#sitting down through theo's episode and

[aparticularbandit]

In which I spent forty minutes stuck in the snow in the driveway and am now safely not halfway in the road anymore and, uh. Hey, look, I have suddenly some free time, LET'S DO THE 2-4 CASE TRIAL.

[corroded-hellfire]

i love as you wish more than words can describe! and luke and ryan!! such sweet babies! i can't stop thinking about eddie and reader having their first fight (other than the conflict around the divorce n stuff) after things have gotten settled and the boys getting worried and scared they're going to break up just like mommy and daddy 🥺 xoxo

I’m so glad that you enjoy the series! @munson-blurbs and I had fun writing it—as we always do when we write together. I hope you like what we’ve come up with 🩵

Words: 1.2k

[As You Wish masterlist]

“Babe?” you call out from the bedroom. You’ve searched your closet up and down, but you can’t find the dress you’re supposed to wear. There’s no answer so you repeat yourself a bit louder. “Babe?!”

“Ya,” Eddie says, not bothering to mute the living room TV. He has Ryan on one side of him and Luke on the other; the three of them are engrossed in an episode of SpongeBob SquarePants. 

You sigh impatiently, resting your hands on your hips. “Where did you put my dress?”

“Huh?” Eddie answers absently. You can hear SpongeBob’s obnoxious laughter echoing through the apartment, which only irritates you further. “What dress?”

Throwing a robe on, you angrily march out to him. “The dress you picked up from the dry cleaners.” You watch as his eyes widen, and his gaze drops to the ground. “Eddie, you did pick up my dress from the dry cleaners, right?”

Eddie scrambles to his feet, slipping into his sneakers and grabbing his keys. “Shit, I’ll go get it right now.”

“It’s Sunday,” you mutter through gritted teeth, determined to keep your cool in front of the kids. “They’re closed on Sundays. That’s why I asked you to pick it up yesterday.”

“Sorry, baby,” he shrugs, “but you have a bunch of others, yeah? You can wear one of those.” He slides off his shoes and plops back onto the couch. “Crisis averted.”

Fuming, you grab the remote from the coffee table and press the power button, watching the colorful backdrop of Bikini Bottom fade to black. Ignoring Luke and Ryan’s disappointed groans, you turn to your boyfriend, lips pressed into a tight line. “Can I talk to you for a sec?” When he continues sitting there, a blank stare on his face, you elaborate. “In the room, please?”

It finally clicks in Eddie’s mind that you’re upset, and he slowly rises from the couch. The two of you are watching one another so you miss the look that the boys share on the couch. You turn around and stalk back into the bedroom. Eddie’s right on your heels and closes the door behind you. 

“Look, I’m sorry, okay?” Eddie says. “I forgot to swing by yesterday, but what’s the big deal? Why can’t you just find something else to wear?”

“That’s not the point, Eddie,” you say with a sigh. “I asked you specifically to pick this dress up for me and you didn’t.”

“Babe, it wasn’t intentional, I forgot.” He walks over and sits on the foot of the bed. 

“How does that make it any better?” you ask, voice rising. “When you ask me to do something, I do it. How am I supposed to feel when you forget about me?”

“Oh, come on,” Eddie says with a harsh bark of laughter. “I didn’t forget about you. I forgot to stop at the dry cleaners. While I was out running a million other different errands.”

“A million?” you snap. “You went to the grocery store and the bank! And the dry cleaners is next to the supermarket!”

“Jesus Christ,” Eddie huffs, pushing himself off the bed. He stomps over to the closet and yanks it open. He dramatically gestures to all the other dresses you have hanging in there. “Are none of these suitable for you, Your Highness? In my humble opinion, any of these would be fine. Unless you think someone is going to show up to the church in a ball gown.”

“Maybe I won’t go at all then,” you harrumph, crossing your arms over your chest in defiance. It’s childish and petty, but you’re too annoyed to care. 

“Yeah, okay,” Eddie rolls his eyes. “I’ll make sure to tell Theo that you missed his first communion because you had a wardrobe emergency.” He pronounces the last two words in a nasal, high-pitched tone. 

“Go right ahead and—” you start to retort, but you’re cut off by the sound of mumbling outside the door. 

“—get divorced?” You hear Luke’s tiny voice, laced with worry. 

“They have to be married to get divorced,” Ryan’s telling him. “They’re just gonna break up.”

“Shit,” Eddie breathes out, raking his fingers through his hair. “Didn’t know they were listening.” He opens the door and gives them a sheepish look. “Guys? You okay?”

“Please don’t break up!” Luke cries out, flinging himself into his dad’s legs. When he pulls back, you can see that his eyes are misty with the prospect of tears. 

Ryan, as usual, is a bit more reserved than his brother, but you can tell that he’s nervous, too. His silence speaks volumes as he looks at you through his long lashes. 

“Hey, hey,” Eddie murmurs, crouching down so he’s closer to their level. “No one’s breaking up, okay?”

“Then why were you fighting?” Luke asks, wiping at his cheeks. “You and Mom used to fight an’ then you got divorced.”

You sit on the ground, tucking your legs under you. “Sometimes, grown-ups fight. Even when they love each other. But it doesn’t mean they’ll break up.”

“Yeah,” Eddie agrees. “And we love each other very, very much. Almost as much as we love you two little eavesdroppers.” This elicits a giggle from Luke and a smile from Ryan. 

“How do you know if it’s a ‘love’ fight or a ‘break up’ fight?” the older boy pipes up. 

“Well, when you love someone, you can get frustrated with them or upset with them,” you explain, “but you take time to cool off so you can talk it out calmly later. That’s the difference; with a break up fight, you don’t wanna work it out.”

“Do you wanna work it out?” Ryan asks softly. 

You nod. “Of course. We’re not going to break up over a silly mistake.” You watch as he visibly relaxes, and you turn towards Eddie. “I’m sorry I snapped at you. And I didn’t have to be so dramatic about the whole thing, either.” You’re cringing internally just thinking about your empty threat not to go to the communion. 

“I’m sorry, too.” He takes your hand in his, rubbing his thumb over your knuckles. “I said I would do you a favor and I didn’t do it. I’d be mad, too.” He offers you a small smile. “Can we kiss and make up?”

“Eww!” Luke scrunches his nose and sticks out his tongue. “Daddy, you’re gonna get cooties!”

Eddie laughs, ruffling his son’s hair. “Nah, don’t worry about it. I got my cooties shot.” He leans in and kisses you with an exaggerated mwah! “Oh, no!” he says suddenly, shaking all of his limbs as though they’re moving uncontrollably. “The shot must’ve worn off. I’ve…I’ve been cootified!”

Ryan and Luke run away from him as he makes grabby hands, chasing them around the apartment. When the boys run by you, you block their path and hold them captive. “I’ve got ‘em!” you proudly announce. “I’ve kidnapped the fresh meat, King Cootie.”

Eddie bows in front of you, where his sons are wriggling in your grasp. “Excellent teamwork, my Queen.” He reaches out and tickles them until they’re complaining that they can’t breathe. 

“Okay, Cootie Family; let’s get ready,” he says. “Boys, nice clothes, please. Ryan, please make sure your brother isn’t wearing anything with a cartoon on it.”

Everyone goes to their rooms to get dressed, and Eddie sneaks up behind you, snaking his arms around your waist. “Seeing as you’ve already infected me with your cooties, can I have another kiss?” he mumbles into your ear. 

“I think that can be arranged, you nasty cootie monster,” you tease. 

“That’s King Cootie Monster to you.”

[junhannies]

.𖥔 ݁ ˖ dont let me lose you | choi taeyang

pairing: choi taeyang × reader

genre: kinda friends to lovers w no obvious confessions, hurt/ comfort, fluff

warning: grammer

wc: 0,8k

summary: you and taeyang had a big fight, maybe the biggest one you two ever had. and now you are on your way to see him even though the horrible weather.

a/n: heyy!! so this is actually a part of a long fic i have been writing for a while. but i looove this episode so i thought to myself why not publish it here as well, enjoyy!!

⟡ fic starts under the cut!

it was raining like hell outside . and you were trying to get to theo’s house as soon as you could. you were already nearly completely wet and freezing.

you had problems with taeyang before. but they were all about meaningless little things. this one was actually different. you had both said stuff you knew you were gonna regret. and you wanted to talk it out with him. you knew you werent gonna stop overthinking this whole thing if you didnt handled it immediately. so here you were standing in front of theo and jiung’s house. you knocked the door and it was immediately opened by jiung who was shocked to see you standing there, completely drenched because of the weather.

“y/n are you crazy? what are you doing here? you are going to be sick” he yelled while he was literally dragging you inside.

“i had to see him jiung” you said.

“i know i know. lets get you changed up so you wont catch a cold” he said with a comforting smile.

“do you have spare clothes? or do you want me to give you-“

“oh i already have some, dont worry” you said while walking through the bathroom. you knew it was gonna rain like hell. but you came anyways.

“just let me change real quick then i will be talking to him”

he nodded while showing the bathroom with one hand. you quickly changed up. you were nervous as hell and even shocked that you werent shaking like crazy right now. you showed all your wet clothes in the bag then left the bathroom.

jiung was already waiting for you in the hallway. “are you feeling nervous?” he asked cutely.

“yeah. i dont even know what im gonna say. i just felt so bad that i took the first train here. i dont know what was i thinking to be honest.”

“you were scared of losing him y/n. thats okay. you need to calm down first. he’s very upset as well. he hasnt left his room since you two had a fight.”

you shook my head in response.

“his room is upstairs” he said. then showed you the way.

“good luck” he whispered. then went back downstairs.

you were so nervous that you were about to faint. you mumbled some shit to give you confidence. then you slowly opened the door and entered the room.

“go away jiung” theo said but it was more like a mumble. he was lying on the bed. you slowly walked over to him and sat on the bed. he probably though you were jiung since he even turned his head to look at you. so you laid down next to him.

“hey taeyang” you said softly. he was shocked to see it was not jiung but you.

“y/n what the hell are you doing here? its raining like crazy out there” he said worriedly while sitting up.

“i had to see you. so i took the first train here” you said. you could already feel your eyes tearing up. but since you didnt want him to see that, you turned your head.

“y/b please dont cry” he said while cupping your cheeks.

“im so sorry, i was acting like a total jerk” he said pullint you close to his chest.

“im sorry too theo. i was being a bitch anyways”

“no, please dont say that” he whined

“ i dont even know why i said that. i got so angry with myself afterwards. and now you are here. you came to see me in this shitty weather and i didnt even text you.”

you sobbed quietly while he was caressing your hair.

“please dont cry y/n. its okay. we are okay, right?”

you shook my head. and he pulled you closer to his chest. you stayed like that for a while.

“can we cuddle and sleep please” you asked.

“of course” he said. then fixed the pillows.

“i care about you too much to lose you in a stupid argument like this. im so sorry for upsetting you”

he then quickly hid his head in the stack of pillows and you laughed at the way he got shy.

“no need to get embarrassed theo” you said ruffling his hair.

“come here” he said pulling you into a tight hug. and you felt the safest you have felt in a while. he was soft and warm. and his arms wrapping you tightly made you believe he wasnt gonna leave you ever.

“taeyang?”

he hummed as a response.

“dont let me lose you, okay?”

“you dont have to worry about such thing” he kissed the top of your head.

“now lets sleep. shall we?”

[shewassaying]

💛💫 1000 DOWNLOAD CELEBRATION 💫💛

Thank you for 1K downloads!! To celebrate, we've put together a little surprise. This will be the first installment of 3-- we hope you enjoy!

✨️✨️✨️✨️

Art by @minthe-drawings

Upper Hand

By Cath, editing by @crescencestudio

You lay sprawled out across the bed, comfy in your pajamas as episodes of your current guilty pleasure played. It was a crappy reality TV show. Meaning it was bad, trashy, very un-reality for a reality show– everything anyone could ever want in a guilty pleasure. But as you rewatched the show, things just weren't quite hitting the same. 

Maybe because the newest episodes were released last night. 

You'd promised Theo you wouldn't watch ahead without them. Since they had a meeting at some ungodly early hour today, they'd gone to bed early last night. Which meant you hadn't been able to watch it yet. 

They had even made you swear upon the life of your freshly drafted manuscript that you wouldn't watch until they got home. 

Twice. 

But… how would they know? You could just clear the watch history and act surprised, right? Maybe just for one episode… 

You queue up the first new episode. The theme song plays in your room, only to be interrupted by the sound of the door unlocking. 

"Shit shit shit...!"

You scramble for the remote, somehow losing and finding it in the blankets a half dozen times before you manage to smash the power button. As the TV shuts off, you resume some kind of casual pose on the bed. 

Wait... This makes no sense. Why would you be sitting on the bed in silence? You should have–-

The door swings open. You're out of time. 

"M'love?" 

You roll over from your mock-lounge position to greet them, and your words die on your tongue. 

Theo is… in a suit. 

You'd been sound asleep when they left this morning, and hadn't seen them get ready. You didn't even know they owned a suit!

They blink a few times at you, adjusting the sleeve of their shirt before sliding the jacket off, apparently entirely unaware of the car wreck they just caused in your brain. 

"... Are you okay?" They ask slowly, movements slowing to an uncertain halt. Their jacket hangs from two fingertips, about to be discarded on the armchair near the bedroom door. 

"F-fine! Hi!" Your voice is too loud. What in the hell is this doing to you? You've been together far too long to be so easily undone by a simple outfit change, but… but.. 

You clear your voice roughly, trying your damnedest to act natural. Why is your throat so dry??

"Hi," Theo echoes. A small smile curves their lips, and they let the jacket fall to the chair. Their eyebrow arches, and you know you've been caught. 

Dammit.

"You're making a face." 

"..."

Their smile grows. 

You try to ignore the heat rising to your cheeks and glare at him. 

"I am not making a face." 

"Right... And I use box cake mix." They take a few steps forward, closing the distance between you. Their legs press against the bed, and they look down at you with a nearly smug expression. "You're blushing." 

The sound that escapes you is something between mortified and outraged. You always have the upper hand when it comes to Theo. That's one of your favorite things about them. How easy it is to fluster them. The way their cheeks flush when you tease them. The way they stutter when you praise them.

But that damn suit has thrown you for a loop...! 

You gnaw your bottom lip and avert your eyes, scanning the room for some way to get them back for this. For making you so–

Fingers find your chin and firmly but gently redirect your gaze. Their gaze is affectionate. 

And heated. 

It sends a thrill through you, and for a moment, you can only stare up at them. At the curve of their lip as they smirk at you. 

Fuck it.

You rise up on your knees, unsteady on the mattress. Their hand leaves your face, and their expression morphs to surprise as you grip them by the collar of that crisply pressed shirt.  You pull them to you. 

Their hands find your waist—as if by reflex—but their eyes only widen, looking increasingly stunned, as you press your body against theirs. You bring your mouth a hair's breadth away from those slightly parted lips. This close, you can smell the bakery off him—sweet vanilla and warm cinnamon.

Their face goes scarlet. The smile you give them is undeniably wolfish. And appropriately so. You could absolutely devour them. 

"Now you're blushing." You whisper. Your voice is husky but steady. Just like that, you've gotten the advantage once more, and it's delicious. 

You pull him down over you, and they offer absolutely nothing in resistance, catching themselves on their elbows. Their eyes never leave yours, and you get lost in the overwhelming blue of their gaze. 

"S-So… good suit?" 

"Very." 

You tug their collar again, and suddenly, you're pressed between plush blankets and Theo's firm body. There's a surprising amount of strength in their lean form. Your bodies slide together, puzzle pieces. Made to fit against each other. A slow, controlled release of air passes their lips–the exact reaction you were looking for.

Their mouth drops towards yours. They wrap an arm around you once more, to pull you ever closer, like the two of you can never be close enough. Their touch is tender, but there's an edge—a fervor—to the way their fingertips dig into your sides. You relish moments like this, when you can coax them past their usual gentleness, and into the kind of desire that overrides their instinct to treat you delicately. 

You wrap your arms around their neck, blood racing with anticipation–

There's a sound. Music…?

It almost sounds like...

Your eyes widen. The TV is on. Showing the exact episode you had sworn on your newborn manuscript not to watch—

Theo's eyes snap wide, and they whip their face towards the television. You scramble in the blankets, trying to find the remote, but their arm locks around you and holds you in place. You're scrambling fruitlessly as they pin you. Their gaze turns back to you in horror. 

"You were going to watch… without me??!"

"I– I–" You sputter, trapped and entirely uncertain of how to proceed. How did the TV...? Then it dawns on you. Your weight must have shifted just right, pressing the remote still tangled in the blankets. You swear under your breath. You know that means you have to face the consequences. 

"W-Wait, Theo...!"

An impish grin spreads across their face, and they sit back on their heels so they're kneeling over you. For less than a heartbeat, fear shoots through you. It's entirely irrational, of course, but you can't deny the relief that floods you when they grab hold of one ankle and begin to tickle your socked feet. 

You laugh and thrash and struggle, attempting to crawl away only to be tugged backward into a breathy, giggling kiss. You don't even notice the echoes of fear leaving you, can't even remember the feeling existed at all as you submit to your partner's kisses. A consequence you would gladly bear.  

Hope you enjoyed!

If you'd like to check out Titan Arum, find it here:

[thyfggfy]

We are continuing my self-indulgent little project with the fandom's favourite blorbo-Derek Hale

I am not going to beat around the bush here.His outfits 90% of the time are pretty lame .From a production standpoint it makes total sense .Why bother putting Tyler in something cute when the script demands for him to be half-naked 5 minutes later , you know?

However , I do think that Derek goes through a solid style evolution when it comes to his colour scheme and a few other elements .

During the first two seasons we see him wear primarily greys and blacks

There are a few exceptions from the rule.He wears a white t-shirt in the pilot

a brown one in season 2

and if you really feel like taking a dig at me , I guess you can also count the times when he wears standart denim

But overall it is pretty bleak and from the flashback episode we can see that he wasn't allergic to colours

So we can assume that something must have happened during this time period. (We knowww what happened , but for the sake of this post we are pretending to be a bunch of film students who haven't watched a lick of tw).

In season 3 we see Derek finally starting to get his sh*t together. He tries to be a better alpha , rebuilds his support system and slowly but surely gets on the path of overcoming his trauma.That is reflected in his wardrobe that seems to become significantly more bright and colourful.

You can also notice that his iconic leather jacket starts to make less and less frequent appearances .

which can symbolize that he is stripping away his armour.Fitting , considering the fact that this is the season where he gives up his alpha status.The one thing he worked so hard to reinforce in the previous season.

In season 4 his character arc concludes . In that season we see him wearing (you might need to sit down for this one) jackets that are not black

Let that sink in.

Outside of that his style remains pretty consisted with what we've talked about so far.

I realize that this might not be fashion related (quite the opposite actually) , but I feel like it is appropriate to point out that when he finally confronts Kate he is fully naked

signifying that he is no longer afraid and that she has no power over him.

Season 6 doesn't diviate from the established points either

neither does the movie

We will finish this post with the only other outfit that is memorable in the fans' eyes and that is the thumbhole sweater .

and this time around I have to fully agree. This is cute as hell.I want one.

Parts: Jackson ; Liam ; Mason ; Theo ; Scott.1 ; Scott.2 ; Stiles.1 ; Stiles.2

[luverofralts]

Arkhelios Adventures

Just after midnight, Evren decided to raid the refrigerator. Endless thoughts ran uninterrupted through his head from Reogus' visit. Adrian's snoring wasn't helping much either.

"Can you see them? They've come home."

Evren spun around to see his stepdaughter, Adrienne, staring in his direction. Not staring at him per se, it was more like she was staring through him, her eyes focused on something behind him that only she could see.

"Rien, honey, it's past your bedtime," he said quietly. "Every one is in bed. No one is outside, I promise. Your dad and I will keep you safe."

Rien had episodes like this from time to time and while they were unnerving at best and terrifying at worst, they usually passed without incident. Everyone gave Rien her space and she usually calmed down after disappearing for some time to sort out her emotions.

"Why don't you get some warm milk and head back to bed?" Evren suggested. "I could use some myself. Sit down at the table and I'll make some for you."

"Life is being called towards death. There needs to be balance. There needs to be order. I can fix it, I know I can."

Evren nodded as he poured the milk into a glass.

"I'm sure you can, but it's past your bedtime. It will have to wait for tomorrow. Here's your milk. Do you want me to stay up with you?"

Adrienne shook her head and took a seat at the table.

"No, I'm okay. I can drink my milk alone. I'm almost a teenager, after all."

Evren nodded. This wasn't the first time he'd caught Adrienne up in the middle of the night spouting phrases straight out of a horror film. It certainly wouldn't be the last either. All of her parents agreed that the behavior was concerning, but harmless. It wasn't like she was sneaking off in the middle of the night, chasing danger like Theo might.

"Straight to bed when you're finished," Evren ordered. "Goodnight, Rien. Your father and I both love you very much. We're always here when you need us."

Adrienne nodded quickly, making a show of sipping her drink.

"Goodnight."

Leo Toyonaga surveyed the house before him cautiously. As Lukas was fond of reminding him, Leo, his father, and his first born child, Varia, all were destined to serve the deity of life and preserve the order of the universe. Much like the reapers obeyed the Grim Reaper, who served Death, Leo came from a long line of guardians genetically called to protect the living. It was a thankless calling that didn't pay well and involved incredible danger, all to serve a deity who wasn't a fan of showing support or sharing attention.

Leo honestly didn't mind being called to such a dangerous duty. It was what he was born for, to help people and protect those he loved. His own father, Vrai, tried his best to pass his share of that sacred duty to his son. Vrai had nearly died serving Life and had to abdicate his Strangetown throne in order to continue serving. Lukas had taken and taken from him over the years, and now Vrai considered himself retired. That was one of the perks of dating the Grim Reaper. Gee could usually get his stepparent to leave Vrai alone, no matter how much Lukas whined.

But tonight, Leo needed a second pair of eyes. He could feel something wrong somewhere in Twikkii Island. A storm was brewing and it was driving Leo crazy. The past few days had been filled with migraines, visions that he suspected were prophetic, and a general feeling of uneasiness. If he wanted it all to stop, he would need to resolve the problem. He was certain that his father still felt the call to Twikkii Island like he did, despite denying it. Life's guardians were called to serve for life, despite Vrai's "retirement".

"Are you sure it's this street?" Vrai asked, scanning the street for signs of supernatural involvement. "It looks pretty calm."

Leo rolled his eyes.

"You can feel it, same as me. Of course it's here."

"Maybe it's a trick Lukas is playing on us. Some kind of performance evaluation. For this pull to be so strong...it has to be a test."

"It's not a test, my grandparents are just returning home."

Both men were startled by a preteen standing on the stairs, staring intently at them. Beside her, two spirits floated around the yard.

"Holy shit," Leo gasped, stunned by the scene before him. "Ghosts? Actual ghosts? Where are the reapers? Who's supposed to be watching for this?"

"Me, I guess. Life has been called towards death, and I can help you find the balance."

The girl watched them with curiosity. She was younger than Leo's oldest daughter, but not by much. She was maybe twelve at most.

"Just wait a minute, I have to get my coat."

The preteen slipped away for a moment, leaving the adults baffled at what to do next.

"We need to do something," Leo declared, staring at his father for ideas. "Should you call Gee? Let him know that ghosts have been seen in the living world?"

Vrai frowned.

"This isn't the first time spirits have been sighted. It's been happening everywhere. Gee has been trying to find the cause for a while now. The last thing he needs is for his father to find out."

"We can't command the dead!" Leo hissed. "He's going to have to call a reaper here to clean this up. This shouldn't be happening, Dad. If Gee can't fix this, maybe he shouldn't be the Grim Reaper."

"Try to control them," Vrai urged, suddenly interested in doing his job. "I'll help, but it's been a while. You'll need to start and I'll jump in when I can."

Leo grit his teeth, but nodded his agreement. It was nice to have his father on his side, even if it was only to protect his partner. Leo reached within himself, searching for any possible ability he possessed that could fix this problem.

Energy. Everything in the universe could be broken down into energy. Every single bit of energy all flowed through the Ocean, tying it all together. Leo could feel the life on the air around him. Plants, insects, and animals- they all answered his call without problem. The two spirits were completely unmoved.

"Let me help."

Vrai extended his hand, hoping that teamwork would somehow bridge the gap between life and death.

It was no use. Whatever limited contact they could make with the spirits was failing. Not only that, but both men were quickly losing control of the energy they could command. Leo's hands were burning as the absence of life in the spirits overpowered the living energy he was trying to command them with.

"I can't keep this up," he grunted. Beside him, Vrai looked equally overwhelmed. "Not even Lukas could pull this off, it's not our jurisdiction. You need to call Gee. If not him, then at least the head reaper of Twikkii Island. Someone qualified needs to fix this."

"I got my coat!"

The preteen's happy chirp interrupted the two Toyonaga's panicked discussion. Adrienne dropped dramatically to the ground, perfectly poised to take command of the situation.

"Dad says not to go out at night without a coat. The ocean makes everything colder at night. My name's Rien, by the way. Those are my grandparents floating around. They're just lost and confused; it's not their fault."

"Grandma! Grandpa! You have to listen to me. You're not supposed to be here. You need to rejoin the spirits."

Adrienne began to levitate, summoning energy that appeared to redirect the aimless floating of the spirits. While Leo watched in awe at her effortless control of the spirits of her grandparents, he couldn't help but notice the smooth horns that had appeared on her head while she did so. It wasn't a true dark form, at least as far as Leo understood the concept. Besides, weren't demons loosely connected with life, not death? What was happening to the world that he thought he'd understood? Ghosts were everywhere, demons were commanding the dead...what could possibly be next? Did Lukas know about this? Did Death?

"Go in peace, Grandpa. Dad and Luci will carry your legacy until you meet again. The Siew family still stands together, just like you always told Dad. You can let go. We'll be fine."

With her words, the spirit shimmered slightly before dissolving completely before the mesmerized Toyonagas' eyes. Both ghosts were gone, no effort required on their part.

"It was nice meeting you," Adrienne said, with all the proper manners expected of a young noble lady of Twikkii Island. "I should probably go back to bed now that the spirits are at rest."

"What-what did you just do? Demonic magic can't-"

"I'm a Bellamy," the girl stated, as if it should be obvious. "There's lots that I can do that most demons can't. My brother's not the only one who can get things done."

"Your brother?" Vrai asked. Already, this little excursion of theirs had turned from casual to mysterious and troubling. He didn't really need to add demon drama to it if he didn't have to.

"Theodosius," Leo supplied, looking at the sister of such a being warily. Everyone had heard of the little demon hybrid in his circles. His kids played with Theo at the Siew cottage and occasionally had lessons together at school. Theo was quickly becoming a project of Lukas', which was never a good thing, no matter who you were. Theo had been cursed to create his powers, while this girl didn't show any sign of a curse. She simply...was. Leo wasn't sure if that was better or worse for him. Curses were indeed powerful, but Theo was at least trying to control his. There was no controlling the natural gifts of this girl by any method Leo knew about. Clearly, this Bellamy family warranted keeping an eye on.

"Yeah, my brother's Theo," Adrienne confirmed, still cheerful despite having just seen the ghosts of her grandparents float across her yard. "He's away at school right now. I miss him."

Leo smiled politely.

"I'll bet. Well, thank you for your help, Rien. We couldn't have done it without you."

The two men looked at each other, beyond ready to leave this place. Leo had a mountain of paperwork to try to explain what had happened, which would hopefully escalate the issue of wandering spirits past the level of regular reapers. If this was happening everywhere, something had to be wrong, and Leo didn't share his father's optimism about Gee's ability to handle the situation.

"It was nice meeting you," Adrienne replied. "I'll be sure to let Lukas know how helpful you've been next time I see them. Things seem to be getting worse lately, but my brother's coming home soon. Maybe he could help a little, but by then, it will already be too late. See ya!"

The girl spun around and bolted up the stairs to her home, leaving the two men baffled.

"Be too late for what?!"

[insomniac4000]

The Ultimate 5 a side, ChrisMD

The sun was shining brightly over the London skyline, casting a golden glow across the city as Chris, strolled down the bustling street toward the podcast studio. He had a spring in his step, a secret in his heart, and a grin that he just couldn't shake off. Today was the day he'd share some news that would turn his life upside down in the best possible way.

The familiar sign of the "Pitchside Podcast" hung above the entrance to the studio, and as Chris pushed the door open, he was greeted by the warm, lively buzz of conversation. Chris had been a regular guest, bringing his infectious energy, love for the game and sometimes bad takes but today was different. Today, he had something personal to share.

"Chris! The man himself!" Theo Baker, one of the co-hosts, called out as Chris entered the studio. Theo was already seated at the large round table in the center of the room, microphone in front of him, headphones resting around his neck. Sitting next to him was Reev, who gave Chris a knowing smile as he took his seat.

"Hey, lads," Chris greeted them with a grin, settling into his chair. He was dressed casually, as always, in a simple t-shirt and shorts, but there was an undeniable spark in his eyes.

"So, we've got a packed episode today," Theo began, clicking through some notes on his laptop. "But first, Chris, you told us before the show that you’ve got some big news to share?"

Reev raised an eyebrow, leaning forward with a playful smirk. "Yeah, mate, you’ve been teasing us with it all week. Spill the beans!"

Chris chuckled, glancing down at the table for a moment before looking up at his friends. "Alright, alright. You know how Lottie and I have been talking about growing the family?"

Theo and Reev nodded, both of them now fully focused on Chris, anticipation written across their faces.

"Well," Chris continued, taking a deep breath, "we're not just growing it we're doubling down. Lottie and I are expecting twins!"

There was a beat of silence as the words sank in, and then the room erupted in cheers and laughter. Theo nearly knocked his microphone over in his excitement, while Reev clapped Chris on the back, his grin wider than ever.

"Mate, that’s incredible!" Theo exclaimed, his eyes wide with astonishment. "Twins? You and Lottie are gonna have your hands full!"

"Yeah, full to the brim, mate," Chris said, unable to hide his joy. "I mean, we're already at three, so why not round it out with two more, right?"

"Three plus two equals… a five-a-side team!" Reev quipped, laughing. "ChrisMD’s very own family football squad. That’s genius, mate."

Chris burst out laughing, shaking his head. "That’s actually true! I didn’t even think about it that way."

Theo leaned back in his chair, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "Think about it, Chris. You’ve got the perfect setup. You, Lottie, and the five kids. You could take on any family in the park."

Reev chimed in, "You could even start your own family football league! The Dixon Dynamos, taking on all comers."

Chris laughed again, imagining the sight. "Yeah, and I'll have them all in little matching kits, running around the pitch. It’d be chaos, but the good kind."

The three of them spent the next few minutes tossing around jokes and ideas about the imaginary Dixon family team, the banter flowing effortlessly. But beneath the humour, there was a deep sense of camaraderie and genuine happiness for Chris and Lottie.

"So, when are the twins due?" Theo asked once the laughter had subsided, leaning forward with a more serious tone.

"January," Chris replied, his voice softening slightly. "We’re just about halfway there, and everything’s looking good so far. Lottie’s doing amazing, as always."

"That’s fantastic, mate," Reev said, nodding. "And the kids? How are they taking the news?"

Chris grinned, thinking about his three children at home. "They’re over the moon. Especially Jude — he’s been asking for a younger sibling for a while now. I don’t think he was expecting two, though."

"Double the fun, double the trouble," Theo joked, earning another laugh from Chris.

"Exactly," Chris agreed. "But seriously, we're just so excited. It’s a bit daunting, sure, but it feels right, you know? Like our family is about to be complete."

"Complete with a starting five," Reev added with a wink.

The conversation shifted to other topics as the episode continued, from the latest Premier League drama to their predictions for the upcoming season. But the atmosphere remained light and joyous, the news of the twins casting a warm glow over everything.

As the recording wrapped up, Theo leaned over to Chris, his expression sincere. "Mate, we’re really happy for you. It’s amazing news. And you know if you ever need anything, we’re here for you."

"Thanks, Theo," Chris replied, his voice touched with emotion. "That means a lot."

Reev nodded in agreement, giving Chris a fist bump. "Absolutely, mate. It’s gonna be wild, but you’ve got this."

Chris smiled, feeling a deep sense of gratitude for his friends. "I know I do. Thanks, guys."

The three of them packed up their equipment, chatting about plans for the weekend as they made their way out of the studio. As Chris stepped outside, the sun still shining brightly, he felt a wave of contentment wash over him. Life was about to get a whole lot busier, but it was a challenge he was ready for.

He pulled out his phone and sent a quick message to Lottie, letting her know the podcast had gone well and that he’d be home soon. Almost immediately, a reply came through, and Chris couldn’t help but smile as he read it.

"Can’t wait to hear it. The kids are excited to see you. Love you ❤️"

Chris slipped his phone back into his pocket, taking a deep breath of the crisp afternoon air. In a few months, his family would be welcoming two new members, and the thought filled him with a sense of wonder and joy. He’d always dreamed of being a dad, and now he was on the brink of having a five-a-side team of his own.

As he walked down the street, heading toward home, Chris couldn’t help but laugh to himself. Life had a funny way of surprising you, but sometimes, those surprises turned out to be exactly what you needed.

Back at home, the Dixon household was a hive of activity. Lottie was in the kitchen, overseeing a batch of cookies baking in the oven, while their three children — Jude, Edie, and Sienna — were busy with their after-school activities. Jude was sprawled out on the living room floor, assembling a Lego set, while Edie and Sienna were at the dining table, colouring in their favourite Disney princesses.

The door creaked open, and Chris stepped inside, greeted by the familiar warmth of home. The kids looked up at the sound, and in an instant, they were on their feet, racing toward their dad with shouts of "Daddy!"

Chris knelt down, arms wide, as the three of them barrelled into him, nearly knocking him over. He laughed, hugging them tightly. "Hey, you three! How was your day?"

"Good!" Jude exclaimed, holding up his partially constructed Lego creation. "Look, Dad! I’m building a spaceship!"

"That’s awesome, Jude!" Chris praised, ruffling his son’s hair before turning to his daughters. "And what about you two? How were school and nursery today?"

The girls both launched into excited stories about their day, talking over each other in their enthusiasm. Chris listened with a smile, nodding and asking questions as they led him into the living room to show off their drawings.

Lottie watched from the kitchen, a soft smile on her face as she saw Chris with the kids. The sight always filled her with a deep sense of love and gratitude. Chris was an amazing father, and she knew he was just as excited as she was about the twins.

"Smells amazing in here," Chris said as he finally made his way into the kitchen, the kids now back to their activities. He leaned in to kiss Lottie, who smiled up at him.

"Chocolate chip cookies," she said, nodding toward the oven. "Almost ready."

"Perfect," Chris replied, wrapping an arm around her waist. "How are you feeling?"

"Tired," Lottie admitted, resting her head on his shoulder. "But good. I can feel them moving more now."

Chris's hand moved instinctively to her belly, a look of wonder on his face as he felt the faint kicks. "I can’t believe there are two of them in there," he said softly.

"Me neither," Lottie agreed, her voice filled with awe. "But I can’t wait to meet them."

"Me too," Chris said, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "It’s going to be a bit chaotic, isn’t it?"

"Just a bit," Lottie teased, laughing lightly. "But we’ll manage. We always do."

Chris nodded, his eyes meeting hers with a look of determination and love. "Yeah, we will. And we’ll have our little five-a-side team to keep us on our toes."

Lottie laughed, the sound filling the kitchen with warmth. "That’s one way to look at it."

The cookies were done a few minutes later, and the family gathered around the kitchen table to enjoy the freshly baked treats. As they sat there, talking and laughing, Chris felt a deep sense of contentment settle over him.

Later that evening, after the kids had been tucked into bed, Chris and Lauren sat together on the couch, the soft glow of the television playing in the background. Chris had his arm around Lauren, her head resting on his chest as they relaxed in the quiet of the evening.

"You know," Chris said after a while, "I told Theo and Reev about the twins on the podcast today."

Lottie looked up at him, a smile tugging at her lips. "How did they react?"

"Pretty much like you’d expect," Chris said with a chuckle. "They were over the moon, and then Reev pointed out that we’re going to have our own five-a-side team."

Lottie laughed softly, shaking her head. "Of course he did."

"But they were really happy for us," Chris added, his tone more serious. "And it made me realize just how lucky we are, you know? To have this life, these amazing kids… and now two more on the way."

"We are lucky," Lottie agreed, her voice soft. "And no matter how crazy it gets, I wouldn’t trade it for anything."

"Me neither," Chris said, kissing the top of her head. "We’re in this together, no matter what."

They sat in comfortable silence for a while longer, just enjoying each other’s presence. Chris knew that the months ahead would be challenging, but he also knew that they had something special — a bond that could weather anything life threw their way.

As the night wore on, Chris felt his eyes growing heavy, the events of the day catching up with him. He pulled the blanket up over them, settling in for the night.

"Goodnight, love," Lottie murmured, her voice laced with sleep.

"Goodnight," Chris whispered back, holding her close. "Sweet dreams."

The next morning, the Dixon household was a whirlwind of activity as usual. Chris was up early, helping get the kids ready for school and nursery while Lottie prepared breakfast. The twins were already kicking up a storm, and Lottie smiled as she felt the little flutters in her belly.

As they sat down to eat, Jude looked up at Chris with a serious expression on his young face. "Dad, when the babies come, can we teach them how to play football?"

Chris grinned, his heart swelling with pride. "Of course. We’ll teach them everything we know."

"And can we all play together?" Edie asked, her eyes wide with excitement.

"Definitely," Chris replied, ruffling her hair. "We’ll have our very own family football team."

Sienna giggled, clapping her hands. "We’re gonna be the best team ever!"

"That’s right, Enna," Chris said, his grin widening. "The best team ever."

As they finished breakfast and got ready to head out the door, Chris felt a sense of anticipation building inside him. The future was full of unknowns, but he knew one thing for sure — he had an amazing family by his side, and together, they could handle anything.

Later that day, after dropping the kids off, Chris found himself back at the Pitchside studio, ready for another day of filming. But this time, he was carrying a secret plan.

As the cameras started rolling, Theo and Reev welcomed the audience to another episode, their usual energy on full display.

"Before we dive into the latest football news," Theo said with a grin, "we’ve got something special planned for today."

Chris raised an eyebrow, playing along. "Oh? What’s that?"

"We’ve been thinking," Reev said, leaning forward, "about that five-a-side team of yours. And we thought it might be fun to put it to the test."

Chris blinked, caught off guard. "What do you mean?"

Theo grinned, clearly enjoying himself. "We’ve set up a little challenge. You, us, and a couple of special guests… in a five-a-side match."

Chris laughed, shaking his head. "Are you serious?"

"Absolutely," Reev said, standing up and grabbing a football from under the table. "And we’re playing today."

Chris couldn’t help but smile as he realized what they’d planned. "Alright, then. Let’s see what you’ve got."

The match was set up in a nearby park, a small pitch perfect for a five-a-side game. Chris, Theo, and Reev were joined by two surprise guests Billy Wingrove and of course Big John, both of whom were ready for some friendly competition.

As they kicked off, the banter flowed as freely as the football. Chris found himself laughing more than he had in ages, the joy of the game mingling with the excitement of his upcoming fatherhood.

At one point, Theo turned to Chris, panting slightly from the exertion. "Mate, I think you’re ready for that five-a-side team of yours."

Chris grinned, wiping sweat from his brow. "You reckon?"

"Absolutely," Reev called from the other end of the pitch. "But you might want to start training those kids now. They’ve got some big shoes to fill."

Chris laughed, shaking his head as he dribbled the ball down the pitch. "Don’t worry, they’ll be ready."

The game ended in a draw, both sides exhausted but happy. As they gathered on the sidelines, drinking water and catching their breath, Chris felt a deep sense of contentment settle over him.

"That was brilliant," Billy said, clapping Chris on the back. "But I think you’re going to have your hands full with those twins."

"No doubt about it," Chris agreed, smiling. "But I’m ready for it."

John grinned, leaning over to Chris. "Just make sure you don’t let them all gang up on you. Five kids can be a handful."

Chris laughed, nodding. "I’ll keep that in mind."

As the sun began to set, casting a warm glow over the park, Chris looked around at his friends, his heart full. He knew that life was about to get even more hectic, but he wouldn’t have it any other way.

He had an amazing family, incredible friends, and a future that was brighter than ever. And with his very own five-a-side team on the way, there was no challenge too big for ChrisMD to handle.

As they all walked back to the studio, Chris felt a sense of peace settle over him. The journey ahead would be filled with ups and downs, but he was ready for whatever came his way.

And as he looked out at the horizon, Chris couldn’t help but smile, knowing that the best was yet to come.

[lemotmo]

Let's watch 911 7x07

All right guys, let’s do this. I’m finally able to sit down and watch episode 7x07. I'll type out my thoughts and feelings as I'm watching.

Disclaimer: This is a fictional show with fictional characters. These characters go through some of the wildest things. This time we have a cheating storyline for Eddie and while, in real life, it would be a big no no, on a TV show like this it’s a narrative I can get behind. These people need to go through dramas to come out on the other side as reborn. It’s what TV is for, an escape from reality. None of it is real. So yeah, while Eddie cheats on Marisol, I will still watch this show and I’ll still be intrigued what this means for him and his narrative. Ultimately this part of his story will serve a purpose and I’m here for that.

So, let’s go!

That first call going to Maddie. She is so damn good at her job.

Oh no, they crashed!

2. No no no, Chimney! An explosion! Stay away Eddie! Oh no, she’s burned badly, isn’t she? Inhalation burns.

Where is the baby?

Why is Athena the only police officer working these cases? There is never another police officer on call.

Where is the baby? Please don’t hurt the baby!

That poor lady.

Where is the damn baby?

3. That’s right, no screens during dinner. I have the same rule at home. My son is used to it by now.

Mara! Denny knows about her baby brother, Tyson. Oh that poor sweet girl.

4. Oh, the ice cream Marisol scene. I’m afraid now! Christopher really seems to like her. That poor kid is going to go through it, isn’t he. Another woman who will eventually leave him, for good reason I know, but still…

Ooooh, fake Shannon! Cue Eddie having a flashback of Shannon. Man, grief can be so hard sometimes. The moment you think you’re doing better, something happens to throw you back in the middle of it. Imagine seeing a döppelganger of your deceased wife. That has to be hard on anyone.

5. Hen is such a great mother. I love how she talks to Mara and really understands what is going on with her.

That’s right baby! Denny is nice. Of course you miss him.

Has he been taken by the foster system?

6. What do you mean her husband is in Alaska? Who is that guy? And where is the baby???

Oh Maddie, this has to be hard for her. All of those memories. That’s right Josh, talk some sense into her.

7. Foster families are important, but it sucks how siblings are separated.

Oh… Mara’s mother had an affair. Man, there is a theme running through this episode.

I don’t think the system can do a lot in cases like this Hen. Sometimes hands are tied.

8. The burn unit. Oh, that is Amir huh? 'The only one responsible is the driver, the rest of us are left to clean up the mess.' Auwch! This is the guy who is going to go after Bobby, isn’t he?

Side note: Theo Huxtable was my favourite on ‘The Cosby Show’. I know, I know, we’re not supposed to watch it anymore and shit, but I grew up with that show, so yeah.

He seems like a nice guy. Are we sure he’s going after Bobby?

Maddie, you’re a nurse… mask up when you visit a burn victim!

9. No no no, I don’t want to see this scene! No Eddie, don’t do it!!!

Of course fake Shannon would walk out to talk to him. I would! I mean, the guy looks gorgeous.

A candle? Instant stimulation. Noooooooo, don’t do it babe! On the beach with Shannon.

Ryan, the actor that you are. Your eyes speak to me!

Nooooo, you aren’t single babe!!!! Have you forgotten about Marisol without a last name? She was right there in the beginning of the episode, eating ice cream with you.

Edmundo… really? This harkens back to Ana times.

Fake Shannon is called Kim.

But really, Kim is the spitting image of Shannon. How can he resist this? All he’s ever wanted was to be enough for Shannon and now he has another chance. Of course he’ll take it. The loveable idiot!

The S keychain… I mean, Eddie babe, she isn’t Shannon. She’s another person. You can’t just replace your deceased wife with a new copy. It doesn’t work that way. She looks like her, but she’s a completely different woman.

10. Mommy and me classes. Hen and Karen stalking yet again another parent of one of their foster children. Well, not the real parent, but you know what I mean. They’ve done this before. This isn’t healthy ladies. I understand your motivation, but it just isn’t healthy. You’ll end up being kicked out of the system if you continue like this.

11. Maddie, stop obsessing babe. It isn’t healthy. Where is Chimney?

Aaaah, that’s right! He’s her husband now!!!! YAY!

Oh, Chimney, you are the best husband. You get it. You understand her so well.

This scene is gold! GOLD!

Oh, this guy isn’t connected to the lady at all, is she?

12. OMG! He’s the neighbour! He has to be.

That poor mother.

13. Wait… is that Shannon or Kim in bed with Eddie? Please let it be Shannon! I’m not ready for a full-blown sexual affair.

Side note: it is so weird that the women on 911 always have their bras on when they have sex. Meanwhile the TV-shows that get made in my country have full-blown nudity and very explicit unapologetic sex scenes, and no one bats an eye over it.

What is going on? Is it Kim? It can’t be!

Whose room is that? That isn’t Eddie’s bed, is it?

Oh, it’s a memory… or is it? I don’t think he slept with Shannon before she saw him at Christmas, did he? I remember that scene where they had sex upside down on the bed and then she quickly had to leave because Chris came home. This is so different.

O_o Dude! No! Marisol is right there. I have no love for this women, since I hardly know her, but this is a big no no! Not in front of her salad.

14. Oh, he was a handyman. A real stalker.

Maddie is calling the sister? Isn’t that against protocol? This show just throws every single rule into the bin.

Kyle had to make a fresh start from what? Oh no, his wife left with the baby. This guy is full on psychotic, isn’t he? He’s living in a delusion where the victim and her baby are his own wife and child.

What is he feeding that baby?

Oh no, this guy is crazy! A new mommy?

Maddie, you genius you!!! I love you! You understand creepy guys like no other.

Someone save that baby!!!!!! Nooo!

Chimney knows!

Oh Buck tackled that guy! His back has to be broken! That dude is massive!

The woman is safe!

15. Oh no, Amir’s eyes! He knows Bobby. Such a great actor.

Bobby is in trouble.

16. Tyson, yes. So happy that Mara gets to see her brother again.

Of course he remembers here. Kids always do.

17. Buck is cooking. I don’t want to watch the next scene, because I know what is coming. But okay.

This is so homey and cosy. The three of them together.

Smoke though? Foreshadowing?

Good cologne? We won’t wait up for you? Oh Buck… if you only knew what your best friend was up to. You could have stopped him to talk some sense into him.

This scene though. They’re a unit, the three of them. One day…

But first Eddie needs to deal with some of his demons. Let’s go.

18. Thank God, some Madney first. I need a little break before disaster strikes. Jee is sooo cute.

No more bad dreams tonight? Yeah, maybe not for Jee. I’m about to have a full blown nightmare in 3... 2... 1... and there it is...

19. Pffff, Eddie Eddie Eddie. I’m so disappointed in you right now. Don’t get me wrong, I still love you to bits and you’re still my fav on 911, but what are you doing? Not only to yourself, but to Marisol, Kim and Chris?

If you wanted to date this woman so badly, why didn’t you break up with Marisol first? It would have been the most decent thing to do for everyone involved.

Do you think this will bring Shannon back? It won’t you know. Kim is a different woman. Next to that, you are idealising your marriage to Shannon. It’s blinding you and stopping you from moving forward in life.

You need to let go of Shannon. Lay her to rest.

But I can see that you aren’t planning for that.

This is all going to come to a very messy ending and you’ll be left in the dust my friend. I just hope Chris doesn’t get pulled into this. I don’t ever want him to know.

Wait until Buck finds out. Not looking forward to that scene. It’ll be hard to watch.

I wonder if they are going to make this in a full-blown sexual affair, or an emotional cheating affair. And how long will it last? One episode? Two? What will make him see that what he’s doing is self-destructing? I’m convinced that this man is hurting deeply and he just wants to feel happy again, no matter the cost. He has this illusion that everything was perfect with Shannon, but it wasn’t. All of this will come crashing down and he’ll be left in the dust, alone.

If we have to believe Ryan’s interview, he’ll eventually crawl out of the pit of despair as a new man. Which is a good thing. But he’s going to go through it first and I’m here for it. I'll gobble up every single scene and the gut-wrenching heartbreak Eddie will go through the moment he will realise that he has f*cked up so badly.

Side note: We have now seen three people of the 118 cheat, in different ways, on their partners by now. I wonder if there’s something in the water?

[crescentcampbell]

Just a Little Cheesy

Summary: Mabel moves in with Theo and enjoys perks like grilled cheese sandwiches and kissing in the kitchen.

A/N: I'm not sure what I think about this, but now I've gotten obsessed with Mabel and Theo being roommates and I can't let it go.

Everyone seemed to be happy. Oliver was happy with Loretta. Charles was happy with his show. And Mabel…

Mabel didn’t know what she was anymore. It was strange to think that she was happiest whenever her life was dealing with death and chaos and murder. After all, that was what kept the podcast going, wasn’t it?

It touched every part of her life. Every time she dated someone, there was always the chance they were the killer…and that, Mabel realized, was growing wearisome. She wanted someone she could trust. But it was hard when she was in the business of distrusting people.

But then…Theo happened. Like most things Theo did, when he offered to let her move in, it was so softly asked even in his gestures that she almost wouldn’t have noticed it. She didn’t want to impose or make Theo think of all of the bad things they’d gone through. “Are you sure you can handle it?” she asked him.

Theo only smiled. “Move in day is tomorrow,” he signed to her.

She was aware of every move she made because of the silence her first week at his apartment. The slamming of a door, the creaking of floorboards…

But there was something comforting about it. She was aware she was alive. Something that had been very hard to do since her teen years, since losing Zoe, Oscar, and Tim all in different ways. Before Oliver and Charles, it had felt like she’d been invisible almost.

Or maybe even dead herself.

Or at least half-way there.

Most people, Mabel suspected, would have been unnerved by the silence. But the silence comforted Mabel. It meant she was safe. Protected. Something she hadn’t been in a very, very long time.

Mabel had someone waiting for her to come home. And that was a novelty. Mabel had thought that maybe because of all of the death surrounding her, she was destined to be alone. But Charles and Oliver had proved that theory wrong.

But Oliver had moved on with Loretta. And Charles was busy with the show. They were still working on the podcast, but it wasn’t like how it had been before. They had their own things. And Mabel…

What did Mabel have, exactly?

The podcast, yes, but there was still something missing that she couldn’t quite put her finger on.

One night, when she was up late editing, she looked up at the sound of a plate being put in front of her. Theo smiled at her, and signed, “You haven’t eaten all day.”

Mabel smiled at him. “Thanks. You didn’t have to…”

He waved it off, and went to go to the living room. Usually, he watched it just with the sound off, and the captions on. But the sound was on, and Mabel had taken that as an invitation to come join him.

She realized there was a crick in her neck. Her body was sore from sitting in the chair. She stretched, then glanced at the meal Theo had made for her. A simple, grilled cheese sandwich with a soda. Mabel shut down her computer then took the meal over to the couch where Theo was sitting.

They settled in, and watched an old re-run of Cold Case. Mabel ate the grilled cheese sandwich and coke, and maybe because it had been made by someone with love, but something about that meal was the best one she had had in a long time.

“Good?” Theo signed when she finished.

“Very good,” she signed back with a smile, “Thanks.”

He blushed a little, and Mabel found herself using his shoulder as a pillow. She didn’t even make it through the whole episode before she fell asleep. When was the last time she had fallen asleep on someone’s shoulder? She didn’t know. What she did know was, that Theo Dimas made the best grilled cheese she had had in a long time, he let her move in without hesitation, and didn’t find it at all weird that her hobbies were murder and her two best friends were two old men.

In the morning, Mabel woke up, with the intention of telling Theo…well, she didn’t know what she was going to tell Theo. But Theo wasn’t on the couch when she woke up. Instead, Mabel found a pillow under her head, and a blanket wrapped around her. Smiling to herself, she got up from the couch and went to look for him.

He was in the kitchen, cooking pancakes and eggs. There was already a cup of fresh coffee waiting for her next to his. She smiled, and came up behind him, wrapping her arms around his waist and resting her head on his shoulder.

He jumped a little, but smiled when he turned to see her. He put the stove on low then turned around to look at her. “Sleep okay?” he signed.

Mabel nodded. “Yeah.” She studied him for a moment. When she had known him as a teenager, she’d been too wrapped up in Tim, while having a crush on Oscar at the same time, to give Theo a second glance. Their interactions had been minimal at best. The Arconia was a world of money and privilege that knew insiders from outsiders. Mabel had always felt a little bit like an outsider, even with her friends.

Theo, who had lived there, had sensed that about her, she thought. She remembered as a kid she’d sit out front reading and sometimes, he would be out there too. They wouldn’t say anything, but they’d sit in a comfortable, unacknowledged silence. Sometimes, she would smile at him in the elevator. She should have included him more. If only the others hadn’t been so afraid of Mr. Dimas, maybe they would have…

“Something wrong?” Theo signed when she didn’t say anything for a moment.

Mabel shook her head. “I should have noticed you sooner.”

He smiled softly at her. “Are you noticing me now?” he responded with his hands.

“Yeah, I definitely am,” Mabel told him. She reached up and ran hand through his hair. Theo grabbed hold of her wrist, and locked eyes with her. This was it, Mabel thought, this is what I’ve been waiting for.

He kissed her then, and Mabel kissed him back. Like they were in some, cheesy, roommates-to-lovers-romcom. And Mabel didn’t mind that one bit for a change. With Theo, she could handle cheesy.

[elliebyrrdwrites]

Dodd used to tap his wand against the third and fourth button of his robes. It click, clicked clicked throughout our sessions. It created a rhythm for these little sessions.

How are you feeling, today, Draco? clickclickclick.

Overjoyed.

Why are you feeling overjoyed? clickclickclick.

Because I’m stuck inside of my head and there’s no way to get out.

Is there anything you’d like to get out? clickclickclick.

I wish I had the guts to kill my father.

You don’t mean that, do you? clickclickclick.

Only in the mornings.

clickclickclick. What do you want out of life, Draco?

I want to find a place where I belong.

Where do you think that is? clickclickclick.

Amongst the stars, staring directly into the sun.

Do you want to get married, have children? clickclickclick.

No. Maybe. Not sure anyone would marry me, but I defintiely don’t think I should be a father.

Why is that?

Have you met mine?

clickclickclick.

If I become a father, I don’t think there’s any kind of fail safe to keep me from becoming another version of him.

clickclickclick.

Dodd is quiet, because my father pays him. Still, these sessions feel like the best place to be honest. So, I continue.

No, I don’t think I’ll do it. The only place I seem to belong is underneath the heel of my fathers shoe.

The heel of my shoe is click, click, clicking against the tiled floor of the parlor. Across from me, Theo is going through the notes Dodd took of our sessions, the treatment he prescribed me. The ones they ignored.

“My gods, Draco.” Theo murmurs as he gently closes the folder and places it down onto his lap. “Your father was a monster."

clickclickclick. “And what am I?” I jerk my chin toward the folder.

Theo shakes his head, running a tired hand over his mouth. “You’re a victim of serious neglect and abuse. I should have this Dodd bloke reported to the board.” He sighs and reopens the folder. “I mean, he knew the right thing to do. He has it written down but he neglected to put you before your fathers wishes.”

Theo sounds upset. It’s been ages since I’ve heard him this upset.

It’s been ages since I’ve seen him. The last time I can remember seeing him was during the war. He was tucked into the corner of my fathers study as our fathers debated over strategies regarding Harry Potter and his cursed fate. I was sketching into an old notebook instead of studying the material on the Wizengamot my father had given me.

Theo Nott’s bright green eyes are studying me. The way I chew on my thumbnail. The way my foot keeps clickclickclicking to the rhythm of my racing heartbeat. I can’t sit still. It’s one of those days, where all of my energy is too much for this body. It’s itching for a way out and I have nothing to give it.

“You often experience something called Hypomania.” Theo says, with a sigh. “I think,” his lips twitch into a frown. “With the way your father abused you, the abuse of this potion...it’s often triggered attacks of anxiety and even episodes full blown mania.”

My eyebrows lift, my heels clickclickclick away, but I say nothing.

“I’d like to meet with you, regularly, Draco.” Theo glances down at my file. “Whatever you keep inside needs to come out. It will help and I think we can come up with a combination of potions that will also help calm the fluctuations from high to low.”

“You don’t have anything right now?”

Theo’s eyes widen. “No, I don’t think that would be safe. I need to research this Persona Supressus to ensure that whatever I do prescribe you won’t cause any harmful contraindications. Are you still taking your liver replenishing antidote?”

I struggle to recall the last time I took it. I think it was the night before I saw Granger. “Not regularly.”

With a shake of his head, he writes down a note onto a little post it, magically securing it onto my folder. The folder full of shame and dark secrets.

“I’m going to talk to Mitsy, have her report to me that you are taking them daily.” He sighs. “I also would like to do a full medical screening before I prescribe anything else to you.”

clickclickclick.

“Fine.”

“Draco, I’m really glad you reached out to me. After what you have been through...” He shakes his head, unable to finish.

“What, exactly, is wrong with me, then?”

“At first glance? A mood disorder. Muggles call it bipolar II disorder. But, it could just be Cyclothymia. I can't be sure, yet. But, either of those would explain your days of heightened energy, moments of an inflated self image. It also explains the moments of self loathing. That feeling of not belonging —”

“Can I be loved? Being this way...does it make me impossible to loved?” I cut him off and Theo’s eyes widen before they glass over.

He clears his throat, lowering his head. He takes several moments before he lifts his gaze back up to me and swallows back unshed tears. “No, Draco. It does not make you unlovable. Not if you don’t want it to be.”

[offsidekineticist]

Dear lord the content warnings on this one are going to go on forever. I think I got them all, but yeah, this one is kind of intense. The good news is that if any of the CWs are no-go's for you, you can probably skip this one without losing track of the plot.

In any case, here's Part Six of the (Completely Platonic!) Breakup Arc: In Which Offside Remembers This Is Supposed To Be A WOTR Fic And Throws In A Cameo.

CW: confinement in small dark spaces, food/water deprivation, loss of glasses, physical restraint, prisoner abuse, torture, difficulty breathing, summary executions, gore, sleep deprivation as torture, insomnia, possible hallucinations, family dysfunction and estrangement, nonverbal episodes, hand injuries as torture, watching hellknights drag your kid off to be tortured, and saaaaaaaaaad Theo

Our Sacred Allies

You're not sure how long you spend in the dark, feeling every little bump and bounce in the road. They stop periodically to give you water from a tin cup and a piece of bread, but you can't tell how often those "meals" are. Often enough to keep you alive, not often enough to satisfy.

You sit in the dark with nothing to do, and you think about Qweck and her meditation retreats, and how she once told you that the darkness makes meditation deeper because your eyes cannot deceive you. You try to meditate–you did learn a little when Qweck was a child–but your thoughts keep circling back to a halfling with sparkling green eyes.

They don't take you out of the cart until you're inside the citadel. Part of you–the proud Chelaxian part of you–wishes you could have seen it from afar. You don't know for certain that this is Citadel Rivad–nobody has told you where you're going, after all–but if it is, you would have liked to have seen it. But even if you hadn't been inside the cart, your glasses are gone, smashed and the pieces left behind in Brastlewark. You wouldn't have seen anything except a great dark blur.

(Regill would have seen it when he first came here, back when it was home to the Order of the Scourge. You wonder how he felt when he saw it. Certainly more hopeful than you feel now)

Your eyes sting when they pull you from the cart, blinded by the sudden flood of light. You squeeze your eyes closed as they half-drag, half-march you into the main building in the keep and take you down a set of stairs. 

(You will regret not keeping your eyes open. It might have been your last chance to see the sun.)

You open your eyes halfway down the stairs. It's dark–not as dark as the cart was, but dark enough that one of your captors carries a lantern. The walls are made of stone, but in the light of the lantern you can see water dripping down the sides of the wall. Cold and damp.

The dungeons are small and cramped by human standards. For you they are comfortably sized, if anything in this place could be called comfortable. Each cell is a recess in the wall, just large enough for a human to lay down if they curled themselves into a ball and lay on their sides, with a gate of iron bars serving as a door. It is difficult to make out details in the dim light, but as you pass each cell you catch glimpses of other prisoners–dirty, unkempt, often unclothed, usually pressed as far as possible from the cell door. 

They stop in front of an empty cell, and one knight opens the door while the other removes your manacles before pushing you into the cell. You don't turn around until you hear the door clank closed and see the lantern light slip away.

Week One

There is a room at the end of the dungeons, past the last cells, through a wooden door that does nothing to muffle the screams of those inside. You have no means of telling time, but you know you sit through the screams of four other inmates before someone comes to your cell and marches you down the long corridor and through the wooden door.

It's not a large room, but it's far more spacious than your cell. In the center is a table, a candle at its center and chairs on opposite sides. Your guard gestures towards one of the chairs. It's not what you had expected from the screams. The chair has no shackles or locks or bars. There are no spikes to pierce you as you sit. It is, as far as you can tell, a completely normal chair.

You warily take your seat (because resisting will do you no good). Your back is to the wooden door, but you hear it open. You hear heavy footsteps leave the room–and lighter footsteps enter. You don't turn to see who has replaced your guard, but you don't need to. She comes around the table and sits in the chair opposite you. You see very little of her features–she wears a metal mask that covers her face except for her mouth. She is a hellknight signifer, you realize: a spellcaster in hellknight armor.

"Good evening, Mr. Derenge," she says. Evening. It is evening. Not that it matters. You nod politely at the signifer. No need to antagonize her. "I trust that I don't need to impress upon you the severity of your situation. Nor the situation of those you've influenced over the years."

"I never breathed a word of any of this to any of my students–I taught them to be good and loyal Chelaxians, I swear by Irori's hand. Nobody knew about those books but me," you blurt out before you can stop yourself. She does not reveal any emotion at that–no doubt, no sympathy, no disdain. 

"We will be more inclined to believe your testimony regarding their innocence if the rest of your testimony is truthful," she says before casting a spell, and you can feel your ability to lie evaporating. "Let's start with something simple." She places a piece of paper on the table. "This was intercepted by a patrol at the Isgeri border. Do you recognize it?"

You study the paper in the dim candlelight.

I must offer my congratulations on the successful conquest of Citadel Dinyar and the retrieval of the alleged Heart's Edge. I say alleged because, with the materials I have immediate access to, I cannot offer any definitive description of the sword, nor identify any features that might distinguish Heart's Edge from a more 'mundane' Holy Avenger. As such, I caution you to temper your celebration. While it may seem impossibly extravagant to commission a Holy Avenger to serve as a decoy, the cost is but a pittance when weighed against a priceless artifact such as Heart's Edge.

I will consult our sacred allies in search of a more detailed description of the Inheritor's sword. It is my hope that my next letter will have more definitive information for you.

The letter is signed with a sketch of an insect. You do not recognize the letter, but you do not have to. You understand now why the Rack came to your library. Giliys did not turn you in. Nobody turned you in. They were not looking for you at all. They just assumed, when they found you with your books, that you were who they sought.

And now that you understand that, you also understand that they can never know they were wrong.

You nod slowly. The gesture is ambiguous enough that it slips easily through the net cast on your mind to catch lies.

"This picture you use as your signature," the signifer continues, pointing to the sketch at the end of the letter. "What is it?"

"It is a pseudoscorpion–or a book scorpion, if you prefer" you say easily. "It's a species of insect that preys on bookworms. We'll occasionally introduce them to the library to protect the books." You pause a moment. "I've always been quite fond of them," you admit.

The signifer nods at your explanation, and you suspect she already knew what the drawing was. This was a test of your honesty–and somehow, impossibly, you've passed. "You refer in the letter to 'sacred allies.' Who are these allies?"

You have no idea. But admitting as much would mean admitting you did not write the letter. So instead you say, "I can't tell you that."

The signifer's head cocks to the side, and you've never been so afraid of body language in your life. "You are unable to lie, so I know this is not mere bluster, but sincere miscalculation." She points at your chest. "Tormentum damnum."

Your insides are crushed, and you double over in pain. You try to cry out, but your lungs have collapsed. You can't breathe–and then, just as suddenly as it began, it ends. You can breathe. You can feel your heart beating again. But the pain remains.

"You will tell me everything I want to know," the signifer says. "It is only a question of how much you suffer first."

"I can suffer quite a bit," you gasp. The signifer almost chuckles at that.

"Very well. Prove it."

Week Two

You mark the passage of time with how many times you are dragged back to your cell to recover before the signifer begins anew. It's after your tenth rest that you wake from one of your rare stretches of sleep to the sound of desperate pleading.

"No! No, please, I–"

"But I told you everything! You sai–"

The voices blend together–people begging for their lives, suddenly cut off. It is only when you watch a knight open the cell across from yours that you understand what's happening. The prisoner screams as the knight thrusts his sword forwards. Screams become gurgles. Blood pools on the floor. The knight turns around. He reaches for your cell door. You freeze in place and close your eyes– 

"Not that one!" a voice farther up the corridor commands. You open your eyes and see the knight look to his left. "That one had Cansellarion's ear. Signifer Zerna is still interrogating him."

"Yes, sir," the knight says with a salute before taking the corpse out of the cell across from you and carrying it out of your field of view.

They're gone as quickly as they arrived. You are alone. You don't understand what just happened, except that you are only alive because they think you know something you don't.

Week Three

It's nice not hearing screams when you're failing to sleep. You try not to think about why the screams have stopped. It doesn't keep you awake anymore than everything else does, but it is not pleasant, either.

You can't remember the last time you really slept. Now that you're their only prisoner, they don't have to worry about fitting you into a rotation to be tortured–it's just you, so they can be strategic about when they take you. Ever since the massacre, they've taken to coming to check on you and leaving if you are awake.

They only take you if you're asleep.

You don't mean to force yourself to stay awake. You do need sleep, after all, and you know this. The problem is that to sleep, you need to relax, and it's impossible to relax when you know you're going to wake, unrefreshed, to knights dragging you back to That Room.

So instead you sit propped up in the corner of your cell, exhausted and disheartened and broken feeling because you just want to sleep, and you can't hold onto a coherent train of thought because you're too tired, and you think you're on the verge of hearing things (you can still distinguish between imagined sounds created by your train of thought crashing into itself and actual sounds, but the distance between them is narrowing), and so you focus your thoughts as best you can on one thought–

You can't tell them. You can't tell them. You can't tell them.

–until you're roused from sleep by a knight kicking you in the ribs and hauling you to your feet. He–she?–they half lead, half drag you down the hall and into That Room, a gauntleted hand clutching your already bruised arm far too tightly. They set you in the chair and take some rope from their belt. They've started tying you down to the chair since the first week–otherwise you fall to the floor the first time you faint. 

The signifer unrolls a canvas bag on the table, revealing an assortment of knives and needles and various metal tools whose purpose you do not want to guess. "We will be trying something different, today," she says. "I usually prefer to avoid such methods, but since you have refused to cooperate, I don't have much choice."

She takes what looks like a small vice from the canvas. She turns to you and slips the fingers of your right hand into the vice. She turns the screw until your fingers are held snugly in place. "Your communication with Cansellarion refers to 'sacred allies.' Who are they?"

You can't tell them. You can't tell them. You can't tell–

She turns the screw. The vice tightens. You hold back a scream.

"You're going too quickly. If you break all his fingers in a single turn of the screw, there will be nothing left for him to dread," a voice behind the signifer says, and you feel your blood freeze because you know that voice. Your eyes focus, and you can just make out in the darkness the shape of an armored gnome. The years have not been kind to him–he is older, half-bleached (just as you feared when he left), skin almost as colorless as yours but with occasional pink tints because his blood has not yet gone gray. But the intensity of his expression–those sharp yellow eyes–there is no mistaking who he is. 

Regill Derenge, clad in the flayed armor of the Order of the Rack, looks vaguely frustrated when the signifer ignores him. "It is your interrogation, of course," he acknowledges, clasping his hands behind his back. "Though I question the wisdom of bringing an advisor you intend to ignore."

You had known he wasn't in the Scourge anymore–a few years after the end of the bleaching, you finally built up the courage to write him a letter. It was returned, unopened, with a note attached: Regill Derenge is no longer a member of the Order of the Scourge. There was no further explanation–was he expelled? Did he resign? Had he been killed? You didn't know, and given the lack of explanation with your letter, you doubted you ever would. The signifer says something, but you can't hear her. You can only stare at your brother. He's alive. Bleaching aside, he seems healthy. 

And he will kill you once you've told him what he wants to know. 

The signifer turns the screw. You clench your teeth to mask the pain. 

"Answer the question," Regill orders. "It can and will get much worse for you if you don't."

You can't tell him. You can't tell him. You can't tell him.

It wouldn't matter even if you wanted to tell the truth. You feel the tightness of your throat, and though you haven't felt this since before you last heard Regill's voice, you recognize it just as easily: your body refuses to speak. The torture has made you weak, and now words are too heavy. You stare at your brother pleadingly, opening and closing your mouth as you try to get something out, even if it's just his name. He'll recognize this, won't he? He has to. When you were children, it was he who always spoke for you when words were too heavy. He'll recognize it, and he'll tell her–

Your brother watches as your tormentor turns the screw, and you scream.

Week Four

Someone is speaking in the dungeons. No, that's not right. That's not what is strange.

Someone is pleading in the dungeons.

No, no, that's not strange, either.

Someone, who is not you, is pleading in the dungeons.

"He's going into shock–his body can't regenerate the lost blood quickly enough–please, he'll die before he can tell you anything, just let me finish healing him!"

There's something else strange, too. That voice. It isn't right. Or–well, it is a real voice, that part is right, but it's not supposed to–not supposed to–

Your thoughts freeze. The knights are dragging the newest prisoners past. That is strange, too. You're the only one they keep in the dungeons. People visit you, but no one else stays. No one else is dragged. Except for these two. These two who you know. Who don't fit. 

Qweck is here.

You hear them open the cell to your right, and another one across the corridor, just out of sight. The voice–it's Qweck, you fool!–keeps begging the knights to let her save him, but they ignore her. They always ignore you when you beg. She'll learn.

She'll learn.

Oh, gods, she'll learn.

"Qweck!" You call, and your voice sounds so weak you wonder if she can hear you.

"Theo?" She answers. "Oh, gods, you're alive. Giliys is here, too, but he's hurt and–"

"Qweck! You didn't–you tell them I wrote the letter, alright?" You interrupt, because Gilly can look out for himself–he always does. If she's here, she can't–she has to know–

"What?"

"You-you don't–I wrote the letter, you're a good, loyal Chelaxian. You uphold Order. Godclaw–tell them you like the Godclaw. But I wrote the letter. You're a good Chelaxian."

"What–what letter?"

"You'd tell them everything if you knew anything," you continue, because she needs to understand. "But you don't. Because I wrote the letter, and I didn't tell you, and you had nothing to do with any of this, but you are good and loyal and respect the hellknights and want to help them–"

"Theo, you're not making any sense–and I don't think they're going to believe–"

"They have to!" You explode. "Because they will hurt you if they don't, so please, you didn't write that letter!"

Footsteps. You freeze. The knights have returned. They come closer, and then you hear a cell door open, and then–

"Stop her!"

"Sanesces!"

The sound of a scuffle, and then you hear Qweck cry out in pain–

You failed.

The knights drag her past your cell. You can't see her so well without your glasses and in the dim light, but you think you see blood.

"No, no, no, no!" You shout after them. "Cowards! Bastards! Let her go! You want what I know? I'll tell you everything! Just let her go–" 

Your brother is following them. He stops in front of your cell and surveys you. You can't speak - you haven't been able to speak in his presence at all since he arrived, even after several sessions with him overseeing your torture. A self-satisfied smirk appears on his face, and he continues out of sight.

The wooden door slams shut, and you know it's too late. She's in That Room, and soon the signifer and your brother will hurt her the way they've hurt you.

You failed. You failed. You failed.

She isn't supposed to be here. You lied to them and endured their torture because she isn't supposed to be here!

Gilly brought her here. He must have. Why else would she be here? Gilly brought her here, and he's in the cell beside you. You want to hurt him for that. He deserves to be hurt for that–hurt like they're hurting Qweck. And so you let your cruelty speak.

"Are you happy now, Gilly?"

[yanderepuck]

Uhh depressing Vincent time?

Wrong. Depressing Vincent AND Dazai time.

Remember how I said they were going to be best friends? They also are depressed bitches together too.

Vincent's feeling depressed? Dazai knows how this looks all too well. Locking himself in his room. Keeping the blinds closed. Little to no motivation. Yep. He's dealt with this before too. Which is why he's ignoring everything Theo is saying.

Dazai makes some tea, gets some snacks, picks up Brush and goes into Vincent's room and just sits on the floor and does his own thing, either it be writing or drawing. He opens the blinds just enough for a bit of light to come through.

Dazai wants Vincent to know that someone is there for him. Dazai doesn't say much, unless if he's talking to Brush. Because sometimes just being in the same room as someone is enough, you don't need to be interacting. It also helps to make sure Vincent doesn't try to hurt himself.

Vincent started doing the same thing. It was harder for him to tell when Dazai was feeling down because he hid it so well. But when he had the feeling Dazai wasn't well he would go into his room with a sketch book and just sit at his desk or sit in the bed with him. Sometimes he'll ask about a translation, wanting to know a Japanese word, or to know if he's saying it right. But that's all just that simple interaction. And he stays with Dazai into the evening.

Vincent loves to sit at the desk and talk to Bunta. Letting him out of his cage and letting him hop around on the desk. Listening to his little feet hop around is so cute.

They both make sure that the other has rouge/Blanc at least once a day. They've noticed that when the other is around the day doesn't seem to be going as bad.

Occasionally when Vincent is starting to feel a depressive episode come on he gets a fluffy blanket and goes into Dazai's room and just sits on his bed and waits for him.

What's great is that they know how the other is feeling so they don't have to feel guilty about explaining how they feel, or trying to find the right words to explain. They both already know

[simmerdowndee]

episode eight part three

Tonight is date night for Theo and I. We’re going to try the new health nut spot downtown. I could’ve gone for some wings, but Theo wanted to try this place, so we’re here. The atmosphere is very green, very organic. We sit down at our table and order. After the waiter comes, we start to talk.

Dakota: I’m so excited to move into my townhome.

Theo: We still have to graduate and go through summer….

Dakota: I know, but it will be here in no time!

Dakota: You have your nerve, Mr. “that side is mine.”

Theo: Well, I mean it is…is it not?

Dakota: No, I planned for my other man to sleep there.

Theo: Hilarious.

Dakota: Aren’t you excited?

Theo: Yes and no.

Dakota: Why?

Theo: College is a new ballgame for us. I hope it doesn’t change anything.

Dakota: I think you’re overthinking it dude.

Theo: You have your nerve, Ms. “what if he doesn’t mean it.”

Dakota: Shut up.

Theo: laughs

Theo and I get our food and we finish dinner while having a great conversation. I’m sure I’ve said this already, but life is pretty good right now.

[rotisseries]

yeah so the theme of 6B is fear. which is sooooo great. anyway scott realized that liams been slipping with his control his eyes are glowing, fangs and claws coming out, he groowllled at practice, and um scott tells him to remember the mantra. "what three things cannot long be hidden" "the sun the moon the truth" its buddist. supposed to give betas learning control an anchor/something to focus on and now i havw to explain anchors. anchors are basically people (most of the time) or things werewolves latch onto to keep control, once you have an anchor its much easier to keep control. your anchor can change. theo and the other Made chimeras didnt really have to learn control really, they just had to learn how to use their powers. since its like implemented in them, they just have to adjust to it. if that makes sense. so theo probably doesnt have an anchor and liam's anchor is inferred to be hayden, and (probably his best friend mason too so it doesnt have to be romantic.) but hayden left... so... and also hes going through the motions about everyone Leaving and the pressure of taking care of beacon hills by himself. theres this new counselor that we meet when the new seniors apply for classes and we becomes a new hunter. we can get into her later. theo IS however in the 2nd episode of 6B. it starts with theo in his car asleep. its morning. he hears knocking on the window. its a deputy outside his window telling him to move his car. next cut is theo asleep, this time at night. deputy comes and knocks on the window to move his car. and they all like shake their heads or look upset. next cut is theo awake in the backseat just kinda staring into space. he sits up and looks around because the crickets stopped chirping and it was completely quiet. he looks around and doesnt see anyone or anything so he lays back down and pulls his blanket over himself. next cut is him waking up tapping on he window. deputy again. moves his car. deputy, moves his car, and it happens again and again and again .

hasn't he been spending all his time between hell and hospitals since when did this guy get a car

[kennyfightme]

Pink in the Night

CW- Severe depression, Gaslighting, Not fully edited I'm so tired guys, Clyde

Words- 1.1k

Theo laid on his back, staring up at the shadow covered ceiling. His curtains blocked all of the sun out. In his brain, he knew he should push them to the side to let at least some sunlight in but…He couldn't force himself to. No matter what he did, no matter how hard he tried he just couldn't move.

South Park AM played quietly in the background. God…Would they just shut up already? This episode was going on too long, he couldn't take it. Evertime Kenny spoke, Theo wanted to scream. A pit of anger sat deep in his stomach. Everything had been making him angry lately. Silence, Noise, harmless jokes that would have made him burst out laughing before made him get defensive and angry. Maybe that was why his body shut down. Knowing he was going to, that he already had, hurt his friends made him realize what he had to do. Shut himself in. It was the only safe option, for everyone. Besides, weren't they sick of hearing his voice? His stupid comments, his unfunny jokes. He was sick of hearing them.

Theo turned his head, trying to focus his eyes on his phone but the absence of light didn't really do much to help. The phone was facing down, but there was a soft glow under it. It was buzzing like crazy… Suddenly his ringer went off. A deep and raspy groan escaped his chapped, untaken care of lips.

“Shut up…” After what Theo perceived as forever, the phone finally went silent. A wave of relief flowed through the small boys body. Finally. However, that didn't last long. His doorbell went off. Only once at first, and then five or so minutes of silence. After those five minutes were up, whoever was at his door started to spam it. Aggressively. Theo laid with his face shoved into his pillow. It wasn't going to stop. The smaller boy did his best to roll off the bed, ending up laying on the floor. Thank god he didn't have a bed frame. Theo sat up slowly, and used the floor to push himself up off the bed. The doorbell kept going. Leaving his room, Theo shouted “Im coming!! Jesus fucking christ!!”

Before he even got to the door, it swung open. His eyes widened and anger filled his body, hands shaking. “What are you doing here…”

Clyde stood in the doorframe, grinning. “I had to find your spare key, why didn't you let me in…Oh you look like trash!” Theo grit his teeth, balling his hands into his fists. It was taking everything in him to not immediately scream at Clyde. He tore Theos' life apart. Ripped his heart into shreds, and then has the audacity to just show up like nothing happened? “Oh well, anyway. Sit down with me!! I gotta talk to you about something.” Clyde shoved his way into the house, and plopped down onto his friend's couch, Theo gently sat, already wanting Clyde to leave. The younger boy picked at his pants, looking down. “So…We need to talk about something.” Theo stayed silent, refusing to speak. He couldn't speak, knowing if he did it wouldn't turn out well.

“You’re acting so weird…Uhm..Anyway. I have plans with Y/N soon. I wanna know some of the stuff she likes so I can make our date super super special!!” Oh. Theos breath caught in his throat, staying stuck there. Clyde…Came by to ask that? After everything. Theo ghosted Clyde, refusing to speak to him and he just showed up without warning? To ask about a date with his boss? “Theooo. Are you just gonna stare at the floor and not say anything?”

“What's wrong with you…” Tears filled in Theos eyes, dropping onto the pants he had been wearing for the past few days.

“What? What's your problem man?” Clyde looked over to Theo and groaned. The waterworks again. He couldn't handle it. Every time he had been around his “best friend” it seemed like the younger boy ended up crying.

“What's my problem? Clyde I poured my heart out to you. Clyde, you kissed me. You were my first kiss. You were my first everything, and now you’re pretending like you don't remember? What's wrong with you?” Theo quickly stood up, pointing to the front door. “Please leave. Please get out of my house, I can't handle being around you right now.” Clyde shot up, anger fogging in his eyes.

“Theo, I'm telling you that didn't happen! And what are you talking about? You’re being so weird dude.”

“Holy shit, Clyde I'm in love with you! Are you fucking stupid? Im so hopelessly in love with you and I fucking hate it! Do you know how it feels to see the person you've been in love with since highschool fall in love with someone else? And you…You gave me what I've been wanting for years and then just ripped it away from me!” Theo spoke through tears, trying his best to push everything down. But he couldn't anymore. It forced, clawed, its way out of him.

“I just. I wish I could have that night again. I love you so much Clyde. I just want one more night like that. You made me feel so loved and so whole and I’ve never had that before. I want you Clyde. I only want you.” A sigh escaped Theos lips, and he shook his head. “Whatever. Go ask someone else about Y/n. I can't do this anymore.” The tall male stepped closer to the shorter one, watching him immediately step to move away from him. Why did Clyde feel guilty? He didn't do anything wrong. Theo knew he was in love with y/n, why did he care so much? He couldn't handle it, the guilt.

“Theo I…I want you too.” Theo let out a choked laugh.

“No you don't Clyde, you’ve made that obvious.”

“No I do!! I really do…I was. I lied about forgetting it because I felt guilty! I do want you Theo, I wouldn't lie about that.” Clyde's words were hesitant, and stuttered. Almost like he was attempting to come up with a lie on the spot. Theo furrowed his brows.

“Clyde, please dont lie to me about this. I don't want some fake relationship, I want the real you.” Once again, Clyde stepped closer to Theo. This time though, he didn't step away. Grabbing the smaller man's hands, Clyde looked into his eyes.

“It won't be fake. I love you, I do. I just…Please don't tell anyone. I don't want everyone to know I like men, I'm not ready. And I have to keep going after Y/n, okay? Everyone will get suspicious if I don't..” Theo nodded, feeling his heart swell. As much as it hurt that he would just drop the Y/n stuff, he mostly understood where Clyde was coming from.

“Are we…like gonna be together?”

“I would like that.”

“Clyde?”

“Hmm?”

“Please kiss me.”

[nysocboy]

The White Lotus: The Devil produces a series loaded-down with gay stereotypes

So I wasn't sure about the HBO Max series White Lotus, set in a beach resort in Italy.  But someone told me that there were gay characters in Season 2, so here goes, Episode 2.1:

Scene 1: A beach resort featuring bikini models sitting under umbrellas.  A woman with her breasts hanging out of her swimsuit starts a conversation with two women who just arrived from America.  She's leaving in a few hours, but she praises the hotel, the staff, the food, and the wine.  So she spent her entire trip on a beach that looks like every beach everywhere?  Why not try to actually see the country?  Her semi-bare butt goes into the water for one last swim -- and she bumps into a dead body!

Cut to hotel staff Rocco and Valencia watching body bags being hauled away.  Several bodies of guests have turned up!

Scene 2:  A week earlier.  Two heterosexual couples on a boat, one distant and arguing, the other snuggling, kissing, and nose-rubbing.  Then a depressed woman, Allora, walking through town.  Her friend Mia asks what's wrong: "Massimo has a new girlfriend, and I'm jealous."  Mia drags her away: it's almost time for the boat to arrive.  So is this a flashback in a flashback, before the girls get on the boat with the heterosexual couples?

A boat arriving while the staff waves.  "Smiles, everyone, smiles!'   Allora and Mia look on from afar, wondering whic one "he" is.  He who?  A new boyfriend met on Tinder?

Down on the dock, Employee Valencia tells the Old Guy: "I'm surprised you are here.  It's a long way from L.A., and you are quite old."  Way to insult your guests!  Next an unidentified older-younger same-sex couple; Cameron (Theo James, above) and wife, the kissing, nose-rubbing couple); Ethan (Will Sharpe, left) and wife, the distant, arguing couple (he forces her to drink wine); and a flowsy rich lady with a hundred suitcases, Ms. McQuaid. "I am your host, Mr. Roarke.  Welcome to Fantasy Island." 

Scene 3:  The White Lotus resort is in an  old hilltop convent, nowhere near the beach -- but with a view of Mount Etna. What kind of beachside resort is this, where you have to take a bus to get to the beach?

  Employee Rocco tells the two couples, who are apparently all friends, the story of the testi morti: a Moor came to Sicily and seduced a local woman.  When she discovered that he had a wife and kids back home, she cut off his head. It's a warning for husbands not to cheat. 

Then he shows  them that the two rooms connect through a secret doorway.  Ethan is up for wife-swapping, but his wife disapproves: "We won't be using that."  When the kissing, nose-rubbing couple leave, Ethan starts yelling at her.  Jerk! Not into it means not into it.

Meanwhile, the older-younger same-sex couple turn out to be father Dominic and young adult son Albie (Adam DiMarco), traveling with Grandpa Bert, who flirts with a female employee until the others reigns them in.  They're here to visit their ancestral town. 

So far the only potentially gay guest is Albie, so I'll fast-forward to his story.

Minute 24: Albie gets out of the pool (nice chest shot, but every other guy in the vicinity is fully clothed0.  He sits down next to Portia, a teenage girl who just got off the phone with a friend telling her to "get some dicks" while on vacation.  SHe starts crying because "they" have half a billion dollars but won't let her have any fun.  Albie consoles her.

Minute 46: They kiss.  Ok, so Albie is straight.  All of the other guests are married, hetero-horny, or both.  Who is the gay one?

Research reveals that he is Quentin, one of those aristocratic, decadent, fey Quentin Crisp types (parents don't know that their kid is gay when he is born, so why do gay guys on tv always have tired stereotype names, like Quentin and Blaine?).  This closeted jerk pays a group of straight men to have sex with him and introduces them as "my nephew and his friends."   He's also a drug addict and a murderer.  Pure homophobic sleaze.  

Wait -- I didn't notice before, but this series is created by, written by, and directed by MIKE WHITE, aka The Devil.  This is the jerk who wrote and starred in Chuck and Buck, about gay relationships being only for adolescents experimenting on their way to a "normal" heterosexual adulthood -- then had the monumental gall to advertise it in gay magazines!  Apparently those poor souls who get stuck in their adolescent "gay phase" turn into decadent, fey drug addicted murderers.