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#doubt season 4 prologue
jimraisedmeup · 5 months
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TICK // 0.1 Eddie Munson
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Pairing: Eddie Munson x Fem!Reader
Synopsis: what did your parents think of you? did they worry what strangers on the street might perceive? did they wake in a cold sweat, unable to sleep over fears of their community whispering behind their backs? did bile rise in their throats as they smelled sweat, cigarettes, and fornication on their eldest daughter?
good. clutch those fucking pearls.
"that Buckley girl is going to hell, what a waste of life."
(While this prologue takes place in Season 4 of Stranger Things, the majority of TICK will be set in the years prior, cause I mean for the love of all that is holy, Eddie deserves a backstory)
Rating: Overall this is an explicit slow-ish burn, but each chapter will be labeled accordingly!
Pairing: Eddie Munson x Fem!OC (Robin's older sister)
A/N: I posted this a couple years ago on Wattpad, took it down because I was in a terrible place in my life. Of course, being the sadistic goblin that I am, here you go... that haunting year of my life actually spawned something beautiful. 21 chapters of TICK are already written out, ready to be revised & reborn. I am open to comments/suggestions/requests.
☾ TICK // 0.1 - prologue
Robin sighed, rubbing her left temple and looking around the video store.
"Guys… my sister might know where Eddie is hiding."
Dustin raised an eyebrow as Max scoffed, hand on her hip.
"Since when do you have a sister?"
Exasperatedly, Robin grabbed one of the phones and handed it to Max. "Since forever,” the brunette explained with a grimace. “She graduated last year. But she won't help us if I call her. One of you better do it. She isn't… she's a very private person."
Drumming his fingers on the countertop, Dustin pressed Robin. "And why exactly do you think your sister knows where Eddie is?"
“Umm…” Robin’s voice reduced to a mumble as she coughed out the last bit: “he's her... ex… boyfriend?” 
Two pairs of young, wide eyes stared at her. “What?”
"They kinda used to date, or whatever. A couple years ago."
Max snatched the phone from her, annoyed with the wasted time. "Just give me her number. I doubt she's that bad, if she fell from the same tree as you."
Frantic, Robin's hands were in the air. "That's the thing! I swear she was actually raised by wolves or something." 
"Just dial, Robin!"
The phone rang three times as Robin and Dustin stared at Max in anticipation.
"Hello?"
"Hi, is this… uh… Ms. Buckley?"
You hesitated, suddenly feeling feral and defensive, as an instant layer of sweat formed on your palm that was holding the phone.  
"Might be. This better be a damn good reason to bother me in the middle of a perfectly good Saturday."
Max felt a little intimidated by the tone in your voice. "Well, I was wondering if you had seen or heard from Eddie Munson recently?"
On the other end of the line, you snorted rudely at Max's question.
"Why? Does he want his virginity back?"
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noneorother · 11 months
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Season 2 is the tales of Crowley Hoffmann, *part 2*
I guess this has to be a series now too. Part 1 l Part 2
I'm doing a series on the (frankly) astounding amount of parallels between the Powell & Pressburger movie The Tales of Hoffmann and S2 of Good Omens. I really recommend part 1 first. 7. Green is evil So if you've wondered to yourself why Hell has changed so much, colour-wise in S2 vs S1, I have come with answers! Here's a fun comparison between the two hells :
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Now let's looks at the the evil admin exchange in the Tales off Hoffmann :
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(The Tales of Hoffmann, Lindorf takes the contract in The Automaton Ball)
Whenever something evil happens in "The automaton ball" sequence, the light changes to this sickly green. Colour is THE important symbolism in Hoffmann, so now we know green is evil. 8. All the main characters are present and accounted for I've already covered in part 1 how Crowley is Hoffmann, Aziraphale is Stella, and alluded to the fact that Lindorf (main bad guy) is the Metatron. Here's a more comprehensive list of all the characters, because they're all there. N.B. The same actors play multiple roles in The Tales of Hoffmann. Gabriel is Schlemil/Spalanzani/Franz Léonide Massine actually plays 3 characters in the movie : Franz, a housekeeper who sings the only funny song in the opera:
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He also plays Spalanzani in Venice : A high ranking double agent who's been crossed by the bad guy Lindorf before, and who is currently hanging around Stella in Venice. He also plays Schlemil in The Automaton Ball, who helped make Stella the automaton and helps put on the ball. He strikes a deal with Lindorf to sell Stella.
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Muriel is the assistant Andreas
Andreas doesn't have much of a role in the story, they are mostly worry free and eager to please. They are there to be bribed by Lindorf to give him the key to Stella's dressing room, and the note for Hoffmann. I say they because even though this role is played by a man, this getup is EXTREMELY ambiguous for 1950s England.
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Now look at the last scene of both the movie and S2 of good omens.
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Shax is Nicklaus
In both casting and character, Shax is obviously Nicklaus. The all red outfit is a dead giveaway, but even the haircut in hell is similar. Nicklaus is Hoffmann's buddy, but they don't actually move the story forward or help him much. The fact that they're everywhere in the story but not really DOING much except casting doubt is pretty telling.
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Beelzebub is the muse
Now we get into characters where's it's kind of important know know both the opera and the movie. The only character we seem to be missing in the movie version is Beez, but don't worry, I've got another male character now usually played by a woman dressed in Charlie Chaplin drag and their name is "The Muse". Basically, the muse in the opera is there to make sure Hoffmann does his job (being a poet) and isn't interested in the girl anymore (Stella).
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Jacques Offenbach: The Tales of Hoffmann, The Muse & Lindorf, S2E6 Beelzebub
The Metatron is Lindorf
Lindorf is a major bad guy in both, but movie Lindorf has had all of his lines removed at the beginning, so he's the bad guy in the sense that he's doing all these bad things, and is the antagonist in every minisode and in real life. But we never really find out why. His evil genius speech is cut out of the movie, but is very much there in the opera. He's a shapeshifter, and takes on the form of 4 characters in the movie, all of whom hurt Hoffmann by ultimately taking Stella away from him.
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Here's Lindorf spying on Hoffmann in the prologue. And the reveal at the end when he comes to take Stella to "the temple of the gods"...
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Here are his other three forms in the minisodes. By the way his name in the last one, I shit you not, is DR.MIRACLE. In each minisode he plays a pivotal role in removing Stella from Hoffmann, first by legal contract, second by convincing Stella to double-cross him for a shiny reward, and third by trapping Stella in a time loop and then straight up killing her and sending her to heaven (she gets resurrected no worries).
So my question for now is : Does the plot of season 2 ALSO follow the movie?
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Obviously, there's always more. Next post it's analysis time baby....
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The Way Back Home (Spencer Reid x Reader) - Epilogue
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The Way Back Home (Spencer Reid x Reader) - Epilogue Reader Insert: she/her pronouns Word Count: 3707 Warnings: major angst, major fluff, mentions of murder, graphic descriptions of dead bodies, crime scenes, near-death experiences, slow-burnish romance, death, canon violence, rape, swearing, guns, knives, prostitution, canon cuteness of the team. Spoilers: Maeve's death, mentions of previous cases or canon events from seasons 1-10.
Spencer and you have an unspoken connection with one another. Nothing has ever happened between you two, especially since everything went down with Maeve, but your love has grown and overcome and is now clear as day to everyone. However, just when Spencer builds up enough courage to ask you out officially, you're requested on an undercover mission that halts your budding relationship in its tracks.
Months go by without a word from you until bodies of prostitutes start showing up in New York and the BAU is brought in to help. Spencer and you finally reunite as both your cases collide, but your lives and your love are both on the line now.
Will you and Spencer be able to find the way back home this time?
Prologue | Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | Chapter 4 | Chapter 5 | Chapter 6 | Chapter 7 | Epilogue
~~~
The water ran hot against your skin as you lathered your body in soap. The bubbles formed quickly from how fast you scrubbed yourself. You didn't like taking showers. Actually, that wasn't entirely true. Showers were both simultaneously the best and worst part of your day since returning home from the hospital.
Your fingers barely brushed across your skin, swiping the soap over and back a few times before you washed it off. You didn't like the feel of fingers lingering too long on your skin. Objectively, you were much better than you were before. The first time the nurses tried showering you, you almost screamed the hospital down as flashbacks and phantom touches invaded your brain.
You turned the shower off and stepped out of it. You didn't look in your mirror, immediately reaching for a towel to cover yourself up with. The towel helped you feel less... vulnerable, even if you were all alone.
Only then did you look in the mirror. It had already been one month since you'd left the hospital after being cooped up in there for two weeks. Today actually marked the day you were told you had to leave for the mission - exactly one a year ago. You were now back in your old apartment in DC - Hotch had pulled in a favour from the FBI to keep paying your rent until you came back, and you had almost choked him to death with the strong hug you'd given him when the team had brought you home.
Home.
The word brought a smile to your face. Well, it wasn't so much the word as it was the images that came to mind with it. Your apartment, the BAU, the team, the Italian restaurant downstairs you always used to visit before you left. A certain genius with unruly hair and the brightest smile in the world...
After this weekend, I'll be seeing that smile everyday, you thought as you quickly dried off and rushed to pull some casual shorts and an over-sized gym t-shirt on. Just the thought of being exposed for too long freaked you out.
You walked out to your lounge room where you were greeted with the afternoon light that would no doubt be setting soon. For a moment, you just allowed yourself to take in your street, standing so close to your floor-to-ceiling window that if you leaned forward you would bump your nose against it. The golden light of the setting sun reflected in fragments off the windows of other apartments; people were already home from work and walking the streets with their loved ones or dogs. The hardware store across the road was closing up, but the lights for the Italian restaurant downstairs flickered on, telling the world they were ready for business.
It had been killing you to stay away from work - Hotch and Penelope had made it very clear they didn't want you anywhere near the office until you had taken your month off to recover and readjust back into life. But, in hindsight, you were glad they had. You'd found a new appreciation of where you lived, reacquainted yourself with what you liked to do and liked to eat and liked to go watch at the movies.
This past month had almost wiped Serena Vanderguff from existence... and you couldn't tell if you liked that yet or not.
A sudden knock at your door knitted confusion in your eyebrows as you looked curiously at the entrance to your home. You spared a glance at the clock hanging on the wall. What's someone doing here at quarter-to six on a Friday afternoon?
You softly padded over to the door and peeped through the spyglass that allowed you to see whoever it was that knocked at the door. You couldn't stop your wide smile of delight at who greeted you outside. Without wasting another second, you unlocked the multiple locks on your door and swung the blasted thing open to welcome the one and only Dr. Spencer Reid.
'Spence!' you exclaimed. 'What a lovely surprise!'
'Hey!' he replied just as enthusiastically. 'I was on my way home from the office and thought I'd stop by.'
It was only then you noticed he was holding a big and beautiful bouquet of your favourite flowers. 'Goodness, Spence, you didn't have to bring me flowers again.' He'd been bringing you flowers once a week every week since you'd been found. Even when you were still in the hospital, those two weeks he had brought you the same flowers, the ones you loved.
He just smiled that adorable smile of his before responding. 'I read somewhere that florals can produce a high level of endorphins and serotonin,' he explained as he offered them out to you, lips still upturned in a crooked, adorable smile. 'And ever since that sewerage pipe break in your building, there's always been a lingering smell that I thought you could use help covering up.'
'That was over a year ago, though!' you argued weakly, but took the flowers from his hands anyways. Your fingers briefly brushed, and it sent a jolt of electricity through you. It was gone as quickly as it came.
You gestured for him to come inside and he did. From your front door the kitchen was easily accessible, which is where he walked to and leant against the counter. You quickly closed the door and followed after him, heading straight for your flowers from last week sitting wilted in their vase.
'And in all that time, they still haven't managed to fix it,' Spencer added jokingly, but the upward pull of his lips wasn't as high now.
You heard what he really meant as you pulled out the dead flowers, filled the vase with fresh water, and placed the new flowers in. All that time...
A lot has happened in that time. Upon your release from the hospital, Khan had been put in jail alongside many of his goons. Madame Lacroix and the other New York club managers were found guilty of human trafficking and dealing in illicit drugs and contraband, and were all thrown in jail and their clubs were shut down. Turned out it was a national operation that Khan was running, and other units of the FBI in other states were currently hunting them all down.
What made you happy though was that the girls you saved were going home, and for those that didn't have homes, they were being found homes of their own. The older girls that worked at the clubs were a different story. Some packed up and left town, wanting to travel or find new work elsewhere. The rest bought up the clubs and were rebranding themselves, taking ownership of their lives. Now they were the ones in charge.
You looked at Spencer, leaning casually against your counter, the light of sunset haloing him as it reflected off the opposite building into your apartment.
And a lot still hasn't happened.
'So, what's the occasion?' you asked, turning to face Spencer, finally finished with the flowers. You crossed your arms and couldn't help the soft smile that pulled at you lips. 'To what do I owe the pleasure of the great Dr. Spencer Reid in my apartment this evening?'
He chuckled at my posh delivery, and the loose curls dangling across his forehead bounced with the sound. It had grown in the time since he'd found you, but he'd cut it once or twice since then to keep it at that perfect length of long-short - long enough to style gorgeously but short enough to be considered clean-cut and suitable for work.
The urge to rake your fingers through the curls itched at your fingertips, and you were so glad your hands were crossed under your armpits.
'I was meant to come in earlier this week like I usually do,' he started, pushing off the counter to wander past the kitchen and into the lounge, ultimately ending up looking out the window as you had been just before. 'But the amount of paperwork we've had piling up this month has been ridiculous, even I was starting to hate looking at endless towers of paper to read then sign.'
'Oh no,' I drawled out, following him to the window with a teasing smirk on my lips. 'Has the great Dr. Reid finally met his match?'
'Not quite,' he replied, still staring out the window.
It was hard not to look at him as the sunlight lit up his amber eyes,. He was simply... ethereal.
'I finished it all, finally,' he continued, 'and thought I'd pay you a visit. Seeing as it's Friday and there are no new cases, I'm not expected in the office tomorrow.'
I blew out a low whistle. 'Wow. A whole weekend to yourself? That's unheard of.'
'Yeah.' His voice was breathy, and you noticed the emotion in his gaze shift as he turned away from watching the world to look at you. A sad smile appeared on his lips, eyes glazing over with a mixture of relief and exhaustion. 'I've missed you.'
'You saw me last week,' you countered, like a mother placating a child. 'And we text and call like everyday.'
'I know. It's just like old times again, but...'
He paused, as if gathering his next words carefully. Spencer always thought about his words so that people understood him the best possible way. It was one of the things you positively adored about him.
'The office is, I don't know, empty somehow,' he said finally, slowly. 'I know that's a silly thing to say when Morgan and JJ and Penelope and everyone else is there, but... Your desk still sits there, waiting for you to come back. And I kept it clean for over a year, almost willing you to come back any of those days.'
You smiled softly at him. 'Well, you don't have to wait much longer. Monday morning, bright and early, I'll be at my desk ready to go.'
Your eyes met and you could tell he was holding back tears. Your words came out quiet but true. 'I've missed you too, Spence.'
You had always been attuned to each other, the team sometimes joking that you both shared the same brain cells (even though, as Spencer claimed continuously, that was not anatomically possible). The sentiment remained true as you and him reached out to one another and wrapped your arms tight around each other.
Reflexively, your breath caught in your throat, and you were thrown back to that night where Khan defiled you in the most brutal of ways.
Spencer noticed you tense, and he pulled back slightly. 'Is this okay?" he asked gently. He had been there when you had your meltdown at the nurses; he knew what Khan had done to you, and how you would never be same because of it.
His arms were warm and gentle around you, and that horrible memory disappeared. You were with Spencer. You were safe. You were home.
You took a moment to catch your breath, to stabilise yourself in the present once more, and pulled him in tighter. 'Yes. This is okay.'
After your permission, his arms tightened around you, and there you stayed for a while longer. Just hugging while the rest of the world passed you by. With your ear pressed to his chest, you knew both your hearts were beating in time with one another.
Synced. Linked. Two halves of a whole.
Your heart practically screamed for him when he and the team had found you, saved you. It had been screaming for over a month since that day, and you knew it would never stop screaming for him.
I would've said yes.
Neither of you had said anything about what you'd said, what you had confirmed. Everything had just happened so quickly, and then Spencer had been busy with work since the team was a man down until you returned.
You'd stolen what you could in your brief touches, the laughs you shared, the scent of the flowers that hung in your apartment for a week before he brought a new set. And despite all he had done to get you back, despite that night at the Chateau - What would you have said? - you'd just been too much of a coward to see if he still felt that way for you.
Because nothing had changed for you. It never would.
You had two days before your life would go back to semi-normal, and by then it would be too difficult, too complicated. Oh screw it, it's complicated already.
You pulled apart from Spencer, disentangling yourself from him completely. As much as you wished to hold him forever, you needed to have your space if you had any hope of finally getting the words out.
'Hey, you okay?' he asked, noticing your tensed form, your fidgety fingers.
'Yeah, I just...'
You took in a deep breath, closed your eyes, and let out that breath. Now or never, Y/N.
Opening your eyes, you spoke. 'I just don't think I've ever thanked you for checking in on me. I know how busy you can be.'
'There's no need,' he replied, a soft smile adorning his face. 'I'll always come to your aid. You're... so dear to me, Y/N.'
Hope sparked in your chest, the only driving force for you to keep speaking. 'I mean it. You literally saved my life in the Warehouse. I had resigned myself to my fate: that I would never see you or Pen or Derek or JJ or the rest of the team again. I knew you'd find me, but I had made peace with dying before that point.'
You sucked in a steadying breath as the dark memories started to claw their way back into your brain, into your heart. Phantom fingers ghosted over your skin, causing you cross your arms again in attempt to protect yourself from them.
'And then Khan... used me,' you managed to get out, words strained and voice croaky as tears formed at the rim of your eyelids.
Spencer's expression turned into one of concern. 'You don't have to talk about this if you don't want to, Y/N,' he offered, amber eyes scanning me all over for signs that I would breakdown.
I shook my head. 'No. I need to tell you this. I need you to understand.'
'Understand what?'
'That this past month I have had to learn to re-love myself again, to re-love my body and what it did for me that day.' I forced my arms down beside me, opening myself up completely to Spencer. 'It hasn't been easy, and sometimes... I've hated myself, instead. And the scars run deeper than my skin shows and may last for a long time - possibly for the rest of my life.'
You tell yourself to be brave for a moment, and you look directly into Spencer's eyes, which shine with unshed tears and something else you can't quite figure out.
'But you... Dr. Spencer Reid,' you started, tears finally falling from your eyes as the brightest smile spread across your face. 'You have made me believe in hope again. Hope, that I might one day be rid of this hatred for myself and my body. Hope, that I can carry this trauma and still live a full life. Hope, that I can be more than what Walter Khan made of me that night.'
A hysterical chuckle escapes you, and you wipe some of the tears away. There was a silent voice in the back of your head saying how ridiculous you are for crying over this. But that voice was all of hatred, of jealously. It has been the voice you've let dictate your feelings for over a month.
But, today, you were done listening to it.
'Hope, that... you love you me as much as I love you, Spencer.'
There, you said it. Relief bombarded the space where the weight of those words had held a huge place in your heart for the longest time. Since before the mission, before Maeve, before you even knew you were in love with him. It was out there, now. There was no going back.
Spencer remained silent, staring at you like you had three heads. Slight panic coursed coldly through you, and suddenly your mouth was motoring, words just flying out one after the other.
'That's not me asking you to say it back or anything. I just... oh my goodness, screw it. I have been in love with you forever, Spencer, and I just wanted to let you know because you have taken up such a huge part of my heart that will never belong to anyone else, and-'
'You love me?'
You paused at Spencer's question, locking eyes with the boy genius and seeing a mixture of disbelief and that same emotion again, the one you couldn't put a finger on. Perhaps it was terror, and that one thought had your heart sinking like the Titanic.
'Yeah,' you replied quietly.
'...How long?'
'Sorry?'
'How. Long.'
You rubbed at your eyes, suddenly avoiding his gaze by looking simply anywhere else. It was all going so horribly wrong. But he'd asked a question. And you would do anything, answer anything, if he asked.
'I think I've loved you since the day I met you,' you said, and it was only when you'd spoken the words did you realise how cliche you sounded. A humourless laugh escaped you at your misery.
'I didn't realise until a few years later, though,' you continued. 'But by the time I did, I found out you had a secret girlfriend in Maeve and you were just so happy I couldn't possibly ruin what we had because of that. And I never tried after because you were grieving and I didn't want you to think I was rushing you or pushing you too soon. But then you asked me, and I was so happy, but then it all just went downhill from there. Goodness, this is all coming out horribly wrong-'
'Stop talking.'
'Wha- Mph!'
Your question was swallowed by Spencer Reid's lips as he cradled your face in his hands and pulled you to him, pressing his lips passionately against yours. He tasted like Halloween sweets and fresh air, and that just made you close your eyes and melt into him more. The kiss wasn't frantic. Rather, it was sweet and loving and you couldn't get enough of him. Even as you weaved your fingers into his luscious hair and tugged on them gently, eliciting a deep growl of approval and want from deep within him.
As he kissed you, your doubts faded away, leaving only your love for another that could not be any clearer now. As he kissed you, another mental, emotional scare healed and vanished.
You both finally pulled apart, heaving for breath as your noses brushed one another's. When you looked up at his eyes, you finally recognised the mystery emotion that had been burning ever since he'd stepped into your apartment.
A relieved, genuinely happy smile split his lips wide as tears of joy ran down his cheeks. His thumb swept over your own tears, causing you both to chuckle at your silliness.
'If you hadn't guessed already,' he said, his words only for you, 'I love you, too. I know that's an odd thing to say before you even date someone, but I do, and I have for a while even if I didn't know it before. I'm just so so sorry for making you wait, for being an ignorant, stupid coward.'
You brought your hands up to wipe away his own tears, heart immensely full for the man in front of you. 'Dr. Spencer Reid stupid? Now you're just making stuff up. I thought you didn't do that.'
That pulled a laugh from him, and he pulled you into another hug, this time more bone-crushing. As if he couldn't express how much he loved you enough. You hugged him back just as desperately though. It seemed as though you shared the same sentiment.
In another moment of bravery, you spoke over his shoulder where your chin rested. 'You know... my answer still stands. That is, if your offer still stands.'
Dr. Spencer Reid. Are you asking me out on a date right now?
Spencer pulled away from the hug, with the biggest smile on his face. 'It will always stand for you, Y/N. Always.'
What do you say, SSA Y/N L/N? Would you like to have dinner with me tonight?
It was you this time that pressed a bruising kiss on Spencer's lips, the kiss being answer enough for what you had been holding onto for exactly a year.
Sweet, sweet music wafted up from downstairs, the faint sound of a beautiful violin sparking an idea in your head. You forced yourself to pull away from Spencer and said, 'I know a great Italian restaurant that is super close, by the way.'
'Sounds perfect,' Spencer replied, kissing you quickly again before crouch and picking you up by your underarms and twirling your around in the air. Laughter echoed through your apartment as you clung to him but also rejoiced at the feeling of flying. For the first time in over a year, you were finally feeling like yourself again.
Spencer eventually put you down, saying, 'As much as I find you the most beautiful girl in the world, I don't think t-shirt and shorts are going to cut it downstairs.'
'Oh. Right.' You quickly dashed into your room and put on something more suitable.
And finally, one year after being asked out, Spencer held your hand in his and took you downstairs to have your date, where you both had the best night you'd had in a long time. It might've taken a few twists and turns to get to where you both belonged: with each other. But as you ate your pasta, drank your wine, danced with and laughed with and kissed Spencer, you realised it had only made your bond stronger, that it had been worth it.
You'd finally found your way back home.
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shinjisdone · 1 year
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Mαѕтєяℓιѕт
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Multifandom blog (see below)! SFW only!
𝖶𝗁𝖾𝗋𝖾 𝖨 𝖺𝗆 𝖺𝗅𝗌𝗈 𝖺𝖼𝗍𝗂��𝖾: 𝗊𝗎𝗈𝗍𝖾𝗏
𝚄𝚙𝚍𝚊𝚝𝚎𝚍 𝚘𝚗: 07/17/𝟸𝟶𝟸4
ᵀᵃᵍ ˡᶤˢᵗ
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𝓣𝔀𝓲𝓼𝓽𝓮𝓭 𝓦𝓸𝓷𝓭𝓮𝓻𝓵𝓪𝓷𝓭
'When You Have A Secret Admirer - And It's Not Them' series:
[Form of headcanons + small scenarios in between. Each part follows a loose plot chronologically] Tagged under #Secret Admirer
1; Heartslabyul
2; Savanaclaw
3; Octavinelle
4; Scarabia
5; Pomefiore
6; Ignihyde
7; Diasomnia
Extra: 'When You Have A Secret Admirer - And Doubt Them' (All students)
'When You Have A Secret Admirer - And Everybody Thinks It's Them' series:
[Form of headcanons. A small 'spin off' series of the one above where each characters thoughts and feelings are shown when people are starting to think/believe/gossip that they are the secret admirer - even though they are indeed not. Will follow each dorm.]
1;Heartslabyul
2; Savanaclaw
3; Octavinelle
𝖢𝗈𝗆𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝖲𝗈𝗈𝗇...𝗍𝗈 𝗍𝖺𝗄𝖾 𝗒𝗈𝗎 𝗍𝗈 𝖶𝗈𝗇𝖽𝖾𝗋𝗅𝖺𝗇𝖽...
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𝒯𝒲𝒮𝒯 ℬ𝓇𝒶𝒾𝓃𝓇𝑜𝓉:
Female!MC and Friends - Deuce Spade
Female!MC and Friends - Malleus Draconia
How I Imagine TWST Could Be If There Was A Female!MC - Staff Edition
How I Imagine TWST Could Be If There Was A Female!MC
Female!MC and Friends - Riddle Rosehearts
Female!MC and Friends - Ace Trappola
Female!MC and Friends - Rook Hunt
who broke it (secret admirer)
Ace just really likes Yuu (headcanon)
Azul scammed everyone -> Idia big sad and Jamil is pissed
Yandere Alphabet - Riddle Rosehearts
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𝑉𝜄𝜋𝑙𝛼𝜋𝜕 𝑆𝛼𝑔𝛼
'To Soften A Warrior's Heart' series (Thorfinn Karlsefni; Prologue, Season 1, Anime Only)
[Scenarios of crawling your way into Thorfinn's heart in the form of headcanons. Slow burn. Each part follows an chronological order and will loosely follow the plot of season 1] Tagged under #TSAWH
Sᴇᴀsᴏɴ ₁ ﹙Wᴀʀ Aʀᴄ﹚﹕
Sᴇᴀsᴏɴ ₂ ﹙Sʟᴀᴠᴇ Aʀᴄ﹚﹕
Part 1: - (Thorfinn as a slave and his struggles)
𝖢𝗈𝗆𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝖲𝗈𝗈𝗇...𝗅𝖾𝗍 𝗎𝗌 𝖿𝗂𝗇𝖽 𝖵𝗂𝗇𝗅𝖺𝗇𝖽...
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𝛴𝜘𝜏𝑟𝛼
Extra: Sweet Things Thorfinn would do for you on your period (all female reader, headcanons + period tw)
Extra: Yandere!S1!Thorfinn with a Female!Reader who becomes uncomfortable around him (Request)
Extra: Thorkell taking you hostage instead of Askeladd; How Thorfinn saves you (many female examples)
Extra: Askeladd and Canute's opinion on You (Male and Female vers. - TSAWH)
Yandere!Thorfinn and the things he'd do for you
Slave Arc! Thorfinn cannot remember much because his brain is trying to protect him
Cut Content: You slowly appearing in S1!Thorfinn’s Vinland dreams
DROWN BY MILET IS ABOUT READER ABANDONED BY THORFINN NOOOOO
What If? - Headcanons about how TSAWH could also go (angst)
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𝓛𝓲𝓮𝓼 𝓸𝓯 𝓟
'Ticking Springs'
[A Yandere Pinocchio x fem!Reader fic; Geppetto's niece finds herself as his apprentice as well as the new caretaker and host of his beloved, lost son. Memories of the past plague one alongside the Puppet Frenzy.] Tagged under #Ticking Springs
Pɑɾt 1; Sluɱbeɾ
Pɑɾt 2; Awɑƙeƞiƞƍ
𝖢𝗈𝗆𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝖲𝗈𝗈𝗇...𝗒𝗈𝗎 𝖼𝖺𝗇 𝗁𝖾𝖺𝗋 𝗁𝗂𝗌 𝗌𝗉𝗋𝗂𝗇𝗀𝗌 𝗋𝖾𝖺𝖼𝗍𝗂𝗇𝗀...
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𝘙𝘦𝘲𝘶𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘓𝘪𝘴𝘵
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𝚖𝚒𝚜𝚌𝚎𝚕𝚕𝚊𝚗𝚎𝚘𝚞𝚜
Yandere! Glitchy Red AI (based on character.ai)
Yandere Alphabet ♡ Glitchy Red
Fic brainrot idea - Jujutsu Kaisen
Becoming The Golden Guard's/Hunter's human friend - TOH⁽ᴾᵃʳᵗ ¹)
Becoming The Golden Guard's/Hunter's human friend - TOH (Part 2)
Platonic!Lucifer x Angel!Reader (who seems evil but they becomes besties) - Hazbin Hotel
Random Alucard thoughts (Yandere, Part 1)
Alucard thought (Part 2)
Character.ai - Yandere Alucard
Yandere! Levi x reader - Fear and Hunger: Termina
Imprisoned Cube!Gojo - Headcanons [JJK]
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lucysarah-c · 5 months
Note
Do you have any plans for a LevixReader longfic that you would like to write about plot-wise (going back to seasons 1 and 4) besides Holy Ground or after you finish Holy Ground?
Hi, dear! How are you?
Oh, that's such a good question! Yes, I do! Actually, I have the first chapter written, but I will post it once I finish 'Holy Ground.' My idea is to finish writing it before even posting the first chapter. It's not going to be as long as 'HG,' no no. 'Holy Ground' is my baby; I planned that story for years, and it's long because I created a whole universe about it haha. Chapters are long, and they are already cut out of plenty of scenes before they get posted. I think that once 'HG' is done, it may be 500k, and that's a lot.
The new fic would only be five chapters; the titles and everything are already decided. Because who am I if not an obsessive controller and planner? The story will be a canon time but AU about what would have happened if Levi, Farlan, and Isabel would have succeeded in killing Erwin, and now they live in the capital city. The title will be 'Suburban Legends,' with one prologue and four chapters. Levi X reader.
I can even give you a sneak peak:
Snow crunching underfoot, cobblestones slippery, skies open and flamingo pink, the screams of newspapers and old brooms sweeping streets. Head down, dark locks dusted with snowflakes, hands in pockets, calloused, tired feet in a worn uniform. Elaborate sighs, eyes glued to the floor, shop owners opening their stores, boulevards closing. A shaking figure paces down the streets, curious eyes following its path as some recognize him.
The ferry wasn't scheduled for its first trip for at least two to three hours more. He needed to pass the time; his meeting with the higher-ups and Historia had lasted until dawn. The early mornings downtown hold a melancholy that deeply affects him. As he reaches a small plaza, his sigh rises and he admires the view. Sheena's Wall exhales an air of foreignness he can't comprehend, like visiting an ex's house - familiar yet tinged with unease and foreignness. A place once called his own, now recalled with flashbacks of bad dreams.
The overwhelming desire to be alone consumes him, perhaps hidden in a forest outside the walls where nobody could see or expect him. Unusual for him, but he feels on the verge of tears. What could be the reason? The stress of the Wall Maria retake expedition? Erwin's unwavering determination and wavering intentions? The reasons he joined the scouts now disturbed like a distorted dream? Kenny? The kids from the underground reminding him of his own and, once again, Kenny? His mother?
Desolation and doubts cloud his mind; the streets teem with strangers, and the wash of loneliness shivers his body in a way it hasn't before. He can almost believe that at 31, he wishes Kenny were around again, to guide him, to ask him questions, to show him the way. Joining the scouts seven years ago, knowing more at 24 than at 31. Pacing the streets like an abandoned dog, wondering where to return, never thinking they'd one day be left to fend for themselves in the empty fields, seeking civilization by the scent of food and the hope of love.
Thank you for passing by! I can't help but wonder what made you want to ask that question! Feel free to return haha.
Have a lovely day/night!
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squgs · 1 year
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HOTD and Ambiguity
So given that House of the dragon covers nearly 20 years of history (30 if you count the prologue), and a shit ton of characters in ten hours of television there's a lot of events that we don't see and ambiguities around characters. Characters rarely state their motivations and there are reasons to doubt them when they do. It is very easy to make wildly different claims about characters which, while incompatible with each other, can't really be disproved by the show so far. For example Daemon can be a pedo groomer abuser who just wants the throne, or a feminist malewife who will do anything for his queen. Neither of those are explicitly disproven by what we see on screen, though that is not to say that they're equally reasonable readings (I think that the 2nd is pretty ridiculous to be honest).
These different readings of scenes and characters and lines have contributed to the pretty ugly fandom discourse since there is enough evidence for mutually exclusive claims to argue extensively. Whoever your favorite character is you can twist the shown events in order to make them seem like a hero and for everyone who opposes them to be terrible. However I don't have anything worthwhile to say on that, so I want to talk about the writing on its own instead.
Now having uncertain motives can be interesting writing wise (show don't tell and all that), but I think that as House of the Dragon's first season continued it ran into more and more problems around this, especially with the time jumps and actor changes. When character's motives and wants are unclear after the time jumps first impressions are what will decide how most people view them. So when we first see Rhaenyra giving birth, and we first see Alicent trying to separate a newborn from her mother, and we first see Criston calling Rhaenyra a slur and we first see Harwin being a protective father and we first see Aegon bullying his brother, it adds up. Those first impressions are then applied forward and backwards leading to the idea that Alicent and Criston have been abusing Rhaenyra for ten years, and that in the training yard Criston the incel fucked around with Harwin and then found out (my read is that Criston the step-dad took advantage of Harwin being an entitled ass to get him fired).
(Side note about Criston: While the exact thinking behind his downward spiral in episode 5 is ambiguous, the scene between him and Rhaenyra in episode 4 is unambiguously rape given that he tells her to stop and she doesn't.)
In that way the show encourages very one sided readings of complicated and ambiguous scenes, leading to people either being annoyed that the show ignores all the terrible things that the greens are doing, or that it's unfairly biased against them. That's a problem, but things don't completely fall apart until episodes 9 and 10 when people start going to war. For all of the characters we still have no idea what they are fighting for. If we ask why Alicent crowns Aegon we have a bunch of possible answers:
Because she thinks Viserys told her to. This is stupid and I hate it.
Because she fears for her children's lives. This is a good reason, but it has not been brought up since episode 6 despite episodes 7 and 8 both featuring moments that would certainly validate that fear.
Internalized misogyny. This one makes no sense to me, and I haven't seen any convincing evidence for Alicent specifically having more internalized misogyny than any of the other women on the show. However it could be interesting if it was actually seen beforehand.
Ambition and pride. This isn't really seen in the show, but it certainly seems like an understandable feeling for Alicent to have after suffering through an abusive marriage for 20 years and being denied the two things that women are promised through marriage (her husband's protection of her and her children, and the inheritance of her son)
Now if we ask why Rhaenyra wants the crown enough to go to war for it (she agrees to lay siege to king's landing before Luke dies so I'm ignoring that) we have a similarly confusing list of possibilities:
Her dad told her to. This is the reason that I think fits best, but it isn't really delved into. I think there would be a lot of rich interesting stuff with Rhaenyra evaluating her father's legacy and whether she wants to continue it, but Rhaenyra never seems to acknowledge how much bad shit her father has done.
So she can fulfill the prophecy. This is stupid.
Ambition and pride. Also aren't really seen, but certainly understandable and believable.
She fears for her children. This also isn't really shown at all, but you could argue that she fears her children will be killed either to protect Aegon's claim or to put an actual Valeryon on the throne of Driftmark. However we don't really know Rhaenyra's view of the political situation.
To destroy the patriarchy. This would be interesting, but we don't really see her wanting to do that. We do see her usurp Baela's claim to Driftmark in episode 8 though.
These issues get even worse with the more minor characters, the worst example being Rhaenys for whom all her possible motivations contradict her previous actions and opinions:
To protect/honor her grand daughters: if this is what she wants why doesn't she take Alicent's offer of Driftmark, giving her granddaughters an inheritance and keeping them out of the war?
To protect Luke and Jace: she never shows them any affection except maybe in the background of the eye gouging aftermath.
Feminism: if she is willing to go to war in order to have a queen on the iron throne why didn't she fight for her own claim?
Because she wants peace: then why didn't she accept Alicent's offer which was made in the name of peace? Literally as soon as she and Corlys put their support behind Rhaenyra, Rhaenyra stops considering making peace.
Because she trusts Rhaenyra more than the greens: Why? She thinks that Rhaenyra and Daemon killed at least one of her children, she saw Daemon murder her brother in law and we have no reason to think she knows of any misdeeds done by the greens.
All these unclear motivations make the themes of the stories non-existent. The dance could have all sorts of different thematic meanings, all built around what is being fought for and against. It would be fascinating if Alicent and Rhaenyra were both fighting for ambition, making the show about how women are pitted against each other by patriarchy or if they were both fighting for their children and the show is about the cruelty of the system that doesn't allow power to be shared and forces branches of families to fight until one side is wiped out. However, for any meaning to be clear the writers have to know what it is and they have to write their characters with that meaning in mind. Hopefully the show can be more clear going forward, but I don't exactly expect that, and I think that without a coherent set up it's not going to mean much when bodies start dropping next season.
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Masquerade (Chapter 5)
Summary: This is your third season and your aspirations on finding love are dwindling but news on Lady Whistledown’s society pages say that there is to be a foreign royal in attendance to the season. Could this royal dignitary be the one you’ve been waiting for, or could there be a mysterious stranger lurking in the shadows, waiting to pluck your heart for his?
Disclaimer: I do not own Bridgerton nor The Mandalorian- all rights go to the owners and creators of their separate stories.
Warnings: Descriptions of violence and minor blood and wounds- nothing too major. (I tell you, we’re getting into it, I promise!)
|| Please do not repost or plagiarise my work ||
If you’d like to read more of my works, please visit my Masterlist!
| Prologue | Chapter 1 | Chapter 2  | Chapter 3 | Chapter 4 | Chapter 6 |
Tags: @technicallykawaiisoul @call-me-soap @the-feckless-wonder @elinedjarin @bluevxnus @literallydontlook @sm0l-0ne @1am9root6 @ems-alexandra @notsosecretspy
(If I have forgotten anyone who wished to be tagged, please do remind me~!)
This work is also cross-posted on Ao3 at: pleasehelpmeimstuckinthefandoms
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Din rarely lost his composure, mostly maintaining a calm demeanor even when faced with overwhelming trials and tribulations.
This one was one of those times where he had to show the most restraint.
His jaw ticked in irritation as dark eyes stayed pinned on his general and he leant over his desk, hands curled into fists as they rested atop the oak surface. Important documents crinkled under his twisting knuckles as Paz relayed the day’s earlier events. “There was no correspondence ahead of time to warn us of any vessel of ours sailing on international waters. We are lucky that we have not been questioned but I suspect it will not be overlooked so easily the next time.”
“There will not be a next time, Paz. Not if I can help it.” Gravelly and cold, the voice of the true man beneath the royal title and gold-enlaced armour bled through. “What the kriff was she thinking?”
"We were not informed that there was any ship scheduled to sail. As such, I have had no reports from our staff or any correspondence from our Naval officers ahead of time that would suggest we are in need of supplies which means-” 
“-this was planned and executed in secret.” Din growled, teeth grinding together as he untied the cravat constricting his throat and tossed it into the corner of his office without a second thought, resuming his previous position as he desperately tried to calm his breath. “I am growing tired of secrets and hidden plots hatching right under my nose.”
“That’s not all, Manda’lor.” Din tensed at Paz’s apprehensive tone, clicking his tongue as he inhaled sharply through his nose, “apparently the other clans are doubting your actions. They question why you did not choose one of our own to be your riduur.”
He exhaled sharply, slamming a fist against the wood. “You mean that my inferior birth must somehow be cleansed with a true Mandalorian? How many of those are out there, Paz?” Din questioned hotly, dark eyes meeting with his vod’s blue and Paz remained silent as his King let out his frustrations, “truly? If they wish for a true Mandalorian, I sincerely hope they enjoy living through another civil war. After The Great Purge and The Night of a Thousand Tears, I can count how many true Mandalorians remain on one hand.” Anger flamed deep within his chest as he continued, “not many of those of true blood remain amongst our people anymore. I did not see any one of those clan members raise their swords to fight the Imperial rule that they allowed to be wreaked upon them.”
“I admit when you first took the throne, I shared their opinions. I shared their doubts. I even issued a challenge because I believed you could not uphold the traditions of our culture and land.” Din remained silent, allowing Paz to speak his mind, “but you taught me that bloodline means little when one is to rule a kingdom.” Paz moved forward and set a strong hand on Din’s shoulder. “You proved your worth to be Manda'lor when you obtained the Darksaber and used it to liberate us from the Imps. This time, I shall fight for you if the need arises."
"Thank you, vod." Din straightened from his hunched position and sighed deeply through his nose, "it seems I must make appearances at more social gatherings to dissuade the lieutenant. I will not allow her to hurt Lady Dalton."
Paz's hardened expression softened to something akin to pride, "you care for her, don't you?"
Another sigh and the King of Mandalore raised his gaze to his clan-brother, voice barely above a whisper, "more than I am willing to admit."
“I believe we must make a statement.” Paz spoke, “the Manda’lor must make a statement.” 
“What kind of statement, Paz? That my affection for Lady Dalton exceeds two personalities that I have been forced to craft, no thanks to my impertinent General?” Din raised his eyebrows while Paz simply rolled his eyes in response.
“I mean, di’kut,” the familiar insult curled Din’s lips into a familiar smile and he gestured for Paz to finish, taking the seat opposite his desk and he leant back, “that we should hold a ball. Open the estate to the masses and allow them to see our culture and our ways.” 
Din sucked on his bottom lip as he pondered the notion. “This could only go one of two ways.” 
“Well, then we make it go our way.” Paz answered simply, “the Manda’lor is still a shadow to most of the ton. It is time they understand the strength and valour he represents. That they understand the reason you are here.” Paz sighed, looking down at his vod with as much softness as he could muster. “You are here to sample western culture and to take one of their daughters for your bride. They must see you for who you are, they must understand the man beneath the helm and the crown. They must see you.”
Din took in Paz’s words, a harsh sigh expelling from his lips and he stood up, moving toward his small cart topped with various alcohols and picked up a tumbler before allowing a large pour of Mandalorian brewed cognac. 
He passed one to Paz before pouring himself one as well. With one hand in his pants pocket, he turned to face Paz and took a sip of his beverage. “Send a message to Karga to prepare himself to sail. I will require his assistance.” 
“Of course, Manda’lor.” Paz pressed a fist to his chest, over his heart before straightening up. “And what will you do?” 
“I will attend the Vauxhall Gardens.” He raised a finger from his glass to Paz and immediately silenced his General’s next words. Din swallowed softly, taking his pen and he took out a fresh piece of parchment before taking his seat once again and placed his cognac beside the stack of paperwork. “You are right. The Manda’lor can no longer hide.”
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You basked in the sunlight, standing just off to the side of the lake, your delicate umbrella resting on the base of your shoulder as you twirled it lazily in thought.
The latest Whisteldown had been released and somehow, the details of the Manda'lor’s special attention toward you had caught her unnerving gaze. It didn’t take long for the hoards of mama’s and daughters to make plans to cast Mando’s gaze from you. Little did they know that you did not care for his gaze. 
However, the dream your mind produced last night disproved those feelings:
Your garments piled atop each other in an undignified heap.
You lay on your back, clinging to him amongst the silk sheets. A gentle stream of light beamed across his back from between the gossamer curtains. 
Your hips bucked into his body as his fingertips traced invisible patterns along the sensitive flesh of the back of your thighs. A chuckle rumbled against the shell of your ear as he lifted your legs and made you curl them around his narrow hips, “cross your ankles together, Sarad.” You immediately took to his instruction and locked them together at the base of his back, your core flush with his. “That’s it. Just like that.”
His hands slid from your naked thighs, curling around your hips and waist. He pinched and pulled at the ties of your smallclothes before burying his aching touch into the mussed bedding by your head. His lips began to trail a line of hot, needy kisses along your naked shoulder and throat- tongue curling against your thumping pulse point and your eyes rolled back as his teeth gently pulled at the soft skin before he soothed and suckled around the faint marks he left behind.
He didn’t allow you to feel the bashfulness associated with this moment; this life-changing event that you had been raised for. The moment you’d been unconsciously preparing for with all those years of lessons to be a proper young lady and three whole seasons spent with little to no thought of any suitor that vied for your hand.
Your hands slowly traced the contours of his arms, curling into the dip of his shoulders before slowly coming to frame his jaw and pushed him back slightly to take in his features.
His face mingled between the stoic beskar helmet and Din’s carnal grin.
Din and Mando’s voice melded into one as they both whispered, “Sarad.” 
A loud squeal tore you from your sinful musings and you turned to witness the commotion just as you spotted your youngest siblings chasing each other just ahead of where your family had set their picnic for the morning. 
Ryder lounged on his garden chair, nose deep in the morning’s paper as your mother sat beside him, idly perusing through the latest Whistledown for the third time today.
“Is something troubling you, owlet?” Your father’s voice murmured from beside you and you sighed deeply.
Turning back to the shimmering waters of the lake, you pondered your whirlwind thoughts before shaking your head, “simply reflecting on these weeks past, father. Nothing of import.” 
Thomas’ sigh was a copy of yours and he turned to face the lake. “I understand that the unorthodox amount of attention placed upon you must feel so overwhelming,” he began quietly, “when I had attended my first season I couldn’t even speak to any of the ladies also promenading for suitors.” 
That got your attention and you looked up at your father who sported a small, amused smile. “You, the Duke of Wintere were too shy to socialise with the women of the ton?” 
Thomas simply smiled, “I could not even attend their residence to leave them gifts to even be recognised as a proper suitor.” 
You giggled at the thought of your father stuttering in front of the women of the town expecting the Duke of Wintere to be a suave and confident gentleman. “I can’t imagine you being so anxious, Papa.” Then a thought struck you. “Didn’t you marry Mama in your first season?”
“Your mother brought a side out of me I wasn’t aware existed.” Thomas turned his head to face his beloved wife as she conversed with her eldest son and cradled her youngest child in her lap while their second son sat on the blanket, munching on grapes. “She made me the man I am today.” He slowly turned back to you and raised his hand, gently cupping your cheek, “follow your heart, my dear. It will never steer you wrong.”
You watched your father, a soft smile curling your lips as his words seared themselves in the chambers of your heart. “Yes, Papa.”
He smiled, his thumb caressing the soft skin of your cheek before leaning forward and he placed a soft kiss to your forehead, “that’s my beautiful girl. Never settle for less than what you deserve.”
“Thank you, Papa.” He nodded once before taking his leave and walked back to your family and you turned back to face the water. One hand moved from the stem of the umbrella to curl around the silver locket that delicately hung around your throat. 
You were not familiar with the metal, but the intricate design resembled a hellebore. If it had not been accompanied by a letter then you would not have known who would have been so thoughtful.
At this point, you could memorise the letter word for word, recognise the penmanship almost immediately.
“Sarad,
I apologise for not replying to your recent letters, there have been some pressing matters that required my attention. However, I admit that most of my thoughts have been consumed by you.
Consequently, I hope this small token of my appreciation will win me back in your favour.
I am unsure if I have ever mentioned this, however Mandalore is rich in metals. More specifically, it’s called beskar. It is a highly profitable metal, incredibly durable and nigh impossible to destroy. I will no longer bore you with the scientific discoveries of a metal that I am sure you are no more interested in than those scandal papers you lament over.
I appointed my head blacksmith for this task. I trust her implicitly and I pray you do not find my forwardness too distasteful. I hoped you would enjoy something with a little more familiarity than a simple design that would hold no meaning for you.
However, I would be most appreciative to hear your thoughts in person rather than a scribed letter.
I will make an appearance at the Vauxhall Gardens tonight, I hope to see you there. I have heard it shall be an affair to remember.
Yours,
Mando.”
The smile threatening to split your cheeks hurt but there was nothing that could dim your happiness. 
However, the knot beginning to tighten in the base of your belly refused to loosen considering the event at the Vauxhall Gardens tonight. With Mando in attendance, it would be the first time you’d seen him since he’d walked with you in the park.
Perhaps, the soiree at the Gardens would alleviate some of your anxiety.
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marchentraume · 3 months
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Bridgerton S3 thoughts/show future below
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Okay first and foremost if it wasn't clear by my reblogs and tags, I love LOVE Michaela Stirling and the direction hinted at Francesca's story (our beautiful sapphic bi-queen). I am also really disgusted by the backlash towards this gender blind casting choice, as someone who read the book and has it as their second fave in the series so far this in no way discredits her storyline at all. This is no way erases her feelings for John, this in a way adds layers to their relationship that we didn't really know much beyond her memories and the prologue in WHWW (so kudos to the show making it even SADDER).
Suddenly historical accuracy matters after years of "it's a show and they're doing their own thing"? Suddenly only cishet women go through infertility issues??????? Please do not come here with that, the book still exists and the show can also exist and do it's own thing without change that! Amazing right?! You also have had 4 whole seasons of heterosexual (well on the surface) love stories, including Queen Charlotte, so please let us have fun and enjoy this. FFS their season isn't even OUT yet and probably won't be for a while!
~Speaking of, S4 BENEDICT/SOPHIE HYPE TRAIN BEGINS NOW~
At least I'm hoping that's the direction they go with, Eloise is way too soon and she herself said she needs to get out and see the world outside her family estates which is a good step forward from the books. Creloise didn't happen...this season. I don't think Cressida's story is quite over yet, her getting away to that aunt looks shitty but if they ended her story like this after escaping a really gross marriage arrangement would seem so...shitty? Even for her. I just hope the show doesn't go with "only the smart pretty women who are kind get happy endings" isn't what they're going for (I really doubt it but...putting a pin there for a while). IDK how I feel about her and Eloise as a ship now as well considering the latter quickly threw her aside, thus both going away for a while will be good in general.
Back to Benedict, our bi-king, I do wonder now what direction Sophie will go as this season wanted to establish a lot with his personality and choices in life. As long as he meets her at the masquerade ball and they fall in love I will be happy, and also the book still exists so it'll be entertaining hopefully no matter what. I just REALLYYYYY hope they're next, NGL Pen and Colin's story isn't my fave even in the books. I have no real issue to even bring up, the trope itself doesn't really do much for me. But I AM a Nicola Coughlan fan and she knocked it out so hard this season, I hope she gets the recognition in the next awards season!
Anyway I am gonna be here for the next 2 years thinking of who Sophie will be and Michaela and Francesca getting to know each other <3
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threewaysdivided · 2 years
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Young Justice: Deathly Weapons
Crossover: Danny Phantom x Young Justice Season 1 Gen | Slowburn Mystery + Episodic Missions | Ongoing
A business agreement. A small-town hero, on the run and struggling. A danger few people even believe is real. When an unexpected face intervenes on a mission gone wrong, the Boy Wonder begins to realise that there's more to the story. And what started out as a hunt for answers draws the Team into a more complex web than any of them could have seen coming.
This long-fic is fully planned out and structured in “episode” blocks.  Arc/Mission summaries under the cut:
Prologue For Humanity as a Whole
On the surface the meeting would seem to be quite above board.
Act I Part 1 Chance Encounters ∙ Shadow of Doubt ∙ Scars ∙ Phenomenon ∙ Ghost Stories ∙ Brave Faces ∙ Expectations ∙ Questions ∙ Interference
When the not-yet Team encounter a mysterious figure in the bowels of Project Cadmus, Robin files it away as a curiosity.  When the same figure intervenes months later to save him, Aqualad and Artemis on a mission gone wrong, the Boy Wonder knows he has to investigate.  Meanwhile, far from where it all began, a travel-hardened half-ghost is struggling to keep his head above water.
Act I Part 2 Social Commentary ∙ Trade Secrets ∙ Answers ∙ Propositions
So many questions, so few answers.  The Dynamic Duo hoped that playing by his terms might coax cooperation from the stubborn fugitive they found.  Now, with time ticking on and danger drawing near, the Boy Wonder considers a more direct approach.  The question is: can Robin risk putting all his cards on the table?
Act II Part 1 Constants ∙ Roads to Safe Places
Dick adjusts to having a new face around the Manor.  Meanwhile, Danny wrestles with the idea of putting down roots so far from home.
Act II Part 2 Second Impressions ∙ Assessment
The Team is getting a new member, and it’s one some of them have already met.  Being able to walk through walls, disappear and fly are handy powers for a stealth-squad to have, but not everyone is eager to welcome a ghost to the group.
Act II Mission 1 Black Gold
High seas and high stakes!  Learning to work with a new Teammate always comes with challenges, but when eco-terrorists commandeer a deep-water oil rig, the pressure has never been greater.  With lives on the line and fingers twitching on triggers, will Phantom’s powers let them swim… or sink?
[Under construction ↓]
Act II Mission 2 Flashpoints ∙ Combustion ∙ Reagents ∙ Equilibrium
Phantom has proved his worth in combat but some of the Team remain unconvinced.  A simple investigation into a potential Venom competitor could be a chance to clear the air, but with resentment simmering, Aqualad can’t help feeling like they’re burning more bridges than crossing them.  Can Robin and Phantom get through to Kid Flash before things fall apart?
Act II Mission 3 Something Wicked ∙ This Way Comes
Batman and Commissioner Gordon make a breakthrough on Phantom’s case. Meanwhile a security detail on some mystic artefacts brings the Team face to face with a foe from the ghost’s past.
Act II Mission 4 Rituals ∙ Ill-lit Ships ∙ Withered Red Rose
An unusual energy spike on the Watchtower’s sensors sends the Team to investigate the mountains of Rhelasia, where the young heroes must intervene to stop a familiar cult from completing a mysterious ceremony.  Afterward, a passing comment from Phantom gives Kaldur a lot to think about.
Act II Mission 5 In the Mists
Superboy worries about an upcoming meeting, while a radio call draws the Team back to the developing Gorilla settlement in Bwunda. Out in the jungle, the young heroes will need to have all their wits about them: something dangerous stalks the forest and night comes swift between the trees.
Act II Interlude China and Emeralds
It’s an important anniversary for Danny, and Dick is determined that he won’t spend it alone. Meanwhile, the Team looks back on the journey so far, and Conner gets a visitor.
Act II Mission 6 Enemy Lines ∙ Humans
Sightings of new weapons in enemy hands have Batman and the Team concerned that another smuggling ring has started under General Eiling’s nose.  After a distressingly close shave, M’gann tries to learn more about her newest Teammate.
Act II Mission 7 Bitter Reunions ∙ Half-truths
Clues are falling into place and the Dark Knight does not like it. The young heroes face a tense mission as Robin and Phantom take the lead on investigating a potential link between two powerful enemies. What they find could be the key - not only to Phantom’s troubled past but to everything the Team has seen over the last few months. It’s time for secrets to come into the light.
Act II Mission 8 Into the Breach ∙ Séance
Armed with new information, the Team is eager to act. A recon sweep over the Bermuda Triangle feels like a diversion, but in a region infamous for strange sightings, not everything is as it seems. Danger awaits on a secret island, and grim news from old friends reveals the full scope of the enemy’s plan.
Act III Mission 9 The Other Side ∙ Alliance ∙ Mirrors ∙ Coordinates
Our heroes now understand what the Light aim to do, and they aren’t going to wait for a theme song.  There are preparations to make, allies to find and a dire warning that needs to be delivered.  Phantom has learned to work in the Team’s world.  Now they must enter his.
Act III Mission 10 Rifts
Chaos erupts as the Light make their move.  Will the Team and League’s preparations be enough to weather the storm… or will they be overwhelmed by sheer force?
Act III Mission 11/ Conclusion Checkmate ∙ Stalemate ∙ Pawns ∙ Covenants ∙ Family Matters ∙ All Good Things
The threat has been contained, but the heroes know they must take down the snake’s head before it can strike again.  Supported by his Team, Phantom returns to Wisconsin with a plan to catch Plasmius for good.  But Vlad is keeping even more secrets than he seems, and a last reveal leaves Danny facing one final, terrible choice.
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Gundam: The Witch from Mercury Episode 6 Review
- I can no longer be happy
- Poor Elan. I knew he wasn’t going to live to the end but he DIED in episode 6! Maybe I’ll get attached to the new one, but I won’t ever forget Elan 4. Also there’s the fact that Elan isn’t a clone, but instead a kidnapped child (probably from Earth) who’s been forcibly experimented on. Those Peil technology guys make Guel’s dad look like a saint.
- Elan was really going through it this episode. His mental break down in the Pharact was really sad. He just wanted to have his own life. He wanted his own birthday! Though at least Suletta gave him a small bit of happiness before his death. The two really had a bond, and when Suletta finds out what happened I don’t think she’ll be able to recover. Really gotta wonder how long she stayed sitting at that bench waiting for someone who would never arrive
- Also real Elan is pretty adorable as well, though I also want to punch him and shove him in a locker. I’m going to guess he’s the real leader of Peil Technologies and the witch Prospera was referring to. I can see him taking up the second arc big bad spot.
- As for Suletta. The Eri clone theory is becoming more and more real, but it got even more horrifying. Bel drops that the events of the prologue happened 21 years ago, which is weird cause Eri was 4 at the time and Suletta is 17 now. That would mean Suletta is really just an Eri clone, in fact, she’s not even the first. There are twelve GUND bits in total, Aerial, and eleven drones. Those eleven drones are probably failed Eri clones that got five nights at freddy’d into a machine. This is corroborated by Elan’s GUND vision of multiple young girls firing at him.
- Prospera now seems to be an old, bitter woman trying to get revenge for her husband’s death and her daughter’s robotification. While normally I would agree, the fact that she’s been cloning her daughter and then turning the failed ones into robots is fucked up. She probably doesn’t even see Suletta as human, just another tool to get her revenge. I also doubt she’ll treat Miorine well even though she also hates Delling.
- Now let’s talk about best boy Guel once again. Dudes reenacting one of the hit slice of life shows in the past five years, Yuru Camp. His homeless arc has started and he’s already thriving. Dude is so fucking stupid I love him. Our Earth House group is probably going to find him one day sitting in the woods like a gay cryptid and Suletta’s gonna want to take him back. At least his dad is nice(?) enough to keep paying for his tuition, though that’s probably just so he could use him again if Guel ever ends up looking promising again.
- Miorine is such a supportive wife, it’s great. She’s caught between wanting Suletta to act in benefit for the both of them, while also wanting Suletta to enjoy her school life. She’s understanding that Suletta was forced into the marriage and wants to experience things at her own pace.
- I’ve seen some people get mad that Suletta has been getting ship tease with the guys, but like, Suletta hadn’t heard of gay marriage until she arrived at the school and was suddenly engaged. Just like how Miorine doesn’t deserve to be forcibly married, neither does Suletta. If she wants to experience love on her own, then she should be allowed. And for anyone scared of being queer baited, Utena did the same exact thing and it ended fine.
- Now for the future, I’m not quite sure what will happen. Shaddiq will probably get a couple episodes to shine and Guel will join the Earth squad but other than that… *shrug*
- The final thing I want to leave off on is the theme of birthdays. Eri’s entire life was destroyed on her birthday and Elan never had one. Birthdays are something that humans created and celebrated, so to not have one makes one feel less human. Since Miorine and Suletta’s engagement will be finalized on her 17th birthday, I’m expecting Prospera to start some Red Wedding shit. It’ll probably happen either at the end of the cour or the end of this season (if we’re getting two)
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literaryspinster · 5 months
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I’m super impatient for the Boys Season 4 just to see where the ‘verse is going next…like rewatching Gen V I get the impression that the creators were worried the show wouldn’t get renewed so they wanted to make it work with the option of it being a standalone miniseries to be wrapped up in the Boys if the show was cancelled. (Also explains why the finale was kinda choppy; they did allude to a lot of scenes being edited out that I feel would have been included to wrap up the show as a miniseries if need be). But like I’m just so excited and hyped cause Season 1 just works so much as a prologue of things of to come. We got the ground work and core ensemble’s beginning arcs established and now we’re out of the Prologue and onto Chapter 1 ready to take them forward. Like there’s so many directions and stories these characters can go in and I’m just eager to see the team dynamics and watch their powers and arcs grow!!!
I'm always excited for more episodes of The Boys. It's a fun time despite some of the gross and/or problematic aspects of it. I think Gen V fans are in a bit of a state of limbo right now but if somehow season one is all that we get (I doubt this will be the case) I don't see a subplot for those characters happening on The Boys to be out of the question since the stories tie into each other. It would provide closure if nothing else. Also yeah, while I really enjoyed the Gen V finale and enjoy it even more upon rewatch, I can tell they didn't get to film or edit everything they planned to for multiple reasons. I'm hoping for a bigger budget and more concrete planning in s2.
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dontforgetoctober3rd · 9 months
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Spillways (Chapter 4) A Gilded Age fanfic
Faceclaims for George and Randolph Stewart
Contents: Prologue, Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3
Word count: approx. 1600
Story Summary: All of New York society is in a tizzy over the news: The Earl of Galloway is in town with his son, the 30 year old (bachelor) Randolph.  Marriage-minded mamas are on the prowl but the Earl and his son eschew most of the lavish parties and teas they’re invited to...except to a certain tea with Agnes Van Rhijn and her niece, Marian.
Rating: Everyone (Ratings will be *by chapter*, so subsequent installments might differ in their rating).
Author's Notes: This is a canon-divergence story that takes place a few months from episode 5 of Season 2.
DISCLAIMER: I am not affiliated with The Gilded Age in any way beyond being a fan, I do not own the Gilded Age characters nor am I using them for any commercial purposes or making money from this, this is just basically word fanart of the show
Beautiful divider by @muchomago
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Bertha Russell was beside herself with a mixture of fear…and excitement.  Fear for Miss Brook, as her reputation was currently being fileted to pieces in the papers.  Excitement because Bertha knew she had a solution.
Agnes Van Rhijn had just sent word that she would finally call upon her. This very day. The day of the famous tea all of New york was talking about. 
The note had reached Bertha by messenger at Bloomingdale’s.  Mrs. Van Rhijn wouldn’t say why, just that it was urgent.  The note had not been sealed and no doubt the messenger had read it and would sell his bit of gossip to the highest bidder after this was done. Bertha wagered the note had something to do with Mrs. Blane’s horrid antics.  However, this provided an amazing opportunity. 
A few days ago, Miss Brook and the young Randolph Stewart (he insisted upon dropping the formality of “lord”, as they were in America after all) had happened upon her and her daughter in the park.  The carriage Bertha and Gladys had been using had broken a wheel.  Miss Brook had recognized them and Randolph had kindly offered them use of his rented carriage.
What an interesting ride that had been.  Apparently Mrs. Van Rhijn had known Lord George Stewart previously, having come close to an engagement with him. Randolph was apprehensive about speaking of the matter so openly to a stranger at first, but Miss Brook had encouraged him that Bertha was a trusted friend. And so she and her daughter Gladys became privy to the saga of their neighbor having a strained history with a Scottish Lord. 
This was the chance of a lifetime, and Bertha knew it.  She knew what she must do: get Agnes Van Rhijn to mend fences with Lord Stewart.  Before the Earl called off his acceptance to their tea later that day, as he surely would, due to Mrs. Blane’s defamatory statements in the papers.  If that happened, it would be the death knell for Marian Brook’s place in society but Bertha had every intention of preventing that from occurring.
Many called Bertha a power-hungry social climber, but she didn’t care.  If she managed to pull off her plan, Marian Brook would come out on top and one day be a countess!  Was it so wrong to want the best for people around her?  
Miss Brook had shown Bertha goodwill from the start, despite Mrs. Van Rhijn's edict that Miss Brook shun her, as everyone else had in the beginning.  It was time to repay that kindness. 
Bertha would get those wretched gossip rags off her back if it was the last thing she did.  Miss Brook would no longer be labeled an adventuress and Susan Blane would rue the day she decided to blacken the name of anyone who was her friend.
Gladys was quite apprehensive about her mother inserting herself into the affairs of Mrs. Van Rhijn.
“Mother, I don’t think it wise to meddle with this. The papers are already tearing Marian Brook apart as it is.” Gladys worried, as they hustled into their carriage to hurry home.  “They only mentioned us in passing from that day in the park and painted us as desperate hangers on, even now that we have Mrs. Astor’s favor!  Don’t you think you will be doing Miss Brook more harm trying to play conciliator between her Aunt and that Lord?  We should just offer Miss Brook whatever support-”
“Gladys, my darling.  If a friend of yours was drowning, would you merely swim by her and hope she is able to latch on on her own?”
“Well, no, I’d grab her at once but-”
“Exactly.  You grab her yourself and drag her to safety.”
“But mother, how-”
“Don’t you worry, I have a plan.” Bertha, smiling as she hastily scribbled a note, handing it back to the messenger before their carriage took off.  Agnes Van Rhijn’s own note had asked Bertha to return to her own home at once and wait for her there while she made a few emergency calls.
Bertha had to act quickly but knew now how to get Lord George Stewart’s attention.  He was sure to accept her new invitation to her house right away.  All she had to do was drop Agnes Van Rhijn’s name.
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George Stewart had been looking forward to finally seeing Agnes Van Rhijn once more, but he knew good etiquette demanded he reject the invitation to Miss Brook’s tea now.  He also knew that if he did reject it, Randolph would not only never forgive him but would go by himself anyway and he would be left with trying to find a way to meet with Agnes on his own. It was for the best, as George had not looked forward to that blasted tea at all.  Having to air out his business in front of an unknown girl and god knows whoever else she had probably invited?  No thank you. He should have never let Randolph persuade him to accept the invitation in the first place.
The boy was smitten with Miss Brook and had vehemently defended her when they both read the papers after breakfast early that morning. He was still defending her now, after they had drained both cups of coffee and were on their second.
“You’re really going to listen to the prattlings of a scorned widow? To my knowledge, this Mrs. Blane never even socialized with Marian except for attending a few of same tennis matches.  There must not be much going on in New York right now if ballroom gossip is what is making headlines. This is not who Marian is, I assure you.”
“Oh, it’s just ‘Marian’ now? No, ‘Marian Brook’, no ‘Miss Brook’? You have only known her a few days.” George said in exasperation. 
“Father, I’m serious.  You’re not actually considering it?  Rescinding your acceptance?” Randolph asked, coffee cup in one hand and folded newspaper in the other. “Why inconvenience yourself so?  You have to meet with her Aunt anyway. Save yourself the headache of coming up with another excuse to see Mrs. Van Rhijn.  Do not add fuel to the fire that this Susan Blane ignited against Marian.”
“Randolph, you know I must.  It is nothing against Miss Brook. I’ll send a note after my coffee, I need to think of what to say.”
“The rumors will worsen when you reject her invitation!”
“Oh? It’s my responsibility to guard the reputation of this girl?  I don’t even know her!” George said with a scoff.
Randolph tossed the newspaper to the side and put his cup down, standing up. George put his own newspaper down and sat straight in his chair. 
“Father, I’m disappointed in you. You don’t know her, but I do and she doesn’t deserve what would happen if you decide not to go.”
“Rather harsh to take up against your own father for a girl you barely know.”
“I know enough of her.  I know she is kind, empathetic, cares about her family and has unshakeable integrity.”
George raised an eyebrow. “That is enough to defend her from me, is it? Your own father?”
“Enough for more than that, I would say. She is different.  Marian talks to me like a person.  Not like the future Earl of Galloway. I love her and I intend to ask for her hand.”
“Good god, please tell me you didn’t say that to her! She is American!” George exclaimed. A knock came at their door, his valet answered it while father and son stared each other down. 
“I am not an idiot. She is a practical woman and it would have pushed her away telling her too soon.  Also, why balk at her being an American? Really? If memory serves, you were almost engaged to one yourself!” Randolph said. He crossed his arms and smiled.  “Do you know what I find very funny about this?  The fact that you are still bent on meeting up with Agnes Van Rhijn.  Father, what do you think is going to happen when it gets out you rejected Marian’s invitation? Mrs. Van Rhijn will no doubt do something about these ridiculous gossip articles herself and when she finds out that you-”
“Excuse me, my lord, but a note has arrived for you.” The valet interrupted. George held out his hand and the note was put in.  Randolph rolled his eyes and sat back down, waiting for his father to read it. 
“Oh..!” George looked at his son, shock on his face. “Inform her messenger I will leave straight away,” he ordered.
Randolph looked worried. “Father?”
George Stewart rapidly walked to the door while his valet put on his coat and his top hat. “Mrs. George Russell has sent an invitation again.  Accepting this one is to my benefit, I think.”
“Why is that?”
“Mrs. Russell says that Agnes is anxious to meet with me at her house, Mrs. Russell’s that is,  before the tea. I will see what she has to say before I make a decision.”
“Mrs. Van Rhijn is at her house? Marian never gave me the impression that the two were friends.” 
George adjusted his hat. “The Russell house is right across from Agnes’s. If I change my mind, then we can just walk, it will take no time at all.  Satisfied with that?” he asked, still attempting to placate his son.
“If you change your mind?” Randolph asked incredulously.  “Do you really believe Mrs. Van Rhijn will give you a choice?  This is her niece, after all. From what you’ve told me, she will defend her family from anyone.  Even the nobility. I think you will change your mind, but I shall wish you luck all the same.”
“We shall see about that.  I have my own matter to take up with her, as you well know.” George said grimly, putting on gloves as the footman finished brushing a bit of lint off the Earl’s back.
“Like I said, I wish you luck, father.”
Randolph watched on as his father briefly nodded then hurried away. 
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sturmovik · 1 year
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Rambling about Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch from Mercury’s ending
I've been absolutely loving every episode of the season up until Episode 23. After watching that episode, I felt a bit... disappointed? frustrated? It was like ep.23 was trying to cram Gundam Unicorn's 1-hour final battle into a 20-minute episode and it didn't feel as satisfying as the previous episodes. 
I didn’t have any problems with the plot beats, just the pacing really, it felt pretty rushed - that’s where my worries started. The pacing was like they're trying to wrap up as many plot threads in case they don't get another season, while still wasting time introducing new elements to the story (like SAL apparently being massive despite being a non-entity for 90% of the story, oh and they have a giant laser! surprise!), as a result we lost some precious time that would’ve been better spent on the main conflict between. I was bummed Quiet Zero was disabled so quickly, and was totally unconvinced Prospera would suddenly back down after never being able to confront Delling AND possibly losing Eri. Not to mention the time wasted on Lauda’s pointless tantrum.
Then we go to my post-episode 24 thoughts: 
Man did the last 4 episodes felt incredibly rushed. I didn’t notice it much in 21-22 cuz I was still giving the series the benefit of the doubt but after watching 23-24 it becomes apparent these last episodes were really sprinting to the finish.
It feels like they wanted to have an ending that could be considered conclusive - wrapping up as many ends they could - in case they dont get to do more G-Witch, but also they made it so that everyone who's still alive gets to survive to the end so that they can expand into more stories later.
The combination of those two factors are what ultimately leave me a bit disappointed, but I'm still surprised at how well they managed to stick the landing despite all that; it wasn't ideal or amazing but i'm thankful it didnt end terribly. I actually love the forgiveness ending for Prospera and Eri, it's consistent with Shakespeare's "The Tempest" BUT because the end was rushed it doesn't feel completely earned, like there shouldve been a longer period of rage/vengeance and at least an intense emotional confrontation with both Kenanji and Delling. G-Witch needed at least 12 more episodes, preferably more.
Given how great the first 20 episodes were, you can bet they would've had more character developments, conflicts, twists, and major deaths IF ONLY Sunrise gave them 48-50 episodes instead of 24. But I guess they didnt want to take that risk. I kinda hope the success of Vinland Saga S2 gives them some more confidence if they ever decide to do a sequel series.
I mean, they have to do a sequel series and/or spin-offs, right? I'd be seriously disappointed if they don't; the Ad Stella timeline is one of the most interesting and well-written Gundam AUs they've ever created, and my personal favorite AU. So much potential for many different stories in this timeline.
Also, the ending scene w/ SuleMio was cute af, but no kiss? not even on the cheek? booo
Final verdict:
Prologue + Episode 1-21: 9/10, my favorite Gundam AU series
Episode 22-24: 6.5/10, barely sticks the landing to get a good enough ending. Needs a sequel series to become truly satisfying and get some new writers to help Okouchi because he seriously fumbled these last episodes.
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The Way Back Home (Spencer Reid x Reader) - Chapter Six
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The Way Back Home (Spencer Reid x Reader) - Chapter Six Reader Insert: she/her pronouns Word Count: 6407 Warnings: major angst, major fluff, mentions of murder, graphic descriptions of dead bodies, crime scenes, near-death experiences, slow-burnish romance, death, canon violence, rape, swearing, guns, knives, prostitution, canon cuteness of the team. Spoilers: Maeve's death, mentions of previous cases or canon events from seasons 1-10.
Spencer and you have an unspoken connection with one another. Nothing has ever happened between you two, especially since everything went down with Maeve, but your love has grown and overcome and is now clear as day to everyone. However, just when Spencer builds up enough courage to ask you out officially, you're requested on an undercover mission that halts your budding relationship in its tracks.
Months go by without a word from you until bodies of prostitutes start showing up in New York and the BAU is brought in to help. Spencer and you finally reunite as both your cases collide, but your lives and your love are both on the line now.
Will you and Spencer be able to find the way back home this time?
Prologue | Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | Chapter 4 | Chapter 5 | Chapter 6 | Chapter 7 | Epilogue
~~~
Spencer stared at the blank screen, mortification petrifying him in place. He was unable to tear his eyes away from where'd he'd last seen your face just before Walter Khan's boot crushed their feed.
Him, Hotch and Kate had arrived back at the station by the time you'd been placed in the car. The further you were driven, the more glitchy the feed became. Some words didn't come through, images flickered every now and again. The camera wasn't able to catch all of what went down during the meeting, but you'd made sure to get a good look at the big seller, knowing your team would use his image to find out who he was and find out where he would be hiding out.
Spencer had to hold back vomit whenever Khan went close to you, no doubt putting his disgusting, murderous hands all over you. Even more so when you'd been taken to the Warehouse and saw the girls, saw the torture display in the middle of the room. How many girls had dangled in the middle of that room and suffered his torture? How young had they been?
When you began walking to the meeting room, Spencer had thought you'd made it out of there. That you were finally coming home.
But you had turned around, ran back for those innocent girls. You had been caught, your pained cries whenever Walter punched you still ringing in Spencer's ears.
The worst part, though, was Khan had known the whole time.
'Did you guys hear that? You think you outsmarted me? Think again.'
That's when the line went dead, squashed under Khan's boot. But not before he caught a glimpse of your face. Blood gushing from your nose down your chin, hand clutching at your ribs where you'd been punched. However, a fire of defiance burned bright in your E/C eyes, visible even from the low angle.
But that did nothing to quell the rising wave of anger and fear in Spencer, raging like a tsunami higher and higher with each passing second the screen remained dead.
Where you had disappeared from in the blink of an eye; and there was nothing Spencer could do about it.
'Get it back up,' Spencer found himself demanding. To who, he really didn't know. When no one answered, the wave rose higher. 'Get it back up!'
'I-I'm trying!" Penelope cried over the speaker phone. 'Wherever they took her, they did well to make sure no cell towers were near it. Or they have really good cell blocks that pretty much render them invisible. That's what made the feed so glitchy, they're like in the middle of nowhere.'
'What about the camera? Can you track it?'
'Yes, but again, the cell blocks blocked that signal too. I can't tell you where they went outside of lower Manhattan.'
The urge to scream was almost unbearable. Instead, Spencer drove his fingers through his unruly hair, pulling at longer strands harshly to get his mind to focus on something else momentarily. This couldn't be happening. You were safe, you were home free. Damnit, why did you have to go back?
'Alert train stations south bound that drivers and passengers should keep their eyes out for those girls along any tracks,' Hotch commanded to Holt. 'Send as many officers out along those tracks from the nearest stations. Those girls are the key to finding L/N, but they're being hunted so we need to find them first.'
'Of course,' Holt managed to get out, his face pale with terror. Good, Spencer thought. Holt at least had half a mind to look guilty, considering he was the one that put you there.
'I'll go with you, we'll need as many people on the ground as we can,' Derek offered, to which Hotch nodded his approval and Derek jogged after Holt as he ran back into the office.
Spencer's feet moved before his mouth did, halfway to the door before he said, 'I'm going, too.'
'No,' Hotch said. 'I need you to stay here and work with Garcia on a geographical profile on Walter Khan. Find out everything about him, more importantly whether he has any major properties south of Manhattan he could be operating out of.'
Spencer opened his mouth to argue. How could Hotch expect him to sit idly by a map while you were with the unsub being beaten or worse...
A gentle hand gripped his shoulder, forcing him to look down at a concerned-looking JJ. 'Don't worry, Spence,' she said softly. 'Kate and I will go help as well. You and Pen are the only ones who can figure this out, so the sooner you do that, the quicker we can bring Y/N home, okay?'
Usually, the logical answer presented itself in Spencer's mind first. What JJ said was the most logical explanation, he knew. Even so, his heart yearned to find Walter Khan and wring his neck for all he was worth. It was an overwhelming urge, similar to the one he had when on his dilaudid addiction many years ago.
The memories of what that addiction did to him - how it almost destroyed his life - was what brought him back to his logical conclusion.
He nodded at JJ and stepped aside so her and Kate could follow Derek. Kate gave him a sympathetic smile and a gentle squeeze of his upper arm, then her and JJ were gone. That left himself, Rossi, Penelope on the phone, and Hotch.
'Dave,' Hotch said, 'You and I are going down to the Chateau and questioning Madame Lacroix. She's got to be back there by now. And she's going to tell us everything she knows about the operation this time.'
'Whether she likes it or not,' Rossi added, nodding at Hotch in agreement as he made to pick up his coat from the chair he'd previously been sitting on.
'Waitwaitwaitwait!' The high pitch urgency of Penelope's voice halted Hotch and Rossi's movements as her face appeared on the huge screen, scrunched with worry.
'What is it, Garcia?' Hotch asked.
'I've been trying to track Y/N's camera location since she got to wherever they're holding her,' she explained, her voice a little high-pitched in desperation. She continued typing furiously on her keyboard as she did.
'You found her?' Spencer asked, his voice desperate, hopeful.
'I wish I could say yes, boy wonder,' she apologised. 'However, while tracking, an unknown window popped up. Check this out...'
Another few clicks on her end and a window - the one she found - popped up beside Penelope's face. The image in that window, however, had Spencer's stomach plummeting through the ground.
You hung with your hands above your head by a chain in the middle of a room, your now bare feet just scraping along the hay that lay all around the floor. You were back in the Warehouse, in the place where you'd shown Spencer and the team where the girls were held and-
'Oh my God,' Penelope breathed out, voice trembling with horror at your beaten state. The camera appeared to be setup on a tripod, keeping your entire body in frame. They'd all seen you fight, but only now could they see the damage you'd taken.
Blood dripped from your nose, down your chin and had already stained the front of your dress a deeper scarlet. Your breaths were laboured, as if you were concentrating on keeping yourself from passing out. You were too far away to make out any other injuries, but Spencer had no doubt the bruises hadn't come out just yet.
'Garcia,' Hotch began, but even in her shocked state, Penelope answered.
'Already on it, sir,' she said, ignoring the tears running down her cheeks to type into her keyboard. 'Triangulating where the feed is coming from.'
It was like the world was slowing down for Spencer the longer he looked at you hanging there. The team had always joked that his IQ always slashed in half whenever he was around you. But that was usually because he couldn't find the words to talk to you properly, how to articulate in the right words just exactly how you made him feel.
In a way, the same thing was happening to him right now, but he couldn't move, couldn't speak, couldn't think because of terror. Because of Walter Khan, who finally strolled into frame, suit jacket discarded and the sleeves of his white shirt rolled up. His rings glinted under the fluorescent lights as he waved at the camera, a smug grin on his face.
'Hi there, FBI,' he said in a sing-song voice. He looked over his shoulder, shuffled so the camera could see you again. 'Say hi to your friends, Y/N. I'm sure they're just... so happy to see you.'
You didn't respond, keeping your gaze just south of the camera, barely blinking. 'She's disassociating,' Rossi stated, recognising like Spencer, that far away look in your eyes. 'She's preparing for torture.'
Spencer gulped as Khan walked over to you slowly, prowling around you like a predator admiring his catch for the night. He remained silent as he did, and Spencer wondered for a moment if that was all he was going to do.
With the speed of a striking snake, however, he gripped your chin with one hand, the chain holding you rattling as you tried and failed to pull away. Grunts of effort escaped you as he forced you to look at the camera.
'Now, now, Y/N,' he cooed, brushing your loose hair away from your face with his free hand. 'There's no need to be shy. Say something.'
Before you could even react, he slammed his fist into your stomach, ripping a pained groan from you. But not a scream. You bit your lip hard. You probably didn't want to give Khan the satisfaction of hearing your pain. A small, hopeful part inside Spencer warmed with pride at your resilience.
Khan let go of your face and took a step back, eyes raking you up and down with a sick, sadistic admiration. 'So you think you're tough, huh?' he challenged, walking to stand behind you and place both hands on your right shoulder. 'Come on, don't hold back those beautiful sounds, baby.'
In one sharp motion, he pressed either side of your shoulder in opposite directions, causing a loud pop to echo through the room. A sharp squeak escaped your lips, but you bit down on your lip again, allowing nothing else out. The light glinted off the tears that brimmed your E/C eyes, but they did not fall. You would not let them, Spencer realised.
Khan's lips split into a sadistic grin, one that clearly revelled in the pain he brought to you. Fire stirred in the pit of Spencer's stomach, which then spread through his limbs, to the tips of his fingers, toes and head.
Never in his life had he had the greater urge to physically harm someone than Walter Khan in that moment.
'So beautiful,' Khan continued, his gentle strokes across your bloodied chin a stark contrast to his previous harsh movement. 'I knew you'd be my favourite the moment you walked through the door. You're not like other girls...'
Bile rose in Spencer's throat when Khan leaned in close to you and tried to kiss you on the lips. You still had enough strength in you to turn away so he brushed your cheek instead. When Khan tried to tilt your head to kiss you properly, you lashed out with your teeth, catching his upper lip and yanking on it. Hard.
Khan pulled back at the sudden attack with an agonised cry, clasping both hands on his lip. Blood seeped through his hands, and when he pulled away, Spencer saw that Khan's teeth and chin were covered in blood.
'Bitch,' he swore, slamming a fist a little higher than your stomach this time, no doubt breaking some ribs. You sucked in air loudly, your gasp masking the cry that Spencer could tell wanted to come out. God, she must be in so much pain. It sickened Spencer knowing what was happening to you and not being able to do anything about it.
'Garcia, anything?' Hotch asked, his usually steady voice cracking with worry as he continued to look at the screen.
'I'm trying, sir. I'm trying!' she cried.
As if sensing their urgency, Khan looked back to the camera and walked back over until only he was in the frame. Drops of blood stained his white shirt, but he didn't seem to notice as he grinned maniacally into the camera. Although Spencer knew he couldn't see them, he felt like Khan was looking directly at him, taunting him, challenging him.
'By the time you find her,' he began, 'she'll be dead. And I'll be long gone. Until next time, FBI.'
Walter Khan's smile was the last thing Spencer saw before the screen went black and the window closed and now it was only him, Penelope, Hotch and Rossi again.
'I-I'm sorry, sir,' Penelope managed out, her voice barely higher than a whisper. 'I-I-I couldn't f-find her. The signal was being rerouted all across the world.'
'We've got to move fast,' Hotch said, and him and Rossi were gone.
Spencer didn't say a word to begin with, unable to get the image of you hanging in that torture chamber out of his head.
By the time you find her, she'll be dead.
He never thought anyone of his team mates would go out being killed in action. Plenty have come and gone from the team, but not been killed. In some naive way, he figured you all were invincible - that nothing would tear you apart.
But after discovering Gideon dead only a few weeks ago, that fantasy of the team staying together forever was cracked. With your life now on the line, too, the cracks were starting to get bigger, with some pieces falling away entirely.
'Spencer,' Penelope's gentle voice brought him out of his own bubble of despair. 'I'm so sorry.'
The overwhelming urge to scream welled up in him - he didn't quite know for who or for what he wanted to scream at, just that it sounded like a better action to take than punching someone. But he didn't scream.
Instead, he gathered himself and turned to look at Penelope, face steeled by sheer will because he had to keep it together if he wanted to bring you home. 'It's Khan who should be sorry,' he replied, voice steady with threat. 'Let's get to work.'
~~~
Pain. It's all you felt. Even three hours later after Khan's beating, you still felt the ghost of his fist pounding into your stomach, into your ribcage. A sharp, piercing pain ricocheted through them whenever you inhaled too quickly. Definitely two or three broken, you concluded.
You laid on the hay on the floor. Khan had lowered your chain which alleviated some pain and pressure from your dislocated shoulder and bruising wrists. But he hadn't done it to help you. 'Don't want you breaking too soon, Y/N,' he had whispered to you when he'd laid you gently to rest. And from his accompanying smile, you knew it was just all a game to him.
He'd been gone for three hours - counting the time helped you forget the pain and terror wracking your body. Despite that, you hadn't allowed yourself to sleep. Daylight seeped through the top windows, bathing you in a warm glow that made you shiver with momentary bliss. You didn't realise how cold you were until the rays hit you.
The metallic taste of blood still haunted your lips even now that your nose had stopped running with it. It still throbbed though, but it was a dull ache in comparison to your shoulder. You could only imagine how rough you looked, and not in a good way.
The thought made you smile, if only for a moment.
The soft patter of footsteps made you sit upright despite your pain, made you pull your hands close to your chest and look at the door as it opened. You kept your face neutral as you watched Walter Khan walk in alone. He wore a new suit today: navy blue with a lilac undershirt and a navy tie with lighter blue and purple flowers embroidered onto it randomly. God, he was pretentious in every manner of the word.
He didn't walk to you straight away as you expected. Instead, he walked over to the table of torture devices to a remote hanging from the ceiling just above it. He pressed the upper button and suddenly you were jerked upwards as the chain retracted higher. You couldn't contain the yelp of pain that escaped you as your arms were pulled harshly over your head once more, placing intense pressure on your throbbing shoulder once more. He let go of the button just before your feet left the ground entirely.
Satisfied, he grabbed a clean towel and a bucket that sat underneath the table. He picked them both up and walked over to you, placed them both on the ground as he continued to look you over. He did that for a minute in silence before you couldn't take it anymore.
'What?' you asked in mock confusion. 'Have I got something on my face?'
You hated how that brought a smile to his ugly face. 'You really should lay off on the moxie, sweetheart,' he said, crouching to wet the towel in the bucket before standing back up to continue talking. 'I really do like that in a girl.'
'Girl, huh? That your preferred age?'
He shrugged, bringing the towel up to your face. Before you could lean away, he used his free hand to grip your chin, keeping you with a firm hold in place as he dabbed the wet towel across your chin, around your nose, and across your lips.
He was cleaning you up.
You were more confused than disgusted. Perhaps a little relieved to be rid of the taste of blood finally, but you would never admit that. If his goal was to kill you, why bother cleaning you up?
His dabs at your face were uncharacteristically soft. 'You've done this before,' you said, only now realising how hoarse your throat was from dehydration and the cold air.
He nodded, his eyes never straying from his task. 'I prefer my girls to be... cleaner than other ones.' He meant other prostitutes, other establishments, you realised. It was a compulsion, even knowing you weren't one of his "girls".
'Would you have to clean Roxy and the others up, too?' you asked despite knowing the answer. 'You get off on seeing others bleed, don't you Khan. It wasn't enough that you would use them, strip them of their dignity, as if they were just toys.'
One second you were breathing air, the next you were choking underneath the crushing pressure that was Khan's grip. His hold was so strong it had you seeing stars in seconds.
'I would stop talking if I were you, bitch,' he hissed, venom dripping from every word. His calm demeanour remained intact, but even with your blurred vision you saw an animalistic rage burning in his eyes.
A caged animal just waiting to be unleashed.
'You don't know anything about me,' he continued. 'And you don't know the half of what I am capable of.'
His grip on you eased a little but not completely. However, it was enough for you to find your voice again. 'I know,' you started, voice slightly wheezy from the lack of air, 'you must have suffered under the hands of someone, probably a woman in the prostitution business, when you were younger. Otherwise... why would you hate women so much?'
He gave you a strange look, one that was sceptical, angry, and intrigued at the same time. Good, if he was off guard, he might slip up and give you something of value.
'Was it your mother?' you asked. 'A sister, aunt?' When he didn't answer you continued. 'Whoever it was must be the reason why you feel as if you've been let down your entire life. That's why you built this empire, isn't it? But even now, successful and thriving off others' pain... that person made you feel you are not enough, and so nothing ever will be. But that person is gone, and you can't show them how successful you've been. That's why you hurt others, right? Because, not only can't you hurt her, you refuse to hurt the one person you hate the most... yourself.'
He stepped back from you completely, and, for the first time, his calm facade breaks to show slivers of horror and shock at your observation. Looks like I hit the nail on the head.
He looked at you for a moment longer, that haunted expression on his face making him look more sick as he shadows of birds flew over his face. You became concerned when he suddenly ran out of the room, leaving you hanging with a clean face and more questions than answers.
You had gotten under his skin; he'd shown you a weak point in his life that you could use against him. He'd looked rattled, which made you more scared than when he was calm. Walter Khan didn't strike you as the kind of man that didn't always make sure he had the upper hand in every situation he walked into. But when he didn't, when he was backed into a corner...
Caged animal waiting to be unleashed.
'What have I done?' you asked into the empty room, but you were still surprised when no one answered back.
~~~
When his vision began splitting in two, Spencer rubbed at his tired eyes. He'd been staring at the map the police station had provided for over five hours now. Him and Penelope had found nothing - no properties in his name, no previous history in the areas, nothing.
But Spencer had kept looking though, refusing to believe that Walter Khan's trail went cold here. Not when he was doing who knew what to you. It was the only thought that kept him motivated, kept his tired eyes from closing entirely on him despite their great protest.
The rising sun wasn't helping with his vision either. After being awake all night, the introduction to natural light and blue skies was a shock to the system he was still adjusting to.
'Any updates from Morgan, JJ or Kate?' he asked, his voice rumbling with exhaustion.
Penelope had remained on the video feed since the others had left, refusing to leave Spencer alone. Maybe she thought he would do something reckless without supervision. If he was being honest, he couldn't blame her for thinking that, not when the murderous urge to strangle Khan with all Spencer's might tingled the tips of his fingers.
Or maybe that was the twelve cups of coffee he'd had in the past five hours finally kicking in.
'Not yet, sorry.' Penelope said wistfully, blinking several times as she continued looking at a screen off to the side of the camera. Even in her tired state, she refused to rub at her face like Spencer in order to preserve her glorious makeup. Spencer had to admit it was impressive. She had a lot more self control than she gave herself credit for.
Just the thought alone had him rubbing his eyes again. 'Are you sure there isn't anything we've missed? What about Q25, Garcia? What's there?'
'Nothing but trees once more, boy wonder.' She heaved a sad, frustrated sigh. 'We've been looking at the same area for hours now and still nothing! What am I doing wrong?'
'It's not you, Garcia,' Spencer offered politely. Truthfully, he simultaneously felt no one was doing enough to find you, and yet they were exhausting everything they could to do so. But he was the one who promised to bring you home, who said it would all be over soon.
It was his fault you were still not found. There was something he wasn't seeing, and every second his supposedly big brain spent trying to figure it out was another second you could be being tortured.
He didn't let the thought that maybe you were already dead linger too long. Not when Hotch and Rossi stormed into the room, exhaustion and anger lining their weary faces. Spencer glanced behind them to see Madame Lacroix and two other men - one older with grey hair, the other much younger - being escorted into holding cells down the corridor.
'Madame Lacroix was a dead end,' Hotch explained before anyone could ask. 'But we managed to expose them for their involvement in Khan's business, and also the other illegal trades they've all been dealing with on the side. L/N's reports and photographs should be enough evidence to charge them on at least that.'
'But we can't bust them just yet on Khan,' Rossi added, his tone defeated. 'Any luck on the geo-profile?'
Spencer shook his head regrettably. 'There are no properties or anything that may indicate he has ties in the direction we think he's operating out of.'
'It's either just woodland or innocent estate living,' Penelope added. 'All names check out, they're not aliases.'
'Morgan, JJ, and Kate better find those girls soon then,' Rossi said. 'They seem to be our only guide to where Khan is hiding out.'
'The thing that is odd to me though,' Hotch started, 'is why he is hanging around. Why not kill L/N knowing she's an agent? Why not skip town or relocate as soon as possible?'
'Because it's a compulsion now,' Spencer found himself saying. He wasn't sure if it was from lack of sleep that he sounded delusional, but he kept talking. He needed to talk, anything to keep his mind off the alternatives. 'Y/N engrained herself so much into his operation that he may have deluded himself into thinking he can make her one of his girls for real.'
'So he'll keep her and use her just like the others,' Rossi said grimly. 'And when she eventually lets him down - as they all have - he'll kill her.'
'We'll find her before it gets to that point,' Hotch said so assuredly that Spencer almost believed it. But the odds were against them, and time was running out.
As if the universe was listening in, Penelope's gasp sent tremors of terror through Spencer as they all turned to her on the screen. 'Guys! The feed is back online!'
'Pull it up and start tracking it,' Hotch ordered, and Penelope didn't need telling twice as she did just that.
You were hanging again, but the blood that covered the lower half of your face was now gone. Your dress was ruffled and dirty in some places, and straws of hay were tangled in your messy hair. He must've lowered you for the remainder of the night, but from the dark circles under your weary eyes, Spencer guessed you hadn't slept.
'He cleaned her up,' Rossi noticed too.
'That's a good thing right?' Penelope said, pausing her tracking for a second.
'No,' Spencer replied. 'It means he's got more in store for her.'
'You were right, Reid. It's a compulsion,' Rossi added.
'Keep tracking, Garcia,' Hotch said.
And there he was.
Walter Khan entered the frame, but instead of taunting them through the camera like last time, he walked straight over to you as if the camera wasn't even on. He grasped your chin, causing you to jerk backwards with a gasp.
'How did you know that?' he asked, voice tight and restrained. When you didn't answer, he pulled you closer with a harsh tug that caused the chains to rattle. 'How did you know?!'
'Lucky... Lucky guess, I suppose,' you replied, eyes flicking from Khan to the camera and back. Something had happened between the last feed and now, Spencer concluded. Some interaction that has brought out the frantic Khan.
'No!' He slapped you, sending you spinning around on the chain. When you swung back towards the camera, the sun highlighted the blood on your lip, how it trembled as you did. 'You knew about my life! No one does! So how would an undercover agent of all people know?'
'Maybe you're just... not as slick as you think you are,' you said in between haggard breaths. Spencer could only imagine how much pain you were in. He was both extremely proud of and extremely terrified for you.
Khan let out a growl that rattled the conference room it was that loud. He lashed out with a hard punch to your gut, then a slanted punch on your knee, receiving a loud crunch and crack in return.
For the first time since being caught, you screamed. It was the most horrible sound Spencer had ever heard in his life - even worse than the gunshot that killed Maeve. It echoed through the Warehouse, a guttural, pained sound that would haunt not only Spencer's dreams but Hotch, Rossi, and Penelope's too.
You gathered yourself quickly and bit down on your lip, silencing your cries. Sunlight showed the tears that gathered at your eyes, still refusing to fall. But Spencer could tell it was taking all you had to keep it together. You knew they were watching. You probably were holding it together for them.
The pride and terror he felt for you was overwhelming to a point his knees almost buckled. But if you could keep it together while being tortured, he could do it too.
Once you'd calmed your breathing, you looked back at Khan, hate in your beautiful E/C eyes. 'Beating me... will get you nowhere... I refuse... to break to you.'
Everyone held their breaths as you held your stare with Khan, and Spencer realised it then.
It hit him in consistent waves that made it hard to catch his breath or even fully realise what was happening. It was how you stared down the crook man, unrelenting, unwavering, unbreakable. It was how, even at you most vulnerable, you made sure to put on a brave face for the team, for him. He hadn't dared think it before - not after Maeve. But the heavy thuds of his heart couldn't be mistaken.
Khan contemplated you for a moment, and then pulled out a pocket knife from his pants. He was calm again which Spencer didn't like one bit. 'Very well, then. You want to act tough?' He didn't wait for a reply as he sliced the top button of your dress off expertly. Then another and another, until almost the entirety of your bra showed. 'Let's see how tough you really are.'
Your eyes blew wide in terror finally realising what his intentions were. Spencer realised a second after, and his blood boiled painfully.
'Garcia,' Spencer managed out, unable to take his eyes off you as Khan sliced off another button and another. By the time he got to the last one, exposing your underwear too, Spencer was on the verge of a panic attack. 'Garcia!'
'I'm honing in on it now!' she called back, but it wasn't enough to quell his fear.
Khan slipped off the dress with a few more slices of the knife, then proceeded to pocket it and press himself against your back. You tried pulling away, but Khan's arms were around you already, feeling you everywhere, violating you.
That's when the tears finally fell. A broken sob escaped your bloodied, trembling lips as Khan's hands dragged all over you, brushing away the hair on your neck to press a sickeningly gentle kiss there.
But instead of completely crumbling, you looked directly into the camera and said, 'I would've said yes.'
For a moment it was just him and you. You words were so soft he almost didn't believe you said them. Spencer saw out of the corner of his eyes Hotch and Rossi didn't understand, but this wasn't about them. You were speaking directly to Spencer, probably with full faith that he was watching and that he was on his way to save you already.
Khan paused his ministrations at the odd statement, giving you a confused look. 'What?'
'I would've said yes,' you repeated, but this time there was a resignation to your words. As if you accepted that those would be the last words anyone would hear you speak. Spencer quickly realised that, as much as you believed he was coming, you didn't believe you would be alive when he finally did.
Khan followed your gaze to the camera, his expression changing as he realised you weren't talking to him.
'I would've said yes,' you said again, not once looking away from the camera.
Khan's hands retracted from you.
'I would've said yes.'
He walked over to the camera.
'I would've said yes.'
'You disappeared behind his huge frame.
'I would've said yes.'
He reached out to switch it off.
'I would've said-'
The feed went dark. The room fell silent, but only for a second. As Spencer stormed out of the room, slamming the door open as he did. He didn't know where he was going, just that he had to get out of that room.
I would've said yes.
The way you'd said it was like you were trying to make sure he heard you - that, as your last words to him, you wanted to let him know of what could've been.
He stormed into the break room where thankfully nobody resided in. He slammed his fist on one of the tables, and kicked at the chair residing at it. Anger coursed through every fibre in him, at Khan, at Holt, at himself.
I would've said yes.
'Reid.'
Spencer turned to find Rossi standing in the doorway, concern wrinkling his weathered features more. 'You okay?' he asked, slowly walking into the room fully then closing the door behind him. 'What was that about?'
'She would've said yes,' was all Spencer could manage out in his wild state of mind, finding it hard to breathe he was so wound up. 'She would've...'
'I heard that,' Rossi said gently. 'I don't know what that means. But you clearly do. So spill, boy genius. What did she mean by that?'
Spencer tugged at his hair in frustration. 'Before she left I asked her out,' he explained, voice rising as his worry did. 'She was never able to give me an answer because she was sworn to secrecy, and I thought that all this time she never liked me liked that because we've been friends for so long, but she would've said yes. You heard her! She would've said yes! And now she-'
'Okay, okay, okay,' Rossi interrupted, gently grabbing Spencer by his arms and guiding him to the chair he'd kicked just before. Spencer didn't have the strength to fight the older man, allowing himself to be guided into a seat.
Rossi crouched in front of Spencer, holding Spencer's shaking hands in his steady ones. 'Just breathe, Reid. Just breathe.'
Spencer followed Rossi' instructions as best as he could, but panic and despair had already crept in. 'Do you know,' he started, lips trembling, voice quaking with emotions he couldn't quite understand, 'that friendships that last longer than seven years... that they are meant to last for life? Y/N and I... we've been friends for a decade.'
'I know,' Rossi answered gently. 'You, JJ, Penelope and Y/N are quite close.'
'Yes, but,' Spencer continued through the sniffles, 'Y/N's always been there. Not just for me, but with me. I never realised how integral to my life she was until she left. I never realised that my love for her was something more until it was too late.'
'You love her?'
Only when Rossi pointed it out did Spencer realise what he'd admitted. But it wasn't a casual slip of the tongue - it was intentional, it was true, it was the only thing he wanted to say because he hated how long it took him to realise it for himself.
He nodded slowly, tears running down his cheeks. 'I didn't know it at first, but it didn't just happen overnight. Truth is... I think I've loved her from the day I met her. Platonically at first, but it's grown as we have, and she is so precious to me Rossi. I can't lose her. I can't.'
Sobs wracked his boney body as he broke down. Rossi pulled him into an awkward but comforting hug, and Spencer couldn't express how grateful he was for such comfort. Rossi had grown into the father figure he'd made Gideon out to be; and while Spencer had learnt to stand on his own two feet, it was reassuring knowing he had someone older and wiser to rely upon.
'It's like Maeve all over again,' Spencer found himself saying, still clinging onto Rossi like his life depended on it. 'Just when I glimpse happiness, it's snatched away. And there is nothing I can do about it.'
'No, no,' Rossi said, pulling back to look Spencer directly in his amber eyes. 'You listen to me, boy wonder. We are going to find her, and we're going to bring her home. And you are going to tell her how you feel and finally take her on a date. Is that understood?' When Spencer didn't answer, Rossi continued.
'Remember how when Maeve died, you holed yourself up in your apartment for weeks, and didn't talk to anyone?' Spencer nodded, but only because he didn't quite understand why Rossi was bringing it up. 'And remember how we all came by to visit, but mostly Y/N? That was because she believed you were strong enough to get through it. She never doubted you, never gave up on you, Spence. Are you really going to return the favour by giving up on her?'
Spencer stared at Rossi for a moment, perplexed that he even would suggest such a thing. He quickly wiped his tears away, though. 'No,' he answered, voice stern and hopeful.
'Good,' Rossi replied, standing back up. 'Now use that big brain of yours. There's got to be something that we missed.'
Before Spencer could answer, the door to the break room swung open to reveal a flustered Derek Morgan. 'We found them,' he said between heavy breaths. 'We found the girls.'
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satashiiwrites · 2 years
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rules: post the first lines of your last 10 fics posted to ao3. if you have less than 10 fics posted, post the first lines of all your fics. 
Tagged by the lovely @missanniewhimsy.  Thanks for the tag.  Tagging whoever would like to participate. 
Ha.  Just posted one so I suppose that will get included as well.  Not counting vague prologues or quotes/song lyrics. 
1. Lieutenant Edmundo Diaz—known to his family as Eddie or everyone else as Lt Diaz or just Diaz—sat in the copilot’s chair on the bridge listening to Flight Lieutenant Han, aka Chimney, grumble about their newest mission orders.  from The First Spectre, 911/Mass Effect AU.
2.  They buried Shannon on a Tuesday—she’d died the previous Thursday. from Sleepless in LA, 911/Sleepless in Seattle Valentine 2023 fic.
3.  Memory is a funny thing. from Fragments and Fractals, 911 6b speculation/coda one-shot.
4. The cold seeped through Scott’s bones, chilling him through although he acted as if he didn’t notice it as he stood watch.  from A Mage-Knight’s Tale, Mass Effect Andromeda MReyder Fantasy AU.
5. The years had made him cautious—but not overly so.  from Bound by Blood, Mreyder Mass Effect Vampire/Werewolf AU.
6.  Doubt eats at him. From Promise Me You Won’t Let Me, Wheel of Time, Cauthor. 
7.  He doesn’t know what to do after Rachel dropped her bombs on him, obliterating any sense of purpose he had in his life.  from Mana’olana, a Hawaii 5-0 season 5 fix it, McDanno. 
8.  The low brrrr noise of a phone on vibrate ringing was irritating as Steve had set his phone down unattended on the corner of Danny’s desk before leaving for a meeting with the governor about budgets and how 5-0 needed to at least make a show of pretending to have one. from Family, Familia, ‘Ohana, 911/H50/SWAT crossover, Navyseal!Buck, Buddie, McDanno. 
9. When Scott had appeared as if by magic on Christmas Eve, Reyes had thought he’d imagined his lover’s presence. From What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve? Mreyder holiday fic. Mass Effect Andromeda. 
10. October, in general, tended to get busier and weirder as the month went on, was Eddie’s general observation since moving to LA. from Eddie Diaz Ain’t ‘Fraid of No Ghost, Buddie Halloween fic 2022. 
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sasaranomiya · 2 years
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I got interested in the novels after watching the anime & found my way to your blog! Thank you so much for the translations which I've been devouring for the past hour. I'm hooked on the story:) Would there be romance between koshun/jusetsu? Where might the anime adaptation stop in terms of the novel u reckon? Could u give a tiny spoiler about the ending in vol 7? Are there other anime u're watching this season too? Sorry for the annoying questions :) Have a wonderful day!
Glad that you found this blog! Always happy to introduce more people to the novels! Now as for your questions...
1. No there's no romance between koushun and jusetsu. That "will you be my consort" scene is probably the biggest tease we'll get. They're very special to each other tho
2. Honestly I'm not sure. I would say that the end of book 2 makes a nice ending point but tan kai is part of the main cast and he doesn't show up until book 3 and his backstory chapter is in book 4. Well i suppose they could put it in the anime if they cut some stuff out. But they really surprised me when they put the turtle god thing in ep 1 since that story? Parable? is in book 4 or 5. I highly doubt they're going to adapt all the books tho...at least i hope they don't
3. Well it's hard to describe the ending bc it involves a bunch of characters introduced in book 3 but i can tell you that koushun gets an empress, he gets heirs, and jusetsu is freed from the inner palace
4. Honestly i'm at the point in my anime fan career where i prefer reading novels than watching anime or reading manga, but...i'm watching mha s6, maybe chainsaw man, and i want to watch the new gundam show too but i have to watch the prologue first and i dont feel like doing that right now...yeah my tastes are pretty mainstream haha
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