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#like who's to say that the reason i had missing / double frames isn't because it was a bad computer yk?
raayllum · 18 hours
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Callum is so right about Rayla never doing anything for herself. You could say freeing Runaan was for herself but she also treats it as her "sacred promise" and chose him for Ethari too (shows how great her heart is). You think sparing Callum will finally count as her doing something for herself? Choosing her future and her love for him over the "greater good". She couldn't get her og parents back‚ this girl keeps losing and suffering she seriously deserves more wins
God, I could write an entire meta about that line - maybe one day when I'm feeling self indulgent. In regards to your actual prompt, re: saving Callum will count as something for herself -- a big yes, absolutely, I think! Though I think freeing her parents is something she deeply wanted for herself, too ("I miss you so much" / "so I wanted to do something for yourself for you") even if it was something she was continually putting off till the Aaravos situation, as far as she knew, was resolved
Prior to S6 I went back and forth on whether the show would frame Rayla's end of the possession plot line / trying to get Callum back as either "It doesn't matter what happens to me (again) I just want to save him" (which is what leaving in TTM and other moments was about) OR whether it'd be framed as "I refuse to sacrifice him / something I want (again)" and therefore be character development. I leaned towards the latter for reasons outlined here since the two have the chance to be even more thematically codependent than they already are in terms of their senses of identity:
As long as Callum is Callum (not possessed, or she has reason to believe he’s still in there), Rayla likely won’t be able to bring herself to kill him. This is from an emotional / characterization standpoint, of course, but from a thematic standpoint, we can see where it stems from Callum and Rayla continually being each other’s main connection to their sense of identity. As long as Callum is Callum (“you’re the destiny is a book you write yourself guy”), he’s worth saving. As long as Callum is Callum, she can be Rayla (“Rayla’s brave. She saves people” / “Rayla. My name is Rayla, and I’m going home”). As long as she’s Rayla, he can be Callum. Because if Callum isn’t Callum, then he’s dead, and if he’s dead, she can kill him. And if Rayla kills him, if Callum is dead, then she won’t be Rayla anymore. Because to literally kill Callum would be to simultaneously symbolically/emotionally kill herself.
This goes both ways of course - Callum can't/won't sacrifice Rayla because to do so would be to sacrifice a fundamental part of himself (namely his deep and Pure devotion to others which means he'll never go entirely down the negative side of Viren's path, and keep to the positive - leaving Aaravos, breaking free, etc). This was subtext prior to S6, but now it's actual text (she's his light/truth/hope of salvation, etc) so it goes double going forward. This is true for Rayla too — Callum is her guiding light and her star, he's one of the people who's taught her the most about how to love and the person she wants to be.
With all that in mind, yeah, I do think that Rayla will choose to not sacrifice Callum for the right reasons. Part of this is scaffolded under witnessing Callum not sacrificing her No Matter What prior to her won choice, and realizing "what [she] most deeply desires" isn't just Callum's survival even, but specifically the life they can have together, which she needs to stick around for and thereby not sacrifice herself. Runaan is also explicitly remorseful over the actions he took towards her where he choose duty over love, so Rayla realizing she should choose love over duty ties into them growing together as well in a positive way. We also see her realize some of this I think in choosing to let Lain and Tiadrin stay together rather than separate them specifically because of the Moonphoenix bracelet Callum gave her as well.
"I risked losing the best thing I ever had" because of her own duty turned revenge vs "I refuse to lose either of us like this" and finally fully accepting an assassin was never who she was and never who she Should be, in sacrificing others' lives or her own included. Them both Choosing each other above everything else was exactly what I was hoping for as soon as the "I need you to kill me" plot line started / wrote in my first CHET fic pre-S4 years ago:
She has two options as she pulls away. She can make a grab for her swords and go out, swords blazing. Kill Viren or Aaravos if she can as the sky splits open, purple and thrumming with magic; die with a sword in her hand in all likelihood. The release spell has already started. Or she can help Callum up, and they can live to fight another day—together. Rayla grips the back of his jacket. Presses her forehead to his neck for a second, tears building her eyes. “I’m sorry,” she says. His arm tightens around her, like he’s braced for her to go. “Rayla—” “I’m so sorry,” she repeats, sobbing. This is all her fault, but she can’t do that to him. “We have to get out of here.” [...]
Callum is staring at her when she pulls back and she swallows hard. She doesn’t know what to say. It’s both a blessing and a curse when he speaks first. “You chose me,” he says, not quite softly; she can tell there’s a lump in his throat. An edge of anger that not doing so was even an option. “Yeah, well. It was about time,” she says quietly. “I—”
So uh, here's hoping!
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lovelytsunoda · 4 months
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indecent exposure // liam lawson
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summary: some men should not be allowed to buy gag shirts when they go to vegas. liam lawson is not one of them. or, the liam face-sitting fic i've been ruminating on for months and never wrote.
pairing: liam lawson x female! reader
warnings: 18+!!! SMUT!!! porn with very minimal plot if i do say so myself. lots of double entendres for common police charges (disorderly conduct, indecent exposure etc.), liam refers to himself as 'agent lawson' and makes us all cringe with laughter. the actual face-sitting portion of the fic is really only a few paragraphs at the end lmao the foreplay was too fun with all the cop jokes-
author's note: somebody should take both my library card and every british detective show in existence away from me because this is what happens when i watch too many episodes of anything with a hot detective in it. never mind the fact that i binged lauren layne's new yorks finest series last year when i was snowed in and my classes were cancelled for almost a week
there was nothing that y/n loved more than coming home from a long day at work and taking her dress pants off. and her high heels, and her bra. typically this would be followed by a pint of ben and jerrys and a few episodes of 'grace and frankie'. sometimes it would be followed by a feel good eighties movie, or by her boyfriend ordering takeout and ravishing her while they waited for it to arrive.
all of these were good options, as far as y/n was concerned.
"hey babe!" liam shouted, darting across the hall from the small gym space they'd set up, to the master bedroom. "look what i found in the closet...jesus. you look gorgeous." he stopped in his tracks, eyes fixed on his goddess of a girlfriend as she stood in front of the gilded mirror next to the walk-in closet.
"you saw be before i left for work." she laughed, taking out the small diamond studs in her ears. they were a gift from liam for their anniversary. "all i've done is take off my slacks and bra, and undo my shirt a little bit."
but it wasn't the lack of pants that was getting liam all flustered, nor was it the way the collar of her silk work shirt dipped down just a little too far, the hem not quite long enough to cover the area where thigh met ass.
no, it was the black prada glasses that delicately framed her eyes. the eyes that had so captivated liam from the moment they met.
"if you ever decide to get contacts, i'm leaving you. seriously."
he wasn't serious in the slightest.
"the way you look in those glasses should be a crime. you're gorgeous, babe."
facing him, she laughed, hands on her hips. "i thought you threw that shirt out!"
she groaned internally, looking at the tight-fitting black cotton shirt that liam was wearing, and the cracking white vinyl lettering over his heart. fbi. a gag gift he had bought in vegas. it was too tight despite it's age, hugging each and every one of liam's muscles far too tight, and looking deceptively erotic when paired with his dark blue jeans.
"so did i! isn't it great?" he grinned like an idiot, spinning in a little circle to show off the writing on the back.
female body inspector.
who the fuck came up with these things? on any random guy in the street, she would have gagged at the vulgar implications of the words. on her boyfriend? she only rolled her eyes.
"there's a reason it went missing in the move, babe."
liam shook his head, ignoring her words. "ma'am, i'm special agent lawson from the federal bureau of investigations. i've received a complaint about disorderly conduct on the premises. and now that i'm here i might have to upgrade that charge to indecent exposure, little lady."
"you're such a fucking idiot." she giggled, looping her arms around her boyfriend's neck before kissing him softly. "i love you."
"love you more." he rasped in between kisses, his hands travelling underneath the hem of her shirt. "what do you say the two of us make a case for disturbing the peace?"
"if you make one more cop-related come on, i'm walking out that front door and never coming back."
liam flashed a shit-eating grin, raking his bleached blonde hair out of his face. "so does that mean you won't consent to a frisk search?"
"i will humor you this one time." she laughed, taking a step back. "take it away, agent. but you do realize that the fbi don't get to make disorderly conduct calls? that's a beat cop's job."
"i seem to recall that you have a right to remain silent?"
she winked, undoing another button on her shirt, the fabric falling away just enough to give liam a glimpse of the soft flesh of her breasts. "and i don't recall being read my rights."
"hands against the wall, feet shoulder width apart, you beautiful smartass." liam laughed, waiting for her to turn slightly before playfully swatting at her backside. "then i can read them to you."
the wall was cold against her palms as she got into position, listening half-heartedly as liam attempted to remember the american miranda rights. he got about as far as 'you have the right to remain silent' and 'you have the right to an attorney' before he gave up.
"you know what, this isn't that serious. fuck the right to remain silent, you have the right to remain sexy as fuck. how about that." she could hear the playful annoyance in his voice, and couldn't help the smile that broke out across her face.
there was the liam she knew and loved. not one to mince words, even in the bedroom.
his smooth hands were a welcome presence on her body, travelling up her legs, over her hips and up the sides of her torso. torturously slow, his warm hands dipped underneath her shirt, taking her breasts in his hands, her peaked nipples between his fingers.
heat rose to her skin, adding a rosy sheen in the halflight. she sighed under his touch, her head dropping back to rest on liam's shoulder. liam smiled fondly, one of his hands reaching for hers, the other dropping to cradle her waist.
"you're beautiful." he hummed, kissing her neck gently. "i hope you know that."
this was a side of liam that only she ever got to see. on the outside, he gave off frat boy energy: the hair, the way he carried himself. the way he spoke. but just under the surface, was a man who was wrapped around his girlfriend's finger. one who loved shamelessly, and with his whole heart.
pulling away from the wall, the turned in his hold to face him, tangling her hands in his hair and kissing him deeply.
"if you can get that shirt off without tearing a stitch, you can keep it."
liam beamed, breaking from the embrace to scramble for the hem of the worn t-shirt. he had almost gotten it over his head when he heard the first few stitches begin to pop, fabric getting stuck by his shoulders.
"fuck!"
"need some help with that?"
"i think i'm good!"
somehow they ended up on the bed, both half dressed and pent up. she was soaked through her thong, despite her earlier attitude towards the t-shirt and further proving the point that her lover looked good in just about anything (or nothing, for that matter). she was needy, every nerve in her body reacting to the way liam's tongue probed her mouth, the way his hands touched her body. the way he moaned when she pressed up against the bulge in his jeans.
"babe," he mumbled in between kisses. "do you trust me?"
she cocked an eyebrow, brushing his bangs out of his face before looking down at him "should i be worried?"
"do you trust me, yes or no?"
"of course, li. of course i trust you."
liam nodded. "good. so sit on my face."
she paused, almost as if her brain was sending up error messages. she knew this day would come. liam lawson would eat pussy any which way. truthfully, she was shocked this day hadn’t come sooner.
it wasn’t that she didn’t want to. of course she wanted to.
“babe, how will you be able to breathe? I’ll suffocate you.” she protested, reaching for his hand. “I don’t want that on my conscience.”
“sweetheart, it’s okay. you won’t hurt me. and if-god forbid-I do suffocate, trust me on this, I wouldn’t want to go out any other way than with your thighs on either side of my head.”
and with that, liam took her hands in his, and guided her towards where he needed her most. she looked down at him with a soft smile, running her fingers through his hair.
"i love you." she whispered, moving her hands to the headboard and beginning to lower herself down to meet her lovers tongue.
she inhaled sharply as she made contact, liam's plump lips mouthing at her pussy, her grip tightening on the wooden headboard.
"i've got you, princess." liam's voice was muffled, but his words were reassuring as he ran a hand up and down her thigh. "just ride my face, darlin'. use my tongue to get yourself off."
feeling bolder than she was when she first sat down, she began to grind on liam's face, his nose bumping against her swollen clit with each movement. every bit of friction, every swipe of liam's tongue drove her wild, was like setting fire to her nerve endings.
"oh sweet jesus, god." she whined, fighting the urge to close her thighs together around liam's head, focussing on the way his hands gripped her thighs in a bruising way. she looked down at his face and moaned again, seeing the pleasure mapped out on her boyfriend's features.
"oh, i'm in heaven." he moaned, pulling her down further to plunge his tongue inside of her, rapidly flicking it inside and out.
her eyes rolled back as her hips bucked, grinding against the tip of his nose as one hand came down to clutch at his hair. tears of pleasure pricked the corners of her eyes as she cried out his name.
"liam- right there, oh my god, keep doing that." she whined, trying to move her hips faster. liam's face was soaked, the entire bottom half coated in her juices. there was so much of it, running down the sides of his cheeks and soaking into the pillowcase behind him.
she felt so good she could barely see, screwing her eyes shut. her pants and whines became closer together and more high pitched, the movement of her hips more frantic as she chased that feeling, that high.
"are you going to cum for me, baby?" liam asked, pulling his face away from her. she continued to drip onto his face, and he opened his mouth wide, catching some of her slick on his tongue. "come on my face. please, i want to be drowning in it."
and how could she say no to that?
she could barely keep her shoulders straight as she resumed her motions, fingers gripping liam's hair to keep herself steady. his hands grasped desperately at the flesh of her ass cheeks, squeezing and massaging as one of her own hands came up to grasp at one of her tits, teasing the peaked nipple between her fingers.
"oh god, liam, i think i'm coming!"
"i've got you, i've got you. just breathe-"
his last word was cut off with a moan as she began to gush, coating his face in her release. his moans were muffled by the weight of her body, but they were no less loud as he set about licking her clean.
her legs felt like jello and her body like mush as liam tried to sit up, easing her body back so that she was sitting in his lap, wet core right over top of the massive bulge in his jeans. liam was certain that if she moved at all while she was on top of him, he'd come in his jeans. totally spent, she slumped against him, resting her head on his chest.
he leaned down to kiss her sweaty forehead and she scrunched up her face. she looked adorable in her fogged-up glasses with her messy hair. and liam couldn't stop his heart from melting as she reached for the box of tissues in the nightstand and began to clean up his face.
"that was incredible." her voice was soft as she cleaned him up. "i had no idea you could do that."
"don't give me all the credit." liam laughed, playfully nipping at her fingers as she moved to wipe his mouth down. "you played a very large part in why i'm still hard right now."
she laughed, a big smile on her face as she looped her arms around his neck and leaned in to kiss him softly. with his large hands holding her in place, they kissed again. sweet, chaste and soft, with no intention of it leading anywhere else.
at least, not this early in the evening.
TAGS:
@magnummagnussen @httpiastri @libraryofloveletters @cartierre @lorarri @userlando @diorleclerc
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uneducated-author · 5 months
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Okay, I DO NOT want this to come off as hate, because I love this show, have loved this show and will continue to love this show (I have no choice, I'm pack bonded) but... If I can bring up the way that the show feels... Off.
I don't want to say I dislike it, because I haven't really given it a fair chance, and I actually do really like a lot of the new episodes, and I would hate for anyone to see this and think that I have anything but huge amount of respect to the writers, actors and professionals working together, but I just wanted to know if anyone agreed, or is thinking along the same lines as me.
Meta Humour can work, and work really well. Fleabag's strongest storytelling point is the metaphor of a third wall break being her way of 'leaving' her real life, where we as the audience become her confidant, her trusted friend, her escape. Princess Bride has a meta humour that folds into the framing device. The Emperors New Groove uses it for comedy, and ties it to the medium, framing device and the tropes set up by virtue of the genre. Other shows can have throwaway lines with double meanings, one for the characters and one for the audience.
But Doctor Who Excelled in Commiting to the story. The suspension of disbelief, and the sheer illusion of this madman, hidden from us by our own inability to Notice, it was fun. It connected itself to our world with jokes about pop culture and throwaway lines about Merlin and Robin Hood and all these running jokes but...
Doctor Who proves that no matter how ridiculous the premise, a story can be great if you believe in the story you're telling. You can throw cat women in a hospital, have bad CGI mannequins clone a man, create bats that feed off time energy, but it doesn't matter, because if you and the actors are devoted to the world you're building, the audience will have no choice but to love it too.
Even Peter Capaldi has these scenes where he addresses us as an audience, lecturing us, but not only does it set up his career as a lecturer at a university, it has an in universe reason, where he explains that when he's unsure about how to get out of a bind, he retreats within his mind, pretends he's already escaped and he's bragging to Clara. The throwaway line 'I'm nothing without an audience' carries weight because... Well, he does need an audience. This is his own illusion, we're just sneaking a peak. This isn't the actor lifting the curtain a la Oz, this is us being brought into a characters mind.
Missy has a hilarious meta joke where she roleplays as the doctor and introduces the companions as 'Exposition' and 'Comic Relief'. It's targeted at fans, and clearly a shakedown of the tropes and- it works. Because this is a game to Missy, because she doesn't take this seriously, she's playing a role. It makes sense for This character in This context, and it doesn't break the illusion.
But the new series... There's just a plastic feeling to it. I almost feel like they're setting up a Wandavision bit where it's all a TV show. The joke about 'I thought that was Non Diagetic' was hilarious, and I loved it, but the winks and nods to the camera? The overexplanation and overexposition? 'Never seen a TARDIS before?' Lines said to the audience, basically dropping the wall between us. We are not watching the Doctors life, nor are we being brought into his mind. This isn't showing a characters view, or self aware commentary. It's a cheap laugh that doesn't land.
I don't want to hate the show, and I don't! But it's just... Loosing itself. Back when it was help together with duct tape and a prayer, they had to commit, to make up for the penny sets. Is it such a bad thing to miss that?
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orionares · 3 years
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BTHB: Handcuffed
Psych
@badthingshappenbingo
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In the name of the father, my Colt 1911 and the universal hatred of hippies, I will not strangle Spencer with these cuffs….
"Psst...Lassie?"
We will get rescued and then he'll go back to San Francisco with O'Hara….
"Lassito? Can you scratch my back?"
And I will get a reward from the Mayor for self-control…
"Laaaaaasssie, please? Can't reach it- Hey! Do you ever use your cane as a back scratcher?"
"SPENCER!" Lassiter hisses loud enough for the bearded well, hippie guarding the arid decrepit living room to hear. The Police Chief scowls at the blank eyes of the guard and waits for the man to turn back to whatever the hell he'd been doing.
What fresh hell is this- he had told O'Hara that a fishing trip alone with Shawn wasn't going to end well. But then Marlowe had joined with O'Hara's puppy dog eyes and-
"What?" Shawn replies with the irritating casualness one isn't supposed to have while handcuffed back to back.
And also after being kidnapped.
Lassiter lowers his voice down to a loud whisper, "What did I tell you?"
"When Ron and his friends took us from the boat?"
Of course Spencer would figure out their captors name.
"How in God's name do you know that..man's name?" Lassiter asks, already prepared for the idiotic performance sure to follow. In the briefest of moments, Lassiter's heart lifts at the delay in response from Shawn and the beautiful possibility of a semi-mature response.
"'Cause I'm psychic."
Idiot.
Ron lumbers over from his near hour long guard at the door and sneers heavily, "You two needa shut up."
"Kidnapping a Police Chief and a civilian-"
"Psychic," Shawn interrupts because, of course.
Lassiter rolls his eyes and continues glaring at Ron. "Is making things worse. And a hippie like you, destroying this-"
Shawn wiggles in his spot and somehow manages not to irritate Lassiter's injured arm. He dramatically tsks and states," Look, Ron, my good man, as we had tried to tell you while we were on our boat before you swooped in and took us, we are just two men doing manly fishing ...manly...ly."
Lassiter sighs and quickly weighs the pros and cons of persuading Ron to duct tape Shawn's mouth shut. No, they were two men , forced by a pregnant detective and her puppy eyes to "bond".
"Wai, you's kinda young to be a puh-lees chief," Ron says, cocking his head to the right like a German Shepard. Normally, Carlton Lassiter would tear into Ron head to toe for well, everything, but it's the man's current attention that leaves Lassiter well, speechless.
Attention directed solely on Shawn.
Shawn chuckles, not even attempting to stifle down his delight at Ron's comment. "As much as I am delighted at the compliment, alas, I am not the Police Chief in this dynamic duo. No, I am Shawn Spencer, Master and commander of Psychfransico in beautiful San Francisco. This silver haired fox is my idol and Police Chief of Santa Barbara, Carlton Lassiter. "
Ron naively scoffs at Lassiter and chuckles, "You 'ain't a Police Chief. You look like his Daddy."
The squeal of delight from Spencer- is it possible to double the mortification he's already drowning in?
"Stooop," Shawn replies with giddy shyness. "I'd shake your hand , good man, if I could. Speaking of hands, I know you and your merry man of kidnappers-"
"Ya'll went on our land and we can't have that," Ron counters.
Lassiter blinks out of his daze of mortification and snorts at the happy conversing between Ron and Shawn.
How cute.
"Can you two stop sharing your feelings and get back to the fact that you and your little pals kidnapped a Police Chief-"
"And psychic!"
"Spencer, I swear to God-"
"What? Accuracy is important!"
"STOP!!" Ron bellows before staggering back to the counter. The over dramatic fall is one of the many reasons he had taken Lilly to a small gathering of hippies banging drums and reviewed in great details the detrimental behaviors of tree huggers.
A great activity for a four year old, despite Marlowe's eye roll.
"Are you really a Police Chief?" Ron blubbers. Lassiter groans and opens his mouth for another smarmy comment. Unfortunately, the motormouth champion of the West Coast beats him to it.
"He is. One of the best in the west. Just like I am and my psychic skill. Just how I predict that you make that right move and let me and the man who sleeps with two pistols in his bedside go."
It's three- one in the dresser, one under the pillow and one in the ejection slot on the bed frame, Lassiter thinks before the non- irritable side of him sparks a thoughtful observation.
Has Spencer been giving me compliments this whole time?
Ron opens his mouth and gawks momentarily at Lassiter before clumsily turning and lumbering out the door. Shawn sighs louder than necessary and then comments, "He seems nice."
"Do you two want a room to braid each other's hair," Lassiter growls with increasing volume," AND MAKE FRIENDSHIP BRACELETS?"
"Gus and I did that last week," Shawn replies calmly," the friendship bracelets, I mean." He leans towards the wall, humming softly, before pressing a small sharp object against Lassiter's wrist. "I was going to just cut us free instead."
Lassiter Scrunches his nose and imagines his Lilly and his Marlowe smiling back at him and how he'd miss them dearly if he would be arrested for strangling Spencer. "You had a sharp object this entire time?"
"No. I found it but didn't want to use it with our main man Ron in the room,” Shawn states. Lassiter can feel Shawn’s hands fidgeting with the handcuffs. The Police Chief lets out a frustrated humph as Shawn continues to work before the glorious sound of a click from the handcuffs.
“Lassie, can I ask you a question?”
"No."
"No, seriously."
He'd bang his head against the wall if he could. Lassiter inhales and exhales slowly, knowing full well that Spencer could and would keep this game up if he wanted to. "Fine," he says slowly, "What?"
"How do you be a good father?"
Oh.
Oh.
The pain in the ass, the bane of his existence, the-
The handcuffs click and the cold metal around Lassiter's wrist drop to the ground. "Hold on," Shawn mutters as he continues to fidget with his own cuffs until they also drop to the ground. Shawn turns around and repeats his earlier question, "So yeah, how do you be a good father?"
Turning on the floor to face Shawn would take an awkward, frustrating set of movements so Lassiter stays back to back with Shawn. "Is that why you asked me to go fishing?"
Shawn grunts as he rolls onto his hands and then pushes himself up onto his knees. He shrugs and admits, “Me and my dad aren’t- well, we butt heads. With Jules being eight months pregnant, she figured out that I wanted to talk to you but-”
“Spencer, “ Lassiter hisses, softening his expression at the look in Shawn’s eyes. Is that puppy eyes? “How about this? We get out of here, I shoot some hippies and then I’ll give you six minutes.. and forty five seconds to ask me questions about fatherhood.”
Just as his daughter, Shawn perks up and grins as if just being told about a trip to the ice cream store. He stands and helps lift Lassiter to his feet. “There are six doors- two on the left and four on the right. We went down two flights of stairs with eight steps on each,” Shawn rambles, “and….when we were blindfolded in the back of the jeep, we took three left turns and a right turn from the boat.”
In normal times, especially back in the days when Shawn and Gus were causing chaos in Santa Barbara, Carlton Lassiter would scowl and walk away from the idiotic smile on Shawn’s face with Juliet on his heels. Right now, as he’s aggravated for being kidnapped, hungry and really wishing Marlowe hadn’t talked him into taking one pistol with him instead of his usual three, there is a small part of him that he will never outwardly admit that is a bit impressed and proud of Spencer.
A very, very small part of him. A minute size part of him.
“Ready?” Shawn asks as he pulls Lassiter’s uninjured arm over his shoulder for support.
Lassiter nods, thinking- Ready.
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Escaping comes way too easy.
Lassiter isn’t the least surprised to find only two of the six men that had surrounded them on the boat sitting in the room at the top of the stairs. He really isn’t surprised when Shawn manages to sow doubt in Ron’s mind long enough to give Lassiter the chance to grab the closest item and whip it across the room and clock the second man in the back of the head.
After calling for assistance, arresting Ron and his unconscious friend and threatening the two arriving SBPD officers with hell if they even think about saying a word, Lassiter stands in front of a police vehicle, watching Shawn talk animatedly to Juliet O’Hara on the phone. The same small part of him that was impressed by Shawn triggers a faint smile on the Police Chief’s face.
“I’ll be home soon. Yep…..tell Gus that he can breathe…..I love you too….kiss the belly for me. Ok, bye!” Shawn exclaims happily. He pockets his phone and tries to calmly cross the lot to Lassiter. Lassiter can feel the excited energy bouncing off the younger man as he asks quietly, “So…..how can I be a good father to my little girl? Like you are?”
Good lord. Lassiter sighs and replies, “You’ll be fine, Spencer, but ask any question you want.”
“For six minutes and forty five seconds?”
He’ll regret this dearly. “I will open it up to ten minutes-” he holds up a hand as Shawn’s eyes widen with excitement, “-don’t make me regret this.”
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reynie-muldoons · 3 years
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'The Dance of the Celestial Orb' liveblog!
for real this time lmfao
book and show spoilers below
I'm ✨nervous✨ please let our children be okay
0:10 this Sticky arc hurts me so kuch
1:35 this music is BUMPIN
2:22 I just wanna know how she got under there without the dude seeing her
2:47 "all systems go" for the Improvement.... yikes 😬😬😬
2:55 she didn't wait even 5 seconds after they left, the door was still closing when she popped up 😂 can you imagine if one of them doubled back right at that moment
3:18 they look like the dudes from that veggietales movie, I think it was Esther- the island of perpetual tickling?? Anyone??? 😂😂😂
4:00 Kate vented.......
4:51 "not a rat" yeah no shit
5:07 if not for the suspense, I would be jamming out lmaooo
6:10 Mr. Benedict is looking at the shoreline, is he about to watch Kate dive in???? Because I mean that's where she's gotta be going
6:20 "memory challenges"? Is Rhonda talking about Milligan's amnesia, or has short term memory been affected as well??
6:29 .....thank you for answering so efficiently 😂
6:42 "I buy it. I completely.... buy it." RHONDA THAT'S NOT HELPFUL AHSKSHDJKD
6:56 can you imagine seeing your friend go down in a sub then hours later seeing the sub float up in fucking PIECES
7:06 KATE! KATE! KATE! KATE!
7:06 please let it be reunion time
7:25 oh hello that's a drop
7:38 *to the tune of Bezos I* come on Katie u can do it pave the way put ur back into it
7:51 she craves that mineral
8:06 Sticky, my child
8:20 oh my gosh they went out and LOOKED FOR HER I care them 😭😭😭
8:23 SHE KNEW HIS DREAM SHE KNEW HIS DREAM TELEPATH TELEPATH TELEPATH
8:34 STICKY STOPPPP
8:40 "jumping to conclusions is a failure of character" wow that really is something Curtain would say
8:52 angry Reynie. He is in rare form
8:54 "and you helped put her there!" OOOOOOOH I SCREAMED
9:03 "I shouldn't have yelled" okay but you kinda should have Sticky needs a wake up call
9:06 "dont apologize. I like this side of you." IS THIS THE START OF REYNIE AND CONSTANCE HAVING THE BEST SIBLING RELATIONSHIP
9:22 "if you really cared about me, you'd want me to be happy instead of standing there telling me who I am" oh Sticky my dude I am NOT digging the manipulation
9:36 Reynie pulling out the BFF card!!! Also Reynie digging in his feet because he knows he's right!!!! That's great setup for his arc as a strategist later
9:48 "I'm telling you, Kate's fine." Narrator: Kate was not, in fact, fine.
10:03 "they'll notice." Sticky has made one (1) good point.
10:11 oh dear god are they fingerprinting this bitch
10:19 all this equipment, has no one walked up to the cliff and looked down???
10:23 HAHAHAHA WAIT THEY ACTUALLY HAVEN'T
10:27 "we've been out here all night" that means Kate has been clinging to a cliff by her fingers and toes ALL NIGHT????
11:04 babe I know it's been a long night but maybe wait a second for them to actually leave before you climb back up
11:15 BUCKET NO
11:22 she has to go get it. There's no way someone wouldn't find that shit, it's in plain view
11:37 "WAS"???? WHY ARE WE SAYING WAS????? NO PAST TENSE HERE MILLIGAN'S FINE
11:43 "I only wish we could've known him better" NOOOPE NONONO WE'RE NOT DOING THIS
11:47 Rhonda back at it as the voice of reason!!!!!
11:59 "I have never met a more competent swimmer" throwback to "the baaAAAYYYY"
12:10 MR. BENEDICT'S FACE HAHAHAHA HOLD ON LET ME TAKE A PICTURE IM DYING
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12:11 NUMBER TWO, NOT HELPING
12:14 RHONDA'S FACE HAHENDJDKDN
12:33 "we will go rescue him" because of COURSE he would
12:36 Rhonda is his best wingwoman omfg she's so consistent
12:54 MISS PERUMAL??????
12:56 MISS PERUMAL!!!!!!
13:00 SHE KNOWS HE'S RIGHT GAKSHDBDHEKSNND
13:09 "how hard can it be? It's an island!" PFFFFT
13:16 oh SQ baby boy please get out of there
13:25 "I certainly have my own suspicions" he said, looking at SQ why are you looking at SQ like that
13:31 SQ GET OUT OF THERE PLEASE IS2G
13:36 here we fuckin go
13:43 the captions have the f in forest capitalized like it's this special place
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13:43 new hc that the Forest is a magical place like pixie hollow
13:57 TWO THINGS: 1. YES stand up for yourself baby!!!! 2. Shepard Quaid? Interesting! I don't think we ever got SQ's full name in the books, I hope TLS made that decision!
14:08 your "father hat"??? Oh my gosh shut the fuck up right there don't even continue
14:16 oh yeah real fuckin cute put on your "steward of this institution hat" and call that a good reason to be a shit person
14:43 "No." GOOD FOR HIMMMM GOOD JOB SQ
15:03 Kate's struggling right by the shore where a certain someone would be returning after a very hard swim, it would be a great time for a meeting wouldn't you think
15:09 KATE THE GREAT
15:11 "THE TRAPESE GODDESS" I WILL REFER TO HER AS NOTHING ELSE
15:26 sorry but that green screen of her falling was kinda funny
15:28 soooooo is someone, a very certain someone, gonna catch her...??????
15:36 YEEEAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH
15:43 IS THIS IT????@?@?!?
15:46 awww poor baby girl you can tell how tired she is
15:46 just putting this out there- they look so good in frame together
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15:46 the actor who plays Milligan is fucking huge in stature so I wasn't sure how that would go but it looks so good
16:00 THE WAY HE'S LOOKING AT HER WITH HIS HAND ON HER SHOULDER I CANT DO THISSSSS
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16:20 "keep going." 😭😭😭😭😭
16:23 "you dont understand." Ohhhh I think he does
16:25 "I think I do." What did I tell you, he's got your back babygirl
16:45 I'm so glad she's talking this out, and with Milligan of all people
17:01 it makes so much sense for Kate to feel alone in that situation, and when Kate feels anything less than positive she goes and does something, whatever that something is.
17:05 "So.. I...." "fell off a cliff and nearly died." Thanks for putting things into perspective Milligan
17:05 Milligan is such a good dad stop
17:19 "most of the way" is an understatement LMFAO
17:29 I'm so glad we know the intimate details of Milligan's illustrious swimming abilities 😂 out of all the new things wfrom the show that one wasnt on my radar
17:52 leave it to Milligan to come up with an escape plan off of an island with no water vessel with four kids in tow
18:08 THEYRE SO CUTE 😭😭😭😭
18:08 lowkey I'm super surprised they didnt take this opportunity to have Milligan's arduous swim force his memories out and have the father daughter bonding time they deserve. I hope they give that moment ample time to flesh out.
18:13 BUCKET!!!
18:13 wait that shot is so artsy hold up lmfao
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18:13 this looks like someone's photography final hahahaha
18:26 THE TENDER MUSIC STOPPPP 😭😭😭
18:41 Sticky is still on that jumping to conclusions bs he got from Curtain
18:44 WETHERALL'S WIDGET 😭
19:31 "Kate... she's in danger..." NO SHIT SHERLOCK
19:36 "and it's all because of me." Not just because of you but love to see you taking responsibility
19:52 once again I am asking WHY ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT THIS IN THE OPEN
20:26 "Kate. She has changed." "Not really. She's always been who she is." "Her clothes. She changed clothes." PFFFT HAHHAHA they really took a moment of self-reflection and made it so much better
20:55 AYYYYY KATE'S DEPENDENCY ARC CONTINUESSSSS
21:35 yikes yikes yikes
22:16 I love that Mr. Benedict got closure in telling Miss Perumal that her words stuck with him
22:40 the way she just knows Reynie took the position of leader 😭😭
22:54 SHE WROTE HIM A LETTERRR
23:02 "Would it be possible to get this to him?" Ma'am what part of undercover spy don't you get
23:54 it's still really weird that we are now in a position where Reynie is the one who is not trusted and Sticky is the one in Curtain's favor
24:13 and here we see Curtain's thinly veiled anger issues shining through
24:21 "the little things matter. Every minor detail, it all matters!" CALLBACK TO MR. BENEDICT TELLING THE CHILDREN THAT THEY ALL MATTER
24:55 "I can tell with complete accuracy when a person is lying." first of all, no. second of all, I cannot wait for him to talk to Constance.
26:33 why is Mr. Benedict graphically explaining the children's potential trauma so funny to me
26:40 "you're catastrophizing." "Yes. I am. Quite severely. Thank you." WHY IS THIS FUNNY
26:58 MADGE!!!!
27:16 she's so prettyyyyy
27:33 GOOD JOB MADGE!!!!!
27:36 wait did she just take the LETTER??? she's delivering the LETTER?????
28:05 WHAT DOES "OKAY FINE" MEAN??? REYNIE??????
28:22 it's sad because it's true 🥺
28:24 "I miss my teacher from the orphanage" the best lies are the ones rooted in truth 🥺🥺🥺
28:48 roll credits
29:16 Reynie honey Orion's Belt isn't on the ceiling
29:29 the way he was so confident that he had it right 😑 Curtain Stop Being a Pretentious Fuck challenge
29:52 our babygirl is so smartttt
29:55 did Milligan plant his prints 😳 oh no OH NO
29:57 MARTINA???? WHATSUEJHDKD
29:57 is this the replacement for when they pin cheating on her????
30:03 THE KEY CARD!!!!
30:11 MADGEEEE
30:21 "one attacked me as a small child" honey you are a small child
30:24 "it did not win," she said, smiling menacingly
30:40 "so we dance again" WHY DID THE MUSIC REV UP WHEN SHE SAID THAT HAHAHAHA
31:01 ✨woodworking is a passion✨
31:58 "was it functional?" "Well I guess that depends on how you define functionality" RHONDA'S FACE IN THE BACKGROUND HAHAHAHA
32:10 OH HEY MARTINA
32:17 wait 🥺
32:22 that has to be SQ :)
32:28 hi sweet boy
32:34 please tell me they did that shot of the sandwich because Madge is about to take it
32:39 LMFAOOOOO
32:44 hi good girl!!! Enjoy your snackies
32:50 oh god oh no the LETTER
33:25 oh wow we're doing this NOW??
33:52 and here we see another example of Curtain's thinly veiled anger issues bubbling to the surface
34:10 hey what if you uhhh weren't such an asshole
34:33 that man's voice is buttery
34:52 REYNIE'S TRYING TO TELL SQ????
35:02 and they're talking about this right in front of the office door, WHY??
35:24 AND THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT THIS RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE OFFICE DOOR, WHY????
35:55 he's letting him go 🥺🥺🥺🥺
36:14 why does that look like a body bag
36:17 oh my gosh it definitely is a body bag, hey Martina
36:25 yep, that's about what I expected
36:36 "whoever did this to me, they're gonna pay" oh girl do I have some bad news for you
37:12 ahhhh, so Martina is the burnt out gifted kid who keeps going out of spite and sheer force of will
37:12 everything makes much more sense now
37:30 ohhhhh my gosh feelings time
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37:44 "I think it's awesome." "Yeah. I know you do." THE SHIPPERS ARE THRIVING
37:54 THEY REALLY WANT TO MAKE THIS AS PAINFUL AS POSSIBLE HUH
38:10 "it's the least I can do" that's an understatement 😬
38:14 AAWWWWW SHKSHSLSBDK
38:20 "I don't know what I'd do without you, Wetherall" STOPPPPP
38:30 HEY BUD UH MAYBE CLOSE YOUR DOOR???
38:38 he's been writing letters to her every night and now he finally gets one back 😭😭
39:34 so Miss Perumal wrote this letter with the intention of it being sent to him, right- why did she write it like that?? 😂
39:34 they've gone to such lengths to communicate in code but the letter kind of undermines that- it was written in such a way that an onlooker would know Reynie was a spy but wouldn't know what he was doing or why. No wonder SQ was pissed
39:41 KATE!!
40:10 BREAKING NEWS: local bastard man treats everyone like shit
40:15 ohhhhh SQ bud please be careful
40:30 "always have time for my son," he said in a clipped voice that implied that he does not have time for his son
40:35 ohhh he's getting RIGHT INTO IT HUH
40:41 you mean to tell me he's never asked about Mr. Curtain's work?? Ever???? Somehow that doesn't seem right to me
40:57 hey uh what if you didn't talk down to SQ at every opportunity
41:02 "would you care to reconsider that answer, son?" "No." DIG THOSE HEELS IN SQ!!!!
41:22 I'm really not digging that Curtain is using the guise of openly expressing his feelings to communicate his anger and his unasked question. Not cool bitch head
41:33 the fact that he didn't answer SQ's spoken question kind of also answers his unspoken question
41:45 "I knew there was something off about that girl. But espionage?" "How do you so convincingly fake a tetherball obsession?" I love that this entire conversation could be about Martina or Kate interchangeably
42:34 WELL THAT'S NOT GOOD
42:36 IF IT WAS THAT EASY TO FIND WITH BINOCULARS HOW HAD THEY NOT BEEN SPOTTED UP UNTIL THIS POINT?!!?#? HOW????
43:05 Kate advocating for Martina with the Society 🥺🥺 the interaction I didn't know I needed
43:58 "I definitely don't like to leave anything unfinished." "That's true, I've seen you eat." PFFFFT
44:05 YESS YOU GO STICKY USE YOUR ACCESS FOR PRIME INTEL
44:19 "well, you can't succeed without me, so..." baby girl you have no idea how right you are
44:28 please let that be Milligan PLEASE LET THAT BE MILLIGAN
44:32 YEAAAAAHHHHH
44:35 I simply adore him
44:45 "would you mind helping me down, please? I'm stuck." Your honor I would die for this man
44:54 oh shit, Martina's tryna sleuth it out herself.. this can't end well
45:04 is she about to find Kate's marbles or something?? Callback to the book?
45:26 the absolute MURDER in her eyes
45:31 FUCKIN YIKES
45:41 "the clothes of someone who had given up" ASEJDGEIDNDLFK
45:47 well that's not good
46:00 WELL THAT'S NOT GOOD
46:04 PLEASE let them be on their way already, please
46:14 THEY MADE A BLIMP????
46:17 Goodyear is QUAKING
46:35 why the fuck is Number Two in red, that's upsetting on principle
THEYRE JUST ENDING IT THERE???? goddamnit!!!!
How surreal is it that next week is the finale?? Idk if I'm ready for that????
23 notes · View notes
Note
Req: Izuku isn't one to keep grudges. He'd rather bury the hatchet & move on. But when word got out that Bakugō's past as a bully & an abuser got exposed at the latest annual Hero Gala, where he just got promoted to the #1 Hero no less, Izuku couldn't deny the small feeling of satisfaction within him. Soon, Bakugō lost the respect of his fellow Class 1-A graduates, former UA teachers, most of Japanese citizens & the whole world. His Hero license got revoked. He becomes what Izuku used to be.
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Me: Aren’t you tired of being nice? Don’t you just wanna go apeshit? Izuku: N- Not partic- Me: TOO LATE!
I kinda incorporated these two asks, so please enjoy ~5000 words of Bakugou Katsuki / My Fist In His Face! :D
Edit: Ao3 Link: Fall from Grace ______
‘And taking the number two spot, moving down a place from last time, is the second coming of the symbol of peace, Hero Dekiru!’ The announcer exclaimed excitedly.
Forcing a bright smile onto his face, Izuku stepped out onto the stage and took his place next to Creati, who had secured the third spot. He looked out over the audience and waved as his fans cheered excitedly. Inside though, he wanted nothing more than to hide away and take his frustrations out on one of his home gym’s punching bags.
‘That means, folks, this season’s number one hero isss...’ The announcer paused for dramatic effect. ‘The Great Explosion Murder God, Dynamight!’
Izuku had to refrain from wincing when the audience’s cries and cheers became almost deafening. Kacchan strode out onto the stage, a manic smile on his face as he set off some celebratory explosions from his palms. As the blonde walked past Izuku, he muttered a quiet ‘Take that, Deku’ that only Momo and Shoto could hear. Izuku glanced out of the corner of his eye at the two; Momo furrowed her eyebrows, unimpressed, while Shoto didn’t even bother to hide his eye roll and displeased snort.
Kacchan took his place next to Izuku, smirking for all to see. When the crowd eventually fell silent, the announcer made her way down the line, asking each of the top ten heroes for a comment. Usually, Izuku would listen intently and nod along, but it was currently taking all of his energy just to maintain his reassuring presence.
All Might never had this problem. He thought to himself, as Suneater nervously stuttered through his speech.
His mentor always seemed so far away from the other heroes that he never had a problem bagging first place.
Ever since Izuku graduated from UA though, it had been a constant battle between who gained the spot of number one hero. Izuku liked friendly competition and rivalry, having dealt with it long enough that he had to learn to like it; he liked the competition because it meant he could build himself to be the best hero he could possibly be. However, the fact that it was always between him and Kacchan was getting a little old.
Izuku couldn’t fathom it. He wasn’t a bitter person; he knew that he had to work hard to earn the number one spot… But it was no secret that he had saved the most people throughout their careers so far. He had done everything he could to be the next symbol of peace and people did see him that way. They relied on him and believed in him. If they were in trouble, it wasn’t Dynamight they called for. It was Dekiru...
Everyone just seemed to like Kacchan more.
Izuku should be used to it by now. Ever since they were kids, it had been the same. He knew he shouldn’t let this get to him. He became what he was meant to be. He was the symbol of peace and he didn’t need a ranking to prove that-
‘Hero Dekiru!’ The announcer greeted, rounding on Izuku and startling him enough that he nearly launched himself into the air. She shoved the microphone in his face expectantly and he had to remind himself that it was his turn to speak.
'Er…' He rubbed the back of his neck and smiled endearingly. 'I know I'm prone to rambling, so I'll keep it short haha!'
The room laughed along with him and Izuku blushed a little. 'I just want to say that I am so proud of my fellow heroes! You've all been amazing and deserve recognition for it.' He swallowed thickly. 'And congratulations to Ka- to Dynamight for reaching number one! I'll be sure to work extra hard to catch up!'
He felt a pair of crimson eyes burning holes into his side. Ignoring it, Izuku raised his fist into the air. 'Let's all continue to do our best! Pluuuuus…'
'Ultra!' The audience chorused, before erupting into a round of applause. Izuku's smile felt genuine when he saw so many people inspired by his words.
'Yeah, good luck with that, Deku!' His smile faltered slightly when Kacchan grabbed the mic and started his own speech. 'I've made it to number one and I'm here to stay! I'm the best of the best and I can't wait to punch some more bastards!'
'Language!' The announcer squeaked, albeit she giggled along with the crowd.
While everyone was distracted, Izuku snuck a glance at Shoto, only to find his partner already staring at him knowingly.
You okay? His eyes seemed to say.
Izuku shrugged ever so slightly.
Aren't I always?
☀️🌙
Everything felt fuzzy.
Izuku raised a hand to his face and regarded it with narrow eyes as it slowly came into focus.
'You okay, love?'
Izuku pulled his head back, forming a double chin, and looked over at the person beside him who had spoken. He instantly recognised the long white and red hair, styled into a loose braid that framed his partner's angelic face, and relaxed.
'Shouchan!' He slurred out, leaning forwards and throwing his arms around him. 'Where have you been? I missed you!'
'I've been sitting next to you for the past 15 minutes.' Shoto pulled back and raised an eyebrow. 'You've been staring out into space for a while. You okay?'
'Just thinking.' Izuku leaned his elbow on the table in front of them and rested his cheek in his hand.
The two of them were at the annual hero gala that always occurred two days after the summer rankings were announced. Usually, Shoto was the one begging them not to go, while Izuku dragged him with a promise of cold soba at the end of it. This time, however, the opposite had happened. Not only had Izuku been adamant about not wanting to go, but Shoto had actively encouraged him to attend, reasoning that Izuku would regret it if he didn’t. Eventually, he begrudgingly caved and agreed to go, but only after a two hour pouting session.
Oh well, At least there was alcohol at this thing.
'What’re you thinking about?' Shoto asked. 'Usually, you mumble when you're thinking.'
'It's improper to bitch about the number one hero out loud, Shoto-kun.' Izuku replied easily, looking over at where some fancy people from the Hero Commission were congratulating Kacchan, who looked so smug Izuku couldn't help but scrunch his face up in distaste.
'Those results were such bullshit.' Shoto muttered, following his gaze. 'You're better than him by a long shot and people love you, yet-’
'-Kacchan always wins.' Izuku sighed. 'Maybe I need to be more like him and-'
'Don't even go there, Izuku.' Shoto warned. 'I'll give you a pass because you're a bit tipsy, but don't ever suggest that again.’
His partner raised his hands and cupped his cheeks, forcing Izuku to look at him. 'People love you so much because you're you. You don't need to change anything about yourself. All Might didn't pick Bakugou. One for All didn't pick Bakugou. I didn't pick Bakugou. We picked you, because you are worthy. You defeated All for One. You saved the world more times than I can count. You're brave and kind and somehow gentle despite being a fucking powerhouse, so don't even think for a moment that you need to be more like him, because Midoriya Izuku is so much better.'
‘Shoto-kun...’
Izuku felt his eyes begin to water and hurriedly moved to bury his face in the crook of his partner’s neck to hide his tears. He wished he didn’t have to be here, under the constant gaze of the media. He wanted to be able to cry freely, but he was a symbol and symbols didn’t cry.
Unless they were the symbol of crying… Izuku reckoned he’d be pretty good at that.
He felt Shoto freeze in his arms when some camera shutters suddenly went off not too far away. 
‘I’m sorry, love.’ He murmured against his ear. ‘Time to be Dekiru again.’
Izuku sighed heavily, before lifting his head and turning towards the camera, a bright smile on his face as he waved to the lens.
‘Dekiru!’ One journalist shouted. ‘We were hoping to take pictures of the top three heroes together. Would you mind joining us for a moment?’
‘Of course!’ Izuku beamed. He stood then, before bowing to Shoto. In a moment of boldness, he took his partner’s hand in his own and pressed a kiss to his knuckles. The cameras went wild, but Izuku focused only on the lovely blush dusting Shoto’s cheeks. ‘See you soon.’
Shoto hummed in response, not knowing what to do with himself, and Izuku smiled softly, before he stepped away and allowed himself to be shimmied over to the desired area. He stumbled slightly from the alcohol - if anyone noticed, they didn’t comment.
Izuku’s jaw dropped when his eyes landed on Momo, who was already waiting for them on the red carpet. She looked absolutely gorgeous tonight; her hair was styled in a half-up half-down braid, allowing her loose hair to cover her shoulders and run down her body without getting in her eyes. She donned a sleeveless scarlet dress, which accentuated the muscles of her arms and complimented her ebony eyes exquisitely. The material fit snugly at her waist, before flowing out around her, like the petals of a red lily flower, until it reached the floor. She made Izuku look incredibly underdressed, with his forest green suit, lack of tie and signature red shoes.
Granted, at the start of the night, Shoto had insisted that Izuku’s legs looked so good that he wouldn’t mind being crushed by them, but he had quickly waved him off. His partner was biased.
‘Momo-san!’ He greeted, taking her hands in his own when he reached her. ‘You look as beautiful as always!’
‘Oh stop!’ She giggled, squeezing his hands affectionately. ‘You’re one to talk. Shoto-san took me aside earlier to complain about how handsome you looked.’
Izuku’s face turned the same colour as her outfit.
‘He what now?’
Momo merely laughed in response, but before she could say anything else, the booming voice of the number one hero drowned out all other sounds.
‘Let’s get this over with, extras.’ Kacchan rolled his neck and cracked his knuckles, joining them on the carpet.
Izuku and Momo nodded in greeting and the three of them waited for the photographers to tell them where to stand.
The shoot lasted all of ten minutes, but to Izuku, it felt like an hour. Having to listen to Kacchan’s quiet jibes about how great he was was starting to get on his nerves. Izuku knew he shouldn’t let his words grate at him so badly, but the alcohol was starting to exacerbate his resentment towards the blonde, to the point where he was about to explode.
It wasn’t until they were making their way back to the main area that he finally cracked.
‘It must suck to be you, Deku.’ Kacchan grinned, hands deep in his pockets as he looked ahead at the Dynamight posters plastered to the walls.
Izuku grit his teeth to keep his signature smile on his face, but otherwise didn’t respond.
Kacchan took that as his cue to continue. ‘I mean, I can’t imagine how disappointed All Might must feel right now. Even with all those quirks and One for All, I’m still better than you.’
He’s just being Kacchan. Ignore him.
‘It seems All Might’s legacy ends with him, if his successor can’t even keep the number one spot. Seems you’ll always be behind me, no matter how many times I have to put you in your place.’
He’s wrong… Toshinori-san is proud of me.
‘Remember when I told you to hope for a quirk in the next life?’ Kacchan laughed. ‘I take it back. Turns out that even with a quirk, you’ll always be a loser.’
Izuku’s eye twitched.
‘Maybe you and Icyhot really are meant for each other. After all, you’re both disappointments to your families.’
Izuku’s body moved before he could comprehend what was happening. One moment, his fist was at his side, the next it was colliding with Kacchan’s jaw. Despite his lightning fast reflexes, the blonde hadn’t anticipated such an attack and was sent flying. In midair, he set off a series of explosions from his palms to steady himself as he descended.
When he landed, the entire room went silent.
‘What the fu-’
‘How dare you talk about Shoto like that!’ Izuku yelled. ‘Shoto is twice the man you will ever be. Don’t you dare call him a disappointment’
His entire body was shaking and he felt like his face was on fire. What was he doing? He was making a scene. What was everyone going to think of him after this?
‘You wanna fucking go?’ Kacchan roared.
Izuku quickly decided he didn’t care.
‘You think you’re so great, don’t you?’ He stood up straight, staring into those raging crimson eyes. His inhibitions had dissolved and all those pent-up emotions quickly flowed out, unfiltered. ‘You want everyone to think you’re the best of the best, when you couldn’t be further from it!’
‘Looks like someone’s pissed because I’m the number one-’
‘I don’t care about that!’ Izuku yelled. ‘I’m pissed because I used to actually think you were the greatest! I used to think your quirk was so amazing and that you really were the best! And what did I get for it? Broken bones, second-degree burns and taunts that I was a worthless nobody.’
‘Deku.’ Kacchan warned. Izuku noticed his expression change into something he almost didn’t recognise on his old friend’s face: fear.
‘What’s wrong, Kacchan? Afraid I’m going to expose you as the shitty person you really are?!’ He mocked, trying to keep his voice even. ‘Do you even remember what you used to do to me back when we were kids? I remember. I still live with the consequences every single day. Do you know how long it took for me to stop flinching whenever you spoke? Do you know that every time I hear a loud noise, my skin aches? It remembers all the times you used your quirk on me. You bullied me for over a decade and yet you have the audacity to say that I’m somehow the one who-’
‘I was trying to protect you!’ Kacchan shouted. He started to stride towards Izuku, but Kirishima quickly appeared from the crowd of curious onlookers and held him back. ‘You never took yourself into account! I was trying to stop you from hurting yourself!’
‘So you thought you’d hurt me instead?!’ Izuku couldn’t help the laugh that escaped his lips. ‘“Protecting” me? Is that what you tell yourself at night? That you were protecting me when you punched me for standing up to you? That you were protecting me when you destroyed my notebooks and threatened me daily?’
Izuku took a deep breath. No going back after this. ‘Were you protecting me when you told me to take a swan dive off the school’s roof when I was 14?’
The entire room gasped, before erupting into scattered noise. Journalists addressed Kacchan, asking if Izuku was telling the truth; several pro-heroes were murmuring to each other, mortified, while the hosts of the event tried to de-escalate the situation but to no avail. Izuku wasn’t listening to all that though. His heart was pounding against his chest, the drumming in his ears drowning out all other noise. He squeezed his eyes shut.
What have I done? I can't believe I said all that! The symbol of peace is meant to keep it together all the time. I’m supposed to be strong for others. How can I be that, now that everyone knows that I’m useless Deku-
‘Izuku.’ He felt a hand brush against his own and Izuku opened his eyes to find Shoto standing in front of him, his expression one of concern. ‘My love, can you hear me?’
Izuku nodded rapidly and leant forward, allowing his partner to wrap him in a hug. He rested his forehead against a sturdy shoulder.
‘I fucked up.’ He murmured against the material of his kimono. ‘I fucked up so bad.’
‘Shhh, don’t say that.’ Shoto whispered, stroking his hair, before turning his head away to address the strangers approaching. His voice turned icy. ‘No, Dekiru will not be taking comments. Back off if you know what’s good for you.’
When they took the hint and dispersed, Shoto sighed and rested his cheek on top of his head. ‘Talk to me, Izuku.’
‘I was so tired of it all.’ He pulled back enough so that he had a clear view of Kacchan being swarmed by the press over Shoto’s shoulder. The blonde looked angry and worried as he shouted at the crowd and - wait, is that Ochaco-chan being restrained by Iida-kun not too far away?
Izuku shook his head and watched the display. ‘He kept saying things and I got angry and then he called you a disappointment and I just...’ His eyes widened and he grasped at his hair. ‘I punched him. Oh my god, I punched Kacchan!’
‘He deserved it.’
‘That doesn’t make it okay, Shoto-kun!’ Izuku exclaimed, tugging on his curls until it hurt. ‘I don’t- I’m meant to be the symbol of peace, but I just punched another hero! I can’t just pretend that didn’t happen… And what I said… Everyone heard. They’re gonna think I’m weak. Maybe I am. I’m just so tired. Maybe Kacchan’s right. Maybe I should’ve taken a swan di-’
‘Don’t even fucking go there, Izuku.’ Shoto’s arms tightened fiercely around him. ‘Don’t think like that. You’re gonna be okay, I promise. We’ll get through this.’
‘Shoto-kun...’
‘Let’s go home.’ His partner wrapped his hands around Izuku’s wrists, coaxing him to let go of his hair. ‘We’ll go home. You don’t have to deal with this now. Clear your head first.’
Izuku searched Shoto’s eyes, before he nodded in agreement. He took his partner's hand and let himself be led through the hall, towards the exit. They made it halfway, when Kacchan suddenly blasted himself into the air to escape the crowd and landed in front of them.
‘You think you’re gonna drop me in it and just leave?’ He growled. ‘Fucking coward.’
‘Izuku owes you nothing, Bakugou.’ Shoto’s voice was cold, unforgiving. ‘If it were up to me, I’d have exposed you years ago.’
‘This has nothing to do with you, Icyhot.’ Kacchan moved so that he was at the centre of Izuku’s vision. ‘I wanna make something clear to Deku.’
Several years ago, Izuku would’ve looked away under such an intense glare, but at that moment, he stared right back. He straightened his posture and furrowed his eyebrows, expectantly. He was tired of staying silent and letting his old bully walk all over him.
‘What do you want?’
Kacchan tsked.
‘These extras are gonna ask you if what you just said was true.’ He narrowed his eyes. ‘You're gonna tell them you've had too much to drink.'
Emerald met piercing scarlet and Izuku knew immediately what his answer was. He had always hoped he could bury the hatchet and move on, but as he regarded Kacchan in front of him now, he knew deep down he couldn't do that. He didn't want Kacchan to suffer…
But he couldn't just continue to let him believe that what he did was right either.
'No, I'm not.'
‘Excuse me?’
‘I said,’ Izuku stood up a little straighter and tightened his grip on Shoto’s hand. Anxiety riddled through his body, pumping him with so much adrenaline he felt his heart pounding against his chest. ‘No. I’m not going to deny what I’ve said. You may be a hero, I may admire you, but I’m not going to lie for you anymore. You need to take responsibility.’
Kacchan opened his mouth, but Izuku raised a hand to silence him. ‘We’re done here, Bakugou.’
Wordlessly, he then stepped forwards and walked past the blonde, who seemed at a loss of what to say. Izuku trembled violently as he walked and felt tears prick at the corner of his eyes - he hoped Kacchan hadn’t noticed - and didn’t slow his pace until Shoto caught up to him.
‘Izuku.’ His partner spoke, rubbing his arm to get his attention. When Izuku turned his head to look at him, Shoto linked his hand around his bicep. ‘Come with me a second.’
He allowed himself to be towed towards a bathroom. The room was blurry, but when Shoto locked the door behind them and turned to look at him, Izuku’s vision sharpened; all he could focus on were dichromatic eyes that shone like the sky, the loose strands of red and white hair that hung in front of his face, the smooth porcelain skin that juxtaposed the roughened scar tissue around his left eye.
The beautiful, full lips that opened to speak.
‘Let it out, my love.’
The words were spoken so softly, but echoed loudly in his ears. Izuku’s lip trembled, and when strong arms came to wrap around him, one hand against the curve of his spine while the other cradled the back of his head protectively, Izuku slumped against him. He buried his head in his partner’s chest and clutched at the fine material of his blue kimono as he finally succumbed to the tears that had ached for release.
He cried loud, broken sobs, muffled only by the drenched fabric that he clung to so desperately; all the anger, hurt and fear he had suppressed for so long flowed out of him with each ragged breath. Izuku had always been an emotional person, but this felt different. These weren’t happy tears or frustrated tears. These were almost cathartic.
He didn’t know how long they stayed there in the bathroom, ignoring the irate knocks from the outside as Shoto gently soothed him. All he knew was that when his eyes eventually dried out and he was out of breath, his partner gently held his face in his hands and leaned down so that their foreheads were touching. Izuku sighed tiredly and felt their noses brush slightly when Shoto finally whispered,
‘I’m so proud of you. I love you.’
☀️🌙
'Breaking news: The next Endeavour? Sources report that number one hero, Dynamight, is facing allegations of bullying and past-abuse.'
Izuku looked up at the tv screen, alarmed. Him and Shoto were visiting his mum and Toshinori. Usually, the two heroes don't watch tv, but his mum liked to have it on so that the apartment was never too quiet. It calmed her.
Now though, Izuku was anything but calm. His heartbeat quickened and he felt his back straighten. His eyes were glued to the screen, which was broadcasting video footage from the annual hero gala last night. He had known that the media was going to blow up after his little… Outburst, but he didn’t know someone had filmed it.
'During the annual hero gala last night, pro-hero Dekiru was seen having a confrontation with the number one hero, where he revealed that he used to be physically and emotionally abused by the explosion hero. While the symbol of peace appeared to be a little bit tipsy, outside sources have revealed that there may be truth to the allegations and a formal investigation has been launched.'
Izuku felt nauseous, his palms were sweaty and he refused to look anywhere but at the screen. He felt three pairs of eyes on him, but tried to ignore it.
He couldn't bear to see their disappointment. Weak, defenseless Deku, revealed for the whole nation to see.
'Here is some footage from their argument last night. Viewer discretion is advised due to the nature of the conversation.’
The reporter went silent and the video unmuted; the static of the low-quality microphone buzzed in his ears.
'You think you’re so great, don’t you? You want everyone to think you’re the best of the best, when you couldn’t be further from it!'
Izuku stared at the screen, his own words echoing back through the TV. He breathed heavily, trying to maintain his composure, but when Kacchan tried to justify himself, he couldn’t take it anymore and turned it off. 
The room went silent.
Izuku quickly decided he hated that even more.
‘Sweetheart...’ Before he could comprehend what was happening, small arms wrapped around his waist and his mum’s comforting embrace suddenly surrounded him. Izuku froze for a moment, before he gingerly returned the hug. ‘I knew he could be a little rough with you when you were younger, but this? Why didn’t you say something sooner?’
‘Because it wouldn't have made a difference.’ Izuku shrugged. When his mum moved to say something else, he quickly added. ‘Don’t blame yourself. It wasn’t your fault.’
‘Izuku, baby-‘
‘It wasn’t your fault.’ He repeated firmly, pulling back to look into her tearful eyes. When she shook her head, distraught, Izuku sighed. ‘I didn’t want you to find out this way.’
‘Sounds like you didn’t want either of us to find out at all, my boy.’ Toshinori suddenly spoke from behind. A large hand came to rest on his shoulder and Izuku turned his head to find his mentor regarding him with regretful eyes. ‘I should’ve known really.’
‘You couldn’t-’
‘Young Bakugou told me once that he used to bully you.’ Toshinori admitted, ashamed. ‘He didn’t go into details and he used the same excuse as he did last night, but I should’ve realised immediately that there was more to it than that. At the time, I tried to reassure young Bakugou that by helping with your training, he was repenting for what he had done. Instead, I should’ve spoken to you, my boy. I should’ve asked for the full story. I should’ve noticed the way he acted during training exercises, the way he talked to you during our meetings. I should’ve released that your relationship wasn’t as simple as deep rivalry.’
Izuku saw his mentor glance at his mum for a moment, before removing his hand from his shoulder. ‘I used to be a hero; I promised your mother I would protect you and dedicate myself to training you, yet I was blind to the iniquity that was happening around me. I put you in an unsafe environment without even realising and made you work with your abuser. I will never forgive myself for that.’
Izuku stared at Toshinori. A whirl of emotions scattered across his face, before he settled for something he was familiar with: tears.
‘I forgive you.’ He spoke, voice hoarse from the lump in his throat.
☀️🌙
Shoto stared at the sight before him, shuffling on his feet rather awkwardly as his partner forced All Might into a bone-crushing hug. Not knowing what to do with himself, he scanned the rest of the room, before noticing Izuku’s phone buzzing violently on the table.
Intrigued, Shoto reached down and scanned over the notifications.
Ur my rock bro [1:24]: Hey man, hope you’re okay! Yaoyorozu and I tried looking for you and Todoroki, but we couldn’t find you. Hope you got home safe. Let me know, yeah? We’re worried[...]
Breaking News! Petty rivalry or power complexes between the number one and two heroes?
Heroes Weekly: Drama down at the annual hero gala last night as Dekiru drunkenly reveals Dynamight’s problematic past.
Tokyo News: The Hero Public Safety Commission has temporarily suspended the hero licence of number one hero Dynaminght, in light of recent allegations.
Speedy Gonzales [07:29]: Good morning, Midoriya-san! Please give me a ring when you get the chance. I am wishing you all the best during this time and please don’t hesitate to contact me if you[…]
Plus Ultra Press: Truth to Dekiru’s words? Several individuals have come forward to reveal that they were also tormented by Dynamight as children.
Eraserhead [10:36]: I have taken it upon myself to expel Bakugou. If you need a break from it all, let me know. I should’ve told you more when you were my student, but you’re a good kid. I[…]
The Problem Children of UA: Aizawa’s Secret Love Child removed LordExplosionMurder from the chat Aizawa’s Secret Love Child [4:58]: @He Need Some Milk hope you[…] Crazy Frog [11:32]: *Kero* Wishing you all the best Midoriya-chan[…] FlexTape420 [11:33]: ^^^ If you need anything, let us know! Calamari [11:33]: We’re here for you! <3 An actual Goddess [11:37]: I hope you’re safe. Know that we support[…] Prince Charming [11:40]: Oui oui! I have an assortment of cheese for[…] Dr Dolittle [11:42]: @Dr 5PeePeeMan are you with Midoriya-kun now[…] 15 more messages
Uwawaka [11:59]: Deku-kun, I know this isn’t the bestest of times, but I need bail money and Iida-kun won’t help. Seems *you* can punch Bakugou, but when I do it, it’s aSsAuLt
Shoto raised a brow at the last one, clearly amused, and made a mental note to go down to the station later with bail money. He then looked up to find Izuku walking towards him; his eyes were red and puffy, although he wore a small smile. Immediately, Shoto put the phone down and opened his arms, wrapping his partner in a gentle hug.
‘You okay, love?’ He murmured, pressing a kiss to his forehead.
‘Getting there.’ Izuku nuzzled his neck. ‘What were you looking at while the rest of us talked about our feelings?’
Shoto huffed at that.
‘I was checking your messages. Everyone’s worried.’ He answered honestly. When his partner hummed softly, he continued. ‘They really care about you. We all do. We’re on your side.’
‘I’ll reply to them later, promise.’ Izuku paused for a moment, struggling to get his words out. I just feel… Weird.’
‘Weird? In what way?’
‘Like… I’m glad of their support, but I can’t help but think I’m causing a fuss.’ Izuku exhaled, warm breath fanning Shoto’s neck. ‘I mean, he doesn’t bully me anymore and he really is a good hero. Maybe I’m just being petty? Part of me is even relieved… Is that bad? To get satisfaction from something like this? I mean, it’s my fault this is happening in the first place.’
Shoto closed his eyes and sighed, resting his chin on top of his partner’s head.
‘It’s not bad. I felt the same way when my family’s past got leaked.’ He admitted softly. ‘At that point, my old man was trying to make amends and the world needed the number one hero, so I felt like bringing his past to light was selfish - even though it wasn’t my fault it got exposed… But that didn’t stop me feeling relieved when the world finally got to see him for who he truly was.’
He felt Izuku’s arms tighten around his waist; a comforting gesture. ‘You’re not selfish for wanting justice, Izuku. You already give the world so much. You may have exposed Bakugou, but the true fault lies with him.’
Shoto hoped his words sounded reassuring. He wasn’t as good as his partner was with these kinds of things.
‘Thank you.’ Izuku whispered, voice breaking slightly.
‘It’s going to be okay.’ Shoto soothed, sincerity laced behind every word. ‘I promise.’
☀️🌙
Several weeks went by and still, the investigation continued. While the Hero Commission had temporarily suspended Bakugou’s hero licence, they still seemed reluctant to find any concrete evidence of their number one hero’s past record of abuse - probably due the damage caused by Endeavour several years back.
Imagine having two number one heroes being found guilty of abuse in less than a decade. 
Izuku could understand it, but it didn’t make him any less frustrated. He was tired of being bombarded with questions by insensitive journalists; he was tired of having to put on a fake smile and laugh awkwardly when they said something that was inappropriate. He was tired of dealing with numerous investigators trying to twist his words and convince him that he was overplaying the abuse he suffered at the hands of his old friend.
After a particularly bad interview, where he was asked if he was making it all up in order to get to the number one spot, Izuku had broken down in Shoto’s arms, asking if it was always going to be like that. He had even considered asking the Commission to drop the investigation all together, but Shoto convinced him not to.
‘There’s always going to be people out there who doubt you. It will get better though.’
Five months after the investigation commenced, Izuku’s phone buzzed in his pocket to reveal that enough evidence had finally been gathered to find Bakugou Katsuki guilty of all the allegations made against him Despite the evidence though, Bakugou wasn’t sent to prison, or made to do community service. The only formal punishment he received was something much worse than that.
His hero licence was permanently revoked.
Izuku's eyes scanned the text and felt his knees give out from underneath him. He crashed to the floor; distantly, he could hear Shoto's worried footsteps coming to check on him, but he couldn't bring himself to reassure his partner. Instead, he threw his head back and closed his eyes, smiling peacefully at the ceiling.
When they were five, Izuku was alone and quirkless, told he could never be a hero. Twenty years later, Bakugou was told he could never be a hero ever again.
Funny, the way things play out in the end...
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Movie Review | Deadly Weapons (Wishman, 1974)
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When you cast as your star someone named Chesty Morgan, you bring certain expectations. And when you advertise your movie with her, ahem, measurements on the poster (with the tagline "Seeing is believing!", you bring more specific expectations. And when you call your movie Deadly Weapons, you bring another set of expectations. Doris Wishman did all of the above, and certainly delivered on those expectations. Wishman trains the camera almost pathologically on Morgan's assets, pushing them in the viewer's face at every opportunity. Wishman knows that this is the movie's primary selling point and doesn't waste time pretending otherwise, but it does mean that the movie has something of a coherent visual style thanks to her heavy reliance on close-ups. This isn't a particularly stylish movie, but there is a certain tactility to the images. I also had to chuckle during a scene when Morgan sheds a few tears and Wishman gives us a close-up of the teardrops on her breasts.
Morgan is no great actress, but thanks to her distinct physical attributes, it's hard to keep your eyes off her. To paraphrase a line from The Big Lebowski, she certainly holds the frame together. Somewhat peculiar is that Wishman serves up the goods with a certain amount of bluntness but makes no attempt to really capture Morgan's beauty, as her camera lacks the libidinous charge of, say, Russ Meyer. (Their follow-up, Double Agent 73, has at least one shot of Morgan twirling in a gown that suggests that you're supposed to find her attractive. That one is a better movie on the whole, as it has a level of narrative momentum missing in most of the Wishmans I've seen. There's also a scene where Morgan goes to the zoo to meet a contact and we get to look at a bunch of cute animals.) And one must make note of her outfits, which heroically attempt (and usually fail) to contain her namesake. Most of what she wears are frilly numbers that look loose enough to be comfortable, but in one scene she wears a t-shirt that looks like it might explode from the pressure.
The plot here has Morgan as an "advertising executive" who for some reason is dating a low level mafioso. After he's murdered by his mob associates, she decides to seek revenge by going undercover as a burlesque dancer and eventually kills the perpetrators in a pair of murder scenes, scored to thunder and angry guitar chords, that do justice to the title. While fetishistic in concept, Wishman doesn't film these scenes with any degree of eroticism, although I suppose they probably do a lot for somebody somewhere. (I assume that person would have this stashed in their collection between their Meyer and Fellini tapes.) Now, if you're wondering why she's able to find them so easily, it's because one of the hitmen is extremely sloppy and basically incriminate him and his partner by spouting a shitload of relevant details while she's listening on the phone. He's thorough enough in this respect that Morgan knows their names and his partner's weakness for burlesque joints. One wonders if the scene was cut before he read out their credit card numbers.
That hitman is played by Harry Reems as one of the worst criminals I've seen in a movie, not only incriminating himself in that initial scene, but also failing to recognize Morgan as she repeatedly conspicuously bumps into him. (After Let Me Die a Woman, this is the second Reems movie I've seen on the Criterion Channel. If they get one more, they can put together a "Starring Harry Reems" collection. Probably tack on some interviews too, with, I dunno, Jeffrey Hurst saying something like "Harry made it okay for guys like me to have a mustache in this business".) This isn't a knock on Reems' performance, as he effectively straddles the line between affability and cruelty, and in fact might be part of an overarching worldview in Wishman's films, of women being done in by flawed, inferior men. (I'm still relatively early in my exploration, but it seems to be a recurring theme, so I'm interested to see how it holds up as I see more of her work. Oddly enough, this theme also came up non-diegetically in my viewing of The Mystery of Oberwald, as the great Monica Vitti attempted in vain to overcome her charisma-devoid male co-star as well as the completely misguided direction she was saddled with.) Now, this is a good deal less explicit than most of Reems' filmography, which means we don't see Reems' (second) most famous body part (after his mustache). What this also means is that we don't see said body part face off with Morgan's assets, like some kind of anatomical kaiju grudge match. Is the movie better off as a result? Who's to say?
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notfeelingthyaster · 4 years
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Imagine (based on the incomplete fanfic Son of the Underworld) (Son of Hades! Percy AU) (5/5) or (5/10)
Hey so, this is the last part of PJO - I follow into HOO, so before you read this, check on the masterpost - and read the warnings before proceeding :)) Good reading!
Annabeth comes to him, at the end of his fifteenth birthday party, and shows her Daedalus laptop. There's a document open in it, and it's labeled Achilles' Curse.
Percy doesn't read it - he hates reading, in any way or form or language - but she does, out loud.
"I'll think about it"
They have a year. Most of them, even those who aren't year-rounders, are going back to camp, to draw battle plans and stock on the armory.
He feels kinda selfish - for a whole five seconds before he remembers he'll probably die next summer, so he just shrugs it off - Percy deserves this year.
They all leave to go back to camp. Nico seems conflicted over something - but Perseus doesn't question it, there's enough bad blood between them.
Paola is really cool - and Sally really loves her. It's kind of bizarre at first, to see his Mom dating his teacher - and of a subject he hates - but Paola is calm and well-tempered and she laughs at his stupid ass jokes.
He visits Persephone afterward - and it really feels like he has three moms to fulfill his lack of a father - well, he is absolutely grateful for the women in his life.
Percy isn't truly in good terms with his father. The man doesn't really seem to care much for him as a person - he is much more of a trophy son.
Perseus loathes being a trophy son, but at least he has someone to help with his powers - not something a lot of half-bloods can claim.
So he goes back to school with Rachel, and they pretend everything is normal. He tells her about his quests - all three of them. He thinks she understands him better now.
He opens up to her. Tells her about Annabeth - the adrenaline-fueled kiss - and Rachel stops talking with him for a week.
She apologizes when she comes back. She needed to figure some things up - firstly, the redhead tells him she is probably asexual - and maybe aromantic too, but she is not certain because the internet wasn't really clear about that.
Then Rachel confesses that she is not jealous of him in a romantic way - she is envious of his friendship with Annabeth. Percy is her first genuine friend that really appreciates her.
This is the first grudge Perseus lets go for real before it even takes place - Rachel didn't leave him because of teenage drama, she ignored him out of confusion. Everyone is allowed space - he knows this better than anyone.
They don't kiss anymore. Not because Rachel doesn't like it - no, she is all for it - but because Percy is starting to think kisses should mean something - he is saving them.
They kiss once - when Rachel father calls for the first time this year - not to ask about her, but to tell Rachel he found this amazing all-girls school. To Percy, kisses mean comfort.
They cuddle a lot, though. These past few years of fear have made Percy very touch-starved.
It's sophomore year - and Percy is in five AP classes: Macroeconomics&Microeconomics, Statistics, Calculus AB, Physics 1, and Comparative Government and Politics.
He is planning on taking both AP Computer Science classes, Psychology, Physics 2, and Calculus BC next year; leaving only Electricity&Magnetism, Mechanics, Chemistry, and World History for his senior year.
If he lives, he is working on a tight schedule here. He doesn't know what he wants yet - and if he is in constant danger, it's already pretty lucky he can do high school - but probably something with Math.
Rachel says fourteen AP courses are ambitious - that he'll burn out. But math comes to him easily enough - it's in his blood.
She is also overworking: She is taking AP Environmental Studies, Art History, Drawing, 2-D Art and Design, and English Literature and Composition.
They complete each other. Rachel is planning on taking as many Art, History, and English courses as she can - he is taking as many Physics, Math, and Science as he can handle.
(She is also going to take on Japanese studies for some reason - probably for her GPA, but Perseus just teases her that she is getting too invested in anime)
Perseus doesn't care about languages anymore - the only languages that matter to him are C++ and JavaScript now.
They study together, they take naps together, they climb to the roof together, they flee school to visit Sally together - he is the Pinky to her Brain, the Scooby to her Shaggy, the Lois Lane to her Superman, the Robin to her Batman.
They look like troublemakers - They are honor roll students, but she is always with ripped pants dirty with paint, and he is always full of flowers everywhere, even in his muddy converses - a cliche to kill all cliches.
They're both nerds - he is the classic one, all polo shirts now, the first chair for every number-related class - and she is the artsy one - there's a brush behind her ear and her hair is so messy that half the time it covers her face.
Paola gifts him a pair of cheap frames without lenses once - saying it adds to the aesthetic - he totally uses them.
Persephone just makes him flower-crowns, and giggles when he matches them with his polo shirts.
When winter comes, he goes back to his hoodies and sweaters and gloves - to find out he doesn't miss them a lot.
Rachel introduces him to polaroids - and they look eerily pretty in the winter, her hair looking like blood spilling over the snow - and he loves it.
If he survives - he can feel Rachel slapping him - when he survives, his college credits will be remarkable. The idea of doing SATs makes him want to cry - reading always does - but he'll get somewhere good - he knows it. Perhaps Stanford. Or NYU. Or the dream of his life, MIT.
He is living his life to the fullest - he starts reading comic books, he gets really (really) into Tony Stark once Iron Man 1 comes out (even if he has to kill at least three monsters just to go to the movies), he plants trees and Rachel starts teaching him how to play her ukulele - but half his mind is still on the upcoming war.
Christmas vacation comes - and he goes to visit Camp Half-Blood, before heading back to his mom. It's quite memorable, if only by the fact that Nico Di Angelo freaking betrays him.
He tells Percy to come to the Winter Solstice with him. Most of the campers are not going - the war effort is in an all-time high - but Percy has never gone before. Hades will be there - it'll be great!
Perseus should absolutely be less surprised with the outcome - seeing that Nico is inviting him in Cabin 1, post-dinner, and they don't even stop to talk to Chiron about it.
But Percy goes. Because Percy wants to make amends.
There's no time to really talk to anyone. They travel in Blackjack for the Empire State Building - and it's fine.
They go up to Olympus, Nico shows him everything in the god's land, the temples are a work of art, if not kind of old, and the meeting is kind of okay, even if the gods are squabbling children.
Then the gods leave, and Perseus thinks they're leaving too.
"My father needs a word with you"
Perseus feels the betrayal claw on him. There are no shadows in the white hall, there's no way for him to escape. Nico looks apologetic - Percy wants to clock him in the face.
"He promised to tell me more about my mother" Nico pleads "He will tell me more about where I've come from. Please, Percy."
Nico is cute. He is, for a soon-to-be fourteen-year-old. But his pretty face and exquisite white eyes don't make him any less of a freaking liar. All his handsome male straight friends betray him - it's a worrying pattern now.
He muses for a second that they also all have a crush on Annabeth - gods, the blonde attract the worst types.
It's double-crossing - Percy ends up in an all-white cell that burns his retinas without any weapons because Zeus wants praise in the middle of this freaking war - doesn't matter if a hundred demigods die, if he only has the glory.
Nico ends up with barely any information - Zeus didn't promise anything. The god of the skies is a lying-ass motherfucker - literally.
And Zeus justifies it - He says Perseus is a criminal because he awakened Typhon. So Hephaestus issues a quest so he can save a hundred demigods, he destroys a powerful titan weapon of doom, and he is the villain? Sure, Jan.
Perseus writes this grudge in his heart - that's where trust will take you. To a cell. Betrayed by a "friend". Again.
He flinches when Nico comes into his cell, pins him to the wall and promptly begins to try and strangle him. He wants to melt in the boy's shadow - to go and never give him a chance to explain - but he looks so guilty Percy waits for his repentance.
The son of Zeus saves him, but Perseus is still pissed off. The god of thunder has threatened to kill him off at least two times now, what is to say he wouldn't have killed off Percy for the sake of glory?
He half hopes Zeus had killed him off. The war is close, too close - Nico wouldn't be the Prophecy's child. There would be no child. Olympus would fall - and Percy would have seen it all from his very comfortable couch in Elysium.
He wants Kronos gone - but he kind of wants Olympus to fall with the Titan.
Nico flies him down to the Earth - the elevator is monitored. Zeus has left, like many others - not to bother with the war effort against his main enemy, but to go to the human world mess with people.
Some gods are doing something - He has heard from Annabeth that Artemis is leading the widest hunt ever, with her brother by her side; Hermes (with Hephaestus help) is delivering Celestial Bronze, other metals, old schematics and a whole lot of fuel to Camp Half-Blood every few weeks; Poseidon is fighting his own war, in the ocean; Dionysus is at Camp - and this time, he is really helpful with the battle formations; Demeter is on the Underworld - Chiron seems to think his father is preparing for war, but Percy sorely doubts it.
Percy is taking some people with him to Sally's Christmas dinner. Just Annabeth, Clarisse, Rachel, Connor, Travis, and Charles - people who don't have a present family to celebrate it with.
Grover is coordinating the dryads up in San Francisco with his second cousin, Gleeson Hedge - they are the first to fall if anything goes wrong in Mt. Othrys.
"I think you should stay." He tells Nico.
"You don't trust me anymore." It's not actually a question.
Percy doesn't trust the boy. Not at all - it's the third time he does something shady to achieve his ends based on emotional turmoil. But he is a good person - it's just his father's cursed temper and his grief.
"It's not that. You're needed for the war effort."
Both of them know it's a lie. Percy doesn't care - he deserves to be bitter a little longer.
Percy goes back home. Christmas is amazing - even if Rachel asks him where Nico is because he is talking about making amends with the boy for a while now.
He goes visit Persephone - but she is occupied, so he wanders through the Underworld after Bianca di Angelo - someone he, for some reason, never been able to reach. It's a pointless endeavor by now.
He finds her. Or else, he finds a shadow of her - she is blocked from his view. Bianca doesn't talk to him - they weren't close - but she guides him to a girl.
Her name is Hazel Levesque.
She seems lost - like most ghosts - but something in Percy calls for her. It's the color of her skin and the sparkle in her golden eyes - Hazel remembers him of himself.
He promises to visit more - even though he doesn't think she'll remember it - and leaves to go back to the surface - he will finish the sophomore year.
And Percy does. After a very distressing break, he is doing his best. His grades drop a little in English because he can barely focus - half his mind is on the war and Nico's betrayal and Hazel Levesque's golden eyes.
Miraculously, his GPA doesn't fall - he still is taking a ridiculous amount of AP classes, and barely has time to breathe - dark circles grow under his eyes, and he looks like a mess - but now he is a Junior.
That's why, as soon as the year ends, Rachel takes him on a road trip with Connor. They go all the way to Boston, then Portland, Quebec, Montreal, Ottawa, Syracuse, Baltimore, and Filadelfia, before going back to NY.
They are stopped five times by the police - because Percy is black, and it's Rachel driving the Camaro, because she has a learner's permit and Connor is, somehow, an approved license holder.
They are on a pier, enjoying the view of the beach. They did the last week alone because Connor wanted to go check on one of his cousins - at least, that's what he said, with an over-exaggerated wink that both Percy and Rachel ignored for the sake of their sanity.
She tells him about Clarion Ladies Academy - but that her father is at least mildly happy with her GPA this year, even if he disapproves of her Art focused AP classes. Percy thinks Mr. Dare would love him, with his APs on Economics and Politics, if only he was rich. And white.
This time, when Charles Beckendorf arrives in a Pegasus to tell him it's time, Rachel doesn't kiss him - she justs hugs him and makes him promise to call her.
Perseus doesn't go to the Andromeda Ship - he is needed in Camp. He is useless on the water - but they do need him to improve battle strategy.
Charles Beckendorf is dead. Thalia is the one to tell them - she was in her father's palace helping with a monster under her Lady's orders - he went on the mission alone.
Percy talks briefly with Beckendorf's ghost - is his worst developed power, and he can barely hold the "seance" for more than a few minutes. He does it with only Nico di Angelo for witness - the others are the way to close to the situation.
There's a spy passing information to Luke.
They look at him. Doesn't matter how much he does, he is always the first suspect - he is a son of Hades. He was friends with a lot of people on the other side. He was gone for a year and a half, who knows where.
Perseus wants to say that he has helped to save their asses four times now - that without him in the Labyrinth, they would all be dead right now - and that Charles was basically his older brother.
Then he points out he wasn't even here - he had no idea of any plans of anything - and he told him about the spy, so he is not the freaking spy, go point fingers at each other instead of him.
When they start yelling, he stops them - this is not the time, he was just angry at their accusations. They have to burn Charles shroud. Silena is inconsolable - Percy is not very far from it, but he is not a public crier. The last time he cried in public, Luke was dead on a cliff.
Percy speeds up the line for Elysium to Beckendorf - his brother deserves it.
They read the prophecy together - Perseus already read it last summer, he doesn't even care anymore. They look at him anxiously - no one has forgotten that he abhors most of the gods.
Clarisse and Michael Yew fight, but Lee Fletcher - with a mechanical arm built by Beckendorf himself, still re-learning how to shoot arrows and forever incapable of playing the guitar again (but the keyboard is not ruled out yet) - stops them: They can share the chariot. The war is more important - is not the time for petty fights.
Chiron shows them Typhon - and Perseus has a sliver of hope that they can destroy Kronos and be free of the gods at the same time - It's a horrible hope, because he loves Persephone and some of them are even okay sometimes, but he really wants Zeus to go to Tartarus for at least a century, so Perseus doesn't meet him again in this life.
But he also wants the gods to win, because there's a lot of dead people - innocents, people who have nothing to do with this war.
He dreams of Rachel. Rachel is painting Luke - and Percy wakes up crying, for the boy the gods took away.
Annabeth takes him aside and reminds him of Achilles' Curse. He is off to May Castellan's house - the last place Luke has been - for it's his best and only chance, its what Annie thinks. And she is scarcely wrong.
Perseus hates the gods. They wrecked a family - and for what? May Castellan - forever waiting for a son that will never come back, haunted by visions of his future, plates of burned cookies everywhere.
Perseus doesn't pity her - he rages against the gods, who brought madness upon this woman and then left her to it. Where was Apollo, the god of health? Dionysus, who is supposed to control mental health? Artemis, whose job is to protect women?
Hestia is kind - but she is still a goddess. She could've prevented this - but she hides in her hearth and abstains - and that's enabling. Hestia enables the other gods to do as they please, even when she is the oldest. She says they ignore her - oh well, she ignores them right back! He has no time for the laments of another all-powerful being.
So he goes to his mother and asks for her blessing. Then, just to be sure, he asks Persephone's too.
He thinks about his anchor - where does he want it to be in his body. He doesn't want somewhere in his back - where he can't see it - or in his gut - where anyone can stick a sword. He settles for the bottom of his back - where he can at least touch it and it's well protected by armor - and dives.
Perseus hates water - and he has an uncanny fear of drowning. He feels pain - everywhere, horrible pain.
His vision now doesn't have Annabeth's face - the blonde is his link to the demigod world, Persephone is his link to the Underworld and his mom is his link to childhood - but the person who grounds him is Rachel.
He is stronger. He feel his powers at his fingertips - Perseus feels the Underworld as a whole, and it's overwhelming.
Green flames explode from his hands. Flowers made of shadows curve around his ankles - he has been training since he was 12, but now his body can sustain all of his power. This is all his.
He goes meet with his father - Perseus manipulates him. He tells Hades he'll be the hero, but the god himself can be praised for more than being his father. That he should join the battle against Typhon - That's his chance of proving himself. Also, there's less paperwork for him if there are fewer dead people.
His father is amused with his blatant bribing, but he thinks about it, Percy can tell. In a way or another, he excuses himself and goes back to the surface where he is needed.
Persephone stalls him. She asks him to stay, just for this night. He can go back in the morning - he sleeps, and dreams of Rachel again, drawing in the sand. In greek.
He is scared for her - she is having demigod dreams, but she is mortal. Something is wrong.
Typhon is getting worse - and Kronos draws closer to NYC. It's time - he calls for Blackjack and leaves - Mrs. O'Leary, who has become more or less of a mother to his own hellhound, follows. Persephone promises to convince Hades.
They have about sixty campers able to fight heading for the Empire State Building, and five healers. The ones too young to lift a sword or string a bow stayed back at Camp with Argus - fifteen children between 5 and 9 years old.
Percy knows he looks different - he looks just like his father. He has gained a godly aura - he has no scars anymore, no imperfections. Perseus looms over all of them - he went from 5'7'' to 6'2'' - it's a weird view, from up there. It's still strange when they look at him with a mix of fear and admiration.
Perseus Jackson is officially their leader. He hates Olympus - but he will give his life to defend every single one of his demigods.
The vision Hestia shows him just makes him want to tear this throne room with his bare hands - Luke was a kid. He was a kid - and the gods corrupted him. Thalia was a kid - and the gods took her life, twice. Annabeth is still a kid - they all are - and she is here planning battle strategies.
Annabeth missed an extra year of formal education - while Percy is a Junior, Annabeth barely qualifies for a Freshman - because the gods took this from her too.
Percy rages. The ground of Olympus trembles beneath him - he wants to kill something.
Then Hermes appears - like this whole war is not his fault in the first place, the literal bastard - just to relay a message from Athena that gives them a plan that Annabeth was already putting into works and tells Percy to stay away from Annabeth.
Like she cares. Like Athena has ever, ever, done anything for Annabeth.
Perseus can't punch Athena, so he punches the messager (also, because he freaking guilt trips both of them about Luke). He has nothing to lose - he is going to die by the end of the day anyway, and they need him too much.
He has punched a god before - Ares, in a desert in the middle of Los Angeles - but this time, it's satisfactory. He feels good after it.
Hermes seems strangely resigned - He feels guilty about Luke too, but Perseus doesn't think it's enough. It'll never be enough, not while the gods leave their children to rot in a cabin of rejects and May Castellan bakes cookies for a son that will never come back.
Hermes leaves, ashamed. It's only fair, Perseus thinks. They all should be ashamed.
They see the city asleep - the prophecy is in the works.
Perseus executes their strategy - every cabin is covering a tunnel, with the exception of Dionysus, because Pollux is with the Demeter kids, and the Hecate kids stay behind to use spells to overlook the city. Lincoln Tunnel is getting covered by Ares - who, this time around, is actively participating.
The undetermined who didn't desert are with Hermes - and the minor god's children are divided by specialty - most Hypnos and Morpheus children follow him directly, but the two sons of Iris go with the Apollo Cabin.
Annabeth executes Plan 23, automatons, mounting on Mrs. O'Leary (who has strict orders to take Annabeth anywhere she wants without stopping to play around) - she doesn't need his help with this, and Percy has a tunnel to defend.
That left the rivers uncovered - until Thalia appears, with magical sand money, and made the rivers cooperate.
The hunters join the Aphrodite kids - who are half a dozen children between 11 and 19 - the oldest being Silena Beauregard, who uses a crossbow that looks exactly like her immortal half-brother's one.
His bridge is completely covered on skeletons - but no monster comes, even if he hears explosions. He leaves an English Lieutenant from the Battle of Yorktown in command of the bridge - with Tyene, the oldest daughter of Morpheus, to be in alert and don't let Clovis sleep through the battle. Because he did it before - and while it is funny, it can't happen right now.
Perseus mounts Blackjack - and go see where the noise is coming from. It's the Williamsburg Bridge - where are most of Apollo's Cabin.
They fight - and Percy almost cries when he sees Luke, who is not Luke anymore. Luke, who is a puppet controlled by Kronos.
Perseus kills the Minotaur and the weight of his stone spikes collapse the bridge - and Michael Yew dies. This time around, the bridge falls silently into shadows, and he doesn't bother about searching for the corpse - he saw the boy falling, and his screams will haunt all of them, forever.
This time around, Annabeth is not there to protect him - Ethan also doesn't try to kill him. The Son of Nemesis doesn't leave Kronos side for a second - but there's regret in his eyes.
After the bloodlust is gone, Perseus collapses - Will has to bride carry him back. Overuse of his powers - he summoned skeletons and produced shadows, melted enemy swords (with the bonus of incapacitating them without killing), and sprouted stone spikes everywhere - there's even a vine or ten that he used to hold his friends from falling.
Perseus doesn't sleep quickly enough to not hear the yell of anguish that comes from Lee Fletcher - the pain of losing a brother and not being able to fight beside him.
But he does sleep - and he dreams. He dreams of Hades killing Maria Di Angelo, not Hera, like Zeus told Nico. He dreams of Zeus cursing the Oracle - and he seethes, because he also sees what happened to May Castellan.
He keeps getting angrier and angrier at the gods - it's building inside of him. But his friends are still here, still fragile. He can't let them suffer more.
Perseus wakes up, checks on everyone - most everyone is either injured and/or exhausted, but he checks on every camper. He knows all of their names, their ages, their cabins. - and promises to sit up to talk with Thalia and Nico - war makes him prone to peace - and promptly goes back to sleep.
He dreams of Rachel. He wants to scream for her not to come: but she'll anyway.
Perseus dreams of a boy. He is his age - maybe a little younger. His hair is blonde and his skin is whiter - but Percy glances at his eyes, and there are waves in them.
There's a girl by his side - she is familiar to Percy, somehow. They're climbing a mountain.
The dream ends and Percy can't make heads or tails of it. He asks Thalia if she has a brother, but she says that she doesn't, looking wistful.
Prometheus is tempting - but he knows there's no Luke anymore, there's only Kronos. And the gods are horrible, vile and immature - but they never killed any of Percy's friends. Some of them died for the gods - but never by their hands, so for now, Perseus would toe the line.
He does want to punch Hermes again. He takes the Pythos - if everything goes wrong, he will not hesitate in going down for the sake of his friends - but there have been six deaths, and it's enough.
"Was it worth it?" He asks Ethan.
"Alabaster is alive" And it's all the answer Percy needs.
He dreams of Ethan and Alabaster. Alabaster is alive, yes, but he is missing half a leg - courtesy of Clarisse herself. Luke - Kronos - is indifferent, and Ethan curses the daughter of Ares - "The sword that took from us will take from you"
He contains Hyperion with his shadows. Then he helps Grover (who was half asleep, because of Morpheus) to make the Titan into a tree. It's a pomegranate tree - then he sets hellish fire to it and sacrifices it to Hades and Persephone.
A pig is in the sky - this time around, Annabeth and her frightening army of automatons kill it with Nico's help.
Perseus laughs - because Annabeth has about two hundred automatons under her command, Martin Luther King and Alexander Hamilton leading the charge with a giant bull being ridden by the Mad Hatter behind them.
It's weird to see historic figures Percy admires - like Jane Bolin, Sylvia Mendez, or Abraham Lincoln - fighting alongside people he downright despises - Thomas Jefferson and the goatfucker, herpes-ridden, Colombus. His Comparative Government teacher would have a field day.
Annabeth and Nico's pair up is amazing - They fight alongside like they have been doing it all life.
Nico is a force of nature, flying and commanding the winds to do his bidding - His eyes shine in the midst of the stormy clouds. His specialty is weather manipulation - he hasn't had much success with direct energy or electric discharges.
Annabeth has her mother's tenacity for war - and her clever mind for strategies. It's clear in her eyes - she is racking the weaker points of the Clazmonian Sow in her mind and destroying it. The automatons hold the pig in place - and she makes bacon of it.
Hercules couldn't do it. Nico and Annabeth can, because they have the power and the mind.
Perseus is still fighting off monsters - but they're too widespread, so they retreat to the doors of the Empire State Building.
Percy does a mental tally: of sixty-two campers, six are confirmed dead, twenty are injured and nine are out of commission on exhaustion. There should be 27 orange shirts here - but there's only twenty.
Percy wonders if the seven missing are injured, or dead, or under a pile of rubble somewhere with no one to help them. Is there someone being slowly eaten by monsters? Is there someone alone and injured and abandoned? He doesn't know.
He prays that those seven deserted them - at least that means they probably are alive and well.
Perseus looks at Phoebe's grief-stricken face, and he knows it's not probable - she had almost three dozen hunters with her, and now there's barely fifteen still fighting, Thalia nowhere to be seen.
They prepare for their last standing - Percy keeps conjuring skeletons, but they're no match for the sheer strength of the hyperborean giants. Nico is shoulder to shoulder with the Stoll brothers against a group of telkhines - Clarisse is bringing down a whole giant by herself.
After the Party Ponies save them - Chiron leads the charge against his own father, and Perseus is so proud of his mentor he can't even put in words how much - he goes to sleep. Fighting gets him tired quickly, and they'll come back.
He dreams of Dionysus. Perseus is not fond of any god who is not Persephone, but Dionysus is mostly okay sometimes. He seems to care about his children.
Perseus couldn't care less about the Western Civilization - but he'll care for Pollux. It's one of his demigods, after all, and Underworld people are possessive of theirs (i.e. Hades and Persephone).
He dreams of Thalia, in her father's palace, begging Poseidon to leave the underwater war and help with the invasion - His wife is none too happy with the presence of his immortal bastard daughter.
He wakes up to Rachel's helicopter falling - how is Rachel even awake, is a mistery.
The improbable pair Nico and Annabeth strike again: The girl knows how to fly helicopters, and the boy can fly himself. They save the redhead and the pilot - everything is fine.
"You're not the hero"
"Why did you risk yourself to tell me something I already know?"
Rachel doesn't explain - she can't. But she has a vision that says that he is not the hero. The hero of what? Perseus has no idea. But there's no way any of his cousins is dying for this stupid prophecy.
Suddenly, there's a drakon there. Rachel has another prophecy - Perseus fears she will walk the path that led May Castellan to destruction - that only a child of Ares will be able to kill it.
Bad news: All children of Ares are otherwise out of battle.
Clarisse is resting after a nasty concussion - and her brothers and Apollo's children are fighting yet again because Lee Fletcher is in no condition to stop them and Michael Yew is dead. Ares' side refuses to fight without the chariot - which Cabin 7 has hidden somewhere.
The best they can do is fend the drakon off until a miracle occurs. And it does: Clarisse, in full armor, manages to lead her brothers into battle.
Clarisse is dead. Something shatters inside of Perseus - and he leaves the drakon for the Ares' children to solve - he can't kill it anyway - and starts to vaporize the army behind it.
He is so caught up in bloodlust, that he almost misses Clarisse slaying a dragon. Clarisse, who has no armor. Clarisse, who is alive.
Ethan's curse rang true - Clarisse's weapon took something from her.
Silena is a traitor. She is also dead - which makes her a martyr, and probably going to reunite with her boyfriend in Elysium.
He remembers how easy is to fall for Luke's charm - he was - is - still in love with the guy. Percy thought the son of Hermes could do no wrong - and he wonders how much of his rage against the gods sprout from his influence.
Something evil inside of Perseus's mind tells him she deserved it. It tells Perseus that better her than Clarisse - but he shuts it down, and concentrates on his shining red friends.
He hates Ares. But he might just have an okay side if he can produce such a magnificent daughter.
Silena is the Patroclus to Clarisse's Achilles, and the Drakon is Hector - and the daughter of Ares is sure to parade its dead body.
It's the first time they feel like they are winning. It doesn't last - but as he hugs Clarisse tightly, he thinks he might cry of relief.
Clarisse looks tough - but she is a wonderful human being. She loves Silena with her whole heart - even more than she loves Chris, her best friend. Silena might've been in love with Charles - but she and Clarisse? They are soulmates.
The damned Pythos is following Perseus - and he is done with it. He knows where hope will survive best. Rachel wants him to give it to Hestia - but he owns the fire goddess nothing.
She has never interfered, not once, to help the dozens of demigods with no family that is abandoned in Cabin 11, and he won't forgive her for it.
He sacrifices hope to Persephone because that's what spring is. Spring is the hope of a new life. Maybe, Perseus thinks, it'll convince his father to come.
They go down to make their final stand against the forces of Kronos. There's not a lot of them - but they're not getting through those doors.
Well, his father doesn't come. But Poseidon does, with his whole army, Tyson and Thalia behind him, and the scales seem to turn.
And then Kronos cuts the barrier. Perseus can see his Mom (why is his Mom here with a handgun?!) and Poseidon fighting against the monsters under the eyes of extremely confused mortals.
Some are trying to break the barrier - but it's futile. Kronos has corraled them like sheep for the slaughter.
It's just him, Grover, Annabeth and Nico, fighting against Kronos vanguard - which is big, but not as strong as they are.
Kronos passes him without resistance - Ethan follows, but there's anger in his eyes - not for Percy, but for the monster he is leashed to. Alabaster is not there.
As soon as Kronos powers stop working on them, the four follow the titan - and some things never change, no matter the universe.
This time, it's Nico who falls because of Hera - it's her curse over all of her husband's bastards.
Ethan takes one look at Perseus, and they don't even need to fight. They have been friends for longer than they have been enemies - and they both loathe the gods, but Kronos is as much of an all-powerful controller being as any of the Olympians.
They battle against Kronos - Perseus has only his ax against his scyther - a true Underworld fight.
Ethan dies. And Perseus bloodlust consumes him - it clouds his eyes and he can only keep fighting.
"If... if we've had cabins... and they had thrones"
It's true, and more than ever, Perseus wishes Kronos wasn't such a bastard. He wouldn't bother killing the gods - but the titan is a way worse option.
"LUKE, PLEASE" It's Annabeth. He doesn't have her faith - she didn't saw his transformation. But he tries anyway because he loves Luke just as much as he hates Kronos.
"Luke, remember our summer" But his words are caught up in his throat when the titan throws him against the wall.
But the amalgamation of his friend and an all-powerful being looks confused, so props for his genius best friend.
Kronos shows them a rainbow message of Typhon - and that's where Perseus it's pretty sure he starts liking his father.
Because the Lord of the Dead opens up the earth and gets out in a black chariot guided by skeletal horses like a king. By his right side, is Persephone, in armor battle as a queen should be. By his left, is Demeter, who looks every single bit like the matron she is supposed to be.
Behind him, a hundred thousand dead roars. Charon is mounting Cerberus - and literal hell is unleashed upon the Father of Monsters.
The gods strike down Typhon, sending him back to be locked away - this time, in the depths of Tartarus instead of Mount Etna.
Kronos gets mad. Utterly, undoubtedly mad. He talks about burning Luke's body. Then he hurts Annabeth and breaks two promises in one fell swoop.
"Luke.... remember family" It's what Annabeth utters, but Perseus, already certain of their own demise, is crying now.
"That summer Luke, you promised to never hurt her again. You remember it? YOU PROMISED LUKE!!"
Annabeth's promise was already broken - he had hurt her, all those years ago, in Mt. Othrys. But the promise he made to Percy - that he would never hurt her again - is new and broken, in the river Styx no less.
Luke regains his own body, for a minute, and Perseus runs to him like a man in a desert with no water.
"Please, please tell me there's a way to undo this, Luke, please, please"
"There isn't one, Percy" And it's the first time he hears Luke call him Percy, Percy and not Perseus, in his own voice, in two years. Percy cries.
"We... we don't have much time, hellebore. Give me Annabeth's dagger. Before he... before he takes back"
Luke calls him hellebore and it makes him start crying all over again. He gives him the dagger - and Luke kills himself, taking Kronos out with him.
Luke doesn't need to ask if Percy has ever loved him - Percy kept loving Luke, one-sided as it was, even when Kronos was there.
He still crying over Luke's body when the gods arrive. Luke is dead. Ethan is dead. Silena is dead. Michael Yew is dead. Charles is dead.
He lost three of his best friends in two days. Ethan is dead. Luke is dead. Luke is dead.
Perseus can't stop crying. They take Luke's body away - but he can't stop. Annabeth explains what happened to the gods - most of it, anyway. Apollo says he is in shock - his father says he is a hero.
Perseus doesn't feel like a hero. Was this all worth it? Was it worth it the pain and the death and the suffering?
Persephone touches him - and he has no tears to cry anymore. She can't hug him here, but she'll do so later.
He stares at the walls, listening to his friends being awarded - compensated by their siblings and friends' deaths - with a blank stare. Perseus wants his mom.
They call for him. He raised his head but doesn't bother getting up. He just saved their asses - for the fifth time in a roll. He deserves to grieve.
They offer him immortality. A place between the gods.
He laughs. Zeus looks murderous, but he can't stop laughing.
"My apologies, but I have to refuse," he says. But in his mind, he is thinking about how could they even think he might want to sit between them and be an all-powerful being, be another god ignoring his children and messing with mortal lives while thousands die for him.
"Promise me, on the river Styx, that you'll give me the wish that I want."
They promise him, that if it's within their capabilities, they shall grant him his wish.
"I wish for every child at the age of twelve to be claimed. I wish for cabins in Camp Half-Blood, for every single minor god, and my own father. I wish for Calypso to be free, and to the demigods from the opposite side of this war to be given amnesty. It's not their fault. It's not any of our faults."
"You dare to-" Zeus begins, but Percy is really tired of Zeus.
"We fought your war, we won your battles. We, the unclaimed and rejected stowaways of Cabin 11. We, the children of minor and Underworld gods. We deserve respect. Just like my father deserves a throne, just like the minor gods deserve justice."
"Don't you fear us?" Athena asks, something weird shining in her eyes.
"I thought I would be dead today. At least if I die now, I'm dying for something I believe in."
It stays unsaid that he doesn't believe in them. The other demigods look at him worried - but he is not afraid of the gods.
They grant his wish. Some of them aren't happy with it, but they have to do it. He meets Calypso at the front gates of Olympus - and her smile can brighten the pits of Tartarus. He sees Alabaster talking with Lou Ellen - they are both crying.
He thinks it's the end - it's not. Thalia tells him Rachel left for Camp in her Pegasus - and his father has lift the curse, the Prophecy is gone, but he fears for his best friend.
Perseus is too tired for shadow travel - he does it anyway. He flickers, but anyway, he is too late.
It works. Rachel - his best friend - is the new Oracle. Someone jokes they can't be together anymore and Rachel lifts an eyebrow.
"We never were. Didn't you see the last few hours?" Well, he did out himself. Mostly - they might say it's just friendship, and he will hate the way they twist it. Luke wasn't a villain, and Perseus isn't a pure hero with a heart of gold.
Perseus is healing from lost love - and Annabeth is too. His crush on her was only a crush, he thinks - She is his best friend first and foremost. They cry together at the bonfire that burns away the shrouds of 43 demigods - from both sides - and 16 hunters of Artemis. Their souls all rest in Elysium now.
Alabaster comes back to Camp and helps his siblings to build the new Cabin for Hecate, full of spelled blocks and magic chimneys. Clovis and Tyene have their hands full with their own cabins - it doesn't help they keep getting sidetracked with naps.
Somehow, Nico, Thalia, and his bond over helping construct Cabin 13 - They are both way too invested in the goth vibe, mostly because Cabin 1 looks like a temple, and Cabin 3 looks like a beach cabin. And both of them are so over it.
Perseus doesn't want a goth cabin - he is fighting against the aesthetic for years - but sometimes, there are no arguments. His Cabin is made of black marble, and there are skulls everywhere, with torches shining with green fire. Outside, at least. Inside, it looks like Persephone's garden, with input from the queen herself. It's ready just shy of the end of summer vacation.
Rachel tells the next Great Prophecy. Perseus isn't such a positive person to think it won't affect him - he hopes at least it'll wait until he is done with High School.
That night, he dreams of the blonde boy again - it's his first night without nightmares since the battle. He has a scar in his lip, and his green eyes pierce Percy's soul. Perseus wonders if they'll ever meet, wonders if this boy is one of the Seven of the Prophecy.
But alas, Perseus lets it go. The summer is over - he is sixteen, somehow. He is alive and going to go back to his mortal life and his junior year, and grief. Not everything is fine - but eventually, it will be.
It's not the end. Not yet.
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soft-sunflower · 4 years
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Flower of Evil Thoughts- Episode 13
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I think for Episode 13's post, I'm not going recap the whole thing. I'm just going to talk about some keypoints throughout the episode that really stuck with me as these posts are taking up too much time to write and gather caps for. I hope you understand.
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Alright, so... we are starting off Episode 13 showing us a bit of Heeseong's past. And it would seem that from the time he was a kid, he was a pretty mentally screwed up individual. Such as throwing bricks off the roof and killing a dog. And I don't buy for one moment, one MOMENT that he "can't remember" and that he's stressed over school and depressed. That's just an excuse. Like I said. He walks out of the counselor's room, smirks and brushes off his fake crocodile tears. He uses that to get people to feel pity for him.
And would you look at that. There's Hyunsoo and his creepy dad sitting there at the psychiatric center. Do Minseok calls Heeseong out there asking if he knows why he did that. "Yes. It was because of teenage depression caused by academic stress." LOL No it wasn't. That sounds like such a fake, rehearsed line to get people to feel sorry for you. Anybody who pays close enough attention to you, or is just like you *cough*DoMinseok*cough*
"You've never met someone like you. You don't know how to play. You must've been lonely while doing it."
Oh my GOD you creeptastic man! We don't mold and groom people to turn into serial killers and be buddied up while doing it, regardless of how *like you* this kid might be. Well, at least now we know how Heeseong became Do Minseok's accomplice and prodigy. Ughhh ewww... that whole scene actually gave me chills.
Okay, so back to where we left off last episode. You know, just Heeseong and his father casually dumping Soon Young's body into the trunk of their car and finding out Hyunsoo and is wife are there at the house. Hyunsoo and Jiwon have arrived at the place they weren't planning to arrive, surprise! Or is it... trash mom looks a little nervewracked over the fact that they're just randomly showing up there. She keeps peeking and checking corners to make sure Heeseong isn't within eyeshot. It's not like a murder was just committed in the middle of the hallway of her house after all. She tries to pull the "I'm feeling tired. I'd like for you to come back tomorrow."
Jiwon interrupts with "I know everything." Uh oh...
So they're in, they're sitting down. Trash mom is all agitated again.
"What do you know and how much do you know?" her fidgety ass gets on my nerves.
Without missing a beat, Jiwon looks her dead in the eye.
"What are you hiding and how much are you hiding?" Girl YASSSSS.
And then they start pulling the whole "you know who your husband really is, and so you'll just accept that?"
"First of all, I want you to know, that I'm on his side no matter what happens."
Damn right she is. That's her man. Whether his name is Do Hyunsoo or Baek Heeseong, that her is MAN and she's got his back. She loves him and she will support him, regardless of what happens because that's what a strong wife does.
So trash dad says there are many things the 4 of them could talk about it.
"There's not only four of us. There's one more person this house, right? Where is he?" LOL GIRRRRRRRLLLLL. I REALLY love her. My badass female lead. She's not wasting ANY time.  And they sure did not waste any time in showing Heeseong hooked up and supposedly in that coma. Claiming he could die at any moment. Oh, please. You can't keep this a secret forever.
"We revealed all the secrets we have." LMAO NO YOU HAVE NOT. LYING SACKS A SHIT.
The way Jiwon and Hyunsoo are looking at each other, they BOTH know something is up and that something is not right.
Ohhh, Hyunsoo, you're brave but playing a VERY dangerous game here. I had a feeling that SOMEHOW this trap he set to catch Yeom Sangchul was going to backfire. But Hyunsoo is right. The person who made a deal with Yeom Sangchul to kill him, the person who offered double the amount of money, the ONLY person who knew he'd struck a deal with Yeom Sangchul that night, who knew the exact amount of money he paid Yeom Sangchul was trash dad,  Baek Manwoo. He also wanted him to kill Park Kyung Choon and was going to pay him to leave quietly. All signs point to there's some seriously shady business going on with Baek Manwoo, and I think Jiwon knows this, no matter how much he and his wife try and play up the innocent act.
"I believe I underestimated you." Well, they definitely handled that well.
"Hyunsoo, it's not me." Thing is, trash dad isn't lying. He's not the accomplice for the murders, but he knows who is and him trying to fake both Hyunsoo and Jiwon out is very obvious. If only they knew that Heeseong is not in a coma.
Oh look, the lights just conveniently go out... and here's how we find out that Yeom Sangchul did not go to the summer house. Because Heeseong tells him not to. This guy is really really smart. He's so smart, he's cunning and having that kind of person for a serial killer is rather terrifying if you ask me.
"Something is off. Something doesn't feel right, but I can't figure out what that is."
Jiwon, you're so close... You KNOW something isn't right and I think Hyunsoo can feel it too.
Also, HYUNSOO DO NOT TOUCH ANYTHING IN THAT BASKET. DAMMIT. This is going to be how they frame him for the housemaid's murder. I just know it. He's literally handling everything in that basket and getting his fingerprints all over it. They plotted the whole thing with the lights going out, the candles, the mother dropping the basket of items with a tape roll in it.
They had to figure out how they were going to frame Hyunsoo, and this was too perfect. They are so ahead of the game that it's terrifying, and Heeseong is loving it because it really IS all just a game to him. He's a really scary and creepy character. His calculations are spot on with everything. I'm curious how this is going to turn out when Hyunsoo and Jiwon find out Heeseong is alive and out of his coma and he's the one doing this. I really can't get a read on Gong Mija... is she doing this because she fears for her life hence her almost seemingly reluctance? Or is she doing this because Heeseong's her son? I mean she tried to kill him twice now, so...
"Hyunsoo, I've always thought of you as family. That much I was sincere about."
Is she being serious right now? I mean here she is helping frame him for a murder he didn't commit, but is she also cooperating with Heeseong because she doesn't want her son to kill her on one of his crazy rampages? I think she's afraid of her son and fears for her life, but that she actually does care for Hyunsoo because she knows Hyunsoo is not a monster of a man that everyone has spent years making him out to be? I don't know. It's so strange... she's hard to get a read on.
"No matter what you thought of me, I have never wondered what you sincerely felt, not even once."
What does he mean by saying this? That he doesn't really care what she felt? That maybe he actually knows she's always cared for him? Or that maybe she's never given him a reason to wonder about what she sincerely felt in regards to him? The way she's watching him though as he places everything back into the basket she dropped, particularly when he grabs the roll of tape, is unsettling... I really don't get her. Why would she say that? Is she on his side and is just being used by her son and husband? Or is she on her family's side and enjoying plotting against Hyunsoo, tricking him and then framing him for murder? I can't figure her out yet... she's too back and forth and very inconsistent.
Wow... they're very thorough with framing Hyunsoo for this murder. To the point he's pulling hairs out and putting them in their car. More evidence for the police to find that Hyunsoo is the murderer. Heeseong is one formidable foe. He looks far too amused while sprinkling her hair everywhere. As they say in kdrama, AISH!!!
Alright, who's smoking cigarettes and watching Haesoo...? Is there someone else we don't know about?? Does she have a target on her back too? Can we think at all of who smokes in this drama? Has there been anything suggesting a character like that? Also, the person's handprint is on the window. I would think Haesoo would want to tell the cops this...?
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You know, I'm with Jiwon on this. I really wish Hyunsoo would stop getting himself involved, but it's almost like he can't help himself. I mean I can't really blame him. Being pushed into almost committing murder (Park Kyung Choon), being told to leave quietly, having a hit put on his life, his wife finding out who he really is, almost having to leave his entire life and family behind and spending the rest of his life on the run? That's a lot for one man to deal with, but if he'd stop getting himself involved, maybe things wouldn't go so far south. Oh who am I kidding. This is kdrama.
And god love him, he's scared to the core for the safety of his family. The very idea that someone like that could exist in his life makes him sick, and the fact that they could reach Jiwon and Eunha terrifies him. This is definitely one of the WORST times he could've picked to discover he has emotions. I feel so sorry for him right now, because  he's doing what every loving father and husband would around the world. He's wanting to protect his family. And I love how Jiwon tells him that they're stronger than that serial killer. I love how they smile at each other, that seems to give him confidence. that she covers his trembling hand with hers to comfort him. Jiwon is so amazingly strong. I just love her. I can't stop loving this incredible character. I may even love her as equally as I love Hyunsoo.
JEONG MISOOK IS ALIVE AND I KNEW IT. I KNEW IT. I CALLED IT!!! I called it from the VERY START of them saying they never found her body and that she is still missing. Kdrama rules. If the body is missing, it likely means that person is alive somewhere. But still I KNEW she wasn't dead. It was a feeling I had since before Park Kyung Choon tried to kill Hyunsoo. It would seem she has no memory of anything. She didn't even know her own name, so it makes me wonder just what happened to this woman?? Hmmm... and how is Sangchul going to use her for insurance? Insurance of what? Is he going to go up against Heeseong now and use Jeong Misook being alive to his advantage? This is definitely interesting.
It's 2:31am and Hyunsoo is getting a call that's waking him. I think that's me every time someone wakes me up haha. That's a pretty late time in the night to be calling anyone though. Annnnd it's Heeseong. That much is obvious. He starts mentioning Jiwon and Eunha claiming he's a fan, but it's more than obvious by the total creep factor of his voice that he indirectly threatening Hyunsoo's family. And Hyunsoo knows this. He can feel it. And the anxiety and fear in him is high now. His family has a target on their backs.
What does he do? Search up the location of the phone number and leaves... oh NO. DO NOT leave the house!!! This is the perfect opportunity they have to continue to frame you for murder. They will use the "You left the house for awhile last night, so where were you?" Hyunsoo, I admire your fierce determination to protect your family and to continue to put together pieces of the puzzle, but this is REALLY REALLY bad... and OOHHHH there's a dash cam on someone's car!!! I mean I get that they're on vacation, but please tell me that dash cam might come into play??
Inside the payphone box written on the wall is
"Hide and seek. I can see you, but you cannot see me." And we know Heeseong wrote that specifically for Hyunsoo. He knew that Hyunsoo would come to that pay phone trying to find him. He's having far too much fun with this. It's nervewracking how calculating he is.
And naturally, people cleaning up the woods would find the body. Of course. Hyunsoo left the house, went to the pay phone and that body is likely buried very close to where he was at. And poor Hyunsoo. He's so stressed out and nervous about the indrectly threatening phone call he received, that while he's pouring breakfast smoothies he made for his family, he doesn't realize he's spilling it out all over the table. Instead, he keeps repeating the sound of the voice from last night's call and comparing it to the accomplice's voice in the threatening message he sent years ago. He knows they're the same.
Jiwon asks if her hubby is okay because he's thinking so hard about something he's spilling smoothie everywhere. Then sweet little Eunha comes running with a hairclip for her daddy to put in her hair for her. Makes me wonder how often he's went shopping with Eunha, picked out little hair clips and things for her as well as do her hair for her in the mornings before school? It's such a sweet thing between father and daughter. But ohhhh, Eunha. Why do kids have such big mouths? Lol He left early this morning and she saw? Ohhhh noooo... Busted. Jiwon knows you left. And saved by the bell. Or rather, the phone ringing. It's not like he can just start telling his family right there in front of the both of them that he received a passive aggressive call last night indirectly threatening their lives.
Eunha's little "Fighting, mom!" Was soooo cute as Jiwon rushes off to work.
I love how protective Hyunsoo is over his precious little girl.
"Eunha, look at daddy. Did you talk to a stranger recently?" "No." "You didn't think first." "Hmmm? No." "Never go anywhere with a stranger. What are the rules?" "I will not go anywhere with a stranger. An adult doesn't ask a kid for help. Mom, Dad or Grandma would never ask someone else to come pick up Eunha."
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Look at their big smiles. I love how holds her face in his hands and tells her she did well.
Awww baby girl is hungry! How is she SO CUTE!?
"Dad! My stomach gurgled! Did you hear that?" And when he puts his ear up against Eunha's belly. Goodness my heart melted but then cracked at the same time. I'm so scared for this little family. I'm scared to death for Eunha... she's so precious and innocent. Heeseong worked for human traffickers that also kidnapped and sold off children. I'm so afraid for her. I'm so scared something is going to happen to her.
Alright, so the thumbnail is missing on Soon Young's body again. What is it about Heeseong's obsession with fingernails?? He collects the ones on the left hand from his victims while also biting off his own on his left hand. Is this just how he commemorates the killings of his victims? By collecting their nails? Ughhh GOD he is just so GROSS.
Noona is back at Hyunsoo's shop and confirms to Hyunsoo that the accomplice can't be Baek Manwoo because during the time that he was meeting up with them, someone was watching her. Hyunsoo tells Haesoo about the strange call he received in the middle of the night. Thank GOD she knows this!! This is actually really important, I feel. I'm almost hoping that Haesoo contacts Jiwon to tell her about this after everything goes down. I don't like that Hyunsoo is keeping this a secret from Jiwon. I get why, but I wish he'd tell her. I feel like this is really important. And now Moojin is telling them about the body being found and that it was missing a thumbnail, because neither had any clue about anyone being murdered.
The fact that they found her notebook and her notes inside shows the direct connection she had with the murderer. Jiwon looks unsettled as she's reading the notes and wondering who she'd be referring to when she says "If you do this again, I'll tell madam and Director Baek." And of COURSE the body would be found in Makmun-dong... the same location Hyunsoo was at last night when he was checking where the phone call he received had come from. UGH! The Baeks had this too well planned. How frustrating...
And now that they have identified the body, Sunbae is informing Jiwon that it's her in-law's housemaid. Jiwon thinks back to last night on their drive home when Hyunsoo states he needs to meet with the housemaid. She knows something isn't right and rushes out stating she has something to confirm urgently.
I'm really trying to understand Heeseong's obsession with Hyunsoo. Why is he so obsessed with him? Does it have to do with the fact he's Do Minseok's son? Is there something he has planned in regards to him?
Moojin says something here that I feel is really important.
"Serial killers can't contain their urge to kill. Perhaps it was because they were in a situation where they couldn't do anything for the last 18 years."
He's right. Heeseong was in a coma. That's why he couldn't do anything. That's why the serial killings stopped. I'm sure he worked behind the scenes for awhile with the human trafficking ring, but the night he hit Hyunsoo with the car and tried to bury him alive? That's when everything stopped. His family even went to so far as to lie and state he left the country and was studying abroad. I mean really now.
Awww, Hyunsoo doesn't want his sister being alone and very unsafe and exposed, so he tells her that she needs to stay with Moojin. I'm not really a fan of their pairing, but I do love the fact that Hyunsoo is entrusting her safety to someone. Honestly, I'd rather it be Moojin because there's nobody else out there he can ask or trust to care for her and keep her safe. He makes Moojin promise him that he won't leave Noona alone and that he'll keep her safe.
Hyunsoo, Yeom Sangchul is not someone you can use so easily to get close to the accomplice, especially now that Sangchul has his own ideas and isn't so willing to cooperate with Heeseong now.
I'm really wondering what plans Sangchul has for Jeong Misook. He's not sympathetic over her having it rough. He's gonna get paid? How? Obviously he knows that Baek Heeseong is the accomplice and a serial killer, but since he failed to kill Misook, what are his plans to use this to his advantage? I have to do more thinking on this. If you guys have any ideas of what you think he's going to do, please tell me so we can plot and speculate.
Okay, so Jiwon is fingerprinting her husband and comparing the fingerprints. I'm not so sure she willingly believes that her husband went out in the middle of the night and committed a murder on Soon Young. I think Jiwon knows something is definitely up, because she knows Hyunsoo wouldn't just suddenly at the drop of a hat decide to randomly commit a murder after everything they've been through and after revealing his whole life to her. He had plenty of opportunities where he could have committed murder, but the very idea of it sickens him. He expressed that much on their drive home from the Baek's.
Heeseong continues to disturb the hell out of me more and more. He might love and worship his mother, but I get the feeling that if she made one wrong move, he wouldn't hesitate to murder her ass too. And I think the mother is terrified of her son so she's trying to be careful not to make the wrong move. She doesn't want to set off her serial killer son after all. And just like I said, I KNEW they were going to use Hyunsoo picking up all those items, especially the roll of tape, to their advantage. I knew she was in on setting this trap for him. And she seems almost guilty that she did that, after remembering Hyunsoo gently pulling a string of fuzz out of her hair.
Hyunsoo is calling Yeom Sangchul from the burner phone... And who answers? Well SHIT now. Hyunsoo knows that Jeong Mi Sook is alive!!! And I also feel like this is VERY important and needs to be paid close attention to.
Jiwon enters the shop and starts questioning where Hyunsoo was at. Was it Makmun-dong? So Jiwon tells him who's body they found, and that she was in charge of taking care of a person who's in a coma and that she was the Baek's housemaid? She tells him the fingerprints on the tape turned out to be his, all the while shedding tears.
At first I thought, Jiwon are you kidding me? You're a DETECTIVE. You KNOW where the two of you were last night. You KNOW that your husband disappeared from your side very briefly to help "mother" gather up items she dropped everywhere. You KNOW what kind of man your husband is so WHY are you suspecting him of murder now!? This is NOT your style, this is VERY inconsistent of your character, as well as your claim of "no matter what happens, I'll stand beside him." Those were my first thoughts upon all of this when she tells him he's a murder suspect and she's arresting him without a warrant.
Also, I knew the mother would tell the police that she suspects Do Hyunsoo murdered the housemaid. This whole entire thing orchestrated between the 3 Baeks was too well thought out and too well done. Now the entire police force believes him to be a true murderer and that he's guilty. My stomach just twisted. Sunbae just told all of them that Hyunsoo is Jiwon's husband... oh god...
CAN PEOPLE FOR REAL STOP FRAMING HYUNSOO FOR LIKE FIVE FUCKING MINUTES!? OMG!!! It's unbelievingly frustrating!!!!
Anyway, I don't think Jiwon is suspecting her husband of murder. I think she starts to cry because she knows that he's being framed. She also knows that police are going to find out and will be showing up to arrest him as a murder suspect, so she wants to arrest him first. She even tells him that they will make sure he does not get punished for what he didn't do. Jiwon knows that her husband did not murder that woman and that he's been framed. Jiwon is doing this protect him. She's wanting to take him to the police station because honestly he would be safest there while giving his statement as well, but she is not telling her husband this, because she herself wants to get to the bottom of who's framing him once again. That's what I truly believe. Jiwon has her own agenda, and it makes it hard because she and Hyunsoo are not on the same page.
Hyunsoo seems legit heartbroken that his wife believes him to be a murder suspect. So much to the point that he sees the image of his father, has a flashback to his father telling him this.
"Love can be very cunning. It is very sly. It makes you think you can solve everything, but in the end, it betrays you. Hyunsoo, listen to me carefully. When you feel the urge to trust somebody one day, it means you're becoming weak."
Okay, yes, he is distraught by this. He's genuinely hurt because he thinks Jiwon doesn't believe him. That Jiwon doesn't trust him anymore, so much so that it crushes him and makes him see his father once more telling him this. Jiwon gives him that look because she remembers him "seeing" things before that wasn't there. The fact that his wife would believe for even a moment that  he could be capable of killing anyone has sent Hyunsoo's mental health on a bad decline once again, and I am so worried for him...
"Tell me something. Do you believe me?"
Jiwon can only say "What?" Because I don't think she realizes what's happening to her husband's mental stability right now thanks to her.
"Or deep down inside, do you believe that I really could have killed her?" He tearfully tells her "If you don't even believe me, then who else in the world would believe me?"
And now, here's where I believe Hyunsoo shuts of those emotions long enough to put his own agenda into play. He's not going to trust anyone anymore, because all it's been doing is getting him hurt, getting people out wanting to kill him, putting his family's lives in danger, and even making his wife not believe in him. Like hell he's going to that police station when the lives of his family are in danger and he knows it. I'm pretty sure I know what Hyunsoo is doing. For this moment, he's throwing away love.
It suggests as much from the preview for Ep 14, but it appears to me that he's setting his own trap.
For one, I will say, he's definitely heartbroken over the fact (at least through Hyunsoo's eyes) that his own wife seemingly does not believe nor trust that he did not kill Park Soon Young, so I can understand his hurt here. I think my heart ached for him too. However, I fully believe that the CCTV was a set up, as well as him "attacking" his wife and holding a blade to her throat. That was a set up too.I believe he was trying to show hostility toward his wife to better her chances and give the accomplice less of a reason to want to go after her. Also, back when he attacked Moojin, he had no CCTV set up in his shop at that point in time, because why would he? It's his OWN shop. There's literally zero reason to have a CCTV in there, especially when he never did before. His shop is right below his house. At least I don’t recall ever seeing one in there til this episode. All he did was lock the doors and close the blinds. There was no unplugging cameras at all.
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He points Jiwon toward the monitor and he's turning this into a "hostage" situation because now he's been framed, yet again, for ANOTHER murder he didn't commit, and he knows that that accomplice knows about his family. He knows that the strange call he received at 2:31am was from the accomplice and that his family is ultimately in danger and being targeted. He's creating a hostage situation and is going to do his best to get Jiwon and Eunha somewhere safe. I fully and 100% believe this, because that's Hyunsoo's style and because of the preview for the episode. Like him telling his wife in a very gentle voice "We'll see each other again. Don't look at me like I'm going off to die. Wish me luck instead." Also, they're running off together hand in hand. Jiwon doesn't look like she fears for her life.
It would seem like cheap writing for her to just suddenly start randomly suspecting her husband of murder. It's not Jiwon't style and it's horribly inconsistent to her character up til now. I think both Hyunsoo and Jiwon have their own agendas because Hyunsoo kept the secret of the phone call from Jiwon, and Jiwon knows that someone is trying to have him killed, namely the Baeks. Hyunsoo is using the logical side of himself rather than reacting through the emotional side, because emotions CAN make you weak and now he needs to be as calculating in this game as Heeseong does. Now it's his turn to play Hide and Seek while finding out that Heeseong is the accomplice.
My heart is pumping now and I cannot WAIT til next week!!! It's going to be a very long, agonizing wait, these next 5 days.
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ayyyez · 5 years
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Neji meeting a girl from a notably influential clan in Konoha (they own the hospital or something idk) all who aren't afraid to talk mad shit to hiashi and hyuga nobles (because her clan can't stand the seal policy the hyuga have and find it barbaric) and does it in like that subtle "double talk" that nobles do. Doesn't take hiashi's shit and isn't afraid to stare the man down in the eyes, but also may or may not tell hiashi to straight up kiss her ass if he threatens her for disrespecting him
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a/n: OMG yes we love a legend who doesn’t take Hiashi’s bs! Bless you for this request. I get mad too, don’t you worry. AND YES DOUBLE TALK. LOVE. UGH! Nobody disrespects Neji in this house. 
-The moment the truth of the Hyuga clan was revealed in public (by Neji at the chunin exams) you were beyond angry. It had explained so much about Neji and the others you had seen come in and out of the hospital. Ever since you were young there seemed something very off about the clan. And now this confirmation begged the question: How could a leader do that to another member of their clan? And because of a manner of birth no less. Outrageous!
-Your clan had always been about healing and helping others, it was drummed into you at a young age since it was your clan who was in charge of the hospital. Violence among clan ranks seemed heinous at that point, something from the days of old before the village formed. So the second Neji lost the match and was carted away you made a point to march back to the medical bay and find out what was what. (You had only left to watch that match, there was no way you were missing Naruto and Neji fight). 
-Once you got to room, you were about to slam open the door when you overheard voices. After a few moments of eaves dropping you recognised them a Hiashi and Neji. You frowned but didn’t interrupt. You made to walk away from the door but another part of you, the part that was concerned about Neji’s safety and not just interested in what would conspire in such a conversation between to individuals, stopped you. 
-So, you leant against the wall next to the door frame, closed your eyes and listened to the conversation. You overhead bits about Neji’s father sacrificing himself but other parts came muffled. Then you heard reconciliation and that just didn’t seem enough to justify Hiashi’s actions. Torturing a child didn’t get you off that easily in your books. No way in hell were you letting this go.
-Footfalls echoed on the other side of the door indicating someone walking toward you. There was no point in hiding or moving, you weren’t afraid of being caught. When Hiashi opened the door and stepped through he noticed you immediately. A scowl found your face and a frown found his. Your stare held true even as he shut the door. ‘What business do you have here?’ Hiashi asked, finally. You piercing glare didn’t waver. ‘It’s my job to heal people, you know people like the branch members who are harmed by head households for the sake of tradition.’ 
-Hiashi didn’t so much as flinch but you could tell by his eyes that he didn’t take your words lightly. He sized you up with a glance then turned to walk away. ‘I’d watch your tongue around elders.’ He said, flatly. You scoffed. ‘I always choose my words carefully around those deserving of respect.’ He paused for a moment but did not turn around. Then as if nothing happened he walked away. 
-When you took a moment to collect yourself you went into Neji’s room and closed the door behind you. Neji was sitting there with a stunned expression on his face, clearly having overhead your conversation with Hiashi. You didn’t bother explaining or standing up for you behaviour, instead you went over and examined him. ‘Are you feeling alright?’ You asked, checking over his cuts and bruises. ‘Fine.’ He replied, watching you carefully. A heavy silence fell between you that spoke more than words could. 
-It wasn’t until you’d finish examining him that he finally asked, ‘Why did you do that?’ You met his eyes for the first time since entering the room. ‘Do what?’ You placed a hand on your hip. ‘Say such...’ He hesitated, ‘accusatory things.’ You smirked. ‘Was I wrong in my accusations?’ ‘Well not exactly but it doesn’t really seem your place.’ Neji wasn’t scolding you, no, he admired you but didn’t know how to be honest about it. He was ready to let it all go and here you were, an outsider telling Hiashi exactly what you thought. A small smile appeared on Neji’s lips. 
-From that moment your bond with Neji cemented and you continued to speak your mind. For that he was grateful but there were times even he didn’t understand how you could be so straightforward with a clan leader. Still, he never stopped you. Sometimes it would even make him smile the most genuine smile you had even seen from him. That was reason enough alone to critique Hiashi, in an appropriate manner of course. (He could kiss your ass for all you cared.)  
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jpat82 · 6 years
Text
101 Ways To Kill Bucky Barnes
The Client
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    The lights in the restaurant were set low, happy couples sat at tables with candles lit. The whole building exuded warmth and money, from the dimly lit chandeliers to the crystal wine glasses. Not that it mattered to you, as you walked across the open floor, your heels making a steady click as you walked. Heads turned when you passed, the snug form fitting deep burgundy dress hugged you perfectly. It's low neck line giving the perfect amount of cleavage to be shown, accented by the opal stone that hung a rose gold chain.
You exuded sexiness and confidence, how could you not? It was part of the job, dressing to kill, meeting clients in high profile and often case, much like this one, expensive upscale restaurants like this one. Long gone were the days of meeting them on the streets, smoke filled bars or back alleyways. You had come along way since then and you wouldn't have it any other way.
    Your hair was pulled up off your shoulders as it always was, whether working or not. You like being able to see over you shoulders, being able to tell if someone was coming up from behind. You approached the table where a singular man sat in what looked like a very high priced suit. He stood slightly as you settle down in the chair opposite of him.
    "So.. you're her?" He asked a little shell shocked.
    "Were you expecting someone else?" You asked, giving him a coy smile as the waiter poured you a glass of red wine.
     "I don't know, just guessed the darkness wouldn't look so... beautiful." He replied, blinking hard a couple of times.
    "Try not to think about it, you called me because you have a situation?" You asked, nonchalantly while flipping through the menu. You hated small talk, you would rather get the meeting done and over with.
    "No, yeah kinda." He responded as you slowly looked up from your menu, you took a deep breath.
    "Look, you are the one that called me, if you are going to be wishy washy from the get go I'm leaving." You tried to keep your voice even and keep the irritation from seeping into your words.
    "Sorry, I get a little tongue tied around stunning women." He made eye contact for the first time since you sat down. They were a dull grey and a busted blood vessel ran through the left, to much time spent in front of a screen.
    You sat back and stared hard at him, the suit was definitely from an experienced tailor, it molded to his lythe frame. The tailor tried to make the man who sat in front of you look less gangly, but there is only so much you can do when someone has no muscle tone. His watch screamed of wealth as well, but you could see the knob to set the time was well worn and dirt was caked in the grooves. He spent a lot of time fiddling with it, anxious habit most likely.
     The man was pale, so it didn't look like he ever left his office or home. Definitely someone who was not capable of getting his perfectly manicured hands dirty. You bit your bottom lip as you studied him, slowly you reached out and gently lifted your wine glass from the table.
    "Flirting with me will not get you anywhere but the bottom of the Hudson." You stated before taking a sip. You decided that he would be easily frightened, so intimidating him would be the fastest way to get this over with.
    "Hmm, hard woman, love it." He flirted a bit more giving you a creepy grin before he shifted a bit. "There is a man that used to go by the name of the Winter Soldier. I trust you know of him."
    You took a deep breath, who hadn't heard of him. The man was a legend, the worlds best assassin some would say. You heard word that he dropped the life and went to other side. Working with people that were good, but still.. this man had to be off his rocker if he thought that he could be taken out.
    "From the look on your face I'll take that as a yes. The organization I work for wants him eliminated, he is a loose cannon and for our reasons, needs him dispatched." He told you as you took another sip of your wine.
    "You do realize that he was trained by Hydra and isn't just a normal person, right?" You asked, leaning back slightly in your chair, crossing your arms.
"Does that scare you?" He asked, raising his eyebrow.
"Not, but that means I'm raising the price." You stated, staring across the table. He raised his eyebrow at you. "I'm doubling what I asked for, you know the stories of the Winter Soldier just as well as I do. I'm not stupid, there is a higher risk of me dying or worse, being caught."
"We'll pay it." He replied calmly, you nodded as he stuck his hand out.
——
You shut the door on your expensive apartment and pulled the wig off you had been wearing, tossing it to a chair. Your fingers find the hair tie and pulled it out, allowing your natural hair to fall free. Slowly you walked up to the darkened window pane, looking out over the twinkling lights of the city.
Kill the Winter Soldier, by any means necessary. They wanted you to kill a legend, the worlds best assassin and you had agreed to it. You knew it wasn't going to be easy, in fact this would be your hardest hit you had taken on, that didn't mean you weren't going to do it. And with the money they were paying you you would be able to retire and leave the life of the worlds second best assassin known only as the Darkness.
It was a moniker given to you while you operated in Slovakia. Most of your hits were done in the dark, or at night and as you moved countries, it followed you. Most people thought the assassin Darkness was a man cause of the difficulties of your crimes but then again being a woman made it easier sometimes. No one expected you to be the hired murderer.
You walked away from the window, stopping by the fridge to grab a bottle of wine and a wine glass before heading to your room. You kicked your heels off and turned your lap top on. Time to learn as much as you could about the one known as the Winter Soldier, time to distinguish fact and reality.
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dothewrite · 7 years
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(cont) isn't. and it kinda just frustrates me to see the media portray it in that way because i would hate to know someone or even BE someone with that disorder and see such a portrayal of who i am as a person. SO due to this frustration i was wondering if you could od a scenario with tsukishima and bokuto where their fem s/o has DID and just how the boys would help them or something (you can let your mind wander) or maybe their s/o sees the trailer and gets really upset about it
Hey there! I’m sorry it’s been such a long time, but I’m really thankful for your patience. Here’s your request, and I hope you like it. For all those who didn’t see the first part of the ask, this request is about DID, and the movie trailer for ‘Split’ with James McAvoy.
Just as a quick disclaimer- I have no experience with DID. I have never had it, never interacted with someone with it, so I do not claim to represent this illness accurately. However, this was my major (and hopefully my future career), and I have dug up old notes and several textbooks to get my facts as straight as possible. Because this is fic, there will be several things that I do not explain directly. If there are any questions or concerns about DID (in this scenario or otherwise), I will do my best to answer questions through asks.
“You know,” Tsukishima hears you snarl before the mug smashes against the wallin fifteen different pieces, “I wish I could twist my body like some fuckingwendigo when Hana takes over. Be the monster they think we really are.”
He pads out of the kitchen,turning off the stove before he does, and hands you an oven mitten. You slip iton, reluctantly, and make your way towards the mess that you’ve left next tothe hanging bookshelf. When you glance up angrily at your supposed boyfriend’sface, there isn’t much emotion except for focus. It’s one thing you’ve alwayshated about him, and if you cared less than you did about your host, you don’tthink you’d have given him the time of day.
“Be careful,” he tells yousternly, “I don’t want you to cut yourself.”
You stick your middle finger upat him from underneath the glove. A small smile starts to crack his thinlypressed lips. “If you’re so worried, why don’t you pick it up then? Is it funwatching me on my knees, you sick fuck?”
As if on cue, he pulls out hisalready gloved hand from behind his back and waves it at you, deadpan. “I’m notinto sharp object play.” Very slowly, he gets to his knees beside you andbegins to pick out the smaller shards from the plush carpeting. “But,” he adds,“you know Kaede won’t like it when she finds out that you’ve broken somethingagainst the wall. That was her favourite mug.”
“Yeah? She’ll only know if yourat me out to her,” you spit. But your hand is already moving, reluctantly,untangling large shards of porcelain from dark green fibres.
Tsukishima’s expression hasn’tchanged in the slightest. Sometimes you really, really hate how nothing evergets to him like you want it to. Like he’d expected all of this to begin with,and plotted a course of potential comebacks to put you in your place.
It’s never very fun anymore whenit’s your turn.
“Tell me at least you agree withme, Tsukishima.” He hums to let you know he’s listening. “I’m angry for a goodreason, dammit.”
“It’s a good reason,” he agrees.He holds out the plastic bag for you to drop the last big piece in. “It makesfor a good movie, but it’s not good for representation.”
“I’m not a fucking murderouspsychopath.”
“You’re not,” he agrees again.“You’re a bit murderous, but not a psychopath.”
“I’m only murderous when peoplepiss me off. If they want me to be a nicer person, then they should stoppissing me off. Sound logic.”
To this, he doesn’t reply. Heonly laughs, a bit brightly with his twisted sense of humour, and motions foryou to get up with him. “Grab the vacuum, will you?”
You do. You don’t mind vacuumingso much; it makes such a wonderfully raucous noise that you can easily imagineit’s the sound of a building crashing down a block over. Tsukishima gives you alook as you plug it into the socket, and claps on his pair of noise cancellingheadphones. You switch the machine on with pleasure.
It’s a good catharsis, as analternative to breaking more things. You’d shattered the television once out ofrage, and the pleasure that had coursed through you had been unreal- so muchthat it had become an addiction, a contagion that kept you up for longer andlonger as the fury liquidized anything else inside you and pooled into a wellof happy anger. Kaede, your host, had given Tsukishima a stern talking to afterthat, and you’d been under wraps ever since. No more breaking household itemswithout cleaning it up. Needless to say, you stopped breaking so many things.
With a click, quiet swam backinto the lilac living room, and you drag the vacuum behind you back to thestorage cupboard.
Tsukishima is there waiting foryou. He holds out a mug, identical to the one that you had broken, and at yoursurprised gape, a gentler crease to his eyes begins to crinkle and he takes astep forwards, pressing the cup into your open hand.
You wrap your fingers around it,feeling the same grooves again.
“You’re not going to rat me out.”
“Nope.”
“How many spares do you have inthere?” You demand accusingly, but Tsukishima’s smile doesn’t falter.
“Enough,” he answers. Slowly, andobviously, his palms curls around the small of your back and tugs you closer,keeping you at a distance comfortable still. You weren’t as close to him asyour other alters were, and he knew your boundaries.
“You have the most beautifulanger out of them all, did you know that?”
“I-” your tongue sticks to thesides of your mouth, and words become hard to find. “You mean that?”
“Yeah,” he breathes lowly, andsomething behind his eyes melt and swirl in messages that you’re not used toreading. It’s the first time those messages are addressed to you. “But don’ttell the others.” He smirks at you slyly. “Don’t rat me out.”
“I won’t,” you promise. And then,“who the hell do you take me for, anyway? Some fucking tattle tale?”
Laughing, Tsukishima motions foryou to get on with the storage closet, popping back into the living room to putthe mug where it had originally been.
An alien warmth flushes throughyou; your cheeks, your fingers, your toes, and your chest feels irritatinglytight against your ribs. You take several deep breaths, lean the vacuumcarefully against the side of the closet, and shut it behind you. You stand alittle straighter, edges of your lips a little softer, and the room seems atleast four times brighter than it had been before.
“Kei?” You call. He’s rarelyanywhere out of sight, unless it’s just been Iishi, who needs his space to beangry. “Are you here?”
Tsukishima strolls back intoview, hanging out of the doorway into the kitchen. He’s looking softer thanusual, and somehow your cheeks mirror his mood, and you walk up to him with awarm gaze.
“I’m here, Kaede,” he murmurs.“I’ve bought groceries. Want to start dinner?”
On the small stretch of wall thatmarks the distance between the bedrooms and the living room, four calendarscover it. One is larger than the rest, with lots of spare space and small multicolouredscribbles in each square. Thursday has marked two movies and one shoppingexcursion and on Friday, a double anniversary date with Kuroo and his fiancée.
Two smaller calendars frame thelargest one in the centre. One the left, Bokutohas his two and a half practices jotted down for Monday, and to the right, youhave one hair appointment and one doggy day care pickup for Tuesday. They’reboth in different colours, and different handwriting scrawled all over them.
The smallest and last one sitsfurthest down the corridor. It’s hung neatly right beside the master bedroom’sdoorframe, and each month, the pages are filled in assorted colours. Therearen’t many jottings on it, only small multicoloured circles in a countdown.Circles mark special days, and straight crosses count the days passed. Bothtypes of writing are dotted along the frames. There’s a small smiley face and acat face that decorates the header of this month. It’s October, going ontoNovember. The days are getting shorter, and the air is getting chillier.
There’s a big circle aroundtoday’s date. It’s in lime green, autumn’s favourite colour.
“Hey.” You feel Bokuto’s firmarms wrap themselves like garden vines around your hunched shoulders. “You’rethinking that again, aren’t you?”
“When don’t I?” You joke weakly,but it’s true. He’s right. You twist your head around, and straighten your backthe way you know he prefers you to sit. It makes you look prouder, happier, andBokuto’s favourite time of day is when you’re both.
“I got this, you know? I’m goodat taking care of people!” Without his hands at his disposal, he thumps hischest against your back to make the manly ‘umph’ sound. It makes you smile. Fornow, everything still makes you smile quite easily. “I know,” you reassure him.“I’m just anxious, like always.”
“It’s been four years,” Bokutomumbles into the crook of your neck. You lean backwards into his firm body andlet yourself reassemble in his shape. “I’ve got the hang of this. You don’thave to feel bad anymore.”
“I don’t think I’ll ever stopfeeling bad,” you shrug, and he shifts along with the motion. “But it’s a lotmore comforting now that we’ve planned well for it.”
“Mhmm.” The vibrations sendshivers up your spine. Bokuto runs wiry fingers over your gooseflesh. “I’m goodat keeping you cheerful.”
He’s good at keeping everyonecheerful, always. Even when he’s down, Bokuto never misses the chance to pickhimself up just in time to bring someone back up to spirits, and his sadhooting is one of the most heartbreakingly adorable sounds you’ve ever heard.You’ve got it recorded on your phone.
“Let’s run over the game planagain,” you suggest with a small smile. “It’ll make me less nervous.”
“Okay.” He plops down next to youwith his legs crossed. “So, lots of blankets. Lots of hot drinks. Don’t wakeyou up too early, and don’t get mad when you’re crying about dumb things.” Hefrowns at that point. “I think it’s horrible that anyone could get mad at youcrying. And nothing you cry about is ever dumb.”
“Last year I sobbed for two daysstraight because I lost a penguin keychain.”
“Imagine what the penguinkeychain must feel!” Bokuto looks scandalized. “That’s not dumb!”
You love him so. It’s at the tip of your tongue, pushing at your lips to escape in ahushed whisper, but it’s not something Aki would say. Haru and Natsu, mostdefinitely. Aki- autumn- you- settle for pressing against him with your side.“I hope we find the penguin again someday,” you muse. “What an adventure.”
Bokuto looks thrilled at theprospect of sharing adventures with a small plastic charm, but he clears histhroat and keeps his fingers held out. “Let Kuroo and Akaashi know beforehand.I’ll keep noises to a minimum, and let our landlord know that quiet hours areearly for the first month. Your workplace should’ve got the memo pretty earlyon. They’re nice.”
“They are,” you nod dazedly. It’sa cocoon of warmth around Bokuto at all times, and with the small snuggiepooled at your feet, it’s the right gradient of temperature that lulls you tointo a dream. “If worst comes to worst, my therapist has open hours through theday for any emergencies.”
“Gotcha. I hope there aren’t anyemergencies.”
“They’re hard on you, I’m sorry,Kou.”
“Don’t mind me! I was mostlyworried for you-” as if proving his point, he runs his fingers along the trailof your scalp, back and forth. “I didn’t know that our neighbours wouldcelebrate a birthday with fireworks.”
He pauses then, and leans down tohover closely by your face. You can feel the warmth radiating of his sun-kissedbronze. “I think you’ve already come so far. You used to hate having men aroundyou. That broke my heart.”
You’re not sure if you’ll everstop feeling guilty about that, and Bokuto’s face still shows old hurt that hasscarred his heart and left him stronger. You know the guilt will amplify soon.Soon, you will fear Bokuto, yet love him intensely, hate yourself and want tocarve out a small cave to live by your lonesome.
You will hate the days, miss thenights, love your father, and despise the sound of deep laughter.
It’s four thirty in theafternoon, and the sky is white from snow. The whirring of relentless windsoutside and the memory of deep, angry grunting stirs sleeping fears from insideyou.
Bokuto waits, silently, and holdsyou close to him.
He listens as your breathingspeeds up, coming in short bursts, and your grip on your own legs tense. Theshoulder you have resting against him crushes against him in a desperate bidfor his pain, and his comfort combined. He waits for you to settle down, andget your bearings.
“Here,” he shuffles further awayand swirls a massive blanket around your frame before you can make a sound. Thefear in your eyes subside in small bursts, and holding back his urge to touchyour cheek, Bokuto lifts up a mug of hot cocoa in front of your face. You takeit in both hands, without saying a word, and sip at it.
“Fuyu.” Your eyes flicker up atthe sound of your name. Bokuto is smiling at you with aching affection, and asmall heat rises to your cheeks. You don’t mind so much when it’s his lips yournames are falling from. “Hello, again.”
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Text
Nancy & Rio
Nancy: Hey Nancy: Do you want me to come down and stay with you, it can't be much fun just having Buster for company, like Rio: That's okay, I can't have you playing truant too Rio: I'm going to make him go back before long, swear Nancy: Ri, please. You know what school is like for me, any excuse, I swear Rio: Your 'rents would have me like forreal Rio: I know how shit it is, even more now, soz Nancy: Do you hear them shouting down the phone to him? No 'cause they aren't Nancy: Not to be that bitch, 'cause it's so not funny, but you have kind of taken the heat off me so Nancy: I owe you Rio: Priorities, like, though I dread to think what happens when your Mum gets to me on her list Rio: Reckon I can claim that as any kind of excuse/reasoning or? Nancy: Don't worry nobody exists to her right now but my Auntie Nancy: Which is a sentence I never thought I'd say Rio: I know, but that's good, I mean Rio: as good as anything can be Rio: You know I never meant to do this to her, right Nance? Nancy: Of course Nancy: I think I understand better than most, right? Rio: What do you mean, like? Nancy: You and him Nancy: You didn't mean to, like I didn't, but it happened 'cause it had to, you know? Nancy: You can't help how you feel, even if you want to Nancy: Especially when you want to, like Rio: Oh, no no Rio: It really isn't like that Rio: like, I hear what you're saying on all that but that's not what that was Nancy: You and him aren't Nancy: I don't know how to word it now Nancy: But he looks at you like Nancy: And you're always tilting your phone away for someone Rio: Not him Rio: I wouldn't lie, I'm not saving myself from anything at this point, if that was going on I'd tell you Rio: He wanted it to and, yeah, I knew that before this baby shower but I didn't lead him on or encourage him Nancy: Okay, well now I feel weird Nancy: Fuck, I'm sorry Nancy: I really projected there Rio: It's okay Rio: It'll be the general consensus and almost certainly how he'll frame it but no Nancy: It's not okay Nancy: He did that and I've been talking to you this way Nancy: Wow Rio: I mean, I don't think I did Rio: I thought he was good looking, sure and I tried harder with him than most of us did but Rio: I didn't actually want anything to happen, nor think it would Nancy: I'm as bad as him so there's nothing I can say Nancy: But I still think you'd know if you did or didn't Nancy: And if you didn't want anything to happen, the signals are there, even if you are that committed to only seeing what you wanna see Nancy: He can ignore them but like, you still gave them out Rio: Don't say that, you aren't like him at all Rio: You'd never do or say half the things he did Rio: especially when he had so much reason to know I wasn't interested, you're right Nancy: I mean, I did kiss someone who didn't want me to Rio: It is different, just by nature of what it is, was Rio: Should you have done it? 'Course not but there was never reason or chance for Sian to give out the clear no I did Rio: Because, well, you know Nancy: Yeah Nancy: If I thought for a second that she didn't want me to, I wouldn't Nancy: He clearly didn't have the same qualms about it Nancy: That's so disgusting Nancy: On levels that I can't even Rio: I know she won't be ready to hear it Rio: probably not ever from me Rio: but Ro is better off without him Rio: he's still dealing, which I think we all knew Rio: and I've seen him out, he isn't her Prince Charming, like Nancy: Me and mum have been saying it for as long as they've been together Nancy: As much as she'll talk about any of it to me Nancy: I've overheard more than she's probably ever said but Nancy: I feel like I can't tell her either 'cause it's like oh the man hating lesbian at it again Nancy: But he's just Rio: He really is Rio: and he isn't a good Dad Rio: maybe he'll be better for this one but, he isn't to Edie and Indie barely thinks of him that way either so Nancy: Poor Astrid Nancy: Maybe we can move Ro in with us now? I don't know Nancy: Like it's at a point that I'd move into Indie's room at hers if she'd let me Rio: I'm glad she's got you all around, she's going to need the help Rio: My Ma and all of them will be there too Nancy: Let's be honest, she would of even if he hadn't done this Nancy: Oh my god Nancy: I'm never having kids ever Rio: Yeah Rio: I was joking that that shower was effective contraception before but now Rio: fucking hell Nancy: It's made me not wanna have sex again and I can't even get pregnant so Nancy: Good lord Rio: Think that's the first time I've legitimately laughed since Rio: Oh babe Nancy: Rio? Rio: Yeah? Nancy: Where are you gonna be? 'Cause you said your family will all be there but Rio: I don't know, honestly Rio: but my job at the angel is coming to an end and then with all this Rio: I might try somewhere else, just for a bit Nancy: It worked for me Nancy: I'll miss you though Rio: I'll miss you too Rio: You're gonna be going soon too though, yeah? And June and Buster Rio: I don't want to be the only one left behind just 'cos I don't have the brains, like Nancy: We'd never leave you behind Nancy: You can go in my place if you want, change the major to maths or something Nancy: I don't want to Rio: You've got to Rio: You're just scared, but it'll be incredible, and the right thing for you, most importantly Nancy: I'm really, properly scared whenever I think about it Nancy: What if it's worse than here 'cause I'm alone on top of everything else Nancy: I can't just change schools like I did before Rio: You can, like, that first year Rio: but you're not going to want to, it'll be nothing like School Nancy: Everything's changing so much, like you said Nancy: I'll even miss Buster, and what the fuck is that, like? Rio: He'll be wanting to visit all the time Rio: Me too, like Nancy: I need to see where I can get accepted first, slow down you two Rio: You so will though Rio: World's your oyster Nancy: Yours too Nancy: And we still have Milan, yeah? Rio: Romantic 😉 Rio: but yeah, I've not drank away my funds or anything drastic yet Nancy: I was gonna say I love you, but I'll keep it to myself now, fine 😏 Rio: New drama alert Rio: they'll not survive Nancy: Don't Nancy: I can't handle any more Nancy: It hurts so much, doesn't it? Rio: It does Rio: got to believe that was rock bottom though Rio: can't get any worse, only way is up, all that shite Nancy: God, I hope so Nancy: Give us a break Rio: Backatcha Rio: No more scandals from either of us, right? Nancy: It's my brother's fucking turn Nancy: While I'm on the subject, can I ask you something? Rio: Sure Nancy: Why pick him for a getaway driver? Of all of us Nancy: I know what he said but Nancy: I'm not saying it's the weirdest part of this, but I'm also not saying it isn't Rio: Gays can't drive, right? Nancy: I'm a walking stereotype, alright, emphasis on the walking Rio: 😂 Rio: Exactly Nancy: Tell him not to spend every euro on himself, yeah? Nancy: Nobody needs to eat out every night in a new look Rio: I did drag him to Skerries, no doubt the response but I'll let him know Nancy: He loves it don't let him deny it Nancy: Even if he did nearly drown 🙄 Rio: Another touchy subject Nancy: When his ego is involved, if you aren't stroking it you're asking for trouble Nancy: Boys ugh Rio: Don't need to tell me, babe Nancy: I won't bother telling you that girls are far superior Nancy: What do I know? Rio: Is it? 😏 Nancy: Can you please come back soon so I don't have to drink alone Nancy: I need my wingwoman back Rio: 'Course Rio: London is on my list of maybes so might even meet you there, like Nancy: Yeah? Nancy: If you run into Chlo, you know what to do Rio: Absolutely Rio: Doubt I'm affording her postcode but I'll drop by with the 👊 Nancy: You doesn't even have that much money, she just acts like it Rio: If I can take any life lessons from the bitch, like Nancy: As long as you stop there and don't take fashion tips too Nancy: I still have to be seen with you in Milan, like Rio: 😂 Where's the lie Rio: she was stalking me a while back, bizarrely so I was petty and did some myself and yikes Nancy: I try not to be that bitch but I HATE her so much Nancy: Oh? How and why? Rio: Understandable Rio: I reckon she keeps tabs on us all, she's like weirdly obsessed with you and your Brother Rio: idk, she double-tapped by mistake, amusing Nancy: Gross Nancy: But I was the one who fancied her, okay babe sure Nancy: I bet she tries to look up all of Buster's conquests still, good luck with that Nancy: I'm invested and even I gave up years ago Rio: Honestly Rio: ain't in a mood to be talking about ladies who doth protest too much but well Rio: look what you made me do Chloe Nancy: Her and Drew should start a club and get jackets Rio: She'd love that Rio: get rid of 'em both in one, bit hopeful perhaps but worth a shot Nancy: I try never to feel any sympathy for my brother ever, but she really drove me there Rio: It was fucked Nancy: It's messed his head up Nancy: I can see how sad he is Rio: I know Rio: but he'll be alright Rio: we all will Nancy: Yeah Rio: I promise Rio: hit me with a more enthusiastic yeah thanks Nancy: yeah!! Nancy: I miss you already Rio: You're cute Nancy: Try and control yourself though Nancy: No drama, remember? Rio: 😂 Rio: It ain't gotta be drama baby Nancy: Are you gonna divorce yourself from our bloodline so we aren't cousins? Nancy: Quite drastic but I like it Rio: That's just the kind of dedication you can expect from me Rio: What can I say? Nancy: No other girl has ever gone that hard for me Nancy: So thanks Rio: Should hope not Rio: 👀 up the sibs now Nancy: 😂 Nancy: On the dedication scale in general, babe Rio: Whatever you say, McKenna Nancy: What I should say is that I have so much homework to do Nancy: Which I gotta since you won't let me skip 😒 Rio: Unlucky babe Nancy: As you're also insisting I'm uni bound I better stop complaining and just do it Nancy: So high maintenance you are 😏 Rio: Obviously Rio: always about that sugar Nancy: Don't be a stranger, like Nancy: And don't start preferring the other twin, yeah?
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