#jim needs all the therapy he can get after this one

[trek-tracks]

If Jim is the pina colada of mental health, Bones is the whiskey sour

[actual-changeling]

when gabriel/jim (jabriel?? gim?????) talks about his "one particular person", aziraphale's smile is such a blink and you will miss it moment but so incredibly precious and we don't pay enough attention to it.

so, welcome to another round of alex's unhinged meta corner where i over-analyse micro expressions while losing some more braincells.

firstly, here's a clip of that scene just so we are all on the same page since i don't know how much time everyone else spends watching that show. don't ask me it's probably at least 6 hours a day at this point

what i want to focus on is aziraphale's reaction to jabriel's words right after "person". did i slow the clip down and then go through it frame by frame to get the following screencaps? yes. yes i did.

there are two parts to this, the spaced-out smile and then his shock/fear. also before we start can i just say how fucking insane whoever made the trailer was for putting the 1941 dinner scene RIGHT THERE??? with THAT expression??????? yeah. no. i need therapy for that alone.

anyway.

while he is talking, aziraphale is looking at jabriel the entire time, but honestly, i don't think he is actually seeing him, he's neck-deep in his memories of crowley. he as that sparkle in his eyes he tends to get around crowley/looking at crowley and that smile appears rather slowly (or as slow as something can be while lasting less than a second).

personally, i'd call that expression "completely and utterly in love" or besotted if you wanna keep it simple. a content little smile meant for no one except himself, the kinda look he probably wears in private while calling crowley to ask him to come hang out. aziraphale loves him and in this short moment, he knows it - and so do we.

when jabriel (preferable over gim, in my opinion) trails off, aziraphale remembers that hey, wait a minute. that's my boss. that's the archangel fucking gabriel. he can't know about me and crowley.

at this point, neither we nor he know what exactly is up with jabriel, so there is a very real danger that everything aziraphale says or shows will be reported back to heaven. the shock sets in, the smile disappear and aziraphale falls from cloud 9 (pun intended) and lands face first back on earth.

while aziraphale does not have crowley's memory of what exactly went down in heaven when they tried to burn him to a crisp, he has always been incredibly anxious around gabriel and the other archangel. he is fidgeting, unable to stand still or even keep his gaze from flicking around. the only moment he calms is, you guessed it, when he is zoned out and thinking of crowley.

the very real fear that settles on his face is not just about himself, it is mostly about crowley. if heaven knows, hell will, too. everyone knows about the back channels, most just try and keep up plausible deniability. the fact that it is michael who seems to be directly in contact with hell for the most part and not gabriel is worthy of its own post at some point.

another thing worth mentioning is that aziraphale is so afraid, in fact, that he physically backs away from jabriel and gets as much distance between them as possible. jabriel looks like a lost toddler, very non-threatening, but the trauma runs so deep that it does not matter how much of a danger he really is right now. he has been a constant threat for over six thousand years, you cannot deconstruct your view of a person, especially your boss, that quickly. not even if they turn up with total amnesia on your doorstep. naked.

this was less unhinged than some of my other posts but i think this is a moment that gets overlooked a lot. at least i haven't seen anyone talking about it yet since we are all understandably focused on the ending of episode 6.

[satureja13]

Last night shift before the first play test of the Therapy Game.

They are so excited ^^' I'm glad Saiwa is his old self again. It's so hard for me to see him suffer. They are so cute! ^^'

Jack noticed that Ji Ho is sad and exhausted: "Let's take a break, hm?"

And as soon as he said it, Ji Ho ran out. It still hurts that Vlad rejected him. Saiwa: "What happened?"

And so Jack explained that the idea was to get physical with Vlad so Ji Ho can gain access to his buried feelings. And that Vlad rejected him... Saiwa: "Vlad!" Vlad: "But - how was I supposed to know? I didn't attend your therapy session and no one told me. He tried to kiss me out of the blue and you know I can't resist him and then we'd go to far and ..."

"I just can't treat Ji Ho like this. He only should do such things with someone he loves. Not to cast bond magic and not to find his feelings. There is no need to do this anyway. Because there is another way - and we are just working on it -> this game."

Saiwa sighed: "Uhm right... I should probably go and look after him then... By the way: Is it ok for you to stay here for so long? How are Jeb and Kiyoshi doing? If you need to check on them, just leave." Vlad: "Uhm - no, it's actually fine. I can stay and finish the game with you." Saiwa sensed there is something foul: "What?" Vlad: "Ehm... actually they now live together at Jeb's apartment and care for each other..." Oh oh. (Jeb and Kiyoshi knew each other long before we met them. And Saiwa and Jack had always been jealous. Jeb had even joined Kiyoshi in the tree to take a part of the burden off of him while no one else of them knew where he was...) Jack regained his composure before Saiwa: "It's all my fault! I go and run!" Saiwa: "How is this your ... ohhh"

(That's Saiwa and Jack's way to deal with things ^^' Jack doesn't care to be Saiwa's scapegoat to hunt down. He knows it's the only way for Saiwa to let his frustration out and he's glad to help haha And Jack too needs a good run right now after this revelation...) Saiwa: "Ok. You look after Ji Ho then, Vlad."

Vlad: "Ehm, ok..."

And then they ran.

Vlad instead went to look after Ji Ho... How embarrassing - again. Will it never end? Vlad doesn't even know if it's a good idea to dig out Ji Ho's feelings. It kept him sane for all these years burying them deep deep down. Do the others even consider that it's not possible to just dig out the feelings of love? Ji Ho would have to open Pandora's Box and all his surpressed feelings would hit him - all at once.

Vlad: "Forgive me."

Did you notice that it rained again? And did you know that mermaids can change the weather? And that it only rained when Ji Ho was sad? And when the sun came out the other day, it was when Ji Ho was happy that Vlad was there and Vlad was happy to see Ji Ho happy?

'If I kiss you like this And if you whisper like that It was lost long ago, but it's all coming back to me If you want me like this And if you need me like that It was dead long ago, but it's all coming back to me It's so hard to resist, and it's all coming back to me I can barely recall, but it's all coming back to me now But it's all coming back'

Pandora's Box - It's all coming Back to me now (You might know this song from Celine Dion, but this is the original, written by Jim Steinman (who also wrote songs for Meatloaf)

From the Beginning  ~  Underwater Love ~  Latest 🕹️ 'Therapy Game' from the beginning ▶️ here 📚 Previous Chapters: Chapters: 1-6 ~ 7-12 ~ 13-16 ~ 17-22 ~ 23-28

Outtakes

Vlad being overly theatrical ^^'

And maybe they kissed because Vlad is unable to resist Ji Ho :3

[etherealspacejelly]

ok so i just watched star trek the motion picture for the third time and this time it was the directors cut with the extra scenes, and i have some Thoughts™️that may or may not be entirely coherant but i need to share them

here is my in depth literary analysis of why star trek the motion picture is the greatest queer love story ever written (/hj). buckle up because this is gonna be a long one

so our story starts (after the klingon cold open ofc) with spock on vulcan, during the final ceremony in which he is supposed to acheive kohlinar, the purging of all emotion. now, right off the bat, i want to make a comparison to conversion therapy/being closeted/repressed here. spock is trying to repress an entire side to himself, a part of him that is inherantly different to those around him, in order to be accepted in society. spock is already a very queer coded character, and i think reading this scene through that lens is a valid interpretation, especially considering everything else that happens in this movie.

the ceremony stops before its completion. because spock has Not purged all of his emotions. a consciousness calls to him from the sky. now, i think this line could be interpreted one of two ways. either this 'consciousness' is v'ger, or its jim. i think the writers intended it to be v'ger, but in the context of the scene it sounds a lot more like jim. of course jim would be the one preventing spock from purging his emotions: jim is the reason for many of spocks emotional slip-ups throughout the series. he fears for jims life when he is in danger, he feels friendship for jim but also shame about those feelings (that shame is also queercoded, but thats not the point of this post so i wont get into it here). he feels compassion for jim. he feels loyalty and a sense of duty to him. these feelings are so strong that he cannot purge them fully.

so what does spock do? he off goes in search of something that he feels will help him achieve his goal. he wants peace within himself, to find a balance between his two opposing mindsets, that of logic and that of emotion. purging all emotion was unsuccessful, so what else can he do?

he feels that v'ger is a being of pure logic, and wants to understand it, in hopes of achieving that for himself. in the process he meets up with jim again. now, you would think, that a vulcan nearing kohlinar who has been training for years to purge all of his emotions and act purely logically would not stop to change clothes and cut his hair when on his way to acheive LITERALLY HIS LIFE GOAL that is super important to him. and yet. when spock turns up on the enterprise hes wearing his nicest black robes and has his classic bangs back. why is that mr spock?? why would you take the time to do that?? especially when he then immediately changes into his uniform.

and while we're on the topic of clothes, what does jim do immediately after spock boards the enterprise? thats right folks, he changes into a shirt that shows off his arms and has a v-neck to show off his chest. any. particular reason for that jim? when you said just a moment ago that every minute counts and the earth is in danger? hmm. interesting.

and then of course we get that exchange between jim, spock, and bones. where jim 'needs' spock. just like he needed bones. theres a desparation in his eyes, he wants HIS spock back, and hes not seeing that spock in front of him. the conversation ends with jim looking dejected, since spock only seems to be there out of convenience and not because he Wants to be. wonder why that is...

of course then spock mind melds with v'ger. and to do so he has to. go through a very sphincter-like opening. and says he has 'penetrated' the next chamber. now im just saying. if anything is a metaphor for gay sex, this has to be, right?

anyway.

spock mind melds with v'ger and is flung back into jims arms. because of course he is. and what did he learn from the whole experience? that v'ger is pure logic, and therefore cannot experience beauty, imagination, and "this simple feeling". wait. hang on. what simple feeling would that be, spock? the one you're talking about while holding jim's hand (HANDS?? VULCAN HOLDING HANDS?? HELLO???) and staring into each others eyes? what feeling would that be, i wonder?

and then. SPOCK CRIES. for v'ger. he 'weeps for v'ger as he would for a brother". v'ger is 'empty', as spock was when he came aboard. "incomplete, and searching. logic and knowledge are not enough," he says. bones asks if spock has found what he needed, and v'ger hasnt. spock says that v'ger wants to know what it was meant to be, to reach out and touch its creator.

spock is crying because he empathises with v'ger. v'gers journey parallels his own. they were both empty beings of pure logic. spock found his fulfilment in... what exactly? its not explicitly clear. but if we continue the spock/v'ger parallel to its conclusion, what do we find?

v'ger has taken ilia's form, and decker decides to merge with v'ger not only to save earth, but also to reunite with the woman he loves. v'ger becomes satisfied only when this happens. so... spock found his fulfilment by reuniting with someone he loves? if we take this in context with the 'this simple feeling' scene, the queer subtext is right there.

at the end of the movie, spock is offered to return to vulcan, and he refuses, stating that his business there is finished. he has achieved his goal of finding peace within himself. not by purging all emotion, but by embracing emotion, alongside logic, and allowing himself to feel what he has repressed his entire life. he resumes his place at jims side, which, as edith keeler stated, is where he belongs.

this movie is a queer story, and i will die on this hill. all of the evidence together stacks up that way. it is a story of repression, self acceptance, and love.

ALSO THE POSTER IS A RAINBOW-

[aberooski]

Fuck it.

Random Yu-Gi-Oh GX headcanon dump part 2!

Part 1

Once again in no particular order, just the order they pop out of my brain.

Most of my headcanons are upsetting so we'll see what gets released from the vault this time 👀

Atticus takes care of anyone and everyone but himself, to an almost self-destructive degree at times.

The J-Squad kept in touch with Chumley after he left

Atticus is 100% a theater kid

Of the Primary Color Trio(tm), Syrus is the only one they trust to cook. As we've established, Jaden will burn down the kitchen if he tries, and Hassleberry isn't a bad cook, but he's the kinda guy who will have something really good and then walk away and accidentally wreck it.

Hassleberry has never measured ingredients in his life. He doesn't know what tea/tablespoons or measuring cups are.

Bastion's top artist on Spotify is Frank Sinatra

After graduation Atticus and Alexis made Chazz write down a list of things/experiences he's never done or had because of how restrictively he was brought up and they make it their mission to make sure he can cross off everything on the list.

Alexis has painted Chazz's nails for him more than once because she does a cleaner job than he does. 💅

Alexis also taught Chazz how to do eye liner

Jim tells people Shirley is his seeing eye croc when they ask why he has her

After graduation, every single one of them eventually starts going to therapy

Jesse was the one who finally convinced Jaden to at least try therapy after he repeatedly insisted to everyone that he didn't need it. He did

This is kinda canon actually, but Hassleberry doesn't remember what happens when he goes dinosaur berserk mode. The headcanon part is that it's not just like fuzzy memories or anything, there are just straight up holes in his memory. And it really bothers him.

Yuki is Jaden's mom's last name. She's Japanese but his dad is American and when they got married, he took her name.

Eventually, Bastion does return from the other dimension with Tania. Everyone is happy to see him. No one ever forgot him.

Aster carries Echo's memory with him until the day he dies. Just like his father, he'll always remember the poor girl who was murdered for a card. The girl he couldn’t save.

Crowler's the teacher everybody added on Facebook and all that after graduation because they're not his students anymore so they're allowed to be friends with him on social media 🤭

Syrus really does love his brother a lot, bit therapy really opens his eyes to how so many of his personal issues and fears and anxieties and inhibitions stem from Zane and how badly he treated him and how badly it stifled him as a person and is able to bring himself to hold Zane accountable for it all so he can actually find a way to heal from it all and they can truly mend their relationship.

Jaden regrets not holding Zane accountable for how he treated Syrus past their duel in episode 8 where the subsequently drops the issue because of Zane's dueling skills.

Bastion can play the piano

Chazz is the most bisexual little man on the planet 💖💙💜 pretty sure we all agree on this one

Atticus is pan 💖💛💙

Jaden and Jesse have gone as Jed and Octavius for Halloween at least once

One year Atticus used the fact that Halloween is his birthday as an excuse to convince Chazz be Snow White for Halloween so they could go as Snow White and Prince Florian.

By the time they're grown up and he and Atticus are living together/married the only family member of his that Chazz still keeps any contact with is his mom

Aster has intense trust issues after learning the truth about The D and his father's death

Hassleberry tilts his head like a dog when he's confused

Syrus actually gets sick a lot. 🤒

Zane giving kids cards to stop them from bullying Syrus was a common occurrence when they were little kids

Before Zane went off to train at Sheppard's dojo and before he started abusing Syrus in his own ways they were actually decently close considering Zane's inherent emotional distance

Slade and Jagger hated Chazz from day one.

Alexis has nightmares about Atticus being taken away again after he comes back. If they're bad enough, she'll go to his dorm in the middle of the night to check on him and make sure that he's safe, and often ends up sleeping on his couch for the rest of the night.

Chazz knows his family is homophobic so after he cuts his ties with his dad and his brothers, he comes out to Crowler because he's the closest thing to a genuine father figure he's really ever had

Crowler officiates Chazz and Atticus's wedding 💍

Inspired by Yusei, Jaden got a motorcycle post Bonds Beyond Time. He thought it would impress Jesse. It did.

Jesse is the first one to get their driver's license

Axel is the only one who has never crashed their car

Axel will always come whenever anyone needs help. No matter who, and no matter how far away they are.

While working on Chazz's experiences list Atticus and Alexis took him to the mall. She left them unsupervised for a few minutes to go to the bathroom. When she came back, they were gone, and when she found them again, Chazz had his ears pierced. Atticus had taken him to Claire's. She will never leave them unsupervised again. 🤦‍♀️

I think I'll call this one here for now!

Maybe next year I'll come back with part 3 🤭

[respectthepetty]

Jeng speaking English should come with at least a 10 minute warning so I can collect myself.

goddammit!!!!

Y'all know that I mute and speed up my shows, so I didn't realize he was speaking English until the Thai subs kept coming up; then, I had to rewind and slow it down to hear it, so I could appreciate the cuteness. Jeng bringing out his multilingual side to confess AGAIN made him more adorable!

And because this isn't the first time the use of another language in a BL has caused me to stop in my tracks, let me give you something you didn't even ask for -

My Top Five Favorite Uses of Another Language in BLs!

offered in no particular order

My Only 12% - English

Cake was studying with his pals when he decided to call it a night. He went into his bedroom and apologized to his boyfriend Eiw for waking him up. Eiw told Cake he wasn't really sleeping well because Cake wasn't next to him, and that was all it took for Cake's heart-eyes to be activated. He kissed Eiw so tenderly only to then dedicate an ode to Eiw's entire body, mind, and soul all in English while kissing each part of Eiw's body as he praised it. What a king!

Never Let Me Go - Mandarin

I already thought that Palm liked Nueng's mean side a little too much before Wu and David wandered into Mam's bar, but this exchange solidified that Palm had a specific kink and Nueng was more than happy to offer Palm a helping hand a scolding insult. Nueng took great pleasure calling his boyfriend a fool in every language he knew including Mandarin, and I'm sure that is part of the reason Palm came around to Nueng extending his time abroad for schooling. The more education Nueng has, the more languages he can berate Palm in.

Unintentional Love Story - Spanish

The main couple were great, but I was showing up every week for Donghee and Hotae's friends-to-enemies-to-menaces plot because once they screamed at each other in the alley, the only reasonable next step was to sleep together, no? Maybe that's just me, but Hotae trying to prove to Donghee that he was serious about him by learning Spanish like one of the Hisstrange (Hispanic) men Donghee liked had me screaming, "SECOND SEASON WHEN?" which now I must patiently wait for to see how well Hotae's improves his language skills for his amor.

KinnPorsche - English

The VegasPete arc was a wild ride. They went from spying and torturing to crying and fucking in the span of two episodes, but what was the craziest moment of them all was when after sex and STILL CHAINED UP, Vegas turned to Pete and softly said, "Do you know how sexy you are?" Like . . . bitch, what?! Even crazier was Pete's apathetic response of "mmm" as if he had heard that line a thousand times after bringing countless men to their knees with his free therapy and snarky comebacks. Vegas served a lot of great English lines, but this one took the cake, and the tossed salad.

Moonlight Chicken - Modern Standard Thai Sign Language

Heart and Li Ming's story was already the sweetest thing since a nice mango sorbet on a hot day, but add in the fact that Wen, the bridge between Li Ming and his uncle Jim, was not only fully supportive of these two kids finding happiness within each other, but started to learn MSTSL so he could communicate with Heart was what pushed me over the edge. Heart's own parents couldn't be bothered to learn how to communicate with their son, but Li Ming's very-gay-uncle's boyfriend did. Wen knew he needed an ally to deal with these stubborn guys, and no better than the boyfriend of your-soon-to-be-nephew. Ghost Host, Ghost House gets an honorable mention for MSTSL as well.

Bonus

KinnPorsche - English

Ken and Big were two bad bitches and the Regina George and Maddy Perez of Kinn's bodyguard squad. Big had his reasons for disliking Porsche like being jealous that the man he loved was in love with this idiot, but Ken just hated Porsche for being an idiot who upset the guy he was in love with (Ken x Big is canon to me), so when Ken yelled, "Are you fucking dumb, bro?!" at Porsche with Perth's Australian accent, I was cackling. It made me instantly think Ken was the mole because only someone who was rocking with Vegas "but this wasn't the fucking plan" Theerapanyakul could drop bangers like this.

[cubezart]

Hi!! You totally don't know me at all, I'm a complete stranger >:) And I'd love to hear about Jim's mental world!!

HI ok so erm this is mostly just gonna be a mess of rambles and vague ideas smushed together barely in order but

(old/outdated concept sketch, but it's a good start)

for starters, the prime issue(s) to help resolve in his mental world (or this version at least) is jim's fear of burdening his friends and family, and his resistance to reaching out for help, as much as he really needs it. it doesn't get too deep into his trauma, it's just giving jim the push he needs to seek out help again

after jim's recent divorce with bettie, he's been trying to give his family "some space to process" ...which didn't take long to sink back into old self isolation habits. he's been putting his all into his job to repress and distract from everything else going on with him, and it doesn't seem like it'll work for very much longer

first area in his mind is a boring + extremely tiny office room, the other cubicles are all empty and open except for jim's, which has a big metal door attached to the entrance. you can try and talk to him or ask him things, but it won't get you much . he insists he's happier in there really !! its so nice and safe hes fine :) its ok :)

when asked why he's locked in, he'll insist it's for his own safety, saying some vague stuff while the clairvoyance hints become even more obvious. when you use clairvoyance on him, his POV shows the cubicle door and everywhere around it surrounded by nightmares clawing and staring at him from the other side. (something something these are all just his own perception of things and he's really not in danger)

afterwards, his dialogue tree gets pretty short and limited, leaving raz to explore !! there's a few doors you can interact with, one being just a simple archetype-required door with a little collectible or somethin. the other is an old n dusty storage closet filled with memory vaults piling up to the ceiling. you can't really interact with any of those individually, (maybe some raz line along the lines of "i can't punch through all those :( ") but there's one or two real ones that just seem to have completely mundane and normal memories inside. weird! cuz with cpstd n trauma memory loss/repression, it can repress a lot more than what's necessary

there's one last door to try, leading out into the next phase ! raz says goodbye to jim, and jim happily waves back as the door shuts n locks behind raz, and the hallway distorts and extends, distancing raz away too :( sorta like the effect in the pn2 office construct !! im taking a lot of inspo from that world tbh heehe except for the obvious yknow. dental stuff

the next phase is kind of a messy stub for now, still sorting n planning out everything in my head lol but it's called Jim's Judgement

it centers more around jim's trauma and Issues TM and a lot of it is more vague concepts than any real gameplay ideas for the more dark story elements bc i don't want raz to have to see that and like to think after raz gets him a head start, he gets into actual professional Psychonauts therapy (and for my own silly oc/canon interaction fun, its sasha and milla assigned to help him. perhaps. maybe. they almost assigned oleander but he yelled too much and scared him away /hj) ANYWAY!!

all that being said i honestly have 0 ideas how to tone shit down for raz and im still trying to plan out the smaller in-game per se variation on it so i will simply. wait to talk about it. there's a lot of cool symbolism and motifs i prommy i swear </3 but the main "boss fight" final moment thing surrounds his whole paranoia of being a horrible person who others only tolerate + he constantly has to "make up for it" by putting everything and everyone Before him. i really wanna end it back in the small office space with jim having the key on his desk this whole time, making it literally In His Hands to get himself out. he just needed the support! he's definitely scared and slow, but he opens the door and steps out of his cubicle. the room grows a little bit. its a start

i was gonna ramble more about the darker version of the second phase but this post is already gettin Long and kinda incoherent i think so ermm. ill split it off into a second post probably if anyones interested in hearing more . i hope this all made sense lol i have too many thoughts about him to keep together honestly

[ornii]

Numbers Don’t Lie.

Jane/ Eleven X Male Brother Reader.

Summary: You express the want to see your presumed dead sister. Being another one of Brenners experiments, you were luckily able to escape years before it, growing up in Ohio, when you turned 18 you headed to Indiana, to find her.

December 23rd, 1984

It's been a few days or perhaps a week or two since the Snow Ball Dance and it's festivities, while it was a different experience for the kids, you felt the same in Indian High School in Ohio. It all felt so, nostalgic, but the addition of all the horrific and mostly insane things made a twist on it. But, out of all the horrific and Almost unbelievable things that occur in this town, there was one thing that made it worth it all.

Eleven.

After helping Dustin and his Prolific father figure, Steve, find his "Pet." It lead you on a journey to finding about the Upside Down, Demagorgons, and the truth behind Dr Brenners experiments, and most importantly was Eleven, still alive and very much kicking. After closing the gate for the last time you had time to get to know her just a bit more, about her journey the first time she met Dustin, Lucas, Will and Mike. Those times you were able to talk to her were heartwarming. After your spat and fight with the gate, and her Dress at the Snow Ball Dance, you ruffled her curly but small hair and finally felt somewhat at peace.

Giving you some semblance of a normal life with your little Sister, but unfortunately, not everyone was so accommodating about it. There was one person who didn't share your declaration of peace. Jim Hopper.

"Coffee, Two sugars, Spoon-full of creamer."

"Just Black for me."

"Got it chief." The waitress at the Diner walks off, leaving (Y/n) and Hopper at the table, across each other as the tension is a bit, high. The gruff and more experienced hopper glares at the younger and hauntingly mysterious (Y/n).

"So, what did you want?" (Y/n) asks, he leans back into the leather seating of the diner, calmly but smugly folding his arms, hopper looks more annoyed than most in this place.

"It's about Jane." He says, which causes (Y/n) to raise an eyebrow.

"Jane?" He says, Hopper reaches into his chest pocket and shows him a birth certificate, with the words "Jane Hopper" printed. (Y/n)'s eyes narrow to the name and he looks back up to Hopper.

"Eleven.. that's her name." (Y/n) says, but Hopper ignores that.

"Sure Pal, it's obvious that.. you know more about her, situation than I do. I don't know what those doctors did to her but it's obvious she isn't the most sociable kid." Hopper says and (Y/n)'s eyes look more sullen.

"Yeah. The, Test.. Experiments, shock therapy, we didn't go outside, we didn't get to have any contact with the outside world, we never even saw sunlight. I got lucky when my mom was able to pull me out of there, who knows how I would have ended up... but why are you asking? You don't seem like the type of guy to care." He says, and Jim shrugs.

"Who knows I might surprise you.."

"I Highly doubly it, so.. what do you want?" He asks, the waitress returns witu their coffee and places it, they give her a small nod of Thanks and she walks off, (Y/n) sips his sweet coffee and Jim spills it.

"Jane needs someone to help her control her powers, so you're going to help.. In Exchange, you can see her."

(Y/n) stops drinking his coffee, and slowly places the cup down and turns his cold eyes to Jim.

" "In exchange?" This isn't some trade of goods, and regardless I am going to see my sister." (Y/n) clenched the cup handle a bit tightly.

"Yes, in exchange, as much as you want to act like It, you aren't all of a sudden everyone's friend. You just popped up randomly with powers."

"Just Like her, Right?" He says back.

"I can trust her."

"And why not me?"

"She's a 11 year old girl, they're not good at lying, barely legal adults on the other hand."

"Well aren't you funny? I'm not going to play by some dumb rule to see my sister. You aren't going to stop me."

"This 41 Magnum says otherwise." He replies, (Y/n) could probably assume the handgun is under the table in his holster.

"You really want to try this Jim?" (Y/n) and Jim stare at each other. There was silence between them but the tension was so heavy, an intensity fills the diner, as their aggression whispers were promises of destruction.

"I've lost most of my family, I won't lose her too." He says, Jim sees the desperation and Sorrow In his eyes when he spoke, Hopper relents just for a moment and sighs.

"God Dammit... okay, it's true I don't trust you, but Jane.. she wants you to come over for Christmas."

"Christmas? Huh.." (Y/n) says, and Jim nods.

"Yeah, told me she wants it with her Family, with her "Papa and Brother.", and, if that's what the kid wants.." Jim says, and trails on. (Y/n) felt his heart skip a beat, a depressing warmness fills his heart and he nods. Holding back a few tears Jim can see him look down and sniffle.

"...I'd like that." He says. Jim's attitude softens, and stands up.

"Yeah... come over, I'm sure she'd like to see you." He says, and (Y/n) nods once more, wiping a single tear.

December 24th.

The Cabin was renovated to fit the lifestyle of a Preteen girl with powers and a rugged Old cop. A medium sized Christmas tree was planted on a big pot and (Y/n) and Eleven are setting it up.

"Okay, now, place the star on the top."

"Okay."

Eleven, using her powers lifts the star up, and places the plastic model on the top. He gives her a small pat on the back.

"There you go." (Y/n) gives her a smile, and Jane couldn't help but crack a smile. The two look at the fully decorated Tree adorned with Christmas foil and ornaments.

"Well, I guess that's that, you want some Cocoa?"

"Cocoa?" Jane asks, obviously confused by the term. (Y/n) raises an eyebrow.

"Cocoa? You've never heard of it? Jim's never given you any?" (Y/n) asks and Jane just shakes her head confused. He scoffs and walks to grabs his keys.

"Cmon." He says, Jane looks hesitant and fiddles with her fingers.

"We're not supposed to go outside." She says, and he stops.

"Jane, you've been cooped up in this place, Jim's out on some investigation, and who knows when he's coming back and I'm not leaving you here alone, Cmon.. I promise you'll have fun." He says, A bit convinced, Jane follows and they head to his car and out of the woods and into the city, he keeps Jane close as he shows her the snow, the cool winds and the festivities of Christmas. After shopping for the food for Christmas, and getting Jane a Santa hat, they return as she has a glow about her. Jim is still away, but that doesn't stop them or (Y/n), boiling milk in a pot on a stove he shows Jane the brown powder.

"Now. This is Cocoa." He says and she looks at it, obviously a bit confused.

"It's.. Dirt."

"It's Not Dirt."

"It looks like dirt."

"I know what it looks like—"

"I bet it tastes like dirt."

"No it's..anyway.. it's made from Cocoa beans, they grind them down and refine them into a powder. And you mix that powder into hot milk or water, and it turns it into Cocoa." He explains, as the milk comes to a small boil, he pours it into the pot and begins to stir, Jane watches with intensity and curiosity, as he finishes the brew, he can see the intensity that Jane is watching and finds nothing but amusement. He pours a hot up into a mug for him and another for her. Sitting down at the couch he hands it to her, and she cautiously takes it with both hands.

"Now, it's hot.. be careful and just take a sip." He says, and She does as told, she takes a cautionary sip, the rich flavor and scent of warm chocolate hits her sensory and goes overload, she stops for a second, her eyes going wide.

"Good, isn't it." He says, and she begins to chug it down and his face quickly turns to concern. She finishes and a deep brown mustache is above her upper lip and hands him the cup (Y/n) tries to stiffen down his laugh, Jane looks at his quizzically.

"What?" She says, "Do you want another cup?" He asks, snickering and she nods eagerly. He refills the cup and she continues to eagerly consume the cocoa. She finishes again with the same mustache and he tries not keep his composure again. This time she looks more frustrated.

"What's so funny?" She asks and he obliged.

"Okay, let me show you." He drinks a portion of his and forms his own mustache, he points which causes Eleven to giggle at it, he smiled so genuinely at her. She drops her cup on accident and it plummets to the ground, before it can shatter on the ground, it stops mid air, and slowly floats upward via (Y/n), who then takes the handle of the mug.

"Cmon, I got a few movies we can watch." He puts in a VHS of the classic "Gremlins." And sits next to Jane, who is a bit oblivious.

"What's a, Gremlin?" She asks and he elaborates.

"They're annoying little monsters that you can't feed after midnight. Trust me I think you'll really like it." He says, halfway into the film, Jane is asleep, most l due to the literal gallon of Cocoa she consumed. Resting her head on his shoulder, she sleeps so soundly, he looks over to her resting so calmly and he smiles.

"Lightweight."

Five minutes later, he's also asleep, his head cocked back and open. The door Jingles and opens to a grumbling Jim.

"I leave for one day and you two.." he says before seeing them sleeping so, soundly and calmly. His attitude lightens up a bit and he just puts a blanket on them, he checks his watch and raises an eyebrow, he looks at them sleeping so warmly.

"Huh, Midnight.. Merry Christmas."

[positivexcellence]

Jared Padalecki on That ‘Walker’ Finale, Cordi & Geri, 13-Episode Seasons, and More

Ok, first off…congratulations. You got renewed! And you’re lucky, because if you gave us this finale and then left us hanging, you were gonna be in so much trouble.

Jared Padalecki: No s**t, right? I was like, “Can we just write the season to figure out what happened? We don’t have to film it, but if you don’t mind just writing it?” [Laughs]

Obviously it sucks that it’s only 13 episodes, but I also like that idea because that gives you a lot more time to prep story and streamline it.

You know, Jensen [Ackles] and I asked for 13-episode seasons of Supernatural, many, many, many times. As a matter of fact, I feel like if we had done 13-episode seasons of Supernatural, we’d probably still be doing Supernatural right now. Because it’s hard to do a long network season while also trying to be a husband and a father and friend.

I think Jim Beaver at one of our Comic-Con panels said about 22 or 23-episode seasons, “You know, even if it’s the best batter on the planet, if Ted Williams goes to bat 23 times, he’s gonna strike out a few times.” And so I think a shortened season would just be a really strong, action-packed, story-packed season where we don’t have to do an episode like “Bugs” in Season 1 of Supernatural. [Laughs]

How did the cast hear?

I kind of told them yesterday, I talked to Brad Schwartz [the new CW president] and they totally tricked me. I was doing hyperbaric chamber stuff…after my TBI last year, I try to get hyperbaric [therapy] when I can for brain health and I got out to all these missed messages, like “Hey, we need to do some press for the finale,” and “Hey, will you call into The CW because they have some reporters that want to do this.” And I was like, “Oh, s**t, sorry! On it!”

So I called in and Brad answers like, “Hey, bud… so I just wanted to touch base with you.” And he went on for a few minutes about how I need to do some interviews since the writers are on strike and can’t do them. And I was like “Sure thing,” I was ready. Then finally, he goes, “Well in that case, we are also excited to bring Walker back for Season 4.” I was so totally not expecting that conversation, right? I was in the head space of like, “Okayyyyy, now…what was the finale about again?” [Laughs]

And it’s so nice because we had a little tradition on Supernatural and now on Walker, at the end of the season, where they’d let me give the news. And I had asked Brad many months ago, we had chatted and I asked, “Hey, if it’s good news or bad news, can I be the one to break it to my cast and crew?” Obviously I hoped it would be good news, but even if it was bad news, you know, I’m the face they see every day at work and I’d love to be the one to just tell them thank you. So they’re all thrilled.

Now…did you make any calls to Justin Johnson Cortez? Because he turned up in this finale and that would be awesome to see him again. What he brings into this episode launches a whole new Jackal storyline.

Oh yeah, big time. I would love to see him come back. And yeah, you know, we have this cold case where it’s something that really drove Captain James to the brink back when we originally dealt with it and never felt we’d solved it…and maybe we haven’t. And how does that connect with Witt and our Park Ranger, who is a little more than fishy?

And I gotta tell you, the kids are growing up so nicely. Violet is so good.

She’s so good. Yeah. And we knew that from the get-go. I think some of the early themes in Season 1 where she’s kind of rebelling a little bit, we would shoot her and after we wrapped, I’d get on the phone with Anna [Fricke, the showrunner] and be like, “Holy shit, this young lady, she’s got something.” It’s a joy to work with her… and Kale Culley is growing up and becoming like, Jared Padalecki, Season 1 of Gilmore Girls. [Laughs] It’s uncanny and he’s such a strong performer, too.

Their scene in the finale where she comes in to support him after Cordi tells him to defer his military plans, I was struck by how well they carry their own scenes. The adults could literally take an episode off and they could carry it.

I like the way you’re thinking. I’m gonna talk to writers. Tell them you said that and that I could have an episode off. [Laughs]

There you go. Now when did we find out about Ashley Reyes’ singing?

Uh, how amazing is that? What, and Kearran? So we knew Ashley could sing, she’d gone to [the London Academy of Music & Dramatic Art] out in the UK and she’s like a triple, quadruple threat, whatever you’d call it. She sings, she dances, she acts. She’s funny. She’s dramatic. She’s a home run for sure. She and Kearran…that was a lot of fun. I found myself breaking into Jared sometimes when we were shooting. I was like, “These girls are amazing, right?” [Laughs]

It also felt like, if this show had not been picked up, what a great episode to have as one of your last? It’s just a huge party, there’s all this love, you’re sending off Bonham and Abby to their Italian honeymoon. It was a really joyful episode…aside from the serial killer stuff.

[Laughs] So true! Yeah, fair enough!

Now, the way this season ends is very interesting, because Augie went to grandpa first with the military stuff and then Stella calls in Liam (Keegan Allen) to help with a dead body. How’s Cordi gonna feel about this? And also, how bad is gonna be for Liam holding this secret?

Well, as you know I did a show for 15 years about brothers who had a complicated relationship, you know, who would do anything for each other but also kind of upset each other and crossed boundaries for so long. And I love those stories. So it definitely makes sense that Walker, especially on the night that he decides to do something for himself — he asks Geri to move in for the summer and he’s not really the type to do something for himself like that, he’s not the “I’m gonna take a me day,” right? So he invites Geri in and now he’s about to find out not only did his son tell him earlier that he went to gramps to ask about enlisting, but that his daughter witnessed what might be a murder, but was certainly an attack — something that Walker would deal with in his line of work — and she went to his brother instead. Uh, so yeah, I don’t think he’s gonna be super thrilled about it. [Laughs]

Thank God he’s got Geri to talk him down from the ledge though.

Yeah, yeah. Put him in his place, talk him down.

I love that she danced down the aisle with the kids. Not only is Odette always fantastic, but that just showed how Geri is truly family now.

For sure, and there’s also something I’ve liked since our first scene together in Season 1. I knew Odette vaguely, you know, I think we had met two or three times at random Comic-Cons or award shows or something and she’s always pretty sweet and we always like got along fine. I didn’t really know her know her like I do now, but ever since that first scene in the Side Step where Walker and Liam show up, there seemed to be a depth between Cordi and Geri, like they knew each other’s skeletons, they knew each other’s demons, and they knew how to call each other on their bulls**t. Mostly her calling me on my bulls**t. [Laughs]

That was something I really liked. And so to see Walker have a relationship with somebody that can go like, “Hey, I’ve known you for decades and decades, something is going on. What’s going on? You’re not gonna run past this.” Because Walker can always pull the law-enforcement card and say, “Oh, I’m just worried about this or that…no, I just got something on my mind,” and she is able to go, “Nope…there’s something else going on.” And so I love that dynamic.

Have you talked about casting The Jackal?

We have. Who, who are you thinking?

Well, obviously Jim Beaver would be hilarious.

Oh my God, that would be hilarious.

Or you go get Scott Patterson…

Oh God, that would be great, right?! And I’m gonna see him soon. Again, I like your thinking! I like the cut of your jib. [Laughs] I like those few ideas, so when the writers are allowed to have conversations legally, I’ll have that conversation with them!

tvinsider

[mymissalicorne]

@hateweasel tagging you in case you want to see me rambling uselessly about your story

Love how DLTD most jojo-esque "hey this shit has been made by a random human having fun for over ten years don't look at the flawed logic" moment isn't even the fucked up timeline, it's fucking Luka Macken.

The contract

Okay so in DLTD, there's 2 conditions to form a demonic contract :

The human must not believe in God

The human must be in a desesperate need for survival

we know you cannot bypass these conditions, after all Jim and Ciel weren't able to make a contract with each other in the confort of the Phantomhive Manor.

Except that's apparently not the case with Luka. While the first rule can be debatable depending on your own interpretation of the relationship between the Macken brothers during their childhood, the second rule was definitly NOT respected, but a pact was still made (and I checked, Hannah says in both the french dub and sub that they formed a pact in episode 11, around 15 min 45).

And it's not something where you can go "the anime just did it wrong" like with "demons all have black fingernails" since the whole plot of season two revolves around this specific contract.

The only way for him to have formed a contract while respecting the rules would've been if he was in the same state as Jim when he made his contract with Claude, which mean in hyper survival mode but dissociating from the abuse. But I'm pretty sure he wasn't, due to how his childhood is talked about, and how Jim didn't get him some therapy despite them having a therapy arc.

Now that I think about it tho he probably should. Their childhood was already hella fucked up even before the Trancy Manor. There would be a lot to unpack I think. Like, especially if he's thinking about following the same professional path as his big brother. ANYWAY.

2. The soul

Okay so when Luka came back into the 21st century, he ended up in the body of Nigel Irons, and stayed two years inside it, with him and Nigel sharing the body. The reason this cohabitation was possible was that, since both souls were human souls, they couldn't directly absorb each other, thus fighting for dominance for two years, ending up with Nigel's soul almost winning and destroying Luka's.

Except Luka's soul should've devoured Nigel's when he first arrived in his body. Because Luka's soul is not a human soul, it's a demonic soul. That's why he's a demon. We know his soul is a demonic soul because a soul shapes its body, and the body Luka is currently using was a completly basic human body until Luka's soul began turning it into the body of a demon.

So yeah. Trying to retcon that one seems pretty hard to me.

So this was my little DLTD post !

[clarepreed]

Corporate Abduction, Pt. 2

Story Summary and Content - 4,233 words. The story wraps up with Larissa and Mitchell experiencing lingering symptoms from the injuries sustained during the abduction. Artificial respirations, symptoms of illness, seizure.

--

Part One

Mitchell, Tuesday evening

“Sinus!” Jane said, her voice tense with excitement. She pointed to the monitor, her fingertip tracing the rhythm for Mitchell’s benefit. The line representing Larissa’s heartbeat galloped across the screen in a pattern even he could recognize. “Got her back! Can you see?”

Mitchell sagged, dizzy with relief, though he remained cognizant of his hand on the bag connected to Larissa’s tube. His eyes skimmed her face for movement and her chest for any sign of independent breaths. She didn’t look at all better yet; her freckled skin was the color of sour milk and her lips were slow to lose their purplish hue. “Shouldn’t she be breathing? She’s not… She’s not trying at all from what I can tell.”

“Can we get her inside now?” Jim asked, sounding antsy. “If she isn’t going to die right this second?”

Jane reached out and put her hand on Mitchell’s arm as he tensed up, sensing he was about to snarl at Jim. “I need to do a few things first. She’s not ready to be manhandled.”

“I just sent the message.” Joe was sitting next to them on the driveway, Mitchell’s phone cupped in his hands. He plucked at the surgical mask covering the lower half of his face. “I’ll take the SIM out and dispose of everything. Burner A gets turned on in a half hour.”

Jane dug through her bag and pulled out what looked like a headband with a blue plastic piece in the center. She sat the device on Larissa’s chest, then took the ambu bag from Mitchell and squeezed it once before unhooking it from the tube. She slipped the blue piece over the tube, reconnected the bag, and gave it another squeeze. “Go ahead and take this back over while I get the tube secured. This will keep us from accidentally extubating her or crimping the tube while we get her inside.”

Mitchell complied, watching as Larissa’s chest rose and fell in sync with the movements of his hand. He lifted his free hand and smoothed back a strand of her honey-colored hair.

“It’s not unusual for patients to need respiratory support after an arrest,” Jane said. She’d plugged the earpieces of her stethoscope into her ears and was listening to Larissa’s lungs. “I hear crackling. She’s got fluid in her lungs, unsurprisingly. I wish I could have suctioned her.”

Joe climbed to his feet, shivering. “We should have found a house with a fireplace. It’s cold out here and it isn’t going to be any better in the house.”

“Doctors sometimes treat cardiac arrest patients with cold therapy. Not that I’m a doctor, or practiced in that.” Jane took the stained, cut pieces of Larissa’s shirt and draped them over her exposed breasts. “Being cold might not be such a bad thing for her, but we can give her a little privacy.”

“Thank you,” Mitchell said, briefly caught off guard by the gesture.

She is not our friend, he reminded himself. His head throbbed, knife-like stabs catching him in the temple with each beat of his heart. The pain made it difficult to think clearly.

“You alright over there?” Jane asked, studying him. “I’m just taking her blood pressure. I need to start an IV, but I also need you to tell me if you’re not alright, because you’re doing the most important thing.”

“I just have a headache,” he said, looking back down at Larissa.

“When we get her settled inside, I’m going to take a look at your head.” Jane fell silent, and he heard the sound of air slowly leaving the blood pressure cuff. After a moment, she said: “Her pressure’s pretty low. Fluids should help with that.”

She needs to go to a hospital.

This shit needs to get wrapped up, fast.

What’s happening back at the company right now? he wondered. He wasn’t sure what kind of message Joe had sent, or if enough time had passed for law enforcement to call his brother Samuel or the office about his wrecked SUV. If the C-level staff was made aware that they’d been abducted, there was protocol for this sort of thing. They went over it annually at the leadership retreat. A private kidnap and ransom firm was kept on retainer, and insurance was paid up through the end of the year.

Hurry up, he thought to himself. I don’t care what’s reasonable. Figure it out. Work fast.

Mark

He figured out something was wrong when his smartwatch went crazy. Calls, texts, email; the notifications were coming through so fast the vibration made the skin under his watch itch. 

He caught from Charise as the message flew across the screen: Mitchell’s office, now. 911.

Mark stood; at the same time, his office door swung inward and his secretary hurried in, asking: “Oh my God, did you see the email?!”

“No, I’m sorry, Lisa.” He hurried past her, through the door, and was almost up to a jog when she snatched at his arm. 

“Stop! Look!”

He was so surprised by her behavior that he complied, turning to look in the direction she pointed. She had an email pulled up on her computer, with an embedded photo: A dark blue SUV, overturned at the edge of a field. A second embedded photo: a pool of auto glass and smears of blood.

“What is this?” He leaned closer, eyes moving up to the text.

“It’s Mitchell’s SUV,” she said quietly.

The subject line read: URGENT: From the Desk of Mitchell Anders.

He skimmed the body; there were only a few sentences. Confirmation that “they” were “in possession of” Mitchell and Larissa. A phone number and a time to call. And then the photos.

“We should be on lockdown,” he said, his skin prickling with worry. Just as he was speaking, three loud peals issued from the phones on his and Lisa’s desks. “Check with Liam and see if he needs any help; I’ll be in Mitchell’s office.”

“Okay, yes. I’ve got it.”

He jogged down the hall, passing Mitchell’s ashen-faced assistant, Liam. He hurried into Mitchell’s office just after Charise.

“Oh my God,” she said, meeting his gaze. She waved a small bound document in front of him. “I brought my copy of the abduction protocol. We need to call the kidnap and ransom firm now!”

First proof of life video.

Filmed at approximately 11pm on Tuesday.

The video starts. Mitchell Anders sits on a bed. Next to him is a woman. It is difficult to make her out as she is lying prone across the bed, but the viewer can accurately presume she is Larissa Colton. 

Mitchell holds a piece of paper in his hands. He looks pale and haggard, with a bandage around his head. Larissa is visibly unwell, intubated and connected to an IV, with a portable cardiac monitor at her other side. An arm is visible in-frame. The gloved hand regularly squeezes the ambu bag attached to Larissa’s endotracheal tube.

The room is lit by a single source of harsh, white light.

“My name is Mitchell Anders. This is Larissa Colton.” Mitchell’s voice is hoarse. “The phrase is: ‘radish skull, internet cabinet.’ We require medical assistance. Thank you.”

He drops the paper in his lap and looks down at Larissa. The video stops.

Second proof of life video.

Filmed at approximately 12:30am on Wednesday.

Mitchell Anders sits on a bed. Next to him, propped up on cushions, is Larissa Colton. She is wearing an oxygen mask and her eyes are closed.

Mitchell looks down at the piece of paper in his hands. “My name is Mitchell Anders. This is Larissa Colton. The phrase is:‘yellow fur, cactus gum.’ We require medical assistance. Thank you.”

Third proof of life video.

Filmed at approximately 3am on Wednesday.

Mitchell Anders sits on a bed. Next to him, propped up on cushions, is Larissa Colton. She is wearing an oxygen mask, and her eyes are open. The cardiac monitor is no longer visible.

“My name is Mitchell Anders.” He gestures to Larissa, then looks down at the paper in his hands, squinting. “This is Larissa Colton. The phrase is: ‘toy stamp, grass vinyl.’ We require medical attention. Thank you.”

Mitchell groans and rubs his head; Larissa coughs and reaches toward him. 

Fourth proof of life video.

Filmed at approximately 8am on Wednesday.

Mitchell Anders sits on a bed. Larissa Colton reclines next to him, barefaced and coughing.

“My name is Mitchell Anders,” he says, before placing his hand on Larissa’s leg.

“Larissa… Colton…” Her voice is hoarse and faint, and she starts coughing immediately.

“The phrase is: ‘factory salmon, chevron laminate.’ We require medical attention. Thank you.”

Larissa coughs until the video cuts out.

Fifth proof of life video.

Filmed at approximately 11am on Wednesday.

Coughing is audible before Mitchell Anders and Larissa Colton are visible. Mitchell is cross-legged, his elbows on his knees. He stares down at a piece of paper.

“I’m… Mitchell Anders. This is Larissa… Colton.” He reaches up and pinches the bridge of his nose. “The phrase is ‘khaki monitor, spider stripe.’ Ah… thank you.”

Mitchell, 11:05AM, Wednesday

“You need… a head… scan…” Larissa wheezed, squeezing Mitchell’s hand.

“Yes,” he whispered, his arm thrown over his eyes. They were both resting against a set of nasty couch cushions, stretched out horizontally across an equally filthy king-sized bed. He murmured: “Don’t try to talk, baby.”

“You’ll probably feel better if you don’t talk much, Larissa,” Jane said, briefly taking Larissa’s other hand to look at the pulse oximeter clipped to her finger. “Your oxygen levels aren’t great.”

Larissa ignored both of them. “When… are we… going home?”

She’d been asking a lot of questions like that. Some moments she seemed lucid; others she forgot where she was or what had happened. The canister was out of oxygen, and Jane said Larissa was hypoxic and had fluid in her lungs. He could see what Jane meant; Larissa’s face was pale, lips and nails bluish. Worryingly, her feet and lower legs had started to swell. Mitchell squeezed Larissa’s hand and made a soothing, unintelligible sound.

As for himself, he did need a “head scan.” He’d never had a headache like this, and so far, everything he’d tried to eat or drink had come back up. Jane was threatening to use her last bag of saline to keep him hydrated.

Like Larissa, Mitchell also wanted to know when they were going home, even though he knew that kidnap and ransom situations sometimes lasted days, weeks, months. 

“Jane,” he said.

She leaned closer. “What is it?”

“You’re obviously not prepared for a lengthy ransom situation. You don’t have the supplies. We’re not doing well. My company has kidnap and ransom insurance and a firm on retainer dedicated to hostage negotiation. What’s going on?”

She leaned back, looking unhappy. “You know I can’t answer that.”

“I don’t… believe… your name… is Jane.” Larissa started coughing again, inhaling in scary, rattling gasps.

“You’re lucky we’re alive,” Mitchell said. He dug his knuckle into the space between his eyes. “I don’t know how long we’re going to stay that way.”

“I’ve explained the situation to Jim. He even passed the information on to Jill.”

He cracked his eyes open and pinned her with what he hoped was an intimidating glare. “You don’t want our blood on your hands.”

Jane climbed off the bed. He couldn’t see much of her face with the mask on, but her eyes had narrowed. “You’re assuming I don’t already have blood on my hands.” Then she left the room.

“Think you… upset… her…” Larissa wheezed.

“It’s okay. She’ll get over it.”

“Mmm.”

Mitchell realized this was the first time they’d been alone since they were taken. 

I can’t do anything about it. She can’t walk anywhere at all, and I’m not sure I can walk far.

He looked over at Larissa. She was blinking up at the ceiling, her mouth open. He could see tension in her neck; every bit of the musculature stood out. He shifted his grip on her hand, slid his fingers up to her wrist. Her pulse hammered under his fingers, strong but fast.

Her eyes darted to his face. “Still have… a pulse?”

He wasn’t sure if it as a joke, and he didn’t think he could laugh regardless, so he just squeezed her hand.

“My… turn…” She pulled her hand free and ran her fingers along his skin. Her fingertips felt icy, but he didn’t pull away when she held them to the inside of his wrist. “Fast…”

“Not as fast as yours.”

“Its… not… a race.” She started coughing again, and her fingers slipped off his wrist.

He rolled himself onto his side so he could see her better. She closed her eyes, and her hands came up to clutch at her chest as she coughed. The fit lasted long enough that Jane came back into the room and put her knee on the bed, leaning in to check the pulse oximeter.

“I asked Jim for an update,” she said. “Just relax, Larissa.”

“And?” He didn’t look up at her; he was watching Larissa catch her breath, her chest heaving, the skin over her ribcage seeming to wrap itself tight over the bones and cartilage.

“C-cold,” Larissa whispered, her eyes closing reflexively when he ran the back of his hand down her cheek.

“It’s almost over,” Jane said. He heard a zipper and some rustling, and then Jane draped her coat over Larissa’s torso. “We’ll be moving you soon. Jill and your people have each accepted the terms. They want a video first, of course.”

“Thank you,” Mitchell said. He felt his insides quake. “You’re sure this is happening?”

She was silent for a moment, and then he felt her sit on the edge of the bed. “I’m certain. And you’re right. I don’t want blood on my hands. More blood on my hands. It’s not worth the money. I can handle going back to prison, but not… that.”

“Why… were you… in prison?” Larissa asked, her brow furrowed. 

“She might not want to answer that, baby,” Mitchell said, keeping his voice kind. He wasn’t used to feeling like he needed to monitor Larissa’s speech. She wasn’t herself, her eyes unfocused as she looked around the room.

Jane sighed. “Negligent homicide.”

Sixth proof of life video.

Filmed at approximately noon on Wednesday.

Mitchell Anders and Larissa Colton have shifted position and are now resting against the headboard, reclined on the same sofa cushions as before. Someone has changed Mitchell’s bandage, and Larissa is wearing a coat.

Mitchell holds another slip of paper in his hands. His posture is greatly changed. He slouches, fidgeting with the slip of paper.

“I’m Mitchell Anders, and this—”

“Larissa… Colton.” Larissa’s voice is barely audible. Mitchell glances at her and back down at the slip of paper.

“The phrase is: Candle curtain, black—”

“Why… are we saying… names… to Joe?” Larissa asks. Then she starts coughing, one or two hacks turning quickly into a fit.

Mitchell’s eyes dart between what must be multiple people standing out of frame. He reaches over and puts his hand on Larissa’s leg.

“The phrase is: Candle curtain, black water.” Mitchell stops speaking, crumples the note in his hand, and stares at the camera.

Mark, 12:30PM Wednesday

“She’s confused,” Larissa’s mother said, her voice cracking. Larissa’s parents were seated close to Mark and Samuel. She’d watched each proof of life video with her hands pressed to her mouth.

Her husband spoke up as well, his voice hoarse. “What are those people thinking? What kind of operation are they running?”

Just next to Mitchell’s desk, a woman from the kidnap and ransom firm stood, television remote in hand. She nodded. “You’re right to be upset. But I was just given permission to let you know that this will be over soon.”

Mark and Samuel both leaned forward, Samuel’s hand shooting out to clamp down on Mark’s leg.

“They’re going to release them?” the CRO, Greg, asked. His face was flushed and his eyes large. He’d had trouble reaching his wife and children when the company went into lockdown; it turned out they were in the middle of the mall where the signal was weak.

“They’ve given us a location to drop the money. And they will have a location for us where they are going to leave Mitchell and Larissa. Now,” the woman said, noticing several people in the room starting to speak. “I imagine you have concerns about that. I can’t give you details but rest assured measures are being put into place to keep them safe during the exchange.”

Larissa, 1:15PM Wednesday

Larissa watched, confused, as Jane packed up her bag. “Where… you… going?”

“This might be over soon, baby,” Mitchell said, rubbing her thigh. She was too exhausted to do more than tip her head in his direction, but she thought he sounded like he was in pain. 

“You… okay?”

“I’ll be okay.” 

Larissa watched as Jane carried everything out of the room that they’d brought in. The black duffel of medical supplies, the cardiac monitor, the empty oxygen cylinder. All trash, including the empty saline bags, snack wrappers, and water jugs. She left the pulse oximeter clipped to Larissa’s finger.

“You can keep that,” Jane said. “And my coat. It’s been in the videos; I can’t wear it.”

“Thanks,” Larissa said, though she glanced over to Mitchell as she said it, frowning. Something about thanking the woman seemed like the wrong thing to do, though she couldn’t put her finger on why.

“You’re not coming with us, wherever we’re going,” Mitchell said. He sounded worried and exhausted.

“You aren’t going far,” Jane said, not contradicting his statement. “Two hours down the road, max.”

Larissa grew anxious at the idea of traveling. “Mitchell…”

“Yes, baby?”

“I… don’t feel… like going…”

He sat up, grunting and clutching at his head. She wanted to comfort him, but speaking was making her cough again, and coughing made her chest hurt and her head spin.

“I’m sorry baby,” she heard him say.

Larissa took a careful, shallow breath, and let it out in a sigh.

Mitchell, 2PM Wednesday

The back of the SUV still smelled like vomit.

“Get in,” Jim said, nudging him with the barrel of the gun. Evidently, he felt like the situation called for threatening them with the weapon again.

Mitchell climbed inside the cargo area, anxiously waiting for Jim and Jane to carry Larissa out. He didn’t like being separated from her, even if he was too weak to do anything about it. He was surprised he’d even been able to walk out of the house.

Soon enough, Joe and Jane walked out of the house together, Larissa’s arms draped over their shoulders and their hands forming a seat and leaving her feet to dangle. Then they lifted her higher and bundled her into the cargo area with Mitchell, who held out his arms so that he could cradle her against him. The tailgate and hatch closed with twin slams.

The two of them sat together in the chilly cargo area for several minutes before he felt the vehicle move.

“Where…?” Larissa whispered. He could feel her panting for breath, hoped she wouldn’t feel carsick again on top of everything else.

“We have to take a drive.” He closed his eyes; even with the tinted windows the interior of the SUV was too bright for him, and the edges of everything refused to remain stationery. “Two hours. Then we’re both going to the hospital.”

“No… more… hospitals,” she wheezed. “Please, Mitch… ell.”

“It’s okay, baby. Shh.”

They both lapsed into silence. Mitchell drifted in and out, of sleep or unconsciousness he couldn’t say. Larissa’s noisy breathing kept him from entirely relaxing; even with his head injury a part of him seemed determine to keep an eye on her.

After a few minutes, he realized Larissa was muttering to herself.

“Not… now. Not… now.”

“Larissa?”

She didn’t respond.

“Larissa?”

She stiffed in his arms, a wheezing cry forcing its way out of her throat. Her back bowed, and when he leaned around to look at her face, he saw the whites of her eyes. Mitchell kept his arms wrapped loosely around her and called out: “She’s having a seizure!”

Yelling made his head feel like it would split open. His eyes watered with pain, frustration, and anguish.

He heard her draw a breath just before she started to thrash. Her arms and legs jerked rhythmically, bumping against the back seat and the interior of the hatch. Mitchel turned his head to the side, trying to keep himself from getting clocked by her head against his busted temple.

“We can’t stop!” Jim called out. “Is she dying?”

“I told you we should have brought Jane!” Joe exclaimed. “Spend the whole time with them half-dead under her supervision, and now—”

“Shh, baby,” Mitchell whispered. “It’s okay. Shh, it’s okay.”

She was making wheezing and grunting noises as she writhed. Mitchell let out his own groan of pain and grief. Please, baby. We’re so close. You just need to make it through this car ride, right? You and me both…

“Hey!” Jim called back. “You both still alive back there?”

Miraculously, or so Mitchell thought, the seizure was short. Her body went limp against his. He pulled her back up to his chest and held his palm in front of her mouth, feeling for breath.

It turned out he didn’t need to; not only could he feel her breath puffing against his palm, but he could also hear her breath whistling in and out of her inflamed lungs. 

Mitchell kissed her hair and unzipped Jane’s coat, slipping his hand inside. His fingers brushed against her cool, naked skin. Jane had left the defibrillator pads stuck to Larissa’s chest. He felt the pads under his palm as he slid his hand up underneath her left breast.

Pressing his hand firmly into her flesh, he felt her heart beat against his palm, rapid but strong. She made a low groaning sound and his throat spasmed, his eyes brimming with tears.

“We’re alive,” he said, much too quiet for anyone else to hear. Mitchell cleared his throat and tried again, belting out: “We’re alive!”

Then, in pain and completely spent, he sagged into the corner created by the side of the SUV and the back of the rear passenger seat. Larissa’s head tucked itself neatly underneath his chin, and without any further thoughts, he slipped into unconsciousness.

Mitchell, two days later

“Mitchell.”

Hearing his name, Mitchell flinched toward the sound. 

“That’s right. Hey, buddy. It’s Samuel. Mark is here, too. It’s a party. Another minute you’ll probably have a nurse or two in here. Oh, and there’s some cops outside.”

Samuel.

Cops?

He had a terrible headache, which seemed familiar. His throat was scratchy, too, and when he tried to swallow his mouth was parched.

“Hey, buddy, I know you can hear me,” his brother said.

“Mitchell.” That was Mark. “You’re safe, you’re going to be okay.”

I’m safe?

Ah, hell. What happened?

Then: Larissa!

He cracked open his eyes, and tried to speak. His mouth was so dry it took him a couple of tries. “La… La… rissa?”

“She’s your neighbor,” Mark said, leaning into his field of vision. “Next room over. Her parents were just visiting her. They would have stayed and waited for you to come around, but I told them to go get some rest.”

Larissa’s parents are here. This is a hospital.

“We were in a car accident?” Mitchell’s head throbbed with each word that he spoke.

Mark nodded, though it was Samuel who spoke. “You were, sort of. That kicked it off. You hit your head. Almost had to have brain surgery. Just a little hemorrhage, it turned out.” 

“‘Just a little hemorrhage,’” Mark muttered, shaking his head.

“I have a headache.” The room was much too bright.

“I’m sure you do, buddy,” his brother said.

Mitchell was having a hard time keeping his thoughts organized, but the most important one floated back up to the surface. Larissa. Very sick?

“Larissa’s okay?”

“She’s sedated,” Mark said, looking worried. “She’s fighting a bad lung infection, and I guess some system-wide inflammation. Her parents seem genuinely optimistic, though.”

“Can I see her?” He squeezed his eyes shut against the lights.

“Not with your eyes closed,” Samuel quipped. Mitchell cracked one eye open again, lifted his hand, and flipped his brother the bird. “Hell, Mitchell. You must be okay if you’re up for telling me to fuck off.”

“You can ask the nurse about visiting Larissa,” Mark said. “I think one’s about to come in here.”

We made it? Images flicked through his addled brain in no particular order. Larissa gazing up at the ceiling, coughing. The drive to Creston. The look in Jane’s eyes when she said the words “negligent homicide.” Larissa, empty eyes staring as he performed chest compressions. The ruined, filthy bed. His arms around her convulsing body. 

“Oh!” he heard Samuel say. “You’re okay, buddy. She’s okay! Oh, man…”

His brother, he knew, hadn’t seen him cry in years, not since their parents’ funerals. Before then, they’d been children. Now, tears streamed down his cheeks. They cut hot tracks down his cool skin.

--

Mitchell and Larissa return in Assist.

[romanarose]

Ship me!

I think you know me well enough to just go for it. You know I'm married to Marc Spector, but like aside from him...

I will also accept a Pedro answer, but I only know his 2 Javi's, Dieter, Din, Joel, Maxwell, Frankie, Oberyn, and of course we can all speculate about the new Marcus

Here are my biggest relationship things:

loyalty, sincerity/authenticity

sense of humor a bonus, I can live without it, I think

I like PDA (be a little possessive)

But at home, I need my space. (Not a huge cuddler)

Can we cook together?

Does he like outdoors?

Can we nerd out together?

^ Does a man like this even exist??

after careful consideration, I ship you with Frankie!

I think Frankie's humor is more subtle (You know i ship fishben, i think part of the reason is bens humor is more brash and loud, Frankie I think is subtle, more dry like the office.) However, he can absolutly be a goof. I think outside of life or death movies lol, he's kinda like jim from the office. I watched TF with my mom and she said while she really liked Will (he was rational lol) Frankie was the most enjoyable to watch. Watch Triple frontier again and pay attention to his faces, especially after the donkey falls and almost takes frankie with it and everyone is arguing and he rolls his eyes XD

Biggest is he IS sincere and loyal. You will never ever wonder where he is and with who and why. Never gives you a single reason to think he's cheating or hiding anything except , MAYBE depending where he's at in life, his drug problem. However, I don't think his drug use is that bad in the movies? He goes to colombia without any withdrawl syntoms. Maybe just encourage him to go to therapy <3 but honestly he's very straightforeward. He just says things as they are "hey princessa Im going over to Santi's, Ben and Will might show up, wanna come?"

I think the slight switch is the affection public and at home. In leather and lace you dont see him and jana together again and much of Take Your Time is them fighting for their lives lmfao but For the Longest time they are together and HAPPY. Frankie is not naturally inclinded to kissing in public I think. I think he's easily embaressed. But hes also very protective and possesive. He's the type to have a hand on you in some way, mostly hand holding, maybe his hand on your hip to keep you close if he's on high alert. He knows how men are, especially drunk men. In LAL universe he's very aware that Jana is fucking stunning and my dude is constantly fighting for his life as she gets hit on , even 8 months pregnant XD He'd be the exact same with you. I think he'd WANT to be progressive and not like a caveman, but he'd be seething in anger (not at you if some man talked to you even though they CLEARLY saw you come in with him!!)

At home thought I think he's quite touchy and likes to be close. Im sure though communication you can work it out, like one of you can explicitly state i need space or i need to be close. I think Will is touchy while Lorelei is like you, more personal space. She can often be found with her feet propped up on his lap but oppiset ends of the couch. Maybe something like that (compare to Santi and laci who will just suck each others face in public and need constant skin to skin bc they are both traumatized)

Nerd out, yes. I think Frankie is highly intellgent but in a sciency way. He wont know wtf you're talking about with daredevil and moon knight but boy, he will listen. He will go to every movie premire with you, even read a fanfiction should you care to share.

outdoors are a YES just dont make him go up into mountains again. Maybe some hills. thats it.

[canonicallyobserving911]

Buck & Eddie: Buck self-sabotaged his sperm donation

So...the audience is supposed to believe that Researcher Buck, who commits to ABSOLUTELY NOTHING before he thoroughly researches it, didn’t research everything he could about sperm donations right after Connor and Kameron said they wanted him to be their sperm donor?  It’s UNBELIEVABLE because if he didn’t do an extensive amount of research on the topic, then it would be OOC for him. Let’s review several examples of topics that Buck has researched before he made a decision to act on them.

In 3x8 “Malfunction” when Bobby told the team about his ice-skating past, Buck told them, after Bobby walked away, “We’ll Google for photos later”.  Not only did he search Google for pictures; he also found Heidi Shotsky, Bobby’s junior pairs ice-skating partner. He got a picture of Bobby from her, had the picture blown up into a cardboard cutout and took it to work so that he could prank Bobby in front of the team.  When Bobby asked him where he got it, he told him “Heidi says hi. She’s going to email you later. She didn’t want to ruin the surprise”.

In 3x12 “Fools” Buck told Eddie that he was overcorrecting about Christopher’s skateboarding incident and then he asked him if he had ever heard of Jim Abbott, the baseball player who had one hand. He explained in great detail that Jim pitched a no hitter in the 1990s and that he excelled at pitching because of the way he practiced.  Since he and Eddie built Christopher an adaptable skateboard after their conversation, it can be speculated that Buck did the research so that he and Eddie could surprise Christopher.

In 4x6 “Jinx” after the electricity pole fell on top of the ladder truck, Buck quickly pulled out his cell phone and started researching jinxes.  He even texted Josh to ask him for details about one of the solutions he found.

In 5x2 “Desperate Times” Buck gave the 118 a whole breakdown about some of the serious predators at the L.A. Zoo when they were on the firetruck enroute to capture some of the animals that had escaped during the blackout.  That’s when Eddie told them, “He takes Christopher there all the time, got the place memorized”.

In 5x14 “Dumb Luck” Buck admitted to Eddie that he and TayKay did some research to find the Equine Therapy place.  Eddie then asked him, “What kind of research?” with his petty tone because he didn’t want Buck talking to him about her.

In 6x2 “Crash and Learn” Hen asked Buck what book he was reading and he showed her the book cover.  When she read that it was an AA book, she asked him if he needed to tell them anything.  He said no but that he was reading it because Bobby told him about learning how to be at ease.  Reminder, all Bobby did was tell Buck about the saying he learned in AA in 6x1 “Let the Games Begin” but he didn’t tell him to read the book, Buck did that part on his own, hence RESEARCHER BUCK!

Buck is very smart and he will research a topic whenever he wants to learn more about it so that he can educate himself.  Does he still make erratic, irrational and ridiculous decisions sometimes, YES!  But whenever he has to make an emotional decision, sometimes he overcorrects because he doesn’t want to hurt anyone. It’s possible he’s researched topics about sperm and egg fertilization in the past and since he spent a lot of time being Buck 1.0 and he didn’t get any of those women pregnant, it can be speculated that he knows enough about conception to prevent pregnancies.  If Buck did research on sperm health, then he SELF-SABOTAGED HIS SPERM by not doing the deed for 4 weeks.  It’s highly unlikely that he did it intentionally so that begs the question, why did he agree to be their sperm donor?  The answer is simple, he agreed because he doesn’t like to hurt people’s feelings.  But Buck really DOESN’T WANT TO BE CONNOR AND KAMERON’S SPERM DONOR because he wants to have his own family someday.  Let’s be clear, Buck is NOT maliciously lowering his sperm count but it’s possible that he could be doing it subconsciously like he did in 5x11 “Outside Looking In” when he asked TayKay to move in with him. He told Hen that she looked “pre-hurt” when he was preparing to tell her that he cheated, but when he finally admitted to her that he kissed someone else in 5x13 “Fear-O-Phobia”, she said he trapped her there with no place for her to go and then she left. When he returned home from work and she was there sitting on her couch, he said, “You think I trapped you?” and she asked him, “Am I wrong?” then Buck finally responded, “I’m not sure.”  Therefore he may have agreed to be Connor and Kameron’s sperm donor just to make them happy so that they wouldn’t be “pre-hurt” either which means he would not have to turn them down.  If the only reason he agreed to it was to prevent them from being hurt, then that’s the main reason why Buck shouldn’t have agreed because he’s not emotionally stable enough to make this type of decision.

Buck knows that he wants a family of his own so him subconsciously self-sabotaging his sperm is important especially since he made it a point to say it had been 4 weeks since he last did the deed.  The time frame he mentioned to Hen was very specific which also alludes to the possibility that he completed the research and retained all the necessary information. Would it have been easier for him to just tell them no and that he didn’t want to be their sperm donor, YES!  But Buck is a people pleaser so in his mind this was probably the best solution so that everyone could be happy, i.e., he could agree to be their donor but he also wouldn’t have to worry about having any Buck Jr.’s or Buckette’s running around in the world.  This wasn’t the best solution because everyone involved could end up getting hurt; therefore he should have talked with someone else in addition to Hen about it before he agreed to do it.  Also Hen probably knows that Buck doesn’t want to be their sperm donor since she was in MEDICAL SCHOOL to be a doctor and biology is one of the first subjects med students learn about during their first year.  She proved that she knows all about biology during her practical exam in 6x5 “Home Invasion” but her reasoning for not telling Buck that she knew what he was doing was because she wants him to make the decision for himself without her input.  A caveat to his self-sabotage could include the clinic finding something in his blood that he didn’t expect which would cause him to spiral and lead to his breakdown.  The audience will have to wait and see how this all plays out in upcoming episodes.

[basedtater]

my hyperfixation over fear itself vs ca:sol are so different but the feeling is so similar i need to fucking infodump more excuse me

like fear itself was a beautifully written masterpiece reflecting the political turmoil of the late 2000s with well crafted in character depictions of my faves kicking ass and like all around an incredible time despite how much absolute despair was in the story, so much so that i wrote TWO different fics about it and about 45k words and still obsess over it to this day

vs ca:sol is a dumpster fire of a comic that im just sitting here like "this had so much potential for interesting characters and development and you chose to do WHAT?" and now i want to get my grubby little hands on it and stick namor and toro and jim in it and clint and natasha actually being caring friends that steve groups up to help his bestie

can you imagine a comic where the central theme of bringing back bucky to his senses and out of his trauma actually featured people who care about bucky and understand his mindset rather than people sympathetic to steve? what the fuck happened to the idea of found family in the avengers, where did it go?

can you imagine panels where it shows bucky slipping out of therapy and slowly being manipulated into going down a darker path rather than just "take us at our word that bucky is suddenly a bad person now" with no actual good reasoning than "the bad guy hurt me now i want revenge" ESPECIALLY after winter soldier 2018?

the theme of "me protecting people still got them killed" could have absolutely been manipulated by a bad person in order to further their own games to get bucky to lean into a more vengeful path, there are narrative choices they are absolutely overlooking that could have made this not ooc

this comic has so much potential and its so disappointing to see it executed in a way that dishonors its main antagonist who has struggled with his trauma for YEARS and suddenly turning him into a villain for no actual explainable reason pisses me the fuck off as a trauma survivor because there are always reasons for this and they didnt give us a good one

whats more is the fact that peggy is actively calling for steve to abandon bucky to himself because he made a choice which is anti-ethical to who steve is as a person and im like who the fuck is writing this comic EVERYONE INCLUDING THE MAIN CHARACTER IS OOC

[fantomcomics]

What's Out This Week? 8/16

too hot to write witty sentence

The Approach TP - Jeremy Haun, Jason A. Hurley & Jesus Hervas

When airport employees Mac and Abigail find themselves snowed in after a blizzard, they witness a terrible plane crash-one that's been missing for 27 years! But it's not the sky that deserves dread, but what lies beyond it.

Mac, Abi, and the remaining airport crew feel helpless to stop the rampage of a supernatural predatory stowaway. But with the blizzard continuing to rage and the creature nesting in the airport, how will the stranded people survive?

Billie Blaster & The Robot Army From Outer Space HC - Laini Taylor & Jim Di Bartolo

Don't you hate it when your archenemy launches your latest invention into space, accidentally creating a robot army that falls into the clutches of an evil alien emperor? Well, that's how Billie Blaster's day is going! The genius child of two famous scientists, Billie is an inventor extraordinaire and the star of the annual science fair, much to the disgust of her nemesis, Tiny Hector Glum. But now their rivalry has gone too far, and the fate of the galaxy hangs in the balance. Can Billie prevent an intergalactic war that's kind of totally her fault? With her pet goat, Lucy, a giant robot head, and a toilet weasel from a distant planet, she might just stand a chance. Join them on their perilous adventure, in a spaceship without a bathroom.

Blessed Curse SC - Mario Cesar

Ever since he was a boy growing up in Brazil, all Acacio wanted was to please his parents: get good grades in school, meet a nice girl, stop being so... gay. Mário César's multi-award-winning graphic novel explores the horrific application of Conversion Therapy and what it's like to grow up gay in Brazil. This is not an easy read. But to prevent Conversion Therapy from continuing to be applied, it's a necessary one.

Born Sexy Tomorrow GN Vol 1 - VVBG

Join Blaze Galaxy and J-450n as they pew-pew their way through the galaxy, dancing in cantinas, warring with stars, battling galacticas, and fleeing from Blaze's crippling emotional problems at the speed of light. Blaze Galaxy, a reckless renegade spaceman rogue, lives by his own rules. Fighting, feasting, fostering human-alien relationships from planet to planet, he fears nothing... except commitment. His current mission: to save the human race from certain extinction (again). Just another Wednesday, really. Until he accidentally awakens J-450n, an (adorable) assassin cyborg created by a race of perverted aliens, whose prime objective is to eliminate human life. Only J-450n's been programmed to imprint upon the first living being that he sees...

Buzzing GN - Samuel Sattin & Rye Hickman

Isaac Itkin can't get away from his thoughts. As a lonely twelve-year-old kid with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), everything from studying to looking in the mirror becomes a battle between him and a swarm of unhelpful thoughts. The strict therapy his mother insists on doesn't seem to be working, but when a group of friends invites him to join their after-school role-playing game, the thoughts feel a little less loud, and the world feels a little brighter. But Isaac's therapist says that exposure to games can have negative effects on kids with OCD, and when his grades slip, his helicopter mother won't let him play anymore. Now Isaac needs to find a way to prove to himself, to his mother, and to the world that the way to quiet the noise in his head may have been inside him all along.

Chilling Adventures Presents: Strang Science One-Shot - Magdalene Visaggio & Butch K. Mapa

Danni Malloy is Jinx Holliday's best friend, and where one goes, the other is sure to follow... even if that means through hell and back and forth through the depths of space and time. When Danni receives a mysterious message from former friend Dilton Doiley, Danni is horrified to learn that he's built a time machine and it's gone terribly wrong-and now the three of them have been transported to warped version of Riverdale, where nothing seems quite right. It's up to Danni to set things right and bring them back to the present day, and the hometown they know and love... and she might have to explain a thing or two to Jinx about what's going on, too! Strange Science explores Danni's personal history, time travel, and the importance of being to be true to yourself and what matters most to you.

Disney Villains: Hades #1 - Elliott Kalan, Alessandro Ranaldi & Karen Darboe

FROM THE CLASSIC DISNEY FILM HERCULES - THE LORD OF THE UNDERWORLD FINALLY TAKES CENTER STAGE!

Hades - the lord of darkness! The most deceitful and scheming of the Greek gods!

The one god not invited to the weekly brunch at Mount Olympus!

Obviously, a slight like this calls for the total destruction of the gods of Olympus. To make that happen, the hot-tempered ruler of the underworld needs to acquire the magical Golden Fleece of Colchis. Unfortunately, the Fleece is guarded by a sleepless dragon and soldiers made out of teeth, so Hades assembles a ragtag group of morally questionable adventurers to help him steal the Fleece before some dude named Jason and his Argonaut bros swoop in and ruin his perfectly logical plan.

Dwellings #1 (of 3) - Jay Stephens

SHOCK! TERROR! FUN! SATURDAY MORNING MEETS THE STROKE OF MIDNIGHT IN AN ALL-NEW, BI-MONTHLY LIMITED SERIES PRESENTED IN PRESTIGE FORMAT, 72-PAGE CHAPTERS WITH TWO COMPLETE TALES IN EACH ISSUE!

Welcome to Elwich - an oasis of American perfection, where the schools overflow with cheery-eyed children, lovingly adorned homes line the historic boulevards ... and only the crows can see the deep, festering rot that lurks beneath the pristine surface. Murder. Demonology. Possession. Obsession. Elwich has them all on offer-and behind every DWELLING awaits a horrifying new story to be told!

Dying Light GN - Fred Van Lente & Adam Markiewicz

With a lengthy original graphic novel tale serving as a prequel to Dying Light 2 and bonus behind the scenes content from the smash hit video game, Dying Light: Night Generation is an essential companion for fans of the franchise.

Set right before the start of the new game, and 15 years following the events of Dying Light, the story stars orphans Daud and Aisha. They were just children when the Harran Virus outbreak struck the world, and have known nothing other than the plague for their entire lives. Evacuated and found by Berg, they were trained to become Night Runners, to work together and steal for him as his influence grows among the Survivors. Reaching young adulthood, Daud and Aisha are finally sick of living under his thumb, hatching plans to run away together. When the secrets are discovered, Berg sells off Aisha to a rival. Forcing Daud on a harrowing journey to rescue his love, through the deadly Volatiles and utilizing the game's signature parkour.

Eiji and Shiro: From Zeroes to Heroes GN Vol 1 - Kaya Azuma

A collection of fantasy and supernatural shorts with a heavy comedic tone from one of the Boys Love world's most infamous comedic writers. Mobuyama "Eiji" A-Ji and Mobuyama "Shiro" C-ro have lived their entire lives as nothing more than "extras" to other people's stories. It can't end like this, right? There must be a way out! Both sharing a common goal will try anything that allows them to change their destiny. Anything.

The First Adventure Of Sherlock Holmes: A Study In Scarlet HC - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle & Vincent Mallie

London, 1878. Poor Dr Watson returns from India completely penniless and on the verge of despair when he meets Sherlock Holmes, a whimsical guy who also happens to be looking for a roommate. The pair move into 221 Baker Street when one of Scotland Yard's top sleuths enlists the talented Detective Holmes to help solve a dark murder case. Together, Watson and Holmes will lead the investigation and cement a partnership that will last for years to come.

Flung Out Of Space: Inspired By The Indecent Adventures Of Patricia Highsmith GN - Grace Ellis, Hannah Templer, & Joan Schenkar

Flung Out of Space is both a love letter to the essential lesbian novel, The Price of Salt, and an examination of its notorious author, Patricia Highsmith. Veteran comics creators Grace Ellis and Hannah Templer have teamed up to tell this story through Highsmith's eyes, reimagining the events that inspired her to write the story that would become a foundational piece of queer literature. Flung Out of Space opens with Pat begrudgingly writing low-brow comics. A drinker, a smoker, and a hater of life, Pat knows she can do better. Her brain churns with images of the great novel she could and should be writing - what will eventually be Strangers on a Train.

The Girl Who Became A Fish GN - Osamu Dazai & Nekosuke

Another spectacular collaboration from the Maiden's Bookshelf series, this dark and intense fable by the great giant of postward literature is brought to vivid life by contemporary master Nekosuke. Suwa, a charcoal burner's daughter, lives together with her father in a small village at a foot of a mountain so remote it doesn't even appear on maps. Slowly she comes to realize the dark futility of her life, leading to a strange and elliptical transformation... Dazai depicts the adolescent awakening to death and the desire to escape through this quiet and ominous tale.

Heart Gear GN Vol 1 - Tsuyoshi Takak

After Roue accidentally activates Chrome without a base program, what's essentially his soul, she and Uncle Zett invite him into their makeshift family and encourage him to choose his own purpose. But when an insane machine attacks their home, will Chrome survive, much less find his purpose?

Land Of The Living Gods TP - Isaac Mogajane & Santtos

It is said that when the world dies, the spirits of the first people will return to witness the last days of humanity. Well, the spirits have arrived, and the end is here. But not everyone has given up hope.

Naledi, a teenage girl living in the deserted city once called Johannesburg, has always believed that there is a land hidden away in time where the gods still live. And where there are gods, there are miracles. Perhaps even miracles that are big enough to save our dying planet. And so, after a lifetime of isolation, Naledi will head out into the unknown with little to hold onto but her faith - and her magical pet plant, Buyo.

Pen & Ink: The Many Deaths Of Laila Starr #1 - V. Ram & Filipe Andrade

BOOM! Studios is proud to present the next installment of PEN & INK: a deluxe art-focused format featuring stunning black and white interior artwork with artist commentary.

Experience the first issue of the Eisner, Harvey, and Ringo Award-nominated The Many Deaths of Laila Starr in a whole new light, with exclusive notes and annotations from artist Filipe Andrade.

Rakuda Laughs GN - Katsuya Terada

New father and troubled yakuza Rakuda gets a call from his colleagues tasking him to dispose of a random body. The job is fishy, but when you are a gangster sometimes you have to just do what you're told. But in this case, who gave him the job is the problem. A young hustler named Amazaki has tasked him to take care of a corpse without any info on who the body is and how to get rid of it. Turns out the body belongs to their gang lord... Now the gang and the cops are after Rakuda. And with danger around every corner, there are now very few moments for jokes in Rakuda's world.

Rare Flavors: Tasting Ashcan #1 - V. Ram & Filipe Andrade

The Eisner, Harvey, and Ringo Award-nominated team of Ram V and Filipe Andrade make their celebrated return, and you can get a first taste in this exclusive ashcan edition!

Tantalize your senses with this amuse bouche introducing this creative duo's next masterpiece marrying the supernatural, Indian cuisine, and the cutthroat world of chef-driven celebrity in what will be the most talked about new comic of 2023!

This ashcan will be strictly limited to its first printing, never to be printed again!

Red Zone TP - Cullen Bunn, Mike Deodato & Lee Loughridge

Called in by the U.S. government for a secret international mission to Russia, unassuming American professor of Russian and Slavic Studies at NYU Randall Crane finds his history in the Soviet Union begin to thaw and reveal itself. When the team of commandos sent to protect him end up dead, Randall finds himself forced to fight his way out of the former U.S.S.R. using skills he thought he'd left dead and buried in the cold, hard streets of the Mother Russia a lifetime ago.

The Sea In You GN - Jessi Sheron

A whimsical dark fantasy retelling of "The Little Mermaid," The Sea In You upends everything you thought you knew about magical creatures of the deep, on a whirlwind journey to a whole new world you've only dreamed of before! 15-year-old Corinth was just trying to clean up the beach; she never expected to meet a mermaid, let alone be nearly drowned by one. It was the start of a very strange friendship! After Skylla, the deadly fanged mermaid, mysteriously lets Corinth live, they grow closer through a cautious exchange of stories, gifts, jokes, and sign language. Mermaids, it turns out, eat people, but however terrifying Skylla may look, she's a little younger, a little smaller, and perhaps a little too soft for all that. Bewitched by Corinth and their growing bond, she learns about all the best things in life on land: books, burgers, donuts, and this strange chattering human sound called laughter. But a storm is brewing-both at sea and in Corinth's increasingly dangerous relationship with her obsessively jealous boyfriend-and a magical bargain may be the only thing that can save her, at a tremendous cost.

Sparks & The Fallen Star GN - Lyndon White

The stars are going out. Night never ends and while others only wonder, Sparks, the bravest little robot, sets out to discover the reason why. Enjoy this beautiful tale about friendship and overcoming adversity.

Specs TP - David M. Booher & Chris Shehan

Small town. Ohio, 1986. All Kenny and Ted want is to not feel like outcasts. What happens when a pair of X-ray glasses mysteriously appear? The magic specs open a world of possibilities for these misfit teens through the granting of literal wishes! Things start out innocent, but when they wish that their bully would disappear, things take a cursed turn, with far darker consequences than they thought possible...

Tabegirl: Art Of Jun SC - JUN

Powerfully cute! Jun's TabeGirls are the embodiment of what makes Japanese character designs so beloved, as they capture young ladies at their purest... while chowing down on scrumptious eats! Collecting nearly one-hundred full-color portraits from Jun's growing collection of web-illustrations, comics and promotional art, fans of the artist will have plenty tasty images to sink their teeth into.

The Cull #1 (of 5) - Kelly Thompson& Mattia De Iulis

Something is Killing the Children horror vibes mix with The Goonies-style adventure as five friends set off to shoot a short film on a forbidden rock near their home the summer before they all go their separate ways. But that's not really why they're there. One of them has lied. And that lie will change their lives forever.

Those Who Helped Us GN - Ken Mochizuki & Kiku Hughes

Basketball-loving Sumiko Tanaka, then 11, narrates this graphic novel about the World War II incarceration of Japanese Americans. Through her eyes, we watch as her family is forced from their home and subjected to indiscriminate racism as they are shipped off to the concentration camp called Minidoka in Idaho. But Sumiko and her 17-year-old sister Yuri also see acts of charity and solidarity from their non-Japanese neighbors and friends in the Seattle area that make them hopeful for the future. As the young girls struggle with the horrors of being imprisoned in the dusty desert, they also find solace in the fact that some people chose to help.

Ultralazer TP - Pauline Giraud, Maxence Henry & Yvan Duque

The people of the planet Topoy live in peace, surrounded by lush nature and magical, infinite resources. But the King of Beasts, who maintains balance on this world, is in danger. His protectors, Horb and Booko, will need to set off on a long journey if they want to save their planet...

On planet Topoy, everything has been peaceful for a long long time. People and magical creatures have been living in peace for generations. But danger came from space! The buzzards attacked and changed Topoy forever. Do they want the planet's natural resources? Yes. But they also want the King of Beasts, the supreme being that ties everything on this world.

Enter Horb and Booko, two protectors and servants of the King. They can't let their planet plundered! Their only hope? An ancient legend: the Ultralazer! Forgotten by many, this power could unleash the power they need to save the planet.

Washington's Gay General: The Legends & Loves Of Baron Von Steuben HC - Josh Trujillo & Levi Hastings

This graphic novel biography tells the true story of one of the most important, but largely forgotten, military leaders of the American Revolution, Baron Wilhelm Von Steuben, who brought much-needed knowledge to the inexperienced and ill-prepared Continental Army. As its first Inspector General, Von Steuben created an organizational framework for the US military, which included writing the Blue Book guide that became the standard for training American soldiers for more than a century. Beginning with Von Steuben's career in the Prussian Army, Trujillo explores his recruitment by Benjamin Franklin, his work alongside General George Washington at the Battle of Valley Forge, and his eventual decline into obscurity. In Washington's Gay General, Trujillo and Hastings impart both the intricacies of queer history and the importance of telling stories that highlight queer experiences.

Whatcha scooping up this week, Fantom Fam?

[antvnger]

😰 @arandomnerdsrp358

😰 a worried letter

((The obvious and easiest way to go about this is writing about Cassie wanting to be an Avenger but that’s no fun and I don’t want to go that route. So I tried something different. 

((How about instead, you have a worrisome situation with a letter with some worry but more reassurance. Scott is a good dad after all, he’s going to take care of Cassie.))

It’s the 11th night Scott found himself and Cassie like this, curled up on her bed with Cassie leaning against him, asleep at last.

The first week Cassie stayed with him again, sometime after the Battle for Earth and Scott was able to get his own place again, he got a really good glimpse of how those five years without him really affected his ten fifteen year old. She would wake up crying for him, haunted by nightmares of him disappearing again, of her coming home to an empty house until she caught a glimpse of him far off. One minute there, one minute gone. And in her bones, she knew he wasn’t coming back this time.

Every night the first week she stayed with him ended up the same way. Every night the second week she stayed with him was like that. The first night back at her mom’s found Cassie slipping out of the house in the middle of the night and finding her way to his place to bang on his door to make sure he was still there. And it terrified him. For her sake, it scared the hell out of him. What a nightmare no pun intended.

They had to talk about this. They had to. But what on earth could he say? There’s a lot that needed to be said, but he couldn’t get his thoughts organized enough to have this talk. So he wrote a letter to her. It was meant to be practice for getting his thoughts together and prep for the conversation with her but she would find the letter before they could have the talk.

Hey Peanut,

This talk should’ve happened two weeks ago after the first time the nightmares happened, but I let it go on too long. I didn’t know what to do or how to best say things. So here I am. Reaching out and trying to take care of you in any way I can.

I’m here, Peanut. I’m back. I’m not going anywhere.

Your nightmares are liars. Believe me, I’m no stranger to nightmares, but they are. They’re liars. Know how I know? Because nightmares are just reflections of anxiety and fear, and I know for a fact those are big time liars. So if they’re liars, their reflections are too. I’m not going to leave you again. I promise.

I think it’s high time we do something to help you move past these nightmares, Peanut. If Mom and Jim are okay with it, maybe you can stay two weeks in a row for a while to help you get used to the idea that I’m back. I haven’t asked them yet, so I don’t know how that’ll go but we can try. Maybe we can look into therapy too. We can go together if that’ll make you feel better, but I really think therapy for a little while would be a great idea. We’ll do more things together after you get out of school. More one on one time to do whatever you want. And you can’t forget that road trip we’re planning just you and me, you’ve got that to look forward to too!

Point is, Peanut, you’re going to get through this, and I’m going to help you do it. Whatever it takes, I’ll do it for you.

I love you, Peanut. 

Dad

Written letter meme