#see y’all when season 6 drops

[sazernac]

The way Serena and June’s eyes connect despite the vast number of people between them on the train is👌. Then Serena’s little (I knew you’d come back to me) smirk paired with June’s (I wanna fuck kill you) eyebrow raise at the end was just delicious.

P.S…whoever chose bury a friend as the closing song…I see you!

[whateverisbeautiful]

♥️Reveling in Richonne - TOWL

 #6: The Gone (1.01)

gif cred: @arabellas

After the meeting with Okafor, Pearl walks alongside Rick and says she’ll end him if he refers to them as 'we' again. And as their conversation continued, with some mistrust between them, this was a scene that let Lesley-Ann Brandt's talent shine. 👏🏽 Later, Pearl also drops some pivotal information when Rick learns that the secrets he's been trying to keep about himself and his family aren't so secret to Okafor😬...

So as they walk, Pearl stops and explains how she got here, giving some insight into her backstory and character. Then she says she knows why Rick’s done all the intense things he’s done like trying to escape and cutting off his hand. She says it’s the same reason she did what she did, declaring “There’s someone you love out there.” And ding ding ding. She’s right on the money. 👌🏽

I like how characters, without even knowing about Richonne, can tell that Rick’s in love - like Pearl saying there’s someone he loves in this moment and Negan in the season 7 finale telling Rick, "You just lost somebody important to you."

gif cred: @riickgrimes

When Pearl brings up the someone that Rick loves, Rick’s response is interesting as he looks away like he's thinking 'I don’t want to talk about this with anyone but the portraitist.'

Pearl says she’s accepted that she won’t ever see her person again because she knows her person doesn’t want her to die. It’s interesting because Michonne of course feels the same about not wanting Rick to do anything here that could lead him to die.

But I think Rick also knows the way Michonne believes they have to keep fighting the fight no matter the numbers or odds. So just as Pearl stopped trying to escape cuz her person would want that, Rick has to keep trying to fight and break free because Michonne would want that for him. 

As the convo continues, Pearl says this is all she has left and the life she had before is all gone. Which RIP to your life before, Pearl, but Rick’s family is still out there so y’all are not the same. But Pearl thinks they are the same as she tells Rick, “This is all you have left too.”

gif cred: @msanonships

Then Pearl seems to get a little too personal when saying, “The person you are trying to get back to…” because Rick cuts her off quick and is playing no games in tone nor facial expression when he looks at Pearl and says “Hey, she’s not gone.”

I love that he says this with so much conviction, refusing to entertain anything else cuz they’re the ones who live.

gif cred: @msanonships

Rick believes in Michonne so much. He knows she’s a true survivor and that she’s still out there. Both Rick and Michonne can feel each other out there. 

Then, more vulnerably but still with conviction Rick says, “They’re not gone.” It’s vulnerable because it’s letting Pearl know he’s missing his love and someone else too - his daughter. 🥺

gif cred: @nat111love

Then I love the writing and Lesley's delivery of Pearl saying “She isn’t. They aren’t. We are.” as Rick looks like he’s more freshly taking in that perspective.

It reminds me of Rick’s final TWD ep when Sasha tells him his family isn’t lost after he says he needs to find them. In some ways, his family is the one who needs to find him now cuz he’s the one who's gone. But I don’t think Rick considered a scenario where they’d be looking for him like he’s looking to get back to them. 

Rick had found solace in telling himself his family is still out there and they’re not gone but in this moment he’s hit with the fact that to his family he is gone. His family can’t say with as much conviction ‘he’s not gone’ cuz they genuinely don’t know. And that’s gotta be painful for Rick to have to think about this from the lens that he’s likely just gone to them.

gif cred: @nat111love

Even tho fortunately he’ll learn that his wife, daughter, and even the son he didn’t know he had were still believing he wasn’t gone forever. And while he was gone for years, he was never forgotten by them.

Also, the word 'gone' is interesting because it can also be like a figurative 'gone.' In losing every connection that made him who he is, old Rick is gone in a sense.

And so to stop being gone to his family, Rick hatches a plan for escape number 5, and this time he wants to make the CRM think he’s gone…onto glory. 

gif cred: @andy-clutterbuck

Rick jogs and tells Michonne more about the CRM alliance. He says, “The world is so much bigger than we knew, Michonne. So much better and so much worse.” And I love that he’s still finding ways to go through this expanding world with her.

gif cred: @andy-clutterbuck

Also, this is the first time we get to hear Rick say her name within these letters, and Rick saying ‘Michonne’ is always music to my ears. 🥰

gif cred: @nerd4music

As his world expands, it's interesting because he’s acknowledging that the world is bigger, better, and worse and yet it still mostly feels like a confined and suffocating place for him because he’s not with her.

gif cred: @nerd4music

Beale joins Rick on the bench and Rick quickly salutes him, playing the part of a fully conformed soldier. Beale reveals Okafor bombed 4,000 marines at Lincoln Field and how he switched sides. Rick says he did too in a way. Beale basically says that they probably would have just killed Rick but Okafor made a compelling argument on his behalf.

In their convo, Beale looks into Rick's eyes and asks if Okafor is up to something and he and Rick say no at the same time. Rick then repeats no. Beale also asks how Rick survived and he says sacrifice. Rick on a larger scale and a more literal scale really did survive by sacrifice. When he sacrificed himself on that bridge it led him to wash ashore near Jadis and get the medical care he needed, so sacrifice really is why he's alive.

Beale acknowledges how Rick tried to escape four times and asks if he’s here now because he wants to kill or die or try to escape again. I like Rick looking at Beale and saying “Look in my eyes, sir. You tell me.”

gif cred: @riickgrimes

Beale looks in his eyes and seems satisfied for the moment so he says he’s just gonna sit here and enjoy the view with Rick. And Rick sorta looks bummed because his bench time is where he gets to just have some alone time and more than likely daydream about Michonne in pretty outfits. 😋

gif cred: @andy-clutterbuck

Rick’s letter continues and he tells Michonne how everything was about secrets in this place but all he cared about was holding onto his secrets. Those secrets entailing where he’s from and who he’s lost. And again I like how Rick is telling Michonne all the CRM’s secrets. 😊

So as Rick maps out his fifth escape plan looking fine as can be in different black fits - and yes I’m going to make note of that often 😋 - we see him putting the plan together interspersed with playing poker with Pearl and winning. He’s so determined and I love to see it. 

gif cred: @andy-clutterbuck

Then Rick pays a visit to Esteban at an idyllic park. Seeing the park makes me think this is part of why one of Rick’s alternate universes with Michonne is them falling in love at a park. I also noticed there’s people with signs that say ‘CRM transparency now’ planting the seed that people are already itching to see a change in the CRM.

gif cred: @andy-clutterbuck

Rick and Esteban hug and have a friendly moment before sitting down so that Rick can ask for his insider info to help with his escape. Rick says he needs Esteban to tell him where a certain tunnel leads and Esteban is hesitant but Rick earnestly says “I have to keep trying. I’m getting there. I’m getting home.” And the way he says that just hits my heart. He’s still so adamant to not give up on being back with his family.

And then my heart breaks to hear Rick say “Or I’m dying. That’s it.” For Rick, there’s no option to live without them so he either breaks free or literally dies trying. If he can't gain his family back he's willing to lose his life. 😢

gif cred: @andy-clutterbuck

Esteban says he can’t tell him anything but still finds a way to tell Rick everything he needs to know by telling him what he specifically can’t tell him and I really love seeing Rick’s small smile when he realizes Esteban is helping him. There’s a moment where he has this tiny little smile that reminds me so much of RJ. It’s the cutest.

gif cred: @andy-clutterbuck

Like Rick Grimes Jr. really is Rick's mini-me. 😭

Esteban says another thing he’d tell Rick is that he gets why he’s doing what he’s doing as he seemingly looks back at the girl he’s met within the Civic Republic. Esteban gets that when you find someone you love, you can’t just let them go.

I really appreciate Esteban telling Rick he doesn’t have to die and then adamantly urging him not to die. And Rick smiles again feeling like he’s now closer than ever to getting home. It was nice to see Rick have a friend and get a win. 

gif cred: @andy-clutterbuck

So then Rick continues finalizing his plan and that moment when he puts on all his gear and dog tags in the mirror…fine all the time, what can I say. ❤️‍🔥

Rick lays out the plan to Michonne of how he aimed to fake his death with a walker body. He says, “There’s no escape for the living. So I had to make sure they thought I was dead.” 

Then during an outing with the CRM, Rick comes so close to (hotly) escaping but a walker approaches and he has to take multiple out before seeing a little screaming girl. Rick is ticked that this has all put a wrench in his plan, but he knows he has to save the little girl.

gif cred: @andy-clutterbuck

So he runs to take out the walkers, even tho I notice he does have a small moment of debating whether to just continue with his plan. But of course, he’s a good man so he helps the girl. I did observe he’s not as parental as he normally is with little kids like Judith, Sophia, etc., and it just reminds me he’s had to be so far removed from that dad side of himself. 

When he struggles to take down a walker, Pearl takes care of the rest and says she saw the whole thing. The little girl says Rick killed her mommy and Pearl assures that Rick is a good man and they’re from a good place. Pearl says they’re all going to go back but you can just see in Rick’s watery eyes how much he is itching to follow through with his escape plan. He’s so close.

gif cred: @rcsitastark

He reminds Pearl that she said to ask for help and so now he’s asking for her help in letting him just slip away and get out of here. But Pearl firmly says “I am helping you. He would have found you and whoever you’re running to. He knows about you Grimes.”

I like the suspense in the way that’s worded as Rick is hit with the gut punch that while he thought he’d been holding onto his secrets, Okafor actually knows about the most important people to him.

gif cred: @clonecaptains

Rick's expression makes it clear this is news he feels he has to deal with urgently. Pearl says come on and Rick grabs his helmet with a scowl as he knows he can’t leave just yet because he needs to know exactly what Okafor knows. He also needs Okafor to know exactly who he’s dealing with.

And y’all, this next excellently acted moment is where Okafor more officially gets to meet the famous Rick Grimes - the man, the myth, the legend, and most of all the fiercely protective husband and father. 😌👌🏽

[alister312]

Recently, some official South Park merch was released in claw machines across Japan! Since one of the designated machine locations was relatively near where I live, I made a weekend trip of it and thought it would be fun to share a bit of it with y’all 🥰 This will mostly focus on the info about the plushies but also touch a bit on the place I went to to get them. Read on if you’re interested!

Thanks to a tip from my good pal @allymumu, I learned about two different South Park claw machine merch drops happening in March. First were these plastic cases:

As well as these plushie keychains:

None of the machines carrying the plastic cases were anywhere near me, however one machine with the plushie keychains was! So I decided to head over to AruAru City (a 6 floor mall devoted entirely to anime/manga/games that houses the Kitakyushu Manga Museum) in Kokura to try my hand at winning these guys.

Once there, the claw machine was actually incredibly difficult to locate. I searched around for a while along with my friend who joined me on this trip. Eventually, we had to ask an employee where the machine was.

As you can see, it definitely needed to be pointed out!

Claw machines in Japan aren’t usually stuffed with prizes so when we got to it, there were only 3 of the 4 plushies available to win at a time, with employees restocking whenever the machine ran out.

This was actually perfectly fine for me because I hadn’t been planning on trying to win Towelie. Sorry to all the Towelie stans out there but I don’t care that much for him 😅 Crane games are just as much about luck as they are skill so I didn’t want to waste any more money than necessary. Plus, the claw machine was small and close to the ground, so it was kind of uncomfortable crouching down and playing at it for an extended period of time.

Surprisingly, getting Kenny and Stan was relatively easy! Probably 5-6 tries each.

Which, at ¥100 (~$0.66 USD) a try, is a reasonable amount to spend.

Butters, however… well, he lived up to his name and kept slipping out of the claw every time I got a grip on him. I’d prefer not to specify exactly how much I spent trying to get him but let’s just say it was a lot 😭 My friend was able to win him for herself though so I do have a picture of all the boys!

They’re very soft and well made, perfectly palm sized 🥰 The elastic feels a little short sometimes if you plan on looping the entire plush through it to attach it to something (I did this with my belt loop to carry them around with me) but with some squishing they get through just fine.

Since going on a trip just to win some plushies seems a bit crazy, my friend and I visited some other cool places in Kokura the next day! Of course, the plushies came with us. ケニーちゃんはかわいいプリンセス��から, I of course brought him to Kokura Castle.

Then basically right down the street is the TOTO Museum, a museum dedicated to the company TOTO. However, since TOTO specializes in toilets, this place is more colloquially known as the Toilet Museum. Considering Stan’s last season trauma surrounding Japanese toilets, I thought it would help give him closure or something to learn their history.

All in all, a very fun and rewarding trip! I really hope there’s more claw machine merch drops relatively soon. If there are and I can go, I promise to share the info with y’all just like this! Hope you enjoyed 💕

[d0not-disturb]

Art reqst

Human grumbots

But its all the different grumbots

Oldest is ofc the first, maybe the mentally ill one (cause mumbo and grian locked him up in an island)

Buddy I already posted all the human Grumbot designs dawg

But might as well drop some lore while I’m at it

Oldest- Grumbot (OG from Season seven) “human” name: Luan Ronnie Jumbo (dreamslayer)

For his middle name I picked Ronnie because it means ruler (he pretty much parents his brothers) , and advice (literally his purpose), also Ronnie is such a good name tbh

Middle children- Grumbot Prime and Emperor Grumbot both from season 9, I made them twins since they don’t have a canon age difference unlike Grumbot and Jrumbot who were also made in the same season but have a canon age difference, grian literally saying Jrumbot was grumbots little brother. “Human” names: Parker Charles Jumbo (dreamslayer) for Grumbot Prime, and Emmett Oliver Jumbo (dreamslayer) for Emperor Grumbot

For the twins, their middle names correspond to who they are most like, so Parker is more like Grian and Emmett is more like Mumbo

Youngest- Jrumbot (also from season 7) “human” name: Archie Ryan Jumbo (dreamslayer)

Okay for the middle name he’s named after Scar because he is in fact the only jumbo kid who actually likes him, lazy ik but still

OKAY SO HOW THEY BECAME HUMAN:

No this isn’t the birds and the bees lesson because THEY WERENT MADE THAT WAY. So Xisuma started to notice how these MASSIVE robots were like conquering the hermitcraft multiverse (which apparently is canon) and killing a crap ton of people, specifically Scar, so he looked into it and turns out! They are Mumbo and Grian’s kids so he walked up to them one day and said, “take care of ya sons” so they go after them, or Xisuma forces them to, they fight and fight, and grian uses this BIG ASS spell that would turn the grumbots into their weakest form, which is human children (low key insulting to us humans ngl)

So they come back and Xisuma sees them like disheveled with like four crying little kids on them and he’s like, let’s take it one at a time mkay? So he takes the younger kids, and makes it so they won’t be ‘born’ until Grian and Mumbo Are ready for another kid because going from no kids to four kids in the span of 2 weeks is crazy

How does he do this? Well he genetically modifies them so that they revert back to just eggs that won’t hatch until exposed to heat, so he keeps them locked up in a freezer until the time is right

Ngl that sounds bad but trust me it’s not

Anyway grian and Mumbo soon realize they can’t really raise a kid none the less four on the hermitcraft server since there are no schools, hospitals, clinics, daycares, playgrounds, etc, and they panic cause they don’t wanna leave, so Xisuma adds a small sub server attached to the hermit craft server called, “the hermit suburbs” were people can live normal lives while still being hermits, and eventually more hermits and even some folks from empires and the life series go and live there and still go on the hermitcraft server.

So that’s where Grian and Mumbo raise the rest of those weird robot human hybrids

also after 2 years of Grian and Mumbo taking care of Luan, they are like, “yeah we can take another now” and then Xisuma gives them the twins and they are like “why are there two” and Xisuma is like, “I want this to be over with as soon as possible so I’m just giving you two deal with it” and so they just deal with it, but they soon realize how much more work it is, since the twins are VERY bad babies, what I mean is they cry all the time, don’t eat food they don’t like, don’t get dressed without a fight , etc, and so they wait 6 YEARS when they are almost teenagers to get the final egg, which is Archie, who is the best by far.

So that explains the age gap if you were wondering

Alright that’s all the lore y’all’s are getting DONT get attached

[tallulahneale]

Title: You play too much

Pairing: Vince staples x fem!reader

Summary: Home girl who loves to get ate but doesn’t suckie suckie and wants to prove Vince wrong.

Word count: 1k

a/n: Where are all the Vince Staples lovers at?!?!

Tagline: “I’m not selfish”

Friday night and all the guys on your roster had served their purpose. Eating you out. You enjoyed it more than any other intimate act. So with nothing to do, you hit up your homeboy Vince. You and Vince go back since kindergarten, kinda drifted apart during high school but y’all reconnected during college.

You check the time, 5:18pm. “It’s not that late and chick-fil-a has drive-in perfect!” You thought to yourself. You reach for your phone to call Vince, he’s a homebody so you know he’ll be down to kick it with you.

*Ring ring*

“Hello?” Vince answers.

“Can you pick up some chick-fil-a pleaseeee? I’m peckish and bored.”

“Hello to you too nigga. Get you some manners”

You pause. You know he’s serious and you don’t like that.

“…”, ignoring what he said.

“… y/n, I know you can hear me” he continues, sounding unbothered.

“I want ice tea this time please. Ohh and the new honey pepper sandwiches! Thank youuu”

“Why you always like this bruh? FYI, you need some salad in your diet…”

“Hey! Be Nice!”

“Says the person that can’t even say hello.”

This nigga always doing the most, you thought to yourself.

“You’re coming over anyway so I’ll say hello when you get here. Killing two birds with one stone.” You replied smartly.

“Whatever cuh, I’ll be at yours around 6.”

“Okay; thank youuuu! Byeeee!”

“See you so-“

*Click*

You cleaned up around the flat and went to freshen up. Changing into your nightgown, the one that kept granny pregnant and all her bills paid! It’s extra comfy and you didn’t want to tease Vince. Recently, he’s been calling you out on a lot of your bs and you didn’t want to hear it today. Plus you knew you weren’t going out, once Vince came you’ll probably watch movies till you fall asleep.

The buzzer rings and you press the intercom, already knowing it’s Vince. You look at your outfit one more time to make sure you look presentable.

*Knock knock*

You open the door and see the bag of food on your welcome mat.

“I know damn well he didn’t just drop my food on the mat like I’m a raccoon.”

Vince jumps out the corner, startling you.

“Vince! Don’t do that! You know how I be spazzing out!” You give him a hug, “How have you been?”

Vince picks up the bags and follows you in.

“I’ve been good you know. Just getting ready for the Black in America Tour and the new season of the show, you know the usual.”

“I hear that! I’m hella excited for all of it, you really deserve all and more!”, you beam.

“I really appreciate that and you too cuh. You the homie for real.” He said giving you a hug before settling down on the couch.

“You’re welcome. You can pick what to watch, I’ve just been watching re-runs and I’m bored of them too.”

“Alright, but don’t complain when I pick one of my favourite 80s show.”

You grab a plate and a tray for the food. Just as you set it on the table, you hear your phone ringing. You check to see Peter Peter pumpkin eater calling. Vince sees it too and shakes his head. “Here we go again”, you thought to yourself.

“Why are you shaking your head like that?” You ask, knowing he’s about to say the truth that you’ve been avoiding.

Vince stares straight at you with an unimpressed expression “Why you save his name like that?” He says.

“You know why V, don’t make me say it.”

Sometimes you feel shy talking about intimate things with him, maybe because you know he’s cute but he’s your homeboy and you want to respect that boundary.

“First of all, that’s weird because the story is about a husband whose wife cheats and doesn’t know how to keep her. Secondly, I’ve seen Marcus the muncher, Louis the licker and Simon the sucker all call you before. Y/N you are creative af but you’re still wrong for all that.”

“You bet not be judging me like you don’t have a list of girl names saved worse and anyway, why you be looking at my phone. Mind your business sometimes” you say, feeling heated and a bit embarrassed.

“I know you’re still doing the “get licked and get kicked” out. Selfish ass.”

“I’m not selfish!” You exclaim.

“…”

“… I’m not! Quit tryna get me to feel guilty. You know what, I’mma prove you wrong. Tired of you being all high and mighty.”

You go to sit down on the couch right beside him, staring shyly into his eyes. He looks back at you with an intense smouldering expression. You’re not sure what he’s thinking so you ignore it. You gently run your fingertips across his bare arms, tracing his veins which draw your attention more than usual. You wink at him again before looking away. You bend over, arching your back closer to his zip, slowly pulling down, you realise that his little big friend is awake. Just as you’re about to pull it out, you look up and whisper to him…

“I told you I’m not selfish.”

You smirk and sip your ice tea.

——The End——

[rfsak2]

Spitfire, Pt. 6

Hello friends! This was fun to write. A lot of stuff happened this season so I’m worried it’s a bit disjointed. Hope you enjoy it.

Drop me a line and like if you do!

Spitfire, Pt. 6

Everyone always thought Daryl was the rough one. DarylxOC

Warnings: violence, emotions, injuries, smut under the cut, lots of bad language words

Part 5

**

“Alright.” Daryl drawled. “Got four of them pricks coming our way.”

“Y’all know what to do. Go for their eyes first. Then their throats.” Rick wrapped his belt around his hand and nodded to Mitzi. “Mitzi, if we can’t get free, see if you can shake them up. Take one out.”

Daryl grunted, shaking his head. He pulled her back into him, arm around her waist.

“Hey.” She turned and pressed her lips to his cheek. “It’s okay. I got this.”

“Nah. No way.” He shook his head. “Yer all beat up.”

She nodded. “I’ve had worse and I’ll make it quick. Those dicks won’t see me comin’. They’re too used to things going their way, people rollin’ over and showin’ their bellies.”

He pressed his forehead to hers. “I can do it.”

“Baby, we need to get outta here.” She caught his eyes and held them. “They think they got us cornered. That the threat is eliminated because they took our weapons. I’m gonna show them they have nothin’. Besides, it’ll be more shockin’ for me to do it.”

Daryl sighed and nodded. “A’ight.”

They all arranged themselves in a semi-circle around the door.

“Put your backs to the walls on either side of the car now.”

Mitzi cussed when the sky opened up above her, she could hear someone gasp to her side. 

The men above threw in a flash bang, Abraham shouting for everyone to ‘move!’. She ignored him, averting her eyes and squatting to cover her head with her arms. 

When the flash was over, she straightened, head ringing, and settled back into some sort of a fighting stance. The door opened slightly, a beam of light breaking through the smoky darkness, and she moved quickly to stand next to the main door. 

Two men entered cautiously and she waited until one was inside before throwing herself at him. Using the smoke to get in behind him, she kicked at the back of his knees and reached around to break his neck as he fell to them.

There was stunned silence from behind and she turned over her shoulder to look down at them, smiling. “That all ya got?”

There was a flurry of activity above her, cussing and frantic steps on the metal.

“Fuck, they’re supposed to all be out!”

“How is she still awake?” 

She turned to the one who had entered behind the corpse now lying still at her feet. 

He held up his hands only to be dragged out by a third man. She could vaguely see them watching her through the smoke and moved to stand over the dead man’s head. 

A second later, both men reentered the train car, after some hesitation she noted, and one raised a gun to her head. Through his gas mask, she saw him swallow. “Back up. Against the wall.”

She did, head tilted at a cocky angle, and held her hands up as she pressed back towards where Daryl lay on the floor, standing over him protectively.

Two more men reached in and dragged the dead man out, more than likely to prevent her checking him for weapons. 

The man holding her at gunpoint shook. “Let’s take her too.”

Daryl groaned, shaking his head as if to clear it, hand reaching up to her thigh. “Don’t fuckin’ touch her.”

She grabbed his hand, watching the now trio of men inch closer to her.

The leader, a man standing just outside the train car, shook his head, nodding at where Glenn lay prone. “No. Stick to protocol. Men first.”

One of the three in the car moved toward Glenn and she shoved forward.

“Back off.” The man shot at her feet in front of her, expecting her to flinch or back off. When she didn’t, her eyes meeting his wide eyes behind his mask, he swallowed again. 

“F-fuck.”

“Stick to protocol, don’t let her rattle you.”

“I’m already fuckin’ rattled, man!” He grunted frustrated. “I know why we take the men first. I get that it’s because they pose the biggest risk. But she just killed someone with her bare hands. She’s killed four of us now.” He pressed closer to her, barrel almost touching her forehead. “We need to take her out too.”

“I said no.” 

“Don’t worry, sugar. I’m sure I’ll prove you right soon.” Mitzi grinned. “You hurt any of my family and you can expect t’see me again. And the next person I take out, won’t go out so painlessly.” 

“J-just keep your back against the wall.”

She chuckled. “Y’all are battin’ outta your league with us.”

The leader motioned at Bob next, then Rick. When all three men were out, coughing on the concrete, the leader turned back to her. “Now the archer.”

She knocked the pistol out of the hand of the man holding her at gunpoint and shoved the heel of her palm up into his nose. There was a sick crunch and he slumped lifelessly. She lurched forward for the gun, one of the two remaining moved in and hit her over the face with the butt of his rifle. She shot up and nailed him in the face with a quick right hook before his companion shoved her back against the wall, gun to her cheek. 

“Fuckin’ stay there, bitch.”

Daryl was calmer than she expected when they pulled him to his feet. He looked back at her and shook his head.

**

“I’m fine.” Mitzi groaned as she lowered herself onto a log. “Really, I’m good, just stiff.”

Daryl grunted. “Y’can barely walk. Don't tell me you're good.”

“First, that's a gross overstatement of the facts.” She smiled and knocked her forehead against his. “Second: baby, I’m fine.”

He ignored her and pressed at her knee. “It’s swollen.”

“You’re swollen.” She groused and jumped when she felt another set of hands on her shoulder. 

Carol tsked at her, feeling around her bruised shoulder. “You popped it back in yourself?”

She sighed and nodded. “Wasn’t the first time. It’s no big deal.”

Rick chuckled. “I’m not gonna lie, the number of women I personally know who can reset their own joints… makes me vaguely uncomfortable.” 

There was a faint smattering of noises of agreement. Rick paused and turned to Michonne. 

She nodded. “A couple of times, at least.”

Eugene nodded. “Women have been statistically proven to better tolerate pain and to have more flexible joints.” He paused. “But then, they are also shown to have higher density of pain receptors, thereby feeling said pain more intensely.”

Mitzi arched an eyebrow at him. “Thanks, Eugene.”

He nodded sharply.

Daryl nodded at Carol. “She’s got some goose eggs on her head, a black eye startin’ up, and coupla broken ribs, haven’t had a chance to set n’wrap ‘em.”

Carol nodded at Daryl and shifted to feel at her eye socket then moved to the back of her head as Daryl started lifting her shirt, checking her ribs as gently as he could. 

“We shouldn’t wrap them. Doctors used to, but it’ll make it hard for her to breathe. It could collapse her lung.” Maggie pulled an old torn piece of tent from her pack. “We can use this to make her a sling, though.”

Carol sucked at her lip. “We should take her shirt off.” Daryl looked up at her, questioning. “We need to check, make sure the bruising isn’t getting worse. It could tell us if she’s bleeding internally.”

“Can we stop talkin’ like I ain’t here?” When she was ignored, she huffed. “Is this really necessary?”

“Yes.” Carol brushed her knee against Mitzi’s side. 

Mitzi sucked in a breath, hand instinctively gripping at her side. 

“Are you in pain?” Carol knelt to look at her, batted her eyes at her.

“When did you get so mean?” Mitzi chuckled breathlessly. 

Carol blew her a kiss. She turned back to Daryl. “Did you see her side before Terminus?”

“Yeah. I saw it.” Daryl gently helped Mitzi pull her shirt over her head, Carol supporting her as she slumped forward. He shifted so he was blocking most of the group’s view of her. “Could be kinda difficult to tell though, with all’a her tattoos.”

“You do have a lot of tattoos.” Carol re-examined her shoulder as Daryl checked her side. 

“Had money and time to burn.” Mitzi tried to shrug and thought better of it. “Found a tattoo artist I clicked with and I was off to the races.” She grinned at Daryl and then up at Carol. “Is this a bad time for a threesome joke?”

Daryl pegged her with a hard look. “Stop it.”

Rick chuckled despite himself, shaking his head. “Mildred Elizabeth. There are children present.”

Maggie bit her lip, smiling. “Is it getting harder to breathe at all?”

Mitzi rolled her eyes. “Not when people ain’t pushin’ and proddin’ at me.”

Daryl clenched his jaw, clearly not amused. “Wouldn’t have to poke n’prod if y’didn’t act like a fuckin’ fool.”

“Baby-”

He shook his head and ran his thumb gently over her torso. “Looks th’same.”

It took twice as long to attempt to get her back into her t-shirt. When that failed, Daryl shook his head and pulled one of his button-ups out from his pack. When she was dressed, overlong sleeves rolled up to her elbows as best as possible, Maggie moved in with her hand-fashioned tent sling. 

Mitzi shook her head. “Oh, come on.”

Carol helped keep Mitzi still as Maggie arranged the blue and green tarp sling around her shoulders. Daryl gently fed her arm through the hole and settled her elbow in the corner. 

They all stepped back to survey their work.

“How am I supposed to hold a gun?” She huffed, pouting up at Daryl.

Daryl made a face right back. “You ain’t.” He handed Sasha the M110. “Sasha’s gonna hold your gun.”

Sasha shouldered it, fighting off a smile. “I’ll take good care of it.”

Mitzi sighed, nodding. “Yeah, I know.” She looked around her. “Where’s my bag?” 

Daryl held up his pack. “I’ve already added your pack to mine. You gonna focus on walkin’ and nuthin’ else.”

“D-“

“No.” He shook his head, shouldered his pack and wrapped his arm around her uninjured side, lifting her as gently as he could. “Y’made the decision to act a fool and now you’re payin’ the price.”

Carol nodded, steadying Mitzi on her feet. “Can’t do bed rest, but a strict three to four weeks of no lifting, or carrying-“

Daryl added. “Or firin’, or climbin’-“

Glenn grinned. “Or running, or jumping, or punching, or kicking, or repelling-“

Rick joined in, infinitely amused. “And no cussin’.” Mitzi turned to glare at him. “Believe it or not. Helps in healin’.”

She scoffed. “Judith has heard more cussin’ from your mouth, Richard, than she has from mine.” She sucked her tongue. “Using my full fuckin’ government name.”

“Actually.” Eugene fiddled with his hands. “Cussing has been shown to increase the release of endorphins thereby increasing pain tolerance.”

She stuck her tongue out at Rick. “So there.”

“Wait!” Tara stepped forward and shone a flashlight in her eyes.

Mitzi reared back and groaned, Daryl letting her lean against him to regain her balance.

Mitzi let him steady her. “What was that for?”

Tara grinned. “Nothing, just wanted to be included.”

Mitzi gaped after her.

Abraham giggled. “The balls on this crew, my god!” He slapped his thigh. “That woman just took down two men, twice her size, bare-handed with a recently dislocated shoulder, a sprained-or whatever-knee, two broken ribs and what- a concussion? And y’all are fuckin’ with her like she’s harmless.”

Rick laughed, knuckling at her forehead. “She is harmless… for three to four weeks. Daryl’s gonna make sure of that.” 

Daryl bit back a smile as he tightened his arm around her waist to keep her from lurching forward. Carol tsked and grabbed her wrist when she tried to swat at Rick’s hand.

Michonne grinned. “Gotta get our licks in until she can chase us again.”

“Fuck all y’all.” Mitzi flicked Rick off, Daryl chuckling under his breath. “I will kill you in your sleep, Richard. Me n’Daryl will adopt Judith and Carl and we will call you Dick Grimes for the rest of my life.” 

Carl nodded. “Grimey Dick.”

“Yes!” She pointed at Carl. “I like where your head’s at.”

“And me?” Michonne smiled.

“Nuthin’, I like you too much.” She groused. “And I’m not sure I can take you one handed… so there’s that.”

Rick laughed and walked over to press a hard kiss to the top of her head. “Alright, let’s get movin’.” He turned to Carl, who grinned back cheekily. “And you, watch your language.”

As Daryl led her past them, Mitzi hooked her hand in Carl’s elbow, pulling him along with her. She turned over her shoulder and made a face. “Don’t be talkin’ to my boy like that.”

“Yeah, dad.” Carl stuck his tongue out at Rick. “Don’t be talkin’ to her boy like that.”

**

She kicked at a rock, bored, used to being on guard, gun in hand.

Daryl turned to her, walking backwards in front of her with his eyebrow arched. “Stop whinin’.”

“I ain’t said anythin’.” She glanced up at him. “I’m just bored.”

Daryl nodded and stopped her gently, hand on her uninjured shoulder. Abraham and Rosita passed them with small smiles.

Daryl tilted her head back, hand on her jaw and pressed his forehead against hers. “Y’died.”

She opened her mouth and he shook his head, laying his thumb over her lips.

“I didn’t think there was any way y’coulda survived. Y’died. And I get ya back, all bruised and beat up, and then y’go off n’throw y’self inta danger like y’don’t mean anythin’ t’anybody.”

She shook her head. 

He shushed her. “So you’re gonna rest.”

She sighed. “I’m not good at resting.”

“Mhmm. I got that.” He pressed a kiss to her forehead and turned to walk behind the group alongside her. 

They were silent for a few moments. She raked her hands through her hair and started picking at her fingers. “I wasn’t tryin’ to throw myself into danger.”

He nodded, reaching over for her hand to stop her picking. “I know.”

“Somethin’ needed to be done.” She sighed and leaned against his arm. “I just knew that I could do it.”

“I knew-know- y’ could do it too, prolly have done it, or somethin’ like it, a million times before all’a this.” He turned away from her, scanning his side of the forest. “But y’dont hafta and I’m gonna speak t’Rick ‘bout always askin’ ya to do this shit.”

“Baby, we need me to do the things I do.”

He shook his head, looking behind them before focusing back on her. “I need ya, Spitfire. With me. Alive. It doesn’t always hafta t’be you, my woman, my wife, in the line of fire. Sometimes, we can’t avoid it, know that, but-” He spared her a hard look. “I heard what y’told Carl when Lori died, it doesn’t always hafta be you. We’re part of a team, a family. There are other people who can help defend us. I can defend us.”

Mitzi nodded. “That’s fair.”

“Besides…” He hesitated. “I don’t want ya injured because of me again.”

She shook her head. “Baby, you're my husband. I will always have the instinct to step in when it comes to you.” 

“I don’t mean it that way.” He breathed out roughly. “I mean… this is m’fault.”

She frowned, looking down at the ground. “What’s your fault?” 

He shook his head. “I shouldn’t ‘ve left. I shoulda stayed and made sure y’were okay.”

She made a comforting noise and pressed against him. “D, you didn’t know I was alive.” 

“I shoulda checked.” He clenched his jaw. “You were lying’ in a pile’a ash n’ I just left’ya there.”

She pulled him to a stop. “Baby, you were fighting in a battle, a situation where stopping would’ve meant death-“

“N’I left ya there t’die!” He cast a look around them, up at Rosita and Abraham ahead of them. “I just gave up! Jus’ like I stopped lookin’ for that asshole. If I had found ‘im, none of this woulda happened.”

“You don’t know that.” She reached up with her uninjured hand and pulled his head down to hers. “Lotta things coulda happened. Y’wanna know the one thing that coulda changed what happened that day?”

He sighed, humming, noncommittal.

“If the Governor hadn’t done it. That’s the only thing that could’ve changed that day for sure.” She caught his eyes and held them. “I’m glad you didn’t wait, didn’t look for me. That you got Beth outta there.”

He scoffed at the mention of Beth. “And then lost her.”

She brushed the hair from his eyes. “D, you can’t control any of this. You can’t. Shit happens, shit happened. I know you fought like hell for Beth. I know you did. It’s not your fault that someone took her. Just like it’s not your fault that they tanked the guard tower or attacked the prison.”

He nodded and they started walking after the group. “If- When I figure out who took her…”

She looked up at him when he trailed off. 

“I’m gonna go get her.” He caught her eyes and held them.

She nodded. “‘Course.”

**

“I’d like to propose a toast.” Abraham stood, glass of wine in his bear paw of a hand, the glass looking dainty and breakable by comparison. “I look around this room and I see survivors. Each and everyone of you have earned that title. To the survivors!” 

Mitzi lifted her glass and touched it to Daryl’s as the other’s repeated the cheer.

“Is that all you wanna be?” Everyone settled again, eyes of Abraham. “Wake up in the morning, fight the undead pricks, forage for food, go to sleep at night with two eyes open, rinse and repeat?” Abraham glanced at all of them in turn. “‘Cause you can do that. I mean, you got the strength. You got the skill. Thing is, for you people, for what you can do, that’s just surrender. Now, we get Eugene to Washington and he will make the dead die and the living will have this world again. And that is not a bad takeaway for a little road trip.” 

He breathed deep before turning to address Eugene. “Eugene, what’s in DC?”

Eugene sat stiffly in his pew. He sighed. “Infrastructure constructed to withstand pandemics even of this FUBAR magnitude. That means food, fuel, refuge. Restart.”

Abraham smiled softly. “What do ya think?” He looked around and received a few nods. “However this plays out, however long it takes for the reset button to kick in. You can be safe there. Safer than you’ve been since this whole thing started.” He looked over at Rick. “Come with us. Save the world for that little one. Save it for yourselves. Save it for everyone out there, who doesn’t have anything left to do but survive.”

Judith cooed, babbling at Rick, who chuckled at her. “What was that?” He grinned, nodding at Daryl. “Daryl? Mitzi?”

She cast a glance at Daryl, who shrugged, then back at Rick. “I dunno, man… We do what you do, just faster, more efficiently and with more style.”

Daryl’s shoulder shook next to her. 

Rick covered Judith’s ears. “Screw you, Mildred Elizabeth Dixon.”

“Fuck you back, Richard Andrew Grimes.” Mitzi nodded. “Yeah, that’s right. I know your full name. What now, bitch?”

Rick chuckled, petting at Judith’s head. “How?”

“I happened to find a little somethin’.” She pulled out a wallet. There was a chorus of laughter and she opened it, showing the license picture to Daryl, who smiled. “What a baby-faced degenerate…”

Daryl passed it back to Glenn who reached for it. “Y’look even more like someone who goes by their full fuckin’ name without the beard.”

Mitzi chuckled. “Rick Grimes. I’m Rick Grimes.”

Glenn laughed. “What? Holy shit! You look so young.”

Rick, still smiling, turned to Carl. “You do that?”

Carl shrugged, making a zipping motion over his mouth.

Mitzi made a face. “First of all, I am an Army Ranger, I don’t need no one to get me nuthin’.”

Maggie chuckled. “So, he did.”

“I ain’t no snitch!”

Sasha laughed. “He absolutely did.”

Mitzi shrugged exaggeratedly.

Rick smiled down at Judith who was babbling again and nodded. “I think she knows what I’m gonna say… She’s in. If she’s in, we’re in.”

Abraham looked so relieved, he seemed to shrink. “Alright. Good.”

The conversation continued around them for a while after that, Mitzi finding her body growing increasingly heavy. Fighting back a yawn, she sat, drawing designs on Daryl’s jeans with an idle fingertip, leaning against his shoulder. 

“Go t’bed.” Daryl pressed a kiss to her head. “Y’ain’t gonna be able to go much longer without sleep.”

She swallowed a yawn, nodding. “A’ight.” She moved to lay her head in his lap, catching Carol sneaking out the door out of the corner of her eye and straightening.

Daryl made a noise in the back of his throat and Mitzi nodded. “She has been eyeing that door ever since she sat down.

“Gonna go figure out what’s goin’ on.”

Mitzi looked up at him and drew him down in a” kiss. “A’ight. Stay safe.”

He nodded and sneaked out. Mitzi settled back against the end of the pew, rearranging her and Daryl’s things, trying to take pressure off of her ribs. When she couldn’t get comfortable, she dug a pack of cigarettes out of Daryl’s bag. She stood, albeit stiffly, and nodded to Sasha. “Gonna go smoke.”

Sasha nodded. “Bob may be out there too. Can you look out for him?”

“Course.”

Mitzi settled onto the step with a low groan, sitting against the bannister to support the injured side of her body. Pulling a cigarette free from the pack with her lips, she lit it and settled as comfortably as she could.

The door opened and closed behind her, Abraham sitting next to her in short order. She considered him quietly, offering him a cigarette. He shook his head and they were silent for a long while.

“What do you think about going North?”

She blew out a stream of smoke. “DC is as good a place as any. The thought of going too close to a city makes me nervous, but if they go, if my family goes, I go.”

He smiled. “As good a place as any? Not sure about the cure?”

She tapped ash off of her cigarette. “Ain’t sure of anythin’ I can’t put my hands on. Call me a skeptic.”

He shook his head. “Pragmatic.”

“Horse of a different color.” She sucked on her cigarette. “Why do you believe?”

“I believe Eugene.”

She nodded. “I see that. Why do you believe him? He’s definitely the lab-type and he’s certainly intelligent, but what makes you believe him?”

He shrugged. “Feel it in my bones. This country isn’t done yet.”

She breathed out a faint chuckle. “So it’s patriotism you believe in, not Eugene. You believe in the institution that created Eugene.”

He considered that. “Maybe. Is that so bad?”

She smiled wryly at him. “No, not bad. My experiences say it’s naive, but not bad.”

He frowned. “Naive?”

“Naive.” She pulled a drag on her cigarette. She shook her head, blowing a smoke ring. “Look, man, I know you still believe and I don’t wanna ruin that for you, but I ain’t been there, not in years, well before all this shit. If I ever was.”

“What d’ya mean?”

“Patriotism. Doing what you can for the country.” She scuffed her toe in the dirt. “All that shit.”

He nodded. “With what you’ve seen-”

She shook her head. “Nothing t’do with that. Not really. Y’know when I got out of Basic, there was this group of enlisted dudes who regularly pooled their food stamps together?”

His head hung loose between his shoulders. “Yeah, I saw that too.”

“Politicians out spending billions on useless gadgets we didn’t even use because they were too expensive to risk losing and there are soldiers that can’t afford food.” She took another deep drag. “Hard to believe in an institution like that.”

“With all due respect.” He ran his hand down over his face. “Why did you join if not for God and Country?”

She hesitated, making a face. “Because I beat the shit out of my father and put him in the hospital for a month after his dealer killed my aunt. She was the only person aside from my brothers and my cousin who gave a shit about me.” She smiled and snubbed out her cigarette. “The military made it like it never happened. Come and kill people and we’ll pretend you never tried to kill your dad. Army or Jail.” She winced, huddling into her jacket. “Sorry to ruin the image.”

He grinned. “It’s still a pretty badass reason.”

She snorted. “If you say so.”

The door behind them slammed open and she jumped, wincing as she turned to watch Sasha run toward the cemetery. 

“What’s goin’ on?”

Sasha didn’t answer and Mitzi was struggling to her feet when Tyreese and Rick rushed past her. 

Rick turned and pointed at her. “Stay there. Daryl’ll fuckin’ kill me.”

She huffed and settled back down.

**

She felt Daryl settle next to her, pressing her back into the wall and facing out towards the barn door. 

She yawned and pressed up against him, winding her arms around him to dig under his shirt.

He grunted and grabbed one of her hands from under his shirt and threaded his fingers with her. She pressed a kiss to the back of his neck and hummed, nuzzling into him.

“Go back to sleep.”

“I will when you do.”

He hummed, lifted her hand to press a quick kiss to it.

She responded with a kiss of her own to the nape of his neck. “I love you.”

He nodded. “Love ya.”

She kept her voice low. “You are my favorite person in a group of my favorite people.”

He snorted.

“I will always remember Beth as someone who kept my favorite person alive so I could be with him again.”

He pressed his mouth to her skin again, and while she couldn’t see it, she could guess that his eyes were closed tight, trying to avoid falling tears where others could see him. He nodded. 

“I think if we ever have kids, one should be a Beth.”

He sucked in a breath discreetly. “A’ight.” He was quiet a long moment. “Yer middle name is Elizabeth. We could name ‘em after you n’her.”

She hummed, smiling against his back. “What’s your middle name? I realize I’ve never asked you.”

“William.”

The tone of his voice told her everything. She pressed a kiss to his back. “Are we gonna have a Daryl Jr.?”

He snorted. “No.”

“Why not?” She squeezed him. “We can call ‘em Little D. That’ll be cute.”

“Or we can name them somethin’ of their own.” He turned slightly over his shoulder to smirk at her. “Not make a kid carry my name.”

She scoffed. “You wanna name a kid after me but when I suggest naming your hypothetical son after you then all’a sudden it’s makin’ a kid carry your name.”

He chuckled. “You don’t go by Elizabeth, Mildred. And ‘sides we’re naming her after Beth.”

“Whatever. I’ll still find a way to name a kid after you. Dylan Dixon, Daniel Dixon, Declan Dixon. I actually like some of those.” She rubbed her face against his shoulder. “You ever wanted kids?”

He shrugged. “Never really thought ‘bout it. No reason to, before you.” He turned so he was facing her. She smiled and wiped at his face softly. “You?”

“Never really thought I’d be a good mom.” She shrugged. “My parents hated me and I think I assumed that I wouldn’t know what t’do with a kid of my own.”

He shook his head. “You’d be a good mom.”

“I think we’d do alright.” She moved his hair outta his face. “We may be a tad unorthodox and our kids would be interesting. But I think we’d do alright.”

He chewed on his lip. “Interestin’ how?”

She arched an eyebrow. “Let’s say we have a little one like you. Intense, focused, capable… Too serious for their own good…”

“Or one like you,” he wrapped an arm around her waist and brought her closer. “Bright, charmin’, passionate… a little tiny tornado in a human body.”

She smiled and pressed her nose to his briefly. “I ain’t charmin’.”

“Y’are.” He smiled softly. “Our kids are gonna be cool as fuck.” He kissed her softly chastely. “Don’t want ‘em yet though. Ain’t safe.”

She nodded. “No it ain’t. ‘Sides either gotta wait for my birth control to wear off or get someone to get it outta my arm.”

He frowned. “What d’ya mean?”

She hummed. “I’m on birth control. I thought I told ya about it.” He shook his head. “Never wondered why we ain’t had any pregnancy scares?”

He shrugged. “Neither of us live lives that are exactly stress-free. Figured that and nutrition mighta had somethin’ t’do with it.”

She chuckled. “Makes sense, but no, I have the birth control implant.”

He made a face. “Implant?”

She nodded and grabbed his hand, bringing it up to her shoulder. She felt around for a second and laid his finger against a raised area in her bicep. “Nexplanon. It was pretty new on the market. Got it right before the Turn. Bleeding for a week every month while camping in the desert is no fun.”

He grinned. “Glenn! C’here!”

Glenn frowned, rushing over, only to rear back when Daryl pressed his hand to Mitzi’s shoulder. “God! What is that?”

**

“They’re still your guns. You can check them out whenever you go beyond the wall. But inside here, we’ll store them for safety.”

Mitzi took a deep breath, casting a look at Daryl and Rick. Ricked sighed, hands on hips, and shrugged. Daryl kept both hands around the strap of his crossbow.

She purposefully hung back, allowing the rest of their group to go in front. When she was the last one left holding her gun, she sucked in a shaky breath.

Deanna motioned her forward, seeming to understand how scary what she was asking them to do was.

“Mitzi.” Rick’s voice betrayed his discomfort with the situation but also his desire for her to toe the line.

She rotated her head to look at him. He tilted his chin subtly. Daryl’s hand pressed into her back.

She grit her teeth, hands almost ringing around the barrel of her M110. 

Deanna stepped forward. “It’s still yours.” She smiled gently. “I haven’t had the chance to speak to you yet but I can tell by your bearing that it’s not likely you have been separated from that gun since well before the Turn. Am I right?”

She nodded, eyeing her as if she thought the much more frail, older woman would try to take it off of her. “This is a highly specialized weapon.” 

Deanna nodded. 

“If anyone touches it, and I will know immediately,  I will-“

Rick cleared his throat.

Mitzi turned to him and resisted the urge to flick him off. “If anyone touches my gun, I will smile real big as I punch them in the throat.” 

The woman taking possession of their weapons, Olivia, Mitzi’s mind supplied, gasped. 

Mitzi smiled. “Nicely, of course.”

Abraham threw his head back and laughed. Deanna soon followed, covering her mouth and chuckling into her wrist. Mitzi heard Rick groan and felt Daryl lean forward into her, chuckling softly against the back of her head.

Deanna seemed charmed. “You’ll ‘nicely’ punch them in the throat?”

Mitzi made a face, as if realizing how ridiculous it sounded. “Very nicely.”

Glenn started laughing and that seemed to break open the dam, the rest of her family seeming to leech tension in a sudden wave. 

Mitzi took a deep breath and shrugged. “In for a penny, I guess.” She handed her M110 over to Olivia, who looked briefly panicked and refused to reach for it.

Mitzi frowned. “It’s empty. You’re not gonna accidentally shoot yourself. I wouldn’t hand you a loaded gun.”

Rick chuckled. “I think she’s worried about being punched in the throat, Mitz.”

Mitzi bit her lip as another round of laughter broke out. “Right.” She turned back to Olivia. “If I put this on your cart, it will fall off. I don’t want it to fall off. You can hold it.”

She hesitantly took the rifle and put her arm through the strap. “Should’ve brought another bin.”

**

“Mitzi Dixon.” Deanna smiled. “It’s nice to be able to speak to you.”

Mitzi nodded vaguely. “You too, guess.”

“You’re married to Daryl, right?” Deanna leaned back against the couch she was sitting on. Mitzi briefly envied her ease. “How long have you been married?”

“Depends on what you consider married. We decided we were married like six months ago.”

“Decided?” Deanna smiled.

“Decided.” Mitzi nodded affirmatively, as if Deanna was judging her. “Neither Daryl or me are religious, especially not now. Don’t have any need for some big shindig. Just decided we were married. Been together since just about the Turn. Felt right.”

“Sounds right.” Deanna nodded. “Do you think you would’ve gotten married before the Turn?”

“To Daryl, absolutely. To anyone else? Doubtful.”

“You think you would’ve married Daryl if you had met him before the Turn?” 

Mitzi frowned. “Know I would’ve. We work now and we woulda worked then, even if.”

Deanna hummed. “I feel very similarly about my husband Reg. I cannot conceive of a timeline or universe in which I wouldn’t have loved him.”

Smiling softly, Mitzi nodded. 

“I heard he calls you Spitfire.” She smiled. “How did that come about?”

Mitzi chuckled. “I have a temper. I have been… known to get into verbal altercations with stupid people.”

Deanna snickered. “Consider me warned. Though it’s not much of a surprise.”

Mitzi shrugged. “No… imagine not.”

“What did you do before the Turn?”

Mitzi sighed. “I was in the Army.”

Deanna smiled. “I figured, you hold yourself like a soldier. What did you do?”

Mitzi stared at her for a quiet moment. “I was an Army Ranger. A sniper.”

“Mildred-”

“Please don’t tell me you read ‘bout me or some sh-” Mitzi grimaced. “Crap.”

Deanna nodded. “Sure, of course. It makes sense you survived. I’m glad you made it.”

Mitzi seemed unconvinced, but nodded vaguely.

“Your husband doesn’t seem to want to be here.”

“Neither of us are used to this, now or before.” Mitzi shrugged. “I wouldn’t ‘ve ever thought to live here or anywhere like it. Wouldn’t ‘ve felt comfortable here.”

“So it’s about the wealth that usually comes with a place like this?”

Mitzi shook her head. “I made money. Maybe not enough for a place like this, but I made more than enough for me.” She caught and held Deanna’s eyes. “People who feel comfortable in places like this don’t generally feel comfortable with people like me and Daryl. Besides, with things the way they are now, people who feel comfortable in places like this don’t generally last long enough to matter.”

Deanna seemed stunned. 

“Just sayin’. Not tryin’ to be rude.” Mitzi started picking at her thumb. “I don’t want people to die, but there’s not much that can be done anymore either.”

Deanna smiled. “Maybe we can change that.”

“Change what?”

“Survivability.” Deanna nodded. “I understand what you’re saying. The others said similar things. If you don’t know, if you fear that this place isn’t sustainable, why would you agree to come here?”

Mitzi scoffed. “Because my family needs this. Needs to be safe. Carl and Judith deserve to live someplace more permanent. Rick got us this far, went above and beyond, survived more, lost more than anyone had any right to expect of him. He deserves to rest. My husband, who is selfless to his core, risked his life everyday to make sure we continued to live, deserves to rest.”

“You deserve to rest.” Deanna smiled gently.

“Mmm… Maybe.”

**

“Now’s the time.”

“What?” Daryl drew his whetstone down over his knife. “For what?”

“To take a shower.” Mitzi leaned up against the door to the house. “Everyone is off doin’ whatever and you, love of my life, you are gonna shower.”

Daryl scoffed. “Carol put ya up to this?”

Mitzi laughed. “Carol? No, Carol did not put me up to getting my very sexy husband exactly where I want him, naked and wet in a shower.”

Daryl blushed and looked down the street. “You already showered.”

She nodded and sauntered towards him. Grabbing his hand, she coaxed him to stand and move toward the door. “I’m willing to sacrifice and take another shower so my man can fuck me silly.”

He still seemed hesitant, though his interest was piqued. She tilted her head and paused. “What’s wrong, baby?”

He shuffled. “Don’t trust this.”

“I get that.” She stepped against him, propping her chin on his chest so she could look up at him. “I don’t trust it neither.”

“Don’t wanna like this too much. Get useta it. Lose it.” He sighed. “It’ll make us vulnerable.”

“I agree.” She smiled. “But these people… the danger is in their vulnerability not ours. I doubt they could even stomp out a bug, much less kick down a door.”

He nodded and pressed a kiss to her forehead.

Smiling, she tugged on his hand again. 

Daryl followed her through the door and up the stairs, pausing only to lock the door. “Been awhile.”

She nodded, drawing him in for a kiss. “Ain’t been safe enough to sneak away for a quickie.”

“Never did like quickies anyways.” He smirked and leaned in for a ghost of a kiss as she led him into the bathroom. “Don’t like havin’ t’rush.”

“Me neither. And here we are.” She smiled, toeing the bathroom door closed. She leaned in and mouthed at his chest. “All the time in the world.”

She walked further into the frankly enormous bathroom and held her arms up. “I think it’s the size of my apartment in Savannah.”

He cast a dubious look around. “It’s somethin’.” He cast his eyes at the large tub in the center of the room. 

She followed his line of sight and grinned. “All the time in the world, baby. Bath or shower?’

He shrugged, biting his lip. “Never fucked ya in a bath before.”

“Decision made.” She leaned over and started the bath. She sat on the side of the tub and untied her boots.

He smiled and knelt at her feet to tug her boots free. Grabbing a handful of his shirt, she pulled him into a kiss.

Grinning against her mouth, he caught the edge of her t-shirt. He pulled it over her head and leaned down to press kisses to her sternum.

She smiled, stood, and reached up to unbutton his shirt. When she reached the bottom button, she parted his shirt and vest and ran the flat of her tongue up over his nipple. He groaned and dug his hand into her hair, pulling her hair tie free and fluffing her hair down over her shoulders.

She pushed his shirt and vest off in one motion and added them to the pile of her clothes. He helped her pull her sports bra over her head, her shoulder still stiff and hard to maneuver around.

Dropping it on the clothes pile, he cupped her breasts, one in each hand and pressed them together. With a wicked smile, he caught her eyes and held them as he licked into the seam her breasts created. 

She smiled around a moan and moved to work at his belt. She pushed his pants and briefs down over his hips and knelt to untie his boots. Making a noise deep in his chest, he kept her upright, leaning in to kiss her as he toed his boots off and stepped free of his pants. 

Slipping her tongue into his mouth, she unbuttoned her jeans. He wrapped an arm around her waist, jaw working against hers as he supported her. She stepped out of her jeans and underwear, hands framing his face.

He pulled away and grinned, leaning over to seal his mouth around her nipple. Pulling her into him with hands full of her ass, he groaned her name in a low rasp against the skin of her breast.

He bit at her nipple gently, before mouthing at the swell of her other breast. Hissing, she dug her fingers into his ass and arched up into him. 

She moaned his name, moving to tug at his hair as he switched between breasts. Glancing down at the water, she removed one hand from him long enough to test the temperature. 

“Almost.”

“That’s good, I guess.” He moved to capture her lips again, swallowing her giggle. 

Looking back down, she caught sight of buttons on the side and hummed. “Look, D.”

He pressed a kiss to her temple. “What?”

She smiled and pointed down. “I think it's like a jacuzzi.”

He snorted as she turned to inspect the buttons and pressed up against her from behind, setting his chin on her shoulder. She pressed a button and jumped a little when the water started bubbling and churning under the force of the jets. 

“The things rich people waste money on.”

He hummed in agreement. 

“Wonder what’s in there.” She pointed to a glass and metal shelf to the side of the tub. She moved toward it, laughing when he refused to let her go and instead walked against her over to the shelf. 

She picked up a lid off of a dark glass jar. “Bath bombs.”

“What?” He looked over her shoulder and shook his head at the smell emanating from the jar. “Smells like old lady perfume.”

“Right. No bath bombs.” She set the lid down and turned in his arms. 

He shrugged. “We can if’n you want.”

She made a face and moved his hair out of his face. “No, I’m good. Don’t really wanna smell that strong either.”

He lifted his hands from the small of her back and cradled her jaw in both hands. He kissed her, softly, sweetly, and moved her back towards the tub. She tested the water and nodded against his mouth. “It’s ready. Just gotta get soap and shit.”

“I’ll do it.” He rasped and tapped her ass. “Get in.”

She sat in the center of the tub, hissing as the warmth loosened the tension in her body almost immediately. She smiled as he sniffed at the collection of shampoos, conditioners and soaps.

“All’a this smells like flowers and shit.”

She grinned and pointed to the glass-walled shower. “I think what Rick used yesterday is still in there.”

He nabbed the bottle of men’s shampoo and sniffed it, nodding. 

“Might as well wash up in there. As much as I love your protective layer of dirt, I’d rather not sit in it.”

He made a face. “Fuck you.”

She grinned. “Get clean and you can.”

He scoffed and leaned in to turn the shower on. He kept his eyes on her as he soaped up, grinning as he worked soapy water over the length of his cock.

She moaned softly, eyes alternating between his hand and his eyes. He grinned and stopped, stepping under the shower head and rinsing clear. He washed his hair, rinsed and then moved to step out of the shower. 

“You tease.” She tsked. “Use the conditioner too.”

“Don’t need conditioner.”

“Yes, you do.” Mitzi moved to set her chin on her forearms on the lip of the tub. “Love your hair, D, but if you don’t want to keep it short, you’re gonna take care of it, while we can.”

He huffed and raked conditioner through his hair with quick, probably ineffectual movements.

Rinsing it out quickly, he stepped out and stepped into the tub. He leaned back and groaned lowly as the jets massaged at his back.

With a low hum, he pulled her back against his chest.

She leaned up to kiss at his chin. “This is nice. Even nicer now that you’re clean.”

He nodded, chewing at the inside of his lip as he lifted water in his cupped hands. He poured the water over her breasts and then cupped them, massaging them lightly before pinching and pulling at her nipples.

She moaned and reached down to squeeze at his thighs. 

“It is nice. Not useta bein’ able to just have ya. No one else around, no looking over my shoulder, makin’ sure you’re safe.” He shifted to suck at her neck. “Y’can be as loud as y’want.”

She kissed at his chin, smiling widely. “Never cared to be quiet, baby.”

He chuckled against her neck, moving to suck at her shoulder. One hand drifted down, petting briefly at her stomach, before sinking in between her legs. 

She hissed as the pad of his middle finger touched briefly to her clit. 

“Gonna get you off this way first then you’re gonna bounce on my cock until you cum again. Kay?”

She nodded and he sunk his finger into her, thumb coming up to thrum at her clit. She moaned, caught between arching into the finger inside of her and up into the hand cupping her breast.

“Com’n, Pretty Baby.” He added another finger and set a punishing rhythm. “Love seein’ ya this way.”

“Love you too.” She gasped, one hand coming to claw at the wall of the tub. “Fuck, baby.”

He moved to suck another bruise into the column of her throat. He pinched at the nipple still in his hand. The middle finger of his other hand glided gently against her walls, finding the spongy little spot right behind her pubic bone he didn’t often have time to tease.

She gasped, back going ramrod, her thighs attempting to close tight around his hand. He chuckled, speeding up the motion of his hand, the hand on her breast coming down to hook around a thigh, keeping her legs open. 

His thumb pressed into her clit at the same time his middle finger found that same spot and pressed hard. Her body tightened in a hard motion, hand white-knuckled on the tub edge. 

“Holy shit!”

He smiled and pressed his lips to her temple. “Kiss me.”

She turned and caught his mouth, moaning into him as he continued to rock his hand into her, middle finger dragging against her with each retreat.

She pressed her forehead to his, panting against his mouth. 

His eyes were hot on hers. “Always look so pretty like this, Spitfire. Pretty n’ pink… mine. Y’gonna cum?”

She nodded. “‘Bout to.”

“Do it.”

She threw her head back against his shoulder and her back arched. She moaned his name loudly, loud enough that her voice rang in his ear long after she collapsed against him.

“Good girl.” He hummed, rutting his hips into her ass just enough to take the edge off. “Only problem with doing this in the water is that I can’t lick ya off m’fingers.”

She gasped, core clamping down on his fingers again. “F-fuck.”

He chuckled and mouthed wetly at her jaw as he pulled his fingers free of her. She swatted at his thigh. “Holy fuckin’ shit.”

Pulling her earlobe into his mouth, he moved the hand that had been inside her up to her breast. There was a slick wetness that didn’t feel like water. “Jesus Christ. You’re tryin’ to kill me.”

He laughed. “Catch yer breath, you’re about to ride the fuck outta me.” He rolled her nipple between his fingers. Pinched it, hard.

She moaned. “Can’t catch my breath if you keep doin’ shit.”

“A’ight.” He grasped at her hips. “Lean forward.”

She turned to straddle him, but he stopped her, hand high on her back. She glanced at him, head tilted in confusion. 

“Just like this. Keep y’legs together.” He grasped her hips again and lifted her, grunting. “Put me in ya.”

She steadied herself with a hand on his thigh, reaching down pressing the head of his cock into her core. 

She sighed as he eased her back against his chest. “Fuck.” She breathed deep and petted at her clit.

“What?” He lifted her and groaned into her hair as he pulled her back in. 

She smiled and set her other hand on his thigh, helping him fuck into her. “You’ve always been big, but like this?” She chuckled breathlessly. “I can feel you fuckin’ everywhere.” She cast a look over her shoulder and grinned when she saw him blushing. 

“Stop.” He smiled. 

She winked at him. “Never.”

He planted his feet and fucked up into her. Gasping, she clutched at his thigh. He pressed a toothy grin against her back. “Not so fuckin’ smug now?”

She pushed against his thighs trying to speed up the rhythm. He groaned, shifting his hands to her breasts as she took over the rhythm. 

“Jesus.” She moaned, grinding back against him, shifting the angle he was entering her at. “Feel so good, D.”

He mouthed at her neck, grunting. “You too, baby. So tight. So fuckin’ wet.” 

She nodded. “All yours.”

“That’s right.” Squeezing at her breast, he pulled her down against him, grinding up into her. “You there?”

She nodded and moaned, one of his hands dropping to wedge in between her thighs. Alternating between petting at her clit and tracing where they were joined, he groaned. “That’s it, Spitfire, fuckin’ squeeze me.”

He felt her clamp down around him and thumbed at her clit with hasher, more firm circles. Her head fell back and she screamed his name. Groaning deep and loud, he followed her.

She had just settled back against his chest when they heard something that sounded suspiciously like a broomstick against the ceiling of the floor below.

They both froze. 

“Can you at least keep it down?”

**

“We need a constant patrol along the walls. Not just looking for damage, but signs that anyone climbed in from outside.” He tapped on the corrugated metal, not loud enough to ring the dinner bell for any undead-someone in the vicinity. 

About fifteen seconds later, Mitzi cleared the top of the wall and began climbing down the other side.

Rick looked at Deanna. “You can move right up the supports. That’s what I’d do. People are the real threat now.”

Mitzi nodded. “It wouldn’t take that long, be loud, or even be particularly dangerous. The only thing that would make it risky is walkers and we obviously don’t want any of them hanging around either so we’ll be effectively making it easier for someone bad to climb the walls.”

Deanna shook her head. “Rick, I know you think we should all be armed within the walls. I can’t do that.”

“That’s fine.” Rick nodded. “You make these changes, we won’t need to.”

Mitzi crossed her arms over her chest. “We just need to beef up, formalize security and we can go on living the way y’have been. Won’t always be lucky.”

“Excuse me.” Sasha walked up behind Mitzi. “I want to volunteer to be one of the lookouts in the clock tower.”

“There are no lookouts in the clock tower.”

Mitzi turned back to Deanna, aghast, at the same time Rick almost growled: “What?”

Michonne looked down at the small woman with a furrowed brow. “We saw someone up there earlier.”

Deanna grimaced. “That was an empty rifle my son Spencer put up there. He mans it sometimes, but not often.”

“Why even bother then?” Mitzi shook her head. “People aren’t gonna be scared of a rifle that never fires.”

Deanna looked between them, trying to soothe, smooth over. “Look, there hasn’t been a need.”

Rick set his hands on his hips. “We need a lookout in that tower right now, 24/7.”

Michonne nodded. “It’s the only way we’ll be able to see if someone’s coming at us.”

Deanna sucked in a breath. “Okay, Okay… we’ll make shifts.”

“I’ll take those shifts, as many as possible.”

Mitzi shook her head. “Sash-”

Sasha shook her head and Mitzi moved to speak again. Deanna cut her off. “Why?”

Maggie stepped in. “Sasha is one of our best shots. She can do it.”

Deanna turned to look at Sasha again. “I’m gonna put Spencer up there today. I’ll consider you being our primary lookout.”

“Consider?” Mitzi stepped forward. “I don’t think anyone-“ she shit a look at Sasha, “-should take all the shifts. It’s not healthy. But there ain’t nothin’ to consider. Sasha is almost as good as me with none of the formal trainin’. She’s a fuckin’ natural marksman. What is there to consider?” She reached out and squeezed Sasha’s forearm. 

“It’s not that.” Deanna held her hand up. “I want something in return.”

Sasha glanced at Mitzi, who arched an eyebrow. “You want something in return for Sasha protecting the community?”

“Tonight I’m hosting a welcome for all of you at my home.”  She looked specifically at Sasha, who looked even more confused. “I want you to be there.”

“Why?”

“Come tonight. Then we’ll talk about it.”

Sasha stared at Deanna for a moment longer and then walked away.

“On the topic of safety and security,” Deanna smiled. “I was hoping you’d help me with that, Mitzi.”

“How so?” Mitzi glanced up at Rick and Maggie. 

“I had hoped you’d improve our training regimen. All the necessary skills for runs, basic gun safety for those who routinely go outside the walls. Maybe even some hand to hand. If we want a watch on the walls, maybe you can coordinate that as well.”

Rick brightened, stepping forward. “Mitzi also maintained our armory at the prison, cleaning, cataloging.”

Deanna seemed to pause, considering that. “Olivia, as efficient as she is, doesn’t know much about guns. I’m sure she could use the help.”

Mitzi stared her down, skeptical. “When you say ‘improve your training regimen’-“

Deanna grinned, clearly aware that what she was about to say would irritate them. “I mean create one. We don’t have one.”

Mitzi’s jaw clenched. “How many of these people arrived here knowing how to use guns safely?”

“A handful. Most have figured it out as they went.”

“Figured it out as they-“ Mitzi sucked in a deep breath. “Yeah, okay.”

Michonne reached out to squeeze her shoulder. “Mitzi is very passionate about gun safety.”

“Do you know how many people died before the Turn because they fucked around with a weapon they didn’t know how to use?” Mitzi threw her hands in the air. “And now! One ill-timed shot and everyone on a run dies.”

Rick buried a chuckle. “Mitzi-“

“How have you been this lucky? I genuinely don’t understand.” Mitzi raked her hands through her hair, eyes wide. “Which one of you is blowing God?” She stuttered to a stop. “Holy Fuck!”

Deanna smiled. “That passion is why you’re taking gun safety, safety in general, over.” She reached for and shook Mitzi’s rigid hand. “I’m excited to work with you.”

Mitzi breathed deep, pinching at the space between her thumb and forefinger. “Whatever, I’m cool, I’m good.” She breathed deep again and nodded. “Can I ask you a question?”

Deanna nodded. 

“Why does Sasha bother you?”

Deanna started and Michonne nodded. “I was thinking the same thing.”

“I’m not bothered.” Deanna considered her words for a moment. “There is something about Sasha that makes me anxious, that’s true. Her behav-“

“She has lost two people she cared very deeply about in the last month.” Mitzi crossed her arms over her head. “She has PTSD. Hell, we all have PTSD. If y’all can’t understand that, give consideration for that, beyond the run of the mill, ‘oh, we see what y’all have been through,’ bullshit, this ain’t gonna work.”

“Why is that?” Deanna’s eyes were intense but not angry.

Mitzi glanced at Michonne and Rick. “I’m not tryin’ to be a bitch-“

“No, you’re just very direct.” Deanna smiled. “I appreciate it.”

Mitzi didn’t look like she believed her. “I won’t speak for anyone else, but I’ve never been one for hand-holdin’, that’s even more true now. This world is what it is. I recognize that y’all ain’t had to see it, experience it, here, but I’m not gonna wait around for y’all to catch up.” Mitzi shrugged. “I know that Michonne and Maggie and Rick have all tried to help y’all understand. If y’all don’t catch up quick, there will be a time when lagging behind the learning curve is gonna get someone killed.”

Rick nodded. “I agree with Mitzi. Y’all need to understand that what we’ve experienced is the norm, not the exception.”

“And I honestly don’t mean just out there. That’s where the danger is, sure. But we have changed because of this world. You all, while you’ve lost people, you’ve gone without, you’ve undoubtedly suffered, y’all haven’t had to change to survive this world.” Mitzi caught Deanna’s eyes and held them. “I already told you I have a temper. I’m gonna work at being patient with your people, but I’m not gonna hand-hold, treat y’all with kid gloves. Some of y’all think that because you have it good here, because you have held onto this place, that you’re somehow stronger, tougher, that you’ve made it. I don’t see it that way. Someone comes at one of us sideways on the wrong day and it could get ugly. Try as I might, I can't promise patience.”

Deanna nodded. “Thank you, Mitzi. That’s good insight.”

**

“Are you afraid of guns, ma’am?”

Mitzi snorted, opening her mouth to disabuse the dumbass of his dumbassery. Carol caught her eye.

“Mm… no. Well I had a handgun and I carried a rifle while we were on the outside, but I’m not an expert. Not with those at least.” She flashed him a demure smile and Mitzi arched an eyebrow, settling back against the wall of the armory, such that it was. “Not like Mitzi is.”

The man turned to consider her, and while Mitzi didn’t get the impression that he was a dick, the look he shot at her told her what he thought of her, vaguely apprehensive and more than a little skeptical.

“You’re an expert, ma’am?” 

Mitzi fought the urge to roll her eyes. “Yeah, y’could say that.”

Carol all but batted her eyelashes. “Mitzi was an Army Ranger.”

He looked shocked. “Didn’t think they let women in military spec ops.”

Mitzi chewed on the inside of her cheek, eyeing Carol’a performance. “They didn’t, just me.”

The man seemed to catch the drift Mitzi was putting off and turned back to Carol. “Well, my name is Tobin.” He smiled down at Carol and Mitzi wanted to throw up just a little bit. “And whenever you want, I’d be happy to teach you.”

Olivia, who had been quietly notating and observing, spoke up. “Deanna’s actually put Mitzi in charge of gun safety training.”

Tobin looked shocked, but politely so. “Is that right?”

Mitzi hummed. “Yeah, apparently y’all have just been figurin’ shit out as you went. Lucky none of ya have died due to poor gun handling.”

Tobin bobbed his head noncommitally.

Carol cast another look at Mitzi. “Thanks for the offer, Tobin.”

“Thanks for the offer, Tobin.” Mitzi picked up a box of shells and opened it. “Are you afraid of guns, ma’am?”

Carol looked over her shoulder at Olivia, who was still taking notes. “Stop.”

Mitzi shot her a look. 

“What?”

“Exactly my question. What was that about?”

She shrugged. “They don’t need to know everything about us.”

“I agree, but is it really necessary to play damsel in distress?” Mitzi made a vague motion with her hands. “Well, mister… I’m no expert.”

Carol shrugged. “They wouldn’t expect me to know how to use a gun.”

Mitzi huffed out a shocked laugh. “Then they’re fuckin’ dumb. How were you supposed to survive out there without at least some expertise?”

Carol looked over her shoulder again. “Mitzi, you know the play. We play things close to the chest and wait and see.” She cast Mitzi a look. “Behave.”

Mitzi rolled her eyes and nodded, waving her off before turning to Olivia. “A’ight. Show me how you got this organized.”

**

“Richard.” Mitzi sidled up to him, sipping at her beer. “I love you. You are my brother in every way that counts. That is a bad decision.”

Rick set his hands on his hips and looked down at her. “What d’ya mean?”

She shot him a look. “She is married. She is married to a surgeon. And while you and I know that occupation is no measure of worth. In this world, as it is, he is and will be seen as valuable for that reason alone. Allowances for any character fault will be made on that metric alone.”

“Yeah…” he sighed. “I know.”

“On top of that, he is from here. We ain’t- yet at least. He wins in every way.” She leaned against his arm and smiled up at him. “That sucks, I know it does because you are better than that pretentious dickwad in every way. But that is reality.”

He nodded. “When did you get so smart, Mildred Elizabeth?”

“Excuse the fuck outta you, Richard Andrew.” She grinned. 

“I hate you callin’ me by my full name.”

“No you don’t.” She grinned at him.

He grinned back. “I also hate how right you are sometimes.”

“I’m right most of the time.” She shoved his arm with her elbow as he snorted. “On a slightly related note, if you were to turn your gaze elsewhere, might I suggest our favorite swordswoman?”

Rick blushed. “Nah… I don’t- she wouldn’t be interested-“

Mitzi laughed. “Alright, boss. Keep tellin’ yourself that.” She finished off her beer and put the empty in a nearby, cleverly hidden trash bin. “On that note, Ima head out, find D. I’ve had ‘bout as much as I can stand.”

Rick ruffled her hair and she swatted at his hand. “Thanks, Mitzi.”

She nodded and snuck off towards the front door. Closing it softly behind her, she turned and caught sight of him leaning against a tree. She smiled and took a step down the porch stairs. “Damn! My baby looks good! All clean and wearing sleeves an’ shit.”

Daryl stepped closer to the porch, into the light, and eyed her quietly, reaching out to tug at the hem of her skirt. “Yer in a dress.”

“Carol made me. She wants to make a good impression.” She nodded and wrapped her arms around him. He stepped in closer, burying his face in her sternum. 

He pressed a kiss to her chest. “Y’look pretty.”

“Thank ya, baby.” She smiled, pressing a kiss to his head. “I think I already fucked it up though.”

He snorted. “How?”

“This dude was complaining about missing being able to golf.” 

He scoffed. “What did’ya say?”

She pulled back and winced comically down at him. “I asked him what was stopping him? Told him we could go out tomorrow if he wanted. Judging from Rick’s expression, that was wrong?” She shrugged. “I miss a lot of stuff from before, but like the variety of music and McDonald’s? Not fuckin’ golf.”

He smiled into her skin. “Sounds like a bougie asshole anyways.”

She nodded. “Alotta that in there.” She cast a look over her shoulder. “In fact… let’s start meandering back to the house that way I don’t hafta go back in there.”

He nodded, stepping back to allow her off the porch. She hooked her hand in his elbow as he stuffed his hands in his pockets. They started down the street, Mitzi feeling more at ease and less hurried than she had felt in a long while.

“Daryl.” Aaron stepped out on his porch and smiled down at them. “Mitzi. Hey.”

Mitzi smiled back as Daryl slowed, biting at his thumb nail as he looked up at the other man. Pointing back at Deanna’s house, he rasped, “Thought you we’re going to that party over there.”

Aaron shook his head with a small smile. “Oh, I was never going to go because of Eric’s ankle. Thank god.”

Daryl was tense and Mitzi frowned, moving to Tun at his back discreetly. “Why the hell did you tell me to go, then?”

“I said try, you did.” He shrugged. “It’s a ‘thought that counts’ thing.”

Daryl scoffed. “Alright.” He set his hand in the small of her back and moved her forward.

“Hey!” Aaron stepped closer to the edge of the porch. “Come in. Have some dinner.”

Daryl paused, tense again.

“Come on, man. It’s some pretty serious spaghetti.”

Daryl looked down at her and she smiled back. “Ain’t had spaghetti in a while.”

He sighed and pushed her toward the stairs. She caught his hand from the small of her back and pulled him gently towards the door.

Aaron held the door for them. She smiled at Eric as she passed where he sat waiting for them.

He made to stand and she waved him back down. “No, it’s okay.”

She near jumped when he grabbed her hand and squeezed it. “Thanks for joining us.”

She nodded and took the seat she was directed to. “Thanks for havin’ us.” She made a face. “Sorry, I’m a little outta practice with the whole dinner thing.”

Daryl made a face and took the seat next to her. 

She reached over and squeezed his knee. She caught his eye and mouthed, “we got this.”

**

“They’re just odd.”

Mitzi tried to focus on cleaning the rifle Tobin had returned earlier and not on the voices in the more food centered part of the pantry.

“I mean some of them are great! They fit in, they help.”

“I agree completely. Maggie and Glenn are wonderful… Well, Maggie is wonderful. I’m struggling a bit with Glenn after Aiden.”

“I know, I feel the same way. Carol is very friendly. Rick is intense but seems nice enough. But some of them… I’m sure they are good people but...”

“Did you know that one of them took the construction site from Tobin?”

“What? Why would Deanna allow that?”

Mitzi breathed deep, fighting the urge to correct them. “Patience,” she muttered to herself, setting aside the rifle and clearing a pistol.

“Some of them just don’t belong here. Sasha-“

“Were you there when she lost control at the party? I mean, come on!”

Mitzi shoved to her feet and made for the door to the armory. She thought better of it. “Patience, patience…”

“And that red-haired woman and her husband.”

“Something tells me husband is an exaggeration.” The woman laughed cruelly. “He doesn’t seem to be the type-“

Mitzi’s hand white-knuckled around the door knob.

“Probably tells him she’s pregnant. Doesn’t seem like he would know one way or another.”

“You’re so mean.” The woman twittered. “Did you know that Aaron asked him to be a recruiter?”

“I know!” She gasped, scandalized. “I actually asked Aaron about it. He was adamant that it was a good idea but like, how can it be a good idea? I’ve heard nothing but grunts and mutters from the man since the group got here. Don’t you have to speak coherently to be a rec-“

The door to the armory slammed open and Mitzi stalked at the women who blanched. 

“Thought I’d join your bitch fest, ladies. What else you got?”

One started stuttering out apologies.

“Oh that’s predictable.” Mitzi sniffed. “Now you ain’t got shit t’say? All that brass and now you’re fuckin’ silent?”

Olivia stepped forward, hands shaking. “Mitzi-“

Mitzi waved her off. “Nah, they grown. They talked shit and where I’m from, you talk shit, you get hit.”

The women backed up towards the open garage door. “We’re so sorry-“

“‘Bout what?” Mitzi advanced. “‘Bout what exactly? That fact that you mocked the difficulty we are all having here? Sasha reacted the way she did because the idea that someone would worry about what food someone else likes is fuckin’ ludicrous in this world. We didn’t have fuckin’ food less than a week ago. We ate dog.”

The women backed out of the garage door, hands held up. “S-sorry-“

“You still ain’t said what ‘bout.” Mitzi smiled meanly, following them out into the street. “You sorry that you didn’t mention that Noah died the same day as Aiden or that Tara’s head was split open? You sorry ‘bout insinuating that my friend Abraham carried out some sorta hostile takeover? Not that your friend Tobin couldn’t fuckin’ cut it? That he almost got someone killed and Abraham saved all their asses?”

“No…” One of the women sobbed.

“All those cajones and nuthin’ t’say for yourself.” Mitzi tsked. “Maybe you’re sorry for saying that I would need to trap a man to keep him? Or that my husband would be dumb enough to believe that I was pregnant just ‘cause I said it? Or that my man can’t talk coherently?”

“Mitzi!” Rick rounded the corner in front of her and ran full speed at her, Daryl on his heels. She looked around at the gathering crowd of aghast faces and marveled at how fast information spread.

One of the women tripped over her own foot and went sprawling. Mitzi rolled her eyes.

“You don’t fuckin’ get it.” Mitzi scoffed. “None’a ya do. Hol’up here in a fuckin’ ivory tower. Judgin’ us from on high like some kinda higher bein’. Like you done somethin’ other than gettin’ fuckin’ lucky. Bein’ in the right place at the right time.”

Daryl stepped into her line of sight. “Spitfire, ya need to breathe.”

She shook her head, stepping around him. “Ima make sure they understand. It’s passed time they do.”

Rick grabbed her shoulder and pulled her back. “Mitzi-“

She shook him off and advanced on them again, the woman who had fallen sobbed and crab-walked back. 

A man from Alexandria stepped in. “You need to back off.”

Daryl caught her arm before Mitzi had a chance to clock him. Rick stepped in between him and Mitzi and Daryl, who was still trying to talk her down.

Rick put his hand on the other man’s chest. “Don’t.”

The man scoffed. “Don’t what? You two can’t control her. She’s been strutting around the armory like she owns it. Intimidating poor Olivia and now she verbally assaulting-“

“Don’t start somethin’ you ain’t prepared for.” Rick growled. “She’s more than capable of killin’ you and we’re keepin’ her from doin’ it.”

The man laughed. “That bitch?”

Rick pushed Daryl back towards Mitzi.

“Don’t talk ‘bout my wife-“

“Or what?”

“Shut y’mouth before I shove my fist in it.” Mitzi pointed at the man and turned back to the women, Daryl’s arm back around her waist. 

She sucked in a breath and one of them winced. “I won’t hit ya even though y’fuckin’ deserve it. You ain’t worth one more minute of my time and you wouldn’t survive it if I did. You are weak and pathetic. You are cowards that wouldn’t last a single minute out there. I know that and I know that this mean-girl, high-school bullshit is more about self-medicating your mediocrity than it is ‘bout me or my family.”

The woman nodded. “T-thank you… we’re so sorry-“

“That bein’ said, if you ever speak ‘bout my family like that again, I will beat you into the ground. You hear me?” Mitzi stepped in, pointing at them. “If I ever hear my man’s name in your mouth, you will be black n’blue for a month. And no one will stop me, y’hear?”

They nodded and Mitzi scoffed, turning. Deanna stood directly in front of her, disappointed. “I thought you were going to try to be patient?”

Mitzi threw her head back and stepped closer to the older woman. “I didn’t fuck ‘em up. That is patience.”

She stalked off and Rick nodded after her. 

Daryl found her pacing through the solar panels. He leaned against one and pulled out two cigarettes lighting them together. 

She grunted in frustration, kicking at the dirt. 

“What happened?” He blew out a stream of smoke and passed the other cigarette to her.

She shook her head and took a drag on her cigarette. She made another wordless noise of frustration and kicked at the dirt again.

“Spitfire.”

“I know it was dumb. That I shouldn't've let them get to me.” She clenched her jaw. “But they’re so clueless, so naive. They think that they can just continue livin’ in this fairytale. That nothin’ has changed.”

Daryl nodded and ashed his cigarette. “What did they say?”

She sighed. “Stupid shit. Shit that doesn’t really even matter.”

“Shit about us?”

She nodded and glanced at him for the first time. “It was ignorant, fuckin’ bullshit.” She sucked on her cigarette again and blew out a smoke ring. “It pissed me off because they don’t know. They clearly don’t know.”

He watched her idly. “Know what?”

“They think that they are superior. Like they are more evolved because they held onto ‘civilization’.” She scoffed and shook his head. “But they are going to die. Maybe not soon, but if they don’t catch up, they’re going to die. They got lucky with us. If we had been anyone else…” She trailed off and Daryl nodded. 

“Y’right.” He caught her hand and pulled her to him. “Y’right, n’they will figure it out or they will die.”

“Or cause one of us to die.” She sighed and pressed her face to his chest. “I don’t want anyone else to die.”

“I know, baby.” He pressed a kiss to her head. 

Part 7

[msweebyness]

My Top 10 Young Justice Ships

Hey y’all! Here’s a new little series I’m doing, where I give you my top ships from series that I’m a fan of! I’ll drop a poll sometime soon of which fandom you want me to do next! @imsparky2002 @artzychic27

1. SPITFIRE. Forever and always. Wally and Artemis were such an amazing couple, and the ending of season 2 will always make me cry like a baby. They complimented each other so well and balanced one another out. Don’t get me wrong, I like Artemis’ new BF, he seems nice, but…he’s not Wally…

2. Blue13. We may not get to see much of them, but damn it they made Jaime and Traci’s dynamic so cute and I wanted to see more!!! They had this easy rapport that was so sweet and funny! (Also we were ROBBED when they didn’t show us Jaime reacting to Traci taking part in the Dr. Fate deal. I mean, how similar is that situation to him being put on mode?!)

3. Zetaflash. I. Love. These. Two. And I hate that Greg wasn’t allowed to confirm them in the show. (Though I respect the hell out of him for the fact that he made Atlantis as queer as possible in rumored retaliation. 😂) I just loved the exchanges they had in the episodes they were shown, and I’m a sucker for the Straight Man-Zany One dynamic.

4. Kaldur+Wyynde. These two may have been unexpected, but damn if they weren’t beautiful. I love how Wyynde supports Kaldur but also worries for him and tries to get him to slow down a bit before he burns out. Love these two!

5. Forager Squared. Cuteness personified. 10/10. Every moment these two were together was adorable. 🥰 🥰🥰

6. La’Gaan and his partners. Not only do I love the polyamory representation, they have such a wholesome dynamic, and La’Gaan deserved happiness! (Screw you, I’ve always liked him.)

7. WonderStatic. Cassie and Virgil have such a fun dynamic and I loved the hints he had a crush on her. She deserves better after the crap Tim pulled.

8. Zatanna+Rocket. Don’t judge me. They have an awesome dynamic and give off kickass Gf vibes.

9. Gardita. They were sweet together and really seemed happy. Wish they had stayed together.

10. Supermartian. They were adorable in Season 1, and I was happy to see them married at the end of Season 4, but all that mess significantly downgraded them for me.

Leave your thoughts in the comments and reblogs!

[nine-of-diamonds]

A List of References in Keep Your Enemies Close (Wait, Not That Close)

Since it’s somehow been a year since I posted KYEC (to the warmest reception I’ve ever gotten from a fic!! Seriously y’all are the best—I can’t believe I’m still getting comments a year after publication), I compiled a complete (as far as I can remember, at least) list of all of the references (with a few explanations about my writing choices) within the fic for funsies (and also bc I put Way Too Much effort into melding all of these elements together and wanted a full list of all the things I put together that were not intended to be put together lmao)

Oh, and if it wasn’t obvious… spoilers for the fic lol — if you haven't read it but are interested in what the heck I'm talking about, it's here on ao3!

(I’m just calling every segment separated by a line break a scene even though some of them aren’t reallyyy an actual scene for the sake of clarity)

Scene 1:

One line in and I’ve already name-dropped the Watchers: not much to say about them at this point since it’s pretty much the usual “godly beings that resemble indigo biblically-accurate angels that watch people.” All I really added here was the threads of Fate mention that’ll become relevant later

Scene 3:

Grian-proof vault: this one’s a double reference! The obvious one is from Season 9 (Grian’s ep 10) where Mumbo challenges Grian to get into his vault without breaking blocks and it turns out to be a decoy vault, but the second one is from Season 6 (Grian ep 100), where Grian, Bdubs, and Iskall (as the Dragon Bros) break into Mumbo’s vault to induct him into the cult club by guessing the code to be 1-2-3-4 (the “I didn’t plan for someone to come in and start jamming codes in” and KYEC!Grian’s response, “It was the second thing I tried” are reworded from their follow-up convo about it in the next episode)

KYEC!Grian’s stolen diamonds: okay I’m pretty sure this Season 6 arc started in Grian’s ep 73, where he mentions for the first time that his diamonds have “mysteriously gone missing” — KYEC!Grian’s got the same problem, only most of his diamonds are accidentally stolen and are causing more problems than economic deficits lol → we’ll get to the completion of this arc wayyy later, but this was the very first plot point to fall into place for this fic

Detective Grian: going even farther back into Season 6, we have the Sherlock Grian arc (begins in Grian’s ep 56) — once again, we’ll get back to this one

Fun fact: the moment where KYEC!Grian’s “skin prickled with the distinct sensation that someone was watching, waiting for him to do something” was meant to be foreshadowing that would become obvious at the end bc I originally planned to have KYEC!Grian’s time traveling be onscreen — that scene was meant to show Future Grian traveling to the past to steal his diamonds, but getting the timing slightly off so he was still in the apartment when this convo takes place, and is therefore the mysterious watcher mentioned here; I didn’t end up writing out that scene, though so now it just looks like another surface level Watcher reference

Scene 4:

KYEC!Grian’s powers: the wings don’t require explanation but here’s my rationale for the “perspective-shifting” (which, lemme tell you was cool in theory but SO annoying to figure out what to call/describe) → it’s basically just being able to go into F5 mode (the range limit for him is basically that he can move what I’ll call his mental camera to any point provided that at all times, his body is visible to the mental camera from some angle, i.e. he can’t see into the next room if there are no doors/windows but he can see around corners and objects); this power’s another Watcher parallel but also a contrast to Scar’s in that it’s good for revealing “the truth” while Scar’s power is deceptive in nature

Scene 5:

Hotguy!: fun fact, I actually started writing this fic before I knew about Scar’s Hotguy persona (I was grievously behind on Season 9 when I started this fic in mid 2022) so KYEC!Scar’s original hero name was Goodfellow and he used a staff, not a bow — but obviously, I swapped it to fit the Hotguy we all know and love (and for the sake of keeping track of episode references, I’m naming Scar’s Season 9 ep 5 as the first Hotguy mention in canon, don’t @ me if I’m wrong lol)

KYEC!Scar’s powers: alright, here’s a lil secret, there’s actually smth going on with his bow that never gets brought up in this fic and that I will be keeping secret bc I may or may have smth in the works. I can, however, talk about his illusions! While KYEC!Grian’s power lets him change how he sees things, KYEC!Scar’s lets him change what other people see. The illusions are also a nod at Scar’s terraforming + building skills since he can create intricate landscapes 

Xelqua (as KYEC!Grian’s villain name): other ideas for KYEC!Grian’s villain name included Poultry Man + Watcher but I settled on Xelqua since it’s commonly associated with Watcher!Grian but feels more like a name than just plain Watcher, and then afterwards, I developed the actual Xelqua lore

Xelqua (the lore one): obviously we have the nod at our tried and tested fanon “he was only meant to watch” but the mention of him “engineer[ing] countless games… with gods and men alike” is a blink and you’ll miss it Life series reference (I suppose it could also be a reference any of Grian’s other minigames but the Life series was what I had in mind lol) → also, the whole “Ultimately, the Watchers located Xelqua after he succumbed to his nature and began stirring up trouble again” bit of lore was just me riffing off that fable about the frog and the scorpion, which traumatized me as a kid and therefore lives in my brain rent-free

Scene 6: 

Harmless pranks: rapidfire references, let’s go! “a bit of ‘misplaced copper’” = Mumbo’s copper “lagging” into Grian’s inventory (Grian Season 8 ep 13), “a few disappearing doors” = Grian being a chronic door thief (...pretty much all of Season 7), “a few chests filled with eggs” = Grian + his quest to clog up his messaging system with Mumbo (Grian Season 6 ep 22 + many, many more instances)

Scene 7:

Roofed forest: very, very random but I did write this scene with Scar’s first Third Life episode in the background and was imagining the roofed forest he and Grian decimated as the scene he projects here

Also, I need you to know this fight scene was fully rewritten at least four times ;-;

Scene 9:

Mumbo unlocking Grian’s handcuffs: this wasn’t a reference when I wrote the fic but now it’s a reference to the Mumbo side fic I wrote for this au that writes out this scene

Scene 11:

KYEC!Grian’s comment: “I was broke and in need of a flatmate so he could’ve been an arsonist for all I cared, as long as he didn’t touch my stuff” → can I just cite all of the Life series here

Okay, I SWEAR the line, “You watch, Mumbo, I’ll be so subtle that you’ll forget I’m a supervillain” was based on an actual Grian line (or several) that start the same way but I can’t remember where it’s from

Scene 13:

More stolen diamonds: here’s the unofficial start of the Jangler plot lol — the moment this fic’s foundation really “clicked” for me was when I noticed mysterious diamond thievery appeared in both the time travel arc and the Jangler arc, and I was like “I can work with that”

Jellie: I want you to know the staging of this scene was specifically so I could have a reversal of the “villain stroking a cat while scheming” trope where Scar is a) wanting to do a good deed not a villainous one and b) basically getting a plan fed to him

Scene 14:

Okay pretty much this scene’s basically the transcribed version of a scene from Grian’s Season 6 ep 56 lmao but ig I’ll just talk more about how I thought to include the Jangler plot in the first place; originally, the premise of this fic was adapted from an abandoned non-MCYT fic draft I had floating around in my WIP folder, where the two characters were university dormmates who were unknowingly also vigilante partners + there was a whole Miraculous Ladybug style love square going on (on second thought, I was basically just making MLB with vigilantes lmao). When I got the idea to adapt it to a Desert Duo-centric superhero trying to catch supervillain fic, I wanted to make it platonic since most of the superhero aus I’ve read for the pair are romantic and I wanted to do smth different — the problem was that getting rid of the romance also got rid of a lot of the tension between the characters, so I needed smth to replace it — hence the detective/Jangler dynamic being included to make sure both characters were actively hiding a secret from the other at all times

Scene 16: 

This is probably a little obvious on second read but I did leave a comment to myself on one of my draft docs pointing out that KYEC!Scar decided to continue going out as the Jangler (even though he’d already technically fulfilled the returning diamonds thing he’d invented the persona for) because he overheard Grian talking about how he’d prefer to have more to work on + would get money from it 

Scene 18:

Attempted murder: back on the Season 6 reference train we go! This is from Grian’s ep 12 where he pranks an AFK Jevin by putting him on a flying machine and the game glitches and sends Jevin falling to his death

Scene 20:

The foreshadowing here is very obvious but this scene was a last minute addition I did not plan to include but was compelled to write bc I needed something to lighten the mood a bit since it was getting too serious and also bc I wanted to include the “sweet job” pun. Yes, I know it’s terrible. Yes, I laugh at it every time.

Scene 21 + 22: 

Cookie trail: here’s another “mostly transcribed” scene from Grian’s Season 6 ep 57 — I ran into a little problem logistically since flying isn’t the norm in this world but is in Hermitcraft, so I had to shove in the whole “flying machine to reach the top of the cookie” thing lmao 

KYEC!Stress: she does not make an appearance but I gave her ice powers bc of her ice castle base in Season 6

Scene 24: 

This entire scene is just Desert Duo dancing around each other trying to keep their secret identities secret but KYEC!Scar’s comment, “I always forget what information’s public” is a bit of irony that made me laugh while writing bc it comes straight after he accidentally reveals he knows where the cookie was

Scene 25–28:

Hitman after KYEC!Grian: yep this goes back to Grian’s Season 6 ep 14 where Jevin puts out a hit on Grian after the AFK prank that Iskall tries to carry out 

Grian’s trap: this is obviously just the trap for Iskall that Grian makes to stop him but I would like you to know that I went back to the episode to count the number of pistons used to make sure it lined up lmao

Scene 28 is also basically just a very dramatic version of the chase scene in this episode with some Watcher paranoia for spice

Scene 30–31:

Time machine: time to circle all the way back around to this plot lol — I didn’t think it made sense for KYEC!Grian to build a time machine himself during all of this but he still gets access to one in the end thanks to Mumbo. Grian’s Season 6 ep 79 has him go back in time to stop his diamonds from being stolen, only to realize he’s the one who stole them in the first place, and I thought it was a fitting way to end the fic after all the diamond stealing shenanigans

And hey, that's it! That list totally didn't take me like two hours to write up and find the episodes for! No wonder I had to restructure this fic like seven times when writing it!

Anyway, if you read this far, thanks for indulging my madness :) And to anyone who's engaged with any of my fics, thank you thank you thank you for every hit, kudos, comment, and bookmark!

[what-gs-watching]

“It all looked so simple in Jane Austen.”

So after I finished Good Omens (and sobbed, and got deep into fanfic, and sobbed some more, and then immediately started it over, and over)  I harassed my sister into watching both seasons, she’s on maternity leave and was looking for something. I made her text me along her journey and I was sooo excited for her to get to the end, I was literally tracking her and squealing about it to my husband.

Gang. After she watched the finale, she just said “I never got a romantic vibe from them….”

Like. I can’t. I literally said “c’mon that’s not real” but she doubled down. I understand we’re different people and we watch things differently but jesus. It was extremely disappointing. This is why she always wanted to unsubscribe from What G’s Watching, clearly. 

But we’re gonna shake it off, and talk about it. Season 2 episode 6. And how absolutely fucking crushing it is. Thank god for the internet. 

Right. So Aziraphale starts enacting his own plan while Shax tries to be menacing outside, setting up his portal to heaven. It looks good on baby boy, not going to lie, guardian of the Eastern gate comes out, it’s that ‘little bit of a bastard’ we’ve been looking for all season.

Up in heaven Crowley gives a rousing speech about bees to convince Muriel to take him to her office,  and then changes his getup after they call him a “murder hornet, or a snake…” Bravo to whoever designed this outfit, the tracksuit and the little sandals and his painted nails. He’s hippity hoppity Crowley and it’s so endearing. 

Muriel is fairly upset when they realize they’re helping a demon but they produce Gabriel’s file anyway because they can’t open it, so why not; “you need to be a throne or dominion or above.” But Crowley can. And I know there are a ton of theories out there about why he can, but my favorite likens Crowley to an engineer (he did create the stars, afterall) that’s been fired by a lazy startup who never changes their API keys. Of course, that’s not as salacious as the thought that he was an important angel before he fell, but it’s my favorite thought. I love engineers. 

Come to find out that Gabriel had decided that he didn’t want to do Armageddon 2: Electric Boogaloo, refusing to use his powers as Supreme Archangel, and the rest of the crew were none too happy about it. Saraquel shows up while they’re watching the scene unfold, and again Crowley doesn’t remember someone he supposedly worked closely with (more implications, but I can’t right now) and so she lets Crowley see Gabriel’s resulting “trial”.

Surprise, Metatron is running the thing - Gabriel thinks he’ll be sent down to hell but he says  no, one archangel cast down is a good story but two makes it look like an institutional problem (it absolutely is) and so instead he’ll have his memory wiped, and become a scrivener, one level below Muriel. Crowley gives her a sweet little pat on the arm when she’s proud of that, it’s so endearing. 

Gabriel seems to take it in stride, asks if he can clean out his desk and they let him, because sure, and he makes a break for it. You can see him stripping out of his heavenly suit while wielding the box he showed up to Az’s shop with, scribbling something on the bottom and then dropping the matchbox as he enters the elevator. 

When they realize he’s doing something squirrely, they try to wipe his memory without him present (y’all dicks)  only to realize he’s no longer in heaven. Metatron is none too happy, it’s clear that mofo is pulling the strings entirely, and instead of sounding the alarm, he wants the other angels to find him, quickly and quietly.

Back at the shop, Shax tries to convince Maggie and Nina into letting them in, taunting Maggie who is suddenly very brave , butMaggie accidentally tells them to come in and say their insults to her face. So, they do. 

And Aziraphale’s trick with the portal works for a bit, stupid demons keep stepping in and getting vaporized, but that’s not going to work for long so they retreat up the spiral stairs while the demons advance. 

At the top, Nina and Maggie arm themselves with fire extinguishers, a lot of fire extinguishers. Which I’m sure we all imagine is Crowley’s doing, I can see him trying to clandestinely fill the bookshop with them after the devastating fire. I guarantee it’s his (not so) irrational fear. And you know Aziraphale noticed but said nothing about it, because why would they talk about those horrible feelings.

So as the demons try to climb the stairs the girls are spraying the extinguishers and that works a bit too. Shax is back at trying to be menacing, though she does a bit of a better job - calling Az Crowley’s emotional support angel, she accuses him, “the softest touch, the one who went native”, sneering at him about big human meals and sushi. And you can see it gets to him. He’s probably thinking he should be more ferocious in the face of all this.

And then the girls run out of extinguishers and they ask if they can throw books and he hates the idea, they offer encyclopedias and he acquiesces. I love the look on his face while they’re hurling the books though, he has gone native but it’s in the sweetest little ways. He loves knowledge; Crowley gave humans knowledge.

It’s now time for Aziraphale to do something, really do something, so he goes for broke. He steels himself and he removes his halo from seemingly nothing and he throws it down into the shop. One of the demons toe at it gently and then TADA! All demons (except Shax) are blown to bits. Guardian Aziraphale says “I may have just started a war”, because of course he did. 

In heaven, Crowley, Muriel and Saraquel see alarm bells so they decide to head back down to get involved in Aziraphale’s mess, and I love the scene in the elevator with all the angels huddled against one side while Crowley grins at them from the other and his clothes change back, “funny old world, isn't’ it?”

When they show up in the bookshop Az is so excited and Crowley asks what he did to them all. He’s not proud to admit he “did the thing with the halo” but Crowley absolutely loves it; yes he loves to rescue Aziraphale but he also loves when Aziraphale stands up for himself. Boy is tickled over it. 

But of course shit’s about to get real, Beelzebub shows up with a handful of demons all thrilled that they’re finally at war. Crowley isn’t having it, he’s commanding a room full of idiot angels and idiot demons and he asks Az for the box Jim/Gabriel showed up with so they can sort this shit out. On the bottom, he’d written “I’m in the FLY!” 

So they turn it over to Beez, who finds the fly that’s been sneaking around the entire season, and she says “it’s familiar.” she coaxes it over to her, sweetly, “look at you, you’re perfect.” It’s a turnaround for her - we haven’t seen much of her this season but last season she was absolutely not any kind of soft. 

She gives the fly to Gabriel, tells him to take it gently and open it. And he does. 

Is this part a little rushed? Yes. We see Gabriel traveling through his memories, meeting Beezlebub during the apocalypse-that-wasn’t, commiserating over their jobs. And then they meet in a pub to talk about apocalypse mark II, but their hearts don’t seem exactly in it. A third meeting, where Gabriel proposes they maybe don’t armageddon at all - Beez is intrigued, and agrees, and they hear “Everyday” playing on the pub’s speakers. Beezlebub says she likes it, and Gabriel decides that if she does, he does too. 

Every time they meet they say there’s no reason to ever meet again. And then a fourth time, Gabriel takes Beez to his statue in Edinburgh (which I think is absolutely hilarious, calling back to the conversation in 1827 wherein Crowley suggests he comes down to stare at it and marvel at his own beauty. Bingo.)

They go to the Resurrectionist pub afterward and they sit in a cozy little booth at the back. Gabriel miracles the jukebox to play “Everyday”, he tells Beez it’ll always be there on, to ease the afflicted, and she’s appreciative of the gesture. She gives him a gift in return, the fly, which she says is a container. Gabriel says “no one’s ever actually given me anything before.”

And that’s all it takes, y’all. Heaven is so sterile and unfeeling and clean and cold that all it takes for an archangel to think ‘fuck it’ is a small gesture of kindness, of thought. For someone to give him something. Crowley’s been giving Aziraphale things for 6,000 years.

In the shop, Gabriel is full Gabriel now and everyone realizes slowly what’s going on. Beezlebub is called a traitor for collaborating with heaven, but she says she didn’t collaborate any more than Gabriel did. And then she says:

“I just found something that mattered more to me than choosing sides.”

The LOOK on Aziraphale’s face, he reaches out and grabs Crowley’s shoulder. Sweet angel is incredulous and excited and hopeful. And it’s what Crowley has been trying to tell him ALL ALONG. They matter more than choosing sides, they always have. 

Is it infuriating that Gabriel and Beezlebub can figure this out in what must feel like, 30 seconds to them? Absolutely. But the problem is, neither one of them gives a shit about earth or humanity. Crowley and Az are on their own side, but that side has always included the stupid little planet that brought them together. So it can’t be as simple. Nothing can ever be as simple. 

Meanwhile, Nina and Maggie are still in the shop but they need to  be ushered out so as not to turn into pillars of salt. Crowley says he’ll take them but Aziraphale is still holding his shoulder and when he breaks away you can see Az take a few steps forward still reaching for him. He’s so close to getting what he wants, if they can just wrap this situation up.

The point is, Beezlebub and Gabriel want to go off together and be left alone. Crowley tells the Alpha Centauri is nice, he always wanted to go, and Aziraphale’s face, again, jesus Michael Sheen and that face. The flicker of recognition and understanding, my poor heart. Beez tells  Shax she can be a duke of hell to discourage her from looking for them, and then they hold each other’s hands and disappear while singing “Everyday”. Annoying yes, but still sweet. 

In the coffee shop, there’s a slightly familiar old man, fucking Metraton, ordering a coffee from Nina and he asks her if anyone ever asks for ‘death’, gesturing at the name of the shop. She says no, they don’t, he says “No I don’t suppose they do, so predictable.” 

This asshole takes the coffee he ordered and heads over to the bookshop, interrupting the threats to be erased from the book of life being hurled at Aziraphale. The angels don’t recognize him. But Crowley does. Metraton tells the angels they don't have the authority to do what they’re suggesting, and he sends them back upstairs (minus Muriel) after they ask if they’ve done anything wrong and he tells them that remains to be seen.

Metatron asks Az if they can talk, and Aziraphale says there’s nothing to discuss, since his position has been made pretty goddamn clear. But Metatron offers him the coffee, goads him into taking it and having a sip. No one ever asks for death. He looks back to Crowley to figure out what to do (instinctual, heartbreaking) and Crowley tells him to go on. So he does. 

Muriel is still in the shop though, and Crowley tries to get her to go, he tells her that when Az returns they’re going to need “us time” (swoon, again), he says he wants to have an extremely alcoholic breakfast at the Ritz. He thinks the worst is behind them for now and he just wants to be with Aziraphale, and it’s just so dear. He gives Muriel a book and she leaves, and he sets himself to cleaning up the shop, fixing the bookshelves and covering the portal and messing about with Aziraphale’s chair, he’s anxious but he’s removing the obstacles in the way of his planned little trip. He just wants to be with the angel in a place that’s meaningful for them.

And then we see Nina and Maggie bickering a bit in the shop, Maggie wants to talk to Az and Crowley but Nina doesn’t think it will help, though she gives in anyway. They bust in on Crowley and tell them they have to talk to him, these girls are gonna call him on his shit. They tell him they’re real people, they aren’t toys to be played with, and he tries to defend the little charade that he and Az both had put on for them, but they don’t care. 

They tell him he needs to talk to Aziraphale. And he says they talk all the time, they’ve talked for millions of years. Except we all know that’s not talking, it’s not communicating. THEY’RE TALKING PAST EACH OTHER. They tell him that he needs to actually say what’s on his mind. And he seems to understand, finally. 

Woof. Okay. And then, Aziraphale comes back into the shop. And everyone holds their fucking breath.

Crowley tries to dive into it, he really does “if I don’t start talking I won’t ever start talking” but Aziraphale stops him because he can’t pick up on social cues?! Or how nervous Crowley is right now??! Or how serious he’s being?? I can’t.

It tumbles out of Aziraphale, he tells him that Metatron has asked him to replace Gabriel, because he’s a leader, and he doesn’t tell people what they want to hear. And Aziraphale resists at first, saying that he doesn’t want to go back to heaven. But Metatron pulls Crowley in, saying that their arrangement has been irregular, but if Az was archangel, he could restore his friend to full angelic status. The more you watch this part, the more it sounds like a fucking threat. And it is. Everyone asks for coffee, they never ask for death - Aziraphale took the coffee hesitantly, and if he doesn’t fully accept it, it really is death, but not for him. 

He paints a prettier picture for Crowley though, he seems to be excited and thrilled with the idea even though it’s not truly shining through. “You could come back to heaven and everything, like old times, only nicer!” Which Crowley hears as a slap in the face. Hears it as ‘I’ve been tolerating you but I’d really like to go back to the way things were’, hears it as a million different terrible things.

So he explodes a little bit and tells Aziraphale he’s better than that, “we’re better than that!”They don’t need them, they’re toxic.  He says they wanted him to be a duke of hell and he refused and fucking Aziraphale says obviously he said no to that, “you’re the bad guys”. My dude is choosing all of the wrong words. You’re gonna say “you’re” there? For real? Jesus christ. Because heaven is the side of “truth and light” and really baby, you are so far off the reservation right now. How the fuck do you truly think that anymore? 

Crowley tells him: “When Heaven ends life here on Earth, it'll be just as dead as if Hell ended it.” And it’s so crucially important but what he should have said was - ‘they’re not going to give up on trying to destroy everything and they’re tricking you into helping them’ but he doesn’t. And he’s so angry, he wants Azirphale to tell him that he said no, the second time he repeats it it’s so deflated, defeated, sad. But Az is convinced he can make a difference. 

This is where that familiar trope would come in wherein the character that was trying to confess how they really feel gives up, but I have to give this man credit, Crowley decides he’s going to power through it, he’s gonna say the things he needs to say, even if he already knows the outcome.

And everyone is still fucking holding their breath. Because poor Crowley is too, trying to get it all out. David Tennant is a beautiful disaster, huffing and stumbling and looking away and looking back. And it falls apart spectacularly.

“We've known each other a long time. We've been on this planet for a long time. I mean, you and me. I could always rely on you. You could always rely on me. We're a team, a group. A group of the two of us. And we've spent our existence pretending that we aren't. I mean, the last few years, not really. And I would like to spend...I mean, if Gabriel and Beelzebub can do it, go off together, then we can. Just the two of us. We don't need Heaven, we don't need Hell, they're toxic. We need to get away from them, just be an ‘us’. You and me, what do you say?”

How Aziraphale doesn’t crumple at all of this, I will never understand. Like, are you hearing what this beautiful demon is offering you? Maybe he shouldn’t have insinuated that you’d ‘leave’ together, he doesn’t want to go anywhere, not really but my brother in christ, he puts his heart on a platter all trussed up and still you’re not hearing him. Now would be a good time to tell him you don’t really have a choice, but oooh baby, you’re gonna lie through your teeth. Cool. Cool, cool, cool.

Instead, he asks Crowley to come to heaven and be his second in command (so fucking laughable) and insists again they can make a difference. Poor demon says “you can’t leave this bookshop” at that, and Az tells him nothing lasts forever. The girls had told Crowley to say what he’s really thinking, but he still isn’t doing it - you can’t leave me, you can’t leave earth, you can’t leave what we’ve built together.

 Hurdling onward, Crowley puts his sunglasses back on at that, he’d given his little confession without his ever-present protection, and he just says “Good luck.” At which point, Aziraphale makes a go of it himself, saying “Work with me! We can be together! Angels, doing good!” (and the ‘angels’ part is where he fucked up, he knows Crowley would never, ever, ever want to be an angel again). 

When Crowley’s not moved, he’s got one last thing, squeaking out: “I…need you!” and those are the wrong three words. We all know it. It’s there in his hesitation. And then he’s a little bit of an asshole, to protect himself: “I don’t think you understand what I’m offering you.” Which is essentially protection, a nowhere-near-perfect-but-maybe-it-can-be-enough way to be together.

Crowley tells him “I think I understand a whole lot better than you do” because that’s true, he knows neither of them would  be safe there, it’s a fucking TRAP, why isn’t he screaming it’s a trap?! I get it, he wants Aziraphale to say no because he should be enough, because Aziraphale needs to fully accept they’re on their own side for once, but the poor little one is not working off enough information, he hasn’t been. And It’s not fair to keep it from him, but here we are.

Sad little demon has to twist the knife a little bit, and he asks “do you hear that?” and of course there’s nothing to hear. He says, “No nightingales” and it breaks Aziraphale like it should. The song that had been playing at the Ritz when they toasted to the world. That was supposed to imply they’d get their happy ending. The words do what they need to do.

Has anyone breathed this entire time? How was I simultaneously holding it in and screaming at the two of them at the same time? Crowley waits a beat  and he says “You idiot…we could have been us” and I guarantee you there’s no air in the room and Aziraphale looks like he’s going to cry (or is likely crying already) and Crowley crosses the room and he grabs the angel by his lapels and

Crowley kisses him. 

Like he’s desperate. Like it’s a ‘hail mary’ that he knows isn’t going to work. Like it’s the last chance he’ll ever get. And it isn’t sweet, it isn’t tender, it isn’t a vavoom under an awning or a sudden revelation during a slow dance. 

Aziraphale looks like he’s in pain, and his hands flutter around a bit, one of them resting on Crowley’s shoulder briefly, he doesn’t know what the fuck to do, it’s not like it should be at all, and it’s fucking agonizing to watch. It’s a fucking gut punch. For them, for everyone.

When they break away, Aziraphale does crumple (as much as he can anyway) and then he says the worst thing he could possibly say. “I forgive you.” It’s the most devastating of the wrong three words he could possibly choose. There’s hesitation again, but he still chose wrong. No more Guardian of the Eastern Gate, no more bravery. Always wrong.

Crowley tells him not to bother, and then he’s gone. At this point, we need to give all the awards to Michael Sheen - Aziraphale’s face is a mash of anguish and anger and desperation and frustration and confusion and broken and he just puts his hands to his lips (so did I). Utter devastation.

We all know the rest: Metatron comes back and ushers Aziraphale out of the bookshop even though he does half-heartedly try to say maybe he’s changed his mind, it doesn’t matter now though, he’s done too much damage and he knows it. So he goes. And Crowley’s there outside, standing stock fucking still against the Bentley, staring through his shades. You know his eyes never leave Aziraphale, you know the angel can feel every ounce of it, and before he gets on the elevator he does dare to look back, but he steps in anyway. 

Oh, the grand plan, by the way? The one Aziraphale is perfect to lead? The second coming. 

Crowley gets in the Bentley once they’ve gone, and the radio plays him “A nightingale sang in berkeley square”. He lets it, briefly, then shut it off and drives away. The credits show their faces side by side, Crowley hidden behind his glasses but dejected, resigned, Aziraphale trying to plaster on his best ‘jolly good’ face. It goes on for minutes. And it breaks you.

And so. TFL;DDR (too fucking long, definitely didn’t read): somehow an angel and a demon hiding a amnesiac archangel in a quiet bookshop turns into a 6000-year-long love story that will rip your fucking guts out, make you believe in soul mates, shatter your emotional processing skills, hurt you in a way you can’t exactly define, and leave you in a puddle of goo, dazed and wondering what the fuck just happened. Or maybe that’s just me. 

I haven’t connected to a show like this in a long time. And I’m so grateful for it. Like I said, a love story, in the most beautiful and worst ways possible.

[gothamslostboy]

📁 for Micheal tlb!!

A/N: I’m in a Michael mood rn so I figured I’d do this request first, but to the person who requested it, I will do the Jervis fic soon I promise

My boy has perfect pitch

Sam just walks up to him and hits random things together and is like “what note was that”

Michael put a lock on his door bc one night sam did rt his at 4:00am

He loves Disney movies

I’ve said this so many times but he LOVES cooking

Especially for ppl he cares about

His favorite season is summer

It would be spring but he’s allergic to flowers

Still buys Star flowers every week

His favorite fruit is cantaloupe

Likes the look of button up shirts but cant stand actually wearing them

Solid B+ student

Does well in math tho

Has 5 pairs of shoes: 1 set of foot flops, 1 set of dress shoes, 1 pair of boots, 2 sets of tennis shoes

Looks identical to his grandpa on his dads side

Prefers quilts over blankets

Decent singing voice but thinks it’s awful

Mamas boy, but in the good way

Normally his room is pretty neat, but around important tests it gets messy

Always wanted brown eyes

Used to help grandpa Emerson with his taxidermy when little until he realized it was actual animals

Nanook was originally his dog, but gave her to Sam after realizing he didn’t want the responsibility

Still lays on the floor with Nanook’s head on his chest like they did when she was a puppy occasionally

Learned piano for a couple years but dropped it for guitar

Has a tiny scar just below his hairline on the back of his neck bc Sam threw a pencil at him in elementary school

Collects quarters

Favorite candy is pop rocks

When he was a toddler he was a dance machine and Lucy constantly brings it up and accidentally embarrassed him

Michael and Lucy have had special nights just for them since he was 2 where they watch their favorite kids movies together curled up on the couch

He saved up money from his first job in Santa Carla and bought a tv so they could continue this

At some point in life he gets a chicken named Julian

I Like @persephone-s-moon ‘s Rat Series so even though they aren’t they boys, laddie, and Star, he gets 6 rats to help with anxiety after the night in the house

Names are Joey, Bobby, Danny, Chloe, Rosie, & Frankie

Yes all their names had to end with an “e” sound on purpose

He and Star end up dating for a couple years, but decided to be friends after a while

Michael ends up dating a bleach blonde guy who he just can’t figure out why he looks so familiar no it’s not actually david

Kinda regrets not turning when he reaches his 30s

Would never tell anyone that tho

His favorite Disney movie as of 1987 was The Fox and The Hound

But adored the Little Mermaid when it came out and took Laddie to see it all the time

Also was the one who went with Star to return laddie to his parents after everything, and the pair became his official babysitters

He gets a little creeped out whenever laddie acts like the boys tho

Still bought laddie a new jacket when he outgrew his old one, and it looked a lot like Dwayne’s

Becomes a music teacher in 50s, but was a producer before that

Ends up married to a girl named Susan, and has a son- Gabriel David Emerson

Yes Sam and everyone besides Laddie gave him hell for the middle name

Ends up being a great dad

Favorite shape is a trapezoid

Listens to Queen a ton

He and Star end up life long besties

[animebw]

Short Reflection: Fall 2022 Anime

Was Fall 2022 the single most stacked season of anime ever? It’s certainly a contender, at least. Not only were there once again far too many good shows to keep up with, not only were a lot of those shows really fucking good, but there was such a wide variety that no matter your tastes- shonen, slice of life, mecha, political drama, whatever the fuck Akiba Maid War counts as- you were basically guaranteed at least one phenomenal show to stay hooked on. And if you’re someone like me who appreciates pretty much every genre as long as it’s done well? Then my god, I hope you skipped lunch, because this feast never fucking ended. I’ve already given my thoughts on Yama no Susume’s underwhelming fourth season (6.5/10), Mob Psycho 100′s safe but deeply satisfying finale (8/10), and the bonkers roller coaster of Chainsaw Man (8.5/10), and there’s still way too many anime left to talk about. So without any further ado, let’s dive right in to the disappointments, the hidden gems, and the runaway smash hits that closed out this fantastic year for anime.

My Hero Academia Season 6: Unfinished/10

There’s not much I have to say about this one yet, as I’m planning to give it a full review when it’s all over. But I at least wanted to say this: I fucking told y’all My Hero Academia was going to reclaim its crown. I told y’all this show was eventually gonna earn its place back as one of the greatest long-running shonen of all time. But nooooo, you were all busy pretending that a few lackluster fight scenes meant this show was the worst garbage ever and handing out accolades to gorgeously animated pieces of stale cardboard like Demon Slayer for plastering pretty wallpaper all over the vapid nonsense at their core. Well, how does it feel now, huh? How does it feel to remember what an actual great shonen action series looks like? This is the best that MHA has been since season 3, and while it’s gonna fall to the next cours to determine where season 6 ends up on the pantheon, it’s so fucking good to see this show operating at full capacity again.

To Your Eternity Season 2: Unfinished/10

Genuine question: what the absolute fuck happened to To Your Eternity? I still remember when that incredible first episode dropped back in 2021 and everyone was ready to crown it the new patron saint of cry-inducing philosophical fantasy. How did we get from that to this? To increasingly hacky production values that rarely rise above passable and never once manage to capture the awe and wonder this story is so clearly shooting tor? To writing so tonally inconsistent it decides to introduce a cast of wacky over-the-top camera-muggers in this serious and serene fantasy yarn? Didn’t this show used to be good? Didn’t it used to be a genuinely compelling exploration of human nature and immortality and moving on from loss? When did it fall apart so badly that it barely even resembles the show it used to be? And that’s not even getting into some of the most abysmal queerbaiting I’ve seen in a very long time. There were definitely worse anime this year, but nothing else left me feeling so utterly betrayed. I can only pray the slight upswing of quality it’s experiencing in its current arc continues, because otherwise this is going to end up the most crushing disappointment of anime in 2022.

Reincarnated as a Sword: 3/10

Let us all stop for a moment and consider the absolute state of the isekai genre. Here we have yet another story of some personality-deficient schlub transported to another world that runs on JRPG logic, where he instantly becomes the most OP person (or, well, sword) around and never has to struggle for anything. The characters and setting are all as painfully generic as every other entry in the genre. The plot wastes so much time rattling off video game stats to justify its boring OP worldbuilding that it forgets to write any sort of interesting or nuanced personalities for the people in its world. The production values are passably okay without ever showing a single shred of personality beyond the most by-the-basics staples of this watered-down Dragon Quest backwash. There is nothing worth recommending here, nothing you can get from this show that you can’t get in a million better ways elsewhere. And yet, Reincarnated as a Sword has one thing going for it: it doesn’t try and justify slavery. In fact, its real protagonist is an enslaved catgirl who breaks free from her chains and seeks to prove her worth, with the titular sword serving as her paternal guardian. And that alone puts this dull, uninspired, pointless slab of processed anime loaf above a decent chunk of its contemporaries in the isekai genre. Because that is how fucking far the bar has been lowered at this point. God help us all.

My Master Has No Tail: 4/10

The frustrating thing about My Master Has No Tail is that there’s not really anything wrong with it. It’s a cute little historical anime about a tanuki girl learning rakugo from a fox spirit in a time of huge technological upheaval for Japan, a time when all the old spirits are at risk of losing their place in the world and must find some way to adapt to the new era alongside humanity. That premise should result in something really interesting, or at least unique enough for a mellow slice-of-life hobby show with a supernatural twist. And yet despite the lack of things to complain about, I just could not get on this show’s wavelength. It just doesn’t push far enough in any direction to be memorable; the animation is competent but also as basic as it gets, the characters are inoffensive but simple, the comedy is decent but rarely rises above a chuckle. Every single aspect of this show is just a little too underwhelming to really make an impact, and with nothing but average everywhere you look, the whole thing ends up kinda boring. I do like the themes it’s playing with, how art is used as a vessel for spirits and humans to keep their connections strong in an increasingly secular, industrialized world, but it’s not enough to bring this show up anywhere above harmlessly mediocre. What a shame.

Arknights Prelude to Dawn: 4.5/10

I find myself fairly conflicted about the first season of Arknights. On the one hand, it’s a relief to get a gacha game adaptation with some actual gravitas behind it, and the story of a post-infection dystopian world struggling between compassion and justice has some genuinely complex things to say about the morality of living through hellish situations. And its cinematic production ambitions ensure it’s rarely boring to look at. On the other hand, though, I get the sense that whoever was behind the script didn’t take into account the differences between what works narratively in a video game and what works in a TV show. Divorced from their role as an audience surrogate/POV who needs to be explained everything so the player can understand how to play, the mostly silent Doctor comes off as a nothing character who could be cut from the show without changing anything. Ditto the under-explained, underutilized tactical cell phone that probably only existed in the first place to justify how the game’s combat looked and functioned, and the dialogue that’s mostly a series of plot points taking us from one Important Setpiece to the next. I want to like what Arknights is doing, but it’s not until the shockingly great final two episodes that it starts to feel like a proper show and not just a lavishly animated cutscene compilation. Hopefully the second season continues that upward trajectory, and maybe then we’ll be able to call this a truly excellent gacha anime.

Do It Yourself: 5/10

Between this show and Healer Girl from earlier this year, I think I’ve come to the conclusion that I really need more than vibes to keep me interested in a show. Don’t get me wrong, vibes are good! But there’s a whole subsection of cute-girls shows that are basically nothing but vibes, and absent anything else to sink my teeth into, I find myself feeling very little connection to them. You’d think Do It Yourself might have a little more going on, what with its near-future setting, stabs at commentary on the importance of not letting automation fully run everything, and extremely gay undertones. But no, it’s mostly just cute girls doing DIY carpentry for twelve episodes. It’s a show for you to turn your brain off to and just, well, like I said, vibe to the expressive FLCL-esque art style and richly detailed guide to DIY carpentry with a bunch of intermittenly interesting characters. And while I can appreciate those vibes well enough, there’s so little intrigue to anything that I can’t really bring myself to care about it all that much. I dunno, maybe they shouldn’t have kept the one character who actually generates interesting narrative friction at arm’s length for nearly the entire show. And maybe they should’ve let Serafu and Pudding kiss. Actually, no maybes there, they definitely should’ve done that.

Play It Cool, Guys (1st Half): 5.5/10

Here’s a pleasant little surprise I don’t think anyone saw coming. Sure, this slice-of-life about a bunch of clumsy dudes navigating their own awkwardness isn’t gonna set the world on fire, but it’s become one of the more unusually absorbing short anime I’ve encountered in a while. I think what draws me to Play It Cool, Guys is that it’s just very unpretentious; it promises a chill twelve minutes every week of low-key sweet-natured comedy, and that’s exactly what you get. The punchlines aren’t amazing, but they pretty much always hit. The characters aren’t very complex or interesting, but they all carry themselves well enough that you enjoy seeing them on screen. It’s even got a certain kind of confidence to just be so low-key and not try to overextend itself with cheap gimmicks or recycled plot beats to grab your attention, because it trusts that its word and characters are charming enough to earn your investment on their own. And you know what? That confidence is not misplaced. It might not be my favorite thing in the world, but I have a sneaking suspicion it’s just going to keep growing on me as it moves into its second cours. Check back at the end of winter, and I might just end up giving it a much more enthusiastic recommendation.

Urusei Yatsura (1st Half): 6/10

Is there still a point to Urusei Yatsura today? Yes, Rumiko Takahashi’s groundbreaking rom-com about an alien girl falling in love with a philandering douchenozzle invented the anime rom-com as we know it, not to mention possibly starting waifu culture itself with Lum. But fifty years later, with all its component parts iterated upon by basically every romance-adjacent anime that followed it, does the original property have anything left to offer on its own merits? Or is it a relic of a bygone time, no longer useful as anything but a historical artifact for tropes and archetypes that have all been used better by the works it ended up inspiring? Halfway through this modern reboot, I’m still not sure what the answer to that question is going to be. What I can say for sure is that this show makes me laugh more often than it doesn’t, and while not all of it has aged gracefully, it’s oddly refreshing to see just how much more egalitarian the anime rom-com used to be. This is no incel wank fantasy where a loser guy gets all the hot girls by doing basically nothing; this is a show where everyone’s just a little bit nuts, and you’re not so much rooting for anyone to get together as you are just enjoying the chaos that results when all these different flavors of asshole butt heads. That’s far more my speed than any of the wish fulfillment harem slop that learned all the wrong lessons from Urusei Yatsura’s success. Whether or not it’ll end up anything more than a series of mostly amusing episodic sketches remains to be seen, but for now, I’m content to just watch the madness unfold. Plus, it’s got Hiroshi Kamiya and Mamoru Miyano sniping at each other like every episode, you can’t not love that.

Pop Team Epic Season 2: 6/10

Sometimes, you just need a little chaos in your life. That sentence probably sums up the appeal of Pop Team Epic better than anything else I could ever write. Sometimes, you just want to let loose on a stream of consciousness through utterly batshit comedy skits that switch tone and animation style on a dime, packed with references to countless things you’re only vaguely aware of, never quite sure if all this insanity has any kind of point or if the pointlessness is itself the point. Pop Team Epic is just fucking weird, y’all. But it’s the kind of weird that clearly comes from a group of talented people having a blast throwing anything and everything at the wall just because they can, not caring about whether any of it sticks or not because the messy, nonsensical act of creating the damn thing in the first place is reason enough for it to exist. What other show will give you a dating sim spoof, yaoi lesbians, legitimately great mecha action, a final fantasy parody, gratuitous violence, a live action flipbook segment, and a full-on tokusatsu show starring Aoi Shota as a time-traveling sentai hero, all in the space of 12 episodes? If that kind of memetic insanity is your jam, then you need to get this show in your eyeballs yesterday. Pop Team Epic makes no goddamn sense, and god bless it for that.

Spy x Family Part 2: 7/10

Does a show need a plot? Is it enough for it to simply wander through a bunch of random side quests and coast on charm alone? That certainly seems to be what Spy x Family is banking on; after a relatively plot-solid first part where most episodes had at least a little in the way of new developments, part 2 seems content mostly to put the Forger family members in a variety of amusing scenarios and leave all the big picture stuff in the background until the final episode. And it’s a testament to just how damn charming these characters are- and how slick the production continues to be- that it mostly gets away with it. it’s fun watching Loid, Yor, and Anya bumble about as they slowly figure out what it means to live a “normal” life. But I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t impatient for the plot to pick back up. I dunno, after so many episodes of just faffing about, I felt myself getting kind of burnt out on the sitcom hijinks. And it doesn’t help that the biggest new character introduced is basically just a genderswapped Yuri, a.k.a. the worst character in the series. Spy x Family works best when it’s balancing its fluffy and kickass sides, and part 2 just leaned a little too far into fluff for my tastes. I still had a lot of fun, but I’m more than ready for the Ostania-Westalis conflict to be important again.

Blue Lock (1st Half): 7/10

The premise of Blue Lock is one of those immediately head-slapping moments of “Wow, why has no one tried this before?” brilliance: what if you took a shonen sports anime and made it an edgy death game? Sports anime are already full of larger-than-life personalities and conflicts, so taking that over-the-top competitive camp and applying it to a situation where the characters have to destroy each other to get ahead in a winner-takes-all battle royale is such a no-brainer, I’m shocked it’s taken this long for someone to come up with it. Sure, you don’t actually die if you lose Blue Lock, but losing the ability to play competitive soccer ever again might as well be death for a shonen sports boy, so it still counts. Point is, this premise is certifiably genius. Which makes it slightly disappointing that so far, the show isn’t taking as much advantage of it as it could. Don’t get me wrong, there’s some of the skullduggery and backstabbing you’d expect from your typical death game, but for the most part, Blue Lock just plays like a traditional soccer anime. A very good soccer anime, to be sure, but I find myself wishing it was willing to get nastier and edgier and really take advantage of its premise. Hell, it’s not even the best straightforward soccer anime this year; Ao Ashi has it beat in everything but animation. So count me a fan, but also count me hopeful that it leans more into what makes it unique going forward.

Raven of the Inner Palace: 7.5/10

In a fantasy-tinged version of Medieval China, there lives an imperial courtesan known as the Raven Consort. But unlike the other courtesans, her duties do not involve, well, nighttime visits. No, her mission is to put to rest the wandering spirits of the dead, the shades of those who died with regrets or unfinished business that still tie them to the world of the living. As long as anyone can remember, she’s lived alone, existing for nothing but her mission with no bonds to the world around her. But when a new emperor deposes the corrupt regime, he makes it his mission to set right everything his forebearers set wrong... including freeing the Raven Consort from her isolation. Thus begins one of the most absorbing anime I’ve watched all year, a story of the sins of the past as they claw at the fabric of the present, the struggle to untangle eons of societal oppression, and what it truly means to make amends for mistakes that left scars too big to ever heal. Raven of the Inner Palace is a bit of a slow burn, but when it takes off, it fucking takes off. And I know most of you barely even heard about it because it was overshadowed by all the louder, flashier shows this season, so consider this your wake-up call. Don’t sleep on this one, it’s really damn good.

Akiba Maid War: 8.5/10

Honestly, I don’t even want to say anything about this one. I just want to tell you all that you need to fucking watch Akiba Maid War and let you experience its many surprises as deliriously blind as I did. So if that alone is enough to convince you to go watch it, then stop what you’re doing and go watch it before you’re spoiled on anything. But if you need a little extra convincing, then consider the following: what if I told you that this seemingly innocuous maid cafe show is not, in fact, a quaint little otaku-centric slice of life, but a full-on pastiche of yakuza movies that takes all the genre’s bloodshed and mayhem and filters it through maid-colored glasses? A show where maids gun each other down and jockey for power and get in vicious turf battles and yet never once break maid keyfabe? Where the simple joke of “yakuza movie but they’re maids” is played so straight and pushed so far to its absolute limit that it somehow wraps back around to being both a completely ludicrous parody of itself and a completely genuine, 100% heart-on-its-sleeve love letter to both seemingly incompatible sides of its double identity? And walks that seemingly impossible tonal tightrope near flawlessly before bringing it all home in a final episode so pitch-perfect it forced me to pump my score up half a point just from how hard it stuck the goddamn landing? Are you convinced yet? Did I mention there’s a thirty-six year old murder maid who totally kicks fucking ass and doesn’t let anyone shame her for being a middle-aged woman working a cutesy job? What more do you want from me? JUST GO FUCKING WATCH THIS SHOW ALREADY I SWEAR TO GOD

Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch From Mercury: 8.5/10

I had no idea what to expect going into my first ever Gundam anime. Sure, I was excited to finally get a taste of what this storied franchise had to offer, and the excellent prologue and promise of an interesting female protagonist were certainly reasons to be hopeful, but as someone who’s rarely clicked with mecha as a genre, I wasn’t sure how this first foray into the definitive mecha anime would turn out. What I never expected- what I don’t think anyone could’ve expected- was that The Witch From Mercury wasn’t content to just be the first even female-led Gundam. No, this show decided to be REVOLUTIONARY GIRL UTENA. IN SPACE. WITH MECHA BATTLES. And I don’t think I need to say a goddamn thing more to convince you to watch this show. It’s goddamn Gundam Utena! It’s the queerest, most socially conscious anime of all time re-imagined with a futuristic metal exoskeleton, only with Utena’s symbolism-drenched ruminations on gender and patriarchy replaced with a no-less-compelling grounded portrayal of the evils of space capitalism and the political consequences of corrupt systems. Well, presumably; this first cours has mostly focused on the ground-level school romance antics as it builds up all that big picture stuff in the background. But I say again: GUNDAM. FUCKING. UTENA. I couldn’t have picked a better introduction to the world of Gundam if I tried. And as long as the second cours doesn’t shit the bed, this is going to go down in history as one of the greatest things to over come out of the mecha genre.

Bocchi the Rock: 9.5/10

And yet. Despite all the big shonens and bold anime originals, despite Chainsaw Man and My Hero Academia and Gundam Utena, when all was said and done, one series rose above them all. One series that looked at all those big names with a smirk and sailed past them as naturally as breathing. Ladies, gentlemen, and everyone in between, Bocchi the Rock is a goddamn motherfucking masterpiece. It takes the band-girls coming-of-age majesty, the painfully relatable social anxiety of Watamote, and the sheer animation flexing of Nichijou, and blends them all together into a gut-busting, tear-jerking, jaw-dropping tour de force that raises the bar on what slice-of-life anime is capable of just as thoroughly as K-On did thirteen years ago. Hitori Gotou is a socially paralyzed weirdo who’s never had a real friend because her anxiety’s too overwhelming to make friends, but she knows how to play some mean guitar. So when a chance encounter leads to her joining a band, she resolves to stick with it and try to finally break out of her shell, one hilarious misstep at a time. It’s a wonderful story of overcoming what holds you back and finding a community that accepts you for who you are, brought to life with some of the most astonishingly Extra(tm) animation that regularly left me choking on my own laughter. And the music uniformly kicks ass, and the incredible supporting cast provides a wide array of perspectives of introversion and extroversion, and Ryou is such an asshole and I love her, and fucking hell, I love this show! Other anime may be deeper or more complex or have more to say, but almost nothing else is so consistently charming. Every second of this show is delightful. Every moment is lovable. It’s a new gold standard for animated comedy, for cute girls, for coming-of-age, and for music anime in general. Bocchi the Rock fucking rules, and every single one of you needs to give it a watch. Something tells me this is gonna be one of those shows we’re still going to be gushing over for many, many years to come.

[sylvies-chen]

OKAY FINISHED THE LAST TWO EPISODES OF THE BEAR SEASON 1!! you KNOW by now that I have thoughts and that I will now say these thoughts!

episode 7 being one big long take is my favourite thing about it by far. like it really adds to the intensity and makes the spiral downwards into anger and chaos even more natural. I LOVE when tv shows do these long takes!! the two others that come to mind are ep. 6 of Haunting of Hill House and 4.03 of Succession. those two and this episode of The Bear are top three television episodes of all time hands down!!!

it was really interesting to see how carmy’s behaviour affected sydney’s behaviour as well, like him being so pissed and disrespectful to her made her be that way to tina who literally said like “woah chef this isn’t your style what’s up”

I do think she fucked up with the short ribs and with the ordering system thing, but everyone else in the show has fucked up and she definitely did not deserved to be treated like that. same thing with marcus really. like ya he should have been on the ball! but that doesn’t mean he deserved that or that carmy was being constructive in any way, because he wasn’t.

also marcus was hyperfixated on his donuts and they expect me not to say autistic coded?? they expect me not to start rolling out headcanons? bffr writers! I love marcus omg he’s the best

carmy saying he was trying to fix the restaurant as a way of fixing his relationship with his dead brother I WASN’T PLAYING WHEN I SAID THIS WAS A SHOW ABOUT HOW TO PIECE BROKEN THINGS BACK TOGETHER NOW WAS I ‼️ I’m simply prophetic and accurate I can’t help it

richie getting stabbed in the ass was not on my bing card but I giggled so hard

I LOVE YOU DUDE. LET IT RIP. nuh uh, y’all, I’m done. fuck you all for enticing me to watch this goddamn show 😭

ok I’m not gonna lie the way sydney was always looking down when talking to marcus at her house but she made full intense eye contact with carmy when she came back… the look in his eyes… canon means nothing to me if that isn’t true love!!

Unfortunately the creators of this show must hate Canada or something because season 2 ISN’T FUCKING AVAILABLE YET TO US HOSERS so… I’ll see y’all whenever it does drop for me I guess 😭 gonna like all the spoilers though idgaf I can’t wait!!

[killerandhealerqueen]

Bl (or in my case, Bromance) actors question game

Tagged by @brazilian-whalien52​!  Thank you for the tag, I’m so sorry I’m late with this

1. Your Favorite Bromance actor(s)

Okay, so we all know who it is, right?  We all know.  It’s these two

They have my fucking heart

2. An actor that deserves a lead role

Ian.  I mean, Killer and Healer is really where he got to shine as a main, since most times he’s either like...a supporting character or the fucking second lead.  Stop putting him as the fucking lead, you bastards (the only time I’m okay with him being the second lead was in Love is Written in the Stars because he like...kind of got his own romance.  So...there was fine)

3. Two actors with insane chemistry 

These two bastards

Also these two

(Where is my S.C.I. season 2 you bastards?!)

4. Actor that deserves more attention 

He’s such a versatile actor...I want to see him in more

5. The hottest/prettiest actor in your opinion 

They are very pretty to me and I could stare at them for hours

6. An actor that you don't understand why they are so famous

I mean, he’s okay...and I’m sure people in the cdrama fandom are gonna come for me, but I just don’t...idk, like his acting?  I’ve really only seen him in The Journey of Chongzi but even then...he really didn’t show a lot of facial expression and I like it when my actors show a lot of expression on their faces.  Makes it more enjoyable to me.  (He’s not even really that handsome...I’ve seen better)

7. The actor with the Best Voice 

I love his normal voice but his subbed voice is like...so iconic.  The minute you hear it all I can think is “That’s Jiang Yuelou”.  But his singing voice is really pretty

Same for him.  His normal voice is so deep you’re like...holy shit, my guy.  But have y’all heard him sing?  Jesus fucking Christ.  His voice is heavenly.  And deep.  Best of both worlds

8. What is your favorite scene that really showcase an actor ability 

Jiang Yuelou really had me fucking fooled here on the first watch like...boy why you treating your boy like this?  What are you doing?

And then this scene...fuuuuuuuuuck me.  We don’t speak of this scene but this scene...kudos to Zijun and Ian cuz fucking hell that scene must have been hard

And this scene, where Jiang Yuelou basically made himself from drinking and crying so heavily because he thought he killed his beloved Chen Yuzhi

9. A drama that was saved by their cast acting ability 

Psych-Hunter.  Honestly, the drama could have been really good if we just took out the useless female lead who was literally only there for romance reasons.  She did nothing to move the plot along.  Ming Hao and Dong Qin were the only things keeping me from dropping the drama (the cases were interesting though so I wanted to keep going.  Would have enjoyed it more if the girl wasn’t there)

10. Actor that you wish you could steal their style 

Gimme their style, fuck.  I wanna pull off these off so bad, especially Mao Zijun’s second outfit

Tagging: @ahhhnorealnamesallowed​ @nineninepetals​ @marulo​ @hyperbolicgrinch​ @fourth-quartet​ @zzzhoonie​ @dramaloverrants​ and anyone else who wants to play

[ssamorganhotchner]

Aaron Hotchner, Emily Prentiss, Elle Greenaway? For the character list.

Hi friend! I am so sorry this took so long!! 🥲💕 answers under the cut!

favorite thing about them

Aaron Hotchner - honestly? how freaking smart he is. everyone talks about spencer but no one talks about how smart aaron is.. he is incredibly intelligent & tbh, only adds to his attractiveness. he doesn’t get enough credit.

Emily Prentiss - she does whatever she sits her mind to and refuses to let people talk down to her.

Elle Greenaway - there is no other way to describe it other than she’s just a badass. i love everything about Elle 💕

least favorite thing about them

Aaron Hotchner - man’s works himself too hard. 🥺 he would do anything for his team (or his family) at a drop of a hat but doesn’t take care of himself

Emily Prentiss - she protects her feelings too much; I love her so much but baby girl needs to talk to someone 🥺 especially after season 6.

Elle Greenaway - i love her, but it really does seem like she’s low-key judgy🤣🤣

favorite line

Aaron Hotchner - “sometimes there are no words, no clever quotes to neatly sum up what's happened that day. sometimes you do everything right, everything exactly right, and still you feel like you failed.”

Emily Prentiss - “im giving him what he wants, mommy.”

Elle Greenaway - “the only time you’re going to see a leg from me is when im about to kick your ass!”

brOTP

y’all someone plz explain what this is

ОТР

and this???

random headcanon

Aaron Hotchner - he has 0 idea how hot he is, absolutely none. people flirt with him & he’s oblivious.

Emily Prentiss - she wears Dior perfume, sometimes men’s cologne

Elle Greenaway - she loves boxing

unpopular opinion

Aaron Hotchner - nsfw / he is a switch

Emily Prentiss - i personally believe emily is bi, not a lesbian, but prefers women over men

Elle Greenaway - idk if it’s an unpopular opinion or not, but she should have stayed

song i associate with them

Aaron Hotchner - so many!!! currently daddy issues by the neighborhood & superman by taylor swift

Emily Prentiss - anti-hero, taylor swift

Elle Greenaway -no body no crime, i did something bad, taylor swift

favorite picture of them

Aaron Hotchner - how the fuck am i supposed to pick just one??? 🥲 here’s one of many ❤️

Emily Prentiss - lord this woman is so 🤤😩

Elle Greenaway

[anniezsecretz]

Replacement ★ (Ch 2) OC x Simon "Ghost" Riley

here's the second chapterrr :) i had it written up already, just had to edit and fix it up a bit before publishing ^^ you can find this chapter of replacement on ao3 here

first chapter ★ prev ★ next thank you for reading!

★★★★★★★★★

chapter tags: // sparring, tension, older brother price, captain OC, OC x Simon “Ghost” Riley, light trauma mentions, OOC Ghost (for a reason), spiteful Ghost, enemies to lovers (enemies), vague mentions of death, canon deviation, prick ghost

★★★★★★★★★

bite-sized synopsis: trick’s first training session with the squad goes competitive and tense.

★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★ The boys filed into the training room I designated one by one. MacTavish and Sanderson seem the most drowsy, each had wrinkled training gear compared to Garrick and Riley’s put-together appearance. I even got John to wear his gear for the day, watching him uncomfortably pull at the collar of his shirt against his muscles.

“A’igh, ev’ryone here?” I called out for confirmation from our officer, Ghost. Just to make sure that he was paying attention.

“Yes, Captain,” he replied. I nodded my head and looked down at the clipboard in my hands, biting the inside of my cheek while I think. My plan today was simple: assess all of their individual abilities despite how seasoned they are. Laswell encouraged me to do this, saying it was the best idea to do during my first week. She also said to whoop their asses and knock their egos down a few times.

I put my clipboard under my armpit and fixed the sunglasses that I wore underneath my new Australian cap. Garrick was the one who got it for me to get on my good side, saying it was so he and I could match. As much as I can smell the ass-kissery, he was a standup guy. But with that aside, today I get to really test them each. But I am especially interested in seeing how Seargent MacTavish does. For a chatty guy, I have seen him make good on his word against some recruits challenging him to spar.

“Thank you, Lieutenant. Attention, please.” I straightened my back out while watching them all prop up and stand straight instantly, a pleased smile across my face underneath the mask. “Well boys, today is trainin’ day. I’m gonna do the Aussie Physical Fitness Assessment on y’all times 4, plus a mile run. Your standard for the run’ll be 6 minutes, ‘n Price will be the one helping keep track o’ y’all’s scores with me while I also participate in this trainin’ day. Just to be fair.” I take in a deep breath.

“So, ev’ryone, get yer asses on the mats ‘n get ready to do 60 push-ups. Go!” 

Watching them all skitter to the mats across the room was hilarious. Riley was the fastest and in push-up position first, the last one being Sanderson who got crushed under a mat because MacTavish accidentally moved it too much while Sanderson was gettin’ away. 

I handed off my clipboard to John as he clicked his pen a few times, and I got on my mat next to the boys. Waiting for Price’s cue and then we were off. First to 60.  ★★★

“Wooo! 60! N’ in what, fucken 50-ish seconds?” MacTavish asked out loud to John who was writing down his time. 

“49 seconds,” John said matter-of-factly while writing down Garrick’s and Sanderson’s times too. Meanwhile, Ghost and I were still at it at an insane speed. I heard MacTavish’s mumbled whispers to John before his low reply. “They’re both at 108. I’ve been countin'.” ★★★

Ghost groaned out of annoyance when we both got up. My muscles were sore and I was just going off adrenaline but that didn’t stop my victory cry while giving Ghost a pity pat on the back. I grabbed my sunglasses on the floor and hook them on my tank top. “Price, how many pushups was that?”

He and the other boys were staring at the two of us with the most jaw-dropped expressions I’ve seen on people. MacTavish was pleasantly shocked, his eyes darting between Ghost and me. I could see Sanderson's widened eyes, that's the only tell sign I got from him. And then there was Garrick, staring mostly at Ghost, his expression slightly unreadable to me. “... 328 for Verdano, 326 for Riley," Price chimed in.

I whooped again, flexing my arm muscles goofily. “Fan-fucken-tastic! Thanks, Price.” MacTavish runs to me to join in on my celebration, cheering along.

“Amazin’ job, capt!” The scot said while nudging me. We haven’t talked too much, but I sure as hell knew he was the hype man of the group. I laughed with him before straightening myself out. 

With a shake of my head and a heavy sigh after all of that physical labor, I stared up at Ghost and gave him a nod of respect. One that he half-heartedly gave back. “Next section should be sit-ups, then a shuttle run, n’ finally the mile run. I hope you boys got yer roos on tight because this ain’ gonna be easy.”

I even made John do the training with the rest of the group unless I really needed him counting. But every time we did something, Riley and I were competing. The best of the best, eh? And we both were really challenging that, pushing ourselves to the brink just to outcompete each other. I beat him on the sit-ups, and he beat me during the shuttle and mile runs.  But by the time I was standing at the front of the group again, we were far from being finished. I stared down at each and every one of the boys with a knowing smile before taking in a deep breath.

“A’igh, ‘n last one of the day. Sorry I didn’t tell you ‘bout this one earlier, but we’re gonna do some sparrin’ real quick.” With my hands on my hips, I started to pick out my first prey. “Hm. John, you n’ I am sparrin’ first. The rest of you pair up n’ when someone taps out you’re finished.”

John and I walked toward a corner of the training room. “One-on-one time, eh?” He laughed a bit while commenting on it. “You ‘n Simon really do go at it, I haven’t seen someone best him of all people quite yet. Good on you, Annes.” He gave me a pat on the back before we both got into crouched positions across from each other. 

Then we lunged at each other, his hulking mass coming right towards me until I sideswiped him, practically on his back like a jetpack while I dragged him down by forcing his back to give out. Of course, putting him in a chokehold with my legs when we drop to the mat. He was trying to grab at me, scarily close to succeeding. I got off and let him recover momentarily to protect myself.

“Well, thanks, John. Y’know I like pushin’ myself to the absolute limit, even if it means I’m kinda nauseous right now,” I half-heartedly admit before getting tackled and put into a submission position, John using his full weight to pin my hands above my head and putting himself between my legs.

With his brows furrowed with concern and his eyes full of focus, he asks me, “Do you need the infirmary?”

I roll my eyes at him before using my complete leg power to kick him off by the chest, rolling myself on top of him and pushing his head to his right shoulder. “Nah. I’m all good, I ain’ lettin’ down that easily viejito.”

Before he used his other arm to grab me and flip the position. “Ah, you sure Anne? I don’t want you gettin’ hurt now. Well, y’know, ill kind of hurt.”

With struggling breaths, I grimaced. I was stuck in this hulking man’s strength, but I managed to worm my way out and catch him off guard with a knee to the stomach. I put my right leg over his waist and a reverse choke hold to hold him down. “I’m sure, John.”

He struggled to get up, barely even able to talk or breathe. Eventually, he was tapping my arm to yield and I let go of him with heavy pants while he put his hand over his neck. ★★★

Next was Sanderson and I, both of us greeting each other before I tackled him. I had him in a submission I had Priced in earlier, his shoulder to his balaclava’s cheek.

“Well, we ain’ talk that much either, hm? Price says you like playin’ COD in the dead of night, n’ honestly? Same.” His eyes opened a bit, already tapping out and sitting up to look me straight in the eyes when I let go of him.

He was definitely a little awkward. Or a little more than just awkward, but I could work with that. We just kinda stared at each for a second with a mutual feeling and knowing of the kinds of things we witness and hear in that game. 

“After this, do you wanna play a few games with me?” He asked me, and I considered for a second.

“Y’know what? Sure. I bet I could whoop kids with you, aye!” I gently jabbed his shoulder playfully, but we continued to talk anyhow. “How long have you been playin’ COD? Or better yet, which ones do you play?”

He tapped his chin in thought, the balaclava covering his mouth. “Probably err… 2003, since I wus smaller. Usually, I play the originals. They’re classics fo’ a reason, eh?” I took note of his accent. This motherfucker was British, just like the rest. God, why am I surrounded by Brits? Except for the Scot MacTavish, he’s fun.

I chuckled. “Yeah, you’re right on, Sergeant.”

With a inhale I watched him nervously inch his hand to me to shake. “Just call me Gary– or my callsign, Roach.” 

“N’ you can just call me Anne. Just not Annie, y’know.” I took his hand in a firm shake. “Do you like insects? Is thas why you have antennae like a cockroach?” 

He gently shakes his head and then lightly bobbed his head from side to side. Now I noticed some antennae were sewn onto his balaclava. Hey, that’s a cute touch! I find myself pleasantly surprised before I noticed he was actually responding. He takes time to think questions through, but I’m patient. “No, I survived an explosion. My plane was shot down ‘n I survived it. So now they call me Roach.”

I let out a low whistle while I lean on my arms, both of us sitting across from each other on the mat. “Well, that’s quite a story. You really did embrace it, didn’t you?” I felt my smile widen while thinking about it. “I think it suits you, Gary.”

Then Gary leaned forward, his chest to his knees while we conversed and waited for everyone to be finished. “Why are you called Trick? Price said you were called Viper too.” His voice was soft when he asked as if asking a question was like questioning authority, poor guy.

“I was called Viper like… shit, 3 years ago or somethin? I was named that because I was a hacker. I slithered in the systems like a Viper n’ struck just as fast as one.” I explained while biting the inside of my cheek. “I’m called Trick because my late wife’s callsign was Treat, ‘n it’s said I’m always trickin’ people.” 

I can tell his eyes softened when I said late wife. His brows furrow underneath his balaclava and I try not to stay on the topic of Xio too much. Especially since Axel was busy taking a break outside while I was training, I didn't want to risk anything. “Can I sew cat ears on your hat?” Roach chirped.

Blink blink.

“Whaddaya mean?” I questioned with a tilt of my head.

“You have the cat skull and… well, I think it’d fit with your aesthetic.” 

A smile spread across my face as I smiled. “Yeah, you can. Just after trainin’, maybe when we meet up after this to play some games.” But it took me a second to fully process that he tapped out so early. Neither of us has even broken a sweat. “Uhm… why did you tap out so early?”

He shrugged. “You’re scarier than Ghost. I’d hafta be bloody mad to actually challenge you.” Then we were separated to switch partners again. ★★★

Oooh boy. Garrick and I, neither of us said much until he had me pinned. “Well well well, Garrick. You have some moves I didn’t expect.” Then we flip the position again, his arms constricted with my legs and my arms holding him in a chokehold. “But I think I can do well.” 

He chuckled. “You wearin’ the hat I got you?” He asked with a slight strain before breaking from my hold, now picking me up and practically throwing me over his shoulder.

“Well, yes I ams, ain’ I? ‘M not someone for wearin’ a gift, but I like this one.” I managed to jetpack him as I did with Price and pull him down to the mat, and I heard the air from his lungs escaping.

Garrick got up and out of my grasp but managed to pin my wrists over my head and get himself between my legs. Just like Price had done earlier in the day, he was probably watching that. “Well, thank you! I appreciate it, Captain Verdano.” He smiled. It was a cute sweet smile, making me tilt my head a bit before retaliating. With my legs, I flip him onto his side and then his back before securing him into an Americana/V Arm-lock submission. I didn’t typically do this on Price because of his size, but Gaz was short enough for me to.

“Of course, Sergeant. Feel free to call me just Anne instead, never Annie.” He seemed a bit awkward with the introduction just like Roach, but he and I managed to at least have a pre-established companionship. 

“Uhm… Gaz is fine, and Kyle.” He was slightly bashful about it until we changed positions again with him somehow sliding out of my Americana, then I decided I should pull an old finisher on him.

With a polite smile shown in my eyes, I nodded. I ran behind him and wrapped my arms around his waist. “Nice to meet you, Kyle!” I shouted out before fucking suplexing him onto the mat behind us. I watched him tap out in a daze on the mat, he didn’t even realize I had already let go of him! How endearing this team is. ★★★

Good ol’ MacTavish. He was definitely a little taller than the other two, with a blinding smile. “Aye, cap’n! I dinnae you like a brawl,” he said cheerfully with a twinkle in his eyes that I find fascinating. He was always so optimistic throughout all this training when the others were groaning about the running.

“Ah vuy, MacTavish. No need for cap’n if I’m ‘bouta beat yer ass, just call me Anne! Never Annie.” MacTavish smiled.

“Mmmm… can I call you bonnie, Anne?” He asked with a dumb smile. Was this drongo cunt really flirting with me? Before I whoop his ass?

I weakly groaned and rolled my eyes, deciding to use some of his slang against him. “Oh bile yer heid. Use it sparingly, sarge.”

“Yes ma’am.” He laughed before we started.

Our sparring session was tense. He was able to pin me down more than I expected, being super observant of my actions and how I was observant of his. We exchanged small quips here and there before he brought up an interesting topic and our session started to go a little longer than I had expected. 

“Y’know, cap’n, I ain’ evah seen L.t thas fucken competitive. Usually, he follows the orders strictly, y’know.” It made me raise a brow before he put me in a submission pose, my face smooshed into the mat below us and my wrists pinned against my lower back.

“Well, him ‘n I don’t get along well. I ain’ shocked if he’s tryna one-up me. For some reason, he was offended that I wassa Captain ‘fore him.” Using sheer leg strength, I put in all my weight when kicking him away, ending up having a slight rumble when we were face to face again.

Johnny (as I now “affectionately” call him) was probably taunting me with his captain story. But he had a small laugh after I said that. “We’ll see, Ms. Anne. Want me to tap out so we can all see what happens when you go against Ghost?”

“Well, it would be a cheap win but…” I had him V-pinned within a minute, trying to keep my amusement covered when I watched him tap out. He looked at me knowingly, knowing something that I obviously don't know.

We both stood up, me lending him a hand and some light praise about his form before I was face-to-face with the mysterious Ghost. He towered over me and I suddenly felt smaller than I ever was. I felt like a gnome compared to him, and the hard glare he gave me did not soothe any nerve in my body once. But despite doubts slowly infiltrating my mind, I took a deep breath and straightened my back. "Well, ready?" I asked with a false sense of security.

John could feel the tension between the two of us and put himself in between. “Everyone, to your next mat!” I put a firm hand on his shoulder while I offered a kind smile with my eyes creasing, and a slight tilt of my head as well.

“Price, it’s a’igh. Let’s make this into a demonstration o’ sorts. I can only assume we’re both undefeated as of right now, we oughta make this into a small competition.” I stared at Ghost hard. Before sticking my hand out to shake, doing my best to keep a warm feeling. A true leader.

But a true leader puts their lower ranks into their place when they need to. 

Ghost and I were on a training mat, on display for all of the boys to see us. “See boys? I’m approximately mmm… 160 centimeters, give or take. ‘N 52 kilos. Meanwhile, Ghost here is about 1.90 meters, 100 kilos. ‘N you’re gonna watch two skilled individuals go at it, one with quite a few pounds on ‘im!” He glared while the boys did their best to stifle some laughter. “So, let’s be nice while you watch Ghost get his–” I could already see him trying to pick up and put me over his shoulder, from where I sidestepped him and kicked him in the back. He only lightly stumbled, but it proved my point a bit. “-- ass beat. As I was sayin’ before bein’ interrupted.”

Now we started an all-out brawl, the boys being forced to witness a power struggle between us. Two strong minds, one of agility and the other of strength. A lot of the time, it was one of us just barely managing to put the other in a submission position. Other times, it was one of us barely dodging the other.

My hand slipped past his chest so many times. His thighs grazed my face so many times. My own chest betrays me and grazes past his hand above me, and I can see the look of recognition on his face every time it happens. To the point that the second he does that and is in shock for a second, I get him into a submission position. 

“Listen up, boys. Despite tha enemy being taller, ‘n much bigger, doesn’t mean you can’t put up a fight. You never give up!” I strained out while holding my position with Ghost, a V armbar. He was straining to get out, I was straining to hold it. Fucking hell, does this dude never give up? It’s been 5 minutes of fighting, tussling, tossing, and neither of us are ready to give up.  "Fuck!" I curse while falling onto the mat, my hand outstretched to try to soften the fall. But the instant pain I got was insane, all of my weight put onto my wrist trying to save me in time. I tried moving it while I was down and it hurt like hell. Most definitely sprained or broken at this point. Yet in the end, I do not care. I do not give a single shit about if I were hurt or not. So I stand up and stare at Ghost in his beady dark eyes that were darkened by the eyeblack around them.  "Hey, Anne? Are you injured?" Price chimed in with concern thick in his voice, but I just shot him a look.  Even he knew not to test me when I'm pissed off. He knew I'm as stubborn as a mule, and it was amplified by how I went back at Ghost to grapple on his shirt and drag him down.

We kept trying to get the other to tap out, no punching into submission, just pure pinning as much as we could. Until one last time when Ghost had me pinned, his chest against my back while holding my waist down by my hips. But I wasn’t gonna budge now.

“Verdano,” he started with a husky voice, “just drop the act. Yield. We can accept a captain who admits their flaws.” He whispered into my ear, but all that did was make me even more pissed. I could practically beat his head in with a rock if I so wanted to, but I didn’t. Instead, I socked him in the cheekbone with what little strength I had and stumbled up. The beads of sweat that ran down my face underneath the mask felt like fire, beads of lava.

Then the second he recovered himself, I was stealthily behind him and curling my arms around the waist.

What the boys saw was devastating. Well, devastating for Ghost’s ego and his back. They watched me pick him up with all my strength and suplexing him, just like I did to Gaz but worse. I let him go after three weak taps on the mat, stumbling up while the world spun around me. I just barely had the energy to make a quip, the pain in my back and in my wrist finally catching up to me as the adrenaline wears off.

“‘N thas boys, is how you fuck up yer L.t.” I was nearly about to pass out until I heard a scoff from Ghost who put a gentle yet firm hand on my shoulder. I felt like I was about to get yelled at by my brother for what I said.

He takes a moment to catch his breath before talking. “‘N your captain is 20-fucken-8. She’s the same age as Gaz, bloody hell. She's far too young 'n inexperienced compared to the rest of us.” Ghost stood up straight and I felt the burning eyes on me again, but I was looking ahead at the squad’s reaction. It was confusion, concern, and overall what the fuck . “She’s barely mentally stable to the point she needs a service dog—”

Price steps forward. “Now Simon, calm down here.” But he was cut off.

“No, Price. She is clearly unqualified for a position as co-leader for both her age and her mental stability by themselves. Also, she's an immigrant from Las Almas! We know the extent Valeria would go just to get back at us. Her brothers are in Las Vaqueros, but so was Valeria at some point!” He barked at John, and my heart stopped. I stared at Ghost with some bit of betrayal. He really brought my brothers, my past, and my hometown up just to prove a point that I'm distrustful. Who the fuck is Valeria anyways?

I thought that would be the end of me from the way that the squad looked at me. They believed Ghost over me, but why wouldn't they? I'm the new captain leader and everything he said was true. I am an immigrant, I am from Las Almas, and my brothers are a part of Los Vaqueros. But John. He glared at Ghost and gave me the nudge to get next to him.

“Lieutenant Simon Riley, are you questioning who I choose for my team ? Captain Verdano is a wonderful leader that I chose personally after years of knowing ‘em. They’ve been through the worst heartbreak someone could go through ‘n yet, here they are.” He puts a hand on my shoulder. “Their age, background, and immigration status is not an excuse; she is the squad’s co-leader.” I can feel the others’ eyes on me, some of their hot breathing on my neck while I got their Lieutenant to get his ass chewed out by John.

I was so out of it I barely heard half of their back and forth, I was just staring at Ghost’s expression going from furious, to confused, to just… upset. I had sympathy, of course. I know a younger miss getting a higher position over you could hurt a lot, I know. But I can’t just let it slide. ★★★

I was in the infirmary afterward, my wrist wrapped in bandages with a splint after we iced it for a while. Johnny had come with me to watch me and check if I’m okay, especially after that little outburst of Ghost’s.

“Well, didn’ I tell you, bonnie? He’s pissed at ya, ‘n don’ ask me as tah why.” He sat next to me on the foldout bed with a comforting heavy hand on my shoulder, I felt his thumb run against the skin over and over. I even slightly leaned into him. I would’ve never thought my officer was that mad at me for just being chosen for my position– I didn’t choose it! 

“Agh. Tha hell did I do? Be born after ‘em? Be fucken– I ‘unno un Mexicana? I'm proud o' who I am, his ass needs to shut it.” I vented out my frustrations momentarily to Johnny. Then took in a hard sigh while wincing at the pain of my wrist. “I ‘unno. I just hate being disliked for somethin’ I can’t bloody control. ‘N I feel bad too for not bein’ who he wants me to be, which is the worst part. Plus John– Price arguin’ with him about it!”

He squeezed my shoulder. “Anne, you don’t gotta worry ‘bout Ghost, he takes a woile to warm up tah. ‘N besides, we’re a’ Jock Tamson’s bairns!” Johnny enthusiastically said with a light chuckle. “O’ in English, ehm… we’re all the same. We ain’ too differin’ from one anothah, we’re all really on tha same level. Ghost is just bein' a bampot, y'know? Just actin' up because of somethin'.” 

I lightly nod in agreement. “Thanks, Johnny. Would’ve been fucken worryin’ my head off all night if you hadn’ told me that. I knew he was a tough nut, but jeez. Even a roo couldn’ kick a nice comment outta him!” We both laughed at the image of Ghost getting kicked in the stomach by a kangaroo. God how that’d hurt.

“Well, again, cap’n. I ain’ seen Ghost with a spark in ‘em like thas. He woulda burn te place down if he didn’ say anythan. He woulda been a furnace all week too.” 

Ffffuck. And I can’t get rid of this guy, especially since I sleep in the same barracks as him. I just hope we make up before bed tonight. ★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★

thank you for reading chapter 2!!! <3 here's to more chapters in the future, ^^ i'll try to get an actual schedule going, probably every two days or when i have the chapter ready.

also NO not racist ghost, he's just a prick in this chapter because of what happened in las almas in the game :)

[usermischief]

I’ve been thinking, and season 6 would’ve gone way differently if Void and Stiles was there, but especially 6B. Peter tells Malia that she knows the only chance is to surround Scott with killers and he still thinks he keeps his hands clean, Stiles and the Nogitsune would’ve single-handedly fixed the hunter problem. Literally just call those two after 6x14, show them the injuries Liam got because of the hunters, and I guarantee they would’ve wrecked shit because Liam is practically Stiles’s little brother and Void would be a very big believer that “what’s yours is mine” when it comes to Stiles so Liam is also the Nogitsune’s younger brother, ergo that kid is maybe the safest person around since he’s got both of those two willing to go to bat for him and they’re extra defensive of him because he’s the baby of the pack. The rest of the pack could’ve just sat back and waited for Stiles and Void to come back, likely covered in blood. I can see it in my head: they see the state Liam is in (or Mason took pictures because he realized things were escalating rapidly and knew those two wouldn’t let Liam’s attack go), immediately drop what they’re doing to come to Beacon Hills, find the pack members that aren’t in town and bring them so that everyone’s in one place to better protect, collect the pack and any other friends of the pack/supernatural people in town, drop everyone off somewhere safe and out of the way, head off to deal with the Hunter issue, fix it, they stagger in to the place where the pack is, the pack asks if everything is over now, and they reply “first off, fuck y’all for not calling us sooner, sometimes I swear there’s nothing but empty space in your heads. Secondly, the hunters won’t be a problem anymore, we’ve handled them, Monroe, Gerard, Kate, and that fear monster thing. Thirdly, I hope someone got dinner, I’m freaking starving” (the Nogitsune is not hungry, having gotten the equivalent of a buffet with the hunters).

Idk, I feel like the Void would be tagging along like that one person nobody likes but that also nobody wants to insult because it's gonna be awkward (or in Void's case, deadly). And he follows Stiles to Beacon Hills, having zero intention to help because everyone is fighting and afraod, and it's delicious. But then Void learns about the Anuk-Ite and goes, "This bitch".