi hello greetingssss. For the prompt thing

50 and 51 and if you want characters/ships as well then Ruby and Weiss :P

This has such Beacon Weiss and Ruby energy I have to - ------------- “WEISS!” Weiss’ head whips around so fast Ruby can hear the crack in her neck. Ruby bolts into the dorm room, slamming her back into the door and hastily fumbling with the lock. In seconds, Weiss is on her feet with Myrtenaster in hand, alarm spreading across her face. “What?! What is it - are you alright?!” Ruby turns to her, panicked. Fear makes her shake in her boots. “I messed up. I messed up so bad Weiss.” “So badly,” Weiss corrects out of habit, sticking the point of her sword into the ground with an exasperated sigh. The tension bleeds from her with an irritated twitch of her eyebrow. “What did you do this time?” Ruby gulps. “...I ate Nora’s pancakes.” The tension zips right back into Weiss’ shoulders, her entire expression twisting with horror. “Ruby!” “I know I know!” Ruby whines, dipping against the door, “In my defense, I thought she was done with them!” “Ruby you know full well that Nora never leaves a pancake untouched,” Weiss snaps, her pale knuckles turning near translucent against the grip of her blade, “Did she see you?” Ruby opens her mouth to reply, and the door suddenly jolts behind her shoulders. The edges of it splinter against the frame, and Ruby’s yelp is lost under an enraged roar from the hallway. There’s a burst of petals and Ruby’s on her knees, clutching at the frilled hem of Weiss’ skirt. She pleads dramatically, “You have to save me, please!” Red erupts across Weiss’ collarbone and cheeks, the heiress sputtering wordlessly before her voice cracks out a high pitched, “Me!? Why me?! You got yourself in this mess, you can get yourself out!” “But she knows you’re in here with me now, you’re an accomplish - accomplick- ugh.” Ruby’s silver eyes widen to pools of mercury. Unexpectedly sly and just as maddening. “You have to leave anyway, you know what she’s like when she’s hangry!” The door cracks again and Nora’s voice barks through forming the gaps, “GIVE. ME. BACK. MY. PANCAKES. ROSE.” Ruby pulls again, desperation fueling her tugs on Weiss’ skirt as she cries out, “Please Weiss! She’ll kill me!” Flustered and embarrassed, Weiss pulls her skirt from Ruby’s grabbing hands and backs away towards the window. Blue eyes flicker between her partner, cataloguing the door as it swiftly loses its integrity. She spends far too long weighing her pros and cons. But she hisses, “If we die, I’m going to spend the rest of our afterlife reminding you that this was all your fault.” Ruby pops up to her feet with a relieved cheer, racing past Weiss to flick the window latch and pull the glass aside. She replies hastily. “Cool cool cool, I wouldn’t mind having company while being a ghost.” Weiss growls angrily under her breath, sheathing her sword and gracefully leaping onto the window sill. The door suddenly breaks open with a final BANG, nearly scaring Weiss into slipping. An enraged Nora stands in the broken doorway, seething like a bear. Ruby shrieks in fear and frantically clambers up onto the edge with Weiss. She’s far less coordinated, accidentally pushing the both of them out the window. Weiss lets out a short scream as she throws out her hand, a descending set of glowing white glyphs flushing to life underneath them to stop their fall. Her body dips into the platform like it’s made of foam, whereas Ruby’s back cracks into the runes on a wheeze. Weiss hastily flicks her wrist and the glyphs multiply without another word, winding down to the courtyard. Ruby recovers quickly, taking Weiss’ wrist and pulling them both down the makeshift staircase, Nora roaring at them from the empty window. Hearts in their throats, Weiss can’t even bring herself to yell at Ruby for her carelessness as they race away from their furious friend. Hopping platform to platform until they stumble over to the fountain on shaking legs. Ruby bends over to plant her hands on her knees, panting heavily. Weiss clutches the girl’s shoulder to keep herself standing, checking wildly behind them for any sign of Nora’s pursuit. Once they take a few breaths without the telltale screech of Nora’s voice, Ruby relaxes with a giggle that’s far too light and airy for the panic they’d just endured. She glances at Weiss, startled to find her trying to bore a hole into Ruby’s face with just a stare. She chuckles nervously, “Why are you glaring at me?” “I’m hoping you’ll spontaneously combust,” Weiss replies sharply. She straightens up, brushing her skirt down as if the rush had made her dirty by association.   “I don’t know why I put up with your antics, Ruby Rose. You’re going to kill me before I reach twenty.” “Or Nora will do the honors!” Ruby laughs, her grin brighter than the sun setting behind her. “She thinks we’re accom- accomplish-” Weiss’ cheeks are red as she snaps, “Accomplices.” Ruby grins, unaffected by her tone and pointing at her. “Yeah, that!” Weiss huffs, turning on her heel and marching off towards the library with a sassy flick of her ponytail. The ends whip at Ruby’s nose, sending a criminally sweet smell right into her face. “Whatever. She can try.” Weiss glances over her shoulder, glaring at Ruby. “I’d fight her off just to avoid an apparitional afterlife with you.” Ruby stares after her, gaping a little. There’s a weird little shiver settling at the base of her skull, heating her cheeks as Weiss strides away. She keeps staring, until the meaning of her words hit her like a brick. She gives an affronted gasp. “Hey!” Weiss rolls her eyes, pausing only long enough to wave towards the main tower of Beacon. “Are you coming, nuisance? Nora won’t step foot in a library without Ren, she won’t find you there.” Ruby heats up a little more, a giddy laugh flushing the lingering sting of Weiss’ words from her system. She trots the distance between them, looping her arm with Weiss’. The heiress pulls away with a squawk, and Ruby bounces happily on her toes as they set off for the building. She flutters her eyelashes at Weiss playfully, bumping their hips together instead. “At least I’m only your nuisance for the next three years!” Though there’s a little hollow twist blooming between her ribs as she says it, Ruby ignores it with ease. But she thinks maybe she hit that glyph a little too hard. She could’ve sworn Weiss’ eyes darkened - that her mouth twisted with a bit of disappointment. “...Yes, I suppose that’s true.” Weiss says, her words dull. Ruby shrugs it off, and they make their way to the library in silence. It’s weird. But nothing out of the ordinary. Weiss only tolerates her, after all.

[stitch1830]

Kantoph #18 - When they fight, how do they make up?

Please I'm sorry for not answering this sooner LOL.

18. When they fight, how do they make up?

I see Toph and Kanto as stubborn souls, and they try to not admit their petty faults because they like to pretend they're always right for as long as they can LOL.

Their stubbornness seeps into some of the bigger arguments, and sometimes it's just about them being headstrong and not wanting to admit in the heat of the moment that there may be a different opinion worth considering.

But with fights, big and little, I think after they have a cooling off period, they just go back to being ~Them~ It doesn't normally take heartfelt conversations or sit-downs for them to get back on good terms, usually just a minute for them to relax a bit. They'll sit in different rooms for a few hours, and then Kanto is making dinner and it smells good, and she misses hugging him, so Toph just sneaks up behind him and hugs him LOL. And when Kanto is grumpy, he usually ends up grumbling as he cuddles with Toph haha!

For conversations that actually do require a conversation, I think both Toph and Kanto are reasonable enough to sit down and talk it out. It's not their preference, but they face their issues head on in true earthbender fashion.

Okay! I think that answers the question LOL. Thanks for sending this Nora! I forgot how good those questions were LMAO.

......

Send me a ship and a number for headcanons!

[adiwriting]

This is a little piece I’m working on from a story I’m not 100% decided I’ll actually write/finish. 

Short Summary: “What is grief, if not love persevering?” -A WandaVision!AU set after the events at Caulfield (Michael + Nora focused fic with eventual Alex/Malex) 

****

“Michael, sweetheart, it’s time to wake up,” his mom says, rubbing his back while simultaneously opening their connection to step into his dream and pull him back to the real world. Michael grumbles and pulls his blanket closer to him, rubbing it under his nose and inhaling the scent of petrichor and geosmin — the smell of his people. It’s one of the only things from their home Michael has left after the crash. This blanket, a few clothes, and a shed full of ship pieces that his mom is trying to rebuild so they can eventually get to their intended destination. 

“Max is going to be here soon,” she tells him, and that perks him up. 

“Max is coming over?” he says and her wide smile is all the confirmation he needs. He shoots out of bed and starts to get ready. 

He loves it when Max comes over. The kids on the block are fine to play with, but they aren’t Antarian. They are just regular old Earthlings. Humans, they call themselves. They can’t communicate telepathically or anything. He’s gotta use stupid English words, which gets annoying because sometimes he doesn’t know the English word for what he wants to say and it gets frustrating not being able to just project an image clearly into his friends’ heads. His mom tells him it’s because humans only have 5 senses. Michael thinks that’s pretty sad. 

Max is like him, though, which means he’s awesome. He’s Antarian. The only other kid to have survived the crash. Which makes them pretty much brothers. Especially because Max doesn’t have a mom or dad of his own, not a real one – kind of like Walt. He isn’t sure why Max doesn’t have parents because his mom doesn’t ever talk about it. Max lives with the Evans family who adopted him, like his mom adopted Walt when he had nowhere else to go. 

“Can we go to the Atomic Malt Shoppe today?” he asks hopefully. There’s not a lot of human food that Michael cares for, he usually prefers to eat the meals his mom cooks for them, but ice cream is the single exception. Human food is disgusting, but ice cream is amazing. 

His mom crosses her arms and pretends to think about it before she agrees. 

Michael throws his shirt over his head and this time he doesn’t even complain about how scratchy human fabric is. He just smiles and says thank you and runs downstairs at the knock on the door. He throws the door open and smiles widely at Max. Instantly they both run to the backyard as Mrs. Evans yells after Max that she’ll be back to pick him up at 5pm. 

The days that Max comes over to play are Michael’s favorite because his mom lets them use their powers in the backyard so long as Michael doesn’t float anything higher than the fence and Max doesn’t fry the power for the whole block. 

“Do you think your mom will tell us the story of the Ethgar and the Three Moons again?” Max asks. 

“Probably?” Michael says with a shrug.

He’s heard the story a million times and doesn’t really care to hear it again, but his mom has told him to have patience with Max. Max doesn’t have parents like Michael — not real ones at least that can cook him real food or tell him his favorite Antarian bedtime story or heal his wounds with a touch. So when Max gets needy, Michael’s mom tells him to be kind. Michael can’t imagine what it’s like growing up without parents. He feels bad for Max most days.

[ravens-words]

More RNM ships that came to mind: Rosa/Isobel, Rosa/Maria, Rosa/Wyatt, Nora/Jones, Louise/Jones, Liz/Jones, Kyle/Maria, Kyle/Max, Kyle/Steph, Michael/Liz, Jenna/Liz, Arturo/Helena, Jim/Helena, Jim/Michelle, Arturo/Michelle, Anne Evans/Dave Evans(is he ever going to show up?), Jesse Manes/Mrs Manes (Mindy, I think?), Sanders/being alive

Oh God, there's MORE.

Here we go.

Rosa/Isobel, Rosa/Maria, Michael/Liz (didn't know that was even a possible ship tbh), Jenna/Liz:

Anyone/Jones, Anyone/Helena, Jim/Michelle, Kyle/Maria, Kyle/Steph:

The only person I can ship Jones with is someone equally as evil. Helena can eat dirt (though we thank her for giving us the Ortecho sisters). I may not know much about Jim, but I hate him.

Arturo/Michelle (👀), Rosa/Wyatt:

Before anyone attempts to murder me about Rosa/Wyatt, hear me out- they have chemistry, they're cute and if done right (big emphasis on right) it can be a good relationship.

Sanders/Being alive:

Jesse/Mindy, The Evans':

For two different reasons:

The Evans'- I know nothing abou them. They gave up on Michael too quickly so I don't like them as people.

Jesse/Mindy: I hate Jesse, I dislike but can understand Mindy. Jesse can eat glass, he doesn't deserve any sort of happiness.

Kyle/Max:

Honestly, If I wasn't such a hardcore Echo shipper, I'd love for this to be canon. They have chemistry, they had a "you smell like rain" moment, and both these men deserve happiness.

[litwitlady]

Date Nights (3/5)

Read on AO3.

ALEX’S BED

The hour for date night had come and gone not at all noticed by either Michael or Alex. Probably because Alex had answered the door half-naked and still dripping wet from his hurried, after-work shower. Or maybe it was the new olive green sweater Michael had been wearing, the color bringing out his eyes and slapping Alex in the face. Whatever the reason, they’d fallen into Alex’s bed less than one minute after quick hellos and blatant lustful stares.

It had been a long week and the science exhibit at the Roswell Museum of Modern Art wasn’t going anywhere anytime soon. Date night could wait.

‘You smell different.’ Michael nips at the lowest of Alex’s ribs, enjoying his sharp inhale and noticeable flinch. ‘Earthier.’ He bites at Alex again, harder this time and it earns him a harsh yank at his hair. ‘I like it. A lot.’

Alex pushes roughly at Michael’s shoulders, flipping him onto his back and straddling his waist. ‘New soap. They were out of my regular.’ He leans forward to press their chests together and repeats his action from earlier, jerking at Michael’s curls until his throat is fully exposed. Tracing Michael’s adam's apple with his tongue, he shifts his weight backward, grinding his bare ass against the crotch of Michael’s jeans and gasping at the friction, denim rough against his naked skin. ‘Why are your pants still on?’

‘You got distracted earlier, remember?’ Michael sits up abruptly, sliding an arm around Alex’s waist to keep him from toppling over.

Michael’s teeth tug lightly at one of his nipples, and it takes Alex a while to respond. ‘It wasn’t me who got distracted, Guerin. You’re the one who dropped to his knees where I could no longer reach that damn belt buckle.’

They both laugh, and then Michael suddenly falls quiet. Hand gently sliding around the base of Alex’s throat. Alex swallows, not knowing what to make of Michael’s fingers wrapping around his neck. But he waits, trusting Michael implicitly.

‘Tripp’s dog tags. They’re gone.’

It’s not what Alex had expected him to say, but he’s also not surprised that Michael noticed. ‘Yeah. They’re in the box with mine. On the top shelf of my closet.’ He massages his hands up Michael’s biceps and along his shoulders, resting his palms flat against Michael’s chest. ‘That’s where they belong.’

‘But Tripp means so much to you.’

‘I wanted Tripp to mean something to me. And he does. I just didn’t realize what he meant until recently.’ He clears his throat, fingertips tapping nervously at Michael’s collarbones. They haven’t talked much about Michael’s mom, and he’s unsure whether now’s the right time. Or even if there is a right time. ‘I don’t know how to talk about this.’

‘About my mom?’ Alex nods. ‘I want to talk about her. Especially with you.’

‘I let Tripp’s story get in the way of Nora’s. I wanted so badly to see the good in him that I didn’t see the harm he’d caused. The harm he’d allowed to happen to her for decades. Or, really, I ignored it.’ His hands move up to cradle Michael’s neck, fingertips disappearing into his curls. Emotion floods his face, forehead wrinkling. ‘If it was you in Caulfield, I’d never stop trying to get you out. I’d try every day. A million times. Until they locked me up next to you or --’

‘Or you died trying. I know.’

‘Tripp did nothing. Your mom deserved so much better. She deserved the sun on her face and the moon in her eyes and every single wish she’d ever wished on a star. She deserved you. To watch you grow up.’ Michael reaches up to run his fingers through Alex’s pillow-mussed hair while Alex’s arms wrap around him tight, nose buried in his neck. They sit holding each other for a long time, sifting through the ripple effects of their shared history.

Abruptly, Alex leans forward to grab something out of the top drawer of his nightstand. ‘When I finished reading the journal, I found this.’ He hands an old black and white photo to Michael. ‘She looks so happy and so much like you.’

The photo is of Nora mid-laugh. Head tossed back, cheeks rosy and eyes bright. Her happiness radiates off the page, and Michael can’t stop the tears that burn at the corners of his eyes. ‘It was a mess. Stuck between two pages, image garbled and half-gone. But you can find anything on the internet, so I looked into photo restoration and shipped it off. Got it back this morning.’

Michael runs his fingers over the picture, marveling at how complete and perfect it looks. ‘Thank you, Alex.’

‘You’re welcome. I didn’t really do much, but since we’ve started collecting old photos, I figured this one would be a great addition.’ They both glance over to the top of Alex’s dresser - really their dresser these days - where their yearbook photos sit in simple walnut frames that Michael had ended up making himself. ‘Or you can take it with you to the Airstream or wherever you want.’ Alex smiles at him and caresses the bare skin above the waistline of his jeans.

‘I like it here.’ He climbs out from underneath Alex’s lap and sets the picture of Nora next to his own. And it’s instantly clear how right Alex was. He really does look so much like this mother.

He steps out of his jeans before returning to straddle Alex’s lap, sighing at how satisfying it is to press their bare skin together. At how the magic in their touch never seems to dissipate no matter how many years go by. He kisses Alex quick and filthy, all tongue and teeth, pulling back with a loud smack of their lips. ‘Since I don’t think you’re ever going to get there on your own, I’m going to fill you in on a stupidly obvious secret.’

‘Yeah? What’s that?’

Michael cups Alex’s neck in his hands. ‘You are the good Manes man.’ He runs his thumbs along Alex’s jawbone, enjoying the scrub of stubble. ‘Fuck the past. There’s nothing we can do about it. But we get to make our future. And our kids will be the best of both of us.’

Alex’s eyes blow wide, and Michael knows it was a risk to say that out loud so soon in their beginning. The last time he’d mentioned wanting kids to Alex must have been high school. The days of agricultural engineering, dad bands, and dreams that hadn’t yet died.

‘Our kids?’ Alex swallows around the words. ‘Yours and mine? Ours...together?’

He tries not to jump straight to panic at the uncertainty in Alex’s voice. Tries not to worry that maybe Alex doesn’t think he’ll be a good dad which is what he sometimes worries too. Squaring his shoulders, he tells the truth. ‘That’s what I want.’ He needs to ask Alex if that’s what he wants too, but the words get stuck like putty in the back of his throat.

Alex’s eyes dart to the pictures on the dresser and then back to Michael. ‘You’ll be a great dad. Any kid would be so lucky to have you.’ He grabs Michael’s hands that are still clasped at his neck and pulls them down over his heart. ‘Your hands were made to build, to hold, to love.’

Michael threads their fingers together and kisses the backs of Alex’s hands. ‘And yours were made to protect, to create, to love.’ The air between them has grown thick with meaning. He laughs to relieve the tension. ‘I don’t mean tomorrow. We should probably start with a puppy. Or maybe a fish.’ That finally pulls a smile from Alex.

‘When you showed me the yearbook photo of you, my first thought was that I’d want our kids to look like you. That mess of curls, those big, hazel eyes.’ His smile stretches up to his eyes. ‘So yeah. That’s what I want too. One day. And we can tell them all about their amazing, brilliant Grandma Nora.’

Michael tackles Alex into the pillows beneath them, picking up directly where they’d left off.

[avasharpe]

Oh Baby, Merry Christmas and Happy Birthday

Chapter: One/one

Summary: It's Sara’s first Christmas since she became blind and she enjoys the Christmas festivities and her birthday in a new way with Ava by her side. 

Fandom: DC’s Legends of Tomorrow.

Relationship: Sara Lance/Ava Sharpe.

Characters: Sara Lance, Ava Sharpe, Minor appearances by Charlie, Zari Tarazi, John Constantine, Nate Heywood, Behrad Tarazi, Astra Logue, Ray Palmer, and Nora Darhk.

Chapter Rating: Teen Audience.

Additional Tags: Blind!Sara, Sara being a brat, Christmas Cookies, Christmas Trees, Kittens, Sara’s Birthday.

Read at AO3

Read at FFN

……………………………………………………………………

Sara leaned against the counter of the island on the Waverider as she listened to Ava go on and on about her latest stab cast subject. They were making cookies for the Legends cookie exchange later that day and it was their turn in the kitchen. Ava was doing most of the work as she was the baker of the two and Sara was providing moral support and operating as a test taster regardless of whether Ava asked her to or not. 

“Can you hand me the flour babe?” Ava asked, pausing her rant mid-sentence. 

Sara nodded and reached out to feel the jars in front of her. Feeling down to the second jar on the left, she ran her fingers across the Braille label to read flour. Sara opened the jar and handed it to Ava.

“Here you go.”

“Thank you,” Ava said as Sara heard her measure and poured some into her batter. “Hey so I know you gave me your list for Christmas and your birthday, but is there anything you want for your birthday and not for Christmas? It’s just I know we're celebrating Christmas first this year so is there anything you want first and something you're okay with waiting to get or anything that is more of a birthday gift?”

Sara thought about it for a moment there were several things on her list that she was eager to receive, but it's not like she would have to wait additional days to receive them 

“I don't know? Whenever I get the gifts it doesn't really matter the long as I get that number one gift on my list.” Sara said as she bumped Ava with her hips as she came around to grab the food coloring. She had asked for Ava in black lingerie on her bed when she woke up.

Ava hummed and leaned down to whisper in her ear. “Only if you're a good girl, Sara.”

She forgot how to breathe as Ava pressed a kiss to her neck and a shiver ran down her back. Ava moved back and walked over to the other side of the island and added a drop of food coloring to the bowls of frosting.

Sara looked down at the cookie and tried to ignore how wet her panties were. “So what do you want for Christmas, you haven’t given me your list.”

“I want a pegasus,” Ava said with a laugh. “Well, that and the serial killer’s coloring book.”

Sara hummed as Ava put the spatula down. She heard Ava move the bowl and the sound of the plastic wrap as Ava prepped the mix to chill in the fridge. Sara got a vision of Ava putting the dishes in the sink. There was still a good amount of cookie dough mix left on the spatula and Sara just couldn't let it go to waste. As her vision ended Sara reached forward to where she knew the spatula was and picked it up out of the bowl, before bringing it to her lips. 

“Hey!” Ava said, having caught her, but Sara just smiled and continued to lick off the rest of the cookie dough. “You're going to get salmonella!”

“Totally worth it,” Sara mumbled her mouth full of cookie dough.

She heard Ava click her tongue before her footsteps came around to her. Ava spanked her ass before she wrapped her arms around Sara's waist and kissed her cheek. 

“You're such a little shit,” Ava said, squeezing her waist. “What am I going to do with you?”

Sara smirked and put the cookie dough free spatula down on a counter before she turned around. She trailed her fingers up Ava’s arms to wrap around her neck before Sara leaned in. 

“No I'm not kissing your salmonella mouth,” Ava lamented, as she pulled back her head.

“Ava,” Sara whined, tilting her head and pouting. 

She tried to be adorably irresistible, but Ava untangled her arms from Sara's waist. Ava moved to push her out of the kitchen despite Sara digging her heels in. She turned around and held on to Ava’s neck hearing her giggle as she stopped.

“If you are going to continue to steal my cookie dough then you can wait outside with the other Legends and help them decorate the Parlor,” Ava said, as she trailed her fingers along Sara’s jaw to tip up her chin.

“I promise I'll be good. I'll even go brush my teeth,” Sara said, letting go of Ava and stepping away and taking a step backward.

Ava paused and Sara knew she had won her over, but resisted the urge to smirk and continued to pout. “You have to help me do the dishes and no more cookie dough eating, oh and you can't steal more than two cookies.”

“But we're making three different kinds?” Sara whined, she could smell the gingerbread cookies that were in the oven and her mouth watered. 

“You already had some of the sugar cookie batter which means that you can have one gingerbread cookie when they come out of the oven and one of the peppermint swirls once they're finished.”

“Can’t I have one of each?” 

“Fine, but any more, and I will revoke your cookie privileges and send you to your room.”

“What am my five-year-old?” Sara said, crossing her arms as Ava's bopped her nose before she heard Ava’s footsteps walked back over to the countertop.

“Yeah sometimes,” Ava said plainly without missing a beat.

Sara scowled but followed her back to the kitchen and helped her with the dishes. The rest of their cooking making was uneventful. As promised Ava let her have one of each cookie. Sara hated waiting for them to cool down so she pulled it apart and blew on it, taking small bites of the warm gingerbread as it melted in her mouth. Ava cuckold as she mixed the peppermint cookies and before she mixed in the eggs fished out a spoonful putting it in Sara’s hand. Sara smiled and hummed as she tasted the batter. Even at her brattiest Ava still loved her.

……………………………………………………………………

Sara's boots sank into the mud of the Christmas tree farm. She tapped her cane to either side in front of her despite how Ava held onto her arm and followed the rest of the Legends as they perused the trees. Sara pulled her coat hood up over her head more as she walked. It fell over her eyes, not that Sara cared as she couldn't see, but Ava pulled it back a tad so she could at least see Sara’s sunglasses. 

All of the Legends chatted and their voices bounced around her as they all passed the smaller 5 and 6-foot trees in search of a gigantic 9-foot tree to put in the Parlor. Only a handful of them with the exception of Ray, Mick, Charlie, Zari, and Behrad celebrated Christmas. Nate was always the one who wrangled them all for the seasonal holidays but was deviously good at getting them to participate in the Christmas fun. Besides, it was Astra’s first Christmas back on Earth and there was a sense of enjoyment in getting to see her smile and admit that she was having fun. Even if her Christmas list of knives rivaled Sara's. 

“What about this one?” Nate asked as they all stopped to look at it and Sara closed her eyes to breathe in the sweet smell of pine.

“It's awfully bristly,” Astra complained.

“It's not so bad,” Ava said as she put her arm around Sara's waist.

“It smells nice,” Sara said, closing her unseeing eyes to breathe in the scent again. 

Without her sight this year Sara was worried that Christmas would be different and that it wouldn't feel the same as it usually did without all of the lights and the decorations. She still found that she still enjoyed the smell of pine and cranberries and whatever other Christmas scents that Zari and Nate chose for the candle of that day. She loved to feel the warm fire that Jax and Mick had installed in the Parlor. So Mick could have a proper place to burn things, despite Gideon’s insistent protest and she loved the taste of all of the Christmas goodies Ava baked. It was still Christmas, it was just a different kind of Christmas.

“Eh, moving on,” Nate commanded. 

They walked around the entire farm nitpicking all of the trees and Sara let her boots squish into the mud, making a squeaking sound. Despite Ava’s protest, she giggled every time Sara did it. Eventually, everyone stopped somewhere towards the edge of the tree farm staring at Ava told her was a tall and bushy tree that overwhelmed Sara's nose with the smell of pine.

“This is the one,” Ava said, leaving in and wrapping her arms around Sara to rest her chin on Sara’s shoulder. 

“Let’s cut!” Mick shouted, making the final decision and Sara heard the wrestling of the tree branches.

It was quite a fiasco to cut down the tree as all of the Legends had an opinion about how it should be done. Mick just gruffed and kept going despite Ray and Nate’s insistence that they should do it a certain way. Eventually, the tree came down and everyone took a portion of it to carry back to the Jump Ship after they paid the tree farmer. 

Once on the ship, everyone went in different directions. Zari and Charlie went to grab the decorations, Nate and Mick put the tree in the Parlor, Ray and Mora went to get the lights and Mona and Behrad went to get the hot chocolate and cookies, leaving Ava and Sara to clean up the mud in the Cargo Bay after Ava made everyone change shoes. After Ava finished mopping while Sara stood there and held her supplies, Sara dragged her over to the fabricator room to get the ugly sweaters.

“Why are we doing this? You can't even see it!” Ava protested as Sara smoothed the ugly sweater over her chest. Taking the chance to feel her up, Ava grabbed her hands and forced them away. “Seriously Sara?”

“It's tradition besides they're not that bad,” Sara said giving a little wiggle and hearing the Bells on her sweater jingle. 

“They're completely ridiculous,” Ava said, her tone final.

“They're fun!” Sara insisted, grabbing Ava's hand and pulling her towards the Parlor where the rest of the Legends were waiting for them. “Everyone else is going to be wearing them. It's not like you have anything to be embarrassed about.”

“Sara,” Ava whined as she reluctantly let Sara pull her along. 

“Please Ava?” Sara said turning around and reaching up to cup her cheeks. “For me?”

“You're lucky you're irresistible,” Ava said, bopping her nose before she put her arm around Sara's waist and they walked arm-in-arm into the Parlor.

Everyone else was there waiting for them, all dressed in different versions of an ugly sweater, not necessarily Christmas related, but fun nonetheless. Charlie and Mick had the tree on the side as the branches brushed against her ankles. Nate and Behrad started hanging garland on the wall and Ava moved her away from the ladder. Ray and Nora came in with the boxes handing Sara one and Zari directed everyone's movements, telling Sara to place it over by the globe. 

Once they got it settled in the Parlor, Zari saw it to it that they quickly got the tree up. MIck, Charlie, and Nate started on the lights, while Zari started to music which left everyone else to go through the boxes and pull things out while Sara just stood there. Usually, she'd help with the tree, but not this year.

“Hey, babe,” Ava called her over and Sara reached out and Ava grasped her hand before pulling her down to sit next to her. “Here which one do you like, Twisted Peppermint, Vanilla Bean Noel, or Winter Candy Apple?”

Ava handed her several candles and Sara held them up to her nose. She closed her eyes and breathed in each scent, trying to match one with the pine smell from the tree. 

“This one,” Sara said handing Ava the Winter Candy Apple candle. 

“Great, here, can you help me unwrap these?” Ava asked, putting a packaged ornament in her hand. “Hey, Mick light this one.”

Sara nodded, unwrapping the ornament before she got a vision of the tree falling over. “Hey Nate, tighten that bolt on the left.”

“Got it, Captain,” Nate said as Sara’s vision changed, to all of them all standing in front of the tree and admiring instead.

“Hot chocolate is here!” Mona announced as Sara heard her giddy footsteps on the stairs. “Sugar-free for you, Zari, extra marshmallows for you, Sara, and none for you, Ava.”

“Thank you, Mona," Sara said, bringing the warm mug up to her lips. It was just the right temperature and she took a sip of the sweet chocolate as the soft mini-marshmallows brushed against her lips.

Mona handed out mugs to everyone else and Sara scooted over to a spot next to the tree after they got all of the lights, ribbon, and bells that made it hard to hear anything else. From her spot, Ava would hand her ornaments and Sara would put them on the tree next to her. The Christmas cheer and alcohol flowed along with the music Zari had picked out, as everyone either hummed or sang along or pretended they didn't like it.

“Sara you can't just clump them all together like that. You have to spread them out over the tree,” Zari said coming over and taking a few of the ornaments from her collection.

“I like it,” Sara said, running her fingers along the ornaments and hearing them clang together.

“Let her be,” Ava said, shooing Zari away. “It looks great babe.”

“Just because you're blind doesn't mean you can get away with atrocities like that,” Zari said as if Sara's decorating skills were a personal offense.

“Why do you care,” Behrad said, shoving a cookie into his mouth, making his voice muffled. “We don't even celebrate Christmas.”

“It's the principle of good decorum and decorating,” Zari said sitting down beside her and bumping her shoulder lightly as she teased Sara.

 Sara giggled and relented, scooting over to Ava, who pulled her in to sit on her lap. She and Ava unwrapped the ornaments and gave them to everyone else instead. Sara pulled out a loop of old popcorn and wrinkled her nose at the smell quickly tossing them away.

It didn't take long for them to complete the tree decorating and everyone stepped back to watch the tree lighting. They clumped together in a line at the steps of the Parlor and Sara heard Gideon turned off the lights. She put her arms around Ava and hid her nose in Ava’s sweater, hiding the disappointment that she couldn't enjoy the tree lighting. Sara remembered how beautiful it looked in her vision and it hurt that it was just a memory. 

“Ready?” Charlie asked and was quickly met with yeses and eager tones from everyone else. She flipped the switch and Sara heard everyone oh and awe, but the lights didn't make a difference to her. 

“Okay now the bells,” Ray said, his usual excitement filling his voice. 

“What bells?” Sara asked, but before anyone could respond, the sound of bells playing ‘We Wish You a Merry Christmas’ rang through the Parlor. It reminded Sara of the chocolate kisses commercial and she peeked out of Ava’s shoulder with a smile. The music continued before someone lowered the volume to a gentle jingle.

“We got it for you, so you can hear the tree,” Mona said wiggling in to wrap her arms around Sara's waist and giving her a side hug, soon everyone joined in for a Legend's family hug.

“Thank you, guys,” Sara said, her voice soft as she listened to the bells. It was sweet of them to think of that for her and Ava leaned in to kiss her forehead. It was the little things that they did every day for her, like the bells on the tree and making sure that Sara could enjoy things with her other senses. 

Everyone stood with their arms intertwined as they watched and listened to the tree. They all settled into the Christmas spirit. With the fire burning, it was warm like Christmas, it smelled like Christmas and now it sounded like Christmas. As an adult Christmas didn't always seem like Christmas did when you were a kid, but somehow the Legends always found a way to make every holiday they celebrated special.

……………………………………………………………………

Regardless of her birthday Christmas morning had always been special to Sara especially when she was with Ava. Ava would always wake her up with breakfast in bed and kisses on her forehead. Sara enjoyed the quiet time alone with her before they joined the rest of the Legends for the Christmas presents and brunch.

This morning Sara woke up to Ava's lips on her lips. Sara instantly smiled into the kiss as Ava hummed against her lips. Ava pulled back and brought Sara's hands up to feel the lace babydoll that she was wearing. Sara trailed her fingers over Ava’s lace covered skin before she picked up the flowing tool. Although she couldn't see it the feeling of it between her fingertips was enough for Sara to thoroughly enjoy it.

It wasn't something that Ava was usually comfortable wearing. She preferred to stick to boxer shorts and tank tops, but after they had both surprised each other with lace lingerie and Ava had grown more comfortable wearing it. Since then she had occasionally worn it, but the lace lingerie was for Sara's eyes only.

“Merry Christmas and Happy Birthday, Captain Lance,” Ava's husky voice rang in her ear as Ava kissed her neck. 

Sara pulled Ava over on top of her. Feeling her girlfriend's weight on top of her as Ava’s taller form settled above her. 

“Is this one of my presents?” Sara asked as she smiled and played with the lace tool

“It is,” Ava said, guiding Sara's hands up to feel every inch of what she was wearing. “Do you like it?”

“Yes,” Sara eagerly said, before she pulled Ava in for a kiss and stripped off her sleep shirt.

After Sara had thoroughly enjoyed Ava in her lace babydoll outfit. They put on the matching pair of pajamas, which Ava told her were red and white striped, with green trim. Sara didn't mind them as they were soft and warm flannel, that smelled like cinnamon and frankincense, no doubt at Zari's hand. They walked hand in hand into the Parlor and Sara smiled as she heard the bells get louder the closer they got. 

Everyone was there already, talking among themselves as Ray passed around cups of coffee. Rey spotted them as they came up the stairs and put the warm mug in Sara's hand. She could smell the dash of nutmeg and cream he had on top and it made her smile. 

“Stop shaking your presents,” Ava said as she heard Nate try to shake one of the boxes. 

“Yes Ma'am,” Nate said, hurrying to put it back under the tree. 

Ava went over to help Nora and Mick move the furniture around so they could all sit in a circle. Sara stood off to the side and Charlie came over and put a hand on Sara’s shoulder, leaning in to whisper in her ear.

“She did great last night and she’s so cuddly Ava will love her. I’ll bring her out when you're ready!” Charlie said, slipping the box into her pocket.

“Thank you, Charlie.”

Charlie gave a little squeal which was unusual for them, but Sara found herself squealing as well. The surprise Sara had for Ava was definitely squealing worthy. Charlie squeezed Sara’s shoulder and walked back over to Zari. Sara moved to sit on the couch and wait for everyone to get set up, as Nate and Behrad started sorting through the presents.

In the past Christmas, it was usually a chaos of gifts and Legends each opening everything in a disarray of wrapping paper and string strung around the Parlor. Recently they had adopted a new and more organized tradition from Ava. Once everyone had their piles of presents in front of them and they all settled in their chairs with mugs of coffee. Ava sat down and snuggled up next to her, kissing her cheek.

“Okay, who's first?” Sara said as she wrapped her arms around Ava’s waist, leaning into her.

“Astra should go first, it is her first Christmas after all,” Constantine piped up and most of the legends' verbally agreed.

“For the record, this is super weird,” Astra said as Sara heard her pick up one of the gifts from her pile. There was a rustling of wrapping paper and tearing as she opened it and everyone waited to see her response. Astra let out a small gasp that Sara barely heard as she opened the box. 

“It's that dragon shaped knife she wanted,” Ava whispered to her as Sara nodded. 

“It's beautiful,” Astra whispered, and as Sara heard her pick up the knife and unsheath the blade. “Thank you, John.”

“Oh yeah well it's nothing,” John said, trying to brush it off as Sara heard Zari lean in and kiss his cheek and whisper to him.

“Me next,” Nate said, tearing off the paper and opening his gift from Ray.

They continued like that, going around in a circle until everyone had opened all their gifts. Ava had described to her what they all got but Sara was surprised how many times she could guess what it was, with a little help from her vision. 

Finally, Ava got to the gift Sara had gotten her and Sara smiled as she tore off the wrapping paper. Ava smiled and thanked her for the serial killer's coloring book. However, she paused as she picked up the Pegasus stuffed animal that Sara had got her.

“Babe, what is this?” Ava asked, leaning in and whispering to her. 

“It's a Pegasus. You said you wanted one, remember?” Sara said, raising an eyebrow at her.

It took Ava a moment, but then she laughed and put her arm around Sara leaning in to kiss her forehead. “This isn't exactly what I meant when I said that I wanted a Pegasus.”

“Yeah well apparently the real things are just as bad as Unicorns so I figured this would be better,” Sara said running her fingers over the soft fabric of the stuffed animal.

“Well thank you,” Ava said, squeezing Sara's waist.

“You're welcome,” Sara said with a smirk that Ava quickly wiped off her lips with a kiss.

“Okay now open mine,” Ava said easily eagerly, wiggling as she placed a small, but heavy and long box and Sara's lap. 

The room grew quiet as the Legend stopped chatting and Sara wondered what it could be as she tore off the paper. She lifted the lid off of the box and ran her fingers along the edge before she pulled out a single pole the length of her forearm. She ran her fingers over it, taking it in before she found a small metal button on one end. Ava pushed her to stand and Sara moved a few feet away and held it out in front of her as she pressed the button. 

The pole expanded and Sara realized that it wasn't just a pole, it was both a bo staff and a cane. She could use it to see her surroundings and defend herself. Sara smiled as she swung it around, trying it out. It easily glided through the air and she tapped it on the ground with one end hitting the floor. The vibrations went up the pole and into Sara's hands. Instantly she knew that she had hit both the parlors wooden floor and a bit of wrapping paper that had been strewn there. She wasn't sure how she knew what the staff had hit, she just knew. 

“Do you like it?” Ava asked eagerly awaiting Sara’s response. “It's a fully compressible bo staff and cane and the vibration you're feeling will tell you what you're hitting on the ground. All of us have been working on making it for you.”

“Ahem,” Behrad coughed.

“Okay, well mostly Behrad has been working on it, but everyone had a hand in it. Behrad, Ray, and I designed it, Mick, Mona, and Charlie helped us make it, Nora used her magic to help make it work and Zari wrapped it.”

“Thank you guys,” Sara said as she pressed the button on the end again and it easily compacted back into a simple pole. She turned around and reached out for Ava who grabbed her hand and pulled her in to sit on her lap.

“You really like it?” Ava asked, leaning her forehead against Sara’s.

“I love it,” Sara said, putting her hands on Ava’s cheeks and feeling her eyelashes flutter on her fingers.

“Good,” Ava said, leaning in and giving her a quick kiss before they turned around and watched everyone else open the rest of their presents. 

There was a pile of wrapping paper in the middle of the Parlor as everyone kicked it away to play with their gifts. Sara leaned into Ava's arms and listened to the Jingle Bells on the tree and felt Ava's warm lips against her forehead.

Sara rubbed her hand up Ava’s leg and patted it three times. Then waited to hear Charlie get up and walk over to them. 

“Hey, Captain do you want any hot chocolate?” Charlie asked as they came around and put a hand on her shoulder.

“That would be great, thank you, Charlie,” Sara said, sending them a wink that she hoped Ava wouldn't see as she heard Charlie scurry away.

Ava was completely unaware of the surprise there was for her and Sara smiled as she leaned against her, biting her lip knowing that her smile would give it away in a minute. It didn't take long for Sara to hear Charlie come back as they came up behind them and placed the box in Ava's lap. 

“What's this?” Ava asked as Sara sat back and put a hand on her shoulder. 

“It's your last Christmas gift,” Sara said, trying to keep her excitement under wraps as and she could hear how the room went quiet around her. Of course, all the Legends were in on it. 

Nonetheless, Ava took the lid off of the box and Sara heard her gasp as the tiny cat meowed. The kitten that is mostly gray with patches of white and meowed before she heard Ava pick her up and hold her close. All of the Legends cooed and came closer Sara had caught them playing with the kitten last night and they were all very much smitten with her.

“Oh my goodness Sara,” Ava said, breathed out as the cat meowed again. “But you hate cats.”

“I don't hate cats,” Sara said, leaning in and holding Ava’s hand against your cheek. “I just don't prefer them but I know that you love them and we all agreed that she would be the perfect pet on the Waverider.”

“Oh my goodness,” Ava said again, as Sara could hear the kitten begin to purr in her arms as Ava laughed.

Sara ran her fingers along the cat's back as the cat arched its back up to meet her fingers. Sara then pulled the collar from her pocket and handed it to Ava.

“What do you want to name her?” Sara said already knowing the answer as Ava had a list of names she loved.

“Nicole Haught,” Ava sheepishly whispered. 

“Everyone, met Nicole,” Sara said as she clipped the collar with Nicole’s name around their neck and the little bell rang as the cat scratched at it. 

“Thank you,” Ava said, reaching out to cup Sara’s face.

Sara smiled and moved away as Ava’s hand slipped off her face as she got down on one knee.

“Oh my God,” Ava said, getting up and standing in front of her as Sara quickly took her hand.

“Ava Sharpe,” Sara said, taking a deep breath. It was hard for her not to get choked up. 

Ava meant so much to her and she wanted this to be perfect. There were a hundred things that Sara could say about how Ava always tried to be there for her, to listen to her, and Sara wanted her to know how much it meant to her to have Ava’s help as she Sara adjusted to being blind over the past year, but Ava already knew all this. She didn't need some big speech, all she needed was for Sara to ask. 

“Will please marry me?”

“Yes,” Ava said, choking on her tears as she held her hand out for Sara. She slipped the ring on Ava’s fingers. It was a simple gold band that was engraved with intricate Nordic runes that reminded Sara of their first date.

All of the Legends cheered and clapped as Sara stood up and pulled Ava in for a kiss. Although it wasn't New Year's, Sara felt an explosion as they kissed. It was electric and exciting. They let their lips linger against each other until Nicole meowed in between them and Ava pulled back to pet her head.

“What does my ring say?”

“Co-Captains for life.” 

“Thank you,” Ava whispered against Sara’s lips kissing her again and Sara let her lips smile against her as Ava moaned into her lips, to the hoots and whistles of the Legends.

……………………………………………………………………

“Okay, ready?” Ava asked as she guided Sara down to sit in her seat at the table in the kitchen of the Waverider.

“Yes,” Sara said, wiggling excitedly as she felt the heat from the birthday candles rise up and touch her cheeks. 

“Okay everyone, happy birthday to you,” Ava started singing and the rest of the Legend quickly joined in as Sara smiled. 

She could smell the pink sugar frosting and had to resist the urge to dip her fingers in the cake in front of her knowing that Ava would slap her and away.

“Happy birthday dear Sara, happy birthday to you,” everybody finished singing and clapped as Sara leaned down to blow out her candles. 

“Happy birthday baby,” Ava said, leaning down to wrap her arms around her shoulders to hug Sara from behind. 

Sara leaned in to reach for a frosting flower but was surprised when she fell Ava’s finger smear frosting all over her nose. Sara laughed and turned her head to spread the frosting from her nose on to Ava’s cheeks. 

“Sara!” Ava shrieked and laughed as Sara kissed her cheek and licked the frosting off. 

“Umm Happy birthday to me,” Sara said, licking her lips. 

Ava trailed her hands down Sara's chest teasing her while the rest of the legends cut the cake and slipping her hands around Sara’s inner thighs. Sara's breath hitched as Ava's fingers brushed against her center.

“Save that attitude for later Miss Lance,” Ava whispered in her ear. Happy birthday indeed.

……………………………………………………………………

(I just want them to get married already!)

[thedreammweaver]

That Would Suffice to Make a Formidable Monster Chapter 8 (Burton-Schumacherverse Sci-Fi Horror au, riddlebird, sea monster/alien!Oswald)

Chapter 7 Chapter 9

Warnings: major character death, animal death, body horror

“What the hell..” Bruce mumbled.

Ed figured he ought to explain a bit. “Uhhh....well, I...Oswald did something to me when I was in the water.”

“What do you mean?”

Ed lifted up one of his pant legs and showed the suckers which had multiplied, the skin around them was darkening. Before Bruce could react he was hit with pain in his own leg which made him wince and clutch the wound. “I think I saw painkillers in the freezer..” Victor said “We should get out of here anyways.” He pointed to the floor which was filling with water from the sinks. “We should check if Oswald’s done anymore damage to the ship while we’ve been in here.” Selina suggested as they all began shuffling out of the room.

   Apparently Oswald had poked a few more holes in the ship and more spaces were filling with water, plus the electrics were on the fritz. As Victor entered the kitchen to get to the freezer there was water up to his calves. He begrudgingly walked through it and opened the freezer door which made water flow in. While he was looking for the painkillers he was distracted by a bigger issue. Sparking from the kitchen door caught his attention and he went back over only to find that it had malfunctioned and locked. The freezer door had too malfunctioned and was now stuck open. The sinks were slowly emptying more water into the room and it was starting to get cold.

   Selina was looking around the ship for a fire as the fire alarm in one part of the ship had gone off, she was starting to think it was malfunctioning as she didn’t smell any smoke but better safe than sorry. She entered a room where she was in about waist deep water, now mostly just looking at the damage. She was looking around for where the water in this part had come in when she saw a fin moving in the water towards her. Without thinking she quickly moved over to a nearby table and jumped up onto it, grabbing a dislodged pipe from the damaged ceiling. As the shark lunged at her she drove the pipe into it’s mouth and down its throat, having to grab onto a cord hanging from the ceiling to steady herself. The shark expectedly stopped moving and slumped back into the water, blood coming from its mouth. She waited a moment then climbed down into the water, feeling somewhat relieved. As she made her way to the door she stopped halfway, startled by a snapping noise. She was afraid the shark was somehow still alive but as she looked back it was definitely not. Movement from the ceiling caught her eye and she realized the cord she’d used to right herself was coming loose, the electrified cord. “Oh, shit..” was all she could say before the cord hit the water.

   The kitchen was reaching freezing temperatures and the water had come up to Victor’s ribs now. He was trying to find a way to get the door open but he was starting to think it was hopeless. He startled when he heard a knock on the other side of the door. “Victor?” It was Ed’s voice. Victor relaxed as much as he could considering his predicament “Yes, I’m still in here..the door is stuck and the freezer is making everything in here cold, it’s flooding as well.”

Ed searched for a way to release the door but he too came up with nothing “I can’t get it open.”

Victor sighed, turning away from the door “That’s...alright, Ed. Thank you for trying.” He was shivering as the coldness of the water felt like it was biting him. He was about to relent to the cold when he saw the picture of Nora he kept in his pocket had floated out and was next to a handheld oxygen tank. His eyes darted to a door in the ceiling of the kitchen that lead outside. “Ed, I have an idea. I’m going to go out to one of the mini-subs.”

“What? You’ll freeze to death out there!”

“And I will freeze to death in here. Out there I will have died trying to get back to my wife. Can you meet me at the mini-sub?”

Ed hung his head “Victor, I think...I think we both know I don’t belong on the surface anymore.. you go ahead, good luck.” He said before walking away.

Victor waited until the water got high enough so that he could reach the door. With the mouth piece of the small oxygen tank in his mouth he filled his head with thoughts of Nora and opened the door.

   Ed was feeling rather miserable both emotionally and physically as he walked through the ship. He didn’t know quite where he was walking, he supposed he was just trying to ignore the part of himself calling for the deep dark water outside. He was distracted as he bumped into Bruce peering through the window of a door.

    Victor breathed a sigh as he got the mini-sub started and detached from the ship, he was shivering terribly but relieved. As he was moving away from the doomed vessel the mini-sub stopped and Victor realized in his haste he’d forgotten about the reason the ship was sinking in the first place. A big black tentacle was wrapped around part of the sub, dragging it back. Victor cast a longing glance to the waterlogged picture of Nora he’d set against the front of the sub. Suddenly the tentacle released him. Victor wasn’t one to wonder why and take the release for granted so he pushed onward.

    Bruce stared at Selina’s corpse through the small window of the door. He could tell the water was electrified by the cord still sparking into it. He wanted desperately to run to her and hold her but he couldn’t do that without killing himself as well, all he could do was watch her float. He jumped as Ed tapped his shoulder. “What’s wrong?” Bruce didn’t answer and Ed looked through the window “Jesus..” he muttered as he saw Selina’s body floating next to the dead shark.

“Bruce, I-“

“We should get to the mini-sub..”

Ed could practically see the walls going up inside Bruce and him numbing himself. “Is Victor still here?” Bruce asked.

“No, I don’t think so.”

“Alright...so we’ll go to the other mini-sub and-“

“I’m not going.”

“Yes, you are. I’m not losing another person down here.”

“Bruce, I’m not-“

“We can get you help once we’re on the surface. We are both getting the hell out of here right-“ Bruce was interrupted by a big black tentacle coming through the floor and dragging him into the depths. And then Edward was alone.

[concealeddarkness13]

WHG 15 Post-Games Imposter Syndrome Part 19

Here’s the first time Triel gets on TV! Warning: still has kissing. Tagging: @sparkles-and-hens, @knmartinshouldbewriting, @maple-writes, @pen-of-roses (also thanks for Conor!), @thoughts-of-nora, and @ratracechronicler!

The Capitol finally decided to have us show up on TV, so I had to live up to my promise. I already had some idea of what it could be about, since the Capitol was planning on pretending that Conor and I were a couple. So, this would be an…interesting interview.

When I walked into my stylist’s room, she had already set out an outfit. My stylist was still Priscilla Cristal, so at least I kind of liked her. But as I looked over the outfit, it seemed a little different from what she would choose.

I looked over at her, raising an eyebrow. “What’s this?”

She pursed her lips. “It’s what you’re required to wear. Let’s get this on before I start ranting again.”

I just stayed silent as she got me changed. It wasn’t like it was awful. Actually, it was pretty, and it was a pirate theme. But, I could see the Capitol touches. I had on a loose, white shirt that had a plunging neckline; skin-tight black pants; black, high-heeled boots that went up to my knees; a long, black coat with a big star on it; and a wide, black hat that also had a big star on it. She then applied my makeup, which was all gold (not gaudy, just hints of gold except for the lipstick, which was all gold), and then she applied gold glitter over my exposed skin. Shit. That would be hell to wash off.

Priscilla Cristal looked me up and down, frowning. “I don’t even know why there are stars on your coat and hat. Pirates didn’t usually wear stars. But…it’s not my place to argue. At least that’s what the Capitol thinks. I’m not the one who picked this out. Your boyfriend thinks he’s a stylist.”

Oh. This made much more sense now. I snorted. “Not with the outfit he wore to District 9’s reaping, he’s not.”

A ghost of a smile appeared on her lips before she shook her head. “It’s the best I can do. Now, off with you.”

I nodded and left the stylist room, just to run into the aforementioned boyfriend himself. I smirked. He was wearing a pirate outfit as well. And eyeliner. Not a bad look on him.

I gestured at my own outfit, since he was the one who picked it out. “Do you find this to your tastes?”

He quirked an eyebrow and looked me up and down. “I must admit to enjoying the touches of gold and seeing you in my signature stars again, yes. And me, am I to your tastes?” He spread his arms with a slight flourish, and he smirked.

I had to admit yes, but I wouldn’t say that out loud. “You make a convincing pirate. I wouldn’t be embarrassed to see you on my ship.” I crossed my arms. So, what the hell was he planning now? “So, how do you want to play this for the cameras?”

“Too much to ask to play the loving and doting, starstruck couple?”

He wouldn’t have agreed to pretending to be my boyfriend if he didn’t have some kind of ulterior motive. He didn’t seem to be the kind of person to just bow to the Capitol. And why would the Capitol choose him anyway if he hadn’t suggested it? “Just wanting to know exactly what you’d desire from my performance.”

“You to be your usual absolutely charming self, my little thief. You are the star of this show after all and I’d hate for anything less than that.” He offered me his arm.

So, he was insisting I was the star when he was inserting himself into the story. Wouldn’t that make him the star? Or at least distract the audience from the star? What the hell did he want? I took his arm, slightly tense. I didn’t trust him. “I think they might be more enamored about how you ‘saved’ me by pleading with the Capitol to spare me. I’m sure they’ll make it as dramatic as possible.”

“You can relax, I’m still your Bystander right now just with a closer seat to watch. At least for the moment as the show has only just started really.” Huh. So, what was he planning for later then? “Besides, all eyes will be on you, one of the few survivors of the Games, dressed like this, who can answer all their questions? And you were special enough to be saved in the first place. Truly far more interesting than a dime-a-dozen Capitol Escort who blends into their crowd easily.”

Shit. He had a point there. “A dime-a-dozen escort the Capitol actually listened to. Not so common then.” I paused. Not much to argue with though. Damn. “But I suppose that’s a good argument. Even though, dressed like that, not just a few heads will turn for you as well.” I eyed him to see how he’d react.

“My, do I dare say that’s a compliment, little thief?”

I smirked. “Me, I think the outfit’s 6/10.”

The interview before mine was finished, so it was about time for us to go on stage. He smirked and whispered back. “High praise indeed given the way you scored our kiss.”

I had to suppress a laugh. Damn it. We walked on the stage, and Caesar was standing up, getting the crowd hyped. He turned to us with a laugh. “Triel Reeves, the saved tribute from District 10! And the one who helped save her!” He turned back to the crowd. “This truly is a starcrossed couple, and I hope you’re as excited as I am to hear more about it!”

Oh boy. He gestured for us to sit down, and I just then noticed that there was only one chair for us. They certainly wanted push this, didn’t they? Conor sat down first, and I tried to squeeze in beside him, but there wasn’t enough room, so he subtly pushed me onto his lap. I smiled out at the crowd as I wrapped an arm around his shoulder and leaned into him. He smiled out at the crowd as well, with his eyes closed and his head tilted slightly, before turning his attention back to me. I could feel his eyes burning into me. Ugh.

Caesar sat down, and the crowd finally quieted down. He turned to us. “So, I think everyone has been dying to know. When did this first start? Triel kept it so hidden during the pre-Games. Is that when you met, or was it before then?”

I laughed lightly, glancing over at Conor before turning to Caesar. I had been told the supposed story before the interview. “Oh, we met in the Capitol. Before the Games. I couldn’t sleep, and he held me as I poured my heart out. And then he gave me his gloves for courage during the interview.” I looked back over at Conor, forcing a radiant smile and holding him closer. It was odd being so close to him. He just felt so…normal. But there was something that kept me on edge besides his words in the past few days. Something I couldn’t quite describe.

He smiled fondly at me. “I just couldn’t help but fall for her, her wit, charm, and smile? Who wouldn’t after how she is and everything she’s done? At a guess she’s captivated the entire Capitol and I just happened to be there at the right time and place.”

He was talking only about me, not even really how he felt. So, he wanted to be unremarkable. Caesar winked, and I made sure to focus. “So, where did the gloves go? We haven’t seen them since.”

Oh shit, what do I say about that? I kept the smile on my face as I took Conor’s hand and kissed the top of it. “They’re safe in my room. We’d rather have the least amount of barriers between us.” Ugh. Cheesy excuse.

He subtly quirked an eyebrow as he kept looking at me, still smiling. “They are a very special memento now, we wouldn’t want any harm to come to them.”

The audience sighed, and Caesar waited for them to quiet down again. “So then, Conor first. Please describe what you were feeling, seeing Triel in the Hunger Games, and what you did.” He turned to the audience and winked. “I’ve only heard part of the story, and it’s a tearjerker.”

So, what would he say? I had only been told my part of it. “Horror of course,” Bullshit, “that this fascinating person was in that situation and could easily be taken away oh so easily. And pride and hope watching her survive in them through her own intelligence and resourcefulness, she made it so far in them after all. Truly it was amazing watching her get through all of that, I’m sure you can all agree?”

He smiled wider when the audience applauded, but then he turned back to me with exaggerated concern. I tensed slightly when his eyes fell back on me. It felt kind of like what I would imagine prey would feel when a predator found them. He kept talking. “But the possibility of losing her was just too much to take, ask anyone I was around at the time there was just so much worry and uncertainty in the air, and was I to do? Stand by and watch? You’ll forgive my, shall we say, pride if I don’t confess the full story, you see there was a lot of begging and tears and strings pulled. Nevertheless,” he turned back to Caesar with a wide, sharp smile, his eyes flashing. “Here we are with her as safe as anyone can be in the Capitol now a days. There’s still a lot that has to be done to make up for disrupting the Games of course, and for that I do apologize, but I’m sure you can forgive me for not wanting to miss the chance to have someone this incredible in my life?” He turned back to me with a fond smile and lightly kissed my cheek.

Interesting how gentle he could be. I wouldn’t have thought that of him. But wow, look at all the bullshit being spun into a story. I fake giggled and nuzzled my face into his neck. He did smell nice. But I couldn’t get distracted. I brought up my lips to his ear to whisper. “Begging and crying, now that’s a pretty tale. But I’d be interested to actually see it.” Would that hurt his pride? Get any kind of reaction out of him at all?

He actually looked serious when he looked over at me. “I’d be careful what you wish for little thief,” he whispered, “considering I didn’t lie or say who.” Ah. That made more sense. He turned back to the audience with a smile. “But again here we are, and I can honestly say I am thrilled with how things are playing out!”

I just kept smirking. At least I had gotten some kind of reaction out of him. Caesar turned to me. “And, Triel! How did you feel, going into the Games after such a wonderful relationship was started? Knowing you probably wouldn’t see him again?”

I turned to the audience, mustering up my best fake tears, which I dabbed out of my eyes, and my best voice wavers. I held Conor’s hand, as if I didn’t want to ever be separated from him again. “I was just so—so scared. But I knew I had to survive. For him. I…I thought that was it when Delexus found me, but the Capitol, in their infinite mercy, allowed us to stay together, and I couldn’t be happier.” I leaned back against him and nuzzled into his neck to kiss there.

He whispered so only I could hear. “Your acting is improving, maybe a 5/10 as you said?”

I laughed. “How rude. I’m an 8/10 at least.”

“Then put on a good show and prove it.” He laughed.

Oh hell yes I would. I would put on the best damn performance. The crowd was staring at us like we were the most interesting thing in the world, and Caesar winked over at us. “Want to let us in on what you’re whispering about?”

And I would start by making a very convincing (but certainly fake) blush and burying my face into Conor’s shirt so he would have to answer that question. So there. He answered very graciously. “Inside joke, you see she has a habit of somehow ending up in an outfit similar to this no matter the situation, isn’t that right my Pirate?” Shit. My thoughts flashed to Reine again. “So I wanted to make her laugh and commented on what it might take to get to see yourself, Caesar in such an outfit, a party perhaps? But that might be a conversation for another time.”

Caesar laughed. “Oh I couldn’t pull it off as well as you two. But let’s continue so you two lovebirds can have some privacy soon.” Oh joy. He winked again. “So, at the end of the Games, when both of your dreams came true. Could you tell us a little about the reunion?”

I looked back up, still fake blushing. I giggled nervously (also fake). “It was like a dream. I still can’t imagine someone could love me with such passion and intensity and—” I cut myself off with another giggle.

Which he chose to pick up. “Absolute adoration that you’re here now and eager to learn more and more about you.”

Caesar eyed us with a smirk, which didn’t bode well. “But I think we all want to see. You’re so in love. So, how about a kiss?” The audience immediately screamed and chanted for a kiss.

Shit. I didn’t need that right now. I looked over at him. The Capitol was certainly hungry for a romance, and well… “I guess we can’t say no.”

“Seems we can’t,” he leaned forward and whispered, “if I may?” Again, so gentle sounding.

But not the kiss. He closed the distance, and it was the same as last time. Intense, not enough time for me to breathe. All my questions, all my suspicions jumbled and faded away with my other thoughts. He held me close and slipped both hands under my shirt, brushing his fingertips over my skin, as if no one was watching us. And when I broke off to gasp in some breaths, the crowd roared. Shit. I had to hurry up and get my thoughts back in order. But the smell of his cologne was in my nose, and his hands were still touching my skin, and I was too caught up in all of that. Shit.

“Sorry.” Conor turned to Caesar with a smile, sounding a little breathless. “I might have gotten carried away there.”

It took a while for the audience to calm down, so I had enough time to at least form a coherent thought. That he was dangerous. Which wasn’t a really intelligent thought. I had already known that.

Caesar laughed. “Sorry! Just one more question. What are your plans, Triel, now that the Capitol has given you a second chance at life?”

I felt so sluggish now. Luckily, the Capitol had actually given me a script for this question. I laughed. “Oh, the people of the Capitol have been so hospitable. I would love to work for one of the Capitol buildings, but I just don’t know which yet! I’m so glad they have given me a while to choose, so you might be seeing me around the Capitol in the next few weeks, checking everything out.” I winked and turned back to Conor. “But I’m most looking forward to spending time with you.”

He smiled and ducked his head slightly. “Yes, I rather hope we will have much time together.”

Oh joy. Caesar sighed with the rest of the audience and stood up. “The starcrossed lovers of this year’s Hunger Games! Brought back together by fate!” He ushered us off stage.

When we were out of sight of the cameras, I leaned against the wall to catch my breath. Shit. I was still light-headed from the kiss. He said something I couldn’t catch. So, I spoke. “Okay. I must admit. 7/10.”

“Such high praise, you’ll make me blush. Truly amazing how easily they ate all of that up, really spin a little tale and they’re all tripping over themselves for more.”

That jerk didn’t even look affected by the kiss. Shit. I had to put my thoughts together, but I couldn’t yet, so blunt it was. “It’s easy to get caught up in it when a little bit of truth is sprinkled in. I’m curious how much was in your little tale.”

“I could tell you right out, but then where’s my fun? I will admit that I lied to Caesar about what we whispered about,” Wow, he truly admitted a huge secret, “but as for the rest, well,” he spread his arms slightly, “I like to play with words, my little thief, far more fun than an outright lie.”

Of course. Which made it a lot harder to figure him out. “I truly haven’t mastered that ability yet. Lies are too easy to tell. Like about Reine.” I paused. He had made me think about her again, so I was going to get some information if I could. “I know all of the tributes who wanted to escape were captured. It’s my fault. So, why would you pretend like she’s not?”

“Hmm.” He started to pace slightly. “Here’s an interesting dilemma that I cannot figure out a way to solve, though perhaps I do not wish to? You distrust myself, and you distrust those who are holding you, though I suppose we appear one and the same to you. Yet you take the words of one at face value and not the words of the other. If I were to tell you I was telling the truth and they were lying, I would not bet on you believing me. Though, maybe you have found it curious after all, that the others are not in the same apartments as you?”

No, because Churi had already clearly stated what was going on there. I crossed my arms. “Churi planted the other tributes easy for me to find. He did it on purpose and then flaunted that in my face. I fucked up enough to make it harder for the rest of them to escape. It’s not improbable that the Capitol took them too. Why would they show their complete hand to me?” Why the hell was I saying all this? But I couldn’t stop. “And I know their intentions. I don’t know yours.” No matter what he had told me.

“And that right there is why I did not bet. I concede your point, as I myself would the first to tell you not to trust anyone or anything they say, especially without a shred of proof for their words. Except perhaps, yourself. Still, I do hope you find it curious to even a marginal degree at worst, considering I doubt that you outright told anyone where Reine’s hiding spot and escape route were? So how else would they actually capture them if they were busy with you lot?” Easy. We could have missed one camera that showed where they were. The Capitol had plenty of Peacekeepers. “If I was to bet on anyone having given that up it would be the assas-forgive me, you know her as Avery? She’s already been in their pocket. But even so, I will tell you only once more that the situation is not how you have been told.”

That last sentence was potentially true, but I bristled. How dare he try to accuse one of my fellow tributes? I would trust them any time over him. I smiled, but I couldn’t promise it wasn’t a snarl. “For all I know, Peacekeepers could have raided the camp to get everyone. I don’t know how the others were captured. And here you tell me not to trust anyone and then make a farfetched claim about a tribute who already was screwed over by the Capitol telling them about her best means of escaping. And then getting screwed over some more. How clever. Forgive me for not believing you.” Shit. I had to gain control again and pretend like nothing was bothering me. I had to think clearly.

His lip quirked in slightly. Well, at least I got a reaction. “Farfetched says the girl who can turn water into, crystal was it? And who shouldn’t exist from all that I’ve read. Nevertheless,” he bowed slightly, and an accent that seemed familiar became more prominent, “I concede the point. I’d ask what it would take for you to believe me, but yet, even I have my limits. All I can do is reiterate the point about looking carefully at the situations around you. And people, though your words on Miss Avery are not far off from what I have witnessed about feeling, uh, screwed over by the ever present Capitol.”

All right. Subject change. I wouldn’t get anything from him, and I would just stay pissed off. Better to try something else. I smiled, and it was a better smile than last time. “We should probably move away from such upsetting topics, though. We are supposed to be celebrating becoming an official Capitol couple, after all. As such, I think it’s only fair that we learn more about each other. I’ll go first. Your star. Reine. How are you connected? I suppose she doesn’t particularly like you from how she’s talked about you to me.”

He smiled. “She saved my life, so so long ago, and I was part of her crew for a time. Her ire is rather amusing, considering she was the one that simply disappeared one day with Alley Cat. Spend enough time around though, and we bump into each other quite often still.” He was still smiling. “Why a pirate? Was it the need for adventure and the call of the sea, or hopes for legends to be told about you and ideas of power? Or simply all you’ve ever known?” He offered his arm so we could keep walking.

Interesting. But what was truth and what was a carefully worded tale? I took it gracefully. I wouldn’t be completely honest. “I grew up on a ship and heard fantastic tales of pirates. When I volunteered, I decided on a whim to take the last name Reeves after a famous pirate I heard stories of.”

“Hmm, stories of course are always very influential. And your next question in our game of tit for tat?”

Shit. My thoughts had been wandering again after I smelled his cologne. I shook my head to try to clear it. “So, it’s completely accidental that you keep running into Reine? You do seem keen on getting her attention.”

“I assure you, she has found me when it is, less than ideal, more than I have sought her out. But the tiniest bit of hero worship does often lead us to try and grab the spotlight more often than is probably healthy. So was training required for all those powers and skills and charms? Or were you just naturally gifted?”

So, he was keeping it vague on purpose. Of course. I smirked and spoke in an exaggerated voice. “It took years of blood, sweat, and tears. I almost died.” My voice became more serious. “I’m certainly not naturally gifted. So, what did you mean by being around for quite a long time? Surely, you can’t mean you’re an old, crotchety man.”

“Your hard work and ability to survive and adapt truly is admirable then. I have been around longer than you would probably expect, based off of my appearance and mor—normal understanding, though I am still younger than Rainbow.” Interesting, if true. There was a flash of pain across his face. Unsure if it was real. “Truthfully, I don’t remember my age, the other two would have a better number for you.” He smiled over at me, with no sign of the previous emotion. “What is your favorite color? It would not do for me to unintentionally offend you with an ill-suited gift in future appearances.”

Now, what the hell was he planning with that question? And what the hell was my favorite color? I had to think for a minute. “A wine red. I’ve especially appreciated it ever since all the Capitol idiots wear bright, flashy colors.” I paused and eyed him. I probably wouldn’t get a good response, but I had to ask. “So, any perks with that unnaturally long life? Magic perhaps?”

“A lovely color. As for perks, there is the obvious of course, of getting to experience as much of the world as possible and watching all of the clever ways it changes, gain a better insight into people, but as for your true interests, yes, there is something like what you would call magic that comes with it.” His eyes flashed. What did that mean? “Though sense, or power might be a better way of defining it, and it presents differently for everyone. I, myself, hear more than others, though I doubt that is as exciting as what you considered.”

The way he said it, I would agree, but I didn’t trust him at all, so it was probably more interesting than he made it sound. I nodded, but he didn’t ask another question. I smirked over at him. “Have I just lost your interest so thoroughly that you don’t have any questions for me?”

“Oh of course not, I was just curious as to your reaction to the confirmation that I am more than meets the eye, however much or little that is. But if you insist, I have another question.” He turned fully to me with a mischievous expression. “Can I steal another kiss before we depart?”

I smirked back. I had to try to get used to his kisses anyway. I’d have to be around him a lot anyway. And maybe I could have some control over this one. “Such a gentleman, asking to steal. Me, I just take without asking permission.”

Before he could react, I smashed my lips to his and pushed him up against the wall. Control. I had to have control. It would probably be the only way I wouldn’t get caught up in the moment. It seemed to be going great. My thoughts were clear as we kissed, but then he grabbed my wrists just a little too tight and flipped so that I was against the wall and he leaned over me, holding my arms above me (even though he wasn’t that much taller than me, the jerk). He kissed me more intensely, and I couldn’t breathe and I was feeling a little dizzy and he let go of my arms and his fingertips brushed along my exposed skin and I was doing the same and shit I was getting caught up in the moment and…

After what seemed like forever, he broke away, and I could breathe. I just leaned against the wall trying to catch my breath. Shit. I had to figure out how to keep my thoughts from being muddled, but I wasn’t sure I’d ever be able to. But I had to admit, he wasn’t bad at that. I certainly didn’t hate it, even though, a more realistic part of my brain said I should never let that happen again.

As he moved back a little, he smirked at me. Shit. “I’m excited to see how your plans pan out, my little thief. If you have any, that is.”

I instinctively smirked, even as my thoughts still weren’t working. “You’ll find I’m full of surprises.”

“I’m counting on it.” And with that, he left. He seemed to always be one step ahead of me. Would I be able to catch up?