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#i love her i love the city i love this darn show <3 <3
absolutebl · 1 month
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This Week in BL - it was a pretty darn good time, frankly
Organized, in each category, with ones I'm enjoying most at the top.
Feb 2024 Wk 4
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Ongoing Series - Thai
The Sign (Sat YT) ep 12fin - Everyone looked like they were having a lot of fun in the fight sequences. I’m very happy for them. I’m not surprised they shot Khem and Chart. A little shocked it wasn’t also Yai, TBH.
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I found this final episode rushed. According to rumors, The Sign was originally slated to be 14 eps, and it probably should’ve been. And I don’t say that often about Thai BL. But we all knew it was getting too bloated for its britches, so I'm not surprised they fumbled the ending. For me personally, it just wasn't that bad. It was fine and I was fine with it.
Tho, Billy does not look good with facial fur, messes up those gorgeous angles.
I was ultimately amused that the solution to the mythology thread was simply to talk to the river god and persuaded him to give up... off screen. It felt very old school wuxia. Or like Aeschylus or something. I did adore the stinger, Saint was basically like “I want wings too”. 
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FINAL THOUGHTS
This show is literally everything (except straight) all at once. It's BL, queer, band of brothers, romcom, erotica, PNR, fated mates, police procedural, fantasy, mystery, suspense, and slasher. It’s the king of genre mash-up chaos. Sure, it's madness but there is genius in it. Was it a crazy unhinged mess +1 roll for damage? Yes. Yes it was. Did it manage to hold all those tangled threads together? No it did not. Was it also a charming, sexy, engaging, non-stop piece of entertainment? Sure thing. I think this show is basically my KinnPorsche, and frankly I’ve been chasing that dragon naga since KP aired. Is it perfect? No. But it was balls to the wall FUN and that gets a 9/10 from me.
I'm thinking of doing a full recap review (partly because I have so many great screen shots.)
Cherry Magic (Sat YouTube grey) ep 10-11 of 12 - Since this series is following the yaoi so closely, I knew these were the separation eps. (Also I knew with would be a soft non-doom ep 11, Japan rarerly does these.) I like that they used it to show improve communication and development in all relationships, but, frankly, TayNew are just best when they are TayNew together on screen. So yeah. Let’s keep them back together, please?
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Meanwhile, TayNew gifted us a gorgeous loving sweet sex scene. Thanks OG for doing us a solid. 
I wanna add, it sure is fun to see New play as soft and vulnerable character, I feel like he hasn’t done that since SOTUS. 
(Read all about distribution issues here.)
Cooking Crush (Sun YT) ep 12fin - 1/3 of this is a sweet romance about a student doctor falling in love with a student chef, and the rest of it is utter dross. Look the OffGun bits were GREAT.. In fact, I think they’re better AS A PAIR in this show than in any of their other BLS. And I'm a hard sell on any OffGun being better than PickRome. Saying that, how can I review a show where I could only tolerate 1/3 of it? Because I didn’t like any other aspect of this show, no other pairs and no other plots. That gives me: 9/10 for the OffGun bits, 5/10 for everything else. Frankly it probably should be an 8 but I gotta go with my gut and it's upset about this so 7/10. Sorry boys. It’s GMMTV’s fault. Your heart was in this show, mine wasn’t. 
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City of Stars (Fri iQIYI) ep 4 of 12 - These two are so good at making heart eyes at each other. It’s ridiculous. They don’t need any cartoon images or noises. Moot crush but "I wanna flirt and court more" is so flipping awesome. I love this for them… and us. 
1000 Years Old ep 2 of 12 - It’s very silly and we have been gifted with the dorkiest vampire ever. But... the smell thing makes me so happy. And I like that the vamp uses chan/nai or tan = v old fashioned. Nahlak. I love our ghost girl. Did you notice she wasn’t in the room with them but they left an empty chair for her? Also nahlak.
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Ongoing Series - Not Thai
Perfect Propose (Japan Fri Gaga) ep 5 of 6 - Kai was pretty much just “you're a workaholic but I basically married you whether you like it or not.” SMOOCH. What can I say? I'm a sucker for this dynamic.
AntiReset (Taiwan Fri Viki/Gaga) ep 5 of 10 - How is this show so cute? How do they both love and hurt each other so much. They are both just scared of loosing each other. Gah.
Unknown (Taiwan Sat Youku YouTube) 1 of 12 eps - Youku dropped the first ep to their YouTube channel but I doubt we can expect that to continue. Still, it was nice to be able to watch it in a convenient way. I enjoyed it. But I am cautious about it. Of course this is possibly two of my favorite tropes of all time (stepbrothers or a variation + hyung romance). So I’m looking forward to the romantic thread, but from the gritty style, it feels a lot more like a Taiwanese short. Which means it could go very dark and may not end happy. 
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Although I Love You and You AKA Sukiyanen Kedo Do Yaro ka (Japan Thurs Gaga) ep 7 of 10 - I just don’t know if the main couple should be a couple. But when they finally get around to talking to each other, they sure are lovely. Also how great is it to see a uke initiate a kiss? Even if it’s not a very good kiss. 
My Strawberry Film (Japan Thurs Gaga) ep 2 of 8 - I am still not sure about this one. I am not contesting its quality, just saying it’s not for me. Also I’m not wild about what amounts to basically a redo of everything that already happened in the first episode from a different perspective. I know it’s a tall order with Japan, but I would like (when it’s a short series) for each new installment to actually move the plot (such as it is) along in someway. Am I asking too much?
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It's done but I have no time
What Did You Eat Yesterday Season 2 AKA Kinou Nani Tabeta? Season 2 (Japan Gaga) 10 eps - will binge when I have any spare time. 2024 is crazy busy for me so far.
The Servant and the Young Master - from Vietnam, it's on YouTube. I will give it a try when I have a window of time.
Began Beginning (Myanmar YouTube) - A Burmese BL? @heretherebedork vouched for it, so I will give it a watch.
It's airing but...
Dead Friend Forever (Thai iQIYI) - rumors are it's interesting but full of unlikable characters. I'm waiting to know how it ends.
Ossans Love Season 2 (Japan Gaga) - 5 years later, will anything have changed? This is Japan so… probubly not. I won't be watching this. I disliked Season one and actively hated the follow ups. No thank you.
Playboyy (Thurs Gaga) 14 eps - Dear Playboyy, it's not you, it’s me… I hate you. You’re about as deep (and as palatable) as a shot glass of cum. While I'm sure you’re someone’s kink, you're my weakest link. Goodbye. I DNFed this at ep 5. Frankly I'm impressed with myself for getting that far. Ends next week TF.
Time the series (Tue Gaga/YT) 10 eps - dropped it at ep 4.
A Secretly Love (Thai WeTV) - I tried but I can't get into my WeTV account anymore and I'm way too lazy to figure it out. Should I bother to go grey for it?
To Be Continued (Thai C3 Thailand YT) - High school sweethearts who had a bad break up reunite when both of them have full time jobs but coming out is still a problem. You can watch this on YT but it has no Eng Subs.
Next Week Looks Like This:
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We're light on content right now, but frankly I'm so busy with work I don't really mind.
3/6 Born to be Y (Thai ????) 10 eps - 14 contestants who audition to compete in Born To Be Y, a program that searches for the best couple of the year to work together on a giant project. Described as semi-reality series. So I probably won't bother.
3/7 Deep Night (Thai iQiyi) 10 eps - Multiple romances set in a host clubs. Nice to see First back on my screen but this is not my favorite setting.
Upcoming BLs for 2024 are listed here. This list is not kept updated, so please leave a comment if you know something new or RP with additions.
THIS WEEK’S BEST MOMENTS
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The eyes have it.
Your random BL moment brought to you by my ult-bias being a hyung smartass to his maknae.
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(Last week)
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ao3-shenanigans · 4 months
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My thoughts on The Marvels and Suggestion for an Alternate Ending
Oh thank goodness @yalocalfanficaddict you’re my new bestie, I’m proposing right now/lh
So… The Marvels
A lotta people think that it’s Bad™️ and I won’t say that their wrong per se but also think there’s more to it then that
Spoilers for the movie, obviously
Here’s who should watch it
1. People here for a silly goofy time; with low expectations
2. People who like cats eating people
3. People who like women
4. People who like muscular women in tank tops
5. People who had a musical phase and aren’t quite as over it as they’d like everyone to believe
6. People who think Kamala’s brother is attractive
7. Ms Marvel fans
8. Did I mention the cats?
If you’re coming to watch a serious Avengers: Endgame type movie, I’m sorry but this ain’t it. However- However, I do think it’s a very enjoyable film.
I went to see it with my sibling and we had a lotta fun, where there plot holes? Yeah and I’ll get into it a bit, but like the characters for the most part where very likable and fun to watch; there were some well done fight scenes and some character development that I think was pretty darn okay.
Here’s what I think didn’t work- the pacing felt at times a little off but I believe that’s because they could’ve lost their battles a little harder. The first few losses are devastating but the second half of the movie they had a pretty easy time and lost with minimal damage to themselves (physically and emotionally) and the civilians/cities.
Captain Marvel as a character is generally over powered. Thats kinda her whole deal. Which is great for Captian Marvel fans but bad for writers because how does one set up any sort of stakes for that?
The answer is to pull emotional punches - if you can’t level up physically, it has to be emotionally- which the movie *almost* manages to pull off. Carol struggles because she feels like she doesn’t measure up to the hero Monica saw as a child and the hero Kamala thinks she is. She thinks she has to earn her place with family, and the only way to do that is by solving everything and saving everyone on her own, but everything she does just ends up making things worse. She feels like she is responsible (and kinda is) for the genocide of an entire race and a half of people and has to shoulder the weight and grief of that on her own.
Which is A GREAT CONCEPT!! I love that!!!
The movie only half way fallows through with that though. At the three-quarters point of the film where the interpersonal conflict comes to head (where it always does), it doesn’t quite hit as hard as it should. It doesn’t make me feel it, I want the gut punch and stab in the back while you’re at it.
I think they apologized just a littttle too quickly, which *is* in character, but doesnt necessarily make for the most entertaining screen drama
Over all though, there was some very fun fight scenes- the characters basically have this thing where they switch locations if they use their powers so the first fight is actually three fights on like different planets before they meet and that was cool; really fun cinematography
The cgi was well done (in my unprofessional opinion) and the costumes looked pretty good over all
Kamala is my favorite as she’s a teenaged character who actually feels like a teenager
She’s also an artist and fangirl who animates and writes fanfic so obviously I love her but yeah she totally stole the show; her family is amazing as well; 20/10 for them
It is briefly implied that Valkyrie and Captain Marvel have some sort of relationship (platonic? Romantic? No idea, there were cheek greeting kisses)
Carol Denver is technically married to some random prince though she makes it abundantly clear that it is completely platonic and only for a political advantage, he belongs to a race of people that can only communicate through singing and musical improvs, there’s this whole bit and I freaking love it.
The prince gives off Conan Grey vibes, no I can’t explain, no there will be no further commentary on that.
There’s also a sequence where the flerken (space kitties with tentacles in their mouths) are eating crew members. It’s shot like a horror sequence but has the most beautiful operatic music behind it- ten out of ten, I absolutely adore every second of it
Things that I think could’ve been changed for a more satisfactory ending:
⁃ Carol has too darn of an easy time, here’s how I’d change the ending:
I would have her flying into and restarting the sun as WAY more of a big deal. I’m sorry but that was to easy, she was completely unscathed by that.
I would’ve also had that be the final sacrifice of the film, instead of Monica. Like I get that Monica’s set her up for multiverse nonsense but I would’ve rather her stayed and Carol being the one to give up everything to atone. Of course it would need a little more lead up, but Monica’s did as well.
Together with that, I wouldn’t have had the villain chick attack again after being impaled, I would’ve let it play out and given her a second look into her character and whether or not she’d forgive Carol. I probably wouldn’t let her ultimately live either- have them both die (or ‘die’ in carol’s case most likely knowing marvel).
I think this would give Kamala and Monica a satisfactory point to their character arcs as well- Monica having forgiven Carol and accepted her as family contrasting where the villain doesn’t, and Kamala to a point where she both recognizes her hero’s humanity and fallibility but also great sacrifice thus motivating her to do start a team and do better to live up to the name she’s picked for herself.
Overall I rate the movie an 8/10, Kamala stole the show, I loved Monica, there were some great scenes, I had a lot of fun and I totally recommend it to anyone who’s into that sorta thing <3
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dweeb-who-reads · 1 month
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Happy Valentine’s Day to the lovely @coffeefruits-world! She requested a short fic of her favorite crossover couple Kazuichi Soda from Danganronpa and Nano Shinonome from Nichijou. I also adore them, they’re so alike in a lot of ways. Hope you enjoy the read, bestie! 🩷🩷
Word Count: 1223
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April 1
My bike broke down while I was riding to school this morning, so I had to take it to the little bicycle shop across town. On top of that, I wanted a basket on the front in case Hakase needed me to run errands for her. As if my luck didn’t totally run out; I mean, I don’t normally consider myself lucky, but today was sort of different. I met a strange boy who was running the shop by himself at the time. When I say strange, I mean strange. He’s got teeth like a shark’s and messy hair that’s dyed pink. His eyes are the same color, though they might just be contacts.
It’s like he’s trying to scare customers away with his appearance on purpose, but I’m not sure. I’m one to talk, of course, because I have a big wind-up key on my back that people can clearly see. And Hakase refuses to remove it whenever I bring it up. That’s beside the point.
I didn’t expect us to talk longer than five minutes. It was like we became fast friends. It felt a bit refreshing. His name is Kazuichi Soda, the Ultimate Mechanic. He said that he attends Hope’s Peak Academy, an elite school that scouts other students with a special talent of their own. I felt a little envious. Nobody I know, myself included, are exceptionally great at anything. I don’t think the academy would be interested in scouting anyone from my school. Or me.
But, Kacchan seems like a great guy. He’s funny, upbeat, and kind of cute. And he’s understanding, too! He asked about the key on my back, and when I explained it all to him, he also thought it was pointless. Hakase, one of these days I WILL make you take it out. Or I might just ask Kacchan to do it! …That is, if I can stop being so darn shy.
Ah, I went on a small tangent. Anyway, it took him no time at all to fix my bike. It looked just like new! And now it has a cute basket like I asked. Kacchan really is the best. We decided to exchange our numbers in case one of us wanted to talk, and he told me stop by again anytime. Oh, Kacchan, such an opportunity is one I could never pass up…
I’ll write more when I have time. Bye for now! ^7^
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May 3 (I)
I have to wake up for school in three hours but I’m strangely too hyped to sleep. Kacchan invited me to visit Hope’s Peak after school! I’m so nervous, but I’m excited too. Hope’s Peak sounds like a great school. He’s told me a lot of good things about it, so it must be. And he says that the students he knows are nice enough, though apparently there are also a few who come off as mean and scary.
I guess I’ll know for myself when I get there; he asked me to meet him outside the gates once we’re done with our last class. It was kind of him to send me directions or I would have never been able to find it. It’s supposed to be a really big building right in the middle of the city, so I’m sure it won’t be too hard to look for.
I’ll have to inform Hakase that I’m coming home late. I don’t feel good about lying to her, but maybe I’ll just say that my class wants me to stay for a big project. Hopefully Sakamoto won’t mind me being gone for a little while, and Hakase keeps herself entertained during the day. She may be only eight but she’s incredibly smart. She knows what she’s doing… I think. I shouldn’t worry so much. I’m positive that she and Sakamoto will understand. If I keep Kacchan a secret as long as I can, they won’t suspect anything.
I’ll update this as soon as I can. Bye for now. ^u^
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May 3 (II)
Hakase wore me out. She asked me to buy ingredients for dinner right when I was heading home. I’m surprised I still have some energy to pick up my pen and write. But today was an amazing day! Kacchan showed me around his school like he promised. There were so many cool places there— a swimming pool, a gymnasium, a laundromat, a game room, an art respository— Hope’s Peak has it all! Tokisadame High doesn’t compare. I also got to meet his classmates; they welcomed me in their classroom and introduced themselves, and they’re nicer than I thought.
And the best part is, they asked me to come by the school more often. Kacchan even said he would get rid of my ‘upgrades’. I’m so glad guys like him exist on this planet. He always listens to what I have to say. I’d cry happy tears right now but I don’t have the capacity—
(Nano’s pen stops moving at the sound of a knock on the door, Doctor Shinonome’s whiny voice calling to her from outside.
“Nano-chaaaan! Take me to the bathroom, I’m too scared to go by myself!”
Nano sighs to herself as she closes her diary. Why can’t she just ask Sakamoto?
“Alright, I’m coming, Hakase.”)
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June 5
My body feels much lighter today. Kacchan invited me to his dorm so that he could remove my useless modifications. Yes, useless. I mean, they don’t serve any purpose. Why on earth did Hakase install a swiss roll dispenser in my arm? Or a cuckoo bird in my head? Or a gun that shoots out mochi in my leg? Why not just take this confounded screw out of my back like I keep asking her?! Does she like tormenting me that much? Have I not cared for her enough?
I don’t know what’s going on in her head nowadays and I’m a little afraid to ask. It’s a good thing I can rely on Kacchan. He wasn’t scouted as the Ultimate Mechanic for nothing. He makes me feel relatively normal, like I can be myself around him. He definitely isn’t afraid to be himself around me, heehee~! And I forgot to mention this, too: we almost kissed! I say almost because we kept getting interrupted.
At one point Tachibana-kun cut in just to ask for Kacchan’s help getting his tongue unstuck from his braces. Not sure what he did that made it get caught in them to begin with but I imagine it must have hurt. Anyhow, so that happened… Hopefully, next time when we finally do kiss, it’ll be a good and long one. Ah, my whole body is tingling right now. Is this what humans feel when they fall in love with someone? Now I see why they consider summer a romantic season~
(“Naaaaano-chaaaaan~! C’mon, you promised to take me to the summer festival tonight!”
“Do we really have to go tonight, Hakase? Can’t it wait until tomorrow? I’m in the middle of—“
“Festival, festival, festival! C’moooon, please~?!”
Nano lets out a wearied sigh.
“You’re so persistent… Alright, we’ll go if you stop pestering me. Just let me put on my kimono.”
“Yaaaay~! Now hurry up! I can’t get mine on by myself!”)
…More next time. Byyyye for now!
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July 7
We kissed. 💘 KAZUNANO4EVER
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rosegardenofeden · 6 months
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I really do like Dimension 20 (though I haven't caught up with more recent seasons) but I do wish more than like. One person and I talked about it's problems with very Weird treatment of trans women in certain seasons of the show. They've gotten better about it recently but it's... telling how bad of a streak they had there. Their trans women characters include: 1. Hacker girl (not bad on its face) who is exclusively there to be Pete's love interest in S2 of Unsleeping City. I think Maddie Park has the potential to be super cool and interesting but all she's really there for it to apologize with Pete and hit it off with him. She's absolutely fine, but I find it funny that they really just seemed so afraid to take risks with her that it just looped back around to being kind of regularly misogynistic. Like. Considering all the other love interests in the story (Liz, Dale, Esther) are all like, super cool and interesting and complex people in their own right with ties to the Unsleeping city! You could have made her a fuckin Ghost in the Machine Warlock for darn's sake! (One day I will get back to writing that Maddie Park fic). Also her sign being specifically Ophiuchus the Serpent-Bearer is... odd. I'm sure it wasn't intentional but 2. Whoops, you named your literal Second Transgender Woman in the whole series by the same name as the last transgender woman! Maddy Stitchnit gets outed by her dad to a complete stranger, has no actual bearing on the story, and was so obviously shoehorned in to appease the fact that people were rightfully angry about them making a Harry Potter "satire: (read: nostalgia-bait) season that it's genuinely embarrassing. But it's okay, they put a disclaimer beforehand that they asked two of the trans people on the cast if it was okay! Neither of whom were transfem and one of whom was clearly playing in the season and already enthusiastic about the prospect. Seriously still makes me baffled, because it's one of the best seasons characterwise, but any attempt at critiquing or satire is so diluted by the desire to hit the Big Moments that it feels entirely vapid. Maddy doesn't even have her own wikipedia page! 3. Now let me be clear. I adore Sam Nightingale. Making her retroactively trans was a fucking bombshell of a move that really colors her short appearance in Dimension 20 so much, and Persephone just absolutely kills it when playing her. I have no notes on her performance. However, (and obviously I Do Not Know these people, Persephone seems to be on good terms with her co-players and everything seems fine there, I am simply talking in terms of how the characters are treated), the rest of the Seven (besides Zelda bless her heart) feel like they treat Sam... kind of weirdly? Like there were some points in the story where the other characters got to express their own emotions and feelings about things, their anger and frustration, but whenever Sam does that, she feels like she's treated worse than the others. And when she finally does come out to the rest of the group, she doesn't get to own that moment. Penny takes it from her and outs her. And then everyone gets to have their Good Ally moment, which, fine. I just found it weird. I don't tend to like. Enter community discussions or anything. I just always found it weird how these problems kept occurring. I feel like it's gotten better lately but I also haven't kept up. It's just something I think about sometimes and felt like saying again because it irritates me
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loquaciousquark · 1 year
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Fenris/Hawke
4, 12, or 27 please ❤️
4. how did they start living together? do they move? how do they choose the place?
Post reunion in Act 3, they start spending some nights together at mostly Hawke's place, but some Fenris's. They still occasionally sleep apart, though that becomes less common over the months, and the first real snappy winter that comes through has then scootching out of Fenris's place into the mansion PDQ. Hawke's willing to tolerate a lot to sleep next to Fenris, but that drafty mess pushes the line pretty darn hard.
After Kirkwall, they eventually settle in a small cottage in a town called Wilhaven, near Wildervale (north of Kirkwall). Leda is born there and they often have members of the gang come by and visit. Carver especially comes and stays about a week a year, depending on what the Wardens need.
However, they keep the Kirkwall mansion and visit the city several times a year, both to keep an eye on things and to visit Aveline & Donnic, Varric, and occasionally Isabela as she comes through. Hawke loves Kirkwall desperately, horrible as it is, and still sees the city as hers to protect as long as she's alive to do it. Plus, Aveline and Donnic have like four kids and the kids enjoy hanging out with each other.
After the other two children are born, and once they're a little older, sometimes Fenris will stay home with the kids while Hawke goes to Kirkwall, but that's only when she's really needed and Varric is desperate. Otherwise, they put down roots at the cottage--at least, as much as either of them can.
12. favorite non-sexual activity?
Answered here!
27. what do they do when they’re away from each other?
Oof. When Fenris is away from Hawke, he usually has the kids, so that takes up most of his time. Prior to that, though, or if he doesn't have them, I think he gets pretty single-mindedly focused on his goal. Whether he's going after slaver groups or whatever, I think he would immediately turn his focus to the mission, the whole mission, and nothing but the mission. I think he would really do everything he can to keep himself from thinking about Hawke/the family, both because he misses them desperately and it hurts to think about them, but because they also are distractions, and the sooner he finishes what he's doing the sooner he can get home. Once he starts that homeward journey, though, there ain't nothin' that's gonna stop him on his way.
When Hawke is away from Fenris, she gets herself killed. Or almost killed, semantics. In absence of breaches, though, she (like Fenris) tries to stay focused on what she's doing, but is not nearly as good at him at coming home straight after. Even after Kirkwall she's very bad about staying out of other people's business, and especially when Varric asks her to come by the city I can see her getting caught up in another two-three-four things while she's there until Fenris sits her down and tells her very seriously that she either needs to start saying no to people or he's going to start bringing the kids and coming with her.
Really, though, she just misses him. She writes him lots of letters and spends a lot of free time thinking about him, which makes her try not to think too much about him in the first place, which circles her right back around to thinking about him & the kids. She always comes home with buckets of gifts and tchotchkes and notes from everyone else saying hi, and Leda really enjoys her stories of faraway places and people for years. The first time Hawke goes on a trip with a young Leda by herself, Fenris frets the whole time. They do take more trips together as a family once the kids are a little older, however, and the other kids at the Chantry school always think Leda is making up stories about some of the things she sees until she pulls out for show and tell various jeweled daggers, crowns, porcelain dolls, fistfuls of gold silk, etc. There's at least one parent-teacher conference where the sister politely asks Hawke & Fenris to tell their child to quit bringing deadly weaponry to class.
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nancypullen · 10 months
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The End of May
How’d that happen? Holy cow, June is knocking on the door and I feel like I just turned the calendar to May.  May is always a busy month though, lots of gardening, mulching, praying to the flower gods, and that sort of thing.  No surprise that it passes in a blur.
Since the last time that I posted on this space we’ve spent another day in D.C., gone to the Caroline County Pride Festival, and to the strawberry festival in Ridgley, just down the road.  We picked up the grandgirl Friday morning and she put mileage on all of the bouncy houses at the festivals.  That girl loves to bounce. D.C. was fun. It was a gorgeous day and we caught the Metro at the New Carrollton station...
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just after the morning rush, so it was an easy breezy ride into the city.
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We popped up a very short walk from the National Air & Space Museum and had timed entry tickets for opening at 10am. Perfect!  This is Mickey’s favorite museum, so I told him to  go play and I’d just wander.  There’s always something new and interesting.  You can follow the journey from first flight to space stations and rovers.  I was in the area devoted to the story of Orville and Wilbur Wright, the brothers who gave us all wings, when I learned something new. 
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 Without Mother Wright we might not have flown, reached the moon, or explored space.
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Thanks, Susan.  You can’t help but learn things in any Smithsonian building.  Even the bathrooms are educational.
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After spending time in Air & Space ,we went to lunch in Chinatown - and ate at a Mexican restaurant.   That was my fault.  I wanted to go to a place that I remembered, a place I’d loved, and I knew exactly how to get there.  I told Mickey that when we exit the Chinatown Metro station we hang a left and it’s about half a block down.  And that’s exactly where it was...ten years ago.  Oops.  It has moved, we were hungry, and so we ate at a spot nearby.  It was adequate.  We wrapped up our day around 3 o’clock to beat the afternoon rush and hopped a nearly empty train back to New Carrollton where our car was parked. This is where we hang a right.
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 It’s really an easy and fun way to swap our sleepy little town for D.C. for a few hours.  
Know what else was fun? The Pride Festival!  Denton is home to Caroline County’s Pride Festival and they do it right - games, food, music, vendors (I bought some yummy linen spray), and just a truly wonderful vibe.  The crowd was so kind, the spirit of the event was pure fun, and everywhere I looked there were messages of love, tolerance, and unity.  It was great.  A temporary wall was put up so that festival attendees could paint on it (kind of like the Lennon wall in Prague!) and it was fun to watch it fill in.  Little Miss tried her hand at dunk tanks, bubble wands, and much more.  If you asked her she’d probably say the best part was the snow cone.
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Obviously not the best pics, but her face isn’t showing so I can share them here. She spent most of her time in a bouncy castle and had a ball.
On Sunday we traveled about ten minutes down the road to Ridgely’s strawberry festival.  I’d give it a pass next year.  They had a great kids’ area, numerous bounce houses and obstacle courses, but everything else was overpriced, long lines, and there was real Trumpy vibe to the whole thing.  Not the lighthearted and friendly crowd from Saturday. A lot of the booths were political (aren’t we all sick of that?) and kind of hateful, and there were surprisingly few strawberries.  There was a long line to pay $8 for a styrofoam bowl with strawberry shortcake in it. Nah. Little Miss did get some gorgeous, glittery face paint though.
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  We stayed for the parade which was basically every fire truck on the Eastern Shore and some Shriners.  We came home and the grandgirl jumped in her pool and Mickey grilled burgers for dinner.  Good day.
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Tomorrow we’ll drive to Rehobeth Beach to visit BrowseAbout Books and enjoy some readings and Q&A with David Sedaris.  All of this is more than we usually do in a month and I’m tired.  I’m not doing a darn thing today. I tossed in some laundry but that’s it.  I did wipe a couple baseboards, but that’s really it. I have resisted the urge to do anything else.  We have leftovers so I’m not even cooking dinner.  Well, I’ve got some Georgia sweetcorn that I’ll cook, but everything else is already in the frig.  Mickey picked out a great watermelon so I may just have corn and melon for dinner.  It’s enough. That’s all the news that is news from the Pullen homestead.  In June we have Tyler’s birthday and Father’s Day, in July we’ll celebrate our 39th wedding anniversary, I think we’re in the clear for August, in September I’ll turn 60 (omg!!), and in October we fly off to Ireland!  After that there won’t be much of 2023 left.  Seems to be whizzing by faster than usual.  Is that what getting old feels like?  I’m not a fan, so I’m just going to enjoy this day. I’m going to listen to the birds sing, read a good book, maybe work on a little craft ,and make the most of this handful of hours.  That’s all a life is, right, moments strung together? I’ll build a happy life one moment at a time. Wishing you all of the happy moments your heart can stand.  Little ones, big ones, even moments of sighing and thinking,“this is nice” - that can be a cool drink on a sunny patio or a long soak in a steamy bath.  It all adds up.  Sending out love, grab it if you need it.
Stay safe, stay well, enjoy the moments. XOXO - Nancy
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Hey there peeps—Do you like cryptids, dark humor, and urban fantasy? Then read on for some exciting news from Painting Dragon Feathers!
(It’s a slightly long read, so feel free to skip down to the cryptid part)
As some peeps may already be aware if you crossed paths with me at these last couple of summer conventions, I have decided to step back and take a sabbatical from conventions until summer 2024. I love doing shows, meeting new people inspired by their fandoms, and admiring all your cool cosplays—but with a full convention schedule, most of my creating time was dedicated to restocking my EXTERMELY popular Poke’Terrariums and other creature terrariums. While I do continue to enjoy honing my diorama skills making them, especially with highly creative commission requests, I was, frankly, getting burned out a bit with making almost solely Poke’Terrariums; as the best-sellers and the ones putting bread on my table, they were my highest priority for convention crafting.
THANK YOU ALL for some of the best cons I’ve had this past year—Katsucon, Scifi Valley Con, Otakon, and Momentocon all broke record sales for us! Your enthusiasm and encouragement of my works, whether by taking home pieces or just compliementing both my fanart and originals have given me the confidence and support to regroup and turn my focus on to some exciting new projects over the next few months:
1: I will continue tackling all commissions I received at the summer shows. THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH for your support by commissioning me to make you some amazing terrariums from your requests! I cannot express my gratitude enough as these commissions will help support the Painting Dragon Feathers studio during the break from conventions.
Poke’Terrarium commissions will reopen online to the public once I’ve wrapped up my queue from conventions, which at this point, will probably be very late in 2023 or early 2024. In the meantime, existing stock is still available at the Painting Dragon Feathers online shop—with some new tarot decks coming in soon—and a whole bunch of other types of commissions from tattoo design to book illustration to character cards/sheets are currently available.
2: Since I’ve gotten into 3D printing, I plan on learning digital sculpting so I can sculpt and 3D print some new original creatures for new kinds of art pieces, mythozoological speciemens, and terrariums.
3: Finish unpacking boxes and setting up my studio from moving, and finishing off a couple of other house projects—we’ve been living without ceiling trim LIKE HEATHENS. There has also been some stalling on unpacking thanks to some surprise water issues in the studio space recently, but it should hopefully be resolved soon.
4: I wanna make a new panel or two, specifically about how to write/create a great villain. Cause sometimes it’s good to be bad.
5: Revaluate and restructure my social media presence a bit. I want to have more of a work/life/social media balance with more focus on creating time, and with so many corners of the internet kind of on fire, and my darn instagram getting hacked and stolen, it’s been kindof a mess….I’m considering setting up a newsletter for direct, periodic updates, including—
Last but not least,
—THE CRYPTID PART—
I am currently finishing what should be the final draft for my young adult cryptid novel, CRYPTOZOO.
What is CRYPTOZOO about? Here’s the elevator pitch:
“The creatures of the X-FILES meets the 4th wall wit of DEADPOOL as a plucky Chupacabra searches for her missing Sasquatch father. Reluctantly teaming up with their mutual drinking buddy, the Jersey Devil, they must masquerade as humans in New York City, where troubling clues and prophecies from the Mothman hint the missing Sasquatch may have fallen into the clutches of cryptid hunters.”
I received some great professional feedback from freelance editor Lorin Oberweger, and after some extensive reworkings of the outline (which admittedly took a bit longer than anticipated since I have been moving house and dealing with other major life changes) I am sitting down to rewrite and polish the story. Once I get the story all wrapped up, line-edited, and print-worthy, my goal is to have physical books, ebooks, and audiobooks available by Scifi Valley Con 2024. Maybe even some CRYPTOZOO/Cryptid-themed merch as well. *fingers crossed* As potential book readers and cryptid lovers, let me know what kind of goodies you’d like to see.
I also intend to make some cool book trailers as I progress in the project, so this neat little animation above was me experimenting with Procreate and Videoleap. I can’t wait to share Cleo the Chupacabra’s story with ya’ll—so if you want keep up with updates and me navigating indie publishing, follow along Painting Dragon Feathers for the ride.
Cheers,
JD
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niqhtlord01 · 3 years
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Destiny II Banter Part 3 Thought it fitting to continue the series with this weeks season cutscene reveal :3 Ikora: Have you heard!? Drifter: That Shaxx Shack was temporarily banned for all the riots? Drifter: Yeah, darn shame; been craving a Shaxx ka baba something bad lately. Ikora: NO! Ikora: That crow is Uldren! Drifter: Oh that; yeah I knew that weeks ago. Ikora: YOU WHAT?!? Drifter: Old eight legs wasn’t exactly hiding him behind a curtain when he had him running his errands on the shore. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Saint: So who is this “Uldren”? Shaxx: He is a skilled warrior of the reef and brother to the awoken queen. Shaxx: Some time ago he was the most hated man among the guardians for killing Cayde-6. Saint: Many I have spoken to still despise him for this and spit at the mention of his name. Shaxx: Well tell them to stop the next time you see them. Shaxx: It makes the floors disgustingly sticky. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Holiday: Was wondering when the beans would finally be spilled. Osiris: You do not seem surprised at this revelation. Holiday: It wasn’t exactly the best disguise to begin with honey. Osiris: Nonsense! Osiris: I picked it out myself and I thought it was perfect! Holiday: Kinda proving my point, aint’cha? ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Crow: You are taking my identity much better than I thought you would. Zavala: Had you stood before me two years ago I would have thrown you from the walls myself and watched you plummet the entire way down. Crow: What changed? Zavala: *Looking up at the traveler* Zavala: I guess I did… --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Shaxx: It is a surprise to speak to you without the mask on. Shaxx: I had just gotten used to it. Crow: I won’t miss it. Crow: It kept nudging in all the wrong places and I had to worry if every time I tilted the thing would fall off. Crow: Honestly I don’t see how someone could spend their whole life behind a mask. *Suddenly realizes who he is talking to* Crow: I …ugh….didn’t mean… Shaxx: Why are you looking at me like that? Crow: Well with your helmet- Shaxx: Helmet!? Shaxx: *laughs* Shaxx: *Puts arm on Crow’s shoulder and points to his helmet* Shaxx: You have much to learn little bird! Shaxx: This IS my face. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ikora: How can you be handling this so lightly!? Drifter: Would you prefer I flipped over a few tables and grumbled more? Ikora: He killed Cayde! Ikora: And yet you sound as if you want to drink with him!!! Drifter: Doesn’t that guardian code thing of yours say what happened in a previous life doesn’t matter? Ikora: Don’t you dare lecture me on being a guardian! Drifter: I would find that rather hard to when you flip flop on which rules count and which ones you can break when you feel like it. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Saint: You say this, Uldren, has a sister yes? Shaxx: That is correct. Saint: Is she single? Shaxx: What? Saint: I am asking if she has betrothed or not. Shaxx: Why would that possibly interest you? Saint: You get lonely when trapped in a holographic forest for a few centuries. Shaxx: I’m afraid she has eyes on another. Saint: Who? Shaxx: Me! Saint: *Laughs* Saint: What makes you think that? Shaxx: There was a time when she kidnapped me to read her Shakespeare. Saint: So this queen kidnaps you and you think it love? Shaxx: What else could it be? Saint: Your naivety is both amusing and deeply concerning my friend. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Osiris: How have you been faring? Saint: It is as if I had not been gone at all. Osiris: I find your adaptivity somewhat fascinating. Saint: The city may be different, but what goes on outside is more or less the same. Saint: Fallen gathering under tattered banners, cabal waring for power and glory, the songs of the hive deafening the night, and the darkness creeping in ever closer. Osiris: When you put it like that it does sound as if nothing has changed at all. Saint: We have changed my friend. Saint: And because of that, we can change anything. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Crow: *Wandering the shore* *Whispering from behind*: Is it truly you? Crow: *Spins around and draws gun* Crow: Who’s there? Crow: Show yourself! *Figure steps from the shadows* Figure: It is you….my eyes do not deceive me…… Crow: Have we met before? Figure: We have…. Fanatic: father…… ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ikora: I am going to Zavala and I will have that murder banished from the city by days end! Drifter: And what about Shaxx? Ikora: Shaxx? Drifter: Ever notice he never takes off his helmet, like he’s hiding from his past if he never has to look himself in the mirror? Drifter: He’s a warlord of the fall; you don’t think he has a closet of skeletons from those days? Ikora: That’s nonsense. Drifter: Then what about Osiris? Ikora: Osiris? What about him? Drifter: Last I recall he was banished by the consensus never to return, yet he walks freely in and out of the city. Ikora: That is not related at all! Drifter: He’s breaking the rules and you turn a blind eye because he’s useful. Ikora: He didn’t murder our friends! Drifter: In case you haven’t been paying attention lately we’re in a whole sea of madness right now. Drifter: Outside these walls half our planets suddenly vanished out of thin air! Drifter: Fallen tampering with darkness in the name of some revenge fetish! Drifter: Hive monsters calling out to their worn god things, and Cabal ripping each other to shreds for glory of another war! Drifter: Now is not the time to be picky about who stands beside you. Drifter: Now is the time to ride out the storm and stay alive. Drifter: And believe me sister, we’re going to need all the help we can get.
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scatterpatter · 3 years
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"Where's the essay OP" Said no one, and yet here I am
Lampy isn't stupid, he's neruodivergent: a rushed-together masterpost
Disclaimer: I'm not a liscened medical professional but I'm neurodivergent who's close to many neurodivergent people so I know when certain traits strike me as very familiar... Also tblt is my comfort movie I've seen it probably over 100 times, not exaggerating, so if anyone here's an expert on it, it's me.
I'm only going by the first movie because while To The Rescue and Goes To Mars probably have evidence to back me up, I don't feel like sitting down to watch them as I don't have them as memorized as the original
Point #1: Lampy is arguably the most intelligent appliance in the movie
Honestly it apalls me that so many are convinced that Lampy is an idiot when he displays some of the most intelligent traits in the movie. I'll just list off some of the most important scenes that show this
1: When discussing a way to get to the city, Lampy comes up with plans that end up failing, true. But we should also consider that not only did Radio and Toaster come up with bad plans before deciding on the swivel chair, but 2/3 of Lampy's ideas involved the same mechanic: on something with wheels(yes the mattress had wheels for some reason) being powered by Kirby
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2: "From here you can see the really big lamp!" This scene is simply due to the appliances being sheltered from the outside world. Lampy displays the same level of naive-ness as everyone else: Radio seems earnest in calling the sun a "really big lamp", and Kirby calls the grass "shag carpet". Lampy is not at a lower intelligence in this scene, he's exactly at the same level as everyone else
3: The scene with the storm really sells his intelligence. The appliances have a rudimentary understanding of electricity, most likely from being appliances, but Lampy displays an excelled level of understanding by sacrificing himself for the battery. He understands that batteries are powered by electricity, lightning is electricity, and by using himself as a lightning rod, he acts as the conductive metal to easily transfer this energy from the bolt to the battery. Technically this should have overcharged and fried the battery but we'll suspend disbelief for the sake of this movie.
4: He knew that stacking the appliances to roughly human height, creating a dark environment with ominous sounds, and putting Toaster at eye-level to scare the human with his own reflection... Again, this is an intelligent understanding of how to scare a human
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5: It's unclear on whose idea it was to look up Rob in a phone book, however this shows that not only can Lampy read(most likely picked up from being Rob's reading light), ESPECIALLY when Toaster struggles to read, but also has an understanding of phone books, addresses, and finding humans based on family names. I cannot stress how intelligent this is for a sentient desk lamp
There's a few more minor examples, but these are the biggest cases. Lampy is intelligent.
Point #2: Lampy struggles with social cues and doesn't empathize as easily as others
My biggest point here is when people think neruodivergents are "dumb" for having trouble picking up on things like sarcasm when that just... isn't the case. A few notable examples include:
1: When Air Conditioner says "You're a real bright little lamp", Lampy doesn't pick up the sarcasm and thinks he's being complimented. Though he definitely shows a level of emotional intelligence because he looks to Toaster to confirm "hey I was complimented", sees they're still looking angry, and gets the hint that he was insulted without someone needing to explicitly tell him that, to which he then responds with "Heyyy >:("
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2: Sometimes he's able to read the room and pick up on tones, but other times he shows a level of emotional density. Legitimately not knowing if Rob had returned even when seeing Blanky disappointed to the point of near tears... But then knowing "brains wouldnt hurt either" was a jab at their intelligence and reacting with appropriate annoyance... But also when Radio says "Things could be worse!", doesn't realize he's just saying that to make Toaster feel better and asks "How could they be worse?"
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3: He bullies Blanky alongside Radio and the others, unclear if he's actually being a jerk or just "oh this is what everyone else is doing so this is the normal way to act", but he's legitimately confused when Toaster tries to explain why they're suddenly being nice to him. He doesn't get the "now I feel better" argument because his argument was "Well you were never this nice to him before". Even when Toaster tries to explain why it feels nice, it just doesn't click... until Toaster finds a way to explain that connects personally to Lampy's own emotional state. He has trouble empathizing until realizing "oh this is like this thing that I feel sometimes"
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4: Something I've noticed when gathering evidence is that more than once, Lampy goes "Wow..." After someone gloats about themself(Twice with Radio, once with the Computer). It's clear by the third time, when Radio goes "What does that mean?" And Lampy responds "I don't know. [To Computer] What does that mean?" That he doesn't even know what's being gloated about, let alone why he should be impressed. He has the emotional intelligence to recognize when someone's gloating and the "appropriate" response of amazement, but it seems like it never comes from a place of earnest. (While Neurotypicals can and do engage in "performative" behavior, I tend to notice this way more commonly with neurodivergents)
Also the "wow..." Performative thing is VERY reminiscent of Peridot from Steven Universe(a characters who many autistic fans see themselves in and the creator herself saying she doesn't consider Peridot or any of the gems to be neurotypical) going "wow thanks" as her default "this is how I've been taught to show gratitude" response
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Point #3: Miscellaneous traits that could be neurodivergent
These traits COULD be interpreted as neurodivergent, but I will admit they could also be interpreted as something else so like take these with a grain of salt
1: Lampy appears to have sensory needs. When sleeping, he needs to tap a rock a few times(presumably to make sure it's "right") before clonking his head on it. It's interesting because rocks aren't a very "lamp" thing whatsoever, and none of the other appliances look for pillow-ish objects to rest on, so this could be a sensory thing.
2: Lampy has an interesting vocal quirk: repetition of phrases at the beginning and end of a sentence. Instances include "How exactly do you propose we do that, exactly?" "All of a sudden you're being so darn nice to him all of a sudden" "The fact is there's just not enough facts" The third one is a bit of a stretch but the first two seem to indicate a possible pattern of speech. Part of me wants to say this could be a verbal tic or some type of verbal stimming, but I've never met anyone who has a tic or stim like this so I can't say it's a neurodivergent thing with confidence, but I wanted to mention this quirk regardless.
3: Physically saying how he feels. Two instances where multiple characters are laughing, Lampy speaks while laughing "That's funny - I'm dying!" "I'm aching with joy!". It's just interesting that no one else speaks while laughing and for whatever reason, Lampy needs to verbalize "Yes I find this very funny" as if simply laughing along isn't enough. I've seen somewhat similar stuff in neurodivergents who have issues expressing emotions implicitly so they state them explicitly instead.
4: I've noticed Lampy isn't touchy... except with Radio. Some neurodivergent people can have issues with physical contact, which could explain that. But I've also noticed that Radio also gives me huge neurodivergent vibes... But more importantly Radio is extremely touchy with everyone, Lampy included, hence them often getting into physical fights but also just- tapping them or wrapping a cord around the other and pulling him close(they're so in love but that's a post on its own). A possible explanation is Lampy having issues with touching others, but either feels comfortable being touchy with Radio(due to emotional bonds and trust) or simply recognizes "Radio likes being touchy so I should be touchy back". A stretch of an argument, I'll admit, but I think the interpretation is there and valid.
In conclusion
I mean idk if Lampy was written to be neurodivergent or if the writers just wanted him to be "quirky" and accidentally gave him a lot of neurodivergent traits, but he reads as very neurodivergent to me(probably autistic or adhd but I'm not a professional and can't diagnose him). But while I can chalk up neruodivergency being one of many possible interpretations of his character, I WILL argue that he's not "stupid" given the evidence we see throughout the movie
Tl;Dr: Lampy is evidently intelligent, but sometimes struggles with social cues, empathy, and overall shows numerous traits of neurodivergency
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fakeikemen · 4 years
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The "Cave of Two Lovers" foreshadows the Zutara interactions in "Crossroads of Destiny"
[And maybe after that too; (yeah this part will be purely based on speculation)]
(See also: A meta that everybody has already written but I haven't because I was living under a rock and watched Avatar very recently)
Like seriously, it is so obvious? I see people try to interpret "The Legend Of Oma and Shu" in so many other ways; like yeah, you're free to interpret it however you want but— most people try to make sense of it while thinking that the tale is just a random occurrence? But it's not.
And here's why:
(I'm so sorry, I tried to add the "keep reading" link here because this gets kinda long but it just won't work) (Also click on the pictures if you want better resolution).
The tale of Oma and Shu is about two lovers who belonged to villages that were at war against each other. To continue meeting each other, they learnt earthbending to create caves in the mountain that divides the two villages. But one day Shu didn't come to the caves. He'd died in the war. So Oma unleashed a terrifying display of her power. And then when people were willing to listen to her, she called off the war and strived for peace between both the villages. As a result the city of Omashu was created— as a monument in remembrance of their love.
So in comparison:
1. Two people belonging to the opposite sides of the war
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(Other than the 100 year old war that has been going on, Zuko and Katara are involved in a very fundamental conflict: Capture the Avatar Vs. Protect the Avatar.)
2. With the same colour scheme:
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3. Share intimate moments in a cave lit by green crystals:
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A popular argument for this comparison is that; Oma and Shu had a positive impressions of each other when they first met. Unlike Zuko and Katara where Katara's first impression of Zuko was pretty negative because he invaded her village.
Zuko and Katara's first proper conversation happens in "Crossroads of Destiny" i.e.; the scene I'm talking about here. After this interaction that they have, I think it's safe to say that they did have positive impressions of each other. (Until Zuko made the wrong choice.)
Other than that, about the colour scheme being a coincidence: Here and here are posts by @marsreds about how the colours are definitely not a coincidence.
But seriously guys? Oma and Shu were the FIRST EARTHBENDERS and yet, instead of greens and yellows they were designed with RED and BLUE?!? (I'll take about Oma's green dress below.)
And on that note, why were Zuko and Katara the only ones who were thrown into the catacombs when everybody else was being held at the dungeons? The dungeons wouldn't have been easy to escape, neither for Zuko nor for Katara.
It's because Zuko and Katara were meant to share an intimate moment in a cave that was supposed to jog our visual memory to remind us of the caves built by Oma and Shu.
(Seriously though, I wasn't really paying attention during CoTL and thought that the Omashu legend was just put in to consume screen time, so I missed the red/blue thing. But then I watched CoD and saw the catacombs and I was like: "Isn't this like that cave made by the lovers?" And then I proceeded to have an oh shit moment because, I knew that Zutara was not canon so I never even considered the possibility of the narrative hinting at anything between them but then this happened. I mean, it's pretty darn obvious).
The colour of the crystals being the same in both caves is no coincidence either— if they just wanted two random caves with crystals, then they could've used a different colour because crystals of different colours exist:
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Moving on,
The Visual Cues:
According to the colour coding Zuko = Oma (red) and Katara = Shu (blue).
So,
EXHIBIT A:
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I feel like this one speaks for itself.
(I personally think that in this parallel Oma is in red because Katara at this point still sees Zuko as the face of the Fire Nation.)
EXHIBIT B:
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This sequence of frames show Oma (dressed in green, like Zuko was in the catacombs) and Shu (dressed in his usual blue), standing on neutral territory and reaching out to each other and then being torn apart by the war.
Pretty much like:
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The first time they are in each other's presence without the cause of their conflict (i.e. the Avatar), Zuko and Katara reach out to each other empathetically and attain bone deep understanding of each other within a matter of minutes. This whole encounter is in Ba Sing Se, which counts for the neutral territory because it hadn't been completely taken over by Fire Nation at that point.
And honestly? The raw vulnerability and intimacy of this scene and the high emotional energy of their powerful dynamic is just— wow. (I put off my binging spree for a whole day because I didn't have the heart to see Zutara not become canon after all of this.)
And soon after, Zuko and Katara face each other in battle, their tentative friendship torn apart, as they fight from their respective sides of the war.
EXHIBIT C:
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Whenever Oma and Shu appear in the same frame during the visualization of the legend, Oma is always on the left half of the frame and Shu is on the right.
Similarly, throughout all their interactions in the Catacombs, whenever the frame exclusively includes Zuko and Katara, Zuko (like Oma) is on the left half of the frame and Katara (like Shu) is on the right.
The parallels (or foils rather):
#1
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In CoTL, we see Song who is a healer (cures Iroh of his poisoning). She mentions that she hasn't seen her father since a Fire Nation raid took place in her village. Zuko empathises with her and says that he too hasn't seen his father in a long while. But then he refuses to say anything else about it.
Later Song tries to reach out to Zuko and tries to touch his scar— which Zuko prevents her from. She shows Zuko her own scars to show that she understood him.
And yet, Zuko doesn't open up to her.
After a while of life-changing and eye-opening experiences, in CoD, when Katara has her meltdown and cries while saying that her mother was snatched away from her by the Fire Nation; Zuko sees an opening to offer an olive branch and he takes it, he empathises with her and tells her that how his mother was snatched away by the Fire Nation as well.
Then Zuko opens up to Katara in a show of complete vulnerability. He openly talks about his scar and what he feels about it. In response, Katara offers to heal his scar and then Zuko lets her touch his scar.
It was nothing but a deliberate choice to make Song slightly parallel Katara (a healer, lost a parent because of the war) and then making Zuko not open up to her and not let her touch the scar, only for Katara to be the one he opened up to and allowed to touch the scar.
#2
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After being trapped with Aang in the cave in CoTL and sharing an intimate moment with him, as soon as they find their way out, Katara runs straight ahead without looking back.
But after her time with Zuko, trapped in the Catacombs in CoD, while leaving she turns back to look at Zuko.
Judging by the amount of time the animation puts into showing us Aang's disappointment at Katara running off and into making it clear that Katara did look back at Zuko and that Zuko looked right back at her, to me, it feels like the choice to show this was pretty deliberate.
(Turning back to look at a person while leaving is a romantic trope that has been overused to death? Or is it just bollywood?)
Also I wouldn't have paid this much attention to this small detail if not for the fact that just a hint of the Omashu legend theme is played here?
No, I swear I'm not making it up.
The Omashu legend theme is used in CoD:
The Omashu legend theme is largely dominated by the music of a stringed instrument (forgive me, I don't know what it's called) alongwith a steady melody playing in the background.
In CoD, when Katara and Zuko start conversing for real, (i.e.; when Katara says: "I'm sorry I yelled at you.") what sounds like a variation of the background melody in the Omashu legend theme, starts its subtle ascent as the background score, but sans the music of the stringed instrument.
It is when Katara says: "Maybe you could be free of it." [About Zuko's scar], when then first hint of the stringed instrument is heard. It is only a single note of the strings but it's there. And this "single note" sound keeps on repeating at regular intervals with the melody building up until Aang and Iroh burst into the catacombs.
But then, when Katara is leaving with Aang and she turns back to look at Zuko, this time the music that plays for a few seconds at best, is dominated by the stringed instrument again and this time it's unmistakable.
Also I don't think this music is used anywhere else in the course of the whole show? So it can't really be a coincidence? But I don't really know. I'm saying this on the basis of as far as my memory can reach.
And this is as far as canon stands testimony to what I am trying to say here.
But what about the second half of the story yk, the dying thing, you say?
Well this is where the speculations come in.
Speculation Time:
#1
As a thumb rule, a romance foreshadowed by a tragic tale is meant to have a happy ending.
So this time when Katara's (Shu) life is in danger (Azula's lightning bolt), Zuko (Oma) steps in at the nick of time to save her life (by jumping infront of Katara to intercept the lightning).
(Since I have crossed the limit of images in a post, here is a post by @araeph which illustrates this point.)
Yes, I am completely aware that Zuko taking the lightning bolt for Katara is not his declaration of love for her. What I mean to say is that the whole scene was so very painfully obviously romantically framed (the immediate change in music when Zuko realises where the lightning bolt was headed, both of their expressions, Zuko's agonized "Nooooo", the slow-mo throughout the shot).
I am also aware that Zuko would've taken the lightning bolt for anyone. But it is the narrative that demands that Zuko take the lightning bolt for Katara and Katara only. Because this has atleast 10 different payoffs (a direct callback to the Book 2 finale where Azula had shot Aang with the lightning; the grief of which was for Katara to bear but this time Zuko himself stands between the lightning and Katara instead of being the silent spectator, the culmination of both Zuko and Katara's personal character arcs, Zuko's scar would parallel Aang's: Aang got it because he chose Katara over the world and Zuko got it because he was willing to give up the world to save Katara, etc, etc).
Tl;dr: The lightning scene wouldn't hold all that much weight if it wasn't Zuko taking the hit for Katara because the narrative literally demands it.
#2
This is where we start wading into really murky waters.
From mucking around on Tumblr due to Zutara feels™, I came across this post where some of the ideas for Book 4 were written:
• The Southern Water Tribe experienced the longest series of attacks from the Fire Nation. Zuko and Katara become political partners and work together to help end the animosity and repair relations between their two nations.
• Just like how Zuko learned to appreciate the Earth Kingdom, he would learn to appreciate the Water Tribes. Katara also learns to respect the complexity of Fire Nation culture. There is no such thing as an “evil” nation.
And that basically means that Zuko and Katara would've been working together to de-escalate the hostility between their respective nations and improve the relations between the two nations, while learning about each other's cultures simultaneously as the world would be in the process of being rebuilt after the war and they would be major role-players in shaping the new world.
Which is quite similar to how Oma strived for peace between the two villages and then as a result of the improved relations between the villages, the city of Omashu was built as a monument to the love story of Oma and Shu; which might just be symbolic of building a new world where both the villages could live in peace due to the initiative taken by Oma on behalf of herself and Shu.
The story would've come a full circle; that's all I'm saying.
If you've stuck around for this long, thank you for taking the time to read this long ass post with points that you may already have read ♥️
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shireness-says · 3 years
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Seeking Shelter, Seeking Solace [1/3]
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Summary: 1895. Emma Swan answers an ad in the paper from a man looking for a wife in order to flee Boston - only to arrive in rural Storybrooke, Minnesota and discover that her intended husband is dead. Left with no other options, Emma takes a position at the local tavern alongside the sullen, dark-haired barkeep with demons of his own. But what will she do when the forces she’s worked so hard to escape reappear in the new life she’s building, forcing her to turn to this unlikely savior for aid? ~8.6k. Rated M for suggestive content. Also on Ao3.
~~~~~
A/N: Every year, my mother insists we watch “Sarah, Plain and Tall” because she thinks it’s a great tradition and doesn’t quite understand that she’s the only one that loves it. So last time, I plotted this in my head instead of watching: CS fic inspired by that story. 
Thanks, as always, go to my wonderful beta, @snidgetsafan​. 
Tagging the interested parties (and let me know if you’re one of those!): @welllpthisishappening​, @thisonesatellite​, @let-it-raines​, @kmomof4​, @scientificapricot​, @ohmightydevviepuu​, @profdanglaisstuff​, @thejollyroger-writer​, @superchocovian​, @teamhook​, @optomisticgirl​, @winterbaby89​, @searchingwardrobes​, @katie-dub​, @snowbellewells​, @spartanguard​, @phiralovesloki​, @initiala​​, @revanmeetra87​​, @quirkykayleetam​​, @captain-emmajones​​, @hollyethecurious​​, @officerrogers​​, @lfh1226-linda, @jrob64, @therooksshiningknight.
Enjoy - and let me know what you think!
~~~~~
Emma can’t help but fidget in her seat as her train tears across the Midwestern landscape. Though this was her choice, she still can’t help but be nervous; after all, this is a very different world from Boston, the only home she’s ever known. She’s used to bustling streets and the lap of the waves against the docks at the harbor, not these miles after miles of plains and crop fields. It’s almost enough to make her second guess this whole thing.
It’s not a mistake though, she knows. She’d needed to get out of Boston, as quickly as possible, and this had been the best of a variety of bad options. Emma has never been particularly romantic, even as a little girl, but in the few imaginings she’d allowed herself of her future, answering a newspaper ad for a wife had never factored in. Then again, her fantasies had never anticipated the particular situation she’s trying to escape: a man who wouldn’t hear no, who was willing to pursue her relentlessly, from city to city, always a threat on her tail. The security of marriage, and of distance, had only made sense. And then again, she’s never been sentimental ; true love isn’t something she anticipated in a union, or even particularly believed in, for that matter. 
The man she’s travelling to meet seems kind, she consoles herself with knowing. Emma hadn’t been particularly picky in selecting a man from the handful of querants in the paper, but Graham Humbert seems to be a good one. He’s the sheriff of a small town in Minnesota, who found himself lonely and wanting companionship.
I can darn my own socks and cook my own dinner, though neither with any exemplary skill, he had written. I’m not looking for someone to look after me in that way, regardless of what my friends’ wives think; I’d hire a lady to do the cleaning if that was the issue. I’m searching for someone to speak with at the end of a long day, someone to listen and to laugh with. I don’t believe myself to be a sweeping romantic, but I will be happy to give and receive a kind of gentle affection. Maybe we can come to love each other in time; I would be happy with that too, though I am not counting on it. 
She’d liked that about him, that amiable practicality so evident even in his letters. It’s what had made her agree to travel to Minnesota with the intent to marry him, really - the feeling that they viewed a union in the same way. There will be a trial period, of course, a month during which to decide whether the two of them will suit each other before anything is formalized - but Emma is determined to make it work. What other choice does she have?
The train will be pulling into Storybrooke soon - a tiny dot on the map, where Emma doubts anyone else will be alighting. All of her belongings have been tightly packed into two measly carpetbags in order to, hopefully, start a new life. Maybe it’s foolish, but Emma had splurged on a new, sleek jacket before she’d left the city, a cheery blue to pair with her navy skirt and white blouse in an attempt to impress. Mostly, she wants to look neat more than anything else: a capable woman, one who won’t be afraid to adapt to a new life with a minimum of fuss, one who won’t make Sheriff Humbert’s life more difficult. Pretty is of secondary concern.
She sees the town coming long before the train pulls into the tiny station, roofs and chimneys rising above the flat landscape and copious corn fields. Somewhere in this state, she knows, are hundreds and thousands of lakes; however, they’re nowhere to be seen here. Storybrooke itself is a bare cluster of buildings seeming to group around a single main street, with homesteads and farm plots doubtlessly stretching out to the surrounding area. It’s a whole different world from what she’s used to, but that’s the entire point, really; no one will think to look for her here, in the rural midwest as the wife of a sheriff. 
When the train finally pulls into what passes for a station, a single cramped building with barely enough room for a ticket office and a luggage closet, a man is waiting on the platform, sheltered from the late-spring sun by an awning off the station roof. The star-shaped badge on his coat and the way he shifts nervously from foot to foot make Emma think this must be the anticipated Sheriff Humbert. His hair is rather more golden than the sandy blonde-brown color Mr. Humbert had tried to describe in his letters, but Emma supposes that’s to be expected. She likely didn’t give a perfect description of her appearance either. 
Quickly, she gathers her bags and alights to the station platform with the assistance of a young porter. The man waiting quickly doffs his hat, playing with the brim in another nervous gesture. “Miss Swan?”
Carefully, Emma arranges her face into something she hopes passes as an amiable smile. “Yes, that’s me. And you’ll be Sheriff Humbert, I presume?”
“I - well, no,” the man who isn’t Graham Humbert stutters out. “I’m David Nolan, actually. One of the deputies here.”
Unexpected - but there are countless excellent reasons that Deputy Nolan might be sent instead. Trouble can happen even in a small town, dozens of minor disputes that can somehow only be settled by the sheriff himself. “In that case, it’s a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Nolan. I must admit, I was expecting Mr. Humbert. Pardon my mistake.”
“About that —” Deputy Nolan cuts himself off, looking curiously uncomfortable. It sets Emma a bit on edge, but there’s no way to dance around it - not when she doesn’t have all the information.
“Yes?”
Deputy Nolan swallows heavily, visibly, his fingers tightening around the brim of his hat again before he drags his eyes to meet hers. “I’m sorry to tell you, Miss Swan, but Graham - Sheriff Humbert - died two days ago.”
Of all the things she thought he might say, all the ways she imagined this might go, that certainly wasn’t one of them. 
———
“It wasn’t anything violent, or related to his job,” Deputy - well, now Sheriff Nolan tells Emma once he’s led her to a seat in Storybrooke’s one and only bar, the Sherwood Tavern. Emma finds herself grateful for the glass of dark liquor the man behind the bar slides to her without asking; after this shock, she could certainly use it. “He just collapsed. Graham had been bothered by periodic chest pains for… as long as I can remember, really. We figure it just finally caught up to him.”
Emma nods at the words, not sure what to say. It’s all jarring, really, sad for the loss of who she believes had been a good man, but it’s hard to muster much emotion. She had only known him through letters, carefully crafted missives in which they had doubtlessly both tried to show the best sides of themselves; she doesn’t have the same attachment to the man as Nolan, and everyone else in town, understandably did. Her grief is for plans and possibilities never realized, for the idea of a man instead of the genuine article. 
“We know you came out here specifically with the intent of marrying Graham. There’s not much other reason to come to Storybrooke,” Sheriff Nolan comments with a laugh. “Graham’s savings and property are set to go to the town, but we’d be happy to buy you a ticket back to Boston. It’s the least we can do, when you turn out to have come all this way for nothing but disappointment.”
It’s a kind offer, really. There’s no reason for Emma to stay, after all, and Storybrooke doesn’t have much to offer. But even if Emma hadn’t needed to escape Boston… there’s nothing there to pull her back. No family, and only a single friend. She isn’t even attached to the city, though it’s all she’s ever known. Returning to Boston would be returning to a sparse boarding house room and a life spent looking over her shoulder. Here - well, there’s no promises, but Emma would be willing to bet it’s not any worse. 
“If you don’t mind,” she responds carefully, “I’d prefer to stay. There’s nothing for me back in Boston either, believe it or not. This may not be permanent, but… for the time being, I’d prefer to stay.”
“Then we’ll be happy to welcome you.”
———
And they are. Sheriff Nolan takes her down the street to the boarding house run by a Mrs. Lucas and her granddaughter over their family’s pharmacy, where both women welcome her with open arms. Ruby Lucas, the granddaughter, is tall and willowy, every inch of her full of personality, and her grandmother is a gruff old lady poorly hiding an enormous affection for her loud-spoken granddaughter. Emma can practically see the moment Mrs. Lucas - “That’s Granny to you, girl, only strangers and enemies call me Mrs. Lucas” - absorbs her into their little fold. The room they provide is small, but clean and bright; Emma is more than agreeable to the small fee she’ll owe to rent the room each month, especially knowing that breakfast and dinner are included in the rent. 
Storybrooke is exactly the quiet little town it appeared to be from the train. Besides the bar and the pharmacy and the sheriff’s station, there’s a general store and a post office, a bank and a rudimentary library. There are a handful of other buildings too - Emma’s been told that one houses the doctor’s office - but she hasn’t had cause or need to learn them. Perhaps in time, she’ll learn all the ins and outs of who belongs where in this little place. It seems inevitable; after all, that’s small town life, even when so many of the so-called residents live further out on isolated farmsteads. 
As much as Granny seems to immediately see Emma as her ward, Ruby Lucas seems to view it as her duty to introduce Emma to Storybrooke’s small social scene, and attacks the task with gusto. Even if it’s just a small circle - Mary Margaret Nolan, Sheriff Nolan’s wife; Belle Gold, the town librarian; and Elsa Jones, whose husband operates the general store - Emma finds herself somewhat overwhelmed by the attention. She’s never had this before, not really; there hadn’t been much of a chance to make friends, growing up in an orphanage. There’d only really been August, who she’s come to view more as a brother than anything else. It will take some getting used to, having this number of people eager for her company and opinion.
(There’s an argument to be made, Emma supposes, that Neal had been a friend, too - but he’d been a lover, more than that, and then he’d been gone. It’s hard to justify counting him, even in her pathetically brief list.)
“It’s so nice to have a new face about town,” Mrs. Nolan - Mary Margaret gushes as she leads Emma arm-in-arm down the street to the library. “Not that there’s anything wrong with the familiar faces of course - oh no, of course not! But it is so nice to hear new perspectives and meet new personalities, you know? Oh, I’m just so thrilled you’re here!”
It is exhausting and touching, all at once - and just another thing Emma will learn to expect in this little town, she’s sure. She’s determined.
———
When Emma decides to stay, Sheriff Nolan offers to put some of Sheriff Humbert’s assets towards paying her room and board, but Emma refuses. It’s not that she doesn’t appreciate the offer; it’s a nice change to have someone else trying to look out for her, even if she gets the sense that David does this for everyone. However, she never even met Graham. They’d exchanged letters, had come to a rudimentary understanding, and that was all. She has no right to lay claim to any of his money on such a flimsy connection, no matter how obligated Sheriff Nolan feels to look out for her.
Emma resolves to get a job instead, to pay her own way, and only accept the help if she’s forced to. It’s not a particularly big deal; Emma has been working in one way or another since she was a teenager. She’s worked in factories, and shops, and more recently as a secretary in a bank and then a law office. Her favorite had been the stint as a companion to a wealthy invalid. Ms. Ingrid had had a sharp tongue and had loved to turn her quiet, yet cutting comments on passersby outside her townhome’s windows, often leaving Emma in fits of laughter and the older woman with a satisfied look on her face. She’d had a fondness for Emma, too; privately, one of Ms. Ingrid’s nieces had once told Emma she had lasted longer than any of the previous companions, a small compliment she couldn’t help but treasure. She’d ultimately left, shortly before the old lady died; one of Ms. Ingrid’s sister’s husbands had been making ever-more-insistent passes Emma had been struggling to dodge, and she hadn’t been needed much as Ingrid had slowly slipped away. 
(She thinks about Ms. Ingrid often, still, and the year she’d spent in that house; sometimes, Emma thinks it was one of the only times she’s ever been purely happy.)
Her opportunities for employment are limited. The general store doesn’t need additional help, and the library is barely big enough to justify one employee, let alone two. She’d played with the idea of helping out at the Sheriff’s station; with the way Sheriff Nolan seems desperate to be of assistance, for Graham’s memory if not her own sake, she’s certain he wouldn’t mind. But the fact of the matter is that this is a tiny town, with a tiny sheriff’s office to match. What would there be to do? It’s not like Boston, where there’s enough crime to produce enough paperwork to keep her busy. Sheriff Nolan himself had said that they didn’t deal with much more than petty disagreements and the occasional barfight. Even the local pickpocket had reformed and was working at the post office, running the telegraph machine. 
Instead, she turns to the Sherwood Tavern - the one place in town she’s certain gets enough business to need help. Making inquiries, she discovers that it’s owned and operated by a pair of friends: Robin Locksley, who spends most of his time just outside of town at the horse stables he runs with his wife, and Killian Jones, the sullen, dark haired man who’d been behind the bar that first afternoon when Emma had arrived. They’re an interesting pair; Mr. Locksley is all smiles and sunshine, even with that slightly roguish grin, and happy to talk about anything, while Mr. Jones barely talks at all and smiles even less. Still, it’s obvious that the two men are friends, watching the way they work around each other in the space behind the bar. Maybe that speaks well of Mr. Jones, or poorly of Mr. Locksley; Emma thinks it’s likely the former, just based on Sheriff Nolan’s own reaction to the two men. Somehow, she doesn’t think he’d allow her to take a position at an establishment run by men he didn’t trust. 
Mr. Locksley is immediately amenable to giving Emma a position as barmaid. It’s Mr. Jones who has more questions, and evidently more hesitance. Emma isn’t sure what to make of him; he’s an attractive man, objectively, with dark hair and piercing blue eyes, but his silence and moroseness are jarring, even if he seems to be a beloved member of this little town. There’s a story there, somewhere, maybe related to the scars that dominate the skin of his left hand.
“This isn’t a glamorous job, you know. It’s messy, sometimes even rowdy,” he says, studying Emma carefully where she stands in her neat skirt and shirtwaist. 
It only makes her draw up taller. “I know. I wasn’t expecting it to be. You run a bar, not a tea room.”
That gets her a faintly approving nod, at least. “Pay won’t be anything to write home about either.”
“Will it be enough to cover my room over at Granny’s?”
“Aye, it ought to be.”
“Then that’s good enough for me.”
When Jones finally gives his nod of approval, Locksley beams across at her. “Well, Ms. Swan, it looks like you have a job, and we have a barmaid. Welcome aboard.”
———
It is not remotely the life that Emma expected to find herself living, but it’s nice in its own way. There’s a pleasant routine to it all, of Granny fussing over her at mealtimes and Ruby dragging her out to socialize and keeping busy at the bar in the afternoons and evenings. It’s almost… cozy, she supposes the word is. The citizens of Storybrooke seem determined to absorb her into the fold and make her feel at home, and Emma even finds herself becoming fond of the regulars at the bar. There’s something constant and reassuring about Leroy’s complaints and the way Mr. Marco comes in for exactly one beer each night, no more than 30 minutes after sundown. Will Scarlet might be her favorite; he’s a mouthy bastard, a former thief who now inexplicably runs the post office and operates the telegraph line, but his particular brand of attitude amuses Emma and keeps her on her toes.
(It takes her approximately a week and one passing observation in the street for Emma to realize that he’s head over heels for Belle Gold, wife of the man who owns half the town, and most likely reformed his life for her. A brave man, too, then - or maybe just a fool. From what Emma understands, it’s a bad idea to get on the wrong side of Mr. Gold; he’s a manipulative man who always needs to be in control of everything and does not tolerate people standing up to him or encroaching upon his perceived territory. Emma imagines that Gold’s wife is very much included in that inventory.)
It’s usually just her and Jones and the other barkeep, Mr. Smee, working at the bar every day. Emma thinks Mr. Locksley - “Robin, please, I’m not the formal type” - might have been involved just as a favor to the other man; he’ll put in appearances every so often, especially when his business partner requests it, but he mostly seems happy to stay out at the horse farm he operates with his wife. There’s a story there, Emma’s sure - but she’s certain that she doesn’t yet have the right to ask. 
She doesn’t know what to make of Jones, really. He’s a meticulous man, and she thinks even a good one, based on the way he takes care of his establishment and is willing to patiently listen to various gripes from patrons at the bar as they work their problems out themselves. The sullen, quiet demeanor doesn’t seem like his natural state; sometimes, she catches his eyebrows twitching or the sides of his mouth trying to quirk up when one of the regulars says something suggestive, like it once would have been instinct to reach for innuendo or even jokes in the same way. She almost wonders if this is something of an emotional shield, an affectation he’s worn for so long that it’s become comfortable. Regardless, there must have been something in his past that led him here - something that’s emphasized by the careful way that Robin and Sheriff Nolan - David, now - treat him. 
Jones’ brother, Liam - who operates the general store and is Elsa’s husband - seems to be the only one that doesn’t indulge Killian’s reserved state. It intrigues Emma, and really reinforces her feeling that the younger man must not have always been like this. It’s somewhere between a matter of the elder Jones not having a tolerance of it, and trying to purposefully provoke the younger. 
“Is everything alright?” she dares to ask one afternoon after Liam Jones storms away from a discussion carried on in angry, hissed tones. 
“Fine. Liam’s just trying to control everything again.”
It’s probably a wonder she managed to get that much out of him. 
It’s hard, though, to be expected to spend so much time with a person and barely trading ten words in any given day. It makes the day longer, and the work harder. On a particularly slow day, when there’s barely a soul in the place and no longer even any cleaning left to do, Emma finds herself scrambling to break the silence, just to cut the boredom. 
It is a mistake. 
There’s a tattoo on his right forearm, usually covered by his shirt sleeve and just barely allowing hints of dark, swirling ink to peek through. Emma usually only sees the edges in flashes, when the sleeve of his shirt shifts just right as he reaches for something, but his sleeves are rolled nearly to his elbows tonight, revealing the whole work. It’s a detailed piece, one he must have gotten in Chicago or Minneapolis or some other city big enough to have an artist of talent. There’s certainly not a tattoo shop in Storybrooke, of all places. The swirls of black she’s caught glimpses of frame a heart with a jagged dagger through it, with a single word on a tattered scroll at the forefront.
“Who’s Milah?” she asks, instead of wiping down the tables for the twentieth time this evening. “On the tattoo.”
It’s like his whole body seizes - spine straightening, eyes shutting down, every inch of him infused with tension. It’s obvious she’s struck a nerve, one that affects his entire being.
“Someone from long ago,” he finally mutters, before stalking off to scrub imaginary grime off already-spotless tables.
It would be stupid to wonder what she did; that’s obvious to anyone with eyes. What she’s more confused about is why that particular question set him off. It’s obvious there’s a story there, one she doesn’t know but that must be central to the man he is. 
Robin is there that day, taking care of something in the small office at the back; without Emma even asking, he slides up next to Emma with an explanation.
“Milah was his fiancée,” he explains quietly. “She died, several years back, in a freak accident. He was driving her to town and the horse startled, flipping the whole wagon. It’s how he injured his hand, too.” Another question answered, then; Emma can see the way the scarred limb still pains him, seizing and spasming in ways that make him scowl deeper with irritation. 
“He wasn’t always like this,” Robin continues. “He used to be the most charming man you’d ever meet, always with a smile and some saucy comment. You’d have barely recognized him back then. It’s funny, and awful, what grief does to a man.”
And that explains a lot too - the way she sometimes sees his eyes flash or mouth pull like some half-forgotten instinct. That’s the look of a man who was broken, and who forced his pieces back together with the weakest glue, where things no longer fit together in the same way as they did before, even if all the fragments are there.
It is just another piece of the puzzle that is her silent coworker, but maybe the bit that makes it all make sense.
(Emma has never been much for guilt - but she can’t help but feel some small guilt for this.)
———
The thing about living in a small town, for better or worse, is that there are expectations. Despite its small size, there seem to be a million and five social functions in Storybrooke - church picnics and sewing circles and, tonight, a social and dance in Mr. Clark’s new barn. Emma could decline to attend, technically; it’s not as if she’s contractually obligated to make a showing. But Storybrooke is a tiny town, and Emma is the new face, and she’ll be thought of as unfriendly, even odd, if she doesn’t at least put in an appearance. Besides, everyone is going - and Ruby would never let her hear the end of it if she didn’t at least make an appearance. 
So she goes. She stands with Mary Margaret and David and lets Ruby pull her along and compliments Granny on her contributions to the potluck spread. She even takes a turn around the dance floor when asked, even dares to enjoy herself a little bit. 
That doesn’t mean that it doesn’t get to be too much, however. The residents of Storybrooke are all so welcoming and well-meaning, but Emma’s spent so much of her life alone, and suddenly being inundated with all this good cheer is a particular variety of overwhelming. It’s not their fault - it’s entirely hers - but Emma can’t resist slipping out the barn doors to creep around the side, seeking a quiet and solitary moment. 
It’s not to be found, however; as Emma rounds the corner, it is easy to see Jones in the light of the nearly-full moon, leaning against the wall with his head tipped back and clearly avoiding the festivities in the same way. There’s half a thought of just retreating, creeping around the other side instead, but he turns his head to meet her eyes before she has the chance.
“I’m so sorry,” she tries to apologize. “I’ll just leave you be —”
A brief smile without much feeling twitches across Jones’ face. “Hiding from the party?”
“Yes, but I can find somewhere else —”
“There’s no need. Stay.” 
Emma stays. What other choice does she have? She isn’t exactly eager to spend this time with Jones, but it would be blatantly rude to insist on leaving after he had made such a generous offer. Carefully, she props herself against the wooden wall, ignoring the way that stray splinters try to poke through her dress. 
She assumes they’ll just stand there in silence - they aren’t exactly friends, for all the time they spend together, and after the other day she’s sure he isn’t much fond of her - but Jones surprises her by breaking that silence after only a few minutes.
“I owe you an apology, Miss Swan,” he says softly, but clearly. “I’ve been less than welcoming these past weeks. I am sorry for that.”
It’s the last thing she expected him to say, and Emma has no idea how to respond. “Thank you,” she finally settles on. “I appreciate it.”
She thinks that’ll be it; that he’ll have said his piece, and they’ll go back to a more-or-less easy civility. It isn’t. “I suppose Robin, or one of the others, told you about… about Milah?” Emma nods. It’s clear this is difficult for him to speak about; she wonders a little why he’s bothering to tell her, of all people. “After she was - after she passed, I rather fell to pieces. She was gone, and the accident all but mangled my hand so it seemed like I couldn’t do much of anything with my life, and it was easier to fall into a bottle than to face my grief. Robin helped a lot, giving me something to do at the bar and eventually letting me buy into the place, but some days I still feel like all those pieces are still barely held together.”
“I understand,” Emma tells him softly, almost too softly to hear. And she does; she’d felt something of that despair when Neal had left, like she’d never find anyone or anything to compare again and there were a whole host of feelings and experiences she’d never reclaim, never experience without him. She can only imagine how much deeper that pain must run for him, when his fiancée had died and not just run away. 
“Thank you,” he says, but she can tell he doesn’t fully believe her. That’s alright; she hasn’t given him any reason to. “Anyhow. It’s been five years now, and I’m… acceptant, I suppose. I don’t anticipate being that same man I was ever again, or being able to truly move on and find someone else, but I’m not actively trying to drown all my feelings anymore, which most agree is a significant improvement.”
“Most?”
“Most,” he repeats. “I believe you’re acquainted with Mary Margaret Nolan?”
“Ah. Yes.”
“Exactly. Ah. Mrs. Nolan is a very kind woman, of course. She truly does mean well, and she and David are wonderful for each other. But she is… unbearably optimistic, if I’m being blunt. Mary Margaret is of the opinion that now that I have reached an acceptance of everything that happened with Milah - everything that I lost with Milah - that it’s time I move on, and find a new ‘happy ending.’ So when you came to town - a new face, lonely, needing help…”
Emma sees exactly where this is going. “You assumed she would immediately start trying to play matchmaker.”
“Precisely. Well, not quite assumed; I’ve known Mary Margaret long enough that it was more like knew.”
“And you decided to head it off before it even started.”
“Aye. Again, I do apologize for how it means I treated you. You didn’t deserve that kind of hostility. But I didn’t want her getting any ideas about fixing us up together.”
“Then I forgive you.”
Killian stares blankly at her for a moment, clearly not quite processing her words. “Just like that?”
“You forget - I’ve met Mary Margaret too.”
His lips twitch in that almost-smile again, and Emma could swear she hears him huff out the hint of a laugh. “She is nothing if not persistent. A second chance, then?”
And Emma finds herself surprisingly happy to agree.
———
They’re still not friends, exactly. Jones isn’t exuberant, and that doesn’t change just because they had a chance to reset things behind the barn. But they’re… friendly. Amiable. Companionable. A whole host of other almost-type words. She no longer feels like he resents her very presence in his place of business, and even makes sure to make her life better in little ways, like helping her wipe down glasses and handle more belligerent patrons. She appreciates it, truly; it makes her life easier, knowing he’ll back her up, and that’s more than enough. Despite the small town-big family feel of Storybrooke, she’s still a city girl at heart who’s fine not to make best friends with everyone. She’s more than satisfied to be his employee, and nothing more; in fact, it’s a welcome change after some of the jobs she’s had.
(That’s what landed her here in the first place, after all: a man who doesn’t much care about her many, many denials.)
Even if they’re not friends, she spends enough time around the man to recognize some of his reactions, the slight variations of “sullen” that still play across his face if you’re watching closely. And as soon as Belle Gold walks in with an older man Emma can only assume is her husband, Emma sees the way that Jones’ entire body tenses up. The tension in the air is palpable between the two; even Belle shifts uncomfortably as they approach the bar.
“Could I have a small glass of beer, please?” she asks Emma softly. It’s a relief to reach for the glass instead of just waiting for whatever this is to explode. “It’s so terribly warm out there today, I found myself needing a little something to cool down.”
Beside her, her husband hasn’t broken eye contact with Jones. Emma doubts he’s fully aware of what she and Belle are doing right next to him. “You’re still here then, Jones?” he asks in an icy, sinister voice. 
“Aye.” Jones’ face is just as stony when he responds. Emma can practically see the way he vibrates with suppressed rage.
“I suppose you don’t have anywhere else to go, do you, or anyone else to chase after. No one really wants to take on a man with only one functional hand.”
“Let’s go, Robert,” Belle urges. Her beer is barely touched, but her refreshment seems forgotten as the encounter turns increasingly hostile.
Carefully, Jones sets the glass he had been holding back on the bar as the rest of the room holds its breath. Emma can see the way he flexes his scarred left hand, though she doesn’t think anyone else is playing close enough attention. “That’s true,” he says in that deadly quiet voice, “but you’re stuck here too, Gold. And we both know you’re the one who trapped me in this town.”
“Strong words from a weak man —” Mr. Gold starts to say, but his target has already stalked away towards the door Emma knows hides a staircase. Jones keeps an apartment above the premises; doubtless he’s gone there to lick his wounds. 
Belle quickly ushers her husband out after that, leaving the barely touched glass on the counter. Emma takes a long drag, not one to waste the beverage; she can’t help but hold some bitterness towards Belle for this altercation, even though she knows the woman is otherwise lovely and kind and even something like a friend to Jones. She must have known this might happen, bringing her husband in here. The man has a reputation, one that makes it hard to believe that his wife is so kind - and married to him. Besides, the whole exchange reeked of an unknown history between the two men, of so many words and actions leading to today’s explosion. 
Behind the bar, Mr. Smee - a timid man by nature, a predilection not remotely helped by these dramatics - looks anxiously between the room half-full of patrons and the door through which Jones had disappeared. It only takes a moment to realize what needs to be done - and that Emma will have to be the one to do it.
With a nod toward the bar floor for Smee, Emma quickly climbs the stairs, a glass of rum in hand. She’s noticed Jones taking a shot of the stuff when some customer is drunk enough to buy a round for everyone. If there’s ever been a time when a drink of something biting would help - well, this is probably it.
It isn’t hard to find Jones. He hasn’t even made it into his apartment proper, instead sitting propped against the wall in the hallway with his head hung between his upright knees. He looks up at the sound of her boot heels clicking on the stairs, happy to accept the proffered spirits, only to hunch back over the glass once it’s in his hands. Emma waits patiently for the explanation she knows is coming; she’s long since grown used to silence sitting between the two of them.
“He killed her,” Jones finally says, draining the remains of his rum in one swallow. “Milah. My Milah. He wanted her, but she wanted nothing to do with him, and she chose me.” He smiles softly in remembrance, a foreign look on his face from what Emma has come to know. “I could never prove it, of course. But he hated that she chose me, hated me for supposedly stealing what was his by pursuing the woman who pursued me first. And that wagon… it never should have tipped. It was sturdy, not even a year old, and the road was even. But there was a shot, fired someplace close that I could never pinpoint, and the horse startled, and the axle was apparently so weak or damaged that it broke, and by the time it was all over…”
“She was gone,” Emma supplies softly. Somehow, in the middle of all this, she’s found herself on the floor next to him. It seems like what he needs right now. 
“It was quick, at least. She broke her neck and died instantly. I just… I could never prove it, but I always knew it was Gold. The sabotage of the wagon and the shot to set everything in motion.”
It makes horrifying sense; maybe Jones is wrong, but from everything Emma has heard and seen of Mr. Gold, she wouldn’t put it past him. “And now you’re forced to see him all the time.”
“We had plans, you know,” he tells her, staring into his glass like he can make it refill by will alone. “We were going to pack up, move to Duluth or Chicago - somewhere along the Great Lakes, where I could get a job on one of the ships. But she was - she was dead, and my hand was barely functional, and when Robin offered to let me buy into the bar instead of just doing my damndest to drink myself to death… I took it.”
“And you lived.”
He snorts. “Or close enough to it.” His head falls back against the wall heavily as he sighs. “He’s gone, I imagine. I’ll come back down in a moment, I just…”
“Take all the time you need.”
(Emma knows she didn’t do anything more than listen, but there’s still a satisfaction in seeing the way he has started to pull himself back together as she traipses back down to the bar.)
———
They’re still not friends, but knowing those bits of another’s soul bonds two people together in a way that’s hard to describe. Jones is still sullen and quiet, but it’s less off-putting when Emma knows it comes from a place of pain. What matters is that Emma feels comfortable and safe here in Storybrooke and at the tavern, in the midst of these kind - and yes, in some cases morose - people. 
That all changes when a telegram arrives unexpectedly, marked urgent and portending dangers Emma had hoped she had finally escaped. 
She opens it right away, of course; there’s only one person outside of this town who knows how to reach her, and August is too busy for needless correspondence. He hadn’t even responded when she’d wired him back in Boston that first day in Storybrooke just to let him know what had happened, and that she was still staying. Him sending a message can mean nothing good.
Emma sinks onto a barstool as she reads the stark letters. Even without a mirror, she can feel the blood draining from her face as her nightmares resurface. 
Be aware Oz sniffing around STOP Hired private detective STOP Be on alert and do what you must STOP Will keep apprised STOP
Emma doesn’t know how long she sits there, staring at the little slip of paper. Somewhere, the yellow envelope it was delivered in has dropped away; she hadn’t noticed. She only comes back to herself when a firm hand shakes her shoulder.
“Swan!” Jones all but barks, jerking her back to attention and to meet his eyes. It’s evident he’s been trying to get her attention for a while; thank god there are only a scant handful of people in the bar at this early hour, though she’d rather Will Scarlet hadn’t had to see this either. “What’s the matter?” he presses ahead. “Are you alright?”
What an absolutely absurd question to ask as she sits here, white as a sheet. As much as Emma would like to deny it, claim everything is fine, she can’t. “No,” she barely manages to gasp out. 
It’s like everything around her has become a blur, like her mind can’t focus on anything but impending doom. Jones and Will Scarlett must have corralled her into the little back office; she has no memory of how she came to be sitting in the padded chair. Jones crouches by her side, his shoes lost beneath the edge of her skirt, wearing a surprisingly tender look on his face.
“This is about what you’re running from, isn’t it?” he asks in as gentle a voice as Emma’s ever heard from him. It snaps her to alertness, eyes blown wide; it’s not remotely what she expected him to say. 
“How did you know that?” she demands. Emma hasn’t told anyone in town the underlying reason why she came to this little nowhere town, and yet here Jones is talking like it’s obvious to see. 
“I recognize the look of someone with demons to hide, and to hide from,” he says softly. “You’ve met mine, Swan.”
Faced with that kind of understanding, it’s like all the pride, the reticence, the fight seeps right out of her. What’s the point? He seems to see right through her front anyways, for some reason she can’t pinpoint. 
“Yes,” she says, carefully making sure that neither her voice nor her hands tremble at the admittance. “It’s about the things I ran from in Boston.”
“Tell us.”
And she does. As Will Scarlet stands by the door and Jones moves to lean against the desk, Emma lets the whole tale unravel: about the law office in New York she’d been a secretary in, about the junior partner, Walsh Oz, who’d taken a sudden interest in her, about the way she’d left that job when he wouldn’t stop pressing his attentions on her. About how he’d found out where she lived, and forced her to move three times. About how she’d finally packed up and moved to Boston, only for him to track her there as well, showing up in the department store she worked in. How she’d gotten more and more desperate, finally seizing upon the idea of answering one of the marriage ads in the paper.
“It seemed like the perfect solution,” Emma explains. Against her will, tears have begun pooling in her eyes, and she blinks furiously to dispel them. “It’d take me so far away from Boston and New York that Walsh Oz would never track me down - and besides, I’d have a husband. It didn’t matter that I probably wouldn’t love him, I’d be safe. He wouldn’t be able to bother me anymore if I was already tied to another man.”
As Emma has told the whole sorry story, Will Scarlet has become visibly more upset in his stance by the door, bordering on fury, but Jones has remained implacably, unshakably calm. Emma appreciates it, in an odd way; it’s something stable to focus on, to keep the panic from overcoming her again. “And then you got here, and there wasn’t a husband to marry,” he says softly.
Emma nods. “I thought it would still be enough - rural Minnesota is so far from New York or Boston, you know? But now…”
“But now.” There’s something horribly ominous about his agreement. 
“At least I have August to watch out for me - my friend, almost a brother. He works for a private detective agency.” Jones probably doesn’t much care about that, but talking and explaining keeps her in the moment. It only works for so long though, as the reality of the situation sets in. “If Oz comes here… where else can I go? What am I supposed to do?”
The silence sits for a moment, Emma trying not to cry, Scarlet and Jones looking at one another as if coming up with something. The question hovers in the room, threatening to suffocate them all.
“You came here because you thought a husband could protect you?” Jones finally asks.
“Yes.”
“Then I’ll marry you instead. If you like.”
It’s an absurd proposition, not least of all because Emma knows Jones may never get over his late fiancée. Beyond that… they barely know each other. They’ve worked together for two and a half months, and Emma has shared little bits of herself along the way and learned pieces of his own character, but that’s not enough to base a marriage on. But wasn’t that exactly what she was trying to do with Graham Humbert? To marry him, even though she barely knew him?
The difference, of course, is that Emma has worked alongside Jones for months, and knows this is not remotely what he’d ever planned for himself. It is much harder to go through with this when she knows that it isn’t something that both parties actively want.
“You don’t have to. I would never ask that of you,” she hurries to protest - but he’s already shaking his head.
“I know I don’t,” he tells her. “And if you don’t want to, that’s fine, and we’ll try to figure something else out. But I think it might be your best option.” Jones pauses, and his face softens. “Graham was a good man, and a good friend of mine,” he tells her quietly. “He waited a long time for me to be a better man, and do something with my life. Let me do this for him.”
And Emma agrees.
———
It is a small wedding - not that the occasion warranted anything different. They’re two people who barely aren’t strangers anymore, who hadn’t planned for this remotely or had even imagined such a possibility two days ago. 
(Technically, it’s the second time since Emma arrived in Storybrooke that two days have abruptly changed the course of her life. Maybe it’s an omen, of some sort; Emma doesn’t have the energy, or the opportunity, to pay heed to such a thought.)
They make as much of the occasion as they can when Mary Margaret and Ruby only have two days to fuss. Emma wears her nicest dress - a summery, pale blue confection that makes her look a lot more girlish and innocent than she actually is - and there are fresh flowers along the pews of the little church that match the small bouquet in her hands. Only a small number of people attend to witness - the Nolans, Jones’ brother and his wife, Robin and his wife, and Granny with Ruby - but that’s alright. Emma may not know what her soon-to-be husband’s favorite color is, or his favorite meal, or even his middle name, but she does know that they’re both somewhat solitary creatures. Neither needs a crowd, or would be comfortable with one.
There’s something oddly comforting about his presence at the end of the aisle, waiting for her in front of the reverend. He isn’t dressed particularly elaborately, but he’s taken the effort to put on a tie and coat and comb back his hair a bit, even if pieces keep popping up again. Most of all, Emma appreciates that his hands don’t tremble when they take hers. She’s terrified out of her wits about the foolishness they’ve both agreed to, but he manages to be so calm; so certain. It’s like he’s found an odd kind of purpose in doing her this favor beyond thanks, beyond reason. He’s calm when she meets him at the altar, and calm all through the short ceremony, and still calm when he slides the thin gold ring on her finger. It feels like some kind of blessing.
Before she knows it, the words are all said, and they’re moving to sign the paperwork and make this legally official. And that’s it: some of the most momentous minutes of her life are over and done, and Jones - Killian? - is leading her back down the aisle of the little church with her hand tucked into his arm, still that pillar of stability and reassurance. 
She’s married. 
———
Eventually, they find themselves back in the little apartment above the bar. Emma’s pretty flowers have been set aside, her hat carefully extricated from the pins holding it to her hair, and Killian has worked off his jacket and tie. Silence stretches between them as they sit, she in the armchair by the fire and him at the kitchen table, but it’s not yet comfortable. They don’t quite know each other enough for that. It’s like they’re in a holding pattern, both just waiting for something to give, for the other to break or break through. 
“I never expected to get married,” he finally says. Emma jerks her head to face him, but he carefully looks anywhere else, staring towards the opposite wall, fiddling with his fingers. “After Milah died… I expected I never would. That that would be it for me.”
It is not a good way to start a marriage - hearing that her new husband never wanted to get married in the first place. “I’m sorry, then. For trapping you in a marriage you never wanted.”
But he shakes his head at the words, finally meeting her eyes. “No, no, that’s not what I mean, Emma. I’m not trying to - I don’t want you to think I regret this. It is its own kind of honor, doing this for you and for Graham. Makes me feel like a better man than I’ve been in a long, long time. What I’m trying to say, I suppose, is…” He pauses, as if collecting his words. “I suppose I don’t have… expectations, so to speak, of our marriage. We get along. I think you’re a good woman, and I’ve appreciated the help in the bar. And that can be it. I’m not expecting anything more. I’m perfectly happy to have a paper marriage, companionship and nothing more, because that’s already more than I ever expected for the rest of my life.”
Ah. He’s alluding to sex. It’s kind of him to dance around this, but entirely unnecessary; delicacy has been out of the question for 8 years now, since she still thought Neal was her forever. It never really mattered for an orphan from the worst of Boston anyways. As kind as it may be, it’s unnecessary, and frankly too chivalrous for her purposes. In return, Emma chooses her words just as carefully as he did; at the beginning here, setting the stage for what may become the rest of their marriage, it seems important to do so. “Thank you, Mr. Jones —”
“Killian.”
“Killian.” He’s right; they’ve already traded vows, such as they were, after all. “Thank you, Killian - but the fact of the matter is that I need this to be a real marriage. If our marriage is to protect me the way I need it to… then I need there to be no reason for anyone to claim otherwise.”
———
They consummate their marriage that night.
It is not making love by any means, and it is not even particularly good - it’s been too long for either of them to be in practice, and too little feeling between the two of them - but there is no denying that it is a real marriage now. Emma can smell the shot of rum he drank for courage as Killian determinedly avoids her lips. His body is warm and firm above her, inside her, but there’s no feeling to it, except in the apology he mumbles against her ear when he finishes before she’s even close to satisfaction.
It is fine. It is no more than she expected.
But at least it is a union, in almost every sense of the word. 
———
(She had been anxious about this - the idea of giving her body to a man she barely knows, no matter how much she knows it to be necessary - but as mediocre as the act itself is, Emma can’t help but feel… connected, afterwards. Despite everything, he had been gentle with her, considerate. She doesn’t quite feel an affection for him - not yet, though she hopes she might one day, if this is to be the start of years to come - but it’s the first link in a bond that they’ll strengthen with time. Consummation had been a fraught decision for both of them, an emotional minefield in many ways, but they’re truly in this together now.
All things considered - she’s glad she’s in it with him.)
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prettywordsyouleft · 3 years
Text
The Cowboy - Part 8
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Summary: Leaving the city for a rural area called Blayne seemed simple enough. Your task was to convince the people to agree with selling their land for a resort redevelopment. But once there, you soon realise that your city ways are entirely different to theirs. Winning their trust was going to take some effort, and when you start to fall for a local cowboy, you wonder if you really needed Blayne more than the city life after all.
Pairing: Jung Jaehyun x female reader
Genre: cowboy au / drama / romance / if you squint there’s some enemies to lovers up in here.
Warnings: Jung Jaehyun is a cowboy, need I say more? (a bit of angst and drama, and it sometimes might feel like you’re reading a Nicolas Sparks book, so I’m told lol)
Word count: 2426
This series will be updated every Thursday and Friday.
Preview | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9
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You were still fuming when you met up with June at the coffee shop an hour later. It wasn’t hard to genuinely smile at her when she waved you over, however, and you moved towards the table and took a seat across from her.
June smiled warmly. “I’m so glad you agreed to meet with me today, dearie.”
“It’s a pleasure. Thank you for taking time out of your day to spend with me. But what made you choose here over Blayne?”
“My sister runs the diner, as you know. I love her, but I’m certain she doesn’t remember the taste of real coffee. I sneak off here once a week for a proper brew.” You giggled with June as she reached out for your hand on the table and gave it a little squeeze. “Our little secret?”
“Definitely. As long as you allow me to join you for that cheeky coffee each week too.”
“It’s a deal!” June gave your hand another friendly squeeze. “I know you’ve figured out I’m not from Blayne by now.”
“You-you have?”
“You’re too smart to not have done,” she surmised and paused as the drinks she had ordered were placed down in front of you both. After thanking the clerk and taking a sip of her coffee, June smiled once more at you. “My husband doesn’t understand there are multiple types of coffee aside from white or black.”
“Wow! What about Jaehyun? I noticed he doesn’t seem to drink coffee much.”
June smiled knowingly. “I thought he might have been with you last night. That answers that puzzle then.”
“Huh? Oh no – I was just making an observation – I mean, well…” Rubbing the back of your neck as June chuckled, you grimaced. “Are you annoyed about it?”
“Goodness no! You’re the right type of person to show my son another side of life.”
“Me?” you asked, and June nodded. You smiled curiously. “Really?”
“You remind me of myself back in the day. I was arrogant and only saw one way of the world when my parents sent May and I off to our uncle’s for the summer. Our mother said it was time we learned about hard work.”
You didn’t know whether to say anything and awkwardly tried to reflect over the referral of being like her, and in the next sentence, she mentioned she had been arrogant. You worried if you had been as narrow-minded as Pierce was earlier when you pulled up at Blayne too.
Thankfully you didn’t need to say anything for the woman to continue. “I hated it, of course. There was nothing to do like I would in the city. Back then, there was even less than there is now. But we did have a theatre.”
“A theatre?! It’s not there now. Did it go out of business?”
June smiled sadly. “It was part of the loss in the fire we had. It’s such a shame. I have so many fond memories of that summer spent in the theatre.”
“Is that where you met Mr Jung?” you guessed, and the tell-tale smile across her lips urged you to lean forward in delight. “Did he romance you?!”
“He was such a charmer,” she told you, grinning brightly. “And I was a fool for a man in a cowboy hat. That smile of his sealed the deal.”
You giggled with her, the image of Jaehyun upon his horse this morning returning to the front of your mind and securing a similar fate for you as it had his mother. Your smile lessened as you grew intrigued. “How did you get used to living here over the city?”
“At first, I was grateful to be back home after the summer. We had agreed to write to one another whilst I was home, though that didn’t last for long. I found the city too busy after spending my days in the countryside for three months. I lasted until Christmas that year and begged my parents to let me move to Blayne and live with my uncle.”
“Did May go too?”
June shook her head. “She hates Blayne.”
“Really?!” you gasped and looked at June. “But--”
“Our parents moved to Blayne when my uncle lost his eyesight to take over the farm. What a nightmare that was. Had it not been for Avery’s father, who was a farmhand of my uncle, helping us, I think we would have caused the whole family to go bankrupt.”
“And now May and Avery’s father run that farm in your family’s stead?”
“Our parents are no longer on this earth. May did everything to convince her husband to leave Blayne with her to raise Avery in the city, but his roots are Blayne born. May then focused on building Avery up to believe the city life was for him, yet he’s back here again. My sister is convinced her life is cursed. Though, she loves being the center of the gossip in that little diner of hers.”
“You’re sharing so much with me about your life,” you mentioned hesitantly, and the older woman gauged your expression. You nodded. “I’m appreciative, you know. When I saw you weren’t originally from Blayne I couldn’t quite fathom it. I guess since I’ve never experienced love strong enough to pull me away from what I know, it seemed like a foreign concept.”
“And now?” June asked.
“Hm?”
“I’m asking how you feel now after being in Blayne for a month? I’m wondering if there’s something or someone here that might change that heart of yours.”
You didn’t answer verbally. With the way she smiled with satisfaction a moment later, you knew she had seen all she needed to know within your gaze. “How about you come over for dinner again tonight, Y/N?”
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“You’re coming in early today, boys,” June greeted when Jaehyun and Avery found her in the kitchen, both of them kissing her on the cheek fondly.
You smiled weakly when Jaehyun’s surprised gaze fell onto your face. He then grinned lopsidedly. “What are you doing wrangling Miss City into your kitchen tonight, Mrs Jung?”
“Your mother is teaching me how to cook.”
“Making sure you can marry her off to one of the eligible Blayne men, are you, Aunt June?” Avery taunted, and you threw the tea towel you held at him. Avery caught it with glee.
“I wanted to learn how to make her infamous banana cream pie.”
“Because it’s someone’s favourite,” June mused, shooting her son a look. Jaehyun grinned knowingly and kissed his mother on the crown of her head before announcing loudly that he and Avery should wash up. Waiting for his cousin to leave the room, Jaehyun darted to your side and kissed your cheek in greeting, causing you to shoo him off with an embarrassed chuckle.
June was absolutely delighted. “That boy of mine is more of a charmer than his father. You have your work cut out for you, dearie.”
“You’re telling me,” you claimed with another laugh, focusing on slicing the bunch of bananas until the heat dissipated from your cheeks.
Dinner was playful this time. Jaehyun wasn’t nearly as silent and since he was seated beside you again, it allowed for him to secretly hold you under the table. Linking his fingers with yours, he pulled your hand into his lap and held it there fondly, running his thumb over your skin now and then.
Whilst June was clued on, it seemed her husband wasn’t. You weren’t sure why his approval mattered most to you, and further, did you even have much to be approved by the elder for so far? You didn’t know what to call the connection between you and Jaehyun. It wasn’t a seasonal love like June had begun with, yet you didn’t want to dismiss the growing feelings you harboured for her son either.
Jaehyun made you smile constantly and your insides warm. That was it.
Still, you worried that would be frowned upon by his father, your morning concerns quickly resurfacing. The last thing you wanted was to be seen as using anyone to your advantage by sleeping with them. That spoke nothing of your character or professionalism.
Once again, Mr Jung spoke to Jaehyun and Avery only about the farm. To you, he asked simple questions about the house you were staying in and made subtle suggestions about going back to the city.
You knew he was your biggest opposition to getting any work done in Blayne.
“Your first mission is to secure that land.”
Every time you went to speak about your plans in Blayne, Mr Jung changed the focus entirely and you felt hopeless up against the man. You were usually capable of working with the pickiest of clients back in the city.
Back in your jurisdiction.
This was the Jungs’ land, though. You were an outsider who didn’t have a place yet in this township. You were growing friendly with everyone on a basic level, but no one regarded your place here professionally yet.
“I was thinking about housing-”
“Did you check that the gates to the pens were locked?” Mr Jung cut in over the top of you and after looking at you, Jaehyun sighed and nodded.
“Yeah, Dad. Of course. Y/N was talking, though.”
“What about water? That darn well is busted again.”
“I covered it, Uncle. Don’t worry!” Avery answered and you lowered your head, feeling defeated tonight.
“Y/N,” June called and you shot back up to look at her, the woman smiling warmly. “Come help me with the pie, won’t you?”
Discreetly letting go of Jaehyun’s hand, you excused yourself from the table and followed June into her domain. She got out the bowls and spoons and handed them to you. “Darling, don’t try and bring up that conversation at the table. Whilst I love my husband entirely and know of him only as a good man, he won’t listen to you. The dinner table is a place where he discusses light-hearted things or constantly nitpicks over the boys and their efforts for the day. I’ve tried to change him, but as his wife of thirty-some years now, I can’t say I’ve done a good job.”
“I don’t feel he gives me a lot of credit for my position here, understandably.”
“Still, he should give you the respect you deserve. Let’s do business during day hours, dearie. I’ll help you plan a meeting with him when you’re ready to present whatever it is. I can’t say he’ll be supportive or accept your proposal, but he will listen to you completely.”
“You’re amazing. You know that?”
“I’m just a mother. And I can’t help but take care of all those who come my way. Whilst you’re here in Blayne, you let me know of anything you might need me for. I’ll be there.”
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“Your father doesn’t like me, much,” you admitted softly, as Jaehyun drove you home later that evening. You had left your car at your place when June had encouraged you to come home with her earlier in the day, and now you realised why she was insistent on you travelling with her.
You smiled at the thought of Jaehyun’s mother planning for him to take you home tonight, even if your heart felt heavy.
Glancing at you briefly before returning his gaze to the darkened road, Jaehyun smirked. “My father doesn’t like me much, either. Don’t let it get to you.”
“Surely, he does.”
“Only when I do something for him on the farm. I was a bit of a troublemaker in my past, so he’s been harsh on me ever since.”
“What did you exactly get up to?” you asked, interest piqued. Jaehyun’s lips split into a toothy smile, but he didn’t respond. “Come on! You knew how to budge open that window!”
“I also knew where your keys were that whole time,” Jaehyun confessed, and you frowned.
“Wait. What?”
He grinned. “I took them out of your pocket when you leaned over to me from Roger’s back. Mostly because they were slipping out of it and I wanted to keep them safe.”
“Then why didn’t you just open the front door like a normal person would?”
“So now I’m not normal, huh?”
“Is it a Cowboy thing?” you wondered, flustered with the change of events.
“I guess I wanted to make you fall into my arms sooner than fate was setting us up for,” he admitted with a shrug, and you rolled your eyes. Jaehyun reached into his jeans’ pocket and held up the keychain, dangling it.
Taking them from him, you grumbled. “I was seriously fooled by you!”
“I’ve been a fool for you since you arrived. See us as even, Y/N.”
“You can’t just charm me like that when I’m frustrated with you!”
Pulling the truck to a sudden stop in the middle of the country lane, Jaehyun looked over at you. “You’re frustrated with me?”
“Well, shouldn’t I be? You knew where the keys were all this time! I was worried about how to bring it up to your mother that I lost them!”
“Keys can be replaced.”
You nodded. “I know, but-”
“If you could go back to that moment where you were fumbling around in your pocket and panicking, knowing full well if I gave them to you that what we’ve bared between one another already wouldn’t have happened, would you still wish I gave you them damn keys?!”
Staring at his expectant gaze, you lurched forward, grabbing the collar of Jaehyun’s t-shirt and tugged him until his lips found yours. It was heated, and you moaned when your arm hit the steering wheel as Jaehyun reached to pull you closer. Tongues now entwined, the passionate embrace didn’t stop until both of you were out of breath.
“Well?” Jaehyun prompted, resting his forehead on yours as he sucked in a deep breath.
“Just hurry up and take me home, Cowboy. But this time, take me through the front door.”
Jaehyun smirked as he put the truck back into gear and started to drive down the road again. “So I can have you pressed up against it once it’s closed?”
“Your mother warned me that you’re a charmer. If only she knew just how wicked you were for my heart.”
“What we do behind closed doors is none of my mother’s business, Miss City. But if it takes me carrying you over that blasted threshold to make you happy tonight, I won’t miss a beat in pulling you out of this cab with me.”
_________________
Part 9
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silverducks · 3 years
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Jaime Lannister – A theory on his ending in the books
So, as you can probably tell from my blog, I’m not quite yet over the ending of Game of Thrones, which I binged watched and finished about a month and a half ago now.
The main issue is the ending, or the last 3 episodes to be more precise, where so many things didn’t make a whole lot of sense. The main one being, for me, how the story ended for Jaime Lannister.
So, whilst writing all my super long character analysis for Jaime is definitely helping, (I’m about half way through the next one), I’ve also been reading about possible ways his story could go, and how it might end in the books.
And today I came across a theory I really, really like. It’s become my new headcanon for what will happen in the books and I’ve added a mix of other theories I’ve read to it as well.
Now, show and book spoilers beneath the cut.
First off, I’d like to say I haven’t yet read the books, so this post is based on the show and what I’ve read happens in the books. None of these theories are my own, but I’ve combined them all together in a way that actually makes a lot of sense to me. So until the books prove me wrong – or I come across an even better theory, this is my new headcanon.
(I don’t have any links as they’re random posts/comments etc I’ve found on the net on my phone, but I’m not claiming these ideas as my own, just putting it all together, so I hope the lack of links to source is ok.)
So without any further preamble, the theory is that Jaime and Tyrion’s story arcs and endgame in the book were reversed in the show. This would mean that the main plot points the writer, George R.R. Martin (GRRM) told the screenwriters (D&D), were swapped around between the two characters.
That would mean that it would be Jaime who became the hand of the King, not Tyrion, and Jaime who put forward the idea of the Bran becoming King.
And I love this theory, because it would be such a fitting end for Jaime. And below I will explain why.
Firstly, the idea of Jaime becoming the Hand of the King for Bran is a wonderful final step in his character arc – he’s gone from throwing this kid out of a tower to try and kill him, to serving as his main advisor, trusted with the power and command of the King. Jaime and Bran’s character arcs are already connected, much more than Tyrion’s ever was, and for the similar reason why Bran gave it to Tyrion, he could give it to Jaime – in fact it makes more sense!
And rather than a redemptodeath for Jaime, he doesn’t have to die, and can instead have a fulfilling life, continually making up for past wrongs as the Hand, and with the real love of his life, Brienne. She could still be Lord Commander of the Kingsguard, as per the show, but married to Jaime (they’d change that outdated celibacy/non marriage rule easily enough), giving her a much more satisfying ending. And why does Jaime have to die? He’s atoned for his past wrongs, lost that darn hand that (symbolically in the show), did push Bran out the window, and it doesn’t serve any other higher story telling purpose… And by becoming the Hand of the King, after he lost the hand that hurt said King, is even more symbolic.
I know Jaime has refused to be Hand before, but that was old Jaime. And if we assume Jaime continues on his road to self-betterment, then he can continue to learn and improve the skills that would make a good Hand. He’s becoming more honourable, but has seen enough of the world to know sometimes there’s a conflicting choice (unlike Ned in series one). He’s been learning to rely on his own wits and brains much more since he can’t now just fight his way out of everything – and is proving pretty smart. He is proving to be a good commander of the army and has been a Lord Commander for the Kingsguard. And has enough Lannister cunning, but with actual mercy and honour, to make it work. A stark King with a Lannister Hand!
Imagine, ending the very first episode of the show with Jaime pushing Bran out that window, to ending with Jaime by his side, advising (and also of course) protecting him. How good is a full circle/reflection piece for Jaime as that!
And in a similar vein, Jaime can be the one to put forward to the council of Lords (I assume something similar happens in the books, but much better written), that Bran should be King. That being the all-knowing Three Eyed Raven means he’s a good match. And surely the other Lords would more likely listen to Jaime – who is a good commander – than Tyrion, who hasn’t really won over many of the Lords in Westeros. After all, he was sentenced to death for killing a King (they don’t know it was a set up), and also killed his father and escaped. He’s been in a foreign land serving a foreign (to them anyway) ruler who has just sacked their Capitol city. Doesn’t it just make so much more sense that they’d listen to an alive Jaime? Yes he killed the King too, but he also did a lot of other good stuff as per his redemption arc etc.
Anyway, I just think it makes more sense – and then the Kingslayer Jaime, becomes the Kingmaker Jaime – again another wonderful full circle arc for him.
So, from a storytelling theme, symbolism and arc perspective, I think it just makes so much sense!
But when you also look at the show itself, in comparison to the books and where the show sort of went wrong, it makes more sense too.
So, just to give a bit of background on it, the theory I read today about Jaime and Tyrion’s role reversal was in a post mainly looking at how Tyrion’s character seems to be going in a very different direction in the books versus the show.
The idea is that book Tyrion is in a much darker place in the books than show Tyrion, and this, in the upcoming books, could continue. This could send book Tyrion down a difficult, morally dark path, which could result in him becoming more of a villain type character, perhaps taking on more and more of his father’s bad traits. This makes sense to me, as Tyrion was most like his father and was certainly cunning. And where the books start to properly deviate from the show, after series four, Tyrion could go either way. He has just killed his father and his lover. And in the books he also falls out with Jaime when Jaime tells him the truth about his first wife (that she wasn’t a whore like Tywin said). Being in this foreign land with all these dark thoughts and deeds haunting him, I can definitely see him turning into more of a bad guy.
So, basically, a completely different story arc for Tyrion.
In terms of his endgame? Well, if he’s swapped with Jaime’s then I guess it means he might die. Maybe after killing Cersei, hence them dying “together.” Or at least be punished such as sent to the Wall or something. I don’t think GRRM said either Lannister brother actually dies in Cersei’s loving arms, so I’m guessing they took some differences in both Jaime’s and Tyrion’s endgame, if the theory is correct.
And I’m tempted to believe it is, because it helps explain Tyrion’s kind of dodgy characterisation in the later series of the show. He just wasn’t really the same after series four, which at the time, I just put down to D&D not being clever enough writers to write a clever character such as Tyrion. But with this theory, it actually makes more sense. Tyrion was such a fan favourite character in the show, the underdog, clever, snarky good guy, I can understand why D&D didn’t want to take him down this other, darker path. In the books, there’s much more time and details and PoVs to make it work, whereas the show would struggle, especially against such a popular fandom character.
It also explains why Jaime never told him the truth about his wife, or they had their big fall out in the show.
And by changing Tyrion’s story arc so much, they didn’t really know what to replace it with (I think we all agree D&D are not the best writers), so his characterisation was not only off in later series, but it meant they took Jaime’s end game and gave it to Tyrion instead. And this further makes sense as they might have thought having just Cersei (a female) the only bad Lannister at the end was too much, especially when one of the other main female characters, Dany, was also going bad. So, they made Jaime “hateful” in the end to better match and even out Cersei, because it was supposed to be Tyrion…
(I do think D&D were also unhealthily obsessed with Cersei and Twincest, so they probably thought it have them an extra good reason.)
And there’s a really good reflection in this between the two brothers – Jaime starts out the villain, but ends up the underdog hero, Tyrion starts out the underdog hero, but ends up the villain.
But, in changing Tyrion’s character, if indeed it does, it then also has a knock on effect for so many other things.
The theory also said that he might negatively influence Dany, when they meet. For example, help to slowly bring out her suppressed mad/dark side, encourage her to take Kings Landing (which the theory points out Tyrion actually ends up hating because of how the people there view him.) So perhaps if Tyrion’s influence is so vengeful in the books, maybe’s Dany’s own turn to madness makes much more sense. And the lack of Tyrion’s negative influence in the show, undermines this. And this could then make Jon’s decision to have to kill her much harder etc.
So, I do think it’s quite possible, looking at Tyrion’s side, that they gave him a very different story arc, and so had to swap it up with Jaime’s endgame.
The show has certainly mixed and matched up characters from the book, so this would help explain why the main beats are still GRRMs, but why they didn’t just work for some of the characters. So not completely made up and ruined, but they just weren’t able to make the pieces fit together properly in their changed version. (And I do think they could have easily done a much better job, so I’m not letting D&D off the hook.)
Now, back to Jaime, because as much as I love all the characters, I’ll be honest, it’s only really Jaime and Brienne who I obsess enough over to properly theorise about.
Why do I think this works so well for Jaime? Well, first off, the whole him dying in Cersei’s arms just does not make any sense at all to me (hence all my super long posts about it). Especially if we take into account how over Cersei show Jaime seems in series 8, until that scene in episode 4. He behaves like he’s completely cut ties with her, fallen out of love with her and has fallen truly in love with someone else instead – Brienne. This is even more obvious in the books, where Jaime actually burns Cersei’s letter where she’s begging for help. And when he looks back on it later, he’s dreading retuning to Kings Landing and facing her. In fact, he thinks that Cersei might well die, but there’s nothing he can do anyway and perhaps she deserves it. Granted we do have 2 more books to go, but this is like the complete opposite of his ending in series 8, that I think it’s highly unlikely it was meant to happen in the books. A LOT of stuff would have to happen for book Jaime to change his mind now.
But as they gave Jaime’s ending to Tyrion, as per our theory, then what do they do with Jaime? Well, why not have him die in Cersei’s arms and fulfil their Twincest fix. Have Jaime be the bad brother Lannister, not Tyrion.
In fact, I don’t think D&D knew what to do with Jaime either, as he changes so abruptly in the show. It’s like they had to try to cover Jaime’s actual plot points from GRRM (which I’d assume were things like fighting the dead, getting together with Brienne), but then suddenly have him change his mind and rush back to Cersei... Also, as much as I loved Jaime in early series 8, he doesn’t really do anything pivotal. If you take him out of the equation and have him never even in series 8, the actual storylines all stay the same anyway. So, for me, this further adds weight to the idea that, in swapping Jaime’s endgame with Tyrion, they were left with the same problem, what do we then do with Jaime?
It’s like other aspects – they try to change one thing, but by changing that, it affects everything else so what you’re left with doesn’t make sense for the characters.
Now, so far I’ve talked mainly about the show, because overall I do think the main plot points in the show will happen in the books. And if you consider the role reversal between Tyrion and Jaime, it makes more sense why what happened did happen (which makes no sense in the show story itself).
But this is where I start to tie the various theories I’ve read together – it also makes a lot of sense in the books, for Jaime to not die, but instead be Bran’s Hand.
Other than the wonderful symmetry we’d get, as mentioned above, there’s a few things that happen in Jaime’s arc just in the books that make it even more possible, which I’ll talk about now.
So, most of this comes from Jaime’s fever dream, or also called his Weirwood dream. Now, there’s lots of analysis on this dream on the net, and there’s lots of ideas, some conflicting, of what it could mean. It’s not all relevant to this particular theory, so I’ll just summarise it. Basically, in the books, Jaime doesn’t go back to save Brienne from the bear straight away. Instead he travels quite far away with Bolton’s men, and goes to sleep on, what we assume, is a Weirwood stump. At the same time, Jaime is also suffering from a fever due to his hand becoming infected. Now, that means he’s potentially delirious, but also the dream is potentially prophetic. The Weirwood trees are those magic trees that Bran uses to have visions and to find the first Three Eyed Raven. I’m sure there’s more about them in the books as well. But it’s this potential for it being prophetic that I’m most interested in here.
Ok, so the dream starts a bit like a nightmare – Jaime is led somewhere underground that’s dark and feels dangerous by lots of ghosts. He first assumes it’s under Casterly Rock, and indeed he thinks he’s surrounded by the ghosts of the Lannister family. He’s scared and naked (eg vulnerable) and his father, sister and Joeffrey come. Cersei is holding a torch – the only light in the world for Jaime, but they leave and Jaime is left scared again in the dark. Before they go, he begs them for a sword, which Tywin says he gave him, and he begs Cersei to not leave him. Jaime finds a sword and as he touches it, the blade flames blue, providing some light. Now, a lot of analysis on this part of the dream tie it to Jaime’s metaphorical death, (ie of the old Jaime going to Hell) or breaking away from his family so they leave him. The light of Cersei’s going out, and instead a new light on Jaime’s sword coming, could also then symbolise that he’s breaking away (or about to) from Cersei and finding himself, his own light, instead. I also think, as we know Tywin and Joeffrey die later in the books and show, that it’s also foretelling their deaths. Which means it’s likely that Cersei dies before Jaime in the books, hence why he leaves her and he can’t follow. So this firstly means Jaime can’t die in Cersei’s arms.
Now, the next bit of the dream gets interesting, because who shows up next, after Cersei and his family has gone? Brienne of course! She appears (also naked) and Jaime imagines she looks not only more like a woman now, but also that in the light she could also be beauty, and a knight. This is generally taken to show Jaime’s growing (and so far subconscious) attraction to Brienne – and that he sees her as both a warrior and a woman. Now she asks for a sword, and also asks to be able to keep him safe, as she has pledged this and must keep her oath. A sword appears and Jaime gives it to her, and it also starts burning with blue flames.
Now, I think these two swords represent Oathkeeper (the one Jaime gives to Brienne in series four) and Widow’s Wail, which Jaime gets after Tommen dies in series 7. And these are two Valyrian steel swords that were from the melted down sword Ice, which used to be Neds. Now, I don’t think this is coincidental, but again I’ll come back to this.
Brienne is there to help protect Jaime, but she also asks him what’s down in this dark place (which may or may not still symbolise Casterly Rock or another place). Jaime says doom, and Brienne is worried it’s a bear (foreshadowing her being in the bear pit later). We hear, but don’t see Cersei saying that if the flames go out, Jaime will die.
In the next part of the dream ghostly, mist like figures appear and Jaime recognises them as his former Kingsguard and then Rhaeger, the heir to the throne before he was killed in Robert’s rebellion. These ghostly figures accuse Jaime of not keeping his oaths and seem about to attack. Jaime tries to plead with them and give his reasons, and Brienne is still there ready to defend him. These ghosts likely represent the internal guilt and self-hatred Jaime still has for killing the Mad King, but also for not saving Rhaeger’s own children, which were murdered on Tywin’s orders. As the ghost like figures continue to accuse Jaime, the flame on his own sword goes out, and the ghosts rush in, and then Jaime wakes up. As soon as he wakes up, pretty much, he demands Bolton’s men take him back to Harrenhal, where he then saves Brienne just like in the show.
Now, I read a lot of people saying this foretells Jaime’s death, that his flame goes out, but I disagree. I think the fact that Brienne has a matching flame, on a twin sword to his, means that Jaime doesn’t die – after all Cersei says flameS. Instead, I think this ending to the dream foretells that Brienne will actually save Jaime – that as long as she is alive, Jaime will also be.
Now, onto more foreshadowing theories from this dream – I think the ghostly, mist like figures also represent the White Walkers, and that him and Brienne are there facing them means that they will indeed (just like in the show) stand together to fight them in the books. As this has also happened after Cersei has left Jaime with his now dead father and son, I think it means she’ll already have died by this point.
I also think his guilt and the mention of Rhaegar’s children, which Jaime feels guilty about failing to protect, will also tie into Jon’s storyline. As the only surviving child of Rhaegar, I think once Jaime finds out, and Jon, Jaime will pledge himself to protect/serve Jon to make up for this guilt. I then think, based on this, that Jaime will effectively save Jon’s life in the battle with the White Walkers and then, Brienne will have to save Jaime’s. After all, she says in the dream she pledged to protect and save Jaime.
Now, the reason I think the end of the dream means Brienne saves Jaime, is not only because her flame keeps burning in the dream, but also because, as soon as Jaime wakes up, he decides he has to save Brienne. As we are going with the idea that this dream is prophetic from the Weirwood stump, it seems very important that Jaime rescues Brienne, so she can be there to fight with him. And what better reason than having to save him, when his own light (the sword flames) has failed?
And those swords – two halves of one whole, from Ice, the Stark’s sword. Turning into blue flames and helping them in the battle against the dead. Likely at or near Winterfell like in the show… When the books have a theory about a special sword called Lightbringer, wielded by the hero Azor Ahai to defeat the Others..
Soooo, perhaps this is really going into the realms of fan theory, but I definitely think that ICE could be Lightbringer, and that Brienne and Jaime, with Jon (who imo is the Azor Ahai character) will be imperative in helping to defeat the White Walkers. And that Jaime will fall in this battle, and Brienne will have to be there to save him so he doesn’t die.
Now, you might ask, what does all this random dream theorising mean for Jaime becoming the Hand of the King? Well, first of all I think it foreshadows that both Jaime and Brienne have a major part to play in the battle against the dead – much more than in the show. And that as Jaime is near death, it was super important for Brienne to be there to save him. And that it was super important for Jaime to give Brienne the sword Oathkeeper, and have Widow’s Wail himself – two halves of the same sword. So, all this must happen, and Brienne must save Jaime, which is why Jaime was given the prophetic dream in the first place. After all, if he hadn’t of saved Brienne, none of the above could go as it should…
And, this is where Bran comes in and this is more my own idea than anything else, so forgive me if I’m just not understanding the books properly. But as Bran himself sees visions through the Weirwood trees, which I suspect are due to them being sent either by the old Three Eyed Raven, or markers from Bran himself in the future, or perhaps fate or another unseen magical force. Then I wonder if the reason why Jaime was sent this vision, is because of Bran – and also the White Walkers. That Jaime had to help in the fight, but also had to be saved by Brienne. (Maybe even because it’s through his interactions with Brienne that he does become a better person and chooses to fight). And he had to be saved, because it was his destiny to be the Hand of the King to Bran. And also to save Jon so Jon can defeat the White Walkers. And that perhaps, this saving of Jon by Jaime is another reason why he is chosen as the Hand of the King.
I would also like to add in here, my other theories for book Jaime, which can lead him up to being Hand of the King, and tie up other loose ends in his story arc. So, the books and the show deviate a lot for Jaime after series four – he breaks away from Cersei much earlier and he’s currently off on an adventure in the Riverlands with Brienne in the books. A story arc not put into the show, featuring Lady Stoneheart (LSH). Now, she is a re-resurrected, zombie like version of Catelyn Stark, who is hell bent on revenge for the Freys and the Lannisters for the Red Wedding. She’s threatened Brienne with the death of Pod, unless she brings her Jaime. (At least that’s what most people infer from the books, it’s left open ended on a bit of a cliffhanger.
Now, my theory on this is that somehow Jaime and Brienne will have to fight each other in a trial by combat (echoed in the show itself by Brienne’s line about maybe having to fight Jaime). Of course they won’t be able to kill each other and will somehow be able to escape from, or kill Lady Stonehart.
So, why am I mentioning this? Well, GRRM himself has said he was disappointed they didn’t include the LSH plot in the show. Instead, D&D completely cut it out and sent Jaime to Dorne instead (as in series 5, which isn’t in the books). But for GRRM to say he wanted it in the show, makes me think there’s something very significant that is going to happen from it – either to the characters, or their relationship. Something which will later prove to be important in the rest of the story. This makes me think that Jaime and Brienne have a much bigger impact on the overall story arc than they were given in the show. And if it is more important, it makes the idea they’d have an important ending as well – Hand and LC of Kingsguard respectively – make more sense. And perhaps add more weight to the idea that Jaime HAD to save Brienne.
Now, after LSH, my idea is that Jaime will have to go back to Kings Landing and Cersei – but not in a romantic way. I think, like in the show, Jaime’s going to have a story arc that takes him on the role of commanding the Lannister’s forces against Dany’s when they get to Westeros. And if we assume Cersei does die before the battle with the undead, maybe this is also when Jaime kills Cersei – if he is the Valanqar, the one prophesised to kill Cersei. Or it could be someone else…
I then think the battle for Kings Landing will happen before that of the White Walkers, so Jaime then goes to help in the North, and catches up with Brienne again, who has been busy saving Sansa after her and Jaime parted ways (on good, but still unrealised and not yet acknowledged romantic terms) after LSH. I then think, like in the show, Jaime and Brienne will get together near the end, but this time not only will there be no Cersei for Jaime to rush back to (and throwing his character arc out the window like he does in the show), but he will still live to then become King Bran’s hand.
Of course, there’s still so many unknowns, and all, none or bits of this could happen, so I really hope we do get to see the last two books and find out what really happens.
But until then, I’m going to stick with the idea that Jaime marries Brienne, and becomes the Hand of the King and survives!
There, that’s the end of my theory – several all tied together really. I’d be interested to know what people think.
I know that my later reasons are more random ideas, but I do think, above all, the idea that Jaime is going to be the Hand of the King, not Tyrion, helps explain why the show didn’t really make sense for those characters (Jaime's 180 change at the end being the main one). But also just the wonderful symmetry of a redeemed Jaime fulfilling the role of Hand, for a King he once tried to kill, after he became a better person after losing his own hand…
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rurulaura · 3 years
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digimon tri. rant thing
So, I was making new screenshots of Meiko for the last few weeks to make a phone wallpaper with. Kind of shocking I never did that before isn’t it? As someone who is so obsessed... 
So anyway, I was rewatching the series, but fast forwarding to Meiko’s scenes. Doing so made me realize that more things bothered me about the series than I remembered. 
I didn’t realize how I wasn’t the only one that thought this not in such a rage mindset. I ran a salt blog between part 1 and 4 where I shitposted. THat blog is now deleted. But I was so emotionally angry, that I couldn’t think straight, if that makes sense. I couldn’t put the logic to my emotions.
It’s been a few years and “rewatching” tri. brought these feelings back, but now I can look at it more logically.. I’m more mentally sound, so I was to see more. Hah, taichi’s goggles reference. See more, understand less. Get it? Well anyway. It ended up a little long. Enjoy.
Initially, anything that bothered me I tried to come up with an explanation for. I just thought back then, surely I am just not a deep enough person to fully comprehend what is obviously here. I don’t remember the last I rewatched tri., probably last year, but this darn pandemic makes feel it’s been a decade. The situation with the 02 kids is something I tried to come up with an explanation for. 
Sure, I can see the lead up to their disappearance, discovering Maki’s and Yggdrasil’s plan. Or maybe that’s just wishful thinking too. (Ok, but a detective/ hacker 02 squad? How can you say no to that! Can you blame me???) But ultimately, now that I look back on it. Just doesn’t make sense. 
\The four of them would have definitely called the other chosen for help. Daisuke and Miyako might be irrational at times, but I think even they would have realized they couldn’t hadle this.  Miyako and Iori would have definitely needed Hikari and Takeru by their side for Jogress. They would realized they would  need Koushirou for contact. Taichi and Yamato for Omegamon. Plus, the timeline for Reunion to Determination seems to be 2 months. They would have 1,000,000,000% have realized four of their friends were missing. The six of them are hanging out together. Miyako, HIkari, Takeru, and Daisuke are not just in the same grade, But I bet you they are still in the same darn school. I tried to make sense of this. Maybe this would make sense in a week period. But honestly. These 6 idiots would have known. 
In Determination, mysterious man shows up as the “Digimon Kaiser” and no one bats an eye. They all 100% think that’s Ken. After everything that poor kid has been through. and to top it all off Imperialdramon. You think Ken would EVER not only USE someonelse’s Digimon for his own doing, BUT PUT HIS PARTNER AND HIS BEST FRIEND’S PARTNER IN POTENTIAL DANGER? TO ACCOMPLISH WHAT EXACTLY? No. Absoulutely not. 
In Loss, when “gennai” was blowing up the kids with Mugendramon, one of the kids said “IS that really Gennai?” Then Takeru responds, “No way . Gennai would never do this!”
Takeru, TK. Teeks. Honey, remember how that old geezer didn’t even show up until half way through your adventure to guide you? Remember three years later when he didn’t appear until the world was pretty ending? YOU TRUST THAT GEEZER MORE THAT YOUR FRIEND. How freaking dare you. It was bad enough when Sora also said “Oh, stop Ichijouji-kun!” When she was pinned down and sexually harassed by mysterious man. 
I remembered trying to defend this. Saying “Oh, they just didn’t know what to call him.” In Japan there are so many ways to refer to someone in third person. Just like for the non-binary community,  They ask to be called “they/them”. It’s not that difficult to find those third person pronouns in English. I mean, even we have had nicknames. Dark Gennai, Kennai, Mysterious Man. 
There are some other nuances that didn’t make sense to me in the series. Like in part 5, when Meiko is sitting outside the school after having spoken with Taichi Agumon shows up in front of her. Agumon talks about how he wasn’t scared of the scary story she told. Agumon then states “I love Meicoomon, and I know she loves you too!”. I never got why Meiko teared up and hugged Agumon. I don’t get how that was comforting. 
Also in part 5, no one is suprised that Daigo could get into the Digital WOrld? I’m pretty disappointed that they basically used the Original Chosen Children for plot only. Because none of the kids cared that “Hey! How come you can get into the Digital World without a Digivice?” Or Taichi caring in the basement with the 02 kids/gennai with Daigo talking Maki also having partner. Why did you introduce them in this way, if you were just using for plot purposes? You can say, “Oh, it’s just time constraints.”
But there’s so much in tri. where you can say that to. It really does show how sloppy tri. was. 
We never really got to see much of Meiko’s personality. As a kid she’s shown as a happy go lucky kid. Seems like adventuring/exploring. I.e. “Meicoomon and I would always play in the woods behind my house.” She also knows to how to make fire. Cool skill. Seen drawing. Cool. 
Ok, so what happened in those 6 years to make her to traumatized that she’s so withdrawn and selfloathing? Were she and Meicoomon being chased for that long? Targeted? Without any of the 12 knowing? Koushirou made a huge Chosen Child database, wouldn’t they know if a Chosen Child out there was in that much danger? WOuldn’t they know the DIgital WOrld was being attacked and put in danger by a mutation? Why logically move her to Tokyo 6 years later to “protect her”. Yeah, I get it. For plot reasons. It’s just sloppy.
Like, the transfer student trope is done in anime alllll the time. But this one obviously screams plot convinience. Then to top it off, Meiko moves BACK to Tottori. Why? I get being mortified that you asked your new friends to kill your partner. That you feel you don’t deserve their friendship and that’ll close you off to others. But why move in a 5 month span? Look, I know it’s anime and things don’t have to make sense. But when you have so many plot points just for convenience, it’s sloppy! So poor! 
Like, Meiko could just stay in Tokyo. And the end of tri. is just the 12 of them at her door with presents and they have a christmas party. You can still have a one off character live in the same city. Michael and Wallace still live in New York as far I know. and hey, wallace even got a cameo in Kizuna! 
Also,, in part 2. Mimi has a discussion with Meiko in the clothing store that Mimi can’t stand people that aren’t honest with themselves. This bothers Meiko. I thought this was just because Meiko knew of the infection and didn’t tell anyone. But later in part 3, Meiko says she knew Meicoomon was special, but not that it would come to this. So the reaction there doesn’t make sense. 
Other inappropriate reactions consist of Agumon’s constant “I’m hungry!” jokes during serious moments. “It’s comedy releif for the dark scenes!” For a few sure, not constantly through out 6 movies. It got really old really fast. That also just doesn’t fit their personalities.  Patamon’s ship bait in part 6 was not cool. 
Also, really don’t like the girls in bikinis. Didn’t like it either. Still makes sense to not like it now. 
I think those are my biggest gripes. I’m going rewatch adventure and 02 at some point. I’ll probably have more gripes about the older cast. 
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voicefromthecorner · 3 years
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30. What Did I Miss?
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Original Song: What Did I Miss?
Sho Minamimoto returns to the scene with a Taboo noise upgrade. With his new power, he sets out to take over Shibuya.
This one was written late and it took a long time to write. I struggled to adapt this one due to how much there was to it, finding the right events to match the lines and just getting the lyrics right in general. Even now, there are some lines that I look at and try to sing in my head and it only works if you do it a certain way. So it’s not a flawless transition by any means.
But darn it, Sho deserves this song. After The Room Where It Happens, I knew if he was going to sing any other song from Hamilton, it would probably have to include this one. In fact, I think I considered it the compromise of also giving him the much slower What Comes Next.
I did also consider giving Joshua this song, with him meeting Hanekoma at his re-entry into the story. But I was already lining up another song to give him for that and it didn’t make sense to give him both. I’m glad with how it all turned out. I especially love how it ends with him getting interrupted in his last line to get K.O.ed. It’s so slapstick.
First Song: Neku Sakuraba
Previous Song: Turn
Next Song: The Composer On Your Side
Index
Transcript:
[COMPANY] The third week. The-The-The third week The-The-The third week
[HANEKOMA] Week 3, Days 5 to 7 How does the loner and skater Partnership of Reaper-turned-Player Unite to overcome the danger? Find Konishi’s hiding place while nothing can delay her? Have it all, lose it all Can they both out-play her? To bring everyone back, a perfect resurrection Beat seeks the top spot with their desperate insurrection Not so fast. Someone came along to resist him Seizing pow’r aiming for Composer competition You haven’t seen him much, you haven’t had the chance ‘cause he was thought to be erased when his attack went askance But you’ll remember who always likes to steal the show Let’s welcome back Sho Minamimoto!
[COMPANY] Minamimoto has returned! (Minamimoto has returned!) Minamimoto has returned! (Minamimoto has returned!) Minamimoto has returned But he had been erased! What has he learned!? Aaa-ooo! Aaa-ooo!
[SHO] Shibuya is following Kitaniji He controls the status quo But the sun comes up And the world still spins
[ENSEMBLE] Aaa-ooo!
[SHO] I painted myself in obliteration Using ev’rything I know But I factored I would have to go Now the final test begins
[ENSEMBLE] Aaa-ooo!
[SHO] So what’d I miss? What’d I miss? Shibuya, my home sweet home, I wanna give you a kiss I’m back with a taboo reconfiguration And now I’m 5 days late to take the nation I became my masterpiece and came back to this
[ENSEMBLE] Aaa-ooo!
[SHO] I go hunting for the boss in WildKat But all I found was an empty set So I trashed the place just for the fun of it I see a pair of brain-dead hectopascal digits They're so zetta slow while I calibrate, great! And now I’m finally Myself-approved I just got home and now I’m headed to the river
[ENSEMBLE] Shibuya River! Shibuya River!
[SHO (ENSEMBLE)] Shibuya needs a leader Soon they will see his name is me (Will see his name is me) Whatever I’ll face, I shout “Please Excuse My Dear Aunt Sally!” (My Dear Aunt Sally) But who’s waitin’ for me when I step in the dark? Mitsuki Konishi, black in the heart She made a wall and I respond “What do you want?” (Aaa-ooo!)
[KONISHI] Well Sho, we are engaged in a battle for our city’s very soul Can you get me out of the mess we’re in?
[ENSEMBLE] Aaa-ooo!
[KONISHI] The Composer’s new O-pin plan is nothing less Than complete mind control I’ll help if you give me Megumi’s role Where have you been?
[SHO] Uh...Calibrating?
[ENSEMBLE] Aaa-ooo!
[KONISHI] I have to win
[SHO (ENSEMBLE)] What’d I miss? (Wha? Wha? What’d I miss?) What’d I miss? (I’ve come home to this?) Headfirst into the Dead god’s pad abyss! (Headfirst, into the abyss!) Shibuya’s getting a new ruler today (Chik-a-pow!) SOHCAHTOA is all I have to say I’m already on my way (On my way) And then it’s “class dismissed”! (What did I miss? Ahhh ah!)
[BEAT] Damn, Pi-face is so strong
[NEKU] That means Joshua sacrificed his life in vain!
[BEAT AND ENSEMBLE] Damn, Pi-face is so strong
[COMPANY] Minamimoto has returned! And he’s ready to show off what he’s learned!
[SHO] So what did I mi- (THUNK)
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a-la-la-llama · 4 years
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The One Where Marinette Gets A Job #3
This one is a little short but enjoy!
Part 1       Part 2      Part 4
  Marinette had three different amounts of lifetime savings. Three! Yet, she managed to have blown most of it in a year and a half. She had a decent apartment that held all of her necessities but some of the Kwami’s ‘luxurious’ eating habits didn’t help in saving money. 
( I’m sorry Plagg but I am not shipping Camembert out of France just for you! I know Kaalki can teleport but you try convincing him to do anything. Plus, we aren’t supposed to steal for our own gain! ) 
Which meant Marinette was desperately in need of a job.
  She had never been happier that she didn’t show Jagged and Clara her newly designed website before she left. According to Paris, Marinette Dupain-Cheng was dead along with her parents. No one would know who MCD was. Making a living off of designing isn’t as easy when you don’t have regular clients though, so she would have to put that on the back-burner and get a real job. The problem was who in their right mind was going to be willing to hire her and what job should she actually pursue.
  With Tikki in her purse, Marinette locked all three locks on her door before setting out into the city. Maybe having the Kwami of luck by her side would help her in the job hunt. Plagg and Wayzz were in charge of keeping the apartment safe while they were gone.
  Wandering around was quite fun for Marinette. She was basically overlooked by everyone because they all had their own lives to worry about than a girl walking by herself. She passed by many cafes but few were looking for help. The ones that were only offered the graveyard shifts. Who knew that just because they are notorious for the highest crime-rates didn’t mean people wouldn’t want coffee at three in the morning. She felt a nudge on her thigh and looked around to make sure no one was around.
“What is it, Tikki?”, she said peeking at the small goddess.
“There is a flower shop just across the street! It even has a help wanted sign on the front window.”, Tikki exclaimed.
“That’s perfect! Not only will it bode well with our creation magic but I have experience too!”, Marinette concluded before shutting her purse close and crossing the street.
  Pamela was having a bad day and it wasn’t even noon yet. The life of a villain turned anti-hero was tuff to say the least. Since she couldn’t just steal to get by Pamela had to make an honest living now. At least she was able to work surrounded by the thing she loved most but she needed help. On account of her previous applicants, no one in this darn city could properly care for her plants when she couldn't be in. There was no way the former villain Poison Ivy would let her plants be mistreated.
  She did not expect the bell of “A New Leaf” to ding. Fitting name if you ask her, it was Harley’s idea. Pamela also didn’t expect the small midnight-blue haired girl to walk in with the chime.
“Welcome to A New Leaf, how can I help you?”, she sighed out.
A smile bloomed across the girl’s face, “I would like to apply for a job if you don’t mind!”
“What makes you qualified?”, Pamela bluntly asked. Maybe she was being a little rude but she was irritated.
The girl wilted with a frown across her face. “Well, I know right now that those Lilies need to be recut. The Daisies need more water. Your Carnations are too close to the Hyacinths that you just cut and that can harm them.”, she concluded.
“You know your stuff! Fill this out.”, Pamela handed her a paper along with a clipboard and pen. Maybe she could finally have adequate help.
“What’s your name, little flower bud?”, she asked while moving the Carnations.
“Marinette. Yours?”, the girl responded.
“Pamela, the owner. You're the first person to apply that actually knows about plants!”, she complimented.
“I have experience. Used to have an amazing balcony garden! I’ve made a few arrangements but nothing big time. I’ll be better at maintaining their care.”, she added.
“Well Mari-gold, you're my top candidate. When do you think you can start?”, Pamela confessed.
“Whenever you say.”, she confirmed by handing her a filled out application.
Pamela looked over the paper noting a few holes in it. She assumed the girl was barely a teenager but she was already fifteen.
“If you plan to work here, I’ll need to know where you go to school and what the times are since it should be starting in a month. To work out your schedule.”, she commented.
  Marinette wanted to physically face-palmed herself. She hadn’t even thought of applying to a school! School means documents, which is something she does not have being dead and teleporting here. Maybe she could ask Catwoman for help; she seemed to have connections.
“I just moved here and haven’t registered yet. I’ll be sure to inform you as soon as I know. For now I’m free to work anytime!”, Marinette quickly said, covering for herself.
“Alright, I have your information and will contact you later. See you at another ‘thyme’ Mari-gold.”, Pamela jokes, waving the girl out.
  Marinette didn’t notice how the flowers wilted slightly as she left. Pamela did, however, the plants made it well known to her that there was something special about the girl. She couldn’t wait to see her newest bud, blossom.
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