#but you didn’t WANT IT ENNIS

[kikedike]

[chirpsythismorning]

Say it’s likely there will be a Brokeback Mountain reference in s5 and nobody bats an eye.

Say it’s likely that the final byler fight will be inspired by this scene and society goes wild.

[itsagoodluckkiss]

Hi, I wanted to make a request about Luffy x female reader. The reader is feminine but clumsy, emotionally-reserved, unexperienced and kind-hearted. Smart and funny, with a soft spot for Luffy. . As for the plot, "she fell first, but he fell harder", slice of life with a little angst would be perfect. I'm desperate for fanfiction about first experience in everything kinda stuff. I'm not a minor, so it would be very good to see some sensual and awkward smut. I would be glad to read anything you'll write about Luffy x female!reader and I hope that you liked my request (^o^)/ sorry for bad english

It's Okay ~ Luffy x F!Reader

First of all, thank you for being my first request, you made me really happy and I'm really sorry for the really long wait, we had a really rough couple of months. Also, it's the first smut I've ever written so read this with patience. English is not my first language either and I'm sorry for any mistakes. Anyways, I had fun writing this, I hope you'll like it, lots of love!

Words: +3k

Warnings: hurt/comfort, op spoilers, ptsd, mentions of character death, comfort sex, smut with plot, oral (f!receiving), virginity loss (both), unprotected sex, cockwarming, fluffy ending kinda?, no use of Y/N

MDNI

Quiet days on The Thousand Sunny were as rare as mythical zoans. Not only because of dangerous encounters but also because of how calm the whole crew was today. Even your walking ray of sunshine captain was not as wild as usual. But you couldn’t really complain as you could focus on your task in silence.

The tailor of the crew, responsible of sewing, stitching and mending every piece of fabric on the ship. And that included the sails. Strong winds the night before managed a large tear and the next island was a couple of days away. So you had a job to do. Standing on a rope ladder, you effortlessly worked through the sails with elegance. Every piece of fabric in your home deserved care, as you’d always say when you mended the torn up clothes of your crew mates.

You were proud you could provide your family with loved and cared clothes and everything else they needed, top priority along with the dream of becoming the best tailor the seas had ever seen. Your mind wandered away to the smile of your captain every time you placed the fixed straw hat you came to love so much on his head, while you automatically repaired the sail. But your gracefulness started and ended at the needle in your hand.

Looking away into the sea for one second resulted in you prickling your finger. The sudden feeling caused you to lose your step and balance and you yelped as you fell from the ladder, expecting a hard fall and a trip to Chopper’s infirmary. But the land never came, arms wrapping around your frame, drawing you to somebody’s embrace. In fear, you wrapped yourself around your savior’s waist like a koala, your flower patterned dress coming up slightly. Your face went to the crook of his neck for one second, immediately recognizing who it was, and you raised your head to look at him in embarrassment.

“Hi there!”

“Luffy, thank you, I’m so sorry!”

“It’s alright. Was on my way to check if you needed help. Guess I was right.” he said laughing.

You smiled and hugged him tightly as he put you down on the deck. You were embarrassed, part of it because of your own clumsiness, another part because of the way Luffy’s hands lingered on your waist before letting you go.

“Are you almost done? Picked up a new card game from the last island and I want to play with you.”

“Oh, ah, I, I still have some, some work to do...?”

You didn’t. You also didn’t know why you said that. You said a lot of stupid stuff lately. You loved spending time with your captain, especially when you knew there wouldn’t be a crazy fight following you in a few hours. Falling in love with his brown eyes, his goofy and brave personality and his loyalty to his friends was the reason you said yes to joining the Straw Hats after you helped them save Robin in Ennies Lobby.

But ever since you returned to Sabaody, it’s gotten harder to contain the feelings for your first love. The other night while you two were keeping watch and talking about things you loved, an “I love you” escaped your lips without thinking, proceeding to an inept attempt to cover it by saying how you loved he is such a loyal friend. You felt the blush rushing to your cheeks as you looked again on his face and noticed something you were seeing more and more these days. His trademark smile was reduced to a small upward line and in his eyes there was a gleam of sadness. You couldn’t have that.

“It’s fine, I’ll see you around later I guess-”

“On another note, I can always finish it later. Let’s go play, Captain!”

And you grabbed his arm, running like a child playing chase across the deck toward Nami’s tangerine trees, laughing as you tripped on your two left feet, Luffy holding you upwards and laughing in the process, always there to catch you.

~

The ship was in motion, light rain falling from the night sky as Luffy found himself walking aimlessly on the empty deck. His black hair tousled, his straw hat dangling from the string around his neck, his posture slumped, trying to find some sort of relief in the breeze that hit his face. His trembling hands grip the railing, his gaze lost towards the vast ocean, unable to back focus on anything but his most recent nightmare. Memories of Ace's death spreading, like poison in his veins, once again. He tried to steady his breathing but failed as hot tears run down his cheeks, silent sobs leaving his body, trying not to wake up his crew. He hadn’t talked to anyone about Marineford. There was no reason for his friends to see him in that weakened state. He could tell that everyone felt guilty because they weren’t there for him, he didn’t want to feed that ugly feeling inside them.

You felt restless, worry prickling your skin like a hundred needles at once. Sleep wouldn’t do you a favor so you hoped off bed to get some fresh air on the deck and some moments of peace to think. Luffy’s sad eyes lingered in your thoughts. You couldn’t help but think about how much he had changed since you first met. You remembered the scrawny, eager, brave boy he was. Now his hair was longer and spikier, and he looked stronger than ever before, he was almost a man. Despite his carefree looks, a lot had changed about him. Yes, he was still as eager and resilient and determinated as ever, yet more mature, as much as maturity applied to him. And that big scar across his chest was the only testament of the fight he gave alone two years ago, as he hadn't talked to any of you about it. Not that he had to. You all knew you would wholeheartedly give him the support in any form he’d need. You’d do what you knew best. Take care of the people you loved. And from the moment you joined the crew, you knew your heart belonged to the straw hat captain.

You spotted Luffy in the front of the ship. It was unusual for him to be up and alone this late at night. Your eyes filled with concern, you walked closer to him as you noticed the trembling in his form, worry rising in your chest. Your hand caressing his shoulder slightly, you didn’t want to scare him or make him feel worse.

"Luffy?" you asked softly, voice barely audible over the wind.

Luffy wiped his tear streaked face quickly and tried to control his heavy breathing, wanting to be like his usual self, even if he knew it was too late for acting.

“I…”

He took a deep breath trying to hold it all in. He was the one that was supposed to help people through their crying and problems, to protect them. He couldn’t protect his friends in Sabaody, he couldn’t save his brother. He swore he’d never let anything like those things happen again. He didn’t want to be seen as weak. Not again. Not in front of his crew. Not in front of you.

“It’s okay, Luffy.”

His eyes met yours, a warm and safe gaze, always inviting and full of love, ready to be a place of comfort and joy to anyone that needed it. You wrapped your arms around his shoulder and back, taking him in a comforting embrace. His arms went immediately around you, his face buried in the crook of your neck as silent sobs left him once again. He hugged you tightly, hyperventilating as he let every last feeling of grief and pain out. You felt your eyes well too, the pain your favorite person carried alone enough to make you want to scream.

“It’s okay… you’re okay… it wasn’t your fault…”

“I couldn’t… I thought you… were all dead… and… I was right there… I couldn’t save him… he left… in my arms… it should have been me!”

Your heart ached listening to Luffy's sobs, tears running down your face as well. You pulled back slightly, cupping his face in your hands, and looked into his red, puffy eyes.

“Listen to me! Don’t say that again, ever! We all know you’d never let us down. You did everything you could, Luffy, you always do, and it’s enough for us." You said, voice shaking, carrying all the sincerity in the world. "And you always were there for him. You gave everything you had! He loved you so much and you saved him because you showed him how loved and cherished he was! You're still doing everything you can to keep his memory alive. That's what he would want! Don’t do this to yourself, please.”

You wiped the tears off his face and squeezed his cheeks like you usually did when you shared food and laughs together, managing to drag out a small smile from the boy.

“How about we go grab some tea and biscuits from the kitchen before Sanji comes down from his watch and go to my room?” you suggested, knowing Luffy would never say no to food.

“It’s on!”

Stealth wasn’t your strongest suit as you somehow always managed to hit on something. And with Luffy beside you, havoc was almost always certain. Getting out of the kitchen as fast as you could, before Sanji’s yells could reach you, you run into the ship, down to your handicraft’s room. The warmth of the cabin enveloped Luffy, feeling a little more like his usual self now, as he took in the room. That’s were all your great works laid, with needles, threads and sewing machines all over the place. From clothes and blankets to large embroideries hanging from the walls. You laid a soft, fluffy blanket on the ground to sit on. You sipped your scolding tea as Luffy munched on a cookie, taking in your works.

“I don’t know how you can make beautiful things like these.”

“I’ve practiced it a lot. And I love it. I’m glad you like it, Captain.”

You smiled widely, gaining a toothy grin from him.

“Thank you.”

“For what?”

“For always being here.”

You were thinking your next words for a moment before moving the cups and plate from the blanket, taking his shoulders gently as you both laid on the ground, your eyes looking at each other, taking his hand into yours.

“It's alright to not be fine, you know… I'll always be here for you, no matter what.”

“It’s… I’m not thinking about it most of the time… I just have nightmares… it’s hard sometimes.”

“And that’s completely logical, Luffy, you’ve been through hell! I collapsed when I heard the news and couldn’t be with you. I would have run to you if I could. I love you so much and I’m sorry I wasn’t there and…”

You were the one tearing up now, cheeks red from embarrassment as the words slipped through your mouth without thinking. You knew Luffy would be shattered when you heard about Ace. The only thing you wanted was to hug him until you pulled all his pieces back together. He met your gaze. Luffy was never interested in romance. He didn’t thought he needed it. Until he met you and for the first time, he wanted someone to join his crew not only because he wanted them as a friend and they’d be a great addition, but because he felt something different, something he couldn’t quite understand. The only thing he knew was that he loved you a little differently than the rest of his friends. It was his turn to brush the tears off your face now and you melted from his touch. You tried to speak but before you could, his hand, warm and slightly trembling, cup your cheek. His lips pressed into yours, just for a moment, before drawing back only inches from your face.

“I think I love you too.”

Your eyes widened in surprise, heart pounding against your ribs. Never had you thought you’d hear those words from Luffy. Of course, you knew he loved everyone in the crew, but this felt different. You felt like you would burst into flames as you blushed even more.

“You, you do?!”

“Yeah… you’re sweet and strong… always by my side… you’re very important to me…”

You let out a gasp of surprise as you hugged him tightly and crushed your lips into his clumsily, both of you laughing at your enthusiasm. Small, sweet kisses evolved into longer, more passionately ones and soon you were underneath him, his hands caressing your thigh beneath your dress, your hands slowly pushing his vest off of him.

“Are you okay?”

“I am, you?”

“Me too.”

Soon, your clothes landed somewhere else in the room as you felt him caressing your skin everywhere and you gasped into the kiss, him taking advantage of your parted lips to push his tongue into your mouth, tangling it messily with yours. His lips travelled down your neck and lower, soon to be between your legs. A feeling of self-consciousness crept over you as you closed your legs and he smiled up at you as he caressed your thigh.

“Hey, it’s okay, we can stop if you want.”

“No, I want this, I’ve just… never do this before…”

“Neither do I. We’ll find it together. But I want you to be comfortable. You can stop me if you don’t feel okay.”

You smile down at him and relaxed a bit, allowing him to spread your legs and start kissing the inside of your thighs. It felt so good to share another experience with him, and his touch was gentler than you thought it would be. He positioned your thighs on his shoulders and before you could react, his mouth was on you, his tongue licking a stripe before latching onto your clit. Your head fell back immediately as a choked out moan slipped through your mouth, one hand flying to his hair, pulling on his locks gently as the other grasped the blanket beneath you. His eyes were on you, his look was magnetic and focused on the task of making you feel good. A finger circling your tight hole, it pushed inside you slowly as he sucked on your clit, making you whimper from the pleasurable feeling. The stretching inside you new and welcomed, a combination of his mouth and a second finger breaching in has your orgasm approaching faster than you expected. He curled his fingers upwards, hitting repeatedly a spot you had never reached before on your own and it pushed you over the edge unexpectedly. He smiles against you as small moans left your mouth, your whole body shaking, your head spinning.

Coming down from your high, he crawls back on top of you and kisses you passionately, your tongues intertwining. You can taste yourself through the kiss, and it makes you long for more. He breaks the kiss and smiles down at you.

“How was that?”

“Luffy, it was… amazing. How did you know-”

“Didn’t. Just did what felt right. Are you okay to continue?”

You nodded eagerly and he grinned at you, his lips back on yours again. Your hand sneaks between your bodies to grab his dick, gently pumping him up and down, bringing him close to your folds. He moans into the kiss and swats your hand away, gliding himself between your now soaked pussy, his tip touching your clit every time, sending small jolts of pleasure down your spine. He breaks the kiss, his face only inches apart from yours, staring into your eyes.

“You’re sure?”, he whispered.

“Yes captain, please…”

A shiver run through his body as he hears your plead, and he moves his tip against your entrance, pushing in. A small gasp escape you and a sharp hiss leaves his mouth as he slowly slides into you, his movements awkward but gentle, the feeling of your warmth around him making him slightly tremble as he bottoms out. It felt slightly uncomfortable for you at first but the pain you expected to feel was nowhere to be found. His lips were on your neck, nibbling and sucking gently while his arms roamed your body, trying to make you relax as he stayed still, waiting for you to adjust to him. A few moments passed and your hand cupped his chin, bringing his lips to yours in a sweet kiss.

“Feels better now?”

“Yes, Luffy… please, move…”

He smiled down at you and placed another soft kiss on your lips as he began to move, taking it slow and tender, setting a rhythm that made you gasp, the pleasure spreading over you. One of his hands on yours, intertwining your fingers as the other grabbed your thigh to keep you against him, his forehead on yours, eyes closed as you both relished the feeling of your bodies pressed together. His speed picked up slightly as he finds a steady rhythm and you moan his name, your legs wrapping around his waist to keep him close. He smiles widely and kisses you deeply, his tongue exploring your mouth, your fingers running through his hair, gently tugging at his dark locks.

One hand gripped your thigh rougher now, pushing it upwards, the shift in position allowing him to go deeper, the other sneaking between your bodies to rub at your clit. Your face buries in the crook of his neck, trying to choke down your moans, the knot in your stomach tightening as his thrusts grow faster and sloppier, you feel that he’s close too.

Your lips connect again in a messy kiss and your back arches as you come undone, crying out through the kiss, your nails dragging down his back. He breaks the kiss, his lips trailing down your jaw and neck, his hands grab your hips to drag you to him as he fucks you through your high, his hips stuttering, feeling your walls squeezing him tight, pushing him over the edge with you.

You stay like this for a while, hands wrapped around each other, his face buried in the crook of your neck, savoring the moment. He places a tender kiss on your cheek and turns to face you, his head on your shoulder.

“How do you feel?”

“I feel… wonderful…” you say with a sigh as you smile up at him. His hand caressing you cheek, he placed another sweet kiss before stretching his hand to grab another blanket nearby, covering the both of you. He then lies flat on top of you again, his arms wrapping around you, and closes his eyes, still inside you.

“Luff, we…”

“Can’t move, I feel snuggly right now.”

You laugh softly as you hug him back, feeling his breath slow down as he slowly falls asleep, your eyelids getting heavy as well, a content smile playing on your lips.

“Goodnight dummy…”

[wolvieswhiskeyclaws]

"Savior" ||

Arthur Morgan x GN!Reader

Rating: None

Length: 2.1k

Asked by: @photo1030

Ooo! Random thought, maybe can link to my last request. Reader (or character, your choice) gets hurt and Arthur has to take care of them. Maybe shot in the leg and he has to carry them. They get to see a softer side to him, being all caretaker and protective.

Protective Arthur is just... *chef's kiss* I can't explain it but seeing him so good with a gun, being able to down someone within seconds then to turn around and be so gentle with you?? I need it, crave it, even. Thanks for the ask, hon!~

*

It was supposed to be a simple bank coach robbery, just a quick in-and-out sort of situation, and you insisted that you go along to assist Mary-Beth and Sean, but with Arthur being as worried as he always was, he felt it was best to tag along and make sure Sean didn’t pull you into any other mischief. The Irishman, of course, took offense to that, but he didn’t exactly mind that you two wanted to tag along. The more the merrier, even if the cut of the pay was less.

As much as Arthur tried to insist you remain back, you were headstrong and refused to let him tell you what you were capable of. You’d had a successful string of heists you were able to pull off with the other gang members, so why would this one be any different? Without much argument afterward, you rode off on your horse behind Sean and Mary-Beth, and a disgruntled Arthur followed you all from the rear. 

It was difficult to put into words how this made Arthur feel, but he knew that going along to assist would have eased his discomfort, and hearing Sean’s plan to distract the coach was more than entertainment in itself. But with Sean being inept with firearms, Arthur had ridden alongside your horse to listen in on the plan. 

Mary-Beth was more than excited to get out of the camp and put her talent to good use, and even more so when you had offered to tag along if they wouldn’t mind. “Oh, this is excitin’!” She exclaimed with a large smile on her face. “Easy enough to flag ‘em down, I think.”

Sean was proud of his idea and felt that he should have had more credit, but Arthur, being who he was, was unsure and unimpressed with Sean’s usefulness when it came to stressful situations. 

“I’m just keepin’ an eye on you, MacGuire, I know they’re solid,” he stated matter-of-factly as his horse trotted along to the speed of Ennis. 

“Alright, alright, you get knocked out on a mission one time-”

“More than once,” Arthur corrected. 

The Irishman just scoffed and shook his head. “Look, you can write about it in your journals, but let’s get back to my job, the one I brought y’all in on!” He huffed.

You couldn’t help but laugh at how much those two men were always at each other’s throats, no matter what the other was doing. “Let’s focus, gentleman, the lady and I will have this done lickety-split, it’ll be a cakewalk.” You looked over at Arthur with confidence shining in your eyes, and you thought you caught a glimpse of a smile from across his face, but it was gone before you could blink. 

Sean led the way until they came to a crossroads, then he told you all to keep the horses out of sight as he scoped out where they could hide for the time being. “Alright then, here we are, they’ll be comin’ from the North any minute, you both know what you’re doin’, right?”

Arthur just scoffed and shook his head. “Course they know what they’re doin’,” he replied gruffly.

You jumped down from your horse and patted its muzzle gently. “Mary-Beth is gonna run out and flag ‘em down, I’ll be off a ways to scope out the guards, and you two will be behind the log. Sean will ring off some shots, and Arthur will come in and clean up while I pick ‘em off from behind. Easy.”

Sean looked satisfied with that response and nodded. “Alright, perfect! Now, Morgan, let’s go and get behind this log, you-” he pointed in your direction, “-get over to those trees and don’t be spotted. Mary-Beth, get ready.”

The redhead felt proud of this plan, he was sure everything would work out, and he had the details down to a T. Everything went fine until it didn’t.

Instead of spooking the guards to throw them off, Sean took aim after hearing the way one of the men spoke to Mary-Beth and scoped him from his spot behind the log. Arthur immediately began to fire, albeit reluctantly since Sean was deviating from the initial plan. He hadn’t caught sight of you yet, but he figured you were doing alright for yourself. Then suddenly, a man lunged for Mary-Beth and held a gun to her head, his arm clenched around her throat.

“Let GO of me!” She snapped, trying her best to claw at his arm.

“Got your little lady friend here! Drop your guns!”

Arthur removed his rolling block rifle and watched the man hide himself behind the woman through the scope. “Dammit, he keeps movin’, don’t got a clear shot.”

“I got it!” You suddenly yelled out, and before you had a chance to line up the shot, the man had heard you and took aim. The shot rang out and the bullet penetrated your upper thigh. 

Your scream echoed out and Arthur finally had a clear shot to take the man down for good. “Sean, get Mary-Beth! I got them!” He said as he threw the gun over his shoulder and took off running where you’d fallen to the ground. “Shit, shit, shit,” he mumbled to himself as he finally caught up to you. 

You were trying your best to hold onto your leg the best you could to apply pressure, but it didn’t help much, you couldn’t stifle the scream you released when it hurt a little too much. “Shit, guess I messed that up badly…”

“Nah, you didn’t, lemme see,” Arthur said as he moved your hands, checking out where the wound was. “Ah, right through the meat of the leg but just missed your femoral artery. You’ll be alright, just gotta treat it when we get to camp. C’mon, it ain’t gonna feel pretty.” 

Arthur grabbed his bandana and tied it around your leg the best he could to keep pressure, then he scooped you into his arms and carried you back to his horse. 

Sean and Mary-Beth had cleaned out the coach and the dead men’s pockets as he took care of you, but Mary-Beth felt awful. “Are they gonna be alright?” She asked, her tone laced with worry. 

He just nodded and helped you as carefully as he could onto his horse, but the discomfort was a lot, yet you remained as strong as you could and held onto the horn of the saddle. “Call my horse, please…” You whimpered. “Can’t leave ‘em here…”

“You worry ‘bout yourself, your horse’ll be fine,” the gunslinger assured you as he hopped on behind you. “It’s gonna hurt with the ride but the faster we get back the better. Y’all go on, we’ll split the money when we meet back, don’t let anyone follow you.”

“Sir, yes sir,” Sean said with a meek smile, feeling awful you’d been hurt. “Take care of ‘em, will ya?” 

Arthur nodded in response, whistled for your horse to follow, and rode off as quickly as he could. The ride was definitely painful, but you managed to hold out long enough until you got back to camp, where Arthur had taken you to your tent, which thankfully had some privacy. He left you alone for all of two minutes when he came back with all the necessities he needed to fix you up proper. 

You lay there on your cot, and as you tried to look up at him to speak, all you could do was groan in pain until he placed his hand gently on the back of your neck, having you sit up slightly. “Here, take a shot of whiskey, it’ll help a bit. I gotta dig the bullet out and cauterize the wound.”

After hearing all that and swallowing the burning liquid, your consciousness was in and out, very hazy, until you saw black and just heard the sound of Arthur’s voice. 

Hours later, you awoke with a dry hoarseness in your throat, your eyes blinked rapidly to adjust to the low lamplight that had been inside your tent, and you looked up to see Arthur beside your cot. He already reached for the deerskin and placed it to your lips. You drank greedily at the water until you felt satisfied enough to pull away, coughing from the coldness. 

“There you are,” Arthur greeted softly, removing the deerskin from your grasp. “You’re gonna be fine, just gotta stay off the leg for a while,” he commented. “You feelin’ alright?” He leaned over and dunked a cloth into a bucket of water, then wring it out, and placed it gently over your forehead. 

You looked over at him and smiled softly. “Didn’t know you were so caring,” you joked softly, chuckling to yourself. 

Arthur waved his hand dismissively and scoffed. “Had my fair share of bullets is all, makin’ sure you don’t pull a stunt like that again, you hear?” 

You nodded and a small smile crept across your face, you couldn’t help but stare up at him and admire the man. He acted as if he didn’t care much about others, that he wasn’t any better than a stone-cold killer, but here he was worrying about you and taking care of you. Usually, it was left up to one of the women who were more well-versed in bedside manner, like Miss Grimshaw, but Arthur had insisted on your behalf. Naturally, he didn’t tell you this, it was Mary-Beth who informed you when she came in to visit while Arthur had gone to refill the bucket and grab some more medical supplies from Strauss’s wagon.

“Oh it’s been real sweet, he ain’t left unless he needed to get somethin’ for you,” Mary-Beth beamed. “Almost like somethin’ straight out of one of my books, he’s been real particular, too.”

“Of what?” You questioned.

“He hasn’t let anyone other than me and Tilly into your tent, even was on edge when Charles offered to help.” 

This information made your cheeks feel warm, he was practically babying you back to health, you’d never seen this side of him before. “Wow, I would have never expected Arthur Morgan to be at my bed-side,” you teased as you looked up at the young woman. 

She nodded, still all smiles. “Well, I hear him comin’ so that’s my cue, better leave you to it or else he’ll kick me out,” she joked and stood up from the chair. “You feel better, and holler if you need anythin’ from us.”

“Thanks, Mary-Beth.”

She nodded her head and left the tent, then was quickly replaced by Arthur, who set the bucket down beside his chair and had a bowl of stew in the other hand. “You think you can eat yet?”

You hummed in response and wet your dry lips with your tongue. “I can try if it’ll make you feel better.”

“It would, now here,” he offered as he slowly placed his hand beneath your shoulders, giving you a little push to help you sit up.

“Heard you’ve been fussin’ over me since we got back, that true?”

Arthur sighed, knowing damn well Mary-Beth was going to say something to you at some point. “It ain’t a big deal, no big drama,” he waved it off. “Just makin’ sure you’re gonna be okay, which you are, by the way.” He held the bowl until you were ready to take it and try to feed yourself, but still leaned forward in case he needed to grab it from you. “Just rest up and you’ll be right as rain soon enough.” You grabbed the bowl and smiled over at Arthur, the adoration in your eyes quite apparent. “Arthur… thank you, I know you’re gonna think it’s no big deal, but it is to me. Couldn’t have made it without you,” you remarked. “I owe you-”

“You don’t owe me nothin’, well, except maybe one thing.”

Your head perked up and you offered him a smile. “Anything.”

With that, his mouth curled into a wide smile, thoughts running through his head as if he could have said so many things, but those thoughts would be shared later. For now, he figured he should settle on the obvious. “Promise me next time you ain’t gonna go runnin’ with MacGuire, you need a job done, you ask me.” He sat back in the chair and offered a lopsided grin. 

Thankfully you didn’t bring the spoon up to your mouth; you’d laughed and almost dropped the bowl. “Sure thing, Arthur, anything for you.” Your eyes locked with his and you couldn’t help but feel like you owed him more than that, but for now, you owed him to get better and listen for once. You’d show him how grateful you were when you could use your leg again. 

“Hey, Arthur?”

“Hmm?”

“Thanks again,” you said softly. 

The man just chuckled and lit up a cigarette after getting your permission. “Anytime, sweetheart.”

[bananntoo]

getting jealous

sanji x reader

sanji is constantly swooning over other women, leaving his girlfriend forgotten

dating sanji was amazing- constant compliments, never going hungry, having you’re own little maid do everything for you, but it came with a constant worry of other women. you weren’t insecure about yourself in any way, but the fact that sanji swooned over every girl he saw hurt a little. you knew he couldn’t help it and that he loved you more than any woman, but it still hurt.

it was the party at water7 to celebrate the straw hats return from ennies lobby. you had wanted to enjoy the party with your boyfriend but he told you he was busy with the kitchen and for you to enjoy your own time. that was until half a hour later you saw him practically drooling over a group of girls not leaving their sides. was he serious? he had turned you down- HIS GIRLFRIEND- to hang out with a group of women he didn’t even know? you were so done. not even having the urge to party anymore you left and decided to stroll around the empty town.

the walk was a lot. you tried thinking of anything and everything to get your mind off of sanji, but nothing worked. you felt stupid. did you really think he wouldn’t left your side the second he saw another girl?

-

sanji had noticed your absence from the party now. he walked over to nami asking if she had seen her. she told him you had left and went on a stroll through the town.

why would she leave? is she okay? it’s dangerous for such a pretty lady to be walking alone at night! she should’ve asked me to come with her. his angry thoughts soon turned into happy ones once he saw your figure in-front of him. your back was turned as you were still walking away from him, not yet noticing his presence.

“Y/N-SWANNN” you heard him rushing towards you.

“i missed you so much! i was wondering where you were-“ he had stopped when he heard your stuttered breathing. you thought you were doing fine. you thought you could hold it in, but you were wrong. the second you heard his voice you broke down. did he really not know what was wrong?

“y/n are you okay?” that hurt. suddenly instead of just stuttered breaths it all came rushing out. tears were flowing almost so hard you couldn’t breathe. he was still facing your back. you didn’t want him to see you like this. so defenseless and weak. your legs couldn’t support you anymore so you dropped to the ground, curled up in a ball, with your head in your knees, arms wrapped around your head.

sanji didn’t know what to do. should he support you? should he leave you alone? should he apologize? he didn’t even know what was wrong.

you couldn’t blame him. he was a gentleman. telling him to stop would be like changing the thing you loved most about him. you just had to get over it and dust yourself off. but why was it so hard?

sanji had come to your front now, trying to pry your hand away from your face in order to console you but you held your grip.

“please leave me alone sanji” you had said through broken breaths.

“you know i cannot” he replied. with his worried voice you felt even worse. instead of dealing with your emotions alone, you had now worried sanji. this was the one thing you didn’t want.

a/n : slight scrap. its been sitting in my drafts for a while and i don’t know how to continue it. pls lmk if there’s anything you want me to add

[falterinflight]

Discovered that Ennis has haters and now I’m js confused bc did we watch the same movie?? The point isn’t to vilify Ennis but to show WHY he’s like that.

Like yes he can’t emotionally connect to the kids he didn’t really want (which btw HE DOES TRY TO AT THE END! I saw someone say he didn’t go to Alma Jr’s wedding when he clearly says he’ll quit his job just to go to but whatever) and is a shitty partner to Alma and Jack, but that doesn’t make him an entirely evil character? Did you miss the build up?? His backstory??

I think people need to stop measuring the likeability of characters in media by morality and instead perceive them and their backstories as what they’re intended to SHOW (i.e. the effects of a violently heteronormative patriarchal society on queer men here) bc it makes things so much more interesting. Also helps with trying to understand what an author, actor, etc. is trying to say about a topic which some people I reckon need to work on!

[maoxyi]

To let go (part 9)

-

Franky crashes into a wall and falls on his face. Ah what the hell. He doesn’t understand how he could pass out and find himself crashing into walls. How the hell did he even get into a building in the first place. Where even is he. As he stands, he smells smoke. He feels the building shake a little. He looks up and-

“WHY THE HELL AM I HERE!” The shock that explodes within him leaves him shaking. He knows this place. He knows. He could never, ever forget.

Ennies Lobby wasn’t something he could simply forget.

“What the hell…” He shakes his head. What on Earth… he walks towards the big doors that he remembers lead to Lucci. Where his captain beat that asshole to the ground. He grins and feels the itch to pose. It WAS a super moment after all and deserves one. He pushes the doors open and is greeted with the sight of a body on the floor. He hesitates in shock for a moment before running forwards.

“Hey! You alright!” He calls and comes to a halt when the person turns their head towards him. That was definitely Luffy. He’d recognise him anywhere. He may not understand what’s going on right now or why, but it didn’t matter to him. He kneels down and scoops his captains small frame into his arms as carefully and gently as his huge self can. His captain is bloodied and bruised. Beaten and broken. Struggling to breathe as he lays in his arms.

“Oh… Franky. You-you look different. Though I don’t think the me who knows you would really think much about it. You look super cool.”

“And you look like you could be much better.”

“Shishi, that's true.”

“Luffy what… what’s going on here?”

“Well can’t you see? We’re in Ennies Lobby silly!” He hacks out a cough and a little blood droplet falls on his skin but he pays no mind. Though he feels as though he should.

“Are you dying right now?”

“Well no. I felt like I would have back then but no. I don’t feel anything. Since I’ve felt it already. Not that I know yet.”

“Already… so we’re… in the past?”

“Past? I don’t know. Maybe you are but I’m not. I’m exactly where I’m meant to be stuck.”

“Stuck? Can’t you get out? Where’s Chopper?”

“Chopper? Well I don’t know. There’s only ever me. Me and Lucci sometimes. Only when he shows up.” Now Franky doesn’t really understand how or why he’s here at this moment. He supposes he’s meant to save his captain. From what he isn’t sure. Himself? His mind? His memories? Maybe he’s in his mind right now. He’s never tried to repair anything in a mind before. That would be SUPER difficult.

“But… How do I help? How can I help you?”

“You can’t. This is… this is what I have to do. In order to protect you all in the future. I have to keep getting stronger. I have to keep fighting. I… can’t let anyone take you away from me. I have to be a good captain.”

“I… see. But you’re already the best captain any of us could ask for.” He whispers to him softly as the small hands that come out of his giant palms remove hair out of his young, tired face and he feels a stab in his heart. A pain. He’s… he’s never realised how small he was. How young. This is his captain. His captain. His super strong and SUPER kind captain. He loves his captain he really does.

“No I’m not. I lost two of my crew. Two, Franky. I didn’t meant to. I truly didn’t and it burns me up that I did.” The burning he feels makes Franky flinch. He burns along with him. He’s always connected to others emotions easily.

“You…” He has to swallow past the lump building in his throat to continue talking. “You can’t blame yourself for that.”

“I can. Or more… I did.”

“That’s true but you… that’s not very super.” Luffy giggles at him and it makes Franky smile a little. They talk like he isn’t bleeding out in his arms. Like it’s normal.

“It isn’t but she left us, Franky. Just like Usopp did. Right after he did. Right after I failed to be a good captain. Just like Nami has.” Franky doesn’t want to think of Sanji. He doesn’t want to think of it. “How many more of you will leave me Franky? I have to be strong enough. No matter how many times you leave, i have to be strong enough to get you back. No matter how hard. I will get my family back.”

“Lu…” and Franky can understand that. He can understand doing anything and everything to bring back your family. He can remember trying to stop them from taking Tom. He can understand but… he knows that it can’t be done alone. No one person can do it alone. “You can’t do it alone.”

“What?”

“You can’t do it alone, little brother. No matter what you think.”

“But-“

“No. You know what’s not super? Thinking you can do it all alone. You know what is super? Letting us help you.”

“But… but I’m the captain.”

“And I’m the shipwright.”

“Yes.”

“Does that make me less part of the crew? Does that make it so that I don’t care about our crew more than you?”

“No!” Luffy tries to at least sit up a little but physically cannot do it, his eyes wide and terrified. “Never! That’s not true Franky you’re awesome! You’ll be part of our crew soon! You’ll be our family!” Franky lifts his leg up to lean Luffy on it so he can sit up slightly.

“I am very super yes. So then, what do you think? What would we do in that situation?”

“Situation?”

“If one of our crew leaves? Do you think we would sit around and wait for you to go get them? Is that what happened here?”

“…no…”

“Of course not. You all TOGETHER took on the world! You burned the flag! All for Robin and she saw how loved she was. It was a SUPER moment!” He’s aware there are tears and he’s aware of the wild grin on his face. He probably looks insane. His captain, bless him, forces a hand up to wipe his face and he’s sure it leaves blood smeared on him. He doesn’t care. He SUPER doesn’t care right now. “Together, we will take on anything. We are SUPER family, Luffy.”

“Franky… but what about Usopp… that was my fault.”

“It wasn’t. Not completely.”

“But it was me who fought and…”

“Of course there’s going to be fighting. Of course there will be moments like that but… he apologised. He comes back Luffy.”

“He… he does?”

“Yeah and we’re all together. You don’t have to be afraid Luffy. You don’t have to be SUPER on you’re own. You don’t have to be. We can help you.”

“…Ok.”

“I will build you a bridge that will take us directly where we need to go. I will fix the path and make it easier for us. Everyone else will help. We can do this together Luffy. You’re never ever alone. You will never be alone again.” Maybe to this Luffy he’s lying. He’s lying because he will be. He doesn’t mean for it but he’s swears to him. He swears to the Luffy that can’t hear him. The one he’s trying to save. He’s promised. He’s sworn. He will make sure he keeps that promise.

“Ok.” Luffys tears fall like leaves in the autumn. Soundless and free. “Ok. I… don’t want to be alone anymore. I want everyone’s help.” Franky nods proudly. “It’s… it’ll be hard. In the future.”

“It super will be.”

“But all I need is you all. I will be ok.”

“That is right. Now.” He slowly stands, careful not to hurt him. “Where the hell is Chopper. Real or not you have to be looked at. I can’t take looking at you like this.” For once, Luffy grins.

“Maybe outside? There’s a lot of noise coming from out there.” And he’s right. Franky had been focused solely on Luffy and ignored every noise and shake that occurred. He laughed. “Watch out!” Luffy yells and Franky jumps out of the way as Luccis fist connects to with the concrete. Franky wastes no time to dash for the doors.

“THIS IS SUPER UNCOOL WHERE DID HE EVEN COME FROM? FUCK OFF!” He screams over his shoulder and Luffy leans his head back and laughs. As he dodges and runs and deflects the attacks, Luffy laughs and laughs and laughs. Reaching for the doors, Franky pauses before placing Luffy on the floor. The boy looks up, puzzled. Franky smirks at him before he punches Lucci squarely in the face, sending him flying through the walls. Back then he couldn’t fight him, but now he was strong enough.

“That’s for tormenting my captain you piece of shit.” He hisses. He turns to Luffys bright smiling face. There’s sparkles in his eyes when he picks him up and opens the door.

“That was so cool!” And yeah Franky thinks to himself. He is pretty super.

But he can’t be who he is without his captain and crew.

[patolemus]

Wip Sunday

Got tagged a while ago by the wonderful @dontcallpanic @hedwig221b @gege-wondering-around and @endwersed (sorry this took me so long y'all it's been a tough week) so here you have another snippet from my time travel au

As he waits for class to start, Stiles takes out his phone. He’s got no new messages after the one from Vinny confirming Deucalion and his pack left town Saturday morning, and that Kali and Ennis were getting ready to do the same. Since no werewolves have started banging at his doorstep demanding he reveal what he’s doing in Beacon Hills, and hunters haven’t stuffed him full of arrows, Stiles considers the whole ordeal a success. A job well done, all in all.

There’s only one little thing that keeps nagging at Stiles, an ache in the back of the head.

But before he can get onto that little piece of information, the desk in front of him rattles with the sudden weight thrown on it. Stiles looks up instantly, lookingassessingmeasuring the personthingthreat. Maybe a harpy? A wendigo on the loose?

It’s Laura Hale. Stiles thinks he prefers the wendigo.

“Hey, Myca! How are you? You weren’t here last Friday, right? That was a bummer, I was going to invite you to hang out at the movies with a few friends, but I didn’t catch you all day,” she says, barely stopping to take a breath. Stiles wonders if this is what it feels like when he steamrolls over people with his words, and if so how is it that no one ever actually taped his mouth shut, because it’s kind of overwhelming.

Then again, maybe that’s the panic attack building up in the pit of his stomach. Who knows?

Why is it that no matter how much he tries to avoid the Hales, they end up finding him anyway? Stiles had never meant for them to even know his name, and now both of them have talked to him.

He misses Scott. Scott would know what to do, he’d be a gentle buffer between him and the Hales, would soak up the social interactions while Stiles panics in peace.

But Scott isn’t here. His Scott is dead, and in his place there’s an eight year old, and he’s not. Here.

Stiles still hasn’t learned to live without him. He dreads the day he finally does.

Laura is still looking at him, expectant. It takes Stiles a moment to realize she’s waiting for him to provide her with a real answer for her question.

Ah, shit. How is he supposed to not-explain that he was out in the distillery near the preserve watching a showdown between werewolves and hunters, threatening a few Alphas with murder and basically creeping on every supernaturally inclined individuals in town?

Yeah, Stiles thinks the fuck not.

“I had a few things to take care of. My dad—” he allows his throat to close up, remembering his dad and the awful fate that befell him. Stiles feels dirty for using the memory of his dead father to trick Laura, but it works out almost too well. Immediately, her face shifts from an invasively curious one to a sympathetic, pitying expression. Stiles has to hold back the urge to tell her to save her pity for herself, since she’s going to need it much more than he does if his plan doesn’t work. “Anyways, it was best if I didn’t come,” he finishes lamely.

Laura just stares at him for a moment, making Stiles want to fidget on his seat. While her gaze don’t inspire the same trepidation Derek’s did, it’s just as intense. Stiles remembers that was a trait both Derek and Cora shared, and now he’s guessing it’s a family thing. Her green eyes are nowhere near as pretty as Derek’s, but nonetheless Stiles fears they may be able to peer into his soul and find all of his secrets.

Stiles looks away before she does. It seems like the only thing he can do when it comes to the Hales.

“That’s alright, then,” there is a certain softness in Laura’s voice that makes Stiles want to scream. He says nothing. “Hey, do you want to go to the lacrosse game this Friday? It’s the last game before winter break, and everyone in school is going,” she swiftly changes the subject, and while the soft part of Stiles appreciates it, he can’t help but curse the particular topic she chose.

Seriously, what is it that the Hales find so interesting about him? Stiles never got this kind of attention from anyone in school before. In fact, people actively avoided him because he talked too much and couldn't stop moving and would go on about weird shit. Also because of his unfortunate stunt as a child delinquent who went about breaking people's noses when they pissed him off. And Stiles avoided them right back, since most people didn’t interest him enough. Without Scott, Stiles would be a loner by definition.

Yet here he is, with Laura Hale flashing her almost-too-toothy grin at him.

Laura is the best, I love her. Not a lot of sterek on this one but I thought I'd share a little of what Stiles gets up to when he's not too busy daydreaming about Derek hehe. No pressure tagging @hedwig221b @dontcallpanic @salty-fryingpan @novasillies @oldefashioned @fuji09 @endwersed @gege-wondering-around and @kittykatstiles sorry again that this took so long, uni is unsurprisingly kicking my ass

[dearweirdme]

I was just curious about you and other followers and supporters of Taekook, how we’ve all felt about their relationship the further in we’ve gotten from the beginning of their enlistment. To put into context: despite Paris and T*ennie and everything, 2023 really did come close to convincing me 100% of Taekook, though most days I still tried to retain a healthy sense of skepticism about them.

These days though, we haven’t seen them in a while, so now I feel probably closer to 60-70% that they are SOMETHING more than friends. Like I almost ask myself each day, could they really be that? Isn’t that a little impossible? And if they are… can they manage to make it through this difficult period of extended separation? What would they even be like when they come out of the military?

It’s not like I’m having doubts, but it does just seem too good to be true the further away we get from seeing them in the present time.

I wonder if you or your other followers are feeling this way…

Hi anon!

My feelings and ideas about them haven’t changed. My expectations about seeing them together or hearing about them together during enlistment were very low even before they left last december. To me this is a period of time in which we will most likely get nothing to base our understanding of the current state of their relationship on. My state of mind going through this period is basically that I believe they were probably together before they enlisted, I am aware of the possibility of them not making it through this, but I have high hopes that they will. I think a possible breakup will be noticeable when BTS reunites.. and in the meantime all we can do is base our thoughts on whatever we might get to see.

I’ve seen comments about them having broken up because Tae hasn’t posted Jk yet and on them having not seen each other yet. To me those things mean nothing. Would it surprise me if Tae posted Jk at one point.. no, but at the same time I’m never expecting him to. Even last year, though it was a great Tkk year, we probably saw them together way less than they actually were. Just like all members probably saw each other more than we were aware of. They choose when to post about each other, they do not only post about each other when they actually meet. People will call me an idiot for this probably, but Jk doesn’t seem to want to be seen at the moment.. and I think all members would probably be aware of how the others want to be present in fandom right now.

It’s a hard time for those who like to have reassurances every now and then. Selfdoubt is a thing and it very often occurs when looking back at things. It does not surprise me that Tkk fandom has become a bit.. quiet lately. It is something we have to deal with though, because I truly think we won’t get much realtime Tkk for another year. Personally I’m not bothered much, because I always deal well with not knowing everything. I did not become a Tkkr without looking into things extensively first, and my ideas about everything I’ve seen have not changed. To me all the Tkkry from the past is still as valid as it was before enlistment.

I always kinda wonder about the ‘good to be true’ aspect I see sometimes (and I’m not wanting to be critical here, I just truly wonder), because to me that seems like people think Tae and Jk are this magical fairytale come to life. If we are correct about them I do feel we are seeing something unique, but to me it does not carry much of the magical fairytale. I think what we have spotted is the very cruel treatment of two boys/men in love. Sure, they are rich and famous and handsome and their love ia of the greatest kind, but a lot of the things we have spotted is actually signs of closeting, of two sensitive boys having to hide their feelings. While I do get the romantic side of seeing Tae and Jk together (obviously I do 🥰🥰🥰), I have at times thought that maybe if I were wrong about them it wouldn’t be a bad thing.. because that would mean that they didn’t go through some of the hard stuff I think they went through.

[cervviidae]

i let you know me. see me. i gave you a rare gift.. but you didn’t want it, ennis. so what we got now, is brokeback mountain 🤣🤣🤣

[september-rainn]

ANOTHER NIGHT

CG!Jack Twist x Little!Ennis Del Mar

AO3 LINK // BELOW THE CUT

Summary: Ever since the divorce, Ennis has had trouble keeping the nightmares away. The only thing that lulls him to sleep is hearing Jack's voice echo through the payphone walls.

Tags: Nighmares, long distance, phone calls, public regression, secret regression, baby regressor Ennis Del Mar, hurt/comfort, a LOT of crying, non verbal Ennis Del Mar

Word Count: 1354 

Warnings: Nondescript mention of corpse// violence, Nonverbal Ennis Del Mar

A/N: I love them, your honor, I will happily be the first to write age regression Brokeback Mountain fanfiction

Jack Twist slept on the couch. 

Lureen's chest fell heavy, and she took the quilt down. Jack’s baby blues analyzed her, and she curled up alone again as he posed himself against the arm of the couch. The only sound was the gentle roar of stale air and his expectations. This rendezvous reared its head fast after his averse companion’s divorce– The stress of unnavigated loneliness was the perfect background for night terrors. 

It was clockwork by now. Ennis fighting with the blanket, eyes hazy, rolling to fight the tears. He’d stomp on his boots and grab his head for the principle of the thing; Ennis was much for routine. He’d stalk the sidewalk, hugging the shabby bricks of closed stores, seeking out glass security. His beer-stained tank would scrunch up his body when he slumped down. His cowboy hat sheltered his waterworks from peeping eyes. Streaks of headlights passed him by, and he would scrunch closer into himself.

Ennis’s eyes squeezed, but every time he was sunk into darkness, he was assaulted with the memory of the slowly rotting corpse his dad showed off with a lingering joy. It was a tragedy only the damned mourned. Every night, he vividly saw Jack in the ditch, and every night, he felt compelled to call and check that he had safely returned home.

Ennis’s shaking hands would fumble with what little coin he held in his pajama pants. Franklin D. Roosevelt’s encrusted face peered at him, and he slammed it into the slot before he submitted to the shame. It jostled around the machine. A beep jumpstarted his heart. He had heard it so many times, the sound living in his dreams. The dial tone was quick to comfort. Muscle memory took hold but gave him more time to listen to the apprehension whispering to him. 

The handset hugged his stubbled jawline. The waiting beep taunted him. His ankle wrapped over the other. The tip of his worn-out boot bounced in sync with the pulsing rhythm in his ears. 

Click

“Same nightmare?” came from the other end of the receiver. 

There was nothing but the sound of leather sliding up and down his messy blonde locks.

“Yeah?”

The confirmation arrived with the same sound.

“Yeah,” He repeated. “Poor lamb. It torments you like it’s their nine to five..” Jack’s head leaned forward, lips grazing the phone, and wishing, like always, it was Ennis’s. Ennis huffed through the line. Shivers rolled down the brunette’s spine, the dim light of the room casting long shadows. If he closed his eyes for long enough, he could imagine his secret lover was next to him, the warmth of a shared bed enveloping them, with him snuggling into Jack’s side, breathing delicately.

The sentiment was not shared between the two boys. Right now, all Ennis needed was Jack to calm him down so he could return to the sanctuary of his run-down trailer home. He’d forget the night prior. He’d pretend the call logs didn’t paint a desperate mischaracterization of him.

Jack mumbled, too tired to filter himself, “You know how much these calls break me. I want to take care of you properly. I ain’t a poet, but Goddamn it, I know how to tuck in a man.”

A choked whine twitched his lips into a frown.

“I know, Lamb. You miss me too.” Jack was well acquainted with Ennis going nonverbal. He didn’t talk much when he was big; it was a different story when a trembling baby was behind his pupils. 

Jack swirled the coiled cord around his index. He eyed the open door of his bedroom. “Dada has been lonely without you. ‘Magine, how fast these night frights would disappear if I held you at night.”

He backtracked faster after a wail peaked the audio. Jack saw comfort in living together, and all Ennis could find was another body in a pit. Reassuring Ennis was like stalking a bunny in the woods; the most minor *crack* and he was back to chasing.

He let his aggravation fall before speaking again, “Us in the tent again… warm August air…” He looked at the ceiling and sighed. “Only us. Only Dada and his perfect lamb… in harmony with the world. That’d be nice, wouldn’t it?”

Nothing, as if Ennis had stopped breathing altogether. 

He brought himself to grin. “Even found this nice stuffed horse when shopping with my wife-”

The peace faltered fast with shaky sobs. 

“-....With Lureen. It was brown with white spots. Next time I see you, I’ll give it to you.”

Jack looked out to the street. Ennis did the same. They were looking for each other through miles of streetlights and architecture. The wet flick of Jack’s tongue to his dry lips echoed through the phone booth. His head frantically swiveled. No one was out this late in a town this small, but Ennis was nothing if not paranoid. He couldn’t understand how he ducked at the swing of doors, but Jack could ramble with his wife in the other room.

He thought Jack was foolish for being so persistent in his love for him.

“Da..da..?” He slammed his heel into the wall as the terror ran its course through his body. He felt disgusted but too needy to stop himself. His head hung low. Rivers of tears flowed past the plastic held to his face.

“Yes, Lamb?” Jack was grinning. Getting Ennis to speak when regressed was a task. He worked himself up so much and couldn’t push past even a murmur. 

All Ennis wanted was Jack. He wanted him to know this. Jack caught on fast. He drummed his dull fingernails into the chunky cream phone.

“Dada loves you, y’know that. I enjoy these calls. I like hearing your voice every night.”

All Ennis could do was babble an agreement. “Do you think humming to you would help? ‘Know that’s what your mama used to do.”

Jack sprawled himself on the couch. He was exhausted, hardly hanging on to consciousness, but had his priorities on Ennis. That’s how it always went. 

He didn’t hear a response. He could sense it, though, so his lips pursed together and pushed out the notes to the melody Ennis graced him with on Brokeback. It wasn’t a long segment. Hell, he got half of the notes wrong, but what mattered was the calming huffs from the other male keeping pace. Ennis yawned. He tried to distract from it with a whimper.

But Jack knew, “Now dada thinks you should *try* and get some sleep. You’re so deprived of it; I can hear your eyebags hit the floor when you blink.”

The sweetest giggle fluttered Jack’s heart, leaving a remnant in his stomach. “‘Want you to get real comfy. You still got that plushie I got you last time-” He snickered into his hand- “When you shooed me away ‘cuz of the girls?” He heard the ruffle of hair. He assumed the best, “Good. When you get back home, I want you to hold that. Hold it *reaaaaaaaal* close to your heart.”

Ennis whimpered. He was too scared to go back to sleep again, but Jack kept demanding it and making requests. He sucked at the joint of his pointer. It calmed him down, having something to mouth on. If Jack were here, he’d chew on his fingers instead. 

“-Even get yourself some warm milk. Now Dada has to go. I loved talking to you again. I’ll stay by the phone, in case you need him. I can’t abandon my sweetest lamb.”

Jack pressed his lips to the transmitter. He peppered it with kisses. The plastic, warm from his face, was nothing like the perfection of Ennis’s skin. Ennis cupped his mouth and turned his back to the road. He hunched forward like he was hiding something and returned the kisses. Ennis slammed the phone back onto the metal prods and walked back home. The shame followed close behind him. He hated that he required that comfort every night to slip into a dreamless ecstasy. 

Jack fell asleep on the couch, like the countless nights before.

[beauty-and-passion]

TMA - Chapters 71-80: And now?!

Hello everyone, and welcome to the end of season 2.

It took a while for this post to come out, but it's finally here and oh boy, I cannot wait to see what will happen. What will Jon find in the tunnels? How many more mysteries will be uncovered? And how many more questions will arise?

Only one way to find out.

<< Main Masterlist < Previous post 

_______________________________

MAG 71 - Underground

Welp, saying that this start was disappointing is an understatement.

Not only we have the most useless statement until now, which is basically the fear of being buried alive mixed with the London Tube, but also Random Dead Guy no. 247. In the end, not even Mrs. Górka cared about her own statement. Wow, that’s probably a new record of indifference.

At least I am glad to see Jon is slowly coming back to his senses: he’s sure there is someone human in these tunnels but, instead of going down again on his own, he chose to wait for Basira’s assistance. Thank you, Jon, for still valuing your life.

But wait, is there really someone human in these tunnels? Could it really be the umpteenth Lukas, hidden for killing reasons and killing reasons only? When I said it, I was joking, I didn’t expect my words to come true. If it’s truly a Lukas, I might die laughing.

_______________________________

MAG 72 - Takeaway

Meat is back. And it’s more supernatural than ever.

You know, I’m starting to enjoy the supernatural meat. It’s a weird little thing, there are too many people involved with it and I can’t fully understand what kind of supernatural shit it is, so I’m curious to see if we will understand it a bit more.

Well, not that this statement really helps with it. I mean, in addition to meat, it also gave us:

a kid who wrote MEAT IS ME, so I supposed he’s the body of the supernatural meat. Or maybe not and he’s just a red herring.

John Haan, who died, or maybe not because apparently no one can die.

Tom Haan, who was in MAG 30 and killed himself but, guess what, he’s alive as well.

Mr. Goodall maybe is part of the supernatural meat too, considering that his ankle should’ve been cut and he should’ve lost a few fingers but he did not.

So… I suppose Jared Hopworth isn’t the meat and that the meat and the boneturner are different supernatural shits. There are too many shits in this world, I hope we will have a full list one day.

Speaking of supernatural shits, it looks like it’s the end of the run for Maxwell Rayner: Basira is going to arrest him.

Yes, sure, I totally believe the police can get him, considering he’s the Dark or whatever name has his supernatural shit. What do you bet he will mysteriously find a way to disappear/escape?

Also… why doesn’t Jon want Daisy’s presence? Does he fear she will beat Rayner so much to kill him? Or is Daisy some supernatural shit as well?

_______________________________

MAG 73 - Police Lights

Contrary to my expectations, the police truly managed to stop Maxwell Rayner. Or did they? *dum dum duuum*

But let’s start from the beginning: what was Rayner/the Dark trying to do? Was it trying to find a new host in Callum Brodie? Considering that Maxwell Rayner was very old, I suppose that the supernatural shit wanted the youngest possible host. But why this child in particular?

Second: is Rayner truly dead? We also saw Natalie Ennis from MAG 25 who was missing and seemed dead. And we already know about the tendency of these little shits to die multiple times and always come back to life.

Third: why is Jon so sure that the story is over and Maxwell Rayner is actually, truly, 100% dead? He knows others survived. He knows these shits tend to come back to life. What’s different with him? 

Speaking of Jon: so he thought about quitting but…

"It’s not an option, of course. I’m in far too deep now. I get the impression that to quit would be giving up whatever small protection I seem to have here. I just wished... I don’t know."

Do you know what that reminds me? When I talked about Jane Prentiss, I said she went to the Institute because that’s what prey do when they feel threatened: they hide behind a bigger predator. Here, Jon is basically doing the same: he’s relying on the big predator’s protection to survive.

And yes, of course now it’s too late, damn you, Jon, and damn your curiosity. We got the most important lesson in MAG 2, literally at the beginning of the series, and the lesson was: don’t get involved in any supernatural shit. And what did you do instead, Jon? Uh?

But seriously, I’m starting to get scared. Not only he’s getting too involved in general, but with the statements too and I fear he’s connecting with Big Brother in more ways I still cannot understand.

_______________________________

MAG 74 - Fatigue

Holy shit, this statement was a trip and I loved it.

I liked Jane Prentiss’ statement so much because it was a stream of consciousness and I like this statement for the same reason, even if the two streams of consciousness have very different focuses: Jane’s was mostly about her own emotions and thoughts about the Hive, while Lydia Halligan’s statement is more of a collection of images, facts, events, memories and nightmares mixed so much you can't distinguish what's real anymore. And there are vivid images and recurring elements too, like the billboard.

Mmmh… now that I think about it, I probably like it so much, because I try to achieve something similar with my writing style. I always try to show the story with vivid images, but I also want to show the character’s thoughts and ideas through vivid/symbolic/evocative/recurring images. That’s because I want to keep the POV as close to the character as possible, so the reader can know them through their own mind, thoughts, thinking patterns and yes, writing style (which should vary depending on the character).

This statement does a great job of making me know Lydia Halligan better: it makes her an interesting character and some images are so vivid, I can still feel them. Like when she lays down on the tarmac and says it’s warm and soft. I can still feel the warmth and the small “grains” against my cheek.

And then, among all these beautiful images, we get a tall guy with curly blond hair and holy shit, Michael?!

Yes, it looks like my Boyo came back from the war and he’s still adorable, creepy as fuck and weirdly interested in this woman. Why? Was it just messing with her? Or was it trying to connect with her the way other supernatural shits try to? It didn’t look like Michael wanted to “eat” her as it was last time with Mrs. Richardson, after all.

Thank god, instead of going down the tunnels, Jon put on a camera. Thank you, Jon, for using your brain.

And the camera showed him not just Not!Sasha doing Not!Sasha things, but also… a middle-aged guy with a case, who comes, picks statements from the archives and leaves?! Uh? Who the fuck is this guy, now? I thought it was a Lukas hiding for killing reasons or maybe some weird supernatural shit… but who is this guy now? A supernatural businessman/thief? What is he stealing? And how the fuck can he move the floor away and put it back? What supernatural shit is he? The Ghost? The Ghostly Thief? I’ll call him Ghostly Thief.

_______________________________

MAG 75 - A long way down

Holy shit, Michael Crew is back! And he’s the Vast or the Lightning or whatever the fuck he is. By now, I have no idea. All I know is that he’s scary and he… uh… searches for people to give them nausea and… idk, throw them from a window? Zap them? He’s still very mysterious and I don’t really understand what is he doing, less alone why and how.

And even Jon isn’t so sure. More or less:

It looks like my suppositons were kind of true: the Leitners change people. Either because they make it easier to connect to a supernatural shit or for other reasons, they still play a role.

Also, Jon is a bit confused: Robert Kelly didn’t meet Michael Crew, but Simon Fairchild. So either Simon and Michael are the same person (just at different ages), or Simon Fairchild truly is the Grandfather of the Vast, while Michael Crew is the Vast.

Or maybe Michael is the Vast and Simon is just another fucker who pretends to be something he’s not. No idea, but I can’t wait to better understand.

Basira! You’re back! And you stole a goddamn box of tapes. This woman is truly the most badass of them all: the police cover for the other agent’s death? Well, fuck them, no more loyalty given, time to steal as much as possible and give all the tapes to the obsessed Archivist.

Honestly? I’m thrilled. I know we will find the real shit now. I know Gertrude’s tapes will blow my mind. And I really REALLY hope to find out stuff like the structure of this world, the existence of these supernatural shits and everything else.

_______________________________

MAG 76 - The Smell of Blood

Once again, a useless statement. It’s just “Melanie gets into a haunted train carriage and gets hurt by a psycho/ghost/guy and stuff about blood”. Not the most interesting thing ever.

But at least the plot evolved a little bit: Melanie will now go to India to learn more about ghosts (goddamit Melanie, and here I thought you valued your life. But nope, Jon’s influence got you and now you also think self-preservation is overrated) and, most importantly, she planted the seed of doubt about Sasha. She remembered the real one and now, finally, Jon is starting to truly suspect about her. Does that mean Not!Sasha will be the final boss of this season? Will it be unmasked?

_______________________________

MAG 77 - The Kind Mother

Omg a declaration about the Not-Things! Another one! This time, it was an insufferable mother replaced by a kinder version.

And yes, I noticed that Gertrude said this “Not Thing” could be “an aspect of The Stranger”. Well, it looks like we have another name for these supernatural shits. After the End, the Hive, the Vast and the Boneturner, we have the Stranger.

Even more interesting is that this “Not Thing” isn’t the Stranger itself, but “an aspect”. So these supernatural shits can appear/show themselves in different ways. So I suppose that the weird twisted corridors are aspects of Michael and the black shadows from MAG 63 are aspects of Maxwell Rayner. This reduces the number of supernatural shits (which is good for my memory), but since I still don’t know how many actual supernatural shits there are, I really really want a full list.

Holy shit, Gertrude labeled this statement as “Changeling / Imposter”?! Just like I called Not!Sasha! Great minds think alike? XD Or maybe Gertrude is just a more practical lady, compared to Mr. “let’s pick the most evocative, poetic and dramatic names for these shits”.

But hey, despite Jon being a bit dramatic in his naming choices, at least he’s a clever guy and immediately realized that yep, that’s not Sasha, that’s a fucking imposter. And he wants to kill it! Oh gosh, Not!Sasha is truly going to be the final boss of season 2! Can’t wait to see this new battle unfold.

_______________________________

MAG 78 - Distant Cousin

Oh, so we immediately found the statement Gertrude was talking about. And it’s about another one of these Not Things that is being imprisoned by the table. Uh, that’s interesting: so the table/the Spider Gang is effectively a potential “predator” of this supernatural shit.

This makes me think that:

maybe these supernatural shits are not all equally powerful gods, but some might be the “predator” of someone else. A sort of “water beats fire" kind of situation. Maybe the Spider Gang can destroy the Stranger. Maybe the sick guy can defeat the End. Something like this.

In MAG 51, while talking about the Not Things, Not!Sasha said: “It didn’t sound like the sort of thing that would want to be bound to an object.”. At the time, I thought it was because they didn’t like the table/spider stuff. But it looks like they don’t like it, because it’s an effective enemy that can bind them. Love how things work in retrospectn TMA's author truly had things planned in advance.

Oh, I love the pure rage in Jon’s words: “And now I see you.”. This man is so done, I can't wait to see him go apeshit. After 78 episodes with people waking up and choosing violence, Jon decided: “You know what, now it’s MY time to wake up and choose violence”. And if I stan others doing it, I stan Jon even more.

But first, he had to save Tim and Martin’s lives, because he might be a bit of an ass, but deep down he’s a good boy and wants his friends not to risk their lives again. Awww.

And speaking of good boys… my Boyo Michael is back and holy shit what the fuck is happening. Jon destroys the table, which of course was a stupid move - goddamit Jon, haven’t you heard the statement? I thought you wanted to use that table to bind Not!Sasha! Why the fuck are you destroying it?!

And then… Michael is all soft laughs, while he reminds Jon that hey, there’s only one way out :) you might need my help :) tell me you want my help :) He’s creepy and adorable. I love him.

But also: what will happen now?! What will the next episode be? Did Jon enter one of Michael’s weird corridors? I need to find out!

_______________________________

MAG 79 - Hide and Seek

HOLY SHIT ALL THE STUFF THAT HAPPENED HERE.

As it was for season 1, the second to last episode of this season is incredibly full of elements. I will try my best to analyze them:

*

Martin and Tim are my precious boys

Oh, I love their dialogue: we get to see more of Tim’s resentment towards Jon, sure, but we also see him speaking words of truth and saying what I’ve been saying for two seasons:

“I’m pretty sure it would stop Elias firing John even if he decided to try actually running the place for once.”

See? I’m not the only one who thinks Elias does nothing else besides being suspicious af and keeping his ass on a chair all the time. He’s so bad at his job, even his subordinates know it.

Elias’s lazy ass aside, we also get to see more of Martin’s thoughts and gosh, when he wants, this man has an attitude and I stan.

I mean, look at how he scolded Tim:

But also, bless his soul, all Martin wants is to everyone to live in peace and be happy. I hope his wish will come true and this series will end with them being happy - first, they will probably go through hell, but in the end they deserve some peace, come on.

*

Michael is a sassy queen

I love Michael. He’s such a sassy queen, always with a smile in his voice, even while saying creepy, scary shit.

And yes, I know what TMA’s author is doing: he wants me to think Michael will “eat” Martin and Tim. But you know what? I don’t believe it. We lost Sasha, fine, but she was the most “useless” character. These two are basically co-protagonists. Can two co-protagonists die now? With three more seasons to go? If they’ll ever die, I suppose they will around season 4. Dying now would leave the entire story on Jon’s shoulders only for three entire seasons. Seems a bit too much, imho.

Or maybe more people will come and take their place? But then what? Season one dies one person, season two dies two people, season 3 dies three people, season 4 dies four people and season 5 dies everyone? Nah, don’t think so.

Also, Michael is my Best Boyo and I love him and I don’t want to start hating him, so I really REALLY hope he will not kill them. Please Michael, please be a good boy, please keep them in your weird corridors but do not kill them.

*

Opposite supernatural shits!

"God, I’m an idiot. Smash the table, kill the monster, stupid! Lazy, sloppy assumption. Of course the table was binding it. The table is webs and spiders. Spiders are something else. They don’t help each other, they oppose, they... they weaken. It was caught in a web, and I... All the pieces were there. And I just... I couldn’t see it."

Wow, didn’t expect a confirmation of my words so soon! It looks like I was right when I said that these supernatural shits work in a “water opposes fire” kind of situation. Glad to know I was right.

*

Big Brother has a lot of eyes

"So the monster got its friends to carry the table all around, and it still got to take faces and scare people. Then one day it was sent to the house of its enemy, which had the biggest eyes you ever did see. The monster was sent there to steal all its secrets, but it was sad because it couldn’t scare anyone any more."

Okay, so:

The Not Thing has friends who carry the table around. And we know their friends are Breekon & Hope Delivery, because they carried the table in the Institute.

The enemy with “the biggest eyes you ever did see” is clearly Big Brother and holy shit, I was right when I said it has one million eyes or something. And it looks like they’re all pretty big. Scary af, love it.

The Not Thing was sent to steal Big Brother’s secrets. What kind of secrets?

Speaking more of eyes, Not!Sasha reconfirms the eye theme, by saying that:

“I wear you, will I really become the Archivist? Rob the eye of its pupil?”

Which means:

Big Brother truly has eyes

Jon is somehow Big Brother’s pupil - maybe in more sense than one. He’s not just his beloved human, but his literal pupil, because Big Brother can look at the world through his eyes.

*Gravity Falls intensifies* *Stanford Pines intensifies* *If this thing is triangular I’m going to explode*

Is this how Big Brother connects to the Archivist? Is this the crimson fate? Is this Jon’s destiny? Becoming a means through which the supernatural shit can express itself?

*

The Unknowing!

"You’ll miss the Unknowing, of course, but you wouldn’t understand it anyway."

Okay, now, what the fuck is the Unknowing. A supernatural shit? But Not!Sasha talked about it, as if it’s an event rather than a being. So, what is this? What does Jon have to understand? I don’t remember exactly where, but there was someone else in the past who said something similar about “not understanding it”. I’m so curious!

*

Interlude: voices, vibes and sounds are top tier 

I don’t talk about this enough, but gosh, the cast is made of great voices only. Every word is full of passion, they convey all emotions so well and I love them all so much <3

I can feel Martin’s rage when he raises his voice. I can feel Jon’s regret when he says that, despite knowing the truth now, he still can’t remember Sasha’s face (that part broke me, so beautiful, so desperate, it was amazing).

And you can feel Jon’s fear when you hear Not!Sasha’s voice approaching, closer and closer. You can hear the tears in his words, the regret when he says he’s sorry about everything, his urgency when he tells his friends to leave the Institute.

And Not!Sasha’s voice? The distorted, echoing effect is amazing, it makes it 20x scarier. And it looks like Not!Sasha’s real shape is like “a stretched person”, so my mind immediately made the connection:

This series is starting to become suspiciously similar to Mandela Catalogue. And if Gravity Falls ended on a positive note, Mandela Catalogue looks like a tragedy and I fear TMA will lean in that direction.

*

And now, who the fuck are you?

So, after founding Jon, after him literally begging to live, Jon is saved by… bricks? Shifting bricks? I mean, after thinking about it, I realized it meant something like “a whole wall shifting”, but when I heard it the first time, I thought that someone was throwing stones at Not!Sasha and, apparently, that was enough to kill it. It was hilariously funny.

But I can’t even take a sigh of relief for Jon still being alive, that I am suddenly greeted by a “mysterious figure” who wants to have a chat with Jon.

And when I read it, my first comment was: “and now, who the fuck are you?”.

Then I connected: this is Ghostly Thief! The maybe-human middle-aged man who shifted the floor to enter and exit the tunnels and steal stuff. And he wants to talk! We will have answers! Fine, probably we won’t have all answers, but we will have something!

_______________________________

MAG 80 - The Librarian

HOLY SHIT GHOSTLY THIEF IS JURGEN FUCKING LEITNER ARE YOU FOR REAL?!

Sorry, but I was a little… a-hem… surprised. Yes, let’s say I was surprised.

So not only the Norwegian fucker just appeared like nothing, but he gave answers and hints and holy. Fucking. Shit.

But let’s start from the beginning:

*

The missing two books

So:

The Seven Lamps of Architecture by John Ruskin is the book that helped Leitner “shift” the floor and the structure of the tunnels. That’s why Jon found everything weird and complicated: because Leitner was deliberately messing with the architecture of the tunnels.

A Disappearance removes you from the world, but if you read some parts, it hides you. And that’s how Leitner has been able to stay hidden until now. Very clever.

Three years ago Leitner went out and Gerard found him and beat him to death. Not only this proves Gerard is a hero and a mood because I would’ve beaten this fucker too, but it somehow confirms my man Gerard truly died. I am devastated.

*

“The reverse Pandora”

“I saw myself as a guardian, a reverse Pandora, gathering the evils of the world and locking them away.”

I appreciate the change that happened in Leitner from the angry little man described in MAG 35 to the guy he is now. And speaking of MAG 35, now I can understand why he was so obsessed with the idea of the hidden library: he thought he had a mission. He thought he was the chosen one. And he wanted to store his books safely, without them “reacting” to each other.

And wow, he did his job so well, he collected 978 volumes. Nine seven eight. I thought we would’ve had a collection of… 20 volumes at least. My supposition was pretty far from the truth, lol.

*

The attack

Just like Pandora opened the vase and all evils flew out, so all evil books have been set free by a sudden attack, who involved:

“Thomas McMann was stabbed through the throat by something with too many teeth and limbs like knives.”. - The Boneturner?

“Mary Johnson was pulled into a cavernous maw that opened beneath her.” - The Dark?

“Gregory Todd ran into a door that shouldn’t have been there.” - Michael.

“A great hand reached down through the roof and plucked away Leandra Toulouse.” - The Vast?

“And there was one other assistant pulled into a great, pulsating pile of meat.” - the supernatural meat.

If I am right and those five worked together, something must’ve happened back then. How and why did Michael become neutral? Are they on the other side of the “war” that’s going on?

*

The origin of the supernatural entities

Holy shit, I asked for a backstory of these entities and I got a backstory of these entities. Mr. Sims, TMA’s author, thank you for listening to me and providing me with the answers. I appreciate this sort of “time-delayed connection” we got.

And you know what, it’s an interesting backstory. It’s fascinating to imagine these beings that are not in our universe, but “adjacent” to it:

It’s a very exciting concept, because it can be explored in two different ways:

These beings are curious and they want to enter our universe, because they see it as their property/a place in which extend their dominion. To circle back to the ant analogy, it would be a bit like a human trying to “open” the anthill for their needs, because the anthill is on their property.

These beings feel like they are trapped, “glued” to our universe. They feel like they’re forced to move towards it, to interact with it, because there is nothing else in the space where they live. Because there is nothing else, besides this place. And maybe they hate it, they resent it and they do not care about anything and anyone: all they want is more space to move.

I hope we will have more of these beings talk about their place, their feelings toward our universe and their goals, because it would give us a wonderful insight into how they see it. Maybe their point of view is similar to 1) and they’re more possessive/curious. Or maybe it's more similar to 2) and they’re bitter and resentful. I really hope we will know more about this.

*

Everything revolves around books

Again, I was kinda right: the books can help you to connect to these beings, because the books are their essence. A bit like surging into their power a bit.

And the monsters are not minor supernatural shits: they’re parts of these shits, like muscles. Again, it reconfirms these beings re not 200 but less - which is good for me - and makes them even more eldritch-esque and weird. Really liked it.

*

Many new names

Wow, I almost got Michael’s name too, didn’t I? It’s not Mr. Distortion, but simply the Distortion.

And he’s not exactly a supernatural shit, but part of it: a “lying power” called the Spiral. That’s probably why he’s associated with fractals too. Pretty cool!

Also: this helps us understand why Michael has so many issues with identity. It’s because Michael isn’t an entity, but part of it. It makes sense, it’s so logical! I love when things fit so well in a story.

*

What a surprise, hold onto your seat, you won’t believe it…

Hear me out, guys: Elias killed Gertrude.

I know, what a shocker, I can't believe it, it’s not like he had “I KILLED GERTRUDE” written all over his face.

Joke aside, he did it… because Gertrude wanted to burn down the Archives? She woke up and chose violence! Like everyone else! I stan this woman even more.

And yes, I want to give Elias the same treatment Gerard gave Leitner.

*

Elias and Big Brother

…

Did Leitner just casually tell me that Elias is Big Brother?

Listen, when I said that everyone is a supernatural shit here I was joking. It was a joke, IT WAS A JOKE-

Holy shit, we got Big Brother’s name too! And yes, I could’ve guessed it: it has eyes, of course it’s called the Eye. When it'll be called The All-Seeing Eye, I will start to fear it’s really Bill Cipher.

*

The Stranger and the war

Oh, so I got it wrong: The Unknowing it’s not an event, but just another name for the Stranger. And this Stranger shit seems pretty important, considering they’re all looking for it.

Speaking of “they”, Elias replies that “we” will stop them. So I suppose that “they” and “we” are the two sides of the war Michael talked about chapters ago. And considering what Leitner said before, I suppose these two sides are:

The entities that attacked Leitner and his assistants, aka the Boneturner, the Dark, the Distortion, the Vast and the supernatural meat.

Elias/the Eye, the Lukas family and their supernatural shits. And maybe someone else?

And then we have the Stranger in the middle - oh, and let’s not forget the spider lady, the supernatural fog and the End. On which side are they? Also, Michael switched and became neutral, so maybe something else happened and the sides changed even more? Nnnngh, I want to know!

*

Killers, killers everywhere

And then, just like nothing, Elias kills Leitner on tape, by beating him to death. Holy shit this man might be lazy when it comes to the job, but he’s ruthless when it’s time to kill.

Also, fuck you Elias, now who will give me answers? I was a bit angry with Leitner for tricking me, but he was willing to talk! And cooperate! And after explaining himself, I was forgiving him too! Fuck you again.

Martin and Tim my beloveds found a way to come back to the Institute! (thank you, Michael, for not eating them) And the first thing they find is a dead man in Jon’s office.

... They’re totally gonna believe Jon did it, aren't they?

_______________________________

In conclusion

Holy shit what an ending!

We got Leitner, we got answers, we got more mysteries.

And now? I have no idea. Will Jon run from the law? Will he hide at Basira’s place? Will we see him in prison? Will Jon be able to explain himself? Will Martin and Tim realize how dangerous Elias is and beat him to death before he does the same to them?

And what about the Stranger? Will we see it? Will we find out even more about these supernatural entities?

I really don’t know. And I love when a series does this to me: after the season 1 ending, I could’ve predicted a few things, like that Jon would’ve found out who was Gertrude's killer. But now? Now I really have no idea! And I can’t wait to be surprised by what will happen.

TMA’s author, Mr. Sims, you truly are one of a kind. I approached this story with a mild interest, then my expectations rose. Now, you gave me actual backstory and explanations about these supernatural entities.

Next I want to see how you developed all the given premises. I know there are still three seasons to go, but a good story should drop elements on the way. It’s like building a palace: the foundations are here, we just need more planes to be build on them. And then, all these planes should start to converge and be stable enough for the conclusion. But we’ll talk about that in due time.

For now, thank you Mr. Sims and thank you all for following me in this little adventure. I will come back with season 3 very soon, but in the meantime take care of yourself <3

>> Next post

(How about a coffee? ☕)

_______________________________

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[chirpsythismorning]

Just watched Brokeback Mountain for the first time and I need to talk about it.

Throughout the movie, we see Ennis experience a lot of intense discomfort and fear at the idea of being intimate with a man, despite it becoming abundantly clear in the details and based on his actions that that is indeed what he wants. He even admits to Jack that this fear stems from an experience he had at a young age, when his father showed him two men who were presumed to be lovers (they were roommates vibes), murdered and castrated, with him basically using it as a lesson to show Ennis that being gay was wrong and would get you killed.

Jack on the other hand was a little less discomforted or fearful at the idea of being with a man, in that we actually saw him return the following summer to Brokeback Mountain hoping Ennis would be there, only for him to show up alone. We saw how after this he confidently approached a man at the bar hoping to get to know him, only to get rejected and risk getting hate crimed (foreshadowing 😭). And we saw how, over time, Jack’s struggle had more to do with being hurt over Ennis’ unwillingness to commit or even just consider the possibility of them being together long term, even despite the risk of being gay in the 60’s.

Near the end of the film, upon Jack’s death, Ennis discovers from his father that over the past 20 years since they met at Brokeback Mountain, Jack constantly brought it up to his folks, how Ennis, his friend, was going to move up to their ranch and they were going to build a cabin and live together and take over for the family.

Jack was often the one in the moment taking the chances for them to be together. He was the one who mentioned that they could go to Mexico, with Ennis furiously rejecting it saying ‘you know what happens to people like you there??’

But what’s even more painful, is that in this same scene, Ennis’ acknowledges the truth more directly, and why it’s so painful is because it ends up ironically coming true:

Here, Ennis is basically saying that if he decides to be with Jack for real, aka faces his queerness head on, that’s going to be the thing that gets them (Jack) killed. Shortly after this, Jack loses it and has that infamous ass monologue, followed by Ennis breaking down over how it’s Jack’s fault that he’s this way in the first place.

In the end, when Jack dies, Ennis finds out about what happened from Jack’s wife, Lureen Newsome, who said Jack was pumping up a flat out on a backroad when his tire blew up, with the rim of the tire slamming his face, breaking his nose and jaw, and knocking him unconscious on his back. By the time someone drove by on the deserted backroad, he had drowned in his own blood.

The audience might’ve believed this story, if it wasn’t for how rehearsed it sounded coming out of Lureen’s mouth, but it also doesn’t help that images of Jack being hate crimed as his true cause of death are flashing across Ennis’s mind in real time while Lureen is telling him about the ‘accident’.

While it’s left up to interpretation, it’s implied from what his wife and father said, that Jack was hate-crimed by his father in law, with it being covered up.

Broken nose? Broken jaw?… Those are the kinds of wounds someone endures after being beaten up. And if it’s happening to the point of death, then he was essentially beaten to death.

This then fits into what Jack’s father said, because apparently, shortly before he died, he’d told his father he’d found a different friend that was going to come up there to the ranch with him. And so it’s very likely Lureen’s father caught wind of this as his plans to leave neared, leading to his murder (Jack also bitched his father in law tf out in an epic way, which on its own felt unnecessary in the moment, but within the context of this makes a whole lot more sense).

Either way, it seems Jack waited for Ennis to change his mind. 20 years he waited, and when Ennis didn’t, Jack finally moved on with someone else who made an offer of his own years before, only to get murdered just as Ennis feared he would if he decided to live his life authentically.

Ennis initially found out like this, in a postcard that bounced of him inquiring Jack about seeing each other again after that last massive fall out where they had, only for Ennis’s worst fear to be realized:

Nov 7th with deceased stamped across it has me spiraling 😭

Now, obviously Brokeback Mountain is one of the most well known queer films of all time, like there’s no denying that. So it’s fairly easy to assume ST could be taking some inspiration from this film just like they have with hundreds upon hundreds of other films. But especially if they are planning to go the queer route, homage to this film is pretty much guaranteed (there’s also one more reason it might be guaranteed, but I’m saving that for the end 🤣).

Regardless, as you can probably already tell, it’s very easy to see similarities between Ennis with Mike and Jack with Will.

Mike getting the ‘you see Michael? You see what happens?’ treatment from his father, in the first episode in the series, is very Ennis coded in that this is a TV show that follows that up with seasons of Mike pushing Will away from him, with it leading to a boiling point where he says, ‘What did you think? Really? That we were never gonna get girlfriends? That we were just gonna sit in my basement in play games for the rest of our lives?’ with Will responding, ‘Yeah. I guess I did. I really did,’ aka extremely Jack coded.

The really epic thing about this though, is that ST is clearly going on a different journey than Brokeback Mountain did, in that it’s simply subverting the bury your gays trope. While they are acknowledging the risk of being queer in the 80’s, they’re not letting it end ‘realistically’ like many people have insisted it must because that is the only option. And this will be a satisfying ending because it’s coming as a response to all those heartbreaking stories before it that have reinforced this idea that happy endings just aren’t an option for gay people who simply want to be together.

While Ennis and Jack didnt get their happy ending like they wanted, Mike and Will on the other hand 😏

And last but not least, on a more hilariously ironic note, the guy who Jack was going to settle for in the end instead of Ennis, was a guy named Randall Malone, played by none other than David fucking Harbour.

[angstics]

something i read about brokeback mountain shifted how i saw gay issues when i was younger. the dominant reading of brokeback is epitomized when jack twist says to ennis del mar, “we could’ve had a good life together.” the perceived tragedy is that ennis was so traumatized by the world’s homophobia that he couldnt live a gay life, loud and proud, like and with jack (our liberated hero). but jack doesnt accuse ennis of being scared, even when knowing of the lynched men from ennis’s childhood… one of his next lines in that monologue is “but you didn’t want it.” the interpretation i mentioned read that as the true separation btwn jack and ennis: different understandings of “being gay”, separated by urban and rural lifestyles, which CRUCIALLY arent better than the other. the tragedy is a universal take on conflicting desires that cant be compromised. it’s ridiculous to call rural gay men who aren’t necessarily out a lesser sort of gay — or repressed, cowardly, even “tragic”. that being “out” is the only honest and happy way of living. especially when what is honest and happy for someone depends on their circumstances… the warped idea that one lacks value by not being out is all over gay media and gay history and perceptions of gay people

[carrotcakecrumble]

The change from the short story’s ’but you couldn’t do it Ennis!’ To ‘but you didn’t want it Ennis!’ In the big I wish I knew how to quit you speech is so HEARTBREAKING because he died never really knowing just how much Ennis really did want it. He died never knowing he was loved as much as he loved and he wasn’t just this outcast, too different from everybody else to ever be loved by any of them and GIRLS oh my GOD

[jack-twist-daily]

Tell you what, we coulda had a good life together. Fuckin real good life! Had us a place of our own— but you didn’t want it, Ennis. SO WHAT WE GOT NOW IS BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN! EVERYTHING’S BUILT ON THAT! That’s all we got, boy, fuckin’ all! So I hope you know that even if you don’t never know the rest.

You could the damn few times we have been together in nearly 20 years, and you measure the short fucking leash you keep me on! And then you ask me about Mexico and tell me you’ll kill me for needing something I don’t hardly never get! YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW BAD IT GETS!

I’m not you— I can’t make it on a coupla high-altitude fucks once or twice a year. You are too much for me, Ennis, you son of a whoreson bitch! I wish I knew how to quit you