#Truth Love & Confessions

[lucabyte]

siffrin starts the game with oddly empty pockets for a rogue who has a habit of stashing away every little trinket that isn't nailed down

and a hardy pocketwatch is an indispensable tool for oceanic navigation

[ineffable-suffering]

The Jane Austen Ball and why it was never about Nina and Maggie

Otherwise known as (*takes a deep breath*): A completely inflated close-up look at various dialogues and events of Season 2 that prove that the Whickber Street Traders and Shopkeeper's Association Meeting Cotillion Ball was supposed to be Aziraphale's confession to Crowley

Look, the point's been made before but that's never kept me from making it myself again, still. In fact, even I made it before, at the end of one of my other metas. But I feel like it's absolutely worthy enough to get its own soppy, way-too-long post. And I do love it so very much to write ridiculously long essays on something that could easily be condensed into a short paragraph.

So, here we go! Snuggle up, get cozy, settle in and, most importantly:

(Word count: 3.177 | Reading time: ~13 minutes)

As I already said above, I laid out a similar case in my meta about why Aziraphale is somewhat of an unreliable narrator. I'll try and recycle it here briefly, so I can further make my point.

When Aziraphale arrives back in London from his Edinburgh journey, he seems oddly happy and giddy for the fact that he just had a rather odd and threatening encounter with Shax. I explain in my other meta that this is because he just spent the last hours of his drive reminiscing on the thrilling and romantic magic show adventure of 1941 and also the fact that he just found out that Crowley has been replaced by Shax and no longer works for Hell.

Ergo: We have a hopelessly lovesick Principality at our hands, who's practically swooning over his serpent who saved him, his books and his magic show all those years ago.

Ergo:

✨This✨

Realistically, Aziraphale should probably be a tad worried about the eery encounter with Shax, in which she definitely had the upper hand on him. But well, if you spend many-a hours driving across the serene countryside (Edinburgh is about an 8-hour drive from London), pondering on one of the craziest, sticky-sweet romantic adventures of your not-life life, well ... things tend to turn a little rosy around the edges. Head in the clouds and all that. Light shades of grey!

Alright, onwards: Once the angel, filled to the very brim with fond memories and butterflies, gets out of the Bentley, he's kindly met with a face full of verdant plants and a very in-character-grumpy Crowley.

Fhwack! Way to burst the rosy bubble.

Seriously, the absolute lightning speed with which Crowley storms out to vacate the bookshop the very second Aziraphale arrives makes me giggle every time.

Let's make a first small (who am I kidding) diversion into analysing the following conversation in unnecessary detail ...

... simply because I enjoy quoting dialogue as an accurate reference in my metas. I'll also highlight certain passages I want to comment on in individual colours so I can back up my thoughts with them below. Alright, their little chinwag goes as follows:

Crowley: "They you are! I was worried something might have happened to you." Aziraphale: "No, nothing happened to me. Very uneventful journey indeed. No strange things at all." Crowley: "Good. That's what we wanna hear." Aziraphale: "Um .. everything okay with- ah.." *nods to the bookshop* Crowley: "Oh, yeah, fine. He's singing to himself. I think he must have been asleep. I heard snoring coming from his bedroom–" Crowley, to the Bentley: "Did you miss me? I bet you did." Aziraphale: "... I'm sure it did." Crowley: "So, any more clues from the mystery of the missing archangel?" Aziraphale: "Not exactly. Or, if there are, I haven't yet cracked the case. But I'm certainly hot on the trail of something." Crowley: "I'm sure you are. Oh, by the way, the whole sudden rain and awning thing was a complete washout." Aziraphale: "Sorry?" Crowley: "You know, project making Nina fall in love with Maggie. I failed, it's your go." Aziraphale: "I see. Well then, Whickber Street Traders and Shopkeeper's Association Monthly Meeting, here we come!" Crowley: "You're really hosting the meeting?" Aziraphale: "Absolutely! And I can guarantee you, it will be a night to remember."

At first glance, this has little to do with the plot of this meta but actually, it folds into my point very nicely! However, it's not time for that yet, so we'll just state the facts as they are for now and then bring them back 'round later when we need them. That being said: For the love of Someone, will these two ever manage to simply tell each other the truth of what happened instead of thinking they can protect each other by lying about it all the time? Hrmpf. As a big fan of open communication myself, I'm close to developing a stomach ulcer with the amount of false truths being spewed here. (Then again – and yes, that is another, way larger meta I'm currently cooking up – it plays so very perfectly into the whole Jane-Austen-Pride-and-Prejudice tragic miscommunication theme that this entire Season has, so I understand the point of it.)

Very uneventful journey indeed, Aziraphale, except for the fact that you were ambushed by a demon who told you she was Crowley's successor, knows about the rumors of the two of you being an item as well as what went down in 1941 (that almost had both of you exposed) and also seems to have figured out where you and your demon boyfriend are hiding Gabriel, all in the span of about a minute. No strange things at all, nooo!

And Crowley's "Oh yeah, fine" is a total lie too. Again, we see him make an absolute run for it before Aziraphale can even enter the bookshop. After all, he just once again witnessed Jim have a Gabriel-flashback, speaking of the Second Coming, while Crowley was alone with him. As fumingly angry he is with the amnesiac archangel – he's also absolutely terrified of what might happen (to him and Aziraphale) should Jim regain his memories. So, no wonder he's quick to vacate the premises after witnessing Jim's rather eery memory flashback (and was, just like Aziraphale, threatened by Shax mere moments later, lol).

But no, nothing out of the ordinary happened to either of them. Tip-top. Absolutely tickety-fucking-boo.

Alright, let's get back on track with the actual topic of this meta. Certainly hot on the trail of something, hm? At first glance, it might seem like Aziraphale is talking about the fact that Gabriel was in company of someone whenever he went to the Resurrectionist Pub. (The clue!) However, I don't actually think he is talking about that. Why? Because, and this slipped my mind too at first, he never actually follows any of this information up, does he? Yes, sure, he went to Edinburgh, found the capital-c Clue and then returned to London. But what does he do with it? Nothing. He doesn't keep investigating this hot trail because that's not the important thing he realized during his journey. No, the more important clue Aziraphale found during his trip, is that Crowley no longer works for Hell and that he is also very much irrevocably in love with him and must confess this at the earliest given chance. (The latter part isn't necessarily a new discovery for Aziraphale, but it surely is fuelled by the fact that he just realized Crowley's out of a Hellish job and simply hasn't told him yet.)

This exchange just the perfect indicator for the fact that Aziraphale, at no point during his drive back, was thinking about the Maggie and Nina mission. He has no idea what Crowley is talking about once he mentions it and seems surprised, even, that he would. Even though they just talked about it on the phone when Aziraphale was still at the graveyard. Which is another important piece of evidence because it means that the last status update Aziraphale got of Mission Lovebirds, was that Crowley had sensed an opportunity to make them fall in love – and had then hung up on him. Why is this important? Because it means that until that very point of their conversation, Aziraphale did not know that Crowley's attempt had failed! There would have been just as much of a chance of Crowley's weather miracle actually working out and Maggie and Nina already having skipped into the sunset happily ever after.

So, riddle me this:

Why would Aziraphale spend the entire ride back from Edinburgh plotting "a night to remember" (because clearly, he already had the entire Ball planned out down to a T in his head since he goes into action right away after arriving) if he didn't even know yet that Crowley's attempt had failed?

To be very clear here: We're not talking about Aziraphale driving on the M1 to London, having a silly little idea for putting on some good music, miracle-ing Nina and Maggie to dance to it and watch them confess their love–

No.

He planned an entire actual Cotillion Ball with very particular location design that involves re-arranging the entire bookshop, specifically designed individual outfits for (almost) every single attendee, topped off with a live band, hors-d'œuvre, drinks and an actual choreographed group dance.

During one car ride.

Where's the party planner Aziraphale AU? I'm waiting!

Now, sure, we know that it's still quite important for Aziraphale to convince Heaven of the faux-reason they gave for their accidental ✨25-Lazarii miracle✨. But if we're all honest, this all seems to be a tad much just to make two random humans fall in love, even for that.

Glittery ball gowns and suits? Red and gold wall curtains? A modified language filter? Bloody vol-au-vents?

Talk about over the top ...

Once we start S2E5, Crowley is still surprised at the mere fact that Aziraphale is actually planning to organize the Monthly Meeting – and he doesn't even know yet that it's gonna be the most extravagant ball-boogaloo that the Whickber Street Community has ever seen! Aziraphale wanting to organize the meeting alone, is enough to render Crowley incredulous, because Aziraphale never mingles with the other shopkeepers. He usually actively avoids them and any sort of social encounters as much as he can because he doesn't care about the bloody Christmas lights, alright?

These things seem mundane and uninteresting to him, obviously, since all he really cares about is hoarding his book collection in peace like the little hedonist he is and drawing as little attention as possible to his none-business business.

Oh, right, speaking of books:

Let's take another unnecessarily detailed look at the whole Whickber Street invitation scene:

Aziraphale realizes very quickly that he's not the only one who's quite unenthusiastic about the blessed Chritsmas lights. And despite his very persuasive methods of temptation ...

... he has to take some more drastic measurements. And those are?

That's right: Giving away his books.

I'll repeat it again, slowly: Aziraphale is willingly (!) giving away or lending his books to pretty much complete strangers to, allegedly, make two other humans strangers fall in love.

Seriously, who is that angel and what has he done with our prim, fussy, hedonistic Aziraphale that protects his books with the vice grip of an eagle carrying his precious prey?

Believe in the importance of Mission Lovebirds as much as you will, but we're talking about Mr. A.Z. Fell here who, over the past millennia, has pretty much spent every day actively working out methods to stop people from purchasing as much as a single paperback from his holy shelves.

And yet: the 1965 September Dr. Who Annual? Given away. The first edition of Expert at the Card Table that was S. W. Erdnase's personal copy? Lent away to grubby human hands to fondle around with.

Let's do another coloured dialogue diversion (don't worry, it's not as extensive as the last one):

Crowley: "You just did what I think you did?" Aziraphale: "I'm not prepared to talk about it." Crowley: "You gave away a book." Aziraphale: "I had to! Maggie and Nina are depending on me. They just don't know it yet."

Crowley backs up my point: This is a huge deal. Aziraphale does not sell his books – let alone give them away for free. We're all shocked! Flabbergasted!

And the explanation Crowley and us get just ... doesn't satisfy. Something and someone sure is depending on this Ball and doesn't know it yet. But it's most definitely not Maggie and Nina, folks.

You know for whom Aziraphale would give away his books in the blink of an eye, though?

Mhm, that's right.

This pretty old serpent.

I want to take a minute to show you the reaction again that Aziraphale has upon entering the very same magic shop him and Crowley went to in 1941 to acquire the Bullet Catch:

You ... you need a minute there, angel? You're sure looking a little ... affected.

And I mean, well, no wonder. He reminisced about that very memory four hours last night. To him, this shop is where the most turbulent, ecstatic, adrenaline-fuelled and romantic night of his life began. And it shows.

I've made my point in my other meta series about how Aziraphale is an incredibly nostalgic character. He romanticizes so many things in his memories – especially the parts that feature Crowley. So, it doesn't surprise me in the slightest that he's once again willing to loosen the tight grip he has on his book collection to get the successor of Will Goldstone's Magic Shop, the shop that started it all for him, to come to his fancy Ball.

As we watch Aziraphale and his little lap dog demon pat around Soho, I'd like to take another second to point out that he goes to seven or more establishments before he even invites Nina.

... and he only does so because she starts talking to them on the street. Almost like he'd forgotten about it. Why not ask her at the very beginning? To establish whether or not he'd have to book-blackmail her too?

"Perfectly ordinary invitation with no hidden agenda of any kind", except that he's using you and Maggie as a pretence to resolve his own clusterfuck of a relationship-miscommunication Jane-Austen-style so that he can then hopefully confess his undying love to his demon not-boyfriend boyfriend.

Marvellous!

You'll forgive me another short diversion but my God, the whole exchange at the Marguerite's restaurant with Crowley literally cat-call-whistling Aziraphale over to him (and Aziraphale checking if he meant someone else first, I–)? I am weak. So, so weak and

However, this is also when we get a snippet of Crowley finally revealing the truth in place of his "Oh, he's fine"-lie earlier and telling Aziraphale that he's actually pretty scared Jim might turn back into Gabriel and smite him altogether. And Aziraphale's response is, in a cosmic sense, (remember the pink paragraph now) so hilarious:

"Have you thought of just talking to him?"

Yeah, have you? Have any of the two of you? Just thought about talking? To each other? About anything?

'pparently not. But hey, it's all good because remember what the ultimate remedy for star-crossed lovers simply misunderstanding each other is?

Bish, bash, bosh, problem solved!

Back at the ballroom bookshop, Aziraphale sends Crowley to invite Maggie in order to, in my opinion, not spoil the Ball-y surprise for him. (Inviting Maggie only now?! Wouldn't she be one of the only two guests who really should attend? Why the short notice? If she's really that important for the Ball you're planning, hm?)

On top of this, we see Nina almost not attending the Ball meeting after her partner broke up with her and Crowley being the one who coincidentally runs into her and ushers her into the bookshop before Shax and her "legion" of demons start creeping up on them. Again, if this hadn't happened by pure coincidence, Nina would have left to go home and this whole Ball would have taken place without her, rendering the apparent sole purpose of making her fall in love with Maggie useless.

Why doesn't Aziraphale care more for both of them to attend and be there? Why is he instead busy fussing over everything looking perfect and wonderful and doesn't even seem to notice that both Nina and Maggie are really late to the meeting?

Well. Well.

The answer's in the title, babes.

Alas, Crowley safely gets Maggie and Nina to join them, Mr. Brown is the only one who doesn't get a miracled outfit (fussy, petty angel, you just don't like him, do you?), Jimbriel stuns with glamour and flirt (and whatever sexually suggestive thing he does with his cheeks) and the Whickber Street Ball is a-go!

Sorry, I just had to chuck this in again because Crowley's face here absolutely kills me every time. He looks so confused, I am hollering.

And the heart eyes Aziraphale is making at Nina and Maggie now that they're actually here?

Oh, bless it, angel.

He's all like "Oh look, it's working! Jane was right! It's all going to be resolved, all the misunderstanding and quarrels! Crowley, where's Crowley–"

Ah yes, there he is.

Ladies and gentlemen, this is an angel who is not listening to a single word being said right now. No, in his head, Aziraphale is already down on one knee, pouring his heart out to Crowley after they just danced the night away.

Oh, yes, right. The dancing.

Parallel much?

But well, as marvellous and beautifully romantic as her stories tend to be, it turns out that Jane Austen isn't always right after all. Because before we know it, the perfect night shatters into many-a tiny pieces (literally).

And once again, fhwack:

... the rosy bubble bursts.

Let's take one more deep breath so I can make my final point:

In S2E2, Aziraphale explains to us very exactly what Jane's Balls (hrhr) used to be about: Solving miscommunication and confessing love to one another.

During his car journey back from Edinburgh, Aziraphale:

doesn't know Crowley's Mission Lovebirds had failed

remembers 1941 and just how badly he's in love with Crowley

and also realizes that they seem to have been wildly miscommunicating for quite some time now. (Crowley didn't even tell him he basically got let go!)

So, what does maddeningly strong love plus a want to resolve all the miscommunication equal? That's right: A night to remember! A Ball to change it all! A dance, a vol-au-vent, a confession. And, ideally, a happy ever after. Because:

“It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man angel in possession of a good fortune Jane Austen collection, must be in want of a wife demon husband.”

The Ball was never for Nina and Maggie. As a byproduct, maybe, yes. But the whole rest of the glimmer and glamour, the careful, romantic planning and set up of it all, the book-bating the other shopkeepers– that was for Crowley and Crowley only.

And oh, if only it were as easy as in the books.

*whispers* I'm sorry, I had to.

***

Your honour, the tinfoil-hat crackpot defence rests. Feel free to share thoughts (and prayers) if you want to!

Au revoir! 💗

[almea]

"Any big truths we haven't dropped on each other yet?"

[destiel-wings]

I bet there was SO MUCH of dean's reaction that we didn't get to see. because they didn't want us to read it the way it had to be read.

and jensen probably has it in his phone and he's never even said anything because he couldn't didn't want to draw attention from misha's incredible performance and the meaning that the scene had on its own, even without dean reciprocating (because it's still SO IMPORTANT)

[bitterseaproduction]

Angsty Bilbo dying Bagginshield art giving me another story idea~ 😂😭💕

But no, seriously? A play on the popular time travel fix-it, but one where Bilbo dies protecting Thorin during the Battle of Five Armies? And Thorin is inconsolable, I can’t even. And he might pull himself together long enough to stabilize Erebor, but there is No Way he can be a good ruler in his grief, so he has to pass it on. (I was going to say to Dain just to twist that knife a little harder, but actually there are reasons hinted below on why Fíli & Kíli must have lived.) And Thorin just… he wanders, probably. A shell of himself for the rest of his days.

And yet, when he inevitably passes away, he awakens on the road to the Shire. And he’s younger. And he’s so confused, quickly suspecting he must be dead and this is nothing like what he was taught to expect. But then his instant impulse to check Bag End has him walking in on that same meeting from so many years ago, his Company intact, the wizard smiling at him, introducing him to… to…

Bilbo. His Bilbo. The sight of him makes Thorin want to weep and hold him and never let go again, but he is instantly terrified to do anything, because is this a dream? Will he wake? What happens if he says something new, will ‘this’ be ruined somehow? He doesn’t want that, doesn’t want to change anything, save for the end. The very end.

But, even as he strives to mimic himself, he knows something is wrong. He’s off-script from the start purely due to his shock, but he tries to recover, get back on track, and within words, he’s managed it. The discussion is righting itself, and no one there could possibly know the difference, right?

And yet, Bilbo stares at him. From the instant Thorin walked in, Bilbo was staring, looking lost. As he had before, that first time, but it wasn’t the same. Bilbo had been confused then as well, but it had been a light, anxious uncertainty then. This time? He was frowning, his expression tense.

His eyes haunted.

Because Bilbo has also lived that night before. Just once as far as that night was concerned, but it was familiar to him. So familiar. That first night had haunted him for decades, to the very end of his long, long life, when he thought he might know rest, and perhaps — if he was truly as lucky as some once claimed — he might get to see his friends again. See Thorin again.

Instead he had slept, drifted away, and awoken to a battle about to start.

And he had questioned it, had stumbled that first time, but he adjusted. He tried to save Thorin. To save them all.

And he failed. Again.

Then, when he finally slept for the first time afterwards, he awoke to the battle starting again.

And again.

And he tried, over and over, day after the same horrid day to find a way to get through. And sometimes Thorin lived. Sometimes the princes did. Sometimes, new people died. The wrong people.

Once, in his darkest moments, he thought that perhaps someone was trying to teach him humility, teach him to accept fate as it was and not try to fight it, not change anything. And so he went through the motions as well as he could remember them after all those years, following them to the letter, save for when he sobbed all the harder when it was done.

He sobbed again, the relief bone-deep, when he awoke again the next day, the battle still awaiting him.

He lost count of his attempts, and no one could rightly vouch for his state of mind when he finally resorted to the one thing he had refused to try: Not since that fourth (or fifth?) time, when he managed to be there for the fight and threw himself in Azog’s way, but Thorin pulled him out of the way, and screamed at him with such outrage and fear and despair in the few beats he bought by pushing Azog over, that Bilbo never attempted it again.

Until that final day. And that time, Bilbo didn’t give Thorin a chance to stop him.

And it broke a heart Bilbo thought long since shattered to hear Thorin scream, to feel him pick him up and hold him close and hear his voice like that. But the words faded soon enough, and he couldn’t feel anything, nothing except for regret and acceptance, because this was different. He felt it. This time, he would not awaken again, and that was fine. He had saved his king, kept all of his dwarves safe that last time. If that was to be the last, then that was all he could ask for. It was alright. He could sleep.

Then he woke up.

Not outside Erebor, but inside a hole. His hole. Bag End.

He walked outside, stood in the sun, and watched a wizard walk up the road to his door.

He did not understand.

[silver-ink-iron-words]

“ – and then, you see, they both hold the scale, and say – ”

“How’s it going, boss?” the henchman said, ambling into the interrogation room.

The hero sat tied to a chair, just as planned. The villain hunched across from them, head down, elbows on their knees.

“The truth potion works,” the villain said.

“That’s great, boss!”

“It would be. If ‘sharing all their secrets’ didn’t mean all.” The villain jerked their head up, glaring at the hero. “It’s been hours and we still haven’t gotten to the good stuff! [Hero]’s just been rambling about how Dragon Tales is a – what was that word you used again?”

“It’s an isekai!” the hero exclaimed.

The villain’s frown deepened. “And that’s a secret?”

“This info’s highly secret,” the hero said.  “In the wrong hands, it could destroy the light novel industry.”

The villain put their face in their hands. “What the fuck are you even talking about?”

“You can’t ask them anything more specific?” the henchman asked.

“I tried, but it never works,” the villain said. “Instead they just reveal some other secret that isn’t worth anything. Here, watch. [Hero], what are your agency’s security passcodes?”

“I have no spatial intelligence,” the hero said. “I’m banned from loading dishwashers in three states.”

The villain groaned.

“Hold on, I might have something for that,” the henchman said.

They went over to their worktable in the corner, and tinkered a bit with the potion, adjusting the ingredient levels. Then they returned, and stood in front of the hero.

“Will you drink this please?” they said softly.

The hero gulped. “Do I have to?”

“If you don’t, [Villain] will make you. And I don’t think I have to tell you that they’re in a pretty bad mood right now.”

Reluctantly, the hero drank.

The henchman returned to their boss’s side. “Okay. Try asking them something again.”

The villain returned their attention to the hero. “[Hero], what is your biggest secret?”

The hero bit their lip in an effort to keep their mouth shut.

“Oh?” The villain leaned forward with a renewed interest.

The hero shook their head rapidly, eyes afraid. The veins in their forehead stood out.

“You don’t need to hold it in, [Hero],” the villain said, smiling. “Whatever it is, you should just get it off your chest.”

The hero was changing colors from the strain. Eventually, their mouth flew open like a waterspout.

“I have a crush on [Henchman]!”

“What?” the villain and henchman cried in unison.

Once the floodgates were open, the hero couldn’t stop.

“They’re just so strong, and dependable. And they’re always so gentle. Have you noticed that? Sure, they’re rough sometimes, but only when they have to be. I have this recurring dream where [Henchman] and I are fighting, and then they pin me to the wall with their big, powerful arms, and then – ”

“Okay!” the villain yelled, bursting up. They began rushing towards the door with a beet-red henchman in tow. “We’re taking a break. We’re going to let that wear off, and then reconvene. Jesus.”

The hero had never been more grateful for a break in their life.  

[cafe-smut]

Yall I just speedran Mairimashita Iruma-Kun anime (season 3 cause I'd already seen the first 2) and now I'm at like, chapter 225 of the online Manga. And I just realized. (Minor spoilers)

Iruma says that Azz is his soul mate and is also clearly down with Clara ALSO being on of said soul mates. But both Asmodeus and Clara are in complete agreement that they are his only soul mates. But with the literal lecture that the class gets afterwards, it's clear that the somatic thing is almost equated to being best friends or the like. And Iruma goes along with this, making it seem like he ALSO doesn't understand the implications of that. However, I think he does. And here's why.

This is the panel where he says it, hunched up into himself, like he's nervous and/or embarrassed. But here's the panel right before that.

He's BLUSHING. And from reading this Manga, I've noticed that Iruma's faceless moments are key scenes and when they're trying to hide Iruma's true expression for later reveal. But my main evidence that Iruma knows EXACTLY what soulmate means and is scrambling for an explanation when Asmodeus doesn't is the panel that comes directly AFTER the confession/admittance.

He's SO EMBARASSED and boy is SWEATING. He did not anticipate this and heaven's knows that we know he's impulsive. This was probably partly a spur the moment choice after their date (which neither of them seems to realize was indeed a date).

(Also the fact that Clara seems to be partially aware of their dynamic with the fact that she called them the Love Trio which is what I believe cause Iruma to have the realization that he loves them in this way but that's a whole other post. Shes probably the most emotionally mature of them all and i get the feeling this will be a reoccuring theme in their relationship.)

[teambyler]

Mike, Will, and the Only Lie They've Kept

As early as the first episode, the show makes clear that Mike and Will are the only friends who NEVER lie to each other. “Friends don’t lie.” In the first few minutes, Will tells Mike the truth about rolling a 7. In s2, Will is completely open with Mike about his visions, and Mike makes clear in words and deeds how much Will means to him:

Dustin and Lucas lied to Mike about the roll being a 7. El lied to the group, screwed with the compass, and led them away from the gate. Dustin hid Dart from the group. The series establishes that Will and Mike are the most honest characters in the party. Will usually only feels he can open up to Mike. Mike, meanwhile, more than anyone values honesty, and it's key to his leader role in the party. He enforces the party code, and he never lies on important things among them.

So isn't it strange that he starts lying to El in s3, and his entire arc in s4 is his difficulty “being honest” with El to say he loves her? Isn't that strange? And isn't it strange in s4 that Will is dropping truth bombs to Mike and El, telling them to stop lying and to be open about their feelings, but then to his BEST FRIEND, he lies for the first time about the painting?

Isn't that a lie that will come to light between these closest of friends? And isn't Mike lying about something, too, by not hugging his BEST FRIEND after months apart?

These two are honest with each other in a way they aren't with anyone else. Aren't they nurturing their ONLY LIE to each other?

And hasn't the show used s4 to reestablish that they ARE best friends again, who "don't lie" to each other?

Isn’t everything pointing toward Byler at this point?

-teambyler

[worstloki]

People make truth potions soooo serious. Personally if a friend said ‘I like you’ or ‘I love you’ it would be considered something sweet since they cannot lie and didn’t say ‘I hate you’. Not a confession of romantic love that the world must now be staked on as it is acted out

[themanwhomadeamonster]

"O, how I have seen the Dragon's Dogma Unbound by time, all-binding grand design; Land and skies, and seas yearn: Finish the cycle of Eternal Return"

becoming

"Make my choice, I finally see that I'm finally free; See me, hear me, Take my hand, I will follow you if you will follow me, I'm not alone Here"

[shygirl4991]

Azure Potion Chapter 2 Let me In

Summary: When SMG3 accidentally drinks a truth potion he ends up confessing his crush on SMG4 to Mario and Meggy. Sworn to secrecy the pair come up with a plan to find out Fours feelings and get the boys together. 

Fic inspired by Indigo Secret by @lizaluvsthis Later Chapter Next Chapter Tags: fluff, humor, truth potion, love confessions, secret crush, first kiss, coffee and bombs!

The moment SMG3 landed on the showgrounds he bolted to his cafe, locking it and making sure it was sealed before dashing to his room. Meggy sighs watching him “I should have the extra pages on me still, maybe one of them has a cure.” she starts looking at the pages, Mario sighs not understanding why Three doesn't just confess already. Meggy was so focused on reading the pages that she doesn't notice SMG4 was stepping out of the castle, Mario turns, sees Four and panics, shaking Meggy “Mario im trying to read!” She turns to glare at the plumber only to notice a nervous expression.  “SMG4 hello!!” he waves exaggeratedly to keep the man's eyes on him while Meggy shoves the pages into her pockets.  

SMG4 smiles at them “Hey, how was the dark web you guys got everything?” He looks around trying to find his partner.  Meggy lets out a nervous chuckle “It went amazing right Red?” Mario started to sweat as he gave a thumbs up “Pingas!” Meggy sighs as she turns to face SMG4.  Feeling something was off he looked Meggy and Mario up and down “You guys sure nothing went wrong? Usually when SMG3 gets things for a  bomb he would kidnap me to show me how they work, how the castle is still standing is a miracle.” 

Meggy nods “He said something about Eggdog needing a bath!” Hearing this SMG4 relaxed, pleased to know his friends were okay he waved goodbye and returned to his castle to finish editing his videos. Mario cheered that the pair managed to avoid getting caught in their lie, Meggy on the other hand turned looking at three’s coffee n bomb concerned.

SMG3 sits on his bed frustrated, he knows the dark web like the back of his hand and yet here he is cursed with a truth potion for a whole week. Eggdog snuggles up to his father sensing how upset he is, Three looks down giving his son a small smile “Thanks Eggdog, today just isn't my day now those two idiots know about..UGH!” he throws himself on the bed blushing. They know he is in love with his long time rival, what is he supposed to do for a whole week. Keeping closed would lose him money, he can't open because if one right question is asked the truth will be free.  He hears his phone ding, taking it out he sees its a text from SMG4.

His heart flutters as he unlocks the phone and see the message “Hey talked to M&M happy to know things went smooth, can't wait to see those bombs your making”

He chuckles softly at the text picturing the other man's face while reading it, and it seems the idiots manage to keep SMG4 from suspecting anything. He starts typing away “Just you wait this bomb is going to blow your mind with its power!” After hitting send he gets up and sighs. He just needs to stay away for a whole week. How hard could that be? 

A knock on the door caught his attention, peeking he saw Meggy waving at him “Three i have a few pages maybe one can help!” hearing this he ran and opened the door for her and Mario. Once they were in he blocks and seals the door again, Meggy takes everything out of her pocket.  SMG3 walks to the counter for Meggy to go over the pages, Mario on the other hand gets distracted seeing the glowing blue flower. SMG3 frowns looking at the other pages “Love potion, red string potion, ew a frog potion geez what a fairy tale. Squid none of these sound like they will help with the whole I CAN ONLY SPEAK THE TRUTH!”

Mario shrugs “Mario doesnt get why you don't just tell SMG4, you both are super gay for each other!”

SMG3 lets out a bitter chuckle “Right, hey SMG4 I know we just became friends but turns out i have a crush on you. That's how you ruin friendships idiot plus we all know he is married to his youtube channel, nothing can or will happen.” Meggy nods thinking to herself, how did SMG4 feel about Three. The pair were always together these days, naturally they would hold hands without there being any danger. She swears that Four spends more time at the cafe than anyone else in the crew, she remembers in the past how SMG4 would tell her how he hated coffee. That's when SMG3 joined the crew and offered for the first time a cup, Four drinked it with a smile and suddenly he became a coffee drinker.

Maybe there was something there, she looks at the pages and decides to ask something risky “What if we ask SMG4 for help?” Three’s eyes go wide from that “WHAT NO! That idiot finds out he will have all the ammo on me!” Meggy crosses her arms staring at the man “You really think SMG4 is that kind of person?” SMG3 stays silent looking down, suddenly he opens the door kicking Meggy and Mario out “I’ll figure this out on my own!” He slams the door and goes to the back room. He sighs sliding down the wall, now sitting on the floor he thinks of Meggy's words. It was risky, if SMG4 is still that person from before, how can he be so sure his secret won't leak cause Four will say something stupid. 

Meggy glares at the cafe before picking up the papers, she looks around noticing the flower she had was missing. Deciding it wasn't important at the moment she put the papers in her pocket, she turns to the castle and walks to it “Come on Red we need to tell Four that Three is in trouble!” SMG4 sat there staring at the pair as they explained everything to him, silently he gets up and dashes out of the castle surprising the pair. Four was worried he knows how important privacy is for the man, being an open book is asking for trouble. He takes out his copy of the cafe keys and goes in,  knowing that Three wouldn't want to see his face he would be hiding in the back room. He walks over to the wall and  sits on the other side saying “Hey Three…are you okay i felt something off.” 

SMG3 hugs himself, feeling the truth bubble its way out little by little. “No, today has been a shit show and I don't want you here.” SMG4 hums thinking of a way to get him to talk which was tricky knowing about the potion. He wanted to ask something that SMG3 would tell him out of free will, he smiled to himself as he stretched his hand so it could be seen by Three “I get your upset..but don't freeze me out…please let me in.” Three looks at the man’s hand and looks away “I’m sorry…it's best if you leave me alone this week, get it? I DON'T WANT TO SEE YOUR FACE!”  SMG4 gets up and places his hand on the wall “SMG3 please, i hate feeling you in pain..i wont judge or hurt you arent we partners?” Three slowly turns to the wall placing his own hand on it, he slightly smiles as he feels the meme energy from the other side.

“I cant…it will ruin everything, so get out of here…baka,” with that he walks into the elevator hoping that Four wouldn't follow him. Four stands there thinking how he could gain Three’s trust, he walks out of the cafe and notices Mario smirking at him. The look sent a chill down his spine “uh Mario why are you looking at me like that?”

Mario hands him a bottle with a strange blue liquid “Is that the…potion?” he looks up to see a mischievous grin grow on his face. Mario’s plan was simple: if both men were under the truth potion then they have no choice but to finally admit how gay they are for each other. Slowly four reach and take the bottle “How..did you get this?” Mario takes out the recipe with a flower missing petals “Mario is very good at cooking!” The choice was now in SMG4 hand, if they both are under the potion  he could understand Three and help him last the week or come up with a plan for them to hunt for a cure. Then again Mario made this, can he really trust this wouldn't kill him or do something worse. As he stares at the potion he remembers the pain he felt from SMG3, closing his eyes he chugs the drink. 

[peachsayshi]

I’m thinking about the soft expression on gojo’s face when he tells you that he loves you for the first time. his words are so sincerely sweet, stated with so much consideration that you can’t help but wonder if it’s something that he rarely says to others. 

what does it take to get the strongest to admit that he cherishes you this deeply? to confess that he’s vulnerable around you? to acknowledge that his feelings for you will sway his decisions over everything else? 

[chronicowboy]

all that we intend is scrawled in sand (and slips right through our hands) | 7k

"Buck," he tries, his voice nothing more than a breathy groan. Several of his ribs are definitely broken, something might be pinning his left hand too, but he doesn't care about the agony on every inhale when Buck is laying still and motionless and just out of reach. "Buck," he tries again, this time a wheezed out sound. "Buck."

Eddie reaches out blindly with his right hand, fingers scrabbling over sharp debris and choking dust. Eddie reaches out desperately, gritting his teeth through the pain because the only thing worse than dying alone is living long enough to watch Buck die again. Eddie reaches out with all his strength, fingertips just barely brushing Buck's turnout coat.

"Buck," he chokes out again. "Buck!" A little louder this time, broken off at the end when the concrete shifts on top of him. "Buck!"

Tick tock, tick tock, tick tock, tick tock, tick—

A shift. A pained moan. A huffed breath.

"Eddie?" Buck slurs. Eddie drops his head back against the stone and laughs in relief despite the pain it causes him, tears springing to his eyes.

"Yeah, Buck. I'm here," he grits out. Buck rolls onto his back, and Eddie grimaces at the movement. "Careful. Slow, Buck. We fell."

"Shit." Buck scrambles upright, heavy breathing blending with the ticking clock, a click and the space is illuminated with a sharp shaft of light. Buck swings the flashlight around until it lands on Eddie who turns away from it with a wince. "Shit, Eddie," Buck breathes out. Eddie squints up at him just in time to see the blinding fear seep into Buck's expression.

"Buck, look at me," he pleads, already seeing the way Buck's mind begins to tick over in time with the clock trapped inside Eddie's chest. His frantic eyes land back on Eddie's face, mouth twisted into something ugly that Eddie would still kiss if given the chance. "I can't reach my radio. So, you need to see if Bobby can hear us before you try anything, okay?"

"Radios," Buck murmurs to himself. "Yeah, yeah, okay." He fumbles around his turnouts until his hand lands on the radio strapped to his chest and he holds the button down. "Bobby, do you copy?"

Tick tock, tick tock, tick tock, tick—

"Buck?" Bobby's voice has them both breathing deeply. Buck smiles down at him, and Eddie smiles right back, wondering if its too late for him to ever taste the sunshine of that grin. "I saw you and Eddie fall. You guys okay?"

"I..." Buck's eyes drift down from Eddie's face to his chest hidden under the concrete. "I'm okay, but Eddie's pinned by a chunk of the bridge. Its settled on his chest. He's responsive, but his breathing doesn't sound good."

"Okay." Bobby is silent for a moment, and Eddie listens to the steady tick tock of time. "Can you put him on the radio?"

"Yeah." Buck unclips it from his lapel and holds it to Eddie's cheek.

"Hey, Cap," Eddie manages to get out before a cough rips through him.

"Good to hear your voice, Eddie," Bobby replies. "How you feeling?"

"Oh, swell," Eddie sighs. "Frank suggested I try pressure therapy a while ago." For a solitary moment, Buck's quiet chuckle is all he can hear. "This is way better than a weighted blanket."

(OR: buck and eddie get trapped together, time is running out, and eddie doesn't want to die alone)

[cleradin-archive]

mike wheeler ft. what the hell was he about to say???

[pinacoladamatata]

All Solas knows how to do is edge 🙄

[chaiaurchaandni]

really important!!!

after killing 40 Palestinian journalists (+ many journalists who survived but their entire families were killed because their HOMES were targeted), zionists are now spreading dangerous propaganda linking journalists to hamas to

minimize their credibility

refuse to hold any accountability for killing them and

manufacture consent for further targeted killings of even more journalists

it is important to remember how heavily surveilled Gaza is and how israel knows where every single person lives. this is why many journalists have been martyred, not in the field while reporting, but in their homes, as they went home to see their families and get some rest. furthermore, if you follow motaz azaiza closely, you'll know that recently he has also had some close calls with israeli airstrikes, suggesting that israel is indeed targeting active Palestinian journalists, especially those who report in english or have a lot of reach in the west.

please do not fall for israeli propaganda and convince yourselves that israel is justified in murdering innocent Palestinians who only seek to show the world a small glimpse of the hell they live through everyday. call out this propaganda everywhere you see it, and spread awareness about this being a propaganda tactic. by israel's own logic, if journalists happen to record an armed group as they carry out an operation, then journalists from cnn who have embedded themselves with the idf, are also legitimate targets.

and as much as i hate a lot of these american journalists for their complicit reporting in the genocide of Palestinians, i think they deserve to be prosecuted in a free and fair court of law, not to be blown to bits for it. however, for israel, ALL palestinians must be killed to ensure the security of the zionist entity. even the existence of a single Palestinian is proof that israel is an illegitmate settler-colonial state that ethnically cleansed the indigenous population.