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#captain' so even if he was emotionally aware enough to realize they were mutually in love he wouldn't have done anything about it
Ooooooohhhhhhh now I’m thinking of an Izzy with an Ella Enchanted style curse on him hhhhhhhhhh
Read-more cause this got away from me lmfao
He keeps it fairly under wraps for most of his life, sets out to sea at twelve, gets picked up by a press gang at seventeen. He manages, its  expected, for a sailor to follow orders on a navy ship, after all (of course ‘no’ isn't an option available to him anyway).
They get boarded by pirates when he's about twenty one and he’s taken on as part of their crew, the captain is after crew more than loot, tells him he should join (saying ‘no’ would have just had him killed, and he's doing his very best to live).
Some time after, he's nearing twenty five, they’re raided by another ship, the Ranger. Benjamin Hornigold likes a ruthless sailor (a ruthless pirate) and Israel Hands has never allowed himself to be anything but. He decides he wants to keep this one. He offers, Izzy accepts. Ben tells him to kill his former captain (wouldn’t have said ‘no’ even if he could have, the man was a bastard).
He earns a reputation of being kind of a kiss-ass, he doesn’t really mind, it keeps most people from asking questions. But Ben’s got his pet projects Edward Teach and John ‘Jack’ Rackham and they’re both too sharp for their own good (though, Jack is better at playing dumb). They notice its not just Captain’s orders he follows to the letter, but everyone’s. They test him, subtly at first, but eventually they show their hand. Tell him that they know there’s more to Izzy’s obedience than he lets on.
He’s terrified for how they might use this against him (the usual ways, which most men abused without even knowing about his curse, easier, safer to let them think he wanted it) but they tell him they don’t want to take his agency from him like that. They offer to help him. He’s not sure whether to trust it (he knows, by rights, he shouldn’t) but he can’t say ‘no’ to ‘trust us, let us help’ (whether Edward is aware of the command, Izzy will never know, decades later Edward doesn’t even remember what he said to convince him).
So they stick by him, as best they can, if someone gives an order he doesn’t want to follow they’ll tell him, quietly as they can, not to. It works, for the most part. Though eventually, Ben notices Izzy’s not quite as obedient anymore (though he still never says ‘no’ to his captain’s orders). He doesn’t like that. He notices Izzy’s been spending more time around Teach and Rackham, decides they’re bad influences (he intends them to captain other ships in his fleet, they’re allowed to push back on orders, Izzy will never have a command of his own, he is not). He separates them. Puts Teach and Rackham on the Marianne with the flimsy excuse of ‘getting practice in’. (he sees them off with Izzy at his side, a claiming hand on his shoulder, Ed and Jack aren't sure how they manage it, but they don't try to kill him right then and there) They now only ever see each other when they all make port. Its a trying few months (for Ed and Jack, for Izzy. . .).
They meet at port one last time (apart, at least). Edward has a plan. They’re going to mutiny. They’ve been stirring the pot on the Marianne (whispers had already started before they got there, not too many of the crew were happy to miss out on loot just because Ol’ Ben had an apparent soft spot for the Crown). He presses his knife into Izzy's hands. Tells him, back on the ship, when everyone else is asleep, he’s to slip into the captain’s cabin and kill Ben, in his sleep, so he can’t order him to stop (Izzy is never sure if he would have said ‘no’ to that unintentional order, had he been able).
The mutiny goes off without a hitch (Ben wakes when the knife plunges into his throat, but he can’t give orders around the steel and the blood that choke him). Edward makes Izzy his first mate, gives Jack the Marianne. He and Izzy go on to create a legend.
Things are good, for a long while they're good. Edward is an inventive and charismatic captain, the crew love him and the loot he leads them to, and Izzy's position (and Edward's possessive protectiveness over him) means that anyone who dares order Israel Hands around, that doesn't have the title of 'his captain', meets a quick end.
Unfortunately, for Izzy, 'good' never tends to last. He'd hoped (and damn him for daring to hope) that he was free, as free as he could be, from his curse, sailing under Edward (Blackbeard), and he was. For a while. Its about a decade later when Edward starts to get bored. He never orders Izzy to do anything degrading or dangerous (more dangerous than he can handle at least) but it still hurts somewhere deep in his chest the first time Edward gives a casual order and doesn't look to see if Izzy wants to follow it.
They come across Jack every now and again. It always takes him a bit to readjust to Izzy, to remember he needs to phrase things as suggestions rather than orders, he always manages eventually. (that little pain in his chest digs a little deeper when he notices Edward avoids giving him orders when Jack is around, though he can't say why) Their crossing paths wind up fewer and farther between as the years go on. One notable visit involved Jack asking Edward to marry him and Anne Bonny ('why not just have your first mate do it?' 'Annie is my first mate, man, 'sides, I want my two best buds to be there for it!'). Izzy isn't sure what to make of Edward's renewed willingness to run into Jack afterwards (only knows that the pain in his chest grows all the sharper for it, and at seeing Jack, happy with Anne, he feels a bit monstrous about that). It doesn't matter much in the end, things go back to normal once Mary/Mark (depending on the day) Read enters the picture and (mostly) steals Annie away from Jack.
And suddenly Izzy finds himself at fifty five, on a beach, wondering ‘what kind of fucking idiot runs his ship aground‘. Edward is intrigued, Izzy can't tell him 'no'.
He hates the Revenge with every fiber of his being. None of the crew listen to him, Edward doesn't back him up (and neither do Fang or Ivan, following their captain's lead). The first time one of the crew gets it into their head to give him a mocking order he nearly passes out with the force it takes him to not jump to the task immediately. He retreats to his cabin later and vomits at the feeling of violation he hasn't felt in decades (he tells himself he hasn't felt it, Edward is his captain, above all else is loyalty to his captain, his own feelings don't matter).
He hates stupid fucking Stede Bonnet most of all. Hates him for putting a light back in Edward's eyes that hasn't been there for a long while. Hates his pompous attitude, his flippant disregard for the institution of piracy, how little he seems to actually care for the safety and well-being of his own men (leave alone the danger he poses to Edward). Most of all he hates that he calls him 'Iggy'.
So when he challenges him to a duel, and he accepts, its only for Edward's sake that he sets the terms at 'banishment' and not 'death'. When he loses he finds he rather wished it had been to the death. (he doesn't understand, Edward wanted this, he hadn't even told him to stop, hadn't ordered him to stop)
He retreats to Spanish Jackie'z to lick his wounds and to work out a plan to pull Edward out of the steady march towards his own demise that he faces aboard the Revenge. Jackie, Izzy is fairly certain, knows about his curse to some extent (he suspects she doesn't abuse the knowledge for the sake of having a bargaining chip, should she need it), she talks him out of any corners the navy bloke with a grudge against Stede Bonnet inadvertently walks him into. She also runs him into Jack Rackham (and Izzy realizes, at the sight of the silver starting to peek its way through his dirty blond, that its been nearly ten years since they've last seen each other, that pain in his chest not any duller for it) and the last piece of the plan falls into place. Jack tries to talk him out of it, says its not a good idea, even offers him a position on his own ship (not that its his ship to offer anymore, since Annie took over captaincy and made Mary/Mark her first mate, but they've both always had a soft spot for Izzy on account of Jack's soft spot for Izzy, they'd be more than willing), not once does he order though and Izzy can't let Edward keep doing this to himself. Jack will understand when he sees him, Izzy says. Jack goes.
(Izzy hears, when the navy gunners crow triumphantly about hitting the dinghy, the one that Jack and Edward were in, the one that Edward jumped out of, he tells himself not to let it show when that pain in his chest comes back twenty-fold at the thought)
Edward claims the Act of Grace. He and Stede Bonnet leave to lick the king’s boots. Izzy doesn't make it a single day as captain. Edward comes back just before he goes overboard with the anchor to follow. He comes back wrong. Izzy can't take it. Edward can't take it.
The Kraken wakes and Izzy is introduced to the concept of a living hell. (even the captive crew stop trying to give him orders, at the haunted look in his eye, when they see how the Kraken orders him around, when he discovers Spriggs alive, if a lot worse for the wear, he doesn't even need the order to keep it under wraps, he doesn't want to know what the Kraken would order him to do if the boy is found out, he shudders at the thought)
When stupid fucking Stede Bonnet (and his marooned crew) finds his way back to the Revenge Izzy allows himself a single moment to feel relieved. Until, at least, the Kraken orders him to kill the man. He can't. He fights. The crew are all shouting at him not to, it eases the strain. The Kraken levels his pistol at his head, the crew goes silent.
'Israel, I order you to kill Stede Bonnet'.
His sword is in his hand. Stede's gotten better with his own sword, is managing to hold his own against Izzy (in truth, its mostly due to Izzy straining to not follow the order, but there is a marked improvement). The Kraken growls 'Kill him Izzy, fucking- kill him!' Izzy loses his sword to the mast again (he's grateful this time), his knife is in his hand a second later. He's got less reach than Stede does but Stede is trying not to hurt him. Why is he trying not to hurt him?
'Bonnet. Bonnet, you have to stop me. I can't. I can't kill you. I can't let him do that to himself. You have to. Run me through. Right here-' he taps his chest with his free hand, the one that isn't swinging the knife around, the left side, right over his heart '-only way to stop this. He might even listen to you afterwards.'
'Izzy. Izzy no.' In his shock, Stede lowers his sword. Izzy swears as he knocks it out of his hand. Presses close, crowds him against the doors to the captain's cabin, knife against his throat.
'Just fucking kill him already!'
A bead of blood wells under the tip of the blade. Izzy meets his own eyes in the polished reflection of his knife.
'Izzy stop fucking around and do what I told you to!'
His hands shake with the weight of the order. There are tears in his eyes, he can see them in his reflection.
A memory comes, unbidden: He, Edward, and Jack hiking through dense jungle to find a witch that Jack thinks might be able to break his curse, or at least tell them how to break it themselves. Her words 'I cannot break this curse Israel, this is something you must do for yourself. I can tell you this, however, to do this you'll need to face yourself. Face yourself and free yourself. That is all I can say, I'm sorry, I'd tell you more if I could.' They'd left disappointed, Jack cursing about scams and 'you can't even trust witches these days, man', Edward contemplatively silent.
Face yourself and free yourself. Izzy's eyes flick upwards to Stede's concerned face, back down to the blade. He meets his own eyes again.
'Izzy-' The rest of the Kraken's words go unheard.
Izzy tells himself, voice scarcely more than a breath: 'You will not be obedient.'
He feels, more than sees, Stede's gasp. He ignores it. His hand still wants to press the knife upwards. He tries again.
'You will not be obedient.' A little louder this time.
'The fuck did you just say-' Again.
'You will not be obedient!'
The knife flies across the deck, lands with a clatter. Silence (but for the sound of Izzy's labored breaths).
He turns, ignores the shocked crew, meets Edward's wide eyes with his own watery ones (when had the tears started falling so freely?).
'. . . Iz. . . ?'
Everything goes black.
#the dork is being a dork#izzy hands#jack rackham#mmmm i feel safe enough tagging#edward teach#stede bonnet#am i ever going to be able to imagine a cj that isn't in love with izzy? all signs point to 'no' lmfao#izzy is also in love with jack if that wasn't obvious#problem is a bit two-fold in that he's also still in love with ed AND there was an unintentional order in 'above all else is loyalty to your#captain' so even if he was emotionally aware enough to realize they were mutually in love he wouldn't have done anything about it#cj is the world's number one izzy respecter he worked SO hard to make sure izzy never had to do anything he didn't want to do#also he 100% survived the navy guys saw him survive but they didn't like izzy cause he's a pirate so they wanted to fuck with him#he finds his way back to the revenge sometime later (maybe with anne and mary/mark with him) and BEGS izzy to come with him#they compromise and start a fleet (jack stays on the revenge more often than not cause izzy stays on the revenge more often than not)#this COULD turn into stackedhands but its mostly cjizzy#and izzy/people who actually care about him and his well-being#which does start to include the crew post kraken#anyway izzy wakes up later in the captain's cabin and there are several uncomfortable talks to be had#(also i don't necessarily think ed realized he wasn't ordering izzy when jack was around)#(it was kind of like falling into old habits)#(while also knowing subconsciously that jack WOULD rock his shit for doing that to izzy)#(same with avoiding him thru the years)#(he knew he was fucking up with izzy but wasn't ready to face it and let himself be held accountable the way jack would make him do)
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softrozene · 4 years
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Reacting to their crush/future significant other who has scars
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I hope I have Katakuri’s character down! It is my first time writing for him officially, so I am excited! As for this whole request? You got me excited the second you mentioned John Marston’s scar. I got too pumped up for this that I ended up doing these as scenarios with bonus headcanons! I really hope you like this Lovely and apologies for it taking so long to get to!
Charlotte Katakuri, Trafalgar Law x Reader (Gender Neutral/Non-Binary)
Warnings: Slight angst, Fluff, hints of past violence/trauma from battles, scars
Words: 1758
Charlotte Katakuri-
*Uh this bro is so tall so um pretend you are the same height, he’s hunching down, or you are on a ladder or something lol
-
Katakuri glances around the room feeling a slight annoyance. His betrothed is late. Though thinking of them does make him feel emotionally calmer it does not excuse that they are late. Especially since he wanted to speak with them about something important.
Just then, the door to his room flies open and his betrothed comes in panting from an obvious rush. You look a bit flustered from being late, but you quickly compose yourself. It is something Katakuri admires since you are similar to him. Calm and levelheaded most of the time but upon getting this arranged marriage- Both of you have become accustomed to different fluttery feelings when with each other.
Katakuri has no idea how to feel about it (and is not aware that he is crushing) but he concludes it to be a good thing since he enjoys your company.
“Sorry I am late Katakuri. Perospero and I were having tea and he wanted me to start calling him Brother Peros from now on then on the way here I ran into Compote who wanted to have a serious talk about my family’s new alliance with Big Mom. I assured her that I am with you guys all the way and that they will follow her. Anyway, enough excuses, what did you wish to talk about?” You ask trying to stop your fingers from fidgeting.
Since you walked in all he has done is stare you down and usually, it would not bother you, but you honestly felt bad for being late. You wanted to be the perfect partner for him since all he has done is shown you kindness since the announcement of your engagement.
“I wanted to finally speak-“ He pauses as he hesitates.
This is something he does a bit often with you- Use his Observation Haki to foresee into the future is something he often does but he does more so with you when you have talked so he does not misstep. He quickly continues after you are about to ask him what is wrong.
“I apologize for that. I just was about to get straight to the point, but I feel like I need to emphasize something before I do. We are getting married soon. The date is coming up fast and I wanted to show you something but just now I saw you crying. Before I do, I need to let you know that I see you as my equal and I am proud to have you as my betrothed. I have never seen my siblings actually want to get to know an in-law as much as they do you so thank you for wanting to genuinely be apart of our family,” Katakuri states.
His words make your heart beat fast, but you nod for him to continue. “I wanted to show you my mouth. I do not like others seeing it, but we will soon be married, and you will have the right to see all of me as I do you,” He continues.
He pauses once more to make sure that he did change the future even if it was just a little bit. The amount of trust he places in you does make you want to cry but instead, you feel like you want to meet him on the trust to. You decide you will finally show him your other scars.
After he deems you okay, he takes off his mouth covering and stares at you waiting for any response. He knows that you would never make fun of him but that amount of insecurity he has to tell him otherwise. So, he is surprised when he feels your warm hand cup his scarred face.
You give him a gentle smile and say, “We do not nearly match but I do think we are the perfect match for each other.”
His heart melts at this and he is quick to cup your own scarred cheek. His thumb rubs against them and then your eyes downcast. You back up from his touch and he grows irritated momentarily from no longer touching you when you turn around and begin to take off your shirt. His eyes scan what he sees immediately. More scars litter your back.
You let him view it a moment longer before fixing your shirt.
“I think we are good now. We both have seen more of each other,” You say a bit worried he may not find you attractive anymore.
He returns to touching your cheek and with the mouth covering no longer on him, he gives you a genuine smile that washes away your doubts. “Yes, we have. I can’t wait until you officially become my spouse.”
Bonus Headcanons:
His initial reaction is neutral
He does not exactly care until he has an emotional connection then he will wonder
I think Katakuri would love his significant other with or without scars- He would want to know the story behind them, but he won’t straight up ask either
He loves to trace them when he gets sleepy and it becomes one of his favorite things to do when it is just you two alone
He will only tell you once, but he also likes when you trace his facial scars or pepper his mouth with kisses
Since he is very serious (even more so) with family members and you become his spouse he will definitely be putting lotion on your scars- He believes in taking care of them since they tell a story about you
Trafalgar Law-
“Hey Cap, (Name) fell asleep on Bepo again,” Penguin states coming into Law’s office/infirmary.
Law stares and waits for more words because there is just no way his crew is bothering him over this. Sachi who peeks in continues thankfully. “And their shirt lifted up- I think you should come see this,” Shachi murmurs.
The serious nature of the two surprises Law and he almost thinks they are sick. He says nothing, as he gets up and wordlessly, follows them- Sleep very much wanting to cloud his mind after being up all night. They lead Law to Bepo who has not moved a muscle since you fell asleep on him. Nothing so far out of the normal until Law’s observant eyes look for the part of the shirt that is lifted up and indeed-
His eyes widen and he sighs.
“Let them sleep longer. Then send them to my room,” Law orders.
He is careful as he quickly fixes their shirt and leaves. His thoughts are immediate. Something bad happened to you in the past, that much is clear, and it honestly explains a lot. How you are so slow with opening up and he honestly can’t blame you. That is why he likes you and the little moments when you do open up to him.
They mean something to him and those scars on your back are from stories you are not ready to tell. He will tell you of this mishap, but he will not push you- He would not even dream of it because he cares about you so much it hurts. He knows what this feeling is, and he wants to chase it but you both are holding back with your pasts latching onto you. That is why he has not really said anything about his feelings despite him wanting to.
They are nothing like the ones on your face either. The ones are on your face are just two/three long scars across your face- Almost like an animal attack, the ones on your back must be from previous battles or something equally terrifying if they have you closed off.
With a sigh, Law goes to his room and waits until you are up.
When Law opens his eyes, he realizes that he has taken a brief nap but immediately sees you come in and close the door behind you. Your expression tells him that someone said something. He groans and quickly says something to reverse the damage.
“Penguin and Shachi saw them and told me. You do not need to explain yourself in any way. I am not surprised, to be frank, because you are incredibly strong and have proven to be a valuable asset to my crew,” He states.
He watches your expression for a moment until you turn around and without any hesitation pull off your shirt. Law is surprised and a bit guilty for feeling his heart flutter at the bold action. Quickly pulling his mind from the gutter he takes small steps to you.
“I do not want to explain yet, but you are the person I trust most Law. I want you to at least look at what I have been hiding since I know you are the least to pity me for them,” You state.
The air feels like it turns intimate the second Law puts a finger on your back, but it remains full of trust as he casually traces each large and long battle scar. When he finishes you put your shirt back on and turn to look at him.
“I will tell you everything soon. I- Thank you for being a trustworthy and… an attractive captain,” You say with a wink.
Ah, it appears it was not just law feeling the connection. His cheeks feel warm and he smirks. He is happy to know that the attraction is mutual.
Bonus headcanons:
Law’s initial reaction is concern- Only because you are a member of his crew, when feelings get involved his concern worsens but, of course, he will not voice it unless this doctor decides to play therapist too
He will not voice it until you two are actually dating and involved with each other
Then he will be happy to know everything about you and may hint towards it, but he would never push for it
If the face scars make you feel bad about yourself he will definitely be like “oh hell no you are perfect” and obliterate anyone who says otherwise
As for the back scars, if it is a lot and from battles, you do not wish to remember he will hint towards getting a tattoo
And let’s face it
Law would definitely have matching tattoos with his significant other
Much like Katakur- Law would love to trace your scars and does so when he is sleepy
He also melts when you trace his tattoos
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watchathon · 4 years
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Stitch Day Special: Lilo & Stitch
In case you’re finding this post just by browsing the tags I’ve used for this post, this is the Watch-a-Thon, a blog where I’m hoping to watch an episode of a show every one-to-two days, with a short blog post where I give my thoughts on what I’ve just seen. Each new point starts with a hyphen and a bolded first word.
- Like so. 
But today? Well, today I’ve got an extra-special post in the wings about a movie, one of my favorite Disney movies, starring my absolute favorite Disney character: Lilo & Stitch!
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- I like the variation on the Disney logo. That is the kind of stuff that they just couldn’t do with their new big fancy CGI logo. 
- No clue why Jumba tried to deny that he created an experiment. I don’t much mind since it led to a funny joke, but c’mon, evil genius, you should be smart enough to plead guilty.
- “I would never, ever... make more than one.” *glances meaningfully in the direction of the series*
- “What is that monstrosity...?” He’s a cute widdle fluffball, that’s what he is!
- “Meega nala kweesta!” Canonically, this translates to “I want to destroy”, but that seems a little lukewarm for the reaction he got. Maybe a looser translation is in order...
There could be an entire aristocrats joke in those three words. The whole script to Batman v Superman. The opening notes to “Never Gonna Give You Up”...
Or maybe just “bitch”.
- Blood work is a lot different in space...
- Weird to imagine given the rest of the franchise, but Gantu was once a respected captain of the galactic federation.
- It’s easy to perceive Stitch as a dumb brute, but he’s pretty smart. He connected the dots all on his own, within minutes of his imprisonment, that if the guns are locked onto his DNA, he can use his saliva to trick them. Jumba wasn’t kidding when he boasted of his experiment’s intelligence.
- And not only was Gantu a captain, Pleakley was an expert on the planet Earth. Weird, innit...?
- “Are [humans] intelligent?” “No.” An exchange that only hurts more with every year.
- Love the implication that Pleakley was just suggesting several different relatives to assist with the capture of Stitch from when they were on the deck up until they got to the prison where Jumba was held.
- Now this is what we (or rather TVTropes) call an establishing character moment. A fish floats by holding a sandwich in its mouth, implying (soon confirming) that Lilo was the one to give it the sandwich, before rushing to the hula practice that she was late for, stopping to take a picture of a tourist along the way.
- And then after she arrives at hula practice, she explains that she had to give Pudge the fish a peanut butter sandwich because he controls the weather.
- No clue why the other girls are disgusted by Scrump. I always wanted a Scrump when I was a little lass.
- “Did you ever kill anyone?” Lilo asks the right questions.
- Nani, y’could’ve avoided this if you’d given a thumbs up instead...
- I don’t get the glare Cobra gives Nani after Lilo says that her friends need to be punished. Voodoo isn’t a failure of parenting. In many cases, at least...
- Licking Nani, growling after her capture, Lilo already has a lot in common with Stitch.
- Lucky that Lilo is such a quirky kid. The scene (semi-)explaining why she takes pictures of tourists was deleted, but it doesn’t feel like anything is missing because she already has a few habits that just plain inexplicable, like feeding Pudge, practicing voodoo with a pickle jar...
- Lilo wishing for an angel because of how lonely she is, that’s a sad moment. But also kinda funny in hindsight after she sarcastically names Stitch’s love interest Angel in the series.
- Lord give me the undisturbed...ness, of that frog who watched Stitch get run over by several trucks and only tilted its head.
- If they thought Stitch was dead, why did they keep it in the shelter? I mean, Lilo would probably adopt a dead dog, but she’s the outlier.
- I like how Jumba programmed, as part of Stitch’s destructive tendencies, an urge to steal everybody’s left shoe.
- You can just about pinpoint the moment where Stitch’s heart drops at learning that he’s on an island with no major cities.
- Just occurred to me that the badness level is red, and Stitch’s evil counterparts in the series (627 and Leroy) are both red.
- Ah, David. One of the best Disney love interests, mostly because he isn’t entirely a love interest. There is a mutual attraction, but Nani just isn’t ready for that with everything going on in her life, and David respects that and is happy to be a friend.
- I like how everyone except Lilo heavily suspects that Stitch isn’t a dog. 
- Ohhh, the thought of Stitch having drank coffee. I mean, I’d love to see it, but it’d be Hell for Nani.
- Stitch looks just plain adorable with a lei.
- Well, Lilo, you did tell Stitch he should create something. And he did, he just destroyed his creation afterward.
- Pleakley is a gender-nonconforming icon.
- The first time we see Stitch doing something without even the intention of destroying anything is when he finds the book about the Ugly Duckling. It’s clear that he’s fascinated just by looking at it. And when Lilo explains the story? It resonates with him. Or, well, perhaps he wants it to resonate with him.
- I wish I had an evil koala dog that played records.
- Are we sure that “Meega nala kweesta” means “I want to destroy”? Maybe it means “I was born to dance”, ‘cause Stitch learns about dancing and in less than a minute he’s already an expert.
- I imagine this montage, or slightly earlier, would be when that deleted scene of Lilo trolling the obnoxious racist tourists originally came into play. And I like this scene, but, I do wish that scene hadn’t gotten cut. And I wish that they fully animated it and inserted it into the movie like Warner Bros did with The Iron Giant.
- Nothing cheers me up more than this scene of Stitch and his newfound family going surfing. And especially since Stitch is aquaphobic. He’s very much aware that he cannot swim, and likely wouldn’t survive if he fell off the board into the ocean. But even he eventually gets into the spirit of it, asks Lilo himself to go surfing, and enjoys a nice bonding moment with his family. And David.
- Of course Jumba and Pleakley had to ruin a perfectly sweet moment.
- And so we transition from a heartwarming wholesome moment, to a heartbreaking tearful moment. You can just see Nani holding back tears as she says that she needs to take Lilo home. 
As for Stitch, David probably didn’t even realize that Stitch could understand him when he said that Lilo and Nani had a chance until Stitch came along. But Stitch did understand, and he’s visibly hurt by the idea. He always wanted to destroy, but in this moment, he’s ashamed of how he might have destroyed Lilo’s family.
- And the Ugly Ducking metaphor comes back, when in this moment, as Stitch is coming back to a family that he fears he may have ruined, he sees a lone duck... before that duck is followed by a big family of ducklings.
- Lilo says that Stitch cries at night. So, it would seem that even before he completely learned how to be nice, Stitch wasn’t entirely emotionless.
- This whole act of the film is heart-wrenching. First Nani gets confirmation that she and Lilo will be separated, then Stitch starts to fear that he may have caused it. Then because of that? Stitch leaves, taking only the Ugly Duckling book with him. And he can only see in himself the page of the Duckling, lost and crying.
- Then Jumba tells Stitch, who’s already in a bad place emotionally, that he was made to destroy, has no family, and could never have one.
- I don’t want to think about what happened to that chainsaw.
- There’s a certain feeling that comes up in the middle of this fight scene, where you realize that a house is being destroyed, a house belonging to a family that was very much at risk of separation. And you realize that this will only hurt their case beyond any repair.
- If the past day hadn’t been bad enough, Stitch is told by his best friend Lilo that he ruined everything, and to get away.
- And so Nani really does have her sister taken away. Now, taken away by aliens is a lot different than taken away by social services. It’s worse. This way Nani knows that Lilo definitely won’t get a loving family, and Nani will definitely never see her again.
- The confusion is visible on Jumba and Pleakley when Stitch goes and comforts Nani with a quote about family. All they know about Stitch is that he was made to destroy. And then, once he’s captured, he does just about the opposite.
- “Ih.” To this day I sometimes say Ih on reflex when asked a yes-or-no question. Guess I watched this movie way too many times as a kid, huh? ...I regret nothing.
- Originally, the big red plane-looking thing was supposed to just be a plane, and it would’ve flown through a city. And it was changed because it was too soon after 9/11. But me personally, I think the big red thing is real cool, and I like it flying through the valleys.
- “Stitch is unconscious.” I like that Jumba calls Stitch by his name here. In the series, he always calls Stitch “626″ but his name is Stitch. And I like the rare occasion when that’s respected by the mad genius who created him.
- I want to believe that Stitch dodged that laser for the sake of the frog he was holding more than for his own sake. Stitch is strong enough that a few moments later, he survives an explosion of a whole truck that he’s lying on top of.
- Stitch proudly calling himself “cute and fluffy” is another thing I just love. Might be reading too much into it, but I like that he can call himself by those descriptors and still have total confidence in his ability to kick Gantu’s patookie.
- My favorite scene in the movie, and the scene I took the picture from.
Stitch corrects the Grand Councilwoman about his name. And when he’s told that he needs to go in the ship (the implication being that he’ll be punished like he was meant to be at the beginning), he doesn’t rebel or try to escape. He only politely asks that he be allowed to say goodbye.
He explains that his family is “little and broken, but still good”, both explaining it to the councilwoman and reassuring Lilo and Nani.
This is the ultimate display of how Stitch has grown. And he grew because, despite what Jumba said, Stitch could find, and did find, the one true place he belonged: With a good, loving family.
- The Grand Councilwoman is clearly remorseful that they’ll have to separate Stitch from his family, but she can’t bend the law for this one case. And she doesn’t, but it just so happens that, legally speaking, Lilo owns Stitch. And, well, what self-respecting Grand Councilwoman would steal a child’s property?
- A lot of people (including middle-school me) say that the stuff with Stitch and the aliens get in the way of the story of Lilo and Nani. I disagree. These two stories are intertwined, both about people wanting to stay with the family where they know they belong. I just couldn’t, at all, imagine one without the other.
- Now this is the kind of ending I love. It’s become common for animated movies, sequels in particular, to end on the two main characters getting separated. But here? Stitch is now a definitive part of the family, and won’t be separated from them anytime soon. Anime? What anime?
FINAL THOUGHTS:
I guess I’ll be doing this on the rare occasion I cover movies...?
Anyway, this is a great movie. A modern classic. And one of very few things that doesn’t just hold up from when I was a kid, it gets better. When I was a tiny kid, I was only interested in the space aliens. When I was in my early teens, I thought the aliens were kiddy stuff. 
But nowadays, I can truly appreciate it. I can appreciate how both aspects are vital to the movie. Lilo and Stitch are both equally important. You can’t have one without the other.
And most of all, I can appreciate the story of Stitch (as well as Jumba and Pleakley) finding a family, and Lilo (as well as Nani) saving theirs from being torn apart.
Lilo & Stitch brings me to tears of both joy and sadness every time I watch it. And I guarantee I’ll be watching it many more times in the future.
...Does it still count as a Stitch Day special if I’m posting after midnight? No, probably not. I thought I’d only take two hours, then I took four and a half. Guess that means I had more thoughts than I thought I did!
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fanforthefics · 6 years
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5, Bennguin
one night stand and falling pregnant au
Jamie answers the door as soon as Tyler gives his courtesy knock, not even waiting for Tyler to get out his key. 
“Hey, babe,” Tyler tells him, and steps closer to kiss him hello. There’s still a part of him that thrills with it, every time–that he’s allowed to. That he’s encouraged to, because Jamie still gets his cute little smile whenever Tyler does silly relationship shit like that. And, added bonus, it feels like a constant reminder of the fuck you to everyone who said he was too wild, too irresponsible. He’s an A and he nailed down–and just nailed, hah–one of Canada’s many sweethearts, so fuck them. Just for that, he gives Jamie another kiss, longer. It’s been a whole like, twelve hours since he saw him last, after they got off the plane and mutually if tacitly decided that tonight was a night for crashing in their own bed because they were both too exhausted for sex and Tyler had to deal with the dogs. 
Jamie kisses him back, but in that distracted way he gets when he’s definitely too in his head. Tyler pulls back, raises his eyebrows. “What’s up?” They’d had a good road trip, and Tyler knows he’s not in on all the leadership shit, but he’d think he’d hear anything big. 
“It’s–” Jamie shakes his head. “Just come in.” 
Tyler doesn’t move. “Are you okay?” he asks. He knows he’s not always like, the most emotionally aware person, but he’s really trying with Jamie. “Blink once if you have a gun on you. We can bail, like, right now.” Jamie’s lips twitch, and there’s the smile–Tyler’s smile. His. 
“No, it’s not that, it’s just–look, I can’t explain here, come in.” 
“Not really making me feel better,” Tyler says, but he comes in. There’s what’s definitely a woman’s jacket hanging on a hook. “You have a guest, Bennie?” Tyler asks, and doesn’t let himself jump to the worst conclusion. He and Jamie are solid. And even if they weren’t, Jamie’s the last person who would cheat on him. 
“That’s part of what’s up,” Jamie says, and herds Tyler into the kitchen. There’s a woman sitting there–pretty, with the sort of aggressive confidence that Tyler’s always been attracted to. She looks a little familiar, too. And she smiles and waves at Tyler like he should know her, so he smiles and nods back. 
“Segs, this is Megan. Megan, Segs.” 
“Oh, I remember him,” she says, and levers herself up. Tyler’s eyebrows go up. She is definitely pregnant. Then she glances up at him through her eyelashes, and oh, shit, Tyler does remember her. 
“Yeah,” Jamie agrees, apparently seeing the realization in Tyler’s eyes. 
“Nice that you guys remember the third person in your threesome,” she says, and holds out a hand to shake. “I’m not sure we ever actually met. Megan Schmitt.” 
Tyler takes her hand, shakes in gingerly. How do you act around pregnant women? “Tyler Seguin. And, well, sorry, but that was during when he was still pretending he wasn’t into me, it was a whole thing.” 
“Hey, you were doing that too!” Jamie objects, and wanders over to where Tyler is to sling an arm over his shoulder. Tyler settles into it, grins at him. Maybe he had been–maybe they both had been–but they’re over that and feeling their way into this new thing between them, and it had resulted in a bunch of hot threesomes where there’d been a lot of intense accidental eye contact. The way Tyler sees it, there hadn’t ben a downside. 
Except, well. “Yeah, that’s fair and all,” Megan says, and eases herself back down. “Except, we were careful, but apparently not careful enough.” 
Tyler pauses. Then that hits. “Oh, shit.” 
“Yeah,” Jamie agrees with a heartfelt sigh. 
Tyler looks up at him. “Really?” 
“Really,” Megan confirms. Pointedly. 
Tyler looks back at her. Narrows his eyes. He doesn’t remember her well, but–well, he’s lived this life before. “Is there proof?” 
“What?” Jamie asks. “Tyler–” 
“I haven’t had a DNA test done, but I can if you want.” Megan shrugs. She doesn’t look concerned or insulted. Jamie looks a little of both. “I don’t actually really care. I’m keeping the kid no matter what, but it was pointed out to me that you guys might want to know you had a kid. I’m not asking for money or anything.” 
“So what are you asking for, then?” Tyler demands. Jamie’s not being any help, just doing the hovering thing he does when he’s not sure what he’s doing. 
“Nothing,” Megan retorts. “Just letting you know if you want to be part of your kids life, then you can be. And if you guys don’t have any idea who the dad is, we should get a DNA test, because I’m going to need a medical history.” 
“How do you not know?” Tyler’s fingernails are digging into his palms. The pain keeps him steady, at least. 
“There were a lot of hands and a lot of dicks, forgive me if I don’t remember the play by play.” Megan snorts. “You guys weren’t that mindblowing, dudes.” 
Tyler looks at Jamie. Jamie shrugs back. To be honest, most of what Tyler remembers from that night is Jamie–how Jamie looked when he was turned on out of his mind, how his hands slid over skin deft and strong, how his dick looked hard. Now, even those memories are overwritten a little–like, the threesome was hot, but so are all the times since then that Tyler’s gotten Jamie all to himself. 
“So, DNA test,” Tyler says, sounding more sure. 
“Will you need anything from us to set that up?” Jamie asks, because great, he’s contributing now. 
“Probably. I’ll let you know.” Megan looks between them again. “And like, whoever the dad is can decide how much they want to do with the kid then. Or, you know. If both of you want to, I don’t know what your whole thing is.” 
“I–” Tyler looks at Jamie one more time. A kid. A fucking kid. Tyler’s fucked up a lot in his life, but he thought he’d steered clear of this one at least. He can’t have a kid. He’s barely an adult himself. 
But Jamie–fuck, Tyler’s seen Jamie look like that. he knows what Jamie looks like when he wants something. When he hasn’t let himself think about something, but now it’s here and he wants it. 
“Give us a second,” Tyler tells Megan, and then he gets a hand on Jamie’s wrist and pulls him away, into the living room. 
“Seriously?” he asks, once they’re there. Hypothetically he’s whispering, but who knows if that will last long. 
“I don’t know,” Jamie bites at his lips. “Haven’t you ever thought about it?” 
“Not really!” Tyler gestures between them. “And not since this started, unless there’s some medical magic you’re not telling me about!” 
“No, obviously, but–do you not want kids?” Jamie asks. They’ve been officially dating all of a few months, and they’re already having this conversation. 
“I don’t know, I haven’t really thought about it.” Tyler runs a hand through his hair. Forces himself to ask. “Do you?” 
“Yeah,” Jamie says, like ‘of course.’ “I didn’t think now, obviously, but sometime–” 
“After me?” Tyler gets out, his voice hoarse. He hadn’t been thinking of an after Jamie time in his life. 
Jamie’s eyes go even bigger. “No, of course not, come on, Segs. I mean, like. When we’re a little older.” He pauses, then, “You really haven’t thought about it?” 
“Well it’s happening now, not in a few years!” Tyler hisses back. “And you want that?” 
“I want that for us,” Jamie corrects, looking very earnest and very sure, like he’s always looked at Tyler. 
It’s the first time maybe ever that Tyler really feels that Jamie’s older than him. Jamie’s always been his captain, and that means he’s always had a different level of responsibility than Tyler, but it’s never had to do with those extra three years. 
“I’m not ready for a kid, Bennie,” Tyler says, the honesty pulled out of him. “We’re barely figuring us out, let alone–” 
“You think we’re barely figuring us out?” Jamie asks, sounding as hurt as Tyler had before. “Isn’t it going well?” 
“Yeah, of course.” Because he can’t not–because it’s instinct, at this point–Tyler steps in, closer to Jamie. “But, like–this is a kid. Who would trust me with a kid?” 
“Anyone who’s seen you with your dogs?” Jamie retorts. Fast enough that it’s almost like he’s thought about this. “Or how you are with all your Seguin’s Stars kids? Or hell, how you are with rookies?” 
Tyler manages a smile. “You been thinking about this, Jamie?” 
Jamie’s cheeks go red. Which is–Jamie’s been thinking about it. About kids, with him. About forever with him, and they haven’t said that yet, haven’t said any of the big words, that start with L or M or anything else, but Tyler would be lying if he didn’t know he’s in love with Jamie, and there’s no coming out on the other side. 
“I don’t want to pressure you,” Jamie says, still red and definitely drawing in on himself and overthinking. “If you aren’t ready, you aren’t ready, and that’s fine. I can keep you out of it. I know we don’t have to want–”
“I love you,” Tyler interrupts. Jamie freezes, but not in the bad way, just in the way he gets when someone throws a curveball at him, like he needs a second to process. Tyler can give him that, but also he has to wrap his arms around Jamie’s neck. “Fuck, Jamie. I really love you.” 
“I–um. You do?” 
“Yes,” Tyler says, leaves off the ‘you idiot.’ “Fuck, yes. Fine. Let’s have a baby.” 
“I didn’t–that’s not what–you don’t have to–” 
“Jamie,” Tyler cuts off his stammering, then kisses him too, for good measure. “Yeah?” 
Jamie just looks at him for a second, with his big, slightly overwhelmed eyes–then he smiles, and that smile tuned on Tyler will never stop making him feel like the best guy on earth. “Yeah,” Jamie agrees. He tilts his head down, so their foreheads are resting against each other. “I love you too, you know. I didn’t want to say it yet, but if–I do.” 
Tyler chokes a little, but if Jamie’s not going to notice that he’s out there making wedding vows, Tyler’s not going to bring that up yet. He’s not ready to go quite that fast. “Good,” he says. Then, “Our kid’s going to be so fucking good at hockey.” 
“Only if he’s genetically mine,” Jamie retorts, and Tyler laughs and pushes him away, only to reel him back in again. 
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stilljumpingback · 7 years
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(via Black Sails Episode 302 - XX)
Black Sails Episode 302 - XX Review
WELL-FORMED THOUGHTS
One of season 3’s central themes is leadership, and in this episode we see how a Seasoned Leader and a New Leader cope with the reality of losing people under their care.
When it becomes clear that the top sail’s inability to come down will jeopardize the safety of the entire ship, Flint crawls across the deck to cut it loose, dooming men to fly into the sea with it.  He pauses for a moment, staring up at the men before he begins chopping the rope.  I read that as him acknowledging the consequences of his actions by seeing the men, but moving forward with no real hesitation.
In contrast, Silver finds himself stuck below deck with Muldoon, who drowns when he is trapped by ship parts and water rushes in through several holes.  Silver does everything he can to save his crew mate, ultimately holding his hand while he dies.  In fact, he holds it long after until someone else opens the hatch from above.
It isn’t that Flint or Silver has the better reaction.  Silver’s intimate connection to Muldoon’s death is obviously beautiful, but it is also the experience of one new to leadership.  Silver treats his crew mates as friends, whereas Flint has learned to emotionally distance himself from those he leads.  Suddenly the callousness he is so often accused of makes sense, and we are left wondering if Silver will toughen up, Flint soften, or if a middle ground exists between them.
FRAGMENTED THOUGHTS
Our absolutely stunningly blue intro quickly becomes creepy when Flint dreams that Miranda’s corpse crawls onto his ship and below deck.  I have a theory that her appearances become less horrific as Flint processes his grief, and right now it is bad.
As Flint sails directly into the storm with full sails, he sends men into the rigging so that they can bring the sails down as soon as Hornigold gives up the chase.  He asks Billy to lead them, and Billy hesitates for a moment.  I can’t help but wonder if he is remembering the last storm during which he did something dangerous with Flint…
“Flint had them exactly where he needed them: angry, resentful, afraid.  I understand why they would rather do battle with that storm, but he had me there too.  He had me there.  And that is not supposed to happen.”
Silver is unnerved by Flint’s power and how he, along with the men, was totally swept away by the speech at the end of the last episode.  He says “that is not supposed to happen” and I wonder if he is worrying about his role as quartermaster or his personal objectivity.
We meet Mrs. Hudson, and I immediately love her for calling out Eleanor’s privilege.
“My understanding is that your father built a criminal enterprise and you inherited it.  The only difference between you and the ladies I have served in the past is their families had better lawyers.”
Woodes Rogers shows off the fleet to Eleanor and tells her that he will send her back to London the moment he doubts her usefulness.  She calls his bluff with an amazing, “You don’t know, you don’t know, you don’t know…but I do.  To slay Nassau, you must know her.”
The scene between Silver and Muldoon while they plug holes below decks is so lovely.  Silver is desperate not to feel useless, and Muldoon tries to convince him that leg or not, he’s integral to the crew.  They share real vulnerabilities with each other, and they could have been such good friends if only!
Muldoon:  What part of ‘let us take care of you’ did you not understand?  If it wasn’t for you, we’d all be planted at the bottom of the Charles Town bay. We got a debt for that.  It ain’t right not to let us pay it. Silver:  All the shit we been through the last few months, do you wanna know what the most terrifying part of all of it’s been?  ‘We’ll take care of you.’ Muldoon:  I get it. Silver:  Do you? Muldoon:  Course I do.  Look at me.  I know what it’s like to be afraid of being the one ain’t strong enough to stick.  But it don’t work that way here. And even if it did, it wouldn’t work like that for you.
Hearing Eleanor’s backstory of how she took over her father’s business as a 17-year-old girl by identifying her strongest opponent (Teach) and kicking him off the island makes me love her even more!!  Woodes Rogers is clearly very impressed with her too, though when he realizes she and Vane were lovers, he thinks her plan to make Vane a pardon exception is a lover’s quarrel.  Instead, Eleanor lays out a very concise description of the various kinds of pirates in Nassau.
“I know Flint is dangerous, but he can be reasoned with.  I know Rackham is devious, but all he cares about is his legacy.  And because I have history with Charles Vane, I know him most of all.  I’m all too aware what he is capable of destroying when he sets his mind on it.”
Of course, she is operating under pre-209 knowledge.  Is Flint capable of being reasoned with anymore?  And is Vane quite so destructive?
Her comment about mutual self-interest creating better partners sounds a lot like season one Silver.
The “slaves rebuilding the fort” plot continues to make me mad.  Vane (though none of his men) works alongside the slaves, but Mr. Scott (!!) tells him to stop in order to avoid a confusion of roles.  Which??  Nassau is a place where roles are reversed!  For everyone but black slaves, apparently.
Teach confronts Vane in THE most dramatic way possible, sliding a sword through a linen wall and under his throat, only to wind up hugging his old son surrogate.  It is so theatric, and I love it.
Jack’s expression when he sees Teach is priceless, especially after Teach says “Jack Rackham” out loud.  “That’s my name,” he responds in the world’s tiniest, most awestruck voice.
Unfortunately, Teach is very unimpressed by Nassau, and I am very unimpressed by his “good ol’ days” attitude.  Jack is talking about Nassau needing an identity, and Vane is talking about pirate alliances, but Teach wants it to return to its old lawless state.  Although I admit he has a point that the influx of Urca gold has made Nassau weak, his complaints do not take into consideration the very real threat of England’s return.
Although the sails are now down, the Walrus must still fight against the storm pushing them back into Hornigold’s path.  Billy takes everyone below, except for Flint, who is tied to the wheel alone and did I already mention WOW.
Hornigold arrives on Woodes Roger’s ship and is super annoyed that Eleanor has found a way back into his life (her appearance is such a gloriously non-verbal ‘fuck you’ to him).  He produces the Walrus’s pirate flag as evidence that Captain Flint is dead.
Not so!  He’s only dreaming that he met death.  When he awakes, he immediately knows that they’re not moving.  They’re becalmed, and with very few supplies.  Yikes!
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