#and we know martin has being lying from the start

[coco-loco-nut]

Daddy’s Girl

pairing: Daniel x Stroll Reader

summary: you start dating the one driver your brother hates more than anyone

a/n: thanks for the request!!

requests open masterlist

——————

“Lancie, you can’t just leave me here!” you pout at your older brother.

“Sorry, I have to go. Go be a pain in the ass somewhere else, you brat,” Lance replies as a sibling tends to do. You huff and walk towards where you assume Aston Martin is, but you end up lost a minute later.

“Are you lost?” an Australian man says behind you. You quickly turn about-face, looking at what might be the most handsome man you’ve ever seen.

“A little, yeah,” you blush, quickly looking down so you aren’t just staring at him.

“I’m Daniel, where is a beautiful girl like you going?” He asks, hoping you’ll look at him again with your beautiful eyes.

“Aston Martin, my name is Y/n,” you introduce yourself, extending your hand for him to shake it, purely on reflex. Daniel takes your hand in his and doesn’t let go.

“You’re in luck, I’m going to my garage right beside it. Might as well give you the tour while we’re at it,” he says and that’s when it clicks. This is Daniel Ricciardo, the guy who your brother really doesn’t like. Shit. The two of you chat and laugh as he shows you around.

“Thanks for the tour,” you blush a little as you stand outside VCARB and Aston Martin, not really wanting to let his hand go. He doesn’t either, your hand fits perfectly in his. Daniel knows exactly who you are, he’s been crushing on you for a few months since he saw a photo Lance posted of you.

“Can I take you out for dinner or coffee sometime?” he asks, a little hopeful you’d agree since he was still holding your hand. You quickly agree, typing your number into his phone.

“Text me,” you smile, heading into the familiar green space.

“There you are, sweetheart, I was getting worried!” your dad says, walking to you.

“Sorry Daddy, I was exploring,” you aren’t technically lying as you hug your father.

“That’s okay, just let me know where you are next time, okay?” he asks. relieved you aren’t hurt. You are his baby girl after all.

“I promise. Lance just had to leave and I didn’t know where I was,” you admit.

“He should know better, I’ll talk to him later. Do you want tea? Coffee? Breakfast? Did you eat?” Lawrence starts to fuss over you. You can’t lie to yourself, you enjoy that your dad spoils you, to him you can do no wrong, even if he has a no boys until you are 25 policy.

Over the next few months you accompany your brother to his races, under the guise that you really enjoyed going the first time. You’ve been secretly seeing Daniel, your now boyfriend. It’s thrilling, rebelling against your dad.

“Danny,” you grin, jumping into his arms in the small alley between the two motorhomes.

“Hi baby,” he hugs you tight, pressing a kiss to your lips.

“I missed you,” you breathe in his scent.

“It’s only been a few hours, baby. You should be wearing my team shirt, you’d look so hot,” he smirks and you jokingly hit his arm.

“Don’t say that in front of my father, he’ll have an aneurysm,” you laugh, Daniel watches happily as your face scrunches with the laugh.

“Noted,” he is just content to be holding you in his arms.

“Speaking of, I want you to properly meet my dad and Lance,” you say a little shyly. You know how fast gossip travels around the paddock now, and you don’t want to be exposed before you have a chance to tell your family.

“Anything for you, Y/n, as long as you are ready for it,” Daniel kisses your head.

“Thank you for agreeing, I just don’t it to get out before we tell our friends and families. They deserve better than that,” you admit, Daniel’s heart swells. You have a reputation for being a spoiled daddy’s girl from people who don’t know you, but he knows you and how kind you are.

“Just let me know when and where,” he promises, knowing that your family is everything to you. He can ignore his rocky relationship with Lance, he just hopes Lance can. You chat and make out for a few more minutes before parting.

“Daddy, is it okay if I invite a friend to dinner with us tonight?” you ask, giving your dad the look he can never say no to.

“Of course sweetheart, I’ll add an extra spot to our reservation,” Lawrence is curious about who you are inviting, but he doesn’t push it. You grin, texting Daniel the details. You pick Daniel up in your custom DB12, he takes a second to appreciate the car. It’s racing green exterior and tan interior with black detailing. Daniel isn’t sure why he didn’t expect you to drive it, but he also feels like it perfectly fits you.

“Have you pushed this baby to her limits?” Daniel asks with his cheeky smile.

“I may not be a race driver, but I do know how to properly appreciate all she can do,” you grin, neither confirming or denying.

“That’s my girl. Anything I should know?” He asks and you properly look at his outfit, navy dress pants paired with a white dress shirt that has the top couple buttons undone and navy suit jacket.

“Just that you look handsome, and to be yourself. I like you for who you are, that should be enough for them,” you tell him, so close to saying that you love him. Daniel’s hand rests on your leg as you drive, the hum of the engine filling any lulls in conversation. You enter the private dining room a couple steps ahead of Daniel so you can properly introduce him, your Dad and Lance stand up.

“Daddy, Lancie, I’d like you to properly meet my boyfriend, Daniel,” Daniel walks in behind you, immediately going to your father to shake his hand first, then Lance, then pulling out your seat for you. He takes a seat beside you, you hold his hand under the table, giving it a squeeze.

“Your boyfriend?” Lance asks, visibly hurt. He had told you that he didn’t like Daniel, and he wishes you had told you.

“I really like him, Lance. He treats me like a princess and makes me happy,” your eyes plead with your brother as he stands up.

“Sorry, I just need a second,” Lance tells your father and steps into the hallway.

“He makes you happy?” Lawrence asks you, trying to ease your distressed look. You just nod. “I’m not thrilled, but if he makes you happy, that’s what matters,” your dad says and you feel Daniel squeeze your hand, and you look at him. Daniel nods, as if he’s reading your mind.

“I’ll be right back, Daddy, I need to talk to Lance,” your voice is a little shaky as you join your brother in the hallway. You can hear your dad interrogating Daniel.

“Lancie?” You ask softly, your brother facing away from you.

“Y/n, please, I just need a minute,” you can hear the strain in his voice, but something keeps you from backing down.

“I’m really sorry, I wanted you to know in case it got leaked by someone, you and Dad are one of the first to know,” you say, hoping it helps.

“You should’ve told me before you ever even went on a date with him. You know I don’t like him,” Lance turns to you, clearly upset.

“Lance-”

“I’m going home, tell Dad please,” Lance huffs, mad at you and you feel a pit in your stomach.

“Lance, please,” you fight with every fiber of your being not to cry.

“I’m not mad at you, I promise. I just need to be alone and process it,” Lance hugs you, and while you are sure he’s lying about not being mad, it does help. Truthfully, he’s mad at Daniel. To Lance, he is using you to get back at you. You take a second before entering the dining room again.

“Lance is going home, he said he needed to be alone,” you sit at your seat, Daniel’s hands immediately finding yours.

“Daniel seems like a good guy, even if he is too old for you. I will allow it, but if you hurt her you will never find yourself in a race again,” Lawrence threatens, and you know he isn’t bluffing.

“Yes, sir. Your daughter is perfect in every way, I would never dream of hurting her,” Daniel replies, looking at you, eyes full of admiration, a look that you easily return. Lawrence silently notes to look into Daniel’s Red Bull contract.

“I’ll talk to Lance, you know he likes to over react,” Lawrence says, signaling for the waiter to take your order.

It takes a couple weeks for Lance to start talking to you again, and after a few months of watching you and Daniel together, he lets the negative feelings go. By a year later, they are like brothers, and you think that Lance and Lawrence like Daniel better than you. Especially since Lawrence gifted Daniel a similar version of your car.

“Y/n, what would’ve happened if your dad and Lance both never came around,” Daniel asks one afternoon as you lounge beside the pool, his arm wrapped around you.

“Probably would’ve dumped you. I couldn’t hide and lie from Daddy for too long, too much of a Daddy’s girl for that,” you smile with a small shrug. Daniel sits up a little, you look up at him.

“Yes you are,”

“DANIEL!”

[forgetyoursingalongsandlullabies]

I’m kind of obsessed with the Jonmartin timeline and how Jon slowly fell in love with Martin, mostly off tape over seasons 2 and 3. I wrote a little bit of an essay trying to pinpoint the shifts and moments when we can tell something has changed. I love fanfics but I am just so interested in trying to figure out what happened in canon as close as possible. Of course this does involve speculation of emotions that we have no way of actually knowing because Jon Sims does not talk about his feelings.

Anyway it’s long-ish.

Jon fell in love with Martin over season 2 but didn’t start to realize it until late season 3 just before The Unknowing.

Martin starts the show with a crush on Jon. In MAG 22 when Martin makes his statement about the worms Jon feels guilty over how all of the pressure he’s put Martin under drives him to put himself in danger and he has Martin move into the archives to protect him which may be the first caring gesture he has made towards Martin but it’s a big one. Martin, who had a decent size crush on Jon beforehand, is blown away by this and his crush becomes a real big one.

Jon tries to continue being hard on Martin but he does noticeably soften towards him. His criticisms are half-hearted.

During Jane Prentice’s attack when Martin and Jon are in document storage Martin calls Jon out and properly snaps at him for dismissing the supernatural and Jon actually sees Martin in this moment for the first time. Martin had never talked back to him in such a way and Jon can now see him as not just his assistant who makes a lot of mistakes but as an equal who might know better than him in some aspects. They have their heart to heart and Jon is able to be honest for the first time since taking this job. He admits he’s scared and it’s okay, well it’s not okay because Jane Prentice might be moments away from killing them, but Martin doesn’t think any less of him. And then Jon asks if Martin is a ghost and he’s wrong and it was stupid but Martin makes fun of him in a way that doesn’t hurt and Jon isn’t used to that. And Martin, seeing this open and fragile and slightly dumb part of Jon, starts falling in love.

After Martin finds Gertrude’s body Jon is one track minded and focused on finding out what happened. Martin, giving his statement about the tunnels, is in tears not because he found a body and was scared, but because he accidentally left Jon. Jon was too distracted with finding answers at the moment but he heard it and absorbed it over time.

Season 2 Jon is full of nothing but paranoia and is unwilling to trust anyone but it’s his obsessive observations that lead him to getting to know Martin enough to love him. When Jon tries to come back from leave early Martin forces Jon to go home and rest more. Jon wonders what Martin is hiding but reasons that, no Martin is actually concerned about his health. Jon thinks Martin gave him a fake jar of ashes to calm him down, he doesn’t seem to think this gesture is part of a conspiracy, he genuinely thinks of this gesture as Martin lying to him to make him feel better. Jon notes that Martin has been very attentive to his needs and recovery and that he is interested to hear Jon’s theories about Gertrude. He remarks that he has observed Martin’s competence and cunning. Of course Jon is ridiculously paranoid and interprets this attention as some kind of plot against him to slow down his investigation and sees these positive attributes of Martin as reasons to see him as a threat, but again, Jon is absorbing it all. The lines in Jon’s supplementals about Martin’s attention to him implies that they’re spending a lot of time together off tape, at least more than they ever used to, probably at Martin’s insistence and Jon accepting this time by justifying to himself that he needs to watch Martin.

In MAG 53 Jon mentions that Martin hovers near him when he goes to the canteen and Martin says it’s because he’s concerned (based on Jon’s lie about how he got the cut from Michael). Martin offers to pick up a sandwich from the cafe and bring it back for Jon. He doesn’t ask Jon to come with him and Jon acts like he’s annoyed to be around Martin when he sits with him in the canteen, but Jon decides, No instead of me refusing the gesture for food or saying yes please pick up that sandwich for me, he says “I’ll come with” making another decision to spend time with Martin when he doesn’t have to. Maybe Jon tries to justify this to himself again by saying he’s keeping an eye on Martin but Jon has made no efforts to go spend extra time with Tim, who was an equal suspect, even before Tim was mad at Jon. (And may I add, if Jon tried this tactic with Tim, going out to lunch, watching him by spending time with him etc. maybe Tim wouldn’t have ended up being so angry with Jon.) But Jon is definitely making the effort to spend time with Martin when it frankly has nothing to do with his investigation no matter how he tries to spin it.

In MAG 56 when Jon makes Martin tell him what he’s been hiding and he finds out Martin had lied on his CV he is so relieved that he is giddy. He is smiling, laughing and stuttering. To Jon’s ‘rational’ mind this doesn’t fully clear Martin of suspicion but emotionally this really seems to be a weight off of his shoulders. On a subconscious level he can start to allow the time they’ve spent together to mean something other than just spying.

Meanwhile Martin can see what a hard time Jon is having and he can see him spinning out of control with paranoia and Martin tries really hard to defend him, maybe not the best thing, we know Martin is a bit of an enabler for Jon, but for Jon’s emotional arc of falling in love with Martin it is important that Jon hears Martin defending him to Tim in MAG 58. Martin never stops calling Jon out on his shit like when he tells Jon that he needs to talk to Tim and that Tim isn’t wrong but nowadays it feels like everyone is constantly calling Jon out, not that he doesn’t deserve it, but when Martin calls him out it’s still clear that he cares, whereas anyone else talking to Jon just seems to speak to him with malice.

At the beginning of season 3 Jon is hiding out and staying at Georgie’s place. We know from Season 4 MAG 149 that Jon used to go on about Martin to Georgie “a lot”. Georgie got the full story about The Archives in MAG 93 and Jon decides to move out of Georgie’s place in MAG 99 when he was then kidnapped by The Circus. There’s usually a week of time that passes between episodes unless otherwise implied and 93 and 94 take place over the same conversation on the same day so I’ll assume 5 weeks in which Jon was going on about Martin a lot with full context. He probably talked about him before then too only more cryptically. Importantly though in the Season 4 Q&A Alex asks, Who knew that Jon liked Martin first, Jon or Martin? And Jonny said “Georgie” so even though Jon didn’t know it yet, he was obviously smitten (at least obvious to Georgie who has dated Jon and recognizes signs of affection and romance in him more than anyone else would).

When Jon talks to Martin in MAG 102 there is a very slight almost imperceptible sweetness in Jon’s voice that we’ve never heard before. The way he assures Martin that it’s ok that he didn’t know he was kidnapped. There is a lot of awkwardness and frankly a lot of heavy breathing from both of them for probably just standing there. Their casual talk about the overall institute and Hannah who is having her baby and had that thing with the milk in the break room last year, Jon doesn’t know who she is but Martin knows that Jon knows her probably because they had been around her together since they spent so much time together last year but Jon was too paranoid and she had nothing to do with the plot, it’s just a very normal and domestic moment. Jon tells Martin he knows he’s been reading statements and Martin is just worried Jon will be jealous that he’s taking some of his job but instead Jon is just concerned for him. It’s different and they both know it’s different and they can both feel the conversation is charged with something but they don’t know what. “It’s not too late. Unless the world ends” means a lot in this conversation, yes it does literally mean it’s not too late for them to talk and continue whatever friendship they were stumbling towards in season 2. It’s not too late for them to pick up this weird, oddly charged and tender conversation that may be leading somewhere else. It’s also foreshadowing that it sort of is too late because their world will end when Jon effectively dies stopping the Unknowing.

By MAG 114 Jon says that he has listened to all of the tapes and has therefore heard the gossip about he and Martin. I think something clicked in his brain when he heard that Martin has a crush on him. He probably never considered that idea because things like romance are never on the forefront of his mind especially when he is in active danger, which he has been for the last 2 years, and even more so he wouldn’t expect someone to have feelings for him in general. Being conscious of the notion that Martin has feelings for him lead him to consider all of the strange feelings he’s been having about Martin over the last year and a half in a way that he might not have gotten to on his own until much later. It’s all part of the plan that Jon suggests Martin stay back at the Institute in front of Elias but Jon is genuinely relieved that Martin will be safer there.

In MAG 117 Jon talks about Daisy and Basira’s bond and how he’s been having to do everything by himself. He’s envious of their bond and we can tell he’s been thinking about how things could be if he had someone (Martin) by his side. I don’t think this part of his testament would have played out this way had he not been thinking a lot since he heard the tape. When he addresses the “office gossip” he is flustered. Possibly embarrassed that Georgie, who he trusts, was giving out this personal information to Melanie but I actually think he’s used to that specific type of gossip about him and I think that the nervous stutter and searching for words comes from trying to address the other part of the gossip, which he is still trying to wrap his head around.

It isn’t confirmed but I do think that Jon listened to everyone’s testimony before leaving and he heard Martin’s “I need him to be ok”. Later in MAG 139 Jon says “I need him to be okay. I just do.” I don’t think he’s consciously repeating the same phrase but I think this phrase has lived with him ever since he heard Martin say it and now it’s just organic to Jon too.

I genuinely do believe that at this point, as of MAG 117, all of Jon’s feelings for Martin are already there and internally he has at least accepted romantic feelings even if he wouldn’t have called it love then.

Jon is put in a 6 month coma the next night and is in a full tilt romantic arc the moment he wakes up. Not 20 minutes after waking from his coma he wants to see Martin, he’s surprised that Martin wasn’t there for him the moment he woke up. Maybe if you asked him the next day he’d say it was a silly notion for him to just expect Martin to be there at any given point no matter when he woke up, but a part of him accepted and knew that if Martin could have he would have been there.

Anyway, all this is to say that if he woke up from a coma desperately in love with Martin all of those feelings had to have been present before the coma. I know there was a lot more thought and consideration and emotional work that Jon had to do over season 4 before he could have been ready for his love to literally save Martin but all of the feelings were there by the time he woke up.

[thestrangepoet]

The Furrcinating Adventures of Champion, the Archives Cat | The Magnus Archives Fanfiction | Ch 1/?

Based on @ultramarinaa’s Cat!Martin AU 

CONTENT WARNINGS: None

DISCLAIMER: As per usual, this is an unedited first draft that I haven’t proofread. Forgive any typos and roughness around the edges – I tend not to go back over fanfics, as they’re just a bit of fun writing for me. (I am a full-time professional writer, and if I start telling myself I need to edit and proofread my fanfics, it’ll cease being fun for me.)

This is chapter one of…I don’t know. I may continue if enough people are enjoying it.  Next Chapter →

──── •✧• ────

Oh God, Martin thought to himself as fur began to emerge from under his skin, covering newly reshaped limbs and hiding sharp claws from sight, Jon’s going to be so mad at me!

Oh no, Martin panicked as blunt teeth gave way to pointed canines, this is so unprofessional of me! 

Only then did Martin allow the terrible question to enter his mind – what was he becoming? 

He should have known better than to pick up an unfamiliar book lying around in the archives of the Magnus Institute, the academic home of research into the paranormal and esoteric. At the very least, if he was going to pick it up, he should have done so only to tidy it away. Why he had felt compelled to open the tome and sneak a peek inside, he couldn’t say. 

As the world around him lurched into a new angle, Martin could only think about the presentation his boss had delivered a few weeks prior. 

Obviously, you shouldn’t be dealing directly with any artefacts of note, Jon had said dryly, tapping the large screen behind him that showed countless examples of seemingly mundane objects. We have a department for that for a reason. However, it’s not unusual for one or two to slip through the cracks; particularly books, given the extensive nature of our library. If you should check out a book as part of your research and you see the name ‘Leitner’ involved in any capacity, do not read the book. Put it down immediately. Martin, that goes double for you – if you even think the word ‘Leitner’ near a book, I want you to turn around immediately and walk back to your desk – do you understand? 

Had he seen the name ‘Leitner’ in this book? There had been a torn bookplate in the front, and maybe the remaining letters had been ‘ner’...

Did it matter? He was paying for his stupidity now, Martin thought. All fur and claws and fangs, and oh, what hideous monster would emerge from what had once been Martin Blackwood? 

Martin lay down, his fluffy belly flat against the floor, and pushed his newly shaped paws over his eyes. Oh, it didn’t bear thinking about! Jon would burst in at any moment, see some horrible creature, not realise it was Martin, and—

“Martin?” 

As if on cue, the door to the shared office of the archival assistants opened, and in walked Jonathan Sims. “Martin, have you taken your lunch break? Tim and Sasha have already gone, and Elias has been getting very prickly about me making sure you all…oh. Martin?” 

Martin had scampered under the table in hope of avoiding his boss’ gaze. Treated now to a blurry view of the man’s green socks and scuffed brogues, he watched as Jon entered the office. “Oh. Good. He’s gone already,” Jon said to himself with the air of a job well done. He turned to leave, and Martin had almost let out a sigh of relief when the man’s feet stopped. 

No, no! Martin thought, Go! You can’t see me like this! I bet I’m the ugliest monster, all fangs and talons and hair all over the place! 

A scarred hand appeared in Martin’s imperfect vision, scooping up the fallen book that was to blame for Martin’s plight. A new fear sprang up in Martin’s mind then – what if Jon read the book too? 

He had to do it. He had to save him! Even if it meant Jon would see Martin’s disgusting new form, he had to keep Jon safe! 

He lunged with a power that Martin hadn’t ever known before. A screeching roar – or a miaow, really – pierced the air, and Martin all but bodyslammed Jon’s hands, knocking the book firmly from his grip. It span across the room and slid under the bookshelf out of sight. 

Now he’d done it. Now Jon would see Martin in all his revolting glory – witness what that awful Leitner book had turned him into. If he didn’t recognise Martin, as surely he wouldn’t, he’d no doubt call security, and then what would happen? Would Martin be taken down? Locked away in the tunnels for examination and research? Worse, what if Jon did recognise him? He’d know that Martin had messed up in a spectacular fashion, and he’d be so disappointed in him. Would he be the one to tell Martin nothing could be done, that the effects of a Leitner were irreversible and that they’d have to–

“Good Lord! Oh…oh, now, where did you come from, little one?” 

Jon’s voice took on a bizarrely soft tone that Martin had never heard before. He couldn’t respond, however, as thin hands had latched gently around his torso and lifted him from the ground, a startled purr rumbling from Martin’s chest. 

All of a sudden, Jon’s face filled Martin’s entire view. And for once, no scowl darkened his features. In fact, Jon almost looked…delighted? 

Martin blinked. 

“Mrrow?” 

Not once in over a year of working for Jonathan Sims had Martin managed to coax a smile from the other man. All his best attempts, his best teas, his ridiculous amount of overtime to finish his reports to a standard Jon would accept, all his own smiles and attempts to cheer the man up, not one of these gargantuan efforts had been rewarded with a smile. 

And now, with one confused miaow, Martin had unlocked a smile from Jon. 

“How did you get in here? Did you get lost? Did Martin leave the door open again? Oh, I bet he did. I bet he did!” Jon repeated, descending into a cooing baby voice that would have had Martin howling with laughter if he could still laugh. Jon shifted the perplexed Martin to sit over his shoulder more comfortably, the book all but forgotten. “But you’re such a handsome boy! And no collar? Poor little man, have you been wandering around looking for some food and shelter? We’ll get you sorted, don’t you worry, little champion.” 

What…the hell…is happening? Martin wondered, even as a big, goofy smile curled his lips. 

Jon was carrying him. Out of the office. Stroking his back. Calling him a little champion and handsome. 

“How about a saucer of warm milk, hmm? Does that sound good? Would that set you right, hmm?” 

It was only then that Martin’s mind dragged itself out of the dazed, happy fog to piece together what Jon was saying. Why he was saying it. 

Martin had not been transformed into some vicious beast from the eldritch corners of reality. 

As they passed by Jon’s office, Martin caught a glimpse of his reflection in the glass pane of the door. 

A large cat with white and orange fur blinked back at him from over Jon’s shoulder. 

──── •✧• ────

Martin was, of course, the talk of the town after everyone returned from their lunch break. Funny, then, that not one person actually mentioned Martin. 

“So you’re gonna take him to the vets, right, boss?” Tim asked, rolling another roll of Sellotape towards Martin, apparently expecting him to play with it. Martin, on principle, refused, turning his nose up and huffing. 

Tim, come on! You’re back, Sasha’s back, who isn’t back yet? Ask where Martin is! he thought. 

“He seems healthy enough to me,” Jon replied, not looking up from the paperwork he was pouring over. “Why?” 

“To get his microchip checked? Get him back to his owners?” 

That made Jon look up, a flash of shock and upset clear in his widened eyes and slightly parted lips. “His ow— No, no, he hasn’t even got a collar on. No owners.”

“Right, but by law, cats have to be microchipped. Maybe his collar fell off or something?” A hint of amusement danced in Tim’s questions; Martin could tell that Tim was toying with Jon. Jon, however, hadn’t picked up on that. 

“M-maybe,” he replied stiffly. “Right, yes, fine. Vets after work. But he can stay here for now. Till the end of the shift.” 

Martin wandered over to Jon, sitting himself down by the leg of his chair and craning his neck up, tail swishing behind him. 

Right, now that’s sorted, onto the next obvious issue in the office, Jon, he thought. Which is…the obvious and mysterious disappearance of—

“Martin’s late back off his lunch,” Jon noted, checking the office clock with a critical glance. “Could you check the archival assistants’ office please, Tim? Maybe drop him a text. Probably got himself distracted by some…particularly interesting bollards or something…”

Sure, there’d been an insult mixed in there, but Jon had noticed! He’d noticed Martin’s disappearance, and that meant Martin had to repay his kindness! 

Fuelled with delight, the cat sprang up onto Jon’s lap, earning him a surprised chuckle. “Ah! Well, hello! Y-yes, you can sit there while I work, Champion. That’s fine.” 

Tim snorted as he headed out of Jon’s office, arching an eyebrow at the pair of them. “Champion? Are you kidding me? He’s a classic Fluffy or Ginger or Marshmallow or something.”

“Nonsense. He’s brimming with regal strength. A Champion if I ever saw one,” Jon retorted with a sniff, deeming the argument not worth his attention beyond that and turning back to his work. “Let me know if Martin gets back to you. And if he shows up, send him in here.” 

The newly named Champion stretched out lazily on Jon’s lap, settling down for a cheeky nap on company time. 

Already here, Jon. 

──── •✧• ────

[charcubed]

wait I'm sorry I just got kicked in the face. There's gonna be more sherlock?

LMFAAAOOO

Okay so. Yes because real ones know that that's always been the case!!

Here's a list of some of the ancient lore quotes from Mofftiss about the 5 season arc:

"instant series commission, a guaranteed 2nd series, a cuddle, a guaranteed 3rd series, and a whispered invitation back to 'my place' (where I'll explain that really I've got a 5-series arc in mind, & a spin-off)" –Moffat, 2009 (one year before Sherlock)

"Having started off with Sherlock and John much younger men than they are usually presented, it would be rather lovely to keep going. I love the idea of them being in their 50's and still doing it." Mark Gatiss, 2013

“…we just got out of the rain and sat at the top of the [Sherlock] production bus… and we just started plotting out what we could do in the future. And we plotted out the whole of series four and five.” –Moffat, 2014

Moffat: "We've had the most sketchy discussions on what we'd do." Mark: "We have an idea for season five on a Post-it note. That's as far as we've got. Unless I'm lying?" –2016

Moffat: "Thank you for showing more patience than any other fandom in history." Mark: "Stay tuned!" 2020, celebrating the 10-year anniversary

Those are just the quotes I have on hand right now, of course, but I do enjoy trotting them out lmao.

And yeah, after s4, basically Moffat or Mark or Sue Vertue all pop up in press every now and then to essentially publicly say "yeah we'd love to make more Sherlock but it's so hard to get ahold of Benedict and Martin :/ someday!" and everyone on the internet goes "OH MY GOD SHERLOCK IS COMING BACK???" and those of us who have been here the entire time are like "yes. it's a matter of when, not if" looollll. (There was an article with quotes by Sue a few days ago so that's why everyone is discussing it again.)

Of course, quotes by the creators (who are also notorious liars) are arguably not what matters most. The biggest evidence that there will be more Sherlock is the fact that the show indicates a 5-season arc and always has. Lowest hanging fruit: "The Five Pips" of The Great Game, for example.

But! Required reading: I humbly direct you to this post by the brilliant @devoursjohnlock. It continues to be my favorite summary about what this show is doing, as a queer story that acts as a queer adaptation/interpretation of Arthur Conan Doyle's work to bring the subtext of the original stories to light as text – amongst other things. And it talks about how/why the story remains unresolved.

Aaaaand I also direct you to this post by @bisexualmindcabin explaining how/why there may be a 10 year gap before s5 – a.k.a. just like Arthur Conan Doyle brought Sherlock Holmes back 10 years after killing him, if Mofftiss wanted to recreate that, they'd possibly aim to bring the show back 10 years after "killing" it.

SO YEAH

TL;DR: THERE'S GONNA BE MORE SHERLOCK

eventually

[jetsteeleyourheart]

School Spirits - Traitor Theory

I was rewatching School Spirits Season 2 with a friend the other night and a single shot changed my entire outlook on one of the characters. I think one of the cast is a traitor, possibly working with some big bad or at least keeping secrets in a huge way.

Spoilers for School Spirits S1 & S2 under the cut!

It says Traitor theory at the top, but what I really wanted to call this was:

School Spirits: Toxic Yuri

What started this:

Episode 6 of Season 2 we see the Gals doing a lot of investigating while the Boys attend Wally's School reunion. When telling this theory to my friends I started by asking them: What was the most exciting, distracting moment in all of season 2?

After they all said seeing Wally's entire ass down the studs, I amended my question: What is the second most exciting, distracting moment of the series and got the answer I was looking for:

The well gif'd TikTok dance to David Bowie's "Let's Dance"

I have seen a ton of GIF sets of this moment, but when re-watching the show I realize the GIF sets always cut out the one shot we get of what Maddie is doing during this time and this shot is the basis of my theory that Wally was right the whole time,

So what shot from the dance sequence am I talking about?

This one - I couldn't find a GIF online so I had to make one myself:

In the middle of the Dance sequence they have this single shot of Maddie, who is currently and importantly NOT in a scar at this moment. We don't find out for a whole episode that the lights flicker when someone enters their scar, so this moment goes by mostly unnoticed.

We have track of most other main ghost characters: Wally, Charley, Rhonda, & Quinn are dancing in the library, Maddie is in the hallway, and Mr. Anderson, while not present, is most likely too fresh off his ghosthood to even know how to access a scar. This leaves Yuri as our only real option for a main character who could be entering his scar.

So what was Yuri Doing in there?

Well, at the beginning of the next episode, while everyone else is having sexy sexy times, Quinn goes into her scar and finds the missing page of Janet's journal, the one that claims she was going lock everyone else away in their scars and leave them there.

So why do I think this was Yuri's doing and not Quinn's? Because Yuri was the only one who had access to the box Janet left in the Pottery Studio - the box where Charley find's Janet's Journal earlier in the season, which already has pages missing from it. Its clear that Yuri knows Janet can create permanent objects and he starts talking to Charley very quickly for someone who has been lying about being able to speak English since the 70s. I would love to believe its because Charley is just that irresistible, but Charley has been around since the 90s. Why now? Why would Yuri try to get in with Charley now specifically. He gets in with Charley very quickly, explaining away his reason for not talking with the others by immediately denouncing Mr. Martin.

Watching the later episodes with this in mind I started viewing everything he said or did with a layer of suspicion. He barely walked into the book racks before coming up with a theory about dopamine receptors in the library when helping Wally and Charley decode parts of Janet's book. He agrees very quickly to going to the dance with Charley as a date for someone who's been a recluse. He even knows how to get into his own scar and that his lighter is his Key - and Yuri, unlike Quinn, never mentions to anyone about going into his scar for the first time, and when we do see him in the last episode when everyone meets up in Rhonda's scar, he doesn't look any more traumatized than the others. In fact, he looks more upset when he sees Charley's scar.

I don't know exactly what he's doing but his main objective appeared to involve making sure Janet gave back Maddie's body no matter what. He frames it as more Yoda wisdom, but I am suspicious of the way he talks to Wally in Episode 7 to convince Wally to let Maddie go. Even the way he's lit in this scene (for those of you who like lighting design theory) shows his face half in light and half in shadow, something I teach to my students as the Harvey Dent Lighting, showing a character is two faced or playing two sides at once. I'm just so suspicious of his motives here. Like why make Wally feel worse than he did before?

Finally at the end of the season I noticed that more often than not Yuri is in the background of almost all of Mr. Martins shots. This isn't so much a grounded theory as my film prof (I teach film classes) brain coming into play, where they are trying to create a visual relationship between Mr. Martin and Yuri on screen by putting them visually together, which Yuri visually having Mr. Martin's back.

My theory is that Yuri knew about Mr. Martin needing Janet to forgive him to move on, and if he does, Mr. Martin will give Yuri something in return. I don't know if Yuri's motivation will be all that bad, and I'm fairly certain he's going to catch feelings for Charley for real if he hasn't already but I do think Wally was right:

Yuri is a spy, and he is lying to all of them.

[zabala0z]

S3 is once again killing me again with all the lore and I love it. School started up so I might be slower with my thoughts but I got episodes 92, 93, 94 and 95 to talk about!!!

MAG 92: Nothing Beside Remains

Elias makes me want to eat my phone, similar to that one guy from MAG 65 :) I was like screaming the whole time. Of course he can see everything, he literally called the police before Daisy came. I took that as "oh he has spies" but no he can see everything, I hate that. Is Jon eventually gonna get that ability or does The Eye give different gifts. Elias hasn't shown any "compellling" sort of power so I assume the latter. ALSO MORDECAI LUKAS?? I need to see a statement from a Lukas member cause what is up with that family, I'm dying.

Guess Basira is now working there. Hope Elias is paying her. the fact he won't tell Jon shit is so funny to me. So The Stranger is now, basically, the confirmed main villain. BBEG yknow? Mildly terrified, I hate circuses and mannequins so this season is gonna like body me

Not much to say on MAG 93 but whatever entity has the whole "gross shit" as its deal, I'm guessing this falls under it. Purple fungus, the obsessive cleaning, etc. Also yaaay Breekon and Hopes!! Again!11!! get out! Poor Georgie. Love her for being like "Do you even have qualifications??". Jons explanation helped me a lot because during Elias's explanations, I'm mostly just muttering curses to myself because I HATE Him. Avatars. Baller. So Jude Perry was the avatar of The Desolation (destruction, fire, etc) Michael Crew was the avatar of The Vast (sky??, emptiness, general loneliness) and then like Jon is an avatar and I'm guessing so is Elias. I think you can have more then one avatar but anyways.

MAG 94: Dead Woman Walking

Jon refereed to the entity as "The End" which, using my notes, was mentioned in Mary keys statement when gertrude asked where the book came from and Mary said "The End" and said she could never serve it, not finding death interesting. Wild that she can't feel fear anymore??? Like damn. This kinda read as someone in a depressive state in some form. Or like a nihilistic person. Cause like "everything ends, time, it has already ended". Wild.

Not much to say on MAG 95 but I did understand the context vaguely which is more then what I can say for the other war statements. Also Martin and Basira friendship??? Love it. She gets really engrossed in books. I dunno if she was like lying or this is something supernatural related but I love Basira

MAG 96: Return to Sender

Literally screeching oh my god. The fact these things just hijacked this mans business is almost funny. They also talked with a circus ringmaster. Nikola Orsinov? gregor Orsinov? A different one. the statement was given 1996 and Gregor was the leader around the 40's but Nikola, by her description I think, sounded young. So. Who was this ringmaster? Maybe Im getting the timeframe wrong. or they're like eternal. Maybe they like just shed skin and steal a new body, just going by the same last name- okay I don't know.

Also, SARAH BALDWIN???? Welcome back girl. The fact the gorilla skin was stolen by gertrude means she was trying to stop The Unknowing, and likely that's why its been this long for it to happen, because they need that skin. Ew. The Stranger loves skin a little too much. Also Sarah being filled with sawdust and cloves. Great. If Not Sasha was shot, would we have seen that? Or is it different with every one of those, NotThem.?

Anyways, I think that's everything. Every statement, I'm kinda thinking, "which entity does this fall under" now that I know the surrounding universe. Tough since I only know 6 by name and I think there's more. 6 too many entities for this world though

[houdinicarpenter]

THE OTHER SIDE

When Tara's hysterical screaming interrupts her phone call, Sam goes to investigate and finds herself in for a challenge.

fandom: Scream characters: Tara Carpenter, Sam Carpenter, Chad Meeks-Martin, & Mindy Meeks-Martin content: sfw tickle fic, post Scream VI, siblings doing stupid shit a/n: i'm very nervous to post this. i originally wrote it as an experiment and had no intention of posting it, but i've been encouraged to do so by some dope-ass people (even if they have no idea what it is that i wrote). also... if this fic looks/reads familiar to you, no it doesn't 🤫

“NAAA-HA-HA-HA! STA-HA-HA-HAP I-HI-HIT!”

Around her little sister’s scream-laughing, Sam pressed the phone against her ear, closing the other with her ear to hear Danny’s voice on the other end.

“I’m good Wednesday or Friday. So, whichever day you’re free…”

“Uh…” She took a moment to think it over, before a loud squeal cut into her thoughts. She refocused. “Wednesday… I think?”

“Okay, I—” Before he could finish his reply, Tara’s hysterical vocals drowned him out again.

“AAHH-HA-HA-HA-HAAA! GUY-HY-HY-HYYYS! PLEEE-HE-HEASE!”

Sam sighed and brought a hand to her head. “Danny, can you just hold that thought for a minute? I’m gonna have to call you back. My sister’s screaming about something, and I can’t hear what you’re saying.”

“Sure.”

“Thanks.” She hung up and left her phone on the couch as she made way towards Tara’s room, where the noise was coming from. She busted open the door. “What is going on?!” 

Tara was lying halfway in Chad’s lap and halfway on the floor, her face bright red and chest heaving, while Chad held her against him and Mindy moved away from her. She looked between the three, expecting an answer.

“Tara was being a little turd, so we tickled the hell out of her,” Chad reported. Still in his hold, his girlfriend looked up desperately at her sister. 

“More like they tried to kill me!” Chad snaked a couple fingers into her underarm and gave it another scratch, to which silenced the younger Carpenter with a ticklish whine. “Stop it!”

The eldest just sighed and shook her head. As irritated as she’d seemed on the phone, now that she knew what the noise was all about, she couldn’t help but give a playful roll of her eyes. Even at 20 years old, her baby sister was still as ticklish as she’d been when they were kids. She’d always fallen victim to the quote-unquote, “Tickle Monster,” when she’d get on Sam’s bad side. Of course, she’d never hurt her, like other older siblings might. However, all the older Carpenter had to say when Tara was starting to get on her nerves was, “I’m gonna get you, Tara, if you don’t stop.” It was enough to warn the little girl off, unless she was feeling extra risky that day—which she did a lot. “Okay, well, keep it down,” she told them, “I was on the phone, all the way in the living room, and I couldn’t hear over the screaming.”

But Mindy just shrugged. “It’s not our fault she’s so ticklish,” she insisted, nodding towards the youngest.

Her brother kissed the top of his girlfriend’s head, before he let her go and nodded in agreement. “Yeah, I did not expect that.”

While she watched Tara retreat onto her bed for safety, Sam crossed her arms and leaned against the doorframe. “Yep. She’s always been that way,” she confessed, making the other’s already-flushed face darken even more.

She glared at her. “Oh, don’t act like you’re not ticklish, Sam. I know you are.” If Sam was going to expose her, like it was nothing, then two could play it that game. “Mom and Dad got you good many times, and so did I.”

Before her big sister could say anything to defend herself, Chad challenged, “Okay, but is she as ticklish as you?”

Tara met his gaze confidently, even leaning forward a bit to show her sincerity, “Yes.”

“No,” Sam immediately objected, gaining all of their attention.

“Ooh…” Mindy glanced between the sisters. “Somebody’s lying…” She and Chad exchanged glances, before she put her hands up towards each sister. “Maybe we should test it?”

Tara shook her head, when the twins looked at her. “Don’t look at me, I just did my test. I’m still trying to recover.” She pointed at Sam, “That’s the liar, right there. Test her.”

But when she received all eyes again, Samantha shook her head with a disbelieving scoff. “This is ridiculous. I’m leaving.” Right as she turned around to walk out, her younger sister’s voice fought her to stay.

“Why?” she quizzed, leaping off the bed and slipping past the threshold to stop her from leaving. “Don’t think you can take it?” There was a sparkle in her eyes that mimicked her child years. After what just happened, she had nothing to hide, but Sam was another story.

“I can take it!” the older snapped, not realizing how defensive she sounded.

“Then, why not?”

“Because it’s stupid.”

“Then, prove me wrong,” Tara insisted, stepping forward to force her sibling to back up into her bedroom. Sam’s brow hardened a little, which made her go on to propose, “For a full minute, we get to tickle you and see if you’re as bad as me.”

The other was already rolling her eyes and sighing, indirectly saying everything she’d been insinuating about it. “Tara…”

“What?” she grinned. “If you think it’s so stupid and you insist that you’re not as ticklish as I remember, then one minute should be nothing, right?” She took another step forward, cornering her further. “If you win, you can choose to do or make me do anything you want. You can have revenge, make me do the dishes or make me cook dinner for a week, whatever you want,” she offered. “But if I win, I get bragging rights, and I get to tell Danny.”

“Ooooohhhh,” Chad teased the idea as he looked up at Sam, who was now almost standing in front of him. 

This made Tara’s smirk grow as she raised her eyebrows. But her big sister just blinked at her, unfazed.

“You’re serious?”

Instead of replying, the younger just took a step back and held her hand out for a deal-making handshake. Her smile dropped into a serious expression. “Deadly.”

On the inside, Samantha was groaning at how ridiculous this idea was, but she knew if she were to keep refusing, none of them would get off her back. It was a minute. 60 seconds. That was it. After, she’d be free to walk away without being hounded about irrelevant nonsense. She had to admit, she truly didn’t know how she’d take this ‘challenge,’ because Tara was right, it had literally been years since she’d been in a situation like that. And everybody and their dog knew just how much she’d changed from her younger self.

“Fine, I will do it, to make you get off my ass…” 

Tara’s head tilted in a form of a nod, “Fair enough.” She then made way to her bed and jumped up on it, spinning around to sit like a dog. She tapped the space next to her, “Take a seat, Sammy.”

While she looked calm on the outside, the older Carpenter’s heart started to pick up speed as she moved towards her assigned spot. She sat down with a sigh, to which invited her sister to move behind her, making a half-circle around her like a cat to its human’s leg.

“Just to let you know,” she warned, “if you start to get out of control, Chad’s gonna have to hold you.”

“What the—”

“You agreed to a minute, we shook on it!” she reminded, cutting her off. “You’re strong, so I can’t trust that you won’t fight for escape.”

Sam just wanted to get it over with, as much as she was quickly growing to hate it. She swallowed uneasily, but luckily Tara didn’t hear.

“Chad, Mindy, what are you still doing down there? I’m gonna need backup!”

“Yes, ma’am!” Chad leapt off the floor, while Mindy came around the opposite side of the bed and pulled her phone out.

“You better be timing this shit,” Sam growled.

“I got it right here,” Mindy flashed the screen in the others’ direction. “Tell me when, T.”

Tara sat down right at her sister’s back and rubbed her hands together like she usually did when she was about to kick someone’s ass in a game. “Go!”

Not even a second after the cue was given, Samantha felt her sibling’s fingertips skitter up her back and through her hair to get to her neck. Instinctively, she stiffened, but she stayed where she was. A swarm of chills flooded her, but it wasn’t the cold-type. It was the kind that told your brain that your skin was crawling, and it wasn’t sure how to respond.

Tara still maintained her confidence as she drug her perfectly filed nails around to the sides of her neck, threatening to further explore the soft underside of her throat. She got more of a reaction here, the older’s shoulders jerking up, while a small noise emitted from her larynx. Bingo. She then put her lips up to her ear, intentionally whispering, “Is Sammy afraid of the Tickle Monster?” Whispering into her ear had always been something Sam couldn’t stand, because it tickled.

And like she expected, her older sister twisted away, her face cringing as she closed one eye and hissed in irritation. Baby pink talons slithered beneath her chin, which made her try to back up, but she just ended up bracing against Tara.

The younger Carpenter giggled at this and slithered her fingers down her collarbone and into her underarms. The owner’s spine twisted, clenching her arms to her figure, but it just trapped her dangerous touch. 

Sam’s barrier broke, and she started to snicker as she tried to twist away. However, a different pair of hands crept onto her torso to keep her where she was, and just that contact made her snickers turn into giggles. She pulled her knees up and tried to push Chad off of her.

“I didn’t even start ticking her, and she’s already laughing.” Chad looked over at Tara, who encouraged him with a nod.

“Well, get on it! Time’s running out!” She relieved her sister from scratching at her underarms and went back up to her neck.

Her boyfriend shrugged and obeyed her order as he attacked the victim’s abdomen and ribs with menacing fingertips. 

A loud whine came from Samantha, before she erupted into full-on laughter. She kicked out in a struggle to gain a grip on the mattress to push herself out of her 2nd tormentor's reach.

Tara had to work around her writhing, making her think back on what she had claimed before she agreed to this. “You’re squirming a lot for someone who swore they could take it, Saaam,” she teased in a sing-song voice.

Beneath her dominance, the older Carpenter choked out, “Shu-hu-hut up, Ta-ha-hara!” She shook her head, shoving her hands against Chad’s.

From the head of the bed, Mindy shouted, “She’s tryin’ to get away! Chad, switch places with Tara!” She held her phone up, “She’s got 40 seconds!”

The pair did so, in a smooth transition, Tara not taking her hands away from her sibling as she tickled down her sides and in between her ribs.

Given his size, Chad was able to get a hold on Sam pretty quickly. He slipped his forearms beneath her arms and dragged her back until she was mostly on the bed, holding her upper body in his lap, like he had done with Tara only minutes ago. There, he was able to twist his wrists to occupy her collarbone, some of her neck, and her upper ribcage.

The underdog was in a constant cycle of guffaws and wheezing, her face bright red from the intensity, which mimicked her little sister’s patterns as well. She wasn’t even able to get words out before Tara took things to the next level. 

She slipped her hands beneath her big sister’s shirt and forced it up, before going after her bare stomach. “How about this, Sammy?” she taunted as she earned a squeal from her new tactic, “Does this tickle even more?”

Samantha gave a hard buck, her head throwing back into Chad, which she instantly regretted when his fingers danced on her exposed throat. She pulled her head down. “NAAH-HA-HA-HA! TA-HA-HARA-HA-HAAA!” Her knees yanked in, but to no avail, simply leaving them to kick out again in another buck.

Her sibling kept one hand on her fluttering belly, while the other controlled her legs by raking her nails into her inner thighs. “It’s not just me!”

“20 seconds!”

“Come on, Sam! Finish it out!” Chad cheered her on from above, even though he was busy scratching at her ribs. He retreated one arm enough to then tickle beneath her underarm again. “Find your inner Loomis! Prove Tara wrong!”

The older Carpenter nearly shrieked, when he did this, one hand weakly holding Tara’s wrist while she tried to bear the handle he had on her left ribcage to shrug out of his new point of captivation. “S-STAA-HA-HA-HAP! I C-CA-HAAA—” Her voice gave out in another violent wheeze.

With the grace of a cat, Tara eased up on her contribution to leap over her big sister and finish the rest of the time on the opposite side. Her back was turned to Mindy as she tore into Sam’s lower abdomen, slipping her nails beneath her beltline to assault the sensitive flesh between her hips that she knew would throw her overboard. “I almost forgot about this spot!” A squeal-entwined “no” answered her, and she trailed one hand away to skitter down her bent leg, catching the sole of her foot. “And here!”

Sam retreated her leg instantly. “NO, TA-HARA, DO-HO-HO-HON’T!” She braced her heel into the bed to try and push herself up out of her lying position. 

However, before her baby sister could do anymore damage, the timer went off and was followed by Mindy lunging forward.

The female twin broke the challenge to wrap her arms around Tara’s waist and pull her backwards. “Extra 15 seconds for Tara!” she announced, pinning her against her and digging her fingers into the younger’s stomach. “TICKLE ATTACK ON THE CARPENTER SISTERS!”

Tara exploded into shrill laughter, still too weak from earlier to push her off. “NO-HO-HO! STOP! THA-HA-HAT’S NOT FAI-HA-HA-HAIR!”

“Careful what you wish for, babe!” Chad teased and continued his playful torment on Sam, while his girlfriend’s familiar squeals and laughter filled his ears.

The younger Carpenter kicked and shook her head furiously as Mindy raised one hand to wave her fingers in front of her view. She was just as much a victim to air-tickles—when already under the ticklish spell—making her squeal when those dreadful words came from her attacker’s tongue.

“Tickle, tickle, tickle,” Meeks-Martin taunted, then unleashed merciless fingertips everywhere Tara couldn’t cover.

“AAHHH-HA-HA-HA-HAAAA! NAH-HA-HA-HAT THA-HAAT!” She bucked and thrashed, receiving karma for her cruel treatment on her older sister. “MI-HINDYYY-HE-HEEE!”

Chad was the one to call everything off after 15 seconds, which was more like 20 for Mindy and Tara. “Alright, Mindy! That’s a wrap, they look like they’re about to pass out,” he told her.

Luckily, his sister obeyed and let Tara lean against her as she recovered.

The football player sighed as Samantha covered her eyes with one hand and rested the other on her still-exposed stomach, panting almost in-sync with her sister. He glanced over to his sibling. “Aw, I kinda feel bad now…”

Before she could reply, Sam did, breathlessly. “Good… You should…”

“Hey,” Mindy piped up, “It was your sister’s idea!”

Tara pushed herself up from leaning against the twin, glaring over her shoulder. “Yeah. And you messed it up!” she hissed, shoving her away. “The point was to target Sam, not me!”

But her former attacker just chuckled, “I know. But I couldn’t resist.”

She rolled her eyes and looked over at Chad. “So, what’s the verdict? Did I win?” She then glanced at the others.

Chad shrugged, “I don’t know… Sam doesn’t break as easily or quickly as you do.”

“That’s because she was trying! You guys caught me off guard,” she countered, then pointed to Sam, “She was expecting it!”

Mindy gave the younger Carpenter the benefit of the doubt, “Sam is a lot more squirmy than Tara is, though. Tara just kinda gives up.”

This made the youngest frown, “Okay, that’s rude. But it’s a point…”

By now, Samantha had caught her breath enough to sit up on her own, even though her abs ached from the laughing onslaught. She cleared her throat and combed through her ruffled hair. “Just make a decision,” she ordered as she pulled her shirt down to its intended length, “I told Danny I’d call him back, because Tara was being too loud.”

Finally, Chad put his hands up in defeat. “Honestly, I think it’s a tie,” he decided.

His girlfriend rolled her eyes and slouched her shoulders, “Okay, fine, but I still get my share of winning, right?”

Behind her, Mindy nodded, “Sure, but because y’all tied, Sam gets her pick on what you have to do, too.” She glanced up to the eldest, who stood up and continued to adjust her shorts.

The other two looked in her direction too.

“What do you want, Sam?” Tara asked in partial disappointment.

Her sister rubbed her hand over her face, then glanced over her shoulder. “I’ll think about it,” she answered, the small smirk pulling at her lips promising something that Tara would dread. Rightfully so though, with how she handled the so-called challenge. Oh, she would make her decision wisely. 

Chad chuckled at that response, while the younger Carpenter groaned. Beside them, Mindy jumped up.

“Alright!” She clapped her hands and pointed to Sam, “Now that that’s over, Sam, go call Danny back and finish your conversation. After that, we’ll watch the movie.”

Her brother nodded. “Agreed. Can’t have a slumber party with the Core Four without a good movie.” He glanced over to Tara as she slid off her bed and started towards the bathroom.

“I’ve gotta pee now, thanks to you, Mindy!” her voice carried as she shut the door.

That’s when Sam decided to take her leave. “Okay, I’ll let you know when I’m done. Or if you guys wanna go ahead and set it up, you can do that, but our TV’s a little different than the one that y’all have, so you might wanna wait for Tara.”

From beyond the bathroom door, Tara hollered. “Tell Danny to expect some dirt on you, in the near future!”

She just rolled her eyes and shook her head as she walked out.

───────────────────────────

🫣 welp... there you go

p.s. i've already been requested a pt. 2 for this so i'll be working on that in the near future. i don't know if i will be posting that one, but if this one does ok or if someone mentions they want me to share the 2nd part, i will consider :)

yolo, right?

- parker (HOUDINICARPENTER / BWS) 🖤

[atreeinthemoonlight]

Okay. So I was 14 when Season 7 aired, and yeah—I’ll admit it. I fell for the whole “tragic Silver Prince and rebellious Stark girl” fantasy. The Jon Snow reveal, the slow-motion snow montage of Rhaegar and Lyanna, the dramatic music… I ate it all up. Back then it felt romantic. I was a kid. I didn’t question anything.

But now? I’m in my 20s. I’ve reread the books. I’ve read the appendices. I’ve read the interviews. I’ve seen the way Rhaelya shippers twist ancient out-of-context quotes from George like they’re gospel and ignore everything else. And honestly? I’m ashamed I ever defended this garbage ship.

Let’s start with the obvious: Rhaegar Targaryen was a married man who abandoned his wife and kids to run off with a teenager—and not just any teenager, but a girl we’re constantly told was “willful” and “wild” and oh-so-special because Rhaegar thought so. The Lyanna we get in the books isn’t even a real character. She’s a vessel for male fantasy—a tomboy who hates other women, resists the rules, and dies tragically so Rhaegar can be sad and mysterious. That’s it. That’s the whole character.

And the fandom? God, don’t get me started. The way Rhaelya shippers treat Elia Martell is actually disgusting. They hate her for being Rhaegar’s wife. Like, sorry she didn’t die in a romantic tower with harp music. Sorry she had real trauma and real children and wasn’t some nebulous wolf girl that Rhaegar could project all his prophecies onto. The woman literally died because of his actions, and all they can say is, “But she was weak” or “She wasn’t his true love.” Give me a break. That’s not shipping. That’s delusion.

And don’t even try to pull out those crusty, pre-2010 quotes from George where he calls Rhaegar a “love-struck prince.” You know what else George said recently?

“My standards have changed.”

That came from his own mouth. He literally acknowledged that a lot of what he said in the past doesn’t reflect the kind of writer—or man—he is today. And if you think that statement doesn’t apply to this gross, one-sided fairytale about a man who ditches his family for a girl he barely knows, you’re lying to yourself. The “Rhaelya” ship is a relic of his earlier writing.

I swear, Rhaelya shippers will use anything to defend their fantasy, even if it means pretending Elia doesn’t matter, or that Lyanna was somehow “better” because she gave birth to Jon. They worship Rhaegar like he’s some tragic poet-prince and Lyanna like she’s a misunderstood goddess—but they treat everyone else like garbage.

Well, congrats. You’ve built your OTP on abandonment, fantasy projections, dead kids, and some prophetic fever dream Rhaegar had while reading too many scrolls. And now you cling to decade-old interviews while George Martin himself has moved on from the kind of writing that enabled this mess. Anyway. I’m tired. I have taste now.

—Anonymous (Former Rhaelya Shipper)

I wonder how many people who once shipped Rhaelya have now woken up and switched sides.

Was 2017, when Game of Thrones Season 7 aired, the height of Rhaelya stans' arrogance?When their ship reigned unchecked and they thought they had the whole fandom behind them?

The ones who dared to call out Rhaelya back in 2017, or even before, those were the real brave ones.They were the true whistleblowers, no question about it.

[the-heron]

*putting on a moustache and sunglasses*

So like what’s the deal with ghosted what’s that about

now see the deal with Ghosted is that it's not what happens within the events of the film that captivates me so much, though don't get me wrong i love this film to bits, but rather, it's the idea of what happens after the whole thing that makes me FUCKING NUTS

because the whole thing is relatively cut and dry in the sense that we don't have to guess about what happened before and we don't have to guess about how everybody is feeling in the present. we know (MOST) important characters backgrounds and what they're doing at Falkhill and slowly revealing Paul's context was pretty interesting if not a little abrupt at the end there but its the very last scene of this film down to the very frame that flips the whole hour and a half you just watched over on its head and prevents me from getting a good night's sleep because i can't stop thinking about it

ELABORATING WITH A LOT OF SPOILERS UNDER THIS

explaining the plot of this movie is hard without sounding like im writing a pretentious review and not just talking out of my ass on tumblr but for my followers who haven't watched this movie and dont care enough to: Ghosted (2011) is set in a british prison in which Jack (John Lynch) is a long time prisoner who's wife just dumped him apparently on the anniversary of their sons death (tough break) and is being advised by his friend and cellmate Ahmed (Art Malik) (who does NOT get HALF as much screen-time or plot relevance as he DESERVES,) to find something to put his mind to and be proud of outside of his failures Paul (Martin Compston) is a prisoner who was just transferred out of a Young Offenders prison AS FAR AS WE'RE TOLD... though its noticeable from the beginning that hes not a very good liar and his story is suspicious at best Clay (Craig Parkinson) is kindof The Guy of their prison wing whos dealing drugs to other prisoners and assumes the position of authority over everybody else, though compared to other inmates with bigger cliques, his foundations are shaky. the description of this film on letterboxd calls him "the wing beast" and i have never cried laughing so hard reading something in my life

Clay and Jack both hone in on Paul immediately for different reasons. Jack, after his pep talk with Ahmed, sees Paul as a source of "a little self belief, something to be proud of", but Clay scoops him under his wing for being relatively young and impressionable. This puts Jack and Clay at odds with each other. after some plot, Paul gets into very big trouble with Clay and after An Incident is promptly plopped into Jacks hands, who had requested Paul move into his cell earlier but didn't have a good enough excuse for it. Well You've Got A Bloody Good Reason Now ect ect

Jack and Paul buddy up immediately and its noticable that Paul is sort of filling in the empty space where a son would be for Jack, however we discover that Paul has been lying about his past to everybody, including Jack. he lied about his family and he lied about having only just been transferred from Y.O. and hadn't been telling the whole truth about his sentence. what the truth ends up being, in a nutshell, is that Paul is accidentally responsible for the death of Jack's son, having been the one who started the house fire he died in (we were never even told that Jack's son died in a house fire before this, we are only told this in Paul's flashback at the end of the movie and are supposed to act, like, surprised?? whatever). consequentially, Jack flips his lid and prompts my personal favorite scene in this film in which he beats the living shit out of Paul with his bare hands and immediately regrets it the second the adrenaline wears off, hitting an alarm button within the cell that alerts the guards.

the guards whisk him away and he is put in solitary confinement, which we find out was actually the first sequence of the film where hes shown with an absurdly long beard, and considering every other fucking scene he's in is of him shaving his face, i assume this is to show just how long he's been kept in solitary confinement, which quite honestly was kindof exciting to realize at the end of the film.

and then. the end scene.

after solitary, Jack is put in cuffs and brought to see Paul who looked Extremely Dead after Jack had him, but hes not dead! just almost dead. Jack is sat next to him and tries to apologize but starts to cry, reaching out a hand to hold Paul's but retracting it regretfully. Paul, having looked unconscious not five seconds before, moves his hand to place it over Jack's...

and then the movie ends. and i am left writhing on my floor in anguish BUT NOT BEFORE I EXPLAIN TO YOU THAT THIS

THIS is what the deal is with Ghosted

the pathetic gestures of "im sorry" and "its okay" are what kill me. sorry is nowhere near enough to justify anything that EITHER of them did, NOR should they be forgiven. AND YET.

and what gets my gears going is the thought of what everything looks like AFTER this scene. after they've bonded so close and after Jack already thought that Paul stopped lying to him, thinking that he could protect Paul from Clay now... after they started to fill the spaces for people they were missing in their lives... and after they've RUINED each others lives. They Have Ruined Each Others Lives and yet Paul probably would have had to DELIBERATELY ASK for them to bring Jack to see him because he just BEAT Paul within an INCH of his life and would NOT !! have brought Jack to see him upon Jack's own request!! Paul would have wanted to see him too!! after all this what does their relationship look like now... the image of father and son has been all but shattered in each other's eyes, one can assume, but are they still close... does the guilt and responsibility drift them apart or does it pull them inseparably together? Ahmed tells Jack that "there is no such thing as coincidence, only fate" but what does their fate look like... does it end here or does it mean that they're together indefinitely? the end of this film swings the door wide open and i think about it. way too often. unacceptably often, even.

all in all theres no reason that this should be my favorite film but it is. if nothing else it's made me look into the other actors involved and branch out with a to-watch list as long as my arm that will only get longer once i branch out from there. is it the perfect movie? no this film is mediocre at best. have i made a number of my friends sit down and watch it and listen to me yell incoherently about it? of course i have.

[incorrectprodigalsonquotes]

What Could've Been For Prodigal Son Season 3

Okay, so I already made this post by reblogging to one of my other posts but I thought I'd make an official post for it so I can make more for the "other future seasons" lol:

Version 1:

Martin dies and things happen more or less the way they do in my fic "Carved in the Cradle" (yes, this is a shameless plug lol)

Version 2:

Martin is in a coma for most of the season.

Malcolm goes on a spiral and locks himself away from the world for months.

Dani and Gil, maybe with Jessica, go to have a real talk with him and Malcolm just looks disheveled. Not like he's been attacked, but he's just numb and self-loathing.

Dani is the one to ultimately bring him back by just saying the specific phrase, "Defending yourself against a serial killer doesn't make you a bad person" because she separates the fact that it was his father and focuses on the fact that father or not, Martin Whitly is a serial killer who tried to kill Malcolm.

Malcolm returns to work, and we get a couple of normal case episodes, maybe some focused on the rest of the team like Edrisa and her firefighter guy, JT struggling with being a tired new dad, maybe an episode about fathers and daughters and we get a flashback episode about the day Dani’s father died (I'm convinced it was an unexpected death), and of course, a Jackie episode.

All the while, Martin is in a coma but is completely in Malcolm’s head, like in 2x09.

We definitely get a Christmas episode this season, we get Brightwell moments until they have a cheesy kiss under the mistletoe moment and that's when they unofficially get together.

I say unofficially because they don't talk about how it changes things between them until the episode that would come after.

Malcolm also comes clean to her about what happened to Endicott. At first Dani is rightfully upset about being lied to but tells him to continue with the rest of the story because she knows it's been eating away at him. She gets legitimately angry when she finds out about Ainsley’s stunt with the pig's blood because messing with someone in that way is never okay, especially when that someone was just trying to do what they could in the moment. Malcolm tells Dani that he understands if she doesn't want to be with him now, but he felt wrong starting anything with her without her knowing everything.

And of course, Dani says that she still wants to be with him, to try this out between the two of them because all she's ever really wanted from him that he wasn't already giving was full honesty. She's still a little miffed at him for lying but she does understand why he did it, doesn't condone, but understands.

There would be revelations that call back to Season 1 and how perhaps Jessica, assuming that Martin was having an affair, wasn't completely off base.

An episode with Edrisa’s parents involved in a case or having useful info about their victim, but we also learn how she became who she is.

We have a theater episode and find out JT's mom is actually a successful Broadway actress and she's even more bombastic than Jessica. It makes Malcolm more confused when JT says that Malcolm’s mom has a good calm energy but then he meets JT's mom and understands.

A beauty pagent case episode for sure, and Dani and Malcolm both go undercover. They've been keeping their relationship under wraps (maybe only Gil knows because if they didn't tell him, he'd figure it out). There are a lot of Brightwell heavy moments, and Malcolm is reminded of his dream he had a year prior. Both Dani and Malcolm experience jealousy for the first time. It was different when they were just friends because neither felt like they had reason to be jealous but now that they're taking things slow, neither like the idea of someone else trying to get romantically involved with them.

Where is Ainsley in all this, you might ask?

She's taken up a six month job overseas to just get away from it all. She doesn't want to come to terms with the fact that Martin tried to kill Malcolm, she's mad at Malcolm for stabbing their father (again), and she's mad at Jessica because no matter how much she loves her mom, she always has beef with Jessica.

When she gets back after the New Year, she still will not talk to Malcolm and Dani can see that it hurts him.

Ainsley tries to get between Malcolm and Dani because how dare he even try to be happy when their father is still in a coma. It doesn't work, of course. This isn't the end of it.

If you were wondering about Gil and Jessica, no worries, they've been smooth sailings the whole time, even with the Jackie episode. It's revealed that Jessica never disliked Jackie but the reason she didn't go to her funeral was because she didn't want to see them put her friend and her son's second mother (the only one who could get him to actually eat anything when he refused to) in the ground, it was selfish but it hurt too much. She also stayed away from Gil because she had feelings for him and out of respect for both him and Jackie, she didn't want to seem like she was going after him immediately after Jackie passed but then the weeks turned into months and the months turned into years.

Gil and Jessica have a really healthy relationship now and that's what matters.

The season ends with an episode of a case of a young woman (can't decide if her name should be Lorelai or Katherine) who was almost murdered. She was raised by a single mother and she's also recently married, having married someone in the Whitlys rich circle of society. She's a bit of a social outcast because of her past (or her mother’s past) and she never knew her father, she doesn't even know his name.

They catch her attacker but not before they try killing her again but she does land in hospital. She's in need of a blood transfusion and Malcom happens to be the same blood type so he offers to help.

They find out a few important things.

The girl was born in either late 1999 or early in the early 2000 (I haven't decided yet lol), and she and Malcolm happen to share more than a bloodtype, they share DNA. The reason she never knew her father was because her mother never wanted her to know that dear old dad was arrested in 1999... for killing 23 people.

The season ends with Martin's eyes shooting open and man, he looks pissed!

[chester-i-hardly-know-her]

crane wives songs ranked by how much i can make them about the magnus archives because that's the level of obsession i've reached part 2: safe ship, harbored (2/2)

here we go again! this may be the most self indulgent thing i've ever done, i'm having a great time. happy to hear thoughts on my choices, though the numbers are there for the sake of fun numbers, really. lyrics in italics!

safe ship, harbored: starting off with the album namer! and also a suprisingly tricky one for me, for some reason. watch me give up honey, watch me give up / i swore i never would. with the ship metaphor you could maybe s4 martin it? with the lonely and everything. or very early s5 jon, with how defeated he was, and how he says he wouldn't have gone on without martin. or early seasons for both of them, when they were both playing it safe in their own ways? though, neither of them ever fully give up, do they? and i'm struggling to think of a major character that does, who also works with the rest of the themes. it's a beautifully stubborn cast and i love that about them. depends what you count as giving up. someone did wear them down, though, that's for sure. i wasn't born a safe ship / something wore me down, could be done with all of the different marks from the fears, or the lonely with martin, etc. i feel like it can work well even if it took me a minute to get there. 7/10.

naked, the night falls: love the imagery in this song. been enraptured and tied / turn your ghosts into mine. i feel like you could use this for a few relationships in the show? canon or otherwise, but i'm not much of a shipper, so i'll that up to the reader to decide hgjfkd. there are a few motifs with a few different fears, like the dark with the title line and some desolation with, slowly i burn / like the autumn leaves / brittle as ash, but when i rise / oh i will learn / like the elder trees. trees and burning in the same sentence also makes me think of hilltop, if that's helpful in your character choosing. though i feel like the ghosts line especially can work for many. 6/10.

ancient history: to be honest. this song could be about most characters yet again. a song about trying to let go of trauma, and this podcast has so much of it to give them. i lean towards jon for it given the verse with my dreams keep digging up the bones of memories and him being the most heavily linked to dreams that are explicitly traumatic events (other people's, but still. that might work better even) in the main cast, and also. like. we see him go through so many horrors. but i think you could choose a specific character or make it the whole group of them and there's definitely enough material either way. the line now half a skeleton is slapping its knees / laughing at the holes it left behind is slightly harder for me to pinpoint but if that skeleton is meant to be like, the malicious party here? again, take your pick. jane prentiss left literal holes. i hear jonah's got a corpse lying around, and he sure did laugh about the horrors he caused. 8/10.

october: take my word, but keep the upper hand / i know you, you're the daughter of a lonely man / so let my hope grow cold and atrophy / 'cause there is no more room in your heart for me. this verse especially works for s4 jonmartin very well. thematically, it's very lonely. i will point out though that the song is about two women and that is part of the context i feel (though some of that context is preserved with both of them being queer). even though i mostly have fun messing with gender for song choices, this one i will point out in case anyone has ideas with that in mind, because you could even do different characters with different verses perhaps. i'd love to hear thoughts on this one. because that verse especially does work well, and the others have potential too, i'll say 6/10.

the crooked, the cradle: now this one. oooo. i don't even know where to start. like. there's blood in the water, there's blood in the water / the quiet are restless, the silent are still / i'm nobody's daughter, i'm nobody's daughter / my enemies crawl, we're alone with the kill. what else do i need to say to convince that this can work perfectly for so much and for so many characters like hello. the annotation for that line had someone linking it to a hunt. like. this cradle still burns like a hole in my chest. i'm pointing look at it. the crooked are smiling, they know me the best. the lyrics are there. what else can i say about them. if mercy's abound, i'll be safe, i'll be sound / and the devil won't know all the love i just couldn't let go / i won't pretend my season won't end / but i pray, when it's done, when it's through / i'll have something left for you. i am gesturing emphatically at these lyrics. given i am incoherent about explaining it because like. it's there you can see it right. i will give it the first 10/10.

i ain't done: this one is complicated by the fact that it's really specific, given it's drawing on the story of the ada witch (per a source from the genius site that lead me down the rabbithole of crane wives internet archive live shows, thank you by the way), and while it's a ghost story in itself, i can't really map it onto a magnus archives one. if anyone remembers a statement that fits the bill, let me know? or if anyone can figure out a way to twist it that works for a different plot that doesn't share everything in common with all the literal parts of it, but still kind of works. in my mind, this one doesn't magnus, but maybe it does for someone else! it does get some points naturally by being a ghost story though. which makes it a 2/10!

[wanna-be-bold]

For @ejzah - based on this post and Deeks' dream in 10x01

He wakes up slowly, the golden sunlight streaming through the curtains and bathing their room in a warm glow. Rolling over he sees Kensi lying there on her back and he can't help but smile as he stares at her in awe.

She must feel his staring because she wakes then, rolling her head over to look at him where he's leaning over her.

Her gray tank top has ridden up overnight, showing off her belly. She was 7 months pregnant with their twin girls. Their miracles.

Pushing himself up he hovered over her, pressing a kiss to her swollen belly before laying his head on it. He could feel the kicks of his daughters and it made him pause, a sense of deja-vu washing over him.

“You know, I had a dream like this once.” Kensi ran her hand through his hair, brushing his locks away from his face. He had let it grow longer over the past few months, looking more like it did when they first met.

“Oh yeah? When was that?”

“Mmhmm. It was when we were in Mexico, while I was unconscious. I had a dream that we were laying here, just like this, and you were pregnant and so beautiful. And then I woke up and you weren't pregnant and I-” he stopped talking and Kensi could feel a drop of wetness on her skin from a lone tear. “For the longest time after we got back I kept having these, these flashes of you being pregnant and then suddenly you weren’t and, I know it wasn’t even real but I would just get this sense of loss…” her heart breaks as he trails off, probably remembering the way he felt back then.

“Baby why didn’t you ever say anything?” Her voice breaks a little and she can feel the tears forming as she thinks about all of the pain and emotions that he had been holding onto alone for almost 6 years.

He sits up then to face her, his hand falling on her stomach out of habit.

“We had just had that argument about having kids and leaving NCIS and then everything happened in Mexico and honestly my memories of that time were questionable. Half of the time I never knew if it was something that actually happened, something I dreamed while unconscious, or something that my mind thought I had dreamed back then. Besides, I didn’t want to bring up anything from that argument when we were back in a good place. I wanted to put it all in the past.”

“I’m so sorry Deeks.” She tries to lean forward but her belly makes it impossible. Instead she grabs his hands in hers and pulls him forward, wrapping her arms around his neck and holding him close.

“What for baby?” His breath fanning her lips somehow makes the tears fall and she sniffles.

“For making you think that you had to deal with that alone for so long.”

“You have nothing to apologize for.” She started to speak up but he stopped her with a soft kiss before pulling back to reassure her. “I’m serious. You have nothing to apologize for because we’re here. We made it through that and we got married and now we’re having two little girls and I couldn’t be happier.”

His eyes were glassy now as he thinks of how far they’ve come. From 2 partners who annoyed the hell out of each other to husband and wife. Father and mother.

“Yeah?” He nodded as much as he could with their foreheads pressed together. “Gosh I love you so much Martin Deeks.”

“I love you too Kensi. And our little Blye-Deeks babies.”

Both of them shedding tears he leaned forward, pulling her into a kiss as he thanked the universe for sending him undercover in that fighting ring 14 years ago, unknowingly leading him to a life he could never have imagined - a wonderful life with the woman he loves and soon to be three daughters.

[duskkodesh]

What are your thoughts on the Lisa Trusiani run of Morbius The Living Vampire and what are some of your favourite and least favourite moments of the run.

I'll have you know I went back and reread these issues just so I could give them a fair shake. When I was younger I could recall page numbers things happened on, now I'm lucky if I recall breakfast. I'm going to try to make a compliment sandwich. I think her writing tried a lot of bold things. None of them fit the character. Insert 2nd good thing here. I feel like... she wanted to write a crime novel and kind of got shoehorned into a hero title, and I'm in this weird position because Morbius in the 90's went VERY heavy on the melodrama with very little comic camp. It was the era of 'edgy' unironically. But even with that knowledge Morb feels like this weird stand in of his former self. Like he stepped into someone's really weird RP and doesn't fit at all. There are things, facets that strike true to the character occasionally but the writing and pacing are just weird. Every single damn scene with a woman it feels like a creepy dude hits on her. Jack loses all his brain cells. Martine doesn't have emotions supposedly yet goes full aggressive bitch. And do not get me started on Lena who has very little depth or personality somehow despite the writer's best efforts. Facts change between pages. A patient is stable, a patient is bleeding out. Character is conscious, now he's not. Things like that. It's slapdash. Sidenote: If these are the only issues you ever read of Morbius he would be highly intolerable as a character and spends most of his time drooling over Lena for... some reason? And it's not like he doesn't get full stupid over women, but usually they come onto him. It's almost a requirement. This time he spends the run mostly simping. (Do we still say simping?) The rest of the time he's talking outside his normal verbal style, treating friends like shit, treating Martine like shit, running out on patients, and generally being dishonest but not in his usual lying to himself way. Weird enough that the only other writing Trusiani ever did for Marvel was for Barbie comics, and she also did a bunch of non-fiction kids books about the founding fathers of the US. I feel like they knew the comic was dying, and wanted a fast wrap up maybe with key points the Marvel heads planned ahead so they moved her in, but the writing has the air of someone who didn't know the character even from the earlier comics in that run. 3/10 Don't ask me about the art. I've made my feelings on that very clear and my eyes hurt from issues 31-32. Have mercy on me.

[mxsoyo]

Watching every Dracula adaptation! #2

Dracula (1931) starring Bela Lugosi

Next up is the first authorised film adaptation of Dracula. The movie is actually based on a play adaptation from 1924, which explains some of the changes they made.

Should you watch it? Yes, but not for the reasons you might think. The movie is very funny (not intentionally), great to watch with friends. It is also free to watch on the Internet Archive. It is still recognizably the story of Dracula, but a lot of the details have been changed, especially the characters, so beware of that if that bothers you.

↓ Character and Story Changes + notable moments under the keep reading. ↓

Character Changes: -Renfield takes up Jonathans role of the young solicitor traveling to Transylvania in the beginning of the movie. Until he is put under Draculas influence where goes back to his book version after that. Dwight Fryes performance as essentially both Jonathan and Renfield are both very entertaining. Like that man is giving 200%. -With Bela Lugosi starring as Dracula, this movie was definitely the starting point of the sexy-fication of the character. Even thought I think this Dracula has even worse social skills than his book counterpart. -Mina is actually Jack Seward’s daughter in the movie, I assume this change was made to explain why the main characters would be hanging around at the sanatorium. Personality wise she is a bit blander than her book counterpart, partially because she spents a good chunk of her screen time under Draculas influence. -John Harker (just John, not Jonathan in this version) has been definitely changed for the worse. They made him the sceptic that doesn’t understand what is going on and is constantly doubting Van Helsings advice. He feels a bit more like a douchy version of Arthur than Jonathan. -Like I said, Jack Seward is Mina’s father in this version and is the character in name only and in the fact that he owns a sanatorium. -Lucy (her surname has been changed to Weston) is a single girl since Arthur and Quincey don’t appear. She has a stronger interest in the macabre and has a small crush on Dracula (despite everything about him). -Van Helsing gets a lot of good lines in the movie, he seems a lot less eccentric, and Dracula remarks that he has heard of him. But he is not yet the badass expert vampire hunter later movies make of him. -The movie also added two prominent characters the sanitarium worker Martin the and nurse Briggs, which both serve as a kind of comic relief. Story Changes: -As far as I know this is the first time the female vampires (Draculas roommates) are referred to as his wives. -We get a lot more scenes from the point of view of Dracula -Dracula actually introduces himself to the main characters as their next door neighbour and casually comes over for conversation before they find out he’s a vampire -Lucy dies very shortly after being introduced, but the plotline of the gang trying to keep her alive was given to Mina instead - The ending is surprisingly anticlimactic. They find Dracula lying in his coffin in Carfax Abbey, Van Helsing kills him off-screen, while John looks for Mina. -Afterwards Van Helsing also says they should leave without him, they do and then the movie just ends

Notabel Moments: -The movie starts with Swan Lake out of all songs and then is dead silent when it comes to background music afterwards -The opossums and armadillos (classical Romanian wildlife)

-this GIANT BEE (totally not a normal sized Bee jerusalem cricket in a miniature coffin)

-The BATS!!! Oh my god the spirit halloween bats! The bat driving the carriage?! -the spirit halloween plastic spider on a string -”I never drink... wine.” is such an iconic line, that I was surprised it’s not from the book, this also goes for ”the strength of the vampire is that people will not believe in him” -The best scene in cinema history! I cant do it justice by explaining it, you’ll have to watch it yourself, it’s at 1:03:20

Next Up: Dracula (1958) starring Christopher Lee

[just-an-enby-lemon]

I'm rewatching the end of TMA before TMAGP comes out tomorrow and I have a lot of thoughts about the interdimentional trolley problem:

The thing is I always belived Jon was right - I even consider the fact that there is more stories to be told in this multiverse it's another proof things got worse because of them - but I used to think the others were wrong for the right reasons and Jon was right for the wrong. And while I understand everyone's reasoning rewatching it I think I was wrong.

I had convinced myself that Jon just wanted to end the world via killing everyone because he was suicidal and wanting to martyr himself. And as I was watching the debate. Understanding that both yeah Jon no one is going to hear you when you're being a lil' bitch about it (his "you just wanna stab Jonah" was low and bs and he knew it) and also everyone's motivations, how Melanie and Georgie just did so much to protect people and still lost them in the end, Basira's lonley pilgramage into the domains watching everyone's suffering and Martin's hope. And like Martin dismissing Jon EVERY SINGLE TIME with the whole "you're just suicidal" argument (in softer ways but still) almost convinced me again. But than Jon sayed: "so we are going to just hope for the best then" and it clicked to me.

For four whole seasons Jon has just been lying to himself hoping for the best: that he would prove he deserved his promotion and everything would be okay, that he could just ignore Prentiss and the worms and pretend to be a skeptical and the supernatural wouldn't attack him, that if he discovered who killed Gertrude every tension in the Archives would resolve itself and everyone could be friends, that if he broke the tabble he would kill the NotThem and if he killed the NotThem Sasha might be back, that they were actually doing all that for a good cause, that if they stopped the Unknowing everything would be fine, that he was not really turning into a monster, that he could just stop taking live statements after the first one and all would be okay, that after the bullet Melanie would forgive him, that if he survived rescuing Daisy he would show he was usefull and Basira would forgive him, that if he stopped the Black Sun, that if he rescued Martin from the Lonely, that if he just Knew more, discovered more, that if... And he was wrong every single time. He was just gaining trauma and turning it into bad decisions rinse and repeat in the hope that this would be the one thing that would solve everything and it ended the world.

So he hears: "If we send the fears alway probably it won't be really that bad, the thousands of universes won't really end and this broken traumatized universe will heal and everything will be fine, we just need to do this one thing." And is it a surprise he is skepticall?

I get Jon more. That's more than being a martyr is wanting to take the actual hard decisions and deal with the consequences instead of just hoping for the best one more time.

I get everyone more. I understand why they choose it. The want to fix things. Like I totally think Jon is right but also if I was on the debate I would vote to send the fears away, I would go to every reason on the book for it. And like don't get me wrong Jon is doing it because he is suicidal and because he just doesn't want more guilt (wich is weird because for me is a guilt either way scenario) but as everything is more complex.

Also I think that while they would have made the same decision the characthers we know would be a bit happier in the finale if both everyone wasn't so obviously against even hearing Jon even less considering his points from the start and Jon wasn't being an unsurferable asshole defending his points, like he got into defensive attack mode so quickly and like I get it, it's frustrating to not be heard but also holy shit he was such an asshole. Like they where still at least humoring him until he started just accusing everyone all the fucking time. I love Jon but he is a really hard person to talk to because he will go for the personal shit and the "you're evil actually" the moment you challenge his beliefs. But them if this bitches could do a healthy comunication they wouldn't even be there so what's new.

[aroaessidhe]

The Spider and Her Demons excerpts I saved in relation to queer / aroace /relationship hierarchy themes etc etc

some spoilers, obviously! this is just kinda a place to compile things & thoughts for myself to remember lmao

[Aunt assuming she's sneaking around with a boy]

Out of all the possibilities of where this would go, this path wasn't even on the map. 'I told you your friends are a bad influence,' Aunt Mei snaps. 'Distracting you from your studies. Do you know how dangerous it is for you to be around a boy?" Zhi's never even considered dating. Can't possibly imagine herself in a romantic or sexual relationship with another person. Not now. Not when she's eighteen. Not when she's twenty-five. Not when she's forty. Not ever. 'Kuku, where would I meet a boy?' Her panic has taken a backseat to anger. 'I'm at school all day, then I'm at work.' ...

obviously the main context here is that she's a spider demon with a bit of monstery body dysphoria/it's dangerous to get that close to other people; but considering the author is aroace, there's clearly intentional choices made.

And also: a story about a straight/allo character in the same position would just as likely have a plot about being desperate to kiss/date/be in a relationship 'like a normal teenager' but they're not allowed etc etc, whereas she just. Has Not Thought About It

This is not specifically related, just wanted to add:

Dior knows all the worst parts of Zhi and she's choosing to stay anyway. Zhi looks down between them, at Dior's hand flat on the concrete, long fingers splayed, nails sparkling in the light. Before she can think too hard about it, Zhi drops her hand to the ground too, pressing her palm close to Dior's, and spreading her fingers so their pinkys touch. 'I was thinking, Zhi says slowly. 'Maybe we could be friends.' She wants to repeat whatever it was Dior said in the library that day, but doesn't remember the exact wording. Hopefully this is good enough. Dior sits up, scooping Zhi's hand up into her own. She presses their palms together firmly, watching Zhi carefully before intertwining their fingers. Zhi can't say she doesn't flinch, but she tries not to, which should count for something. Dior curls the side of her mouth. A small show of gratitude she puts on just for Zhi. 'Sure,' Dior says. 'Let's be friends.'

--

They're talking about spiderdemon anatomy (which they don't really know anything about), and Dior says something like 'what if down there is different too' (and implied "surely you'll want to know at some point, if you sleep with someone..." )

'I’ve never had the urge to go prodding and poking up there, and I can't imagine that changing.' The vestiges of amusement and embarrassment are still bubbling in her chest. She looks to Dior, who's gone quiet. 'Wait.' Zhi stares, face on fire. 'You mean- What? That With another person? Nope. Hard pass. Never happening.' Dior doesn't ask her to explain, but she's staring in that weirdly intense way she does, like she's trying to hack into Zhi's brain and steal the information through sheer will power. 'Dude, I don't even like being looked at, really, let alone touched.'

'Anyway, even if I ever got past the supreme discomfort,' Zhi continues, 'it's too risky. Like, kissing would be off the table. I can't tell when my acid and venom will or won't work. Best-case scenario? Short-term paralysis. Worst-case scenario? Hole through the skull.' Dior's still staring at her, wordlessly. It occurs to Zhi she's been doing most of the talking. 'What about you? There's a rumour at school you've got some hot-shot lawyer boyfriend who works at Martin Place.' 'I don't know any lawyers.' 'You're not dating anyone, though?' 'I haven't the slightest idea what that would entail.' Dior shifts on the bed, lying down next to her, their shoulders pressed together, arms tangled. It's too warm in the room, and Zhi's starting to feel light-headed from exhaustion. 'Y'know ... a lot of people have this hierarchy of relationships:' Zhi holds a hand up as high as she can reach it. 'Most people put romantic relationships at the top, and family under that, and friends under that. ' She shifts her hand down a level, only to sigh, dropping it to her chest. 'But I'm never gonna date; I'm never gonna have a partner or a fiancé or a spouse. So family and friends - those are the two types of relationships I get. I didn't get to choose Aunt Mei, but I do get to choose my friends. Friendship's always gonna be the top tier relationship for me.' Dior's so quiet Zhi thinks maybe she's fallen asleep. When she turns her head to look, Dior's already looking right back. Their faces are too close, soft exhales lingering between them. Dior's lips part and the movement has Zhi's eyes dropping to her mouth.

There are a reasonable amount of moments of attraction like that, which are never actively acknowledged other than her freaking out and changing the conversation haha.

If I were to guess, I'd say there's probably more conscious attraction (of whatever form) on Dior's side of things (+ probably pretty touch starved from a somewhat emotionally neglectful childhood) in contrast to Zhi's Avoid Everything mindset lmao

While I think specificity around that could have been great - obviously they're not at the point to really examine the details of how they feel about each other during the book, and tbqh I do love the ambiguity of the aroacespec to lesbian attraction spectrum bc like....... a) common experiences there and b) you can be Both. i am probably both, i don't rly care to overanalyse details about myself lmao

(anyway)

Dior's father talking to Zhi:

'I have met many people in my life, and felt all the feelings they have felt, and none of them - no two people - love in the same way. The way a person loves. This is something unique to each heart. The way Quinlee loves Dior, it is not the same as the way your aunt loves you.' Zhi doesn't understand how he can possibly know that's true. Julien smiles gently, lifting his chin. 'You see the sunrise?' Outside, beyond the garden, the sun is rising in the distance, turning the sky orange and blue. 'If we both paint the same sunrise at the same time, even if we use the same brush, the same paint, the two paintings - they would look different, non?' Julien waits until Zhi meets his gaze. 'That is love.'

so true, king

-

Zhi talking to her other friend, who's just been rejected by a boy she had a crush on:

"I mean we were never official or anything, but I always thought ..? She trails off, shaking her head. 'I know,' Zhi says, because she does. Nadira always spoke of him with such fondness. 'He said he always saw me as just a friend.' A soft breeze picks up a strand of Nadira's hair, twirling it into her face. She brushes it away. 'Just a friend. I guess it made me feel like my friendships were these small, insignificant things that I'd been over-valuing, over-investing in.'

(i love the sort of flipping of this concept - usually it's from the POV of the aro person not the allo person who was rejected yet still doesn't appreciate their friendships being devalued)

'I just feel like I'm the one someone sits with in the waiting room before they start their real relationships, y'know?' She offers Zhi a smile that has no mirth, the movement making her tears spill over, rolling down her cheeks. Zhi takes Nadira's hand, intertwining their fingers and squeezing. I'll always be your friend,' Zhi says. 'Even when you meet a New Boy, when you get a job and make Work Friends, when you get married, buy a house, and have kids, and make Other Mum Friends. I'll be here, with you. I don't think there's anything just about that, Nadira.' 'That's not true.' Nadira sniffs, wiping her face. 'You're already out of the waiting room. Of all people, Zhi. I bet if Dior asked you to go swimming, you would go. If she asked you to go out for Tim Tam Chillers after school, you wouldn't say no to her, would you?'

Whenever there's a buy-one-get-one-free special at the canteen, Angela and Nadira will automatically go halves. Whenever they have to pair up for drills in PE, it's a given that Angela and Nadira will partner, and Zhi will have to find someone else. If Nadira ever gets married, Zhi doesn't doubt Angela will be her maid of honour. None of this has ever bothered her, because Zhi's fiercely grateful they want to be friends with her at all. "Ange knew before me, right?' Zhi asks. 'What?' About what happened with The Boy. You told Angela before you told me, right?' 'Yeah.. "That doesn't mean you love her more than you love me, does it?' 'I- Of course it doesn't.' Nadira's cheeks are stained now, flustered at the insinuation. 'I know,' Zhi says, smiling. 'I'm just saying. Just because I've told Dior stuff I haven't told you - it doesn't mean I love you any less.' Nadira looks like she wants to argue, like she wants to be mad, a cute little furrow between her brow. Eventually, she deflates, a frustrated huff leaving her lungs. 'This might be hard to believe, but there's nothing on the other side of the waiting room for me, Zhi says. 'Being invited to sit with you and Ange in that room - that's what I've been waiting for. That's happily ever after for me.' It feels like a confession. With the way Nadira's cheeks flush further, she seems to think so too.

--

On possibly being a demon and 'incapable of love':

'I really Wish you would stop talking about Dior like she’s a jar to store bugs in, Zhi says. 'Witch, demon, whatever - she's still a person.' Quinlee laughs, this loud, sharp crack of derision. 'Did you think she harboured some sort of affection for you? Some form of fondness? Dior cannot love. She is incapable of it. It's an act - a farce - to get her what she wants. Every word out of her mouth is calculated. Every action, planned.' 'She saved my life,' Zhi retorts. "She has no soul.' 'Do you?' Quinlee glares up at her, but it's slightly less intimidating when Zhi's standing above her. “She likes pork and chive dumplings with extra dipping sauce. She hates being bored, and she loves heights and stealing cars. She sucks at making jokes. She fucks up, but at least she tries to fix it. I don't care if you don't think she has a soul. The world is better with her in it, so I'm going to do everything I can to bring her back.' Zhi holds out a hand. 'Are you helping or not?''

I love this from the point of view of lovelessness - she doesn't counter it by saying 'yes she can love!!!!' she just. lists all the things that show caring etc without getting theoretical about it

And the very end:

To her absolute horror, Dior pulls Zhi's hand back, tucking her fingers against the warmth of her neck, palm against her jaw. Gaze unwavering, Dior turns her cheek into Zhi's hand and presses the softest, lightest kiss against the delicate skin of Zhi's wrist. Zhi's neck immediately starts to sweat. Oxygen is a foreign concept. The urge to build a cave out of silk and hide inside it is increasing with every second that ticks by. 'Is this how things are gonna be from now on?' Zhi wonders aloud. 'Because I am not brave enough to deal with any of... whatever this is.' 'Bravery isn't a lack of fear; it's moving forward in spite of it' Dior drops Zhi's hand, turning to look back out at China-town, appearing to be fascinated by the view.

(which really, is not much more than an expression of a desire[general] for something to be there, that is not being dealt with right now)