#anyways enough with the ted talk. i appreciate you all so very much.

[kirchefuchs]

a random day dream for you if you'd like.

Imagine A: Tinky himself can go in and out of the box to mess with Ted and any Spankoffski inside as he pleases.

B: he can somehow carry the box while inside the box. For everyone BUT Tinky, that box could also be the key out. Or at least it's rumored to be by those inside.

C: As basically a time god, the moment someone makes the decision to do something, Tinky could potentially see it coming if he's focused enough.

Imagine one day while messing with however many different timelines of Ted in the box, one version of Ted actually got bold. Instead of running, he tries to get the drop on Tinky to get the box and fails. But Tinky's amused enough by the attempt he makes a new game out of it. Basically "take this pebble from my hand" with the energy of roommates fighting over the remote. After many failed attempts (cause of course one of the only moments Tinky actively uses this kinda time sight is when he's messing with someone.) Ted gets desperate enough to decide the only weapon he's got left...is the ol Spankoffski charm. This time he reaches not for the box, but Tinky himself and pulls him into a kiss.

The moment Tinky sees it coming catches him off guard enough that the moment it happens, he's a flustered mess twice in a row. Like brain sounds like dial up for a good long minute even after Ted pulls back and runs with the box in his hands.

It may very well have been the moment Ted went from favorite toy to Tinky's hopeless crush. And then the moment after, the realization that his box is missing would send Tinky after that Ted like a bat outta hell.

Just the most out of nowhere daydream I ever got that I thought you might appreciate.

This took up 2 whole pages in my sketchbook, but I had to draw it. I couldn't stop thinking about this since you sent this ask

Anyways, I love this and I love you so much, this is amazing and you are brilliant. This is canon in the little tinkoffski story in my brain now. This is 100% what kicks it all off. I feel like Tinky would run off to Stopwatch after this to ask about what it in the world emotions are, cuz he's the only human he'd be willing to talk to. After all, he couldn't go to his brothers about it cuz A: they wouldn't know either and B: they'd 10000% judge him for it, or worse. From then on Tinky starts going to Daniel whenever he needs help with human issues and slowly but surely starts learning how to be less evil, lol

[the-lark-ascending69]

in your opinion how do you think robin would act/get along with nancys family

I think that, before they know she's dating Nancy, she'd get along with Mike, Holly and Karen just fine. Karen is just happy Nancy was a girl friend, and Mike thinks Robin is pretty cool. Robin is also super nice to Holly and always plays with her. Nancy has seen her more than once trying to teach her spanish to "give her a bit of an upper leg when she has to see this in school", but Holly is more interested in her crayons. Ted doesn't like her, but no one cares about Ted so it's whatever. He just complains that they're bringing another mouth to feed. He also makes these comments about "his hard-earned salary going to charity" when he sees Robin wearing an old jacket her dad bought back in the 60s and hand-me-down pants and tshirts that have been inherited through multiple generations of cousins before landing in her hands. Robin doesn't appreciate her father-in-law (who doesn't know he's her father-in-law) saying that, like jeez Ted I'm sorry I'm poor, and I think she'd mention that to Karen, like "I guess I just didn't expect an attack over my socioeconomic status today" though Karen doesn't know what the phrase "socioeconomic status" means.

I think she would like to help Karen cook. My headcanon is that Robin is a pretty decent cook, and she likes being helpful, so she'd be there giving Karen a hand. Karen makes the mistake of asking about what she does in her free time, and now Robin is infodumping about her language tapes and her books in dictionaries and her old Operation Croissant plan from when she was 15. Karen is actually pretty impressed by not only Robin's intelligence, but also her curiosity and the fact she'd spend all her free time studying outside of school because she loves learning so much. She thinks she and Nancy will be good influences on each other. Robin makes a point not to mention she's learning russian through reading Anna Karenina (she's not going to let her trauma or the sociopolitical climate of the world take her passion away from her, but she doesn't think Karen would understand when the Wheeler Family TV is constantly blaring news about upcoming russian nukes).

She's always nice and polite to Ted, but in her mind it's kind of an inside joke with herself. She finds it funny when he replies to her saying "good evening Mr. Wheeler! :)" with "oh, it's you again". Mike tells her she doesn't have to greet him if she doesn't want to, but she does anyway.

She might join a D&D campaign once if Nancy makes puppy eyes to her, and Nancy would only join if Mike is being annoying about it enough that she'll do it to shut him up. Robin barely plays though, she's mostly acting as a sports commentator.

I don't remember if they mentioned it in the show, but I hc Mike is very into fantasy books like Lord of the Rings. He ends up getting Robin into it and then they have nerdy talks about it.

Generally Robin is always welcome in the Wheeler household, and she has sleepovers with Nancy every week. If Karen knew what they got up to when everyone was asleep, she probably wouldn't be allowed to come lol but one of the perks of being a lesbian is that, as long as people don't know, you're allowed certain liberties more couples could only ever dream of. For Nancy, falling asleep with Robin curled in her chest every week makes all the secrecy worth it.

I wouldn't be surprised if Mike discovered them pretty early on. Nancy wouldn't want to tell him because You Can't Trust Anyone, but one day he dramatically knocks down Nancy's door after hearing weird noises coming from her room. He feared it was a monster or a psychic attack or something, but instead he sees Nancy on top of Robin. There is some screaming and screeching and Mike running to his room ready to pour bleach into his eyes. When Karen goes out to check, Nancy tells her Mike saw a shadow and got spooked and screamed like a little girl. Nancy is fuming and goes to Mike's room to yell at him for never fucking knocking. There's some fighting and hair pulling and a few sibling slaps, but then they calm down and have an actual talk about it. She tells him that, yes, Robin is her girlfriend and he can never tell anyone. And that he really needs to knock on the door from now on. Mike is mildly disgusted that his sister would have sex in their house with everyone sleeping, but he's cool with her dating Robin. He promises to keep the secret.

Next morning when the two lovebirds go downstairs for breakfast, Robin is visibly nervous and awkward and Mike looks at her with his head tilted down and suspicion in his eyes as if he had x-ray vision and was analyzing whether or not she was secretly a robot with robot guns inside her arms. Or that's what her mind comes up with, at least. She tells Nancy she has the feeling her brother and his friends will be stalking her for a few weeks to determine whether or not she's worthy.

If Karen were to find out... that would be an entirely different story.

[alister312]

i saw your tags on that style post plleeeaseee talk about gregstophe parenting!!

i don't remember which style post i hijacked the tags to talk about gregstophe parenting on bc i am so sorry to my beloved fellow stylers out there but i cannot help myself. anyway YES I WILL TALK ABOUT GREGSTOPHE PARENTING

to start: i do have an actual, vaguely canon (to me) child i think about when i think about them as parents? he's now a part of my sp next gen au thing but he started as a fic idea i had wherein gregory and christophe become parents solely bc christophe accidentally orphans a child on a mercenary job and he panics and just. takes the kid. my first sketches of this idea, forget if i've shared them here or not:

his name is William Elliot aka Will aka Billy Elliot bc Gregory can't help himself and he would name his child something musical theatre-y but he'd try and be a little subtle about it

Will my baby boy aside, general headcanons:

i personally imagine both Gregory and Christophe having a lot of hang-ups about their own parents? Christophe obviously has a lot of conflicts with his mother and I imagine Gregory's parents, while more loving than Christophe's mother, had some extremely high expectations that left him with much anxiety. as such, the two of them are hesitant to become parents themselves.

despite that, they are both pretty good candidates to be excellent parents! as a revolutionary, Gregory definitely cares about leaving the next generation better off than him so I think he'd actually be passionate about working with kids. maybe not little little kids, but certainly tweens and teens. Christophe, while scary, is also kind of childish when he lets down his walls. he may seem serious but he is still doing that buttfor joke WELL into his adult years. it's a riot with little kids. they love his potty humor and animal impressions.

Gregory is of course initially very strict about everything. it's how his parents were with him, after all, and he turned out well, didn't he? the baby must be brought up with only the best quality children's programming, proper manners, a good tutor as soon as they enter school, etc. Christophe would push back against this, citing that Gregory did not turn out as perfect as he presents himself and also that Christophe's mother was super controlling too and he turned out even worse.

this leads to them reaching an agreement to try their best to keep each other honest about striking a good balance. Christophe keeps Gregory from being too meddling and Gregory keeps Christophe from closing himself off or being too aggressive/touchy about emotional subjects.

anyway whatever child they raise is like. insanely good jack of all trades. Gregory insists on a well-balanced education and is thrilled to teach them about anything they ever ask about, complete with a full reading list for further research. Christophe would definitely encourage them to be kind of rough and tumble, appreciate dirt and athletics and the mercenary/espionage stuff he knows. this results in the cleverest gremlin child you've ever met. exponentially more so if they're raised in south park.

this child's "aunts" and "uncles" (aka other adults that are Gregory and Christophe's friends that they have around often) would probably include Damien, Estella, and Kenny. this encourages the gremlin side. Pip, Wendy, and Kyle (some other aunts/uncles) try to help but they end up just encouraging the clever side. the child is chaos incarnate.

Gregory and Christophe are extremely proud and protective of their kid, though. no matter what. sure there's consequences for any horrible actions but they both heard enough from their parents about not being good or good enough and they refuse to perpetuate the cycle.

in short: they're the best fucking dads ever. thank you for coming to my gregstophe parent ted talk or scrolling past all that and just stopping where the big text is.

[lunar-years]

💖💚for unpopular ask

💖: What is your biggest unpopular opinion about the series?

uhhh I have many. I would say my most unpopular are probably:

I don't care that the show had no big "endgame" ships. I actually appreciated it being left to interpretation on where we want the characters to go. And throwing them into relationships given where they are at in the end wouldn't have made much sense anyway. (beardjane was terrible but i don't count that as a 'big' ship lol. no one was shipping them. TOMATOES!!! -500/10). the show's focus was never romantic relationships to begin with fwiw so it's weird how much people center that in their conclusion about whether the show was good enough.

Ted going home to Henry was also Really Good and the Whole Point/Natural Conclusion of his arc.

I liked that RoyKeeley broke up. Didn't love where they went with it necessarily, and both of their characters deserved to be written soooo much better in s3, but I do think the breakup itself was a Good Thing that Needed to Happen for these characters to progress.

Given the season and events as they are written, I think Keeley is far more likely to get back together with Jamie immediately post finale than she is Roy. (I don't think she should get back together with either of them right away, mind you. My girl needs some time to not exist as part of a relationship, because she has clearly spent most of her life being in relationships and it has caused Problems to her sense of self worth that i am desperate for her to healthily address. And then I would ultimately very much like her to end up with both of them, lol. But I'm just saying finale Keeley totally WOULD get back together with Jamie).

In a very similar vein to all the above, a criticism i see ALL the time that absolutely drives me UP THE WALL is when people claim the writers fell into the ol' GirlBoss Slay trap with Keeley, where in order to make her an Independent Confident Businesswomen™️ they had to remove all romance from her storyline and claim that's why they broke roykeeley up. The writers wrote Keeley very extremely terribly in s3, do not get me wrong. But this argument that writers just hate romance and don't see how a woman can be successful and also be in love (when Rebecca, a very successful businesswoman with a major arc about wanting to find love is their lead female character, mind you), just feels like baseless ragey criticism from people mad about there not being a roykeeley endgame. Look, if that's what the writers were trying to do, they don't even come close to fulfilling the other end of that promise (trading her romance to make her a Caricature Slay Business Woman) because 1. they don't show Keeley becoming independent with her business at all (Rebecca just swoops in and saves the day) 2. they do a very poor job of showing her overcoming imposter syndrome and coming into her own and 3. after the breakup with Roy, they literally show her immediately jumping into another relationship. sooo. I think it's much more likely that the writers were attempting to show Keeley spiraling in the same patterns of self-destructive behavior she exhibited in s1 and s2. rather than attempting to wash away all her flaws I actually think they were trying to highlight and reflect on those flaws. Unfortunately they just did it very, very badly and left out the necessary other half of the arc that makes it compelling and successful: actually giving Keeley the space to recognize and reckon with those flaws. the problem is they too rarely let their own characters talk and have it out in meaningful ways. anyway.

💚: What does everyone else get wrong about your favorite character?

Roy isn't like THAT but he's also not like that. you know. people are always falling in love with completely different made up versions they've got of him and then acting like their Roy is canon Roy. Idk who that guy is but he isn't Roy!!! ughhhhhh. sorry.

[altschmerzes]

Ok so I love your work (started watching 911 so I could read more of your fics lol), and I completely agree and empathize with every one of your posts about how the show has handles Jamie’s arc. This may be a bit messy but! Here we go,,

My dad is also shitty, like Jamie’s, and my mom has done so so much to protect me from that, again, like Jamie’s. I don’t talk to my dad anymore and probably never will and I certainly haven’t forgiven him and probably never will. The past couple episode really did a wee number on me (read: had a lil break down, we’re totally good tho ahahaha 😬👍) and led my mom and i to have some difficult conversations about forgiveness and the role it does or doesn’t play in our healing and growth and what not. And to put it short, the space you cultivate here on tumblr was really really helpful for me, both in processing and identifying why the episodes hurt and also in being able to verbalize and communicate it with my loved ones. Being so vulnerable is hard and sucky and I know you’ve gotten shitty asks, and I’m really sorry for all that. So,, I just wanted to thank you for being so open and genuine on this lil website, and let u know it means a lot

(on a lighter note i am so excited for like ever ted fic u are working on—the kid fic, the same story, this new fix-it—just ahhhhhhhh can’t wait!)

ahhhhhh man i am so flattered you like my work so much (i'm excited for those fics too!! been making a lot of progress with all of them and the 3x11 fic just hit 12k so full speed ahead on THAT) and i appreciate so much you taking the time and willingness to write this out and send it to me

those last couple episodes were rough for that, and i didn't have an easy time with them either. i'm so sorry you had to see that messaging for what i'm sure is the millionth time in your life - it's a horrible thing to be told over and over. but i'm also so glad you were able to communicate with the people in your life about it and that i could play even a little part in helping that happen and giving you space where those feelings are validated and you aren't alone in them is just.... man <3 i'm really glad that my choice to be open about my feelings on that stuff and why has meant something to somebody. you're right, it's a scary and difficult thing to talk openly about some of the rougher stuff i've experienced, and i've had people say some shocking things to me because of it, but it's all completely worth it for this. thank YOU, seriously.

we're coming up very shortly on what's going to be the seventh anniversary of when i went no-contact with my father, which is something i needed to do for my own safety and peace of mind and heart, after an attempt at reconciliation that went badly for me. without personal and societal pressure from people i knew, broader culture, and a lot of media narratives, i never would've let him back into my life in the first place, because it sure wasn't what i wanted. and even now, the rest of my family - who have all decided to welcome him back into the fold despite some reprehensible shit that ruined my life - is on me regularly, trying to push me into reversing my decision and speaking to him again. i've been lectured about forgiveness a lot, and stuff like the stuff we just saw just. never helps. there is only ever one story about people like us, and it's always our abusers' happy ending. never a moment considering maybe ours might be different.

anyways. seriously. thank you for this. it means a lot to hear, more than i can say. i'm really proud of you for everything you've done to protect your peace and keep yourself safe and have a good, safe, happy life away from him. that shit is so, so hard, even without the world around us constantly trying to make it harder. so in case you don't hear it enough, because none of us ever do, i'm really, really proud of you.

[mamahersh]

I have been left on a cliffhanger, and now I understand in some small measure how people felt in the gap between MAG 185 and 186. What a great cliffhanger tho, with Jon phasing out and Martin nodding along till he realizes he's alone and the tape ends.

Quick commentary tho on the actual content of today's three eps: 

I find that most statements in S5 this far have generally fallen in one if two categories: the ones that are there for the "message" and the ones to help push along elements of the plot. Generally there wasn't much overlap in the first half of the season, but now that we're pushing into the endgame there's def some more overlap occurring. Admittedly MAG 183 (Monument) falls more into the former than the latter category but we do get the introduction of Martin's "personal journey" plot arc leading up to the entrance of London. But more to the point, I enjoyed Monument in part because having gone through a Bachelor's degree in Physics at a smaller state University, you tend to bump into at least one or two of the type of people that were stuck in the Monument. Admittedly, none of the professors I knew were ever that cartoonishly prideful, but there was always that one female Dr. who would give out reprimands if she was ever addressed as anything else if you messed up more than once. But also not to say that professors and doctors who are that cartoonishly prideful don't exist, just means I was lucky enough to have never met them while I was in school. I will say, seemed a *bit* sexist to imply all the academically prideful wankers in the tower were all men, but I get it; most people who go to those lengths for their academic careers generally *are* men and particularly those who would fear being so very very wrong... Well I get. I don't agree, but I get it.

Now that I've alienated my audience, MAG 184 (Like Ants) is almost serendipitous in relation to MAG a day: two Corruption statements in one day? what’re the odds? But in any case, this was a great set up for revealing Jon's other major power relating to other people in the apocalypse... Upgrading people from Watched to Watcher. You may ask, "if Jon's trying to be better, why would he curse someone to Avatarhood?" Well for a lot reasons, most of which he explains in the episode, but I think a reason that was too... Basic? To be spoken would be he was curious to see what would happen exactly and wanted to give the gift to someone he cared about personally. Listen, this man has been asking questions since we met him and after he Became it got 10 times worse. Even in the Apocalypse he's been asking questions it's just now he has instant access to all the answers that the Eye has. So do you really think Jon, if given the choice between less guilt and getting his questions answered, would ever actually choose "less guilt"? Thank for listening to my TED talk.

Gosh, I loved though how *finally* Martin seems to be realizing at least a little where Jon's coming from. Yeah yeah, unlawful detainment, Jonny feeling the need to apologize for it getting too real... Listen it's appreciated but hilariously enough it was a "bit too real" with war flashback central back in 163. Anyways, back in topic, 185 was great because Martin finally connects the dots on why Jon isn't smiting everything he sees and why he hasn't been raising everyone they bump into to Avatarhood. Why the domains perpetuate even without a guiding hand and what happens when they are *truly* removed of their foundational fear.

But what interests me more is how Martin tries to decide whether the inspector should be "lifted up". Martin has always tried to make the world a better place after the end, and it's interesting that he seems to think that that means people should strive to be better people to do so. Not happier, not necessarily less Fearful, but going ever towards a world where Love outweighs Fear as a grand whole. So when given the choice of potentially lessening one man's suffering but forcing him to instead subsist on the suffering of others, he asks Jon whether the man would enjoy that new existence of living on other people's suffering? Jon basically says yes, based on the man's previous behaviour and outlook before the apocalypse, he more than likely would, and so Martin judges the man and tells Jon to leave him. So instead of lessening the man's suffering but ultimately encouraging him to be a worse person by "rewarding" his previous bad behavior and allowing him to feel good about hurting other people; Martin chooses to keep that man in suffering so that when him and Jon eventually save the world, he can come out of it potentially having realized that what he had been doing was wrong because had had suffered like that himself.

Martin, in this choice, has learned that him and Jon have basically been given the power of deities: to judge if someone is worthy of less suffering, and then to make it so they have greater responsibility, if a similarly miserable existence. Martin has made the choice that he would rather people do not live if they are to subsist off the suffering of others, particularly if they enjoy it. And if I've heard the rumors about the next episode correctly, Martin will discuss with himself the full implications of his world view to their logical conclusion and I actually can't wait to discuss it.

EDIT: I revised the MAG 184 section a bit because I had forgotten (somehow) that Timothy Hodge and Jordan Kennedy were two very different people lmfaooooo.

[grandaddy-of-all-liars]

Hello my’ mellows, today I will be telling you about Ren and Stimpy characters that I don’t think get enough attention.

Mr Horse

No one talks about him and it weirds me out. he’s not only a FANTASTIC critic but also a snazzy dresser, I mean have you seen that suit he was wearing in Ren Seeks Help? He also was in the army so it’s clear he’s very strong. And to top it all off he’s a very handsome, and I’m surprised that not many people haven’t fell heads over heels over him.

Muddy the Mudskipper

This one is a little more understandable since he didn’t have much of a role in the series, but I still thinks he deserves a mention. KILLER theme song, and cares for his friend enough to take him to a mental asylum to get help (I’m referring to Ren Needs Help). Also is a Hollywood big shot so that’s pretty cool.

The headless boy from APC

I know I briefly already mentioned him in the comment section on your last post, but I feel like I should mention him here too. Some how can operate just fine without a head which is very impressive. Had a kinda cute moment with Stimpy when they were building that house (well chimney I mean). Despite seeming to lose everything and living in a hole he still tried to have as much fun as he possibly can. Overall this character is just wholesome in general and I wish we could see more of him.

Ren’s Mom from APC

This one is gonna be a bit biased since I have a bit of a crush on her, I mean she’s practically a girl version of Ren that fact alone is enough for my lesbian brain go “ME WANT GIANT CHIHUAHUA WIFE” which is a weird thought to have since she’s not a giant, anyway enough of what ever this is let’s get on with the real reasons. She’s very beautiful, but deserves a much better marriage. A lovable psychopath just like her son (this is based off of speculation).

I hope you enjoyed my little TED talk and let me know if you think I missed any (which I probably did). Well bye for now!

i enjoyed reading EVERY word of this thank you so much for sharing your two cents! super ask, thank you for helping me not terminally hyperfix on Ren 0_o

also [chihuahua wife panic], sdhchfhczrf how did I fail to appreciate such a catch that is his mom, I cried when I saw this 💔

ok so we concur:

dapper Mr Horse🔺️

Muddy (the tune is on mental repeat now)🔺️

Headless Boy 🔺️(when hes embarassed and crosses his feet and hangs his lil larynx in shame 🥺)

Ren's stone cold fox Mom🔺️ (does she have a name? confession: i had a kind of awakening when her skirt lifted to reveal the garters 👀)

Submitting for your approval:

Wilbur Cobb - the shit he says plus he's like actively decaying idk why it makes me hysterical. he's completely batshit but kinda sharp still, i mean, pro tip: 'if you call everything crap you're never wrong'

Chuck - i think i actually like him more as a character foil for Ren bc he eggs him on to the point we get to see another side of Ren's pathos, and i like to imagine Ren was once secretly in love with him

Jasper - ok maybe i'm too narrowly focusing on the brotherhood of the dog here, the canine antics are so much fun. wish he were a recurring cameo

Eggyolkeo - please don't hate me for this >.< inanity is my lover and this character is just so hokey and ridiculous i can't not celebrate him. when he performs on stage and Elvis-struts in his cape and gargled into the mic i lost it. plus seeing the boys being all parental is just so darn cute, despite the poor ending

well thank you so much for having me on the show, i had a lot of fun here tonight :) seriously thank you for the stellar topic!!!! i'm sorry it took me forever to reply please feel welcome to send more, i should be getting my life back from work a bit soooooon

[jandjsalmon]

2022 Fanfiction Reading Challenge

June 2022 Stats  

Well, my friends. June was as crazy as I thought it would be. Aside from the whole horrible state of *gestures at everything*, the Salmon fam moved out of our house and into a hotel for a MONTH - right in time for the HS graduation of my middle son (and our fun impromptu grad trip to Los Angeles and my sunburn from hell). Thankfully, there are only SIX more sleeps until I’m in my brand new house. I have missed my own bed and I never thought I would say this - but I miss eating food I made myself in my own kitchen. You know how they say that adulthood is basically complaining about what to make for dinner every night until you die? Well eating out every night doesn’t change the fact that you still have to decide at which restaurant to eat... it’s a never ending problem (and an expensive one).

ANYWAY - enough about my real life. Let’s talk fic because we all need a little brightness in our lives right now because *gestures at everything* I’m JUST shy of 10 million words read and I’m just over halfway through the year. My goal of +20 mill for the year *might* be within reach.

Pairings were fun this month. I read 10 new ships (some highlights were Eddie/Chrissy from Stranger Things, Phoenix/Bob from Top Gun: Maverick, and even a Ted/Rebecca from Ted Lasso), I also read some of YOUR favourites (from your bookmarks on Ao3) - how else would I have found a heartbreakingly angsty Stevie/Alexis (Schitt’s Creek) fic if it weren’t for you? So thank you!

I’m still working on my Hard (72/88) and Extreme(35/65) challenges. There are several tasks at the @fanfic-reading-challenge​ that deal with minorities. Do any of you currently have favourite stories with a minority (any minority) as a main character that you can direct me to? 

Here are some of my favourite reads and rereads for this month. I hope you will read them and leave lots of loving reviews to let these awesome authors know how much you appreciate them.

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Tumblr Meet Cute (2 fic series - T) by Toryb - Tory wrote this one several years ago and it was SO fun to revisit. Betty meets Jughead on tumblr - and they fall in love and then meet in person and it’s the sweetest thing ever. I was feeling nostalgic for Bughead fandom fluffiness and this fit the bit. Fellow Buggies - if you haven’t read these two one-shots yet, you need to. DO IT!

let's make some music (fuck all of the bullshit) by @feelavalanche​ (2/2 - E) - My girl wrote this one - and I am a SUCKER for Musician AUs. Fez and Lexi are both singers with grammy nominated albums and they are SO CUTE together. 

only good things happen here by @sweetsoundsofignorance​ (6/6 - E) - HELLO DARKNESS MY OLD FRIEND! Okay, so I had a lot of feelings while I read this one. It was dark. SO dark. But the final chapter was SO FREAKING cathartic! This fic is canon-divergent at the 'Key Party’ and includes a very dark Betty who does dark things for good reasons? It was both hard and wonderful to read. I don’t know how to explain it - but I think you should read it if you like morally grey (or morally black) characters and character motivation. 

Postcode Envy by @bewitchingredhead36​ (33/33 - E) - I started reading this Veronica Mars fic in 2014 on ff.net - and there was a big break and then the lovely author started posting chapters again 2022 (thankfully I was subscribed so I got the notification) and it was finally finished in June. The premise is - Cindy Mackenzie is hit in the head with a baseball and wakes up back in high school - but not as Cindy Mackenzie, but as Madison Sinclair (as if she wasn’t switched at birth at all) - but she remembers Veronica and Cassidy and Dick and Logan and everyone. 

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Enjoy the recs - and I hope you all have a wonderful weekend and happy July. 

[system-to-the-madness]

Question - Pin Hawthorne x  Reader

Pairing: Pin Hawthorne x fem!Reader Genre: hurt/comfort & fluff Summary: While you study, Pin tries to find the courage to ask you to the Mistletoe Ball Warning: Jealousy, I guess. Stressed reader, if that needs a warning. Word Count: 2 387 A/N: I wrote this last week, instead of learning my Japanese vocabulary. In my defence: it was 9:10pm, and i had less than two and a half hours of breaks since 8:30am that morning. And just now I basically rewrote it all. Oops.

Cold wind carried snowflakes past your window and out into the night. It was mid-December, and with Christmas just one week away, you were so stressed, that you could not even appreciate the view. School work was piling up, countless tests the teachers insisted on writing before the holidays adding to the stress. For you it was even worse this year, since you were not even staying in your own home, with your aunt, who you lived with. Just last month she had had an accident, and was now on the mainland for treatment. So your best friend Pin had convinced his father to allow you to stay with them. They had cleaned out the little guest room on the second floor, right below Pin’s room, and made sure you felt as much at home as possible. The house on top of the cliffs offered the most amazing view over both the sea and the island. From your room you had a great view onto the ocean. But now thick snowflakes were making it hard to see further than the edge of the cliff. Besides, it was night anyway, and without the light of the moon the darkness was absolute out here.

You focused your tired eyes back on the book in front of you. You studied Japanese as an elective, and your teacher had suggested the class should try an official test right before Christmas, so that you had one more additional test to write, stressing you out even more, causing anxiety to slowly but surely creep in. So much that you studied even past your preferred bedtime. Now the desk right underneath the window was crammed with your text book, a few notebooks, vocabulary cards, a workbook and a plethora of pens and markers in different colours.

Quietly you sighed. Over the day, you tried hiding how worn out and anxious you felt, but by now even Ted, Pin’s father, had taken notice of your distress, even though you hardly spent any time around each other, mostly just for the meals. Now he often tried cheering you up with cookies and tea whenever Pin and you returned from school.

But as if school was not stressful enough already, there was also the Mistletoe Ball approaching. The same Mistletoe Ball Mia had announced on not doing this year because it was expensive and very stressful. But as soon as Zoe, who had moved back to America after the summer holidays, had announced she would come to visit for Christmas, the Ball had been back on the schedule. Which meant that you, as the stable hand, would have to take care of organising about 90% of it. All in all you did not know what annoyed you most: that the prom had been reintroduced, that it had been reintroduced because of Zoe, that you had to take care of it, or that Zoe was coming at all.

Zoe and you had never been close. Not that you disliked her, but she was not your type of person, and you were not hers. It would have been fine like that, if it had not been for her and Pin having grown very close over the time she had spent on the island. Of course you were Pin’s best friend, and you knew you should be happy for him when he found someone he liked, who liked him back. But you could not stop the bitter taste of jealousy every time someone mentioned Zoe.

Sometimes you even heard Pin at night, his muffled voice sounding from upstairs, when he was on a video call with Zoe. The mornings after, he always seemed so much more cheerful. It stung, knowing someone else made him smile like that, and you wondered if you too, would one day make someone smile the way he did, when they talked about you, even if it would not be Pin.

But your feelings of jealousy did not change the fact that you had to organise the Ball. You had started redecorating last week already, even though the event was just right at the 24rd of December, but you had to start as early as possible if you wanted things to turn out nice (everything else would mean endless bickering from Mia for screwing up her Ball). At least you had already ordered catering for the evening, and the last decorations were supposed to arrive tomorrow.

For a long time you had thought about the matter of what to wear on that evening, but if you were honest, you did not have many choices. The dress you had worn to the Ball in summer was too light, and you would freeze in it, and you did not have enough money to buy a new one. So you would wear the long, white one from last year, with white being the colour Mia had asked all the ladies to wear. But if you were honest: You really liked that dress, almost feeling like a princess every time you got to wear it. Only that you were lacking a prince. Ever since you had been old enough to go to the Ball, you had wished Pin would ask you. But every time the riders of Bright Fields had attended either as a group of friends, or, like last year, Pin and Zoe had gone together.

That evening last year had been miserable for you, since you had feared any look into the crowd might surprise you with the unwanted sight of the two of them kissing (which had luckily not happened). And you really were not looking forward to repeating the nauseous feeling in your stomach for a whole evening this year. But it did not look like you had much of a choice.

Shaking your head, you forced your eyes back on the text book in front of you, rereading the last sentence, trying to make sense of the foreign signs.

You were so focused on your work, that you did not even hear Pin approach your room. You had left the door to the guest room open, like always when you were studying. The house was quiet usually, so nobody disturbed you, but you also felt like it was impolite to keep the door closed all the time; you were a guest here after all.

Now Pin leant against the door frame, and watched you for a moment. He knew he should not, but you just looked too cute, hunched over your work like that. Your fingers were following the lines you were reading, occasionally you mumbled out a word, or made a little sound of understanding. Then you picked up a marker, and tried scribbling something into your notebook, only to sigh, throw the marker back to the others and pick up a pen. After you had finished writing whatever you had intended to, you twirled the pen between your fingers, and chewed on your lower lip.

Pin took in all of these details, your fingers restlessly playing around, your furrowed eyebrows, the rebellious strands of hair that hung into your forehead, the turtleneck sweater you were cuddled into. Secretly Pin wondered what you would look like wearing one of his hoodies. Probably too adorable. What had Zoe told him just the day before yesterday? “I’m sure (Y/n)’d love it if you’d share your clothes with her. All girls love it when a guy gives them their clothes, especially if they like him as much as she likes you.” The only problem was that you always seemed to be perfectly prepared for any weather, and he had never gotten the opportunity to offer you one of his jackets.

As if you had read his thoughts, you rubbed your hands together in that moment. Before pulling the sleeves over your knuckles, you rubbed your eyes, then picked up a pencil, and noted something down again.

Pin fought an internal battle with himself. He had come to your room because of a topic he had wanted to talk to you about this ever since it had been announced that the Mistletoe Ball would be held again this year, and even though you were literally living in the same house, eating all meals at the same table as him, he had not yet found the courage to talk to you. How was he supposed to start?

His thoughts got interrupted by the observation that you pulled up your shoulders, and folded your arms over your chest, making yourself smaller, while you went back to reading in the textbook.

“Are you cold?”

The question had left Pin’s lips without his intention, and a soft smile pulled at his lips when you turned around to look at him.

“Just tired, I guess.”

You smiled back. Dear god, you did look tired, dark circles underneath your eyes.

“You sure it’s not a bit chilly in here,” Pin wondered, taking a single step into your room to place his hand on the radiator. It was perfectly warm.

“Oh, it’s fine. I probably just need sleep,” you sighed, and ran your hand over your face.

“If you’re cold, you can have my hoodie,” Pin offered quickly, realising such a chance would not come again anytime soon.

“It’s fine, I-”

But Pin had already shrugged off the hoodie, and held it out to you.

For a moment you fought with yourself. If you took it, you might allow yourself to believe that it meant something. But it just looked too soft to resist, so you took the hoodie, and quickly slipped it on. It was still warm and smelled of Pin.

“Thank you,” you mumbled, averting your gaze from his shyly. “What time is it anyway?”

“Just past eleven pm,” Pin answered, and you groaned.

“Uh, I wanted to get up early tomorrow,” you said and threw the textbook a glance. “But I still got like… three more pages.”

“Maybe you should call it a night anyway,” Pin suggested, “you won’t remember any of this tomorrow if you don’t sleep enough.”

“And what about you, Mister,” you deflected his suggestion. “Why are you still sneaking around?”

Pin grinned at the teasing name you had called him.

“I just wanted to make sure you’re fine,” he lied, not having found the courage to ask you what he had come here for.

“Fine looks different, but I appreciate the sentiment,” you said. “Well then. I don’t want to keep you. Good night, Pin.”

“Good night. Don’t stay up for too long.”

You snorted and turned back to your desk.

“Good joke.”

Pin was almost out of your room when he stopped. If he would let this chance of asking you now slip through his fingers, he would beat himself up for it forever. It was the perfect moment! You were even wearing his hoodie (and god, did you look cute in it).

“Actually, one more thing.”

With raised eyebrows you swivelled your chair around to face him.

“Who are you going to the Ball with?”

Surprised you furrowed your brows.

“Same as any prom,” you answered. “On my own.”

“Well, you see...” Pin nervously shifted his weight from one leg to the other and back. “I thought, maybe we could go together this year. The two of us. Not as- not as friends. As like… a date?”

You stared at him for a moment, frozen in shock at his words.

“What about Zoe,” you asked, instead of answering him.

“What about her?”

“Don’t you wanna go with her?”

“Why would I? I wanna go with you.”

You kept staring at Pin, your lips unable to just tell him that you wanted nothing more than to go to that stupid Ball with him.

“I mean, if you don’t want to that’s perfectly fi-”

“No,” you interrupted him. “I mean, yes. I’d love to go with you.”

Pin’s expression brightened immediately. “Really? As a real date?”

Instead of answering you nodded, pressing your lips together in an attempt to suppress the bright smile that was creeping up on your face, but feeling how your cheeks were glowing anyway.

“I really thought you’d say no, there for a moment,” Pin smiled, embarrassed.

“No, I just thought, you’d go with Zoe-”

“Zoe was the one who convinced me to finally ask you,” Pin laughed. “She said she’d be sure you’d say yes. Otherwise I’d’ve never had the courage to ask you, and instead gone with her again, and spent the whole evening watching you, too shy to actually ask you to dance.”

“Excuse me, what?” You blinked in surprise at his words, not sure if you had heard him correctly. He had watched you during a previous Ball, but been too shy to ask you to dance?

“Nothing, forget it,” Pin rubbed the back on his neck. “Just- I can’t wait for the Ball, to go there, with you.”

“Neither can I,” you smiled.

“Well, good night then,” Pin said, and turned around, almost bumping into the door frame, causing you to giggle.

“Good night,” you grinned, “get upstairs safely!”

Pin looked over his shoulder, shooting you a mocking glare, and disappeared in the dark, his bright smile etched into your memory for forever.

Only when the even rhythm of his steps had faded, you eventually turned back to your book, and released a breath you had not realised you had been holding. Had Pin really just asked you to go to the Mistletoe Ball with him, as his date? You tried to focus on your studies again, but your thoughts kept drifting off to Pin again and again, so you soon decided to go to bed.

If what Pin had said, that Zoe had been the one to encourage him to ask you out, was true, you owed her one.

Lying in bed, cuddled into your blanket, you smiled to yourself. No matter all the tests and the stress the next week would bring, Christmas Eve with the Mistletoe Ball could not come quickly enough now. You fell asleep, wondering if Pin would even dance with you, not knowing that one floor above you, he had plucked in his headphones and was practicing the steps to a waltz, hoping he would not make a complete fool out of himself when he asked you to dance at the Mistletoe Ball.

Picture Sources: Papers with Pen, Sea with Rocks, Beach, Notes, Books, Freddy Carter, Backs of Books

[kalinara]

I’ve rewatched the episode Lavender (2x02) the other day and I realized that I think it’s an underrated episode when it comes to Rebecca’s characterization and arc this season.

I mean, first of all, we have that truly amazing moment where she learns that Ted initially tried to give her biscuits to Sharon.  I love how she’s not actually upset by this, (probably because she remembers Ted giving Trent’s daughter’s biscuits to Higgins.  Ted panics sometimes.) but that she IS offended by the fact that Sharon didn’t accept them.

And then of course, there was that truly amazing moment where she deliberately takes a bite from the biscuit that Sharon rejected as a means of establishing dominance.

Spectacular.  And probably the Ted/Rebecca moment that’s hardest to explain away if you don’t ship the characters.  Most of their other beats can work just as well for dear friends or a pseudo-sibling relationship, but that bite was staking a claim.  “The biscuits, and their baker, are MINE.”

But femdom kink aside*, there is something else that I truly love about the scene that I didn’t really appreciate until we made it to the end of season 2.

(* I’m just saying, it’s probably not a coincidence that the VERY NEXT EPISODE told us that Ted is VERY eager to please in bed.  :-D)

ANYWAY, when Ted and Rebecca discuss Sharon, they seem to be on the same page with regard to their disregard and discomfort with therapy.  They both are uncomfortable with the idea.  They both assert that it’s much better to rely on friends than a professional, and then they’re both shy away from admitting anything to each other.

But they’re not really on the same page.  Because Rebecca is being honest in this scene and Ted is not.

Rebecca tells Ted, and us, that she doesn’t see the point of a therapist because she can diagnose herself.  And while, obviously, a therapist provides more than just a diagnosis, the fact is, she’s not wrong::

“I thought being invulnerable would protect me, so I pushed people away for years, leading me directly to my greatest fear: Being alone. Big whoop.”

She’s oversimplifying things, of course.  She’s definitely not cutting herself enough slack, and it’s probably worth acknowledging that trauma both before and because of her abusive marriage is a major factor in how her negative defense mechanisms came about.  (All things that a therapist might be able to help with.)

But the key part of this is what she’s not saying.  Rebecca is not saying “I’m fine.”  She knows she’s not.  She admits she’s not.  And she’s working on it in her own way.

We don’t get a reciprocal statement from Ted, because Ted is not there yet.  Ted isn’t even in a place where he can admit to a problem at all, even with a woman who helped him through a panic attack.

They’re being tongue in cheek when they talk about how friends are there so you can “burden them with your issues and anxieties.”  But the thing is, Rebecca DOES lean on her friends when she needs to.  She confesses her insecurities and her fears to Keeley, to Sassy, to Higgins, even to Ted himself.   She lets them support her and she supports them in turn.

Ted doesn’t do that.  Even when his life has been absolutely and undeniably turned upside down in a VERY public way, he brushes away everyone’s concern with a joke or a smile.  He seems to be pathologically afraid of burdening anyone with anything.

And I think this disconnect is the real reason that Ted and Rebecca seem so separate this season.  We know that he still brings her the biscuits, but we don’t get to see it.  While he got to give her a truly wonderful show of support at her father’s funeral, he still deflects her expression of reciprocal concern.  He’s not meeting her halfway.

I know a lot of folk have wanted to know when Rebecca will start therapy.  And I think she would benefit from therapy, undoubtedly, but I don’t think she NEEDS it the way Ted does.  

I don’t agree with the fan interpretation that Rebecca herself suffers from panic attacks.  I agree that she has obvious experience with them, but I think it’s always been as an observer rather than a fellow sufferer.  She recognizes the signs in other people and knows what to do.  But I don’t think she’s had the personal experience.  Her coping methods, which we’ve seen a lot of in season two, are very different.  

(I think @exuberantocean suggested that Rebecca’s mother may have been the one to suffer panic attacks in a fanfic.  This seems very plausible to me given the many other parallels between Deborah and Ted.)

In the end, I think what the scene in Lavender shows us, and the season reinforces, is that while Rebecca is not “okay”, she’s also not hiding or denying it.  She’s facing her issues, and she’s going back out there.  She’s embracing her sexual freedom and exploring romantic possibilities that she’s denied herself so long.  She’s making mistakes, but that’s a part of life too..  She’s confiding in her friends and getting the support that she needs. 

I’m not sure where season three will be taking Rebecca, but I’m reasonably optimistic that it will be in a good direction.  

[raindownforme]

Theater Kid

Ted Nivison x reader [she/her used]

It wasn’t odd for me to be left alone in the big open space. Most nights I was there into the late hours when my teachers were too tired to remember I was there. But tonight they’d actually forgotten, so I busied myself by sweeping the giant black stage. The push broom had been left near the side lighting panel, so I chose a few flood lights to turn on to better see the flooring. The lightbulbs hummed to life above me and I went back to take center stage as a starting point. I turned to look towards the house but, as I stared out into the seats, I saw someone standing who hadn’t been there before.

“You turned the fucking floods on.” His voice echoed across the near empty space and I shushed him as quickly as possible. Fucking actors always having to be the loudest.

“Jesus Christ Theodore shut up. Haven’t you ever done this before?”

“No. I don’t stay after school cleaning like a weirdo.”

“Well you’re here. And I’m not a weirdo! It’s a shared space. If anything you should appreciate me.”

I watched as he awkwardly picked up his backpack and walked down the aisles towards me. He stood at the foot of the stage, staring up at me, which wasn’t that much of an angle for him. He was an abnormally tall person, especially for a highschool student. Of course it only added to the strange charismatic spell he held over almost everyone else in our shared department, and I hated it. I hated the way he never talked to me but talked to everyone else. I hated the way he would sit on the desks and the tables in the classroom and the makeup room and on the edge of the stage and when he caught me looking he would give me this wide, crooked smile. I hated how loud his stupid improv club was that he got to lead was because he was the only student good at it. I hated how I spent every day inside the workshop and the prop hallway and the sound booth and the set alley and the lighting booth and he never payed a bit of attention to it. It was everyone else but me. And even knowing how close I’d gotten to being the stage manager, I knew I’d always be one peg under him.

“Did you hear me?”

I blinked myself out of my angry thoughts, trying to catch up with the real world. “I’m sorry?”

“I said you don’t have to call me Theodore. Ted is fine.”

“Oh.” I rolled my shoulders back unsure of what was the appropriate next step. “Well my name is-“

“y/n I know.” He cut me off. I stared at him in confusion, simply having assumed he didn’t know who I was. “We have like five classes together. We’ve done every production together since freshman year. You’re the one in charge when I come to set days. I sit across from you in the makeup room during lunch. And I know you do all your homework at the director’s desk.”

I stared at my feet as I felt my face flush. It felt like I couldn’t make words. It didn’t make sense that this guy I thought was a prick for the last three years knew me? But I knew that I liked him knowing me. And that was the worst part; I’d been fine with thinking he didn’t know me and didn’t want to because it gave me a name to whatever this feeling was. And now I don’t know. I looked back towards him, trying to think of anything to say. “You don’t care about tech.”

“I- what?” I couldn’t tell if he was angry or confused, and I wasn’t sure which was worse. Staring at him again I noticed the strange tint to his face, which seemed to be turning pinker by the second. I could see my reflection in his glasses and I realized how awkward of an angle we were at.

I bent down on my knees to meet his eye level. “You don’t care about tech. You’re the guy who’s a lead character and comes to rehearsal just to fuck around when you’re not needed act all high and mighty when really you never do anything.”

He narrowed his eyes, as if thinking, and then slapped his bag down on the stage near my feet. “Give me a fucking broom.”

We spent the next while peacefully sweeping up the stage. At some point I switched to the nail detector (which was really a long stick with a magnet on the end) and began going around the edges and crevices to try and find anything. We crossed paths a couple times, shoulders brushing together or brooms clinking.

Eventually I had passed him just enough that he stopped me in my tracks. He grasped my forearm gently, but I stared at his hand. I didn’t seem to want him to let go. “Here.” He took an AirPod out of his ear and handed it to me.

“Ooooh fancy actor boy has AirPods.”

“Literally shut up and appreciate me.” I smiled as I walked towards the trash can. I didn’t know what was playing, but it seemed like some indie bullshit I probably would have admitted to liking if it wasn’t coming from Th- Ted.

I sighed as I leaned the broom against the wall. “I think we’re done here. I can put away the broom in the morning if you don’t know where it goes.”

“I got it.” I watched as he took the trash can under one arm and the broom to the designated little outcropping in the workshop.

“I think that’s the first time I’ve seen you in here.”

“Eh.” He shrugged and stood up straight to look down at me better. “Freshman year someone smacked me straight across the face with a roller. Worst acne I’ve ever had.”

“Oh. Ouch. Still on the handle?”

“Nope.”

“Wet or dry?”

“Wet. With paint. Fresh paint.”

“Ooh. What color?”

“Forest green.”

“Euch. Nasty.” I chuckled as I rubbed my hands up and down my arms. It wasn’t uncommon for this part of the school to be the coldest, especially surrounded by walls of exclusively concrete and a single garage door, and the seasons still changing as we neared the end of winter. I felt a shiver run through my spine, and Ted looked at me funny.

“Is it cold in here?”

“For some of us.”

“Here.” Ted shrugged off the heavy bomber jacket he had been wearing and draped it over my shoulders. It was warm on the inside, much warmer than I’d been expecting. It almost fit, but I guess his torso and arms were just slightly larger than mine. I looked back to him to say thank you but instead he was staring at me with this dumb look. He was smiling and his head was tilted slightly, and his face was pink again, but darker this time. I felt my face heat up as we stared at each other.

“We should leave.”

He seemed to snap back to reality. “Right. Yeah no right god it’s- what time?” He flicked his wrist out to move his sleeve in order to see his watch. Of course the pretentious bitch wore a stupid watch. “It’s like 6. I guess it’s eating time.”

I nodded and walked back out towards stage left, Turing off all the lights except for our single ghost light that had to sit center stage. It cast a hazy shadow over everything. I watched Ted walk towards center where the lightbulb stood. He started to reach for his bag but I heard the song change in the AirPod. He made eye contact with me as a slow waltzy song moved through my ear. He extended a hand to me and I tentatively reached for it. His hands felt good in mine. They were soft but worn, I and I could clearly feel the lines that ran through his palms and his fingers.

He took one of my hands in his and his other hand placed itself gently on my waist. “Have you ever waltzed before?” His voice was low and raspy, trying to be as quiet as possible.

I whispered back, “no.” He began to shuffle us around, pulling me left and right and pushing away and pulling me. I felt surrounded by the way he smelled and the way he held me gingerly, like a glass figurine. I stared down at my feet as to not step on him, but he took the hand that was holding mine to gently lift my chin up.

“It’ll be easier if you look up at me. I know you can hear the rhythm.” He began to hum the song as we continued to move. The song began a flourish ending as he threw me out in a twirl, then pulling me back in to his arms. I felt him dip me to the ground as the ending came. I let my self dangle, my head up side down, staring at the ground, then gently lifted my face back upwards. Ted was mere centimeters away from me. I could feel his breathing on my neck.

“Ted. I should-“

“Yeah. No no I know. Yeah.” He lifted me up slowly until I was sure I was flat on the floor. I grabbed my backpack, holding the straps.

“Do you want your jacket-?”

“Keep it. I can get it back tomorrow.”

“Today’s Friday.”

“Right. Monday then.”

I nodded and walked towards the door. I could hear his heavier footsteps behind me, gaining quick due to his longer legs. The door clicked shut behind us, and the cool February air rushed through my skin and hair. I watched Ted take a keychain out from the pocket of his back pack. He looked at me and frowned.

“Did you drive or do you have a ride?”

“Oh yeah. No they’ll uh. They’ll be here in a bit.” I dropped my bag and sat on the curb with it on my lap to try and stay warm. Ted’s jacket was lovely but not lovely enough.

I heard Ted drop his bag and watched as he took a seat next to me. He looked over at me. “What? I’m not gonna leave a pretty girl out alone at 7 at night in the winter. Besides my parents probably think I’m at the game anyways.”

Now that he mentioned it, I could hear the sound of cheering and drum line off in the distance.

Did he call me pretty?

We both waited on the curb for probably another 10 minutes before he started talking again. “There’s no one coming is there?”

“Ted-“

“I never see you leave because you always leave last. After anyone who could possible give you a ride has left. You’re one of those kids.”

“I’m sorry one of those kids?”

“No I didn’t-“ he exhaled and closed his eyes. “You don’t have anyone waiting for you. So you just walk.” We were both quiet for a moment, taking in the cold as it burned your skin. Ted stood up and extended a hand to me. “Get in the car.”

“Im sorry what?”

“Get in my fucking car. I’m not going to leave you to get kidnapped on the way home so you’re coming with me to get food.”

“See now this feels like kidnapping.”

“Oh my GOD get in the car.”

I reluctantly climbed into the passenger seat of his car, looking at the very minimal personalization that had been done: a couple stickers on the back window and a glasses case in the center cup holder. I watched as he reversed out of the parking spot, extending his arm against my seat to better turn around. I did my best not to stare, but I wasn’t sure what else to look at. He stopped before going into drive, asking if I didn’t mind McDonald’s even if there was a long line.

“Sure. It’s not like there’s someone waiting on me.”

He frowned at my response, but nonetheless kept on driving. “Well, there’s also a Dairy Queen, Sherri’s, maybe a Taco Bell-“

“Sherri’s.”

He glanced over at me with a confused look. “Really??”

“Come on, you know sitting in a dirty trashy restaurant at night is the total teenage coming of age moment.”

“Yeah but a Sherri’s? The food isn’t even good enough to justify.”

“You only say that because you haven’t tried those loaded hash browns.” I jokingly placed a hand on his shoulder, but I felt him tense at the contact. I retracted my hand and he sighed, moving to turn on his right blinker.

Ted swiveled his head to check for passing cars, but he grinned at me as we made less than a second of eye contact. I turned my head away towards the window next to me, trying to swallow whatever heat was rising towards my cheeks. I watched us pass cars and headlights as we approached the poorly lit parking lot. I jolted as ted’s plastic bumper lightly scraped the ground. He mumbled something under his breath as he pulled into a spot.

“I hate this stupid lot. Always scratch something coming in.” He unbuckled his seat belt and got out quicker than I expected. I went to unbuckle and get out but as I reached for the door handle, Ted opened it for me from the outside.

“Oh.” I stared at him for a second and he grinned at me.

“I know. Such a gentleman. Now get out of the car before I break your heart.” He winked at me, obviously joking, but I still felt my heart drop out of my chest.

“HA.” I pushed him away from me gently, but my fingers burnt at the touch.

I heard Ted shut the door behind me as I walked into the restaurant. There was really no one inside other than a group of kids tucked away in a booth in a far corner. I watched as the hostess approached me, saying I could sit in any table I wanted. I heard Ted walk in behind me and I turned to look at him, but he was staring at the group of kids in the corner.

He sighed and closed his eyes. “Oh shit-“

“HEY. TED!” One of the kids started yelling at him from the booth. The other boys laughed at him as the maybe two or three other girls giggled. I looked between Ted and the boy, who seemed incredibly belligerent or under some sort of influence. He waved his arms in a wide span over his head, as if telling Ted where he was. “NIVISON! COME SIT OVER HERE! COME ON FUCK THE LOSER! GET OVER HERE.”

Ted looked at me, making a prolonged eye contact, then back to the kid. “No thanks! I’ll see you later.”

He linked arms with me and rushed over to the other side of the restaurant, tucking us into a small booth by the window. He said almost nothing, staring just out at the bushes. A waiter came by, dropping off two thick plastic menus.

“Anything to drink?”

Ted mumbled, but I was sure the waiter wasn’t able to hear. “Water for him please. And how much is a vanilla milkshake?”

“$2.50 for a small.”

“A small vanilla milkshake then. Please.” I smiled gently at him, and the waiter seemed to straighten himself a bit, more self assured than he had been two minutes ago.

“Of course. Right away.”

The waiter walked away and Ted stayed quiet. I slid my hand across the table towards him. “Theodore-“

“I’m not friends with Jake. I mean I was when we were younger.” He was looking me now. Well not exactly me, but my extended hand at least. “He joined the football team and some other sorts and we just stopped hanging out because of time. And he does still wear the lettermen’s jacket but....” he dropped his voice and leaned in, I copied and leaned closer to him. “He got cut from the team because he would show up drunk so now he goes to games just to drink under the bleachers and pick up cheerleaders from the other schools. He tells anyone who asks that he got a brain injury and can’t legally practice but still goes for support.”

“Oh my god.” I blinked, my voice still at a whisper. “That’s terrible.”

Ted nodded eyes wide. He looked over my shoulder, tapped my hand, and then sat up. I sat up too, assuming it was the waiter, but stared at how close his hand was to mine.

“Okayyyyy one ice water and one vanilla milkshake.” I moved my line of vision towards the drink set in front of me. It had the standard glass cup and whipped cream topping, but on top were red and pink heart-shaped sprinkles. I stared at it, and Ted must of noticed it as he took my hand firmly in his, lacing our fingers together on top of the table. The waiter stared at it.

“Hey I think we’re ready to order if you don’t mind.” Ted’s voice was louder than I expected as it took command of our whole corner of the restaurant.

“Uh yeah. What can I get you two?”

“You said you wanted the loaded hash browns, right babe?” He turned to me smiling, but I had no idea what he was thinking.

“Y-Yeah. Those are the ones.”

He gave me a giant goofy smile, and turned back to the waiter. “We’ll have two orders of that please. And an extra straw for this milkshake if you don’t mind?”

“Uh yeah. Coming right up.”

The waiter walked away and Ted sighed, relaxing his grip on my hand but not quite releasing it. “Fucking creep.”

“What?”

He looked back at me, confused. “You didn’t notice he was flirting with you? He put heart shaped sprinkles on your milkshakes.”

“I guess he’s not that good at it then.”

We sat in silence as I drank the thick vanilla shake. Ted cleared his throat and looked towards me. Our hands were still together.

“Well what can we talk about together?”

“I don’t know, theater kid shit?”

“Alright.” He though for a second. “Fine. Movie musicals.”

“Oh. Oh my god I hate the greatest showman.”

“No you don’t!”

“Yes I do! PT Barnum had no excuse to be an asshole and the whole thing is just him being an asshole to his family who somehow accepts him again.”

“I think if you have a shitty life you could have the right to be an asshole, and he wasn’t that bad! He loved his wife, and the music is good!”

“Okay some, some of the songs are good, and the whole kiss with the red head was totally not his fault. But just cause you have a shit home life doesn’t mean you can be an ass. I would think it would make you want to be nicer so other people don’t experience the same treatment, you know?”

Ted pauses, seeming to consider, then nods and moves to take a drink from his water.

We spent the next while talking about random topics: stories, tv shows, movies, books, anything. At some point the waiter came back and set the food down without a word. Ted released his hand from mine to grab his fork, and I stared at the place his fingers had been. My hand felt cold and unfamiliar as I set it closer to my plate. I ate slowly, suddenly feeling uncomfortable, but Ted ate quicker than I thought he could.

“You were right these are delicious.”

“I told you, only good thing they have.”

I was probably close to finishing when the waiter came and slapped the receipt on the table. “We close in ten.”

As he walked away Ted chuckled. “It’s Sherri’s. They’re open 24 hours?”

I shook my head, smiling, as I dug around for some cash. I grimaced at the amount I had, realizing I would have barely two dollars left. I looked up, prepared to go broke, but Ted had already gotten up with cash in hand.

I reached out and grabbed on to his t-shirt as he walked towards the register. “Theodore, wait-“

“If I get to be your fake boyfriend I can pay for our fake date.” He smiled and continued walking. I rustled through all the small bills and coins I had. I was still holding them in my hands when he came back and sat down across from me.

“Y/N, i told you-“

“But, tip-“

“I got it. Finish your food.”

We sat in silence for a little longer, and as soon as I was done he stood up, shouldering the backpack I’d brought in with me. He stood next to me, holding out his arm towards me. I giggled as we linked arms and walked to the door. I made eye contact with the creepy waiter and watched as Ted flipped the guy off.

The air was cold as we exited the building. I probably would have shivered again if not for Ted’s jacket still around me. I used my free hand to pull it closed in front of me. We were silent getting into his car, but as he turned his key over to start the engine he looked to me and smiled.

“Thank you for an amazing fake first date.”

I laughed and felt a small heat rise to my cheeks. “You make an excellent fake boyfriend.”

He turned up the music as we pulled out of the parking lot. I could hear him scrape his bumper again, but he didn’t say anything about it this time. “So, how do I take you home?”

“Oh. You don’t have to! I can just take the bus-“

“y/n. It’s late and it’s dark and it’s cold. Please let me take you home.” We were stopped at a red light, and we paused, staring just at each other. Ted’s face was bright red, and I’m sure mine was too. But even when the light turned green, his face was still red, and I’m sure mine still was.

A car behind us held a sustained honk, and Ted jolted out of his stupor and peeled out across the intersection. Of course Ted wasn’t a bad driver. He was a highschool driver, so he drove to look cool half the time. Meaning right now he was driving with one hand at the top of the wheel and the other arm rested against on top of the center console. I made the judgement call to reach over and take his free hand in mine. I did so loosely, allowing him to let go if he wanted to, but if anything he laced his fingers with mine tighter. I looked down at our hands, smiling, then back towards Ted’s face. He was smiling widely, but when he saw me looking he made a stupid attempt of trying to play it off and act like he wasn’t smiling, but I started laughing so he eventually fell into laughter with me. We didn’t talk much on the way to my house other than me giving directions every now and then. He didn’t let go of my hand the whole time, except when he had to put the car in park.

I stared out his window towards the front of my dark building. I knew no one was home, and it was probably pretty cold inside since I usually forget to turn on the heater before leaving for school.

“I guess this is me.” He watched me throw my bag over my shoulder as I stepped out of the car. “Thank you Theodore. For everything.”

“Ted.”

“What?”

“You can call me Ted.”

I smiled at him. “Right. Thank you. Ted.”

I shut his car door and walked up my sidewalk, but I turned when I heard another car door shutting behind me.

“y/n, wait.” Ted was walking towards me, hands shoved in his pockets as the giant man toward over me. “I, uh, I really enjoyed being your fake boyfriend tonight.”

“I enjoyed it too-“

“And I enjoyed sweeping the stage with you. And holding your hand. And dancing with you. And driving you home. And arguing over food. And laughing. And sharing music. And pretty much everything. And I don’t want it to be because I’m your fake boyfriend you happened to be on a fake date with because we happened to be in the same place at the same time.” He sucked in a breath as he took my hand gently. He stared at our fingers and palms pressed together. “I want to do all that stuff because I’m your real boyfriend. I want to dance with you and take you on dates to shitty diners and act all jealous because it’s real.”

I could feel my face burning. “You were jealous?”

He laughed a little bit. “Oh my God, yes, I was jealous, he was flirting!!” I laughed, gripping his hand a little harder, then pulling it downwards. “Ouch! What the-“

I placed a kiss on his cheek, and I watched him short circuit as his whole face turned red. “Theodore, I would like to let you know, I am free tomorrow night for a date if that’s what your asking.”

“OH. Okay! Yeah is 7 okay?”

“7 is perfect.”

“Yes! Yes yes!” He pulled me in for a hug and kissed the top of my head. “Oh my god! Okay. Tomorrow, 7!”

I laughed, still trapped in his arms. “I expect dancing.”

“Oh absolutely.” He pushed me back a bit, smiling as he stared at me. “I have to go home. I have to get ready!”

“For a date in 24 hours?”

“Yes! I have plans to make!” He kissed me on the forehead again and ran back to the car. Hand on the handle, he looked back at me, smiling. “I can’t wait.”

[juusworld5728]

Lets talk about Azriel’s shadows...

I think that a lot of people seem to forget what Azriel’s shadows actually represent and what different reaction from them actually mean.

Lets start at the very beginning to his childhood... For the first 11 years of his life, Azriel lived in a cell with no windows or light. He was allowed to come out only for an hour a day, and to see his mother for one hour every week. There are many different ways that one can argue how Azriel came to acquire his shadowsinging abilities or whether it was something genetic (either way, its very rare). Rhysand did mention that he might’ve learned to speak to his shadows in the cell that he was kept in. Either way, his shadows are not something of his past that he necessarily wants to remember. Whether he’s appreciative of those shadows now does not reflect the fact that they were born out of fear and loneliness.

In terms of personality, it’s very important to note how he reacts to things and different people. The way that I see it, he uses his shadows as a defense mechanism. Whenever he’s in an uncomfortable situation, he tends to hide in a corner and his shadows surround him to block from sight. However, when he’s in a good situation or surrounded by certain people, they seem to go away. A lot of people see that as a bad thing, but his shadows are not only supposed to represent his powers, but also his very traumatic past. Soooo you might ask, what exactly do the shadowsinger’s shadows represent?

Well, here is my take. Those shadows in terms that are not power-based, represent that very same cell that he was locked in for the first 11 years of his life. I’m not talking about Nuala and Cerridwen here. I’m talking about his defense mechanism shadows. This wonderful male was trapped without social contact, friends, or anyone to rely on. So yeah, he will be introvert. He has a family, but that doesn't stop him from the fact that his social skills will not be the best in comparison. His shadows represent his loneliness that he feels he deserves and craves when he feels cornered. For the first 11 years of his life, that was ALL HE KNEW. When his shadows “brighten” or are nowhere to be seen, I can imagine that as being the hour he had out of his cell every day. That feeling of relief and freedom. Yes, he needs to learn to accept himself more and who he has become. However, that can be done in the sense that his shadows do not have to be around him ALL THE TIME.

Now, in terms of relationships: 

Mor: His first love. At the young age of around 19. Only 8 years after he’s been let out into society and learned his way through. Does he even know how to handle love?? Probably not. He was born a bastard and probably saw his mother being treated like shit by his father and stepmother. So I doubt love is something he believes in at this point. However, he does fall in love with her. His reaction to that? What he knows best. Avoidance. That dark cell still very present in his mind. That feeling of being very aware of how broken you are but don’t know how to fix it. He does not want to put that burden on Mor. Everything that happens between Cassian and Mor probably makes him feel even worse. Throughout the years though, he can’t help but feel happy just to be around her and in her presence (hence why his shadows disappear). It can be argued that he's known that she hasn't been interested for a while. Maybe what he truly craved wasn't the actual love that he wanted from Mor, but the feeling of love that came from her that made his shadows go away. He craved it and wanted to be around her for that feeling.

Elain: The first time that Azriel meets Elain is in the human lands. She asks him if he can truly fly. He blushes and gets flustered, and why? Do you think that maybe a lot of people haven't bothered to see him in a certain light to ask those type of questions? I mean sure he has his family, but this human girl that is supposedly terrified of him because he’s fae, asks him such a simple and light-hearted question... Slowly but surely, in ACOWAR he beings to get more comfortable with her. She’s broken but at the same time, holding on. He takes notice of a certain light that she radiates as well as her seer powers a little bit later. The first time they’re brought over to the House of Wind, she calls his scars beautiful. The importance of this scene is very overlooked. She called the thing that makes him the most insecure, induces the most amount of fear, and creates his hatred... beautiful. This woman that barely knows him has already accepted every part of him. He further loves to glance out at the garden (a place of happiness that reminds him of Elain) and loves to look at that hidden light in her eyes that makes his shadows either brighten or disappear. It’s very similar to the feeling with Morrigan, but more direct and has incentive. Now, lets talk about truth-teller (the knife that always strikes true). That is one part of himself that he has never shared with ANYONE. Why did he give her truth-teller? Because Elain has already accepted every part of him. Truth-teller is an extension to himself in a sense. Something that belongs wholly to him and makes him feel safe. He trusts Elain enough to give her a part of himself. A very vulnerable moment never seen before by Azriel. In ACOFAS, When Azriel asks about Lucien, he truly does not want to spy on him. It could be for privacy reasons because of Elain but also because he’s afraid of what he’ll see from him in terms of Elain. His siphons gutter and he stutters over his words. Now, winter solstice was a very light-hearted moment but very important as well. As we can tell, Elain is the perfect gift-giver. She gives Azriel a potion for his headaches which is perfect and very hilarious since he laughs (he’s never laughed before in Feyre’s presence). It’s very telling to Elain’s personality as being a very attentive person which amounts to her really caring about Azriel and what’s going on with him. He tends to be pretty hidden and keeps a poker face most of the time, so for her to notice the little things like that is very important. I rest my case..... for now.

Gwyn: I honestly cannot say much about this ship. What I can say are from pages I have been sent and trends I have been seeing through Azriel’s personality. It seems to me like Azriel is the least tense around people he considers his friends and brothers. Even though he's usually pretty serious anyways, the bat boys seem really comfortable with each other. When Mor was around (especially in ACOMAF), he would get worried. However, when she wasn't paying to him, his shadows would disappear (similar things happened with Elain). It seems to me like Gwyn has an outwardly fun personality and Azriel has no problem with that because he is not worried about anything happening. The most I’ve seen from the books between them is simple banter that included the rest of the friend group. When either of them talk, what I’ve seen from Azriel is amusement. That amusement results in Azriel’s shadows dancing around HIMSELF. Not anyone else. No, the shadows did not dance around Gwyn or any other person. I currently see this as a friendship and would need more build-up for me to even ship it. It seems like Azriel seems fine acting like this with people he is not worried about catching feelings with.

Thank you for coming to my ted talk.

[primasveraas-writing]

"Kent v Linebacker" -Ted Lasso

Roy's knee is fucked. This is well known.

His fucking monster child, who he loves, accidentally fucks it up more. Such is life.

Part 2 // Accompanying AU

WORDS: 2631

XXX

Their first son is “built like a linebacker,” according to Ted Lasso. Roy shows his usual disdain at the reference to the wrong type of football, but Keeley wearily agrees- she was, after all, the one who carried then delivered their 10-pound baby.

Most people see their son and suggest rugby instead of football, even as they pile tiny Kent jerseys and footballs onto the new parents. Roy insists he doesn’t give a damn if their child wants to play rugby or football or join the damn chess club, but he also tears up the first time Keeley puts him in a tiny (or maybe just small) Richmond jersey.

Because of the way Roy and Keeley are, they balance each other out. Marriage and parenthood come to them relatively smoothly, save for typical growing pains and bumps in the road. But they figure it out, at least for the most part.

One of the more persistent bumps is Roy’s knee. Because, while he was forced to walk away from playing football, Roy is reluctant to accept other limitations. He’ll run or dance or carry around the baby’s new crib, and then swear and pop his knee back into place as needed. Doctors eventually find this out and inform him that this is, in fact, bad. Roy Kent tells them to fuck off. He doesn’t echo this sentiment when Keeley suggests that they’re right.

Because, as usual, she seems to have a point. It doesn’t always take a miles-long Christmas day walk or a rom-com style sprint to Ted Lasso to fuck up Roy’s knee. Somedays, it’s going down the stairs one too many times. Or standing up long enough to make Keeley a fancy dinner. Or jumping around in the coaches’ box after a Richmond win. So Roy concedes this matter, and anyway, he doesn’t particularly enjoy moving his kneecap around or Phoebe’s and Keeley’s face when he does so.

Roy scales back, reluctantly and unhappily. He does modified yoga with the moms and they suggest stretches to help him. Roy doesn’t push himself nearly as much, and so the pain in his daily life decreases.

Then Roy becomes a father, and then his son becomes a toddler.

Oliver is a fucking ray of sunshine. He’s inherited Keeley’s bubbly personality, something evident from his first dazzling smile and the peals of laughter that soon follow. When he starts to talk, he does so incessantly, and he puts every ounce of his energy into babbling and running literal circles around his parents. Even Keeley- even Ted Lasso, occasional babysitter- struggle to keep up. But Roy and Keeley and the Richmond team do their level best to entertain and supervise him, and it works.

Then, because they’re fucking daft, Roy and Keeley decide they want another fucking monster to turn their lives all upside down.

Oliver is three when they tell him he’s going to be a big brother. He’s overjoyed, then he cries, then he’s comforted, then he’s overjoyed again. Roy is the happiest he’s ever fucking been with his son, and Keeley pregnant, and then life comes along and fucks it all up again.

Father and son are just home from preschool, Oliver restarting his long-winded recap of his day when he sees Keeley. Roy hobbles through the door behind him, grinning at Keeley for half a second. She beams back at him, then returns her attention to their child, brows furrowing as she tries to decipher his somewhat senseless story.

Roy’s standing by Keeley’s side, hand on her shoulder as they listen the best they can. Oliver reaches a part of his tale that’s especially exciting- something about cupcakes and a classmate’s birthday, and he gives a shout, then springs up with his arms spread wide, and-

-forty pounds of force collide with Roy’s bad leg. He hears Keely gasp, which is what registers first, then his vision goes white as pain overtakes him, and he feels himself falling.

He opens his eyes a moment later, and Keeley is crouching at his side awkwardly, the swell of her stomach hindering her. Oliver gives a noise that indicates he’s probably about to cry, and Roy shushes him through a groan.

“Fuck,” Roy says, his voice strained. “I’m okay.”

Keeley purses her lips, which indicates she’s well aware of his lie, but she draws Oliver against her side, rubbing circles into his back as she takes Roy’s hand.

“It hasn’t been this bad before, has it?”

Roy shakes his head. “I think I’m fucked,” he confesses, trying to keep the uncertainty and pain out of his words.

“ER fucked?”

“Fuck no.”

“Can you get up, Roy?” Keeley would sound impatient if not for the way her tone wavers. Roy shifts, babying his leg, and Keeley watches as he winces, cringes, and swears again.

Keeley whispers something to Oliver, and he sniffs loudly before scampering off into the kitchen. His wife stands, unsteady and off-balance, and reaches down to help him. Roy uses only his left leg to rise, trying not to knock Keeley over, and he staggers before grabbing the back of the couch to steady himself. Keeley holds onto his elbow and guides him around so he can sit.

“I’m fucked,” Roy reiterates, and this time, Keeley just nods.

-

In the end, there’s no ER visit- just a few pulled strings to get Roy into the doctor the next day. Rebecca stops by to deliver crutches and a few bottles of painkillers once Keeley realizes that Roy can’t get to the bathroom- or anywhere else, for that matter- on his own. More reluctantly, Ted is called, and he promises to give Oliver the “best darn sleepover since the movie Sleepover.” Roy isn’t particularly keen on Ted being privy to this particular moment of weakness, but Ted leaves with Oliver quickly enough, and Keeley’s pretty sure that even just a few minutes of exposure to Ted is enough to force some positivity into Roy’s outlook, and for that, she’s grateful.

Roy sleeps on the couch that night, as stairs are out of the question. Even if he could manage to struggle up them, he can only imagine coming back down via a painful fall. He’s alone, too, because, despite Keeley’s protests, he’s not about to let his pregnant wife sleep anywhere but a proper bed.

He lies awake long after kissing and texting Keeley goodnight, and he contemplates the quiet of the house and the apparent severity of the situation. The doctor had wanted Roy to come in today, but she didn’t throw a fit when he insisted he could wait. Instead, he’ll see her tomorrow, first thing, and Ted will take his son to school, and Keeley and Roy will both miss work for Roy’s least-favorite type of doctor’s appointment.

-

“You dislocated your kneecap again,” Doctor Patel explains, gesturing to an x-ray of a very fucked up knee. “The first time, you twisted it.” She points to a slightly less fucked up x-ray. “But continually dislocating your knee weakened the ligaments. So, when Oliver collided with you, your ACL and meniscus tore completely.”

“That’s why it hurt so damn much.”

Patel nods, then sighs. “You mentioned chronic pain worsening over time- you did everything right, trying to keep it at bay, but this- along with additional trauma- can worsen a knee injury.”

Roy grunts. He expected as much. The first doctor he saw after his final match had warned of this, along with things like arthritis and all sorts of complications. His main worry was that his football career was over, and there was nothing he could do about that, so any accompanying outcomes seemed unimportant.

He was wrong, apparently.

“It’s not unusual for these injuries to get worse over time. Especially when you’re not gentle with yourself. But, your symptoms are indicative of severe tearing. I’m also worried about nerve damage.”

“So what do we do now?”

Keeley is the one who asks, gripping Roy’s hand. He glances at her, then squeezes her hand.

Patel hesitates. Roy likes this doctor- her knowledge and honesty have been extremely comforting to both him and Keeley over the years. She doesn’t take bullshit, not even Roy’s, and he appreciates that about her.

But it’s unusual for her to hesitate.

“I believe our best option is open knee surgery,” she says, and her eyes soften when Roy’s jaw clenches. “There are other routes we can pursue, but we’re at a point where they may not be as effective.

“What are they?”

“We can do more tests and try an arthroscopic surgery or other minimally invasive options, but-”

Roy tunes her out. He’s the last football player of his generation- he’s seen everyone he played with at the beginning of his career retire, and the various injuries that forced this fate upon his fellow footballers. Open knee surgery is a big fucking deal. Especially since he’s not a fucking grandma.

“It’s a long fucking recovery time,” Roy says finally.

A nod.

“We have a baby due in three months.” This time, Keeley squeezes Roy’s hand.

“If all goes well, you’ll be walking unassisted by then. Enough for midnight diaper changes, so long as you don’t sprint into the nursery.”

“And it’ll work best?”

“I can say with reasonable confidence that your case is severe enough to warrant this surgery, and that the other surgeries aren’t typically successful in similar cases.”

“Fuck. Let’s do it.”

-

They schedule surgery for a few days later, which is a quick turnaround, but it’s enough time for two Richmond matches to take place. The first falls on the day after Roy’s doctor visit, and the second one is the day of the surgery. This gives him pause- Roy’s first and longest love is football, and he’s loath to step away, even for a week. But he thinks of Oliver, hesitant to hug his father when they get home, and Keeley, sneaking glances at him as if expecting him to break when she’s not looking.

Roy trudges- or limps- forward. He stays home for the first Richmond match and tries to ignore Keeley scrolling through Twitter with a worried look on her face. They had debated what would be worse- to miss the match with no explanation, or for Roy to show up on crutches and in obvious pain. In the end, the desire for privacy (and maybe easing Roy’s discomfort) won out, and Keeley and Roy and Oliver watch the match from their living room. Roy and Oliver shout at the TV, and Keeley livetweets, and it’s okay until the post-match conference.

“Coach Lasso! Roy Kent was missing from the coaches’ box tonight. Can you explain why? Has there been a professional change or has something personal occurred?”

Ted holds up a hand, stemming the reporter’s flow of questions. He smiles at her easily, but Roy knows that no matter what Ted says, there’ll be speculation. A nonanswer is still an answer, but they decided as a team to keep the public in the dark as long as possible, to maintain any privacy Roy has.

“Roy and his family are jus’ fine, thank you. As far as I know, Roy hasn’t decided to leave our coaching team, so we’re all good there.” Ted clears his throat, and Roy wonders if his mentor is uncomfortable telling half-truths to the press. “Roy needed some personal time away, but I expect you’ll be seeing him back again shortly. Thanks.”

“Well, that wasn’t complete shit,” Roy muses in near-approval. Keeley hums noncommittally.

“No,” she agrees, pleased. “And I livetweeted the whole thing so nobody thinks one of us is dying.”

“Perfect,” Roy says, satisfied. So long as they don’t get hounded on the way to the hospital. He looks down at his lap, where Oliver is curled against him, fast asleep. Roy moves slightly so that he can wrap his arm around his son, and sighs.

Keeley looks up at them and grins as she takes in the sight. “Look at my boys,” she says softly, and Roy’s heart melts just a little.

-

Surgery goes well, and Roy leaves the hospital the same day. His memories of the event and the hours after are fuzzy, but Keeley informs him that he watched the Richmond match while the anesthetic wore off, and proceeded to shout an absolutely incomprehensible mix of words and swears at the TV. Richmond lost, but it was hard fought, and it’s days later when Keeley confesses to Roy that he actually cried once the final result was clear. Roy would be less concerned by this if he could remember it at all, but at the same time, he’s reassured that his plan of being totally unaffected by major surgery and attending the match in person didn’t pan out.

Roy quickly decides he’s utterly useless on crutches, instead letting Oliver expend his energy by fetching things like water and painkillers and phone chargers for his dad. There’s plenty for him to do; Oliver thrives with given purpose, and under the extra attention Roy has to spare. He hates being unable to carry his son, but he can still cuddle with him, and draw with him, and even though Keeley is burdened with bathing and chasing after Oliver, Roy can still fucking help here and there. Like telling Oliver to eat his broccoli or clean up his shit, because vegetables are fucking important and his son isn’t a slob.

His return to Richmond is less smooth. He doesn’t want anybody’s fucking pity, least of all from the boys on the team, or from Ted Fucking Lasso, but instead of the fearful reactions Roy’s used to, Roy’s treated with a gentleness he absolutely fucking despises. Nobody wants to push back against his heightened grumpiness (a side effect of knee surgery is that it fucking hurts and this makes Roy very unhappy), and Ted somehow feels obligated to hang back with him as he limps up to the field each day. His fellow coach also launches into several tirades about his and Beard’s and his great uncle Roger’s various injuries over the years, and Roy ends his first week back feeling, unfortunately, closer to all three men, including the one he’s never fucking met in the first place.

Keeley’s made sure to officially announce that he’s had surgery, explaining away his absence and all the speculation that went with it. The press will likely hound him anyways, but Roy already has his response planned (“Fuck off!”).

The crowd cheers him during their next match. He hobbles slowly behind the rest of the coaches, using one crutch even though he really should be using both, swearing under his breath at the soft terrain and his shit balance and fucking kneecaps for being so fragile in the first place. Keeley would say all this support is sweet, and he catches a glimpse of her beaming at him from the stands, Oliver bouncing on her lap, and the agony and humiliation dulls.

Richmond plays a great fucking game. It’s not their best match ever, but they win and celebrate accordingly. Roy makes his excuses earlier than usual; he knows he’s put Keeley through the wringer in the past week, and Oliver keeps rubbing his eyes, and there’s nothing more that Roy wants than to read his son a fairytale then cuddle with his wife in bed.

So they go home, and do exactly that.

Roy’s last thought before he drifts off that night, having tucked Oliver into bed and kissed Keeley quite thoroughly, is of how fucking perfect his life is. And, although he echoes that thought many more times, one of the more poignant occurrences is when his daughter is born, and he holds her in his arms for the first time.

Yeah. Pretty fucking perfect.

[hella1975]

Sokka appreciation post except it’s just things i love about him that i don’t see portrayed enough (because if i did a general sokka appreciation post it literally would never end):

1) He’s super super smart

This should be obvious yet SOME MOTHERFUCKERS are still portraying him as the haha funny stupid comic relief NO! This boy helped invent submarines and war balloons, he wrangled a bunch of tweens all over the world, he made the Day of Black Sun invasion plan, he broke into the Fire Nation’s most heavily guarded prison and was also willing to do this BY HIMSELF AT FIRST. He has done so so so many genius things and is absolutely the brain of Team Avatar

2) He can be bitchy and petty at times

I love this boy, but I never really see much portrayal of the fact that Sokka can be kind of an asshole every now and then. I actually see this as a positive about him, because it makes him more human, more realistic. He makes sarcastic comments that sometimes use his friends as the butt of the joke, he’s easy to hold a grudge, he likes pushing people’s buttons. Like come on, this is the boy that was fully prepared to leave Zuko behind to freeze to death in the North Pole. Sokka isn’t perfect! He’s a petty piece of shit! We love that though!

3) He’s so fucking hard on himself

Okay so this is portrayed quite a lot and it’s done brilliantly, but it’s such an interesting part of his character that I’m gonna talk about it anyway. A lot of the time, the funny, obnoxious, loud comic relief character will be taken at face value and people won’t look much deeper into them, which is why it’s so refreshing to see Sokka doubt himself in a very human way. He’s sensitive and he’s very aware of his place as the non-bender of the group. He’s his own worst enemy and biggest critic (cough zukka compatibility cough), and ironically because of his extroverted nature, he internalises those doubts. It makes him such a complex character and as someone who has always seen myself in Sokka, it’s nice to see him get that depth and analysis that he deserves

4) Fashion icon

Listen if you were here for a completely serious post then I’m not even sorry but i’ve read a few fics where Sokka’s ‘goofy’ nature is translated to ‘terrible fashion taste’. Excuse me but Sokka spent a good portion of one episode talking about a bag, he knew what he was doing with his hair down, and don’t even get me started on his dumb detective outfit. This man has an eye for style and I will die on that hill

Thank you for coming to my ted talk. Stan Sokka or die by my blade <3

[the-slasher-files]

Alright allow me to overanalyze on Asa Emory’s character, if you don’t mind... 

THE COLLECTOR AND HIS DOGS

Basically this is just me nerding out over dogs and the life of having working dogs also the connection Asa might have to them, so don’t mind me. Now if you do not know I am a person who owns 3 dogs myself, is a big dog lover, have worked with many many different types and characters of dogs, and also follow different sports and clubs with dogs involved. So from experience and research this is where I get this info I'm gonna share ;) hope you enjoy my ted talk🔪💕

In the first movie The Collector Asa has a German Shepard chained up outside the home, using it as a first of many strings in protection. Later on in the movie you get a better look at the dog and what it can do; searching and wanting to lock onto a target, any target. Now this is different from protection work and leads more into a German dog sport called schutzhund. This sport is the ability to test just how good your working dog is at working, it is based from protection work, to tracking, to obedience, to bite. 

This training style is very severe in some cases, and this is what the police use for their training more often than not. It takes a very particular person to have dogs in this sport, even if it is just for fun. And we all know just how particular Asa is lol. 

Now who is the type of person to put their dogs into this? A very interesting one. First of all, anyone who is really into this work will hand pick the type of dog they want, from breed to working lines (meaning how well the dogs parents did in competition, as well as how the breeder is with other dogs). Now you can choose as well where you get these dogs from, could be from Europe to America doesn’t matter, it is up to the soon to be owners choice. Either way these dogs are expensive and need heavy hours set into them to achieve the level of training Asa has his dogs working on, and even more so in the second movie by working together. These people often have a huge thing with power and control, which we already know from Asa, but also they usually need/have extreme self-discipline wanting to be perfect in every aspect, could be a dogs position next to you if they aren’t as close that gets you fucked up because they could not defend you properly. Everything needs to be flawless. 

With all this work, self-discipline and control it can be extremely rewarding, especially for Asa in this case to see someone get their face ripped off, it is in his sadistic nature. Even having the dogs presence is often enough to intimidate anyone, in a lot of police work situations people will flee or hide somewhere if they know it is just a single officer, but once the dog gets brought in people more than likely surrender, fast and easy. If anyone of Asa’s collection pieces chooses to run or hide, the dogs can sniff out where they go, they can out run people and will bite, at least without the dogs people could have a chance. Another good thing about dogs is that they alert, if Asa is working and the dogs bark he will know exactly where that person is easily. 

So to overview what I just rambled about before getting into the next topic, Asa is a very control oriented person, needing to have power over something and be very strategic in doing so. Getting off on the intimidation and fear factor of his victims, and even more so when people get bit. These dogs are also for his own protection, caring about himself and his beautiful collection first, and maybe even caring for the double life he leads more. It also can make Asa’s life easier, not having to always make the kill himself, and this leads me to believe that it isn’t really the kill that gets him off, it is the chase, the skill he has taken and the victims skill of getting away that drives him. Almost uses the dogs in more annoyance just because people aren’t dying and getting in his way or messing with his stuff. I mentioned skill a sentence back and I want to bring it up again because I think it’s important; Asa can appreciate the skill of his victims, it makes it more thrilling but also I think he has a deep appreciation for his dogs skills, being extremely hard working and intelligent creatures, like himself and some victims. Now with the thing about Asa taking his favorites, he is trying to find the right one, the perfect one, making more sense for him to have dogs, Asa can mold his perfect dog, using only working dogs, dogs that love to please and want to be perfect for you.            

Now moving on to the next topic - Connections. So this could go two ways, a good way and a bad, no in between. The majority of people grow extreme bonds with their dogs, especially their working dogs, all the hours you put into the training and you have to trust your dog and they have to trust you. In the military specifically dogs build one of the strongest connections with the soldiers, they are their comfort because they see the same things and yet still have a wagging tail, they can save each others lives, protect one another and appreciate each other deeply for skill and for love. Now there are other people, most common in police work because the dogs can sometimes be too intense or have certain contracts but, these people don’t take their dogs home or when they are home they stay in one room or kennel mostly. Sometimes there are dogs that just can’t adapt to home life and just want to work, but sometimes they can make wonderful family and house dogs. At the same time it is up to the owner choosing what they want for the dog. 

Something strikes me with Asa that he genuinely loves his dogs but at the same time some of his actions make me think twice. In the first movie the dog is chained up away from the dangerous traps of the inside, he is protecting the dog at first, but moving along in the movie he releases the dog into the home going after Arkin. Now this is the dogs job mind you, so Asa trusts him, but also you can see a lot of traps or dangers have been removed so the dog can work safely and knows the dog is smart enough to avoid some of the obvious traps. He lets him work but also wants to help the dog, perhaps not wanting the dog to get seriously hurt or maybe just finally finishing Arkin off. Also the scene where Asa is outside and calls off the dog when he is biting a guy, again maybe for safety of the pet maybe just to watch the man struggle. Ultimately the dog dies in the first one, but Asa watches very carefully when the dog is going after Arkin, and there is almost a ‘sadness’ or maybe curiosity to Asa’s face, and I think he knows in that moment his dog is sadly dead. 

In The Collection you don’t see the dogs really work that much, you only see them barking at Abby then barging in the room with Asa, so it is hard to really see any connections. From both movies I would say Asa takes the dogs with him for the most part, takes them to ‘jobs’ and brings them to the hotel. Now at the hotel it is important to notice the dogs do not have free range or else we would see them probably a lot more. My best guess is that Asa cares for the dogs and doesn’t want them getting hurt by his traps until he knows who the people are, that’s when he loses it, literally going in all guns a blazing. When he does bring the dogs out they are only with him, aka his control and protection side coming out. Now in this scene Asa has an assault rifle that he uses in tandem with the dogs, but I noticed carefully watching the scene, Asa never shoots towards the dogs, he lets them work, again trusting them deeply, if he did shoot around not caring for them the bullets would have defiantly hit Arkin and wounded him or killed him. Of course after this scene we don’t really get to see Asa in any sort of grief, (which I really wanted lol) he is just busy trying to kill everyone else and not get caught by the cops. 

Then in the final scene of The Collection we see Asa’s home, this is like months after the events at the hotel from what I can tell, but we see no dogs, not a trace. Simply he maybe could not have gotten anymore dogs since his collection was destroyed and he doesn’t really need dogs to protect his stuff any longer, or maybe Asa did not find new dogs that he wanted yet, or just maybe they were locked in the house away in a room, keeping his house spotless. Who knows it is all up to the person watching, I don’t think they expected a dog crazy person to be diving this deep lol.

So my final thoughts. I personally think Asa really likes his dogs and they bring him good company and something to have power over in his regular life. Once you have a dog, especially dogs that take so much work and training time it is very hard for people to just stop having dogs. Also being a biologist I think he can deeply appreciate them for their intelligence and skill. If anyone says Asa would like cats you can fuck off because look what happened to the cat in the first movie, it was clumsy and got itself killed, plus look at his house, not a thing knocked over lol, a cat would never do for him. Anyway thank you for coming to my ted talk and letting me nerd out! Fill free to add your own thoughts.       

This is Aero from the first movie, a German Shepard that might be from some European lines, but looks mostly American to me.     

Now I sadly couldn’t find these dogs names, but these 2 are a little different. To me the one on the left looks like a European line longer fur german shep. While the one on the right looks like a belgian malinois maybe with some shepard in it. 

[chicken-poncho]

Dot x Steve x Male! Reader Headcanons

God knows how but it just works

You met the boys while they were out at the pub after a late shift (Ted dragged the whole team there, put money behind the bar and left)

Steve caught your eye first, he was laughing loudly with Kate and some of the team

You thought he was just gorgeous and sent a drink his way via the bartender

You met Dot in the toilets, he was coming out and you were walking in

You kinda just bumped into each other and stood there looking at each other for a few seconds

It was so intense, Dot just stared into your eyes like he was about to eat you

Dot just grinned and pushed his way past you

You walked back into the pub and saw the two of them whispering to each other, you knew some sort of game was on

Walking over to the bar and they sidled up to you, one on either side

It soon turned out that they were actually together

They hadn't been together long mind, they'd started out looking for someone else and figured after seeing you they'd see if you were interested

You agreed, and the three of you left the pub and went down to a small cafe a few streets away to get to know each other better

It all kicked off from there

Dot, it turned out, was a prick with a (very small) heart of gold

Steve was the human embodiment of a golden retriever- fiercely loyal and dangerous when crossed

The two of them obviously worked together, but you soon were made aware of their fears about Hastings finding out and any consequential disciplinary action against them for seeing each other

They had to keep their own relationship underwraps- but they were happy to be open about you

After a few separate dates (the boys insisted on getting to know you on a one to one level*) they were happy enough to properly give it a go

*dot took you for a chinese, steve took you for an indian and you took the pair of them to a foodstand by your work which sold incredible pizzas and kerbabs

Steve had moved into Dots place before you had joined them so you pretty mich spent most of your time round theirs

They'd try not to spill too much about work (confidentiality and all that) but eventually they literally didn't care and would keep you posted on their cases

Dot was more closed off at first, but eventually he began to trust you more and open up

Steve tried to not overshare and tell you about things but he just couldn't help it

With Sam it had been very much 'she's in another department, mustn't talk about work' but then he'd get home and you and Dot would be sitting on the sofa and he'd be filling you in about any new findings and Steve just had to tell you about his day too!

You'd originally thought Dot was easily spooked- he'd check the locks, keep an eye out for certain cars and would be wary when you and/or Steve were out with him in public

One Friday evening, Steve had picked you up from work and the pair of you walked into the flat to see Dot looking stressed as hell and making a batch of chilli

Obviously you were confused but mainly concerned- Dot was usually so controlled in his emotions but you could feel the nervous energy radiating off him

Steve explained he 'just got like that sometimes' and jumped into the shower like nothing had happened- clearly Dot had at some point asked him to leave him be

You weren't having it

Softly approaching Dot and trying to make him explain whatever was bothering him

He promises to explain over dinner - hence the chilli

Once Steve was dressed and joined the pair of you at the table, Dot proceeded to slowly explain his ties and involvement to the OCG- how they had groomed him into the force, manipulated him into feeding them intel and how he was now effectively running the cutaway group

By the end of it, none of you were hungry and Dot was sobbing

He was so scared of losing you both over his involvement

You both assured him neither of you were going anywhere

Steve started asking questions, trying to figure out what the next steps were

Obviously you both had to keep him safe, but he could hardly step down from the OCG or you'd all be targets

You'd sat there, listening to Steve do his job and be a detective whilst you just sat, silently raging

Dot wasn't giving Steve much- he'd slowly stopped sobbing but his throat was horse from it so he resorted to just shrugging and shutting down any of the suggestions

'Mate, i can assure you I've already thought all options and there's not much of a chance of us getting out alive if i leave'

'but what about-'

eventually you cut in and told Steve to leave it

Getting up from your seat and wrapping Dot in a fierce hug from where he was still sat

He clung to you, softly whimpering and crying again about how scared he was and how he couldn't lose either of you

Steve started clearing the plates away, kissing Dots cheek softly as he walked past to bin the now very cold abandoned chili

Steve returned with a glass of water and tissues

You had to slightly peel Dot off your torso as Steve got him to drink the water

Steve concluded going to bed was probably the best thing right now- staying up talking about it and rehashing all the same ideas Dot had probably been had would do more harm than good

Seeing as Steve had already showered, he urged you and Dot to get cleaned up before bed

Dot was completely drained and you and Steve were scared shitless of leaving him on his own in his current state

Eventually- after Dot wouldn't physically let you go (he'd become very attached to your side) - it was decided between all of you that Dot was too exhausted to shower alone

You and Steve had to drag Dot into the bathroom and sit him on the toilet seat so you could undress him

Dot's lanky frame wasn't helpful, he was all limbs and his limbs were currently behaving like they were boneless

You managed to get him undressed and into the shower - Steve left to lock up the flat and get stuff sorted for his 10am shift the next day

Steve appeared at the door just as you were towel drying Dots hair while he sat on the toilet seat and brushed his teeth

The domesticity of it all- despite the obvious exhaustion from the evenings expose- hit Steve like a tonne of bricks

He really loved you both

Eventually the three of you ended up in bed, your hair still damp from the shower and Dot smelling faintly of Steve's bodywash as his had run out

Dot was in the middle of the three of you- Steve slept on his front and had to be up early anyway so you just clung to Dot and wrapped yourself in him

You were woken up the next morning by Steve kissing your head and whispering a quick goodbye as he walked out the bedroom

You sleepily admired Steves ass in his suit pants as he walked away until Dot groggily whispered 'somethings never get old'

The pair of you stayed in bed most of the day, eventually getting up mid afternoon and finding a note on the fridge from Steve saying he loved you both and he would get more milk on the way home

You let Dot use the last of the milk for his breakfast as a sorry about your trauma i really love you gesture

At some point, you had to do some work so you grabbed your computer and sat on the bed whilst Dot dosed off with his head on your legs

Steve got home later with a bag of Chinese Food and a bottle of wine

After a glass of wine, Dot declared he couldn't leave the OCG but he'd try and take a backseat and divert operations more away from AC-12 and Steve

You all relaxed after that and spent the rest of the night watching some shit film and pointing out the plot holes

That evening you had to leave the to go back to your flat as you had work on the Monday

Dot and Steve decided right there they had to ask you to move in

The flat felt weird when you weren't there- the boys obviously knew how to survive on their own (they'd been doing fine before they met you!) but it felt like something was missing

The next weekend you were over, they asked you and you accepted immediately

They helped you move all your stuff into boxes and then move it into their flat

Well, it was now your flat

The three of you consumating the move in

You woke up the next morning feeling sore and loved

Dot had been up for a while and when he walked into the bedroom to check on you both he could hear you and Steve laughing softly

He cracked open the door slightly and saw you and Steve all cuddled up, hair a mess and the duvet spread haphazardly across both your legs

Dot was, as he had been many times, struck by how much he loved you both and how much he was glad Hastings had put money behind the bar that one night

___

my heart hurts, but what can i say?

its 12:22am as I'm posting this- big love to everyone and anyone who enjoyed this fic!

drop me a comment- I'd super appreciate it 😍